South Augusta incinerator project slammed
DJ Swagg a.k.a Johnny Gregory Finding
One of Augusta’s great sights is the James Brown mural on Ninth Street. It is as dynamite as the late Godfather himself, with its vivid, larger-than-life depiction of the international icon.
For a long time, it disappointed me that the statue of Brown in downtown paled in comparison to the size of the white supremacist monument in front of the Augusta Chronicle, and wasn’t even taller than the statues in the Augusta Common. The colorful mural has
changed how I view downtown, and may have provided a template for the rest of our city.
We need more murals.
Wall art, graffiti, whatever you want to call it – adds a soulful, urban element to any city. South Philly is full of wall art with beautiful Black faces and motivational messages. We need that energy in Augusta, and you can see glimpses of it in both downtown and the Laney-Walker District. Murals can provide a glimpse into history, such
JULY 19, 2023
Commissioner Jordan Johnson was recognized for his election as President, and Commissioner Catherine McKnight as 3rd Vice President of the Georgia Municipal Association’s 7th District. They both were installed during the 2023 Georgia Municipal Association Conference.
The Augusta, Georgia’s Housing and Community Development Department has been approved to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with Augusta/CSRA Habitat for Humanity, Inc. to provide affordable housing to families in Richmond County. Habitat for Humanity will construct three to five new dwellings, leveraging funding through the HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME), sweat equity, and other funding.
The approval of the partnership allows Augusta Housing and Community Development to create safe, decent, and sanitary housing along with housing education and rehabilitation services throughout Augusta-Richmond County.
The Augusta Commission approved the following grants:
• ARPA State Fiscal Recovery Fund Public Safety and Community Violence Reduction Grant Program provides $1,578,558.30 in funding for the Richmond County Marshal’s Office to provide equipment for more screening capabilities and improved security at the various court facilities.
as the ones in the “Golden Blocks” area, offer morals or perhaps tell us of a better future.
From my perspective, they also represent a form of pushback, of protest. I see the gentrification that is happening in District 1, whether it’s in commercial downtown or part of the cultural shift in the Laney-Walker/Bethlehem neighborhood area. While paint can’t directly push back capitalism, murals are a reminder that we live here and our stories are important.
Our city, much like America, is a place that largely sees itself in Black and white. Let’s add a little color to the situation. We need more murals.
Ken Makin is the host of Makin’ A Difference and a freelance writer for ESPN and The Christian Science Monitor, among other outlets. Look him up on Facebook at Makin’ A Difference, and you can also send him an email with your thoughts at makinadifferenceshow@gmail. com.
The Augusta, Georgia Human Resources Department is hosting their Mega Hiring Event in August. All sessions will be held from 10am to 1pm in the Linda W. Beazley Room in the Augusta Municipal Building, 535 Telfair Street. Attendees should bring a current resume and be prepared for a possible interview.
August 3, 2023 On this day, meet officials from the Augusta Fire Department, the Richmond County Correctional Institution, E-911, Richmond County Marshal’s Office, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, the Richmond County District Attorney, the Richmond
County Public Defender’s Office, and the Coroner’s Office. August 10, 2023
On this day, meet officials from Augusta Utilities, Augusta’s Engineering & Environmental Services, the city’s Central Services Department, Augusta Parks & Recreation, Augusta Regional Airport, and Augusta Transit.
August 17, 2023 On this day, meet officials from Augusta’s Human Resources Department, Compliance Department, Finance Department, Planning & Development, Tax Assessor’s Office, and Augusta-Richmond County Public Library System.
The Rolling Sea Action Fund plans to spend more than $10 million helping Democrats retake the House.
By Daniel Marans HuffPostFormer aides to members of the Congressional Black Caucus on Tuesday (July 18) launched the first-ever super PAC affiliated with the caucus’s political action committee, adding a powerful new player to the stable of Democratic groups with plans to spend big in the 2024 election.
The Rolling Sea Action Fund, so named for lyrics in the Black national anthem, intends to spend upwards of $10 million on TV and digital advertisements, field organizing and other forms of engagement directed at Black voters in an effort to help Democrats retake the House of Representatives. The group will focus its resources on swing seats where Black voters make up 8% of the electorate or more and thus where their turnout plays a pivotal role in deciding election outcomes.
