INNER-CITY NEWS

Ivy Street Carolers Sing In The Season

by Lucy Gellman, Editor, The Arts Paper www.newhavenarts.org

In the darkness that blanketed Newhall Street, Laila Hugley pointed out the Christmas trees glowing down the block. One was dressed in tinsel and multicolored lights. Another gleamed from a window in white and gold, with a star at the top. Beside her, Babz Rawls-Ivy lifted a lantern, and started a countdown to “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”

Eight carolers filled Ivy, Newhall and Hazel Streets with song Tuesday night, as temperatures plunged into the high 20s and stars filled the low-hanging sky. Gathered by Rawls-Ivy, editor of the Inner-City News and the host of WNHH’s “LoveBabz LoveTalk,” their charge was simple: bring Christmas cheer to Newhallville, a neighborhood often dismissed as violent and unsafe. In a season all about miracles, bring light to the darkness.

The caroling runs Monday through Wednesday night at 75 Ivy St. Rawls-Ivy said she was inspired to do something in her neighborhood after thinking about a fatal shooting that took place on Shepherd Street earlier this month. Caroling outdoors, where the risk of spreading Covid is low and spreading joy is high, seemed like a no-brainer.

“I’m not preaching, I just want to fight back with art as social action, and this is the season,” Rawls-Ivy said as the group walked from Ivy to Newhall Street, and then from Newhall on to Hazel. “It’s just my way of doing what I could do. I have no ulterior motive. I’m not suggesting that people embrace Christmas. This just makes me feel better.”

If Tuesday was any indication, fellow carolers felt it too. As they huddled on the porch, attendees included a music teacher, college professor, new neighbor, young musicians and two former members of Church of the Redeemer, where Rawls-Ivy worshiped for 20 years. As they assembled on her porch, they introduced themselves to each other, paging through a packet of Christmas carols that Rawls-Ivy had assembled over the weekend. Titles from “Jingle Bell Rock” to “Silent Night” peeked out among the pages.

“I tried to curate a mix of holy sacred songs that we know, and then a couple songs that had nothing to do with Jesus,” she said. She’s open to additions, she added—Laila hopes to see “Jingle Bells” next year (this year, the song didn’t make the list after Rawls-Ivy discovered that it was for years performed in blackface). Other contenders for 2023 include “Mary Did You Know,” which has become a staple of the season since Mark Lowry first penned it in 1984.

As the clock ticked toward a 6:15 start, carolers mulled over versions of the Christmas story, debating how well Mary’s family would have actually taken the news of a surprise pregnancy. Jonathan Berryman, an administrator at Hill Regional Career

High School who for years taught music in New Haven’s elementary schools, joked that Mary knew exactly what she was doing when she went to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who was miraculously pregnant at the same time.

Just as Cheryl Doss, a professor of international development at Oxford, started to push back, the clock struck 6:15. A car door shut across the street, and Angelina Wilson and Laila scurried toward the porch. Rawls-Ivy squealed at the last-minute addition. It was officially time to sing.

As Rawls-Ivy lifted an electric lantern to the page, the first notes of “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” floated from the porch over the street, the notes bouncing in the brisk air. The sound ran along the rafters, wicker furniture, and doorways, making its way down the steps and onto the sidewalk. As they sang, hats and mittens bobbing, carolers smiled and began to rock in place.

“All right, let’s walk the streets of Newhallville bringing good cheer!” RawlsIvy urged with a smile. As the group walked, she searched for homes festooned with holiday decorations, drifting toward them as the light beckoned from front yards and living room windows. At the corner of Ivy and Newhall Streets, she found a spot between two houses, trees twinkling from the windows.

Pages flipped; carolers dipped into “Joy To The World” and began to sing. Berryman’s voice anchored the group, knitting voices together as it wove through octaves.

As the group drifted down the block, it became a way to see the neighborhood with new eyes—and ears. Lights danced and glittered in a Newhall Street front yard, and the group flowed from “Silent Night” and “Jingle Bell Rock” to “O’ Come All Ye Faithful.” On Hazel Street, Rawls-Ivy said she was excited for “Hark! The Herald Angels” because she loves listening to characters sing it on A Charlie Brown Christmas.

In the bone-cracking cold, it was quiet for just a moment before they sang. “I believe in us!” Rawls-Ivy cried to the seven carolers gathered around her. “I believe!”

Then they sang over the lullaby that is New Haven: cars revving in the distance, buses trundling by on Shelton Avenue, an occasional shout from a neighbor.

It became a new holiday tradition for Wilson and her daughter Laila, a fourth grader at Worthington Hooker School who Rawls-Ivy has named the 2022-2023 chair of the porch caroling committee. Even as a baby, Wilson said, Laila was incredibly musical; a “Mommy and Me” class at Neighborhood Music School bloomed into violin and then viola lessons, which she now plays at Music Haven.

Three years ago this month, she and her mom met Rawls-Ivy at Long Wharf Theatre, during the run of Kate Hamill’s Pride & Prejudice. The three have remained close ever since. After caroling on Ivy Street Monday, Laila came back Tuesday

for more. Bundled in layers (“I don’t even feel it!” she said of the cold), she often sang with her head resting on her mom’s shoulder. On Hazel Street, she threaded her arm tenderly through Wilson’s, and it stayed there for minutes.

“What I like about Christmas is it brings people together, and even if you haven’t seen family in years, if they come down for Christmas, it’s just so much fun,” Laila said. “Sitting by the Christmas tree, opening up presents, laughing. Thanking people for getting you the presents.”

While she has family rituals that she delights in—matching jammies, hot cocoa with cousins, and snowball fights are just a few she holds dear—caroling has created a new one. “I’m looking forward to so many things about Christmas!,” she said.

For Rawls-Ivy, it’s also a chance to remind neighbors that there is always someone—or multiple someones—looking out for them. In the years since she has made a home on Ivy Street, her porch has become a social space, birthday and wedding venue, late-night meeting point, and impromptu, eighteenth-century-level salon in the middle of Newhallville. She doesn’t hold court: she builds community.

“The blessing is that we come together and that we’re walking these streets that people claim are dangerous,” she said. “And we’re singing!”

Occasionally, the street stirred to life with the sound. On Hazel Street, a teenager propped open a third-floor window and stuck his head out, his phone in his hand as he took a quick photo and waved to the group. As carolers made the block back onto Ivy Street, two neighbors cracked open another third-floor window and began wishing carolers a merry Christmas.

“We love it! We love it! It’s just so beautiful!” cried Stacy Downer, the warmth in her voice making it down to street level. “It reminds me of childhood and just getting together. If no one tells you, we really appreciate it. We love you!”

At the carolers’ right, another Ivy Street door swung open. “Thank you! Merry Christmas!” a neighbor said before disappearing back into the warmth of his home.

“We gotta do it for the kids! We gotta make sure Santa gets here!” Rawls-Ivy responded as she guided the group back towards her porch.

Back on Rawls-Ivy’s porch, Berryman danced his way through “The 12 Days Of Christmas, the final song of the night before quiet fell again over the street. ” It conjured a moment earlier in the evening, during which he had jokingly calculated the cost of the song (“The price of lords has gone up,” Rawls-Ivy joked).

This time, it seemed, he was all in: he nailed a move for each day. He pulled his arms into his sides as wings when attendees reached the six geese-a-laying. He paddled forward on seven swans a-swimming. When he got to a partridge in a pear tree, he pulled his hands up over his head, turning them into branches.

Lucy Gellman Photos: Carolers Babz Rawls-Ivy, Simon Doss-Goll, Cheryl Doss, Laila Hugley, Jonathan Berryman, Angelina Wilson, Allyson Regis, and Sophia Kaplan.

Beside him, Laila marveled at the fact that he’d never had to look at the page.

Years of practice, he told her with a smile. If she stuck with it, she would get there too.

Newhallville Holiday Contest Turns On Lights

by LISA REISMAN

On one of the shortest, darkest days of the year, 25 Newhallville residents set out in a coach bus in search of holiday lights. The occasion, on Saturday night, was the second annual Newhallville holiday lighting house decorating contest. Its host was Jeanette Sykes, president and founder of The Perfect Blend, which was created “to uplift women in the Greater New Haven African American communities” by connecting professional women with young women of promise.

“Last year we did cars,” Sykes told the small group already assembled on the bus at Lincoln-Bassett Community School amid the air of festive anticipation. “This year we’re stepping up our game.”

Among the judges, Diane Petaway, a member of the National Council of Negro Women, a co-sponsor of the event, was already in her seat. Sykes handed her a clipboard with categories for visual impact, craftsmanship, completeness (most creative), originality, with ratings from one (fairly done) to four points (fabulous job).

“We’re waiting on Dottie,” Sykes said, referring to NCNW president Dorthula “Dottie” Green, among the 15 judges in the contest, as a mother and her three kids boarded the bus followed by a young woman arrayed in holiday garb. “I should have told her 4:30,” Sykes said. It was 5:15. The bus was scheduled to depart at 5.

Ten minutes later, Green appeared. It was time.

“If anyone wants to join, they can catch up,” Sykes said. “Let’s do this.”

Busdriver Angel Pagan pulled out of the Lincoln-Bassett driveway. The Temptations’ “Silent Night” rang out from a speaker amid lively chatter and the aroma of chicken wings in the mellow light of the interior.

“We started this when we were all shut down because of Covid and everyone was at home,” Sykes began, as the bus motored past Dix Deli on Dixwell, and passengers peered out into the black night.

“This was a way we could do something positive while staying socially distanced, and also give people the chance to express themselves and be creative, and at the same time bring light to our neighborhood,” she said.

Across the aisle from Petaway was Crystal Beard-Morton, who took home first place last year for her elaborate inflatable decorations. She said she does the same for Easter, Valentine’s Day all the holidays. “It lights up people’s day,” she said, as the bus stopped alongside a house featuring a perky-seeming bear with a red cravat and antlers.

“What was the address?” someone called out.

“Now, there’s a nice one,” Beard-Morton said, of a house tricked out with an illu-

minated display of presents. “You can tell they really took a lot of care with it.”

The bus swayed to the side. “It’s too big and the street is too narrow,” Petaway said. Pagan deftly maneuvered the bus onto Willis Street.

“Whew,” someone said.

Further down the aisle, Newhallville/ Prospect Hill Alder Kimberly Edwards was settled beside Newhallville Alder Devin Avshalom-Smith.

“It was an honor to be asked to be a judge in this contest,” Edwards said, as Donny Hathaway crooned “This Christmas.” “I love creativity. I love my neighborhood, and I love Christmas, so this is absolutely fantastic.”

“This is something that brings togetherness, it brings joy, and any opportunity to do that I’m there,” he said. “It’s a way to bring the neighbor back into neighborhood.”

