9.20.23 NPC

by Rob Taylor Jr.

Courier Staff Writer

The Shuman Juvenile Detention Center, closed since September 2021, is reopening.

And while that’s good news for some elected officials and some Allegheny County residents, there’s a caveat.

Shuman is not meant to be a place where juvenile offenders don’t get, or aren’t offered, help. It’s not meant to be a place where teens come in, get shipped out, and come right back.

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, basically angry that it closed in the first place, was adamant about the recidivism issue.

“We also have to understand that in Shuman Center, we have to talk about practices that’s going to help them not come back to Shuman,” the mayor said on Friday, Sept. 15. He said it’s important that Shuman “has the type of resources, or they can get the juveniles the type of resources they’ll need so this is not a revolving door. We want these kids to grow up and live productive lives.”

About an hour before Mayor Gainey took questions in Downtown for a press conference on an unrelated topic, the news broke about the Allegheny County Common Pleas

Court signing an agreement with Latrobe-based Adelphoi to provide juvenile detention services, which includes the reopening and operating of Shuman. In a release, the Court said that Adelphoi “has provided services to Allegheny County youth and families for over 40 years. The organization embraces a model of trauma-informed care which will be a centerpiece of the center’s services.”

Why did Shuman close in the first place? The center had undergone a number of licensing issues, particularly due to a number of violations, including a heroin overdose at the center.

Some of those housed at the center had been able to escape on a number of occasions, in addition to thefts and an incident where a juvenile was left at the center’s infirmary alone.

It was the Pa. Department of Human Services that recommended and ultimately revoked Shuman’s license to operate as a juvenile detention facility.

“The licensing at the facility has been an ongoing issue,” said Allegheny County Manager William D. McKain, in a statement from Aug. 23, 2021. “Over the last six years, we have

by Genea L. Webb

For New Pittsburgh Courier

For lifelong Clairton resident and Clairton Bears receiver Donte Wright, 17, the prospect of a renovated football stadium is bittersweet.

“I love this project for us because I feel, as a community, we needed this,” he told the New Pittsburgh Courier. “Whenever it rains, it usually gets muddy and messy so this would really be a good move for us. But to me it’s kind of sad because growing up here in Clairton and playing on the field my whole entire life and now my senior season it’s like, the stadium is going away and this is the last time the game is going to be played on this field.

It’s time for me to make

an impact. This is the last season we will be playing on this field, and I will be playing, so why not go out with a bang.”

On Aug. 18, the Clairton Bears Academic and Athletic Association (CBAAA) and the Clairton City School District announced they have launched a fourprong approach to upgrading the decades-old Neil C. Brown Stadium including new turf on the football field, a new stadium entrance, new locker rooms and restrooms and bleachers.

“We need some things for kids to do in town and we’ve always done well with football and all these kids are our future, so if there’s anything we ever had to do in the city of

Illinois makes history by shifting landscape of criminal justice

by Ebony JJ Curry Michigan Chronicle

In a historic move, Illinois becomes the first state in the United States to entirely eliminate the cash bail system. The Illinois Pretrial Fairness Act, effective starting Monday, abolishes the requirement for defendants to post cash bail in order to be released from jail while awaiting trial. Instead, the law will generally permit those charged with most offenses to remain free until their trial dates. This decision marks a watershed moment not just in the legislative landscape but also in the fight against economic and racial disparities within the American criminal justice system.

Advocates for justice and equality argue that the existing bail system perpetuates a cycle of inequality, disproportionately impacting low-income communities and people of color. The argument isn’t merely anecdotal; statistical evidence supports the claim. Black and Latino men have been found to face higher average bail amounts than their white counterparts. The practice has resulted in a system where pretrial freedom can often be purchased by the wealthy, while those

with fewer resources languish behind bars—sometimes for months or even years—awaiting their day in court.

This groundbreaking law is expected to particularly benefit Black communities, who have long borne the brunt of a system critics say is riddled with systemic racism and economic bias. By eliminating the cash bail requirement, Illinois is taking a meaningful step toward creating a more equitable criminal justice system, one that bases pretrial detention on a defendant’s threat to public safety rather than their financial standing.

Law Enforcement Concerns Addressed

Despite the enthusiasm from advocacy groups, the Illinois Pretrial Fairness Act has been met with opposition from law enforcement agencies and some members of the public who argue that the change could compromise public safety.

Critics of the legislation, like Jim Kaitschuk, the executive director of the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association, have voiced concerns that “defendants who don’t post bond have no incentive to return to court,” according to Blavity.

It is worth noting that the provisions to release suspects will not extend

This Week In Black History

to those charged with violent crimes, sexual offenses, or gun charges. As Mr. Kaitschuk also stated, law enforcement is committed to working within the framework of the new law, acknowledging, “we are working through it as best we can.”

A Possible Catalyst for Nationwide Change

The move by Illinois could serve as a bellwether for other states considering similar changes. New Jersey, for example, has already undertaken cash bail reforms with largely positive results, and although the subject remains politically charged, particularly as crime rates rise for specific offenses, the trend toward reforming or eliminating cash bail is gaining momentum.

Illinois stands at the precipice of monumental change, a harbinger for what could be a fundamental shift in how America’s criminal justice system approaches economic and racial inequality. While the implementation of this new law will be closely watched, both by its proponents and its skeptics, its potential to influence other jurisdictions and serve as a test case for a more equitable system is significant.

Ca. gov.’s pledge to appoint temporary Black woman senator draws criticism

by Ebony JJ Curry

Michigan Chronicle

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent pledge to appoint a Black woman to the U.S. Senate if Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein retires early has reignited a debate within the Democratic Party. Newsom’s commitment to appoint a “caretaker”

Black woman senator, a temporary replacement who won’t run in the 2024 elections, has drawn sharp criticism from U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee.

Newsom initially promised to fill any early vacancy left by Feinstein with a Black woman in 2021. This pledge followed the governor’s decision not to nominate a Black woman to replace then-Sen. Kamala Harris, who left the Senate

to serve as Vice President. The issue has gained urgency in recent weeks, as bipartisan calls for Feinstein’s early retirement increase amid concerns over her declining health and performance. In a recent appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, Newsom reiterated his promise but added that his appointment would be only an “interim” senator, thus not influencing the out-

• SEPTEMBER 20

1664— Maryland enacts the nation’s first “Anti-Amalgamation Law.” It specifically outlawed marriages between Black men and White women. Soon, several other colonies followed the Maryland example. It would not be until the 1960s that U.S. Supreme Court in the famous Loving v. Virginia case declared all such laws un-Constitutional. And even though it was not being enforced, it was not until 2000 that Alabama officially became the last state to strike from the books its law banning interracial marriages.

1830— The first National Negro Convention of Free Men meets in Philadelphia, Pa. Among a wide range of items on the agenda was a resolution encouraging free Blacks to boycott the purchase of items produced by slave labor.

African Methodist Episcopal Church founder Richard Allen was elected president of the convention. Despite the fact that Allen had founded the AME Church, the name of the convention also reflected an attempt by free Blacks to reduce identification with Africa. At the time, most slaves and many free Blacks tended to refer to themselves as “Africans.”

styles into the music he recorded for Atlantic Records. He also contributed to the integration of country music, R&B and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, most notably with his two Modern Sounds albums. While he was with ABC, Charles became one of the first Black musicians to be granted artistic control by a mainstream record company.

•

SEPTEMBER 24

1957—President Dwight Eisenhower orders federal troops into Little Rock, Ark ., to prevent angry Whites from interfering with the integration of the city’s Central High School by nine Black students. The confrontation was one of the most dramatic during the early days of the Civil Rights Movement. Governor Orval Faubus had vowed to go to jail to block the court ordered desegregation of the school claiming that Whites would be destroyed if they integrated with Blacks. But the confrontation settled the issue of whether states had to obey orders issued by federal courts.

come of the 2024 election for that seat. In agreement with host Chuck Todd, Newsom admitted that the potential appointee would serve as a “caretaker” senator, a role meant to be temporary.

The plan has not sat well with Rep. Barbara Lee, who has served California in the House of Representatives for a quarter-century and has declared her intent to run for Feinstein’s Senate seat in 2024. On Sunday, Lee released a pointed statement, asserting that Newsom’s proposal was “insulting” to Black women. “The idea that a Black woman should be appointed only as a caretaker to simply check a box is insulting to countless Black women across this country who have carried the Democratic Party to victory election after election,” Lee said. She also emphasized the importance of having the perspective of Black women in the U.S. Senate for more than just a brief term, calling Newsom’s planned appointment “a token replacement.”

“Black women deserve more than a participation trophy. We need a seat at the table,” Lee’s statement concluded.

1958— A deranged woman stabs then-rapidly emerging civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr during a book signing ceremony at a Harlem, N.Y., department store. Rumors circulated that the stabbing was part of a government conspiracy against King but no evidence was ever produced to support the theory.

1984—“The Cosby Show,” starring comedian and activist Bill Cosby, debuts on NBC Television. It becomes one of the nation’s highest rated television series and was widely praised by civil rights activists because of its generally positive portrayal of a Black middle-class family.

• SEPTEMBER 21

1872—John Henry Conyers becomes the first Black student at the U.S. Naval Academy. However, racism and often violent harassment forced him to leave the academy before he was able to graduate.

1905—The Atlanta Life Insurance Co. is established in Atlanta, Ga., and becomes one of the largest insurance companies in America serving a predominantly African American clientele.

1984—Gen. Colin Powell becomes the first African American named as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As the nation’s top military leader, Powell was praised by some Blacks as a role model while he was criticized for supporting what critics considered the government’s war-mongering policies. His generally positive reputation was damaged by his speaking before the United Nations and providing misinformation in 2003 in support of the Bush administration’s war in Iraq.

• SEPTEMBER 22

1863—Mary Church Terrell is born on this day in 1863. She became one of the nation’s leading activists advocating greater education for Blacks and women. She was the first Black person to sit on the Washington, D.C., school board and played a major role in desegregating that city’s restaurants.

1961—The Interstate Commerce Commission officially prohibits segregation in buses traveling in interstate commerce. It also banned segregated terminal facilities even though the ruling was largely ignored in many Southern states. But during the mid-1960s civil rights activists would frequently cite the ruling as they integrated facilities throughout the South.

• SEPTEMBER 23

1926— Legendary jazz great John Coltrane is born on this day in Hamlet, N.C. He is generally credited with reshaping modern Jazz and setting a pattern which would be followed by generations of Jazz saxophonists.

