11.30.22 NPC

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

Charron Troutman. Jay lone Hines. Shawn Davis. Hezekiah Nixon.

Pittsburgh Police said the four African American males are responsible for two shooting incidents on the North Side in the past six weeks, and while there could be other suspects atlarge, their arrests are in dicative of what happens when Pittsburgh’s Black community tells what they know to the police.

“I thank the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, but I also want to thank the community,” voiced Pitts burgh Mayor Ed Gainey at a news conference at police headquarters, Nov. 2. “Because this is the first time I’ve heard of, that so many tips are coming in. So many people from the community are calling, saying what is going on. And I thank you for that. Because it’s helping us out, to get leads and con tinue to solve cases. I’ve told you from Day 1, we can’t do it alone. We need

the community, we need the rest of the judicial sys tem; there’s a lot of pieces that go into making sure we are the safest city that we want to be.”

Mayor Gainey then thanked the neighbors, “not just the ones that called in, but the ones that reached out via social media who said, ‘Hey, we heard X, Y and Z,’ the ones that continue to reach out and provide information. I’m happy you’re doing that, and I’m going to ask you to continue, because that’s the type of cooper ation we need in order to ensure we’re doing a great job and making sure we take these violent crimi nals off the street.”

Police and the mayor have been adamant that the community speaks up if they know who’s com mitting the violent crimes in the city. They said it fol lowing the Oct. 15 shoot ing on the North Side near a gas station and Alleghe ny Commons along Cedar Avenue, which claimed the

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

Celeste Scott never took “no” for an answer when it came to improving the

lives of African Americans and other people of color. The 46-year-old would often be seen and heard at Pittsburgh City Coun cil meetings, demanding

that there should be more affordable housing in the city.

These days, the city’s Housing Opportunity Fund (HOF) pours mil lions of dollars into afford able housing in Pittsburgh each year, and Scott, as housing and justice orga nizer for Pittsburgh Unit ed, was largely responsi

by Smokin’ Jim Frazier and Rob Taylor Jr.

For New Pittsburgh Courier

Apparently it’s true what they say… “You can always go home!” As was the case on Tuesday, Nov. 22, when Penn Hills lifelong resident and longtime Courier sports columnist Bill Neal was honored by Penn Hills Mayor Pauline Calabrese and Council during its budget meeting.

Neal, a 1970 Penn Hills High School graduate and member of the Penn Hills Sports Hall of Fame, was recognized and hon ored for his 48 years (and counting) of dedicated community service both in Penn Hills, the City of Pittsburgh and Allegh eny County. Specifically in Penn Hills, Neal has hosted the Armon Gil liam/Leroy Freeman Me morial Hardwork Bas ketball Camp at the Penn Hills YMCA for the past 10 years. Neal also joined forces with the Elite Cor vette Club of Pittsburgh, Mayor Calabrese and Councilman Frank Peco ra to sponsor “The Great Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway” at the Penn

Hills Eat ‘n’ Park, where over 400 turkeys were distributed. And let’s not forget about the “Toys for Champions” toy giveaway where Mayor Calabrese, state Senator Jay Costa and Jerry Chipinelli

event operated on a year the day after a four-inch snowstorm, but still wit nessed a traffic backup of 400-plus cars, serving over 1,500 boys and girls. Many will recognize Neal for his 40-plus years operating recog

were on hand to help give out over 2,000 toys to fami lies in need. The 12-hour

PITTSBURGH MAYOR ED GAINEY speaks in Brighton Heights, Oct. 28, after six people were shot during a funeral. (Photo by J.L. Martello)

BILL NEAL, with Penn Hills Mayor Pauline Calabrese.

•NOVEMBER 30

1912—Legendary filmmaker and pho tographer Gordon Parks is born in Fort Scott, Kan. In addition to his pioneering work in film and photography, Parks wrote 12 books and authored a ballet entitled “Martin” in honor of civil rights legend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 1924—Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm is born in Brooklyn, N.Y. Chisholm became the leading Black fe male politician in America. She served in the New York State Assembly, the United States Congress and ran for the Demo cratic Party nomination for president in 1972. Chisholm died on Jan. 1, 2005.

•DECEMBER 1

by A.R. Shaw

Atlanta Daily World

Irene Cara has died at age 63. The actress stood out in the 1970s and ear ly ’80s for her roles in “Fame,” “Sparkle,” and “Flashdance.”

Cara died while at her home in Florida, accord ing to a tweet by Judith Moose.

Born in 1959 in the Bronx, New York, Cara began her career in enter tainment by participating in the “Little Miss Amer

ica” pageant and starring on the 1970s child pro gram, “The Electric Com pany.”

After starring on Broad way during her teenage years, Cara got her big break in 1976 by star ring in the acclaimed film “Sparkle.” Her success would continue in the 1980-hit, “Fame.” In 1983, Cara won an Oscar for her song on the film, “Flash dance.”

Cara would continue her career in the 1990s and 2000s by appearing in sev

eral films and releasing music with her band Hot Caramel.

In a statement, Moose wrote, “It is with profound sadness that on behalf of her family I announce the passing of Irene Cara. Irene’s family has re quested privacy as they process their grief. She was a beautifully gifted soul whose legacy will live forever through her music and films.”

the Americans in their bid to gain inde pendence from England. After he became president, Washington hired Fraunces as his chief steward.

1807—Prince Hall dies. His was one of the most prominent Black names in colo nial America. Hall was born (circa 1748) in Barbados in the West Indies and migrated to Boston. He became one of the leaders of the city’s Black community. He also became an abolitionist and a Mason. In fact, he is considered the “father of Black Masons.” He also fought in the American war for independence from England.

•DECEMBER 5

1775—A memorial is dedicated to Salem Poor in Cambridge, Mass. Poor was a slave who had bought his freedom and became a hero fighting in the American Revolutionary War for independence from England. He so distinguished himself in battle, including at Bunker Hill, that he won the praise of 14 officers.

1784—The amazing poet Phyllis Wheat ley dies in Boston, Mass. Wheatley was kidnapped in Africa at age 7 and sold to a prosperous Boston family, which placed a high value on education. By age 12, she was reading Greek and Latin classics. In the 1770s she became a sensation in the city because of her amazing abili ty to write poetry. A London company published her first book of poetry. Sadly, she died in poverty before she could find a publisher for her second book. That second volume has never been found. Although some letters she wrote during this period were recently discovered and sold at auction.

wear her hair in braids

Michelle Obama reveals why she waited

by Black Infor mation Network

Former first lady Mi chelle Obama has re vealed why she waited until she was out of the White House to wear her hair in braids.

At the first stop of her nationwide book tour, Obama said Tuesday (November 15) that she decided to keep her hair straight as the country was “just getting adjust ed” to having a Black fam ily in the White House when her husband was elected in 2012, The Hill reports.

“They tripped out when Barack wore a tan suit,” Obama quipped as she promoted her new book “The Light We Carry” at the Warner Theatre in Washington.“The great indignity, the scandal of the Obama administra tion.”

Obama then reenacted what she imagined the reaction would be if she would’ve worn braids while in the White House.

“Remember when she wore braids? Those are terrorist braids! Those

are revolutionary braids!”

“Let me keep my hair straight,” Obama contin ued. “Let’s get health care passed.”

Obama said she would sometimes jokingly rile her team up by mention ing she wanted to change her look.

“I would get my staff all worried, too. I was like, ‘I was thinking about get ting braids,’” “The Light We Carry” author said. She addressed the di lemma that many Black women face in the work

place.

“The code of ethics at a workplace, as Black wom en we deal with it, the whole thing about do you show up with your natu ral hair?” Obama said.

Now, nearly six years after the end of her hus band’s presidential term, Obama showed off her braids at the kickoff of her book tour, which was moderated by Ellen Dege neres.

“Braids, yall!” Obama said to applause from the crowd.

1641—U.S. (then British) colonies began legalizing slavery. On this day, Massachu setts became the first colony to do so. Other colonies followed suit. Ironically, Massachusetts was also the first state to outlaw slavery as a result of a 1783 State Supreme Court ruling. 1774—In another compromise measure that characterized the legal struggle against slavery in America, the Continen tal Congress approves a measure ban ning the further importation of slaves into the country. However, slavery itself remained legal. Plus, it was common for slave ships to violate the ban. 1877—Judge Jonathan Jasper Wright resigns. Wright had been the first Black state Supreme Court judge. However, he resigned on this day (out of possible fear for his life) as the Reconstruction era end ed White racists were reasserting control over Southern politics and law. While on the South Carolina Supreme Court, Wright wrote 87 opinions which were noted for “clear thinking and a solid basis in com mon law.”

1878—Arthur Spingarn is born. He, along with his brother Joel, was one of the principal early organizers of the NAACP. At one point, he headed both the NAACP and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. His contribution to the group was primarily in the areas of law and con tacts to liberal, politically well-connected Whites.

•DECEMBER 2

1859—John Brown, one of the leading White heroes of Black history, is hanged near Harpers Ferry, Va. He was a tireless crusader against slavery. His activities ranged from working in the secretive “Un derground Railroad,” which helped Blacks escape slavery to attacking slave owners who wanted to expand slavery outside of the South. Brown’s frustration, with the slow pace of efforts to abolish slavery, led him to attempt to incite a violent slave revolt which began with a raid on the fed eral arsenal at Harpers Ferry in October 1859. His group was eventually cornered and he was hanged on this day in 1859. 1884—Granville T. Woods (1856-1910) invents and on this day patents a major improvement to the telephone transmitter. Indeed, it can be reasonably argued that this highly productive African American inventor actually invented the telephone because his device (called “telegrapho ny”) was superior to that invented by Alexander Graham Bell. It was so superior, in fact, that the Bell Company purchased it from Woods in part because his tele phone was better and in part to prevent Woods from becoming a major competi tor. Woods received nearly 50 patents for inventions in the areas of transportation, electricity and communications. He was called “the Black Edison” after Thomas Alva Edison who is generally considered the most productive U.S. inventor. Howev er, Woods and Edison would cross paths when Edison sued him in a dispute over which one first invented the multiplex telegraph. Edison tried to buy Woods off by offering him a prominent position in his company but Woods declined.

1891—Historian Charles Wesley is born in Louisville, Ky. Wesley was one of Black America’s most productive historians and a strong advocate of the need for Blacks to know their history. His major works included “Neglected History,” “Collapse of the Confederacy” and “Negro Labor in the United States.” He had a long association with Carter G. Woodson’s Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and Histo ry in Washington, D.C.

•DECEMBER 3

1847—Frederick Douglas and Martin R. Delaney establish “The North Star” and it goes on to become a major anti-slavery newspaper.

1922—Ralph

1982—Thomas

•DECEMBER 4

1783—General George Washington gives

Tavern in New York City. The tavern

owned by a prom inent

businessman of French and West Indian descent named Samuel “Black Sam” Fraunces, who had aided

1870—Legendary Black cowboy William “Bill” Pickett is born in Travis County, Texas. Standing only 5’7” and weighing 145 pounds, he is considered one of the toughest men every to be called a cowboy. He became famous in the Miller Brothers 101 Ranch Wild West Shows where he performed dare devil feats and invented the rodeo sport of “bulldogging.” He is thought to have been of Black and Indian descent. He died at age 70 in Pon ca City, Okla.

