INNER-CITY NEWS by INNER-CITY NEWS

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

Financial Key Focus at 2016Services NAACP Convention WorkforceJustice AllianceaNames New Business Coordinator New Haven, Bridgeport

INNER-CITYNEWS Volume 27 . No. 2241

Volume 21 No. 2194

Malloy To Dems: Malloy To Dems: Clyburn Seeks

“DMC” 4th Term Color Struck?

Gun Violence

Ignore Crime” Ignore“Tough “Tough On Crime” WilliamOn Philpot, Sr., Bishop of Christ Chapel New Testament Church of New Haven, CT. 1926-2017

Snow in July?

Reelection Event Highlights Newhallville Oasis

Harp with organizers Karaine Smith-Holness and Jackie Buster and with Red Maven Media’s Michelle Turner and Babz Rawls-Ivy.

A Victory March For Nury THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017

by MARKESHIA RICKS NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

Hundreds of immigrant rights activists took to the streets of Fair Haven to celebrate rather than protest as planned after a 43-year-old woman taking sanctuary in a neighborhood church won a stay allowing her to remain in the country. The news means that Nury Chavarria can leave Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal, where she took up residence last week. Last Thursday she had disobeyed an order from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last Thursday and skipped a flight back to Guatemala, occupying with her 9-year-old daughter a back room of the “sanctuary” house of worship. (Federal policy forbids immigration agents from entering church grounds to make arrests.) Now Chavarria can return home to Norwalk to work and take care of her four children. The news hit New Haven late Thursday afternoon as a rally on her behalf was beginning outside the church. The more than 300 people present took a victory lap that Kica Matos of Fair Haven, an organizer focused on immigration and race at the Center for Community Change, told the crowd would be loud and celebratory instead of the planned silent march. Rabbi Herbert Brockman of Con-

MARKESHIA RICKS PHOTOS

Chavarria addresses her supporters before Wednesday’s celebratory march in Fair Haven.

gregation Mishkan Israel sounded a shofar, a musical instrument made of a ram’s horn, to mark the victory for Chavarria and kick off the Jericho march around the block. “I am very emotional grateful to God,” Chavarria told the crowd with the help of an English translator. “Now I can cry, but not as I did on the 20th when I was shedding tears because I had to leave. God has been my attorney.” Chavarria’s attorneys won the stay at around 2 p.m. in U.S. Immigration Court in Hartford. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) then agreed not to seek custody of her. So

she’ll be free to go home. At 5:30, Chavarria and her attorneys and supporters came out to greet the rally and announce the news. The group, which had originally planned to stage a silent protest march, still paraded down to Grand Avenue and then around the block to the church past the Cool Breeze Music in the Park event that was taking place in Quinnipiac River Park, but in celebration. One of her attorneys, Marisol Orihuela, described how her team filed two motions: an emergency motion for a stay of deportation and a motion to reopen her case based on new

Clergy join Chavarria in leading off Wednesday’s march.

evidence. “Her story was so compelling that only one hour after filing, immigration granted her motion for a stay,” said Orihuela, a Yale Law School clinical associate professor affiliated with the school’s Worker and Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic. Mayor Toni Harp also addressed the gathering. She said the city will continue to stand with Chavarria. “Oftentimes there are people who question the value of having Yale in our community,” Harp said. “But I cannot tell you how grateful I am for Yale’s immigration clinic.” “ICE, the rest of those who mess with

our neighbors, know better than to come to New Haven,” Harp added. Elected officials who had taken up her cause — including Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, U.S. Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal, and U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro — issued statements commending the decision by a judge and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to grant Chavarria the stay. The senators vowed to continue working to win Chavarria, who has never encountered trouble with the law in her 24 years in this country as she raised her children as a single mother and Con’t on page 6

Workforce Alliance Names New Business Services Coordinator

Workforce Alliance, the workforce development board for South Central CT, has named Wanda Lary as the new business services coordinator. Known for its incentive-based programs for employers funded by state and federal grants, Workforce Alliance created the position to help fulfill its mission to be guided by employer needs and to create pipelines of qualified jobseekers. Lary will head up a team of business service professionals to provide customized assistance for employers to expand businesses through hiring, enhance the skills of existing workers and inform decision-making when it comes to employment and training resources in the South Central CT region. “Experience shows that the best way

to help jobseekers is to meet the needs of businesses in our region and in the state,” said William Villano, Workforce Alliance’s president and CEO. “By creating this unit, we will be more effective in not only offering services but understanding what employers need.” Workforce Alliance is one of five workforce development boards statewide, covering a 30- town area in Middlesex and New Haven counties stretching from Meriden and Middletown down to Greater New Haven, the Route 9 corridor and the eastern shoreline as far as Old Saybrook. Prior to this, Lary worked directly with jobseekers who had been laid off, and in June will conclude a $1.5 million project under a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor that

Workforce Alliance helped 150 people get rehired in STEM fields through on-the-job

training grants to employers. Previously, she was a human resources professional for American Express and GE Private Equity. Most of the team will include specialists who have worked on focused projects in the past. Going forward, employers will be able to work with one specialist and have access to the resources of multiple programs, including hiring incentives, worker training and recruitment. Through its regional network of American Job Centers, the business services team will inform career advisors working with job seekers what employers are looking for, and facilitate a good match based on screening, training and job readiness coaching. Annually, more than 15,000 people visit American Job Centers in South Cen-

tral CT, or participate in targeted programs operated or funded by Workforce Alliance. There is never a fee to the job seeker or the employer. All employment and training services are paid through Workforce Alliance from state and federal sources. Key areas of growth in South Central CT include healthcare, manufacturing, finance, information technology, transportation, and general STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) fields. However, “There is a way for us to help any employer, in any sector, of any size,” said Lary. Wanda Lary can be reached at (203) 867-4030 x 254 or wlary@ workforcealliance.biz.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017

The Inner-City Remembers and Honors

William Philpot, Sr.,

Bishop of Christ Chapel New Testament Church of New Haven, CT. 1926-2017

He was born in Philadelphia, PA. on December 7, 1926, and educated in Philadelphia in his early years. He attended Lincoln University, receiving his Bachelor of Arts. He also attended Yale University Divinity School, in New Haven, and holds the Master of Divinity from that institution. He has done further study at Hartford Seminary Foundation, Hartford, CT. Bishop Philpot’s pastoral pilgrimage began in 1951, pastoring the Pleasant Street Baptist church in Westerly, RI, followed by serving at Warburton Chapel (which the current name is Warburton Community Congregational Church) of Hartford, CT. He moved to New Haven, CT where he worked with Reverend Bob Fosberg at the Wider City Parish Ministry and helped to establish the Rockview/Brookside Community Church, where he became the first full time Minister. He later accepted the Pastorate of Community Baptist Church; and led that church in their first remodeling and renovation program. After ten years at the Community Baptist Church, the Holy Spirit increased his spiritual dimensions, where he moved up higher in the things of God; and from this, Christ Chapel New Testament Church was born. It was founded by himself, his first wife, Mrs. Edna Philpot, Reverend and Mrs. George M. Allen, and several members . . . To God Be The Glory. Bishop William M. Philpot, Sr. traveled around the world on behalf of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with others. God has used Bishop Philpot in preaching the gospel in India, England, (where Missionary Marion Rosa started a Christ Chapel Church Ministry there), Barbados, and Jamaica, West Indies. Currently, his radio broadcast covers various countries in Africa and throughout the world, which reaches many foreign nations with the gospel message. He is one of the founding Pastors and Treasurer of the Dixwell Pastor’s Economic Development. In May of 2006, Bishop Philpot was selected to be the Chairman and

William Philpot, Sr.,

Coordinator of the National Day of Prayer for the Greater New Haven area. On October 29, 2006, Bishop Philpot was honored by the City of New Haven, by naming a street in his honor (Bishop William M. Philpot, Sr. Corner). Located at the corner of Dixwell Avenue & Charles Street. On January 15, 2007, Bishop Philpot received the Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award. The ceremony was held at the State Capitol in Hartford, with many State officials attending, including Governor Jodi Rell , along with Mrs. Yvonne Philpot, family members and members of Christ Chapel. He attributes his usefulness to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and to the love and loyalty of his congregation, and of course to his loving and loyal wife, Yvonne, and family members. He has four children, Martyn Jr., an Attorney; Gertrude Banks in Human Services; Theresa, a Registered Nurse, and Matthew Andrew, He is married to the former Yvonne Rhodes of New Haven, and he has eight grandchildren. The Beloved Bishop Philpot passed on Saturday July 29, 2017. Respectfully submitted with the permission of his family.

