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INNER-CITY NEWS July 27, 2016 - August 02, 2016 THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

Financial Justice a Key Focus at 2016 NAACP Convention Jamaican Author Erna Brodber Wins Yale University International Literature Prize New Haven, Bridgeport

NEWS INNER-CITY Volume 27 No. 2223 Volume 21. No. 2194

Malloy Malloy To To Dems: Dems:

Jordan Peele “DMC” COMMUNITY FORUM

Ignore “Tough On Ignore “Tough OnCrime” Crime” Elm City Freddy Fixer Parade Committee, Inc.

The Thin Line Between Comedy & Horror

Color Struck?

Snow in July?

NAACP Turns 100 FOLLOW US ON

Centennial Committee members at Wednesday’s celebration.

The Power of Words

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

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The Kids Toke — Or Choke?

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

by MARKESHIA RICKS NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

Hartford — State Rep. Josh Elliott is a lawmaker, successful business owner and a law school graduate.

He is also, he said Tuesday, a casual marijuana user pushing to legalize, regulate and tax marijuana in the state.

Elliott, a 32-year-old first-term legislator from Hamden, presented himself as the face of generational change as hearings began at the Capitol over bills aimed at legalizing recreational use of marijuana in Connecticut, a quest pushed by several New Haven lawmakers.

Opponents, meanwhile, began pressing their arguments by putting kids front and center, as both sides of the debate focused on the proposals’ impact on different groups of young people — millennials, or children.

During a press conference Tuesday to launch the Connecticut Coalition to Regulate Marijuana and to promote already existing bipartisan support for legalization, Elliott declared his “intermittent and casual use” of cannabis. He smokes marijuana, he said, in much the same way a person might end a long day.

“I don’t get high and go to work,” he said. “I don’t get high and drive. I get high when I come home and feel like watching some TV. I do it socially with friends. It’s not an escape for me. I do it the same way that someone might have a drink after work, or take a hike in the woods.”

The press conference was held in advance of a public hearing Tuesday of the legislature’s Public Health Committee that included bill sponsored by Republican Rep. Melissa H. Ziobron of East Haddam, one of a series of bills raised this session that would legalize, regulate and tax the drug. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has for years opposed the idea but said this year it might come to fruition because neighboring states have gone the legalization route.

Elliott said he believes that much of the resistance to legalizing marijuana use is generational and the number of people who support legal use are starting to surpass those who see all drug use as bad. That’s why he had no problem making himself a poster child of sorts for legal use, he said.

Public support in the United States has shifted significantly in the last decade, with 57 percent of adults favoring legal marijuana uses, while

MARKESHIA RICKS PHOTOS Walker:

Legalize, regulate, tax it.

Ott, a younger face of anti-marijuana use.

37 percent say it should remain illegal, according to a Pew Research Center. Ten years ago, opinion was just the opposite, with 60 percent opposing legalization.

Elliott argued that millennials like him, Gen-Xers and Baby Boomers are driving that shift.

But Elliott, sponsor of a bill similar to Ziobron’s, wasn’t the only one who had youth on his mind.

Opponents of legalizing recreational marijuana, organized under the moniker Stop Pot CT, held their own press event here Tuesday, nearly simultaneously and across the lobby from the pro-marijuana event. Their message: Marijuana is bad for kids.

The bills being considered restrict legal, recreational marijuana use to those who are 21 and older.

Opponents suggested Tuesday that

legalization would only increase its appeal to adolescents. They pointed out that studies have shown that the developing mind does not do well under the influence of marijuana.

Some of the strongest voices for that view were a couple of high school students and youth leaders of Guilford DAY, an organization which focuses on reducing high-risk behaviors such as underage drinking and substance abuse among teens.

Danielle Ott said that the perception of the danger and marijuana use has already dropped, and will drop further with legalization. She encouraged people to stop using the word “recreational” to describe legal use.

“The term ‘recreational’ associates with being fun, or activities that are meant to be pleasurable and good for

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kids,” she said.

Ott also pointed to a hallmark of capitalism: supply and demand.

Marijuana companies want to sell you weed and they want you to be a loyal repeat customer, she said.

“Big marijuana companies are looking to make this the next big tobacco,” she said. “Youth are really the group they want to be targeting because that’s where addiction will develop. These big companies are trying to get kids addicted early ... and the harmful effect of these mixed messages will definitely get through.

“And it’s absolutely important to recognize that we look to all of you as our leaders,“Ott added. “What you perceive as OK, is what we will begin to perceive as OK.” Proponents of legalization from New Haven argued Tuesday that prohibition hasn’t worked. Kids, and other people, still get high, and addiction persists. They argued legalization would stop the criminalization of minority communities, refocus substance abuse as a public health problem and help the state raise some much needed revenue.

State Rep. Juan Candelaria, who has introduced marijuana legislation in the past and has introduced another bill this session, said the illicit drug trade is an estimated $350 million, black market business.

By not legalizing marijuana “we’re actually subsidizing the drug lords that are trafficking drugs through the

state,” he argued.

He said with an estimated 63 percent of Connecticut voters in favor of legalization, it’s time to act.

“This is sensible legislation,” he said. “We cannot continue to subsidize and spend additional money on incarceration and our criminal justice system. Those are dollars that can be refocused in other areas. The fact is that marijuana is in the state of Connecticut. That’s a fact. [It’s] here and we have to deal with the situation.”

State Rep. Toni Walker, who cochairs the powerful appropriations committee, said that given the state’s projected budget deficit it’s time to look a new sources of revenue, including new industries.

“This could potentially generate $63 million in tax revenue in the first year of legalization and $104 million the second year,” she said.

“It could create up to 15,000 new jobs in agriculture, manufacturing, retail and other fields.”

She said one also look at the dark side of marijuana particularly in the role it has played in mass incarceration.

“We have a severe problem with the incarceration of people,” she said. “Just in 2012, 750,000 people have been incarcerated for touching or using marijuana. [Possession of marijuana] accounts for half of the drug arrests in American today. It creates an unnecessary exposure to the criminal justice system.

Prohibition hasn’t worked. It’s time to legalize, regulate and control what is being dispensed out in the communities, control the process by which it’s produced and it’s also time that we taxi it. We should address it just like alcohol and tobacco.”

State Rep. Robyn Porter said the legalization of marijuana is about social justice. Porter, who lives in New Haven’s Newhallville neighborhood, said that while Elliott presents a socially acceptable face of marijuana use, people who look like her bear the brunt of punishment for illegal use.

“That’s not fair,” she said. “What’s more important to me is to level the playing field. Like Josh, there are people who smoke marijuana, and they’re productive. They are no less a citizen than you or I.” Opponents said the risks of legalization are just too high, pointing to the potential increased Con’t on page 6

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

Amid New Challenges, NAACP Turns 100 James Weldon Johnson, who at the time served as field secretary and was responsible for opening new branches of the organization.

Canton said soon those interested in the history of the chapter will be able to find and expanded version on the chapter’s website.

There also was time to look forward Wednesday evening to new partnerships, particularly with Key

by MARKESHIA RICKS NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

Greater New Haven’s NAACP formed in 1917 less than a decade after the national civil rights organization debuted, a recognition of local abolitionists and activists involved in the fight against race hatred and racial discrimination.

One hundred years later, the fight continues.

The chapter celebrated those 100 years of work Wednesday evening at the Peabody Museum with a reception and silent auction fundraising event.

It was a bittersweet celebration for an organization that has sought to eradicate racial inequality and finds that so many years later that the goal hasn’t been completely achieved yet.

By some estimates it might still be as elusive as ever.

Branch President Dori Dumas told the crowd gathered at the museum that the primary focus of the Greater New Haven chapter, as with the national organization, has always been to protect civil rights, and to seek equality, justice and fair treatment for all.

“We continue to fight and we will not let anyone turn back the clock,” she said.

Dumas said that means being positioned with “time, talent and money” to fight for justice and find solutions to problems that impact communities of color. The local NAACP chapter has dedicated thousands of hours to expand access to health care, economic opportunity, homeownership, education and voting rights.

Mayor Toni Harp alluded to efforts to turn back the clock under the country’s new leader, President Donald Trump.

“We certainly can’t afford any steps backward,” she said.

David Canton, Connecticut College associate professor of history and director of Africana Studies, introduced the crowd to George Crawford. He hailed from Tuscaloosa, Ala. and was a product of two historically black institutions, Tuskeegee Institute and Talledga College.

Crawford would go on to graduate from Yale Law School and become a founding member of the Greater New Haven Chapter of the NAACP. He served as New Haven’s first AfricanAmerican corporation counsel.

In the course of the chapter’s founding, it would get a visit from a prominent member of the NAACP,

Bank, which sponsored the silent auction.

David Cantor, business banking sales leader for Key Bank in New Haven, Hartford, and Western, Massachusetts, praised the organization for its commitment to helping communities prosper while advancing the fight for basic human rights in the region for the last 100 years.

Donald Trump is Either a Traitor or Lost his Damn Mind!

Canton revisits chapter history at Wednesday’s celebration.

By William Spivey, Noted blogger, and ICN contributing writer

HANH Executive Director Karen DuBois- Walton and Sharon Jones at the silent auction.

Centennial Committee members at Wednesday’s celebration.

Centennial Committee Chair Nicole Murphy with Jennifer Wells-Jackson, and Karimah Mickens-Webber

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Donald Trump is on another tweeting frenzy. He just came out with the following: “How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!”

“Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my “wires tapped” in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!”

“I’d bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election!”

“Is it legal for a sitting President to be “wire tapping” a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW!” “How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!”

“Arnold Schwarzenegger isn’t voluntarily leaving the Apprentice, he was fired by his bad (pathetic) ratings, not by me. Sad end to great show” mad-trump Always one to look for the positive, I’d like to point out that Trump demonstrated the ability to multi-task and focus on The Apprentice ratings while watching his Presidency go up in flames. Imagine trying to recall every conversation you had and what you might have said that could be a problem if those comments came to light. Then multiply that times your family members and staff and campaign team. It took a man with a strong will to turn away

from those concerns to tweet about Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Then again, he misspelled the three-letter word “tap” so there’s that. He also compared what’s going on to Nixon and Watergate which might not be something he wants brought up now.

There is absolutely no documentation for the things Trump is tweeting but I draw the conclusion that one of two things are true.

Neither leaves me comfortable with Donald Trump being President of the United States. I am hopeful that his status will change soon: There was sufficient cause for the Obama Administration to get a FISA Warrant (hard to come by) to monitor Trump official’s communications and financial transactions with Russia.

The FBI has already collected a tremendous amount of information about Trump & Co. activities, before they realized they were being monitored.

The President is overwhelmed with paranoia and lost his damn mind. madd-trump It seems each day there’s a new revelation that further ties Trump and his team to Russia. Additionally, even Republicans have started calling for his tax returns to be released. It was just the other day his speech to the joint session of Congress was hailed in some circles, primarily because he demonstrated the ability for once to stay on script. His recent tweet storm reminds us the Trump America has grown to love/hate is still among us.

If it’s true that where there’s smoke there’s fire. Donald Trump and those around him are an inferno. It’s looking more and more like Donald Trump is either a traitor, lost his damn mind, or possibly both.

William Spivey blogs at www.

EnigmaInBlack.wordpress.com He can be reached SpiveyWilliamF@ gmail.com Facebook: William Spivey Twitter @wspiv001

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

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Effort Resumes To Raise The Age

by MARK PAZNIOKAS NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

In a Boys & Girls Club not far from the State Capitol, the administration of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy renewed its push to expand the reach of the juvenile court system, a reform endorsed by a leading criminal justice expert at Harvard and imitated by the states of Illinois, Massachusetts and Vermont.

Malloy, Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, Correction Commissioner Scott Semple, New Haven State Rep. Toni Walker and Vincent Schiraldi, the Harvard expert who recently produced a study supporting the proposal, each offered a rationale for why they thought the reforms a smart effort to protect 18-, 19and 20-year-olds from permanent criminal records.

“It’s not about coddling,” Malloy said. “It’s about having a society where young people who make mistakes don’t pay a price forever — and, therefore, society doesn’t pay a price forever.”

But an audience the governor

MARKESHIA RICKS PHOTO

Walker: Still helping to lead a campaign she helped launch.

needs to reach was absent: Walker, an advocate of juvenile justice reform long before Malloy became governor, was the only lawmaker who heard a presentation meant to coax legislators to take up a revised version of a proposal that never came to a vote in 2016.

Rep. Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, a member of the Judiciary Committee that now will review the

measure, said the administration invited him and other legislators to the rollout, while an offer of a briefing might have been more productive than an invitation to participate in a press event.

“Attendance at a rollout can be seen as an endorsement, as signifying support,” Candelora said.

