Harp Announces Spending Freeze THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
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28 New City Cops Sworn In THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
by ALLAN APPEL
NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT
Three of New Haven’s newest cops first got pepper-sprayed then had their badges pinned on them by parents who know what it’s like to walk the beat. The three were among 30 graduates of the 22nd class of the New Haven Police Academy to official become officers at a ceremony Friday night at Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School. Police brass, commissioners, the mayor and both U.S. senators helped preside over an event that drew nearly 200 people to hoot and holler, cheer on and shout words of pride and praise to the 30 men and women who finished seven months of rigorous training with the traditional oath-taking and badge-pinning ceremony. Of the 30 recruits who became officers, two will go to serve in Trumbull and 28 in New Haven. The festive ceremony has always been a family affair, with at least 90 percent of the new officers getting pinned by parents, siblings, cousins, or friends either in the New Haven Police Department, active or retired, or in police, fire or other uniformed service organizations in nearby communities. Friday night’s festivities were no different. The pictured three proud police parents—Ret. Lt. Makiem Miller, father of Officer Mariah Miller; Sgt Steven Teague, Sr., father of Officer Steven Teague Jr.l and and Officer Omaida Nieves, mother of Officer Justiano Nieves—not only pinned, and then kissed, their children at the ceremony. They had also peppersprayed them during training earlier this summer. Miller said all police recruits in New Haven are themselves “O.Ced” as part of their training so they know what the experience is like to be on the receiving end. “O.C.” is shorthand for oleoresin capsicum, the main ingredient in pepper spray. He and Teague and Nieves were invited to the academy to do the honors on their own children. Scenes of the parents pepper spraying their kids were among the lighter moments in a vivid video of what training had been like. In another New Haven academy tradition, the video
ALLAN APPEL PHOTO The
mayor administers the oath.
was created by the recruits themselves “It made up for all those diaper days,” quipped Nieves. She said her son’s decision to become a cop completely surprised her, as he had been away in Colorado in the summer of 2016 becoming certified as a fitness instructor. When he expressed an interest in the career his mother pursues, Nieves said, she guided him to preparation for the academy. She took him to the shooting range. “He liked that part of it,” she added, and he was hooked on the career. Miller said he was not surprised that his daughter Mariah ended up following in his footsteps because she saw that his career has been a successful one. He retired as a New Haven district manager last year and is now chief of police at Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, N.C. Nieves said she is “happy but nervous” her son is following in her footsteps. “There are a lot of risks in this work,” she noted. Sgt. Teague was not only celebrating his son Steven, Jr. becoming a New Haven police officer. He wanted to mention that he’s equally proud of a second son, Jordan, who last wee The oldest officer graduating in the the 22nd class was 46-year-old Nicholas Gogliettino. The academy’s executive officer, Sgt. Elliot Rosa, joked Gogliettino in particular “felt the pain.” He admitted that he was ribbed during the training, “but in a good way.” Gogliettino, who celebrated afterwards with his wife Michellem
Proud pepper-spraying cop parents Teague, Miller, Nieves.
Ret. city cop Monique Cain pins her son, Warren Waller.
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10-year-old daughter Ava and 16-year-old daughter Gianna, said that it was always in his heart to become a beat cop. After serving as a judicial marshal, including at the Whalley Avenue lock-up for the last nine years, he made a decision to go for the academy. He had been in an academy class ten years ago, but dropped out because one of his kids was just a baby then, “and it wasn’t the right time.” Mayor Harp called the graduation an opportunity to asses the state of public safety in town. Her conclusion: the right balance of the officers’ top notch training —along with the deployment of walking beats and the use of innovative new technologies—have combined so that for six consecutive years across the board crime has been declining, she said. “New Haven is setting the standard not only in Connecticut but for urban settings from coast to coast,” she added. The Millers said they were going to celebrate with dinner at the Cheesecake Factory in Trumbull; the Gogliettino girls were lobbying for Friendlys; and Officer Omaida Nieves said that since many family members had not been able to get into town for Friday’s ceremony, she planned to hold a party for them all at home on Saturday. None will have much time to rest. The officers were to begin their three months of field training at midnight on Sunday, when some get deployed, with veteran partners, to the night shift, said Assistant Chief Archie Generoso. The graduating officers included: Kaitlyn Arcamone; Randy Billups; Yonick Crawford; Vincent Destefanis; Diamond Dickerson; Alexia Emery; Kenneth Erdos; Gary Gamarra; Nicholas Gogliettino; Aaron Grimaldi; Cesar Gutierrez; Stephanie James; David LaVorgna; Kyle Listro; Ryan Lopez; Mariah Miller; Tyler Moreau; Justiano Nieves; Nicholas Pates; Stephen Perry; Michael Pierne; Gregory Reynolds; Luis Rivera; Annastassia Scott; John Sklenka; Steven Teague Jr; Thomas Testa Jr; Ramonel Torres; Paul Vakos Jr; and Warren Waller.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
New Haven Chapter of The Girl Friends, Inc Celebrates 85 years; A portion of its proceeds will go to The Dr. Reginald Mayo Early Childhood School Library and the New Stetson Library, both of New Haven, CT
(New Haven, CT) – The New Haven Chapter of Girl Friends®, Inc., will celebrate 85 years of Conviviality and commitment to the Greater New Haven area communities, with the theme “Friendship with Purpose” on Saturday, June 17th, 2017, 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Aria in Prospect CT. Democratic Strategist, CNN Commentator and former Press Secretary for Senator Bernie Sanders’ Campaign, Symone Sanders, and the CEO of the American Psychological Association, Dr. Arthur Evans have been chosen as the Luncheon’s honorees. Over three hundred guests from the tri-state area and from across the country, including the National President of The Girl Friends, Inc., Dr. Benita Shobe, are expected to attend this highend affair. The Girl Friends®, Inc., was formed by Eunice Shreeves and other young women Over the years, in 1927 during the Harlem Renaissance. It is one of the most well-respected African-American women’s social and civic groups in the United States. Formed during the creative decade known as the “Harlem Renaissance”, college-bound Eunice Shreeves of Brooklyn, New York got three friends together over “a pot of
New Haven Girlfriends, Inc. left to right of Diane Turner, Mycki Jennings,Luncheon Co-Chairs, and Shuana Tucker, President of the New Haven Chapter of Girl Friends, Inc.
stew”, and formed a club to help them maintain their close relationship. Chapters in Philadelphia (1928), Baltimore (1930), Boston (1931), and New Jersey and New Haven, (1932) followed. Ninety years later, more than 1,700 members and 47 chapters have evolved from that ‘pot of stew.’ While its founding was based on friendship, The Girl Friends®, Inc. have taken on charitable and cultural endeavors: supporting the N.A.A.C.P. Legal Defense Fund, The Children’s Defense Fund, the United Negro College Fund. As one of the oldest chapters in the country, (organized by Hamden resident Agnes Bolore Clark), New Haven has sponsored two neighboring chapters: Springfield (Mass.) and Fairfield County (1935 and 1939, respectively.) The New Haven Chapter was the first to host the national convention (conclave), and was the first African-American organization in the city to hold an event in New Haven’s Hotel Taft. Not only are New Haven and Hartford Girl Friends®, Inc. active in the community through their churches, education and youth groups, its New Haven, Waterbury and Hartford and Shoreline based
Honors Commentator Symone Sanders and CEO Arthur Evans
23 Arrested In Yale Union Protest by MARKESHIA RICKS & LUCY GELLMAN
The eight Yale graduate students sitting back-to-back in a circle at the intersection of Elm and York streets had a few options: They could do as the officers requested and get out of the street. They could stay and be ticketed. Or like some of their colleagues simultaneously blocking Church and Chapel and at College and Grove streets, they could be taken into custody. After about 45 minutes of blocking the street Thursday morning — an act that required the New Haven police officers to strategi-
MARKESHIA RICKS PHOTOS
Protesters block the intersection of Elm and York Thursday.
cally block off city streets to stop cars from speeding down Elm Street — the protesters chose the ticket for disorderly conduct and
got out of the street. Meanwhile, another contingent of members performed a similar act, blocking College and Chapel
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streets. But they decided to require police officers to carry them from the street. Seven more accepted tickets and voluntarily left a third spot where they were blocking traffic, at Grove and College. So went the latest effort by UNITE HERE Local 33 members to get Yale Univesity to recognize its new union of graduate student teachers and come to the negotiating table. Police arrested a total of 23 graduate students for blocking traffic at the three locations. Members of the union have been engaged in a water-only fast for 16 days. This was the first time
that the protest has moved to city streets. Sarah Arveson, a second-year Ph.D. student in Yale’s geology and geophysics department, said it was with good reason that the union cause was made more visible to the wider public Thursday. It was Move Out Day for Yale undergraduates. Protesters wanted to let parents know the extent of what she said was a “crisis of sexual harassment and sexual assault.” “Obviously, over 1,000 undergraduates signed the petition in support of our fast and in support of our campaign, so we know that Con’t on page 25
THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
Quinnipiac University’s School of Engineering seeking high school students to participate in online camp on simulation July 10-28 The School of Engineering at Quinnipiac University is accepting registrations for a 19-day online summer camp for high school students who are interested in learning about simulation. The camp will run from July 10-28. “This is a great opportunity for high school students to receive a certificate and learn simulation, particularly for students who are interested in pursuing an engineering or business degree at a university,” said Emre Tokgoz, assistant professor of industrial engineering. “In addition, since it’s all online, the students will be involved in a world-wide competition for the top prizes awarded at the camp.” Students who enroll will use FlexSim, a simulation software that helps users to model, simulate, predict and visualize systems
Emre Tokgoz, assistant professor of industrial engineering at Quinnipiac University. Photo by Adam L. Coppola.
in such areas as manufacturing, material handling, health care and warehousing mining. Participants will learn to use
Excel for simulation and statistics, solve engineering problems, understand and implement basic statistics concepts and manage several different environments using FlexSim. In addition, they will create 3D charts and graphs and derive statistical reports. Students also will experience the predictive power of simulation through experimentation, Tokgoz said. “As a result of attending the camp, they will be able to identify efficiencies, understand bottlenecks and manage various industrial work environments,” Tokgoz said. Registration is $399. For more information, email iesummercamp@qu.edu or visit flexsim. com/qu. About the School of Engineering at Quinnipiac University The School of Engineering be-
came the ninth school at Quinnipiac in 2016. The school offers degrees in civil, industrial, mechanical and software engineering, and computer science. Housed in the newly renovated Center for Communications and Engineering, the school features modern facilities, including a laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment. Dedicated to providing a highquality engineering learning experience for its students, the school focuses on high-quality instruction, and offers hands-on training, applied learning opportunities and meaningful student-faculty relationships. About Quinnipiac University Quinnipiac is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution located 90 minutes north of New York City and two hours from Bos-
ton. The university enrolls 6,784 full-time undergraduate and 2,884 graduate and part-time students in 100 degree programs through its Schools of Business, Communications, Education, Engineering, Health Sciences, Law, Medicine, Nursing and College of Arts and Sciences. Quinnipiac consistently ranks among the top regional universities in the North in U.S. News & World Report’s America’s “Best Colleges” issue. Quinnipiac also is recognized in Princeton Review’s “The Best 381 Colleges.” The Chronicle of Higher Education has named Quinnipiac among the “Great Colleges to Work For.” For more information, please visit www.qu.edu. Connect with Quinnipiac on Facebook at www.facebook.com/quinnipiacunews and follow Quinnipiac on Twitter @ QuinnipiacU.
Anthony Campbell Named New Police Chief, Targets Domestic Violence by PAUL BASS
NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT
Interim Police Chief Anthony Campbell is set to be sworn in as the permanent police chief on June 1. Campbell said his priorities include starting a “family justice center” to tackle domestic violence and building more community trust in his cops. Mayor Toni Harp selected Campbell to become the new chief after a search committee reviewed 24 applicants. Campbell was among three finalists interviewed for the job; the others were Assistant Chief Luiz Casanova and retired Assistant Chief Thaddeus Reddish. Harp said Sunday that she felt the search produced “excellent candidates.” “I chose Anthony Campbell because of his intellect, compassion, work ethic, and he scored highest throughout the interview process,” Harp stated. “I am confident that he can lead the department to the next level.” Campbell succeeds Dean Esserman, who left the position last Sept. 2. Campbell has served as interim chief since Esserman’s departure and was widely expected to ascend to the permanent spot.