1930— Singer-performer Ray Charles is born on this day in Albany, Ga. Charles pioneered the soul music genre during the 1950s by combining blues, R&B and gospel

1965—President Lyndon Johnson issues what is generally considered the nation’s first affirmative action order—Executive Order #11246 . It required companies receiving federal construction contracts to ensure equality in the hiring of minorities. Despite a disastrous war in Vietnam that would eventually force his resignation, the Southern-born Johnson generally supported a host of legislative and executive efforts beneficial to Blacks.

•

SEPTEMBER 25

1861—The Secretary of the Navy authorizes the enlistment of free Blacks and slaves as Union sailors in a bid to help the North win the Civil War against pro-slavery Southern Whites who had proven more difficult in battle than the North had originally expected.

1962— In another one of those instances demonstrating the tenacity of racism among Southern Whites, Mississippi Gov. Ross Barnett defies a federal court order and personally stands in the door to block the admittance of a Black student— James Meredith —to the University of Mississippi. Meredith would eventually be admitted and graduate. Historians now generally believe Ross’ “show” was primarily designed to curry favor among White voters not actually to stop desegregation of the then-all-White university.

•

SEPTEMBER 26

1867—Maggie L. Walker is born. She would become the most prominent Black businesswoman in the Richmond, Va., area and one of the wealthiest Black women in the nation. She also became the first Black woman to establish a bank in the nation. A social activist, she would help establish the Lilly Black political party in part as a slap at the “Lilly White” political parties of the day.

1907— The People’s Savings Bank is incorporated in Philadelphia by one of the nation’s early Black Congressman George H. White. White had been pretty much forced out of Congress as Jim Crow laws led to the increasing disenfranchisement of Black voters after Reconstruction. After leaving Congress, he turned his attention to Black economic advancement. His bank helped thousands of Blacks buy homes.

1929—Ida Stephens Owens is born. She would become the nation’s first Black female bio-chemist.

1937— Blues great Bessie Smith dies of injuries sustained in an automobile accident near Clarksdale, Miss. Rumors spread that White medics refused to treat her. However, later information did cast doubt on the accuracy of those rumors.

BARBARA LEE

TENNIS — YOU'RE GONNA LOVE IT!

At first sight on the Highland Park tennis courts, what you see is tennis. I mean, there’s the courts, and the blue and green landscape immediately draws you in. It shouts out loud summer, freedom, outdoors, sweat and certainly fun!

But a closer look says so much more. But first, let me take you back a few steps away from the net. (As if you are actually going to rush the net with Ernie Bey on the other side!) The vision I’ve given you comes on behalf of the Highland Park Tennis Club, heretofore HPTC.

The HPTC is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt public charity formed in 2002 when a group of avid tennis players came together to promote interest in tennis by developing programs and activities in the local community.

The founding men and women of the club are Ronald Brandon, Fred Crawford, Lawade Garris, Bob Gibbs, Jim Quigley, Joyce Scott, and Hannah Vinson-Spearman.

Dana Costa is the current president and has presided over the club for the past few years. The club is operated by a core of devoted unpaid volun-

teers, but you can’t tell by looking given the level of professionalism, quality, and excellence that they present.

The club is an active member of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and falls under the USTA Allegheny Mountain District and USTA Middle States Section.

The owners of numerous awards, the club does not discriminate in any aspect. They offer various sponsorship and mentorship opportunities. In addition, they sponsor a number of activities, tournaments, youth programs and special skill set programs. All of which are available for children as young as 5 years old...to AS OLD AS YOU WANT TO BE!!! And not only is it free, they give you tennis balls and racquets to play with.

As if that’s not enough... they also sponsor a 5K run/walk health expo, free youth clinics throughout the summer each Saturday morning, a Steeler party, food drive and the former long running Champions

—Achieving Greatness

Celebrity Mixed Doubles Tournament (a tournament, I should point out, that former Pittsburgh Steeler Super Bowl Champion Dwayne Woodruff and his wife Joy have never won... and Joy will tell you whose fault that was, given that she’s the better player... but I digress!)

But hold on, wait a minute... I AIN’T DONE YET. The HPTC provides special lessons for those who are wheelchair-bound and

for those who are blind and vision-impaired. It is beyond amazing, beyond unbelievable and without question unimaginable... that is until you see it. It’s not until then that your faith, your heart and all that makes us whole and special kicks in you are reminded that all things are possible...IF YOU ONLY

BELIEVE!

Full transparency, I am a member of HPTC...(and no, my game is not worthy, but they let me in anyway). But more than that, I am proud to call many of the members a friend. And any and every time I am there at the courts, I feel a special sense of energy and spirit. A high level of collaboration and camaraderie if you will. And believe it or not, I get that feeling even though Joyce Scott is constantly beating me up about something!

I strongly encourage you to get down to the Highland Park Tennis Courts on Stanton Avenue, if you have time before the frost sets. If not, most assuredly do you and your family a favor and look into being a part of the totality of what is the Highland Park Tennis Club. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

And here’s the good news. If all else fails, just stop by and have a seat on the bench and talk sports with me and Fred Crawford...now that’s where the match point is held, and don’t come soft, we serve and return serve with game, set, match intended!

TENNIS IS A FAMILY AFFAIR!

THE FUTURE LOOKS GOOD

VOLUNTEERS MAKE THE GAME GO ON! JOINED BY FRED CRAWFORD, FAR LEFT, AND BILL NEAL, FAR RIGHT.

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis among headliners at the 2023 Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival

THE PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL WAS HELD, SEPT. 14-17, AT HIGHMARK STADIUM. (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)

ICONIC PRODUCERS JIMMY JAM, FAR LEFT, AND TERRY LEWIS, FAR RIGHT

‘One pathway to the promise’

Clairton Superintendent, others going all-in on renovations to historic football stadium

Clairton, it’s to help our kids with their future and dip a little bit in our pocket because our kids deserve better,” said Clairton mayor Richard Lattanzi.

According to CBAAA president and school board member Roger Tachoir, the project’s estimated cost is at least $6.6 million. The district will go after a 30-year,

$3.5 million bond issue (by way of a 2 mill tax increase, which would cost residents an additional $56 annually and businesses in the city paying more) to cover a portion of the project. Another portion of the money needed for the project is already underway via the group looking for funding from major foundations and corporations, both locally and nationally. The

group has launched a fundraising campaign for Clairton High School alumni, residents and supporters to donate as well to help reach the goal of $1.5 million, which will help get the first three phases of the project started in time for the 2024 football season. The Clairton Bears Academic and Athletic Association is hoping to get a $250,000 grant from the NFL Foundation’s Grassroots Field Grant Program. It’s the same grant that was received by Aliquippa to help renovate “The Pit,” the nickname for their football stadium. The

Kraft/Heinz Company is an example of a corporate entity that contributed $1.3 million to help renovate Aliquippa’s football stadium in time for this season. It’s safe to say Clairton wouldn’t mind the same type of donation from a corporate sponsor.

According to CBAAA executive board member Roger Tachior, the first three phases of the project would correct flooding that occurs every time it rains, which not only leads to a muddied field but also causes damage to the players’ locker rooms. The current use of portable

bathrooms for students and game attendees would also be a thing of the past. The fieldhouse would also be renovated, and a new press box and concession stands would also be built during these phases, all at a cost of about $5 million. The fourth and final phase of the project, which would cost an estimated $1.92 million, would consist of upgrades to the entrance and stadium’s home section. The CBAAA has received a $500,000 donation from U.S. Steel for the stadium renovations. Tachoir also said Bellevue-based CORE Architects and DiMarco

Construction, both located in Clairton, helped in the early stages with design and cost estimates at no charge. He said both companies have signed agreements with the Clairton City School District to be hired if the district is able to move forward with the project.

If all goes according to plan, the last game on grass at the stadium would be Oct. 20 against Frazier. The group will begin accepting bids and break ground in March 2024 and hope to have the new turf installed before the beginning of the 2024 football season.

If construction is not finished before the beginning of next year’s football season, the Clairton Bears will have to play their games at other venues.

“This is a long time coming for me personally. I was born and raised in Clairton, and I played on this field,” said Clairton football head coach Wayne Wade Jr. “It means a lot to me, and it will mean a lot to the players because they will have a surface to play on and we don’t have to figure out where to play our games.”

Clairton Bear Martin Lawrence, 15, believes the new renovations will boost the morale of the football players.

“I grew up in this my whole life so it’s normal, but it will be good to have the new stadium (renovations),” he told the Courier. “I can’t wait ‘til we get it.”

Clairton City School District superintendent Tamara Allen-Thomas said she was glad to see the new stadium project possibly coming to fruition.

“This is one pathway to the promise. This is a long time coming,” she said. “This brought all of us together. We have to make sure that our voice is heard and that our academics align with the honor that we deserve here. We are going to be scholars on the field and off the field. We have to do this together. This is not a school thing, it’s a community thing. We have to make sure that our money matches what we are going to do. This is a community staple; we’re hoping that having something like this will be a common space for people to come together and not just use it for football but for other sports as well. This is something we need and deserve but it can only come to fruition with the money.”

CLAIRTON

SOME OF THE CLAIRTON BEARS, IN ATTENDANCE FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT.

MAYOR OF CLAIRTON, RICHARD LATTANZI.

SHUMAN CENTER WILL REOPEN Some welcome the news; others, not so

put additional resources into the facility, supported new leadership and efforts by the professionals running the center, and continued to work with the Courts and the state on alternatives.

Yet, we continued to see violations that were only exacerbated during the pandemic with staffing challenges.”

Shuman is located in the hills of Lincoln-Lemington, out of sight and, for some, out of mind. Its closure has been blamed as the reason why there’s been an increase of violence committed by youth in the county. Following a triple homicide that occurred on the North Side in October 2022, Mayor Gainey said the increase of violence was due, in part, to Shuman’s closure. “We should have never closed Shuman without a plan,” the mayor said.

To the “average Joe,” it was hard for them to decipher who was at fault for Shuman’s closing.

Some residents blamed Mayor Gainey. Others blamed Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. Some residents blamed both. The “average Joe” seemed to only care about if it would reopen, or if there would be a new facility to house juvenile offenders.

In February, Tim Stevens, Chairman and CEO of the Black Political Empowerment Project, sent a letter to whom he called “Allegheny County Leadership,” demanding that the county not con-

tract its juvenile detention services to a private company. “We should not consider committing any child to a detention center, either as a public or private facility, without first considering the many better alternatives to incarceration,” the letter read. The letter was co-signed by 21 other organizations, such as Destiny of Faith Church, the Alliance for Police Accountability, Hill District Ministers Alliance, and the NAACP Pittsburgh Branch. “Home confinement, short-term shelter care, and family therapy are some of the youth-centered methods that are

alternatives to a detention center. Evening resource centers to receive supportive services, recreational opportunities, and educational support and counseling are better alternatives to incarceration. Youth diversion programs, such as those offered by 1HOOD, work well. These programs allow children to provide services to the community without giving them a criminal record.”

