Urban Voice Be Empowered!
CHATTANOOGA + KNOXVILLE + ATLANTA
ISSUED #88 SEPTEMBER 2019
Bethlehem Center UnveilS Remodeled John P. Franklin Sr. Technology Lab GOOD NEWS
Unum and The Company Lab launch HBCU
INNOVATION CHALLENGE
wealth gap
America’s Racial Wealth Gap could
Cost Economy $1.5 Trillion
Power of Information.
Time for CFPB to ‘Do the Right Thing’: Enact Payday Loan Rules
By Charlene Crowell For most people, life feels better when there is something to look forward to. Whether looking forward to graduation, the arrival of a new baby, or retirement that affords a few years to just enjoy life – these kinds of things make going through challenging times somehow more manageable. For payday loan borrowers and consumer and civil rights activists, this August 19 was supposed to be the end of payday lending’s nearly inevitable debt trap. No longer would consumers incur seemingly endless strings of loans that lenders knew they could not afford. Nor would lenders have unlimited and automatic direct access to borrower checking accounts; only two debits could be drawn on an account with insufficient funds. The days of unrestrained businesses recklessly selling payday and car-title loans as short-term financial fixes that grew to become long-term debt was set for a shutdown. Let’s say these borrowers were looking forward to financial freedom from the endless cycle of loan renewals and costly fees generated by triple-digit interest rates. In practical terms, the typical, twoweek $350 payday loan winds up costing $458 in fees. But just as seasons and circumstances can and do change, under a different administration, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has functioned more recently to help predatory lenders than to fulfill its statutory mission of consumer protection. Last summer, then-CFPB head Mick Mulvaney, joined the payday loan industry to challenge and win a delay in the implementation of the longawaited payday rule. Mulvaney also withdrew a lawsuit filed by the CFPB against a payday lender ahead of his arrival. Months later in in a West Texas federal court, U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel granted a ‘stay,’ the legal term for a court-ordered delay, to allow
the current CFPB Director the chance to rewrite the rule adopted under the Bureau’s first Director. Even earlier and under Acting CFPB Director Mick Mulvaney, a lawsuit filed by CFPB against a payday lender was withdrawn. In response to these and other anti-consumer developments, consumer advocates chose to observe the August 19 date in a different way: reminding CFPB what it was supposed to do on behalf of consumers. “[S]ince its 2017 leadership change, the CFPB has repeatedly failed to support the August 19, 2019 compliance date the agency established for these important provisions,” wrote Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund, National Consumer Law Center, Public Citizen, and the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL). The August 12 joint letter to Director Kraninger called for “timely implementation” of the rule’s payment protections. While the CFPB continues to push for a stay of the rule’s ability-to-repay requirements, it has failed to offer any basis for its anti-consumer effort. It took years of multiple public hearings, research, public comments, and a careful rulemaking process before Director Cordray, delivered a rule that would provide financial relief from one of the nation’s most heinous predatory loans. Similar sentiments were expressed to the CFPB by 25 state attorneys general (AGs) whose jurisdictions included California, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. In written comments on CFPB’s plan to rewrite the payday rule, these state officials also expressed serious issues with the Bureau’s anti-consumer shift. “T] he Bureau’s proposed repeal of the 2017 rule would eliminate an important federal floor that would protect consumers across the country, including from interstate lending activity that is challenging for any individual State to
police,” wrote the AGs. “Extending credit without reasonably assessing borrowers’ ability to repay their loans resembles the poor underwriting practices that fueled the subprime mortgage crisis, which eventually led to an economic tailspin and enactment of the Dodd-Frank Act.” A 2019 CRL research report found that every year, payday and car-title loans drain nearly $8 billion in fees from consumer pockets. Although 16 states and the District of Columbia have enacted rate caps that limit interest to no more than 36%, 34 states still allow triple-digit interest rate payday loans that together generate more than $4 billion in costly fees. Similarly, car-title loans drain more than $3.8 billion in fees annually from consumers in the 22 states where this type of loan is legal. Texas leads the nation in costly payday loan fees at $1.2 billion per year. Overall, consumers stuck in more than 10 payday loans a year represent 75% of all fees charged. Car-title loan fees take $356 million out of the pockets of Alabama residents, and $297 million from Mississippi consumers. And among all borrowers of these loans, one out of every five loses their vehicle to repossession. This spring before a Capitol Hill hearing, Diane Standaert, a CRL EVP and Director of State Policy summarized the choices now before the nation: “Policymakers have a choice: siding with the vast majority of voters who oppose the payday loan debt trap or siding with predatory lenders charging 300% interest rates.” As Spike Lee advised years ago, “Do the right thing.”Until Next month,
JD Harper
The best source for events worth your while like the Levitt AMP Music Series: Thursdays, August-October
Whitehaven Residents Celebrate Grand Opening of BlueCross Healthy Place at David Carnes Park
ll CHATTANOOGA, TN Representatives with BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee joined city officials and members of the Whitehaven community to officially open the BlueCross Healthy Place at David Carnes Park. “Today is a new chapter for David Carnes Park, a site with a long, proud history. At BlueCross, we have a lot of good days serving the people of Tennessee, but today is truly special because we get to give this park back to the people of Whitehaven.” Hundreds of local residents attended to begin enjoying the park’s new features, which include a pavilion for community gatherings, a splash
pad, an accessible playground, a challenge course, a 40-yard dash and improved walking paths. The walking trail features fitness pods and play pockets, including a blacksmith shop that honors David Carnes, one of the first African American landowners in the area and the park’s namesake. BlueCross President and CEO JD Hickey, M.D., said, “Today is a new chapter for David Carnes Park, a site with a long, proud history. At BlueCross, we have a lot of good days serving the people of Tennessee, but today is truly special because we get to give this park back to the people of Whitehaven.” The foundation invested $5.4
million in the revitalization of David Carnes Park, which was the first BlueCross Healthy Place project completed in the state. The project was developed in partnership with the City of Memphis, as well as Whitehaven residents and students. Local contractors were involved throughout the build project. The BlueCross Healthy Place program launched in Memphis last year. Through the program, the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Foundation funds spaces that provide opportunities for neighbors to connect, develop relationships and enjoy healthy activity. BlueCross Healthy Place projects are also underway in Huntland and Chattanooga, Tenn. Government agencies and nonprofits can submit proposals for 2020 BlueCross Healthy Place projects through Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019. All proposals must be submitted through
the foundation’s online portal, which is open throughout the month of August. To qualify for funding, spaces will need to be free and open to the public, and proposed projects must demonstrate a community benefit and include community input. Applicants must provide evidence of land ownership and community engagement. Additional eligibility requirements are available on the project website. To apply for 2020 funding from the BlueCross Healthy Place program, please visit www. bluecrosshealthyplaces.com. For questions or additional information, contact bluecrosshealthyplaces@ bcbst.com.
