UNCF Jazz Festival set for this weekend
U W Ann N. Johnson, Festival Chair
rban Pro NEWS • COMMENTARY
ARTS
eekly
The CSRA’s FREE WEEKLY
Newspaper VOL.3 NO.1
ENTERTAINMENT SEPTEMBER 5-11, 2013
Wayne Wilson, co-owner of Living Water sees his establishment as a haven for the community. Photo by Vkncent Hobbs
Alkaline water distributors see balance & harmony as by-products of their neighborhood presence. Plan to visit them soon.
City expresses skepticism over Laney-Walker ‘rebranding’ costs
UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2013
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Look Here!
Kiss Family Reunion, Sat. Aug. 31, 2013 Augusta Exchange Club Fairgrounds Photos by Linda Chisolm Williams Augusta-Richmond County Public Library Augusta-Richmond County Public Library Presents Presents
Writing Romance: The Perfect Affair featuring: D. Jackson Leigh Thursday, September 26, 2013 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Ms. Leigh will speak about the art of
Headquarters Library, 823 Telfair Street,Augusta, Georgia writing romance, the wonderful journey 30901
of being a published author, and the stateabout of LGBT She will also talk Ms. Leigh will speak the artfiction. of writing romance, the about her September release of Hold Me Forever, a romance set among Louisiana quarter horce racing. A native of Augusta, Ms. Leigh currently works as Night Metro Editor of the News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina. This event is free and open to the public.
Make sure that you listen to AJ on Fridays from 1-3 pm on WKZK 103.7 FM & 1600 AM The Spirit of Gospel For all of your advertising needs contact me at (706)306.5009 or mswright26@gmail.com
3 UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2013 Co-owners (left-right) Wayne Wilson, Tonya Wilson and Ivory Whitfield. Their community investment if far more than dollars. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
It’s REAL!
Living Water
South Augusta business is an urban oasis
A short distance from Fort Gordon’s Gate 5 on Tobacco Road (across from the Citgo gas station) sits a small brown building atop a hill. Some people have mistaken it for a church, but the sign reads, It’s REAL! Living Water Alkaline Super Antioxidant. If you investigate, you will be warmly welcomed by any or all of the co-owners — Ivory Whitfield, Wayne Wilson and Tonya Wilson. You will be offered a crystal clear cold drink of their It’s REAL Alkaline Water, then you will be invited to make yourself comfortable and stay awhile. You will have entered the Living Water Garden of Eden experience. Oh, and, by the way, you can drink as much of their deionized water as you please — at no cost. Everything about Living Water is designed to make you feel at ease. The owners subscribe to the belief that relaxation, balance and harmony promotes wellness — physically, psychologically and spiritually. They have discovered a way to realize a great business opportunity creatively using their products to build a
stronger sense of community. Mr. Whitfield explains: “Our Living Water in the garden of Eden approach was never to create a retail store with the purpose of extracting funds from our communities, but rather to be a haven in the community that the people would feel comfortable enough to
just stop by to say, hey, and maybe sit down and learn something — or teach something — as you share a glass of water with a stranger. “We are here to make a bigger deposit into the community than we are to make a withdrawal! “So if you talk to anyone who has
Living Water • 3019 Tobacco Road, Hephzibah, Georgia, 30815 • 706-432-8184
been there or if you get any place near 3019 Tobacco Road, the buzz is all the same about the Living Water experience. You should stop in and say, hey, to Ivory, Wayne & Tonya and let them love on you with a cold glass of Alkaline Water and an essential oil for every mood!,” Whitfield says. Co-owner Wayne Wilson is passionate about sharing his views on embarking on and maintaining a healthy approach to everyday living. He carefully explains that, “At Living Water, in the Garden of Eden; we are licensed to vend and bottle our It’s REAL! Alkaline Water and we are Certified Aroma therapists. However, we are not licensed masseuses, medical doctors or licensed for medical counsel. We make no claims of any ability to diagnose, prescribe or treat any disease, illness or injured condition of the body. Living Water in the Garden of Eden; is in no way intended to be a substitute for medical consulting. Anyone suffering from any disease, illness or injury should consult a qualified health care professional.” Continued on next page
UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2013
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Water is just part of the mix in the Living Water at the Garden of Eden experience. Above, co-owner Wayne Wilson guides a visitor through an aromatherapy session. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