Michael P. Lawlor, the governor’s criminal justice adviser, said the

administration has briefed some lawmakers on the proposal and will continue its outreach as the measure is set for a public hearing by the legislature’s Judiciary Committee.

The governor’s revised proposal would eventually give the juvenile courts jurisdiction over criminal defendants up to age 21, unless they are charged with a serious felony or a Superior Court judge determines the case should remain in adult court.

It comes to the General Assembly this year with the benefit of a study Schiraldi and another Harvard researcher recently produced for the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee, whose members include a dozen legislators and representatives of law enforcement and social services.

Schiraldi said the proposal reflects science showing the human brain does not fully develop until the mid20s, leaving older teens as far more impulsive than someone in their late 20s.

“A lot of people are like, ‘This is hoohey.

Nineteen-year-olds

Engineer Seeks Whitney Ave. Slowdown

by MARKESHIA RICKS NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

Some people come to meetings about traffic calming with complaints or suggestions. Darko Jelaca, tired of speeders at one of New Haven’s northern gateways, came with a plan.

Jelaca and about 10 East Rock neighbors met with Alder Anna Festa and other city officials this past Thursday evening at the mActivity gym on Nicoll Street to talk about the need for traffic calming in the neighborhood, particularly at Whitney Avenue’s with Cold Spring Street and with Willow Street.

High on the list of priorities was slowing down traffic around schools, traffic enforcement and thwarting the use of side streets as fast cutthroughs for fleeing criminals.

Jelaca, a Yale CAD physical design methodology engineer who lives on Whitney Avenue, was particularly concerned about the speed of traffic coming into the city from Hamden.

He was so concerned that he used a baseball radar gun to get a read on the speed near the intersection of Whitney Avenue and Cliff Street.

MARKESHIA RICKS PHOTO

Jelaca consults with Festa at community meeting.

He also took pictures of accidents at the intersection, brought copies of anecdotes from a See Click Fix petition, and looked a studies that show a relationship between high speed and traffic fatalities.

“Where’d you get the baseball gun?” city transit chief Doug Hausladen asked at the meeting.

“Did you have that in your closet?”

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Nope. He borrowed it from a friend. The gun revealed that people were driving as fast as 58 miles per hour on a stretch of street zoned for 25.

One often-mentioned response: more traffic enforcement.City Engineer Giovanni Zinn, who grew up in Hamden, recalled when a police officer used to give out

tickets at Hamden-New Haven line.

That helped, he said.

Jaleca suggested installing radar feedback signs, which tell you how fast you’re going and have been popping up in a number of places in the city. He suggested building a pedestrian safety island at the intersection of Whitney Avenue and Cliff Street with a striped sidewalk and a rapid flashing beacon.

“The speed sign for sure thanks for doing most of our work for us,” Hausladen said. Hausladen also saw promise in addressing the crosswalk and the sidewalks at the intersection, but suggested that there is a need to address the entire corridor of Whitney Avenue.

Zinn and Hausladen will meet with neighbors again in about six to eight weeks, when they will return with some studies on the offending streets that include data on car crashes, traffic count and enforcement for intersections of concern. They also will discuss in more detail a Safe Routes to School application, street striping and signage along with streetscape recommendations.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

Con’t from page 3

The Kids Toke

costs for medical care and public safety, the societal costs of driving under the influence and the increased burden for employers to maintain a safe workplace.

“This is a serious issue and we do believe it is a public safety issue,” said Monroe Police Chief John Salvatore, Connecticut Police Chiefs Association president. “We believe recreational marijuana use in Connecticut will diminish the quality of life in our state.”

Salvatore said police lack an instrument to adequately measure the active chemical in marijuana, known as THC. He pointed to negative experiences that police have faced since legalization came to Colorado and Washington State, such as increased crime and homelessness, adding to law enforcement’s burden.

He said any increase in government revenue would be offset by the costs to regulate and police the industry.

“Illegal distribution has not been diminished in the state of Colorado,” Salvatore added.

Elliott said he’d be willing to concede that there is potential for bad things to happen, if opponents were willing to concede that there is a potential that bad things won’t happen.

“When I think of smoking cannabis with friends, I’m reminded about the relative harmlessness of the drug based on repeat experience,” he said.

“When an abolitionist hears about someone withering away their life to marijuana, they are reminded about the social ills marijuana creates.

Then through anecdotal evidence they attribute causality when there isn’t even a correlation.”

Elliott said he has learned that he’s likely not going to change the minds of those who strongly oppose legalization, and acknowledged that both sides make valid arguments.

“I’m willing to accept that there are people who abuse this drug,” he said. “But I wonder if opponents of legalizing marijuana are willing to accept there are people who don’t abuse this drug. There is room for us to meet in the middle, and I’m willing to do that. It’s time for our state to lead by example. We can be better. We can be honest. It’s time to stop using marijuana as a tool to marginalize people. If there is abuse, let’s address the underlying problem.

But when there isn’t, let’s tax it and treat the sale and use like any other industry. “

After-School Programs Face Budget Axe

MARKESHIA RICKS PHOTO After-school

STEM/Medical Arts crew: Evann Meyers, Hallena Bolden, Linda Torres.

by MARKESHIA RICKS NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

“That’s a real dead body,” 15-year-old Evann Meyers recalled thinking during a recent trip to a local morgue.

It wasn’t a typical day in her after-school program at Common Ground High School, but it was memorable. And because of state budget cuts it could soon be a rare adventure.

Evann, a 15-year-old freshman at Common Ground who wants to become a surgeon, is one of 127 of the high school’s 195 students who participate in after-school programs. Those programs are in danger of losing funding as the state looks for cuts to erase a projected $1.7 billion deficit.

Common Ground’s programs receive funding from the state After-School Grant Program and the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program. The school is slated to get $10,000 from United Way of Greater New Haven every year for the next three years to further support after-school programs that focus on science, technology, engineering and

math, or STEM. With those funds, the school’s after-school program budget is $136,000.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s $40.6 billion budget calls for consolidating the State After-School Grant Program, Family Resource Centers, Neighborhood Youth Centers and Young Parents Program into one Student Support Service grant. Then the pool of funding for those programs is to then be cut by half.

That worries Ashton Killilea, who heads up Common Ground’s after-school programs. The school’s perpupil funding from the state is already several thousand dollars less than what’s spent in New Haven Public Schools.

“We don’t have anything like this during the school day,” Killilea said. “Not every kid can take art, but they can stay after school and be part of our Business of Art program. Not every student can take physical education, but they can join our basketball or cycling program.

Then there are the after-school writing and math labs, and homework center, which are so important for students who need

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extra help to do well in class.

We are able to give students credit for participating in these programs.”

“For students who struggle in the classroom, after-school is a place where they are able to succeed and lead,” she added.

It’s also where they get a hands on opportunity to dissect animals and learn about biology and anatomy and future careers in medicine, or put together a podcast and explore the world around them.

In his 12 years at Common Ground, literature and language arts teacher Keith Lambert has helped guide students through after-school drama club. Now he is helping them build a online station and shows. He said aside from a little guidance and technical assistance, the students develop their own show concepts and produce them.

“The diversity of the afterschool programming it just changes every year based on what the kids are interested in,” Lambert said. “We have that flexibility and we have the teachers that are interested in investing their time,” but raising money to keep the programs

going is a tough prospect.

Maite Aguirre, a Common Ground special education teaching assistant who works with the STEM after-school programs, said they expose students to medicine and architecture. The recent trip to the morgue was done in collaboration with residents of Yale University School of Medicine and exposes the students to the medical field and the educational path needed to enter that field.

Students who made the trip to the morgue passed their first test: Nobody passed out.

“When I first saw it, I thought ‘That’s a real dead body,’” 15-year-old sophomore Linda Torres said. “The idea of it [a real dead body] is nothing like the actual thing. A first it was a little creepy, but then it was really cool.”

Linda, who like Evann wants to be a surgeon, said getting the opportunity to dissect animals and to learn how to suture gives her hands on experience that she might not otherwise get.

Hallena Bolden, a 15-year-old sophomore, said the after-school program has been a fun way to gain some experience in a field that she’s interested in. In fact, she was so impressed with the autopsy, that she’s thinking about also becoming a surgeon instead of a labor and delivery nurse.

“For anyone who doesn’t get to have this choice it is just going to be a loss,” she said.

Killilea echoed Hallena’s sentiment pointing out that nearly every student would be hurt without access to the many after-school programs that are currently offered.

“We all know that 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. is the most crucial time for students to have access to enriching programs,” she said. “Now more than ever, it is important to make sure our young leaders, our students feel safe, supported, and inspired.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

Trumbull Resident Among Eastern’s 2017 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Award Winners

By Dwight Bachman, Public Relations Officer, Eastern Connecticut State University

Willimantic, Conn. – Taylor Hemphill ’17, a social work major and ambassador in the Women’s Center at Eastern Connecticut State University; Elijah Oliver, enrollment services coordinator at Manchester Community College (MCC); and Kemesha Wilmot, associate director of the University’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE); have been named recipients of Eastern’s 2017 Distinguished Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Award. The award is presented to individuals whose service reflects the ideas of the late leader of the Civil Rights Movement and human rights in general.

A packed house was on hand when the University presented the awards on Feb. 23 in the Arthur L. Johnson Wing of the Student Center. Hemphill’s work ethic and focus with the Women’s Center field placement group “helped each member to center their attention on the needs of the community,” said Starsheemar Byrum, coordinator of the Women’s Center. Hemphill, of Trumbull, also volunteered in the

Left to right, Kemesha Wilmot, Elijah Oliver and Taylor Hemphill

Sacred Heart Academy's Diversity Week

Petey Green’s Prisoner Assistance Program, where she concentrated her efforts on igniting change in the lives of incarcerated women, strengthening the communication skills of inmates, enhancing their chances of employment upon release. Hemphill did this and more while earning Dean’s List distinction and serving as a resident assistant at Eastern.

Oliver ’07, in addition to his fulltime position at MCC, Oliver, of Windsor, specifically founded Take FLYGHT Enterprises (TFE), an organization with programs designed to help young people “prepare for lift off” in life and become the very best people they can be. Isaiah’s Way, a component of TFE, strives to empower, motivate, and encourage young males, allowing them to become thoughtful decision makers and productive, responsible members of society. Money & Math Work$, another TFE component, is designed to educate and prepare students K-12 to be fiscally responsible and independent, and covers a full range of financial topics that include income, savings, debt, education, credit, budgeting, spending habits and many more.

“This effort by Mr. Oliver, a certified

master life coach, is far-reaching, comprehensive and inspirational to hundreds of young people as they try to lead more fulfilling lives,” said Stacey Close, associate vice president for equity and diversity at Eastern. “It demonstrates exemplary service to the wider community in the advancement in the cause of young people of color.”

Oliver also is a highly-regarded minister at The First Cathedral Church in Bloomfield, where he has shared his spirit and Biblical wisdom with men in the church on Saturday mornings and delivered sermons and offered words of comfort at funerals.

“Because of Mr. Oliver’s maturity, professional achievement and spiritual grounding, people, young and old, are richly benefitting from his counsel, service and his sterling contributions to society,” said Close.

Wilmot, of New Britain, has served in numerous capacities at Eastern: resident assistant; hall director; academic advisor; assistant director of Center for Internships and Career Development; and coordinator of the Intercultural Center, and as an adviser to several university clubs such as FEMALES, African Club, Asian Cultural Society and the United Voices of Praise.

3rd annual

YOUTH SUMMIT WHEN

Thursday, March 16th 2017 Friday, March 17th 2017 10:00am – 4:00pm both days

SUPPORT OUR CAUSE! Please help us make this an enjoyable and memorable event for both our veterans and youth.

WHERE

Southern Connecticut State University The Veterans Empowering Teens through Support (V.E.T.T.S. TM) Mentoring Program is hosting a 2-day summit open to ALL High School Students. The goal of this special retreat is to support youth in planning their future. Students will explore different career paths, college opportunities, and vocational tracks.

PHOTOS: (courtesy of Samantha Church)

SHAdes Vice President Judith Suffard (New Haven), President Miriam Desrosiers (Shelton), Catherine Valloso (East Haven), Mayshell Mora Cyrus (West Haven) and Maureen Okang (West Haven) enjoy the cultural fashion show.

Culminated with a school-wide diversity assembly that included keynote speaker Lytasha Blackwell (Bridgeport), Chinese dancers from the Mulan Fitness and Arts Academy (Hamden), and a student/faculty cultural fashion show.

The week focused on teaching and learning exercises showing the different identities that make up the Sacred Heart community and promoting different cultures through the understanding of diversity and inclusiveness. Diversity Week was sponsored by SHAdes, a club that seeks to build unity through education and the celebration of cultural differences.

