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Pittsburgh Courier www.newpittsburghcourier.com

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Vol. 109 No. 22

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MAY 30-JUNE 5, 2018

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EXECUTIVE ORDER SIGNED Good or bad?

Mayor Peduto wants to increase minority participation in construction work/unions

by Christian Morrow Courier Staff Writer

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto has issued two executive orders designed to increase minority participation on city construction projects and increase the number of minorities in union training programs.

The first one calls for a single Project Labor Agreement with the trade unions covering all city construction projects—totaling $1.1 billion in the current budget—valued at $500,000

“We’re going to show that we value workers. And we’re going to need a lot more of them. I’d rather get them from Homewood and the Hill than Ohio or Delaware.”

BILL PEDUTO Pittsburgh Mayor

or more. It will require at least 12 percent minority participation on the actual job site. This is over and above the city’s Minority- and Women-owned contracting goals of 18 percent and 7 percent, respectively.

“We’re going to show that we value workers,” said Peduto at the May 29 press announcement at the City-County Building, Downtown. “And we’re going to need a lot more of them. I’d rather get them from Homewood and SEE EXECUTIVE A5

Tara Bailey begins own publishing house

by Genea L. Webb For New Pittsburgh Courier

When writer Tara Bailey couldn’t find any traditional publishing houses in the City of Pittsburgh, she knew she had to rectify the situation.

The solution? Bailey Publishing House.

“When I was helping out other writers, you didn’t know what to do next. It was like, do we send it out?

I would tell people that the process is long and you may not hear back from them, I started to look for a traditional publishing house in the city that was accessible and I couldn’t find one,” explained Bailey.

Bailey vowed to only have one client, but that soon snowballed into what is now six authors on her rosSEE BAILEY A4

Blacks comprise 16 percent of new city full-time hires over the past year

by Christian Morrow

that number of nearly 16 percent, impressive.

Courier Staff Writer “Janet has a definite One might initially think commitment to making a that African Americans difference in that position comprising nearly 16 per- and seems to be going outcent of Pittsburgh’s new side the box to reach peofull-time hires in the last ple, and I think that’s important,” said year—when Black Political the Black popEmpowerment ulation in the Project Chaircity is around man and CEO 25 percent— Tim Stevens. falls short of “Obviously, as the mark. But an activist, I’d there are many like to see the ways to look at numbers highthe numbers. er, but this is If, of that 25 an area where percent, twothe city can be thirds are proud.

There working-age JANET MANUEL is movement adults, and half of them are already toward where we’d like to employed—you are already see things, and we believe down to 8 percent of the there’s a commitment to get population to draw from there.”

Manuel said she would for new positions with the city. Yet, City of Pittsburgh not use the word “impresDirector of Civil Service sive” because she’s a tough and Personnel Janet Man- sell, and like Stevens, uel reported last week that would like to see greater the city nearly doubled that minority hiring. with its new hires.

SEE HIRES A5 Thus, some people find

FAB 40’s ‘Class of 2018’ making moves, impact

by Rob Taylor Jr.

136, or by purchasing online at newpittsburghcourier.com. With each ticket When Briana White purchase, that person will learned she had been also receive a free threenamed a Fab 40 Class of month subscription to the 2018 Honoree, it was like Courier. winning the lottery—only better.

“The money, I can spend that in a (matter of) days and it would be gone.”

As for the distinction of being a member of the Fab 40?

“That’s something that lasts a lifetime,” she said.

The New Pittsburgh Courier’s Fab 40 spotlights African Americans in the Pittsburgh region under the age of 40 who are impacting the city with their professional careers, along with making BRIANA WHITE a positive difference in the community.

In the audience will be White, a Pittsburgh native who graduated from White’s mother and grandCarlow University in 2006, parents, who have been will join 39 other honorees proud of White since Day 1.

“Most things that I do, I at the Fairmont Pittsburgh Hotel, Downtown, for the try to do it with thoughts of making my family proudJune 7 ceremony.

Tickets are still available er,” White told the Courier. for the Fab 40 event, by SEE FAB 40 A5 calling 412-481-8302, ext.

Courier Staff Writer

TARA BAILEY began Bailey Publishing House in 2016. (Photo by Diane I. Daniels)

‘Roseanne’ Barred!

ABC cancels ‘Roseanne’ after star’s racist tweet NEW YORK (AP) — ABC canceled its hit reboot of “Roseanne” on Tuesday following star Roseanne Barr’s racist tweet that referred to former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett as a product of the Muslim Brotherhood and the “Planet of the Apes.”

ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey said the comment “is ab-

ROSEANNE BARR

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To subscribe, call 412-481-8302 ext. 134

horrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values.”

Barr had apologized and deleted her Monday-night tweet, calling it a “bad joke,” but the damage had already been done.

The revival of the comedy was a surprise smash for ABC, owned by the Walt Disney Co., and was counted on to lead the network’s fortunes next season. Its first new episode in March was seen by more than 25 million people, with delayed viewing counted in, numbers that are increasingly rare in network television.

Dungey’s statement canceling the show came after Wanda Sykes, consulting producer for “Roseanne,” tweeted that she was leaving. Sara Gilbert, a co-star, also tweeted that the remark was abhorrent.

One of the few network shows about a working-class family, “Roseanne” attracted considerable attention upon its return when Barr’s character supported President Donald Trump. That made the show popular with conservative viewers, and SEE ROSEANNE A4

Featuring Former FAB 40 Honoree

K. Chase Patterson Thursday, June 7, 2018 • 6-9 p.m.

Fairmont Pittsburgh Hotel, 510 Market Street, Downtown Pittsburgh (For the list of honorees, see A5)

as Celebrity Host

A2

INTERNATIONAL

MAY 30-JUNE 5, 2018

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

This Week In Black History

LEADERS MEET—U.S. President Barack Obama, right, shakes hands with President Joyce Banda of Malawi after meeting with her and President Macky Sall of Senegal, President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone, and Prime Minister José Maria Pereira Neves of Cape Verde in the Cabinet Room of the White House on March 28, 2013 in Washington, DC. Source: Pool/Getty Images North America/File)

After years in exile, a ‘Fritter Seller’ plots political comeback (TriceEdneyWire.com/ GIN)—Ending four years in political exile, Dr Joyce Banda, once demeaned as a mere “fritter seller,” returned this week in full form, risking possible arrest as she greeted crowds of joyous supporters at the Blantyre airport and in her home town.

The second woman to lead an African country and the first woman president in Malawi, Dr. Banda assured her party faithful that she played no role in the widespread corruption scandal uncovered during her brief administration.

“I am not afraid,” she said defiantly. “If they want they can come and arrest me because I have not done any wrong.”

During her two years as president, from 2012 to 2014, Dr. Banda frequently came under attack in the mostly conservative, male-dominated nation. A senior ruling party official declared that Malawi was “not ready for a female president,” while First Lady Callista Mutharika said Mrs Banda was fooling

herself that she was a serious politician.

“She will never be president, how can a mandasi [fritter] seller be president?” Mrs Mutharika was reported to say.

Dr. Banda moved abroad after local auditors, digging through ministerial accounts, reported finding the tampering of government budgets to the tune of millions of dollars. It was dubbed “Cashgate” for the huge sums discovered in the homes and cars of civil servants and businesspeople. While not personally implicated in Cashgate, the tempo of the graft reportedly increased during Dr. Banda’s administration.

Over $32 million was misappropriated within just six months in 2013, it was reported. But more recent estimates suggest that more than $280 million might have been stolen since 2009.

In the ensuing trials, an accountant with the Ministry of Tourism, himself indicted in the affair, claimed Ms. Banda had received some of the stolen loot to

distribute among voters.

Meanwhile, dissatisfied Malawians took to the streets over the weekend in the first nationwide anti-government demonstration in decades. Dressed in red, protestors chanted “Peter Must Resign!” referring to President Peter Mutharika who they accused of corruption and poor governance. The Mutharikas, Peter and his father Bingu wa Mutharika, led the country for over a decade.

A Pastoral Letter signed by leaders of all eight Catholic dioceses in the country agreed that Malawi needs a change.

While dismissed as a fritter seller at home, Dr. Banda was voted one of the most powerful women in the world, a champion for the rights of women, children, the disabled and other marginalized groups

by Forbes magazine.

She also received the Hunger Project Africa Prize for the Sustainable End of Hunger, shared with Mozambique president Joaquim Chissano in 1997.

More African nations discard term limits and let leaders ‘Rule for Life’ (TriceEdneyWire.com/ GIN)—Absent any influence from the White House towards democratic reforms, a number of African leaders are quietly tweaking their laws to ensure a lock on the presidency for decades to come.

Fifteen of Africa’s 54 heads of state hold or have held power for more than 20 years. Yet Africa has the world’s youngest population where the median age is 19.4 years.

The past few years have seen presidential term limits ended from coast to coast. In Gabon, the end of term limits this year effectively allowed President Ali Bongo Ondimba to rule for life.

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The constitutional changes also allow the president to “determine the policy of the nation.” This replaces the previous wording that stated he or she would govern “in consultation with the government”.

“The net effect of these changes is to give the president the powers of an absolute monarch,” warns David E. Kiwuwa of Princeton University writing for The Conversation, an online community of academics and researchers.

Since Ali Bongo replaced his father in 2009, many Gabonese have only known the family’s 50 year-long father-and-son rule.

Legislative elections are scheduled for this month and prospects for change are on the ballot.

South of Gabon, Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo

Brazzaville won a third term in 2016 after term limits were lifted in a vote the opposition claimed was marred by “massive fraud”.

In neighboring Congo, President Joseph Kabila has promised not to seek a third term but will choose his successor for elections scheduled for December.

In Burundi, a constitutional referendum allowing President Pierre Nkurunziza to remain in office until 2034 is scheduled for May. Moving to the east, Uganda ended age limits for presidential candidates, a move that favors the 73 year old incumbent Yoweri Museveni.

And in Sudan, Omar al-Bashir is reportedly seeking a constitutional amendment to permit a third term. His current term expires in 2020.

Week of May 30-June 5 May 30 1822—What could have been the largest and most elaborate slave rebellion in American history is betrayed by a house slave seeking favors from his White master. The rebellion was organized by Denmark Vesey and involved thousands of Blacks in the Charleston, S.C., area. Vesey was actually a free man who had purchased his freedom.

He was doing a thriving business as owner of a carpentry shop. But he had secretly vowed “not to rest until all slaves are free.” The betrayal of the Vesey plot by a house slave resulted in dozens of people, including four Whites, being arrested and many of them were eventually hanged. Vesey was put to death on June 23, 1822.

COUNTEE CULLEN 1903—One of the most outstanding poets in the history of Black America, Countee Cullen, is born in Louisville, Ky., or Baltimore, Md. The exact city of his birth is still debated. However, he was raised in New York City and rose to fame in the early 1920s and became a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance.

Cullen married, but there were persistent rumors that he was a closet homosexual resulting from his troubled childhood including being abandoned by his mother. He died in 1946 of high blood pressure and what was then called uremic poisoning or acute kidney failure.

May 31 1870—Congress passes the first Enforcement Act providing stiff punishment for both private citizens and public officials who conspired to deprive the recently freed slaves of either their civil rights or their right to vote. The Act was in response to the old plantation aristocracy and the defeated rebel soldiers who were taking control of Southern governments and enacting “Black Codes” aimed at the suppression of TULSA RIOTS Black freedoms and voting rights. The Act was also in response to the growing power of White terrorist organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan.

1921—The infamous and bloody Tulsa (Oklahoma) Riots begin. Whites go on a violent rampage lasting several days. When the rioting was over, an estimated 21 Whites and 60 Blacks were dead. In addition, as many as 15,000 Blacks were left homeless as hundreds of homes and businesses were burned to the ground. The area bearing the brunt of the destruction was known as the “Black Wall Street” because of its large number of African-American owned businesses. As recently as 2007, Detroit Congressman John Conyers was working on legislation designed to give the few remaining Black survivors of the rioting additional time to sue in order to recover some of their loses. The rioting was reportedly sparked JOHN CONYERS by a false claim from a White female elevator operator of being assaulted by a Black man. But White jealousy of Black success in the Tulsa area may have also played a major role.

Week of June 1-6 June 1 1835—The Fifth National Negro Convention convenes in Philadelphia, Pa. The gathering of free Blacks demonstrated how history can sometimes come full circle.

One major focus of the convention was to urge Blacks to stop referring to themselves as “Africans,” “Blacks” or “Coloreds” and instead adopt the word “Negro” as the official racial designation. Gradually, the designation became popular even though all Blacks did not agree with it. Researcher Richard Benjamin Moore writes that at the time some Blacks felt word “Negro” was “a symptom of the degrading sickness of opportunism and the increasing acceptance of inferior social and political status.”

1864—Solomon George Washington Dill is murdered by angry Whites. Dill was one of those rarities in Southern society—a poor White man who supported an end to slavery and Black demands for social justice. Dill’s “crime” was giving what some Whites considered “an incendiary speech” to a group of South Carolina Blacks.

1973—Detroit’s WGPR becomes the nation’s first Black-owned television station. It was granted a license to operate on this day in 1973 but did not actually go on air until September 1975.

HARRIET TUBMAN June 2 1863—Abolitionist and “Underground Railroad Conductor” Harriet Tubman leads a force of Union Army guerrilla soldiers into Maryland and frees more than 700 slaves.

Tubman was one of the most noteworthy women in the anti-slavery struggle prior to the Civil War and became a leading voice in the call for the federal government to allow Blacks to fight in the war.

1899—African-Americans observe a “National Day of Fasting” to protest lynching and other racial attacks against Blacks. The day of protest was called by the National Afro-American Council.

1975—James A. Healy becomes the first Black Roman Catholic Bishop in the United States. He was consecrated at the Roman Catholic cathedral in Portland, Maine.

June 3 1904—Dr. Charles R. Drew is born. He grows up to conDR. CHARLES DREW duct a first of its kind research in blood transfusions and the creation of blood plasma. Drew also established Britain’s first blood bank and in the United States he fought against the segregation of blood based on race. He died on April 1, 1950 as a result of injuries received in an automobile accident while driving in North Carolina.

1906—Entertainer Josephine Baker is born in St. Louis, Mo. At 16, she starred in the hit and controversial musical “Shuffle Along.” However, she did not achieve fame until she left the United States and moved to Paris, France, where her exotic dancing and singing made her an international sensation. Baker was mixed race of African American and Native American parentage. She returned to the U.S. several times including in 1963 to speak at the Dr. Martin Luther King-led March on Washington for civil rights.

June 4 1922—Samuel L. Gravely is born. Gravely became the first JOSEPHINE BAKER African American admiral in the United States Navy and the first African American to command a U.S. warship. The Richmond, Va., native died in 2004 at the age of 82.

1972—College professor and activist Angela Davis is acquitted of charges that she assisted and conspired with the young men involved in a deadly 1970 shootout at the Marin County courthouse in California. The assault on the courthouse was an attempt to free imprisoned Black activist George Jackson. At least three people were killed during the escape attempt. Davis, a Birmingham, Ala., native who became a member of the Communist Party, spent 16 months in prison but on this day in 1972 she was found not guilty of all charges by an all-White San Jose, Calif., jury.

1973—Arna Bontemps dies at the age of 72 in Nashville, ANGELA DAVIS Tenn. Born in Louisiana, Bontemps became one of the key figures in the Black artistic and cultural movement known as the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s. Bontemps was a prolific writer and poet.

June 5 1872—The Republican Party National Convention takes place in Philadelphia with substantial representation from former Black slaves. At least three Blacks addressed the national political gathering. At this point in history, the Republicans were the nation’s most progressive party and attracted the allegiance of African Americans.

Blacks would remain loyal to the Republicans until the 1930s. But by 1945 with the Republicans becoming increasingly conservative and attracted to the New Deal programs of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the vast majority of Blacks had switched to the Democrats.

1894—Black inventor G.W. Murray patents a fertilizer distributor, cotton chopper and a seed planter all on this day in 1894.

1945—Track star John Carlos is born in Harlem, N.Y. Carlos and fellow sprinter Tommie Smith created an international sensation when they protested American racism by giving the “Black Power” clinched fist salute when accepting their medals at the 1968 Olympics.

1956—Although the actual decision may have been reached the previous day, a federal district court hands down a ruling declaring that Alabama laws requiring racial segregation in public transportation were unconstitutional. The decision, which was later confirmed by the United States Supreme Court, was the first major legal victory for the Civil Rights Movement. It grew out of the historic Montgomery Bus Boycott sparked when Rosa Parks defied the law and custom by refusing to give up her seat on a public bus to a White man. Although actually organized by Rev. E.D. Nixon, the Boycott would result in Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. becoming the nation’s most prominent civil rights leader.

NATIONAL

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

MAY 30-JUNE 5, 2018

A3

Critics: NFL decision chooses mainstream appeal over players

by Jesse J. Holland Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP)— With its decision to ban kneeling during the national anthem, critics are accusing the NFL of prioritizing being in the good financial graces of mainstream

it signed a marketing deal with the military. Its new rule passed Wednesday permits players to stay in the locker room during the “The Star-Spangled Banner’’ but requires them to stand if they come to the field.

Taking a knee during the anthem has been an

“I think they made this decision to placate Donald Trump and those like him who blindly equate standing for the national anthem with patriotism. The country I want is a country where everyone wants to stand for the national anthem,” Richmond said, emphasizing the word “wants.”

DEMOCRATIC U.S. REP. CEDRIC RICHMOND of Louisiana, chairman of the CBC

America over the social justice passions of its players trying to draw attention to the deaths of African-Americans at the hands of police.

Some opponents of the new policy now vow to never watch an NFL game again.

The NFL’s new anthem policy—similar to NBA rules in place for decades— makes the athletes stand for “The Star-Spangled Banner’’ or be absent from the field while it’s played.

Critics say the league acted without input from its majority-Black players and buckled to pressure from some major advertisers and even President Donald Trump, who rallied his mostly-White base against players for failing to display their patriotism, shifting the debate from social justice for minorities to how to act during the anthem itself. Others, including some players, applauded the league’s action or took no issue with the policy.