Near the end of the letter, it read: “We acknowledge that the Shuman Youth Detention Center, when it was run by the county, had more than its share of troubles. That’s why—if you reopen a

youth detention facility —you must make sure it is monitored, visited regularly, and staffed safely. The county needs to be legally accountable for the safety of the children placed in its care.”

Ultimately, the county —or more specifically, the Fifth Judicial District of Pennsylvania—decided to reopen Shuman via a contract with a private company, Adelphoi.

“Adelphoi has a proven track record as a leading and highly respected agency that provides all levels of trauma-informed and evidence-based serves for delinquent and de-

pendent children. This is a crucial step toward creating a safer and more supportive environment for juveniles in the county,” said Common Pleas President Judge Kim Berkeley Clark, in a statement, Sept. 15. “The opening of the center will greatly enhance the safety of all communities in Allegheny County, consistent with balanced and restorative justice— the mission of the Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice System.”

Shuman will undergo $4.7 million in renovations and will reopen in January 2024 with availability for 12 juveniles

(or young adults), which, in the past, has averaged ages of 14 to 20. Shuman will eventually have the ability to house up to 60 people.

“To the violent perpetrators in this city, we need Shuman Center, there’s no question,” Mayor Gainey said, Sept. 15. “If you’re picking up guns and you’re using guns, and you’ve created death on our streets, we don’t want you in these streets, period.”

THE SHUMAN JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER. (PHOTO COURTESY ALLEGHENY COUNTY)

“This is a crucial step toward creating a safer and more supportive environment for juveniles in the county. The opening of the center will greatly enhance the safety of all communities in Allegheny County, consistent with balanced and restorative justice—the mission of the Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice System.”

- PRESIDENT JUDGE KIM BERKELEY CLARK

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

11th Annual ‘Dance Africa’ held in Pittsburgh

Dance Africa Pittsburgh is an annual mainstay event hosted by the Legacy Arts Project and features a meet-n-greet, panel discussion, an African marketplace, and local/regional/international performances. Hosted over Two days, July 22-23, the event includes both youth and adult performances that reflect the beauty of the African diaspora through song, dance, drumming, visual art, and spoken word, all with the intention of sharing gifts with the world. This year’s event was held at the New Hazlett Theater. (Photos by J.L. Martello)

LESLIE EZRA SMITH, NARRATOR

PATTY FORD, NADIYAH STOWERS, HEAD OF ARTS PROJECT AND DANCE AFRICA ERIN PERRY, MICHELE BETTES, CHRISALA BROWN

FLM Haiti’s ‘HOPE on the Move’ annual

5K Walk held in Highland Park

by Ervin Dyer, Ph.D.

For New Pittsburgh Courier

Before summer disappeared, on Saturday, Sept. 9, FLM Haiti hosted HOPE on the Move, its annual 5K Walk and fun-a-thon.

The walk took place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lake Point Shelter in Highland Park. An optional warm-up began at 9 a.m.

For FLM Haiti, the walk was a day to build consciousness of the social and political unrest that continues to beset Haiti and challenge her citizens. But it was also a time to mark the ways in which FLM Haiti continues to help the Haitians to help themselves. In addition, it was a fun way to fundraise to support the work and ministry that FLM does in Haiti.

For the day, participants walked, biked, or ran the route, a distance equivalent to about 6,000 steps, which is roughly three miles.

Some FLM Haiti supporters joined in remotely, walking, biking, or running along in their own neighborhoods and posting their progress and achievements on social media.

Back again this year to help lead the funa-thon was dance and exercise master and fitness coach Roland Ford. He kicked off the event with warm-ups and a series of exercises, dances and steps.

It’s not too late to walk for Haiti. For those who couldn’t join in at Highland Park, you can walk, run, or bike on your own to raise funding for FLM Haiti.

THE LINE DANCE KING, ROLAND FORD

BISHOP WADE JONES 95TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

Come celebrate 95 years of life for Bishop Wade Jones. The service will be held on Friday, September 22, 2023 at First Emmanuel Church, 671 BrynMawr Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Service will begin at 7pm. There will be a guest speaker, followed by dinner after the service. For additional information, please contact Firstemmanuel671@gmail.com.

RELIGION NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2023 A9 Join our growing Praise and Worship Church Community! For rate information, call 412-4818302, ext. 128. We want to feature positive youth from our Pittsburgh church community. Please mail their bio and photo to: New Pittsburgh Courier 315 E. Carson St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219 or email us: religion@newpittsburghcourier.com

in the Haitian communities that FLM serves; and a health center that provides maternity care and other needs. It also supports 70 adult litera provide reading, writing and basic math skills to more than 2,000 individuals each year. For more information on FLM Haiti, visit www.flmhaiti.org.

KEITH J. DEVAUGHN, SR. Keith J. DeVaughn, Sr., 69,

of Pittsburgh, left this life suddenly and much too soon on September 7, 2023. Born on June 15, 1954, Keith was the son of Herbert DeVaughn, Sr., and Evelyn Dansby DeVaughn.

After Westinghouse High School, Keith attended Job Corps to become a baker. He was a long-time employee of Carnegie Mellon University, first in the dining service, then as a truck driver, and he finally settled in as a gardener, maintaining the beautiful campus grounds until his retirement. Keith had a real “Green Thumb” and took pride in his plants and flowers. Wherever he traveled, he checked out the landscaping and enjoyed identifying the different plantings.

Rev. Thomas J. Burke- Pastor Rev. C. Matthew HawkinsParochial Vicar Rev. David H. TaylorSenior Parochial Vicar.

11 Worship in person or Online on Facebook/YouTube www.ELPC.church

Besides his parents, Keith was preceded in death by brothers Herbert DeVaughn, Jr., Ricardo DeVaughn, Douglas DeVaughn, Wayne DeVaughn, Tyrone DeVaughn, and Kevin DeVaughn; his sister Patricia Hornezes; his former wife Delreenia Bryant DeVaughnSmith; and his granddaughter Azaria DeVaughn.

Arrangements were handled by Coston’s Funeral Home, followed by interment in Homewood Cemetery

cy centers in more than ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH 91 Crawford Street Pgh., PA 15219 412-281-3141 Sunday Mass 11 AM www.sbtmparishpgh.com East Liberty Presbyterian Church Rev. Patrice Fowler-Searcy and Rev. Heather Schoenewolf Pastors 412-441-3800 Summer Worship Sundays............10:00 a.m. Taize -Wednesdays.........7:00 p.m.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEXT CHURCH EVENT! We want to place your event in our Church Circuit weekly calendar! Send info to: New Pittsburgh Courier 315 E. Carson St. Pittsburgh PA 15219

Praise & Worship The Courier is THE VOICE of Black Pittsburgh.

‘PICKETT’ FENCED IN

Is the Steelers ‘QB1’ regressing in front of our very eyes?

The preseason parade of the Pittsburgh Steelers and their starting quarterback Kenny Pickett has now turned into “Nightmare on Elm Street.”

After the movie had concluded and the house lights were turned up, the final score was Steelers 26, Browns 22, but fans of Pittsburgh and Cleveland had to pose this question to themselves: “Whew, was this a dream? A bad dream?”

On Monday night, Sept. 18, in the case of the Pittsburgh Steelers offense, what you saw was not a dream but real as real could get. It is not a dream that Kenny Pickett appears to be playing like this is his first start in the NFL. His horrible and incompetent performances during the first two games of 2023 are as real as it gets. Unlike the ugly season-open -

basic tasks of an NFL quarterback. Mundane tasks such as completing passes to open wide receivers as well as es -

one-dimensional. However, the player that replaced Nick Chubb, running back Jerome Ford, did a phenomenal

former NFL running back Mark Ingram had this to say about the hit: “That low hit is so brutal man especially when you carrying someone!! I hate that so much I’m so sick for Chubb man.”

At the time that Chubb exited the game, he had 10 rushing attempts for 64 yards, a hefty 6.4 yards per carry. What was downright depressing was what a few Steelers fans were saying during halftime. One gentleman named “Chad” (I only heard him called by his first name) said the following, and I quote, quote and quote again. “With Chubb being gone, that should make it easier for the

Kenny Pickett had a sort of grateful attitude regarding how the Steelers’ defense bailed out their struggling offense, pointing out that, “90 and 56 are making those kinds of plays and scoring 2 defensive touchdowns.”

Pickett was also asked, “How much of a load does that take off of you guys as an offense?”

He replied: “Yeah, it’s awesome. I mean, you got a defense like that, they make plays and put points up on the board and get those turnovers. It’s unreal as an offense to have that. You know, we want to return that favor though. Those guys (were) out there

nario, allowed them to bend but not break in order for the Steelers to seize victory.

“Yeah, I mean....when your back’s against the wall, man, you have two options and we just really want to be a team that fights back, especially as a defense.” He said. “We want to be a defense that determines outcomes in games, and the only thing we can control is what happens when we get out in the field and there’s going to be so much more that we can improve on. But I’m very glad about the splash that we had tonight, but there’s going to be a lot of stuff to correct as well.”

ing 30-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Kenny Pickett was aided by the possibly season-ending or career-ending knee injury to the Browns star running back, Nick Chubb.

Kenny Pickett continued at times to struggle just to complete the

caping the pocket in order to prevent getting sacked seemed to be a bit beyond his comprehension. After Chubb was injured, Cleveland often appeared as if they were playing with one arm tied behind their back. At times, they certainly appeared to be

job of replacing Chubb, gaining 106 yards on 16 carries; a 6.6 yards-percarry average, slightly higher than Chubb, but his entrance into the game could not cause the Steelers’ defense to respect play-action as much as when Chubb was in the lineup. Also,

Steelers for tonight and even when the Steelers have to play Cleveland in Cleveland.”

Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin even expressed best wishes to the fallen warrior of the Browns, Nick Chubb. “Can’t say enough about Nick Chubb, man, sending our best to him. Got a lot of respect for that guy.” I don’t care if the Browns had won the game by the score of 100-0, I would never and no one else should celebrate an injury to a player whether or not they are a fan or foe of Nick Chubb or the Cleveland Browns. Recently, the “Yinzers” were voted the meanest fans in the NFL. Well, judging by the opinion of “Chad,” that “honor” appears to be well-deserved. As far as the Steelers’ underperforming offense is concerned,

way too long. There’s things we got to do a lot better, defensively, to also help those guys out.”

