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Newspaper Newspaper VOL.2 NO.34 VOL.2 NO.18 The CSRA’s

MAY 9 - 15, 2013

Reinventing Downtown

Photo by Vincent Hobbs

A belly dancer with the Eastern Star Dance Theatre entertains the crowd during First Friday festivities on Broad Street in Downtown Augusta.

Photo by Vincent Hobbs

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UrbanProWeekly • MAY 9 - 15, 2013

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When it comes to spines, the world comes to us. People from all over the world come to Augusta for the most advanced spine care. For specialized neuroimaging. For minimally invasive procedures and highly sophisticated surgeries. For internationally recognized neurosurgeons and orthopedic spine surgeons. For more about what makes Georgia Regents Spine Center a worldwide destination for the care and treatment of the human spine, go to gru.edu/spine. And, like the rest of the world, come to us.

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Job #1133GRM13 • Job Title: GRM_Spine_Nwspr Publication: Urban Weekly • Colors (include spots if used): CMYK Trim: Half Page Horizontal 10 x 7 Date due to Pub: 2/19 • Run Date: 2/21

Augusta Solid Waste would like to welcome you as a new customer to our “Cleaner. Greener. Smarter.” program!

INFORMATION ABOUT

Your new service includes: Augusta has initiated a new centralized call center for all non-emergency issues.

Have a question or suggestion?...call 311

One day a week pickups for services, with all collections made on the same day: Garbage, Recycling, Yard Waste and Bulk Waste

For additional questions regarding your new garbage service

Incentives for you to use at local businesses as rewards for recycling.

If you live more than 300 feet from the right-of-way to discuss your service options

Expanded county-wide service area, with exceptions for the city limits of Hephzibah and Blythe.

To request a recycling cart

Collection services provided to vacant/ unoccupied properties for yard and bulk waste to keep the neighborhoods clean.

To request additional garbage carts

www.AugustaSolidWaste.com

New community events including neighborhood clean-ups, educational programs and volunteer litter collections.

Also, tire collections will now be done during monthly community events!

All garbage trucks are fueled by compressed natural gas (CNG) – cleaner and quieter.

Reinvesting in the community with a local small business utilization goal of 25% of total contract value.

3 UrbanProWeekly • MAY 9 - 15, 2013

Happy Birthday,

Mr. Brown

Vocalist Kathy Sledge (L), former lead singer of the R & B group Sister Sledge, poses for a picture with Deanna Brown-Thomas (R), daughter of the late soul singer James Brown, during a birthday celebration for “The Godfather of Soul” held in front of the Imperial Theater on Friday, May 3, Brown’s 80th birthday. Photo by Vincent Hobbs

REINVENTING DOWNTOWN MUNICIPAL MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Downtown is safe. 2. Downtown is unsafe.

3. Downtown is safer than Columbia. 4. Downtown is safer than South Augusta.

5. Downtown is not so bad – after all.

6. All of the above.

By Frederick Benjamin Sr. UrbanProWeekly Staff Writer

Mayor pro tem Corey Johnson told those who gathered at an 8 a.m. meeting at Riverwalk Augusta that cities like Savannah, Ga. also have problems with their downtown areas.

“I definitely heard gunshots,” Johnson said, describing a recent stay at a downtown hotel in Savannah.

AUGUSTA After declaring downtown safe for residents and visitors, city officials, business owners and police representatives who attended an early morning meeting on Augusta’s downtown Riverwalk proceeded to outline their thoughts on what can be done to make it safer.

In an effort to redirect the negative perception many may have about downtown safety following a weekend of relative mayhem that left at least three people hospitalized, those who have a stake in promoting good news about downtown sought to reassure a skeptical public.

The Downtown Augusta Alliance hosted the public forum. They wanted to discuss safety and accountability after the recent robberies.

In Rashomon-like fashion, person after person presented wildly conflicting views of the safety of downtown. Not unlike the public discussion that followed last Summer’s First Friday shooting, different folks came to different conclusions about the significance of the recent rash of violence. But unlike the few options available in the wake of the First Friday incidents, shutting down Riverwalk is not a viable option.

Augusta’s downtown has been touted as a tourist magnet and the city has a vested interest in down playing acts of violence. On the other hand, those who want increased police presence see muggers behind every bush.

Commissioner Bill Fennoy, whose District 1 covers the central business district that includes Broad Street and the Riverwalk, directed his outrage at the perpetrators of

violent crimes and pledged that the city would leave no stone unturned to bring them to justice. He called for the posting of a reward to assist in apprehending those responsible for the Riverwalk attack and sought help for the victims of that crime.

He reiterated the perception among many of those in attendance that “Downtown is safe.”

Then, as if to reassure, the audience, Fennoy declared that the sheriff and the city administrator were in the process of developing a plan to enhance downtown safety. Part of that plan included the installation of video cameras along the Riverwalk.

Benjamin Casella, a downtown business owner, not only asserted that “Downtown has arrived,” but suggested that it was much safer than many other parts of town.

Continued on next page

4 UrbanProWeekly • MAY 9 - 15, 2013

$10,000 Reward Offered In Riverwalk Attack The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office has announced a $10,000 reward has been offered, by a donor who wishes to remain anonymous, for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible for the May 3rd attack of a couple on the Riverwalk.

The Sheriff’s Office has verified that funds in the amount of $10,000 have been made available with the following conditions: 1. The funds will be held by Phillip Scott Hibbard, PC. 2. These funds are designated for the person who provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators of the aforementioned assault. The reward recipient may not be an employee of the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.

3. If an arrest is made within 60 days, the reward will stay in trust via Phillip Scott Hibbard, PC until conviction, provided that conviction occurs within 24 months. If no conviction occurs within 24 months from the date of the arrest, the reward is null and void.

If no arrest is made within 60 days the reward is null and void.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office at 706-821-1080.

Callers may remain anonymous.

CONCERNED ABOUT DOWNTOWN SAFETY: Area residents listen to officials and police representatives explain what must be done to promote a safe and secure downtown visit for residents and visitors to Augusta. Photo courtesy of Charles Smith

RIVERWALK SAFETY from page 3 “There are unsafe and dirty parts of town, but downtown is not one of them,” Casella said.

Casella blasted the Augusta Chronicle for sensationalizing the recent spate of violence.

