INNER-CITY NEWS

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 01, 2022 - January 11, 2022 INNER-CITY NEWS July 27, 2016 - August 02, 2016

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Bishop Desmond Tutu

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 01, 2022 - January 11, 2022

Student Art Crew Brightens The Shack

by MAYA MCFADDEN New Haven Independent

With the help of four high school students who found a fun way to spend part of their Christmas break, the late New Haven rapper known as Stēzo has been brought back to life on his home turf of West Rock/West Hills.

The four students, three from Hillhouse and one from Amistad, brightened up the Shack, the revived West Hills community center on Valley Street, with an honorary mural of Stēzo, one of New Haven’s hip hop pioneers, this past week.

The art team also decorated the center’s game room with paintings of classic arcade games like like Mario, Pac Man, Donkey Kong, and Tetris.

To tunes by Michael Jackson and Adele and the saxophone of Vandell Andrew, the group worked on the project this past Wednesday in the community center’s game room.

The room’s four wall pillars became the permeant homes of painted arcade games selected by the students.

Hillhouse art teacher Rebecca LeQuire partnered with West Hills Alder Honda Smith for the project to honor a community legend.

LeQuire, who lives in West Hills, has painted several murals and worked on other public art projects throughout New Haven over the years.

Smith and the art team held meetings about about the project at the start of December. The raised funds for materials through GoFundMe. LeQuire and students Nijaya Brown, 14, Rhieanna Rubertone, 14, Nashali Nieves, 17, and Barbara Hawke-Lopez, 15, put the mural together.

They began with a layering of bricks. Ru-

MAYA MCFADDEN PHOTO Honda Smith, Nijaya Brown, Barbara Hawke-Lopez, Rhieanna Rubertone, Nashali Nieves, and Rebecca LeQuire by new mural at spruced-up Shack.

bertone used to red paint-infused sponge to create individual bricks.

“I want them to be a part of something and to meet community partners like Honda,” LeQuire said.

First-year Hillhouse student Rubertone got a call from LeQuire at the last minute Tuesday asking for her help with the project.

Rubertone, who grew up in Dixwell, is currently displaced in Hamden with her mother and two younger siblings. She agreed to join the mural project to get out

the house for a few hours before having to babysit her siblings while her mother worked.

“Art is calming and makes me feel free,” Rubertone said.

The game center’s two back doors were also spraypainted and tagged by the art team and Shack workers.

As the crew worked, Smith captured the process on Facebook Live. As LeQuire began painting the purple letters spelling

out Stēzo’s name, Smith asked the virtual audience trivia about the late local artist.

“Can you guys guess whose name is going to be up there?” she asked as LeQuire painted a purple S on the wall. ”Yes. Sharon Reed you got it: Stēzo!

Come on down here and put your name on our doors.”

For two more questions, Smith raffled off $20 gift cards to neighbors who answered questions about Stēzo, who grew up in Brookside and was a rapper, producer, and DJ.

Schools Gird For Reopening Amid Omicron

by PAUL BASS

New Haven Independent

Iline Tracey handed out the first batch of Covid-19 rapid at-home tests to nervous teachers Sunday as the school system prepared to reopen Monday amid a surge of cases.

The schools plan to have masks on hand for all adult staffers Monday morning, along with test kits for families with children showing symptoms, Tracey said.

The distribution took place amid a greater anxiety among teachers not only in New Haven, but statewide: Now that society has reached a consensus that schools need to stay open in the pandemic, how can that be done safely during the peaks of surges like the current one driven by the Omicron variant? Omicron, while believed to be less lethal than previous variants, is far more contagious; the state has reported surpassing a 20 percent testing positivity rate.

Con’t on page 06

PAUL BASS PHOTO Sonia Clubb and Supt. Iline Tracey Sunday handing out test kits outside King/Robinson.

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Tekaile Davis drove to the center less than five minutes away after his mom, Sharon Reed, woke him up with a phone call. She told him she’d won the trivia contest. She asked him to tag her name on the center’s game room doors.

“I was half asleep, so I thought she was asking me to tag the police station next door,” he said after arriving to pick up his mom’s gift cards.

Davis, who is used to painting cars, chose green and purple paint to tag his and his mom’s names on the doors.

Brown, a Hillhouse freshman, was asked

by LeQuire to join the project’s team during her school art class.

Brown said she has a love for drawing.

Brown, a Newhallville native, said that if she had not been helping with the art project Wednesday, she would have been home in charge of watching her five younger siblings.

“I love how calming art is. Here I’m not in my loud art class getting bothered by my friends who want to talk or my siblings who need help,” she said.

Brown used her gloved thumb to size the white eyes of a red and blue Pac Man ghost, which she finished with black pupils on one of the room’s four pillars.

Then Brown made an attempt at his firstever game of Tetris on a pillar wall.

Nieves, a Hillhouse senior, expressed interest in the mural project because of her love for painting and need for community service hours.

During the crew’s organizing meetings, she claimed dibs on making the Donkey Kong-themed pillar. The team was shown pictures of the game room during the planning meets to give suggestions for the project.

Nieves, a Westville native, used her home skills of painting anime characters to first sketch, then paint, the ’80s platform game with Donkey Kong, his barrels, and ladders.

After a lunch break provided by Smith, the crew finished the mural off with a silhouette painting of Stēzo, using a projector as a stencil Hawke-Lopez, a sophomore at Achievement First Amistad High School, also was asked Tuesday to join the project by LeQuire, whom she described as her art mentor and family friend.

She has helped LeQuire with community projects in the past, including hand painting a mural in her bedroom.

Hawke-Lopez has recently worked with LeQuire on community projects because of her school’s current lack of art courses, she said.

“This is as close as I can get to art, because we don’t have classes at my school,” she said.

Hawke-Lopez, who lives in the Morris Cove, worked on a 3D Mario-themed pillar Wednesday after spending the previous two days of her winter break playing video games all day.

Donut Dreamers Sink A Hole In 1 THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 01, 2022 - January 11, 2022

by JAKE DRESSLER

New Haven Independent

Anita Mclean and Cedric Emery will ring in the new year celebrating the six-month anniversary of Many Donuts, their mom and pop donut shop nestled between Fitch and Jewell streets at the Whalley Exxon.

A concept that had been brewing since Anita’s childhood, Many Donuts specializes in fresh, doughy, mini-donut creations topped with creative combinations of cookies, frosting, and breakfast cereal. The donuts are made a few feet away from the register, where customers can watch Cedric work the donut machine through a plexiglass guard.

The donuts slowly float down a small river of oil, then flip onto a pan, where Anita and Cedric powder them, frost them, and arrange them in half dozen or dozen orders.

The final product is a hot, tasty, doughy assortment that melts in your mouth.

In just six months’ time, word has spread about Many Donuts’ mouthwatering creations.

Last week, the New Haven Youth and Recreation Department hired Many Donuts to cater a skate night at the Walker Rink on State Street. A few weeks before that, Many Donuts created a buzz at the Holiday Village Christmas tree-lighting on the New Haven Green, with a nonstop flow of shoppers lining up at their booth.

“People like us because of the quality of

our product,” Cedric said. “All our products are made fresh, and with our unique toppings we’re a party favorite.”

Many Donuts offers different menus depending on the season. Right now the top flavors are Strawberry Shortcake, Banana, and Grinch Party, a donut topped with Christmas colored sprinkles.

Other flavors include Smores, Hot Chocolate The treats are made in less than a minute with a machine capable of producing 1,200 donuts per hour. The batter is floated down a pool of hot oil that fries and flips the donuts to cook them evenly. Once the donuts are done, Anita and Cedric add the toppings and serve them in half dozen or dozen options.

The time between being freshly cooked and placed in a customer’s hand takes less than a few minutes, which ensures freshness, doughiness, and great taste.

Many Donuts also caters private events including work parties, gatherings, and potentially weddings. (It’s rumored they might have a wedding-cake donut in the works.)

Anita and Cedric are native New Haveners with a passion for food. For Anita, Many Donuts embodies the gleeful sugar-fueled childhood moments she experienced at county fairs, when her aunt would buy her donuts and other sugary fair treats.

When my aunt would take me to the Big E, they always had these cinnamon mini

donuts, and it was always the highlight of the trip for me to bring home a bucket of these donuts,” Anita recalled.

“Fast forward years later, and I saw mini donuts come up on my feed on social media one day. I thought it would be really cool if we could do our own donuts with a twist, not just powder and sugar but toppings that people can’t normally get.”

After sitting on the back burner for a few years, the idea sprang to life eight months ago, when Cedric and Anita decided to finally pull the trigger and find a location to set up shop. Cedric scouted for a location and eventually decided on an empty former sandwich shop spot at the Exxon gas station on Whalley.

“I’ve been in the restaurant business for 30 years now” said Cedric, “I was tired of working for people, I wanted to work for myself. I believe in our product, and I knew it would work. It’s a sweet treat you could order online, or pick up. You could have fun with people, use them for gatherings, and so that’s how I wanted to make it.”

Together, the mom-and-pop business couple have won the hearts of locals with their irresistible treats. Their two daughters, 16 and the 20, have played an integral role in developing the brand and flavors. “It’s trial and error, but as a family we definitely create a lot of these options as a joint effort,” Anita said.

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JAKE DRESSLER PHOTOS Anita Mclean and Cedric Emery at this dream donut emporium.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 01, 2022 - January 11, 2022

Goldson, Battling Cancer, To Resign From Ed Board

By STAFF

New Haven Independent

Darnell Goldson, one of two elected members of New Haven’s Board of Education, announced he will step down as he contends with “aggressive” lymphona.

Goldson made the announcement in an email message sent to his board colleagues Thursday 11 minutes before midnight.

He stated that he is receiving treatment at Yale New Haven’s Smilow Cancer Hospital. He said he will make his resignation official “within the next few months.”

Goldson is halfway through his second elected term on the board, which evolved from a fully appointed to a hybrid appointed-elected body as a result of a 2013 charter revision referendum.

Goldson has often raised questions about education policy and cast dissenting votes during his tenure. He has been a figure in New haven’s civic and political life for four decades, beginning with a stint in the New Haven office of U.S. Rep. Bruce Morrison. He represented West Rock/West Hills on the Board of Alders, joining with thenfellow Alder Justin Elicker to lead a successful effort to stop the city from selling parking meter revenue to a private company. He has always fought hard for a cause, and will now focus on a fight against cancer.

Hello Fellow Board of Educa-

CHRISTOPHER PEAK PHOTO Darnell Goldson.

tion members: In September I was diagnosed with aggressive Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of lymph nodes of multiple regions (DLBCL). I am receiving treatment at Yale New Haven Hospital’s Smilow Cancer Center and have a great team. I’ll spare you the details of the disease and the treatments I am undergoing, just suffice it to say that I have my good days and my bad days.

I have waited until my daughter completed her finals this semester a few weeks ago to reveal my status, just telling my family and close friends.

I have been lucky and honored to serve the citizens of the City of New Haven and this state in several capacities, including as staff for city, state and federal agencies; and as elected

to local boards, including currently as a member and your colleague on the Board of Education for the past six years. I had already decided before I became ill that the last two years of my term would be my last, I think two terms (8 years) is more than enough time for any one person to serve and it would be time for new blood. Unfortunately (or for some perhaps fortunately) my health status will change my timetable. I will not be able to serve at 100%, and I believe it would be unfair to the citizens of New Haven, my family, and myself to serve knowing this. Therefore, within the next few

months I will be resigning from the BOE. I will make the date and time official to the proper authorities and in the proper form soon.

I have enjoyed my service on this board, with both the members I have served with in the past and currently.

I would have loved to get to know and work with the new members who will join soon, but some things are not meant to be. Despite some differences we have had, we were always united in our shared goals to improve the learning experiences of the students in our system.

I’ll see you all at the next meeting.

Jay’Lon Osiris Smart Rings In 2022

New Haven’s public schools reopened from winter break Monday morning with 18 percent of bus drivers calling out sick as the Omicron variant swept through the state.

That led to a suggestion from Superintendent Iline Tracey that parents ferry their kids to school this week, if possible.

“Due to the number of bus drivers out because of COVID-19, New Haven Public Schools bus routes will have significant delays for arrival and dismissal beginning today, January 3, 2022, and will continue through the week,” Tracey wrote in a message emailed Monday morning to parents and caregivers.

“Families, we apologize for these delays. However, if you can drive your child to school this week, please do so as this would help alleviate some of the delays. Once again, we apologize for the inconvenience that this will cause and

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Parents Drive Kids, If Possible

thank you for your patience as we continue to provide services for our students and families.”

The high number of call-ins resulted from drivers testing positive for Covid-19, quarantining, or displaying symptoms and awaiting test results, said schools spokesperson Justin Harmon.

Monday morning’s routes ran better than expected, Harmon said: All children were picked up, with the longest delay running to a half hour, “which is significant.”

“We’ve been fortunate — some neighboring districts are closed today, so we’ve been able to get some bus drivers assigned” to New Haven to help with the crunch, he said. Also, as with past daily shortages, the district combined some drivers’ routes.

“This is going to be a day to day situation for the next couple of days. So far we are off to a better start than we anticipated,” Harmon said.