“There is no really centralized, organized effort devoted to working year-round to empower and mobilize Black voters in America,” said Niccara Campbell-Wallace, former political director of the CBC PAC, who will lead the new super PAC. “We need to make sure that we’re engaging Black voters, making sure they know their rights when it comes to voting, and protecting democracy — and more importantly, take back the House.”
The Rolling Sea Action Fund is also committed to defending members of
Regaining control of the House has extra resonance this cycle for the caucus, which currently has only Black
WASHINGTON, DC
On July 25, which would have been Emmett Till’s 82nd birthday, President Biden signed a proclamation establishing the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument in Mississippi and Illinois. The new national monument will tell the story of the events surrounding Emmett Till’s murder, their significance in the civil rights movement and American history, and the broader story of Black oppression, survival, and bravery in America.
The new national monument will be anchored at three historic sites in Chicago, Illinois; Sumner, Mississippi; and just outside of Glendora, Mississippi. These sites are central to Emmett Till’s racially motivated murder in 1955 and the defining events that followed – including the courageous activism and leadership of his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley. The new national monument will also encourage and enable partnerships between the Department of the Interior, the National Park Service, and local communities and organizations to help conserve and interpret a broader network of historic sites
that help tell the story of Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley.
The nationwide coverage of the horrific lynching of Emmett Till, as well as Mamie Till-Mobley’s courageous efforts to honor her son’s story through education and activism, elevated the broader reality of the injustices and inequality that Black people experienced during the Jim Crow era and helped catalyze the civil rights movement. Mere months following Emmett Till’s murder, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery city bus. She later cited Emmett Till as the reason she would not acquiesce.
Today’s designation builds on the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to advance civil rights and racial justice, including through the President’s signing of the Emmett Till Antilynching Act that codified lynching as a federal hate crime. The Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument is President Biden’s fourth new national monument, and reflects the Administration’s commitment to protecting places that help tell a more complete story of our nation’s history.
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Should Democrats retake the House, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), a longstanding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, would become the first Black speaker of the House in history.
Provided that they do not coordinate directly with candidates and campaigns, super PACs are free to raise and spend unlimited sums in elections. The Rolling Sea Action Fund’s efforts would complement the work of the House Majority PAC, or HMP, which is House Democrats’ main super PAC. Unlike HMP, however, the Rolling Sea Action Fund would focus exclusively on mobilizing Black voters.
Rather than emerging out of a specific concern about a lack of Black voter engagement, Campbell-Wallace told HuffPost
that the new group seeks to expand on existing efforts and create an organization that can serve as a “permanent fixture” for Black outreach within the Democratic Party ecosystem.
“With this always-on engagement strategy, we’re recognizing and applauding and making sure we’re going to the folks who, time and time again, turn out for Democrats and making sure we’re listening to them — going to the community, being on the ground, really being a listening ear, versus telling people how to live their lives in their own communities,” Campbell-Wallace said.
Leading members of the Congressional Black Caucus have in the past lamented what they see as the national Democratic Party taking Black voters, who make up the party’s most reliable voting bloc, for granted. Ahead of the 2020 election, for example, several Black lawmakers lamented the dearth of Black staff members in leadership positions at the Democratic
Congressional Campaign Committee. Their advocacy, in conjunction with Latino lawmakers, contributed to major personnel changes at the DCCC and the diversification of vendors given Democratic Party contracts.
This cycle, some Black activists and voters have voiced their frustration with President Joe Biden’s lack of progress on what they see as key priorities for the Black community. With a slim majority in the Senate, Biden failed to pass voting rights legislation or a criminal-justice reform bill, and his bid to provide far-reaching student debt relief was struck down in court.
Campbell-Wallace acknowledged some Black voters’ disappointment with Biden on those fronts, even as she laid much of the blame at the feet of Republicans for obstructing the president’s efforts and passing “crazy” laws restricting voting at the state level.
“It is tiring. It is frustrating when you keep trying and keep trying,” she said.
“I’m tired sometimes. But we really just have to push it.”
To fire up Black voters — and all voters — Campbell-Wallace argued, Democrats need to do a better job promoting what they achieved under unified party control in 2021 and 2022. Among the accomplishments she hopes to tout: passing an infrastructure bill, capping insulin costs for seniors, presiding over an economy with historically low unemployment and standing up to a conservative Supreme Court that is “trying to really turn back the clock of all the progress we’ve made in this country.”
