UPW UPW URBAN PRO WEEKLY
NOVEMBER 18 - 30, 2021 • VOL. 10 NO. 7
URBAN PRO WEEKLY
NOVEMBER NOVEM BER 18 - 30, 2021 • VOL. 10 NO. 7
LANEY WALKER BETHLEHEM HERITAGE FESTIVAL ‘21
” where Augusta’s Black Community had its beginnings
THE YOUNG LADIES OF HAINES INSTITUTE, ca. 1925
Junk dealer on the streets in the heart of “The Territory”, ca. 1925.
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Movers & Shakers
HAKIA CHANEL . . . born on September 29, to a single mom and three brothers who are all very talented sketch artists; Shakia was the only one in her family gifted in music. She is a self-taught musician and has been writing lyrics for over a decade. She “dabbles” (as she likes to call it), with both guitar and piano and is planning to pick up as many instruments as time will allow. Shakia has taken the stage in different events including the Southeastern Songwriters Series and Westobou Festival. She is currently a Finalist in the Burn Foundation’s upcoming singing competition “I’m with the Band.” She lives and loves to worship and doesn’t care who
knows it! She and her two boys moved to Augusta nearly three years ago and are enjoying each moment of life as it comes.
Mayoral candidate Garnett Johnson to host holiday sweet potato giveaway WHEN: Saturday, November 20, 2021 1:00 p.m. WHERE: 4102 Windsor Spring Road Hephzibah, GA 30815 Augusta’s 85th mayoral candidate Garnett Johnson will be handing out Georgia-grown sweet potatoes ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday in hopes of connecting with the local community. “I want to take this opportunity to give back to my community in this small way during the holidays and to get to know the residents of Richmond County on a
more personal level,” said Garnett. “Thanksgiving has always been a special holiday for my family. My mother, Edna, always makes the best sweet potato pie, and this giveaway is to honor her.” Garnett welcomes the public and will be handing out sweet potatoes with his family starting at 1 p.m. until they are gone. He will also be sharing his mother’s treasured sweet potato pie recipe. For more information about Garnett Johnson, visit www. GarnettForMayor.com.
Free Emergency Medical Responder Training offered by Gold Cross ambulance service AUGUSTA Gold Cross EMS, a regional leader in ambulance service and healthcare in the Southeast, will be offering a brand new EMR course - Emergency Medical Responder Course complimentary to citizens looking for a career in emergency services. Emergenc y Medical Responders provide immediate lifesaving care to critical patients who access the emergency medical services system. EMRs have the knowledge and skills necessary to provide immediate lifesaving interventions as well as providing assistance to higher-level personnel at the scene of emergencies and during transport. Emergency Medical Responders are a vital part of the comprehensive EMS response. As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to impact our community and the job force, EMT’s are tasked with new challenges as they continue to take care of and protect our communities. The three weeks of training, provided at no cost will provide the students with a comprehensive overview of emergency response and provide them with an opportunity to walked directly into a job making over $30,000 a year. “As training and operations solution become available, it is our duty to provide the best quality ser-
vice available to the citizens.”, said Mike Meyers - Director of Business Development for Gold Cross. “By providing this EMR training course at no cost - we are working to enhance our services, while providing a way for people to get back to work.” Our paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs), as well as the organizations that they serve, take on substantial risk every day to treat and transport patients that call 9-1-1. But our nation’s EMS system is facing a crippling workforce shortage, a long-term problem that has been building for more than a decade. It threatens to undermine our emergency 9-1-1 infrastructure and the State of Georgia along with Gold Cross are working hard to fix this issue. “The challenge in this day is to make sure that the paramedics, EMTs and now EMRs of the future know that EMS is a rewarding career - that is needed.” - Mike Meyers For anyone that is interested in taking these classes can call the Gold Cross Office at 706-4344000. They can also email info@ goldcrossems.com to sign up or for more information. Please follow the GoldCross EMS page on Facebook and you can contact Michael Meyers directly.
Got a ‘Mover & Shaker in your family, business, church or community organization? UPW wants to know about it. Send us a message on the UrbanProWeekly FaceBook page.