John P. Thomas

Contributing Writers

Schools Suggest

by STAFF

Penfield Communications Inc

Deshawnnae Mims and Jeremiah Smart at Yale New Haven Hospital with newborn Jay’Lon.

The newest New Havener arrived Saturday at 12:47 a.m.

His name is Jay’Lon Osiris Smart. He was the first baby born at Yale New Haven Hospital in 2022, the first child of Deshawnnae Mims and Jeremiah Smart.

Jay’Lon came into the world weighing six pounds and 11 ounces. The family is all doing well, according to the hospital, which sent in the above photo.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 01, 2022 - January 11, 2022

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 01, 2022 - January 11, 2022

Omicron Squeezes “Live” Inauguration

by THOMAS BREEN | New Haven Independent

Absence, loss, pain, and possibility loomed as 33 elected officials were inaugurated to new terms Saturday in a videostreamed inauguration ceremony upended by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The public couldn’t take part — as a technical snafu canceled even the musical guests’ planned prerecorded performances.

The 54-minute ceremony took place Saturday midday at Hillhouse High School on Sherman Parkway.

Masked and socially distanced, many of the 33 local elected officials who were sworn in for new terms — including Mayor Justin Elicker, City/Town Clerk Michael Smart, Board of Education District 1 representative Edward Joyner, and a few dozen members of the 30-person Board of Alders — joined a handful of guests, security guards, and camera operators in person in the otherwise empty high school gymnasium.

Because of the surge in Omicron-induced Covid-19 cases, the city barred all other members of the public and the press from attending the event.

That left the 128 other people who watched the ceremony live to tune in via the city’s Vimeo-posted video steam.

“This is a tough time,” Elicker said. He compared his first inauguration ceremony as mayor on Jan. 1, 2020 — when “more than 500 community members were packed in at Hillhouse” — to Saturday’s, which saw him deliver his address to a quiet and largely empty room.

Even the various guests who had planned to make virtual appearances at the inauguration — including U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, Westville-based singer Thabisa Rich, Beaver Hills-based poet Salwa Abdussabur, and local gospel musician Jordan Watson — were absent thanks to a very Covid-era snafu.

“Due to technical difficulties, all of our pre-recorded content will not be aired live, but will be available later today,” said New Haven Promise student and 2018 Wilbur Cross High School graduate Gaston Neville, who emceed the ceremony solo after his planned co-host had a last-minute emergency that kept her from attending.

“A Very Challenging Year” That aching sense of emptiness extended well beyond the paired-down ceremony and minimal bodies in the room.

Many of those who spoke at Saturday’s event reflected on an uncertain, tumultuous, and violent year. “This has been a very challenging year for me and my family,” said Smart, who was sworn in for a fifth two-year term as city clerk.

His voice caught as he thanked colleagues and friends for supporting him through the loss of his brother, his cousin, and his granddaughter in 2021. He acknowledged Board of Alders President

CITY OF NEW HAVEN PHOTOS State Superior Court Judge Robin Wilson swears in Mayor Justin Elicker to a second two-year term: Flood of federal, state dollars presents opportunity, challenge in 2022.

Tyisha Walker-Myers, Fair Haven Alder Ernie Santiago, and Westville Alder Darryl Brackeen, Jr. as having also had a “tough year” due to the deaths of family members. And he called for “a moment of silence for everyone who’s lost someone this year, and that’s grieving.”

“Today’s near empty gymnasium is a stark reminder that the fight is not over,” said Elicker as he reflected on the past 22 months of a pandemic that has “touched every part of our lives.”

Even as he praised his administration’s “swift action” in the early days of the pandemic to “keep kids and seniors safe, to house the homeless and feed the hungry,” Elicker lamented the rising gun violence across the city and country, the “far too many” small businesses that have shuttered or struggled to remain open during Covid, the “year of virtual learning” that took “a toll on our children that we are only beginning to grapple with,” and the “countless families still grieving the loss of loved ones.”

“We are in the middle of a pandemic,” said Joyner, “and only about 50 percent of the country realizes that.” He asked everyone watching to “pray collectively for the well-being of Darnell Goldson,” a fellow elected local Board of Education member who has announced his pending resignation as he battles cancer.

Attorney Michael Jefferson offered perhaps the most galvanizing eulogy for a difficult year and call to collective action in his speech before swearing in Smart as city clerk.

He framed his address as “a plea of sorts, an appeal to Black men. Those who are woke. Those who, let’s say, have strayed from duty. A simple plea, born of desperation and daunting frustration, in hope of arresting this slow and incessant march to our own destruction.”

“Yes, we have been condemned to the shadows of American society,” Jefferson continued, “but an authentic audit of our sojourn reveals an inspiring truth, an undeniable truth, and to many a frightening truth. … It is a revelation of our indomitable spirit to resist and overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.”

During his closing address at Saturday’s ceremony, Elicker listed what he saw as some of his administration’s top accomplishments over the past two years — striking new agreements for the expansion of Union Station and Tweed New Haven Airport, opening the reborn Q House community center, promoting a “housing for all” legislative agenda, opening a new one-stop reentry center.

He also sought to focus the live and remote audience’s attention on the myriad possibilities that lie ahead for New Haven thanks to an unprecedented level of money flowing into the city from seemingly every angle.

That includes • A $50 million annual bump to the state’s Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) reimbursement to the city for property tax money lost to tax-exempt nonprofits.

• A $10 million annual increase in voluntary payments by Yale University to the city over the next six years thanks to a recently struck (and still awaiting aldermanic review and approval) universitycity accord.

• Over $100 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that remain largely unspent, even as the city has won aldermanic approval to dedicate parts of those funds to summer youth programs, police surveillance cameras, a new Department of Community Resilience, and “revenue replacement” for pandemichurt sections of the city budget.

• And an as-yet unspecified amount of

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additional federal aid to come from the “massive infrastructure bill” designed to bolster the nation’s aging roads, bridges, rails, and climate change-vulnerable coastlines.

Thanks in part to all that money, Elicker said, “we’ve stabilized our finances” and “our city will see the kind of investments we haven’t seen in decades.”

How might some of that money be spent over the mayor’s next two-year term.

Elicker made several promises on Saturday, reiterating many of the priorities he outlined during his Election Night victory speech.

He said his administrations plans to: • “Promote more homeownership opportunities” by expanding the city’s downpayment assistance program; provide more financial support for renters; and “securing properties” before they’re bought up by “some large [real estate] companies” that “won’t steward them well.”

• Invest more in career and vocational training for local high school students who want to work rather than go to college after graduating.

• Make “a focused investment in wealth creation in Black and brown communities” by, in part, increasing funding to Black and brown-owned businesses.

• Launch a “Carbon Free Future Program” to promote more energy efficient homes and train local small contractors in that work, to further electrify the city’s fleet of vehicles and promote “multi-modal transportation options.”

“Look at what we have done. Look at what we have accomplished over these past two years,” Elicker concluded.

“Imagine what we can do over these coming years. … New Haven can be a place where everyone can thrive.”

Con’t from page 02

Schools Gird For Reopening Amid Omicron “We’re going to make it strategic,” Tracey, who has dubbed herself the “Covid superintendent,” said in between handouts Sunday. The district will decide classroom by classroom, perhaps in some cases school by school, whether to send people home.

Tracey noted that she does not have the authority to switch to remote learning, as some parents have recommended. Only the legislature, or the governor by emergency order, can have remote learning count toward the 180-day minimum of annual required school days.

The state has altered its guidance, and left districts in some confusion. For instance, new guidance issued Friday by the state Department of Public Health suggests that schools abandon contact tracing.

“Because individual-level contact tracing is a tool that becomes less effective when community transmission levels are high, DPH recommends that schools begin to refocus the activities of health staff away from the investigation of relatively low risk in-school exposures and toward the identification, early isolation, and clinical management of students and staff with active symptoms that could be related to COVID-19,” the guidance states. “… [R] outine contact tracing of individual exposures that occur inside schools or during school-organized and supervised activities can be discontinued (subject to the conditions and provisions indicated below) without posing a significant increased risk of negative impact on in-school transmission of COVID-19 or access to in-person learning.”

The document includes the above chart with more detailed recommendations about how to address Covid-19 when school resumes Monday from Christmas break.

Tracey said Sunday she’s waiting on guidance from the city’s Health Department on the contact tracing question.

Newly elected teachers union President Leslie Blatteau blasted the DPH recommendation on contact tracing as “a real kick in the gut. It’s surreal. We need help at the state level. The opposite is happening.”

Blatteau said she and other teachers have two overriding concerns about Monday’s reopening: • Access to tests: “It seems shortsighted. We’re going to send everybody back untested. Will we be in a worse place in a week or two?”

• Low staffing levels, which were already strained before Omicron exploded. “The stress is already so high,” she said.

“I’m glad we got the test kits. I’m nervous about tomorrow,” a Davis Academy for Arts And Design Innovation pre‑K teacher named Danielle said after leaving Sunday’s distribution at Newhallville’s King/ Robinson Interdistrict Magnet School with her Whirl-Pak. Anika Russell, a school social worker, said she came because her mother, who works at a homeless shelter tested positive, and now she herself feels congested.

Samantha Ginzberg, a Wilbur Cross English teacher, is awaiting results of a Covid test after learning she had been present with someone who tested positive over the holiday week. “I’m anxious,” she said.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 01, 2022 - January 11, 2022

IN MEMORIAM: World Dignitaries React to Death of Bishop Desmond Tutu

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Long before Nelson Mandela won his freedom from 27 years of imprisonment fighting apartheid in South Africa, Archbishop Desmond Tutu earned the moniker “the nation’s conscience.”

White and Black residents of the popular African nation lauded the bishop for his relentless fight to unite races and end the racist system of apartheid.

South Africa’s leading advocate for change and reconciliation under a Black majority rule and the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Bishop Tutu, died in Cape Town on December 26 at the age of 90.

South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa first confirmed the bishop’s passing.

“He was a leader of principle and pragmatism who gave meaning to the biblical insight that faith without works is dead,” President Ramaphosa exclaimed.

A spokesperson for the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation said Bishop Tutu succumbed to cancer after a decadeslong battle with the disease.

Bishop Tutu reportedly had been hospitalized several times in the years since his 1997 diagnosis but continued his work.

His demands for freedom and advocating that justice be accomplished in a nonvio-

lent manner helped earn Bishop Tutu the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.

Born on October 7, 1931, in Klerksdorp, South Africa, Bishop Tutu’s mother, Aletha, was a domestic worker, and his father, Zacharia, was a teacher.

Bishop Tutu was baptized a Methodist, but his family would later join the Anglican Church, according to his official biography.

When he was 12, his family moved to Johannesburg.

Bishop Tutu often spoke of Rev. Trevor Huddleston, a white preacher who opposed apartheid.

Rev. Huddleston earned the young Tutu’s admiration because of a simple gesture: Rev. Huddleston tipped his hat to Tutu’s mother.

Desmond Tutu studied at the Pretoria Bantu Normal College and earned a degree in teaching from the University of South Africa.

He taught for three years but resigned after South Africa enacted the Bantu Education Act, lowering Black students’ education standards.

He married Nomalizo Shenxane, and the couple remained together for more than 66 years until Bishop Tutu’s death.

They have four children: Trevor, their son, and three daughters, Theresa, Naomi, and Mpho.

“Archbishop Desmond Tutu was a men-

tor, a friend, and a moral compass for me and so many others,” former U.S. President Barack Obama said in a statement.

“A universal spirit, Archbishop Tutu was grounded in the struggle for liberation and justice in his own country, but also concerned with injustice everywhere. He never lost his impish sense of humor and willingness to find humanity in his adversaries, and Michelle and I will miss him dearly.”

Archbishop Desmond Tutu

England’s Royal Family tweeted condolences from Queen Elizabeth.

Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali also tweeted out his sympathies.

“I join other world leaders in expressing my sadness at the passing of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, who has been the embodiment of the struggle for liberation,” Prime Minister Ali wrote. “Ethiopia sends its condolences to the people and the government of South Africa.”

Officials at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center in Atlanta also released a statement of sadness.

“Our hearts go out to his family. Archbishop Tutu was a global human rights activist and a compassionate, bold, consistent voice on behalf of the ostracized and oppressed,” the King Center officials wrote. “May we carry his love forward.

(Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images) (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Archbishop Desmond Tutu Passes Away at 90

by Christian Carter, BlackDoctor.org

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, a towering figure who helped bring an end to apartheid in South Africa, has passed away in Cape Town. He was 90.

“The passing of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is another chapter of bereavement in our nation’s farewell to a generation of outstanding South Africans who have bequeathed us a liberated South Africa,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement early Sunday.

“Desmond Tutu was a patriot without equal; a leader of principle and pragmatism who gave meaning to the biblical insight that faith without works is dead.”

The passionate advocate for freedom headed the country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the 1990s, a grueling inquiry that investigated crimes during the apartheid era. It was widely seen as a crucial healing step during South Africa’s transition from apartheid to democracy.

The TRC became a model for similar commissions in other parts of the continent.

Tutu, who helped bring down apartheid in South Africa, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.

Tutu was also the first Black bishop of Johannesburg and later became the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town. He was known for working tirelessly for racial justice and LBGTQ rights.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres

called Tutu “a towering global figure for peace & justice.”

