New Pittsburgh Courier back issues from January 2007:
Top 2006 Stories show celebration and sadness
Jan 03, 2007; ... The two biggest stories of the year happened 10 months apart and both had a strong connection to our sister Rust Belt City, Detroit. The top story was the Dec. 20 awarding of the city's lone slots casino license to Detroit entrepreneur casino operator Don Barden. The decision by the ...
Pittsburgh GOP pushes council district reduction
Jan 03, 2007; ... Could a reduction in the number of Pittsburgh city council seats actually result in more African-American representation? Republican committee Chair Bob Hillen believes it is possible, but he said the same thing in 2004 and others remain skeptical. As he did three years ago, Hillen is ...
2006 Allegheny County homicides
Jan 03, 2007; ... There were 95 murders-70 of those Black men As part of an ongoing effort to heighten awareness about the effects of murder in Black communities, the New Pittsburgh Courier compiled a list of homicides in Allegheny County each month of 2006. The Allegheny County Coroner's Office ...
Foison school incidents call for adjustments in K-8 plan
Jan 03, 2007; ... The recently reported violent incidents at the Faison Arts Academy have some questioning whether the Pittsburgh School District's Right-Sizing Plan needs tweaking or a complete overhaul. "A lot of it has me speechless," said Pittsburgh School Board Director Randall Taylor. "Obviously ...
College activists take up more causes
Jan 03, 2007; ... WASHINGTON (NNPA)-On Nov. 9, Michael Sterling showed up to class at the Thurgood Marshall School of law at Texas Southern University dressed a little bit, well, different. He was wearing a pair of jeans, a solid red shirt and red and white shoes, not the attire of an aspiring civil rights ...
Leaders brace for High Court ruling
Jan 03, 2007; ... WASHINGTON (NNPA)-Although the U. S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of affirmative action in the University of Michigan Law School case three years ago and Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, Black leaders say affirmative action and school desegregation are among the most important issues facing ...
Metro Beat
Jan 03, 2007; ... YWCA gives women financial power The YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh is helping local women get a positive start to improving their finances this year. The association will host a Financial Empowerment Series through this month starting Jan. 4. The first workshop, "Making the Commitment to ...
Saving ourselves from some of us
Jan 03, 2007; ... Editorial It is thought that the New Year brings new hope and new vigor. The turning of the calendar is supposed to present an opportunity to push aside the past, and focus on the future. Certainly, that is the hope here, as 2006 fades into the memory. But, as ...
Returning to Katrina's children
Jan 03, 2007; ... Child Watch On Dec, 6, while many Americans were still planning their holiday travel, a special group of women took a very different kind of trip: they joined the Children's Defense Fund to participate in a Katrina Child Watch visit in New Orleans. Malaak Compton-Rock, LaTanya Richardson ...
New Year's blues
Jan 03, 2007; ... The Way I see It It may be that I have never really had one of those New Year celebrations that are scripted in Hollywood films: big parties, beautiful people, expensive champagne flowing like water and enough romance to last well into the morning if not deep into the New Year. More ...
Feds should streamline New Orleans bureaucracy
Jan 03, 2007; ... Commentary In the days following Hurricane Katrina, the federal government was slow to send aid to the hardest hit areas, slow to rescue survivors trapped in the heavily flooded city and slow to find suitable shelter for those lucky enough to evacuate the city before the storm hit. It's ...
Here's some New Year resolutions I'd like others to make
Jan 03, 2007; ... Ransom Notes It was the ancient Babylonians who first started celebrating the New Year, around 4000 years ago. They had a different calendar (there was no January), but they realized that the Earth traveling around the Sun should be marked by an 11-day celebration. They set the New Year ...
2007 must become yesteryear
Jan 03, 2007; ... To Tell The Truth On last Saturday while driving up Wylie Avenue, I happened to notice Chuck Graham and attorney Joe Williams, who hopefully in the future will become Judge Williams, entering the now closed Crawford Grill #2. I parked and inquired what was the future status of the Grill? ...