With that, the bus stopped on Shelton Avenue.

“Everyone, this is the Learning Corridor,” Sykes announced, referring to the green space transformed by Newhallville community leader Doreen Abubakar from “The Mudhole” into “a vibrant space for community-building, family-friendly festivals and events.”

“Let’s enjoy this for fifteen minutes,” Sykes said. “Then we’re back to the contest.”

Cooper said she came to New Haven from South Carolina on a “mission of mercy” for her sister-in-law, and ended up staying. Sykes invited to her to join the bus tour.

“I appreciated that because we need to have the people meeting each other, neighbors meeting each other,” she said.

In the bone-chilling air, Abubakar was handing out graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate to make s’mores.

“Every year around this time, this is what we do,” she said, as holiday lighting judges and residents enjoyed hot cocoa. “This is how we get to know our neighbors.”

At the firepit nearby, Tahaji, 8, and La’amin, 4, were studiously toasting s’mores alongside Sykes as their grandmother looked on.

“Fun,” said Tahaji, of the bus tour through her neighborhood for the house decorating contest. “I love this.”

Back on the bus, Sykes announced that Marlene Miller-Pratt, a founding member of the New Haven Botanical Garden of Healing, had “joined the party,” as she put it.

“This is all about organizations helping each other,” Sykes said, before paying tribute to the late community organizer Hazel Williams, who hosted a small lights contest on Pond Street for 15 years.

“When we first started having this conversation, she called a lot of you guys to be in the contest last year and she was the one of the first ones to help us out, and she passed,” she said.

“She won second place last year,” someone said. “She was one wonderful lady.”

On the bus chugged, past a stretch of dark houses on Shepard Avenue, past a house illuminated in technicolor on Dixwell, past one with a Disney theme on Hazel, and another with three hatted penguins watching over an amused-looking snowman on Winchester. Pens scratched across the paper ballots.

Then, on Thompson Street, a shout went up through the bus.

“Look at that,” said Dorthula Green, the NCNW president, of the resplendent display featuring a menagerie of Seussian characters. “That is just wonderful. And this is a wonderful thing that we’re doing, celebrating each other’s expressions of creativity, finding pride in each other.” By then, Pagan, the driver, was negotiating another tight turn around a line of cars.

“Uh oh, he’s going to hit it,” someone said. “No, he’s got it,” Sykes replied. Which he did, with everyone breaking into applause.

“That’s what happens when he has a bunch of backseat drivers that are women,” someone said, to cascades of laughter.

“Last one,” Sykes announced, rushing down the steps and outside to get the house number, as a group in the front seat posed for a selfie before leading tour-goers and judges in a full-throated sing-along of Teddy Pendergrass’ “When Somebody Loves You Back.”

When Sykes returned, a call went out for a collection of tips for the driver.

“Same place, same time, next year,” Sykes called out after a group photo. With that, everyone dispersed, their laughter echoing in the pitch-black night.

LISA REISMAN PHOTOS

Ready to judge Newhallville's finest holiday lights and decorations.

“Otherwise, we’ll just have a hood with no neighbors.”

The 2022 Newhallville holiday lighting house decorating contest crew.

Amid Absenteeism Concerns, State Steps In

by MAYA MCFADDEN

Connecticut’s top education official and New Haven state lawmakers called city public school district leaders to the table for a reality check on student chronic absenteeism — and to discuss ways to improve local public education while working as one “Team New Haven.”

That meeting took place Tuesday evening online via Zoom. Organized by New Haven’s state legislative delegation, the meeting brought together state lawmakers, members of New Haven’s Board of Education and Board of Alders, and state Department of Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker to talk about missed classes and literacy and math concerns with NHPS students.

The conversation broadcasted to the public on Facebook Live, and was moderated by New Haven State Rep. Toni Walker. It was held against the backdrop of deep concerns about chronic absenteeism, low reading and math scores, and a district-wide teacher shortage in the New Haven Public Schools.

“There are so many critical issues that we’re confronting all at the same time,” New Haven State Sen. and President Pro Tem Martin Looney said. “Many of which have been exacerbated by the pandemic, but many were pre-exacerbated before the pandemic. We’re concerned about making sure there’s transparency and a general understanding about the amounts of money that New Haven has been receiving over the past few years.”

“In order to be in a strong position to continue our advocacy for our own schools, we need to have a strong sense of exactly where we are going into the new [state legislative] session,” Looney added.

Throughout the evening around 70 participants joined the meeting. Those attendees included community members, alders, and local educators.

State Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker described Tuesday’s meeting as an effort to help NHPS devel-

op its call to action around high numbers of students missing class and low levels of reading and math proficiency.

She added that the state has begun assisting with New Haven’s plans to improve its holistic education plans through weekly meetings and has a goal to “expand the base of constituencies and voices to assist in impactful and sustainable change in NHPS.”

Tuesday’s presentation by state Department of Education staff reviewed New Haven’s shifts in student demographics, fiscal resources, student performance,

Hello, Hotel (2)

New Haven closed out the year with two of three planned new hotels getting past the finish line and opening to the public with a festive holiday party.

The latest is an upscale ($185-per-night) 130-room Cambria Hotel, where human and canine officials cut the ceremonial opening ribbon Thursday evening on the gradually filling-in median block of Route 34 bordered by Dwight Street, Legion Avenue, Orchard Street, and MLK Blvd.

Cambria’s Choice Hotels division bought the property for $2.8 million. An outfit called LCP Group invested in the project; Crescent Hotels & Resorts was hired to run it.

Earlier this year another upscale New

Haven hotel opened, the Hotel Marcel on Long Wharf. Together with the Blake, which opened downtown in 2019, and the Graduate New Haven, the renovated former Duncan, which opened in 2020, New Haven has in three years made progress towards addressing what business leaders considered an economy-stalling shortage of hotel rooms. The site of another planned hotel, for the corner of Orange and Elm Streets, remains a hole in the ground, and the developer has pivoted to a plan for apartments there instead.

Hotel officials are aiming the Cambria at business and leisure travelers to town visiting Yale New Haven Hospital or (eventually) the under-construction Yale New Haven neurosciences center or Yale University, which was represented at Thursday’s ribbon-cutting party by Hand-

and attendance.

“I want Team New Haven to know that the Department of Education is here to support the work that you are doing,” Russell-Tucker said.

State education staff highlighted that NHPS enrollment has declined overall by nearly 9 percent over the past three years.

All the while, the percentage of English Language Learners has increased significantly to nearly 1 in 5 students, 19.4 percent of the total student body.

View the full Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) presentation

here.

In a presentation about student performance, state Chief Performance Officer Ajit Gopalakrishnan reported that prior to the pandemic, in both literacy and mathematics, NHPS had higher scores than fellow urban school districts in the state like Bridgeport, Hartford and Waterbury. He added that during the pandemic, in both literacy and math, New Haven “has lost substantially more ground than its urban peers,” causing New Haven’s achievement rates to now be similar to those other cities.

Russell-Tucker encouraged New Haveners, and in particular parents of NHPS students, to “understand how to use our eyesight data portal to answer the question: How is my school doing? And by extension: How is my child doing in that school?”

She emphasized that there should be a collective responsibility to be accountable for helping the district to move forward.

Throughout the meeting several speakers acknowledged the recent shooting death of 16-year old Metropolitan Business Academy student Joshua Vazquez, who was killed in the West Hills neighborhood Monday afternoon.

“It’s sobering to be in the conversation carrying that,” said New Havener and state Board of Education Chair Karen DuBois-Walton “Because what we are about here is about life and death for our learners in New Haven as we all know, and we come to it with that sense of urgency.”

New Haven political and civil leaders called on Tuesday for the biggest issues facing NHPS to be addressed with urgency.

“For me it is always urgent because these kids don’t get to be 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 again. They don’t get to relive any of these years where we have not been successful in delivering to them the education that they’re supposed to get,” State Sen. Gary Winfield said.

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some Dan the mascot bulldog. City officials, business leaders and public safety leaders … … including Police Chief Karl Jacobson and Assistant Chiefs Bertram Ettienne and David Zannelli joined Handsome Dan in enjoying a holiday-themed party where … … bartender Pete Borowski poured vintage Hooker IPA .… … Metro Narcisis’s sax solo (watch/listen in above video) channeled vintage hotel lobby Yuletide jazz … … noshers sampled cheeses and olives … … and Dan sniffed out the putative presents.

New Haven’s Kristen Threatt and Brian Burkett-Thompson lifted celebratory bottles of their homegrown and marketed Gorilla Lemonade, which is sold in the

Cambria lobby, with LCP CEO Francis Lively.

The New Haven commercial connections continued upstairs with a fifth-floor display of the Elm City-invented lollipop …

… and sixth-floor lobby tribute to the New Haven-invented typewriter.

Choice Senior Vice-President of Upscale Brands Janis Cannon said the localthemed displays reflect her company’s search for a “sense of space/sense of place” with its hotels, aiming to make them “brothers and sisters” with distinct geographical identities rather than generic “identical twins.”

Doors were left open on the third floor for guests to view sample rooms like this one, which showed no signs of having been visited yet by Handsome Dan.

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THOMAS BREEN FILE PHOTO

CT Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker: "I want Team New Haven to know that the Department of Education is here to support the work that you are doing.”

Newhallville Neighborhood Heroes Honored

by KIMBERLY WIPFLER

Ann Swain wiped tears from her eyes as Newhallville Community Management Team Chair Kim Harris listed all of the little reasons that make her a neighborhood hero from returning trash cans to neighbors’ homes after the garbage truck comes to going door-todoor to making sure every kid on the street gets treats from block parties they couldn’t attend.

The crowd cheered and called out in agreement, shouting out more reasons why they’re grateful for Swain’s Newhallville neighborly kindness.

With a shaky voice, Swain accepted a framed award from Harris and shared the wisdom her mother imparted that is behind her generosity and compassion: “When you make room for somebody else, God makes room for you.”

Swain was the first to be recognized among six Neighborhood Heroes on Sunday at the Newhallville Community Management Team’s 10th annual holiday celebration.

The festivities began at around 2:45pm at the Science Park-based job training center, Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology (ConnCAT). As partygoers arrived, they could enter into raffles to win gift cards and sign up to receive a free meal from Orchid Café during the party hours.

Harris said she was proud of the work that the team had done to put this year’s event together to celebrate outstanding individuals.

“Our biggest goal is to make sure that Newhallville is filled with enrichment experiences that will enhance literacy and math. We can do more on the Community Management Team than just report on statistics and crime. There’s so much good here to be celebrated and seen,” Harris said.

