Urban Pro Weekly

Benedict vs Fort Valley in Augusta City Classic Saturday Sept. 28

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U W NEWS • COMMENTARY

ARTS

The CSRA’s FREE WEEKLY NEWSPAPER VOL.3 NO.4

ENTERTAINMENT SEPTEMBER 26-30, 2013

Artist

Baruti Tucker

“Ahfingah” Unleashed Photo by Vincent Hobbs

Shocker?

Urban redevelopment ‘consultants’ really worked as ‘hired hands’ for Augusta’s HCD department

UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 26-30, 2013

2

Look Here!

TROPICAL RHYTHM: Dancers for “Island Rhythm”, Yasheco “Koko” Edwards (L) and Courtnie Coon (R), wear tropical island costumes as part of the Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival on Sat., September 19. Photo by Vincent Hobbs

SATURDAY MARKET JAZZ: Guitarist Robert Reid performs at the Saturday Market at the River on 8th Street in downtown Augusta. Reid played an assortment of jazz instrumentals to entertain market shoppers.

Photo by Vincent Hobbs

3 UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 26-30, 2013

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The City

Urban redevelopment manpower usage blurs lines between staff and consultant

By Frederick Benjamin Sr. UrbanProWeekly Staff Writer AUGUSTA The deeper one probes into the handling of the award-winning LaneyWalker/Bethlehem revitalization project the more bizarre are the findings.

This week’s Administrative Services committee meeting did not disappoint on that score.

Just about 30 days ago, Housing and Community Development Department (HCDD) director Chester Wheeler came before the commission to request a $2.5 million bridge loan from the city, presumably, to keep the wheels from falling off of the multi-million dollar project that seeks to build homes and attract paying customers back into the Laney walker/Bethlehem neighborhoods. At the time, Wheeler said that if there was any delay in granting the loan “serious financial consequences” would ensue.

Well, he didn’t get the money. And every week since then, he has been asking for it and not getting it. So far, however, there have been no “serious financial consequences.”

Now, after numerous questions about how the $8 million already granted to Wheeler has been spent, it turns out that Wheeler no longer needs the money.

It appears that the proceeds from sale of land to The House of Prayer (a private developer) and the Augusta Housing Authority will be pouring into the HCDD’s Laney Walker/ Bethlehem coffers to the tune of $1 million.

So why the initial request? Wheeler denied that he ever said there would

POLITICAL ANALYSIS

Mason to HCD director: “Certainly you can’t do this kind of work with having no staff assigned.” be “serious financial consequences” if he didn’t get the loan, but merely suggested that he could get by for another couple of weeks. He said that, at the time he requested the loan, he wasn’t sure when the proceeds from the sale of land would actually be realized.

So now that he’ll be getting money to keep operating, there’s no longer any urgency for the $2.5 million.

That is precisely what drives commissioners crazy and leaves the public wondering why nothing can ever get done at City Hall in a straight forward

manner.

But, that’s not the half of it. Also at Monday’s committee meeting, Wheeler revealed that the $6,000 per month consultants (all 8 of them) were not actually doing consultant work.

What they were doing was the dayto-day grunt work as auxiliary staffers.

Here’s the exhange between Commissioner Alvin Mason and Wheeler that brought that fact to light.

Mason said that after reviewing Wheeler’s documents that outlined the duties of the “consultants,” he made a discovery.

“It seems to me that they are more of a staff element than a consulting source in terms of what they do.”

Then he asked Wheeler, if he has the staff that can do what they are paying the “consultants” to do.

“We don’t have the talent in-house to perform what they do,” Wheeler responded. “There has never been any staff salary paid from my department for Laney-Walker development.

Not one penny.”

Mason responded, “That’s a problem in my mind because there should be staff assigned. I was thinking that there was some staff assigned when this thing first came up. I would think that you would consider hiring some staff.”

At this point, city administrator Fred Russell attempted to clarify the issue. According to Russell, because of the “somewhat revolutionary” nature of the project, the decision was made to have the consultants do the work rather than hiring additional staff. It was easier that way, he said.

“We were trying to keep from hiring

someone in a full time position here that would later have to go away,” Russell said.

Consultants indeed!

