Your source for news and information since August 1999

This edition of Lehigh Valley Black News Network is brought to you in part by Andrea M. Moore of First Choice Equity Group Inc.

I'd like to welcome the Lehigh Valley Arts Council and Green Pastures Community Church of Easton PA as new members of the LV BNN Network.

I'd also like to welcome the return of past Network members Southside Film Institute and Union Baptist Church of Allentown PA.

..Remember, tell a neighbor, tell a friend and be sure to let them know, you saw it in LV BNN!

Support the organizations and businesses that support LV BNN. Enjoy this Edition.

Kevin Easterling

Founder & Publisher Lehigh Valley Black News Network

Moravian College Music Institute will hold the 15th Annual July Jazz Getaway from Sunday, July 8 to Saturday, July 14 at the Priscilla Payne Hurd Campus in historic Bethlehem, Pa.

The camp provides a memorable experience for amateur jazz musicians who flock to Moravian from across the region to learn from and to jam with some of the biggest names in jazz. JJG participants travel from several states across the country and represent various occupations. Among them are: college professor, scientist, mail carrier and advertising executive. What brings them together is their love of jazz.

Ravi Coltrane will be the guest artist at this year's July Jazz Getaway. He is a tenor and soprano saxophonist, bandleader, and composer, who has fronted a variety of jazz lineups, recorded critically-hailed albums as a leader, and produced recordings by other artists including his mother, the late Alice Coltrane. Ravi is the son of the legendary jazz saxophonist and composer John William Coltrane, a hugely influential jazz musician who has been credited with reshaping modern jazz and with being the predominant influence on successive generations of saxophonists.

July Jazz Getaway events open to the public . View events here.

The July Jazz Getaway Ensembles Concert will be held on Saturday, July 14 at 7:30 p.m. The concert will feature the talents of camp participants. Admission is free.

Furniture, Musical Instruments, Lamps, TVs, VCR/DVDs, Electrical Appliances, Electronic Equipment, Computers, Kitchen and House wares, Decorator Items, Art, Clothing, Tools, Yard and Garden Equipment, Plants, Baskets. Books, Games, Toys, Records, Videos & dvd's, Sporting Equipment - or anything else that still has a 'useful life' but for which you just don't have use or room. To donate items or to volunteer call The Theatre Outlet - 610.820.9270 or 610.434.4114 Pick-up service can be arranged for large items or quantity.

I'm sure you've have had one of those days when you just wanted to see your heritage reflected in your home or office. Or perhaps you've always wanted to purchase beautiful artwork for family and friends to enrich their lives.

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If you have an adjustable rate mortgage, we have a question for you. Are you comfortable where interest rates have been heading? If not, today's fixed rates are still historically low, and a fixed-rate home loan could be right for you.

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The United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley will host a major new spring event on Wednesday, May 30, 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. at the Allentown Fairgrounds Ag Hall Annex.

First and foremost will be a nationally-recognized keynote speaker, Geoffrey Canada, CEO and President of the Harlem Children's Zone. Canada has a radical new idea: if you really want to change the lives of inner-city kids, change everything all at once - their schools, families and neighborhoods. Mr. Canada has devoted the past 20 years of his life to helping the most impoverished, at-risk youth beat the odds.

Canada is an acclaimed author and recipient of the McGraw Prize for Education and the Heinz Award. He holds a B.A. from Bowdoin College and an M.A. in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He and his organization's work have been profiled on 60 Minutes, CBS This Morning, Good Morning America, and more

How do I send information once I join or purchase a spot in LV BNN?

Submit your ad info in time for the next issue of LV BNN (5/30/07)! Ads for June, July and August should be submitted this week for best exposure!

"Renaissance Faire" is the theme of this year's Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley fund-raiser to be held beginning at Wednesday, May 16 at the Best Western, Rts 22 & 512, Bethlehem. Proceeds from the event will benefit programs of the Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley that develop and encourage volunteering in our community. The Volunteer Center offers a vital service to the Lehigh Valley community by recruiting, placing, recognizing, and training over 6,000 volunteers annually.

