INNER-CITY NEWS July 27, 2016 - August 02, 2016 THE INNER-CITY NEWS - December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
Financial Justice a Key Focus at 2016 NAACP Convention
Miss USA, Miss America, Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe Are All Black Women For the First Time Ever New Haven, Bridgeport
INNER-CITYNEWS
Volume 27 . No. 2364 Volume 21 No. 2194
Newhallville Celebrates Malloy To Malloy To Dems: Dems:
“DMC” Holidays, Heroes
Ignore Ignore“Tough “ToughOn OnCrime” Crime”
Color Struck? “Friends” Bring Holiday Warmth
Snow in July?
Housing Pitch To Elicker:
Focus On Jobs
To GoffeFOLLOW Street ParkUS ON 1
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS -
December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
Dwight Group To Rehab Historic Building, Add Child Care by ALLAN APPEL
New Haven I ndependent
The Greater Dwight Development Corporation is about to become even greater. It has purchased a stately historic building at the corner of Maple Street and Ella Grasso Boulevard through a bank foreclosure. The plan: Rehab it, preserve its period character and green space, and use it to expand early childcare opportunities in the area. GDDC Chair Linda Townsend-Maier was on hand this past Tuesday night at the regular meeting of the Board of Zoning Appeals to advance that prospect. Specifically her group sought two special exceptions to allow for zero offstreet parking when five are required by ordinance; they also sought exemption from providing a dedicated drop-off/pick
up loading space. With the assistance Emilee Gaebler of the Yale Law School Community and Economic Development Clinic, Maier explained how the Montessori School nearby on Edgewood Avenue —the corporation is the landlord there as well— has maxed out its space. The purchased building, when rehabbed, would provide on the first floor two rooms for 16 more kids, little ones who toddle and babies, while the upstairs would be residential rental units. All the uses are as of right. The zoners simply had to agree that there was sufficient on-street parking on the generally quiet Maple Street and on this stretch of Ella Grasso Boulevard that required parking could be had on the street. The BZA commissioners agreed in
principal. Yet because the request involved parking, the matter was referred to the City Plan for a hearing before it returns to the zoners for a final vote. . Local Dwight Alder Yvette Hamilton was the only speaker from the public on the matter. “Wells Fargo has held it [the property] hostage [and empty] for five years,” she said. The neighbors are behind the plan, she added, and are comfortable with the school and the Greater Dwight Development Corporation taking charge of the space. “We’ll see you in February,” said BZA Chair Carmen Melendez, after she instructed the applicants that their next stop, to review the parking, would be City Plan.
Townsend-Maier, right, with Dwight Alder Yvette Hamilton before the BZA hearing commenced.
Elicker Taps Public-Health Doc For Community Services Chief by STAFF
New Haven I ndependent
Mayor-Elect Justin Elicker continued rounding out his leadership team by tapping a public-health doctor to serve as community services administrator (CSA). Elicker announced the choice of Connecticut Department of Health Chronic Disease Director Dr. Mehul Dalal in a press release issued Monday afternoon. The CSA is one of city government’s top coordinators, responsible for overseeing social services departments as well as the health department. The health department has in particular been the focus of controversy in recent years, from its mishandling of lead paint enforcement cases to the release of over 500 people’s private health information. Dalal has served as the state health department’s chronic disease director and
a New York City health official, among many other posts. He lives in New Haven and has practiced internal medicine at the Fair Haven Community Health Center (now called Fair Haven Community Health Care). His appointment requires a confirmation vote by the Board of Alders. The current CSA is Dakibu Muley. Unlike department heads, coordinators have terms coterminus with that of the mayor, meaning Elicker gets to choose his own people for those top slots. He has already announced his choice for another coordinator position, Scott Jackson (as his chief adminsitrative officer), as well as his pick for top city attorney, Patricia King. Following is the text of the release on Dalal from the Elicker Transition Team: Today, New Haven Mayor-Elect, Justin Elicker, announced former Connecticut
Dr. Mehul Dalal
Department of Health Chronic Disease Director Dr. Mehul Dalal, MD, MSc, MHS for his appointment to the Community Services Administrator. “It is an honor to be asked to serve as the Community Services Administrator for the City of New Haven,” said Dr. Dalal. “I look forward to serving in Mayor Elicker’s administration and contributing to a vision where everybody in New Haven has a chance to thrive. We have a great opportunity to think big, think creatively, and work across sectors to make a positive impact,” concluded Dr. Dalal. Dr. Mehul Dalal, MD, MSc, MHS served as the Chronic Disease Director at the Connecticut Department of Health (2012-2019) providing strategic vision, expertise and management skills to his team to improve the lives of Connecticut residents. Dr. Dalal also served as the Medical Director of Quality Improvement from New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Cardio-
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vascular Disease Program (2009-2011). He has served on over a dozen boards and committees focused on public health including: the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, the Connecticut State Health Improvement Advisory Council, and the Connecticut Cancer Partnership. Last year, Dr. Dalal founded Health Design Strategies, LLC here in New Haven to focus on helping health organizations design and implement strategies to broadly improve health. Dr. Dalal has further served the New Haven community by practicing internal medicine at the Fair Haven Community Health Center (2011-2012). “Dr. Dalal’s life-service toward improving the well-being of others is admirable,” stated the Mayor-Elect. “His experience managing large teams, implementing strategic plans and working across the State in the public health field make him more than an exemplary candidate as the City’s Community Services Administrator.” he concluded. Dr. Dalal’s full-biography below: Mehul Dalal, MD, MSc, MHS is an experienced public sector leader with a background in public health administration, clinical care, non-profit governance, and entrepreneurship. From 2012-2019, Dr. Dalal served as the Chronic Disease Director at the Connecticut Department of Public Health where he provided strategic vision, leadership and administrative oversight for the Department’s Chronic Disease Unit guiding teams to strategically and responsibly manage millions in state and federal resources for the benefit of at-risk populations in Connecticut. Dr. Dalal was also designated to help guide public health aspects of the State’s health care reform initiatives under the Affordable Care Act.
He was previously the Medical Director of Quality Improvement at the New York City Department of Health’s Cardiovascular Program, working with primary care providers to promote best practices in the prevention of heart disease and stroke. Dr. Dalal has led or served on numerous stakeholder groups including serving as the Board President of the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, Co-chair of the State Innovation Model Quality Metrics Council, Vice Chair of the Connecticut Cancer Partnership and as a member of the Donaghue Foundation Policy Advisory Committee. Dr. Dalal’s most recent work includes public health consulting with clients that include the World Health Organization in Geneva and Resolve to Save Lives, a large global non-profit based in New York. Dr. Dalal has practiced primary care at Bellevue Hospital in New York City and at Fair Haven Community Health Care in New Haven. He has contributed to peer reviewed publications that appear in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Journal of Clinical Hypertension and the Journal of Primary Care and Community Health. Dr. Dalal received an undergraduate degree in Neuroscience at Brown University and a Doctor of Medicine from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. He completed an internal medicine residency at New York University and is a graduate of the Yale Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program. He resides in New Haven with his family. Dr. Dalal’s appointment will await ap proval from the thirty-member New Ha-
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
Newhallville Celebrates Holidays, Heroes by LAURA GLESBY
New Haven I ndependent
Each year, Linda Davis-Cannon leads a group of around eleven local teenagers to become stewards of Newhallville as paid neighborhood “ambassadors.” Over the course of a six-week leadership training program, the ambassadors pursue community projects based on their interests. In past years, they’ve cleaned up litter, tended to street planters, and beautified local parks. They’ve also produced community newsletters and brochures about recycling. With tears in her eyes, Davis-Cannon recalled a presentation this year’s cohort gave about their vision for Newhallville, sharing ideas for increased safety and a new community center. “They’ve grown,” she said of the teens who participated. “I still have a lot of contact with the youth, who use me as a reference or just sit down and chat.” On Saturday night, as the Newhallville Community Management Team celebrated the holiday season, it also celebrated Davis-Cannon — alongside a number of other activists and political representatives who received awards for building community in Newhallville. Both new and familiar faces gathered at the management team’s annual holiday party at ConnCAT, a local career center. Davis-Cannon is a regular presence at the Newhallville Community Management Team, where she gives monthly reports as the neighborhood specialist from New Haven’s anti-blight agency, the Livable City Initiative (LCI). She started the ambassador program in 2015 through the management team, using
Delphine Clyburn with some of the neighbors who received citations.
LAURA GLESBY PHOTO
Linda Davis-Cannon.
Mayor Toni Harp.
“Friends” Bring Holiday Warmth To Goffe Street Park by STAFF
New Haven I ndependent
A citizens group that has been reviving Goffe Street Park brought in the holiday scene with light — and warmth. The group, the Friends of Goffe Street Park, held its annual tree lighting ceremony in the park Sunday evening. Then the group decamped across the street for an indoor holiday bazaar. The group gave away 125 coats, plus toys and food boxes for the needy. Santa put in an appearance and hung around for some quality time with the kids. He also posed with some of the park group’s and neighborhood’s movers and shakers, including from left, community organizer Abby Feldman, Mrs. Claus (aka Jill Marks, who revived the park friends group and organizes its events), State Rep. Al Paolillo, Jr, State Rep. Toni Walker, top neighborhood cop Lt. Manmeet Colon, and Alder Ron Hurt.
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funds from a $10,000 Neighborhood Public Improvement Project grant from LCI. One award went to Mayor Toni Harp for her “dedication and her compassion for Newhallville.” “What I will remember the most about Newhallville is how you all came together — how you transformed this neighborhood,” Harp, who leaves office Jan. 1, said as she accepted the honor. She cited some of the management team’s successes, including the creation of outdoor public spaces like Cherry Ann Street Park and the Learning Corridor, as well as the One City Initiative that the team spearheaded to increase collaboration between neighborhoods across New Haven. Delphine Clyburn, who represents Newhallville’s Ward 20 on the Board of Alders, was recognized in honor of her upcoming retirement from a state-run group home. “That means that she can give more time to us,” said Shirley Lawrence as she handed Clyburn her trophy.
As Clyburn received the award, she revealed that she had 19 honors of her own to present. Clyburn distributed official citations from the Board of Alders recognizing a group of her neighbors who “inspire others to move forward and be a voice in the community.” “They go to rallies. They go to the hospital. They go to the Thanksgiving dinner we do for the homeless… They’ve been there when it’s time to go Downtown and really speak for us” at City Hall, Clyburn said later. “They hold up my arms for me.” The management team honored Minister Deborah Conyers, Linda Davis-Cannon, Doreen Abubakar, Visel’s Pharmacy, State Rep. Robyn Porter, Alder Clyburn, and Mayor Toni Harp. The Board of Alders recognized Eric Crenshaw, Rose Joyner, Ken Joyner, Nina Faucett, Jeanette Sykes, Cheryl Hurdle, Jacquelynn West, Lottie Gillard, Kim Harris, Hazel Williams, Oscar Havyarimana, Shirley Lawrence, Cynthia Spears, Deborah Conyers, Barbara Vereen, Doreen Abubakar, Carlotta Clark, Mary Griffin, and Alberta Gibbs. For the rest of the night, the management team members and guests soaked in the holiday spirit. A host of community members and institutions contributed to the party. ConnCAT, which runs a culinary training program, catered. Gammy Moses DJ’d. Management Team member and lifelong Newhallville resident Rodney Williams donated toys to be given out to every child who attended. “Christmastime come, I know everyone needs a little extra,” he said. “Their hands will be full leaving.” Upstairs, guests posed for photographs, entered a raffle for gifts, and had their faces painted. Sandra Sisty of Smiles By Sandy inflated brightly-colored twistable balloons. After she had started to close up her station for the night, one child, Joshua James, pleaded for one last balloon. Sisty relented. “Don’t tell anyone, OK?” she said as she twisted him a black sword. Later in the evening, Management Team Chair Kim Harris announced the winners of the raffle, with each prize categorized by age group. A group of kids gathered around her in anticipation. From the Pre-K raffle, Lantz Hinds proudly won a pair of toy cars and a stuffed animal. Harris said she noticed a few new faces that night, alongside management team regulars. “They’re getting a chance to see the beauty that’s here,” she said. “Hopefully, they’ll become members so that they have a voice in what’s happening.”
