The CSRA 's free weekly - featuring entertainment, arts, news, sports, and political commentary.
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UPW Nancy Lopez PRO GOLFER NANCY LOPEZ ATTENDS THE MAYOR’S MASTERS RECEPTION, held at the Augusta Common. Lopez is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, with 48 LPGA Tour wins and 3 major LPGA Tour championships. She is also the first female golfer to be honored at the Mayor’s reception. The event featured food vendors and musical performances. (April 4, 2016 Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs plays APRIL 7 - 13, 2016 VOL. 5 NO. 27 URBAN PRO WEEKLY KEN MAKIN: What does that South Augusta brawl caught on video say about the media and local policing? Augusta Michelle Obama visits Burke County HS.
Transcript
UPW
NancyLopez
PRO GOLFER NANCY LOPEZ ATTENDS THE MAYOR’S MASTERS RECEPTION, held at the Augusta Common. Lopez is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, with 48 LPGA Tour wins and 3 major LPGA Tour championships. She is also the first female golfer to be honored at the Mayor’s reception. The event featured food vendors and musical performances. (April 4, 2016 Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs
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APRIL 7 - 13, 2016VOL. 5 NO. 27
URBAN PRO WEEKLY
KEN MAKIN: What does that South Augusta brawl caught on video say about the media and local policing?
schooling has gained the atten-tion of the country’s highest office.
As a part of her American Garden Tour, First Lady Michelle Obama will visit Burke County Middle School today (Thursday) and join students to plan the school garden.
According to a press release from whitehouse.gov, Rural Burke County has a “Farm to School” program that provides farm fresh produces to students on a daily basis. As a result of offering local fresh fruits and vegetables, the Burke County school district found that stu-dents’ consumption of fruits and veggies doubled.
The middle school is also the
home of the county’s STEM-based learning garden, where students are writing a cookbook that incorporates food from the community garden. The district also offers a bi-monthly farmers’ market at the high school that showcases the locally grown food, and the district provides cooking demonstrations in class to reinforce the healthy habits being taught in the lunchroom.
The American Garden Tour is a part of the First Lady’s “Let’s Move!” initiative. Eight years ago, the focus on gardening kicked off after Mrs. Obama planted a vegetable garden on the South Lawn to initiate a national con-versation around the health and wellbeing of our nation—a con-versation that evolved into the health-based initiative.
FIRST LADY TO BRING GREEN THUMB TO BURKE COUNTY
Michelle’s ‘Garden Tour’ will visit Burke County Middle School
Mayor’s Masters Reception
Vocalist Genevieve Borges Ahkuoi, with the music group The A-Town A-List, performs during the Mayor’s Masters Reception, held at the Augusta Common. The event featured food ven-dors and musical perfor-mances.(April 4, 2016 - Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs
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MAKIN’ A DIFFERENCE COMMENTARY by Ken MakinDEATH BY ASSOCIATION
Aftermath of Hephzibah fight video reveals failures all aroundI started to write a column like this
over a month ago. There was a fight at the Augusta Mall that was poorly
reported by local media in terms of accuracy, yet overly hyped through-out the community.
At the time, I planned to outline the media’s inclination to present a “juicy” story, facts be damned. I figured another fight video would be overhyped and thrust into public conversation.
I was right.In case you haven’t heard, here
are some of the details of a fight that occurred on March 18, 2016, and led to the stabbing death of 18-year-old Demajhay Bell:
• According to reports, the fight stemmed from inappropriate videos and pictures sent from a male to female, which were later posted to Facebook;
• According to reports, a relation-ship/love triangle that led to height-ened tension between the opposed parties was a factor;
• According to reports, mothers on opposite sides of the conflict instigated the situation through an invitation to their respective neigh-borhoods.
To top it all off, the conflict was recorded on video, which has fac-tored greatly into the story’s ascent into national news. The combat-ants and the victim are African-American.
Those are the details. Now, here are the facts from a community per-spective.