“We are really doing things for working-class people. We are the working-class people party,” CampbellWallace said. “And so we just have to sell our good news and scream it from the mountaintops.
“Sometimes we can be a little bit bashful. We need to stop being so bashful. Maybe we do need to be a bit braggadocious.”
Educators filed a lawsuit against the state legislature’s efforts to pull a DeSantis on them
By Jessica WashingtonThe
RootNews that the Florida Board of Education wants educators to teach that slavery benefited enslaved people (understandably) sparked national outrage. Vice President Kamala Harris condemned the move as promoting “revisionist history.” But Florida is far from the only state with restrictions on educators’ ability to teach about race, gender, and biases accurately.
In Tennessee, teachers are fighting an uphill battle against sweeping restrictions on what they can and can’t say about some of the most pressing issues of our time. On Wednesday, the Tennessee Education Association filed a lawsuit arguing that the state’s restrictions on teaching about race, gender, and bias are unconstitutional.
It’s a lawsuit years in the making. In 2021, Tennessee enacted a law banning teaching “certain concepts related to race and sex.” The law bans lessons that teach that “an individual, by virtue of the individual’s race or sex, is inherently privileged, racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or subconsciously.” And similarly to the new standards in Florida, it also bans any lessons that make an individual feel “discomfort, guilt or anguish” because of their race or sex.” Furthermore, it requires “impartial discussion of controversial aspects of history.”
While all of that might sound fine to some people in principle, in
practice, teachers say it’s a mess, especially because the penalty for being found in violation of the law is steep. School districts found in violation risk losing state funding, but what counts as a violation is super murky. I mean, how can you accurately talk about racism in the United States while ensuring that
no one ever experiences a moment of guilt?
“The Ban thus deprives Tennessee’s public-school students of the information, ideas, and skills — analytical thinking, reasoned analysis, historical understanding, debate — that are central to any concept of civic education in
a democratic system,” the lawsuit read, according to ABC News.
It could be a while before we know the outcome of this lawsuit. But it’s worth paying attention to these and other efforts to fight back against what many consider a blatant effort to whitewash history.
Augusta Mini Theatre, Inc. is announcing its fundraising for construction of Phase II-150 seat theatre at 2548 Deans Bridge Road, Augusta, GA ($2.5 M). The goal is to raise the balance of $600,000 by August 31, 2023, or possibly lose City of Augusta’s funding of the project ($1.3 million).
With help from the community and City, $1.9 million of the $2.5 million project cost has already been
raised. The theatre just needs a little more help to reach the finish line ($600,000). This will complete construction of the present arts school.
Established on October 8, 1975, Augusta Mini Theatre is the first arts school in Augusta to offer the four disciplines (Drama, Dance, Visual Arts, Music) under one roof. After 48 years, the commitment to community service, arts education, and life skills continues to shine throughout
the city of Augusta and the U.S (over 8,000 youth served).
The Augusta Mini Theatre is open to CSRA students in 1st – 12th grade. Presently, we offer classes in drama, modern dance, visual arts, and piano, and is now home to the 1970 Augusta Riot Exhibit.
The organization’s mission is to enrich the educational and ethical development of local youth by fostering critical thinking, social con-
sciousness and personal development through affordable fine arts instruction, performances, and workshops. For more information about our classes or to enroll or donate, visit https://augustaminitheatre.org, follow us on social media, or call 706-722-0598. Augusta Mini Theatre is located at 2548 Deans Bridge Road in Augusta, GA.
Augusta Mini Theatre is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts & life skills school.
Johnny Gregory, aka DJ Swagg, is an Augustan who as an entertainer, business advocate and entrepreneur, is striving to make the region more vibrant and responsive to the needs of its citizens.
He has been pursuing music professionally since 2008. He is an active member of Fleet DJs, Coast2Coast DJs, LiquidFire DJs and BurdSkool DJs.
The U.S. Marine Corps veteran spent time in Japan, Iraq, Italy and various U.S. cities where he had the opportunity to learn and master the craft of DJing while doing promotions during downtime.