Rep. Keith Ellison: Confronting challenges of race and religion
Jan 03, 2007; ... Commentary This session of Congress begins the career of Attorney Keith Ellison of Minneapolis, an African-American who is also the first Muslim elected to the Congress at a time when the U.S. is at war in the most Islamic region in the world. Yet, receiving his law degree from the ...
Pittsburghers Speak Out: Should City Council be reduced to seven members?
Jan 03, 2007; ... Once again, a petition drive is underway to allow a referendum on reducing the size of Pittsburgh's city council from nine seats to seven, with five representatives elected by district and two elected at-large. The New Pittsburgh Courier asked people if they think this is a good idea. Here's ...
Dinosaur honors Fred Rogers
Jan 03, 2007; ... (ProQuest Information and Learning: ... denotes text stops here in original.) PITTSBURGH-WQED, the nation's first community-supported television station, and Family Communications, Inc, the producer of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," joined together in the spirit of the holiday season to ...
Schenley graduates IB students
Jan 03, 2007; ... PITTSBURGH-Thirty students of the class of 2006 International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme were honored Dec. 22 during a recognition ceremony held at Schenley High School. Eighteen students were recognized for receiving the prestigious IB Diploma. Twelve additional candidates were also ...
Thanks for the memories
Jan 03, 2007; ... Lifestyles Report The news of James Brown's passing got to me late on Christmas night. It's funny; I had just mentioned to a friend that we (Black people) need another "I'm Black and I'm Proud" anthem to shake our people out of our video world slump. As I think back over the year ...
The Harriet Tubman Guild, Inc. presents...
Jan 03, 2007; ... On Dec. 2 at the Churchill Valley Country Club, the Harriet Tubman Guild, Inc. presented their 91st annual Queen's Luncheon, and a packed ballroom enjoyed lunch, fashions and a little shopping on the side while honoring the 2006 chapter queens and the accomplishments of their ...
It's not raining everywhere
Jan 03, 2007; ... Wherever there is a fallen body (a corpse), there the vultures (or eagles) will flock together. Matt 24:28 (Amplified) A songwriter penned these words during the Swing Era in American music: "Into each life some rain must fall, but too much is falling m mine." It certainly seems that way ...
Have you had your HEALTHY BOOST today?
Jan 03, 2007; ... Did you know that herbs and spices contain high concentrations of antioxidants and phytonutrients that may provide long-term health benefits? Just a dash or a pinch of these flavor powerhouses can give your body-and your taste buds-a daily boost of good health. The leaf of a plant is an ...
One-on-one with 'Omar' and 'Wee Bey'
Jan 03, 2007; ... The word around the corner and the watercooler is that HBO's gritty "The Wire" is must-see TV. Unlike the other cop shows, "The Wire" keeps it real, drawing on the true-to-life experiences of writer and producer Edward Burns, who did time on the mean streets of Baltimore as a social studies ...
Sweet Honey in the Rock still leads audiences to Well of Truth
Jan 03, 2007; ... " ....She has been unprovoked by 30 pieces of silver. Her songs lead us to the well of truth that nourishes the will and courage to stand Strong."-actor/human rights activist Harry Belafonte. Sweet Honey In the Rock has been leading and nourishing audiences nearly four decades. Founded in ...
'Hamilton Street Blues' highlights local talent
Jan 03, 2007; ... Keeping traditional African-American music alive, the Afro-American Music Institute Boys' Choir of Pittsburgh recently released a seven-song compact disc (CD), "Hamilton Street Blues," highlighting the talents of male members of the 20-year-old institution. The choir is comprised of males ages 8 ...
Can you call it 'rapid refund' when it's 365 days late?
Jan 03, 2007; ... The Carr Report Tax time is upon us. This is the time where Uncle Sam mandates that we reconcile taxes that were collected from us thus far by way of payroll withholdings and estimated payments and what's rightfully due to the IRS. Individuals have until April 15th to get their tax ...
