UPW Urban Pro Weekly

UPW URBAN PRO WEEKLY

OCTOBER 6 - 12, 2016 VOL. 5 NO. 37

Broadway actor Joel Russell Brown to perform at the Augusta City Classic Football Game

Coaches Clint Bryant & Al Young to be inducted into The Augusta City Classic HOF.

Photo by Vincent Hobbs

Commissioner Marion Williams ‘takes a knee’ to protest unfair treatment

NO PAY, NO PLAY Charter School battle set for the Nov. 8 vote; 19 Richmond County Schools ripe for takeover

UrbanProWeekly -OCTOBER 6 - 12, 2016

Meet Major Keldric Cobb Richmond County Director of Operations

Ben Hasan returns to the airwaves Commissioner Ben Hasan returns to the airwaves this week. The District 6 commissioner is no stranger to the broadcast realm. He has hosted shows on cable tv and radio prior to becoming an elected official. You can listen to “The Future Is Now” hosted by Mr. Hasan on WNRR Gospel 1380 AM every Thursday and Friday afternoon between 12 to 1.

DENTAL Insurance I want all Richmond County citizens to know I am here for them and if they have any issues please contact me!

Major Cobb is available for all community oriented events including health fairs and CPR classes. If you need his expertise at your next event, contact him at 706-434-4003 or at KCobb@GoldCrossEMS.com

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Contributors VINCENT HOBBS Photography & New Media KEN MAKIN contributing columnist

3 UrbanProWeekly - OCTOBER 6 - 12, 2016

CITY NEWS Commentary

I may be crazy but I ain’t no fool. (or something like that) Commissioner Marion Williams knows the value of a buck. We support his protest.

Photo by Vincent Hobbs

NO PAY, NO PLAY By Frederick Benjamin Sr. UrbanProWeekly Staff Writer

AUGUSTA Commissioner Marion Williams refuses to attend any more Planning Commission meetings unless he is paid the same as the other members (about $150.00 per month). The other commissioners haven’t signaled that they’re prepared to do much about Williams’ request or whether it has merit or not — at least not publicly. So what usually happens in cases like that when things are not very clear cut, they pass it along to either the city attorney or, as in this case, the city administrator. That usually has the effect of putting the matter on hold almost indefinitely. But in this case, the issue is clearly about money. And the fact that its not about a lot of money makes it crystal clear how skittish the commissioners become when it comes to their own salaries. Whether or not Williams gets paid or not for attending Planning

commission meetings is really beside the point. Williams’ dogged determination to have this matter aired publicly brings the issue of commissioner compensation front and center. Frankly, commissioners don’t get paid nearly enough for what they are asked to do. You won’t hear them say that because it’s considered impolite, but it makes to sense to nickeland-dime your team that has to make decisions on how millions of tax-payer dollars are spent. We’ve been hearing for years, that in order to attract the top talent, you have to be competitive salary-wise. For a city that doesn’t mind paying its top executives good money, why does it offer its public servants “peanuts” and then expect them to perform miracles. Locals love to question the competency of the commissioners, but they would never offer to place themselves in running for the job. If they wanted to, the commissioners could ask the legislative delegation to upgrade their sala-

ries, but if they have done so, it was in muted tones. The problem then becomes political. The state legislators would then have to have the courage and the vision to do something that the public would vehemently oppose. That’s not likely and that’s a shame. Part-time workers are going to give you part-time effort. I don’t blame Marion Williams one bit. If you are going to take abuse from the public just for being a commissioner who has to make tough decisions, you ought to get paid for it. If our elected officials make bad decisions through lack of timely or accurate information, how can they be held accountable. It’s not enough just to dump everything on the desk of the beleaguered city administrator. The commissioner’s base salary should start at $30,000 and include gas and travel allowances. They should be expected to live up to each “ex-officio” obligation or get rid of the requirement altogether. They should have published

“office hours” and be required to be “on call” whenever emergencies present themselves. The job should be made attractive to those who have the desire to become public servants without the imposition of financial and/or time constraints. This publication is on record calling for the abolition of the position of mayor. That would more than pay for an upgrade in the commissioners’ salaries. With no mayor, there’s no mayor’s staff, no mayor’s “bat-mobile”, no mayor’s budget and no mayor protem. And that’s not all. Commissioners need their own staff person(s). It’s well known that the city attorney has often been at odds with the guidance requested by some commissioners. The commissioners need their own “go-to” legal advisor. They also need financial and technological experts at hand who work for and report to them. We’re with commissioner Williams on this one. No pay, no play!

