5.10.23 NPC

by Eric Jankiewicz

PublicSource

A historically Black church is returning to the Lower Hill District after being displaced by city government more than half a century ago.

Bethel AME and the Pittsburgh Penguins made an announcement Friday, April 14, that was heavy on faith and light on the details. What’s known is that the Penguins have agreed to give 1.5 acres of Lower Hill District land along Crawford and Colwell streets to the church. The neighborhood was home to the Bethel AME Church until the 1950s when it was demolished under eminent domain to make room for the Civic Arena.

But several details remain unclear, including what an announced $170 million housing development will entail, how affordability will be defined and how the 1.5 acres will be organized. The announcement also came with claims that an educational component will be included but didn’t elaborate on the specific nature of such a program.

The announcement was attended by, among others, members of the church, religious leaders, developers, Pittsburgh Penguins leaders, Mayor Ed Gainey and Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. Gainey, Fitzgerald and others portrayed the move as righting the wrongs of the past.

“We devote this land to end White supremacy, capitalism, racism, and all other isms that bring division,” said Rev. Carmen Holt, associate pastor with Bethel AME. Officials with for-profit developer Buccini/Pollin Group, chosen by the Penguins to redevelop the site, attended the announcement and Mayor Gainey thanked one of their members for their work.

Bethel AME Church Pastor Dale Snyder said that the new site would have an educational component and what he called an “incubator system” as well as affordable housing.

“I want to solve some Black problems for Black children,” Snyder said.

“I’m Black and I’m proud.”

This

year’s festival dates: Sept.

by Rob Taylor Jr.

Staff Writer

Courier

Jazz and Pittsburgh are synonymous. You just can’t have one without the other.

Ahmad Jamal. Mary Lou Williams. Erroll Garner. Billy Strayhorn. Kenny Clarke. Art Blakey. Stanley Turrentine. George Benson.

The list goes on and on, as Pittsburgh, pound for pound, has produced as many impactful and influential artists in jazz as any other American city.

Which is why the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival is vital, and growing every year. Once Downtown, the festival has moved to Highmark Stadium on the South Side, home of the Pittsburgh soccer team, the

Riverhounds. Yes, it’s taken a stadium-like atmosphere to hold all the artists and spectators that are now involved in the festival.

The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that this year’s festival will take place, Sept. 14-17.

“There is no question that jazz is the language of Pittsburgh,” said Janis Burley Wilson, President & CEO of the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, in a statement. “But it also is engaged in a global dialogue, one that transcends race, class and upbringing. And it is so moving to be able to invite jazz lovers to Pittsburgh for this annual festival, to be part of the history—and the future—

Black mothers trapped in unsafe neighborhoods signal the stressful health toll of gun violence

Black mothers are the canaries in the coal mine when it comes to the mental and physical harms of stress from living with gun violence in America.

In the U.S., Black people are likelier than White people to reside in impoverished, racially segregated communities with high levels of gun violence. Research has suggested that living in violent and unsafe environments can result in continuous traumatic stress, a constant form of PTSD. Researchers have also linked experiences of violence and poverty to an increased risk of chronic disease such as cancer and cardiovascular, respiratory and neurodegenerative diseases.

We are Black women and public policy and sociology professors who study health inequities and sustainable policy solutions. Our research has found that Black mothers who feel trapped in neighborhoods they perceived as unsafe because of high levels of community violence are more likely to report elevated PTSD and depression symptoms, as well as elevated stress hormone levels.

The trauma of gun violence and systemic racism isn’t simply a Black mother’s story—it’s an American story.

Health effects of feeling trapped

Our research team sought to understand

This Week In Black History A Courier Staple

• MAY 10

1837—P.B.S. Pinchback was born in Macon, Ga., to a White plantation owner and a free Black woman. He became one of the leading Black politicians of the Reconstruction era, especially in Louisiana. After the Civil War, he became lieutenant governor of Louisiana and actually served as governor for 43 days. He was later elected to both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. He would also play a significant role in the establishment of Southern University and a major Black newspaper known as the Louisianan.

1994— After being released from 27 years of imprisonment for his battles against the racist system of apartheid, Nelson Mandela is elected the first Black president of South Africa . His government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid through tackling institutionalised racism and fostering racial reconciliation. Politically an African nationalist and democratic socialist, he served as president of the African National Congress (ANC) party from 1991-97.

• MAY 11

how stress from structural violence affects the body, specifically the immune system. We talked to 68 low-income single Black mothers living on the South Side of Chicago about how they deal with gun violence in their communities and how it affects their health.

We asked these Black mothers to complete surveys that measured depression and PTSD symptoms. We also asked them to provide blood samples to examine the effects of stress at the cellular level, measuring the activity of genes that code for the receptors for the stress hormone cortisol. Looking at cortisol receptors offers a more cumulative measure of cortisol levels over time. We found that about 65 percent of the mothers wanted to move out of their neighborhoods but could not afford to do so. These mothers felt trapped in areas with high levels of gun violence that fostered a sense of not feeling safe for adults and children. One mother in our study, whom we will call Ellan, described her neighborhood as dangerous and wanted to leave as soon as she could. “I’m very terrified of my kids going out to the park, playing in front of the house,” she said. “And I’m afraid that a car might come past shootin’ and one of my kids get hurt.”

Another mother in our study, whom we will call Skylar, felt she couldn’t escape to a safer community. “I don’t really want to raise my kids there, but I don’t have a choice. You know, cause it’s what I can afford. But it’s real violent.”

Mothers who felt trapped reported more symptoms of PTSD, like disturbing memories and dreams and reliving stressful experiences, than mothers who did not feel trapped. They also reported more depressive symptoms, such as feeling down and hopeless, taking little pleasure in doing things and having trouble sleeping.

Environment determines health

Where someone lives, learns, works, plays and worships can determine their health and has the power to make them sick and cause premature death.

Researchers have estimated that around 83,570 Black people die prematurely each year in the U.S. because of health disparities,

scribed this as equivalent to a plane full of Black passengers falling out the sky every day every year.

It is important to note that it is not the racial makeup of where a person lives that shapes the significant disparities they face, but exposure to violence, poverty and lack of resources as a result of structural racism. Redlining, environmental contamination, food deserts and gun violence are a part of the racial capitalism, or exploitation of marginalized communities, that affect the health of Black women.

What we are learning about the constant threats to the safety of Black mothers and their families also applies to the general American public.

The rate of mass shootings is increasing. Firearm fatalities are a leading cause of death among children ages 1 to 19 in the U.S. Gun violence has harmed people while they are watching a parade, shopping at a store, worshipping, attending school and other ordinary events.

Understanding the complexity of the exposome—the word researchers use for environmental factors like gun violence that affect an individual’s health and well-being—can help extend the years of healthy life of groups who typically experience premature death. Building this knowledge requires input from people of color and others who have traditionally been pushed to the margins of society. Black communities are filled with resilient and vulnerable individuals who deserve urgent policy solutions that lead to societal change. We believe that more investment in disease prevention and health equity can help the U.S. use the knowledge, technology and finances that it already has to help people access its most precious resource: a healthy life and the ability to pursue wellness.

(This article was written by by Loren Henderson, University of Maryland, Baltimore County and Ruby Mendenhall, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.)

(This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.)

1933— Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan is born Eugene Walcott on this day in the Bronx, N.Y. He was raised by his St. Kitts-born mother in Roxbury, Mass. Prior to joining the Nation of Islam in 1955, Walcott had achieved celebrity status in the Boston area as a Calypso singer, dancer and violinist known as “The Charmer.”

1968— Nine caravans of protesters arrived in Washington, D.C., for the first phase of the Poor Peoples Campaign —an anti-poverty effort conceived by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The campaign aimed to united Black, White and Hispanic poor people in an effort to pressure the government to do more to eliminate poverty in America. King had been assassinated the previous April, so the campaign was led by his lieutenant, Rev. Ralph Abernathy. The campaign erected Resurrection City near the Lincoln Monument and held daily demonstrations in Washington from May 14 to June 24.

• MAY 12

1862— In a bold and heroic endeavor, Robert Smalls led 12 other slaves and stole a Confederate warship, then turning it over to Union forces. The White captain of the steamer Planter and other officers had gone ashore for a party in Charleston, S.C. Smalls, a wheelman, quickly organized the Black crew and steered the ship out of Charleston harbor right past the unsuspecting Confederate forces. For his daring deed, Smalls was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant. After the Civil War, he was elected congressman from South Carolina.

1940— Jazz singer Al Jarreau was born on this day in Milwaukee, Wisc.

• MAY 13

1865—The last battle of the Civil war ends. Ironically, it appears the Confederate troops won the battle at Palmetto Ranch, Texas. However, it was the actions and bravery of the 62nd Regiment of United States Colored Troops that prevented the defeat from turning into a rout. The Confederates had actually underestimated the fighting prowess of the Blacks, assuming they would run in fear when the fighting began. Instead, what occurred was the rapid defeat of two White regiments but the Black soldiers of the 62nd held firm. The Confederates would later surrender.

1950— Singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder is born Steveland Hardaway Judkins in Saginaw, Mich. Wonder has recorded more than 30 Top 10 hits and has received 25 Grammy awards,one of the most-awarded male solo artists, and has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the Top 60 best-selling music artists. Wonder is also noted for his work as

an activist for political causes, including his 1980 campaign to make Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a holiday in the United States.

• MAY 14

1885—Erskine Henderson , an African American jockey, wins the Kentucky Derby on “Joe Cotton”—a horse trained by Alex Perry—an African American trainer. Henderson was the sixth Black jockey to win the coveted race. Indeed, Black jockeys and trainers dominated the Kentucky Derby from 1875 to 1902. However, while some of the reasons are not entirely clear, it appears that as the race became more and more prosperous, Black jockeys and trainers were forced out.

1970— A student protest on the campus of Mississippi’s Jackson State University leads to a massive confrontation with local police authorities. When the smoke cleared, two students had been shot and killed and another 12 injured or wounded. Reasons given for the protests ranged from opposition to the War in Vietnam, racial tensions and anger over the National Guard killings of White students on the campus of Kent State University earlier in the month. The university memorialized the disturbance by naming the area where it took place “Gibbs-Green Plaza” after the two students who were killed— Phillip Lafayette Gibbs, 21, and James Earl Green, 17.

1985— In a confrontation with the Black Nationalist back-to-nature group MOVE , Philadelphia police drop an incendiary device on the group’s home and headquarters. The decision to bomb had been apparently approved by Black Mayor Wilson Goode. Eleven MOVE members, including five children, were killed. The only adult survivor was Ramona Africa . More than 60 homes in the surrounding area were burned to the ground. It was never fully clear why the decision to drop the bomb was made.

• MAY 15

1911—Kappa Alpha Psi , one of the nation’s leading Black fraternities, is founded on this day on the campus of Indiana University by 10 young men led by Elder W. Diggs and Byron K. Armstrong.

1942—The 93rd Infantry is activated and assigned to combat in the Pacific. It thus became the first African American division formed during World War II.

•MAY 16

1868— The United States Senate fails by one vote in securing the two-thirds vote needed to convict President Andrew Johnson of the articles of impeachment, which had been brought against him. The failure was a major setback for Black rights in America because Johnson had become a leading opponent of voting rights and economic advancement for the recently freed slaves. While the impeachment trial did not center on Black rights, Blacks would have clearly benefited if Johnson had been expelled from office.

1929— Detroit Representative John Conyers Jr. , one of the founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus, was born on this day in 1929. He remains one of the most progressive members of the United States Congress.

1966—Janet Jackson , of the famous and talented Jackson family, is born on this day in Gary, Ind. Controversy remains as to whether Janet has a secret daughter.

1990—Sammy Davis Jr. dies in Beverly Hills, Calif., at age 64. Davis, born in Harlem, N.Y., was a world class entertainer who performed well as an actor, singer and dancer. He was also a member of Hollywood’s popular and notorious “Rat Pack,” which included Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford.

in the U.S.

THE STRESS OF EXPERIENCING high levels of community violence harms entire families. skynesher/E+ via Getty Images

Bethel AME Church moving back to Lower Hill District in deal with Penguins

After the announcement, Associate Minister Rev. Henry Livingston said that the church estimates it will take two years before they can break ground on the new structure.

“This is a new beginning,” Livingston said. He recalled that his parents moved from Georgia to Pittsburgh in the 1940s. They became congregants of Bethel AME, or “Mother Bethel,” as Livingston calls it.

“Mother Bethel was a rock to our family,” Livingston said.

For Samuel Wolfolk, 70, the church also served as a strong foundation for his family’s growth. He recalled that after his mother died giving birth to him the church congregants adopted him.

“The church taught me everything,” Wolfolk said. “I learned how to read and write at the church. It was an amazing place.”

Wolfolk remembers the church was demolished when he was around age 5, and he said that he was one of the children that helped break ground on the church’s current location on Webster Avenue.

“All my family members were married and buried in the (Webster)

church,” he said. The tone of jubilation and conciliation on April 14 was in marked contrast to the adversarial tone Rev. Snyder had taken in previous months. Church leaders and the Pittsburgh Penguins originally reached a tentative deal in September 2022 to return part of the Lower Hill District to Bethel AME Church, according to an email written by Rev. Snyder. Reverend Snyder announced then that the church and the hockey club’s development team had agreed to, among other things, move the church back to the Lower Hill from its current location in the Middle Hill, though not necessarily to its precise former location.

At that time Kevin Acklin, president of business operations for the Penguins, confirmed the agreement was reached. Movement toward a deal between the Penguins and Bethel AME came amid the backdrop of incremental redevelopment of the Lower Hill. And in an October 2022 email to PublicSource, Acklin said that the looming deal was the result of two years

BETHEL AME FROM A1

REV. DALE SNYDER, JAKE WHEATLEY (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)

PRUDENCE HARRIS

CRAIG DUNHAM, SENIOR VP, DEVELOPMENT, PENGUINS

SEE BETHEL AME A5

of negotiations and that he expected “a definitive plan solidified in the next few weeks.”

But after Rev. Snyder’s celebratory email, relations between the two sides cooled and the deal appeared to be nixed.

During a community meeting in October 2022, Rev. Snyder criticized development plans for the Lower Hill District.

“Our neighborhood don’t need these shiny buildings, we need affordable housing,” Rev.

er developer and take away your development rights. We need someone who will respect poor people that work hard.”

It’s not clear how the development team and the church came together. Buccini/Pollin Group is seeking Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and Sports & Exhibition Authority approvals that would allow them to build a concert venue and parking garage on part of the Lower Hill.

The URA demolished the church in 1957 after taking it using eminent

in small church buildings it purchased from other congregations for about the first 30 years.

A fire destroyed their meeting place in 1845 and the congregation purchased property in the heart of the Hill District and raised the funds to construct a Romanesque-style church that could accommodate 1,900 members at a time.

It was the site of Pittsburgh’s first Black elementary school and a stop on the Underground Railroad. Its congregation grew

Snyder said then. “If you want to take your millions of dollars and go somewhere else, do that. But if you’re staying, talk to the people.”

He added that if the development team can’t satisfy the community, “We need to get anoth -

domain. Since then, Bethel AME’s congregation has sought justice.

Bethel AME Church was founded in 1808 and until the 1950s it served as a congregation and center for learning and social activism.

Bethel originally met

to 3,000 people before being demolished.

“That place was a megachurch by today’s standards,” Wolfolk said.

LOIS TONI MCCLENDON

DORIS CARSON WILLIAMS

PART OF THE LAND GOING BACK TO BETHEL AME...

Thousands expected for four-day Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival

of these musical and cultural conversations.”

On Thursday, Sept. 14, “Uhuru Jazz Sessions” will take place at 9 p.m. featuring Samora Pinderhughes and Madison McFerrin. The event will be held at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, Downtown.

On Friday, Sept. 15, the “Taste of Jazz” party will also be held at the AWAACC, beginning at 9 p.m. Dancing, food, beverages, the music of Jonathan Barber, DJ Selecta, and other enticements will be featured.

On Saturday, Sept. 16, the festival moves to Highmark Stadium. Beginning at 1 p.m. until 10 p.m., patrons will be treated to the sounds of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, PJ Morton, Orrin Evans, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Emmet Cohen & Houston Person, Howie Alexander, and Christie Dashiell.

As the saying goes, “After the show, it’s the after-party,” so there will be a “Jam

Session” on Saturday night, Sept. 15, featuring Orrin Evans & The Imani Allstars, from 10:30 p.m. until 1 a.m., at the AWAACC.

The final day of the festival, Sunday, Sept. 17, will feature Gregory Porter, Keyon Harrold with Pharoahe Monch & Mumu Fresh, Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter, José James, Chelsea Baratz, and Somi.