“I think they made this decision to placate Donald Trump and those like him who blindly equate standing for the national anthem with patriotism,’’ said Democratic U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond of Louisiana, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. “The country I want is a country where everyone wants to stand for the national anthem,’’ Richmond said, emphasizing the word “wants.’’

Vice President Mike Pence tweeted “(hash)Winning’’ and declared the decision “a win for the fans, a win for (President Trump), and a win for America.’’

The NFL started requiring players in the league to be on the field for the anthem in 2009—the year

issue since August 2016, when now-unemployed quarterback Colin Kaepernick started protesting the deaths of African-Americans at the hands of police.

The issue bubbled over from the field into living rooms as other players joined the movement, and morphed into a larger discussion last fall when Trump called on NFL owners to fire players who did not stand during the national anthem.

“This is White supremacy, period. A blatant and disgusting attempt to strip black athletes of their voice and reduce them to a number on a jersey—all while continuing to profit off of their bodies,’’ said Rashad Robinson, executive director of advocacy group Color of Change.

Bree Newsome, who climbed a pole to snatch down the Confederate flag at the South Carolina statehouse in 2015, tweeted: “For the White-owned NFL to blackball Kaepernick & then change policy to specifically target Black athletes’ protest of racism is not simply a matter of football. It is about using one of the largest stages in America to reinforce racial caste in USA.’’ Civil rights groups denounced the decision.

“Instead of working together to address an issue disproportionately plaguing the communities of the majority of NFL players, the owners instead desire that players bury their heads, shut up, and just play football,’’ NAACP chairman Derrick Johnson said.

Kaepernick and other NFL players who kneeled said their protests were over the shootings and other mistreatment of African

NEW BOOK—This cover image released by Crown Publishing Group shows “Becoming,” by Michelle Obama, which comes out Nov. 13. (Crown Publishing Group via AP)

Michelle Obama unveils cover for upcoming memoir NEW YORK (AP)—Michelle Obama has a picture to share.

On Thursday, the former first lady unveiled the cover for her upcoming memoir, “Becoming.”

She posted that image, a smiling close-up shot taken by portrait photographer

Miller Mobley, on her Instagram account. She wrote on Instagram that working on the book has been “meaningful and illuminating” and urged others to tell their stories.

“Becoming,” one of the year’s most anticipated books, comes out Nov. 13.

CRITICS—Rev. Charles Williams II, president of the Michigan chapter of the National Action Network, speaks to reporters outside Ford Field, home of the NFL’s Detroit Lions, Friday, May 25, in Detroit.

Williams, who was joined at the news conference by other Michigan NAN members, is calling on the Lions to reject the league’s new policy aimed at addressing the issue of national anthem protests. (AP Photo/Mike Householder) Americans at the hands of law enforcement. The quarterback was not resigned by the San Francisco 49ers after beginning his protest and has not played for an NFL team since. He has filed a grievance against the league, as has out of work safety and fellow protester Eric Reid.

Calls to boycott the NFL because of the anthem decision started immediately online. NFL fans previously had threatened to boycott the NFL because players

were kneeling during the Star Spangled Banner, and others said they wouldn’t watch until Kaepernick was signed by a team. Now a new group is promising not to watch pro football games.

“As a former NFL player I am extremely conflicted but more than likely will not be supporting anymore until this is resolved amongst other issues,’’ said Matthew A. Cherry, who played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, Caroli-

na Panthers and the Baltimore Ravens.

The NFL Players Association said it would challenge any changes that violate the collective bargaining agreement.

“This is fear of a diminished bottom line. It’s also fear of a president turning his base against a corporation,’’ Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Chris Long said on Twitter . “This is not patriotism. Don’t get it confused. These owners don’t love America more than the

players demonstrating and taking real action to improve it. It also lets you, the fan, know where our league stands.’’

Cardinals safety Antoine Bethea, a 12-year NFL veteran, said “fining players for really expressing what they believe, I think that’s kind of overboard.’’

Others said they approved of the compromise.

“I’m going to stand for the national anthem,’’ Denver defensive end Derek Wolfe said. “Whatever anybody else wants to do, that’s their decision and they have the right to their opinion. So, they can do whatever they want—as long as they stay in the locker room, I guess.’’

Pittsburgh Steelers guard Ramon Foster shrugged his shoulders when asked about the policy and said that in a way, players are powerless.

“If the team says, ‘This is what we’re doing,’ and ownership (does too), you either deal with it or you’re probably going to get cut,’’ Foster said.

Pittsburgh residents give their thoughts on the new NFL national anthem policy.

See Sports, Page B8.

A4

METRO

MAY 30-JUNE 5, 2018

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Tara Bailey’s new publishing house off to a good start BAILEY FROM A1

ter and six books. She predicts that by spring 2019 Bailey Publishing House will have about 20 books.

“That’s frightening and exciting at the same time.

I like a good challenge and this has been a great experience,” she said. “I enjoy talking to other writers and lending help. I want to bridge the gap in our literary community. We can only go up if we work together.

This is a beautiful thing.

You have a book and you want it published, let me help you. Even if you don’t choose me, let me help you.”

Bailey is a Pittsburgh product, through and through. Born, raised and still lives in the West End. She started her publishing company in 2016, and just last week (May 21), her debut book, “Deadbeat,” was made into a one-act play at the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theater.

“Deadbeat” is a dark comedy with very strong language that tells the story of James, the neighborhood marijuana dealer and a self-proclaimed deadbeat dad with a dozen children by seven different women. James referred to each woman by number because he didn’t care for them.

“I know guys like this and I didn’t want to become this character,” said Lamar Darnell Fields, who portrayed James in the theatrical reading of “Deadbeat.” “I read this and realized I could’ve become him if I didn’t have a father figure in my life to show me how to be a good father.” Fields has three children and is raising two of them as a single father.

In addition to Fields, “Deadbeat” starred Cherish Morgan, Shakara Wright and Saige Smith. It was directed by Kim El. Bailey used her own experience as a single mother of two boys to write “Deadbeat” in about two hours.

It was like a weight lifted off her shoulders to get her thoughts and feelings down on paper. The short story morphed into the book and subsequent play. “’Deadbeat’ is my story.

It’s funny and it’s sad. I kept my suffering private because I was a fool. I was young and dumb and I was morphing into a person I didn’t know. Writing this was therapeutic and it brought me closure. I wanted women to know that being beaten by a man is not a rite of passage,” Bailey said.

“Deadbeat” seemed to be a

TARA BAILEY, right, with the cast of “Deadbeat” from the May 21 theatrical reading of the play, Downtown. (Photo by Diane I. Daniels) hit with the audience.

“I thought it was very well-written and it provides awareness for women and men,” said Jerome Jenkins of Wilkinsburg. “It’s good for this generation today because they think they’re grown and they have a lot of outside influences.”

Lincoln-Lemington resident Melinda Adams enjoyed the play because of its message to young women.

“I think every woman can

relate to multiple characters in this play,” she said.

“A lot of young girls think they can change a guy.”

Bailey is grateful for the positive response “Deadbeat” has received. She hopes to see it on screen as a movie or mini-series.

“I enjoy putting my imagination on paper. It’s exhilarating to be able to paint

pictures with words. I tell people not to micromanage their imagination and while you’re writing, don’t worry about the logistics, just let it flow free and work about the logistics later,” she said.

For now, Bailey, who graduated from Penn State with a degree in psychology, is focusing on her authors and building her publish-

ing house.

“My goal is to be a powerhouse. This is a lot of long nights and weekends. It’s 24/7. I come home from work (at an assisted living facility), do the single mom thing, then work on this,” Bailey said. “Nothing is guaranteed with me, but I pride myself on customer service.”

ABC cancels ‘Roseanne’ ROSEANNE FROM A1

Trump himself suggested the character’s backing had a lot to do with the show’s success.

But ABC had said that it expected the show, when it returned next fall, to tone down political comedy.

The Jarrett comment was one of a series of political tweets made by Barr. She criticized Democratic financier George Soros and tweeted that Chelsea Clinton was “Chelsea Soros Clinton,” implying she was married to a nephew of Soros. Clinton herself corrected Barr online, and Donald Trump Jr. retweeted two

of Barr’s statements about Soros, although not the remark about Jarrett.

Jarrett was brought up in response to Twitter commentary that raised her name in relation to an Obama conspiracy theory. Barr tweeted: “muslim

brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj.”

She later tweeted an apology to Jarrett. “Forgive me,” she wrote. “My joke was in bad taste.”

(AP writers Mark Kennedy, Jocelyn Noveck and Leanne Italie contributed to this report.)

LeBron James would have hated to play against Dennis Rodman!

by Bill Neal

For New Pittsburgh Courier

:10—I am a lot of things but stupid ain’t one of them. While I remain a LeBron hater... He’s a bad man. But is he bad enough to beat the Warriors in this year’s Finals? :09—Clacey and Chip... AKA C&C (big smile). Let it go, people. You two haven’t picked a winner since you picked each other. Bam!!! :08—Speaking of LeBron…he is in fact one of the greatest of all-time.

Doesn’t make my top five but so be it. But every great player had a stopper! Wilt had Russell, Michael had Dumars and Charles had McHale. The East has to find a stopper for LB’s or this is gonna be an annual repeat. :07—To that point. The man for the job would be Dennis Rodman. He didn’t only “D” you up but he got on your last damn nerve!

Anyone that kicks it with Kim Jong Un must be feared and respected. :06—I am trying my very best to understand how the 32 billionaires that own and operate NFL teams can all be that dumb... or are they??? Anyway, do they really think that telling the players they have to stay in the locker room while the national anthem plays is the only way they can protest? Are - you - serious? Wait and see how well that works. :05—A shoutout one more time for “Blanche.”

She is a devoted reader... one of ten, ha ha. And for that she is now in “The Locker Room.” Keep reading, Ms. Blanche! The truth will set you free! :04—I had Golden State out the gate winning the NBA Championship and I am staying with it. LeBron you’re going down again. Take it to the bank. :03—It appears that the Pittsburgh Pirates are just what they appear to be. An average team with above-average talent that has below-average ticket-

ing and bats that on occasion can hit for average. It’s about to get real! :02—Trust me on this. The movie “Break In” is a bit predictable and you’ve kinda been there done that. But to see Gabrielle Union in jeans and a T-shirt is well worth the price of admission, minus the senior discount! I gave her four basketballs just for the jeans. :01—I know, I know, I know, you’ve been waiting and wondering for a long time. But the wait is finally over. Get ready to

Overtime

BILL NEAL “Feel the sensation” one more time. And this one is “Truly for You”…The legendary truly yours models and the fabulous sensation models will join their cat walk forces and present a fashion extravaganza to be remembered.....

One last time! Mark your calendar for “Summer Fashion Greatness.”

Coming to you live and in serious color at the Racquet Club in Monroeville Saturday, July 7, 7 to 11 p.m. The fireworks will still be popping hot fun in the summertime. Fashion show, live dancing, hors d’oeuvres, refreshments, live photos, VIP’s & Celebs, Free parking and the 2018 Public Service Awards. Tickets $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Call 412-628-4856 for information. What can I tell ya...We’re Back!!! :00—GAME OVER.

METRO

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

16 percent—Good or bad?

HIRES FROM A1

“I’m a hard score, I’m not going to lie, but we are pleased with the progression we’ve made over one year,” she said. “That said, we still have work to do.”

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, who instituted a city-wide “Rooney Rule” requiring minority candidates be interviewed for every job opening, said he wants to see higher numbers, too—particularly in Public Safety hiring.

“It’s good, but I’m looking for numbers higher than the city population average,” he said. “I’d like to see 27 percent, but we have to do better in public safety— and we will.”

According to Manuel’s report, which was first reported by the New Pittsburgh Courier last week and

covered city hiring from April 19, 2017 to April 19, 2018, African Americans accounted for 15.9 percent of all city full-time hires.

However, African Americans accounted for only 12 percent of the full-time public safety hires.

Stevens noted there are a number of factors that can affect that; community police relations—which, he said, have been improving in recent years; racially biased hiring procedures— which have been eliminated following a lawsuit, and just the strictures of those particular jobs.

“A lot of this is stuff—attitudes generally about policing, let alone as a career— are not in the city’s control,” he said. “I mean, I’ve often said you couldn’t pay me to be a police officer, it’s a

tough job. I couldn’t do it.”

Manuel said Pittsburgh is not alone in that respect.

“Increasing diversity in public safety is a challenge for every city,” she said.

Manuel also noted that the 34 promotions of African Americans during the same time frame bodes well for increasing diversity. “There were three promotions to management-level positions in my department alone—four if you include me,” she said. “When you think of Diversity and Inclusion, it’s about increasing representation at all levels.

The Rooney Rule solidifies what we’re already working toward. There is a vast pool of diverse talent out there that has to be captured.”

Peduto wants more minority participation EXECUTIVE FROM A1

the Hill than Ohio or Delaware.”

The second order creates a Workforce Development Fund to increase recruitment and enrollment in trade union training programs, creating a pipeline to bring more minorities and women into the trades.

The fund would be seeded with $250,000 in city funds and another $100,000 from the Pittsburgh Regional Building Trades Council.

“We believe these two steps are raising the bar for city construction projects and building a pipeline to the worksite for people who have traditionally been excluded,” said Peduto.

“Additionally, Councilmen Corey O’Connor and Danny Lavelle will be working to write legislation making this part of the city code— so it lasts longer than just one mayor.”

County Councilman DeWitt Walton, who is also vice president of the A. Phillip Randolph Institute, said he was proud to

stand with the mayor as he made the announcement.

The Randolph Institute has been training African American youth for trade union careers for more than 20 years.

“It is with distinct pleasure that I stand with the mayor today, and I want to echo what state Rep. Ed Gainey has said, that if you want to fix what’s wrong— poverty, drug, violence, lack of housing—raise the per capita income,” Walton said. “People who look like me have dreams. People who look like me have aspirations. We just want a fair shake.”

Peduto said he hoped others, like Allegheny County, and entities such as UPMC and Allegheny Health Network—which together are projected to spend more than $3 billion on construction in the next five years— would follow the city’s lead.

He said he would also like to see the boards of the city’s authorities, including the Water and Sewer Authority and the Urban

Redevelopment Authority, enact similar initiatives to cover their much-larger construction budgets.

Peduto then turned questions over to Community Affairs Officer Grant Gittlen, who said the PSAs were unique in that they covered all city contracting going forward; and had the job site participation requirement.

“Previously, all PLAs were done on a project-by-project basis, and frankly the actual job-site participation was nowhere near 12 percent.

So we think this will be a significant advancement,” he said.

The executive orders were the result of work done during the past year by multiple city departments and its Construction Industry Task Force along with City Council, trade unions, and workforce development partners such as the Randolph Institute, Community Empowerment Association, Partners4Work and the Energy and Innovation Center.

Fab 40 date: June 7 FAB 40 FROM A1

“I came from a good family and I don’t want to do anything that would embarrass them.”

Obviously, being a Fab 40 honoree is no embarrassment. In a region that boasts two million people, just 250 or so people have the distinction of garnering a Fab 40 honor.

White is a budget analyst for Pittsburgh Public Schools, the treasurer of the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation, and, in 2015, began Breelicious Bites, in which White reviews food and treats from area restaurants, and participates in food-related events.

White told the Courier she’s anticipating the moment her name will be called to receive her award on June 7. She’s not quite sure how the moment will feel.

But K. Chase Patterson knows all too well about that moment. He was a college student at Pitt when he won the first of two Fab 40 distinctions. “I think I was the youngest person ever to receive a Fab 40 award,” Patterson told the Courier from his office at Urban Academy of Greater Pittsburgh charter school, of which he is the CEO. That’s right, the chief executive officer.

“And I think I’m the only person to win the award twice,” Patterson added.

Come June 7, it will be Patterson taking center stage as the event’s celebrity host, the third time he’s held that honor.

Patterson, 34, became Urban Academy’s CEO in January 2017, after being recommended for the position by the school’s board of di-

rectors. Patterson, who also was the school’s business manager at the time of the recommendation, began his tenure at Urban Academy as a member of the board of trustees.

Patterson is a proud Pittsburgher who attended Schenley High School and the University of Pittsburgh, like his father and grandfather. In 2006, after college, Patterson began his career at the Urban League in 2006 where he established the Black Male Leadership Development Summit, now known as BMLDI. He’s used his academic, business and political experience to boast a loud voice in matters affecting Pittsburgh’s African American community and the region as a whole.

He employs local African Americans, not just at Urban Academy, but at Society Men’s Grooming Lounge in the Hill District, as the barber/beauty salon’s owner.

Never one to mince words, Patterson is calling on Pittsburgh’s corporations to increase their hiring of African Americans, especially in key positions.

“Corporations are the folks that have to agree that hiring top-caliber Black talent is a priority, set it as policy, then get it done,” he said. Patterson gives corporations as a whole in Pittsburgh a grade of “D” when it comes to acquiring and retaining African Americans.

“They’ve done just enough,” he said. “And they’re ‘just enough’ isn’t even average.

If every corporation could demonstrate that they had an equal percentage of minority executives as per the minority population in the city, then you got me.”

And in Pittsburgh, a city

with a 25 percent Black population, Patterson knows local companies aren’t hitting that mark.

“None of them are performing the way it should be,” he said.

The Courier’s Fab 40 highlights those Black professionals who are beating the odds, fighting through barriers, and making a name for themselves. Akemi Harrison, an executive producer at WPXI-TV, calls the shots of what you watch during the 11 p.m. newscast. Andrea Barber, of My Three Sons Vending, has set up vending machines that you buy snacks from at many locations around Pittsburgh. Then there’s people on the Fab 40 list that Patterson knows personally, like Kenya Matthews of PNC Bank, Sharnay Hearn Davis of Sisters Lifting as We Climb, and Angelique Drakeford, who just happens to be the principal of Urban Academy.

“She epitomizes what the award recognizes—top talent that honors the legacy and tradition of strong, Black leadership in our region,” Patterson said of Drakeford.

For Patterson, today’s African American professional shouldn’t stop working when the clock strikes five.

Being a community asset is important. Giving back is important. Speaking for the voiceless is important.

That’s what Patterson sees as the one constant with the Fab 40 Class of 2018 honorees he knows.