1870—Alexandre Dumas (pere) dies in France. Dumas, one of the most famous French writers of the 1800s, was a Black man born to a French marquis and a slave woman on the island of St. Domingue (now Haiti). Dumas wrote such noted works as “The Three Musketeers” and “The Count De Monte Cristo.”

1932—The “King of Gospel” Rev. James Cleveland is born in Chicago, Ill. 1932—Flamboyant singer-performer “Little Richard” is born and raised in Ma con, Ga. He becomes one of the founding fathers of rock-and-roll. His dynamic stage performance and homosexuality often landed him in trouble. But he remained a major force in the music field.

1955—The historic bus boycott begins in Montgomery, Ala. The Black boycott of city buses was set in motion when civil rights heroine Rosa Parks refused to surrender her seat on the bus to a White man. The law at that time required her to give up the seat. A young minister named Martin Luther King Jr. was called upon to lead the boycott launching his career as the national civil rights leader.

1957—New York becomes the first city to pass a law banning racial or religious discrimination in housing with the Fair Housing Practices law.

•DECEMBER 6

1849—Harriet (Ross) Tubman escapes slavery in Maryland. But she becomes perhaps the greatest “conductor” on the Underground Rail Road returning to the South 19 times and helping an estimated 300 slaves escape. Despite a serious head injury received from an angry slave master when she refused to beat another slave, Tubman was one of Black Ameri ca’s greatest examples of courage and determination. During the Civil War she also spied on the South and relayed the information to Northern generals.

1870—Joseph H. Rainey (1832-1887) is sworn in as the first Black to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. He repre sented South Carolina—the state in which he was born a slave. But his father—a barber—managed to raise the money to purchase his family’s freedom. Earlier this year, the portrait of Rainey was finally hung in the House of Representatives.

1949—Blues legend Huddie “Leadbel ly” Ledbetter dies. Ledbetter was born in 1885 near Mooringsport, La. But he had a quick temper and a violent streak. Thus, he stayed in trouble with the law. Indeed, his musical genius was discovered in jail by a visiting White folklorist. Upon release from prison, he moved north and became a sensation performing in the U.S. and Europe.

1961—Revolutionary psychiatrist and writer Frantz Fanon dies in Washington, D.C., where he had gone for medical treatment. In his writings, the Marti nique-born Fanon explored the psycho logical aspects of racial oppression and Black liberation. His most famous works were “Black Skins, White Masks” and “Wretched of the Earth,” which was con sidered by many “the handbook for Black revolution.”

Gardner is born in Cleve land, Ohio. He was a pioneer chemist whose research into plastics led to the development of so-called hard plastics and aided product developments in the petrochemical and pharmaceutical indus tries.

“The Hit Man” Hearns defeats Wilfredo Benitez for the WBC Junior Middleweight boxing title. Hearns becomes the first person to win boxing titles in five different weight classes.

his famous farewell address to troops at Fraunces

was

Black

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Influential activist Celeste Scott dies at age 46

Led effort for more affordable housing in Pittsburgh

ble for its creation.

“This is a major win for the city of Pittsburgh,” Scott told the online housingtrustfundproject. org in 2018. She lauded the HOF, saying it would allow “more than 7,000 Pittsburgh families to stay in their homes or move to safe and afford able homes. Every person in Pittsburgh deserves a place to call home. The af fordable housing crisis re quired our elected leaders to take action, and that’s what they did.”

Scott died on Nov. 2 at her home in Homestead. It’s unclear the manner of Scott’s passing.

On Sunday, Nov. 13, a daylong memorial event was held at the Home wood YMCA to celebrate Scott’s life, organized by the Celeste Legacy Circle group.

“Celeste raised most of us into the activists we are today,” said her close friend, Brittani Murray, on Facebook. “Celeste up lifted and championed every fabric of what it means to have a Black life in Pittsburgh and sup ported every intersection of that life.”

Community activism is something most people aren’t cut out for. But for Scott, it was a calling. In addition to Pittsburgh United, Scott volunteered

with New Voices Pitts burgh, the Alliance for Police Accountability and SisTers PGH. Scott served on the boards of SisTers PGH, Pittsburgh Union of Regional Renters and Lawrenceville United.

Scott also was a founding member of Black Femme Excellence Co.

While the COVID pan demic stopped a lot of things and people, Scott carried on. In July 2021, when the City of Pitts burgh, then under Mayor Bill Peduto, announced it would receive $335 mil lion in funds from the American Rescue Plan, Scott joined other activ ists on the steps of the City-County Building: “We must ensure that the city uses these funds to address years of racial and economic inequity and ensure accountabil ity and transparency in the process,” Scott said. “Homeownership is im portant, but it’s renters who have suffered the most during the pandem ic. Including rent relief is critical, and if Council had engaged the public in this process, that’s one of many things that would have been abundantly clear.

It is vital that the public has a say in deciding how to spend this money—not just the usual voices and the folks in power—but the community, especially those most in need of re

lief. Council needs to slow down, pause the vote, and engage the community in a real and transparent way.”

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, upon learning of her passing, said that “Ce leste was not only a tire less advocate for afford able housing—resulting in the creation of Pitts burgh’s Housing Oppor tunity Fund—but a cele

brated community leader known for her kindness and generosity. She was a fierce champion for ra cial justice, housing jus tice, and queer liberation. The City of Pittsburgh is a better place because of Celeste. May her memory be a blessing, now and al ways.”

Soon-to-be Congress woman Summer Lee also commented on Scott’s

passing: “Celeste Scott was such a beacon of light and love for our commu nity. A fierce advocate, es pecially for our Black and queer communities, for housing justice and racial justice, a compassionate mother and community mother to so many. Rest in power, Celeste.”

Scott also advocated for Black transgender people in Pittsburgh, which was

Oral comment by calling 412.566.5335 and leaving a message on a recorded line; or

Pittsburgh Regional Transit will also hold a public hearing to receive oral public comment regarding these proposed major service changes. In advance of the public hearing, Pittsburgh Regional Transit will host a public information session to provide an over view of the proposed changes to the community and allow community members to ask clarifying questions about the proposed changes. No public comment will be taken at this information session.

For public hearings, registrants are asked to only sign up for one time slot

AM to 11:00 PM. Sunday span of service will be from approximately 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM.

noted by SisTers PGH founder Ciora Thomas: “I am forever grateful for your life and your sacrifice and the fight it took for you to exist within a place that worked you to death.”

A MEMORIAL WAS HELD FOR CELESTE SCOTT IN HOMEWOOD, NOV. 13. (Photo by J.L. Martello)

Black community providing tips, which are leading to arrests

Mayor Gainey applauds community for getting ‘violent criminals off the street’

lives of three people, in cluding two mothers who were innocently sitting at a bus stop. They said it following the Oct. 28 shooting outside Destiny of Faith Church in Brigh ton Heights, where six people were shot during a funeral for a 20-year-old man, John Hornezes, who was killed in the Oct. 15 shooting.

Apparently, some in the Black community have fulfilled the may or’s and police’s request. Troutman, 19, and Hines, 21, are facing homicide charges in the Oct. 15 North Side shooting. Da vis, 19, and Nixon, 16, are facing criminal attempt ed homicide and other

charges in the Oct. 28 funeral shooting. No one died as a result of the fu neral shooting. Some Black residents in Pittsburgh have long complained that the pro tection, if needed, from police is not sufficient if the resident comes for ward with information on a shooting or homicide. That keeps some resi dents from telling what they know. The “Snitch es Get Stitches” mantra that is prevalent in many Black communities is a reality. Nonetheless, Pittsburgh Police said that oftentimes, tips can be made anonymously, and Mayor Gainey said that if the community points police in the right

“So many people from the community are calling, say ing what is going on. And I thank you for that. Because it’s helping us out, to get leads and continue to solve cases. I’ve told you from Day 1, we can’t do it alone. We need the community, we need the rest of the judicial system; there’s a lot of pieces that go into making sure we are the safest city that we want to be.”

direction, they’ll find the bad guys and lock them up.

“The violent crimi nals that we had on the street, they (the police) have been able to arrest them, with cooperation from people in the city,” he said.

As for the guns, which are used in the vast ma

jority of the homicides in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, Mayor Gainey wants all of them off the streets.

“I’ll be quite frank, we don’t know where all these guns are coming from,” he said. “We have no idea how young peo ple are getting all these guns. But if someone out

and we will continue to improvise and do what’s necessary to create plans and strategies in order to ensure that the city is safe. But we need some help. We need to know where these guns are coming from.”

- PITTSBURGH MAYOR ED GAINEY

Five trending holiday looks for the whole family

(Family Features) Cre ating trendy ensembles when you just want to stay warm can be a chal lenge, but this season’s hottest looks make it easy to keep cozy while dressing up or down. Whether you’re aiming for style for a holiday cel ebration or planning an evening out to shop and take in the holiday lights, this season’s trends have you covered.

Stylish layers and up dates to winter wardrobe staples are two keys to nailing this season’s ontrend looks, according to acclaimed American

“Like many people across the country who live in a small town, Walmart was the des tination for everything where I grew up, includ ing holiday fashion,” Maxwell said. “When I first teamed up with Walmart, I was excited to bring the joy of fashion to people across the coun try. Everyone deserves

to enjoy their holidays in clothing they love. This year, we are proud to offer the biggest trends in holiday fashion, from cozy outwear to glamor ous party looks.”

Maxwell offers these tips for creating the per fect affordable look, no matter where your plans take you this winter: Metallic Shine: Metallic sweater sets, like a boxy crewneck and matching mini skirt in a glitzy gold shade, are must-have pieces for the holidays. Wear the show-stopping set with matching gold earrings and platform

sandals for a head-turn ing party look.

Layers of Style: Layer festive multicolor pat terns in intarsia knits like this Free Assembly fair isle sweater with a plaid puffer jacket for an easy update to winter closet staples like lightly distressed jeans and boo ties.

Party Perfect: Sophis ticated outerwear piec es like a double-breast ed coat add a modern touch to classic holiday party looks. Pair with a berry-hued mini dress, black tights and black

boots for a look that stands out. For a bit of edge, choose a faux moto jacket layered over a se quin cami top or metallic sweater to complement a faux leather skirt.

Casual Comfort: This season, menswear is all about intentional layer ing and looks that pri oritize both comfort and style. Update vintage-in spired flannels by layer ing with a quilted puffer pullover and matching them with wintry prints and cargo joggers for a look that’s casual and put together all at once.

Little Lookers: Fash

ionable little ones can also get decked out this season. Colorful sparkly girl’s dresses from Scoop perfectly complement matching versions for women, ideal for family photos and mommy-andme moments that make the season extra special. For a more casual event, fair isle sweater dresses in fun shades like laven der can make a classic look oh-so-now. Find more festive fash ion inspiration by visit ing Walmart.com.