THE INNER-CITY NEWS -
December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
Why is Michelle's House critically important to all members of our Greater New Haven community
by James E. Rawlings Board Chair Sickle Cell Disease Association of America Southern CT/ Michelle’s House
Michelle’s House recently opened on the corner of Orchard and Chapel Street in New Haven and is the first Sickle Cell Community Center in the Northeast built on the hopes, blood ,sweat and tears of community members. Our strategic goals are now prevention as a priority, community awareness, quality of life issues, community education and continuing to support research to find a cure for Sickle Cell Disease. Since roughly one in ten African American’s and one in 25 Hispanic’s currently carry the Sickle Cell Trait each and every member of our community has the responsibility to be aware of their Sickle Cell Strait status. Not knowing one’s Sickle Cell Trait status when contemplating having children has put our chil-
dren both current and future generations of our youth in peril in our community through our collective silence and lack of awareness.. For over the last 50-75 years we have depended on corporate America to find a cure to a disease that principally impacts our black and brown communities in America and equally important urban communities such as Greater New Haven. For over these last several decades Sickle Cell Disease(SCD) has disseminated the lives of our children born with SCD shortening their life expectancy and exposing them to frequent episodes of crisis and hospitalizations not to mention the silent unattended epidemic in our community due to their lack of academic success and other quality of life burdens! Michelle’s House is a attempt to make more than a statement but a call to every member of our community inclusive of every fraternal organization, every civic leader and organization, every church and every kitchen table and beyond, that we will no longer passively simply wait for a cure but we will aggressively drive awareness and address the issue of SCD literacy to minimize the number
of children born annually with SCD because their parents were unaware of their Sickle cell Trait(SCT) status. Recent data from the Department of Public Health’s New born Screening Data documents a 17% increase in babies born with the trait and it should be our communities responsibility, yes our responsibility to drive these numbers down. Further we should be very mindful that these are not figures these are indicators of our lack of commitment to the health status of our children generationally. Recently your regional Sickle Cell Disease Association of America. Southern CT/ Michelle’s House after a long 24-36 month journey opened its doors through fund raisers of various means such as Walks, Runs, Gala’s , grants and outreach efforts to our community. Along this journey our Board of Directors have observed many discoveries, one of those more significant discoveries has been the impact of SCD on our youth , our youth as it relates to their academic success. The latter was precipitated as a result of findings during our development of our documentary, as we have been partnering with families and youth living with SCD to better understand their journey
as noted in our documentary. During the development of our documentary many parents and children spoke literally and tearfully of their day to day experience within our school systems having to repeatedly not get promoted in most cases driven by frequent hospitalization, sickle cell crisis episodes which also includes frequent emergency room visits which directly impacts school days lost due to episodes of SCD crisis. The families in our community further spoke to the daily stigmatism and the lack of the capacity of school systems to meet their needs and to support their aspirations. As a result of these findings and observations we reviewed many national reports on this issue. One of the many articles we found on the subject was a national study that documented that on average all youth repeat a grade 4.5% of the time nationally whereas in their study youth living with SCD can have a up to 40% experience related to repeating a grade . This latter findings both qualitatively and quantitatively reflects some of the experiences of the youth and families we have interviewed in our documentary. As a result of this deep dive we will be
Access Health CT Extends Enrollment Deadline To Jan. 15 by Christine Stuart
HARTFORD, CT – Connecticut’s insurance exchange, Access Health CT, will extend its enrollment deadline until Jan. 15. The original deadline to obtain health insurance starting on Jan. 1, 2020, was midnight Sunday, Dec. 15. However, the state-based exchange, which offers plans from ConnectiCare and Anthem, will extend its deadline to give consumers more time to choose a plan or change their plan. “We know there are customers who are automatically enrolled in a health insurance plan every year who do not notice changes in their out-of-pocket costs or premiums until they use their plan or get their bills,” Access Health CEO James Michel said. “There is a lot to think about when selecting a health insurance plan and we want to make sure our customers are able to pick the best plan for themselves and their families. We hope this extra time gives them the ability to make sure they picked a plan that fits their needs and gives them the best value in 2020.” However, consumers who choose a new plan during this extension won’t be able to receive coverage until Feb. 1. Those who make a change to a previously picked plan will have to pay the January
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premium for that plan if they want coverage for the month of January. It’s not unusual for the state to extend the 45 day enrollment period. In past years Access Health has chosen to extend the deadline for various reasons. As of Friday, Dec. 13, 102,589 Connecticut residents had enrolled or been re-enrolled into plans through the exchange. That’s similar to where it was last year when Access Health extended the enrollment deadline. Last year, enrollment was 102,412 when the enrollment period was extended until Jan. 15. After the Jan. 15 deadline that year, there were more than
111,000 people who signed up for coverage with one of the two private insurance carriers in 2019. When all is said and done, Access Health officials said enrollment will be about the same as it was last year with about 111,000 to 115,000 customers. However, if enrollment dips slightly it would be tracking with national trends. As of Dec. 7, more than 3.9 million people in 38 states that use healthcare.gov had signed up for plans, a 6% drop compared to a similar time period last year. In Connecticut, a consumer-impact study commissioned by Access Health
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found that up to half of all exchange consumers – namely, those who receive federal subsidies for their insurance coverage – will see premiums decrease for 2020. But those who don’t receive subsidies are on track to have their monthly premiums rise an average of $116 per month, that same report found. This year Access Health officials are focusing on uninsured populations. Connecticut’s uninsured rate was 5.3%, or around 186,000 individuals in 2018. That’s up from an eight-year low of 4.9% in 2016, according to an Access Health CT report on the uninsured population.
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
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Access Health CT Extends Enrollment
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Financial help is still available. Open Enrollment ends December 15. 36965_CORE_Inner City 925x105_English.indd 1
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS -
December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
DeLauro Backs Articles Of Impeachment by STAFF
New Haven I ndependent
New Haven U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro came out in support of two draft articles of impeachment Democratic leaders released Tuesday charging Donald Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. “While I was reluctant to pursue impeachment about the 2016 election, President Trump’s unchecked efforts to get foreign powers to intervene in the next presidential election and unchecked attempts to block any investigation by the United States Congress left me with no choice. What would the founders have thought, if Congress did nothing? How could they have upheld their oath of office, if Congress did nothing?” DeLauro is quoted in a statement released by her office. “Over the last few months, brave pub-
lic servants have come forward to testify that the President withheld Congressionally-appropriated aid to Ukraine in order to leverage an investigation into a political opponent for his own personal and political gain. Witness after witness confirmed this abuse of the power. At the same time, the President has refused to comply with lawful Congressional requests and subpoenas, and directed others in the executive branch to defy these lawful requests. In doing so, he has obstructed Congress’s investigation. The President’s actions are a dangerous departure from his oath of office and his duty to uphold the Constitution. That is why I support the articles of impeachment against President Trump. “Congress must uphold its duty to protect the Constitution. Our founders set up a system of checks and balances, separa-
tion of powers, and rule of law so that no person would be above the law — including the President. As with many of my colleagues, I have been reluctant to call for impeachment because I feared it would further divide the country, be perceived as overturning the 2016 election, and go to the United States Senate where Republicans would acquit President Trump regardless of the evidence. But the President’s unchecked actions mean Congress had to act to stop his abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.” Like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, DeLauro at first opposed the idea of seeking to impeach the president, then came around to the idea after revelations about Trump’s efforts to use military aid and a White House meeting to influence the Ukrainian government to investigate political rival Joe Biden.
THOMAS BREEN PHOTO
DeLauro: An “abuse of power.”
Lamont Remains Steadfast On Truck-Only Tolls by Christine Stuart Ct. News Junkie
HARTFORD, CT – Gov. Ned Lamont urged swift action on his modified CT2030 transportation plan, which is projected to raise about $230 million a year in truckonly tolls for a total of $1.8 billion over eight years. The average “heavy truck,” which is defined by the U.S. Department of Transportation as a single trailer with three to seven or more axles, would pay an average of $8 across 12 bridges. “Medium trucks,” which would include buses, would also be charged a toll of between $1.56 and $3.13 under the financial detail Lamont’s office released. “No one uses our roads more frequently than the truckers,” Lamont said Monday. “They do extraordinary damage to our roads and they’re going to contribute a little bit more.” Lamont said he’s confident that members of the General Assembly have all the details they need to vote on the plan in a special session. “They know exactly how we’re going to pay for it. They know exactly what those rates would be in trucks,” Lamont said. “They know it’s limited to one-time per gantry so the small delivery guys in Connecticut will not be disadvantaged that way. They know the list of projects that we can take care of and how that’s going to be done.” What language is in the proposal to ensure the tolls won’t apply to passenger vehicles? “If people are really nervous about that, as part of the bond covenant we have with the feds we can put in any protections people want,” Lamont said. The Republicans have proposed an alternative plan that would use about $1.5 bil-
CHRISTINE STUART / CTNEWSJUNKIE PHOTO Toll protesters follow Lamont around Capitol
lion from the Rainy Day Fund to pay down pension debt, and would not include tolling. Republican Senate Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, said there is one risk with the Republican plan – draining the Rainy Day Fund at the same time a recession hits. However, he said it’s a risk they should be able to manage with close monitoring. Fasano said Lamont’s plan also includes
risk because it depends on the use of surplus funds over the next four years and there is a potential lawsuit from the truckers. “If he loses to the truckers he’s going to have to pay back all the money he received,” Fasano said Monday. But Lamont remained steadfast. “Action on this consensus proposal will allow Connecticut to invest at least $19.4
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billion in our infrastructure with more to come if the Budget Reserve Fund exceeds the responsible, bipartisan threshold of 15 percent,” Lamont wrote in a letter to legislators Friday. “With that investment, we will be able to replicate the success of recent enhancement projects, like the improvements to I-84 in Waterbury that reduce rush-hour commutes by 26 minutes and monthly car crashes by more than 90 percent or the opening of the Hartford Line that provides thousands of residents every day with a relaxed, reliable, and sustainable alternative to I-91, across the state.” Lamont said he is not deterred by the federal appeals court decision to allow the American Trucking Association’s lawsuit against Rhode Island to move forward. The trucking association challenged the constitutionality of truck-only tolls under the U.S. Commerce Clause. “I am asking the legislature to act on our consensus proposal to follow Rhode Island in implementing commercial truck tolls on 12 bridges meeting strict federal criteria,” Lamont said. “I am confident that the legal arguments for truck tolls will prevail, providing Connecticut with the much needed revenue to make the right investments in our state’s future.” Patrick Sasser, founder of No Tolls CT, said there’s no one who knows what will happen in court. “Trying to push through a toll plan that is already being challenged in court is foolish and irresponsible,” Sasser said. “Let the case make its way through the courts, before going any further on tolls.” Joe Scully, president of the Motor Transport Association of Connecticut, said Monday that there is no need to toll at least two of the 12 locations because the work to reinforce the Mixmaster in Waterbury on I-84 and the work on the Charter Oak
