The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page A07

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER www.philly.com A7 Monday, August 22, 2005 Empire built on empowering words The School District of Philadelphia's Center City Region Harrison I' girardave'J n. Cache-Martin -4. s' Franklin- how to pray now." On this sultry night at the Georgia Dome, Jakes is doing a lot more than praying. He's strutting, shouting, signifying, reciting Scripture and bringing souls to Christ with a gut-honest message of hope, empowerment, prosperity and forgiveness. The preacher then closes his eyes and looks to the heavens: "Oh, I believe God is going to move in a supernatural way tonight.

Look over to your neighbor and say, 'Expect me to do anything Center, Spring Garden Waring, Keamy franklin Masterman stoddart-Fleisher 1 1 T.D. Jakes Enterprises. The pastor says his income comes from his media enterprises, not from church tithes. And he dismisses such questions as having racist overtones. "Nonblack church leaders are never called to task," he says.

He does allow that operating the Potter's House demands all of the resources it takes to run a small city. The air-conditioning system alone cost $4 million to install, Jakes says. "We have 400 full-time employees who all have competitive salaries and benefit packages. We conduct five worship services on Sunday and average 400 funerals a year, and we have to provide flowers and food for those funerals," he says. "If I didn't pray before, God knows I know MNE ST.

(676) (76 BEN BRIDGE A. 1 Greenfield Parkway-Center City MARKET Walnut HESTmsr ST, Contact staff writer Annette John-Hall at 215-854-4986 or ajohnhallphillynews.com. To comment or ask a question, go to http:go.philly.comaskannette. McCall "-SOUTH SZ CCI ALI J- rarce Creative and oz CD I CD Perjfoming Arts SOUTH ST Meredith Nebinger 'Al-st Legal Notices Jackson MILES Proposals 8 Bids Legal Notices Legal Notices 12 The Philadelphia Inquirer Schools pitch aims at stemming flight of the middle class Notice is hereby given that "Bids" will be accepted by the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) for DUMPSTER RENTAL AND DISPOSAL, Solicitation No. P-003501 no later than 11:00 A.M.

on September 21, 2005 at 12 S. 23rd Philadelphia, PA 19103. Ensure you arrive early to drop off your proposalbid Bring identification with a photograph so PHA's Security Staff will allow you entrance into our facility. Remember that being late denies us the opportunity to look at your proposalbid. Copies of the solicitation may be picked up commencing August 22, 2005 at 12 S.

23rd Street 5th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103 (Contracts Department) between the hours of 10:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M. Fax (215) 684-1213 for solicitation package to be mailed or for any other query relative to the solicitation. PHA encourages minority and woman-owned and Section 3 businesses to submit proposals and participate in joint venture. CARL R.

GREENE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NOTICE TO ALL CREDITORS OR CLAIMANTS OF GS CAPITAL, LP By Order of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Division, dated August 2, 2005, the "Notice to Claimants persons or entities who wish to assert a claim against Gs Capital, LP must do so by filing a written claim with the Receiver on or before date thirty (30) days after last date of notice by publication. All previously submitted claims against GS CAPITAL or its Receiver must be resubmitted in accordance with this Notice, as provided for in the Notice to Claimants Order. GS CAPITAL, a Delaware limited partnership, is a Small Business Investment Company licensed by the U.S. Small Business Administration GS Capital has been in receivership since August 31 2004 by Order of the Court identified above, entered in Civil Action No.

U.S.A. v. GS Capital, LP. The SBA is the court-appointed Receiver. Any person or entity asserting a claim against GS CAPiTAL, the receivership estate, or assets or funds in the hands of the Receiver, must do so in writing, and forward such claim to: Joseph Newell, Principal Agent for SBA, Receiver for GS Capital.

LP, 666 11th Street, N.W., Suite 200, Washington, D.C. 20001 202-272-3622 Claims must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. E.S.T., date thirty (30) days after last date of notice by publication Your claim must state: (1) the full name, address and telephone number of the claimant; (2) the amount of the claim; (3) the specific grounds for each claim; and (4) the date on which the obligation was allegedly incurred by GS CAPITAL or the Receiver. Attach all other documents or materials which support the claim, or which the Receiver might require in evaluating the claim. If you fail to provide any of the specified information, your claim will be deemed incomplete and untimely.