Upstairs, Harris and Tucker School teachers ran several activities for children. At one table, kids could get their photo taken on a Polaroid camera and then adhere and decorate a foam frame to create a holiday ornament. At another, they strung together friendship bracelets with multicolored beads.

Harris and Tucker School toddler teacher Adrienne Sheats, in her third year of helping out at the annual Newhallville management team party, helped facilitate an ornament painting station at one end of the room.

She was joined by her daughter and granddaughter, Laurynn and Simone, and was delighted to see that some of her students at the school were in attendance as well.

One particularly creative artist, Rickelle Byes, painted a Christmas tree ornament to look like an emoji, which

wowed the other children at the table. Byes said she loves art and often draws her own anime characters.

Her mother, Nadine Crimley, said she was grateful to have something to do with her daughter and niece before the holidays. She was even spreading the word to other parents at the grocery store before the event.

James HarrioTT of Neckbone Photography was on site to take photo-booth style pictures for guests, like for Board of Education member Darnell Goldson, a former longtime Newhallville resident who came by to say hello to his old neighbors.

Representatives and nurses from the Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center were on site as well, offering health information and flu and Covid vaccinations to attendees in need.

The award ceremony kicked off at around 3:30 p.m., with remarks from elected officials such as State Rep. Robyn Porter, Newhallville Alder Devin Avshalom-Smith, ex-Newhallville/ Prospect Hill Alder and current city climate czar Steve Winter, Newhallville Democratic Ward Committee Co-Chair Barbara Vereen, and more. Sentiments focused on the importance of civic engagement, and tools to learn more about government services.

Then, leaders of the Newhallville community went up one-by-one to announce their selections for neighborhood heroes and allowed each recipient to speak for a moment about their honor.

Throughout the award ceremony, Harris brought up people from the audience to pull raffle tickets to award gift cards to children and adults in attendance.

After Swain accepted her award and was escorted back to her seat, Shirley Lawrence announced James Scott as the next honoree. Lawrence shared that Scott, who has lived in Newhallville for over 50 years, has been volunteering to take care of the Watson and Bassett Street park since 1995.

“It’s because of you, when people walk by that park they say it’s ‘Mr. Scott’s park.’ So we wanted to honor you today. We appreciate you, and even though you don’t see us, we see you,” Lawrence said.

Another honoree was Jeanette Sykes, who was recognized among other accomplishments for her youth leadership program called The Perfect Blend, her work creating the Newhallville holiday lights contest, and efforts with the Stop the APT Foundation initiative to prevent a methadone clinic from moving to a former school on Dixwell Avenue.

After presenting the award to Sykes, Fawcett received a recognition of her own, for serving on the Community Management team for seven years and managing the Shepard and Huntington green space for 9 years, among other acts of community service. Fawcett said that none of the work she has accomplished is ever done alone, and thanked the entire Community Management Team for working together on these projects.

Sean Reeves was the next to be recognized as an “agent of change” in the neighborhood, for his tireless efforts to reduce gun violence in the neighborhood. Reeves, whose son was shot and killed in 2011, said that he needs things to change for “every child that’s sitting here, every mother that’s sitting here, every grandparent.”

“We can’t sit on our butts and just allow things to happen here anymore. We have to galvanize, we have to organize, we have to stay organized and become a community with a purpose,” Reeves said.

The final honoree of the night was Jahmal Henderson, whom Sykes called an “energizer bunny” because he never runs out of energy in his efforts to serve the community, from canvassing for rent assistance to serving as a union steward and organizing with New Haven Rising to working in the Peace Commission.

Henderson used his opportunity to thank the senior leaders in the community for inspiring him and others to get involved with bettering the community.

Following the ceremony, attendees could help themselves to a sheet cake that read “Merry Christmas Newhallville,” while children posed with Santa. Santa and two helper elves handed out gifts to the children, like toy cars, legos, and dolls.

KIMBERLY WIPFLER PHOTO Ann Swain and Kim Harris at management team holiday party.

Robyn Porter discussing a housing question with a constituent.

Asia Barnes with children Londyn Staton and Lyric Barnes.

Deputy To Leave Before Cannabis Sales Start

by Hugh McQuaid

Andrea Comer, a Consumer Protection Department official and central figure in the rollout of Connecticut’s adult-use cannabis market, will leave the agency at the end of the month in order to serve as chief of staff to incoming state Treasurer Erick Russell.

Comer’s departure, first reported Monday by Hearst columnist Dan Haar, comes just weeks before Jan. 10, the date on which recreational cannabis retailers will open their doors for the first time here in Connecticut.

In addition to serving as a deputy commissioner at the consumer protection agency, Comer has led the state Social Equity Council, a panel created by the 2021 law legalizing cannabis and designed to ensure the new market includes businesses owned and run by people from communities impacted by the war on drugs.

In an interview Monday, Comer said her transition out of the DCP was unplanned and came about due to a serendipitous opportunity.

“When the [state treasurer’s] transition team reached out and said they wanted to talk with me, I thought this might be another opportunity to further equity efforts in the state,” Comer said. “Is the timing

optimal? I guess I’ll leave that to greater minds to determine, but I think this first phase is just about complete in terms of the launch of the market on Jan. 10.”

Throughout various roles in and around government, Comer said she has sought to advance policies that offer a fair shake to folks in disadvantaged communities.

“Growing up in Yonkers, [New York] and having access and opportunities that so many folks that look like me have not, I’ve always felt this internal charge to further equity in any way I can,” she said.

In addition to her time leading the council, Comer’s resume includes a year-long position at the state’s Paid Family Leave Authority, a program she said spares people of all income levels from needing to decide between a paycheck and caring for their loved ones.

At the state treasure’s office, Comer said she looked forward to advancing policies like the baby bonds program and helping to enhance diversity among the vendors with which state government contracts.

Asked to assess the degree to which equity applicants have a stake in the cannabis market that launches next month, Comer acknowledged it was limited at the moment.

But that initial outcome was predetermined by the law that set the new mar-

ket in motion. The statute positioned the multi-state operators who already produce cannabis for Connecticut’s medical marijuana program as having first access to the recreational market.

“When we opened the window for them, we also opened the window for [social equity] cultivators but they still need, once they get their licenses, six to nine months to grow their product,” Comer said. “So that puts them a little late in the start of this race to become players in the way that medical marijuana producers are.”

Whether equity businesses will eventually carve out a wider foothold in the new market remains to be seen. The prospect of changes to cannabis’s legal status on the federal level could also shake up markets already established in states like Connecticut, Comer said.

“While [Connecticut’s] legislation is not perfect, we continue to have these bites at the apple through the legislative process,” Comer said. “But I do believe that during the year, you will see the emergence of folks who have been in these communities that have been harmed by the war on drugs standing up businesses, whether it’s a delivery service or a retail business. I will be excited when that day comes.”

Home Care Workers Finally Get A Win

by Christine Stuart

It looks like light at the tunnel for some hardworking home care workers. The Centers for Mediacaid and Medicare Services approved the federal funds for bonuses and health care that were negotiated as part of a labor package in May.

The approval marks the first time these more than 11,000 workers will have access to a stipend to off-set the cost of health insurance and a long-awaited bonus.

SEIU 1199NE, which has been fighting Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration for access to the funding approved in the contract, said they were grateful.

“We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Gov. Lamont and his team for their hard work in shepherding this contract through CMS for approval,” SEIU 1199NE President Rob Baril said. “This is a significant step towards lifting longterm care workers out of poverty and providing them with the economic justice they deserve.”

The union had long argued that the state could put up its $22 million to start funding those parts of the contract while waiting for the additional $28 million, but the administration refused.

SEIU 1199NE, which represents the

workers, estimates that over 2,000 of the 11,000 home care workers covered by the contract would meet the eligibility requirements to purchase health insurance through the exchange with the stipend.

“As Dr. Martin Luther King said, ‘Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane.’ This funding is an investment in economic, racial and gender justice. The

home care industry, whose workforce is majority women, and people of color here in Connecticut, is rapidly growing. We will keep working with state leaders like Gov. Lamont to make sure that these

caregivers and their home care consumers will be able to meet their most basic needs as human beings who deserve to live with dignity,” said Baril.

The union is asking the state for a deadline extension for PCAs to purchase health insurance plans on the exchange to April 15, allowing workers enough time to take full advantage of these benefits.

In a statement Tuesday, the administration said the exchange would offer an additional enrollment period for the workers.

“Access Health CT will provide a Special Enrollment Period for eligible PCAs to use the new premium stipend after the January 15 deadline to purchase affordable healthcare on the exchange,” Anthony Anthony, Lamont’s chief spokesman, said. “Details will be available and will be communicated with the union prior to the end of regular enrollment.”

In addition to receiving a health insurance stipend and up to five days of paid time off per year for the first time, PCAs will also receive a 6% retroactive lump sum bonus for all hours worked from April 2021 through March 2022. The bonus is scheduled to be paid by January 9, 2023.

Home care workers earn around $17 an hour and many have never had access to health insurance.

Deputy Consumer Protection Commissioner Andrea Comer at a press conference on Dec. 7, 2022 Credit: Hugh McQuaid / CTNewsJunkie

Suzanne Clark and SEIU 1199 home care workers rally at the Capitol

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Corporate Highway Robbery Protested

by THOMAS BREEN

A group of highway service plaza workers and union organizers showed up to a Church Street office lobby with $1 million in “cash” as part of a holiday-season pressure campaign against alleged wage theft at Dunkin’ Donuts.

That was the scene at 195 Church St. Thursday afternoon at a protest led by Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

The union hosted the event to draw attention to an example of highway robbery, so to speak.

32BJ District Leader Neil Diaz and union spokesperson Franklin Soults said that an international fast food employer called Applegreen has defied state law by paying only $14 or $15 an hour instead of a prevailing wage of $18.21 an hour to 175 Dunkin’ Donuts workers at 23 plazas across Connecticut.

They said that the state Department of Labor requires state contractors like service plaza employers to pay their workers a prevailing wage that, for these Dunkin’ Donuts employees, should be roughly $4 above the current minimum wage.

“We’re here today to confront Applegreen,” Diaz said, “who is the leasing company that’s leasing the service plazas up on the state highways. … We want to give Applergreen a gift, which is a bag of a million dollars in play money, a million dollars that Applegreen has stolen from the workers in the past couple of years.”

Thus the rally and protest outside of 195

Church, where Applegreen’s regional CEO, Trevor Moore, purportedly has an office on the eighth floor.

No actual Dunkin’ Donuts service plaza workers were present at Thursday’s protest. Though DeShawn Brownell, a SEIU member and security guard, did read a letter written by one someone who works at the Dunkin’ Donuts at the North Haven service plaza. That worker said that he was “shocked to learn Applegreen is not paying the minimum standard wage that the law requires,” Brownell read. “I struggle to make ends meet and my life would be much better if my employer wasn’t stealing wages every hour.”