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*Meals will be provided *We are in the process of arranging transportation

Parents and Guardians can Register ONLINE now at: http://tinyurl.com/VETTS-Summit-2017

FEATURING • College Info Sessions • Campus Tours • Career Fair • Resiliency & Empowerment Workshops• Team Building Activities • Fun Prizes • Guest Speakers

Donations can be made at our GoFundMe page: gofundme.com/vettsyouth-summit2017 Thank you!

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

COMMUNITY FORUM Elm City Freddy Fixer Parade Committee, Inc.

Originating in 1962, the Freddy Fixer Parade is nationally recognized as the oldest Black American Parade in the northeast.

However, over the years, the parade’s image had been marred by unforeseen circumstances that eventually lead to low community participation.

Consequently, a decrease in submission of parade applications and declining spectator attendance inevitably followed.

Nonetheless, in December 2015, a group of civic-minded community members set out to revitalize the Freddy Fixer Parade through their membership in a newly incorporated committee: The Elm City Freddy Fixer Parade Committee, Inc. (ECFFPC).

ECFFPC members have already made great strides in regaining the parade’s glory and set into motion an infectious exuberance that permeated throughout the Greater New Haven community.

This energy that residents, organizers and supporters, alike, have brought to this campaign has been contagious and has resulted in an amazing amount of good will. The committee was not only successful in meeting all financial obligations associated with the 2016 parade, but also attracted 64 diverse marching units or approximately 650 participants.

Similarly, spectators along the parade route were estimated to number some 5,000 individuals.

Accordingly, it is incumbent upon us to keep up this momentum of rejuvenated pride in our cultural heritage; and to never, again, neglect to pay homage to the late Dr. Frederick F. Smith, Edna Carnegie-Baker, Dr. Charles Twyman and many others, for their vision: A vision of collective solidarity toward the common goal of neighborhood beautification that culminates into a yearly celebration through the Elm City Freddy Fixer Parade.

Securing our own legacy through this consistent, constructive and harmonious display of our cultural norms, values and ethics will be the impetus that conveys the story of our history we want told for many generations to

Seated center: Petisia M. Adger. Pictured from L to Right: Nina Silva, Leonard Jahad, Shirley A. Lawrence, & Dexter A. Jones. Missing from photo: Howard Boyd & Tashesha Ricketts. Photo Credit: Rodney Dabney

Photo:

come.

This year, the members of the Elm City Freddy Fixer Parade Committee, Inc. (ECFFPC) are proud to introduce to the Greater New Haven Community the 2017 Officers of the Executive Board.

Moreover, it is our privilege to announce that the City of New Haven has granted the members of the ECFFPC a “Special Events License” for the express purpose of organizing the Elm City Freddy Fixer Parade scheduled for Sunday, May 21, 2017 at 1:30 p.m. The head of the parade route steps off on Dixwell Avenue nearest the intersection of Bassett Street; and proceeds south on Dixwell Avenue to Lake Place where all marching units are dispersed. The anticipated 70 marching units along the 1.3 mile parade route are represented by a wide range of multicultural heritages and traditions.

Harp: No Tax Hike

by PAUL BASS

NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

New Haven government will spend more money this coming fiscal year, but will keep taxes the same as last year — at least in the proposed budget Mayor Toni Harp plans to unveil Tuesday afternoon.

Harp offered a preview of her proposal during an appearance on the WNHH radio “Mayor Monday” program.

Each year the mayor proposes a budget by March 1 for the upcoming fiscal year, which starts July 1. Then the Board of Alders holds hearings on it, makes adjustments, votes on a new version, and sends it back to the mayor for her signature or veto.

Harp didn’t reveal the total size of the proposed general operating budget. But she said rises in some fixed costs have necessitated an increase. For instance, fire and police pension costs rose $8.5 million over this past year, largely driven by an increase in retirements by firefighters who were earning lots of overtime pay because of

recently reduced shortages in the ranks. Firefighters have their pensions calculated based on their four most recent years’ earnings.

(Firefighters union President Frank Ricci offered this comment about the rise in pension costs: “Members pay 11 percent of their pay into their pensions and firefighters are not eligible to collect social security.

As well close to 40 percent of our members do not have overtime calculated into their pensions.

8

Any large pensions that you see is the direct result of the previous administration’s willingness to violate the Constitution and Title 7 for political gain. The city has has been working diligently to fill command and leadership since the ruling in the Ricci case, which in turn will lower pensions and ensure the continuity of command.”)

Also, Harp said, keeping Board of Education services at their current levels will cost an estimated $8 million more each year, partly because of expired grants for staff positions considered essential.

Because her staff has identified other revenue sources (to be detailed on Tuesday), Harp said, she didn’t have to turn to city taxpayers to cover those rising costs. The total amount of revenue collected from city taxpayers will remain the same in the new proposed budget, she said.

New Haven just completed a citywide property revaluation. That means some individual taxpayers’ bills will rise while others fall. Harp

said that anyone whose property values rose more than 7 percent will see a higher bill. Anyone whose property values rose less than 7 percent (or fell) will see a smaller bill. Residential property values overall rose 7 percent over the previous year; the grand list (which includes commercial and personal property) rose 8.4 percent.

Responding to calls from listeners, Harp said she had not been aware that a proposed but as-yet unapproved new boy’s-only charter school had begun recruiting students through the Board of Ed and had a listing on the website; she said the listing has been taken down. Asked about the mayoral candidacy of Marcus Paca, Harp, who’s running for a third term, responded, “Everyone can run for mayor or any other office. That’s what makes this country great.”

She said when she ran into Paca at last week’s Board of Ed meeting, “I told him I’d meet him on the campaign trail.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

DeStefano: ICE “Jerks” Will Return

by MICHELLE LIU NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

John DeStefano has seen this movie before and he’s expecting it to see a sequel.

DeStefano, New Haven’s former mayor and now a parttime teacher at Yale, made that prediction about federal immigration raids in New Haven during a presentation at the university’s Linsley-Chittenden Hall Thursday night to a group of urban studies-minded undergraduates.

DeStefano recounted the city’s adoption of an immigrantfriendly identification card in 2007 — and the retaliatory, sweeping federal raids that led a day later to 32 arrests of undocumented immigrants in Fair Haven. President Donald Trump’s newly expanded directions for rounding up immigrants and his plan to hire 10,000 new immigration officers, DeStefano said, will “bubble from the bottom up” in cities and states.

“Now let me predict how it’s going to happen,” DeStefano said. “[The federal government is] going to do exactly what those jerks did in Fair Haven. You know who did the biggest help to us in protecting immigrants?

When ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] came and did that insane raid.”

“I actually believe we will be a target for a raid,” he continued. “ I believe people have memories, I believe they’ll remember 2007, remember we broke their balls and called them on it. And I think they will hit New Haven with a raid.”

As mayor, DeStefano oversaw New Haven’s evolution into a “sanctuary city” for undocumented immigrants. (“Back in 2007, I didn’t know what the hell you were talking about,” DeStefano mused Thursday. “We never used those words, ‘sanctuary city.’”) His administration oversaw the adoption of a police general order that prohibits officers in most cases from inquiring into

MICHELLE LIU PHOTO

DeStefano speaking at Yale Thursday night.

people’s immigration status.

The city’s immigrant population swelled during DeStefano’s tenure, and the Ecuadorian government opened a consulate here.

In 2007, 36 hours after the Board of Alders (then called the Board of Aldermen) approved his administration’s ID card policy into action, DeStefano found himself in his office at 7:30 a.m.

The phone rang. There was no receptionist around, so he took the call himself. Someone tipped him off on raids happening in Fair Haven; DeStefano, in disbelief, called then-Police Chief Francisco Ortiz. “What raids?” DeStefano recalled Ortiz as saying.

“This is when I knew this was not good, when the police chief doesn’t know,” DeStefano said.

It became a defining moment in the second half of his mayoral tenure, during which he became a national figure in the emerging urban pro-immigrant movement.

Emails that later became public showed that the feds had been trying to stop New Haven from issuing the ID cards.

Deeming the raids “a hot mess,” DeStefano pointed to the failure of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) to notify

New Haven police. He accused the federal officials of arresting “anyone that happened to be brown and undocumented and in the wrong place and wrong time,” citing instances of parents arrested in front of children.

DeStefano pubicly blasted the feds and pledged support for immigrants, many of whom spent days locked in their homes in fear. He confronted thenSecretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, who later agreed to postpone further raids.

“All this by saying — New Haven wasn’t motivated by the sanctuary city concept, we weren’t motivated trying to make a political point,” DeStefano said. “We were just trying to serve fellow residents of our community.”

DeStefano, who retired as mayor in 2014 after serving for 20 years, was making a broader point on the value of immigrants to urban spaces, depicting New Haven’s immigrants as jobholders and taxpayers who reinvigorate parts of town (e.g.

Grand Avenue), bolstering the city with their economic and social mobility.

Yale student Cameron Koffman asked about a long-term plan, policy-wise.

11

DeStefano, who said he anticipates some form of federal overreaction (raiding New Haven, building a border wall, hiring more immigration enforcement officers), is looking past those initial setbacks. He said various communities in the city have already begun preparing people for raids, making sure they understand their rights. Organizers have signed up hundreds of New Haveners for resistance actions and immigrant-support duties in case raids do occur.

It’ll be up to the cities and states to not only maintain individual rights and liberties, but also make (or uphold) progress in areas like public education and climate change, he added.

“It’ll be thousands of pebbles thrown into a pond, to create a huge tsunami of responses,” DeStefano said.

Andrew Sandweiss, a Yale sophomore from Maine and co-president of CITY Yale (the urban studies group that hosted the event), said he felt assured

by DeStefano’s conviction that New Haven would be able to withstand punches. “It was very encouraging,” Sandweiss said.

Con’t from page 5

Effort Resumes To Raise The Age

are adults. Why are we thinking of treating them like children?’”

Schiraldi said. “Yes, you can have a perfectly rational conversation with your 19-year-old son about Aristotle and the philosophy class he is taking and the paper he’s writing that night. But then he can go out and do something inexplicably stupid with his buddies that night.”

Schiraldi said other public policies reflect what science knows about brain development. At the urging of the Reagan administration in the 1980s, states raised the drinking age from 18 to 21 — and motor vehicle fatalities dropped.

“It’s why it’s very difficult for people under age 25 to rent a car,” he said.

“That’s not a Republican proposal.

That’s not a Democratic proposal.

That’s an actuarial proposal. They said, ‘They’re a bad bet.’ It’s not that Hertz does not want my son’s money.”

The Department of Correction recently opened an experimental new housing unit at Cheshire Correctional Institution for inmates up to age 25.

Connecticut used to treat all criminal defendants as adults once they reached age 16. The legislature passed a law in 2008 raising the standard to 18, with the changes phased in over several years, after guidance from the Juvenile Justice Policy Oversight Committee.

Connecticut used to treat all criminal defendants as adults once they reached age 16. The legislature passed a law in 2008 raising the standard to 18, with the changes phased in over several years, after guidance from the Juvenile Justice Policy Oversight Committee.

“We planned it. We studied it. And we prepared all the agencies,” said Walker, who is co-chair of the committee.

The change is widely viewed as a success: Crime by 17- and 18-yearolds is down.

Malloy said his proposal does not excuse criminal acts by older teens, but it lessens the chances that an impulsive act will produce an adult record that will forever limit opportunities for education and employment.

“Just open yourself to who you were when you were 18 years old,” Malloy said, prompting laughter.

“It’s scary. Listen, there but for the grace of God.”

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

Jordan Peele: The Thin Line Between Comedy & Horror

by T. R. Causay, BlackDoctor.org

Comedy Jordan Peele

They say real comedy comes from pain. And comedian turned director, Jordan Peele, knows all about that.

Peele, along with Keegan Michael Key wrote and performed in the acclaimed Comedy Central sketch series Key & Peele. The show, which ran for five seasons, earned a Peabody Award and two Primetime Emmys for its hilarious and deeply pointed take on race and culture.

Key & Peele had an ingenious way way it sometimes mixed humor and horror, for example, the zombies who refused to eat black people.

“There’s a line between satire and bullying,” said Peele. “We won’t go for something that feels so mean, the funny can’t overcome it. ‘White Person Hoodie’ is a good example of a sketch I was nervous about. It’s really about something [the shooting of unarmed Florida teen Trayvon Martin]. When we showed it, the audience was tense. When they

went wild at the reveal, I was like, “‘Thank god.’”

Now Peele has taken that strategy and used it in his directorial debut of a horror film called Get Out. The movie, which he also wrote and produced.

In addition to maintaining a careful balance between satire and scares, “Get Out” amplifies what it means to feel out of place in a roomful of white people. “You kind of have to know what it’s like to be a black man in a world you’re being viewed as black before you’re being viewed as human,” Peele said. “For me, that’s a very personal sort of experience.”