Other performers could be added to any of the dates at Highmark Stadium or the AWAACC. The Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival is presented by Citizens.

Tickets to the festival are available to PIJF members now, and to the general public on Friday, May 12.

“I developed my love and appreciation for Jazz by attending concerts with my dad as a child,” Burley Wilson said in a statement.

“The experience made a lifelong impression on me and fueled my desire to build a career in jazz and entertainment. We hope that making live jazz more accessible and affordable has a similar effect on today’s youth.”

Pittsburgh has Burley Wilson to thank for this new generation of jazz festivals in town. She’s credited with creating the inaugural Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival for Pittsburgh’s Cultural District, as she was a longtime executive with the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. The 2011 version was primarily comprised of local jazz artists, held on Liberty Avenue. But each year, the festival grew, and now it’s estimat-

ed that at least 20 percent of the people who attend the festival are from outside the Pittsburgh area. Orrin Evans, who will headline the Jam Session, is also going to host the inaugural “Jazz Train.” Amtrak is hosting a special package that includes round-trip train tickets to Pittsburgh from cities like New York, Newark and Philadelphia. Forget the sounds of “choochoo,” these trains will have live jazz music during the

trip, gift bags, light refreshments, and a shuttle bus to and from the festival. Passengers are responsible for securing hotel and festival event tickets. Also, the 12th version of the festival, held in 2022, featured Samara Joy, an African American woman taking the jazz scene by storm. Turn the page to early 2023, and Joy won the Grammy for Best New Artist, defeating other, more popular mainstream artists

like singer Muni Long and rapper Latto. It’s a reminder that you never know who you’ll see performing on stage at the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival.

SOMI

HOWIE ALEXANDER

MADISON MCFERRIN

KEYON HARROLD

JIMMY JAM & TERRY LEWIS

Take Charge Of Your Health Today. Be Informed. Be Involved.

Preventing homelessness

The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh (ULGP) was founded to help Black communities become economically self-reliant and empowered through education, health, quality of life, civic engagement, and civil rights and racial justice.

One of the most fundamental of all human rights is the right to a safe, secure home, which our Constitution protects under the Fifth Amendment.

As a HUD-certified housing counseling agency, the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh in partnership with numerous organizations in our region, collaborate to offer programs that serve as structural interventions for preventing homelessness and keeping families together. These programs are intended to help people not just survive but thrive.

Under the leadership of

Richard Morris, Director of Housing, the ULGP helps people:

Mortgage Foreclosure

ULGP staff work with homeowners who are in— or close to—foreclosure. “We serve as counselors to people who are overwhelmed by the thought of losing their homes,” says Richard. “We advise them about and help them file paperwork for the PA Homeowner’s Assistance fund which is a

grant program that helps homeowners pay their delinquent mortgage payments.

Homeownership and Eviction Prevention

Richard and his team hold monthly home ownership workshops for first-time homebuyers and young women. The all-day programs take place on Saturdays and feature leaders from the city’s Fair Housing Partnership, the PA Housing Finance Agency, local banks, realtors, and other experts.

One-on-one counseling is also available as is help with paperwork, which can be daunting for many people. “Richard and his team are always finding creative,

respectful ways to help people achieve home ownership,” says Carlos T. Carter, ULGP President & CEO.

One of the most creative and effective is a Financial Health Toolkit which highlights easy-to-use and affordable apps and websites that can help people save money, establish credit, and work within a budget. “We want individuals and families to know about and use everything that’s out there to achieve financial health,” explains Richard.

“Rental assistance for families and individuals who are currently homeless is also available for things like a security deposit or initial rent,” he adds. Even more important

than helping people find, obtain, and save and maintain homes, is the spirit in which the work is done.

“Richard and his team are very good at treating everyone we serve with dignity and love,” says Carlos.

For Richard, the work is part of a greater plan. “I believe God gives each one of us a purpose,” he states. “Mine is to help people with kindness.”

For more information about all the ULGP programs—housing (and hunger services), economic self-reliance, youth leadership development, family support centers, and leadership and advocacy—visit the ULGP website or call 412.227.4802.

Stopping the disease of violence

At the University of Pittsburgh, Professor Richard Garland, Behavioral and Community Health Sciences (BCHS), believes our country suffers from the disease of violence and he’s made it his mission to foster collaboration that can help stop its transmission in Pittsburgh. Richard serves as the Director of the BCHS Center for Healthy Equity’s Violence Preventive Initiative. He oversees training, data collection, outreach efforts and more—all aimed at reducing crime and violence through structural inventions that include helping formerly incarcerated Black men and women re-enter

their communities and avoid re-arrest. It’s a formidable task. Two out of every three people released from U.S. prisons are rearrested for a new offense. About 50 percent of those individuals are reincarcerated within 3 years. In Pennsylvania, that percentage is 63 percent.

Initiatives include:

Reimagine ReEntry

Launched three years ago as a separate non-profit, Reimagine ReEntry offers support to people returning to Allegheny County after serving their sentences.

Richard and his team walk alongside these men and women as they face systemic employment, education,

and other barriers that are even more difficult to deal with as parolees.

“We coach and mentor,” Richard explains. “We offer mental health services, workforce development and training, family reunification support, and housing assistance. Thanks to numerous community partnerships that provide funding, we’re able to give these men and women opportunities. Opportunity is the key to staying out of prison. When you have the freedom to choose from healthy options, you feel more empowered and in control.”

CommUnity Hospital Violence Intervention Project (formerly known as

EPA urged to set higher air-quality standards

Allegheny County has a long history of air pollution that continues today, thanks to power plants, steel mills, and chemical manufacturing plants which emit high levels of pollutants.

In 2021, the American Lung Association’s State of the Air report ranked the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton metropolitan area, which includes Allegheny county, as the 7th most polluted city in the U.S. for year-round particle pollution.

Allegheny County is also in the top 1% of U.S. counties for cancer risk from toxic air pollutants released from sta-

tionary sources, according to the EPA.

The result is some of the country’s highest rates of asthma, COPD, and cardiovascular disease, especially among low-income communities of color.

Efforts are underway to address air pollution in Allegheny County, including a Clean Air Plan launched in 2020. However, some community groups, environmental organizations, and health professionals argue the plan doesn’t go far enough.

One of those health professionals is Dr. Franziska Rosser, a lung doctor who cares for children with asth-

ma and assistant professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh. Recently, Dr. Rosser testified before the EPA urging the organization to adopt a more stringent standard for PM2.5 that’s based on recommendations from the American Thoracic Society (ATS).

“Research clearly shows that adopting stricter standards will better protect the health of our patients and communities,” she explains.

The new standard would be an important structural intervention for clean air equity for Black communities —especially Black children who suffer from higher rates

G.R.I.P.S.)

CommUnity HVIP reaches firearm assault survivors from hospital sites, offering case management and social support. The goal is to prevent re-injury and criminal involvement.

Richard and his team help the individual create and achieve goals, such as training for and finding employment and completing education.

Homicide Review

Since 2012, the Homicide Review program has been keeping track of, gathering data about, and analyzing Pittsburgh’s homicides to identify trends and patterns, especially neighborhood dynamics associated

of asthma than White children. Black children are also twice as likely to be hospitalized with asthma and 4x as likely to die from asthma than their White counterparts.

“Real change that promotes clean air equity must take place structurally at the policy level,” notes Dr. Rosser. “That’s why it’s important for Allegheny County residents to consider casting their ballots for political candidates who support clean air for everyone equally,” she states. There are also personal intervention tools that can help parents/caregivers protect children diagnosed with asthma.

One of the most effective is the free AirNow app. “You simply download the AirNow app to your smart phone and enter your ZIP Code,” Dr. Rosser explains. The app will display real-time outdoor air quality in a simple green-yel-

with violence. The goal is to use this information to develop intervention strategies for reducing our city’s homicide rate, which increased 54 percent from 2019 to 2020. The data include what a typical homicide looks like in Allegheny county. Richard, who’s dedicated his life to preventing violence, believes he’s setting an example for younger crusaders. As a young man from Philly, Richard served more than 23 years in various forms of incarceration before reclaiming his self-worth with help from members of MOVE whom he met in Philadelphia’s Holmesburg Prison.

low-orange-red alert format.”

(If you don’t own a smart phone, AirNow also has a website with the same information at airnow.gov)

The app is particularly helpful during air quality days in the yellow range. “In Allegheny County, we spend about half the year in the yellow zone,” says Dr. Rosser.

Even though yellow days are considered moderate, they may be challenging for some people in sensitive groups, such as elders, people with heart or lung issues —and children with asthma.

Dr. Rosser recommends parents/caregivers use the AirNow app to identify action or alert days, which start at the orange level. On alert days, everyone with heart or lung problems should pay attention and make changes to their outdoor activity.

But parents of children with asthma can also use AirNow to learn how their child re-

“They made me who I am, these older inmates who mentored me,” he explains. “Now I’m older and it’s my responsibility to help put these young people on a healthier path.” Richard adds, “Our community must come together to prevent violence through collaboration. Violence is not a Black thing or a White thing. It’s not a rich thing or a poor thing. It’s become an American thing. When you can be shot simply for turning around in somebody’s driveway or knocking on the wrong door in somebody’s neighborhood, it’s time for change.”

acts to outdoor air pollution, especially on yellow days.

“Pay attention to any reactions your child has on yellow zone days and even a day or two after,” she says. “Is your child coughing more, for example? Is there a burning feeling in their lungs? Does your child need to use more rescue treatments? Share that information with your child’s asthma healthcare provider, so that together, you can create an action plan that allows your child to remain active and healthy.”

Air quality, like other social justice issues, impacts Black people unfairly, especially Black children. “My patients are children who—through no fault of their own—have been burdened with a chronic respiratory disease,” says Dr. Rosser. “Children deserve to play safely outside — to be kids. Good air quality is a human right and should not be a privilege of your address.”

Water is life—and a human right

Do you know who your water provider is?

Do you know where your water comes from?

Do you know how decisions are made about your drinking water?

These are some of the questions the Pittsburgh Water Collaboratory is hoping will engage Pittsburghers and get them thinking about water justice and what it means to underserved communities.

Water justice is the fair distribution and protection of clean, safe water among all people, regardless of their social, economic, or cultural background, including future generations.

The work that people and organizations do to promote water justice is called structural intervention. Structural interventions are the methods we use to change social, economic, and political systems for the better.

Structural interventions serve as the “boots on the ground” for dismantling inequitable systems that have come about because of systemic racism. The systems result in unfair policies, such

as redlining, low life expectancy, and, in the case of water justice, little or no Black representation in a water system’s operation and unequal pay.

In our region, the Pittsburgh Water Collaboratory (PWC) is laying the groundwork for altering the social context where water inequity transpires and persists.

Founded in 2018, the PWC joins two groups: Women for a Healthy Environment (WHE) and Pitt educators from Geology and Environmental Science, Public and International Affairs, Health Sciences, and Sociology.

In 2021, after a lengthy interruption by the pandemic, the PWC received a grant from Pitt to advance regional water equity.

Dr. Noble A-W Maseru, Professor of Public Health Practice, Director, Social Jus-

Racial

tice,

Equity and Faculty

ment and farming for nation building and self-reliance.

“The national mantra was uhuru ni kazi ‘freedom is work’ and uhai ni maji ‘water is life,’ he explains. “But really, that’s true everywhere, isn’t it? When we think about the lead problems in Flint, Michigan or consider storm management and climate change in New Orleans, ‘water is life,’ and ‘freedom is work’ must become our mantra, too.” Allegheny County has 36 separate water systems. All but one is publicly owned. In 2016, more than half the systems had water quality-related violations. According to the WHE, communities of color are at a higher risk of lead exposure. They may not have access to safe, affordable housing or they may face discrimination when trying to find a safe, healthy place to live.

open, honest water practices. Second, according to the Pittsburgh Water Sewage Authority (PWSA) Water Equity Task Force findings, Black contractors are underrepresented in our water systems’ workforce and, when they are employed, the pay is unequal.

“There’s also the contrast of Pittsburgh as a ‘most livable city,’ and human rights inequality, especially for African American men and women,” says Dr. Maseru. What could improve water transparency, access, affordability, quality, and tie in measures of economic progress and community well-being?

ment, water data will be transparent,” explains Dr. Maseru. “Water system communication with customers will be open and honest. Grievances will be resolved quickly and community input will be welcomed.

“Water will be affordable,” he continues. “When someone has a financial hardship, there will be protection programs in place that are easy to find, understand and use. There will be no shut offs.

“Water will be clean and safe. Lead testing and treatment, if needed, will be free.

for feedback. “Four systems improved their practices and ultimately their grades,” notes Dr. Maseru. This grading showed ample room for improvement and prompted recommendations from the PWC:

More state and federal funding

Supportive structures that help small and struggling water systems remain public. Access to drinking water tied to wider measures of health and economic progress.

Climate change consideration in all planning.

Engagement,

Health Sciences at Pitt is a PWC member. In the early days of his career, Dr. Maseru worked in Tanzania where the government valued the importance of rural develop-

Why is it important to advance water justice along with workforce equity?

There are two big reasons: First, the 2016 Pittsburgh lead crisis highlighted how important it is to have

The team compared each water system’s performance against a standard set of measurements and prioritized the need for a speedy transformation. All this information helped the PWC create a vision for structural interventions that will ensure water justice in our region and integrate workforce equity measures from Dr. Maseru’s PWSA findings. “In a just environ-

So will information on service line inventories, full line replacements, compliance with state and federal drinking water quality requirements, and updated protection plans,” he adds.

“There will also be gender, racial, and pay equity within the water system infrastructure.”

The PWC assessed each water system on transparency, affordability, and quality. They drafted report card “grades” based on data gathered, sent them to the water systems, and asked

A plan to deal with emerging contaminant threats— like lead—to water quality. Workforce development, such as enhanced equitable contracting and salary-wage equity strategies. Thanks to the PWC’s initial research on behalf of water justice, structural interventions can begin to take shape that will make Allegheny County’s water safe, affordable, transparent, and fair to all its citizens.

Afro-American Music Institute

BROTHER MELVIN HUBBARD EL, THE JOHNSONS AND MAYOR ED GAINEY WITH THE MAYOR’S PROCLAMATION FOR THE AFRO-AMERICAN MUSIC INSTITUTE, A MAINSTAY IN PITTSBURGH’S HOMEWOOD COMMUNITY. (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)

REV. DERYCK TINES INTRODUCING THE EMCEE MASTER OF CEREMONIES—THE ONE, THE ONLY, CHRIS MOORE

celebrates 40th anniversary

“Even so the TONGUE is a little member, and boast great things Behold how great a matter a little FIRE kindled. And the TONGUE is a FIRE, a world of iniquity, so is the TONGUE among our members, that it DEFILES the whole body, and sets on FIRE the of nature; and it is set on FIRE OF HELL.”

- James 3:5-6

REV. WALKER SAYS: SIMPLY hold OUR TONGUES and listen to the HOLY SPIRIT, before WE set the world on FIRE.

Age 88, of Upper St. Clair, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, April 28, 2023. Mary Lou was the beloved wife of the late Lonnie Blair, who preceded her in 1991; adoring mom of her only child, and pride and joy, Rodney Blair, and his wife Regina; doting grandma of the loves of her life, Evan and Myles Blair; dear sister-in-law of Celestine Williams; and loving aunt of Jonathan Williams, Junita Gatling, Ramona Wilkerson, Bryan Key, Elizabeth Key and the late Kathy Williams. In addition to her husband, Mary Lou was preceded in death by her loving parents Walter and Emma Bell Johnson. She is also survived by a host of family members and friends.

Mary Lou grew up in the West End section of Pittsburgh. She attended and graduated from Langley High School, which is where she also met her husband, Lonnie, who was a Negro League Baseball player—a fact Mary Lou was incredibly proud of. Not only was she a devoted wife and mother, Mary Lou also enjoyed a long, successful career as a financial administrator. She began her career working for the AFLCIO labor union for 15 years, and then went on to work for the federal government at the IRS for another 25 years. Possibly even stronger than her work ethic, was her faith in and love for God, as she was a dutiful member of Christ United Methodist Church for over 50 years and served as a weekly volunteer there for the last 20 years.