Two McDonald’s fast food restaurant employees who work at the I-95 service plaza near Darien then took the mic to speak about the union’s successful campaign to get McDonald’s to pay their workers the state-mandated prevailing wage and to show solidarity with their Dunkin’ Donuts colleagues.

“The work continues,” Rosa Franco said. “I hope that my co-workers in other restaurants stay in the union together with us.”

Mario Franco, who was tasked with holding the bag of play money across his chest, said that he’s worked at the McDonald’s in Darien for over 30 years. “We got a lot of discrimination in this place,” he said. “That’s why I’m here, to make support for 32BJ and make it stronger for everybody.”

The group then made their way into the office tower’s lobby with the intention

of heading up to the eighth floor to hand deliver the bag of play cash directly to Applegreen’s CEO.

But they didn’t make it past a security guard, who said she had called up to the office, that no one was there, and that the group couldn’t come in.

So the union organizers called Moore on the phone instead. When he didn’t pick up, they left a message.

“If you’re upstairs, please come down and say hello,” Diaz said. Phil Andrews, a fellow organizer at 32BJ, then led the workers in the lobby in a quick call and response:

“32!” he said. “BJ!” they replied.

Back outside of the office building, the union organizers convened one more time to recommit themselves to holding Applegreen accountable.

Diaz also described a protest that the group held earlier in the morning outside of the 360 State St. apartment building, where, he and several others claimed, seven unionized maintenance workers were recently fired after the apartment building was bought by a new group of investors.

“No matter what classification of work we do,” Diaz said, “cleaning, service workers, food servers, janitors, custodians, we are all one union. We are all one union, and we all support each other.”

A representative from Applegreen did not respond to a request for comment by the publication time of this article. A representative from the new owners of 360 State declined to comment for this story.

“Moral Mondays” Leader Tapped For New Top Theology-Public Policy Role At Yale Div School

by STAFF

One of the country’s leading civil rights leaders has taken a new job in New Haven to train a next generation of faith-inspired advocates for social and economic justice.

That New Haven-bound “moral movement leader” is Bishop William J. Barber II.

On Monday morning, the Yale Divinity School announced that Barber will serve as the founding director of the school’s new Center for Public Theology and Public Policy.

“Rooted in the philosophy of moral movements that have strategically and successfully used theology as the basis for challenging social and economic injustice in society, the center’s scholarly and teaching work will concentrate on expressions of public faith that contribute to movements for justice,” a Monday morning post by the Yale News states about the new center. “It will engage divinity, law, and undergraduate students in critical conversations about religion, faith, moral values, social movements, and so-

cial transformation.”

Barber who has led North Carolina’s Moral Mondays movement, founded the movement-training organization Repairers of the Breach, and has been a leading proponent for a revival of a modern-day “Poor People’s Campaign” will retire as pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church in Goldsboro, N.C. to take on the new job. He’ll continue as the founding president of Repairers of the Breach and as co-chair of Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival.

“I have been a pastor engaged in movement work for three decades,” Barber, whose new title will be professor in the practice of public theology and public policy, is quoted as saying in that Yale News post. “While I continue the work of movement building, I’m transitioning my pastoral work from the congregation to the classroom. I want to walk with the next generation of moral leaders and share with them what was passed down to me. I’ve been given too much to just take it all with me when I leave this life. I want to pass it on.”

THOMAS BREEN PHOTO

Mario Franco, play money in hand, at Thursday's protest.

Neil Diaz leading the Church Street rally.

Bishop William J. Barber II.

New Haven Independent

Courtesy of The Afro, Sponsored by JPMorgan Chase

Subscription services are a billion-dollarper-month industry, according to a survey by West Monroe, which found that the average person spends almost $240 each month on subscriptions. These subscription services include streaming, shopping, music, beauty products, fitness, and subscription boxes.

Now is a great time to take an inventory of all your subscriptions and cancel the ones you haven’t used enough in 2022. Give yourself the gift of cutting down on unused subscriptions with the following tools.

Subscription Management Apps

New technology can scan your bank statements and notify you of recurring charges.

Most of these types of apps provide basic monitoring services for free. Some also have a premium paid option that will cancel the subscriptions for you. Other premium features include negotiating better deals, setting up savings accounts for you, negotiating parking tickets, and more.

Some services filter through your bank statements to identify any monthly recurring charges. Sometimes, the software cannot catch subscriptions that have billing pe-

riods that aren’t monthly. If you use one of these apps, following up on subscriptions with abnormal billing cycles is a good idea.

These apps have received some negative reviews because they need access to your private financial data. By connecting these apps to your financial accounts, you depend on them to handle your data securely.

Check the app’s privacy policy before signing up to ensure you’re comfortable.

Smartphone App Review

On your smartphone, you can see a list of your subscriptions in the store where you buy apps. If you can’t find it, do a quick online search to see where subscriptions are listed on your particular phone. From there, you should be able to view all active subscriptions and how much they cost.

Then, you can check for lower-cost plan options or consider canceling. Make a habit of checking your app subscriptions monthly and changing to a cheaper subscription plan when possible.

Free Streaming

Free ad-supported TV, called FAST for short, is a content delivery model provided at no cost to you. Much like traditional television, advertisers pay to stream ads be-

fore, during, or after your video. FAST also uses scheduled programming. The FAST streaming option is growing in popularity as companies look for ways to retain and attract new customers. This works to your advantage by giving you access to many platforms without paying for them.

One of the most popular features of FAST streaming is the various available options and access to the best new products or services, according to a Harris Poll survey.

Auto-Renew Features

Perhaps you subscribe to a service to watch the newest hit show or get a musthave item, only to forget to cancel later. Fortunately, many subscription services offer the option to turn off auto-renew. This will end your subscription after the current billing cycle or send you a reminder to renew or cancel.

You can also schedule a notification in your calendar when you sign up, reminding you to cancel before a free or reduced-cost billing period ends.

Previous Year Analysis

The end of the year is a great time to do a financial analysis and plan for the upcoming year. Part of that analysis can be to look

at your bank statements to identify all your subscriptions. Sort the subscriptions based on whether you actively use them and cancel any you no longer want.

With the new year approaching, now is the perfect time to take an inventory of

your subscriptions to decide what to keep and what needs to be left in 2022. The post Give Yourself a Gift by Cutting Down on Unused Subscriptions appeared first in AFRO American Newspapers.

Progress Reported In Teen-Murder Investigation

by PAUL BASS

(Updated) Police have “good leads” and video in their investigation into the shooting death of 16-year-old Joshua Vazquez and are working with his former schools to try to prevent a retaliatory attack.

Police Chief Karl Jacobson offered that update Tuesday afternoon at a press conference held at The Shack community center in the West Hills neighborhood, where Vazquez lived.

Vazquez was on his bicycle after leaving the store at Harper Avenue and Valley Street around 4:20 p.m. Monday when the driver of a car pulled up alongside him, according to Jacobson. A conversation ensued; then gunfire erupted from the car and struck Vazquez.

Alerted by the ShotSpotter system, officers arrived to find Vazquez lying face down in the street. An effort was made to resuscitate him at the scene. Then Vazquez was transported by ambulance to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

“We do have some good leads” and “great information from the community,” including statements from witnesses, Jacobson said at the press conference. The police also obtained video footage. The chief called on the community to come forward with any more information related to the crime.

Vazquez attended Metropolitan Business Academy on Water Street. Monday’s shooting took place hours after a large brawl broke out in the front parking lot of the Wooster Square high school at dismissal time. According to New Haven Public Schools spokesperson Justin Harmon, that fight saw two cars full of young people who are not Metro students pull up

to the school and get in a fist fight with four or five Metro students.

Jacobson said Tuesday that police at this point have not definitively connected that earlier incident to Vazquez’s shooting death. But they did meet with officials at both Metro and Riverside Academy (which Vazquez had previously attended, along with New Haven Academy) to obtain names of people to follow up with — either to urge not to retaliate or to offer needed support.

West Hills Alder Honda Smith, who knew Joshua Vazquez, organized the Tuesday press conference at the Shack.

Vazquez’s parents attended as well; they chose to have Smith speak for the family.

Smith spoke of how Vazquez was among the teen volunteers from McConaughy Terrace and the Valley Townhouses who

served as “youth ambassadors” in a summer program she organized. The teens cut the lawns of seniors and residents with disabilities, cleaned the streets and yards and bike paths, and distributed food boxes to neighbors. Vazquez was the first to volunteer, she said. She remained in touch with him in subsequent years.

“We taught him how to cut grass. We taught him how to use the weed wacker,” Smith said.

“I would just be in the house bored if I wasn’t here,” Joshua told the Independent when he joined the program two years ago. He said at the time that he hoped to own his own construction business some day.

Rev. Shelly Holness, a volunteer coordinator of the summer program, spoke of how Vazquez learned how to use the lawnmower and was enthusiastic about cutting the grass for neighbors. “Joshua was always so respectful. I could ask him to do anything,” she said.

“Joshua was a gentle person. He was a caring and loving person,” she said Tuesday. “This community is broken. This family is broken.”

Jordan Cunningham, a friend of Vazquez from the neighborhood, described him as “a great kid full of energy. When everybody would be arguing, he would crack a joke, an everyone smiled.”

Police ask that any witnesses who have not yet spoken with the Police contact the New Haven Police Department Investigative Services Division at 203 – 946-6304. Callers may remain anonymous or submit tips anonymously by calling 1 – 866 – 888-TIPS(8477), or email to ECIC@newhavenct.gov.

Conversations About Cancer Screening Should Be Priority This Holiday Season – It Can Save Your Life

By David Ford, Two-time cancer survivor, Senior Government Relations Manager at Southern California Edison, and member of the American Cancer Society Cancer Actiona Network Board of Directors

The holidays are a time to gather with friends and family for food, fun, and great conversations. But imagine those conversations not going as planned and the joy of being with your loved ones overshadowed by someone sharing that they have cancer. You may not have been ready to have that discussion, yet it was happening. And you may not be prepared to talk about screenings with your loved ones, but it’s necessary. As someone who has had two different cancers in my life, I cannot stress enough the importance of getting screened.

It was 2015 when I first heard those earth-shattering words, “it’s cancer.” I thought back to a conversation with my doctor just a few months earlier when they recommended a routine colonos-

copy screening. Instead of getting it done right away, I kept putting it off. My life was busy. I had a family and was in the midst of a successful career. It just wasn’t a priority for me, and all the while, I was unknowingly putting myself at risk. Then flash-forward to a critical moment with my doctor. It was too late; surgery was needed to treat my cancer.

