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Vol. 110 No. 23

Two Sections

Published Weekly

JUNE 5-11, 2019

• Courier Exclusive •

HAMLET SPEAKS OUT

PPS Superintendent tired of the KDKATV attacks, calls it ‘a smear campaign’

by Rob Taylor Jr. Before he ever was a professional educator, a superintendent of schools, Anthony Hamlet was a star football player at the University of Miami. He then played in the NFL as a defensive end for the Seattle Seahawks and Indianapolis Colts, and later played in the Canadian Football League.

Dr. Hamlet has a towering presence, often the tallest, biggest guy in the room. He’s not one to back down from anything or anyone.

That includes KDKA-TV and its investigative reporter, Andy Sheehan.

In a June 4 exclusive interview with New Pittsburgh Courier reporters Rob Taylor Jr. and Christian Morrow, Dr. Hamlet, the Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent, vehemently denied all wrongdoing that’s been reported

by KDKA-TV and other media outlets, pertaining to violating state ethics laws, personally benefiting from a trip to Cuba, or giving Pittsburgh Public Schools “Education Technology” program contracts to his friends in his home state of Florida.

“You have some reporters, Andy Sheehan namely being No. 1, leading with lies, half-truths and innuendos, making these vague statements to the public about me making it seem as if I’m doing something that’s nefarious or illegal, which is not the case,” Dr. Hamlet told the Courier.

“I think it’s unfortunate that the public is not being told the

26 of 31 homicides Black lives

May deadliest month since October 2018

truth. I thought, as far as when it comes to journalism, you deal in facts, you don’t deal in vague innuendo, using terms like, ‘it seems,’ ‘it appears.’

What facts do you have for the public so they can make sound decisions?”

Since early May, Dr. Hamlet has been a regular topic on KDKA-TV. The station broke the news about Dr. Hamlet and other top PPS administrators taking what the station called an “unauthorized trip” out of the country to Cuba during spring break.

The school board had approved a trip for administrators to travel to Miami to meet with The Flying Classroom founder Barrington Irving on an

Courier Staff Writer

$1.00

by Christian Morrow Courier Staff Writer

With 11 homicides, May was the deadliest month in Allegheny County so far this year, and the deadliest since 16 people were killed in October 2018. Eleven of those victims were Jewish congregants killed in the Tree of Life shooting. Nine of May’s 11 victims were African Americans.

For the year, 26 of 31 homicides claimed Black lives.

MAY 1—Jakeem Booker, a

PPS SUPERINTENDENT ANTHONY HAMLET

SEE HAMLET A3

Pittsburgh’s Black community rallies in support of PPS Superintendent

by Christian Morrow Courier Staff Writer

The Western PA Black Political Assembly is calling on residents and parents of Pittsburgh Public Schools students to support Superintendent Anthony Hamlet amid media reports that he may have violated ethics rules with regard to district contracts and an unauthorized trip to Cuba.

“We are not aware of, and do not beREV. JOHNNIE MONROE lieve that the superintendent has en-

gaged in any unethical behavior or conduct,” said Rev. Johnnie Monroe, writing for the assembly in a June 3 open letter to the City of Pittsburgh, its residents and the media. “We are asking city residents, PPS parents, and (the) African American community to disregard these perfidious reports.”

The letter goes on to note some of the academic improvements shown by Black students since Dr. Hamlet’s arrival, as

19-year-old Black male, was fatally shot while trying to force his way into a Franklin Avenue home in Wilkinsburg over a dispute with one of the occupants.

Police found him on the porch with a gunshot wound to the head. Allegheny County detectives said a 17-year-old in the house feared for his family and fired one shot though the partially open door. No charges have been filed.

MAY 8—Bryan Jackson, a 31-year-old Black male, was found fatally shot in a home at 127 McKinnie Ave. in Stowe Town-

SEE COMMUNITY A6

SEE HOMICIDES A5

Turahn Jenkins on the good, the bad, and what’s next Quest for county DA came up short

by Christian Morrow

TURAHN JENKINS

kins, he only received 40 candidate, with very little based on concerns Jenkins percent of them. Incumbent money and a shoestring had raised during his camCourier Staff Writer Stephen A. Zappala pre- campaign staff. Nor was paign. it a total loss, as Zappala “These are things I’ve been There were more votes vailed with 59 percent. cast in the Democratic PriStill a fairly impressive said he would implement speaking about for years, so mary race for Allegheny showing for a first-time policy changes in the office I’m glad to see there’s more County District Attorney than in any other countywide race—110,063. Unfor“It was an adventure and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It gave tunately for Turahn Jen-

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me a new sense of purpose. It made me stronger, wiser and encouraged me to step up when no one else will. I’m going to keep doing that. I can’t turn it off now. As long as there’s a need for equal justice, I’ll speak out.”

TURAHN JENKINS

awareness,” Jenkins told the New Pittsburgh Courier, June 3. “I was and am hopeful that the campaign would bring about change.

So, yeah, I would say that’s a win because people now know to look to that office for answers.”

Jenkins said he learned a lot throughout the course of the campaign. He said he quickly learned his two biggest hurdles were a lack of name recognition and a lack of resources, but it went beyond that.

“I met a lot of great people,” he said. “And I learned some things talking to vicSEE JENKINS A5

A2

INTERNATIONAL

JUNE 5-11, 2019

A pioneering voice in African literature dies after short illness (TriceEdneyWire.com/ GIN)—Binyavanga Wainaina, one of Africa’s bestknown authors and gay rights activist, died May 21, 2019 in Nairobi after a short illness. He was 48.

Wainaina won the 2002 Caine prize for African writing. Credited with founding the literary magazine and collective Kwani? and advancing the fight for LGBTQ rights in Africa, he made headlines around the world in 2014, when he responded to a wave of anti-gay laws around the continent by publicly outing himself in a short essay, published to mark his 43rd birthday.

He also revealed he was HIV positive. Calling it the “lost chapter” of his 2011 memoir “One Day I Will Write About This Place”, the essay “I Am a Homosexual, Mum” reimagined the last days of his mother’s life, in which he went to her deathbed and told her the truth about his sexuality.

After Wainaina came out, Time magazine in 2014 named him one of its 100 most influential people, with Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie praising him for having “demystified and humanized homosexuality” after the death of a Kenyan friend, whose family were prevented from holding a church memorial.

Wainaina was also known for his biting essay How to Write About Africa, which included the advice: “Always use the word ‘Africa’ or ‘Darkness’ or ‘Safari’ in your title.

Ironically, this week in a unanimous ruling by a three-judge panel of the court, a Kenyan High Court upheld the criminalization of gay sex. “A sad day for the rule of law and human rights,” said Eric Gitari, a co-founder of the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, a Kenyan civil rights group, who was one

BINYAVANGA WAINAINA of the petitioners in the case. “We expect that the court of appeal will overturn this erroneous decision which in our view is very biased,” Gitari told reporters.

Téa Braun, director of the Human Dignity Trust, an international gay rights advocacy group, noted in a statement that Kenya’s constitution guarantees human dignity and freedom from discrimination.

“Yet in handing down this disappointing judgment, the court has ruled that a certain sector of society is undeserving of those rights,” she said.

The judges’ ruling was, however, welcomed by religious groups. Some of them clapped and thanked the judges.

The three judges said that while they respected changes to laws banning gay sex in other countries, it was the court’s duty to respect prevailing Kenyan values.

Many African countries still enforce strict laws governing homosexuality, in most cases a legacy of laws imposed by the colonial rulers.

Germany agrees to return ancient stone cross taken from Namibia (TriceEdneyWire.com/GIN)—The German Historical Museum in Berlin has announced the return to Namibia of a 15th century artifact known as the Stone Cross of Cape Cross. Namibia has demanded the object’s return since June 2017.

Germany’s State Secretary for Culture and Media, Monika Grütters, admitted that dealing with the country’s colonial legacy in Namibia had been a “blind spot” for Germany for too long.

The restitution, planned for August, was sparked in part by a 2018 symposium the museum held on the history of the object.

The 11 foot, 1.1 ton cross had been placed on Namibia’s coast by Portuguese explorers in 1486 and was seen as a symbol of the country’s colonial past.

It came into Germany’s possession in 1893, when a sailor discovered it and ordered it removed and returned with it to Germany.

The object was presented to Kaiser Wilhelm II, who used it to serve his propaganda purposes regarding the empire’s naval superiority.

The object entered the collection of East Germany’s Museum of German History in 1953, and then the German Historical Museum after reunification.

The museum acknowledged the “outstanding significance which an artifact like this pillar has to the people of Na-

STONE CROSS OF CAPE CROSS mibia and the special contribution it can make on site in the future to understanding Namibia’s history.”

The artifact was originally erected by explorer Diogo Cao in 1486 on the coastline of present-day Namibia to signify Portuguese territorial claims, as well as serve as a navigational marker.

Namibia, which was previously known as German South-West Africa, was a German colony from 1884 to 1915.

Germany has been slow to fully acknowledge the darkest chapters of its colonial past, but has recently made steps in that direction. Though the German government announced a planned apology for the genocide of tens of thousands of Herero and Nama men, women, and children between 1904 and 1908, it has refused to pay reparations, pointing to the millions that it has given Namibia in development aid over the years.

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This Week In Black History

Week of June 5-11 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 JOHN CARLOS AND distributor, cotton chopper and a seed planter all on this day TOMMIE SMITH 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.

June 6 1790—Jean Baptist Pointe Du Sable establishes a ROSA PARKS AFTER ARREST settlement which would eventually grow into the city of Chicago. The settlement would make the French-speaking, Santo Domingo-born Du Sable a wealthy man.

1958—Singer, musician and composer Prince was born on this day in Minneapolis, Minn. His full name was Prince Rogers Nelson. He was a musical innovator and known for his eclectic work, flamboyant stage presence, extravagant dress and makeup, and wide vocal range. Prince died at his Paisley Park recording studio and home in Chanhassen, Minn., on April 21, 2016, at the age of 57.

1966—Although there is some debate as to who first coined and used the phrase, this is generally recognized as the day in 1966 that Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee President Stokely Carmichael began to popularize the term “Black Power” as a demand for greater African American control over their political and economic destiny in America.

PRINCE 1987—Dr. Mae Jemison is selected by NASA as the first Black woman to begin training as a space shuttle astronaut. Jemison actually became the first African-American woman to travel in space on Sept. 12, 1992 aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor.

June 7 1868—This is generally recognized as the day Marie Laveau retired (or was forced out) as the most powerful Voo Doo priestess in the world. The New Orleans native had become powerful and wealthy catering to the superstitious beliefs of both Blacks and Whites throughout the South. The daughter of a slave and a French plantation owner, Laveau was raised as a Catholic but became intrigued by stories of the city’s first Voo Doo priestess Sanite De De and by 1830 had built her own Voo Doo religious DR. MAE JEMISON empire. She was replaced by one of her daughters, but she would live until 1881 dying at the age of 98.

1917—One of the greatest poets of the 20th century Gwendolyn Brooks is born in Topeka, Kan. Pushed by her mother and father, Brooks began writing poetry at a young age and was even introduced to some of the best known Black poets and writers of the Harlem Renaissance while still a child. She won the coveted Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1950 for a collection entitled “Annie Allen.” She died on Dec. 3, 2000.

1930—Under pressure from early civil rights activists, the New York Times begins using the word “Negro” as the official designation for African Americans. It also agreed to capitalize the “N.” The decision by the Times gradually led to “Negro” becoming the official designation for Blacks naGWENDOLYN BROOKS tionwide and it would remain so until it was dethroned by “Black” in the 1960s. Positively, the rights advocates were attempting to build greater respect for African Americans but negatively, the selection of “Negro” also reflected a desire not to be referred to as “Blacks.”

1953—Educator and activist Mary Church Terrell wins a legal battle to end segregation in Washington, D.C., restaurants.

June 8 1886—Homer A. Plessy, a light-complexioned Black man, refuses to leave the “White” section of a New Orleans railroad car and move to the “colored” section. His Rosa Parks type refusal sets in motion a legal case, which eventually reached the United States Supreme Court. In its May 1896 ruling, the Court decided against Plessy and thus confirmed the segregationist doctrine of “separate but equal.” The ruling also had the effect of treating anyone with any “Black blood” as Black. The court never actually ruled on Plessy’s claim that he was 7/8 White and only 1/8 Black and thus should not be treated as “colored” under the laws of that day.

1968—James Earl Ray, the man convicted of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is captured at an airport in London using a false Canadian passport. Ray would spend the rest of his life trying to withdraw his guilty plea charging that his brother and a mysterious man he met in Montreal, Canada, named Raoul were actually involved in the killing of King. He claimed he “did not personally shoot Dr. King” but suggested he knew beforehand about the conspiracy to assassinate him. Ray died in prison in April 1998.

1982—One of the greatest athletes to ever play the game of baseball, Satchell Paige, dies in Kansas City, Mo. Paige had played in the old Negro Baseball Leagues and went unrecognized

by Major League Baseball and the general public for decades. He was finally voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.

June 9 1948—Oliver W. Hill becomes the first African American elected to the Richmond, Va., city council. He is best known for his work as a civil rights attorney helping bring down the segregationist doctrine of “separate but equal.”

June 10 SATCHEL PAIGE 1760—Several sources list this at the birthday of Richard Allen—founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Other sources give his birth date as Feb. 14, 1760. Regardless, the AME church was the first African-American organized and incorporated church in America. Allen, Absalom Jones and a group of free Blacks in Philadelphia founded the church in 1794. Allen and his group were initially members of the city’s predominantly White St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church.

But when several Blacks were ejected from the church for attempting to pray alongside Whites, Allen led a walkout, which resulted in the forming of the AME church.

1898—Hattie McDaniel, the first African-American to win an Oscar, is born on this day in Wichita, Kan. She won her Academy Award in 1940 for Best Supporting Actress for the role of Mammy in the classic film “Gone With The Wind.” Once criticized for playing stereotypical and sometimes demeaning “Black roles,” she responded, “I’d rather play a maid than be one.” McDaniel died in 1952.

1941—The “Black Moses,” Marcus Garvey dies in London, England. Starting around 1916, Garvey built his United Negro Improvement Association into the largest mass organization of Blacks in history, with the slogan “Up You Mighty Race.”

The UNIA owned businesses ranging from bakeries to shipping companies. Garvey preached Black pride and self-reliance, while steering away from the more integrationist thrust of most prominent Black leaders of his day. He was eventually jailed on what are now viewed as trumped up mail fraud charges. Presidential intervention got Garvey freed. But in exchange for his early release from prison, the Jamaican native had to agree to leave the United States and not return. Separated from his U.S. base, Garvey was never able to rebuild the UNIA. June 11 1963—President John F. Kennedy declares during a nationwide radio and television address that segregation was “morally wrong” and told the U.S. Congress it was “time to act” (pass legislation) to end all segregation of the races. That statement and similar ones endeared Kennedy to millions of African-Americans. However, a few months after making the declaration, Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. But most of his legislative ideas would be implemented by his successor, President Lyndon B. Johnson.

