9.13.23 NPC

Pittsburgh Courier Pittsburgh Courier

Keeping the Black community informed on proper heart health ‘Life’s Essential 8’ discussed

by Rob Taylor Jr.

Courier Staff Writer

Have you heard of “Life’s Essential 8?”

If you haven’t, they are: Proper blood sugar level, proper cholesterol level, proper blood pressure level, exercising, eating the right things, not smoking, getting enough sleep, and having an ideal body weight.

Conrad Smith, a physician and director of the cardiac catheterization laboratories at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, in Oakland, stressed in an intimate setting with African Americans at the Thelma Lovette YMCA in the Hill District, that those “essential

8” things will greatly reduce one’s likelihood of a cardiovascular event. And as everyone knows, the heart is nothing to play with.

“Heart health affects everybody, (but as it pertains to the Black population), we know that they are more susceptible to things such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes,” said Roland Castro-Boulware, director of community impact for American Heart Association Pittsburgh. He told the New Pittsburgh Courier during the July 24 event that there are barriers many African Americans

SEE HEART HEALTH A4

College fair with admissions on the spot set for Sept. 19

by Marcia Liggett For New Pittsburgh Courier

The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that the Infinite Scholars Program (ISP) will be hosting a Free Scholarship Fair on Tuesday, Sept. 19. It will be the eleventh time the event is held in Pittsburgh. Unlike a traditional college fair, participants will be eligible for immediate provisional admission and will be

by

Rob Taylor Jr.

Staff Writer

Courier

February 28, 2020, is a date that DeShelle-Monique Taylor can’t forget, even if she wanted to.

Yes, it was just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a normal world back then. It was a normal, cold February day for Taylor, nothing out of the ordinary for the Philadelphia-raised woman, who fell in love with the City of Pittsburgh after attending and graduating from California University of Pennsylvania in 2000. She had just left a seminar at a friend’s residence. She returned to her home in Brighton Heights, at 1419 Orchlee Street, in the evening. She parked in the driveway, got her bag out of the car, “and

that’s when the gunman lurched out from the driver’s side of the car...”

A man with bad intentions had been hiding, waiting to strike someone.

That someone was Taylor. “When he pushed me backwards, I fell and hit my head on the ground,” Taylor told the New Pittsburgh Courier exclusively, Sept. 5. “I blacked out for what felt like forever, but probably was like, seconds...he still had the gun in my face asking me if there was anyone else in the house...”

Someone who was in the home ran out yelling Taylor’s name, scaring the gunman off.

Police detectives were called to the scene. A police report was filed. Taylor had suffered a concus-

sion. The gunman took Taylor’s phone and credit cards, but dropped Taylor’s car keys nearby when he ran off.

“I went to the ER the next day, which was Saturday morning,” Taylor said. “I was in Philadelphia by Tuesday morning.”

THE TRAUMA, AND THE GARDEN

Taylor’s father was from Charlottesville, Va., and his family was full of farmers. They had vegetable gardens, apple trees, Taylor recalled. Taylor’s mother was from Philly, and had a love for interior plants. So it wasn’t out of the ordinary that Taylor would garden from time to time, but she said it was merely a hobby.

By 2014, she started to have more of an urge to take gardening more seriously. She took classes in horticulture technology at the Bidwell Training Center on the North

awarded scholarships to some colleges and universities on the spot.

According to Pittsburgh Public Schools, more than $1 million in 1-year scholarships; and $4.3 million in 4-year scholarships were awarded to their students at the 2022 Pittsburgh fair.

Founded by Thomas “T” Ousley in

Fulton County DA Fani Willis faces intense political and racist attacks

by Ebony JJ Curry

Michigan Chronicle

In a stunning revelation on Sept. 7, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis disclosed that her personal information, along with that of her family and staff, had been maliciously posted online, accompanied by derogatory and racist remarks. This revelation came as part of a motion to protect the identity of jurors involved in the case against former President Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants, where Willis has brought forth a 41-count criminal indictment.

Willis, a prosecutor whose national profile has skyrocketed due to her pursuit of justice in a case with significant political implications, has been enduring relentless attacks from various quarters. These attacks have ranged from threats of impeachment by Trump himself to calls for defunding her office, led by Republican lawmakers in Congress

and the Georgia state legislature.

One prominent figure in this campaign against Willis is Rep. Jim Jordan, a Republican from Ohio and the House Judiciary Committee chairman. He initiated an inquiry into Willis’s actions two weeks ago, demanding documents from her office to investigate alleged improper use of federal funds or resources in her state’s criminal investigation. In response, Willis unequivocally dismissed Jordan’s efforts, accusing him of playing politics and attempting to obstruct a Georgia criminal proceeding over which he lacks lawful jurisdic-

This Week In Black History A Courier Staple

tion.

Willis’s fellow Democrats, both at the state and federal levels, are pushing back against what they perceive as hypocritical and politically motivated attacks on the District Attorney. According to theGrio, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat from Texas and a member of the House Judiciary Committee, questioned whether Republicans truly believe in “law and order” as they often claim, or if their commitment to it only applies when it suits their interests.

Jackson Lee revealed that she and other Democrats are actively working on legislation that would scrutinize Republicans for potentially violating Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in their efforts to interfere with Willis’s case. They argue that the rights of the majority Black and brown voters in Fulton County must be protected during this investigation.

The question arises whether these relentless attacks on District Attorney Fani Willis come as any surprise in today’s deeply polarized political climate. With the backdrop of a nation divided along partisan lines, where even the most fundamental principles of justice and the rule of law are subject to fierce debate, the targeting of a prosecutor seeking to hold a former president accountable for alleged criminal actions may seem sadly inevitable. In an era where political divisions seem to supersede all else, the pursuit of justice can find itself entangled in the web of partisan interests and ideologies. Willis’s journey serves as a stark reminder of the complex terrain that legal proceedings navigate in a climate of intense political scrutiny.

Despite the turbulence surrounding her high-profile case, Willis remains resolute in her pursuit of justice. Kendrick observed that the ongoing sentencing of federal defendants related to the January 6 insurrection serves as a source of motivation for those attacking Willis. The District Attorney’s dedication to upholding the law and her commitment to the pursuit of justice for her community remain unwavering. In the face of these relentless political and racist attacks, Fani Willis continues to stand firm in her pursuit of justice, determined to ensure that the legal process remains fair, balanced, and free from undue influence. The nation watches closely as this high-stakes legal battle unfolds, with implications that extend far beyond the courtroom.

• SEPTEMBER 13

1663— The first documented slave rebellion in America is set to take place. The revolt in Gloucester County, Va., involved Black slaves and White indentured servants. However, it was betrayed by a White indentured servant.

1885—Alain L. Locke , philosopher and the first Black Rhodes scholar is born. He became a professor at Howard University and one of Black America’s leading intellectual figures.

1962— In an event which demonstrated the tenacity of racism, especially in the South, Mississippi Gov. Ross Barnett pledged to defy the federal government and block the court ordered admission of a Black man— James Meredith —to the University of Mississippi. He made his declaration during a statewide television and radio address. Barnett said he would go to jail to prevent integration, arguing, “There is no case in history where the Caucasian race has survived social integration.” Despite his talk, Barnett would eventually relent and Meredith (with the aid of U.S. Marshals) was allowed to attend the university.

1971— Approximately 1,500 state troopers are ordered by Gov. Nelson Rockefeller to storm New York’s Attica prison to break up a takeover of the prison by Black inmates demanding better conditions. When the dust settled, the storming of the prison resulted in the deaths of 32 inmates and 10 guards who had been held hostage.

1996— Pioneering rapper Tupac Shakur dies from his wounds after being shot in Las Vegas, Nev. He was only 25. Shakur has now become a near cult figure among rappers. His killers were never brought to justice.

• SEPTEMBER 14

1940— Blacks are allowed for the first time to enter all branches of the U.S. military when President Franklin D. Roosevelt, on this day, signs the Selective Service Act.

1973—Nasir Jones , known simply as Nas , was born in Queensbridge, N.Y. Nas is well known for his 1994 debut album Illmatic, which many consider to be one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time.

• SEPTEMBER 15

1830— The First National Negro Convention takes place in Philadelphia, Pa. Top on the agenda were the better organizing of anti-slave activities and whether or not free Blacks should return to Africa.

1881— Inventor Jan E. Matzeilger is born in Dutch Guyana. He came to the United States in 1878 and by 1880 had patented a shoe lacing machine.

1889— One of Black America’s most outstanding poets, Claude McKay , is born. He would become a leading figure during the Black Cultural Revolution known as the Harlem Renaissance.

1928— Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Julian Edwin “Cannonball” Adderley born in Tampa, Fla. Adderley is remembered for his 1966 single “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.” He performed with Miles Davis, playing on the seminal Davis records “Milestones” and “Kind of Blue” before embarking on a successful solo career.

1963— In one of the most heartless terrorist attacks of the Civil Rights Movement, the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., is bombed by White supremacists and Ku Klux Klan members. Four little Black girls are killed. But instead of scaring African Americans into backing away from their demands, the act actually inspired the Civil Rights Movement.

• SEPTEMBER 16

1848— The French abolish slavery in all their territories. It would take a Civil War and another 17 years before slavery is abolished in America.

1921—Singer Jon Hendricks born in Newark, Ohio. He is considered one of the originators of

vocalese, which adds lyrics to existing instrumental songs and replaces many instruments with vocalists. He is also considered one of the best practitioners of scat singing.

1925— Blues great B.B. King is born Riley B. King on this day in Itta Benna, Miss. King was an American blues singer, songwriter and guitarist. He won a 1970 Grammy Award for the song “The Thrill Is Gone.” His version became a hit on both the pop and R&B charts. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. King died May 14, 2015 at the age of 89. 1933—“Emperor Jones” is released on this day by United Artists. It starred social activist Paul Robeson as Brutus Jones. It was the first Hollywood film with a Black leading man and a White supporting cast.

• SEPTEMBER 17

1787— The United States Constitution is approved but it includes three clauses allowing for the continuation of slavery even though it was supposed to be a document of freedom.

1861—Hampton Institute (now university) is founded. It has now become one of the nation’s leading predominately Black educational institutions.

1970—The “Flip Wilson Show” premieres on NBC television. It is the first variety show (in prime time) to star an African American male since the “Nat King Cole Show.” During its first two seasons, its Nielsen ratings made it the nation’s second most watched show. Wilson was most famous for creating the role of Geraldine Jones, a sassy, modern woman who had a boyfriend named Killer (who, when not in prison, was at the pool hall). Wilson popularized such catchphrases as “What you see is what you get” and “The Devil made me do it!”

1973— Illinois becomes the first state to honor Civil Rights Movement icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a state holiday.

• SEPTEMBER 18

1850— Congress passes the Fugitive Slave Law as part of the Compromise of 1850. The Compromise was essentially a vain attempt to reconcile differences between the slave states of the South and the free states of the North as to whether Midwest states would be slave or free. The law basically required Free states to help slave states capture escaped slaves.

1895—Booker T. Washington delivered his famous (or infamous) “Atlanta Compromise” speech in which he promotes Black economic betterment at the expense of civil and political rights. The speech endeared him to Whites opposed to the social integration of Blacks, but it angered progressive Blacks, including scholar W.E.B. DuBois, who began to portray Washington as an “Uncle Tom.”

1980— Cuban cosmonaut Arnold Tamayo becomes the first Black person to fly on a space mission. He flew on a space craft from the then-Soviet Union.

• SEPTEMBER 19

1865—Atlanta University is founded in Atlanta, Ga. It was one of many educational institutions established during the Reconstruction period after the Civil War to educate former slaves.

1931— Soul singer Brook Benton , born Benjamin Franklin Peay, was born this day in Lugoff, S.C. He has more than 50 billboard chart hits as an artist including “A Rainy Night in Georgia,” “It’s Just A Matter Of Time” and “Endlessly.”

1981— An estimated 400,000 people from various labor and civil rights organizations rally in Washington, D.C. , to protest the domestic policies of President Ronald Reagan. His policies were viewed by the demonstrating groups as anti-Black and opposed to the best interests of working-class people.

FANI WILLIS

Keeping the Black community informed on proper heart health

‘Life’s Essential 8’ discussed

HEART HEALTH FROM A1

face when it comes to finding healthy food choices in their neighborhoods, or even safe places for them to engage in physical activity. The local AMA partnering with UPMC, he said, was a way to get valuable information pertaining to heart health into the Black community by bringing pharmacists and physicians to a central area in the Hill District for an important, informational discussion.

Dr. Smith said Blacks are more likely to die from a cardiovascular event than their White counterparts, which is why he stressed the importance for African Americans to visit their doctor regularly and keep up with

their blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

But what about those habits that you just can’t seem to break? Or what about the people who try exercising once or twice, but can’t seem to make it routine? Dr. Smith told the Courier he wished it was easy to break habits or start new, positive ones.

“Engage the people around

you,” Dr. Smith said. “If you can do something with a buddy or loved one (such as exercise),” he said it can become a daily routine that won’t seem so mundane. Dr. Smith also said it was important for people to eat “lots of fruits and vegetables,” and to cut out the smoking and vaping.

ROLAND CASTRO-BOULWARE, director of community impact for American Heart Association Pittsburgh. (Photos by J.L. Martello)

DR. AMBER JOHNSON

College fair with admissions on the spot set for Sept. 19

2003 in St. Louis, Mo., Infinite Scholars was designed to ensure that financially disadvantaged students deserving to go to college could receive the funding they needed. Currently the CEO, Ousley continues to strategically provide students with access to higher education in hopes of equipping them for lifelong career opportunities. Since its inception, ISP has been involved in awarding

more than a billion dollars in scholarships at their fairs. Board member atlarge, Dr. Melvin Steals, and wife, Adrena, are responsible for bringing the fair to Pittsburgh. With support from Dr. Wayne Walters, the former principal of Barack Obama Academy and current PPS superintendent, Dr. Steals hosted the inaugural scholarship fair in the region in 2012. Dr. Walters continues to support what Dr. Steals describes as a

pipeline for college and higher educational opportunities.

The unique design of the scholarship fair enables students to apply free of charge to multiple colleges and universities in one day, with the potential to receive numerous scholarship offers instantaneously, which Dr. Steals describes as “a game-changer.”

“You get immediate feedback,” explained Steals to the Courier.

“You will know if you are someone the college will admit and how much money you will receive. College reps are able to make decisions on the spot based on information provided by the students. Some students receive partial or full scholarships the day of the fair.” Steals added: “This is an opportunity for those young people who have the will and the skill to do their due diligence. If they do, this is their payoff. This is a premier opportunity and if you present yourself well, the sky’s the limit.”

Marc Anthony Peters Jr., an Infinite Scholar and Pittsburgh native, received 15 scholarships (some partial, some full) during the two hours he attended the scholarship fair as a senior in high school in 2019. Peters accepted a scholarship at Duquesne University after learning about their “3-3 Early Admissions Law Program” at the scholarship fair.

“Dress for success,” Peters said, “be prepared, and set yourself apart.” Peters attributes ISP for helping him learn about and navigate the college application and selection process.

This year the fair will be held at the Greenway Professional Development Center, 1400 Crucible Street, in Pittsburgh’s West End, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Representatives from over 40 colleges and universities are expected to be in attendance.