UrbanProWeekly -OCTOBER 6 - 12, 2016

EDUCATION

COMMENTARY

Charter school debate once again appears on the ballot

It’s deja vu all over again. Charter school opponents are working to defeat a ballot amendment giving the state the power to take over poor-performing schools on Nov. 8. If they fail, the way could be paved for the privatization of many Richmond County schools. By Frederick Benjamin Sr. UrbanProWeekly Staff Writer AUGUSTA Once again the dreaded “charter school threat” rears its ugly head and once again charter school supporters and opponents are touting the pros and cons of public charter schools. Charter school supporters and their detractors each argue that they have the best interests of the children of Georgia at heart. The public gets to weigh in at the polls on Nov. 8. The issue is on the ballot even though it doesn’t mention charter schools. Instead, voters will be asked to decide whether the state’s constitution can “be amended to allow the state to intervene in chronically failing public schools in order to improve school performance?” Now, who could argue with that? Opponents of charter schools have gone to court over the language of that ballot item. Carley Shaw, a middle school teacher for Georgia’s Fulton County Schools thinks she can get to the heart of the matter. “The language on the ballot basi-

cally says the governor would have the right to take over any school that’s low performing,” says Shaw, who is a teacher and vice president of the Fulton County Association of Educators. “But, it doesn’t get to the meat of the matter of what this means.” Opponents say that, over and above giving the right the state the right to take over failing schools it opens the door for the privatization of public education, the fragmentation of school authority and the disenfranchisement of communities of color whose parents will lose the right to replace school board members through local elections. If this whole argument sounds familiar, it’s because this is merely round two in the legislative jousting that surrounds this issue. Round One played out in 2012 in the Atlanta General Assembly when the Republican dominated legislature placed Amendment One on the ballot and enjoyed a victory toast when the measured passed overwhelmingly. That 2012 vote allowed for the amendment of the state constitution

to allow the state to create charter schools. Prior to that, local school boards had the power over the creation of charter schools. Local boards were joined by school superintendents and teachers groups who were opposed to the constitutional change and spent a lot of money and political capital to arouse public opposition. However, they fell short. Charter school supporters had argued that the opposition to charter schools by most local school boards made it important that the state have the power to circumvent those boards. Now, they had it. Today, the issue was remains divisive. Supporters of traditional public education fear that the creation of each new charter school would pull resources from public schools. If the voters give the governor the right to take over failing schools, the door will be opened for the creation of dozens of charter school across the state including many here in Richmond County. Nineteen local schools are vulnerable to state takeover because they

failed to meet satisfactory benchmarks for three consecutive years. Among those schools are Butler, Glenn Hills, and Josey High Schools. Ironically, Jenkins-White Elementary Charter School and Murphey Middle Charter School were also sub par performers. Charter schools receive public funding but are freed from regulations like class size and teacher pay schedules in exchange for promises of improved student performance. Besides the matter of dwindling finances resources, there’s the matter of control. Charter school opponents feel that the local school boards should control all the public schools in their respective districts — even the charter schools. The 2012 constitutional amendment stripped local boards of that control. On the heels of hundreds of millions of dollars in state education cuts and in the midst of declining property tax revenues, local school boards are keenly aware of the challenges posed by the privatization of public education by the creation of charter schools.