Mayor Pro Tem Corey Johnson, after expressing disgust with incidents of criminal violence in the downtown area, said that cracking down on violent offenders would “send a message” that such behavior would not be tolerated. He then went on to suggest that Augusta’s downtown was no more violent than that of many other downtowns in similar cities in Georgia.

The representative from the Sheriff’s Office, Chief Deputy Patrick Clayton declined to state categorically whether downtown was safe or not, but instead, asked the audience to keep in mind that the Sheriff’s department was seeking to remain proactive and that downtown was just one area of their area’s of responsibility.

Clayton said that the RCSO was in the process of shifting resources in an effort to enhance downtown safety. He hinted at the increase of police bike patrols along the Riverwalk.

Former city commissioner Andy Cheek

suggested that anything less than “deputies on the ground” immediately was not dealing with the problem appropriately. He then suggested that undercover teams “dressed like those committing the crimes” were all that was needed to stem the violence.

Commissioner Marion Williams, who attended the Riverwalk meeting, said earlier in the week at Tuesday’s commission meeting, that he was concerned that meetings and crime suppression initiatives were fine, but that they tended to drag on without producing immediate results. He suggested that there were things that the city could do immediately to cut down on criminal activity. Among those things were cutting back the bushes and shrubbery.

The incidents happened on Friday night and early Saturday morning (May 2 and 3). In separate incidents, individuals were hospitalized after robberies.

In the first incident, a man was assaulted and robbed after emerging from a Broad Street bar. He was hospitalized with a concussion. In the second incident, a couple relaxing on the Riverwalk around 2 a.m. in the morning were severely injured after an attack where the perpetrators used clubs.

You don’t have to live with BACK PAIN

Unemployment benefits restored ATLANTA Sen. Hardie Davis (D-22) has released the following statement regarding the recent reinstatement of unemployment benefits by the Department of Labor in regards to educational service workers such as crossing guards, bus drivers and other privately contracted school workers: “We have worked hard to secure these benefits for workers who need them at a very critical time in their lives. For many workers, these payments are the dif-

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UrbanProWeekly LLC Mailing Address: 3529 Monte Carlo Drive Augusta, Georgia 30906

Publisher Ben Hasan 706-394-9411 Managing Editor Frederick Benjamin Sr. 706-836-2018

ference between homelessness and homeownership.

I commend the Georgia Department of Labor for reconsidering their initial decision to suspend these benefits, and choosing to award these workers the compensation due to them.

Additionally, by committing to honor workers’ backdated claims which went unpaid, the Department of Labor is taking another big step in the right direction. We will continue to fight for the rights and privileges of Georgia’s hard workers.”

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Sales & Marketing Phone: 706-394-9411 New Media Consultant Director of Photography Vincent Hobbs

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706-722-7355 email: Ben Hasan bzhasan54@yahoo.com Frederick Benjamin Sr. editor@urbanproweekly.com Vincent Hobbs photos@urbanproweekly.com

More than six months unemployed?

It might not get better

By Vincent Hobbs Special to UrbanProWeekly AUGUSTA The most recent data released by the Georgia Department of Labor puts the unemployment rate at 8 percent in Metro Augusta — a decline from last year’s 8.5 percent during the same time period, but for many, that’s hardly good news.

Those who have been out of work for longer than six months face serious obstacles trying to get back into the job market. A new study reveals a disturbing trend: those unemployed for more than six months may have been intentionally overlooked. The practice is perfectly legal.

Researchers examining employment trends found that employers simply were not hiring workers who had been unemployed for longer than 27 weeks.

Rand Ghayad, a Ph.D. candidate in economics at Northeastern University collaborated with William Dickens, Professor of Economics at Northeastern, and graphed job open-

UrbanProWeekly • MAY 9 - 15, 2013

Study shows employers discriminate

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Charles D. Beard fills out information for unemployment insurance benefits at the Georgia Department of Labor on Greene Street. Beard has been seeking work for over six months, classifying his worker status as long-term unemployed. Photo by Vincent Hobbs ings and unemployment rates across the board for all types of workers.

They also sent out 4800 fake resumes, applying to 600 job openings. The resumes were varied in length of experience, how often they switched jobs and how long they had been unemployed. Other factors on the resumes were basically the same, including education, racially-ambiguous names, and all the resumes were male.

The research showed that employers would rather hire someone with less experience than someone who had been out of work for a long period of time. Resumes of workers who had extensive experience wouldn’t even make it past the trash bin if they had been unemployed over six months.

Some employers have even taken the bold step of stating “Unemployed Need Not Apply” in their job ads.

Locals who have been seeking gainful employment for longer than six months can attest to the difficulties they face.

Charles D. Beard, a 30-year old Augustan, has been looking for work for over six months. Trained in cus-

tomer service, telemarketing and roofing construction, Beard faces the daunting task of being recognized by employers as a quality candidate.

“The biggest challenge is just making it to the interview,” he said during a visit to the Georgia Department of Labor of Greene Street. Beard expressed dismay with the removal of the human factor in the application process. Online applications don’t allow for human interaction.

“Employers make it harder for people,” he said.

There are 27 million people in the USA that are unemployed or underemployed – including 6.8 million people who have burned-out in their job searches and no longer look for work, according to recent data from the National Employment Law Project.

How’s your credit?

“More than half of all employers use credit scores when making a hiring decision,” according to Amy Traub, senior policy analyst with Demos, a public policy advocacy organization (www.demos.org).

Again, this is legal in most states.

Several states, including Georgia, have proposed legislation to make it illegal for an employer to consider credit history as a way to screen out applicants, unless it is an absolute necessity for a particular job (in Georgia, House Bill 780 addresses those concerns).

“If you have poor credit, one of the ways to get out of that is to get a better job. When that road is blocked, you end up in a Catch 22,” Traub said during an interview with CBS News.

Beard agrees.

“Using credit scores is a bad way to choose people to hire, because a lot of people don’t have credit or they messed up their credit at an earlier stage of life when they weren’t being responsible,” he said.

It is not difficult to understand that if someone is unemployed, more than likely they will fall behind on their bills and trigger a lowered credit score. Does it really make sense for an employer to gauge the value of an applicant, based on whether or not they can pay all of their bills when they have no job?

Presiding Bishop of Christian Methodist Episcopal Church to serve as keynote speaker at 131st Baccalaureate Convocation Teresa E. Snorton, presiding Bishop of the Fifth Episcopal District of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church has been announced as the keynote speaker at Paine College’s 131st Baccalaureate Convocation.