If I’d gotten my colonoscopy, a screening for colon cancer, when it was recommended, it’s possible that I could’ve avoided surgery, treatment, and the emotional toll I put on my family. Even though the treatments saved me, I had to learn the hard way not to take unnecessary risks with my life. So, three years later, when my doctor recommended screening for prostate cancer, I did not wait. I completed the screening immediately, and we were able to find and treat my second cancer at an early stage. Now, I am once again cancer free and sharing my story to help others understand why they should be getting screened.

According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime,

yet the discussion of cancer screening remains taboo in our community. Now is the time to start having conversations about cancer screening and having it often. Be an example for your friends and family. It’s okay to say, “Hey, as your buddy, I want us to be together 20 years from now. Make sure you’re taking care of yourself. That includes going to the doctor and getting screened for cancer.” It may be a tough conversation to have, but you may be the one that could make a lifesaving difference.

Cancer wasn’t something I was prepared to factor into my life. But through my experience, I learned some tough lessons. It is important to listen to my doctor. I need to take the time to share with others, so they don’t make the same mistake. It’s necessary to go to the doctor on a timely basis. It’s okay to have scary conversations about health with loved ones. And if a doctor recommends cancer screening, get screened.

Through my work with the American

Cancer Society, I have seen that cancer doesn’t discriminate. It’s not just older people getting cancer, anyone can be at risk. This is the reason why it is so important for you to talk to a doctor about the type of health care and screening you may need. You can’t play around with your life. It’s more than just a cancer screening, it’s a way to help ensure that we will be around for our families. The longer we are around, the more opportunities we have to live our dreams and to see our loved ones achieve their goals.

As we prepare to gather for the holidays, whether it’s a large gathering or with immediate family, I encourage you to have a conversation with your loved ones about regular cancer screening. I hope that you take the steps yourself to schedule an appointment to get screened. If you need cancer screening recommendations, resources, as well as tips to start the conversation visit cancer.org/get-screened. A small discussion can make a lifesaving difference, so please don’t wait.

David Ford

Thomas Breen contributed to this report.

MAYA MCFADDEN FILE PHOTO

Joshua Vazquez, second from right, with other West Hills teen "ambassadors" involved in a summer neighborhood clean-up program.

PAUL BASS PHOTO Remembering a neighbor: Housing authority chief Karen DuBois-Walton with Shelly Holness and Jordan Cunningham at Tuesday press conference.

‘Team Dream’ launches Oscar campaign for Best Documentary Short, telling the inspiring story of two Black women who returned to swimming in their retirement

By Megan Sayles, AFRO Business Writer, Report for America Corps Member,

When Luchina Fisher’s documentary entitled, “Team Dream,” premiered to its first audience at the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival in August, it received a standing ovation.

The 16-minute documentary, which is a part of the Queen Collective program, followed the story of 82-year-old Ann Smith and 76-year-old Madeline Murphy Rabb who, together, trained for and competed in swimming for the National Senior Games, which were held in Fort Lauderdale last summer.

The friends proved you’re never too old to dream, and they refute common misconceptions and stereotypes that Black

people do not or can not swim.

Now, the film has a chance of winning Best Documentary Short at the 95th Academy Awards, which is set for March 12, 2023. It would be Fisher’s first Oscar nomination and first win if the Academy selects “Team Dream.”

“So many African Americans are only stuck on our most recent history, which is that many of us either struggle with swimming, don’t know how to swim or don’t have access to pools and swim lessons… yet, there was a history so much further beyond that that dates back to the early African tribes and civilizations that lived on the water and were master swimmers,” said Fisher. “That is the tradition we really come from, and we were separated from that history by slavery and by

Jim Crow.”

Before stepping into directing, producing and writing films, Fisher was a journalist, although she had a love for film from a young age. Her interest in visual storytelling drew her to making documentaries, which she said can capture the hearts and minds of viewers.

Her directorial debut, “Mama Gloria,” told the story of the late Gloria Allen, a Chicago Black transgender icon who started a school for unhoused transgender youth in the city. The documentary won awards at the Teaneck International and Cineodyssey Film Festivals.

For her next project, Fisher decided that she wanted to create a film involving Black people and the outdoors. She recalled an organization that her long-time

Dream Sistas.

The organization empowers women of color with varying ages and athletic prowess to connect by training and competing in multi-sport events, like marathons, road races, cycling and swimming.

When Fisher reached out to Milligan, he told her about Smith and Rabb, who both returned to swimming in their retirement.

The pair came from families of swimmers and did their fair share of teaching others how to swim. Milligan served as their swim coach.

After meeting them, Fisher knew their story was inspiring in and outside of the pool.

Smith was the first Black full-time faculty member at Eastern Illinois University and the first African-American woman to win a statewide position in Illinois. Rabb was the executive director of the Chicago Office of Fine Arts and dedicated her life to creating opportunities for Black artists.

When Milligan told the friends about the documentary opportunity, Rabb said they were at first indifferent about it. But, as they started shooting and more film equipment appeared in their homes, they understood the significance of the film.

When the credits rolled at the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, the pair broke into tears.

“We’re very proud of this film, and we just hope that it touches lives and changes points of view and dismisses certain preconceptions,” said Rabb.

Fisher said witnessing Rabb and Smith’s journey heightened her competitive spirit and even pushed her not to limit herself in the aspirations she has for “Team Dream.”

Right now, the film is running the festival circuit, but next year it will be widely released and air on BET.

While “Team Dream” importantly delves into the history of African tribes who were once the greatest swimmers in the world, it also shows viewers how to pursue their goals.

“Universally, they are examples of what we’re all capable of and that really the limitation is in our minds,” said Fisher.

“They decided to become athletes in retirement. Being a part of a sport, or a team, or competing is not just something for kids or teenagers, it’s really something we can all aspire to throughout our lifetime.”

Don’t Sleep: 3 Tips to Get You Though Your Last Trip of the Holiday Season

by Ruthie Hawkins, BlackDoctor.org

It’s beginning to look a lot like… holiday travel. Christmas is almost here and we’re clamoring to end the year with a big bang – with last-minute travel, of course! Whether you’re headed for the cruise ship, soaking up local – yet unseen sights with the fam bam or hitting the road for a road trip with the girls, nothing puts a damper on last-minute travel like poor planning. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with three last-minute holiday travel tips, keep it locked.

Know your worth…

–And by worth, we mean your budget!

Decide beforehand what’s financially for “play” – treats, tours, souvenirs, etc. You’ll likely be on the move soaking up sites, but don’t forget your food fund!

This comes in extra handy when traveling with tots, because… snacks. When road trippin’ domestically, check out discount sites or apps that will come in clutch for those impromptu hunger pains.

Our top picks:

Groupon: From local vendors to world-

wide merchants, users can find deals on food, and fun, and stay both global and domestic. It’s also kid-friendly, offering a wide variety of events for the entire crew including trips to the zoo, aquarium, the circus, you name it!

LivingSocial: Like Groupon, this daily deal site boasts various selections for instant deals on food, events, products, nearby services, and so much more. Did we mention it’s available worldwide?

ScoutMob: Unlike Groupon and LivingSocial, this site only requires you to pay for your deals when you redeem them. Still, you can take full advantage of sales and specials.

Money tight? Book a hotel with a killer pool (for entertainment) that’s close to all the local area can offer.

Stay connected…

Going global? Reach for Skyroam Solis, a dual 4G LTE WiFi hotspot and power bank, perfect for international travel. Equipped with super-fast LTE speeds, a long-lasting power source, and mobile charging, you (and your tiny travelers) will stay powered up all day long.

Users get instant access to secure, unlimited data in 100+ countries, making country hopping convenient, sans the hassle of having to configure local SIMs, update plans, roaming charges or overage fees. The best part? It’s shareable on up to five devices simultaneously.

Pack light…

In other words, take only the essentials:

• A change of clothes (or two) – first check the weather!

• Comfortable footwear, only!

• Toiletries (toothbrush, paste, deodorant…)

• Emergency credit card

• Chargers for electronics

• Necessary traveling documents

When traveling with little ones, fill a bag to the brim with their go-to book, coloring supplies, stickers, a deck of cards, and a special treat. For older kids, allow your pre-teen to grab their go-to pillow or blanket straight off the bed.

It’s one less thing to pack!

Photos:Team Dream Luchina Fisher Team Dream. 82-year-old Ann Smith and 76-year-old Madeline Murphy Rabb. friend Derrick Milligan started, Team

Rainbow Push Auto Scorecard Shows Vast Improvement in Diversity Efforts

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Longtime National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) partner General Motors joined Toyota in helping automakers set new ethnic diversity and inclusion standards in the United States.

Both automakers reflected best practices for ethnic diversity in five of six categories, according to the Rainbow PUSH/ Citizenship Education Fund Automotive Project’s annual Automotive Diversity Scorecard.

“We have seen many automakers take big steps forward with their diversity programs as they have come to see the value of diversity and inclusion programs truly,” stated Jackson, the founder, and president of Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

The scorecard provides a snapshot of each automaker’s success at building and sustaining ethnic diversity and inclusion, primarily focusing on people of color.

Jackson developed the scorecard in 2012.

The six areas under consideration are employment, advertising, marketing, procurement, dealers, and philanthropy.

The automakers earn red, yellow, or green grades, depending upon how well each performed in the six categories above.

A company earns a green grade when they’ve met the best practices for ethnic diversity.

Yellow grades signal some indication of diversity goals, initiatives, and accountability.

A red grade is essentially a failure, meaning an automaker’s diversity “initiatives and investments were non-existent, not disclosed, or did not provide enough relevant information for scoring.”

For the first time during the decade the scorecard’s been issued, no automakers received a red grade.

“We’ve made some progress over the last 12 months,” NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. declared. “But one of the things we learn from our history is that when you make progress, you must continue, or else you will slide back. So we join this coalition and the Global Automotive Summit in saying to

all the auto industry that we want to make more progress.”

GM and Toyota received green grades in five areas and a single yellow grade in the sixth. GM earned its yellow grade in employment efforts, while Toyota’s was in the dealer network.

However, GM and Toyota scored the highest among the 12 automakers surveyed this year.

BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswa-

gen scored the lowest, with yellow grades across the board. Between the high and low marks, Ford, Stellantis, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, Subaru, and Kia earned between four and one green grade.

“We cannot afford to be complacent — our work is far from being done,” Jackson said.

“The automotive industry and the communities it serves would benefit from having more Blacks in the C-suites and as owners of dealerships. In addition, our advertising agencies need larger budgets, and, of course, we need to make sure minorities play a meaningful role in the emerging electric vehicle supply chain.”