Living Water from p.3 That being said, Wilson is convinced that most individuals will emerge from the Living Water in the Garden of Eden experience feeling way better than when they arrived. It’s no miracle, he says. The body has the capacity to heal itself. Years of improper diet, lack of proper hydration and the stress of modern living all present challenges to healthy living. Part of the Living Water experience is sharing the great body of knowledge about how the body combats dis-ease. “Living Water in the Garden of Eden store was set-up and operates under the spiritual principles based on the schools of thought laid-out in Ezekiel 47; 8-12,” Wilson says. He believes that the alkaline water that is being produced today from local business water ionizers and home water ionizers have similarities in the effects of the water referred to in the Scriptures. And while he is not sure if the water in Ezekiel had small water clusters as the ionized water of today, he says they sure seem to have the same miraculous healing effects in the body! Wilson offers a huge amount of anecdotal evidence and testimonials attest-
U W rban Pro
ing to the healing properties of It’s Real Alkaline Super Antioxidant water. Here’s his account: “The buzz really got started after Dorothy Spaulding of Channel 49 invited us to appear on her show, CLUB 36. This is where she shared her personal experiences with us as she changed her water to alkaline and began using our essential oils. Her testimony was that she had picked up something while traveling and for seven years she sought doctors around the world who could neither identify, nor relieve her from the swelling, blistering or the unbearable itching! She claims that after her counseling with Living Water for their professional opinions on natural approaches to solving her problems, she changed her diet, changed her water and added essential oils to her daily routine to prevent the re-occurrence of diseases through the strengthening of her immune system. A short time after she began her natural approach she invited them back to reappear on CLUB 36. Again, she shared how these natural changes or additions to her life somehow alleviated her symptoms of dis-ease and put her back in control of her life by restoring her natural balance. Her telling that story on the air
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UrbanProWeekly LLC Mailing Address: 3529 Monte Carlo Drive Augusta, Georgia 30906
Publisher Ben Hasan 706-394-9411 Managing Editor Frederick Benjamin Sr. 706-836-2018
got an instant response from the local and CSRA community at large.” Whitfield adds: “They seem to have come from all parts of the south. We had hoped that our timing would be right and that people would be ready to hear our message, but we never expected what happened. People came from everywhere! They came and sat, they drank and listened, they smelled and asked questions as they talked and it was good!” Living Water is producing a newsletter to showcase the many testimonies of local people who credit It’s REAL! Alkaline Super Antioxidant water for helping to improve their overall health in a wide variety of areas. Users say that the water helps in daily elimination, increases energy, aids in sleeping, reduces pain, reduces cholesterol, eliminates acid reflux, helps normalize blood pressure, gives diabetic relief, promotes weight loss, and eases kidney and arthritis problems. It’s REAL is the trade name for the Living Water Bottling company of Alkaline Super Antioxidant water. The alkaline water is manufactured and distributed from their store, Living Water, located at 3019 Tobacco Road in Hephzibah, Georgia. The store has been open since
Sales & Marketing Phone: 706-394-9411 Photography and Social Media Courtesy of Vincent Hobbs
March of 2013 and has already been received as a positive uplifting addition in the community that sees little, if any, influx of business or community services. Hours are from 10 am to 6 pm, Monday thru Friday & 10am to 4 pm on Saturdays. Friends from all over the CSRA stop in and have open discussions usually centered around Alkaline Water or Essential Oils daily. There is training for the Essential Oil business on Thursday’s from 6pm to 7pm, everyone is welcome! As a response to their clients demand in North Augusta, Living Water will be announcing the opening of their second location in the Clearwater, SC area. CLUB 36 will host the announcement September 5, 2013 on their live 2 hour follow-up show with Living Water. Their motto is “If you change your WATER, you will change your LIFE”. The alkaline water is sold by the gallon, you can purchase 5-gallon, 2 ½-gallon, 1-gallon, hand-held 74 oz. and 33 oz. or you can stop in and DRINK FREE every day! They are a little company operating a BIG principle through GIVING; they believe that a healthy community in time becomes a prosperous community for everyone!
email: Ben Hasan bzhasan54@yahoo.com Frederick Benjamin Sr. editor@urbanproweekly.com Vincent Hobbs coolveestudio@gmail.com
The City
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Commissioner Alvin Mason has convinced a majority of commissioners to withhold granting a $2.5 million bridge-loan to Chester Wheeler’s Housing and Community Development Department until answers to some key questions are provided. Here’s the text of Mason’s request to Wheeler: Here’s what your website says about leveraging:
SETTING THE BAR HIGH. Commissioner Alvin Mason wants to know much more about the city’s LaneyjWalker Bethlehem Revitalization Project before another $2.5 million is handed over to the agency.