Former President Obama described him as “a moral compass” and “universal spirit.”

Tutu, an Anglican clergyman, used the pulpit to preach and galvanize public opinion against the injustice faced by South Africa’s Black majority.

Tutu, the first Black bishop of Johannesburg and later the first Black archbishop of Cape Town, was a vocal activist for racial justice and LGBTQ rights not just in South Africa but around the world.

In 1990, after 27 years in prison, Nelson Mandela spent his first night of freedom at Tutu’s residence in Cape Town.

After the fall of the apartheid regime, with Mandela leading the country as its first Black president, Tutu headed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which laid bare the terrible truths of white rule.

“His contributions to struggles against injustice, locally and globally, are matched only by the depth of his thinking about the making of liberatory futures for human societies,” the Nelson Mandela Foundation said in a statement.

Tutu’s legacy surpasses borders and “will echo throughout the ages,” U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement Sunday.

“We were blessed to spend time with him on several occasions over the past many

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years,” Biden said on behalf of himself and his wife, Jill. “His courage and moral clarity helped inspire our commitment to change American policy toward the repressive Apartheid regime in South Africa.”

Biden was outspoken about apartheid when he traveled to the country as a senator in 1976, when he said he refused to be separated from his Black colleagues.

Tutu also campaigned internationally for human rights, especially LGBTQ rights and same-sex marriage.

“I would not worship a God who is homophobic,” he said in 2013, launching a campaign for LGBTQ rights in Cape Town. “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say, ‘Sorry, I would much

rather go to the other place.’”

Tutu said he was “as passionate about this campaign as I ever was about apartheid.

For me, it is at the same level.” He was one of the most prominent religious leaders to advocate LGBTQ rights — a stance that put him at odds with many in South Africa and across the continent as well as within the Anglican church.

A seven-day mourning period is planned in Cape Town before Tutu’s burial, including a two-day lying in state, an ecumenical service and an Anglican requiem mass at St. George’s Cathedral in Cape Town. The southern city’s landmark Table Mountain will be lit up in purple, the color of the robes Tutu wore as archbishop.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 01, 2022 - January 11, 2022

Phoenix Suns Embrace NBA’s Strong Stance on Social Justice

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

As we prepare to enter 2022, the national focus on “social justice,” ranging from voting rights to criminal justice reform, environmental justice, health care equality and economic equity, continues to be a priority for professional sports across America. There is a growing hope that the new year will witness more progress in bridging some of the social divides in the nation.

For communities of color who today continue to produce many of the star athletes in the sports industry, the outcries for freedom, justice and equality have had a transformative impact on the commitments of sports’ owners and leaders.

While federal lawmakers, as well as those in state legislatures, work to craft solutions to protect voting rights and other important reforms, many observers are reminded about the significant role America’s professional sports leagues have and can play in advancing the clarion call for social and racial justice.

When the National Basketball Association (NBA) resumed its 2020 season following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic and in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd, it was immediately evident NBA players and team personnel felt the lingering effects and decided to take action.

Players wore Black Lives Matter shirts, masks, and the Toronto Raptors even wrapped their team bus with the phrase that resonated globally.

The NBA painted “Black Lives Matter” on many of their respective courts, while the NFL’s opening day activities included the playing of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the Black national anthem.

Notably, the Phoenix Suns stood at the forefront in providing a ringing endorsement to the phrase, and the team immediately put change in motion.

Suns superstar and NBA Players Union President Chris Paul led the discussions with league officials, resulting in players wearing social justice slogans on their jerseys.

The slogans were unmistakable and included “Say Their Names,” “I Can’t Breathe,” and “Justice Now.” As 2021 ends, the Suns and the NBA have cemented their legacy among all professional sports leagues as pioneers and activists for social justice change.

Paul had previously joined stars LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwayne Wade in speaking about the importance of athletes using their vaunted platforms to cry out for freedom, justice, and equality.

Back in 2010, when Arizona lawmakers

passed the anti-immigration SB 1070 into law, the Phoenix Suns and other organizations cringed with disapproval. The law made it a crime for anyone to visit Arizona without proper documentation.

In addition, it required local police to check the legal status of suspected undocumented immigrants – a method akin to the unpopular stop-and-frisk laws in some municipalities around the country.

The ACLU described the bill as a “discriminatory law” that “invites racial profiling of Latinos and others who may look or sound “foreign,” including many U.S. citizens who have lived in American their entire lives.”

The Phoenix Suns profoundly expressed disapproval.

During a high-profile playoff game against the San Antonio Spurs, the Suns wore “Los Suns” – The Suns, in Spanish –

on their jerseys.

Sun’s owner Robert Sarver didn’t hesitate to speak out against that racially discriminatory bill.

“The gesture, which came with the blessing of the NBA and the league’s players union, reflects Sarver’s belief that passing Senate Bill 1070 was not “the right way to handle the immigration problem, Number 1,” NPR quoted Sarver as saying.

“Number 2, as I read through the bill, it felt to me a little bit like it was meanspirited, and I personally just don’t agree with it.”

The Suns noted that the NBA holds an extraordinary power that other leagues do not have by supporting its players, owners, and other related personnel to use their platforms to stand against social injustices. The league not only supplies them the platform to do so, but it also protects those platforms.

“We have a strong employee base that has been working behind the scenes to advise and recommend different ways that we can activate employees and get our players involved,” said Dean Stoyer, the Suns chief marketing and communications officer, told reporters in 2020.

“The first step publicly that we’re making is around the vote.”

The Suns have prioritized educating voters and the team provided a space for citizens to cast their votes.

“We are not just here to play basketball, and we feel like something has to be done, and it’s time,” then-Suns point guard Ricky Rubio wrote in a social media post.

“It’s been far too long, and I stand right next to my teammates and the whole league to use this platform to bring awareness and come up with ideas and solutions. … We have to fight for a better world and stand up (to) what is wrong.”

Cronkite News, which airs on PBS-TV in Arizona, noted that Suns owner Robert Sarver had advocated social justice and criminal-justice reform.

“Sarver educates and speaks with his players about the subject and encourages them to get involved,” Stoyer said.

“Our focus right now is on voter education, registration, and activation around the vote,” Stoyer added. “And we’ve got a lot of work to do to figure out what our next steps will be.”

The NBA provided teams the flexibility to take those steps in a way that best suits their community, “giving us the freedom to figure out what works best here and how we can tackle the social justice issue best within our market with our fans and utilize our players.” Stoyer continued.

“I think it’s been one of the most important first steps that will make this all successful.”

In Between Baes? This Holiday Guide Is For You! ditions.

This can be as simple as buying a Christmas tree for your apartment, hosting an annual dinner with friends, or even volunteering at a local kitchen.

You don’t have to wait until you have a partner to create great memories. You can start practices that bring happiness at any station in your life.

by Jasmine Browley, BlackDoctor.org

The holidays are right around the corner and along with great food and interesting gifts, single people can also expect a healthy interrogation about the status of their love life. Fret not! Instead of wallowing in sadness, let’s choose to view our singleness as a gift to be treasured. holiday Here are 3 ways you can enjoy your holiday season while in-between baes.

1. Keep Your Friends Close When you don’t have a significant other, friendships are often the most significant relationships in our lives.

With that said, there’s nothing wrong with leaning on your friends to be your plus-one to your office holiday party or your family’s Christmas dinner. If anything, it’ll probably be more fun!

2. Start Your Own Traditions

One of the great things about the holiday season is the opportunity to partake in long-lasting traditions with friends and family.

Contrary to popular belief though, you

don’t have to be married with children to create life-long memories worth repeating every year.

While single, you should definitely feel empowered to start your own holiday tra-

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3. Allow Yourself To Feel It All The natural thing to do when overwhelming emotions bubble up is to ignore or suppress them. This season, consider allowing yourself to actually feel everything.

Singleness, especially for women, is not often celebrated in the same way that marriage and relationships are. More often than not, being around couples during the holidays is a painful reminder of that fact.

It may be cathartic to begin journaling

and reflecting on the highs and the lows of the year, particularly around this time of the year with the holidays right around the corner.

Think about who you are as a single individual in your life’s journey. Let yourself feel any jealousy and acknowledge that it’s a normal, human reaction. Be honest, gentle and gracious with yourself.

Sadness over this station in your life doesn’t make you weak or mean that you’re doing singleness in the wrong way.

It means that we are real people with real feelings.

So, if tears prick your eyes, let them fall.

If you feel the need to take a moment to gather yourself at a holiday party, find the nearest bathroom or quiet corner and cry if you need to.

But as you’re cleaning your face, remember that there is nothing wrong with you because you’re not coupled. You are whole. This is one of the greatest times of your life, during the greatest time of year.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 01, 2022 - January 11, 2022

Beloved Author, bell hooks, Passes Away at 69

by Gemma Greene, BDO Staff Writer

Beloved author, professor and feminist bell hooks, known for titles like “Aint I A Woman” and “All About Love,” has died.

She was 69.

The author’s family confirmed her death to USA TODAY, saying she died Wednesday morning.

“We sadly confirm that our sister Gloria Jean Watkins (bell hooks) passed away at her home in Berea KY in the early morning hour today. She chose cremation so a celebration of life service will be at a later time,” her family said in a statement on December 15th.

Early on, hooks, born Gloria Jean Watkins, wanted a way to honor her maternal great-grandmother while detaching herself from her work. She wrote dozens of books using her great-grandmother’s name but didn’t capitalize it.

During a 2013 visit to Rollins College, she told an audience that she always wrote her name in lowercase because she wanted people to focus on her books, not “who I am.”

“Even when people capitalize my name, I don’t freak out, even though that would not be my choice,” she said in a 2009 interview. “I’m not attached to it, and in that sense, I think we have to choose, what are the issues that really matter?”

“I think we are obsessed in the U.S. with the personal,” she continued, “in ways that blind us to more important issues of life.”

In her book Ain’t I a Woman? Bell Hooks brilliantly explored racism, feminism, class and patriarchy – or institutionalized sexism, as she called it. The book opens with a chapter tracing contemporary imagery of Black women in America back to the brutality of slavery. The book goes

The First Injectable Long-acting Product

for HIV Prevention Finally Approved

by Dr. Keith Crawford, BlackDoctor.org

on to explain how the suffrage movement excluded Black women and the ways that the civil rights movement didn’t always address the distinct needs of Black women. Like Hooks herself, the work is complex and thought-provoking.

After receiving a Bachelors’ degree from Stanford University, a Master’s from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her doctorate a the University of California – Santa Cruz, hooks went on to teach at many institutions of higher learning.

While teaching, she penned more than 30 books. She educated minds at Yale University, Oberlin College and City College of New York. She joined the Berea College faculty in 2004 and a decade later founded the center named for her, where “many and varied expressions of difference can thrive.”

Starting in the 1970s, hooks published books that helped shape popular and academic discourse. Rejecting the isolation of feminism, civil rights and economics into separate fields, she was a believer in community and connectivity and how

racism, sexism and economic disparity reinforced each other.

Despite all of the insightful and thoughtprovoking literature, hooks had fun and enjoyed life.

“We cannot have a meaningful revolution without humor,” hooks says. “Every time we see the left or any group trying to move forward politically in a radical way, when they’re humorless, they fail. Humor is essential to the integrative balance that we need to deal with diversity and difference and the building of community.”

“For example, I love to be in conversation with Cornel West. We always go high and we go low, and we always bring the joyful humor in. The last talk he and I gave together, many people were upset because we were silly together. But I consider it a high holy calling that we can be humorous together. How many times do we see an African-American man and an African-American woman talking together, critiquing one another, and yet having delicious, humorous delight? It’s a miracle.”

The world of HIV Prevention scored a major victory to end the year and it’s hard not to suspect that Santa Claus may have had a role in delivering this gift; well, maybe not Santa but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should get credit. Injectable Cabotegravir, a product named Apretude was approved for HIV prevention (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis or PrEP) on December 20th. This makes it the third medication approved for HIV prevention in the US and it is likely to provide the best protection so far.

Two drugs were previously approved for PrEP in the US: Truvada is a combination pill containing Tenofovir and Emtricitabine (FTC). It is available even in low-income countries. It is highly effective at preventing HIV transmission when taken as prescribed, which is usually every day. In some circumstances, it may be dosed around the time of a sex act (on-demand PrEP).

Descovy is a combination product similar to Truvada, but it has a form of Tenofovir (Tenofovir alafenamide) that reaches higher levels in the tissues than tenofovir. It may be slightly more effective than Truvada. It is currently only approved for use in men. Truvada can be used in anyone.

Again, both Truvada and Descovy must be taken as prescribed to be effective.

This is where injectable Cabotegravir for PrEP may offer advantages. Considering that medication adherence is the biggest challenge in controlling HIV disease, with Truvada and Descovy, we are ask-

Alabama’s Bryce Young Becomes First Quarterback in Team History to Win the Heisman

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Bryce Young isn’t even eligible for the 2022 NFL Draft, but his gridiron achievements certainly are pro-worthy.

The Alabama quarterback became the fifth sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy, college football’s most outstanding player award.

Young, 20, also becomes the first Crimson Tide quarterback to win the Heisman, and it marks the second consecutive year an Alabama player has won the award.