Failure to present a complete and timely claim to the Receiver on or before September 21, 2005 will result in your claim being forever barred, and you will not thereafter be able to make a claim against GS CAPITAL, the receivership estate, or any other assets or funds in the possession of the Receiver. U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION as Receiver for GS Capital, LP JAKES from Al tialist philosopher and CEO, Jakes, 48, serves as senior pastor and founder of the Potter's House, a mega-church in southwest Dallas. He reaches millions more through his television shows on the Trinity Broadcasting Network and BET, and he is the best-selling author of more than 30 books on such topics as financial management and weight loss. He has been a pastor for 29 years, and has presided over a mega-church since 1994.

Jakes lives with wife Serita and their five children in a Dallas mansion, complete with an indoor swimming pool and bowling alley. His message and his skill in conveying that message in a number of ways has made him a role model for black evangelical ministers. "What makes Jakes powerful is that he's willing to address so many social issues that traditional churches would not address," says Milmon F. Harrison, a professor at the University of California-Davis and author of Righteous Riches: The Word of Faith Movement in Contemporary African American Religion. "He combines tradition and contemporary.

He may be preaching like an old-school preacher in a zoot suit, but he doesn't tell women, 'If your husband is beating you, you have to stay with him because the Lord doesn't like He says, 'No, you Foremost among the preacher's gifts is his ability to tap into pop culture to deliver his message of self-empowerment. In 1998, Jakes signed a seven-figure deal with Putnam Publishing Group, and he has since built T.D. Jakes Enterprises into a media empire. His books, DVDs and CDs have made millions and have given him the luxurious lifestyle worthy of a corporate executive. And while some accuse Jakes of being driven by the dollar and not the divine his transportation stable consists of a Mercedes-Benz, a Bentley, a BMW, a Lexus and a jet his socially compassionate ministry receives mostly praise.

Time magazine, which hailed Jakes as "America's Best Preacher" in a 2001 cover story, compared him to America's venerable evangelist, Billy Graham. But Graham, 86, never received a Grammy nomination or acted in a film (Woman Thou Art Loosed) he produced. And it's a safe bet that Graham has never declared "It's about to get crunk up in here!" as Jakes did before thousands of hyped-up teens during MegaFest's youth kickoff celebration. "Jakes speaks the language of 21st-century America," says Shayne Lee, a professor at Tu-lane University and author of T.D. Jakes: America's New Preacher.

"He's written books about losing weight and financial prosperity. He acts in movies and has written a play." All of which goes to show, Lee says, that Jakes is "profoundly American and profoundly postmodern. He didn't intend to be a preacher. He intended to be a cultural phenomenon." ONLINE EXTRA To read other articles in the Kingdom Come series on the evangelical movement, go to http:go.philly.comreligion The preacher describes his ascension differently. "I didn't go to Dallas to pastor a mega-church," he said recently during a talk to the National Association of Black Journalists.

"My first accountability was to the God who called me to preach in the first place." He added that his overwhelming success was "something I couldn't have predicted. The first Sunday I preached, 1,500 people joined." Thomas Dexter Jakes was born in Charleston, WVa. The son of a janitor, young Tommy began preaching by practicing his sermons for the squirrels. Neighbors nicknamed him "Bible boy" because he was always carrying one. Facing ridicule from his peers for being "too Christian," he dropped out of high school at 17 to answer the call.

During the late 1970s and early '80s, Jakes and Serita struggled to keep their storefront church in Montgomery, afloat: "We'd clean the church after the service and tape the handles back on the church fans you know, the ones with a picture of Mahalia Jackson on one side and Martin Luther King on the other," he recalls, chuckling. But even then he had departed from traditional black-church emphasis on doctrine and dogma. Instead, Jakes created a needs-based, spiritual message that deemphasized eternal salvation and focused on a therapeutic gospel for people who were suffering from sexual, physical and emotional abuse, as well as struggling with finances and low self-esteem. It was the sermon he preached at the 1993 Azuza Conference titled "Woman Thou Art Loosed" for women coping with molestation, divorce and depression that got him instant recognition. "Woman Thou Art Loosed," based on a Sunday School curriculum Jakes taught in his West Virginia storefront, became its own franchise, spawning a best-selling book, a stage play, a Grammy-nominated CD, a national conference and a film starring Kimberly Elise and who else? Jakes.

