INNER CITY NEWS

LISA REISMAN PHOTO

The Newhall Neighborhood Association team at Hamden Town Hall.

Teen Victim’s Sister Pleads For Peace

by Maya McFadden

Daily Jackson’s sister Dalonna called for young New Haveners who are mourning her late brother’s homicide to not retaliate, because all city teens “have a lot to live for.”

Dalonna offered that call for peace Thursday evening as she and dozens of family, friends, and community leaders gathered at the basketball courts near Lincoln Bassett School at sunset to celebrate her brother’s memory, and to pray for a stop to gun violence.

The gathering took place two days after Daily Jackson, a 17-year-old Riverside Academy student, was shot and killed on Shelton Avenue. Daily’s death came less than two weeks after the homicide of his friend and Riverside classmate, 16-yearold Uzziah Shell, who was shot dead near Goffe and Hudson streets in the Dixwell neighborhood on Nov. 22. The police chief has said officers are concerned about acts of retaliation following Jackson’s and Shell’s homicides, especially given ongoing feuds between youth crews around town.

On Thursday, loved ones brought white and blue balloons, some spelling out Daily’s name, or “DJ.” Large framed photos also showed Daily, known to many as “Buster,” as a toddler and dressed up for a prom he attended last year.

Click here to view a video recording of Thursday’s balloon release.

Daily’s family, including his godparents Jill and Scott Marks, organized the Thursday memorial gathering alongside his sisters and aunts to remind fellow New Haven youth that there are opportunities for them to stay out of trouble in the city.

“This is not the answer. You don’t have to die for no reason, you have a lot to live for. I need every last one of you that was connected to Daily, connected to me, connected to my family, to keep going, go for your dreams. Be who you are, don’t try to be like everyone else,” Dalonna told the dozens of young people who attended on Thursday.

Dixwell/Newhallville/Prospect Hill Alder

Troy Streater, standing alongside fellow alders, told the group that New Haveners “have to stop senseless killing” because nothing is gained from it.

Community gun violence prevention advocate Sean Reeves encouraged youth to visit him at his print shop at 266 Dixwell Ave. as a means to remove themselves from the streets and to share what opportunities they are interested in to bring them to New Haven to help change their lives.

LaQuvia Jones, the mother of two homicide victims, asked the adults to circle around the teens and young adults in attendance as she prayed. Loved ones embraced one another and held each other up while shedding tears and lighting candles in memory of Daily.

“If we don’t show them love, how can they love each other? If we don’t show them love, how do they value they own

lives, when we don’t value their lives?” she said to the adults.

To the youth she said, “It’s never ever too late to white flag it. It’s never ever too late to say, ‘No, I’m not picking up a gun.’ ”

She concluded by instructing the group to turn to the person next to them and tell them: “I need you to survive.”

“You don’t have to retaliate for Daily. It stops with you guys in the center. Your life is valuable,” Jones said.

Gun violence prevention advocate

Remidy Shareef also told the group, “If you want out streets, tell us. If you go retaliate you’re just as guilty as the people that got us here today.”

Dalonna told the Independent Thursday that one of the last memories she had of her brother was him calling her while she was at work and asking if she could buy him an iPad for Christmas this year. She recalled him telling her “you’re my rich sister,” and so she promised to get him an iPad.

Other family members described Daily as gentle, kind, and a jokester who was always willing to help others. Local pastor John Cotton described Daily as like a nephew to him. He recalled Daily’s talent playing the drums and the help he brought to New Hope Church on Butler Street when the Covid pandemic caused the schools to close. Cotton recalled Daily riding his bike around the neighborhood to round up kids to bring to the church, which served as a learning hub for fami-

ly needing support with remote learning. Daily would help tutor the students at the church learning hub.

Daily’s best friend, Corey, told the Independent he met Daily in seventh grade while the two attended Beecher. “He was always there to talk to and tell everything,” Corey said.

The two had plans to go out of town to celebrate the new year.

The New Haven independent

MAYA MCFADDEN PHOTOS

Daily Jackson's sister Curnijah Howard (left), best friend Corey (middle) and other sister Dalonna (right) at Thursday's memorial ...

... where friends and family celebrated the life and mourned the death of 17-year-old Daily Jackson.

Daily Jackson's godmother, Jill Marks, leads group singing.

Tenants Union To Farnam: Time To Negotiate

by JABEZ CHOI

Another tenants union rallied outside another front door of another Ocean Management successor calling for their new property management company to step it up on maintenance, and to be open to negotiating a collective lease.

The members are with the tenants union at 1455 State St., whose building was previously owned by Ocean Management. However, Ocean’s failure to pay debts associated with the building has left the building held in a receivership with Farnam Realty Group since August.

The rally occurred outside the real estate agency’s office on 107 Whitney Ave. on a chilly Tuesday afternoon.

“We want to sit down, hash out new leases, and really just talk to a real decision-maker, Farnam. They have the decision-making power to speak to us, to negotiate leases, and to change things in a way where everybody wins,” tenant

Zach Postle said. “But we still haven’t gotten any of our issues resolved for the most part.”

Farnam had initially agreed to engage in a collective bargaining process back in September, but had suddenly ceased negotiations.

In a conversation with the Independent, building superintendent Max Young shared that there were early conversations in the fall about the complaints the tenants union had at 1455 State St., with the goal to achieve a “union-approved standard lease.” Young stated that, in the meeting, he listened to the concerns of the tenants union, but then found older LCI reports that did not get passed to him before Farnam took over. He informed the tenants union that priority lay in taking care of those complaints first. Then, Young was informed by Farnam lawyers that they do not have the authority to negotiate leases.

But, according to union leader Lauren Palulis, there is legal ground for this negotiation.

“We are asking for them to negotiate a collectively-bargained lease with us,” Palulis said. “They have the legal capability to do that.”

Palulis is referring to the receivership documents issued in August when Farnam became the fiduciary responsible for the building. The document states that the receiver is “empowered” to take “all actions he may deem necessary” to have “proper condition to maintain the existing leases and encourage and negotiate new leases (subject to the specific approval of the Court for rental terms) to eliminate or reduce the existing vacancy factor.” Further the document states that receiver must carry out “necessary repairs and maintenance of the Property.”

According to Palulis and the tenants

present at the press conference, although there have been some repairs, the building is not in proper condition. They cited ongoing security issues, improper and dangerous repairs, unaddressed repairs, leaks, temperature issues, and a recent mold discovery.

As for security, tenant Krystopher Linderman, who lives near the front entrance, said that he worries about opening the door to his hallway and seeing someone who doesn’t belong there. Palulis also recalled incidents of people sleeping inside the building’s vestibule, due to unlocked doors. Additionally, Linderman emphasized the need for camera security, citing a recent hit and

run outside the building that was not captured by building footage. Young stated that he was “proud” of the work Farnam has poured into the building, and shared screenshots of a singular maintenance request left on the online portal a request for screens to be implemented, which haven’t been installed since the building began accepting tenants.

Farnam founder Carol Horsford echoed Young’s statements, saying that the agency has spent over $10,000 in the past three months to take care of maintenance requests, as well as over $25,000 of open invoices from previous vendors who were providing maintenance.

“The other truth is we were appointed by the court, I can just give this receivership back, unless the tenants can be happy and appreciate all the work that Max is doing and the handyman and the people in the office that are…try[ing] to create a better environment for them,” Horsford said. “We don’t have to do this.”

But tenants at the press conference said that the online portal is not an accurate portrayal of the state of the building.

“The only thing that Farnum has fixed for us are things that have opened LCI reports. So if people have gone through the process of filing with the city, then, they have to fix it.,” Palulis said. “But everything else that people have put in repair requests…they’ll close those requests without addressing them.”

Tenants also stated that the electricity bill has quadrupled to over $650 a month, a figure that is bizarre to the tenants as a number of them have reported temperature issues, with the rooms reported as not being properly heated.

After the press conference ended, tenants handed out pamphlets with a picture of the mold discovery in the basement of the building. The Farnam office had locked its front door, barring the protestors from coming in. A woman, unaffiliated with the 1455 State St. tenants union, walked up to the door to pay her rent, but found she couldn’t get in immediately. Eventually, the woman was let in.

Following the interaction, tenants taped the pamphlet to the front door of the office.

“Clearly right now, what Farnum is doing is not enough to actually address what’s going on in this building,” Connecticut Tenants Union President Hannah Srajer said. “And we want to be really clear, if you make a promise with the union to negotiate, we expect you to hold that promise.”

Connecticut Tenants Union president Hannah Srajer: "If you make a promise with the union to negotiate, we expect you to hold that promise.”

The New Haven independent

... as union members and supporters rally for a collective lease.

Connecticut Tenants Union president Hannah Srajer: "If you make a promise with the union to negotiate, we expect you to hold that promise.”

JABEZ CHOI PHOTOS Tenants union leader Zach Postle tapes a pamphlet to Farnam's front door ...

Young People Make A Case For Greater State Investment In Reaching Disconnected Youth

by Jamil Ragland

HARTFORD, CT – Youth advocates, nonprofit leaders, and elected officials made an argument Thursday for greater investment from the state in line with recommendations detailed in the 119K Commission’s recent report to help disconnected youth.

The call to action occurred at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford, where dozens of youth and the organizers of the programs that support them gathered to show how disconnected young people can be empowered to find success through caring, targeted action.

Jim Boucher, chief strategic officer at Capital Workforce Partners, said that the important steps were ensuring that young people had places to go where they could immediately receive assistance and guidance.

“We really have focused on no more waiting lists for young people [for critical social services],” Boucher said. “We’re looking at the need for employment, youth workforce programs and supports, things like apprenticeship, dual enrollment programs, quality jobs, and we’re really investing our time to ensure that there’s action taken, so there are no more waiting lists for workforce programs that we’re building innovative pilots, and the need for a greater local-regional collaboration, data sharing, career navigation, and a directory of services accessible to youth and assuring that capacity building is happening for organizations.”

Several of the young people who have been supported by programs targeted at reducing disconnection spoke about their experiences.

Kamari Thornton, of the Young Legends in Hartford, talked about the leadership training he experienced through his youth program.

“I’ve shared resources with the youth and young adults of Hartford, designed and worked in a career navigation program that works with providers, including United Way, Capital Workforce Partners, and The Village,” he said. “In addition, I also even had the opportunity to travel to Aspen’s Institute Opportunity Youth Forum in order to talk about the barriers that young people are facing within our state. I was able to do all of these things because United Way and Young Legends believe in and invest in opportunity youth.”

Thornton said that greater investment would lead to a decrease in violence in the cities, as well as giving young adults the chance to have better lives for themselves and their families.

Erica Soares, a young woman from Waterbury who is currently pursuing her masters degree, described how her experiences with homelessness, the incarceration and loss of a parent, and sexual assault nearly left her with no clear path forward. But the Opportunity Youth Initiative through the United Way changed her path, and she immediately worked to pay her opportunity forward.

During an emotional speech, she described how she worked with a young woman who had experienced many of the

same challenges she did.

“In my role with the Waterbury Police Activity League, I work directly with youth facing homelessness, mental health struggles, and justice involvement,” she said. “One young girl came to us after experiencing homelessness. Feeling disconnected and unsupported, she was unsure of her worth and her future.

Through mentorship, access to resources and caring support, she began to rebuild her confidence and found stability in taking meaningful steps toward her goals.

It’s stories like hers that remind me why this work matters and how transformative these programs can be.”

Soares urged policymakers to treat youth not just as beneficiaries but as partners in shaping the systems that directly impact them.

“In 10 years, I hope we’ve built a system where access to opportunities is no longer based on zip code or status,” she said. “Universal access to mental health services, career exploration, and skill building programs must become the standard.”

Joe DeLong, executive director and CEO of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, built upon Soares’ call to action by focusing on what he said were the most important aligned actions to take from the recent report published by the 119K Commission, titled “Young People First.”

DeLong said the state must focus on the first three aligned actions by building out data systems to more accurately track the number of at-risk and disconnected youth, redesigning local service delivery to take a more regional approach to stay connected with youth who often move,

and revamp the current 2-1-1 system into a user-friendly app that instantly connects youth with services and activities.

“Here’s the one commitment that I’ll make to you today…If [the state] will do the appropriate investment to create aligned actions one and two, which is building out the right collection of the data and connect and creating the infrastructure to build out that network of services, with the conversations that I’ve had with philanthropic groups all over the state and nation, I believe we can get aligned action three funded privately,” he said. “I don’t even think we have to have state dollars to fund the building that out. We have to have continued state support of the 211 system. There’s no question about that. They’ve supported it for years. But I think the evolution of that system could be privately funded if the state showed that it had the commitment to building a network that actually worked and mattered.”

From the report, the first three aligned actions to which DeLong referred are:

1. Improve visibility of the number and nature of at-risk and disconnected youth and strengthen accountability at state, regional, and local levels. The report put the cost of launching this segment at about $25 million, with an annual budget of about $16 million, making use of existing expertise and federal labor department grants with reporting to begin in 2024 and data infrastructure to be built over the next three years. The impact of this action would enable transparency and near real-time actionable data for all 615,000 young people in the state ages 14-26.

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2. Redesign local service delivery to ensure young people have the support they need, supported by strong regional oversight boards and a state-wide Office of Youth Success. This action could be launched using existing resources and would cost about $15 million a year, and could provide integrated case management services for about 10,000 disconnected young people by utilizing local organizations and experts to be leveraged for an Office of Youth Services.

3.Revamp CT’s 211 system and develop a new user-friendly application to help at-risk and disconnected youth access existing resources. The report put the cost of launching this segment at about $2 million, leveraging existing resources leading to a 2025 launch to help serve the needs of 12,000 youth per year.

Lisa Tepper Bates, President and CEO of the United Way of Connecticut, refuted the argument that the state can’t afford to invest in serving disconnected youth.

“I want to reflect for a minute on what we must do, what we cannot afford not to do,” Tepper Bates said. “We know there are terrible human costs to not supporting these youth. And we heard about that already. But there are other costs that we bear as well. There are 90,000 jobs in the state of Connecticut going wanting for someone to fill them right now. And at the same time, we have 119,000 of these youth who are an important resource and asset to our state. So we have to bear in mind that we desperately need to fill those jobs. And these youth could be in those positions if we provide the support to them.”