#BlackGirlHealing: “I Decided Fear Would Not Rule Over My Life” by Jenica Ervin, GirlTrek

How much loss can one woman stand, and still find herself standing – strong, powerful, inspired, and hopeful – when it is all said and done? Jenica Ervin can tell you that it’s more than you could ever think possible. “I have been through the fire,” the Wilmington, Delaware resident tells BlackDoctor.org. After the tragic loss of her only sister and a number of family members and friends, Jenica found support to move forward and look fear in the face with the help of GirlTrek. Here she shares her powerful testimony in her own words. A few years ago, I was introduced to GirlTrek by Gloria Johnson and other amazing women in Wilmington, DE. Originally from Southwest Florida, I searched for something more in my newfound residence and GirlTrek provided that. GirlTrek came at a very pivotal time in my life. I was on my way to becoming a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), had left my job in corporate America, was recovering from a second knee surgery, was considering graduate studies, and battling depression. Every day I struggled to function. The obstacles did not stop. I sustained debilitating injuries due to an auto accident and was unable to exercise. As a curvy CPT, this was a blow to my selfesteem and brand. Although I received positive feedback for breaking barriers in the fitness industry, I received negative feedback as well. I have curves for days in which I am not ashamed of and legs that are strong enough to press over 500 lbs. You must have thick skin to make it in this business. I was often bullied by male trainers and females, but I always found a way to rise above the negativity. Today, I am still jumping over hurdles. I said, “Goodbye” to a promising body building career, medical school no longer sounded fulfilling, and I lost more family members than anyone could imagine. I lost my one and only sibling, Brittany, and her friend, Shaniqua “Niqua,” to a gruesome and selfish crime about nine years ago. “Britt,” as we called her, was outgoing, loving, and an extremely gifted psalmist. I remember traveling from Miami to Naples on Alligator Alley and receiving several calls. I remember the tone of my cousin Lonnie’s voice as he asked me, “Where was my sister?” I remember confirming the news to my auntie Jewel and the weeping on the other end of the line.

I remember my friend, Becky, crying hysterically in the car while accompanying me home; however, my sole focus was to make it home to my parents. I remember arriving at the crime scene and trying to cross the caution tape, but was stopped by the police. I remember Niqua’s family were already there. Lord, I remember. I remember the investigator stating that they had someone in custody. I will always remember that sorrowful Saturday on October 25, 2008. Rumors soon circulated and I found myself constantly on news boards responding to inaccurate information about my sister. I needed to honor her. Eventually, the opportunity arrived to confront their killer in court. This came on the exact day my stepsister

died in a car accident. This was another blow to our family. My heart pounded as they led my sister’s murderer out in front of me. I remember taking a deep breath and resting my hand on my uncle’s leg to calm him down. I remember consoling my mother as she heard details of the grizzly crime. I remember he acted in the most inappropriate manner. I remember addressing him. I remember losing a piece of my heart. Shortly after, I lost an aunt whom I couldn’t revive after finding her unconscious, a friend, and the same uncle who was with us in court on sentencing day. I have been through the fire.

Clyburn Seeks 4th Term THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017

by PAUL BASS

NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

Delphine Clyburn plans to hit Newhallville’s “Learning Corridor” as usual this Saturday this time to announce she’s seeking a fourth twoyear term as Ward 20 alder. She picked the open-space spot at the juncture of Shelton Avenue and Hazel and Starr streets because it symbolizes the work she and neighbors have done to boost Newhallville. Back in the 1980s the same spot was called The Mudhole. It was the center of the crack trade. A series of New Yorker stories memorialized it as a symbol of urban disaster. The spot plays a far different role today as a convening spot for communal activities. Like a bike lending program on Saturday mornings. A weekly Thursday meeting on neighborhood beautification drives. Free food and clothing giveaways. A harvest festival. In an interview Thursday on WNHH radio’s “Dateline New Haven,” Clyburn, a Democrat who has worked as a state group-home employee for 32 years, said she wants to continue as an alder to continue collaborating with

PAUL BASS PHOTO

Clyburn (center) at WNHH with supporters Zelema Harris and Barbara Vereen.

her neighbors on efforts like that. She rattled off examples: The community gardens continue to grow and bustle in the ward. Organizing homeowners to obtain available help fixing up their properties. The creation of the new Cherry Ann Park. Neighborhood clean-ups with teens, including a crew of summer “ambassadors.” Clyburn is also known downtown as one of the most persistent advocates of constituents needing help with, say, sidewalks or snow-plowing.

Two of Clyburn’s active ward supporters joined her on the radio program to talk about the work they do together in the neighborhood. Zelema Harris, an accountant and musician who still lives in the home she grew up in on Dorman Street, spoke of how Clyburn got her involved in the community management team and has succeeded in pressing the city to crack down on problem landlords who have bought up a lot of property in Newhallville. Democratic Ward Co-Chair Barbara

Vereen, who took a lead on the Cherry Ann Park, spoke of how much positive work neighbors do such as the weekly basketball tournaments on Bassett Street and Saturday morning cleanups, that fail to receive the attention that bad news does. The neighborhood has been hit with a spate of bad news in recent weeks, with three shootings of yougn people, including the murder of a 14-year-old boy. Clyburn noted that crime has dropped in recent years in Newhallville. She said she considered it part of her job as alder to spend time with the mother of 14-year-old Tyriek Keyes as he lay in the hospital, then help take care of her after Keyes died from his wound. She spoke of how neighbors cooked meals for the family. Clyburn said she has also been advocating for the family a 14-year-old girl who was with Keyes at the time of the shooting and was traumatized by the event. Clyburn has no opponent in the race. If reelected, she’ll become Newhallville’s longest-serving alder. The other two wards’ alders, Brenda FoskeyCyrus and Alfreda Edwards, are retiring.

Health Hill Opens 3 New Wings by JON GREENBERG NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

The Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center, which services just about 38,000 New Haveners a year, is about to be able to service a whole lot more. Medical staff, city and state officials and friends of the center joined CEO Michael Taylor Wednesday morning at the center’s main campus on Columbus Avenue for the grand opening of three renovated wings, the new homes of the departments of women’s health, pediatrics, and optometry. In front of a crowd of about 40 in the atrium of the new development, Taylor, city government Chief Administrative Officer Michael Carter, Hill Alder Dolores Colòn and Mark Silvestri and Meredith Williams, directors of pediatrics and women’s health at the center, spoke glowingly of the project before cutting ribbons at the entrance of each of the new wings. The roughly $2 million project will increase the center’s patient capac-

JON GREENBERG PHOTO

Michael Taylor and Dr. Meredith Williams cut the ribbon for the new pediatrics wing.

ity greatly. Taylor estimated that the expansions across the three departments could allow the center to service 10,000 to 20,000 more patients a year. Silvestri said his department will make good use of the new space. “We were pretty much at capacity in the location where we were before,” Silvestri said. “This expansion will allow us to service more women.” Taylor said the new women’s health wing is closer to the front entrance of the center than the previous location, which will make it easier for pregnant women to walk to and from the department. Williams said that her department waited “a terribly long time” for a new space and that her department’s new home “just makes me happy.” She said she is excited to be able to serve more patients and thanked those present for their efforts to turn the project into a reality. Taylor said plans for the expansion have been in the works since he be-

John P. Thomas Publisher / CEO

Babz Rawls Ivy

Editor-in-Chief Liaison, Corporate Affairs Babz@penfieldcomm.com

Advertising/Sales Team Trenda Lucky Keith Jackson Delores Alleyne John Thomas, III

Editorial Team Staff Writers

Christian Lewis/Current Affairs Anthony Scott/Sports Arlene Davis-Rudd/Politics

Contributing Writers David Asbery Tanisha Asbery Jerry Craft/Cartoons Barbara Fair

Dr. Tamiko Jackson-McArthur Michelle Turner Smita Shrestha William Spivey Kam Williams Rev. Samuel T. Ross-Lee

_______________________

Contributors At-Large

Christine Stuart www.CTNewsJunkie.com Paul Bass New Haven Independent www.newhavenindependent.org

Memberships

National Association of Black Journalist National Newspapers Publishers Association Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce Greater New Haven Business & Professional Association Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017

2 U.S. Reps Endorse Harp by JON GREENBERG NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

A leading U.S. Congressman from South Carolina took a break from the craziness in Washington to endorse a New Haven mayoral candidate — and described bipartisan concern about the president’s mental health. The Congressman, U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn, the third-ranking House Democrat, came to a campaign rally Monday night at Varick Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church on Dixwell Avenue with New Haven U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro. They both endorsed Mayor Toni Harp’s bid for a third two-year term as mayor. Harp is facing a challenge from fellow Democrat Marcus Paca. Clyburn’s appearance came just hours after President Trump fired White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci. Trump appointed Scaramucci to that position less than two weeks prior. The Congressman did not touch on White House drama in his speech, but he discussed the situation in Washington with the Independent afterwards. Clyburn said members of Congress on both sides of the aisle are worried about the president’s sanity. “There are people [in Congress] who really believe there is something amiss with the president,” Clyburn said. “You don’t continue to say the kinds of things he’s saying and doing the kinds of things he’s doing if you’re clicking on all cylinders, so I think there are a lot of people worried as to what exactly is going on with him.” In a speech at the rally, Rosa DeLauro lauded Harp for her success in reducing crime, improving public schools and energizing the city’s economy . She cited rising graduation rates and school attendance rates, three straight years of balanced city budgets, an improved city credit rating and dwindling crime statistics as evidence of progress in these three areas. Harp reinforced this message during her brief speech at the rally. “New Haven is a city on the rise,” Harp said. “We have improved education, more economic development, and more and better jobs for

JON GREENBERG PHOTO

Clyburn at Monday’s rally.

Rosa DeLauro.