His immediate challenges include outfitting the force with body cameras. He also assumes the position as unaddressed controversial incidents involving alleged officer misconduct have led to public concern that the department no longer practices community policing. In an interview Sunday, Campbell spoke of addressing that concern by overseeing the coming implementation of body cameras as well as working closely with the soon-tobe-reconstituted Civilian Review Board. He also spoke of efforts underway to start a “family justice center” in New Haven in conjunction with retired police Capt. Julie Johnson. Such centers have succeeded in reducing domestic violence, particularly domestic violence deaths, in places like Brooklyn, Campbell said. “We’ve been able to successfully reduce violent crime for the past six years in our city. But one of the things that seems to be the new horizon is domestic violence,” Campbell said. He described the centers as “one-stop shopping for domestic violence. Instead of sending a person, say, to the shelter, then having a victim advocate over here, then having job assistance over here, it’s all in one place. It has prosecu-
PAUL BASS PHOTO Anthony
Campbell: “Family justice center” in works.
tors, detectives, housing, probation, parole — all of the device that you need in one location. And it’s very public. It’s not a secret.” Police union President Craig Miller Sunday called Campbell’s appointment “a big weight off my shoulders” after months of limbo at the top ranks. “Now this department can finally move forward and get things done. It’s just been stagnant,”
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Miller said. Any of the three finalists would have made a good chief, Miller said. The important point was to finally have one in place. He said he hopes now, for instance, negotiations on a new union contract can start moving along more quickly. The rank and file’s contract expired last year. During Campbell’s tenure as interim chief, “we’ve had some dis-
agreements,” Miller said, but he and Campbell always manage to “sit down and hash it out.” A graduate of Yale College and Yale Divinity School, Campbell grew up in New York. His mom was a corrections officer at Riker’s Island; his dad was incarcerated there. Campbell, who’s 44 years old, has been on the police force for 19 years.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
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Harp Announces Spending Freeze By Paul Bass
NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT
In the wake of a last-minute $1.9 million cut in state aid, Mayor Toni Harp Monday announced a “hard freeze” on city spending through the last six weeks of the fiscal year. Harp spoke about the freeze during her latest appearance on WNHH radio’s “Mayor Monday” program. The Malloy administration informed the city last week that it plans to hold back $1.9 million in planned aid to New Haven for this fiscal year due to the latest unanticipated drop in state tax collections. The city’s fiscal year ends June 30. To avoid ending it in the red, Harp said, she instructed her department heads they may not spend any more money this year that isn’t already contracted, “unless it’s needed for public safety.” “Basically it means that if you haven’t spent it, even if it’s in your budget, if it’s not contracted, it’s gone,” Harp said. “It’s going to affect every single department and police and fire to a limited extent. Every single department’s going to be impacted.” In addition to last week’s cut, the Malloy administration also recently informed the Board of Education that $1.3 million in promised aid this fiscal year won’t be coming after all. Harp said the school board will have to enact measures similar to her freeze. “I’m hoping that they will end in the black, but they may not,” she said. All of this is just a prelude to tougher decisions facing the city for its upcoming fiscal year. The Harp adminsitration’s proposed $554.5 million budget is making its way toward the final stages of review and approval by the Board of Alders. The proposed budget counts on a $31 million increase in state aid based on assurances received earlier this year in Hartford. Harp acknowledged Monday that it now “looks likely” that that $31 million won’t all materialize. On Monday, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced he plans to cut planned municipal aid another $700 million in the upcoming two-year budget due to the state’s projected $5 billion budget. Harp said she and Board of Alders leaders are “looking at alternative ways to balance the budget.” The one last big hope from Hartford appears to be some
LUCY GELLMAN PHOTO Harp
Monday at a Chinese restaurant ribbon-cutting on Orange Street.
version emerging of the governor’s proposal to allow cities to tax real estate owned by local not-for-profit hospitals, which included a promise to have increased federal Medicaid payments reimburse the hospitals for the lost revenue. Harp had originally opposed the idea, then embraced it if the state can come through with a guarantee to make
up any reimbursement shortfalls to the hospitals. She said Monday that legislative leaders are working on a new version of that proposal that uses the term “payments in lieu of taxes” rather than straight-out “taxes.” “It’s a really difficult time,” Harp said. Meanwhile, Harp, a Democrat
who has said for months that she plans for run for a third three-year term this year, said Monday that she plans to make her reelection campaign official at an event at the Sound School Friday at 5 p.m. Marcus Paca and Ira Johnson have also announced they will seek the Democratic Party’s nomination.
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
Paca: I’ll Drive Myself & Own Up To Mistakes by PAUL BASS
NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT
Marcus Paca promised Tuesday that, if elected, he won’t have a police officer drive him around and he will promptly come clean with the public about mistakes like breaches of private health data. During an interview on WNHH radio’s “Dateline New Haven” program, Paca, who is seeking the Democratic mayoral nomination, cited those two positions as examples of how as mayor he would run a tighter fiscal ship and communicate more openly with the public. Paca said he plans to seek the support of the Democratic Town Committee at its upcoming nominating convention. If he fails to win the required one-third of votes to win a position on the Sept. 12 party primary ballot, his team will set about collecting the approximately 4,500 signatures of registered Democrats needed to have his name appear. Paca said he plans to open a campaign office at 132 Grand Ave. and launch a voter registration drive Friday afternoon. Incumbent Mayor Toni Harp, also a Democrat, plans to formally announce her candidacy for a third two-year term at an event at Sound School Friday at 5 p.m. In Tuesday’s interview, Paca said he would end the practice of having police officers drive the mayor. He said he would drive himself around town. “Listen, I’m 39 years of old. The mayor’s [69] years old,” Paca said. “I don’t feel scared or afraid to walk in my own community. A lot of folks look at that as a sign of disrespect. I’m approachable. I am not going to have a chauffeur.” Harp responded Tuesday that she chose to have police drivers after then-Police Chief Dean Esserman recommended it. Esserman cited security concerns. Paca gave the elimination of the driver position, which covers multiple shifts a day and can include overtime, as an example of ways he’d trim the budget.
PAUL BASS PHOTO Marcus
Paca in the WNHH FM studio.
He criticized the Harp administration for proposing a new city budget that raises spending. “We have a spending problem” in New Haven, not a “revenue problem,” he argued, saying he doesn’t believe that the state will come through with a $31 million increase in municipal aid that the proposed budget counts on. Asked for other specific cuts, Paca said he couldn’t produce a total list but offered some suggestions: That better communication can reduce the number of costly lawsuits. That staff travel can be reduced. That “non-essential contracts” for grant-writing and in the education and legal departments can be reexamined. That the city can stop “duplicating” tasks done in the notfor-profit sector, like organizing food policy. The candidate also criticized the Harp administration’s response to the data breach that occurred last July 28 in the health department, as an example of how city government can be run more transparently. The state has charged a 36-year-old former city health
department epidemiologist with two felony charges for allegedly sneaking back into her old office on that date, downloading computer files onto a personal thumb drive, then erasing the private records of at least 587 adults and minors with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) from a government database while an intern and a union steward watched.It took the city close to six months to inform the victims of the breach; federal rules require a 60-day turnaround. The city also never posted a public notice about it — on its website, say — as recommended by the feds; the city’s health director has declined to make any public comments about it. The Office of Civil Rights of the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is conducting an investigation into the case. (HHS spokesman Lou Burton said in an email message Tuesday that the department had no information to release.) Paca Tuesday said the administration should have immediately notified the victims and spoken publicly about the incident, as 6
well as about what it learned form the mistake. “The health department was compliant with reporting requirements once the police department conclude its investigation,” Harp responded Tuesday. Her administration’s position is that, although city officials immediately reported the suspected breach to police the day after it happened, the city needed to wait for a police investigation to confirm the details of the breach before notifying the victims. The city barely made the 60-day deadline after the point at which police notified the health department that it had definitively confirmed the breach. Paca called that explanation “hogwash.” “They knew they did something wrong and tried to cover it up. That’s why they were not forthcoming with the information,” he alleged. “... They took several months out hoping nobody would find out. Let’s call it what it was. It was a coverup.” Asked if he would have fired the union official who escorted the former employee on her mis-
sion that day, Paca said he would need more information to make a determination. He said he would have disciplined the health director. “When we make a mistake because we will make a mistakes no one’s perfect …” Paca said, “we will be man and woman enough as an administration to say that we were wrong, and rectify the situation.” A report from the health department to HHS, obtained through the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act, lists general actions the department has taken in the wake of the breach: “• Adopted encryption technologies “ Changed password/strengthened password requirements “• Implemented new technical safeguards “• Improved physical security “• Provided business associate with additional training on HIPAA requirements “• Revised policies and procedures “• Trained or retrained workforce members.”
THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
New Haven Farms Launches New Urban Farm in Hill North Neighborhood
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE. ON YOUR TIME. IT’S WHAT WE DO. New Haven Farms’ newest program, Hill North Urban Farm at 170 Ward Street, will open officially on Saturday, May 20 at 1pm. The honorable Mayor Toni Harp, community leaders and New Haven Farms leadership will be in attendance to dedicate the farm. The Hill North Urban Farm is the seventh location that New Haven Farms has established to transform under-utilized City-owned land into verdant and productive vegetable farms that directly benefit city residents. The site will feature its Farm-Based Wellness Program, a well-established community outreach program focused on increased vegetable and fruit intake and chronic disease management. Program participants, who are eligible for the 12-week program based on income and health status, are referred by physicians and nurses from one of New Haven Farms’ partner affiliates – Cornell Scott Health Center, Fair Haven Community Health Center and Yale New Haven Primary Care. The program includes free vegetables for a family of five each week, nutritional counseling, cooking classes and recipe sharing. In addition, Hill North neighbors and community members will have the opportunity to volunteer and receive fresh vegetables and fruits throughout the season. A collaboration with the adjacent Career High School will provide Career students with opportunities for community service. New Haven Farms staff and the school
faculty and staff are also exploring innovative ways to incorporate the farm as an instructional platform for biology and natural sciences courses. Beginning in June, on Wednesdays throughout the summer season the Hill North site will host the Mobile Market in collaboration with City Seed. The Mobile Market is a portable farm stand that offers significantly discounted vegetables and fruits to residents of low-income neighborhoods in New Haven. New Haven Farms extends its sincere thanks to the leadership of Hill North Management Team, Career High School and the City of New Haven for their consistent support of this project. About New Haven Farms New Haven Farms grows organic, nutritious food on seven high-production sites in collaboration with healthcare, business, philanthropic, and government leadership. Last year, New Haven Farms produced 15,000 pounds of food on its sites to respond to food security needs. The Farm-Based Wellness Program combines food access, education, and community development to low-income participants at risk for diet-related chronic illness. For additional information and other media inquiries please contact Russell Moore, Executive Director, New Haven Farms russell@newhavenfarms.org or 203-997-6152. Website: www.newhavenfarms.org
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
Stetson Library Seeks $2M For New “Q” Home by LUCY GELLMAN NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT
Stetson Branch librarians and board members are seeking to raise $2 million by the end of next year for their planned new home across the street at the new Q House. That announcement came Tuesday afternoon, as library staff, board members, and bibliophiles gathered at the branch of the New Haven Free Public Library (NHFPL) on Dixwell Avenue. After successfully raising $1.5 million this year, the library is going after an additional $2 million to ensure the project’s success in a state mired in financial limitations and stretched municipal resources. It has a head start: a $250,000 commitment from Yale University and $750,000 from an anonymous donor. Those funds, said City Librarian Martha Brogan, will go toward a new design that will become “the cornerstone of the reimagined Q House.” The library will occupy the first and second floors of the building’s southwest corner, at the intersection of Dixwell Avenue and Foote Street. Currently in a strip on Dixwell, the library is quickly outgrowing its 7,560 square feet. In the new Q,
LUCY GELLMAN PHOTO
Chapman: We can do this, and more.
Stetson Head Librarian Diane Brown and Deputy Director Carolyn Karwoski.
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the library will house computer labs, reading rooms, student coworking spaces, and a “community conversations room,” about which Brogan is already buzzing with excitement. “It encourages people to exchange ideas with one another,” said Brogan. She recalled a library visitor who had told her that she thought of her NHFPL card as “like my American Express card,” in that she didn’t leave home without it. Those are the folks that the new Stetson will be serving, Brogan said, adding that “my inspiration is the community” when she thinks of the fundraising project, and of her own work. Funding for the reimagined Q House, for which the library is a central cornerstone, has come from a variety of sources. A $5.3 state bond for construction and architecture and a $1 million state library bond have served as the bulk of funding. $900,000 has come from city capital funding. That’s in addition to the $1.5 million the library has already raised, along with the promised $1 million from Yale and an anonymous donor. The remaining $1 million is up to the community. “Here we are with an opportunity
to make Stetson bigger, better and brighter than it is right now,” said board member and NHFPL Foundation President Elsie Chapman, who oversaw fundraising and building efforts for the library’s Wilson branch 10 years ago. “We want all of you to be part of this challenge. We want to get the community involved.” Chapman added that a $250,000 matching challenge from the Seedlings Foundation will help the library cover that final $1 million. “I think we can do that, and more,” she said. Despite delays due to Q House Architect Regina Winter‘s death last year, Brogan said the new Q House is expected to secure a contract this November or December, and reopen late the following year or in early 2019. That’s reason to celebrate, said NHFPL Board President Michael Morand and project co-chairs Yale President Peter Salovey and Mayor Toni Harp. Salovey heralded the library as, in his words, “the heart of the city, and the heart of this neighborhood.” “This is going to be the envy of New Haven’s library system — and I would say, the state’s library system,” Harp said.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
Black Community Challenged From Within by MARKESHIA RICKS NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT
The poster is meant to shock and spark conversation, and it might be coming to a barbershop near you. The poster features a hooded Ku Klux Klansman with the words “Die Nigger!” stamped across his forehead, white men at a lynching and the mutilated face of Emmett Till at the top. The bottom half of the poster similarly features a masked man. But this man is black. The poster goes on to depict another black man standing with a gun pointed at the dead body of another black man, then a family crying over a dead loved one, and another black man behind bars. Emblazoned across the middle of the poster are the words “Die Nigga!” “A different time, a different method, a different color,” the words on the poster read. “The same result.” Those last three words float over a cemetery. Michael Jefferson, founder of the Kiyama Movement, said that the poster is designed to spark “courageous conversation” about the alarming rate at which black people kill other black people. And keep the conversation on that problem until it changes. His vision focuses on reaching the potential victims of such killings—young black men—in a place where nearly all of them go from the time they are about 1 or 2 years old, the barbershop. The poster is part of a “Respect for Life” campaign, which is based on the first of five principles that guide Kiyama and those who participate in the soon to be 12-year-old movement that was founded on the 80th anniversary of Malcolm X’s birth.