A T.W. Josey high school graduate, Gregory credits his family for his love of music. He sang in the choir and began playing drums; he credits James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, and his grandfather, a member of The Georgia Jubilee Choir, as important early influences.
He is the owner of Round Here Radio, an online radio station that promotes local artists, and operates BottomLine Studios. He is a cofounder of Band of Brothers Augusta, and an official in the Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce.
UPW: Are you an Augusta native?
DJ SWAGG: Yes, born and raised! Graduated from T.W. Josey Comprehensive High School in 1997
UPW: When did you first realize that music would be an important part of your life?
DJ SWAGG: Music has always been a part of my life. As early as 4 years old, I was up in the middle of the night, in the living room with my dad, drumming to Kool and the Gang, the Gap Band, Cameo, and quite a few others. It became even bigger in my life when I joined the Marine Corps. Music became my peace, it was the getaway I needed from life at that time.
UPW: When did you decide to become a deejay?
DJ SWAGG: December 28th, 2007. The death of a great DJ and friend is what finally made me go for it. We had talked often about me deejaying, but I never got the nerve up. Tomorrow isn’t promised to us, so rather than hate myself for never trying, I jumped off the porch! Also, it just so happened that the DJ
world was shifting from vinyl records to mp3, and I had a lot of music in mp3 already so I didn’t have to go out and buy records like they once did. So the timing was just right all around for me to become a DJ.
UPW: Did you have a mentor or someone whose technique influences what you do today?
DJ SWAGG: Yes most definitely! Celebrity wise, DJ Jazzy Jeff and DJ Kid Capri were my favorites, and still are! R.I.P to DJ LickEmLow and DJ Phinese, those two were the first to see the potential in me and showed me how to DJ. DJ Jamm was another awesome mentor and he was the first to let me DJ in the club and rock the crowd. DJ Kaoss, was the one I studied most often. Beyond the talking, scratching, mixing, and turntable tricks; it was the crowd control and the music journey he would take the crowd through that I admired the most.
UPW: What was happening in Augusta that attracted you to return to the city and begin your activities?
DJ SWAGG: I was newly retired from the Marines and not a job in sight for me in North Carolina, plus the cost of living in Augusta
From page 6 was cheaper than where I was, so moving was my best option. I needed to start fresh and get my life in some sort of order. Probably one of the best decisions I made for myself. The universe doesn’t put you anywhere you’re not supposed to be. You’re never where you are by accident, there’s always a reason, sometimes it’s for a lesson. How you handle yourself in all moments in life dictates what drama, karma, and trauma you will endure on your way to the next chapter or transition in your life.
UPW: Where did the idea for Round Here Radio come from?
DJ SWAGG: Honestly, two reasons, mostly because I got tired of hearing the local/independent artists in the city complain about not getting their music played on the air at the local radio stations and then there was the fact that I wasn’t on the air myself, but I was doing just as many events/clubs as some of the more prominent DJs here at that time. Killed two birds with one stone really, but never imagined it would get as big as it did.
UPW: Explain the format for the radio station and how our readers can check it out.
DJ SWAGG: Round Here Radio is a local/independent artist’s internet radio station, broadcasting to 193 countries, with over 400K monthly listeners worldwide. We are still rebranding a lot of our programming, but new music is uploaded bi-weekly. Saturday and
Sunday mornings from 6am – 12pm we switch the music up and play Southern Soul music from independent artists as well. We have an app available for all mobile devices, rather it’s for android or iPhone, simply visit your preferred app store and download it for free.
UPW: When did you start Bottom Line Studio and what kinds of services do you provide for Augusta entertainers?
DJ SWAGG: The idea of BottomLine Studios came about in 2010, but it didn’t completely manifest until, 2011. Working and then partnering with renowned producer Spxlly Oceans, in 2012 proved to be within the best decisions we could have made. In 2015, we decided that the home-studio model didn’t work for us any longer and expansion was needed, so we focused our efforts towards the latest studio we have now in downtown Augusta. BottomLine Studios is able to provide industry quality recording, mixing, mastering, music consulting and marketing services, commercial advertising services, podcast services, and internet radio services.
UPW: As one of the founders of Band of Brothers Augusta, explain the importance of the work that the group does for the community and explain how the concept come about.
