Urban Voice CHATTANOOGA + KNOXVILLE + ATLANTA
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ISSUED #78 JANUARY 2019
THE DOLLAR STORE BACKLASH HAS BEGUN THE U.S. HAS ADDED 10,000 OF THESE BUDGET RETAIL OUTLETS SINCE 2001. BUT SOME TOWNS AND CITIES ARE TRYING TO PUSH BACK.
Power of Information.
OP-ED: FIRST STEP ACT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FEDERAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM IN DECADES
“For too long, sentencing in our country has been overly severe and has disproportionately targeted communities of color – especially Black men. Reforming some of the most draconian federal sentencing laws, including unfair mandatory minimum sentences under two- and threestrikes laws, will make our system more just … However, to be clear, the FIRST STEP Act is very much just that – a First Step. It is a compromise of a compromise, and we ultimately need to make far greater reforms if we are to right the wrongs that exist in our criminal justice system.” - Senator Kamala Harris
The U. S. Senate recently took the most significant step toward federal criminal justice reform in decades with the passage of the First Step Act. As the House previously had passed a nearly identical bill, and the President has committed to signing it, the First Step Act is virtually assured of becoming law. As part of our goal for every American to have an equal right and responsibility to fully participate in our democracy,
and all people to have a right to justice and fairness, the National Urban League has been on the forefront of criminal justice reform for decades. Over the last year, we have worked closely with members of Congress to craft the bill and garner support. The Act would make the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 – reducing the disparity between crack and powder cocaine sentences – retroactive. As many as 2,600 federal inmates, could see their sentences reduced. It would ease mandatory minimum sentences under federal law, including the “three strikes” rule. It increases “good time credits” and “earned time credits” that inmates can earn. It applies retroactively, potentially qualifying 4,000 inmates for release the day the bill goes into effect. In addition to reducing overcrowding, the vocational and rehabilitative programs that earn inmates credit have been shown to reduce the likelihood a participant will re-offend. The bill also requires inmates to be housed within 500 miles of their families when possible, and prohibits the shackling of inmates while they are pregnant, giving birth or in postpartum recovery. Perhaps the most striking
aspect of the bill is the far-ranging support it has received across the political spectrum in this era of deep partisan polarization. It passed in the Senate by a vote of 7-12, while the House version passed earlier this year by a vote of 360-59. Presidential advisory Jared Kusher, who took a leading role in the effort, said “For all those who are deserving of a second chance, this legislation will make a meaningful and measurable difference in their lives.”: Conservative Senator Mike Lee of Utah wrote, “My time as a prosecutor also tells me that not every criminal is dangerous or incapable of living a productive life. My faith as a Christian teaches me that many people are capable of redemption. And my instincts as a conservative make me believe that the government can be reformed to work better.” Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey wrote, “For the first time in a long time, with the passage of this bill into law, our country will make a meaningful break from the decades of failed policies that led to mass incarceration, which has cost taxpayers billions of dollars, drained our economy, compromised public safety, hurt our children, and disproportionately
harmed communities of color while devaluing the very idea of justice in America.” As its name implies, the Act is hardly the comprehensive reform America needs. We continue to work for elimination of cash bail for non-violent crimes, and more support for reentry programs like our Urban Reentry Jobs Program. And much more work remains to be done at the state level, where the vast majority of sentencing and incarceration takes place. But the First Step Act represents a remarkable achievement of bipartisan cooperation, and we congratulate and thank the Congress members, staff and fellow civil rights organizations who helped to make it happen. Marc Morial is an American political and civic leader and the current president of the National Urban League. Stay tuned. Be encouraged. And #StayWoke. Until Next month,
JD Harper
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Chattanooga Alumnae Chapter Of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Donates Over $3,500 To Chattanooga Food Bank
ll CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.-The Chattanooga Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. hosted its second annual Pearls and Pumps Day Party on Sept. 8. This was no ordinary
day party. It was a party with a purpose. Chattanooga Area Food Bank’s Sack Pack program was selected to receive the proceeds from the event. In addition to ticket sales, the day party attendees were able to donate at the party by using a DipJar to enable credit card contributions. According to Chattanooga Area Food Bank (CAFB), during the weekend, many children go hungry without access to the free or reduced-price school meals. Nearly 2,000 children receive Sack Packs from the Chattanooga Area Food Bank each Friday across and beyond their service area. Each sack contains basic, healthy food items—cereal, milk,
juice, fruit, granola bars, soup, and even recipes—that will help sustain children through the weekend. In addition to donating proceeds to the cause, on Wednesday, Nov. 21, members of Chattanooga Alumnae Chapter volunteered at the food bank. They were able to assemble nearly a thousand sack packs. Chattanooga Alumnae Chapter President, Valara Sample, Committee Chair, Chandra Wilson and Co-Chairs, Tonya Lytle and Lucrecia Ramsey presented Chattanooga Area Food Bank with a check on Nov. 29 in the amount of $3,539. Per Sarah Aligo, CAFB director of development, the donation will provide
14,156 meals to support the Sack Pack Program.
