America’s best weekly Melissa Harris-Perry wonʼt be back for her MSNBC show
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CPRB reviews non-lethal options for police VOL. 107, NO. 9
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“A life was lost. It’s a tragedy, Mr. Kelley lost his life.” Robert Hurley PAT Board Chair
Courier Staff Writer
Police can usually rely on Tasers, pepper spray, or batons to subdue a suspect before resorting to gunfire. But on Jan. 31, Bruce Kelley Jr. demonstrated the limits of those technologies after multiple attempts to bring him down using all three failed. The end result: Port Authority police officers fired 12 shots at Kelley after he fatally stabbed the police dog they’d set on him. During a special Feb. 22 meeting, The Pittsburgh’s Citizen Police Review Board Executive Director Elizabeth Pittinger presented to the board examples of
by Ashley Johnson Courier Staff Writer
NOTHING IS ON OR OFF THE TABLE—Port Authority Board Chair Robert Hurley calls Bruce Kelley Jr.’s shooting death by authority police a tragedy during a regular public meeting on Feb. 26. (Photos by J.L. Martello)
Citizens confront PAT board on Kelley shooting
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Penn Plaza residents: Only two left
by Christian Morrow
other officers shot him to death. “A life was lost. It’s a tragedy, Mr. Kelley lost his life,” said Hurley. “Nothing is on or off the table, but at least allow the board to learn what happened until we comment.”
Hurley’s statement came following public comment at the board’s Courier Staff Writer Feb. 26 regular meeting where three of the scheduled speakers Though Port Authority of Alcalled for changes to authority polegheny County Executive Direclice training, tactics, the use of attor Ellen McLean began the autack dogs, and investigation overthority’s February board meeting sight. by saying the board Brandi Fisher, execwould not comment utive director of the on the killing of Alliance for Police AcBruce Kelley Jr. by countability, said, authority police offi“(Authority Police) cers until pending inChief (Matt) Porter is vestigations are comthe sole investigator pleted, board chair in cases of officer misRobert Hurley could conduct. We ask that not leave it at that. you review these poliKelley was killed cies.” Jan. 31 after a fight Helen Gerhardt of with Port Authority Pittsburghers for officers led to a secPublic Transit said ond encounter minKelley’s death is part utes later where a poof the national problice dog was set loose on him. When he fa- MURDER—Black Lives Matter activist Dale Vann calls for District lem involving fatal tally stabbed the dog, Attorney Stephen Zappala to bring murder charges against the Port Authority police who fatally shot Bruce Kelley Jr. SEE CITIZENS C7 its handler and an-
by Christian Morrow Courier Staff Writer
As of Feb. 29, the deadline for moving out, two residents still remained in 5704 Penn Ave., one of the two buildings that make up the Penn Plaza Apartments and which is scheduled for demolition. The 113 other building occupants who had also been threatened with eviction back in July have found other housing. Surrounded by his chief of staff, Kevin Acklin, members of the tenant council, and the multiple SEE PENN A4
45 cent: A community under siege
(Part 3 of a 3 part series) A shell for a handgun sells for approximately 45 cents apiece. Unfortunately, in some communities in Pittsburgh, that is the value placed on the lives of many of the African Americans who were murder victims in these communities. In 2014, there were 71 homicides in Allegheny County, and of those, 68 have been African Americans. The Pittsburgh neighborhood of Homewood has been a place where homicides have been occurring at an alarming rate. The gun violence leaves in its
wake families and friends to ponder why this is happening to this once peaceful community that has become a killing field for so many of the people living there. Day after day, gunshots can be heard at all hours, leaving them to ask themselves, “Who got shot now and when will it end?” People fear that it may have been one of their children, a friend or someone from outside the close-knit neighborhood, and they wait for the answer. The uncertainty causes a stress that becomes all too familiar. And then the call comes. Your son has been killed in a drive by, random shooting
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With four homicides occurring last month, at the end of February, Allegheny County has had a total of 15 homicides—13 of them being Black men and women. That is more than last year’s total at this same time—13 homicides, 10 of them Black, all of them Black men. Last year was already one of the
deadliest years the county has seen with 114 homicides and now we are on track to have an even deadlier one. Our community needs to get this issue of senseless violence under control. How do we do it? It begins with getting these killers off of our streets. According to Courier records, only five of the 15 homicides have been solved. As it has been stressed many times, the police and the community need to work together. That means residents must step up and report what they see and hear, and the police and prosecuSEE HOMICIDES A4
Commission on African American Affairs sworn in by Christian Morrow Courier Staff Writer
An American neighborhood tragedy: Lydia Williams For New Pittsburgh Courier
13 of 15 homicides Black lives
More deaths than this time last year
by Christian Morrow
by Phillip Martin
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MARCH 2-8, 2016
THE LOSS OF A SON—Lydia Williams holding pictures of Jermaine Palmer. (Photo by Phillip Martin) or in a gunfight in the street, terminol- longer is just something seen on the ogy that once upon a time was only SEE 45 CENT A4 heard in the movies. The violence no
Saying he was “thrilled” to stand with such an illustrious group, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf swore in the members of his Advisory Commission on African American Affairs with a celebratory gala at the Governor’s mansion in Harrisburg. “This commission will benefit the commonwealth by defining and addressing the unique contributions, needs, and concerns of the African American community,” he said. “Their work will improve the lives of all Pennsylvanians.” Reconstituted by the governor in August, the commission concentrates on seven main functions: Advising the governor on policies, procedures, legislation, and regulations that affect the African American community; Developing, reviewing, and recommending to the governor policies in the areas of health and
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This Week In Black History
MARCH 2-8, 2016
INTERNATIONAL
RESCUED—A Nigerian naval officer, right, gestures as he speaks to some of the rescued crew members of the hijacked Panama-flagged Maximus vessel in Lagos, Nigeria Monday, Feb. 22. Nigerian sailors rescued a hijacked oil tanker in a dramatic night-time rescue in which they killed one pirate, the Nigerian navy announced as it escorted the ship into Lagos harbor Monday. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)
Training exercise off W. Africa becomes real-life navy drama
by Michelle Faul
Associated Press Writer
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP)—It was supposed to be a U.S.led naval training maneuver off the coast of West Africa when real-life drama intervened, with pirates taking over an oil tanker and turning the exercise into a rescue mission. Navies from the United States, Ghana, Togo and Nigeria tracked the hijacked tanker through waters off five countries before Nigerian naval forces stormed aboard on Feb. 20 amid a shootout that killed one of the pirates. It was the first big success in international maritime cooperation in the pirate-ridden Gulf of Guinea, the commodore in charge of U.S. operations in Africa and Europe told The Associated Press. Capt. Heidi Agle, the commodore, had been directing a training exercise against piracy with maritime agencies of Ghana when the hijacking provided a real-life lesson, she said in a telephone interview Friday from her base in Italy. First word came from the French Embassy, which sent information to Agle’s USNS Spearhead via
Elaine Effort
Ghanaian officials and U.S. diplomats of a possible pirate ship loitering off Abidjan, Ivory Coast. There, pirates seized the Dubai-owned MT Maximus, on lease to a South Korean company and carrying 4,700 tons of diesel fuel, on Feb. 11. The Spearhead tracked down the hijacked Maximus, identified it and then monitored its progress for two days as it sailed from Ivorian into Ghanaian waters. Then Agle handed over to Ghana’s Navy, which continued to shadow the ship until it entered the waters of Togo, when that country’s navy took over. As the pirates steamed across the gulf toward the tiny island nation of Sao Tome and Principe, officials there contacted the Nigerian government for help. The tanker had sailed nearly 800 miles (1,280 kilometers) before the Nigerians made the assault. Dirk Steffen, maritime security director of Denmark-based Risk Intelligence, agreed the operation was “the first anti-piracy success in the region of this scale.” “Never has a West African navy carried out an opposed boarding before,” he
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said. Agle called it “a coordinated effort and the biggest piece in progress in the region” since the United States began training with African nations in the Gulf of Guinea in 2009. The rescue was directed by Nigerian Rear Admiral Henry Babalola, who told the AP that it was made possible by a maritime agreement allowing Nigeria to patrol Sao Tome’s waters. “When we challenged them (the pirates), they said that they were in international waters” with the law of the sea on their side. But the agreement allowed the Nigerians to storm the ship after eight hours of attempted negotiations. “International cooperation is the new mantra for maritime security,” Babalola said. “We cannot go it alone.” Six pirates were captured and 18 crew members freed. Several pirates escaped with two crew members who remain hostages, Steffen said. Babalola stressed the economic impact of piracy, pushing up the price of maritime insurance with costs ultimately passed on to consumers. One-fifth of all maritime crime in the world is committed in the Gulf of Guinea, but that is only the tip of the iceberg since an estimated two-thirds of piracy acts there are never reported, according to Ocean Beyond Piracy, a private, Colorado-based organization. The Gulf of Guinea is primed for economic growth, a major route for oil supplies shipped around the world with a mild climate that is ideal for commerce, docking and fishing.
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Week of March 2-8 March 2 1807—Congress passes legislation banning the slave trade. The law which was to go into effect on Jan. 1, 1808 prohibited the importation of slaves into the U.S. or any of its territories. Despite the law, however, the illegal importation of slaves continued for years. The best available records suggest that the very last slave ship arrived in the U.S. in 1859 off the coast of Mobile, Ala. The ship was called the Clothilde. 1896—Ethiopia defeats Italy at the battle of Adowa (also called Adwa). It was one of the few successful military victories of Africans over Europeans as the latter attempted to colonize and economically exploit the African continent. The nominal head of the Ethiopian forces was Emperor Menelik II, but the lead general was Ras Makonnen—father of the man who would become next Emperor Haile Selassie. The battle, which began on March 1, 1896, EMPEROR MENELIK II would leave 6,000 Italians and 10,000 Ethiopians dead. But the victory forced Europe to recognize Ethiopia as an independent and sovereign nation, as well as, give inspiration to Blacks worldwide who were fighting for freedom. March 3 1968—The infamous COINTELPRO memorandum is sent to FBI field offices around the country. COINTELPRO was a government counter intelligence program aimed at disrupting and destroying Black, peace and anti-war groups. The March 3 memorandum specifically called on FBI agents to infiltrate militant Black organizations and employ various tactics to prevent them from growing individually or uniting with one another. The agents were also told to do whatever was necessary to prevent the rise of a “Black Messiah” who could “electrify and unify” Black people. Approximately one month after the COINTELPRO memorandum was issued, Civil Rights Movement leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn. When the COINTELPRO documents were discovered by a reporter in the 1970s, suspicion increased that the FBI and its longtime Director J. Edgar Hoover were in some way involved with the killing of King. 1991—Motorist Rodney King is brutally beaten by a group of Los Angeles police officers. Unknown to them, the beating was caught on video tape. However, a year later (April 29, 1992) when a jury in Simi Valley, Calif., with no Blacks on it found four White officers not guilty of all charges related to the beating, riots erupted in Los Angeles leaving millions of dollars in damage, nearly 50 people dead and over 300 injured. Ultimately, two of the officers were convicted on federal civil rights charges and King received a financial settlement from the city of Los Angeles. It was during this period that King uttered his signature statement: “Why can’t we all just get along?” March 4 1877—Inventor and scientist Garrett A. Morgan is born in Paris, Ky. Among his major inventions were the gas mask and the automatic traffic signal. He made history on July 25, 1916 when he used his gas mask to rescue 32 men trapped in a mine explosion beneath Lake Erie. The U.S. Army also used the gas mask to save lives during World War I. Morgan died in 1963. 1922—Comedic great Bert Williams dies of pneumonia in New York City at the age of 46. What Jackie Robinson did for Blacks by breaking the color barrier in GARRETT A. MORGAN major league baseball, Williams did on the American stage. He was a comic, singer, writer and producer who spent 10 of his 25 years in show business performing with the famous Ziegfield Follies. W.C. Fields once referred to him as “the funniest man I ever saw.” Williams was born Egbert Austin Williams in the Bahamas. March 5 1770—Crispus Attucks is shot and killed by British soldiers becoming the first American to die in the struggle for American Independence from England. Attucks was an escaped slave who became a sailor and rope maker. It is unclear exactly how he became involved in the protest of that day. But a crowd had gathered and began to taunt British troops. Attucks, who was of Black and Indian parentage, was inspired to give a speech in which he spoke of the importance of freedom. Suddenly a volley of shots was fired into the crowd. Four people died that day in an event which became known as the Boston Massacre. 1845—Texas is admitted to the union as a slave state. President John Tyler on this day in 1845 signed CRISPUS ATTUCKS the joint Congressional resolution. March 6 1857—Perhaps the most thoroughly racist decision ever rendered by a U.S. Supreme Court is released on this day in 1857—the Dred Scott decision. Scott and his wife, Harriet, had sued in St. Louis Circuit Court claiming they were free because their slave master had taken them from a slave state to the free territory of Missouri. However, in a majority opinion written by Chief Justice Roger B. Taney the court ruled: 1) Blacks, be they slave or free, were not and could not be U.S. citizens and thus were not entitled to file suit in U.S. courts, 2) Denied Congress the power to restrict slavery by declaring the 1820 Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, 3) Declared that where the Constitution said, “All men are created equal,” the phrase did not include Blacks, and 4) Told African-Americans that they “had no rights the White man was bound to respect.” However, reflecting the law of unintended consequences, the Dred Scott decision was so harsh and so angered anti-slavery forces that it helped pave the way for the Civil War which ended all slavery in America. 1957—The West African nation of Ghana becomes independent from White colonial rule becoming the first British controlled colony to gain independence. The nation took its name from the ancient empire of Ghana. Its first president Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was elected on July 1, 1960. Nkrumah would go on to become a major force for African independence and Black rights worldwide. The Lincoln University graduate KWAME NKRUMAH became a major advocate of international Black unity known as Pan-Africanism. March 7 1539—This is probably the day Estevanico—the first Black conquistador—was killed. Estevanico, a Black Moor from Morocco, was sold as a servant when he was only 10 but became friends with his owner Andres de Dorantes and joined a 1527 expedition of 300 men from Spain looking for riches in what would later become the U.S. state of Florida. All but four members of the expedition were wiped out by the Indians they tried to conquer. Estevanico was among those who survived. He was held captive for five years but became a “medicine man” and learned the languages of various tribes. He eventually escaped and in February of 1539 led an expedition to Culiacan, Mexico looking for the fabled lost city of gold—El Dorado. It was doing this expedition that he was killed. 1965—On this day in Black history, the first leg of the Selma-to-Montgomery March is completed MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. as thousands joined Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in protesting racial injustice in Alabama. An earlier attempt to complete the march had been disrupted by a police attack. The Alabama National Guard was federalized and U.S. Army troops were called in to protect the marchers. It was shortly after this march that a White female supporter of the civil rights struggle, Viola Liuzzo, was shot and killed by Ku Klan Klan–style terrorists opposed to civil rights for Blacks. 1997—Former Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley dies. Manley is perhaps best known for his brand of democratic socialism and attempting to organize Caribbean and African nations into a bloc to press for better prices for their raw materials. March 8 1977—Henry L. Marsh III is elected the first Black mayor of Richmond, Va. Before becoming mayor of the capital of the old confederacy, Marsh had made a name for himself confronting the city’s White power structure as a civil rights attorney. He also served in the state senate. 1993—Jazz great Billy Eckstine dies at 78 in Pittsburgh, Pa. Eckstine came to fame in the 1940s and 1950s as a singer and bandleader who worked with some of the greatest names of the era including Louis Armstrong and Lena Horne. He was one of the greatest influences upon modern jazz and B-bop. Among his best known ballads were “Everything I Have Is Yours,” “Blue Moon,” “Caravan” and “That BILLY ECKSTINE Old Black Magic.”
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MARCH 2-8, 2016
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Black voters see court fight as affront to Obama by Errin Haines Whack Associated Press Writer
PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Watching the fight unfold between President Barack Obama and Senate Republicans over who should choose the next Supreme Court justice, Michael A. Bowden got angry at what he saw at the latest affront to the first Black president. And then his thoughts turned from Washington to his own state. Obama won’t be on the ballot this fall, but Pennsylvania GOP Sen. Pat Toomey will—and Bowden has made defeating him in November a priority. “This kind of thing really burns me to the core,” said Bowden, a 56-year-old Air Force veteran from Philadelphia. “I’ve already started planting the seed in people’s heads that Sen. Toomey is one of those people in lockstep with the Republicans. This could give him a wake-up call that he could be vulnerable as well.” Democrats are pressuring senators in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Hampshire, Illinois and Wisconsin to back down from their refusal to confirm or even consider Obama’s nominee to succeed the late Antonin Scalia or face the consequences in November. In some states, they may get help from African Americans who see the court battle as the latest GOP snub of Obama—one rooted in racism, which could galvanize a crucial component of the Democratic voting bloc. “The Obama presidency has been mobilizing for African Americans,” said Daniel Hopkins, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania whose research focuses on racial and ethnic American politics. “The Supreme Court nomination is part of a much broader story of deeply polarized and sometimes racialized hostility between Obama and his political opponents. It’s potentially quite a potent issue in a state that has backed Obama twice.” Many African Americans trace what they see as similar insults back to
IN HONOR—In this Feb. 25, file photo, in honor of Justice Antonin Scalia, a flag in the Supreme Court building’s front plaza flies at half-staff in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) Obama’s historic election in 2008, when questions were raised about his U.S. citizenship and family in Kenya. In the days after Scalia’s Feb. 13 death, Republicans quickly signaled their opposition to Obama nominating a successor, saying they would refuse to hold hearings on a nominee and calling for the conservative justice’s replacement to be chosen by the next president. Toomey, running for a second term after narrowly winning in 2010, echoed those sentiments. In a recent Associated Press interview, Toomey said: “The president intends to change the balance of the court and I am not going to support him changing the balance of the court with nine months before an election, I’m not going to do that.”
The Democrats looking to challenge Toomey in the fall say he should do his job. Among voters, Donnell Regusters of Yeadon said the issue could be an opportunity for Democrats this year. The 40year-old videographer voted and campaigned for Joe Sestak in 2010 against Toomey and is considering supporting the former congressman again. “It’s something I hadn’t thought about, honestly,” Regusters said. “I just kind of thought it was out of his way to win, but this could be an opportunity. ... Right now would be a perfect time to use that whole Supreme Court fight.” Toomey’s re-election bid will hardly hinge on support from Black voters, but their opposition could hurt. Sabrina Singh, a spokeswoman for Katie
McGinty—among the four Democrats in the Senate primary—said the candidate has heard from African Americans who are frustrated with Republicans like Toomey “disrespecting President Obama and attempting to delegitimize his presidency.” “Republican obstructionism as related to the Supreme Court vacancy and other issues will be real motivating factors to turn out African American voters in Pennsylvania,” Singh said in a statement. A recent Pew Research Center poll shows 56 percent of Americans think the Senate should hold hearings and vote on Obama’s nominee. Toomey scored his highest unfavorable rating since August 2009—21 percent of respondents—in a Franklin and Marshall College poll released Feb. 25 and conducted the week after Scalia’s death. In the presidential campaign this past week, Democrat Hillary Clinton called on Black women at an Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority alumnae event in South Carolina to “see if we can’t find a handful of Republicans who understand and will do their duty, who believe they are called by the Constitution to do just that.” G. Terry Madonna, director of the Franklin and Marshall College poll, said it’s still unclear to what extent the Supreme Court fight will be an issue in the fall. “It won’t be that Toomey will change his mind, but Democrats can use this to energize their voters. Will it work? We don’t know,” Madonna said. For Black voters like Mecca Bey, if Toomey wins, it won’t be for lack of trying on her part. “I will make sure I motive my friends to get rid of him,” said Bey, 40, of Landsdowne. “I’ve been educating people on what he’s actually doing right now so they don’t forget in the fall what he’s involved in.” (Errin Haines Whack covers urban affairs for The Associated Press. Follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ emarvelous.)
Melissa Harris-Perry won’t be back for her MSNBC show by Verena Dobnik Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK (AP)—Melissa Harris-Perry and MSNBC are going their separate ways.