MAKIN’ A DIFFERENCE COMMENTARY by Ken Makin

Clinton-Trump debacle underscores gross misunderstanding of politics “It is unfortunate, too, that such a large number of Negroes do not know any better than to stake their whole fortune on politics. History does not show that any race, especially a minority group, has ever solved an important problem by relying altogether on one thing, certainly not by parking its political strength on one side of the fence because of empty promises…” — Carter G. Woodson, The Mis-Education of the Negro An estimated 84 million people watched the presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump last week, which made it the most-watched debate ever. Let’s not confuse this for some sort of political awakening and awareness among the American people. Quite frankly, this is a case of people looking for entertainment over enlightenment; instead of politics, people are looking for a prize fight. This presidential election, this illusion of choice, is an insult to our collective intelligence. I wish I could say that keeps us from choosing sides, but that is not the case. A lot of African-Americans believe the answer is Clinton, mostly because

“she’s not Trump” and because President Barack Obama is shamelessly caping for her. Yes, the same President Obama who called Clinton a liar just a few years ago. My response to Black Clinton supporters: Look at the policies that the Clinton political empire, or as I like to call them, the “House of Clintons” in a nod to the political thriller on Netflix, have enacted at the expense of AfricanAmericans. Look at the 1994 crime bill, for starters. Look at former President Bill Clinton’s aggressiveness toward petty drug offenders. When Clinton left office in 2001, the United States had the highest rate of incarceration in the world! The way that Black politicians come to the Clintons’ aid during election time, it seems they are already at heel. It is a shameful act of self-preservation that gives the Clintons leeway to run amok in Black communities, pandering for the Black vote at every turn. You’re probably wondering why I haven’t said much about Trump. The answer is simple, really: What is there to say about Trump, other than the fact that he is a racist xenophobe who is pandering to a historically racist and misinformed group of white

Americans? That’s why he can suggest a return to “stop-and-frisk” policies without batting an eyelash. Those policies don’t affect white folk – they disproportionately affect people of color. And Trump’s base doesn’t mind if a few eggs – or Black heads – are broken as long as they can maintain their skewed view of security. This is what we deserve as Americans because we ourselves have little concern for the day-to-day effects of politics. We only engage the process every four years, which allows big-money interests to disregard us and our concerns. When Woodson wrote “The MisEducation of the Negro,” the thesis was based on the idea of cultural indoctrination. He was absolutely right. The way Black folks praise, the way Black folks protest, the way Black folks process information is all under the influence of indoctrination. We have been co-opted and separated between the haves and have-nots in such a sinister fashion that we have tied ourselves to the idea that either one of these candidates – heck, the two-party system and political process as currently constructed – is suited to be the leader of the free world. We need to wake up. Not now, but

RIGHT NOW. We must demand more of ourselves when it comes to understanding politics. Attend city meetings. Vote in EVERY election. Learn about what’s going on. Once we do that on the local level, we’ll have more of a stake in our communities. This effect will only grow stronger, to the state level, and then, to the national level. Politics isn’t the only answer, though. We have to understand that politicians are only the allocators of the resources. We, ourselves, need to have a deeper understanding of economics and how the lack of wealth equates to a lack of opportunity in our community. If we don’t take heed, then we will continue to fall under our illusion of choice. And if the past is any indication, experience will continue to be our cruel teacher. Ken J. Makin is the host of “Makin’ A Difference,” an internet radio program available at soundcloud.com/makinadifference. Updates on the show are available at facebook.com/makinadifferenceshow. You can also reach Ken by email at makinadifferenceshow@ gmail.com, or via Twitter @differencemakin.

DANCE of Unity at the city’s premiere festival

WOMEN WEAR TRADITIONAL COSTUMES to represent their cultural heritage as they participate in the “Unity Dance” at the Arts in the Heart festival held in downtown Augusta. Festival organizers say this was the best attended event ever. (Sept.16, 2016 Augusta, GA) Photo by Vincent Hobbs

UrbanProWeekly - OCTOBER 6 - 12, 2016

THE ILLUSION OF CHOICE

UrbanProWeekly -OCTOBER 6 - 12, 2016

SPORTS AU vs PAINE

Lady Jags defeat Lady Lions 3-0 (At Right) Augusta University freshman Jessica Hedrick (R) gets the ball over the net as Paine Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kayla Lewis (L) goes for the block during a rival game at Christenberry Fieldhouse. The Lady Jags triumphed over the Lady Lions with a final score of 3-0. (October 1, 2016 - Augusta, GA) Photo by Vincent Hobbs/Sports Journal