Dr. Chavis noted a connection between the auto industry, its success, and the African American community and young people.

“We present not just the past but the present and the future,” Chavis declared.

Telva McGruder, GM’s chief diversity equity and inclusion officer, said the company stands proud because of its progress.

“We recognize that we are in the heart of our journey and continue to drive robust DEI connection through our business actions,” McGruder stated.

“GM’s commitment to diverse-owned businesses and communities at large remains central to our overall strategy and ongoing investments.”

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is Sworn-in, Focuses on Homelessness

By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Correspondent

In her first act in office, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass will declare a state of emergency against homelessness in an announcement at Los Angeles’ Emergency Operations Center.

The new Mayor asserts that the move “will allow her to take aggressive executive actions to confront the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles. The declaration will recognize the severity of Los Angeles’ crisis and break new ground to maximize the ability to urgently move people inside.”

On November 16, 2021, during an interview on Black Press USA’s daily morning show Let It Be Known, Bass spoke on homelessness saying it was “a humanitarian crisis,” and added that there were “40,000 people in the city unhoused, many living in tents all around the city.”

Clearly Mayor Bass is moving quickly to make homelessness a top priority during her first weeks in power.

On Dec. 11, Bass, 69, was sworn-in as Los Angeles’ 43rd Mayor at a historic ceremony by Vice President Kamala Harris. Her predecessor, Mayor Eric Garcetti, looked on at City Hall with thousands of others taking in the history of the moment.

Karen Bass earned more votes than any

candidate in the history of Los Angeles.’ Her election was also the most expensive ever, as Bass defeated Rick Caruso, who spent $100 million on his campaign.

Bass served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2022 for California’s 33rd congressional district and was Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. She was also a member of the California State Assembly from 2004 to 2010 and spent her final years there as Speaker of the California House.

Bass acknowledged California’s first female Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis in the audience and Los Angeles’ all-female County Board of Supervisors.

“I believe that times of inflection require reflection – I believe, it’s time for Angelenos to remind ourselves where we come from and who we are. My father fled Jim Crow Texas during the great African American migration after World War 2. He worked for the postal service as a letter carrier. It was a union job, and his paycheck supported my brothers and me and allowed my mother to choose to be a homemaker. When I think about the dreams of working people today, I reflect on the fact that my mother and father were able to buy a home in Los Angeles for their family of six with one paycheck,” Bass said in her inaugural speech.

She then commented on the high cost of

housing in Los Angeles.

“Tragically, our city has earned the shameful crown as being home to some of the most crowded neighborhoods in the nation—Pico Union, South L.A., East L.A., the East Valley. We know our mission – we must build housing in every neighborhood,” Mayor Bass said. The new Mayor then focused on homelessness — a huge problem in Los Ange-

les and across the U.S.

“I will start my first day as mayor at our city’s Emergency Operations Center, where my first act as mayor will be to declare a state of emergency on homelessness. My emergency declaration will recognize the severity of our crisis and break new ground to maximize our ability to urgently move people inside and do so for good. It will create the structure necessary for us to have a true, unified and

citywide strategy to set us on the path to solve homelessness,” Bass announced.

“If we are going to bring Angelenos inside and move our city in a new direction, we must have a single strategy to unite our city and county and engage the state, the federal government, the private sector and every other stakeholder. And so I call on our City Council, and our City Attorney and City Controller, to continue the work we started during the transition on a unified and urgent strategy to solve homelessness. I call on the County of Los Angeles, with its authority over health, including mental health and substance abuse, to lock arms with me — and we have already started these discussions,” the new Mayor told the crowd.

In a city of many challenges, Bass’ fouryear term will no doubt be eventful. But her long political resume and experience as a community activist and establishment actor in local, state and federal government will no doubt be beneficial as she navigates policy over the next four years in office.

Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent journalist and the host of the podcast BURKEFILE. She is a political analyst who appears regularly on #RolandMartinUnfiltered. She may be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke

Top things to consider when looking for a therapist Mind your mental health in the new year

By Kara Thompson, Special to the Inner-City News, courtesy of The AFRO

Mental health is just as important as your physical health. Just like finding a good primary care doctor, it’s important to make sure your mental health professional is a good fit for you and your situation.

Below you find top tips from several mental health professionals on how to start the process of finding the right therapist for you.

Start by doing a Google search.

While the search for a therapist or other mental health specialist can be a daunting process, the first step may be right at your fingertips: Using the Internet.

“The power of Google is very important,” licensed clinical social worker Lakisha Shears said. “So, when we’re looking at therapy for Black folks, I tell them to always go to therapyforblackgirls.com, or go to therapyforblackmen. org, and then I have them doing Psychology Today.”

Through these sites, licensed medical professionals located in your area will pop up, and you have a chance to explore to find what might be a good fit for you.

Understand the difference in titles and figure out what type of professional is best for you.

Within the mental health field, there are many different people with many different specialties — social worker, therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist — it can be hard to know what each profession specializes in, and which you want or need to see for your mental health.

“The easiest way to define it is biopsychosocial,” licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Nakieta Lankster, said. “The bio is the biology part, that would be a psychiatrist; they prescribe medication. Psychiatrists don’t do any form of therapy, or regular interventions.”

“The psycho is the psychological treatment part, which would be psychology. That is your treatment for your psychological issues,” she continued. “And then social would be social work. They focus on how you are engaging in your environment.”

Some professionals even have specific areas of study that they focus their work on, which may be helpful if you have a certain reason for why you’re seeking therapy.

“You also can think about, is there a specific specialty that could be helpful to you?” Kenya Ford, Clinical Psychology

Psy.D., said. “Do you notice that you’re having focus issues and there may be potential for ADHD, or have you experienced a lot of traumas that you’re ready to work through? Or do you need a space to just vent and it doesn’t really matter about their specialty.”

Talk to or consult with a few different professionals.

While picking the first name you see when scouring the internet for therapists near you seems like the easiest choice, they may not end up being the best fit for you. Getting a feel for a few different practices and people can help you to narrow down your options.

“When people call me, I require them to call at least two to three other people,” said Shears. “I want them to ask questions, like ‘what is your philosophy on

therapy? What is the type of insurance that you take? Tell me a little bit about you and tell me a little bit about your practice.’”

Licensed therapist Montrella Cowan agrees.

“I want to say that our therapy is like dating,” she said. “You want to find a good match.”

Make sure you feel comfortable with whoever you chose to see long-term.

Because of the private things shared between a patient and their therapist, it is important for there to be a level of comfort and trust in the relationship in order for it to be a good and productive experience.

“You should be able to talk about anything you want, and they should not be judging you,” Cowan said.

Shears notes that many people want to go to a therapist that looks like them, hence why she tends to recommend sites that connect patients with Black mental health professionals. Though given the small percentage of therapists who are Black, this can be hard to do, and some people may not see that as very impor-

Making the transition back home after a long-term care stay can be hard, but Money Follows the Person, or MFP, can provide the support you need! MFP helps people who have been in a nursing facility for 60+ days to get the care and supports they need at home. MFP can also help people find housing and assist with home modifications.

Learn more about your options at MyPlaceCTMFP.org or call the toll-free number 1-888-99CTMFP (1-888-992-8637).

Resolve to Get More Rest in 2023

By Dr. Ramona Roberts, CCTP-II, CCS Executive Director, Caron Outpatient Treatment Center www.Caron.org

Lose weight. Stop smoking. Balance a budget. Get organized.

They’re all great New Year’s resolutions that take a lot of hard work and dedication, but do you want to feel tired, groggy, and irritable while you’re making the effort to keep them?

Sleep hygiene is a great area for selfimprovement in the New Year and beyond. Approximately one half of Americans report feeling sleepy most days of the week and one third of adults say on most nights, they get less than the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep. So, why is sleep so important? Here’s a quick lesson in Sleep Function 101 to help you understand.

There’s a structure deep inside your brain called the hypothalamus that serves as your body’s control center and keeps you in a balanced, stable state called homeostasis. The hypothalamus receives messages from nerve cells throughout your body if anything (good or bad) disrupts your homeostasis.

To bring your body back to that balanced state, it responds by sending signals to your autonomic nervous system (which controls essential bodily functions like your temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure) and to your endocrine system (which releases hormones).

A small part of your hypothalamus is the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which serves as the central pacemaker of your body’s circadian rhythm, or your internal sleep/wake pattern over a 24-hour period. Your SCN takes cues from retinal proteins (which react to light) to tell your body to be awake. If it does not receive these cues, it signals your pineal gland to start producing melatonin, a hormone that helps you fall asleep.

Once you’re asleep, your body goes into a restorative mode. You’re relaxed, and homeostasis is less likely to be disrupted. Healing begins on a cellular level from any physical or mental stress you’ve experienced throughout the day.

If you sleep well, you should feel refreshed, and your body is more likely to function as it should. Your immune system is recharged and more prepared to stave off infection. Your metabolism is better regulated to help manage your weight. You have a lower risk of developing serious health problems like diabetes and heart disease. Even fertility is

linked to healthy sleep patterns.

On a cognitive level, you are more productive; you can concentrate and think logically. You’re more creative and communicate clearly. Your motor skills, coordination, short term memory and mood are also greatly impacted when you’ve had enough rest.

Sleep also plays an important role in mental health. When you’re sleep deprived, it’s much harder to use coping skills and manage stress. Lack of sleep can worsen existing mental health issues such as anxiety and depression,

and in some cases, can increase risk of suicide.

After explaining all of this to my students or patients I’ve worked with, I’ll always have someone say – “All of that is really interesting, Dr. Roberts…but I can’t sleep!”

At one point or another, we’ve all experienced trouble sleeping. A good night’s sleep rests on many factors, but the key is easing yourself into a good routine.

First, let’s shed a little light on the

situation.

Prior to Thomas Edison inventing the lightbulb in the late 1800s, sunset meant a time to wind down and prepare for bed. Their only light sources came from the faint glow of a candle or a roaring fireplace. It was common for a person’s sleep cycle to be in sync with the sun’s progression as they fell asleep when the moon rose and awoke with the gleam of the sun peeking over the horizon.

In a world that is much more illuminated today, our circadian rhythm may be completely out of whack and we’re get-

ting less sleep. We are exposed to light for longer periods of time from working longer hours, having ample lighting in homes and businesses, and the constant exposure to the blue light emitted from our computers, TVs and laptops.

If you go to bed and shut off the lights, your suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) can get confused with this abrupt change in light and the cues to the pineal gland to release melatonin can be affected. It’s no wonder we can’t sleep! This is where a healthy sleep routine comes in. One of the most important factors is getting your circadian rhythm back on course. Here are some ideas:

As soon as you wake up, open the shades and turn on the lights.

