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Voters Guide Primary Election May 17, 2022 Published by League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh Community Information Center Koppers Building 436 Seventh Avenue Suite 350 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-261-4284

Voters Guide Primary Election INSIDE

Publication of the Voters Guide was made possible by the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania Citizens Education Fund

Pittsburgh Courier New Pittsburgh Courier April 27-May 3, 2022

NEW

www.newpittsburghcourier.com Vol. 113 No. 17 Two Sections

APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2022

thenewpittsburghcourier Published Weekly $1.00

Walker named CEO of ‘Pittsburgh Scholar House’ New non-profit aimed at helping single parents attain a college degree

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

Too often, there is a parent, usually a mother, who is pursuing that elusive four-year college degree, when things start to happen — not enough money for child care; the car breaks down; the house bills need to be paid, but so does tuition...

That’s where the newly-formed Pittsburgh Scholar House wants to step in.

And stepping in as the CEO of the non-profit is a

person who’s no stranger to rebuilding communities — Diamonte Walker, Ed.D., the former deputy executive director of the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA). Her first day as CEO was April 18.

“The URA does a lot of work around the built environment, which is very important, but I think it’s also equally important that we build people up while we’re rebuilding our communities,” Dr. Walker told the New Pittsburgh Courier in an exclusive in-

terview, April 25. “So the call to come and lead the Pittsburgh Scholar House presents an opportunity for me to do that in order to start addressing what I think is a pervasive issue here in Pittsburgh; economic stagnation within a lot of our vulnerable population.”

The Pittsburgh Scholar House will operate in alignment with its parent organization, Family Scholar House, and its strategic goal of helping SEE WALKER A8

DIAMONTE WALKER, ED.D.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., providing free mammograms, May 17-18 Breast cancer affects Black women at disproportionate rates

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

Black women are 41 percent more likely to die from breast cancer as White women.

That statement alone gives credence as to why Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., has a bus criss-crossing the country this year providing free 3D mobile mammography screenings.

As the nation’s oldest Black Greek lettered sorority, it’s

EMMA LUCAS-DARBY, PH.D., president of the Alpha Alpha Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

part of their mission to better the health outcomes for African American women.

The bus is coming to Pittsburgh from May 17-18, and the sorority’s Pittsburgh chapter, Alpha Alpha Omega, in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Steelers, will provide the free baseline screenings from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the FedEx Great Hall, at Heinz Field.

Pre-registration is required by May 3. The website to pre-register is www.assuredimaging. com/aka. A New Pittsburgh Courier analysis of the appointments shows that as of 5 p.m., April 26, there were eight available appointments left for Tuesday, May 17, and 29 open appointments left for Wednesday, May 18. Those who pre-register must be at least 40 years old, have not had a previous mammogram in the past year and have no current breast problems or complaints. Individuals between the ages of 35-39 can also receive a baseline mammogram.

CLEANING UP IN HOMEWOOD

SEE AKAS A6

Pittsburgh Courier NEW

To subscribe, call 412-481-8302 ext. 136

PITTSBURGH MAYOR ED GAINEY, back row, second from right, leads a clean-up effort in Homewood on Saturday, April 23. Mayor Gainey said it’s an “all-in” effort to beautify the community and then curb the violence that also permeates some communities.

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NATIONAL

APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2022

Many in neighborhoods of color are breathing more unhealthy air than ever before

by Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire

According to a report published last week by the American Lung Association, almost half of Americans – 137 million people – are experiencing more days of “very unhealthy” and “hazardous” air quality than in the previous two decades combined.

The Lung Association’s State of the Air report also revealed that 72 million people of color live in counties that received at least one failing grade for ozone and particle pollution.

More than 14 million dwell in areas where health officials doled out failing grades on all three measures.

The report looks at America’s exposure to two types of air pollution: ozone, also called smog, and particle pollution, commonly called soot.

The American Lung Association has issued the State of the Air for 23 years using data analyzed from official air quality monitors.

Officials have pushed the motto that the more you learn about the air you breathe, the more you can protect your health and take steps to make the air cleaner and healthier.

“We’ve seen much better air quality in most areas today than when we started the report. But over the last five years, we’ve seen an uptick, and we attribute a lot of that to climate change,” said Paul Billings, senior vice president of public policy for the American Lung Association.

“We’ve had some of the hottest years on record – creating dry conditions that lead to drought and wildfires,” Billings stated.

State of the Air 2022 shows that an “unacceptable number of Americans are still living in areas with poor air quality that could impact their health,” said Harold Wimmer, National President and CEO of the American Lung Association.

“More than 137 million Americans live in counties that had unhealthy levels of particle pollution or ozone. In addition, communities of color are disproportionately exposed to unhealthy air.”

The report also found that people of color were 61% more likely than white people to live in a county with a failing grade for at least one pollutant

and 3.6 times as likely to live in a county with a failing grade for all three pollutants.

Other highlights from the report include: • Some 72 million people of color live in counties that received at least one failing grade for ozone and/or particle pollution.

Over 14 million people of color live in counties that received failing grades on all three measures, including nearly 10 million Hispanics.

• People experiencing poverty—More than 15.9 million people with incomes meeting the federal poverty definition live in counties that received an F for at least one pollutant. Over 2.6 million people in poverty live in counties failing all three measures.

• Children and older adults—Some 31 million children under age 18 and nearly 21 million adults age 65 and over live in counties that received an F for at least one pollutant. Almost 4.7 million children and 2.8 million seniors live in counties failing all three measures.

People with underlying health conditions.

• Asthma—2.3 million children and nearly 10 million adults with asthma live in counties that received an F for at least one pollutant. More than 320,000 children and 1.4 million adults with asthma live in counties failing all three measures.

• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)—Over 6.1 million people with COPD live in counties that received an F for at least one pollutant. Almost 800,000 people with COPD live in counties failing all three measures.

• Lung Cancer—More than 66,000 people diagnosed with lung cancer in 2018 live in counties that received an F for at least one pollutant. And 7,400 people diagnosed with lung cancer live in counties failing all three measures.

• Cardiovascular Disease—More than 8 million people with cardiovascular disease live in counties that received an F for at least one pollutant. More than 1 million people live in counties failing all three measures.

• Pregnancy—Adverse impacts from air pollution have been shown both for those who are pregnant as well as for the developing

fetus. More than 1.5 million pregnancies were recorded in 2020 in counties that received at least one F for particle pollution. Of those, 210,000 are in counties that received failing grades for all three measures.

The American Lung Association recommends that every federal agency, the White House, and Congress must immediately act to dramatically reduce air and climate pollution and drive an urgent nationwide transition to zero-emission transportation and electricity.

They said 40% of the investments made to meet these goals must improve air quality, health, and life in underserved communities.

Additionally, local governments have the power to help ensure that city and county operations are zero-emission and that residents can choose zero-emission forms of transportation and electricity, the officials said.

The report’s authors noted that the actions must benefit the communities most impacted by unhealthy air.

Further, officials said individuals also could take action to protect themselves and their families from the dangers of air pollution.

“Regardless of its grade or ranking in this report, any community can experience days with unhealthy levels of air pollution,” the authors stated.

The following are some precautions to reduce risk: • Check daily air pollution forecasts in your area at airnow.gov. The color-coded forecasts let you know when the air is unhealthy in your community. When the air is bad, move your exercise plans and other activities indoors.

• Protect yourself from wildfire smoke if you live in a fire-prone area. Learn more about using masks and creating a clean room inside your home with our wildfire resources at Lung. org/wildfire.

• Reduce your own contributions to air pollution.

Prioritize walking, biking, and public transit over gasoline-powered vehicles. Conserve electricity and purchase your power from clean, non-combustion sources if you can.

Don’t burn wood, leaves, or trash. Learn more about how to reduce your impact with our Stand Up For Clean Air initiative at Lung.org/air.

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This Week In Black History A Courier Staple • APRIL 26

1886—The “mother of the Blues” Gertrude “Ma” Rainey is born Gertrude Pridgett in Columbus, Ga. She began her career touring with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels. She was the first person to sing the Blues in minstrel shows.

Rainey also coached, then young Blues singer Bessie Smith who would become more famous and celebrated than Rainer. Rainey died Dec. 22, 1939.

1994—The first all race elections take place in then White ruled South Africa.

The elections would bring an end to 300 years of White minority rule, known as apartheid, in the African nation as well as bring about the election of Nelson Mandela as the country’s first Black and democratically elected president. Mandela had spent 27 years in prison because of his leadership of the African National Congress which had led the struggle against apartheid.

• APRIL 27

1903—W.E.B. DuBois’ “The Soul of Black Folks” is published. The book did much to outline and summarize progressive African-American thought and opposition to the accommodation policies of Booker T. Washington—then the nation’s foremost Black leader.

DuBois argued that “the problem of the 20th century is the problem of the color line” and labeled Washington’s program as one of “industrial education, conciliation of the South, and submission and silence as to civil and political rights.” A collection of DuBois’ papers are currently being placed online by the University of Massachusetts.

1903—Maggie Lena Walker becomes the first Black woman to head a bank in America. In fact, she was the first woman of any color to head a bank when she was named president of the St. Luke Bank and Trust Company in Richmond, Va. Walker was an outstanding businesswoman who took over Richmond’s Order of St. Luke when it was nearly broke and rapidly losing membership. Within a few years the Order owned a bank, a newspaper, a printing press and a three-story department store despite the active opposition of Richmond’s White business community. Walker also helped found the Lilly Black Party in part as a slap at the segregated “Lilly White” political parties of the day. One of her mottos was “Don’t get angry, get busy.” She died Dec. 15, 1934.

• APRIL 28

1967—The World Boxing Association and the New York State Athletic Commission withdraw recognition of Muhammad Ali as world heavyweight boxing champion because of his opposition to the war in Vietnam and his resulting refusal to serve in the U.S. military. One of his famous phrases during the controversial period was, “I ain’t got no quarrel with those Vietcong.” In addition to being stripped of his title and license to box, Ali was sentenced to five years in prison for refusing to be inducted into the military. However, four years later the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the conviction and Ali was allowed to box again.

• APRIL 29

1992—This was the first day of the Los Angeles riots which were sparked when a nearly all White jury acquitted four White cops in the brutal beating of Black motorist Rodney King even though the beating had been caught on tape. Two of the cops were later convicted on federal civil rights charges. The riots left at least 50 people dead, nearly 1,000 injuries and an estimated $1 billion in property damage.

• APRIL 30

711 AD—Tarik the Moor invades Spain with force of 7,000 troops, routs the Visigoths and establishes Moor domination of Spain. While there remains some dispute over Tarik’s race, the weight of the evidence is strong that he was a Black man. He was described in accounts of the time as having “brown skin and wooly hair.”

His full name was Tarik al Gibral. The famed Rock of Gibraltar is named in his honor.

1828—Shaka, the great Zulu king and military leader, is killed. His innovative military strategies kept European imperialism at bay for years as he established Zulu dominance in large parts of Southern Africa. The Zulu nation grew to at least 250,000 with an army of over 40,000. But Shaka became increasingly dictatorial. Opposition to his dictatorship combined with jealousy led his two half-brothers to assassinate him on this day in 1828.

• MAY 1

1866—The two-day Memphis, Tenn., race riots, one of the most savage events immediately following the civil war, begins. When it was over, former Confederate soldiers, angered by the loss of the Civil War and the new status for Blacks, had killed 46 Blacks

and two of their White supporters, as well as raped five Black women and torched over 90 homes, schools and churches. In support of the rebel soldiers, local police arrested hundreds of Blacks and not the Whites who were rioting. However, the savage nature of the rioting in Memphis (and a similar disturbance in New Orleans) prompted Congress to pass radical Reconstruction to aid Blacks, a Civil Rights bill, and the 14th Amendment to the Constitution guaranteeing citizenship and equal protection to former slaves.

1950—Brilliant poet Gwendolyn Brooks, the first African-American to win a Pulitzer Prize in 1950 for her second collection, “Annie Allen,” is born on this day in Topeka, Kan. At 17, she started submitting her work to “Lights and Shadows,” the poetry column of the Chicago Defender, an African American newspaper. Brooks published her first book of poetry, “A Street in Bronzeville” (1945) with Harper and Row, after strong show of support to the publisher from author Richard Wright. Brooks died on Dec. 3, 2000 in Chicago, Ill. 1967—The “Long Hot Summer” begins. The period between May 1 and Oct. 1, 1967 witnessed the most dramatic and destructive series of Black urban disturbances in American history. Major riots took place in 40 American cities. There were also lesser disturbances in 100 smaller towns and cities. Many felt the riots were sparked by a collective sense of frustrated hopes and a new urban generation less willing to adopt peaceful means for change.

• MAY 2

1844—Master inventor Elijah McCoy is born in Colchester, Ontario, Canada. He would become the holder of over 50 patents—most were mechanical devices, which greatly improved engines, locomotives and steamships.

The superiority of his inventions led to the phrase “the real McCoy” coming to mean the mark of excellent and authenticity. McCoy was born to slaves who escaped America for a free life in Canada. His parents became successful and sent him to study engineering in Scotland when he was only 16. After the end of U.S. slavery, he settled in Ypsilanti, Mich., and began his remarkable career.

1870—One of the most unsung religious leaders in American history, William Seymour, was born on this day in Centerville, La. Seymour became pastor of the Azusa Street Mission in Los Angeles and the catalyst for the worldwide Pentecostal movement. He not only rejected racial barriers in the church in favor of “Unity in Christ,” but he is also credited with eliminating many of the restrictions placed on women in the church. He died of a heart attack in 1922.

• MAY 3

1845—Macon B. Allen passes the Massachusetts bar thus becoming the first African-American lawyer to pass a state bar and the first Black person permitted to practice law in the United States. Allen was born in Indiana but after the Civil War he moved to South Carolina where he was elected a judge in 1873.

1933—Singer James Brown, known as “The Godfather of Soul” for his game-changing style in funk, soul and R&B throughout his career, was born on May, 3, 1933, in Barnwell, S.C. Brown charted on the Billboard Pop Charts close to 100 times and on the R&B charts at least 110 times. In a career that spanned six decades, Brown influenced the development of several music genres. Brown died on Dec. 25, 2006.

1949—The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of J.D. Shelley on Shelley v.

Kraemer, a landmark housing and civil rights case. After years of living with relatives or in rental properties, Shelley, who’d migrated from the South to St. Louis, Mo., with his family to escape racial oppression, decided to buy a house. He learned, however that many owners had agreed to a real estate contract clause that banned them from selling their homes to people of “Negro or Mongolian” descent. After Shelley finally bought a house, White homeowner Louis Kraemer hired an attorney to invalidate the contract and took the case to court. After Kraemer successfully appealed, which reversed the first court’s decision, the Shelley family took the case to the U.S. Supreme Court and won.

THE COURIER ISN’T JUST A NEWSPAPER. IT’S BLACK HISTORY.

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2022

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METRO

APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2022

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Famed Pitt track legend John Woodruff inducted into Collegiate Athlete Hall of Fame Courier editor helped pay for Woodruff’s living expenses while at Pitt Former University of Pittsburgh track and field legend John Woodruff was inducted posthumously into the Collegiate Athlete Hall of Fame for track & field, as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Thursday afternoon, April 14. Woodruff is one of 30 members in the inaugural Hall of Fame class, the New

Pittsburgh Courier has learned.

“The Collegiate Athlete Hall of Fame is intended to acknowledge the great athletes who have made collegiate track & field and cross country such incredible sports,” said Sam Seemes, CEO of the USTFCCCA, in a statement. “Not only do we have a large queue of past athletes that are worthy of enshrinement into this hall of fame, we

also recognize a vital responsibility in producing first-class presentations to properly commemorate their accomplishments” During his storied Pitt career, Woodruff collected three straight NCAA titles in the outdoor 800m run from 1937-39 as he is the lone threetime NCAA outdoor champion in program history. Woodruff ’s decorated legacy also inJOHN WOODRUFF visited Pitt in October 2006 to be honored during Homecoming events, including the African American Alumni Council’s Awards Night. From left, AAAC President Linda Wharton Boyd; John Woodruff; Roger Kingdom, gold medalist in the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games; and Pitt Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg.

(Photo courtesy Pitt Chronicle) cludes gold medals at the historic Penn Relays.

Woodruff was the first Pitt athlete to earn Olympic gold and did so at the famed 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics.

At those ‘36 Games, he was the first of four African Americans to win a gold medal in track and field. Woodruff claimed his gold medal in the 800-meter run, winning a race that is considered one of the most dramatic in Olympic history.

The first class of inductees – 30 chosen solely on their accomplishments while a collegiate athlete – displays excellence in collegiate track & field and cross country at its very best. Combined they have compiled 205 national collegiate individual titles, 99 world records and 19 Olympic gold medals.

Eligibility for induction this year was limited to men who had completed their collegiate eligibility prior to 2000 and women prior to 2010.

Woodruff, for all of the accomplishments he had on the track, is forever linked to a decision made by the University of Pittsburgh in 1937. As told by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Paul Zeise in a 2007 obituary for Woodruff: “Pitt was scheduled to compete in a multi-team meet at Annapolis, Md., in 1937, but the track coach from the Naval Academy told both Pitt and New York University that their African-Americans were not welcome because there were no accommodations available for blacks at the school. New York University pulled its team out of the meet, but Pitt coach Carl Ol-

son made the decision to go to the meet and compete without Mr. Woodruff. According to Pitt Emeritus Trustee Herbert Douglas, who was a bronze medalist in the long jump at the 1948 Olympics and a longtime friend of Mr. Woodruff, this snub by the Pitt track team troubled Mr. Woodruff for a long time.”

Woodruff received a formal apology from the university -- some 70 years later. Former Chancellor Mark Nordenberg issued the apology to Woodruff during a Pitt football homecoming weekend in 2006.

Woodruff, born in 1915 in Connellsville, Pa., and died in 2007 at age 92, had a connection to the Pittsburgh Courier. When Woodruff was a freshman at Pitt, he had said he “got a room at the YMCA in the Hill District and a job helping to clean Pitt Stadium and the basketball gym after games,” according to the Pitt Chronicle.

The Pitt Chronicle later said that “financial assistance from Pitt track coach Carl Olson and from Robert L. Vann, editor and publisher of the Pittsburgh Courier, the leading African American newspaper of the day, helped Woodruff pay his living expenses during his freshman year at Pitt and, subsequently, in Berlin during the Olympic Games.”

Woodruff earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Pitt in 1939 then earned a master’s degree at New York University in 1941.

METRO

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2022

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City planners ask: Is a $1,000-a-month ‘micro’ apartment affordable?

AN ARTIST’S RENDERING of the proposed Baumhaus Phase II building, presented to the City Planning Commission on April 19.

A proposed Baum Boulevard high-rise brings questions from planners, but the city’s leverage is limited

by Rich Lord PublicSource

Pittsburgh’s City Planning Commission quizzed wouldbe developers of a nine-story apartment building in Friendship about proposed rents ahead of a likely May 3 hearing and vote.

Laurel Real Estate Services wants to build Baumhaus Phase II next door to their existing Baumhaus Phase I, at the corner of Baum Boule-

vard and S. Graham St. The structure would be lower — just seven stories — along Baum, rising to its full 101 feet in the rear, along Dapper Way. Its 198 units would have 142 on-site parking spaces, and access to the already-occupied Phase I via both a street-level covered walkway and a skybridge between rooftop terraces.

The masonry-heavy design of the ground floor struck commissioner Becky Mingo

as “abrasive,” and commissioner Sabina Deitrick as “almost an endless wall of brick.” They asked the development team to review whether more transparency can be incorporated into the facade.

Responding to commissioners’ questions about affordability, the developer’s representatives said Laurel prides itself on attracting diverse tenants. They noted they are subject to market forces,

but could end up charging around $2.50 per square foot.

“What would you call affordable?” asked Deitrick.

“The 400 square-foot micro [unit] for $1,000 a month? Is that what you’re calling affordable?”

The development team did not directly confirm that example but indicated that they have some unit types priced at around $800 per month in other buildings.

Mayor Ed Gainey has

made the development of affordable housing a centerpiece of his economic development agenda. Baumhaus Phase II, however, would not be receiving any of the public subsidies which often trigger affordability requirements, according to the developers. It is not within an inclusionary zoning district, which would require that a percentage of units be affordable to households of modest income.

Attorney William Sittig, who represented the development team, could not be immediately reached after the virtual briefing to address follow-up questions on rents.

The public is expected to have an opportunity to weigh in on May 3. The commission can then approve or deny the plan because it is within the specially planned Baum-Centre district.

METRO

A6 APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2022

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

VP Kamala Harris tests positive for COVID-19

by Stacy Brown NNPA Newswire Correspondent

Vice President Kamala Harris has tested positive for COVID. Harris and First Gentleman Doug Emhoff returned this week from traveling across the country. They attended a fundraiser in California hosted by Walt Disney Television’s Dana Walden and producer Matt Walden. Held at the Walden’s home, officials said about 30 people attended.

“Today, Vice President Harris tested positive for COVID-19 on rapid and PCR tests,” said Harris’ press secretary Kirsten Allen on Tuesday, April

26.

“She has exhibited no symptoms, will isolate and continue to work from the Vice President’s residence. She has not been in close contact with the President or First Lady due to their respective recent travel schedules.”

NBC News reported that Harris was last with the president and first lady on Monday, April 18, for the Easter Egg Roll.

Allen said Harris and her husband would follow guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The couple also plan to follow the advice of their doctors, Allen stated.

The Vice President is

fully vaccinated and boosted. Harris completed her two dose regiment of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in January of last year and has received two boosters. The first in late October and a second just a few weeks ago on April 1.

“The Vice President will return to the White House when she tests negative,” she said.

CNN reported that Harris arrived at the White House Tuesday morning and went straight to take a test. After testing positive on both PCR and rapid tests, she returned home to her residence at the Naval Observatory, where she will be isolating, CNN reported.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., providing free mammograms, May 17-18 AKAS FROM A1

“The AKAs are concerned about women’s health in general, and that (breast cancer/mammograms) has been one of our targets for several years now,” voiced Dr. Emma Lucas-Darby, president of the sorority’s local chapter.

“Early detection of breast cancer increases the opportunity for a variety of treatment,” added LaJuana Fuller, director of Women’s Imaging at UPMC Magee Womens Hospital.

Fuller and her team will be on site both days, answering the many questions women may have after they take their mammogram screening.

She told the New Pittsburgh Courier that it’s important women have follow-up care after their screening.

Fuller advises that women start getting an annual mammogram screening beginning at age 40.

So what causes the gap in breast cancer incidence and death between Black and White women?

According to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the answer is “complex and multi-factorial. Social, economic, and behavioral factors may partially account for disparities. Black women are statistically more likely to have diabetes, heart disease and obesity, and are less likely to breastfeed after childbirth—all of which are risk factors for breast cancer. They are also more likely than White women to have inadequate health insurance or access to health care facilities, which may affect screening, follow-up care, and completion of therapy.”

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation also noted that “biology” plays a role. “Black women are disproportionately affected by more aggressive subtypes, such as triple-negative breast cancer and inflammatory breast cancer, and they are more likely to be diagnosed at younger ages and at more advanced stages of the disease.”

Dr. Darby told the Courier that the operative

word for their two-day screening event is “free.”

“We really want women to have a mammogram, and we know that a lot of uninsured women cannot have a mammogram, or

even if they are insured, they’ll pay high deductibles.”

Dr. Darby said she doesn’t hear that women don’t want to get mammograms, it’s just the cost factor. “We’re trying to tap into that population. It doesn’t matter that you don’t have insurance, just come and get the mammograms.”

Dr. Darby said in addition to the mammogram screenings, there will be a health fair at the Great Hall, as well. People can come to the health fair where there will be

other screenings available with no appointment needed, along with COVID-19 vaccinations for adults and children.

“We will have giveaways, as well,” Dr. Darby told the Courier. “Several local organizations and corporations are working with us.”

Fuller said that once all the appointments for the Alpha Kappa Alpha mobile mammography screenings have been filled, that doesn’t give women (or men) the excuse not to get a screening. She told the Courier

UPMC Magee-Womens has 11 centers in the region that provide mammography screenings, including its main Oakland location (300 Halket Street), McKeesport (1500 Fifth Ave. Level A), West Mifflin (275 Clairton Blvd.) and Monroeville (4075 Monroeville Blvd., Building II). For more information on those available screening times, call 412-641-4700.

METRO

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2022

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Eric Holmes named Duquesne Univ.

Chief of Police and Dir. of Public Safety The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that Eric Holmes is the new Duquesne University Police Chief and Director of Public Safety.

The announcement was made Monday, April 25.

Holmes succeeds Tom Hart, who retired at the end of March after more than 10 years of service to Duquesne. Chief Holmes starts Monday, May 23.

“Eric Holmes brings to Duquesne a comprehensive law enforcement background that encompasses both municipality and university settings,” said Doug Frizzell, vice president for student life, in a statement. “He is proactive, forward-thinking and strategic in his work. His community-minded philosophy for law enforcement, coupled with a genuine interest in working with college students, made him immediately stand out in our national search.”

Holmes, formerly a Pittsburgh City Police Commander, will bring to Duquesne 25 years of law enforcement, security, risk management, and administrative experience, including deep expertise in campus and community relations-driven approaches to public safety. Holmes started his career in higher education public safety working as a police officer at the University of Pittsburgh. He also has extensive experience in higher education risk manage-

ment and law enforcement.

Commander Holmes served as site liaison for the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police when, in 2014, was one of six pilot sites selected to take part in the National Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice. He also served on the My Brother’s Keeper Allegheny County/City of Pittsburgh committee.

Holmes currently serves on the Pitt Institute of Politics Criminal Justice Racial Disparities study working group, having been appointed by Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald to serve this important effort.

“I am honored to have been selected as the next chief of police and director of public safety for Duquesne University,” Holmes, a former New Pittsburgh Courier “Men of Excellence” Award recipient, said in a statement.

“This is a natural step in my career and my personal aspirations because I live a principled life through faith and in service to others.”

Holmes oversaw the implementation of data-driven, intelligence-led policing in Pittsburgh with the establishment of the Bureau of Police Crime Analysis Unit and Real Time Crime Center. He currently serves on the Major Cities Chiefs Intelligence Commanders Committee.

Additionally, Holmes has taught courses as adjunct

faculty at local universities.

“Among the most compelling characteristics that led us to select Eric Holmes as the new chief is that he has been consistently recognized as a leading driver of operational improvement, innovative outreach, community relationships, and diplomatic approaches to problem solving in his work,” Frizzell said in a statement.