Chattanooga receives e 2019 Levitt AMP Grant Awards for 3rd Year
CHATTANOOGA, TN- The The LOS ANGELES, Dec. 18, 2018 / PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation awarded $450,000 in matching grants to 18 nonprofits serving small- to mid-sized towns and cities across America to produce free outdoor concerts as part of the fifth annual Levitt AMP [Your City] Grant Awards. Reflecting the Levitt Foundation’s commitment to creative placemaking projects generating community support, the
Levitt Foundation once again opened the Levitt AMP selection process to the public to choose the top 25 finalists. In June, the Levitt Foundation invited nonprofits to submit proposals that would reflect the three goals of the Levitt AMP awards: Amplify community pride and the city’s unique character; enrich lives through the power of free, live Music; and illustrate the importance of vibrant public Places. Nonprofits that received a Levitt AMP grant in previous years were eligible to reapply. The public voted on the submitted proposals over a three-week period in November, selecting their favorite projects online at http://levittamp.org. “We are thrilled to announce the 2019 Levitt AMP Grant Awards winners, and express our appreciation to everyone who voted online to choose the finalists,” says Sharon Yazowski, Executive Director
of the Levitt Foundation. “Each of the winners makes a compelling case for how the power of free, live music will strengthen the social and economic fibers of their communities while creating welcoming outdoor destinations in their town or city.” The 18 Levitt AMP winners hail from rural towns with populations of less than 5,000 like Earlham, Iowa; Soldotna, Alaska; and Whitesburg, Ky.; to mid-sized cities like Carson City, Nev.; Stevens Point, Wis.; and Woonsocket, R.I.; to larger cities spanning the country including Chattanooga, Tenn.; Santa Fe, N.M.; and Trenton, N.J. Each winner will present 10 free concerts featuring a diverse lineup of high-caliber entertainment as part of the Levitt AMP Music Series, for a total of 180 free Levitt AMP concerts across the U.S. in 2019. Below is the full list of this year’s Levitt AMP [Your City] Grant Awards
winners (in alphabetical order): Chattanooga, Tennessee* (population: 179,139) Jazzanooga will bring the third Levitt AMP Chattanooga Music Series to life on the Bessie Smith Cultural Center lawn in the historic Martin Luther King District, further energizing the area once considered a famed live music hub and center for African American community life. The 2019 series will further momentum to the ongoing community-wide effort to revitalize the area while celebrating its rich heritage. The nonprofit AMP Concerts will present the third Levitt AMP Santa Fe Music Series at The Santa Fe Railyard Plaza, deepening community engagement to provide a powerful weekly celebration of Santa Fe’s past, present and future through free, live music. The 2019 series will continue to elevate and expand upon the range of talent presented, creating a vibrant
Unity Group of Chattanooga schedules 10-day M.L. King Jr. celebration ll The Unity Group of Chattanooga has scheduled a 10-day commemoration of the life of the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Here are highlights of the schedule. Get complete details on the group’s Facebook page. * Saturday, Jan. 12: „The 21st Century Fight by African-American Native Americans Against Racism & Apartheid in Indian Country,” by Cherokee Freedmen President Marilyn Vann of Oklahoma, 1 p.m. at New Covenant Fellowship, 1326 N. Moore Road. * Sunday, Jan 13: M.L. King Gospel Concert, with Chozen, OBC Mass Choir, Spiritual Highlights, Inspirational Praise Choir, Hawkinsville Male Chorus, Tucker Baptist Mass Choir and Jeff C Celebration Praise Team, 5 p.m. at Greater Tucker Baptist Church, 1115 N. Moore Road. * Monday, Jan. 14: "Honoring Black Power 'Poppa' Willie Ricks" and "Remembering M.L. King as a Political Prisoner," 6 p.m. at Eastdale Village Community United Methodist Church, 1403 Tunnel Blvd. * Tuesday, Jan. 15: "Community Control Now! On the Road to Liberation," sponsored by Concerned Citizens for Justice, 6 p.m. at Bethel AME Church, 2000 Walker St. * Thursday, Jan. 17: "The Need for a Third Political Party," 6 p.m. at Eastdale Village
Community United Methodist Church, 1403 Tunnel Blvd. * Friday, Jan. 18: "The State of Tennessee: A New Normal Revisited," 6 p.m. at Westside Baptist Church, 4001 Hughes Ave. * Saturday, Jan. 19: Annual Prayer Breakfast, featuring Daryl Arnold of Overcoming Believers Church in Knoxville, 9 a.m. at Second Missionary Baptist Church, 2305 E. Third St. $25. * Sunday, Jan. 20: M.L. King Birthday Party, 4 p.m. at Olivet Baptist Church, 740 E. M.L. King Blvd. * Monday, Jan. 21: M.L. King March & Parade, 4 p.m.; assembling at 3:30 p.m. at 736 E. M.L. King Blvd. (at Peeples Street) and marching less than a mile to Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St. Followed by program at the Tivoli, "Now Is the Time To Act," by Lance Watson of St. Paul's Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia.
Start-Up Capital Available For Aspiring Beauty Supply Owners llNationwide — Beauty Supply Lending Group, an organization recently founded by Professor Devin Robinson, who wrote the best-selling book Taking it Back: How to Become a Successful Black Beauty Supply Owner in 2007 and founded Beauty Supply Institute in 2008, continues his work in the ethnic beauty industry with this additional endeavor. When asked, why take this step? he said, “My goal was always to become a one-stop shop for those interested in store ownership. It is a lucrative business to get into, but start-up capital
was always the top obstacle for them.” In 2010, Beauty Supply Institute began hosting two biannual conferences; one on the west coast and one on the east coast, to educate individuals on the overall business, how to get in and if is best for them. To date, Beauty Supply Institute has opened just over 100 stores in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. Its expansion into funding, gives future owners a better shot at getting into the business with adequate funding. Beauty Supply Lending Group
offers a few options for aspiring store owners, from traditional SBA loans to non-traditional loans only requiring a minimum 551 credit score. Interest rates are competitive and start-up loans can go as high as $150,000 for future owners and up to $400,00 for existing store owners. Robinson went on to state, “This has been a trying year for me personally (earlier this year his youngest son became mysteriously paralyzed from the chest down) and professionally, the company’s rapid growth caused operational disruptions that forced me
to implement expensive corporate-like strategies.” Beauty Supply Institute’s next conference will be held in Los Angeles, CA on January 19-20, 2019. To register, visit www.BeautySupplyConference. com. To learn more about beauty supply start-up funds, call 404-551-4398 or visit www.BeautySupplyLendingGroup.com or www.BeautySupplyInstitute.com.