Michael Jefferson at Tuesday night’s presentation.
Kiyama displays barbershop outreach took,
Jefferson knows he’s going a bit against the grain. In a time when people are daily battling against the shooting and killing of unarmed black and brown men and women by police and trying to hold law enforcement accountable for their action—one such shooting recently took the life of 15-year-old Jayson Negron in Bridgeport—the narrative about black-onblack crime has fallen out of favor. Activists often say that bringing up violence in the black community oversimplifies the complex problems that lead to that violence and muddies
the water when attempting to hold police accountable. They also have argued that raising the specter of blackon-black crime perpetuates the idea that police don’t have to respect black life if black people don’t respect their own lives. Jefferson told a room of about 50 people gathered at Gateway Community College Tuesday evening that two quests can coexist: Black folks can still fight for equal treatment under the law and hold police accountable, while simultaneously making an internal effort to establish community
values and norms that address violence. “What we want to be clear about is when we talk about us, we don’t want to sit around and have conversations that delve into what the police are doing to us,” Jefferson said. “We know what the police are doing to us. We know what white folks in the dominant culture have done to us and will continue to do to us. We need to focus on us. That’s key for us. That’s absolutely key.” Jefferson, an active member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., said that
doesn’t mean he’s not a supporter of the work of the NAACP or the Black Lives Matter movement, which are on the front lines of fighting against police brutality and protecting civil rights. He does support that work. But he also believes intra-community work needs to be done for individual and collective improvement ,particularly with young people, on challenges from preventing littering to treating women with respect. “I support and admire the Black Lives Matter movement,” he said. “I’m a staunch supporter of them. They are confronting state-sponsored violence against black people in this country. That is an important role for them to play and we have to honor that. And so many people keep saying they need to talk about the violence in the black community. Well maybe someone else should. Let them do that. The NAACP is there to protect the gains that we’ve made and prevent the rolling back of those gains. That’s what the NAACP does. So Kiyama, we’re focusing on self-improvement. And we’re certainly not the first.” Kiyama’s aim of self-improvement, pride in self and heritage, and respect for one’s community follow in the long historical footsteps and work of black nationalists leaders like Marcus Garvey and Elijah Muhammed of the Nation of Islam. And Jefferson said such a movement is needed now more than ever given that the rate of homicide in the black community is 17 per 100,000, while the rate in the white community and nationally is 2.5 and 5 per 100,000, respectively. “Leave Black Lives Matter alone,” he said. “Let them do what they have Con’t on page 11
Lawmakers make late push for more police accountability By: KYLE CONSTABLE
Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, right, and Connecticut ACLU Executive Director David McGuire, left. A handful of Democratic legislators are making a last-ditch effort to advance a bill that would expedite investigations into police misconduct and strip accused officers of pay while inquiries are underway. The late push comes in the wake of a fatal police shooting in Bridgeport on May 9 that left an unarmed 15-year-old boy, Jayson Negron, dead. His death has sparked protests in the city. “It’s really sad that it’s taken the death of a young person for us to be here; however I do think it’s important that we’re all standing here together,” said Subira Gordon, executive director for the state Commission on Equity and Opportunity. “Now it’s time to take the next step. That next step is holding those that kill our black and
brown kids accountable.” “Let’s be honest, two weeks ago, this bill wasn’t in existence,” said Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven. “This bill probably was not going anywhere. So I am disturbed that I have to, and that my col-
leagues have to, come here and do this in order to get heard. But we are very willing to do so.” Winfield said Tuesday’s press conference was meant to bring more media attention to the bill before he meets with legislative
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leaders to discuss its path forward. He said it is “time for people to pay attention.” The bill, backed by the legislature’s Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, initially stalled when questions arose about two key provisions: • A requirement that the Division of Criminal Justice investigate all allegations of excessive force against police officers, and complete those investigations within 15 business days • A requirement that all police officers under investigation for use of excessive force be placed on unpaid leave Nonpartisan analysts say the bill would cost the state $2.2 million each year, primarily because of the increased number of cases the Division of Criminal Justice would have to take on and the resources that would be required to complete those investigations in the allotted time. Chief State’s Attorney Kevin T. Kane, the division’s top administrator, said the
bill’s timetable would be “impossible” to handle. He said it would require “more people, more investigators and more resources.” “With regard to the 15-day period, sometimes it takes that long to get results of an autopsy back,” Kane said. “There are some cases in which it’s necessary to get toxicology screenings, and the results of toxicology could take a while.” The bill’s provision to place officers under investigation on unpaid leave has generated controversy as well, which the legislators who spoke Tuesday acknowledged. Employees are placed on paid leave while under investigation in nearly all public-sector jobs. Connecticut ACLU Executive Director David McGuire said police officers should be held to a different standard. Con’t on page 14
THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
Edgewood Traffic Calmers Win Stop Signs by ALLAN APPEL
NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT
Edgewood traffic-calmers got one of the three all-way stops they sought on Elm Street and claimed a victory for neighborhood safety. The neighbors had originally had originally asked the city to install three all-way stops on Elm Stree at Hobart, Pendleton, and Hubinger to slow down speeders and protect the kids and pedestrians promenading and playing along the narrow thoroughfare in its runs from Ella Grasso Boulevard to West Park. City traffic engineers declined all three requests because the vehicle volume, speeds, and especially the tiny number of recorded crashes did not justify the moves. The neighbors appealed to the city’s Traffic Commission, which at its monthly meeting struck a compromise. Edgewood Alder Evette Hamilton and a half dozen of her constituents appeared at the meeting last week in a follow-up to their request last month for an all-way stop at Hobart Street. Transportation, Traffic, and Parking Director Doug Hausladen had been charged by the commissioners in the intervening month to evaluate not just the Hobart intersection, but all three. He reported Tuesday that the speed and crash statistics on all three would still not conform with the nationally mandated Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for installation of stop signs. His finding collided with neighbors’ continuing anxiety and with the commissioners’ skepticism. “Stop signs are not useful in this situation. Overuse tends to lead to more deadly crashes,” Hausladen said. “If stop signs are not warranted, what do you do?” asked Commissioner Stephen Garcia. Hausladen recommended speed humps, bump-outs and similar elements that affect speed and which the residents can apply for through the city’s Complete Streets program. He acknowledged that the applications calling for built-out and engineered elements are backed up, constrained by funding, and “don’t happen fast.” In the meantime there are over 7,000 crashes
ALLAN APPEL PHOTO
Victorious Edgewood neighbors, with Alder Evette Hamilton in blue in back and Lauren Anderson bottom left.
or four close calls, two of which involved children. He recommended at least one stop sign at Elm and Pendleton, “if humps take too long” to build.
Hamilton at the meeting with concerned Elm resident Myron Rice.
every year in New Haven, he said. “We’re moving quickly as possible but not fast enough for those affected,” he added. Hamilton answered that she and her neighbors had already submitted their Complete Streets application, but were adamant in requesting some more immediate relief. They found allies in commissioners such as Commissioner Garcia. “Aren’t we here for the people?
We still fear for our kids,” Garcia said. “The survey doesn’t take in close calls,” added Commissioner Donald Walker, meaning near-accidents. Interim Police Chief Anthony Campbell helped move the debate’s outcome toward the camp of the Edgewood neighbors when he reported that a recent police survey of the area reported three
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That ended up being the compromise, which the commissioners vote unanimously to approve. “No matter the outcome, we’ll continue to look at the crash statistics and speed,” said Hausladen. The meeting ended with policy and procedure recommendations as well. Commissioner Greg Smith commended Hausladen’s work and the usefulness of statistical studies. “Yet how do we collect near misses?” he asked. “We’re a growing city. We need to put more money into the engineering department to keep up with need,” said Traffic Commission Chair Anthony Dawson. “We’re thrilled,” said Lauren Anderson, one of the leaders of the grassroots group. “It’s the will of the neighborhood” fulfilled, she said. Traffic Operations Engineer Bruce Fischer said that the two stop signs on Elm Street at Pendleton will be installed within about two weeks.
Con’t on page 10
to do. The NAACP, let them do what they have to do. In fact, join them. Send them some money. We all have a role to play.” He said Kiyama’s role is to drive the conversation about black-on-black crime and to do something about it. “We don’t want to talk about gunning each other down,” he said. “The minute a police officer shoots a black kid we’re marching in the street. It’s happening in Bridgeport right now. That’s fine. We should be marching. But when we kill each other the are no marches. That’s not normal behavior.” Jefferson said he’s not looking for marches, but changed behavior. And it starts with young people. Not older people telling young people what to do, but young people leading the conversation as peer mentors and leaders on their high school and college campuses. He and Kermit Carolina, who promotes youth development for New Haven Public Schools, have already been meeting with students to further establish Kiyama circles, cabinets, and student councils that engage in self-improvement activities and projects that improve their community. One such project by Kiyama students at Hillhouse High School went viral after a video about the project was shared by Now This Her. it received 9.1 million views on social media like Facebook and was featured on other sites like Yahoo! and Teen Vogue. Carolina summed up the efforts by saying that Kiyama is about promoting a particular value system among black people in general and young black people in particular that he believes could stop the violence that is perpetuated in the community. Jefferson said he’d like to see the posters not just in barbershops but possibly schools too. School Board member Ed Joyner said he thinks it can happen if a school version is designed. “I don’t think kids should be deluded into thinking that this never happened,” he said. “I was 7 years old when Emmett Till was killed, and I remember my parents showing me his picture in Jet magazine. I believe everything on that poster should be presented to young people.” Joyner said that the n-word is the most horrible word in the English language, but he’d like to see a poster in schools that challenges the notion that somehow the use of the word can be made palatable by dropping the -er and adding a. “I had a good relationship with Chuck D [of legendary rap group Public Enemy], who asked how hip-hop in a few years could erase centuries of a word used to demean an entire people,” he said.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
No “Broccoli Chicken” On This Menu by LUCY GELLMAN NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT
You won’t find broccoli chicken on the menu at New Haven’s newest Chinese restaurant — and that’s by careful design. Restauranteur Emma Liu made that announcement Monday afternoon at a ribbon cutting for Hunan House, a new restaurant featuring spicy, fish-heavy Hunan-style cuisine that she runs with her uncle, chef Lee Zuo and husband Robert Li. Nestled between Thali and Amoy’s Cajun Creole & American Restaurant at 32 Orange St., the restaurant replaces Royal Palace after a historic run. “We are trying to bring authentic Chinese food to this country,” she said at the ribbon cutting, as the restaurant’s 10 employees prepared platters of food and straightened out red napkins and white tablecloths inside. “This is the culture we want to make everyone know.” It’s a choice motivated by her longing for authentic Chinese food on the East Coast. After immigrating to New York seven years ago at the age of 22, she recalled being confused, and then annoyed, at a curious dish called “broccoli chicken” dotting menus from Manhattan to Queens. “I said: ‘What is this broccoli chicken?!’” she said to a smattering of laughs from the crowd. She felt that she could do better, she said and knew her uncle was the right guy to make that happen. But she was busy with other life changes: her relationship with Li took her from New York City to West Hartford, where he began a nail salon and she started their family. While living there, she became friends with several New Haveners, including Amoy Kong-Brown of Amoy’s restaurant. When Kong-Brown let her know that the property next door was unexpectedly open in March, Liu asked her uncle to join her in a new business venture. She hasn’t moved physically from West Hartford, she said, but is “very excited” to start this new culinary chapter in New Haven. The restaurant, which opens this
LUCY GELLMAN PHOTOTa da!