In addition to a bachelor’s in communication from Slippery Rock and a master’s in criminal justice administration from Point Park University, Holmes is a graduate of The Advanced Leadership Institute in partnership with the Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business; the Executive Research Forum Senior Management Institute for Police, Session #77; and the Naval Post Graduate School Executive Leaders Program. He also is an executive fellow with the National Police Institute.

Holmes is a member of the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators and its government committee. His current and past work with professional and volunteer organizations includes the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives; Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.; Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences; Pittsburgh Re-

ERIC HOLMES gional Champions; Leadership Pittsburgh LDI XVIII; the YWCA Community Board of Directors; the City of Pittsburgh Human Relations Commission; and Amachi Pittsburgh.

In addition, Holmes has been recognized with the FBI-LEEDA Trilogy Award.

“I am honored to have been selected as the next chief of police and director of public safety for Duquesne University. This is a natural step in my career and my personal aspirations because I live a principled life through faith and in service to others.”

- ERIC HOLMES

RELIGION/METRO

A8 APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2022

Praise & Worship

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Now therefore, thus says the LORD of host, consider YOUR ways.

ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH

“You have sown much, but harvest little, You eat but there is not enough to be satisfied, You drink, but there is not enough to quench your thirst; You clothe yourselves, but You are not warm and You earn wages only to put them in a bag with holes in it.”

91 Crawford Street Pgh., PA 15219 412-281-3141 Sunday Mass 11 AM Rev. Thomas J. Burke- Pastor

-Haggai 1:5-6

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REV. WALKER SAYS: Word of God but seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto You. Matthew 6:33 KJV

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Stop looking at others’ shortcomings and consider YOUR ways.

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Walker named CEO of ‘Pittsburgh Scholar House’ Join our growing Praise and Worship Church Community!

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DIAMONTE WALKER, ED.D. (PHOTO BY JAY MANNING/PUBLICSOURCE)

WALKER FROM A1

participants complete their post-secondary education and enter high-growth careers to enable economic mobility and sustain a better quality of life for them and their children. In a release, the Pittsburgh Scholar House said this goal is achieved through “outreach and expansion by providing resources that include innovative and ethical best-practices for data collection and data-informed services for this subset of the academic community.”

The Pittsburgh Scholar House is being incubated by the Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education, a network of 11 colleges and universities in Allegheny County, until a board of directors is established and a 501(c)(3) status is secured. Three years ago, The Heinz Endowments, Henry L. Hillman Foundation and PNC Foundation partnered with the PCHE to begin the process of bringing the Family Scholar House model, based in Louisville, to Pittsburgh.

“The decision to establish the Pittsburgh Scholar House stemmed from a visit by leaders from several of Pittsburgh’s leading foundations to the five Family Scholar House campuses in Louisville,” said Dr. David Finegold, Chatham University President and PCHE Chairman, in a re-

lease. “They were very impressed by Family Scholar House’s results and the comprehensive wraparound services offered to single-parents and their children that helped them achieve college graduation rates of over 90 percent.”

For Dr. Walker, it’s all about “holistic, wraparound care, treating the family as though they are a student, a participant in academia facing unique challenges and barriers that other students may not face as adult learners.

Our goal is to tap into the existing supports that are available within our community and connect those and coalesce those around these student learners so that they are not only getting their education but their children are also getting access to high-quality early childhood education, because that is what the data indicates will turn the tide around some of these pervasive issues that we see that are exacerbated by multi-generational poverty.”

Similar to a sports team hiring an established coach, Dr. Walker was chosen to lead the Pittsburgh Scholar House with a documented, established resume. At the URA, she was instrumental in the agency purchasing the Centre-Heldman Plaza for $1.6 million in 2019 after the Hill House dissolved, assuring the plaza wouldn’t

turn into a location of businesses that didn’t serve the Hill District’s many African American residents.

Dr. Walker also spearheaded the “Avenues of Hope” initiative, which invests in seven major business corridors in areas like the Hill, Homewood, Larimer, Perrysville Ave. (North Side), Chartiers Ave. (Sheraden), Warrington Ave. (Knoxville/Beltzhoover) and Hazelwood. “Avenues of Hope,” for the URA, focuses on housing investment, workforce connectivity and other small business supports for minorities.

In a March 25 release from the URA announcing her departure, the URA pointed out other achievements of Dr. Walker in her five years at the agency: Increased access to business opportunities and lending support for small and minority and women-owned businesses through the development of programs such as the Micro-Loan Program and Catapult: Startup to Storefront; Helped to establish the Housing Opportunity Fund to increase and preserve affordable, safe housing for Pittsburgh’s most vulnerable residents; and provided strategic oversight of programs to assist struggling residents and small businesses and position Pittsburgh for longterm economic recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis.

“Dr. Walker will be profoundly missed in her role as Deputy Executive Director of the URA,” Mayor Ed Gainey remarked in the March 25 release.

“Her vision helped reshape the URA and helped to transform it into an organization that puts the residents of our great city first.

I want to thank her for her leadership.”

In 2019, the City of Pittsburgh’s Gender Equity Commission released a report that revealed Pittsburgh was the worst place for Black women to live in for nearly every indicator of livability. It was a report that shocked those across the country, but it wasn’t particularly surprising to Pittsburgh’s Black residents. For Dr. Walker, a Pittsburgh-born, Hill District-raised Black woman, she told the Courier she felt the “reality of that data on a visceral level, and I feel a responsibility to work in a way that starts to address and chip away at that data so we don’t spend another decade diagnosing the problem without a real effective remedy.”

The Pittsburgh Scholar House’s programs are for women and men, and for any ethnicity in the region.

However, Dr. Walker said that “we know the protracted issue exists particularly around Black, single female head-of-households, and unless we start to really address and focus on

the social determinants of health and how that contributes to the success of mothers and children, we’re not going to see those statistics (from the Gender Equity Commission report) improve in any measurable way.”

Dr. Walker said attaining that four-year college degree “is one of the deciding factors in whether or not poverty persists from one generation to the next,” and that focus on education is the primary goal for the Pittsburgh Scholar House.

“My mother and my community instilled in me the importance and value of education despite any hardships you might face.

It was very difficult and very challenging,” added Dr. Walker, a Brashear High School graduate.

Dr. Walker then attended CCAC where she earned an associate’s degree, followed by a bachelor’s from Capella University, two master’s degrees from Western Governors University, and a doctorate in education and leadership from Point Park University. She said the Pittsburgh Scholar House’s programs, which are forthcoming, “presents an opportunity to make that path a lot easier for other people growing up in some of Pittsburgh’s disinvested neighborhoods. It doesn’t have to be difficult.”

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End of an era — the Colbert/Tomlin relationship Steelers GM retiring after this week’s NFL Draft This is one of the easiest stories that I have ever written or even attempted to write. Why? Well, because the actions of the two men that I will be profiling in this communiqué cemented their legacy over a decade ago. I will honor their legacy, simply by affording the readers the opportunity to hear it from their own mouths. Those two individuals are the Steelers Vice-President and General Manager Kevin Colbert and Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin.

Kevin Colbert was hired in 2000 as the Director of Football Operations for the Steelers, assisting in the assembly of two Super Bowl winning teams. In 2010, Colbert was named the Steelers’ first general manager and was placed in charge of player transactions and acquisitions as the head executive in the Steelers organization.

When he was hired he said this about his position: “My role is (to) provide him (Dan Rooney) with people we think are potential replacements.”

When Mike Tomlin was hired by the Steelers in January 2007, Colbert had experienced close to seven years on the job and there wasn’t much of a clash of egos because the hierarchy was already established.

The relationship between Colbert and Tomlin may have, at times, gone through difficulties but I can assure you Colbert’s and Tomlin’s business relationship and personal union was a match made in heaven compared to the final two years of the nightmarish union of ex-Steelers director of football opera-

MIKE TOMLIN, KEVIN COLBERT, DAN ROONEY, with the Super Bowl XLIII trophy. tions (GM) Tom Donahoe and ex-Steelers Head Coach Bill Cowher. Donahoe was with Pittsburgh from 1991 to 1999. His tenure with the team was widely acknowledged as a power struggle between him and head coach Bill Cowher. Donahoe left the team following the 1999 season and Bill Cowher departed the team in 2006 after an alleged power struggle and ego problem with the team’s upper management. There are no such horror stories to report about the joint tenure of Mike Tomlin and

Kevin Colbert. During their recent joint press conference to discuss the 2022

draft, Mike Tomlin reflected upon his relationship with Kevin Colbert.

“I’ve tried not to think

about it to be quite honest with you,” he said. “It went through my mind: a little bit some when we were traveling because we’ve just had such great times over the years traveling and gathering information, necessary information, to get to know the young men. But we’ve been up against it, pretty good and hustling.

There hasn’t been a lot of those moments but obviously it has been a pleasure to work alongside him. We’ll see where the roads lead us.”

Kevin Colbert was also

asked if he had “allowed (himself) to smell the roses” in regards to working with Mike Tomlin over the years.

“No, not at all, honestly,’” he said. “Just to echo Coach’s comments, listen, it’s been a great process to work with Coach. You don’t take those things for granted. He loves this part of the process, and that always makes it an easier endeavor. It’s fun to be out and watch him interact with these young men and their families, and the respect that he commands on the road, it’s very impressive. And the information that he comes away with

that I might have missed is very helpful. It’s been a nice working relationship, but it’s been more than that.”

Tomlin echoed those sentiments, “No doubt,” he said.

Colbert continued on: “You share the highs, you share the lows, and it’s been great.

But quite honestly, we haven’t had the time to think about that. Now, I think that time will come whenever it comes, but right now we’ve got to get this thing right, and that’s what we are (looking at), quarterbacks.”

During the press conference, Tomlin sort of set me straight as well. I asked him this: “When you’re looking at the quarterback position now, obviously with the tragedy that happened with (Dwayne) Haskins, does that affect your decision (of) you and Kevin, going (into the draft), whether you’re going to draft a QB maybe a little bit higher? Tomlin said, “In regard to Dwayne, our energy has been on paying proper respect and supporting his family. We have not approached it from a business decision or a business decision-making standpoint. We feel like that’s the appropriate mindset for us to have as we sit here today.”

That response reminded me that many times there are personal elements that are far outweigh the importance of dollars and “sense.”

One of the most important things that the NFL world and the sports world in general will miss about the direct partnership of Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin is going to be their empathy and sense of humanity. Godspeed Kevin, and continued success for Mike Tomlin.

Around the NBA...Be careful what you wish for!! :10—Without question, a lineup including Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden has you in line for NBA championship tickets. At least that’s what you thought two months ago. But that ship has sailed... Those horses are out the barn... That dog won’t hunt ... Well, you get it now. Harden is gone, KD is tired and Kyrie is a bit delusional again, be careful what you wish for! The Boston Celtics brought out the brooms and swept the Nets right out of the playoffs....Crazy! :09—That being the nightmare on the east coast, there would be one of biblical proportion that went way south on the west coast.

Your G.O.A.T., not mine, LeBron James, is in a combo of age and injury, Anthony Davis is often hurt but mostly satisfied he has his ring so the fight is gone and Russell Westbrook, in spite of all his good will, still can’t find the way to championship gold.

Again, be careful what you wish for! :08—Unless of course you’re Joel Embiid playing for the 76ers and wishing that you could get rid of Ben Simmons and gain the talents of James Harden. Wish

granted... But you still come up short in the East Conference championship. It should go like this: Miami over Atlanta, Philly over Toronto, and Milwaukee over Chicago. We’ll catch up next week. All signs point to Milwaukee, once again. :07—For the record, and for those who think power teams are automatic, look at the Nets and Lakers... you must have team unity. And, most importantly, a smart and no-nonsense coach.

:06—Going out west where it’s the best, you have Phoenix vs. New Orleans, Dallas vs. Utah, Golden State vs. Denver and Memphis vs. Minnesota. It looks like Golden State is back and should come out of the west. And I mean they’re really back! :05—The shining stars out of the east. Once again Giannis Antetokounmpo

should be your MVP followed by Joel Embiid, Trae Young - Atlanta, James Harden - Philly, Jimmy Butler - Miami, Jayson Tatum - Boston, Kevin Durant - Brooklyn, and Demar Derozan - Chicago. :04—The stars shine a bit brighter out west. Devin Booker - Phoenix, Luka Doncic - Dallas, the human highlight film Ja Morant Memphis, Stephen Curry - Golden State, Chris Paul - Phoenix and Nikola Jokic - Denver. :03—From a distance...

And Lord knows I’ve been wrong before. But your championship run should be a good one.

Looks like Philly and Milwaukee will play for east representation and it looks like a humdinger coming our way with Phoenix and Golden State getting it on. :02—If I’m anywhere near right we should see Golden State and Milwaukee lock horns for a bestof-seven barn-burner. To go against Curry & Klay Thompson is not a smart bet. I got the Warriors winning it all again! :01—But I also had the Steelers in the Super Bowl last year so let that be your guide. :00—GAME OVER.

THE BROOKLYN NETS’ KEVIN DURANT is getting heat for his team being swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

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The Credit Game

by Megan Kirk For New Pittsburgh Courier

(Michigan Chronicle)— Credit is a main component in purchasing power.

Whether it is for a home or car, credit scores can impact approval. However, many are not aware of their credit scores and often commit credit faux pas effectively lowering their score. A difficult task to raise, it is crucial for consumers to keep their credit limit high to increase purchasing power. However, it is not the only number to be aware of when shopping around for the perfect home.

Though credit is a contributor in making large purchases, such as a home, it is not the determinant. Credit scores help creditors get a snapshot of how debts have been handled by consumers in the past, but it does not provide the full picture.

Debt-to-income ratios are taken into account when determining a person’s purchase power and are ultimately the key to unlocking your home.

The credit score is used to determine a client’s rate and the costs associated with it. The score is not used to determine buying power, one’s Debt to Income Ratio, DTI, is. We determine how much buying power a client has by taking all of the debts on their credit report, as well as any other financial obligations such as alimony and child support and dividing the required monthly payments by their gross monthly income to determine the client’s DTI.” Says Brian Cook, a Triple Crown Mortgage Banker.

“Most of the time, people with better credit will have lower rates on their debts, meaning their monthly payments are lower. This in turn gives people more buying power because their money can go towards their purchase rather than interest to the creditors.”

Statistically, African American communities typically have lower credit scores and higher rates of DTI. Enlarging the wealth gap, credit and DTI can make it harder for Black and brown communities to obtain the American dream of homeownership, which has been shown to have a direct correlation to wealth. To curve this, consumers must take charge of their credit and lower the

amount of debt coming out of their pockets.

“One can improve their credit rating by having older accounts that are in good standing, keeping utilization under 30 percent of the credit limit and consistently making on-time payments. Collections can be negotiated once sold to debt collection agencies and there are credit specialist who are experts in this field to assist with those,” says Cook.

Though financial sustainability is not often taught in Black communities, economic education can help curve common mistakes made on credit add the accumulation of debt. Mistakes early in credit establishment, which consumers can obtain as early as 18-years-old, can lead to a lifetime of playing catch up.

“The biggest mistakes I have seen are co-signing for debt, having high utilization meaning they are at or close to their max available credit limit and people believing they don’t need credit,” says Cook. “I sometimes get clients that think because they pay cash for everything that means they are in a good spot. In terms of credit, especially when qualifying for a mortgage, we need to see a history of credit.”

Those liking to branch out and start their own business will not have to contend with their personal credit to get their business up and going. While personal credit is associated with the consumer’s Social Security number, business credit is linked to a company’s Employer Identification Number, or EIN. A Tax ID Number may also be used to establish credit for a business.

“Credit does impact this but personal credit and business credit are two different things. You typically need to establish business credit versus personal credit when using it for business purposes,” says Cook.

For those looking to get a handle on their personal finances, services are available that will help to build credit, decrease DTI and pity consumers in the perfect position for purchasing. Remembering to pay balances off on time and limit the amount of debts can make the difference between rental and ownership.

ESTATE DISPUTES can cause unwanted conflict between family members.

How to avoid an estate dispute the family you would have provided for (like step-children) are inadvertently disinherited.

Worse yet is the scenario where you’ve left no will at all.

Where do these disagreements end?

They end in litigation, where attorney fees, court costs, and the passage of time erode your estate, and everyone loses something.

Sadly, this scenario is not as unlikely as it might seem. The news is full of stories of celebrity will contests —like those involving the estates of Anna Nicole Smith, Gary Coleman, Heath Ledger, Michael Jackson, and Aretha Franklin, not to mention

by Portia Wood For New Pittsburgh Courier

(Word In Black)—Picture this— Your long, rich life is coming to an end. Surrounded by loving family you hold hands, lock eyes, say your goodbyes, and peacefully leave this world.

Then…your family members declare war on one another. It’s weeks later and someone is disgruntled about the distributions from your will. Old wounds between siblings reopen, perhaps never to be healed.

Worse yet is the scenario where you’ve left no will at all. Your assets are distributed according to your state’s laws of intestacy…meaning

PORTIA WOOD

SEE ESTATE DISPUTE B2

33-year-old making history as the first Black CEO of P.F. Chang’s Meet Damola Adamolekun, the CEO of P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, a popular Asian casual-dining restaurant chain based in the U.S. Since 2020, he has been leading the company to ensure its continued growth and success.

Damola, who is now 33-years old, has been essential in the evolution of P.F. Chang’s, one of the largest and most famous restaurant chains across the globe.

Even though the brand is still strong, he believed that it is necessary to embrace change to adapt to the uncertain future.

As P.F. Chang’s CEO, Damola worked on revamping

DAMOLA ADAMOLEKUN, CEO OF P.F. CHANG’S CHINA BISTRO the dining rooms and revising the menu items. He also initiated the inclusion of delivery and to-go orders which was viewed as unfitting to the brand before. Now the

chain operates a number of small fast-casual-type of locations around the country.

True enough, the business survived even when the pandemic hit. What’s more, he

led the company to a 31.7 percent increase in sales in 2021 compared to the year before, according to Top 500 chain data from Restaurant Business sister firm, Technomic.

Moreover, Damola is a partner at Paulson & Co., which became one of the principal owners of P.F. Chang’s which was bought for $700 million in 2019.

He was also on the board of directors at the International Tower Hill Mines LLC. Adamolekun earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics from Brown University and his Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.

How do you stretch a dollar? Answer: B U D G E T! Type in the question, “how do you stretch a dollar in your google search”, you’re certain to get images of a dollar bill being stretched to the point of it being torn. Growing up in a single mom headed household, I recall my mom saying we have to stretch this money to last us the entire month. I don’t recall ever making it through the entire month without being cash-strapped for weeks before another deposit hit. My mom was on a fixed income. She received her check once per month. Apparently, the money didn’t stretch as far as she had hoped it to. Every month! There was too much month left at the end of the money. We’d go broke within the first couple of weeks in the month. Then we’d have to live through the rest of the month with no cash. The only thing that felt stretched was the number of days left in the month before our next check.

A dollar is a dollar! You can stretch it.

You can fold it. You can crumble it up.

You can create a paper airplane out of it.

Fact remains, a dollar is worth a dollar.

You can only trade it for something of equal value. Money is the greatest magician of them all. It can disappear right before your eyes leaving you to wonder where the money went.

Money can be a great servant. It will obey your every command. You have to be the Master of it. The only way to stretch a dollar is to be proactive and manage it before you spend it. You have to tell your money where to go instead of wondering where it went. You have to live below your means with a purpose.

Being a master over your money is how I define Budgeting. Budgeting is you tak-

ing control of your life and your money.

Budgeting is you putting your priorities, responsibilities, and goals in order.

I’ve teamed up with CCAC, Adjunct Professor Tracy Mcdonough. Below she’ll share her personal Budgeting story: No one wants to be put on a budget. I know I didn’t. I grew up in tight circumstances with a single mom for most of it and not much money coming in. When I got my first real job out of college making a whopping $17k per year, I did not want to budget. I had never in my life been able to spend freely. I wanted to buy clothes, a car, etc. But $17k per year is not much to live on—especially after taxes. Budget here I come. Ugh! I wasn’t great at it in the beginning.

When I decided to go to grad school, I knew I had to get better at it as money would be even tighter. Luckily, I was getting a MBA, so finance became part of my studies. On this relatively small salary, I had to cover everything including student loans from undergrad and current tuition (about $5k per year).

Recommended steps to working in a budget: 1. PRIORITIZE. Rent, utilities, food, transportation, debt payments, current biggest need (for me that was tuition) 2. No more than 30 percent on average of your net pay should go towards rent/ mortgage

3. A car payment lasting longer than 3 years is a car you can’t afford 4. NEVER defer student loan payments as they grow quickly and can’t be discharged—even in bankruptcy 5. IMMEDIATELY start an emergency fund 6. Make tough, even hated decisions Number 6 is challenging. One tough decision I made was to give up life in a condo with my college roommate to save money by living with my mom. I paid her about $150 a month to cover utilities, “rent”, and groceries. Those things were previously about $650 a month. $415 of that savings went to tuition, another $85 went to the emergency fund. I also gave up my gym membership for walking at the park during this time. I loved my aerobics classes. God worked it in for me.

My best friend that I met in grad school mom owned a gym. My weekly aerobics class was now free. God worked through my mom too. Because I helped her with shopping, paying bills, and cooking, my mom saved most of the money I was paying her in rent. When I moved to Pittsburgh 3 years later after finishing grad school, she handed me a check for several thousand dollars to get started in my new life.

Damon Carr here. Thanks Tracey for sharing your story. As I was reading your story, the first thing that jumped

out at me was you gave your mom $150 per month and it covered rent, utilities, and food. If your mom has some extra rooms available, there’s a couple of readers that would like to rent one of those rooms (joking).

As you read Tracy’s story. You can see she was intentional. She knew what she wanted. She was knowledgeable about both her income and her expenses. She understood that she can have it all. She just couldn’t have it all right now. As a result, she prioritized what was most important to her. Her buying and spending decisions were based on that priority.

She made sacrifices. Her being willing to give up her luxury apartment and move back home with her mom allowed her to cash-flow graduate school and minimized student loan debt.

Most importantly, her creating a budget where she could see in black and white how to best manage her money to get the biggest bang for her buck is what gave her the foresight to make those decisions.

Having a Budget is what allowed her to Stretch her dollars. Today Tracey, her husband and two sons are living a financially stress-free life. They have a firm handle on their personal finances.

In closing, remember if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. A budget is what allows you to manage your money and track and measure your progress.

If you’re having a hard time getting forward traction with your money, you need a budget to help you stretch your dollars.

(Damon Carr, Money Coach be reached @ 412216-1013 or visit his website @ www.damonmoneycoach.com)

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Individual wealth-building for African Americans

by Deborah Bailey For New Pittsburgh Courier

Since the death of George Floyd in May 2020, a renewed emphasis on building wealth has emerged in African American communities across the United States.

The economic “wealth gap” between African American and White Communities is now an acknowledged fact and a renewed effort is taking place by individuals in Black communities to build wealth from the ground up.

“We have to get comfortable talking about challenging issues like the racial wealth gap,” said Erika James, the first African American woman to be named Dean of the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania.

In a recent report issued by the US Federal Reserve, DMV economist Akila Forde Black stated the wealth gap is unfortunately increasing. “Hispanic or Latino households earn about half as much as the average White household and own only about 15 to 20 percent as much net wealth,” she and co-author Aditya Aladangady state in the report on the Racial Wealth Gap. Seminars, social media posts and corporate and community resources across the nation are connecting with Black communities to change this picture. Most HBCUs have courses in personal finance and are connecting African Americans from all walks of life with options that weren’t available a generation ago to build wealth and strengthen our communities.

“We tend to publicize dramatic successes and dramatic failures,” said Granville Sawyer, Director of the MBA program at Bowie State University and author of “College in Four Years: Making Every Semester Count.”

“The vast majority of us are in between and need practical tools and support to move forward financially,” Sawyer said.

Sawyer and analysts from McKinsey and Company Public and Social Sector emphasize the need for African Americans to be connected to this nation’s financial wealth-building system.

Secure Financial Investments “African Americans have to focus on investing in financial assets as well as material assets like houses and property,” Sawyer said.

“The average annual compound rate of return on the New York Stock Exchange

AMONG OTHER TACTICS, Black Americans looking to build wealth are encouraged to seek out financial literacy opportunities, have a bank account in good standing, build up an emergency fund and make sound investments. (Photo by Towfiqu Barbhuiya on Unsplash). is 9.6 percent. If you can invest $200 per month over 40 years, you will be a millionaire,” he added.

But only 33.5 percent of African Americans own stock, according to a 2019 Federal Reserve Report.

Sawyer encourages African Americans to get started with a portfolio either through an employer or independently through an investment management company.

“A well-diversified portfolio of financial assets; stock, mutual funds. That’s as low of a level of risk as you can get but will help you save more than a basic savings account,” Sawyer said.

Start or Build Your Emergency Fund More than 73 percent of African Americans reported the inability to cover expenses for three months in an emergency, according to an April 2021 Pew Research Poll. The Covid-19 Pandemic has impacted Americans overall in this category with only 4 in 10 Americans of all backgrounds reporting the ability to handle a $1000 emergency expense right now without using the charge card.

“Create an emergency fund,” Sawyer said. “If you can’t afford three months of expenses, put away $1000 because the emergencies will come,” he said. “If you keep using the credit card for unanticipated expenses, you are borrowing against your future money to pay that card back,” Sawyer added.

Getting a Bank Account, Insurance and

Credit More than 17 percent of African Americans are without traditional bank accounts compared to approximately 7 percent of Whites according to the FDIC. Some of this disparity results from segregation and Jim Crow laws barring Blacks from establishing bank accounts in mainstream institutions.

Black Banks, credit unions and other financial institutions, once the safe haven for African American savings, have declined from a record 134 Black-owned financial institutions in 1934 to a current 44.

According to a February 2021 report, access to financial institutions and financial products is critical to African American wealth

building and social mobility. A 2020 study by Haven Life found that African Americans have 1/3 of the insurance coverage of their white counterparts. The National African American Insurance Association, with chapters in 18 cities, is working to help African Americans ensure their families understand how to build wealth through life

insurance.

Financial Literacy Supports Not Limited to Students Most HBCUs offer some form of financial literacy support to the surrounding community as well as to their students. Howard University, Bowie State University and Morgan State University all offer beginner-level courses in personal finance. Coppin State University just announced the start of a campus-community financial literacy initiative with PNC Bank.

Mindset Matters Most Sawyer advises that the first thing needed to make personal financial changes in our lives is to focus on a mindset that’s ready to sustain a change for the better.

“Make room in your life for focus, discipline and consistency,” he maintains.

Making and managing wealth means clearing the fear and hesitation from your life to ask for help.

Sawyer encourages Blacks who have not considered wealth building to get started in 2022.

“There’s going to be many times when your faith is tested on the road to building wealth,” asserts Sawyer. “But the net will not appear until you leap.”