America’s Racial Wealth Gap Could Cost Economy $1.5 Trillion ll America’s nagging racial wealth gap has been the focus of many research reports and economic policy debates. Now new research analyzes the strong connection between disproportionate wealth and financial services and products that are either shared or denied with consumers of color. Authored by the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), “The economic impact of closing the racial wealth gap” identifies key sources of the nation’s socioeconomic inequity with its accompanying racial and gender dynamics along with family savings, incomes, and community context. “Black families are underserved and overcharged by institutions that can provide the best channels for saving,” the report states. “For instance, banks in predominantly black neighborhoods require higher minimum balances ($871) than banks in white neighborhoods do ($626). Unsurprisingly, 30% of Black families are underserved by their banks, and 17% are completely disconnected from the mainstream banking system because of a lack of assets and a lack of trust in financial institutions.” Additionally, according to the MGI report, the nation’s overall economy
is affected by racial wealth gaps, estimating that between 2019 and 2028, the cost of economic losses to the general economy will be in the range of $1 trillion to $1.5 trillion. Black America’s “racialized disadvantage” was created through historical forces — including private business practices and public policies that together advantaged white consumers while often excluding or relegating Black Americans. For example, the National Housing Act of 1934 limited housing options for Black Americans by assigning a D-rating to neighborhoods in general decline and occupied by lower-income residents. Fast-forward to more recent times. The Federal Reserve in 2017 found that Black consumers are 73% more likely than whites to lack a credit score due to “credit redlining.” This term refers to where a consumer lives to be the central determining factor in whether to approve credit, rather than the actual credit profile. Among the MGI report’s other key findings: Black Americans can expect to earn up to $1 million less than white Americans over their lifetimes. Black men with no criminal records are less likely to receive job interviews
than are white men with criminal records. The median wealth of a single Black women is $200, while that of a single white man is $28,900. Black families are up to 4.6 times more likely to live in areas of concentrated poverty, than are white and Latino families. Geographically, 65% of Black Americans reside in one of only 16 states. The states are also areas that score below the nation’s national average of 77 state performance metrics spanning economy, education, economic opportunity, fiscal stability, infrastructure and more: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. “This study represents a critical look at the key components of wealthbuilding: access to community and family assets, ability to save, access to homeownership and availability of good jobs,” said Tom Feltner, director of research with the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL). “At every step it points to a widening racial wealth gap between Black families and white families.”
“With today’s Black homeownership rate hovering around 40%, while 73% of similarly situated whites own their homes, access to responsible mortgages remains more of a dream than a reality,” added Keith Corbett, a CRL executive vice president. When student loan debts and criminal incarcerations are factored into the racial wealth divide, an even more bleak scenario is disclosed. “Incarceration is estimated to reduce annual wages by 40% — not including the lost wages during the time served – for the formerly incarcerated,” states the MGI report, “reduces their economic mobility, and even increases the risk of school expulsion six times for their children….[B]lack men without criminal records are actually less likely to receive job interviews than are white men who have criminal records.” For Black women, gender brings a dual “wage penalty,” according to the report. Median earnings for Black women are only 65% as much as those earned by white men, and 89% of median earnings for Black men. Black women typically borrow more in student loans, so their lower earnings bring stronger financial challenges in repayment years. As a result of these and other factors, the median wealth
Social.
events
SEPTEMBER Atlanta Black Restaurant Week 9/01/19-9/15/19; Atlanta, GA; http://www.atlbrw.com Women Of Color Empowerment Conference 9//13/19-9/15/19; Fort Lauderdale, FL; http://www. nationalwomenofcolor.com Monterey Jazz Festival 9/27/19-9/29/19; Monterey, CA; http://www.montereyjazzfestival. org African American Street Festival 9/20/19-9/22/19; Nashville, TN; http://aacanashville.org National Black MBA Association Annual Conference 9/24/19-9/28/19; https://www.nbmbaaconference.org/ National Congress of Black Women Conference 9/15/19; Washington, DC; http://www.nationalcongressbw.org/ Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference 9/11/19-9/15/19; Washington, DC; http://www.cbcfinc.org/
AUTO REPAIR
DUNSON AUTO REPAIR 1807 East 23rd Street Chattanooga, Tennessee 37404 napoleondunson@comcast.net
CALL (423) 622-8941
Stacey Abrams’ latest project takes aim at voter suppression in the states
SS (Special from Facing South) – The 2018 midterm elections shined a light on the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court’s gutting of the Voting Rights Act in Shelby County v. Holder and the discriminatory state voting laws passed in its wake. The election was marred by problems related to discriminatory voter ID requirements, racial gerrymanders, and racially-biased voter purges, while voters also faced long lines, closed polling places, malfunctioning voting machines, and voter intimidation. Voter suppression was a factor in the narrow losses by Democratic gubernatorial candidates Stacey Abrams in Georgia and Andrew Gillum in Florida as well as in Beto O’Rourke’s U.S. Senate run in Texas. Abrams, for example, lost to Republican Brian Kemp by a margin