Procope honored for industry contributions
Jan 03, 2007; ... NEW YORK, N.Y.-Ernesta G. Procope, chairman of E.G. Bowman Co., a Manhattan insurance brokerage, received the Support Network's President's Award for her outstanding contributions to the insurance industry and for her community leadership. The group is a New York-based charity dedicated ...
Procrastination kills business dreams
Jan 03, 2007; ... It seems like every Black person I know is always talking about their business ideas. Six months will pass, and they're still talking. A year goes by, and ...nothing! Being 25 years old and the CEO of a successful company, people are always asking me what my secret is. My answer is always ...
Personal Finance: What is financial success?
Jan 03, 2007; ... Money Matters Financial success is achieving your family's financial goals. The seven steps to setting financial goals are not secrets. We do it all the time on our jobs, when we set sales or production goals, cost reductions or specific project achievements. The trick is to apply the ...
Pay bills with direct payment
Jan 03, 2007; ... I hate paying bills. It's not just saying goodbye to my money that hurts, but the tedious routine of writing and mailing checks. I've also experienced a few late fees when payments got stuck at the post office and didn't arrive in time. Then I discovered automatic bill paying, where your ...
Rebirth of the Black QB?
Jan 03, 2007; ... Sports Roundup Just when it appeared that the Black quarterback was gradually being phased out, especially with the recent success of Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning, Phillip Rivers and the many other young white pocket QBs and the failure of Michael Vick, it appeared that Donovan McNabb ...
Pittsburgh Steelers 2006...'A year in review'
Jan 03, 2007; ... Extra Point There are many factors that contribute to the making of a champion, but what factors are prevalent in the fall of a champion? In 2005 the Pittsburgh Steelers backed their way into the NFL post-season and by all rights should have received their Super Bowl XL trophy in a south ...
Going, going, gone
Jan 03, 2007; ... Inside Conditions I have come to what I believe to be a well thought out and agonizing assumption. Notice I did not say conclusion but assumption because it ain't over till its over. Steelers Head Coach Bill Cowher and linebacker Joey Porter are not gone as of yet, but the house lights ...
THE GIFT OF LIFE
Jan 03, 2007; ... Former Cowboy to receive kidney from old teammate DALLAS (NNPA)-A decision made between former Dallas Cowboys Ron Springs and Everson Walls will loom much larger than in any Super Bowl they were fortunate to play in. All the interceptions combined in Walls' career is unlikely to surpass ...
From athlete to inmate: The Parish Hickman story
Jan 03, 2007; ... Commentary NEW YORK (BASN)-I received another letter from one of the penitentiaries in Michigan. I get a lot of letters from prison these days, and it doesn't come as a surprise. I learned a long time ago that, for many Black men, prison has become a way of life. If you are not ...
PAT proposes massive cuts, fare hikes
Jan 10, 2007; ... Though many people still believe that if the state comes to the rescue again, the Port Authority of Allegheny County will not go forward with its proposed service reductions, both County Chief Executive Dan Onorato and PAT Executive Director Steve Bland said there is no 'crying wolf' this ...
The Courier goes digital
Jan 10, 2007; ... The nation's most prestigious Black weekly is on the vanguard of new technology. The New Pittsburgh Courier is proud to announce the debut of a new online digital edition of newspaper via its Web site, newpittsburghcourier.com. The digital version allows subscribers to access a virtual ...
Cutbacks will leave riders feeling stranded
Jan 10, 2007; ... Serenading harried shoppers with seasonal music on his accordion, Alvin Zalewski has always made the hectic run-up to the Christmas holiday a little more bearable at the Leetsdale Giant Eagle in the Quaker Village shopping center. But that may not be the case next year because Zalewski, ...
Accident cuts Tara Davis' promising music career short
Jan 10, 2007; ... There isn't a proliferation of Black classical musicians. Pittsburgh's classical music community began the new year with a devastating blow. Twenty-four-year-old Tara Davis, a Ross Township resident, was killed in a car accident Jan. 24 around 8:30 p.m. State police reported Davis lost ...