DJ SWAGG: The Band of Brothers Augusta was formed during our efforts to bring a Juneteenth celebration to the city of Augusta. The work we do in the community is no more important than the work
others like us do. We are just one of many non-government organizations (NGOs) in the city that truly cares about the community and consistently does community service work for the benefits of the community.
As a nonprofit we rely heavily on community donations, local, state, and federal grants, and both small business and corporate sponsors. Those funds help us to feed the less fortunate and provide home cooked meals for the families at the Ronald McDonald House quarterly, help other NGOs with back-to-school, Halloween, Christmas, and other events throughout the CSRA. As we are able to secure more funding we will further grow our mentorship programs and provide young entrepreneur scholarships for start-up money for elaborate business ideas/concepts.
UPW: How important has the Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce been for you?
DJ SWAGG: The Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce (GABCC) has been one of the biggest reasons for the success of most of my endeavors over the years. The city of Augusta does not give enough credit to Ronic West, President of the GABCC and her efforts to ensure key resources and relationships are being fostered on behalf of the black community. As the Military & Veteran Affairs Director for the GABCC, I am working to ensure that veteran business owners in the area take advantage of all available training courses and certifications. These courses and certifications will allow our business owners to operate more efficiently and also open them to government grants and contracts.
UPW: The Juneteenth Celebrations have grown rapidly. Talk about the importance of that particular activity and any future activities that the group is planning.
DJ SWAGG: As the awareness of Juneteenth spread, the numbers of attendees grew significantly. We just wanted to provide a free event for the community to enjoy. Over the years, we have added pieces to the festival in an attempt to draw in more people from not only the city, but the surrounding areas as well. The Juneteenth Augusta Festival can become a staple tourism attraction for the city of Augusta with continuous support from the community and city leaders. More than anything, we want our community to recognize and celebrate Juneteenth, however they see fit!
UPW: You have noted in the past that James Brown and your grandfather, who sang with the Georgia Jubilee Choir, have been major influences in your life. How did they inspire you?
DJ SWAGG: They’ve been constant reminders to keep pushing forward no matter what is going on. What I got the most from the stories I was told of them together, is that no one could or would stop them from doing what it was they said they wanted to do. Same city with the exact same circumstances, friends who ended up on two different paths, but they both kept the same mind set. I just want to meet and work with more like-minded individuals who want to see change and are willing to do the work necessary to for that change to take place.
Live your best life! That is my motto. My name is Menia L. Chester, I am a chef and owner of Desserts by Latrell and Southern Jazz and Sweets. My goal is to teach you about food, finance, anything about the home, gardening, and healthy living.
August is here and the weather brings us hot weather and plenty of evening showers. When the air is thick and humid there is nothing more refreshing than an ice-cold drink. I like to make smoothies for breakfast these days. Green smoothies give us an opportunity to “eat” more veggies in a quick and economical manner. Smoothies can be high in sugar so be sure to pay attention to the serving size for your recipe. Here is my favorite recipe that incorporates greens into the smoothie…and it is dairy free!
LATRELL’S GOOD FOR YOU GREEN SMOOTHIE SERVES 2
INGREDIENTS
1 cup ice cubes
1 cup spinach
1 cup water or orange juice
½ cup pineapple
½ cup mango
¼ cup blueberries
1 banana
1 tsp honey (optional)
Place ice cubes into the blender. Add spinach and the rest of the ingredients. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add more liquid if needed. Serve immediately.
If you have questions, would like to see other recipes, or would like to learn about events by Latrell, please visit my website and send an email via the contact form.
At a time when record setting heat is filling hospital beds around the world with patients and local air quality measurements regularly generate health warnings, the AugustaRichmond County Commission looks set to approve yet another addition to Augusta’s resurging heavy industrial sector.
The Commission is set to consider a proposal for a new waste-to-energy (WTE) incinerator for approval August 1, 2023 at 2 p.m. in the municipal building on Telfair Street. Any citizen with concerns will have the opportunity to voice those concerns as part of the hearing. Hearings dating back to July 2020 when the zoning change from commercial to heavy industrial was approved are marked as not having any concerned citizens present, but many locals say that’s exactly where the problem lies.