(The post Individual wealth building for African Americans appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.)

How to avoid an estate dispute ESTATE DISPUTE FROM B1

infamous Howard Hughes estate (Google these). Closer to home, you’ve probably heard of a family in your own community that has been torn apart over the distribution of a loved one’s estate.

How do these disagreements arise and, more importantly, what can you do now to save your family from the trauma of a dispute over your estate after you are gone?

Here are some factors that can increase the likelihood of family discord: • Having made no plans for the distribution of your assets upon your death • Incomplete or last-minute estate planning • DIY or other estate planning documents that are ambiguously worded • Second or later marriages, especially where there are multiple sets of children

• Disinheriting a child without explanation • Family businesses with no written succession plan in place • Existing hostilities among family members • Failing to communicate your wishes to your family while you are alive While there is no way to absolutely eliminate the chance of a dispute over your estate, there are steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of such a conflict: NOW IS THE TIME to create an estate plan that addresses all of your wishes and concerns.

Do not leave estate planning to the last minute, when you are at death’s door.

Establish a pattern of updating your estate plan whenever your circumstances change.

Keep the lines of communication open, so that your family knows what to ex-

pect.

If you have a family business put a clear, workable succession plan in place, in writing.

Work to maintain healthy family relationships during your lifetime.

Perhaps the most important step you can take to avoid disputes like those described above is to establish a relationship with an experienced Estate Planning attorney. He or she can take all of your concerns and desires into account and draft documents that are clear and unambiguous, discouraging intra-family disputes.

If you are concerned about potential family conflict, your attorney can suggest a number of strategies to help avoid this kind of turmoil. For example, your attorney might suggest you include an in terrorem (or “no contest”) clause in your estate plan that disinherits

anyone who contests the document. An experienced attorney can help you put together a plan that addresses all of your needs while minimizing the risk of conflict after you are gone.

After completing their planning, our clients describe feeling: Relieved Informed Confident Cared for

(Portia M. Wood, Esq. is a generational wealth planning attorney, author, and speaker, frequently sought out by MSNBC, Good Morning America, and other local and national media organizations to speak on the racial wealth gap. Based in Los Angeles, she leads Wood Legal Group, LLP, an African American, woman-owned, and operated law firm specializing in estate planning, probate, and elder law that she runs with her mother and law partner, Robin W. Wood. Learn more at woodlegalgroup.com.)

Duquesne Light Company’s Dollar Energy Fund expanded Duquesne Light Company (DLC) has bolstered its fund devoted to families who need help paying their electric bill, and the utility has a team of dedicated specialists working to distribute aid to more families than in years past as part of DLC’s commitment to assist the region’s ongoing economic recovery from COVID-19.

Dollar Energy Fund (DEF), which is a DLC program that gives grants to customers experiencing financial hardship, is comprised of money from stakeholders, employees and other customers helping their neighbors in need.

With the April 1 moratorium lift on utility shutoffs in Pennsylvania, more than 30,000 DLC customers are at risk of termination. DLC aims to reduce that number by directing them to DEF. Currently, there is nearly $2 million available, and it’s easier than ever to qualify for funding through this program.

Kerry Hughes, DLC’s executive complaint specialist describes the grants as “money for people who need it.”

Some people, she said, are hesitant to explore DEF, because they think they’ll have to repay it later.

“It’s not a loan or payment ar-

NEARLY $2 MILLION in grant money available for in-need electric utility customers. rangement. You don’t have to pay it back,” Hughes said.

Prior to this year, residents needed to be at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level to qualify for DEF; this year that number is 300 percent.

However, customers with income at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level must apply for a LIHEAP grant before applying for DEF. The deadline to apply for LIHEAP is May 6, 2022.

Today, DEF provides a once per year grant of up to $500.

DLC recently requested that the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission (PUC) will permit an expansion of the program by allowing eligible homes to

receive more than one grant, increasing the grant amount, and reducing the requirement of a $150 “good faith payment” that customers are required to post on their bill before receiving the grant.

Furthermore, DLC realizes the uncomfortable conversation attached to people having to call the utility company to ask for financial assistance, so those customers can get assistance by submitting an application through a screening agency on the DEF website. These agencies also assist with resources for other programs: food, clothing, health services, childcare and more.

“You don’t have to call us first.

You can start the process yourself,” said Katie Scholl, DLC’s director of billing and revenue management.

She noted that most customers who need these funds only need it one time, and they are back on their feet the next year.

“Many people only need it once in their life. It’s just a little help to bridge the gap,” Scholl said.

DLC customers can help support their neighbors in need by contributing to DEF as part of their monthly bill payment or by donating at DollarEnergy.org.

OPINION

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2022

B3

Think about it

Guest Editorial

Clarence Thomas has long been no friend to Black America Clarence Thomas has been a controversial figure since Day One—and it’s time for him to step down from the United States Supreme Court.

From the allegations of sexual harassment by Anita Hill and his ethically questionable behavior and connections with his politically active wife, to his commitment to upholding laws that do harm to the Black community, Thomas’ name has long been synonymous with controversy.

It began after his nomination in July 1991 to the Supreme Court by President George H.W. Bush. Thomas was selected to replace retiring civil rights icon, and the court’s first African American justice, Thurgood Marshall. Who can forget the contentious confirmation hearing—and Anita Hill’s testimony about alleged sexual harassment—that immediately followed?

The controversy also stems from his inexplicable, confusing, and contrarian views on race in America. From his early years to his overall performance during his 30-year tenure on the court, his rulings have justifiably earned strong disdain, even loathing among most Black Americans, as well as many Hispanics and women.

The calculation of Republicans at the time, to place a young, reliably conservative Black person in the so-called ‘Black Seat’ that was held by liberal justice Thurgood Marshall, for more than 30 years, has proven to exceed the right’s wildest expectations. Thomas (only 43 when he came to the court) has repeatedly supported policies that have helped maintain the status of disenfranchised minority communities.

Thomas’ ascendancy to the court has created particularly disastrous consequences for Black America’s aspiration to move forward in American society. His response to criticism, while not unexpected based on his history, still shows an almost pugnacious and unyielding indifference to the plight of Black people in the United States—a condition that has plagued them since the nation’s founding.

Now, he will be joined on the Supreme Court by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, a proud Black woman, who was confirmed by the Senate despite a wild and disingenuous smear campaign against her by some Republican senators on the Judicial Committee. She is expected to offer a sharp contrast to Thomas’ servile obedience to far right-wing Republican ideology and its racist political dogmas.

Remember, Thomas had succeeded a judicial giant on the court, someone who championed equal justice for all under the law during his long years as a Supreme Court Justice. Marshall was even eulogized by conservative Chief Justice William Rehnquist, who wrote, “inscribed above the front entrance of this court building are the words ‘equal justice under the law.’ Surely no individual did more to make these words a reality than Thurgood Marshall.”

The Senate confirmed civil rights litigator Thurgood Marshall as the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court on August 30, 1967, following his nomination by President Lyndon B. Johnson. He had led the NAACP legal team that in 1954 won Brown vs. Board of Education, a historic landmark decision that invalidated the concept of segregated public schools under the 14th Amendment—a constitutional amendment that had been enacted in 1868 after the Civil War, almost exactly a century before.

A majority on the Senate Democratic-controlled Judiciary Committee, in a rebuff to the dissenting Southern Senators on the panel, sent their majority approval to the full Senate. They reported that nominee Marshall, “demonstrated those qualities we admire in members of our highest judicial tribunal…along with a balanced approach to controversial and complicated national problems.”

In contrast to Clarence Thomas, Judge Jackson embraces her role as a Black person. She proudly and unequivocally said, “It has taken 232 years and 115 prior appointments for a Black woman to be selected to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States, but we’ve made it. We made it—all of us.”

Reflecting on the continuing travail of many Black people in the country since they were brought to the U.S. as slaves—but still holding a belief in our drive to continue forward—she quoted poet Maya Angelou: “I am the dream and hope of the future.”

The actions of right-wing racists—despite their praise, even adulation —show what they really think about Clarence Thomas and the millions of Americans who look like him. They consider him and his fellow Black Republican Tim Scott, the U.S. Senator from South Carolina, exploitable, as “useful idiots.”

Even Thomas, 73, must be concerned about the inevitable future comparison between him, his intellect, his integrity in the past on the bench, and his verbal ability compared to this brilliant, unequivocally Black woman, Ketanji Brown Jackson, only 51.

More recently, we have seen some different challenges created by recent revelations about the role of his wife Ginni Thomas, a conservative activist and Thomas himself.

According to dozens of messages to Donald Trump’s Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, Ginni Thomas worked tirelessly after the presidential election in 2020 to overturn the thoroughly vetted defeat of Trump (who has still not conceded). Moreover, the couple has long had questions raised about Thomas’ ethics in cases in the past where she has been an active advocate.

He has continued to refuse to answer those questions appropriately.

A report in the New York Times Magazine in March 2022 said that they have appeared for years together at highly political events hosted by advocates hoping to sway the court. While it is possible that married people can have independent views and careers, the Thomases have gone way beyond what is considered ethically proper behavior, particularly because they brag about how they are fused “into one being” in their marriage and their politics.

Although Thomas is protected from a code of judicial ethics as a Supreme Court justice—a code that applies to all other federal judges—he continues to use that special dispensation to ignore any sense of duty to avoid what Justice Sonia Sotomayor called the “stink” of partisanship.

This adds weight to calls for him to leave the court to make room for someone who accepts their responsibility to protect the highest court in the country’s credibility and reputation. In the difference to the two other branches of the federal government, the Supreme Court depends on public trust to maintain its influence and authority. Thomas has repeatedly betrayed that trust and therefore undermined the democracy and freedom he claims to revere.

In conclusion, let’s turn to the last words back in the 16th century of William Shakespeare, “Live in thy shame, but die not shame with thee.”

(Reprinted from the St. Louis American)

Founded 1910

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

Rob Taylor Jr.

Ashley Johnson

Office Manager

Managing Editor

Sales Director

John. H. Sengstacke

Editor & Publisher Emeritus (1912-1997)

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—Throughout my life, I have been blessed with family and friends who have admonished me to be a critical thinker. Not only was I challenged to think, but to think with clarity, appropriate urgency, and logic.

The old idea of being one who thought “while others were sleeping” was not lost on me. In fact, preemptive thinking has saved me from misfortune “a time or two”—both personally and professionally.

Because of the life of organizational leadership that I now live, I commonly spend a great deal of time thinking about the subtle and not-so-subtle statements made by political leaders.

Others may find it too time consuming to analyze every errant statement made by politicians, but, with the ever-increasing racial hostility in this nation, I find it essential.

A great example of this is the statement made earlier this year by the Senate Republican Leader. McConnell told the world just what he was thinking about African Americans. To instill fear and terror in the minds of White people who might be thinking of not voting, in a moment revealing his true feelings, he warned, “African American voters are voting in just as high a percentage as Americans.”

As a former civics teacher and political candidate, this statement was wildly offensive. The long-standing tradition in this nation’s political process has been for political parties and politicians to articulate positive policies and posi-

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

Commentary tions which will influence voters to vote for them. This rapidly disappearing tradition has been replaced with exclusionary rhetoric, racial animus, and hatred fueled by the desperation of “losing something those who are undeserving.”

Did Mitch infer that African Americans are not real Americans? Yes! Did Mitch tell Whites that African Americans would vote against the interests of ‘real” Americans? Yes! Well, Mitch, we are not easily fooled! We know the reason that you oppose anything you consider beneficial to African Americans. It’s also a sure bet that your Republican cronies are going to oppose it because they, like you, don’t think we are Americans!

Neither you nor any of your like-minded lackies will ever acknowledge that we African Americans pay a substantial portion of your salaries with our tax dollars while most of your industrialist/ business cronies pay little or nothing?

Tell us Mitch, what makes one American? Is it White privilege? Is it the size of your bank account? Does our blood

sacrifice in times of national conflict mean nothing? Or what about our two hundred (plus) years of free labor building an economic juggernaut heretofore unknown to the world?

Consensus agrees that your party members embarrassed themselves during the confirmation hearing for the Supreme Court for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. I’m sure that questions like “What is a woman?” or disparaging her for judicial decisions that are/were consistent with those of her peers was not because she was a woman. Since she is an African American woman, was it because your party didn’t think she is an American?

Is Senator Tim Scott an American or do you give him a pass because he votes with you—even when his vote is against African American interests?

How will you reward Senator Scott for voting against the confirmation of a Black woman whose brilliance on the subject of American jurisprudence runs circles around every member of your party who was in the room when her confirmation vote was taken.

Mitch, despite your lame justifications, we have given great thought to you and yours. We are not fooled, and you need to re-educate yourself to the reality that we, too, are Americans!

(Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq. is a minister, a UN Peace Ambassador, President of the Dick Gregory Society, author of “Dick Gregory: Wake Up and Stay Woke,” and Host of “Wake Up and Stay Woke” on WPFW-FM-89.3 radio.

Prostate cancer rising in Black America (NNPA)—As the United States continues to grapple with its legacy of systemic racism, debates on issues such as police brutality and racial profiling, the economic gulf between Blacks and Whites, and the dearth of access to affordable educational opportunities, there is one area that has received far less attention: The gap in positive health outcomes that African Americans—and particularly Black men— face.

While the COVID-19 pandemic shined a light on these fissures, its beam barely touched the edges of the problem. Yet according to government data, Black Americans are generally at higher risk for heart diseases, stroke, cancer, asthma, influenza and pneumonia, diabetes and HIV/AIDS than their White counterparts. Black people also have the highest death rate and shortest survival of any racial/ethnic group in the United States for most cancers.

These are abhorrent figures anyway you look at them, but especially when considering that many of these deadly diseases—at least when detected early —are treatable and survivable. Prostate cancer, for example, has a five-year survival rate for men diagnosed with it of greater than 99 percent if the cancer is detected during the early stage.

Yet, Black men have a 70 percent higher rate of developing prostate cancer than White men, and research from the American Cancer Society found that Black men are more than twice as likely to die from prostate cancer than their White counterparts.

Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.

Commentary One of the key reasons for these staggering disparities is the fact that Black men are overall less aware of the threat this form of cancer poses to them and have less resources available to them to receive testing and monitoring for the disease. Thankfully there are members of the Black community like billionaire investor Robert F. Smith, The Today Show Co-host Al Roker, and activist comedians such as Chris Tucker and Steve Harvey who are raising their voices—and contributing their dollars – to combat this affliction.

Robert Smith, for example, recently donated $4 million of his own money to New York City’s Mount Sinai Medical Center to create the Robert F. Smith Mobile Prostate Cancer Screening Unit. This mobile home-sized bus will tour New York City neighborhoods where men are at a higher risk of developing prostate cancer and offer screenings and educational materials about the disease.

This proactive approach that brings diagnosis tools directly to the communities most at risk is the type of action that our nation needs when it comes to

battling a disease that more than 13 percent of African American men are expected to develop in their lifetime.

But Smith can’t be the only one doing this and New York City cannot be the only place where this type of outreach is occurring.

Whether it is other philanthropists, local or regional health centers, or state and federal officials, there is a desperate need for creative solutions to getting more people screened and saving more lives. Smith’s initiative is an innovative approach, but there are other ways to spread awareness and boost screenings in the Black community.

Whether it be through an advertising and outreach campaign to pop-up health centers and tents, the COVID-19 vaccine push in the Black and other minority communities can serve as a good example of how to quickly and efficiently get more Black men screened for the disease.

For too long, prostate cancer among Black men—and the disparity in health outcomes within the community overall—has remained relatively low profiled, but now we have a way to resolve this issue. The pioneering Black journalist and one of the effective voices and leaders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Ida B. Wells said it best, “The way to right wrong is to turn the light of truth on them.” It is long overdue to turn on a brighter national light on prostate cancer and Black America.

(Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. is President and CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association.)

The fight against CRT continues

by Oseye Boyd It’s been proven time and again that critical race theory (CRT) isn’t taught in K-12 public schools, but the idea that it does continues to live rent free in the minds of many.

Republicans continue to find ways to twist anything that may have to do with race into CRT. In addition to the war on CRT, there’s also a war on social-emotional learning and LGBTQ issues happening at the same time.

The latest example of their obsession with these issues comes from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. This isn’t surprising since DeSantis seems to be auditioning to be the next Donald Trump but worse. In the latest installment of culture wars, Florida’s education department rejected 54 (41 percent) out of 132 mathematics textbooks.

The books are from respected publishers such as Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and McGraw Hill. If you’ve ever been to school in these United States, chances are you’ve come across a book by one of these publishers or both.

For generations these books glossed over, minimized, ignored or provided incomplete information on American history as it pertained to Black people. Now, as we push for the complete story to be told in all its truth, these stories can’t be told because it might make some children feel uncomfortable. I’ll say again for those in the back of the room: No one cared about

making Black children, poor children, Native American children, etc. feel bad. I thought we didn’t want a country of snowflakes, so when did feelings matter?

CRT isn’t the only reason some of the books were rejected. Books related to Common Core also were rejected.

Some books were rejected for multiple reasons.

I’m paying attention to this issue because we know CRT was a hot button issue until a few weeks ago. It probably still is, but since the legislative session is over, we haven’t heard as much about it. I’m sure the topic will come up again soon, especially since the primary election is near.

To drive home the point of how CRT is taught in schools, Christina Pushaw, a spokesperson for DeSantis, referred to math homework from a public school in Missouri—not Florida —that asked questions about Maya Angelou’s history as a prostitute and pimp. Not knowing much about this lesson, I can see the potential to be problematic.

However, the school district said the homework wasn’t part of the official curriculum. So why are we even discussing it? Because it gets people emotionally charged. And emotionally charged people don’t listen—or think clearly.

“So instead of having a hissy fit because @GovRonDeSantis banned CRT math textbooks, ask yourself why

CRT is being injected in math instruction to begin with?” Pushaw tweeted, “I promise you, in China kids aren’t learning about pimping in math class.”

How does Pushaw know what kids in China are taught? Who is she talking to?

I’m willing to bet the lessons that include CRT and/or social-emotional learning aren’t the reason the children in America lag behind so many other countries. If we are serious about not only closing the education gap in this country as well as catching up and surpassing other countries, we’d stop using the education of our children as a political football.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 30 countries performed better at the high school level in the Program for International Assessment (PISA) than the United States. Millennials in the workforce tied for last on math and problem-solving tests compared to millennials in the workforces of other industrialized countries. We have a problem that’s bigger than CRT and social-emotional learning.

“Math is about getting the answer right, and we want kids to learn to think so they get the answer right,” DeSantis said.

I couldn’t agree more.

We want the same from politicians —not leaders who grandstand and pontificate for political theater.

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FORUM

APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2022 NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Deltas hit with Republican backlash from White House visit (TriceEdneyWire.com)—While hundreds were celebrating the recent confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson at the White House as the nation’s first Black woman on the Supreme Court in its 232- year history, an angry resentful backlash was brewing, suggesting that Black women are achieving too much power.

The venemous pushback was aimed at Delta Sigma Theta Public Sorority Inc., one of the nation’s largest predominately Black sororities, who gathered to take a group picture on the White House lawn, as did so many others to record the event.

But seeing so many Black women together at the People’s House doing a photo op infuriated Scott Pio, Loudon County Va. GOP chair, who tweeted: “So the Skull and Bones has lost their power. So, now Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is taking control of our country at all levels of government. Even the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chairman (Phyllis Randall) is a Delta.) So now Deltas are in control of multiple levels of government. I wonder if they are the organization at the center of the push for equity and CRT (critical race theory) in our classrooms.”

Roland Martin, the hard-hitting journalist, interviewed Pio, a White Republican on his YouTube show excoriating him for his ignorance and unsettling insinuations that the Deltas are a surreptitious, un-American secret society.

Pio was ignorant of the Delta’s 109-year history and dedication to “academic excellence and providing assistance to those in need,” according to their website. The President and press secretary Jen Psaki wished Delta Sigma Theta a Happy Founders Day at a press briefing on January 13, 2020, a day which celebrates its activism and public service which includes providing millions of dollars in scholarships to struggling students.

Pio reflects the arrogance of White power and privilege that all sectors of influence belong exclusively to them. All other competitive groups are outsiders are unAmerican. Yet, nothing is more secretive and self-serving than the Skull and Bones society, Pio referenced as worthy of leadership. This group founded in 1832 at Yale University has the stated mission to advance themselves to prominence in business and government . This old boy network works for them. At least three former presidents—Wil-

Dr. Barbara Reynolds

Commentary liam Howard Taft, George H.W. Bush, and his son George—have been members, as well as Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart.

Pio also reflects the fear and even loathing that some factions of White power have for intelligent, educated Black women who are not content to taking a backseat to White male claims of perceived superiority. Political leaders, such as the honorable Shirley Chisholm, first Black woman elected to the House of Representative and to run for president, Marcia Fudge, head of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Keisha Lance Bottoms, former mayor of Atlanta, entertainment icons, such as Cicely Tyson and Angela Bassett are Deltas as well as thousands of others in 900 chapters around the world.

Deltas across the country are challenging Pio’s assertions which are no doubt bubbling up throughout the ranks of the GOP. Dr. E. Faye Williams, president of the National Congress of Black Women, author of Wake up and Stay Woke, and a Delta said “I know a lot about Delta Sigma Theta to be fair-minded, hardworking , brilliant women. They are just the kinds of women a non-racist White guy and community would love to have working in their communities. His big problem is having Deltas around him who work hard every day to perfect our union, while people like him, especially those in his political party do things every day to destroy the promise of our union.”

My larger concern—I am also a Delta—is how Pio condemned the Deltas for daring to be committed to “equity,” which means treating all races and creeds as worthy of respect and equal treatment. Even worse, his linking the Deltas to critical race theory are fighting words, a code the GOP uses to rewrite history and textbooks to foster the Big Lie that slavery and other social evils were beneficial to the advancement of America. Those who speak against this fallacy are labeled socialists are un-American and could face punitive consequences.

Trump is the guardian of the GOP’s anti-Black dogma where only three U.S. Senators voted for the nomination of Judge Jackson for the Supreme Court, despite her sterling qualities.

Thus, I wonder how far will this mislabeling of Black female leaders go. Is this the first round of an attempt to blackball or penalize Deltas and other Greek organizations? The Deltas are just one out of nine Black sororities and fraternities called the Divine Nine, all of whom work for equal and human rights.

These Black fraternities and sororities, however, are not new to political suppression. The Delta’s first public act was in March 1913, when founding members marched with suffragettes to protest for women’s rights. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, which the legendary Roland Martin is also a member.

Another co-founder of a Black woman’s organization who is also a Delta, sees Black women as insightful, compassionate leaders who can help lead America out of the violent confrontation our nation is in. She gave a quote only under conditions of anonymity because of today’s vengeful political schemes. “We will prevail. The goal of a peaceful, loving productive country,” she said.

Critical race thinking (not theory) Critical Race Theory (CRT) has been debated over the past few years, but defining the theory is a slippery task, and CRT often gets mischaracterized.

However, there’s an offshoot of CRT that can’t be mischaracterized. It’s called “critical race thinking”. Professor John L. Jackson Jr. previously described this thought process as “hunting for racial wolves in sheep’s clothing” in his 2008 book Racial Paranoia.

“Critical race thinking” ranges from extreme to subtle.

The Extreme Recently, in Syracuse, New York, a bystander recorded three White policemen placing a screaming 8-year-old Black boy in the back of a police car after the boy allegedly stole a bag of chips.

This image went viral.

On ABC’s Good Morning America, journalist T.J. Holmes reported that one of the officers knew the child from previous interactions. Holmes also said, “The child was not handcuffed, he was not arrested, the police drove him home to his father, and he’s not facing any charges. It seems like [that] should be the end of the story.”

It became a story because of the “critical race thinking” of the bystander, a Black man, who tried to intervene on the boy’s behalf. The bystander offered to pay for the item the boy supposedly stole, and he offered to walk the boy home.

During the bystander’s exchange with the policemen, he told them he was recording them “to help make sure you all don’t kill him because that’s what you all do.”

On Good Morning America, Holmes expressed “critical race thinking” when he

J. Pharoah Doss

Check It Out told the audience it’s impossible not to see a video like this through the prism of recent history and trauma. (Referring to the police killing of George Floyd) For the “critical race thinker” the situation looked racist and wrong. That didn’t mean the police officers were doing anything racist or wrong, but according to Holmes, it’s “impossible” to think otherwise.

The Subtle During the first week of April, Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was fatally shot in Michigan by a Grand Rapids police officer.

The police officer pulled over a vehicle for improper registration. Lyoya got out of the car. The officer ordered him back inside his vehicle. Lyoya attempted to flee. The officer tackled him. CNN reported, “After the officer said ‘Let go of the taser’, the two continued to wrestle on the front lawn of an unidentified residence. Roughly 90 seconds later, the officer is heard yelling, ‘Let go of the Taser’ followed by ‘Drop the Taser’ …

Less than three seconds later, the officer is heard shooting Lyoya.”

The officer’s police powers were suspended, and he is on paid leave. A criminal investigation is being conducted by the Michigan State Police.

Michigan’s Black state senator Adam Hollier stated Lyoya was dead because “the license plate didn’t match the car he was driving. And when confronted by the police, he failed to comply with the instructions he was given and ran in fear.”

Hollier’s subtle “critical race thinking” is captured in the word “fear”.

Since it’s impossible not to see police encounters through the prism of recent racial history, it’s natural for a Black man to be so afraid of the police that he’d run. This is reminiscent of the theme of Richard Wright’s 1940 novel Native Son. Part one was called FEAR, and the main character lived in fear of the racism society inflicted on Black Americans.

But Patrick Lyoya’s not a native son of America.

The police forces in DR Congo are notorious for brutality, bribery, murder, and forced disappearance. After these state-sanctioned acts of violence, there are no investigations, and police officers aren’t prosecuted. (The recent World Internal Security and Police Index ranked Nigeria the worst police force in Africa. DR Congo was number two.)

This is a police force to fear. It’s hard to believe someone that fled this environment would initially fear the American police.

At a press conference, Lyoya’s father lamented, “I knew that if you met with a police officer in America, you would be safe … What makes me cry more is that my son was killed by a police officer.”

If Michigan state senator Hollier was correct, and Lyoya ran out of fear, then the fear that led to his demise was subtly produced

by Americanized “critical race thinking”.

The Black Church needed to effect change Once upon a time and not too many years ago, the African American Church was an important institution in the African American community. When we consider our history as a people, we realize the important role that the Church played. Much of the family and community activities centered in and around the Church: weddings, receptions, game nights and meetings. All the “rights” of our people, civil rights and educational rights, started from and emanated from the Church. The Black Church was the one institution that we “owned.” We owned the land; we owned the building; we paid the preacher. The Black Church was a place to not only gather to sing, pray and worship but it was the place where we met, organized and strategized. Marches for freedom and liberation began in the Church. It was our place of FREEDOM and ACTION. Whenever there was work to be done and we needed hands on deck, we went to the Church.