New Haven residents.” The rally came at the end of a troubling month for the city in which one minor was injured and another killed by gunfire. DeLauro praised Harp for her “strength” in the face of tragedy over the past few weeks. Clyburn, who was a public school teacher before he became a politician, also praised the mayor for her work on public education. He said one of the most telling statistics of school success is the number of suspensions and expulsions issued, and when he saw that suspensions and expulsions in New Haven public schools dropped precipitously over Harp’s tenure, he was impressed. During her speech, Harp asked alders and union and New Haven Rising members at the rally to stand to

be recognized and thanked by the crowd for their work in the city. DeLauro, in her speech, pledged that “we will have a graduate students’ union,” referring to the bid by UNITE HERE Local 33 to negotiate a first contract with Yale. This was met with cheers and applause from the Local 33, 34 and New Haven Rising members. At the end of the ceremony, Pastor Kelsy Steele asked the crowd to fill out contact information forms provided by Harp’s campaign team. Jesse Phillips, Harp’s campaign manager, said his team will use the information on the forms to reach out to the mayor’s supporters for campaigning purposes as Election Day nears.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017 Con’tfrom page 2

A Victory March

worked for a housecleaning company, permanent permission to stay here. “Today, reason and compassion have prevailed. There was never a rational justification for Nury Chavarria to have been threatened with deportation and separated from her children,” Malloy’s statement read in part. “Members of the community had their voices heard.” Chavarria was one of 13 undocumented immigrants taking sanctuary in U.S. houses of worship. She was the first to do so in New Haven. Her case became national news, and she warmed up to the role of spokesperson for a movement. “I’m glad ICE finally listened to our calls for justice for Nury, and I’m grateful for all the community support she received,” Murphy was quoted as saying in a release issued by his office. “But this is just a temporary victory, and only when President Trump’s mean-spirited policy of tearing apart parents from their young children ends will meaningful justice be achieved.” Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal Pastor Hector Ortero said he was sad to see Chavarria head home to Norwalk Thursday, but happy for her victory. He reminded the crowd that the language of heaven is not English, Spanish or French. “The language of heaven is faith,” he said. “We still believe. I pray that God bless Nury and her lovely family, that God bless everyone and God bless the United States of America.”

Hometown Hero Will Help City Hoop It Up

Con’tfrom page 2

Health Hill Opens

came CEO of the center five years ago. He added that the new wings were part of the hospital before, but that two housed other hospital operations and that the last had been vacant for about three years. Funding for the project came from a variety of sources, including grants, donations and contributions from the health center’s positive performance, according to Taylor. After the ribbon-cutting, Taylor guided the Independent around the center’s shiny new optometry wing. The wing is complete with about five examination rooms and state-of-the-art medical equipment, much of which is brand new. Taylor called it one of the most, if not the most impressive eye care centers in the state. “Too few people realize what a gem we have here in the heart of New Haven,” Taylor said. “We’re happy to show it off.” Taylor added that Lions Low Vision, an organization that services low vision people across the world, has agreed to provide patients at the center who qualify as low vision with aid equipment free of charge. A Lions representative who spoke Thursday said low vision is the degree of loss that cannot be corrected by eyeglasses, medicine or surgery. He said his organizations works with healthcare providers to get people with low vision equipment that allows them to live active lives. He added that Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center is the seventh health care provider in Connecticut with which the Lions have partnered.

by JON GREENBERG NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

New Haven kids will have the opportunity to practice and play alongside a rising basketball star this weekend. Tremont Waters of New Haven, the top-ranked high school basketball player in the state last season, joined Mayor Toni Harp, Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim, City Youth Services Department Director Jason Bartlett, and officials from Hartford and Waterbury on the steps of City Hall Tuesday to introduce the Connecticut Big 3 Ball Out Tournament, a recreational basketball competition for young people from across the state. Kids of all ages from New Haven, Bridgeport, Hartford and Waterbury will compete in teams of three in the tournament this weekend. The stretch of Church Street in front of City Hall will be closed off, hoops and equipment wheeled in, and transformed into 16 basketball courts. This is the fourth consecutive year the competition, which was called the Hoop It Up Tournament in past years, will take place. In a new twist, Waters and his family will have one court for themselves, where they will teach kids basketball skills between games.

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Tremont Waters flanked by Mayor Harp and Jason Bartlett at Tuesday’s presser.

“I wish I had something like this when I was younger,” Waters said. “I know it’s going to be a great event, so let’s have a great day.” Bartlett announced Monday that the opening day of the tournament will be proclaimed Tremont Waters Day in New Haven and that the city has ordered basketballs with Waters’ face on them for the tournament. Waters said these honors are definitely “something new” for him. Waters, who was the number38th ranked high school basketball prospect in the country and the Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year in 2017, graduated from Notre Dame High School in West Haven this spring. He

will play point guard at Louisiana State University in the fall on a full scholarship. The Harp administration created the tournament four years ago to counter violence among young people. “Hoop It Up, since its inception, has meant friendly competition among young people of all ages,” Harp said. Bartlett said teams can register up to Saturday, the day the tournament starts. He added that he expects well over 700 young people from the four cities to participate this year. For more information on the tournament, call 203-946-7585 or 203-946-7173.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017

Builder Clears Hurdle At Crumbling Coop by CHRISTOPHER PEAK NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

Residents of Antillean Manor, a subsidized housing complex, voted to reconstitute their long-defunct co-op board checking off the first requirement in the complicated and controversial process of selling off the property to a developer eager to raze and rebuild it. Families residing in the 31-unit cooperative on Day Street, between Chapel Street and Edgewood Avenue, in the Dwight neighborhood, said they are eager to vacate the squalid premises, with its cracked walls, waterlogged floors and rodent infestations. They’re willing to hand ownership off to Carabetta Management, which has run the facility since 2011, to tear down the half-century-old apartments and rebuild. It would become the latest of a series of housing co-ops in New Haven to fail, following the Dwight Co-ops (now “Dwight Gardens” around the corner on Edgewood) and Ethan Gardens a couple of blocks away. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which subsidizes the units through Section 8 and holds a mortgage on the property, supports Carabetta’s plan to take over and rebuild Antillean. But to move forward, the project requires a vote from the co-op board in favor of a sale. And the board hadn’t met for years. Many families didn’t even realize the board existed. Carabetta officials originally tried to spring the election on Antilean’s tenants at an outdoor meeting last month, when they tried to move ahead without giving advance notice and without sharing the procedure with anyone. That didn’t fly. On Monday, in the Dwight police substation’s community room, the Meriden-based developer succeed on its second try, though not nearly as fast as it wanted to move. West River Alder Tyisha Walker, who represents the tenants and had previously ding the company for its lack of transparency, called Monday night’s vote a “step in the right direction.” “We’re one step closer than we were,” said Walker, who is president of the Board of Alders. “I got involved because I want to make sure that they have a safe place to live, and I just want Carabetta to be up front with them.” She added, “This is about their lives.” To get the co-op board back together, Antillean’s residents had to follow a process set out in bylaws that no one had read in years. Those rules dictate that 20 percent of the complex’s members can call a meeting and propose revisions to the bylaws, which can then

CHRISTOPHER PEAK PHOTO

Dinah Sellers, one of Antillean Manor’s original residents, at Monday night’s meeting.

be passed with a majority vote and sent to HUD for final approval. Easy enough, right? Except that the co-op hadn’t followed the rules on adding new members in years. According to the bylaws, those seeking membership had to apply to the board, pay a $325 fee and obtain a certificate. Most of the current tenants had simply signed papers with Carabetta; only two remaining households still had their original member certificates on file, and another nine had occupancy agreements that were a prerequisite to membership. Others may have had certificates, too, but when Carabetta took over, the coop’s remaining records were handed to them in a garbage bag and were hard to track down, said Helen Muniz, the company’s development officer. Some important records appear not to have been inside that garbage bag. Around 6:30 p.m., two female members technically a majority of the remaining members — stood up to call a meeting of the co-op’s board of directors for the first time in as long as anyone can remember. After consulting in the hallway with a New Haven Legal Assistance Association attorney, the two members, Dinah Sellers and Carmen Casillas, moved to amend the bylaws. They suggested changing the membership criteria. Waiving the $325 fee, every household would now get one member. (“I don’t care if it’s 15 family members that are in one household, it’s one member,” Sellers said.) At the next meeting, they proposed, the larger group will elect a sevenmember board of directors that can ink the final sale. Carabetta’s team, in a rush to get construction started, asked if the board could not be put together right then and there. Residents responded that it would

be preferable to involve every resident in deciding which neighbors would represent them on the board. (Sellers and Casillas also removed a requirement that one of the directors be an attorney, since Legal Assistance agreed to represent the board.) Legal aid attorneys Shelley White, Amy Marx, and Lizzie Rosenthal are working with the residents. After Casillas struggled a few times with grasping what it meant to second Sellers’s motion, the two women approved the petition they’d drafted. Casillas later said that she wanted to reconstitute the board so that she can get out of Antillean. “I want a better place to live,” she said, “in a better neighborhood.” Sellers added, “If it’s gonna work, why not” bring the board back? The changes now must be approved by HUD. Carabetta officials asked if it could rush a copy of the revised bylaws to the feds by Tuesday, when they have a weekly check-in call, but legal aid lawyers and city officials protested. Serena Neal-Sanjurjo, executive director of the Livable City Initiative, New Haven’s neighborhood anti-blight agency, said the draft could wait until her agency’s standing meeting with HUD on Friday, giving all parties extra time to review the edits. Laura Sklaver, an attorney with Susman and Duffy representing Carabetta, said the document would likely need to be reviewed by HUD’s programmatic office as well as its counsel. But she is optimistic that they’ll hear back as “quickly as possible,” she said. “I believe it will be very brief.” Carabetta plans to hold the next meeting as soon as possible, because, as Muniz pointed out, Antilean “is deteriorating as we speak.”