Even though Jakes runs 50 outreach ministries that provide life skills via satellite to more than 300,000 prison inmates, his easy access into the secular world coupled with his enjoyment of the good life leaves him open to blasts from critics. A 1995 Charleston Gazette editorial accused Jakes of not obeying the biblical example of living humbly: "Christians and especially ministers should set an example and not live like kings. The love of money is the root of all evil." Indeed, during MegaFest's kickoff, Jakes mentioned his sponsors more than he mentioned God. During the worship service, dozens of Potter's House ushers sprinted throughout the Georgia Dome, collecting purple duffel bags full of money and checks made out to Notice is hereby given that "REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL" will be accepted by the Philadelphia Housing Authority for ENVIRONMENTAL CONTRACTOR REMEDIATION SERVICES -ASBESTOS, LEAD, USTAST, MOLD MOISTURE, HAZARDOUS MATERIAL DISPOSAL, Solicitation No. P-003504, to end at 11:00 A.M.

on AUGUST 26, 2005 at 12 S. 23rd Philadelphia, PA 19103. Ensure you arrive early to drop off your proposalbid. Bring identification with a photograph so PHA's Security Staff will allow you entrance into our facility. Remember that being late denies us the opportunity to look at your proposalbid.

Copies of the proposal solicitation may be picked up commencing, AUGUST 16, 2005 at 12 S. 23rd Street 5th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103 (Contracts Department) between the hours of 10:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M. Fax (215) 684-1213 for solicitation package to be mailed or for any other query relative to the solicitation. PHA encourages minority and woman-owned and Section 3 businesses to submit RFP proposals and participate in joint ventures.

CARL R. GREENE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR City of Philadelphia Public Hearing Notice In compliance with the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act, Act 93, 1 998, the Committee on Rules of the Council of the City of Philadelphia will hold a Public Hearing Thursday, September 15, 2005, at 9:30 AM, in Room 400, City Hall, to hear testimony on the following item: 050660 An Ordinance approving the third amendment of the redevelopment proposal for the 44th and Aspen Urban Renewal Area, being the area generally bounded by Lancaster Avenue, Belmont Avenue, Pennsgrove Street, 42nd Street, Westminster Avenue, Holly Street, Aspen Street, 40th Street, Haverford Avenue, 44th Street, Fairmount Avenue and 47th Street, including the third amendment to the urban renewal plan and the first amended relocation plan, which provides, inter alia, for the additional land acquisition of approximately three hundred seventy four (374) properties for residential and related uses, the additional land acquisition of approximately three (3) properties for commercial and related uses, the expansion of the eastern border from Forty-second street to Fortieth street between Haverford avenue and Aspen street and from Forty-second street to North Holly street between Aspen street and Westminster avenue; the provision of certain relocation services, as required by law; and declaring that condemnation is not imminent with respect to the Project. Immediately following the public hearing, a meeting of the Committee on Rules, open to the public, will be held to consider the action to be taken on the above listed item. Copies of the foregoing item are available in the Office of the Chief Clerk of the Council, Room 402, City Hall. Patricia Rafferty Chief Clerk Fictitious Name Legal Notices Notice is hereby given that Presbyterian Medical Center of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, with a registered address of 51 North 39th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, has filed an application for registration of an amended fictitious name "Penn Presbyterian Medical Center" under the Fictitious Names Act.

PROJECT TITLE: Expansion and Renovations to the Wissahickon Charter School. BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Work includes miscellaneous interior renovations to the existing facility and construction of a 14,000 square foot expansion in adjacent warehouse space including new partitions, doors, finishes, equipment and systems. ESTIMATED RANGE: $850,000.00 to $1,000,000.00. PRIME CONTRACTS: General, HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical Construction. The project is subject to the applicable provisions of the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act.