of 50.2 to 48.8 percent — just about 55,000 votes. Abrams and voting rights advocates pointed to voter suppression tactics deployed by Kemp, who as secretary of state overseeing the election led the effort to restrict the influence of the African-American voting bloc. He was accused of reducing the number of polling machines and improperly purging voter registrations in a way that disproportionately affected Black residents. Of the 53,000 voters purged from the rolls by Kemp’s office, for example, 70 percent were Black. In a brief address on election night, Abrams refused to concede and condemned Kemp’s targeting of African Americans. “To watch an elected official, who claims to represent the people in the state, baldly pin his hopes for election on the suppression of the people’s democratic right to vote has been truly appalling,” Abrams said. The new initiative takes its name from Fair Fight Action, the voting rights group Abrams formed last year after her election loss. Fair Fight Action is currently suing the Georgia secretary of state’s office, asking federal courts to address voting policies that the group says are discriminatory and unconstitutional. Abrams’ new initiative will expand beyond Georgia to target 20 states,
including battleground states in the Southeast and Midwest and three states with gubernatorial races this year: Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi. It will invest up to $5 million in voter protection operations in those states. In the months leading up to the election, Fair Fight 2020 will train staff members in battleground states to help repair inaccurate voter rolls, deal with the shortages of voting machines and provisional ballots, and adopt standardized rules around counting absentee ballots. They will also work to increase participation in the 2020 census, which determines congressional apportionment as well as funding for a wide range of services. “She’s creating an apparatus to fight voter suppression across the country, a prize that’s essential to a fair and functioning democracy,” Melanye Price, a political scientist at Prairie View A&M of Texas, wrote in a recent New York Times op-ed. Abrams’ focus on voter protection grows out of her understanding of the role of voter suppression in preventing action on other critical matters. In a recent interview with ABC’s “This Week,” Abrams said combating voter suppression was “fundamental to tackling issues” including the economy, gun control, and the climate crisis. “The
ability to vote is how you tackle climate change,” she said. “We can’t have climate change legislation simply by wishing it.” Abrams’ emphasis on state government is critical since the Shelby decision weakened the federal government’s ability to protect communities of color from voter suppression and shifted the fight to the state level. Given Southern states’ rapidly diversifying electorate, Abrams’ work to empower voters at the state level could ultimately reshape the region’s electoral landscape and create a pathway to victory for Democrats at all levels of government. Meanwhile, though Abrams took herself out of the running for president in 2020, she said she is open to serve as a vice presidential running mate for the eventual nominee. “I would be honored to be considered,” she told the Washington Post.
The Bethlehem Center To Unveil Remodeled John P. Franklin Sr. Technology Lab
The Bethlehem staff, alongside family members and friends of the late John P. Franklin, Sr., will unveil a renovated technology lab at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday at 200 W. 38th St. Mr. Franklin’s children, Cheryl Franklin Key and John “Duke” Franklin, Jr., owners of John P. Franklin Funeral Home, sponsored the renovations. With the monetary support, The Bethlehem Center was
able to install new flooring and sheet rock, repaint the walls and equip the lab with new software, eight Lenovo desktop computers and 10 laptops tablets. The renovated John P. Franklin Sr. Technology Lab will be available to students attending The Bethlehem’s After School program, Howard School students and adults in South Chattanooga.
Double Cola Announces New Marketing Director And Sales Manager Double Cola COO Gina Dhanani announced that Keely Anderson and Wesley Steele have been added to the company’s leadership team. Ms. Anderson serves as marketing director while Mr. Steele has been tapped to serve as sales manager. Ms. Anderson has more than 14 years of sales and marketing experience in the greater Chattanooga area. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville graduate is an active community volunteer and the mom of two. “Keely brings a proven track record of successful relationship building and marketing expertise to her new position,” said Ms. Dhanani. “Keely’s creativity and attention to detail will help increase brand awareness as our company continues to expand product lines throughout our local market and beyond.” Mr. Steele has been tapped to lead
the company’s sales division. Mr. Steele works to elevate the company’s profile in the market and grow The Double Cola Company brands in a way that is equally beneficial to the company as well as their distribution partners. With more than two decades of experience in the beverage industry, Mr. Steele has worked closely with numerous corporate and small business partners to maximize growth opportunities within individual markets. Mr. Steele and his wife have three children. “Wesley’s experience and dedication to excellent customer service makes him a valuable addition to our team as we expand into new markets,” said Ms. Dhanani. “We look forward to what the future holds for The Double Cola Company with Keely and Wes on our team.”