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Kamari Thornton of the Young Legends speaks during a news conference on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. Credit: Jamil Ragland / CTNewsJunkie

City Prepares For Trump II Deportations

by Laura Glesby

Retraining city employees on the “welcoming city” executive order. Confirming public school students’ emergency contact information. Securing federal grant money in contracts as soon as possible, before it can be revoked.

Those are some ways that New Haven officials are preparing not panicking ahead of an anticipated immigration crackdown promised by the incoming president.

Mayor Justin Elicker, Schools Supt. Madeline Negrón, and Police Chief Karl Jacobson conveyed that message to over 50 immigrant advocates at a town hall hosted by Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS) on Thursday evening.

They were joined by IRIS immigration lawyers Rachel Doft and Michael Doyle at United Church on the Green. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong spoke toward the end of the event as well.

At the heart of the dialogue was the question of how the city is preparing for the potential mass deportations promised by Donald Trump ahead of his second presidential term. During his campaign, Trump pledged to carry out deportations on a historic scale to force up to 20 million people out of the country.

One theme of the city officials’ remarks was that leaning into fear can itself damage immigrants’ safety and quality of life.

“It’s hard for us to know what will happen. It’s important for us to go about our daily business as much as possible,” Elicker said. Places of communal gathering and neighbor-to-neighbor interactions are important, he said: “That’s where we’re strong as well.”

The city officials sought to send a message that it is safe to go to school, seek medical care, and contact emergency services.

“We are going to be protecting every single child that walks through our doors,” said Negrón. “I am ready to stand and fight for the education that every child deserves … regardless of their immigration status.”

Over the course of two hours, officials responded to a series of audience questions, which are paraphrased below.

What is New Haven’s current policy about supporting federal immigration enforcement?

New Haven currently has both a “Welcoming City” executive order for all government employees and a general order specific to the police that limit how public officials can aid immigration enforcement.

Both policies prohibit police and other local government employees from:

• Arresting or detaining anyone based on their immigration status.

• Asking individuals about their immigration status.

• Disclosing a person’s immigration sta-

tus to agencies such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Essentially, local government officials aren’t allowed to assist or participate in federal immigration enforcement.

There are exceptions: As outlined in the Welcoming City Order, public employees can disclose immigration status without consent when it’s “required by law,” when doing so is “necessary” to “apprehend” someone suspected of committing a crime unrelated to their immigration status, or when it’s “necessary” for “criminal investigation of potential terrorism.”

“We’re not doing any raids that are purely related to just immigration,” Jacobson said of the police.

Elicker, Negrón, and Jacobson said that all employees under their respective purviews are being trained again on the implications of these policies.

They also argued that these policies are critical to fostering safety in New Haven.

“If we didn’t have our general orders saying we don’t do roundups or work with

ICE, then people wouldn’t report crimes to us,” Jacobson.

Will these local policies last in the longterm?

When asked about the city’s longer-term worries, Elicker responded, “One of the bigger concerns I have is the interest in cutting off funding to cities like ours” cities that refuse to collaborate with ICE.

“We receive a lot of federal funding,” Elicker said. Funding that affects schools through Title I, housing, and non-profits, including many homelessness services. For now, according to Elicker, the city is working to contractually obligate as much funding from federal grants as possible before that funding can be threatened.

“Frankly, as a community, we’re gonna have to make some difficult decisions,” Elicker said. “There will be an intentional push to divide our values. That will be something we have to go through together. And I suspect there will be a lot of sacrifice there.”

those spaces. So under a second Trump administration, it’s possible that ICE could someday be allowed to raid those community and healthcare settings.

“It’s hard to know if that’s something that will actually happen, but we’re having discussions about that,” said Elicker. The school system is preparing for the future possibility that immigration officials could come into school buildings, Negrón said.

If such a situation were to occur, she said, the school system would have a protocol for how educators should respond.

“We don’t interfere, but we run that balance of trying to shield, as much as we can, our students.”

“As educators, we’re always very creative,” Negrón said. “We’re just gonna have to be more creative.”

How is the school system addressing students’ fears related to immigration enforcement?

Can city employees or police stop immigration raids, or warn communities beforehand?

“Our police department is not going to stop the federal government… who is legally able to conduct their business,” said Elicker.

“We can’t interfere with the federal government’s law enforcement activities,” Jacobson said. “We’re not going to assist them, but we’re not going to interfere with them either.”

“If I was to warn them, you’d have to bond me out of federal prison,” he added.

“Same with the mayor.”

What happens if civilians protest immigration raids?

“It’s not our practice to arrest protesters,” said Jacobson, noting that “we’ve had hundreds of protests” this year and “one arrest.”

He’s going to keep that up “the best that I can until me and the mayor end up in jail,” he said with a half laugh. Will New Haven schools, churches, and hospitals still be safe spaces?

For now, the officials stressed, the answer is yes.

“We’ve been doing really well in getting kids to come to school,” Negrón said as she made her way out. “Listen: send your kids. We’re gonna keep them safe.”

Currently, schools as well as healthcare settings, religious institutions, rallies, and providers of social services are areas that ICE policy deems to be “protected.”

However, Trump has declared that he would appoint Tom Homan to helm immigration enforcement efforts. Homan co-authored the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 manifesto, which calls for an end to blanket protections covering

“We have children that showed up in our schools the day after the election and expressed fear,” Negrón said. How are educators responding to that fear? “We are doing it in a way that is developmentally appropriate: [helping students] to understand what is happening around the world, what they might be facing,” Negrón said.

“We are going to our experts: our social workers and our counselors,” she said drawing guidance from both internal school employees and outside organizations.

“The priority here,” Negrón said, “is equipping every single staff person who we have now inside of our New Haven Public Schools to ensure that they feel like they have the right tools to engage in this work.”

One practical step the school system is taking to prepare for a potential spike in deportations is confirming and updating every student’s emergency contact information.

Negrón noted that student data is protected under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which prevents students’ personal educational records from being disclosed. Negrón additionally urged families to make emergency plans. “Prepare for the worst,” she said. “We don’t know what’s going to happen.”

What about the rest of the state?

According to all three officials, the city has been in active communication with some other municipalities as well as local community groups in order to brainstorm and prepare for changing immigration policy.

“Coalition building is important,” said Elicker. “That’s the work we do to defend ourselves later on.”

While Attorney General Tong refused to go into detail about particular plans for his office’s response to the Trump Administration, he stressed that he and his counterparts in other states “have been preparing for some time. We’ve thought about all the various contingencies.”

The New Haven independent

THOMAS BREEN PHOTO Schools Supt. Madeline Negrón: “I am ready to stand and fight for the education that every child deserves … regardless of their immigration status.”

Mayor Justin Elicker: "There will be an intentional push to divide our values."

Holiday Tree Lit, Version 111

by Brian Slattery

A cold December temperature didn’t keep crowds away as New Haven celebrated its 111th tree lighting on the New Haven Green Thursday night, with an evening of festivities that included food and craft vendors, live music from bands and choirs, amusement park rides and activities for kids, and a visit from Santa Claus.

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The evening’s schedule officially began at 5 p.m., and by 5:30 the Green was already bustling with families, lit up with festive lights from rides, and filled with the sounds of choirs from the bandstand in the center and laughing children everywhere.

Dotting the Green were also several booths with activities, from the public library’s bookmobile to an arts and crafts station set up by the city. In addition, Vox Church had a popular tent in which kids could decorate — and then, of course, eat — cookies with frosting and an assortment of sprinkles.

The Holiday Village — a pop-up winter market with booths for 23 local artisans — was also in its third and final night of business, and on Thursday enjoyed a steady flow of customers. Among them was Tiffany Hsu of Yarnshaper, who has appeared at New Haven Pride and auctions for Palestinian aid. She was there with a panoply of plush creations, some drawn from the animal world, some from video games, and a few from food. She started crocheting about eight years ago when she learned from a friend. She started Yarnshaper as a business two years ago, kicking off at Pride in 2022. “I was really lucky,” she said. “A lot of friends and family really supported me to do this.” When she “finally felt confident in my crocheting skills,” she said, she saw that no other vendors in New Haven were making things that she liked to make: plush and stuffed animals. (She also cofounded Crafters of Color, described on their Instagram page as a “collective of Black, Asian, Latinx & Indigenous handcraft artisans based in New Haven, CT. We run events, boost each other, and have fun!”)

Asked about the aesthetics of her creations, she said that “everyone deserves a litte bit of cute, comfort, and joy in this world, and I think it is for all ages. The world can be tough and difficult, and it’s nice to have a little bit of nostalgia” and “connection with your inner child.”

This year was the first time Hsu had vended at the Holiday Village. “I didn’t know what to expect,” she said, but there are “tons of people here tonight. I think this draws people from all over the place … people from New Haven and beyond come out to this.”

In another booth, Melba Crowley of Designs by Melba offered an array of necklaces, bracelets, and earrings that emphasized her intricate beadwork. She sells her jewelry through her website and sometimes through vending; she has been a part of New Haven’s Holiday Village

since it started in Shubert Alley in 2018. Crowley has been beading for about 15 years; “it’s a hobby that went wild,” she said. She took a beading class at Books & Company “and watched for about a half an hour,” she said. “I guess it was for me,” because the next day she found herself at a bead show in North Haven, collecting materials.

“I used to sew and design clothes.” After collecting her first stash of beads, “I went home and I put my sewing machine away, and I’ve been beading ever since. It called to me, and the beads talk to me.”

She gravitates toward stones. “I pick them and I work them,” she said. “That’s what drew me to it” initially. She collects materials from a variety of sources. Many she gets at gem shows. Some, she travels to other countries to acquire; she has found beads in Australia. Some she finds at hobby shops like Michael’s and JoAnn Fabric. “If it clicks,” she said, she buys it. She mixes them together to come up with something, or creates pieces that focus on a specific material: turquoise chips, freshwater pearls, jade, amethyst, and lately, horn, which she acquired from a friend in the Philippines. “I get it from all over,” she said.

As the time drew near to 7:30 p.m.,

Mayor Justin Elicker was on hand at the bandstand to say a few words before the countdown to the tree lighting began. “It’s a great night in the Elm City! Is anybody cold?” he said. He led the crowd in a collective, joking shout of “No!” He noted that this was “our 111th tree lighting in New Haven — pretty incredible. This is a great year for us.” He then started off the countdown. The audience chanted with him, down from 10. The tree’s lights sprang to life, and a huge cheer rose from the crowd.

Bathed in the light of the tree, families and couples drew near to take pictures of each other and of themselves. People laughed and joked with one another, and kids kept cavorting across the festive lawn. It was easy to feel the connection to tradition — to past tree lightings attended in person, and to historical tree lightings almost no one alive is old enough to have experienced. Cellphones have almost completely replaced cameras, and many people don’t necessarily need another person to capture the image they want anymore. But year after year, something about that forest of lights in the middle of the city makes people want to stand near it, with the people they care about, and smile.

The New Haven independent

Lines also formed quickly for the rides, from a Ferris wheel to a merry-go-round to race cars that filled fast with eager children.

Ribbon Cut On ‘R Kids “Resiliency” Expansion

by LISA REISMAN

There’s a wall hanging in the entrance hall of the new Resiliency Center, a reconnection agency on Dixwell Avenue that opened as part of ‘r kids Family Center with a recent ribbon-cutting.

It’s headed: “How to Really Love a Child.”

“Be there,” that poster, by Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy, known by her pen name SARK, reads. “Say yes as often as possible. Let them bang on pots and pans… If they’re unlovable, love yourself. Realize how important it is to be a child… Read books out loud with joy. Invent pleasures together. Remember how really small they are.”

In 1996, Randi Rubin Rodriguez and her husband Sergio Rodriguez co-founded ‘r kids, an organization to fill existing gaps in child welfare services for children and families impacted by mental health, substance abuse, and family violence. Its mission: permanency, safety, and stability for vulnerable children and their families.

In September 2000, the ‘r kids Family Center opened on Winchester Avenue as a place for parents and families to meet with the children who had been removed from their care and provide the guidance and support to reunify them.

The center found its permanent home three years later, in a one-story structure built on a narrow lot just north of where Dixwell Avenue meets Goffe and Whalley. Over the next two decades, it flourished, boasting an 85% to 95% reunification rate among the hundreds of families referred to them by the state Department of Children & Families (DCF), as well as offering a full range of adoption services, including home study and license approval for both domestic and international adoptions. It also outgrew its space.

On Nov. 22, a group of roughly 30 gathered on that 45 Dixwell Ave. site to mark the $5 million, 11,000 square-foot expansion of the facility. The new Resiliency Center, the first of its kind in the state, is a multi-generational trauma-informed program with a state-licensed therapeutic childcare component for up to 16 infants and toddlers under the age of three who are at risk of removal or already removed by the DCF. It includes a licensed day care, meeting rooms for families and children, and a licensed food pantry on the first floor.

National Zero-Three, a federally funded organization, provided the seed money for programming. The Resiliency Center is supported this year by Congressionally-approved funding through the efforts

and advocacy of U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal.

“Statistics have shown that in the U.S. every seven minutes a baby or a toddler is removed from their family due to alleged maltreatment, abuse, or neglect,” said Lorraine Rogers, director of the center, as she stood among cribs, a wooden boat, and a small rocking chair in the spacious, brightly lit classroom. “We are committed to empowering those families, who often are facing economic insecurities, extreme stress, and trauma, with the tools and support they need on their journeys.”

She said the new emphasis on infants and toddlers is rooted in maintaining the bond between parents and children during their formative years birth to age 3 as part

of the safe babies model, which is based on early childhood education findings that children who live in safe and supportive homes have the best chance for healthy development throughout their lives.

That’s where the newly licensed therapeutic day care center comes in. “We have babies and toddlers on site up to seven or eight hours a day,” Rogers said. The observation room, where parents, behind a two-way mirror, can initially follow interactions between the teaching staff and their child, and then progress to practicing what they learn with their kids means, she said, “parents and children can do the work at the same site.”

Rubin Rodriguez, who retired in June, cited a study from the Community Founda-

tion for Greater New Haven showing that 70 percent of the center’s birth families had grown up in the child welfare system. “What we’re really about is not the physical teaching but supporting and healing people, parents, from their own trauma experiences,” she said.