Many of our African American leaders (Nat Turner, Henry Highland Garnet, Richard Allen, Benjamin Mayes, Ben-

Rev. Dr. Johnnie Monroe

Commentary jamin Hooks, Mary McCleod Bethune, Lucy Laney, LeRoy Patrick, James (Jimmy Joe) Robinson and Martin Luther King Jr. were churchmen and churchwomen who were led by the spirit to fight for and bring about change for the betterment of African Americans. When Saul Alinsky and Greg Galluzzo wanted to do community organizing in the Black community, they first sought the endorsement of the African American Church.

I recall when, in the South, the state, county and the federal government took no responsibility for educating Black children, the Church stepped up and ensured that we received an education.

I am the product of such an education.

The Black Church must go back to the business of teaching Black boys and girls who they are and whose they are.

When we look at the African American communities today, we see the need for the Black Church to come alive, open her doors, reach out to the community with the love of Christ and bring about positive change. We can’t depend upon the city, state, county or federal government to change our communities. Change (political, educational, and moral) must come from the Church. And yes, the Black Church must be engaged in the political process. After all, Jesus confronted and dealt with the political system. Can we do any less? The Black Church must preach and teach voter education, voter registration and insist on African Americans voting as never before. We must bring Sunday morning and Monday morning together to effect change.

Enter to worship (Sunday morning), go forth to serve (Monday morning).

When those two meet, great things happen!!!

Help, help! Call the police!

Across the nation in cities where there are substantial Black populations there are troubles in the disastrous form of shootings and killings of each other. My primary concern however is not so much about other cities, but about Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, and most recently the Northside.

On a regular basis I am asked the questions what is wrong with us? What happened to us? Have we lost our minds?

There are those who would blame it totally on the loss of family control. In my estimation, it is a combination of a number of factors that must be addressed.

However, it is my belief that we must start with regaining control of our communities. How? Our first line of defense

Louis ‘Hop’ Kendrick

To Tell The Truth is that the police be afforded the opportunity of doing their jobs and aided by those of us who witness the devastation of our neighborhoods and families. Our communities need police more that any other neighborhoods for a multitude of reasons.

Allow me to provide you with an exam-

ple: 1. How many times do you witness White persons day and night who do not live in your neighborhood visit next door, across the street, up the street to your house buying drugs and you say absolutely nothing? I have constantly stated that open drug markets only exist in our neighborhoods, Black neighborhoods.

In my lifetime I served in the capacity of a law enforcement officer and was the co-founder of the first Allegheny County-wide narcotics squad. I also have been arrested five times, four times were freedom of expression and the cases were dismissed. The fifth situation I went to trial and was found not guilty, I still believe that we must trust the police with their given responsibility.

Whites in Virginia demand Affirmative Action!

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—I began by noting that the Thomas Jefferson High School of Science and Technology (TJ) located in Fairfax County, Virginia is a public institution that is funded by Virginia taxpayers. Those taxpayers include Black Virginians.

TJ’s admissions requirements were based on scores made on the entrance exams. Asian students excelled disproportionate to White students on those exams.

In a recent Washington Post article, it was reported that many Whites were very very upset about the number of Asian American students who will be attending TJ in the new school year. The article reported that “A candid discussion is necessary over the Fairfax County School Board’s ongoing attempts to ‘reform’ the administration process at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, historically ranked as the no. 1 academic high school in the nation.”

It also reported that White people in

A. Peter Bailey

Reality Check Virginia are extremely angered that “TJ’s student body—which is more than 70 percent Asian note that the writer didn’t say Asian American in 2020—never came close to reflecting the racial and economic composition of the greater community and the board was right in making a more equitable admissions process….”

Well! Well! Well! I thought is for sure that the same angry people he is talking about would have been shouting in the streets if parents and supporters of Black students had de-

manded such admission reform back in the day. Newspaper editorials, newspaper columnists, television and radio stations would all be enraged if Black folks were attempting to lower the educational standards of that formerly overwhelmingly White high school. Any Black student who is accepted into TJ no matter how high his or her scores on the entrance exam would be repeatedly told that despite their high grades they were in TJ only because of affirmative action. That’s why the Whites who are now weeping and wailing in response to the tremendously high number of Asian students is just another example of the total hypocrisy of believers in ongoing, unrelenting White supremacy.

By the way, such behavior by the Whites should also be a wake-up call for those Asian Americans who believe White supremacy is mostly a figment of Black folk’s imagination.

New Pittsburgh Courier

CLASSIFIED

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APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2022

www.newpittsburghcourier.com

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

SONNY BOY

NOTICE OF PRESENTATION OF PETITION REQUESTING ORDER FOR POSSESSION IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA IN RE: THE CONDEMNATION BY THE COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY OF A CERTAIN PARCEL OF LAND LOCATED IN RESERVE TOWNSHIP AND THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA OWNED BY DAVID R. GRABOWSKI AND JOSEPH W. GRABOWSKI REQIRED TO REMEDIATE A PORTION OF MOUNT TROY ROAD (COUNTY ROAD NO. 2312-0206) Civil Division – GD 22-002472 Estimated Just Compensation - $400.00 Names and Addresses of Condemnees: DAVID R. GRABOWSKI AND JOSEPH W. GRABOWSKI, current addresses unknown.

Name and Address of Condemnor: Allegheny County, (“County”), 101 Courthouse, 436 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Identification of Parcel of Land: A portion of Tax Parcel Identification Nos. 78-L-115. 78-L-150, 78-L-190, 78-L-197; 78-L-212 and 78-R-34 consisting of 0.044 acres as “Required Right-of-Way and 0.022 acres as “Temporary Construction Easement” as depicted in Plans-Miscellaneous, Volume 186 at Page 73.

TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Sections 307 and 522 of the Pennsylvania Eminent Domain Code, 26 Pa. C.S.A §§ 307 and 522, the County of Allegheny will, on May 18, 2022 at 9:30 a.m., present to the Motions Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Civil Division, a Petition Requesting Order for Possession Upon Condemnor’s Tender of Estimated Just Compensation to the Department of Court Records. The identity of the Motions Judge then presiding can be ascertained in the City County Building located at 414 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 on the date of presentation either in the Department of Court Records/Civil Family Division located on the 1st floor or in the Assignment Room located on the 7th floor.

At the time of presentation, the County will request the Court to authorize the payment into Court of the County’s estimate of just compensation, as identified above, and the entry of an Order granting the County possession of the subject property. The County’s Petition including a proposed schedule of distribution and proposed Court Order may be viewed in the Department of Court Records/Civil Family Division prior to the date of presentation. Any moneys which the Court may direct be paid into Court will be held by the Department of Court Records/Civil Family Division until further Order directing payment of said amounts to the Condemnees and/or persons entitled thereto pursuant to 26 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 521 and 522.

Andrew F. Szefi, County Solicitor NOTICE OF PRESENTATION OF PETITION REQUESTING ORDER FOR POSSESSION IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA IN RE: THE CONDEMNATION BY THE COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY OF A CERTAIN PARCEL OF LAND LOCATED IN RESERVE TOWNSHIP AND THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA OWNED BY THE HEIRS OF CHARLES BECKERT TO REMEDIATE A PORTION OF MOUNT TROY ROAD (COUNTY ROAD NO. 2312-0206) Civil Division – GD 22-002480 Estimated Just Compensation - $400.00 Names and Addresses of Condemnees: Heirs of Charles Beckert, addresses unknown.

Name and Address of Condemnor: Allegheny County, (“County”), 101 Courthouse, 436 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Identification of Parcel of Land: A portion of Tax Parcel Identification Nos. 78-L-330 and 78-S-220 consisting of 0.034 acres as “Required Rightof-Way”, 0.032 acres as “Drainage Easement”, and 0.009 acres as “Temporary Construction Easement” as depicted in Plans-Miscellaneous, Volume 186 at Page 73.

TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Sections 307 and 522 of the Pennsylvania Eminent Domain Code, 26 Pa. C.S.A §§ 307 and 522, the County of Allegheny will, on May 18, 2022 at 9:30 a.m., present to the Motions Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Civil Division, a Petition Requesting Order for Possession Upon Condemnor’s Tender of Estimated Just Compensation to the Department of Court Records. The identity of the Motions Judge then presiding can be ascertained in the City County Building located at 414 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 on the date of presentation either in the Department of Court Records/Civil Family Division located on the 1st floor or in the Assignment Room located on the 7th floor.

At the time of presentation, the County will request the Court to authorize the payment into Court of the County’s estimate of just compensation, as identified above, and the entry of an Order granting the County possession of the subject property. The County’s Petition including a proposed schedule of distribution and proposed Court Order may be viewed in the Department of Court Records/Civil Family Division prior to the date of presentation. Any moneys which the Court may direct be paid into Court will be held by the Department of Court Records/Civil Family Division until further Order directing payment of said amounts to the Condemnees and/or persons entitled thereto pursuant to 26 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 521 and 522.

Andrew F. Szefi, County Solicitor NOTICE OF PRESENTATION OF PETITION REQUESTING ORDER FOR POSSESSION IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA IN RE: THE CONDEMNATION BY THE COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY OF A CERTAIN PARCEL OF LAND LOCATED IN PLUM BOROUGH, ALLEGHENY COUNTY AND UPPER BURRELL TOWNSHIP, WESTMORELAND COUNTY OWNED BY THE JESUS APOSTOLIC CHURCH REQUIRED TO REPLACE THE SUPERSTRUCTURE OF PUCKETA CREEK BRIDGE NO. 5 (INTER-COUNTY) AT BOOKER STREET Civil Division - GD 22-2610 Estimated Just Compensation: $500.00 Names and Address of Condemnee: Jesus Apostolic Church, 94 Lincoln Boulevard, New Kensington, PA 15068-1760.

Name and Address of Condemnor: Allegheny County, (“County”), 101 Courthouse, 436 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Identification of Parcel of Land: A portion of Tax Parcel Identification No. 62-07-03-0-004 consisting of 688 square feet as “Temporary Construction Easement” as depicted in Plans-Miscellaneous, Volume 186 at Page 63.

TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Sections 307 and 522 of the Pennsylvania Eminent Domain Code, 26 Pa. C.S.A §§ 307 and 522, the County of Allegheny will, on May 18, 2022 at 9:30 a.m., present to the Motions Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Civil Division, a Petition Requesting Order for Possession Upon Condemnor’s Tender of Estimated Just Compensation to the Department of Court Records. The identity of the Motions Judge then presiding can be ascertained in the City County Building located at 414 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 on the date of presentation either in the Department of Court Records/Civil Family Division located on the 1st floor or in the Assignment Room located on the 7th floor.

At the time of presentation, the County will request the Court to authorize the payment into Court of the County’s estimate of just compensation, as identified above, and the entry of an Order granting the County possession of the subject property. The County’s Petition including a proposed schedule of distribution and proposed Court Order may be viewed in the Department of Court Records/Civil Family Division prior to the date of presentation. Any moneys which the Court may direct be paid into Court will be held by the Department of Court Records/Civil Family Division until further Order directing payment of said amounts to the Condemnees and/or persons entitled thereto pursuant to 26 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 521 and 522.

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LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Legal Notices

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY Electronic Proposals will be received online at the Port Authority of Allegheny County’s Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority.org).

Proposals/bid submittals will be due 11:00 AM on May 11, 2022, and will be read at 11:15 AM., the same day, at Port Authority’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: Estate of RUTH LONG, deceased, of Clairton, No. 021910857. Cynthia D. Long, Executrix, 744 Horton St., Clairton, PA 15025 or Peter B. Lewis, Neighborhood Legal Services, 928 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Estate of BEVERLY J. MCMONAGLE, deceased, of Pittsburgh, No. 022202486.

Robert J. McMonagle, Jr. and Brian McMonagle, Co-Administrators, 272 W. Bruceton, Pittsburgh, PA 15236 or Peter B. Lewis, Neighborhood Legal Services, 928 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Electronic Proposal - ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority.org) Bid Number

Bid Name

1

B21-11-90AR

Pest Control Services

2

B22-02-17R

Brake Disc Pads - LRV

3

B22-04-30A

Cisco Smartnet Support

4

B22-04-34

Crossarm Insulator Assemblies

E s t a t e o f T H E O D O R E S A U L S B U RY, deceased, of Pittsburgh, No. 021901942.

Erin S. Yelverton, Administrator, 7 Coleridge Pl., Pittsburgh, PA 15201 or Peter B. Lewis, Neighborhood Legal Services, 928 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

5 B22-04-35A

Estate of FRANCES M. MURRMAN, AKA FRANCES MURRMAN, deceased of Pittsburgh, No. 00966 of 2022, Lynn Ardinger , Extr. 101 Bertley Ridge Drive, Coraopolis, PA 15108 or to c/o Jacqueline H. Brangard, Esquire, Scolieri Law Group, P.C., 1207 Fifth Avenue, Suite 200 Bldg., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15219

To join by Microsoft Teams call-in number: • 412-927-0245 United State, Pittsburgh (Toll) • Conference ID: 928 215 916#

NOTICE OF TRUST ADMINISTRATION The Trustee below gives notice of the death of Vivian B. Lesnett, late of McDonald, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, who died on March 1, 2022. During her lifetime, the said Decedent established the Vivian B. Lesnett Trust under Trust Instrument dated May 25, 1988, as the same has been amended. The Trustee requests all persons having claims against the Decedent to make known the same in writing to him or his attorney, and all persons indebted to the Decedent to make payment to him without delay: Thomas J. Lesnett, Sr., Trustee 408 Sir James Drive McDonald, PA 15057 or to: Robin L. Rarie, Atty.

Brenlove & Fuller, LLC. 401 Washington Avenue Bridgeville, PA 15017

ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION NONPROFIT CORPORATION Jay Arthur Gilmer, Esq., 7246 Campania Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206. Notice is hereby given that Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on February 17, 2022, with respect to a nonprofit corporation, SHILOH CHURCH, which has been incorporated under the Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988.

ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION NONPROFIT CORPORATION Jay Arthur Gilmer, Esq., 7246 Campania Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206. Notice is hereby given that Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on February 1, 2022, with respect to a nonprofit corporation, UKOMBOZI 412, which has been incorporated under the Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988.

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL The Allegheny County Department of Human Services and the City of Pittsburgh recently issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Random Moment Time Studies Software. Due Date: 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, May 25.

For more details and submission information, visit: w w w . a l l e g h e n y c o u n t y. u s / Human-Services/Resources/ Doing-Business/Solicitations-(RFP/ RFQ/RFI).aspx.

Erin Dalton Director COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS

Bus Batteries

To join by Microsoft Team video conference: • https://bit.ly/37rvKuj

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 April 27, 2022, as well as through your web browser via Microsoft Teams video conference.

To join by Microsoft Team video conference: • https://bit.ly/3JnKl7a To join by Microsoft Teams call-in number: • 412-927-0245 United State, Pittsburgh (Toll) • Conference ID: 521 855 683# Attendance at this meeting is not mandatory but is strongly encouraged.

Questions regarding any of the above bids will not be entertained by the Port Authority 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 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.

Port Authority of Allegheny County 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 reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) ADVERTISEMENT The Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh (Authority) is soliciting proposals from qualified respondents to provide Consultant Services for the Upgrades to the Parking Access and Revenue Control System (PARCS) at Five (5) Parking Authority Garages, as more fully described in the formal RFP document.

The RFP document will be available Friday April 22, 2022, after 10:00 a.m. EST on the Authority website at www.pittsburghparking.com on the homepage (Doing Business with the PPA) A mandatory pre-proposal meeting will be held virtually via Zoom on Wednesday May 4, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. EST. Meeting information will be provided along with the RFP documents and on the Authority website.

Submitted proposals are required to be in the Authority’s possession, in the form of five (5) hard copies and one (1) electronic copy, clearly marked and sealed by 3:00 p.m. EST on Thursday, June 2, 2022.

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS… THE ONLY WAY TO GO!

To place a display ad in the New Pittsburgh Courier call 412-481-8302 ext. 128 or 129

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS… THE ONLY WAY TO GO! NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!

To place a display ad in the New Pittsburgh Courier call 412-481-8302 ext. 128 or 129

Andrew F. Szefi, County Solicitor

To place a display ad in the New Pittsburgh Courier call 412-481-8302 ext. 128 or 129

The Courier is THE VOICE of Black Pittsburgh.

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CLASSIFIEDS

APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2022 NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

ALLIES & ROSS MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR THE MANCHESTER REDEVELOPMENT IFB NO. 2022-38-G-E-P-M ALLIES & ROSS MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION will receive separate sealed bids for the Manchester Redevelopment. The construction work is estimated to begin in November 2022. The estimated values of the project are in the following ranges General Construction: $7,000,129.82 - $10,196,887.87; Electrical Construction: $429,377.33 - $625,461.61; Plumbing Construction: $375,427.91 - $546,875.04; Mechanical Construction: $371,713.41 - $541,464.24.

Bid Documents will be available on or about Monday, April 25, 2022 and may be obtained from the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh’s webpage, www.hacp.org. Bidders may register on the website and download the bid documents free of charge.

A Virtual Pre-Bid Conference will be held on Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. virtually at the following link: Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/93645753832? pwd=VE9NRGpPMWw0SGtnS 2diV3c2U2UxUT09 Meeting ID: 936 4575 3832 Passcode: 302603 One tap mobile +19292056099,,93645753832#,,,,*302603# US (New York) +13017158592,,93645753832#,,,,*302603# US (Washington DC) Bids will be received at: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) Procurement Department 100 Ross Street, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Attn: Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement until 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 7, 2022 at which time and place all bids will be received.

Bids will be received at: Allies & Ross Management and Development Corporation will only be accepting physical proposals dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing of 10:00 AM on June 7, 2022 at the HACP Procurement Department, 100 Ross Street, Suite 200, Pittsburgh PA 15219 Attn: Kim Detrick, Chief Procurement Officer. Due to COVID, the bid opening on June 7, 2022 at 10:00AM will be conducted virtually via Zoom. Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/91456157041?pwd=c3hoNHQ5VUZQSUxhZGdkaWZDMVR3QT09.

Copies of bid documents are not available for in person pickup. Bid Documents, including the Bid Forms, Project Manual, and Drawings, may be obtained from the Business Opportunities Section of the HACP website, www.hacp.org.

Prospective Bidders may register as a vendor on the website and download the documents free of charge.

Allies & Ross Management and Development Corporation will only be accepting physical proposals dropped off in person on June 7, 2022 from 8:00 AM until the closing of 10:00 AM on June 7, 2022. Bids may still be submitted electronically at the following link: https://www.dropbox.com/request/Ln19qAcIzBtOgFjuhmO2 and can still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

ALLIES & ROSS MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION reserves the right to waive any informality in, or reject any and all bids. No bid shall be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days subsequent to the opening of bids without the consent of ALLIES & ROSS MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. The Contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity requirements for Federally Assisted Construction Contracts. The Contractor must ensure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of race, color, religion, sexual preference, handicap or national origin.

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh has revised its website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/RFP documentation.

ALLIES & ROSS MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH STRONGLY ENCOURAGES CERTIFIED MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES AND WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES TO RESPOND TO THE SOLICITATION. Additional information may be obtained by contacting Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement at (412) 456-5116 Opt 1.

Caster D. Binion, President & CEO ALLIES & ROSS MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Allies & Ross Management and Development Corporation conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.

COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY PITTSBURGH, PA April 22, 2022 The Office of the Director of the Department of Public works for Allegheny County in Conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, is soliciting Statements of Interest through PennDOTs ECMS system for the following: ALLEGHENY COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS Construction Support Services For Construction Management and Inspection Services for the Replacement of the Kenmawr Ramp County Project No. MA07-KN04 Local Agreement Number: L00639 This is a federal-aid project with PennDOT oversight. Statements of Interest are due no later than May 6, 2022 and are to be submitted through PennDOTs ECMS System, ecms.penndot.gov/ECMS/ The advertisement can be found under agreement number L00639.

A copy of the published advertisement can also be found on the County Website: http://www.county.allegheny. pa.us/bids Any inquiries into this Advertisement are to be directed to Ms. Jeanna Fisher, EIT, Assistant Manager Construction Engineering at 412-350-5978 or jfisher@alleghenycounty.us The County will use the normal selection process and preselect or short-list at least three firms for consideration for this Project assignment on the following evaluation criteria: Performance on Past Projects, Inspectors’ Resumes, Construction Managers’ Resumes Performance on Past Projects, Use and Experience of Subconsultants, and Experience on County Oversight Projects.

The County’s Minority and Women disadvantaged goals for these Projects will be 13% of the total price for MBE participation and 2% of the total price for WBE participation.

Stephen G. Shanley, PE, Director Department of Public Works of Allegheny County

JOB OPPORTUNITIES Help Wanted

MULTI IT RELATED POSITIONS Multi IT Related Positions w/National Placement out of Allegheny County, PA. Must be able to relo to multi unanticipated sites as req’d.

All degrees &/or exp must be in either Comp’s, Info Sys’s, Eng’g, Mangmnt, Business or IT related field. Any suit combo of educ, training or exp acceptable. Rreq’d skills for each job below: Junior Software Developers: Salary $81,640/yr. Req’s Bach’s & 1Yr exp only.

(HADOOP): Must have skills in Hadoop; Hive; Spark & HDFS. Ref# JHAD– 0921-GLX (.NET): Must have skills in either .NET; VB.NET or ASP.NET. Ref# JNET– 0921-GLX (JAVA): Must have skills in Java; J2EE; Oracle; XML & PL/SQL. Ref# JJAV–0921-GLX (WORKDAY): Must have skills in Workday; Workday Studio; XML; XSLT; SQL; EIB & Core Connectors.

Ref# JWKD–0921-GLX Software Developers: Salary $112,611/yr. Req’s Bach’s & 5Yrs exp OR Mast’s & 1Yr exp.

(HADOOP): Must have skills in Hadoop; Hive; Spark & HDFS. Ref# JHAD– 0921-GLX (.NET): Must have skills in either .NET; VB.NET or ASP.NET. Ref# JNET– 0921-GLX (JAVA): Must have skills in Java; J2EE; Oracle; XML& PL/SQL. Ref# JJAV–0921-GLX (WORKDAY): Must have skills in Workday; Workday Studio; XML; XSLT; SQL; EIB and Core Connectors.

Ref# JWKD–0921-GLX All positions FT/Perm 9-5, 40 hrs/ wk. Use Ref# & send resume to HR, Galax-Esystems Corporation, One Oxford Center, 301 Grant Street, Ste 4300, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 or hr@galaxesystems.com.

Galax-Esystems Corporation is EOE M/F/V/D.

SONNY BOY

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR FORD FLEET VEHICLE MAINTENANCE IFB#300-09-22 The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby requests bids from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s):

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR FIRE HOSE INSPECTIONS AUTHORITY WIDE IFB#300-07-22 The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby requests bids from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s):

Ford Fleet Vehicle Maintenance IFB#300-09-22

Fire Hose Inspections Authority Wide IFB#300-07-22

The documents will be available no later than April 24, 2022 and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 10:00A.M. on May 17, 2022 The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only be accepting physical bids dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 10:00 AM on May 17, 2022 in the lobby of 100 Ross St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Bids may be uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HACP website and within the IFB. Sealed bids may still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Solicitation from the Business Opportunities page of www.HACP.org.

Questions or inquiries should be directed to: Mr. Kim Detrick Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-643-2832 A pre-submission meeting will be held via Zoom meeting; on May 5, 2022 at 10:00 A.M. Please see meeting information below: Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/ j/81153696181?pwd=KzBXMEdw czRDUUE2YUhkb1dhUWZRUT09 Meeting ID: 811 5369 6181 Passcode: 861093 +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation.

The documents will be available no later than April 24, 2022 and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 9:00 A.M. on May 17, 2022.

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only be accepting physical bids dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 9:00 AM on May 17, 2022 in the lobby of 100 Ross St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Bids may be uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HACP website and within the IFB. Sealed bids may still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Solicitation from the Business Opportunities page of www.HACP.org.

Questions or inquiries should be directed to: Mr. Kim Detrick Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-643-2832 A pre-submission meeting will be held via Zoom meeting; on May 5, 2022 at 9:00 A.M. Please see meeting information below: Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/ j/82563743805?pwd=WG8vTV JDYldYZkNWOEczbm5QSkNjQT09 Meeting ID: 825 6374 3805 Passcode: 796650 +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)

HACP’s has revised their website.

As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/ RFPs documentation.

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation.

HACP has revised their website.

As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/RFPs documentation.

Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh

Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh

HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.

HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

SENIOR IT BUSINESS ANALYST EVOQUA WATER TECHNOLOGIES LLC’S Pittsburgh, PA, office seeks a Senior IT Business Analyst to be responsible for designing PowerBI reports through SAP BW and SAP systems along with Data Modeling / designing in SAP BW and extraction process in SAP. Apply at https://careers.evoqua.com, #28903.

LEAD SOFTWARE ENGINEER Bombardier Transportation (Holdings) USA, Inc. c/d/b/a Alstom seeks a Lead Software E n g i n e e r i n P i t t s b u r g h , PA , responsible for the design and development of software solutions for Positive Train Control and Automatic Train Operations. Send resume to Kelly Krivijanski, Human Resources, Bombardier Transportation, 1501 Lebanon Church Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236.

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DATA ANALYST The University of Pittsburgh seeks a Data Analyst to work in Pittsburgh to provide data support and analysis to the senior leaders in the university, including the provost, vice provost, deans, and associate deans. Apply at https://www.join.pitt.edu, #22002505. The University of Pittsburgh is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer and values equality of opportunity, human dignity and diversity.

EOE, including disability/vets.

PROJECT ENGINEER American Bridge Company seeks P roj ect Engi neer t o wor k in Coraopolis, PA, & unanticipated locations thruout the U.S. (relocation req’d). Will focus on Marine Transportation planning, execution, & coord. of various projects.

Duties incl.: overseeing project staff to ensure proper safety & control measures are implemented in accordance w/project’s Tech.

Req’ts; & coordinating all marine transportation & traffic op. This position is for roving employee who will work in unanticip’d locations thruout the U.S. Employee will have to relocate, but travel is not req’d from any particular location. Apply online at https://www.americanbridge.net/.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES Help Wanted

CITY EDITOR The New Pittsburgh Courier is seeking a highly motivated individual with a sense of urgency in developing engaging general news and feature content to be our City Editor. The successful candidate must be an engaging storyteller with strong reporting, writing, and editing skills and the ability to work within a fast-paced production and marketing environment while maintaining high ethical standards and meeting deadlines. Our ideal candidate should also be able to produce quality photographs to supplement their stories and have graphic layout skills.