Mary Lou was the matriarch of the Blair family. Her home was the center of all family gatherings—holidays, birthdays, cookouts. She loved to entertain. She will be most remembered for her kindness, generosity, love of family, faith in God, and especially her homemade chocolate chip cookies. Arrangements by BEINHAUERS. Friends and family welcome at 2828 Washington Road, McMurray, 15317, 724-941-3211, on Sunday, May 7 from 1-3 & 5-7 p.m. Visitation will continue on Monday, May 8 from 9-10 a.m. in Christ United Methodist Church, where a funeral service will then be held at 10 a.m., as well as a repast luncheon at 11 a.m. At 12:30 p.m., the family and those wishing to join them will begin procession to lay Mary Lou to rest at Montour Cemetery. If desired, memorial donations are suggested to the Negro League Baseball Museum in honor of Mary

MARY LOU BLAIR (JOHNSON)

Lou and Lonnie Blair, nlbm.com

PAMELA JOHNSON, DR. JAMES JOHNSON AN ANCESTRAL TRIBUTE—WACONGO DANCE COMPANY, LED BY ELIE KIHONIA JT AND DEBRA THOMAS JUST CELEBRATED THIER 50TH ANNIVERSARY LAST MONTH. OF COURSE THEY CAME OUT TO CELEBRATE THE JOHNSONS FOR THEIR 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF AAMI. (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)

THE JOHNSONS ENJOYING THE FESTIVITIES...

‘Liv’ Bennett running for re-election as an Independent in November

Left County Executive race in March; endorsing John Weinstein

by Rob Taylor Jr.

Courier Staff Writer

Come May 16, you won’t find Olivia Bennett’s name on the ballot for Allegheny County Council District

13.

But rest assured, she is running for re-election, telling the New Pittsburgh Courier that she’s running as an Independent in the November General Election.

Bennett, a Black woman, has held a seat on County Council since 2020. She’s the only Black woman on Council, and one of two African Americans (DeWitt Walton). She’s most known for fighting for a county police review board, which has been established, but she told the Courier that’s half the battle.

“There’s still lots more to be done in this county, including getting police forces to opt in to the police review board,” she said during a May 9 interview.

Bennett, 44, said she’s brought to light what many groups have called injustices occurring at the Allegheny County Jail under warden Orlando Harper. She’s fought for upping the minimum wage for Allegheny County workers. She supports property reassessments, “and what that looks like for property taxes because it’s a disaster,” she said.

Bennett’s name also has made headlines this year as a candidate for Allegh-

eny County Chief Executive. However, she decided to withdraw from the race in March.

“We did not have the financial support, did not have the people power and going across 130 boroughs with a handful of people at best is not sustainable,” she told the Courier exclusively. Bennett explained that when University of Pittsburgh researchers released its Gender Equity Report in 2019, it detailed just how bad many African Americans, especially women, have it in Pittsburgh. The report said that Black women could go to almost any other city of size, and fare better than they do in Pittsburgh. As Bennett began campaigning for Allegheny County Executive, she realized that the region still wasn’t ready to properly take the steps necessary to improve conditions for African Americans. More support from local politicians for a Black woman running for county executive would have been a good place to start, she said. But aside from Take Action Advocacy Group’s Fawn Walker Montgomery and a handful of others, there wasn’t much support.

“There were some Black folks that were supportive, but not enough to pull off a county race,” Bennett said. “White supremacy is not reserved for White people. We can all play a part in

operating in White supremacist ways. There are Black people who believe that we are not qualified to create the solutions for us, to which I answer, no one is more of an expert” than African Americans in bettering conditions for them.

“I had people asking me and my campaign manager if I was ready (to be Allegheny County Executive),” Bennett, known as “Liv,” added. “I have a whole master’s degree, and you all still don’t have faith that I can do it. I don’t think we have that same caliber of resume-checking when it has to do with our White counterparts.”

Bennett said she paid

The NBA…I Love This Game!

the fee to become part of the race for county executive. But she didn’t seek endorsements from wellknown organizations, with Bennett claiming there can sometimes be a fee for some organizations to even look your way when deciding whom they’ll endorse. While Bennett obviously feels she was the best candidate for Allegheny County Executive, on April 24, she endorsed John Weinstein for Allegheny County Executive. Bennett told the Courier that she backed a particular candidate because, “Black women are the ones that are experiencing the most negative outcomes in the region...I can’t afford to sit out of a race of this caliber because I have to be the person who is standing in the gap for my people in the community.”

About Weinstein, Bennett, at Freedom Corner in the Hill District, said that he “gets it. He knows what we need to do in this county, and he’s willing to do it. We talk about juvenile justice, reducing gun violence in our communities and not just in the City of Pittsburgh, but throughout the county. We need to have solutions. John is committed to this, and that is why I stand here today proud to give my endorsement to his candidacy for County Executive.”

:10— But wait, before we get to that, I am going to have to update you on something and this is important stuff. When you get done reading this column, I need you to run…no, walk to your nearest movie theater and see “Sixu!!!” Which in translation means “Strength of Will”; further translation means, I am not ever going to die no matter how you try to kill me! Trust me fellas, you will love this movie. And ladies, you

will love it too if you’re the blood-and-guts type because there is plenty…I mean plenty of it. All I can tell you is this—if you see an old dude riding along on his horse with his dog minding his own business…leave— him—alone!!! My last count he killed about 150 Nazi’s and was still killing when I left the theater. I had to give it 4 stars, but for one part…you’ll see… it would have gotten 5 stars.

:09— Look, the NHL is still playing and might

go another six months, baseball is just getting poppin’ and of course all you can think about is getting the Steelers season started. In the meantime, here’s your NBA shakedown that “no other” notables care to cover in the west. We’ve got two good ones tipping off with the L.A. Lakers taking a 3-1 lead over the Golden State Warriors. And, the Denver Nuggets are sitting on a 2-2 lead over the Phoenix Suns as of Tuesday morning, May 9. But I told you a half dozen times, and I’ll tell you again, the Lakers are set to rule the wild, wild west. In the East it’s anybody’s series to win, Boston and Philadelphia are tied up at 2-2 and it’s becoming increasingly clear that Jimmy Butler will see to it that the Heat burn the New York Knicks yet one more time.

:08— I wanted to step out and separate this from the rest, but remember you heard it here first. Me…you… and the NBA want and will have a Lakers vs. Boston championship series again and that, my brother, is a check you can cash at any corner check cash place in the hood! :07— BTW, and this is just me. You see how the multi-billion-dollar banks are droppin’ like raid squirted on roaches? I bet you don’t see the check cashing joints in the hood fold up. Mannnnn…talk about social unrest! :06— It appears the end is closer than one might think for your Pittsburgh Pirates. Now granted, it’s still early and all things are still possible. But what seems to be clear is what I’ve always said—pitching wins games and once again that major detail is rearing its ugly head. And for those of you that think that’s not the case, here are the ten reasons you’re wrong—#10. Bob Gibson, #9. Greg Maddox, #8. Roger Clemens, #7. Juan Marichal, #6. Sandy Koufax, #5. Pedro Martinez, #4. Cy Young, #3. Randy Johnson, #2. Walter Johnson, #1 Satchel Page!!! Nuff Said!

:05— Some team in the National Hockey League is going to beat another team in the National Hockey league…that’s all I got. :04— The 2023 winner of the Kentucky Derby is Mage…again, that’s all I got. And yet you wonder how I keep this job.

:03— BTW, you may or may not know they put a few horses to death due to injured knees and stuff. My questions are twofold. Number one, what did horses do before men got in the mix? And, number two, does the horse get a say so in the matter? I’m just sayin’!

:02— Please shout this out all over the world. This is a call for all former, Truly Yours Models and Sensation Models. The social event of the summer is coming up Saturday, July 1, and I need every former model to contact me…this is the last runway…a celebration for you. 412628-4856.

:01— Hey Pittsburgh, roughly 160 days before the Pittsburgh Steelers report to training camp! :00—GAME OVER.

“LIV” BENNETT

PROPERTY IS POWER!

If you’re a renter, you might find yourself considering whether you should buy a home instead especially when your lease is about to expire. But it’s not always as simple as paying rent versus paying a mortgage. When you’re thinking about making the leap to homeownership, consider some of the factors that might come into play. Of course, money will be a top consideration as you weigh your options. Be realistic about what you can afford. Homeownership isn’t just about the cost of your base monthly mortgage payment.

Cost

Insurance and property taxes: Most people pay them as part of their monthly payment to their lender, and it’s important to have a realistic view of how much these fees will add to your total payment. Your real estate agent can help you estimate these expenses to get started, and your loan originator can give you a specific amount later in the process. Maintenance and repairs: From painting to replacing appliancnes, and from lawn care to changing your furnace filters. Ther’s a long and sometimes costly list of things you must do to keep your home in good condition. To protect yourself from surprise repair costs, HGTV recommends making sure you have 1o-3 percent of your home’s cost saved for annual maintenance.

Utilities: Some new homeowners are shocked by the costs of all the utilities needed whn you own a home such as electricity, gas, water, internet and streaming services.

If you’re used to some or all of these expenses being included in youor rent, do some research to find out how much they’ll add to the total monthly costs of homeownership. Your local utility providers can often give you an estimate based on square footage. Both home and rental prices are escalating quickly right now.

If your lease is expiring, evaluate your financial situration carefully to find out if investing in a home makes sense.

Household No one can precisely predict the future, but the “buy or rent” decision must also focus on who will live there with you in the short- and long-

by Bria Overs

For New Pittsburgh Courier

Personal finance is all about “managing your money as well as saving and investing,” as Investopedia puts it. And it’s true. Your individual goals and values guide the way you handle money.

By that definition, personal finance is exactly that—incredibly personal.

Money can evoke a wide range of emotions, from positive feelings like joy, happiness, and confidence to more negative ones such as fear, guilt, and shame, among others.

A lot of times we look at it as how our finances are impacting mental health, but usually it’s how mental health impacts our finances. Everything you may have seen, heard, felt, or understood around money growing up is going to add to your ‘money story’ and how you look, behave, and think about money in the future. How Financial Therapy Works Evans recommends seeing a financial therapist

of guilt after a reasonable purchase, and more.

The first step in financial therapy is finding a professional that can provide the service. A comprehensive directory of financial therapists can be accessed on the Financial Therapy Association website.

The directory is sortable and can help anyone find a financial therapist based on issues and needs, language, religious or spiritual beliefs, sexuality, and racial identities. There are

training and certifications coming from the financial professional side.” Therapists are available in person or virtually, and many offer 15- to 30-minute consultations.

term future. How will the number, age and relationship of those who will live in the space affect what you need from it? Lease expiration often prompts these considerations.

Will someone else, such as a roommate or a partner, share the costs with you? Are those arrangements long-term, or likely to change from time to time? If being an empty nester is on the horizon, you might wish to have

The word “vice” is generally used to define behavior or habits that are immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, depraved, taboo, or degrading. I’m not going to be that sinister. I’m using the word vice to imply something we do or something we spend money on that we know is foolish, doesn’t make any sense, and is detrimental to our health, wealth, and overall well-being. We admonish our children from doing it. We warn others about the dangers of doing it. We frown upon others whom we see with potential from engaging in it. Yet, we do it anyway. We tend to be judgmental when we see others wavering with their vices. We leave our own vices unchecked. We all have vices of some kind. Like sin, no one vice is worse than the other. Some vices are obvious, and its ill effects can devastate your life seemingly overnight. Other vices are quiet killers. These vices slowly erode your health, wealth, and life. We justify our indiscretions with: “you only live once,” “fear of missing out,” “you have to die from something,” “I work hard, I deserve it,” “it relaxes me,” “it’s my money and I can do what I want to,” “This is the only thing I do for myself.” When you have to rationalize doing something that you know deep down inside is wrong, it’s called “deceptive intelligence” or “rationalizing wrongdoing.” What does it take to blow $10,000 per year? A measly $27.40 per day on miscellaneous spending. Yep! Cigarettes, weed, alcohol, drugs, lottery, casino, dining out, coffee, emotional shopping, adds up FAST. I recall doing a financial plan for a family. Money was tight. They had no wiggle room. I was going over their income

To address the negative emotions, financial therapy has emerged as a form of intervention. This approach combines traditional therapy and counseling techniques and explores the psychological and emotional aspects that come with handling personal finance.

“It’s very similar, but it is all going to be under the guise of finances and money,” Aja Evans, a New York City-based clinically trained and licensed mental health counselor, and forthcoming author, says.

Evans works “solely under the guise of how money is interacting in people’s lives” and what behavioral health problems that brings up for them.

before a mental health crisis if possible, but help can be found even in heightened states of anxiety, panic, or frustration.

Early signs of a crisis or needing help include feeling stuck in a cycle of overspending or feeling imposter syndrome because of changes in income. Or it could be strong feelings

several other sortable factors, such as fee structure, gender, and location.

“You can look at financial therapy almost as a spectrum,” Evans says. There are therapists “coming from the mental health side and are clinically trained, but there are people who are certified or have done other

As far as affording financial therapy, according to Laqeushia Clemons, health insurance can be used when the “client has a clinical diagnosis” related to their feelings about money.  Clemons is a Connecticut-based licensed clinical social worker and accredited financial counselor. She’s also behind “Its More Than Just a Budget: A Guided Financial Wellness Journal.”

For example, she says, if a client can’t sleep at night because of stress related to money, “then, on the treatment plan, we work on the anxiety around money.” She adds that it depends on the individual therapist to set a rate or sliding scale if insurance cannot be used.

“Just reaching out to a financial therapist to talk to them about what you think is going on is definitely a good start,” Clemons says.

Who Financial Therapy Is Good For

The clients Evans usually works with are first-generation wealth

and expenses. They had a negative cashflow of approximately $600 per month. Meaning they were spending $600 more than what they were earning. How is that possible, you may ask? They supplemented their income by using credit cards and by borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. I noticed he was spending $15 dollars per day on cigarettes. I looked at him. I said, your money is going up in smoke! He looked at me puzzled. Not only are there health concerns associated with smoking cigarettes but you’re spending $15 per day. That’s equivalent to $105 per week, $420 per month, $5,040 per year.

I had him and his wife’s attention. Think about it. If you stop smoking, you reduce your negative cash flow by $200 per month. Let’s take it a step further. I asked how long have you been smoking? He said since he was about 20 years old. He was now 44. I ran some time value of money numbers. I told him that if he had invested that $420 for 24 years, that money would be worth approximately $503,000. They were astonished!! I told them hard habits are hard to break. I don’t expect you to stop smoking overnight. But it’s something to consider. In the meantime, curtail spending on your vices. I gave them some other recommendations that reconciled the negative cash flow and created some margin between their income and expenses. During our follow-up appointment, I was shocked to learn that he quit smoking cold turkey after hearing

those numbers. I’ve given this advice and ran those numbers to a lot of people. To date, he’s the first client that I know of that quit smoking cold turkey. Smoking may not be your vice. It’s not mine. We can’t look down on him because he wasted his money on smoking. What are you wasting your money on?

What’s your vice? You have one. Most of us have more than one that’s double or triple the trouble. It’s not uncommon for a person to be a smoker, drinker and play the lottery. Mine is dining out. I have the bulge in my gut to prove it. We’ll go grocery shopping and stock up for the week. On the way home from the grocery store, I’ll stop at a restaurant and buy me something to eat.

Another vice of mine is the casino. I don’t go often. But when I go, I leave a small fortune. I lose all common sense when I’m at the casino. I try to check myself. I’ll valet park and leave my wallet in the car to prevent myself from going to the ATM. One time I was at the casino, I lost $200 in 20 minutes. I was looking forward to going and having a good time. Winning is how I define a good time. Within 20 minutes, I’m broke, busted, and disgusted. I don’t like watching other people gamble. So, I did the sensible thing. I had a valet attendant bring me my car so that I can get my wallet. Down goes another $200. I know better. I had to fall back from that place. Don’t judge me or my client. He quit smoking. I curtailed my spending on

my vices.

Below is a list of the average cost we spend on various vices. The list isn’t all inclusive. It’s an average of some of our vices. Reflect on how much you spend compared to the average. Work towards curtailing your spending on these vices.

• Cigarettes: The average person spends about $6.28 per pack on cigarettes. If you smoke a pack a day. That’s $176 per month.

• Marijuana: The average cost of marijuana is $10 per gram. The average person spends $25 on each purchase. If you spend $25 on weed three times per week, that’s $300 per month.

• Alcohol: The average person is spending about $100 per month on alcohol.

• Lottery: The average person spends about $86 per month on the lottery and scratch-off tickets.

• Dining out: The average person spends about $232 per month on dining out.

• Coffee: The average person spends about $50 per month on coffee.

• Casino: The average person takes $200 to gamble with at the casino.

• Emotional shopping: Feeling sad, lonely, bored, or happy? People shop for various emotional reasons. The average person spends about $133 per month.

Benjamin Franklin said that small leaks sink big ships. These expenses seem small. But they add up quickly. We pay high prices for our vices. It’s not just what we spend on our vices. There’s also opportunity cost—money could have been used to save, invest or do fun, memorable stuff with our family and friends.