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METRO

• Courier Exclusive •

HAMLET SPEAKS OUT

PPS Superintendent tired of the KDKATV attacks, calls it ‘a smear campaign’ not help what should be a common goal for education-based trip. everyone: getting the best results for stuIrving later told the Pittsburgh Post-Ga- dents,” Dr. Hamlet said in a statement afzette that he never informed Dr. Hamlet or ter the Education Technology report aired. other PPS officials that he would be flying The Courier asked Dr. Hamlet during the them to Cuba as part of the educational June 4 interview if he was “angry” about experience. The school board must vote on the reports that have aired on TV and in any international travel for PPS officials, local media outlets. and that never happened before the trip to “I would say disappointed, yes, angry, Cuba occurred. no,” he replied. “I understand the nature of Dr. Hamlet told the Courier that he has some people and what they’re about. I was nothing to hide in this program concerning that called the AASA/ trip. “The reHoward Urban view will be out Superintendents soon, and again, Academy, and you’ll find no imwe talked about proprieties,” he this very thing said. from the very bePPS appointginning of that ed former Pittsyearlong proburgh Solicitor gram. It’s not if, Lourdes Sanit’s when they’re chez-Ridge to going to come handle the indeat you about pendent investisomething, and gation. it’s never about Then, in midstudent achieveMay, Sheehan ment, it’s never unveiled a nearabout what your ly five-minute job truly is, it’s story on how about these othEducation Techer things that are nology programs out there that that PPS has has nothing to been implementPPS SUPERINTENDENT ANTHONY HAMLET do with student ing has cost the achievement, or district $14 million (with 50 contracts). trying to move the district forward. And it In Sheehan’s words, the Pittsburgh Pub- seems every time we begin to make proglic Schools’ “technological buying spree… ress, especially for our African American appears to have hurt, rather than help, and Black and brown students and minoristudent performance.” ty students, something from the left comes Sheehan said there were 12 teachers and up that begins to distract people from the staff who said the EdTech programs have true focus, that we are making progress “hurt their ability to educate kids.” But no every year, and our data shows that every teachers or staff members spoke on cam- year that I’ve been here, we’ve moved up era, and there were no names associated and increased in proficiency in math and with the teachers and staff making the science. But also, we’ve decreased suspenclaims. sions for our African American students.”

Dr. Hamlet had a fierce response to the The Courier then asked Dr. Hamlet if he KDKA report. believed he was being targeted by local “So if you really did talk to 12 people, I media because he is African American. Dr. would say, we really can’t believe you right Hamlet responded by saying other than now because you make up so many things Woodland Hills Superintendent James P. when it comes to me that are not true,” Harris, he is the only Black school superinDr. Hamlet said about Sheehan’s report- tendent in Allegheny County in a county/ ing. “So where’s your facts, where’s your region with dozens of school districts. “But information, and you’re talking about 12 I’m always the one that’s being attacked people, 12 teachers per se, and we have and on the news about something. It’s nevroughly 2,000 teachers…” er about anybody else, so if you put those Dr. Hamlet said that as head of the facts together, it would lead you to believe largest school system in the region, “and I’m being targeted. Otherwise, why aren’t we need systemic change, the nature of you having conversations with all the othchange is that people are going to resist… er 48 school districts that are in Allegheny but where’s our data sending us? Where’s County?” our data leading us? That’s the question, Dr. Hamlet added: “This is an attempt nobody’s talking about that. You can come to make me look bad for whatever reason. up with all these assumptions and innuen- I’m not sure what their problem (KDKA) do saying nothing’s working, but I can give is with me, I think I’m doing my job pretyou sound data telling you that what we’re ty well and making progress in the disdoing is working for all of our children, and trict, so I’m not sure what the concern especially our African American students. is, but to me, I liken it to a smear camWe’re continuing to progress,” Dr. Hamlet paign…because you’re not leading with told the Courier exclusively. facts. And I’m the first one to tell you that Then, on May 30, Sheehan broke the if it’s facts, fact-based, talk about it. Don’t news on KDKA of Dr. Hamlet not filing fi- make it up.” nancial forms for the past two years, forms On the May 30 KDKA report about Dr. that are required yearly by the State Eth- Hamlet not filing his financial statements, ics Commission for any public official or Lamb, during an on-camera interview employee involved in spending. with Sheehan, said that “we’ve taken the For this reason, City Controller Michael step of filing a formal complaint with the Lamb announced he was filing a complaint Ethics Commission, to alert them to this against Dr. Hamlet with the State Ethics and for them to do a further investigation Commission. It’s the first complaint he’s and review.” filed with the Commission since becoming The Courier obtained a copy of the Comcity controller. Lamb is also controller for monwealth of Pennsylvania Ethics Comthe PPS school board. plaint Form that individuals are to fill out Dr. Hamlet, an hour or so after the re- to make a complaint. port aired, filed the financial forms for On the form, it makes individuals aware 2017 and 2018. The forms, according to of what’s termed the “Wrongful Use of PublicSource, indicated that Dr. Hamlet the Act,” in which individuals should not “received no outside compensation and no disclose “publicly or causing to be publicgifts, transportation or hospitality.” ly disclosed the fact that an individual is Mix all of the KDKA reports together, the subject of a complaint or Commission and one could get the notion that there’s investigation.” some funny business happening with It’s unclear if Lamb violated that proDr. Hamlet and the Pittsburgh Public vision by publicly stating he filed a comSchools. Where did the money come from plaint against Dr. Hamlet with the Comto travel to Cuba? Why didn’t Dr. Hamlet mission. However, sources confirmed by and top officials get prior approval before the Courier said that an ethics complaint flying to Cuba for a few days? Are there could be filed against Lamb, “based on his certain entities and companies that are specific violation of public disclosure of an receiving preferential treatment or being ethics complaint.” awarded contracts that are in any way Dr. Hamlet told the Courier this isn’t associated with Dr. Hamlet or other top the first time he felt he’s been the target PPS officials? of an attack in Pittsburgh. There were Dr. Hamlet told the Courier he’s had many, including some prominent names enough of the misleading reports. He in Pittsburgh’s Black community, that called Sheehan’s reporting of the Educa- voiced concerns about Dr. Hamlet being tion Technology programs “salacious,” and named superintendent in 2016. But, Dr. that television ratings were behind the Hamlet told the Courier: “I came here station’s decision to air Sheehan’s stories with a purpose. I was called here for a in the month of May, which is known as specific reason, and until that reason is “sweeps month” for local television news achieved, I will stay here and continue stations. to thrive and make progress every year “We still have much work to do, but dis- for the children and the stakeholders and tractions designed to attract ratings do families of PPS.” HAMLET FROM A1

JUNE 5-11, 2019

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METRO

JUNE 5-11, 2019

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Black youth getting engaged in STEAM careers What’s the future?

Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

Terry Smith with M-PowerHouse, a local organization that addresses barriers that stand in the way of underserved youth and STEAM careers, is at it again.

And when Smith gets going to help African American youth in Pittsburgh, there’s no stopping him.

The “Bridge 2 The Future STEAM Symposium” was yet another program originated by M-PowerHouse, this time to help 10th graders show off their skills related to Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. Held at Pittsburgh Obama on May 22, the students performed two dramatic scenes on STEAM and life skills.

Speakers at the event included Pennsylvania second lady Gisele Fetterman, state Rep. Ed Gainey, M-PowerHouse Chair Paula K. Davis, M-PowerHouse Board Member Melvin Hubbard El, and representatives from UPMC. It’s no secret that there’s a shortage of African Americans in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields. The White House presented an Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans Fact Sheet in 2016, which included information attributed to the National Science Board that in 2012, just 11.2 percent of bachelor’s degrees in science and engineering, 8.2 percent of master’s degrees

M-POWERHOUSE students from the program “Engage STEAM” showed off their skills at Pittsburgh Obama, May 22. M-PowerHouse is a local organization dedicated to getting underserved youth engaged in STEAM-related careers. (Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello) in science and engineering, and 4.1 percent of doctorate degrees in science and engineering were awarded to minority women. The same fact sheet referenced the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which administered the first-ever nationally representative assessment of technology and engineering literacy in 2014. The report found that just 18 percent of Black eighthgrade students scored at or above proficient, whereas 56 percent of White students scored at or above proficient. Also, students who qualified for free or reduced-price lunch scored an

average of 28 points lower than students from more affluent families.

Overall, Black students studying engineering earned just 4.2 percent of bachelor’s degrees in 2012 in the U.S., while White students earned 68.1 percent of the engineering degrees, according to The Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions.

“African American students are more likely to struggle with environmental barriers that can reduce academic performance, and not see themselves as having a place in the STEM community,” the White House Initiative on Educa-

tion Excellence for African Americans Fact Sheet said.

The fact sheet outlined three ways to support STEM success among African American students: 1. Provide additional support to students pursuing STEM degrees; African American students are more likely than any other racial group to switch their majors from STEM to non-STEM programs. Upperclassmen mentorship, academic support services, and growth-mindset messaging can increase resilience. 2. Create and connect students to additional opportunities outside of the classroom to develop skills;

THE ANIMAL RESCUE TEAM had a snake on hand for the students to see—and pet.

African American excellence in STEM can also be a source of encouragement.

Along with the many programs and events M-PowerHouse holds to encourage STEAM-related careers to Pittsburgh youth, former President Barack Obama made STEM a priority, with new traditions such as the White House Science Fair, which honored young people using Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to improve their communities. And in 2016, President Obama invested $3 billion across 14 federal agencies for dedicated STEM education programs.

Historically Black Col-

opportunity and equity for all, especially Black students, so that these students can more fully realize their potential as future leaders, educators, and innovators,” wrote Marybeth Gasman of the University of Pennsylvania, and ThaiHuy Nguyen of Seattle University, in a report entitled “Historically Black Colleges and Universities as Leaders of STEM” for the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education.

The report used data from the National Science Foundation and other entities to calculate the number of engineering degrees bestowed

THE STEAM STUDENTS… this can include after-school programs, museum visits, and conversations at home. 3. Expose students to African Americans who have succeeded in STEM careers; African American students do not see themselves as having a place in STEM. Schools can do this by highlighting scientists of color in their curriculum.

At home, having conversations about the history of

leges and Universities also are doing everything possible to increase the number of Black engineering graduates. According to information from 2014, HBCUs accounted for 20 percent of all engineering degrees of African Americans in the U.S. “These institutions witness disproportionate success because their primary mission is the provision of

in the U.S. from 2008-2012 (222,537). From that number, out of the top 20 schools that had Black engineering graduates, eight of them were HBCUs. Howard University led the way in the HBCU category (No. 6 overall), followed by North Carolina A&T State (No. 7 overall), Florida A&M (No. 9), Spelman College (No. 12), Hampton University (No. 13), Southern (No. 16), Morgan State (No. 17) and Alabama A&M (No. 18 overall). The top 5 schools that graduated the most Black engineering students were the University of Phoenix, Ashford, Georgia State, University of South Florida and the University of Maryland College Park.

Ohio State University, a three-hour drive from Pittsburgh, came in at No. 14 overall.

When it comes to scholarships for Black engineering students, the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME) comes to mind. The organization has awarded more than $150 million in scholarships and program support to thousands of minority engineering students. NACME partners with more than 100 universities across the U.S. to provide the scholarships and support. A list of the partner schools and more information about NACME can be found at nacme.org.

More information about M-PowerHouse can be found at m-power-house.org.

METRO

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

JUNE 5-11, 2019

A5

Turahn Jenkins on the good, the bad, and what’s next Quest for county DA came up short

JENKINS FROM A1

tims of crime and witnesses that I really wasn’t aware of. A lot of victims feel their voices are not heard by the system. A lot of witnesses don’t want to engage with

law enforcement because of previous tainted experiences—they don’t have faith in the system.”

Jenkins said if he were to do it over, he’d start earlier, figure a way to raise

more funds, and be more strategic in how he worked his way around the county.

But the hardest part of the campaign was the time it demanded.

“Being away from my fam-

26 of 31 homicides Black lives— May deadliest month since October 2018

HOMICIDES FROM A1

ship after giving 25-year-old Terrence Murphy a tattoo.

County police found and arrested Murphy at a house in Ambridge later that day. He is currently in the county jail awaiting trial.

MAY 12—Luke Connolly, a 51-year-old White male, was found fatally stabbed multiple times in an apartment on Third Avenue in Carnegie. A woman who was in the apartment was also stabbed before fleeing to get help. She remains hospitalized. Police arrested 58-year-old Richard Mickens at a home on Spikenard Street in Scott, where he allegedly assaulted another person with a knife, May 15. He is charged with homicide, attempted homicide, aggravated assault, rape, and several other charges.

He is in the county jail awaiting trial.

MAY 15—Ivan Walls, a 45-year-old Black male from Philadelphia, was discovered by police after being shot multiple times behind a house on Karl Avenue in Duquesne. He died later at the hospital. County detectives said the victim and another man had just arrived at the house when shots were fired. Police are searching for the second man and have not yet identified a suspect.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Tipline at 833-255-8477.

UPDATE MAY 15—Surron Burch, 21 has been arrested and charged with vehicular homicide and involuntary manslaughter in the April 28 hit-and-run dragging death of Joseph Morris, a 51-year-old White male, on Hershey Avenue in Penn Hills. County detectives say Burch was driving a car belonging to 21-yearold Modesty Harper when he struck Morris and dragged him a half-mile to Universal Road. Uber driver Ulysses Coto discovered the abandoned car at a McKeesport public housing complex and alerted police, who traced it to Harper. She is charged with hindering Burch’s apprehension. Burch remains in the county jail.

MAY 19—Aris Payto Barclay Vann, a 22-year-old Black male, was found with multiple gunshot wounds on the porch of a home in the 2200 block of Woodstock Avenue in Swissvale. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Allegheny County Homicide Inspector Andrew Schurman said the victim was there to visit friends and may have been the target of a robbery attempt. Anyone with information is asked to call the Tipline at 833-255-8417.

MAY 24—Morgan Dunston, a 17-year-old Black female, was fatally shot in the parking lot of the Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community Church on the South Side. Police do not believe she was the intended target. Anyone with information is asked to call Pittsburgh homicide detectives at 412-323-7161.

MAY 24—Michael McDonald, a 51-year-old White male, was killed when he barged into the Robinson Township home of a man he allegedly owed money to. The homeowner fired his shotgun, hitting McDonald in the chest. As yet, no charges have been filed.

MAY 26—Ernest Dixon, a 31-year-old Black Male, was fatally shot inside Shooters Bar on Island Avenue in Stowe Township after getting into an argument with another patron.

MAY 27—Isaac Harrison, a 34-year-old Black male, was fatally shot on Chauncey Drive in the Hill

District after an argument escalated into gunfire. A 15-year-old girl was also wounded in the foot in the incident. Pittsburgh police have not yet identified a suspect. Anyone with information is asked to call Pittsburgh homicide detectives at 412-323-7161.

MAY 28—William Mosby, a 62-year-old Black male, was found with fatal gunshot wounds by city police in a parking lot off Forest Way near Collier Street in Homewood. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call Pittsburgh homicide detectives at 412-323-7161.

MAY 28—Richard Lee Greene, a 35-year-old Black male, was found by city police lying on Chartiers Avenue in Sheraden.

He had been shot multiple times and died at the scene.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call Pittsburgh homicide detectives at 412-323-7161.

April Homicides (6) APRIL 3—Vernon Lee Owens III, a 33-year-old Black male, was fatally shot by a 72-year-old jitney driver during an attempted armed robbery in Duquesne. According to police, shortly after the driver picked up Owens and another passenger, he struck the driver with his gun and demanded money. When they both got out of the car, the driver shot Owens with his own gun. The other passenger ed. Police have determined that the driver legally owned the gun used in the shooting and had a valid concealed-carry permit. No charges will be filed.

APRIL 7—Alison Fritzius, a 55-year-old White female, was found fatally stabbed on the porch of a home in the 800 block of Broadway Boulevard in Pitcairn.

Police charged her boyfriend, Derrick Avant, in her death. He is awaiting trial in the Allegheny County Jail.

APRIL 8—Mark Jackson, a 39-year-old Black male, was found shot in the face in a house in the 600 block of Winfield Street in Larimer. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have charged Robert Harper in the shooting. Harper was already in the county jail on unrelated criminal charges.

APRIL 10—Bradley Lucier, a 23-year-old White male, was found by first responders shot multiple times at a house in the 1000 block of Dohrman Street in Stowe Township. He died at the hospital. On April 15, 18- year-old Tomichael Sherrell turned himself in after police issued a warrant charging Sherrell had shot Lucier during a robbery. Sherrell is now in the county Jail.