Duties will include: working with editorial leadership to determine priorities for daily news coverage and reporting geared towards the Black community for both digital and print publication; and daily collaboration across a close-knit team, assisting leadership in the planning and managing of day-to-day operations, proofreading and editing copy for compliance with policies, style, and tone; and attending events, panels and speaking engagements on behalf of the publication.

This is a full-time position offering compensation commensurate to experience. Excellent benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), PTO, and more.

Please send a letter of interest and resume to webmaster@newpittsburghcourier.com FISHING PROGRAM MANAGER Do you want to share your love for fishing with others? Join Venture Outdoors as our new full-time Fishing Program Manager! Salary is $50K plus benefits. Job duties include managing fishing programs, training staff, building partnerships, and more. Interested individuals can submit their resume before May 2 at ventureoutdoors.org/about/ employment-opportunities/ MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST GRANT FUNDED POSITION The Mental Health Specialist will counsel individuals with various mental health and behavioral health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, post-traumatic stress disorder, personality/behavioral disorders, phobias, and those abusing alcohol and drugs. S/he will assess individuals’ needs and develop goal plans, which may involve counseling/therapy and/or referral to another specialized agency or service. Special populations include those community members in re-entry programs.

Required Qualifications • Masters degree in social work, psychology, counseling or a related field • Five to seven years of experience in counseling individuals with various mental health or behavioral health conditions • Experience working with residents in low-income neighborhoods • Working knowledge of services/ resources available in the community • Strong problem-solving and collaboration skills • Experienced in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Certification (Preferred) • Excellent communications, project management and records management skills • Trained in trauma-informed care and mental health first aid • Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation • First aid and CPR certified • Current Act 33 and Act 34 clearances • Fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus Please forward resumes to bludlum@forstorox.org

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JOB OPPORTUNITIES

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ENTERPRISE PERFORMANCE MANAGER The Strategy Division is launching a comp r ehens iv e c on ti n u o u s improvement program. The Enterprise Performance Manager will have the opportunity to shape this program and build a team to execute a transformation of the way Port Authority works and deliver services as an organization. The successful candidate will lead training and enterprise performance functions throughout the Port Authority at all levels, from front-line employees to executive leadership, based on Lean and similar process improvement methods. The Manager of Organizational Excellence will be expected to develop, implement, and manage complex programs that integrates multiple elements or programs to achieve organizational excellence.

Essential Functions: •Develop, manage and facilitate key processes and tools for identifying, prioritizing, resource planning and executing initiatives and projects that support the Strategic Plan.

•Participates in strategic planning efforts. Monitors data and identifies trends and patterns, analyzes best value propositions, and recommends enhanced or new solutions. Leads analytical efforts on special projects to improve operating efficiency from business and technical perspectives.

Develops reports, feasibility studies, and briefings on specific issues.

•Leads multidisciplinary teams of employees to synthesize, clarify, define and document business requirements and processes. Evaluates requirements and processes and recommends feasible solutions.

Job requirements include: •Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university with major coursework in Business, Public Administration, or other related field plus five (5) years of increasingly responsible work experience in performance analytics, enterprise risk management and/or data management research in a government or private setting, three (3) years of which were in a managerial capacity.

•Valid driver’s license is required.

Preferred attributes: •Experience in assessing and creating management systems that support a culture of continuous improvement •Experience using Power of Business Intelligence or similar software platforms or applications •Experience leading highly diverse teams in a broad array of projects/ subjects •Knowledge of program management.

•Knowledge of supervisory and managerial techniques and principles.

•Excellent oral and written communications and attention to detail.

•S k i l l i n s t r a t e g i c p l a n n i n g , coordinating, and implementing programs and activities.

•Skill in interpreting, organizing, coordinating, and executing assignments, projects, and programs.

•Skill in handling multiple tasks and prioritizing.

•Skill in data analysis and problem solving.

•Ability to work with frequent interruptions and changes in priorities.

•Ability to establish and maintain trust and good working relationships with Port Authority staff, management, board members, and the public.

•Ability to exercise good judgment, tact, and diplomacy in all dealings and maintain confidentiality as required.

•Keen ability to drive work independently with little direction.

•Ability to quickly become well versed in the subject matter.

•Experience with placing high value on the customer experience.

DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST Port Authority is seeking a Digital Communications Specialist to support and promote Port Authority services and accomplishments with digital tools, including but not limited to the Authority’s website and social media platforms. Under general direction, the Digital Communications Specialist will be responsible for executing the digital vision and strategy of the Public Relations Department and Chief Executive Officer by developing and executing content that meets Port Authority goals.

Essential Functions: •Plans, develops, and executes integrated social media programs for the agency as a whole and for individual departments as needed.

•Using best practices and techniques to increase Port Authority’s visibility, presence, and interaction with its customers, maintains and monitors social media channels and responds to inquiries using these tools •Coordinates day-to-day updates, postings, and helps maintain the organization’s ongoing presence on social media.

•Maintains the non-technical aspects of customer-facing digital platforms using best practices and techniques.

•Collaborates on web communication strategies and solutions related to digital marketing and public relations.

Job requirements include: •Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Public Relations, Communications, Marketing or related field from an accredited school. Directly related experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.

•Minimum of three (3) years of experience in corporate/government communications or website design and internet publishing experience in corporate communications, public relations/advertising agency or related environment.

•Minimum of three (3) years of experience of significant involvement in the use of social media preferably at a fast-paced agency or in an in-house creative setting.

•Demonstrated ability in the use of Microsoft Windows, Word, Excel and Power Point.

•Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.

•Ability to manage time and workload effectively, which includes, planning, organizing and prioritizing with attention to detail.

Preferred attributes: •E x p e r i e n c e u s i n g a C o n t e n t Management System such as EpiServer.

•Experience configuring integrated digital communications tools.

•Familiarity with general public transit operations.

•Familiarity with Pittsburgh and its suburbs.

CLAIMS ADMINISTRATOR Port Authority is seeking a Claims Administrator to Issue liability and workers’ compensation payments as requested. Prepare monthly reports for Director of Claims.

Essential Functions: •Prepare and issue vouchers for liability and workers’ compensation units as requested utilizing Peoplesoft.

•Enter check numbers into Riskmaster system on all payments issued.

•Enter all WC medical payments and PeopleSoft interface failed payments into Riskmaster.

•R e c o r d s a n d m a i n t a i n s a n accounting and balanced record on database of all claims settlements, litigated settlements, first party payments, subrogation, property damage payments and workers compensation indemnity and medical payments and other claims-related payments on a weekly and monthly basis.

Job requirements include: •Associate Degree in business or related field. Directly related experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.

•Minimum of 3 years of experience in claims or related field.

•Customer Service oriented with the ability to handle emotionally charged situations.

•Professional, effective oral and written communication skills.

•Excellent organizational skills.

Preferred attributes: •Experience in the use of Microsoft Windows, Word, Excel and Access.

We o ff e r a c o m p r e h e n s i v e compensation and benefits package.

Interested candidates should forward a cover letter (with salary requirements) and resume to: Missy Ramsey Employment Department 345 Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 MRamsey@portauthority.org EOE

We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Interested candidates should forward a cover letter (with salary requirements) and resume to:

Missy Ramsey Employment Department 345 Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 MRamsey@portauthority.org EOE

GATEWAY SCHOOL DISTRICT DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES The Gateway School District in Mo n ro e v i l l e , PA i s accepti ng applications for the positions listed above.

For a complete job description, and how to apply, please visit our website at: www.gatewayk12.org – Departments/Services - Human Resources/ Personnel – Employment Opportunities Gateway School District is an Equal Rights and Opportunity Employer.

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS FULL-TIME SECRETARY SCHOOL POLICE OFFICERS SECURITY GUARDS The Gateway School District in Monroeville, PA is accepting applications for the positions listed above.

For a complete job description, and how to apply, please visit our website a t : w w w. g a t e w a y k 1 2 . o r g – Departments/Services - Human Resources/ Personnel – Employment Opportunities Gateway School District is an Equal Rights and Opportunity Employer.

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We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Interested candidates should forward a cover letter (with salary requirements) and resume to: Glenn Huetter Employment Department 345 Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 GHuetter@portauthority.org EOE ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT – ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE SPECIALIST P or t A uthor ity i s seeki ng a Accounting Assistant – Accounts Receivable Specialist to record business transactions to the general ledger, process cash receipts, and to audit and verify checks from the Accounts Payable section.

Essential Functions: •Utilize PeopleSoft general ledger system to perform the following: •Inputs journal entries.

•Prints reports, as needed.

•Assembles source documents for recording journal entries to the general ledger.

•Reconciles several bank accounts, as assigned.

•Prepares and updates worksheets to reconcile various accounts.

•Utilize PeopleSoft accounts receivable and billing systems to perform the following: •Process and records cash receipts on PeopleSoft Accounts Receivable module on a daily basis.

•Prepares, records, processes and mails miscellaneous invoices.

•Enters all miscellaneous non-invoice receipts.

Job requirements include: •High school diploma or GED, supplemented by twelve (12) credits in accounting from an accredited college or business school.

•Minimum of two (2) years of accounting experience within the past five (5) years.

•Demonstrated ability to use Windows, Microsoft Word and Excel to accurately and efficiently enter and access data.

•Professional and effective communication skills.

•Ability to use a calculator.

Preferred attributes: •Familiarity with Port Authority’s account classification.

•Experience using PeopleSoft Financials 8.9.

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Call Allison Palm at 412-481-8302, ext. 136

America’s Best Weekly 315 East Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Interested candidates should forward a cover letter (with salary requirements) and resume to: Glenn Huetter Employment Department 345 Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 GHuetter@portauthority.org EOE

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Voters Guide Primary Election May 17, 2022 Published by League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh Community Information Center Koppers Building 436 Seventh Avenue Suite 350 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-261-4284 Publication of the Voters Guide was made possible by the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania Citizens Education Fund New Pittsburgh Courier April 27-May 3, 2022

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APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2022 VOTERS GUIDE 2022

League of Women Voters Guide To The

This Voters Guide was prepared by the League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh and the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania Citizen Education Fund. The League is a non-partisan organization and does not support or oppose any political party or candidate. Its purpose is to promote political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government.

The Voters Guide listings are based entirely on material submitted by the candidates and is printed as submitted.

If a questionnaire was not returned, only the candidate’s name and party is listed. Every candidate was asked to submit a photograph; those received are printed.

The guide lists all candidates in the May 17, 2022 municipal primary for Pennsylvania US Senator, Pennsylvania Governor, Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor, Pennsylvania US Representative, Pennsylvania State Senator, and Pennsylvania State Representative.

The party of the governor is, by practice, given the first position on the ballot in Pennsylvania.

Municipal Primary Election May 17, 2022 (Polls open from 7 AM to 8 PM) Your registration is permanent if • you did not change your address • You did not change your name To check your registration status, go to https://www.pavoterservices. pa.gov/pages/voterregistrationstatus.aspx Identification Requirements for New Voters If you are a new voter or if you are voting at a polling place for the first time, then you must bring your voter ID card or a photo ID such as a driver’s license, student ID or some other form of Federal or State government issued ID. Some forms of non-photo ID are also acceptable such as a firearm permit, current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or government check.

If you do not have any acceptable ID, then you must be

Voting in a Primary Election To vote in this primary election you must have been registered to vote by May 2, 2022.

PENNSYLVANIA U.S. SENATE TERM: 6 years

SALARY: $174,000

DEMOCRATIC Alex Khalil Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Montgomery Occupation: IT Quality Specialist Education: BS Electrical Engineering Technology from Temple, MS Information and Library Science from Drexel, JD, from Temple Law School ALEX KHALIL Qualifications: I am a Jenkintown Boro council member elected twice, activist, attorney, single mom of a dyslexic child and a daughter of immigrants, educator and small business owner Campaign Website: www.alexkhalilforussenate.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/Alex4USSenate Twitter: twitter.com/Alex4USSenate Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

allowed to vote by provisional ballot. If you voted in the prior election and are voting at the same polling place, you are NOT required to bring or provide identification.

Mail-in and Absentee Ballots Mail-in ballot Any qualified voter may apply for a mail-in ballot. You may simply request this ballot type without a reason or excuse. To apply online, go to vote.pa.gov. Contact the county election office to request a paper application. Applications for a mailin ballot must be received by your county election office by 5 pm on May 10, 2022. Completed mail-in ballots must be received by the Elections Division by 8 pm on Tuesday May 17, 2022 to be counted (not postmarked by May 17 as postmark does not matter).

Absentee ballot If you plan

to be out of the municipality on election day or if you have a disability or illness that prevents you from going to your polling place on election day, you can simply this ballot type, which still requires you to list a reason for your ballot request. Registered voters who are ill, disabled, or will be absent from the municipality on Election Day may vote by absentee ballot. Completed APPLICATIONS for absentee ballots for the May 17, 2022 primary election must be received by the Elections Division by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10, 2022. Completed absentee ballots must be received by the Elections Division by 8 PM on Tuesday, May 17, 2022 to be counted (not postmarked by May 17).

Write-in Voting For Write-in voting information, check with the workers at your polling place before entering the voting booth.

A: Lower prescription drugs, bring back manufacturing to the US, economic and environmental renewal. Focus on clean water, air and healthy soil.

Combat climate change. Stand for Human Rights.

Healthcare as a human right Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: Alex supports and will protect the right of every eligible American citizen to vote by mail in ballot or in person voting.

Voter suppression will not be tolerated in any form and will fight for the right to vote. Alex supports stiff penalties for those who try to suppress the vote. Voting is a part of democracy and should be protected.

Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you support to mitigate climate change?

A: Stop the confiscation of Native American lands by mining companies. Support regenerative farming to prevent runoff that can harm PA waterways.

Alex supports providing tax credits to farmers who switch to regenerative farming. Provide more regulation and oversight on all mining to ensure protection of waterways. Currently $15 billion worth of mine reclamation yet to be completed in PA. Convert old coal mines to geothermal systems. Convert old coal power plants to battery storage facilities. Ensure all Pennsylvanians have access to clean drinking water. Stop pipeline construction near fresh water and all water ways, schools, homes and parks.

Require Methane capping for gas and oil wells.

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Election Day Problems If your right to vote is challenged at the polls on Election Day and the problem cannot be resolved at the polling place, the Judge of Elections at the polling place should telephone the county Board of Elections. The problem could be resolved by phone if your name appears on the county records. If it does not and you want to try to resolve the problem, then you can go in person to the county Board of Elections where a judge from the Court of Common Pleas will be on duty to resolve election problems. Alternatively, you can ask for and vote by provisional ballot. If it is later determined that you were eligible to vote, your ballot will be counted. You will be given instructions on how to determine if your vote was counted.

If you have any questions or need to report any problems, call the Election Protection hotline at 1-866-687-8683 or the Allegheny County Elections Division at 412-3504500.

Internet Voters Guide This Voters Guide and other useful information for voters can be found on the League’s web site at https://lwvpgh.org or can be found by going to www.vote411.org and typing in your address and zip code.

Conor Lamb Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Occupation: U.S. Representative, PA-17 Education: BA, University of Pennsylvania; JD, University of Pennsylvania Law School Qualifications: U.S. Marine CONOR LAMB 2009-2013; Asst. U.S. Attorney 2013-2017; U.S. Representative, 2018-current Campaign Website: conorlamb.com Facebook: Facebook.com/ConorLambPA Twitter: Twitter.com/ConorLambPA Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: My first priority is to do my part to help protect our democracy. That starts, I believe, with eliminating the filibuster so that we can pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. I will also work to pass the many other important bills that we’ve passed in the House— including to raise the minimum wage, protect the right to choose, cut prescription drug prices, prevent gun violence, and Build Back Better, among others.

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VOTERS GUIDE 2022

Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: I will vote to eliminate the filibuster and to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act, as I have in the House, so that we can prevent states from passing the kind of discriminatory voting restrictions that we’re seeing come out of Republican state legislatures across the country. I will also continue working to reform our campaign finance laws.

Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you support to mitigate climate change?

A: The world emits 51 billion tons of greenhouse gases each year, and we need to get to zero by 2050 to avoid the worst effects of climate change. I support a comprehensive plan to accomplish that, and a flexible energy policy that invests in several different energy sources. I believe natural gas has a role to play as a bridge fuel as we continue to expand renewable energy sources and develop the technology we need to store renewable energy at grid scale.

In the House, I helped increase research funds for solar and wind, as well as for modernizing the grid.

I also passed a law to reinstate tough methane standards. And I support major investments in carbon and methane capture technology. You can read more about my plan at https://conorlamb.com Q: How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: That’s a very broad question, particularly when there are so many challenges to the international community right now, and different challenges require very different responses. In general, I think it is important for the U.S. to stay actively engaged with the rest of the world, to play the leading role in building international coalitions to confront problems like climate change and COVID that affect all of us, and to support democracies and promote peace and human and civil rights wherever they are threatened.

Malcolm Kenyatta Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Philadelphia Occupation: Representative in Pennsylvania General Assembly Education: Bachelors - Temple University, Masters - Drexel University Campaign Website: MALCOM KENYATTA www.malcolmkenyatta.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ Mmkenyatta Twitter: twitter.com/malcolmkenyatta Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: I’m in this race to make sure the basic bargain is accessible to all folks, good jobs backed by a union, the ability to go to the doctor and to afford the prescription you may need and to go to a safe school and get an education.

Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: The insurrection on January 6, where armed white supremacists tried to execute elected officials to forcibly overturn the certified results of a fair and free election, has already begun inspiring lawmakers throughout the US to make it harder for marginalized communities to vote.

48 states, including Pennsylvania, have introduced or

passed oppressive voting bills that restrict access to the ballot box. Increased voting by mail allowed a surge in democratic participation across communities and demographics in 2020, resulting in the higheI have outlined an 8 point plan for protecting our democracy and moving forward legislation that matters here. https:// malcolmforpa.medium.com/a-new-day-for-americandemocracy-an-eight-point-plan-24bd7f32f324 Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you support to mitigate climate change?

A: Our planet is rapidly approaching the point of no return as global temperatures continue to rise. The United States must lead the world in responding to the climate crisis on the scale, scope, and urgency this moment requires. But climate justice isn’t limited to reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. That means we need a moratorium on new fracking and to end tax breaks to oil and gas giants, shifting our resources to fund a just transition and investments in green energy technology so Pennsylvania remains an energy leader.

Climate justice means investment in green union jobs for workers leaving the fossil fuel industry, accountability for the communities poisoned by fossil fuel extraction, and innovation. Especially in states like PA whe Q: How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: The US must continue to protect our NATO allies, Israel, and other major non-NATO allies across the world.

John Fetterman Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny County Occupation: Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania Education: Albright College, B.S. 1991 University of Connecticut., M.B.A. 1993 Harvard University Kennedy School, M.P.P. JOHN FETTERMAN 199 Qualifications: Risk-Management Insurance Underwriter, Chubb & Son 1993-1994 Member, AmeriCorps 1995-1997 Program Coordinator, Braddock Out-Of-School Youth 2001-2007 Founder & President, Braddock Redux 2003-2017 Mayor of the Borough of Braddock, 2006-2019 Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, 2019-Presen Campaign Website: johnfetterman.com/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/JohnFettermanPA Twitter: twitter.com/JohnFetterman Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Among my top issues are tackling income inequality and economic injustices; raising wages and benefits for working families; reforming the criminal justice system; codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law; passing anti-discrimination protections for the LGBTQ+ community; protecting and expanding the right to vote; and protecting and expanding the union way of life.

Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: I would strongly support legislation in Congress, such as the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, the For the People Act, and the Freedom to Vote Act, which aim to expand voting rights. It is important that we make it easier for people to vote, eliminate dark money in politics, and knock down restrictions that

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marginalize voters, mostly voters of color. I would proudly eliminate the filibuster to do it.

In the aftermath of the 2020 elections, I was removed from the floor of the PA state Senate after resisting Republican efforts to refuse to seat Senator Jim Brewster after he fairly won his election. We must enshrine the right to vote into federal law to stop Republicans from undermining it, and as Senator I will do everything to make that happen.

Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you support to mitigate climate change?

A: Climate change is an existential threat, and we need to transition to clean energy as quickly as possible. I have never taken a dime from the fossil fuel industry, and I never will. It’s a totally false choice that we have to choose between jobs and a clean environment. We can have both, that’s why I am always going to fight for creating thousands upon thousands of good-paying green union jobs as we transition, all while increasing our energy independence. My plan for the transition to clean energy starts with immediate investments into research and development and innovation; expanding renewable energy sources; and ensuring clean transportation infrastructure; and investing in environmental justice measures.

Q: How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: I am very happy that President Biden is rebuilding the US’s standing in the international community after former President Trump damaged it so much. As a world leader, America must first and foremost ensure proper diplomatic relations, protect its allies, and engage in vigorous diplomacy across the globe. In addition, where there is a need, and to the extent that we can, America must help. That includes accepting refugees fleeing war in their countries, or providing humanitarian aid, military aid, and other support to countries like Ukraine that are defending themselves from attacks on their sovereignty by brutal dictators like Putin.

REPUBLICAN Kathy Barnette Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Montgomery Occupation: MOM | Veteran | Author | Political Commentator Education: College Graduate Qualifications: Kathy Barnette is a veteran, former adjunct professor of corporate finance, KATHY BARNETTE sought-after conference speaker, & conservative political commentator. Kathy served her country proudly for 10 years in the Army reserves.

Campaign Website: www.barnetteforsenate.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/BarnetteforSenate/ Twitter: twitter.com/kathy4truth?lang=en Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: I will work to make America energy independent again. As your U.S. Senator in Pennsylvania, I sponsor or co-sponsor legislation that reverses the hostile environment in the energy sector that Biden and Democrats have created and reinstate drilling for natural gas and oil on federal lands.

I will work to grow our economy by creating an en-

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vironment where our companies do not have to flee our nation to escape onerous taxes and regulations.

I will work to create an economy where the middle class are not perpetually squeezed. And, I will work to create an economy where those who find themselves below the bottom rung of the economic ladder believe there is hope for them to work to create a different life for themselves.

Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: If the election of 2020 has taught us anything it is that elections have consequences and that nothing is more important than the people knowing that their vote counts.

I will work to enforce the obvious fact that IDs matter and must be shown before a person is allowed to vote.

I will work to remove dead people from the voter rolls.

I will work to remove those people who no longer live in the state.

I will work to reverse Act 77.

I will work to make it illegal for third-party entities to spend massive amounts of money to assist states with their elections (i.e., Zuckerberg’s entities spending money to install drop boxes in certain areas) Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you support to mitigate climate change?

A: I will work to make America energy independent again.

No one is going to produce energy as clean and as safe as America.

Q: How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: America is the face of freedom. When we “lead from behind” we create a vacuum and as we are all watching unfold today, despotic regimes will move rapidly to fill that void.

Today, the Biden Administration’s foreign affair’s strategy looks like a game of wack-o-mole. There’s no discernable end game. There’s no deliberate strategy and as a result the world is now a more dangerous place.

If your concern is the health of the climate then the Biden Administration’s lack of a credible foreign affairs strategy is enemy #1.

Bad actors are taking advantage of a weak US president who is also compromised. We know that the Hunter Biden laptop is authentic and the corruption has been predominantly influence pedaling of his fathers elected positions.

Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNER JEFF BARTOS

Dave McCormick Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

Sean Gale Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Montgomery Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

Carla Sands

Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Cumberland Occupation: Former Ambassador and Business Woman Education: Doctor of Chiropractic Qualifications: Worked with NATO and the DOD to secure the United States against our CARLA SANDS foreign adversaries like Russia and China as the US Ambassador from 2017 to 2021. Received the DOD’s highest civilian honor, The Medal for Distinguished Public Service. Increased US exports to Denmark over 43% while US Ambassador.

Campaign Website: Carlasands.com America’s #1 challenge today is the need to re-prior- Facebook: www.facebook.com/CarlaHSands itize what is important to America first. Our nation Twitter: twitter.com/CarlaHSands?ref_src=twsmust be made strong again. rc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Mehmet Oz Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Montgomery Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

George Bochetto Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Philadelphia Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

Jeff Bartos Party: Rep Biographical Info:

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County: Montgomery Occupation: Developer Campaign Website: JeffBartos.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ BartosForPennsylvania Twitter: twitter.com/jeff_bartos

Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: - no response Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: no response Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you support to mitigate climate change?

A: Election law resides with the states not the federal government. I support the recent passing of PA legislation to implement voter ID in 2023. Also, we have to carefully win back republican control of the PA supreme court and end mail in ballots. Most western countries do not use mail in ballots because they are so open to fraud.

Q: How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: We need strong American presidential leadership. I support peace through strength. Only by showing adversaries that there are consequences to their actions will the chaos around the world cease.

TERM: 4 years

SALARY: $213,000

Description: Description of office: The Governor is the chief executive officer of the Commonwealth, executing the laws of the state through Executive Agencies. A Governor must be at least 30 years old and have been a US citizen and resident of the state for seven years preceding the election. S/he manages the financial affairs of the state and must annually present a balanced budget to the General Assembly. The Governor has extensive appointive powers, may recommend legislation, and signs or vetoes bills passed by both houses of the General Assembly (subject to 2/3 override). S/he is Commander-in-Chief of the state National Guard, except when they are called into the actual service of the United States. The Governor can grant reprieves, pardons, and paroles. The holder of this office may only be reelected once.

DEMOCRATIC Josh Shapiro Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Montgomery Occupation: Attorney General of Pennsylvania Education: University of Rochester, BA; Georgetown University Law Center, JD Qualifications: Whether as a JOSH SHAPIRO State Rep., the leader of PA’s third-largest county, or Attorney General, I’ve brought people together to get things done. As Governor, I’ll continue to tackle the challenges facing Pennsylvanians and will move our Commonwealth forward.

Campaign Website: joshshapiro.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/JoshShapiroPA Twitter: twitter.com/joshshapiropa Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: As Governor, my top priorities are creating opportunity for Pennsylvania children by improving our education system, building a stronger economy by creating jobs, cutting taxes and lowering costs, and making our communities safer all across the Commonwealth. In order to move Pennsylvania forward and build a better future for our children, we must work together to achieve these key priorities.

Throughout my career—and every day as Attorney General—I work hard to bring people together, solve problems, and get things done for Pennsylvania. As Governor, I will continue to do just that so that we can solve our biggest problems—because that’s how we will deliver results for people across our Commonwealth and move Pennsylvania forward.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Defending democracy is the foundation for mak-

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ing progress in Pennsylvania. I believe that if we want to grow our economy, improve our schools, and make our communities safer, then we need a stable democracy where all Pennsylvanians’ voices can be heard.