“I will not be used as a tool for their purposes. I am not a token, mammy, or little brown bobble head. While MSNBC may believe that I am worthless, I know better. “I know who I am. I know why MHP Show is unique and valuable. I will not sell short myself or this show.” MELISSA HARRIS-PERRY “Farewell #Nerdland,” she tweeted on Feb. 28, referring to the probing discussions on her weekend show. “Inviting diverse new voices to table was a privilege. Grateful for years of support & criticism.” The network says MSNBC and HarrisPerry are parting ways.
‘FAREWELL #NERDLAND’— In this Feb. 18, 2012, file photo, provided by MSNBC, Melissa HarrisPerry appears on the set of her self-titled show in New York. (Heidi Gutman/MSNBC via AP, File) She was scheduled to appear this Saturday and Sunday in the regular two-hour slot from 10 a.m. to noon. But HarrisPerry announced several days ago that she would stay away—in response to
MSNBC’s pre-emption of her program for much of February for coverage of presidential politics. Harris-Perry has focused on the politics of race, gender and social justice on her
“Melissa Harris-Perry” show. “Our show was taken—without comment or discussion or notice—in the midst of an election season,” Harris-Perry said in an email to her staff that was posted on her Twitter page on Feb. 26. MSNBC “would like me to appear for four inconsequential hours to read news that they deem relevant,” including more political news. “I will not be used as a tool for their purposes. I am not a token, mammy, or little brown bobble head,” said Harris-Perry, who is Black. “While MSNBC may believe that I am worthless, I know better,” she added. “I know who I am. I know why MHP Show is unique and valuable. I will not sell short myself or this show.” MSNBC said the pre-emptions were the result of the network’s heavier coverage of the presidential election campaign that heated up with the onset of the primaries. “In this exciting and unpredictable presidential primary season, many of our daytime programs have been temporarily upended by breaking political coverage, including MHP,” the network said in a statement, which characterized HarrisPerry’s reaction as “really surprising, confusing and disappointing.” Harris-Perry, who began hosting the show in 2012, is also an author and a professor of political science at Wake Forest University.
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NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
METRO
45 cent: A community under siege…An American tragedy CONTINUED FROM A1
evening news but being witnessed on the very street on which they live. Sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, friends and strangers, no one is exempt from the weapons that are ever present in a neighborhood once full of promise, one that has devolved from a work and business economy where the only development is poverty, and the business of drugs and prostitution are a growth industry. Pastors calling for peace, politicians making speeches directing lawabiding citizens to take back their community, meeting after meeting, go on and on. But still the violence continues as the memorial sites fill with balloons and flowers to mark the place where a life was cut down. It may seem that the dead are remembered while the living are all but forgotten. When the cameras are put away until the next tragedy occurs, and when news value of a story is no longer relevant, those who are left behind must find a way to carry on with their lives as they too must ponder the question, “Who’s next?” Lydia Williams’ (better known as Ms. Lydia) family has become a part of this American tragedy. A longtime resident of Homewood, the 60-year-old loves the community in which she lives. Even after having lost three family members to domestic and gun violence, she has remained steadfast that her faith in God will help her continue to keep her family together although there are so many missing pieces. Williams came to live in Homewood when she was 6 years old, having lost her mother four years earlier from domestic violence. She lived with her mother’s twin sister who raised her and her sister. She lived across the street from the Homewood Salvation Army
COMMUNITY YOUTH—From left: Tylil Turner, Tayevion Adams and Brandon Lay. (Photo by Phillip Martin) and attended Crescent Grade School and Westinghouse High. She started her own family, but it has been touched by violence inside and outside of Homewood. “I had three children. Now I only have one left,” Williams said. She has lost two children and a grandchild: Daughter Marcia Williams, killed by the father of her children, at age 19 from domestic violence in 1993; a son, Kurtis Pounds Jr., 36, killed in Baltimore in 2009 by his own stepbrother; and grandson, Jermaine Palmer, 19, killed in July 8, 2010, in Homewood. Williams’ has a surviving daughter, Danielle Williams. As she recounts her story, the quivering in her voice suggests the pain she feels from her losses and the fright it left behind is still fresh in her memory. Tears of sorrow well in her eyes as Williams talks about her grandson Jermaine—her daughter Marcia’s son— whom she raised after Marcia was killed. He was gunned down two short blocks from the Williams’ house in Homewood.
Palmer was riding in his car celebrating his birthday along with his brother and some friends when a suspect opened fire on them, wounding several and killing Palmer, according to an August 4, 2010 article in The New Pittsburgh Courier. When asked what type of child Jermaine was growing up, Williams said, “He was a quiet giant. He was my only Leo boy who did not bother anyone unless they bothered him.” Williams described Jermaine as someone who kept to himself. “He wanted to take care of himself,” Williams said. He told her he did not want to “be a burden to her.” She described Jermaine a being very smart growing up and graduating high school 10th in his class. “He was very intelligent and did well in school without much effort. All three of my children were that way,” Williams said. There was a time before graduation that Jermaine considered joining the military; however, his fiends talked him out of it. “They did not know what
Penn Plaza residents: and then there were 2 CONTINUED FROM A1
health needs and the other stakeholders and partners has resisted relocation aswho made the move possi- sistance. ble for a press conference Six other households that afternoon, Mayor Bill moved out on their own. Peduto called the effort un“We’ve gotten the first precedented. phase done and we’re start“We dodged a bullet,” he ing on the second. A year said. “None of this would and a month is a lot better have been possible without than 90 days,” said tenant the tenant council. And now council member Robert every developer in town Jamison. “The mayor was will look to what they did.” the strongest ally for us. What they did—along But everybody pulled towith the mayor, Acklin, and gether. And the owners the support of Neighbor- even went outside of the hood Allies, state Rep. Ed agreement to help.” Gainey, D-East Liberty, and Acklin thanked the ownCouncilman Rev. Ricky ers for their cooperation Burgess—was, in Septem- and assistance. ber, to negotiate an agree“We didn’t have a legal leg ment with owners Pennley to stand on. As a private Park South for an extension owner they could do what of the deadline for moving, they wanted,” he said. “But phased the demolition of instead of doing what is the two-building complex, legally right, they chose to moving expenses and assis- do what’s morally right.” tance including visits to Jonathan Kamin, attorpossible new apartments. ney for the owners, said the As a result, of the 115 res- process was beneficial for idents still in 5704 Penn everyone. Ave. as of Sept. 20, 112 have “This has been a transfornew homes: mative experience for me, •75 have moved out; my client and for the city of •20 have transferred to Pittsburgh,” he said. “We the second building at 5600 could have gone ahead, but Penn Ave. and have until my client realized that March 31, 2017 to move these are real people, good out; people. Maybe we’re not •Eight are in the process of moving to 5600 Penn Ave.; •Three are on temporary extensions (one awaiting a Section 8 voucher, and two awaiting an April 1 move to P e n n Mathilda building, also in East Liberty); •One resident died; and •Two remain, one RESIDENT COUNCIL—From left: Bob Jamison, with special (Photos by J. L. Martello)
doing the most (personally) advantageous development, but we’re doing one that’s best for the city.” Of those who have moved out, 68 remained in the city—54 of those in the East End. Another 23 moved remain in either first-ring suburbs or the metro area. Another 20 have not confirmed their address. (Send comments to cmorrow@newpittsaburghcourier.com
PRESLEY L. GILLESPIE President, Neighborhood Allies
Gail Williams and Lillian Grate.
they were talking about,” Williams said she told him. “You can get killed on the street.” And that is exactly what happened. The funeral was well attended, but Williams did not have the service in a church as she said he was not a “church person,” and despite her being a woman of great faith, she decided not to force others to be someplace Jermaine did not frequent. “I want people to find God but not forcing them to do so,” Williams said. While living on Kelly Street in Homewood, Williams had a good idea that Jermaine was doing things she did not approve of but admits she did not want to believe it was so “There were so many shootings around there 1999-2007, you almost got used to it,” Williams said. Now Williams is raising her two great granddaugh-
ters, Jakeria and Jasmine. When asked what the future holds for her and her family, Williams said around the time she lost her Jermaine she started what she calls “seed planting ceremonies.” She explained, “If I plant my children, then I expect a serious harvest of children. I have always had a youth ministry and write poetry.” One of her poems has the title “A Dollar Weighs More than a Life.” That came true for Jermaine, she said. Williams has served 38 years as a youth minister and tells of the many problems children in underprivileged neighborhoods like Homewood face. “They do not get to go places like camps or getting to see other parts of the city but [just] where they live,” she said. “Some of them do not care about themselves, so how can they be expected to care about others?”
Williams said she is tired of hearing the word sorry, “What does that even mean? You’re not really sorry. It’s just something people say without much thought,” Williams said. Williams remembers that a pastor had suggested she come by the church every day and pray for her family and community, but after a while she simply began to ask God for peace. “I remember hearing God in my spirit saying, “I will give you peace that surpasses all understanding.’” Williams did not understand why she received this message. However, a short time after her daughter Marcia was killed in 1993 Williams found that peace, but she said God gave her the inspiration to keep moving forward. “You must build your faith and relationship with God and Jesus before you go through these things, so when you go through these things you can rest in the presence of God,” Williams said. Williams cited Romans 8:28—“All things work for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose”—as a scripture that has brought her comfort over the years, and she believes she has been called to teach young people to think before they act. They cannot continue to live this way, she said. They do not realize the “domino effect” it has on other people’s families and people in the community. “Violence and retaliation do not solve anything,” she said. Williams said she would tell the young people to remember this: “I am somebody and so are you.” (Phillip Martin is a Point Park student who is a resident of Homewood)
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tors must provide adequate protection for that testimony. When one doesn’t speak up, the only person truly being protected is the one committing these heinous acts. We, as a community, must continue to send the message that this senseless violence will not be tolerated in our hardworking communities. As part of an ongoing effort to heighten awareness about the effects of murder in Black communities, the New Pittsburgh Courier will compile a list of homicides in the County each month. It is our hope that as the list of victims grows, so will a true understanding of how these lost lives affect the mental health, economic well being and self-images of the region’s Black neighborhoods. Out of the 15 murders, thus far, in 2016—13 were Black and 11 were Black men. February Homicides (4) FEB. 3—Reginald Franklin, a 27-year-old Black male from Homewood, was fatally shot while exiting a store in the 7200 block of Frankstown Avenue in Homewood. He was taken to UPMC Presbyterian where he later died. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing. On the listing provided by the Allegheny County Office of the Medical Examiner, Franklin is identified as Reginald Frankin. FEB. 15—Keith Woodard, a 19-year-old Black male from North Side, was found with multiple gunshot wounds in the 100 block of Waldorf Street in the North Side. He was taken to Allegheny General Hospital where he later died. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing. FEB. 15—Amelia Roman, a 96-year-old White female from North Braddock, was found dead in her North Braddock home, in the 700 block of Jones Avenue, by individuals conducting a welfare check. It has been reported that she had a heart attack during a home invasion in which she was left bound and gagged. No one has been charged; the investi-
gation is ongoing. FEB. 17—Madeline Bernard, a 65-year-old Black female from Brighton Heights, was found stabbed to death in her home on Verner Court in Brighton Heights. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Madeline Bernard was reportedly stabbed during a domestic altercation with her daughter, Sommer Bernard, who has been charged with criminal homicide.
January Homicides JAN. 10—Damion Graham, a 39-year-old Black male from the North Side, was fatally shot during a domestic altercation at a home on Forest Avenue in Bellevue. He was pronounced dead at the scene. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing. JAN. 10—Chauncey Howard, a 25-year-old Black male from the North Side, was found fatally shot inside of a vehicle that had crashed into a pole in the 3100 block of Universal Street in Sheraden. He was found by officers who were responding to a call of shots fired in the 3200 block. Howard was pronounced dead at the scene. Tremond Allston and Charles Williams have been charged with criminal homicide, criminal conspiracy, carrying a firearm without a license and more. JAN. 15—Martell Benton-Bridgett, an 18-year-old Black male from McKees Rocks, was found at the Holiday Inn Express, in the 800 block of Greentree Road, in Greentree, with multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to a local hospital where he later died. It has been reported that he had been at a party at the hotel when he was shot. No one had been charged; the investigation is ongoing. JAN. 19—Shawn Cavender, a 39-year-old Black male from Pittsburgh, was found with multiple gunshot wounds to his lower extremities in a home in the 100 block of Southern Avenue in Mt. Washington. He was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital where he later died. Reportedly, he had gotten into an argument with another male who fled the scene. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing. JAN. 19—Raymond O’Neal, a 17-year-old Black male from Penn Hills, was shot and killed at a home in the 8900 block of Upland Terrace in Penn Hills. It is believed that there was a confrontation and O’Neal was shot. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing. JAN. 20—Dante Dawkins, a 29-year-old Black male from Clairton, was shot to death in the 400 block of Windgap Avenue, in Windgap Industrial Park, which is in the Windgap/Esplen area. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Divine Barrett was also found dead at the scene; one was found in a nearby vehicle and the
other was lying in the street. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing. (The Office of the Medical Examiner of Allegheny County has Dawkins’ age listed as 39, but other reports and an obituary list him as 29.) JAN. 20—Divine Barrett, a 24year-old Black male from New Jersey, was shot to death in the 400 block of Windgap Avenue, in Windgap Industrial Park, which is in the Windgap/Esplen area. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Dante Dawkins was also found dead at the scene; one was found in a nearby vehicle and the other was lying in the street. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing. JAN. 21—Bronson Waite, a 23year-old White male from Brighton Heights, was found shot to death in the torso at a residence in the 3900 block of Vinceton Street in Perry North. He was pronounced dead at the scene. It has been reported that a robbery and the shooting may have taken place the previous day. Daron Clark has been charged with criminal homicide, burglary, robbery, criminal conspiracy, receiving stolen property and possession of a firearm with an altered manufacture number. JAN. 22—Janese Jackson Talton, a 29-year-old Black female from Penn Hills, was found fatally shot outside of Cliff’s Bar, located at North Lang Avenue in Homewood, by officers who were responding to a ShotSpotter notification. She was pronounced dead at the scene. According to reports, Talton was allegedly shot by Charles McKinney after rejecting his advances. McKinney is charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, carrying a firearm without a license, fleeing or attempting to elude police, possession with intent to deliver, recklessly endangering another person and reckless driving. JAN. 30—Eric Johnson, a 24year-old Black male from McKeesport, was fatally shot in the area of Fern Alley, in McKeesport, while sitting in a vehicle with another male. Johnson died at the scene; the other male was taken to a local hospital. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing. JAN. 31—Bruce Kelley Jr., a 37-year-old Black male from Pittsburgh, was shot and killed by Port Authority Police after an altercation. According to reports, Kelley and his father were found drinking alcohol at a Wilkinsburg shelter near the East Busway when officers initially encountered them. An altercation broke out and the two got away. After finding the two again and Kelley allegedly refusing orders to put down a knife, officers Tased him. When that did not work, they released their K-9, Aren, and Kelley stabbed him. Officers then shot and killed Kelley. He died of multiple gunshot wounds to the trunk and extremities. Aren also died. The incident is under investigation by Allegheny County Police.
CPRB reviews non-lethal options for police NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
ELIZABETH PITTINGER CONTINUED FROM A1
other less-than-lethal tools that police can deploy to apprehend suspects. These too have their limitations. One, a net-gun, which as the name suggests, fires a net with perimeter weights to entangle fleeing subjects, was mentioned as an option by Pittinger after Black Political Empowerment Project Chair Tim Stevens asked why the nine officers who eventually joined the pursuit of Kelley couldn’t have just thrown a net over him. “It was used by sheriff’s deputies in Saginaw, ND…and successfully in other countries, Japan and the U.K., particularly around confrontations with people with edged weapons,” said Pittinger. That’s where it was most effective.” Such a device, however, has a limited range and cannot be used if there are obstructions such a poles or tree limbs in the way. They also cost about $500 a piece. Stun guns—which knocks down suspects by firing beanbags filled with lead shot—are also short-range
SHELDON WILLIAMS CPRB Board Member
options. Board member and former Pittsburgh police SWAT instructor noted that swat has effectively deployed them in the past but given the multiple layers of think clothing Kelley wore—which defeated the Taser prongs—it may not have been entirely effective in his case. Pittinger said the board would be making recommendations to the Pittsburgh police that other agencies over which it does not have jurisdiction might want to view. “This is about an incident that led a tragic outcome,” she said. “The shared responsibility of all participants, as people, are to ask about the tactics that are used there, were they the best? Was there a better way, and can we prevent this from happening again? The tactics and availability of tools for officers to use should be of interest to all of us.”
MARCH 3—NEED will host its 53rd annual Scholarship Dinner at 6 p.m. at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Hotel, 600 Commonwealth Place, Downtown. The theme is “Their Education Matters.” This event celebrates the corporate, academic and community partnerships that make it possible to give generous contributions. Fifty high school students will be awarded scholarships. KDKA’s Lynne HayesFreeland will serve as the mistress of ceremonies and a reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. Reservations are required. For more information, call 412-5662760 or email abrettholle@needld.org.
Ceramic Tile Event MARCH 5—The Dignity & Respect Council of Greater Pittsburgh will host its 3rd annual Ceramic Tile Quilt Event from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Society for Contemporary Craft, 2100 Smallman St., Strip District. March is Women’s History Month and this event recognizes the many cultures there are to help other women and raises awareness of domestic violence. The ceramic quilt will be displayed at the Center for Victims. Reservations are required. For more information, visit www.dignityandrespect.org.
Project Prom Giveaway MARCH 5—The Department of Human Services will host its Project Prom Giveaway from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Project Prom Shop, Century III Mall, 3075 Clairton Rd., West Mifflin. The event, which will take place March 7-11 and 15-17, allows eligible female high school students to select a beautiful gown and accessories to help male their prom night a lasting memory without the high financial burden. Eligibility requirements must be met. For more information, visit www.alleghenycounty,us/project prom.
Financial Aid Seminar MARCH 5—State Sen. Jim Brewster will host a Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistant Agency (PHEAA) Financial Aid
EMMA LUCAS DARBY CPRB Board Chair
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RICHARD A. STEWART JR. NAACP
Advisory Commission on African American Affairs sworn in CONTINUED FROM A1
human services, housing, education, employment, business formation, and other relevant areas which affect the African American community; Providing appropriate assistance and advice to state agencies to strengthen the enforcement of the commonwealth’s anti-discriminatory hiring, retention and promotion policies; Serving as a liaison to federal, state, and local agencies to ensure that programs impacting African Americans are effectively
utilized; Serving as a resource for community groups and provide forums for developing strategies and programs that will expand and enhance the civic, social, educational, cultural, and economic status of the African American community; Identifying programs, scholarships, mentoring programs, sources of funding, or other resources and compliance requirements for the benefit and advancement of African Americans; and Promoting the cultural
arts of the African American community throughout the commonwealth. The commission is comprised of 20 individuals, representing the Southeast, Central, Northwest and Southwest regions of the commonwealth. Local commission members include La’Tasha D. Mayes, founder and director, New Voices Pittsburgh; Candi Castleberry Singleton, founder and CEO, Dignity & Respect Inc.; Rev. Dr. William Curtis, senior pastor, Mt. Ararat Baptist Church; Fred Redmond, In-
ternational vice president, United Steel Workers; and Marisa C. Bartley Williams, executive director, PNCYMCA of Greater Pittsburgh. “I’m honored obviously to be named and I hope to bring a voice to the state about what were doing in Pittsburgh for African Americans,” said Singleton. “I think it’s an amazing opportunity, but I hope this effort is one, not of conversation, but of action.” (Send comments to cmorrow@newpittsburghcourier.com.)
(J.L. Martello contributed to this story.) (Send comments to cmorrow@newpittsburghcourier.com.)
Community Calendar NEED Scholarship Dinner
MARCH 2-8, 2016
METRO
Seminar from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Penn State Greater Allegheny, Student Community Center, 4050 University Dr., McKeesport. Representatives from PHEAA will be on hand to detail the financial aid application process and what financial aid may be available. There will also be a seminar held on March 19 at the CCAC Boyce Campus. Registration is required. For more information, call Kathy Jo Osman at 412-6645200 or email kosman@pasenate.com.
Transit Fare Proposal Hearing MARCH 8—Port Authority of Allegheny County will host a Public Hearing on its Transit Fare Proposal from 3-7 p.m. at University of Pittsburgh, Pitt Alumni Hall, Connolly Ballroom, Fifth Avenue, Oakland. The board is considering a policy that would replace the current multizone system with a single zone that would cost all riders $2.50 with a ConnectCard, regardless of their destination; eliminate the free Downtown zone; instate a 25 cent surcharge for riders paying with cash; and more. Speakers are required to register. For more information, call 412-5665187.