T.J. Watt talked about how the Steelers’ defense, tired and facing a win-and-lose sce -

Let’s hope for the sake of the Pittsburgh Steelers that their offense catches up to and plays with the purpose and resolve of their tenacious defense.

Covering the Steelers

THE STEELERS’ NAJEE HARRIS RUNS AWAY FROM A CLEVELAND BROWNS DEFENDER, SEPT. 18. (PHOTOS BY COURIER PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN COOK SR.)

ALEX HIGHSMITH RETURNED AN INTERCEPTION FOR A TOUCHDOWN, EN ROUTE TO THE STEELERS’ VICTORY OVER THE BROWNS, 26-22, ON SEPT. 18.

PROPERTY IS POWER!

Homeownership challenges facing minority and underserved borrowers

Homeownership is often considered a cornerstone of the American dream, providing stability, wealth accumulation, and a sense of belonging for families and individuals. However, achieving this dream has proven to be more challenging for minority and underserved borrowers.

Despite efforts to promote fair lending practices and equal access to housing, these marginalized groups continue to face a range of barriers that hinder their path to homeownership. In this article, we will explore some of the key challenges faced by minority and underserved borrowers in their pursuit of the American Dream of homeownership.

Limited Access to Affordable Housing

One of the primary challenges for minority and underserved borrowers is the limited access to affordable housing. Housing prices have been steadily rising in many areas, outpacing income growth and making it increasingly difficult for low- and moderate-income families to afford homes. This disproportionately affects minority communities, as they are more likely to have lower average incomes due to historical and systemic factors.

Furthermore, the lack of affordable housing options can lead to overcrowding and substandard living conditions, perpetuating a cycle of housing instability that makes it even harder for these borrowers to save for a down payment and qualify for a mortgage.

Discriminatory Lending Practices

Discriminatory lending practices, although illegal, continue to persist in various forms. Minority borrowers often face higher interest rates, less favorable terms, and outright loan denials compared to their White counterparts with similar financial profiles. Re-

Blacks at risk of enduring poverty in retirement

by Bria Overs

member the phenomenon, known as “predatory lending”, not only prevents minority borrowers from securing loans on fair terms but also contribute to the widening wealth gap between racial and ethnic groups. Even when minority borrowers do qualify for loans, they may be pushed into loan products or highrisk mortgages, putting them at a higher risk of foreclosure, particularly during economic downturns.

Credit Access and Scoring Disparities

Access to credit and credit scoring disparities also play a significant role in the homeownership challenges faced by minority and underserved borrowers. Many minority communities have historically

For New Pittsburgh Courier (Word In Black)—Working for a lifetime is rarely any person’s dream. As people get closer to their 65th birthday, they start putting together their plans for living out the rest of their lives in a well-deserved retirement.

However, too many Americans lack the “longevity literacy” to prepare for retirement properly.

In a study of the TIAA-Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center’s Personal Finance Index (P-Fin Index), only 12 percent of adults had “strong longevity literacy.” These adults understood how long 65-year-olds live and the likelihood of living well past that age.

An estimate for 2021 from health policy research organization KFF showed the average life expectancy for Americans has declined since 2019 from 78.8 years to 76.1. Black people are down to 70.8 years from 74.8.

Still, people live longer than they ever have, often unexpectedly. And their

retirement savings and preparedness must match that, if not surpass it.

The National Council on Aging found that 20 percent of older households

“Longevity literacy should lead to longevity fitness,” he says. “Ask yourself: ‘What are the components that make me feel fit in my longer

maintain comfort over several years. They could have to re-enter the workforce or live in poverty.

have no assets to pull from as they age, and 80 percent do not have the financial resources to cover long-term care or financial strain.

“If they underestimate the life expectancy and end up living longer, and did not plan for income, they are short on funds,” Surya P. Kolluri, head of the TIAA Institute, says. “So, correcting the notion of how long people live will help them plan better.”

Longevity literacy is part of the foundation of retirement readiness.

years?’”

The factors Kolluri refers to are questions to ask as you age. These questions should help evaluate your longevity fitness level and clarify the next steps.

1. Do you have enough income to last so you won’t outlive it?

2. Have you taken care of your mental and physical health?

3. How are your social connections with family, friends, and the greater community? Black folks are at high risk of economic insecuri-

Help! My sister married a bum!!!

Help! My sister married a bum!!! How can I help?

He started off good. Military man and good provider for his family. He got kicked out of the military. When he got kicked out of the military, he, my sister, and their two children moved in with my parents. Neither one has had a job in the two years they have been living with my parents. Yet, they’re still making babies. Now, it’s three children and them living with my parents.

I have zero respect for dude! I want to say something but not sure what to say?

What can I do?

~Facebook Question

Damon says: It’s painful to watch a loved one struggle. It’s frustrating to watch a loved one struggle and be completely OK with somebody else taking care of them—be it a relative, a friend, a stranger or the government. It’s annoying when they expect other people to feel sorry for them and bail them out time and time again.

Why are you so annoyed? Because in the back of your mind, you know— THEY’RE BETTER THAN THAT! You also know that your parents raised their children. It’s their time to sit back and enjoy life in peace. Five people living in the house, three of which are small children, doesn’t sound peaceful.

You say that your sister married a bum. Did he marry a bum? Based on your definition, both sound like bums to me. Neither appears to have drive and ambition. Neither seems to feel it’s their parental duty to get up and bust their butt for the sake of their children, even

if they’ve completely lost hope in themselves. They’re living the life—eat, defecate, etc., and live happily ever after on your parents’ dime! I wish I had it that easy, but my pride wouldn’t let me do it! I understand we all fall on hard times and may need help from time to time. I subscribe to this model, “God helps those who help themselves.” Good enough for God, good enough for me!! I believe in giving a hand up, not a hand out. Handouts oftentimes lead to enabling.

Your parents seem to be enablers. They’re doing it for the sake of the grandkids. That’s both understandable and noble of them. Your parents need to show some tough love. They need to tell them, “We love you. We’re here for you. We want the best for you. It’s time to leave the nest! I’m giving you six months to find a job and find your own place to stay. If it takes you longer than six months, the kids are welcome to stay until you land on your feet. But it’s time for you and your husband to get up, get out, and do something. I’m not going to be here forever. While I’m living, I need to ensure that you know how to take care of yourself and your family. You’ve been here two years. During this time you added another baby. I don’t see any forward progress in your life. You and your husband seem to be content living under our roof and not actively pursuing a better life for you and your children.

I raised you better than that. You and your husband are more than capable to seek employment, get housing and provide for your family.”

What can you do? First, stop blaming him as the singular source of their demise. Both he and she can do better. Second, you have a better/deeper relationship with your sister than you do with him. Pull your sister aside and try to better understand her story and perspective. Third, talk to your parents. Let them know what you see on the outside looking in. Allow them to share their perspective.

That’s the best you can do in this situation. There’s no law against people lacking ambition and drive. You can’t control what your parents allow to go on in their household. Simply voice your concern to your loved ones and concern yourself about what’s going on in your own household.

Damon, My wife and I have $89,000 in student loans. That is the only debt we have other than our mortgage. We obviously want to pay it off as soon as possible. We are looking to move to a new house prior to our children going to school. I have $75,000 in my 403(b) retirement account. I know it will be heavily taxed and penalized if I were to take money from it. However, it will help us to become debt-free and would save

ty without understanding what it takes to retire and maintain comfort over several years. They could have to re-enter the workforce or live in poverty. But, improving financial literacy is only one piece of this puzzle.

How to Save for Retirement

While social security is one way to keep an income in retirement, it doesn’t cover nearly enough. In fact, the administration found that benefits represent about 30 percent of the income for older adults.

To keep an income after leaving the workforce, retirees must turn to other assets and savings, Kolluri says. There are several tools for saving for retirement, like general high-yield savings accounts, pensions, or other investment vehicles. People often start with an employee-sponsored 401(k), 401(a), 403(b), 457 plans, and IRAs to begin saving. If an adequate amount of money has not been saved or invested—a common

approximately $1,500 per month in student loan payments. If we pull money from our 403(b), we’ll have $89,000 paid off in about one year thanks to some side hustles and a settlement coming our way. We’d appreciate any advice and help.

~ Inbox Question

Damon says: The numbers don’t add up! You either have a bad calculator, a flawed spreadsheet or you’re missing pertinent data points.

You have $89,000 in student loans. You have $75,000 in your 403(b) plan which is the non-profit company’s version of the 401(k) plan. If you liquidated the entire 403(b) plan without fees or penalty, you still owe $14,000 on your student loans. Nothing was paid off. You still have the $1,500 monthly payment on student loans until paid in full. How are you saving $1,500 per month?

Secondly, minimum payments on a student loan of $1,500 per month sounds inflated. I know Sallie Mae is a pain in the butt but it sounds like she has a personal vendetta for you.

I believe that a retirement plan should serve its intended purpose—RETIREMENT!! So does the IRS. That’s why they make it hard for you to access money in a retirement plan before retirement age.

Here’s the good thing: You will not incur penalty and fees on your retirement plan because you CANNOT draw down money from your 403(b) to pay off student loans. Last I checked, it’s not an al-

Black folks are at high risk of economic insecurity without understanding what it takes to retire and

ANTHONY O. KELLUM

Who is the richest Black man in America?

by Dorian Smith-Garcia

AfroTech

When we talk about wealth, sometimes it can feel like Black people are consistently excluded from the conversation. Thanks to systemic and systematic discriminatory practices, countless Black Americans are often shut out of the surest path to personal wealth—property ownership. And often, when Black wealth is touted, it’s almost exclusively limited to celebrities from actors and directors like Tyler Perry to media moguls like Oprah Winfrey, and of course countless entertainers and athletes.

More importantly, when the conversation turns to billionaires, the number of Black people—male or female—that tops this list shrinks even further. But Black wealth isn’t limited to people that travel in celebrity circles. There are several Black entrepreneurs that are influencing the U.S. economy that have also accumulated quite a nest egg and reputation. In particular, the story behind the richest Black man in America is an inspiring one that shows you that our community is amazing whether they’re in the boardroom, behind or in front of the camera, or on the court.

The honor of being the richest Black man in America goes to none other than Robert F. Smith. You’re forgiven if he’s not a household name in your social circle as he’s a billionaire that flies under the radar. Still, Robert F. Smith is quite influential and his venture capital firm is behind some of the most innovative startups in the world. According to Forbes, his current net worth as of the publication of this article is valued at $8 billion, which makes him the 284th richest person in the world and 158th richest in the U.S. according to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index.