APRIL 13—Ameer Coleman, a 19-year-old Black male, was found fatally shot inside a house in the 200 block of Fern Street in Garfield. Police have not yet identified a suspect. The investigation continues. Anyone with information is asked to call Pittsburgh homicide detectives at 412-323-7161.

APRIL 26—Armani Ford, a 23-year-old Black male, was found by police fatally shot in a house in the 800 block of Vankirk Street in Clairton. County detectives have not yet identified a suspect and are asking anyone with information to call the Tipline at 1-833-255-8477.

March Homicides (4) MARCH 15—Leslie Robertson, a 72-year-old Black male, was killed when he was struck by a car driven by Jakiia Williams, 33, outside the Harrison Village housing complex in McKeesport. Williams allegedly told police she was trying to run down someone else and hit the wrong person. She is now in the Allegheny County Jail.

MARCH 18—Daniel Carpenter, a 42-year-old Black male, died in the hospital one day after being shot while sitting in his car on Shetland Street in Larimer in the middle of the afternoon. Despite eyewitnesses and possible surveillance footage, Pittsburgh police have not yet identified a

suspect. Anyone with information is urged to call 412-323-7161.

MARCH 28—Calvin Walker, a 39-year-old Black male, was fatally shot when he and another man got into an argument over a parking space with Neil Chandler, 42, on West Oak Street in Homestead. Police said Chandler shot both men during the altercation.

Walker died later at the hospital; the other man was treated and released. Chandler is in the Allegheny County Jail.

MARCH 30—Andre Jordan, a 41-year-old Black male, was found

by Pittsburgh police and emergency responders with multiple gunshot wounds in a hallway of an apartment in the 3000 block of Cordell Place in Arlington. He was taken to UPMC Mercy where he died from his injuries. Police are asking anyone with information to call 412-323-7161.

MARCH 30—Kenneth Baptiste Jr., a 27-year-old Black male, was found by Pittsburgh police and emergency responders with a gunshot wound to the chest in the 800 block of Murtland Avenue in Homewood. He was transported to UPMC Presbyterian but died from his wounds. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call Pittsburgh Homicide at 412-323-7161.

February Homicides (4) FEB. 2—Tre-Quan Embry, a 22-year-old Black male, was shot multiple times in the head on East 17th Street in Homestead. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Allegheny County detectives have not yet identified a suspect and ask anyone with information to call the Tipline at 1-833-255-8477.

FEB. 4—Aaron Wade, an 18-year-old Black male from Munhall, was found lying in the front yard of a home on Plymouth Street in Duquesne Heights with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Pittsburgh homicide detectives have not yet identified a suspect.

Anyone with information is asked to call 412-323-7800.

FEB. 18—Norman Clarence Manuel, a 37-year-old Black male, was discovered by medics lying in the street in the 400 block of Enright Court in East Liberty with a gunshot wound to the chest.

He was pronounced dead at the scene. Anyone with information is asked to call Pittsburgh homicide detectives at 412-323-7800.

FEB. 25—Wilbert Barber, a 58-year-old Black male, was fatally shot when answering the doorbell of a home in the 300 block of Fifth Avenue in Rankin. County police said the killers fired through the door, hitting him twice. They have not yet identified any suspects. Anyone with information is asked to call the Tipline at 1-833255-8477.

January Homicides (5) JAN. 9—Jonathan Freeman, a 16-year-old Black male, was fatally shot when bullets tore through the wall of a friend’s house in the 7300 block of Susquehanna Street in Homewood where he’d gone to play video games.

Pittsburgh police have not yet identified a suspect. Anyone with information is asked to call 412323-7800.

JAN. 11—Josiah Battle-Davis, a 26-year-old Black male was murdered in Hazelwood.

JAN. 14—Tremaine Solomon, a 30-year-old Black male, was found by Wilkinsburg police shot multiple times lying in the street in the 1500 block of Marlboro Avenue. He died at the hospital three hours later. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the Allegheny County police tipline at 1-833255-8477.

JAN. 23–Heather Short, a 46-year-old White female from West Mif in, was found dead in Sewickley Twp. JAN. 26—Paul McMillan, a 48-year-old White male, was shot multiple times in the parking lot of The Lounge on Verona in Penn Hills after getting into a fight with another man inside the bar, according to Allegheny County police. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to the tipline at 1-833-255-8477.

ily was the toughest. This county is enormous, and there are no days off on the campaign. There were lots of days when I’d put the kids on the bus to school in the morning, and by the time I got home, they’d already be in bed. My wife was a soldier through the whole thing,” he said.

“But it made me stronger, and I’m encouraged that more than 40,000 people thought I could be a difference-maker and change agent. I want to thank them.”

That was the best part, he said; knowing that his message didn’t fall on deaf ears and that people believe change is not only possible, but necessary.

Currently, Jenkins is maintaining the private practice that sustained him throughout the campaign, but he has received some offers as a result of the campaign.

“I’ve gotten a few calls about opportunities both here in the county and out of state and I’m considering them,” he said. “Ultimately. I’ll do what’s best for my family.”

Overall, Jenkins said the campaign experience was a

TURAHN JENKINS good one.

“It was an adventure and I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” he said. “It gave me a new sense of purpose. It made me stronger, wiser and encouraged me to step up when no one else will.

I’m going to keep doing that. I can’t turn it off now.

As long as there’s a need for equal justice, I’ll speak out.”

He said he has also received some encouragement to run as a write-in candidate in the November general election, but he isn’t going to commit to that.

“Right now, I’m weighing my options. My family sacrificed a lot,” he said. “On the bright side, school’s out soon. So, I think there may be some trips to Kennywood in the near future.”

Courier columnist Louis “Hop” Kendrick voices his forthright, honest commentary on the May 21 primary election, including the main reason Turahn Jenkins’ bid for county DA came up short. Read Hop’s column in Forum, Page B6.

A6

METRO

JUNE 5-11, 2019

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

‘We will never allow the second lynching of an African American superintendent in Pittsburgh’ COMMUNITY FROM A1

well as moves toward greater transparency such as the use of Data Dashboards that allow tracking of performance indicators like graduation rates, state test performance rates and Pittsburgh Prom-

Black community rallies in support of Superintendent Hamlet ise eligibility.

The letter also references former Superintendent John Thompson, the district’s first permanent Black superin-

tendent, whose contract was not renewed in 2005.

“We vow never to allow the treatment of Dr. Thompson to ever occur again. Let us

be perfectly clear—we are standing by this African American Superintendent,” the open letter, obtained by the New Pittsburgh Courier,

said. “We will never allow the second lynching of an African American superintendent in Pittsburgh this century.”

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

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LEGAL ADVERTISING

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) FOR Abatement of Hazardous Materials RFP #600-20-19

INVITATION TO BIDDERS THE PITTSBURGH WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY ADVERTISEMENT

PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY

INVITATION TO BIDDERS THE PITTSBURGH WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY ADVERTISEMENT

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): Professional Hazardous Materials Abatement Services The documents will be available no later than June 3, 2019 and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until 2:00 P.M., July 8, 2019 at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Parties or individuals interested may obtain information from: Mr. Kim Detrick – Director of Procurement/ Chief Contracting Officer Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-456-5116, Option 1 or by visiting the Business Opportunities section of www.hacp.org A pre bid meeting will be held: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Development & Modernization 100 Ross Street, 2nd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15219 June 26, 2019 10:00 A.M. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation.

HACP’s has revised their website.

As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and login, in order to view and download RFQ/IFB/RFPs documentation.

Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.

SEPARATE and SEALED BIDS for the following solicitation, will be received by the Office of Procurement, Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, 1200 Penn Ave., Second Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, until 2:00 PM Prevailing Time June 18, 2019. Bids must be received in the hands of and stamped in by a PWSA Procurement Officer in sufficient time prior to the opening in order for a bid to be considered.

INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR LOCATING AND IDENTIFYING UNDERGROUND FACILITIES PWSA PROJECT NO. PWSA122 It is the intent of the Authority to establish a contract to locate and identify Authority’s underground facilities when notified by the Pennsylvania One Call Center. The Contractor shall provide all labor, material, equipment, tools, and appurtenances necessary in order to complete the scope of work required.

All bids must be submitted in accordance with the solicitation that can be obtained by sending an e-mail to procurement@pgh2o.com. There will be no charge for the solicitation, as it will be sent via e-mail. All questions relating to the solicitation itself shall be directed to Thoryn Simpson, Senior Contract Specialist, via e-mail to: tsimpson@pgh2o.com no later than June 11, 2019 at 4:00 p.m.

A performance bond and labor and materials bond in the amount of 100% of the contract will be due seven days after Notice of Award.

The Contractor must assure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of their race, color, religion, sexual preference, sex, or national origin.

The Authority reserves the right to withhold the award of the Contract for a period of 90 days after the opening of the bids.

The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all bids, and to waive any informality or minor irregularity in any bid or bids. The Authority also retains the right to investigate the qualifications of bidders prior to any award and to award contracts only to contractors who, in the sole judgment of the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, are qualified and equipped to properly execute the specified work.

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, 2019 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) B190319AR A VA YA Support Advantage B190423A Elevator & Escalator Maintenance B190529A Contactless Smart Fare Media ConnectCards B190532A Elevator & Escalator Spare Parts B190533A Air Channels - LRV 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 12, 2019 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 ithin fi e siness da s of the scheduled bid opening.

These contracts may be subject to a financial assistance contract between 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 other ise specified Costs for delivery, bond, and insurance shall be included in bidder’s proposal pricing.

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

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

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS… THE ONLY WAY TO GO!

SEPARATE and SEALED BIDS for the following solicitation, will be received by the Office of Procurement, Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, 1200 Penn Ave., Second Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, until 2:00 PM Prevailing Time June 27, 2019.

INVITATIONS FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR THE PRESSURE MONITOR LINE INSTALLATION CONTRACT PWSA PROJECT NO. 2017-325-114-1 Work of the Contract includes the installation of service lines and meter pits for the connection of pressure monitors (by others) of the public water system, including water mains, service connections, meter crocks, and hydrants as required or directed.

All bids must be submitted in accordance with the solicitation that can be obtained by sending an e-mail to procurement@pgh2o. com. There will be no charge for the solicitation, as it will be sent via e-mail. All questions relating to the solicitation itself shall be to Nicole Dickun, Procurement Manager, via e-mail: ndickun@pgh2o.com, no later than June 20, 2019.

A Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting will be held on June 12, 2019, 10:00 a.m. prevailing Time in the Authority’s conference room located at 1200 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA. The purpose of this meeting is to give an overview of the contract requirements and to allow Bidders to ask questions.

Bids must be accompanied by a Bid Bond in the amount of Ten Percent (10%) of the bid for the project under construction. Said Bond shall be duly and legally executed with a Surety or Trust Company which has complied with City Ordinances/Resolutions relating thereto. A Performance Bond and Labor and Material Bond in the amount of 100% of the contract value for each awarded project will be required after award.

The Contractor must assure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of their race, color, religion, sexual preference, sex, or national origin.

The bidders will be required to submit the package of certifications included with the contract documents relating to Equal Employment Opportunity.

The Authority reserves the right to withhold the award of the Contract for a period of 60 days after the opening of the bids.

The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, and to waive any informality or minor irregularity in any bid or bids. The Authority also retains the right to investigate the qualifications of bidders prior to any award and to award contracts only to contractors who, in the sole judgment of the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, are qualified and equipped to properly execute the specified work.

ROBERT A. WEIMAR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THE PITTSBURGH WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY

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Subscribe to the Courier by calling 412-481-8302, ext. 134!

GLADYS D. DUPREE

Gladys D. Dupree passed away on April 25, 2019 in Alpharetta, GA. She was born on October 3, 1939 in Braddock, PA. She also spent a number of years in Plainfield and Morristown, NJ. She was preceded in death by her late husband, John Meadows, her parents Luther and Gertrude Dupree, as well as a sister (Baby Gertrude).

She attended the world famous Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, when she was able, but she always maintained her membership with the Unity Baptist Church in Braddock. Gladys retired from AT&T, where she was a Human Relations Associate in the Human Resources Department. She is survived by three siblings, Mary Thompson, Elaine (John) Wood, and Luther (Delores) Dupree, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, June 8, 2019 at the Unity Baptist Church in Braddock. Family will meet visitors from 11AM to 12PM, and the service will begin at 12PM.

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!

We lead the way.

In an exclusive June 4 interview with the New Pittsburgh Courier, Rev. Monroe said the current treatment of Dr. Hamlet is eerily similar to what Dr. Thompson endured.

“Why is it that Black men are held to a different standard than White men? If you look back, John Thompson was about to turn this district in the right direction—and he was run out of town,” Rev. Monroe told the Courier exclusively. “Some of us think we are seeing a return of that.”

The controversy swirling around Dr. Hamlet concerns three separate issues: •An unauthorized two-day trip to Cuba by Dr. Hamlet and three other administrators, courtesy of The Flying Classroom owner Barrington Irving, who had a one-year, $73,000 contract with the district. International travel requires school board approval. The trip is being investigated by outside attorney and former Pittsburgh Solicitor Lourdes Sanchez-Ridge; •Dr. Hamlet’s failure to file required financial interest statements for the last two years. This resulted in Pittsburgh Controller Michael Lamb, who is also the school board’s controller, filing a complaint with the State Ethics Board. Last month, Lamb said he had received multiple tips of “possible conflicts of interest” and that the financial statements would be the logical place to start such an inquiry; •According to a report on KDKA-TV, the district awarded more than $14 million in no-bid Education Technology contracts to firms Dr. Hamlet or other top officials “have a relationship with.”

While all of these issues have appeared in multiple media outlets, they were first broken by KDKA-TV reporter Andy Sheehan and aired during May, which is “sweeps month” across local television stations. It’s a month in which local television stations are looking for the highest ratings possible to set higher advertising rates—and ultimately, more revenue. Both Rev. Monroe and Dr. Hamlet believe Sheehan’s investigative stories on the PPS superintendent are intended to boost KDKA’s ratings.

“We think Andy is just trying to dig up some dirt,” said Rev. Monroe. “If he has something substantive, he should put it out there—not just go on a witch-hunt.”

Reverend Monroe said the same of Lamb, which is why the assembly’s letter was addressed to the City of Pittsburgh.

“Lamb’s on a witch-hunt too,” he said. “He’s acting on tips? He should put them out there. Were they from board members, people in the schools? Put it on the table. If there is something that merits him (Dr. Hamlet) leaving, let’s see it.”

Reverend Monroe acknowledged that Dr. Hamlet was the center of controversy immediately after the board voted to hire him in 2016. As the Courier reported at the time, an article in the Palm Beach Post noted Dr. Hamlet claimed greater improvement in scholastic achievement and reductions in suspensions than Florida state record indicated for his former district, Palm Beach County.

Dr. Hamlet explained that as a difference in statistical analysis. However, it was discovered that in the “educational philosophy” section of his resume, he copied— without attribution—a 2015 Washington Post article about a Maryland superintendent.

That led to some members of the Black community, including Urban League President Esther Bush, Black Political Empowerment Project Chair Tim Stevens and current school board member Sala Udin, to ask the board to rescind Dr. Hamlet’s contract. The board chose not to.

“He weathered that storm,” said Rev. Monroe.

“The board backed him.

People need to let that go.”

At the time, Dr. Hamlet enjoyed broad support from the Black faith community, and continues to do so.

METRO

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

JUNE 5-11, 2019

A7

How many other men and women are slipping through the correctional cracks?

‘When They See Us’ is a must-watch on Netflix Director and executive producer Ava Duvernay premiered a gruesome four-part series on Netflix over the weekend about the Central Park Five.

“When They See Us” shows how a corrupt system sent five teenage boys to prison for a crime they didn’t commit.