“I’ve always been labeled as someone who’s not the prototype, being an African American quarterback and being quoteunquote undersized and not being that prototype, I’ve always been ruled out and counted out,” Young stated during his acceptance speech.

The six feet and 194-pound field general has thrown for more than 4,300 yards this season with a 68 percent completion rate.

During the 2021 season, Young has

passed for 43 touchdowns with just four interceptions, and he enjoys a 175.5 passer rating.

“People a lot of times have told me that I wasn’t going to be able to make it,” Young exclaimed.

“And for me, it’s always been about not really proving them wrong but proving to myself what I can accomplish. So, I’ve always pushed myself to work the hardest, and I try my best to do all I can to maximize all that I can do. And thanks to the people around me and through the grace of God, I’ve been able to make it here, and I’m truly grateful for that.”

Young led the Crimson Tide to a 12-1 record, including an explosive 41-24 victory over then No. 1 ranked Georgia in the SEC Championship.

Young broke the single game passing record, 559 yards against No. 22 Arkansas, and shattered the SEC Championship record for total offense and passing yards after going 26 of 44 for 421 yards and three touchdowns during his first year as a starter.

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Bryce is the 8th African American quarterback to win the award.

Andre Ward was the first in 1989. Since 2010, 6 of the 10 quarterbacks selected to win the Heisman are African American.

Tim Tebow (Florida 2007), Sam Bradford (Oklahoma 2008), Mark Ingram Jr. (Alabama 2009), and Lamar Jackson (Louisville 2016) are the only other sophomores to win the Heisman in the award’s 86-year history.

Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M 2012), and Jameis Winston (Florida State 2013), are the only freshmen to win the award.

“The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) profoundly congratulates Bryce Young, the African American star quarterback of the University of Alabama, for winning the Heisman Trophy,” NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., stated.

“Young’s outstanding achievement on the football field epitomizes the genius and excellent talent of African American athletes in all sports,” Dr. Chavis declared.

ing people to take medicine every day who don’t have any disease. They are taking medicines to prevent HIV infection. Injectable cabotegravir requires an injection in the buttocks every two months.

Cabotegravir is a drug in the integrase inhibitor class, the most potent HIV drugs in use. Injectable cabotegravir was approved for HIV treatment earlier this year, in combination with injectable rilpivirine, a product called Cabanuva (see “The future is now! The first long-acting treatment for HIV has been approved” April 4, 2021 in the HIV/AIDS section).

In an article posted on November 20, 2020, I reported on the results of a large clinical trial that compared the effects of Truvada and injectable cabotegravir in preventing HIV infection in young African women, a group at high risk for HIV infection.

While the Truvada reduced the risk of HIV infection by an impressive degree, the cabotegravir reduced risk even more, and demonstrated high levels of safety and acceptability.

Using a product that was injected every two months significantly reduced the stigma around taking HIV medicines for protection from HIV. Study participants didn’t have to worry about missing a dose now and then (however, they do have to receive their injections on time). The treatment was demonstrated to be effective in protecting men before the success in women was shown.

People in the US now have a powerful tool for protecting themselves from HIV infection through sex or intravenous drug use (sharing needles). It is hoped that this product will also be available to help in the fight against AIDS in developing countries with limited resources.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 01, 2022 - January 11, 2022

Study Reveals Racial Pay Gap for Social Media Influencersa

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

The racial pay gap has long presented issues for African Americans in Corporate America and other industries. It’s now filtered to social media.

MSL U.S., in partnership with The Influencer League, unveiled a first-of-its-kind research study, “Time to Face the Influencer Pay Gap,” uncovering a vast racial divide in influencer compensation.

According to the research, the racial pay gap between White and Black, Indigenous & People of Color (BIPOC) stands at 29 percent.

When explicitly focused on the gap between White and Black influencers, it widens to 35 percent.

It’s a growing issue that Black creators face,” said Howard University Senior Carrington York, who manages the Tik Tok account for the National Newspaper Publishers Association.”

“Not long ago, it was reported that Black Tik Tok users were shadow-banned, which definitely prevents their content from being monetized,” York stated.

Micah Washington, a Broadcast Journalism major at Howard University, said the report didn’t surprise him.

“Think about it financially. In the report, it talks about how 49 percent of Black creators who contribute regularly say they are offered low market value,” Washington noted.

“These Black influencers are saying when they go to the brands and companies, and they are not receiving the right tools to fend for themselves. They are not shown how to make a deal,” he continued.

“When this happens, it makes the gap wider because they don’t have that professional representation or professional advice. That makes it harder for them to

argue that this is racially biased. It comes down to pay transparency.”

The report noted that those forces are amplified by orders of magnitude in the young and unregulated influencer industry where affluence and connections play an outsized role and with social platform algorithms perpetuating inequity.

Researchers found that a remarkable

77 percent of Black influencers reported follower counts in the lowest pay tiers, where compensation from brands averaged just $27,727.90 (versus 59 percent of White influencers).

Conversely, only 23 percent of Black influencers made it into the highest tiers, where earnings averaged $108,713.54 (versus 41 percent of White Influencers).

As concluded by the researchers, the result is that in this industry in particular, an unequal playing field becomes a nearly unbridgeable opportunity gap.

Further, the majority (59 percent) of Black influencers (and 49 percent of BIPOC influencers) reported that they felt negatively impacted financially when they posted on issues of race versus 14 percent of White influencers.

The report also flies in the face of the outpouring of diversity, equity, and inclusion pledges made by corporations around the globe.

“When it comes to a lot of these institutions, performative activism comes to mind,” York said.

“A lot of what they say don’t always show with their actions.”

“There have been rumors of a racial pay gap for years, but no one in our industry has quantified it until now,” D’Anthony Jackson, Digital and Influencer Strategist at MSL, said in a news release.

“These are stark numbers by any measure. Just compare the 35 percent gap between White and Black influencers to the pay gaps in other industries – education 8 percent, business, and financial 16 percent, construction 19 percent, media sports, and entertainment 16 percent. The gap this study uncovered in influencer marketing vastly overshadows the gaps in any other industry.”

White House, Dems Furious Over Sen. Manchin’s Build Back Better Betrayal

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Black Press photojournalist and social media maven Anthony Tilman assessed the death of President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better legislation this way: “[Fifty] Republicans in the Senate don’t care about children in their own communities and want them to remain in poverty, and yet they still get re-elected. That’s the sad truth.”

While Tilghman accurately assessed the GOP blocking popular and needed legislation, the most consequential “no vote” came from a Democrat.

In an appearance, Sunday, December 19, on the Republican-friendly network Fox News, West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin – who carries the “D” party tag but certainly has routinely demonstrated GOP views and values – said he would vote “no” on Build Back Better.

“I have always said, ‘If I can’t go back home and explain it, I can’t vote for it.’

Despite my best efforts, I cannot explain the sweeping Build Back Better Act in West Virginia, and I cannot vote to move forward on this mammoth piece of legislation,” Sen. Manchin said in the statement.

The $1.75 trillion economic and climate

package would transform America’s social safety net, particularly benefiting African Americans and other people of color.

The monthly child tax credit payments to families have already significantly reduced child poverty.

Still, Sen. Manchin has opposed that saying he didn’t want to continue government “handouts.”

Build Back Better would create a universal pre-K program, help families with childcare and send them the child tax payments for another year.

It would also provide even more subsidies on the Affordable Care Act exchanges for four more years and offer more assistance for individuals and families who fall below the poverty line.

With climate change a major issue, the bill earmarks $570 billion into measures to blunt the effects of environmental damage.

It would address shortfalls in affordable housing and provide cash for parents to purchase food for their children during the summer months when they’re not in school.

Like many in the Democratic Party, Biden-Harris administration officials expressed their outrage with Sen. Manchin. “[Sen. Manchin’s] comments were at

odds with his discussions this week with the President, with White House staff, and with his own public utterances,” The White House said in a statement after the senator’s Fox News appearance.

“On Tuesday of this week, Senator Manchin came to the White House and submitted – to the President, in person,

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directly – a written outline for a Build Back Better bill that was the same size and scope as the President’s framework, and covered many of the same priorities,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki wrote in the statement.

“While that framework was missing key priorities, we believed it could lead to a compromise acceptable to all.”

Psaki said Sen. Manchin “promised to continue conversations in the days ahead and to work with us to reach that common ground.”

“If his comments on FOX and written statement indicate an end to that effort, they represent a sudden and inexplicable reversal in his position and a breach of his commitments to the President and the Senator’s colleagues in the House and Senate,” Psaki asserted.

She added: “Just as Senator Manchin reversed his position on Build Back Better this morning, we will continue to press him to see if he will reverse his position yet again, to honor his prior commitments and be true to his word.”

After getting word of his colleague’s decision to sabotage Build Back Better, Vermont Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders blasted Sen. Manchin during an appearance on CNN. “Well, I think he’s going to have a lot

of explaining to do to the people of West Virginia, to tell him why he doesn’t have the guts to take on the drug companies to lower the cost of prescription drugs,” Sen. Sanders insisted.

“West Virginia is one of the poorest states in this country. You got elderly people and disabled people who would like to stay at home. So, he’s going to have to tell the people of West Virginia why he doesn’t want to expand Medicare to cover dental hearing and eyeglasses.”

Sen. Sanders continued: “I’ve been to West Virginia a number of times, and it’s a great state, beautiful people, but it is a state that is struggling.

And he’s going to have to tell the people of West Virginia why he’s rejecting what the scientists of the world are telling us that we have to act boldly and transform our energy system to protect future generations from the devastation of climate change.”

“Joe Manchin voted for a huge increase in military spending. Manchin voted for an infrastructure bill that added $250 billion to the deficit. The truth of the matter is that if you look at the military budget $770 billion times that by ten years, it is four times is higher than what the Build Back Better plan is.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 01, 2022 - January 11, 2022

SUPPORT NIKOLE HANNAH-JONES

AND THE 1619 PROJECT

By Oscar H. Blayton

Most folks in Black and brown communities have heard of The 1619 Project that was published by the New York Times Magazine in 2019. This important and ambitious project, led by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole HannahJones, pulled back the curtain of euphemistic rhetoric composing American historiography that points only to the good in our history and sweeps under the rug the evil deeds perpetrated against people of color for more than 400 years.

The 1619 Project sought only to do one thing – start an honest conversation about how toxic attitudes about race have shaped this nation’s past and made America the country it is today.

For her effort and her scholarship and her truth telling, Ms. Hannah-Jones has been subjected to foaming-at-the-mouth attacks by conservative politicians and right-wing pundits. These racially motivated jingoists have stirred The 1619 Project into the witches’ brew of grievance politics and created a screaming mob of frightened white people who fear that an open discussion of America’s history will take something away from them. They want to wage war against anyone who dares to reveal America’s true history.

This is a battle for the truth. And Nikole Hannah-Jones and the people who developed The 1619 Project should not be left to fight this battle alone. We all must arm ourselves with the knowledge of the truth and enter the fray. It is our duty. And I would like to play my part by pointing out some truth about American history.

Some of the loudest howling from the American white supremacists against The 1619 Project has been to denounce the statement that one of the principal factors driving the American Revolution was the fear that Britain would bring an end to slavery in the colonies.

With wild-eyed frenzy, conservative commentators argue, “How could such noble men as our founding fathers be motivated by such a low-down motive?”

But given the fact that Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe – four of the first presidents of the United States and participants in the Revolution – were slaveholders, it is clear that these

screeching conservatives are attempting to obfuscate historical facts to prevent an open and critical examination of the issue.

There are numerous historical data points that can be examined regarding the causes of the American Revolution, enough to fill books comprising a large library. But the examination and consideration of a few facts will corroborate what the project has said about the relationship between slavery and the American Revolution.

There were three sets of events that are interconnected – although their connection is often overlooked by most historians – that led to slavery being a driving factor of the American Revolution.

The first set was the taxation issues of the 1760s. As a result of the costly French and Indian War, Britain began to tax its North American colonies on items such as glass, lead, paint, paper and tea.

There were other taxes, including the notorious Stamp Act, which levied taxes on paper products and documents on paper.

The colonists protested these taxes vigorously, and eventually all these taxes were rescinded, except for the tax on tea.

The colonists saw these taxes by England as arbitrary, and a distrust began to grow among the colonists towards Britain and how it might oppress its subjects in the colonies.

Secondly, the British Parliament passed the Declaratory Act of 1766. When Parliament repealed the Stamp Act, it simultaneously sought to strengthen its control over the colonies by declaring that the British Parliament’s taxing authority was the same in America as in Great Britain.

In this way, it was asserting its complete authority to make laws binding in its colonies “in all cases whatsoever.”

Even with the passage of the oppressive Declaratory Act, there was not a great deal of fervor for independence among the colonists until the third series of events were precipitated by the Somerset case in 1772. James Somerset was an enslaved Black man who had been taken from Norfolk, Virginia, to London by his enslaver, Charles Stewart. Once in England, Somerset began to realize that he might live as a free person. Stewart got wind of Somerset’s interest in freedom and had him chained in a ship scheduled to sail for Jamaica, where Somerset was to be sold. Abolitionist friends of Somerset petitioned the highest court in England for his release. And after months of legal maneuvers, Lord Mansfield, chief justice of the highest court in Great Britain, ordered Somerset’s freedom, stating that slavery “is so odious, that nothing

can be suffered to support it, but positive law.” And further, he ruled, “I cannot say this case is allowed or approved by the law of England; and therefore the black must be discharged.”