Source: Walmart

fashion designer Bran don Maxwell, who is col laborating with Walmart as creative director for Free Assembly and Scoop, the retailer’s ex clusive, elevated fashion brands.

The 2022 Nabhi Christian Ministries Awards

THE HONOREES—SERENA TAYLOR (SEATED, FAR LEFT), MARCIA STURDIVANT (STANDING, SECOND FROM LEFT), CYRIL WECHT (SEATED, CENTER), TIM STEVENS (STANDING, SECOND FROM RIGHT), AND KIM BERKELEY CLARK (SEATED, FAR RIGHT). ALSO PICTURED ARE REV. JACQUE FIELDER (STANDING, FAR LEFT) AND TAMARA THOMAS (STANDING, FAR RIGHT). THE ANNUAL NABHI CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES EVENT WAS HELD, NOV. 4, AT THE RIVERS CLUB. (PHOTOS BY COURIER PHOTOGRAPHER J.L. MARTELLO)

SERENA TAYLOR

TIM STEVENS WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS

DR. MARCIA STURDIVANT WITH FAMILY SERENA TAYLOR AND FAMILY

DR. MARCIA STURDIVANT

DR. CYRIL WECHT

JUDGE KIM BERKELEY CLARK

8302,

nizable programs such as the nationally and internationally saluted Connie Hawkins Pro/ Amateur Summer Bas ketball League, The Franco Harris All-Pro Football Camp, Willie Stargell MVP Awards, Highland Park Tennis Association Mixed-Dou bles Tennis Tournament, and the Kenny Durrett High School All-Star Basketball Tournament. Add the Pittsburgh City League High School All Sports Hall of Fame In ductions to the list, too.

Mayor Calabrese read the proclamation aloud, which included: “Where as, Bill Neal has spent decades working to keep young people off the

“And, behold, thy cousin Elizabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her OLD AGE; and this is the sixth month with her, who was called BARREN. FOR WITH GOD NOTHING SHALL BE IMPOSSIBLE.”

REV. WALKER SAYS: Let’s go back to Genesis 18:14: Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, ac cording to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Elizabeth had John the Baptist and Sarah had Isaac. I ask you, IS THERE ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR GOD?

streets and on the right path with sports pro grams, classes and men toring efforts through out the region...and has helped so many of our area’s young people get into college...I, Pau line Calabrese, do here by proclaim November 22nd, 2022, as Bill Neal Day in the municipality of Penn Hills.”

Dressed in a black suit, Neal addressed those in the audience after receiving the proc lamation: “I was induct ed into the Hall of Fame a few years ago, and at that time I was remind ed of how great Penn Hills has been and con tinues to be...”

Neal thanked his fam ily, friends, staff and volunteers for their countless hours of sup port and service to build Champion Enterpris es into an organization that’s served more than 250,000 youth since 1975. He gave praise to his grandfather, Robert Gore, and his parents,

William and Dolores Neal. Also thanks went to football coach Andy Urbanic, whom Neal calls a surrogate father, for the strength, guid ance and discipline in stilled in him today.

Neal also announced that the Pittsburgh Cor vette Club, of which he is a member, will be pre senting all of the play ers on the Penn Hills High School boys and girls basketball teams with a brand new pair of sneakers, free of charge. The shoes will be award ed to the students right before Christmas.

“More than anything,” Neal said, “I’ve never, ever forgotten where my roots are and where I’ve come from and the time I’ve spent in Penn Hills.”

BILL NEAL receives the proclamation from Penn Hills, Nov. 22. (Photo by April Joi Payne)

LEGENDARY

PHOTO—Connie Hawkins, Bill Neal, Kenny Durrett.

BILL NEAL gave Pittsburgh Police Officer David Shifren the Pittsburgh Allegheny County Service Award in 2017.

Tomlin’s Steelers show poise in 24-17 win over Indy

Can they keep it up against Atlanta, Dec. 4?

Monday Night Football has been and continues to be the game of the week in the NFL, in my opin ion. First and foremost, it gives most of the fans whose teams don’t have a prospect of winning in the near future an oppor tunity to root for anoth er team other than their home team, without feel ing guilty.

Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin is the man that many Steelers fans, as well as many members of the so-called media, continue to sharpen the blade of their guillotine preparing to decapitate his employment in spite of and disregarding his 19-3 MNF win-loss record as well as his win-loss record in general.

However, despite all of his usual naysayers, Coach Tomlin remained humble after his team’s impressive 24-17 win on

the road on Nov. 28 at In dianapolis, with a rookie starting QB Kenny Pick ett leading the charge.

Tomlin told the media afterward: “I’m just appre ciative of having an oppor tunity to compete on Mon day Night Football. All of us grew up on it and it’s just part of the fabric of our society, man. And it’s not (just) to participate in, but to win. We’ve got a lot to work on, but we were good enough tonight to se cure victory. And for that we are thankful.”

Tomlin is never one to embark on a serious ego trip after a big win nor does he require therapy after he loses a game. Also, after the victory, he didn’t gush like his team was on the cusp of storming into the NFL 2022 postseason, he simply said this: “We’ve got a short week, got an other road trip waiting on us, and so you gotta sleep

fast and do those things. From a health standpoint, Naj (running back Najee Harris) was out with an abdominal injury. He’s being evaluated. I don’t know the extent of that.”

Harris was again sidelined by injury. Harris has not per formed nor mally since his foot injury occurred earlier this year. Has the second-year running back lobbied for increased playing time fully know ing that because of his injuries, his performance has been sporadic and in consistent because of his known or unknown inju ries? If, so he may have been infected with the Antonio Brown syndrome otherwise known as “Me-

it-is.”

Fourth- or third-string running backs Benny Snell and Anthony Mc Farland replaced Harris after he suffered an ab dominal in jury earlier in the game and for the remainder of the game, both players averaged at least 5.0 yards per carry: Snell averaged 5.2 yards per rush and McFarland av eraged 5.0 yards per tote.

Meanwhile, at the time that Harris was injured on Monday night, he was averaging a paltry 3.5 yards per tote. That 1.5 yards per carry negative is crucial, especially on the road in a hostile envi ronment with communi cation challenges.

“You know, I thought

the kickoff unit has to be better,” Tomlin said. “I thought that was a cat alyst for whatever got started with them in the second half. The field posi tion component of it was a big negative. We gotta get better there. The field po sitioning was a negative in that aspect of the game. But that’s what jumped out at me. There’s a lot of good, there’s a lot of things to grow from. We’ll assess and move.”

Great analysis, coach, but did anyone mention that the Colts were given an opportunity to adjust to the Steelers’ kick and punt coverage after Indy was on the receiving end on numerous kickoffs and punts?

Some of the media at tempted to be clever by insinuating that a few of the defensive backs that were substituted because of injuries or schematical

ly were subpar and maybe lacked the quality to pre serve a lead. Mike Tomlin didn’t concur with that negative analysis. “We use everybody in the second ary that’s in a helmet,” he pointed out. “We’ve kind of been in that mentali ty all year. The rotation of how we utilize them might change from game to game based on match up components and things of that nature. But it’s been pretty consistent that DBs in a helmet, we utilize them all.”

Did anyone see the Colts’ midget-league clock management at the end of the game? Does that mean that the Colts’ rook ie Head Coach, Jeff Satur day, should be canned? If Mike Tomlin would have committed such an egre gious mistake, he would be on the last train to Lawrenceville.

GOING THE EXTRA YARD FOR THE WIN—The Steelers’ Najee Harris extends for a touchdown in the team’s win over Indianapolis, 24-17, on Monday Night Football, Nov. 28. (Photos by Courier

photographer Mike Patton)

TOUCHDOWN! THE STEELERS CELEBRATE EN ROUTE TO A 24-17 WIN OVER THE COLTS, NOV. 28.

STEELERS COACH MIKE TOMLIN

STEELERS FANS IN COLTS TERRITORY, NOV. 28

How to build a comfortable retirement nest egg

by Rasha Almulaiki

For New Pittsburgh Courier

Whether you are just starting your first job or have been in the labor force for decades, saving for retirement has nev er been more necessary to build and safeguard a nest egg for yourself to en joy in your later years.

Since the 1990s, chang ing economic and other conditions such as the 2008-2012 recession, have increased labor force par ticipation for those at the older ages and full-time employment have been rising. According to the U.S. Social Security Ad ministration (SSA), the current full retirement age is 67 years old for peo ple turning 62 in 2022.

Further, SSA predicts the number of Americans 65 and older will increase from about 57 million in 2021 to about 76 million by 2035.

“People are working lon ger and there is a lot to do because of the housing crisis, which is the biggest expense people incur,” said Manoj Kulchania, associ

ate professor of finance at Wayne State University’s Mike Ilitch School of Busi ness. Inflation sees the gas and food bills going up and it makes it hard for people to retire.“

Waiting to retire, if pos

sible, can mean a bigger payoff in the end. Cur rently, the retirement age to collect full Social Secu rity benefits is 66, but this is scheduled to increase to 67. If you opt to take ear ly retirement at 62, the

average Social Security benefit would be $1,030 per month, but if you waited until 67, it would be $1,577. By waiting un til age 70, you would get $1,995.

According to a Bureau of

Labor Statistics report on millennials in the labor force, from 2019 to 2029, “the bulk of millennials (often identified as those born between 1981 and 1996) will shift into the 35- to 44-year-old group.

And as the chart shows, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that age group’s labor force size to increase by nearly 4.5 million over the decade, which is the larg est gain for a single age group.”

“For any sort of planning for long-term retirement, you want to save away re sources from your income,” said Kulchania,  “Manag ing your consumption and expenses is vital because only when your income or earnings is higher than your expenses will you be able to save. Good money habits will take you a long way, if you start small and start early, especially if you are still young.”  There are several sav ings options to consider in order to save and invest early for your retirement. One of the best ways to prepare for retirement is with a retirement sav ings plan. There are three main types of retirement plans: defined benefit plans, defined contribu tion plans, and Individual

Founder of largest Black business discovery app honored by PayPal, featured in MasterCard commercial

2015, CEO Mandy Bow man launched the Of ficial Black Wall Street platform, and the app in 2017, to encourage Black ownership and provide consumers with a com prehensive, user-friend ly platform to discover, review, and shop Blackowned businesses around the world. Over the last eight years, Bowman has grown the OBWS app to feature thousands of quality Black-owned businesses from restau rants to e-commerce bou tiques. The platform also connects Black entrepre neurs to free legal ser vices, an ongoing directo

ry of grant opportunities, monthly masterclasses, and more.

Since launching, Offi cial Black Wall Street has been at the forefront of the Buy Black movement, and many corporations have taken note. Most re cently, Official Black Wall Street was featured in a video commercial by Mas tercard.

The video is a part of a campaign series high lighting Black women business owners and their influence on their local communities. Watch below as Bowman talks

Identity theft: A good name is more desirable than riches

The scripture says that a good name is more desirable than riches (Proverbs 22:1).