City puts brakes on HCD’s $2.5 million loan request By Frederick Benjamin Sr. Urban Pro Weekly Staff Writer AUGUSTA It has been two weeks since Chester Wheeler, the city of Augusta’s Housing and Development czar, requested a $2.5 million bridge-loan to keep the Laney-Walker Revitalization efforts afloat. At the August 20 commission meeting, Wheeler predicted that any delay in granting the loan would cause the project to face “serious financial consequences.” Those “consequences” notwithstanding, the Augusta commission, this week, decided, indeed, to delay those funds pending receipt of answers to some accountability questions offered by Commissioner Alvin Mason. The funding request, for the second time at a regular commission meeting, was pulled from the consent agenda for discussion. This
move was foreshadowed a couple of weeks ago when it was first brought to the commission’s attention. At the time, Commissioner Marion Williams told Wheeler not to expect that the request would receive clear sailing. Mason, who says he supports the revitalization efforts, expressed skepticism about some of the project’s public claims. Mason has asked for Wheeler to provide documentation of its claims of 10-1 private-public investment in the project. He has also requested answers to an additional series of questions about the project’s funding mechanism. (See sidebar). In a 6-4 vote, Mason was joined by Commissioners Donnie Smith, Grady Smith, Mary Davis, Wayne Guilfoyle and Joe Jackson in a successful effort to block granting the loan until Wheeler provided some answers. Wheeler did not attend the meeting. According to city administrator Fred Russell, he was ‘out of the
country.’ At the August 20 commission meeting, commissioners were stung by the revelation that the marketing (rebranding) and project management costs for the Laney-Walker Revitalization effort had soared to a cost of nearly $700,000 per year. At a subsequent committee meeting, it was suggested that Wheeler explore the feasibility of bringing the marketing end of the operation ‘in-house’ and seek additional funding sources. Russell, a key supporter and operative in the revitalization effort, touted the national recognition that the effort has received, but relented that perhaps it was time for more of the money be directed toward “bricks and mortar” instead of consulting. There has been no mention of any “serious financial consequences” that may have already occurred or which may occur as a result of the city’s latest action.
Two in running for Murphy’s House seat By Vincent Hobbs, Special to UPW AUGUSTA The Georgia House of Representatives seat in District 127, which became vacant with the passing of Rep. Quincy Murphy in August, will soon be filled through a special election on November 5th. Georgia House District 127 encompasses an area within Richmond and Jefferson Counties in Georgia. The first candidate to announce her intent to run for the Georgia General Assembly seat was Dianne Murphy, widow of the late Rep.
Quincy Murphy. Murphy made her announcement on the steps of Tabernacle Baptist Church in downtown Augusta on Friday, August 30th. “One thing you could always say about Quincy Murphy: he fought the good fight. I pledge to continue the good fight for our senior citizens, for excellence in public education, for quality affordable healthcare and for economic growth to bring more employment opportunities for the residents of House District 127,” Murphy stated in her press release. This week also brings another can-
didate, Brian Prince, who will be announcing his candidacy for the State Representative seat early next week. Prince, a retired veteran with over twenty years of military experience, is launching his campaign “to serve the people in District 127”. A native Augustan, Prince spent years working for a large strategy and technology consulting firm, Booze Allen Hamilton, as a network analyst. Prince is active in the Augusta community and believes that the essential element to serving his constituents is to provide leadership. “Leadership is the key,” he said.