NAACP Meeting MARCH 8—The NAACP Pittsburgh Branch will host its Executive and General Meetings at 7 p.m. at Freedom Unlimited, 2201 Wylie Ave., Hill District. The upcoming NAACP election will be discussed. All members are encouraged to attend this important meeting. For more information, call 412-471-1024.
Pancakes in the P.M. MARCH 10—East End Cooperative Ministry will host its 8th Annual Pancakes in the P.M. from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Pamela’s Diner, 60 21st St., Strip District. The event benefits the Have a Heart Hunger Campaign. For more information, call 41-361-5549 or visit www.eecm.org. (To have items listed on Community Calendar, send information at least two weeks in advance to: 315 E. Carson St., Pittsburgh, PA 15219; Fax: 412-481-1360 or email: newsroom@newpittsburghcourier.com.)
THRILLED—Governor Tom Wolf poses with members of his Advisory Commission on African American Affairs during the swearing–in gala held at the governor’s mansion in Harrisburg, Feb. 23.
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MARCH 2-8, 2016
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
OPINION
Goin’ back to the ‘Good Ole Days’
Guest Editorial
Toomey, GOP wrong not to consider Obama’s nominee Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey and fellow Senate Republicans are wrong not to consider or vote on President Barack Obama’s pick to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said his 54-member GOP caucus was united against taking any step in the Senate’s “advise and consent” process. McConnell said the Judiciary Committee will not hold confirmation hearings for the nominee and that the committee and the full Senate will not vote. The president promised to carry out his constitutional duty to nominate a successor to fill the vacancy. “I’m going to do my job,” Obama said. Senate Republicans are putting the Supreme Court’s credibility at risk if they make good on their vow not to consider or vote on Obama’s pick to replace Scalia. The question is whether the American people will allow Toomey and other Senate Republicans not do their job without suffering serious political consequences. Toomey and his Republican colleagues have doubled down on opposing Obama’s nominee even without knowing who the nominees will be. The senator said a vacancy on the Supreme Court for the next 11 months would not be “that big a deal,” while arguing the confirmation process could be tainted by the impending presidential election. “It’s very unlikely that any nominee, however well qualified,” would be considered, Toomey said. The senator, who seeks a second six-year term in the 2016 election, could not be more wrong. By snubbing Obama’s nominee, Toomey and other Senate Republicans are eroding the ability of any future president to pick judges. This shortsighted partisan move could have long term negative consequences for the nation including a future where there are several vacancies on the court and irreparable damage to the credibility of the courts and congress. The hope is that once Republicans are faced with an actual candidate they can examine, GOP opposition would lessen. Judiciary Committee members should recognize that it is their job to give this person a hearing and then let their conscience dictate whether to approve or reject his nominee. Voters should send Toomey and the GOPcontrolled Senate a strong and clear message that they expect them to keep party politics out of the confirmation process. (Reprinted from the Philadelphia Tribune)
Pittsburgh Courier NEW
Founded 1910
Rod Doss
Editor & Publisher Stephan A. Broadus Assistant to the Publisher
Allison Palm
Eric Gaines
Office Manager
Advertising Manager
Ulish Carter
Ashley Johnson Associate Editor
Managing Editor
Jeff Marion Circulation Consultant
John H. Sengstacke Editor & Publisher Emeritus (1912-1997)
Are we going back to the 1960s? I read with amazement that five White men beat a Black man unconscious to the point that he has had to have corrective surgery on his broken cheekbone and eye socket, and is still undergoing vision therapy. They didn’t stop there. They threw him on the subway tracks. But this is not the whole story. Only one will get any time in jail. Remember the “Good Ole Days” when Blacks were being lynched, beaten, shot and nothing was done about it? Well this is not the ‘50s? The victim correctly stated that if it had been five Blacks attacking a White they all would have gotten time in jail, not just 100 hours of probation of community service. No the others shouldn’t get the time of the actual attacker, but they did nothing to stop it and if they had not been captured by video and a witness reported it they would have probably left him on the tracks. Yes Blacks Lives Do Matter. They all should get some time in jail, even if it’s some months. And the leader should be tried for attempted murder. I hear that the bail on Bruce Kelley Sr. was reduced from $300,000 straight bond to $25,000 straight bond. Does it really matter? Who has $25,000 lying around? So they might as well kept it at $300,000. It is really an insult. What is the difference between a straight bond and a regular bond? A straight bond the person has to pay the entire amount. A regular bond the person pays 10 percent. So $300,000 would have been $30,000 and the $25,000 would have been $2,500. If the family were having problems paying for the funeral of Bruce Kelley Jr., they definitely wouldn’t have $2,500 let alone $25,000. Watching the political debates, both Democratic and Republican, and looking at the projected winners of the upcoming Super Tuesday it appears that it will be Hillary Clinton for the Democrats, and Donald Trump for the Republicans.
Ulish Carter
Just Sayin’
was the home, so she voted for who her husband told her to vote for, if she voted at all. On the Democratic side Hillary Clinton killed Bernie Sanders in South Carolina and is projected by polls to win 9 out of the 11 states by large margins with Sanders winning Vermont, his home state and Massachusetts. Alaska is not included on the Democratic side. But Sanders in his speech in Minnesota made it very clear that he’s not dropping out; that he’s in the race to send a message to the country that it must stop the billionaires from buying up elections and politicians completely on both sides of the aisles, and that health care and education must be a right not just for the privileged few who can afford it. Much like Jesse Jackson when he ran to make sure the Democratic Party addressed the issues affecting Blacks, Sanders feels the same way about Big Money, Health Care, and Education. Maybe I missed it, but the Republicans never addressed how they would address inequality and the Black Lives Matter issues in this country. They did address the Latino problem by once again stating that they will make sure the wall is higher and wider, and that 12 million people, most have lived in America all their lives, would be instantly deported. Just imagine the economic burden that would create in this country. Who would then harvest our fruits and vegetables, and how much would the prices rise with American unions running things? And think of the devastation to families. Kids born here could stay, while their parents and older sisters and brothers are deported. Stupid. The 12 states Tuesday are: Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Virginia, Vermont, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and Minnesota. Alaska for the GOP, but not the Democrats.
The Courier deadline was after the final results of the 12 states were reported but I’m going to predict that Trump will win all 12 states including Ted Cruz home state of Texas, as well as Arkansas, which most polls have him losing to Cruz. If he does win all there will be no stopping him. Ben Carson will drop out and John Kasich will stay in until his home state Ohio, but by that time it will be too little too late. And he may just lose that state. Marco Rubio has yet to win a state and isn’t projected to win anything until his home state of Florida and he is not guaranteed that. Oh, by the way, Florida is not a part of the Super Tuesday states. I feel sorry for America if any of these guys make it, especially Cruz. When asked about their health plan Trump stated that he would open up each state allowing free competition among the Health Insurance Companies which would reduce the cost of health care drastically. Also stating he would have a health care plan so that people would not be dying on the streets from the lack of health care in his administration. Cruz on the other hand gave the indication that he didn’t care, as long as Obama Care was repealed. He really didn’t have a health care plan. I still think Kasich is the only candidate, who could run the country, and Trump looks like the second best person among the GOP candidates. The Republicans are all looking to take America back to the “Good Ole Days” when White men over 50 ruled this country, Blacks were not allowed (Ulish Carter is the managing editor of the to vote when there were few Latinos who could vote, and the woman’s place New Pittsburgh Courier.)
Rebuild America’s crumbling infrastructure (GEORGE CURRY MEDIA)—In the presidential campaign, we’ve seen libels on immigrants, fear mongering about Syrian refugees, arguments over Medicare for All and Obamacare, concerns about big money corrupting our politics and more. But too little attention has been paid to the one thing on which there should be consensus within and between the parties: the need to rebuild America now. We didn’t need the horrors of children at risk from fouled lead pipes in Flint, Mich., to know that our infrastructure is dangerously decrepit. The American Society of Civil Engineers issues a report card every four years on our infrastructure, detailing the level of our investment deficit. According to the most recent report card, issued in 2013, simply to get the country’s drinking water—drinking water—in safe shape would cost more than $1 trillion over the next 25 years. The report card pegged the immediate cost of fixing at-risk bridges at $76 billion. Add fixing unsafe schools, repairing mass transit, disposing of hazardous waste and maintaining other basics, and ASCE estimated an infrastructure price tag of $3.6 trillion by 2020. That is simply to repair what is. But we face a far larger investment deficit. If we are ever to enjoy widely shared prosperity, we will need a far more competitive real economy. That means 21st century broadband, fast trains, modernized airports, efficient mass transit and a modernized electric grid, just for starters. And, as Flint demonstrated, we have communities in distress that need spe-
Jesse Jackson Sr.
Commentary cial, targeted investment. Community health clinics to replace hospitals that have closed. New schools with modern facilities and equipment. New water systems. New affordable mass transit that makes getting to jobs in the suburbs possible. Public parks that provide a place for children to play. And now catastrophic climate change is causing hundreds of billions of dollars in damage. We need significant research and development to generate the next generation of efficient appliances, cars, buildings and factories. We need public/private partnerships, and public investment, to help retrofit buildings and apartment houses for efficiency and alternative energy. The need is clear. But the price tag should be seen as an opportunity, not a barrier. We still have not recovered from the financial collapse in 2008. Millions have dropped out of the work force. Some 17 million are still in need of fulltime work. We pay to imprison too many and educate and employ too few. In these circumstances, a bold plan to rebuild the country will put people to work, generate demand, and boost a flagging economy. Modernizing our infrastructure would help us compete
in the global economy. With interest rates near zero, reputable economists argue that this will pay for itself in increased productivity, employment, wages and tax revenue. If not, we can easily afford it by requiring the wealthy and the corporations to pay their fair share of taxes. This is not and should not be a partisan question. Republican Abraham Lincoln built the railroads and the land grant colleges even in the midst of the Civil War. Republican Dwight Eisenhower built the interstate highway system in the 1950s. The conservative Chamber of Commerce joins with the AFL-CIO to endorse a major infrastructure plan. Yet, to date, the presidential candidates haven’t stepped up. Republican talk about infrastructure is focused on Trump’s promise to build a wall on the border and get the Mexicans to pay for it. Marco Rubio promises to spend $1 trillion more—but on the military, not on rebuilding America. Hillary Clinton’s proposal on infrastructure—$275 billion over five years—is below what President Barack Obama has called for. Bernie Sanders’ proposal — $1 trillion over five years—is still far short of the ASCE accounting. As Flint has shown, the human costs and risks of allowing our infrastructure to decline are immense. The economic costs are far greater in lost productivity than the price tag of making the investment. (Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. is founder and president of the Chicago-based Rainbow PUSH Coalition. You can keep up with his work at www.rainbowpush.org)
MSNBC disrespects Melissa Harris-Perry by Oscar H. Blayton (GEORGE CURRY MEDIA)—Twitter “blew up” Friday night with the hashtag #Nerdland after word got around that Melissa Harris-Perry was being “dogged out” by MSNBC, the network that tries to position itself as the antidote to Fox News. In an email to her staff at the MHP show that afternoon, the talented scholar described the abusive snubbing she received and how her abilities and value were being disrespected by a gang of “good ol’ boys” in the top echelons of the network. Harris-Perry, who is eminently qualified to comment on the American political scene, has been sidelined by MSNBC during the coverage of the presidential primaries to make room for less qualified pundits and some who are arguably less truthful in their presentation of the facts. Her show aired on weekend mornings from 10 to 12, but for the past few weeks, it has been pre-empted by other hosts covering the primaries. Many of Perry’s fans are puzzled by MSNBC’s bizarre move to quiet a voice so compelling that it raises large numbers of viewers from their beds on
weekend mornings. But it did not take long to realize what is going on. As an African American intellectual, Melissa Harris-Perry is scary. Or, at least, she scares some people. She is a woman of color who is intelligent, articulate and intellectually and politically courageous. Her very existence shatters so many stereotypes about women of color—and Black women in particular—that hubristic White men find themselves disoriented and adrift in profound and unknown waters. Their safe harbors of White male entitlement, grounded in fictitious White male meritocracy, are nowhere in sight when she leads discussions about race and gender that are thoughtfully balanced and factually accurate. She is feared by people who do not know what she is talking about. Her very language—with words like “intersectionality” and “changing definitions of womanhood and women’s identity”—terrify and anger them. No one at the network thought that she would allow herself to be portrayed as a Jezebel, a Mammy or a Sapphire. But what they did not understand was that she would never allow them to portray any woman of
color in such a way. And, she was not going to be a token or little brown bobble-head either, as she explained to the nerdland crew in her scathing reproach to MSNBC. In that message, she said: “...I have been shut out from coverage. I have a PhD in political science and have taught American voting and elections at some of the nation’s top universities for nearly two decades, yet I have been deemed less worthy to weigh in than relative novices and certified liars.” The later reference is directed at Brian Williams of MSNBC, who was discovered to have lied publicly lied about accompanying Seal Team 6 on a mission into Baghdad. It is clear that MSNBC’s leadership was frightened by Melissa HarrisPerry. They could not hear what she tried to tell them. They did not want to hear what she has to say. They wanted to find a way to quiet her. But their efforts have backfired. And now they are facing a furious fan base that is tweeting #BoycottMSNBC. Maybe they can hear that. (Oscar H. Blayton is a former Marine Corps. combat pilot and human rights activists who practices law in Virginia.)
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
Why Blacks are voting for Hillary
Do we still suffer from the effects of slavery?
(GEORGE CURRY MEDIA)—Most racial, ethnic, religious, and political groups in the United States vote for people who appear to represent their best interests. Yet, when African Americans do the same thing, many people seem surprised—including some Blacks. Blacks realize what is at stake in this election and have ignored the naysayers who thought just because Barack Obama’s name is not on the ballot this year, Blacks would stay home. Not only are they not staying home, we’re seeing in the Southern states— where more than half of all African Americans live—that Blacks are voting in record numbers. African Americans in South Carolina got the Clinton juggernaut rolling. As the New York Times observed, “She has won South Carolina in a rout, 73.5 percent to 26 percent, exceeding Mr. Obama’s own 29point victory in 2008. She did it the same way that Mr. Obama did: with overwhelming support from Black voters, who favored Mrs. Clinton over Bernie Sanders by a stunning margin of 87 to 13, according to updated exit polls — a tally that would be larger than Mr. Obama’s victory among Black voters eight years earlier. Black voters represented 62 percent of the electorate, according to exit polls, even higher than in 2008.” No, they weren’t “feeling the Bern” in South Carolina. Nor were they feeling it on Super Tuesday in the six states where Blacks have an above-average share of the Democratic vote—Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, Arkansas and Texas. Sanders chose to campaign in five states with a higher proportion of White voters: Colorado, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Oklahoma and Vermont, his home state. Clinton holds a commanding lead in delegates and after the voting on Super Tuesday,
As we look It comes to around our Louis ‘Hop’ Kendrick mind how I communities have heard around the nathese moving tion and witon up colored ness the devaspersons express tation that is their feelings occurring the about the God question must and religion of be asked what their parents has gone wrong and grandparwith us? In every city where there is a ents. They find fault with the Black substantial population of Blacks crime churches by stating the Black church is out of control, particularly crime is not sophisticated enough, they against each other, shootings are at an speak in tongues, holler amen too freall time high, school systems are in dis- quently, clap and sing, and they are array, and drugs have had a devastat- just too emotional. ing effect on too many of our neighborBlack persons run for political ofhoods for the last 50 years and more. fices as concerned Black candidates, There was a period of time that we but upon being elected they become would point fingers at just the major tools for the political party not the cities such as New York, Chicago, people who elected them. I have witPhiladelphia, Baltimore, but currently nessed young Blacks address their cities from coast to coast have become mothers by calling them degrading victims of outrageous actions. names. There was a period of time that Yes we were subjected to the worst there were no Black police and we form of slavery in history and some of fought to change the hiring process us did not survive. and we were successful. However As I write this column a quotation some of these Black police were more that the late Harvey Adams Jr. would vicious when encountering other frequently use comes to mind. There Blacks than any White police. There would be many situations that the were Black organizations such as the question “What is wrong with us” NAACP, which were directly responsi- would be asked out of anger, frustrable for the hiring or appointing of tions or disappointment and Harvey qualified Blacks to positions in gov- with a straight face would respond by ernment and the corporations, and too saying, “It is obvious that some of us frequently these persons almost in- are sick, because a sane race of people stantly forgot where they came from. could not have endured what we have They now have moved on up and out in this nation.” (Louis “Hop” Kendrick is a weekly contribuand no longer discuss other Blacks as tor to the New Pittsburgh Courier.) we, but those people.
George E. Curry
Commentary Louisiana on March 5 and March 15 contests in Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio, she could amass so many delegates that Sanders will be left with no viable option except to end his long-shot candidacy. Being for Hillary Clinton did not mean Blacks were against Sanders. As I have noted in this space, both Democratic candidates have A-ratings on civil rights. Each would appoint Supreme Court justices in the mold of Thurgood Marshall rather than Clarence Thomas. And each is attuned to the many issues facing Black Americans, including income inequality, unemployment, and a deeply flawed criminal justice system. The difference is that Hillary Clinton has a long relationship with Blacks, doing civil rights work in the South and going to work for the Children’s Defense Fund after graduating from law school. Bernie Sanders claim to fame is that he joined Dr. King and other civil rights leaders in the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. That was nearly 53 years ago. More than half of all African Americans were born after the March on Washington. To them, the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s is as remote as the Civil War of the 1860s. Vermont is less than 2 percent Black. It hasn’t helped that major Black leaders there say they have been invisible to Sanders. Salon.com noted, “There are nearly 10 times more Black people locked up in Vermont’s jails and prisons on a given day than there are free in its streets. Black Vermonters make up just 1.2 percent of the state’s general population, but 10.7 percent of its incarcerated population.” If Sanders was that concerned about the criminal injustice system, he could have been more outspoken about the issue at home. One of Hilary’s problems is that she gets blamed for the actions of her husband when he was president. He and Vice President Al Gore were instrumental in moving the Democratic Party more to the right prior to his election and his policies on mandatory sentencing and so-called welfare reform were harmful to many African Americans. She gets the blame for his failures as well as the esteem in which many Blacks still hold Bill Clinton. But this race is not about the past—it’s primarily about the future. And there is no more important issue awaiting the new president than appointing at least two, possibly three, Supreme Court justices. But to do that, one must first get elected. Again, Black voters feel that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has a better chance of getting elected than Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist. On the other side of the aisle, Republicans are tripping over one another trying to derail Donald Trump. GOP candidates who have shown zero sensitivity toward people of color and pretending to be so offended that Trump did not immediately reject the support of former Klansman David Duke. Every Republican presidential candidate has tried to Velcro his campaign to the legacy of Ronald Reagan, one of the most anti-civil rights presidents in modern history. Not one of them has said a word about the former president’s decision to kick off his 1980 presidential campaign at the Neshoba County Fair, just a few miles from Philadelphia, Miss., where three civil rights workers—James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner—were murdered in 1964. That’s not surprising because the remaining candidates are trying to appeal to the same crowd. (George E. Curry is President and CEO of George Curry Media, LLC. He is the former editor-in-chief of Emerge magazine and the NNPA. He can be reached through his Web site, georgecurry.com.)