Bridge is already underway and being paid for with bond funds. “Tolls are only proposed for those locations because they are high traffic areas which are perfect for taking money from highway users, and spending the revenue on other purposes,” Sculley said. Sculley continued: “This is a plan to demonize and target an important industry in order to divert (pun intended) attention away from constant misuse of the Special Transportation Fund. If enacted, this will ultimately end in cars being tolled as well, either because the revenue projections are inaccurate, the plan is unconstitutional, or both.” Sculley maintained that it’s not true that trucks cause more damage than cars. Sculley cited the National Academy of Science’s Transportation Research board, which has stated that “when a highway is properly designed, it presumably will require only routine surface maintenance throughout its service life provided the expected number of axle load repetitions is not exceeded. In other words, it will not be damaged by the traffic it is designed to support. This is an important point because there are prevalent misconceptions that trucks damage pavements more than passenger cars.” Other studies say trucks do cause a substantial amount of damage, especially if they weigh more than the interstate maximum of 80,000 pounds. The Congressional Budget Office found in an October 2019 report that pavement damage sharply increases with trucks’ weight per axle. It had previously found in 2011 that pavement damage by trucks ranges from 5 to 55 cents per mile, depending on the weight of the truck and the number of axles.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS -
December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
Lawmakers Mull Ways To Increase Funds To Fight Urban Gun Violence by Christine Stuart Ct. News Junkie
HARTFORD, CT – Lawmakers and policy experts gathered Monday to hear about the various gun violence prevention measures and community resources in the 06120 – which is one of the poorest zip codes in the state. “The only difference between us and Flint, Michigan is we got clean water,” Steve Harris, a retired fire captain, said of his 06120 neighborhood in Hartford’s north end Harris told the group of experts and officials gathered, “We don’t need your sympathy. We need your help. Give us the tools to fight with.” One of the ways the community has been dealing with the trauma caused by gun violence is through the “HospitalBased Violence Intervention Program.” Andrew Woods and Carl Hardrick are two of just a handful of individuals who have provided 24/7 crisis response and clinical care to over 820 victims and their families and loved ones since 2004. Woods and Hardick are part of the Hartford Care Response Team. they are certified and trained through the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention, which recognizes violence as a public health issue. The team shows up at the hospital to offer emotional support to gunshot victims and their families in an effort to help break the cycle of violence and prevent retribution, and to help affected people get back to their lives. There is research that shows violence can spread like any other contagion. The Hartford Care Response Team is there to stop it. Dr. C. Steven Wolf of Saint Francis Hospital said the staff were skeptical of calling on the Hartford Care Response Team initially. Staff quickly embraced the team when they saw how these experts were able to diffuse volatile situations in the waiting room and outside the hospital to prevent retribution. Fatimah Muhammad, executive director of the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention, said the hospital provides a critical moment for intervention. She said it’s the heart of their model because it provides the basis for how an individual decides to move forward with their life in the immediate aftermath of gun violence. Statistically, almost 41% of individuals who were injured with a firearm will be re-injured within five years of their first injury, Muhammad said. Individuals who participate in these programs following their injury are four times less likely to be convicted of a violent crime. “The violence prevention professional is the bedrock. They are the heart of this because they are the ones who are working on an interdisciplinary team alongside social workers and doctors,” Muhammad said. However, these individuals who inter-
CHRISTINE STUART / CTNEWSJUNKIE
Andrew Woods and Steve Harris
CHRISTINE STUART / CTNEWSJUNKIE
Fatimah Muhammad, executive director of
CHRISTINE STUART / CTNEWSJUNKIE
Rep. Matt Ritter and Sen. Doug McCrory
vene at the hospital rarely get paid for their services, which continue for as long as is necessary. New Jersey recently approved $20 million in state funding for a Hospital-
Based Violence Intervention Program at specific hospitals. Muhammad said she understands states are facing deficits, but the federal government also has about $11 billion avail-
8
able from the Victims of Crime Act. Sen. Doug McCrory, D-Hartford, said the General Assembly is about to vote on a settlement Wednesday that locks in payments from the state to the hospitals for the next seven years. The settlement requires the state to pay Connecticut’s hospitals $1.8 billion over seven years. McCrory said he would like to see what New Jersey passed and whether he can include similar language in legislation the General Assembly will vote on Wednesday. “It may or may not be too late. Nothing is impossible,” McCrory said. House Majority Leader Matt Ritter, DHartford, said he’s been looking at how Pennsylvania now allows for insurance coverage of these types of services. He said Connecticut should also explore similar ways to make sure these services are covered, even if it means paying a little more in premiums. The General Assembly only has jurisdiction over about 30% of the health insurance market in Connecticut. Ritter also said he wants to know how much federal funding Connecticut gets for violence prevention to see if the state is “maximizing federal resources.” “We have budget problems. I admit that, but every dollar we get from the federal government it’s one less dollar that’s coming out of our pockets,” Ritter said. He said he wants to investigate how to increase Medicaid reimbursement for these services. At one point during Monday’s meeting the group cheered news that for the first time in two decades Congress secured $25 million to fund gun violence research. There’s been other momentum at the federal level on expanded background checks for gun purchases. U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, who has been leading the fight, said Monday that they came very close to getting a deal this summer. “I had a number of Republicans approach me and say they were willing to change their position on background checks if a compromise bill came before the Senate,” Murphy said. “We were close to getting this done. My hope is that we need one more election.” One more election would make it clear “that the NRA just doesn’t have the power that it used to,” Murphy said. “That might be the final piece to get something done.” He said background checks aren’t enough, but a vote on background checks would prove to Republicans that their life didn’t end by voting against the NRA. He said they would actually benefit politically. “The passage of background checks is the political key that will unlock more Republican support on other measures down the line,” he added.
Con’t from page 04
Michelle's House
forming new partnerships to provide tutorial support as with Southern CT State University as a new partner to provide tutorial programs and support to our youth wishing for or desiring tutorial support programs which will be available onsite at Michelle’s House. Michelle’s House is not just bricks and mortar it is and we hope will be the engine in Greater New Haven and perhaps nationally that urban communities can take control and assume a great deal of the responsibility of the continued expansion and prevalence of SCD and SCT. We are hopeful that every community member and organization will support our collective efforts to drive awareness and commit to start to address many of the quality of life issues that dampens the aspirations of our youth and commit to actually improving the quality of life of many community members and other challenges that destabilize families inclusive of housing and meaningful employment We need volunteers. new partnerships and resources to strengthen our programs to assure success and we need every member of our community to not continue to abdicate our responsibility to help those in need in our community as we wait and continue to wait for a cure. The Board of Director’s of the SCDAA. SC/Michelle’s House believes with our communities support we can in fact lessen the burden individually and collectively of the impact of SCD and the potential burden of Sickle Cell Trait(SCT) on every member of our community. We are especially concerned with the impact on our youth and children who ultimately bear the burden of our lack of SCT awareness and equally important the burden of SCD as evident through our documentary we are producing that illustrates the silent academic challenge which directly impacts on our children’s aspirations and future. Michelle’s House has the potential to be a beacon of hope only if we collectively infuse our commitment and resources to combat SCD and drive awareness for those we know and those who may not know if they carry the SCT. We do hope as you pass 1389 Chapel Street you will have a sense of pride , responsibility and accountability and see the reality of our collective efforts and the need to sustain... Michelle’s House. The first Sickle Cell Community Center in the Northeast dedicated to driving awareness and therefore prevention of SCD and supporting the community and the families impacted. Visit our web site to help and support www. michelleshousect.org
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
Jazz Where Taps Away The Rain by Lucy Gellman, Editor, The Arts Paper www.newhavenarts.org
The drummer got stuck in Waterbury. It didn’t matter, because a tap dancer showed up to fill in for the percussion section. Friday evening, musicians chatted, played, and danced away the rain at the second “Jazz Where?” held at the Ely Center of Contemporary Art on Trumbull Street. Organized by Inner-City News Editor Babz Rawls-Ivy and New Haven Independent Arts Editor Brian Slattery, the night featured The Jerrod Cattey Trio, which has been playing selections from Vince Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas at Three Sheets New Haven for several years. “This is an attempt of what we’ve always dreamed of,” Rawls-Ivy said as some attendees sat for the music and others drifted through the house, catching up in its wood-paneled rooms. “I don’t know if there’s an evolution of it—it’s more like, we just do it. People like the idea of connecting at this level. Cool people. Cool venue. Cool music.” Conceived as a jazz-club-meets-popup earlier this year, Jazz Where? jumps around to different locations in the city, part free concert series and part potluck (or in the organizers’ words,
“not so much a show as a hang”). Friday, it worked especially well in the space, where music downstairs set the soundtrack to work from artists Martha Lewis, Ellen Hackl Fagan, Barbara Marks and Olivia Bonilla that are on view through Dec. 21. Downstairs, musicians Darren Litzie and Kevin Smith warmed up the space, christening it with sweeping keys and bass that were enough to charm the grinchiest of listeners. As they flowed into Guaraldi’s music, a few attendees took the wood floor, cutting a rug in a sliver of space between chairs and the musicians themselves. Others floated upstairs, bobbing to the piano music even as they disappeared into the galleries on the second floor. It felt, from that first note, lax enough for the experiment and improvisation that is at the core of jazz itself. Friday night, Cattey never made it to the show, turning the trio into an unexpected duo after his car broke down in Waterbury. No trouble, Litzie joked between numbers—he and Smith would play on as “The Jerrod Cattey Trio, just without Jerrod Cattey.” And at first they did, delighting as they cycled through classics like “Walking In A Winter Wonderland” to Guaraldi’s “My Little Drum,” which is the only
variation on “Little Drummer Boy” that the wold has ever needed. Crowded in close to the musicians and on the sides of the room, audience members cheered for favorites, some whooping later in the evening when Litzie launched into a spirited “Christmas Is Coming.” At one point rhythm tap dancer Alexis Robbins showed up with her tap shoes in hand, and whispered something in Litzie’s ear. Litzie and Smith exchanged quick glances, rearranged the order of their set list, and invited Robbins onto the floor. They started in, keys tinkling as Litzie’s hands spiderwalked over the black and white. Robbins, who has been known to show up at Three Sheets and Atelier Florian ready to jam with New Haven Jazz Underground musicians and hosted her first solo tap jam Sunday, waited for an opening. And all at once, it came. Litzie pulled back, going into stop-time on the keys as he ceded the floor to Robbins. Smith leaned into his bass, waiting for the notes that were about to come. Even with a background of the low chatter, Robbins morphed into the percussion section, sending sharp, staccato notes into the room. To a section of piano she would fill in the rest, feet flying. The trio seemed, suddenly, complete.
Lucy Gellman Photos
“It was nice to be given my own voice,” she said afterwards. “This is me practicing what I do.” As the night wound down, RawlsIvy and Slattery thanked attendees for coming, adding that they are already scheming a return for mid-February to correspond with Valentine’s Day. One by one, umbrellas and coats were
reunited with their owners. Bodies filtered out into the wet, blue-black night. Slattery and Rawls-Ivy cleaned up, waiting for the musicians to head out. And then as suddenly as it had arrived, Jazz Where? was gone, like a melody that fades too soon. .
Elicker Taps Pat King As Corporation Counsel
by STAFF Mayor-Elect Justin Elicker has appointed ethics attorney and former zoning board chair Patricia King to serve as the city’s next top lawyer. Elicker made that announcement in an email press release Thursday midday. “I am truly honored to have been asked to serve the City of New Haven in this position,” King is quoted as saying in the release. “I look forward to working with Justin and his team to make life better for all of us in New Haven.” “With Attorney King’s background serving the community, teaching and practicing law across the globe and dedication to upholding the law, I am confident that she will be an asset for the City to lead the office of Corporation Counsel,” Elicker is quoted as saying. According to the press release, King has spent the past 15 years practicing law “in the area of professional ethics.”
She worked in the state Office of the Chief Disciplinary Counsel between 2004 and 2011. She spent nearly a decade on the City Plan Commission and six years on the BZA, where she also served as chair. The press release states that King has also worked as a juvenile court advocate, assistant state’s attorney in Waterbury, and assistant corporation counsel for the City of New Haven. She is an adjunct professor at the Quinnipiac School of Law, where she teaches as a co-faculty advisor to the law school’s International Human Rights Law Society. King is slated to replace current Corporation Counsel John Rose, and will be tasked with picking up on some of the more contentious legal and policy questions that the city’s legal office has found itself at the center of in recent years. (The corporation counsel’s position is co-terminus with the mayor’s term of office. The office’s attorneys work on one-year con-
THOMAS BREEN PHOTO Pat King in her past role as chair of the BZA.