“The City’s investment is supplemented with HUD program funding with the objective of leveraging each public dollar with ten private investment dollars.” • How much in Laney Walker bond money have you put into this project? What will be the total amount of bonds issued during the life of this project? What are the estimated total fees and interest for those bond issues? • How much in HUD program funds have you put into this project? What will be the total amount of HUD program funds to be used during the life of this project? • Where is the evidence of the 10 to one match of “private investment dollars” cited on your website? Provide names, amounts and letters of commitment • If you are not yet at a ten to one match, what is your current match and what are your annual goals for increasing that performance? • What percentage of the project money is being spent on administration? Describe any city positions that are fully or partially funded from the bond proceeds. • What are the current and projected annual obligations to outside contractors? Describe any performance measures that are included in those contracts. • Are any current or former City of Augusta employees or officials a principle in or employed by a company doing work on this project? If so, identify the person, company and extent of that relationship. • Do any current or former City of Augusta employees or officials have a previous business relationship with a company doing work on this project? If so, identify the person, company and extent of that relationship.
UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2013
Mason’s line of questioning
UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2013
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PEOPLE & organizations making a difference Augusta UNCF Campaign gears up for scholarship Jazz Fest
have performed at various churches munities is nothing but a WISE investThe Augusta UNCF Campaign is throughout the C.S.R.A. and cherishes ment”. thrilled to announce its Inaugural Ann Tickets, now available for purchase, the opportunity to share its love for N. Johnson UNCF Jazz Festival is underare $25 in advance and $35 on the day music with all who will hear. way and scheduled for 5 p.m. on Sunday, “To have a local college who has of the scholarship event. To purchase September 8, 2013, at the Jessye Norman given so much to our community and tickets for this event, contact Leadra Amphitheater. This historic outdoor produced dynamic leaders since 1882 is Collins, Augusta UNCF Campaign venue is located at 1 Ninth Street in phenomenal,” shared Ann N. Johnson. Coordinator, at 706.821.8233 or lcoldowntown Augusta, Georgia. The UNCF “I, and the Augusta community, have lins@paine.edu. Jazz Festival’s chair, Ann N. Johnson, For more information received so many of its benefits. The has been a community pillar within the act of giving forward is most important. on Paine College, please visit http:// greater Augusta area for over 40 years UNCF scholarships enable students to www.paine.edu or contact Leah Suggs and a strong supporter of Paine College, The honorary chair of this scholar- realize their career goals so that they in the Office of Communications & a UNCF member school. can become successful citizens and a Marketing at (706) 821-8322, (803) 524 Entertainment for the evening will ship event is musical recording Auto Home Life Health Bonds Commercial Auto Hom treasure in their local and global com- 3195 or lsuggs@paine.edu. be provided by Sounds Unlimited, Trey artist, Janelle Monáe. McLaughlin and the Sounds of Zamar, A Step Up, Three Generations, Richard bonist Wycliffe Gordon, trombonist for Payne, and Playback featuring Tu’Tu the Wynton Marsalis Septet and has had Auto Home Life Health Bonds Commercial the privilege of playing with Wynton Dy’vine. Marsalis in a jam session. On drums, Sounds Unlimited Band has been one of Augusta’s most distinguished bands Michael Peele was born in Baltimore, since 1995. The band began as the Pitt Maryland and raised in Augusta, Band for the Augusta Mini Theatre’s pro- Georgia. The Richard Payne 4 is composed duction of The Wiz. In 2005, the band was recognized by the 100 Black Men of of some of Augusta’s most talented Augusta for their accomplishments and natives mixed with moonlighting Army musicians. These musicians of differservice to the Augusta community. Trey McLaughlin and the Sounds ent regions, generations, and musical of Zamar released their first single, “I backgrounds fuse together to bring a Expires 11/30/13 Will Praise,” earlier this year. The sin- unique, smooth, and sometimes funky to everything from jazz standards gle, available on I-Tunes, 2636-C Tobacco Rd is featured on edge JyNelle Handy, Agent 2636-C Tobacc their debut album “Limitless,” which to modern R&B. ephzibah, GANovember 308152012. A Step The Hephzibah, GA 3 INFO@INS-PROS.COM 3 Generations are a musical was released Up feature Eric Hillman and Michael group which consists of 1st, 2nd, and Peele. Hillman began playing trumpet at 3rd generation male relatives. Based the age of nine receiving training in jazz out of Augusta and formed in 2012, 2636-C Tobacco Rd JyNelle Handy, Agent and classical music through the local the 3 Generation’s mission is to utilize and vocal talents for school systems of Augusta, Georgia. He its instrumental Hephzibah, GA 30815 INFO@INS-PROS.COM has also done studio work with trom- the glory of God. The 3 Generations
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UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2013
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SPORTS HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL By Vincent Hobbs Burke County vs. Laney Butler vs Burke County Glenn Hills vs Laney Laney vs Harlem August 29, 2013 @ Lucy Craft Laney Gym
A Glenn Hills volleyball player keeps her eyes on the ball during a game against Harlem High School at the Laney gym. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