TWILIGHT TUESDAYS

Neighborhood Music School invites you to join us for a fabulous evening of music under the stars, in the Park of the Arts, located behind NMS. We encourage you to bring a picnic dinner. BYOB is welcome. Doors open at 7 pm, Concerts start at 7:30 pm. Rain or shine.

August 1

Black Art Jazz Collective

An ensemble of world-renowned musicians celebrating icons of black culture. Featuring: Jeremy Pelt, trumpet; Wayne Escoffery, saxophone; James Burton III, trombone; Victor Gould, piano; Rashaan Carter, bass; Darrell Green, drums.

$15 – General Admission $30 – Reserved Table Seat $120 – Reserved Table (4 seats) Neighborhood Music School

To reserve your tickets please visit NMSnewhaven.org or call Brandon Gallego at 203-624-5189 x15

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017

Gun Violence Triggers Heated Words by PAUL BASS

NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

Top cops and city officials ventured to Newhallville Wednesday to show their faces amid a recent spate of gun violence and heard an earful in return. The Harp administration organized the early afternoon press conference at the juncture of Dixwell Avenue and Munson and Orchard Streets across from Joe Grate Corner. They told reporters and a bevy of neighbors about their ongoing efforts to curtail violence in the city in the wake of a fatal shooting of a 14-year-old and non-fatal shootings of a 13-year-old and a 21-year-old in under two weeks. “Yesterday the city laid to rest a cherished adolescent: a rising high school freshman, a dancer, an entertainer whose spirit lifted the mood of all who watched him perform. The future prospects for this child were laid to rest as well; his potential will never be fulfilled,” Harp (pictured) told the crowd, referring to the funeral of 14-year-old Tyriek Keyes. She noted that statistics show that violent crime has steadily declined for six years. Assistant Police Chief Archie Generoso spoke of police initiatives that have led to arrests of violent criminals while offering people second chances. City youth services chief Jason Bartlett spoke of programs, from YouthStat to My Brother’s Keeper, that have helped keep kids in school and out of trouble.

Odell Montgomery Cooper speaks up during Wednesday’s press conference. “The collective efforts of the police, the school district, the youth services department, other government agencies, and private-sector partners are successfully identifying at-risk youth, engaging them in meaningful ways, and delivering programs and services

to keep them out of harm’s way,” Harp said. Harp promised that all involved will continue working toward a “safe summer.” She and other speakers noted that none of that makes acceptable the shooting of teenagers.

A gradually growing crowd on the triangular traffic island focused on that last point. They continually interrupted the speakers with calls for more jobs for young people, more efforts to stem violence. Odell Montgomery Cooper, whose son was shot dead in April 2016, arrived late. She said she had gone first to a nearby spot that was the originally announced location for the event. “Our children are dying in the streets. The life expectancy of a young man living in New Haven can’t be 14 years old. We need something done,” Cooper interjected. “Please don’t come out here talking about your programs and what you have to offer. We know that you’re good. We know that you care about our community. But our children are still dying in the street.” A onetime Harp critic swung to her defense: Board of Ed administrator Kermit Carolina (pictured), a former Hillhouse High School principal who blasted Harp often when he ran against her for mayor in 2013. Carolina took the microphone and addressed the people yelling questions and criticisms. “I’m telling you — I believe in what Mayor Harp is doing,” Carolina said. “Anyone who wants to be part of the solution, the door is open.” He noted that “bad news travels faster than good news.” The city’s programs that identify and work with at-risk

teens are bearing fruit, he said. That’s “no comfort for a parent” who loses a son, he noted. Meanwhile, he said, “hundreds of parents have slept better” because of antiviolence efforts. After the chaotic official event ended, Carolina crossed the street to huddle with the most vociferous critics. Out of earshot of reporters, they debated how to address violence and discussed opportunities to get involved. Meanwhile, Bartlett and Harp said they are glad people showed up to hear them and to tell them what they think. Bartlett (pictured) called it “part of our job — to come out, get yelled at, listen, and communicate.” He noted that until last week New Haven hadn’t had high-profile murders of young teens since a spate in early 2014, and that violent crime has dramatically fallen since the 2011 peak. “As a community, we’ve gotten used to zero violence against our youth,” he observed. “That’s a good thing. I would be worried if we came out out here and there was no reaction. This shows we have people who care. Let the conversations begin, and people can start taking personal responsibility and engaging with the youth in the neighborhoods.” “I understand people are angry and fearful for their safety,” Harp said. “If they have to yell at me, that’s better than yelling at someone who is going to shoot them.” “We’ve got to figure this out,” she said of the gun violence prob

Fender Bender Earns City Hall Intern A Warning by PAUL BASS

NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

An intern assigned to carry out an errand for a city official ended up in a fender-bender that earned him a police warning. The incident occurred Tuesday morning in the Elm Street parking lot of Wells Fargo bank. City youth services chief Jason Bartlett had driven to the branch with the intern in his department’s Ford Transit van. He was making a deposit at the bank. Afterwards, Bartlett said, he gave the intern the van keys and some cash to head over to Hillhouse High School to pay for food the department had ordered from the Board of Ed kitchen for kids at the city’s YouthStat camp.

Bartlett said he couldn’t make the trip himself because he had to head over the City Hall for a press conference

about a basketball tournament the city’s hosting this weekend. “I told [the intern] to pay for the food and get a receipt,” Bartlett said. After Bartlett left, the intern pulled out of the lot and the van’s passengerside rear fender hit the rear bumper of an unoccupied Ford Explorer in the lot, according to Assistant Police Chief Racheal Cain. The minor collision left a slight dent in the unoccupied car’s bumper and cracked the rear light covering. Then the intern drove off to complete the errand. It turns out the struck car belongs to the bank’s security guard. Who watched the collision. And who knows to whom the van belongs, since he sees Bartlett come in regularly to deposit money. The guard called the police. An officer

investigated. The officer interviewed the intern, who readily admitted having driven the van, Cain said. She said the intern said he hadn’t realized that he had struck the unoccupied car. “Based on the [minor] damage, it’s probable” that the intern honestly hadn’t realized he had tapped the other car, police concluded, according to Cain. She confirmed that Bartlett had not been in the van at the time of the fender-bender. An officer issued the intern a verbal warning for unsafe movement from the start-stop position and failure to leave his name and address. “He’s a very sincere person. I don’t think he realized” he’d hit another vehicle, Bartlett said of the intern. The security guard, Robert Liptrot,

was skeptical. Liptrot said he was in the guard booth when the collision occurred. Two elevator-repair people happened to be in the lot at the time, on break. They saw the collision, and one of them walked around the city van to speak to the driver, Liptrot said. When the intern drove off, the worker alerted Liptrot, who rushed out to speak to the intern, who was then parked at the traffic light at Orange and Elm streets. The light turned before Liptrot could reach him, Liptrot said. “There’s no way he would pull up, stop after being hit, and then back up” without realizing what happened, Liptrot asserted. He said he doesn’t know if the intern noticed the elevator-repairman seeking to get his attention.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017

A Celebration of Life, Love and Service By Barbara Fair

“To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for rich or poorer, in sickness and in health until death do we part”. On Saturday, July 1, 2017 the West Haven community celebrated 70 years of marriage to residents Richard Watt SR and his beautiful wife, Eva. The community also celebrated the 90th birthday of Mr Watt and honored the service their late son, Brent Watt gave to the city of West Haven as councilman of the 5th district. The day began with the naming of a secluded park after their son, Brent Watt, who passed away on June 25, 2016 at the age of 54 following a chronic illness. A park tucked away on Tile and Rockview Streets near University of New Haven, named after him is hoped to provide a place of solace for those who visit. Fred Brown, a member of the West Haven Fire department and a board member of the Fire Commission suggested the naming as a way of “giving back for all that Brent gave to us”. Brent was remembered for his commitment to the West Haven Council and his words, “Don’t let anyone stop you from doing what God has put on your heart to do”. Following the celebration in their son’s honor Mr and Mrs. Richard Watt Sr, longtime residents of West Haven celebrated their 70 year marriage at Biagetti’s Restaurant on Campbell Ave and Captain Thomas Boulevard in the city. The celebration provided

Now There Are 2 by MARKESHIA RICKS NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

a biography of the couple’s meeting along with photos from their wedding day. Family members came from as far away as Virginia and Washington DC for the occasion. Eva met Richard at the age of 14 on Grand Avenue and they dated for a while. At that time there was no indoor plumbing and Hillhouse High school was located on Broadway. They dated for a while and capture each other’s heart. She said she missed her graduation ceremony because she “was shopping for a wedding dress”. Richard was born on a plantation in Abbeville, South Carolina. Because his family were sharecroppers and

would likely never be able to actually own anything the family migrated to Connecticut where Richard went to Real Estate School and eventually became a real estate broker accumulating wealth by purchasing 21 houses throughout the years. On July 4, 1947 Richard and Eva married and bought their first home in 1950 on Bedford Street, West Haven, a residence that continues to be occupied by family. Their marriage was blessed with 3 daughters and 2 sons. One daughter, Robin Hamilton replaced her brother on the West Haven Council.