Amazingly, no one else really followed up on that stunning admission. It was as if, okay, consultants doing the grunt work on behalf of private developers, we’re cool with that.

Upon further elaboration, Wheeler admitted that the nature of the work done by the “consultants” benefitted the private developer and the Housing Authority at the city’s expense.

“We realized early on that we had to buy land in order to develop it.

We can’t build on that which we don’t own. The private sector will not take the time to come into an urban area when you have blighted property and you can’t get clear title [to the property]. They get bogged down in the process of assembling the land, so, we assemble it for them,” Wheeler said. “That’s how we were able to sell it to The United House of Prayer and the Housing Authority. So we have over $1 million coming back to us for what we spent acquiring the land.”

Mason responded, “If it had been explained a little bit better, I could understand why the cost was so high for the consulting. Clearly, it has been the “consultants” that have been doing most of this work. They were not actually doing consulting.

“If we’re dealing with urban redevelopment we have to decide who is going to be doing this work.

Certainly you can’t do this kind of work with having no staff assigned.”

City languishes under disparity study blues

By Frederick Benjamin Sr. UrbanProWeekly Staff Writer AUGUSTA There is no sadder commentary on the effectiveness of local government than its dismal record of addressing the decades long disparity between African American businesses and non minority businesses when it comes to sharing in the millions of dollars that the local government spends.

Simply put, for the past ten years

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there has been no leadership from the office of the mayor and no willingness on the part of a majority of the commissioners to do anything to address the problem which has been shown to exist by (2) disparity studies. That’s not an opinion. The record speaks for itself.

Another sad fact is that for the past several years you could not get a nonAfrican-American commissioner to acknowledge that the problem was worth tackling.

Now, all of a sudden, there is a lot of

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

talk about trying to do something about the problem, but those who don’t see it as such a big deal have been content to let the clock run out.

At the beginning of this year, the city legal department decided to adopt the necessary language that would enable the DBE department to start its critical data collection. This effort has come four years too late.

It is comical to witness the seeming endless “discussions” about what to do to put the city on the road to economic

Sales & Marketing Phone: 706-394-9411 Photography and Social Media Courtesy of Vincent Hobbs

parity (race and genderwise) without any accompanying activity.

It is disheartening to listen to the drama and posturing of the commissioners along with the city administrator, the key legal counsel and the director of the City’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise.

There is scant evidence that, given the complexities imposed by a court order forbidding race-based remedies to decades long inequities that the city has the skill or the will to make it right.

email: Ben Hasan bzhasan54@yahoo.com Frederick Benjamin Sr. editor@urbanproweekly.com Vincent Hobbs coolveestudio@gmail.com

Benedict College vs. Fort Valley State University

Fort Valley State’s defensive stars will test Benedict in City Classic game

By Frederick Benjamin Sr. UrbanProWeekly Stsff Writer AUGUSTA This Saturday’s SIAC-East matchup between Fort Valley State Wildcats and the Benedict College Tigers features a host of pre-season conference First Team Defensive players who will suit up for the Fort Valley Wildcats. Leading the pack will be last week’s defensive player of the week for Fort Valley — defensive back DeRon Furr. Furr, an All-American and former SIAC Defensive Player of Year will be joined on the defensive side of the ball by a trio of all-conference defensive players Thomas “Trey” Wolfe, Tracey White and Bernard Little.

Benedict has its own weapons, notably, Devin Gainer who has also been named to the SIAC Defensive First team and teammate kicker Eduardo Hernandez made the SIAC First Team on Offense.

Last year, the Fort Valley Wildcats snatched the East Division Championship. This year they were the pre-

season selection to finish in the number 2 spot behind Albany State. The Benedict Tigers have been selected to finish fourth in the East just ahead of Clark Atlanta.

Both teams enter the contest with identical 1-0 conference records. Overall, Benedict is 2-1 and Fort Valley is 1-2. The winner of Saturday’s contest will take the outright lead in the East.

The Augusta City Classic Events kick off on Thursday, Sept. 26, with the Annual Hall of Fame Banquet at the Augusta Marriott. The two new inductees for the 2013 Augusta City Classic Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees are Coach Don Brock and Mr. E. G. Meybohm both outstanding local businessmen. Each of them has a tremendous athletic resume and both have made impacts in our Community.