MARCH 2-8, 2016
FORUM
To Tell The Truth
Cam Newton, the Chinese cop, and the code of protection Last football dark hallway season Car- J. Pharoah Doss when he or she olina panther doesn’t know quarterback who or what is Cam Newton there.) scrambled and Apparently threw the ball the protesters away to avoid a disagreed. One sack. The deprotester said, fender contin“The climate is ued his pursuit crying out for and shoved Newton out of bounds the indictment of a police officer.” after the ball was released. Liang supporters believe he’s a Newton complained to the referee. scapegoat to appease the Black comHe felt the defender roughed the munity because White police officers passer but there was no flag. After were cleared of murder charges the game Newton claimed the referee against Black males in recent years. explained on the field that he wasn’t But the legal expert stated Liang’s old enough to get that call. (Or he’s situation was different, other officers not Tom Brady or Peyton Manning) were able to contend they were in imAs a professional Newton is accus- minent danger. tomed to breakdowns in pass protec- “This gave those officers the ability to tion but on that particular play New- tell the jury ‘you don’t know what I ton believed the code of protection saw; you cannot second guess my acthat comes with the position was arbi- tions.’ Liang saw nothing but darktrarily absent. ness.” Newton joked about the referee, The former chairman of the Chinese “Heaven forbid he gets any rookies.” Cultural Association of Long Island Recently Chinese-American rookie said, “We all know this is a rookie cop police officer, Peter Liang, was con- who doesn’t know the ropes … We all victed of manslaughter in New York. know it’s a dangerous environment. Chinese-American organizations held Why did he [the district attorney] thirty demonstrations across the charge a rookie cop with manslaughcountry protesting the verdict. ter, with the obvious intent of throwIn November 2014 Liang fatally shot ing him in jail? This is a vicious attack an unarmed Black man in a darkened on the family, and this is a vicious atpublic housing stairwell. (Liang tack on the Chinese community.” heard a noise and discharged his But what exactly is being protested? weapon. The bullet hit the wall, ricoIt’s not innocence. cheted, and struck the victim in the Do the protesters believe the proper heart.) charge was involuntary manslaughThe New York Times reported, “The ter due to Liang’s inexperience but shooting focused scrutiny on everyday the lesser sentence wouldn’t have sattactics used by officers in housing pro- isfied the length of incarceration exjects, where rooting out entrenched vi- pected by those the state wished to olence has been a departmental prior- appease? ity … [But] basic questions about the Is the protest against reverse racial death remain unanswered: Had offi- profiling? cer Liang, surprised by a figure in the Or did the protesters expect Liang to shadows below, reflexively squeezed be overcharged with second degree the trigger, or had he merely lost his murder and cleared of all charges begrip as he opened the door to the cause the prosecution wouldn’t be stairs?” able to prove intent to harm? If that’s In court Liang’s defense was the gun the case then they’re actually protestwent off accidentally. ing Liang being outside of the code of The defense was debunked because protection they assumed came along the jurors were allowed to pull the with the profession when the victim’s trigger on Liang’s gun. They could see Black. And the protesters translated for themselves that a quick flinch if the conviction to mean: You haven’t surprised would not be sufficient to been one of us long enough to get that fire the weapon. call rookie. Plus you’re not the police A legal expert explained: The im- version of Tom Brady or Peyton Manportant part of the charge of reckless ning. manslaughter is the law doesn’t reThis is a vicious attack but on which quire intent to harm a person, it re- family? (J. Pharoah Doss is a contributor to the New quires that a person does conduct with a conscious disregard for a Pittsburgh Courier. He blogs at jpharoahknown risk. (Such as fire a gun into a doss@blogspot.com)
Commentary
Letters to the editor for publication The New Pittsburgh Courier welcomes all responsible viewpoints for publication. All letters should be typewritten and contain writer’s address and phone number for verification. All letters will be edited for clarity and length. Address all letters to: Letters to the Editor New Pittsburgh Courier 315 East Carson Street Pittsburgh, Pa. 15219 You may fax your letter to 412-481-1360, or via e-mail to letters@newpittsburghcourier.com.
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Lee A. Daniels
Commentary
The GOP war against the Obama presidency (GEORGE CURRY MEDIA)—On Feb. 23, the Republican majority of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee sent Mitch McConnell, the Senate Majority Leader, a letter vowing to ignore their constitutional duty and not even consider the Supreme Court nominee President Obama will soon announce. Using the preposterous dodge that a nomination should be left to the next president, these “people’s representatives” pledged to not even accept a courtesy call in their Senate offices from an Obama nominee. Pundit Paul Waldman caustically described the Republicans’ tawdry political hustle in saying, “Even in this time of deep divisions within their party, Republicans can come together in their shared belief that Barack Obama has no right to act like he’s the president.” One might think that maneuver was the week’s most significant development of the brewing constitutional crisis brought on by the February 13 death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Wrong. Actually, the week’s most revealing development regarding the nomination standoff was what happened the previous day in the Senate’s Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. Or rather, what did and didn’t happen. What did happen was that—as has been the case since October—the committee did not take up any business at all. The reason: Its Republican chairman, 81-year-old Richard C. Shelby, of Alabama, has been so afraid of damaging his chances of winning Alabama’s March 1 Republican primary by the committee’s approving any presidential actions, he didn’t allow the committee to even meet until last week. That means the committee hasn’t voted on any of the more than 16 nominees President Obama sent to it to consider for positions on such federal agencies as the Export-Import Bank and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. Shelby’s bottling up the committee’s work has also prevented approval of the president’s nominee to direct the Treasury Department’s efforts against those in the U.S. and abroad who seek to fund terrorist groups. Even though the committee’s Democratic members, who are in the minority, sent a letter charging that “For more than a year, the committee has failed to carry out one of its basic duties, Shelby, who’s been in the Senate since 1987, proclaimed to a New York Times reporter last week, “My primary is Tuesday! We can talk about this later.” Shelby’s dereliction of duty exemplifies the “political correctness run amok” congressional Republicans have adopted as their standard operating procedure since Obama took office. I suppose it’s too much to expect: but when conservative voters and pundits gripe about “gridlock” and “partisanship” in “Washington,” they ought to point to the people they vote for. In fact, the actions of Richard Shelby and of his confederates on the Senate Judiciary Committee expose an old tactic of its all-out war against President Obama. That war literally began as soon as the president took office in January 2009. As journalist Robert Draper recounted in his 2012 book, Do Not Ask What Good We Do: Inside the U.S. House of Representatives, 15 leading Republican Senators, Representatives, and conservative pundits and operatives met in Washington the very night of Obama’s inauguration to plot how to ruin his presidency. And within days, as journalist Jane Mayer has described in her new book, Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires behind the Rise of the Radical Right, a larger, highly secretive group of some of the nation’s conservative billionaires and multi-millionaires, led by the brothers Charles and David Koch, gathered in California to discuss how to achieve the same goal. Both those groups, operating sometimes separately and sometimes in tandem, were motivated by the same credo: If we can’t run it, we’ll wreck it. And the “it,” we should clearly understand, wasn’t and isn’t just the Obama presidency. It was and is American democracy itself. The Republican-generated Supreme Court nomination crisis is the latest evidence of the right’s attempt to resist the expansion of democracy by undermining not just the rights of individuals, but the very processes and procedures of democratic government, too. Having been out-maneuvered by Obama on such controversial issues as Obamacare and the Iran nuclear deal, and having seen him “shellack” their presidential ticket in 2012—they know they’re no match for him in a fair fight. So, in hopes the next president will be a Republican, they’ve resorted to blocking his nominees for critical administrative posts and judicial vacancies altogether. President Obama, for his part, again made clear he’s preparing to send a nominee to the Senate in order to bring the court back to its full strength—someone with “a sterling record. A deep respect for the judiciary’s role. An understanding of the way the world really works.” We’ll soon see if there are any Republicans left in the United States Senate who have the same commitment to fulfilling their constitutional duty. (Lee A. Daniels is a longtime journalist based in New York City.)
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MARCH 2-8, 2016
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
New Pittsburgh Courier
appointed to Vidocq Society B3
Rogers
Debbie Norrell
Lifestyles Report
Time flies I can’t believe it is March and already time to report on what I did in February that I had not done before. I actually did a few things. I went to the first Sweet Potato Pie Bake Off. It was billed as a Black History Month celebration. I thought it would be appropriate to go to the event with a man that goes by the name of “Cupcake.” We had a ball at the event; it was held at Winchester Thurston School. There was soul food, wine, dancing, Black history trivia and a sweet potato pie bake off! We must have tasted at least 10 pies and the event was BYOB. The lovely Paris Crosby hosted it and DJ DK provided the music. A portion of the ticket proceeds will be donated to The Children’s Sickle Cell Foundation. The People’s Choice Award went to Tory Day of Day La Soul Catering and the Judges Choice Award was presented to the Gamble Family Bakes. I really had fun and hope that they will do this again next year; perhaps do a “greens” cook off or cupcakes. The event was organized by Malik James Brown. On the last Sunday in February I went to the Jazz Brunch at Atria’s on the North Shore. I have been to Atria’s before, but never for their jazz brunch. I think they just started serving brunch. Dwayne Dolphin and Brett Williams were playing, and the food was good and plentiful. Just to give you a heads up, the brunch is $24.99 and there is not a made to order omelet station. There were two seatings, one at 10 a.m. and another at 12:30 p.m. I wanted to get to at least a few stores that I had never been to, but the month flew by. I need to plan for March now. If you have an event you want me to attend and I have not been to it before, you know what to do. I appreciate your Facebook invites, but I don’t see all of them; my friend list is growing and it prohibits me from seeing everyone’s post. Please send me an email with “request for coverage” in the subject line. I don’t know why that is hard. I continue to get emails with everything, but that in the subject line. Some of these emails go into my spam file. After I went to the jazz brunch I went to the movies with my friend, Carol Adams. We were heading to see “Race,” but changed our mind at the box office. We saw “Ride Along 2” instead. I missed the first “Ride Along.” There are some laughs and you know I’m a big Kevin Hart fan. Did you see the tuxedo he wore to the Oscars? This movie is a little on the corny side with a lot of predictable humor. But I will continue to see his movies. He has a stand up movie coming out in October. If you like comedy don’t miss Lavelle Crawford this month at the Improv. (Email the columnist at debbienorrell@aol.com)
LIFESTYLES
Men and Women of Favor Fashion Show MARCH 2-8, 2016
www.newpittsburghcourier.com
brought to nursing facilities B2
Gospel music
by Debbie Norrell Courier Staff Writer
Once again, the Georgetown Center in Pleasant Hills was the location for the annual Men and Woman of Favor Fashion Show. The luncheon show was held on Feb. 13 and was a benefit for the Mt.
WHITE FROM HEAD TO TOE
MAKE THEM LAUGH—Harold “Amen” McQueen
ELEGANT IN BLACK AND WHITE
THE LADY IN RED
Sinai Baptist Church Scholarship Fund. If you like fashion, comedy, good fellowship and great vendors, then this was the place for you to be; and more than 200 ladies and gentlemen were in agreement. Guests enjoyed comedian Harold “Amen” McQueen. He said, after the death of his mother, he was sad and started using his comedic talent to make people laugh. McQueen is a member of Allen Chapel AME Church in Washington, D.C. In between the comedy and gifted soloist Valerie Griffey, more than a
dozen men and women of favor models graced the runway. Pastors, reverends, elders and ministers modeled fashions from their private collections, and had fun doing it. The scenes were Men of Favor, Giving Him the Glory and God’s Favor. After numerous door prizes were awarded, Rev. Dr. Diane Hobson, pastor of Mt. Sinai Baptist Church, gave closing remarks and thanked everyone for their support. This year’s event committee included Pam Crawley Abbott, Trudy Taylor, Tess Hunter Grogan and Barbara Simpson.
PRETTY AS A PEACOCK
MEN & WOMEN OF FAVOR (Photos by Rossano P. Stewart)
SMASHING COUPLE
BEHIND EVERY MAN
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RELIGION
MARCH 2-8, 2016
Praise & Worship HILLCREST SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH
Gospel music brought to nursing facilities
2340 Wylie Ave., Pgh., PA 15219 412-391-4334 412-566-8787
“Be Encouraged” Power Hour Sabbath...............8:15 A.M. Sabbath School........................9:00 A.M. Divine Worship......................11:00 A.M. AYS One Hour Before Sunset Prayer Meeting Wednesday......7:30 P.M.
ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH
MARCH 5—Bethel AME Church, 2720 Webster Ave., Hill District, will host a Business Vendor Fair from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. This is an opportunity for individuals to support small businesses while they network and shop. For more information, call 412-683-2160.
Mass Sunday 9:00 A.M. & Noon Sunday (Gospel Choir Mass) Noon www.stbtmchurch.org
METROPOLITAN BAPTIST CHURCH
Breaching the Barriers
MARCH 5—The A.D.A.M. and E.V.E. Ministries of New Birth Baptist Church, 406 W. Grant St., Duquesne, and the Faith & Freedom Coalition of Pennsylvania will host the Breaching the Barriers Regional Gathering from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Macedonia Baptist Church, 17 Cochran St., Duquesne. The theme is “Joining People of Faith with Cultural Values.” The event, which will be hosted by Lenny McAllister, Pittsburgh television and radio host, will feature words from Rev. Bill and Dr. Deborah Owens, Rev. Dean Nelson, state Rep. Dr. Rick Saccone and others. Light snacks will be served. For more information, call Bobby Hassain at 412-406-2229 or email nbbc.duq.pa@gmail.com.
REV. ANTHONY “POPS” MITCHELL leading the choir in song. (Photos by Jackie McDonald)
www.metropolitanbaptistchurch.com metropolitanbaptist2224@gmail.com
SIXTH MOUNT ZION BAPTIST CHURCH 6556 Shetland Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206 (412) 441-7839 Church School Worship Service Wednesday Night Bible Study
9:00 a.m. 10:15 a.m. 6:00 p.m.
East Liberty Presbyterian Church Rev. Dr. Randy Bush, Senior Pastor 412-441-3800
Soul Food Dinner
116 S. Highland Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206
www.cathedralofhope.com
Journey Worship........8:45 a.m. Sanctuary Worship.......11 a.m.
DEREK HICKS singing the lead.
Join our growing Praise and Worship Church Community For rate information, call 412-4818302, ext. 128. We are looking to feature
World Day of Prayer 2016
Vendor Fair
Crawford & Centre Ave. Pgh., PA 15219 412-281-3141
Church School.................................9:30 A.M. Worship Service.................8:00 & 10:45 A.M. Bible Study/ Prayer Wednesday...................6:30/7:30 P.M.
Church Circuit MARCH 4—Fellowship of Christian Women will host the World Day of Prayer 2016 at 11 a.m. at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, 6940 Frankstown Ave., Homewood. The theme will be “Receive Children, Receive Me.” The guest preacher will be Rev. Verdell Haley. For more information, call Rev. Etta Calvert at 412-450-8484.
Elder Christopher C. Thompson
22 Sampsonia Street, Northside Pittsburgh, PA 15212 412-231-2554 FAX 412-231-6395 Rev. Lacy F. Richardson, Ph.D., Pastor
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
BESSIE HILL, a resident, leading the choir.
The sound of gospel music recently filled the halls of Manor Care Nursing Home on 5th Avenue, in Shadyside, when the Men’s Choir of Mt. Ararat Baptist Church, under the direction of the Rev. Anthony “Pops” Mitchell, lifted their voices in song in the 2nd floor solarium. The concert marked the first of a series of four to be performed in designated nursing homes throughout Black History Month. Songs, such as “This Means War” and “If I Can Help Somebody,” excited both residents and nursing staff, bringing many to tears as the choir demonstrated choreographed steps and clapped to the familiar church rhythms. The finale selection added to their joy by offering each resident in attendance an opportunity to participate as the “lead singer” on the last song. Canterbury Place in Lawrenceville, Seneca Place in Penn Hills, and The VA Hospital in Fox Chapel and Highland Park Care Center were other scheduled stops.
MARCH 5—The Soul Food Dinner Committee of St. Paul AME Church, 1350 Locust St., McKeesport, will host a Soul Food Dinner from 12-6 p.m. The church will offer a menu with a variety of soul food options. Local delivery for the elderly and shut-in is available. For more information, call 412667-1538 or 412-896-9133.
One Day Retreat
MARCH 12—The Ephesus Project and Pneuma Institute will host its “Deeper Into Forgiveness: The Journey of Forgiving Others and Self 70 x 7” One Day Retreat from 9:30 a.m.- 4 p.m. at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, 616 N. Highland Ave., East Liberty. Through stories of courageous forgivers, scripture and silent reflection, this retreat will explore what forgiveness is, what it isn’t, and why it is essential for healing and peace making. This is for all who desire to go deeper into the process of forgiveness. Registration is required and lunch will be provided. For more information, visit www.theephesusproject.org.
Salad-O-Rama
MARCH 12—St. John The Evangelist Baptist Church, 4537 Chatsworth Ave., Pittsburgh, will host a Missionary Ministry Salad-O-Rama at 1 p.m. The theme is “Bridging The Gap by Reaching Out.” The afternoon will include a lecture by Mary Lyle of Full Life Deliverance Ministries, songs and more. For more information, call 412-5210994 or visit www.stjohnpgh.org.
Spaghetti Dinner/ Chinese Auction
MARCH 12—The Empowerment Church will host a Spaghetti Dinner and Chinese Auction from 2-6 p.m. at Jerusalem COGIC, 1558 Graham Blvd., Penn Hills. This is part of the church’s Launch Weekend. Seating is Limited. Also, on March 13, there will be a Ministry Launch Service at 5 p.m. at Pentecostal Temple COGIC with Rev. Aaron Whigham as the guest preacher. For more information, call 757-952-7824.
our positive youth in the church communities. You can e-mail, fax or mail their bios and photo to: New Pittsburgh Courier 315 E. Carson St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Fax: 412-481-1360 email: egaines@newpittsburghcourier.com JOHN BALDRIDGE, a resident, enjoying the concert.
(To have items listed on the Church Circuit, send information at least two weeks in advance to: 315 E. Carson St., Pittsburgh, PA 15219; Fax: 412-481-1360 or e-mail: newsroom@newpittsburghcourier. com.)
PEOPLE
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
Red CARpet raises $400K to fight Autism The epic evening began with a champagne and cocktail reception, then a ribbon cutting, followed by the check presentation. Guests enjoyed complimentary valet parking, champagne and cocktails, a savory strolling dinner, while topping the night off with deserts and dancing among breathtaking automobiles. All sorts of luxury vehicles filled the venue: Mercedes, Jaguar, Bentley, Ford, Jeep, Chevrolet and more. “Anything for a good cause… count me in. I had a great time,” said DebBIG CHECK—The Red CARpet Premiere’s Pittsburgh Charity event raised $400,000 to fight Autism. (Photos by bie Noreau, one Paige Mitchell) of the guests.
by Paige Mitchell For New Pittsburgh Courier
The Red CARpet Premiere annual Pittsburgh Charity event was held recently at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, where more than a thousand gathered to celebrate a magical evening for a great cause. The event was the opening event of the Pittsburgh International Auto Show which benefited the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Charities (PVGP). “My daughter is Autistic so this event is close to my heart, and its important for me and my wife to be here tonight and be apart of this,” said Joey Porter, former Steelers player and currently a coach. This year’s new presenting sponsor, the Greater Pittsburgh Automobile Dealers Foundation, recently threw one of the biggest parties of the year. The Red CARpet Premiere is the first opportunity to see the exciting line-up of new cars before the show opens up to the public. All proceeds from ticket sales and sponsorship will directly benefit
the PVGP Charities. “A great night, for a great cause,” Charlie Batch said. Last year an estimated grand total of $360,000 was raised for charity, but this year the record was broken. A check was presented in the amount of $400,000 to benefit the Autism Society of Pittsburgh and Allegheny Valley Schools. Raising $40,000 more than the previous year. “My platform, Digging For Diamonds, is used to help students reach their full potential. I strongly advocate for the creation of opportunities, knowledge, and research in Autism,” Miss Pennsylvania Ashley Schmider said. “We are excited to unite the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix and the Pittsburgh International Auto Show to bring car enthusiasts together for two great events with proceeds from each benefiting Autism Society of Pittsburgh and Allegheny Valley School,” said Lisa Mason Eck, director of Charitable Events for the Greater Pittsburgh Automobile Dealers Foundation.
ONE OF MANY CLASSIC CARS FEATURED AT THE SHOW
Rogers appointed to Vidocq Society Pittsburgh resident, Gregory Rogers, J.D., was recently appointed as Special Member of the Vidocq Society, which focuses on unsolved deaths and, in certain cases, disappearances. Rogers is currently a professor of criminal justice and intelligence studies, and the director of intelligence and national security program, both at Point Park University. For more than 30 years, Rogers served in the Office of Protective Services, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Marshal Service and U.S. Customs Service and he was a founding member of the Department of Homeland Security. He has also worked around the globe enforcing International Trade Sanctions, embargoes and laws, and served as a national program manager and as a senior special agent/attorney advisor in Covert Operations.