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tracts, beginning in February; a mayor choosing not to renew those contracts must give the attorneys 60-day notice; since Elicker does not take office until Jan. 1, that means he cannot do that with any of the attorneys for his first year.) King’s inherited challenges include figuring out whether to settle or keep fighting a class action lead poisoning case. Ditto for the ongoing legal battle surrounding the firing of former Commission on Equal Opportunities Executive Director Nichole Jefferson. Rose also played a key, controversial role in firing former Labor Relations Director Marcus Paca and former Office of Development and Policy Director Mendi Blue during the first term of Mayor Toni Harp’s three terms in office. King’s appointment comes one week after Elicker made his first cabinet appointment, former Hamden Mayor and state commissioner Scott Jackson as city chief administrative officer.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS -
December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
Solitary Confinement Must End by Barbara Fair, Community Activist and Social Justice Contributor
Christ Chapel New Testament Church under the direction of Pastor John Lewis, The Elm St Free Public Library and Washington DC are 3 places where the campaign to end solitary confinement has been discussed. Stop Solitary Confinement- Ct and My Brother’s Keeper have been bringing people together to educate them on the long term effects of isolating people in jails and prisons across this state, including Manson Youth facility which is currently under federal investigation. At Christ Chapel panelists included Senator Gary Winfield, Supermax survivor, Harvey Fair, Yale Professor Hope Metcalf and former student, Maddy Batts. They informational sessions have encouraged the public to play a major role in ending what the International community has defined as torture. The public perception has been guided by those who claim only “the worst of the worst” are held in isolation. On any given day over 80,000 people are housed in that manner across this nation. Depending on the state over 80-90% of those held in solitary are young men, women and children of color. Christ Chapel was the first in recent weeks to host an informational meeting in which approximately 50 people showed up and watched a Yale University production of “The Worst of the Worst” which depicts the most harshest form of isolation that occurs inside Northern Supermax facility located in Enfield, where
many prisons are located in Connecticut. Certain towns have flourished with the uptick of prison construction in the 1970’s and 1980’s where the Corrections budget skyrocketed from $187,000 in 1989 to over $710,000 by 2009. As the prison population rose dramatically so did the rise in isolating people. Connecticut is among the highest in the
Northeast in racial disparity among the incarcerated. The stark racial disparity is also seen among those held in isolation. Here over 90% are people of color. Although several prisons cage people from 20-22 hours a day Northern is the most brutal and inhumane. Solitary confinement, defined by the international community, is caging people
mayor’s office, the clerk’s office, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz’s office, and Gov. Ned Lamont’s office to the six alders who will be vacating their seats on the board come January. Those alders are Ward 1’s Hacibey Catalbasoglu, Ward 5’s David Reyes, Ward 6’s Dolores Colon, Ward 8’s Brenda Harris, Ward 14’s Kenneth Reveiz, and Ward 30’s Michelle Sepulveda. “You really can’t get away, even if you try,” Walker-Myers said with a smile. “We welcome that, because we need to keep people engaged in our city.” Catalbasoglu is leaving to attend graduate school in New York City after serving one two-year term on the board in the Downtown/Yale seat. He’ll be replaced by Yale college sophomore and Democrat Eli Sabin. Reyes, who works for Lamont in Hartford, is leaving after four years representing the Hill on the board, and will be
replaced by Kampton Singh. Harris is leaving after finishing out the second half of former Wooster Square Alder Aaron Greenberg’s last two-year term on the board, and will be replaced by Ellen Cupo. Colon is leaving after 18 years representing the Hill and City Point on the board, and will be replaced by Carmen Rodriguez. Reveiz is leaving after one two-year term representing Fair Haven on the board, and will be replaced by Paola Acosta. And Sepulveda is leaving after serving one-and-a-half two-year terms representing West Rock/West Hills on the board, and will be replaced by former city public works staffer Honda Smith. The six departing alders all decided not to run for reelection. “Yours is a hallowed task,” said Harp, who is also slated to vacate her position
from 20-22 hours a day without meaningful human contact. The US along with other nations signed and ratified an agreement with the United Nations in 1955 called Mandela Rules designed as the minimum standards of care for prisoners. It is by no means a model standard of care. It is the minimum and yet the US is not in compliance with rules every other developed nation follows. According to the United Nation Human Rights Watch after a few days in isolation the brain begins to function in a different manner. After 15 days many will experience irreversible brain damage. Most of these people will be returned to our communities with limited resources to debrief from the experience. Many will suffer post- traumatic stress disorder and find it difficult to be around other people. Many, if not all will experience psychosis which is a break with reality and need to be prescribed anti -psychotic medications to help them function. Side effects of anti- psychotic medications include muscle stiffness, involuntary body movements, drop in white blood cells, slowness, suicidal ideation, vision changes, sexual dysfunction and weight gain which increases the incidence of diabetes. Heart problems may also occur. Many end up self- medicating with alcohol and other drugs because they don’t like the way the medication has them feeling. According to the Mandela Rules solitary confinement should never be used as a punishment, should only be a last resort on a short- term basis and not exceed 15 days. Regular well checks should be
a mandate. Those who should never be placed in isolation are children under the age of 18, elders, pregnant women, and those who suffer from mental illness. Isolation causes and exacerbates mental illness. At a 3 day conference in Washington Dc several members of SSCT heard about progress many states have made in strictly reducing the use of solitary. States include New York, New Jersey, Colorado and California. Colorado’s commissioner said after spending one hour in a solitary cell he knew he had to restrict its use. California made changes after 30,000 prisoners went on a hunger strike and as part of settling a lawsuit filed by them. Recently in Connecticut a federal judge ordered Corrections to relax the conditions by which death row prisoners were held at Northern CI. The judge ruled the conditions were extremely harsh constituting cruel and inhumane treatment ordering immediate changes. The history of solitary confinement stemmed from an idea initiated by the Quakers who thought placing a prisoner in solitary for a short time with a bible would help them to reflect on their misdeeds. It later became a way to control a growing prison population, a way to punish anyone who didn’t follow prison rules, and an excuse to lock down anyone whom correctional officers felt threatened. The public perception of “the worst of the worst” were the only ones being held in these harsh conditions made it easy for the practice to go on without challenge or question.
Six Alders Take Their Bows by THOMAS BREEN
New Haven I ndependent
Alders bid six of their retiring colleagues a tear-filled thank you and adieu, including for the longest-serving member of the current Board of Alders, the Hill’s Dolores Colon, who is stepping down after nine terms in the all-but-volunteer “job.” Board of Alders President Tyisha Walker-Myers and Board of Alders Majority Leader Richard Furlow led that celebratory and emotional reception in honor of their departing legislative partners Monday night in the second-floor atrium of City Hall. Nearly all 30 local legislators were present, as were Mayor Toni Harp, City Clerk Michael Smart, and a host of supportive family, friends, and fellow city employees. Walker-Myers and Furlow presented certificates of appreciation from the
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Five of the six departing alders: David Reyes, Colon, Michelle Sepulveda, Hacibey Catalbasoglu, and Brenda Harris. Not pictured: Kenneth Reveiz.
as the city’s executive come January after losing the general election to Justin Elicker in November. “To serve as liaison to city government on behalf of an entire ward. To be the
connection between residents, property owners, business interests, and the government meant to provide services for them.” Con’t on page 18
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
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12/5/19 4:55 PM
THE INNER-CITY NEWS -
December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
Housing Pitch To Elicker: Focus On Jobs by THOMAS BREEN
New Haven I ndependent
A small-business contractor pitched Mayor-Elect Justin Elicker on an alternative solution to the city’s affordable housing crisis — well-paying jobs that allow New Haveners of all educational and economic backgrounds to earn enough money to live where they want. Rodney Williams of Mr. Rock Drywall LLC articulated that vision Friday morning during an hour-and-a-half meet-andgreet that Elicker held at the Dunkin Donuts at 291 Ferry St. in Fair Haven. “The lack of [job] opportunities always has us looking for affordable apartments,” said Williams, who currently lives in Newhallville and who raised his kids while living on Pine Street and, later, on Dover Street in Fair Haven. “The lack of opportunities is putting us in these corners.” The weekday morning kaffeklatch saw roughly 30 New Haveners from throughout the city crowd around one of the fastfood hub’s window-side tables to meet the incoming mayor and pitch him on what they would like him to focus on after he takes office on Jan. 1. Just as he has done at the two larger transition team meetings held in Wooster Square over the past two months, Elicker spent most of the session listening — and emphasizing that he has spent the runup to his first term actively seeking out earfuls of advice and informationfrom as many different layperson and expert sources as possible. Just Thursday, he said, he met with the head of Yale New Haven Hospital and with the directors of the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. He recently attended the Seminar on Transition for Newly-Elected Mayors put on by the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics. And he planned on eating Friday lunch with Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim, and Waterbury Mayor Neal O’Leary to explore increasing collaboration between Connecticut’s largest cities. “So,” Elicker said at the top of the meeting after each attendee had introduced themselves and said a sentence about why they were there, “do you have any questions on anything? Any thoughts?” What are your top priorities upon taking office? one attendee asked. “What’s the first thing you’re gonna do?” Elicker said that finding ways to develop, preserve, and expand existing affordable housing are towards the top of his list. Unlike when he ran for mayor in 2013, he said, the ever-increasing cost of safe and convenient housing was one of the top concerns he heard from constituents when knocking on doors. That issue was also at the center of the new-mayor seminar he attended in Boston, he said. Roughly 20 mayors from
THOMAS BREEN PHOTO Rodney Williams at Dunkin Donuts confab. Below: Mayor-Elect Justin Elicker (center) with Frank Parady and Martin Torresquintero.
throughout the country all spoke about how they’re dealing with similar challenges of long-time city residents being pushed out of their neighborhoods by rising rents resulting from increased investment in high-end real estate. “There’s got to be inclusive growth,” Elicker said. “One of the way we can do that is through affordable housing,” and in particular through inclusionary zoning policies that require private developers to set aside a certain percentage of apartments in new buildings at affordable rates. That’s when Williams, a supporter of Elicker’s opponent in the 2019 mayoral election, jumped in. He said he has lived
in New Haven ever since 1978 when his family moved to the Elm City from Brooklyn. He urged Elicker to focus as much on making sure that New Haveners have good-paying jobs with benefits as on making sure that the city has a surfeit of affordable housing. Much of the city’s existing private and public affordable housing stock is already concentrated in working-class African American and Latino neighborhoods like Newhallville and Fair Haven, he said. What those residents need even more are opportunities to earn enough money and create a stable life for themselves and their families.