The Augusta City Classic/Capitol City Classic Hall of Fame Game will be Saturday September 28th , 2013.

Festivities will begin at 8am, with the College Football game beginning at 2pm. To purchase tickets or more information please contact the Augusta City Classic Office 706-829-4854.

DeRon Furr SIAC Defensive Player of the Week. Furr a native of Columbus, GA (Shaw) (6-1, 205, LB, SR) had a game-high 17 total tackles (10 solo - 7 assist) and one pass break-up to propel Fort Valley State on defense for the win 12-9 over Clark Atlanta University Panthers, while holding them to 188 yards of total offense on Saturday, September 21.

Training prepares locals to respond to domestic terrorists Law enforcement personnel from across the state attend anti-terrorism training in Augusta.

AUGUSTA The recent mass shooting at the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. demonstrates the need for heightened awareness and appropriate training for local law enforcement officials as well as first responders who may be faced with a threat that comes from homegrown terrorists.

“An act of terror can happen at any time at any place,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, Edward Tarver.

Tarver made the remarks last week during the annual state and local anti-terrorism training in Augusta the day following the Navy Yard massacre.

“There is no set profile of a terrorist. Certainly, it could be someone from a foreign country, but the reality is, it could be one of our neighbors,” Tarver said. “It would be someone we went to high school with, someone we sat next to in English class.”

Tarver says the definition of “terrorism” is changing.

“It’s not necessarily someone with Al Qaeda,” Tarver said.

“Many of us when we hear the term terrorism, we think of 9/11. We think of someone coming from outside the country to do harm to Americans in the country, but in reality there’s a bigger threat from folks who are

At a recent State and Local Anti-Terrorism Training session, U.S. Attorney Ed Tarver says that a potential threat could come from someone born and raised in Georgia. here,” according to Tarver, making perhaps the biggest threat someone on our own American soil.

Tarver explained that someone who has a grudge against the government or who has had a bad experience with law enforcement could become a threat to local as well as national security.

The training is a joint effort by the U.S. Attorneys Office and the Bureau of Justice Assistance Program.

“You may not have time to call the FBI or federal authorities, so initially the first people to respond are the ones who are going to prevent any more harm from occurring,” he said.

Tarver says the first skill is identification. That includes controlling the scene to contain the violence.

It’s a skill the officers will learn

today to help prevent a tragedy tomorrow.

“It’s a serious subject and a serious event and by teaching our first responders the tactics necessary to make sure they can assess the situation, we can make sure we’re all safer,” Tarver said.

Tarver says that threats could emanate from those whom he called “sovereign citizens.” These are persons who do not recognize the authority of the judicial system or local law enforcement, he said. In some instances these folks go so far as to issue their own drivers licenses.

Tarver says one of the best things about the training was that it made important information available to Sheriff’s offices and police departments that wouldn’t normally get it.

Paine sends rep to Nat’l Black College Hall of Fame event Tekeya Peterson, Miss Paine College 2013-2014, will travel to Atlanta, Georgia to compete with other HBCU queens during the 28th Annual Hall of Fame, September 25-29, 2013. The event is hosted by the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Foundation.

The senior Sarasota, Florida native is the daughter of Robbin Haynes and Stanley Peterson Sr. Peterson majors in Public Relations at Paine and has plans to pursue a graduate degree at Howard University.

During the NBCA Hall of Fame Weekend, Peterson will attend workshops and seminars on leadership training. The culminating event of the weekend is the Queens’ Competition Final, in which HBCU Queens compete for the title of Miss NBCA Hall of Fame, scheduled for Saturday, September 28, 2013 at 7:00 PM. The organization formed its mission around assisting alumni associations and other organizations as they work together to ensure survival and stability of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).

For more information on the 28th Annual Hall of Fame Weekend presented by the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame in Atlanta Georgia, please visit http:// nbcahof.com.