Liu: Authentic in New Haven.
week after a month of internal renovations, pays homage to Liu’s birthplace in the Hunan province, located in the Xiang River region of Southeastern China. Working closely with her uncle, who got his start in the U.S. doing Hunan-style cuisine in Flushing, Queens, Liu designed a menu populated with the foods she remembers growing up with: spicy, double-cooked pork slices in a glistening red sauce, pickled cabbage and fish soup, pork intestines, meat-packed spring rolls, garlic-kissed wilted greens, and sweet pumpkin cakes with sticky rice. Plentiful, steamy
fish and seafood dishes celebrate the province’s rich heritage; a barbecued fish is what Liu notes as the “signature dish.” After mulling it over, Liu also added a chicken with broccoli platter—but maintains that it’s unique. Chicken is shredded into small, delicate pieces, then put into a bowl with soy sauce and white pepper, where it sits for six to ten minutes. After it has marinated, Liu heats oil in a pan and cooks the chicken with a mix of garlic and hot green and red peppers. The spice from the red chilis, she said, makes it distinctively
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Hunan-style—and blessedly not what she experienced when she first came to the U.S. and came across all those standard “broccoli chicken” dishes. Liu also wanted a restaurant that would transport New Haveners from Orange Street to southeastern China, she added. At the entrance, patrons are greeted with a golden cat waving its arm up and down, a sign of welcome and harbinger of good luck. Inside, painted masks from the Chinese opera, chimes dotted with Chinese characters, and knots designed from thick red yarn line the white walls. On one end of a main dining room, Liu pointed out her interior piece de resistance: a traditional fisherman’s outfit, pinned carefully to the wall in a museum-like display. On the opposite wall, an open net beckons as a sort of tandem piece. Welcoming Liu to the neighborhood with a quick hug and tight handshake, New Haven Mayor Toni Harp lauded the Hunan House team for adding to the city’s culinary diversity. “This expands New Haven’s reputation as a foodie city ... representing cultures from around the world,” she said. “It’s on the rise, and in demand.”
Con’t from page 3
Celebrates 85 years; membership have supported organizations such as: All Our Kin, The Hannah Gray Home for the Aged, Hartford’s Community Renewal Team, The Sister’s Journey Cancer Fund, as well as The Girl Friend® Fund’s Scholarship program. We continue to pursue social and civic and cultural events which promote our purpose and enhance the quality of life for the Connecticut communities in our service areas. A portion of the New Haven Girl Friends’ proceeds from the Luncheon will benefit local scholarship recipients, the Girl Friend Fund Foundation, Inc and Chapter Programs. Two recent scholarship recipients, Alexa Eason and Colosia Claxton will be in attendance at our celebration. Alexa is completing her freshman year at Georgetown University and Colosia is completing her sophomore year at the University of Connecticut. Both scholars will receive financial support for their 4 years of studies, providing they maintain their academic excellence. In addition,The New Haven Chapter of GirlFriends®, Inc. has chosen literacy as our signature service project, therefore will also be contributing a portion of its proceeds to The Dr. Reginald Mayo Early Childhood School Library and the New Stetson Library, both of New Haven, CT Chairs Mycki Jennings and Diane Young Turner commented that “Our 85th Anniversary Celebration is a fabulous opportunity to welcome in the summer and to spend a leisurely afternoon with friends. Every detail of the occasion, every surprise, every rose, every meal entrée, every selection by the band, every toast, ALL have been planned and executed with the complete enjoyment of our friends in mind. As we do so, we salute our outstanding honorees, our youth and promote our cause of literacy.” For more information, please contact: Michelle Turner, at (203) 903-2281.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
Gateway Nurses Praised, Pinned by ALLAN APPEL
NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT
Lucia Bergeron helped administer life-saving injections to her mom who was fighting ovarian cancer. She was only 13 years old. Chris Adams had an emotional experience visiting his grandfather in hospice care. And in 2008, 36-year-old Nezha Elomari landed in Hamden after having left her native Morocco, where she’d had a business career. She worked for six years at rigorous academic classes and clinical training, struggling with English as a second language and having and raising two kids, all because she loves being a nurse. Those were some of the dozens of personal stories shared among the 93 graduates of the Allied Health and Nursing Division at Gateway Community College, who were formally pinned in ceremonies at College Street Music Hall Tuesday afternoon. It was the nursing program’s 15th graduating class. The ceremonies were particularly poignant because the program, now one of the crown jewels of Gateway’s academic offerings, was begun by the Gateway’s president, Dr. Dorsey Kendrick, who is set to retire next month. Kendrick began the program in 2002. Seeing a shortage of nurses for the available jobs, she perceived “a need in the industry and wanted to fill it” by structuring the nursing program to appeal to students — often working and some with families — for whom the usual doors to a nursing career were not open. “It was the first evening nursing school in the state,” Kendrick said, as she posed for pictures with the new graduates, who lined up to enter the hall each carrying, in a Gateway tradition, a rose with baby’s breath. When Kendrick went to the state and asked to start the program, she was told there was no money. If she could get the money elsewhere, she should start it, she was told, according to Director of Public Affairs Evelyn Gard. So Kendrick did precisely that, with seed funding from Yale-New Haven Hospital and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. The first class had 1,600 students apply but there was funding to support just 24 students. Fifteen years later, there’s a waiting list of 200 to get in, and these 93 added to the 878 nurses the program has already graduated
ALLAN APPEL PHOTO
Kendrick and some of the soon-to-be RNs.
Bergeron (at right) with Louis, who said her mom, a graduate of the same program three years ago, was her inspiration.
add up to 971 nurses, Kendrick said; they are contributing not only to the health and well being of their patients, but to the state’s economy. Each student graduates not only with a diploma, but with a likely job paying an average of $40,000 to start. Multiply that by 971, Kendrick added proudly, and see the contribution it makes to the economy. Many of the students take a minimum of two years of academic classes in biology and the other sciences first to even qualify for the nursing program. Then there are two years of nursing, with many classes with labs. The last year is spent almost entirely working at Yale-New Haven and other hospital settings
around the area. To accomplish that many of the students take six or seven years as they juggle the program with family and work schedules, as was the case with Elomari. Several of the speakers hailed their families — partners, inlaws, all sorts of family members — who provided the range of support to make it possible for them to make their dreams of humane services to others become a reality. Elomari in particular gave huge thumbs up to her husband Chouaib Nakhi, an electrician, who she said “supported her in everything.” He called their journey together “bumpy,” but one in which he helped a lot with child care while
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she hit the books. This year’s class also features the highest number of male nurses yet. Chris Adams, Mike Raffles, and Angel Nieves said they tended to bond in a profession that is still predominantly female. Their instructor, Sam Osei — himself a Gateway nursing graduate from the class of 2006 — said that he is succeeding, slowly but surely, in making the case that the profession is very much for men as well as women. Adams said he made the switch to nursing from business. Raffles was an auto mechanic. Nieves said he transitioned from working in restaurants. They all said they simply get a lot more satisfaction out of helping people as nurses. Osei, who works as a nurse at Gaylord Hospital in addition to being on the nursing faculty at Gateway, cited not only the growing need for nurses in general, but that some patients for religious or cultural reasons — request to be treated by male nurses. After inspirational speeches and hoots and hollers as various students came to the stage to receive academic and other special awards, all of the nurses received their pins, marking their transition from students to professionals. They also took the Nightingale Pledge, named for the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, and a variant on the doctors’ Hippocratic Oath.
Con’t from page
more police
accountability Chief State’s Attorney Kevin Kane, left, and Paul Melanson, Farmington police chief. “These officers are given the ultimate power – the use of the power of deadly force,” McGuire said. “As we’ve seen, they have used it, in some cases in ways that have been inappropriate. So it’s very different than someone working for state government pushing paper, for example.” The bill stipulates that an officer cleared of wrongdoing in an investigation would be compensated for any days of unpaid leave. Several changes have been made to the bill since it received approval from the Labor and Public Employees Committee on March 9. Initially, the bill would have required preliminary investigations to be completed within five business days. Nonpartisan analysts estimated this would have cost the state an additional $5.6 million each year. The bill’s sponsors remain open to further changes, even with only three weeks remaining in the legislative session. Winfield said the bill must receive approval from the legislature’s Judiciary and Appropriations committees before it can be taken up on the House floor. Rep. Robyn Porter, D-New Haven, said the bill must address accountability for each department’s leadership, not just its officers. “I don’t want officers to feel like this is an attack on them, because it’s not,” Porter said. “I understand, and I believe, that a lot of this stuff stems from improper training, insufficient training, inadequate training. “And that means that we have to take a look at the administration that has command over these officers – the chiefs, the assistant chiefs, the deputy chiefs, these people should be held to a level of accountability as well,” Porter added. But trying to find common ground with the state’s police departments has been challenging, the advocates said. “To be honest with you, we have been met with a lot of resistance,” Winfield said. “I’ve been on record in the past as saying that, particularly the police chiefs association, comes to the building starting off as a ‘no.’ We don’t start off talking about how we can work together.” The Connecticut Police Chiefs Association declined to comment Tuesday. Setting a hard deadline for all investigations to be completed should be off the table, Kane said. But, he added, he supports the broader idea of accelerating investigations in whatever way possible as long as it does not jeopardize the ability to find the truth. He said part of the problem is a lack of resources for many of the state agencies that play a role in the investigative process. Ensuring those agencies have adequate funding, he said, is one way to speed up investigations. Kane also said he favors setting deadlines for specific benchmarks in an investigation rather than a blanket deadline for completion of the investigation.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
Train Your Brain To Think Positively by Naomi Mackenzie BlackDoctor.org
There are a lot of us who tend to think negatively automatically. We cannot escape someone’s critiques while completely ignoring compliments. Dr. Loretta Graziano Breuning who is the author of The Science of Positivity: Stop Negative Thought Patterns by Changing Your Brain Chemistry addresses this. Dr. Graziano Breuning sheds light on not only how habitual thinking negatively develops, but also how we can retrain ourselves to surpass the negativity. Ultimately, the goal, as she puts it, is to “experience our world without negativity.” A recent Harvard University study revealed that women with an optimistic outlook were less probable to pass away due to cancer, infection and heart disease. Dr. Breuning provides a few steps from her studies to start living a more positive life through thoughts. Take time for positivity three times daily. The neural pathways of our brains are molded and shaped during our childhoods and adolescence. It is due to this that when we finish puberty, there are certain ways of thinking that we are definitely biased towards such as looking for the “bad” in a majority of situations. The most productive way to create new pathways is through practice, according to Breuning. It may seem a bit unnatural when we begin to redirect our thinking habits but it can be done by taking notice of the positivity that we encounter consistently. Breuning has suggests that showing self-appreciation of your small accomplishments is a start. Breuning goes on to say, “Focus on little choices you made that worked out well. Be grateful to be gainfully employed, to sleep in a bed each night, for the sun that comes up each morning, for the waiter who greets you with a smile, for the people that love and care for you, and for a body that lets you experience life each day. Practicing gratefulness can cause almost an immediate shift in your perspective.”
Be realistic with expectations you have for yourself. Although it may come across as counterintuitive, not expecting greatness from yourself can be advantageous. “On one hand, you don’t want to think, nothing ever goes right for me.” On the other hand, many of us are coached to avoid this by giving ourselves excessive expectations,” Dr. Breuning went on to say. Once it is realized that we cannot meet those self-imposed expectations, we feel like failures. To avoid this cycle, it would better serve us, Dr. Breuning recommends, to set more realistic goals that we can control and take notice of the journey and appreciate it even if the outcome is bad. An example of this would be choosing a goal, an attainable one (such as learning to bake) and put forth the energy to enjoy the learning process (gaining better balance and center of gravity), regardless of what the end result is. Chase variation. Mix up the gratifications that you have in your life and it may result in a boost in your happiness. According to Breuning, “Our brains are designed to look for a reward,
but any reward that you already have stops triggering your happy chemicals. That’s how dopamine works.” The question remains how this can be managed. Embrace variety and spontaneity. A prime example is this: If white bread is your absolute favorite, instead of having it for every meal, try out wheat bread every other meal for a period. This will enable your brain to enjoy the white bread that much more when you do have it. The goal of this exercise would be training yourself to gain more pleasure from that which you enjoy already. Beauty and hair maven Naomi Mackenzie is a freelance writer and business consultant. Her passion is to continuously keep up with the ever evolving techniques and topics as it relates to skin and hair, while helping others to embrace their own definition of beauty in a healthy way. Her blog, KissTheChaos (www.KissTheChaos. com) shares both an educated and personal perspective, sought to spark ongoing discussion. Follow her on Instagram at @oOolala_laa and on Facebook here (https:// www.facebook.com/KissTheChaos/).