“Even in their professional-sphere, they are committed socially to seeing the advancement and success of Black folks in our region, in our country, and across the globe.”

MAY 30-JUNE 5, 2018

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METRO

MAY 30-JUNE 5, 2018

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Courier wins Golden Quill Award for best Front Page Design

he e itts urgh Courier too home first lace honors in the categor of ront age esign, during the ress Clu of estern enns lvania s annual olden uill ards, a . n the left hoto, Courier managing editor Rob Taylor Jr. and Courier editor and u lisher Rod Doss are ictured ith the olden uill ard. Courier gra hic designer Kathleen Yocum also received honors for her design of the ec. , 1 Courier front age. n the a ove right hoto are the Courier s Smokin’ Jim Frazier, Debbie Norrell and Will McBride, ho ere finalists in the s orts categor . o the right is od oss ith the Courier s Brian Cook, ho as a finalist in the s orts video categor .

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

INVITATION TO BIDDERS THE PITTSBURGH WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY ADVERTISEMENT

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR ARLINGTON HEIGHTS BUILDING ENTRANCE DOORS AND HARDWARE REPLACEMENT (FORCED ACCOUNTS) IFB# 600-25-18

INVITATION TO BIDDERS/ OFFERORS THE PITTSBURGH WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY ADVERTISEMENT

SEPARATE and SEALED BIDS for the following solicitation, will be received the Office of rocurement, itts urgh ater and Se er uthorit , 1 enn ve., Second loor, itts urgh, 1 , until revailing ime June 14, 2018. ids must e received in the hands of and stamped in by a S rocurement Officer in sufficient time rior to the o ening in order for a id to e considered.

INVITATIONS FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR 2018 CATCH BASIN REPLACEMENT CONTRACT PWSA PROJECT NO. 2018-424-101-0 or under this contract includes the replacement and rehabilitation of the PWSA catch basins and inlets and/or storm and combination facilities ithin the u lic se er s stem as directed. ll ids must e su mitted in accordance with the solicitation that can be obtained by sending an e-mail to cjuratovic@pgh2o.com. here will be no charge for the solicitation, as it ill e sent via e mail. ll questions relating to the solicitation itself shall be directed to directed to utumn arna, rocurement anager, via e mail abarna@pgh2o. com, no later than June 7, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. andator re id eeting ill be held on May 31, 2018 at 1 a.m. in the uthorit s Conference oom, 1 enn ve., itts urgh, 1 . he ur ose of this meeting is to give an overview of the contract requirements and to allo idders to as questions. ids must e accom anied a id ond in the amount of en ercent 1 of the id for the ro ect under construction. Said ond shall e dul and legall e ecuted ith a Suret or rust Com an hich has complied with City Ordinances/ esolutions relating thereto. erformance ond and a or and aterial ond in the amount of 1 of the contract value for each a arded ro ect ill e required after a ard. he Contractor must assure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against ecause of their race, color, religion, se ual reference, se , or national origin. he idders ill e required to su mit the ac age of certifications included ith the contract documents relating to qual m lo ment O ortunit . he uthorit reserves the right to withhold the award of the Contract for a eriod of da s after the o ening of the ids. he uthorit reserves the right to re ect an or all ro osals, and to waive any informality or minor irregularit in an id or ids. he uthority also retains the right to investigate the qualifications of idders prior to any award and to award contracts only to contractors who, in the sole udgment of the itts urgh ater and Se er uthorit , are qualified and equi ed to ro erl e ecute the s ecified or .

he ousing uthorit of the Cit of itts urgh C here request ro osals from qualified irms or ndividuals ca a le of roviding the follo ing service s ARLINGTON HEIGHTS BUILDING ENTRANCE DOORS AND HARDWARE REPLACEMENT (FORCED ACCOUNTS) IFB# 600-25-18 he documents ill e availa le no later than a 1, 1 and signed, sealed ids ill e acce ted until 10:00 a.m. on June 8, 2018 at which time they will be Time and ate Stam ed at 1 oss Street nd loor, Suite , itts urgh, 1 1 , at hich time the ill e o ened and read aloud. arties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Solicitation from the usiness O ortunities age of www.

HACP.org. uestions or inquiries should e directed to Mr. Kim Detrick Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-456-5116 Opt 1 re id meeting ill e held Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Dept.

100 Ross Street 2nd. Fl. Ste. 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15213 May 31, 2018 10:00 A.M. he ousing uthorit of the Cit of itts urgh strongl encourages certified minorit usiness enterrises and omen usiness enterrises to res ond to this solicitation.

HACP’s 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 C conducts usiness in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights la s, including ut not limited to itle , the air ousing ct, Section of the eha ilitation ct of 1 , the Americans with Disabilities Act, The uman elations ct, etc. and does not discriminate against an individuals rotected these statutes.

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!

To place a display ad in the New Pittsburgh Courier call 412-481-8302 ext. 128 or 129

SEPARATE and SEALED BIDS for the following solicitation, will be received the Office of rocurement, itts urgh ater and Se er uthorit , 1 enn venue, Second loor, until . . revailing Time, June 8, 2018. ids must e received in the hands of and clocked in a S rocurement Officer in sufficient time rior to the o ening in order for a id to e considered.

All late and electronic bids will be re ected and ill not e considered for a ard.

INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR THE PURCHASE OF WATER PITCHERS AND FILTERS PWSA PROJECT NO. PWSA99 ll ids must e su mitted in accordance with the solicitation that can be obtained by sending an e-mail to cjuratovic@pgh2o.com. here ill be no charge for the solicitation, as it ill e sent via e mail. ll questions relating to the solicitation itself shall e directed to utumn arna, rocurement anager, via e mail abarna@pgh2o.com, no later than May 31, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. EST. he Contractor must assure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against ecause of their race, color, religion, se , se ual reference, or national origin. he uthorit reserves the right to withhold the award of the Contract for a eriod of da s after the id due date. he uthorit reserves the right to re ect an or all ids, and to aive an informalit or minor irregularit in an id s . he uthorit also retains the right to investigate the qualifications of idders rior to an award and to award contracts only to Contractors ho, in the sole udgment of the itts urgh ater and Se er uthorit , are qualified and equi ed to ro erl e ecute the s ecified or .

KDKA-TV’s BOB ALLEN, with his father, Bob Allen Sr. (Photos by Debbie Norrell)

LEGAL ADVERTISEMENT Request for Proposal ACHA-1597 Real Estate Services

he lleghen Count ousing uthorit is requesting ro osals from quailed firm individuals to rovide eal state Service, er s ecifications for properties within the City of uquesne, ith in lleghen Count . equest for ro osals and contract documents are on file and ma e o tained, at no charge, in the urchasing Department of the Alleghen Count ousing uthorit , Stan i Street, 1 th oor, ittsurgh, 1 or contacting the C at 1 or email at g hilli s achsng.com.

A pre-proposal conference will be held on ednesda , une , 1 at 1 a.m. in the lleghen Count ousing uthorit oard oom on the 1 th loor. ro osals are due 1 a.m. local time, rida , une , 1 at the lleghen Count ousing uthorit . he lleghen Count ousing uthorit encourages res onses from small firms, minorit firms and firms that have not reviousl erformed or for lleghen Count ousing uthorit .

ALLEGHENY COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY Frank Aggazio, Executive Director

The Courier is the VOICE of Black Pittsburgh.

PEOPLE

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

MAY 30-JUNE 5, 2018

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Attention all PARENTS! GRANDPARENTS! AUNTS AND UNCLES! Yep! We’re doing it again! The New Pittsburgh Courier is having a special “2018: Celebrating the Graduates” edition on Wednesday, June 27.

And we want to feature your high school or college graduate in our June 27 special edition!

Here’s how it works...

Karlissia Council California University of Pennsylvania

Karlissia is a recent graduate of Califorinia University of Pennsylvania with a degree in business administration and a minor in art. At CalU she was the President and a member for the Black Student Union, member and Treasurer for Phi Sigma Pi Honor Fraternity. She created her own craft business, Karlie’s Creations.

(It’s on instagram! @kc_creations_)

1. Call Rob Taylor at the Courier to reserve a spot for your graduate in our June 27 edition. Call 412-481-8302, ext. 135, or E-mail rtaylor@newpittsburghcourier.com 2. Pick out the best picture you have of your graduate! (Recent college graduation photo, high school senior photo, or a pic from an upcoming high school graduation day) 3. E-mail, regular mail, or bring in the picture to the Courier. E-mail it to rtaylor@newpittsburghcourier.com or: 315 East Carson St., Pittsburgh PA 15219 4. Write a 3-5 sentence paragraph with your message to the graduate. Include graduate’s full name, school name, and degree received (college). This paragraph will be under your graduate’s photo in the paper, similar to the example on the left.

5. Cost: $25 per graduate photo, to be paid in advance. Includes a free 6-month subscription to the Courier! Be sure to give an address for us to send the free subscription.

6. Hurry! Space is limited to the first 50 graduate photos. Call Rob now to reserve your graduate’s spot! Call 412-481-8302, ext. 135.

7. All photos, written material and payments must be received by 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 20.

Congratulations to your 2018 graduate!

From all of us at the New Pittsburgh Courier.

New Horizon Theater ends 26th season with ‘Sassy Mamas’ Romantic comedy begins June 1 at Homewood Library

by Genea L. Webb For New Pittsburgh Courier

What do you say to taking chances? That’s one of the themes in the romantic comedy “Sassy Mamas” that will end New Horizon Theater Inc.’s 26th season.

Written by Celeste Bedford Walker and directed

by Eileen J. Morris, who has guest-directed more than 16 plays for New Horizon Theater Inc., the comedy tells the story of three sassy, sophisticated women of substance who find themselves uniquely single. They decide to take a proactive approach to love by pursuing younger men.

“Our last play of the season has been a romantic comedy because it appeals to our audience, which is high percentage of wom-

en,” explained New Horizon Theater Inc. board chairperson Joyce Meggerson-Moore. “This will be one they’ll really enjoy. The play is not just about the relationships with younger men and older women. It’s more than that. One of the women is a former ambassador and she has a deeper conversation with a former football player. There are deeper conversations than people think.”

Morris concurs.

“You’ll definitely have a good time and it has a lot of humor. It’s the kind of show that speaks to human beings,” Morris said. “It gives you permission to explore possibilities, discover who you are, what you want in your life and how to make that happen. Sometimes we’re too safe and we have

production of “Blue”) and newcomers Darrin Mosley and Brylan Slay.

“We have a real sound cast in this play and we’re happy to have these new actors to groom their skills on our stage. We’ve had a wonderful season,” Meggerson-Moore said. “We have three main stage plays and one special event each year so it’s a year-round commitment. The season started with ‘The Girls of Summer,’ then we had ‘Detroit JOYCE MEGGERSON-MOORE ’67,’ then our annual fundraising event with singto explore what life has to er Melba Moore and Levi offer.”

“Sassy Mamas” stars Brenda Marks (who last performed on the New Horizon Theater stage in “The Old Settler”); Karla Payne (who was last seen in New Horizon’s “Lotto”); Corey Lankford (also a member of New Horizon’s “Lotto” cast and “The Ballad of Emmett Till”); Tracey D. Turner (last seen in New Horizon Theater’s 2003-2004 season

IF YOU MISSED IT…

The 2018 August Wilson Birthday Celebration was just that, a celebration! Pittsburghers honored and celebrated our native son, August Wilson, with music, vendors, dancing, and unity. See all the pics from Emmai Alaquiva and Streets at newpittsburghcourier.com!

Barcourt and we’re ending with ‘Sassy Mamas.’ We’re excited about this lineup and we’re excited to have Eileen back.”

“Sassy Mamas” is funded in part by grants from Advancing Black Arts in Pittsburgh Program, a partnership of the Pittsburgh Foundation and the Heinz Endowments, Allegheny Regional Asset District, Chris Moore Communications Inc., Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.

Performances will be held

at the Carnegie Library Auditorium in Homewood for three weekends beginning June 1, through June 17. Friday and Saturday evening shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday matinees are at 3 p.m. Tickets are $20 general admission; $15 senior rate (ages 65 and above.

Group rates are available for 10 or more). For tickets go to newhorizontheater. org; call 412-431-0773, visit Dorsey’s Digital Imaging on Frankstown Ave. or purchase online at brownpapertickets.com.

LIFESTYLES New Pittsburgh Courier

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MAY 30-JUNE 5, 2018

www.newpittsburghcourier.com

Debbie Norrell

Lifestyles Report

In The News You don’t need scripted TV when you have news 24/7. In this last week I have gotten the biggest enjoyment out of the news. The coverage of the royal wedding was magnificent. On the day of the wedding I woke up just in time to see Meghan Markle and her mother riding to the church. Actually, I had not intended to watch, but once I tuned in I was hooked. This was better than a “reality show” and it was really real. No fake situations, no pretend fights and no staged meetings. I had to actually pull out a box of tissues. The choir and their ensembles in shades of pink and blue, the cellist, the priest and of course, Meghan’s mother in her mint green dress and coat. Everyone looked beautiful. Well, almost everyone. I thought the dress that Idris Elba’s fiancee wore was more for the office in winter than a royal wedding.

But I guess she was going more for a label than a look. I believe in the opposite—“A look, not a label.” Watch out for my book coming out soon with the same title.

After the wedding was over anyone who missed it was able to see all of the high points on every news channel.

Even Meghan’s daddy watched it on TV. It’s a shame he could not be there.

The news story that really had me in stiches is the 30-year-old who is being evicted from his parents’ home. This whole story is a hoot.

It seems like Michael Rotondo has been living rent free in his parents’ home for eight years.

In the past few months his mom and dad have given him at least five written notices to get his butt out but he ignored them so they ended up in court. Let’s look at this. Would you want to continue to stay anywhere you were not wanted? I wouldn’t and when I turned 23, I moved into my own apartment even though my mother wanted me to stay at home forever.

What grown man wants to stay at home living off of his parents?

In part I blame the parents. Aren’t you supposed to raise your children to be productive members of society?

Don’t you want them to grow up, get a job and move out? Eight years ago they should have laid down the law for Michael. Actually, they should have made the rules clear while he was in high school. They should have told him he needed a job while he was in school and told him he had to start paying for some of his own stuff. I just can’t imagine not wanting to be independent. I saw Rotondo on the news and he said he did not feel he was in the way— he only uses a little water and electricity.

If I were the parents I would have run from the courthouse and went home and changed the locks. I think these parents should be very afraid. I can’t wait to hear how this plays out.

(Email Debbie at debbienorrell@aol.com.)

AHCC SCHOLARS—Jawanza Rand, Sierra Mason, Kassi Horton, Nnenna Anyanwu, Matthew Tembo and Casey McMullen

On To Africa

by Debbie Norrell Lifestyles Editor

On Saturday, April 21, the executive board of the African Heritage Classroom Committee (AHCC) and the 2018 AHCC scholars gathered for a luncheon at the beautiful Senti Restaurant to celebrate their upcoming trips to Africa.

For three of the six students this will be their first time going to the

Motherland; for one of the six it will be their first plane ride. The students are Sierra N. Mason, Kassi Horton, Mathew Tembo, Jawanza Kalonji Rand, Nnenna Anyanwu and Casey McMullen.

The scholars will study in Uganda, Zambia, Ethiopia and Tanzania. Each developed their own program and this year the scholars will travel in honor of Dr. Ralph Proctor, who has

COMMITTEE & SCHOLARS—Nnenna Anyanwu, Kim Olday, Casey McMullen, Donna Alexander, Kassi Horton and Michelle Jones. (Photos by Debbie Norrell) made numerous contributions of African artifacts to the African Heritage Classroom.

The luncheon was host-

ed by Donna Alexander, AHCC chair, Kim Olday and Michelle Jones from the University of Pittsburgh. The African Her-

itage Classroom is one of 30 Nationality rooms at the University of Pittsburgh and was dedicated in 1989.

‘Heart and Soul’: The Book Launch

by Debbie Norrell Lifestyles Editor

According to Robert Hill, editor of “Heart and Soul, The Remarkable Courtship and Marriage of Josh and Virginia Craft Rose” by Mary Ellen Butler is a must read. The book details the Courtship and Marriage of Joshua Rose and Virginia Craft Rose. Butler’s original purpose in writing this biography of her parents was to lay down an account of their lives for the benefit of their progeny, particularly her children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

When the book’s male protagonist, Joshua Rose, was director of the Centre Avenue YMCA summer camp

HEART AND SOUL

at Indian Head, Pa., the Pittsburgh Courier published articles in the early 1930s about his success in enrolling Pittsburgh kids. When Josh and Virginia Craft Rose married in 1934 the wedding was covered in the Pittsburgh Courier. The story now comes full circle with the April 29 book launch at the John Heinz History Center. It happened and the New Pittsburgh Courier was there.

More than 100 attended the lively book launch, and Mary Ellen Butler was presented with a beautiful bouquet from her AKA sorors. Numerous members of Alpha Phi Alpha were in the audience showing support for Joshua Rose. The discussion also featured national lecturer Peggy Trotter Dammond Preacely, niece of the book’s protagonists, Robert Hill as master of ceremonies, and Sam Black, Director of African American Programs, John Heinz History Center.

AKA PRESIDENT PRESENTS BOUQUET—Rhonda Talifario and Mary Ellen Butler

ACTIVIST-ARTIST-SPEAKER—Peggy Trotter Dammond Preacely

ORGANIZERS WITH AUTHOR—Robert Hill, Sam Black and Mary Ellen Butler. (Photos by Debbie Norrell)

RELIGION

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

MAY 30-JUNE 5, 2018

Metro-Urban Institute Conference 2018

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Praise & Worship ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH Crawford & Centre Ave. Pgh., PA 15219 412-281-3141 Mass Sunday 9:00 A.M. & 12:00 P.M. www.stbtmchurch.org

East Liberty Presbyterian Church Rev. Dr. Randy Bush, Senior Pastor 412-441-3800 116 S. Highland Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206

www.cathedralofhope.com

Journey Worship........8:45 a.m.

Sanctuary Worship...11:00 a.m.

Curious about Quakerism?

REV. DR. JOHN C. WELCH, with keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Marsha Foster Boyd.