Ninth District race for council fires up
Jan 10, 2007; ... Reverend Ricky Burgess announced his candidacy for City Council District Nine with a legion of fellow ministers standing behind him in support, only to face accusations of fraud from someone he hoped would be in his corner. When Burgess sent notice of his Jan. 5 press conference, he ...
Officials react to budget cuts
Jan 10, 2007; ... The last two times the Port Authority of Allegheny County proposed service cuts, layoffs and fare hikes, the responses from local and state elected officials were peppered with descriptions like "draconian" or "devastating." Such adjectives are absent from the official responses to the ...
Civil rights supporters hold top posts in new Congress
Jan 10, 2007; ... WASHINGTON (NNPA)-Nothing illustrates the shift in political power in Congress more dramatically than this: Under Republican control, all key committee chairpersons earned an F on the NAACP Report Card. All of the key incoming Democratic chairs in the House and Senate earned As or Bs under the ...
Metro Beat
Jan 10, 2007; ... January highlights mentors month As mentorship organizations throughout the nation seek volunteers, they will receive a boost in attention during January, which is National Mentoring Month. In honor of the month, the Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern Pennsylvania is kicking up its ...
The bus stops here
Jan 10, 2007; ... Editorial The Port Authority (PAT) is a bloated, inefficient bureaucracy, chronically saddled with ineffective leadership and labor contracts that make it one of the most expensive public transportation systems in the country. That's why it should come as no surprise that every ...
Blueprint for the Second Hundred Days
Jan 10, 2007; ... Commentary Much has been made of what would happen in the first days when the Democrats took control of the Congress, and Democratic politicians speak boldly about an agenda that would privilege "the middle class." But since the Democratic Party used to speak for the working class, one ...
A monument to American idealism
Jan 10, 2007; ... The Way I See It On Nov. 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln stood on the site of 7,500 war dead. Speaking briefly but eloquently, Lincoln invoked the principles of equality upon which this nation was founded-principles articulated by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence ...
Don't give up on education diversity fight
Jan 10, 2007; ... Commentary The Spirit of Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court decision to desegregate education is under attack on two fronts. Hopefully the U.S. Supreme Court will re-affirm the goals of education diversity by striking down the Michigan affirmative action ban and affirming the ...
With all the homicides last year involving Blacks, do you feel safe?
Jan 10, 2007; ... Ransom Notes Do you feel safe? Do you feel safe knowing that of the 95 homicides recorded in Allegheny County last year, 77 of them involved Blacks, and of those, 70 were Black males? I don't. All year, reporter Deborah Todd has been compiling the stats, and ...
Is the lack of character destroying us?
Jan 10, 2007; ... To Tell The Truth A friend of mine who is a devout Muslim, presented me with a 32-page booklet written by the Hon. Minister Louis Farrakhan titled "Education Is The Key." I found it to be informative, enlightening, and with a substantial part of it, I was in total agreement. The ...
James Brown showed Blacks they didn't have to hide their heritage
Jan 10, 2007; ... To Be Equal On Christmas Day, the career and life of the "Hardest Working Man in Show Business" ended. But his spirit lives on in the legions of fans that weathered rain and cold to bid him farewell. James Brown electrified a generation, an entertainer with so prolific a body of work and ...
Cleaning out my closet
Jan 10, 2007; ... Lifestyles Report The soundtrack for this article will be "I'm Cleaning Out My Closet," by Eminem. You know Eminem, the white rapper that just finalized his second divorce from his first wife. Each year I like to clean out my closet, not only of clothes that I haven't worn but ...
AKA's celebrate the season
Jan 10, 2007; ... One of the most festive parties of last year was the annual Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Alpha Alpha Omega Chapter) Holiday Scholarship Ball. On Dec. 29, more than 300 attended the black tie soiree at the opulent Edgewood Country Club in Churchill. Guests from as far away as ...
New movie tells story of Lost Boys of Sudan
Jan 10, 2007; ... Newmarket Films and National Geographic Films announce the premier of "God Grew Tired Of Us," a new documentary on the Lost Boys of the Sudan. The film premiered Jan. 8 in Los Angeles. Tentatively set to make appearances include narrator Nicole Kidman, as well as Catherine Keener, Dermot ...
