Amanda Green-Hawkins Following the July 25 story on the Rivers Casino shutting down a party thrown by the Ruff Ryders Black motorcycle club, the New Pittsburgh Courier received calls and emails about similar actions taken when events drew large Black crowds to the casino—actions that were not taken when events drew large White crowds. Now Allegheny County Councilwoman Amanda Green-Hawkins, who has also received allegations of discrimination, is demanding some real answers. In an Aug. 6 letter addressed to Rivers General Manager Craig Clark, she highlighted some of the incidents.
Norma Carpenter, a nurse and school board member, visited her 82-year-old mother regularly at a personal care home in Indiana County. The two would walk hand in hand through the home, stopping to hug each other. (Photo by Halle Stockton/PublicSource) Norma Carpenter, a nurse and school board member, visited her 82-year-old mother regularly at a personal care home in Indiana County. The two would walk hand in hand through the home, stopping to hug each other. Then, in October 2012, Norma was banned from visiting or calling her mother, Mary Little, who has dementia. Her visits, she was told, left her mother sad and depressed. In December, Norma discovered that her mother had been moved nearly 100 miles away to a Fayette County nursing home. All of these decisions were made by a court-appointed guardian.
LOUIS 'HOP' KENDRICK For a number of years there has been a description of Pittsburgh that was not flattering; Pittsburgh was called the “Largest City up South.”The time is long overdue for Black voters in particular throughout Allegheny County to open their minds and withhold their votes. The benefits of government have overwhelmingly been denied Black citizens, and we have been the most loyal bloc of voters since 1936. Blacks have been insulted, disrespected and the party leadership has clearly demonstrated they could care less about us. Whatever advances we have achieved have generally been because we marched, picketed, boycotted, or were civil disobedient and the federal courts helped.
WILLIAM “JACK” SIMMONS AND LYNETTE DRAWN-WILLIAMSON William “Jack” Simmons, who has been under fire for months over his management of Allegheny County’s Shuman...
PENELOPE Pittsburgh, PA - In cooperation with Allegheny County District Attorney, Stephen Zappala President Judge, Donna Jo McDaniel, and Honorable Anthony W. Saveikis, Crisis Center North (CCN) will launch Allegheny County's first court dog program, serving victims of domestic violence. Victims often find that testifying against an abuser can be traumatizing and terrifying. In order to help ease the stress, CCN’s in-house therapy dog, Penelope, will be accompany survivors in magisterial courts as they go through the process of speaking with an advocate, police officer or court personnel.
ULISH CARTER The past few weeks have been loaded with news, with the most popular being the Supreme Court decisions on Affirmative Action, Voting Rights and Gay Marriages. But there was an even bigger news story that occurred that most of the media missed. It was huge. No Black homicides in the month of June.
SHOWING THEIR SUPPORT—In celebration of the great works of Marcia M. Sturdivant, PhD, deputy director of Allegheny County Dept. of Human Services, Office of Children, Youth and Families, fellow friends and colleagues of the many children and families advocate organizations throughout Allegheny County, came together at the Community Empowerment Association, in Homewood, to honor her 23 years of service. Sturdivant will become the CEO of NEED in July. The home of CEA, founded by Rashad Byrdsong, was lavishly decorated and served well as the venue for the honored ceremony. Guests were entertained and dined during the early evening festivities. Pictured above, at head table, from left: TiAnda Blount, Mel Blount Youth Home; Claudette Lewis, interim president & CEO, NEED; Jean Sturdivant, mother of Marcia Sturdivant; and Marcia M. Sturdivant. (Photos by Rossano P. Stewart)
Jomonna Smith listens to her children, 12-year-old Mon'Dayja and 9-year-old Mon'Dae, answer the doctor's questions about school, chores and their health. (Public Source Photo/Alexandra Kanik) by Halle Stockton (Public Source)--Jomonna Smith, a 30-year-old woman, held her last job in 2008 as a store cashier. She is a single mother of three children, making ends meet with government assistance, styling hair on the side and a bit of family help. She relies on buses to get around and pays $301 a month to live in a public housing project in Braddock, a borough southeast of Pittsburgh. But she craves more for herself and her children.