Lou Mangini, congressional aide to U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, lauded the impact of the ‘r kids Family Center in the Greater New Haven area. “From its inception, it has provided a place where families can come together and get the resources and help they need to provide every child with a forever family,” he said.

Architect Craig Newick discussed the process of building upward from the narrow one-story structure on Dixwell by adding the second floor in a way to cantilever, or horizontally extend, over the existing driveway and yard on the north side. About its distinctive quality on Dixwell, “it’s not just some commercial building,” he said. “It’s kind of mute, but it also has this incredible presence.”

For Rodriguez, it seems, that description also sums up the 26 years of the center’s existence. “Prior to ‘r kids being in New Haven, no one talked about the needs of children in foster care,” she said. “It wasn’t an issue. But it is. You remove an infant from a parent. That’s very, very traumatic for both. So the work becomes the key.”

“This is about the next generation,” she said, acknowledging the ongoing support of U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, DCF Commissioner Jody Hill-Lilly, and Commissioner Beth Bye of the state Office of Early Childhood, as well as the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. “But even before that, there’s nothing more important than providing safe, secure, and loving homes for our children,” she said. “That’s everything.”

School Board Prez To Step Down

by MAYA MCFADDEN

After half a decade of serving on the school district’s Board of Education, President Yesenia Rivera has announced that after her current term expires at the end of the month she will not return to the school board.

Rivera shared that update Monday evening at the start of the board’s regular meeting at John Martinez School. Rivera told school board members and the public that her four-year term expires at the end of December. She plans to remain on the board until a new president is sworn in.

Rivera is a state Department of Housing project manager and the program director of a childcare program based at Edgewood School. She has served on the Board of Ed since former Mayor Toni Harp tapped her to fill an empty volunteer-based seat in early 2019. She was appointed board president in January 2020.

“I am proud that throughout that time, I have brought my honest self to this work,” Rivera said on Monday. “I have served

with integrity and I have done everything in my power to support the effective functioning of this board.”

She noted that she is proud to have led the

board during significant transitions such as selecting the district’s first Latina superintendent, navigating Covid-era disruptions of learning and district operations,

and working through the school district’s financial limitations to help support its building upkeep and students’ needs.

“My goal has always been to serve all members of the school district, while at the same time, lending my voice for the growing Latino population within this city,” she continued. “I am honored and proud of all that we have achieved under my tenure as president.”

She is herself a New Haven Public Schools graduate: she attended Troup Middle School, then briefly returned home to Vega Alta in Puerto Rico, before finally coming back to New Haven as a sophomore at Career High School, from which she graduated.

Rivera’s fellow board members thanked her for bringing to the board her selflessness, hard work, dedication, and patience over the past five years four of which she served as president. They praised her years of leading the board with a steady hand, noting that she would even run meetings remotely while sick and postpone vacations and family matters in order to address district needs.

Board members Abie Benitez, OrLando Yarborough, and Andrea Downer thanked Rivera for welcoming them onto the board and helping them grow professionally while demonstrating patient and graceful guidance.

“Thank you for your leadership. Thank you for your examples as a human being and also as a leader,” Yarborough said. Mayor Justin Elicker congratulated Rivera on an “incredible” five years, much of which involved behind-the-scenes work while under pressure and making hard decisions.

Supt. Madeline Negrón thanked Rivera for being a strong president, who taught her the importance of the board’s partnership with the superintendent. She attributed the successes of her first year to Rivera, who consistently reminded the group that “the better we work together, children win.”

Elicker must now appoint Rivera’s successor to serve on the Board of Education. After the mayor submits a nomination, the Board of Alders must review and vote on his pick before that person is confirmed.

LISA REISMAN PHOTO The Resiliency Center team, including interim executive director Judy Barron, co-founder Sergio Rodriguez, director Lorraine Rogers, and educational consultant Andrenna Paolillo.

The New Haven independent

MAYA MCFADDEN PHOTO Board of Ed Prez Rivera: "I have served with integrity."

The New Haven independent

Ground Broken On 4 New 2 Family Homes

by THOMAS BREEN

Melvin Poindexter and Sylvia Cooper dug their shovels into a pile of dirt on an empty Hazel Street lot and helped move the ground that they, and future generations of their respective families, will some day soon call home.

Poindexter and Cooper did that ceremonial digging at the end of a Monday morning press conference celebrating the groundbreaking for four new two-family homes, to be located at 88, 94, and 98 Hazel St. in Newhallville.

Those houses will be built by the affordable homeownership-championing local nonprofit Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven (NHS), with a host of local, state, and financial help, as well as support from the Yale Urban Design Workshop and local architect Keith Krolak.

As NHS Executive Director Jim Paley explained, these four new houses will be sold at affordable prices to owner-occupants, who will live in one unit of each house and will be able to rent out the second unit to supplement their incomes.

Construction should be finished in the next six to eight months. New owners are already lined up to buy the homes.

“Communities are strengthened because homeowners are stakeholders in a neighborhood,” Paley said in support of this project, one of many undertaken by NHS over the decades to boost homeownership in Newhallville and across New Haven.

Mayor Justin Elicker agreed. “Homeownership is so important, because it gives people equity,” he said. Instead of paying rent to a landlord, homeowners can pay off their mortgages and then pass down their homes to their children and grandchildren, building wealth and a commitment to a neighborhood from one generation to the next.

Letecia Colon De Mejias, the cochair of a Windsor-based nonprofit called Efficiency for All, said that, as part of this development project, 30 homes nearby in Newhallville will receive energy efficiency “retrofitting” including air sealing, new insulation, and, potentially, heat pumps and new windows.

“We know that homeowners invest in their neighborhoods,” added Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz. She said Connecticut currently needs 100,000 new housing units to meet statewide demand. “If we only had 30 other towns producing 3,500 units,” she said, referencing the number of dwelling units Mayor Elicker said are in the pipeline

in New Haven, “our housing crisis would be solved.”

Paley also told the Independent that the total development cost for these four new two-family homes is $4.3 million. He explained how these parcels were expensive to acquire, and that one required the demolition of an existing building. He also noted how high the legal fees were for closing on financing with the state Department of Housing.

Each of these two-family homes will ultimately be sold for $275,000 to owner-occupants.

Despite the high development price tag, he stressed, these homeownership projects benefit both families and the neighborhood in the long run by allowing people to live in and own a residence in a community they feel rooted in.

During separate interviews after Monday’s groundbreaking, Poindexter and Cooper looked forward to putting down roots in that very lot where the press conference took place. Neither was on the official speaking lineup for Monday’s event. But both are at the core of the neighborhood-revitalizing effort the government and nonprofit officials celebrated as each is ready to purchase one of these new two-family homes once they’re built.

Cooper, who grew up in New Haven, currently lives nearby in Dixwell. She works on Winchester Avenue as a family coach at the homelessness services nonprofit Christian Community Action.

She looked at the still-empty Hazel Street plot, imagined its near future filled with homes, and looked forward to telling her grandchildren the story behind their home as she passes it down to them some day. To her, owning a home on Hazel Street means building “generational wealth.” Having an opportunity to present a house she owns to her grandkids “is just priceless.”

Poindexter, who is also on tap to buy one of these four new two-family houses, also cited what this might mean for his family in the long run when reflecting on what it will mean to own a house on Hazel Street.

Poindexter, who grew up in Hamden and works at a halfway house in Newhallville, also said that to own a house here is a point of pride for himself. It signals a major “achievement,” he said. If all goes well with this owner-occupied property on Hazel Street, he said, he hopes to someday buy and rent out more properties in the neighborhood.

“This is just a start.”

Future homeowners Melvin Poindexter (center) and Sylvia Cooper (right), shoveling dirt alongside state housing commissioner Seila Mosquera-Bruno.

The to-be-built-up lots at 88-96 Hazel.

A full lineup for Monday's groundbreaking.

The New Haven independent

Yale Rep Makes Strides With Macbeth

by DONALD BROWN

When we first meet Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, one of Shakespeare’s best-known and often-staged tragedies, she seems designed to steal the show. Her speeches are riveting, her emotions keyed up and powerful. When her husband Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis promoted to Thane of Cawdor, arrives home, she delivers more drama, prodding his dithering into regicide, and even shows him how it should be done when it comes to implicating the two guards that Macbeth and his Lady have drugged.

All this Whitney White in her show Macbeth in Stride, now playing for one week only at Yale Repertory Theatre through Dec. 14 delivers with musing commentary. Then comes a coronation that looks like it could be featured on “Lifestyles of the Rich and Murderous.” After that triumph, what next for our ambitious queen? As White, who wrote the show and performs the lead (called “Woman”) in the piece, flatly states: “She gets to host a dinner party.”

If you’ve ever thought, while watching a production of Macbeth or reading the text, “wait, what about Lady Macbeth?” this show’s for you.

Macbeth in Stride began as a cabaret show mixing Shakespeare’s speeches with songs, then was developed as part of a projected series to interrogate key female roles in Shakespeare’s plays. Daniel Soule’s set indicates this is going to be a concert: drum kit, keyboards, guitars, sound equipment, walkways, exposed lighting. Given the title, we might expect a rock revamping of Macbeth, a classic play about a Scottish warrior whose murders to win and maintain power make him a haunted, vengeful tyrant and his wife, who aids his rise to power and suffers from what he becomes.

Directed by Taibi Magar and Tyler Dobrowsky, Macbeth in Stride effectively complements the action of Shakespeare’s play and the commentary in White’s with songs that drop in and out as a heady means to kick the energy up a notch, mostly up-tempo and funky (Barbara “Muzikaldunk” Duncan, drums). The musical revue aspects of the show make the interplay between music and drama a key expressive factor, letting White and her company find their voices to express what confronting Macbeth makes them feel.

Throughout the show, White gets to indulge an opportunity many of us might like to have: to question and restage aspects of a dramatic character who both attracts and repels, who inspires and frustrates. But White’s commentary is more pointed. Her questioning comes from the viewpoint of a Black actor wrestling with Shakespeare’s characters and situations as examples of an exclusionary culture that, when it allows Black and Brown people into prized roles, expects them to play their parts without asking questions that disturb or disrupt the play’s assumptions.

White brings great presence to the stage. She has a magnificent singing voice, a way with glam outfits, and a genuine love for the play she’s questioning, told in the force with which she delivers Lady Macbeth’s many great lines. She’s abetted by the three

Witches (Holli’ Conway, Phoenix Best, Ciara Alyse Harris) poised here as fascinating backup singers and dancers with an unusual amount of sass and agency. Choreographer Raja Feather Kelly makes the Witches’ every motion articulate, and Qween Jean’s costumes and Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew’s lighting design provide plenty of visual sparkle.

The Witches here are implicated in ways reminiscent of a Greek chorus, giving support to Woman, but also wryly questioning or undermining her ambitions. There’s a provocative overlap between Woman’s bloody effort to wield power in the play, as Lady Macbeth, and her groping efforts to wield power over Shakespeare’s play, in Macbeth in Stride.

Shortly before that dinner party that goes off the rails with disruption, the Witches “take five” and ask for the audience’s help in getting us up to speed. “What can you tell us about Macbeth?” they ask a volunteer (on opening night, K.D. said words to the effect of “it all goes badly from where you left off”). The trio seems to know that Woman, in trying to remake Lady Macbeth into a diva or role model or cautionary tale, is going to have a hard sell. While Woman wants to overwrite Lady M’s “going mad” into a more righteous and empowering “getting mad,” ultimately, “the play’s the thing wherein we catch the conscience of the king” and of his despairing queen as well.

Whitney White in Macbeth in Stride

Recasting Lady M as a contentious Black woman who wants to speak for a collective seems aimed to provoke backlash and simultaneously stimulate different possibilities of identification. The “him” in the play is called “Man” (Charlie Thurston), a hunky, swaggering hot dude with tats and leather and eyeliner who shrugs at one point that he’s not sure “what a man is.” It’s a worthwhile comment, but White’s play lacks the nerve to remake the relation between Man and Woman and stage for us some of what Shakespeare’s play doesn’t show. There are places where Macbeth in Stride almost walks away with the characters, but keeps coming back to what Shakespeare made them say.

White’s effort to investigate the power dynamics of Macbeth and of theater in the U.S. can seem a bit scattershot. Some jibes about patriarchal assumptions in the canon of Dead White Males feel dated, while gripes about being passed over for ingenue parts can seem like apologies for the machinations of show business. Meanwhile, removing any sense of the fourth wall by inviting comments from the audience asking us “what do you want?” lets our current world into the play. Watching Macbeth in Stride after the recent presidential election might jar us into unscripted thoughts when we see a self-conscious Black woman on stage say she wants power, and getting it might mean killing an (old, White) absolute monarch. “Something wicked this way comes,” as the Witches say. But Lady M likes to say that “things without all remedy should be without regard: what’s done is done.”

Macbeth in Stride runs at Yale Repertory Theatre, 1120 Chapel St., through Dec. 14. For tickets and more information, visit Yale Rep’s website.

The New Haven independent

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Navel Oranges

Newhall To Hamden: Focus On Foundations First”

LISA REISMAN

They talked about their homes sinking into contaminated soil, the walls cracking, their myriad of health issues. They wore shirts the color of cement to dramatize their plea: Fix our foundations first.

The scene was the public input session of a hybrid meeting of the Hamden legislative town council at Hamden Town Hall earlier this month. The purpose of the five founding members representing the Hamden Newhall Neighborhood Association (HNNA): to protest the allocation of funding to build a town community center campus on Newhall Street until the town repairs their homes.

Earlier this year, the legislative council allocated $9,108,259 of federal American Recovery Plan (ARPA) funding to create a new community campus at the former Michael J. Whalen Middle School complex in the Newhall neighborhood.

Federal Uniform Guidance and ARPA regulations stipulate that all contracts and purchase orders have to be fully executed by Dec. 31, 2024.

The idea of a community campus arose from Hamden Mayor Lauren Garrett’s vision to use the ARPA funds to transform the blighted middle school property just over the Newhallville/Newhall border into a two-story recreation center with a gymnasium, weight room, and study lounge, as well as several rooms for various programming, among other amenities.