After a night of playing in Central Park in April 1989, the lives of Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam, and Korey Wise would change forever. The 24th precinct of the NYPD were on the hunt to make someone pay for the brutal rape of a 28-year-old White

woman, Trisha Meili. The case would gain national attention and put five boys on trial without concrete DNA evidence and eyewitness testimony. After 42 hours of coercion, interrogation, and lack of parental supervision, the Central Park Five, as the boys were called, were charged with assault, robbery, riot, rape, sexual abuse, and attempted murder.

This docuseries points a lot of fingers and chronologically shows how people failed the Central Park Five. But, prosecutor Linda Fairstein is the biggest failure of them all. I believe she should be in prison for

Who’s ready for some football?

The Steelers—well, most of them—are back on the field on the South Side, for OTAs, or Organized Team Activities. It’s a chance for coaches and players to reconvene, get in some practices, work on some drills, etc. The OTAs are voluntary, and end tomorrow, June 6. Next week, from June 11-13, there is mandatory minicamp.

Expect all the players to be there for the threeday session. In the photos above are 2019 thirdround draft pick Diontae Johnson (top), and second-year safety Terrell Edmunds. For more photos, see Courier Sports, Page B7.

(Photos by Courier photographer Brian Cook Sr.)

withholding evidence, rushing to judgment and falsely incriminating the Central Park Five, and monetizing on such an unfortunate situation. She lacked clear judgment and clearly had a racial bias, and should have never been able to practice for as long as she did.

Ava DuVernay don’t make no mess! “When They See Us” is her best work to date in my opinion. Although the content is dark, it is colorful and vibrant. Even the saddest parts are interwoven with perseverance and faithful optimism. That takes skills. “When They See Us” is DuVernay’s magical masterpiece.

“When They See Us” is hard to watch and a mustwatch all at the same time.

It is upsetting and intense, yet it’s informative and eye-opening. The last part of the series, which focuses on Korey Wise, was really hurtful. As a teenager, he was thrown on Rikers Island and expected to protect himself from some of the world’s most dangerous

are now in an even bigger spotlight to showcase their talents. The veterans have a strong presence too, such as Blair Underwood, Neicy Nash, Michael K. Williams, John Leguizamo and Felicity Huffman.

But the actress who portrayed Yusef Salaam’s mother, Aunjanue Ellis, takes the cake. Every time she read one line, as the memes would say, “I felt Reyes, who was already in that.”

In part three, she says, prison for another crime, confessed to raping Meili. “They hate your brilliance.

The Five were finally re- They hate your beauty. leased from prison, and ul- They hate us. But we are timately won a $41 million not going to hate ourselves.” settlement from New York Best line of 2019.

“When They See Us” City.

In Browder’s case, he com- should be watched with mitted suicide at the age someone you love. Whethof 22, two years after his er it be a spouse, child, release from prison. Many family member or friend, people believe the suicide this docuseries is meant was due to his mental, to ruffle some feathers and physical and sexual abuse have some open discussions he suffered while in prison. about generational field The cast of “When They day on our men.

(Read more of Courier movSee Us” is phenomenal. So many young actors, such ie/TV show critic Merecedes J. as Storm Reid, Jharrel Je- Williams’ columns at www.new rome and Asante Blackk pittsburghcourier.com.)

Movie/TV Reviews

Merecedes J. Williams

criminals.

Like Kalief Browder, who also was sent to Rikers Island in 2010 for three years at the age of 16 for a crime of which he never was convicted, Wise was attacked, destroyed and shuffled through the New York penal system like a piece of trash.

We failed them both.

I wonder how many other men and women, who don’t have Netflix specials or primetime headlines, are slipping through the correctional cracks.

Each member of the Central Park Five spent time in prison, until Matias

LIFESTYLES New Pittsburgh Courier

A8

JUNE 5-11, 2019

www.newpittsburghcourier.com

Debbie Norrell

Lifestyles Report

Too nice to use

What in the world can be too nice to use? Exquisite china, high thread count bed sheets, crystal goblets or maybe it’s my new Black Heritage stamps. I am always excited about the new stamps that are issued by the United States Postal Service. Most recently I purchased a sheet of Marvin Gaye stamps and also stamps celebrating Gregory Hines. I love looking at these stamps and I wonder when I put them on a bill or a letter if the recipient looks at them and wonders about the person featured on the stamp.

The sheet of Marvin Gaye stamps gives you a little history: Marvin Gaye (1939-1984) was one of the most influential music performers of his generation. Also known as the “Prince of Soul,” he helped shape the buoyant sound of the Motown record label in the 1960s and broaden the scope of R&B music in the 1970s. Released in 1971, his expansive masterwork, “What’s Going On,” is widely considered one of the greatest recordings of American popular music. The stamp sheet is designed to resemble a sleeve of a 45 record; look closely if you buy an entire sheet. The picture of Gaye is a composite of many historic photographs of the artist. There are also many other collector pieces you can purchase with his photograph.

The Marvin Gaye stamp is a forever stamp as well as the Gregory Hines stamp. The Hines stamp is the 42nd stamp in the Black Heritage series.

Hines (1946-2003) had a unique style of tap dancing, injecting new artistry and excitement into a traditional American form.

The stamp features a 1988 photograph by Jack Mitchell that shows a smiling Hines on one knee in a red blazer and gray pants, with one foot raised to show the taps on the bottom of his shoe. Hines was nominated for Tony Awards in the 1970s for his performance in three Broadway musicals--“Eubie!”, “Coming Uptown,” and “Sophisticated Ladies.” He won a Tony Award in 1992 for his starring role in “Jelly’s Last Jam.” I was a big fan of both men and I was ecstatic about the stamps. I use them sparingly. Go to the USPS website and see all of the collector pieces you can purchase. There are Dorothy Height stamps as well. You can even purchase the ceremony program from when the stamps were unveiled.

Forever stamps are now .55 and a forever stamp is always equal in value to the current First Class Mail one-ounce price. Here is a little aside for you. It is not true that Black Heritage stamps are being discontinued; there are new ones each year. When you buy your stamps ask your post office what they have on hand.

I once heard someone say that they could not wait until President Obama is featured on a stamp. I did not want to interrupt her but the United Postal Service only puts people that are deceased on a stamp.

Needless to say I am not in any hurry to see a stamp with Obama’s picture.

(Email Debbie at debbienorrell@aol.com.)

OPENING DOORS—TiAnda Blount, Marcia Sturdivant, Wrenna Watson and Marcia Martin

THE NEED STAFFERS

56th NEED Annual Scholarship Dinner

by Debbie Norrell Lifestyles Editor

On May 2, at the Wyndham Grand Downtown Hotel, the Negro Educational Emergency Drive (NEED) held their Annual Scholarship Dinner with the theme, “Opening Doors to Unlimited Destinations.”

With Marcia Martin, Vice President of Gateway Health as Honorary Dinner Chair and Bob Allen, KDKA–TV as master of ceremonies, hundreds were welcomed to celebrate 56 years of NEED providing over 32,000 deserving students grants of nearly $36.4 million.

This year’s dinner celebrated 50 students that will be awarded grants during the 2019-2020 school year.

Dr. Marcia Sturdivant, NEED President and CEO, said NEED has continued to pave the way for countless youth to grab hold of the “American Dream.

ed to help them qualify for scholarships. Dr. Sturdivant also thanked NEED’s numerous sponsors, board chair, TiAnda Blount (Mel Blount Youth Home) and Vice Chair, the Honorable Wrenna Watson.

Also, Dr. Elayne Arrington was honored with NEED’s 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award. Arrington is known as Pittsburgh’s own “hidden figure” and is an American mathematician and engineer. She was the first African American woman to graduate from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Engineering. Arrington became the 17th African American woman in the United States to earn a PhD in Mathematics.

The mission of NEED is to provide career and college access services which NEED 2019 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT—Presented to Elayne Arrington by Marcia Sturdivant empower youth from the Pittsburgh region to aspire Providing access to higher NEED’s innovative pro- Diversity, and Mentoring to, learn about, prepare for education and career path- grams such as Kalculating Program, gives the stu- and complete higher educaways is what we do.”

Kids, S.T.E.M., Workforce dents the foundation need- tion.

SUPPORTERS—Andrea Murphy, NEED staff member, and Brenda Tate, NEED supporter.

NEIGHBORHOOD YOUTH OUTREACH PROGRAM

NEED VOLUNTEERS—Amahn Key and Charles Robinson (Photos

by Debbie Norrell)

NEIL PARHAM—Speaks on beVOLUNTEERS—Karen Eady Lockett and Bob Allen half of lead sponsor, Highmark

SUPPORTING THE DREAM—Vanessa Wingfield, Marcia Studivant and Rev. Dr. Richard Wingfield

THE NEED STUDENTS

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

RELIGION

JUNE 5-11, 2019

The Pennsylvania Interfaith Impact Network 2019 Banquet BERNARD LAFAYETTE JR. was the keynote speaker for the PIIN 2019 Banquet event, held May 19 at the Westin Convention Center Hotel, Downtown.

(Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello)

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Praise & Worship ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH Crawford & Centre Ave. Pgh., PA 15219 412-281-3141 Mass Sunday 10:00 A.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 Worship on Sunday: Journey Worship........8:45 a.m.

Sanctuary Worship........11 a.m.

Taize Prayer Service (Wed.) 7 p.m.

Curious about Quakerism?

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

Pittsburgh Friends Meeting 4836 Ellsworth Avenue http://www.quaker.org/legacy/pghpamm

PIIN PRESIDENT REV. B. DE NEICE WELCH

REV. DR. RON WANLESS

Join our growing Praise and Worship Church Community!

For rate information, call 412481-8302, ext.

128.

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

Send info to: THE MANY YOUTH who are part of the Pennsylvania Interfaith Impact Network.

PIIN—Moving People of Faith To Action

JAMAAL CRAIG is the executive director of PIIN.

BERNARD LAFAYETTE JR.

New Pittsburgh Courier 315 E. Carson St. Pittsburgh PA 15219 Or Email us! religion@ newpittsburgh courier.com

The Courier is THE VOICE of Black Pittsburgh.

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JUNE 5-11, 2019

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

BUSINESS New Pittsburgh Courier

Why isn’t Pirate great Al Oliver in the MLB Hall of Fame?

Sports B7

Classifieds

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

JUNE 5-11, 2019

www.newpittsburghcourier.com

Cookiepreneur Megan Mottley

B

Harry C. Alford & Kay DeBow

Beyond the Rhetoric

NBCC Action Plan for 2019-2020

MEGAN MOTTLEY

From fundraising to first frozen cookie dough line

by Brianna A. Smith For New Pittsburgh Courier

(NNPA)—Three years ago, Megan Mottley was on a mission to raise money for her teenage daughter to attend a mission trip to Japan. Her made-fromscratch cookies quickly went viral on social media and shortly after the success of three fundraisers, Goodness Gracious Luxe Cookies, was created.

What started as a fundraiser has grown into a thriving company that

delivers and ships freshbaked, rich, sweet and luxe cookies across the world.

This “cookiepreneur” is the first Memphis-based baker to launch a line of ready-to-bake frozen cookie dough.

“Kaitlin, (Megan’s daughter) needed to raise $3,500 for her mission trip. We sat down and came up with several different fundraisers, to attempt to raise the money…,” Mottley said. “The first fundraiser, which was a movie night, was a com-

plete flop. My daughter was extremely disappointed, and I knew this was something that was very important to her.

“She had been fascinated with Japanese culture since she was in the sixth grade,” said Mottley. “I had to make it happen for her. So, I told her I’d make cookies and we’d sell them to make up for what we would’ve made at the movie night, and then we’d get back on track to our other fundraisers.”

In less than 2 months,

the mother-daughter duo raised over $5,000 from Megan’s homemade soft and chewy cookies.

“The cookie fundraiser was supposed to be a backup plan, however, it ended up being the master plan,” said Mottley. “It’s also what got me back into baking again.

“In the beginning it was just about the fundraising, but people still were inquiring about the cookies,” Mottley said. “And

The National Black Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to economically empowering and sustaining African American communities through entrepreneurship and capitalistic activity within the United States and via interaction with the Black Diaspora.

The National Black Chamber of Commerce was incorporated in Washington, DC in March 1993.

The NBCC is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nonsectarian organization dedicated to the economic empowerment of African American communities. 140 affiliated chapters are locally based throughout the nation as well as international affiliate chapters based in Bahamas, Brazil, Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, France, Botswana, Cameroon and Jamaica and businesses as well as individuals who may have chosen to be direct members with the national office.

The NBCC presents its Action Plan. Purpose of the Action Plan: To ensure that the national office of the National Black Chamber of Commerce is equipped and prepared to execute programs and initiatives that will support the Mission of the NBCC. Mission: The purpose of the Chamber shall be to teach capitalism and expand access to capitalization, technical support, procurement opportunities, effective networking, and sharing of information for Black owned businesses and other minority owned businesses as well as the African descendent community. The main vehicle of disseminating information concerning this purpose is through the Black chambers located throughout the United States and the entire Black Diaspora and via mass marketing.

The activities are driven by a strategic plan. The Chamber is nonprofit, nonpartisan and nonsectarian and abides by the rules set forth via IRS 501(c)3 classification. The items or projects that will be incorporated in these actions will be: A. The National Office will publish and distribute the status of Black procurement levels by each federal agency. These reports will come out twice a year – first half of the Fiscal Year and the whole Fiscal Year. The first report will be presented at the upcoming 27th Annual Conference, July 24 – 27th, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia.

B. Review Public Utilities’ Plans which are managed by the General Service Administration. The publication is GAO/GGD-93-44. This covers every utility company in the United States. The intent is to improve the performance of Black contracting activity amongst our utilities including Telecoms.

C. Monitor and report on the DBE activity of the 5 Department of Transportation Modal Agencies: Federal Highway Administration (by state), Federal Transit Authority, Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, U.S. Coast Guard.

D. Enforce Section 3 of the HUD Act – 24CFR Part 135. This procurement program for the underserved

SEE COOKIE B2

SEE NBCC B2

47 state Attorneys General tell Secretary DeVos to follow the law: Forgive federal student loans held by disabled veterans

by Charlene Crowell For New Pittsburgh Courier

Although Memorial Day is considered by many civilians as the unofficial start of summer, the true intent of the holiday is to annually honor those who lost their lives fighting for our country. The men and women who wear or have worn this nation’s uniform in military service across wars and generations are deserving of remembrance as well as appreciation.

This honor is particularly poignant for those who lost their lives in the fights for freedom, and others who returned home with permanent disabilities due to their service.

But this year on May 24, as military families, veterans’ organizations, and elected officials across the country attended ceremonies and visited cemeteries, nearly every state attorney general as well as those serving territories, made a timely and bipartisan plea to the U.S. Department of Education.

At issue is the nation’s promise to forgive federal student loan debt in its entirety for all who served and are classified by the Veterans’ Department as totally and permanently disabled.

“As a nation, we have a moral obligation to assist those who have put their lives on the line to defend us,” wrote attorneys general (AGs) from 47 states, the District of Columbia and the territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Missing from the list of signatories are Attorneys General from Alabama, Arizona and Texas.

In today’s highly partisan atmosphere, the state officials who stood together are to be commended. Seldom in recent history have elected officials stood for a cause

greater than partisan affiliation. It’s a gesture that other elected officials, including Congress should emulate on this and other serious issues.

Their letter came more than a year after more than 42,000 veterans were identified as eligible for student debt relief, due to their permanent disabilities. These men and women are saddled with more than $1 billion in federal student loans.

Life is hard enough for these veterans without wrestling with unmanageable student loan debts.

According to the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, federal student loan forgiveness is the right of all disabled veterans. Forgiveness is to occur as soon as the Secretary of the Veterans Administration certifies them as “unemployable

due to a service-connected condition”.

Instead, under Secretary Betsy DeVos, the Education Department wants to place the responsibility on individually affected veterans to pursue loan forgiveness, creating unnecessary barriers to a law that already guarantees debt forgiveness.