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NAACP Marks Century THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
by MARKESHIA RICKS NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT
The annual Greater New Haven NAACP Freedom Fund dinner is always a special affair, but this year it was made more so as the branch celebrated 100 years of service. “I know this is like a family reunion and everyone is excited to see each other, but we really need everyone’s attention,” NAACP Doris Dumas had to say a couple of times during the course of the evening’s festivities at the Omni Hotel Thursday. It’s like a family reunion because, from the members who help put together the event to the honorees and attendees, it is a virtual Who’s Who of New Haven. But she wanted everyone’s attention not only to share the history of the chapter but to remind the packed ballroom of the work still ahead. The chapter was founded just eight short years after the national organization had made its debut. New Haven in 1917 had become a place of refuge of African-Americans fleeing the segregated South looking for jobs and justice, Dumas said. She said on May 2, 1917, men and women of different faiths and ethnicities came together to discuss starting a branch of the NAACP. And by July of that same year, the New Haven branch kicked off its first mass meeting with none other than James Weldon Johnson, who was then field secretary of the national organization, as its keynote speaker. Nearly 100 years later TV One host and Managing Editor Roland Martin served as the keynote for the centennial celebration. “Now, that is some history for
Retired housing authority exec Sheila Allen-Bell with former Mayor John DeStefano Jr.
MARKESHIA RICKS PHOTOS
President Dumas with Living Legend Award recipient Roger C. Vann
TV One’s Roland Martin, center, served as the event’s keynote speaker.
Dixwell Alder Jeanette Morrison with Yale University representatives.
you,” Dumas said to applause. “We are extremely proud of our rich history. And as a premier organization for civil rights, our focus continues to be on the protection of civil rights and fair achievement for all people. As we celebrate this milestone occasion, we are mindful of why it was critical and necessary to start the branch in 1917 and why we continue to need the NAACP 100 years later.” And the New Haven branch has been busy pushing for increased homeownership,
Scholarship recipients.
16
y Of Justice & Equality THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
holding the city accountable on police brutality and working to close the achievement gap and advocating for more minority teachers. In addition to celebrating a century of service to the greater New Haven community, the event honored those who aid the fight for justice and equality for all people. At Thursday’s centennial event the branch honored someone near and dear to its heart as a living legend: Roger C. Vann Jr. Vann was elected the youngest president in the branch’s history. Under his leadership, the branch’s membership grew to one of the largest in the nation. And it pushed for and helped win a living wage policy, public sector employment diversity and responses to police misconduct. Fellow Living Legend award recipients Thursday night included bagel scion Marvin K. Lender and freedom rider Lula Mae White. Centennial Chair Nicole Murphy reminded everyone in attendance that membership is the lifeblood of the allvolunteer organization. While recognizing those who’ve secured a life membership in the organization Thursday she urged everyone to join. “We all know that 100 years haven’t been a solo achievement,” she said. “We arrived here because of you—all of our members. We are at an extremely critical point in our history. Our future is at risk. And the NAACP needs all of you to become a part of our network to take a stand, to answer the call for equality and to join the oldest and boldest civil rights organization in the nation.”
Police Commission Chair Anthony Dawson with Mayor Toni Harp,
Scot X Esdaile along with other lifetime NAACP members.
Freedom rider Lula Mae White was honored as a living legend …
…............. as was Marvin Lender.
Student BOE members Coral Ortiz and Jacob Spell with Superintendent Reggie Mayo, who served as an honorary chairman for the celebration.
Ward 27 Co-chair Sharon Jones surrounded by friends.
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
Alien: Covenant
Ridley Scott Delivers a Worthy Addition to the Sci-Fi, Horror Franchise
Film Review by Kam Williams Alien: Covenant is the 9th episode in the enduring, sci-fi franchise launched back in 1979, provided you count the trio of Alien vs. Predator spinoffs. This installment is a sequel to Prometheus (2012) which devoted fans know was a prequel to the original. Covenant was directed by the legendary Ridley Scott who also made the first and the previous picture in the series. As the futuristic tale unfolds, we find the spaceship Covenant hurtling through the ether on a mission to colonize a distant star with its cargo of 2,000 cryogenic humans and 1,140 frozen embryos. The crew, under the command of Captain Jacob Branson (James Franco), is composed of seven couples plus a state-of-the-art android named Walter (Michael Fassbender). Before they reach their destination, the vessel is damaged by a
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“shock wave generated by a neutrino burst from a solar flare,” whatever that pretentious, scientific jargon means. The upshot is that the accident conveniently dovetails with the arrival of mysterious radio signals that appear to be human in nature. Curiosity gets the better of them, and they divert the crippled craft to the source of the transmissions, an uncharted planet nearby. Against their better judgment, they dispatch an expedition team to the surface to determine whether the place is habitable and might thus serve as a substitute settlement spot for their hibernating pod people. Unfortunately, the intrepid explorers are blissfully unaware that they’re being contaminated by a monstrous, microscopic virus that can enter a body through any open orifice. After a brief gestation period, the opportunistic infection drains the hosts of their vitality while simultaneously morphing
into the drooling, gelatinous, maneating creatures long associated with the Alien adventures. This doesn’t bode well for the Covenant, and what ensues is a high burn-rate affair in which crew members are gradually picked off one-by-one, with each succumbing to a demise a little more grisly than the last. To paraphrase, the franchise’s immortal, inaugural tagline: In space, no one can still hear you scream, or save you from a body-snatching chestburster either. A blood-curdling sequel and worthy addition to the series certain to scare the living daylights out of you! Excellent (4 stars) Rated R for violence, profanity, sexuality, nudity and bloody images Running time: 122 minutes Distributor: 20th Century Fox
THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
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Not Your Average Joe THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
Actor Joe Morton: by T. R. Causay, BlackDoctor.org
He is a veteran of the stage and screen who broke through with his silent leading role in the iconic 1984 independent film Brother From Another Planet. The movie was about an escaped alien on the run from his home planet. After he lands in New York City, he tries to adapt to life on the streets of Harlem. Most recently, Morton has been playing Eli Pope, also known as Rowan, Olivia Pope’s father, on Scandal since season three, when he burst into his daughter’s life. He even won himself an Emmy in the process. Just like his real-life start into acting, it was more like a well-thought out, but impulsive decision. “I was in college,” remembers Morton. “It was actually my very first day of orientation, and I had actually entered college as a psychology major and they took us around the campus to show us what our first year would be like in school — it was Hofstra University. And at the end of this tour … they plopped us down in the theater. And I had been playing music and playing guitar and singing for a while and really enjoying that. And they put on a skit about what our first year would be like, and after the skit was over, everybody left the theater and I literally could not get up out of my seat. I just sat there staring at the stage thinking, ‘I’ve always enjoyed singing.
Joe Morton is an actor’s actor. Maybe I could be an actor.’ And got up out of my seat, walked to the registrar’s office and changed all my majors from psychology to drama.” Can you imagine Joe Morton as your psychologist? I’m shaking in my boots just thinking about it. Morton first appeared as Papa Pope at the end of season 2 of Shonda Rhimes‘ White House drama. But even in season 6, the actor says he only knows as much as the fans do about his character. “The only two things we have to go on are what is in front of us on the script,” he tells Vulture.com. “I have a lot of history to pull from
and things I can ascertain from his relationships, but I can only base that off what we’ve seen him do up to this point.” “My father was in the service. His job was to integrate the armed forces overseas. So that meant we showed up at military bases in Okinawa or Germany, racially unannounced. That made me, in that particular society if you will, the outsider.” “I identify with the love for his daughter,” Morton continues. “I have two daughters and a son. And this is an… … odd kind of identification, I suppose — Rowan being a black man
who has that kind of power that, in the real world, we understand doesn’t exist. But on some level, people like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, they had that kind of power because they swayed people with their voices and their actions. And in some way, I think in that kind of strange triangle — between me, those two that I just mentioned, and Rowan — there is something I identify with.” “I think probably no differently than any other actor in that you have your so-called breakthrough performance. You’re hoping for more opportunity, which is what life basically in any particular
profession is about — how many opportunities do I have to accomplish the things that I want to accomplish. And for me at the time, it was fairly difficult in that for most black males at the time, the roles were either drug dealers, pimps — you know, boogeymen of some sort. And I made a very conscious decision that somebody would take that job [but] it just wouldn’t be me. That my goal was to try to present as many different kinds of positive African-American images as I could. And if I did play someone who was nefarious in some way, that it would have some reason for being. That there would be something to take away. Not just some guy who comes out of the dark and kills people.” “Some people are leery of coming up to me on the street, but I get a lot of responses from fans who love Papa Pope,” he says. “They know he’s dangerous, but they love the character. They love this man who has so much power.” “When it looked like Papa Pope was being told by someone else what to do, there were a lot of people saying, ‘Oh no. this can’t happen. No one talks to papa pope that way,’ ” he says. “It’s interesting. I think on one hand, people love to be terrified by him. He’s this very dangerous individual but at the same time I think people pick up that he’s human and has fears and loves and desires. He’s not just mean, evil and cruel.”
The lie about voter fraud is the real fraud by Jesse Jackson After President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey because of, as Trump admitted, the “Russian thing,” he struck a new blow to American democracy: He created a commission on “election integrity,” stemming
from his fantastical claims of voter fraud in the 2016 election. In reality, fraudulent voting is virtually nonexistent. The claims of widespread voter fraud are a fraud. Voter suppression, on the other hand, is a real, present and increasing threat to our democracy. And all signs are that Trump’s commission will add to that threat. Trump named Vice President Mike Pence as chair, with Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, a leading advocate of ballot-restricting legislation, as vice chair.
Kobach has made a national spectacle of himself as a crazed pursuer of mythical voter fraud. In Kansas, Kobach has led Republican efforts to suppress the vote. As Ari Berman of the Nation reports, Kobach claimed that “the illegal registration of alien voters has become pervasive,” although he could point to only five alleged cases of noncitizens voting in Kansas during the previous 13 years. Kobach helped push through a law that required documentary proof of citizenship to register to
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vote, such as a birth certificate, a passport or naturalization papers. That requirement disproportionately impacts the elderly, the poor and the young, who often don’t have access to such papers. Since the law went into effect in 2013, Berman reports, “one in seven Kansans who attempted to register have had their registrations held ‘in suspense’ by the state.” To solve the non-problem of voter fraud, in 2015 Kansas gave Kobach the power to prosecute such cases. So far, he’s convicted nine people. Only last month
did he convict his first and only noncitizen for voting fraud. The Kansas City Star has noted the paltry results Kobach has to show for his unique prosecutorial powers, mocking him as the “Javert of voter fraud,” a reference to the obsessed police inspector of “Les Miserables.” Now Kobach will be the driving force leading Trump’s commission. Its purpose, no doubt, will be to cry wolf about voter fraud and push more states to pass harsh Con’t on page 21
THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
American University of Antigua Finds Success with Diversity Mission Con’t from page 20
The lie
legislation to suppress the vote. Unlike voter fraud — which every independent study shows is essentially a myth — voter suppression is real and growing. The most significant outside factor in the 2016 campaign was not the scattered cases of voter fraud, or Putin’s hacking, or even former FBI Director Comey’s interventions. The most significant factor was the suppression of the vote — particularly the black vote — in North Carolina, Philadelphia, Detroit and Milwaukee. As Berman has argued, federal court records show that “300,000 registered voters, 9 percent of the electorate, lacked strict forms of voter ID in Wisconsin.” A recent study by Priorities USA, a Democratic PAC, estimated that Wisconsin’s harsh voter ID laws “reduced turnout by about 200,000 votes” — disproportionately black votes. Trump won the state by 22,748 votes. The 2016 election was the first in 50 years without the full protections of the Voting Rights Act. Fourteen states had new voting restrictions in effect for the first time. Now Berman reports, 87 bills to restrict access to the ballot have been introduced in 29 states this year. Arkansas and Iowa have already passed strict voter-ID laws. Republicans claim these laws are needed to stop voter fraud, but the claims of voter fraud is the fraud. These bills are being pushed because they make it harder for certain communities to vote — and Republicans benefit when they vote in smaller numbers. When politicians can pick their voters — by voter suppression laws, by gerrymandering, by big money campaigns — rather than voters picking their leaders, democracy is mocked. Political leaders in both parties should be pushing to make it easier, not harder, to vote. Instead, voter suppression has become a partisan weapon. Our very democracy is under assault.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Contributor Dr. Kwaku Boakye has a goal to improve the overall health conditions in developing countries. He and his brother, Kwabena Boakye, started a nonprofit called the Gold Coast Medical Foundation, in 2006, while they were in medical school. For Dr. Boakye, medical school meant the American University of Antigua (AUA), located on the eastern part of that Caribbean island. The school has prided itself on diversity, a frequent topic that Neal S. Simon, the university’s president, said has always been talked about, but rarely addressed. A 2015 NPR article titled, “There Were Fewer Black Men In Medical School In 2014 Than In 1978,” said that, “While more Black men graduated from college over the past few decades, the number of Black men applying to medical school had dropped.” The article continued: “In 1978, 1,410 Black men applied to medical school and 542 ended up enrolling. In 2014, both those numbers were down—1,337 applied and 515 enrolled.” Every other minority group, the article said, including Asians, Hispanics and Black women, “saw growth in applicants,” according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Simon said that increasing diversity in their admissions process is one of their top goals. “The American University of Antigua prides itself on the large group of nationalities on campus,” said Simon. According to Simon, the school boasts one of the most diverse student populations of any medical school, with a minority enrollment rate of more than 65 percent. “While the number of male, African-American doctors dropping dramatically over the last few years, AUA has one of the highest Black student populations at 20 percent of the student body,” he said. Comparatively, just 6.8 percent of the students enrolled at U.S. medical schools are African-American, AAMC statistics show. AUA has an enrollment of about
1,138. A total of 1,400 students have graduated from the school. Further, AUA’s acceptance rate is better than the overall rate of the 5.8 percent that all American medical schools combined had last year. As of 2017, AUA has awarded 68 percent—$13.3 million—of all scholarship money to underrepresented minorities and enrolled students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) including Bowie State, Fisk, Hampton, Tuskegee, and Prairie View A&M and the University of the District of Columbia. The school also provides attractive scholarship packages for underrepresented communities, including a $25,000 scholarship for physicians of Indian descent and a $50,000 scholarship from the school’s Physician Diversification Initiative. “My experience at AUA was great. I enjoyed the diverse community, the friendly staff and, above all, the weather,” said Dr. Boakye, who noted that his decision to attend AUA had been based on diversity. “It was one of the few medical schools that was dedicated in providing a high-quality education for its students and, at the same time, granting opportunities to underrepresented minorities,” said the doctor, who completed his resi-