The Alexa Conference, Jan. 15-17, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn., Features Women Who Are Leading the Way in Voice Technology
ll NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 13, 2018 / PRNewswire/ -- The 2019 Alexa Conference, taking place Jan. 15-17 in the tech-forward Chattanooga, Tenn., features a variety of women who are leading the way in voice technology around the world. The event, presented by podcast network VoiceFirst.FM, is the worldwide gathering of the Alexa
development community. Kesha Williams, an accomplished software development manager who works for Chick-fil-A’s corporate office in Atlanta, while maintaining a speaking schedule around the world, will keynote. Some of the other women appearing on The Alexa Conference program include: Noelle LaCharite, principal PM, applied AI, Microsoft Amanda Scherker, head of VUI design, Magic + Co. Katie McMahon, vice president and general manager, SoundHound Laurie Orlov, principal analyst, Aging in Place Technology Watch Rebecca Evanhoe, VUI designer, Mobiquity Val Vacante, managing partner, Collabsco Neha Javalagi, lead UX research and design, Witlingo Brielle Nickoloff, VUI designer, Witlingo Sandhya Pruthi, general internal medicine, Mayo Clinic Radhika Kanaskar, MIS honors student, University of Connecticut
Kari Olson, chief innovation and technology officer, Front Porch Center for Innovation & Wellbeing Dana Wilson, general manager, Mississippi Interactive Melissa Campbell, communications and operations manager, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood Emily Binder, voice marketing strategist, Beetle Moment Marketing Amy Stapleton, co-founder, Tellables “Women are leading the way with voice technology, from the development of smart speakers to the evolution of voice assistants, to the underlying machine learning and AI,” says Bradley Metrock, executive producer of The Alexa Conference, host of This Week In Voice podcast by VoiceFirst.FM, and author of the new audiobook Perspectives on Gender in #VoiceFirst Technology (from Score Publishing). “We’re happy that the program for The Alexa Conference reflects this reality.” The Alexa Conference, which will take place at the Chattanooga Convention Center, features an
exhibit hall, The Alexa Awards and a variety of workshops, in addition to the full conference program. Amazon is the 2019 Platinum Sponsor of The Alexa Conference, which will gather approximately 600 registered attendees from 12 countries. Attendees will include tech companies, executives and marketers from numerous industries, developers, entrepreneurs and strategists – all the roles involved in conceiving and creating great voice experiences. To learn more and to register, visit https://www.voicefirst.fm/ alexaconference. VoiceFirst.FM, which produces The Alexa Conference, is a podcast network devoted to voice-first technology. Shows such as This Week In Voice, The Alexa Podcast, The VoiceFirst Roundtable and more are enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of listeners across 54 countries worldwide. VoiceFirst.FM is owned and operated by Score Publishing, a new media publishing company based in Nashville, Tennessee.
Chattanooga Boys And Girls Club Of Chattanooga Names Jim Morgan As New CEO
ll Chattanooga —The Boys & Girls Clubs of Chattanooga announced today that Jim Morgan will become its next chief executive officer effective Jan. 1, 2019. Mr. Morgan comes to the BGCC after a corporate and non-profit career in the Chicago area, and was hired after a nationwide search by the board following the retirement of the organization's CEO Michael Cranford, who has been with the organization for more than 50 years. Mr. Morgan joins the BGCC after serving as the executive director of Genesys Works, a leading non-profit social enterprise in Chicago that provides pathways to career success for high school students in underserved communities through skills training, meaningful work experiences and impactful relationships. "In this role, Mr. Morgan established a proven record of building programs that transformed the lives of hundreds of high school students every year by ensuring they finished high school equipped and empowered with the knowledge and skills required to achieve career success and a lifetime of economic selfsufficiency," officials said. “Jim is an exceptional leader who
has the necessary experience and background to help the Boys & Girls Club develop innovative programs that will help all young people in our community – especially those in our underserved communities – realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens,” said Charlie Brock, board member and chairman of the search committee for the Boys & Girls Club of Chattanooga. “We are extremely pleased and truly excited to find someone of Jim’s caliber to lead the Boys & Girls Club of Chattanooga going forward.” Before joining Genesys Works, Mr. Morgan was the chief operating officer at PSA Solutions, an asset management firm in Chicago, and previously worked in corporate leadership roles at JPMorgan Chase and Navigant Consulting. "Morgan also brings a strong background of advocating for underserved youth," officials said. "For more than 25 years, Morgan has been actively involved with and served as a board member for Link Unlimited, a leading academic and mentoring program in Chicago that connects high potential African American high school.
2019 Economic Outlook Breakfast Details ll WHERE: Chattanooga Convention Center 1150 Carter St Chattanooga , TN 37402 Major Events Wednesday, January 9, 2019 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM WHO: Speaker: Raphael Bostic, President, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the Economic Outlook Breakfast! This breakfast will take place on January 9, 2019 from 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. at the Chattanooga Convention Center. Member Tickets
Individual Tickets $15 (through December 31) $20 (between January 1-5) Corporate Table $650 Non-Member Individual Tickets $25 Corporate Table $650 For more information on this event, please call 423-763-4372 or email events@chattanoogachamber.com.
The Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun ll It has become an increasingly common story: A dollar store opens up in an economically depressed area with scarce healthy and affordable food options, sometimes with the help of local tax incentives. It advertises hard-to-beat low prices but it offers little in terms of fresh produce and nutritious items—further trapping residents in a cycle of poverty and ill-health. A recent research brief by the Institute of Local Self Reliance (ILSR), a nonprofit supporting local economies, sheds light on the massive growth of this budget enterprise. Since 2001, outlets of Dollar General and Dollar Tree (which bought Family Dollar in 2015) have grown from 20,000 to 30,000 in number. Though these “smallbox” retailers carry only a limited stock of prepared foods, they’re now feeding more people than grocery chains like Whole Foods, which has around 400-plus outlets in the country. In fact, the number of dollar-store outlets nationwide exceeds that of Walmart and McDonalds put together—and they’re still growing at a breakneck pace. That, ILSR says, is bad news.
“While dollar stores sometimes fill a need in cash-strapped communities, growing evidence suggests these stores are not merely a byproduct of economic distress,” the authors of the brief write. “They’re a cause of it.” Dollar stores have succeeded in part by capitalizing on a series of powerful economic and social forces— white flight, the recent recession, the so-called “retail apocalypse”—all of which have opened up gaping holes in food access. But while dollar store might not be causing these inequalities per se, they appear to be perpetuating them. The savings they claim to offer shoppers in the communities they move to makes them, in some ways, a little poorer. Using code made public by Jerry Shannon, a geographer at University of Georgia, CityLab made a map showing the spread of dollar stores since the recession. As Lawrence Brown, a community health expert at Baltimore’s Morgan State University, tweeted in response to the ILSR report, dollar stores function as “subprime groceries.” And
recently some local governments have started pushing back on these retailers, rejecting development at the neighborhood level or devising ordinances that seek to limit their spread in certain areas. Such moves can be divisive— detractors point to the dire need such stores are meeting in retail-starved areas. But the rise of dollar stores represents a deeper problem, one rooted in the history of housing segregation. Addressing that issue requires questioning the host of complicated assumptions that have led to the present conditions—and the myriad ways residents in so-called food deserts have responded to them. The “food desert” paradox Ashanté Reese, an assistant professor at Spelman College, lives on Atlanta’s Westside, within two miles of a pair of dollar stores. Her zip code was particularly hard hit in the recession, suffering a 50 percent foreclosure rate. Those demographics are now changing, but the residents for a long time included elderly folks and people on fixed incomes—the exact kind of
shoppers dollar-store executives have said they are targeting. There’s also a traditional supermarket, a Kroger, which is where Reese shops. But the one near her house isn’t as nice as the one 15 minutes away, she says. The one in a whiter, more affluent neighborhood regularly advertises grains, nuts, seafood, olives, and wine. “There are these tropes that are perpetuating in the shopping experience,” said Reese, who is also the author of a forthcoming book called Black Food Geographies: Race, Self-Reliance, and Food Access in Washington D.C. While her neighborhood may have some alternatives, the presence of dollar stores in neighborhoods that don’t creates a Catch-22. On one hand, these chains are serving communities that others have neglected or abandoned—a phenomenon researchers have termed “supermarket redlining.” And when a segregated neighborhood loses a supermarket, the effects on residents in the immediate area can have effects on physical and
mental health—it affects the self-worth of community. Having an affordable option for buying food in the vicinity—even if it’s not ideal— may be seen by residents as better than nothing. “As someone on a fixed income, I see [dollar stores] as saving the poor,” one Twitter user said, responding to the ILSR brief. “I can stock up on staples there a whole lot cheaper than at regular grocery stores.” On the other hand, the absence of traditional grocers, and the presence of dollar stores, is deeply entwined with the history of spatial and structural inequality in America. “Supermarkets follow the patterns of racial and residential segregation—we can map this in any of the cities that have a solid black population,” said Reese. “What if we went to these neighborhoods and didn’t assume that poor people or communities of color do not want to eat healthy?” In her research, she traces the decline of the supermarket in communities of color—specifically black communities—to the late-1960s, when unrest broke out in several major cities following Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. As white flight to the suburbs accelerated, urban supermarkets closed, citing security and financial reasons. “Whether intentional or not, they were following white people out of the city,” she said. In Washington, D.C., where Reese did her field research, she counted 91 supermarkets in 1968; by 1995, just 33 remained. “We don’t see a reverse of that until now,” said Reese. Today, economically booming D.C. has many supermarkets, but they’re not evenly distributed across the city. In Ward 7 and 8, for example, only three grocery stores serve about 150,000 residents. (Recently, the ridehailing company Lyft and local nonprofit Martha’s Table have partnered up to provide supermarket rides to residents of these neighborhoods.)