Apparently the “Forget the dog, beware of owner” sign, the surveillance cameras and the various alarm systems we pur chased for our most prized possessions has forced thieves in a new direction. The fastest growing crime in America is identity theft. Many criminals have dis covered that it’s less risky and in many cases more profitable to steal your per sonal information than it is to commit a strong-arm robbery, burglary, or hijack your car. Capital One is not the only char acter wondering, “what’s in your wallet?”

As we continue to move closer and clos er to a cashless society—opting for credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, Cash App and Venmo, protecting yourself from being a victim of identity theft should be a top priority.

What is Identity Theft?

Identity theft is stealing the identity of another person and using the stolen identity for an illegal purpose. Victims re port that identity thieves have used their personal information to steal money from their bank accounts, open new credit card accounts, open new cellular telephone ac counts, obtain new car loans and make various other unauthorized purchases on existing credit cards. There have been re ported cases of identity thieves filing for bankruptcy protection under the victim’s name and falsely using the victim’s name when arrested. For the record, parents who establish various accounts in their spouse’s and children’s name without their consent—particularly minor chil dren—are guilty of identity theft.

A thief needs just four pieces of informa

Social security number

Date of birth

The good news is that if you should be come a victim of identity theft, you’re not personally liable for any fraudulent activ ity. The federal law limits liability to $50 for credit cards and $500 for debit cards. Both Visa and Mastercard now offer zero liability protection for credit and debit cards carrying their logos. It’s important that you re port the fraudulent ac tivity as soon as you’re made aware of it.

That’s not to say that your good name and reputation will be re stored overnight. Recov ering the lost money is the least of the victims’ concerns. Federal law will get you off the hook for the fraudulent charges. Because of the damage sustained to your credit as a result of identity theft you could experience disappointment with increased insurance rates, high er interest rates, and frequent harass ing phone calls from collection agencies.

Re-establishing your good name, reputa tion and credit oftentimes takes months of frustrating phone calls, letters and the help of an aggressive, expensive attorney. The average ID theft victim spends 607 hours resolving their case with $1,495 in out-of-pocket expenses.

How do thieves obtain your infor mation?

• Stolen or lost wallet, checkbook or

credit card

• “Dumpster diving” or digging through your garbage to obtain personal informa tion

• Personal information is stolen out of your mailbox before you get your mail

• Thieves file change of address cards so a victim’s mail is sent elsewhere, then utilize the mail to obtain the documents needed to impersonate the victim

• Unscrupulous employees who have access to personnel records or other identification infor mation have been known to provide this information to thieves or utilize this information themselves to per petrate this fraud.

• “Phishing” or a form of Internet fraud that aims to steal valuable in formation such as credit cards, social se curity numbers, user IDs and passwords

• “Smishing,” the fraudulent practice of sending text messages purporting to be from reputable companies in order to in duce individuals to reveal personal infor mation, such as passwords or credit card numbers

How to protect yourself?

• Only give your personal information to people and companies that you initiat ed contact with.

• Shred all documents containing per sonal information before discarding.

• Carry your social security card, birth certificate, driver’s licenses, debit cards and credit cards on an as-needed bases.

• File all personal identifying informa tion at home in a fire and waterproof safe.

• Ensure that you’re dealing with a se cure webpage before giving personal in formation over the Internet.

• Review credit report annually.

What to do if you have become a victim?

• Immediately notify all creditors and financial institutions. They should inform you to close all accounts used fraudulent ly. Immediately report the crime to the lo cal police. If your loss is $1,000 or greater, you may also contact your local FBI office.

• Report the crime to the Federal Trade Commission (1-877-IDTHEFT)

• Contact the fraud units of the three credit reporting agencies: Experian, Trans Union and Equifax. Ask them to place a fraud victim alert on your credit report.

• Request and carefully review a copy of your credit report for other false accounts or information.

There are some identity theft insurance and monitoring services you can pur chase for as low as $7 per month. Should you purchase this product make sure that it covers three core essentials: It helps protect you from identity theft. Should you become a victim, it insures you up to $20,000 or more for out-of-pocket expens es. More importantly, should you become a victim, you’ll receive a personal repre sentative who will do the leg work in re storing your good name and reputation.

Perpetrators who are found guilty of identity theft can get up to 15 years im prisonment plus fines.

(Damon Carr, Money Coach can be reached @ 412-216-1013 or visit his website @ www.damon moneycoach.com)

(BlackNews.com)—In

MANDY BOWMAN, FOUNDER AND CEO of Official Black Wall Street, the largest discovery app for Black-owned businesses, has been making waves in the media. Not only has she been honored with PayPal’s Maggie Lena Walker Emerging Leader Award, she has also been featured in a commercial campaign with Mastercard.

SEE BLACK BUSINESS B2

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

SEE NEST EGG B2

The time is now for increasing diversity in American media ownership

Several months ago, I cowrote an op-ed with my long-term friend and na tional media colleague, Jim Winston. Our commentary emphasized why “Diver sifying American Media Ownership Must Become a National Priority.”

Now after the results of the high turnout of com munities of color and young voters in the recent MidTerm Elections across the United States, it is time once again to reiterate the relevance and importance of ensuring an increase in the multiracial diversifica tion of ownership of radio and TV broadcast stations as well as all other media platforms including print and social media.

The multimedia publish ing and communications industry is a trillion-dollar business sector in Ameri ca. Yet the disparities and inequities of ownership of media industry businesses by persons of color remains glaringly inequitable.

I know some of you would ask me why I am speak ing up and out about oth er persons of color to own media businesses in Amer ica in addition to African American ownership of media businesses. There is, I assert, only one clear an

swer. If you are, as I am, for equality, equity, and believe in the oneness of all human ity, then we must practice what we preach.

This is why I am publicly and forthrightly supporting the efforts and leadership of Soo Kim, founder and man aging partner of Standard General. Kim is an effective and outstanding Korean American business leader, and he is on record sup porting greater Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in our nation’s media own ership landscape.

As the racial demograph ics of our nation continue to diversity, American media must intentionally become more representative of that growth. One reason is be cause diversity is simply good for business. Another reason is because it is right, and it is just to include the very people on which one’s business success depends.

But perhaps the ulti mate reason is because the greatest issues of our day —economic inequity, health disparities and systemic racism—pure and simple— will be best impacted when addressed by a multiplicity of people of all races.

Kim has announced an application for a $8.6 bil lion major media merger by

F. Chavis Jr.

Commentary

acquiring TEGNA, a com pany owning 64 television stations coast to coast. Kim turned many heads with his description of a vision of “new partnership models to get diverse viewpoints and perspectives on the air and to make sure people have the resources to do it.”

One need only to review the leadership of major me dia networks in America to see that there are far too few that are owned or led by people of color. This makes Soo Kim’s vision and lead ership timely, inclusive, and progressive. This is the kind of media ownership that is exactly what our nation needs at this “transforma tional” moment.

Current TV broadcast in dustry ownership stats re veal a pattern that favors incumbent owners who are primarily White males— less than 2 percent of U.S. TV stations are owned by

minorities—if the FCC and the DOJ block this deal, it would signal that the broad cast industry continues to be exclusively reserved for White male incumbent players.

I support and join with Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (D-WA) in her letter to the Federal Com munications Commission (FCC) that commends and endorses the proposed merger between Stan dard General and TEG NA. Strickland stated to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, “I share your longstanding goal of ex panding voices and minori ty ownership in this sector, and the merger would be a critical step in that direc tion.”

We also note with appre ciation that FCC Commis sioner Geoffrey Starks, a strong advocate for equity in the communications in

dustry, observed last year, “Majority ownership of full power TV stations signifi cantly worsened for Asian American owners (from 9 full power TV stations in 2017 to four stations in 2019). The numbers don’t lie—we must ensure that ownership at broadcast sta tions better reflects the rich diversity of the communi ties that they serve. We still have work to do, and we have to do better.”

Congresswoman Strick land concluded, “This is why the Standard Gener al-TEGNA acquisition is especially important. If the transaction goes through, Soo Kim, a Korean Amer ican naturalized citizen, would be the first Asian American to own and op erate a major broadcast station group. Additional ly, it is my understanding that if this deal is approved, the new entity would be the largest minority-owned broadcast station group in America today. It would also be managed by a leading fe male broadcast executive with a history of investing in local news and in her em ployee base. I understand further that…at least half of the proposed board of di rectors will be of minority composition and a majority

will be women.”

Lastly, as has been widely publicized, access to capital also continues to be a big barrier for minority broad cast owners—from getting a mortgage to being able to obtain financing to con duct business deals, like the one with TEGNA. Again, that is why the proposed Soo Kim deal will be a real game-changing move, if ap proved, that will overcome some of the past significant barriers that minorities have faced to get access to financing in general, but especially for the FCC-reg ulated broadcast and media space.

The U.S. Justice Depart ment and the FCC should therefore move forward ex peditiously to approve the merger, and to reaffirm the importance of serving the greater public good and the issue of equity for all mi nority-owned media busi nesses in America. Now is the time.

(Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. is President and CEO of the Na tional Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) representing the Black Press of America, and Executive Producer/Host of The Chavis Chronicles (TCC) weekly on PBS TV Stations across the nation. He can be reached at dr. bchavis@nnpa.org)

Land a lucrative career with Duquesne Light Co.

Duquesne Light Co.’s (DLC) engaging Electrical Distribution Technology (EDT) certification pro gram has led to a lifelong career for the hundreds of determined students who have completed it since its inception more than a de cade ago.

“Our goal at DLC is to train and prepare our fu

ture apprentices through the EDT program,” said Dr. Katy Rittle, DLC’s workforce development manager. “It is an invest ment that we as a compa ny make, and our EDTs see that, and they invest in themselves, as well.”

DLC partnered with the Community College of Al legheny County (CCAC)

in 2016 to propel EDT students towards an as sociate degree through its EDT program. The pro gram offers apprentices a pathway to the lucrative trade of utility linework via hands-on training to develop necessary skills.

“The EDT program has existed for over a decade in many forms because

the best way to train fu ture lineworkers is cer tainly through a men torship/apprenticeship model,” Rittle said.

Jordan Woodhouse, a re cent EDT graduate, com pleted the program and is now a senior operator apprentice at DLC.

“EDT has prepared me for success in the utility industry through rigorous hands-on training and demonstrations,” Wood house said.

We sat down with Rittle to learn more about the program and how it con tinues to help graduates like Woodhouse build ca reers in the industry.

Why should someone consider applying to the EDT program?

Rittle: It is an incred ible opportunity for stu dents to be safely intro duced to the lucrative trade of utility linework in a controlled environment, combined with a higher education certification through CCAC, and most importantly, a direct path way into a lifelong career as a lineworker with DLC.

How competitive is it?  Rittle: Each year, DLC receives nearly 300 ap plications for the EDT program. We host tryouts that allow applicants to experience climbing a wood pole with supervi

How to build a comfortable nest egg

Retirement Accounts (better known as IRAs).

“Tucking some away as you go and letting compounding interest work in your favor, these are some of the things I teach my students,” said Kulchania.