UPW URBAN PRO WEEKLY
PUBLISHER Growing Augusta: Arts, Agriculture, & Agency LLC http://www.growingaugusta.co +1 (706) 751-2537 SALES & MARKETING http://www.growingaugusta.co/upw +1 (762) 233-5299
CONTRIBUTORS K.L. Gordon Olivia Gaines Menia L. Chester Layout/Design : UrbanProMedia
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THE BATTLE OF THE
BANDS
THE CROSS CREEK MARCHING BAND PERFORMS DURING THE 4TH ANNUAL BATTLE OF THE BANDS, held at Butler High School stadium. The event featured bands from across the CSRA, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. (November 7, 2021 - Augusta, GA) Photo by Vincent Hobbs
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BATTLING BANDS
Butler High School’s “Superior Sounds of Augusta” Marching Band performs during the 4th Annual Battle of the Bands, held at Butler High School stadium. The event featured bands from across the CSRA, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. (November 7, 2021 Augusta, GA) Photo by Vincent Hobbs (Below) The Berkmar High School Marching Band (Lilburn, GA) performs during the 4th Annual Battle of the Bands, held at Butler High School stadium. (November 7, 2021 Augusta, GA) Photo by Vincent Hobbs
The Westside Patriots “Powerhouse Marching Band” performs during the 4th Annual Battle of the Bands, held at Butler High School stadium. The event featured bands from across the CSRA, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. (November 7, 2021 Augusta, GA) Photo by Vincent Hobbs
The Laney Walker Bethlehem Heritage Festival 21 THE REVITALIZATION OF LANEY WALKER/BETHLEHEM got its start in 2008, when the Augusta Commission passed legislation that established funding strategies for community development in Laney Walker/Bethlehem. The goal of reversing decades of blight and disinvestment and regenerating nearly 1,100 acres of Augusta’s urban center has fallen squarely upon the City’s Department of Housing & Community Development, under the leadership of Hawthorne Welcher, Jr.
Rev. Charles T. Walker
A community is not just buildings and structures. And the Laney Walker Bethlehem community has more than its fair share of history makers and trailblazers. The most familiar to most are Laney and Walker. Lucy Craft Laney, founder of Haines Normal and Industrial Institute and namesake of the beloved high school on Laney Walker Boulevard. And Charles T. Walker, founder of Tabernacle Baptist Church and namesake of a K-6 magnet school on Wrightsboro Road, in the heart of the Bethlehem
community. Equally significant, but less well-known are the following legends (pictured below) Julia Dent - with husband John, owned Dent’s Funeral Home. The site on D’Antignac St was destroyed by fire in February 2020. Thomas Walter Josey - one of Augusta, GA’s first African American physicians, a civic leader and humanitarian. Carrie J Mays - first woman elected to the Augusta City Council Silas X Floyd - educator, preacher, and journalist. In 1892 he co-founded the Negro Press Association of Georgia
Lucy Craft Laney
These are just a few people who have shaped this community. But there are so many more.. W. S. Hornsby, Luvenia Pearson, Essie Mae McIntyre, to name a few. The Laney Walker Bethlehem Heritage Festival is a celebration of them all. Black Excellence. Past. Present. And future.
Thomas Walter Josey
Julia Dent
Silas X. Floyd
Carrie Mays
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A Tribute To the Black Community’s Pioneers and Trail Blazers
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The Laney Walker Bethlehem
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Welcome to the TERRITORY (aka the terri) where Augusta’s Black Community had its beginnings
The 1100 block of 9th Street, ca. 1959
Del-Mar Luncheonette and Casino, ca. 1920
The Bethlehem Community Center main building, ca. 1933
William H.J. Mays Funeral Home, ca. 1928
“The Terri,” an abbreviation for “The Territory,” comprises the area which is bordered on the north by Gwinnett Street (now Laney- Walker Blvd.), on the south by Nicholas Street and Wrightsboro Road, on the east by the Central of Georgia Railroad, and on the west by the southeast end of Ninth Street. Following the breakdown of the plantation system and the demise of “King Cotton,” blacks came to Augusta with the hope of bettering their economic, political, and social conditions. Many settled in the Terri until they learned the city and could afford to move into better surroundings. Many blacks settled in the area and stayed.