As part of regulations for the zoning change, public notice must be given in several ways, including visible signs at the property and along major avenues of approach likely used by local residents and businesses. The proprietor of the WTE project, Renovatio Solutions, LLC, operates a Facebook page with several photos of the required signs. Except local members of The Historic Spirit Creek Baptist Church report that signs were only placed along Mike Padgett Highway, not along Dixon Airline Road, the main access to the church facilities.
Members of the church said they were recently surprised by the advanced filings in the project because the choice in sign placement meant the public notice was not seen by the congregation. Many are concerned that such a facility would only worsen air quality and pollution concerns that heavy industry has a proven track record with. Hyde Park was a community in the area that was evacuated permanently and almost completely demolished because of pollutants from a poorly run facility nearby. Neighbors and residents remember, and in some cases still contend with the human health tolls that resulted from exposure.
In documents filed with the Commission to initiate the upcoming hearing, Renovatio responses to required application considerations
suggest the company may have intentionally distributed notifications away from Dixon-Airline Road. The application requires the company to name potential nearby entities that have an interest in the project due to potential exposure. Under the listing for cultural considerations, the company listed none. But the church property sits just one half mile from Renovatio property.
The Historic Spirit Creek Baptist Church is the oldest active Christian congregation in the area, having been founded in 1800. As if that weren’t qualification enough as a cultural entity to be considered, the church was founded by and consisted entirely of enslaved persons and still maintains written logs from its earliest days. Log entries list (by name and contribution) amount donations for the church’s repair and compensation for their pastor, all given by then-enslaved individuals. It would be hard for anyone to argue that the church isn’t a landmark and cornerstone of the history and culture of Augusta, let alone that it is not a cultural entity worthy of consideration in the construction of this facility.
Other WTE facilities are operational in places around the nation, and neighboring residents share similar concerns of pollutants released from the facility causing harm to human
health. The WTE will take in waste streams from places like FPL Foods, who aren’t listed by name, and incinerate the material to create what is called “renewable” natural gas.
Facilities of this kind are branded as environmentally friendly and claim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of a solution to the greater climate crisis, which is wreaking havoc this summer. They claim to capture these materials before they are deposited in the landfill
where decomposition releases methane. Until recently, methane was considered a far more dangerous greenhouse gas than even carbon dioxide. But recent research just released in May, 2023 shows methane to have a self-canceling effect. That paired with its short impactful life of only nine years could prove that methane has a much less significant effect than carbon dioxide, with an impactful life span of around 1,000 years in our environment. Incinerating these waste streams might prevent methane releases but will produce carbon dioxide.
The question for this historical congregation and residents of Augusta, especially in the South Augusta area, is whether or not to accept the risk. The Augusta Commission and Mayor have also touted the tax breaks and business boosts coming from another new facility in the same area that will process copper. That process will also have its own pollution stream flowing through the city streets. There is no indication in either of the permitting applications that combined effects were considered by the business entities or by the Augusta-Richmond County Commission.
TIMOTHY COX
First published in the Post-Gazette
Ulish Ray Carter, a longtime managing editor for the New Pittsburgh Courier who impacted many Pittsburgh journalists, has died.
Mr. Carter, 72, died July 12 at his home on the North Side, according to his younger sister, Patricia Ann CarterLewis, of Woodstock, Ga.
Mr. Carter spent more than 30 years of his over 40-year career with the renowned Black newspaper, leading the sports, entertainment and metro news sections before he retired as managing editor in March 2017. He was replaced by Robert “Rob” Taylor, the Courier’s current managing editor.
Born in Huntington, Tenn., on July 29, 1950, Mr. Carter spent his formative years in Champaign, Ill., where he played on the basketball team at Centennial High School and graduated in 1969.
At Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, he majored in journalism/ radio-TV and minored in Black history.
In a 2011 interview with the Courier, Mr. Carter said he was fully committed from the beginning to working in Black journalism. After graduation, his job choices were narrowed down to the New Pittsburgh Courier, Baltimore/Washington AFRO and the Chicago Defender.
He joined the Courier in 1973 as a sportswriter, though he really wanted to write hard news. In sports, Mr. Carter collaborated with future NFL Hall of Famer Bill Nunn Sr. Before he was a scout for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Nunn created the Pittsburgh Courier Black All American List of premier football players from historically Black colleges and universities.