Amid inflation, make your money stretch

It’s tax filing season and many people have decisions to make on how they will spend their refund check.

Amid inflation and some uncertainty in the economy, some people are trying to figure out the ways of making their money stretch.

“The first thing one must do is adjust their thinking and then adjust their behavior,” said Lisa Howze, (CPA), owner of The Lisa Howze Experience LLC, author and a professional strategist.

Howze says people must be mindful we’re in an inflationary period, a temporary one she reminds people, yet unfortunately hard period to predict how long it will last. A reality that bases a lot of people’s spending habits and a cautionary one for many as government checks and other pandemic related benefits began to expire. As a result, the taxpayer may want to adjust their decisions accordingly.

“Not only should you save your money, but one should know where your money is going. People really have more money than they think they do,” Howze says. This is all about money management as she states people often know they have money coming in, yet their money is leaving back out faster than they can recoup.

“If you carry credit card debt, and you’ve got outstanding balances, with a high interest rate, you’re losing a lot of money die to the interest rate.”

Howze says in this area, there is money to be saved.

“If you would rather they take your payment over the phone, but it will cost a $10 transaction, that’s where people are losing money as oppose to connecting their checking account to come out automatically.”

And for people looking to get every coin they can squeeze out of their upcoming tax refund check, and not leave any money on the table, Howze points to some tips one should consider.

“Depending on what one’s income level is, generally about $55,000 a year for individuals, they could be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit. These credits have actually increased over the past couple of year at the federally level and particularly at the state level.”

“For the person who has not loss their job, they should be preparing for the potential of a downfall such

as a job loss, pay cut, layoff. The better you can prepare yourself for them, the better you can position yourself.”

She also advices people who may only have worked portion of the year of only made a minimum amount to be aware of the opportunities to still file their taxes and apply for benefits, because there could still be “refundable money out there people money back in one’s pocketbook.”

Howze also says to look for ways to make additional money and strongly advices in taking part in an area of the tax code many people often don’t take advantage of —starting a business.

“If you have a skill, maybe you can cook well, people love how you detail a car, whatever you do that is honest, ethical, and legal and develop that entrepreneurial spirit.”

“Take time to understand where there is a need in the market, and if you are able to fulfill that need by providing a solution where it be a product or service then people would be willing to pay you.”

When it comes to people thinking about what they’ll do with that much anticipated tax refund check, how to stretch their money and what to spend it on, another expert advice says to use it to repair your credit.

“This is one of the most important times to be educated about credit so you’ll know how to wisely use it,” says Shemeka Bishop, owner of The Bishop of Credit, a credit repair and consulting business.

“I always suggest using your credit to when paying for items. If you’re using your credit you’ll be able to maximize the dollars that you’re spending.”

Bishop says when you’re using credit to purchase groceries, you’re getting three times the benefit such as cashback, points, and increasing one’s credit score as you pay it back over time and on time.

“Not only can you make $50 at the grocery store, for example, work for you once but work for you twice.”

Bishop emphasizes credit cards aren’t made to completely live off of but in this economic climate, you might need it, and how to use and make it work for you could be financially helpful for many households.

(NewsUSA)—As a parent, you want your child to succeed in life and have a career where they are fulfilled and paid well. It’s even better if that career can offer benefits such as personal and professional growth, job security, and the ability to have a positive impact on the lives of others.

Becoming a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional offers those benefits and more—and entry into this growing profession is easier than you might think. College graduates with a bachelor’s degree in any discipline (no math or finance major required) can begin the path to CFP® certification. With the demand for financial planners across the United States expected to grow at a rapid pace over the next eight years, those in the profession are working hard to educate both young people and their parents about a career that many people know little about.

The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. is making recruitment of young people a priority. CFP Board Chair Dan Moisand says focus groups have shown there are many misconceptions about financial planning careers, includ-

describe a career in financial planning,” explained Moisand.

CFP® professionals have wide-ranging income potential, with many starting out at $5070k. Those with more experience earn an average of $192,000 per year.

less space and less maintenance to worry about, potentially making renting a better choice. Do you need more outdoor space or a larger kitchen?

What about areas of your home for family members to spend time together?

Maintenance Skill

When you rent, there’s always someone you can call to address any issues with your home. The cost and the trouble of maintenance are the responsibility of the property owner or property management company. When own a property, however, you become responsible for all maintenance. Are you handy? Do you feel confident in your ability to learn these skills?

Learning to fix a toilet

builders who are trying to navigate what it means to make more money than their parents.

“New York City is filled with a lot of people who are high-achieving and really pushing themselves in potentially very stressful jobs,” she says.

These types of clients are usually wanting to grow their generational wealth while trying to survive and live a life that feels good despite the high cost of living. To top it off, they’re also trying to take care of their parents and other family members.

Those who spend a lot of time on social media could

ing the belief that financial planners are focused on sales. But when parents were asked about the qualities of an ideal job for their child, “they said things like flexibility, work-life balance, helping people, a good salary— many of the qualities that

that won’t stop running, for example, is pretty easy with the help of the right YouTube video, but what about bigger tasks like masonry or HVAC work? DIY projects can save money, but you could also end up causing bigger, more expensive problems if your skills aren’t up to par. Be honest with yourself about your ability to handle or budget for maintenance issues.

Amenities

While amenities offered in rentals versus owned property can vary widely based on your location and the amount you pay, figuring out the most important features to you is a key factor in your decision. If they aren’t dealbreakers, they can sometimes break a tie as you

Financial planners also have the privilege of helping people with major life decisions, such as preparing to have a child or planning for retirement.

Financial planning can also offer a great deal of flexibility. CFP® professionals can choose to

work for a large financial services firm, a bank, or a credit union, or they can develop a specialized niche, establish their own firm, pursuing different paths for growth and advancement. And depending on their unique work situation, financial planners have the flexibility to set their own schedules to create a balanced work and personal life. Encouraging your child to become a financial planner can offer numerous benefits, including excellent career prospects, high earning potential, and the opportunity to help others. It’s a rewarding and challenging career that requires continuous learning and provides a great deal of flexibility. With the right education and training, your child can excel in this field and create a fulfilling and prosperous future for themselves. Learn more about the benefits of becoming a CFP® professional today

choose to rent or buy.

Parking: Will a rental home or apartment be able to provide you with covered parking or a garage, or would you be forced to park on the street? How much parking space will you need now and in the future for you and those you live with? Depending on the area you’re looking in, parking can be a complicated issue, or hard to find altogether.

Laundry: Do you need a dedicated laundry room, or are you comfortable sharing with your neighbors? Owning a home isn’t a guarantee of an on-site washer and dryer. Older building and urban areas sometimes don’t offer these features, while many rentals in

other areas do include inunit laundry. Recreation space: Do you want a pool or workout room? Do you want to shoulder the cost of having those on your own property, or would you rather rent or buy in a community that provides them? Many neighborhoods have amenities like playgrounds, pools, trails and sports courts, but beware: They often come with additional cost of a monthly or annual homeowner’s association fee. Rentals often offer these amenities and include them in the cost of your lease payment.

As you lease draws near its expiration, the decision to renew, find new rental, or buy a home can feel a bit overwhelming.

also use a financial therapist because platforms like TikTok and Instagram shape people’s beliefs about money. Social media is a highlight reel that’s easy to believe, Evans says. If a friend goes on vacation, what we don’t see is the stress or debt they put themselves in to make that trip happen.

Clemons also works with couples, who may have different needs because of the role money plays in relationship dynamics.

“With couples, it’s usually trying to bring them together about what they have going on with their finances or what they’ve gone through emotion-

ally around money that they never really worked through,” she says.

For example, a relationship can have a lack of transparency with money because of their earning dynamics, or they don’t talk about money at all.

“The couple work can be really interesting, but also very challenging because you’re dealing with two different people who have different ideals and perspectives on things,”

Clemons explains. “But for a lot of people, it’s definitely really necessary.”

Seeking the guidance of a financial therapist can help people develop a more nuanced under-

standing of their finances and make better-informed decisions in their personal and professional lives.

“I think we decide that our character traits are related to how we deal with money and that’s just not true,” Evans says. “We’re valuable people whether we have debt, no debt, student loans, credit cards, financial mistakes —you can still have value as a person you’re still worthy.”

Encouraging your child to become a financial planner can offer numerous benefits, including excellent career prospects, high earning potential, and the opportunity to help others.

LEASE EXPIRING FROM B1

FINANCIAL THERAPY FROM B1

THE COURIER’S PRIMARY ELECTION

Yes, it’s true...elections that don’t take place in a presidential election year have less overall voter participation.

Fortunately, you can be one of the people that will participate. In this, a non-presidential election year, you can still make your voice heard and vote, because it’s also true that elections featuring local candidates often can affect your everyday life more than the actual president of the United States.

Every day, seemingly, we hear about the Allegheny County Chief Executive, or Allegheny County District Attorney. We’re very familiar with our Pittsburgh City Council, School Board and Allegheny County Council.

These races are important. So, let’s buck the trend, and let’s go out and vote on May 16. Assure that at the end of the day, you’ve done your part in voting for whom you believe is best for the job.

The New Pittsburgh Courier soundly believes that Khari Mosley is the best choice for Pittsburgh City Council’s District 9, the seat held for more than a decade by Rev. Ricky Burgess. Mosley has been fighting for voting rights, affordable housing, economic development, and Black empowerment for more than 20 years. He’s very visible in the community, and Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey has endorsed him from sunup to sundown. We know that Mosley will hold his own in City Council and is grounded in his beliefs.

The Courier is endorsing Devon Taliaferro for Pittsburgh School Board District 2. Four years ago, the Courier did not endorse Taliaferro in her first foray for the School Board. Since her victory, we have seen how passionate Taliaferro is for helping all youth in Pittsburgh Public Schools. Her days acting as a de facto mentor at Brashear High School, her ability to speak to parents in a down-to-earth manner, and her commitment to transparency should be rewarded with another term on the School Board.

The television has been inundated with ads for Allegheny County Chief Executive and Allegheny County District Attorney. We applaud Rich Fitzgerald for his unwavering commitment to increasing African American employment at the county level. And over the years as executive, he has spoken with the Courier editorial board numerous times to prove his efforts to bettering Allegheny County for African Americans.

We can’t say the same for Stephen A. Zappala Jr., the current district attorney. He found himself under fire in 2021 for allegedly not taking plea deals for clients of Black attorney Milton Raiford, after Raiford allegedly criticized the DA’s office. Some Black attorneys in Pittsburgh, including Frank Walker, have penned editorials on “Why Allegheny County needs a new DA.”

“Zappala has proven that, under his direction, the DA’s office is unwilling to confront racial inequities,” wrote Walker and attorney Rob Perkins, which appeared in the Courier earlier this spring. “This election season, we should hold Zappala accountable by voting him out of office.”

The Courier is in 100 percent agreement.

We endorse state Rep. Sara Innamorato for Allegheny County Chief Executive, and we endorse Matt Dugan for Allegheny County District Attorney. Representative Innamorato is someone we can see in the office for years. She has a wealth of fresh, new ideas to progress the county, and with her connections to Black political leaders (Mayor Gainey and Congresswoman Summer Lee have endorsed Rep. Innamorato), we are hopeful that she stays on the course that Fitzgerald ran in advancing Allegheny County for the betterment of African Americans.

As for Dugan, the Allegheny County Chief Public Defender has said that the DA’s office “must acknowledge the significant racial disparities in our criminal justice system and must actively work to eradicate those disparities with every decision and policy it implements.”

We will hold Dugan to this statement. We are hopeful he will create the change the DA’s office needs.

Allegheny County Chief Executive

SARA INNAMORATO

Allegheny County Controller

COREY O’CONNOR

Allegheny County District Attorney

MATT DUGAN

Allegheny County Council District 10

DEWITT WALTON

Pittsburgh Council District 9

KHARI MOSLEY

Pittsburgh School Director District 2

DEVON TALIAFERRO

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—I am blessed to have friends in every walk of life.  With few exceptions, when I speak with friends who are combat veterans and ask about their emotions in a combat zone, they speak of a heightened sense of awareness and almost paranoid preparedness for averting threat or danger, 24/7/365. Many servicemembers can survive a combat tour without lingering affect, but the constant intensity of emotions or traumatic exposure to danger and/ or injury has caused many to suffer with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD.  I do not minimize the impact of PTSD, but I have and still wonder why so many are unwilling to compare and contrast the stress and trauma of a combat tour with a lifetime of stress and trauma in an under-served and over-policed/regulated community.  Although I am not a mental health professional, I see the reality of PTSD in both experiences, with a greater likelihood of manifestation in the latter. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and it is appropriate to discuss such issues.

In the past I have referenced Maslow’s Theory of Hierarchy of Needs.  Maslow asserts that self-actualization—higher order thinking/reasoning—cannot occur until the most basic survival needs are met, but few talk about what happens whether or not, or while survival needs are being sought.  I submit that the lack of any life sustaining/improving commodity is genuine cause for post-traumatic stress—what I equate to internal violence.

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

Commentary

Absent depth and detail, I would like for you to imagine the constant internal conflict and mental upheaval trying to rear children or living in/ under the described circumstances:

•        Living in an unending cycle of insufficient income.  “Juggling” money to pay essential bills, often losing a utility, or missing or watching your children miss meals.  Common to my own DC Metro area are professionals working two jobs to bridge the gap of economic insufficiency between fulltime incomes and poverty.

•        Living with the knowledge that an unexpected toothache, illness or injury offers a real threat to the life and welfare of the affected individual AND family financial security.

•        Having to give your children “The Talk” indicates a monumental fear for their survival into adulthood.  Wondering and fearing (whether) “you” will be the next parent informed that your child has met an untimely death at the hands of street violence—“legal” or otherwise.

•        Substandard housing which endangers the life, limb, health, property, safety or welfare of the occupants.  Whether in a state of near-dilapidation, disrepair, with insect or vermin infestation, these structures,

however familiar to the residents, impose undue stress.

•        Environmental racism of neighborhoods populated primarily by people of color and members of low-socioeconomic backgrounds—burdened with disproportionate numbers of hazards including toxic waste facilitates, garbage dumps, and other sources of environmental pollution.  The absence or lack of drinkable water in Flint, MI and Jackson, MS, as well as, environmentally volatile locations like New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward which, after eighteen years, still suffers the ravages of Hurricane Katrina, are clear examples of environmental racism and a constant threat to the health and well-being of communities of color.

These issues only scratch the surface of the unending challenges facing those least likely to possess the resources to overcome them.  For many, these daily challenges are intertwined into a mesh of priorities that only make room for survival.  For too many, thoughts of addressing social issues like defending voting rights, reforming the criminal justice system, expanding access to affordable healthcare, closing the racial wealth gap, advancing affordable housing, and a myriad of other problems of social injustice become secondary.

As with our history in this nation, seeking good health seems insufficient.  We must fight vigorously to overcome the ravages of poor health.

(Dr. E. Faye Williams is President of The Dick Gregory Society, thedickgregorysociety. org and President Emerita of the National Congress of Black Women) She can be reached at drefayewilliams@gmail.com).

Whether we accept it or not, obesity continues to be a complex, chronic disease that kills thousands of Black Americans every year. Indeed, nearly half of Black Americans live with obesity, so we cannot afford to ignore this national emergency any longer.

The public discourse around weight loss that has taken over recent headlines has entirely missed the mark. Our mainstream media, social media, and content providers are all either dissecting whether a movie star used weight loss medication or analyzing whether these medications are safe to take, even though they’re FDA approved.

The fact of the matter is that we are squandering a critical moment to focus on the deadly disease of obesity, and missing the opportunity to save thousands of lives, particularly Black lives. Within the next seven years, researchers anticipate that half of American adults will live with obesity. This is a personal health burden and a public health crisis, and we should talk about it as such.

Turning the narrative around on this disease, and on Black wellness overall, is critical to stemming obesity’s growth. The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), a trade association of more than 250 Black-owned community newspapers and media companies from across the United States, has consistently been the voice of the Black community since its founding 83 years ago.

I serve as the organization’s President and CEO and right now, we’re calling on our members to elevate the conversation on the obesity crisis to one that clarifies the facts, shares reliable resources, and advocates for impactful changes for the benefit of

Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.

Commentary

our community’s health and longevity. We can address obesity in a way that gives hope, because this is not a hopeless fight.

To start, it’s vital that we correct the misinformation. Too often, people don’t know that obesity is a chronic disease and a long-term illness, with multiple contributing factors outside of a person’s control: environmental circumstances, inherently racist healthcare programs, poverty, and genetics. In cities across the country, like Washington, D.C., where nearly half the population is Black, food deserts and food swamps have become the norm in Black communities. This makes it nearly impossible for many Black residents to eat well even if they wanted to. That is to say, many people cannot access one of the key tools for combating obesity—a healthy diet—because of factors outside of their control.