The HNNA maintains that the town can still legally use the ARPA funds to fix their foundations. While Hamden has entered into agreements for demolition of the complex, as well as design and construction of a new complex, no work

has begun, they said, and there is an out clause in the contracts. In addition, the HNNA said the town, until last Monday’s meeting, has never sought the community engagement that ARPA requires for the receiving and spending of the funds.

That claim, it seems, flies in the face of the allegedly overwhelming support for the community campus based on neighborhood canvasses over the summer, according to Sean Grace, Mayor Garrett’s chief of staff.

The story begins in 1956, with the construction of Michael J. Whalen Middle School on top of a landfill containing decades of industrial waste from New Haven manufacturers. When the town of Hamden looked into expanding the middle school in 2000, the history of dumping came to light. The state Department of Environmental Protection initiated an investigation. That led to the Regional Water Authority and the town partnering on a massive cleanup effort that entailed removing the contaminated soil and replacing it with clean soil on the middle school parcel, as well as 300 neighboring residential properties.

To hear Tonya Campbell, one of those property owners, tell it, the job is not finished. After an investigation showed the soil in her yard containing three times the legal limit for lead and arsenic, the LaRosa Building Group, the contractor on the soil remediation project, fixed a steel girder underneath her home because the main support beam was sinking. They repaired cracks in the kitchen wall and the rear stoop which was pulling away from her house.

That was 2015. Nine years later, the cracks in her kitchen walls are back. Another assessment revealed the support beams sagging again.

“What some don’t realize is that our foundations are cracking because of the work done to remediate the site,” she said. “When they came in with all that big equipment, it caused our foundations to crack so we ended up with more problems than we had before.”

Legislative Council member Rhonda Caldwell, whose district includes Newhall, highlighted the backlog of assessments on the damage to the properties wrought by the contractors as of Nov. 27, 29 out of roughly 300 properties had been completed as a reason to put the community campus needs on hold. She raised a motion to reallocate roughly $6.4 million originally slated for the community campus to repair the foundations. The 15-member council voted 8 – 7 to table Caldwell’s motion until the next council meeting on Dec. 16.

In a phone interview, Mayor Lauren Garrett took issue with the alleged backlog. “That’s an older number,” she said. She also maintained that the process is a lengthy one, requiring completed surveys for contact information and written permission from residents to perform the assessments.

She contended the town was not responsible for remediating the privately owned areas. “That was always handled by the Olin Corporation [formerly Winchester Repeating Arms Company] or the state,” she said. The $3.5 million set aside by the legislative council for a full engineering assessment was about “the town stepping in to make sure it was done correctly,” she said.

A number of Hamden residents, while expressing empathy via Zoom for the plight of those in Newhall, voiced support for the community center as a place that would provide safety, stability, and men-

torship, as well as job training, for youth. “The money that we have in hand should go where it’s needed, and that is to the center,” one said.

Tina Jennings-Harriott, a HNNA founding member, said the group is not opposed to a community center. “We just want our homes, where we pay taxes, where we put our hard-earned money into our mortgages each month, we want them to be repaired first,” she said.

She talked about the collateral impact of the damage. “Many of you might have been excited to hear about rain after the drought, but not us. It means we have water in our basements, and that creates mold that is unhealthy,” she said. “There are a plethora of health issues right in front of you that we have to live with day in and day out.”

For Yvonne Jones, “while the mayor is trying to build a legacy, families can’t build generational wealth, their foundations are crumbling, they can’t sell their homes, they can’t move, they can’t do anything,” she said.

Danielle Campbell, a fourth-generation Hamden resident, said her home was torn down during the clean-up because it was structurally unsound. “My great grandfather built that home for our family on polluted land that people knew was polluted,” she said. For her, “it’s not just about foundations being fixed. It’s about respect, about making sure that we, like everyone else in this town, have housing that gives their families a chance to live and thrive.”

Another long-term Hamden resident spoke about her mother’s home, which was purchased by her grandparents in 1958. Since the contaminated soil in her yard was removed and replaced with clean soil, “her basement has been full

of mold to the point where her grandson, my nephew, cannot go to school without using an asthma pump,” she said. “If you think we are going to let my nephew go to a community center steps away, you are sadly mistaken.”

Jones said that the town had not gone far enough in remediating the land on the site of the proposed community center. “You guys are going to send our children to a center built on contaminated land.” She suggested the unoccupied L.A. Fitness on Skiff Street, which is on the bus line and between the middle school and the high school, as an alternative site for the community center.

Jameson Davis, a Mount Carmel resident who attended Michael J. Whalen, recalled a game he and his classmates would play at a water foundation. “It was how long you could hold your breath because the water smelled like rotten eggs,” he said. “I’ve had classmates with all types of cancer, teachers being diagnosed with cancer.” He challenged the council “to answer the most important question, what are the current levels of contamination in the soil on that site.”

In the phone interview, Garrett characterized the residents’ contention that the center would be built on contaminated land as “absolutely false.” She cited a May 11, 2023 letter from DEEP stating that the Regional Water Authority had complied with all requirements set forth in a July 2001 order to investigate and remediate sources of pollution on properties in Newhall.

“Everyone’s assuming they know better than the Newhall residents,” said a man who described himself as a “short timer,” having lived in Hamden for 15 years. “They shouldn’t have to fight this hard for you to do the right thing.”

LISA REISMAN PHOTO

The Newhall Neighborhood Association team at Hamden Town Hall. by

The New Haven independent

Police Chief: New Contract = More Cops In Beaver Hills

by ARTHUR DELOT-VILAIN

Whalley-Edgewood-Beaver Hills neighbors should expect to see more police officers in their part of town next spring — thanks to what the police chief anticipates will be a surge in hiring due to a newly inked union contract.

Police Chief Karl Jacobson offered that message to 25 Beaver Hills residents Tuesday night at a special crime-focused town hall meeting hosted by newly elected Beaver Hills Alder Gary Hogan at the Whalley Avenue police substation. The meeting marked the second time in two months that Jacobson has come to Beaver Hills to talk with neighbors about everything from car thefts to speeding to the number of officers on the beat in District 10, which encompasses the neighborhood.

Jacobson stressed during the meeting that the new police union contract, approved by the Board of Alders in November, should be a boon for retention, recruitment, and hiring of police officers in the Elm City. That means Beaver Hills in particular, and New Haven more broadly, should expect to see more cops on the streets.

The contract “greatly affects your neighborhood,” Jacobson told the crowd on Tuesday. By March, the New Haven Police Department (NHPD) hopes to increase police presence in District 10 from two dayshift officers, two night-shift officers, and three B squad officers to three day, three night, and five B squad officers as part of a projected general staffing increase facilitated by higher pay.

“I truly believe within a year, a year and a half, we will be fully staffed,” Jacobson

ARTHUR DELOT-VILAIN PHOTO

Alder Hogan (second from left) with Beaver Hills neighbors at latest crime-focused meetup.

said. A fuller list of what the new contract entails can be found here. Jacobson also added that the new contract will prevent officers from being assigned overtime shifts when they choose to come in on days off.

In addition to Jacobson, the meeting was attended by neighborhood top cop Sgt. Jonathan Lambe, Lt. Derek Gardner, Hill Alder Evelyn Rodriguez, Board of Alders President Tyisha Walker-Myers, Board of Alders Majority Leader Richard Furlow, and Fair Haven Democratic ward co-chair Manuel Camacho, among others.

The seven major crime concerns on the table, Hogan said, were auto theft and

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break-ins; excessive speeding and reckless driving; the “Kia Boyz” hanging out the windows of stolen cars; holding parents accountable for the actions of juvenile offenders; distinguishing between fireworks and gunshots; trespassing; and package theft.

So far this year, Beaver Hills has seen a decline in motor vehicle theft compared to last year, but more than double the number of “larceny from vehicle,” a category that includes car break-ins, Jacobson told the room.

Crime in general is down citywide, Jacobson emphasized, though the Beaver

Hills-specific stat sheet he handed out showed a slight increase in violent and property crimes, alongside a decrease in shots fired and “other crimes” — a category that includes vandalism, intimidation, and simple assault. He urged residents to report even minor crimes — a process that will, he said, be made easier by the online reporting system included in the new police contract. Chief Jacobson then took questions from Hogan and other attendees about a variety of issues ranging from speeding enforcement to package theft to possibly re-forming a neighborhood block watch. Incidents of so-called “porch piracy” are hard to

track, Jacobson said, because they are not recorded separately from cases of “other larceny” — though he did float the idea of using drones to track package thieves. David Ottenstein, sitting in the front row in a flannel shirt, asked about plans for better speeding enforcement. In response, Jacobson discussed red light cameras and traffic stops, while Furlow chimed in with a possible proposal to reduce speed limits citywide — and put in further traffic calming measures like those recently added to Valley Street. A discussion ensued about the efficacy of such measures, concluding with the need to gather more data.

Throughout the meeting, Jacobson pressed the concept of “accountability” — for cops and for criminals.

“We’re not looking to go back to more arrests,” he said, “but we are looking to go back to accountability,” which might look like more orders to detain juvenile repeat offenders of motor vehicle theft, for example.

Accountability also includes officers who don’t do their jobs, Jacobson added, noting that he’d put up nine officers for firing in the last two-and-a-half years. It means an emphasis on the “concept of community policing,” which, Jacobson promised, will be easier to execute with a more fully staffed police department. Hogan told the Independent he was “pleased” about the turnout and Jacobson’s responses. “I was elected on the public safety issue,” he said, and is optimistic that there is a “path to making change.”

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The New Haven independent

My Head Start Story: A Lifetime Connection

By Maryom McCloud

My story is a series of events and opportunities that likely would not have happened if not for Head Start. We lived in the George Legare housing development in North Charleston, South Carolina. My mom had me while she was in high school. My grandmother became my primary caregiver as my mom continued her education by going to college. My grandmother enrolled me in the Mamie G. Fields Head Start, which centered me in a safe and caring environment. I loved going to school. I loved that I had a book bag just like my mom. Little did I know, while she worked to fulfill her dreams, Head Start would initiate a journey leading to my dreams, too. It’s hard sometimes to remember last week, let alone decades ago, but I have vivid memories from my time at Head Start. I remember things like eating lunch with classmates and the school’s immaculate facilities, with different areas for toys and activities. And the books! Head Start gave me my first set of books, and I fell in

Excited girls using chemistry set together in elementary science classroom

love with reading. One cemented memory is when I had to get dressed up and take pictures for a special ceremony that included “really important people” from the town who didn’t look like me, my family, or anyone in my neighborhood. That’s how my young mind understood what I would later learn to be the vestiges of racial segregation.

When it was time to move on from Head Start, my literacy and numeracy skills were advanced. Because Head Start taught my mother how to advocate for what was in my best interest educationally, she requested a meeting with the elementary school principal to discuss my beginning kindergarten, even though my birthday was after the registration cut-off. That meeting

resulted in two additional opportunities. First, I started kindergarten at four years old. Second, the school principal offered my mother a job as a substitute teacher, which was her first job with benefits. This opportunity was a significant boost for our family that could not have happened had she been unable to attend and finish her studies. Throughout my school years, I excelled. I graduated high school at 16 and started college at 17, intending to pursue an electrical and chemical engineering degree. Additional encounters and opportunities along the way helped me identify a career path in accounting instead. I’ve always been skilled with numbers and learned that finance suits me well. Not long after launching my career, I merged my aptitude for numbers with my core belief in serving others by working in the public service, governmental, and nonprofit sectors. Now, as a result, my work is challenging and fulfilling. My first job was as a director of Finance and Human Resources for a Community Action Agency, which served Head Start children and families. I have had a successful career at various governmental and nonprofit programs with Head Start in multiple regions and states for over 16 years. And, in 2020, I joined Lutheran Family Services Florida as the director of Finance–yet another opportunity to give back to Head Start. When I look at my path and my family’s, I firmly believe that Head Start had a central role in where we are today. Head Start is a catalyst for changing mindsets, leading to opportunities that change lives.

Maryom McCloud is director of finance for Lutheran Family Services Florida.

Six Culturally Relevant Holiday Books to Add to Your Gift List

These K-12 appropriate titles can foster a love of reading and help students return to school empowered and inspired.

By Quintessa Williams, Word In Black

The holiday season is more than just a break for Black K-12 students — it’s a chance to unwind and recharge after navigating a fall semester filled with challenges. Along with the normal academic pressures, students this year dealt with the weight of book bans, efforts to censor black history, the 2024 presidential election, and racist messages sent to kids after Donald Trump won.

Diving into culturally relevant reading over the holidays can be transformative for Black students. Research indicates that reading can reduce stress by 68%, surpassing other relaxation methods such as listening to music or walking. These books also celebrate Black heritage and reinforce a positive Black identity, providing a much-needed sense of belonging and empowerment.

So, whether you’re gifting one to an individual student or an entire classroom of kids, these six books are perfect for inspiring and uplifting Black K-12 students this holiday season.

For Elementary School Students

Thank you, Omu! by Oge Mora: This heartwarming tale follows Omu, an elderly woman who prepares a delicious stew with an enticing aroma that travels throughout her neighborhood. As neighbors follow the scent to her door, Omu generously shares her meal with everyone — only to find her pot empty when it’s time for her own

dinner. In a touching turn of events, the community comes together to show their gratitude by bringing her a feast. This story illustrates themes of generosity, community, and thankfulness,

— making it ideal for Black elementary students during the holidays.

The Nutcracker In Harlem by T.E. McMorrow: This retelling of the classic Nutcracker tale celebrates Black culture, jazz,

music, and the magic of the holiday season. Set in 1920s Harlem, this version follows a young girl named Marie who receives a Nutcracker doll at a Christmas party. That night, she embarks on a magical journey where toys come to life, and she discovers her own voice and confidence.

For Middle School Students:

As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds: Genie, 11, and his soon-to-be 14-year-old brother, Ernie, spend a summer with their

grandparents in rural Virginia, away from their Brooklyn home. During their stay, they learn about their family’s history, their grandfather’s blindness, and what bravery truly means. This novel for middle schoolers delves into themes of family and courage and encourages reflection and personal growth during the holiday season.

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole In the Sky: This story follows seventh-grader Tristan Strong, who is sent to his grandparents in Alabama after losing his best friend,

Eddie. While there, Tristan accidentally opens a portal to a world where African American folk heroes exist. Intertwining mythology and adventure, Tristan sets on a journey to reunite with Eddie and discover his storytelling power. This mythological fantasy is an engaging read for Black middle school students, providing them with entertainment and a deeper connection to cultural heritage.