Let’s Celebrate Latino/Hispanic Heritage Month! September 15 thru October 15 is Latino/Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to acknowledge and honor the many contributions that Latinos have made to the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the United States. To commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month, PBS will offer a range of new programming celebrating Latinx heritage and culture this September and October, culminating in the broadcast of the 32nd ANNUAL HISPANIC HERITAGE AWARDS. “PBS is committed to programming that showcases the diversity of our country,” said Perry Simon, PBS Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming. “We are proud to present a Hispanic Heritage Month lineup that honors the extraordinary contributions of Latino Americans, and we look forward to sharing these programs with our audiences.” AMERICAN MASTERS presents “Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage,” the first-ever film on the influential stage and screen actor. The film, a co-presentation of VOCES, follows Juliá’s journey from his childhood home in Puerto Rico, to the creative hotbed of 1960s New York City, to his illustrious career in Hollywood and on Broadway. The new season of VOCES includes three additional films that shed light on current issues impacting LATINO AMERICANS and the rich diversity of their experience. In “The Pushouts,” Victor Rios, a high school dropout and former gang member, now an award-winning professor, works with young people who have been “pushed out” of school. “Adios Amor The Search for Maria Moreno” introduces an unsung heroine - a migrant farmworker and gifted orator who became a groundbreaking labor organizer. “Porvenir, Texas” tells the story of the January 1918 massacre of 15 Mexican men in a small border town and reveals the tensions that remain along the border today. In the POV film “América,” a young man named Diego returns to his hometown of Colima, Mexico to
care for his grandmother, América, after his father, América’s caregiver, is imprisoned for negligence. Along the way, Diego reconnects with his two brothers and finds himself caught in a clash between love and obligation. PBS programs honoring Hispanic heritage (check local listings): AMERICAN MASTERS “Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage” - Friday, September 13, 9:00-10:30 p.m. ET Discover the life and career of Raúl Juliá, the charismatic, award-winning actor and humanitarian known for versatile roles on stage and screen, from Shakespearean plays to “The Addams Family.” A co-presentation of VOCES and AMERICAN MASTERS. VOCES “The Pushouts” - Friday, September 20, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET Meet Victor Rios, a high school dropout and former gang member-turned-award-winning professor, author and expert on the school to prison pipeline, who works with young people who have been “pushed out” of school for reasons beyond their control. VOCES “Adios Amor - The Search for Maria Moreno” - Friday, September 27, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET See how the discovery of lost photographs sparks the search for a hero that history forgot - Maria Moreno, an eloquent migrant mother of 12 who became an outspoken leader for farmworker rights. Her legacy was buried - until now. VOCES “Porvenir, Texas” - Friday, October 4, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET Discover the true story behind the 1918 massacre of 15 Mexican men in this tiny border town. The film asks what led to the events of that fateful night and reveals the tensions that still remain along the border a century later. POV “América” - Monday, October 7, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET Diego lives away from his family, where he scrubs
wax in a surf shop by day and stilt-walks the malecón by night. He returns home after his grandmother, América, falls from her bed, leading to his father’s arrest for elder neglect. THE HISPANIC HERITAGE AWARDS - Friday, October 11, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET Join the country’s highest tribute to Latinos by Latinos. The program includes performances and appearances by celebrated Hispanic artists. Hispanic Heritage Month programming will be available on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS Video App, available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast. PBS station members will be available to view all episodes via Passport (contact your local PBS station for details). Photo of Raúl Juliá. Credit: Courtesy of Family Collection Voting Opens Today for the 2019 E! PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS Priyanka Chopra-Jonas to Lead THE WHITE TIGER Film on Netflix Priyanka Chopra-Jonas to Lead THE WHITE TIGER Film on Netflix
Quick Facts: The US Census Bureau estimated that the U.S.
Latino population was 54 million, or 17 percent, of the total U.S. population as of July 1, 2013 In 2014, Latinos made up 8.7 percent of management, professional, and related occupations; 23.4 percent of service occupations, 14.9 percent of sales and office occupations, 27.6 percent of natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations; and 22.0 percent of production, transportations, and material moving occupations. In 2010, Latinos spent $1 trillion in the retail and CPG (consumer packaged goods) market and $1.2 trillion in 2012. That figure is expected to jump to $1.5 trillion this year (2015) and $1.7 trillion in 2017.
Hispanic population reaches record 55 million, but growth has cooled
The U.S. Hispanic population has been a key driver of the country’s population growth since at least 2000. But the group’s growth has slowed in recent years, and that trend continued in 2014, as evidenced by new figures released early today by the U.S. Census Bureau. The Hispanic population reached a new high of 55.4 million in 2014 (or 17.4% of the total U.S. population), an increase of 1.2 million (2.1%) from the year before. However, that 2.1% rate continues a trend of slower growth that began in 2010. Hispanic population growth had peaked earlier, in the 1990s. From 1995 to 2000, annual average growth was 4.8%, and growth has declined since then. From 2010 to 2014, the annual average growth had dropped to 2.2%. Part of the reason for this decline in population growth is the slowdown in immigration from Latin America, and in particular, from Mexico. Hispanic Population Growth The Census Bureau’s annual population estimates detail the nation’s demographics in a variety of categories, including race and ethnicity, geography, and age. For example, the county with the highest Hispanic population by far is Los Angeles County in California (4.9 million), followed by Harris County in Texas (1.9 million) and Miami-Dade County in Florida (1.8 million). Hispanic populations are not necessarily growing everywhere. From 2010 to 2014, the Hispanic population declined in 11 counties that have Hispanic populations of 10,000 or more, located in Alabama (Jefferson), Arizona (Santa Cruz), Florida (Hardee), Georgia (Clayton and DeKalb), New Mexico (Rio Arriba, San Juan, and San Miguel) and Texas (Duval, Hale and Willacy). The biggest decline came in DeKalb County in suburban Atlanta, where the Hispanic population was 64,279 in 2014, down 4% from 2010. The data showed no change in ranking among the states with the highest Hispanic populations. California still leads the list (15.0 million), followed by Texas (10.4 million) and Florida (4.8 million). Together, these three states account for more than half (55%) the Hispanic population. But their share is down from 58% in 2000, reflecting a wider dispersion of the nation’s Hispanic
population over the past decade and a half. In addition, the new Census Bureau estimates show that Hispanics, with a median age of 29 years, are younger than most other racial or ethnic groups. By comparison, the median age for non-Hispanic blacks is 34; it’s 43 for non-Hispanic whites and 36 for Asians. But Hispanics are growing older: In 2010, the group’s median age was 27, up from 26 in 2000.