REV. DR. JOHNNIE MONROE, REV. DR. JARED JACKSON, CECILE M. SPRINGER, at the Metro-Urban Institute Conference 2018, held May 11-12 at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. (Photos by J.L. Martello)

You Are Welcome at our Meetings for Worship Sundays at 10:30 a.m.

Pittsburgh Friends Meeting 4836 Ellsworth Avenue 412-683-2669

New Destiny CME Church 114 North Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15233 412-231-7882 Rev. Kornelus Neal, pastor The Rt. Rev. Marvin Thomas Sr., presiding bishop Sunday School....................................9 A.M. Morning Worship Service............11:00 A.M.

REV. DR. MARSHA FOSTER BOYD is founder and chief consultant of Catalyst Connections in California.

KIMBERLY provides the welcome.

Join our growing Praise and Worship Church Community!

For rate information, call 412481-8302, ext.

128.

REV. DR. JONNIE MONROE, with wife, Geraldine.

REV. DR. GREGORY HOWARD

Church Circuit MOUNT CARMEL SPRING REVIVAL

MAY 30—JUNE 1—Mount Carmel Baptist Church, 90 Port Perry Rd., North Versailles, will hold its Annual Spring Revival at 7 p.m. nightly at the church. The Rev. Dr. Alyn E. Waller, distinguished author, will be the guest revivalist. Dr. Waller is also pastor of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church in Philadelphia. For more information, call 412-823-2841.

Let us know about your next Church event! Send info to:

New Pittsburgh Courier 315 E. Carson St. Pittsburgh PA 15219 ADDIE R. TRENT

CECILE M. SPRINGER

REV. DR. JARED JACKSON

Addie Rebecca Trent, age 97, formally a resident of Beltzhoover for 63 years went home to be with her Lord, Jesus on May 10, 2018. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, John P. Trent, seven siblings, her parents Percy and Lizzy Beaton, and is now survived by her youngest sister, Rena Washington. She is the loving mother of Deirdre, John (Jacquelynn), and James (Helen); cherished grandmother and great grandmother.

Addie was a retired microscopy technician employed by both the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University’s Physics Departments for over 25 years.

Visitation and funeral services will be conducted at Bidwell Presbyterian Church located at 1025 Liverpool Street (North Side) on Friday, June 1, 2018 from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM. The interment will follow at Highwood Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to 125 Ruth St., Apt. 227, Pittsburgh, PA 15211. rofessional services have een entrusted to Sheffield u neral Home (North Side).

TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEXT CHURCH EVENT! We want to place your event in our Church Circuit weekly calendar!

Send info to: New Pittsburgh Courier 315 E. Carson St. Pittsburgh PA 15219 Or Email us!

religion@ newpittsburgh courier.com

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MAY 30-JUNE 5, 2018

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

BUSINESS New Pittsburgh Courier

Do Pirates fans understand appreciation?

Sports B7

Classifieds

Find what you need from jobs to cars to housing B4-B5

MAY 30-JUNE 5, 2018

www.newpittsburghcourier.com

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J.C. Penney CEO Ellison departs for Lowe’s

by Anne d’Innocenzio AP Retail Writer

NEW YORK (AP)—J.C. Penney CEO Marvin Ellison, a former Home Depot executive, is leaving the department store chain after less than four years to become the top executive at Lowe’s.

The announcement Tuesday, just days after J.C. Penney released disappointing results, sent its

MARVIN ELLISON

shares down more than 3 percent.

Ellison, one of only a few African-American CEOs at a Fortune 500 company, will succeed Robert Niblock at Lowe’s on July 2. Lowe’s has struggled to keep pace with rival Home Depot in a solid housing market, and Niblock had previously announced plans to retire.

Ellison took the top job at J.C. Penney in late

2014. He has attempted to refocus the company on home appliances and beauty, following a shift by consumers away from spending a lot of money on clothing.

He did make some inroads, but the turnaround is far from complete. With consumer spending on the rise, J.C. Penney was among the few retailers that failed to show a clear benefit in the most re-

cent quarter. Instead, the department store slashed its profit expectations for the year.

“Ellison’s exit will raise speculation that he is not particularly optimistic about the future prospects of (Penney) and sees the grass as being greener at Lowe’s,” wrote Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail in SEE ELLISON B2

4 tips for Documentary on America’s first getting a good Black billionaire screened at Cannes deal on your by Freddie Allen auto lease For New Pittsburgh Courier

So, you’re ready to lease a car and want the best possible deal. The Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) recommends these steps to help you come away with the car you need at the price you want.

Determine Your Needs An advertisement comes on the radio with a great offer for a low monthly payment on a car you like, and you’re ready to head to the dealership. That’s good, but before finalizing anything it’s important to get more information. Confirm, for example, whether the car offered has the equipment or features you need, since those additions may not all be available with a low-price lease. On the other hand, if you see a similar car on the lot that has numerous add-ons you weren’t expecting, remember that those additions will hike up the price. Consider what’s really important so you drive away with the vehicle you really need at the right price for you.

Know the Areas for Negotiation The monthly payments advertised or quoted at the dealership are based on several factors. If you do some research in advance, you will be in a good position to negotiate those factors. For example, the capitalized—or cap—cost included in a lease contract is the price someone would pay if they were buying SEE TIPS B2

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, the president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), co-hosted an event celebrating international filmmakers and the European premiere of a documentary about the life and legacy of Reginald F. Lewis, America’s first Black billionaire, during the Cannes Film Festival in France.

Dr. Chavis joined Loida Nicolas-Lewis, the widow of Reginald F. Lewis, and Ken Naz of MariKen Productions in hosting the affair at the Le Majestic Beach on Wednesday, May 16. The Honorable David Lisnard, the mayor of Cannes also attended the star-studded event.

“On behalf of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, we are very pleased to co-host, along with the Lewis family, the European premier of the documentary,” said Dr. Chavis.

The documentary titled, “PIONEERS: Reginald F. Lewis and the Making of a Billion Dollar Empire,” chronicles the rise of one of Wall Street’s greatest entrepreneurs.

As a young man growing up in Baltimore, Lewis began his record-breaking, entrepreneurial journey with the Black Press, Dr. Chavis said, distributing newspapers like the Baltimore AFRO. According to a 1988 New York Times article, when Lewis was 9 years-old, he acquired a paper route that ‘’ultimately became a $15 “PIONEERS: Reginald F. Lewis and the Making of a Billion Dollar Empire” was featured during a to $20-a-week business—a star-studded reception at the Cannes Film Festival. (WNET/Greg Heisler)

lot of money in those days,” he said.

Lewis attended Virginia State University then Harvard Law School and worked in corporate law after he graduated. He helped to establish the first African American law firm on Wall Street. In 1983, he launched TLC Group, L.P. and organized the $22.5 million leveraged buyout of McCall Pattern Company, according to his official biography.

“Lewis streamlined operations, increased marketing, and led the company to two of the most profitable years in McCall’s 113-year history,” Lewis’s biography said. “In the summer of 1987, he sold the company for $65 million, making a 90-to-1 return on his investment.”

According to his biography, Lewis then outmaneuvered Citicorp to acquire Beatrice Foods, which included 64 companies in 31 countries; the deal was worth $985 million, the largest leveraged buyout of overseas assets by an American company at that time.

“As Chairman and CEO of the new TLC Beatrice International, [Lewis] moved quickly to reposition the company, pay down the debt, and vastly increase its worth,” his biography said. “By 1992, the company had sales of over $1.8 billion annually, making it the first Black-owned business to generate a billion dollars in annual sales.”

In the documentary, Ken Chenault, the former CEO of American Express, said that Lewis’s success helped SEE BILLIONAIRE B2

President and Congress roll back anti-discriminatory auto lending guidance: What’s next for consumers?

Despite federal laws addressing discrimination in housing, credit, and more, President Donald Trump signed on May 21, a rollback of an anti-discrimination guidance affecting auto lending. The presidential signature also marked the first time that a policy that had been in effect for several years was reversed through a special, streamlined legislative process under the Congressional Review Act. The significance of this action will have national and rippling effects. Nationwide, auto loans represent the third highest category of consumer debt—behind mortgages and student loans. With so many communities across the country lacking accessible, metropolitan public transit services, owning or having access to a reliable automobile is central to access jobs, health care, education and more.

According to the National Automobile Dealers Association, the sale of 17.14 million new cars in 2017 by franchised dealerships surpassed $1 trillion in sales. The Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) has also noted that 80 percent of vehicle loans are financed through dealers.

Further, as the number of auto loans grow, so does the average cost of a new car.

According to Experian, one of the three

major credit reporting auto lending guidbureaus, the average ance, consumers of loan amount for a new Charlene Crowell color were awarded car in late 2017 was restitution totaling $31,099 and came with more than $140 milan all-time high record lion for alleged dismonthly payment of crimination. $515. The comparable “Countless lawsuits figure for an average have shown how peoused car payment of ple of color pay mil$371 came with an avlions more for their car erage loan of $19,589. purchases, compared When racial discrimto similarly situated ination is added to these already signifi- whites,” noted Delvin Davis, a CRL Senior cant numbers, consumers of color wind Researcher. “Without a regulator that enforcup paying even more—due to the color of es fair lending standards, African-Americans their skin, instead of the quality of their and Latinos stand to bear the weight of discredit ratings. crimination without any relief.”

Over the last few years, the Equal Credit The presidential signing was made posOpportunity Act (ECOA) was the legal ba- sible by both chambers of Congress turnsis for lawsuits and settlements involving ing to the Congressional Review Act. This Ally Financial, Fifth Third Bank, and the law allows simple majority votes in the financing arms of major auto manufactur- House and Senate to override regulation. ers Honda and Toyota. This law makes Until now, this act had only been used to it illegal to discriminate on race or other undo new regulation; this recent usage protected classes in credit transactions. marks the first time that a long-standing In auto lending, indirect auto lenders— policy was the focus. those who finance loans through dealers Mick Mulvaney, the illegally appointed —are creditors who must uphold the law. Acting CFPB Director, said, “Given a reThanks in part to the 2013 CFPB indirect cent Supreme Court decision distinguish-

Commentary

ing between anti-discrimination statutes that refer to the consequences of actions and those that refer only to the intent of the actor, and in light of the fact that the Bureau is required by statute to enforce federal consumer financial laws consistently, the Bureau will be re-examining the requirements of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act.” Strong and opposing views quickly surfaced upon the President’s signing. Karl Frisch, Executive Director of Allied Progress, is one such consumer activist.

“President Trump can try to spin it any way he wants, but the bottom line is this—Black and Brown folks are systematically charged more for their car loans even when they have the same credit as whites,” said Frisch. “This president has consistently shown us that consumers are not of any importance to him, particularly when they are people color.”

Research supports Frisch’s critique.

Discrimination in Auto Lending, authored and published earlier this year by the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA), found that despite federal laws banning credit discrimination by race or SEE CROWELL B2

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BUSINESS

MAY 30-JUNE 5, 2018

Tips for getting a good deal on your auto lease TIPS FROM B1

the car. Even though you’re not actually making a purchase, if you’re aware of the reasonable sales price for the car you can ask that the contract’s cap cost be adjusted to that level, which could bring down the lease payment cost. In addition, the deal you make is based on an interest rate, called the money factor. Find out what that rate is and shop around if necessary to get the best deal. Do you do a lot of driving? Leases allow someone to run up a certain number of miles, but at the end of the lease they’ll have to pay for each additional mile beyond that number. If you think you’ll exceed the limit in the lease offered, try to negotiate for a higher total so you don’t face added expenses when it’s time to turn in the car.

Know How Much You Want to Spend It’s important to know how much cash you have on hand for a down payment, how much you can afford to pay each month, and how long you want the car. The best choice will ultimately depend on all of these factors. Want a low monthly payment? That’s okay, but make sure you’re truly getting a good deal. Focus on the cap cost of the car and not just the monthly payment amount.

Remember the Penalties Not sure you’ll need or want the car for the entire lease term? Or are you uncertain that your income will remain consistent and allow you to make your lease payments for the lease term? In either case, seriously consider whether leasing is best for you. That’s because there may be stiff penalties if you terminate your lease early. You could be liable for the remaining lease payments or early termination fees and other costs. Leases are often appealing because they offer a more affordable way to drive a new car every few years, but be aware of the penalties involved if you want to get out of one prematurely.

Terminating a lease early may be feasible, however, if you plan to buy another vehicle or switch to another lease from the same dealership. Be sure to talk to your auto dealer about that possibility before you count on doing it.

Your CPA Can Help Have questions about auto leases or purchases? Remember that your local CPA can offer advice on all your financial concerns. To find a CPA in your area or for more financial tips, visit www.picpa.org/ moneyandlife.

BUSINESS CALENDAR 20th Annual Entrepreneur’s Growth and Networking Conference

JUNE 7—The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center will host its 20th Annual Entrepreneur’s Growth and Networking Conference, 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., in the Union Building, 4th Floor. The daylong event will include multiple breakout sessions, lunch with keynote speaker Michael DelGrosso and a business building trade show. More than 400 small business managers and owners are expected to attend. Cost: Full Day, including breakfast and lunch, $139; Half Day, $79; Lunch Only, $50. For more information, call 412-3966233.

Procurement Open House

JUNE 7—The Community College of Allegheny County will host a Procurement Minority, Women and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Open House, 8:30 to 11 a.m. at the Office of College Services, 800 Allegheny Avenue, Fifth Floor in the board room and room 513, Pittsburgh, 15233. The event is designed to give MWDBEs and opportunity to learn about doing business with CCAC. For more information, call 412-237-3020. The event is free.

Intellectual Property Workshop

JUNE 19—The Chatham University Women’s Business Center presents Intellectual Property: What You Need To Know, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Chatham Eastside Entrepreneurship Hub, 6535 Penn Ave. Have you adequately protected the very foundation of your business—the creative ideas and/or unique designs that set you apart from your competition? In this session attorneys from Meyer, Unkovic & Scott will help you better understand the various business considerations with respect to intellectual property law. Discussion topics include: Trademarks, Copyrights, Patents, Non-Disclosure Agreements, and Trade Secrets. The event is free, but registration is required and limited to the first 50 participants. To register, or for more information, call 412-365-1448.

Corporate Inclusion Conference

JUNE 25—The Corporate Equity and Inclusion Roundtable presents its 6th Annual Conference, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Duquesne University Power Center Ballroom, 1105 Forbes Ave. The event includes breakfast, networking and a keynote address by Candi Castleberry-Singleton, vice president of diversity and inclusion of Twitter. The event is free. To register, visit www. ceirpittsburgh.org.

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Virgin Islands Economic Development America’s first Black billionaire Authority names Kamal I. Latham CEO BILLIONAIRE FROM B1

by Semele George

sets and further realize the Territory’s potential,” added Latham.

For New Pittsburgh Courier Born and raised in New York City, ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands—The Latham earned a Master in Public PoliU.S. Virgin Islands Economic Develop- cy degree from Harvard University and a ment Authority (USVIEDA) announced Bachelor of Arts degree in political science Mr. Kamal I. Latham, MPP as the new and history from Temple University. He Chief Executive Officer (CEO), follow- has lived and worked in North America, ing an international search by the PACE Europe, and Asia. Latham is a two-time Group. Latham has helped facilitate over recipient of the U.S. Department of State’s $5 billion in economic growth throughout Meritorious Honor Award for his role in his nearly 20 years of combined experi- brokering bilateral trade agreements. He and his wife Jonnel ence as a non-profit have a son and daughexecutive, entrepreter. neur, Fortune 500 ad“The U.S. Virgin Isviser, U.S. diplomat, lands has a rich culand Wall Street finantural heritage with cial analyst. an industrious and The USVIEDA talented workforce. I Board, worked handam passionate about in-hand with The public service and Pace Group, a leading look forward to faciliinternational executating job creation and tive search firm speeconomic opportunity cializing in economic Territory-wide,” comdevelopment. A topmented Latham. notch pool of candiThe USVIEDA CEO dates was developed, will spearhead efforts and five finalists were KAMAL I. LATHAM promoting economic interviewed by the development in the Search Committee.

Latham advanced numerous success- U.S. Virgin Islands by developing and ful initiatives during his career includ- implementing a comprehensive economic ing facilitating over 70 business growth development program focused on business recommendations being adopted by lo- expansion and recruitment, small busical governments in Florida, designing a ness incubation, business financing, instrategy resulting in millions of dollars in dustrial park development, neighborhood new revenue for a Fortune 500 company, revitalization, and marketing.

The U.S. Virgin Islands Economic Develhelping negotiate a multi-billion dollar trade deal between the United States and opment Authority is a semiautonomous China, securing European support for a government organization responsible for multi-million dollar Middle East/North developing, promoting and enhancing Africa investment program, and helping the economy of the U.S. Virgin Islands. raise approximately one billion dollars in The USVIEDA is the umbrella organization under one governing board which debt and equity capital for corporations.

“I am humbled and honored to have been assumes, integrates, and unifies the funcchosen by the governing board to lead the tions of the following subsidiary entities: U.S. Virgin Islands Economic Develop- the Economic Development Commission, ment Authority and work with its gift- the Enterprise Zone Commission, the ed staff. It is an impressive organization Economic Development Bank, and the with a great mission and reputation,” said Economic Development Park CorporaLatham. “I am excited about partnering tion. For more information visit www.uswith stakeholders from the government, vieda.org.

(Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from USbusiness, non-profit, education, civic, arts, and other sectors to leverage existing as- VIEDA)

Low unemployment rate masks financial struggles for many

by Christoher Rugaber AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP)—Despite an ultra-low 3.9 percent unemployment rate, about one-third of U.S. adults faced financial insecurity last year and often struggled to pay unexpected expenses, a Federal Reserve survey found.

For three in 10 adults, their monthly incomes fluctuated—often because their work schedules changed at short notice—and that caused about one in ten Americans to miss some bill payments, according to the report released Tuesday.

Forty percent of adults would have had to borrow money or sell something to pay an emergency expense of just $400.

The data suggests that financial security evades even many of those who are working. About one-third of U.S. adults relied on “gig” work or side jobs last year to bolster their incomes. Fewer than four of 10 Americans think their retirement savings are sufficient, and a quarter have none at all, the Fed survey found.