Charecia Walker (L, #2) and Burke County Lady Bears teammate Amber McGee (R, # 4) atempt to doubleblock the ball during a game against the Lucy Laney Lady Wildcats at the Butler High School gym. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
Girl’s volleyball coach LaShawn White advises the Lucy Laney Lady Widcats during a time-out in a game against Harlem High School at the Laney gym. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
Butler High School girl’s volleyball coach Evalissa Young (center) talks to her players during a volleyball game against Burke County High School at the Butler gym. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
Brianna Threet (center, #1), a volleyball player for Harlem High School, celebrates a point scored with her teammates during a game against Laney High School at the Laney gym. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
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UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2013
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Scholarship Ball to benefit college-bound girls AUGUSTA Cher’s Sisters Only Club (SOC) will host its 1st Annual Scholarship Ball on Friday, September 13, 2013 at the Elks Lodge in Augusta, GA 8:00 p.m. to midnight. The event will feature an evening of elegance with entertainment by the Klass Band Brotherhood, food, dancing and cash bar. All proceeds from this event will go towards the SOC Scholarship for Girls fund. The SOC Scholarship for Girls awards financial grants to African American high school seniors living in the Central Savannah River Area. The scholarships range
in the amount of $500 - $1,000 dollars based upon funding. Shantavious McLendon, a graduate of Taliaferro County High School, and Lynda Polite, a graduate of Cross Creek High School were the 2012-2013 recipients of the SOC Scholarship for Girls. Both young ladies are currently pursuing a post secondary education Savannah State University. Georgia State University. Ms. Cher Best, SOC President, commented that “the Scholarship Ball will allow us raise funds to continue to provide scholarships at the $1,000 level and hopefully increase the number
of scholarships available. The SOC is committed to empowering young ladies and women and this is one way that we are able to support our mission”. Tickets to the Scholarship Ball are $40 each and all proceeds will benefit the SOC Scholarship for Girls. Tickets can be purchased by calling 803-640-5027, contacting a Sisters Only Club member or emailing sistersonlyclub@hotmail.com.
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UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2013
Community Corner
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Forum
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Arts in the Heart is nonstop Art From Friday, September 20th - Sunday, September 22nd, the Augusta, GA area will come alive with an explosion of visual art, music, dance, culture, culinary art, theatre, workshop classes, and family friendly live entertainment. It’s the 33rd Annual Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival presented by The Greater Augusta Arts Council (www.artsintheheart.com)! As co-chairperson of the Troubadour Stage, I am honored to host ‘The Multi-Cultural Microphone’ Open Mic Variety Show on Saturday, September 21st from 5:30-7:30pm. This year there will be entertainers on stage from Augusta, Atlanta, Fayetteville, and even New York! The theme of this year›s art festival is simply ‹A Celebration of Community›. There isn›t a focus on one particular culture (as it has been in recent years). This year, as you engage in all the sights and sounds of the festival, I challenge you to take a moment to reflect on your involvement and participation regarding unity among your neighbors. Yes, our upbringing and backgrounds make us different from each other, but it is our unique culture that provides the platform for inspiration and growth. As artists, for example, we expand our craft and broaden our audience reach by adding elements from other people›s backgrounds to our work. I have hosted open mic variety shows for over 8 years in Augusta and Atlanta and I get feedback from audience members saying how enlightened they were by the diversity of talent from all ages that is represented on stage. I will
never grow weary of providing this stage for the people in my hometown of Augusta to experience quality creative expression that opens eyes and changes lives! If you are a singer, musician, spoken word artist, conscious hip hop artist, actor/actress with a dramatic monologue or a lover of the quality performing arts, treat yourself on the third weekend of September with non-stop arts events at The Arts in the Heart festival. The stage schedules are live on the Arts in the Heart website. There are listings for events like the ‹Speak Yo’ Peace’ open mic on Sunday hosted by the Poet Laureate of Augusta, Brotha Trav Godbrotha Wright, writing/performance workshops hosted by Quality Poets Society, and performances by Lucinda Clark’s Poetry Matters Celebration. You won’t want to miss Davidson Fine Arts, Promethium Fire Troupe, Musical Theatre Workshop and so much more on the Troubadour Stage! This is a time to bring the whole family to experience Augusta›s best when it comes to art and cultural expression. Laugh, smile, take lots of pictures and create memories to remember for years to come. Let›s all remember that our differences (whether it be skin color, age, religion, or culture) should be celebrated as the melting pot community bond that keeps us strong. You are cordially invited to the 33rd Annual Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival. The spotlights are on, CSRA! Let›s take the love we have for quality creative expression to the stage! Loving Life, LadyVee DaPoet
(L-R) Dr. Charles Smith, President, Ruth O.Thomas, Asst. Treasurer, member of 100 Black Women of Augusta, Johnnette, President of Positive Mindz, Dr. Tonjanika Jackson, 100 Black Women of Augusta, Larry Nesmith, President of Coffee County NAACP.