This self-made Texan billionaire is also the first African American to sign the Giving Pledge, a public commitment by the wealthiest in the world to give the bulk of their wealth away to philanthropic causes. He’s in good company with other ultra-wealthy individuals like Warren Buffet, Steve Jobs, and Mackenzie Bezos. Smith’s rise to wealth is what many would consider the embodiment of the American Dream.

From Humble, Service-Oriented Beginnings

As with many self-made success stories, Smith’s begins humbly. He was born December 1, 1962 to two school teachers and enjoyed a middle class upbringing in Denver, Colorado. As a child, he watched his parents that were active in the community. This began even from his infancy, with Smith recalling tales of his mom carrying him while attending Dr. Martin Luther King’s March on Washington to listen to the “I Have a Dream” speech at the Washington Mall.

The Opportunity of a Lifetime

Sometimes being at the

right place at the right time, or being persistent is all that’s necessary to start someone on the right path. And this is exactly what happened for Robert F. Smith. While attending East High School in Denver, he applied for an internship at Bell Labs. Initially, he was denied the program because it was intended for college students. But after a prospective applicant from M.I.T. failed to show up, Smith was allowed to participate. He worked as a tester to determine reliability for semiconductors—sparking a curiosity for science and knowledge that would serve him well throughout his career. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in chemical engineering in 1985, and later continued to earn an MBA with a concentration in finance and marketing from Columbia University in 1994.

The Turning Point: Vista Equity Partners Smith spent several years working at Goodyear, as well as Kraft Foods as a chemical engineer before pivoting in 1994 to become a technology investment banker at Goldman Sachs.

He held a position at the banking giant for six years before deciding to strike out on his own in 2000. But even in 2018, he was already making waves, earning a spot on Vanity Fair’s New Establishment List which highlights movers and shakers who create innovative products or services.

In 2000, Smith went on to found Vista Equity Partners, a private equity and venture capital firm. He still sits as the principal founder, chairman, and chief executive. According to a 2021 Black Enterprise profile, Smith has consistently generated a roughly 30 percent rate of return for investors since the firm was founded. Even though Vista Equity Partners is an investment firm, it also has the unique position as an enterprise software company. As of 2019, because of various acquisitions, the firm was the fourth largest enterprise software company, following Oracle, Microsoft, and SAP.

Notably, Vista Equity Partners has a very diverse portfolio across a variety of categories including entertainment, human resources

& compliance, insurance, real estate, energy, security, and hospitality to name a few. Some well-known prior and current investments include Klarna, Marketo, VividSeats, Worktango, and Accruent.

An Emphasis on Philanthropy

Robert F. Smith is the first African American to sign the Giving Pledge. But his philanthropic efforts didn’t start with that signature in 2017. In 2016, Smith pledged $20 million to the chemical engineering school at Cornell University—his alma mater. Meanwhile, he donated $15 million to the Columbia Business School in 2017 while also helping the school raise $500 million in additional funding for the Manhattanville campus relocation efforts.

Additionally, Smith created The Robert F. Smith ‘94 Scholarship Fund for the business school and donated $10 million to launch it.

Philanthropic Efforts within the Community Smith’s philanthropic endeavors weren’t just limited to his alma maters. He also focused on initiatives that bolster the Black community. In 2019, he donated $34

million by way of paying off the student loan debt of the graduating class from Morehouse College that year. This supported roughly 400 graduating seniors, and he made the announcement while also giving the commencement speech that year. Additionally, he pledged $1 million to create the college’s Robert Frederick Smith Scholars Program and another $560,000 to develop an outdoor study space on the campus. He is also credited for donating $20 million to the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) in Washington, D.C. in 2016. At the time, this made him the largest individual donor for a museum. If you visit the museum, you’ll find the on-site Robert Frederick Smith Family Corona Pavilion, as well as the Robert F. Smith Explore Your Family History Center which works to train the next generation of museum curators. Likewise, there is a Robert F. Smith Internship Program at the museum that focuses on training digital and media preservation. Get Inspired, Create Your Own Path Success will look different for each person, but ultimately everyone is responsible for creating their own paths. Robert F. Smith’s story is that of someone who was dedicated to education and curiosity—but also takes advantage of opportunities as they arise. But more importantly, he doesn’t pull the ladder up behind him after reaching a new level of success. Instead, he reaches back to help the next generation. In his own words, the surest pathway to success is to be an expert. Just remember that this also means surrounding yourself with people who might be more knowledgable in a topic than you.

Blacks at risk of enduring poverty in retirement

issue—it’s not enough to be ready for retirement.

Studies from Northwestern Mutual and Charles Schwab found that Americans feel they will need at least $1.27 million to $1.9 million to retire. People need to earn decent money to contribute to their retirement accounts, but before that, they need to be able to cover their monthly expenses, invest, and save.

Occupational segregation is a unique barrier to wealth-building and re-

tirement preparedness for Black women.

“The caregiving industry, for example, which may not have specific retirement plans available, that’s [a job] where Black women have been historically very active in the labor force,” says Angelino Viceisza, professor of economics at Spelman College and president of the National Economic Association.

In his research with the Urban Institute, Viceisza found that Black people had the “second-lowest

retirement wealth” at $11,157 for women and $19,382 for men.

This institutional racism has serious multigenerational consequences. Retirees may rely on younger family members to help cover costs. As a result, younger generations have reduced ability to create generational wealth.

Access to better jobs with higher pay and better benefits could make a significant difference.

“If people are only boxed into certain jobs, and therefore have an income

Help! My sister married a bum!!!

max they can reach, or if they’re in good-paying jobs, but there’s this glass ceiling that keeps them from achieving a higher level of income, this exacerbates the pre-existing wealth disparity,” said Angelino Viceisza. Finding More

Ways to Prepare

As people age, they should reassess their retirement savings and other investments to ensure they’re on the right track to have what they expect to need. There are also “catch-up contributions,”

allowing those over age 50 to make additions yearly.

Not everyone will have access to employer-sponsored retirement accounts. Fortunately, alternatives are out there. Some states offer automated savings programs to increase access to retirement preparedness, including California, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, and Virginia.

While these alternatives can help, Viceisza says, reparations would have the most considerable impact in getting

Black people the wealth and preparedness they need for retirement. The next best way, in his opinion, would be eliminating occupational segregation and glass ceilings.

“There is, in my mind, no other way to really inject enough wealth back [into the Black community],” he says. Without it, Black folks will continue to be generations behind, with an increasingly entrenched racial wealth gap.

—Written by Bria Overs for Word In Black

Homeownership challenges

been underserved by mainstream financial institutions, leading to limited credit options. Without a strong credit history, these borrowers may struggle to qualify for favorable mortgage rates in even rental agreements.

education, leaving them ill-prepared to navigate complexities of the homeownership process.

This lack of knowledge can lead to poor financial decisions, inadequate mortgage shopping, and vulnerability to scams.

Gentrification and Displacement

homeownership, In Summary

lowable exception. What’s allowed is for you to take a loan from your 403(b) plan. The max amount that you can borrow is 50 percent of your vested balance or $50,000—whichever is less. 50 percent of your vested balance is $37,500. Not enough to pay off $89,000. I wouldn’t have recommended it anyway. There’re drawbacks to loans from your retirement plan: Namely double taxation, lower ROI, in-

ability to pay back 403(b) loans AND continue to contribute to the 403(b) plan. Then there’s opportunity cost. Your current balance of $89,000 in your 403(b) will grow to be $652,000 over 20 years if you simply left it alone and allowed it to compound.

Truth is, you’re looking for a shortcut and an easy way out. There’re no shortcuts, only setbacks. Consider an income-based repayment plan with your student

loans to lower your payments. Work your side hustle for extra income, Use the income from it as well as your settlement proceeds to accelerate the payoff of your student loans.

I’d encourage you to get a firm handle on your student loans before you move to a newer house with a bigger mortgage payment.

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

Additionally, credit scoring models have faced criticism for potentially perpetuating biases. Factors such as income instability, medical debt, and rental payment history which may disproportionately affect minority communities, minorities are not always given appropriate weight in traditional credit scoring systems.

Lack of Financial Education and Resources

A lack of financial education and resources can further hinder minority and underserved borrowers. Many individuals in these communities may not have had access to quality finacial

Gentrification, a process in which more affluent individuals move into lower-income neighborhoods, can have adverse effect on minority and underserved communities. While gentrification can bring economic development and increased property values, it can also lead to the displacement of longtime residents who can no longer afford to live in their own neighborhoods due to rising costs.

This phenomenon not only disrupts established communities but also limits the ability of minority and underserved borrowers to build equity and generational wealth through

Addressing the homeownerships challenges faced by minority and underserved borrowers requires multi-faceted approach that involves policy changes, financial industry reforms, community outreach, and education Efforts should be made to enforce fair lending practices, expand affordable housing options, and ensure that credit scoring models are equitable. Proving accessible financial education and resources to these communities can empower individual to make informed decisions and navigate the path to homeownership successfully. By tackling these challenges headon, society can work towards a more equitable housing landscape where the American Dream of homeownership is a possibility for everyone, regardless of their background or economic status.

DAMON CARR FROM B1

PROPERTY FROM B1

ROBERT F. SMITH: THE RICHEST BLACK MAN IN AMERICA

Guest Editorial

Why we misunderstand each other

As we look around our homes, communities, cities, states, countries and continents, we can’t help but notice that chaos seems to reign almost everywhere. The planet is in a physical and psychological uproar. There are skirmishes universally, and very little progress seems to be made in curtailing this unfortunate situation.

In the world of science, there is a concept known as “multiple universes.” The theory is that our universe is just one of many. In one model these universes are separated by what are called “branes,” (think about a derivative of the word “membrane”). It is postulated that in each “universe,” there may be similar things happening, and some say there are duplicates of us in each one.

The foregoing definition of “multiple universes” is speculative at this time, but there is one area of life where the idea of “multiple universes” is totally true and that is the diversity in the minds of people. Essentially, every person views the world from his or her vantage point, and depending upon upbringing and previous experiences, those points can vary greatly.

In essence, every human being is a universe in miniature, and individual perceptions depend upon the background experiences, as previously pointed out. In this regard, when we say “multiple universes,” we are speaking on the fact that each human being views a unique universe shaped by his/her experiences.

We have all seen the evidence. Two people, for example, are witnessing the same exact thing that happened, and each one might see TOTALLY differing events. We can see this in other examples; one person may view a man (let’s call him “Victor”) and think that he is the most handsome man in the world, while another person might actually view him as extremely ugly!