• Avoid sleeping in and taking naps longer than 30 minutes.

• In the evening, keep the lighting around you dim. This tells your brain that it’s almost bedtime.

• End screentime one to two hours before bedtime – yes, this includes your phone! Charging your phone away from your bedside can help you break habitual checking.

If you’re still having trouble falling asleep, consider the following:

• Make your bed an inviting place to sleep. Invest in comfortable bedding, spray your pillows with lavender oil, and clean your bedsheets often. Make your bed every morning.

• Our brains are always looking for stimulation, especially if we’re feeling restless. Have something audible to focus on and instill calm, such as a white noise machine, soothing music, or an app (like Calm) that plays relaxation sounds, meditations, and bedtime stories instead of scrolling social media or watching TV.

• Don’t take your worries to bed. Give yourself 5-10 minutes during the day to write them down and process them. You can also keep a notepad next to your bed in case a thought pops up as you’re drifting to sleep – but don’t allow yourself to think about it until the next day.

• End your day with gratitude. Think of something internally you’re grateful for, which could be as simple as just making it through the day. Then think of something externally, such as a blessing someone else has been given.

If you continue to struggle with sleep, visit www.sleepfoundation.org for some additional tips and tools. I wish you all the best – and sweet dreams – in 2023!

Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks:

Construction

THE GLENDOWER GROUP, INC.

Construction Equipment Mechanic preferably experienced in Reclaiming and Road Milling Equipment. We offer factory training on equipment we operate. Location: Bloomfield CT We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits

NOTICE

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

Contact: Tom Dunay Phone: 860- 243-2300

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) 6211720 or send resume to: Personnel Department, P.O. Box 368, Cheshire, CT06410.

Request for Qualifications

IQC Architectural Services

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

Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks:

Reclaimer Operators and Milling Operators with current licensing and clean driving record, be willing to travel throughout the Northeast & NY. We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits

HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this development located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations apply. 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 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.

Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V Drug Free Workforce

0

PVC FENCE PRODUCTION

The Glendower Group, Inc. is currently seeking proposals for IQC Architectural Services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Glendower’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway

beginning on Wednesday, December 7, 2022 at 3:00PM.

360 MANAGEMENT GROUP, CO.

Contact: Rick Tousignant Phone: 860- 243-2300

NOTICIA

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

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

Large CT Fence Company looking for an individual for our PVC Fence Production Shop. Experience preferred but will train the right person. Must be familiar with carpentry hand & power tools and be able to read a CAD drawing and tape measure. Use of CNC Router machine a plus but not required, will train the right person. This is an in-shop production position. Duties include building fence panels, posts, gates and more. Must have a valid CT driver’s license & be able to obtain a Drivers Medical Card. Must be able to pass a physical and drug test. Please email resume to pboucher@atlasoutdoor.com. AA/EOE-MF

Invitation for Bids

Agency Wide Roofing Repairs/Replacement

Union Company seeks:

Tractor Trailer Driver for Heavy & Highway Construction Equipment. Must have a CDL License, clean driving record, capable of operating heavy equipment; be willing to travel throughout the Northeast & NY. We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits

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

Contact Dana at 860-243-2300

Email: dana.briere@garrityasphalt.com

Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer

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

State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for a Grant Administration Lead Planning Analyst position.

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

https://www.jobapscloud.com/ CT/sup/bulpreview.asp?R1= 221121&R2=0007AR&R3=001

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

360 Management Group, Co. is currently seeking bids for agency wide roofing repairs/ replacement. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from 360 Management Group’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway

beginning on Monday, December 12, 2022 at 3:00PM.

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES

Request for Proposals

Communications Media Consultant

Elm City Communities is currently seeking proposals for a communications media consultant. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City Communities’ Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/ gateway beginning on

Monday, December 12, 2022 at 3:00PM.

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES

Invitation for Bids

Cornell Scott Ridge

I

437 M&N Eastern Street Fire Damage

Elm City Communities is currently seeking bids for Cornell Scott Ridge I 437 M&N Eastern Street Fire Damage. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City Communities’ Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Monday, December 12, 2022 at 3:00PM.

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES

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

Invitation for Bids

Uniform Services

Elm City Communities is currently seeking bids for uniform services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City Communities’ Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

Wednesday, December 21, 2022 at 3:00PM.

2016 -

02, 2016

Custodian

NOTICE

ELM

CITY COMMUNITIES

Request for Proposals

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

Maintenance workers needed for the Wallingford Public Schools to work the 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. shift. Hourly rate: $19.78 to $24.83 hourly. Requires some experience in building maintenance work. The closing date for applications is December 28, 2022 or the date we receive the fiftieth (50) application whichever occurs first. Apply: Human Resources Department, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Forms will be mailed upon request from the Human Resources Department or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page. Phone #: (203) 294-2080 Fax # 203-294-2084. EOE.

Building Maintenance Worker Training and Testing

HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this development located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations apply. 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 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.

LEGAL NOTICE

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROJECT MANAGER

Request for Proposals (RFP) for Services

Elm City Communities is currently seeking proposals for building maintenance worker training and testing. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City Communities’ Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/ gateway beginning on

NOTICIA

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

FHI Studio is seeking a full-time Community Engagement Project Manager to join our team. As a Project Manager, you are vital to managing project teams, project budgets, schedules, workflows, and responsible for high quality project deliverables. Strong candidates have strong organizational and planning skills and have experience in developing and implementing engagement strategies. Our ideal candidate preferably has experience with a variety of stakeholders and presenting public presentations. A bachelor’s degree in urban planning, event organizing, public relations, or related field with a minimum of 8 years of experience is required. Salary ranges from $93,600 to $145,600 yearly, commensurate with level of experience. Please apply at https://fhistudio.isolvedhire.com/jobs/ or send a cover letter and resume to Bonnie Torres, 416 Asylum Street, Hartford, CT 06103.

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management, is seeking proposals to provide certain services related to financial management of the City of West Haven, Connecticut. The intent of the request is to identify individuals or firms with the necessary expertise to provide these services within a stated timeframe.

Wednesday, December 21, 2022 at 3:00PM.

THE GLENDOWER GROUP, INC.

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

FHI Studio is an EEO/AA /VEV/Disabled employer. For more information, visit fhistudio.com.

INVITATION TO BID: SEYMOUR HOUSING

AUTHORITY

Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour until 2:00 pm on Thursday, January 12, 2023 at its office at 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 for ROOF

REPLACEMENT at the Reverend Albert Callahan House, 32 Smith Street Seymour. The work includes the removal and replacement of asphalt shingle and built-up roofing as well as ACM abatement.

A non-mandatory pre-bid conference will be held at the Reverend Albert Callahan House at 2:00 pm, on Tuesday, December 20, 2022.

Bid documents may be obtained by visiting www.seymourct.org under the Bids and RFPS tab and the Connecticut State Contracting Portal www.das.ct.gov/portal.

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.

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES

The RFP is available online at: https:// portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTSource/BidBoard and https://portal.ct.gov/OPM/Root/RFP/ Request-For-Proposals or from Kevin Meakem, Office of Policy and Management, Finance Division, 450 Capitol Ave., MS# 54FIN, Hartford, Connecticut 06106-1379. E-mail: Kevin.Meakem@ct.gov. Telephone (860) 418- 6313. Deadline for response submission is 3:00 PM EST February, 3, 2023.

Request for Qualifications

Architectural Design for 201 Hazel Street

The Glendower Group, Inc. is currently seeking proposals for Architectural Design for 201 Hazel Street. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Glendower’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway

beginning on Monday, December 12, 2022 at 3:00PM.

Information Technology

Data Application Specialist: The Wallingford Public Schools is seeking a highly technical individual to assist in managing its organizational data system needs. Candidates must possess a high school diploma or its equivalent and 2 years’ experience working with computer software applications with 1 year working with PowerSchool, or an equivalent combination of experience and training substituting on year-for-year basis. School or district office experience is preferred. Must possess and maintain a valid State of CT motor vehicle operator’s license and a personal vehicle to travel between schools. Compensation is $32.86 per hour plus an excellent fringe benefits package. A complete job announcement and application may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page and can be mailed to the Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492, or emailed to: wlfdhr@wallingfordct.gov by the closing date of December 28, 2022. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 2942084. EOE

DISPATCHER

Invitation for Bids

Plumbing Repair Services

Elm City Communities is currently seeking bids for plumbing repair services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City Communities’ Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at 3:00PM.

Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour until 3:00 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at its office at 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour. A pre-bid conference will be held at the Housing Authority Office 28 Smith Street Seymour, CT at 10:00 am, on Wednesday, July 20, 2016. Bidding documents are available from the Seymour Housing Authority Office, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579. The Housing Authority reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any informalities in the bidding, if such actions are in the best interest of the

The Town of Wallingford is seeking responsible candidates to perform 911, police, fire and EMS emergency dispatching duties. Must be able to work under stressful conditions and be able to type information with a high rate of speed and accuracy. Must be able to work all three shifts including weekends and holidays and be able to work additional shifts beyond the regular shift schedule. Requires a H.S. or business school diploma with courses in typing and 2 years of responsible office work experience. Wages: $ 23.72 ~

$28.28 hourly plus shift differential and excellent fringe benefits. Closing date is January 9, 2023, or the date of receipt of the 50th application, whichever occurs first. Apply: Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main St., Wallingford, CT 06492. Forms will be mailed upon request from the Department of Human Resources or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page. Phone: 203-294-2080, Fax: 203-294-2084. EOE.

NOTICE

Project Information Session for:

Building Maintainer

Starting

1-, 2- and 3- bedrooms RAP Assisted units at Zbikowski Park Apartments. All units are rent subsidized and based on the tenant’s income.

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

808 and 848 Chapel Street New Haven, CT New Construction of 2 Buildings, 166 Units

$25.37 hourly (40 hrs weekly)

Information session for interested subcontractors will be held at: 824 Chapel St, NH (front entrance/1st floor): Thursday, December 8, 2022 5pm to 6pm.

Opportunity to review plans, specifications and bidding information with the Project Team. We are working wit the Small Contractor Development Program with the City of New Haven. If you are unable to attend the meeting please contact: Dawn @ 203-888-8124 or email at dlang@haynesct.com

HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this development located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations apply. 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 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.

Bids

NOTICIA

Pursuant to Teamsters Collective Bargaining Unit This position has a 9-step hourly range ($25.37 to $28.54)

Pre-employment drug testing. For more details, visit our website – www.bloomfieldct.org

www.cthcvp.org.

We are an equal housing provider and we do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, marital or familial status.