At the same time, the survey finds the improving economy is benefiting more Americans, at all education and income levels. Nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults say they are either “living comfortably” or “doing OK” financially, up from 71 percent in 2016 and 10 points higher than when the annual survey began, in 2013.

Just 7 percent of adults said it was difficult to get by financially last year. That’s down by about half from 2013.

And more Americans are asking for or receiving raises, a sign that the low unemployment rate is giving workers more bargaining power. Just over half—52 percent —of adults said they received a raise last year, up from 46 percent in 2016. The increase was even larger for those with less education, likely reflect-

ing widespread increases in state minimum wage levels. Nearly half of those with a high school diploma or less got a raise, up from just 38 percent in 2016.

Still, separate government data shows that the percentage of people getting raises remains below where it was before the 2008-2009 recession.

Other findings from the report include: •For the first time, the Fed’s survey asked about opioids, and found that one-quarter of White Americans—and one-fifth of Americans overall—know someone addicted to opioids. Those exposed to opioid addiction are somewhat less likely to say that their local economy is good or excellent, the report found.

•Just two-thirds of Blacks and Latinos say they are living comfortably or doing OK financially compared with 77 percent of Whites.

Yet those figures have increased 12 points for Blacks and Latinos since 2013 and 10 percent for Whites.

•Only 57 percent of unmarried parents say they are at least doing OK financially, compared with 76 percent of married parents. Married couples with no children are doing even better, with 84 percent saying they are at least doing OK. •Thirty-one percent of adults did some form of “gig work” in 2017, though that figure includes contract work such as house cleaning and child care. Sixteen percent engaged in online activities, such as online selling and working for ride-hailing services. Roughly 40 percent of gig workers did so to supplement their income from other jobs. And for more than three-quarters of gig workers, the extra jobs accounted for 10 percent or less of their family’s income, the report said.

The Fed said that a representative sample of 12,000 people completed an online survey last November and December.

Ellison departs for Lowe’s ELLISON FROM B1

a note. “Indeed, exiting before his plan is complete is a tacit admission that he may not be able to deliver what investors are looking for.”

Ellison had previously spent 12 years at The Home Depot Inc. J.C. Penney said Tuesday that it has created an “office of the CEO,” staffed

by the chief financial officer and three other top executives. The four will share equal responsibility for dayto-day operations until a new CEO is named.

Ronald Tysoe, an independent director on the board, was named as chairman.

(Follow Anne D’Innocenzio at http://www.

Twitter.com/adinnocenzio)

to pave the way for many African American businessmen and women on Wall Street.

“I think that really is the test in demonstration of real leadership,” Chenault said.

Lewis was not only an incredibly successful businessman, he also gave back to the Black community in extraordinary ways.

Lewis represented The Wilmington Ten, a group of political prisoners, who were wrongfully convicted in 1971 of firebombing a White-owned grocery store in Wilmington, N.C. Dr. Chavis, who was a 24 year-old civil rights leader with the New York-based Commission for Racial Justice, at the time, was one of the Wilmington Ten, and credited Lewis with helping to get their convictions overturned by the federal appeals court in 1980 and ultimately championing the eventual exonerations of the group.

“He offered the rope of hope. He offered what was possible. He never stopped giving [to] the Civil Rights Movement, to political leadership, to universities,” Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr. said in the documentary. “He never stopped giving…selfless giving.”

Dr. Chavis said that he has personal and professional interests in the promotion of the documentary.

“It’s in the best interest of the NNPA, as a national trade group that represents Black-owned newspapers, to be supportive of other Black-owned entities…in the film industry, in the entertainment industry and the media industry,” Dr. Chavis said.

“All of that comes together at the Cannes Film Festival.”

Dr. Chavis said that it was important for the NNPA to not only co-host the European premiere of the documentary on Reginald Lewis, but to also support the Lewis family in screening “PIONEERS” in major U.S. markets and at other international film festivals and venues. The NNPA announced plans to screen the Reginald Lewis documentary at their annual conference in Norfolk, Va., in June.

Dr. Chavis said that the Reginald Lewis documentary sends a powerful message to young people of color to never settle for the realities of poverty and injustice that exist today.

“Young people of color must summon all of their God-given talents to respond to those circumstances by focusing on economic development, economic empowerment and improving the quality of life in the communities where they live,” Dr. Chavis said. “The Reginald Lewis story is a transcendent story for those young people today who are contemplating becoming entrepreneurs on Wall Street.”

Dr. Chavis continued: “Reginald Lewis proved that you can transcend racial barriers, that you can transcend the ideology of White supremacy and not only overcome those obstacles, but also excel in U.S. and around the world.”

(Freddie Allen is the editor-in-chief of the NNPA Newswire and BlackPressUSA.com. You can follow Freddie on Twitter @freddieallenjr.)

Roll back on auto lending guidance CROWELL FROM B1

ethnicity, race remains a key factor in the cost of financing auto loans. Like secret shoppers, NFHA sent eight teams of testers to dealerships to inquire about purchasing the same vehicle. Each team was told to ask the same questions and then report on their experiences.

Although all testers encountered challenges to securing information needed to secure the best auto loan available, nonWhite testers noted being treated disrespectfully and receiving a higher-cost quote for financing than the White testers.

Numerically, the sum of experiences found: •75 percent of the time, White testers were offered more financing options than Non-White testers; •62.5 percent of the time, Non-White testers who were more qualified than their White counterparts received more costly pricing options; and •On average, Non-White testers who experienced discrimination would have paid an average of $2,662.56 more over the life of the loan than less-qualified White testers.

For consumers everywhere, but particularly for consumers of color, Mulvaney’s harsh words signal that so many of the hard-fought battles to bring fairness and equality are at risk.

Prior to the House vote taken on May 8, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, the Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee warned her colleagues about the regressive effects that would occur if the measure was enacted.

“This resolution would set back efforts to prevent discriminatory auto lending, make it harder for responsible businesses to follow the law, and harm consumers,” said Waters.

Sadly, when it comes to financial fairness in auto finance, truer words were never spoken. The real question for consumers is, ‘What’s next’?

(Charlene Crowell is the deputy communications director with the Center for Responsible Lending.

She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.)

OPINION

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

MAY 30-JUNE 5, 2018

B3

What to do when three Americans have as much wealth as 50 percent of the country

Guest Editorial

If Eric Garner, Philando Castile and Alton Sterling were White…

by John N. Mitchell Imagine, if you will, that Eric Garner, who died from an illegal choke hold applied by a White Staten Island police officer, had been White.

Imagine also that the officers who swarmed Garner, the down-onhis luck husband and father guilty only of selling loose cigarettes, on that fateful summer day in 2014—including the one who choked the life out of Garner, handcuffed and on the pavement being heard saying, “I can’t breathe”—were Black and were never brought to trial.

Imagine also, if you will, that the 4-year-old girl forced to comfort her mother, Diamond Reynolds, who had just captured video footage of boyfriend Philando Castille being shot seven times during a routine traffic stop, all had been White on that fateful 2016 day in suburban St. Paul. Imagine the public witnessing a little White baby forced to plead with her inconsolable mother to stop cursing and crying because she didn’t want her “to get shooted,” too?

Imagine, also, that the officer who shot Castile, a legal gun owner reportedly reaching for his wallet to present his license and registration—had been African American.

Lastly, imagine that Alton Sterling, pinned to the ground in 2016 in front of a Baton Rouge convenience store by two police officers, was White. Imagine what the reaction to the images of pooling blood spreading across his upper torso would have been after one of the officers that shot him multiple times at point blank range, killing Sterling, would have been Black.

The officers were never charged. The 911 call said Sterling had a gun in the open-carry state, but multiple videos prove that Sterling never brandished the firearm, which never left his right front pocket.

One has to at least consider in these hyper-racialized times what the reaction would be to these randomly selected videos and the others like them seen by millions if Whites were the ones always dying and African Americans were the policemen, always beating the charges in the rare instances that charges were even brought.

Charges were never brought in the cases of Garner and Sterling.

The officer in the Castile shooting was acquitted.

These incidents, had they happened as described above, would be viewed, understandably so, as outliers. After all, Black cops captured on video shooting unarmed White citizens under highly questionable circumstances never happen—they are unicorns.

But what if the horror of Garner, Reynolds’ daughter and Sterling actually occurred the way they are laid in this column and not as we know they transpired? Would we be tangled in this debate— which is really not a debate at all—about whether NFL players are unpatriotic for kneeling or raising a fist during the national anthem?

Or would we be having an honest and very necessary discussion about serial police brutality?

I’m going with the latter. You know what they say about things getting a little too close to home.

People see what they want to when it comes to the third rail that is race. And rare are folks who have lived under the comfortable protection afforded by American White supremacy that will willingly admit that the police might be overreaching when it comes to Black folks, especially when they can always turn to the anti-patriotism card.

Last week, NFL owners agreed to fine teams whose players protest during the playing of the national anthem beginning next season. Players who do not wish to stand will be allowed to stay in the locker room during the anthem—out of sight, out of mind— and then come onto the field.

Coincidentally, this came down on the same day that a bunch of Milwaukee police officers were admonished and disciplined for the January tasing of NBA player Sterling Brown, who is Black—over a parking violation. Watching Brown suffer in the video isn’t pleasant —he was knocked to the ground violently—but it beats what we’ve become accustomed to seeing.

Here you had a bunch of police officers escalating a simple procedural incident—something a kid in the police academy would be expected to be able to handle—taking it from 0 to 100 in a matter of moments and proving how differently Blacks and Whites are policed and how protesting this treatment is legit.

But as we’ve seen, this is about patriotism, the flag and the military—all of them conveniently lies to keep us running away from what we really need to be talking about.

(Reprinted from the Philadelphia Tribune)

Founded 1910

Rod Doss Editor & Publisher Stephan A. Broadus Assistant to the Publisher Allison Palm

Rob Taylor Jr.

Jeff Marion

Office Manager

Managing Editor

Circulation Consultant

John. H. Sengstacke

Editor & Publisher Emeritus (1912-1997)

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—Dr. Martin Luther King’s final mission was to build and launch a Poor People’s Campaign across lines of race, religion and region. He called for a “revolution of values” to address the “triplets of evil”—militarism, racism and economic injustice.

People should not die from poverty in the richest nation in the world, he argued. It was time to speak out; silence was a betrayal. What Dr. King taught 50 years ago is even more relevant today.

That’s why I join with Rev. William J. Barber II and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis and their allies as they build a new Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, calling for nonviolent, moral direction action in state capitols across the country.

The campaign is a moral imperative.

Inequality in this country has reached obscene extremes, with the richest three individuals having as much wealth as 50 percent of the country combined. Incomes have stagnated for most Americans, while they have soared for the top 1 percent who have the resources to rig the rules to help themselves. Most Americans struggle with rising costs and stagnant incomes.

According to a survey by CareerBuilder, more than three out of four Americans—78 percent—live paycheck to paycheck. Three in four are in debt; most think they will never get out of it. More than one-third of Americans have no retirement plan

Jesse Jackson Sr.

Commentary beyond Social Security.

Thirty-two million Americans go without health insurance. Medical bills are the No. 1 cause of bankruptcy. More than half of minimum wage workers must work more than one job to make ends meet.

According to the official Supplemental Poverty Measure, 140 million Americans live in poor or low income households, including 38 million children. We see the toll in the shocking reality of declining longevity, as drugs, suicide and despair wreak a rising toll among the struggling. We see the toll in the deaths of young people shot in their own schoolrooms, or on their streets as they go to school.

Even as inequality has grown worse, and the incomes of most Americans haven’t kept up, we’ve witnessed a harsh purposeful reaction, playing on our fears, using race and religion to divide us and blind us to the reality of our shared struggles. We see that in the hateful language that insults immigrants, slanders Muslims, extolls neo-Nazi and neo-Confederate race groups. We see it in the systematic

efforts to use voter repression, gerrymandering and big money politics to keep power in the face of majority demands for change. We see it in the priority given to military spending and endless wars to police the world while our infrastructure grows decrepit, depriving more and more people of affordable water, public transport, safe roads, modern communications.

This reality is too often ignored in the posturing about America’s greatness, or the bragging about the low unemployment rate. We need a moral revival in part because we need to see and speak the truth, and act together to make America better.

If we turn from racism to embracing each other and loving one another as God has loved us, if we will share together and sacrifice together, we can create an army for justice, a coalition of conscience. We can become the heartbeat of our nation leading a true revival. The new Poor People’s Campaign is not a closed organization.

It is an open movement, calling each of us to stand up, to speak out and to act. The reality we face is not written in stone. It is the result of the power of special interests and the passivity of the true majority. If we come together, and act together, Dr. King taught us, we can create a better world.

Now is the time to act. The Poor People’s Campaign—at https://www. poorpeoplescampaign.org—calls us to complete the mission Dr. King began so long ago.

Silencing our voices (TriceEdneyWire.com)—When the voices representing us are silenced, what do we do? Many of us love sports and since most teams in almost every sport would be judged just another boring team without Black players, decent voices in sports have been silenced. Colin Kaepernick took a knee to protest police brutality. He was punished for doing good by upholding a right of citizenship! Others followed Colin’s courageous act. A few misguided athletes criticized Colin because they just didn’t get it, but so many of us understood and supported his action.

Many of us took a knee prior to every football game to show our support. After several other players began understanding the significance of Colin’s act, the bosses of the National Football League decided it was time to silence Colin’s supporters. They’ve already silenced him by colluding to make him an unemployed quarter back. Now they’ve attempted to silence all players who might want to express their belief that police violence against Black people without cause is wrong.

The plot thickens. Since it’s more likely to have Democratic voices speak out for freedom of speech, certain Republicans decided to silence those voices by refusing to allow them in the room as they uncover what may be not so pleasant details about their standard bearer—#45. If they had

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

Commentary no fear about what they would see, what is it that caused them to deny anyone who might see things different from the unchallenged spin they would bring out of the meeting? Who was to represent us? Do actions to silence those who speak for us concern enough of us to make a difference in November on election day?

I fear that diminishing our rights has become so common that many of us are just shaking our heads in defeat as though there’s nothing we can do. Dick Gregory taught us that people will do to us whatever we tolerate. I think too many of us are tolerating too much. When even the voices of our elected representatives are silenced, it’s time for us to rise up and show our objections. Our rights are being sliced away every day. You name it. We’ve experienced increased murdering of our innocent children in schools. We have a “so-called leader” with a bottomless appetite for destruction of all that has been achieved, one who embar-

rasses us around the world and one who tries to end social services and healthcare for the needy.

Now athletes have lost their freedom of speech on the field. Every race, creed and culture, as well as women are denigrated. Hatred thrives and has gained a stranglehold on decency.

Not just Black ancestors, but many decent people have worked too hard, suffered too much for us to throw up our hands and assume there is nothing we can do.

Bishop William Barber has planned a “Poor People’s Campaign” and we need to sign up to participate in great numbers. If we sit back and say nothing, our silence is giving consent and accepting that it’s okay to silence athletes even though there would be no game without them. Silencing our elected leaders by refusing them an equal opportunity to be at the table on our behalf is taking away our right to free speech, too. This campaign is as much about us as it is about those who have no job, no hope and no hope of hope, as well as for those who suffer from police brutality or those who are discriminated against or those who suffer any form of injustice. This campaign impacts us, too, so let’s all get involved and do our part.

(Dr. E. Faye Williams is national president of the National Congress of Black Women.

She is host of Wake Up and Stay Woke on WPFW-FM 89.3, and is a weekly columnist for the Trice Edney Wire Service.)

Black unity demands Black recognition

by Fred Logan

Black people still like to reminiscence about the comradery, the entertainment, the vendors, and all of the other really great times they enjoyed at the 1984-92 Harambee II Black Arts Festival in Pittsburgh. But they often overlook what is probably the most important legacy of the festival.

And this point is equally important to the everyday lives of Black people.

The festival was a product of thousands of Black people “working together to achieve a common goal.” In other words, the Harambee II Black Arts Festival was a product of Black unity, African American unity.

Everyday Black people all across the United States work together to achieve common economic, political, and social goals. In every case, the specific goal they seek dictates how they will work together, unite, to achieve it.

The popular notion of total Black unity is utopian. It has never occurred and never will in the real world. It’s not necessary. Unity here is a means toward an end. So, what you need is the quantity and quality of people working together required to achieve your goal.

Black people worked together to elect Harold Washington mayor of Chicago, and later Barack Obama president of the United States. Black unity played a key role in both of these high profile examples.

Black unity is obvious in all-Black events like a family get-together or a small social club. It also takes place in multi-racial and multi-ethnic endeavors like Harold Washington’s and Barack Obama’s victories.

Without question, all of the social progress the Black community has made in this country from the very bottom of Hell to part way up and out of Hell has been an epic struggle and

a product of Black unity.

Paul Robeson was acutely aware of this. “What is important,” he said,” is to recognize a meaningful fact that is so often denied: Negros can and do band together and they have accomplished remarkable works through their collective endeavors.” Robeson pointed to the historic Montgomery Alabama bus boycott.

W. E. B. Du Bois said some 80 years ago that Black people are criticized for not banding together to improve their lot, and criticized for “segregating” themselves when they do band together.

Damned if they do; damned if they don’t.

Some Black people vehemently argue, and they are wrong, that Black unity is impossible because of an alleged class conflict between “middle class” and poor Black people and also an alleged conflict between light-skin and dark-skin African Americans.

There are progressives, moderates, conservatives, and reactionaries in each of these four groups of Black people. A lot of Black folks in of these groups embrace mainstream America’s insane individualism. They strut around with an “attitude” and, so to speak, with “their behinds on their shoulders,” But that’s about all.

What none of these groups have is any group-power over the Black community. American white state-power absolutely forbids that. And, as Lloyd Hogan teaches, so-called middle “class” Black folks are for the most part middle income wage earners, not a “class” based on the exploitation of Black labor.

Middle income Black people who moved from majority Black inner-city neighborhoods, say Pittsburgh’s Hill District, to the suburbs, say a Monroeville, have been severely condemned by some cynics for betraying inner-city Black folks.

But after WWII when millions of middle income European Americans moved to the suburbs from their inner-city ethnic enclaves, they were not condemned but were praised as living proof of America’s “upward mobility.”