High school students and their parents from the region are invited and encouraged to attend.

Attendees must pre-register at infinitescholar.org. Students should bring multiple copies of the following: Unofficial high school transcripts; ACT/SAT scores; Essay about why you want to attend college; Two letters of recommendation; and a resume.

PPS SUPERINTENDENT DR. WAYNE WALTERS, SECOND FROM RIGHT, WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INFINITE SCHOLARS PROGRAM.

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

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

CARLOS T. CARTER

Oral Hygiene

We connected with Carlos T. Carter, the President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, to get his take on oral health and wellness.

This month’s “Take Charge of Your Health” topic focuses on oral health, including good oral hygiene and preventative dental care. We know it can be difficult to keep up with healthy habits—especially when it comes to affordability and access.

With so many competing health recommendations, why should readers prioritize their oral health?

Maintaining proper oral health is important as it directly impacts the quality and length of our lives. Poor oral health not only leads to tooth decay, but also infections that can contribute to heart disease. Additionally, improper oral care can impact our self-esteem. Our appearance can suffer due to loose, missing, or damaged teeth and bad breath.

We must prioritize oral health by establishing a healthy and manageable routine and taking steps to prevent tooth decay. We can do this by watching what we eat and limiting sugary drinks and foods that negatively impact our body and teeth. We can also brush our teeth thoroughly at least twice daily, floss, and use mouthwash. It’s also critical to have regular dental exams and checkups to maintain our oral health and detect oral diseases early, such as oral cancer.

How can readers get connected to affordable oral healthcare services, regardless of insurance status?

If someone is uninsured, they can apply for Medicaid. If they qualify, they can receive access to dental health providers.  Additionally, they can reach out to the University of Pittsburgh’s Community Outreach Program to get connected with affordable oral health care services regardless of insurance status. You can also Google “free dental clinics in Pittsburgh” to get a list of options.

How can readers create a manageable oral wellness routine? Can you share any personal tips?

I recommend that everyone educate themselves on the importance of maintaining good oral health, preserving their teeth, and improving their quality of life.

For me personally, I try to maintain my dental health by brushing my teeth twice daily and more often, if needed. I try to brush my teeth for a total of two minutes. I also thoroughly floss my teeth and use mouthwash. It’s also important to drink a lot of water and limit our sugar intake, especially sugary juices and soda. Not only does this help your teeth, but also supports a healthy body weight for overall health. I cannot stress enough the importance of eating a healthy diet, including fruits and vegetables and lean meats —and avoiding fried and overly processed convenience food.

More than 40 percent of U.S. kindergarteners have tooth decay when they start school. In fact, tooth decay in kids is five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than environmental allergies. But there’s good news. Tooth decay is preventable and treatable—and parents, grandparents, and caregivers play a big role. By helping children develop good oral health habits starting at birth, parents are laying the foundation for a lifetime of better overall health. That includes less chance of them developing inflammatory diseases like heart attacks and strokes, rheumatoid arthritis, Type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

Dr. Mary L. Marazita, Director, Center for Oral Research in Appalachia and Distinguished Professor of Oral Biology and Human Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh, studies oral health in Appalachia, which includes western Pennsylvania and all of West Virginia, among other states. Appalachia has more oral health problems per person than anywhere else in the U.S.

“Cavities, gum disease, and missing teeth are some of the health problems Appalachians face in greater numbers than the general population,” explains Dr. Marazita. The high numbers have a

lot to do with where Appalachians are born, live, work and grow old.

Appalachia is a mountainous, rugged, isolated rural area with limited economic opportunities and structural inequities. This disparity leads to a lack of access to education, good paying jobs, affordable transportation, health insurance and healthcare providers, as well as food and housing insecurities for the people who live there.

“These circumstances can cause dental problems at an early age that result in pain and infections that can affect a child’s ability to eat, play, and learn, and contribute to low self-esteem about how they look and speak,”

Dr. Marazita says.

While the circumstances need to be addressed on a system level—including universal access to dental insurance—Dr. Marazita’s research shows there are effective things parents can do to help their children develop healthy oral habits.

Giving your child good

guidance

Based on her research, Dr. Marazita (and the American Dental Association) recommends these practices to give children the lifetime gift of good oral health.

Start at birth. To get your child used to oral cleaning, start when they’re a baby. After every feeding, gently wipe their gums with a clean, damp soft cloth.

Finish bottles before bed. “Never put your baby to bed with a bottle. It might soothe them to sleep, but it can also cause Baby Bottle Tooth Decay,” says Dr. Marazita. Choose to give your child healthy drinks without added sugar or artificial sweeteners, such as breastmilk

or formula. When your child begins drinking out of a training cup, the best drink between meals is water, preferably treated with fluoride.

Brush baby’s teeth.

When baby teeth first appear, brush them twice a day with a soft baby toothbrush and a tiny bit of fluoride toothpaste.

“Baby teeth are important and should be protected in the same way as adult teeth,” says Dr. Marazita. Supervise brushing until about age 6. Continue brushing your child’s teeth until they’re old enough to spit out, not swallow, toothpaste— around first grade. Visit a dentist regularly. After a child’s first tooth appears—or by age one— take them to a dentist for their first checkup. “If you don’t have access to or can’t afford a dentist, talk about oral health with your pediatrician or family doctor,” says Dr. Marazita. “Many pediatricians are offering preventative oral care in places where there’s a shortage of dentists.”

Model good habits.

When children are young, they’re mimics. Take advantage of this by brushing your teeth with them and choosing to eat healthier food and drinks. You’ll serve as a role model and boost your own oral health. “The best teacher is you,” says Dr. Marazita.

Taking oral healthcare to the streets

Oral health and overall health are interconnected. According to the American Dental Association, poor oral health, including gum disease and infections, can lead to system-wide inflammation.

Inflammation begins when the body is trying to fight against something that’s irritating it, such as a germ that causes a cold or a splinter that causes skin to become red, swollen, and painful. Inflammation has been linked to a greater risk of health issues like diabetes, heart disease, respiratory infections, and negative pregnancy outcomes, including low birth weight. What’s more, certain conditions like diabetes can weaken the body’s ability to fight oral infections and make oral health problems worse.

That’s why good oral hygiene and regular dental care are so important. They promote a healthy mouth—the door to the body’s digestive system —and also support the body’s overall well-being.

Social determinants of health (SDoH) can make it hard for underserved populations, especially

people who are unhoused/ unsheltered, to maintain good oral health.

SDoH are non-medical factors that impact about 80 percent of people’s health outcomes. They include education, income, social and community conditions, neighborhood, and healthcare quality and availability. For vulnerable people, these factors are unequal due to forces beyond their control.

To make oral healthcare more equal, University of Pittsburgh Professor Adriana Modesto, DMD, MS, PhD, and Pitt’s first Assistant Dean of Diversity, Inclusion and Social Justice, has created a college course titled Community Outreach Experiences for Vulnerable Populations. In it, Dr. Modesto’s 30+ dental students provide free oral healthcare and social support to underserved Pittsburghers thru the university’s Street Medicine outreach.

“To do that, we divide students into three groups,” Dr. Modesto explains. “Because unhoused/unsheltered people have a higher risk for oral cancer, the first group provides cancer

“With Street Medicine, we all work together — healthcare providers and community organizations — to meet people where they live, be in relationship with them, and get them what they need to feel supported and live healthier lives.”

screenings on the street and in shelters.” The risk factors include alcohol and tobacco use, sun exposure, chronic dental disease, and HPV infection. Like other cancers, early detection of oral cancer is key to survival. The second group of students act as ambassadors to underserved populations, such as LGBTQIA individuals, veterans, people with physical and

mental challenges, children and youth, pregnant people, and those who are unhoused/unsheltered.

“These students offer care and resources, such as health screenings, follow-up treatment, appointment scheduling and transportation to and from clinics, and help with paperwork for those who are insured,” Dr. Modesto continues.

A third group of students make regular clinical street rounds.

“With Street Medicine, we all work together— healthcare providers and community organizations —to meet people where they live, be in relationship with them, and get them what they need to feel supported and live healthier lives,” Dr. Modesto adds. That can mean getting someone’s broken tooth fixed as well as providing shoes and a warm coat that fits and distributing fresh food, hygiene products, and NARCAN.

While Dr. Modesto’s course has grown in scope and student count since she began offering it in 2021, the one constant is its relevance. “The Street Medicine team now has a dental offering, which it

didn’t have before,” she explains. “They’re grateful for our contributions and supportive of our efforts. “The patients we serve appreciate the healthcare we provide that’s improving their lives,” Dr. Modesto continues. “While there’s no research to confirm this, I think the patients also feel respected and have begun to trust us as allies.” That trust is especially important for Pittsburgh’s LGBTQIA individuals who are at a higher risk for violence, rejection, homelessness, and suicide than their peers. The dental students are also changed by the experience. “Part of the course requirement is to write about their assignments,” says Dr. Modesto. “My students’ notes include their surprise at the large number of vulnerable people who live in Pittsburgh. They also acknowledge their own privilege compared to their patients’. By doing this work on their own, many also conclude that underserved populations deserve quality healthcare, too. It’s eye-opening for everyone.”

Connecting divide between underserved patients and dental care

Pennsylvania is known as a “dental desert.” Out of the 67 counties in our state, 64 have a partial or complete shortage of available dentists. That includes Allegheny county.

Many of the state’s available dentists don’t accept Medicaid. That makes it even more difficult for vulnerable populations—especially low-income children and

elders—to receive regular preventative care that contributes to their overall health and well-being.

Alice Valenta, a public health dental hygiene practitioner, grew up in a rural area and experienced, first-hand, the difficulty in finding a dentist. After 15 years of clinical work, Ms. Valenta entered the public health field. First, she worked in nursing homes then

moved on to help children before founding Golden Onsite Dental.

Golden Onsite Dental includes Alice, who provides all hands-on care at the clinics. Mila, who has a background in public health, handles the scheduling and logistic support. Dr. Steines, DMD, gives dental exams via Teledentistry. The group offers regular access to dental care to

people who have insurance not accepted by all providers, including Medicaid.

Golden Onsite Dental’s services include screenings, exams, cleanings, fluoride treatments, and x-rays

The team also works with and makes referrals to other dental providers who can help if treatment is needed. They also have support from Medicaid insurance

MCOs, which provides a direct link to their clients needing care.

Golden Onsite Dental performs these services throughout many counties in Pennsylvania in urban and rural locations, such as Head Starts and schools, the Salvation Army, YMCAs, and nursing care facilities.

Teaching children good oral health habits helps them grow into healthier adults

GOOD ORAL HYGIENE—Father teaching his daughter to protect her teeth. (Getty Images Stock Photo)

DR. MARY L. MARAZITA

DR. ADRIANA MODESTO

— Adriana Modesto

Overcoming an attack, Taylor blossoms into a master gardener

Garden to be featured in Brighton Heights, Sept. 16

Side, classes designed by the former Head of Horticulture at Phipps Conservatory, Gary Baranowski. Pretty much, Taylor said, “it was the same education you would get at Phipps, you got at Bidwell.”

She had to volunteer, do internships and ex-

ternships, but she didn’t pursue the courses “to the degree that I wanted to,” as she accepted a job at Alcosan, the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority, in 2016. Turns out, it was her love of gardening that played a major role in her overcoming the trauma of being attacked at gun-

point four years later.

“You don’t give a timeline to healing trauma, that’s not realistic,” Taylor said, as she was trying to remain employed at Alcosan while dealing with the 2020 incident. “I was displaying PTSD, stuttering, other symptoms of the traumatic event. My therapist talked about

different ways to alleviate (the pain) since I had to be back at work, or at the house, ways to manage the trauma.”

Taylor left for Philadelphia to be back with her family in the days after the attack. But eventually she had to return to Pittsburgh. She still had to live at the same house where she was attacked. She still had to work to pay the bills.

“I was angry, I was depressed, I was fearful,” Taylor told the Courier. “They never caught the person...I’m one of those people where I try not to let life get the best of me.”

The garden that she had been working on, off and on, since 2014, sat to the right of her driveway at 1419 Orchlee. “Before the incident happened, the garden was a place for me to mediate and alleviate stress,” she said.

But since the attack, she decided to “throw all of my energy into this garden.”

She learned about an organization called the Horticulture Therapy Institute, and she learned how to use horticulture

therapy to deal with PTSD through sensory gardening. Taylor then completed a 72-hour Permaculture Design Certification Program, which earned her the title of a landscape designer and master gardener. She could see the progress she was making, not only in the professional gardening world, but in her well-being. “They say if you face your fears, it disengages whatever the trauma is. I think there’s some truth to that, because working in the front of the house, in that garden, it did help me,” Taylor said. The continuous exposure to people, the exposure to different sounds, to sudden sounds, to even the sunlight. Remember, for a long time following the attack, “I just wanted to hide away,” Taylor said, “because I didn’t know who did it.”

Today, Taylor is the founder and landscape designer for “Your Garden Karma,” which is known nationally. She has clients she helps with their garden designs in smallto-large sustainable land-

scapes and container gardens.

Her garden in Brighton Heights was noticed by the Brighton Heights Citizens Foundation. Each year, the organization holds a House and Garden Tour, its largest fundraiser. People from different neighborhoods purchase tickets and then are taken on a tour of the best gardens in Brighton Heights. Taylor accepted the invitation for her garden to be part of the tour, which occurs Saturday, Sept. 16, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Taylor will be on-site, talking to all the different people who will view the garden that Taylor said is more than a garden—it is her safe haven. Her therapy. “People, young and old, have said a lot of compliments” about the garden, Taylor told the Courier. “What stands out the most is that people love the color, the texture and how it makes them feel when they walk past. It is something you have to see for yourself, and it’s also something that evokes the senses.”

DESHELLE-MONIQUE TAYLOR (PHOTO BY AVERY CARTER)

DESHELLE-MONIQUE TAYLOR PREPARES HER GARDEN.

'Prime Time'—Before there was Deion, there were people like 'The Rabbit,' Hubie Bryant!

As is oftentimes the case with you young folks, and no shade intended, you tend to think that it all just happened yesterday, when in fact, truth be told, “ALL THAT GLITTERS AIN’T GOLD AND EVERYTHING NEW IS OLD!”

Case in point, “Hip Hip Hooray,” the anthem that celebrates the worldwide greatness that is today’s 50 years of music history brought to you by the group Naughty By Nature, has roots and is not easily forgotten. The legends that gave way to legends, James Brown, aka the Godfather of Soul, Jackie Wilson, all of Motown, Marvin Gaye, Aretha, and if you want

to go real deep, you are reminded of B.B. King, Muddy Waters, and of course, Little Richard, just to name a few.

The same can be said about “Prime Time.” By definition, that being a multi-talented superior athlete who is second to none, as stated by his actions, not his words. Allow me to take you back to one of the original “Prime Time Specialists.” To be fair, there have been several.

Jim Thorpe, Jackie Robinson and Jim Brown, to be sure. But the focus here is East Coast and contemporary. The Lincoln Park neighborhood of Penn Hills featured numerous great, great athletes.