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“If we get jobs we can afford to live where we want to live,” he said. Elicker agreed. He noted that the Yale New Haven Hospital is about to invest nearly $1 billion in a new neuroscience center and expand St. Raphael hospital campus in West River and Dwight. “We have to make sure New Haven residents are getting into those jobs.” The best way to do that, he said, is through establishing job training programs and close-working relationships between the city and large employers. He singled out the Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology (ConnCAT) as doing an exemplary job of not just providing job training for city residents who do not have college degrees, but also for tailoring their educational programs towards skills that specific employers actually need. That way, he said, when students graduate, they know they can get a job. Beaver Hills resident Yashmun Filipczak-Morrisseau (pictured) said she would like Elicker to dig deep on building jobs pipelines for New Haven high school students. “The career days for students can be better organized,” she said. The mayor and the Board of Education need to press the schools to bring in “minority professionals,” she said, so that the majority African American and Latino and Latina student body can meet engineers and carpenters and doctors and teachers who look like them. “Even if it’s just graduate students,” she said, that could go a long way towards showing New Haven Public Schools stu-
dents that they too can succeed in whichever field they hope to pursue. Fair Haven School President Heriberto Cordero (pictured) agreed. “I’ve always had a pipeline dream,” he said, about making sure that city public school students of color are encouraged to stay in the Elm City and become public school teachers. “How do we create that pipeline?” Elicker asked. One attendee suggested broadening the New Haven Promise program to direct some of its scholarship perks not just to public school students to go to college, but to public school students who ultimately want to become city public school teachers. Clinton Avenue resident Lee Cruz (pictured) suggested one small job opportunity that could also show off the cultural and culinary and historical wealth of the city’s neighborhoods: Walking tours. Cruz himself has led a walking tour of Grand Avenue for years. He said it’s become a very popular way to show off Fair Haven to people from other parts of the city who may not be familiar with all of the different primarily Latin Americanowned bakeries and restaurants and businesses on Grand. Dixwell Avenue and Shelton Avenue and Congress Avenue should all have similar tours in place, he said. “It actually has become a money generator,” he said. Yale and other large local institutions pay him to lead such tours on Grand. While he reinvests whatever money he makes from that enterprise into the tours themselves, he said that this could also prove to be a fun and neighborhood-specific job opportunity that could be promoted by the city. Madeline Fargeorge directed a more pointed question at the mayor elect. She said she owns a garage on Lombard Street, and has had a very difficult time setting up her arts workshop because of the high hurdle of zoning regulations. “My property is zoned as residential,” she said, “but there’s no way anyone could ever live there.” What could Elicker do to make it easier for aspiring small businesspeople get their companies off the ground?” Two thoughts, Elicker said. People looking to start their own businesses shouldn’t have to go to three different city departments and get three different sets of permits just to get started. That process should be streamlined. There should be a one-stop shop at City Hall for such business owners to turn to. Second, the city’s economic development department should include one staffer specifically designated to “champion” small businesses. That is, sit down with such entrepreneurs, talk to them about their goals and dreams, and direct them what they need to do next.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
“Jamerican” Restaurant Debuts In Westville by ALLAN APPEL
New Haven I ndependent
A couple drove all the way in from Guilford to Westville just because they were in the mood to eat curried goat. Two city deputy economic development directors —one a vegetarian interested in sauteed and curried broccoli, the other a lover of oxtail with rice and beans — placed their orders for when they treat their colleagues to a catered lunch at next week’s staff meeting. Those culinary bulletins were part of the aromatic talk Thursday as city officials gathered to cut the ribbon on Kool Breeze, the newest locally owned restaurant to join New Haven’s tasty food scene. The full name is Kool Breeze: Jamerican Cuisine Restaurant, located at 1400 Whalley Ave. On Whalley Avenue near Ramsdell, the sun-lit, spacious restaurant with palm-treed island paintings is the labor of love of Andrea Stone, who has been cooking and catering out of her house
nearby for ten years—all the while holding down a medical assistant’s job at Yale New Haven Hospital. Stone said opening the establishment has been a lifelong dream. She hopes one day to open a Kool Breeze Two. Friend Avery White has been coming in every week since the restaurant’s soft opening a month ago. White said Stone cooks not only with love but with flavors and secret rubs that are the taste of home — that is, Jamaica. The oxtail, the jerk and curried chicken, and the brown stew chicken have that taste of home, Stone said, in part because she imports the spices she uses from Jamaica. She revealed a key ingredient of her secret rub: the pimento. “It looks like a black pepper ,but it’s different,” said Avery White. “It’s minty,” mixed with garlic, scallions, curry, and other spices. “The meat is wet and the rub gets ‘massaged’ into the food,” added Stone. “That’s what makes it different.”
And successful. In the month the soft opening, the restaurant has drown both natives of Jamaica and the Caribbean islands and people from all over, like those curried-goat seekers who happened to pop in the other day from Guilford. Other customers are Westville locals, along with doctors, lawyers, including the crowd from Woodbridge, Stone said. It was important to Stone to have a restaurant with a kool vibe, so the eating is an experience if you linger and take in the generously spaced tables, the relaxing yellow paint and island art on the walls. Cathy Graves, who runs the city small business academy, and fellow city development deputy Steve Fontana placed their orders for future staff meetings during Thursday’s event. They have a tradition of ordering from new local restaurants. They concurred with Stone that hers is the first full, sit-down Jamaican restaurant in New Haven.
Stone, center, cuts the ribbon with the mayor and Deputy Economic Development Directors Cathy Graves and Steve Fontana, and friends
Kool Breeze has seven employees. The restaurant is open Monday to Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Mayor Toni Harp praised small businesses like Stone’s as the backbone of the city’s economy. Then she got personal: “And thanks for going into business in my neighborhood.”
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS -
December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
South African Beauty Queen Crowned Miss Universe 2019 By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent
Zozibini Tunzi said she grew up in a world where a woman who looks like her, was never considered beautiful. On Sunday, December 8, the South Africa beauty queen was crowned Miss Universe. “I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me, with my kind of skin and my kind of hair, was never considered beautiful,” Tunzi stated. “I think it is time that that stops today. I want children to look at me and see my face, and I want them to see their faces reflected in mine,” she added. The 26-year-old from Tsolo, South Af-
rica, speaks English and Isixhosa. Tunzi’s official biography notes that she’s a passionate activist and engaged in the fight against gender-based violence. Tunzi has devoted her social media campaign to changing the narrative around gender stereotypes, and she said she’s a proud advocate for natural beauty. Tunzi also works to encourage women to “love themselves the way they are,” she stated. “Tonight, a door was opened, and I could not be more grateful to have been the one to have walked through it,” Tunzi wrote on Twitter after being crowned Miss Universe 2019. “May every little girl who witnessed this moment forever believe in the power of
her dreams, and may they see their faces reflected in mine. I am Miss Universe 2019,” she stated. Sofia Aragón of Mexico and Madison Anderson of Puerto Rico were the two runners-up in the pageant. Zozibini Tunzi, Miss South Africa 2019 is crowned Miss Universe at the conclusion of The MISS UNIVERSE® Competition on FOX at 7:00 PM ET on Sunday, December 8, 2019 live from Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. The new winner will move to New York City where she will live during her reign and become a spokesperson for various causes alongside The Miss Universe Organization. HO/The Miss Universe Organization (Wikimedia Commons)
Miss Jamaica Crowned 2019 Miss World, Becomes the 5th Black Woman This Year to Win a Major Pageant pageant. Singh, who is 23-years old, was a native of St. Thomas, Jamaica. She graduated from Florida State University with a degree in psychology and women studies. She also planned to attend medical school before the pageant. During the pageant, Singh wowed the audience with her own rendition of Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” on the talent portion and with her answers on the Q&A round. “I think I represent something special, a generation of women that are pushing forward to change the world,” Singh an-
BlackNews.com
Nationwide — Yet another Black woman has won a prestigious international beauty pageant. Miss Jamaica Toni-Ann Singh was recently crowned Miss World 2019 becoming the fifth Black woman this year to win a major pageant. “To that little girl in St. Thomas, Jamaica and all the girls around the world please believe in yourself. Please know that you are worthy and capable of achieving your dreams. This crown is not mine but yours. You have a PURPOSE,” Singh wrote on Twitter after the
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swered the question of British journalist Piers Morgan. Singh is the fourth representative from Jamaica that brought home the Miss World crown since it started in 1959. Jamaica has previously won the title in 1963, 1976, and 1993. Singh’s win came after the historic win of Black women in most prestigious beauty pageants — 2019 Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi, 2019 Miss USA Cheslie Kryst, 2019 Miss Teen USA Kaliegh Garris, and 2019 Miss America Nia Franklin.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
Miss USA, Miss America, Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe Are All Black Women For the First Time Ever by BlackNews.com
Nationwide — The year 2019 has definitely been one for the books for Black women in beauty pageants. With South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi being crowned Miss Universe 2019, now all Black women reign in the four major pageants for the first time ever. Last week, Tunzi joined the recordbreaking history with 2019 Miss USA Cheslie Kryst, 2019 Miss Teen USA Kaliegh Garris, and 2019 Miss America Nia Franklin who holds the crown in their respective pageants. It was really history worth celebrating as just winning top pageants was challenging for Black women due to rampant discrimination. It was only in 1977 that a Black woman, Janelle Commissiong from Trinidad & Tobago, won the Miss Universe. Vanessa Williams was the first black Miss America crowned in 1983, Carol
Anne-Marie Gist was the first black Miss USA in 1990, and Janel Bishop was the first black Miss Teen USA in 1991. More than beauty, the Black women pageant winners each have advocacies that aim to positively impact their fellowmen. Franklin, who is an opera singer, hopes to inspire the youth through music. Garris hopes to defy beauty standards by embracing her natural hair. Kryst, who is an attorney, is working to promote criminal justice reform and is helping wrongly-convicted prisoners for free. Tunzi, on the other hand, is working to fight against genderbased violence. Former U.S. first lady Michelle Obama expressed her pride over these womens’ accomplishments on Twitter using the #BlackGirlMagic hashtag.
Mama, Who is Aunt Jemimah? By Joe C. Hopkins, Padena Journal Publisher
If you were asked that question, what would you answer? More importantly, what would you feel, if it referred to your aunt, mother or grandmother? Embarrassment? Pride, or Nothing? My answer is pride, because it provided a job for a model and a product promoter. Also some embarrassment because it meant your relative was a maid. In a book called, The Grace of Silence” by Michele Norris, when that question was posed by a young white boy on a trolley car looking at a Black woman. There was no answer, but the writer says if she was asked, she would have said, “It’s my grandmother”. In the 50’s, the Aunt Jemimah character provided jobs for the Norris family who went to grocery stores to demonstrate the new Aunt Jemimah pancake mix and Quaker Oats products. “Slave in a box”, some called it because it was instant pancakes out of a box. It was prepared by the Black woman on the box and so came the name “handkerchief head”. The Norris family turned the other cheek and walked away. That was their grandma but it provided income for the family. For some, this was not the life they wanted to live so they took to crime and the easy way out that led to prison and true embarrassment. Someone said one bad Negro could do more damage than years could undo it. Black writers like James Baldwin, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Richard Wright,
Photo of singer, actress and vaudeville performer Edith Wilson as Aunt Jemima at a personal appearance for the Seattle Kiwanis club’s Pancake Festival.. (Photo: T.P.Chittenden, chairman, Seattle Kiwanis Pancake Festival [Public domain] / Wikimedia Commons)
Ralph Ellison, Chester Hines and Mark Mathabane told our stories as we turned the other cheek and moved forward. Stories of lynchings, Block Busters, NAACP, patience, post office jobs, and court victories turned the tide. The residuals of the past are still there as reminders. While we were taking down Confederate Flags there still stands in Natchez, Mississippi a Restaurant called Mammy’s Cupboard. It’s a thirty three foot tall building designed to look like a giant Aunt Jemima.
Black Pasadenans had their embarrassing Handkerchief Heads who turned the other cheek while they became School Teachers, Principals, Council Persons, Mayors and Department Directors. We named a Park after the great Jackie Robinson, a street named after Thurgood Marshall, created statues of Jackie Robinson and his brother Mack. Note: there is still no school or street named after Jackie or Mack or any notable individual of color from Pasadena. It’s overdue and it’s getting late.