This kind of perception happens all day in myriad circumstances, i.e., we are all experiencing the world differently, which makes communication difficult. We see a different world, and the barriers to understanding each other are crafted on this fact.

Because we exist in multiple individual universes that are often as different from each other as night is from day, it would behoove us to figure out how to bridge the communication gap whenever we need to collaborate with each other.

In order to do this, we must learn the art of compromise based on cooperation. In other words, though we may not understand what someone is trying to communicate, we must strive to see things from his/her standpoint.

In addition, we must seek complementary concepts that might help the other person understand us. The key is that we must bear a sincere commitment to want to understand where someone else is coming from…the desire must be present.

The most common areas for misunderstanding are between those who seem to be opposites. For example, a woman who is a meticulous housekeeper might develop a crush on a man who basically lives like a slob. If communication lines remain open, it is possible for them to reach a happy medium. In a situation like this both parties stand to benefit if they are willing and able to move from their comfort zones in order to see a different reality.

The key to blending the universes is to first commit to an attempt to understand others.

For example, a police officer, whose power dynamic is such that he doesn’t respect the Black and poor constituency he works for, will do things like shoot people without giving them the chance to explain themselves. This is operating from a position of prejudice.

In other words, it might be easy for someone who was raised to hate Black people to misunderstand a person’s motives and act upon their impulses to pull the trigger to shoot and/or kill an innocent person. If the cop in this instance is able to see the world from the other person’s standpoint, from the other universe, there might be a different outcome.

Basically, it requires effort to see things from another person’s viewpoint, from another universe of personal experiences, and if we are sincere, with effort we can succeed. If, on the other hand, we are only interested in gaslighting others, we have failed coming out of the gate. A Luta Continua!

(Reprinted from the Chicago Crusader)

Founded 1910

Rod Doss Editor & Publisher

Stephan A. Broadus Assistant to the Publisher

Kamala scores a big one!

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—So many things of interest happened this past week that it’s hard to know where to begin.  We’ve had the Hunter Biden case of lying on a gun application and not a word from the gun owners who defend any and every kind of gun ownership. They never care about how people got them or how they use them. Well, Hunter owned his gun for just 11 days and never used it for any reason.

We had formalities for the Sidney Powell/Kenneth Chesebro trial.

Trump wants all the trials involving him pushed off until after the 2024 elections so he can pardon himself! Judge Scott McAfee in the Fulton County, Georgia case ran a great hearing and continued to do so when Counsel for his client really went there in trying to discredit a Black woman lawyer for the State. He claimed Atty. Daysha Young lied to the court about existing law.  The judge asked him to stop the conversation. When he didn’t, the judge just shut him down by telling him in no uncertain terms his conversation was over!

Three of the Memphis police officers accused of beating Tyree Nichols to death and indicted were in court this week for this horrible crime.

Republican Speaker, Kevin McCarthy, faced a small rebellion in Congress by some of his members, and they went home without a res-

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

Commentary

olution—but not before Kevin had to stoop to using the f--- word. (I wonder if DeSantis is going to ban that word!

Well, amidst all that negative stuff, something good happened.

Vice-President Kamala Harris took a trip down to Hampton University in Virginia, and did she get a serious welcome from the students! It reminded us of the Barack Obamatype welcomes.  Students were so excited to have her there.  The lines to get in were impressive.  Some students were so excited by her presence that they wasted no time in getting registered for the first time to vote! I think her presence and her message serve as encouragement for other students at other colleges to hold the same kind of events.  If so, that is great news for the Democratic Party. From the news this week, it may also be time for Republican young people who are concerned about what young Democrats are concerned and many older Republicans seem not to care, to join forces: Climate Change, Environmental Issues, and Preservation of Democracy.  That, too,

sounds good for the Democrats.

Vice-President Harris was at Hampton to kick off her “Fight for Our Freedoms” college tour that she plans to take across the nation. If she gets the same response as she received at Hampton, that’s good news for her party. At many universities, the issues she supports are issues students support--Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and they will certainly be a part of her remarks.

She’s also been seen hosting a Hip-Hop Event recently where she called Hip-Hop “The Ultimate American Art Form” at the 50th Anniversary Event. The party was held at the Vice-President’s residence.  Common was there and we saw the Vice-President celebrate the anniversary by dancing to the music!  A lot of people are beginning to understand the value of the vote of young people. After all, young people should be very concerned about voting when they see how far down some politicians have sunk on issues that certainly have a great impact on the young.  It is a blessing to see the work of young Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost and of David Hogg—a gun control activist who survived the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Florida. I believe 2024 will bring a lot of young people into prominence who will not only vote but will run for office. We need them!

There has always been class warfare

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—The United Auto Workers and the Big Three automobile manufacturers – Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis haven’t been able to agree on worker compensation, and no wonder. The UAW leader, Shawn Fein, is fiercely committed that workers should be better compensated and should recoup some of the concessions they made to manufacturers when the automobile industry was in trouble in 2009. On the other side, the CEOs of the big three are touting their “generous” offer to the union, claiming they’d be bankrupt if they met union demands, and using terms like “class warfare” to describe the current stalemate.

CNBC anchor Jim Cramer was among the first to mention class warfare when the UAW offered a set of reasonable demands. He fails to understand that when CEOs make hundreds of times more than the average worker, there is some kind of warfare. Predatory capitalists extract surplus value from workers and direct it to shareholders and themselves. Thus, Ford GM Mary Barras earns more than $30 million a year, 362 times the average worker’s earnings. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares earns more than $24.8 million, 365 times the average worker. And Ford’s James Farley earns $21 million, 281 times as much as the average worker. Mary Barras defended her high salary by indicating that her pay is “performance-based.” She would not have performance were it not for worker productivity, but there is a gap between worker pay and productivity. Predatory capitalists are capturing the benefits of both worker productivity and worker concessions, resulting in record profits among auto

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manufacturers. President Joe Biden was spot on when he said that record profits should mean record contracts. In other words, pay the people whose labor contributed to the record profits.

While the Big Three CEOs saw their compensation rise by at least 40 percent in the last four years, they’d deny similar pay increases to their workers. Indeed, the average auto worker earns $28 an hour, just a dollar, or less than four percent, more than last year.   Those hired before 2007 earn $33 an hour, but those employed after 2007 make only $17 an hour, the two-tier compensation the UAW is fighting to eliminate. How fair is it that two workers, standing side by side, have such a pay differential, one earning about half of what the other is making? That’s called worker exploitation. The UAW agreed to it under challenging circumstances, and those circumstances don’t exist anymore. By the way, the lower-paid workers also get fewer health and pension benefits, and the union proposal is partly about equalizing some of these benefits. The quest for fairness is something that CNBC’s Cramer describes as “frightening.”

What is frightening is the increasing poverty in our nation. It’s frightening that predatory capitalists are getting away with extreme exploitation. It is frightening that CEOs make so much compared to labor and find nothing wrong with this. And it is empow-

ering to see UAW President Shawn Fein fight fearlessly for workers in the face of CEOs who whine about a bankruptcy that won’t happen unless they figure out how to cut a deal with labor.

If they disagree, the consequences can be dire. If the 150,000 workers in the UAW all strike simultaneously, the union has enough in the strike fund to keep them out for three months. Meanwhile, the auto industry may lose over $5 billion, and a strike may push the economy toward a recession. Auto workers aren’t the only ones at risk. Those who supply auto manufacturers with parts will probably have to lay workers off if auto manufacturing slows. There may be fewer automobiles available, and the fourth quarter is often a time when car sales go up. Fewer cars may also mean inflationary increases in automobile prices. If all auto workers go out at the same time, it will be catastrophic for the economy. Even if fractions go out, as 12,000 did on Friday, September 15, it will disrupt the economy.

The auto strike encourages other workers to stand up for themselves. Kaiser employees will strike by the end of this month if they can’t agree with management about the terms and conditions of work. Others are considering strikes, and labor unrest is at an all-time high. Workers want to be paid fairly. That’s not class warfare, that’s survival. To the extent that predatory capitalists resist paying fairly, there has always been class warfare.

(Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an economist, author, and educator in Washington, DC. Juliannemalveaux.com)

House Minority Leader Jeffries: GOP ‘in the middle of a civil war’

Amid the looming threat of a government shutdown as funding expiration at the end of the month draws ever closer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat from New York, has characterized the Republican Party as being “in the middle of a civil war.”

The statement comes as both major parties engage in heated negotiations to reach an agreement to prevent the shutdown.

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describe the internal tensions within the GOP. According to Mace, Republican use of such language would spark outrage and be considered divisive.

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Speaking Sunday on ABC News’ “This Week,” Jeffries stated unequivocally, “Let’s be clear: House Republicans are in the middle of a civil war. The House Republican civil war is hurting hardworking American taxpayers and limiting our ability to solve problems on their behalf. It’s unfortunate, but as House Democrats, we’re going to continue to try to find common ground with the other side of the aisle to work with Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans and President Biden.” Jeffries’ comments were made in response to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s decision to initiate an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. That move contradicted his stance that a full chamber vote would be required for such proceedings. In response to McCarthy’s actions, Jeffries assured that the White House would cooperate with the impeachment inquiry, asserting

that there was “nothing to hide.” He contended that the investigations conducted by House Republicans into the Biden family had failed to produce any evidence suggesting that the President had “engaged in impeachable offenses.”

“There are no facts on the record to suggest that President Biden broke the law in any way, shape, or form.

This is an illegitimate impeachment inquiry,” he stated. “It’s a product of the House Republican civil war. Why in the world, in the middle of all the issues that we are trying to tackle, all of the problems that we are trying to solve on behalf of the American people, would House Republicans inject this illegitimate impeachment inquiry in the middle of us trying to do the business of the American people? It’s quite unfortunate, it’s wrong, it’s distracting, and it should end now.”

Rep. Nancy Mace, a Republican from South Carolina who appeared on the same program, criticized Jeffries for using the term “civil war” to

Members of McCarthy’s caucus on the hard right threaten to unseat him from the speakership unless he meets their demands, including spending cuts and policy add-ons to must-pass government funding legislation. Also, they have signaled their unwillingness to support a stopgap bill to buy more time before the impending government shutdown deadline at the end of the month.

In response to the ongoing negotiations, McCarthy expressed optimism that progress had been made over the weekend in an interview with NBC News. He also revealed plans to incorporate border security into a continuing resolution and expressed confidence that an agreement would be reached “this week.”

During a separate television appearance, McCarthy emphasized his commitment to putting a bill on the floor, regardless of whether it passes or fails, to showcase where lawmakers stand on crucial issues. “I gave them an opportunity this weekend to try to work through this, and we’ll bring it to the floor win or lose and show the American public who’s for the Department of Defense, who’s for our military,” McCarthy declared.