Enter the dollar stores. Like Walmart before them, these retailers present themselves as creators of jobs and sources of low-cost goods and food in “leftbehind”areas—both urban and rural. The 2008 recession bolstered their numbers, simultaneously restricting the resurgence of traditional grocery stores and swelling the potential customer base. Middle-class shoppers started frequenting these stores. In 2009, the New York Times picked up on the trend: “Those once-dowdy chains that lured shoppers by selling some or all of their merchandise for $1 are suddenly hot.” As the retail meltdown continues, in which many higher-end retailers in malls and shopping centers shutter or consolidate, compact low-budget dollar stores have easily slipped into the vacant spaces left behind. “[Dollar stores] have thrived in the last decade because of growing inequality that’s a byproduct of power being concentrated in the hands of a small number of wealthy entities,”said Marie Donahue, the author of the ILSR brief. After the Retail Apocalypse, Prepare for the Property Tax Meltdown Chauncey Moran, vice chairman of the Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve and a volunteer stream monitor for Yellow Dog River Today, dollar stores are thriving both in the poorest of small rural towns, where environmental changes or globalization have wiped out economic activity, and larger cities like Baltimore, where decades of disinvestment in largely African American communities have left vast tracts barren of retail options. In a recent blog post tracking their rise in low-income parts of Baltimore, planner and architect Klaus Philipsen observes that dollar stores are now “flourishing in many poorer neighborhoods like a parasite.” Then there’s their negative effect
on others stores nearby. When a dollar store opened up in Haven, Kansas— subsidized through tax breaks by the local government—sales at the the nearby Foodliner grocery store dropped by 30 percent, The Guardian reported earlier this year. While the ILSR doesn’t have quantitative data supporting this effect on supermarkets in the vicinity, anecdotally, they surmise that “the difference in margins is just enough that the local stores are not able to stay in business when there are so few options and there is an undercutting of prices,” Donahue said. While some local governments continue to lure dollar stores to town with tax subsidies and incentives, others are doing the opposite. A dollar store NIMBY movement has been gaining traction. In Chester, Vermont, for example, residents argued in 2012 that allowing dollar stores to come to town “will be the beginning of the end for what might best be described as Chester’s Vermontiness,” per the New York Times—a statement that itself perhaps signals the class and race associations dollar stores have come to embody. In Buhler, Kansas, the mayor saw what happened to surrounding grocery stores in neighboring Haven and rejected the dollar store chain, also citing a threat to the town’s character. “It was about retaining the soul of the community,” he told The Guardian. “It was about, what kind of town do we want?” More recent efforts have used zoning tweaks to limit dollar stores, whose small footprint usually lets them breeze past restrictions big-box stores cannot. In Mendocino County, California, dollar store foes passed legislation restricting chain store development writ large. And in April, the Tulsa City Council passed an ordinance that requires dollars stores to be built at least one mile away from each other in North Tulsa. It also tacks
on incentives for healthy grocers and supermarkets providing healthy food to locate in that area. “I don’t think it’s an accident they proliferate in low socio-economic and African American communities,” Vanessa Hall-Harper, a city councillor who grew up in North Tulsa and shepherded the ordinance, told ILSR. Since then, Mesquite, Texas, has followed suit with a similar move. “Communities are standing up and raising red flags—saying it may be good in the short term, but perhaps not in the long term,” Donahue said. ”[They’re] saying, ‘Hey, is this is the only option, or can we think more creatively?’” To find those better options, Reese has some advice for policymakers and city leaders looking to balance economic development and constituents’ needs: Try to really understand the neighborhood and the people who live in it. “What if we went to these neighborhoods and didn’t assume that poor people or communities of color do not want to eat healthy?” she said. “I think it opens up a whole world of possibility—for us as researchers but also as advocates.” Tanvi Misra is a staff writer for CityLab covering immigrant communities, housing, economic inequality, and culture. She also authors Navigator, a weekly newsletter for urban explorers (subscribe here). Her work also appears in The Atlantic, NPR, and BBC.
Texas County Swears In 17 Black Female Judges In ‘Extraordinary Moment In History’
ll New representation and Black Girl Magic came to a Texas county this week when 17 black women were sworn in as new judges. The newly-elected officials made
headlines in November when they won their races for various courts in Harris County, which includes Houston and surrounding areas. They were sworn in on Tuesday. “January 1, 2019 at noon will be an extraordinary moment in history for all of us in Harris County, Houston, Texas,” Judge LaShawn Williams wrote on Facebook last month ahead of the swearing-in ceremony. 19 African-American women who are now all serving as judges in Harris County, Texas. HARRIS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY 19 African-American women who are now all serving as judges in Harris County, Texas. She was one of the candidates highlighted in the Harris County
Democratic Party’s “Black Girl Magic Texas” photo and campaign ahead of the November elections, which featured the largest number of black women in history on a Harris County ballot, according to the Associated Press. The photo features the 17 nowelected officials in a courtroom along with two sitting Harris County judges who were seeking seats on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Those two judges lost their bids for statewide office but retained their local judgeships, The New York Times reported. Nearly 20 percent of the county’s population is black, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau statistics. “Today we usher in a new era of representative government and progressive leadership in Harris
County,” the Harris County Democratic Party posted on Facebook on Tuesday. Judge Angela Graves-Harrington, one of the women elected in November, told the Associated Press at the time that she had hoped the images of black women on the bench would make Harris County proud. “We felt showcasing the number of African-American women on the bench would galvanize our base and also galvanize those who don’t typically vote in the midterm elections and get them excited about coming out,” GravesHarrington said. “We also wanted to have something out there that we could be proud of, that our community could be proud of and that Harris County could be proud of.”
This Congress Is The Most Diverse Ever ll The 116th Congress was sworn in on Thursday, and its diverse new members broke historic barriers on representation. The new Congress boasts the largest number of female members ever, with more than 100 women serving in the U.S. House alone. The country’s legislators are likewise at their most racially diverse, with the Congressional Black Caucus and the Hispanic Caucus each welcoming more members than ever before. There are also more Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders in Congress than ever before. Thursday’s swearing-in also ushered a number of individual historic firsts into power. Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) became the
first Muslim women in Congress. Tlaib, who is also the first PalestinianAmerican woman in the national legislature, wore a thobe ― a traditional Palestinian dress ― at the swearing-in for all House members and planned to use the Quran for a later, individual
swearing-in ceremony. Omar, who is also the first Somali-American elected to Congress, wore a hijab ― a first on the House floor, which previously banned lawmakers from donning headwear. After a record wave of LGBTQ candidates ran in 2018, several broke
barriers with their wins in November ― including former Rep. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who made history Thursday as the first openly bisexual person to be sworn in to the Senate. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, wore white on Thursday in honor of the suffragists who fought for women’s right to vote. And Reps. Sharice Davids (D-Kan.) and Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) ― the country’s first Native American women in Congress ― hugged and wiped away tears on the House floor after their swearing-in.