(At Right) Paine College junior Mikalia Wallace (R) jumps to block as her teammate Lydia Elmore (L) also helps with the defense during a game against rival Augusta University at Christenberry Fieldhouse. The Lady Jags triumphed over the Lady Lions with a final score of 3-0. (October 1, 2016 Augusta, GA) Photo by Vincent Hobbs/Sports Journal

Paine Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Caprice Lockett prepares to serve the ball during a game against rival Augusta University at Christenberry Fieldhouse. The Lady Jags triumphed over the Lady Lions with a final score of 3-0. (October 1, 2016 - Augusta, GA) Photo by Vincent Hobbs/Sports Journal

7 UrbanProWeekly - OCTOBER 6 - 12, 2016 Paine College junior Mikalia Wallace gets the ball over the net during a game against rival Augusta University at Christenberry Fieldhouse. The Lady Jags triumphed over the Lady Lions with a final score of 3-0. (Oct. 1, 2016 Augusta, GA) Photo by Vincent Hobbs/Sports Journal

UrbanProWeekly -OCTOBER 6 - 12, 2016

The ARTS Augusta Mini Theatre celebrates 41 years with Chef’s Showcase/ Birthday Bash In celebration of its 41st year of operation the Augusta Mini Theatre, Inc. Arts & Life Skills School presents the 15th Annual Alumni & Friends Chefs Showcase / Birthday Bash on Sunday, October 9 at the Belair Confeence Center located at 4083 Jimmie Dyess Parkway in Evans. The program starts at 2 p.m. Participants include: Jackie M’s & Son Café & Catering, Villa Europa, Miles Catering, Ashley’s Fish & Seafood, Augusta Mini Theatre Parents Soul Food Corner, The Harvest Table Buffet, French Market Grille, Chef Charlie Williams, Roux’s Gourmet Catering, Chef Julia Jackson, Chef Earline Brown, Dent Creations, Augusta Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Liquid Sunshine, Georgia’s Catering Service, Sconyers Bar-B-Que, Collins Catering Services, Chef Willie Mae Crittenden, DeShawn’s Seafood & Chicken, The WifeSaver Restaurant (North Leg Road), 3rd & 27th Catering. For tickets and information, call 706-722-0598 or visit online at www. augustaminitheatre.com Augusta Mini Theatre is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts and life skills school and does not discriminate. The arts school is opened to students 1st to 12th grade – residing in all states.

Page’s Blue Bistro Creative to participate in the Georgia Theatre Conference Convention AUGUSTA Anthony R Page and Blue Bistro Creative have been invited to present a series of workshops during “Take the Stage,” - - the 52nd Annual Georgia Theater Conference. Being held from October 12th - 15th in Augusta, GA the conference attracts industry professionals, administrators, educators and students from across the state. Accepting the invitation from Roy Lewis, who is a local arts educator as well as the conference’s program chair, Page and his team will be conducting workshops on Playwriting, Directing and Acting. Page states, “We are excited that the board at the Georgia Theatre Conference has chosen our city to host this year’s series. In many ways it’s a metaphor for the progress that we have seen over the last few years. There have been improvements in infrastructure; the depth of talent and resources has developed to a competitive point and support from the wider community has been steadily increasing. So the fact that the board has chosen our city appears to validate our progress as a community. All in all, at Blue Bistro Creative, we are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the conference.” To Read More Go To: http://anthon y r p a g e.blo g sp o t .c o m / 2 016/ 10/ blue-bistro-creative-supports-georgia.html