10 facts for National Hispanic Heritage Month BY JENS MANUEL KROGSTAD National Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins Sept. 15, celebrates U.S. Latinos, their culture and their history. Started in 1968 by Congress as Hispanic Heritage Week, it was expanded to a month in 1988. The celebration begins in the middle rather than the start of September because it coincides with national independence days in several Latin American countries: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica celebrate theirs on Sept. 15, followed by Mexico on Sept. 16, Chile on Sept. 18 and Belize on Sept 21. Here are some key facts about the nation’s Latino population by age, geography and origin groups. 1 The U.S. Hispanic population now stands at 57 million, making Hispanics the nation’s second-fastestgrowing racial or ethnic group after Asians. Today Hispanics make up 18% of the U.S. population, up from 5% in 1970. 2A record 27.3 million Latinos are eligible to vote in 2016, up from 23.3 million in 2012. But during the last presidential election, Latinos (48.0%) lagged behind blacks (66.6%) and whites (64.1%) in their voter turnout rate. 3People of Mexican origin account for about twothirds (35.3 million) of the nation’s Hispanics. Those of Puerto Rican origin are the next largest group, at 5.3 million, and their numbers have been growing due to a historic increase in migration from Puerto Rico to the U.S. mainland. (About 3.5 million live on the island.) There are five other Hispanic origin groups with more than 1 million people each: Salvadorans, Cubans, Dominicans, Guatemalans and Colombians. 4As the population of U.S.-born Latinos booms and the arrival of new immigrants slows, the share of Latinos who are immigrants – as opposed to those who are born here – is on the decline across all Latino origin groups. From 2007 to 2014, the number of Latino immigrants increased slightly, from 18 million to 19.3 million. But they constituted a smaller overall share of the Latino population – decreasing from 40% to 35% over the same time period. The share of foreign born among Latinos varies by origin group. Just one-third (33%) of Mexican-origin Latinos are foreign born. That’s far lower than among the other major groups – Cuban (57% foreign born), Salvadoran (59%), Dominican (54%), Guatemalan (63%) and Colombian (64%). (People born in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens at birth.) 5Diversity among Hispanic origin groups varies
between major metropolitan areas. Mexicans make up 79% of Hispanics in the Los Angeles metro area. But the New York City area is less dominated by one group, with Puerto Ricans (27%) and Dominicans (21%) being the most populous. The same is true in the Washington, D.C., metro area, where Salvadorans (33%) are most numerous, and in the Miami area, where Cubans (43%) are the largest group; in these areas, the largest share of Hispanics by origin doesn’t constitute a majority of the Hispanic population. 6Hispanics are the youngest of the major racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. At 28 years, the median age of Hispanics is nearly a full decade lower than that of the U.S. overall (37 years). Among Hispanics, there is a big difference in median age between those born in the U.S. (19 years) and the foreign born (41 years). In 2014, about a quarter of Hispanics, or 14.6 million, were Millennials (ages 18 to 33). 7Millennials make up almost half (44%) of the Hispanic electorate in 2016. Hispanic millennials will likely continue to drive growth of the Hispanic electorate, given the median age of U.S.-born Hispanics is only 19. In addition, in any given year, more than 800,000 young Hispanics turn 18. 8 Latinos make up the largest group of immigrants in most states, mostly because Mexico is the biggest source of immigrants in 33 states. In some states, though, other Hispanic groups are the largest: El Salvador is the top country of birth among immigrants in Virginia and Maryland, the Dominican Republic leads in New York and Rhode Island, and Cuba is the top place of birth for immigrants in Florida. 9A majority of Hispanic adults (55%) say they are Catholic, while 16% are evangelical Protestants and 5% are mainline Protestants. The share who say they are Catholic has declined from 67% in 2010. Mexicans and Dominicans are more likely than other Hispanic origin groups to say they are Catholic. Meanwhile, Salvadorans are more likely to say they are evangelical Protestants than Mexicans, Cubans and Dominicans. 10The share of Latinos in the U.S. who speak English proficiently is growing. In 2013, 68% of Latinos ages 5 and older spoke English proficiently, up from 59% in 2000. U.S.-born Latinos are driving this growth, as their share on this measure has grown from 81% to 89% during the same time period. By comparison, 34% of Latino immigrants spoke English proficiently in 2013, a percentage little changed since 1980. While speaking Spanish remains an important part of Latino culture, 71% of Latino adults say it is not necessary to speak Spanish to be considered Latino.
Spelman College Receives Funding from the Sloan Foundation to Help Fuel the Field of Black Women Economists ATLANTA, Aug. 26, 2019 / PRNewswire/ -- Through the support of a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, a not-for-profit grantmaking institution dedicated to the advancement of scientific knowledge, the Department of Economics at Spelman College will develop curriculum and programming to address the scarcity of Black women Ph.D.s in economics. Nationwide, there are very few African Americans in economics professions, and fewer than 10 percent of underrepresented minorities are awarded advanced degrees in the discipline, said Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., president of Spelman and a member of the Sloan Foundation board of trustees. “Economists and economic theory impact virtually every aspect of policy making in this country. Policies that shape finance, labor, education, public health, the criminal justice system are deeply influenced by economists
and their research. Yet, the number of African Americans with Ph.D.s in economics has been declining for several decades,” Dr. Campbell said. “This groundbreaking grant from the Sloan Foundation seeks to reverse this trend by building on Spelman College’s strong mathematics and economics departments in a way that encourages
more students to choose an academic path that leads to graduate studies, a Ph.D. in economics and a voice at important policy making decisions.”
economics for its annual summer bridge program and launch an initiative that provides financial support to students with an interest in economics graduate programs. In order to give students real-world examples of careers in economics, the grant will fund the creation of a new distinguished speaker series that focuses on alumnae, and other women of color, who hold doctoral degrees in economics. The series will be open to students enrolled in various degree programs across the College. “Adapting the Women in STEM Summer Program model for economics and bringing together other activities and experiences will afford Spelman students with portfolios enabling them to attain graduate degrees and become in-demand professionals in the field,” said Elizabeth S. Boylan, Ph.D., program director for the Sloan Foundation.
In addition, the College will utilize the Sloan Foundation award to develop learning modules focused on
New Monumental Baptist Has Women’s Conference Sept. 20-21 New Monumental Baptist Church will host a women’s conference, Fuel for the Mind, Body, and Spirit. The event will be from 6:30-8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 20, and 8 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Sept. 21. The evening session will feature registration and a line dance and
the conference and lunch will be on Saturday. The facilitators will be Atty Latasha Powell-Family Law; Atty Amanda Jelks-Wills; C. Grayson-Bernard- Author “Raising Giants”; Dr. Yolanda Stragin Wilson-Pediatrician; Carolyn LawhornLocal AARP-Community Health
Activist (Living with Lupus); Donna Roddy, RN-Wellness; Bertha HudginsMenopause; Cheryl Lock-Living with Dementia; Dr. Tuindra Love-EnglandGeneral Practitioner; Evelyn LoveladyGuest Speaker; Psi Chi Chi Chapter of Chi Eta Phi Sorority-(A Professional Nurses Sorority); and New Monumental
Baptist Church Health Ministry. Donations are $10 and covers a continental breakfast and lunch. Reservations should be made by Sept. 13 and may be done by calling 629-6106 or visiting www. newmonumental.org.