Jack

Burnham, Norm

Thomas, Danny Smith, Jeff Rideout, the late Mike Anderson, Dwayne Rideout, Reggie Jackson, and Ted Morton, just to name a few. But there was a gap between that greatness and that of “The Rabbit”....aka Hubie Bryant!

The nickname alone tells you half the story. A lightning quick triple-threat superstar athlete who could have been a quad star if he chose to play baseball. But his star shined brightest on the football field where he did any and everything carrying a football that the game allowed. Neither time nor space will allow me to account for the legend and electricity that “The Rabbit” produced. But suffice to say there are still some WPIAL teams from that ‘64 season that are still trying to tackle him!

The greater part of that success was made possible for three reasons: #1, a 5-10, 170-pound frame that allowed for a 4.2 40 even back then, as well as state-rated 220 and low hurdle times. As a matter of fact, Bryant’s Penn Hills High School

and state championship low hurdle record still stands and will never be broken. And the third sport of basketball, he played past you for the fun and embarrassment of it all to you.

On to the Big Ten where he achieved national status at the University of Minnesota where he is forever enshrined in the Golden Gophers Hall of Fame. His pro career started with the Cleveland Browns in 1968, on to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1970, and then with the New England Patriots in 1971.

Now to the #2 reason for all that success...“Heart” and a ton of it! He asked for no mercy and he gave none. And don’t let the size fool ya. He would go past you, over you or through you! Your choice.

The #3 reason for the success is most important. The integrity, the intelligence, the process. Raised like most of us from “L.P.” by a strong, dedicated mother to be the best man you can be. But, however you get there, you do it with hard work, ultimate commitment, sacrifice and respect. And don’t forget where you came from.

The stories are true, we all wanted to be “H.B.”

Not only because of the style he set in clothes, or because he drove the state’s first double-bubble top Corvette, and

not even for the glory —girls—and gold! We wanted to be like Hubert Lavann Bryant because he was and still is a winner. And back in the day, that’s what was most important on any field, or any level.

Of course we stand in awe of today’s “Prime Time,” the great Deion Sanders. After all, he’s the only man to ever run a touchdown back in an NFL game at 1 p.m. and hit a home run in an MLB game at 8 p.m. And history will continue to applaud what he did for Jackson State and HBCUs. And Lord

knows, the message has been sent and received at the Division 1 college football level with Colorado. “We’re not just coming, we’re here!”

Trust me, Mr. Bryant isn’t drawing this contrast, I am. But for me, one of the Lincoln Park few who was fortunate enough and able to reach Hall of Fame status because of “Hubie,” MY PRIME TIME HERO HAILS FROM LINCOLN PARK, PA. HIP-HOP HOORAY!

HUBIE BRYANT, AS A MEMBER OF THE STEELERS

Join

For

McAuley Ministries, Pittsburgh Mercy’s grant-making foundation, announced on Aug. 21 that Sheila S. Petite and Nyabingi Michie were the recipients of the 2023 Sister Susan Welsh Good Neighbor Award, the New Pittsburgh Courier has learned. The Sister Susan Welsh Good Neighbor Award was created in 2019 to honor the legacy of Sister Susan Welsh, RSM, retired president and CEO of Pittsburgh Mercy, a founding board member, and a current board member of the McAuley Ministries Foundation. The award recognizes residents of the Hill District, Uptown, or West Oakland, the three Pittsburgh communities historically served by the Sisters of Mercy, who exemplify the ideals of a “good neighbor”—a person who is compassionate, friendly, and helpful; a willing volunteer; an organizer of neighborhood events; and who devotes their time, talents, and resources to make their neighborhood a better place to live. This year, the award celebrates two residents who exemplify these characteristics and are working to make a positive difference for their neighbors and their community, the Hill District.

Petite was nominated by Emma Lucas-Darby, PhD, LSW, Ashleigh Pollard, and Sister Janis Franklin, CSJ as an avid gardener and the dedicated manager of Sunny’s Community Garden (SCG), located at 613 Granville Street in the Hill District. In their joint nomination, Lucas-Darby, Pollard, and Franklin stated, “Sheila has made an indelible impact on the neighborhood by fostering a sense of community, promoting healthy living, and beautifying the surroundings.” Petite has been involved since Sunny’s Community Garden’s inception in 2021. In addition to her love of gardening, Petite has for several years been a part of a group of concerned Hill District residents who have worked with City of Pittsburgh Police to eliminate drug usage, open drug selling, loitering on a local church’s steps, and close a nuisance bar along Perry Street. This group is also discussing beautification

projects in the Hill District.

“I have known Sheila for approximately 23 years, and I see her as a Hill resident who cares about many aspects of living in the Hill District,” Lucas-Darby stated. “Although retired, it did not take her long to fill her days with community activities. Sheila is a caring Hill resident who has devoted her time and talents to a much-needed community resource that responds to a critical community need.”

“I really appreciate and admire Sheila’s commitment to the community,” said Pollard. “In fact, she has inspired me in many ways through her healthy lifestyle choices to eat more vegetables from the earth and start my own garden. These changes have had a positive impact on my family’s and our community’s collective well-being.”

“Sheila Petite is a kind, compassionate neighbor and friend who has made Sunny’s Community Garden a welcoming place,” Sister Janis stated. “I am very touched and impressed at how creative and generous she is in bringing people together.”

“I am humbled to be one of the recipients of the Sister Susan Welsh Good Neighbor Award for the sheer joy of gardening at SCG. To be thought of by your community and recognized for being ‘yourself’ and doing the activities you enjoy, expecting no reward, it is truly an honor,” said Petite.

“SCG founder Sandi ‘Sunny’ Welch had a vision for using unused urban space for a garden where people could gather around food and grow together. The Center that CARES had the land and graciously offered its use. SCG is managed by the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies, a 501c3 nonprofit organization,” Petite added.

“Jan Franklin, Lisa Minor, I, and all Hill District residents work together to learn, grow, eat, and fellowship around home-grown food that is at no cost to whomever stops by. People stop by the garden to look at the beautiful mural created by Kyle Holbrook, sit at the picnic tables, look at the pond, and enjoy the garden.

We’re small, and our hope is that more people will find us and spend time there to unwind from the whatever,” Petite continued.

“Receiving this award is greatly appreciated. I think that being a good neighbor is caring about those all around as you walk in this world. Sandy, Jan, Lisa, and I are all different. Where else could a Jewish woman, a Catholic nun, and African American women meet and develop a caring relationship? In a garden, and we want that kind of relationship building to continue for years to come,” said Petite.

Michie was nominated by Andre Samuel, PhD, founder, president, and CEO of The Citizen Science Lab (TCSL) and Kevin McNair, founder of 1 Nation Mentoring. Michie graduated from high school while actively contributing to TCSL and went on to earn his Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Sciences from Lincoln University. He was awarded TCSL’s prestigious Madura Award and scholarship last year, which recognized his exceptional dedication and ambition to pursue a career in STEAM. From serving as an instructor to transporting Hill District youth to and from TCSL programs, he serves as an inspiration for children of

color, offering them a relatable and empowering figure to look up to.

Michie’s journey with TCSL began in 2016 when he joined the organization as a high school student.

“Throughout his involvement with TCSL, I’ve had the opportunity to observe Nyabingi’s growth, dedication, and unwavering commitment to both personal and community development,” Samuel stated.

“During his time as a volunteer, Nyabingi displayed remarkable leadership skills and a genuine passion for fostering positive change. His outstanding work ethic, coupled with his empathetic nature, allowed him to connect with his peers and create a welcoming environment for aspiring young minds.”

“I have had the pleasure of witnessing Nyabingi’s outstanding contributions and unwavering dedication to making a positive impact on the lives of those around him,” said McNair.

“I am deeply honored and profoundly grateful to have been awarded the McAuley Ministries Sister Susan Welsh Good Neighbor Award. Standing here among my fellow ‘good neighbors’ from our community fills me with immense pride and further fuels my determination to contribute even more,” said Michie.

“I extend my heartfelt appreciation to my esteemed mentors, Dr. Samuel from The Citizen Science Lab and Brother Kev of 1 Nation Mentoring, for their invaluable guidance along the path to success and community service. Their unwavering support has been instrumental in shaping my commitment to giving back to the community that has nurtured me,” Michie continued.

“I am indebted to my parents and family members

for their unending support, which has been an incredible source of strength throughout my journey of surpassing challenges. They have not only been my greatest teachers, but they also have set a shining example of what it means to be a true and compassionate neighbor,” Michie added.

“My sincere gratitude goes to McAuley Ministries for embracing me with open arms. I am eager to continually evolve and expand, both for my personal growth and for the betterment of my community. This award serves as a catalyst, propelling me forward with a renewed dedication to making a positive impact. Thank you,” said Michie.

“While our communities face increasing socio-economic challenges, we are blessed to be a community full of assets. One of our most prized assets are our residents,” stated Marisol Valentin, executive director of McAuley Ministries. “Sheila and Nyabingi care deeply for their communities and work passionately to care for their neighbors and make their neighborhoods safe, vibrant, and healthy. At a national level, this was seen by HUD’s recent award of the Bedford Choice project. At the local level, the Sister Susan Welsh Good Neighbor Award shines a spotlight on the neighbors making a difference each day. We are honored to welcome Sheila and Nyabingi into our family of awardees.”

Past recipients of the Sister Susan Welsh Good Neighbor Award include Brenda Tate (2022), Ann Adams Simms (2021), Christopher J. Roach (2020), and Edna Council (2019). Petite and Michie each received a monetary award of $5,000.

“Being confident of this very thing, that He which has begun a GOOD WORK in YOU will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

- Philippians 1:6

REV. WALKER SAYS: Stay assured that whatever God has assign you to do He will complete it. Looking ever to Jesus Christ the auther and finisher of our FAITH.

The Steelers were ‘Gold-Rushed’

Lost big to San Fran; chance for redemption comes Sept. 18 on Monday Night Football

Hear ye, hear ye, let it be known to all that will listen, the Pittsburgh Steelers were ambushed by the San Francisco 49ers by the score of 30-7 on Sept. 10, 2023, a date that will certainly live in infamy.

Steelers cornerback

Patrick Peterson erroneously predicted that he would have a great outing against the 49ers QB Brock Purdy. Before the game, Peterson said on his podcast that he studied “enough tape on San Francisco’s offense to know what plays were coming.”

What? Did Peterson study film with a blindfold on? He must have been going over

principal characters on a Broadway stage.

The “prospectors” hailing from the “city by the bay” did not need Geiger counters to discover gold in Pittsburgh, all they needed was Steel -

ers QB Kenny Pickett to lead them to the “mother lode,” otherwise known as the end zone.

Offensive offense and sloth-like play calling: The time of possession in the first-half of the game was: 21:06 for the 49ers and 8:54 for the Steelers. During the Steelers’ 8:54 time of possession, Steelers QB Kenny Pickett was 12/20 for 61 yards, sacked twice with one pick. Pickett could only connect with his security blanket tight end Pat Freiermuth on one out of three passing attempts for a 3-yard “garbage” TD reception almost at the conclusion of the first half. By the way, it was only during the final 1:15 of the first

receivers that they have at their disposal who are almost as fast as

talked about a few of the limited partners who were pushing for the dismissal of Mike

and the incompetent game plan that offensive coordinator Matt Canada drew up against

the game film from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2015, home opener when the Steelers

beat the Niners by the score of 43-18 because the film that he studied obviously wasn’t much help. The team that showed up this past Sunday from the city named for St. Francis of Assisi did not treat the Steelers very saintly and certainly was not the San Francisco treat that Pittsburgh was expecting. Patrick Peterson did not get a pick but he was poked, picked apart, picked on, and pickled. By the end of the day, the Steelers defense was just plain tuckered out after being forced to serve as the support act to a Steelers offense that played as if they were merely high school understudies trying to perform as the

half that the Steelers made their initial first down. The Steelers offense spent plenty of time burning up the bench while leaving the Black and Gold defense out on a scorched gridiron, being hung out to dry. The Steelers had tight end Darnell Washington sitting on the bench. Washington is so “huuuge” that he should be assigned his own zip code. He could catch the ball at the three-yard line, catch the ball, take two steps forward, and fall into the end zone.

A player should not have to serve as a fan favorite or provide a security blanket for Kenny Pickett or Matt Canada because Pickett and Canada are both “grown-a—men.”

The Steelers’ offensive playbook should be centered around the wide

greyhounds. I suspect if Steelers tight end Pat Freirmuth had not

but the extraction of those “cavities” was willing and was per-

Tomlin and pointed out that: “Chuck Noll won four Super Bowls from 1974 through 1979. Then he missed the playoffs eight times in the next dozen years.

Bill Cowher coached the Steelers to six consecutive playoff appearances, including one Super Bowl trip, after taking over the team in 1992.

Then he went 7-9, 6-10 and 9-7, all three teams missing the playoffs. No one got fired. It might have been a function of timing, but no one present asked Tomlin about the Pro Football Talk report that some of the franchise’s limited partners were planning to press team president Art Rooney II to remove him as coach.”

That was more than five years ago and the “fire Mike Tomlin at all costs” narrative remains the perfect “fuel of doubt” to maintain a crackling fire in the fireplaces of many “yinzers.”

the 49ers.

Damaged defense: With the putrid performance put on by the offense, one could not expect the Steelers defense that spent 15 minutes more on the field than the opposing defense (which is equal to an entire quarter) to perform at an optimum level. No one could have convinced me that if the Steelers’ outside linebacker, J.J. Watt, would register three sacks, five tackles, two forced fumbles, one strip sack, one tackle for loss, one pass defensed, and five quarterback hits that the Steelers would go on to lose that game by twenty-three points! I urge Mike Tomlin not to sacrifice his career on the altar of history to save Matt Canada. Mike Tomlin should pose this question; Would Matt Canada do the same for him?

been temporarily sidelined by a chest injury, he would have been targeted a few more times. Their one and only favorite must always be the scoreboard. As far as time of possession was concerned, Pickett and Matt Canada seemed to revert to one of their primary bad habits, starting slowly. For the game, San Francisco possessed the ball for more than thirty-seven minutes, while the Steelers could only hold on to the pigskin for around 22 minutes. One of Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin’s comments after the game was, “we got kicked in the teeth today in a lot of ways.”

I can halfheartedly agree with Coach Tom -

formed by the Steelers’ own in-house dentist, “Doctor” Matt Canada, and his trusted dental assistant, Kenny Pickett. From an observer’s standpoint, just watching Canada’s game plan unfold was like getting several teeth extracted without a local anesthetic being injected or general anesthesia being administered. Now the Yinzer Nation is again calling for Mike Tomlin to be kicked to the curb. That’s nothing new because, on January 17, 2018, Mike DeCourcy posted an article on sportingnews.com titled, “Steelers’ partners pushing for Mike Tomlin’s firing need a history lesson.” The following excerpt is from that article. DeCourcy

Mike Tomlin was not even remotely responsible for the sophomoric, stumbling bumbling performance of Pickett

Covering the Steelers

lin. The Steelers did lose a few choppers during the 49ers game,

Courier photographer Brian Cook Sr.

Photos by Brian Cook Sr.

Photos by Brian Cook Sr.