“Because America’s veterans deserve better,” continued the AGs, “we ask the Department to develop an automatic discharge process to ensure that all eligible veterans can have their student loans forgiven….The Department has the authority to automatically discharge the student loans of disabled veterans, and we urge the Department to implement the plain intent of the Higher Education Act by doing so as expeditiously as possible.”

Taking swift and corrective action would seem to be the right thing to do. Just as these and other veterans placed themselves in harm’s way to protect freedoms here and abroad, it is hard to understand why any federal official would delay or deny a benefit clearly earned. If we are truly a nation of laws, what is the problem in upholding this specific law?

As my Big Mama would have said, ‘Somebody’s got some ‘splaining to do’.

As reported by Inside Higher Ed, Secretary DeVos has not taken action on other federal loan forgiveness applications beyond the affected veterans. “More than 158,000 claims are currently pending review,” recently reported Inside Higher Ed. As regular readers of this column may recall, the Obama Administration issued student loan regulations in 2016.

But when a new administration began in 2017, many of the regulations sought and secured under President Obama were suspended or delayed—including those that affected student loan debt.

For example, the borrower defense to repayment rule grants former students who were enrolled in institutions that did not deliver the promised skills or training to pursue federal loan forgiveness. This rule was particularly needed for students enrolled in for-profit schools that frequently target veterans, have high-cost tuition and fees, graduate few students, or closed without notice - like Corinthian Colleges.

In 2017, Secretary DeVos suspended this rule from taking effect. A federal judge ruling in October 2018 voided the Secretary’s action. Yet even now, the Education Department has yet to implement the rule.

SEE DeVOS B2

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JUNE 5-11, 2019

BUSINESS

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

NBCC Action Plan for 2019-2020 NBCC FROM B1

has been in effect since 1968 but has yet to attain adequate enforcement. The NBCC will attempt to change this lack of performance.

E. Enforce Executive Order 11246. We will work particularly with the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.

Union related construction activity is in dire need of improvement.

F. Provide a Consultancy Service which specializes in diversity in contracting for specific projects.

G. Improve Capital Access for our membership by working with the SBA via monitoring their 7a lending on a quarterly basis. Also, review programs of MBDA and other programs by various banking institutions.

H. For corporations conduct a Title VI review (Civil Rights Act of 1964) on an ongoing basis.

I. Monitor Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) activity per key cities, counties and states. Alert our federation when opportunity or improvements are necessary and coach them for improvement. Note: CDBG must be compliant with Section 3 of the HUD Act. J. Assemble and moderate a 50 nation (at least) International Policy Roundtable. This organization will officially meet during our Annual Conference beginning in 2020. Basically, they will comprise of national chapters of Black chambers throughout the African Diaspora. This

group will decide on venues for upcoming trade missions which will be held at least once per year.

K. Form an Annual Conference Selection Committee. This group will set criteria and develop an RFP for localities to compete to become a venue for upcoming conferences.

L. Formal Board Retreats: The Board of Directors of the NBCC will have one formal retreat each calendar year. It is here where we will rate our performance and retool our vision for the following year.

M. Form a Fundraising Committee: This small, select group will develop strategy and work through public relations and sales to generate a stream of revenue for the NBCC to carry out its Mission and reinforce its brand. The individuals working this committee will be funded through a commission from the proceeds they collect.

The NBCC presents this Action Plan.

Our purpose is to ensure that the national office of the National Black Chamber of Commerce is equipped and prepared to execute programs and initiatives that will support the Mission of the NBCC. This is a living document. Suggestions are welcomed and will be considered as they are received.

(Harry Alford is the co-founder, president/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce®.

Kay DeBow is the co-founder, executive vice president of the Chamber. Website: www.nationalbcc. org Emails: halford@nationalbcc.org Kdebow@ nationalbcc.org)

Cookiepreneur Megan Mottley COOKIE FROM B1

eventually, after getting a huge corporate order, I decided to really consider the business.”

On February 15, 2017, Goodness Gracious Luxe Cookies was created.

For the past two years, Mottley has delivered cookies all over Memphis and the Mid-South, set up at local farmers’ markets and served fresh baked cookies at various pop-up events.

It was at a farmers’ market that she met the owners of The Curb Market. They approached her about carrying her cookies in their store.

The Curb Market carries Memphis-made food products from close to 60 different vendors from around the city.

Because Mottley’s homemade, freshly baked cookies contain no preservatives, they only have a two-day shelf life, which is shy she came up with the idea of a line of frozen cookie dough.

Mottley debuted her line of Goodness Gracious Luxe Cookies frozen cookie

dough at The Curb Market on April 8, 2019.

She launched her line with the most popular flavor: chocolate chip.

Goodness Gracious Luxe Cookies can also be purchased at Phillip Ashley Chocolates, located at 1200 Madison Ave. A bag of 15 ready-to-bake cookies retails for $12.99. Once baked, the cookies are chewy and dense, and loaded with large chocolate chips.

Although Mottley has turned her passion into a successful business, she and her daughter Kaitlin are still extremely vigorous about fundraising and encouraging other people to study and travel abroad.

“We still do the fundraiser because mission trips are expensive and I want parents to allow more children to travel and study abroad,” said Mottley. “Thirty-five percent of every sale goes to the fundraiser, to make it easier on families.”

(For more information, visit www.ggluxecookies. com.)

Tell DeVos to follow the law DeVOS FROM B1

This abdication of responsibility is illustrated in the findings of the Federal Reserve’s most recent report on the economic well-being of American households.

Released in May, this report tracks financial trends for all of 2018 and found that “another year of economic expansion and the low national unemployment rates did little to narrow the persistent economic disparities by race, education, and geography.”

With 44 million student loan borrowers sharing a still-climbing debt of $1.5 trillion, more actions – not inaction – ought to be the focus of the Education Department.

And in prioritizing action steps, I suspect

few people would object to disabled veterans being first in line for the relief they are due.

“It’s astonishing that veterans whose eligibility has already been determined by another federal agency are being forced to jump through hoops to receive what is already entitled to them by federal law,” observed Yasmin Farahi, a Policy Counsel with the Center for Responsible Lending.

“Loan discharge should not be yet another burden for those who have selflessly served.”

(Charlene Crowell is the Center for Responsible Lending’s Communications Deputy Director. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.)

BUSINESS CALENDAR Entrepreneurs Conference

JUNE 6—The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center will host its 21st Annual Entrepreneurs Growth and Networking Conference, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Duquesne Union, 4th oor, 700 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15282. The event features dozens of workshops, a Business Building Tradeshow, and leaders in technology, marketing, management and more.

Cost is 139 and includes breakfast and lunch.

Early registrants can save 50. For more information call 412-396-1633.

Food Business Workshop

JUNE 10—The Chatham University Women’s Business Center will host a workshop on the legal considerations and food safety requirements for all types of food operations, from festivals and food trucks to caterers and restaurants. From 5:30 to 8 p.m., Chatham Eastside campus, 6585 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh 15206. Representatives from the Allegheny County Health Department will also discuss permitting and compliance requirements. The workshop is free, but registration is required. Call Anne Flynn Schlicht at 412365-1448 for more information.

PowerBreakfast

JUNE 14 The African American Chamber of Commerce of Western PA will host its PowerBreakfast meeting, 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Rivers Club in Oxford Center, Pittsburgh 15222.

The speaker will be Allegheny County Airport Authority CEO Christina Cassotis, who will discuss planned expansions, new ights and

carriers, and what opportunities they offer for small and Black-owned businesses. Cost: 20 for members, 30 for non-members.

Workshop

JUNE 20—The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center presents First Step: Business Start-up Essentials, 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. 108 Rockwell Hall, 600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh 15282. The workshop covers several topics, including: Business structure and formation; Fictitious name registration; insurance; employee relations; financing options; taxation requirements and more. Cost: 25. For more information call 412-396-1633.

Cyber Security Workshop

JUNE 20 The African American Chamber of Commerce of Western PA will host a Cyber Security Workshop, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Koppers Building, lower level, conference center room 4, 436 Seventh Ave., Pittsburgh, 15219. Highmark VP and Chief Information Security Officer Omar Khawaja will make a presentation on the latest in protecting against cyberattacks.

Workshop

JUNE 26—The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center presents QuickBooks Online, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., 108 Rockwell Hall, 600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh 15282. The session, led by Alicia Davis of Dennis Piper & Associates will cover: product overview; setting up files; navigating; recording transactions; generating reports, and more. Cost: 35. For more information call 412-396-1633.

OPINION

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

JUNE 5-11, 2019 B3

Congressional hearing in Queens highlights challenges and importance of 2020 Census

Guest Editorial

To realize equality, Blacks must unleash a voting day ‘Blitzkrieg’ When Donald Trump thanked Blacks for their vote following his victory in 2016, he probably intended to invoke a “double entendre”—a French term indicating a word or phrase which has two distinct meanings. In other words, Trump thanked Blacks both for what we did and what we did not do.

Remember, 2016 served as the first election since the Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act in 2013—a decision that allowed for a wave of new voting restrictions implemented in numerous states that almost-certainly reduced turnout among groups that tend to vote Democratic, including among Black voters. Blatant forms of voter suppression notwithstanding, added to the nine percent of Blacks who voted for Trump, his thanks undoubtedly referenced a whopping 4.4 million 2012 Obama voters who stayed home in 2016—more a third of them Black.

A month after the presidential election, Trump praised Black voters for being “smart,” saying, “they didn’t come out to vote for Hillary [Clinton].”

His assertion that he “did great” serves as yet another of his many, now confirmed misnomers. He did garner more votes from Blacks than John McCain in 2008 or Mitt Romney in 2012 but still fared worse than any other Republican before the two. As Election Day 2016 approached, he asked Blacks, as they weighed how or even if they would vote, “What the hell do you have to lose?”

By now, and with just one year away from the next election, what Blacks have lost remains abundantly clear. If we seriously want to reverse our collective status as passengers “long relegated to America’s caboose”—a phrase uttered by National Urban League President/CEO Marc Morial during the recent unveiling of the “State of Black America” 2019 report, we must follow Morial’s one-word solution and prayerful advice: VOTE. In fact, Blacks must vote in numbers equal, if not greater, than those which broke all records during Obama’s first successful run for the White House. If equality is our ultimate goal—an end to centuries of white privilege and a true leveling of playing fields— then we must employ a “blitzkrieg” on Election Day 2020—an intense, offensive campaign which when described in its normal context, includes the combined forces of military on land and in the air. We need everyone to vote.

What do you know about the candidates and their platforms? Are you willing to simply vote against one candidate or are you making sure you are becoming educated and enlightened about them so that you can cast your vote “for” the person you consider to be the best to represent your concerns, needs and desires? We can ill afford to take our hard-fought right to vote for granted, particularly when history shows that at point, neither Blacks or women, of any color, were allowed to vote.

Surely, we’ve grown weary of holding up the back of the train, haven’t we?

(Reprinted from the Washington Informer)

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)—“Despite the positive changes we have made throughout history, there is a persistent trend of bad actors playing politics with the survey in order to disenfranchise racial minorities. We see a present-day example of this type of bad faith provision in the 2018 announcement that the Department of Commerce planned to add a citizenship question to the census. There was no valid reason for this proposal other than a concerted effort to suppress the response rate of minorities and new immigrants.”—Congressman William Lacy Clay A leadership gap, inadequate funding and staffing and a deliberate campaign to intimidate immigrants and communities of color all make the 2020 Census among the most challenging in American history.

This was my testimony this week before a special field hearing of the US House Committee on Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties regarding the upcoming Census.

The hearing, entitled “Getting Counted: The Importance of the Census to State and Local Communities,” was held at Queens Community College at the request of Congress Members Carolyn B. Maloney, cochair of the House Census Caucus, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Days after the hearing, irrefutable evidence emerged to bolster my testimony that the “citizenship question” is a ploy to rob vulnerable communities of their political power. A political strategist who played a key role in adding the citizenship question authored a study concluding the question would allow lawmakers to draft even more extreme gerrymandered maps to shift power away the targeted vulnerable communities.

The National Urban League has a long history of playing an active role in the decennial census, beginning with Urban League Executive Director, Whitney L. Young Jr.’s testimony before the House Subcommittee on Census and Statistics in September 1970.

Continuing his legacy, the Urban

Marc H. Morial

To Be Equal League has served on past Census advisory committees, and I’ve had the honor of chairing the Census Bureau’s 2010 Census Advisory Committee at the invitation of President, Barack Obama’s then-Secretary of Commerce, Gary Locke.

During this week’s hearing, I testified that the racial and political polarization of our society puts at risk the most important element of our representational democracy. Distrust of government is historically high, and the looming Presidential election threatens to politicize the process. Hostility toward immigrants, emanating from the highest offices in the land, has created a climate of fear inhibiting people from responding.

We must combat these threats. An inaccurate census will deprive communities of accurate data for most federally-produced statistics, such as the Consumer Price Expenditure survey, Centers for Disease Control, the National Center for Educational Statistics and a host of others.

An inaccurate census will deprive communities of critical social, demographic and economic research conducted by think tanks, academic institutions and the private sectors.

An inaccurate census will deprive communities of billions of dollars in federal funding.

An inaccurate census will deprive communities of the just enforcement of civil rights laws and constitutional protections like fair housing and voting rights.

And most importantly, an inaccurate census will deprive communities of fair political representation in the U.S. Congress, the Electoral College and state and local legislatures.

Over the past 60 years, Census

accuracy has steadily improved, but some groups still experience higher undercounts and omissions from the census than others. These include racial and ethnic minority groups, immigrants, single-parent households, non-English speakers. Other populations that are chronically undercounted are renters, mobile young adults, people displaced by natural disasters and the formerly incarcerated.

In the 2010 census, the Black population had the highest net undercount and omission rate of any major race or ethnic group.

Overall, 9.3 percent of the Black population was completely missed in the census, based on the Census Bureau’s post 2010 census Demographic Analysis.

The undercount rate for Black males age 18–49 was very high—7.6 percent—meaning almost 8 percent of all African American males in this age group were undercounted.

And because Black men experience disproportionately higher rates of incarceration, they are more likely to be counted in the communities where they are imprisoned—typically rural jurisdictions—than in their own communities.

Prison gerrymandering, as this practice is known, along with the fact that Black communities are undercounted and non-Hispanic White communities are more likely to be overcounted, represents a massive transfer of political power and violates the Constitutional principle of one person, one vote.

We urge every community to get involved and to encourage their neighbors, family members, church members, and co workers to participate in the Census; to count everyone in the household, including babies, foster children and extended family members. It is important, safe and easy.

In addition, we urge Congress to continue to hold oversight hearings to shed light on issues the public needs to know about regarding census readiness; especially cyber security, the 2020 Census Integrated Communications Campaign, and field infrastructure.

Ignorance breeds racism (TriceEdneyWire.com)—By ignorance breeding racism, I don’t mean the lack of college or other educational degrees. I’m really talking about how some families teach their children to hate certain people based upon lies. In order to really drive home the point, I’m making, I recommend a book called Confessions of A Recovering Racist, a book by my good friend, the late George O’Hare, in cooperation with Emma Young of Chicago.

George does the best demonstration of how ignorance breeds racism as he talks about his upbringing and how he discovered the truth about the lies he was taught about Black people as a child. Some of it is humorous, but is the best lesson I’ve ever read or heard on the need for people to get to know each other before judging them. Even as I’m writing this, I know there’re a lot of people who would prefer not to know the truth about those they already hate without cause, but truth can change others.

George speaks about how he became a changed person once he met such people in person, listened to them, talked and worked with Dr. Martin Luther King, Dick Gregory, Jesse Jackson, Father Clement, Willie Barrow and many others.