The service will take place in the Gilbert-Lambuth Memorial Chapel on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 3 p.m.

Bishop Snorton is the first female bishop elected to serve in the history of the CME Church. She became the 59th bishop elected in the CME Church on June 30, 2010 in Mobile, Alabama and was assigned as the presiding

bishop of the new Eleventh Episcopal District, which includes eleven countries in Central, Southern and East Africa. On March 15, 2011 (after the passing of Bishop W.E. Lockett), Bishop Snorton was assigned to the Fifth Episcopal District, which includes the states of Alabama and Florida.

Bishop Snorton served as the Executive Director of the national Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. for twelve years prior to her election as bishop.

Bishop Snorton is a certified ACPE Supervisor and a board certified chaplain. She is a

Bishop Teresa E. Snorton former Executive Director of

the Emory Center for Pastoral Services in Atlanta, Georgia.

She has taught at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, the Virginia Commonwealth University and the School of Theology at Virginia Union University.

Bishop Snorton is the Chair of the Board of Trustees of Miles College and Chair of the CME Department of Lay Ministries.

She is a member of the Society for Pastoral Theology, the CME Chaplains Commission, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and the Pan-Methodist Commission.

She is chair of the Family Life Committee of the World Methodist Council. Prior to

her election as Bishop, she was a member of the CME Commission on the Concerns of Women in Ministry for eight years.

She is the author of several articles, chapters and books reviews on topics related to pastoral care and ministry. Recent works include a co-edited work with Dr. Jeanne StevensonMoessner, Women Out of Order: Risking Change and Creating Care in a Multi-Cultural World (Fortress Press, 2009) and a chapter in Courageous Conversations: The Teaching and Learning of Pastoral Supervision (University Press of America, 2010).

UrbanProWeekly • MAY 9 - 15, 2013

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Young Christian CEO Leadership Conference Mission: Seek, Shape, and Develop This conference is designed to introduce students between the ages of 13-18 years old to the world of business and leadership. Through this conference students will be exposed to the following: · The importance of and how to develop a personal vision, mission, and goals · How to construct a business plan · How to create a business · How to effectively own and operate a business · How to make presentations to business owners, bankers, etc · How to dress for success · Effective Communication · Meeting and sharing with entrepreneurs · Touring a manufacturing plant (If schedule permits)

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Main Presenter:

Sandra DeVoe Bland CEO and Founder of S. J. DeVoe & Associates

Ages 13-18 Years Old June 10-14, 2013 Cost: $150.00 per child Other Presenters:

Beverly Davis

Effective Communication Toastmasters International, Area 31, South Carolina •Active member; achieved “Distinguished Toastmaster” highest achievement level; •Sponsor of Voices of Distinction Toastmasters Club, Beulah Grove Baptist Church, Augusta, Georgia •BS, Human Resource Management, Southern Wesleyan University, Central, South Carolina •MS, Business Administration, Nova Southeastern University, 1998, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Cementhia Grant

Dress for Success and the importance of personal time •Recent graduate of Erskine Theological Seminary, Due West, South Carolina •Bachelor’s of Science-BA, Savannah State University, Savannah, Georgia •Director of Community Programs at 30901 Development Corporation

For more information call 706-722-4999

Mrs. Bland is passionate about helping people and living life with and on purpose.

Mrs. Bland conducts workshops and seminars to encourage and motivate.

Mrs. Bland consults with churches, corporations, small businesses, and community organizations. Many seek her counsel with regard to leadership, strategic planning, facilitation, process improvements, goal setting, project management, financial literacy, and team building.

Mrs. Bland serves as a member of the SRP Federal Credit Union (Aiken, SC) Board of Directors. She serves on the Richmond/Burke County Workforce Investment Board. She graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (1984) and has a Masters of Project Management from Keller Graduate School of Management (2009).

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The Road To Recovery

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Rev. Dr. Charles E. Goodman, Jr. will release his second book, The Road to Recovery in May 2013. In The Road to Recovery, Goodman shares teachings on how to apply Christian principles during seasons of loss while exploring the jourRev. Dr. Charles ney of Ruth and E. Goodman Jr. Naomi in the Old Testament. From a season of barrenness to a season of blessedness, Ruth’s and Naomi’s story is a biblical example of restoration after death, povery, and

Health Fairs will provide free screenings and health education A Health Care Initiative sponsored by the Georgia Regents University and Queensborough Bank in Partnership with The Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History and Phi Chi Chapter of Chi Eta Phi Sorority and other health care professionals.

The goal of this initiative is to conduct Health Fairs in disadvantaged and underserved communities. These events will focus on comprehensive health care awareness and education, screening and referrals. All services are free.

Special emphasis is placed on teaching parents about early identification of health care needs and prevention, by taking advantage of the referral sources available in the Central Savannah River Area to prevent emergency treatment.

On site are professional nurses from Phi Chi Chapter of Phi Eta Phi Sorority and the Lucy Craft Laney Museum, a nutritionist, a dentist, psychiatrist, podiatrist, and other health professionals.

So far this year, Health Fairs have been conducted in the Allen Homes community and the M.M. Scott community. Another Fair will be conducted in the Jennings Home Community located on Olive Road on May 18, 2013 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.

Come and bring a friend in need of the services!!

For additional information, please call Mrs. Betts @724-3576 or Gwen Smith @ (706) 721-5939.

Brown v. Board of Ed. program set for May 17 at Lucy C. Laney Museum Augusta Branch NAACP will holds Brown V. Board of Education Program on Friday, May 17, 7 pm at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History.

The purpose is to commemorate the the Historic U.S.Supreme Decision in 1954 and to address educational issues in the community. A panel of educators, elected officials, and civic leaders will serve on the panel.

desertion. The Road to Recovery is for anyone seeking spiritual enlightenment and encouagement while experiencing any form of loss.

Dr. Goodman is the Senior Pastor/ Teacher of the historic Tabernacle Baptist Church in Augusta, GA. He can be seen weekly on the “Kingdom Living” television broadcast and heard daily via WTHB Praise 96.9 FM providing encouragement via the “Spiritual Vitamin.” Dr. Goodman is the founder of DaGOODRevMinistries, LLC, a ministry in which he spreads the Gospel in real and relevant ways through teaching and preaching. Dr. Goodman is also the author of You Can’t Run From Purpose (2002)

UrbanProWeekly • MAY 9 - 15, 2013

Goodman to release second book this month

A BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE FOR THE GODFATHER: Deanna Brown-Thomas (R), daughter of the late soul singer James Brown, celebrates his 80th birthday with a cake in front of the Imperial Theater. Members of “JAMP” (JB Academy of Musik Pupils) also assist during the festivities.