A candidate for probate judge has decided to end his quest for the position, while another has decided to press on. Attorney Orlando Cordero said Friday that he will bow out of the race to finish the last year of New Haven Probate Judge Jack Keyes’ term after Keyes retires in 2018 after 32 years in the job. Cordero was one of three Democrats this week seeking the Democratic Party nomination for the position. After two ballots, the convention granted the endorsement to city prison reentry chief Clifton Graves Jr. Cordero, a Hill native, said he decided after much “thought and prayer” to end his quest for the position. A third Democrat, Americo Carchia, said Friday he has decided to challenge Graves in a Sept. 12 party primary. That means he has to collect 1,850signatures of registered Demo-

MARKESHIA RICKS PHOTO

cratic voters by Aug. 9 “It is a large task, but I have some ground support working with me, and I’m hoping I can convince some of the other ward people to come work with me as well,” said Carchia, who asked anyone interested in helping to contact him at this email address. Whoever emerges as the Democratic candidate will face Republican Melissa Papantones in the Nov. 7 general election. Probate judges serve four-year terms; the position pays an annual salary of $125,000. Candidates are required to live in the district where they serve. And whoever ultimately wins the seat will have a year on the job before having to stand for election again to run for a full four-year term. The probate court deals with adoptions and custody cases. It also can sort out what to do with an estate after someone has died and how to protect the rights and money of people who are elderly and physically infirm.

Cordero, Carchia, Graves at this week’s Democratic convention.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017

Reelection Event Highlights Newhallville Oasis by MARKESHIA RICKS NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

One of the city’s best kept not-secret secrets was the stage for a fundraising event for Mayor Toni Harp’s reelection campaign. Butterflies and birds shared their home at the corner of Dixwell Avenue and Ivy Street with the more than 50 people who came to the habtitat to enjoy “Tapas with Toni.” The event was held during the late afternoon Sunday at the Ivy Narrow Bird Habitat in support of Harp’s quest for a third twoyear term. Marcus Paca is collecting petitions to challenge Harp in a Democratic primary as well as in the general election. For nearly two decades the habitat, which was created through the work of its caretaker Jeanette Thomas, her family, neighbors and the support of organizations like the Urban Resources Initiative and the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven, has been an oasis in a neighborhood that often fights against blight and ab-

Harp with organizers Karaine Smith-Holness and Jackie Buster and with Red Maven Media’s Michelle Turner and Babz Rawls-Ivy.

sentee landlords. Fundraiser attendees who paid $125 and up to dine with the mayor at the habitat, many who said Sunday they’d either forgotten or never knew that the habitat existed, got a chance to get

up close with the green space as they sipped cocktails and sampled the small plates provided by Baby J’s Catering. The habitat had been transformed into an outdoor garden cafe with lights strung throughout the sanctuary and

tables and chairs placed throughout to create intimate seating areas for guests. “It goes without saying that most of you are really surprised that such beauty exists right here in the middle of Newhallville and Dixwell,” Harp said as she thanked Thomas for investing her time and money into keeping the habitat alive. Attendees took the event’s food offering from staffers dressed in colorful T-shirts that featured assertions about Harp administration accomplishments, like balancing the budget and equipping police officers with cell phones and forthcoming body cameras. Jackie Buster of Wow! Creative Design Group, who also happens to be caretaker Thomas’s daughter, seconded the campaign theme of stressing “facts” in an age of “alternative truths.” “We felt it was important to put it in people’s faces so they will leave here knowing how Toni and her team have affected our youth, our city with safe-

ty, with finances and IT,” she said. Sunday’s event was hosted by Buster, Karaine Smith-Holness of Hair’s Kay Salon and attorney Wendy Clarke. Harp joked that the three women had been so busy planning the fundraiser that she was unable to get her hair done in time for the event. Smith-Holness is the stylist responsible for helping the mayor maintain her coiffure. “If it doesn’t look right,” Harp joked of her hair, “it’s not my fault.” On a more serious note, Harp told attendees that New Haven is a small city that can be an example to others on how to do better. Harp is the president of the African American Mayors Association and under her leadership New Haven has shown support for immigration reform, including sanctuary houses of worship. “I am someone who believes in the American dream and that it is a dream for everybody,” she said. “I think that’s something worth working for.”

Portland Lawmakers Pass Racial Profiling Bill By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Contributor

In an effort to improve the relationship between law enforcement and the Black community, state lawmakers in Oregon recently passed a bill to combat racial profiling by police. The Statesman Journal reported that the “bill requires law enforcement agencies to collect and submit data on the age, race, ethnicity and sex of a person contacted during a traffic or pedestrian stop.” The Journal also reported that the bill, which is known as “House Bill 2355,” is “designed to tackle racial profiling by law enforcement and keep drug addicts out of jail.” House Bill 2355 received bipartisan support; Governor Kate Brown is expected to sign the bill into law. Civil rights activists say that recent events in Portland warrant increased scrutiny on interactions between Blacks and law enforcement officials. “If you focus only on the outcomes, 42 percent of African-Americans are stopped annually by gang enforcement officers, because of the belief that all African-Americans have to prove they aren’t involved in gang activity in a city with a six percent African-Ameri-

can population,” said Jo Ann Hardesty, the president of the Portland branch of the NAACP. Hardesty continued: “How many times are 12 to 24-year-olds stopped, searched and questioned?” Hardesty also recalled a recent police shooting involving a Black man. Hardesty said that Terrell Kyreem Johnson, 24, was running away from police when he was shot in the back and killed by two police officers, who

happened to be brothers. A grand jury cleared the officers of wrongdoing. The Oregonian reported that Johnson “died of multiple gunshot wounds, according to Portland police.” Portland police said that Johnson threatened officers with a utility knife, before he was shot. Although, Portland police spokesman Peter Simpson challenged Hardesty’s assessment of the shooting and the department’s gang enforcement tactics,

Simpson didn’t provide any statistics to dispute her claims. According to Slate.com, Portland’s gang-tracking methods produce inaccurate information and often lead to racial profiling, which can result in large-scale civil liberties violations. “While Portland is considered the whitest big city in America, the gang database doesn’t reflect that reality. According to Carli Brosseau of the Oregonian, only 18 percent of people included on the list are White,” Slate. com reported. “While less than 8 percent of the city’s population is Black, 64 percent of people in the Portland gang database are Black, and 16 percent is made up of other racial and ethnic groups.” The Slate.com article also noted that, “Pre-existing arrests and convictions aren’t prerequisites to be added to the [Portland Police Bureau’s] list. Most people are included because of how they look, dress, or conduct themselves—a comically low bar that opens the door for rampant harassment.” In 2015, after a multi-year campaign, Unite Oregon, described as a “unified intercultural movement for justice,” on the group’s website, won passage of “HB 2002,” a landmark bill ban-

ning profiling by law enforcement in Oregon. As a member of the task force and a leader on the issue, Unite Oregon said it was poised to lay the groundwork for organizing around the legislation, particularly with regards to two recommendations deemed pivotal to the success of the profiling ban: (1) robust collection of data on police stops, complaints, and complaint outcomes, and (2) development of an accountability structure that empowers the Civil Rights Division of the Oregon Department of Justice to examine the data for patterns or practices of profiling and push for remediation by local law enforcement bodies. Hardesty said the real problem remains the narrative that police and the criminal justice system use to criminalize Black existence; it’s a problem that plays out daily in how police officers enforce the law and who suffers when they cross the line. “We are in the process of hiring a new police chief,” Hardesty said. “I have high hopes we will recruit a transformative leader that doesn’t fear Black people and is willing to work with all people to build a safe community for us all.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017

Roland Martin Launches Initiative to Fund HBCUs By Alexa Imani Spencer and Noni Marshall,