After six years in sports and entertainment at the Courier, Mr. Carter transitioned to the metro news desk and became managing editor. He served in that position from 1996 to 2004 and, after a four-year hiatus, from 2008 to 2017.
Retired Courier sportswriter Eddie Jefferies became sports editor when Mr. Carter was promoted to managing editor.
“Ulish had replaced Bill Nunn, and I followed Ulish. It was a special time at the Courier,” Mr. Jefferies said.
“Ulish was very patient and taught me the intricacies of newspaper layout and design. I’ll always treasure his friendship and our special working relationship. He was very committed to the Black press and just a selfless individual,” said Mr. Jefferies, 76.
Rod Doss, editor and publisher of the New Pittsburgh Courier, called Mr. Carter “the embodiment of a classic Black newspaper man. He was committed to all facets of the publication and to Pittsburgh’s Black community.
“Though I didn’t know much about his personal life, I know he was easy to work with,” Mr. Doss added.
Diane Powell Larche, owner of Atlanta-based Larche Communications, said Mr. Carter was her first editor when she joined the Courier after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh.
“During my time at the Courier, I considered Ulish not only a friend and colleague, but an invaluable mentor,” she said. “He was a committed journalist and that was revealed daily throughout his job as a consummate editorial expert,”
Arlethia Perry Johnson, a retired strategic communications/marketing manager at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, said Mr. Carter was instrumen-
tal in her media career. After graduating from Point Park University, she wrote for the Courier’s new The Entertainer pull-out section, which was created by Mr. Carter.
“Ulish mentored so many of us to become successful journalists. He was truly a visionary, and undeniably instrumental in the Courier’s longevity and its powerful legacy,” said Mrs. Johnson.
Patricia Ann Carter-Lewis said he was a “loving big brother, a quiet giant.
“We all called him Ulish Ray,” she said, smiling.
In addition to journalism, Mr. Carter was a community activist who worked with and volunteered for West End and North Side community groups.
Ms. Carter-Lewis said her brother suffered from blindness, Parkinson’s disease and dementia.
“In the end, it was difficult for him, but he never lost his sense for helping those who were in need – the underdog,” she added.
Mr. Carter, one of eight children, was preceded in death by his father, Steve Bramley, and his mother, Willie Mae Carter Williams. He was once married and was the father of two sons, Joel Carter (deceased) and Derrick Carter. He had six grandchildren. He is also survived by a special friend, Vince Mayfield, also of Pittsburgh.
Mr. Carter had chosen cremation, but the family plans to celebrate his life in a special ceremony sometime next month, his sister said.
Timothy Cox (teacawks2@gmail. com) is a freelance journalist, Point Park University graduate and former entertainment editor of the New Pittsburgh Courier.
ness mixer. Invited guests from the CSRA came out and showed support from business leaders and social media influencers to food bloggers and media outlets. On hand, to lend a few words and lead the ribbon cutting ceremony was James Allen, Director of Member Engagement, Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Jermaine Whirl, President and CEO, Augusta Technical
College, Amy Brightman, President and CEO, Golden Harvest Food Bank, and Josh Weber, GM, Augusta Mall representing Michelle Isabel, Regional VP Business Development, Retail at Brookfield Properties.
Established in 2014 in Montgomery, IL, with a total of 4 locations in the Chicago Midwest suburban surrounding regions, Taco Madre is a
family-owned business with humble beginnings. They are inspired by the raw ingredients found in Mexican cuisine, mixed with world flavors. They are extending their brand as the go-to taqueria that offers not only authentic Mexican street tacos and traditional eats, but also a menu of refreshing, delicious margaritas, and one-of-a-kind, custom-made Madre Style tacos.
Taco Madre restaurant is proud to introduce savory and authentic Mexican cuisine located at the Augusta Mall (former location of Moe’s Southwest Grill).
On Saturday, July 22nd, the official Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting, presented by Ronic West, President and Co-Founder, Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce welcomed local families and friends and was covered by WJBF Channel 6 News. In addition to using the freshest ingredients to make their signature dishes, they are committed to and anticipate cultivating authentic and engaging activations in partnership with the Augusta community at large.
To kick-off their weekend celebration, on Thursday, July 20th, Taco Madre hosted a private meet and greet Pre-Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting including a Champagne x Tapas busi-