(Michigan Chronicle)—

We all know someone who makes their daily play at the lottery machine. You, too, probably made your own play of numbers while counting tickets in recent weeks for the big Mega Millions jackpot.

Most people never win or never win it big. The hopes that one could cash in on the big $1.58 billion prize was always alluring. For many, the workplace watercooler or conversations with friends and family if they won would be to quit a job, vacation travel, buy a new home, spend on all the things that come with having a few new zeros in the bank account.

The billion-dollar jackpot ultimately would go to a lucky person who purchase their winning ticket in Florida.

According to the Lottery Advertising Association for Consumer Research or Cash 3, a staggering 639 percent of Blacks reported the highest rate of “ever playing” the lottery, significantly surpassing both Hispanics (43.8 percent) and Whites (41.2 percent). The numbers speak volumes about the strong affinity that Black Americans have for the lottery, highlighting its unique appeal in these communities.

In Black communities, lottery fever is in full swing, and it outshines the participation rates of other racial and ethnic groups This heightened interest in the lottery can be traced back to various factors that make it an attractive game of chance for many, but there is more to the story.

Historic economic inequalities have left Black Americans facing lower income levels and limited opportunities for wealth accumulation. The lottery’s promise of hitting the jackpot and attaining immediate financial relief holds a particular allure for those grappling with economic hardships. It becomes a beacon of hope, offering a potential ticket out of financial struggles.

But the likelihood of winning it big are so slim. Amid inflation wage wars, and uncertainty in the economy, however, some people are trying to figure out the ways of making their money stretch beyond the hope and a prayer of a winning lottery ticket.

“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 that 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

My wife and I have nearly $600,000 in our investment portfolio. Should we buy a home outright or get a mortgage?

My wife and I are in our mid-30s. We have no kids and no desire to have a family, and we’re currently sitting on about $580,000 in our investment portfolio. This amount does not include our retirement savings.

We think we know where and how much we want to spend on a house (around $400,000), but we don’t know how we should buy that house. Is it better to take out a mortgage and have the gains from our investments pay off the mortgage over time? Or should we just purchase the house outright? We’re obviously thrilled to even be in a position where that’s even a consideration, but we just haven’t found any solid advice for which is better.

—This question appeared in “Market Watch Newsletter.”

I posed this question to my Facebook audience. I will share some of our comments below:

I’d probably pay cash or I’d put 60-75 percent down. You can build the savings back up. But a lot of wealthy people carry a mortgage and hold on to cash.

-Brooke I’d say put 40-50 percent down in cash and pay the rest in 10 years or less. A mortgage is “good” debt.

-Jem

I don’t like to owe people, I’d pay it in full. The house would have to be move-in ready.

-Nicole

Damon says: They did an amazing job on having $600,000 in investments plus an untold sum amount in retirement sav-

by Renata Sago

For New Pittsburgh Courier

(The Financial Journey is a unique series focused on financial education and opportunities. These stories have been created through a strategic partnership between Wells Fargo and Word In Black.)

Black women are one of the fastest-growing groups of entrepreneurs in the United States. According to research from the Harvard Business Review, Black women are more likely to start a business than White women and men.

An analysis of the Census Bureau’s Annual Business Survey found that Black-women-owned employer businesses increased by 18 percent between 2017 and 2020. Yet, the longevity of these businesses depends on many factors, including how ready a business is to evolve to the next level.

For Alima Redding, senior vice president and business acquisition manager for Wells Fargo, capital and coaching are important tools that determine long-term viability. When she was a child, Redding got her first glimpse of communi-

ty entrepreneurship in action by helping her mother work at summer street festivals in northern New Jersey and New York City.

“She would make falafels out of an old school bus that she turned into a food

you see that, it’s not just the community. It’s creating generational sustainability.”

The success of Black small businesses, overall, has varied since the start of the COVID-19 pandem-

that is more than transactional. Recently, her team was working with a customer that was awarded a government contract, but did not have the capital to fulfill its requirements.

“Wells Fargo partnered with the local CDFI [Community Development Financial institution] to help the customer gain access to capital,” says Redding. “The CDFI was able to help them.”

In another instance, her team was able to directly support a small business looking for funding when other banks could not.

truck,” Redding remembers. “I would be there with her scooping Italian ices. I think I may have eaten more products than served,” she laughs.

Today, Redding and her team strive to help hundreds of small business owners in Philadelphia and Baltimore get the support they need in order to thrive.

“The businesses are putting their kids through college or putting food on the table or paying for their parents to get support in their senior years,” says Redding. “So when

ic. The Federal Reserve Bank’s 2021 Small Business Credit Survey found that 92 percent of Black small business owners reported serious financial hardship. This was the highest rate compared to other groups.

Some of the challenges Black small businesses encounter has to do with banking. Some businesses might not be able to maintain monthly rent or struggle with cash flow and credit scores. In these instances, Redding says it’s important to develop a relationship with a bank

“[The business was] looking to expand and take on larger contracts and Wells Fargo partnered internally to get this small business customer access to capital,” says Redding.

Possibilities in this world are endless for Black women looking to grow their businesses. Here’s some advice that Redding shares to keep momentum going:

1. Know your local resources.

Educate yourself on what programs are available through local financial institutions and

ings. I wonder if this money was saved or inherited. For $600,000 is a ton of money for them not to have a mission statement or purpose as to why they saved this money in the first place. Did they save this money with the intent to buy a house or start a business? For the sake of my response, I’m going to assume this money was saved and not inherited. I’ve come to observe over the years that people who live below their means, sacrificed, did without and saved a lump sum of money be it $5,000 or $5 million, have a difficult time spending the money they saved.

If we knew and understood the purpose of the $600,000 that was being saved, it would be easy to offer up an opinion that coincides with their goals and objectives.

Given the fact that we don’t know the purpose of this $600,000, let’s consider the purpose of money. The purpose of money is to provide for needs, wants, goals and desired lifestyle. Last and most important, the purpose of money is to make one feel secure, financially speaking. When it comes to saving and investing money, you’re either saving and investing for a specific purpose, be it emergencies, vacation, car, college, house, business, retirement, or wealth. Or you’re saving to build wealth to supplement or replace your earned income in the short or distant future. We know he wants a house in the $400,000 price range. We know he has approximately $600,000 saved with no pur-

pose attached to it. I think we just found a purpose.

Let’s look at this from a purely, logical, mathematical, risk-based perspective:

Fact: No investment is as secure as a paid off debt!

Fact: Interest rates on mortgages at the time of this writing is in the 7 percent range.

As a result, not taking on a mortgage because you have the money to write a check for the house is a sure-fire way to get a 7 percent risk free, guaranteed return. No investment can guarantee you a risk free, guaranteed 7 percent return on your investment.

NOT ONE! What do you eventually do with a lump sum of money you’ve been saving for retirement? You create a monthly income stream similar to a social security check, pension, or annuity. If you don’t have a mortgage payment like most people do, you’ve effectively created a situation where you need less money to live on. Not having a mortgage payment is akin to having a pension check, social security check or annuity payment. With that being said, write a check for the house!

Damon, I have another perspective. It’s hard to let go of money you’ve been saving your whole adult life. But that’s not the only reason. If you are withdrawing from your 401(k), the downside is that you are paying a boatload of taxes on that money

all at once. If you get a decent rate, I think it’s best to take out a mortgage. When you are forced to withdraw from the 401k you can use that money to pay your mortgage, taxes and insurance. You still have the remaining funds in the 401k earning interest, etc. Plus you’re only paying taxes on the small percentage you are required to withdraw. To me, it’s six in one hand and a half dozen in the other. Our school of thought is not to tie up money unnecessarily.

- Sharon

Damon says: I understand where you’re coming from. There’s a huge difference here from an income tax perspective. The $600,000 isn’t inside a retirement plan. As a result, the tax hit is based on the capital gains tax rate which is capped at 20 percent, not the ordinary tax rate that a distribution from a 401(k) will subject one to, which has a cap rate at 37 percent depending on tax bracket. Money inside of a 401(k) is intended to be a paycheck replacement. I agree with you if the money was inside a retirement plan. There are instances where the 401(k) balance is relatively small and the mortgage balance is relatively small where it makes sense to use retirement proceeds to pay off the mortgage.

I would say if you get enough cash to pay off your house before you put all your eggs in one basket, talk to someone you trust. You can take the extra cash and invest in generational wealth. We were told to look at your interest rate and pay three times

Banking on your own financial windfall outside the lottery

a high interest rate, you’re losing a lot of money due to the interest rate.”

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

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

“For the person who has not lost 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.”

Howze also says to look for ways to make additional money and strongly advises 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,” she said.

“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—whether it be a product or service— than 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 Shemka Bishop, owner of The Bishop of Credit, a credit repair and consulting business.

“I always suggest using your credit 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 emphasized credit cards aren’t made to completely live from, but in this economic climate, you might need it, and how to use and make it work for you could be financially helpful.

(Michigan Chronicle Multimedia Journalist Lynzee Mychael contributed to this story.)

Sustaining small business growth

which ones will support your goals.

2. Know your banker. Grow a relationship with a banker that is looking out for your best interest of your business and not necessarily the best interest of themselves.

3. Be prepared. Develop an understanding of what financial institutions are looking for when it comes to extending credit and what you’ll

need in order to meet those requirements. It’s a good idea to partner with an accountant that understands your business growth strategy and can help prepare the right financial documents you’ll need before applying for certain lending products. You’ll also want to make sure your tax returns are done properly and you have separate accounts for personal and business expenses.

4. Have a heart.

It’s important to care about the community that you’re servicing.

“There’s one thing to lend money to a business and there’s something else to lend money to a business that’s supporting a community and their staff and to understand the intricacies of their business,” says Redding.

(Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.)

Buy a home outright?

the interest with your mortgage two weeks after you pay your mortgage. In the credit world it shows that you can manage your finances and receive more credit. The era we live in now credit is everything and cash is pennies. The good thing about this discussion is it’s never just one answer. It’s all about the ultimate goal.

-Lakesha

Damon says: Lakesha, you say create generational wealth then you say credit is everything and cash is pennies. Generational wealth is about passing on assets to your heirs. You can’t pass your credit score to your heirs. Debt is a byproduct of credit. Any debt

you have attached to the asset reduces the equity you pass to your heirs. You also mentioned someone advised you to pay back three times the interest.

I’m not clear on the advice here so I’ll look at it from two angles:

1. If they’re advising you to pay extra on the mortgage to reduce the overall interest and pay the mortgage off early, I pose this question, why pay interest at all when you can simply buy the house outright and use what would have been a mortgage payment and invest the money every month to create generational wealth; both a house and an investment you can pass on to your heirs free of debt?

2. Here’s what’s you said.

If you take out a 30-year mortgage, you’d pay nearly three times the amount you paid for the home in interest. Example. Say you took out a $250,000, 30year mortgage at today’s interest rates of 7 percent.

You borrowed $250,000: Monthly Payment: 1,663.26: Total Payment: 598,773.60: Total Interest: 348,773.60. You borrowed $250,000 and you paid back $348,778.60 in interest for a total payback of nearly $600,000. That’s 40 percent you paid back in interest. You can avoid paying 40 percent in interest expense over 30 years by writing the check for the house.

BANKING FROM B1

SMALL BUSINESS FROM B1

DAMON CARR FROM B1

Labor with love

Labor Day is a federal public holiday in the United States celebrated the first Monday in September. This year, 2023, it was observed on September 4. The holiday honors the American labor movement and the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, laws and well-being of the country.

It is observed the Monday of the long weekend known as Labor Day Weekend, and it is considered the unofficial end of summer. It also represents the beginning of a new school year. The following are some random thoughts about labor and employment.

There are some disturbing problems that are becoming apparent in the halls of labor. Though there are a lot of people who put time and effort into the work they do, there are others who are not really interested in producing quality work. They do not understand that people become employed because of a need the employer has; they focus on their own personal need for money and do not understand their importance in the workplace.

There is something very rewarding about doing a good day’s work, no matter what the field of endeavor may be. But among many in the younger generation, this appreciation for a job well done does not always garner the right level of attention. As a result, those in service-oriented jobs might not satisfy the public adequately. One remedy for this might come from schools…it might become necessary for schools to increase their focus on the protocols of job culture.

With this said, there are also a large number of people who are ambitious and who want to get ahead. Some of these people are workaholics who really throw themselves into their work. They are the ones who get up early, or go to bed late after burning the midnight oil. These are the achievers, the ones who have their sights set on moving upward in the corporate, private or public sectors. We applaud their diligence!

On another note, one of the biggest problems we face as a society is that of ensuring that all of the people who want to work will be able to access jobs. In a capitalist society, a person’s well-being is usually tied to how successful they are in acquiring gainful employment.

The challenge is that one of the key requirements of employment is that employers are fair in their hiring policies. For example, there was a time when women, for the most part, were unable to acquire work outside the home. Fortunately, this situation has changed quite a bit.

African Americans, from the beginning of their sojourn in America, have been particularly impacted by hiring policies. This has adversely influenced some Black Americans’ attitude toward work. It is understandable when you consider the more than 240 years Blacks were forced to work for free. That has no doubt dampened the spirit of prospective Black workers.

Actually, we may be in the golden age of employment now, in that there are jobs still available in a range of industries. This is changing… we have been warned about the advent of AI, Artificial Intelligence, which threatens to adversely impact many industries we may not have considered.

For instance, cars have had human drivers ever since their inception. Now, however, with driverless vehicles rapidly coming over the horizon, certain jobs might become endangered. Driverless vehicles might replace cab drivers, long-distance truck drivers, chauffeurs, and anyone else who is skilled in manually operating vehicles.

Conversely, new jobs and opportunities will become available; some will be so advanced that it would be difficult to even imagine the possibilities. An important aspect of this metamorphizing of the employment landscape is that there will be more jobs available for Black Americans due to an anticipated “browning of America” and an attendant birth dearth among White people.

This latter point adds fuel to the notion that the generations of workers growing up today need to really prepare themselves to become qualified for the new face of employment in the future. Ultimately, they must figure out a way to “Love their labor” and consequently “Labor with love” in order to generate quality results benefiting everyone. With that said, we hope you had a safe holiday weekend! A Luta Continua.

(Reprinted from the Chicago Crusader)

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—Like many of our sisters who are doing their very best to do the right thing, I’ve had my fill of threats, too—one as late as the past week.  Mine was simply a telephone call, but the person on the call let me know he knows who I am, what I represent, and how to reach me at home.  It doesn’t bother me that the caller has my telephone number, but what is the point of all this sudden harassment of Black women?

We’ve listened to what our sister District Attorney Fani Willis, has to endure as she tries her best to do her job. As she follows the law faithfully, she is facing scared small-minded men who try to change the laws to fit their purposes and try to frighten her so that she will allow obvious criminals to go free.  As she works to uphold the laws of our land, she has to contend with the Jim Jordans of the Congress using his platform to try to harass her for doing her job. She has to contend with a person who never should have been President in the first place. We must speak up and speak out for her protection full-time, and Black male law enforcers should be volunteering to be on her security force around the clock until these scared men get off her back.