Need for new generation of leaders

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—Michael Jordan is arguably one of the best professional basketball players in the history of the NBA. Among his many accomplishments during his illustrious career, Jordan was Rookie of the Year, five-time NBA MVP, six-time NBA champion, six-time NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Hall of Fame inductee. Jordan’s final game as a player was on April 16, 2003, where he finished with 15 points in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. “Now I guess it hits me that I’m not going to be in a uniform anymore—and that’s not a terrible feeling,” Jordan said afterward. “It’s something that I’ve come to grips with, and it’s time. This is the final retirement.”

Are two ‘isms’ ruining American political discourse?

Linguist John McWhorter argued in 2019 that the terms liberalism and socialism were ruining American political discourse. The initial liberal ideals are now known as “classical liberalism.” This means advocating for unrestrained free markets and civil liberties. Today’s libertarians endorse “classical liberalism.” Conservatives claim they want to preserve liberalism, but they’re referring to traditional institutions. Liberalism is usually associated with the left, but these two schools of thought are on the right.

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“democratic socialism” implemented in Scandinavian countries.

ica is more polarized than it has ever been, and this terminological confusion contributes to further division.

Liberalism and socialism, however perplexing, are both harmless. Fascism is a word that should be banned from political discourse.

Unlike liberalism and socialism, fascism’s original meaning is empty. One historian compared attempting to define fascism to nailing jelly to a wall. The right and left generally define the same phrase differently, yet when it comes to fascism, they use the same definition against one another.

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Jordan was a phenomenal athlete with a thrilling combination of grace, speed, power, artistry, and competitive desire. Yet Father Time was the only opponent the then-40year-old Jordan could never overcome. There are current players, like Jordan, who are competitive past their basketball prime, but physical skills will eventually decline, and all players will suffer the same fate: retirement. While a 40-year-old Jordan is considered old by professional sports standards, he would be regarded as relatively young as an elected politician.

But Father Time respects no one, and he ultimately catches up with all of us. Just as Jordan concluded it was time to “hang it up,” Utah Sen. Mitt Romney made the same decision as he recently announced that he will not seek a second term. Romney emphasized the need for a new generation of leadership. “At the end of another term, I’d be in my mid-80s,” Romney, 76, said in an interview. “Frankly, it’s time for a new generation of leaders. They’re the ones that need to make the decisions that will shape the world they will be living in.”

A true leader understands they cannot be held captive by their pride, ego, fame, and thirst for power when an influential and productive career has run its natural course, and it becomes time to pass the baton to the next generation. In a rare move, former Justice Stephen Breyer retired from the Supreme Court, allowing President Biden to appoint a successor who could serve for decades.

There was not a major ideological shift when the 51-year-old Ketanji Brown Jackson replaced the 83-year-old Breyer, but rather a critical generational and cultural shift that gives a fresh voice speaking on behalf of a diverse nation. It is the generational and cultural shift that causes Republicans to feel threatened. Young people can be a formidable voting bloc in elections if they mobilize across racial and party lines. Unsurprisingly, young conservatives feel abandoned by the Republican Party when evidence shows they are targets of the same voter suppression tactics used against minority voters. In Texas, Republicans introduced a bill that would ban all college voting centers and drop boxes. In Florida, the governor approved a bill making it more difficult for third-party voter registration organizations to conduct outreach to young people. And in Idaho, Republicans passed a bill to ban student ID’s from being used to register to vote.

We no longer live in times where each generation will do better than the previous one. As our nation moves from one era to the next, the idea of the infamous American dream is seen only as a pipe dream by many millennials and members of Generation Z. They have a right to feel cynical about their future with the current generational divide and the baby boomers who maintain political and economic power while holding little interest in the future quality of life for younger generations. The skyrocketing cost of college tuition and houses make future homeownership and higher education unattainable for many Gen Zers.

The future safety of our schools is no longer treated as a national tragedy and is often addressed by prescribing guns in the hands of teachers. Our communities are facing more intense flooding, extreme heat, and vanishing mountain forests and wildlife due to decades of ignoring climate change warnings out of allegiance to the fossil fuel industry. Millennials and Gen Zers are likely stuck with climate change’s effects becoming a natural way of life in the future. The fight for affordable healthcare and decent wage growth are reasons we are seeing a comeback of the labor movement, as evidenced by the United Auto Workers having gone on strike. Even with the increase in corporate profits, corporate greed will always force future generations of workers to fight for inflation-adjusted wage growth.

As baby boomer lawmakers like Mitt Romney continue to age out, will members of Gen Z commit to public service and be trusted defenders of their generation? Will they have enough political opportunities to serve effectively when older elected officials on the state and federal levels don’t know when it is time to pass the baton? With the election of Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida as the first Gen Z member of Congress, he became an example for others to follow.

(David W. Marshall is 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)

During the Great Depression, FDR’s New Deal initiatives started a new age of “social liberalism” that is championed by the left today. This type of liberalism was not concerned with free markets but rather with the government’s role in alleviating poverty and discrimination.

McWhorter stated that the general public no longer has any understanding of what the term “liberal” means and that, in an era of intense political polarization, the term should be dropped to avoid unneeded confusion.

As far as socialism goes, McWhorter claims that the term has been redefined so many times that its meaning is impossible to grasp. Originally, socialism meant the government owning the means of production and distribution in order to provide for the basic needs of all its citizens.

Republicans who opposed FDR’s New Deal termed it socialism, yet the New Deal did not control the means of production; rather, it established social programs. Because the New Deal’s goals were identical to those of socialists, Republicans associated government social programs with socialism, linked socialism to the Soviet Union, and labeled socialism un-American.

After the Soviet Union collapsed, the right did a good job convincing Americans that socialism was a failure, but the left found a way to clean up socialism by pointing out the success of

Scandinavian countries levy high taxes in order to create a massive social safety net for their residents, and they provide public services that Americans envy, such as universal healthcare and free university education. During the 2016 presidential election, Democratic contender Bernie Sanders and a slew of other progressive Democrats championed democratic socialism as a cure for capitalism’s ills.

The problem is that the Scandinavian countries do not adhere to the definition of socialism that says the state controls the means of production, nor do they embrace “democratic socialism.” In 2015, Denmark’s Prime Minister addressed this misconception at Harvard, telling the audience, “I know that some people in the US associate the Nordic model with some sort of socialism. Therefore, I would like to make one thing clear. Denmark is far from a socialist planned economy. Denmark is a market economy.”

To make matters worse, Professor Richard Wolff, America’s leading proponent of socialism, dismissed government ownership of the means of production and portrayed socialism in the twenty-first century as democratizing the workplace through worker-directed enterprises.

Liberalism and socialism are only confusing because the right and left utilize different vocabularies. Once that’s understood, the terms become more manageable. McWhorter, on the other hand, feels that these terms should no longer be used since Amer-

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, fascism is a political theory that exalts nations and often races over individuals and advocates for an autocratic government led by a dictatorial leader.

A CNN correspondent said just before Donald Trump was elected president, “Trump displays many traits of a proto-fascist, and he is part of a wave of right-wing nationalist movements.” After Trump’s presidency, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that MAGA Republicans were fascists because they attacked democracy.

After President Biden took office, The American Spectator ran an article titled Joe Biden: American Fascist: He accuses his opponents of doing what he does. The author emphasized that fascism exalts race over the individual. Then he wrote, “What, pray tell, have identity politics, critical race theory, and more far-left racism … been about if not to exalt race above the individual? Biden himself exemplifies this aspect of fascism by demanding that his appointees be selected not by qualification but by race.”

Both sides used the same definition in the most dangerous and divisive ways possible. It’s not liberalism or socialism that must be removed from our political discourse; it’s fascism.

Republicans again defending extremism in defense of their views

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—The inmates have taken over the asylum in the Republican Party. In the party that once prided itself on being pro-military, one wingnut senator is blocking the confirmation of hundreds of senior military officials, including the secretaries of the Navy, Army and Air Force. The party that preaches law and order now in Alabama openly defies a federal court order, refusing to redraw a racially discriminatory election map. In Wisconsin, Republicans seek to impeach a recently elected state Supreme Court justice before she even takes her seat on the bench—this time to protect a gerry-rigged election map that allows them to have a governing majority in the state legislature, despite representing only a minority of the votes. Donald Trump and his co-conspirators dominate the headlines, but the zaniness now pervades the party.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL.)—who never served a day in the military—has blocked the confirmation of 260 high officers of the military—a number that will rise to 650 by the end of the year if Republicans don’t put an end to his nonsense. Tuberville, part of the Republican minority in the Senate, abuses his senatorial privilege by blocking all defense confirmations to extort a Senate vote on the Defense Department’s abortion policy. He won’t draw up legislation for that vote himself. He demands that Democrats introduce the bill and hold the vote.

The Pentagon’s policy—implemented after the Supreme Court’s egregious decision overturning Roe v. Wade—allows soldiers and their dependents to take time off and use official travel to get to states that offer reproductive care—this includes not only abortions, but in vitro fertilizations. The Pentagon policy forbids the funding of abortions, except in the rare cases of rape and incest or if the life of the mother is at

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risk. The policy mirrors the opinions of the vast majority of the American people.

To take up each confirmation separately and hold the votes necessary to overcome his objections would consume virtually all of the time of the Senate. Appointees who are not confirmed can’t move into their official quarters and have limited authority.

In a joint op-ed, the secretaries of the Navy, Army and Air Force warned that Tuberville was “putting national security at risk.” Rep. Michael McCaul, the Republican chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, warned that Tuberville was “paralyzing the Department of Defense.” The effect on recruitment and retention and on the morale of career officials will be brutal. Senior Republican leaders in the Senate have publicly called on Tuberville to stand down. Instead, he vows to persist.

In Wisconsin, Republicans display their utter contempt for voters. They gerrymandered the election districts to give them a controlling majority of the legislature with the minority of the votes. In a partisan 4-3 vote, the state Supreme Court refused to overturn the injustice. In response, voters in Wisconsin threw out a conservative justice and elected a reformer who campaigned on upholding the rights of women and workers and ensuring that elections expressed the will of the majority. So now Republicans in the state legislature are threatening to impeach the new justice before she takes her seat on the bench.

Following Donald Trump’s example, they scorn the verdict of the voters.