Jessye Norman School Annual Benefit Concert to include Student Art auction The Jessye Norman School of the Arts will hold its annual benefit concert on October 30, 2016, 4 PM at the First Baptist Church. Critically acclaimed performers will be Laquita Mitchell, soprano from New York and Nicholas Phan, tenor, who co-founded the Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago (CAIC). Also featured will be dance and choir students from the Jessye Norman School of the Arts (JNSA). Featured students include Eboni Watts, Samantha Phillips, De’Anya Bell, and Kelis Bryant. Eboni Watts is 14 years old, in 9th Grade at Davidson Fine Arts (DFA) and has studied for 4 years at JNSA. Samantha Phillips is 16 years old, in 11th Grade at DFA and is in her 6th year at JNSA. De’Anya Bell is 14 years old, in 9th Grade at DFA, and has been studying for 4 years at JNSA. Kelis Bryant is 15 years old and in 9th Grade at DFA. She’s been at JNSA for 2 years.

An auction of select student paintings and photos will be available before the show and during intermission. Students will keep 100% of their sale price. Nicholas Phan’s most recent solo album, A Painted Tale, was named one of the Best Classical Albums of 2015 by the Chicago Tribune and he was named one of NPR’s “Favorite New Artists of 2011.” Laquita Mitchell dazzles audiences around the world with her leading performances with Los Angeles Opera, San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, New York City Opera, Washington National Opera, and Opéra Comique in Paris, among many others. Tickets are $40 for adults and $25 for students under 25 with a valid student ID. Purchase tickets at Jay’s Music Center at 2702 Washington Road, call 706-877-0411 or buy them online at www.jessyenormanschool.

org. The Jessye Norman School of the Arts serves a critical role in Augusta’s community. With the never ending cycle of education and specifically arts cutbacks in programs, it becomes even more vital that our community pull together and provide the support necessary to sustain and build supplemental arts programs for our children. JNSA has grown from 30 to 100 plus students because Augustans realize how critical the arts are to the long term viability of our community and to the enhanced educational opportunities of our youth, who will someday be the leaders and members of this community. The Jessye Norman School of the Arts continues to expand the number of students it can serve and expand on the programs it can offer. Contributions, attendance at events and donations make this possible.

LUCY CRAFT LANEY MUSEUM OF BLACK HISTORY

Chicks that Click Photography Club Presents “Save ‘Mother’ Trinity” Exhibition EXHIBIT: OCTOBER 2 - 29, 2016 Augusta is home to some of our nation’s oldest AfricanAmerican religious congregations. Included foremost among these historic institutions is Trinity Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, whose founding in 1840 predates their formal denomination by thirty years. The site of the original church survives under threat of demolition. Chicks that Click Photography Club has captured both the exterior and interior beauty of the church’s

setting in the Third Level of the Augusta Canal National Heritage area in a collection of photographs to deeply expand community awareness of this influential treasure. Although the newer constructed facility is embedded in the Glenn Hills neighborhood, the former building remains as an anchor of the Little Dublin section of Laney-Walker Historic District.

OCTOBER SENIOR LUNCHEON • October 19, 2016 • 11:30am-1:00pm Pamela Cook and Judy Holmes, co-founders of Chicks that Click Photography Club, return to the museum as featured panelists for our monthly Senior Luncheon to discuss their experiences in

photographing Trinity CME Church. The cost is $11.00. Please call the museum at 706-724-3576 to reserve your catered meal.

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The Richmond County School System will accept bids and request for proposals until 3:00 p.m., Thursday, October 27, 2016, for the following: 1. Customer Service Software for School Systems RFQ#16-761 2. Software to Maximize State Funding for School Systems RFQ #16-762 Bid specifications may be obtained by contacting Cecilia Perkins in the Business Office at perkice@ boe.richmond.k12.ga.us or 706-826-1298, on our web site at www.rcboe.org, or at Richmond County School System, Central Office 864 Broad Street, 4th Floor, Augusta, GA 30901. The Richmond County School System reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive technicalities and informalities. COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION OF RICHMOND COUNTY By: Dr. Angela D. Pringle, Secretary

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UrbanProWeekly - OCTOBER 6 - 12, 2016

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UrbanProWeekly -OCTOBER 6 - 12, 2016