Alarmed by the critical financial state of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) throughout the nation, “News One Now” host Roland S. Martin has issued a call to action to address the problem. Several weeks into the initiative, Martin has been urging viewers and followers on social media to get involved by donating to an HBCU of their choice. “It’s an abomination, and I use that word very clearly, to have HBCUs where only three to five percent of their graduates give a dollar,” Martin said. The movement began with a lapel pin. After a series of speeches at academic institutions, Martin accumulated a collection of pins representing each school. Inspired, he began to promote the cause, #HBCUGivingDay, by wearing a different pin on his show daily. “It started with the universities I had given commencement speeches,” Martin said. “It literally started with me saying, ‘tomorrow morning I’m going to put this pin on.’” On his show, Martin has showcased several lapel pins in support of giving, including Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis, Grambling State University in Grambling, Louisiana, Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia, and Spelman College in Atlanta. HBCUs have had a chronic history of financial instability, causing many

to close and cut programs, which ultimately minimizes the opportunity for students to engage in higher education. Martin suggests that this can be avoided if alumni commit to giving. “The problem I have is not with them only giving x amount of money. The problem is not giving anything,” he said. On June 12, Martin implored viewers to donate to Virginia State University, a public historically Black land-grant university in Petersburg, Virginia, an appeal that proved to be effective. Virginia State University National Alumni Association President Franklin Johnson Jr. said numerous people

have reached out about how to give. “I feel honestly, as serving as the National Alumni Association president, there has been some benefit from the initiative,” said Johnson, who also decided to join the giving pool. “I give several times, myself, throughout the year, but I just felt the need because he called out my school.” The Virginia State University National Alumni Association has also launched its own giving campaign, 1,000 Trojans Giving 100 Dollars. Introduced in March 2016, the initiative seeks to match a $100,000 donation given to the university by its president, Makola Abdullah and his wife, Ahkinyala Cobb-Abdullah. To date, they

have received over $50,000 in donations. “Our goal is to be as close to the $100,000 by homecoming. We’re really pushing for that,” Johnson said. Florida A&M University (FAMU) has begun its own crusade encouraging alumni to give back. Lt. Col. Gregory Clark, president of FAMU National Alumni Association, appeared on News One Now to discuss solutions to low alumni giving rates. Clark acknowledged that FAMU’s alumni participation is not where it could be. “We’re around 5 percent [alumni giving], and that’s unacceptable for us. We’re trying to push the narrative that

you’ve got to give to ensure we can get those giving rates up,” Clark said. The FAMU National Alumni Association routinely sees its biggest spike in alumni donations during its annual national convention fundraising breakfast. The 2016 breakfast alone raised $715,000. The overall message that people must receive is the importance of supporting all Black institutions, Martin said. While Black colleges and universities are the focus of the initiative, they are only a segment of what makes up the Black community. Media, civil rights organizations, women’s rights organizations, fraternities and sororities also need consistent attention. “All of those things make up the Black community, because that’s what provides the support and the resources for it,” Martin said. If the Black community fails to recognize this, he said, then it is subject to the control of parties without vested interest. “That means you have no control of your own community,” Martin said. “You literally are at the mercy of someone externally and that’s never what any community wants to be.” To learn more about NNPA “Discover The Unexpected” Journalism Fellowship program, visit www.nnpa.org/dtu. Alexa Spencer and Noni Marshall are 2017 DTU Journalism Fellows and Howard University students, who are creating content for The Washington Informer this summer. Follow Alexa on Twitter @alexaimani. Follow Noni on Twitter @noni_nnpadtu.

The Challenge of Mature Relationships by William Spivey*

them and break through the barriers they’ve erected but taking no proactive steps of their own. Better not to try at all! There is no one-fits-all solution that works for everyone. Some of these women are content in their lives which may revolve around their children and their careers. They find happiness where they can, having relationships on their terms if at hall. While thinking on this. I realized that many men find themselves in the very same situation. They settle for shallow small-risk relationships or maybe none because failing is just as real for them. In a conversation with a family member, she compared me

I’ve met several mature Black women who’ve more or less given up on finding love. It’s not that they don’t want it. They’re just making no effort to find it, possibly blocking every glimmer of hope that comes along. Their history typically contains stories of being deceived, having to carry too much of the load, pain and unhappiness. They don’t reject the concept of love, which to some also means marriage. They just don’t want to be let down again, experiencing what they possibly define as failure. Some are hoping that Black Knight (or possibly another hue) will find

favorably to her brothers because, “at least you’re still dating.” The evolution of a meaningful relationship is just as full of pot holes for men as for women. Perhaps compounded by the fact that women willing to enter into a less than a committed relationship are not hard to find. I found myself speaking to a younger male about relationships and said, “When I was growing up you were considered a punk if you turned down a woman offering herself under almost any circumstances. What you’ll realize at some point, hopefully sooner than later, is that with each interaction comes expectations. If all you Con’t on page 19

THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017

Family Members of South Carolina Church

Shooting Support Independent Film “Broken”

Film Review by Kam Williams Claustrophobic Docudrama Revisits ‘67 Riots through the Prism of Infamous Interrogation at Algiers Hotel Detroit’s ‘67 riots broke out in the wee hours of July 23rd, in the wake of a police raid on an unlicensed bar where folks had been toasting a couple of vets who’d recently returned from Vietnam. Word spread like wildfire through the black community that the cops had arrested all 82 people they found inside, and it wasn’t long before mobs began looting and firebombing stores all around the ‘hood. The rebellion would last five days and result in over 1,000 injuries and 7,000 arrests, while also claiming 43 lives. In terms of property damage, about 2,500 businesses were destroyed and hundreds of families were left homeless. The insurrection was quelled by the Motor City’s police force in conjunction with the state of Michigan’s National Guard as well as federal troops from the 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions. While the arrests at the speakeasy ostensibly served as the flashpoint for the civil unrest,

the revolt was really the result of longsimmering frustrations with the poor quality of housing, employment and education in the ghetto. Directed by two-time Oscar-winner Kathryn Bigelow (for The Hurt Locker), Detroit revisits the ‘67 riots by telescoping tightly on events which unfolded at the Algiers Motel on the third night of the rebellion. The picture features an A-list ensemble that includes John Boyega, Anthony Mackie, John Boyega, Will Poulter, Jacob Latimore and John Krasinski. The trouble started when a sniper seemed to be taking pot shots at the police stationed a block away from the Algiers. Truth be told, it was just 17 year-old Carl Cooper (Jason Cooper) firing a harmless starter pistol. Nevertheless, reasonably assuming they were under attack, officers returned fire before storming the hotel’s three-story annex. Emptying the rooms, they found a dozen guests, two 18 yearold white girls and 10 black males, including members of The Dramatics, The Motown group whose biggest hit was “Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get.” The guests were herded into a firstfloor hallway where, over the next several hours, they were threatened, humiliated and sadistically beaten dur-

ing a prolonged interrogation being directed by Patrolman Krauss (Poulter). The white females were stripped naked, and called “whores” and “[Nword] lovers.” No gun was ever found, but by the end of the torture three black teenagers lay dead: Cooper, Fred Temple (Latimore) and Aubrey Pollard (Nathan Davis, Jr.). Newspapers reported that they were snipers who died during an exchange of gunfire. But autopsies revealed each had been shot from behind at very close range. Detroit is very difficult to watch, since it’s basically a searing snuff flick which forces the audience to witness the deliberate persecution of innocent civilians at the behest of a racist redneck with a badge. Riveting revisionist history setting the record straight in a way which will undoubtedly resonate with the Black Lives Matter Movement. Very Good (3 stars) Rated R for graphic violence and pervasive profanity Running time: 143 minutes Production Company: Annapurna Pictures / First Light Distributor: Annapurna Pictures

Los Angeles, CA — Surviving family members of victims from the Emanuel AME South Carolina Church shooting have spoken out in support of a short independent film entitled “Broken” produced and written by La Trycee Fowler. She also stars in the film. “Broken” follows the lives of two children in a small Southern Mississippi town who witness a massacre at their church, leaving one of them orphaned. The film tells a visually captivating story of how they are coping with the tragedy 10 years later and what happens following an unexpected run in with the murderer. Fowler comments, “I wrote this film because I wondered what affects something like this would have on society. How does such a hate filled, senseless act, affect the lives of those left behind? My goal is to use the film to start a dialogue about hate as a cancer in our society, in the hopes of people realizing that our actions cause a ripple effect not only in others’ lives, but in our own lives as well.” Rev. Sharon Risher, the daughter

of the late Ethel Lance, victim of the AME shooting, said that “to donate to this film you would do yourself a service.” Her daughter Aja Risher, Ethel’s granddaughter, said “This film should be introduced at the high school level as a teaching tool to think before you act.” Mr. Stephen Hurd, husband of the late Cynthia Hurd, victim of the AME shooting, said “It’s important to donate and get this film made because we need an up close and personal look at how we are destroying ourselves; our society.” Bethane MiddletonBrown, whose sister Rev. DePayne Middleton-Doctor was killed in the shooting said, “I don’t want the world to ever forget the Emanuel 9… I want people donate to the film ‘Broken’ because it’s for a good cause. There are a lot of broken hearts that need to be healed, a lot of stories that need to be told… I want mine to encourage people to love, and love monetarily by giving, because that’s what it’s going to take to help others.” To view clips from the victims’ interviews, visit www.brokenthemovie. com. Interested one can also follow the film on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @BrokenAShort. To raise funding for the production, slated to begin filming August 31, 2017 in Virginia, La Trycee has started a HatchFund campaign at: www. hatchfund.org/project/broken_a_ short_film. The victims’ families are in full support. Donate today! La Trycee Fowler is a rising actress who has also produced several award winning series and commercials. La Trycee’s website is: www.latryceefowler.yolasite.com. Additional information about La Trycee is at www. imdb.me/latryceefowler. She is coproducing “Broken” with Adielenah Perez. Artwork for the film, and writer/producer/actress La Trycee Fowler

THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017

All the feels Laugh out loud, wipe your tears and fall in love with the best in Black entertainment. Enjoy your favorite TV shows, movies, music and more. Get behind-the-scenes footage, news, and up close and personal with the hottest stars and directors. It’s all in one easy-to-access place – Black Film & TV on XFINITY On Demand.