Photo by Vincent Hobbs

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CATHOLIC SCHOOL IS CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION “The Legacy Continues”

Join us for the Centennial Celebration Weekend (May 24th – May 26th 2013)  Alumni Meet, Greet, and Eat/ “Old School Style” with D.J. May 24, 2013 (7:00 – 11:00) IC School located at 811 Telfair St. (BYOB)  Tour of Immaculate Conception School – May 25th (10:00 am – 12:00 noon)  Cruising on the Savannah River – May 25, 2013 at 1:00 pm $7.00 per person. Limited seating.  Centennial Banquet – May 25, 2013 at 7:00 pm (Entertainment Provided) Augusta Marriott Hotel located at 2 10th Street Keynote Speaker: Bishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Tickets: $50.00 each (Tickets must be paid for in advance by May 17th)  Centennial Celebration Mass - May 26, 2013 at 8:00 am Church of the Most Holy Trinity located at 720 Telfair Street  Reception Immediately Following Mass in St. Patrick Hall (Light refreshments will be served) Banquet Tickets are available at Immaculate Conception School. For additional details and ticket information, call (706) 722-9964, (706) 589-6112 or (706) 399-0360.

The Alumni Association is challenging all IC alumns and the local community to contribute $1.00 for each year that the school has been in existence. Contributions are tax deductible and will benefit scholarships. Checks or money orders should be made payable to Immaculate Conception School Centennial Giving Campaign. Payments may be made at the school or mailed to the school at 811 Telfair Street, Augusta, Ga. 30901. Our paypal account is available on the home page at www.mostholytrinity.org. Thanks for your support.

UrbanProWeekly • MAY 9 - 15, 2013

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A Garden City Jazz Soiree: Unplugged: End of Year An Evening of Jazz with Michael Dease Community On Friday, May 17, 2013, Garden City Jazz will present Grammy Award winning trombonist and DFA 2000 graduate, Michael Dease at the Jessye Norman School of the Arts.

Michael Dease will serenade the audience with an Acoustic concert featuring music from his new CD, “Coming Home”. There will also be a guest musical performance by “The Method”.

Dease is a sought-after and twotime GR AMMY-award winning lead, section and bass trombonist with today’s leading jazz orchestras.

Dease arranges and composes for many different bands and constantly adjusts his tone and timbre to add just the right flavor to the music.

His unique blend of curiosity, hard work and optimism has helped him earn worldwide recognition, including awards from ASCAP, The Int. Trombone Association, Yamaha, Eastern Trombone Workshop, New York Youth Symphony, among others.

Dease has released 4 critically-praised albums as a leader: The Takeover (2005), Clarity (2007), Dease Bones (2008) and Grace (2010). His latest album, Coming Home (D Clef Records) will hit stores on April 16th, and features a stellar cast of bandmates: pianist Renee Rosnes, bassist Christian McBride, rising drum star Ulysses Owens Jr, and saxophonist Steve Wilson, plus a guest appearance by tenor titan Eric Alexander.

Block Party is fun & games

The 2013 Community Block Party, sponsored by the Augusta Recreation, Parks & Facilities Department, JR’s Stop and Shop and Perry Broadcasting will be held at corner of Turpin St. and Martin Luther King Blvd. on Friday, May 24th.

The fun will start at 3:00 p.m. and go on until 7:00 p.m.

Festivities include free food, free drinks and prize giveaways for children ages 5 – 14.

For more information, please contact the City of Augusta Special Events at 821-1754 or JR’s Stop and Shop (706) 722-5613.

The following streets will be closed from 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

On Friday, May 17, 2013, Garden City Jazz will present Grammy Award winning trombonist and DFA 2000 graduate, Michael Dease at the Jessye Norman School of the Arts.

Don’t miss this intimate evening in celebration of a marvelous work of jazz and a long-awaited homecoming for this 2000 Davidson Fine Arts Graduate. For tickets visit http:// jazzsoiree2013.bpt.me/ or contact Karen Gordon at info@gardencity-

jazz.com.

WHEN: Friday, May 17, 2013; 7:30 p.m.; Jessye Norman School of the Arts TICKETS : $15 ; Purchase online @ http://jazzsoiree2013.bpt.me/

Martin Luther King Blvd @ Turpin Street Martin Luther King Blvd @ Agnes Street Martin Luther King Blvd @ 6th Ave. Martin Luther King Blvd @ Kent St. Martin Luther King Blvd @ Swanee Quintet Blvd.

Steiner Ave. @ Swanee Quintet Blvd.

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Success Is The Only Option!

Youth Conference Jackie L. Brewton Motivational Speaker

May 25, 2013 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Augusta Technical College Building 1000

Sponsored by East Central Public Health District Adolescent Health & Youth Development & Department of Juvenile Justice For more information, call 706-729-2054

UrbanProWeekly • MAY 9 - 15, 2013

F.Y.I. Can We Talk?

10 UrbanProWeekly • MAY 9 - 15, 2013

MAY 12 John Hobbs Mothers Day Tribute

MAY 19 JAMP Masters Afro Cubop Quartet

May 26 Garden City Jazz 3

First Friday On the move

The Computer Guy Computers Done Right, Free Diagnostic Check Clarence

A belly dancer with

PC TECH

the Eastern Star Dance Theatre entertains the crowd during First Friday festivities on Broad Street.

Photo by Vincent Hobbs

GET OUTSIDE! Summer Events in Augusta Fox on the Fairway May 10-11, 17-18 and 23-25, 2013 Fort Gordon Dinner Theatre www.FortGordon.com/Theatre Enjoy dinner and a show at Fort Gordon Dinner theatre. This is a charming show about love, life and mans eternal love for the game of golf.

Colonial Times: Under the Crown June 1-2, 2013 Living History Park in North Augusta www.ColonialTimes.us A weekend filled with new ways to learn and experience the history of Augusta and North Augusta. Historical re-enactors allow a glimpse into the period of the American Revolution with 18th Century music and entertainment.

Augusta Pride Parade & Festival June 22-23, 2013 Augusta Common www.AugustaPride.com A two-day festival of performances, speakers, vendors and the annual Pride Parade, celebrating Augusta’s LGBT community.

