In 2009, we lost several icons, who through their talent, their wit and their will, left indelible marks on the community and improved the lives of African-Americans throughout Pittsburgh and beyond.

Harvey Adams Jr., a civil rights pioneer who survived Korea, diabetes, the 1968 riots in the Hill District and who helped integrate the Pittsburgh police force, died Sept. 7 after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 80.

ADAMS, CHRISTIAN, FISHER, DOSS and BRUTUS

Adams also implemented a minority police recruitment program, organized and implemented youth athletic and educational programs and organized police and community councils for the city. In 1970, the Guardians, along with the NAACP, the National Organization for Women and the American Civil Liberties Union successfully sued the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, winning a consent decree that required one African-American and one woman be included in each four new recruits hired.

With a decrease of 27.5 percent from last year’s homicide count of 120, this year proved to be a step in the right direction. Could it be that the numerous community peace vigils and marches were the answer for taking the streets back when it comes to violence?

Although the decrease means something, one cannot forget that even one name on the list is one too many. There had been a steady decrease month-by-month, but December put a stop to the trend, with a count of 12, which was the deadliest month of the entire year and up more than 50 percent from that of December 2008, with only five murders.

As R. Daniel Lavelle begins his first term as the new councilman for District 6, he has begun reconnecting with those he heard from during his campaign. After being sworn in Jan. 4, Lavelle is already beginning to plan a series of discussions to create a blueprint of what residents envision for their neighborhoods.

I SOLEMNLY SWEAR— Judge Dwayne Woodruff swears in Daniel Lavelle as District 6 councilman as Rachael Lavelle holds the Bible.

“Immediately we’re going to reach out to all the community groups, non-profits and corporations and have discussions with them to come up with an agreed upon agenda,” Lavelle said. “We’ll get a better sense of what the top priorities are once we go out and meet with the groups.”