GREGORY ROGERS
of Excellence. “Everyone must find a capacity in which they can serve, because we all benefit from society. I am humbled that such an organization as the Vidocq Society In 2014, Rogers was hon- recognized my lifetime of ored as one of the New work and gave it worth and Pittsburgh Courier’s Men recognition,” said Rogers.
MARCH 2-8, 2016
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Panera-Covelli MLK winner
JOHNTE JACKSON-THOMAS was one of the winners in the Panera Breads-Covelli Enterprises Martin Luther King Jr. high school writing contest and leadership awards, held recently. The 8th grader placed second with his essay, “The time is always right to do what is right.” (Photo by J.L. Martello)
New Pittsburgh Courier
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ENTERTAINER MARCH 2-8, 2016
www.newpittsburghcourier.com
Blues powerhouse singer Copeland promises ‘Before I to take August Wilson Center stage by storm Cover To Cover
Forget’
by Genea L. Webb For New Pittsburgh Courier
by Terri Schlichenmeyer For New Pittsburgh Courier
You can’t remember what you came into the room for. That happens with disturbing frequency. Forgetting your glasses, losing your keys, it really bothers you because you’re not sure if it’s a normal part of aging or something else. And in the new book “Before I Forget” by B. Smith & Dan Gasby with Michael Shnayerson, the worry isn’t yours alone. For most of her life, B. Smith was a whirlwind of activity. She was a model, and had her own line of household goods, TV shows, and restaurants she co-owned with her husband, Dan Gasby. She was known for her sense of style and her elegance. And then, a few years ago, something uncharacteristic began to happen: the woman who was put together, inside and out, began to display emotional outbursts, use inappropriate language, and her fash-
ion sense faltered. Her memory faded until it frightened the couple and they sought help. Smith, as it turned out, had mild-stage Alzheimer’s. A take-charge kind of guy, Gasby did his research. “Some 5.2 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s,” he says; half a million people die of it every year. Perhaps due to higher rates of diabetes and heart disease, it hits the black community the hardest: by age 85, “half of all African Americans have it.” Knowing the facts can be empowering, but they don’t make dealing with the disease any easier. Smith lost things constantly; “hoarded” clothing, to Gasby’s irritation; and, though she was previously fastidious, ignored sloppiness. She shut family out physically and friends, emotionally. Longago recollections were sharp, but her short-term memory was all but lost. When things got worse and Smith was inadvertently put in a dangerous situation, the family found expert advice, only to learn that there was little they could do. Alzheimer’s has no cure. It can barely be “managed.” They would just have to deal with the day-to-day challenges and learn to cope… Of his wife, and their plans one day, author Dan Gasby says, “She sits…at the breakfast table, the love of my life, waiting quietly for me to tell her what to do.” Is there a sentence more heartbreaking than that? I don’t think so, and you’d be likewise hard-pressed to find a book that will affect you more than “Before I Forget.” Would you blame anyone if you saw a pity-party in this book? Probably not, but there’s no whining in Gasby’s words, nor will you find “poor me” in what B. Smith contributes (with Michael Shnayerson). Instead, there’s resignation here; a we’ll-getthrough-this wrapped in a love story that gets more and more poignant as the story progresses. (“Before I Forget” by B. Smith & Dan Gasby with Michael Shnayerson, foreword by Rudolph Tanzi, PhD, c.2016, Harmony Books, $25/$33 Canada, 322 pages.)
Blues singer Shemekia Copeland believes that people enjoy going out and listening to great music and that’s exactly what Pittsburgh fans will get when she performs at the August Wilson Center for African American Culture, Friday, March 4. “I’m excited about performing at the August Wilson Center,” said Copeland.” It’ll be nice to perform in a different venue in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is such a great town and the fans there are great.” Copeland tore the roof of off Club Cafe in October to promote her eighth album “Outskirts of Love,” which was released in September on Alligator Records. The album was nominated for a Best Blues Album Grammy Award. Produced by Oliver Wood and Executive Produced by John Hahn, “Outskirts of Love” boasts guests artists Robert Randolph on Steel Guitar, Billy Gibbons on guitar and Alvin Youngblood Hart on guitar and vocals. “This album is my greatest achievement. We’re really enjoying touring with this record. The fans are still loving it. The fans are why we do this. If it wasn’t for the fans we wouldn’t be able to do this. We’re blessed to do what we do. If it wasn’t for the fans you’d be the best singer in the world...in the shower.” Copeland comes from a musical family. Her father was Texas blues guitarist and singer Johnny Copeland. She was born in Harlem and her father recognized her musical talent early in is daughter’s life. He encouraged her to sing at home and brought her on stage to sing at the Cotton Club when she was eight years old. When she was 15 and her father’s health began to fail, Copeland
SHEMEKIA COPELAND knew she was born to sing. A Year later she began joining her father on his tours. She began opening—and sometimes stealing—the show. She recalls that her father would go out and do gigs so she could gain notoriety. She stepped out of her father’s shadow in 1998 with her first CD,”Turn the Heat
Up.” She followed that up with her Grammy-nominated “Wicked.” “The Soul Truth” followed 2005’s Dr. Johnproduced “Talking to Strangers.” In that time she earned eight Blues Music Awards, a myriad of Living Blues Awards including Blues Artist of the Year in 2010. In 2012 she released
the Grammy-nominated record, “33 1/3.” Also that year she performed at the White House for the President and Mrs. Obama. She performed with Mick Jagger who sent her a bottle of Champagne afterward. Copeland has perfumed with great singers includ-
ing Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Buddy Guy and Carlos Santana. She has opened for the Rolling Stones and has entertained U.S. troops in Iraq and Kuwait. Copeland’s amazing talent and down-to-earth personality are why she has been chosen to perform at the August Wilson Center. “The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has a reputation for presenting artists of all backgrounds and has a long, dedicated track record of presenting the African diaspora in all genres,” said Janis Burley Wilson, Vice President Strategic Partnership and Community Engagement and Director of Jazz Programs at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. “Musicians, orators, dancers, visual artists, singers etc. This is nothing new for us we’ve been doing this work for a long time. The intimate setting of the August Wilson Center lends well to the experience we’d like to create for the audience. Blues was an important aspect of August Wilson’s work and we plan to present Blues artists when the opportunity presents itself.” Copeland’s energy-packed shows leave the fans, which she readily interacts with after each performance, awe-struck. “We really love what we’re doing and we love entertaining the people and that’s who we do it for and we’re very excited to come back to Pittsburgh. It’s very cool,” said Copeland who tours London, Amsterdam and Switzerland after Pittsburgh. “Blues fans are all over the world. They really support the music and that’s great. It’s music for your soul. There’s music that makes you dance and music that makes you laugh and music that makes you cry and music that makes you feel a way that you don’t even know how you feel and then there’s the Blues that makes you feel like all those things all at once.”
Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts finds the ‘Blue’ note by Kevin Amos For New Pittsburgh Courier
Blue note: In jazz and blues, a blue note (also “worried” note) is a note that—for expressive purposes—is sung or played at a slightly different pitch than standard. Typically the alteration is a between a quartertone and a semitone, but this varies among performers and genres. Jeff “Tain” Watts is above the fray. He is slightly different than most drummers and he most definitely stands out. From his early days with Wynton Marsalis and his quintet to present times, this six-time Grammy award winning songwriter, actor, bandleader and record label owner has always stood out swinging hard and walking to a different beat. It has been a
DAVID BUDWAY Piano
JEFF ‘TAIN’ WATTS Drums long way from his humble Pittsburgh beginnings in the Hill District, to North Versailles and Crestas Terrace, East Allegheny High School to Duquesne University and then to Berkley College in Boston. His big brother James worked at Flo’s Records in Oakland. James turned on this young DJ to all kinds of sounds. Jeff was also turned on to a whole new world of artists like John Coltrane and Frank Zappa. The search for that “Blue” note was on. The soundtrack of the music of our lives included, James Brown, the Jackson Five , Earth, Wind and Fire as well as numerous others added to that funkiness
that Jeff developed as a drummer. In addition, that Pittsburgh drumming legacy, that unique groove has been influential. Jeff’s versatility not only comes from the influences mentioned but also from earlier training in Classical percussion at Duquesne University. The stars also just happened to be in alignment when he met Wynton Marsalis and his brother Branford. It was like this meeting was meant to be. While in Boston, “Tain” was also meeting many of the young players of the day. Each and every one of them have been instrumental in the current shaping of this music we know as Jazz. His
role as a sideman has also driven the rhythm section in the bands of the Tonight Show, Alice Coltrane, Geri Allen, George Benson, Jerry Gonzalez, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis and Mc Coy Tyner just to mention a few. This hard work has resulted in six Grammy Awards and numerous awards as Best Drummer. In 2006 Jeff established Dark Key Music, his own record label. He explains that, “The main thing about this label is I can write music and I can put it out when I want to put it out.” Maintaining complete control this has resulted in four releases so far. His latest release is “Blue, Vol.1” an excursion with his current touring band and guests such as Christian McBride, Frank McComb and Mark Whitfield. The nine selections include seven original
compositions, a Thelonious Monk tune (Brilliant Colors) and a song written by Max Roach / Oscar Brown Jr. (Driva Man). Brilliant Colors features some outstanding work by fellow Pittsburgher David Budway on piano and tenor sax man Troy Roberts. Other standout cuts are “Farley Strange”, “Flip and Dip” and ‘Brainlifter”. Two vocal tunes include Ku-umba Frank Lacy on “Driva Man and the phenomenal Frank McComb on “May 15, 2011”. Gregory Maret is featured on harmonica on “Faux Paul” as well as two other compositions by Jeff. Jeff Watts continues to carry the torch of Pittsburgh Jazz drummers and showing us the “blue note” though his great work. To find out more about Jeff ‘Tain” Watts go to: http://www.tainish.com/.
TROY ROBERTS Saxophone
TERRY CABRERA Bass
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February Thursday 3 Great Performances The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents “Great Performances: Teenie Harris Archive” at the August Wilson Center, BNY Mellon Gallery, 980 Liberty Ave., Cultural District. The veteran film and television actor Bill Nunn curates the “Great Performances: Teenie Harris” exhibit that documents notable events and Black daily life for over six decades through Harris’ photography. It’s one of the most celebrated for being the most detailed record of the Black experience of the 20th century. The exhibit runs through March 25. For more information, call 412-456-6666.
Idia’Dega Exhibit Casey Droege presents Idia’Dega at The Residence at 310312 Sampsonia Way, North Side. This is a multimedia eco-fashion exhibition of solo and collaborative work with OMWA: Olorgesailie Maasai Women Artisans of Kenya. For more information, visit www.idiadega.com.
Friday 4 Jazz at Andys Andys Wine Bar at the Fairmont Pittsburgh Hotel presents Jazz at Andys from 5-12 a.m. at 510 Market St., Downtown. The evening will feature its Vinyl Fridays Happy Hour with DJ Malls spinning the vinyl from 5-7:30 p.m., followed by a musical performance by Tania Grubbs. It is open to the public. For more information, visit www.andyswinebar.com.
Shemekia Copeland The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents Shemekia Copeland at 8 p.m. at the August Wilson Center, 980 Liberty Ave., Cultural District. The daughter of the late legendary bluesman Johnny Clyde Copeland, Shemekia Copeland embodies blues music and gives power to every tune she belts out. For more information, call 412-456-6666.
Saturday 5 B.U.S. II Play Festival Bricolage Production Company presents the B.U.S. (Bricolage Urban Scrawl) II annual fundraiser and play festival from 6-11 p.m. at the August Wilson Center, 980 Liberty Ave., Cultural District. This two-day event, March 4-5, features a collaboration between 40 local theatre artists to develop six 10-minute plays in 24 hours. The event includes a VIP reception and live actor exhibition at Bricolage, and a VIP Gala and silent auction, performances and a post show toast and “jam” at the August Wilson Center. For more information, call 412-471-0999 or visit www.bricolagepgh.org.
Sunday 6 George Gist The Hill House Association presents its “Artist of the Week: George Gist” from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Hill House, 1825 Centre Ave., Hill District. Gist is a professional portraitist, muralist, jazz musician and more whose works will be featured as a part of the Hill House’s “28 Days” which celebrates arts and cultural in the Hill District. This will be the last day that the exhibit will be shown. For more information, visit www.hillhouse.org.
Monday 7 Savoy Jazz Savoy Restaurant presents Savoy Jazz Mondays from 5-9 p.m. at 2623 Penn Ave., Strip District. Every Monday guests can enjoy live jazz in a sophisticated atmosphere by some of the city’s most talented jazz performers. The attire is business casual. For more information, call 412-2810660 or visit www.savoypgh.com.
Tuesday 8 JazzLive The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents JazzLive at 5 p.m. at the Backstage Bar at Theater Square, 655 Penn Ave., Cultural District. Every Tuesday, guests can enjoy a free live jazz series that showcases some of the region’s finest jazz musicians. Kenny Blake will be the featured entertainer. For more information, call 412-4566666 or visit www.trustarts.org.
Wednesday 9 Wednesday Night Live The Rivers Club presents its Wednesday Night Live Jazz Supper Club from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Rivers Club, One Oxford Centre, 301 Grant St., Downtown. Every Wednesday, the Rivers Club will host local jazz artists along with a Jimmy G’s Jazz Buffett. The attire requested is business casual. Reservations are requested. For more information, call 412-391-5227 or www.riversclub.weebly.com.
MARCH 2-8, 2016
ARTS & CULTURE
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‘Voices From the Hill’ book launching by Renee P. Aldrich For New Pittsburgh Courier
Fifty years and counting. On Feb. 26, the Hill House Association continued celebrating 50 years of service to the Hill District. More than 150 folks made their way to the Elsie Hillman Auditorium to take part in a formal reception and book launching. The publication, “Voices From the Hill: A Celebration of the Hill House,” a commissioned piece written by author Addy Mendelson, is a compilation of quotes, commentaries, photos and an historical overview of the service of the Hill House Association from it’s early days as a receiving place for immigrants coming into this city to the creation of Shop ‘n Save. The gathering, opened with traditional mixing and mingling with lively chatter, and clinking of glasses and waiters sprinkled strategically around the dimmed auditorium serving guests a variety of sumptuous hors d’oeuvres prepared by catering company, Bistro To Go. President and CEO Cheryl Hall-Russell, in her speech, gave an historical overview, and acknowledged the major players in the development of the Hill House Association. This included the past presidents; listing the milestones and accomplishments down through the years, including the Heldman plaza/The Shop ‘n Save; and the presence of the Hill House Passport Academy Charter School. She described the origin of the Hill House as follows: “The Hill House was born when three longstanding community organizations, the Irene Kaufmann Settlement House, which later became the Anna B. Heldman Center, the Soho Community House and Hill City Youth Municipality merged in 1964. The new organization, the Hill House Association, was created with two distinct missions in mind; to become the “one-stop shop” for community based social services, and to partner with other stakeholders to catalyze economic growth through the building of homes.” There were next brief presentations from Sala Udin, William Isler, a former board member, and Qui Ante Anderson, a student who traveled with the group to Ireland last year. Udin shared that as a child, the Irene Kaufmann Center—better known as the “IKC”—was, among other things, a place where they received manhood training. He explained, “I know for certain that my involvement with the IKE saved my life, because many of the guys around the Hill, who didn’t come to the IKE weren’t around once we got in our mid 20’s or so.” Isler spoke of the capital campaign, making special note of Mary Walker’s contribution and indicating
PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER—From left: Jeff Anderson, COO of Hill House Association; Cheryl HallRussell, executive director; and Emmai Alaquiva. (Photo courtesy of Clyde Allen Photography) that she was one of the largest contributors to the capital campaign. “The leaders that came together to start this organization were people who looked for solutions, and did not get blocked by obstacles. “This is an Agency that has never ever failed this community.” Qui Ante, a senior at CAPA High School, shared, “because of the Hill House Association, I had the opportunity to take the a trip that would change my life for ever.” The evening highlight was the short film release that captured the contents of the book. The film, directed by Emmai Alaquiva of Yamomzhouse, gave voice to the book and featured many Hill District notables from the early days as well as new contributors to the legacy. They include Carl Redwood
Jr.; Sala Udin; Terri Baltimore, director of Neighborhood Engagement at Hill House Association; Evan Fraizer, former president; LaKeisa Wolf, executive director of the Ujaama Collective; Michael Freeland Sr., son of Wendell Freeland; just to name a few. Hall-Russell closed the program by inviting everyone to stay and continue to mix and mingle. The guests who had made reservations to attend, received a complimentary book before their departure. Alaquiva says of this project, “This night has been nothing short of an electric high; I’m honored to have been able to direct this film; to help showcase this book launch—we need to keep telling the stories from this iconic community.” Catherine Skolnicki, producer from Yamomzhouse
Studios and who worked on this project with Alaquiva, says of her involvement, “Being involved in this film was special for me, first because I met so many people that have been invested in the Hill District—and it’s been
a privilege to be a part of the making of such a commemorative piece that will become part of the Legacy of this community.” Michael Freeland, whose father, the late Wendell Freeland, was one of the original fundraisers for Hill House Association, shared his emotional response to the film by saying, “One of the reasons this celebration is so important is there are not enough community anchors anymore—so it is always good when one sustains life in Pittsburgh and continues to make It’s mark; watching it and realizing how much of an impact it had on my life, brought me to my tears.” Edwin L. Lee, director of the Kaufmann Center, shared, “Tonight was intended to not only be an historical overview and celebration of that past, but to also reflect our hope of continuing what we do, which is bringing together community around activities that will create new bonds…there is much more on the horizon for Hill House Association.” UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh were sponsors of this event, which is part of the Kaufmann Center’s “28 Days” program of events.
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MARCH 2-8, 2016
PEOPLE
KAI ROBERTS looks forward to working in the music business. (Photo by Jacqueline McDonald)
Generation NEXT: Kai Roberts, 2015 CMU grad, becomes an agent for change by Renee P. Aldrich For New Pittsburgh Courier
Kai Roberts, a 2015 graduate from Carnegie Mellon University, has always been a seeker of excellence. This has resulted in a history of being an honor and high honor student from his time at Pittsburgh Phillips Elementary School to Frick International Studies Academy (ISA) Middle School to Schenley High School. While still in high school, he got involved in the Saturday Arts Greenhouse, a hip-hop music education program on the CMU campus that serves Pittsburgh teens through music technology classes, music recording projects, hip-hop performances and workshops on special topics relating to the hip-hop genre. “I learned so much on those Saturdays, met so many mentors,” Roberts says. “I never thought I’d be one of the instructors in a few short years.” He was originally in the CMU engineering program, but by his sophomore year he decided to pursue music. This was not surprising, as he comes from a musical family. “My mother has a fabulous voice,” Roberts explains. “My dad used to DJ on the side, and my brother and I would sometimes help out, plus I sang in the Schenley (High School) Boys Barbershop Quartet and with the Madrigal Vocal Ensemble, directed by Rick Finkelstein. “I knew this was my passion, plus my interest in music production started in sixth grade, but I did not have the opportunity to learn about it until ninth grade when I entered the Arts Greenhouse,” Roberts continues. Interested in the business
side of music, Roberts changed his major and graduated at age 23 with a degree in business administration, with a focus on marketing and a minor in engineering. During the autumn of his junior year, the stress of Roberts’ school schedule, his outside business, being a resident advisor on campus and maintaining his hiphop artistry caused him to develop extreme anxiety and depression. This resulted in a series of trips to the emergency room and visits to the campus health center. “I had no idea what was going on,” he shares. “Finally someone from the health center suggested that my symptoms could be due to anxiety.” His condition got so severe that he had to step back from school for the rest of that semester. His approach to his illness was to learn all he could by investing the time, energy and effort on finding out about mental health disorders. “I was shocked to find out how common this was and right then, I knew that I wanted find a way to increase awareness and inform others,” Roberts says. His father, Blair Roberts, a University of Pittsburgh employee, and mother, Yolanda Roberts, a City of Pittsburgh police officer, were very supportive. “I told my son that there is nothing to be ashamed of when things fall apart, especially when he was doing all the things he was doing and doing them all well,” says his mother. “We let him know that we were there for him and would support whatever he needed to get through this.” Upon his return to school, Roberts immediately approached Student Affairs
administrators about the possibility of conducting information sessions and conversations about the prevalence of anxiety and depression on college campuses. “I just wanted to share my story so no one would be blindsided the way I was,” Roberts says. “I wanted to come up with a creative way to do this; it was clear to me that music was a way to do it.” Roberts turned his personal challenge into an opportunity to become an agent for change. He received authorization to host the “Carnegie Café Conversations” and produced a full-length, hip-hop album, which he aptly titled “Carnegie Café,” that addresses his college experience along with his story. The album is digitally distributed, and Roberts was awarded funding from CMU’s Student Affairs so it could be distributed among the students at the information sessions. Additionally, he joined the Active Minds Speakers Bureau, a mental health advocacy group at CMU and other campuses nationwide that works to increase students’ awareness of mental health issues, provides information and resources regarding mental health and mental illness, and encourages students to seek help as soon as it is needed. Roberts’ brilliant smile and the gleam in his eyes do not reflect his former challenges with anxiety, but rather a man excited about his future. “I’m ready to transition from college life to the real world, and while there are still a few stressors and emotionally I’ve been better, I’m still passionate about my music, about helping others, and about the next steps in my life.”