Augusta Southern Nationals Drag Boat Races July 19-21, 2013 Augusta Riverfront Marina www.AugustaSouthernNationals.org Come and enjoy the World’s Richest Drag Boat Race on the banks of the beautiful Savannah River. The weekend will kick off with “A Night of Fire” in the Augusta Common (826 Reynolds Street) on Friday, July 19 at 7 p.m. Races begin on July 20.

7th Annual Augusta PaddleFest August 17, 2013 Augusta Riverfront Marina www.PaddleFestGA.com Augusta, Georgia’s only canoe, kayak, stand up paddleboard, and homemade raft race will once again be held in Augusta, GA on the beautiful Savannah River.

2658 C Barton Chapel Rd. Augusta, GA 706.814.7188 computerguyaugusta@live.com

Stress Physical Inactivity Family History of Cardiovascular disease Obesity Diabetes High Blood Pressure High Cholesterol Cigarette Smoking HEART ATTACK • BRAIN ATTACK • PREVENT ATTACK East Central Health District Hypertension Management Outreach Program

Richmond County 706.721.5800

UrbanProWeekly • MAY 9 - 15, 2013

ARE YOU AT RISK?

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Augusta Regional Airport receives highest grade on its Report Card!

UrbanProWeekly • MAY 9 - 15, 2013

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Kensleigh Spears (R), 6, holds ups a caricature drawing of herself, drawn by artist Xavier Jones during First Friday festivities on Broad Street.

Grandmother Tina Spears (L) poses in the photo with Kensleigh.

Photo by Vincent Hobbs

Augusta Regional Airport (AGS) received its annual Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification inspection last week. Every year the FAA inspects all commercial service airports in order to ensure compliance with federal regulations and safety mandates. The FAA Inspector for AGS found zero discrepancies, giving the Airport a 100% approval rating for the second year in a row!

The inspection covered all aspects of the Airport’s operations including Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) operational procedures and response times, maintenance repair processes, and operational safety and security processes as well as wildlife management protocols. All operational departments are reviewed to ensure compliance with training procedures and employee certification qualifications.

The FAA Inspector was extremely impressed with the newly developed work order system developed by the Operations and Maintenance

Departments to ensure any discrepancies that might pop up on a daily basis are identified and rectified immediately. The ARFF Department developed a new I-Pad database program identifying aircraft that utilize the airport frequently. The I-Pads are kept in each response vehicle and help to facilitate qualified response as quickly and efficiently as possible. Both new programs were developed to ensure the safety and security of all airport users.

“We commend you for the procedures you are using in the day-to-day operation of the airport” said Charlotte L. Jones, FAA’s Airport Certification Safety Inspector.

“As seen in recent events it is extremely hard for any airport, big or small, to come away from an inspection with zero discrepancies!” Said Gary LeTellier, Augusta Regional Airport’s Executive Director. “Due to the hard work of all of our departments, AGS has been able to pass our last two inspections with flying colors!”

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Commentary

UrbanProWeekly • MAY 9 - 15, 2013

14

. . . a glance at mainstream news stories on the Shakur case right now shows the casual interchangeability of the terms “militant” and “terrorist,” turning the domestic racial conflicts into an open war by the United States against oppressed groups inside its borders. The authority of federal agencies to wield military power against U.S. citizens, which has become more common under the Obama Administration already, is deepened by turning Shakur into a symbol of demonic power.

Why the hunt for Assata Shakur matters

By Joseph Lowndes The FBI’s recent announcement that it has placed former Black Panther and escaped prisoner Assata Shakur at the top of its Most Wanted list and the doubling of the reward for her capture by the State of New Jersey is a development that progressives should not ignore. This newly intensified effort to put Shakur back in prison matters for a number of reasons.

First, by elevating this 40-year-old case to top priority, Obama’s Justice Department is actively memorializing the struggle for black freedom of that era, but in a way that offers us a criminalized, even militarized interpretation of it. How we understand the past has bearing on our political present, and making Shakur, a symbol of black militancy of the 1960s and ‘70s, into a high-level national security threat serves to criminalize the greatest movement for democracy in the 20th century. What’s more, fashioning this morality tale erases the central role of the FBI’s COINTELPRO in her controversial case, a willed forgetting of the well-documented framings, murders, and false imprisonments aimed at the black liberation movement and others of that era, as opposed to a clear-eyed assessment of the disputed facts on the ground.

Second, the legal and rhetorical framework of terrorism being used in this case strengthens the

U.S. state’s ongoing and intensifying campaign to threaten, harass and detain not only Muslims and Arabs, but antiwar, and green activists. Shakur was given the designation of “domestic terrorist” under the Patriot Act in 2005, and a glance at mainstream news stories on the Shakur case right now shows the casual interchangeability of the terms “militant” and “terrorist,” turning the domestic racial conflicts into an open war by the United States against oppressed groups inside its borders. The authority of federal agencies to wield military power against U.S. citizens, which has become more common under the Obama Administration already, is deepened by turning Shakur into a symbol of demonic power. Such militarization also reflects the full realization of a carceral state that has enormously expanded in the last two decades, imprisoning more people than any country in the world, both per capita and in absolute numbers, with vast over-representation by black and brown people.

Third, further connecting the domestic and international, the placement of Assata Shakur on the FBI’s Most Wanted list is a way for the Obama Administration to test the resolve of Cuba in the twilight of the Castro regime, to see how much power it can now wield there through both engagements and threats. As an AP story on the Shakur case thought it worthwhile to note, “This week, the

State Department said it has no plans to remove Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism that also includes Iran, Syria and Sudan.” This is a move that reverberates throughout the western hemisphere given recent U.S. activity in Bolivia, Honduras, and most recently the U.S.’s refusal to recognize the electoral victory of socialist president Nicolas Maduro victory in Venezuela.

The renewed state interest in Assata Shakur is not an anachronism, nor mere score-settling from a prior conflict. It goes to the heart of a set of interrelated issues that should be of deep concern to anyone concerned with civil liberties, political freedom, U.S. empire, and the future of racial justice. We should be asking Attorney General Eric Holder why $2 million is being put up in a 40 year-old case. State Police Superintendent Col. Rick Fuentes said at a news conference Thursday that the case was “an open wound” for troopers in New Jersey and around the country. Yet the FBI’s fullscale assault on the social movements of the 1960s and 1970s remains an open wound for the nation itself. A truthful accounting of state repression in that era is required if we want to heal it, not making Shakur into a scapegoat.