Augustans motor to historic D.C. march WASHINGTON, DC Augusta Branch President Dr. Charles J. Smith, Sr., holds the NA ACP national lead banner as he participated in the historic March on Washington, DC on his 62nd birthday August 24th. Accompanied by his wife Susie M. Smith and other NA ACP members, the Augusta Branch left for the March on Washington on Friday, August 23rd and participated in the rally and march on August 24th. The Augusta Branch was asked to carry the banner by Southeast Regional Director Kevin Myles. They were among hundreds of thousands from across the country who attended the event. At the age of 13, he had the opportunity to shake the hand of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. when he spoke at Old Morning Star Baptist Church in his
hometown of Demopolis, Alabama. The Augusta Georgia Branch NA ACP chartered a bus of 55 members to include supporters from Dr. Lori Myles and the 100 Black Women of Augusta, Positive Mindz Youth Group, the Augusta Branch NA ACP Youth Council, Paine College NA ACP Chapter, Gamma Beta Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., NA ACP members from Atlanta, Greene County, Former Georgia State Conference NA ACP First Lady Laura Butler, President of Morgan County NA ACP, Larry Nesmith, President of Coffee County NA ACP, and State Membership Chair, Willie Ann Montford of the Washington County Branch. According to members who attended the event including Dr. Myles, “it was a very educational, historic and enjoyable trip.”
Antoinette’s Lesson Kristie Robin Johnson We always knew it would happen again. We would not know the day. We would not know the time. We would not know the city or state. We would not know which school, supermarket, or movie theater would be targeted. We would not know which lost, unhinged mad man would emerge. But after living through a dark string of American nightmare’s including Columbine, Virginia Tech, Tuscon,and Newtown- deep within in the most melancholy part of our hearts, we knew that it would happen again. Last month, it happened. A deranged young man stormed into Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy in Decatur, Georgia, heavily armed, ready to bring about destruc-
tion. The scenario had all of the ingredients of a massacre waiting to happen: a non-medicated mentally ill shooter, a mini arsenal of firepower, and a schoolhouse full of unsuspecting children and teachers. But another ingredient was added to the mix on this fateful morning: the boundless humanity of Antoinette Tuff. The school’s bookkeeper found herself face to face with what many people would call a monster. In what had to be an earth shattering moment for her, Ms. Tuff chose love in the midst of unimaginable fear. Ms. Tuff didn’t react as if she saw a monster, instead she only saw a fragile, disconnected human being. She did, in her toughest moment, what many of us fail to do in our daily lives. She sought to make a human connection with her would-be assailant. She
shared her story, pointed out the similarities between her life and his, and expressed sisterly love towards the stranger. It is amazingly poignant that this incident happened as we approach the fiftieth anniversary of the historic March On Washington. Dr. King implored us to judge others “not by the color of their skin; but by the content of their character.” Antoinette took King’s words a step further. Not only did she not judge the intruder by the color of his skin, she didn’t even judge him by his character, which is clearly flawed. She looked beyond his faults and saw his needs. Antoinette’s example is a teachable moment for the entire world. What would happen if each person chose to seek first the friend in others, instead of the foe? What would hap-
pen if we all chose to meet moments of violence with incomprehensible love? What if we all had the heart of Antoinette Tuff? Maybe, just maybe, the world would be a little different. Perhaps if George Zimmerman had Antoinette’s heart, he might have seen a kid trying to get home in the rain instead of a lurking menace to society. Perhaps if a thoughtful, sensitive stranger had shown Adam Lanza a bit of Antoinette’s kindness in the midst of his downward spiral, Newtown, Connecticut might be a sleepy small town that no one ever heard of. We will never know. What we do know now is that love really may conquer all. Antoinette didn’t have a gun. She didn’t even have a knife. She was only armed with an indomitable human spirit. In the end, it just might be the only armor any of us ever really need.