5 UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 26-30, 2013

Augusta City Classic/Capital City Classic Hall of Fame Game

UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 26-30, 2013

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SPORTS HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL By Vincent Hobbs

Burke County High School’s Kaila Bates (#10) goes to the net during a volleyball game against Hepzibah High School at the Butler gym. Photo by Vincent Hobbs

Head coach Daniel Hance advises the Burke County High School Lady Bears during a timeout. Photo by Vincent Hobbs

Hepzibah High School Lady Rebels volleyball players raise their hands to indicate that one more point is needed for a win. Photo by Vincent Hobbs

Hepzibah High School volleyball player Trutne’ Miller (#3) prepares to serve the ball during a game against Burke County High School at the Butler gym.

Photo by Vincent Hobbs

Hepzibah High School head coach Amanda Karafotias watches her team during game.

Photo by Vincent Hobbs

urban•pro Creative Bulletin

7

Pickin’ is published and Invade America lands reading at National Black Theatre Festival For the 10th consecutive year Tyrone Butler, founder and executive director of the Augusta Mini Theatre, has had one of his plalys published by Pioneer Drama Services of Englewood, Colorado.

Most recently, the company published Butler’s play Pickin’.

The play has been produced by Augusta Mini Theatre in Augusta, Georgia and by groups in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Augusta, Maine.

It has been produced and read, since 2003, more than 100 times across the United States.

Pickin’ is about the consequences of bullying. Groups interested in producing Pickin’ should call 800-3337262 or visit www.pioneerdrama.com.

Butler’s play, Last Chance, was published in 2008 by Huer Publishing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Last Chance is a play about importance of education.

Groups interested in producing Last Chance should call 800-950-7529 or visit www.hitplays.com.

Another of Butler’s plays has made an impact on the theatre world. Invade America was read at The National Black Theatre Festival last month in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The play was selected to be read by the Festival’s Readers Theatre panel in

New York.

Invade America was read and directed by professional actresses including the Augusta Mini Theatre’s Artistic Director, Judith Simon-Butler.

Mrs. Butler was joined by Augusta Mini Theatre, Inc. students,Shana Few and Diamond Mitchell for the reading.

Invade America is about middle class Americans invading inner-city

communities by moving back into these neighborhoods.

To produce or discuss any of the plays with author, contact Tyrone J. Butler at 706-722-0598.

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Mini Theatre’s Tyrone Butler recognized for writing skills

UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 26-30, 2013

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ARTS IN THE HEART THRU THE LENS

Participants in the “Parade of Nations” during the opening ceremony of Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival wear colorful costumes to show their heritage. This young boy represented the country of India. The event was held on Friday, Sept. 20. Photo by Vincent Hobbs

(Left) Participants in the

(Above) Dance instructor Ferneasa Cutno holds a sign

“Parade of Nations” during the

during the “Unity Dance” at the opening ceremony of

opening ceremony of Arts in the

the Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival. Global village

Heart of Augusta Festival wear

participants took to the main stage and danced together

costumes to show their heritage.

as a show of unity.

This young lady represented

Photo by Vincent Hobbs

Somoa.

Photo by Vincent Hobbs

ART FOR LIVING Artist Baruti Tucker prepares a canvas board for his latest art creation during a Pop-Up Art Gallery at 758 Broad Street over the weekend. Tucker is known for finger-painting his artistic vision onto canvas using acrylic paints. The gallery event was hosted by Humanitree House, an Eco-Friendly Home that promotes the Four C’s of Humanity; Culture, Creativity, Community and Cooperative Economics. “We are conceptual activists that advocate artistic freedom, holistic living and human progression.”

Photos by Vincent Hobbs

By Vincent Hobbs Special to UrbanProWeekly AUGUSTA Artist Baruti “Broth’ah B” Tucker takes the concept of “finger painting” to a whole new level. To watch this artist work, smoothing dabs of acrylic or oil paint over canvas, without the aid of a brush, is to witness a unique art form that encapsulates the concept of creation.

With skill and dexterity, Tucker previsualizes his creation and builds the art, layer by layer. He has coined the term “Ahfingah” to describe his finger painting technique, and dismisses the traditional paint brush as a “foreign object that separates me from the art.” “Ahfingah” is “meditative, controlled breathing, concentrated circular motion of the fingers while using paint to define light and dark shapes with colors that vibrate,” he says.

Entranced by the beauty and majesty of black and ethnic women, Tucker transforms the African-American experience into both subtle and bold shapes of color, showcasing the ripe figure of womanhood and the merging of nature with the presence of both man and woman and child.