Follow Joseph Lowndes on Twitter: www.twitter. com/JoeLowndes

Disaster capitalism strikes as hedge funds target ailing cities A troubling pattern emerges as private funds seek to profit from beleaguered cities Jon Queally In Detroit, a once bustling city at the center of the US economy, the hedge fund vultures are circling.

But first, a moment of background, employing Naomi Klein’s contemporary classic The Shock Doctrine, which tells the story of how purveyors of aggressive capitalism take advantage of crises and public vulnerability in order to push through neoliberal policies and profitmotivated financial arrangements.

Played out in various spheres before and after the book’s publication in 2005, the idea of ‘disaster capitalism’ has been at the center of austerity politics on both sides of the Atlantic (and around the world) in the wake of the 2008 financial meltdown. And now, in

places like Detroit, its taking place in US communities at the municipal level as towns and cities hit hard by diminished economies and the slashing of public services are struggling on the edge of bankruptcy.

But, as reporting by Reuters on Wednesday reveals, one city’s pain is a possible hedge fund manager’s gain.

As Reuters’ Tom Hals explains, large private hedge funds, which once preyed on vulnerable companies ripe for liquidation and restructuring, are now taking aim at wounded cities and counties—with no place beckoning “more than Detroit.”

This sudden interest in the staid world of municipal debt comes as these so-called distressed funds are looking for new places to put their money.

Lucrative corporate bankruptcies have dried up, thanks in part to the Federal Reserve’s policy of low interest rates.

But despite the risks, some are already betting hundreds of millions

of dollars that there are big returns in cash-strapped governments.

In Detroit, where a previous ploy of the disaster capitalists has already taken hold in the form of an appointed “Financial Emergency Manager”—a position that strips out local government and puts city decision-making into unelected, bureaucratic hands— the people have almost no political avenue to resist the sale of public assets or the manipulation of city debt.

And as Hals notes, “the hedge funds’ interest in municipal debt reflects the divergent fortunes of Wall Street and Main Street.” He continues: Distressed debt funds love to jump in when most bail out. But with the coffers of U.S. companies overflowing with cash, there has been a dearth of the debt defaults, bankruptcies and liquidations that such funds normally feast on.

By contrast, a small but potentially growing number of U.S. cities and towns are struggling with pay and

pension obligations that they took on in the boom years. As well as Jefferson County, the California towns of Stockton and San Bernardino have recently filed for bankruptcy.

And Detroit’s fragile state—and the existence of the city’s emergency manager Kevyn Orr—make the city enormously vulnerable and thus attractive to hedge funds.

Detroit was once America’s fifth largest city and a thriving center of U.S. industry. Now, its population has plummeted to 700,000 from a peak of 1.8 million, a third live in poverty and basic services such as street lighting have broken down. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder appointed Orr, a corporate bankruptcy expert, in March to take over the city’s finances.

Even if the city does not file for bankruptcy, its debt will likely be restructured, providing an opportunity for Continued on next page

South Central LA’s Guerilla Gardener

By David Hochman Ron Finley was home by the pool recently when his thoughts once again turned to dirt. “People need to realize how powerful the transformation of soil can be,” he said, with a hint of evangelism. “We’ve gotten so far away from our food source. It’s been hijacked from us. But if you get soil, plant something in it and water it, you can feed yourself. It’s that simple.”

Mr. Finley’s two-story house in South Los Angeles used to be headquarters for a swimming school but the pool was drained long ago to make way for greener dreams. Potted cactuses, bags of organic fertilizer and gardening equipment cluttered the shallow end. Graffiti emblazoned its once-white walls. Old shopping carts planted with succulents lined the pool’s edge.

“We’re going to do a parade with a hundred of these to show you can repurpose the carts instead of just junking them,” he said.

It was early afternoon and Mr. Finley, who is tall, extroverted and disinclined to give his age (he has two sons in their 20s), had been up since dawn dealing with e-mails, invitations and other byproducts of what he called “the TED effect.” Last winter at TED, the annual ideas confab in Long Beach, his rousing 10-minute talk about guerrilla gardening in low-income neighborhoods was the hug-your-neighbor presentation of the week, and Mr. Finley was suddenly the man to meet.

“I should have brought a stripper pole and had people throw money at me,” said Mr. Finley, who juggles jobs as a fitness trainer and fashion designer to support his passion for gardening. He does not receive a salary for his work at L.A. Green Grounds, the volunteer organization he helped found three years ago to install vegetable gardens in vacant lots and sidewalk medians in blighted areas.

TED was a world apart. “Sergey Brin from Google was standing there clapping,” he said, “Benedikt Taschen was inviting me to his Hollywood parties and Goldie Hawn wanted to say hi and kiss me. I kept thinking, what am I doing here?”

Since then, Mr. Finley has been thrust into the unlikely role of pavement-pounding Johnny Appleseed.

His talk has received almost 900,000 views on TED’s Web site and his message that edible gardens are the antidote to inner-city health issues, poverty and gang violence (“if you ain’t a gardener, you ain’t gangsta,” he told the crowd) has gone supernova.

The talk show host Carson Daly, the actress Rashida Jones and the celebrated Danish chef René Redzepi were among hundreds of new admirers issuing shout-outs on Twitter.

Alice Waters stopped by Mr. Finley’s house, Russell Brand put him on his late-night talk show, and corporations like Reebok, Disney, Stihl and Toms Shoes had collaboration ideas. A

“Growing your own food is like printing your own money.”

graduate student asked to write a dissertation about Mr. Finley, who, to his credit, has kept an eyebrow arched over his newfound fame.

Mr. Finley, who grew up with seven siblings near the intersection of Florence and Normandie Avenues, where the 1992 Los Angeles riots began, aligns more with graffiti artists like Risk and Retna, both friends of Mr. Finley’s, than with English horticulturalists of yore. Neat rows of zucchini are for grandmas. His gardens have spirals, color, fragrance and curves, and, to him, soil is sensuous. “How much more sexy can it get than you eating food that you grew?” Mr. Finley asked.

In a city where an elite few fuss over $13 plates of escarole wedges, too many others eat at 98-cent stores and drive-throughs or go hungry altogether. Mr. Finley estimates that the City of Los Angeles owns 26 square miles of vacant lots, an area equivalent to 20 Central Parks, with enough space for 724,838,400 tomato plants.