COMMUNITY

HAPPENINGS

Program to assist homeowners who owe more than their homes are worth Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has launch a homeowners program called Underwater Georgia, which is specifically targeted to the approximately 150,000 Georgians who owe more than their homes are worth. Underwater Georgia is finite federal funding targeted to help Georgians through a one-time payment to reduce the principal balance on the home. Most importantly, I would like to ask for your help in getting the word out to eligible Georgians. For three weeks, from September 28-October 18, 2016, Georgia residents will be able to visit www. UnderwaterGeorgia.org to fill out a

pre-application for these funds. All applications will be assigned a number, which will be sent to a third party for a blind random selection process. Next, the randomly selected applications will be reviewed, in the order selected, for eligibility and those deemed eligible will continue through the process. Since we expect to receive more applications than we have funding for, not all eligible applicants will receive assistance. We are undertaking a very aggressive earned and paid media campaign across the state to ensure awareness of the Underwater Georgia initiative. During the three-week pre-application

period, we will blanket the state with print, radio and social media. We are also targeting Georgia’s hardest hit counties with digital outdoor media and individual postcards. However, we would like your help in reaching out to potentially eligible residents to ensure awareness of the limited opportunity to apply for consideration for this funding. To help you publicize this available assistance, we have put together a Communications Toolkit to make it simple for you to help get the word out through your website, social media, newsletters and email lists, or by posting notices on message boards

in heavily trafficked locations during the September 28-October 18 pre-application period. These documents will not be accessible off of www.dca. ga.gov, but you may access the toolkit directly from this memo by clicking here: Underwater Georgia Toolkit. Please do not put on social media or display information in a public place until September 28, 2016. If you have a newsletter that is going out prior to this date, please emphasize the dates of the pre-application period. Pre-applications will be blocked from being submitted until September 28. Continued on next page

Coaches Clint Bryant and Al Young to be inducted into the 2016 Augusta City Classic Hall of Fame The President of the Augusta City Classic, Henry Ingram, and the Board of Directors are pleased to announce the 2016 Augusta City Classic Hall of Fame Inductees. The Augusta City Classic Hall of Fame as become one of the most Prestigious Hall of Fames in our Community and this year they are honored to select Coach Clint Bryant of Augusta University and Retired NFL Player and Coach Al Young. Coach Clint Bryant, with nearly 30 years of providing commitment and care for Augusta University as the Director of Athletics, Clint Bryant has firmly established himself as one of the most reputable administrators and leaders for equality in the state of Georgia, the Southeast and in the nation. Coach Bryant has been named the Division II AD of the Year by NACDA (National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics), Bryant was also selected to the NCAA’s Division II 40th Anniversary Team for his collegiate efforts as a standout men’s basketball player at Belmont Abbey (N.C.) College. He went from being a student-athlete to a leader of students and a giant in the Augusta area. With Coach Bryant at the helm, Augusta University has enjoyed unprecedented success to include a Division 1 National Championship and numerous NCAA Playoff appearances. Al Young was a standout wide receiver with South Carolina State before playing in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He started at wide receiver in the famous «Immaculate Reception» game against Oakland in the 1972 NFL playoffs. Along with coaching numerous sports from basketball to football to track, Coach Young has made an impact on the hearts of many of the youth in our community. He is also a member of the South Carolina State University Hall of Fame. Coach Young has coached basketball, football and track; he is also one of the most successful coaches in our area.

Board President Henry Ingram stated, “We are looking forward to another Outstanding August City Classic Induction Banquet.” Mr. Ingram adds, “This is the largest minority event in our community, with that being said; we have a responsibility to do what we have always done. That is BE GREAT!” He also stated, “This year’s Class of Hall of Famers speak

volumes on their own… Coach Clint Bryant and Coach Al Young are at the Apex of coaches.” The 2016 Augusta City Classic will kick-off with a Golf Tournament being held at Forrest Hills Golf Club, next will be the Augusta City Classic Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday, October 28th, at 7pm. This event will take place at the Augusta Marriot on

the River. This year’s 2016 Hall of Fame speaker will be Cazzie Russell. The game will be held at Saturday, October 29th, at 2pm; however, events will begin around 8am that morning. If you would like more information about the classic please visit our Facebook page or call our office 706829-4854.