He speaks of the time he found himself at a meeting of Black people when a woman asked what he was doing there, and he thought he’d

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

Commentary explain to her how he believed in equality of all people and wanted to do what he could to help. The woman told George he didn’t belong there and should go back to his own community and talk with his own people.

When he told Dick Gregory about the encounter, to George’s shock, Mr. Gregory agreed with the woman and said there were many people talking to the Black community, but raised the question of who was talking to the racists in the White community.

George saw his opening Because he had so much respect for Mr. Gregory, George took on a different approach and began quizzing White people about things he had learned about the value of Black people to our world. Once when a White man was telling him about his mother’s open-heart surgery and found that after surgery she was doing well. George said to his friend, “So a Black man saved your mother’s life.” The man could not believe it was Daniel Hale Williams, a Black man, who made medical history by

performing the first successful openheart surgery and all heart surgeons use his techniques today!

From that point George went on to enlighten his friend on who Garrett Morgan (inventor of the traffic light and gas mask) was, Dr. Percy Julian (who discovered the value of Cortisone and invented foam used to put out fires) was, Dr. Shirley Jackson (the Black woman who invented the touch-tone telephone, the portable fax, caller ID, call waiting and the fiber-optic cable) was, Marie Van Brittan Brown (the Black woman who developed a patent for closed -circuit television security) was. He learned and taught much more!

George was so impressed with his new found knowledge and appreciation of Black people that totally discredited the stories he’d learned growing up. He now knew better than the lies about Black people that he’d been taught, and felt compelled to teach others. That’s how his decision to form his “National Association of Recovering Racists” was born.

Naturally, he made his friend Dick Gregory Chairman of his Advisory Board and Father Clements a member of the Advisory Board.

White people, if you really want to learn how to deal with your racism, a good place to begin is by reading George’s book—Confessions of a Recovering Racist.

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

Congressional Black Caucus must oppose HR 246 (NNPA)—Think about it this way.

If every tactic that was used by African Americans in the Civil Rights Movement and/or in the fight against apartheid South Africa was either criminalized or attacked by the US Congress, how would you respond?

HR 246 is a bill before Congress that attacks the Boycott/Divestment/Sanctions (BDS) movement that emerged as a NON-VIOLENT response to the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. BDS is a form of economic pressure on the Israeli state that is the equivalent of an international Montgomery bus boycott. It is saying that Israeli human rights abuses and violations of international law will simply not be tolerated.

The US Congress cannot have it both ways. It cannot, on the one hand, attack the Palestinians when they have used violence to oppose the occupation while at the same time attacking the Palestinians for using non-violent protests against the Israeli occupation. This is particularly the case given that the United Nations

Bill Fletcher Jr.

Commentary

tional law when it comes to the right of return for refugees; and the Israeli atrocities against peaceful protesters in the Gaza Strip is permissible.

We, African Americans, have heard such nonsense before and we have cast it aside. In the face of oppression, people resist and we—African Americans—have generally been at the forefront of those who supported resistance. We are called upon to express our solidarity again.

Call your Congressional Representatives immediately. Call them whether they are members of the Congressional Black Caucus or not.

Call them and tell them that you have no interest in them siding with those who would have criminalized the Civil Rights Movement or the anti-apartheid movement.

Tell them that you side with freedom! Oppose HR 246! Here is where you can go to find YOUR Congressional Representative: https://www. house.gov/representatives

has roundly condemned the Israeli occupation as illegal.

Efforts around the USA to criminalize those who support the Boycott/Divestment/Sanctions movement flaunt the Constitution. We are supposed to have the right to peacefully protest.

There is no exception when it comes to the question of Israel. There is nothing in the US Constitution that suggests that the people of the USA cannot protest the actions of another country.

To argue that there is something wrong with engaging in or supporting BDS is to argue that the Israeli occu(Bill Fletcher Jr. is the former president of pation of Palestinian territories; the Israeli refusal to recognize interna- TransAfrica Forum.)

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JOB OPPORTUNITIES

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Help Wanted

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HELP WANTED

Evoqua Water Technologies LLC seeks SAP Applications Developer to work in Pittsburgh, PA, to support the Logistics Execution, Inventory Management, Warehouse Management, & Ariba functions w/ in the SAP Solutions Team. Duties include process design & development (including work ow) configuration within SAP, etc. Apply at https://careers.evoqua.com, #14899.

Swank Construction Company, LLC is now accepting applications for the 2019 Construction season.

Visit: Swankco.com for more information. Swank is a drug-free company and an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. Females, Minorities and Veterans are encouraged to apply.

GROUP SALES MANAGER

Pittsburgh Public Theater is seeking an outgoing and results-driven Group Sales Manager to help usher in the next era of success for the organization’s 45th Anniversary season and beyond. The ideal candidate will be a goal-oriented individual who will thrive on both outbound efforts and administrative management. The Group Sales Manager will lead the charge on planning and executing events, parties, tours, and pre- and postshow programming designed to increase ticket sales. The position will also assist will general marketing efforts as needed. Email cover letter and resume to pkyle@ppt. org, and include Group Sales Manager in the subject line. No phone calls.

DIRECTOR OF INDIVIDUAL GIVING

Pittsburgh Public Theater is seeking an experienced, energetic, driven and creative leader to spearhead its individual giving programs with a focus on building one-toone relationships with The Public’s highest value patrons. The Director of Individual Giving is responsible for implementation of all aspects of The Public’s individual giving initiatives with the goal of significantly growing this sector. The Director also manages a portfolio of individual prospects. The position requires someone who is highly proactive and goal-driven with 5+ years of experience. Email cover letter and resume to pkyle@ppt.org, and include Group Sales Manager in the subject line. No phone calls.

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER (National Placement out of Pittsburgh, PA)

Must have a min of Bach’s Degree or forgn equiv & 1Yr prior exp.

Degree must be in Civil or Environmental Eng’g. Forgn equiv acceptable. Job will req candidate to design or oversee projs involving provision & mangmnt of storm water & other surface waters in prevention of ood-related damage.

Prep environmental documentation for water resources, regulatory program compliance, data mangmnt & analysis. Perform hydraulic modeling & pipeline desgn. Must have prior exp w/Water & Wastewater systems modeling; Sewer Overow Calculations & Design of sewer lines & ow meter weirs. Prior skills in Geographic Information Sys, Visual Basic & Python req’d. Must be able to travel/relo to client & proj locations as necessary when req’d.

Salary is $74,402 per year. Ref# ENV- 1118-COS-BA1 Send resume to Cosmos Technologies, Inc., 700 River Avenue, Suite 412, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 or info@cosmostech nologiesinc.com. Cosmos is EOE M/F/V/D.

ASSISTANT SUPERVISOR – REVENUE COLLECTION

Port Authority is seeking an Assistant Supervisor – Revenue Collection to supervise cashbox removal operations and cashbox contents evacuation; and to provide guidance and training to Revenue Collectors (Box Pullers) and Off-Board Collectors regarding farebox operations, policies and procedures.

Essential Functions: •Arranges the pulling and transportation of cashboxes from Off Board Collection Booths and Mon- Incline to designated garages for evacuation into collection vault.

•Assist with AFCS equipment uptime, including fingertip maintenance and replacement of consumables. Submit AFCS help tickets as necessary.

•Supervises the activities of Dispatchers responsible for pulling cashboxes from fareboxes of the Off Board Collectors, and other activities related to revenue collection.

Job requirements include: High School Diploma or GED. •Demonstrated ability in the use of Windows and Microsoft Excel.

•Effective and professional communication skills.

•Valid PA driver’s license.

•Ability to work various shifts including weekends and holidays.

Preferred attributes: •Supervisory experience.

•Treasury Operations or Finance experience.

We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Interested candidates should forward a cover letter (with salary requirements) and resume to: Missy Ramsey Employment Department 345 Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 MRamsey@portauthority.org EOE

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COURT CLERK

Port Authority is seeking a Court Clerk to receive and carry out all assignments regarding litigated cases involving the Port Authority of Allegheny County; receive telephone calls from the public either making a claim or witnessing an accident; take recorded statements from those making a claim or witnessing an accident and obtaining as much information and detail as possible.

Essential Functions: •Processes and maintains records on new and existing law suits served upon the Port Authority.

Makes up litigated file folders for all litigated cases and marks file folders for those cases assigned to outside counsel.

•Answer/screen telephone calls, research claims data for phone inquiries take messages and transfer calls to appropriate personnel •Assists in securing information for the answering of interrogatories on litigated cases.

Job requirements include: High School Diploma or GED. •Associate Degree in Business or related field. Directly related experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.

•Minimum of three (3) years of experience in claims or related field.

•Customer service oriented with the ability to handle emotionally charged situations.

•Professional and effective communication skills.

•Excellent organizational skills.

•Demonstrated ability in the use of Windows and Microsoft Excel.

Preferred attributes: •Demonstrated ability in the use of Microsoft Word and Access.

We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Interested candidates should forward a cover letter (with salary requirements) and resume to: Danielle Jacobson Employment Department 345 Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 DJacobson@portauthority.org EOE

ASSISTANT MANAGER OF FACILITIES SYSTEMS

Port Authority is seeking an Assistant Manager of Facilities Systems to be responsible for coordinating Facilities Systems activities for the Facilities Systems Department and directly supervise the Facilities Systems first level supervisors. Oversees the Facilities Systems Department in the absence of the Facilities Systems Manager.

Essential Functions: •Directs Facilities Systems supervisors in the performance of their work.

•Assists in all other Facilities Systems department supervisory responsibilities and coordinates functions with other Facilities and Port Authority personnel.

•Coordinates the training and qualification of supervisors and hourly employees on the use of related equipment, and proper maintenance and repair procedures as required.

•Communicates with individuals throughout the system to assess the support needed from the Facilities Systems department.

Job requirements include: High School Diploma or G.E.D. •Associate Degree in a technical discipline from an accredited school.

Minimum of five (5) years directly related experience in any one of the Facilities Building Systems areas (carpentry, plumbing, equipment repair, electrical or HVAC).

•Minimum of three (3) years supervisory experience.

•Demonstrated ability in the use of Windows, Microsoft Excel and Word.

•Willingness and ability to work any shift and pass days.

•Responds to work related problems on a 24 hour a day basis.

Preferred attributes: •Demonstrated ability in the use of Microsoft Access and PeopleSoft.

We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Interested candidates should forward a cover letter (with salary requirements) and resume to: Missy Ramsey Employment Department 345 Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 MRamsey@portauthority.org EOE

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PROPEL SCHOOLS CONCRETE REPLACEMENT

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFBs) FOR GUALTIERI MANOR HVAC PIPING SYSTEM REPLACEMENT, AMP-47 HACP IFB NO. 600-24-19

FOOD SERVICE COORDINATOR

Seeking Food Service Coordinator for UAGPCS K-5 please send Resume and Clearances to 437 Turrett Street Pgh, PA 15206 NO PHONE CALLS ANNOUNCEMENTS Public Notice

CITY OF PITTSBURGH, PA CDBG, HOME, ESG, AND HOPWA PROGRAMS FY 2018 CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL PERFORMANCE AND EVALUATION REPORT (CAPER)

Notice is hereby given that the City of Pittsburgh intends to submit the FY 2018 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on or before June 29, 2019.

In accordance with Title I of the National Affordable Housing Act of 1990, as amended, the City of Pittsburgh has prepared its Fiscal Year 2018 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), the HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Programs. This report describes the level of housing assistance and other community development activities through grants from various Federal funding programs during Fiscal Year 2018 (April 1, 2018 through March 31, 2019).

Copies of the FY 2018 CAPER for the City of Pittsburgh are available for public inspection at the City of Pittsburgh website at http://pittsburghpa.gov/omb/community-development-documents and at the following locations beginning Friday, June 7, 2019 through Friday, June 21, 2019: Office of anage ent and Budget Community Development Division 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 All interested persons are encouraged to review the FY 2018 CAPER. Written comments should be addressed to the City of Pittsburgh’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Community Development Division, attention Elizabeth Daniels-Totten, CDBG Program Supervisor, 200 Ross Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219; or, Elizabeth.

Daniels-Totten@Pittsburghpa.gov.

Written comments on the CAPER will be considered up to and including June 21, 2019.

David Hutchinson, Assistant Director Capital and Asset Management Cit of Pitts rgh, Office of Management and Budget LEGAL ADVERTISING Legal Notices

NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION

In the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Orphans’ Court Division, Estate of Geneva Wallace, deceased, Case No. 3046 of 2019: Notice is hereby given that on April 8, 2019, a Petition was filed by Dorothy Hill, Petitioner, to terminate the interests of the heirs and devisees of Geneva Wallace, deceased, in the real estate located at 6521 Shetland Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, and determine that fee simple title is in Dorothy Wallace, Petitioner.

If no exceptions to the Petition are filed within 30 days, Dorothy Hill will seek an Order adjudging that Geneva Wallace’s title is in Dorothy Hill.

ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION onprofit Corporation

Jay Arthur Gilmer, Esq., 5700 Bunkerhill Street, Apartment 2207, Pittsburgh, PA 15206. Notice is hereby given that Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on May 10, 2019, with respect to a nonprofit corporation, Lincoln Ave. Community Outreach, which has been incorporated under the Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988.

Propel Schools is now accepting bids for Concrete Replacement work at our Propel East location.

Please visit www.propelschools. org and click on ‘Contact Us’ then ‘Contracting Opportunities’ for bid documents.

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFBs) FOR NORTHVIEW HEIGHTS BUILDING #74 - REBID AMP-09 HACP CONTRACT NO. 600-10-19-REBID

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH will receive sealed bids for the Northview Heights Building #74 Upgrades - REBID, AMP-09.

The construction work is estimated to begin in September of 2019.

Bid Documents will be available on or about Monday, June 3, 2019 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 Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement/ Chief Contracting Officer A Pre-Bid Conference and Site Visit will be held on Thursday, June 27, 2019 at 11:00 a.m.: Northview Heights High Rise 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: Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement/Chief Contracting Officer until 2:00 p.m. July 9, 2019 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… THE ONLY WAY TO GO!

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH will receive sealed bids for the Gualtieri Manor HVAC Piping System Replacements, AMP-47 The construction work is estimated to begin in October of 2019.

Bid Documents will be available on or about Monday, June 3, 2019 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 Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement/ Chief Contracting Officer A Pre-Bid Conference and Site Visit will be held on Wednesday, June 14, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.: Gualtieri Manor 2125 Los Angeles Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15216 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: Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement/Chief Contracting Officer until 2:00 p.m. June 28, 2019 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.

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

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INVITATION FOR BIDS

The URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF PITTSBURGH will receive bids from qualified contractors for the construction of Beatty Street and Harvard Street in the City of Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood, and all work incidental thereto required to complete East Liberty Site Preparation Contract No. 5, until 11:00a.m. prevailing time on Friday, the 21st day of June, 2019, at its office on the 11th Floor, 200 Ross Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219, at which time all bids will be publicly opened and read aloud in the 11th Floor Conference Room.

Contract documents will be available on publicpurchase.com on May 29, 2019. Any addenda will be posted only on publicpurchase. com.

A pre-bid meeting will be held in the Wherrett Room, 13th Floor at 200 Ross Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 at 11:00a.m. on Friday, June 7, 2019, to discuss and review the bid documents. Attendance by prospective bidders is not mandatory.

A certified check or bank draft payable to the order of the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, negotiable U.S. Government Bonds (at par value), or a satisfactory Bid Bond executed by the Bidder and an acceptable surety, in a dollar amount equal to 5% of the total bid shall be submitted for each bid.

Each bid submittal must include the Bid, Non-collusion Affidavit of Prime Bidder, Bid Bond, Statement of Bidders Qualifications, and Certification of Minority and Women’s Participation with Exhibits.

Wages paid on this project shall not be less than the minimum wages determined by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry as set forth in the contract documents.

The Contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity requirements. The Contractor must assure that applicants and employees are not discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, disability, ancestry, national origin, age or sexual preference, gender identity, gender expression, political and/or union affiliation.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh requires that all bidders complete and submit Certification of Minority and Women’s Participation with Exhibits.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh reserves the right to reject any or all bids or to waive any informality in the bidding.

Bids may be held by the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days from the date of opening of bids for the purpose of reviewing the bids prior to awarding the Contract.

URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF PITTSBURGH Robert Rubinstein Executive Director

ALLIES & ROSS MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION INVITATIONS FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR Manchester Home Inspections Rebid ARMDC IFB #2019-27-REBID

The Allies & Ross Management and Development Corporation (ARMDC) hereby request bids from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): Manchester Home Inspections The documents will be available no later than June 3, 2019 and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until 10:00 a.m., June 28, 2019 at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Parties or individuals interested may obtain information from: Mr. Kim Detrick – Procurement Director/ Chief Contracting Officer Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 2nd Floor, Suite 200 100 Ross Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-456-5116, Option 1 or by visiting the Business Opportunities section of www.hacp.org A pre bid meeting will be held: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street, 2nd Floor, Conference Room Pittsburgh, PA 15219 June 13, 2019 10:00 A.M. The Allies & Ross Management and Development Corporation strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation.

ARMDC 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, President & CEO Allies & Ross Management and Development Corporation ARMDC & HACP conduct 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.

ALLEGHENY COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS CONSULTANT SERVICES

Allegheny County Economic Development (ACED) is soliciting proposals from Firms qualified to perform Asbestos Inspection Services in compliance with Article XXI of the Allegheny County Health Department Rules and Regulations for Air Pollution Control. Asbestos inspections will be required for various residential and commercial structures scheduled for demolition throughout Allegheny County.

The Request for Proposals, can be obtained from the Allegheny County Economic Development, Municipal Services Division. Please contact Jim Johnston (412) 350-1027, Jim. Johnston@alleghenycounty.us or Joe Scullion (412)350-1060, Joe. Scullion@alleghenycounty.us .

The proposal can also be obtained on Allegheny County Economic Development Web Page under Bid Notices - https://www.allegheny county.us/economic-development/ bids/bid-notices.aspx Proposals will be accepted until 3:00 June 28, 2019 at the Allegheny County Economic Development Office located at Chatham One, Suite 900, 112 Washington Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Proposals can be submitted electronically or hard copy. ACED will not consider any proposal received after set day and hour.

Compliance is required with the Davis-Bacon Act and other Federal Labor Standard Provisions; Title VI and other applicable provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Department of Labor Equal Opportunity Clause (41 CFR 60 -1.4); Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974; Executive Order 11625(Utilization of Minority Business Enterprise); Executive Order 12138 ( Utilization of Female Business Enterprise); in compliance with Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; and the Allegheny County MBE/WBE Program enacted July, 1981, which sets forth goals of 13% minority and 2% Female Business Enterprise. Also, Allegheny County’s Ordinance #686712 sets forth goals of 5% Veteran Owned Small Businesses.

The Bidder must ensure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or familial status.

The Allegheny County Department of Economic Development reserves the right to waive any informality or to reject any or all proposals, or any part thereof.

LANCE CHIMKA, DIRECTOR

THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH

Sealed bids will be received in the Bellefield Avenue Lobby, Administration Building, 341 South Bellefield Avenue until 11:00 A.M. prevailing time June 11, 2019 and will be opened at the same hour for the purchase of the following equipment and supplies: Custodial Small Equipment Custodial Paper Products Custodial Chemicals/Soaps Window Cleaning General Information regarding bids may be obtained at the Office of the Purchasing Agent, Service Center, 1305 Muriel Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203. The bid documents are available on the School District’s Purchasing web site at: www.pgh schools.org Click on Our Community; Bid Opportunities; Purchasing - under Quick Links.

The Board of Public Education reserves the right to reject any and all bids, or select a single item from any bid.

We are an equal rights and opportunity school district

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

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BIDS

The Washington County Housing Authority invites separate sealed bids for the following coverages: Commercial General Liability Commercial Property Insurance Commercial Automobile Insurance Coverage to become effective October 1, 2019, 12:01 A.M., for a one year period.

Bid closing date is 10:00 A.M., Wednesday, August 7, 2019.

For bid information and copies of the Invitation for Bids, contact Christy Kemp, Washington County Housing Authority, 100 Crumrine Tower, Franklin Street, Washington, PA 15301, 724-228-6060 Ext. 128 or christyk@wchapa.org. The Washington County Housing Authority reserves the right to waive any informalities and reject any and all bids.

JUNE 5-11, 2019

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HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFBs) FOR HOMEWOOD NORTH WINDOW REPLACEMENTS, AMP-20 HACP IFB NO. 600-14-19

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: Bid Proposal No. 1048 – Aruba Maintenance Renewal Bid Proposal No. 1049 – F5 Maintenance Renewal Bid Proposal No. 1050 – Fortinet Maintenance Renewal Due date: 2:00 P.M. Prevailing Time on Monday, June 17, 2019 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 submittal may result in the rejection of your bid.

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

The Community College of Allegheny County is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and encourages bids from Minority/Disadvantaged owned businesses.

INVITATION TO BIDDERS THE PITTSBURGH WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY ADVERTISEMENT

SEPARATE and SEALED BIDS for the following solicitation, will be received by the Office of Procurement, Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, 1200 Penn Ave., Second Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, until 2:00 PM Prevailing Time June 27, 2019.

INVITATIONS FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR THE 2019 CATCH BASIN AND INLET REPLACEMENT CONTRACT PWSA PROJECT NO. 2019-424-107-0 Work under this contract includes the strategic replacement of catch basins and storm inlets throughout the system to replace failed units, increase stormwater control and reliability, and minimize disturbance in the community.

All bids must be submitted in accordance with the solicitation that can be obtained by sending an e-mail to procurement@pgh2o. com. There will be no charge for the solicitation, as it will be sent via e-mail. All questions relating to the solicitation itself shall be to Nicole Dickun, Procurement Manager, via e-mail: ndickun@pgh2o.com, no later than June 20, 2019.

A Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting will be held on June 11, 2019, 11:00 a.m. prevailing Time in the Authority’s conference room located at 1200 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA. The purpose of this meeting is to give an overview of the contract requirements and to allow Bidders to ask questions.

Bids must be accompanied by a Bid Bond in the amount of Ten Percent (10%) of the bid for the project under construction. Said Bond shall be duly and legally executed with a Surety or Trust Company which has complied with City Ordinances/Resolutions relating thereto. A Performance Bond and Labor and Material Bond in the amount of 100% of the contract value for each awarded project will be required after award.

The Contractor must assure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of their race, color, religion, sexual preference, sex, or national origin.

The bidders will be required to submit the package of certifications included with the contract documents relating to Equal Employment Opportunity.

The Authority reserves the right to withhold the award of the Contract for a period of 60 days after the opening of the bids.

The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, and to waive any informality or minor irregularity in any bid or bids. The Authority also retains the right to investigate the qualifications of bidders prior to any award and to award contracts only to contractors who, in the sole judgment of the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, are qualified and equipped to properly execute the specified work.

ROBERT A. WEIMAR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THE PITTSBURGH WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS… THE ONLY WAY TO GO!

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH will receive sealed bids for the Homewood North Window Replacements, AMP-20.

The construction work is estimated to begin in September of 2019.

Bid Documents will be available on or about Monday, June 3, 2019 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 Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement/ Chief Contracting Officer A Pre-Bid Conference and Site Visit will be held on Thursday, June 27, 2019 at 9:00 a.m.: Homewood North 10 Albertice Street Pittsburgh, PA 15208 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: Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement/ Chief Contracting Officer until 2:00 p.m. July 8, 2019 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.

BIDS

The Washington County Housing Authority will receive separate, and sealed bids for the two following prime contract re-bids with the Authority: PAVING BENTLEY TOWER BENTLEYVILLE, PA PROJECT # 1019 SHINGLE ROOFING VALLEY VIEW TERRACE CANONSBURG, PA PROJECT # 1019 A certified check or bank draft payable to the Washington County Housing Authority, a US Government Bond or satisfactory Bid Bond executed by the Bidder and acceptable sureties in the amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the bid shall be submitted with each bid.

Re-bids will be received no later than 1:30 PM EDT, FRIDAY, JUNE 21, 2019 at the Washington County Housing Authority, 100 Crumrine Tower, Franklin Street, Washington, PA 15301 at which time the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud.

Re-bids will be held by the Housing Authority for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days prior to the contract award.

A Non-Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting will be held at 10:00 AM EDT, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 2019 at the Washington County Housing Authority, 100 Crumrine Tower, Franklin Street, Washington, PA 15301.

Plans, specifications and contract documents may be examined at the following location: Bid Documents are being distributed, with twenty-four hour prior notice of pick-up, by F. L. Haus Company, 921 Ridge Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15212, by phone (412) 231-7700 or fax (412)231-7709. All prime bidders are REQUIRED to buy the full set of plans and specifications. Contact F. L. Haus Company for cost of plans and specifications. Free examination of said documents is available at the office of Canzian/Johnston & Associates LLC and Pennsylvania Builders Exchange.

Submit all required documents in a sealed envelope clearly marked: WCHA Scattered Sites: Re-Bid of Shingle Roofing Contract or ReBid of Paving Contract The work to be performed under this contract is a Section 3 Project under provisions of the Housing & Urban Development Act of 1968, as amended, and must, to the greatest extent feasible, provide opportunities for training and employment for lower-income residents of the project and contracts for work in connection with the project be awarded to business concerns which are located in, or owned by, Washington County residents. Particular attention is directed to requirements of Executive Order 11246, 11625 and 12138, as well as Section 3 requirements, as set forth in the Specifications.

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

STEPHEN K. HALL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Hearing Impaired Call TDD (724) 228-6083

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JUNE 5-11, 2019

Black folks, the trade wars, and foreign policy (TriceEdneyWire.com)—Our nation’s 45th President is dead set on a trade war.

He has increased tariffs on goods produced in China, and he has now indicated that he will increase tariffs on goods produced in Mexico. While the President will say that this is a tax on the countries he is imposing tariffs on, the fact is that it is a tax on people who buy goods produced in China or Mexico. Products manufactured in China include electronics and electronic components, televisions, washing machine and refrigerators, and more.

With a 25 percent tariff, a $300 dishwasher will now cost $375. The duty won’t take effect today or tomorrow, but within a few months, US sellers will have no choice but to pass the cost along to consumers.

The tariff on Mexico will mostly hit agriculture. The President says he will impose a 5 percent tariff effective next week and will increase by another 5 percent monthly. It will primarily affect agricultural products like avocados and tomatoes, but folks who enjoy a Mexican beer or two will find those beers more expensive. Here’s the rub, though. While Mexico exports more than $250 billion in goods to us, we also export at least $20 billion to them. Farmers who send soybeans and corn to Mexico are vulnerable if Mexico decides to retaliate by imposing tariffs of their own.

45 says he is imposing the tariff on Mexican-produced goods because of border immigration. The tariffs, 45 states, will be lower if Mexico can stop border immigration. But the tactic of increasing tariffs will have a negative effect on the Mexican economy, exacerbating, instead of abating, border immigration. And it will hit every

Julianne Malveaux

Commentary consumer in her pocket. Because so many US auto companies have cars assembled in Mexico, at the maximum tariff, the average car will cost at least $1000 more.

And what about the grocery basket?

Tariffs are used to direct consumers away from foreign manufacturers and toward national ones. Theoretically, if a Mexico-produced avocado costs $2 with a tariff (maybe up from $1.50 without, numbers all theoretical), and a California-produced avocado costs $1.75, a cost-conscious consumer, given the tax, might choose the California avocado over the Mexican one. But if California can’t produce enough avocados to meet demand, folks will pay more with the tariff. It’s a tax on consumers. Will people be as willing to take the hit with a $1000 tax on an automobile? Possibly not. People may delay purchases instead of seeking out domestic automakers. In any case, it’s a hit on the US economy.

Because African Americans earn less (with a median family income under $40,000, compared to $60,000 plus for Whites), we are more likely to be the consumer affected. Consumer taxes are regressive taxes, taxes that hit the folks at the bottom hardest. Our voices need to be raised around the tax on Chinese produced goods, as well as the tax on Mexican manufactured goods. In his fit of pique, however, 45 doesn’t get that he will hurt the consumers he vowed to protect, not the countries he is trying to punish.

Unfortunately, African American engagement in foreign policy has been peripheral.

We’ve had folks like Secretaries of State Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice take leadership on foreign policy, and folks like Mel Foote, of the Constituency for African, lead civil society organizations around foreign policy. And we can go all the way back to Frederick Douglass’ ambassadorship to Haiti in the 19th century to illustrate our concern with foreign policy, even as we struggled in the aftermath of enslavement.

Still, when African Americans are polled, foreign policy issues are not our most important. They must and should be, and for several reasons. First of all, we pay taxes for foreign aid. Secondly, people of color around the globe (including Mexico) are oppressed by US foreign policy. Further, we fall short of our rhetoric about democracy and human rights when we offer financial support to countries that choose to marginalize some of its citizens.

African American people are uniquely situated to lift our voices around foreign policy hypocrisy. The late great political scientist Dr. Ron Walters talked about “foreign policy justice,” about the many ways we favored some nations, ignoring others, usually for strategic reasons. We can’t tout democracy and then suppress it. Wait! We always have. We did it when veterans were lynched when they came back from World War I. We did it when we treated German prisoners of war better than returning veterans after World War II. But we don’t have to cosign the hypocrisy now. If we, Black folks, believe in freedom, we must believe in foreign policy justice. And we must understand that foolish tariffs against Mexico will hurt us all.

Black voices need to be loud voices around foreign policy matters. Or we can be silent and accept the economic, moral, and political consequences of our nation’s biased myopia.

(Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist.)

FORUM

Three steps to real equality We just concluded One of the most noanother election and Louis ‘Hop’ Kendrick table issues with the once again we came up campaign for District short. There were some Attorney was the alpositive outcomes most-total absence of where there were some public endorsements victories by Black perby prominent Blacks sons. However, the openly endorsing atmost powerful position torney Jenkins. As I on the ballot was the am writing this colAllegheny County Disumn an old song is trict Attorney position. It is amazing how playing in the background that may promany persons after the election simply said vide a partial answer. The song is about a that Turahn Jenkins did well. group of coal miners trapped in a cave, and I asked several persons who said to me, some began to cry out, we will all die, and a “what role did you play on Election Day, did voice rang out, “WE CAN’T DIE BECAUSE you vote, knock on doors, work on the polls, WE OWE OUR SOULS TO THE COMPAmake phone calls or did you even vote…?” NY STORE.” I looked at some of the returns the next How do we break those shackles that conday and we had districts with up to 700 vot- tinue to bind us to the extent that some ers and only 110 voters came on Election don’t want to be totally free?

Day, other districts had 30 voters. It brings We must organize, raise funds, and ultiback memories of the 1960s when we were mately elect our candidates, whose loyalty so proud of being Black and singing, “Ain’t will be to the people, not the party, therenobody going to turn us around, we have by enabling our candidate to deal from a come too far to go back, say it loud, I am position of ABSOLUTE STRENGTH AND Black and I am proud.” The most asked RESPECT. questions in the hood are, what is wrong There are three steps to real equality. with us? We also would sing “Free at last, ELECT, POWER, and at last, RESPECT. (Louis “Hop” Kendrick is a contributor to the New free at last, thank God almighty free at Pittsburgh Courier.) last”...what happened to us?