Stellars come to Grand Ol' Opry
Jan 10, 2007; ... NASHVILLE-Gospel music lovers are in for a treat once again as the Stellar Gospel Music Awards brings back its annual star-studded event bringing together some of the biggest names in gospel music and noted celebrities to the nation's most renowned city for all things music, ...
THOMAS J. HENDERSON: December 5, 1925-January 7, 2006
Jan 10, 2007; ... OBITUARY Thomas James "TJ" Henderson, Sr. was born in Fort Valley, Georgia on December 5, 1925. He was the son of the late Harold Henderson and Eddie Mae Reily Henderson. The Family Settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the 1930's. During his early years, he attended Miller ...
Davis carries legacy of the Blues
Jan 10, 2007; ... Guy Davis is a multi-talented individual. Many times in interviews people talk about his acting, directing, writing and composing in addition to his musicianship. In my most recent conversation with him we decided to focus on Guy Davis the Bluesman (yes, he is the son of famous parents Ossie ...
Pittsburgh's first hip-hop awards
Jan 10, 2007; ... Pittsburgh's hip-hop community is buzzing with e-mails, bulletins on myspace.com and repeated text messages from people campaigning for nominations in Pittsburgh's first Hip-Hop awards show. Hosted by concert promoter and Pittsburgh native Dwayne Muhammad, the event takes place Jan. 14 ...
Earthquake makes his move while being accountable
Jan 10, 2007; ... After making his mark as a comedian, Earthquake is crossing over while keeping it real. Besides a hot stand-up routine, Earthquake is now unleashing tremors as he flexes his acting muscles with a recurring role as Uncle Michael in Fox's breakout sitcom, "Everybody Hates Chris." Jokes ...
Meagan Good happy to add substance to Black film genre
Jan 10, 2007; ... Hollywood seems to finally be producing films of substance featuring African-Americans. The latest of these projects, "Stomp the Yard" (opening Jan. 12), an inspiring story of ambition, perseverance and love, promises to measure up to the recent list of quality movies featuring ...
A Spike Lee resurgence
Jan 10, 2007; ... Reflections When you're hot, you're hot. During a recent interview, maverick filmmaker Spike Lee said that due to the success and critical acclaim of "Inside Man" (which grossed in excess of $180 million worldwide) and the Hurricane Katrina documentary "When the Levees Broke: A Requiem ...
King memorial still needs funds
Jan 10, 2007; ... (NNPA)-On the blustery morning of Nov. 13, thousands came together to commemorate the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Standing side by side, backs against the wind, people of all races and backgrounds celebrated as ground was broken on the National Mall in Washington, D,C., for the ...
King's speech still carries the dream
Jan 10, 2007; ... I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation. Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a ...
Honor King Holiday in community service
Jan 10, 2007; ... WASHINGTON, D.C.Americans are urged to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy on Jan. 15, 2007 by coming together to participate in volunteer projects that improve life in their communities. Registering and volunteering for projects will be easier than ever this year, with a new online system ...
Coretta joins husband in Atlanta memorial
Jan 10, 2007; ... ATLANTA (NNPA)-On Nov. 20, Atlanta hosted yet another historical event regarding Martin Luther King Jr. and his family. Ten months after her passing, the final resting place of Coretta Scott Ring next to her husband, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was unveiled at the grounds of the King Center for ...
Washington memorial said to embody spirit of King
Jan 10, 2007; ... Dr. Martin Luther King is remembered as a great orator whose impact on the nation came from the eloquence and inspirational quality of his words. His speeches, sermons and public addresses melded themes of democracy deeply embedded in the American conscience, and reinvigorated these messages ...
Unveiling Martin Luther King's surprising family legacy
Jan 10, 2007; ... Who is Alveda King? She is the niece of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the acknowledged leader of the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and '60s. She has no other claim to fame, and seeks none, but she has taken her uncle's principles to heart to move in a new ...