“It’s disheartening to see how many of my stu dents don’t know how to invest or handle money, no one taught them. It’ll be good to see the new fi nancial literacy require ment be more rigorous in high school to equip them with the right skills ahead of time.”

In a defined benefit plan, more commonly known as a pension, em ployers put aside money for each eligible employ ee and invest it on his or her behalf. The employer guarantees a monthly

benefit when the employ ee retires based on sever al factors, such as salary and length of service.

An IRA is a retirement plan that employees open and manage on their own—usually without help from an employer.

Policy plays a key role in protecting retirement savings. The Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA) institutionalized acceptance of best prac tices such as automatic enrollment, automatic escalation and adoption of qualified default in vestment alternatives (QDIA), the most com mon of which are target date investments.

This provides employ ers with protections to automatically enroll el igible participants in retirement plans, in crease their savings and help ensure that they

are invested in age- and risk-appropriate invest ment portfolios.

According to the Em ployee Benefit Research Institute 2022 Retire ment Confidence Survey, “Thirty-seven percent of workers 25 and older and 19 percent of retirees say they don’t know where to go for financial or retire ment planning advice.”

Experts across the board tout smart, general money saving strategies to build better habits, including taking advan tage of the following:

• Managing finances

• Learning personal fi nance

• Limiting expenses

• Avoiding high-inter est debt

• Building an emergen cy fund

• Automating payment enrollments

• Sticking to your plan

• Not withdrawing ear ly

• Taking the employer’s match (if offered)

• Investing in s=Shortterm savings options: high-yield bank accounts, money market accounts and I-Bonds.

“For the average person, those living paycheck to paycheck, it can be hard decisions [to fund] your necessary expenses and still save,” said Kulcha nia.

“But remember, you don’t have to make a million dollars to have a million when you retire. The financial institutions in the U.S by any [way] work. We just don’t teach young people how to use it. Start with informal conversations at the din ner table. Small changes and a determined mind set can make a big differ ence.”

sion by experienced train ers and require students to learn tools of the trade.

This three-day tryout cul minates in a final climb and tool exam. We see ap plicants ranging from age 17 to their 40s. We wel come all successful appli cants and often find that determination is a greater driving factor than age!

And in 2022-23, you opted to make the pro gram free?

Rittle: Yes. The com pany looked at potential barriers for applicants to the EDT program— one being cost. While the EDT program is much lower in cost than simi lar programs throughout the country, we hoped to encourage applicants to apply who may not have otherwise because of the financial burden of enter ing a full-time training program. Makes sense. How likely is it that DLC will hire someone who com pletes the program?

Rittle: Our placement rate of graduates is nearly 98 percent. The attrition rate is lower than most programs of its kind. It is an investment that we as a company make to guar antee we have the work force in place that is need ed to keep the lights on.

Since the first iteration of the partnership with CCAC in 2016, we have

hired roughly 115 EDT graduates into appren ticeships with DLC.  What sets the EDT program apart from other similar pro grams?

Rittle: The camaraderie. An EDT cohort member rarely falls behind their classmates. All of our EDT students excel, and when one falls behind, their classmates pull them up. Our goal at DLC is to train and prepare our fu ture apprentices through the EDT program so that we can grow our work force.

The energy industry is constantly evolving. How does DLC and CCAC adapt the EDT program accordingly?

Rittle: The electric utility is a highly skilled trade where safety is paramount, so we make safety our No. 1 priority every day. We constantly improve the curriculum to educate future candidates on the benefits of joining the energy industry and the many career paths that follow.

Anyone interested in applying for the EDT program can find links to enrollment, the re sume submission process and testing information on DLC’s website.

Founder is honored

about the mission of Of ficial Black Wall Street and her superpower: Amplifying Black-owned businesses.

The Founder & CEO was also selected as a re cipient of PayPal’s Mag gie Lena Walker Emerg ing Leader Award! The award honors “rising star” entrepreneurs/ leaders that are charting new paths in their in dustry and economically empowering their com munities. The award is named in honor of Mag gie Lena Walker, the first Black woman to charter a bank and serve as its president in the United

States. The OBWS app and its features are rev olutionizing the way we Buy Black, opening the door to a new, high-per formance experience for all users and embodying the mission of Maggie Lena Walker to econom ically empower the Black community.

“Black buying power reached a record $1.6 trillion in 2021, and it is time that those funds reach Black entrepre neurs and their busi nesses,” Bowman said. Download the Official Black Wall Street app, on Android and Apple devices, HERE and help further the Buy Black movement.

Benjamin

BLACK BUSINESS FROM B1

Guest Editorial Trump remains unfit

Former President Donald Trump announced Nov. 15, that he will seek the Republican presidential nomina tion in 2024.

Trump seeks to become only the second command er-in-chief ever elected to two nonconsecutive terms.

“In order to make America great and glorious again, I am tonight announcing my candidacy for president of the United States,” Trump told a crowd gathered at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

Trump is running for president again despite being the subject of several lawsuits and investigations in cluding a New York state investigation and a sepa rate Manhattan district attorney criminal probe into his company’s finances, a Georgia county probe into his efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s election win in the state, and separate Justice Department investigation into his campaign’s scheme to put forth fake electors in battleground states.

Justice Department officials are investigating Trump for his role in inciting the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and are weighing whether to issue crim inal charges.

The House select committee continues to inves tigate his role in the Jan. 6 attack. The committee, which subpoenaed him for testimony and documents in October and which Trump is now battling in court, held public hearings throughout the summer and ear ly fall featuring depositions from those in Trump’s inner circle at the White House—including members of his family—that detailed his public and private ef forts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results through a sustained pressure campaign on numerous local, state and federal officials, and on his own vice president.

Justice Department officials are also investigating Trump for his retention of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate after he left office.

Voters rejected Trump-endorsed election denier candidates in races for Congress and governor in the midterm elections. Most of them lost, including state Sen. Doug Mastriano, the Republican candidate for governor of Pennsylvania. Republicans failed to gain a Senate majority, failed in their efforts to fill sever al statewide seats, and barely secured a U.S. House majority.

The midterms were supposed to be a Republican red wave. Instead it was a trickle.

Many Americans including many Republicans are tired of Trump’s repeating his lies about the 2020 election and his fixation on promoting conspiracies about that election.

Trump continues to falsely insist that the 2020 elec tion was stolen from him. He continues to promote conspiracy theories about voter fraud and to pressure Republican leaders to endorse changes that would curtail voting rights.

In the midterms, Trump promoted flawed candidates like Mastriano who parroted his false claims about election fraud, alienating voters and ultimately lead ing to their defeats.

In 2019, Trump was first impeached on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of justice. In 2021, he was impeached again in 2021 for inciting the riot at the U.S. Capitol. He was acquitted by the Senate both times because only 10 House Republicans voted to impeach him and only seven Republican senators voted to convict him at his Senate trial.

Trump is delusional about his record as president. He mismanaged the COVID-19 pandemic. He mis handled Hurricane Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico in 2017.

He had a despicable response to the White nation alist rally in 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia, where Heather Heyer was killed while walking with a group of counter-protesters, and the Black Lives Matter pro tests.

Trump’s hard-line immigration policies included separating migrant children from their families.

He nominated three Supreme Court justices, who have helped to shift the court further to the right on issues such as abortion, guns and climate change.

In foreign policy, he pulled the U.S. out of interna tional agreements such as the Paris climate accord and the Iran nuclear deal, moves that were rightly opposed by many of America’s top European allies.

Trump was an unfit leader who should not be given another term as president or any other elected office.

(Reprinted from the Philadelphia Tribune)

Founded 1910

Rod Doss Editor & Publisher Stephan A. Broadus Assistant to the Publisher

Allison Palm Office Manager Ashley Johnson Sales Director Rob Taylor Jr. Managing Editor John. H. Sengstacke Editor & Publisher Emeritus (1912-1997)

Before the fall

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—I remember my mother and other accountable adults in our community teaching other children and me many import ant lessons of responsible citizen ship.  We learned those lessons in Sunday-school and in the sermons we heard each Sunday.  Not all lessons were spoken.  Many were lessons we learned through observation of the examples set by our ‘teachers.’  Their behaviors during the week translated those sermons into demonstrations usable for us to construct an accurate portrayal of expected and acceptable behavior, and should there be any misunderstanding, the local trees issued enough ‘logs’ to convince us of our indiscretions.

Central to their common-sense lessons was the idea that a community or society could not thrive or flourish without order.  That order was based upon a general pattern of mutual respect for each other.  We learned and expected the “Golden Rule” as mini mally acceptable in our general deal ings with others in our community. With the exception of those few whose frustrations or inner-demons would not allow them to accept respectful interaction with others, ours was a peaceful community.  We respected the rights and privilege of others to live their lives without injury or interruption.  I can only speculate, but life was the most tangible com modity available to us—from which all blessings flowed—and we respected and valued the lives of others as we valued our own.

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

Commentary

Times have certainly changed!  If there is any question of that, the events in the past three weeks of this writing prove my point.  Three Uni versity of Virginia students were slain on a bus after a field trip to DC.  Six patrons of a Colorado Springs, CO, night club were killed under circum stances that have not yet been fully defined.  In what appears to be an eruption of workplace animus, six men and women were killed in a Chesa peake, Virginia Wal-Mart.  Rather than being unusual, these events have become no more than additions to a seemingly endless series of unneces sary and heinous homicides.

American excess and over-indulgence are singular factors in the violence that appears to be self-generating.  We continue to struggle with our original sin of racism.  The other -isms and increasing levels of intolerance plague us.  Poverty and wage stagnation are constant irritants.  Along with other health issues, the remediation of men tal illness is under-funded.  In reality, the cause for each murderous event is as individual as the shooter.

There are some who would solely justify our national violence for these reasons.  I would tell them that the citizenry of any other nation in the

world experiences the same, similar, or unique stressors that could serve as justification for the same slaughter we experience in our country.  The only clear difference in higher rates of mur der in this country is the availability and proliferation of firearms.  Placing firearms into the hands of hate-filled or mentally ill antagonists with relative ease can only result in the personal and societal damage inflicted upon us.

Listening to the television in the wake of these latest events, I have learned that gun violence has claimed 39,000 Americans this year.  Addition ally, over six hundred mass shootings have been reported in the US for three consecutive years.  In any society, this level of carnage is unacceptable.  In the richest and most technologically advanced society/nation in the history of humankind, this slaughter cannot be justified.

Rome, which is declared by Euro-cen tric historians as the greatest empire in history, fell from internal discord and disruption.  The corruption, division, and humanitarian disregard that grew without limits festered and ultimately led to its downfall.  Before the fall, Rome ignored its internal challenges.

Our national challenge is to chart a path that leads away from self-im posed destruction—BEFORE OUR FALL!

(Dr. E. Faye Williams is President of The Dick Gregory Society (thedickgregorysociety. org; drefayewilliams@gmail.com) and Pres ident Emeritus of the National Congress of Black Women)

How we can influence the courts that influence our lives?