This artwork is spiritual, and one can almost hear the syncopated drum

beat in the distance as the viewer is immersed in the artwork.

According to Tucker, “Art is a gift of divine purpose. Everything that is art is spiritually known. I see myself as a servant in the community to encourage a higher level of aspiration.”

In his artist’s statement, Tucker says, “Making art is the clearest way I know to communicate. My work is inspired by human forms, elements (earth, air, water, fire), nature, sweeping landscapes, jazz, comic books, my children, my dreams, fears, frustrations, spirituality, and the Hue-man experience. It is my belief that all things are connected and I cannot separate them in my mind, my spirit, or in my art.”

Not too many artists conceive of a completely original paint technique to express their vision, but Tucker has achieved a balance of the artistic and the spiritual. His work is distinct in that he creates great detail in the art using the “Ahfingah” technique, possibly the first known artist to do so, utilizing an immersive and complex balance of detail in the highlights and shadows.

This level of skill did not come by chance. Raised in Staten Island, New York, “Broth’ah B”, like so many other young kids, was inspired by comic

book art and began emulating the drawings he would see in the books.

His teen years saw a move to Panama City, Florida and Tucker eventually studied art illustration at Haney Institute (now called Haney Technical Center). The hunger to continue his art education grew while doing illustrations at a greeting card company.

Now coming full circle, after a stint in the Marines, Tucker returned to New York and enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), a highly acclaimed school for the creative arts. It was here that the epiphany of fully utilizing his talent to encourage and help others took root.

“That epiphany came through circumstances. My professors would not receive any more of my work because I was painting with my fingers. They did not have “Ahfingah” in the curriculum. They turned down my work because I wasn’t working in the criteria – with brushes,” Tucker said.

“Through my circumstance at FIT, I decided to find other spectrums of how I could work in the educational field and inspire children through my knowledge, passion and experience on this divine journey.”

The spiritual aspect of the creation process is a core belief for Tucker.

“I feel like James Brown when I’m

painting - I work hard, I sweat; I’m a human being making art for people.

‘Ahfinga’ is an unorthodox approach that defies all of the traditional art techniques, just like James Brown’s original music.” Tucker muses. “Jimi Hendrix is another influence - he gives me artistic freedom, and I feel uncontained and endowed with this freedom, just like Jimi Hendrix.”

Tucker is seen at many events in the CSRA, performing a sort of oneman art show, creating spectacular art pieces on the spot for art-lovers.

While chomping on his West Indian chew-stick, wearing his side-tilted hat, Tucker amazes art fans with his level of skill.

The CSRA arts community has been a comfortable home for Tucker, who currently teaches art illustration at CH Terrell Academy, and also is engaged in the community through the Jessye Norman School of the Arts and also through his business Humanitree House. Tucker’s wife, Denise, represents his art to galleries and through their online store.

Tucker also has a book that reflects on the horrific journey of the Middle Passage and the slave trade, “Metallah”. The book, written and illustrated by Tucker, is due for a December release.

UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 26-30, 2013

ART FOR LIVING BARUTI TUCKER “Ahfingah” Unleashed

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UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 26-30, 2013

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Community Corner Support group forms for parents who have lost children to violence Families of children who die on the streets of our community are faced with a host of situations for which they are seldom prepared. When a child is murdered, the anger, frustration, pain and grief are intensified by the realization that another person intentionally took the life of your child.

The family’s trauma is worsened by many of the necessary intrusions into their grief in order to obtain the necessary evidence and testimony by the Police and judicial system. The media will often focus upon the victim without consent from the family. When a suspect is apprehended, preliminary hearings, postponements, trials and sentencing all force grieving families to face what may seem to be a lack of justice. In situations where the murder is unsolved or justice is otherwise compromised, there is even greater pain and confusion as there is no closure.

A new support group in Augusta has been formed to assist families cope through these difficult times. The Angel Hearts Support Group hosted by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office will hold its first meeting next Thursday on Oct. 3 from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Meetings will be held at the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, 400 Walton Way, Augusta, Georgia.