The Volunteer Center has been fortunate to have so many prominent community and business leaders accept the invitation to model exciting renaissance costumes by Drop Me a Line Costume Shop. TC Salon and Spa will provide hair and make-up services for the models. Emcees for the event are Amy Burkett from WLVT 39 and Bob Martin of Mack Trucks. "Celebrity" Models include: Erlinda Aguiar, City of Allentown; Laura Azzalina, Sovereign Bank; Dan Bosket, CADCA; Teresa Donate, Northampton Community College; Steve Haddad, Bieber Tourways; Donna Haggerty, Haggerty Services; Sarah Harrington, UPS; Monica Haskett, Loch, Elsenbaumer, Newton & Co.; Ramona Hollie Major, The Crayola Factory; Cathy Jaindl, Leuthe Jaindle Land Company; Alan Jennings, CACLV; Tim Kennedy, The Morning Call; Kay Kurtz Vogel, People First Federal Credit Union; Ann Lalik, Baum School of Art; Diana Macsisak, Keystone National Bank & Trust; Bob McCormick, Brown & Brown; Chris Miller, Air Products & Chemicals; Cordelia Miller, American Red Cross; Meloney Sallie-Dosunmu, Just Born; Judy Savcheck, Harleysville Wealth Management; Frank Shipman, TC Salon & Day Spa; Martin Till, The Express Times; Brittany Westbrook, Channel 69 News; Ileen Wood, Community Volunteer.

Tickets are $35 per person. Attendees can try their luck at winning one of many raffle prizes. For ticket information, please sign up on-line at www.volunteerlv.org. Deadline for ticket purchase is May 9, 2007.

On behalf of Touchstone Theatre and the Leadership Committee of the Lehigh Valley Black African Heritage History Project,please consider joining us at our next story-gathering session.

The Lehigh Valley Black African Heritage Project is a collaborative project of Muhlenberg College, the Lehigh County Senior Center, the Lehigh County Historical Society, Kutztown University, and Touchstone Theatre.

Help us continue Phase III of the project as we collect material for a play to be produced by Touchstone Theatre of South Bethlehem.
Come to a gathering to swap stories, memories, and pictures or just to satisfy your curiosity!

SAVE THE DATE FOR FUTURE STORY-GATHERING SESSIONS:

Saturday, June 23, 2007, 1-4pm, location to be announced
Saturday, June 30, 2007, 1-4pm, location to be announced

This awards program is designed to recognize and reward exceptional accomplishments in the production and performance of musical theatre in local high schools.

The ceremony is fashioned after Broadway's Tony Awards. A panel of experienced evaluators will view participating school's performances in the Lehigh Valley and Warren County, NJ and critique various categories such as acting, singing, lighting, set design, etc. Nominations will be made in 18 award categories from all participating schools. These nominees will be announced publicly and they will be our honored guests at the gala awards ceremony.

The Lehigh Valley Arts Council invites individual artists, community groups, or arts organizations to apply for up to $3000 in Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts 2007-08 Project Stream grant funding, which supports public arts projects, programs, events, and activities that take place between 9/1/07 and 8/31/08 in Carbon, Lehigh, or Northampton Counties. We are also offering information workshops:

Northampton County Information Workshop Thursday, May 17, 2007 4:00-5:30 PM

The Banana Factory Binney & Smith Gallery 25 West Third Street Bethlehem, PA

Contact Aleah Dacey PPA Program Coordinator Lehigh Valley Arts Council 840 Hamilton Street, Suite 201 Allentown, PA 18101 Tel: 610-437-5915

This August 3-12, downtown Bethlehem, Pa. will sizzle with the sounds of more than 500 musical performances by artists from around the globe during Musikfest 2007.

Highlighting the lineup are acts such The Moody Blues, Patti LaBelle, Deep Purple, Petula Clark, Ludacris, Big & Rich, Jonatha Brooke, The Yardbirds and more.

In addition to the nonstop music on 13 indoor and outdoor stages, the festival features plenty of great special events, activities for families, visual arts and crafts and a closing-night fireworks spectacular. The event, which is celebrating its 24th year, is presented by ArtsQuest.