Why should she have to write a 9-page letter to the likes of Jim Jor-

dan about invoking congressional authority to intrude upon and interfere with an active criminal case which she is more than qualified to handle.  She warned him to deal with reality or reality will deal with him. She lets him know he is out of his league since he is not a lawyer and that he should read the laws. She went on to give him the price of a law book. She suggested he contact the Dept. of Justice about stopping threats against her staff and her and stop trying to obstruct criminal proceedings in the Trump case.

Who is this Mary McCord, who criticizes D.A. Willis about how she responded to Jim Jordan when it’s about time he gets the wrath of all Black people? When a Black woman has had enough, she’s had enough, and it’s time DA Willis has put him in his place! New York A.G. Trish James has had more than her share of threats and craziness. Hon. Keisha Lance Bottoms has had her share. The list of

threats on Black women must stop.

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson had to endure the foolishness of members of the U.S. Senate like Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee when she was being questioned to become a Member of the Supreme Court. Thanks for Senator Cory Booker for speaking up.  Why does VP Kamala Harris have to take the abuse she is faced with daily as she speaks out on issues that matter to Black people?

How can Texans allow Ted Cruz to get on television and spew vulgarity, telling people to kiss parts of his body nobody I know would even want to see, and still have the people of Texas vote for him?

How do Floridians allow Ronald DeSantis to remain in office with the ignorant things he comes up with to injure Black people, and take away their opportunity to learn the truth about slavery, about Black History and advise them to be against wokeness on every subject he wants to hide?   When will Donald Trump go where criminals go so these otherwise probably decent people are no longer led to do stupid things on his behalf?

How can you have respect for anybody who doesn’t even do the right thing to respect our laws and our democracy?

Rod Doss Editor & Publisher Stephan A. Broadus Assistant to the Publisher Allison Palm Office Manager Ashley Johnson Sales Director Rob Taylor Jr. Managing Editor John. H. Sengstacke

When I was born nearly eight decades ago, Cornelius D. Scully was the Mayor of Pittsburgh. By most accounts, Mayor Scully was competent. His tenure overlapped the burgeoning of the steel industry. The expansive need for steel to fight World War 2 fueled Pittsburgh’s smokey reputation as hell with the lid off.

Pittsburgh in the 1940’s was plagued by racism. There were few black policemen. Housing communities were segregated. Black doctors, lawyers and other professionals served their communities exclusively. People of African descent were typically marginalized and restricted in building pathways to economic independence. Local government was undoubtedly complicit

In the year of my birth (1944) the Tuskegee airmen were not yet acknowledged for their competence and daring as pilots. The great migration of Black Americans from the fierce, officially sanctioned bigotry of the defeated Confederate states, grew the urban populations of cities north and west. August Wilson’s plays brilliantly share the joy and pains of black men and women relocated from the south to Pittsburgh.

Mayor Scully was followed in order by David L. Lawrence, Thomas Gallagher, Joseph Barr, Pete Flaherty, Richard Caliguiri, Sophie Masloff, Thomas Murphy, Bob O’Conner, Luke Ravenstahl, and Bill Peduto. Each of Pittsburgh’s mayors had their supporters and dissenters. They shared a common distinction; they were all white.

As a lifelong Pittsburgh resident, my journey from youth through

adulthood gave me no indication Pittsburgh would ever elect a Black mayor. Byrd Brown, a prominent attorney, and activist mounted an unsuccessful mayoral campaign and was defeated for the nomination by Democratic stalwart Sophie Masloff three decades ago. Over the years Black candidates did not muster the support to be considered an electable mayoral candidate.

When State Representative Ed Gainey announced his candidacy against the incumbent Mayor, Bill Peduto, the memory of Byrd Brown was foremost in my mind. But, with backing from all sectors of the Pittsburgh community, Gainey was elected mayor. I admit to feeling a bit paternalistic toward Mayor Gainey. He is in the same age cohort as my two sons, and I attest to schooling him on the basketball court (although he denies it!). Being an urban mayor is a tough ass job. Pittsburgh, consistent with the experience of many urban municipalities, is paying a horrendous price for decades of systemic racial inequity. Concentrations of Pittsburgh residents are locked into intergenerational poverty. Poverty is a breeding ground for self-destructive behaviors. Our mayor is a product of

Pittsburgh’s Homewood community. He was educated in the public school system, experienced the trauma of personal loss, and remains able to celebrate and appreciate the core richness of his community.

The heartbeat of our city is irregular. Many days pass with the regular rhythms of urban life. Sadly, some days the heartbeat of our city is interrupted by gunshots and other ghastly terrors. The restoration of the flow of our city’s lifeblood after a major attack requires a surgeon’s skills and a pastor’s grace.

Mayor Gainey is a product of the City of Pittsburgh. As a Black man, he is proof positive growing up in Pittsburgh’s urban core can provide the foundation to lead. Whether getting a downed bridge rebuilt in a year or comforting the parents of a murdered child, our mayor has executed his responsibilities as Chief Executive with competence and sensitivity. I want to be clear; he gets no pass from me because he is Black. I will be on him like white on rice if my local streets are not plowed in the winter or the police act a fool.

Lastly, it pains me when I hear people, particularly Black, question the intellect of the mayor. I have had the opportunity to meet and convene with many Pittsburgh mayors during my lifetime and their intellectual prowess ranged from dim to brilliant. Mayor Gainey’s legacy is being defined as I write these words. Ultimately history will judge whether he had the intellect, competence, commitment, and sensitivity to guide our city through turbulent challenges. I believe he is the right person for the job.

The United States has long been described as a nation of ideas.  The founding fathers wrote that “with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence… mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” This closing line of the Declaration of Independence underscored that the founders of this great country were willing to put their lives on the line to protect the God-given freedoms we continue to hold dear. Today, our brave servicemembers carry on that torch, entering dangerous circumstances to secure our unalienable rights.

In return, we have a solemn responsibility to prepare those we send into harm’s way and care for them and their families when they return home. This is a promise we have not always kept.  And the impacts have often been devastating. But Democrats, under the leadership of President Joe Biden, are taking giant steps to right these wrongs and fulfill this sacred obligation.

During the Vietnam War, the U.S. military engaged in an aggressive chemical warfare program, codenamed Operation Ranch Hand, to eliminate forest cover and destroy crops attempting to gain military advantage over North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops. More than 20 million gallons of various herbicides doused roads, rivers, rice paddies, and farmland across Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, causing massive environmental devastation. Several herbicides were manufactured, commonly referred to as Agent Pink, Agent Green, Agent Purple, Agent White, Agent Blue, and the most widely used, Agent Orange.

When American troops began returning home after the war, many of them and their families began reporting strange symptoms and afflictions, from painful rashes to miscarriages, birth defects, cancers, and varying diseases.

In 1988, Operation Ranch Hand scientist and Air Force researcher Dr. James Clary wrote to Senator Tom Daschle that “when we initiated the herbicide program in the 1960s, we were aware of the potential for damage due to dioxin contamination in the herbicide. However, none of us were overly concerned because the material was to be used on the enemy. We never considered a scenario in which our personnel would become contaminated with the herbicide.” Dioxin, the dangerous byproduct produced by herbicides, was found in all herbicides used in Vietnam. It is also the byproduct of trash incineration or burn pits. Doctors raised concerns about the impacts of burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan as early as 2004 but were publicly ignored by the U.S. government and military. The Department of Defense has since closed out most burn pits and plans to close out those that remain, but they have already caused significant harm to our veterans.

Last year, under the leadership

of President Biden, Congress finally acted to address these harms. August 10, 2023, marks 1 year since the Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act was signed into law—the largest expansion of veterans’ benefits in decades.

This law significantly expands VA health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances. Since the PACT Act was enacted, more than 785,000 veterans have applied or submitted claims for PACT Act-related benefits, and more than 4.1 million have undergone screening for toxic substance exposure.

The PACT Act also helps the VA be more responsive to veterans’ needs. It authorizes the VA to expand their workforce and construct 31 new VA facilities across the country to meet the growing demand for services and care. The outdated system of determining presumptive status for medical conditions has been modernized, and the VA will conduct research to better understand veterans’ health trends. To detect early signs of toxic exposure-related diseases, the VA has started proactively screening every enrolled veteran for poisonous exposure and will provide follow-up screenings every five years. We must continue to honor our veterans by providing them with the care and support they need to live safe, healthy lives after they return home. One year after President Biden signed it into law, it is clear the PACT Act is delivering on this sacred commitment.

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - As we endure one mass shooting crisis to the next, it illustrates the nation’s void in leadership. We look to our elected officials to fulfill their oaths of office to protect the public because a person is only as good as their word. Words also have consequences—good and bad. Following a mass shooting, politicians often offer “thoughts and prayers.” For those who believe in the power of prayer, “thoughts and prayers” is a sincere act of empathy, compassion, and condolence. Unfortunately, disingenuous words repeated by politicians have produced more pain, anger, and bitterness than support and comfort. In the aftermath of one mass shooting after the next, the nation has grown frustrated with lawmakers sending “thoughts and prayers.” The words have become empty and hollow lip service when not backed by sincere action through meaningful gun legislation.

Conservatives don’t say, I told you so, when progressive policies backfire in Democratic cities; they say, you get what you vote for.

On January 1, 2020, New York’s experimental no-cash bail system went into effect. A week later, elected officials had second thoughts after they heard stories of suspects’ being set free and committing new crimes.

Conservatives said, you get what you vote for.

The Oakland Police Department announced a few months ago that crime in the city had climbed by 14 percent for three years in a row. According to the president of the NAACP’s Oakland branch, “failed leadership, including the movement to defund the police, our District Attorney’s unwillingness to charge and prosecute people who murder and commit life-threatening serious crimes, and the proliferation of anti-police rhetoric, have created a heyday for Oakland criminals.”

Again, conservatives said, you get what you vote for.

J. Pharoah Doss

for demonizing the youth. Johnson stated that these young people are “starved of opportunities” in their own communities and that criticizing them is counterproductive.

After hearing Johnson’s excuses for the teenagers, conservatives predicted Chicago’s crime rate would reach unprecedented heights because nothing would be more counterproductive than Johnson’s ultra-progressive solutions to problems he hasn’t begun to understand.

Hyundai and Kia for neglecting to include anti-theft systems in some of their vehicle models. The city claimed that the lack of this technology generated a “car theft crisis”. According to Mayor Johnson, the automaker’s irresponsibility has disproportionately affected low-income citizens since offenders use stolen Hyundais and Kias to perpetrate other crimes such as armed robbery and murder.

This time, Democratic colleagues mocked the mayor.

Democratic alderman Raymod Lopez said the figures speak for themselves—a 104 percent spike from last year and a 234 percent increase from two years ago—but the mayor doesn’t blame the criminals; he blames the cars.

Of course, conservatives said, you get what you vote for, but this time voters got exactly what Johnson promised.

David W. Marshall

Commentary

2021 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows more than 50 people in the U.S. are killed daily by a firearm. Statistics that support that America is one of the deadliest and most violent nations in the world have failed to move enough lawmakers to care to legislate change. Mass shootings and gun violence are compounded by the political power battles fought between gun control advocates and those who are aggressive in protecting the right to bear arms.

Conservatives warned Chicago voters not to choose progressive candidate Brandon Johnson as their next mayor. Johnson unveiled his crime-prevention strategy throughout his campaign.

“Instead of investing more in policing and incarceration,” he said, “the city should focus on mental health treatment, affordable housing for all, and jobs for youth.”

Then he proposed taxing the “ultrarich” in order to pay for these efforts.

Johnson was elected, but during the transition period, there was a weekend of violence dubbed “The Teen Takeover of the Loop” (the central business district of Chicago), where hundreds of young people fought in the streets, blocked traffic, smashed cars, and two people were shot. The chaos appalled Mayor-elect Johnson, but he chastised the conservative media

It didn’t take long before PJ Media ran a headline that said: Thugs, gangs, and other criminals welcome Chicago’s new mayor with a 38 percent crime spike in his first month.  Vehicle theft increased by 153 percent, aggravated battery increased by 17 percent, burglary increased by 12 percent, and shootings increased by 5 percent.

PJ Media acknowledged that Johnson’s tenure had just begun, so he is not to blame for the increase in crime, but Johnson is responsible for how he intends to approach the issue.

There appears to have been a spree of holdups in which armed criminals leaped out of stolen cars and robbed victims of their belongings. Their targets were food vendors and people on their way to or from work. These robberies became so common that Chicago police issued a community alert urging residents to be on the lookout for suspicious activity when exiting their vehicles.

The city of Chicago decided to sue

Power of the tongue A job for all

Chicago isn’t the first to sue the automakers. A class-action lawsuit was filed in California a year ago accusing Hyundai and Kia of deliberately building cars without engine immobilizers (devices installed in vehicles to prevent theft through hot-wiring), despite the fact that other car manufacturers have used these devices in their vehicles for decades.

Johnson is only following their lead to “prevent” a specific type of car theft.

It’s worth remembering that throughout Johnson’s campaign, he stated that if elected, he would demonstrate that significant investments are necessary in order to “prevent” crime, which is the end goal.

In terms of the “car theft crisis,” the conservatives are correct—Chicagoans are getting what they voted for. However, when the mayor attempts to “prevent” murders by suing gun manufacturers, conservatives aren’t going to say, you get what you vote for. They’re going to say, I told you so.

The NRA finances many lawmakers who fiercely oppose banning assault weapons, and those politicians are more likely to be the same public officials who engage in dog-whistle messages concerning race, thereby creating and perpetuating an environment of racial and religious intolerance and hate. When you have an isolated person inspired by the use of semi-automatic rifles in previous mass shootings, emboldened by a politician’s anti-woke / anti-Black messaging, and finally, controlled by their mental illness, the lethal combination creates a person like Ryan Palmeter, who on Aug. 26, 2023, carried out a racially motivated shooting in Jacksonville, Florida, by opening fire in a Dollar General store, killing three people before killing himself. The gunman’s father said his son had stopped taking psychiatric medication and stayed in his room after dropping out of college and losing his job.

Jacksonville Sheriff

T.K. Waters said the writings left by the killer, a 21-year-old White man, made clear that he was motivated by racism. Each victim was Black. The words and policies of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have consequences, which is why Black leaders throughout the state are angry. The shooting has devastated Jacksonville’s New Town community. While speaking at a community vigil held for the three victims, the governor was met with boos. Black leaders have denounced a pattern of “policy violence” against people of color imposed by the DeSantis administration. The governor’s presence and seemingly disingenuous comments brought forth angry shouts, tears, and profanity from the crowd of 200. How can an elected official publicly offer support and comfort to a hurting community when their rhetoric and policies show they are the source of the problem?

NAACP President Derrick Johnson said DeSantis deserves real blame for the shooting. “What Gov. DeSantis has done is created an atmosphere for such tragedies to take place,” Johnson said. The leading civil rights group argued that the state’s loose gun laws and the governor’s “anti-woke” agenda have created a culture of open hostility toward people of color. In times of crisis, people expect elected officials to show some degree of genuine empathy and to do something. Giving support and comfort to constituents in the wake of tragic events is not political but comes from an empathic heart. While DeSantis wants Joe Biden’s job, he doesn’t share Joe Biden’s empathy and concern for people.

The Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, is one of the oldest Black congregations in the South. Affectionately known as Mother Emanuel, in 2015, the congregation endured a targeted, racially motivated assault where the pastor and eight other worshippers were killed. As vice president, Joe Biden made a surprise visit to a worship service at Mother Emanuel. “We came back because our family wanted to show solidarity with your family and church,” Biden said at the service. Biden also said one of the reasons he went to the worship service was to “draw strength from the church” following the death of his son, Beau Biden, the previous month. He also wished he could say more to ease the pain of the families that lost loved ones during the church massacre, but the death of his son reminded him that there are “no words, only faith.”

Biden read a verse from Psalms at the service. “I pray that the families will find refuge in the shadows of His wings,” Biden said. “And I pray that the love that all of you have shown to them, and to people around the country and to me, will help mend the broken hearts of their families and mine.” This exemplifies what true “thoughts and prayers” look and sound like.

(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.)

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - A job for all. Everyone ready and able to work will get a job – a good job that pays enough to bring a family above the poverty line –guaranteed by the federal government. At a time when our political leaders seem more intent on driving us apart rather than bringing us together, a federally guaranteed jobs program is an idea bold enough to break through the muck. Moreover, when Jerome Powell, the head of the Federal Reserve, essentially announces that he will continue to fight inflation by raising interest rates until millions lose their jobs, it is long past time to stop sacrificing workers and their families for prices that they do not control.

A federal jobs guarantee is not a new idea. Coming out of World War II, Franklin Delano Roosevelt argued that Americans had come to understand that political and social rights had to be accompanied by economic rights. He pledged an Economic Bill of Rights that included the right to a job for everyone willing and able to work. Sadly, he died before he could make that promise real.

A. Philip Randolph, a visionary leader of both the labor and the civil rights movement, took up Roosevelt’s promise, arguing that “if full employment can be maintained in a war for destruction, it can also be maintained in peace for construction.” The mobilization for World War II had created a booming economy with full employment. Now the question was what would be done in the peacetime. Both FDR and Randolph argued that a Federal Jobs Guarantee would provide the foundation for a thriving democracy and a just society. Randolph joined with other labor leaders to push Congress to pass a Full Employment Bill. Their efforts were stymied by the business lobby, conservatives in both parties, and by Southern Democrats fearful that full employment might empower Blacks to challenge segregation and the

Jesse Jackson Sr.

Commentary

South’s system of legal apartheid.

A Federal Jobs Guarantee would offer every person a job with a living wage. Instead of paying unemployment to laid-off workers, the government would provide wages to put people to work.

There is no shortage of necessary work to be done. Our infrastructure remains decrepit and dangerous, and even Biden’s infrastructure bill only provides a down payment on what needs to be done. Catastrophic climate change and extreme weather require a massive effort to strengthen our defenses against catastrophe, to clean up after calamities that are growing worse and more frequent, and to make the transition to renewable energy and energy efficiency. Biden’s Infrastructure Reduction Act again makes a down payment, but much more needs to be done.

Similarly, it makes sense to invest on the front side of life rather than pay more on the backside, to invest in childcare and head start, the universal pre-K on the front side rather than welfare, jail care and despair on the back side. Every family with children could save literally thousands of dollars a year if the government joined other industrial countries in providing comprehensive assistance for families with children.

A Federal Jobs Guarantee would help mitigate the wild gyrations of our economy that wreak so much damage to families. During downturns, the Federal Guarantee would expand and ensure that everyone has a job rather than going on welfare

or unemployment. During booms, the program would contract as the private sector expanded and that would help keep inflation from getting out of control.

A federal jobs guarantee would put a floor under wages across the economy, much the way a minimum wage does now, except far more effectively. That would empower workers to demand more from their employers and give employers incentives to become more efficient.

Most important, a federal jobs guarantee would keep working families from being brutalized when prices begin to rise. Instead of raising interest rates to throw workers out of work,

Federal officials would focus on monopoly pricing, on price gouging, on supply chain disruptions, on the financial barracudas that jack up prices and pocket predatory profits before driving good companies into bankruptcy.

The program would be easily affordable. Every worker employed would, of course, pay taxes – and not collect unemployment or welfare. With unemployment now near record lows, this is a good time to transition to a job guarantee.

Polls show, not surprisingly, that this idea is popular, particularly among working-class people across both parties. Contrary to the jibes of the right, Americans want to work in jobs with a living wage.

Donald Trump seems intent on running on revenge and retribution for what he sees as indignities and injustices of the past. Joe Biden seems intent on running on his record of accomplishments which are better than he’s given credit for – but this too looks backward not forward. Most Americans want to know what can be done to secure their futures, not re-litigate the past. Those who seek to lead this country should rouse us with their vision and their program for the future. If they do, a federal jobs guarantee is an idea whose time has come.

Wealthy extremists attacking funding for Black women entrepreneurs

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - “In the face of persistent, systemic discrimination against Black people and all people of color arising from our country’s long history of racism, Ed Blum and his recently-created front group are bent on dismantling programs benefiting the Black community. They seek to kneecap any effort to undo entrenched racial inequalities and further cement the status quo of inequitable market access.” -Damon Hewitt, President and Executive Director of Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

In recent years, women entrepreneurs of color have started companies at more than four times the rate of the overall population.

In 2021, 17 percent of Black women were in the process of starting or running new businesses, compared to 10 percent of White women, and 15 percent of White men.  While Black women represent 14 percent of the female population, they account for 42 percent of net new women-owned businesses.   Black women business owners who apply for funding are rejected at three times the rate of White business owners. Only 3 percent of Black women-owned companies mature and survive longer than five years.   Last year, only 0.1 percent – one tenth of

Marc H. Morial To Be

Equal

one percent – of venture capital funds went to Black and Latino women founders.

Anti-racial justice activist Edward Blum, backed by wealthy, dark-money foundations, contends the system is rigged – in favor of Black women.

Blum has filed suit against the Fearless Fund, a venture capital firm that has awarded $26 million in investments and $3 million in grants in the last four years to more 40 businesses led by women of color.

Blum, who was behind the lawsuit that resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court decision that ended affirmative action in college admissions, is on a well-funded and increasingly successful crusade to preserve systemic racial inequities and the advantages they afford people like himself and his backers.

As if to add insult to injury, he is suing under a post-Civil War law intended to protect

Black Americans from racial discrimination.  His lawsuit – like his many others –makes a mockery of both the law and the very idea of racial equity.

The National Urban League has joined in filing an amicus brief in the case, along with Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, National Action Network, NAACP, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, and LatinoJustice PRLDEF. As the brief explains, Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 was explicitly designed to further the aims of the Thirteenth Amendment by creating a remedy for discrimination against Black people that hampered their ability to enter into contracts and fully participate in the nation’s economy.

Programs like Fearless Fund, which strengthen Black Americans’ rights to equal participation in the marketplace, are indisputably authorized under federal law.

Fearless Fund founders Ayana Parsons and Arian Simone, both Black women with deep experience in business, estimated they took 300 meetings with potential investors before getting their first $5 million in funding.

CONDITIONS OF SALE

Effective with the August 3, 2020 Sheriff Sale of real estate and all such monthly public sales thereafter shall be conducted virtually through video conferencing technology or live streaming. The Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office shall provide for up to twenty-five persons to participate in person in the Gold Room, 4th Floor Allegheny County Courthouse. ALL PARTICIPANTS OR BIDDERS MUST BE REGISTERED AT LEAST 7 DAYS BEFORE THE DATE OF THE SALE IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE (VIRTUALLY OR IN PERSON) AT THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SALES OF REAL ESTATE. REGISTRATION WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY SHERIFF’S WEBSITE: SHERIFFALLEGHENYCOUNTY.COM. The Successful bidder will pay full amount of bid in CASH, CERTIFIED CHECK OR CASHIERS CHECK at time of sale, otherwise the property will be resold at the next regular Sheriffs Sale; provided, that if the sale is made on MONDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2023 the bidder may pay ten percent of purchasing price but not less than 75.00 in CASH, CERTIFIED CHECK, OR CASHIERS CHECK THE DAY IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE SALE, e.g. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2023, BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 8:30AM AND 2:30PM IN THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE. And the balance in CASH, CERTIFIED CHECK, OR CASHIERS CHECK, on or before TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2023, at 10:00 O’CLOCK A.M. The property will be resold at the next regular Sheriff’s Sale if the balance is not paid, and in such case all money’s paid in at the original sale shall be applied to any deficiency in the price of which property is resold, and provided further that if the successful bidder is the plaintiff in the execution the bidder shall pay full amount of bid ON OR BEFORE THE FIRST MONDAY OF THE FOLLOWING MONTH, OTHERWISE WRIT WILL BE RETURNED AND MARKED “REAL ESTATE UNSOLD” and all monies advanced by plaintiff will be applied as required by COMMON PLEAS COURT RULE 3129.2 (1) (a).

FORFEITED SALES WILL BE POSTED IN THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE AND LISTED ON THE SHERIFF OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY WEB SITE.

AMENDMENT OF THE CODE SECOND CLASS COUNTY NEW CHAPTER 475

THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 475, ENTITLED TAXATION IS HEREBY AMENDED THROUGH THE CREATION OF A NEW ARTICLE XII, ENTITLED, “SHERIFF SALES”, AND COMPRISED AS FOLLOWS: SUBSECTION 475-60: RECORDING OF DEEDS AND NOTIFICATION OF SHERIFFS SALES TO TAXING BODIES.

A. FOR ANY REAL PROPERTY OFFERED AT SHERIFFS SALE DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF REAL ESTATE TAXES AND PURCHASED BY A THIRD PARTY THROUGH SUCH SALE, THE SHERIFF SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FILING THE DEED AND, WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OF FILING OF THE SHERIFFS DEED, PROVIDE WRITTEN NOTICE OF THE CONVEYANCE TO THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY OFFICE OF PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS. THE WRITTEN NOTICE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION SHALL INCLUDE THE DATE OF THE SALE, IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROPERTY SOLD BY BOTH ADDRESS AND LOT AND BLOCK NUMBER, AND THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE INDIVIDUALS OR OTHER ENTITY THAT PURCHASED THE PROPERTY.

B. AT THE TIME OF THE SALE THE SHERIFF SHALL COLLECT ALL REQUISITE FILING COSTS, REALTY TRANSFER TAXES AND FEES, NECESSARY TO PROPERLY RECORD THE DEED.

C. WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OF RECEIPT OF WRITTEN NOTICE FROM THE SHERIFF, THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY OFFICE OF PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS SHALL FORWARD COPIES OF SUCH NOTICE TO ALL TAXING BODIES LEVYING REAL ESTATE TAXES ON THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE MUNICIPALITY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT WHERE THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED.

AS REQUIRED BY SECTION 14 OF ACT NO. 77 OF 1986, THE COST OF ALL DOCUMENTARY STAMPS FOR REAL ESTATE TRANSFER TAXES (STATE, LOCAL, AND SCHOOL) WILL BE DEDUCTED BY THE SHERIFF FROM THE PROCEEDS OF THE SALE. Purchasers must record their deeds and pay the necessary recording fees. Pursuant to Rule 3136 P.R.C.P. NOTICE is hereby given that a schedule of distribution will be filed by the Sheriff not later than 30 days from date of sale and that distribution will be made in accordance with the schedule unless exceptions are filed thereto within 10 days thereafter. No further notice of the filing of the schedule of distribution will be given.

A Land Bank formed under 68 Pa. C.S.A. 2101 et seq. may exercise its right to bid pursuant to 68 Pa. C.S.A. 2117(d) (2) through Pa. C.S.A. 2117(d) (4) on certain properties listed for sale under the municipal claims and Tax Lien Law, 53 P.S. 7101 et seq. The Sheriff of Allegheny County will honor the terms of payment which the Land Bank has entered with any municipalities having a claim against the property. If the Land Bank tenders a bid under Pa. C.S.A. 2117(d)(3) or 2117(d)(4) the property will not be offered for sale to others and the Property will be considered sold to the Land Bank for the Upset Price as defined in P.S.7279 and no other bids will be accepted.

NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT ALL SHERIFFS DEEDS TENDERED TO PURCHASERS WILL CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING:

“This document may not sell, convey, transfer, include, or insure the title to the coal and right of support underneath the surface land described or referred to herein and the owner or owners of such coal may have the complete legal right to remove all of such coal, and in that connection damage may result to the surface of the land, any house, building or other structure on or in such land.”

4OCT23

DEFENDANT(S) LYNDA M. HOLLEY ********************

CASE NO. MG-23-000232

DEBT $85,371.99

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S)

KML LAW GROUP, P.C.

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

SUITE 5000, 701 MARKET STREET

PIIlLADELPHIA, PA 19106

*******************************

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER:

(215) 627-1322

*******************************************

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

*****************************

IN THE COMMONWEAL TH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, 4TH WARD CITY OF PITTSBURGH:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING

BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 3217 WARD STREET, PITTSBURGH, PA 15213. DEED BOOK 10341, PAGE 514. BLOCK AND LOTNillvffiER 29-C-234.

5OCT23

DEFENDANT(S) DAVID J. LUZIK JR

CASE NO. MG-22-000296

DEBT $73,725.09

********* NAME OF ATTORNEY(S)

KML LAW GROUP, P.C.

*******************************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

SUITE 5000,

6OCT23

NICOLE M. MCDERMOTT ********************

NO. MG-23-000062 DEBT $67,089.89

OF ATTORNEY(S) KML LAW GROUP, P.C.

OF ATTORNEY(S) SUITE 5000, 701 MARKET STREET PIIlLADELPHIA, PA 19106 ******************************* ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (215) 627-1322 *******************************************

8OCT23 DEFENDANT(S) RAYMOND A. MIKESELL ******************** CASE NO. MG-23-000313 ************* DEBT $179,595.33 NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) KML LAW GROUP, P.C.

OF ATTORNEY(S)

5000, 701 MARKET STREET

PA 19106

627-1322

THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, TOWNSHIP OF SOUTH FAYETTE:

ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS

PARCEL#l: HAVING ERECTED THEREON AN ATTACHED DEPARTMENT STORE TO A REGIONAL SHOPPING CENTER BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 590 PITTSBURGH MILLS CIRCLE, TARENTUM, PA 15084, DEED BOOK VOLUME 17205, PAGE 381, BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER

840-P-10.

PARCEL#2: HAYING VACANT COMMERCIAL LAND BEING KNOWN AS MILLS DRIVE, TARENTUM, PA 15084, DEED BOOK VOLUME 17205, PAGE 381, BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER

840-L-275.

PARCEL#3: HAVING VACANT COMMERCIAL LAND

BEING KNOWN AS PITTSBURGH MILLS CIRCLE, TARENTUM, PA 15084, DEED BOOK VOLUME 17205, PAGE 381, BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 840-K-50.

PARCEL#4: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A REGIONAL SHOPPING CENTER BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 167-592 PITTSBURGH

MJLLS CIRCLE, TARENTUM, PA 15084, DEED BOOK VOLUME 17205, PAGE 381, BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 840-K-100.