This ruling by Lord Mansfield sent shock waves through the American colonies, especially those in the agrarian south. It was clear that Britain would not long abide slavery in its possessions overseas. The Declaratory Act now had real significance because all English colonies were created by charters granted by the crown. And in each of those charters was a “repugnancy clause” stating that no colony could make laws that were repugnant to the laws of England.

This left the colonists no way to contest laws freeing slaves in the colonies. Three colonial acts relating to other matters already had been struck down by English authorities in the two years preceding the Somerset decision. So, Lord Mansfield’s remark about slavery being odious was a very real threat to slavery in the Americas. The repugnancy clause in colonial charters, coupled with the Declaratory Act and the decision in the Somerset case, threatened economic doom for the colonists, especially southerners. Almost all the wealth in the southern colonies was created by slave labor. The only reason white enslavers had so much wealth was because enslaved Blacks had none.

Not only did the enslavers in America know of the Somerset case, the enslaved knew of it as well. A Virginia Gazette advertisement printed on June 30, 1774, stated in part about a runaway slave: “He will probably endeavour to pass for a Freeman by the Name of John Christian, and attempt to get on Board some Vessel bound for Great Britain, from the Knowledge he has of the late Determination of Somerset’s Case.”

The handwriting was on the wall.

Southern planters, as well as northern slaveholders, would not be able to hold onto their slaves for more than a generation or two. America would become a very different place without slavery.

Rather than have that happen, the colonists went to war.

These are facts white supremacists and their right-wing pundits do not want you to know. But these facts are not hard to confirm. Books that speak to these facts are in libraries and online. We must arm ourselves with the facts and use them to battle for truth. We cannot let Nikole Hannah-Jones and The 1619 Project fight this fight alone.

Oscar H. Blayton is a former Marine Corps combat pilot and human rights activist who practices law in Virginia.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 01, 2022 - January 11, 2022

Omicron Now Accounts for 73% of New COVID Cases that other countries had seen Omicron’s fast growth, but the U.S. data showed “a remarkable jump in such a short time.”

Topol also said it’s unclear how much milder Omicron really is compared with other variants.

“That’s the big uncertainty now,” Topol says. “We have to count on it being a lot of hospitalizations and a lot [of] severe disease from Omicron.”

by Jessica Daniels, BlackDoctor.org

In record time, the Omicron variant has become the dominant variant in the United States, accounting for 73% of new infections last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday.

That rate suggests that there were more than 650,000 Omicron infections in the United States last week, according to the Associated Press.

CDC data show nearly a six-fold rise in Omicron’s share of infections in just one week, and it’s even higher in many parts of the country. Omicron accounts for an estimated 90% or more of new infections in the New York area, the Southeast, the industrial Midwest and the Pacific Northwest.

Delta became the dominant variant at the end of June, and it caused more than 99.5% of coronavirus cases as recently as the end of November, CDC figures show.

The new data reflect the kind of growth in Omicron seen in other countries, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Monday.

“These numbers are stark, but they’re not surprising,” she notes.

Omicron: What Should You Do If You Test Positive?

Concern as the holidays approach Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency room doctor at Lenox Hill Hospital in New

How to protect yourself

York City, said the timing of Omicron’s surge is particularly troubling.

“The rapid and exponential spread of Omicron is concerning, especially five days before Christmas, as travel by road and air eclipses even pre-pandemic levels seen in 2019,” Glatter says. “Omicron is much more transmissible than Delta, with cases doubling every 2-3 days… Meanwhile, the Delta variant, which had been the dominant strain of the virus in the U.S. [before] last week, has now dropped back to about 27% of cases sequenced.”

“With a lack of rapid tests available in pharmacies, and long lines in major U.S. cities, the upcoming holidays repre-

sent a potential cauldron of viral spread with the U.S., as hospitals in the Northeast and Midwest struggle with reduced hospital bed capacity from the ongoing Delta surge,” Glatter adds. “The National Guard has already been dispatched to at least six states, with many more expected in the coming weeks.”

The alarm about Omicron was first sounded less than a month ago by South Africa and it was designated a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization on Nov. 26. So far, it’s been detected in about 90 countries, the AP reports.

Dr. Eric Topol, head of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, told the AP

Black History of Health: Kareem Abdul-Jabar

by Jasmine Browley, BlackDoctor.org

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has built a career of being a dominating force in the NBA. The basketball legend has taken on some of the most aggressive players on the court.

One opponent he didn’t think he would ever have to face was cancer.

In 2009, it was announced that the legend was being treated for a rare form of leukemia.

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer was diagnosed the prior year with chronic myeloid leukemia. The then 62-year-old Abdul-Jabbar said he was given a promising prognosis, which clearly met the mark as he beat the illness for more than a decade until he announced last year that he had prostate cancer.

Fortunately, the NBA Cares ambassador revealed that he was a two-time cancer survivor and aimed to educate more people on the illnesses. Although both forms of cancer deserve attention, his rare type of Leukemia has left many daunted.

What is chronic myeloid leukemia?

The American Cancer Society says that cancer starts when cells in the body start to grow out of control. Cells in nearly any part of the body can become cancer and can spread to other parts of the body.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is also

known as chronic myelogenous leukemia.

It’s a type of cancer that starts in certain blood-forming cells of the bone marrow.

The American Cancer Society explains that in CML, a genetic change takes place in an early (immature) version of myeloid cells — the cells that make red blood cells, platelets, and most types of white blood cells (except lymphocytes).

This change forms an abnormal gene called BCR-ABL, which turns the cell into a CML cell. The leukemia cells grow and divide, building up in the bone marrow and spilling over into the blood.

In time, the cells can also settle in other parts of the body, including the spleen.

CML is a fairly slow-growing leukemia, but it can change into a fast-growing acute leukemia that’s hard to treat.

What are the treatments?

Although there are a myriad of treatments, options for people with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) depend on the phase of their disease (chronic, accelerated, or blast phase), their age, other prognostic factors, and the availability of a stem cell donor with matching tissue type.

Chronic phase The standard treatment for chronic phase CML is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) like imatinib (Gleevec), nilotinib (Tasigna), dasatinib (Sprycel), or bosutinib (Bosulif).

If the first drug stops working or it never really worked well at all, the dose may be increased or another TKI might be tried.

Ponatinib (Iclusig) is an option after all of the other TKIs have been tried or if the leukemia cells later develop the T315I mutation.

Switching to another TKI is also an option if a person can’t take the first drug because of side effects.

Rarely, people in chronic phase may be treated with an allogeneic stem cell transplant (SCT). This treatment is discussed in detail in Stem Cell Transplant for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia.

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Early studies suggest the fully vaccinated will need a booster shot for the best chance at preventing Omicron infection, but even without the extra dose vaccination still should offer strong protection against severe illness and death.

“All of us have a date with Omicron,” Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore, told the AP. “If you’re going to interact with society, if you’re going to have any type of life, Omicron will be something you encounter, and the best way you can encounter this is to be fully

vaccinated.”

In addition to getting vaccinated, the CDC recommends the following: • Wear a mask to protect yourself and others and stop the spread of COVID-19.

• Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arm lengths) from others who don’t live with you.

• Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces. The more people you are in contact with, the more likely you are to be exposed to COVID-19.

• Clean your hands often, either with soap and water for 20 seconds or a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

• Clean frequently touched objects and surfaces daily. If someone is sick or has tested positive for COVID-19, disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

• Monitor your health daily.

Patricia Kingori Becomes Youngest Black Woman to Receive Tenure at Oxford University ByBlackNews.com 28-year old Patricia Kingori, who is originally from Kenya, has been awarded a full professorship at the University of Oxford, making her the youngest Black woman to receive tenure so far in the institution’s history.

Kingori is a sociologist who studies the everyday ethical experiences of frontline workers in a global scope. She was appointed at the Wellcome Centre for Ethics and Humanities at Oxford “in recognition of the quality and global impact of her research on academia and beyond,” the university stated, according to Quartz Africa.

For 8 years, Kingori has been at Oxford where she made several achievements.

She had acquired competitive funding grants, written outstanding publications, supervised several DPhil candidates, and taught hundreds of students.

Prior to that, Kingori’s journey wasn’t really smooth. She had just given birth to her first child when she received a Wellcome Doctoral Studentship to fund her Ph.D. with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

She had to file for maternity leave for a year before relocating to Kenya with her family to do fieldwork. At that time, Kenya was facing civil unrest and Kingori, who was pregnant with her second, had to leave the country. She was able to return after 10 months to finalize her data collection with the help of 2 new supervisors.

Kingori eventually completed her Ph.D. and went on to do postdoctoral research

at the University of Oxford’s Ethox Centre as a Wellcome Research Fellowship.

Since then, Kingori managed to go from being a research lecturer to an associate professor in just 5 years.

“Patricia has moved many mountains and shattered countless glass ceilings to secure this historic achievement,” said Jan Royall, the principal baroness at Oxford’s Somerville College. “In the truest tradition of Somerville, she is a woman of firsts, a trailblazer. And yet, I have no doubt that where Patricia leads with such determination, implacable good humor, and brilliance, others will follow.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 01, 2022 - January 11, 2022

COMMENTARY:

In 2021, Organized Labor is Again Flexing its Muscles And Union Strong is Benefiting All Of Us!

By Ray Curry, UAW President

Equity The historic American Rescue Plan (ARP) was signed into law by executive order. The ARP directs agencies to increase its procurement from small, disadvantaged businesses, including Blackowned businesses, by 50%. The bill also provides cash relief directly to low- and middle-income Americans. It is projected to cut the child poverty rate by more than 50% by the end of this year. The ARP also fights the recent surge in laws that made it harder for Black Americans to vote, and promotes much needed access to voter registration and voting.

Jobs. Racial justice.

Workplace safety. Equity.

These issues, front and center in the minds of millions of Americans for years, were deeply intensified by the pandemic of 2020 and 2021. As the pandemic took full effect, devastating job losses hit minority workers and their families especially hard and the critical role of health and safety protections were never more clearly at the forefront of our conversations than during this terrible pandemic.

But as 2021 took hold and a new administration began its work, the long overdue fight to improve working conditions and labor rights was set into motion

by President Joe Biden in first days in office. Always a friend to working men and women, President Biden has made it clear that he is committed to labor and to those Americans who are struggling. And we are seeing that more and more Americans view unions and the labor movement more favorably.

Labor at the forefront A survey last fall by Gallup found that 68% of respondents have a positive view of unions — up from only 48% in 2009.

Tomorrow’s workforce is an even bigger supporter of unions, with 77% of individuals 34 and younger supporting unions.

Only a year ago, we ended 2020 with less than 11% of workers represented by unions, roughly half the number of organized workers on the job in 1983 (when the Labor Department started tracking the figure.) But with Biden, we inaugurated a President self-described as the “most prounion President in the history of the country.” And we’re seeing the results.

Let’s take a look at just a few key developments.

These statistics present great opportunities for the labor movement.

At the UAW, we have long known that our strength is found in our solidarity, and we’ve seen in so many recent examples that this is a moment of great opportunity to build on this momentum. From the addition of thousands of new members, including the 17,000 student researchers at the University of California, to the voices heard loud and strong during the John Deere strike, 2021 has been a year to hear from the American worker.

The people in charge We have seen dramatic change in the makeup of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) under President Biden.

Two former counsels to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) – David Prouty, and Gwynne Wilcox – were named to the NLRB while Peter Ohy was named NLRB general counsel and Jennifer Abruzzo became permanent general counsel. Abruzzo immediately began encouraging the board to reinstitute the Joy Silk Mills doctrine, which allows organiz-

ing elections to be decided by card-check instead of needing to go to a full vote, providing a real boost for organizing efforts.

Also, under Biden, long-time labor advocates entered the President’s Cabinet with Marty Walsh appointed as Labor Secretary and Julie Su as deputy. Former Boston Mayor Walsh’s history includes being a union leader and head of the Metropolitan Building Trades, while Su headed the California Department of Labor and is an ongoing advocate for workers’ rights.

Likewise, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) also has new faces – longtime civil rights and immigrant activists Charlotte Burrows, and Jocelyn Samuels, who worked for years on policies to attain equality for sexual and gender minorities, have joined its ranks.

Wages and safety As more and more states enact minimum

wage legislation, raising the legal minimum to $15, federal workers also saw an executive order creating a $15 minimum wage by March 2022. In addition, Minnesota Building and Construction trades council alum, Jessica Looman, was chosen to lead the federal division ensuring employers pay proper wages, including meeting minimum wage and overtime requirements.

Workplace safety also saw a boost with a former steelworker now leading the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). James Fredrick now leads the agency, which was immediately tasked with creating a COVID Safety Standard. Keeping workers safe on the job is his top priority.

Additionally, among the many pro-labor details in President Biden’s Build Back Better legislation, the bill will create strong penalties for employers who violate labor law, including safety, discrimination, wages and workers’ rights.

Keeping jobs in the US We are also seeing numerous actions directed at keeping manufacturing – and therefore jobs – in the U.S. These include Buy American rules requiring at least 60% (eventually increasing to 75%) of purchased products being made in the United States.