“As with comedy, I feel like horror and the thriller genre is a way, one of the few ways, that we can address real life horrors and social injustices in an entertaining way,” says Peele. “We go to the theater to be entertained, but if what is left after you watch the movie is a sort of eye-opening perspective on some social issues, then it can be a really

powerful piece of art.”

“The best comedy and horror feel like they take place in reality,” explains Peele to The New York Times. “You have a rule or two you are bending or heightening, but the world around it is real. I felt like everything I learned in comedy I could apply to this movie.”

“In horror, the second you have people doing something you know they wouldn’t do, you lose the audience. With “Get Out,” what needed to be believable was the protagonist’s intentions. Why he’s there.”

“The movie Rosemary’s Baby, I grew up actually a couple of blocks away from the building that was shot. When I was younger, it was actually a little too close to home, so it really kind of it freaked me out more than I could appreciate it.

It’s grown into possibly my favorite horror movie. I think for most horror fans it’s going to be high on their list. I love Halloween. I love The Birds and Hitchcock.”

How the Black Press Played Vital Role in “Hidden Figures”

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Contributor

In her book, “Hidden Figures,” author Margot Lee Shetterly pays homage to the African-American women who worked as human computers in the space program.

It’s a book that’s spawned an Academy Award-nominated movie and has brought to the fore the accomplishments of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, the brilliant Black women who worked at NASA serving as the brains behind America’s nascent space program starting in the 1950s.

Inside the book, Shetterly also pays homage to where she first got the notion to write such a historical masterpiece.

“In the first week of May 1942, the ‘Norfolk Journal and Guide’ published an article that would… be like a signpost for the road not taken,” Shetterly said.

She even recalled the headline that accompanied the piece in one of the nation’s oldest African-Americanowned newspapers.

“Paving the Way for Women Engineers,” the headline blared.

An accompanying photo revealed 11 immaculately dressed Black women in front of Hampton Institute’s Bemis

Laboratory, graduates of Engineering for Women, a war training class. “‘The Journal and Guide’ and the ‘Pittsburgh Courier,’ two of the granddaddies of the Black Press, are mentioned prominently inside the hard cover copies of the book with a picture that dates back to the 1940s,” said Brenda Andrews, president, publisher and owner of “The New Journal and Guide.”

The Journal and Guide published

its first issues in 1900 and, during the World War II, by many accounts, was the largest Black employer in the South, according to Andrews.

Its circulation topped 100,000 and Andrews said the newspaper joined others like the “Chicago Defender,” the “Baltimore Afro-American” and the “Pittsburgh Courier” in taking the lead in writing about Black interests and recording AfricanAmerican history.

13

“We were hidden figures ourselves until about the 1960s,” Andrews said of the Black Press in America, which this year celebrates 190 years in operation. “This story and how the author researched ‘Hidden Figures’ is an example of what the Black Press has been doing, which is recording Black history.”

Andrews continued: “When I speak with people, even today in the 21st century, people are curious about the

Black Press’ role. We were in the shadows in our community, doing the work, recording information.”

Andrews said the Black Press wasn’t formerly recognized for its great journalism, seen mostly as underground activists.

“Even today, we’re not properly recognized for recording that history. We were hidden in Black areas among Black people,” she said. “It came about that World War II was significant, because it was our activism that stories of segregated troops were told.”

During World War II, the Black Press led the call for a “Double V” victory against fascism abroad and against Jim Crow in the United States.

Reportedly, with such a slogan, many historians regarded this campaign as the groundwork for the Black activism that characterized the Civil Rights Movement.

Black newspapers, led by the “Norfolk Journal and Guide,” the “Chicago Defender,” the “Pittsburgh Courier” and the “AFRO,” took a conservative effort and channeled Black militancy into nationalistic ends. They sought government concessions and they looked to create Con’t on page 24

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

Leah Still Celebrates Two Year’s Cancer Free! Saving Hearts and Lives in the African-American Community Dad Teams Up With NASA To Fight Cancer

by Carter Higgins Former Bengals defensive lineman and current Houston Texan, Devon Still is looking forward to working with NASA to fight cancer through research in space. This comes on the 2nd Anniversary of his daughter, Leah Still’s cancer being in remission. The NFL dad and husband shared this post on Instagram: Every day, NASA spacecraft beam down hundreds of petabytes of data, all of which has to be codified, stored and distributed to scientists across the globe. Increasingly, artificial intelligence is helping to “read” this data as well, highlighting similarities between datasets that scientists might miss.

For the past 15 years, the big data techniques pioneered by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, have been revolutionizing biomedical research.

The NCI-supported Early Detection Research Network (EDRN) is a consortium of biomedical investigators who share anonymized data on cancer biomarkers, chemical or genetic signatures related to specific cancers. Their goal is to pool all their research data into a single, searchable network, with the goal of translating their collective work into techniques for early diagnosis of cancer or cancer risk.

In the time they’ve worked together, JPL and EDRN‘s efforts have led to the discovery of six new Food and Drug Administration-

By Patricia Maryland, Dr.PH, NNPA Guest Columnist

approved cancer biomarkers and nine biomarkers approved for use in Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments labs. The FDA has approved each of these biomarkers for use in cancer research and diagnosis. These agency-approved biomarkers have been used in more than 1 million patient diagnostic tests worldwide.

This whole program is in partnership with Devon and Leah Still’s Still Strong Foundation

that helps other families battling childhood cancers. Devon posted how proud of his daughter he is: “No better person to have by my side while trying to champion childhood cancer! We are having our 1st gala for the Still Strong Foundation on March 25 (2nd year anniversary of Leah’s remission) in Philadelphia. If you want to be apart of this special night by purchasing tickets or being a sponsor, please send an email to trish@stillstrongfoundation.org”

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Our heart is the engine that keeps our body running. That’s why problems with the heart—such as coronary artery disease, high blood pressure or heart failure— can significantly impact a person’s well-being, and, at worst, be lifethreatening.

During February, American Heart Month, we were able to shine a spotlight on heart disease, the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. For AfricanAmericans, it’s also a time to raise awareness of how cardiovascular disease disproportionately impacts members of the Black community.

Indeed, nearly half of AfricanAmerican adults suffer from some form of cardiovascular disease, compared to about a third of Whites, according to the American Heart Association.

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Americans can take several small steps to manage these conditions and reduce their likelihood of experiencing cardiovascular problems, including adopting a healthy diet, exercising regularly and avoiding smoking.

But improving heart health in the African-American community means more than taking care of ourselves as individuals; it requires a concerted effort by policymakers, healthcare providers and community leaders to address social and environmental barriers and champion proactive strategies for heart health. Only with contributions from all of these stakeholders can we build a culture of health to counter heart disease among African-Americans.

Improving access to preventive cardiovascular care is our chief priority in the fight for AfricanAmerican heart health. As epidemiologists continue to study whether African-Americans might carry a gene that makes us more prone to heart problems, ensuring that our family, friends and neighbors take advantage of regular preventive screenings is critically important to identify their risk as early as possible. The fact remains that African-Americans are less likely to get screened for high cholesterol or have their blood pressure under control—despite being 40 percent more likely to have heart-threatening conditions such as hypertension, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

While care access plays a role in explaining heart health disparities, African-Americans also face unequal outcomes when they do seek medical treatment for heart conditions. For example, referrals for cardiac rehabilitation are given to African-American patients at a significantly lower rate than their White peers, according to the American Heart Journal. This important type of follow-up care— which includes exercise training, education on heart-healthy living and counseling—is critical for patients. The lack of such care may be one reason African-Americans experience higher readmission and mortality rates than white patients in the year after a heart attack, according to the Congressional Con’t on next page

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

Study: Increasing Number of Black Officers May Not Reduce Police-Involved Black Killings

by Zenitha Prince Senior AFRO Correspondent

Increasing the number of Black police officers may not reduce the number of police-involved killings of Black victims, a new study concludes.

An increasing number of police-involved homicides of unarmed African Americans have spawned nationwide protests and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. Recommendations of President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing and other human rights groups to improve police-community relations included increasing the diversity of police forces.

But researchers at Indiana University reported that in most jurisdictions, it would take a significant infusion of Black officers to make a difference in the number of Black deaths at the hands of law enforcement.

“There may be other good reasons to have a police force that is more representative,” said study co-author Sean NicholsonCrotty, “but there is little evidence that more Black cops will result in fewer homicides of Black citizens.”

“For the vast majority of cities, simply increasing the percentage of Black officers is not an effective solution,” he added.

The researchers used data derived from Mapping Police Violence, an advocacy group that developed a database of police homicides in 2014 in the 100 largest American cities; and

a Washington Post collection of data on police-involved homicides in 2015.

The data analysis showed that until the percentage of Black officers reached between 35 and 40 percent of the police force, there was no effect on the number of police-involved killings of Black persons. Above those percentages the effect ranged from negligible to a reduced number of Black deaths at the hands of police.

“At that point [35 to 40 percent] and higher, individual officers may become less likely to discriminate against Black citizens and more inclined to assume a minority advocacy role,” co-author Sergio Fernandez said.

AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File

Con’t from page 14

Saving Hearts and Lives

Black Caucus Health Braintrust.

For our part, healthcare providers must make it our mission to remove barriers for AfricanAmerican patients to preventive services, specialized care and effective follow-up procedures for heart health. And we must also partner with patients to determine a strategy that can help them effectively monitor and control their conditions. At Ascension, we are acutely aware of the challenges that keep minority patients from accessing healthy heart care. That’s why we recently established an ambitious goal: to eliminate race, ethnicity- and language-based (REaL) disparities in preventable hospitalizations related to heart failure by 2022, as well as to achieve a significant reduction in heart failure admissions rates for Medicaid patients in our network.

Our goals are bold, but we know how to achieve them: by working side by side with patients to assess risk, consider every treatment angle, deploy the latest management strategies, collaborate with community partners and connect to necessary specialists and subspecialists. These efforts, coupled with education, innovation and a commitment to healthy communities, can help providers, policymakers and the AfricanAmerican community eliminate disparities and save the hearts and lives of many more diverse patients.

Patricia A. Maryland, Dr.PH, is the President of Healthcare Operations and Chief Operating Officer of Ascension Healthcare.

Jamaican Author Erna Brodber Wins Yale University International Literature Prize

by StephanieK, Jamaicans.com

Yale University has awarded Jamaican author Erna Brodber the 2017 Windham-Campbell Prize in international literature.

Brodber was one of eight writers recognized with the award for their achievements or promise, each of whom will receive US$165,000. Brodber is from Woodside in St. Mary and has been a major voice in

Jamaican author Erna Brodber

Caribbean literature during a career that spans some 40 years. An activist, scholar and writer, she explores the oral and written traditions of the African Diaspora, using sources that range from tales of Anansi the spider-god to the modern novels of James Joyce. Her works include “Myal” in 1988 and “Nothing’s Mat” from 2014 She uses elements from Afro-Jamaican cosmology to illustrate the rich Diaspora

traditions and the dangers inherent in forgetting them. For Brodber, the past is never dead.

She won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize in 1989, the Prince Clause Award in 2006, and the Musgrave Medal in 1999. She received an honorary D.Litt. degree from the University of the West Indies in 2011.

The Windham-Campbell Prizes are among the richest literary prizes in the world. They will be

given in September 2017 at an international literary festival.

The prizes were launched in 2013 by Donald Windham, novelist and memoirst, in hoe of his partner of 40 years, Sandy M. Campbell. The prizes are designed to honor literary achievement and to provide writers who work in the English language with a chance to focus on their work by alleviating financial concerns.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

Black Chicago Fights to Save Historic EBONY Building from Developers

By Erick Johnson, Chicago Crusader/NNPA Member

Downtown Chicago is set to explode with construction. In the next several years, the city that gave birth to the skyscraper will have a new look. A new generation of glitzy skyscrapers will sprout up all over the city, dramatically altering its famous skyline with bold new designs and soaring to greater heights.

The most fertile ground for the newest crop of high-rises is on South Michigan Ave., where, in the last several years, powerful developers have been harvesting plans to capitalize on one of the wealthiest residential districts in the city.

After intense meetings with residents and historic preservation officials, developers are moving forward with ambitious and jawdropping plans to plant mega-size buildings that would transform a relatively quiet residential district into a bustling neighborhood full of retail shops and post-new condominiums.

For developers, it’s a race to the top in a battle to build the biggest and best skyscraper as large as the ego of a high-powered business mogul.

Sitting amidst these dreams is a small, but well-known 11-story building that’s been vacant for nearly seven years. Known to many visitors around the country as the “EBONY/ Jet building,” for decades, it was the corporate headquarters of the Johnson Publishing Company. In its glory days, it was the engine behind EBONY and Jet magazines that sat on millions of coffee tables in the homes of Black America. Once a proud symbol of achievement, the once Black-owned building still stands on one of the most prominent streets in America. It’s now empty

and perhaps the most vulnerable building to hungry developers.