15OCT23

DEFENDANT(S) PITT GALLERIA REALTY LLC, PITT REALTY LLC, PITT GALLERIA CH LLC, AND PITT GALLERIA NASSIM LLC

CASE NO.: GD-21-010969

************* DEBT $3,155,828.90

********* NAME OF ATTORNEY(S)

MATTHEW F. MARSHALL ANTHONY W. COSGROVE ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 600 CRANBERRY WOODS DRIVE, SUITE 175, CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, PA 16066 ******************************* ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 724-776-6644 ******************************************* SHORT DESCRIPTION: IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, FRAZER

TOWNSHIP:

PARCEL#l: HAVING ERECTED THEREON AN ATTACHED DEPARTMENT STORE TO A REGIONAL SHOPPING CENTER BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 590 PITTSBURGH MILLS CIRCLE, TARENTUM, PA 15084, DEED BOOK VOLUME 17205, PAGE 381, BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 840-P-10.

PARCEL#2: HAVING VACANT COMMERCIAL LAND BEING KNOWN AS MILLS DRIVE, TARENTUM, PA 15084, DEED BOOK VOLUME 17205, PAGE 381, BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 840-L-275.

PARCEL#3: HAVING VACANT COMMERCIAL LAND BEING KNOWN AS PITTSBURGH MILLS CIRCLE, TARENTUM, PA 15084, DEED BOOK VOLUME 17205, PAGE 381, BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 840-K-50.

PARCEL#4: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A REGIONAL SHOPPING CENTER BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 167-592 PITTSBURGH MILLS CIRCLE, TARENTUM, PA

BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 1845-M-306.

PLAINTIFF(S) Penn Hills School District and Municipality of Penn Hills VS. DEFENDANT(S) WILLIAM MOORE

CASE NO.: GD 22-013870 ************* DEBT $14,092.78 ********* NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Jennifer L. Cerce, Esquire ******************************* ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 424 S. 27th Street, Ste. 210 Pittsburgh, PA 15203 ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 242-4400 SHORT DESCRIPTION: ***************************** In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Municipality of Penn Hills:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A SINGLE

FAMILY DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 9611 EMERSON ST, PITTSBURGH, PA 15235. DEED BOOK 10983, PAGE 63. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 295-P-228. 21OCT23

DEFENDANT(S) BLACK FORGE GROUNDS, LLC

CASE NO.: GD-23-001824

OF ATTORNEY(S)

Michael McCague, Esquire

OF ATTORNEY(S)

Cedar Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15212

TELEPHONE NUMBER:

the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Borough of McKees

ERECTED THEREON A COMMERCIAL

BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 701 CHARTIERS AVENUE, MCKEES ROCKS, PA 15136. DEED BOOK VOLUME

19269, PAGE 135, BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER

43-K-204.

22OCT23

DEFENDANT(S) Charles A.J. Halpin, III, Esquire, Personal Representative of the Estate of Emily J.

Reid, Deceased

********************

CASE NO.: GD-23-006058

DEBT $55,351.73

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S)

The Law Office of Gregory Javardian, LLC

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 1310 Industrial Boulevard, l51 Floor, Suite

Southampton, PA 18966

TELEPHONE NUMBER:

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Borough of Munhall: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A TWO-STORY FRAME DWELLING HOUSE BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS

HARVEY AVENUE, HOMESTEAD, PA 15120. DEED BOOK VOLUME

DEFENDANT(S) PATRICIA E. KOVACH ******************** CASE NO.: MG-22-000297 ************* DEBT $85,249.02

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) KML LAW GROUP, P.C. ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) SUITE 5000, 701 MARKET STREET PHILADELPHIA, PA 19106 ******************************* ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (215) 627-1322

SHORT DESCRIPTION: ***************************** IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, TOWNSHIP OF NORTH VERSAILLES: PARCEL ONE: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 119 BROADWAY EXT, NORTH VERSAILLES, PA 15137. DEED BOOK VOLUME 16800, PAGE 137, BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 458-M-340. PARCEL TWO: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A VACANT LAND BEING KNOWN AS OWEN STREET, NORTH VERSAILLES, PA 15137. DEED BOOK VOLUME 16800, PAGE 137, BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 458-M-342.

28OCT23

DEFENDANT(S) ALL KNOWN AND UNKNOWN HEIRS OF FELIX R. MAYER CASE NO.: MG-22-01001 ************* DEBT $21,249.59 *********

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Michelle Pierro, Esquire ******************************* ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) Tucker Arensberg, P.C. 1500 One PPG Place Pittsburgh, PA 15222 ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 566-1212 SHORT DESCRIPTION: ***************************** IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, NINTH WARD OF THE CITY OF MCKEESPORT HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 1823 CRAIG STREET, MCKEESPORT, PA 15132 AS DESCRIBED IN DEED BOOK 4644 PAGE 565, PARCEL NUMBER 0381L-00143-0000-00

SONNY BOY

North Hills School District VS. DEFENDANT(S): David J. Beach and the United States of America

******************** CASE NO.: GD 22-002139 ************* DEBT $6,973.32

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Joseph W. Gramc, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 525 William Penn Place, Suite 3110 Pittsburgh, PA 15219

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 281-0587

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Borough of West View:

Having erected thereon a two story frame house lmown as 123 Frankfort Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15229. Deed Book Volume’ 11013, Page 277. Block & Lot No. 280-P336.

41OCT23

DEFENDANT(S): BRANDON WYSE

SOLELY IN HIS CAPACITY AS HEIR OF KATHLEEN M. WYSE, DECEASED, THE

UNKNOWN HEIRS OF KATHLEEN M.

WYSE DECEASED

CASE NO.: MG-22-000629

DEBT $72,422.92

********* NAME OF ATTORNEY(S)

KML LAW GROUP, P.C.

******************************* ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) SUITE 5000, 701 MARKET STREET PHILADELPHIA, PA 19106

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER:

(215) 627-1322 *******************************************

SHORT DESCRIPTION: IN THE COMMONWEAL TH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, BOROUGH OF MUNHALL:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING

BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 136 WEST MARIGOLD STREET, HOMESTEAD, PA 15120. DEED BOOK 16783, PAGE 189. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER l 80-C-246.

42OCT23

DEFENDANT(S): SAMANTHA SINGER, WILLIAM J. SINGER

CASE NO.: MG-23-000507

DEBT $97,347.13

********* NAME OF ATTORNEY(S)

KML LAW GROUP, P.C. ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) SUITE 5000, 701 MARKET STREET PHILADELPHIA, PA 19106

*******************************

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER:

(215) 627-1322 *******************************************

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, TOWNSHIP OF HARRISON:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 1103 LIBERTY AVENUE, NATRONA

************* DEBT $28,591.57 NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Jennifer L. Cerce, Esquire ******************************* ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 424 S. 27th Street, Ste. 21O Pittsburgh, PA 15203 ******************************* ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 242-4400

SHORT DESCRIPTION: ***************************** In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Municipality of Penn Hills:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A SINGLE

FAMILY DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 96 WOODS ROAD, PITTSBURGH, PA 15235. DEED BOOK 7701, PAGE 63. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 230-P-91. 50OCT23

PLAINTIFF(S) County of Allegheny, City of Pittsburgh and School District of Pittsburgh VS. DEFENDANT(S): Randolf Pickett, Executor of the Estate of Annetta J. Pickett, Deceased

CASE NO.: GD 18-006682

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S)

53OCT23

PLAINTIFF(S) SHALER AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT VS. DEFENDANT(S): KIMBERLY C. CRAIG, EXECUTRIX OF THE ESTATE OF RICHARD

W. BARSH, DECEASED, AND AARON

BARSH, KNOWN HEIR OF THE ESTATE OF RICHARD W.BARSH,DECEASED

CASE NO.: GD 22-000648

DEBT $34,722.17 *********

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) JOHN T. VOGEL, TUCKER ARENSBERG, P.C.

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) TUCKER ARENSBERG, P.C. 1500 ONE PPG PLACE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15222

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 412.594.3943

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, TOWNSHIP OF SHALER:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A RESIDENTIAL

DWELLING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 3505 ROSE DRIVE, GLENSHAW, PENNSYLVANIA 15116-1331 , DEED BOOK VOLUME 3522, PAGE 523, BLOCK AND LOT 521-A-301.

54OCT23

DEFENDANT(S): DANITA M. NOVAK

CASE NO.: MG-22-000852 DEBT $181,603.76 *********

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Stephen Panik, Esquire ******************************* ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) Brock.& Scott, PLLC PPG PLACE, 2011 RENAISSANCE BOULEVARD, SUITE 100 KING OF PRUSSIA, PA 19406 ******************************* ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (844) 856-6646 ******************************************* SHORT DESCRIPTION: ***************************** In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, O’HARA TOWNSHIP Having erected thereon a dwelling being known and numbered as 312 ORCHARD DRIVE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15238. Deed Book Volume 16450, PAGE 499. Block

DEFENDANT(S): DAVID T. BUTLER JR KNOWN HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF DAVID T. BUTLER SR; NICHOLAS BUTLER KNOWN HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF DAVID T. BUTLER SR; UNKNOWN HEIRS, SUCCESSORS, ASSIGNS, AND ALL PERSONS, FIRMS, OR ASSOCIATIONS CLAIMING

63OCT23

PLAINTIFF(S) Penn Hills School District and Municipality of Penn Hills VS. DEFENDANT(S): THERESA A. FUREY, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF GRACE R. BLASCO, DECEASED

CASE NO.: GD 22-013636

************* DEBT $13,504.51 ********* NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Jennifer L. Cerce, Esquire ******************************* ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 424 S. 27th Street, Ste. 210 Pittsburgh, PA 15203

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 242-4400

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Municipality of Penn Hills:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A SINGLE

FAMILY DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 10120 GIBSON ST, PITTSBURGH, PA 15235. DEED BOOK 3889, PAGE 72. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 295-S-369.

64OCT23

PLAINTIFF(S) Penn Hills School District and Municipality of Penn Hills VS.

DEFENDANT(S): CORNELL L. DOWNING, ANTIONE L.

DOWNING AND DAWNITA D. DOWNING

******************** CASE NO.: GD 23-001760

************* DEBT $15,582.88

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S)

Jennifer L. Cerce, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

424 S. 27th Street, Ste. 210 Pittsburgh, PA 15203

*******************************

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER:

(412) 242-4400

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

*****************************

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Municipality of Penn

Hills:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A SINGLE

AVE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15210. Deed Book Volume 13043, Page 288. Block and Lot Number 0095-H-001870000-00

60OCT23

PLAINTIFF(S) DEER LAKES SCHOOL

DISTRICT VS.

DEFENDANT(S): MELISSA A. WEST

********************

CASE NO.: GD-22-011451

************* DEBT $19,437.88

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S)

CHRISTOPHER E. VINCENT

*******************************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

546 WENDEL ROAD, IRWIN, PA 15642

*******************************

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER:

724-978-0333

*******************************************

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

*****************************

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, TOWNSHIP OF WEST DEER:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING

BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 4218 HAVENCREST DRIVE, GIBSONIA, PA 15044. DEED BOOK 13568, PAGE 106. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 1507-M-363

61OCT23

PLAINTIFF(S) SHALER AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT VS.

DEFENDANT(S): LINDA CREEK and CHARLES CREEK, II, AS JOINT TENANTS WITH RIGHT OF SURVIVORSHIP AND NOT AS TENANTS IN COMMON

********************

CASE NO.: GD 22-000493

************* DEBT $23,543.89

FAMILY DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 7709 MARK DR, VERONA, PA 15147. DEED BOOK 14818, PAGE 102.

BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 230-8-4.

65OCT23

DEFENDANT(S): Thomas J. Farrell; Juliette Farrell

CASE NO.: MG-15-001715

DEBT $393,718.57 *********

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Manley Deas Kochalski LLC

******************************* ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) P. 0. Box 165028 Columbus, OH 43216-5028

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER:

614-220-5611

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Borough of Swissvale:

PACEL 1: Vacant land being known as Raymond Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15218. Deed Book Volume 09787, Page 208. Block and Lot No. l 77-N-145.

PACEL2: Vacant land being known as 7222 Raymond Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15218. Deed Book Volume 09787, Page 208. Block and Lot No. l 77-N-143.

PACEL3: Having erected a dwelling being known as 7222 Raymond Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15218. Deed Book Volume 09787, Page 208, Block and Lot No. 177-N-00144.

66OCT23

DEFENDANT(S): James H. Morrow; Viola M. Morrow

******************** CASE NO.: GD-23-001937 DEBT $44,955.11

TELEPHONE NUMBER: 412.594.3943

SHORT DESCRIPTION: ***************************** IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, TOWNSHIP OF SHALER:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A RESIDENTIAL

DWELLING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 109 EAST UNDERCLIFF STREET, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA 15223-1149, DEED BOOK VOLUME 12950, PAGE 318, BLOCK AND LOT 284-G-78.

52OCT23

PLAINTIFF(S) SHALER AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT VS. DEFENDANT(S): WILLIAM J. PLATEK, JR. AND JODY LYNN PLATEK, HUSBAND AND WIFE

CASE NO.: GD 22-002130

DEBT $13,614.07

*********

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S)

JOHN T. VOGEL, TUCKER ARENSBERG, P.C.

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

TUCKER ARENSBERG, P.C. 1500 ONE

PPG PLACE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15222

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER:

412.594.3943

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

***************************** IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, TOWNSHIP OF SHALER:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A RESIDENTIAL

DWELLING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 129 WISE LANE, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA 15209-1147, DEED BOOK VOLUME 7343, PAGE 637, BLOCK AND LOT 354-R-78.

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) JOHN T. VOGEL, AARON J. WALAYAT, TUCKER ARENSBERG, P.C.

*******************************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

TUCKER ARENSBERG, P.C. 1500 ONE

PPG PLACE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15222

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER:

412.594.3943

SHORT DESCRIPTION: IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, TOWNSHIP OF SHALER:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A RESIDENTIAL DWELLING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 362 REETZ AVENUE, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA 15209, DEED BOOK VOLUME 14784, PAGE 1, BLOCK AND LOT 166-K-320.

62OCT23

PLAINTIFF(S) SHALER AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT VS. DEFENDANT(S): DAVID JOSEPH MANJEROVIC

******************** CASE NO.: GD 22-005136

DEBT $16,689.65

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S)

JOHN T. VOGEL, AARON J. WALAYAT, TUCKER ARENSBERG, P.C.