BID DOCUMENTS: Available at cost from Ridgways, 1216 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA, (215) 563-9770; fax all requests for bid documents directly to Ridgways. A MANDATORY Pre-Bid Conference has been scheduled for August 24th 2005 at at the Wissahickon Charter School, 4700G Wissahickon Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144. Contact: Lawrence D. McEwen Architects, Tel: (215) 844-4880. Bids are due 83105at 3:30 PM at the offices of Wissahickon Charter School.

Meeting Notices SCHOOLS from Al which is bound roughly by Poplar Street, Washington Avenue, and the two rivers, will reach out to businesses and cultural institutions to help schools develop special niches, said Janet Samuels, its superintendent. For example, Benjamin Franklin High, which serves Chinatown, will add the teaching of Mandarin Chinese; this year, it will house the ninth grade of a dual-language "Chinese American" High School that the district plans to convert into a charter. More changes are planned for 2006: E.M. Stanton Elementary will be converted into a school for gifted students, starting with that year's kindergartners. Palumbo will become a magnet high school, patterned after the academically rigorous Central High.

Two new high schools, partnered with the National Constitution Center and the Franklin Institute, will open. The region also is home to two of the district's most prestigious magnet schools: Master-man which will get a second campus and expand in 2006 and the High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. Those schools will continue to admit students from throughout the city, using strict criteria without preference for those in the new region, said Paul Val-las, the school district's chief executive officer. To do otherwise "would be controversial and unfair," Val-las said, noting that the unique nature of those schools means they must be kept open to all. Most of the other schools in the Center City Region will give preference to students who live within its boundaries.

Some parents from other parts of Philadelphia are concerned that the Center City focus will come at the expense of schools elsewhere. "We're very skeptical," said Pat Raymond, president of the district's Home and School Council, the parents' group. "We are concerned about them getting more resources than the other regions." "How is prioritizing one region equitable?" asked Karen D. Lash, president of the Home and School Association at Forrest Elementary School in Holmesburg. "You can't penalize a kid based on his zip code." But Vallas said that the region wouldn't get more resources and that just as many new programs and schools were planned for other areas.

The Center City initiative has received a $250,000 state grant and aid from the William Penn Foundation. Also, the Center City District, an economic-development agency, is the major force behind the effort, which is crucial to ensuring the continued growth and expansion of Center City, Vallas said. "Urban decay, left untreated, spreads," he said. "Urban revi-talization, left unsupported, dwindles." Paul Levy, executive director of the Center City District, said the time is ripe for the effort because Vallas has improved academics and set in motion building upgrades. The problem, however, has been long-standing, he said.

Center City sees a 26 percent drop-off in the number of chil- BONNIE WELLER Inquirer Staff Paul Levy, executive director of the Center City District, says the time is ripe for the effort. dren when they hit school age, he said, and the city must strive to hold on to young, vibrant professionals. "This is about a customer they ought to be wooing," said Levy, whose group is focusing on schools covering kindergarten through eighth grade. The new region, at Vallas' insistence, extends beyond what was traditionally considered Center City to include largely impoverished schools that serve mostly African American students. They, too, are in line to benefit, Vallas said.

The region also includes schools, such as Kearny and Spring Garden, that have performed much better than others with students in similar socioeconomic circumstances, and schools that have traditionally had strong parental backing, such as Meredith and Greenfield. Levy's group is helping the schools develop new Web sites, or "virtual front doors." Several Center City architectural firms visited the schools on a pro bono basis and produced renderings with better lighting, landscaping, play areas and banners. Levy said he hoped the school district's capital fund and private dollars would cover those renovations, beginning this year. A school fair is planned for October to better acquaint the community with the schools. Parents will be tapped to give school tours to prospective parents; principals will be asked to don marketing caps, too.

Parent Keri White has been singing the praises of McCall School in Society Hill for years, trying to persuade others in her community to enroll their children. She's glad to have some help. "This won't just be a grassroots effort anymore," said White, whose children are in first and third grades. Private schools aren't threatened by the effort, Levy said. The Center City District is touting those schools and charter schools on its Web site, too.