This is a racist double standard.

Some Black people oppose Black unity. For example, Bayard Rustin, a strategist of the 1963 March on Washington, said later that Black unity was the most dangerous notion he had ever heard. Bayard Rustin also supported the United States’ imperialist wars in Southeast Asia and apartheid South Africa’s invasion of Angola.

Black people very often band together but do not achieve their goal. Over 90 percent of the national Black vote was against Trump in 2016. That was unity. It was also the morally and politically correct thing to do. Still Trump won the White House. Even so, the unvarying entrenched Black opposition to Trump has the potential to compel the Black community to organize itself, with its own resources, to be able to wage higher levels of struggles in the very difficult days ahead.

Pittsburgh’s Black community, like its national counterparts, has its share of ego-maniacs, opportunists, internal power struggles and what seems at times like a million internal obstacles to Black unity. This cannot be denied.

But go out and look around. Everyday Black people are working together in endeavors from religious events to motor bike clubs to community organizations, and on and on. Don’t deny this.

Instead join with Paul Robeson. Recognize and praise Black unity when you see it. Heed the lessons it teaches from its victories and its setbacks.

Give Black unity the Black recognition it demands.

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JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry is hiring a Critical Needs Specialist responsible for assisting clients facing multiple barriers to self-sufficienc access availa le services and identify solutions to overcome challenges. Apply at www.jfcs.org

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMMUNITY MANAGER

Come join a winning team serving senior residents in affordable housing. Position open in Allegheny County. Must have experience in property management, managing a large staff, residents, vendors, etc. OneSite Software a plus. Call today for an immediate interview at 412-826-6196 or apply online at www.CareersAtSrCare.org

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Estate of BARBARA TRACY a/k/a BARBARA E. ROSENBLUM, Deceased, of Jefferson Hills Borough Allegheny County, PA No. 021803040 Nancy R. McTighe, Executrix, 6227 Mellon Park Court, Pittsburgh, PA 15232 or to Gary Milnes, BRANDT, MILNES & REA, PC attorneys, 310 Grant Street, Suite 1109, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Estate of JAMES J. JACOBS, Deceased of Pittsburgh, No. 021707307 of 2017. Sabine U. Jacobs, Adm. or to c/o Jacqueline H. Brangard, Esquire, Scolieri Law Group, P.C., Attys., 1207 Fifth Avenue, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Estate of GEORGE WILLIAM MECHEM, Deceased of Pittsburgh, PA No. 06611 of 2017. David Mechem, Extr. c/o Robert C. Watson, Esq., 1700 Wylie Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Estate of GLORIA J. COURY, Deceased, of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania No. 02-18-00716 Deborah L. Lesko, Executrix, 373 Vanadium Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15243 or to M. Lawrence Shields III, Esquire, 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017

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CITY OF PITTSBURGH DEPARTMENT OF MOBILITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PA REQUEST FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES STATEMENTS OF INTEREST (SOI)

COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY PITTSBURGH, PA

he Office of the irector of the DEPARTMENT OF MOBILITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH will receive Statements of Interest and ualifications from e erienced firms for contract administration and construction inspection services until 4:00 p.m., on June 22, 2018, for the following: CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION AND CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION SERVICES FOR THE WEST OHIO STREET AND RIDGE AVENUE BRIDGES PROJECT CITY OF PITTSBURGH, ALLEGHENY COUNTY BTE PROJECT NO. 99206 MPMS NO. 27300 The project involves replacement of the existing West Ohio Street Bridge crossing over two active railroad tracks, and removal of the Ridge Avenue Bridge crossing over the same tracks, in the North Shore neighborhood. The new structure will be a single-span composite weathering steel welded plate girder bridge with painted fascia beams. Both bridges are within the vicinity of the Allegheny Commons Park.

A full description of services and general requirements for submissions can be found on PennDOT’s ECMS web site: http://www. dot14.state.pa.us/ECMS/ GO TO SOLICITATIONS – CONSULTANTS – ADVERTISEMENTS –WEST OHIO STREET AND RIDGE AVENUE BRIDGES – CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION AND CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION OR L00021 All candidates must be a current registered Business Partner with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and must read and acknowledge “General Consultant Candidate Requirements and Information for City of Pittsburgh Sponsored Federally Funded Transportation Projects” before submitting a Statement of Interest. See Advertisement on ECMS. Consultant teams must comply with Section 177A.02 Equal Employment Opportunity Practice and Goals of the City of Pittsburgh, Code of Ordinances. he Cit ill e using the modified consultant selection process for securing the professional services.

The anticipated Notice to Proceed is January 30, 2019.

All questions and answers are required to go through ECMS’s “Questions and Responses” Forum.

May 22, 2018 The Director of the DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY will receive Letters of Interest continuously, without time limit, until the County may enter into a sufficient num er of contracts to ma e a sufficient num er of qualified a raisers availa le to request ro osals for s ecific ro ects, for the following assignment: ALLEGHENY COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS REAL ESTATE APPRAISAL SERVICES OPEN END CONTRACT VARIOUS PROJECTS, AS NEEDED, IN VARIOUS MUNICIPALITIES PROJECT NO. ACAP-OPEN Submit your Letter of Interest by postal mail or email to: Stephen G. Shanley, P.E., Director Allegheny County Department of Public Works oo Count Office ui ding 542 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Attention: David L. Wright, P.E., Project Manager dwright@alleghenycounty.us The Director will receive Letters of Interest for these contracts, with accompanying evidence of acceptance by Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to qualify for its Invitation to Qualify (ITQ) contract process. Appraisers that appear on PennDOT’s current ITQ list automatically qualify to provide appraisal services to Allegheny County.

The County encourages responses from small firms, minorit and omen o ned firms, and firms that have not previously worked for the County. The County’s minority and Women disadvantaged goals for these contracts will be 13% of the total price for MBE participation and 2% of the total price for WBE artici ation. Certification of s and s ro osed each firm is mandatory. Firms that are not able to meet these goals must provide an acceptable explanation why in their letters of interest. We encourage you to examine the Department Guidelines for Consultant Services available on the Department’s web site.

By a Request for Proposal, the Department of Public Works will notify the qualified firms under contract to submit proposals for each assignment. he Count ill ase final selection of the firm for each assignment on the lowest price and/ or shortest time to deliver, depending on circumstances. The Director may reject any or all Letters of Interest/Proposals and may waive any irregularity in the Submission of Letters of Interest/Proposals.

Stephen G. Shanley, P.E., Director Department of Public Works of Allegheny County LEGAL ADVERTISING Legal Notices

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NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION

In the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Orphans’ Court Division, Estate of Thomas Kern, deceased, Case No. 021802870 of 2018: Notice is hereby given that on a , 1 , a etition as filed

by Carole Kern, to terminate the interests of the heirs and devisees of Thomas Kern, deceased, in the real estate located at 419 West 8th Avenue, Tarentum, PA 15084, and determine that fee simple title is in Carole Kern. If no exceptions to the etition are filed ithin da s, Carole Kern will seek an Order adjudging that Thomas Kern’s title is in herself.

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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE FY 2018 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN FOR THE CDBG, HOME, ESG, AND HOPWA PROGRAMS

The notice is hereby given by the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA that it’s draft FY 2018 Annual Action Plan has been prepared. The City intends to submit its FY 2018 Annual Action Plan in the amount of $13,913,919 for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds; $2,362,447 in HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) funds; $1,148,214 in Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds; and $948,891 in Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) funds. The FY 2018 Annual Action Plan will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on or before July 2, 2018.

The City will hold a public hearing on the draft FY 2018 Annual Action Plan. The purpose of the public hearing is to receive testimony or comments on the draft FY 2018 Annual Action Plan document. The meeting will take place at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 14, 2018 in the First Floor Conference Room, 200 Ross Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. The building is handicapped accessible through the rear.

In order to obtain the views of citizens, public agencies and other interested parties, the City of Pittsburgh will place its draft Annual Action Plan for FY 2018 on display and online from May 31, 2018 through June 29, 2018, at the City of Pittsburgh’s website (http://pittsburghpa.gov/omb/cdbg/ index.html). Copies of the plan may also be examined during normal hours of operation at the following locations: Office of Manage ent and udget Co unit eve op ent ivision 200 Ross Street, Second Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Urban Redevelopment Authority 200 Ross Street, Tenth Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh 200 Ross Street, Ninth Floor Pittsburgh, Pa 15219 The City of Pittsburgh’s proposed activities for funding under the FY 2018 Annual Action Plan, are on display or maybe viewed on the City of Pittsburgh’s website (http://pittsburghpa.gov/information/budget). The entire FY 2018 Capital Budget for the City of Pittsburgh is also listed.

Information will be available for review for a period of 30 days. Written or verbal public comments on the draft FY 2018 Annual Action Plan will be received until 4:00 P.M. on Friday, June 29, 2018 and should be directed to the Cit of itts urgh s Office of anagement and udget O , attention Michael Petrucci, Assistant Director for Community Development, 200 Ross Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. The phone number is (412) 255-2211, fax number is (412) 393-0151, and the TDD number is 7-1-1.

The draft FY 2018 Annual Action Plan was developed after conducting initial public hearings and receiving both written and verbal comments, requests, and identified needs from the local communit . f ou are interested in attending the public hearing and need special accommodations to participate in the public hearing, and/or if you wish to present testimony or comment on the document, please contact Mr. Jerry Cafardi at (412) 2552162, by Friday, June 8, 2018.

If the City would undertake an activity that would result in the displacement of families or individuals, then the City would utilize its policy for minimizing such displacement. Furthermore, the City is responsible for replacing all low- and moderate-income housing units that may be demolished or converted as a result of CDBG Funds.

All interested persons, groups, and organizations are encouraged to attend this public hearing and will be given the opportunity to present oral or written testimony concerning the proposed plan and use of Federal funds under the draft FY 2018 Annual Action Plan.

Michael Petrucci, Assistant Director for Community Development Cit of Pitts urgh Office of Manage ent and udget

SPORTS & EXHIBITION AUTHORITY OF PITTSBURGH AND ALLEGHENY COUNTY

SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION DERIVED FROM THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2017 SUMMARY STATEMENT OF NET POSITION Assets Current assets Noncurrent assets Total assets

$ 82,269,464 961,693,936 1,043,963,400

eferred Out ows of esources

61,027,374

Liabilities Current liabilities Noncurrent liabilities Total Liabilities

40,343,079 694,511,238 734,854,317

Net Position Net investment in capital assets Restricted for capital activity and debt service Unrestricted

300,541,033 68,932,952 662,472

Total net position

$ 370,136,457

SUMMARY STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENSES, AND CHANGES IN NET POSITION Operating revenues $ 27,373,625 Operating expenses 61,905,038 Operating Loss (34,531,413) Nonoperating revenues, net Change in Net Position Net position, beginning of year Net position, end of year

28,823,599 (5,707,814) 375,844,271 $ 370,136,457

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Classifieds 412-481-8302 Ext. 140 E-mail: ads@newpittsburghcourier.com Deadline/Closing/ Cancellation Schedule for copy, corrections, and cancellations: Friday noon preceding Wednesday publication

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFBs) FOR QUONSET HUT RENOVATION AT NORTHVIEW HEIGHTS FACILITY SERVICES SITE, AMP-02 IFB #600-22-18

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH will receive sealed bids for the Quonset Hut Renovation at Northview Heights Facility Services Site, AMP09. The estimates of construction cost ranges are listed below: General Construction estimate $102,000 to $150,000 Electrical Construction estimate $16,000 to $24,000 Mechanical Construction estimate $42,000 to $62,000 The construction work is estimated to begin in September of 2018.

Bid Documents will be available on or about Monday, May 28, 2018 and may be obtained from the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh’s webpage, www.hacp.org. Bidders may register on the website and download the bid documents free of charge. Electronic versions of the Bid Documents, including bid forms, project manual, and drawings can be picked up in person, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Mr. Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement/Chief Contracting Officer A Pre-Bid Conference and Site Visit will be held on Wednesday, June 6, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.: Quonset Hut HACP Facility Services Site located at Northview Heights 533 Mt. Pleasant Road Pittsburgh, PA 15214 A site visit will be conducted thereafter. Bidders shall come prepared to review all aspects of the construction site necessary to prepare a bid.

Bids will be received at: HACP Procurement Department 100 Ross Street, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Attn: Mr. Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement/Chief Contracting Officer until 2:00 p.m. June 28, 2018 at which time and place all bids will be publicly opened and read aloud.

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH reserves the right to waive any informality in, or reject any and all bids.

No bid shall be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days subsequent to the opening of bids without the consent of the HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH. The Contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity requirements for Federally Assisted Construction Contracts. The Contractor must ensure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of race, color, religion, sexual preference, handicap or national origin.

HACP has revised its website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/RFP documentation.

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH STRONGLY ENCOURAGES CERTIFIED MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES AND WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES TO RESPOND TO THE SOLICITATION. Additional information may be obtained by contacting Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement at (412) 456-5116 Opt 1.

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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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 June 28, 2018 and will be publicly opened and read immediately thereafter at the same address. Each Bidder shall be solely responsible for assuring that its Bid is both received and time stamped by a representative of the Purchasing and Materials Management Department at or before the advertised time for submission of Bids. Bids received or time stamped in the Purchasing and Materials Management Department after the advertised time for the submission of Bids shall be non-responsive and therefore ineligible for Award.

PAINT BOOTH INSTALLATION AT ROSS, EAST LIBERTY, AND SOUTH HILLS JUNCTION BUILDING 1 SYS-18-09 G SYS-18-09 H SYS-18-09 P SYS-18-09 E The Work of this Project includes, but is not limited to, the furnishing of all labor and materials for Paint Booth Installation at Ross, East Liberty, and South Hills Junction locations.

Bid Documents will be available for public inspection and may be obtained on or after a , 1 at uthorit s offices at the follo ing 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 CD. 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 iverse usinesses s have the ma imum o ortunity 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 Authority’s Director of Employee Relations and OEO at (412) 566-5262.

The Bidder’s attention is directed to the following contacts for Bidder’s questions: Procedural Questions Regarding Bidding: Cindy Denner – Authority cdenner@portauthority.org (412) 566-5117 All other questions relating to the Bid Documents must be submitted by mail or email to: Port Authority of Allegheny County Heinz 57 Center 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 Attn: Cindy Denner cdenner@portauthority.org In addition, the Bidder’s attention is directed to the following schedule of activities for preparation of its Bid: 9:00 a.m.

June 12, 2018

Pre-Bid Conference Port Authority of Allegheny County Heinz 57 Center Neil H. Holmes Board Room 345 Sixth Avenue, Fifth Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 (Attendance is not mandatory, but strongly recommended) Pre-Bid Site Tour (immediately following the Pre-Bid Conference) Participants shall wear a safety vest and appropriate footwear Transportation will be provided.

1:30 p.m.

Bids Due June 28, 2018 Purchasing and Materials Management Department Authority reserves the right to reject any or all Bids

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LEGAL ADVERTISEMENT Port Authority of Allegheny County REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO. 18-03

Port Authority of Allegheny County (Authority) is requesting proposals for the performance of the following service: ORACLE/PEOPLESOFT TRAINING he uthorit is requesting ro osals from qualified firms that are an Oracle University Authorized Education Provider to provide Oracle/PeopleSoft Training for technical and end user staff to support current software, software upgrades, and personnel changes. The required services include, but are not limited to, (1) establishment of training objectives and measurements of effectiveness; (2) development of training courses and associated materials; and (3) conducting the courses. Authority intends to enter into agreements ith ools of u to three firms that can e called u on on an as needed basis. While it is currently Authority’s intention to enter into agreements with ools of u to three firms, this num er ma e ad usted u or do n, at Authority’s sole discretion, based upon the number of proposals received and Authority’s evaluation of same in relation to its Oracle/PeopleSoft Training service needs.

A copy of the RFP will be available on or after May 22, 2018, and can be obtained by registering at the Port Authority ebusiness website: http://ebusiness.portauthority.org and following the directions listed on the website.

Please note that Proposers must register under one or more of the following ebusiness categories for this RFP: PROFESSIONAL Professional Services PSTPD Pro Training Professional Development PSITS Pro Information Technology PSSC Pro Software Consulting Proposers may also register in other categories for any future RFPs issued ort uthorit . f ou have s ecific questions regarding this , lease contact Melissa Dunbar at (412) 566-5286 or email at mdunbar@portauthority.org. o nformation eeting ill e held for this . ll clarifications and ans ers to questions ill e made in riting to firms registered on the ort Authority’s e-business website in the category listed above.

Hard copy proposals must be both delivered to, and time stamped by a representative of the Purchasing and Materials Management Department at or before 2:00 p.m., prevailing time, June 26, 2018, at the Purchasing and Materials Management Department, Port Authority of Allegheny County, 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15222-2527. Proposals received or time stamped in the Purchasing and Materials Management Department after the advertised time for the submission of proposals shall be non-responsive and therefore ineligible for award. Each Proposer shall be solely responsible for assuring that its proposal is timely received and time stamped in accordance with the requirements herein.

This Contract Services may be funded, in part, by, and subject to certain requirements of, the County of Allegheny and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The proposal process and the performance of the requested services will be in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

Port Authority of Allegheny County, in compliance with 74 Pa.C.S. § 303, as ma e amended, require that certified iverse usinesses s have the maximum opportunity to participate in the performance of contracts and subcontracts for these Contract Services. In this regard, all Proposers 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.

Proposers 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 these Contract Services.

Port Authority of Allegheny County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals.

MAY 30-JUNE 5, 2018

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

INVITATION FOR BIDS

PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) recently issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for HUD 2018 Reallocation Funding for Permanent Supportive Housing and Rapid Re-Housing Programs. Proposals are due by 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, June 14, 2018.

For more details and submission information, visit: www.alleghenycounty.us/ Human-Services/Resources/ Doing-Business/Solicitations(RFP/RFQ/RFI).aspx.

Marc Cherna Director Allegheny County Department of Human Services

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFBs) FOR BEDFORD HOPE CENTER IMPROVEMENTS AT BEDFORD DWELLINGS COMMUNITY, AMP-02 REBID

IFB #600-16-18-H Rebid THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH will receive sealed bids for the Bedford Hope Center Improvements Project in the Bedford Dwellings Community (AMP-02). The estimates of construction cost ranges are listed below: Mechanical Construction estimate $170,000 to $248,000 The construction work is estimated to begin in September of 2018.