This group was formed by a member of the RCSO, Von Daniels. Von’s

son, Corey D. Joseph was murdered in Augusta, Georgia in 2007 at 21 years of age. “I had a good support group but looking back, it would have been so helpful for me to have met with others who had experienced the difficulties I was going through at the time and thanks to Sheriff Roundtree, I am now able to facilitate this group for those in need,” Ms. Daniels said.

“The group will be providing ongoing emotional support and coping mechanisms needed to help parents deal with the pain of their loss.”

According to Sheriff Roundtree, “Members of the Sheriff’s Office will provide information on the criminal justice system as they pertain to survivors of a homicide victim and assist in any way possible.”

Meetings begin with introductions and each survivor discussing the loss of their child. Topic discussions include information, such as the grief process, the criminal justice system, children and gangs, coping mechanisms, and other areas for support. Meetings revolve around the members personal experiences as well as outside speakers providing valuable information.

For additional information, to join the meetings, or to provide assistance to the group, please contact Von Daniels at 706-261-0439 or ydaniels@ augustaga.gov.

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11 UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 26-30, 2013

Community Corner

SAVE THE DATE

UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 26-30, 2013

12

INVITATION TO BID

Forum TAKE FIVE

By Ben Hasan

The power of forgiveness Think about the notion that there can be no real change in America without genuine forgiveness.

In the past, many people have been violated and it is natural to want to retaliate with aggression. But the cost of extracting that revenge may be the loss of something very valuable — the best of ourselves. Forgiveness returns control of our lives to us. It empowers us to redeem ourselves and to reconnect with the natural self enabling us to deal with life from a stronger position.

This is why it is called the power of forgiveness.

We must understand that hurt people hurt people. Overcoming the hurt of previous experiences enables us to have noble objectives unspoiled by thoughts of revenge.

The power of forgiveness is good

medicine for the soul. It gives us faith and courage which leads to wisdom and control of our own destiny *** In keeping with the theme of my last writing, “Where Do We Go From Here?” I want to reemphasize Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assertion that political and economic empowerment were the two requirements for bringing the voiceless to the table where the most important decisions were being made.

In the world of politics and economics, if you are not at the table, you are on the menu. Too many Americans who yesterday had a seat at the table are now on today’s menu through no fault of their own. The economic downturn assured that many would lose their place at the table.

A Family Affair Kristie Robin Johnson Last week I had the sad fortune of having to bury another loved one in my family. My great aunt passed away after a prolonged illness. We did what all good southern families do to mourn their dead. We cried, laughed, sang, and ate fried chicken. This gathering and fellowship with those who look remarkably like me, share my accent and hair color and skin tone gave me pause. I had to stop and consider the true meaning of family.

We live in a time where there is no shortage of critiques of the modern black family. It is no secret that many black households are headed by single females. There are also a great number of African American grandparents that are raising their grandchildren.

Young black adults are less likely to get married compared to their white counterparts and more likely to give birth out of wedlock. The Bill Cosby voice inside my head wants to scream “What’s going on people!?!” It is easy to blame the existing achievement gaps on the so-called “broken” black family.

But are we really broken?

People from the outside looking in are quick to make judgments about the current state of the black family.

Particularly in these last 25 years, we hear their opinions so frequently that we have bought into the notion that the black family is crumbling. But if we examine our history and customs closely, I think you’ll find that not only is the black family alive and well, the black family can serve as an example for other cultures.

The physical splitting of black families is as old as the institution of slavery. Our dark history is filled with tales of children being sold away from mothers and husbands from wives.

This occurrence was as common as it was devastating. African American slaves learned very early that families are what you make them. Aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters and brothers need not be blood related. We created a tradition of bonding through love and necessity. That tradition is not lost on us today. My husband and I both have only one biological sister, yet my children have at least six women that they know to be their auntie.

Close friends becomes cousins and sisters and brothers. Respected elders become mothers and fathers. And we take care of each other as if we came from the same bloodline. Sometimes we treat these “play cousins” better than we treat biological relatives. This is a custom that we often forget when the Bill O’Reilly’s and Rush Limbaugh’s of the world wag their fingers at the collective black community, pointing out all of the things that are wrong. I wonder if they have ever known what it is to take care of someone else’s child as if they were their own. Do they understand what it means for a lifelong friend to call your sons nephews?