This incident, contrary to popular belief, is NOT a sweeping indictment of Black people. It IS an indictment of the media; and, in the aftermath of Sheriff Richard Roundtree’s deci-sion to issue murder charges to par-ticipants/parties associated with the fight, an indictment of a system that cares more about image than individ-uals.
Demetrius Harris is caught on camera wielding a knife during the fracas, as the two girls continue to brawl behind him. He was later charged with the stabbing murder of Demajhay Bell, 18, who was knifed in the neck.
Here’s my first question: Why did the media harp on this story? Simple – it’s click-bait and a money-making mechanism. Black pain and violence generate big dollars for mostly-white media entities. As a result, majority media doesn’t mind bringing stereo-types to life and reinforcing those stereotypes.
The response to the media’s pre-sentation is so predictable. From one perspective, you have (mostly white) folks calling these individuals “thugs,” or, as I like to call it, the new N-word. From another perspective, you have Black folks saying how these individ-uals are a “disgrace to the race.”
I say SHAME on both parties. What happens in a street fight is not representative or me or my community, nor is an excuse to spout racially-charged and insensi-tive rhetoric.
I also say shame on Sheriff Roundtree, whom I respect and see as a great leader with wide-ranging
success. That’s why his decision to issue sweeping murder charges (10 as of last Friday) goes against his actions and ideology in terms of fair jurisdiction and community service.
All these murder charges are nothing more than a political stunt to satiate the media and the “angry mob.”
Oh, I can hear the responses now. “Ken, don’t you care about ‘Black Lives Matter’?” “Shouldn’t our law enforcement officials be tough on crime?”
First of all, our law enforcement officials ARE tough on crime. The Sheriff recently touted his record in a local publication that highlights the actions of criminal offenders, where he noted that violent crime and property crime have dropped by more than a third since he has taken office.
In terms of Black Lives Matter, I grow weary of people who act
like they care about social move-ments. I have come to accept and understand that when it comes to profound social change, there will always be few foot soldiers. History makes it seem that society banded together during the Civil Rights Movement. The devil is a liar. There were modest handfuls, small pock-ets of people who risked their lives and livelihood to make this world a better place.
People don’t authentically care about Black lives, or all lives, for that matter. They care about their own lives. That’s why people are notice-ably silent in the face of government corruption and police brutality. And quite frankly, I’m sick of it.
Don’t get me wrong, I am beyond disappointed and incensed with the lack of parenting and the turn of events that led to a young man’s death. I just refuse to address the symptoms of abnormal social activ-ity, while letting the system that perpetuates it get a free pass.
The “Black elite” gain access to a few golf clubs, a few high rises, gain political office and forget about the poor and uneducated. The “Black bourgeoisie” simultaneously seek to leave their brethren in skin behind, while refusing to understand that the White folks they seek to imitate and gain the approval of lump both the rich and poor of color together.
It is truly death by association. And disassociation.
Ken J. Makin is the host of “Makin’ A Difference,” an online radio program available on iTunes and Soundcloud (soundcloud.com/makinadifference). Updates on the show are available atface-book.com/makinadifferenceshow. You can also reach Ken by email at [email protected], or via Twitter @difference-makin.
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DEATH BY ASSOCIATION
Aftermath of Hephzibah fight video reveals failures all around
COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
OF RICHMOND COUNTYThe Richmond County School System will accept bids and request for proposals until 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 11, 2016, for the following:
1. Custodial Supplies and Support ServiceRFP#4112. Emergency Generator Inspection and Maintenance Project No.P2016-0043. Fire Alarm Inspection Services Project No.P2016-0064. Fire Sprinkler Inspection and Maintenance Project No.P2016-0055. Replacement School Bus TiresRFP#16-8916. Replacement Tires For Cars, Light Trucks, and VansRFP#16-8927. School Bus Engines: Replacement and InstallationRFP#16-8898. School Bus Seat Repair SuppliesRFQ#16-8939. School Bus TransmissionsRFP#16-89010. Speech and Language Pathology ServicesRFP#16-75011. Towing Service RFP#16-894
Bid specifications may be obtained by contacting Cecilia Perkins in the Business Office at [email protected] or 706-826-1298, on our web site at www.rcboe.org, or at Richmond County School System, Central Office 864 Broad Street, 4th Floor, Augusta, GA 30901.