Sealed proposals from contractors will be received for the Additions to Cross Creek High School Project by the County Board of Education of Richmond County at the address below until 3:00 p.m. local time, on Tuesday, September 24, 2013, at which time bids will be publicly opened and read. No extension of the bidding period will be made. Everfaithful Missionary Baptist Church 314 Sand Bar Ferry Road Augusta, Georgia 30901 (706) 722- 0553 Bishop Rosa L. Williams, Pastor Church School Sunday 9:25am Morning Worship Sunday 11am Evening Worship 6pm (1st & 3rd Sunday) Midday Prayer 12pm Wednesday Intercessory Prayer/Bible Study 6pm Wednesday Radio Broadcast: WKZK 103.7 FM at 7:30 a.m.
Good Shepherd Baptist Church
Rev. Clarence Moore, Pastor 1714 Olive Road / P. O. Box 141 (mailing address) Augusta, GA 30903 706/733-341- Telephone/706/667-0205 – Fax E-mail address: admin@goodshepherdaugusta.org Web address: goodshepherdaugusta.org Rev. Clarence Moore Church Service: 7:45 & 11:00 a.m. Church School: 9:45 a.m. / Prayer Service: 11:00 a.m. – Wednesday Bible Study: 9:00 a.m. - Saturday / 7:00 p.m. - Wednesday
A Pre-Bid Conference will be held on Tuesday, September 10, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. local at the Cross Creek High School Main Office, 3855 Old Waynesboro Road, Augusta, Georgia 30906. Drawings and project manual on this work may be examined at the Department of Maintenance and Facilities, Richmond County Board of Education, 1781 15th Street, Augusta, Georgia 30901.
Bidding documents may be obtained at the office of the architect: Hughes, Beattie, O’Neal, Law & Associates, 1201 Broad Street, Suite 2A, Augusta, Georgia 30901, (706) 722-3484. Applications for documents together with refundable deposit of $200.00 per set should be filed promptly with the architect. Bidding material will be forwarded (shipping charges collect) as soon as possible. The full amount of deposit for one set will be refunded to each prime contractor who submits a bona fide bid upon return of such set in good condition within ten (10) days after date of opening bids. All other deposits will be refunded with deductions approximating cost of reproduction of documents upon return of same in good condition within ten (10) days after date of opening bid. Contract, if awarded, will be on a lump sum basis. No bid may be withdrawn for a period of thirty-five (35) days after time has been called on the date of opening.
Bid must be accompanied by a bid bond in an amount not less than 5% of the base bid. Personal checks, certified checks, letters of credit, etc., are not acceptable. The successful bidder will be required to furnish performance and payment bonds in an amount equal to 100% of the contract price.
To list your place of worship in this section, please call 706-394-9411
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The Richmond County Board of Education reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive technicalities and informalities
BID LIST: The Richmond County Board of Education maintains a bid list for many categories that are let for bid each year. Contact Amy Bauman in the Business Office (706) 826-1298 or at baumaam@boe.richmond.k12.ga.us if you need additional information concerning the bid list. To promote local participation, a database of sub-contractors, suppliers, and vendors has been developed by the Program Manager, GMK Associates. Contact Jeanine Usry with GMK Associates at (706) 826-1127 for location to review and obtain this database Bids shall be submitted and addressed to:
Dr. Frank G. Roberson, Superintendent Richmond County School System 864 Broad Street Augusta, Georgia 30901 Attention: Mr. C. Gene Spires, Controller
UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2013
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