Apartamentos de Zbikowski Park (Programa Estatal de RAP)

are due December 22, 2022 @ 3pm to dlang@haynesct.com HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483 AA/EEO EMPLOYER

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

A partir del 26 de diciembre de 2022 a las 8:30 a. m. hasta el 6 de enero de 2023 a las 2:00 p. m. La Autoridad de Vivienda de la Ciudad de Bristol (BHA) aceptará solicitudes previas para 1-, 2- y 3- dormitorios para unidades en Apartamentos Zbikowski Park asistidas por el programa RAP. La renta es con subsidio y basada en el ingreso del residente. Para obtener información de calificación sobre cómo presentar una solicitud, visite nuestra página web de BHA en www.bristolhousing. org o la página web de United Way 211 en www.cthcvp.org.

PUBLIC WORKS

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

MAINTAINER II - Performs a variety of semi-skilled tasks in road and grounds maintenance. Must possess 2 years’ experience as laborer in construction work involving operation and care of trucks and other mechanical equipment used in construction OR two (2) years training in one of the skilled trades and one (1) year of experience in construction operations OR an equivalent combination of experience and training. Must possess and maintain a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL) Class B to operate equipment. (Provide a copy of your CDL license with your application) $23.73 - $27.82 Hourly. Applications may be obtained at the Department of Human Resources, 45 S. Main Street, Room 301, Wallingford CT 06492. Forms will be mailed upon request from the Department of Human Resources or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page. Fax (203)-294-2084 Phone: (203)294-2080. The closing date will be the date the 50th application or resume is received or January 9, 2023, whichever occurs

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES

Invitation for Bids

Snow Removal at McConaughy Terrace

Elm City Communities is currently seeking bids for snow removal services at McConaughy Terrace. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City Communities’ Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

Somos un proveedor de vivienda equitativa y no discriminamos por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, religión, sexo, orientación sexual real o percibida, identidad de género, discapacidad, estado civil o familiar.

State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for an Agency Labor Relations Specialist Trainee position and an Associate Accountant position.

Further information regarding the duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at: https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/sup/bulpreview.asp? R1=221207&R2=5989VR&R3=001 and https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/sup/bulpreview.asp? R1=221207&R2=0941AR&R3=001 The State of Connecticut is an equal

action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

Monday, December 12, 2022 at 3:00PM.

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

Authority of the City of Norwalk, CT. is currently seeking

from qualified

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

Service Lateral Replacement at Leroy Downs Apartments, 26 Monroe Street, Norwalk, CT 06854

of

companies

plans

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

be purchased starting 11/30/2022 from Technical Reproductions Inc., 326 Main Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. Bid proposal are due at 2:00 PM on 12/20/2022

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

The Norwalk Housing Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Adam D. Bovilsky, Executive Director

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

Zbikowski Park Apartments (RAP Program) Waiting List Opening Notice

Dec. 26, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. through Jan. 6, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. the Housing Authority of the City of Bristol (BHA) will accept pre-applications for

To get qualification information on how to apply, go to our BHA website at www.bristolhousing.org or the United Way 211 website at

5 Last Minute Healthy Holiday Gift Ideas

by Alice Benjamin, BlackDoctor.org

‘Tis the season! Christmas is right around the corner and some of us may still be scrambling for last-minute Christmas gifts. But no worries – you don’t have to come empty-handed. Here is a healthy twist on those last-minute Christmas gifts. How about a wellness gift for the mind, body and soul?

What’s the one gift we all want but can’t really buy?

GOOD HEALTH!

Although we can’t box that up, all is not lost. Make your gift count by giving the gift that keeps on giving.

Many times we want to be healthy, eat healthy and live healthy but when it comes to the bottom line and bills, those healthy items often fall last on our shopping list to buy. So this is where your wellness gift can make the difference.

Here are 5 holiday gifts with a healthy twist and all are well under $30.

1. Gym bag with a water bottle and weight gloves

These are vital gym basics to get started. Get them organized with a stylish gym bag. Drop a little note in the water bottle reminding them to drink 8 glasses of water a day.

2. Yoga mat with resistance bands

This is great for those who travel. A yoga mat with bands makes for the perfect mobile or stationary exercise station. Resistance bands fit easily into any purse,

travel bag or backpack. Add a note with exercise examples.

3.

Essential oils or

scented candles

Aromatherapy in the form of essential oils can be used for a wide range of emotional and physical wellness applications. You can smell it, rub it on the skin and even ingest some but check with your MD first! Here are some favorites:

• Lavender – get better sleep & manage stress

• Grapefruit – reduce your appetite

• Sweet orange – need help with anxiety?

• Tea tree – ward off & fight infections

• Peppermint – put a stop to headaches

• Cedarwood – help prevent hair loss and skin irritation

• Rosemary – focus better at work

• Ginger – relieve nausea

4. Mix and match neck pillow or gel cooling eye mask paired with earplugs

Thirty percent of people are sleep deprived, sleeping less than 6 hours. Help create a restful and comfortable sleep

5. One-month gym pass

If you know a fitness newbie, this is a great way to introduce someone to the gym. One major barrier to getting to the gym is that it can be expensive. There are tons of holiday specials right now – get a great price. Even if they don’t stick to the gym, they can use it for what it’s worth and hopefully build on the healthy lifestyle of exercise.

Congressional Black Caucus Names Nevada’s Steven Horsford as New Chair

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford, who earned the distinction of Nevada’s first African American State Senate Majority Leader, will lead the Congressional Black Caucus during the 118th Congress in January.

Horsford, who won reelection to Nevada’s fourth congressional district in November, was announced on Thursday as the CBC’s choice as its 28th chair.

“Over the last 50 years, the CBC has served as the ‘conscience of the Congress,’ helping guide the legislative priorities that have shaped our nation and helped improve the lives of African Americans and all our constituents,” Horsford, 49, said in a statement.

“As Chair, I will provide the leadership, strategic vision and execute on our plans to guide us on a path that will deliver positive socioeconomic outcomes for the communities and constituencies we serve.”

Horsford’s selection as chair comes as the Democrats fall into the minority in the

mental health

tant when finding a therapist.

“I definitely support people finding therapists that aren’t exactly the way that they are, because you’re exposed to other things and you can learn from different people who have different walks of life,” Ford said. “However, when there is a racial match or you all belong to a similar group, say it’s the LGBT population, there are certain nuances that you don’t always have to explain.”

Understand insurance and how you’re going to pay.

Therapy can be expensive, but your insurance can really make a difference. That’s why Shears always makes sure any potential new client of hers understands what their insurance does and doesn’t cover, what their copays and deductibles are, and the options available to them.

“Your money, which is your insurance card, is your power,” she said. “You can go anywhere in the rainbow to get care, and if you’re not provided with the best care, guess what? You take your money — which is your insurance card — and you go somewhere else.”

Even if you don’t have insurance, therapy is still an option for you; you just have to pay the fees out of pocket, according to Shears. If this is your situation, it is still a good idea to ask a potential therapist about their payment process.

Once you’ve settled on someone, test the waters for a few weeks before a final decision on whether or not to stay with them.

House.

Known for successfully working across party lines and being calm under the everyday pressures of Congress, has continued his work to ensure veterans and seniors citizens, receive needed benefits.

He authored and passed the Nevada Lands Bill to create jobs across the state and fought to protect a woman’s right to make healthcare decisions.

In addition to Horsford’s chairmanship, the CBC announced Rep. Yvette Clarke, 58, of New York as first vice chair; Rep. Troy Carter, 59, of Louisiana as second vice chair; Rep. Lucy McBath, 62, of Georgia as secretary; and Rep. Marilyn Strickland, 60, as whip.

“I am so honored to have been elected as the CBC Secretary for the 118th Congress. It is always necessary we continue to forge a path toward getting into Good Trouble and do the work to make life better for American families,” McBath asserted.

“Together, we must build a brighter, more just future for our communities, our caucus, and our country.”

“At least try it for the first month,” Shears said. “It’s like a diet. You’ve got to give me at least three tries before you[‘re] like ‘I do not like that broccoli’.”

Just as these tips are helpful when starting your therapy journal, there are a few things you should also try to avoid.

“One thing not to do is to try to get yourself together before coming,” Cowan said. “Therapy is like church: come as you are. A lot of people try to really honestly get themselves together before they come, which only delays that means to help or perpetuates the suffering in silence.”

She also said that people should not be trying to do therapy on their own. Mental health should be just as much a priority as physical health, and that comes with seeking professional help when needed.

“Therapy is a safe place for you to express your challenges without judgment and learn how to better navigate them. So, reach out,” Cowan said. “Reach out for help.”

environment. Give the gift that promotes rest for good health.

O cially the fastest duo in town.

It’s a fact. X nity has the fastest internet and X nity Mobile is the fastest mobile service.

Power a house full of connected devices with even faster internet speeds from X nity. And, X nity Mobile is the fastest mobile service with 5G and millions of WiFi hotspots.

The fastest internet, the fastest mobile service, and major savings? Can’t argue with the facts.

Fastest internet claim based on 6 Gbps Gigabit Pro tier. Fastest mobile service claim based on consumer testing of mobile WiFi and cellular data performance from Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence® data in Q3 '22 for Comcast service areas, veri ed by Ookla for Comcast’s analysis. X nity Mobile requires X nity Internet. Reduced speeds a er 20 GB of usage/line. Data thresholds and actual savings may vary.

Restrictions apply. Ends 12/21/2022. Not available in all areas. Limited to Superfast internet with up to 800 Mbps download speed for new residential customers only. O er requires enrollment in both paperless billing and automatic payments with stored bank account. Without enrollment, the monthly service charge automatically increases by $10 (or $5 if enrolling with credit or debit card information). The discount will appear on your bill within 45 days of enrolling in automatic payments and paperless billing. If either automatic payments or paperless billing with stored bank account are subsequently cancelled, the $10 monthly discount will be removed automatically. Equipment, installation, taxes and fees and other applicable charges extra, and subject to change during and a er the term contract. A er 24 months, regular charges apply. Comcast’s service charge for Superfast internet is $97/mo. (subject to change). Service limited to a single outlet. May not be combined with other o ers. Internet: Many factors a ect speed, including equipment performance, interference, congestion, and speeds of visited websites. WiFi speeds a ected by additional factors, including distance from Gateway, home con guration, personal device capabilities, and others. For factors a ecting speed visit www.x nity.com/networkmanagement. All devices must be returned when service ends. X nity Mobile: Requires residential post-pay X nity Internet service. Line limitations may apply. For X nity Mobile Broadband Disclosures visit: www.x nity.com/mobile/ policies/broadband-disclosures. Call for restrictions and complete details. © 2022 Comcast. All rights reserved. NPA244209-0001 NED-Converged plus Visa-V12