Said David Costello, the head of St. Peter's School, which serves students from prekinder-garten through eighth grade at 319 Lombard St: "If more families stay here, we all benefit." 3cx FOR LIFE! CAMDEN BOARD OF EDUCATION NOTICE OF WORKSESSION AND REGULAR MEETING The WORK SESSION for AUGUST 2005 will be held on THURSDAY, AUGUST 25TH 6:00 PM at 201 N. Front Street, 1st Floor Executive Conference Room, Camden, New Jersey. The REGULAR MEETING for AUGUST 2005 will be held on MONDAY, AUGUST 29TH 7:00 PM at the CCS-TV CABLE STATION, 1600 Pine Street, Camden, New Jersey. Please make every effort to attend.

Official action may be taken. MR. N. JOHN AMATO School Business Administrator Board Secretary August 18, 2005 Special Meetings ERECTION PROBLEMS? Medication safer and more Public Notice The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations will conduct an accreditation survey of the Devereux Beneto Center on September 26, 2005, through September 29, 2005. The purpose of the survey will be to evaluate the organization's compliance with nationally established Joint Commission standards.

The survey results will be used to determine whether and the conditions under which accreditation should be awarded the organization. Joint Commission standards deal with organization quality and safety of care issues and the safety of the environment in which care is provided. Anyone believing that he or she has pertinent and valid information about such matters may request a public information interview with the Joint Commission's field representatives at the time of the survey. Information presented at the interview will be carefully evaluated for relevance to the accreditation process. Requests for a public information interview must be made in writing and should be sent to the Joint Commission no later than five working days before the survey begins.

The request must also indicate the nature of the information to be provided at the interview. Such requests should be addressed to: Division of Accreditation Operations Office of Quality Monitoring Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations One Renaissance Boulevard Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181 OR Faxed to 630792-5636 E-mailed to compliantjcaho.org The Joint Commission's Office of Quality Monitoring will acknowledge in writing or by telephone requests received 10 days before the survey begins. An account representative will contact the individual requesting the publication information interview prior to the survey, indicating the location, date, and time of the interview and the name of the surveyor who will conduct the interview. This notice is posted in accordance with the Joint Commission's requirements. effective than Viagra, Cialis or Levitra.

tlmm jisik CAMDEN BOARD OF EDUCATION NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING There will be a SPECIAL MEETING of the CAMDEN BOARD OF EDUCATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31 ST, 2005 6:00 PM. The meeting will be held at 201 N. Front Street, 1st. Floor Executive Conference Room, Camden, NJ 08102. The Agenda is as follows: 1.

Closed Session a. Superintendent's Contract Negotiations Please make every effort to attend. Official action may be taken. MR. N.

JOHN AMATO School Business Administrator Board Secretary August 19, 2005 AMTRAK REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL Amtrak will accept bids at 30th Street Station, 5th Floor, Box 12, Philadelphia, PA 19104 for the following procurements until 2:00 PM ET and closing date stated below: Bid Number: RFP Q5229 392 051, dated August 18, 2005 Bid Closing Date: Friday, September 23, 2005 Procurement Agent: Kenneth Wortham Telephone Number: 215-349-1337 E-mail Address: worthakamtrak.com Description of Bid: This request for proposals is for overhaul of toilets and other components over a 24-month period. Interested parties may obtain copies of the contract documents by contacting the procurement agent via telephone or E-mail provided above. Specializing in personalized treatments PREMATURE EJACULATION? Achieve better control today! Separate waiting rooms to ensure your privacy We do not use herbal or unproven treatments cS Licensed MD's specializing in men's health Only one consultation usually required Clinics nationwide For free information call 1800 337 7555 today! TO ADVERTISE CALL: 1-800-341-3413 TO ADVERTISE A LEGAL NOTICE IN THIS SECTION PLEASE CALL ANNA DICKERSON Get money. Sell most dnything with a Tri-Cldssified Ad. You get 10 ddys for just 20 bucks.

Call 800-341-3413. QaMieds "Some restrictions apply. Contact staff writer Susan Snyder at 21 5-854-4693 or ssnyderphillynews.com For more information, see the Center City District's Web site on schools at www.centercityschools.org. kit anTBEVVSnXn 215-854-5707 www.bostonmedicalgroup.com.