For High School Students:

Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler: Set in a fantastical future, the novel follows Lauren Olamina, a 15-year-old Black girl who can feel others’ pain as she navigates a world plagued by social and environmental collapse. She develops a new belief system called “Earthseed” and embarks on a journey to find a safe haven. The story represents resilience, community, and the power of faith, offering Black high schoolers an inspiring read during the holidays.

The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert: On Election Day, two first-time Black teen voters, Marva and Duke, meet at the polling place to make their votes count. In a surprising turn of events, Duke is turned away, and together, he and Marva team up to ensure their votes count. In the midst, the two end up falling in love. This novel highlights the importance of civic engagement and youth activism — a timely story that encourages Black high school students to reflect on their role in society and the impact they can make.

What Do Standardized Tests Say About College Achievement?

By Annie Lennon | Stacker The Sacramento Observer

(Stacker) – Every year, millions of high schoolers prepare for the arduous process of college admissions. Most will take either the SAT or the ACT, multi-hour examinations that can feel like the climax of an epic battle students have been waging ever since they entered the halls of formal education.

But is it a battle worth fighting in the first place?

The SAT is one of the longest-standing standardized college admissions in the United States. Along with its counterpart, the ACT, these tests have been at the center of heated debates. Some say these tests only serve to reinforce racial inequities in education. Supporters of SAT and ACT scores say that they help universities understand how likely students will be to succeed in college by predicting grades, chances of graduation, and success after college.

Numerade analyzed academic research to see what standardized test scores say about academic success.

The SAT contains two sections: math and evidence-based reading and writing. Most answers are multiple-choice, but some math questions require entering an answer instead of selecting one. An optional SAT essay was discontinued in 2021, however, a small number of schools still choose to offer it.

The ACT is a little different in that it contains four sections: English, math, reading, and science. All of its questions are multiple-choice, and it has an optional writing section that may be required by some universities.

Standardized testing may be better predictors than generally supposed

In a study published in January 2024, Harvard-based research initiative Opportunity Insights, along with researchers from Brown University, Dartmouth College, and the National Bureau of Economic Research, investigated the value of standardized test scores in the college admission process. They found that SAT and ACT scores—but, surprisingly, not high school GPA scores—can better predict academic success in college. “Test scores have vastly more predictive power than is commonly understood in the popular de-

bate,” John Friedman, the lead author of the study, told The New York Times.

The study looked at students who were admitted to all eight Ivy League colleges plus Stanford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Duke, and the University of Chicago between 2017 and 2022. It found that students with perfect scores on the SAT or ACT, 1600 or 36 respectively, achieved a 0.43 point-higher first-year college GPA than students who earned SAT and ACT scores of 1200 and 25. However, students with a perfect (scaled) GPA of 4.0 in high school achieve less than a 0.1-point higher GPA in their first year of college than students with a high school GPA of 3.2.

Some have raised concerns that these standardized test scores may not show the full picture. They worry these tests could be biased against students who aren’t able to afford the additional cost of tutors or

other resources that can help them prepare for college, a question the Opportunity Insights paper also answered. Controlling for family income, race, gender, and legacy status, the study found that there was no evidence that students from higher-resource backgrounds performed better than peers from lower-resource backgrounds. In fact, their college GPAs were practically identical.

All together, the researchers concluded that standardized test scores may help highly selective colleges provide upward mobility and accept students from a wide range of backgrounds.

A history of imperfectly measuring potential

Standardized tests emerged alongside the growth of publicly funded education in the mid-1800s. As more children entered the education system, oral examinations

were replaced with standardized written tests.

The first standardized college entrance exams in the U.S. appeared with the College Entrance Examination Board in 1900, formed from 12 colleges, including Harvard University and Columbia University. SATs were introduced less than a century ago in 1926, and ACTs came in 1959. Both became staples of the college application process.

In recent years, however, some have started to doubt the efficacy of standardized tests for college applications. In May 2020, for example, the University of California decided to drop SAT/ACT scores to allow for fairer evaluation of college applications.

The COVID-19 pandemic spurred other universities to reconsider their SAT/ ACT policies too as the testing bodies were forced to close temporarily. During

this time, many colleges made test scores optional.

Since then, however, some colleges such as Dartmouth, Yale, and Brown have announced that they will once again require applications to include standardized test scores. Other colleges however, such as the University of California system, have declined to even consider these scores, while others like Emory and Vanderbilt have extended test-optional policies.

Whether or not colleges decide to include standardized test scores in their admissions process depends on views about how well they help identify the most academically prepared students.

Previous research published in October 2023 from Opportunity Insights shows that students from less advantaged backgrounds receive lower standardized test scores on average and are less likely to undergo testing than peers from higher-income families. Only a quarter of children from the bottom 20% of income distribution take the SAT or ACT versus about 80% for those in higher-income families. For those who do take the test, only 2.5% of those in the lower-income bracket score 1300 or higher versus 17% for those in the top 20%.

With the findings from the latter Opportunity Insights research, the SAT and ACT may easily be dismissed as tests only for the wealthy. However, economist David Deming, who worked on the paper, cautions against oversimplifying these exams as “wealth tests.” Doing so overlooks their capability to help administrators discover the potential in candidates regardless of background.

He argued that if SATs or ACTs were removed altogether, it might disadvantage lower-income students even more. Deming told the Harvard Gazette, “If you get rid of the SAT, as many colleges have done, what you have left is things that are also related to wealth, probably even more so. Whether you can write a persuasive college essay, whether you can have the kinds of experiences that give you high ratings for extracurricular activities and leadership; those things are incredibly related to wealth.”

Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Tim Bruns. This story originally appeared on Numerade and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.

The Future of American Education: A Call to Action

Education is the cornerstone of success, and this fundamental right must be upheld without compromise.

By Anthony Tilghman

President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to dismantle the Department of Education, a bold and contentious move that has sparked nationwide debate. His decision addresses frustrations over perceived federal overreach and alleged "woke" indoctrination in schools. Against declining academic performance, Trump envisions a comprehensive restructuring to rectify mismanagement of taxpayer funds and undue influence on the nation's youth.

During a September rally in Wisconsin, Trump reaffirmed his commitment, stating, "We will ultimately abolish the federal Department of Education." His pledge resonates with voters eager for educational reform and accountability.

The department primarily focuses on funding programs such as Title I, which aids low-income districts, and special education initiatives rather than direct instructional oversight. Critics question its overall efficacy, proposing to reallocate responsibilities to other agencies. Suggestions include shifting the student loan program to the Treasury Department, delegating Title IX enforcement to the Justice Department, and converting Title I funding into state block grants with reduced federal oversight.

Trump’s initiative reflects a broader conservative critique of federal education policy, advocating for increased local auton-

omy and reduced federal intervention. As education reform discussions intensify, the consequences of eliminating the Department of Education will shape future policy debates and electoral outcomes.

The education system faces extraordinary disruptions exacerbated by the pandemic.

Despite additional COVID funding, many students experienced alarming setbacks in core subjects, raising concerns about longterm implications.

Recent data highlights troubling trends among nine-year-olds:

• A five-point decline in reading scores in 2022, the largest drop since 1990.

• A seven-point decline in math scores, marking the first decrease in this age group for the subject.

These statistics underscore the pandemic's impact on learning, emphasizing the urgent need for effective strategies to support student recovery and ensure success. Immediate action must address both knowledge gaps and disparities worsened by the crisis. Educators and policymakers must focus on innovative solutions that ensure every student has the opportunity to thrive.

The Role of the Department of Education The U.S. Department of Education pri-

marily handles funding and policy enforcement, leaving curricular oversight to state and local governments. Key functions include:

1. Funding:

o Title I Grants: Allocates $18.4 billion annually to support low-income districts, enhancing educational equity.

o Special Education: Provides $15.5 billion yearly to assist schools in serving students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

2. Civil Rights Enforcement: o Ensures compliance with Title IX and

other civil rights laws, protecting students from discrimination based on sex, race, disability, or other factors.

3. Higher Education Oversight:

o Establishes regulations for institutions participating in federal student aid programs, overseeing the $1.6 trillion federal student loan system.

Education is a non-negotiable priority. Parents and community leaders must work to safeguard the education system. The future of our children—and the fabric of our society—depends on advocating for policies that give every student the chance to succeed.

Anthony Tilghman

Award-Winning Photojournalist, Executive Director of #MakeSmartCool Inc. www.anthonytilghman.com

Excerpt

“Education is a non-negotiable priority. Parents and community leaders must work to safeguard the education system. The future of our children—and the fabric of our society—depends on advocating for policies that give every student the chance to succeed’

Hashtags:

EducationMatters, SupportEducation, GivingTuesday, InvestInYouth, LiteracyForAll, FutureLeaders, EmpowerThroughEducation, BrighterFutures

UAB Shares Toy Safety Tips to Help Keep the Holidays Fun and Exciting

By Birmingham Times

BY HANNAH ECHOLS | UAB News

Tis the season for holiday shopping and finding that special gift for friends and family. For those buying for children, picking out the perfect toy could prevent an unwanted trip to the hospital.

In 2022, an estimated 209,500 toy-related injuries were treated in hospital emergency departments in the United States.

To keep the season fun and safe, experts from the University of Alabama at Birmingham provide tips for buying toys for kids during this gift-giving time.

PICK AGE-APPROPRIATE TOYS

“When picking out toys, parents should first consider the child’s age and look for toys that are age-appropriate,” said Candice Dye, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at UAB and Children’s of Alabama. “Most toys have age ranges and warning labels displayed on the packaging.”

Toys for younger children should be free of small parts. If older children have toys with small parts, keep them out of reach of the younger children.

FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS

Carefully reading and following assem-

bly instructions can ensure toy parts are correctly secured. This can help parents recognize any potential choking hazards, such as small removable parts. For older children who may be riding a bike or using a scooter or rollerblades, make sure they are wearing appropriate safety equipment like a helmet and knee pads, Dye says.

BE CAUTIOUS OF BATTERIES AND CORDS

Toys that make noise and/or move often contain a battery. Parents should double check that battery storage areas are secured and cannot be opened by a child.

Batteries are choking hazards, particularly small button batteries. The chemicals in a battery are dangerous for children and could cause burns.

Toys with long strings or cords are dangerous for infants and young children.

“The cords can become wrapped around an infant’s neck, causing strangulation,” Dye said. “The same could happen with ribbon you use for wrapping gifts or the string on balloons.”

If a child swallows a battery, parents should call 911 and get to the emergency department immediately.

AVOID EYE HAZARDS

Eye safety is another important factor to

consider when holiday shopping. Tamara Oechslin, O.D., Ph.D., associate professor at the UAB School of Optometry, recommends being cautious around toys with small parts, sharp edges, and projectile or moving parts.

Oechslin suggests opting for toys that help hand-eye coordination and visual development. She suggests avoiding screens as prolonged exposure can cause eye fatigue, eye irritation and headaches due to the increased demand on the visual system and the tendency to blink less while using them.

“There are many toys for all ages levels that are good for developing eye-hand coordination and perceptual development — think sports-related, puzzles, blocks, anything that requires pattern recognition. Others can include crafts and creative visualization,” Oechslin said.

If a child sustains an eye injury from toys or presents, parents should contact their family eye care professional. If a foreign body is in the eye, it may be best to leave it for a professional to remove so that further damage does not occur. Even if it is a hit to the eye, such as with a ball or other blunt object, an eye injury should be taken seriously as there may be internal damage that is not initially obvious.

Taking a few extra steps to pick appropriate toys for children can help keep everyone safe, and at home, during the holiday season. (UAB)

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White and Black Activists Worked Strategically in Parallel in Detroit 50 Years Ago, Fighting for Civil Rights

by Say Burgin, Dickinson College

Since the murder of George Floyd in 2020, some White people have been wondering how they can work with Black people to fight racial inequality.

As a history professor who studies social movements, I know this is not a new question. In the 1960s, civil rights activists deliberated how to channel White support for racial equality.

These conversations took place in cities across the country. In Detroit, White residents responded with particular enthusiasm. There, as I documented in my 2024 book, their joint deliberations led to a strategic innovation in organizing that became foundational to Black Power.

A new strategy

For some civil rights activists, like the late Georgia U.S. Rep. John Lewis, interracial organizing seemed like the best tactic.

The organization that he began leading in 1963, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, had always been Black-led. But it also included White activists who did community organizing or office tasks alongside Black workers.

For Lewis, when White and Black activists worked together, they represented the kind of integrated society they were fighting for.

The Civil Rights Movement, Lewis said in 1988, offered “the only real and true integration that existed in American society.”

Yet, interracial organizing, as I document in my book, had obvious limitations. White activists often assumed they knew best, and that stymied the development of local Black leadership. Moreover, as historians including myself have docu-

mented, law enforcement and some local White communities responded violently as they watched White and Black activists organizing side by side.

Michigan National Guardsmen push rioters back from a burning building on Detroit’s west side, on July 26, 1967. Bettmann

The story of Detroit’s chapter of the Northern Student Movement illustrates the problems associated with interracial organizing.

The group was founded in New York in the early 1960s by an interracial mix of college students who wanted to challenge Northern Jim Crow. This system of racial oppression was characterized by overpolicing of Black neighborhoods, unequal treatment in the courts, segregated and underfunded schools for Black children, and employment discrimination.

In the spring of 1964, as I note in my book, the organization realized that White women faced difficulties when they went door-to-door talking to community members in Black urban areas as part of the group’s organizing efforts. These incidents suggested that interracial organizing was hindered by both gender relations and White people’s unfamiliarity with Black communities.

This discovery prompted the Northern Student Movement to enact a division of labor segregated by race and gender. In all the movement’s projects, White women were directed away from organizing in Black neighborhoods.

Then, in 1965, the group’s Detroit chapter became embroiled in a controversial campaign that prompted it to racially divide movement work even further.

In March, a White shop owner on Detroit’s west side killed a 20-year-old Black man named John Christian. Christian tried to

intervene when the shop owner accused a child of stealing a 12-cent cake, and the shopkeeper shot Christian.