The Richmond County School System reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive technicalities and informalities.
COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION OF RICHMOND COUNTYBy: Dr. Angela D. Pringle, Secretary
1139 Druid Park Avenue Augusta, Georgia 30904-5849
(706) 736-4601
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its annual Community Job Fair on Wednesday, April 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the gymnasium (900 building). Employers from across the area will participate.
Thus far, more than 35 employers and organizations have registered to participate including Augusta University Health Systems, The Family Y, Walmart, Bridgestone, Georgia Department of Corrections, Lexington Medical Center, Michelin
Lexington Manufacturing, Savannah River Site and Unisys.
Employers and organizations interested in participating should visit www.atc.edu to register or con-tact Fowler at (803) 508-7381 or [email protected]. There is no fee to participate.
Those attending the job fair should dress professionally and bring several copies of their resume to share with employers. A full list of participating employers is avail-able at www.atc.edu.
Annual Community Job Fair to be Held April 13
Oxford College of Emory University has selected Mark G. Walden to Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. Oxford faculty and staff nominated and selected Mark along with nineteen other students based upon academic achievement, service to the commu-nity, leadership in extracurricular activities and potential for continued success.
Students selected for Who’s Who at Oxford join an elite group of students from more than 2,000 institutions of higher learning in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and several for-eign nations.
Mark is a graduate of The Academy of Richmond County High School (ARC) International Baccalaureate Program and a soph-omore at Oxford College and son of Michael and Brenda Walden of Augusta Georgia.
5230 Wrightsboro Rd., Suite C, Grovetown, GA 30813website: www.ATAXSOLUTION4U.com
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WESTSIDE’S
ANNE SUTTON
WRIGHT swings
at the ball
during a tennis
match against
Aquinas’
CECILLIA
MCMANUS at
Newman Tennis
Center.
(March 30, 2016
- Augusta, GA) -
Photo by Vincent
Hobbs
Westside vs. Aquinas
SPORTS HS Tennis
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JOSEY’S IMANI ALSTON runs down the field following the ball during a game against Westside at Josey stadium. The Lady Patriots won the match 4-1.(March 29, 2016 - Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs
JOSEY’S GOALKEEPER DAQUISHA WASHINGTON celebrates after the Lady Eagles score a point during a soccer match against Westside at Josey stadi-um. The Lady Patriots defeated the Lady Eagles 4-1.(March 29, 2016 - Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs
SPORTSHS Soccer
Westside vs. Josey
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WESTSIDE’S KAYLA THIGPEN (#11, center) moves the ball down the field during a game against Josey at the Eagles home field. Also pictured are (L-R) LIZZIE BERNIER (W), TAMIA BING (TWJ), IMANI ALSTON (TWJ) and KATIE MERCER (W). The Lady Patriots won the match 4-1.(March 29, 2016 - Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs
WESTSIDE’S LIZZIE BERNIER focus-es on her throw-in of the ball during a soccer game against Josey at Josey stadium. The Lady Patriots defeated the Lady Eagles 4-1.(March 29, 2016 - Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs
Westside vs. Josey
SPORTS HS Soccer
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GLENN HILL’S SHADARRIA HOLLOWAY (R) takes control of the ball as a Laney player defends during a game held Laney stadium. The Lady Spartans won 4-3 in overtime.(March 24, 2016 Augusta, GA) Photo by Vincent Hobbs
GLENN HILL’S DESTINY JONES prepares for a throw-in of the ball during a game against Laney at the Wildcats stadium. The Lady Spartans won 4-3 in overtime.(March 24, 2016 Augusta, GA) Photo by Vincent Hobbs
SPORTSHS Soccer
Glenn Hills vs. Laney
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Josey and Butler soccer players (L-R) TRAEQUAN CAPERS (TWJ), DARTANION RAIFORD (TWJ) and RASHAUN WALKER (B) keep the ball moving down the field during a soccer match at Butler stadium. The Bulldogs defeated the Eagles 5-2.(March 31, 2016 - Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs
BUTLER’S AARON ST. CHARLES kicks the ball during a soccer match against Josey at Butler stadium. The Bulldogs defeated the Eagles 5-2.(March 31, 2016 - Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs
SPORTSHS Soccer
Butler vs. Josey
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AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY’S ASHLEY BOYD catch-es a strike ball during the second game of a double-header against USC Aiken. The Lady Jags, playing on their home field, crushed the Lady Pacers 3-0 in the first game and 7-1 in the second. (March 30, 2016 - Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs
AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY’S CAROLYN EDWARDS returns to first base after consulting with her teammates at the pitcher’s mound during the second game of a double-head-er against USC Aiken. The Lady Jags, playing on their home field, crushed the Lady Pacers 3-0 in the first game and 7-1 in the second.(March 30, 2016 - Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs
SPORTSCollegiateSOFTBALL
Augusta U. vs. USC Aiken
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Sealed proposals from Contractors w ill be received for the Hephzibah High School Renovations by the County Board of Education of Richmond County at the address below until 3:00 p.m. local t ime,Thursday, April 28, 2016, at which t ime the bids w ill be publicly opened and read. No extension of the bidding period w ill be made.
A Pre-Bid Conference w ill be held at 3:00 p.m. local t ime on Thursday, April 14, 2016, at Hephzibah Comprehensive High School Media Center, 4558 Brothersville Road, Hephzibah, GA 30815. Phone: (706) 592-2089.
Draw ings and project manual on this work may be examined at the Department of Maintenance and Facilit ies, Richmond County Board of Education, 1781 15th Street, Augusta, Georgia 30901.
Bidding documents may be obtained at the Office of the Architect: Woodhurst Architects 607 15th St. Augusta, GA 30901 (706) 724-4343. Applicat ions for documents together w ith refundable deposit of $200 per set should be f iled promptly w ith the Architect. Bidding material w ill be forwarded (shipping charges collect) as soon as possible. The full amount of deposit for one set w ill be refunded to each prime contractor w ho submits a bona f ide bid upon return of such set in good condit ion w ithin 10 days after date of opening bids. All other deposits w ill be refunded w ith deductions approximating cost of reproduction of documents upon return of same in good condit ion w ithin 10 days after date of opening bid.
Contract, if awarded, w ill be on a lump sum basis. No bid may be w ithdraw n for a period of 35 days after t ime has been called on the date of opening.
Bid must be accompanied by a bid bond in an amount not less than 5% of the base bid. Personal checks, cert if ied checks, letters of credit , etc., are not acceptable. The successful bidder w ill be required to furnish performance and payment bonds in an amount equal to 100% of the contract price.
The Ow ner reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive technicalit ies and informalit ies.
BID LIST: The Richmond County Board of Education maintains a bid list for many categories that are let for bid each year. If your company w ishes to remain on our bid list , w e must receive a response either through a bid or by a no bid response. If we do not receive a response, your company’s name w ill be removed from our bid list . Please call the bid off ice at 706-826-1298 if you fail to receive a post card.
To promote local part icipat ion, a database of Sub-contractors, Suppliers, and Vendors has been developed by the Program Manager, GMK Associates. Contact Jeanine Usry w ith GMK Associates at (706) 826-1127 for location to review and obtain this database.
Bids shall be submitted and addressed to:
Dr. Angela PringleCounty Board of Education of Richmond CountyAdministrat ive Off ice864 Broad StreetAugusta, Georgia 30901c/o: Mr. C. Gene Spires
FORUMThe CSRA Business League, in con-
junction with the Wells Fargo Bank, will sponsor a Finance Seminar on Tuesday, 19 April 2016 beginning at 5:30 pm at the Augusta Public Library at 823 Telfair Street.