Bid Documents will be available on or about Monday, May 28, 2018 and may be obtained from the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh’s webpage, www.hacp.org. Bidders may register on the website and download the bid documents free of charge. Electronic versions of the Bid Documents, including bid forms, project manual, and drawings can be picked up in person, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Mr. Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement/Chief Contracting Officer A Pre-Bid Conference and Site Visit will be held on Wednesday, June 6, 2018 at 11:00 a.m.: Bedford Hope Center 2305 Bedford Avenue A site visit will be conducted thereafter. Bidders shall come prepared to review all aspects of the construction site necessary to prepare a bid.

Bids will be received at: HACP Procurement Department 100 Ross Street, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Attn: Mr. Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement/Chief Contracting Officer until 11:00 a.m. June 28, 2018 at which time and place all bids will be publicly opened and read aloud.

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH reserves the right to waive any informality in, or reject any and all bids.

No bid shall be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days subsequent to the opening of bids without the consent of the HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH. The Contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity requirements for Federally Assisted Construction Contracts. The Contractor must ensure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of race, color, religion, sexual preference, handicap or national origin.

HACP has revised its website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/RFP documentation.

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH STRONGLY ENCOURAGES CERTIFIED MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES AND WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES TO RESPOND TO THE SOLICITATION. Additional information may be obtained by contacting Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement at (412) 456-5116 Opt 1.

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.

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS

Sealed bids will be received for the Re-bid of Evans City EDCO Park Pool Renovation Project, will be received in the office of en amin Holland, BUTLER COUNTY CONTROLLER, FLOOR 5, COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER, 124 WEST DIAMOND STREET, whose mailing address is P.O.BOX 1208, BUTLER, PA 16003, on or before 2:00pm, July 10, 2018. All Bids must be plainly marked Bid – Rebid of Evans City EDCO Park Pool Renovation Project.

All bids will be publicly opened and read at the Public Agenda Setting Meeting of the Butler County Board of Commissioners on July 11, 2018 at 10:00 am, in the Public Meeting oom located on first oor of the County Government Center, Butler, PA. A Project Walk through meeting will be held on site at 9:00AM on Wednesday, June 13, 2018 located at EDCO Park 154 W. Main St. Evans City PA 16033.

Bids will be received for the following projects: EDCO Park Pool Renovations Project per specs in bid package will include bids. certified chec or an draft, payable to the County of Butler, negotiable U.S. Government Bond (at par value or a satisfactory bid bond) executed by the bidder and an acceptable surety, in an amount equal to at least ten percent (10%) of the total bid of this project (Base bid and all alternates), shall be submitted with each bid.

The successful bidder will be required to submit a 100% performance bond, a 100% labor and materials payment bond and a 10% maintenance bond. Should a bidder desire to submit a bid for more than one package, they can do so provided they are submitted independent of one another in separate envelopes.

Portions of this project are funded

by CDBG funding. Therefore, all work is subject to the Davis-Bacon Wage Rates and federally required MBE/WBE, Section 3, and nondiscrimination practices and related matters.

Bids must be submitted on the forms furnished herein. Contact Aquatic Facility Design Inc., to obtain bid package. $100 per sets can be mailed, if requested, at the bidder’s expense. Aquatic Facility Design Inc., 183 Moore St, Millersburg, PA 17061 (717) 692-0539, contact Brent Boyer.

A copy of the Bid Documents will be available for review at the office of the utler Count ar and Recreation Department, 184 Alameda Park Road, Butler, PA 16001, during regular business hours.

Butler County reserves the right to accept or reject any or all Bids, or any part of a Bid, and to waive informalities, and to award the Bid in the best interest of Butler County.

No Bid may be withdrawn for thirty (30) days following the scheduled closing time for the receipt of Bids.

BOARD OF BUTLER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Leslie A. Osche, Chairman Kimberly D. Geyer Kevin E. Boozel Attest: Scott Andrejchak Director of Administration/ Chief Clerk

ADVERTISEMENT

Sealed bid proposals are hereby solicited for the Community College of Allegheny County, 800 Allegheny Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15233 (412.237.3020) on the following items: RFP 3108 – Driver’s Education on-Road Training Proposals will be received at the Purchasing Department until 2:00 P.M. Prevailing Time on Friday, June 8, 2018.

The CCAC Purchasing Department publishes all bids and RFPs via the CCAC website at https://www.ccac. edu/Bid-RFP_Opportunities.aspx.

It will be each vendor’s responsibility to monitor the bid activity within the given website (“Bid and RFP Opportunities”) and ensure compliance with all applicable bid documents inclusive of any issued addenda.

Failure to incorporate any applicable addenda in the final su mittal ma result in the rejection of your bid.

The Board of Trustees reserves the right to reject any and all bids.

The Community College of Alleghen Count is an ffirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and encourages bids from Minority/Disadvantaged owned businesses.

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!

Electronic Proposals will be received online at the Port Authority of Allegheny County’s Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority.org).

Proposals/bid submittals will be due 11:00 AM on June 26, 2018 and will be read at 11:15 AM., the same day, at Port Authority’s Heinz location (345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-2527), for the following: Electronic Proposal - Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness. portauthority.org) B180525 LRV HVAC Micro Control Cards B180529A Elevator & Escalator Inspection Service B180530A Ready to Use Coolant/ Anti-Freeze B180531A Fire Alarm System Testing & Certification B170642AR5 Cummins ISB Engine Replacement Parts B171181AR Non Destructive Testing of Rail for Internal Flaws B180210AR Meritor Drive Train & Front Axle Parts B180534A HVAC On Call Services Paper Proposal – Documents are available for the following item at Port Authority’s Main Offices 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 15222-2527 B180532A Solid Waste Removal & Disposal-Lamp Recycling No bidder may withdraw a submitted Proposal for a period of 75 days after the scheduled time for opening of the sealed bids.

A Pre-Bid Conference will be held on each of the above items at 10:00AM June 13, 2018 at Port Authority’s Heinz location (345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh, PA). Attendance at this meeting is not mandatory, but is strongly encouraged. Questions regarding any of the above bids will not be entertained by the Port Authority within 48 hours of the scheduled bid opening.

These contracts may be subject to a financial assistance contract etween Port Authority of Allegheny County and the United States Department of Transportation. The Contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity laws and regulations.

Contractor is responsible for expenses related to acquiring a performance bond and insurance where applicable. All items are to be FOB delivered unless otherwise specified. Costs for delivery, bond, and insurance shall be included in bidder’s proposal pricing.

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

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

ADVERTISEMENT

Sealed bid proposals are hereby solicited for the Community College of Allegheny County, 800 Allegheny Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15233 (412.237.3020) on the following items: RFP 3109 – Emergency Mass Notification Services Product Proposals will be received at the Purchasing Department until 2:00 P.M. Prevailing Time on Wednesday, June 20, 2018.

The CCAC Purchasing Department publishes all bids and RFPs via the CCAC website at https://www.ccac. edu/Bid-RFP_Opportunities.aspx.

It will be each vendor’s responsibility to monitor the bid activity within the given website (“Bid and RFP Opportunities”) and ensure compliance with all applicable bid documents inclusive of any issued addenda.

Failure to incorporate any applicable addenda in the final su mittal ma result in the rejection of your bid.

The Board of Trustees reserves the right to reject any and all bids.

The Community College of Alleghen Count is an ffirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and encourages bids from Minority/Disadvantaged owned businesses.

TO PLACE AN AD IN SOUL READERS Call 412-481-8302, Ext. 140 The deadline for all ads to be placed is Monday at 4 p.m. All ads must be paid for in advance. We accept Money Orders, Credit Cards and Western Union “Quick Collect” payments.

B6

MAY 30-JUNE 5, 2018

FORUM

Stacey Abrams I thank God for his blessings!

—Standing on Louis ‘Hop’ Kendrick strong shoulders To Tell

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—I am among the millions who are ecstatic that Stacey Abrams won the Democratic nomination for governor in Georgia. She didn’t just win, she rocked, clobbering her opponent, Stacey Evans, by over 50 percentage points—Abrams had 76 percent of the 533,450 votes cast in the Democratic primary.

Of course, Abrams very graciously congratulated Evans on her effort during her victory speech last Tuesday night. Still, it is clear that the work Abrams put into bringing new votes to the polls paid off.

Now, Abrams and her supporters will have to roll up their sleeves and bring even more new voters to the polls -- two Republicans will vie for the Republican nomination in a runoff, and there were 70,000 more Republican voters in the primary than Democratic voters. If this turns partisan-ugly, and it is likely to, the challenge for Stacey Abrams will be to connect with those voters who rarely vote in midterm elections.

She already has a head start. Her New Georgia is credited with increasing voter turnout and registering as many as 200,000 new voters. While the estimates vary (with some saying that the numbers are not as robust as Abrams reports, the fact is that the New Georgia Project is effective, but must be even more so if Abrams is to prevail. She’ll need dollars and soldiers, but she has amassed an impressive amount of support from women’s candidates groups like Emerge America and PACS and like the African American focused Higher Heights and the pro-choice woman-focused EMILY’s list.

Julianne Malveaux

Commentary In addition, Melanie Campbell, CEO of the National Coalition of Black Civic Participation and the Black Women’s Roundtable has partnered with Black women organizations in Georgia on it project—“Unity ’18 Power of the Sister Vote.” The women she worked with, including Essence Editor Emerita Susan Taylor and the esteemed Judge Glenda Hatchett did outreach to more than 50,000 households through social media. On election day, the Unity ’18 effort provided rides, and reached out to voters through phone banks and canvassing, encouraging them to get out and vote.

The work will have to continue through November if Stacey Abrams is to win that governorship.

Just a day before Stacey Abrams claimed her Democratic nomination, the civil rights lawyer Dovey Roundtree made her transition at the age of 104. Roundtree, like Abrams, was a Spelman College graduate.

Abrams attended Yale Law School, while Roundtree matriculated at Howard on the GI Bill after service in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WACS).

After graduation from Spelman, and before her military service, Dovey Roundtree worked as a research assistant for Mary McLeod Bethune, the founder and first President of the National Council of Negro Women. I first learned of Attorney Roundtree, indeed, in a conversation with Dr. Dorothy Irene Height, the longest serving NCNW president. Always supportive of NCNW, Ms. Roundtree was even more supportive of her many clients, so much so that she once said she worked for “eggs and collard greens,” because when her poor, Black clients couldn’t pay legal fees, she and her law partner Julius Robertson, accepted whatever people could pay.

Even though Dovey Roundtree had a big footprint—when she started practicing law in Washington in the 1950s, there were few Black women lawyers in practice. She mentored many young lawyers, including Harvard Law Professor Charles Ogletree. She was one of the first women to be ordained an AME minister, and worked as a minister at Allen Chapel AME Church in Southeast Washington. Mayor Marion considered her a trusted advisor. And, according to the Washington Post, the American Bar Association honored her, in 2000, for advancing female lawyers in the profession.

Stacey Abrams may or may not know about Dovey Roundtree, but she surely stands on her shoulders, and on the shoulders of Dorothy Height and Barbara Jordan and the many other women who paved a way for her. Six months ago people were saying that Abrams “couldn’t” win the primary, and before I met her, I had doubts myself. But one cannot help but be swayed by her earnestness, her passion and her insistence that every vote counts, and every voice must be heard.

It’s going to take more than earnestness and passion to win the Georgia governorship. It’s going to take votes, lots of them.

Still, women like Dovey Roundtree persisted against all odds (there’s an Interstate Commerce Commission case from 1952 that she appealed until 1955); women like Dorothy Height persisted against all odds. If Stacey Abrams walks in their footsteps and gets at least 100,000 new voters registered and to the polls (to counter the 70,000 Republican advantage in primary votes), we’ll be celebrating sweet victory, standing on the shoulders of the ancestors, in November.

(Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist.)

In the year 1931 at birth I was blessed with the most wonderful parents; yes, it was the first of the multiple blessings over the course of my life. This month of May 2018 was another reminder of my Lord’s blessings. My wife, Gloria, and I on May 8 celebrated our 64th anniversary. We have been blessed with a wonderful family, a host of true friends and a loving church family.

On May 18, 2018 our entire family was in attendance at the graduation of our great grandson’s graduation from high school in Cincinnati, Ohio. In the fall he will be attending the University of Miami, Ohio, on a full scholarship for Pre-Med. Yes, God blessed us once again. My father died relatively young, but he was a staunch advocate of higher education, his favorite saying was “get all of the education you can, because no one can take an education away.”

That was another blessing that was transferred to his children, grand, great-grand and great great grandchildren. It was a blessing in attendance at the graduation, there were 636 young persons graduating, yes, wall-to-wall

The Truth

persons in attendance of a positive event.

My employment history has been a blessing. My father owned his business, which he founded in 1933.

He died in 1953 and my brother and I operated it until 1987. I was the co-founder of the first Allegheny County-wide narcotic squad and was able to witness the mindset of law enforcement when it came to enforcing the law between Blacks and Whites. In 1996 I was appointed Director of MBE Allegheny County and was provided with a golden opportunity to get a crystal clear understanding of how elected officials used taxpayers’ money to enrich select White business persons. I was positioned to fully understand the meanings of low bid, high bid, change orders and that all important no bid…it was replaced with AWARDED. The two terms that made corporations super rich are “awards” and “change orders” Women and men stop me with great regularity and often congratulate me on a column that I had written. My answer generally is “thank you” and state it has been a 24-year BLESSING. (Louis “Hop” Kendrick is a contributor to the New Pittsburgh Courier.)

Is individualism paramount or prevented?

Recently, Canathing else is, in reda’s semi-annu- J. Pharaoh Doss ality, a nation domal Monk debate inated by the social featured clinical power of groups, psychologist, Jorclasses, in-groups dan Peterson, and and cliques…The African American individual in Amersociology profesica has few rights sor, Michael Eric that are not backed Dyson. The debate up by the political, topic was: Be it reeconomic and social solved what you call political correct- power of one group or another… These ness, I call progress. Peterson opposed people (that) want to be full-fledged the motion, Dyson affirmed.

Americans, without regard to race, Peterson stated that we need a grand creed, or color…Do not stop to realize narrative to unite us. What’s playing …This is a figment of the American out is a debate between an individualist imagination and (The Great American narrative and a collectivist narrative, Idea of individualism) has never really but the question is, what story should existed.” be paramount?

I’ve pointed this out to prove PeterWhat’s paramount is the sovereignty son’s “collectivist narrative” has well of the individual. documented historical roots. So, DysNow, there’s some utility in the collec- on’s “abortive fantasy” wasn’t about tivist narrative because we all belong Peterson’s opening statement he was to groups, but the collectivist narrative referring to the great idea of individuthat I regard as politically correct is a alism. radical leftist view that claims you’re Dyson stated he’s amazed whenever not an individual, but you exist as a he hears about collectivist/identity polmember of a group. (Ethnicity, sex, race, itics (from the right) because “White etc.) And the only way to view the world folks” invented race. The invention of is a battleground of groups of different race was driven by the demand of a power, and history itself is viewed as dominant culture to subordinate othnothing but the power maneuvers be- ers. And White supremacy has thrusted tween groups. identity upon those outside of the domThis eliminates any consideration of inant group preventing their ability the individual, and in that formulation, to be individuals. Dyson’s analysis is there is no such thing as free speech be- accurate, but it’s a justification for the cause, for an individualist, that’s how existence of the collective battleground you make sense of the world, but for the throughout the 18th, 19th, and 20th radical left collectivist associated with centuries as a byproduct of White suthis type of political correctness, when premacy, and if that’s carried over into the individual speaks, all they’re doing the 21st century, how is that progress? is playing a power game on behalf of But the paramount question is, can intheir group. dividualism be prevented?

Then Peterson acknowledged historFrederick Douglass illustrated the ical oppression and stated the proper metaphysical fact of individualism in place of the left is to give a political the letter he wrote to his former owner voice to the dispossessed. But that’s explaining why he ran away. Douglass not the same as proclaiming all of us wrote, “Nature does not make your are to be identified by the groups we existence depend upon me, or mine to belong and construe the world as a bat- depend upon yours…We are distinct tleground of different forms of tyranny persons and are each equally provided in consequence of group affiliation, be- with faculties necessary to our indicause that’s not progress. vidual existence. In leaving you, I took Dyson responded by calling Peterson’s nothing but what belonged to me… assessment an abortive fantasy. And Your faculties remained yours, and claimed the radical left didn’t exist, mine became useful to their rightful because their numbers were too small owner.” and “they’re not running anything.”

Then Dyson stated individualism is (So, existence is predicated on group the “characteristic moment in modernisize and power. This makes Peterson’s ty,” but the knowledge that he brings as case.) a person of color makes a difference.

In 1967 Harold Cruse, a Black intelOnce again making Peterson’s case, lectual, wrote an essay called “Individ- because he never denied the utility of ualism and the “Open Society.” Cruse the group.

(J. Pharaoh Doss is a contributor to the New maintained, “America, which idealizes the rights of the individual above every- Pittsburgh Courier.)

Check It Out

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Raynard Jackson

Commentary Black Hollywood is complicit in the negative perception of the Black community (NNPA)—White folks calling the police on innocent Black people has been in the news a lot lately.

You had a White student named Sarah Braasch at Yale University calling the police on a fellow Black student, Lolade Siyonbola, who she didn’t know, who had fallen asleep in the study lounge; you had a group of Blacks who rented an Airbnb in California only to have a White neighbor call the police on them, because she didn’t recognize them and get this, “they didn’t wave at her.”

Those were her actual words.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the point.

As my boy Solomon once told me in Proverbs 4:7: “Wisdom is the principle thing; therefore, get wisdom; and with all thy getting, get understanding.”

In this column, I want to have a conversation that is going to make some of you, my loyal readers, quite uncomfortable.

While the issues revolving around race are very complicated, complex, and multi-dimensional, I am only going to focus on one side of the equation. The side of equation that is in our total control.