******************************* ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

TUCKER ARENSBERG, P.C. 1500 ONE PPG PLACE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15222

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER:

412.594.3943

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

***************************** IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, TOWNSHIP OF SHALER:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A RESIDENTIAL DWELLING KNOWN AND NUMBERED

********* NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Manley Deas Kochalski LLC ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) P. 0. Box 165028 Columbus, OH 43216-5028

******************************* ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER:

614-220-5611

*******************************************

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Reserve Township:

Having erected thereon a dwelling being known and numbered as 1704 Luty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15212-0000. Document Number 2018-5715, Deed Book Volume 17125, Page 230. Block and Lot Number 0047-H-00288-0000-00

67OCT23

DEFENDANT(S): Eric Sean Goodnack, as believed Heir to the Estate of Margaret F. Goodnack; Eric Sean Goodnack, as believed Administrator to the Estate of Margaret F. Goodnack; John Kevin Goodnack, as believed Heir to . the Estate of Margaret F. Goodnack; John Kevin Goodnack, as believed Administrator to the Estate of Margaret

F. Goodnack; Michael R. Goodnack, as believed Heir to the Estate of Margaret

F. Goodnack; Michael R Goodnack, as believed Administrator to the Estate of Margaret F. Goodnack

CASE NO.: MG-18-000593

DEBT $134,677.71

*********

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Manley Deas Kochalski LLC

*******************************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

P. 0. Box 165028

Columbus,

MAZZOCCO , deceased, of 2626 Pioneer Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15226, Estate No. 02-15-03117 ,Harry Mazzocco, Jr., 2626

Pioneer Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15226, Administrator, or to William C. Price, Jr. Price & Associates, P.C. 2005 Noble Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15218

Estate of HARRY C. WELLS, JR. deceased of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, No. 02-23-05743, Linda Olechowicz, Executor, 107 Slater Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15236 or to TODD A. FULLER, ATTY; BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC. 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017

Estate of BONNIE KAY WILLIAMSON

deceased of Robinson Township, PA. , No. 02-2305925, Holly Marocchi, Exec. c/o

Judith A. Lehnowsky, Atty. 102 Penbryn Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237.

Estate of SANDY WATAZYCHYN, A/K/A

SANDRA L. WATAZYCHYN, NICHOLAS

CHARLES WATAZYCHYN, Administrator, filed August 25, 2023 , Case No. 5998 of 2023

Peter B. Lewis, Neighborhood Legal Services, 928 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15222, Counsel.

Estate of JEFFERY M. BOMBARA, DONNA BOMBARA, Administratrix, filed August 25, 2023, Case No. 5997 of 2023 Peter B. Lewis, Neighborhood Legal Services, 928 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15222, Counsel.

Petition for Determination of Title to 1437 Orator

ANNOUNCEMENTS Meetings

NOTICE

On Thursday, September 28, 2023, at 6:00 p.m., in Council Chambers, 537 Bayne Ave., Bellevue, PA, Bellevue Borough’s Zoning Hearing Board shall hold a Public Hearing re: Application of Sala Trust, seeking Special Exception approval, per Tri-Borough Zoning Ord. §2000-405 & Ord. No. 18-05, to use the property at 552-554 Teece Ave. (Tax Parcel No.:160-G-82) as a Short-term Rental unit. The Application may be viewed during normal business hours at the Borough Offices.

Thomas P. McDermott, Solicitor Bellevue Borough ZHB

NOTICE OF SCHEDULED QUARTERLY MEETING (Pursuant to the Act of July 19, 1994, P.L. #386, 65 P.S. 261) THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH

-EQUIPMENT

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

The Sports & Exhibition Authority will receive sealed bids for Housekeeping Equipment 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 David L. Lawrence Convention Center Administrative Office, 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15222, Attention: Lucas Kistler- E-mail: lkistler@pittsburghcc.com, Telephone: 412-325-6179.

This Advertisement applies to the following Bid Package:

ACHA-1705, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE CLEANING SERVICES

Allegheny County Housing Authority (ACHA) is seeking Bids from qualified vendors to provide professional administrative office cleaning services at 301 Chartiers Ave, McKees Rocks, PA 15136, per specifications in the IFB. ACHA is now conducting all competitive solicitation on an internet -based eProcurement Housing Marketplace. ACHA is paying for all costs for the use of the Marketplace so, there will be no additional charges for your company to use the Marketplace to download documents or submit responses to ACHA.

AGENCY CONTACT PERSON: Guy Phillips, Purchasing Manager

Telephone: (412)402-2435, E-mail: gphillips@achsng.com.

HOWTOOBTAINTHEIFBDOCUMENTS ON THE EPROCUREMENT

MARKETPLACE:

NOTICE TO

Estate of DOLORES K. DAVIES, deceased of 7204 Schoyer Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15218, Estate No. 02-23-05801, Lisa A. Rajakovich, 7204 Schoyer Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15218, Executrix or to William C. Price, Jr. Price & Associates, P.C. 2005 Noble Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15218

ANNOUNCEMENTS Meetings

BOROUGH OF AVALON

2024 BUDGET WORKSHOP

MEETINGS

Notice is hereby given that the Avalon Borough Council will hold workshop meetings for the purpose of developing the 2024 Budget at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, September 26, 2023; Tuesday, October 3, 2023; Tuesday, October 10, 2023 (Budget Workshop will follow Streets and Safety Committee Meeting); Tuesday, October 24, 2023; and Thursday, November 16, 2023 (if necessary; Budget Workshop will follow Finance Committee Meeting) at the Borough Building. The proposed budget will be available on or after November 22, 2023, for public inspection in the Borough Administration Office during regular business hours, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday, 640 California Avenue, Avalon, PA, and also on the Borough website, www.boroughofavalon.org

Council intends to adopt the 2024 Budget on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, at the regular Council meeting.

Lorraine Makatura BOROUGH MANAGER

BE

Thursday, September 28th, 2023 at 2:00 P.M. CITY COUNTY BUILDING, ROOM 646 (THE LEARNING LAB) PITTSBURGH, PA 15219

This meeting is open to the public to participate in person or via conference call at the following number:

Number: 1-412-851-3584

Passcode: 202 409 159#

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Bids/Proposals

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 October 03, 2023, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for:

Pgh. Pioneer Aqua Therapy Pool Addition General, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Electrical Primes

Project Manual and Drawings will be available for purchase on September 05, 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.

The Sports & Exhibition Authority will receive proposals for Fire Alarm Monitoring, Support, & Inspection Services as identified below for the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The agreement for this work will be with the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. The Request for Proposals may be obtained after the date identified below from Lucas Kistler, Director of Facility Services, Email: lkistler@pittsburghcc.com, Telephone: 412.325.6179.

This Advertisement applies to the following Request for Proposal:

Project: Fire Alarm Monitoring, Support, & Inspection Services

RFP Available: Friday, September 8, 2023

Pre-Proposal Meeting: 10:00am | Friday, September 15, 2023 (Non-Mandatory)

DLCC – East Lobby 1000 Ft Duquesne Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15222

1. Access ha.internationaleprocurement.com (no “www”).

2. Click on the “Login” button in the upper left side.

3. Follow the listed directions.

4. If you have any problems in accessing or registering on the eProcurement Marketplace, please call customer support at (866)526-9266.

PRE-BID CONFERENCE:

THERE WILL BE A PRE-BID

Time/Date/Location for Proposals:

2:00pm | Friday, October 20, 2023

DLCC – East Lobby

Attn: Lucas Kistler 1000 Ft Duquesne Blvd Pittsburgh, PA 15222 lkistler@pittsburghcc.com

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BID

The Town of McCandless will receive sealed bids for the HVAC Renovations to Town of McCandless Town Hall project until 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, October 3, 2023, at the Town Hall Building located at 9955 Grubbs Road, Wexford, PA, 15090. Bids will be thereafter publicly opened and read at 10:30 a.m. in the Powers Meeting Room at the Town Hall. All bids must be submitted to the attention of Brian O’Malley, Town Manager, and marked “HVAC Renovations to Town of McCandless Town Hall - Mechanical Construction Contract or Electrical Construction Contract, as applicable.” Proposals to receive consideration must be accompanied by a certified check or bidder’s bond from a surety company authorized to do business in Pennsylvania, made to the order of the “Town of McCandless,” in an amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the total amount of the proposal. All Bidders shall be required to submit with their bid a completed AIA Document

A305-1986 Contractor Qualification Statement.

Sealed Bids will be received for the following contracts:

1. Mechanical Construction Contract

2. Electrical Construction Contract

All bids must be on a lump sum basis; segregated bids will not be accepted. Bidders shall be responsible for verifying all addenda prior to submitting bid. Failure to acknowledge receipt of addenda may result in disqualification of bid.

Bid Documents will be available, starting Wednesday, September 6, 2023, for a non-refundable fee, by contacting Accu-Copy Reprographics, 302 Thompson Park Drive, Cranberry Township, PA 16066 or (724) 9357055.

A mandatory, pre-bid conference will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 14, 2023, at the Town of McCandless Town Hall, 9955 Grubbs Road, Wexford, PA, 15090 for registered plan holders.

The Contractor, within ten (10) days after the date the Contractor is notified of the Contract award, will be required to furnish a faithful Performance bond in the amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract Sum and a Payment Bond equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract Sum.

The Town of McCandless reserves the right to waive any information or to reject any or all bids and to enter into such a contract as may be deemed in the best interest of the Town of McCandless.

Town of McCandless Brian O’Malley Town Manager

PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY D.B.A. PRT

Electronic Proposals will be received online at PRT’s Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority.org).

Proposals/bid submittals will be due 11:00 AM on October 3, 2023 and will be read at 11:15 AM., the same day, through your web browser via Microsoft Teams video conferencing, for the following:

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

CONFERENCON: on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, 10:00 AM ET at the 301 Chartiers Ave, McKees Rocks, PA 1136 If you have any questions regarding this IFB or any of the documents, use the “Question and Answer area in the eProcurement Housing Marketplace Website.

QUESTION SUBMITTAL DEADLINE

Thursday, October 5, 2023, 12:00 PM ET HOW TO FULLY RESPOND TO THIS IFB BY SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL:

1. As directed within Section 3.2.1 of the IFB document, submit proposed pricing, where provided for, within the eProcurement Marketplace.

2. As instructed within Section 3.0 of the IFB document, submit One (1) Original copy of your “hard copy” Bid to the Agency Administrative Office.

BID SUBMITTAL RETURN & DEADLINE

*Friday, October 13, 2023, 10:00 AM ET 301 Chartiers Ave, McKees Rocks, PA 15136 (The proposed costs must be entered within the aforementioned eProcurement Marketplace and the “hard copy” documentation must be received in-hand and time-stamped by the Agency by no later than 10:00 AM ET on this date). The Public Bid Opening will be at 10:30 AM at the address mentioned above. The Authority encourages responses from §3 business concerns, small firms, minority firms and firms that have not previously performed work for the ACHA. The Allegheny County Housing Authority reserves the right to reject any and all submissions.

ALLEGHENY COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY FRANK AGGAZIO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

5

6 B23-08-63A

To join the bid opening through Microsoft Teams meeting on your computer, mobile app or room device Meeting ID: 219 435 198 956 Passcode: N9gw3 Or call in (audio only)

412-927-0245 Phone Conference ID: 407 599 587#

No bidder may withdraw a submitted Proposal for a period of 75 days after the scheduled time for opening of the sealed bids.

A Pre-Bid Conference will be held on each of the above items at 10:00 AM on September 19, 2023 through your web browser via Microsoft Teams video conferencing.

Join on your computer,

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR GEOTHERMAL SUPPORT AUTHORITY WIDE REBID

IFB#300-23-23 REBID

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

Geothermal Support Authority Wide Rebid

IFB#300-23-23 REBID

The documents will be available no later than September 11,2023 and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 10:00 AM on October 3,2023

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 10:00 AM on October 3, 2023 in the One Stop Shop located in the lobby of 412 Boulevard of the Allies. 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 412 Boulevard of the Allies, 6th Floor, 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 412 Boulevard of the Allies 6th Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-643-2832

A pre-submission meeting will be held via Zoom meeting; on September 19,2023 at 10:00 A.M. Please see meeting information below:

Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 880 5115 8314

Passcode: 081310 +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’s has revised their website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/ RFPs documentation.

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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

Bid 1120 – Printing of CCAC Community Education Schedules

Due date: 2:00 P.M. Prevailing

Time on Tuesday, September 26, 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

JAZZ PATRON SERVICES MANAGER MANCHESTER CRAFTSMEN’S

GUILD

Responsible for customer relations, ticketing, social media, events marketing, website maintenance and reconciling sales. Bachelor’s degree in arts management or business with a focus on arts or entertainment and 3-5 years box office experience required. Must have knowledge of ticketing software; proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite applications; and ability to create, analyze and interpret financial reports. Strong customer focus, highly effective interpersonal skills and problem-solving abilities required. Must be able to work extended and/or irregular hours including nights, weekends, and holidays as needed.

Send Resume with cover letter and salary requirements to resumes@manchesterbidwell.org

EOE

ENTRY LEVEL POLICE OFFICER

The City of Altoona is now accepting applications for Entry Level Police Officers. Information and applications are available online at www.altoonapa.gov and in the Human Resources Department of City Hall. Applications and applicable supporting documentation must be submitted to the Human Resources Department by Noon on Friday, September 22, 2023.

Human Resources Department 1301 12th Street, Suite 400 Altoona, PA 16601

The City of Altoona is an Equal Opportunity Employer

PROJECT ENGINEER

Bowman Consulting Group Ltd.

In Pittsburgh, PA Seeks Project Engineer to provide transportation eng services. No trvl, WFH three days a week. send cv to: recruiting@bowman.com

Aurora Innovation, Inc. seeks positions in Pittsburgh, PA. Software Eng II - Control Systems to produce production-level code. Ref# 00248. Software Eng II to work on software coding. Ref# 00342 Technical Program Mgr – Mapping to managing autonomous systems. Ref# 00045. Email resumes to jobs@aurora.tech using ref#.

DIRECTOR – DATA & INFORMATION ANALYTICS

Pittsburgh Regional Transit is seeking a Director – Data & Information Analytics to be responsible for the forward progression for the Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (PRT) use of analytics and data intelligence to inform business decisions and processes. Such Data Analytics activities include, but are not limited to Data Governance, Data Lakes, dashboards and data presentation tools, databases, data integrations, and Data Warehouses. In leading the Data and Information Analytics department, the position oversees various data and analytics centric roles and works in close conjunction with functional business and data analyst roles across the agency to solve questions using information, data, and analytics.

Essential Functions:

· Lead agency efforts to mature in information analytics utilization and incorporation into business processes.

· Collaborate with multiple teams to design, develop, test, implement and support solutions in data engineering and analytics.

· Maintain technical leadership, direction and oversight to build reliable and scalable data pipelines, data models and data visualizations.

· Mentor and provide guidance to members of yours and other teams and contribute thought leadership focused on the development and evolution of our data engineering and analytics capabilities.

Job requirements include:

· BS Degree in Data Analytics, Data Sciences, Information Systems or directly related field from an accredited school. Related experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.

· Minimum (7) seven years of recent experience in design, development and delivery of data driven solutions and analytics; including at least (3) three years as manager in data & analytics delivery. Experience with human centered design research or similar methodologies to provide solutions to business questions.

· Experience transitioning data into insight and analytic-based tools such as dashboards and real-time information display.

· Experience with PowerBI, Tableau or other data presentation and analysis software.

· Experience with data management platforms such as MS SQL Server, Oracle, or other cloud-based data storage.

VOLUNTEER & COMMUNITY OUTREACH COORDINATOR

“BIKEPGH a nonprofit bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organization, is seeking a highly organized people person with excellent communication skills to coordinate volunteers and community outreach logistics as our Volunteer & Community Outreach Coordinator. If you are passionate about biking and walking, active transportation, and engaging the community through events such as OpenStreetsPGH, PedalPGH, The WMNBikePGH Summit, and more, this is your chance to make a difference in the lives of thousands of Pittsburghers. Visit bikepgh.org/jobs to learn more and apply.”