Each month in the New Pittsburgh Courier, McAuley Ministries will sponsor an article highlighting the positive contributions of an African American youth—male or female. We welcome community members to suggest a young person to feature in this monthly column. Criteria include: • Youth and young adults, ages 12-23 • Documented evidence of leadership or achievement in community service/volunteerism; leadership or achievement in their classroom/school; creativity as an artist, musician, dancer or filmmaker; success as an entrepreneur; leadership in advocating for social justice and equity; and/or achievement in corporate or nonprofit arenas • A resident of Allegheny County. Readers who would like to suggest a youth for this feature should email GenNext@ pmhs.org.
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Hyundai appoints Ernie Raphael to lead Genesis USA
Watch out for phishy emails during tax season by Bree Fowler AP Technology Writer
NEW YORK (AP)—It’s tax time, so you’d better think twice before clicking on that link in your email inbox. What may look like a legitimate communication from your bank, human resources department or email provider may actually be part of a scheme designed to steal the confidential information stored in your computer, or to gain access to the network it’s attached to. Experts warn that tax season is a prime time for this brand of fraud known as “phishing,” with hackers out to steal your information in hopes of using it to file a false tax return. Phishing emails remain one of the top causes of data breaches. While people are more aware of their danger than ever before, the lures continue to evolve and increase in sophistication, making it tough for the average person to discern which emails are legitimate and which ones aren’t. Here are a few answers to common questions about phishing: WHY IS IT SO BAD THIS TIME OF YEAR? Phishing peaks during tax season, partially because it’s a time of year that many people are accustomed to entering their most personal information—such as their Social Security number or bank account information— on websites, Satnam Narang, senior security-response manager for security software maker Symantec, says. Hackers can use that information to file false tax returns and steal a refund This year is no exception. Earlier this month, the IRS said that it stopped an attack on the e-filing portion of its website. Hackers tried to use a combination of malware and 464,000 Social Security numbers that had been stolen elsewhere to generate PIN numbers that could be used to file fraudulent returns. No taxpayer data was stolen from the IRS computer systems as a result of the hack. Phishing also spikes around Christmas, with attacks in the form of fake delivery notifications. Thieves also often tie phishing emails to major sporting events, or natural disasters like overseas earthquakes, says Raj Samani, chief technology officer for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Intel Security. “They’re very much up with the latest news and information,” Samani says. “If they can spend a little more time and get a 0.1 percent increase in clickthroughs, then their campaign becomes hugely more profitable and successful.” WHAT’S THE DIFERENCE BETWEEN PHISHING AND SPEAR FISHING? Narang likens phishing to a person casually throwing a rod in a lake and waiting for a bite. Phishing emails SEE WATCH C2
FIRESIDE CHA—From left to right: Journalist Navarrow Wright, John Thompson of Microsoft and Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. speak during a “fireside chat” at the Wall Street Project Economic Summit in New York City. (Margot Jordan/RPC)
Jackson pushes for diversity
ERWIN RAPHAEL is the new general manager for Genesis Motors USA. Raphael is also the co-chair of Hyundai’s Diversity Council. (Hyundai Motor America)
by Jarvis Stewart
Sets sights on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley by Don Terry Special to the NNPA News Wire
(NNPA)—NEW YORK CITY—At the Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s recently concluded 19th annual Wall Street Project Economic Summit there was something for anyone concerned about fighting for racial and economic justice in corporate America. There were titans of tech and powerful politicians, investors and inventors, sports legends and music stars—from opera to hip-hop—foreign ambassadors and big city mayors, shameful statistics and news to keep hope alive. The three-day summit, which advocates that the resources and board rooms of Wall Street and Silicon Valley be opened to Black businesses and other minority groups who have been locked out, started on Feb. 16 with news that the Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s hard work is paying off. It was announced that Apple is including African American, Latino and disabled veteran-owned financial services firms in a whopping $10 billion to $12 billion debt offering. Reverend Jesse Jackson, founder and president of the Coalition, praised the deal and the company, saying that Apple is continuing to show “tremendous leadership” in the movement to “democratize capital.” Indeed, since Rainbow PUSH intensified its campaign in 2014 to open up and diversify Silicon Valley, Apple has included African American, Latino and diverse firms as underwriters in three consecutive debt offerings. Castle Oak, Loop Capital, Ramirez & Co., and Drexel Hamilton are part of the Apple offering. “When there is inclusion, there is growth and where there is growth, everybody wins,” Rev. Jackson said. “It’s just good business.” Despite the good news out of Silicon Valley, Rev. Jackson cautioned, “we have a long way to go.” “We brag about the new smart device that we use, but Facebook does not have one African American or Latino on its board,” he said. “Twitter does not have one. Our communities are barren, because we don’t
Special to the NNPA News Wire from IR+Media
have access to capital. When they lock us out, it’s like a one-eyed quarterback. They only see half the field.” Slowly, the whole field is coming into view. Over the past year, with constant pressure from the Coalition’s PUSHTech2020 initiative, nine debt deals in the tech world have broken the color-line in what Chicagobased investor, philanthropist and longtime summit supporter, John Rogers, has called “a Jackie Robinson moment.” Apple, HP, Intel, Qualcomm and Microsoft (which has over the years excelled at minority inclusion in their financial transactions) have all had such moments. Microsoft Chairman John W. Thompson, a graduate of Florida A&M, a historically Black university, was honored at the summit’s gala dinner and joined tech-journalist and entrepreneur, Navarrow Wright, and Rev. Jackson in a fireside chat about Thompson’s climb from IBM salesman to tech titan. Sheila C. Johnson, founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts and cofounder of Black Entertainment Television, and Bernard J. Tyson, Chairman and CEO, Kaiser Permanente, were also honored at the gala, which ended with the sublime sounds of Philip Bailey, lead singer and original member of Earth, Wind & Fire. There were panels on financial education, reconnecting and sustaining the relationship between Wall Street and historically black colleges and universities, panels featuring urban mayors and policy leaders. During his panel, the mayor of Detroit, Mike Duggan, thanked Rev. Jackson for helping to secure $2 billion in federal funds for blight removal and neighborhood reconstruction in more than a dozen states. There were sessions on healthcare disparities, the business of Hip Hop and two panels about the vast resources and business opportunities for African Americans in Africa. “We must expand the exchange between Africa and African Americans,” Rev. Jackson said, but not just to make money. “We must go to serve,” he said. “Power comes
(NNPA)—Hyundai Motor America president and chief executive officer David L. Zuchowski announced this week Erwin Raphael, has been appointed to General Manager for Genesis Motors USA. Last November Hyundai’s worldwide ViceChairman Chung Eui-Sun, announced the company would be launching Genesis, globally, as an independent luxury brand of Hyundai. Industry insiders expect Genesis will be heavy competition for Lexus, Mercedes-Benz and BMW in the U.S. market. As General Manager of the newly formed organization, Raphael will be responsible for the strategic direction and management of Genesis operations in the United States, including sales and marketing. This summer, he will oversee the introduction of the Genesis G90, a sleek, new large luxury sedan that has been awarded 5star ratings for safety and design. Raphael will assume his duties March 1, 2016. Consumers recently got a peek of the brand’s creative marketing strategy during the 2016 Super Bowl with a commercial featuring comedian Kevin Hart. USA Today’s Ad Meter awarded the commercial this year’s best. “The position of Genesis General Manager is a critical one to the growth of this brand in the United States and I couldn’t be happier to have Erwin take this key position,” said Zuchowski. “Erwin’s depth of product knowledge, broad dealer experience and skill at flawless execution all will be called upon as he drives success for this new brand,” he said. Raphael has been at Hyundai for the last six years, serving in various roles. Most recently he was the Western Region Director and General Manager for Hyundai Motor
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Payday lending supporters attack CFPB, as RICO charges filed against top industry leaders For years deceptive and predatory lenders have bilked millions of trusting consumers from their hard-earned monies, while consumer advocates have fought back for fair and transparent lending. On Feb. 11, another contentious round of exchanges on debt-trap lending occurred on Capitol Hill. Unlike previous forums, however, this one came with an open bias. A subcommittee of House Financial Services, held a hearing named, “Short-term, Small Dollar Lending: the CFPB’s [Consumer Financial Protection Bureau] Assault on Access to Credit and Trampling of State and Tribal Sovereignty”. With a title like that, the presumption of objectivity took a holiday. Committee members and most panelists criticized the consumer protection agency for proposing rules to rein in abusive practices in the payday loan market. “I find it offensive that you would say that people aren’t smart enough to make decisions for themselves,” said Rep. Mia Love of Utah, believed to be the first Black representative in Congress from the state. Subcommittee colleagues who spoke after Rep. Love ironically asked questions that suggested they did not understand how the payday loan industry works. For example, many talked about meeting the needs of the ‘unbanked’ when payday lenders do not make loans to these consumers. A payday lender is assured that a borrower will repay monies loaned due to their direct access to borrowers’ bank accounts. By being first in line to be repaid, little is left to pay for food,
rent, utilities and tions of both the other household liv- Charlene Crowell Truth in Lending ing expenses. Act (TILA) and Rep. Keith Ellison Racketeer Influof Minnesota, one of enced and Corrupt a few voices for fair Organization Act, lending rules later more commonly remarked, “If the Fiknown as RICO. nancial Services The criminal indictCommittee and this ment alleges that Congress want to the two ran a $2 bilhelp the unbanked, let’s have that conver- lion payday business in violation of state sation. But providing misleading cover for laws that capped interest rates on loans. predatory lenders will not help the un- The loan rates offered by Tucker and Muir banked. It will hurt those fighting to stay in were as high as 700 percent and affected the financial mainstream.” over 4.5 million consumers from at least More defense of the payday industry came 1997 to 2013. from Indiana Attorney General Greg Additionally, because the payday lending Zoeller and Dennis Shaul, chief executive monies are held in bank accounts owned by officer of the Community Financial Ser- the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, a Native vices Association of America. Both defended American tribe, the tribal corporation the industry and their so-called ‘best prac- agreed to forfeit $48 million. The non-prostices’ that have turned a blind eye to ecution agreement between the tribe and lenders’ triple-digit interest rates that in- DOJ also acknowledges that a tribal repreevitably trap financially vulnerable borrow- sentative filed false factual declarations in ers into long-term debt. multiple state court actions. “CFSA member companies are licensed If convicted on the charges of conspiring and regulated, and they adhere to a code of to collect unlawful debts in violation of Best Practices,” said Shaul. RICO, the two defendants would face a If all of these claims were true, there maximum term of 20 years in prison. Both would have been no need for the Depart- would also forfeit the proceeds and propment of Justice to indict and arrest a pay- erty derived from the alleged crimes inday lender just one day before the hearing. cluding bank accounts, homes, an airplane Scott Tucker, operator of one of the na- and automobiles. tion’s largest internet payday loan enterJust as consumers rely upon other federal prises and Timothy Muir, his lawyer, were agencies to protect the public from harmful charged and arrested on Feb. 10 with viola- products like pharmaceuticals, tainted
Commentary
food, or water, the nation’s financial health can and should be a national concern. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act created CFPB to do just that. The lone hearing panel member to speak in support of consumers and against payday lenders was Dallas’ Rev. Dr. Freddie Haynes, III. In a Dallas community, where 20 payday and auto-title loan stores were located within a five-mile radius of his and other local churches, Dr. Haynes shared how his congregation at Friendship-West Baptist Church now holds a federal credit union charter. The credit union offers “Liberty Loans”, up to $500 in value on six month terms and at an annual interest rate of 28 percent. After several years’ experience making these micro-loans, not a single borrower has defaulted on this lending alternative. Commenting on Dr. Hayes’ communitybased efforts, Rachel Anderson, CRL’s Director of Faith Affairs said, “Many churches do step in with affordable loans and other kinds of support to struggling households but these are a complement to, not a substitute for, just regulation of this industry,” said Anderson. “We don’t want Jesus to say in the Judgment, ‘I was hungry and thirsty, and you gave me a payday loan,” noted Rev. Haynes. Somebody ought to say ‘amen’. (Charlene Crowell is a communications manager with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.)
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Watch out for phishy emails during tax season CONTINUED FROM C1
don’t contain a lot of specifics, but are quick and easy to send out in mass quantities. “Spear phishing” is much more targeted and personalized. The people behind those attacks spend time researching their targets in order to create highly customized emails that look much more legitimate and are much more likely to be clicked on. The rise of social media has made this a lot easier. Thanks to Facebook and Twitter, details including a person’s place of employment, where they bank, like to shop and the names and ages of their children are just a few clicks away. WHAT OTHER RED FLAGS SHOULD I BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR? In an effort to get more people to click on a link before thinking about the possible consequences, many phishing emails will give an impression of scarcity, or include some kind of time limit. For example, an email made to appear to be from a person’s bank or email provider may state that if that person doesn’t click on the enclosed link within 24 hours, they will be locked out of their account. And while poor English and long, complex web links were previously sure signs of phishing, they’re not as prevalent anymore. Many overseas hackers are no longer using clunky translation websites, because there are fluent English speakers who specialize in translating phishing emails for a fee, Samani says. Meanwhile, it’s become easier to shorten the Web links that direct a people to fake websites, he says. Narang adds that people should be wary of emails purported to be from banks, or other companies they do
business with, but didn’t opt into emails from. He also notes that banks generally don’t include Web links in emails. Those links will likely take a person to a fake website where they will be asked to login and those credentials will ultimately be stolen, he says. And attacks don’t just come in the form of email. They can come as text messages too, with those links often containing viruses, Samani says. IS THERE ANY WAY TO PREVENT A PHISHINGRELATED HACKING? Basic cyberhygiene can go a long way toward preventing a data breach, even if a link in a phishing email gets accidentally clicked on. Using different passwords for different accounts, twofactor authentication and changing passwords frequently all can be a big help. In addition, companies should test their employees by periodically sending out fake phishing emails to see who falls for them, Narang says. And companies need to make sure their security keys are up to date, along with their anti-spam filters, so past bad senders don’t keep getting through, Samani says. “I think common sense goes a considerable long way,” Samani says. He adds that with any email communications, it’s always better to just go straight to the main website of the entity it purports to be from, just to be on the safe side. “I can’t remember the last time I clicked on a link in an email,” Samani says. “I just don’t do it.” (Follow Bree Fowler at https://twitter.com/APBreeFowl er. Her work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/author/b ree-fowler.)
Jackson pushes for diversity CONTINUED FROM C1
through service.” The summit, as it has been for 19 years, was a “networkers” dream-come true. Hundreds of corporate executives, ministers, community activists, college students, minority entrepreneurs and United States Senator Charles Schumer of New York, the third-ranking Democrat in the Senate, attended. The senator joined a distinguished group of panelists – civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, litigator Tricia “CK” Hoffler, Dr. Reatha Clark King, chairman, National Association of Corporate Directors, Janice Mathis, executive director of the National Council of Negro Women and Nancy May, president and CEO, The BoardBench Companies— to discuss corporate board diversity. Senator Schumer said he was “shocked” to learn that 74 of the Fortune 250 com-
panies had no African American board directors. “I was educated here today,” he said. “And I’m glad that I was.” “If you were to ask me,” the senator added, “I’d say by now every company would have one. One thing I’d suggest, maybe through the great work that Rev. Jackson does, I think that should be circulated among the senators. Getting the word out to people who have influence, it would matter to them.” Senator Schumer concluded his remarks by recounting French historian Alexis de Tocqueville’s famous tour of the young Untied States in early 1830’s.Tocqueville said that America was “going to become the greatest country in the world.” “He said there’s only one thing that could do this country in—racism,” Senator Schumer said. “He said it in 1835. It’s as true today as it was then.”
Hyundai appoints Ernie Raphael CONTINUED FROM C1
America where he was responsible for overseeing the operations of more than 165 Hyundai dealerships in the 12 westernmost states. He has held other leadership positions at Chrysler, Toyota Motor Manufacturing and International Truck and Engine Co. “I’m delighted to assume the position of General Manager for the Genesis brand,” said Raphael. “There’s a lot of work to be done to make this brand the success we all know it can be. With the help of a great team, I
know we will exceed expectations.” In addition to his operations roles at Hyundai, Raphael is a founding member and co-chair of Hyundai’s Diversity Council where he advocates for greater dealer diversity, and multicultural marketing. A U.S. Army veteran, Raphael is credited with creating a stronger relationship between Hyundai and veterans returning from combat. He holds undergraduate and advanced degrees from The Ohio State University in math, chemistry and economics.
Pension Workshop
PERFECTING THE BEAT—James Brown, Director of Youth and Family Programs at the Homewood Brushton Y prepares the studio for Lighthouse Project students.
Beacon in the community is ready to expand by Diane I. Daniels For New Pittsburgh Courier
be expanded and have an outside plaza. The fully completed Creative Youth Center according to Y officials will include an equipped music production studio, 75-seat black box theater, a teaching artist lounge for staff to meet and plan lessons, a “maker” classroom equipped for projects such as 3-D printing, wearable technology, circuitry and robotics, an art and design lab with tools for a range of visual and digital arts, including painting, graphic design, fashion design, sculpture and animation, a computer lab, a workforce development center with workstations for individual and group work and a high-tech classroom with flexible configurations. The Y will also offer new programs that cater to older teens and young adults who have aged out of traditional school-age programs. These programs will include group physical fitness programs such as dance, martial arts, stepping, capoeira and other activities. Budding young artists can also take advantage of the Y’s new career readiness programs that will help them find job opportunities in the arts. During the breakfast attended by Y officials, political representatives, Westing-
In the mid 2000’s Prince Matthews had plans to drop out of Westinghouse High School and had contemplated suicide. Numerous deaths had occurred in his family and several friends and people he knew had been shot and killed. “At that time I did not have a meaning in life,” said the 24-year-old. Addressing an audience during last week’s Homewood Brushton YMCA Community Stakeholder Breakfast, Matthews sharing his experience with the Lighthouse Project housed in Westinghouse High School described it as a place that changed his life. As an artist, he said the Lighthouse was a safe haven. “The people in the project did not judge. It was a place where I was wanted. It gave us a space to be ourselves.” Ten years later Matthews is a graduate of Clarion University with a political science degree, he has worked in Harrisburg and is currently employed at the Homewood Children’s Village as well as an entrepreneur. He also is one of the youngest Homewood Brushton YMCA board members. “I am now committed to giving back,” says Matthews. “I have made it my purpose to be a role model.” Because of a grant of more than $1.5 million from the Heinz Endowments, the Homewood Brushton YMCA’s Lighthouse Project at Westinghouse High School will continue to introduce high school students like Matthews to creative arts projects, including digital media arts, filmmaking and visual arts. The funding will enable the Y to undergo a trans- A GREAT PROJECT—Lighthouse alumni Prince Matthews shares his experiences with the Project. (Photos by Diane I. Daniels) formation to become the Crehouse students and community stakeholdative Youth Center. Involved with the project since its incep- ers it was stressed that during the transtion, James Brown, Director of Youth and formation the normal services of the Y will Family Programs is very excited about the not stop or be compromised. It will contransformation. “Moving into the Y will tinue its mission of improving the commuhelp us service more youth enabling us to nities’ health and well-being, providing after-school care and childcare, its comintroduce them to digital media and technology. The artistic form gives them a voice munity outreach, health and fitness, youth and a way to express their selves.” He says counseling and senior assistance. Pleased that the project in 2017 will celethe YMCA is increasing its commitment to the youth within the community. “They see brate its tenth year, Brown calculates that that arts and creativity are central ingre- throughout its history approximately 400 to 500 students have been a part of the Lightdients for youth growth and potential.” A staple in the community for more than house Project. He explained that it came 100 years, the Homewood Bruston Y is con- about by the request of Westinghouse High sidered a bright spot in the neighborhood, School officials in their need of an afterschool dedicated to providing programs that in- program to keep students off the streets. “The program started as an all-encomstill hope and empower change. “Our services are designed to enrich chil- passing recreation center before its digital dren’s lives, to develop self-sufficiency and media focus,” said Brown. Open to any 9th improve academic success,” says Julie Mot- grader enrolled in High School, Brown said ley-Williams Interim Branch Executive participants are involved in the project until their graduation. “Like Prince, we Director. Kevin Bolding, chief operating officer of have a lot of alumni that have attended colthe Y of Greater Pittsburgh in a press re- lege and are doing very well professionally.” A musician and teaching artist by trade lease announcing the Heinz Endowments grant stated. “One of the most urgent Brown originally from Long Island, NY needs in Homewood is for youth develop- earned his Master’s in Musicology from the ment programs that give young people the University of Pittsburgh and majored in hope, motivation and tools they need to sociology at Vassar College. Before gaining find success in life. At the Creative Youth employment at the Y in 2007 he worked as Center, we aim to build a safe, nurturing a music production instructor at the Arts environment that helps young people expe- Greenhouse, an outreach program of rience the deep satisfaction of applying Carnegie Mellon University, where he hard work, knowledge and creativity to taught hip-hop production and social justice to high school students. He is cobring their ideas to life.” Construction on phase one of the new Cre- founder and CEO of Rhyme Calisthenics ative Youth Center, according to Brown is ex- LLC, a hip-hop performance game show pected to begin in early March and com- that received a Sprout Seed Award in 2007 pleted by August for the beginning of the and is an active keyboardist and music 2016-2017 school year as many new students producer. He released his own hip-hop soul will transfer to Westinghouse High School album entitled Fieldwork in 2007. following the closure of Wilkinsburg High A 501c(3) charitable organization, the Y School. The total project consisting of three of Greater Pittsburgh serves more than phases is expected to be completed by 2018. 80,000 different people each year. It works Phase one of the project occurring on the side by side with its neighbors to ensure first floor will consist of a performance café that everyone regardless of age, income or with a small performance stage and high- background, has the opportunity to learn, volume commercial kitchen with a demon- grow and thrive. Along with the main stration area for cooking classes and guest downtown facility, the Homewood Brushchef nights. Outside the urban garden will ton site is one of 19 branches in the area.