In several years, the EBONY/Jet building will be wedged between two fresh skyscrapers. To the north of it will be the 620-foot “Essex on the Park” skyscraper, which officially broke ground on Jan. 19.

When completed, the skyscraper overlooking Grant Park and Lake Michigan will have 479 luxury rental apartments. The deal also includes rehabbing and expanding the neighboring Essex Inn Hotel to 271 guest rooms.

Two blocks south of the EBONY/ Jet building will be an 86-story glass skyscraper that will resemble a stack of giant ice cubes. Reportedly named the Jahn Tower, it will have 506 units; 308 will be condominiums.

There is the 515-foot tower at 1326 S. Michigan and the planned twin skyscrapers on Indiana Ave., which at 76 stories high, will be third tallest building south of the Willis Tower.

And this is just the South Loop.

Skyscrapers are going up on the North Side, too.

As the city experiences a boom

in new skyscrapers, the house that EBONY/Jet founder John H. Johnson built remains a decaying relic that’s up for sale as hungry developers push the limits of their projects into unchartered waters.

The buzzards of urban progress are closing in while the EBONY/ Jet building stands increasingly vulnerable to extinction as space grows tight on South Michigan Ave. and demands for bigger, stylish skyscrapers climb to greater proportions.

For the EBONY/Jet building, an edifice whose history and important contributions to Black America has inspired generations for decades, the warning signs are there.

With its EBONY/Jet marquee still beaming at the top, it’s a valuable piece of real estate that’s stuck in the past. Its uncertain future depends on what happens in the present, in trending neighborhoods and in corporate America, where big buildings are in and smaller ones are out. Sitting on prime real estate where the demand for multi-million dollar skyscrapers is showing no

16

signs of slowing down, the EBONY/ Jet building will meet the wrecking ball if developers seeking to make the next statement on Michigan Ave. have their way.

On Feb. 2, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced that the building would be considered for preliminary landmark status by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks—a ninemember group that has granted similar status over the years to over 370 historic sites in Chicago, including the homes of writers Gwendolyn Brooks, Lorraine Hansberry and Richard Wright.

The group’s latest move capped a month of researching and writing a preliminary report about the history of the EBONY/Jet building.

“My father started Johnson Publishing Company to inform, empower and uplift the AfricanAmerican community,” Linda Johnson Rice, chairman of Johnson Publishing Company and chairman emeritus of Ebony Media Holdings, said in a statement. “With my mother Eunice by his side, they built an iconic brand. I am thrilled that

the building housed our company for so many years and is being considered for landmark status. It’s a true testament to the hard work of my parents and all the people who called Johnson Publishing Company home for decades.”

A member with the city’s Historic Preservation Division whose staff sits on the city’s Landmark Commission said the group could take up to nine months to decide whether the EBONY/Jet building should be an official Chicago landmark.

The commission has seven requirements for landmark designation. Some of the criteria require prospective buildings to have architectural, cultural historic impact on Chicago, the State of Illinois or the U.S. Another criterion says the building must identify with a person or persons who significantly contributed to the city, state or country. For landmark approval, a building must meet at least two of seven criteria, which the EBONY/ Jet building seems to do.

If the EBONY/Jet building becomes a Chicago landmark, developers cannot demolish the structure. However, developers can remove the Ebony Jet sign that sits on top of the building since it’s not considered a feature of historic significance, a historic preservation staff member told the “Chicago Crusader.” Also, the interior of the EBONY/Jet building is not part of the designation because the art and furnishings were moved to Johnson Publication’s current home at 200 South Michigan where the company rents a floor. Developers can gut the interior and use the building for a different purpose.

The new owner of the EBONY/ Con’t on page 25

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

The Obama Years: The Power of Words Riveting Retrospective Revisits President’s Defining Moments

Film Review by Kam Williams

How many immortal speeches have been delivered by U.S. presidents and other American icons? Lincoln’s “Four score and seven years ago” Gettysburg Address, FDR’s “We have nothing to fear but fear itself,” Eisenhower’s beware of the “Military-Industrial Complex” farewell address, JFK’s “Ask not what your country can do for you” inaugural address, Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, and Reagan’s “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall,” are among the handful which have stood the test of time.

Barack Obama has ostensibly left behind not just one but a cornucopia of historic orations likely to be remembered for generations to come. That is the contention of The Obama Years: The Power of Words, a riveting documentary which discusses, in non-partisan fashion, a plethora of his addresses for the ages.

Narrated by Jessie Williams

of Grey’s Anatomy, the movie features a mix of archival footage from speeches and in-depth analysis by experts. Among the luminaries sharing insights are Pulitzer Prize-winner Doris Kearns-Goodwin, Rice University Professor Douglas Brinkley and

former Obama strategists David Axelrod and Jon Favreau.

The reverential biopic unfolds chronologically, starting with the keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention which instantly turned a little-known State Senator from Illinois into

18

an overnight sensation. Obama’s next remarkable highlight arrived in March 2008 when he salvaged a floundering presidential campaign with a unifying reflection on race delivered at Philadelphia’s Constitution Center.

Later that year in Denver, he was widely lauded for his stirring acceptance of the Democratic nomination on August 28th, the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” March on Washington speech.

Obama subsequently spoke very emotionally about the Trayvon Martin shooting, the Sandy Hook elementary school and Charleston church massacres, bringing the grieving Emanuel A.M.E. congregation to tears with an a capella rendition of Amazing Grace at the end of the eulogy.

Just as moving was the President’s touchstone sermon commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March, uttered on location at the Edmund Pettus

bridge, site of the infamous Bloody Sunday attack on protesters by Alabama State Police Officers for simply attempting to register to vote. For folks interested in lighter fare, there’s Barack’s stand-up routine at the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, where he roasted a red-faced Donald Trump about everything from hosting The Apprentice to spearheading the Birther movement.

A riveting retrospective revisiting an array of Barack Obama’s defining moments!

Excellent (4 stars) Unrated Running time: 60 minutes Distributor: The Smithsonian The Obama Years will air on the Smithsonian Channel on: Thursday March 9th @ 9:00 am ET/PT Saturday March 18th @ 8:00 am ET/PT Tuesday March 21 @ 5:00 PM ET/PT

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

RP inner city news jan.qxp_Layout 1 1/27/17 4:23 PM Page 1

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

Wells Fargo Commits $60 Billion to Increase African American Homeownership The bank's goal is to create around 250,000 new homeowners in the next ten years

by Carolyn M. Brown,

Black Enterprise (from The Afro)

Wells Fargo has announced a $60 billion lending commitment, to create at least 250,000 new African American homeowners, in an effort to address the lower homeownership rates in the black community. The banking and financial services holding company seeks to lend $60 billion to qualified African American consumers for home purchases by 2027, as well as to increase the diversity of the Wells Fargo Home Lending sales team, with $15 million to support a variety of initiatives that promote financial education and counseling over the next ten years.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by the year 2024, 75% of the expected 14 million new households (renters and owners) in the U.S. will be diverse.

African Americans are projected to represent 17%, or the third largest segment, of the new households.

Boosting Black Homeownership “Wells Fargo’s $60 billion lending goal can contribute to economic growth by making responsible homeownership possible for more African Americans in communities across the country,” says Brad Blackwell, executive vice president and head of housing policy and homeownership growth strategies for Wells Fargo, in a press statement. “We are proud to be the first mortgage lender to make a public commitment to help increase African American homeownership.

And, we are grateful for the support of key housing and civil rights organizations, who work alongside us to increase economic prosperity in our communities.”

Joining Wells Fargo in this effort in the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB). Composed of African American real estate

professionals, the organization has set a homeownership goal, along with two of the nation’s most influential civil rights organizations, the NAACP and the National Urban League (NUL).

The NUL provides homebuyer education and counseling through its network of affiliate offices across the country.

“Homeownership has become an indispensable part of being a full participant in American society,” says National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial, in a released statement.

“An erosion of homeownership rates among African Americans represents not only a devastating financial loss, but a barrier to full participation in the American dream.”

Removing Barriers to Wealth Building NAREB gave kudos to Wells Fargo’s $60 billion loan commitment. “The bank is the first financial institution to acknowledge publicly black Americans’ wealth building potential, which could be greatly improved through

homeownership,” says Ron Cooper, president of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, in a statement.“NAREB welcomes their entry into the struggle to close the ever widening wealth gap for black Americans, and looks forward to having Wells Fargo as a partner in NAREB’s ‘Two Million New Black Homeowners in Five Years’ program.”

According to NAREB’s 2016 commissioned study, The State of Housing in Black America, housing finance industry barriers, such as creditscoring models, the lack of affordable housing inventory, and economic constraints, like unemployment and under employment, contributes to low homeownership among African Americans. In addition, barriers to homeownership in black communities include the costs associated with accessing mortgage credit, limited funds for downpayments, and lender averseness to extending credit to consumers with lower credit scores and smaller downpayments.

Additional research concludes that the lack of exposure to generations of long-term homeownership and

21

the persistence of myths about homebuying may keep future homebuyers on the fence.

Home Financing Options

Despite these factors, Wells Fargo has learned, through a series of consumer surveys with Ipsos Public Affairs, that African Americans view homeownership positively. The 2016 survey reveals 86% of all Americans say homeownership is a “dream come true”; with 79% of the African Americans surveyed saying it’s essential for building families, and 51% considering buying a home in two years.

Wells Fargo offers a number of home financing options, including its Your First Mortgage, a homebuyer education incentive that offers a downpayment as low as 3% for fixed-rate loans. For veterans, a VA loan requires no downpayment.

Moreover, Wells Fargo is the exclusive provider of the Union Plus mortgage program, which offers benefits for most union members and their families. The Neighborhood LIFT program offers down payment assistance to low- and moderate-income homebuyers.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

About National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

prevent them from getting needed care and treatment. Addressing these issues remains critical to achieving an HIV- and AIDS-free generation.

The 2017 theme is “The Best Defense Is a Good Offense.”

Whether you’re actively dating or are in a committed relationship, you can take these simple, effective steps to help prevent HIV infection for you and your partner: Use condoms every time you have sex. Get an HIV test, which is free and confidential. Be monogamous.

Do not abuse alcohol or drugs.

Talk to your doctor about preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) if you think you’re at risk for HIV.

National Women and Girls HIV/ AIDS Awareness Day (NWGHAAD) is an annual observance that sheds light on the impact of HIV and AIDS on women and girls. Every year on March 10, and throughout the month of March, national and community organizations come together to show support for women and girls impacted by HIV and AIDS. This year marks the 12th observance of National Women and Girls HIV/ AIDS Awareness Day. Today, about one in four people living with HIV in the United States is female. Only about half of women living with HIV are getting care, and only four in 10 of them have the virus under control. Women face unique HIV risks and challenges that can

Resisting the deportations: Trump’s modern-day Fugitive Slave Act

by Art Perlo, Citizen, New Haven, CT.

Once before in U.S. history, states like Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Michigan had a large population of migrants – people who had broken laws to reach their new homes. The federal government required officials of those states to deport the “illegals,” but the orders met with widespread resistance from radicals.

The year was 1850, and the law was the Fugitive Slave Act. It required officials and all citizens of Northern states to assist in deporting escaped slaves, or anyone a Southerner claimed was an escaped slave, to a brutal and usually short life of horrendous labor on the cotton and sugar cane plantations of Mississippi and Louisiana.

I thought of this history after attending a meeting of activists from around Connecticut to organize resistance and support for the tens of thousands of families (millions nationwide), who have been thrown into fear of being torn apart as fathers or mothers face raids, arrests, and deportations.

No, the situation is not identical to that of 1850. But the parallels are remarkable.

Enslaved Africans and

Demonstrators pledge to protect immigrants and refugees at New York’s JFK Airport on Jan. 29, 2017. | Progressive Caucus of New York City Council - This piece first appeared on People’sWorld.org February 23, 2017

their descendants did not choose servitude on Southern plantations, and risked their lives to escape slavery to the “free states.” Migrants from Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and elsewhere today did not choose the war, criminal gangs, political repression, poverty, and/or lack of opportunity which forced them to leave the communities they knew and loved to come to the U.S. In each case, they are fleeing a system

that is imposed from the outside.

In the pre-Civil War South, it was the Southern plantation owners and the Northern (and British) bankers, merchants, and cotton mill owners that profited and upheld the system. They did it with backing from the armed might of the U.S. government.

Today, it is giant multinational corporations mostly based in the U.S., with their local allies around the world, still backed by the armed might of the U.S. 22

government, that perpetuates the conditions from which people have fled.

In both cases, families are torn apart. Parents are separated from their children, perhaps never to see them again.