It’s also important to note that obesity is a complex disease that may require more than diet and exercise. Our understanding of the disease has changed drastically over the years thanks to scientific research and advances. Where diet and exercise are not enough, some people may need the extra support of anti-obesity medications to fight the disease. Just as many of us take medications to manage

hypertension, diabetes, or cholesterol —conditions you may have inherited —medications for chronic weight management may be needed as well.

Further, combating severe obesity may even require bariatric surgery. Chronic diseases are treated with a range of treatment options, and obesity is no different.

To be clear, the perception that people who live with obesity just need to take better care of themselves is false and dangerous, as it prevents thousands from receiving or seeking the care they need. Societal weight biases strain the mental health of people living by obesity, prevent people from living their healthiest lives, and contribute to our country’s stagnant healthcare policies that exacerbate obesity’s disproportionate impact on Black communities.

From less access to quality healthcare, to the exclusion of anti-obesity medications from Medicare, and most Medicaid and general insurance coverage, our healthcare systems under-prioritizes the well-being of Black Americans. And we’ve learned from history that until we make our voices heard, this crisis will continue to be brushed aside.

Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an expert on obesity, noted that we have been living through three pandemics: COVID-19, racism, and obesity. We must prioritize combating the obesity pandemic with the same energy we use to combat COVID-19 and racial injustice. Our lives depend on it.

(Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr is President and CEO of the NNPA, Executive Producer/Host of The Chavis Chronicles on PBS TV stations throughout the United States, entrepreneur, global business and civil rights, and can be reached at dr.bchavis@nnpa.org)

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—“At last, there is a critical mass of people all over the country who are are prepared to draw the line against conservative efforts to erase Black history, against efforts to make anti-racism unnameable, against efforts to undermine the ability of the next generation to understand what the meaning of that history is for the here and now.”—

Crenshaw

Kimberlé

In Florida, activists staged a sit-in outside the office of Governor Ron DeSantis, who signed a law last week that bans teaching about systemic racism and gender and race discrimination.

In Washington, D.C., and New York City, protestors marched outside the College Board headquarters to protest the watering-down of its AP African-American History course.

Across the country, concerned citizens convened Teach-ins on college campuses and read-alouds of banned books.

And dozens of Urban League affiliate presidents, gathered in New Orleans for a Leadership Summit, stood together for the Freedom To Learn National Day of Action on Wednesday, expressing their solidarity with the thousands of Americans defending truthful, inclusive education and efforts to remedy systemic racial inequities. Schools banned nearly 1,650 individual books in the last school year, most of them because they include themes

about race or sexuality. Among the titles deemed to be too dangerous for children to read are Toni Morrison’s novel The Bluest Eye, which explores “the devastating effects of racism and self-hatred on young Black girls in America;” Ibram X. Kendi‘s Antiracist Baby, a guide for discussing racism with young children; and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, for which earned author Mildred D. Taylor the Newberry Medal, presented for “the most distinguished contributions to American literature for children”.

Access to truthful history, diverse books and critical ideas for students and educators are crucial to the nation’s history as a multicultural democracy. The so-called “War on Wokeness” threatens to eradicate decades of progress toward racial justice, by warping our view of the nation’s past, and thwart our future progress toward an equitable, multicultural society.

As highlighted in the National Urban League’s 2023 State of Black America® report, “Democracy in Peril: Confronting the Threat Within,” 21

states already have enacted measures that censor the honest examination of racism and race in American society, and the College Board has excised crucial material from its AP African American Studies curriculum in response.

The Freedom to Learn campaign has demanded that the College Board:

• restore the AP African American Studies curriculum

• commit to making the course available online to students who live in states in which politicians have enacted bans of books, knowledge, and ideas contained in the original curriculum that would prevent the course from being taught in those states • conduct an independent investigation into to how the course development process was corrupted by outside political forces • hold all implicated College Board officials accountable

It is a betrayal of democratic values for any responsible leader to actively participate in distorting or denying any part of our country’s history.”

As Loyola University professor of communication and African and African American Studies Karsonya “Kaye” Wise Whitehead noted, “It is not simply a debate about curriculum. We are standing up and saying that our classrooms—this nation’s heart and soul—are not up for debate; they are not up for discussion. You are not going to whitewash us out of history.”

The obesity crisis is not a hopeless fight for Black America

Purging the voice and will of the people

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—Whether you’re a Republican, Democrat, or Independent, President Joe Biden needs to be re-elected regardless of whether you like him. During the 2020 presidential election, many people voted for Biden simply because he was not Donald Trump. The upcoming election in 2024 looks to be a rematch between Biden and Trump, with the risks and consequences being much greater than before. While we often encourage voters to be informed and objective concerning election issues and candidates, the United States has never had a presidential party nominee indicted in a criminal case or one who publicly suggested that all rules, regulations, and articles within the Constitution be terminated. Normally, those two issues alone would be enough negative baggage to prevent any candidate from being considered a viable party nominee.

The Republican Party of today is not what they claim to be, placing the nation at risk. In accepting Trump as the presumptive party nominee, the GOP is knowingly choosing a person who was twice impeached, disrespected veterans, POWs, women, minorities, mocked the disabled, dishonored a “Gold Star” family, discredited the CIA, cheated vendors, perpetuated the birther conspiracy, is tied to past tax evasion fraud, a Trump University scam, union busting, housing discrimination, multiple bankruptcies, White supremacy, colluding with Russia, and nepotism, not to mention several pending investigations and a civil rape trial. With all of Trump’s personal and political baggage, he remains a powerful force due to the many Republican enablers covering for him from their elected offices and the MAGA voters who see him as their cultural war champion.

NFL drafts 1 HBCU player— There should’ve

been more?

Doug Williams was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1978, making him the first Black quarterback picked in the first round of the NFL draft. Williams was selected from a historically Black college.

During that era, bigotry made Black quarterbacks uncommon. However, drafting Black players from HBCUs was commonplace. American society was slowly integrating, but racial separation was still ingrained. That meant there was an abundance of talent to be found at HBCUs.

During the 1970s, the NFL drafted 318 players from HBCUs.

In the 1980s, Black quarterbacks were still rare, but the few that were drafted came from predominately White Division I schools, instead of HBCUs. After the turn of the century, Black quarterbacks were routinely drafted from predominately White Division I schools, becoming the stars of the NFL.

In 2023, two Black quarterbacks, Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson, signed contracts that made them the highest-paid players in NFL history, and three Black quarterbacks were among the top five selections in the first round of the NFL draft.

As the NFL will compensate and draft the finest players, these outcomes were expected. On the other hand, Doug Williams found a reason to complain.

Only one player from an HBCU was drafted by an NFL team in 2023.

J.

Pharoah Doss

Check It Out

have high aspirations for HBCU players, but the odds are stacked against them, not because of a lack of representation in the draft rooms; it all comes down to talent tiers.

The top talent tier in the NCAA is Division I, which is divided into the FBS (televised teams) and the FCS (non-televised teams). There are also NCAA divisions II and III, but it is extremely uncommon for NFL teams to draft players from these lower talent tiers.

According to the NCAA, there are 363 division one schools, 313 division two schools, and 442 division three schools. Most schools belong to a conference, but there are power conferences and non-power conferences.

In 2023, the NFL drafted players from 95 schools. There were 259 total players selected.

206 players came from the power conferences in the FBS (televised teams), and 34 players came from the non-power conferences in the FBS (televised teams), totaling 240 players from the highest talent tier.

in the FCS (non-televised teams) will only produce one or two NFL draft picks per year, if any at all.

That begs the question: in which talent tier are the HBCUs?

The majority of HBCUs belong to four conferences. Two of these conferences (CIAA and SIAC) compete in Division II of the NCAA. This effectively eliminates them from the NFL draft. The other two (SWAC and MEAC) compete in the FCS (non-televised teams). One conference (SWAC) had a player drafted, while the other did not.

However, seven other conferences in the FCS (non-televised teams) only had one player drafted in 2023, while none were drafted from the remaining six conferences. No one complained because that’s what’s expected from a lower talent tier.

There’s one additional factor: the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Joe Gilliam from an HBCU in the eleventh round of the 1972 draft. That year, the NFL draft had 17 rounds.

Today, the NFL draft only has seven.

David W. Marshall

Harris County, with its population of nearly 5 million people, is the largest county in Texas and the third most populous county in the nation. Its county seat is Houston, the largest city in the state and the fourth largest in the nation. Houston has become the most diverse city in the country. While the number of people in Harris County who identify as non-Hispanic White declined by nearly 3 percent, all other racial groups—including Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, Native Americans, and Alaskan Natives—increased. The changing demographics, along with the shifting electoral landscape of Harris County, is what scares the GOP. This once Republican stronghold, which now leans reliably Democratic, could turn Texas from red to blue in future presidential elections. Without Texas’ 38 votes in the Electoral College, the Republicans would be hard-pressed to win any future presidential elections without winning Texas.

Like 2020, the next presidential election is not about free and fair elections. The Texas Republican-controlled Senate passed a bill allowing the secretary of state to redo elections in Harris County, where several Democratic candidates gained strong midterm results. The Democratic candidate edged out the closely contested race for Harris County judge, the highest position in the county. The bill applies to all counties with a population over 2.7 million, of which there is only one, Harris County. If the House passes the bill and Gov. Greg Abbott signs it, the party claiming to be about free and fair elections has provided a built-in contingency if the 2024 election results in Texas fail to go their way.

It is safe to say that had Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams won her race for governor of Georgia, the legislation known as SB92 would never have been signed. Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed the legislation that will create an oversight commission with the power to remove local prosecutors and district attorneys from their jobs. The measure comes as Fani Willis, a Democrat serving as the Fulton County district attorney, investigates Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. A special purpose grand jury has already recommended indictments in the matter, and Willis has said if there are charges, they would be announced this summer. Willis has opposed the legislation, warning that it would be “dangerous” to undo decisions made by voters. “This bill was never deemed necessary until a historic thing happened in 2020. And let’s just talk about it and tell the truth,” said Willis, who testified before the Judiciary Committee of the Georgia Senate and criticized the bill as “racist,” noting earlier this year that Republicans were pushing the measure after the number of minority district attorneys grew from five to 14 in 2020. Now that Republicans can remove a district attorney, will they retaliate if Trump is charged with a crime?

The Republicans are not the party of law and order when they constantly refuse to address the nation’s gun violence by supporting a responsible assault weapon ban. The country experienced another mass shooting, with eight victims killed in an Allen, Texas, mall. The GOP was not the party of patriotism when the Republican National Committee censured the two House Republicans who participated on the House Select Committee on the Jan. 6 attack. Republicans are not the party of jobs creation when their proposed legislation to address the debt ceiling crisis includes eliminating over 100,000 American manufacturing jobs in the clean energy industry. Many of the jobs are in red states. If there is one word that describes the mindset of GOP leadership, that word would be purge. They are positioning themselves to purge votes, purge elected officials they disagree with, purge jobs, and remove the written history of Black Americans. The only way to effectively respond is to do our purging at the ballot box in numbers that cannot be disputed.

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

Williams believed that at least seven players from HBCUs should have been drafted and stated, “There must be a lack of representation in the draft rooms for this to happen.  Do we have anyone fighting for these young men?”

It’s understandable for Williams to

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—Over the next few weeks, the manufactured crisis over the “debt ceiling” will reach its boiling point. But this is pure melodrama, badly overacted with the outcome already known. The real question is about our priorities—and about who gets the gold and who gets the shaft.

On the debt ceiling, President Biden says he won’t negotiate over raising it.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says Republicans won’t raise it without negotiations. This is like teenagers playing chicken in cars racing toward each other—only in this case a crash would blow up the world economy. That can’t happen—and so it won’t. The United States will pay the debts it owes. Our full faith and credit will not be trashed.

That will still leave the question about our priorities and the national budget. Who pays and who benefits? Here—beneath the posturing—is the real deal. Here’s a handy guide to what’s in the deck.

First on our annual deficits. The best solution to the deficit is economic growth. When the economy grows, more people get jobs and raises. As wages and profits rise, the government collects more in taxes and pays out less in support—on everything from unemployment insurance to welfare to food stamps. Deficits come down.

How do we get growth? For years, Republicans have passed tax cuts— largely for the rich and corporations —saying that would lead to more investment and more jobs. Turns out it mostly led to more inequality, slower growth and thus more deficits.

Biden argues that we need to invest in areas vital to our economy—in modern infrastructure, in research and development, in subsidies that get companies to locate plants in the U.S. and not abroad. Although his program has

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—For over 50 years millions of Black people in this country have held commemoration events on the days Brother Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. were assassinated and celebratory events on their birthdays. Doing so is very important. However, equally important is the need for us to learn from and act on the profound, productive, inspiring guidelines the Brothers left us on how to promote and protect our health, economic, political, educational, technological and communications interests in a country where overt White supremacy has once again become openly hostile.

That’s almost the entire draft.

If only 34 players were drafted from the non-power conferences of the FBS (televised teams), how many would be drafted from the FCS (non-televised teams), which is a talent tier dramatically below? The strongest conferences

There were 26 NFL teams in 1972. With an additional 10 rounds, 260 more players had the opportunity to be drafted. During the 1970s, a lot of HBCU players were drafted in rounds that no longer exist today. Doug Williams remembers when HBCUs were elite, but now they’re no longer in the top talent tier. Williams can’t face that fact. So, he imagines that the problem must be that there’s no one fighting for HBCUs in the draft rooms.

But there is no problem.

No one fights for the Ivy League, either.

Jesse Jackson Sr.

Commentary

just begun, it seems to be working –with unemployment down, wages up, and deficits getting reduced. That said, politicians in both parties still want even faster deficit reduction. The big question is one of priorities. Here common sense should apply.

Over the past years, the richest Americans have captured more and more of the nation’s income and wealth. The middle class has struggled, and the poor haven’t kept up. Common sense would suggest that the wealthy should pay more in taxes, rather than the middle class or the poor. On the spending side, the military budget has been rising—and now is at levels not seen since the height of the Cold War. We spend as much on the military as the next 10 nations combined. Health care costs have been rising even as life expectancy has been declining. We spend nearly two times per capita than other advanced countries with far worse results.

We can reduce our military budget and still have the most powerful military in the world. And we can transform our medical system—moving as other advanced countries have done to the equivalent of Medicare for All, providing more service for less cost. Biden has taken a small step by controlling the price gouging on some prescription drugs, but much more can be done. But common sense rarely surfaces in the Washington debate. Consider

Peter Bailey

Reality Check

One 1967 guideline from Brother Martin stated that “A second important step that the negro must take is to work passionately for group identity….group unity necessarily involves group trust and reconciliation. One of the most serious effects of the negro’s damage ego has been his frequent loss of respect for himself and other negroes. He ends up with ambivalence towards his own kind…. This plea for unity is not a call for uniformity. There must always be healthy debate. There will be inevitable differences of opinion. The dilemma that the negro confronts is so complex and monumental that its solution will of necessity involve a diversified approach. But negroes can differ and still

unite around common goals. There are already structured forces in the negro community that can serve as the basis for building a powerful united front— the negro church, the negro press, the negro fraternities and sororities and negro professional associations. We must admit that these forces have never given their full resources to the call of negro liberation….But the failure of the past must not be an excuse for the inaction of the future. These groups must be mobilized and motivated….This form of group unity can do infinitely more to liberate the negro than any action of individuals. ~Please note Brother Martin italicized individuals. ~  We have been oppressed as a group and we must overcome that oppression as a group.”

Brother Malcolm was just as direct and solutions-oriented when he stated that “U.S. politics is ruled by special in-

the Republican debt ceiling “proposal” that passed the House. Republicans oppose asking the rich and corporations to pay more. They oppose cutting the military budget (and in fact want to raise it substantially). They oppose controlling drug prices, or moving to Medicare for All or even having a public option in health care that would limit insurance company excesses. Trump and Biden have convinced them that they shouldn’t touch Social Security or Medicare—at least before the election.

That leaves all the cuts to come from domestic programs—and the pain to be borne primarily by the most vulnerable—and by the middle class. Low-income families will see cuts in food support, in affordable housing, in health care through Medicaid, in infant nutrition, in childcare. The poor and middle-income families will suffer cuts in public education, in clean water and air, in safe workplaces, in childcare. The country will suffer with the slashing of investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency and electric vehicles. All of us will pay more from extreme weather as climate change goes unaddressed.