As new industries develop, strong efforts to create new unionized jobs are also being planned. In the renewable energy industry, legislative plans will create a possible 44,000 jobs in development and construction, and 33,000 more jobs in supporting sectors within the next 10 years as part of the American Jobs Plan.

The current Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, passed in early November, invests more than $1 trillion into infrastructure.

The areas covered range from upgrading the U.S. electrical grid, developing and implementing a national automobile charging network, and repaving roads and fixing bridges. This bill will create tens of thousands of equitable union jobs over the next decade.

These actions, appointments and legislation are a huge step in the right direction, and you can be sure that unions and workers will continue to make their voices heard loud and clear to keep this momentum going strong in 2022 and build back union strong.

Janet Rollé Makes History as First Black CEO of the American Ballet Theatre BlackNews.com

Nationwide — Janet Rollé has recently been named the new CEO and Executive Director of the American Ballet Theatre, making her the first Black person to lead the prestigious ballet company in its 65year history.

At the age of 8, Rollé started learning to dance since her mother, who is an immigrant from Jamaica, took her to a dance class. She continued honing her skills and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance from the State University of New York.

“Through dance, I learned how to be a professional, the value of discipline and technique, and my love for the creative process. These lessons have always been

King which is the accompaniment for the 2019 live-action remake of The Lion King.

Now, Rollé is taking on a new and historic role as the CEO and executive director of the American Ballet Theatre, which will officially take effect on January 3, 2022. It was a significant move in the ballet industry which has been known as historically White-dominated.

“It is, therefore, a singular privilege to be entrusted by the Board to preserve and extend the legacy of American Ballet Theatre, and to ensure its future prosperity, cultural impact, and relevance.

To come full circle and be in a position to give back to the art that has given me so much is a source of unbridled and immense joy,” Rollé said.

at the core of my professional life and work,” Rollé said, according to The Philadelphia Tribune.

Rollé has had remarkable qualifications not only as a dancer but also as a businesswoman. She earned her MBA from Columbia University Graduate School of Business, where she was the President of the Black Business Students Association.

She eventually became the executive vice president and chief marketing officer for CNN Worldwide.

What’s more, Rollé had been the general manager of Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment for 5 years. At that time, she served as the associate producer of Beyoncé’s historic Coachella performance and the executive producer of Beyonce’s award-winning visual album Black Is

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 01, 2022 - January 11, 2022

Omicron: What Should You Do If You Test Positive?

Health Security says. Placing a HEPA air cleaner in or outside your bedroom can help as well. It also doesn’t hurt to wipe down shared spaces to prevent the spread of germs.

After using a shared bathroom, disinfect the toilet seat and handle, as well as the faucet handles, soap dispenser, counter and light switch. You should also close the lid before you flush, turn on the exhaust fan and open windows to improve ventilation in shared areas.

If the infected person is a child or older person who needs assistance, both the caregiver and the infected person should wear a mask when entering the room.

by Cara Jones, BlackDoctor.org

The Omicron variant is spreading rapidly in the United States and could trigger a huge wave of COVID infections as early as January, according to federal health officials.

In just one week there was a sevenfold spike in the highly contagious variant’s presence across the nation, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That could strain an already overworked health system in many areas as the Delta variant continues to surge.

That was the worst-case scenario presented in a new analysis discussed by agency officials during a media briefing.

The spike in Omicron cases The early signs are worrying: From Dec. 4 to Dec. 11, the Omicron variant likely jumped from a mere 0.4 percent of new infections in the United States to 2.9 percent, according to the new CDC data.

In New York and New Jersey, Omicron already accounts for 13 percent of new cases.

In the Houston Methodist hospital system, Omicron accounted for 13 percent of new cases in a four-day period leading up to Dec. 8, James Musser, chair of pathology and genomic medicine there, told the Washington Post. The Omicron variant was first detected in Houston on Nov. 29.

“We’ve had 21 months of this now, and we’re sort of — I hate to say it, because it’s tragic — but we’re sort of skilled in the art of how to handle this,” Musser adds.

In the CDC media briefing, the agency told public health officials that “we got to get people ready for this,” Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, told the Post.

He said the Omicron and Delta variants, combined with seasonal flu, could turn out to be “triple whammy” and that he’s “a lot more alarmed” after the CDC briefing.

The second scenario shows a smaller Omicron surge in the spring, but it’s unclear which scenario is more likely, the Post reports.

The scenarios were given to senior White House officials as they decide whether, when and how to take new steps to combat the virus.

Omicron vs. other variants There is some fresh data to consider: A study out of South Africa released last week showed that while the variant is more contagious than any scientists have seen so far, Omicron cases tend to be mild.

“They’re considering the information at the highest levels right now, and thinking through how to get the public to understand what the scenarios mean,” a federal health official familiar with the briefing told the Post. “It looks daunting.”

When to call your doctor If you develop a fever, cough or shortness of breath, call your healthcare provider’s office. Your doctor will determine whether you should be seen by a physician.

If your symptoms become severe — especially if you are having trouble breathing, have pain or pressure in the chest, bluish lips or feel confused — call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department.

It’s vital to call ahead to let healthcare personnel know you’re coming and what your symptoms are, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The official says the “implications of a big wave in January that could swamp hospitals … we need to take that potential seriously.”

The CDC’s latest analysis of Omicron’s spread matches that of several U.S. academic groups and data from the U.K., Denmark and Norway, the Post reports.

Early data show that fully vaccinated people who receive a booster shot remain largely protected against severe illness and death from Omicron, but there are concerns about how few Americans have gotten boosters, officials say.

Of the 200 million fully vaccinated people in the United States, more than 50 million have now received boosters, according to the CDC. What to do if you test positive for COVID “All of the same things stand, whether it’s Delta, Omicron, or any other Greek letter or non-Greek letter of SARSCoV-2,” says Stephen Kissler, an epide-

miologist at Harvard. “Once you know you’re infected, hang tight, limit your encounters with other people, and just take care of yourself.” You should also notify anyone that has been in close contact with you so that they can get tested as well.

Do you need a second test?

If you tested positive after taking a rapid home test, you should consider taking a second home test using a different brand or go to a testing center to confirm the result. Although rare with home tests, false positives can happen. If your test came from a laboratory, a second test isn’t needed.

How long should you isolate?

According to the CDC’s guidelines, you should isolate if you’ve either tested positive in the past 10 days or are experiencing symptoms, and end your isolation after 10 days only if you’ve gone 24 hours with no fever (without the use of Tylenol or other anti-fever drugs) and your other

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symptoms are improving (not counting the loss of taste and smell), which could take a couple of weeks to return.

What should you do if you live with other people?

If you live with roommates or family, try to separate yourself from other people (and animals) as much as possible to avoid infecting them. “You should take yourself out of society,” Dr. Peter ChinHong, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco, says. “Wall yourself up in a cocoon”. This means staying in your room and designating specific parts of the house as only for you. You can have someone deliver essentials, such as meals, to your door.

If you are unable to designate certain areas of the house to the infected person, everyone should wear masks when entering these rooms.

“The most important thing is keeping people from breathing air that is filled with germs,” Tara Kirk Sell, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for

Treatment You can use a pulse oximeter to keep track of your blood oxygen levels. Most healthy people will get an oxygen reading of around 95 to 99 percent. If the reading drops quickly or the level dips to 93 percent or lower, seek medical advice. For people with darker skin the device may be less accurate, so pay attention to the trend. If your reading drops by four points or your condition worsens, contact your doctor.

If you fall in the high-risk group, consider asking your doctor if you are eligible for monoclonal antibodies, a treatment that can help your body fight COVID-19 and lower your risk for severe illness.

The FDA-approved treatment was recently expanded to include monoclonal antibodies for children as well. However, this treatment has to be administered in a clinic or hospital, as an IV infusion or as four shots — but it can be highly effective. One study found an 85 percent reduction in the risk of hospitalization or death. Research is underway to see if this form of treatment will be effective in fighting against the Omicron variant.

You should also: • Take medications, like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, to reduce fever.

• Drink water or receive intravenous fluids to stay hydrated.

• Get plenty of rest to help the body fight the virus.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 01, 2022 - January 11, 2022

It’s amazing how good health insurance can make you feel.

Especially when you find it at a lower cost.

This is Access Health CT. Confident, protected, at ease… a few words that describe what it feels like to have quality health insurance coverage. And while we’re at it, let’s add the word smart — because new federal and state programs (the American Rescue Plan Act and the Covered Connecticut Program) can significantly reduce the cost of your monthly premiums. Where can you get this feeling? Only through Access Health CT. Online and in person, we can help you find a plan that’s right for you.

Get started at accesshealthCT.com.

For coverage starting January 1, 2022 enroll by December 15, 2021.

For coverage starting February 1, 2022, enroll between December 16, 2021 and January 15, 2022.

AHCT-38896-OE9-print-InnerCityNews-925x105-english_f.indd 1

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10/28/21 9:59 AM

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 01, 2022 - January 11, 2022

Meagan Good & DeVon Franklin Get Divorced After 9 Years

by T R Causay, BlackDoctor.org

After a much-anticipated marriage and courtship leading up to their marriage with their book, The Wait, celebrity couple Meagan Good and Devon Franklin are calling it quits and have just filed for divorce. The couple were married for a total of nine years.

“After much prayer and consideration, we have decided to go into our futures separately but forever connected,” Good, 40, and Franklin, 43, share in a joint statement.

“We celebrate almost a decade of marriage together and a love that is eternal.

There’s no one at fault, we believe this is the next best chapter in the evolution of our love,” they continue.

“We are incredibly grateful for the life-

changing years we’ve spent together as husband and wife. We are also extremely thankful to God for the testimony being created inside us both and for blessing our lives with each other,” the pair adds.

Six months before publicly sharing their decision to divorce, Good and Franklin posted anniversary tributes to one another to mark their ninth year of marriage.

Good and Franklin met on the set of their joint movie venture “Jumping the Broom” and later jumped the broom themselves after Franklin proposed. But it was after that proposal that the two made even bigger headlines, because they announced that they were waiting until marriage to have sex.

Say what? Yes, two grown, attractive adults were setting aside their sexual desires for 13 months until their wedding

Kristen Hayden Becomes 1st Black Woman to Ever Win a National Diving Title

night. They even shared their tips for others to do the same in the book called, The Wait.

“It’s been a journey.. I’ve been all about Him.. and then I’ve been rebellious,”

Good revealed on Instagram about the process that it took for her to get married.

“I’ve been obedient and seeking him ..and I’ve been hard-headed and tried to do it my way.. but it all had to happen this way in order for me to get to where I am now.” “(It’s) always much to be learned upon the journey. I couldn’t (have) skipped anything in between….even when it’s been tough.. or misguided,” Good wrote to her fans. “I had to be who I was alone first -before I could become who I am in marriage….and we really are one in the same.. even though also different in maturities and experience… Just remember God’s timing is always perfect ..and we can’t rush it -or we do it a dishonor -because we’re not always ready for what we think we are.”

There were a lot of naysayers when the general public heard the news about the couple deciding to wait. Some said the marriage wouldn’t last a year. Others said that it was too old-fashioned.

Now the naysayers can say what they want, but the couple did what they said they were going to do and got married. I believe the majority of us were rooting for

them to stay together, but you never know what a person or couple is dealing with.

As recently as Dec. 2, Franklin took to social media and celebrated his beautiful wife and her newest series, the Amazon Prime Video breakthrough hit, Harlem.

“I’m so proud of my love @Meagangood!

She’s one of the most talented actors on the planet AND she’s funnier than you may know but I’m so glad you finally get a chance to see her do it all as Camille Parks in the new Amazon show #Harlem,” he posted on Instagram.

Back in June 2021, Good shared a nearly 4-minute highlight reel of their relationship on Instagram.

“To the love of my life, my husband, purpose partner, happy anniversary!!” the Harlem star wrote. “This makes #9 and eternity you go! You are the best decision I’ve ever made (besides loving Jesus lol).

I love you with everything inside me. In this life and in the next.”

Who’s to say what’s next for the power couple–only God knows. Whatever they do–together or alone–we wish them the best.

Keechant Sewell Named First Woman to Lead New York’s Police Department The Nassau County Chief Will Be Third African American to Serve

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Nassau County Police Department’s Chief of Detectives Keechant Sewell has beat out top candidates from around the country to land New York City’s head law enforcement job.

Chief Sewell, the first African American in her current role in Nassau County, has earned selection as the first woman Police Commissioner in the NYPD’s 176-year history.

BlackNews.com Kristen Hayden, who hails from Hillsborough, New Jersey, makes history as the first Black woman to win a national diving title after recently securing her victory at the USA Diving Winter National Championships. What’s more, she is the first Black American to earn a bid to the world championships!

Hayden paired with Quinn Henninger for the mixed synchronized 3-meter springboard competition. The duo took the lead on their third dive and earned 7.0s and 7.5s on their next two dives totaling a score of 286.86 points, just 3 points ahead of their competitors Carson Tyler and Anne Fowler.

Hayden is now one of the only two Black divers to win the U.S. national titles, joining Mike Wright who won on the 1-meter springboard in 2012.

“I don’t think words can even describe

the feeling,” Hayden said in a statement.