But there is also a proud tradition of resistance. After the Fugitive Slave Act was passed, outraged citizens in Northern states organized to protect their threatened neighbors. Some states and cities passed laws

that forbade the use of local jails or the assistance of state officials in the arrest or return of alleged fugitive slaves. In a few instances, abolitionists broke into jail, freed captives, and helped them escape to Canada.

Today, in cities and towns around the country, people are coming together in the spirit of the abolitionists. Cities and states are passing “sanctuary” laws, to refuse cooperation with deportations.

Whole congregations are raising money, and making plans to provide legal assistance, family support, and other aid.

In the 1850s, the federal government was controlled by the slaveholders and their collaborationist allies. They attempted to stamp out dissent, prosecuting and jailing those who defied the law to protect others from enslavement. And today, the Trump administration threatens retribution.

Americans, like people of any nation, can point to their history with both pride and horror.

We can recognize the horrible crime of slavery, even when we celebrate the resistance and rebellions of the enslaved and the determination of their allies to stand by them.

New Study:

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

Blacks Feel Ignored by the Democratic Party

By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Contributor Cornell Belcher, the CEO of Brilliant Corners Research, said that it’s no surprise that Black voters have presented a very clear mandate to the Congressional Black Caucus to oppose the Trump Administration, because 92 percent of African Americans voted against President Trump.

“However, to maintain this broad level of support among African American voters, Democrats more broadly will have to reevaluate the way they are engaging this critical section of [their] base,” Belcher said in a statement on February 9.

Belcher made a presentation and presented his new study to members of the Congressional Black Caucus at their retreat on February 7.

House Democrats then departed to Baltimore for their annual three-day retreat the next day.

Belcher’s phone survey questioned 601 African Americans, at least 18 years-old, and registered to vote; the survey was conducted from January 4-8.

The results of the Belcher survey showed that African American voters were dissatisfied with President Trump and the direction of the country, and want more drastic tactics used to fight programs and policies that negatively impact their communities. The results also showed that protecting social security, reforming the criminal justice system, keeping the country safe from terrorists and other issues are priorities for African Americans.

“African Americans are the Democratic Party’s most loyal voters and they should be treated as such,” said Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.), the chairman of the CBC, regarding the new study. “The results of this survey are clear marching orders for the Congressional Black Caucus — African Americans want Democrats to stop using the same old playbook and to make substantive progress on the issues that affect their communities.”

Here are some of the findings from

Belcher’s study: — A large majority of African American voters (63 percent) feel taken for granted by the Democratic Party. This startling majority represents a growing problem among one of the most critical components of Democrats winning coalition. The outcome of the 2016 election was widely the result of this coalition splintering away from the top of the ticket along the margins with younger and browner voters.

— The majority of African American voters (53 percent) want the Congressional Black Caucus to oppose President Trump. While 53 percent is not an overwhelming majority, it does represent an unusual decision for voters that normally prefer cooperation rather than obstruction from elected officials in Washington.

— African-American voters broadly support more drastic tactics to obstruct the Trump administration, including not confirming President Trump’s appointees (53 percent), sit-ins and other acts of civil disobedience.

— African-American voters are overwhelmingly dissatisfied (69 percent) with the direction of the country now, a drastic departure from the satisfaction they experienced during the Obama administration. Only 22 percent of African Americans are satisfied with direction of the country now, while 69 percent are dissatisfied.

— The list of important priorities for African American voters includes: Protecting Social Security (88 percent, very important), keeping us safe from terrorists (78 percent), criminal justice reform (74 percent), reforming the election process so the candidate with the majority wins (72 percent), investigating Russian interference with the 2016 election (72 percent), protecting Obama’s legacy (71 percent), banning assault weapons (61 percent), and blocking Sessions (60 percent) are the top legislative priorities for African Americans nationally.

Lauren Victoria Burke is a political analyst who speaks on politics and African American leadership. She is also a frequent contributor to the NNPA Newswire and BlackPressUSA.com. Connect with Lauren by email at LBurke007@gmail.com and on Twitter at @LVBurke.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

Andrew Young Talks about King’s Legacy, Trump’s White House

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Contributor

It’s forever a burning question, particularly as many AfricanAmericans soul search, reminisce and speculate during Black History Month.

“What would Martin Luther King Jr. say today?”

According to former United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young, one of the few still alive who knew the slain civil rights leader intimately, King answered the question himself—60 years ago and nearly a dozen years before his assassination in Memphis, Tenn. “In 1957, when King was organizing, he said he was doing so to redeem the soul of America from the triple evil of racism, war and poverty,” Young said. “The problems I see now are not racism and I think we’re getting on top of war. It’s not that racism doesn’t exist, but what happened in Ferguson, for instance, was not a race problem, it was a job problem.”

Young continued: “You have an explosive situation that took on a racial connotation, because they’re not enough jobs.”

Young continues to seek solutions to Black unemployment and also promotes economic empowerment around the globe.

Through his Andrew Young Foundation, the man who helped draft both the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 works to support, promote and develop global institutions and leaders.

He then helps to infuse in those institutions and leaders’ knowledge to improve and enhance social and economic justice and human rights through nonviolent action, democratic institutions and social responsible for-profit corporations.

“We work to one day see a just and prosperous global society made whole through humanitarian service, civic participation, philanthropy and good works,” Young said.

Born in 1932 in New Orleans, La., Young attended Dillard University and later earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Howard University in Washington, D.C. He also attended the Hartford Theological Seminary in Connecticut.

Young began working with voter registration and voter education projects as a staffer for the National

Con’t from page 13

How the Black Press Played Vital

Former United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young said that he works to see a just and prosperous global society made whole through humanitarian service, civic participation, philanthropy and good works. (Wikimedia Commons) Black History, former United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young, Stacy Brown, NNPA Newswire Contributor, national

Council of Churches, where he worked with King.

A former executive director of the SCLC, Young won a seat in Congress in 1972 and, four years later, President Jimmy Carter named him ambassador to the United Nations. In 1981, Young won election as mayor of Atlanta and served two terms.

He later spearheaded Atlanta’s successful bid for the 1996 Olympics.

“I worked with Andy Young in the Freedom Movement in the United States and Africa,” said Dr. Benjamin Chavis, a civil rights leader, who worked closely with King, and the current president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA)—a conglomerate of 211 AfricanAmerican-owned newspapers and media companies in the United States. “We both are ordained ministers in the United Church of Christ and Andy Young was one of Dr. King’s most trusted co-workers in the Civil Rights Movement.”

Young said that he disagrees with Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) on the legitimacy of Donald Trump’s presidency.

“We lost. it wasn’t the Russians,”

Young said. “I’m not happy about it, but Trump understood the needs of the unemployed and the fears of people, who blamed all their problems on terrorism and the lack of jobs. People bought into his version because, we didn’t give them another version,” he said.

For instance, Young said there’s a myth that Korea stole all the steel industry jobs. However, he said a visit to Korea and the steel industry revealed that very few people work in the industry.

“Machines are what took the jobs,” Young said.

He also noted that White men, much more than Blacks, have been the biggest losers in the American economy and the U.S. Congress bears a lot of the blame.

“Black people are secure enough to hold their own now. I was at a football game in Alabama and they don’t even let the White players toss the coin anymore,” he said. “White leadership hasn’t served White men too well. They’ve blamed their condition on Obama. He gave them healthcare, but they wouldn’t take it, because they wanted guns.

Guns aren’t helping them with their

24

illnesses.”

Young praised Carter, Lyndon B. Johnson and John F. Kennedy as great presidents.

He said Carter refused to comprise the lives of Americans to go to war, even though it meant losing his reelection. Johnson, he said, got what he wanted from King and others in the Civil Rights movement but gave what Black leaders needed while Kennedy also did his part.

As for Barack Obama, the nation’s first African-American president, Young said time would eventually place Obama among the greats.

“Obama, virtually miraculous, changed the world for everyone.

The world was really messed up when he took over,” Young said.

“We were involved in two or three wars; the economy was crashing and our health situation had totally deteriorated while the auto industry had just about collapsed.”

Young continued: “Not only did Obama straighten all of that out, he did it with everyone working against him. Obama will go down as truly one of the great ones.”

a homogenous American identity that included Black citizens to resolve struggles for full citizenship, freedom, and racial justice.

During World War II, the Journal and Guide reported regularly on soldiers serving overseas.

The newspaper even sent correspondents into battle to report on heroism that rarely made the front pages of the mainstream papers.

Embedded writers and photographers sent stories back home of patriotic service including reports from the U.S.S. Mason, one of only two U.S. Navy ships with an African-American crew.

“It wasn’t until the 1960s and segregation [reform efforts] and the civil rights that Black newspapers came out of hiding,” Andrews said.

Andrews added: “But, if it had not been for the Black Press in World War II telling our stories, much would have gone unknown. It’s very redeeming that our mission is recognized now.”

With the success of the book and movie for “Hidden Figures,” Andrews believes history will continue to tell the glowing story of the Black Press.

She said the current atmosphere makes it quite difficult to appreciate now, but it’s her hope that in the future, when individuals reflect, they will know that the Black Press did its job and well.

“That’s why it’s important to tell our own stories and refuse to let others portray who we are,” said Andrews. “The Black Press isn’t just about news stories, we’re recording our history as only we can.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

The Black Women Of The Historic Chicago Women’s Golf Club

By Ruthie Hawkins, BlackDoctor.org Contributor

With clubs and courses popping up in what seems like each and every suburban neighborhood – a staple of sorts — the state of the golf industry is extremely positive.

In fact, according to Pete Bevacqua, CEO of the PGA of America, “a total of 2.2 million people took up the game last year, approaching the record of 2.4 million, set at the peak of Tiger Woods’ popularity.”

Traditionally considered a ‘boy’s club’ pastime for the wealthy, the ladies of the Chicago Women’s Golf Club – the only active African American women’s golf club in the nation – paved the way for Black women golfers, creating both a diverse voice and outlet for like-minded women who love the game.

“The Chicago Women’s Golf Club was founded in 1937 by three ladies. At a time where golfing for African Americans was not a thing especially not for women,” Ciji Henderson, president of the Chicago Women’s Golf Club, told ABC 7.

It’s that very longevity – a whopping 80 years in service – that club member Ernestine Harper says is worth celebrating. “The importance is that we have been around.

Black women have been playing golf, these ladies played golf in the 20s before the club was organized with their husbands. But golf has been an important part in our society.”

Considering the club’s humble beginnings, the 80 year milestone is certainly worth noting. “Back that then there was one golf course owned by a Black which was wayside in Palos Hills. It

Vintage photo of the Chicago Women’s Golf Club

Photo:

Chicago Women’s Golf Club members in 2015.

burned down. They say that the mafia burned it down. And then we had to play wherever we could because we were not allowed on the courses,” Harper recalled.

Fast forward to 1989, and the Chicago Women’s Golf Club became the first women’s golf club admitted in to the United Golfers Association as well as the only club in the country to have a clubhouse. “When we got this building it was just in shambles,” Harper shared.

It’s safe to say, that they’ve come a long way from “shambles.” Today, the Anna Mae Robinson-founded club boasts with opportunities for the whole community, including annual tournaments and a junior division, the Bob-

O-Links, “which is committed to the development and growth (character building, discipline, self-esteem, education, grit and integrity) of Chicago area boys and girls, ages 8 through 17,” the website states.

Though much has changed since the organization found its legs, one thing remains the same. The club’s members take much pride in contributing to a part of history. “Being a Black woman I am just proud to be in a club that has so much history. I just love it. I get out there and swing that club and it’s like I’m in heaven,” a longtime club member, Mary Stacker, told the local news outlet.

25

Con’t from page

Black Chicago Fights to Save

Jet building could receive tax credits that could help pay for construction costs that were spent on converting the building to a new purpose.

In 2016, the storied original “Chicago Defender” building at 3435 Indiana Ave., was restored 28 years after it was designated a Chicago landmark. However, the building in the city’s historic Bronzeville neighborhood remains empty. The Defender is now located on the city’s prominent Martin Luther King Drive.

While the EBONY/Jet building is important to Black history, there are questions about its age compared to other Chicago landmarks. Most Chicago landmarks were built in the 1800s, 1900s and early 20th century.

While many are over 100 years old, the EBONY/Jet building has stood for only 46 years. It would be the “newest landmark” among the city’s historic structures. With landmark designation, the building will be harder to sell to developers who usually aim to tear down structures to make way for bigger ones, especially in high-profile areas like Michigan Avenue.

Without a buyer, the EBONY/ Jet building could sit vacant for a long time as time and neglect takes its toll on the structure. Too small of an office building by today’s standards, the building will face heavy competition from the handful of residential skyscrapers that will be built just blocks away.

Located across from picturesque Grant Park, the EBONY/Jet building was built in 1971 for $8 million or $46 million by in today’s dollars.