Greater Tucker Missionary Baptist Hosts Fall Revival Sept. 3-5 Greater Tucker Missionary Baptist Church, 1115 North Moore Road in Chattanooga, will host its Fall Revival 2019 on Sept. 3-5 at 7 p.m. nightly, with guest speaker Reverend Dr. Charles F. Lomax Jr. Dr. Lomax, the only son born to Mr. Charles F. Lomax, Sr. and Ms. Terri Carlock-Lomax, has served as the senior pastor of St. John Missionary Baptist Church located in Alcoa, Tn. since 2012. A native of Knoxville, and a product of Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church,
Dr. Lomax was licensed and ordained under the tutelage of the late Reverend Melvin. M. Solomon. A huge proponent of education, Dr. Lomax received a bachelor of arts degree in sociology with a minor in political science from the University of Tennessee, a master of divinity degree with a concentration in homiletics from the Morehouse School of Religion at the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) in Atlanta and a doctor of ministry degree with a focus on leadership and
community witness from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta. Dr. Lomax is the vice-moderator of administration for the Knoxville District Baptist Missionary and Educational Association, the vice-president of the Knoxville Interdenominational Christian Ministerial Alliance and a commissioner on the Knoxville/Knox County Metropolitan Planning Commission. He also is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, the
National Scholars Honor Society, the International Theological Honor Society of Theta Phi, the Knoxville Area Urban League Young Professionals and the NAACP. He has been recognized by Who’s Who Among College Students and is the recipient of the Outstanding Young Alumni Award from the United Negro College Fund. “Among the gifts and talents that Dr. Lomax possesses, he is most passionate about preaching
Unum and The Company Lab launch Historically Black Colleges and Universities Innovation Challenge ll CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.-(BUSINESS WIRE)--Employee benefits provider Unum (NYSE: UNM) and The Company Lab (CO.LAB) are partnering to host the 2019 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Innovation Challenge. The challenge invites juniors and seniors from HBCUs to work together to solve a real-world challenge facing the insurance industry, while exploring career opportunities at Unum. Unum and @thecompanylab are partnering to host a Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Innovation Challenge for college juniors and seniors Tweet this The HBCU Challenge will recruit 32 undergraduate students from HBCUs within 250 miles of Unum’s home office locations in Baton Rouge, La.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; and Columbia, S.C. Selected students will participate in a two-day innovation case competition hosted at Unum’s headquarters in Chattanooga Oct. 24-25. “This program gives high-performing, talented students the opportunity to solve real business problems, while
gaining exposure to the employee benefits industry,” said Wade Hinton, vice president of Inclusion and Diversity at Unum. “It’s also a great way for us to identify potential talent.” CO.LAB has organized several fast-paced competitions focused on building talent pipelines. Last March, the organization partnered with local startup FreightWaves to produce a case competition that brought college students from supply chain programs across the country, with intentions to connect with the region’s leading freight and logistics startups. “We’re excited to combine our talent development experience with Unum’s leadership and knowledge in their field,” said Marcus Shaw, chief executive officer of CO.LAB. “I believe by the end of the event we will see students not only take away a great learning experience
but also new relationships that could impact their career trajectory.” Students selected to join the challenge have the chance to gain recognition and win cash prizes including $5,000 for the first-place team, $3,000 for the second-place team and $1,500 for the third-place team. Students interested in participating can apply at www.colab.co/events/ unumhbcuchallenge. Nominations are open now through Sept. 13. This event marks the second collaboration this year between Unum and CO.LAB. This spring, in partnership with Unum and Erlanger, CO.LAB launched its inaugural HealthTech Accelerator focused on connecting emerging healthcare startups with leaders in the healthcare and employee benefits industries. The Company Lab (CO.LAB) is a
nonprofit organization that supports entrepreneurial growth in southeast Tennessee. Established as the region’s front door for entrepreneurs, CO.LAB works to increase the viability of startups and strengthen the ecosystem of support behind them. In doing so, the organization helps entrepreneurs refine their business models, test their ideas with customers, pursue capital and partnerships, and connect with a community of mentors, peers and business experts. Additionally, CO.LAB works to create environments that inspire entrepreneurial activity, open doors within the business community and promote job creation. The companies CO.LAB supports range from street-corner mom and pop shops to tech startups scaling into major markets. To learn more, visit colab.co.
LEON: Jay-Z Did Not Sell Out, He Bought In1111
ll In the wake of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s protest against police brutality and extrajudicial murder, Jay-Z’s Roc Nation has struck a deal to lead the NFL’s endeavors into music and entertainment. This deal has caused a lot of consternation within the African American community. The issue now being raised centers around Jay-Z being a “sellout.” What must be clearly understood is that Jay-Z is a capitalist. He did what capitalists do — he bought in. Before he was Jay-Z, he was Shawn Carter. He grew up in the Marcy Projects in Brooklyn, New York, and was a drug dealer in his youth. By his own admission, his drug-dealing days prepared him for his current life as a sports entrepreneur and music mogul: “I know about budgets. I was a drug dealer. To be in a drug deal, you need to know what you can spend.” To Shawn Carter, drugs were just a widget or commodity whose sale presented no moral dilemma or conflict. Selling drugs was a means to an end.