His radical fix is to take back that land and plant it, even if it’s the skinny strip between concrete and curb.

It was the barren 150-by-10-foot median outside Mr. Finley’s house that inspired his first act of crab grass defiance. In 2010, he planted a sidewalk garden to reduce grocery expenses and to avoid the 45-minute round-trip to Whole Foods.

“I wanted a carrot without toxic ingredients I didn’t know how to spell,” he said.

A few months later, neighbors were gawking in delight at the sight of pumpkins, peppers, sunflowers, kale and corn in an area better known for hubcap shops. Late one night, Mr. Finley, who is a single father, noticed a mother and daughter sneaking food from his garden. He conceived L.A. Green Grounds as a way to share the abundance with people like them.

The city was less magnanimous.

As do other metropolitan areas, Los Angeles owns the “parkways” that run alongside the curb, and the Bureau of Street Services cited Mr. Finley for gardening on his median without the required $400 permit.

Outraged, he and a band of greenthumbed activists petitioned a member of the City Council, who convinced the city to back off.

“People in my neighborhood are so disconnected from the fresh food supply that kids don’t know an eggplant from a sweet potato,” Mr. Finley said.

“We have to show them how to get grounded in the truest sense of the word.”

That missionary zeal got Mr. Finley noticed by Jesse Dylan, a filmmaker whose company made a short video about the gardener’s City Hall battle.

It helped that Mr. Finley is a magnetic character. He motors around town in a three-wheeled Can-Am Spyder

“I want to plant entire blocks of vegetable beds,” he said, back in preacher mode. “I want to turn shipping containers into healthy cafes where customers can pick their salad and juice off the trees. roadster, often dressed in the couture garments he designs for his clothing company, theDropdead Collexion. His storehouse of African-American entertainment memorabilia is considered one of the country’s most impressive, at least by Mr. Finley.

“Ron’s got a deep and feisty spirit,” Mr. Dylan said. “He’s a modern Walt Whitman with attitude.”

On a sparkling Saturday morning in March, Mr. Finley was overseeing a “digin” in Baldwin Hills with around 20 volunteers from L.A. Green Grounds.

“We’re usually begging people, but this time we had 300 requests,” he said.

After a few hours of working with donated shovels, mulch and seedlings, the team transformed a backyard tangle of weeds and pale grass into an outdoor salad bar offering Japanese eggplant, black tomatoes, Swiss chard, red kale, dragon kale and plum trees.

It was organic proof of Mr. Finley’s second most indelible line from TED, that “growing your own food is like printing your own money.”

With a shovel in one hand and a cellphone full of new messages in the other, Mr. Finley appeared to have as many plans as there are seeds in the

new garden.

“I want to plant entire blocks of vegetable beds,” he said, back in preacher mode. “I want to turn shipping containers into healthy cafes where customers can pick their salad and juice off the trees. I want our inner-city churches to become ministries of health instead of places that serve up fried, fattening foods. I want to clean up my yard, my street and my ’hood.”

If nothing else, Mr. Finley hopes to use his moment in the spotlight to give the next generation an alternative. “I wish,” he said, “somebody had told me, ‘don’t go down that street,’ or ‘find yourself a mentor,’ so that’s a role I’m trying to play.”

The future he envisions is full of shovels, not guns, and mint and marjoram instead of drugs.

“I saw a kid walking down the street listening to music when he came face to face with one of my giant Russian Mammoth sunflowers,” Mr. Finley said.

“He said, ‘Yo, is that real?’ ” “He thought it was a prop or something. That’s what I want on my streets.

Flowers so big and magnificent, they’ll blow a kid’s mind.”

Cities in trouble from page 14 hedge funds to make a profit. [...]

Financial advisers, restructuring consultants and lawyers who work with the funds have told Reuters they have been fielding calls, digging through documents and even flying to Detroit as they try to pinpoint a profitable investment.

“Everyone is looking for ways into Detroit. It’s new and unique,” said Marti Kopacz, who founded Brant Point Advisors, which provides turnaround advice to municipal governments.

One of the normally secretive distressed debt fund managers confirmed the funds are circling the Motor City.

But what of the warnings? What does it mean to “liquidate” or “restructure” a city in the same manner you might a failed electronics company or an unprofitable factory?

According to Marti Kopacz, a finan-

cial adviser who offers guidance to municipal governments and was interviewed by Reuters for his expertise on the big-money interests circling Detroit: “I think it will be a period of time where the distressed investor community will come to an appreciation that these situations are so very, very different from a commercial bankruptcy,” he said.

“Everyone points to the politics but it’s even more fundamental than that.

If you live in the north you have to take care of the snow and you have to have a police department and a fire department. You can’t liquidate a city.”

And then, of course, these questions remain: How long will “this period of time” be? And how much damage to the city might be done as the vultures gain “appreciation” whilst snacking on their scrumptious, municipal lunch?

UrbanProWeekly • MAY 9 - 15, 2013

Meet Ron Finley

15

UrbanProWeekly • MAY 9 - 15, 2013

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Summer Explosion

June 4 - July 12, 2013

Summer Explosion: $90/week and $40 registration fee Grades K-5 through 8th Grades This summer enrichment program is a six-week program for the kindergarten through eighth grade students.

Students are placed in their promoted grades and are given a head start on the grade appropriate curriculum for the upcoming school year. The academics are taught by certified teachers from around the CSRA. The CRCT is administered and the program is designed to provide enrichment in the areas of math, science, language arts, and communication skills. It is also designed to enhance critical thinking skills and to heighten the students’ curiosity.

The desire of the Summer Explosion 2013 staff is to create an academic fun-filled spiritual summer of activities for the youth of the CSRA. Program Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Monday through Friday) Extended Hours:Daycare will be provided FREE OF CHARGE from 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM and from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM Program Site: Beulah Grove Administrative Building of Opportunity Receive a week free when you pay in full by May 30, 2013 (Must attend program for six weeks)

NO DEADLINE TO APPLY For more information go to www.bgcrcenter.org or call 706-722-4999

Students Eliminating Excuses and Doubts June 4 - July 12, 2013 S.E.E.D S.E.E.D.: $ 100.00/week; $40 registration fee Grades 9th-11th Mission: Strengthening Opportunities Through Development

This summer enrichment program is a six-week program for the ninth and tenth grade students. Students are placed in their promoted grades and are given classes to help strengthen, grow, and develop their leadership skills. S.E.E.D. is designed to provide enrichment in the following areas, but not limited to team building, peer mediation, test taking skills, résumé building, spiritual awareness, and many other developmental skills. Students attending S.E.E.D. will also be afforded the opportunity to attend the Young Christian CEO Conference during June at no additional cost.