Tennessee Announces What’s New For 2019 ll Tourism in Tennessee continues to expand with new attractions, impressive state-of-the-art developments, expansions and milestone anniversary celebrations of iconic attractions that help shape “The Soundtrack of America. Made in Tennessee.” 2019 marks several milestones in Tennessee, including Memphis’ Bicentennial, Bijou Theatre’s 110th anniversary in Knoxville and the 25th anniversary of the RC MoonPie Festival in Bell Buckle. Embrace the history, relive the stories and create memories. Here’s what’s new in 2019 for T STATEWIDE Tennessee Music Pathways The pathways connect the traveler to the people, places and genres that make Tennessee the Soundtrack of America, from the largest cities to the smallest communities. Whether it is a story of the past, a star of the present or promise of the future, historic or live, Tennessee Music Pathways go where the music does. Tennessee Songwriters Week Songs penned in Tennessee make the Soundtrack of America. A new state statute passed, annually designating the last full week of February as “Tennessee Songwriters Week.” The week is designed to celebrate the foundation of the craft, recognize songwriters and pave the way for future artists. BAXTER Baxter Seminary Park Baxter Seminary Park will include a new live music amphitheater and walking trails, set to open in 2019. BELL BUCKLE 25th Annual RC-MoonPie Festival A quarter century celebration of the ultimate Southern tradition: RC Cola and MoonPies will be packed with fun and a reunion of the past 25 year’s Kings and Queens on June 15, 2019. BRISTOL
Birthplace of Country Music Museum Walk through the pages of storybooks in the exhibit “Reading Appalachia: Voices from Children’s Literature” February-June 2019. The exhibit “American Ballads: The Photographs of Marty Stuart” Aug. 2019Jan. 2020 features photos of the people and places captured by the country
CHATTANOOGA Edwin Hotel The new upscale, five-story boutique hotel includes 90 rooms, meeting space, upscale décor, rooftop bar, local art and a restaurant. Fallen Five Memorial A dedication ceremony for an unveiling of a memorial honoring the five service members killed in the July
music star since he first went on tour with Lester Flatt at age 13. 100th Birthday of Tennessee Ernie Ford Bristol native Ernie Ford was most notably known for his hit song “Sixteen Tons,” which sold 20 million copies. During his birthday week starting Feb. 13, there will be celebrations featuring his son, Buck. Lost State Distilling The new distillery produces small batch gin, rum and Tennessee whiskey. Lost State has a tasting room, production area, retail area and event space.
2015 terrorist attack on two local military sites will be in July 2019 at Tennessee Riverpark. Moxy Hotel The new boutique hotel includes 102 rooms, free Wi-Fi, cushy beds, stylish design, vibrant community spaces, in-room storage (enough to fit a bicycle) and a bar. Moon River Music Festival The Moon River Festival moves from Memphis to Coolidge Park in Chattanooga. The two-day familyfriendly festival Sept. 7-8, 2019 highlights the music and culture of
Tennessee. Read House Historic Hotel Undergoing $20 million in renovations, the hotel will upgrade the 242 guest rooms with new technology and bathroom furnishings, as well as redesign the lobby, ballroom and restaurant. Ruby Falls Ruby Falls unveiled a $20 million expansion with upgrades like an outdoor observation area, improved ticketing experience, expanded retail, LED lights and additional parking. The Signal The Signal is Chattanooga’s newest live music venue. The 1,300-capacity warehouse plans to host all genres of music, receptions, fundraisers, corporate events and conferences. COLUMBIA Ridley Sports Complex Expansion The sports complex expands with seven new soccer fields including a championship field complete with bleachers, a press box, a new concession facility, restrooms and parking. COOKEVILLE The Broastery · Tennessee Coffee Roasters Cookeville’s only craft coffee roaster’s new storefront pairs with brands such as Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey to create locally roasted flavors and blends. Saltbox Inn & Stables Expansion Saltbox Inn & Stables now includes hosting areas at The Loft, Three Trees Ceremony Site, and The Greenhouse. The new lodging, Pumphouse Cabin, is directly on the property’s waterfall. The Shoppes at Eagle Pointe The new 25,000 square feet of retail space on 42 acres features 1,200 parking spaces with Publix, Academy Sports + Outdoors, Ulta, Michael’s and more. Tennessee Legend Distillery at Maddux Place A staple in East Tennessee,
Maxine Waters to become first woman and first African American to chair House Committee
ll (NNPA Newswire) – One day after saying she wants President Donald Trump’s new chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, to testify before her committee about his work overhauling the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Congresswoman
Maxine Waters (D-CA 43) was elevated to another position where she will undoubtedly continue to hold President Trump and his administration accountable. Waters, the fiery and outspoken California Democrat whom Millennials have adopted as “Auntie Maxine,” was named by the Democratic Caucus to serve as the first woman and the first African-American chair of the House Financial Services Committee. “I am honored to have been selected by my colleagues to be the first Chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee in the 116th Congress. “Since 1995, I have served as Ranking Member or Chairwoman of every Subcommittee under the
Committee’s jurisdiction, taking on important issues on behalf of consumers, investors, and vulnerable populations,” Waters said. “As Chairwoman, I will continue to prioritize protecting consumers and investors from abusive financial practices, making sure there are strong safeguards in place to prevent another financial crisis, expanding and supporting affordable housing opportunities, tackling the homelessness crisis, encouraging responsible innovation in financial technology, promoting diversity and inclusion in the financial services sector, conducting appropriate oversight and ensuring that hardworking Americans and small businesses have fair access to the
financial system and opportunities to thrive,” she said. As such, Waters has summoned Mulvaney as a review begins of the CFPB. “I am writing to inform you that while your time running the Consumer Bureau may be over, the time for accountability for your actions is about to begin,” Waters said in a letter to Mulvaney, who is also the director of the administration’s Office of Management and Budget. Mulvaney served as the CFPB’s acting director for one year and had previously charged that the agency overreached its statutory authority under the administration of former President Barack Obama
Unity Group Asks Clemency For Cyntoia Brown ll Cyntoia Brown’s story has been chronicled in numerous publications and in a 2011 PBS documentary, Me Facing Life. She endured an extremely difficult childhood which includes a family history of mental illness and sexual assault, was born to a mother who suffered from substance abuse and that was subsequently incarcerated, and was thrust into an early childhood experience which saw her become adopted and ultimately embark upon a tumultuous path that resulted in her assuming the life of a runaway. As an effect of this exposure during her most formative years, she was subjected to what we call today sexual trafficking where neglect, abuse and exploitation were commonplace in her daily experience. During one specific encounter an alleged solicitor, Johnny Allen of Nashville, would be found shot to death and as a consequence varying narratives over the slaying developed.