It was a stunning achievement for John H. Johnson, who became the only Black business executive on tony Michigan Avenue. An insurance salesman who worked at the Supreme Life Insurance building in Bronzeville, Johnson used his mother’s furniture for collateral to borrow $500 to build his media empire.

When it opened, then-Mayor Richard J. Daley closed Michigan Avenue as part of the festivities.

Over the years, the who’s who of Black America passed through the building’s doors, from actress Diahann Carroll to boxer Muhammad Ali. Designed by renowned Black architect John Warren Moutoussamy, the 110,000 sq. ft. building won praise for its bold colors and interior design. Today, the building still has a unique driveway that allowed

Johnson to drive into the basement parking lot—a feature granted by then-Mayor Daley. In 1982, Johnson became the first Black man on Forbes’ 400 wealthiest Americans list. At one point in his life, Johnson had an estimated wealth of $600 million—a number much higher when adjusted for inflation.

Johnson died in 2005, and his viewing in the building’s lobby drew hundreds of mourners. Cashstrapped Johnson Publishing sold the building to neighboring Columbia College for $8 million in a deal, but many believed the building was worth much more. Johnson Publishing Company moved several blocks north before selling off its media empire to a small investment firm in 2016.

Columbia College planned to turn the building into a library, but those plans never materialized. Last year, the school put the EBONY/Jet building on the market. With soaring real estate values on Michigan Avenue, the cost of purchasing the EBONY/Jet building will be out of reach for most Black business owners.

Sources told the Crusader that a handful of developers were interested in tearing the EBONY/ Jet building down before it was given preliminary landmark status.

One interested developer wants to turn the building into residential apartments. In fact, one week before city officials announced preliminary landmark status of the EBONY/ Jet building, they also announced that the Essex Inn Hotel would be given similar designation. In 2014, the Essex Inn was purchased by the Oxford Capital Group, which is rehabbing and expanding the hotel as part of a plan to build a skyscraper between it and the EastWest University building that’s next door to the EBONY/Jet building.

Alderman Sophia King (4th) submitted the application to give landmark status to the EBONY/Jet building. When she was appointed interim alderman by the mayor last year, King inherited one of the city’s wealthiest wards and most diverse segments of the city.

The Crusader contacted King for comments for this story, but as of press time, the newspaper had not received a response.

The Chicago Crusader is a member publication of the National Newspaper Publishers Association.

Learn more about becoming a member at www.nnpa.org.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

Help Wanted:

Immediate opening for construction laborer for Heavy and Highway Construction. Please call PJF Construction Corp.@ 860-888-9998. We are an equal opportunity employer M/F Help Wanted: Immediate opening for Dump Truck Driver for Heavy and Highway Construction. CDL A license and clean driving record required.

Please call PJF Construction Corp. @ 860-888-9998. We are an equal opportunity employer M/F. Resident Services & Administration Assistant The Housing Authority of the Town of Westport Minimum Salary: $42,500 annual Application DEADLINE is MARCH 24, 2017 General Description of Work:

The Resident Services & Administration Assistant is a key Westport Housing Authority (WHA) staff position that insures residents’ services are the Authority’s first priority. In addition, the Resident Services & Administration Assistant is responsible for initial and ongoing engagement of residents and related administrative duties. The Resident Services & Administration Assistant is also responsible for assisting the Director of Programs and Resident Services in the administration, monitoring, and oversight of resident files and records; applicants’ eligibility determinations; waiting list inquiries; and other tasks required insuring 100% occupancy at the WHA and its affiliates’ housing properties. A full job description and employment application is available at www.westportct.gov or by calling 203-227-4672 x 12. Applications must be postmarked on or before March 24, 2017 to be considered and the WHA reserves the right to be begin interviewing candidates prior to the application deadline.

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of: (1) a background check, (2) a physical examination, including drug screening, and (3) a 90-day probationary period.

Applications & job descriptions are available at the Westport Housing Authority’s office located at 5 Canal Street, Westport, CT 06880, Monday-Friday, 11 A.M. to 4 P.M, or downloaded from the website listed above. To be considered for this position, the applicant must complete the job application and attached a Resume which should be mailed to the address above. Fax, email or hand delivered applications will not be accepted. Minority and Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply. The Housing Authority of the Town of Westport is EOE, M/F/D employer.

INVITATION TO BID Viking Construction, Inc. is soliciting interested Connecticut vendors and subcontractors for renovation of existing buildings for the Lawnhill Terrace Phase 2 project located on Custer Street, Stamford, CT. This projects consists of 55,500 SF residential renovation of 8 buildings providing 60 residential units. The renovation will take place over an 11 month duration commencing 2nd Quarter 2017 and the work will include but not be limited to: Div 1 Cleaning, Temporary Facilities; Div 2 Demolition and Abatement, Sitework, Paving, Utilities, Landscaping, Fence; Div 3 Site Concrete for walks and ramps; Div 4 Masonry cleaning; Div 5 Exterior railings; Div 6 Rough Carpentry, Finish carpentry, wood stairs and railings; Div 7 Insulation, Siding, Exterior Trim, Shingle Roofing; Div 8 Doors, Hardware, Windows; Div 9 Drywall, Resilient Flooring, Paint; Div 10 Signs, Toilet Accessories; Div 11 Appliances; Div 12 Residential Kitchen & Bath Casework and Plastic Laminate tops, Simulated Stone countertops, Window Treatment; Div 15 HVAC, Plumbing; Div 16 Electrical.

This project is subject to the CT small contractor set-aside program administered through CHRO (25% SBE/6.25% MBE) as well as HUD Section 3 Business and Hiring requirements.

Viking Construction encourages the participation of all SBE/MBEs currently certified with Connecticut DAS Supplier Diversity program as well as any HUD Section 3 businesses.

All interested companies who have not already received a direct invitation by Viking Construction, Inc. may request it and shall submit their complete company information, qualifications, and bonding capacity on or before 3/3/2017 by Noon via fax 203-4062167 or email: estimating@vikingconstruction.net. All subcontractor/vendor bids are due

by March 14, 2017 at Noon to Viking Construction, Inc via fax 203-406-2167 or email: estimating@vikingconstruction.net Viking Construction, Inc. is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

CDL CLASS A TRACTOR TRAILER DRIVER NEEDED. F/T SEND RESUME: GWF@SNET.NET OR CALL 860-274-9668 Thank you, Susan

NOTICE OF INVITATION FOR BID HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF DANBURY Roofing Project/Fairfield Ridge IFB No. B17002

CONTACT PERSON HOW TO OBTAIN THE IFB DOCUMENTS:

BID SUBMITTAL RETURN PRE-BID WALK THROUGH BID SUBMITTAL DEADLINE/BID OPENING

Ms. Devin Marra, Director of Procurement Telephone: 203-744-2500 x141 E-Mail: dmarra@hacdct.org Contact Ms. Devin Marra, via phone or email.

Housing Authority of the City of Danbury 2 Mill Ridge Rd, Danbury, CT 06811 Envelope Must be Marked: IFB No. B17002 Roofing Project/Fairfield Ridge Housing Authority of the City of Danbury 13-15 Fairfield Ridge, Danbury, CT 06811 March 15, 2017 at 10:00am March 21, 2017 at 9:00am

[Minority- and/or women-owned businesses are encouraged to respond]

KMK Insulation Inc. 1907 Hartford Turnpike North Haven, CT 06473

Mechanical Insulator

Insulation Company offering good pay and benefits.

Please forward resume via REGULAR MAIL only.

This company is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

TOWN CLERK ASSISTANT TOWN CLERK - Assists in the administration and supervision of the

Town Clerks Office. Supervises clerical workers and others assigned. Position requires H.S. graduation or GED and 6 yrs. experience office work of which one (1) year involved supervision.

College level training in business or public administration or related field may be substituted for work experience on the basis of one (1) year of college for one (1) year of work experience up to four (4) years. Must possess and maintain State of Connecticut certification as a Municipal Clerk within three (3) years of hire. Salary: $23.52 to $28.48 hourly, plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Apply: Personnel Department, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. The closing date will be that date the 75th application form/resume is received, or March 15, 2017, whichever occurs first. EOE

New Reach Inc., with its Managing Agent DeMarco Management Corporation are pleased

to announce that applications are being accepted March 15, 2017 through April 28, 2017 for the Geller Commons Apartments located at 135-145 Sanford St., Hamden, CT. We have spacious one-bedroom units. Amenities include all new appliances, handicap accessible units, heat and hot water is included. Geller Commons is a smoke free community. Certain program and income limit restrictions apply. Applications are available at DeMarco Management Corporation, 117 Murphy Rd, Hartford, CT 06114 or you can request an application either by phone (860)951-9411 email at: compliance@demarcomc.com or by AT&T relay service by dialing 711. All applications must be returned to DeMarco Management by midnight on April 28, 2017. **APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AT THE PROPERTY** Project Financed by Connection Housing Finance Authority Equal Housing Opportunities

New Reach Inc., con su Agente Gerente DeMarco Management Corporation, se complace en anunciar que las solicitudes serán aceptadas entre el 15 de marzo de 2017 y el 28 de abril de 2017 para los Geller Commons Apartments ubicados en 135-145 Sanford St., Hamden, CT. Tenemos amplias unidades de un dormitorio. Las comodidades incluyen todos los electrodomésticos nuevos, unidades accesibles para discapacitados, caliente y agua caliente está incluido.

Geller Commons es una comunidad libre de humo. Ciertas restricciones de límites de ingresos y programas se aplican. Las solicitudes están disponibles en DeMarco Management Corporación, 117 Murphy Rd, Hartford, CT 06114 o al (866) 951-9411 correo electrónico: compliance@demarcomc.como por servicio de retransmisión AT & T marcando 711. Todas las solicitudes deben devolverse a DeMarco Manejo a medianoche del 28 de abril de 2017. ** APLICACIONES NO SERÁN ACEPTADAS EN LA PROPIEDAD ** Projecto de Finanzas por CHFA Igualdad de Oportunidades de Vivienda

26

Construction oriented company seeking full-time Accounting/Administrative Assistant to answer phones, schedule sales appts, filing, typing & other general office duties. Will also have accounting responsibilities-data entry, sales order billing, and processing A/P transactions, supporting our overthe-counter sales person, the controller & CFO. Min 5 yrs. Related experience, excellent written & verbal skills, ability to multitask, knowledge of basic accounting principles, excellent computer skills (5+ yrs. Experience) with Excel & Word, accounting software knowledge a plus. $31,200 annual salary-negotiable based on experience & qualifications. AA/EOE Email resume to mmunzner@atlasoutdoor.com

Request for Specialty Crop Block Grant Concept Proposals The Connecticut Department of Agriculture is seeking concept proposal for projects that solely enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. Specialty crops are defined by the USDA as fruits and vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, maple syrup, honey, horticulture, and nursery crops.

Projects must impact and produce measurable outcomes for the specialty crop industry and/or the public. Projects cannot begin until after January 1, 2018, and must be completed

by September 29, 2020. The maximum award is $75,000.

More info and complete application guidelines are available at www.CTGrown.gov/grants, or by contacting Jaime Smith at 860-713-2559 or jaime.smith@ct.gov.

Concept proposals are due to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture by 4:00 p.m. on March 29, 2017.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

POLICE OFFICER Competitive examinations will be held for the position of Police Officer in the Guilford, Hamden, North Haven, Orange, Seymour, Torrington and West Haven Police Departments.

Initial examination phases will be physical performance, written, and oral. Candidates may apply online at www. policeapp.com. Application deadline is March 8, 2017.

Housing Authority of the City of New Haven Invitation for Bids Interior and Exterior Door Installation and Repair The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities is currently seeking Bids for Interior and Exterior Door Installation and Repair. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Monday, February 13, 2017 at 3:00 PM

ALL DEPARTMENTS PARTICIPATING IN THIS RECRUITMENT DRIVE

Elm City Communities

The Housing Authority of the City of Norwalk, CT

Request for Proposals Unarmed Security Guards

ARE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYERS.

is seeking proposals for FINANCIAL ADVISORY SERVICES. RFP documents can be viewed and printed at www.norwalkha.org under the business tab, RFPs/RFQs. Norwalk Housing Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Curtis O. Law, Executive Director

Housing Authority City of New Haven d/b/a Elm city Communities is currently seeking Proposals for Unarmed Security Guards. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Monday February 13, 2017 at 3:00 PM

The Housing Authority of the City of Norwalk, CT

CDL CLASS A TRACTOR TRAILER DRIVER NEEDED. F/T SEND RESUME: GWF@SNET.NET OR CALL 860-274-9668 Thank you, Susan

is seeking proposals for MIXED-FINANCE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT LEGAL CONSULTING SERVICES. RFP documents can be viewed and printed at www.norwalkha.org under the business tab, RFPs/RFQs. Norwalk Housing Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Curtis O. Law, Executive Director

Bridge Repair Crew – must have reliable transportation and be willing to travel statewide, Operator, Driver, Laborer, M/F, 5-15 years Heavy Highway Exp, OSHA 10, Immediate Opening 860-6648042, Fax 860-664-9175michelle@occllc.com EOE, AA, Females and Minorities encouraged to apply

SHOP EQUIPMENT MANAGER HEAVY AND HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

Immediate opening for Highly Organized, Self Motivated, Multitask Shop Manager

Elementary Café Manager

10 months per year – 20 hours per week The Town of Wallingford Board of Education Food Service Department is seeking a skilled individual to coordinate and manage the activities of the other foodservice employees within the facility. Applicants must have a high school degree or equivalent. Ability to read, write, and speak English. Individuals must have experience in food service with school food service experience preferred. Supervisory experience also preferred. Special Requirement: Must possess sanitation certification from an approved Dept. of Education source. Hourly Rate of $16.41 per hour plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Apply to: Personnel Department, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Fax #: (203) 294-2084. Closing date will be March 1, 2017 or the date the 50th application is received, whichever occurs first. EOE.