Russell Joel Brown to perform and be honored at the Augusta City Classic Augusta native, Russell Joel Brown will be honored for his artistic achievements with the “Lion King”, his recent performances on Broadway, as well as his continued devotion and generosity to the Augusta Community. The Board of the Augusta City Classic will present him with the Image of Entertainment Award at the Augusta City Classic Hall of Fame Banquet on October 28th at the Marriot Hotel Riverfront. The event starts at 7pm. The Augusta City Classic Hall of Fame Banquet will be inducting Coach Clint Bryant and Coach Al Young into the Augusta City Classic Hall of Fame. Mr. Brown will also be performing before the Augusta City Classic Game on October 29th at the Laney Stadium. Augusta native, Russell Joel Brown, has toured the globe as a singer/ actor/ dancer in various Broadway musicals. His early formal dance training began at the Augusta Ballet School under the tutelage of Zanne Beaufort Colton and legendary founder of the Augusta Ballet Company, Ron Colton. His musical training came at the hands of Mrs. Carrie Rockholt at Episcopal Day School and Good Shepherd Episcopal Church Youth Choir, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, piano lessons with Mrs. Virginia Bush, and

Joel Russel Brown will be presented with the Image of Entertainment Award at the Augusta City Classic Hall of Fame Banquet. He will also perform at the game. finally, voice lessons with Father John Fitzpatrick at Aquinas High School and Michael Joyce at St. Mary’s on the Hill Catholic Church. These early influences laid the groundwork for later work with Dr. David Morrow, Dr. Uzee Brown, and the late Dr. Wendell P. Whalum in the Morehouse College Glee Club and Morehouse Quartet. In New York, Mr. Brown studied voice with the late Melvin Jordan for 12 years. It was an early stint with the Augusta Players Youth Theater Wing that ignited Mr. Brown’s passion for theater. This led to lead roles in plays and musicals at Aquinas High

School. After moving to New York, roles came in the First National Tours of “Smokey Joe’s Cafe”, “The Scarlet Pimpernel”, and Disney’s “The Lion King”. International work has included the Japanese tour of “Smokey Joe’s Cafe”, a European tour of “Ain’t Misbehavin’”, and engagements in Taiwan and Mexico of Disney’s “The Lion King”. He currently tours as a bass and Mufasa understudy in the North American production of Disney’s “The Lion King”. Mr. Brown recently completed three months on Broadway with “The Lion King.”

Homeowners from p.10

assigned an anonymous number, and the pre-applicant will receive a verification email. DCA will provide those pre-application numbers ONLY to a third party who will conduct a random selection process. The randomly selected pre-applications will be reviewed, in the order selected, and those that meet minimum eligibility requirements will be invited to submit an application and provide further information. The program will continue until the set-aside funds are utilized.

A Housing Call Center has been established to take calls during the 11 open period, 24/7. This call center will be able to handle language-access needs for those who speak a language other than English. Media buys are being made in all markets across Georgia to publicize the program, as well as extensive earned media efforts - including print, social media, radio, and outdoor digital billboards. A direct mail campaign will target the 20 zip codes with the highest concentration of underwater homes.

UrbanProWeekly - OCTOBER 6 - 12, 2016

The key eligibility requirements to be considered for Underwater Georgia’s one-time mortgage assistance: * Owe more than home is currently worth. * Owe no more than $250,000. * Purchased home before 2012. * Less than 90 days late on mortgage. * Mortgage lender is willing to participate. * Have not previously received HomeSafe Georgia assistance.

The Underwater Georgia website - www.UnderwaterGeorgia.org - will go live on September 28, 2016. It will be a pre-application launch site. Website steps: First, the website asks people to read the eligibility requirements before entering the pre-application area. Then, there is the opportunity to take an Eligibility Quiz. Finally, there is the Pre-Application. The pre-application is very brief, and will be used to do a basic screen for eligibility. Pre-applications will be accepted through October 18, 2016. Each pre-application will be

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