Brown asserted that she was a 16 prostitute who was defending herself after a hook-up that went terribly astray. Law enforcement and later prosecutors made the claim that Allen was brutally murdered because his money, vehicle and possessions were taken from the scene of the crime. In 2006, she was convicted of first degree murder and robbery as prosecutors pushed for punishment to the fullest extent of the law possible, 51 years to life in prison. Nevertheless, despite this ruling, there are several mitigating factors and extenuating circumstances to consider in order to develop an informed and impartial determination of Cyntoia’s guilt or innocence. In the original sentencing hearings, there was an egregious lack of attention paid to Cyntoia’s mental health and cognitive abilities. The opinions that developed after numerous psychological evaluations were that there were signs of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. It was
also concluded that she had symptoms that were consistent with dissociative identity disorder which is a condition that the American Psychiatric Association states, „involve problems with memory, identity, emotion, perception, behavior and sense of self,” and are symptoms that „can potentially disrupt every area of mental functioning.” Likewise, the mid-1990’s study between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente’s Health Appraisal Clinic in San Diego sought to measure the effects that childhood trauma, toxic stress and an unstable environment had on cognitive, behavioral and mental development, and upon examining the early stages of Cyntoia’s life, the pathologies and exposure in which she was surrounded could be properly classified as an adverse childhood experience. Notwithstanding, there are other disturbing patterns that must be called into question concerning the courts.
Was there a full adherence to due process and equal protection under the law, particularly for a minor that clearly demonstrated cognitive, behavioral and emotional deficits? Was there access to a fair trial with adequate and effective legal representation, especially when we know that members of Cyntoia’s family didn’t testify and her mental health issues were not adequately conveyed to the court? Have the courts been fair and adequate dispensers of justice, especially in lieu of the fact that in Miller v. Alabama (2012) the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life without parole sentences for juveniles violates Eighth Amendment prohibitions against cruel and unusual punishment. Similarly after reviewing the case in 2018 the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals openly questioned if Tennessee’s sentencing laws pertaining to these type cases were “confusing and contradictory?” Should not federal statutes such as the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment
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BUSINESS DIRECTORY/LEGAL Want to Do Business with your Local Government? Legal Notice
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Sealed Proposals will be received by the City of Chattanooga, Purchasing Department, 101 East 11th Street, Suite G13, Chattanooga, Tennessee, until:January 24, 2019TIME: 4:00 PM, EST RFP # _180277_At that time, Sealed Proposals will be accepted for:RFP - Lease Agreement for Use of Barn at Brown Acres There will be a nonmandatory on-site pre-proposal conference at 406 Brown Road 37421 on January 15, 2019, at 11 am, est. Please use this opportunity for site inspection.The City of Chattanooga at its discretion may not open a single proposal. The City of Chattanooga reserves the right to reject any and/or all proposals received, waive any informalities in the proposals received, and to accept any proposal that, in its opinion, may be for the best interest of the City.City of Chattanooga will be non-discriminatory in the purchase of all goods and services on the basis of race, color, or national origin.Deidre Keylon, BuyerPurchasing DepartmentCity of Chattanooga101 East 11th Street, Suite G13Chattanooga, TN 37402(423) 643-723120190107 Meeting Notice CHATTANOOGA-HAMILTON COUNTY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION 2019 MEETING SCHEDULE The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission will hear cases regarding subdivision plats, subdivision variances, special exceptions permits, conditional permits, rezoning, zoning deviations and mandatory referrals for the City of Chattanooga, Hamilton County, City of Lakesite, Town of Walden, Town of Lookout Mountain, TN, and Town of Ridgeside. Zoning code amendments are also heard. The Regional Planning Commission will hold their meetings at the Hamilton County Courthouse, 625 Georgia Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37402. The meetings begin at 1:00 pm (Eastern) on the following dates: January 14, 2019 February 11, 2019 March 11, 2019 April 8, 2019 May 13, 2019 June 10, 2019 July 8, 2019 August 12, 2019 September 9, 2019 October 14, 2019 November 11, 2019 December 9, 2019
The public is invited to attend. An agenda for each meeting will be posted to the ChattanoogaHamilton County Regional Planning Agency’s website at www.chcrpa.org and will be on file at the Agency’s offices at the Development Resource Center, 1250 Market St., Suite 2000, Chattanooga, TN 37402. In the case of inclement weather, the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission will not meet if the Hamilton County, TN public schools are closed for the day -OR- if the Hamilton County Courthouse has been closed by the Hamilton County Mayor due to an adverse event. Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency staff may be contact at (423) 643-5902 or by email at rezoning@chattanooga. gov. INVITATION TO BID Sealed bids will be received by the CHATTANOOGA-HAMILTON COUNTY HOSPITAL AUTHORITY for the purchase of the following. Bids will be received at the Supply Chain Department, 1516 Riverside Drive, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37406, until the following dates and hours, at which time they will be publicly opened and examined. Specifications may be obtained from Erlanger Health System’s website www. erlanger.orgDECEMBER 19, 2018 AT 3:00 PMRFP REFERENCE: #0007-1819 DESCRIPTION: PHARMACY DISTRIBUTION NOVEMBER 21, 2018 AT 3:00 PM RFP REFERENCE: #0009-1819 DESCRIPTION: LEGACY A/R DATA STORAGE The CHATTANOOGA-HAMILTON COUNTY HOSPITAL AUTHORITY reserves the right to reject any/or all bids, waive any informalities in the bids received, and to accept any which in its opinion may be for the best interest of the Authority.CHATTANOOGA-HAMILTON COUNTY HOSPITAL AUTHORITYJEFF LOY, SYSTEM DIRECTOR,SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT(423) 778-4684 INVITATION TO BID REQUEST FOR BIDS Sealed Proposals will be received by the City of Chattanooga, Purchasing Department, 101 East 11th Street, Suite G13, Chattanooga, Tennessee, until:January 30, 2019TIME: 4:00 PM, EST RFP # _179359_At that time, Sealed Proposals will be accepted for:RFP - I.T. Professional Services The City of Chattanooga at its discretion may not open a single proposal. The City of Chattanooga reserves the right to reject any and/ or all proposals received, waive any informalities in the proposals received, and to accept any proposal that, in its opinion, may be for the best interest of the City.City of Chattanooga will be non-discriminatory in the purchase of all goods
and services on the basis of race, color, or national origin.Deidre Keylon, BuyerPurchasing DepartmentCity of Chattanooga101 East 11th Street, Suite G13Chattanooga, TN 37402(423) 643-723120190107 Legal Notice Bid No. 15477Bids will be received by EPB at the Purchasing office at 10 West M L King Blvd, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402 until 2:00 P.M., January 31, 2019. At this time, bids will be publicly opened for the:Furnish and install new lithium batteries to replace the existing UPS VRLA batteries at EPB’s DC2 Building, both A and B sides, Per EPB’s drawing and specifications. A mandatory pre-bid meeting will be conducted on January 17, 2019 at 2:00pm at the DC2 building located at 1400 Oak Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402 so all interested bidders must attend.Bid forms and additional information may be picked up at noon on January 7, 2019 at the Purchasing Department office or requested by calling (423) 648-3272, or emailing richardsonre@epb.net. EPB reserves the right to reject any and / or all bids, waive any informalities in the bids received, and to accept any bid which, in its opinion, may be for the best interest of the Board.EPBPurchasing Department REQUEST FOR BIDS Bid No. 15477Bids will be received by EPB at the Purchasing office at 10 West M L King Blvd, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402 until 2:00 P.M., January 31, 2019. At this time, bids will be publicly opened for the:Furnish and install new lithium batteries to replace the existing UPS VRLA batteries at EPB’s DC2 Building, both A and B sides, Per EPB’s drawing and specifications. A mandatory pre-bid meeting will be conducted on January 17, 2019 at 2:00pm at the DC2 building located at 1400 Oak Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402 so all interested bidders must attend.Bid forms and additional information may be picked up at noon on January 7, 2019 at the Purchasing Department office or requested by calling (423) 648-3272, or emailing richardsonre@epb.net. EPB reserves the right to reject any and / or all bids, waive any informalities in the bids received, and to accept any bid which, in its opinion, may be for the best interest of the Board.EPBPurchasing Department CHATTANOOGA HOUSINGAUTHORITY (CHA)REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)SOLICITATION #O-820-00UPCS INSPECTIONSAUTHORITY-WIDE CHA is seeking proposals for professional services to perform UPCS Inspections at all CHA-owned or subsidiary apartment units, offices, and facilities. Contract term will be 2 years with the option for 1 renewal for 3 additional years. Proposals, including 1 originally signed copy of all required documentation and a digital copy, will be received at the Central Office
of the Chattanooga Housing Authority, 801 N. Holtzclaw Ave., Chattanooga, TN 37404, until 4:00 P.M. EST Wednesday, January 9, 2019. Proposals must be submitted in a sealed envelope and plainly marked, “Solicitation #O-820-00, Request for UPCS Inspections Authority-Wide” and include Offeror’s name and address. There will not be a Presubmission Conference for this RFP. For more information or to receive an electronic copy of the solicitation, contact Debbie Chadwick, Purchasing Agent (phone/fax: 423-752-4192, dchadwick@ chahousing.org, out of the office until January 2), or Kristine Seaman at 432-752-4862, ksea man@ chahousing.org. If you send e-mails, please be sure that to copy both of them. You may get an answer or you may have to wait for an official addendum after January 2 or 3, depending on the type of question. Each contractor submitting a proposal must hold a license or authority to operate in the State of Tennessee. CHA reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive any informalities in the proposals. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYERElizabeth F. McCrightExecutive PUBLIC NOTICE OF REGULAR MEETINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITYOF CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE Pursuant to Chapter 442, Tennessee Public Acts of 1974, public notice is hereby given that all regular Agenda Session and Committee meetings of the City Council of the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee, will be held each Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. (local time) in the Council Assembly Room, Room 101, and all regular Council meetings of the City Council of the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee will be held each Tuesday in the Council Assembly Room, Room 101 at 6:00 p.m. (local time). All Strategic Planning meetings will also be held each Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. (local time) in the J.B. Collins Conference Room. All of these meetings will be held in the City Council Building, located at 1000 Lindsay Street, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402. Nicole S. GwynClerk to the Chattanooga City Council20190103 Notice City Mayor is pleased to present to citizens of Chattanooga, the Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018. This report is designed to assist those who need or desire a less detailed overview of the City’s financial activities. In a user friendly manner, the PAFR is intended to increase awareness throughout the community. This report is available online at http://www.chattanooga.gov/finance/ finance-division/pafr20190102