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dency in family medicine at The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Simon said that because schools historically have relied on certain criteria in selecting students, African-Americans and other minorities have typically been frozen out. Simon continued: “There’s no evidence at all that such criteria determines whether someone will be a good doctor. The people who decide on that criteria are people who did well using it, but it’s selfperpetuating and Black males in particular are forced to recognize that the admission process may have a bias [against] them.” At AUA, preclinical training has been built into the Basic Sciences curriculum. Most of this training occurs on campus, allowing students easy access to labs and medical simulations while they attend classes. This curriculum not only results in better medical students – it leads to better physicians, Simon said. Courses at the school employ a variety of teaching methods other than large group didactics, such as small group sessions, clinical case discussions, simulations, and hands-on laboratory experience. Students are also placed in hospital settings, allowing them to interact with patients. Beginning in their first semester,
students learn about the foundations of medicine, medical cell biology, biochemistry and genetics, and human structure and function. Their education is built from there and moves on to more advanced courses, such as pathology, microbiology, pharmacology, and more. AUA also employs a diverse staff of instructors with minorities making up more than half of faculty members. The school’s push for diversity has been a response to a national physician shortage, which experts project will increase to roughly 105,000 doctors by 2030. Simon noted that increasing enrollment among Black men could help solve persistent public health issues. “Not having diversity impacts the quality of a medical education for everyone, said Simon. “If you don’t have the education that includes diversity, you won’t be as good a doctor.” Stacy is a frequent contributor to the NNPA Newswire and BlackPressUSA.com. You can also find Stacy’s work in The Washington Informer, Baltimore Times, Philadelphia Tribune, Pocono Record, and the New York Post. Stacy is the co-author of “Blind Faith: The Miraculous Journey of Lula Hardaway, Stevie Wonder’s Mother.” Follow Stacy on Twitter @stacybrownmedia.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
Kid Genius Brothers, 11 and 14, Graduate High School And College! by Aria Ellise, BDO Special Contributor
A mother is lucky to get one genius in a son or daughter, but for Claretta Kimp, she got two in both of her young sons. And that’s not all, her two geniuses are graduating this Mother’s Day weekend– what a Mother’s Day present! They are both graduating from high school and college this weekend at ages 11 and 14, respectively. Carson Huey-You, her oldest, is leaving Texas Christian University with a degree in physics and minors in Chinese and math. Cannan, the kid brother, will head to TCU next fall to study astrophysics and engineering. The first wants to get a PhD, the other wants to be an astronaut. According to Carson’s mother, one of the first indications of her son’s ability to stay focused came during a visit to the eye doctor, who commented on Carson’s ability to pay attention instead of squirming and trying to escape like most other babies. By age 2, Carson was reading chapter books. By age 3, he could add, subtract, multiply and divide. When most kids his age were entering kindergarten, Carson was working at an eighth-grade level and Cannan wasn’t far behind. But they’re not just smart. They’re not your typical child
prodigy’s who only think about school and calculations all the time. The boys are social, have manners and are fun to be around says Kimp to the Washington Post. “My boys have more social skills than most adults,” she said. “They are just normal little boys who do normal little boy things.” The brothers wrestle and laugh and hold the door open for women,
just like their mother taught them. They are also star wars fans and love sci-fi. Four years ago, at age 10, Carson made news after he was admitted to TCU in Fort Worth and he began classes as an 11-year-old. On Saturday, he’ll become the youngest graduate in the university’s history. Kimp, who studied early edu-
cation and business at Southern Illinois University, said she converted the spare bedroom in their home into a classroom before Carson was even walking. At first, he played with blocks there. Then she started sitting him in a chair for class. He was so excited to learn, Kimp said, that they created a set school day from 9 a.m. to noon. But Carson would blow through the curriculum she planned in an hour. By age 2, he was reading books with chapters, and at age 3 he told his mom he wanted to learn calculus. “I always wanted to do something science-y,” Carson said. “I wanted to figure out how things work, like on the subatomic level. That’s why I like quantum physics most. I want to do research and learn about different things.” One thing that is common with many child geniuses is that they are home schooled for a period of time before moving up in grade level. The same thing for the Huey-You boys. Kimp home-schooled Carson until he was 5 years old and… … learning at an eighth grade level. She knew he needed to “get out a little bit,” she said, but she struggled to find a school that was willing or able to accommodate him. Just when she was about to give up, she found a small Christian school that was suitable. Carson, and five years later he
graduated as co-valedictorian. Kimp eventually moved the family closer to campus, so their commute shortened to eight minutes. And the juggling act got even easier once Cannan started tagging along to TCU. “Sometimes I think we’re crazy for doing this, but it’s our normal,” mother Claretta Kimp said. “The boys see everyone at TCU like our family. I couldn’t ask for a better support team.” Because Kimp never wanted to make her sons feel in intellectual competition with each other, the divorced mom tried to avoid forcing Cannan down the same path as Carson. She wanted him to find his own way. Cannan began on the traditional route, attending kindergarten with kids his own age. But my second grade, he was bored, and asked to be home-schooled like Carson, reported the Dallas Morning News. Kimp thinks her eldest son’s thirst for learning rubbed off on Cannan. Even after she would complete lessons with Cannan, Carson would swoop in to help with homework, demonstrating on the whiteboard in their home how to breeze through complex math equations. “They know that they are blessed to have a sibling and to have each other,” Kimp told The Post.
Climate Change Is Creating Climate Refugees By Bill Fletcher, Jr., NNPA Newswire Columnist Have you ever heard of the Marshall Islands? They are 1156 islands that constitute a republic in the South Pacific. Major battles during World War II were contested on those islands and, following the war, nuclear tests were conducted on there, too, from which there was significant radioactive fallout. The capital city is only three feet above sea level. I have never been to the Marshall
Islands, but during the People’s Climate March in Washington, D.C., on April 29, I met and interviewed a woman from that republic. She is a student in the United States. She and I spoke on the air (WPFW-FM, part of the Pacifica Network) about what the climate crisis means for her people. Climate change has a direct impact on the future of the Marshall Islands. At three feet above sea level, the Marshall Islands do not have much room to maneuver. With extreme environmental changes, particularly with damaging storms, the islands have faced severe floods. She described roads cut off as a result of high water and the inability of the people to leave their homes. My co-anchor—the great sports
writer Dave Zirin—and I asked, almost at the same time, what did she think would happen as sea levels rose? What would the people do? In some respects, our question may have seemed odd or simplistic. The people of the Marshall Islands would do what they needed to do to survive. And one route to survival will inevitably be migration unless there is some sort of creative infrastructure work that can preserve life in the Marshall Islands. And it is this matter of climate migration that is rarely discussed in mainstream circles. Certainly, the environmental movement is addressing it, but in the 2016 U.S. elections, for instance, in all of the xenophobic discussions concerning immigration, there was no dis-
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cussion about the fact that island nations across the planet will be disappearing and that their populations will need to migrate somewhere. The woman from the Marshall Islands that Dave and I interviewed wants to return to her home. She is trying to be optimistic about the future of that island republic, but she was clearly frightened by the possibility that those islands and their history will disappear beneath the ocean waves forever. The debate concerning the environment and the debates around immigration must be joined together. There is a global necessity to address the future of islands that may become submerged. Many of these islands were once—or
continue to be—possessions/colonies of Europe, Japan and/or the United States. In that sense, there is a historic obligation that is owed to these islanders by the socalled “Global North.” The Global North left many of these territories “underdeveloped”—to borrow a phrase from the late Walter Rodney—and now the bill has come due. That means that, in addition to assisting in preventive measures, and in addition to addressing climate change, immigration policies must be changed, so that space is created for these climate refugees. Bill Fletcher, Jr. is a talk show host, writer and activist. Follow him on Twitter @BillFletcherJr, Facebook and at www.billfletcherjr.com.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
President Trump Wages War on Obama’s Legacy in First 100 Days By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Contributor
There was the proposed massive budget cut to the Department of Housing and Urban Development; the incessant rhetoric about a rise in crime in the nation, that lacked evidence to back it up; the threats of a renewed war on drugs. There was even a failed attempt to bully Republican lawmakers into passing a flawed bill that sought to roll back the Affordable Care Act, a law that provides healthcare to millions of Americans. This was President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in the White House. Trump didn’t win a single legislative achievement during his first 100 days. For policies that impact the lives of African Americans, it was just as perilous as we thought it would be. During the 2016 campaign, Trump often described the Black community as a monolithic, stereotypical caricature. Trump used the types of violent stereotypes one parrots after they’ve binge-watched 11 seasons of “Law & Order,” but have never actually been to an inner city. So, much of what Donald Trump focuses on is about undoing the accomplishments of the first Black President of the United States. The obsession with “alternative
facts” and the erasure of President Obama’s legacy continues to be the core focus within the Trump Administration. Days before his 100th day in office, Trump’s spokesman Sean Spicer blamed President Obama for the fiasco surrounding Gen. Michael Flynn. The White House relieved Flynn, a loud supporter of
Trump during the 2016 campaign, from his post as National Security Advisor on February 13; Flynn ended up holding the position for the shortest time in U.S. history (24 days) after it was reported that he had lied to Vice President Mike Pence. Trump’s Attorney General Jeff Sessions, perhaps the most dan-
gerous federal official for African Americans, sought to revive the “War on Drugs,” a set of policies that disproportionately impacted African Americans in the 1980s and 1990s. “We can wish that we could just turn away and reduce law enforcement,” said Sessions in 2016. “But I do believe that we’re going to
have to enhance prosecutions. There just is no other solution.” During a trip to Richmond, Va., on April 11 Sessions said: “We need to say, as Nancy Reagan said, ‘Just say no.’ Don’t do it…We can reduce the use of drugs, save lives and turn back the surge in crime that inevitably follows in the wake Con’t on page 25
In the 2017 State of Black America Report, Blacks Show Slight Gains By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Contributor
In their annual State of Black America report, called “Protect Our Progress,” the National Urban League (NUL) suggested that the nation should invest in a “Main Street Marshall Plan” that would solidify gains made by Black Americans during the Obama Administration. The plan includes many policy ideas the NUL has proposed in previous reports including funding for expanding pre-K, increased Pell grant funding, increasing the minimum wage, and funding for summer jobs. “During the Obama era, the economy added 15 million new jobs, the Black unemployment rate dropped and the high school graduation rate for African Americans soared. Now
that progress, and much more, is threatened,” said Marc Morial, the president and CEO of the National Urban League, during a brief press conference about the release of the 2017 report. By the metrics the report used to assemble their data, the 2017 State of Black America report concluded that: • The overall equality index for African Americans is 72.3 percent, up from 72.2 percent the year before; • The social justice index for Black Americans dipped from 60.9 percent to 57.4 percent; • The health index for Black Americans grew from 79.4 percent in 2016 to 80 percent in the 2017 report. Morial also suggested that recent activism against many of the Trump Administration’s proposals, including massive cuts to the
Department of Housing and Urban Development, have been delayed or blocked completely. “Because of the vital work of the Urban League and other civil rights activists the administration has backed off of many of their first massive proposed cuts,” said Mo-
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rial. “These cuts would be a massive move backwards for African Americans.” Morial has a familiar ask: A $4 trillion investment in education, infrastructure and job training. The “Main Street Marshall Plan” is one of the most detailed proposals im-
pacting African Americans put forward by any civil rights organization in the U.S. “These main streets are in big cities and in small towns…they are where this nation’s poor and middle class live,” said Morial. “We need action and not rhetoric.” A special about the State of Black America will air on TV One on May 31. Learn more about the 2017 State of Black America report at http:// stateofblackamerica.org. Lauren Victoria Burke is a speaker, writer and political analyst. She appears on “NewsOne Now” with Roland Martin every Monday. Lauren 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.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017 Con’t from page 24
President Trump Wages of increased drug use.” None of this should be a surprise to the Black community. Sessions comes from Alabama where incarceration is high art. Placing humans in cages is Alabama’s leading industry. At 70, Sessions is a stark reminder of another era. He’s also a reminder of how old, failed policy is difficult for so many to break away from. With so many Republicans embracing “smart on crime” policies, Sessions is determined to star in the movie “Groundhog Day” on federal crime policy. The inmate population in the U.S. rose from 500,000 in 1980 to 2.2 million in 2015 and has made the U.S. No. 1 in the rate of incarceration in the world. When there’s an uptick in law enforcement, do more police show up in Manhattan or the Georgetown section of Washington, D.C.? Of course not. A quick glance at the stop-andfrisk statistics the ACLU tabulated in New York City over a ten-year period, in an effort to identify the communities that experienced the greatest number of interactions with police after an elected official (in that case former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani) decided to “get tough on crime,” tells the story. Pastor Darrell Scott of Cleveland, a Trump supporter, held a summit on gang violence in Washington D.C. on April 18. The focus was on crime in Chicago and Trump Administration officials attended. Did they introduce or invite any policy proposals to address any of the underlying issues that plague some of the predominately Black neighborhoods in the Windy City (i.e., high unemployment, high poverty, poor schools)? Not quite yet. During Trump’s first 100 days he met with seven members of the Congressional Black Caucus. He also met with over a hundred presidents of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the Oval Office to take what would turn out to be a historic set of images. In the end the truth is obvious: It will take more than pictures and meetings for there to be verifiable evidence that President Trump actually wants to have a positive
impact on the African American community. So far, there has been a ton of talk that has not been reflected in hard policy. As Trump revealed during a recent interview, the job of President of the United States was tougher than he imagined, it’s clear that some policy, particularly policies impacting African Americans, rest in the hands of his appointed minions many of whom have shown no interest in issues affecting the Black community. Lauren Victoria Burke is a speaker, writer and political analyst. She appears on “NewsOne Now” with Roland Martin every Monday. Lauren 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 undergraduates do stand with us and they are all aware of what’s going on,” said Arveson, who is one of the subbed in fasters and has been on a water-only diet for six days. “It’s great to have that visible to the parents as well so that they know what’s going on at this school.” Arveson said she has experienced sexual harassment at Yale and admitted that she was too afraid to report it. “Oftentimes, those who are offenders are in power positions and there are not good enough venues to report sexual misconduct and make sure it is taken care of. “Our main thing is we voted for a union,” she added. “We’re a certified union. It is Yale’s legal obligation to negotiate with us. What we are asking for is very basic: To get a fair grievance procedure that deals with things like sexual harassment and sexual assault. They should not be fighting us for that.” Jaden “Jeww” Greene, who happened upon the protesters Thursday, said he was shocked to learn that sexual harassment and assault was happening at Yale. He jumped on Facebook live to broadcast the protest to his friends. “I thought Yale was a good place,” he said.