The workshop will feature presen-tations on Lending Programs and Financial Products offered by Wells Fargo.
Attendees will have the opportuni-ty to speak one on one with a Wells Fargo Banking specialist.
Refreshments will be served. There is no cost to attend.
Please contact us at 706 722 - 0994 or by email at [email protected] for additional infor-mation.
To register go to https://www.
eventbrite.com/e/small-business-fi-nance-seminar-tickets-24109452020 or call or email us to add your name to the event roster.
Finance Seminar gives community to meet with bankers
by Thurman K. Brown
Many avid golf fans and visitors from across the world,will be in the “Garden City” this week, as the 80th Masters Golf Tournament tees off. However, one immediate issue comes to mind: Why does the world’s most prestigious and covet-ous sporting event require one to be on a waiting list to get a ticket to see this “jewel” of a course that’s in our own backyard?
It’s simple.The Augusta National Golf Club is
a private and exclusive club. It still excludes. Let’s face it folks. If you have to ask, you’re not welcome. It’s by invitation only.
The “Old-Country Club” mentali-ty is still present. It’s the mindset of servitude to an elite entity, not so much the opportunity to see pro-fessional golf played on the world’s most beautiful course.
This issue has always been a prob-lem for me:
The process of being placed on a waiting list to attend a major sport-ing event is beyond reproach.
Suppose other sports such as pro-fessional football, baseball, basket-ball, and tennis would require a waiting list just to get a ticket or a badge.
The Masters Golf Tournament should be an open sporting event for anyone who is willing to pay to see it without any stipulations of membership or a waiting list. You’ve got to be kidding me, Augusta!
ly transferred ownership of 1421 ½ Picquet Avenue, a modest 1916 shot-gun style house in Augusta, Georgia, to the Laney Walker Development Corporation. The house was initial-ly donated to Historic Augusta by Elizabeth Gordon of New York City who inherited the property from her mother, Lucy Bell White.
The house is a fine example of the shotgun house type which was prev-alent throughout the South in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Shotgun houses have long narrow plans, usually one- story, with a long hall on one side, and a series of two to four rooms on the other side. This house was constructed in 1916 by William Carpenter, Sr., a prominent African-American grocer and entre-preneur in Augusta. It remained in the Carpenter family as an investment
Shotgun houses focus of community transferproperty until 1960.
The Bethlehem Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places December 1, 1997 and is recognized as a significant historically African American urban neighborhood.
The neighborhood has suffered considerable blight and disinvest-ment over the past twenty years, but recent new construction includ-ing the Powell Pointe development on nearby Twiggs Circle has gained momentum and renewed focus from
both the public and private sectors. Historic Augusta will work close-ly with Laney Walker Development Corporation, which will rehabilitate 1421 ½ Picquet Street for residential housing following preservation stan-dards.
AUGUSTAAnthony R. Page / Blue Bistro
Theater will present The Blue Series - Metamorphisis on April 15th, 16th and 17th at the black box theater space located at 601 Broad Street in downtown Augusta, GA.
‘The Series’ includes 6 live per-formances from a collection of one-act plays written and directed by 6 actors, who are all making their directorial debut in the realm of professional theater.
In addition to these 6 produc-tions, Anthony R. Page will pres-ent a special one-act performance of The Commitment.
The Commitment is a moving relationship drama that examines the complex nature of love between a husband and his wife. This production features actors: Victor Corley, Cierra Mitchell & Tyeasha Vanburen.
Blue Bistro production starts April 15th
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StressPhysical Inactivity
Family History of Cardiovascular diseaseObesityDiabetes
High Blood PressureHigh Cholesterol
Cigarette Smoking
ARE YOU AT RISK?
HEART ATTACK • BRAIN ATTACK • PREVENT ATTACKEast Central Health DistrictHypertension Management Outreach Program
Richmond County 706.721.5800
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