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Elbie Hickambottom (first Black on PUSD board) is gone, George Jones (activist) is gone, Sam Sheets (attorney) is gone, Charles Johnson (civil rights attorney) is gone, Billy Williams (Black Entrepreneur and businessman) is gone, Lois Richards (first Black to run for office in Pasadena) is gone, Loretta Glickman (1st Black Mayor in Pasadena) is gone, Fred Valentine (Woods Valentine Mortuary) is gone, Ralph McKnight (Urban DNA Design) is gone, Ralph Riddle (Pasadena’s first black po-
lice officer is gone, Reverend Rolland Jenneford (Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance) is gone. All are gone, after their turn at bat in the game of life where we win freedom, justice and equality. The battle is not over. The next generation must step up to their turn and battle. The stories have yet to be told about Ms. Juanita DeVaughn, the experienced black teacher from Alabama who was told that the District had a kitchen job for her but not a teaching job. There was the Realtor, Ms. Versie Mae Richardson, who is now gone. She had to pretend she sold houses to Whites in the white neighborhood and didn’t expose the truth of selling to Black families until closing day. The trials of the first Black Principal, Regenia Moses, must be told. After being informed that hiring her as a Principal was never going to happen until a Jewish Principal took her in as his Assistant and eventually slid her into the Principal position. She’s now gone. They all turned the other cheek until there were no more to turn and then we exposed talent. We must not forget that we were at one time all in the same boat rowing in the same direction, but somehow we got sidetracked when one or more of us reached the goal and did not reach back to help the rest of the group. We must get back in the boat take our turn at helping and teaching the new rowers about rowing in unity to keep us all moving forward.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS -
December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
Attorney Ben Crump Talks New Book, ‘Open Season: Legalized Genocide of Colored People’ By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent Famed Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump has written a new book that examines the troubling history of environmental racism in America. “Open Season: Legalized Genocide of Colored People,” the 272-page book that’s already the top seller on Amazon. com in the category of Civil Rights Law, tackles how environmental racism pertains to the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, and Newark, New Jersey. In the book, Crump explores how marginalized communities largely are overlooked by the institutions charged with protecting them. Crump also summarizes the state of civil and environmental rights in the U.S. As he prepared a return to Flint, Crump vowed to avoid distractions, including a recent $100 million lawsuit filed by George Zimmerman against the attorney and the parents of Trayvon Martin. “The parents of Trayvon Martin and I don’t want to give any attention to this frivolous and unfounded lawsuit at all. We believe attention is what he’s seeking,” Crump stated. “It’s so asinine that the actions of the killer of their teenage son will continue to devastate them over and over again. Every year he comes up with something like the selling of the gun. It’s just horrific what this individual does. We rather
focus on something more important, like in Flint, and this guy is only a distraction,” Crump noted. Crump’s return to Flint, where he planned to hold rallies over two days to keep attention on the continued water crisis, comes nearly four years after he and hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons went house-to-house delivering water to families throughout the city. “We found out that not only was there a water crisis, but Flint was a food desert,” Crump stated. “So, we have to focus on this because it’s important. We have children who have problems with brain development because they were poisoned by the government wantonly.” While Crump’s new book digs deeper into the Flint crisis, it also explores racism across the country. In one section of “Open Season,” Crump talks about one of the incidents that inspired him to continue his work as a civil rights attorney. “When we were in Ferguson, Missouri, in the aftermath of the killing of Michael Brown, who was shot and killed in broad daylight, there were these young Black Lives Matter activists who refused to let them sweep Michael Brown’s life under the rug,” Crump stated. “The government called in the National Guard. And I remember being there with the media and the crowds of people and the National Guard with militarized and an assault rifles,” he stated. Crump continued:
And you have these young people without fear. And this one brother specifically walked right up to the National Guard, who has their rifle trained on him. The man’s face was practically touching the tip of the rifle, but he just had enough at that moment. “He said, with the rifle in his face, ‘go ahead and shoot me with all these cameras here, because you’re going to shoot us anyway when they go away, so shoot and kill me now so the people can see how you kill us.’ “I thought that was riveting because I said he’s right. It is important that people see how they’re killing us. But not just with bullets in the police shooting cases, but more poignant, how they kill us every day in every city, in every state, in every courtroom in America legally with these trumped-up felony convictions.” With the book, Crump stated that he
seeks to hold a mirror to the face of all Americans and force them to acknowledge the hypocrisy. “You have to at least acknowledge the racism and discrimination in the institutions of governance. If you don’t ever admit it, we can never solve the problem,” he stated. It took about three years for Crump to write “Open Season,” and he called it one of the most challenging tasks he’s undertaken. “You sit there and remember all those things that have happened to black and brown people in this country, and it just breaks your heart,” Crump stated. “Over and over again, no matter what the situation is, for people of color, we get the most injustice,” Crump stated. “You can give me any situation, and they will find a way to make sure that marginalized people of color don’t get
equal justice. “That’s what we have to fight against. That’s what we’re fighting against in Flint, Newark, Baltimore, Washington, and other communities,” he said. Crump continued: “If this water crisis in Flint would have happened in a white community, it would be a national catastrophe. Lightning would strike and thunder would boom. I mean people would go to jail. “But, because it’s a majority-minority community, it’s almost as if Americans don’t know it happened. They say, ‘it doesn’t affect me, just those black and brown people, so it doesn’t matter.’” “Open Season: Legalized Genocide of Colored People” is available at Amazon. com and other outlets.
New York City to Pay $625K Settlement to Black Woman After Cops Ripped Her Baby Away BlackNews.com
New York, NY — Jazmine Headley, a Black mother whose 1-year old son was forcibly pulled away by NYPD police officers from her arms during an arrest, will be awarded $625,000 settlement from the city of New York after she filed a lawsuit in connection to the incident. A year ago, Headley was at a social services office in Brooklyn to inquire about her child care benefits. She was seated on the floor with her baby in her arms as there were no more available seats. The cops then demanded her to leave. When she told the cops that she wanted to see a supervisor, a struggle ensued and things escalated quickly. The incident was captured by a bystander on video that eventually went viral on social media. In the video, she can be seen on the floor on her back as officers wrestled her and took her baby from her. She can also
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be heard saying, “They’re hurting my son! They’re hurting my son!” Headley was then slapped with several charges, but those were all eventually dropped. Days after the incident, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio apologized to her publicly.
In August, Headley sued the City of New York, claiming she was “humiliated, assaulted, physically injured, threatened with a taser, brutally separated from her son, handcuffed, arrested, and jailed—all by employees of the City of New York.” She is now set to receive $650,000 settlement.
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS -
December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
Radio Legend “The Fly Jock” Tom Joyner Retires After 25 Years Derrick Lane, BlackDoctor.org
Radio giant Tom Joyner is signing off the airwaves Friday after one of the longest-running careers in Radio. The 70-year-old is the host of America’s No. 1 syndicated urban morning show, “The Tom Joyner Morning Show,” which airs in more than 105 markets nationwide and reaches nearly eight million listeners. Tom is also the creator of Tom Joyner’s Family Reunion, Tom Joyners Fantastic Voyage Cruise, Tom Joyner’s Take a Loved One to the Doctor Day and more. While keeping his listeners laughing and entertained, Tom has created programs that affect nearly every aspect of people’s lives. “Our thing has always been to empower people. But to empower, we have to first entertain,” Joyner told CBS News correspondent Jericka Duncan. “If I’ve got you laughing, I’ve got you listening.” That laughing paid off. At one point, Joyner said he was pulling in $14 million a year. By the mid 1980s, Joyner earned the nickname “fly jock” because he was offered two jobs and took both: flying between Dallas where he did a morning
show and Chicago where he was on air in the afternoons. Asked how he did that for eight years, Joyner responded with a laugh, “Greed.” “We do a show for African Americans. That’s what we do,” he told “60 Minutes” correspondent Lesley Stahl in 2000. “Don’t worry about crossover. Just super serve, super serve, super serve. Anything that affects African Americans, that’s what you do,” he told CBSNews.
com. “Just worry about connecting to people and their needs.” Joyner was born and raised in Tuskegee, Alabama, one of many cities that helped shape the civil rights movement. “I was a fat kid and they served great food at civil rights marches,” Joyner said. “Oh my god, the chicken was good. So I’m out there protesting the fact our radio station in this all-black town didn’t play any black music. And this guy who owned the radio station, which was inside a Ford dealership, came out and said,… …’I don’t need this. I’m trying to really sell some cars.’ Tell you what, it’s a sun up, sun down station, every Saturday, I’ll let one of you play all the Aretha and The Temptations that you want.” And the rest is history. He told CBS that during retirement, he plans to spend his time raising money for college students. Since 1999, Joyner has raised more than $60 million through the Tom Joyner Foundation to help students in historically black colleges and universities, according to Reach Media.
Con’t from page 08
Six Alders Take Their Bows
Former Board of Alders President and current state Banking Commissioner Jorge Perez, who is Reyes’s uncle and the former occupant of his nephew’s current Ward 5 seat, congratulated his colleagues on committing themselves diligently to a part-time job that pays around $2,000 per year and requires one to be constantly on the clock. “At the end of the day, to see that you were part of a process to make life a little better for someone who needed help,” he said, “I think that is the ultimate payment.” The departing alders took their turn thanking their colleagues for serving alongside them on the board at the end of the full board’s regular monthly meeting later Monday night in the Aldermanic Chambers. “I thank God and my community for taking a chance on a kid born and raised in the Hill,” said Reyes. In addition to his uncle being the former president of the board, he said his father worked as a janitor and a union steward at Yale in UNITE HERE Local 35. Reyes said he never could have guessed growing up that he would be serving on
the city’s local legislature alongside two of his father’s co-workers and fellow union leaders, Ward 28’s Brian Wingate and Ward 2’s Frank Douglass. “New Haven is my home and will always be my home.” Colon (pictured above, with Ward 17’s Jody Ortiz) thanked her fellow alders for working alongside her and supporting her as she spent 18 years representing the Hill’s Ward 6 on the board. “I’d like to thank my constituents for giving me nine terms to help bring the community forward,” she said. She said she was most proud of her work advocating for former tenants of the now-demolished Church Street South apartment complex, and for playing her part in helping them find new housing and get out of the persistently unsafe and unhealthy residences. “They had been hurting for so long,” Colon said. When asked what lessons new and aspiring alders should take from Colon’s nearly two decades on the job, WalkerMyers said: “Be respectful. Stand in your truth. And never leave the community out.”
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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
Gabrielle Union Creates Plus-Sized Clothing Line for Curvy Women by Derrick Lane, BlackDoctor.com
Mother, actress, wife and entrepreneur, Gabrielle Union, has teamed up with New York & Company’s plus-sized division, Fashion to Figure, to bring a new voice to curvy fashion. Union first stepped into designing with her New York & Company Fall 2017 collection. Her vision then was to create apparel for the modern woman that included a range of sizes and affordable price points while still offering styles that were, “cool, fly, and dope.” Union has since continued to empower women through fashion with her new collaboration with Fashion to Figure. The Gabrielle Union x FTF Collection features holiday styles curated to reflect Gabrielle’s glamour and edge along with FTF’s unapologetic celebration of curves. The 13-piece collection includes beautiful holiday separates adorned in sexy sequins and standout shimmer that range from $70 – $200. Union, who herself is not plus-sized, said that she wanted to do something for women who are. “This partnership goes beyond offering a more inclusive and extended size range, it was a deliberate effort to focus on a technical fit that celebrates curves,” explains the former America’s Got Talent Judge. But this is not the first time Union has wanted to do something for plus-sized women. As a matter of fact, Gabrielle Union’s spring 2018 campaign featured her co-stars from the hit show “Being Mary Jane.” On social media, many were excited and some were disappointed because the spring collection only went up to certain small to mid sizes. Her sister is plus size and she wanted to create some stylish plus size options. Union was able to create a misses and
y a d i l o H a z n a g a E xtrav extended sizes collection with New York & Company with select pieces going up to an 20 and XXL. The collaboration she has now with Fashion to Figure allows her to create a full fledged plus size clothing line that ranges from size 12 to 24 and 1X-3X “My line’s availability at Fashion to Figure is a critical and personal moment for me,” Union continued. “This is for my family and all the plus-size women who have messaged me asking for… …Gabrielle Union [clothing line].” If you’re wondering, this is a good business move for Union, because plus-size women’s clothing is a very profitable business. According to Plunkett Research, they estimate that 68 percent of American women wear a size 14 or above, up slightly from the frequently cited 67 percent figure it found in 2012.