The Wayne County prosecutor refused to bring charges for the killing. In response, Detroit’s Black community began boycotting the shop and organized a campaign to have the shopkeeper arrested.

The Northern Student Movement quickly joined the effort. But, as I note in my book, some White members in Detroit weren’t sure of the boycott’s moral righteousness. They were used to backing boycotts of racist Jim Crow laws in the South – not in the North. Other White members of the group took on the task of convincing their White peers that the Detroit boycott was the right move. These members knew they needed to enlarge White support for the campaign to succeed.

Meanwhile, the boycotters were being arrested, spuriously charged with conspiracy and given high bails. The government’s weaponization of the legal system convinced many activists that if a critical mass of White people vocally supported Black liberation, it could better protect Black activists.

A strategy began to take shape in the Northern Student Movement. Black activists would toil away at the main movement work of community organizing in Black areas and developing local leadership. White activists would organize in White areas and institutions, showing White people the pressing problems of racial inequalities and building support for civil rights.

I call this innovation racially parallel organizing. As local Black organizer Dorothy Dewberry said, it asked White people to “begin to work in their own communities.”

Racially parallel organizing in practice

The Northern Student Movement became the first group to make racially parallel organizing its official strategy. In 1965, it asked its White members in Detroit to form a parallel group, which became known as People Against Racism.

People Against Racism worked with Black-led groups across Detroit to fight such Northern Jim Crow problems as unequal education and police brutality.

For example, when Black high school students led a walkout in 1966 to demand the ouster of a school police officer and a more rigorous education, People Against Racism helped run an alternative “freedom school” for the boycotting students to attend while they fought to improve their public school.

People Against Racism boosted its ranks after Detroit in 1967 experienced one of the deadliest racial uprisings of the decade. Suddenly, more White people wanted to understand why Black people were rebelling — and how they could address their problems.

The group’s leadership ushered them into racially parallel organizing.

For instance, People Against Racism helped to reorient a Christian group called Detroit Industrial Mission, which had consulted with industry managers in Detroit industries for years, to address racial inequalities in employment. The group took cues from People Against Racism as it developed “new White consciousness” and “new Black consciousness” trainings to confront the nearly all-White world of industrial management in Detroit. The group helped numerous companies, including Detroit Edison and parts manufacturer Borg & Beck, establish affirmative action programs to increase Black

hiring.

A path for White supporters of Black freedom

Then, in 1970, members of the Detroit Industrial Mission and People Against Racism, along with other groups, teamed up to found a group that represented the height of racially parallel organizing in Detroit.

The Motor City Labor League was the White parallel to Detroit’s most important Black Power group, the League of Revolutionary Black Workers, a Marxist-inspired organization that sought to wage a race-conscious class struggle in Detroit industries. The Motor City Labor League, in turn, was tasked with mobilizing White communities near the League of Revolutionary Black Workers’ main base in Detroit’s Chrysler plants.

The group splintered due to infighting in 1972 but had some success in its short lifespan. For instance, the league helped White residents near one plant to see how Chrysler’s pollution harmed both them and the plant’s mostly Black workforce. More importantly, racially parallel organizing set a clear path for White supporters of Black freedom. My research shows that in Detroit, its impacts were felt in boardrooms, factory floors, Sunday sermons, suburban neighborhoods and public-school curricula.

The genius of the strategy was that it could be practiced anywhere that White people lived, worked and worshipped. It was replicated and practiced all over the country.

More than 50 years later, it can still speak to anti-racist activists as the struggle for racial equality continues.

First

Black Director of U.S. Mint Makes History with Limited-Edition Harriet Tubman Commemorative Silver and Gold Coins Available

Until December 31st by BlackNews.com

The Young Women’s Financial Wellness Forum event in the New York Stock Exchange’s Freedom Hall on December 11th will celebrate Harriet Tubman, well timed with the holiday season and the final month to purchase the limited-edition Harriet Tubman Commemorative Coins.

Hosted by Seneca Women, a global women’s leadership platform, in partnership with the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, the event promotes financial literacy and wellness for young women. Together, they will reflect on Harriet Tubman’s legacy and relevance today and the significance of the coin related to leadership and financial education.

As part of the Young Women’s Financial Wellness Forum, symbolizing the start of a new era of financial empowerment for young women, attendees will include girls from local schools and nonprofits across the New York City area, including the Girl Scouts. Other attendees will be financial experts and leaders from women’s advocacy and professional groups, emphasizing the importance of equipping girls with tools for financial independence and success.

“How inspiring it is to recognize Harriet Tubman, an icon of vision, strength, and leadership,” said U.S. Mint Director Ventris Gibson, “and on the same street where the people she led to freedom were once auctioned as slaves just blocks away.”

At long last, these commemorative coins enshrine Harriet among our nation’s pantheon of heroes,” said Woodrow Keown, Jr., President & COO of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. “The coin collection is a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity to continue her story and to support two organizations that are similarly lighting the way and conducting people toward freedom at a critical moment in our nation’s history.”

“Harriet Tubman has been an inspiration to so many people over the centuries,”

said Sharon Bowen, Chair of the NYSE and partner at Seneca Women. “To young women, she stands for taking charge of your life no matter the circumstances and using whatever resources you have to build a better world.”

Harriet Tubman’s life is a testament to the relentless pursuit of justice and equity. From leading over 70 enslaved people to freedom as a conductor on the Underground Railroad to serving as a nurse, Union spy, and the first woman to lead an armed military expedition during the Civ-

il War, Tubman’s legacy is one of courage and determination. Surcharges from the sale of each coin (added to its face value) support two important nonprofits, including the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, which contribute to the mission for justice and equity. The Harriet Tubman Commemorative Coins capture three defining moments of Tubman’s life:

• The Silver Dollar Coin: Portrays Tubman as a fearless conductor on the Underground Railroad, extending her hand in a gesture of empowerment.

• The Half-Dollar Coin: Reflects Tubman’s service during the Civil War, featuring her with a spyglass in hand, symbolizing her role in scouting and strategizing for the Union Army.

• The $5 Gold Coin: Depicts Tubman in her later years, looking confidently into the future, representing her lifelong commitment to faith, freedom, and equality. The Harriet Tubman Commemorative Coins are available for purchase now through December 31, 2024, while supplies last. The collection can be purchased as a set or as individual coins. Visit https:// catalog.usmint.gov/HarrietTubman to secure your piece of history today.

The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center opened in August 2004 on the banks of the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Since then, more than 1.3 million people have visited its permanent and changing exhibits and public programs, inspiring everyone to take courageous steps for freedom. Two million people have utilized educational resources online at FreedomCenter. org, working to connect the lessons of the Underground Railroad to inform and inspire today’s global and local fight for freedom. Partnerships include Historians Against Slavery, Polaris Project, Free the Slaves, the US Department of State, and the International Justice Mission. In 2014, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center launched a new online resource in the fight against modern slavery, EndSlaveryNow.org.

Congress Honors Shirley Chisholm with Congressional Gold Medal for Trailblazing Legacy

In 1972, she made history as the first Black candidate and the first woman to seek the Democratic presidential nomination.

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) and Representative Barbara Lee (D-Calif.-12) announced the passage of bipartisan legislation awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the late Shirley Chisholm, a pioneer in American politics and the first Black woman elected to Congress in 1968. The Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act will now head to President Joe Biden for his signature.

The bill, introduced in the Senate by Senators Butler and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and in the House by Rep. Lee, received widespread bipartisan support. The legislation recognizes Chisholm’s extraordinary contributions to American society, including her advocacy for racial and gender equity, low-income communities, and her historic 1972 presidential campaign.

“Shirley Chisholm’s courageous leadership opened doors for countless others and redefined what was possible in American politics,” said Butler. “This medal is

a tribute to her unwavering dedication to justice and equality.”

Lee, a protégé of Chisholm, spoke eloquently about the significance of the honor. “As the first Black woman elected to Congress and the first to run for president from a major party, Shirley Chisholm’s legacy is unparalleled. Her motto, ‘Unbought and Unbossed,’ continues to in-

spire leaders today,” Lee said.

During her seven terms representing New York’s 12th Congressional District, Chisholm introduced more than 50 pieces of legislation and was a vocal advocate against the Vietnam War. In 1972, she made history as the first Black candidate and the first woman to seek the Democratic presidential nomination. Though

her campaign faced significant barriers, including exclusion from televised debates, Chisholm’s run was a symbolic act to pave the way for future diverse candidates.

“I ran because someone had to do it first,” Chisholm wrote in her book, The Good Fight. “The door is not open yet, but it is ajar.”

Chisholm’s legacy was recalled in New York, where officials recently commemorated her 100th birthday on November 30. Vice President Kamala Harris, whose historic 2024 presidential bid followed in Chisholm’s footsteps, routinely paid homage to Chisholm. “So many of us stand on her broad shoulders,” Harris said. “Let us continue to speak truth to power and fight for equality and justice for all.”

The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest honor Congress bestows, and Chisholm’s recognition follows her posthumous receipt of the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2015. Senators and representatives across party lines lauded the

legislation, with Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) calling Chisholm “an inspiration for millions” and Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) highlighting her role as a “catalyst for progress.”

Chisholm’s life began in Brooklyn, New York, where she was born Shirley Anita St. Hill on November 30, 1924. She graduated cum laude from Brooklyn College and earned a master’s degree from Columbia University while working as an early childhood educator. Her political career began in 1964 with her election to the New York State Legislature, followed by her historic win in Congress four years later.

“Shirley Chisholm was a fighter who shattered glass ceilings and inspired generations,” said Warnock. “Her life’s work reminds us of the power of representation and the need to continue her fight for equity.”

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., of which Chisholm was a member, expressed pride in her legacy. “Her unbought and unbossed spirit guides our work today,” said Elsie Cooke-Holmes, the sorority’s international president.

Democratic Women Legislators Forge Historic Resistance as GOP Takes Federal Control

The legislators, many in leadership roles, will spearhead resistance efforts while shaping the Democratic Party’s future leadership pipeline.

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

In a historic shift following the 2024 elections, a record-breaking number of Democratic women will serve in state legislatures starting in 2025, solidifying state-level Democratic power amid a looming federal Republican trifecta under the incoming Trump administration. The legislators, many in leadership roles, will spearhead resistance efforts while shaping the Democratic Party’s future leadership pipeline.

State legislatures, widely recognized as the bedrock of American governance, now host 1,584 Democratic women lawmakers, outnumbering their Republican counterparts by nearly two-to-one. Women will hold roughly one-third of legislative seats nationwide, with at least 19

states increasing the total representation of women. The milestone marks a stark contrast to Congress, where the number of women legislators has declined for the first time since 2016.

Notably, Democratic women will serve as House speakers in eight states, including Hawaii, which will see its first woman in this role. Additionally, for the first time in U.S. history, three states will boast majority-women Democratic legislatures.

Nearly 100 women will hold senior leadership positions, emphasizing their growing influence on state-level governance.

Officials said the victories reflect the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee’s (DLCC) commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion within state governments. The DLCC said it repeatedly has underscored the importance of electing women to counter the incoming administration’s policies, which critics

warn could jeopardize economic opportunities, reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ protections, education, and climate progress

under Project 2025.

“Electing a record number of women to state legislatures couldn’t come at a more

impactful time,” said DLCC Interim Communications Director Sam Paisley.

“Project 2025 and the incoming Trump administration dangerously target women and minorities, and states will represent the most powerful counterbalance to stop the MAGA hate from becoming the law of the land. Women deserve a seat at the table at all levels of government, and their growing numbers in state legislatures will impact policy today while building a strong pipeline of future leaders.”

With Democratic women now leading in eight state Houses and holding pivotal roles in nearly 100 legislative leadership positions, the DLCC said it plans to leverage their presence as a critical firewall against what it describes as threats posed by a federal GOP-dominated government. “The work we’ve done ensures a powerful and diverse firewall is present in the states,” Paisley added.

Town of Bloomfield

AVISO DE AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA PARA

LA AUTORIDAD DE VIVIENDA DE NEW HAVEN (ECC/HANH)

Salary Range:

Dispatcher.

REVISED VERSION

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR

Job Posting: Construction Project Coordinator

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

INFORME ANUAL DE TRABAJO (MTW) DEL AÑO FISCAL 2024

Position: Construction Project Coordinator

Location: East Granby, CT

La Sección II y la Sección VII del Acuerdo de Trabajo de la Autoridad {el "Acuerdo") exige que antes de que la Agencia pueda presentar su Plan y Informe Anual de Trabajo Aprobado al Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano de los EE. UU. (el "HUD"), debe realizar una audiencia pública, considerar los comentarios del público sobre las enmiendas propuestas, obtener la aprobación de la Junta de Comisionados y presentar las enmiendas al HUD.

Job Summary:

Company: Galasso Materials LLC

Job Type: Full-time

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.

El período de comentarios de treinta (30) días comienza el viernes 1 de noviembre de 2024 y finaliza el sábado 30 de noviembre de 2024. Se pondrán a disposición copias del Informe Moving to Work (MTW) del año fiscal 2024 en el sitio web de la agencia www.elmcitycommunities.org o a través de Twitter, www.twitter.com/ECCommunities o a través de Facebook www.facebook.com/ElmCityCommunities.

NOTICIA

$87,727 to $136,071

Deputy Finance Director/Controller

Pre-employment drug testing. AA/EOE.

For Details go to  www.bloomfieldct.org

THE ELM CITYCOMMUNITIES, HOUSING AUTHORITY OF NEW HAVEN (ECC/HANH) MOVING TO WORK (MTW) FY2024 ANNUAL REPORT

We are seeking a detail-oriented and motivated Construction Project Coordinator to join our team. In this role, you will play a critical part in ensuring efficient project management by tracking job productivity, reviewing contracts and timesheets, conducting field measurements, and verifying material quantities. The ideal candidate will have strong communication skills and a collaborative approach, working closely with both field and office personnel to ensure accurate billing summaries and project progress.

Se le invita a enviar comentarios por escrito dirigidos a: ECC/HANH, Moving to Work FY2024 Annual Report, Attn: Evelise Ribeiro, 360 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06511 o por correo electrónico a: eribeiro@elmcitycommunities.org.