As I write this, the final few races are being called in the midterm elections that were held weeks ago. It’s clear that that the House will be closely divided, with Republicans holding a very small majority. Histo ry shows that in midterm elections, the party that doesn’t hold the presi dency typically gains a lot of seats in Congress—oftentimes in a wipeout of the party in power. Republicans’ gains were comparatively tiny this year—but they probably should have been even tinier.

The reason is the far-right Su preme Court, and two rulings that hurt Black voters this cycle.

Two Deep South states, Alabama and Louisiana, redrew congressional maps months before the midterms. Incredibly, given the high proportion of Black voters in those states, the maps allowed for only one major ity-Black congressional district in each state. That is almost certainly a violation of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits states from packing minority voters into fewer districts in a way that reduces their power. And you don’t have to take my word for it; federal courts said the same thing and ordered both states to redraw their maps.

But state officials opposed to Black voting power fought back. And in both instances, the Supreme Court allowed them to go ahead with this year’s midterm elections with maps that just happened to preserve “safe” Republican seats.

It’s infuriating. And those are only two of the infuriating decisions that have come out of this Court since Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell succeeded in stacking it with enough ultraconservative justices to make a

Ben Jealous Commentary

supermajority.   I know that the inner workings of the courts, especially the Supreme Court, can seem really remote in our day-to-day lives. Most people don’t know any judges, and if they meet one in court it’s probably happen ing on a very unpleasant day.  In fact, my guess is that a lot of people would rather not think much about the courts at all. But we have to.

We need to pay attention to who sits on our courts and how they get there, because there is such an enor mous impact on our lives whether we realize it or not. The Supreme Court’s impact on the House ma jority is just one example. Those actions by the Court will affect what business gets done in Congress and what laws get passed—or not passed —that impact how we live and what rights we have.

Judges get their seats in different ways, especially at the state level. If you live in a place where state-lev el judges are elected, it’s critically important to get informed and vote in those judicial elections. When it comes to federal judges, the Senate decides who will be confirmed. So every time you cast a vote for a sen ator, it should be for the candidate who will vote to confirm fair-minded judges with a commitment to civil rights. The Biden administration has been doing a very good job nominat

ing diverse, highly qualified judges who have this commitment. I believe in supporting senators who have voted to confirm these judges and withholding support from those who haven’t.

The same goes for the presidential election, which we will face again in less than two years. In 2016, Donald Trump ran on a platform to name far-right judges to the Supreme Court who would ultimately over turn Roe v. Wade.  That’s exactly what happened when he won, and now the Court is moving on to do other damage, too—like denying Black voters fair representation in Congress.

So what do we do? We get informed, we organize, and we vote in the next election—the same thing we do to confront so many issues this country faces.  Next election seems too far away? There is something you can do in the meantime. Call your senators and tell them to confirm the feder al judicial nominees that are still waiting for a Senate vote between now and the end of the year. There are literally dozens of nominees picked by President Biden, including many people of color and nominees with strong civil rights backgrounds, just waiting for Senate action to take their seats on the courts. We can show we care by calling our senators and telling them to confirm these nominees now.

Courts are going to keep showing us how much of an impact they have on our lives.  We need to exercise every option we have to impact who sits on them.

(Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way and Professor of the Practice at the University of Pennsylvania.)

What must be done with White Reconstruction

While many are watching 47 out of the 50 States propose and enact Voter Suppression Laws, the ques tion becomes one of what can we as individuals do to counter such attacks against us?

First, we must acknowledge the real agenda of those hiding behind the Re publican Party’s control of state leg islatures, embracing Donald Trump’s lie that the election was stolen.

The reality is that conservative White republicans are engaged in attempts to recreate the conditions that existed by 1901 when all Black elected officials were removed from office at both the national and state level. This was the result of the deal made with the South to have no national interference with State’s Rights. The result was there were no Blacks elected to Congress between 1901 (John Roy Lynch from Missis sippi) and 1928 (Oscar De Priest from Chicago).

Today in 2022, it is the Republican Party (GOP), under the out-of-office leadership of Donald Trump, that is using voter suppression laws in 47 states and the soon-to-be redistricting of congressional districts under the

John E. Warren

Commentary

2020 Census, as required by the U.S. Constitution every ten years, that will seek to usher in a modern day “Reconstruction.”

This modern-day reconstruction will once again have limited voting by people of color and election officials in state offices that can change voting results and select Electoral College delegates when they don’t like voter’s choices. With state courts and the U.S. Supreme Court stacked with judges appointed by a Republican Senate, clearly the stage has been set for court decisions that will further solidify the suppression of civil rights decisions at all levels.

Unlike one hundred years ago, we know what’s coming and what we can do to stop such actions. We know that from the increase in hate crimes

and racism, much of it fueled by the actions of our former President, that racism on the part of conservative and right-wing whites is fear of the “browning” of America.

This “browning” exists in an Amer ica in which Whites are a minority among other ethnic groups such as Blacks, Latinos and Asians. Blacks, Whites and all people of color who believe in our democratic form of government for what it does mean under a Constitution that guarantees human and civil rights, must come together to help each other.

We can do this by registering to vote, selecting and funding people to run for office against the Republican “Reconstruction” program described here. We must replicate the state of Georgia’s experience in both voter turnout and election of the right people at all levels of government. We must not lose sight of the real plan behind voter suppression and the Re publican Party. Let’s call the Republi can Party’s agenda for what it is, The New Reconstruction 2022, and let’s get busy dealing with it at all levels. (Dr. John E. Warren is publisher of The San Diego Voice and Viewpoint.)

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—In a speech given in his home state of Kentucky, Senator Mitch McConnell would say: “One of my proudest mo ments was when I looked Barack Obama in the eye and I said, ‘Mr. President, you will not fill the Supreme Court vacancy.’ ” The eleven mem bers of the Senate Judiciary Committee followed suit by signing a letter saying they had no in tention of consenting to any nominee from Pres ident Obama. As a result, no proceedings of any kind were held for Obama’s nomination. With so much attention today being given to U.S. Attor ney General Merrick Garland, it is easy to forget what happened to Garland in the spring of 2016. With the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, an icon in conservative circles, Merrick Garland was nominated by then-President Barack Obama to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. It was considered to be a safe pick. Widely regarded as a moderate, Garland had been praised in the past by many Republicans, including influential senators such as Orrin Hatch of Utah. But even before Obama had named Garland, Senate Ma jority Leader McConnell declared any appoint ment by the sitting president to be null and void. He said the next Supreme Court justice should be chosen by the next president—to be elect ed later that year. With McConnell blocking Obama’s pick, it left the Supreme Court with an empty seat for more than a year, until President Trump’s nominee Neil Gorsuch was sworn in. The unorthodox move by McConnell could not be stopped by scores of scholars or by the Demo crats as the minority party. Law professors, his torians and political scientists urged the Senate to at least have a process for Garland as a duly appointed nominee with impeccable qualifica tions. It turned out to be a classic power move by McConnell and no one was in position to stop him.

David W. Marshall Commentary

It’s been said that the love of money is the root of all evil. The same can easily be said about the love for power. Meaning unchecked greed can be a major cause of society’s problems. It can be the greed for money as well as greed for power. In regards to the pursuit for power, not every indi vidual or group can responsibly handle the pow er given to them without misusing it. The abuse of political power prevented the seating of a Democratic president’s judicial choice to the Su preme Court. The Republicans knew had Gar land been considered by way of a fair process, he might have pulled a few majority-party mem bers across the aisle. Years later, it is no surprise immediately after Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death the same Mitch McCon nell said President Trump’s nominee to replace her “will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate.”

The influence that power can have on elected officeholders can be sickening at times. Particu larly those in leadership positions. Which brings us to Mike Pence? Does the quest for power cause one to totally give up their self-respect? Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger has a valid point. He said, “Mike Pence, if after January 6, he had fully divorced Donald Trump, and would have gone out and spoken about it, he would be the Ron DeSantis right now. He would be the guy that over the last two years was able to make a compelling case to the Republican base who trusts him, even if at the moment they don’t like him, I think he could be the al ternative to Donald Trump. Now, I have no idea where he stands.” Pence was always the faithful vice president. But it is difficult to understand how a violent mob can chant “Hang Mike Pence” and President Trump makes no effort to insure Pence’s personal safety. Yet Pence seems unwill ing to publicly draw attention to Trump’s actions of disrespect as being unworthy of a sitting U.S. president. While Pence wants to be president himself, he remains intimidated by the individ ual power of Trump and the collective power of Trump’s voting base.

The disrespect to Pence and his family was not enough for the former vice president to take a strong consistent public stand with dignity. The country and the January 6 House committee needed a courageous Mike Pence to speak to the American people about the “Big Lie” and it didn’t happen. The examples of McConnell and Pence are only a few of many, but they illustrate different ways in which political power expos es ones true character. These examples give us reasons to appreciate the career of Nancy Pelosi even more as she announces her retirement af ter two decades in Democratic leadership. There are reasons why House Speaker Pelosi is hated. She gets things done the right way. She is a skillful, effective and seasoned legisla tor who is a true leader with character. Whether you agree or disagree with her policies, Nancy Pelosi’s manner in which she wields her power has never compromised the respect of her lead ership position or the institution she represents. She is the epitome of a leader who can be trust ed with the power that comes with the position. With her retirement, it is time to pass the baton to a new generation of leaders. It appears Rep. Hakeem Jeffries is poised to succeed the first woman House Speaker by becoming the first Black lawmaker to lead a party in Congress. As Jeffries served as an impeachment manager in President Trump’s first impeachment trial, it represents the degree of trust Pelosi has in him. With the party of obstructions and investiga tions taking control in Congress, Nancy Pelosi’s trust in Hakeem Jeffries means a lot.

(David W. Marshall is the founder of the faith-based or ganization, TRB: The Reconciled Body, and author of the book God Bless Our Divided America. He can be reached at www.davidwmarshallauthor.com.)

Recently, a Black columnist warned her readers that the Supreme Court was going to strike down affirmative action like it did Roe v. Wade.

Students for Fair Admissions, a group that represents 20,000 students, parents, and others, challenged Harvard Uni versity’s affirmative action policies for violating the equal protection clause, eroding efforts toward a colorblind society, and discriminating against Asian Americans. SFFA believes that insti tutions of higher learning can achieve diversity through race-neutral methods. The columnist condemned SFFA for two reasons.

1). The bizarre concept of “race-neutral ity” is historical denial and nothing more than virulent anti-Blackness.

2). Anti-Blackness is woven into the fabric of our nation, and affirmative action, minority set-asides, and other race-conscious remedies are merely the antidote to historical structural racism.

How does the columnist justify these counterclaims when the issue is that affirmative action policies discriminate against Asian Americans? She asserted that Asian Americans are “White-adja cent” who embrace White privilege and anti-blackness. The term “anti-black ness” replaces “racism” and puts the fo cus on what harms Black people rather than all people of color.

The columnist said race neutrality is “bizarre” and “historical denial” because enslavement wasn’t race-neutral, Jim Crow wasn’t race-neutral, and Fair Housing redlining wasn’t race-neutral.