Probably not. If they did understand this, they would also understand that the institution of the black family is not in peril. Black Americans have a keen ability to create loving, supportive families right where we stand. It could be grandparents caring for grandchildren, aunts looking after nieces, or just a group close friends looking out for one another. While the shape, size, and structure of the family has indeed changed over time, the love and compassion required to sustain a family has not. If this were not true we would never have survived slavery, Jim Crow laws, or the Crack Era. We survived as a result of the adaptability and strength of the black family.

Sealed proposals from contractors will be received for the Hephzibah High School Renovations and Additions Project by the County Board of Education of Richmond County at the address below until 3:00 p.m. local time, on Tuesday October 22, 2013, at which time bids will be publicly opened and read. No extension of the bidding period will be made.

A Pre-Bid Conference will be held on Wednesday, October 9, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. local time in the Hephzibah High School Media Center, 4558 Brothersville Road, Hephzibah, GA 30815, (706) 592-2089.

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: Woodhurst Architects, 607 15th Street, Augusta, Georgia 30901, (706) 724-4343. Applications for documents together with refundable deposit of $250.00 per set should be filed promptly with the architect. Bidding material 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@boe.richmond.k12.ga.us 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: Dr. Frank G. Roberson, Superintendent Richmond County School System 864 Broad Street Augusta, Georgia 30901 Attention: Mr. C. Gene Spires, Controller

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Sunday Morning Services 10 am Wednesday Services 7 pm 2070 Brown Road, Hephzibah, GA 30815 (706) 592-9221 | www.alwc.net

Everfaithful Missionary Baptist Church 314 Sand Bar Ferry Road Augusta, Georgia 30901

(706) 722- 0553 Church School Sunday 9:25am Morning Worship Sunday 11am Evening Worship 6pm (1st & 3rd Sunday) Midday Prayer 12pm Wednesday Intercessory Prayer/Bible Study 6pm Wednesday

Bishop Rosa L. Williams, Pastor

DR. BERNITA MITCHELL, CONFERENCE HOST

FEATURING PASTOR SHERYL BRADY (FROM “WOMAN THOU ART LOOSED”

NOV 7 & 8 @7:30 PM $25 STANDARD REGISTRATION OR $15 “GIRLFRIENDS” REGISTRATION: $15 PER PERSON WITH A GROUP OF 2 OR MORE WHO WISH TO REGISTER TOGETHER REGISTER ONLINE @ WWW.RMICF.ORG OR CALL 706.796.1400 PASTOR SHERYL BRADY

Are your dental costs taking a bite out of your budget?

If you have Medicare and full Medicaid switch to a health plan that offers you

Radio Broadcast: Sundays • WKZK 103.7 FM at 7:30 a.m.

DR. BERNITA MITCHELL

Rev. Clarence Moore, Pastor 1714 Olive Road / P. O. Box 141 (mailing address) Augusta, GA 30903 706/733-341- Telephone/706/667-0205 – Fax E-mail address: admin@goodshepherdaugusta.org Web address: goodshepherdaugusta.org Rev. Clarence Moore Church Service: 7:45 & 11:00 a.m.

Church School: 9:45 a.m. / Prayer Service: 11:00 a.m. – Wednesday Bible Study: 9:00 a.m. - Saturday / 7:00 p.m. - Wednesday

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The Richmond County School System will accept bids and request for proposals until 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 9, 2013, for the following:

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The Richmond County School System reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive technicalities and informalities.

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Bid specifications may be obtained by contacting Amy Bauman in the Business Office at 706-826-1298, on our web site at www.rcboe.org, or at the Richmond County School System, Central Office, 864 Broad Street, 4th Floor, Augusta, Georgia 30901.

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IRS or State Tax Problems?

Don’t be taken by some of the companies you see on TV. Many will take upfront fees before they even know the extent of your tax problems. And, more often than not, they will do very little to resolve your case.

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At Tax Wize Financial, as a part of our initial free consultation, we will conduct an in depth analysis of your account with the IRS or State agency to determine the extent of your tax problems. After we have determined what courses of action should be taken to resolve your problems we will outline the services for you and provide you with an estimated cost for those services.

OuR SeRVIceS IncluDe: • Preparation and filing of federal current and past years tax returns, including all necessary states.

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