Skills & Duties required: • Five Years Experience in Overseeing Shop Maintenance • Strong Mechanical Knowledge of Heavy & Highway Equipment • Manage, Plan, Direct & Motivate Mechanics Day to Day Activities • Implement All Aspects of Equipment Repair Including: Managing Vendors, Procurement of Parts & Supplies , • Develop Reports to Forecast, Track & Budget All Equipment Expenses • Ensure Equipment Compliance with All Federal & State Regulations • Assist Field Operators w Trouble Shooting & Emergency Repairs • Competent w Microsoft Word, EXCEL, MANAGER PLUS and Timberline Software Equal Opportunity Employer Minority and female candidates are highly encouraged to apply Apply: Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming 22 Peters Rd Bloomfield, CT 06002 Phone: 860-243-2300 Fax 860-243-3100

\Send resumes & salary requirements to:

Email: garrity.careers@garrityasphalt.com

CONTRACTOR OPPORTUNITY - BRIDGEPORT Construction Resources, Inc., an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, seeks certified MBE/WBE/SBE Subcontractors and/or suppliers and local business enterprises to bid applicable sections of work/equipment/supplies for the following construction project: Project known as South End Commons - Demolition of existing properties and new construction of eight (8) residential two-family dwellings and site improvements located on Columbia Street and Johnson Street in Bridgeport, CT. Bid Date and Time: Tuesday, February 21, 2017 by 12:00 noon. Electronic Plans and specifications can be obtained at no charge by contacting Mark Rubins at Construction Resources Farmington office at (860) 678-0663 or by email to mark@corebuilds.com.

Town of Bloomfield

Assistant Director of Public Works Salary $74,337 - $114,743 For details and how to apply, go to www.bloomfieldct.org Pre-employment drug testing required AA/EOE 27

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

LEGAL NOTICE The Bristol Housing Authority is developing its 2017-2021 Agency Plans in compliance with the HUD Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998. It is available for review at the Authority’s office located at 164 Jerome Ave., Bristol, CT. The Authority’s hours of operation are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Tuesday 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and Thursday 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

In addition, a Public Hearing will be held on February 16, 2017 at 3:00 p.m. at Gaylord Towers Community Hall located at 55 Gaylord Street, Bristol, CT. Public comments will be received no later than February 27, 2017 at 4:30 p.m. EOE

Grants Administration

Program Planning Administrator-Seeking a highly qualified professional to administer, manages, and oversees the Town’s Grants and Economic Development Programs. Serves as a representative on various intergovernmental and interagency organizations. The minimum qualifications: Bachelor’s degree from a recognized college or university in government or public administration plus three years (3) of progressively responsible public administration and at least two years (2) of grant writing experience or an equivalent combination of education and qualifying experience substituting on a year-for-year basis. $77,695-$99,410 plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Apply to: Personnel Department, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Closing date will be December 15, 2016. EOE.

ELECTRICIANS

Semac Electric is seeking Electricians (CT Licensed Journeymen & Foremen, E1 and E2) to join our team for medium & large commercial construction projects thru out the State of CT: Hartford, Fairfield & New Haven Counties. We have excellent wages and benefits. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applications available at our main office at 45 Peter Court, New Britain, CT or send resume to P.O. Box 638, New Britain, CT 06050 or via fax to 860-229-0406 or email: careers@ semacelectric.com

Mechanical Insulator

Insulation Company offering good pay and benefits.

Please forward resume to P.O. Box 475, North Haven, CT 06473 This company is an APPRENTICE

Telecommunications Company looking for apprentice to learn indoor and outdoor low voltage cable installation, aerial bucket work, messenger and lashing; manhole and underground installation. Good salary with benefits. Fax resume to 860-6432124 or mail to Fibre Optic Plus, 302 Adams Street, Manchester, CT 06042.

Attn: Greg Brown AA/EEO Employer AFFIRMATIVE ACTION / EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The Housing Authority of the City of Norwalk, CT

The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport

Invitation for Bid (IFB) Trumbull Gardens – Building 10 & 11 Roof Replacement Solicitation Number: 075-PD-17-S The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport d/b/a Park City Communities (PCC) is requesting sealed bids for the replacement of roofs at Trumbull Gardens building 10 & 11. A complete set of the plans and technical specifications will be available on February 15, 2017. To obtain a copy of the solicitation you must send your request to bids@parkcitycommunities.org, please reference solicitation number and title on the subject line.

A pre-bid conference will be held at 150 Highland Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06604 on March 1, 2017 @ 2:00 p.m.

Although attendance is not mandatory, submitting a bid for the project without attending conference is not in the best interest of the Offeror. Additional questions should be emailed only to bids@parkcitycommunities.org no later than March 10, 2017 @ 2:00 p.m. Answers to all the questions will be posted on PCC’s Website: www. parkcitycommunities.org. All bids must be received by mailed or hand delivered by March 21, 2017 @ 2:00 PM, to Ms. Caroline Sanchez, Contract Specialist, 150 Highland Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06604, at which time and place all bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. No bids will be accepted after the designated time.

CONTRACTOR OPPORTUNITY - BRIDGEPORT

Construction Resources, Inc., an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, seeks certified MBE/WBE/SBE Subcontractors and/or suppliers and local business enterprises to bid applicable sections of work/equipment/supplies for the following construction project: Project known as South End Commons - Demolition of existing properties and new construction of eight (8) residential two-family dwellings and site improvements located on Columbia Street and Johnson Street in Bridgeport, CT. Bid Date and Time: Tuesday, February 21, 2017 by 12:00 noon. Electronic Plans and specifications can be obtained at no charge by contacting Mark Rubins at Construction Resources Farmington office at (860) 678-0663 or by email to mark@corebuilds.com.

Electrical Apprentice Maintenance Electrician - The Town of Wallingford Public Utilities, Electric Division is seeking an individual to perform maintenance and installation of electrical equipment such as but not limited to maintaining and repairing high and low voltage equipment. Position requires completion of high school, technical high school or trade school plus two (2) years’ experience in electrical maintenance or construction OR an equivalent combination of education and qualifying experience substituting on a year-for-year basis.

Must possess and maintain a valid State of Connecticut motor vehicle operator’s license. Wages: $24.63– $32.77 hourly and an excellent fringe benefit package. Apply to: Personnel Department, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Fax #: (203) 294-2084. The closing date will be the date the 75th application or resume is received or January 30, 2017 whichever occurs first. EOE.

Common Ground High School Seeks Curriculum Development Consultant Common Ground High School is seeking an experienced, creative professional who can work with teachers, school leaders, students, families, and community partners to strengthen our curriculum and classroom teaching — ensuring it is driven by standards, rooted in our local community and unique site, culturally relevant and inclusive, contributing to social justice, and pushing students towards both environmental leadership and college success. For a complete job description and compensation information, please visit http:// commongroundct.org/2017/01/common-ground-seeks-curriculum-development-consultant

is seeking bids for Janitorial Services. Bidding documents can be viewed and printed at www. norwalkha.org under the business tab, RFPs/ RFQs. Norwalk Housing Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Curtis O. Law, Executive Director

Responsible for leadership, management & maintenance of plant infrastructure and all related/associated equipment.

5 plus years supervisory experience. Email: Info@redtechllc.com, Fax: 860-218-2433, RED Technologies, LLC is an EOE.

ELECTRICIANS

Class A CDL Driver with 3 years min. exp. HAZMAT Endorsed. (Tractor/Triaxle/Roll-off) Some overnights may be required. FAX resumes to RED Technologies, at 860.342-1042;

Semac Electric is seeking Electricians (CT Licensed Journeymen & Foremen, E1 and E2) to join our team for medium & large commercial construction projects thru out the State of CT: Hartford, Fairfield & New Haven Counties. We have excellent wages and benefits. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applications available at our main office at 45 Peter Court, New Britain, CT or send resume to

Facilities Manager – Portland, CT:

Class A Driver Email: HR@redtechllc.com Mail or in person: 173 Pickering Street, Portland, CT 06480.

RED Technologies, LLC is An EOE.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

Toddler Special Mon-Thurs 10-12 • 1 Parent 1 Toddler • Only $15 1 hr $20 2 hr

$60 off

frequent jumper

10 1-hour jump/play passes reg. $150 now $90 Complete coupon must be presented at time of purchase.

One coupon per person. These coupons are only valid in park, in person, and not valid for online purchases.

Cannot be combined with any other offers. Exp: 9/30/16

FREE

buy 1 hour, get second hour free buy 1 hour and jump/play for two hours Mon-Thurs only. Not to be combined with any other offer or promotion. Not valid online. Does not include required jump socks. Exp: 9/30/16

$20 off

HOURS: 10AM TO 10PM • 7 DAYS A WEEK

any Birthday Party booked Monday - Friday Coupon MUST be mentioned when booking. Coupon must be redeemed at time of party to receive discount.

Exp: 9/30/16

203-989-3357 • jumpoffct.com 27

29

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

ELSIE COFIELD

Women and Girls

HIV/AIDS AWARENESS AWARDS Friday, March 10, 2017 • 5:30 – 7:30 PM BRAMS Hall, 150 Kimberly Ave, New Haven

Join us as we recognize amazing people who have done great work for HIV/AIDS in the Greater New Haven area: • Nijajuan Howard • Dr. Pellenberg • Trinidad Medina • Liberty Community Services • Admission is free and open to the public • Light refreshments will be available

cornellscott.org This event is brought to you by the Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center Infectious Diseases Division.

In Recognition of National Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day 30

Featuring Guest Speaker Gloria Searson Gloria Searson is a talented entrepreneur, renowned healthcare advocate, community leader, educator and speaker in the area of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C. She has had the opportunity to be the guest/keynote speaker in cities across the country and abroad.

Gloria birthed the Coalition On Positive Health Empowerment (COPEhealth.org). As President and Founding Director, Gloria leads COPE in its commitment to eradicate Hepatitis C. 032017

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

31

THE INNER-CITY NEWS March 08, 2017 - March 14, 2017

Black-ish available on XFINITY TV app.

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When life gets crazy, stay sane with XFINITY X1. Enjoy instant access to the latest episodes of the top 100 shows and loads of kids’ programming. With the X1 DVR, record and watch up to six shows at the same time and much more. Plus, XFINITY Internet delivers the speed you need for all your devices.

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Offer ends 3/12/17, and is limited to new residential customers. Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. Requires subscription to Starter XF Triple Play with Digital Starter TV, Performance Pro Internet and XFINITY Voice Unlimited services. Early termination fee applies if all XFINITY services are cancelled during the agreement term. Equipment, installation, taxes and fees, including regulatory recovery fees, Broadcast TV Fee (up to $7.00/mo.), Regional Sports Network Fee (up to $5.00/mo.) and other applicable charges extra and subject to change during and after the promo. After promo, or if any service is cancelled or downgraded, regular charges apply (subject to change). Service limited to a single outlet. May not be combined with other offers. TV: Limited Basic service subscription required to receive other levels of service. XFINITY On Demand selections subject to charge indicated at time of purchase.

Internet: Actual speeds vary and are not guaranteed. Money-back guarantee applies to one month’s recurring service charge and standard installation charges up to $500. Voice: $29.95 activation fee applies. If there is a power outage or network issue, calling, including calls to 911, may be unavailable. Two-year term agreement required with prepaid card offers. Early termination fee applies if all XFINITY services are cancelled during the agreement term.

Cards issued by MetaBank®, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa® U.S.A. Inc. Cards will not have cash access and can be used everywhere Visa® debit cards are accepted. Money-back guarantee applies to one month’s recurring service charge and standard installation charges up to $500. © 2017 Comcast. All rights reserved. EMPIRE TM & © 2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPA199442-0002 DIV17-1-203-AA-$89TPsale-A2

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01

2/13/17 5:24 PM