This is one of those bizarre times when a progressive turns into a conservative.

To justify the need for affirmative action, the columnist must conserve America’s racist past in order to claim that Amer ica hasn’t changed and remains a racist society. By conserving the racist past, the columnist is doing something even more

J.

Pharoah Doss

Is racial neutrality a bizarre concept? Generational change without compromising character

Check It Out

bizarre. She’s denying that progress has been made on the American racial front to preserve a race-based policy that 63 percent of American adults no longer find necessary in the 21st century.

Now, by stating that race-neutrality is historical denial, the columnist is projecting onto her opponents what she is guilty of herself. Since slavery, Jim Crow, and redlining were all examples of systemic racism, the original goal of affirmative action was to get rid of racial restrictions and make public policy that was race-neutral.

The term “affirmative action” first appeared in an executive order signed by President John F. Kennedy in 1961. It stated that government contractors will “take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and employees are treated fairly during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin.”

The precedent for the original intent of affirmative action is found in Supreme Court Justice John Marshall Harlan’s 1896 dissenting Plessy v. Ferguson opinion. Harlan wrote, “Our constitution is colorblind and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens.”

However, in President Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1965 Howard University com mencement address, he pivoted from the precedent. He said: You don’t wipe away the scars of centuries by simply declar

ing an oppressed people free, freedom is not enough. The next and more profound stage of the civil rights movement is that all our citizens must be able to walk through the gates of opportunity. To this end, equal opportunity is essential but not enough. We seek not just equality as a right and theory, but equality as a fact, and equality as a result.

From that point on, affirmative action policies were viewed as a way to compen sate minority groups for past discrimina tion by the White ruling class. This led to the 1978 California v. Bakke case, where the Supreme Court had to decide wheth er preferential treatment for minorities in college admissions can reduce educa tional opportunities for Whites without violating the equal protection clause of the constitution.

The Supreme Court decided that it was not against the Constitution to use race as a factor in college admissions. How ever, Justice Harry Blackmun’s opinion became scripture for modern affirmative action supporters. Justice Blackmun stated, “In order to get beyond race, we must first take race into account. There is no other way. And in order to treat some persons equally, we must first treat them differently.”

In 1978, maybe there was “no other way” to make up for past discrimina tion, especially when it was assumed these policies would only inconvenience Whites and no other minority groups. In the 21st century, Asian Americans insist there are other ways to create diversity on college campuses without affirmative action or its synonym, “positive discrim ination.”

At some point, we must ask which concept is more bizarre: race neutrality or the adage “in order to treat some people equally, we must first treat them differently.”

It wasn’t that long ago...

As a long-term senior citizen, I under stand and accept the reality that each generation is prone to discount many of the lessons learned by ancestors. My early decades included practical and potentially life changing guidance from elders, which I completely ignored.

Although it is indisputable that each individual views their lived experience through a singular lens, we are often urged to join with others to support a common understanding of reality. Whether you identify as a Democrat, Republican, One-God believer or Athe ist, there are groups and organizations that aspire to tell you how (and what) to think.

These groups designate one person within their ranks to serve as the prima ry influencer of how advantage and priv ilege can be obtained and maintained. Whether spoken through the language of the political left or right, race, or econom ic status, there are messages aplenty at tempting to influence (and often control) everyone’s personal view.

Lord Acton, a profound mid-19th cen tury thinker wrote, “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” He was right.

History provides stark evidence that reliance on a singularly powerful leader often leads to disaster. During the fouryear U.S. participation in World War 2, large ships filled with quickly trained farmers, factory workers, college stu dents and others sailed by the millions from the eastern and western shorelines of the United States. Their primary goal

Ron Porter Commentary

was to destroy (maim and kill) soldiers from totalitarian (single leader) regimes. Hundreds of thousands of people died in World War 2 after my birth in 1944. It wasn’t that long ago.

An Austrian born sub-intellect, mas tered vengeful oratory to appeal to masses of aggrieved Germans. Adolph Hitler asserted defeat in World War 1 was caused by inferior classes who weak ened the resolve of the German people. With support from far less than half of German people Hitler was anointed the Fuhrer (Supreme Leader). Hitler is not an ancient historical memory. My maternal grandfather was born ten years before Hitler and outlived him by decades. It wasn’t that long ago.

Italy, a few years after the end of World War 1, succumbed to the vocal stylings of Benito Mussolini. With pure bravado, Mussolini garnered support for a two-de cades long reign as El Duce (Supreme Leader). My mother was born only ten years before Mussolini grabbed power in Italy. It wasn’t that long ago.

Japan began to display legitimacy on the global stage early in the 20th centu ry. Many Japanese felt their humanity

was unappreciated by key nations who were dividing the world’s resources among themselves. The singular focus of leadership was vested in Emperor Hirohito, who was recognized as a god. Three years before my birth, my mother was ironing clothes when she heard of the attack on Pearl Harbor. I heard an emotional recounting of the war-starting Pacific attack many times during the 65 years our lives wonderfully overlapped. It wasn’t that long ago.

Although I was an infant, my life overlapped Hitler for six months before he blew his brains out to end a fifty-sixyear infestation of our shared planet. Mussolini was shot by vengeful Italians the year before my birth. I was married for twenty years, fathered two children and was a corporate executive before Emperor Hirohito died in 1989. It wasn’t that long ago.

Across our fragile planet, there is a contagion of concentrated power spread ing and aligning to control the flow and distribution of all resources. The history recounted above clearly demonstrates the up, then down, trajectory of men who have gained full control of the key levers of society. Our planet, with particular fo cus on our country, is divided by hateful, irreconcilable polarities.

We owe it to ourselves to resist the ascendency of despots who believe that “only I can fix it”.

Murderous, nation-consuming rage has happened before, and it can happen again. It wasn’t that long ago.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi

by Marc Morial

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—“History

will note she is the most consequential Speaker of the House of Representatives in our history. There are countless exam ples of how she embodies the obligation of elected officials to uphold their oath to God and country to ensure our democ racy delivers and remains a beacon to the world. In everything she does, she reflects a dignity in her actions and a dignity she sees in the lives of the people of this nation.” —President Biden

When the National Urban League convened our first in-person conference in three years, in July, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi joined us for the opening rally at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.

“There’s an assault on our democracy,” she said. “That’s why we have to fight for voting rights, and we will not stop until we achieve voting rights: removing obstacles of participation and the voter suppression laws, doing away with their nullification of elections, removing big special interest money from suffocating our political system, so that everyone’s voices are heard.”

As her historic fourth term as Speaker of the House draws to a close, it is near ly impossible to express the full impact of her decades of leadership and the profound legacy she leaves behind

It has been my privilege to know and collaborate with Speaker Pelosi since her earliest days in Congress, when I was a Louisiana State Senator, through out my two terms as Mayor of New

Orleans and the last two decades with the National Urban League.  One of my most treasured mementos is a pen she gave to me that President Obama used to sign the Affordable Care Act. Of all the legislative and policy initia tives on which she and I have worked together, it was the passage of the ACA that demonstrated her unmatched mastery of the legislative process and the power of her determination. When her party’s loss in a Senate special election cost them a filibuster-proof majority, many – including President Obama’s own chief of staff – publicly declared the ACA dead and advocated for a watered-down, piecemeal ap proach.  Speaker Pelosi derided the proposal as “eensy weensy bill,” telling President Obama, “I know there are some on your staff who want to take the namby-pamby approach.  That’s unacceptable.”

The vote-wrangling that Speaker Pelo si employed to bring the bill to meet the pen I now treasure will be the subject of graduate seminars on public policy for generations to come.

But as large as her speakership may loom in the history books, she was no less bold or impressive as minority leader.

In 2018, she broke the record for longest House speech, spending eight hours and seven minutes reading the emotional letters of young DREAMers, undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children who aspire to become U.S. citizens Charac teristically, she wore her four-inch heels

the entire time.  Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy bested her record by four minutes last year, “but if he wanted to outdo her, he should’ve done it in stilet tos,” Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez said. Whether leading the majority or minority, she has long been a target of misogynistic attacks, false accusations and conspiracy theories, and threats of violence led by members of the oppos ing party. Tragically, this campaign of demonization culminated in a brutal attack on her husband, Paul Pelosi, by a right-wing conspiracy theorist intent on abducting her. Yet she herself has never resorted to personal attacks. She has risen above the rancor and insults leveled at her without responding in kind.  She continues to exude grace and is the personification of the iron fist in a velvet glove.

When she was sworn in as the first woman Speaker of the House in 2007, she noted that women had waited more than 200 years to shatter the “marble ceiling” of Congress. As she said, “Wom en weren’t just waiting, women were working. Never losing faith, we worked to redeem the promise of America, that all men and women are created equal.”

Her commitment to that promise never has wavered throughout her illustrious career.  She has been stead fast in her support for civil rights and civil liberties.  I’m proud to call her my friend. On behalf of the National Urban League and our nationwide network of affiliates, I thank Speaker Pelosi for her years of dedicated service and her friendship to the League.

WOMEN’S CENTER & SHELTER

OF GREATER PITTSBURGH (WC&S)

is a comprehensive domestic violence program hiring a wide variety of positions right now. If you’re energized by survivor-centered advocacy, go to wcscanhelp.org to learn more and apply. Competitive wages, comprehensive benefits package, and a supportive environment!

November 30, 2022

City of Pittsburgh – Office of Management

Budget 414 Grant Street Room 501 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-255-2211

This notice shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the City of Pittsburgh.

REQUEST FOR RELEASE

COMMUNITY CONSERVATION

DIRECTOR

Full-Time | Compensation Range: $52,800 to $62,100 | Application Deadline: December 12, 2022 @ 5 PM

The Director of Community Conservation will advance Community Conservation initiatives for Allegheny Land Trust by creating, developing, and sustaining relationships with residents, community groups, and neighborhood development organizations to facilitate green space protection in the City of Pittsburgh and first ring suburbs. The Director will incorporate data-based approaches with interpersonal skills to build trust, relationships, and confidence in Allegheny Land Trust as a community partner. The Director will support the Vice President of Land Conservation in acquisition, GIS analysis of new projects, and other countywide efforts. The Director will be expected to play an active role in future land protection decisions and conservation strategies as well as be an active member of advancing the future of ALT through its programs and strategic plan. More details and application here: alleghenylandtrust.org/whowe-are/job-opportunities/

STEWARDSHIP DIRECTOR

Full-Time | Compensation Range: $41,500 – $48,800 | Application Deadline: December 12, 2022 @ 5 PM

The Stewardship Director will manage ALT’s protected lands through the recruitment of and activities with ALT’s volunteer cohort and stewardship partners. The position will take the lead in identifying baseline stewardship requirements, development and execution of ALT land stewardship plans, GIS/GPS equipment use and system navigation, and general property maintenance. In addition to having responsibility for the implementation of ALTs property land management plans, the Stewardship Director will play an active role in future land stewardship decisions and conservation strategies and be an active member of advancing the future of ALT through its programs and strategic plan. More details and application here: alleghenylandtrust.org/who-weare/job-opportunities/

SENIOR SOFTWARE

DEVELOPER

(JAVA)

(Mult Positions w/National Placement out of Allegheny County, PA) Min of a BA deg & 5Yrs exp or MS deg & 1Yr exp. Deg & exp may be in Comps, Eng’g, Info Tech (IT), Info Sys or Bus related field & foreign educ eqvlnt acceptable. Candidate will dvlp, create & modify Com Apps using Java, J2EE, JavaScript, Oracle. Able to trvl/relo to diff client sites as needed. 9-5, FT Salary $117,957/yr. Ref# SJAV-0422 IY send resume to Infoyuga Technologies, Inc., 280B Moon Clinton Road, Moon Township, PA 15108 or hr@infoyuga.com. Infoyuga is EOE M/F/V/D

OF FUNDS (1) –

CDBG PROJECT

On or about Monday December 19, 2022, the City of Pittsburgh will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to release Federal funds under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 as amended for the real estate project described below.