How much is this average American woman spending on her wardrobe? According to the most recent figures available from market research firm NPD, US sales of women’s plus-size apparel reached $21.4 billion in 2016. The category is also growing substantially faster than the overall US apparel market, at a rate of 6 percent versus 3 percent year over year. There are some plans to improve: Target is expanding its plus-size options in around 300 stores this year, up from 150. Nordstrom also recently announced that it is extending its size offerings for 100 brands across 30 stores in 2018, and will stock the new sizes (ranging from 00 to 18) alongside core merchandise in stores, rather than putting sizes above a 14 in its traditional designated Encore department. Overall, however, the retailer stocks up to a size 28, and the smallest selection remains that of sizes 20-plus.
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Thursday, December 19 • 7:30pm • Woolsey Hall | New Haven Saturday, December 21 • 2:30pm • Hamden High School Sunday, December 22 • 3:00pm • Shelton High School New Haven Symphony Orchestra Chelsea Tipton Principal Pops Conductor New Haven Heritage Chorale NHSO Pops Conductor Chelsea Tipton leads Connecticut’s Christmas tradition, the NHSO’s Holiday Extravaganza. This year the Symphony will be joined by the New Haven Heritage Chorale in a festive concert that blends holiday classics with new seasonal favorites, including: Sleigh Ride • Around the World at Christmas Time • Glory to God in the Highest • Christmas Scherzo • He Brought Joy to the World • Caribbean Sleigh Ride • A Holiday Sing-Along • and more!
Tickets on Sale Now! (203)787-4282 | NewHavenSymphony.org
THE INNER-CITY NEWS -
December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
INNER-CITY NEWS July 27, 2016 - August 02, 2016
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
The Bristol Housing Authority is developing its 2020-2024 Agency Plan in compliance with the HUD Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998. A VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- atAPPLICATIONS AVAILABLE Public Hearing will be held on February 18, 2020 11:00 a.m. at Gaylord Towers Community Hall located at 55 Gaylord Street, Bristol, CT. HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, is accepting for studio one-bedroom apartments at this develInformation is pre-applications available for review andand inspection at Bristol Housing Authority, 108 Frank Street, hours New Haven. Maximum income ap164opment Jeromelocated Ave., at Bristol, CT during M/W 8:30a-4:30p, Tues.limitations 8:30a-1:00p, ply. Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y Thurs. 1:00-4:30p, F 8:30a-2:00p. 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon request by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.
Town of Bloomfield Full Time Custodian NOTICIA
$22.87 hourly
MACRI VIVIENDAS DE apply ALQUILERvisit PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES ForVALENTINA more details on how to www.bloomfi eldct.org
Pre-Employment drugHouse testing EOE/AA HOME INC, en nombre de la Columbus y de larequired. New Haven Housing Authority, está aceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos máximos. Las pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 Seeking to hasta employ experienced in the labor, foreman, operajulio, 2016 cuando se han recibidoindividuals suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) torenand for aLas heavy outside work statewide. Reliable perlas teamster oficinas de trades HOME INC. pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición llamando a HOME INC and al 203-562-4663 durante esas horas.Pre-solicitudes sonal transportation a valid drivers license required. Todeberán applyremitirse please oficinas de HOMEor INC en 171 Orangeto: Street, tercer piso,Department, New Haven , CT 06510 . calla las (860) 621-1720 send resume Personnel P.O. Box
Construction
368, Cheshire, CT06410.
Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V Drug Free Workforce
HELP WANTED: Large CT guardrail company
looking for Laborer/Driver with valid CT CDL Class A license and able to get a medical card. Must be able to pass a drug test and physical. Compensation based on experience. Email resume to dmastracchio@atlasoutdoor.com AA/EOE M-F
Equipment Operator Help Wanted: Immediate opening for Equipment Operator for Heavy and Highway Construction. 10 hour OSHA certificate required. CDL license a plus but not required. Please call PJF Construction Corp.@ 860-888-9998. We are an equal opportunity employer M/F.
Laborer Help Wanted: Immediate opening for Construction Laborer for Heavy and Highway Construction. 10 hour OSHA certificate required. Please call PJF Construction Corp. @ 860-888-9998. We are an equal opportunity employer M/F.
CDL Driver Help Wanted: Immediate opening for CDL Driver for Heavy and Highway Construction. 10 hour OSHA certificate and clean CDL license required.
NEW HAVEN
Please call PJF Construction Corp. @ 860-888-9998. We are an equal opportunity employer M/F.
242-258 Fairmont Ave 2BR Townhouse, 1.5 BA, 3BR, 1 level , 1BA
Project Manager/Project Supervisor
All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 highways, near bus stop & shopping center
HELP WANTED
Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258
City of Bridgeport / Various Departments CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s
Certificate Program. ThisSpecialist is a 10 month program to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates Airport Certifi cation (starting atdesigned $42,913.00): Public Facilities; Airport Division. in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:30-
3:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis,Labor M.S., B.S. Benefi ts Manager (starting at $90,549.00): Relations; Benefits Administration Division.
(203) 996-4517 Host, General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster
St. NewPolicy Haven,Analyst: CT Budget Office of Policy and Management.
Civil Engineer I (starting at $75,021.00): Public Facilities; Engineering Division.
SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY
Director of Public Facilities (starting at $131,706)
Information Services Technology Staff: Various positions will be posted.
Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour OPM Policy Analyst: Office of Policy and Management. until 3:00 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at its office at 28 Smith Street, Public LibraryCT Staff: Library & Librarian(s), positions to be posted. Seymour, 06483 forAssistant(s) Concrete Sidewalkvarious Repairs and Replacement at the Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour. School Crossing Guard ($11.00 - $12.64 per hour): Police Department. Tax Assessor (starting at $116,680.00): Finance Department, provisional position, available for A pre-bid conference will be held at the Housing Authority Office 28 Smith applicants immediately.
Street Seymour, CT at 10:00 am, on Wednesday, July 20, 2016. For more information, visit our website at: https://www.bridgeportct.gov/citycareers
Bidding documents are available from the Seymour Housing Authority Of-
The City Bridgeport providesSeymour, equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for emfice, 28of Smith Street, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579. ployment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type specific to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any
other protected by federal, state the or local laws. Thecharacteristic Housing Authority reserves right to accept or reject any or all bids, to
reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any informalities in the bidding, if such actions are in the best interest of the Housing Authority.
Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice
SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE
Help Wanted: Immediate opening for a Project Manager/ProjOld Saybrook, CT ect Supervisor for Heavy and Highway Construction. Previous (4 Buildings, 17 Units) experience on CTDOT projects required.
Civil Engineer
Diversified Technology Consultants (DTC) is a multi-disciple engineering and environmental consulting firm. DTC is a leader in servicing governmental clients for four decades. DTC prides itself as having worked on a wide variety of project types. From schools and senior centers to town halls and universities, our diverse portfolio provides extensive experience to our communities. As DTC enters its forth decade, we are seeking an energetic, organized and proactive professional in our Civil Engineering Department. The successful candidate(s) will work closely with our technical staff in support of DTC’s strategic goals and objectives. This is an entry level position located in our Hamden, Connecticut office.
Responsibilities:
• Assist in the preparation of plans, specifications, supporting documents, and permit applications for private and municipal projects. • Assist in preparation of calculations such as storm drainage, water supply & wastewater collection, cost estimates, and earthwork quantities. • Perform design and drafting using AutoCAD Civil 3D. MicroStation experience is beneficial but not required.
Qualifications:
• Graduate from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering. • Engineer in training certificate preferred. For Further information or to apply send resumes to ellen.nelson@teamdtc.com DTC is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. DTC is a Drug Free Work Place.
Individuals with Disabilities, Minorities and Protected Veterans are encouraged to apply.
Construction Seeking to employ experienced individuals in the labor, foreman, operator and teamster trades for a heavy outside work statewide. Reliable personal transportation and a valid drivers license required. To apply please call (860) 621-1720 or send resume to: Personnel Department, P.O. Box 368, Cheshire, CT06410. Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V Drug Free Workforce
Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project
Autoridad de Vivienda de Branford, Parkside Village II Aceptar solo solicitudes para apartamentos de eficiencia New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, Cast- II/ no Utilities A partir de $592 mensuParkside Village in-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, ales, Max. Ingresos Please call PJF Construction Corp. @ 860-888-9998. We are an equal opportunity employer M/F
Town of Bloomfield
Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, Límite: Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. 1 persona $52,850, Contacto: This contract subject to stateted set-aside andIcontract compliance requirements. FullisTime –Benefi Librarian Merit Properties, Inc., 1224 Mill St., Bldg. A Part Time – Non-Benefited Librarian I Berlín Oriental CT 06023, correo electrónico: info@ Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016 merit-properties.net, 860-828-0531 ext. 204 Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016 For more details on Project how to documents apply visit available www.bloomfi via ftpeldct.org link below: Pre-Employment drug testing required. EOE/AA http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage
$37.58 hourly
Branford Housing Authority, Parkside Village II
Accepting Applications for Efficiency Apartments Only Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com Elderly 62+/Disabled 18+ Community HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses
QSR Haynes STEEL CORPORATION Parkside Village II/no Utilities Starting at $592 a month, Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483
APPLY NOW!
AA/EEO EMPLOYER
Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders Top pay for top performers.
Health Benefits, 401K, Vacation Pay. Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
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Max. Income Limit: 1 person $52,850, Contact: Merit Properties, Inc., 1224 Mill St., Bldg. A #102, East Berlin CT 06023, e-mail: info@merit-properties.net, 860-828-0531 ext.204
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019 INNER-CITY NEWS July 27, 2016 - August 02, 2016
Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks:
DELIVERY PERSON
NOTICE
Construction Equipment Mechanic preferably experienced in Reclaiming and Road Milling Equipment. We offer factory training on equipment we operate. Location: Bloomfield CT VALENTINA MACRIhourly RENTAL PREAPPLICATIONS AVAILABLE We offer excellent rateHOUSING & excellent benefi ts Contact: Tom Dunay Phone: 860- 243-2300 HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, Email: Tom.dunay@garrityasphalt.com isWomen accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply apartments at this development located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations apAffirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer ply. Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon reGarrity Asphalt Incduring seeks: Must quest by calling HOME Reclaiming, INC at 203-562-4663 those hours. Completed pre-Have your Own Vehicle applications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Reclaimer Operators and Milling Operators with current Floor, New Haven, CT 06510. licensing and clean driving record, be willing to travel throughout the Northeast & NY. We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits Contact: Rick Tousignant Phone: 860- 243-2300 Email: MACRI rick.tousignant@garrityasphalt.com VALENTINA VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply AffiINC, rmative Action/ Opportunity HOME en nombre deEqual la Columbus House yEmployer de la New Haven Housing Authority, está aceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos 1907 máximos. Las pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 Hartford Turnpike Tractor Trailer Driver for Heavy & Highway Construction North Haven, CT 06473 julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) Equipment. Must a CDL clean driving en las oficinas de have HOME INC. License, Las pre-solicitudes seránrecord, enviadas por correo a petición capable operating equipment; be willing to travel llamandoofa HOME INCheavy al 203-562-4663 durante esas horas.Pre-solicitudes deberán remitirse throughout theenNortheast & Street, NY. tercer piso, New Haven , CT 06510 . a las oficinas de HOME INC 171 Orange Insulation company offering good pay We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits and benefits. Please mail resume to Contact Dana at 860-243-2300. Email: dana.briere@garrityasphalt.com above address. Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply MAIL ONLY Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer
NEEDED
Part Time Delivery Needed One/Two Day a Week,
If Interested call
(203) 435 -1387
NOTICIA
KMK Insulation Inc.
Union Company seeks:
Coventry Housing Authority is accepting applications for its Section 8 Elderly/Disabled housing. Annual income limit is $21,200 (one person) & $24,200 (two people), Also accepting applications for its State Elderly/ Disabled housing. Annual income limit is $52,850 (one person) & $60,400 (two people). Interested parties may pick up an application at the Coventry Housing Authority, 1630 Main St., Coventry, CT, or have one mailed. Completed applications must be postmarked or hand delivered no later than January 31, 2020. For more information call 860-742-5518.
NEW HAVEN POLICE NOW HIRING
Mechanical Insulator position.