XFINITY X1 Triple Play

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a month for 24 months with a 2-year agreement

Call 1-800-XFINITY, go to xfinity.com or visit your local XFINITY Store today

Offer ends 8/6/17. New residential customers only. Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. Requires subscription to Starter XF Triple Play with Digital Starter TV, Performance Pro Internet and XFINITY Voice Unlimited services. Early termination fee applies if all XFINITY services are cancelled during the agreement term. Equipment, installation, taxes and fees, including regulatory recovery fees, Broadcast TV Fee (up to $7.00/mo.), Regional Sports Network Fee (up to $5.00/mo.) and other applicable charges extra and subject to change during and after the promo. After promo, or if any service is cancelled or downgraded, regular charges apply (subject to change). Service limited to a single outlet. May not be combined with other offers. TV: Limited Basic service subscription required to receive other levels of service. XFINITY On Demand selections subject to charge indicated at time of purchase. Internet: Actual speeds vary and are not guaranteed. Requires XFINITY service. Voice: $29.95 activation fee applies. If there is a power outage or network issue, calling, including calls to 911, may be unavailable. 2-year term agreement required with prepaid card offers. Early termination fee applies if all XFINITY services are cancelled during the agreement term. Cards issued by MetaBank®, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa® U.S.A. Inc. Cards will not have cash access and can be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. Money-back guarantee applies to one month’s recurring service charge and standard installation charges up to $500. Watch Marvel's Luke Cage on Netflix. © 2016 MARVEL & ABC Studios. To access Netflix on XFINITY X1 requires an eligible X1 set-top box with XFINITY TV and XFINITY Internet service. Netflix streaming membership required. © 2017 Comcast. All rights reserved. NPA204387-0005 DIV17-3-AA-$89X1TP-A3

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017

Saint Aedan School

School Readiness/Pre-Kindergarten Program 351 McKinley Ave., New Haven, CT 06515

Now accepting applications for both 3 and 4 year old programs starting in September Accepting New Haven and Out Of District Students The Saint Aedan Readiness Program, based on Creative Curriculum allows children to learn based on the uniqueness of each child. Building self esteem, friendships and a sense of community, Saint Aedan School is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment. Full Year/Full day (7:30-5:30) Parent Fees-sliding scale Care4kids Available

NAEYC Accredited

For enrollment information, contact Dr. James Acabbo, Director drashsp@yahoo.com Mr. Michael Votto, Principal mvotto@staedan-brendanschool.org Call the school at 203-387-5693 or visit us at: www.staedan-brendanschool.org

THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017

I Am Battle Comic

Film Review: Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop:

A Bad Boy Story By Dwight Brown, NNPA Newswire Film Critic

Film Review by Kam Williams Standup Comics Entertain Troops Stationed Overseas in Inspirational Concert Flick For over 50 years, Bob Hope served as emcee of the USO tour traveling overseas to entertain the troops. From World War II through Operation DesCon’t from page 15

The Challenge of Mature Relationships

want is momentary pleasure, the karma you’re sewing into the universe will only come back to haunt you.” I actually used much more common language so he’d get the point but I’m using literary license so not to tarnish my image. The same is true for grown ass men. Enter relationships with a level of seriousness or not at all. It’s acceptable to be hopeful as you get to know someone. But recognize if you’re on or off the right track. Men should reexamine their goals as well. If all you’re looking for is easy access, don’t be disappointed in what you get. Think about what it is you’re looking for and what you’re unwilling to accept, long before you’re sitting across from a date having dinner or buying someone a drink. Once you know what you’re willing to say no to. Then you can consider what will make you say yes. Relationships don’t have to be as hard as we make them. Honesty and open communication go a long way towards finding that person you’re willing not to just settle for, but settle down with. To those who considered quitting the race, I encourage you to give it another try, or as many as necessary because it can be done! When you find that person you want to talk to about everything. You’re on the way! *Writer, poet, wannabe philosopher. Elsewhere I write about politics, race and social justice at Enigmainblack. wordpress.com. Here… it’s personal! Follow on Medium: William Spivey.

ert Storm, Hope never hesitated to put himself in harm’s way. The wellreceived shows proved to be pretty popular back home, too, where they aired periodically on NBC. Although no longer televised, an altruistic band of talented comedians have continued to venture to war zones in the wake of Bob Hope’s passing. Their unheralded efforts are the subject of I Am Battle Comic, a combination concert flick and documentary directed by Jordan Brady. The inspirational film was shot on location in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait and Bahrain, and stars 14 standup veterans, including George Lopez, Dave Attell and George Wallace, to name a few. While it’s certainly fun watching them perform onstage before very grateful audiences, what’s far more rewarding is the behind-the-scenes footage of them bonding with the soldiers. For instance, we witness Lopez stick around after a show to sign an autograph for anybody that wanted one, over 1,000 in total. Then there’s Bob Kubota, who explains that he’s actually anti-war, and isn’t there for those who started or profit from the conflict. Rather, he wistfully recalls the satisfaction coming from receiving a letter from grateful parents thanking him for lifting the spirits of a son who’d been down in the dumps for eight months. The picture also features funny archival footage of Bob Hope and Robin Williams. Still, what’ll probably stick with you longer than any witty oneliners are sobering moments like a weeping private’s heartfelt reflections on his service and a comic’s visit to an infirmary to chat with wounded warriors. A moving concert flick that’ll make you laugh while bringing a tear to your eye in appreciation of our soldiers’ selfless sacrifices. Excellent (4 stars) Unrated Running time: 89 minutes Studio: Brady Oil Entertainment Distributor: Monterey Media

The job of a good documentary is to probe, uncover and get answers to tough questions. The job of a promotional reel is to exalt its subject. This non-fiction film lays squarely in-between. On some levels it’s revealing. On others, it has as much depth as an 8” x 10” glossy. Bad Boy Records, which started in 1993 and is still run by Sean Combs aka ‘Puffy,’ aka ‘P. Diddy,’ had a sterling roster of hip-hop and rap artists in its heyday. On the eve of a 20th Anniversary reunion performance at Brooklyn’s Barclays Arena, those who are still alive, and that is a consideration, gather at a gigantic studio in the farmlands of Pennsylvania for days of rehearsals. A camera catches the choreographing, artistic stage directing and the old rivalries that still fester. Supervising artists is a bit like herding puppies, but Combs and Laurieann Gibson, the creative director of the tour, seem to have things in hand. Faith Evans, Lil’ Kim, Mase, Mary J Blige and others whose careers blossomed under Combs are feeling a rejuvenation that is contagious. As the artists, now approaching middle age, scramble to get their mojo back, and Combs bellows, “We’re going to win,” director/cinematographer Daniel Kaufman records their moves. Can’t call Kaufman’s lens prying because little in what you see feels candid. He most often shoots in black and white, which gives the dark cavernous rehearsal studio scenes, with the misty spotlights and gray backdrops, an ominous and engrossing look. The place evokes a superheroes lair, like Captain America, Spiderman, Black Widow and Black Panther are plotting to save the world. The common denominator for Bad Boy Records, the reunion concert and all the artists, is Combs. It is fitting in many ways that this documentary charts his life from a 12-year-old paperboy to a mogul who Forbes magazine dubs as the wealthiest hip-hop artist in the world, with $700M+ and counting. Easy to see why his fans, and those who would like to follow his path to success, would want to know how he ascended to his throne. In many ways, the audiences gets a primer on Combs

rise to fame and fortune, from his own words: “I don’t want the Chrysler that looks like the Phantom (Rolls Royce), I want the Phantom.” A friend also attest to his ambition: “He was the kind of kid who hung out with you, but was always thinking ahead.” As viewers watch Combs manage his artists, they will decide if he is a taskmaster, a bully, prima donna, shepherd or a motivator. Any of these words can describe the character on-screen, and which label fits him best may be more about the viewer’s predisposition or interpretation than Combs himself. The highlights of Comb’s rise are on view. However the low points of his career, personal life and biggest controversies, are not on the spectrum. The one exception is the death of his buddy Biggie Smalls. Anyone looking for the truth about the riff between Tupac and Smalls will not get that question answered (the film, “All Eyez on Me,” tries to depict Pac’s side of the story). Regardless, Biggie’s death weighs heavily on Combs, and all the artists he represents. It is Biggie’s spirit that sustains them as they prep for a show that could be a monster or a bust. The Notorious B.I.G. is in their hearts. One of the most authentic moments in the film is when Faith Evans and Lil Kim, who both loved Biggie Smalls, let go of their strife and talk like sisters. Also of note is an intimate phone call to Biggie’s mom by Combs when he asks her to pray for him and the show. These touching moments almost counteract some very superficial scenes: Combs blows his nose with tissue paper that looks like dollar bills. He gets a hypodermic needle injection in his butt from a doctor and the audience is forced to see his right cheek. The camera plays peek-a-boo with

him as he showers nude in a bathroom that really didn’t need a camera crew. Those moments are when you feel like you are being force-fed the Kool-Aid intravenously. But you have to keep in mind that that same blinding narcissistic ego is the same spirit that drove the paperboy to become a millionaire. The film, with fresh interviews from Andre Harrell, Blige, Jimmy Iovine and Jay-Z, and archival footage featuring Fab Five Freddy, Heavy D, President Barack Obama, Russell Simmons and Nina Simone, is rich with opportunities. You’re hoping it will build to the concert that the artists have been prepping for. It does, but glimpses of the onstage extravaganza are fleeting and come during the final credits. One of the film’s biggest transgressions, besides not cornering Combs and grilling him like a district attorney, is not giving the audience enough time with the actual performances to balance out all the waiting. Since Combs is listed as the film’s producer, this is not an accident. This is by design. Some of the target audience, the children of the ‘90s, will wish that “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A Bad Boy Story” had been a concert film featuring the legendary hip-hop artists who revolutionized the music industry. Some may be okay with 80 minutes of back-slapping, self-indulgent, self-promotional footage. One man’s promotional reel can be another’s documentary. Dwight Brown is a film critic and travel writer. As a film critic, he regularly attends international film festivals including Cannes, Sundance, Toronto and the American Black Film Festival. Read more movie reviews by Dwight Brown here and at DwightBrownInk.com.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017