It’s the urban Horatio Alger story, from, as he said, “grams to Grammys.” Shawn Carter sold out his community for his personal gain by selling drugs to his own people. Jay-Z, the capitalists, has once again increased his personal fortune by buying into an institution that has also shown little regard for the fate of Black people. When asked where we are in the protest process and the significance of kneeling, Jay-Z gave a very Trumpian response: ”I think we’ve moved past kneeling and I think it’s time to go into actionable items. … No, I don’t want people to stop protesting at all. Kneeling, I know we’re stuck on it because it’s a real thing, but kneeling is a form of protest. I support protest across the board. … But now that we all know what’s going on, what are we going to do? How are we going to stop it? Because the kneeling was not about a job, it was about injustice.” Translation? Jay-Z supported Kaepernick in the moment because it was the thing to do. Now there is an opportunity to get paid and as a capitalist, he’s about that paper. In addition to helping the NFL with entertainment, Jay-Z will also consult with the NFL on matters of social injustice. Speaking of injustice, this opportunity for Jay-Z to work with the NFL only became possible after Kaepernick sacrificed his NFL career to protest against the real injustice of state sanctioned murder by the police. If Jay-Z were really down for the cause, wouldn’t he have stepped to the mic
and told NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell that he will work with the NFL on the condition that Kap gets a fair shot at making an NFL roster? He could have used that moment and power to put real pressure on the league. But it’s not really about Shawn Carter aka Jay-Z. He is a metaphor. In the current context, Jay-Z is a distraction from the real issue: the dangers of Black capitalism. In Manning Marable’s “How Capitalism Underdeveloped Black America,” he writes, “A decisive component of this underdevelopment process within the periphery is the nonwhite elite.” These elite play a very important role. They serve, Marable says, “as a necessary yet dependent buffer between those who wield power and those who have none. Within popular culture, it is the nonwhite mouthpiece of the new order, articulating in the media and in the various aesthetic forums the ideals of the masters.” As referenced in the opening, Dr. King was clear, “Power without love is reckless and abusive. … Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice.” Jay-Z is wealthy and, in some circles, wields a certain degree of power. However, given the example set by Kap’s protest and sacrifice, what part of Jay-Z’s deal with the NFL shows the love for the community and the demand for justice? This deal seems to be power without love, reckless and abusive. When White capitalists team with
Black capitalists, the Black community finds itself in a more precarious circumstance. The White capitalists will leverage the indifference and duplicity of the Black capitalists against the very community that the Black capitalist claims to support. “We don’t need to kneel anymore. It’s time to get paid.” Frederick Douglass told us very clearly, “Find out just what any people will quietly submit to (or get paid to do) — and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.” By focusing on Jay-Z, we are losing sight of the fact that Colin Kaepernick used his platform to call attention of historic and systemic problem in America, state sanctioned brutality and murder by the police. The NFL, the government and the media used their power to corrupt the message and demonize Kaepernick, costing him his livelihood. As was the case with Curt Flood, Muhammad Ali, Dr. John Carlos and others before him, Colin Kaepernick will eventually be remembered for taking a stand — or in this case, a knee — for justice. Jay-Z will be remembered for buying in — and by buying in, he sold out. Leon is the producer and host of the nationally broadcast call-in talk radio program “Inside the Issues with Leon” on SiriusXM Satellite radio channel 126.
17 Million Voters Purged Nationwide Between 2016 and 2018: Report ll A Brennan Center analysis has found that at least 17 million voters were purged nationwide between 2016 and 2018, similar to the numbers discovered between 2014 and 2016. Using data released by the Federal Election Assistance Commission, the Brennan Center found that counties with a history of voter discrimination have continued purging people from the rolls at high rates. “This phenomenon began after the Supreme Court’s 2013 ruling in Shelby County v. Holder, a decision that severely weakened the protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965,” the report states.
“Before the Shelby County decision, Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act required jurisdictions with a history of discrimination to submit proposed changes in voting procedures to the Department of Justice or a federal court for approval, a process known as ‘preclearance,’” the report’s authors wrote. The Brennan Center first identified this troubling voter purge trend in a major report released in July 2018. As the nation heads toward the all-important 2020 election cycle, many said they’re concerned with voter purging and the ever-present threat of voter disenfranchisement.
“Automatic voter registration is a great way to be sure that every eligible American is registered to vote,” said Dr. Margaret Groarke, an associate professor of political science at Manhattan College in New York. “Whether this prevents voter suppression is complicated by the fact that there are many ways that people suppress the vote,” Groarke said. “Key strategies today are overinclusive voter purges, strict voter ID laws, and making threats that people with unpaid fines or warrants shouldn’t come near the polls,” she said. “Automatic voter registration might counteract the effect of purges, but will
do nothing to stop other strategies,” Groarke said. The Brennan Center report follows a Center for American Progress analysis that examined how conservative lawmakers are suppressing the votes of people of color, young people, and those with disabilities. From discriminatory voter ID laws in places such as North Dakota, South Carolina, and Michigan to failures to provide early polling places in a majority-black neighborhood in Texas and the freezing of more than 50,000 voter registrations in Georgia, voter suppression is rampant in 2018, according to the CAP report.