For tickets and more information, visit www.fest.org or call 610-332-FEST.

Employment
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Warm Spirit Raquel Phelps, Self-Care Certified Independent Consultant

Different News,Views, Blog's and Editorials

LA Cronica, the Informative Voice of the Hispanic Community

Politics

VOTER'S GUIDE TO THE MUNICIPAL PRIMARY ELECTION Tuesday, May 15, 2007

How did African-Americans win the right to vote?

Myth: After the Civil War all black men had the right to vote

Arts & Culture and History

Lehigh River Blues Jam June 15 (6-9 pm), June 16 (3-9 pm), June 17 (2-8 pm)

Faith-based Community

2006-2007 Organization Members
The Crayola FACTORY
Lafayette College Office of Intercultural Development
St Paul Community Service Center
Allentown Art Museum
Virginia E Holland #86
Moravian College Music Department
Union Baptist Church Allentown PA.
Living Stone Fellowship Church
Private Industry Council of Lehigh Valley, Inc.
SouthSide Film Institute
Allentown School district
YWCA of Bethlehem
Art Quest
Coalition for Appropriate Transportation
Communities In Schools of the Lehigh Valley
Community Action Development Corporation Allentown
Greater Shiloh Church
God will Change Your Life Recovery Ministries
Lehigh County Senior Center
Lehigh Northampton Airport Authority
NAACP Allentown Chapter
Bridgeworks Enterprise Center
Rejoice Foster Care and Adoption Agency
Second Baptist Church of Bethlehem PA
State Theatre Center of the Arts
Teen Summit Program
Theatre Outlet
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley
Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley
Williams Center for the Arts Lafayette College
Ways to Work Family Loan Program
Northampton Community College
Lehigh University Human Resource Department
Northampton Community College
Touchstone Theatre
Women Unlimited Inc.
This Is Your Life Association
Care Net Pregnancy Center of the Lehigh Valley
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc Lehigh Valley Chapter
Second Baptist Church

At AFC Reverse Mortgage, assisting Pennsylvania senior homeowners with reverse mortgages is our only business. No need to leave your home. We will come to you. And our experienced staff will process your loan in our Lehigh Valley office, which means you will work with the same people from the initial meeting right through closing. At AFC you truly are a name not a number. AFC Reverse Mortgage. Local. Knowledgeable. Professional.

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For immediate help in learning more about Reverse Mortgages or for help in obtaining your AFC Reverse Mortgage, call AFC Reverse at 1-888-821-4076, or email us at info@afcreversemortgage.com.

Reverse Mortgages Are Our Only Business

The Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority (LNAA) has established an overall revised DBE goal of 5.75% for DOT assisted FY 2007 projects at Queen City Airport, Allentown, Pennsylvania. The proposed goal and rationale are available for inspection during normal business hours until 4:30 p.m., May 7, 2007 at the Airport Administrative Office, Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority, 3311 Airport Road, Allentown, PA 18109. Written comments on the goals will be accepted at the following address until the close of business on May 21, 2007:

Mr. Lawrence J. Krauter Deputy Executive Director Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority 3311 Airport Road Allentown, PA 18109

Ms. Maria Sarra Federal Aviation Administration/DOT Eastern Region, Office of Civil Rights, AEA-9 1 Aviation Plaza Jamaica, NY 11430

Lehigh Valley Black News Network is an informative eNewsletter designed to inform you about events and information related to the connection and inclusion of Black / African American communities throughout the Lehigh Valley and the State of Pennsylvania.

LV BNN is distributed twice a month to over 3000 responsive email readers from the Lehigh Valley Region, parts of Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Reading Pennsylvania. For Sponsorship and advertising rates please call (610) 799-1250 or email kevineasterling@lvbnn.com

Copyright � 2007 Mnet of PA. All rights reserved. You may reproduce information from this e-letter by including LV BNN as its source and, if you are reproducing electronically, please include a li_k to www.lvbnn.com in your e-letter or on your web site. An MNET of PA Production