LEGAL NOTICE-INVITATION TO BID: ROUTE 34 PHASE I, LLC will re-

ceive bids from Sitework Contractors by 12:00 pm on 8/14/17 at the office of Leyland Alliance, P.O. Box 878, 233 Route 17, Tuxedo, NY 10987. Bids will be received for the furnishing of all labor, materials, tools, services, and equipment necessary to complete the following scope of work: Sitework for the Learning Experience Project located at 243 Legion Avenue in NEW HAVEN, CT. The Contract Documents and instructions to bidders will be made available electronically. Requests for the electronic drawings to be requested from Tracey Brooker, 845-351-2900, ext. 244, tbrooker@ leylandalliance.com. Route 34 Phase I, LLC reserves the right to reject any or all bids, including without limitation the right to reject any or all nonconforming, nonresponsive, unbalanced, or conditional bids and to reject the bid of any bidder if determined that the bidder is not qualified or responsible. This project is not a prevailing wage job. A pre-bid walkthrough is not planned. Questions must be received on or before 8/4/17. Answers will be issued by 8/7/17. Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employers; Minority/Women’s Business Enterprises are encouraged to apply.

Electric

GENERAL MANAGER-The Town of Wallingford is seeking a highly experienced leader to manage the Town’s, Electric Utility. This is very responsible public utility executive work involving directing the daily, short term, and long term operations and activities of the Wallingford Electric Division. Work involves responsibility for planning, directing, coordinating all of the activities needed for the effective and efficient operation of the Wallingford Electric Division (WED). The General Manager should possess A bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or related field such as mechanical, civil, or environmental engineering or business or public administration from a recognized college or university, plus twelve (12) years of progressively responsible experience in the electric utility field including at least five (5) years in a management position, or an equivalent combination of education and qualifying experience substituting on a year-for-year basis. The Town offers a competitive salary range of $122,942 - $157,308 per year plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Applications or resumes will be accepted until August 28, 2017 at the following address: Personnel Department, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main St., Wallingford, CT 06492, (203) 294-2080. Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE.

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 Wednesday, July 12, 2017 at 3:00PM.

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES Invitation for Bids Plumbing Services The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities is currently seeking Bids for Plumbing Services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Monday, July 10, 2017 at 3:00PM.

Diesel Mechanic 3-5 years min. exp. 40-Hr. Hazwoper Repair/maintain triaxles, roll offs, heavy equipment. Kenworth, Mack, John Deere, Cat. FAX resumes: 860.218.2433; or Email: Info@redtechllc.com. RED Technologies, LLC is An EOE.

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 Listing: Receptionist/Office Assistant

Petroleum Company has an immediate full time opening. Previous experience in a very busy office handling multiple telephone lines and dealing with customers required. Excellent customer service skills a must. Previous petroleum experience a plus. Applicant to also perform administrative/clerical tasks as assigned. Please send resume to: H.R. Manager, Confidential, P O Box 388, Guilford CT 06437.

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

Construction Truck and Equipment Head Mechanic Large CT based Fence and Guard Rail contractor looking for experienced, self-motivated, responsible Head Mechanic. Responsibilities will include maintaining and repairing all company equipment and vehicles, updating asset lists and assuring all rolling stock is in compliance with state and federal regulations. Must have extensive diesel engine, electrical wiring and hydraulic systems experience. Top wages paid, company truck and benefits. AA/EOE Please send resume to Mpicard@atlasoutdoor.com

Maintainer I – Town of Manchester $46,287.28 CDL req’d.

CLOSING DATE: August 4, 2017

Call HR Recruitment Line at (860) 647-3170 for info or view website: http://hrd1.townofmanchester.org.

POLICE OFFICER Competitive examinations will be held for the position of Police Officer in the Orange, Torrington and West Haven Police Departments. Candidates may register for the testing process at www.policeapp.com/southcentral.

Application deadline is Thursday, August 17, 2017. The physical performance, written, and oral board exams will be administered by the South Central Criminal Justice Administrations. THE DEPARTMENTS PARTICIPATING IN THIS RECRUITMENT DRIVE ARE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYERS.

Listing: Receptionist/Office Assistant

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.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017

Housing Authority of the City of New Haven Invitation for Bids Plumbing Services- West Side Properties The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities is currently seeking Bids for Plumbing Services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Wednesday, July 26, 2017 at 9:00 AM

Housing Authority of the City of New Haven Invitation for Bids Plumbing Services- Scattered Sites

The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities is currently seeking Bids for Plumbing Services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Wednesday, July 26, 2017 at 3:00 PM

POLICE OFFICER

Competitive examinations will be held for the position of Police Officer in the Orange, Torrington and West Haven Police Departments. Candidates may register for the testing process at www.policeapp.com/southcentral. Application deadline is Thursday, August 17, 2017. The physical performance, written, and oral board exams will be administered by the South Central Criminal Justice Administrations. THE DEPARTMENTS PARTICIPATING IN THIS RECRUITMENT DRIVE ARE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYERS.

Common Ground High School has a part time opening (29 hours per week)

for a Math Teaching Assistant (TA). The Math TA is responsible for supporting Math teachers in the classroom during the school day, providing targeted supports in academic labs both during and after school, and assisting with a four week summer school in 2018. For a complete job description, please visit http:// commongroundct.org/2017/07/common-ground-seeks-part-time-math-teaching-assistant/ for a complete job description. Common Ground is particularly eager for candidates who help us fulfill our commitment to building a racially and culturally diverse faculty and staff.

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES Invitation for Bids 162 South Genesee Street Rehabilitation The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities is currently seeking Bids for 162 South Genesee Street Rehabilitation. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Wednesday, July 12, 2017 at 3:00PM.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 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

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

Mechanical Insulator position.

Insulation company offering good pay and benefits. Please mail resume to above address.. MAIL ONLY This company is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer.

Field Engineer

BA/BS in Civil Engineering or Construction Management. 2-5 yrs. experience. OSHA Certified. Proficient in reading contract plans and specifications. Resumes to RED Technologies, LLC, 10 Northwood Dr., Bloomfield, CT 06002; Fax 860.218.2433; Email resumes to info@redtechllc.com. RED Technologies, LLC is an EOE.

Project Manager Environmental Remediation Division

3-5 years exp. and Bachelor’s Degree, 40-Hr. Hazwoper Training Req. Forward resumes to RED Technologies, LLC, 10 Northwood Dr., Bloomfield, CT 06002; Fax 860.218.2433; or Email to HR@redtechllc.com RED Technologies, LLC is an EOE.

Requirements for both positions and the application is available online at www.FirefighterApp.com/EastHavenFD.

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

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.

Listing: Senior Accountant 2+ years public accounting or 4 + years corporate accounting experience. CPA preferred. Monthly tax prep, assist w/monthly closing, account analysis/reconciliation, maintain subledgers, assist managing network and system projects. Must be able to work independently with little/no supervision. Report to Dir. of Acctg. w/heavy exposure to CFO. Strong Excel and analytical skills a must. Great growth potential! Benefit package. Petroleum industry experience a plus. Send resume to: Human Resource Dept. P O Box 388, Guilford CT 06437.

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

**An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer** 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

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

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.comRED Technologies, LLC is an EOE.

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.

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.

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

THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017

SERVING UP THE BEST OF SUMMER AUGUST 18–26 CT TENNIS CENTER AT YALE, NEW HAVEN TICKETS ON SALE NOW! 855-464-8366 SPECIAL EVENTS SHOPRITE KIDS DAY Sunday, August 20 AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA

2016 CONNECTICUT OPEN CHAMPION

OPENING NIGHT presented by Yale Monday, August 21 Featuring mixed doubles with Martina Navratilova and Mats Wilander

POWERSHARES MEN’S LEGENDS Thursday and Friday, August 24-25 Thursday: James Blake vs. Michael Chang Friday: John McEnroe vs. Mark Philippoussis

WTA SINGLES AND DOUBLES FINALS and UNITED TECHNOLOGIES MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY Saturday, August 26

THE INNER-CITY NEWS August 02, 2017 - August 08, 2017