This company is an Affirmative Action/
NEW HAVEN
Apply online at Policeapp.com
Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice
NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 242-258 Fairmont Ave HACD Corp. 2BR Townhouse, 1.5 BA, 3BR, 1 Housing level , 1BA Supportive Program
Or Visit our Social Media Pages SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE
All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close P19008 to I-91 & I-95 For More Information Old Saybrook, CT RFP No. highways, near bus stop & shopping center (4 Buildings, 17 Units) HACD Corp. is seeking proposals for a NHPDrecruitment Nhpdrecruitment New Haven Police Department Recruitment Team Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258 Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project structured independent living environment for low/very low-income individuals who SCOPE: CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, Castmay or may not be experiencing Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates in-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, homelessness. in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:303:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. (203) 996-4517 Host, General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster
CONTACT PERSON: St. New Haven, CT
Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework,
Ms. Devin Marra, Director of Procurement Telephone: 203-744-2500 x141 Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements. E-Mail: dmarra@hacdct.org
CONSTRUCTION HELP WANTED
Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016 Contact Ms. Devin Marra, via e-mail. SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY LaRosa Building Group is looking for people interested in construction Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016
HOW TO OBTAIN THE RFP DOCUMENTS:
Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour
for a project in New Haven. Project documents available via ftp link below: 98 Elm Street, Danbury, CT 06811 PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE: until 3:00 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at its officeDecember at 28 Smith Street, 11, 2019 at 2:00 PM (EST) http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the HACD Corp. Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour.
New Haven and Section 3 residents are encouraged to apply.
Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com 2 Mill Ridge Rd, Danbury, CT 06811 For applications: HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL RETURN: Envelope Must be Marked: RFP P19008 HaynesNo. Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483 A pre-bid conference will be held at the Housing Authority Office 28 Smith Visit the job site at 300 Wilmot Rd, New Haven CT., Supportive Housing Program AA/EEO EMPLOYER
Street Seymour, CT at 10:00 am, on Wednesday, July 20, 2016.
PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL December 20, 2019 at 2:00PM (EST) DEADLINE Bidding documents are available from the Seymour Housing Authority Of-
fice, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579. [Minority- and/or women-owned businesses are encouraged to respond]
The Housing Authority reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any informalities in the bidding, if such actions are in the best interest of the Housing Authority.
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or join us on Thursday, November 14th, at 6:00 PM
or
Email: HR@larosabg.com
An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer
THE INNER-CITY NEWS -
December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
Capture Your Family’s History, One Story At A Time!
Edna Adele Girardeau Obituary
by Tyra Seldon, Ph.D. BlackDoctor.com
The holiday season is often a time when we are able to spend quality time together with loved ones and family members— some of whom we haven’t seen in years. If your family is like mine, spending an extensive amount of time together often lends itself to hours and hours of family stories, many of which start with, “Remember when…” In fact, many of us will hear a plethora of stories—some funny, some serious, and some a combination of both–yet, all tend to have a greater context embedded within them and that is they capture and archive our family’s history. As Black people, in particular, the preservation of our family history is paramount and it doesn’t have to be as complicated as one may think. Oral History and the Black Community Whether you are the decedent of slaves, a first-generation American, or an immigrant, there is a strong possibility that oral history has played a key role in your culture. From the neighborhood sage on the front porch to the West African griot, the ability to Tell stories and to share them with others is often seen as an important and respected role. For African-Americans, in particular, laws once prevented us from learning how to read and write, thus the ability to memorize, recall, and retell stories allowed family histories to be passed down from one generation to the next. In this sense, oral history can be just as, if not more, important than written history in some communities. For this reason, it is important that we serve as witness bearers for those who are no longer with us. Why Our Stories Matter Cultures that tend not to record their own stories often have to rely upon someone
else’s interpretation of their cultures, beliefs, and values. As we have seen, historically, this can lead to misunderstandings, misinterpretations and a one-sided view of a culture and its people. To offset or further prevent this, we must curate our own stories. Some people may opt to do this via writing books or others may simply decide to interview older family members and capture their responses on camera. Either way, the information that is gathered must be preserved for posterity’s sake. A perfect example of this is the WPA project. Many of the first-hand accounts that we now have of former enslaved Africans’ lives are derived from the stories that they shared with others. Without these recordings, we would have to rely on, almost exclusively, second- and third-hand accounts of their lived experiences. How to Record a Loved One’s Story
Hiring a professional filmmaker or documentarian to capture your stories can be expensive. So too is hiring a professional writer or ghostwriter. The good news is that with today’s technology, you can historicize and document your family’s history yourself. To record an interview, start by coming up with a list of questions. Although extemporaneous interviews are interesting, capturing someone’s oral history should be pre-planned. Once you have your questions, schedule a time frame that is realistic—remember, older family members may need to talk in small chunks and they will probably want everything to happen in a convenient space, so factor in time, weather, and access before scheduling. Once you have worked through the logistics, get acclimated with your preferred device. Your smartphone, tablet, and lap-
THE SEMANTICS OF “SEMITE”..........
by Oscar H. Blayton
Language and the use of words can be more powerful than any weapon of mass destruction. “Wordsmithing” in the wrong hands can bring on a plague of violence and destruction biblical in proportions. And this brings us to the current widest widely use of the word “anti-Semitism.” Donald Trump, a master of obfuscation and prevarication, in order to gin up his evangelical support, signed an executive order on Dec. 11 titled “Executive Order on Combating Anti-Semitism.” Despite its humanistic title, this order does not combat anti-Semitism. It is merely meant to throttle free speech concerning human rights issues in Israel and many individuals, including Jews, have concerns about it. In a recent opinion piece in The Guardian, Kenneth Stern, the director of the Bard Center for the Study of Hate, wrote, “[Anti-Semitism] was never intended to be a campus hate speech code, but that’s what Donald Trump’s executive order accomplished this week. This order is an attack on academic freedom and free speech, and will harm not only pro-Palestinian advocates, but also Jewish students and faculty, and the academy itself.”
Fifteen years prior to writing his piece in The Guardian, Stern – considered an expert on the topic – drafted a working definition of anti-Semitism for the American Jewish Committee. It is usually a “third rail” in domestic political discourse for non-Jews to analyze the use of the word “anti-Semitism” in America. But the intentional division of the many and varied identities in this country is now reaching a critical point and the weaponizing of language by demagogues like Donald Trump is throwing fuel on the fire. Language is generally considered to be a convention, where those who communicate understand a word or phrase to have a commonly understood meaning. And in this sense, anti-Semitism is generally understood in America to mean hostility to or prejudice against Jews. However, most dictionaries tell us that Semites are not solely Jews, but any of “a number of peoples of ancient southwestern Asia including the Akkadians, Phoenicians, Hebrews and Arabs.” This has been a working definition since 1848. Donald Trump is not so concerned with the protection of Jews as he claimed when signing this order. He is more concerned with the division of Americans into “us” and “them.” It is convenient
for him to weaponize the term “anti-Semitism” in order to demonize the supporters of other Semitic people, such as Palestinians, who criticize the actions of the government of Israel. This is a distortion of cultural identity in order to curb the freedom of political speech, the aim of which is to homogenize America into a white Christian nation. Joining the ranks of those who want to divide this nation in order homogenize it are bigoted religious leaders like Robert Jeffress, senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Dallas, and the Rev. John C. Hagee, founder of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, who is known for his end-times preaching. Despite their histories of religious intolerance, both of these vendors of religious hate were guests at the White House’s Hanukkah party, which took place after the signing ceremony for the executive order. Jeffress is known for postulating that Jews and other non-Christians are destined for hell while Hagee has called Hitler a “half-breed Jew” who was a “hunter” fulfilling God’s will. Can we really believe that Trump is concerned with hate speech when he pals around with people like Jeffress and Hagee? Can we believe he wants to stamp out hate speech when
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top should have a recording or dictating function that operates the same way that a tape recorder does. From there, you will just need to transcribe the interviews or hire someone to transcribe them for you. Before you know it, you will have an archivable document that can be shared with generations to come! Tyra Seldon, Ph.D. is a former English professor turned writer, editor and small business owner. Passionate about the English language and the craft of storytelling, she launched Seldon Writing Group, LLC in 2011. Dr. Seldon has worked with education tech companies, celebrities, aspiring writers, entrepreneurs, media outlets, Fortune 500 companies, and government agencies to develop their written content. When she’s not writing, she’s traveling the world, one continent at a time. She can be reached at dr.tyra@seldonwritinggroup. com
he has said there were “very fine people” protesting in Charlottesville, Va., by torchlight shouting “Jews shall not replace us”? America, in a sense, is a small village where we all drink from a common well of democracy that springs from mutual respect and the common good. Trump and his minions are poisoning that well with the toxic wordsmithing of hate speech. He schemes to turn this country into a white Christian monolith, while falsely accusing the intended victims of his bigotry of being the perpetrators of villainy. If we, as Americans, are concerned about injustices towards Semitic people, we should approach it in terms of all Semitic people, including the descendants of the Akkadians, Phoenicians, Hebrews and Arabs. These times are telling as to who the American people are and what they stand for. And while actions speak louder than words, the words we use have a lot to say about us as well. We should not allow legitimate criticism to be muted by those falsely claiming to muzzle hate speech. Oscar H. Blayton is a former Marine Corps combat pilot and human rights activist who practices law in Virginia.
Edna Adele Girardeau died May 7, 2019 at The Connecticut Hospice in Branford, CT. She is sadly missed by family and friends. Born on December 4, 1943 in Stamford, CT, she was the daughter of the late James L. Girardeau and Etta Algerine Lee Girardeau. She attended the Stamford public school system and after graduating high school went on to receive a bachelor and master’s degree in political science from the University of Connecticut. She enjoyed a wonderful career in development and management of affordable housing for local housing authorities and other non-profit organizations. She was passionate about politics and community service and was actively involved in many election campaigns. Edna served on numerous state and local boards and commissions. Edna was an avid sports enthusiast. She loved UConn men’s and women’s basketball and attended many games. She enjoyed watching and playing tennis and was an excellent player. She had a passion for the theater for performing arts and a great appreciation for jazz and classical music. Her other favorite interests were traveling and reading. Edna leaves to cherish her memory her brother James Girardeau and brother-law Samuel Hyman, nieces Stacy Hyman and Christie HymanShine and Michelle Johnson Simpson, and nephew Michael Marcus Johnson and numerous cousins. Edna is predeceased by her parents and her sister, Juanita Johnson. Her sister Alice Hyman (wife of Samuel Hyman) passed away on October 29, 2019. A brief memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 28 at 1:00 PM at Howard K Hill Funeral Service, 1287 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT 06511. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Connecticut Hospice, Inc, 100 Double Beach Road, Branford, CT 06405. To leave a message of comfort for the Girardeau family, please visit, www. hkhfuneralservices.com
THE INNER-CITY NEWS - December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
Robert Saulsbury aul h s sb
al
in
vi
y ur
coac
Basketball Invitational
tat i o n
1:00 pm - 2:15 pm Amistad High Vs. Kolbe Cathedral High 2:45 pm - 4:00 pm Wilbur Cross High (Girls) Vs. Norwalk High (Girls) 4:15 pm - 4:30 pm Awards Ceremony Honoring Troy Bradford • Steve Jefferson Mayor Toni Harp • Bria Holms
5:00 pm - 6:15 pm Career High Vs. West Haven High 6:40 pm - 8:00 pm Wilbur Cross High Vs. Weaver High
Wilbur Cross High School Robert H. Saulsbury Gymnasium
181 Mitchell Drive, New Haven, CT 06511 Friday, Dec. 27, 2019 - 1:00 pm - 8:00 pm Donation: $5.00 Students • $10.00 Adults Proceeds to Benefit The Robert H. Saulsbury Scholarship Fund Refreshments available for sale
For More Info Contact: 203-376-1385 23
THE INNER-CITY NEWS -
December 18, 2019 - December 24, 2019
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