“You read about people like that, you watch Serena Williams, Simone Biles, Simone Manuel, but when it’s yourself, it’s insane. I think the whole diving community is headed in the right direction and I just want to be a good example for young Black Americans or any minority really for diving in the U.S.” She will go on to team up with Margo O’Meara for the 3-meter synchro competition and she will compete in the individual 1-meter and 3-meter events as well.

Hayden, who was a team member at the 2016 Junior Worlds Championships, is qualified for the World Championships in Japan next year, making her the first Black American to achieve the feat.

The 23-year old diver started the sport at the age of 10. She is currently enrolled at Indiana University. She is also a founding member of USA Diving’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council.

She’s just the third African American appointed as commissioner.

Mayor-elect Eric Adams determined that the seasoned veteran and New York native would better serve the needs of the 55,000-person department that includes more than 35,000 officers.

“I want to let them know that we are absolutely focused on violent crime. Violent crime is the No. 1 priority,” Chief Sewell told the New York Post, adding she plans to “hit the ground running” when she takes over.

Chief Sewell has vowed to fully assess what’s happening in the Big Apple before deciding on a strategy to address rising shootings and other crimes.

She said more plain-clothes officers would hit the streets under her regime.

“They are able to be in places where they are not able to be easily recognized, and if you use a surgical approach, use

16

well-trained officers and know what their objectives are, you can get measurable results,” Chief Sewell insisted.

A 23-year veteran, the chief has held numerous leadership positions, including hostage negotiations. In addition, she created Nassau County’s Professional Standards Bureau, which oversaw internal affairs.

A member of the New York-New Jersey Joint-Terrorism Task Force, Chief Sewell grew up in housing projects in Queens where a formal press conference to announce her hire occurred on Wednesday, December 15.

“Keechant Sewell is a proven crime-

fighter with the experience and emotional intelligence to deliver both the safety New Yorkers need and the justice they deserve,” Mayor-elect Adams told reporters.

When Chief Sewell takes over as commissioner in January, she’ll have to manage a strained relationship between the department and the unions who reportedly have battled over policing tactics and other issues.

“We welcome Chief Sewell to the second-toughest policing job in America,” Patrick Lynch, the president of the city’s police union, said in a statement.

“The toughest, of course, is being an NYPD cop on the street.”

INNER-CITY NEWS July 27,01 2016 THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January , 2022 - January 11, 2022 - August 02, 2016

ELM CITY NOTICE COMMUNITIES

MECHANIC TRACTOR TRAILER

Request for Proposals

VALENTINA MACRI RENTALBusiness HOUSING PRE-Support APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE Resident Owned Services HOME INC, on behalf ofisColumbus House and the New Authority, Elm City Communities currently seeking proposals for Haven residentHousing owned business is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom at this develsupport services.

A complete copy of the requirement may beapartments obtained from Elm City opment located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven.

Maximum income limitations apCommunities’ Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesysply. Pre-applications willtems.com/gateway be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y beginning on 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon re20, 2021 3:00PM. quest by callingMonday, HOME INCDecember at 203-562-4663 duringatthose hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.

WaterNOTICIA Treatment

Water Treatment Pumping Operator II. The Town of Wallingford Water Division VALENTINA VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES is seeking qualifiMACRI ed candidates to maintain and operate facilities related to the Town’s water supply. Must possess High school diploma or G.E.D. In addition candidates must possess following experience andy de certifi cation requirements: (A) Water HOMEone INC,ofenthe nombre de la Columbus House la New Haven Housing Authority, está Treatment Class IV Operator (WTP IV) certification two (2) of actual aceptandoPlant pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un with dormitorio en years este desarrollo experience Class109 IV Frank waterStreet, treatment Waterlimitaciones Treatment de Plant Class ubicado eninlaa calle Newplant, Haven.orSe(B) aplican ingresos IVmáximos.

Operating-in-Training (WTP IV OIT) certification with three (3) yearsMartes of actual Las pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando 25 experience a Class IVse water treatment plant, with the ability(aproximadamente to obtain the WTP IV julio, 2016inhasta cuando han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes 100) certifi cation within twelve (12) from the date hire, or por (C) correo Water aTreatment en las oficinas de HOME INC. months Las pre-solicitudes seránofenviadas petición Plant ClassaIII Operator III) certifi cation a minimum of four (4)remitirse years of llamando HOME INC al(WTP 203-562-4663 durante esaswith horas.Pre-solicitudes deberán qualifying experience. $27.98 - $33.96 hourly plustercer an excellent fringe benefi package. a las oficinas de HOME INC en 171 Orange Street, piso, New Haven , CTt 06510 .

Application forms may be obtained at the Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Forms will be mailed upon request from the Department of Human Resources or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page. Phone: (203)-294-2080. Fax (203)-294-2084 The closing date will be the date the 50th application or resume is received or January 19 2022, whichever occurs first. EOE

NEW HAVEN

242-258 Fairmont Ave State of Connecticut 2BR Townhouse, 1.5 BA, 3BR, 1 level , 1BA All new apartments, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 Office ofappliances, Policynew and Management

Apply:Pace, 1425 Honeyspot

Rd. Ext., Stratford, CT EOE

Town of Bloomfield Administrative Clerk

Salary $32.78 hourly Deadline to apply 12/22/21 Pre-employment drug testing.

AA/EOE. For Details go to www. bloomfieldct.org

DRIVER CDL CLASS A Full Time – All Shifts Top

Pay-Full Benefits

EOE Please apply in person: 1425 Honeyspot Rd. Ext. Stratford, CT 06615

QSR STEEL CORPORATION

APPLY NOW!

Enterprise Builders Inc. (“EBI”), acting as Construction Manager for Park-

side Village I LLC, will receive qualified sub-contractor proposals for the work associated with the project known as Parkside Village I (the “Project”). Bids shall be received via hand delivery, e-mail, or fax at the contact information below, on or before 4:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, January 20th, 2022. The bids will be privately opened.

This project consists of new construction of a 4 story 67 unit 76,000 SF apartment building in Branford, CT. This project will be phased. Project is anticipated to start in May of 2022.

Drawings can be viewed free of charge via iSqFt. Please reach out to the contacts below to request an invitation to bid. Documents may also be viewed at EBI’s office 46 Shepard Drive, Newington Connecticut 06111 (between the hours of 8am– 5pm), Monday through Friday where a disc with all documents may be obtained free of charge.

This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements. Be advised that for all bids over $50,000, the bidder is subject to meeting the State's requirements concerning CT CHRO, regarding Connecticut's Supplier Diversity Small Business & Minority Business hiring compliance goals; 25% of the total cost of the contract must be awarded to certified DAS Small Businesses, and 6-1/2% of the total to DAS Minority businesses. Note: Small businesses are not exempt from meeting the Minority goals; they must still endeavor to hire 6-1/2% minority. By submitting a bid, you are accepting the responsibility to meet the State's requirements as part of your contract. Subcontractors will be required to prepare state set-aside plans.

The project is tax exempt. Residential prevailing wages apply.

This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements.

Sub-contractors may contact Bryan Addy via email at baddy@enterbuilders.com or

Invitationphone to Bid:(860) 466-5120, Justin Caporiccio via email at jcaporiccio@enterbuilders.com or phone (860) 466–5104 regarding the project.

2nd Notice

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders The Owner and EBI reserve the rights to accept any, all, or any part of bids; to reject Top pay for top performers. Health any, all, or any part of bids; to waive any non-material deficiencies in bid responses, to Benefits, 401K, Vacation Pay. Old Saybrook, waiveCT minor inconsistencies; and to award the bid that in its judgment will be in the best (4 Buildings, 17 Units) interests of the Owner.

Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

highways, near bus stop & shopping center Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s recruiting for two (2) Connecticut Career Trainees and a Lead Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates Planning Analyst. in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:303:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. (203) 996-4517 Host, General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster

Further information regarding the duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at:

St. New Haven, CT

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

NEEDED Part Time Delivery Day a Week, Deadline toNeeded applyOne/Two is 12/17/21

https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/sup/bulpreview.asp Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour ?R1=211213&R2=2292AR&R3=001 until 3:00 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at its office at 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the and Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour. https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/sup/bulpreview.asp ?R1=211213&R2=2292AR&R3=002

A pre-bid conference will be held at the Housing Authority Office 28 Smith Street Seymour, CT at 10:00 am, on Wednesday, July 20, 2016.

Of-

fice, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579.

The Housing Authority reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any informalities in the bidding, if such actions are in the best interest of the

EBI is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer. Section 3, Veteranowned, S/M/W/DBE’s & DAS Certified are encouraged to participate.

New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, CastDELIVERY PERSON in-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, TOWN OF EAST HAVEN Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection.

PURCHASING AGENT This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements.

Must Have your Own Vehicle If Interested call

https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/sup/bulpreview.asp ?R1=211213&R2=0007AR&R3=001;

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons from with disabilities.

Bidding documents are available the Seymour Housing Authority

Full Time, Benefits, Top Pay

LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID PARKSIDE VILLAGE I

The Town of East Haven seeks a qualified candidate to serve in the position of

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016 This is a highly responsible position involving purchasing and Purchasing Agent. purchasing functions of the municipality. Qualified candidates should Anticipated Start: directing August 15,the 2016 possess a bachelor’s Project documents available via ftp link below: degree in business administration or related field preferably including or supplemented with special course work in purchasing/municipal bid http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage processes and materials management plus five (5) years’ of progressively responSeeking qualified condidates to sible purchasing work or an equivalent combination of education and qualifying or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com fillFaxnumerous vacancies to inexperience.

Must have valid class 3 Connecticut Driver’s License. The salary for HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses this position is $62,541/year, 35 hours per week and the Town offers an excellent clude, DeputyHaynes Assessor, Mechanic Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483 benefit package. Please send cover letter and resume with references to: Town of Sewer Line, Public Health Nurse AA/EEO EMPLOYER East Haven, Michelle Benivegna, Human Resource Department, 250 Main Street, and more. For information and East Haven, CT 06512 or MBenivegna@townofeasthavenct.org. Resumes will detailed application instructions, be accepted until the position is filled. The Town of East Haven is committed to visit www.ci.milford.ct.us building a work force of diverse individuals. Minorities, females, handicapped and Click on SERVICES, JOBS and veterans are encouraged to apply. The Town of East Haven is an equal opportunity JOB TITLE. employer.

(203) 435-1387

CITY OF MILFORD

17

THE INNER-CITY January 01, 2022 - January 11, 2022 INNER-CITYNEWS NEWS- July 27, 2016 - August 02, 2016

Experienced Construction Workforce Needed NOTICE Site Laborers - Min 3yrs Exp - Hvy Equipment Operator - 5+yrs Exp & Versatile CDL Drivers (A&B) 5yrs Exp moving/hauling Hvy Eq over road HazMat/Tanker Endorsement Encouraged to Apply VALENTINA RENTAL PRE- APPLICATIONS WorkingMACRI Foreman – 3yrsHOUSING Exp w/HazWoper & Conf SpaceAVAILABLE Entry Proof of Current Credentials when applying HOMEDrivers INC, on License, behalf of OSHA Columbus House and the New Haven Authority, 10, OSHA 40 HazWoper, ConfiHousing ned Space is accepting pre-applications for studio one-bedroom apartments at this develNo Phone Calls – Noand In-Person Application Email resume to:New careers@ciscoenv.com opment located at 108 Frank Street, Haven. Maximum income limitations apCisco LLCwill - 525 Ella Grasso Haven, CT 06519 ply. Pre-applications be available fromBlvd, 9AMNew TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y We are an sufficient Equal Opportunity Employer/AA 25, 2016 and ending when pre-applications (approximately 100) have

been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon request by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.

Full time Class A driver for petroleum deliveries for nights and weekends. Previous experience required. Competitive wage, 401(k) and benefits. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437.

Listing: Commercial Driver

NEW ISSUE $800,000,000* State of Connecticut

General Obligation Bonds (2022 Series A) General Obligation Bonds (2022 Series B) (Social Bonds) Preliminary Pricing Dates Retail Order Period: Monday, December 13, 2021* Institutional Pricing: Tuesday, December 14, 2021* Closing Date: Thursday, January 6, 2022* Expected Tax Status** Interest on the Bonds is exempt from State taxes for Connecticut residents; interest on the Bonds is federally tax-exempt For more information on these Bonds, including the Preliminary Official Statement, please visit www.BuyCTBonds.com or contact any of the firms below

Senior Underwriter

NOTICIA

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES ********An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer**********

HOME INC, en nombre de la Columbus House y de la New Haven Housing Authority, está aceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos máximos. Las pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) en las oficinas de HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición llamando a HOME INC al 203-562-4663 durante esas horas.Pre-solicitudes deberán remitirse a las oficinas de HOME INC en 171 Orange Street, tercer piso, New Haven , CT 06510 .

THE GLENDOWER GROUP

Request for Proposals Lender/Investor for Scattered Sites

The Glendower Group is currently seeking proposals for a lender/investor for Scattered Sites. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Glendower’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway

beginning on Monday, December 6, 2021 at 3:00PM.