All the fulminations about the debt ceiling come down to this. Will the wealthy pay a little more in taxes or the poor a lot more in pain and hunger? Will we invest in more smart missiles or more smart children? Will we support the obscene profits of the private health insurance companies or the essential health care Americans need? Will we fund wars abroad or curb the extreme weather that threatens our communities at home? Don’t be misled by the sound and fury over the debt ceiling. The real question is who pays and who benefits.

and Brother Martin

The Debt Ceiling struggle: Who gets the gold? Who gets the shaft? A.

terest blocs and lobbyists. What group has more urgent special interests? What group needs a bloc, a lobby more than the Black man? Labor owns one of Washington’s largest non-government buildings—situated where they can literally watch the White House—and no political move is made that doesn’t include how Labor feels about it. A lobby gets Big Oil its depletion allowance…. Twenty-million Black people should tomorrow give $1 apiece to build a skyscraper in Washington, DC. Every morning every legislator should receive communications about what every Black man and woman in America expects and wants and needs. The demanding voice of the Black lobby should be in the ear of every legislator who votes on any issues.”

We Black people in this country would not be such easy targets in 2023 if we had utilized the solutions-oriented guidelines provided by Brother Martin, Brother Malcolm and other serious leaders, including Brother Harold Cruse, Brother Lerone Bennett Jr., sister Frances Cress Welsing, Sister C. Delores Tucker and Brother Hoyt Fuller. Fortunately for us it is better to be late than never. We still have time to follow the guidelines presented by some of our great master teachers.

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RATE CHANGES

TO PITTSBURGH WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY CUSTOMERS

The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) has filed a request with the PennsylvaniaPublic Utility Commission (PUC) on May 9, 2023 to increase your rates for water, wastewaterconveyance and stormwater management. This notice describes our request, the PUC’s role,and the actions you can take.

PWSA has requested an overall rate increase of $146.1 million over three years. If the Authority’s entire request is approved, the total bill for water, wastewater conveyance, and stormwater management for a typical Residential customer using 3,000 gallons of water per month and charged the base rate for stormwater services would increase from $86.43 to $103.41 per month or by 19.6% in 2024. It would increase from $103.41 to $123.55 or by 19.5% in 2025 and increasefrom $123.55 to $146.12 or 18.3% in 2026.

As a publicly owned and operated water authority, every dollar we receive is reinvested back into the water systems you rely on each day. Since 2018, PWSA has invested approximately $524 million in capital improvements and over the next five years, a total of approximately $1.8 billion is budgeted for much needed upgrades to critical infrastructure. This rate filing, if approved, will ensure ongoing investment to modernize our water systems, and provide essential water, sewer, and stormwater services for current and future generations of customers.

The typical Residential customer enrolled in our low-income customer assistance Bill Discount Program using 3,000 gallons of water per month and charged the base rate for stormwater currently pays $44.15 per month under the existing rates. If the rate request is approved, this would change to $51.85 per month or by 17.5% in 2024. It would increase from $51.85 to $60.83 or by 17.3% in 2025 and increase from $60.83 to $72.17 or 18.7% in 2026.

The typical Commercial customer using 13,000 gallons per month with a 1-inch meter and generating stormwater runoff from 8 ERU’s, the total bill would increase from $356.54 to $441.19 per month or by 23.7% in 2024, from $441.19 to $565.41 per month or by 28.2% in 2025, and from $565.41 to $668.24 per month or by 18.2% in 2026.

The typical Industrial customer using 680,000 gallons per month with a 4-inch meter and generating stormwater runoff from 30 ERU’s, the total bill would increase from $12,934.31 to $16,945.22 per month or by 31.0% in 2024, from $16,945.22 to $20,846.87 per month or by 23.0% in 2025, and from $20,846.87 to $24,648.17 per month or by 18.2% in 2026

The typical Health and Education customer using 50,000 gallons per month with a 2-inch meter and generating stormwater runoff from 32 ERU’s, the total bill would increase from $1,474.16 to $1,844.81 per month or by 25.1% in 2024, from $1,844.81 to $2,371.36 per month or by 28.5% in 2025, and from $2,371.36 to $2,804.42 per month or by 18.3% in 2026.

PWSA’s rate request is scheduled to go into effect on July 8, 2023; however, in most cases, the PUC suspends the increase for up to an additional seven (7) months.

To find out your customer class or how the requested increase may affect your water, wastewater conveyance, and stormwater management bill contact PWSA at 412-255-2423. The rates requested by the Authority may be found in the Tariff Water – PA. P.U.C. No.1 Supp. No. 12, Tariff Wastewater – PA. P.U.C. No.1 Supp. No. 11, and Tariff Stormwater – PA. P.U.C. No. 1 Supp No. 3. You may also examine the material filed with the PUC, which explains the requested increase and the reasons for it. A copy of these documents is kept at PWSA’s office. Upon request, the Authority will send you the Statement of Reasons for these Tariffs, explaining why the rate increase has been requested.

PUC ROLE

The state agency which now approves rates for PWSA is the PUC. The PUC will examine the requested rate increase and can prevent existing rates from changing until it investigates and/or holds hearings on the request. The Authority must prove that the requested rates are reasonable. After examining the evidence, the PUC may grant all, some, or none of the requestor may reduce existing rates. The PUC may change the amount of the rate increase or decrease requested by the utility for each customer class. As a result, the rate charged to you may be different than the rate requested by the utility as shown above.

ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE

There are three ways to support or challenge PWSA’s request to change its rates:

1.You can be a witness at a public input hearing. Public input hearings are held if the PUC opens an investigation of the utility’s rate increase request and if there is a large number of customers interested in the case. At these hearings, you have the opportunity to present your views in person to the PUC judge hearing the case and to the PWSA representatives. All testimony given ‘‘under oath’’ becomes part of the official rate case record. These hearings are held in the service area of the utility.

2.You can send the PUC a letter telling why you support or object to the requested rate increase. At times there is information in these letters that makes the PUC aware of successes or problems with the utility’s service or management. This information can be helpful when the PUC investigates the rate request.

3.You can file a formal complaint. If you want a hearing before a judge, you must file a formal complaint. By filing a formal complaint, you assure yourself the opportunity to take part in hearings about the rate increase request. All complaints should be filed with the PUC before July 8, 2023. If no formal complaints are filed, the Commission may grant all, some, or none of the request without holding a hearing before a judge. Send your letter or request for a formal complaint form to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Post Office Box 3265, Harrisburg, PA 17105-3265.

For more information, call the PUC’s Bureau of Consumer Services at 1-800-692-7380. You may leave your name and address so you can be notified of any public input hearings that may be scheduled in this case. You may also contact the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA). The OCA represents the interests of consumers in cases before the PUC. You may contact the OCA with questions or requests for public input hearings at 1-800-684-6560 or by email at consumer@paoca.org.

Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority

1200 Penn Avenue | Pittsburgh, PA 15222 | 412-255-2423

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Meetings

THE WILKINS TOWNSHIP ZONING HEARING BOARD PUBLIC HEARING

The Wilkins Township Zoning Hearing Board shall hold a public hearing on Thursday, May 18, 2023 at 7:00 p.m., at the Municipal Building, 110 Peffer Road, Wilkins Township, PA 15145. At that time, the Board shall hear an application for a variance made by Charles Proviano (‘the applicant’), for property located at 798 Greensburg Pike, East Pittsburgh, PA 15112 (‘the property’). The property, more fully identified as Allegheny County Tax Map Lot and Block Number 374-D-70, is situated in an R-3 Residential Zoning District. The applicant seeks a Variance to convert a single-family residential dwelling into a duplex. According to the Wilkins Township Zoning Code §450-10, duplexes are not a permitted use in an R-3 Zoning District. The meeting will also be available virtually on Zoom at the following link: https://us02web.zoom. us/j/82481719116

NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNiFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS

May 10, 2023

City of Pittsburgh – Office of Management and Budget

414 Grant Street Room 501 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-255-2667

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

REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS (1)

– MTW and PBV PROJECT

On or about Monday May 29, 2023, the City of Pittsburgh will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to release Federal funds under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 as amended for the purpose of rehabilitation and new construction, described below.

2159 Centre Avenue - Moving To Work (MTW) Gap Financing & Project Based Vouchers (PBV) Project involves rehabilitation of an existing building and new construction. The proposed result will be 18,000 square feet of mixed-use commercial space and residential housing. The ground floor will be used for commercial retail, with the remaining floors a s residential apartments. There will be twelve (12) affordable PBV housing units, with four (4) 1-bedroom apartments and eight (8) 2-bedroom apartments. Funding for the project will consist of URA Centre Ave Pre-Development Funds $70,000.00; Bridgeway Capital Pre-Development Grant $34,000.00; Hillman Foundation Grant $58,000.00; Amani Deferred Developer Fee $51,570.00; 2021 FHLBank AHP Grant $750,000.00; URA ACRE Loan $200,000.00; Neighborhood Allies Neighborhood Capital Fund $15,000.00; and 2022 RACP $2,000,000.00. $1,000,000.00 in MTW funds and twelve (12) PBV will also be used for the project. The estimated total project cost is $5,336,400.00.

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT (2) – MTW and PBV PROJECT

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

PUBLIC COMMENTS

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

Kelly Russell City of Pittsburgh, 414 Grant Street, Room 501 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (412) 255-2667 OR Kelly.Russell@pittsburghpa.gov

All comments received by Thursday, May 25, 2023 will be considered by the City of Pittsburgh prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice (Request for Release of Funds 1 or Finding of No Significant Impact 2) they are addressing.

ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION

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

OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS

HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the City of Pittsburgh certification for a period of fifteen (15) days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City of Pittsburgh; (b) the City of Pittsburgh has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to the HUD Field Office of Public Housing in Pittsburgh at PittsburghPIH.ER@hud.gov regarding MTW and PBV funds. Potential objectors should contact the HUD Field Office of Public Housing in Pittsburgh via email as given above to verify the actual last day of the objection period. Potential objectors should contact the HUD Field Office of Community Planning and Development in Pittsburgh via email or phone as given above to verify the actual last day of the objection period.

Ed Gainey Mayor City of Pittsburgh

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The Allegheny County Housing Authority (ACHA) is currently in the process of changing its 20232024 Agency Plan (annual and 5-year plans) in conjunction with the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act. Changes to the Agency Plan, once approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), will guide the ACHA in serving the needs of low-income and very low-income families during the 5-year period beginning October 1, 2021.

The proposed changes to the Agency Plan and all supporting documents will be available for review and inspection by the public at the principal office of the ACHA located at 301 Chartiers Avenue, McKees Rocks, PA 15136.

A public hearing has been scheduled to present the changed Agency Plan and to allow public participation; information regarding the hearing is also contained on the Authority’s website at www.achsng.com:

DATE: Friday, June 16, 2023

TIME: 10:15 a.m.

PLACE: Allegheny County Housing Authority – Central Office 301 Chartiers Avenue, McKees Rocks, PA 15136

Prior to the public hearing, comments can be directed in writing to: Frank Aggazio, Executive Director Allegheny County Housing Authority 301 Chartiers Avenue McKees Rocks, PA 15136

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Legal Notices

Estate of LEO C. HARPER JR. Deceased of 532 N. Fairmount St. Pittsburgh, PA 15206, No.022300690 of 2022, Rhonda McClain, Administrator, 5359 Broad St., Pittsburgh, PA 15224

Estate of EDITH J. FISHER Deceased of Elizabeth, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, No. 02-23-02972, Karen Ramirez, Executor, 7020 Helm Drive, Remington, VA 22734 or to ROBIN L. RARIE, Atty; BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC. 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017

In the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Orphans Court Division, Estate of Clifford L. Gandy, Sr., deceased, Case No. 3432 of 2023: Notice is hereby given that on May 5, 2023, a Petition was filed by Darlene Gandy, to terminate the interests of the heirs and devisees of Clifford L. Gandy, Sr., deceased, in the real estate located at 1614 Maplewood Avenue Pittsburgh PA 15221, and determine that fee simple title is in the Petitioner. If no exceptions to the Petition are filed within 30 days, Petitioner will seek an Order adjudging that title is in Petitioner. Irene M. Clark, Esq. 8908 Upland Ter Pittsburgh PA 15235

PA 15017 or to Wade Filippi, Co-Executor, 332 Old Lesnett Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15241 or to TODD A. FULLER, Atty; BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC. 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017

Estate of MILLER, WENDI A., deceased of Pittsburgh, PA, No. 02797 of 2023, Cooper Miller, Extr., 134 Franklin St, Poughkeepsie, NY. 12601

NOTICE

IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Notice is hereby given to the following persons, their heirs, successors or assigns, and to all persons whatsoever, that the City of Pittsburgh, by John Miller, Assistant City Solicitor, 328 City County Building has petitioned the Court of Orders quieting title to the following tax acquired real estate, pursuant to Act No. 171, approved December 11, 1984.

GD –2023-003126 CITY OF PITTSBURGH Vs Bertram D. Slutsky; their heirs, successors, assigns and respondents. 25th Ward, Pittsburgh. Lot 30.02x38 McCullough St. Block & Lot 22H-153. SUBJECT TO ALL ADDITIONAL EASEMENTS, ENCROACHMENTS, AGREEMENTS, ETC. OF RECORD.

GD –2023-005358 CITY OF PITTSBURGH Vs Lewis Coleman; Susie Coleman; Pennsylvania Department of Revenue; Pennsylvania Attorney General; Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax Division; their heirs, successors, assigns and respondents. 18th Ward, Pittsburgh. 301 Cedarhurst Street. McLain & Maple Plan Part 694. Lot 20 x 102.5 Cedarhurst Street. Block & Lot 15-M-29. All roads public and private affecting the land and the rights of others therein. SUBJECT TO ALL ADDITIONAL EASEMENTS, ENCROACHMENTS, AGREEMENTS, ETC. OF RECORD.

GD –2023-005361 CITY OF PITTSBURGH Vs Lloyd Billingsley aka Lloyd G. Billingsley; CIT Group/Consumer Finance Inc.; Approved Federal Savings Bank; their heirs, successors, assigns and respondents. 15th Ward, Pittsburgh. 154 HAZELWOOD AVE. HAZEL HILL PLAN 8. LOT 25 X 120 HAZELWOOD AVE. Block & Lot 56-B-337. All roads, public or private, affecting the premises. All matters that may appear in the Hazel Hill Plans of Lots, as recorded in the Recorder’s Office of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in Plan Book Volume 18, page 190. SUBJECT TO ALL ADDITIONAL EASEMENTS, ENCROACHMENTS, AGREEMENTS, ETC. OF RECORD.

GD –2023-005373 CITY OF PITTSBURGH Vs Lewis Jakubs; Chester Jakubs; Pearl Jakubowski; their heirs, successors, assigns and respondents. 25th Ward, Pittsburgh. 1519 Brighton Place. Lot 21 x 160 Brighton Road. Block & Lot 22-M-36. Rights or claims of parties in possession not shown by the public records. SUBJECT TO ALL ADDITIONAL EASEMENTS, ENCROACHMENTS, AGREEMENTS, ETC. OF RECORD.

GD –2023-005375 CITY OF PITTSBURGH Vs William A. Parker; Lillian Parker; their heirs, successors, assigns and respondents. 21st Ward, Pittsburgh. LOT 16.09 X 75.26 ST IVES. Block & Lot 22-G-42. Rights or claims of parties in possession not shown by the public records. Rights of others in a private 3 foot alley as set forth in the deed from William J. Noullet et ux. To Itellia Mosely et al. dated December 24, 1969 and recorded in Deed Book Volume 4813, page 689. SUBJECT TO ALL ADDITIONAL EASEMENTS, ENCROACHMENTS, AGREEMENTS, ETC. OF RECORD.

GD –2023-005382 CITY OF PITTSBURGH Vs Lewis W. Jakubs; James Beresford; GLS Capital Inc.; Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County; Primary Care Health Services, Inc.; their heirs, successors, assigns and respondents. 25th Ward, Pittsburgh. LOT 31.68 X AVG 123.58 X 28.30 RR PERRYSVILLE AV. Rights or claims of parties in possession not shown by the public records. Easements, or claims or easements, not shown by the public records.

SUBJECT TO ALL ADDITIONAL EASEMENTS, ENCROACHMENTS, AGREEMENTS, ETC. OF RECORD.

GD –2023-005385

CITY OF PITTSBURGH Vs

Tamara Ross; Pennsylvania Department of Revenue; Pennsylvania Attorney General; their heirs, successors, assigns and respondents. 27th Ward, Pittsburgh. 2346 Atmore St. Lot 13.25 x 100 Atmore St. Block & Lot 45-N-159. SUBJECT TO ALL ADDITIONAL EASEMENTS, ENCROACHMENTS, AGREEMENTS, ETC. OF RECORD.