Check from the Penny Savings Loan & Investment Company, ca. 1926
Backyard area on Telfair St, ca. 1940.
The Lenox Theatre, Black Augusta’s premiere entertainment center on 9th Street (the current James Brown Blvd), ca. 1927
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m Heritage Festival ‘21
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Latrell’s Holiday Turkey Tips Holiday season is right around the corner and meal planning is essential! As we prepare for the holiday season, there are many things that we must consider. One thing is the turkey! Purchasing a frozen turkey can be daunting, especially if you wait until the last minute. They can seemingly take such a long time to thaw! Let’s talk about how to properly thaw a turkey.
The USDA recommends a couple 2. The cold water method. Just of ways to thaw a turkey safely. leave the turkey in its original wrapping and place it in a sink (or clean 1. The refrigerator method. Please container) full of cold water. Be sure be sure to thaw it in a pan on the that the turkey is fully covered with bottom shelf. Raw turkey/poultry juic- water and that the water is cold so es dripping on your food is a no-go! that the turkey stays at a safe temPrevent uncooked juices from drip- perature. Change the water every ping onto other foods in the refriger- 30 minutes with fresh cold water. ator by placing packaged meats on a Allow 30 minutes of defrosting time separate tray or in a sealed container. per pound, so a 12 pound turkey Store raw meats away from the cooked will take 6 hours to thaw using this meats, as well as away from fresh fruit method. and vegetables to prevent cross contamination. Allow one day for each 3. Please do NOT thaw your tur4 to 5 pounds of weight, so a 12 lb key on the counter! Food safety is turkey should take about three days to very important to keep your family completely thaw. from getting sick from improper
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food prep practices. Other important tips: Be sure to wash your hands, work surfaces and utensils that have been touched by raw meat with hot, soapy water. Be sure to disinfect the work surfaces as well. Always cook turkey/poultry to a minimum of 165°. If you have questions, would like to see other recipes, or learn about events by Latrell, please visit my website or send me an email. Have a food safe holiday season! Website: www.southernjazzandsweets.com Email: dessertsbylatrell@gmail.com
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Live your best life! That is my motto. My name is Menia L. Chester, I am a chef, owner of Desserts by Latrell and Southern Jazz and Sweets.
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Small Business Forum
IRS now allowing 100% deduction for food and drinks at restaurants for small business owners BY RHODES PORTER Buying food and drinks at restaurants is common practice for networking and business development for many small business entrepreneurs; however, being able to deduct the expense had been limited to 50% of the cost. The Treasury Department and the IRS released notice that business owners can temporarily deduct 100% of the cost of food and drinks when purchased at restaurants between January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022. This gives business owners two years of tax
relief to the rising costs of networking and meeting costs incurred purchasing food and drinks trying to earn new business and cultivate existing customers. This deduction is restricted to actual restaurants boosting the incentive to spend money dining at venues where restaurateurs and caterers may have been shuttered due to the pandemic. The 100% deduction does not apply to in-office cafeterias, employer-owned restaurants nor lavish dining experiences. IRS Guidance released in April 2021
explains either business owners and/ or an employee of the business must be present when the food or beverage is purchased. Business development management is vitally important to any entrepreneur. Recordkeeping and receipt handing can be daunting. Let one of our associates assist your business in back-office maintenance and recordkeeping
Rhodes Porter http://www.rhodesporter.com/ Small Business Development Management Company | Increase Sales Profitability and Admin Support for Small Businesses to Grow, Attract and Access Capital Funding - #Entrepreneurs, #Government #Contractors
In an effort to increase the number of individuals to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, the City of Augusta will host several mobile Covid-19 vaccine clinics throughout November and December. View the schedule below: • Nov. 20 at the Augusta Mall, 3450 Wrightsboro Road from 10am-2pm
• Dec. 2 at Jamestown Comm. Ctr 3647 Karleen Road from 10am-2pm
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City of Augusta to host citywide Covid-19 vaccine clinics
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