The desire of the Students Eliminating Excuses and Doubt (S.E.E.D.) 2013 staff is to create an academic fun-filled spiritual summer of activities for the youth of the CSRA. Program Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Monday through Friday) Program Site: Beulah Grove Administrative Building of Opportunity 1434 Poplar Street, Augusta, GA 30901 Receive a week free when you pay in full by May 30, 2013 (Must attend program for six weeks)

NO DEADLINE TO APPLY For more information go to www.bgcrcenter.org or call 706-722-4999

17

Bev Bridal Boutique, LLC

is looking for a Part-Time Associate with the following qualifications: •Demonstrated experience in retail sales •Dependable •Flexible •Trustworthy •Efficient

•Knowledgeable •Courteous to clientele •Excellent communication skills •Time management skills •Willingness to work in a fast paced environment with little supervision

This position offers no benefits and work hours are based on an as needed basis. If you are interested in this position, please email a copy of your resume along with two references to sayidowithbev@gmail.com.

Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

NOTICE TO PUBLIC

CITY OF AUGUSTA AUGUSTA HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Housing Rehabilitation Program

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS The City of Augusta under the Housing Rehabilitation Program will be accepting applications for the Homeowner Rehabilitation Loan Program only. Starting on May 13, 2013 through June 6, 2013 all applicants interested in applying, can apply between the hours of 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Thursday.

Please be advised the Housing Rehabilitation Program is a first come first serve program and only completed applications along with requested documents will be accepted and processed.

If you need further information or have any questions, please call Sonya Johnson-lee at 706-821-1797.

Chester Wheeler III, Director Augusta Housing and Community Development Department 925 Laney-Walker Blvd.

Augusta, Georgia 30901 (706) 821-1797 – TDD (706) 821-1797

INVITATION TO BID Sealed proposals from Contractors will be received for the Additions to Sue Reynolds Elementary School Project by the County Board of Education of Richmond County at the address below until 3:00 p.m. local time, Tuesday, April 2, 2013, at which time the bids will be publicly opened and read. No extension of the bidding period will be made.

A Pre-Bid Conference will be held on Tuesday, March 19, 2013, at 3:00 p.m. local time in the Board Conference Room, Richmond County Board of Education, 864 Broad Street, Augusta, Georgia 30901.

Drawings and project manual on this work may be examined at the Department of Maintenance and Facilities, Richmond County Board of Education, 1781 15th Street, Augusta, Georgia 30901.

Bidding documents may be obtained at the Office of the Architect: Hughes, Beattie, O’Neal, Law & Associates, 1201 Broad Street, Suite 2A, Augusta, GA 30901. Applications for documents together with refundable deposit of $300.00 per set should be filed promptly with the Architect. Bidding materials will be forwarded (shipping charges collect) as soon as possible. The full amount of deposit for one set will be refunded to each prime contractor who submits a bona fide bid upon return of such set in good condition within ten (10) days after date of opening bids. All other deposits will be refunded with deductions approximating cost of reproduction of documents upon return of same in good condition within ten (10) days after date of opening bid.

Contract, if awarded, will be on a lump sum basis. No bid may be withdrawn for a period of thirty-five (35) days after time has been called on the date of opening.

Bid must be accompanied by a bid bond in an amount not less than 5% of the base bid. Personal checks, certified checks, letters of credit, etc., are not acceptable. The successful bidder will be required to furnish performance and payment bonds in an amount equal to 100% of the contract price.

The Richmond County Board of Education reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive technicalities and informalities.

BID LIST: The Richmond County Board of Education maintains a bid list for many categories that are let for bid each year.

Contact Amy Bauman in the Business Office (706) 826-1298 or at baumaam@rcboe.org if you need additional information concerning the bid list.

To promote local participation, a database of sub-contractors, suppliers, and vendors has been developed by the Program Manager, GMK Associates. Contact Jeanine Usry with GMK Associates at (706) 826 -1127 for location to review and obtain this database.

Bids shall be submitted and addressed to:

Harold V. Jones II ATTORNEY AT LAW

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UrbanProWeekly • MAY 9 - 15, 2013

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18

Barbecuing is serious business for Augusta resident

Throughout the year, these teams attend various professional and amateur competitions. The amateur competitions, referred to as Backyard Barbecue Competitions, serves as a stepping stone for individuals or teams to move into the professional barbecue arena. Even though the teams are considered amateurs, the competition is just as fierce.

Robert Williams of Alexander’s Great BBQ is one of those competitors. After joining the Kansas City Barbecue Society, the world’s largest organization of barbeque and grilling enthusiasts, Williams searched for competitions with a Backyard Barbecue division. On April 26-27, he traveled to Calhoun, Ga. to participate in the annual BBQ, Boogie & Blues Festival’s Backyard Competition.

“I have been working to perfect Robert Williams of Alexander’s Great BBQ has been working to perfect the taste and appearance of my food the taste and appearance of his culinary creations. in order to enter my first competigrill is lit, it becomes serious busi- tion for the past year. I felt comfortAUGUSTA Barbecue in the South is more ness as barbecue teams compete able with my product, so I decided than just grilling hot dogs and ham- for bragging rights, prizes, and tro- to make the leap,” said Williams, a long-time resident of Augusta. burgers in the backyard. Once the phies.

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Williams’ decision to enter the competition was met with success as he won first place in chicken, third place in pork, and fifth place overall. Alexander’s Great BBQ was one of seven teams competing in the Backyard Barbecue division.

“It is rare for someone new to competitions to even place right out of the gate. I was surprised and happy,” he said. “This was truly an honor for me to be among some of the best barbecue teams around. This is just the beginning for Alexander’s Great BBQ,” added Williams who is already preparing for his next competition in Rome, Ga., May 10-11.

Williams, who states he has been barbecuing all his life, first became interested in it as a profession after winning a barbecue contest at his church, New Life Worship Center.

He then founded Alexander’s Great BBQ. He also created a special dry rub and barbecue sauce that he uses at competitions. To find out more about Alexander’s Great BBQ, go to www.alexandersgreatbbq.com.

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