NEW HAVEN

242-258 Fairmont Ave Listing: Risk Safety 2BR Townhouse,and 1.5 BA, 3BR, 1 Manager level , 1BA

All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 Petroleum company has a need for a full time Risk and Safety Manhighways, near bus stop & shopping center ager. Schedule includes weekends and night coverage. Job requires Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria instate travel throughout the week.

Candidate must@be860-985-8258 detail oriented,

have a strong logistics background, knowledgeable in OSHA, DOT, CT. Unified Deacon’s Association isPrevious pleased to offer a Deacon’s EPA, WC regulations. petroleum, transportation or manageCertificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. cost is $125.

Saturday, August 2016 1:30ment experience a plus.

SendTheresume to:Classes HRstart Manager, P.O.20,Box 388, 3:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. Guilford, CT. (203) 996-4517 Host,06437.

General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster St. New Haven, CT

**An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer**********

******

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES

Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour until 3:00 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at its office at 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour.

Invitation for Bids Moving and Storage Services

A pre-bid conference will be held at the Housing Authority Office 28 Smith Elm City Communities is currently seeking bids for moving and storage Street Seymour, CT at 10:00 am, on Wednesday, July 20, 2016.

services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City Communities’ Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousBidding documents are available from the Seymourbeginning Housing Authority Ofing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway on

fice, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579.

Wednesday, December 29, 2021 at 3:00PM.

The Housing Authority reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any

Barclays 212-528-1115 Co-Senior Underwriters Jefferies 800-567-8567

Ramirez & Co., Inc. 800-888-4086

Stifel 800-679-5446

Co-Managing Underwriters American Veterans Group, PBC 646-933-8387 AmeriVet Securities. Inc. 646-809-6940 Baird 800-792-2473

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES

Bancroft Capital 484-546-8000 BofA Securities 888-768-6999

Invitation for Bids Moving and Storage Services

Citigroup 855-644-7252 FHN Financial Capital Markets 800-934-8025 Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC 917-343-7900 Janney Montgomery Scott 800-822-2014 Mesirow Financial, Inc. 800-558-7290

Elm City Communities is currently seeking bids for moving and storage services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm Invitation toCity Bid: Communities’ Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhous2nd Notice ing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

Morgan Stanley 203-967-7001

Wednesday, December 29, 2021 at 3:00PM. Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units) Piper Sandler & Co. 800-552-0614 Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

Multi-Bank Securities, Inc. 888-857-6963

PNC Capital Markets 800-622-7086

DO YOU WANT FREE TRAINING?

RaymondWood James Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, CastNew Construction, 877-295-9116 in-place Siding, YOU WANT STEADY Roberts & Ryan Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, VinylDO 866-884-9959 Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, UBS OR PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT? 860-727-1527 Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing FULL and Fire Protection.

UMB Bank, N.A. This contract 888-718-1556 is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements.

CERTIFIED NURSE ASSISTANT Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016 Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016 PHLEBOTOMY PATIENT CARE Project documents available via ftp link below: TECHNICAN CPR http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage Wells Fargo Bank, National Association 866-287-3221

Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483 AA/EEO EMPLOYER

*Preliminary, subject to change. **Before purchasing any Bonds, contact your tax advisor to determine any applicable federal, state and local tax consequences. These Bonds may not be sold, nor may offers to buy be accepted, prior to the Official Statement delivered in final form. Under no circumstances shall this announcement constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the Bonds in any jurisdiction in which an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities law in any such jurisdiction. Bonds are subject to availability. The Bonds will only be sold by means of an Official Statement.

18

333 Valley Street New Haven, CT 06515 (203) 389-3321 Monday thru Friday 9am - 1pm

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January , 2022 - January 11, 2022 INNER-CITY NEWS July 27,012016 - August 02, 2016

Construction

Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks:

Construction Equipment Mechanic preferably experienced in Seeking to employ experienced individuals in the labor, Reclaiming and Road Milling Equipment. We offer factory foreman, operator and teamster trades for a heavy outside training on equipment we operate. Location: Bloomfield CT work statewide. Reliable personal transportation and a valWe offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits id drivers license required. To apply please call (860) 621Contact: Tom Dunay VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE 1720 or send resume to: Personnel Department, P.O. Box 368, Cheshire, CT06410.

Phone: 860- 243-2300 HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, Email: tom.dunay@garrityasphalt.com is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom this develAffiatrmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to applyapartments Drug Free Workforce opment located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven.

Maximum income limitations apAffirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer ply. Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon reGarrity Asphalt Incduring seeks: CT Fence quest by calling HOMEReclaiming, INC at 203-562-4663 those hours.Large Completed pre- Company looking for an individual for our Reclaimer Operators and Milling Operators with current licensing PVC Fence Production Shop. Experience preferred but will applications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third and clean driving record, be willing to travel throughout the Northtrain the right person. Must be familiar with carpentry hand Floor, New Haven, CT 06510. east & NY. We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits & power tools and be able to read a CAD drawing and tape measure. Use of CNC Router machine a plus but not required, will train the right person. This is an in-shop production poContact: Rick Tousignant Phone: 860- 243-2300 sition. Duties include building fence panels, posts, gates and Email: rick.touMust have a valid CT driver’s license & be able to obtain signant@garrityasphalt.com VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDESmore.

DISPONIBLES a Drivers Medical Card. Must be able to pass a physical and Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply drug test. Please email resume to pboucher@atlasoutdoor.com.

Affirmative Action/deEqual Opportunity HOME INC, en nombre la Columbus House y Employer de la New Haven Housing Authority, está AA/EOE-MF aceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos máximos. Las pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 Tractor Trailer Driver for Heavy & Highway Construction Equipjulio,Must 2016have hastaacuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes ment.

CDL License, clean driving record, capable of (aproximadamente 100) en las oficinas HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas porSeeking correo atopetición operating heavyde equipment; be willing to travel throughout the employ experienced individuals in the labor, foreman, llamando a HOME INC al 203-562-4663 durante esas horas.Pre-solicitudes deberánand remitirse Northeast & NY. We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits operator teamster trades for a heavy outside work statewide. a las oficinas de HOME INC en 171 Orange Street, tercer piso, New Haven , CT personal 06510 . transportation and a valid drivers license reReliable

NOTICE

PVC FENCE PRODUCTION

NOTICIA

Union Company seeks:

Contact Dana at 860-243-2300

Email: dana.briere@garrityasphalt.com Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer

NEW HAVEN

Construction

quired. To apply please call (860) 621-1720 or send resume to: Personnel Department, P.O. Box 368, Cheshire, CT06410.

Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V

242-258 Fairmont Ave 2BR Townhouse, 1.5 BA, 3BR, 1 level , 1BA All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 highways, near bus stop & shopping center Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258

Invitation to Bid: The Town of Wallingford is seeking responsible candidates to perform 911, police, fire State of Connecticut 2nd Notice Office of Policy and Management

St. New Haven, CT

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour until 3:00 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at its office at 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour.

A pre-bid conference will be held at the Housing Authority Office 28 Smith Street Seymour, CT at 10:00 am, on Wednesday, July 20, 2016.

Bidding documents are available from the Seymour Housing Authority Office, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579.

The Housing Authority reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any

and EMS emergency dispatching duties. Must be able to work under stressful condi-

SAYEBROOKE tionsVILLAGE and be able to type information with a high rate of speed and accuracy. Must

be able Old Saybrook, CTto work all three shifts including weekends and holidays and be able to work additional shifts beyond the regular shift schedule. Requires a H.S. or business school The State of Connecticut, Office(4ofBuildings, 17 Units) diploma with courses in typing and 2 years of responsible office work experience.

Policy and Management is recruiting Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate ~Project Wages: $ 23.72 for a Staff Attorney 1 (confidential) position.

CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:303:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. (203) 996-4517 Host, General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster

DISPATCHER

Drug Free Workforce

$28.28 hourly plus shift differential and excellent fringe benefits. Closing date is De-

cember 29, 2021, or the Site-work, date of receipt New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Cast-of the 50th application, whichever occurs first.

Further information regarding the duties, Apply: Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main St., eligibility requirements and Concrete, applicationAsphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, in-place Wallingford, CT 06492. Forms will be mailed upon request from the Department of instructions are available at: Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, Human Resources or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources https://www.jobapscloud.com/ Web Page.

Phone: 203-294-2080, Fax: 203-294-2084. EOE. Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection.

CT/sup/bulpreview.asp?R1 =211124&R2=1637CR&R3=001 This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements.

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encouragesBid the Extended, applications Due Date: August 5, 2016 of women, minorities, and persons Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016 with disabilities.

ACCOUNTANT I

Accountant – The Town of Wallingford Electric Division is seeking an entry level Project documents available via ftp link below: professional who will be responsible for performing a variety of basic municipal and/ http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage or utility accounting functions. Must possess a bachelor’s degree from a recognized POLICE OFFICER college or university in accounting, finance, or business administration. Must have and maintain adawnlang@haynesconstruction.com valid Connecticut Driver’s License. Salary: $65,005 - $83,172 (Wages efFax orCity Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 of Bristol fective January an excellent fringe benefit package. Application forms HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section1,32022) Certifiedplus Businesses

may beAve, obtained Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 Construction Company, 32 Progress Seymour,atCTthe 06483 $69,017Haynes - $83,893/yr.

South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Forms will be mailed upon request from AA/EEO EMPLOYER Required testing, the Department of Human Resources or may be downloaded from Town of Wallingford registration info, and apply Department of Human Resources Web Page. Phone: (203)-294-2080. Fax (203)-294online: www.bristolct.gov 2084. The closing date will be the date the 50th application or resume is received or DEADLINE: 02-25-22 January 19, 2022, whichever occurs first. EOE EOE

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 01, 2022 - January 11, 2022

More speed. New year. Great low price.

Say “hello” to incredible Internet at an incredible price — just $29.99 a month.

Kick off the new year with the speed you need at home and on the go. Switch to Xfinity and say “hello” to fast and reliable Internet with up to 100 Mbps for $29.99 a month for 24 months with a 1-year contract. Plus, see how to get 4x the speed for the same Internet price when you add Xfinity Mobile with Unlimited data. Get ready to say “hello” to faster downloads and more streaming. And, ask how to get a $300 prepaid card and a 5G phone on us during the Xfinity Hello 2022 Sales Event.

$29 99

Xfinity Internet 400 Mbps

/mo. for 24 mos.

Get 4x the speed for the same price.

1-800-xfinity

with a 1-year contract

Ask how to get $300 back and a 5G phone on us

Equipment, taxes, and other charges extra, and subject to change. See details below.

when you add Xfinity Mobile.

when you add Xfinity Mobile with Unlimited data and enroll in automatic payments and paperless billing.

xfinity.com/sale

Visit a store today

Offers require enrollment in both automatic payments and paperless billing. Must enroll within 30 days of placing the order. Without enrollment, the monthly service charge automatically increases by $10. The automatic payment and paperless billing discount is for a period of 24 months and will appear on the bill within 30 days of enrolling. If either automatic payments or paperless billing is subsequently canceled during the 24-month term, or if services are added or Internet tier changes, the $10 monthly discount will be removed automatically. Offers end 1/10/22. Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. New residential customers only. Limited to Performance 100 Mbps Internet or Blast! 400 Mbps Internet. Early termination fee applies if all Xfinity services (other than Xfinity Mobile) are canceled during the contract term. Equipment, installation, taxes and fees, and other applicable charges extra, and subject to change during and after the contract term. After contract term, regular charges apply. Comcast’s service charge for Performance Internet is $80.95/mo. and Blast!

Internet is $100.95/mo. (subject to change). Service limited to a single outlet. May not be combined with other offers. Internet: Actual speeds vary and not guaranteed. For factors affecting speed, visit: xfinity.com/ networkmanagement. Compares monthly recurring charge for Performance 100 Mbps Internet and Blast! 400 Mbps Internet with discount for adding new Xfinity Mobile line for a year. Must sign up for Xfinity Mobile and activate a new line within 90 days of Internet order and maintain the line to receive mobile discount for 24 months. Discount will appear on your Internet bill within 30 days of Xfinity Mobile activation. Must keep Xfinity Mobile and Blast! Internet service for 24 months to receive $30/mo. discount. If either Xfinity Mobile or Blast! Internet is canceled, or Blast! Internet is downgraded within 24 months, you will no longer receive the Xfinity Mobile discount. Xfinity Mobile: Requires residential post-pay Xfinity Internet. Line limitations may apply. In times of congestion, your data may be temporarily slower than other traffic. After 20 GB monthly data use, speeds reduced to a maximum of 1.5 Mbps download/750 Kbps upload. For Xfinity Mobile Broadband Disclosures, visit: xfinity.com/mobile/policies/broadband-disclosures. $300 Prepaid Card Offer: For new Xfinity Internet customers adding Xfinity Mobile by 4/10/22. Must maintain the new line with an account in good standing for 90 days following line activation. Prepaid card mailed to Xfinity account holder within 16–18 weeks of activation of all required services and expires in 180 days. Limited to one $300 card per account. 5G Phone On Us: Requires purchase of new Motorola 5G phone while supplies last, new line activation, porting number within 30 days of purchase, and 24-month Device Payment Plan. Call for restrictions and complete details. © 2022 Comcast. All rights reserved. NPA239074 NED AA Hello 2022 V3

Offline_NPA239074 Hello 2022 NED-WNE ad 9.25x10.5 V3.indd 1

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