MARCH 3—The Small Business Council, along with the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania and the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber, will host “The Pension Time Bomb: Is Your Business Prepared?” at 8 a.m. at the Pittsburgh Marriott North, 100 Cranberry Woods Dr., Cranberry. This session, presented by Pa. Auditor General Eugene DePasquale and state Representative John McGinnis, will teach attendees how unfunded $8 billion municipal and $50 billion state pension liabilities will affect one’s business, and what one can do about it. Registration is required. For more information, call Eileen Anderson at 412342-1606.
Social Media Series MARCH 4—Duquesne University’s Small Business Development Center will host the Social Media Series: Developing a Plan of Attack from 12:30-3:30 p.m. at Duquesne University, Rockwell Hall, 600 Forbes Ave., Oakland. This is the first session in a three-part series that is designed for business-tobusiness and business-to-consumer organizations that want to learn the simple steps for creating a social media plan and the best tools for their specific market. This session will offer an overview of the various social media networks and provide a networking footprint. The next sessions will be March 11 and 18. Registration is required. For more information, call 412-396-1633 or visit www.sbdc.duq.edu/events
The State of the Pittsburgh Economy MARCH 8—The University of Pittsburgh’s Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence and PNC Bank will host “The State of the Pittsburgh Economy” from 7:30-10:30 a.m. at The Tower at PNC Plaza, James E. Rohr Auditorium, 300 5th Ave., Downtown. This is an in-depth look into a national and regional economic forecast led by PNC’s Stuart Hoffman, followed by insight into investment markets led by Vice President and Senior Relationship Strategist George Emanuele. Registration is required. For more information, email Tara Gerek at tgerek@innovation.pitt.edu.
Business Leaders Breakfast MARCH 11—The Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship will host its Women Business Leaders Breakfast Series from 7:309:30 a.m. at Chatham University, James Laughlin Music Center, Woodland Road, Shadyside. Facilitator Arlinda Moriarty will speak on the topic, “Knocking Down Barriers to Build a Business.” Moriarty, president and CEO of Moriarty Consultants Inc., has overcome barriers to become the founder of ten businesses. She will discuss how she did it. Registration is required. For more information, visit www.chatham.edu/cwe/events.
MyBusiness Growth Series MARCH 16—The Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Chatham University will host its MyBusiness Growth Series at 9 a.m. at Chatham University, Woodland Rd., Shadyside. The topic is “Building Your Business and Protecting Your Brand: Legal Issues for Growing Businesses.” Facilitators Lisa Goddy, Esq., Tracy Zihmer, Esq., Karen Anspaugh, Esq., Kathleen Kuzhicki, Esq., and Kristy Kochosky, Esq. will discuss risk management, legal structure, brand protection for growing businesses, and more. Registration is required. For more information, visit www.chatham.edu/cwe
PowerBreakfast Meeting MARCH 18—The African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania will host its PowerBreakfast Meeting from 7:30-9:00 a.m. at One Oxford Centre. 301 Grant St., Downtown. The guest speaker will be Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto. He will discuss his plans on his recent activity to ensure minority and small businesses are included in the city’s economic development plans and activities. Reservations are requested. For more information, call 412392-0610 or email information@aaccwp.com. (To have information on Business Calendar, send information at least two weeks in advance to: 315 E. Carson St., Pittsburgh, PA 15219; Fax: 412-481-1360 or e-mail: newsroom@newpittsburghcourier.com.)
SPORTS New Pittsburgh Courier
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www.newpittsburghcourier.com
ALIQUIPPA celebrates their 2nd straight WPIAL Class AA championship after they defeated Lincoln Park 49-45. (Photos by William McBride)
WPIAL boys & girls basketball Championships GOLDEN GIRLS—From left: Francesca Gould, Torrie Cash, Maia Joiner, and Lexi Griggs, all seniors won their fourth old medal in Vincentian Academy’s 68-54 win over Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic in the WPIAL Class A championship game
BEAVER FALLS players and cheerleaders celebrate their 10th WPIAL championship in school history at Pitt’s Petersen Center
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Undefeated Quips win 12th WPIAL title by Smokin’ Jim Frazier For New Pittsburgh Courier
The fans in Aliquippa have nicknamed him “The Hulk” and let’s be honest, at 6’3” and 225 pounds of solid muscle, Kaezon Pugh is an intimidating figure. He sprints on the court, with his face set in stern mode and is a lion or “Hulk” on the prowl. Pugh has a really mean facial look to him. He makes “Mean Joe” Greene of Coca-Cola commercials and ‘70s Super Bowl fame, seem like Mary Poppins. Pugh, a Pitt football recruit who was the 2015 Pennsylvania Class AA Player of the Year, threw elbows and rip down rebounds and intimidated Lincoln Park (22-4) in Aliquippa’s (25-0) 49-45 victory Saturday at Pitt’s Petersen Event Center. For the fourth time in school history, the Quip won back-to-back WPIAL basketball titles. Other repeats were in 1987-1988, 2003-2004 and 2006-2007. That makes 12 WPIAL titles in all, which ties Aliquippa for second place on the WPIAL’s all-time boys list. Duquesne, which is no longer in existence, also has 12. Farrell, which now competes in PIAA District 10, has the most with 13. Chucky Humphries, who will play at West Liberty next year, is the straw that stirs the drink and the one constant from the beginning of the season. Humphries, who had 17 points and 10 rebounds in the first half, finished the game with 22 points and 18 rebounds and a handful of dunks. Jassir Jordan, senior point guard and leader, had 16 points. “We have some unfinished business. Playing at Aliquippa is one of the best things ever and coming into the season you always want to be better than the team before you. We made it to Heinz Field in football and won the WPIAL and our goal is always to win the WPIAL and states,” said Jordan, football and basketball star. “This year we went down Florida to play in a 7on-7 tournament and Darrelle Revis and Jonathan Baldwin came down and give us a pep talk and we promised them we would win states.” The Quips led 30-14 at intermission but Lincoln Park’s junior guard Nelly Cummings heated up in the second half. Cummings, who started as a freshman in 2014 when Lincoln Park won the WPIAL and PIAA Class A titles, scored a game high 23 points. Cummings, who was an all-state selection in 2015, averages 24 points a game
QUIPS LEADERS—From left: Charles Humphries, Jassir Jordan and Kaezon Pugh. (Photo by William McBride) and fouled out with 39 seconds left. Also fouling out for the Leopards was, Aliquippa resident, Dermotti Welling a 6foot-8 center.
The WPIAL has been crowning football and basketball champions for 103 years. This is only the 16th time that a school has won football and basketball titles in the
same school year. Lincoln Park is a performing arts charter school in Midland which is allowed to enroll students from other school districts. The school is only 6 miles away from Aliquippa and sets up a rivalry and bad blood between the fans. The Aliquippa Quips fans’ end of the game chants to the Leopards fans ‘Get your hat and coat and go”. Bad blood is beginning to boil. “In football we always wanted to play Clairton, but we never got the chance because they were in a smaller class. In basketball we wanted to play Lincoln Park but they were in a lower class. This season Lincoln Park moved up and we were about to silence all the people who said they could beat us,” said Jordan. “I believe in keeping God first and to play high school football and basketball is one of the best things ever and I’m looking forward to playing at the next level. But first I want this state title. We want to win states as an undefeated team and be the first at our school to do it.” Pine-Richland best in a weak WPIAL AAAA year Last year the Rams knocked on the WPIAL championship door and this year they kicked it in. Pine-Richland (20-6) and North Hills (16-9) are Section 3 rivals and split their two-game regular-season series with each winning on the other’s home court. The Rams defeated the Indians 73-50 Saturday night at the Petersen Event Center in the rubber match. Head coach Jeff Ackermann is turning into a basketball guru. Before Pine-Richland, Ackermann was the head coached of Moon for 13 seasons. His teams won three straight WPIAL Class AAA titles (2004-06) and won a PIAA title in 2004. New Castle is the only other WPIAL school in the past 17 years to win three consecutive WPIAL titles. The Rams made it to the WPIAL finals two years in a row and with the growth of the Pine-Richland school district could be a potential dynasty. Andrew Petcash led the team with 23 points and scored the 1,000th point of his career. Alex Goitz scored 14 points, Adam Alexander scored 12 and Phil Jurkovec scored 10 points. North Hills leading scorers were Nick Smith, 19 points, and Ishmael Waldron added 17 points. Pine-Richland will open the PIAA tournament Saturday against Bethel Park. North Hills will face Latrobe.
Vincentian continues to dominate girls hoops by Smokin’ Jim Frazier For New Pittsburgh Courier
For years, coaches have been warning their players that Vincentian’s press defense can upset a game plan in a very crude way. The Vincentian’s girls basketball team was designed to run, and they sprinted pass No.1 seeded Wuerl North Catholic Cardinals (23-3) 68-54 Saturday at Petersen Events Center. Vincentian Academy and North Catholic have combined to win the past eight WPIAL Class A titles, the Royals winning the last four. Saturday was the
schools’ fifth meeting in the WPIAL finals since 2007 and the third this season. Kiersten Elliott led Vincentian (21-4) with 24 points. Lexi Griggs had 16 points, Torrieonna Cash and Marissa Muth both had 10 points. Sam Breen led North Catholic with 22 points before fouling out of the game. The WPIAL championship is Vincentian’s 10th. Coach Ron Moncrief is a motivator and tactician. He is a Robert Morris graduate with experience in sports management and his team is great under pressure. He has won 6
WPIAL championships and 1 state title. North Catholic coach Molly Rottman has five WPIAL titles. The Royals face District 5 third-place finisher Meyersdale in the first round of the PIAA tournament Saturday. North Catholic, on the same day, will face District 10 runner-up Cochranton. Both teams could meet again in the PIAA semifinals. South Fayette wins first WPIAL championship South Fayette, which lost to Blackhawk in last year’s WPIAL Class AAA final, would not be denied again.
Inside Conditions…Rewarding Evil by Aubrey Bruce For New Pittsburgh Courier
NFL bad boy Tom Brady has again been rewarded for bad behavior. Instead of being forced to drink lemon water without sweetener, he has been given a pitcher of “mint julep” to wash down the “taste of cheating” that was in his mouth after the “deflate-gate” football altering cheating scandal that followed Brady and the New England Patriots after the 2014 NFL post season. According to an article written by Mike Reiss ESPN New England Patriots sports reporter.” Quarterback Tom Brady and the New England Patriots have agreed to a two-year contract extension through the 2019 season, NFL sources tell ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Dianna Russini. With 36 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2015, Tom Brady set the mark for best TD-INT ratio among quarterbacks who are at least 38 years old. Brady had two years left on his contract, paying him $9 million in 2016 and $10 million in 2017.” Instead of taking accepting the original four game suspension that NFL Commissioner Roger
AUBREY BRUCE Goodell levied against him, he along with the remainder of the Patriots brass all of whom I have dubbed, “Pathological Liars Anonymous” have chosen to appeal and fight the punishment by perpetuating the allegedly, stone cold bold-faced lie that Brady perpetrated that no one above or below him had any indirect or direct knowledge of footballs being “doctored” in order to give him a competitive edge. Wouldn’t you liked to have been a fly on the wall at the initial “Pathological Liars Anonymous” meeting attended by Tom and Bill? Can’t you just imagine the testimonial? “Hi, we’re Tom and Bill and we
are addicted to lying. It has taken us years just to realize that we have an addiction. It’s not easy standing here before all of you strangers completely baring our souls. I caution all of you “young liars” out there don’t just ever tell one lie. You may think that it is easy to quit but you can’t tell just one lie because one lie always leads to another and another and that’s where and when the addiction begins. Soon, one lie is not nearly enough. Shortly thereafter, you start lying you begin to believe and accept the lies as if they were the God spoken truth. But you can never turn back. The lies are almost like drugs, once you tell one lie and get away with it, it begins to feel good. From “Spy-gate to Deflate-gate” the behavior was so empowering it was almost impossible to stop.” Well the poor New England Patriot locker room laborers smack dab in the middle of the controversy did not get a good job approval ranking or an employment extension because they allegedly met the “unemployment guillotine” shortly thereafter. (AubreyBruce can be reached at: abruce@newpittsburghcourier.com or 412-583-6741.)
The Lions (22-3) won the first WPIAL girls basketball title in school history Saturday, defeating section rival Trinity (21-4), 59-52, at Petersen Events Center. Emily Anderson led the Lady Lions with 18 points and Autumn Mozik had 13 points. The Hillers were led by Sierra Kotchman with 18 points and Mary Dunn had 13 points. South Fayette will play Ambridge on Saturday in the PIAA first round, while Trinity faces South Park that same day. Norwin needed overtime to complete a perfect knight Mark Twain once said, “Drag your thoughts away from your troubles...by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it”. Mr. Twain, might have
been talking about how difficult it is to go undefeated in the WPIAL’s Quad A. The Norwin Lady Knights (25-0) have experienced a fairytale season as the No. 1-ranked team in the WPIAL and the state. Norwin has won 25 straight since losing in last year’s PIAA Class AAAA semifinals and was able to come from behind to defeat North Allegheny (22-4) 6357 at Pitt’s Petersen Event Center Saturday night. North Allegheny entered the game riding a 15-game winning streak and had the Knights on the ropes for most of the game. But talent always rises to the top. Alayna Gribble and Dominque Petach are indisputably two of the best guards in the WPIAL. Gribble, a Pitt recruit, fin-
ished with a game-high 22 points on her future home court. Getting contributions from players like Gribble and Petach was nice, but Danielle McMaster, Jenna Cole and Taylor Sabol created a buzz by combining for 28 points. The Norwin Knights girls basketball team knew that North Allegheny, was entering the game with significant momentum. But tick-tock goes the clock into the fourth quarter and the defending champion was down 49-36. Norwin, came alive in the fourth quarter with a 19-6 run to force overtime and outscored the Tigers 8-2 in overtime to preserve their undefeated season. Hailey Zeise led North Allegheny with 13 points.
Overtime by Bill Neal For New Pittsburgh Courier
:10—At the Pitt-Duke game. Holding it down at “The Pete” and have never seen any team get off to a worse start, let alone a nationally recognized powerhouse like Duke. Three minutes into the game, Pitt is running on all paws. :09—I know you’re waiting for me to “Back it up”…but I don’t “Wobble Wobble” for nobody. I still say “Pistol Pete” Maravich is the best combo ball handler/scorer the NBA has ever seen, but dddaaammmnnn Steph Curry is UN-BE-LIEVABLE!!! :08—Back to the game. 15 minutes to go in the 2nd half and Pitt still is in control 48-33. If they don’t start with the turnover problem, they should walk away with a victory…if they keep Jeter in the game and play Ryan Luther…I’m just sayin’! :07—This just in…Ryan Luther enters the game with nine minutes on the clock. Six points, three rebounds and a block. Yes, I know this game. Con-
BILL NEAL nie Hawkins League Hall of Fame Coach…or are you forgetting? Ask “Meatball,” “Ringo” or “Eddie Jefferies” they’ll tell ya! :06— Speaking of “Ringo,” aka Coach of the legendary “Bump Yes” team from North Side… when are you gonna do what you said you were going to do? You know what I’m talking about. And I know you can hear me. C’mon man! :05—The Pens are playing, some guy won a car race by a nose on his bumper, and the Pirates are in training camp. OK, now you’re caught up, and that’s all I got. And oh yeah, Pitt wins 76-62.
:04—James Robinson, what a class act. His last home game. What a way to go out. He deserves whatever good fortune comes his way. :03—In the press conference with “Coach K”…the man, the coach, the legend…humble in his loss. The highlight of my week. And by the way, this should get you off Coach Jamie Dixon’s neck for a while. Pitt will show up big for the big ones! :02—First of all, there’s a reason they call him “Smokin” Jim Frazier…because he probably has been…I’m just sayin’! He thinks this Allderdice team is the City’s best of all time!?!? Hell, this isn’t the best Allderdice team of all time. Just ask Herdon, the Dobbs brothers, Derek Suber and Big Kinsel for starters! :01—Greatest City team of all time—Kenny Durrett and the “66” Schenley team. Clancy and the 5th Avenue Squad then Ricky Coleman, Jeep Kelly and Maurice Lucas’ Bomb Squad of ‘71…and that order could change any given night! ~ GAME OVER ~
CLASSIFIED New Pittsburgh Courier
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MARCH 2-8, 2016
www.newpittsburghcourier.com
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Help Wanted
Help Wanted
SONNY BOY
GM OF BANQUETS
Levy Restaurants is now hiring a GM of Banquets to oversee the Banquets department at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center! Interest candidates can apply online at www.levyrestaurants.com under salaried careers. Levy offers a competitive compensation and benefit package. EOE
MANAGER OF JANITORIAL AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES
CORPORATE RELATIONS MANAGER
United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania is recruiting for a Corporate Relations Manager for our Pittsburgh office. The incumbent in this position is part of the United Way annual fundraising campaign team. We seek an energetic and innovative individual to generate/increase donations from companies and individuals by developing and implementing the strategic fund raising plan. Bachelor Degree, and three to five years of outside account management, sales presentations skill, fundraising and volunteer management a must. Visit our website at https:// uwswpa.org/careers/ to view job description and apply for this position. Submissions will only be accepted electronically. The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, is an equal opportunity employer committed to workplace diversity, serving Allegheny, Westmoreland, Fayette and Southern Armstrong Counties.
HEAD MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH
California University of Pennsylvania seeks to hire a head men’s basketball coach. This is a full-time position with benefits and a renewable yearly contract. Responsibilities include coaching, development and administration of an NCAA Division II basketball program. These activities are carried out within the guidelines established by the NCAA, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and the University. For requirements, application instructions and more information, visit www.calu.edu/employment. Cal U is M/F/V/D/AA/EEO.