PUBLIC/LEGAL NOTICES
CITY OF CHATTANOOGA Bid forms and additional specifications may be obtained by contacting the Purchasing department G13 City Hall 101 E 11th Street, Chattanooga TN. All Sealed Bids in duplicate will be received by the City of Chattanooga, Purchasing Department Suite G13 City Hall. The City of Chattanooga Purchasing Division has vendor assistance available each Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 4:30, in 30-minute time slots. For additional questions please contact City of Chattanooga Purchasing Department at phone: (423) 643-7230/ fax: (423) 643-7244/email: purchasing@chattanooga.gov Type Description Status ID # Deadline Pre-Solicitation Meeting Docs Sealed Walnut Street Plaza $100 Open R189986 10/3/2019 2:00:00 PM 9/17/2019 1 Sealed Shallowford Bonnie Way Sidewalk $50 Open R189777 10/1/2019 2:00:00 PM 9/10/2019 2 Sealed Caine Lane Greenway $50 Open R187570 10/1/2019 2:00:00 PM 9/10/2019 1 Sealed South Chickamauga Creek Greenway - Youngstown Connector $100 Open R187574 10/1/2019 2:00:00 PM 9/10/2019 1 Sealed RFP/Horticultural & Green Infrastructure Services Open R189009 9/20/2019 4:00:00 PM 1 Sealed Replacement Roofing System for East Lake Senior Citizens Center $35 Open R189383 9/19/2019 2:00:00 PM 9/3/2019 1 Sealed Custodial Services at WellAdvantage Health & Wellness Center Open R189947 9/19/2019 2:00:00 PM 9/12/2019 1 Sealed Retro-Retflectivity Sign Project for Various City Streets $35 Open R183939 9/17/2019 2:00:00 PM 8/27/2019 3 Sealed Motorola MOSCAD Telemetry Service & Support Open R188731 9/17/2019 2:00:00 PM 2 Sealed Locating & Marking Services for Underground Utilities Open R187410 9/12/2019 2:00:00 PM 1 Sealed Replacement Roof at Warner Park/UTC Field House $35 Open R189048 9/12/2019 2:00:00 PM 8/27/2019 3 Sealed RFP Development of Thirteen Acres at Montague Park Open RFP188580 9/10/2019 4:00:00 PM 8/21/2019 3 Sealed Defibrillators Cancelled R189334 9/9/2019 2:00:00 PM 1 Sealed Defibrillators Open R189334 9/9/2019 2:00:00 PM 3 Sealed Combustion Total Organic Carbon (TOC) Analyzer Open R189370 9/5/2019 2:00:00 PM 2
Legal Notice Hamilton County Procurement Department, located at 455 North Highland Park Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37404, will receive sealed bids before 2:00 PM (ET), on Tuesday, October 8, 2019 for the following construction project: Hamilton County EMS Station #5 Apison Pike, Collegedale, TN - Project #1804-01.03.A Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 17, 2019 at 10:30 AM (ET) at 455 North Highland Park Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37404.The project consists of the construction of a new Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Station #5 located off of Apison Pike in Collegedale, TN.Bidding documents will be distributed by: Artech Design Group. Please contact Erica Sims at 423-643-0623 or ericas@artechdgn. com or Mike Lane at 423-643-0623 or mikel@ artechdgn.com.20190903 PUBLIC NOTICE OF MEETING MEETING NOTICEThe Board of Sign Appeals meeting will be held on Monday, September 23, 2019, at 4:00 p.m., in the Development Resource Center Building, Conference Room 1-A, at 1250 Market Street.19-BS-00004 5622 Highway 153 - Sign Setback & Height VarianceIf you have any questions regarding this meeting, please call Dottie McKinney at (423) 643-5883.20190903 PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE The City of Chattanooga’s Department of Economic and Community Development will conduct a public meeting at the Development Resource Center, 1250 Market Street (Room 1A) on Thursday, September 19, 2019, at 5:30 PM to 6:30 P.M. The purpose of this meeting is to provide information and receive comments on the City’s FY 2018
- 2019 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) prior to its submission to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The CAPER is an overall review of housing and community development activities undertaken in FY 2018- 2019 by the City using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and other federal funds. The CAPER outlines the amount of federal funding available for activities and expenditures that address the housing and community development outcomes set forth in the Consolidated Plan. Beginning September 12, 2019, a copy of 2018- 2019 (Draft) CAPER will be available in the Department of Economic and Community Development located at 101 E. 11th Street, Suite 200 Chattanooga, TN 37402, and online at http://www.chattanooga. gov/econom ic-community-development/ communi ty-development. The deadline for consideration of written comments and/ or suggestions is September 26, 2019 at 4:30 PM. Comments may be addressed to Sandra Gober at the above address, or faxed to (423) 643-7341, at any time during September 12 - 26, 2019. Interested citizens may also offer oral comments at the public meeting on September 19, 2019. The facility is ADA accessible. If accommodations are needed for conditions other than a physical disability, please notify our office, five (5) days in advance, by calling (423) 643-7333 or send an email to comdev@chattanooga. gov.20190902 REQUEST FOR BIDS Advertisement For BidsOwner: City of East Ridge Sealed Bids for furnishing all labor, materials, tools, equipment, services,
supervision, and necessary appurtenances for the installation of the South Seminole Drive and Boyd Street Stormwater Improvements will be received by Janet Middleton, City Recorder, at East Ridge City Hall, 1517 Tombras Avenue, East Ridge, TN 37412 until 10:00 am (local time), Tuesday, October 1, 2019 and then at said office opened and publicly read aloud. Mark all envelopes “Stormwater Improvements Bid 10/1/19”. Envelopes not properly marked will not be accepted. Bids received after the appointed time will not be accepted. The project consists of the replacement and installation of storm infrastructure on South Seminole Drive and Boyd Street and other improvements as shown on the Contract Documents or described in the Specifications, and associated appurtenances in Hamilton County, Tennessee. Copies of the Contract Documents and Specifications may be examined at the office of CTI Engineers Inc., located at 1122 Riverfront Parkway, Chattanooga, TN 37402. Copies may be obtained there upon payment of $150 for each set. Payment is not refundable. All questions shall be directed to Philip R. Schofield, PE, at CTI Engineers, Inc., 1122 Riverfront Parkway, Chattanooga, TN 37402, phone: 423-267-7613, email: pschofield@ctiengr. com. All bidders must be licensed Contractors in compliance with all requirements of the State of Tennessee Contractor’s Licensing Act. The allotted time for construction is to be 75 consecutive calendar days. It is the policy of City of East Ridge to ensure compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; 49 CFR, Part 21; related statutes and regulations to that end that no person shall be excluded from participation in or be denied benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial
assistance or any other funding source on the grounds of race, color, sex, national origin, or ancestry. By virtue of submitting a response to this solicitation, bidders agree to comply with the same non-discrimination policy. No bidder may withdraw his bid for a period of sixty (60) days after closing time scheduled for the receipt of bids. The City of East Ridge reserves the right to waive informalities and to reject any and all bids.CITY OF EAST RIDGEDate: September 1, 201920190901 LEGAL NOTICE Bid No. 15517Bids will be received by EPB at the Purchasing office at 10 West M L King Blvd, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402 until 2:00 P.M., September 18, 2019. At this time, bids will be publicly opened for the:Hamilton Place Substation Roof Replacement project. Contractor shall furnish all supervision, labor, materials, equipment and tools/supplies required to remove the existing roof and replace, and paint exterior building walls per EPB’s specifications. Bidders may contact David Duke at 423-648-1418 to schedule a site visit if needed.Bid forms and additional information may be picked up at noon on September 3, 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 Department20190901