41 Solar Street is a URA-funded HAPI project. HAPI is the Home Accessibility Program for Independence, which provides an opportunity for those with physical disabilities to remain in their homes. 41 Solar Street, located at 41 Solar Street Pittsburgh, PA 15212, will consist of roof and fuse panel replacement in a single-family dwelling. The URA will consist of an estimated total of $15,500 in FY2022 CDBG funds; the estimated total project cost is $15,500.

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT (2) – CDBG PROJECT

The City of Pittsburgh has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR). The ERR will be made available to the public for review either electronically or by U.S. mail. Please submit your request by U.S. mail to City of Pittsburgh, Office of Management and Budget, 414 Grant St, City County Building Room 501, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 or by email to Whitney.Finnstrom@pittsburghpa.gov

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to:

Whitney Finnstrom City of Pittsburgh, 414 Grant Street, Room 501 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (412) 255-2211 OR Whitney.Finnstrom@pittsburghpa.gov

All comments received by Thursday, December 15, 2022 will be considered by the City of Pittsburgh prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice (Request for Release of Funds 1 or Finding of No Significant Impact 2) they are addressing.

ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION

The City of Pittsburgh certifies to HUD that Ed Gainey in his capacity as Mayor, City of Pittsburgh, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh and the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh to use development funds.

OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS

HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the City of Pittsburgh certification for a period of fifteen (15) days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City of Pittsburgh; (b) the City of Pittsburgh has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality.

Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to the HUD Field Office of Community Planning and Development in Pittsburgh at Phillip.E.McKeough@hud.gov /(412) 644-5846 regarding HUD CDBG funds.

Potential objectors should contact the HUD Field Office of Community Planning and Development in Pittsburgh via email or phone as given above to verify the actual last day of the objection period.

Ed Gainey Mayor City of

Pittsburgh

THE WILKINS TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION shall meet on Wednesday, December 7, 2022 by Zoom.us only , at the following link: https://us02web. zoom.us/j/87472486812 beginning at 7:00 PM. The only purpose of the meeting is to review and consider a recommendation of reapproval of the Heritage Heights Planned Residential Development, which was returned by Allegheny County due to a missing property line.”

TOWNSHIP OF WILKINS PUBLIC NOTICE

The following is a schedule of public meetings of the Wilkins Township Board of Commissioners, the Wilkins Township Planning Commission, the Recreation Advisory Board and the Wilkins Township Civil Service Commission for the year 2023:

WILKINS TOWNSHIP BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS:

Regular Stated Public Meetings are scheduled on the second Monday of each month at 7:00 PM. The Second Regular Meetings are scheduled on the last Monday of each month at 7:00 PM with the following exceptions:

• During May, June, July, August and December, there are no second meetings.

WILKINS TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION:

Public Meetings are scheduled the third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM.

WILKINS TOWNSHIP RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD:

Public Meetings are scheduled the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM.

WILKINS TOWNSHIP CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION: The Civil Service Commission meets as needed on the first Wednesday of each month.

All meetings are held at the Wilkins Township Municipal Building, 110 Peffer Road, Wilkins Township, PA 15145, with the exception of the Recreation Advisory Board meetings which will be held at the Wilkins Township Community Center, 120 Peffer Road. ANNOUNCEMENTS

Drive, Manlius, NY 13104 or to TODD A. FULLER, Atty, BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC. 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017

In the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, PA, Orphans Court Division, Estate of RUFUS D. SMITH SR., deceased Case No. 022206772. Notice is hereby given that on October 18, 2022, a Petition was filed by Rufus D. Smith Jr. to terminate the interests of the heirs and devisees of Rufus D. Smith Sr., deceased in the real estate located at 3610 Centralia St, Pittsburgh (20th Ward), PA, 15204 and to determine that fee simple title be in Rufus D. Smith Jr. If no exceptions to the Petition are filed within 60 days of the date of this Notice, Rufus D. Smith Jr. will seek an Order adjudging that Decedent’s title is in him.

OF PUBLIC WORKS 2023 CAPITAL ROADS RECONSTRUCTION PROGRAM VARIOUS ROADWAYSVARIOUS MUNICIPALITIES COUNTY PROJECT No. 7A00-2301

As a prospective bidder please note the following general Project information regarding: Pre-Bid Information, Bidding Requirements, and Contract Conditions. See the Project Manual for detailed information, responsibilities and instructions.

PRE-BID INFORMATION: Purchase and/or view the Project Manual and Drawings at the Office of the Contract Manager, Room 504, County Office Building, Pittsburgh, PA. The non-refundable charge for the Proposal and a disk containing the Specifications and Drawings is $107.00 including sales tax. The Contract Manager will accept only check or money order to the “COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY” in that amount and WILL NOT ACCEPT CASH OR EXTEND CREDIT.

Prospective bidders may request to have bid documents mailed. An additional fee of $16.05 including tax, for handling costs for each requested proposal must be paid in advance. The fee must be received at the Office of the Contract Manager prior to the mailing of any documents. Interested bidders planning to purchase bid documents or attend the public bid opening are advised to follow Self-Monitoring and Social Distancing guidelines when entering the Allegheny County Courthouse or County Office Building. Interested bidders should also be aware that when entering either the Allegheny County Courthouse or County Office Building, a face mask meeting the guidelines set by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, must be worn at all times.

BIDDING REQUIREMENTS: The County requires pre-qualification of bidders, including subcontractors, as specified in Section 102.01 of Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Specifications, Publication No. 408, 2020 Edition, Current Change on this project.

Submit Proposal on the supplied form in accordance with the Instructions to Bidders and Specifications; include the following documents with the Bid Form, ALONG WITH ONE COMPLETE PHOTOCOPIED SET OF THE PROPOSAL:

• Bid Security - certified check or surety company bond on County’s form to the order of/or running to the County of Allegheny in the amount of five (5%) percent of the Bid as evidence that you, the Bidder, will accept and carry out the conditions of the Contract in case of award. The County will accept only bonds written by Surety Companies acceptable on Federal Bonds per the current Federal Register Circular 570. Federal Register Circular 570 is available for inspection in the Contract Office, Room 504, County Office Building, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

• Bidder Certification of Pre-Qualification, Classification and Work Capacity

• List of Subcontractors

• Statement of Joint Venture Participation

• MBE And WBE Goals Attainment Certification (ONLY NECESSARY IF YOU CANNOT MEET THE SPECIFIED MBE AND WBE GOALS.)

• MBE/WBE Subcontractor and Supplier Commitment and Solicitation Sheets

• Work Sheet Required Amount Performed By Contractor (Non-Federal Projects)

THE COUNTY WILL REJECT BIDS THAT DO NOT INCLUDE THE EXECUTED DOCUMENTS SPECIFIED ABOVE WITH THE BID FORM. You may not withdraw your bid for a period of Sixty (60) days after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids. The County Manager reserves the right to reject any and all bids or waive any informality in the bidding.

CONTRACT CONDITIONS: In accordance with the provisions of the “Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act” of August 15, 1961, P.L. 987, as Department of Labor and Industry, the prevailing minimum wage predetermination requirements as set forth in the Attachments apply to this Project.

The anticipated notice to proceed is February 1, 2023 . The project completion date is 242 from the date the Notice to Proceed is issued.

The County of Allegheny hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this Advertisement, minority business enterprises / women business enterprises [MBE/WBE] will be afforded the full opportunity to submit bids in response to this advertisement and the County will not discriminate against minority and women business enterprises on the grounds of race, sex, color or national origin in consideration for an award. It is a condition of the bidding process/contract that all responsive bidders / contractors shall follow the minority business enterprises and women business enterprises [MBE/WBE] procedures set forth in the project manual/contract documents.

For contracting questions contact the Contracts Division, at 412-3507646. For technical questions contact Jean Statler, P.E., Project Manager, at 412-350-5927.

OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT

THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH

Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on December 6, 2022, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for: Pgh. Old Roosevelt PreK-1, Pgh. Roosevelt 2-5, Pgh. Phillips K-5, Pgh. Mifflin Pre-K-8, and Pgh. Concord K-5 Whiteboard

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY

D/B/A/

PITTSBURGH REGIONAL TRANSIT (PRT)

Electronic Proposals will be received online at the Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a/ Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.rideprt.org).

Proposals/bid submittals will be due 11:00 AM on December 13, 2022 and will be read at 11:15 AM., the same day, at Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s Heinz location (345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-2527) as well as through your web browser via Microsoft Teams video conferencing, for the following: Electronic Proposal - Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.rideprt.org)

Bid Number Bid Name 1 B220980AR Fire Alarm System Testing and Certification Service 2 REV22-10-105A Vending Machine Service

B2211106A EGR Coolers

B2211109 Oracle e-Performance & Compensation Module

To join by Microsoft Team video conference: bit.ly/3sLWOfg

To join by Microsoft Teams call-in number: 412-927-0245 United State, Pittsburgh (Toll) Conference ID: 220 898 412#

No bidder may withdraw a submitted Proposal for a period of 75 days after the scheduled time for opening of the sealed bids. A Pre-Bid Conference will be held via tele-conference on each of the above items at 10:00 am November 29, 2022, as well as through your web browser via Microsoft Teams video conference.

To join by Microsoft Team video conference: bit.ly/3WkVjCr

To join by Microsoft Teams call-in number: 412-927-0245 United State, Pittsburgh (Toll) Conference ID: 484 820 987#

Attendance at this meeting is not mandatory, but is strongly encouraged. Questions regarding any of the above bids will not be entertained by Pittsburgh Regional Transit within five (5) business days of the scheduled bid opening.

These contracts may be subject to a financial assistance contract between Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a/ Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) and the United States Department of Transportation. The Contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity laws and regulations.

Contractor is responsible for expenses related to acquiring a performance bond and insurance where applicable. All items are to be FOB delivered unless otherwise specified. Costs for delivery, bond, and insurance shall be included in bidder’s proposal pricing.

Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively insure that in regard to any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprise will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.

The Board of Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a/ Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

Cory O’Connor Controller County of Allegheny