DIRECTOR OF WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s Women’s Leadership Council (WLC) is a powerful force in local philanthropy, engaged in issues important to women. It is the fourth largest WLC in the country. Reporting to the Vice President of Campaign, the WLC Director is responsible for the overall management of the WLC program, managing relationships and securing support from female donors who are capable of making gifts of $1,000+ annually. This individual will lead an effort to build a movement of women philanthropists through the development and implementation of a plan for growth in membership and fundraising across the county. The Director of WLC will manage a personal portfolio of current donors and prospects, as well as manage one WLC Development Officer. United Way is seeking an experienced, passionate and creative leader to work with WLC members, aligning them to United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s vision and mission, specifically our United for Women Initiative. This individual will develop strategy, lead projects, events and activities related to the WLC. This candidate will be an individual with a rich major gifts fundraising background, who has had progressive and successful development experience and who has a strong track record of successful management. Visit our website at https:// uwswpa.org/careers/ to view job description and apply for this position. Submissions will only be accepted electronically. The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, is an equal opportunity employer committed to workplace diversity, serving Allegheny, Westmoreland, Fayette and Southern Armstrong Counties.
Southwestern Pennsylvania Corporation (SPC) seeks full-time Human Resources Coordinator to perform wide range of human resource generalist functions. Competitive salary, Excellent benefit package. Please visit www.spcregion.org for more information. EEO/AA/M/F/Vet/ Disability Employer.
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JOB OPPORTUNITIES‑ Health Care
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Eastminster Presbyterian Church, East Liberty, Pittsburgh, PA: Looking for FT Manager of Janitorial and Maintenance Services. Cleaning; supervision of cleaning, security and maintenance staff; inventory and budget; self-starter; able bodied; excellent written and oral communication; supervisory experience; high school diploma; all clearances. Excellent benefits, starting immediately. Application deadline is March 15, 2016 at 4:00PM to office@eastminsterchurch.net
HUMAN RESOURCES COORDINATOR
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SENIOR MANAGER OF MARKETING & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The senior manager of marketing and community engagement is responsible for the development of insightful and effective marketing strategies, initiatives and actions, in support of established strategic priorities that are intended to increase local, national and international awareness of the Frick Art & Historical Center, along with building audience diversity, attendance and revenue. The senior manager of marketing and community engagement is also charged with the development of the architecture, and then the execution of, a comprehensive community outreach program intended to broaden the profile, reach and exposure of what the Frick offers for a variety of audiences and institutions. Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:005:00, some evening and weekend work required Reports to: Director of External Affairs Status: Full-time, exempt with benefits Responsibilities: •Develop short, mid and long range marketing and community engagement strategies that enable the Frick to move beyond its current reach and demographics, and to provide for all audiences the opportunity to develop a deeper and more personalized connection to the ‘Frick experience’ •Work with the Director, Director of External Affairs and the Manager of Media and Communications as part of a marketing and PR task force team, to identify and then implement institution?wide strategic goals •Build on existing initiatives and work in collaboration with all departments on site to enhance and develop an outreach network that comprises representatives from a variety of audience groups including: visitors, members, donors, and other stakeholders •Identify and cultivate relationships with new community partners and stakeholders within the region that will provide opportunities for audience growth and potentially uncover new revenue streams •Review and evaluate the effectiveness of the current marketing practices – print, digital, radio, web – and develop a comprehensive, clear and concise marketing structure and then initiatives from which to work •Develop metrics to measure the success of all marketing and community engagement strategies •Ensure the appropriate marketing support staff are in place to sustain effective engagement of marketing tactics; manage all support staff and their projects •Plan, develop and manage the annual marketing and advertising budgets and forecasts •Handle other duties as requested by management Qualifications: •Bachelors degree in Communications or Marketing, preferred •Over 10 years of marketing and advertising management experience required, preferably including experience with an arts-based non-profit organization •Possess demonstrated stellar written and oral communication abilities •Creative thinker, with the ability to be flexible and modify strategies as requested •Ability to manage multiple projects from inception to completion •Experience working with strategic communications planning •Excellent time/people management skills •Comfortable working as part of a team, but also independently •Detail-oriented with excellent editing skills •Clearance of a criminal background check Please send all resumes and cover letters to Linda Buker @ lbuker@thefrickpittsburgh.org.
COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!
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COURIER CLASSIFIEDS PUBLIC NOTICE
PUBLIC NOTICE
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE CITY OF PITTSBURGH
Notice is hereby given that the following amendments are being made to the 2009 through 2015 budgets of the City of Pittsburgh’s Community Development Block Grant Program: PROJECT
YEAR
ORIGINAL AMOUNT
Just Harvest Educational Fund Just Harvest
NEW AMOUNT
CHANGE +/-
ACTIVITY
SERVICE AREA
2009
$8,000.00
$0.00
-$8,000.00
Public Service
City-Wide
2009
$2,000.00
$0.00
-$2,000.00
Public Service
City-Wide
Pittsburgh Community Services - Hunger 2009
$46,350.00
$54,350.00
$8,000.00
Public Service
City-Wide
Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank 2009
$45,300.00
$47,300.00
$2,000.00
Public Service
City-Wide
Just Harvest
2010
$25,000.00
$0.00
-$25,000.00
Public Service
City-Wide
Isaiah Project
2010
$2,062.46
$0.00
-$2,062.46
Public Service
Beltzhoover
Pittsburgh Community Services - Hunger 2010
$130,000.00
$155,000.00
$25,000.00
Public Service
City-Wide
Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group 2010
$824.00
$2,886.46
$2,062.46
Public Service
City-Wide
Just Harvest
2011
$27,000.00
$0.00
-$27,000.00
Public Service
City-Wide
Isaiah Project
2011
$1,062.46
$0.00
-$1,062.46
Public Service
Beltzhoover
Urban League Hunger Services Network
2011
$42,500.00
$67,500.00
$25,000.00
Public Service
City-Wide
Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank 2011
$202,889.00
$204,889.00 $2,000.00
Public Service
City-Wide
Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group 2011
$0.00
$1,062.46
$1,062.46
Public Service
City-Wide
Beltzhoover Citizens CDC
$2,500.00
$0.00
-$2,500.00
Public Service
Beltzhoover
Fair Housing Partnership of Greater Pgh. 2012
$121.09
$0.00
-$121.09
Public Service
City-Wide
Just Harvest
2012
$27,000.00
$0.00
-$27,000.00
Public Service
City-Wide
Isaiah Project
2012
$2,000.00
$0.00
-$2,000.00
Public Service
Beltzhoover
Hilltop Alliance
2012
$0.00
$2,500.00
$2,500.00
Public Services
Hilltop Neighborhoods
Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank 2012
$202,000.00
$229,121.09
$27,121.09
Public Service
City-Wide
Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group 2012
$0.00
$2,000.00
$2,000.00
Public Service
City-Wide
Beltzhoover Civic Association
2013
$564.51
$0.00
-$564.51
Public Service
Beltzhoover
Just Harvest
2013
$27,000.00
$0.00
-$27,000.00
Public Service
City-Wide
South Side Sabers-Youth Football
2013
$2,000.00
$0.00
-$2,000.00
Public Service
Southside Neighborhoods
Hilltop Alliance
2013
2012
$6,500.00
$7,064.51
$564.51
Public Service
Hilltop Neighborhoods
Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank 2013
$200,000.00
$227,000.00
$27,000.00
Public Service
City-Wide
Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group 2013
$0.00
$2,000.00
$2,000.00
Public Service
City-Wide
Hilltop Alliance/ Beltzhoover Civic Association
2014
$2,500.00
$0.00
-$2,500.00
Public Service
Beltzhoover
Beltzhoover Citizens CDC
2014
$2,035.73
$0.00
-$2,035.73
Public Service
Beltzhoover
South Side Sabers-Youth Football
2014
$2,500.00
$0.00
-$2,500.00
Public Service
Southside Neighborhoods
Hilltop Alliance
2014
$7,000.00
$11,535.73
$4,535.73
Public Service
Hilltop Neighborhoods
Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group 2014
$0.00
$2,500.00
$2,500.00
Public Service
City-Wide
Hilltop Alliance/ Beltzhoover Civic Association
2015
$2,500.00
$0.00
-$2,500.00
Public Service
Beltzhoover
Shyne Awards
2015
$5,000.00
$0.00
-$5,000.00
Public Service
City-Wide
Hilltop Alliance
2015
$7,000.00
$9,500.00
$2,500.00
Public Service
Hilltop Neighborhoods
Neighborhood Learning Alliance
2015
$2,500.00
$7,500.00
$5,000.00
Public Service
West End Neighborhoods
The City of Pittsburgh is requesting comments on its proposed use of Community Development Block Grant funds and on the City’s past CDBG performance. A public hearing will be held at 9:00a.m. on Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at 200 Ross Street, 1st Floor Conference Room, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Please note that the building is handicapped accessible through the rear entrance. Comments may also be sent to: Michael Petrucci Assistant Director for Community Development Department of City Planning 200 Ross. Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219 It is requested that comments be received no later than Monday, April 11, 2016
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CLASSIFIEDS
MARCH 2-8, 2016 NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
LEGAL ADVERTISING
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Legal Notices
Bids/Proposals
SONNY BOY
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Bids/Proposals
Bids/Proposals
Bids/Proposals
NOTICE TO BIDDER
The Sports & Exhibition Authority will receive sealed quotes for North Shore Riverfront Park (NSRFP) 2016 Water Steps Electric Repair. The contract for this work will be with the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. Quotes for the project below can be submitted to Taylor Blice, Facilities Director, Sports & Exhibition Authority, 171 10th Street, 2nd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222; Email: tblice@pgh-sea.com; Phone: (412) 393-0200. Project Name: NSRFP Water Steps Electric Project Available: February 26, 2016 Date/Location for Quotes: 2:00 P.M., Friday, March 4, 2016, Sports & Exhibition Authority, 171 10th Street, 2nd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
ANNOUNCEMENTS Public Notice
PUBLIC NOTICE ALLEGHENY COUNTY ANNUAL PLAN FY 2016
Notice is hereby given that Allegheny County, Pennsylvania will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, March 15, 2016 at 10:00 AM, in the Allegheny County Economic Development (ACED) 9th floor Conference Room located at One Chatham Center, Suite 900, 112 Washington Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 regarding the County’s Annual Action Plan for FY 2016. One Chatham Center and the ACED 9th Floor Conference Room are accessible to persons with physical disabilities. If special arrangements, including physical accommodations or limited English proficiency (LEP) accommodations, need to be made in order for citizens to participate in the public hearing, please call Mr. Bud Schubel, Manager of Operations, at (412) 350-1044 to make those arrangements. Allegheny County is undertaking the development of an Annual Action Plan, as required by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, to determine the types of projects that will benefit County residents. Part of the Annual Action Plan planning process involves outreach to citizens for input on housing, economic development, and community development needs across the County. Citizen comments are important and will help to determine housing, economic development, and community development needs for FY 2016. The purpose of this public hearing is to accept citizen comments for the use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), and Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) funds. Allegheny County anticipates receiving Federal funds for these programs from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). All interested citizens are encouraged to attend this public hearing and they will be given the opportunity to present oral or written testimony concerning the Annual Action Plan for FY 2016. Written comments may also be addressed to Mr. Bud Schubel, Manager of Operations, One Chatham Center, Suite 900, 112 Washington Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, or by email at howard.schubel@allegheny county.us. Oral comments may be made by calling (412) 350-1044. All comments must be received at the ACED Office, One Chatham Center, Suite 900, 112 Washington Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, no later 4:00 PM on March 31, 2016. Bud Schubel ACED, Manager of Operations
America’s Best Weekly 315 East Carson Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Classifieds 412-481-8302 Ext. 140
E-mail: ads@newpittsburghcourier.com Deadline/Closing/Cancellation Schedule for copy, corrections, and cancellations: Friday noon preceding Wednesday publication
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
Sealed proposals will be received by the Municipality of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, at the Purchasing Office, Room 213 until, 10:30 A.M. prevailing time, Thursday, March 24, 2016, and will be publicly opened immediately thereafter in the Council Chambers, at the Municipal Building, 12245 Frankstown Road, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15235, for the furnishing of all labor and material (as required) for: DEMOLITIONS – Penn Hills 2016 Package Number 9
Paxico 36 172-M-272 Westwood 8620 231-C-191 Doak 7116 172-S-139 San Juan 1939 173-D-196 Chaske 8185 229-S-8 Buchannon 10116 295-M-290 Azalea 11344 449-E-222 Shannon 7258 365-H-238 Lawton 7272 173-H-272 McCutcheon 304 295-M-313 E Lemington 125 173-M-209 Evaline 268 296-G-275 Lincoln Avenue EXT 1909-1911 172-S-355
This project is funded 100% with Federal Community Development Block Grant Funds. This project will be financed with assistance from HUD; and therefore, it is subject to Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, which gives preference in hiring to low and very-low income persons. Specifications may be obtained at the Administration/Purchasing Office (412)798-2121, Room 213 for a non refundable fee of $25.00. Potential bidders with hearing impairment requiring information on this project can call the State Relay Office at 1-800-654-5984 to contact the Municipality. Proposal must be on Standard Proposal Forms in the manner therein and be enclosed in a sealed envelope bearing the name and address of the bidder on the outside, addressed to the Purchasing Office and marked: “Demolitions – Penn Hills 2016 Package Number 9”. Proposal must be accompanied by a certified check drawn upon a National or State Bank and made payable without conditions to the Municipality of Penn Hills, in an amount not less than ten (10) percent of the proposal, or a Bid Bond, and be delivered to the place and hour named. The Municipality reserves the right to reject any or all proposals. Attention is called to the Federal requirements regarding employment, non-discrimination, safety and State regulations. The Municipality reserves the right to award this solicitation on an itemby-item basis or lump sum basis, whichever is in the best interest of the Municipality The Municipality reserves the right to remove any property from the demo list before actual demo takes place. Mohammed F. Rayan Municipal Manager
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OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION Of the SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH
Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Room 251, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15203, on March 22, 2016 for Wireless Access Upgrades and March 29, 2016 for all other projects, until 2:00 p.m., local prevailing time for: Allderdice, Colfax, Gifted Center, Greenfield, Linden, Minadeo, Perry and Student Achievement Center Wireless Access Upgrades Structured Cabling Prime Drawings for this project are available at the Modern Reproductions or free download at: https://data.usac.org/public reports/Form470Rfp/index. Pittsburgh Conroy Education Center Parking Lot General Prime Pittsburgh Brashear High School Science Lab Renovation Plumbing Prime Pittsburgh Manchester PreK-8 Water Coolers Asbestos Prime Pittsburgh Brookline K-8 Replacement of Underground Condensate Return Piping HVAC Prime Project Manual and Drawings will be available for purchase on February 29, 2016 at Modern Reproductions (412-488-7700) 127 McKean Street, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15219 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. The cost of the Project Manual Documents is nonrefundable. Project details and dates are described in each project manual.
Sealed bid proposals are hereby solicited for the Community College of Allegheny County, Purchasing Department, 800 Allegheny Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15233(412.237.3020) on the following items: Bid Proposal No. 951-2–Byers Hall Roof Repairs–Allegheny Campus A MANDATORY pre-bid meeting and site visitation will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 9, 2016. The assembly point will be the front of Byers Hall, corner of Ridge Avenue at Galveston, Pittsburgh, PA 15212. Proposals will be received at the Purchasing Department until 2:00 P.M. Prevailing Time on Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at which time they will be publicly opened. Any proposals received after this deadline will be considered as a “late bid” and will be returned unopened to the offerer. The CCAC Purchasing Department is now publishing all bids 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. Proposals may require Bid Bonds, Performance Bonds, Payment Bonds, and Surety as dictated by the specifications. No bidder may withdraw his bid for a period of ninety (90) days after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids. The Board of Trustees reserves the right to reject any and all bids. The Community College of Alle– gheny County is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and encourages bids from Minority/Disadvantaged owned businesses.
To place a display ad in the New Pittsburgh Courier call 412-481-8302 ext. 128 or 129
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
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HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR FLEET VEHICLE REPAIR CHEVROLET IFB#300-15-16
HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR Video Audio Training (Rebid) RFP#800-02-16
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): Video Audio Training (Rebid) RFP#800-02-16 The documents will be available no later than February 21, 2016 and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until 10:00 A.M., March 11, 2016 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/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, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 March 3, 2016 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. HACPʼs has revised their website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/RFPs documentation. Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh
HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.
To place a display ad in the New Pittsburgh Courier call 412-481-8302 ext. 128 or 129
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): VACANT UNIT PAINTING FOR PARTIAL COMPREHENSIVE MODERIZATION AT NORTHVIEW HEIGHTS IFB#300-17-16 The documents will be available no later than February 22, 2016 and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 10:00 A.M., March 11, 2016 at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, at which time they will be opened and read aloud. Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Invitation for Bid from the Business Opportunities page of www.HACP.org. Questions or inquires should be directed to: Kim Detrick Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 2nd Floor, Suite 200 100 Ross Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-456-5116 Opt 1 A pre bid meeting will be held: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Dept. 100 Ross Street 2nd. Fl. Ste. 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Thursday, March 3, 2016 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. HACPʼs has revised their website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/RFPs documentation. Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.
America’s Best Weekly 315 East Carson St., Pittsburgh, PA 15219
DONATIONS TO FLINT—St. James AME Church, in East Liberty, recently collected and sent hundreds of cases of bottled water to Flint, Mich., to help that community in its water crisis. Pictured above, Rev. Rodrecus Johnson Jr., the senior pastor who organized the water drive, stands with some of the donated water. (Photo by J.L. Martello)
PAT board confronted on Kelley shooting
Classifieds BRANDI FISHER
412-481-8302 Ext. 140 E-mail: ads@newpittsburgh courier.com Deadline/Closing/ Cancellation Schedule for copy, corrections, and cancellations: Friday noon preceding Wednesday publication
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Local church donates water to Flint, Mich.
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR VACANT UNIT PAINTING FOR PARTIAL COMPREHENSIVE MODERIZATION AT NORTHVIEW HEIGHTS IFB#300-17-16
COURIER CLASSIFIEDS...THE ONLY WAY TO GO
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): FLEET VEHICLE REPAIR CHEVROLET IFB#300-15-16 The documents will be available no later than February 22, 2016 and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 2:00 P.M., March 11, 2016 at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, at which time they will be opened and read aloud. Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Invitation for Bid from the Business Opportunities page of www.HACP.org. Questions or inquires should be directed to: Kim Detrick Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 2nd Floor, Suite 200 100 Ross Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-456-5116 Opt 1 A pre bid meeting will be held: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Dept. 100 Ross Street 2nd. Fl. Ste. 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Thursday, March 3, 2016 2:00 P.M. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation. HACPʼs has revised their website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/RFPs documentation. Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh
MARCH 2-8, 2016
CLASSIFIEDS/METRO
ANNIE McGOWAN PAT rider
CONTINUED FROM A1
encounters with police, particularly among Blacks. She called for the Authority to institute “implicit bias” training and to hold a public hearing on police procedures. “We are deeply concerned with this killing and particularly with the use of a dog on this person—or on any person,” she said. “While there was a hero’s funeral for a dog, there was silence on the death of a human being to the point where his family found out about it on TV.” Gerhardt and Fisher also made the point that using dogs against people is illogical and inhumane to both the person and the animal because people will defend themselves, as Kelley did. In fact, Black Lives Matter Representative Dale Vann and the final speaker, pointed out that Kelley warned police that he would kill the dog if they let it loose. “The killing of Bruce Kelley Jr. is symbolic of the ‘two Pittsburghs.’ The city has ostracized the Black community in an atmosphere of prejudice and racism and it was in that atmosphere that he was killed,” he said. “It is time for District Attorney Stephen Zappala to file murder charges against the two officers who killed Bruce Kelley Jr.” Fisher said she was pleased that Hurley said what he did. “He didn’t have to do that,” she said. “They already said they wouldn’t comment and that makes sense. We don’t even have the autopsy to know how many times he was hit, and where. But ultimately, they have to change the policy on dogs, and on accountability. Right now, it’s just the chief and a few lieutenants.” As of this writing, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephan Zappala has yet to release his finding on whether or not the shooting of Bruce Kelley Jr. was justified. (Send comments to cmorrow@newpittsburghcourier.com.)
MARY JOHNSON PAT rider
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MARCH 2-8, 2016
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