To Tell The Truth

The ‘Aha!’ statistic, the New York 7, and works without faith

We all heard the lation, but this diswisecrack: There’s J. Pharoah Doss parity doesn’t reflect lies, damn lies, and an injustice so no one then there’s statisshouts “Aha!” because tics. We all heard the it contradicts the asstatistician’s warnsumption.) ing: Correlation is not New York’s maycausation, but most or devised a plan to people never heard of diversify the elite the “Aha!” statistic. high schools by setCheck it out. ting aside 20 percent An economist asof seats at each elite serted, too many “experts” skim through school for students of low socioeconomic statistics to find numbers that match their backgrounds. New York’s Department of assumptions and shout “Aha!” after they Education spokesperson said, “Our schools find a simple correlation. This is one of the are academically stronger when they remany misuses of statistics that goes un- flect the diversity of our city.” (Another aschallenged and the “Aha!” statistic (which sumption that went unchallenged.) proves nothing) becomes a justification for Setting aside a percentage of seats sounds social reform. like an easy numerical fix.

For example, a widely held assumption But getting into one of the elite schools is states disparities prove racism. So, if an determined by a single test known as the “expert” saw the following report: Blacks Specialized High School Admission Test, are 13 percent of the U.S. population while and according to recent reports New York’s Whites make up 77 percent, but, at the most prestigious school accepted 7 Black state level, Black males make up 38 per- students out of 895. (Last year it was 10, cent of the prison population and Whites the year before that 13.) account for only 35 percent...the “expert” This time the shouts of “Aha!” echoed would shout “Aha!” because the disparity across the country. correlates with the assumption, conclude Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez the criminal justice system is racist, and tweeted: To have only 7 Black students… the reformers would create policies to elim- Tells us that this is a system failure. But inate the racial disparities. the only thing it actually tells us is that But the idea that the percentage of Black Black students aren’t passing the Specialmales in prison should equal the percent- ized High School Admission test. age of Blacks in the country is unchalIs it possible that there are other factors lenged, and since no one bothers to ask— besides system failure?

What do the percentages have to do with But anyone who poses that question will each other?—it’s assumed the disparity is be accosted with shouts of “Aha!” you’re the result of racism. blaming the victim i.e. you’re a racist. So, Therefore, reformers create remedies to the Mayor Bill de Blasio plans to eliminate adjust the numbers without addressing the the Specialized High School Admission Test cause. for the sake of diversity.

For example, the Washington Post reportColumbia University professor, John ed: Black and Hispanic students make up McWhorter, said, “We must teach these 68 percent of New York’s population with Black kids how to manage the test. I have only 9 percent receiving offers to attend faith. I don’t think the mayor does and all New York’s elite high schools. his allies are the same.”

Of course, the usual suspects shouted But if faith without works is dead, what “Aha!” (62 percent of the students at these are works without faith?

(J. Pharoah Doss is a contributor to the New Pittselite high schools are Asian. Asians are less than 15 percent of New York’s popu- burgh Courier.)

Check It Out

Blacks for reparations to meet in Detroit

by Tariqah Shakir-Muhammad

gan 36th District Court Judge Greg Mathis, visits to the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and Timbuktu Academy of Science and Technology, and a town hall meeting addressed by Hon.Min. Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam.

Dr. Conrad Worrill, a longtime reparations advocate and author, will be a guest speaker at the conference. He told The Final Call that “reparations” doesn’t mean just getting a paycheck.

“I think we’re getting closer to what reparations look like. What, how does that look like legislatively for our people? I think we’re getting closer to a consensus on a different kind of reparations outcome that would be beneficial to Black people in a reparations practice like tuition debt removal, free college education, freeing political prisoners that have been locked up for 40 years.

There are a lot of ideas other than just getting a check,” he said.

“N’COBRA has been keeping the idea of reparations alive in this era, and its significance is that the work that N’COBRA has been engaged in, along with many others throughout the country, is resonating with the masses of our people around the idea of reparations and repair for the damages inflicted on our people for over 400 years.”

One discussion of reparations involves legislative remedies, he continued.

N’COBRA has been pushing and lobbying for H.R.40, the 115th congressional bill which would establish a Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans to examine slavery and discrimination in the colonies and the United States from 1619 to the present and recommend appropriate remedies.

CHICAGO—N’COBRA, the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America, will be hosting its 30th annual national convention June 20–23 at the Timbuktu Academy of Science & Technology in Detroit. The conference theme, “400 Years of Terror: A Debt Still Owed!” will focus on a process of “full repair” after four centuries of enslavement.

Established in 1987, N’COBRA is a coalition of organizations and individuals organized for the sole purpose of obtaining reparations for African descendants in the United States.

Kamm Howard, national male co-chair of N’COBRA, said the conference will show people what “reparations” looks like.

“We’re focusing on what we define as ‘full repair,’” he told The Final Call. “A lot of people don’t have a clear idea of what reparations is especially in light of all the presidential candidates’ talk that is steadily being generated around reparations. N’COBRA understands that reparations means full repair of our people.”

“We have the ability to have the change that we want if we organize to struggle.

We want to win reparations in this country within our control and within our power.

We have to string more people into the organized struggle for that to take place,” he argued. “We’re at a very unique time in history. Politically, this is the first time since Reconstruction that there’s been a possibility of having both houses of Congress debate this issue and we want to make sure that that happens.”

The three-day conference will consist of (For more information on N’COBRA, its upcoming workshops and presentations featuring activists from around the country, a dinner national conference and to register, visit www.ncobanquet with keynote speaker and Michi- braonline.org.)

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Oscar H. Blayton

Commentary

Black bodies creating White Power Almost every high school student in America knows about the compromise reached during the drafting of the U.S. Constitution resulting in enslaved people being counted as three-fifths of a person during the national census held every 10 years.

Even while White Southerners denied enslaved people in those states the rights guaranteed to citizens, they still demanded that the enslaved people’s bodies be counted in the census. The Southerners made this demand because the size of a state’s population determined how many representatives those states would be granted in Congress. The more representatives a state had, the greater the state’s power in the federal government.

The Northern states, seeing this ploy for what it was, resisted Southerners’ demand but, eventually, a compromise was reached where each enslaved body would be counted only as three-fifths of a person.

This is just another example of how White supremacists benefited from the use of black bodies while not providing one drop of benefit to the souls inhabiting those bodies. It also helps us to understand how black bodies currently are being used to enhance white supremacy in America.

Today, significant numbers of prisons— where brown and black inmates from urban areas are incarcerated—are located in rural, predominantly White census tracts. And for years, these brown and black bodies have been used to inflate the census figures in order to enhance the political power of those rural White areas.

The practice of counting prisoners in the census tracts where they are incarcerated decreases the political power of the home communities of those prisoners and transfers that power to an alien community with diametrically opposed interests.

This is what happens when an individual is removed from his urban home in a liberal Democratic district and incarcerated in a district that voted for a White supremacist like Donald Trump. The body of that inmate, who by incarceration is ineligible to vote, has now increased the population count in the conservative district while the count of his liberal home district has been reduced.

The body of the inmate of color, like the body of his or her enslaved ancestor, has been stolen in order to enhance the political power of his or her oppressor.

There are approximately 2.3 million Americans in prisons and jails today. It also has been reported that between 1970 and 2000, more than 1,100 prisons were built in the United States, with roughly 70 percent of those prisons being located in rural communities, mostly in conservative Southern states such as Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma and Texas.

Data collected by the Vera Institute of Justice shows that largely rural counties that voted for Donald Trump had a 53 percent higher jail admissions rate than those that voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.

The national NAACP has reported that while African Americans and Hispanics make up approximately 32 percent of the U.S. population, they made up 56 percent of all incarcerated people in 2015.

A slide rule is not necessary to figure out that when you have large numbers of people victimized by the mass incarceration policies of this country, and a significant number of those inmates are used to further empower White supremacists in rural areas, there is little incentive for conservative politicians to correct this injustice that has been dubbed “prison gerrymandering.”

In addition to stealing bodies to gain political power, these rural areas receive increased federal funding based on their inflated population figures. This takes money from inner cities where many of the inmates had lived and redeposits those funds into the rural, predominantly White areas where the prisons are located. This is a win-win for White supremacy and a significant handicap for urban areas victimized by a lack of services, over-policing and courts that hand down harsh sentences.

The practice of prison gerrymandering is slowly attracting attention. Six states —Delaware, Maryland, Nevada, California, New York and Washington—have outlawed prison gerrymandering and others have started taking steps to reduce or eliminate it.

The year 2020 is coming. It is not only an election year, but a year when the next census will be taken. Battles will be fought over racial gerrymandering and voter suppression. Ending prison gerrymandering is a battle that also must be fought. If prison gerrymandering is taking place in your state, organize and act.

The year 2020 is coming and we must fight against all attempts to foster White supremacy, including prison gerrymandering.

(Oscar H. Blayton is a former Marine Corps combat pilot and human rights activist who practices law in Virginia.)

SPORTS

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JUNE 5-11, 2019

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Dishonoring Excellence Why isn’t Pirate great Al Oliver in the MLB Hall of Fame?

The Pittsburgh Pirates held their “Bringing It Home” Heritage Day breakfast on June 1 at the PNC Park Hyundai Club. The event was sponsored by the Pirates and organized by Joel Gray, the community outreach coordinator for the team. The festivities were hosted by Andrew Stockey of WTAETV (4). Stockey was also the moderator of the discussion that followed the breakfast.

Pirates President Frank Coonelly delivered remarks to the participants in his usual classy style, making everyone feel comfortable and welcome. Guest speakers on the panel were: Assistant General Manager Kevan Graves, Former Pirate great Al “scoops” Oliver, Pirates Senior Vice President of Revenue Brian Colbert, Director of Pro Scouting Steve Williams, and first base coach Kimera Bartee. It was an event held before Heritage Day was held, featuring the Pirates in the Pittsburgh Crawfords uniforms.

A significant part of the discussion was based on in-

Inside Conditions

Aubrey Bruce forming the African American youth that were in attendance of the many job opportunities throughout MLB that could be available aside from playing the game itself.

During the discussion Ronald B. Saunders asked Oliver about his currently not residing in the MLB Hall of Fame, and why he thought that might be. Oliver replied: “Although I had the stats I couldn’t figure out why I was not in the MLB Hall of Fame, either.”

Saunders and I spoke after the event and I felt his passion about the subject and we exchanged phone numbers. We spoke earlier

in the week. I am smiling now but I was tickled to death not knowing that I was going to be talking to Al Oliver’s version of “rain man” when it came to having someone to statistically back up the claim that Oliver should be comfortably sitting the “great hall.”

Saunders told me: “It is a grave injustice that Al Oliver is not in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. Let’s just take a sneak preview of Scoop’s stats which should get him to Cooperstown: 11 seasons out of 18 in which he hits over .300, 1969 All-Rookie Team, 1971 World Champion, 1982 National League Batting

Champion, 1982 National League RBI king, 23-game hitting streak, 21-game hitting streak, 5 division champs, 7 All-Star games.

Harold Baines was only in 6 All-Star games, by the way, and he’s in the Hall. Also for Oliver, he was the first player to hit .300, collect 200 hits and drive in 100 RBI in both leagues, lifetime average of .303, 2,743 career hits, and 1,326 RBI, finished 34th on all-time hit list and 17th alltime doubles, 3 Silver Slugger Awards, set an American League record with 21 total bases against the Detroit Tigers at Tiger Stadium in doubleheader by hitting four home runs, a double and a triple while playing with the Texas Rangers.”

It seemed like Ron was either a walking almanac, had great internet service or both, but all that he said was totally true. Reverend Al Oliver was the epitome of a hardworking professional athlete on the field, and off the field was a tireless fireand brimstone-filled voice for economic and social justice, for all African Americans.

Saunders went on to say: “Al Oliver was forced out of the game by collusion or he would have had 3,000 hits.”

I have always been suspicious about Al Oliver’s blatant and unexplained ab-

sence from the MLB HOF but at this point and time I have no irrefutable evidence as to who may have colluded and what their reasons were to bar Oliver from the “Hall.”

We hope that during some future Black Heritage or

Black History Month festivities that aside from spinning yarns about Negro League greats Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson, we will speak in hallowed tones about the image of Al Oliver hanging in Cooperstown.

Look…you better be nice to ‘MA!’ Octavia Spencer plays lead role in horror film :10—You can add in all the obvious expletives you want.

All I can tell you is “Ma” is all of them. Ms. Octavia Spencer hands in a horror performance that will fit in with the likes of “Saw,” Freddy, Jason, Carrie and the Wicked Witch of the West. Please go see it for three reasons.

No. 1. A Black woman is the

Finals over the Toronto Raptors. So now let’s see what happens as the series moves to Oakland tonight.

The series is tied at a game apiece. :08—To that point, for all you wannabe basketball minds that think Golden State is a better team without Kevin Durant, I suggest

Overtime

Bill Neal lead in a horror flick, first time ever. No. 2. It’s good… really scary, unpredictably good. No. 3. You don’t have anything better to do! :09—Well, the Golden State Warriors, as I predicted, would win the Sunday night Game 2 of the NBA

you reset your meds cause you’re clearly delusional! :07—It’s closer than you think. Get ready, Steeler Nation. The Black and Gold report to St. Vincent College on July 26. It’s go time, baby. BTW, have you noticed no one…nobody…is

talking about the deserters.

You know who they are! :06—Serena Williams falls to Sofia Kenin in the third round of the French Open. Thirty-four unforced errors will do that to you.

Being 37 years old doesn’t help much, either. Not to worry, greater days to come. :05—I am truly surprised that you’re surprised… that your Pittsburgh Pirates are 50/50. That’s been the presumption since they returned from spring training. Given the level of injuries the true surprise is they’re still in the 50/50 race. But, the thing to remember is there’s not a better time to be had than a day at the park. It’s the best baseball park in America, there are no bad seats, the food is the food, and it’s baseball.

C’mon, man! :04—Speaking of baseball, a few things about the late, great Willie Stargell. No. 1.

The likeness of his statue at the park is tremendous. No. 2. While you’re loving Josh

Harris, Coach Ron Bougus, Ty Givner, Darrell Porter and others. Thursday, June 20, all live on “Soul Take Champions Live” sports talk show…Friday, June 21, proclaimed Connie Hawkins League Day in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County…also on June 21, Connie Hawkins Reunion at Sugar & Smoke Restaurant, 6 p.m. until… and Saturday, June 22, at noon, the Stargell MVP & Connie Hawkins Awards at Sugar and Smoke. Call Achieving Greatness Inc. for more information, 412-628-4856. :02—Don’t remain the only person in town not listening to “Soul Take— Champions Live” sports talk show every Saturday on urbanmediatoday.com from 6-7 p.m. Why, you OCTAVIA SPENCER ask? That’s where you get all the information for the Bell for the run he’s on, as tive) Willie “Pops” Stargell big event. well you should, remember Pittsburgh Allegheny Coun:01—As usual, I am late the path his balls are taking ty MVP Awards Luncheon to the dance, but…“Game have been traveled before (Most Valuable Person) fea- of Thrones” is all that and

by Mr. Stargell. No. 3. And turing the Connie Hawkins wings and fries. Mannnn most importantly, he was Pro/AM Summer Basket- they are crazy, crazy. And one of Western Pa.’s great- ball League Hall of Fame when they say heads will est humanitarians. inductions. This year’s in- roll, they mean heads will :03—That being said, ductees include Billy Var- roll! Now I get it like all of mark your calendar for the ner, Myron Brown, Derrick you got it. Whew!!!

45th Annual (and consecu- “the Mailman” Gordon, Pete :00—GAME OVER!

THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS—AT OTAs DEVIN BUSH, middle, was the Steelers’ first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He is a linebacker from Michigan who figures to fill the void left by the untimely injury to Ryan Shazier. (Photos

by Courier photographer Brian Cook Sr.)

JAVON HARGRAVE is looking to improve upon his impactful 2018 year, when he recorded 6.5 sacks and 32 solo tackles.

He plays defensive tackle for the Steelers.

STEELERS HEAD COACH MIKE TOMLIN

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JUNE 5-11, 2019

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