GD –2023-005389 CITY OF PITTSBURGH Vs North Superior Development Corporation; Fidelity Savings and Loan Association; their heirs, successors, assigns and respondents. 21st Ward, Pittsburgh. Lot 16.98 x avg 75.4 St Ives St. . Block & Lot 22-G41. Rights or claims of parties in possession not shown by the public records. Rights of others in 3 foot alley as set forth in deed from Fidelity Savings and Loan Association to North Superior Development Corp., dated December 15, 1967 and recorded in Deed Book Volume 4446, page 317. SUBJECT TO ALL ADDITIONAL EASEMENTS, ENCROACHMENTS, AGREEMENTS, ETC. OF RECORD.

WHEREUPON the Court granted a rule on the aforesaid persons, and all persons, whatsoever, to appear and show cause within thirty days from this notice why the title of the CITY OF PITTSBURGH to the aforesaid real estate should not be adjudicated and decreed valid and indefeasible as against all mortgages, ground-rents, rights, title, interest in or claims against the aforesaid real estate, and to further show cause why the sale of the said real estate should not be made free and clear of all the aforesaid claims whatsoever.

JOHN MILLER ASSISTANT CITY SOLICITOR CITY OF PITTSBURGH

SONNY BOY

NOTICE

IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA Notice is hereby given to the following persons, their heirs, successors or assigns, and to all persons whatsoever, that the City of Pittsburgh, by John Miller, Assistant City Solicitor, 328 City County Building has petitioned the Court of Orders quieting title to the following tax acquired real estate, pursuant to Act No. 171, approved December 11, 1984.

GD –2023-005150 CITY OF PITTSBURGH Vs Go Invest Wisely LLC; their heirs, successors, assigns and respondents. 10th Ward, Pittsburgh Broad St. Johns and Evens Plan 40. Lot 20 x 100 Broad St. Block & Lot 50-K-172. SUBJECT TO ALL matters shown on the Plan as recorded in the Recorder’s Office of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in Plan Book Volume 4, Page 278-1/2. SUBJECT TO ALL ADDITIONAL EASEMENTS, ENCROACHMENTS, AGREEMENTS, ETC. OF RECORD.

GD –2023-005156 CITY OF PITTSBURGH Vs

Fred J. Gigler; Mildred A. Gigler; Fred F. Gigler, Executor; Commonwealth Of PA Inheritance Tax Division; PA Attorney General; their heirs, successors, assigns and Respondents 10th Ward, Pittsburgh. Block & Lot 50-G-60. Rosetta F/K/A 5167 Rosetta N/K/A 5197 Rosetta Street Susanna W. Brown Plan 89 Lot 20x100 Rosetta St. SUBJECT TO ALL matters shown on the Plan as recorded in the Recorder’s Office of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in Plan Book Volume 9, Page 81. SUBJECT TO ALL ADDITIONAL EASEMENTS, ENCROACHMENTS, AGREEMENTS, ETC. OF RECORD.

GD –2023-005145 CITY OF PITTSBURGH Vs Kenneth D. Manuel; Caulis Negris LLC; Ford Consumer Discount Company; their heirs, successors, assigns and respondents. 10th Ward, Pittsburgh. Block & Lot 50-G-62. Rosetta F/K/A 5163 Rosetta Street. 5163 Rosetta St. S W Brown Plan 87-88. Lot 40 X 100 Rosetta St. SUBJECT TO ALL matters shown on the Plan as recorded in the Recorder’s Office of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in Plan Book Volume 9, Page 81. SUBJECT TO ALL ADDITIONAL EASEMENTS, ENCROACHMENTS, AGREEMENTS, ETC. OF RECORD.

GD –2023-005152 CITY OF PITTSBURGH Vs Silas Jackson; Dorothy Holden; Annie Flynn; Caulis Negris, LLC their heirs, successors, assigns and respondents. 10th Ward, Pittsburgh. 5161 Rosetta St. S W Brown Plan 86. Lot 20 x 100 Rosetta St. Block & Lot 50-G-63. Rosetta F/K/A 5161 Rosetta N/K/A 5191 Rosetta Street SUBJECT TO ALL matters shown on the Plan as recorded in the Recorder’s Office of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in Plan Book Volume 9, Page 81. SUBJECT TO ALL ADDITIONAL EASEMENTS, ENCROACHMENTS, AGREEMENTS, ETC. OF RECORD.

GD –2023-005153 CITY OF PITTSBURGH Vs James Louvioux; Janet Show; GLS Capital Inc.; Allegheny County Economic Development Dept.-RACC Liens; National Tax Funding, LP; their heirs, successors, assigns and respondents 10th Ward, Pittsburgh. Rosetta F/K/A 5149 Rosetta N/K/A 5173 Rosetta Street. Block & Lot 50-G-69.Rosetta St. S W Brown Plan 80. Lot 20 X 100 Rosetta St Bet Evaline St & Pacific Ave. SUBJECT TO ALL matters shown on the Plan as recorded in the Recorder’s Office of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in Plan Book Volume 9, Page 81 SUBJECT TO ALL ADDITIONAL EASEMENTS, ENCROACHMENTS, AGREEMENTS, ETC. OF RECORD.

GD –2023-005149

CITY OF PITTSBURGH Vs James Lauvioux A/K/A James Louviaux; Janet Show; National Tax Funding, LP; GLS Capital, Inc.; Allegheny County Economic Development Dept RAAC Liens; their heirs, successors, assigns and respondents. 10th Ward, Pittsburgh. 5147 Rosetta St. Susanna W Brown Plan 79. Lot 20 x 100 Rosetta St. Block & Lot 50-G-70. Rosetta St F/K/A 5147 Rosetta N/K/A 5171 Rosetta Street SUBJECT TO ALL matters shown on the Plan as recorded in the Recorder’s Office of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in Plan Book Volume 9, Page 21. SUBJECT TO ALL ADDITIONAL EASEMENTS, ENCROACHMENTS, AGREEMENTS, ETC. OF RECORD.

WHEREUPON the Court granted a rule on the aforesaid persons, and all persons, whatsoever, to appear and show cause within thirty days from this notice why the title of the CITY OF PITTSBURGH to the aforesaid real estate should not be adjudicated and decreed valid and indefeasible as against all mortgages, ground-rents, rights, title, interest in or claims against the aforesaid real estate, and to further show cause why the sale of the said real estate should not be made free and clear of all the aforesaid claims whatsoever.

JOHN MILLER ASSISTANT CITY SOLICITOR CITY OF PITTSBURGH

BEN AVON BOROUGH PREPARED ON THE MODIFIED ACCRUAL BASIS CONCISE BALANCE SHEET - COMBINED FUNDS (EXCLUDING PENSION FUNDS) DECEMBER 31, 2022

NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS MAY 10, 2023

City of Pittsburgh – Office of Management and Budget

414 Grant Street Room 501 Pittsburgh, PA 15219

412-255-2667

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

REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS (1) – CDBG PROJECT

On or about Monday May 29, 2023, the City of Pittsburgh will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to release Federal funds under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 as amended for the project known as Hale Street Playground, described below.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) will develop a vacant lot located at 331 Hale Street Pittsburgh, PA 15208 into the Hale Street Playground. This project will build a playground suitable and safe for young children and will serve a nearby daycare and City of Pittsburgh residents. Funding for this project will consist of an estimated total of $50,000 in FY2021 CDBG funds; the estimated total project cost is $100,000

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT (2) – CDBG PROJECT

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

PUBLIC COMMENTS

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

Kelly Russell City of Pittsburgh, 414 Grant Street, Room 501 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (412) 255-2667 OR Kelly.russell@pittsburghpa.gov

All comments received by Thursday, May 25, 2023 will be considered by the City of Pittsburgh prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice (Request for Release of Funds 1 or Finding of No Significant Impact 2) they are addressing.

ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION

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

OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS

HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the City of Pittsburgh certification for a period of fifteen (15) days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City of Pittsburgh; (b) the City of Pittsburgh has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to the HUD Field Office of Community Planning and Development in Pittsburgh at Phillip.E.McKeough@hud.gov/(412) 644-5846 regarding HUD CDBG funds.

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

Ed Gainey Mayor City of Pittsburgh LEGAL

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

The Sports & Exhibition Authority will receive sealed bids for Dry System Auxiliary Drain Cabinet Installation as identified below for the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The contract for this work will be with the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. Inquiries regarding the bidding should be made to the Sports & Exhibition Authority 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, Attention: Lucas Kistler- E-mail: lkistler@pittsburghcc.com, Telephone: 412325-6179. Bid Packages may be obtained after the date identified below through Accu-Copy at (724) 935-7055. Additional information on the project can also be found on Accu-Copy’s website at https://accu-copy.com/plan-room.

This Advertisement applies to the following Bid Package:

Project: David L. Lawrence Convention Center

Bid Package Name: Dry System Auxiliary Drain Cabinets

Bid Package Available: May 3, 2023

Approximate Value: $35,000

Time/Date/Location for Non-Mandatory 1:00 PM, Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Pre-Bid Meeting: DLCC – East Lobby 1000 Ft. Duquesne Blvd Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Time/Date/Location for Bid: 2:00 PM, Wednesday, May 24, 2023 DLCC – East Lobby 1000 Ft. Duquesne Blvd Pittsburgh, PA 1522

LEGAL

ADVERTISEMENT

Bids are hereby solicited for the Community College of Allegheny County, 800 Allegheny Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15233 on the following:

RFP 3143 – Procurement of Hardware for Managed Print Services

Due date: 2:00 P.M. Prevailing Time on Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Any bid or proposals received after this deadline will be considered as a “late bid” and will be returned unopened to the offerer.

Proposals may require Bid Bonds, Performance Bonds, Payment Bonds, and Surety as dictated by the specifications.

No bidder may withdraw his bid or proposal for a period of ninety (90) days after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids. The Board of Trustees reserves the right to reject any and all bids.

The Community College of Allegheny County is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and encourages bids from Minority/Disadvantaged owned businesses. For more information, contact Michael Cvetic at mcvetic@ccac.edu.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Baldwin Twp. 2023-1 Robertson Road & Hillside Remediation

Design Build Project: Sealed proposals accepted until June 6, 2023, at 4 p.m., at 10 Community Park Dr., Pgh., Pa. 15234. Proposals to be opened and award considered at Bd. of Commissioners Mtg., on June 6, 2023, at 7 p.m. (Mandatory onsite pre-bid conference on May 24, 2023, at 10 a.m.) Summary: Design, construct (incl. all labor, equipment, and materials), and warrant two permanent soil nail stabilization walls (65’ and 40’ each in length) with mesh/ shotcrete facing, along with installation of a stone berm (3’W x 18”D) at edge of existing bituminous Robertson Roadway. Subject to Steel Products Procurement Act; Prevailing Wage Act; Public Works Employment Verification Act; and Civil Rights Act (Title VI). 10% Bid Bond required with Bid. Performance, Labor & Material Payment Bonds at 100% contract price, due upon award. Complete Bid Instructions, Requirements, Specifications & Drawings available at Twp. Office (412-341-9597) or by email to nina.belcastro@ baldwintownship.com

Nina Belcastro, Township Manager

OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT

THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH

Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on May 16, 2023, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for: Service & Maintenance Contract at Various Schools, Facilities and Properties:

- Extraordinary General Maintenance and Repairs

Pgh. Perry High School Whiteboard Installations General Primes

Project Manual and Drawings will be available for purchase on April 24, 2023, at Modern Reproductions (412-488-7700), 127 McKean Street, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15219 between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. The cost of the Project Manual Documents is non-refundable. Project details and dates are described in each project manual.

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR SEWER AND CATCH BASIN MAINTENANCE AUTHORITY WIDE

IFB#300-19-23

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby requests bids from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s):

Sewer and Catch Basin Maintenance Authority Wide

IFB#300-19-23

The documents will be available no later than May 1, 2023, and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 9:00 A.M. on May 23, 2023

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 23, 2023, 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 11, 2023, at 9:00 A.M. Please see meeting information below:

Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 894 4200 2784 Passcode: 524571 +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. HACP has revised their website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, to view and download IFB/RFPs documentation.

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.

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH

PUBLIC NOTICE OF REVISED PUBLIC HOUSING ADMISSIONS AND CONTINUED OCCUPANCY PLAN (ACOP) AND NEW NON-PUBLIC HOUSING OVER-INCOME (NPHOI) RESIDENTIAL LEASE

In accordance with federal law and regulation, the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) is revising its Public Housing Admissions and Continued Occupancy Plan (ACOP) and has created a NonPublic Housing Over-Income (NPHOI) Residential Lease, which was modeled after HUD’s model NPHOI lease and HACP’s existing Public Housing Residential Lease. The proposed revisions to the Public Housing ACOP and NPHOI lease are available for review and comment from Sunday, May 7, 2023 to Tuesday, June 6, 2023 on the HACP website: www.hacp.org. To review the Public Housing ACOP in its current form, please visit https://hacp.org/about/publicinformation/. Written comments on the proposed revisions must be addressed to “Attention: HACP Public Housing ACOP & NPHOI Lease” at the Asset Management Department, 412 Blvd of the Allies, 7th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, and must be received by the close of business (5:00 pm) on Tuesday, June 6, 2023. Public hearings to receive public comments on the proposed revisions to the Public Housing ACOP and NPHOI lease will be held on Monday, May 15, 2023, at 9:00 am and 5:30 pm. via Zoom. The Zoom meeting information can be accessed at www.hacp.org. For questions regarding the Public Housing ACOP proposed revisions and NPHOI, please contact Anthony Ceoffe at 412-456-5000 extension 2937. Persons with disabilities requiring assistance or alternative formats, or wishing to submit comments in alternative formats can contact the Disability Compliance Office at 412-456-5282, extension 4; TTY 412- 456-5282.

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR CONSULTING SERVICES FOR CENTRAL MAINTENANCE GAS AND DIESEL STATION

UPGRADES REBID

RFP#600-04-23 REBID

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s):

Consulting Services for Central Gas and Diesel Station Upgrades REBID

The documents will be available no later than May 8, 2023, and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until: 9:00 AM on June 6, 2023.

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only be accepting physical proposals dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 9:00 AM on June 6, 2023 in the lobby of 100 Ross St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Proposals may be uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HACP website and within the RFP. Sealed proposals may still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street lobby, 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:

James Harris Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-643-2915

A pre-submission meeting will be held in person; on May 23,2023 at 9:00 AM. Please see meeting information below:

On-site Meeting Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Central Maintenance Building 201 Kirkpatrick Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219

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, to view and download IFB/ RFPs documentation.

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.

Bids/Proposals LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

CITY OF PITTSBURGH

OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT & BUDGET ADVERTISEMENT

Separate and sealed Bid Proposals will be received electronically starting on ***Monday, May 9th, 2023 (Releasae date of solicitation) for:

2023-IFB-095 (Project ID) – Construction of Davis Avenue Pedestrian Bridge (CD)

Information on solicitations is available on the City of Pittsburgh website: http://purchasing.pittsburghpa.gov

Bid proposals are requested on behalf of the City of Pittsburgh. All bids must be submitted via the above website and all required documents must be provided or the bid proposal may be considered non-responsive.

The contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity requirements for Federally Assisted construction contracts. The contractor must assure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of their race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Attention is called to Executive Order 11246, to Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, 12 U.S.C. 1701U, and to the Section 3 Clause and Regulations set forth in 24 CFR, Part 135.

The Contractor will be required to comply with the following laws, rules and regulations:

All provisions of US Executive Order 11246 of September 24, 1965, as amended by US Executive Order 11375 and as supplemented in US Department of Labor Regulations (41 CFR, Part 60), and of the rules, regulations, and relevant orders of the US Secretary of Labor. Contractor shall comply with all applicable standards, orders, or requirements issued of the Clean Air Act (42 USC 1857 et. seq.), Section 508 of the Clean Water Act (33 USC 1368), Executive Order 11738, and Environmental Protection Agency regulations (40 CFR, Part 15) Contractor shall comply with the Davis-Bacon Act the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 276a to 276a-7) as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR part 5).

Procedures for compliance to these acts shall be as follows:

All specifications for construction contracts and subcontracts will contain the prevailing wage rates (as enclosed in this bid package) as determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with the Davis-Bacon Act, as amended (40 U.S.C. 276-a to 276-C-5) and provision that overtime compensation will be paid in accordance with the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act Regulations (29 CFR, Parts 5 and 1926). The contract provisions shall require that these standards be met.

Notice of Requirement for Affirmative Action to Ensure Equal Employment Opportunity (Executive Order 11246): Bidder’s attention is called to the “Equal Opportunity Clause” and the “Standard Federal Equal Employment Specifications” set forth in 41 CFR Public Contracts and Property Management Part 60-4.3 Equal Opportunity Clauses.