As Governor, I will continue my work to ensure voters have access to the ballot box and that every legal vote is counted in every election. That’s why I released a ten-step plan to defend democracy, ensure access to the ballot, and improve our elections by appointing a pro-democracy Secretary of State, allowing counties to pre-canvass and cure ballots, establishing automatic voter registration and early in-person voting, and vetoing any attempt to restrict mail-in voting in Pennsylvania.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Throughout my entire career, I have worked to defend Pennsylvanians’ constitutional right to clean air and pure water—and as Governor, I will continue that work by investing in clean energy and clean transportation, adopting the 2020 Grand Jury Report recommendations to minimize health hazards arising from fracking, plugging orphaned and abandoned oil and gas wells, and addressing lead contamination in order to keep protecting Pennsylvania’s environment.

As Governor, my priority will be ensuring Pennsylvania has a comprehensive climate and energy policy that protects consumers, creates jobs, capitalizes on our strength as an energy hub, safeguards our environment, and moves our Commonwealth forward.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Every Pennsylvanian deserves to feel safe at home, at school, and in their community—and I know we can achieve that while upholding Pennsylvanians’ rights and traditions.

Throughout my career, I have worked with my colleagues in law enforcement and with local communities across our Commonwealth to fight gun violence and keep Pennsylvanians safe, taking thousands of illegal guns off our streets, shutting down gun trafficking rings, and working to close the ghost gun loophole. As Governor, I will support common sense gun legislation to close background check loopholes, keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals, and work with the legislature to increase funding for gun safety training programs.

REPUBLICAN Lou Barletta

lor of Arts, History Qualifications: 1986-Commissioned in the US Army, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (2ACR) on the Iron Curtain, 2ACR Desert Storm in Iraq, Afghanistan (three deployments), Senior leader of NATO unit in Afghanistan comprised of 18 nations, Award winning author, Professor of Army War College (Carlisle) Campaign Website: doug4gov.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ Fight4pa

DOUGLAS V. MASTRIANO

Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Infrastructure, Energy Production, Road / Transportation Improvements, School Choice, the Right to Life Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Voter ID, Poll Watcher Protection, Increased Penalties for violating voting law, Repeal Act 77 Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: I’m an Eagle Scout and respect the environment —we are stewards of the land Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Uphold the constitutional protections delineated in our state and federal constitutions Nche Zama Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Northampton Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

Dave White Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Delaware Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

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Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Cut bureaucracy, end regulatory overreach, and work with the legislature to effect change—cut out excessive use of executive orders and constitutional amendments. Have respect for the process developed by the Founders.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Repeal Act 77 and clarify that our voting system be compliant with the PA constitution allowing for voting on election day in person and also by absentee ballot for voters who qualify, to be received by mail or delivery by the voter by election day at the board of elections with an absentee ballot that a voter must apply for in advance, voter ID must be instituted. No delivery other than by the voter or by the post office should be permitted, that is no “drop boxes” or other places that are not secure.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Enforce regulations that are designed to allow development and industry with an eye to long term impact on air water and the environment. We must balance our responsibilities to maintain our beautiful state with the people’s needs for a robust economic environment. If we do this, we will see more advances in clean energy production and environmentally sensitive development because Pennsylvanians will be able to create and develop new technologies with resources from a robust economic environment.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: I support the 2nd amendment and a citizen’s rights to own firearms. Communities and organizations offer safety courses for young and old all over the commonwealth. I am supportive of these and have participated in them.

PA currently has laws requiring background checks.

Bill McSwain Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Chester Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

Melissa Hart

Party: Rep Biographical Info: Party: Rep County: Allegheny Biographical Info: Occupation: Attorney and ConCounty: Luzerne sultant facebook HartforPA, Questions: twitter @HartofPgh Candidate has not yet responded.

Education: J.D. University of Pittsburgh, B.A. Washington & Douglas V. Mastriano MELISSA HART Jefferson College Qualifications: Attorney and Party: Rep former State Senator and ConBiographical Info: gresswoman with significant accomplishments and County: Franklin coalition building as a Republican from a DemocratOccupation: Senator ic district Education: PhD, History; Masters Strategic Intel- Campaign Website: HartforPA.org ligence; Masters Airpower Theory; Masters Military Other websites: Facebook, HartforPA and Melissa Operational Art; Masters Strategic Studies, Bache- Hart Twitter, @HartofPgh

Charlie Gerow Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Cumberland Occupation: Businessman Education: JD Villanova Law School Qualifications: Business owner, vice chairman of CPAC Campaign Website: charliefor- CHARLIE GEROW governor.com Facebook: facebook.com/CharlieforGovernor Twitter: twitter.com/CharlieforGovPA Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how

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would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: My priorities will be a thriving economy, a great education system and election integrity. I will do as I have always done, building coalitions and finding common ground to find winning solutions to the challenges we face.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: I would sign a law to repeal Act 77. I will appoint a Secretary of the Commonwealth who is both experienced in conducting elections and fully committed to the rule of law.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: The constitutional guarantees of Article 1, Section 27 are vital to the future of Pennsylvania. As governor, I will appoint cabinet and agency officials committed to the protection of our environment and good stewards of our natural resources.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: I am deeply committed to the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Pennsylvanians gun owners as well as Article 1 Section 21 of the Pennsylvania constitution.

Joe Gale Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Montgomery Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

Jake Corman Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Centre Occupation: President Pro Tempore, Pennsylvania State Senate Education: Jake received an Associates Degree from the Pennsylvania College of Technology JAKE CORMAN and then a Bachelor of Arts from the Pennsylvania State University.

Qualifications: Dedicating his life to public service, Jake built a reputation as a champion for personal freedoms, education, creating jobs, public safety and as a strong fiscal watchdog for Pennsylvania taxpayers, defeating all of Tom Wolf’s tax increases.

Campaign Website: www.cormanforpa.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/CormanForPA Twitter: twitter.com/CormanForPA Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Election reform, education, jobs and public safety.

I have a track record of working with members of my own party and Democrats to forge compromise.

As Americans, we must be committed to a government that seeks compromise, while also fighting for what we believe to be right. I’ve been able to help Pennsylvania make historic investments in the education of our children, while defeating tax increases that would hurt working families. We negotiated my pension reform bill with a Democrat governor but

defeated tax increase proposals. We can’t be ruled by partisanship and talking points; we have to be willing to roll up our sleeves and get things done.

When I’m governor, I’ll get to work immediately with our legislature and put people first.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: If we don’t have faith in our elections, we have nothing. That’s why I launched our review of the 2020 election in a transparent fashion. Gov. Tom Wolf ignored Act 77 by giving illegal, last-second directions to county voting offices on mail-in ballots.

This behavior led two counties in one senatorial district to tabulate votes differently and change the outcome of an election. Our Supreme Court, outside of their judicial mandate, added unsecured ballot drop boxes. As governor, I will support reform legislation that eliminates drop boxes, institutes photo ID requirements, and ends what has been a disastrous, no-excuse mail-in-ballot program.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: I have a strong track record of supporting our environment and natural resources, namely Pennsylvania’s landmark Growing Greener program. In June 2002, we doubled the funding to over a half billion dollars. In doing so, we’ve cleaned up abandoned mines; funded local parks and trails; expanded farmland preservation and protected some of Pennsylvania’s most beautiful open spaces. I believe we have a responsibility to be guardians of our natural resources.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Further gun control measures concentrate more power in the hands of government. If we go down the path of giving government more authority to decide who can and cannot possess a firearm, that’s a slippery slope that could seriously erode our Second Amendment rights. We all want safer streets and safer communities. Our prosecutors must be committed to prosecuting criminals who commit crimes with guns, not let them walk free like we’re seeing in Philadelphia with District Attorney Larry Krasner and his soft-on-crime mentality.

PENNSYLVANIA LIEUTENANT GOVERNER TERM: 4 YEARS

SALARY: $213,000

Description: Description of office: The Lieutenant Governor will be elected jointly with the Governor in the General Election although candidates are nominated separately in the Primary. A Lieutenant Governor must be at least 30 years old and have been a US citizen and resident of the state for seven years preceding the election. S/he is President of the Senate, presiding over the Senate but having no vote unless the Senate is equally divided. S/he is Chair of the Board of Pardons and the PA Emergency Management Council. The PA Constitution provides that in case of the death, conviction or impeachment, failure to qualify, resignation, or other disability of the Governor, the powers, duties, and compensation of the office shall be transferred to the Lieutenant Governor for the remainder of the term or until the disability is removed. There are no term limits to this office.

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DEMOCRATIC Austin Davis Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

Ray Sosa Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Montgomery Occupation: Consultant to Management Education: Leadership Certified, Harvard University. BS in Business Administration. Insurance licensed in all 50 states (8 RAY SOSA lines of authority) Qualifications: Ray has been appointed by three different US Governors to lead districts in coordinating Emergency Management Response. Ray was the Chairman of the Governor’s Human Rights Advocacy Committee for 10 years, fighting for hospitals, juvenile justice centers, foster care, equality, and nursing homes.

Campaign Website: raysosaltgov2022.com/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/raysosaltgov2022 Twitter: www.twitter.com/raysosaltgov201 Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Criminal Justice Reform, have a fairer bond regulation that does not impact our minority, and indigent population, and meritory commutations of sentences with a path to rehabilitation. Revamping our emergency response system and infrastructure to withstand a natural disaster due to climate change.

I have 15 years of experience reaching across the isle to get legislation signed into law. As the future president of PA senate, I would be the peacekeeper of the senate. Keeping in mind that the PA Lt. Governor is the Lt. Governor for everyone, there are plenty of opportunities to create good will if I allow everyone regardless of political party to share their points and voice their opinions. That’s how you get things done! Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: There is a growing trend in PA where electoral maps are being challenged and redrawn to benefit only one party. There is also a trend to restrict the manner in which you choose to cast your vote.

I would oppose any law that seeks to limit voting rights or represents an attempt at voter suppression. Our focus must be in facilitation and extending our voting options to defend our constitutional right to cast our vote. This is regardless of the party you belong to.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: I believe that our incumbents have not paid any attention to our air and water quality for the last 10 years, at least. The water quality in most of our major cities is deplorable and as a result the air quality is disastrous as well. It has come to a point that most water resources are unusable and represent a threat to the health of the population. I would sup-

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port legislation that aggressively imposes fines for polluters in the state. I would also support funding for programs that actively reverse the damage.

I consider this well within the duties of the Lt. Governor as the chair for the Emergency Management Commission for the state. Our water and air quality is an emergency and it should be treated as such.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: I believe that while we all have the right to bear arms, it should be contingent on a background check to assess criminal or violent behavior history. I am a firm believer in keeping military style weapons away from the general population, banning “Ghost Guns” and any attachments that could be used to make a regular weapon automatic.

Firearms safety courses should be mandatory and we should eliminate the “Gun Show Loop”. As a society we must balance the rights of our community with the safety of our people.

Brian Sims Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Philadelphia Occupation: Pennsylvania State House Representative (D182) Education: J.D. in International and Comparative Law, Michigan State University College of Law; BRIAN SIMS B.S., Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Qualifications: I’ve served as a PA Rep. for a decade. I worked as a disability and civil rights attorney and served as staff counsel at the Philadelphia Bar Association. I also served as the president of the board of directors of Equality Pennsylvania and as the chairman of Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia.

Campaign Website: sims4pa.com/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/brian.k.sims Twitter: twitter.com/BrianSimsPA Other websites: www.instagram.com/briansimspa/ Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: The Lt. Governor serves as the President of the Pennsylvania Senate and chairs the Board of Pardons. Pennsylvania needs a progressive President of the Senate who knows how to operate in, under, and around Republican rules to stop the onslaught of bigoted and discriminatory legislation from advancing and promote the passage of equity-focused legislation. I will be the first civil rights attorney to chair the Board of Pardons and will work towards decarceration. Our state has unjustly imprisoned far too many individuals, and while the deeply racist and classist roots of our criminal justice system make reforming it impossible, the Board of Pardons is one of the few places where we can bring justice to those who are falsely imprisoned.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: I’ve spent a decade fighting for legislation to ensure access to the ballot for all. I’m a member of the State Government committee—the committee that passes laws regarding elections–and I’ve sponsored legislation to create early voting, expand vote by

mail, and make registration easier. I’m the prime sponsor of a package of bills that aim to make voting more accessible for returning citizens. As Lt. Governor I’ll stand against voter suppression laws that come through the Senate and will use the statewide platform to push for early voting, automatic voter registration, election day as a public holiday, and the re-enfranchisement of returning citizens. I’ll do everything in my power to protect and expand voting rights for all Pennsylvanians.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: I am the only candidate in the race for Lt. Governor that is against fracking. Pennsylvanians deserve clean air and water, and the continuation of fracking in our Commonwealth is in direct opposition to that goal. I am the proud sponsor of HB 100 which aims to transition Pennsylvania to one hundred percent renewable energy by 2050. Our state needs to invest in renewable energy sources and green infrastructure in order to complete the transition away from fossil fuel dependence. As Lt. Governor, I will work with Democratic leaders in the Senate and the Governor to eliminate fracking in the Commonwealth and pass necessary legislation like HB100 that will transition Pennsylvania to one hundred percent renewable energy sources.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: With a gun violence epidemic affecting families across Pennsylvania, we desperately need comprehensive background checks and safety training. I support the enforcement of red flag laws, lost-gun reporting laws, eliminating straw purchases, and comprehensive background checks to decrease the likelihood that guns fall into the wrong hands. I am the prime sponsor of HB393 which would only allow licensed firearms dealers to sell ammunition and businesses to use existing licenses to sell both firearms and ammunition. Nearby states have passed such laws, and there is no reason Pennsylvania cannot do the same. As Lt. Governor, I will work with members of our legislature to curb gun violence so that our Commonwealth is a safer place for all.

REPUBLICAN Clarice Schillinger Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Montgomery Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

James Earl Jones Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Montgomery Occupation: Petroleum Consultant Education: BS/MBA Qualifications: Military Retired/Businessman Campaign Website: www.jonesforltgovernorpa.com JAMES EARL Facebook: JONES https://www.facebook.com/ groups/187558356211346 Twitter: https://twitter.com/JonesforAmerica

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Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: I would prioritize legislation and laws to focus on the economy, environment, education and energy programs. Economy: use various measures to control and regulate both private and public sectors.

Environment: support legislation to protect jobs and industry while reducing threats to the environment and increasing public health. Education: allow for school choice in providing for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education. Energy: support governmental actions affecting the production, distribution, and consumption of energy in a business manner. As President of the Senate, I would advocate meeting with both the Senate leaders and the House of Representative leaders of both parties on a monthly basis.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: To me, voting is a sacred American right. In the Pennsylvania Constitution, Article 7 is clear on how voting in the Commonwealth is conducted. After the 2020 election, I see the need to push for more restrictive voting laws (such as voter identification) designed to protect against accusations that future elections will not be stolen with fraud and against security failures. Also, due to issues created with Act 77, I would support an RFP (Request for Proposal) to address specific gaps or complaints discovered in the current electronic machines to increase voter integrity. I will work to protect our right to vote and protect our election systems from partisan or foreign interference, and help build trust in our democracy.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: One of the pillars of my campaign is protection of the Commonwealth’s environment and our natural resources. I would urge the Governor to remove the job killing REGGI (Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative) and any other obstructive legislation. Regulations protecting our natural resources must be (1) compliant with all applicable statutes relevant to the protection of the public’s natural resources (2) demonstrate a reasonable effort to reduce the environmental incursion to a minimum (3) more beneficial in reducing environmental harm than the costs incurred implementing the regulations. I would push for improving technology and educating the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) on the best measures to safeguard our natural resources.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: The language is clear in Article I, Section 21 of the Pennsylvania State Constitution, stating: “The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned”. Additionally, the US Constitution, 2nd Amendment states those rights “shall not be infringed”. My position on red flag laws is they are unconstitutional. I am in favor of gun merchants and local law enforcement background checks and individual requested firearm safety training programs.

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Rick Saccone

Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

John Brown Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Northampton Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

the ground is what we need.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: I support the second amendment and am myself a conceal carry permit holder. I believe that the government has no right to interfere with our right to bear arms. I am not opposed to limited laws that are truly intended to prevent guns from falling into the wrong hands. However, I would fight against legislation that makes it hard for good, law abiding citizens to purchase fire arms. We cannot allow the minority (criminals) to dictate our laws.

Jeff Coleman Party: Rep Biographical Info: Party: Rep County: Cumberland Biographical Info: Occupation: Principal, Churchill County: Lawrence Strategies Occupation: Mayor (New Castle, Education: BS, Liberty University PA) Qualifications: Small business Education: Bachelors from Ganowner, former borough councilman, non University in Social Work and former two-term state representaMasters from University of Pittstive JEFF COLEMAN burgh in Social Work with a conCampaign Website: www.Colecentration in Community OrganizCHRIS FRYE manforpa.com ing and Social Administration Facebook: www.facebook.com/ColemanforPA Qualifications: Current mayor (New Castle), responsible for day-to-day management Twitter: twitter.com/colemanforpa of employees; chief executive, proposes & manages $26M budget; 15 years of executive/management expe- Questions: rience; serves on executive and legislative committees Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would Municipal League; workforce development & juvenile you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law? probation experience.

Campaign Website: www.CitizensForChrisFrye.com A: The centerpiece of my campaign has been the urgent need to restore civil discourse in our public dialogue.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mayorchrisfrye While the lieutenant governor’s role in policy is limited Other websites: Instagram: mayorfrye4lt to the priorities of the governor, I believe there is a need to expand the participation of parents in the education of Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would their children, offer a renewed vision for struggling small you work with others in government to get legislation towns, and create a path to work, community, and good citizenship for ex-offenders. passed and signed into law?

A: As lieutenant governor, my role would be to primar- Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to ily work to advance the governor’s agenda. However, it Pennsylvania’s voting laws? is my desire to work as a conduit between the gover- A: Maintaining—and in too many cases, restoring— nor’s office and the more than 2,500 municipalities. I public confidence in our electoral process is a challenge know, first hand, as mayor of a Pennsylvania munici- that can be addressed in a level-headed, bipartisan way pality, that Harrisburg often disregards us. They never free of rancor over past or looming elections. I am conask what we need. They pass unfunded mandates and fident that with the right leadership Pennsylvania can leave us to fend for ourselves. I will support and push do this without sacrificing our centuries-old tradition of an agenda that take into consideration the effects leg- welcoming the vote of every citizen. islation has on local communities. As mayor, I have an Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees agenda, but that agenda is based in large part on input the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation from the community. I take a bottoms up approach. Lis- of the environment. What actions would you take to proten to the voters & community so they can help shape tect these rights? the agenda and have a stake & say-so in their commu- A: As a son of rural Pennsylvania I am deeply aware of the beauty of our environment and the harm that has nity.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to been done in the past exploiting natural resources. It is a core mission of government to properly balance the Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: I support limiting mail in ballots. I support requiring obligation to protect the environment with the need to ID to vote. I support auditing to be sure that we have ensure that farmers are not harmed and the economic life of small communities is not destroyed. integrity in our elections.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guaran- Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being contees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the pres- sidered on comprehensive background checks, red flag ervation of the environment. What actions would you laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures? take to protect these rights?

A: I believe in legislation that protects our environment; A: I support the provisions of the federal and state conhowever, we must allow the private sector to tap into stitutions outlining the rights and responsibilities of gun our natural resources, specifically our energy resourc- ownership, which I do not believe to be inconsistent with es, to bring in new revenue sources and lower the tax maintaining public safety. While the lieutenant governor burden on our taxpayers. I am not opposed to limited has no vote on these or other policy issues—outside of government oversight to insure that our environment breaking a tie on procedural votes—I am a strong adis not destroyed, however, I do not believe a large gov- vocate for promoting of safe, responsible use of firearms. ernment bureaucracy that regulates an industry into Chris Frye

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Russ Diamond Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Lebanon Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

Carrie Lewis DelRosso Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Occupation: Member of State House of Representatives Education: University of Pittsburgh Qualifications: Oakmont Council Member 2018-2020; State House Member 2021 CARRIE LEWIS Campaign Website: DELROSSO www.CarrieForPA.com Facebook: facebook.com/carrieforpa Twitter: twitter.com/carrieforpa Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Lower CNIT- Push for PA to more attractive state to manufacture and produce Provide a better return on investment with k-12 education Fully fund law enforcement Fully fund infrastructure Secure Elections Promote Ag Growth Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Voter ID Provide a more efficient system for early/absentee voting and deadlines Voter Confidence -ballot security Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Promote energy growth and independence in PA while always mindful of our environment.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Protect our 2nd Amendment; right to people to bear arms Teddy Daniels Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Wayne Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

PENNSYLVANIA U.S. REPRESENTATIVE

DISTRICT 12 TERM: 2 YEARS

SALARY: $174,000

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VOTERS GUIDE 2022

Description: Description of office: The US Constitution requires that the House of Representatives be composed of Representatives from each state, elected in proportion to population. There are 435 members of the House of Representatives, with 17 Representatives allotted to Pennsylvania after the 2020 census. A US Representative must be at least 25 years old, have been a citizen of the United States for the past seven years, and be a resident of the state they seek to represent at the time of the election (though not necessarily the same district). The House of Representatives is responsible for introducing and voting on bills, resolutions and amendments, and for approving the budget. Representatives also serve on various policy committees. The House may send Articles of Impeachment of elected officials to the Senate and elects the President if there is a tie in the Electoral College.

DEMOCRATIC Jeff Woodard

Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Occupation: Executive Director Education: Masters Degree in Business Administartion; Masters Degree in Criminology (Point Park University; Bachelors Degree In Philosophy (Carlow Universi- JEFF WOODARD ty); Associates Degree in Criminal Justice (Westmoreland County Community College); PA ACT 120 Police Academey; PA State Constables Academy Qualifications: Executive Director of PA College Access Program; CEO of PA Expungements & Pardons, LLC; Served as Assistant to Former Lt. Governor; Elected State Constable; Elected Democratic Committeeman; Adjunct Professor at CCAC and Robert Morris University; Campaign Manager, Staff and Candidate of 29 Campaigns Campaign Website: www.votejeffwoodard.com Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: I would work on Education; Inflation; Taxes; Voting Rights; Veterans Issues; LGBTQ+ Equality and Federal Legalization of Cannabis. I am willing to work with all members of Congress regardless of party to get legislation passed for the good of the constituents.

Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: I will work with the Members of Congress and the President’s Administration to pass legislation to ensure all eligible voters have access to free and fair elections.

This includes online registration, early voting, and as many accessible locations possible.

Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you support to mitigate climate change?

A: I support tax credits to energy efficient homes and building equipment and implementation of solar energy systems. I would also support electric and hybrid vehicles. I want strong clean energy. I believe in carbon emissions, carpooling and mass transit. We may have to look at mitigated climate change to save the environment and cure several illnesses.

Q: How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: I believe the United States play a major role in the international community dealing with the major issues of the world, but again we should have a voice at the table as we do in working with other countries. It should not be the responsibility of the United States to police the world.

Steve Irwin

Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Occupation: Attorney Education: Georgetown University Law Center, J.D. (1983-1986)• Harvard University, A.B., cum laude, Government (1977-1981) Qualifications: Commissioner, Southwestern Pennsylvania ComSTEVE IRWIN mission * Pennsylvania Securities Commissioner * Pittsburgh Chair, Anti-Defamation League • Chair, Civil Rights Commission’s Pennsylvania Advisory Committee • President-Elect, North American Securities Administration Ass’n * Chair, Pgh Parking Authority Campaign Website: steveforpa.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/SteveIrwinPA Twitter: mobile.twitter.com/steveirwinpa Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Everyone should have a fair shot at a decent life. To me, that means healthcare, infrastructure, education, economic opportunity, and protecting our environment.

It means reinvesting in Southwestern Pennsylvania, building a green transition that brings new union jobs into the area, and ensuring that everyone has access to a livable wage and affordable housing and healthcare, even at a time when things are getting more expensive.

When it comes to working with others, over the course of 30 years in public service I’ve found commonalities across all kinds of differences. I’m focused on building trust and working together to find doable things that I can accomplish in Washington which will make a real difference in people’s lives.

Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: American democracy is at a pivotal moment, and we need to work to protect it. We’re not living up to our potential when we keep people from being able to cast their votes in free and fair elections, whether that’s because the lines are too long, the requirements are too harsh, or because they’re voting in a district that’s not fairly drawn. In order to improve access to free and fair elections, I support the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would outlaw discriminatory practices that make it harder for people to vote and help ensure that all our votes count equally. Taking steps like this one can move us toward a truly democratic society and help protect the peaceful transfer of power.

Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you support to mitigate climate change?

A: We’re facing an existential threat from climate change, and we need to work together to transition to a green energy economy. Southwestern Pennsylvania should be a leader in that transition. We have long been essential to the nation’s energy research and production, and moving to a green economy means continuing that legacy by creating new union jobs in sustainable energy production and working with local employers to support their transitions to cleaner fuels. We should do everything we can to achieve President Biden’s goal of carbon neutrality no later than 2050, and we can do that in ways that help our region flourish.

Q: How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: The U.S. plays a unique role on the world stage and, at a moment when the world order could be shifting, we need to continue protecting democracy worldwide.

That means maintaining our reciprocal relationships

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with the allies who share our commitment to freedom, opportunity, and democracy, from Israel to NATO and beyond. While I believe that we should avoid escalating international conflict, we need to stand up for our way of life and stand by those countries that share that commitment, whether by providing military support or the kind of humanitarian aid that helps stave off poverty and create opportunity across the globe. That kind of responsible global citizenship can help make the world a safer place, including for all of us at home.

William Parker Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

Summer Lee Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: PA Occupation: State Representative Education: Summer is a proud graduate of Woodland Hills High School, Penn State, and Howard University School of Law. Qualifications: Summer is an SUMMER LEE organizer, attorney, advocate and two-term state representative for PA’s 34th HD, the first Black woman ever elected to the legislature from Western Pennsylvania, the founder/ chair of UNITE, a grassroots PAC that has helped elect progressives region-wide, up and down ballot.

Campaign Website: www.summerforpa.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/SummerforPA Twitter: www.twitter.com/SummerforPA Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: In Congress, I’ll bring upon the same values and track record I’ve been dedicated to as an organizer, advocate, and state legislator—bringing broad coalitions of folks together for environmental, racial, and economic justice, so we can win real victories for all working people. This means a just transition to a clean energy economy, tackling our climate crisis, taking on corporate polluters and ensuring clean air and water for all.

It means supporting/strengthening unions, raising the minimum wages, passing paid family and sick leave, protecting workers’ and their rights to organize with the PRO Act, passing Medicare for All, challenging mass incarceration and passing police accountability measures.

Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: Not only must we end racist voter ID and suppression laws, restore the full power of the Voting Rights Act, and end gerrymandering, but we must go farther and provide every person in our country with the right to vote—from previously incarcerated people to immigrants, everyone deserves a voice in our democracy.