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

Responsibilities:

De conformidad con las Secciones II y VII mencionadas, se ha programado una audiencia pública en la que se aceptarán y registrarán los comentarios públicos para el lunes 25 de noviembre de 2024 a las 3:00 p. m. a través de RingCentral: https://v.ringcentral. com/join/185686287?pw=d7db4e4f735df6289ed5adfb24f3f113

• Job Productivity Tracking: Monitor project timelines and productivity metrics to ensure project goals are met.

ID de la reunión: 185686287

QSR STEEL CORPORATION

APPLY NOW!

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders

Top pay for top performers. Health Benefits, 401K, Vacation Pay.

Contraseña: yaw6Zk28PK

• Contract Review: Assist in reviewing project contracts to ensure accuracy, compliance, and alignment with project goals.

O marque:

+12679304000 Estados Unidos (Filadelfia, PA)

Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT

• Timesheet Review: Oversee and review timesheets, ensuring accurate reporting of work hours for field personnel.

Código de acceso/ID de la reunión: 185686287

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 .

• Field Measurements: Conduct accurate field measurements to support project planning, budgeting, and resource allocation.

Construction

Contraseña de acceso telefónico: 9296952875

Números internacionales disponibles: https://v.ringcentral.com/teleconference

• Material Quantities Confirmation: Verify that material quantities align with project needs and orders.

• Billing Summaries: Prepare detailed billing summaries for client invoicing, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.

Cualquier persona que requiera una adaptación razonable para participar en la audiencia puede llamar al Gerente de adaptaciones razonables (203) 498-8800, ext. 1506 o al número TDD (203) 497-8434.mber (203) 497-8434.

NEW HAVEN

• Collaboration: Work closely with field personnel to gather project updates and ensure alignment on timelines. Collaborate with office personnel on project documentation, reporting, and billing.

242-258 Fairmont Ave

Qualifications:

2BR Townhouse, 1.5 BA, 3BR, 1 level , 1BA

Listing: Mechanic

• Experience in the construction industry, with a focus on project coordination or related roles.

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 highways, near bus stop & shopping center

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.

Immediate opening for a full-time mechanic; maintenance to be done on commercial diesel trucks and trailers. A valid driver’s license is required in order to run company errands efficiently and safely. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email hrdept@eastriverenergy.com

• Proficiency in project management software and MS Office Suite.

Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258

• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

***An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, including disabled and veterans***

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Why Join Us?

Continuum of Care, New Haven, Connecticut –

• Competitive salary and benefits package.

• Opportunity to work with a dynamic and supportive team.

CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:303:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. (203) 996-4517 Host,General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor ofPitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster St. New Haven, CT

LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID

• Career growth and development opportunities within the company.

If you are an organized, detail-oriented professional with a passion for construction and project management, we encourage you to apply!

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

To Apply: Please send your resume and a brief cover letter to KLamontagne@galassomaterials.com

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.

Galasso Materials LLC is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and encourages applications from all qualified individuals. We are an affirmative action equal-opportunity employer.

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.

LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID: CONTINUUM OF CARE, NEW HAVEN is requesting licensed and insured contractor bids for their property located at 979 Quinnipiac Avenue, New Haven. Complete first floor kitchen renovation. Scope to include new kitchen layout. Owner to supply new cabinets. Scope to also include new flooring of area. Job also includes complete first floor bathroom renovation. This includes a complete gut (down to studs) of the bathroom. Environmental testing will be conducted by the owner. Scope includes supplying and installing new step in shower stall, vanity, toilet, tile flooring and wall finishes, tile 4ft wainscot is desired, lighting, grab bars by toilet and showers, exhaust fan with motion sensor, and baseboard heating. The scope of work to include floor drain for the bathroom. Scope to include replacement of existing windows, entry doors. Owner to select tile style, colors, and style of faucets and light fixtures. Further detailed information will be given on the scheduled site visit. GC price should include dumpster and permit feeds. Minority/women’s business enterprises are encouraged to apply. A bidding site meeting will be held at 979 Quinnipiac Avenue, New Haven on 11/22/2024 at 1pm. All bids are due by 12/6/2024 at 10 am. All bids, W9, work scope timeline and copy of license and questions should be submitted in writing to Monica O’Connor via email moconnor@continuumct.org or delivered to 109 Legion Avenue, New Haven.

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 hourly rate for this position is $ $28.67. Candidate must possess High School diploma or GED, successfully pass background investigation and fingerprinting, pass a psychological exam and physical exam including a drug screening test as well as have the ability to distinguish and identify different colors and pass a hearing test. Must possess good computer skills, have the ability to learn new computer updates and systems as they are implemented and obtain and maintain State of Connecticut Telecommunication Certification. Must become trained in Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD). Additional Preferred Qualifications: Ability to speak and understand Spanish, demonstrated knowledge of local geography, Emergency Medical Technician, previous dispatch/police/fire experience, previous NCIC/ Collect/911 experience and certified in ProQA. Please apply atwww.PoliceApp.com/ EastHavenCT. The deadline to apply is January 31, 2025.

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

Section II and Section VII of the Authority's Moving to Work Agreement {the "Agreement") requires that before the Agency can file its Approved Annual Moving to Work Report and Report to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (the "HUD") that it must conduct a public hearing, consider comments from the public on the proposed amendments, obtain approval from the Board of Commissioners, and submit the amendments to HUD.

The Town of East Haven is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Minorities, Females, Veterans and Handicapped are encouraged to apply.

Andrea M. Liquori

Chief Examiner

Civil Service Commission

250 Main Street East Haven CT 06512 (203)468-3375

The thirty (30) days comment period begins on Friday, November 1, 2024 to Saturday, November 30, 2024 and copies of the Moving to Work (MTW) FY2024 Report, will be made available on the agency website www.elmcitycommunities.org or via Twitter, www.twitter.com/ECCommunities or via Facebook www.facebook.com/ElmCityCommunities.

You are invited to provide written comments addressed to: ECC/HANH, Moving to Work FY2024 Annual Report, Attn: Evelise Ribeiro, 360 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06511 or via email to: eribeiro@elmcitycommunities.org.

ATTENTION STEEL TRADE SUBCONTRACTORS AND IRONWORKERS.

Meeting ID: 185686287

Password: yaw6Zk28PK

Or dial:

+12679304000 United States (Philadelphia, PA)

Access Code / Meeting ID: 185686287

Dial-in password: 9296952875

Eastern Metal Works is actively seeking bids and employment applications for the Steel Point project in Bridgeport, CT. SWMBE businesses, minorities and local residents are encouraged to apply. To request bid documents or employment applications, please contact EMW at mchernesky@easternmetalworks.com. Bids and applications must be received before January 15, 2025 Eastern Metal Works is an Equal Opportunity Employer

International numbers available: https://v.ringcentral.com/teleconference

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice

Any individual requiring a Reasonable Accommodation to participate in the hearing may call the Reasonable Accommodation Manager (203) 498-8800, ext. 1506 or at the TDD Number (203) 497-8434.

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units) Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, Castin-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements.

Pursuant to said Sections II and VII), a public hearing where public comments will be accepted and recorded is scheduled for Monday, November 25, 2024 at 3:00pm via RingCentral: https://v.ringcentral.com/join/185686287?pw=d7db4e4f735df6289ed5ad fb24f3f113

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016

Listing: Service Supervisor

Galasso Materials is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016

Project documents available via ftp link below: http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage

HVAC department in a Petroleum Company has an opening for a full time Service Supervisor. Candidate must possess a technical school certificate in heating, ventilation, air conditioning, oil, propane and natural gas. Must have a S1 or S2 license. 20+ years of experience required. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email HRDept@eastriverenergy.com **An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, including Disabled and Veterans**

Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com

HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses Haynes

Listing: HVAC Installer/Technician

The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities is currently seeking Bids for Window Glass/Screen Repair & Replacement Services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at 3:00PM.

Galasso Materials LLC, a quarry and paving contractor, has positions open for the upcoming construction season. We are seeking candidates for a variety of positions, including: Scalehouse Dispatcher/ Equipment Operators and Laborers. NO PHONE CALLS. Please email resume and cover letter to “Hiring Manager”, Galasso Materials LLC, PO Box 1776, East Granby CT 06026.

HVAC department has openings for experienced, full time, installers for mechanical systems. Trade license and 3-5 years of experience preferred. Benefits, 401k, Paid Time Off, Company Vehicle. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email HRDept@eastriverenergy.com

**An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, including Disabled and Veterans**

Management Group, Co. Is currently seeking bids for Agency Wide Plumbing Services & Preventative Maintenance. A complete copy of the requirements may be obtained from 360 Management Group’s vendor Collaboration Portal. https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Monday, September 23, 2024, at 3:00 PM.

Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator (Attendant II)

NOTICE

Invitation to Bid:

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

Renovation / Modernization.

Scattered Site: Garden, Martin & Nelson Streets Hartford, CT 9 RES. BLDGS + 1 CB, 78 Units

360 MANAGEMENT GROUP, CO.

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF NORWALK, CT IS REQUESTING PROPOSALS FOR INSURANCE AND BENEFITS BROKERAGE SERVICES FOR HEALTH (Medical, Dental and Vision) BENEFITS.

The Town of Wallingford Sewer Division is seeking qualified applicants to perform skilled duties associated with the operation and maintenance of its modern, upgraded Class IV wastewater treatment facility. Applicants should possess a H.S. diploma or equivalent, plus possess a State of Connecticut DEEP Class II Operator or higher, or a Class II Operator-in-Training or higher certification. Must possess and maintain a valid State of Connecticut Driver’s License. Wages: $28.44 to $33.89 hourly plus on-call pay when assigned. The Town offers an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, paid sick and vacation time, individual and family medical insurance, life insurance, 13 paid holidays, and deferred compensation plan. To apply online by the closing date of November 26, 2024, please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

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.

Project Documents include but not limited to: Sitework, landscaping, asphalt paving, repair and sealing, selective site demolition, fencing, concrete, masonry, misc metals, rough carpentry, finish carpentry, roofing, doors, frames and hardware labor and material, gypsum board, flooring, painting, manufactured casework, window blinds, fire suppression, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, windows, residential equipment / appliances, sanitary facilities and final cleaning.

Bid Due Date: 1/30/25 @ 3pm Project is Tax Exempt. No Wage Rates. If you have not already received a bid from us and would like to bid, please email Taylor your business & contact information, she will add you to Procore and send you the ITB. Email Questions & Bids to: Taylor Els tels@haynesct.com

NOTICIA

ELECTRIC UTILITY DISTRIBUTION SUPERINTENDENT

This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements.

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

TO OBTAIN A COMPLETE COPY OF THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENTS, CONTACT GUILLERMO BENDANA, PROCUREMENT SPECIALIST AT GBENDA@NORWALKHA.ORG PROPOSALS ARE DUE AT 5:00 P.M. ON 11/25/2024.

NORWALK HOUSING IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. ADAM BOVILSKY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

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

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

Continuum of Care, New Haven, Connecticut –LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID

NEW HAVEN

242-258 Fairmont Ave

2BR Townhouse, 1.5 BA, 3BR, 1 level , 1BA

The Town of Wallingford is offering an excellent career opportunity for a strong manager and leader in the electric utility industry to oversee the construction, operation, and maintenance of the electric transmission and distribution systems and related facilities of the Town’s Electric Division. This highly reliable municipally-owned electric utility, located 10 miles from New Haven, CT, serves 25,000 customers in a 50+ square mile distribution area with a peak demand of 130 MW with an excellent rate structure. Applicants should possess 8 years of progressively responsible experience in electric utility distribution construction, maintenance, and operations which includes at least 4 years of experience as a supervisor, plus a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering (power), or an equivalent combination of education and qualifying experience substituting on a year-for-year basis. Must possess, or obtain within 12 months of hire and maintain ESOP-100 Switching and Tagging qualifications. Must possess and maintain a valid State of Connecticut Driver’s License. Salary: $119,632 to $149,540 annually plus on-call stipend when required. The Town offers an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, paid sick and vacation time, individual and family medical insurance, life insurance, 13 paid holidays, and deferred compensation plan. To apply online by the closing date of November 22, 2024, please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

State law requires a minimum of (25%) percent of the state-funded portion of thetract for award to subcontractors holding current certification from the CT Dept of Admin Services (“DAS”) under the provisions of CONN. GEN. STAT. § 4a-60g. (25% of the work with DAS certified Small & Minority owned businesses and 25% of that work with DAS certified Minority, Women and/or Disabled owned businesses.)

All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 highways, near bus stop & shopping center

Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258

LEGAL NOTICE

POLICE OFFICER City of Bristol

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice

$75,636 - $91,939/yr. Required testing, general info, and apply online: www.bristolct.gov

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units) Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

#024-02: ON-CALL GRANT SERVICES

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID: CONTINUUM OF CARE, NEW HAVEN is requesting licensed and insured contractor bids for their property located at 599 Howard Avenue, New Haven. Complete first floor kitchen renovation with new layout. Owner to supply new cabinets, granite counter (will be installed by supplier), and appliances. Work Scope to include new flooring of area, new lighting, new plumbing. Scope to include replacement of one window and removal of two separate windows, and replacement of entry door. The owner will select flooring (commercial vinyl), paint color, and style of faucets and light fixtures but include contingency for this. The proposal must include contingency for unforeseen conditions. Further detailed information will be given on the scheduled site visit. Environmental testing will be conducted by the owner. GC price should include dumpster and permit feeds. Minority/women’s business enterprises are encouraged to apply. A bidding site meeting will be held at 599 Howard Avenue, New Haven on 12/18/2024 at 1pm. All bids are due by 12/27/2024 at 3pm. All bids, W9, work scope timeline and copy of license and questions should be submitted in writing to Monica O’Connor via email moconnor@continuumct.org or delivered to 109 Legion Avenue, New Haven.

SCRCOG’s Regional Purchasing Consortium is accepting sealed Request for Qualifications for:

CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:303:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. (203) 996-4517 Host,General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor ofPitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster St. New Haven, CT

The South Central Regional Council of Governments (“SCRCOG”) will be accepting sealed Qualifications for On-Call Grant Services. SCRCOG is seeking proposals to provide “On-Call” services to all fifteen municipalities in the region. Disciplines include, but are not limited to, grant management and comprehensive technical assistance, grant writing, strategic grant planning, and other disciplines. Disadvantaged, minority, small, and women-owned business enterprises are encouraged to respond.