EARL GILBERT GRAVES: FOUNDER OF BLACK ENTERPRISE MAGAZINE Blackthen.com
Earl Gilbert Graves, Sr. is an American entrepreneur, publisher, businessman, and philanthropist. He is the founder of Black Enterprise magazine and the chairman of the media company, Earl G. Graves, Ltd. Graves was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of New York City. While attending Morgan State University, Graves made a name for himself as an entrepreneur. He realized there was a big market for flowers during Homecoming Week, so he went to two competing local florists and cut deals with both to sell flowers on campus. For a percentage of the profits, the florists provided the flowers while Graves covered the campus. In 1964, after writing a letter to the Democratic National Com-
mittee, he became a volunteer for the presidential campaign of Lyndon B. Johnson. His work with the party provided Graves with the opportunity to serve as administrative assistant to newly elected
Yale has repeatedly called on Local 33 protesters to end their fast and argued that the proper forum for resolving this dispute is through the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Yale has for a second time appealed to the NLRB — which will soon have new appointees from President Donald Trump — to overturn a decision that allowed unionizing elections to take place in only nine out of more than 50 academic departments; UNITE HERE won eight of those elections. Yale argues that it already provides generous terms for graduate students, who study tuition-free and receive annual stipends of $30,000 a year or more along with health insurance. A Yale spokesman Thursday directed reporters to this link to detail how Yale handles sexual misconduct. Thomas Conroy, a spokesman for Yale, said in an emailed response that the university “has strong and effective policies and procedures in place now to address sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct. All students with concerns or complaints are strongly urged to come forward by the university and receive the support and guidance that is available around the clock. Twice a year we
put out a report of all complaints received from students and how they were addressed. We don’t know of any other school that does that. A union of graduate students would not make Yale any more diligent and responsive on this issue than it already is on behalf of all students. We scrupulously follow the guidance and the directives of the federal government to meet the requirements of Title IX.” Conroy said students are told that the following is communicated to students: “Yale strives to be a community free of sexual misconduct, by promoting the essential values of respect and responsibility, providing education, and working with students, faculty, and staff to create a community that is safe and supportive for all. Yale takes all complaints and accusations of sexual misconduct seriously. “Sexual assault, harassment, and other forms of sexual misconduct can have a profound impact on one’s personal and academic life. The university strongly encourages those affected by sexual misconduct to seek help and support from any of the resources below and to take action, including pursuing a criminal or disciplinary complaint. If you are uncertain of
Senator Robert F. Kennedy in 1965. Following Kennedy’s assassination, Graves served on the advisory board of the Small Business Administration in 1968. From 1990 to 1998, Graves served as CEO to Pepsi Cola bottling franchise in Washington, D.C. He has held other board and director memberships to a number of corporations, including AMR Corporation, Federated Department Stores, Daimler AG, and Rohm and Haas. Graves also served as a board member of the American Museum of Natural History and Hayden Planetarium in New York City. In 1999, Graves was honored with the NAACP’s Spingarn Medal. In 2002, Graves was named by Fortune magazine as one of the 50 most powerful and influential Black Americans in corporate America.
23 Arrested In Yale Union Protest
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your options or simply need help, call the Sexual Harassment and Assault Response & Education (SHARE) Center 203.432.2000.” Scene At College & Chapel At 9:01 a.m. eight women parked themselves at the intersection of College and Chapel streets — and refused to move until they were literally carried away by police officers. Graduate students, Local 33 representatives, and a group of around 25 supporters made their way toward the intersection, walking quietly with orange tape and a few orange lawn chairs from Elm and College Street. Once there, they spread out, fanning to different corners before donning yellow reflective vests and getting ready to step into formation. At the change of a stoplight, several of them spread across the intersection, blocking cars at all of its four edges with orange tape. As they stood, beginning to chant, graduate students Lindsay Zafir, Kelly Goodman, Gwen Prowse, Yahel Matalon, Mie Inouye, Nica Siegel, and original fasters Julia Powers and Robin Canavan walked to the middle of the intersection, sat down, and linked arms. Around their necks, they
7 Reasons Why You Can’t Sleep THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
by Aaron Stevenson, BlackDoctor.org
Do you find yourself tossing and turning at night trying to fall asleep? Or perhaps you fall asleep easily only to wake up hours before your alarm is set to go off. Whether you experience a sleepless night occasionally or almost every night, it is not normal. Sleep is one of the most important factors in living a healthy lifestyle. Without adequate sleep each night, your overall health and well-being becomes jeopardized. Lack of sleep may contribute to your inability to concentrate and even make important decisions. Sleep, diet, and exercise are the basic foundation for a healthy lifestyle. You should aim to sleep at least 7 hours a night along with eating a nutritious diet and performing moderate exercise daily. Getting a good night’s sleep may be easier said than done. I have spent many years dealing with sleep disorders, which have negatively impacted my every day activities and work. I have spent a lot of time trying to find solutions for my insomnia and have finally found what works best for me. Before I was able to come up with the solutions that helped me sleep better, I decided to look at the underlying problems. Here are the top seven reasons why you can’t sleep and how to fix them. 1. Stress I can’t tell you how many times I have stayed up late at night thinking about all the things I had to do the next day. Sometimes this leads me to think about all the things I have to do three weeks or even months from today. I find myself stressing out about things that I cannot deal with at that moment. Stress and worry is something I’m sure you deal with on a daily basis. However, you need to find ways to manage and cope with stress so that you do not spend your nights overthinking. If I find myself stressed out at night, the first thing I do is take a deep breath. Next, if I can’t seem to stop my thoughts, I start writ-
ing. Whether I write a to-do list or just jot down a few thoughts, I am able to vent to myself and think a little more clearly. If I still feel overwhelmed, I take another deep breath, close my eyes, and attempt to meditate. Meditating can help clear your head space and make you feel more at ease. 2. Lack of exercise Exercise is not something I have always been a fan of. Although I have always been active, exercise was not always a top priority for me. I played sports growing up and all throughout high school. However, when I attended college, the only exercise I participated in was walking from the library to the nearest bar. I would occasionally tag along with a friend and go on the elliptical for an hour. But other than that, I never realized the benefits of exercise like this study suggests. Now that I work full time and engage in a regular exercise routine, I finally understand the positive effects physical activity has on my sleep at night. I truly notice a difference in my sleeping habits when I go a day or two without exercise. Whether you go for a long walk, quick jog, or take a yoga class, being active during that day can help you sleep better at night. 3. Caffeine overload Coffee or tea in the morning is a must for many people. Occasionally, an afternoon pick-me-up may be necessary, too. However, drinking too much caffeine throughout the day or too close to bedtime may be keeping you up at night. I used to love drinking a cup of tea or coffee after work to help hold me over before dinner until I figured out this was contributing to my restless nights. Instead, I tried decaf tea and a handful of fruit to replace my afternoon caffeine fix, and surprisingly this helped significantly. I no longer felt restless at night and was more relaxed at bedtime. If you feel like your day is dragging and you cannot go another second without a cup of coffee, try reaching for water instead. Sometimes you are actually dehydrated and sipping water can help give you that energy boost you’re
craving. 4. Noise Too little or too much noise can also interfere with your sleep. I personally need white noise to block out any outside noises. When I am first falling asleep, even just footsteps can keep me awake as well as karaoke night at the bar next to my apartment building every Tuesday night. This is why I must have a fan on at nighttime. Once I fall asleep, I typically can sleep through anything as long as a fan is on in my bedroom. Any time I am in a new place where there is no fan or noise machine, I have difficulty falling asleep. In this case, I will download a sound machine app on my phone. I recommend turning on a fan or sound machine to anyone who has a sleep disorder in order to get the best quality of sleep each night. 5. Light exposure Watching television, playing on your phone, and even digital clocks may be another surprising reason why you can’t sleep at night. Studies have shown that these types of lights interfere with signals in your brain telling your body it is time to shut down and go to sleep. I am guilty of scrolling through social media on my cell phone in bed before going to bed and even leaving the tv on time to time. However, evenings I am ex-
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posed to these bright lights, I find that I have more difficulty falling asleep. Try setting a cut off time for all electronics 30 minutes before bedtime. Instead, try meditating, journaling, or reading a book to reduce the amount of brightness you are getting at night. 6. Irregular sleep schedule Sometimes there are nights you seem to be restless for no apparent reason. Perhaps you have used all of the above suggestions, but are still tossing and turning. You may not feel stressed or even anxious but still can’t seem to fall asleep anyways. If this is the case, you may need to evaluate your activity that day. Try to avoid naps if possible in the afternoon. Sometimes a power nap is necessary to reenergize before a workout or dinner date. However, anything more than 20 minutes could interfere with your sleeping patterns. You should also try to stick to the same sleep schedule each night, especially during the week. Although life tends to happen and you may find yourself staying at happy hour a few hours longer than expected, try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule is a smart move. 7. Uncomfortable bedroom environment
Your bedroom should be your (and your partner’s) own private sanctuary where you feel safe and at ease each night. I have lived in many places over the past 10 years after leaving my childhood home. I have lived in dorm rooms, offcampus housing, summer beach houses, and a few different apartments. Although all of these places were very different from one another, I always managed to make my bedroom feel comfortable. At nighttime, I choose to keep the temperature cool. There’s nothing worse than waking up in a pile of sweat at nighttime. I love snuggling into my blankets and feeling a slight breeze. I also try and keep my bedroom dark. If you do not have the proper blinds in your bedroom, try black out curtains. I also wear an eye mask at night to keep light out. Lastly, try to keep your bedroom organized. Reducing clutter can help to keep you relaxed and feel more at peace before going to bed. Aaron Stevenson is a public educator, health freak, and sleep enthusiast at SnoozeEZ. Aaron studies, researches, and blogs about all sorts of sleep related stuff. This guy loves talking about sleep, but don’t disturb him while he is doing it! Follow Him: Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google +
THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport Invitation for Bid (IFB) Trumbull Gardens 18 Vacant Unit Renovation Solicitation Number: 076-PD-17-S
The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport d/b/a Park City Communities (PCC) is requesting sealed bids for the 18 Vacant Unit Renovation at Trumbull Gardens. A complete set of the plans and technical specifications will be available on May 22, 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 MANDATORY pre-bid conference will be held at 150 Highland Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06604 on June 6, 2017 @ 10:00 a.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 June 13, 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 June 20, 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.