Congress should be making it easier to vote, not harder, that means automatic voter registration, nationwide early and mail voting, federal holidays for election days, and same day voter registration.

As long as corporations can funnel billions into elections, our democracy will continue to belong to the highest bidder—we must pass comprehensive campaign finance reform and end Citizens United.

Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would

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A: We must pass a Green New Deal through a just transition to a 100% clean and renewable energy economy, centered in good-paying union jobs, with strong protections for workers and frontline communities who’ve born the brunt of environmental racism. This includes ending fracking, which poses a disproportionate threat to communities like the Mon Valley community where I was born and raised, and which I represent today. We must hold corporate polluters accountable, invest in infrastructure to mitigate impacts from extreme weather events, landslides and erosion, fix aging and or lead pipes, and ensure clean water for all, to ensure a livable future for this and future generations.

Q: How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: I believe in a human rights and diplomacy centered approach to foreign policy. This means moving diplomatic solutions like the new version of the JHCPOA/ Iran Deal forward, and building a clean energy economy, away from Big Oil and the authoritarians who control the wells. Instead of giving the Pentagon billions for private weapons contractors and endless war, we must pass budgets that prioritize people (education, health care, infrastructure, housing and more). We must create a functional, humane, inclusive immigration policy, starting with comprehensive immigration reform and a pathway to citizenship, welcoming asylum-seekers and stopping brutal and discriminatory policies around detention, family separation, and deportation.

Jerry Dickinson Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Occupation: Constitutional Law Professor Education: BA from College of the Holy Cross, J.D. from Fordham Qualifications: Jerry is a constitutional law professor at the JERRY DICKINSON University of Pittsburgh, a human rights activist, a husband, and a father. He has clerked for a federal judge, served in South Africa as a Fulbright Scholar, and founding the Housing Rights Project as an attorney.

Campaign Website: jerrydickinson.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/JerryDickinsonForCongress Twitter: twitter.com/JerrySDickinson Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: In Congress I will fight to pass Medicare For All, support common sense efforts that create jobs and rebuild our communities like the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and make sure Russia is held accountable for its invasion of Ukraine. I know I’m not going to agree on everything with every member of Congress, but throughout my life, whether it was in the foster home with 11 siblings, whether it was in the courtroom advocating for my clients, or whether it’s when my students disagree in the classroom at Pitt—I’ve been able to effectively navigate disagreement and build consensus. I plan to do the same in Congress.

Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: Our democracy is facing an all out assault from the far right. I support the John Lewis Voting Right Act, which would restore protections for minority voters that were gutted from the Voting Rights Act by the Supreme Court in 2013. I also support the

Freedom to Vote Act, the Judiciary Act (2021), and the Protecting Our Democracy Act. Since the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, dark money has flooded our political system. Republicans and Democrats alike have been beneficiaries of these lax campaign finance laws. It’s time for this corruption to end. I support the For The People Act, to overturn Citizens United, adopt a small-dollar fundraising model for federal campaigns.

Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you support to mitigate climate change?

A: Every time I take a walk through Frick Park with my daughters to go to the playground, I wonder what the air quality is at that moment, and whether it’s safe to be outside for too long. In 2020, Pittsburgh had two months of “unbreathable air quality days”.

We shouldn’t have to live like this. I support the goals and principles set out in the Green New Deal.

I’m committed to making sure workers and unions have a seat at the table and ensuring a just transition when it comes to addressing climate change.

That’s why I also support a federal jobs guarantee, to ensure no one will lose their jobs as we transition to a green economy.

Q: How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: The U.S. should continue down the road of diplomacy with our allies and enemies. Economic sanctions are imperative to minimizing the threat of war. We need to continue to provide humanitarian aid and a robust refugee program. I believe the U.S. should impose harsher sanctions on Russia for their invasion of Ukraine.

REPUBLICAN Mike Doyle Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

PENNSYLVANIA U.S. REPRESENTATIVE

DISTRICT 17 TERM: 2 YEARS

SALARY: $174,000

Description: Description of office: The US Constitution requires that the House of Representatives be composed of Representatives from each state, elected in proportion to population. There are 435 members of the House of Representatives, with 17 Representatives allotted to Pennsylvania after the 2020 census. A US Representative must be at least 25 years old, have been a citizen of the United States for the past seven years, and be a resident of the state they seek to represent at the time of the election (though not necessarily the same district). The House of Representatives is responsible for introducing and voting on bills, resolutions and amendments, and for approving the budget. Representatives also serve on various policy committees.

The House may send Articles of Impeachment of elected officials to the Senate and elects the President if there is a tie in the Electoral College.

DEMOCRATIC Chris Deluzio Party: Dem

Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Occupation: Lawyer Education: Bishop Canevin High School, U.S. Naval Academy, Georgetown Law Qualifications: Iraq War veteran, Voting rights attorney, union organizer Campaign Website: www.chrisforpa.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChrisforPA Twitter: twitter.com/ChrisForPA

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

CHRIS DELUZIO

Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: My desire to serve in Congress is animated by a core principle that we should be fighting for our common good. We should be fighting for a vibrant economy that leaves no one behind, not a system that rewards corporations and the ultra wealthy.

These are values that I will bring to Congress and guide my decisions serving the people of Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District.

Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: As a voting rights attorney, I deeply understand what is at stake; threats to our right to vote and our democracy are dire. In states under GOP control, Republicans are erecting hurdles to voting, locking in majorities through gerrymandered maps, and taking advantage of our post-Citizens United campaign finance landscape. I know these issues (elections, especially) well from my work at Pitt Cyber and the Brennan Center, and I would hope to continue much of the good work that’s been done on bills like the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you support to mitigate climate change?

A: I absolutely support federal investment to create and support new union energy jobs and believe that regions like mine -- which are energy-producing regions most likely to be impacted by the shift away from fossil fuels -- ought to benefit from federal resources to combat the climate crisis. That investment must also be buoyed by climate resilience investments from Washington. And we should be looking every single day for ways to create union jobs that improve our air and water quality: projects like capping abandoned wells and research into carbon and methane capture and hydrogen. And I’ll work to make sure that nuclear energy remains a strong and viable part of our energy mix as the path to decarbonizing accelerates.

Q: How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: I saw firsthand the costs of a war that we never should have fought (Iraq), and committed myself to work hard to make sure we never again commit such a folly. I have seen far too many fellow veterans suffer with the pain of their service, and so I have worked to use my law degree to serve them: as a mentor in Allegheny County’s veterans treatment court and through pro bono work with the Veterans Consortium. We must be judicious in sending Americans to fight and die abroad, and I will not support sending your children or mine into another ‘Forever War’ when there are other options available to protect American interests. We should support democracy and freedom abroad, provide American diplomatic leadership, and stand strong with allies.

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Sean Meloy Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Occupation: Community Advocate Education: Penn State University Qualifications: I’ve been working to organize our communities and make our government representative of the people it’s meant SEAN MELOY to protect by helping elect LGTBQ elected officials as Vice President at LGBTQ Victory Fund and worked to pass legislation on Capitol Hill advocating for transformational policy.

Campaign Website: www.seanmeloy.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/SeanMeloyPA Twitter: twitter.com/MeloySM Other websites: www.instagram.com/seanmeloyforcongress/ Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: In Congress, I will prioritize issues that will impact working and middle class families in Western PA, fighting for relief for working families, creating good union jobs for the 21st century, and ensuring everyone is protected under the law. Extremism on both sides has hindered progress, but the far-right has said no to even common sense solutions like raising the minimum wage, creating jobs through solving climate change, and better pre-k and childcare opportunities for our children. If elected, I will put the people of Western PA first and never forget where I came from.

Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: Whether it is protecting mail-in ballots or resolutions at the PA State Democratic Committee or as a member representing PA at the DNC, I have been on the record calling for the elimination of the filibuster to pass the “For the People Act” and other comprehensive voting rights protections. As a member of Congress, I will work to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act which will prevent voter suppression. If you can’t win elections, you should work to represent the needs of the people better— but instead, conservatives are trying to change who is able to vote. It is despicable and must be stopped.

Everyone who can legally vote should be able to vote by whatever method they prefer—and we should be encouraging convenience in doing this.

Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you support to mitigate climate change?

A: Climate change is real and we are all feeling it, whether extremists want to admit it or not. It has long-term effects with large-scale impacts that will affect everyone and if not addressed will lead to severe and irreversible damage. Western Pennsylvania has a unique opportunity to be a leader in the green industries. We must work with unions, labor, working families, and members of elected office to build a plan that will take into consideration those most affected by climate and industry. We must pass President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better legislation and the PRO Act to get anything done.

Q: How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: I believe the US has a responsibility to lead the charge on the issues impacting Americans at home and abroad. As an international leader, the United States must protect democracy, particularly if the impacts of conflict can be detrimental to the safety

and freedom of innocent people. When I was growing up, the enemy of the United States was the enemy of both political parties because we shared a belief in democracy. That doesn’t seem true anymore as the GOP becomes more extremist and embraces ideas that our country has traditionally uniformly combatted. I believe as Americans, we must protect our Constitution and stand on the right side of history.

Republican

REPUBLICAN Jeremy Shaffer Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Occupation: Software Engineer. Business Founder & Entrepreneur.

Education: Carnegie Mellon University (Ph.D. and Master’s Degrees in Electrical and Com- JEREMY SHAFFER puter Engineering National Science and Defense Fellowship-U.S. Navy). Tulane University (Bachelors’ Degrees in Computer Science and Computer Engineering – Valedictorian of Engineering School).

Qualifications: Former Ross Township Commissioner and Board President Campaign Website: www.JeremyShaffer.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/shaffer4pa Twitter: twitter.com/JeremyShafferPA Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: The biggest issue we face is our out-of-control national debt, which surpassed $30 trillion this year.

This debt puts an unbelievable burden on our children and grandchildren. We must reign in spending and act now to get America’s fiscal house in order before it’s too late. Additionally, I will protect the sanctity of life, defend our 2nd Amendment right to bear arms, advance economic reforms, empower parents and local schools, and challenge the political establishment to work for you, the people. Washington is broken, and I will work hard to help fix it by working with anyone to get things done.

Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: The American people deserve to feel fully confident in the outcome of our elections. In Congress, I will stand against power grabs that would undermine election integrity and voting rights. Free and fair elections are at the core of any functional democracy.

Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you support to mitigate climate change?

A: It’s important to protect our environment, preserve green space, and allow everyone to breathe clean air. We have done much to make our Pittsburgh area cleaner and greener; however, there is still more to do. As a volunteer for the National Park Service and a longtime member of Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and Friends of the Riverfront, I have always been a strong advocate for clean air and clean water, and you can expect nothing less from me as your Congressman. I do believe we can have vibrant industry and a clean environment -it’s not an either/or choice.

Q: How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: While Russia is wreaking havoc, China is still

the greatest foreign threat facing America. We need leaders willing to stand up to the Chinese Communist Party, end our dependence on China, and bring home the manufacturing of essential products. We need to stop taking a short-term view of China and develop a long-term strategy.

Jason Killmeyer Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

Kathy Coder Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Occupation: Leadership Consultant Education: MS Organizational Leadership, BS Business, BA Communications KATHY CODER Qualifications: National and International experience developing leaders in all sectors. 10 years of local government getting results. The only candidate with roots in every part of the district.

Campaign Website: coderforcongress.com Facebook: facebook.com/CoderforCongress Questions Candidate has not yet responded.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE SENATE DISTRICT 38 TERM: 4 years

SALARY: $95,432

Description: Description of office: The General Assembly is the legislative branch of government in Pennsylvania. It is composed of two houses: the Senate is the upper house, and the House of Representatives is the lower house. A majority vote in both houses is necessary to pass a law. The PA Senate consists of 50 members, representing one district each, with an equal number of constituents. Senators must be at least 25 years old, have been a citizen and a resident of the state four years and a resident of their respective districts one year before their election, and shall reside in their respective districts during their terms of service. The Senate develops budget packages, makes taxation decisions, allocates spending, and passes laws (including redistricting in collaboration with the House of Representatives). In addition, the Senate tries officials impeached by the House and authorizes executive appointments. Senators serve on various policy committees that may propose legislation. There are no term limits to this

DEMOCRATIC Lindsey Williams Party: Dem Biographical Info: Occupation: Incumbent State Senator County: Allegheny Education: Dickinson College, BA; Duquesne University, JD Campaign Website: lindseyforpa.com

LINDSEY WILLIAMS

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APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2022 VOTERS GUIDE 2022

Facebook: facebook.com/lindseyforpa Twitter: twitter.com/lindseyforpa Questions: Candidate has not yet responded

REPUBLICAN Lori Mizgorski Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

Jake Roberts Party: Rep Biographical Info: Occupation: Attorney County: Allegheny Education: J.D., University of Pittsburgh School of Law Qualifications: Chief Public Defender - Clarion County, PA Campaign Website: www.

JAKE ROBERTS jakerobertspa.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ JakeRobertsPA Twitter: twitter.com/J_RobertsWVRoss Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: I would move to eliminate any Covid-19 vaccine mandates in PA by employers or schools.

I would ban any teaching/discussion/curriculum in PA schools about a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Expand gunowner rights by making PA a Constitutional Carry state (voted “NO” by Lori Mizgorski).

Open up PA’s pipelines to maximize oil and gas production AND exports; and move to pull back our gas tax, while making electric vehicle owners pay their fair share of taxes.

Take any teaching or discussion of anything associated with Critical Race Theory “CRT” out of PA’s schools. Keep biological males out of women’s sports and bathrooms. Pass legislation that severely restricts access to abortion in PA. Repeal Act 77 and mandate Voter ID Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Act 77 needs to go. We can not have secure and safe elections that Pennsylvanians trust for as long as we have no-excuse mail in voting and ballot drop boxes.

Instead, absentee ballot voting should be reserved for only the most unique situations, such as for service members who are overseas, but most all other Pennsylvanians need to vote in person AND show valid photo ID to cast a vote.

We also need to make sure that the votes that are cast are being tabulated and documented correctly. I support a full and detailed forensic audit of the 2020 General Election, and a deep investigation into the Dominion voting machines. If deemed necessary, I would support a return to complete paper ballots without electronic voting.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions

would you take to protect these rights?

A: Corporations and individuals cannot be permitted to pollute our water systems and air without punishment.

However, I do believe that the “climate change” lobby has grossly exaggerated the risks associated with greenhouse gases and burning of fossil fuels, all while overselling the benefits and practicality of so-called “green energy.”

Ultimately, it is our oil and gas resources in PA that provide the greatest opportunities to prosper economically as a state, and we must capitalize on those resources, or run the risk of a dire economic future.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: The 2nd Amendment guarantees every US citizen’s right to protect themselves against a tyrannical, authoritarian government. To allow the government to create countless hurdles and red tape before allowing a person to exercise his/her constitutional rights is a violation of one of our nation’s most sacred fundamental principles.

I am strongly opposed to expanding background checks, implementing red flag laws, or mandating firearm trainings. Instead, I would expand gunowner rights by making PA a Constitutional Carry state, free from unnecessary licensing requirements.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE SENATE DISTRICT 42 TERM: 4 years

SALARY: $95,432

Description: Description of office: The General Assembly is the legislative branch of government in Pennsylvania. It is composed of two houses: the Senate is the upper house, and the House of Representatives is the lower house. A majority vote in both houses is necessary to pass a law. The PA Senate consists of 50 members, representing one district each, with an equal number of constituents.

Senators must be at least 25 years old, have been a citizen and a resident of the state four years and a resident of their respective districts one year before their election, and shall reside in their respective districts during their terms of service. The Senate develops budget packages, makes taxation decisions, allocates spending, and passes laws (including redistricting in collaboration with the House of Representatives). In addition, the Senate tries officials impeached by the House and authorizes executive appointments. Senators serve on various policy committees that may propose legislation. There are no term limits to this office.

DEMOCRATIC Wayne D. Fontana Party: Dem Biographical Info: Occupation: Realtor County: Allegheny Education: Associate Degree in Business from Community College of Allegheny County Qualifications: State Senator, 2005-present; Senate Democratic Caucus Leadership, 2011-pres-

WAYNE D. FONTANA

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

ent, Allegheny County Council, 2000-2005; Council Vice-President, 2004-2005; PHEAA Board Member, 2008-present; PHEAA Vice-Chairman, 2011-present; Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh & Allegheny County, 2006-present; Campaign Website: votefontana.com Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Gun violence continues to plague our communities. One solution that has worked in other states is enacting extreme risk protection order legislation like my Senate Bill 134. ERPOs authorize a procedure for loved ones and/or law enforcement to protect persons who are a threat to themselves or to others by temporarily removing their access to firearms.

The public is on our side on this issue. “Red flag” laws enjoy broad support across the ideological spectrum.

I will continue to work with advocates like CeaseFirePA to put pressure on legislative leaders to allow a vote on my SB 134.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: I have been a long-time advocate for mail-in ballots. My SB 128 would conduct our elections by mail.

Eight other states conduct their elections primarily by mail, including Colorado that has been voting by mail for over 20 years. Voting by mail is safe, secure, convenient, cost efficient for counties, and popular across party lines.

I would change is to give counties the ability to pre-canvass ballots they’ve received prior to Election Day. Because county election offices cannot begin counting mail-in ballots until the polls have closed, this often leads to the final tally being delayed several days. PA is the outlier nationally in this respect.

My Senate Bill 128 would give counties the ability to pre-canvass 7 days prior to Election Day. Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Smart investment in electric vehicle infrastructure by the commonwealth will fuel consumers’ transition from internal combustion engines--about 40% of our greenhouse gas emission. It is also important that Pennsylvania ensures that our public transportation systems are adequately funded, as buses and commuter rail removes millions of trips in low-occupancy vehicles from our roads.

And as chairman of the Sports and Exhibition Authority, I was pleased to advocate for solar panels to be installed at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh and for PPG Paints Arena to be the first facility in the league to be certified LEED Gold.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: We must take action to combat the gun violence in our communities. No other country suffers from gun violence as much as we do.

As I stated earlier, my SB 134 is the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act. This would put a process into place for family members or law enforcement to petition a court to temporarily remove firearms from an individual who is threatening to harm themselves or others. ERPO is modeled after Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Protection Orders and provides for due process and standards for evidence. This concept enjoys support across the political spectrum and among gun owners and suicide prevention advocates.

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PENNSYLVANIA REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 19 TERM: 2 years

SALARY: $95,432

Description: Description of office: The General Assembly is the legislative branch of government in Pennsylvania. It is composed of two houses: the Senate is the upper house, and the House of Representatives is the lower house. A majority vote in both houses is necessary to pass a law. The PA House of Representatives consists of 203 members representing one district each, with an equal number of constituents. Representatives must be at least 21 years old, have been a citizen and a resident of the state four years and a resident of their respective districts one year before their election, and shall reside in their respective districts during their terms of service. The House develops budget packages, makes taxation decisions, allocates spending, and passes laws (including redistricting in collaboration with the Senate). The House also has the exclusive authority to impeach public officials. Representatives also serve on various policy committees that may propose legislation.

DEMOCRATIC Glenn G. Grayson

PENNSYLVANIA REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 20

Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Questions: Candidate has not yet responded Aerion Andrew Abney Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Occupation: Voting Rights/Social Work Education: Masters Social Work - University of Pittsburgh Campaign Website: voteaerionabney.com/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/ AerionAndrewAbney/ Twitter: twitter.com/TripleA2

While the State makes laws about our election process, elections are run at the County level. However, the State doesn’t provide adequate funding to Counties to consistently do things like early voting sites or to purchase drop boxes or to pay for mail ballot postage.

We need to provide Counties with the resources needed to expand access to the ballot for our electorate.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: I would vote to increase funding to the Department of Environmental Protection which has been underfunded for years. They have an important role to play in regulating and penalizing bad actors that abuse our environment.

Additionally, I would push to improve our issue with storm water runoff. This not only leads to major flooding in the region but it also overwhelms our sewer systems causing rain water and waste to mix and get pushed into our rivers.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: I support any measure that seeks to keep firearms out of the hands of people who want to cause others harm. Additionally, I support gun buy back programs and safety trainings.

AERION ANDREW ABNEY

Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Anti displacement strategies that are part of our planning, programming, and policies. Working with PHFA and City Housing Authority to provide resources to increase affordable housing in the district.

Quality education that isn’t determined by a students’ zip code. Simplifying the funding formula and provide a more equitable funding distribution model for our schools.

Creating more access to quality job opportunities that pay a living wage.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: I would push for automatic voter registration, same day registration, increased pay for poll workers, pre-canvassing and more.

Description: Description of office: The General Assembly is the legislative branch of government in Pennsylvania. It is composed of two houses: the Senate is the upper house, and the House of Representatives is the lower house. A majority vote in both houses is necessary to pass a law. The PA House of Representatives consists of 203 members representing one district each, with an equal number of constituents. Representatives must be at least 21 years old, have been a citizen and a resident of the state four years and a resident of their respective districts one year before their election, and shall reside in their respective districts during their terms of service. The House develops budget packages, makes taxation decisions, allocates spending, and passes laws (including redistricting in collaboration with the Senate). The House also has the exclusive authority to impeach public officials. Representatives also serve on various policy committees that may propose legislation.

DEMOCRATIC Nick Mastros Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate has not yet responded Emily Kinkead Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny

Occupation: State Legislator / Attorney Education: Bloomsburg University of PA; Bloomsburg, PA; B.A. Political Science, B.S. Biology | University of Pittsburgh School of Law; Pittsburgh, PA; Juris Doctor Campaign Website: emily4pa20. com Facebook: facebook.com/emily4pa20 Twitter: twitter.com/emily4pa20

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EMILY KINKEAD

Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: My priorities are and will continue to be criminal justice reform, ending gun violence, and growing the economy. I supported community bail funds when the GOP tried to eviscerate them. This is both a racial justice and income inequality issue. I have pushed back against permitless concealed carry and preemption of local common sense gun laws. I have brought back more than $16 million to my district and I will continue work toward passing legislation that addresses these issues.

I have developed a bipartisan reputation as someone who is thoughtful, a competent legislator, and works hard. I will continue to push my bill HB 1054, which would establish an insurance and low-cost grants program for homeowners who have been impacted by landslides.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: I am a co-sponsor of the K Leroy Irvis Voting Rights Protection Act. Beyond that, I have been raising the alarm about the numerous attacks on our democracy for the year that I have been in office. See my full remarks about the Republican attacks on our democracy from my December 2021 press conference here: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7yEAGPTFfA I will continue this fight for as long as it takes, on as many fronts as it takes, to ensure that we have free and fair access to our elections by every qualified voter.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: I voted twice to protect Governor Wolf’s right to enter Pennsylvania into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). I have worked to secure funding to replace lead water service lines across my district and will continue to do so. I have also worked with local advocacy groups to address air quality issues in Allegheny County. I will also advocate for finally fully funding the Department of Environmental Protection so that it can finally have adequate staff to protect our natural resources and hold polluters accountable. I will also advocate for harsher penalties so that fines for polluting can no longer be considered the cost of doing business.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: I support those measures. The major uptick in gun violence we have seen since the beginning of the pandemic speaks to the incredible economic uncertainty faced by many people and the lack of investment that many kids are getting in their education. I have spent my time in office educating constituents about the programs available to support those affected by gun violence, including securing considerable grant dollars to support and expand these programs. I will continue to put this issue at the forefront of my work in the legislature.

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PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 21 TERM: 2 years

SALARY: $90,300

Description: Description of office: The General Assembly is the legislative branch of government in Pennsylvania. It is composed of two houses: the Senate is the upper house, and the House of Representatives is the lower house. A majority vote in both houses is necessary to pass a law. The PA House of Representatives consists of 203 members representing one district each, with an equal number of constituents. Representatives must be at least 21 years old, have been a citizen and a resident of the state four years and a resident of their respective districts one year before their election, and shall reside in their respective districts during their terms of service. The House develops budget packages, makes taxation decisions, allocates spending, and passes laws (including redistricting in collaboration with the Senate). The House also has the exclusive authority to impeach public officials. Representatives also serve on various policy committees that may propose legislation.

DEMOCRATIC Sara Innamorato Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Occupation: State Legislator Education: University of Pittsburgh, 2008 Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Qualifications: I’ve been a proud Lawrenceville resident for SARA INNAMORATO thirteen years, and actively work to coordinate with local community organizations on social services and affordable housing solutions. I devoted my career to nonprofit work in community development, job creation, and environmental justice.

Campaign Website: saraforpa.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/SaraForPA Twitter: www.facebook.com/SaraForPA Other websites: www.instagram.com/innamo/ Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: I stand with our neighbors in fighting for affordable housing, worker’s rights, guaranteeing access to affordable healthcare and reproductive rights, clean air and water, raising the minimum wage, and making smart investments in our infrastructure.

Given the current composition of the statehouse, pushing transformational legislation that is needed to achieve a Pennsylvania for us all is highly unlikely. Still, I work with impacted community members, policy experts, and my colleagues to proactively draft legislation that residents can organize around. The only way to work toward these agenda items is to stand firm and work to build grassroots movements to include the government toward these goals.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: In 2019, I introduced a bill that would raise the number of residents registered to vote in Pennsylvania. The You’re Registered bill enables automatic

voter registration when qualified citizens interact with state services. Additionally, I have supported and co-sponsored a package of bills that would boost statewide voter turnout and voter protections. Bills promoting voting rights and transparency are key to making it easier and safer for citizens to exercise their right to vote. I strongly believe in same-day registration for citizens and making no-excuse absentee voting a permanent part of the process.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: We need to fully fund the Department of Environmental Protection’s operations and maintain oversight to ensure that funding is going toward investigations, testing, and enforcement. We need to raise fines for violating clean air and clean water regulations. The current fines are not much of a hindrance for the largest polluters. We need to require fracking companies to disclose the chemicals they use in fracking fluids and vigorously prosecute companies who dump wastewater into our waterways.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: I support strengthening background checks, closing existing loopholes, and also reinstating laws that promote responsible gun ownership. I would work to reinstate laws intended to target irresponsible gun owners and straw purchases by holding gun owners accountable for failing to report missing or stolen firearms that are later used in a crime. I would support closing the gaps in Pennsylvania that enable domestic abusers to access guns and support laws that would allow friends or family members to petition for extreme risk protective orders.

REPUBLICAN Frank Perman Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 23 TERM: 2 years

SALARY: $90,300

DEMOCRATIC Dan Frankel

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Co-Chair of PA SAFE Caucus and LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus.