Goals for minority participation: 18%

Goals for female participation: 7%

These goals are applicable to all construction work (whether or not Federal or Federally-Assisted) performed in the “covered area.”

As used in this notice, and in the contract resulting from this solicitation, the “covered area” is Pittsburgh SMSA (Allegheny, Washington, Beaver and Westmoreland counties).

The contractor shall comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 1988, as amended, Section 109 of the Community Development Act of 1974, with Executive Order 11625 (Minority Business Enterprise) and Executive Order 12138 (Women’s Business Enterprise)

The Proposers will be required to submit the package of certifications included with the contract documents relating to Equal Employment Opportunity.

Vendors submitting responses on federally funded projects must register on SAM.gov and provide proof of registration.

The City of Pittsburgh reserves the right to withhold the award of contract for a period of sixty (60) calendar days after the opening of bids.

The City of Pittsburgh reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Help Wanted PROGRAM AND OUTREACH COORDINATOR

Steel Rivers Council of Governments is seeking a Program and Outreach Coordinator to support its Community Violence Reduction Imitative. Fulltime salary is $60,000 with excellent benefits. For a complete list of responsibilities and application instructions visit steelriverscog.org.

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP NOW HIRING: ENTRY LEVEL POLICE OFFICER

Requirements: US Citizen and 21 years of age prior to offer of employment, Associate’s degree or have completed 60 college credits, PA Act 120 certificate or MPOETC waiver, valid driver’s license, and must meet departmental appearance requirements which includes prohibition of visible tattoos in short-sleeved uniform. $33.50 starting 2023 hourly rate. 5th year patrol hourly rate $47.85. Overtime available.

Benefits and Opportunities: 12hour shifts, comprehensive health care package, paid time-off package (holiday, vacation, and comp time), Traffic Unit, Investigations, and School Resource Officers.

Applications must be submitted by May 21st by 11:59 PM at https://www.policeapp.com/

Entry-Level-Cranberry-Township-PA-Police-Officer-Jobs/4506/ SOUTH FAYETTE TWP.

AVALON BOROUGH

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT JOB OPPORTUNITIES

PUBLIC WORKS

MAINTENANCE WORKER, BOROUGH OF AVALON, ALLEGHENY COUNTY

Applications are currently being accepted by the Borough Council for the position of Public Works Maintenance Worker. Maintenance workers perform a variety of physical and mental tasks associated with the maintenance, repair, and construction of Public Works assets. Essential functions include equipment operations, such as repairing and performing general maintenance tasks on Borough roadways, operating light- or medium- weight trucks, and plowing and removing snow; vehicle repair and maintenance; storm and sanitary repair and maintenance; and property maintenance tasks at municipal buildings, parks, and recreation areas. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent and valid driver’s license; a CDL license is preferred but not required. Must be able to respond to emergencies on a 24hour basis, especially during periods of snow. Flagger certification, CPO certification, and Pesticide Application certification must be obtained within 6 months of hire. This is a union position, affiliated with General Teamsters Local 249. The full job description can be viewed at www.boroughofavalon.org.

Interested applicants should submit their application to info@boroughofavalon.org or Manager, Borough of Avalon, 640 California Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15202 no later than 4:00 pm, Friday, May 19, 2023.

PUBLIC WORKS PART TIME

SEASONAL EMPLOYEES, BOROUGH OF AVALON, ALLEGHENY COUNTY

Applications are currently being accepted by the Borough Council for part time seasonal public works employees. These employees perform a variety of work associated with the maintenance, repair, and construction of DPW assets. The seasonal employees report to the Public Works Superintendent. Workers operate a variety of equipment, which may include hand tools, power tools, light equipment, riding lawn mower, push lawn mower, trimmers, and pickup truck. The full job description can be viewed at www.boroughofavalon.org.

Interested applications should submit their application to info@boroughofavalon.org or Manager, Borough of Avalon, 640 California Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15202. Applications will be accepted until the positions are filled. Avalon Borough is an equal opportunity employer.

DOCUMENT

ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA

The Allegheny County Airport Authority will be receiving scanned PDF proposals through Submittable, and a submission link will be sent to each registered plan holder. Submissions are to be submitted via Submittable by 1:00 p.m. prevailing local time on May 31, 2023, and bids will be opened by the Airport Authority and results will be emailed by end of business day of bid opening for the following project:

ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY

PROJECT NUMBER 73G1-23 (GENERAL)

UNT TO RACCOON CREEK

STREAM REHABILITATION AT PITTSBURGH

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

A pre-bid conference will be held at 11:00 a.m., on May 11, 2023, in Conference Room A at Pittsburgh International Airport Landside Terminal, 4th Floor Mezz, Pittsburgh, PA 15231. Attention is called to the fact that not less than the minimum salaries and wages, as determined by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, must be paid on these projects. Proposals must be made on the Authority’s form and in accordance with the Plans and Specifications and the “Instructions to Bidders”’. The non-refundable charge of $150.00 for the Bid Documents and the Plans, and Specifications through the bidding platform Submittable at https://acaacapitalprograms. submittable.com.

Please note that Submittable does not support Internet Explorer 11. Submittable recommends the following browsers: Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Apple Safari. This project has DBE participation goals; DBE firms must be certified with the Pennsylvania Unified Certification Program) (PA UCP) Firms must be certified prior to award of contract. A searchable database of DBE firms can be found on the PA UCP web site: https://paucp.dbesystem.com/ The Airport Authority reserves the right to reject any and all bids or waive any informalities in the bidding. No bidder may withdraw his bid for a period of sixty [60] days after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids. To view a complete advertisement, which is also included in the bidding documents visit www.flypittsburgh.com – ACAA Corporate – Business Opportunities or call 412-472-3677 or 412-4725647.

ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY

JOB OPPORTUNITIES Help Wanted

ACCOUNTING SUPERVISOR

Pittsburgh Regional Transit is seeking an Accounting Supervisor to function as the Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT)’s supervising senior operating accountant responsible for: assisting the Manager of Operating Accounting in the utilization of PeopleSoft Financial Systems; participating in the preparation of the monthly financial statements and yearly audit; assisting in the review of accounts receivables; performing various cash reconciliations and learning the Manager’s functions to provide back-up.

Essential Functions:

· Supervise the Accounting Assistant

– AR Specialist positions: Duties to include:

· Oversees and assists in the review of customer statements

· Works with the legal department when necessary to collect payments

· Reviews the work of the accounting assistants to ensure accuracy

· Assists in the collection of aged accounts receivables

· Ensures all revenues are received and recorded each month.

· Utilize PeopleSoft Financials to perform the following:

· Enter journal entries

· Reconcile payroll balance sheet accounts

· Reconcile various bank accounts

· Run queries on a as needed basis

· Run envision reports on a as needed

· Create invoices for the FBI, Regional partners, Contract Services as well as any billings to third parties

Job requirements include:

· BA/BS Degree in Accounting, or Finance from an accredited school.

· Minimum of three (3) years accounting experience.

· Demonstrated ability in the use of Windows, Microsoft Word, and Excel.

· Professional and effective communication skills.

Preferred attributes:

· CPA or Master’s degree in accounting.

· Experience in financial statement closing processes.

· PeopleSoft experience.

· Familiarity with PRT’s account classification.

· One (1) year supervisory experience.

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@RidePRT.org EOE

Courier’s ‘Fab 40’ event honors ‘proud,’

‘confident’ individuals making major moves

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

In front of the largest crowd ever for a New Pittsburgh Courier “Fab 40” under 40 event, the honorees walked into the Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel ballroom with pride and confidence.

They were cheered by the nearly 500 people in at-

tendance, many of whom had watched a particular honoree work tirelessly throughout their life for this crowning moment.

The date was Friday, April 14, a date no one in attendance, including the honorees, will ever forget.

“Not only are these stellar individuals excelling in their professions, but they are making an im-

pact in the communities they serve as well,” voiced Courier editor and publisher Rod Doss at the event. “They represent a generation committed to making the most livable city a better place, not only for themselves but also for those who come behind them. Through their dedicated efforts, tomorrow’s African American youth have an even greater possibility at procuring a brighter future than ever before.”

The Courier has been hosting Fab 40 events for years. But each one has its own flair, its own uniqueness, because the honorees are all unique, and those in attendance can vary. The 2023 version featured its first-ever Trailblazer Award at the Fab 40, saved for an individual who has used their talents on a vast scale to help others as well as themselves. That award went to Aaron Donald, the Super Bowl champion from 2022 for the Los Angeles Rams. Donald is a Pittsburgh native, from modest financial beginnings, who turned into a Penn Hills High School and University of Pittsburgh football stalwart. He was drafted into the NFL in 2014, and the rest is history. Off the field, Donald created a foundation that has provided local youth the opportunity to learn the game of football, and through mentors and coaches, the

PITTSBURGH NATIVE AND LOS ANGELES RAMS SUPERSTAR AARON DONALD WAS THE TRAILBLAZER HONOREE FOR THE FAB 40 CLASS OF 2023. (ALL PHOTOS BY GAIL MANKER)

game of life. Donald was cheered as he accepted his Trailblazer Award from Doss, and then he took the microphone: “You never do this for the accolades, you just do what’s in your heart, and you want to do what you can to help the community, help these kids, live out their dreams.

I’m a living testimony of going through different trials I went through, and growing up where I grew up at, and being where I’m at today. So I have an opportunity to come back and do my part to give the next youth motivation to live out their dreams.”

Donald also showed love to his older sister, Akita Donald, who is the executive director of Donald’s foundation, AD 99 Solutions.

Other parts of the celebration included an invocation from Rev. A. Marie Walker, dinner and dessert, and remarks from Real Times Media News Group president Cathy Nedd and Courier sales director Ashley Johnson. KDKA-TV personality Mikey Hood was the host, while Brother Marlon Martin served as the DJ.

Around 7:15 p.m., the main event was about to begin; the awards presentation to the honorees. One by one, each honor-

ee was cheered as their name was called and they made the prestigious walk to the stage. Each honoree received their award from Doss, then their photo was taken by photographer Gail Manker. Others in the crowd took photos on their phone, too.

“It was so inspirational to be around so many young, Black people who are doing their thing in the City of Pittsburgh,” said Jazmine Grant, one of the honorees. She added that Pittsburgh can sometimes feel like a place where there is not a large community of younger African American professionals, “so you often feel siloed when you’re building and developing in your career in this city.” Thus, the Fab 40 event shows that there are young people “with like-minded goals who are doing similar things, so we can really collaborate.”

Dainna Gray, another honoree, said she spends a lot of time pouring into others, such as youth at Propel schools, “so it feels good to be poured back into” by being honored.

For Dr. Julian Hunt, another honoree, he provided Black youth with this advice: “Stick with it, whatever it is that you feel like you’re called to do or what you want to do.

When I was in basketball (at Trinity Christian), we

used to say, ‘we’re in it to win it.’ It’s that competitive nature in me. No matter what obstacles come up, just continue to press on and it will work out. Everything isn’t easy, but hard work does pay off.”

Nothing came easy for Melvena Daniels. In an exclusive interview following the event with

the Courier, she said she didn’t think all this was possible. “All this,” meaning her becoming a Fab 40 honoree, being recognized for her numerous accomplishments.

“I was a young mom, 16 years old,” Daniels said. “I didn’t see this back then. I didn’t know where my future was going to lead me

to, to be honest.”

But today, Daniels, the 2003 Schenley High School graduate, the CEO of Beyond Blessed Catering and program director for The Center that CARES, is a Fab 40 honoree. And her daughter, Danazia, is a senior at Temple University.

“Perseverance and nev-

er giving up,” is what got Daniels to this moment, she said. “And always wanting more. I always wanted more even to this day. I never settle, because there’s always more. I’m working on my doctorate right now, and I’m doing it just because it’s a terminal degree, just because I know I can do it.”

HOLDING HER FAB 40 AWARD IS DEMIA TYLER. ALSO PICTURED ARE HER MOTHER, TINA FULTON, AND TOWANDA YOUNG.

FAB 40 HONOREE MELVENA DANIELS, CENTER, WITH HER MANY SUPPORTERS AT THE SHERATON PITTSBURGH HOTEL, APRIL 14.

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER FAB 40

COURIER EDITOR AND PUBLISHER ROD DOSS HANDS THE TRAILBLAZER AWARD TO AARON DONALD

REV. A. MARIE WALKER

COURIER SALES DIRECTOR ASHLEY JOHNSON

REAL TIMES MEDIA NEWS GROUP PRESIDENT CATHY NEDD

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER FAB 40

AWARD SPONSOR—THE DUQUESNE LIGHT COMPANY TABLE

SUPPPORTING SPONSOR—THE XFINITY TABLE

PATRON SPONSOR—THE CARLOW UNIVERSITY TABLE

CHARLES W. ANDERSON, III

Career Services Manager, Grant Associates Inc./ CEO, Chuck 8301 Music, LLC.

HENDEKEA AZENE

General Manager, Industrial Coatings Americas PPG

PROPEL SCHOOLS—HONOREE DAINNA GRAY, LEFT, WITH SUPPORTERS

ALYSON D. BLACKBURN

COMANS

S. DANIELS

Owner

Kolor-N-Kiln Pottery Studio

DONTAE

Mayor Borough of Wilkinsburg

MELVENA

CEO & Chef, Beyond Blessed Catering, LLC./ Program Director, Center That Cares—Jeron X. Grayson Community Center

BRANDON DAVIS Community Space Coordinator ACTION-Housing

ANTOINE DION CEO ADT Holdings

AKITA DONALD Executive Director Aaron Donald 99 Solutions Foundation

SYDNEY ETHEREDGE President & CEO Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania

JAZMINE D. GRANT Senior Counsel PNC Bank

DAINNA A. GRAY, M.Ed. College & Career Counselor Propel Braddock Hills High School

CHARONDA L. HILL Sr. Communications Change Management Consultant, TiER1 Performance/ Transformationalist, Hilled, LLC

SAMSON X HORNE Associate Manager of Digital Media Duquesne Light Company

DR. JULIAN HUNT Pharmacist, CVS Health/ Founder, Hunt Real Estate & Home Services

CHI

CEO

Styling By Chi

REESHA L. JACKSON, MPM

Owner & Operator, RLJDesigns / Community Health Research Manager, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics

JERMAINE D. JOHNSON

Chief Executive Officer, Founder and Program Manager Minor Victories, LLC

TIFFANY JOHNSON, DNP, MSN.

RN Assistant Professor Carlow University College of Health & Wellness, School of Nursing

ABRIANA LOREN LEEPER-ROBINSON, Ed.D.

Acting Principal Environmental Charter High School

Ed.,

JALEN B. LEE Intervention Support Specialist & Photographer Urban Academy of Greater Pittsburgh Charter School

PRINCE MATTHEWS, SR.,

MPA

CEO, Viral Pyramid Marketing/ Communications Manager, The Black Equity Coalition & POISE Foundation

ARIEL MEADOWS

Senior Credit Analyst

Bridgeway Capital

MORGAN JENKINS MOODY

Staff Attorney KidsVoice

ISABELLA MORELAND

Marketing & Communications Manager

The Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI)

LASHAWN R. MURRAY Manager of Career Advancement Per Scholas

BRIAN PRUITT JR.

Special Assistant to the Vice President of Student Affairs

Community College of Beaver County

LINDSEY RAMSEY

Executive Director

Shady Lane School

DARIAN D. REYNOLDS, M.S.Ed.

Housing Operations Coordinator, Carnegie Mellon University/

President, Beta Omicron Omega Pittsburgh Alumni Chapter of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.

LATRICE ‘PHOENIX’ ROSE

Executive Director

Melanin Mommies PGH, Inc.

DARIUS SINGLETON

Sales Consultant

#1 Cochran

MALAYSIA SMITH

Diversion Community Engagement Coordinator

City of Pittsburgh Office of Community Health & Safety

MONIQUE S. SMITH

Manager of Faculty Diversity & Development, University of Pittsburgh/ Founder, The Noir Co.

NATASHA S. SMITH

Realtor

Keller Williams Realty

KIARA TALBERT

HR-Employee Relations

Pittsburgh Regional Transit

DEMIA TYLER

Director of Strategic Initiatives

Healthy Start, Inc.

REV. GAVIN B.J. WALTON

Pastor

Grace Memorial Presbyterian Church

BRANDON J. WILES, MBA

Manager of Employee & Labor Relations, Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh/ CEO, Wiles Property Resource Group

MARCUS WOODARD Director of Product Sales Support & Analysis Comcast

KIERRAN YOUNG Managing Director Chatman Consulting