The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport Request for Proposal (RFP) General Counsel Solicitation Number: 083-EO-17-S
The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport (HACB) d/b/a Park City Communities (PCC) seeks proposals from attorneys/law firms for the provision of a full cadre of legal services. Respondent(s) must have graduated from an accredited law school and be a member of the Connecticut Bar. A complete set of RFP documents will be available on May 22, 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-Proposal Conference will be held at PCC’s Administrative Offices at 150 Highland Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06604 on June 1, 2017 at 10 a.m. All interested parties are strongly encouraged to attend the conference. Although not mandatory, all applicants are encouraged to attend to better understand the PCC’s requirements under this RFP. Additional questions should be emailed only to bids@ parkcitycommunities.org no later than June 9, 2017 @ 3:00 p.m. Answers to all the questions will be posted on PCC’s Website: www.parkcitycommunities.org. Proposals shall be mailed or hand delivered by June 16, 2017 at 3:00 p.m. to Ms. Caroline Sanchez, Contract Specialist, 150 Highland Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06604. Late proposals will not be accepted.
The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport
The Housing Authority of the City of Norwalk, CT is requesting qualifications from
experienced firms for Internet, Internet Voice Bundle and Hosted Voice service. RFQ 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 The GUILFORD HOUSING AUTHORITY
is currently accepting applications for COUPLES ONLY for its one bedroom apartments At Guilford Court and Boston Terrace in Guilford CT. Applicants must be age 62 and over or on 100% social security or Federal Disability and over the age of 18. Applications may be obtained by calling the application line at 203-453-6262, ext. 107. An information packet will also be provided with the application. Applications will be accepted until June 30th , 2017. Credit, Police and Landlord checks are procured by the authority. Smoke Free Housing. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY HOUSING
VNA Community Healthcare is searching for Certified Home Health Aides (HHA). Must have 6 months – one year of experience as a HHA. Several opportunities for full and parttime flexible schedules. Submit resume and cover letter to jobs@vna-commh.org. Visit our website www.connecticuthomecare.org for other opportunities. EOE/M/F
ELM CITY COMMUNITIES Invitation for Bids
McConaughy Terrace Furnace and Hot Water Heaters Replacement The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities is currently seeking Bids for McConaughy Terrace Furnace and Hot Water Heaters Replacement. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/ gateway beginning on Monday, May 8, 2017 at 3:00PM. TRANSFER STATION LABORER Off load trailers, reload for trans/disp. Lift 50 lbs., operate industrial powered trucks and forklift. Asbestos Worker Handler Training a +. Resumes to RED Technologies, LLC, 173 Pickering St., Portland, CT 06480; Fax 860-342-1022; or Email to lkelly@redtransfer.com RED Technologies, LLC is an EOE.
Request for Proposals (RFP) Group Health Insurance Benefit Solicitation Number: 084-HR-17-S
The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport (HACB) d/b/a Park City Communities (PCC) seeks proposals from qualified Health Insurance Agencies. A complete set of RFP documents will be available on May 22, 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-Proposal Conference will be held at PCC’s Administrative Offices at 150 Highland Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06604 on June 7, 2017 at 10 a.m. All interested parties are strongly encouraged to attend the conference. Although not mandatory, all applicants are encouraged to attend to better understand the PCC’s requirements under this RFP. Additional questions should be emailed only to bids@parkcitycommunities.org no later than June 9, 2017 @ 3:00 p.m. Answers to all the questions will be posted on PCC’s Website: www. parkcitycommunities.org. Proposals shall be mailed or hand delivered by June 16, 2017 at 3:00 p.m. to Ms. Caroline Sanchez, Contract Specialist, 150 Highland Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06604. Late proposals will not be accepted.
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 Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer
Class A Driver 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; Email: HR@redtechllc.com Mail or in person: 173 Pickering Street, Portland, CT 06480.
The City of Norwalk Housing Authority
is seeking qualifications from photographers, videographers, journalists and graphic production professionals to create documentary materials related to a major urban redevelopment project. The Washington Village / South Norwalk Choice Neighborhoods Initiative (CNI) is a $150 milliondollar housing and neighborhood revitalization strategy being implemented with federal, state, municipal and private investments. The transformative nature of this collaboration provides a unique and extraordinary opportunity to tell a story and share the lessons learned over a 4 to 5-year period. It is also an opportunity to engage local residents including children in documenting this transformation. This Request for Qualifications is directed to firms, collaborations, partnerships or individuals with the pre-requisite skills to produce professional quality video productions, photo journals, graphic illustrations and journalistic copy to document this historical transformation. A complete copy of the Request for Qualifications can be viewed and printed at www.norwalkha.org under the Business tab, RFPs/RFQs or the project website: www.norwalkcni.org Norwalk Housing Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Curtis O. Law, Executive Director
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT - Portland Administrative Assistant for reception, phones, filing, and corporate staff support. Working knowledge of Haz. Waste Regs., Manifests, AP & billing. OSHA certification a +. Forward resumes to RED Technologies, LLC Fax 860-218-2433; or Email to HR@redtechllc.com RED Technologies, LLC is an EOE.
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 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.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT - Portland Administrative Assistant for reception, phones, filing, and corporate staff support. Working knowledge of Haz. Waste Regs., Manifests, AP & billing. OSHA certification a +. Forward resumes to RED Technologies, LLC Fax 860-218-2433; or Email to HR@redtechllc. com RED Technologies, LLC is an EOE.
The Town of East Haven is currently accepting applications for the following positions: Firefighter D/Paramedic-Lateral Transfer: Salary- $48,972/year Firefighter/Paramedic-New Recruit: $48,972/year
Requirements for both positions and the application is available online at www.FirefighterApp.com/EastHavenFD. East Haven is committed to building a workforce of diverse individuals. Minorities, Females, Handicapped and Veterans are encouraged to apply. The Town of East Haven is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Assistant Building Official – Town of Manchester $62,434.71 - $75,071.06 CLOSING DATE: Friday, May 26, 2017 Call HR Recruitment Line at (860) 647-3170 for info or view website: www.townofmanchester.org.
OFFICE ACCOUNTING HEAVY AND HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION COMPANY Immediate opening for organized, self motivated, multitask person. Skills & Duties required: Microsoft Word, EXCEL a must/ Timberline Software a plus Classify-Scan documents to Timberline files Manage Subcontractor Service Agreements, Certificates of Insurance & W-9 requests Assist with: Certified Payroll reports & Lien Wavers Bond Filings on delinquent AR accounts Municipal Bids Contract documents Monthly, quarterly federal/ various state tax reporting Other duties as required Equal Opportunity Employer Minority and female candidates encouraged to apply
2BR Bristol, CT $950-$990 Zbikowski Park Neighborhood now taking applications for newly rehabbed 2BR apartment. Available immediately. Income restrictions apply. Equal Housing Opportunity. Contact Beatrice Nieves at (860) 585-2042 or at bnieves@bristolhousing.org
Apply at 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
Custodian
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
Maintenance workers needed for the Wallingford Public Schools to work the 2:00 P.M. to 10 P.M. shift. Hourly rate: $18.44 to $22.80 hourly plus shift differential. Requires some experience in building maintenance work. The closing date for applications is May 24, 2017 or the date we receive the fiftieth (50) application whichever occurs first. Apply: Personnel Department, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492, (203) 294-2080. EOE.
Welder-Exp F/T welder for structural steel misc metals shop Send resume : gwf@snet.net VNA Community Healthcare is searching for Certified Home Health Aides (HHA). Must have 6 months – one year of experience as a HHA. Several opportunities for full and parttime flexible schedules. Submit resume and cover letter to jobs@vna-commh.org. Visit our website www.connecticuthomecare.org for other opportunities. EOE/M/F
VNA Community Healthcare is searching for Certified Home Health Aides (HHA). Must have 6 months – one year of experience as a HHA. Several opportunities for full and part-time flexible schedules. Submit resume and cover letter to jobs@ vna-commh.org. Visit our website www.connecticuthomecare.org for other opportunities. EOE/M/F
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
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; Email: HR@redtechllc.com Mail or in person: 173 Pickering Street, Portland, CT 06480. RED Technologies, LLC is An EOE.
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
***HELP WANTED***
DEEP RIVER HOUSING AUTHORITY OPENING WAITING LIST FOR SENIOR/DISABLED
Total Fence LLC currently has an opening for a fence/guardrail installer. We offer competitive wages, medical, and a Simple IRA plan. Must have 5 years minimum fence/guardrail installation experience and a valid CT Driver’s License. Applicant must be fluent in English.
Please apply in person to:
TOTAL FENCE LLC 525 ELLA GRASSO BOULEVARD NEW HAVEN, CT 06519
The Deep River Housing Authority will open it’s waiting list for Senior/Disabled Housing on June 1st, 2017. This list will remain open until July 31st, 2017. To request an application, please call 860-526-5119. Applications will be accepted by mail (must be postmarked by 7/31/17) Housing is available to anyone over 62 or handicapped/disabled that meet the income guidelines. Monthly rates are based on income with a minimum base rent requirement of $697.
***No phone calls*** Total Fence LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Deep River Housing 60 Main Street Deep River, CT 06417
***HELP WANTED***
J & S General Contractors LLC currently has an opening for a fence/ guardrail installer. We offer competitive wages, medical, and a Simple IRA plan. Must have 5 years minimum fence/guardrail installation experience and a valid CT Driver’s License. Applicant must be fluent in English. Please apply in person to: J & S GENERAL CONTRACTORS LLC 525 ELLA GRASSO BOULEVARD NEW HAVEN, CT 06519
The GUILFORD HOUSING AUTHORITY is currently accepting applications for COUPLES ONLY for its one bedroom apartments At Guilford Court and Boston Terrace in Guilford CT. Applicants must be age 62 and over or on 100% social security or Federal Disability and over the age of 18. Applications may be obtained by calling the application line at 203-453-6262, ext. 107. An information packet will also be provided with the application. Applications will be accepted until June 30th , 2017. Credit, Police and Landlord checks are procured by the authority. Smoke Free Housing. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY HOUSING
***No phone calls*** J & S General Contractors LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer
LEGAL NOTICE The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven (ECC/HANH) is proposing to amend its Low Income Public Housing Admission and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP) and Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Administrative Plan. The proposed revisions to the ACOP and the Administrative Plan are available as of June 6, 2017 online at www.elmcitycommunities.com or at ECC/HANH’s main office at 360 Orange Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511. You are invited to provide written comments addressed to ECC/HANH, Attn: Maza Rey, P.O. Box 1912, New Haven, CT 06509-1912. ECC/HANH will hold a public hearing to review comments and recommendations. The hearing will be held on Monday, June 5, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. in the Board of Commissioners Conference room at the Housing Authority of the City of New Haven, 360 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06511. Any individual requiring a reasonable accommodation to participate in the hearing may call the Reasonable Accommodation Coordinator at (203) 498-8800 ext. 1507 or at the TDD Number, (203) 497-8434.
AVISO LEGAL La Autoridad de Vivienda de la Ciudad de New Haven propone hacer cambios al plan de Admisión del programa de Sección Ocho y a la Póliza de Continuo de Ocupación (ACOP) del programa de Vivienda Pública y al Plan de Administración del Programa de Sección 8. Las revisiones propuestas están disponibles el 6 de junio en línea en www.elmcitycommunities.com o en la oficina principal de ECC/ HANH en el 360 Orange Street, New Haven, Connecticut, 06511. Los invitamos a que proporcionen comentarios escritos a ECC/HANH a la atención de: Maza Rey, P.O. Box 1912, New Haven, CT, 06509-1912. ECC/ HANH tendrá una audición pública para revisar comentarios y recomendaciones. La audición se llevara a cabo el Lunes, 5 de junio del 2017 a las 4:00 p.m. en la sala de reuniones de los Miembros de la Comisión localizada en el edificio de la Autoridad de Vivienda de la ciudatrd de New Haven, 360 Orange Street, New Haven, Connecticut, 06511. Cualquier individuo que requiere una Acomodación Razonable para tomar parte en la audición puede llamar a la Coordinadora de Acomodación Razonable al (203) 498-8800 ext. 1507 o al número de TDD (203) 497-8434.
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
N O T WO C AREER P ATHS A RE T HE S AME We Offer: • Employer Incentives to Hire • On-the-Job Training • Job Search Assistance • Re-Training • Transportation Assistance • Hiring Events
4 Locations: New Haven: (203) 624-1493 Meriden: (203) 238-3688 Middletown: (860) 347-7691 Hamden: (203) 859-3200 Open Mon-Fri, 8:30am – 4:30pm Hamden opens at 8am
Visit www.workforcealliance.biz/services/wheredoistart Be Part of the South Central CT Economy
*There is never a fee for the jobseeker or the employer. Services are funded through state and federal grants.
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS May 17, 2017 - May 23, 2017
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