In Alabama, Republican defiance of the order of a federal court evokes the ugly Southern history of invoking states’ rights to discriminate against African Americans. In June, the Supreme Court upheld the lower court ruling that Alabama’s redistricting violated the Voting Rights Act and ordered the state to redraw the lines. (In a state where over one in four voters are African American, only one of seven districts was majority Black.) The legislature simply ignored the court order. Now a three-judge federal court panel has appointed its own master to redraw the lines. State Republicans are counting on an appeal to the Supreme Court in the hope that its conservative majority will give them free rein.

On abortion, on racial discrimination, on redistricting, Republican views are opposed by most Americans. So, they seek various ways to enforce their views—even if that requires perversely weakening the Pentagon, or overturning the results of an election, or ignoring the orders of a court.

In 1964, Sen. Barry Goldwater, the Republican candidate for president, proclaimed that “extremism in defense of liberty is no vice. And moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.” This echoed the rhetoric of plantation owners, arguing that their liberty included the right to enslave others. Goldwater suffered one of the worst election defeats in history. Now Republicans are once more defending extremism in defense of their views that they have the right to strip women of control of their bodies, to revoke the voting rights of African Americans, to subvert the will of a majority of the voters. Once more they will only be stopped if they are repudiated again and again by voters at the ballot box and by judges loyal to the laws and the Constitution.

America needs the spirit of 9/11

Twenty two years ago, America was united in its grief over the 9/11 tragedies. There were no two AmericasDemocratic and Republican. There was only America in a time of loss and grief. Today, that is no longer the case. Grief and loss have become commonplace and terrorists such as those who attacked all of us on 9/11, have now become “us”: neighbors and fellow Americans now taking to killing fellow Americans for no good or necessary reasons. This is a sharp contrast with the Spirit of 9/11, which had us “helping” each other, regardless of politics or the color of our skin.

The intended attack on the U.S. Capitol was aborted by the brave Americans on United Flight 93 who gave their lives as they crashed the plane in a field in Pennsylvania, to save fellow Americans. This was in sharp contrast to the

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January 6, 2020 attack on the Capitol, carried out by supporters of a former President; a man who showed no respect for the very Constitution that he had sworn to “protect and defend”.

We have truly become the “Two Americas” that the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders Report identified when issued 55 years ago. That 431-page report became known as The 1968 Kerner Commission. It’s a document many Americans could stand

to read again or, for many, the first time.

Yes. America needs to return to the collective spirit of 9/11 and its focus on the nation as a whole and not its obsession with one man and those who have joined him in making his quest for power greater than our Constitution and those of us it serves. We need the Spirit of 9/11 again and beyond just reading names and ringing the bell once a year for those we lost.

The solution is found in the words of the Bible, 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land”.

Our land needs a healing, and with that healing, a return to the Spirit of 9/11.

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 DEFENDANT(S) NICOLE M. MCDERMOTT ******************** CASE NO. MG-23-000062 DEBT $67,089.89 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 *******************************************

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.

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

J. Michael McCague, Esquire ******************************* ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 408 Cedar Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 *******************************

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 412-803-3690 *******************************************

SHORT DESCRIPTION: *****************************

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

Rocks:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A COMMERCIAL BUILDING 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

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

NO.: MG-22-000297 *************

$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

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

PLAINTIFF(S):

29OCT23

SONNY BOY

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 HEIGHTS, PA 15065. DEED BOOK 18296, PAGE 362. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 1519-K-59.

43OCT23

DEFENDANT(S): Charles A.J. Halpin, III, Esquire, Personal Representative of the Estate of Raymond Ferraro, Deceased, ********************

************* 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,

PEARSON , deceased, of 116 Hart Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15235, No. 02-23-04059, Administrator: Mr. Brian Pearson, 215 Dorseyville Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15215 or to LLOYD A. WELLING, ESQ. American Wills & Estates, 2100 Wharton Street, Suite 302, Pittsburgh, PA 15203; (412) 381-7370

Estate of JANET M. PERETIC, deceased, of 216 Parklane Drive, North Braddock, PA 15104, Estate No. 02-23-06215,Teresa Ann Cronin, 746 Pine Valley Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15239, Executrix, or to William C. Price, Jr., Price & Associates, P.C. 2005 Noble Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15218

TRUST TERMINATION:

Advertising Trust Termination due to the death of Dorothy L. Sherrard

Her address was 500 Route 909, Plum, PA 15147

The purpose of this notice is to Advertise the Trust established under the Revocable Trust Agreement dated 06/19/2007. Claims against said Trust may be filed as follows and sent to:

PNC Bank, National Association

Attn: Sharon L Whitney, VP 300 Fifth Ave, FL 31 Pittsburgh, PA 15222

And/or: Sherrard, German & Kelly, P.C.

Attn: Ashley Bozewski 535 Smithfield Street, Suite 300 Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Estate of MR. WILLIAM STONE, JR., deceased, of 151 Claridge Drive, Moon Township, PA 15108, Estate No. 02-23-05670, Mr. Bruce Stone, Executor, c/o Max C. Feldman, Esquire and the Law Office of Max C. Feldman, 1322 Fifth Avenue, Coraopolis, PA 15108

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.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Meetings

MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY

A regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the College will be held on: October 5, 2023 4:30 PM

CCAC Allegheny CampusByers Hall 808 Ridge Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15212

HACP SEPTEMBER MEETING

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh’s Board of Commissioners will hold its monthly Board Meeting on September 28, 2023 at 10:30 a.m.

Due to the COVID-19 protective guidelines set forth by federal, state, and local government, the meeting will be held remotely, with public access to be provided online. The HACP will provide a direct link to a livestream of the meeting, and instruction on how to make a public comment. Details will be made available on http:// www.hacp.org, in advance of the meeting.

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.

PUBLIC NOTICE

ALLEGHENY COUNTY

SANITARY AUTHORITY

The Biosolids Committee of the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority will hold a special meeting for general purposes on Thursday, September 21, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. prevailing time in the Trefz Board Room at its offices located at 3300 Preble Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15233. Official action on the Committee’s recommendations will take place at a regular meeting of the Board of Directors at a later date. The public may view the meeting via livestream by visiting www.alcosan.org.

LEGAL AD NOTICE IS HEREBY given the Emsworth Zoning Hearing Board will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, 7 p.m., prevailing time, at the Emsworth Borough Building, 171 Center Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15202, regarding the application from Lucas Leighty for property at 179 Orchard Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15202, seeking a Variance from Emsworth Borough Ord. No. 245, Section 38; Setbacks seeking relief from height and lot regulations, minimum side set-back for non-corner lot, 8 ft. All those interested in the above hearing should be present at the above time and place and you will have an opportunity to be heard.

CATHY JONES Borough Secretary

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.

HOW TO OBTAIN THE IFB DOCUMENTS ON THE EPROCUREMENT MARKETPLACE:

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 CONFERENCE: 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

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR Direct Opportunities Center (DOC) Rehabilitation

IFB#600-08-23 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):

Direct Opportunities Center

(DOC) Rehabilitation

IFB#600-08-23 REBID

The documents will be available no later than September 18, 2023 and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 10:00 am on October 17,2023. 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 17,2023 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 inquires 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 in person; on October 3,2023 at 10:00 A.M. Please see meeting information below:

Pre Submission Meeting Address: 1205 Liverpool Street Pittsburgh, PA 15233

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

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

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

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.

PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY

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)

1 B23-04-27A Janitorial Supplies - Soap Products

2 B23-08-59 Gemini Plastic Seat Inserts

3 B23-08-60A Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid

4 B23-08-61 Voith Transmission Rebuild Kits

5 B23-08-62A Diesel Exhaust Fluid

6 B23-08-63A Coach Brake Drums

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, mobile app or room device

Meeting ID: 282 137 130 93 Passcode: 2FFAUe

Or call in (audio only)

412-927-0245 Phone Conference ID: 498 013 467#

Attendance at this meeting is not mandatory, but is strongly encouraged. Questions regarding any of the above bids will not be entertained by the PRT within five (5) business days of the scheduled bid opening These contracts may be subject to a financial assistance contract between Port Authority of Allegheny County d.b.a. PRT and the United States Department of Transportation. The Contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity laws and regulations. Contractor is responsible for expenses related to acquiring a performance bond and insurance where applicable. All items are to be FOB delivered unless otherwise specified. Costs for delivery, bond, and insurance shall be included in bidder’s proposal pricing Port Authority of Allegheny County d.b.a. PRT hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively insure that in regard to any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprise will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.

The Board of PRT reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

The Stadium Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will receive sealed bids for Parking Lot Repairs - 2023 as identified below for the North Shore Parking Lots. The contract for this work will be with the Stadium Authority of the City of Pittsburgh. Inquiries regarding the bidding should be made to the Stadium Authority of the City of Pittsburgh, 171 10th Street, 2nd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, Attention: Bill WilliamsE-mail: bwilliams@pgh-sea.com. Bid Packages may be obtained after the date identified below from Bill Williams at bwilliams@pgh-sea.com

This Advertisement applies to the following Bid Package:

Wednesday September 27, 2023

Alco Parking Lot 2 behind Tequila Cowboy’s On Chuck Noll Way Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Time/Date/Location for Bid: 2:00 PM, Tuesday, October 17, 2023 Stadium Authority of the City of Pittsburgh 171 10th Street, 2nd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

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

COURIER

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.

Help Wanted

COMMUNITY RESOURCE COORDINATOR (CRC)

Sisters Place, Inc. is seeking a full-time qualified candidate to fill the role of Community Resource Coordinator (CRC). Sisters Place, Inc. (SP) was founded in 1993 by local Catholic congregations of religious women in response to the Gospel imperative of love of neighbor and service to the homeless and impoverished in our community.

Sisters Place, Inc.’s mission statement is “to faithfully provide opportunities for families and individuals to overcome poverty and homelessness through empowerment, housing, wellness, personal and professional advancement services.” SP operates in Pittsburgh, PA with its headquarters located in Mt. Oliver.

The individual who will fill the CRC role will be the first point of contact for guests, constituents, and clients. The best candidate for this opportunity must be engaging, welcoming, and knowledgeable about the services offered by SP and collaborative organizations who assist our client base. The CRC provides a range of resources and referral options. This position is responsible for making referrals, providing and making recommendations to collaborative organizations and other community resources, as well as triaging the intake of clients for SP services. This position manages the intake area, welcomes all who enter the building, answers the phone, responds to emails, and refers to internal and external resources. This position is responsible for maintaining and monitoring all files required by HUD. The position supports the CPO/COO with intake activities required by HUD and SP. The ideal candidate must possess strong interpersonal, organizational and work ethic skills. Interested candidates can apply for this position by submitting their resume to Recruiter@BradleyPartnerships.com or via our website www.BradleyPartnerships.com/ careers - “Career Opportunities”

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.”