The one issue that Blacks are in total control of is the images that “we” create, publish and distribute to the public; this includes, radio, TV, newspapers, and social media.

A few years ago, I addressed this issue in one of my columns. This conversation created a storm of controversy, but more importantly it sparked a necessary conversation within the Black community.

So, again, I will ask the same question: What have Black folks done that causes police to totally undervalue our lives and causes others to feel threatened by our mere presence and immediately feel the need to call the police?

We have shows on television like “Empire,” “Insecure,” and “The Quad” that showcase Blacks in some of the most negative roles possible.

I hear Blacks calling each other n–gers in public spaces, then have the gall to get upset when a White person uses the same word.

We glorify the thug life in our music; scantily-clad Black women have become the standard in music videos; and we even permit some our pastors to advocate for the gay lifestyle from the pulpit. Really?

Again, let me be perfectly clear, none of these things justify the police abusing their authority or a White person automatically feeling threatened with our mere presence, but I do understand.

Most of the images shown about Blacks in the media are negative. Why? Because the media makes lots of money off of portraying Blacks in such a negative light. Let me clarify, liberal, White media makes lots of money off of this negative portrayal of Blacks.

Put yourself in the shoes of a White person riding public transportation that sees a train full of Black teenagers with their pants hanging half way down their butts, calling each other n–gers, and constantly grabbing their crotches.

Or the police pulling up to a crowded park and hearing loud rap music being played talking about “f-ck the police” or “b–ch this” or “b–ch that.”

We have almost thirty years of negative images about Blacks throughout every media platform available and now you want to act surprised that people have these negative perceptions about us? Come on, man.

Let’s be real.

Don’t tell me you are a hoe and then act surprised when I treat you like one. Don’t introduce me to your best friend by saying, “this is my b—ch, Jennifer” and then get mad when I call her a “b–ch.”

Maybe Whites believe in the old adage that says, “when a person shows you who they are, you better believe them.”

So, what I am saying to Black folk is pull up your damn pants, stop calling each other n–gers in public and private, stop calling each other b–hes and hoes and thinking these are terms of endearment, because they are not.

To my folks who are in powerful positions in Hollywood, can we do some movies and TV shows that have nothing to do with promoting thug life, homosexuality, or slavery?

There is so much more to Black history and culture than the foolishness that we see in the media.

How many of you know that the wealthiest man to have ever lived was Mansa Musa I of Mali (West Africa)? He was the first king of Timbuktu and had an estimated worth of $400 billion (adjusted for inflation). He controlled half of the world’s supply of salt and gold deposits at the time.

Just imagine, thirty years of putting images like Mansa Musa out to the public.

Or how about people like Dave Steward in St. Louis. He is chairman of World Wide Technology, the largest minority businessman in the U.S., doing over $ 10 billion a year in IT. So, let’s stop blaming White folks and the police for believing we are who we say we are.

(Raynard Jackson is founder and chairman of Black Americans for a Better Future (BAFBF).

SPORTS

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

MAY 30-JUNE 5, 2018

B7

Pirates fans, do you know anything about appreciation?

by Aubrey Bruce

For New Pittsburgh Courier

As I sat basking in the glow of the triumphant return of Andrew McCutchen to PNC Park, my faith was reinstated in the Pirates’ faithful. They did not boo, hiss or spit in regards to him returning to his former stomping grounds. But my father used to say, “Where there is good, rest assured that evil is step-for-step or not too far behind.”

As I was traveling back to my office, two patrons who had just attended the game and hung out with the bartender expressed their very explicit and subjective views regarding the return of Andrew McCutchen to PNC Park. “I’m glad that McCutchen came to visit but I’m happy that he is going back to that h___osexual-filled, God-forsaken San Francisco,” said drunk #1.

“Yeah,” chimed in drunk #2. “The Bucs are doing

just fine without him. If he would have lowered his price the Pirates would have kept him.”

Mercifully for me the automated voice on the “T” blurted out, “Next stop, Wood Street.”

It was time for me to break camp and boy was I glad to get off that train. When and where did these fans develop these dark opinions about an athlete that in all probability they would never get to know personally in their lifetime? What information or misinformation could be the catalyst in regards to the general public concluding that they were qualified to define and decipher the wealth and worth of these athletes? It is my theory…no, as far as I’m concerned it is a fact that there is a segment of Western Pennsylvania and the national media that plays a significant role in creating FMV (fair market value), or in many cases the UMV (unfair market value), of certain

players.

The Pittsburgh Pirates fans of the new millennium are whining, crying, griping and complaining about the current Pirates owners being “ultra-frugal” when offering and paying Pirates players a fair wage when it comes to fielding and maintaining a competitive and winning team. However, when Pirates owners of the late 1970s and early 1980s paid big money to keep “certain” players under contract there was a major revolt by the Pirates faithful. Let’s take a look back at former Pirates owner John W. Galbreath. Mr. Galbreath as an MLB franchise owner accepted the value of one of the brightest stars of the late 1970s and ‘80s, former Pirates right fielder Dave “The Cobra” Parker. When Parker was on the verge of bolting from the Steel City, the Galbreath ownership group signed Parker to a five-year, $5 million con-

tract in January 1979. Parker had won the 1978 NL MVP award and had earned several Gold Gloves, throwing out 72 runners from 1975 to 1979. In 1977 alone, he threw out 26 runners.

During his career Parker was a seven-time All-Star.

But alas, before the ink had even dried on his multi-million dollar deal, Parker allegedly received numerous death threats.

But wait, it gets deeper.

He had to watch his back when he trotted out to right field at Three Rivers Stadium as well as other MLB parks to play defense because of various foreign objects that were thrown at him, including 9-volt batteries, etc. These “fans” received less than a slap on the wrist. Remember, all of these events occurred after the Pirates ownership signed “The Cobra” to an extended agreement to remain with the team!

These fans deserve cheap

owners.

The Galbreaths weren’t appreciated when they reinvested in the team.

These fans only sanction reinvestment into players that they like and can relate to. If Dave Parker had been infielder Sid (The Turtle) Bream or outfielder Andy Van Slyke, in all probability the money would have been considered wellspent. The Pittsburgh Pirates owners of the new millennium are not merely just being frugal, they are just acutely aware of their market.

As long as the Pirates remain relatively competitive and simultaneously field a team that is “socially” acceptable by the fan base, the faithful will moan and groan, but the fans’ “gnashing of teeth” will fall on deaf ears because the Pirates ownership have their fingers on the “pulse” of the team’s demographic…real-

DAVE PARKER (AP PHOTO) izing that when marketing and the bottom line is placed alongside the culture of success, winning will always be secondary.

Meet Marc-Andre Fleury, the man who cannot frown Beloved former Penguin could win Stanley Cup with Vegas Golden Knights

by Lee Kann For New Pittsburgh Courier

Baltimore film director Barry Levinson, of “Rain Man” and “Bugsy” fame, made his first feature film in 1982 with a little gem called “Diner,” a film that would produce future film stars Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon, Daniel Stern, Ellen Barkin, Tim Daly, and comedian Paul Riser. In the film, the buzzword was “a smile.” (Technically, that’s two words, but if it was something fun or a thrill or cool or stupendous in some way, it was “a smile.”) Personally, my biggest smile in sports was last June, spending 90 minutes on the ice in Nashville, celebrating with the Penguins and their fifth Stanley Cup…an event I was hoping for this June, although this time I foresaw the ultra-drama of Marc-Andre Fleury facing his longtime Pittsburgh Penguins.

Now that would have been “a smile.”

The Pens will not be there, but the Vegas Golden Knights’ Fleury will be, for a fifth time in his 14-year career. And man, does he have a smile! In fact, Marc-Andre Fleury is a man incapable of frowning. He’s like Eat ‘n’ Park’s smiley cookie, Batman’s Joker and Disney’s Dory all rolled into one. Whether it’s a locker room interview or a post-game one with NBCSN’s Pierre McGuire, Fleury cannot keep a straight face. Take note during the Stanley Cup Final against the Washington Capitals, as he continues to dazzle the hockey world.

When interviewed, count the seconds before he cops a smile. You’ll notice he has no capacity in keeping a straight face, let alone frowning. And what would he have to frown about?

His e’lan is obvious and infectious.

When Vegas wrapped up the Western Conference championship on May 20, reeling off four straight wins after Winnipeg won the opener, and the realization of proceeding to the Cup Finals set in for team Vegas, every player came to Fleury and engulfed him with pure thankfulness. This was not the usual game-win-hug and pat on the shoulder of a “good job, nice win” display.

This was elongated body contact brimming with love and affection. Each player on that team did the same.

It was a love fest, like at a family wedding. I’ve never witnessed such adoration of a teammate in winning a series that was not winning the Cup itself. And that’s what Marc-Andre Fleury means to his team. Then in the handshake line that concludes every playoff series, almost every Winnipeg Jets player had something of praise for Fleury. You could see it in their body language and expression. And of course, Fleury was smiling.

For Fleury, the journey

started last June in Nashville when he passed the torch, literally, by handing the Stanley Cup to Penguins goalie Matt Murray.

Fleury knew he was gone via the expansion draft, and he even facilitated the move by waiving the no-trade clause in his contract to clear the way for a smooth transition. Rules dictated that any player with a nomove clause had to be protected. That meant that Murray would be exposed and he certainly would be in Vegas now. And Fleury knew it was time to move on because he still had number one goaltender left in him and was not content to ride into the sunset as Murray’s backup.

Fleury left a lot of Pittsburghers proud. I was proud myself to be there for that final cup-winning game in Nashville and I was there for Fleury’s first game in a Pens uniform after being the first overall draft pick in 2003 by then general manager Craig Patrick. In between, Fleury won some 375 games and three Stanley Cups with the Pens. It’s interesting to note that Fleury’s numbers as a junior player were way less than spectacular at 7194, and yet he was the first overall selection in that ’03 NHL draft. That might be considered “a smile.”

At the expansion draft in, where else, Las Vegas, mere days after Fleury raised The Cup for the third time in Pittsburgh, he came out onto the Vegas stage and donned his Golden Knights jersey, with that smile, of course. If only anyone knew what was to come.

What was to come was the murder of 58 people at a Las Vegas concert just eight days before the opening puck drop of the first game of the first season for the Vegas Golden Knights. Las Vegas was flabbergasted at the carnage and the mood of the city was not “let’s play hockey.” Ex-Penguin Deryk Engelland, who lives in Las Vegas, led a moving tribute from the ice before the game that brought the team and the city together.

They have never looked back.

The Vegas Golden Knights have shattered every expansion team record that you can think of this season—and the rock, the anchor, the foundation—has been Fleury. Every Vegas player has touted such all season. I imagine Fleury, a Montreal native, who had played his entire pro career in Pittsburgh, must have wondered about the hockey ambiance in 100 degree weather in the Mohave desert. There is no wondering now except will it take 4, 5, 6 or 7 games for this team to win the Stanley Cup. Fleury has become so recognized, and not just in Vegas. The entire hockey world knows Marc-Andre Fleury and that puck-eating grin. I assert that Fleury never attained this kind of notoriety in the 14 years he spent in Pittsburgh.

This newfound fame for Fleury is so well-deserved,

but not something he covets. He covets The Cup. While I have laid such cliches on goaltenders to the point of ad nauseam, still I’m obliged to say it…Fleury is playing lights-out, beside himself, insanely, performing headstands and cartwheels. He is the Cirque du Soleil of goalies.

Simply put, he is playing at a level a goaltender must play to win The Cup. Besides Fleury and Engelland, there are other ex-Pens on this team in the form of David Perron, Ryan Reeves (who was a Penguin just a couple months ago) and tough sniper James Neal, who scored the first two Vegas goals in team history. In fact, this entire team is made up of spare parts. Some players were outright outcasts, others like Fleury were left unpro-

tected. It’s a Frankenstein of a team…the Vegas Golden Frankenknights.

Another ingredient of Fl-

VEGAS GOALTENDER MARC-ANDRE FLEURY is on the cusp of winning another Stanley Cup. He won three Stanley Cups with the Penguins. (AP PHOTO)

eury is being renowned for pranks in the locker room, like hiding inside a teammate’s duffle bag where sticks, pads and skates would be. Suur-priise! In game three of the last series with Winnipeg, Fleury tickled the ear of the Jets’ Blake Wheeler from behind during a scrum behind the net. Most players would have put a headlock on Wheeler at that point. Not Fleury…he’d rather tickle.

This does not mean Fleury can be pushed around on the ice. He will defend his goal like a badger, using his stick when called to, and defend a teammate, too… but it’s without venom or malice, unlike so many other hockey players.

However, besides the humor, charm and smiles, it’s the numbers in these playoffs that define Fleury

on the ice…12 wins, only 3 losses, a goals-against-average of 1.68 per game and a save percentage of .947, and four shutouts in 15 games.

That’s not even counting the 6-4 win Vegas had in game 1 of the Cup Finals against the Capitals, May 28.

Those numbers are staggering. Those are championship numbers. Couldn’t happen to a better man. In Vegas, he is the unofficial captain on a team that has no captain.

He is a singular player at this moment in time…adept at acrobatics, inept at frowning. His facial muscles just can’t govern it.

All he wants is to have his name, once again, on a trophy he can’t keep and get a ring that’s too big to wear.

As Kevin Bacon’s character Fenwick would say…“that’s a smile.”

SPORTS New Pittsburgh Courier

B8

MAY 30-JUNE 5, 2018

www.newpittsburghcourier.com

Pittsburghers Speak Out Last week, the National Football League approved a new rule stating that all league players must stand for the playing of the national anthem prior to each game…if you’re on the field. But players who do not want to stand are permitted to remain off the field, in the locker room or in the tunnel. Players who kneel or don’t stand on the field for the anthem will cause the team to be fined. Teams can discipline players who wish to remain off the field during the anthem. This controversial new policy has the sports world buzzing, and Courier photographer J.L. Martello captured reactions from local residents…

thin it s ridiculous. thin it s motivated mone and greed over the needs of the la ers to have the right to e ress themSince this is a countr of freedom of s eech, eo le are free to selves. he ag is all a out us having the right to ma e the decisions to conduct ourselves or to have the freedom to either ob- do hat the ant to do, and don t thin the should have to e serve or not o serve the song. So, to ta e mone out of a man s told someone else hether the should stand or salute the ag. hat s their right. oc et to e ercise his rights, thin is ust rong.

BETTY RICHEY RAFIQ PAYNE DOWNTOWN STANTON HEIGHTS

ou don t stand, ou don t stand. ou stand, ou stand. don t see a difference on it. he all get aid. he re not losing an slee . he a see it, is that if the re fighting for their rights, that s the right thing to do.

CHRIS GOINS NORTH SIDE

do elieve there are issues that need to e addressed the ag isn t one of the main things. feel li e the solution the the came u ith is the est solution right no . f ou ant to rotest, ou don t ant to stand on the ag, go ahead, sta in the loc er room. see here a lot of eo le are coming from, a lot of our anam hot as listening to the ne s, and said, o in the cestors died for that ag, died so e can have this countr here, so orld, the audacit of them tr ing to mi olitics ith s orts. hose e can go atch a s orting event. hose gu s, the o e that ag ta ing for eing a le to go out on the field and get aid millions of dollars t o entities need to e e t se arated. he re the ust to e la ing a s ort. hile at the same time, there s a lot of a a their inde endence and their rights. f the the la ers don t ant to stand, that s their right to do so. nd for um er to even stuff going on in the orld that needs to e addressed right no eo le are tr ing to rotest the in ustices that are going on in this utt in and sa ma e the shouldn t even e in the countr , our ife isn t even from this countr . can t stand him. countr and no one s loo ing at that.

TERINA HICKS DONALD BROWN SWISSVALE BRIDGEVILLE

“I don’t respect it in the sense that I understand that it’s a job and ou have to adhere to our em lo ers rules and regulations, ut at the same time, there s a lot going on in the orld, in our cit , and me as a lac man, no e actl some of those ramifications the re tal ing a out, that hen ou al out, someone ust udges ou ecause of our color. s eciall hen ou see that it s O that e can have a rotest in Charlottesville and ever thing is O ith that, ut henever someone ants to do something eacefull , there s a ro lem ith that. nd then ou ant to go into those eo le s oc ets and fine them for doing something eacefull , there s a solutel ever thing rong ith that to me.

SEAN BATES NORTH SIDE

t s not reall a out the la ers, it s a out the mone . he mone that comes through the is not all hite eo le s mone , ut hite eo le have learned a a to control societ ith ma ing mone move. nd if the can shift enough mone for the not to ma e enough rofit, then the ill do an thing in their o er ust feel li e, no the ant us to sta in the loc er room during to change hat is going on the is not against rotesting. the national anthem, and feel the re tr ing to shut us u , not ut hen ou start tal ing a out someone s home or someone s let our voice e heard. he re s ee ing it under the rug and not financing, it ll ma e an od do an thing the too the stage dealing ith the situation. a a from us as lac eo le.

DONALD LARKINS MARCUS JOHNSON EAST END MORNINGSIDE

thin it s ind of ridiculous. asn t it a cou le of ears ago an la er neeled for a ortions im e o nd the actuall a lauded him and ever thing, ut no that the re neeling for us of color, it s utterl ridiculous that the have to get fined for it. f ere them, ould still go out on the field and neel.

ALFREDA ADAMS PENN HILLS

ust feel li e it s the resident tr ing to sho his o er to the . o intimidate the , to follo his rules and to a ide hat he ants them to do. t s not reall a out merica or the militar he s missing the hole oint ehind the neeling of the national anthem. nd misconstruing it to e a out the militar , and it s not a out the militar , it s a out the olice rutalit and all the inequalit that s een going on across merica toda .

FOREST THROWER LARIMER

thin it s unfair. t s almost necessar ith all the violence going on against lac s and ever thing, the re ust tr ing to do a eaceful rotest. or the to sa that the can t do it, or do it and e enali ed, thin it s unfair to the la ers. he re not doing an thing disres ectful. t s igger than the ag, ut it ust seems li e the is tr ing to ma e it all a out than the ag. t s not a out the ag. t s asicall a out lac eo le tr ing to e treated as fair as an one else when it comes to police rutalit .

STEVEN BRADLEY EAST LIBERTY