Campaign Website: electdanfrankel.com Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Equality, the environment, firearm policy reform, government reform, and reproductive rights will be my priorities in my next term. I have been fighting for these progressive values for two decades and have worked to build coalitions of lawmakers to advocate with me. For example, I founded the Women’s Health Caucus and the LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus. These caucuses have become passionate groups of leaders fighting for policies there were often disregarded just 20 years ago.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Everyone should be able to vote easily, whether they have a disability, are incarcerated, have an unstable address, or have an inflexible work schedule. Therefore, I support expanding access to ballot drop boxes, sameday registration, and guaranteeing the ability to vote early.

In addition, updating Pennsylvania’s voting laws shouldn’t stop at improving voting access. It’s time we let our election officials canvass mail-in and absentee ballots before Election Day, allowing for a faster and more accurate ballot count.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Relying on oil, coal, and natural gas for Pennsylvania’s energy needs is an unsustainable path for our people and planet. The role of the General Assembly should be to invest in green energy solutions while we effectively tax and regulate polluters. I always have and always will oppose giveaways and incentives that exclusively benefit the fossil fuel industry and will continue to work to close the Methane Loophole, which allows too many fracking wells to go unregulated in Pennsylvania. Lastly, I will continue to lead the fight in the PA House against the medical “gag rule” that prevents doctors from speaking with their patients about the chemicals in fracking and its potential impact on their health.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: As co-chair of the PA Safe Caucus, I have fought for two decades to pass common-sense gun regulations.

I support legislation for comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and mandatory firearm safety training for gun owners. Any rational person can see that deadly weapons should be regulated at least as much as, say, swimming pools or lawnmowers.

In the face of the Republican-led legislature’s refusal to take up meaningful reform measures, I introduced two bills to allow municipal and county governments to create local laws that reflect residents’ desire to have reasonable limits on gun use and ownership. I also drafted legislation to require prospective gun purchasers to obtain liability insurance first.

Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Occupation: Legislator Education: The Pennington PENNSYLVANIA STATE School (1974), Kenyon College (1978), and Harvard University’s REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 25 Kennedy School of Government’s Senior Executives in State and LoTerm: 2 years Salary: $90,300 DAN FRANKEL cal Government program (2000) Qualifications: Representative of Pennsylvania’s 23rd Legislative District for 23 years, Democratic Chair of the House Health Committee, and

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These are all things that have been adopted in other DEMOCRATIC states. I plan to sign on as a cosponsor to this bill on the first day I am able to.

Brandon J. Markosek As representative-elect I will advocate and fight every day against the unrelenting attacks on voting Party: Dem rights we see happening at every turn in HarrisBiographical Info: burg. I will take an active approach to this by collabCounty: Allegheny orating with colleagues and stakeholders to pursue, create, and push legislation that Questions: Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarCandidate has not yet responded. antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions REPUBLICAN would you take to protect these rights?

A: First, we have to make sure that all lead lines are Steve Schlauch being replaced in homes, schools and public serving facilities. The commonwealth also needs to work to Party: Rep expand knowledge around the dangers of radon and Biographical Info: the importance of radon testing. It is about investCounty: Allegheny ing in education that builds mobilization, as well as investment in direct action. I also believe that the Questions: dollar amount of fines, spills and leaks should be Candidate has not yet responded. greatly increased.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, PENNSYLVANIA STATE red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 24 A: I support all of these measures. I believe that each of these measures is necessary. We have a duty TERM: 2 years SALARY: $90,300 to protect our communities especially after the increase in gun violence over the past 3 years. Firearm safety training is essential and it should be acDEMOCRATIC cessible and a measure of accountability to all that own guns or are considering gun ownership. I am in Martell Covington support of Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPO) as well. If we can protect people from someone that Party: Dem wants to hurt them, we should do so. And we are Biographical Info: able to, so we must do so. We must also encourage County: Allegheny safe gun ownership, particularly for minorities such Occupation: Legislative Aide as black, queer, and disabled people through gun Minority Leader, Sen. Jay Costa safety education for current and new gun ownerEducation: Howard University ship, legislate for the develop of “safe zones”.

Campaign Website: www.martellforpa.com/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/ MARTELL La’Tasha D. Mayes Martell4PA COVINGTON Twitter: twitter.com/martellforParty: Dem pa Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Questions: Occupation: Community OrQ: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how ganizer would you work with others in government to get Education: University of legislation passed and signed into law?

Pittsburgh, Bachelor of Science A: Public Health which focuses on maternal and in- in Business Administration: fant health, making sure that mothers, particularly Marketing, Political Science, LA’TASHA D. Black mothers are being supported to the fullest ex- Women’s Studies (2003); CarnMAYES tent possible before, during and after birth and that egie Mellon University, Master their babies are given all the care available to pro- of Science in Policy and Mantect their lives. agement (2005); University of Community Investment: increased minimum wage Pennsylvania, Executive Program for Social Imin PA, increase support to small pact Strategy (2019) businesses and entrepreneurs. A deliberate focus on Qualifications: Founder, President & CEO, affordable housing.

New Voices for Reproductive Justice (2004-2022); Education & Equity: encourage collaboration with Commissioner, Governor’s Advisory Commission and between education stakeholders, advocate for on African American Affairs (2016-2021); Board increased support for socio-economic and disability of Directors, Groundswell Fund (2016-2019); focused education and out of school time. Environ- Candidate, Pittsburgh City Council - District 7 mental: push for infrastructural audits to ensure (2015) that our city will remain safe through varied weath- Campaign Website: www.latashaforpa.com er conditions in our city Facebook: www.facebook.com/latashaforpa Q: What changes, if any, would you support making Twitter: twitter.com/latashaforpa to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

Other websites: instagram.com/latashaforpa A: House Bill 2090, known as the K. Leroy Irvis Voting Rights Protection Act, sponsored by House Lead- Questions: er McClinton, would make voting easier by provid- Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how ing more ballot drop locations, permitting same day would you work with others in government to get registration and continuing to allow for early voting.

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legislation passed and signed into law?

A: My campaign platform is healthcare access + reproductive justice, COVID-19 relief + recovery, community safety, environmental justice and voting rights. I would also prioritize equitable public education and raising the minimum wage and opportunities for workers to unionize.

The legislation I would champion would be rooted in the intersectional values of racial, gender and economic justice. I have worked with my colleagues in the State House of Representatives for over a decade winning legislative and policy change and I would continue building those relationships as well as with non-elected policymakers informed by advocacy organizations and community organizers who work directly with those first and most impacted by proposed legislation.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: I have organized for voting rights focused on building the voting power of Black women since 2004. I led the creation of the New Voices Voice Your Vote! Project in 2009 in collaboration with the PA Center for Women in Politics. For the past eight (8) years, VYV! has outreached millions of times to voters across Pennsylvania turning out 80% of the voters we engage. From my direct experience with voting laws, I would maintain vote by mail, early voting centers, dropboxes that made it easier for Pennsylvanians to vote in 2020 and I would support pre-registration for youth and same-day voter registration. I would advance legislation to combat voter suppression, increase penalties for voter intimidation and increase election worker pay rates.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: If you ask Alexa about the weather, she will talk about air quality alerts before telling you the forecast for the day. Pittsburgh is one of the worst metro regions in the nation for poor air quality with high levels of particulate matter that impact the health of largely Black and poor communities. Pollution from toxic waste, trash and sewage overflow, privatization of our water and increasing water rates impact all Pennsylvanians. Our natural environments which are public spaces should be enjoyed by all. I would support legislation to ban fracking statewide, transition to renewable energy, support just transition for workers, emissions from public transit and to provide incentives for higher education and employment in the green economy.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Gun violence is impacting our cities from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia and this public health crisis is driven by access to guns within the compounding effects of abject poverty, unaddressed trauma, social inequality and under-funded services. I support comprehensive background checks for all firearms. Pennsylvania currently has not passed SB 88 and HB 235 leaving a critical loophole not requiring a background check for military-style assault rifles. Pennsylvania also has not passed red flag or extreme risk laws which saves lives by temporarily reducing access to firearms that could reduce domestic violence, suicide and mass shooting deaths. I support a requirement for gun owners to have gun safety training and to safely store their firearms.

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APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2022

Randall Taylor

background checks for gun purchases. I support the banning of automatic weapons on our city streets. I oppose no excuse concealed carry policies. I support red flag laws. And we should be aggressively organizing gun buy back events.

Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Occupation: Organizer Education: University of PittsPENNSYLVANIA STATE burgh B.A. Urban Studies, B.A. REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 27 History Qualifications: 12 years on Pittsburgh Board of Education RANDALL TAYLOR TERM: 2 years SALARY: $90,300 Campaign Website: www.facebook.com/RandallTaylorForStateRepresentative DEMOCRATIC Facebook: www.facebook.com/RandallTaylorForStateRepresentative Daniel J. Deasy Twitter: twitter.com/RandallforPA24 Party: Dem Questions: Biographical Info: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how County: Allegheny would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

Questions: A: Those of us who wish to live in cities, do so be- No Response cause we are attracted to the diversity and vibrancy of city life. If we are to maintain that diversity we REPUBLICAN must address our current lack of affordable housing units in the City of Pittsburgh. We need housTim Walker ing policies and strategies that ensure that all our people can afford to rent or buy homes in this City, Party: Rep if they desire. To remain a vibrant city also need a Biographical Info: living wage, supported by strong unions, to be able County: Allegheny to pay for housing and live in dignity. A diverse and vibrant Pittsburgh must be a welcoming place for Questions: all our citizens, regardless of age, race, gender, or Candidate has not yet responded. orientation. We start with respect and communication. Disagreement is not the end of discussions, but a way to build common ground.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 28 A: The Vote should be considered sacred in our democracy. In order to protect it we must make regSALARY: $90,300 istration and voting easy and accessible. We can TERM: 2 years do this through: (1) Legislating against any and all voter suppression, and prosecuting any and all REPUBLICAN voter intimidation tactics and activities. (2) Making Election Day an holiday or movie to Saturday.

Rob Mercuri (3) Allow for no excuse mail-in voting. (4) Expand secure ballot drop boxes. (5) Portable registration, Party: Rep which means voters stay registered when they move Biographical Info: within the State. (6) Allow for early voting.

County: Allegheny Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the Questions: preservation of the environment. What actions Candidate has not yet responded. would you take to protect these rights?

A: We must acknowledge climate change is real and has begun. We can not selfishly pass the enormous DEMOCRATIC costs of warming the planet to future generations. It is our actions in 2022 that will determine the fate Arvind Venkat of generations yet to be born. We must immediately begin wean ourselves off of fossil fuels. We must immediately begin serious investments in renewable Party: Dem energy, which includes training a new green ener- Biographical Info: gy workforce. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania County: Allegheny should support a policy that all new housing and Occupation: Physician buildings construction must incorporate renewable Education: A.B. and A.M., Harvard University, 1996, M.D., energy.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being Yale University, 2000 considered on comprehensive background checks, Qualifications: Attending Phyred flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is sician and Core Faculty, Depart- ARVIND VENKAT ment of Emergency Medicine, your position on these measures?

A: We must first allow cities and counties in the and System Chair of Clinical Commonwealth of Pennsylvania home rule in de- Ethics, Allegheny Health Network, and Professor termining our gun laws. Pittsburgh and Philadel- of Emergency Medicine, Drexel University Colphia should not be governed by the same gun laws lege of Medicine as Elk and Potter Counties. I support universal Campaign Website: www.VenkatforPA.com

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Facebook: www.facebook.com/VenkatforPA Twitter: twitter.com/VenkatforPA Other websites: @VenkatforPA Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: First, we need to make healthcare more affordable and accessible by reducing patient costs, increasing Medicaid resources to allow aging at home, and developing programs to incentivize nurses and other health care professionals to remain in the acute care settings—ERs, hospitals —that we all depend upon. Second, the infrastructure in my district—roads, sewer systems, bridges, among others—have not kept up with population growth. I will fight to bring resources from the recent infrastructure bill to my district. Finally, the pandemic showed how we have under-resourced our vital public services—schools, police, EMS, and fire. I will work to increase resources for these services so they can be there for all of us in our time of need.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: We should make voting easy and secure as democracy works best when all voters participate. I am in favor of enacting same day voter registration, pre-registering 16-17 year-olds so that they are on voter rolls at age 18, and preserving no-excuse mail-in voting that worked well in recent elections. I also believe we should enact in-person voting days prior to election day to maximize participation in our electoral process and allow pre-processing of mail-in ballots by county election offices to allow efficient and rapid reporting of results.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: I believe we must preserve and advance our environmental quality as it is fundamental to public health. If elected, I would be the only physician in the General Assembly and will bring that perspective to this issue. I would emphasize looking at the scientific and medical data for assessing the need for environmental interventions while recognizing that all regulations and government actions have a cost - intended and unintended. My hope is that my healthcare and scientific background will help finding the right balance in meeting the constitutional mandate to ensure clean air, pure water, and a preserved high-quality environment for the residents of the 30th District and all Pennsylvanians.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training.

What is your position on these measures?

A: I look at gun legislation through the lens of public health of preventing gun violence, not prohibiting gun ownership - which does have a constitutional basis. I believe there is an individual right to own a gun under the Second Amendment. No right, however, is absolute—one cannot scream ‘fire’ in a theatre, for example. I am therefore in favor of legislation that would mandate background checks, red flag laws with rigorous due process protections, and robust firearm safety training. None of these would prevent law-abiding citizens from owning guns while also mitigating intentional and accidental gun violence.

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want to make sure every worker has a right to orgaREPUBLICAN nize and collectively bargain for their own empowerment. I will pursue legislation at the state level Cindy Kirk that makes organizing and forming a union easier and I will vehemently oppose policies like right to Party: Rep work for less and paycheck deception which weaken Biographical Info: unions and allow companies to pay workers less.

County: Allegheny Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

Questions: A: Democracy must be available to everyone and Candidate has not yet responded. democracy only works when everyone participates.

In order to accomplish this, the first major issue we must address is poll staffing. Especially in poor and Tom Fodi rural communities, there is often one election worker running a polling place. The state needs to direct Party: Rep funding and training toward new election staff that Biographical Info: help process voters at polling places faster, thereby County: Allegheny reducing waiting times and lines at polling places.

Additionally, I believe election day should be a holQuestions: iday so that working people don’t have to make the Candidate has not yet responded. choice between missing a day’s pay or participating in democracy. Once we achieve these, I think we can pursue more expansionary voting policies, like same-day registration.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarREPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 32 antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

TERM: 2 years SALARY: $90,300 A: The 33rd District encompasses communities which are deeply impacted by environmental degradation. Two sources of the environmental problems we face are the Parks Township nuclear waste site DEMOCRATIC and the Plum injection site. In the Parks Township site, over 4,000 tons of fissile U-235 waste pollutes Tony Deluca our air with radiation and seeps waste into our water supply. More, the cleanup effort of the site has Party: Dem stalled and may not be complete for decades. AddiBiographical Info: tionally, the Plum injection site, which violates DEP County: Allegheny regulations, threatens to spill fracking waste-water and toxic chemicals into our rivers and drinking Questions: supply. Local issues like these are the most environCandidate has not yet responded. mental issues we face. As a State Representative, I will fight to address them.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being PENNSYLVANIA STATE considered on comprehensive background checks, REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 33 red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

TERM: 2 years SALARY: $90,300 A: Universal background checks are a sensible and proven reform we can implement to minimize gun-related violence and protect our communities.

DEMOCRATIC Every law-abiding American has a right to own a firearm and every American has just as much a Tristan McClelland right to feel safe and be free from gun violence. As a gun-owner and avid hunter, I believe we should Party: Dem have universal background checks and red flag laws.

Biographical Info: Firearm safety training should be free and available County: Allegheny to everyone in our Commonwealth. We can strike Occupation: City Council Aide a sensible balance between preserving the rights of Education: University of Pittsgun owners and keeping our communities safe and I burgh believe that balance can be achieved with universal Campaign Website: TristanMcbackground checks.

Clelland.com TRISTAN MCCLELLAND

Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: My top issue is jobs and economy. Too many Pennsylvanians live paycheck to paycheck and don’t have adequate access to services like healthcare. As a State Representative, I want to work toward investments in infrastructure that promote the growth of small businesses. I want to protect the high-wage, union jobs we have in our community. Importantly, I

Mandy Steele Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Occupation: Nonprofit Management Education: University of Pittsburgh - B.A. in Anthropology Qualifications: Fox Chapel Borough Councilperson Campaign Website: www.

MANDY STEELE

APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2022 17

steeleforpa.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/SteeleforPA Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Pennsylvania has a massive opportunity ahead of it with the infrastructure money that will be pumped into our state. I’m running because we need a representative in Harrisburg who has the experience and work ethic it will take to drive money and investment to our communities. We can rebuild our once vibrant economy through union clean energy jobs and green infrastructure projects. Putting working families at the center of this transition is essential to success. There is tremendous opportunity right now to make environmental and economic gains. This is our chance and I am ready to get it done.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: I will support automatic voter registration or pre-registration for 16- and 17-year-olds and same day registrations, dropping Pennsylvania’s current registration deadlines. I will support expanded early voting opportunities and adamantly oppose any forms of voter suppression, such as voter ID requirements, when any such efforts are brought forth.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: This is an important topic that lies at the heart of my work as an elected official and community organizer. In 2020, I led my community to be the first in the state to ban application of a tier 1A human carcinogen and component of our air and water pollution using Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution. I went on to lead 20 other SWPA communities to take similar action, yielding significant potential improvements in the quality of our air and water. I believe many protections for our communities can be achieved at both the local and state level when we use the PA constitution. I will continue to pursue this course of action and ensure this vital constitutional right is preserved.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Gun ownership is a right of every American.

Hunters are an important part of a healthy ecosystem. I am raising my own children to connect to our natural systems through hunting and fishing. I will advocate for responsible gun owners—supporting sensible gun safety laws like background checks, red flag laws, wait periods, and firearm safety training.

REPUBLICAN Ted Tomson Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Occupation: Self Employed Education: Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University, Bachelor of Science in Finance from Penn State UniverTED TOMSON sity Qualifications: 20+ years of management experience in the private sector. Academic study of public policy.

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Campaign Website: www.tedforpa.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/tedforpa Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Economy—We need to have our commercial centers thrive again. By rebuilding infrastructure through government and private industry improvements that support high paying jobs and assist small businesses, we can restore the economic benefits and influence our district once enjoyed.

First Responders—A solution to having a strong and thriving community, is by supporting those that protect and serve that community. It is imperative that our police, fire rescue, and EMS have the resources to do their jobs.

Opioid Crisis—The opioid crisis is still affecting many families. A lot of politicians seemed to have moved on from this issue, but it is still present and it is still wreaking havoc on all of us.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Act 77, from my understanding, is in violation of the PA Constitution, so that would have to be repealed and the Constitution amended first. That being said, I do like how ACT 77 eliminated someone from choosing one box to vote for everyone from one party. Moving forward, I support the maintaining of the integrity of the election process and that we need to discuss appropriate and fair ways that we can uphold a standard where everyone feels confident in its results. Losing faith in our election process is one of the biggest detriments democracy could suffer.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Pennsylvania is rich with natural resources. The ability to realize the huge potential gains from extracting them can lead to economic and social development in many of our disenfranchised communities. That being said, I feel that with a good working communicative relationship between government and the oil and gas industry, we won’t compromise Article 1, Section 27 of the PA Constitution. In fact, I believe with a good working relationship, we can do more to protect those rights, than when government and industry are adversarial.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Comprehensive background checks can help protect our citizens without jeopardizing anybody’s right to own a gun.

A problem with red flag laws is that the burden of proof is generally low. This sets up a lot of instances of abuse that can unjustly affect law abiding citizens.

I don’t feel firearm safety training should be a requirement to own a gun. I do, however, feel that PA should vigorously promote firearm safety training so that those with less exposure to firearms have the opportunity to learn handling, storage, and cleaning safety.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 34 TERM: 2 years

SALARY: $90,300

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DEMOCRATIC

DEMOCRATIC

Abigail Salisbury

Austin Davis

Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Occupation: Attorney Education: MPPM, University of Pittsburgh; JD, University of Pittsburgh; BA, Case Western Reserve University Qualifications: Attorney, 5 years as Swissvale Borough Council member, 2 years as Council President, small business owner Campaign Website: www.salisburyforpa.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/SalisburyforPA Twitter: twitter.com/SalisburyforPA Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: I would prioritize rebuilding our district’s infrastructure. We have had multiple collapses and landslides in recent years, and while no lives have been lost, we will not always be so lucky. Our combined sewer systems have likewise gone without appropriate maintenance, allowing sewage to be dumped into our waterways. I would work with others by emphasizing shared priorities rather than differences. As a lawyer, it is my job to listen to my clients and advocate for their interests, often having to work toward a settlement/compromise. I view representative government much the same way.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: I would like to ensure the ongoing viability of mail-in ballots and maintain/improve ease of voting for all.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: I would encourage adoption of fuel sources other than fossil fuels, encourage/facilitate composting programs in the district, and explore alternatives to the currently ineffective plastics recycling program.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: I am very concerned that we prohibit concealed carry permit owners from using medical marijuana, but allow all the opioids one can get prescribed.

Summer Lee Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 35 TERM: 2 years

SALARY: $90,300

Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

REPUBLICAN Don Nevills Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 36 TERM: 2 years

SALARY: $90,300

DEMOCRATIC Jessica Benham Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Occupation: State Representative Education: University of Pittsburgh Qualifications: Previously Director of Development at the Pittsburgh Center for Autistic JESSICA BENHAM Advocacy. Currently serves on the House Health, Human Services, and Aging Committees Campaign Website: www.benhamforpa.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/benhamforpa Twitter: twitter.com/jessicalbenham Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: I would prioritize decreasing cost of living, and increasing access to healthcare, funding for public education, and community safety. As a member of the minority party, I have to work across the aisle as no bills authored by House Democrats have been enacted in the current session. I have been able to get my ideas into legislation by introducing amendments to Republican bills and by providing suggestions to Republican legislators on ideas to include in their bills. If Democrats take the majority, passing legislation will become easier for members of my party, though working together to create good legislation that addresses issues facing Pennsylvanians across the state will always be necessary.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: I will continue to fight for election day voter registration, automatic voter registration, and more opportunities for early voting. When it comes to other democracy reforms, I support a ban on gifts to elected officials, limits on contributions to political can-

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didates, and full disclosure of all spending meant to influence the outcome of elections. I support a redistricting commission to draw fair lines for Congressional, State House, and State Senate districts.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: In Harrisburg, I have stood up to protect the Department of Environmental Protection from attacks that would have weakened its ability to enforce environmental regulations. I believe the state needs to pass laws to address stormwater management, fossil fuel pollution, and corporate disregard for our environment. We can address environmental pollution while also investing in family-sustaining, union jobs.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: I support commonsense gun legislation, including comprehensive background checks, extreme risk protection orders, firearm safety training, and safe storage laws.

Stephanie Fox Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

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your position on these measures?

A: We already have comprehensive background Party: Rep checks, Red Flag laws seize property without due Biographical Info: process, and you can get free gun safety training County: Allegheny from any sportsman’s club or NRA group. It is unconstitutional to put undue burdens on law-abiding Questions: citizens who are trying to exercise their rights unQ: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how der both the PA and Federal constitutions. would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

Natalie Mihalek A: Candidate has not yet responded

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 40 TERM: 2 years

SALARY: $90,300

REPUBLICAN Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Pennsylvania Occupation: Account Manager Education: High School and VoTech Qualifications: Life Experience Campaign Website: friendsofrenz.com/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/ FriendsofRenz/

Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Washington Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 42

Steve Renz

TERM: 2 years

SALARY: $90,300

DEMOCRATIC Dan Miller STEVE RENZ

Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

TERM: 2 years SALARY: $90,300 A: Election Integrity: The only power “We the People” have in our government is our vote. It must be our most protected and defended right. Every time DEMOCRATIC a fraudulent vote is cast, a legal voter is disenfranchised. Every legal citizen has the right, even the Nick Pisciottano responsibility to vote, but we must ensure that only legal votes are counted.

Party: Dem Medical Freedom: No one should lose their job for Biographical Info: declining to take an experimental injection. I supCounty: Allegheny port HB2013 and would advocate for it.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making Questions: to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

Candidate has not yet responded.

A: No Excuse mail-in ballots are unconstitutional and highly susceptible to fraud. We must end mailin ballots, drop boxes, ballot harvesting, and require PENNSYLVANIA STATE voter ID as Mexico does. We also need secure voter rolls and voting machines.

REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 39 Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the TERM: 2 years SALARY: $90,300 preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: We are already one of the cleanest developed REPUBLICAN countries in the world. China and India are producing more pollution right now than we will ever Mike Puskaric produce. We are reaching the point of diminishing returns. Joining an initiative like the Regional Party: Rep Greenhouse Gas Initiative would cause great harm Biographical Info: to our economy and standard of living while doing County: Allegheny very little to affect our environment. I love the outdoors and fishing in clear streams and we will conQuestions: tinue to protect them, but we have to be realistic Candidate has not yet responded. about our environmental policy.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 38

APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2022

Andrew Kuzma

Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Occupation: Legislator Education: BA in History, BS in Secondary Education, JD Qualifications: Four years as Mt. Lebanon Commissioner, 5 terms as State Rep, Current MiDAN MILLER nority Caucus Chair, former Mt. Lebanon volunteer fire fighter, a term in AmeriCorps, and former Allegheny County public defender and county solicitor Campaign Website: VoteDanMiller.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/VoteDanMiller/ Twitter: twitter.com/votedanmiller Questions: Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: I spend a lot of time working on disability and mental health issues. By their nature they are nonpartisan, so I try to work across the aisle as much as possible to create more opportunity and to end stigma. I host a Disability & Mental Health Summit every year to raise awareness and provide information on resources and prospective bills. It is always a bipartisan event.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: I think we need to prioritize the recommendations from county officials about how we can help them run a smoother election. Making it easier to administer, making it easier to register and vote, and providing greater state resources would be key.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: One of the main things we can do is to actually fund our DEP. Unfortunately over the last two decades the DEP has been decimated by cuts and

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VOTERS GUIDE 2022

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hampered by indifference. The DEP needs to be re-energized to fulfill its mission in a timely fashion.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE PENNSYLVANIA STATE Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 45 REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 46 considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

TERM: 2 years SALARY: $90,300 TERM: 2 years SALARY: $90,300 A: I have voted for more expansive background checks and for a bipartisan red flag bill. I am alREPUBLICAN ways for safety training but I can’t recall a bill in DEMOCRATIC particular.

Jason Ortitay Anita Astorino Kulik

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 44 TERM: 2 years

Party: Dem Biographical Info: County: Allegheny

Questions: SALARY: $90,300 Candidate has not yet responded.

REPUBLICAN Valerie Gaydos Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Washington Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

REPUBLICAN Michael Pendel Party: Rep Biographical Info: County: Allegheny Questions: Candidate has not yet responded.

Voters Guide Primary Election May 17, 2022