Although it has been open since July, Fifth Third Bank’s newest banking center at 2125 Centre Ave. in the Hill District just celebrated its grand opening last week. To celebrate the Oct. 15 grand opening, the banking center presented a donation to a local Hill District community organization. Festivities began with an 11 a.m. ribbon- cutting ceremony and continued with an all-day open house that included visits from Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, state Rep. Jake Wheatley and Councilwoman Tonya Payne. GRAND OPENING—Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, prepares for the ribbon cutting at the new Fifth third Bank branch in the Hill District. Joining him, from left: James M. Ferguson III, Jada Grandy, Lloyd Wright, Tonya Payne, Jill Sandilla, Mark Jones, Will Moode, Ralph Parks and Norman Marraccini.
At the beginning of July, Allegheny County Council approved an ordinance banning discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations. Part of this ordinance includes the creation of a county Human Relations Commission that will investigate claims of discrimination. AMANDA GREEN “I feel there is important work to do. It’s important that every single level of government be cognizant of what is going on and make sure their level of government promotes rights for everyone,” said commission member Justice Cynthia Baldwin. “I look at it as a positive thing especially since we are trying to promote diversity in our city.”
With the continued acts of violence in Pittsburgh’s Black community, such as the killing of a 5-year-old Northview Heights child asleep in his home or the two homicides in one night that occurred last week, there is a great need for anti-violence programs and more funding is what keeps them going. Last week, One Vision One Life received the Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant for its continued effort in violence prevention and reduction. The grant is for $331,025 over two years.
Cynthia Baldwin, a partner in the Trial Practice Group of law firm Duane Morris in Pittsburgh, has been named among 20 women lawyers throughout southwest Pennsylvania to be honored by the Women and Girls Foundation as part of its Art of Justice: Women Shaping the Law event. The organization will recognize the achievements of the honorees at its fifth Anniversary Celebration Nov. 7 at the August Wilson Center for African American Culture in Pittsburgh. CYNTHIA BALDWIN
The Carrick High School Alumni Association will designate four of its alumni as Distinguished Alumni at a ceremony, Oct. 31 at 10 a.m. in the high school’s auditorium. The public is invited. The event will be dedicated to U.S. Marine Sgt. Ryan H. Lane, a 2002 graduate of Carrick High, who was killed in action in Afghanistan July 23. PHYLLIS LINDA HYMAN
Remains found AP—The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office is trying to identify human remains found over the weekend along a busy road in a Pittsburgh suburb. The bones were found just after noon along Nadine Road in Penn Hills, about five miles east of the city. Authorities aren’t saying whether the bones belonged to a man or a woman, or whether there was any clothing or other clues that might help determine the age, gender or identity of the remains. They are also attempting to determine a cause of death.
While mayoral candidate Franco ‘Dok’ Harris, 29, believes Pittsburgh has strong leadership throughout its universities, hospitals and foundations, he said this kind of leadership is sorely lacking in city government. DOK HARRIS “There is no proactive leadership,” Harris said. “There has been no time spent building relationships. When you build relationships you don’t have to worry.”
It would make a great movie; poor kid works his way from the streets of South Oakland to Harvard, then law school, then to the mayor’s office via a grass-roots independent campaign. It could be Kevin Acklin’s movie—if he can just write that last act. KEVIN ACKLIN On Oct. 9, Acklin told the New Pittsburgh Courier editorial board he has knocked on about 70,000 doors throughout Pittsburgh in an effort to do just that.
In July, Pittsburgh’s unemployment rate was reported at it’s highest in 23 years at 7.6 per cent according to the latest numbers from the state Department of Labor & Industry. As the Section 3 Coordinator in the East Liberty community, the goal of Kevin Mickens is to have the unemployment numbers lowered in East Liberty by providing residents with jobs. A JOB IN THE MAKING—Kevin Mickens, East Liberty’s Section 3 Coordinator assists Lucretia Morris in her job quest. “There’s a lot of connecting going on,” he says. Working in conjunction with East Liberty Development, Inc. and the Coalition of Organized Residents of East Liberty, Mickens’ purpose is to ensure that residents most in need of employment can take advantage of the available and upcoming opportunities throughout the area.