DEADLINE: 01-03-25 EOE

New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, Castin-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements.

ATTENTION STEEL TRADE SUBCONTRACTORS AND IRONWORKERS.

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.

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016

Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016

Project documents available via ftp link below: http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage

The complete request for qualification (“RFQ”) document can be obtained on the SCRCOG website, www.scrcog.org/ RFQs shall be submitted in the manner specified to the SCRCOG Regional Purchasing Consortium, 127 Washington Avenue, 4th Floor West, North Haven, CT 06473 until 12:00 P.M. local, eastern standard time on Monday, December 23rd, 2024

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.

Eastern Metal Works is actively seeking bids and employment applications for the Steel Point project in Bridgeport, CT. SWMBE businesses, minorities and local residents are encouraged to apply.

To request bid documents or employment applications, please contact EMW at mchernesky@easternmetalworks.com.

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

Bids and applications must be received before January 15, 2025

For questions concerning this RFQ, contact Brendon Dukett, Municipal Services Coordinator at bdukett@scrcog.org. SCRCOG is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

Eastern Metal Works is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3

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

a CT based construction firm, has an immediate opening for a Project Accountant. This role is crucial in managing financial records, ensuring the accuracy of project costs, and supporting our accounting functions tailored to the construction sector. The ideal candidate will have experience in construction accounting and a strong understanding of project-based financial management. Minimum of 5 years or equivalent experience. Fax

8 Warning Signs of Health Problems in Your Aging Parents

by BlackMatters.com

When you visit your aging parents, start by considering these questions:

1. Are your parents able to take care of themselves? Pay attention to your parents’ appearance. Failure to keep up with daily routines—such as bathing and brushing teeth—could indicate dementia, depression or physical impairments. Also pay attention to your parents’ home. Are the lights working? Is the heat on? Is the yard overgrown? Any changes in the way your parents do things around the house could provide clues to their health. For example, scorched pots could mean your parents are forgetting about food cooking on the stove. Issues such as failing to pay bills, having problems shopping and neglecting housework also might be signs of depression, dementia or other concerns.

2. Are your parents experiencing memory loss? Everyone forgets things from time to time. Modest memory problems are a fairly common part of aging, and sometimes medication side effects or underlying conditions contribute to memory loss.

There’s a difference, though, between normal changes in memory and the type of memory loss that makes it hard to do everyday things such as driving and shopping. Signs of this type of memory loss might include:

• Asking the same questions over and over again

• Getting lost in familiar places

• Not being able to follow instructions

• Becoming confused about time, people and places

3. Are your parents safe in their home? Take a look around your parents’ home, keeping an eye out for any red flags. Do your parents have difficulty navigating a

narrow stairway? Has either parent fallen recently? Are they able to read directions on medication containers? When asked, can your parents explain how they set up or take their medications?

4. Are your parents safe on the road? Driving can be challenging for older adults. If your parents become confused while driving or you’re concerned about their ability to drive safely—especially if they have experienced a moving violation or an accident—it might be time to stop driving.

5. Have your parents lost weight? Losing weight without trying could be a sign that something’s wrong. Weight loss could be related to many factors, including:

• Difficulty cooking. Your parents might be having difficulty finding the energy to cook, grasping the necessary tools, or reading labels or directions on food products.

• Loss of taste or smell. Your parents might not be interested in eating if food doesn’t taste or smell as good as it used to.

• Social issues. Aging parents might have difficulty shopping or have financial concerns that limit buying groceries.

• Underlying conditions. Sometimes weight loss indicates a serious underlying condition, such as malnutrition, dementia, depression or cancer.

6. Are your parents in good spirits? Note your parents’ moods and ask how they’re feeling. A drastically different mood or outlook could be a sign of depression or other health concerns.

7. Are your parents still social? Talk to your parents about their activities. Are they connecting with friends? Have they maintained interest in hobbies and other daily activities? Are they involved in organizations, clubs or faith-based commu-

As your parents get older, how can you be sure they’re taking care of themselves and staying healthy?

nities? If a parent gives up on being with others, it could be a sign of a problem.

8. Are your parents able to get around? Pay attention to how your parents walk. Are they reluctant or unable to walk usual distances? Have they fallen recently? Would a cane or walker help? Issues such as muscle weakness and joint pain can make it difficult to move around as well. If your parents are unsteady on their feet, they might be at risk of falling—a major cause of disability among older adults.

Taking action

There are many steps you can take to ensure your aging parents’ health and well-being, even if you don’t live nearby.

Try to:

• Share your concerns. Talk to your parents. Your concern might motivate them to see a doctor or make other changes.

Consider including other people who care about your parents in the conversation, such as close friends.

• Encourage regular medical checkups. If you’re worried about a parent’s weight loss, depressed mood, memory loss, or other signs and symptoms, encourage your parent to schedule a doctor’s visit. You might offer to schedule the visit or to accompany your parent to a health care provider—or to find someone else to attend the visit. Ask about follow-up visits as well.

• Address safety issues. Point out any potential safety issues to your parents— then make a plan to address the problems.

For example, a higher toilet seat or handrails in the bathroom might help prevent falls. If your parents are no longer able to drive safely, suggest other transportation

options—such as taking the bus, using a car or van service, or hiring a driver.

• Consider home care services. You could hire someone to clean the house and run errands. But discuss this with your loved one first. A home health care aide could help with daily activities, such as bathing, and Meals on Wheels or other community services might prepare food. If remaining at home is too challenging, you might suggest moving to an assisted living facility.

• Contact the health care provider for guidance. If your aging parents dismiss your concerns, consider contacting the health care provider directly. Your insights can help the health care provider understand what to look for during upcoming visits. Keep in mind that the health care provider might need to verify that he or she has permission to speak with you about your parents’ care, which might include a signed form or waiver from your parents.

• Seek help from local agencies. Your local agency on aging—which you can find using the Eldercare Locator, a public service of the Administration on Aging— can connect you with services in your parents’ area. For example, the county in which your parents live might have social workers who can evaluate your parents’ needs and connect them with services, such as home care workers.

Sometimes parents won’t admit they can’t do something on their own, and others don’t realize they need help. That’s where you come in. Make sure your parents understand the problem and your proposed solution.

Remind your parents that you care about them and that you want to help promote their health and well-being, both today and in the years to come.

Beware of Holiday Heart

More heart attacks and strokes happen during the holidays.

The hustle and bustle of the holidays can bring unexpected medical concerns, including a syndrome known as holiday heart. The National Institute of Health says, “Holiday heart syndrome typically refers to atrial fibrillation induced by binge alcohol consumption, frequently observed during long weekends, vacations, and holidays. The most common symptom that patients present with is palpitations. Symptoms of palpitations can be transient or persistent.”

But beyond this particular syndrome, several studies have shown that the incidence of heart attack and stroke increases in December and January. The top three days for heart attacks are Christmas Day, December 26th, and New Year’s Day. In

addition, it is also stroke season. Most occur between November and February, which also includes the holidays. It’s the time of year when we often find ourselves at holiday parties where plenty of alcohol and high-fat foods are offered. Overindulging in spiked eggnog and rich buttery cookies can lead to more than indigestion; it can lead to holiday heart syndrome when overeating and overindulging in alcohol leads to an irregular heartbeat. And it’s not just one meal or one party but a round of eating, drinking, and being merry that sets this time of year apart from the rest of the year.

To minimize the risk of an unexpected visit to the emergency room, Kevin Barrett, M.D., vascular neurologist at Mayo Clinic in Florida and co-director of the

Mayo Clinic Primary Stroke Center, offers these tips:

• Reduce stress.

• Eat and drink in moderation. Have a small snack or meal before a gathering to help avoid overindulgence.

• Be vigilant with medication.

• Exercise—and get rest.

• Know the symptoms of heart attack (which may include the common chest pain but also more subtle signs, such as unusual fatigue, shortness of breath, and neck, back, or shoulder pain, especially in women) and stroke, and don’t delay in seeking medical attention.

Taking time to be mindful of stress, heart attack, and stroke triggers can hopefully help safeguard an enjoyable and pleasant holiday season.

Democratic Senators Urge Biden to Restrict Military Deployment, Citing Concerns Over Trump’s Plans

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) have called on President Joe Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to issue a directive limiting the use of military personnel for domestic purposes, warning against potential misuse by President-elect Donald Trump after he takes office on Jan. 20. The senators emphasized the significance of establishing clear guidelines to prevent the deployment of the military against American citizens without explicit constitutional or congressional authorization.

The Posse Comitatus Act, which forbids the use of federal troops in domestic law enforcement unless authorized by the Constitution or Congress, serves as the foundation for the request. While the Insurrection Act provides a narrow exception in cases of insurrection, rebellion, or extreme unrest, Warren and Blumenthal called for further restrictions to prevent abuse.

“Any deployment of federal forces must occur only when state or local authorities are overwhelmed and unable to ensure public safety,” the senators wrote. They also emphasized the importance of consulting Congress before deploying troops and ensuring service members understand their obligations to reject unlawful orders. The senators’ letter notes growing concerns over Trump’s rhetoric and past actions. During his first term, Trump considered invoking the Insurrection Act to respond to Black Lives Matter protests, and some allies urged him to declare martial law after his 2020 election defeat. More recently, Trump has suggested using the military to deport immigrants without permanent legal status and relocating troops from overseas to the southern border. He has repeatedly referred to

political opponents as “the enemy from within,” raising alarms about potential overreach.

In an interview with Fox News before the election, Trump said, “I think the bigger problem are the people from within. We have some very bad people. We have some sick people, radical left lunatics. And I think they’re the—and it should be very easily handled by—if necessary, by the National Guard or, if really necessary, by the military.”

The Posse Comitatus Act, an 1878 law that aims to limit presidential power, generally prohibits federal troops from engaging in domestic law enforcement. However, the Insurrection Act creates an exception, allowing the president to deploy military forces during extreme civil unrest. Critics, including civil liberties groups, have warned that Trump could exploit this loophole to misuse military power.

Joseph Nunn, a counsel at the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law,

has already raised concerns about the Insurrection Act’s broad discretion. “Unless Congress acts now to reform this dangerous and antiquated law, there’s little anyone could do to stop him,” Nunn wrote last year, pointing to fears that Trump would abuse his authority if re-elected.

Warren and Blumenthal urged Biden to issue a directive that clarifies the deployment of military forces domestically only when civilian authorities are unable to maintain order and protect civil liberties. They also stressed the importance of adhering to the Standing Rules for the Use of Force, respecting constitutional protections like the writ of habeas corpus, and ensuring transparency by publishing all relevant legal authorities.

The senators’ offices said their letter speaks for itself but appeared aimed at drawing public attention to the issue in hopes of deterring Trump from reversing any directive issued by Biden. “The Constitution is clear, and it is essential that we uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of all Americans,” they wrote.

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The senators stressed the importance of clear guidelines to prevent the military from being deployed against American citizens without explicit constitutional or congressional authorization.

Jay-Z Denies Sexual Assault Allegations, Accuses Lawyer Tony Buzbee of Blackmail

Jay-Z urged Buzbee to pursue a criminal complaint instead of a civil suit if the allegations were genuine.

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Correspondent @ StacyBrownMedia

Jay-Z has forcefully denied allegations of sexual assault involving a minor, calling the claims a calculated attempt at blackmail. The accusation emerged from a civil lawsuit filed by an anonymous accuser, who alleges the music mogul, along with Sean “Diddy” Combs, raped her at an MTV Video Music Awards after-party in 2000. The accuser was 13 years old at the time.

In a statement to E! News, Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, expressed the personal toll the allegation takes on his family, particularly his children: 12-yearold Blue Ivy and 7-year-old twins Rumi and Sir.

“My only heartbreak is for my family,” he said. “My wife and I will have to sit our children down, one of whom is at the age where her friends will surely see the press and ask questions about the nature of these claims and explain the cruelty and greed of people.”

He added, “I mourn yet another loss of innocence. Children should not have to endure such at their young age. It is unfair

to have to try to understand inexplicable degrees of malice meant to destroy families and human spirit.”

Lawsuit and Response

Shedeur Sanders Wins Prestigious College Football Award

by BlackNews.com

Shedeur Sanders, a 22-year-old quarterback for the Colorado Buffaloes, recently won the prestigious 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, a major honor for college football’s top upperclassman quarterbacks.

“I just want to thank God for this opportunity. I am very excited (about) being recognized as the best quarterback in college football and this award means a lot to me,” Sanders said in his acceptance speech, according to the Coloradoan. Named after NFL legend Johnny Unitas, the award recognizes not only on-field performance but also character and leadership.

“This award not only represents me, but it represents the receiver room and the whole offense,” Sanders continued. “It

just takes a lot of unselfish players on one team no matter what getting the job done.

I’m just very excited and can’t even explain how I feel right now because everything’s coming true. Everything is real.

I’m just excited for everything.”

Sanders, who is the son of NFL Hall of Famer and now football coach Deion Sanders, was slo named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. In just his second season with Colorado after transferring from Jackson State, Sanders set a new single-season passing record for the Buffaloes, throwing for 438 yards and five touchdowns against Oklahoma State. Moreover, Sanders is set to enter the NFL after graduating early from college. He is regarded as one of the top prospects in the draft, with many analysts predicting he will be selected within the Top 5.

in a statement released via his Roc Nation platform. He specifically called out the accuser’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, for attempting to extort him.

“My lawyer received a blackmail attempt, called a demand letter, from a ‘lawyer’ named Tony Buzbee,” Jay-Z said. “What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle. No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!”

Jay-Z urged Buzbee to pursue a criminal complaint instead of a civil suit if the allegations were genuine. “These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one!! Whomever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away, would you not agree? These alleged victims would deserve real justice if that were the case.”

Combs’ Denial

The lawsuit, originally filed in October and refiled in New York last week, alleges that Jay-Z raped the girl while Combs and another individual referred to as “Celebrity B” watched. The suit claims the girl was taken to the after-party under false pretenses by a limousine driver who said she “fit what Diddy was looking for.” After denying her entry to the awards ceremony, the driver allegedly invited her to the party.

Jay-Z vehemently denied the allegations

Diddy’s representatives also denied the accusations. “This amended complaint and the recent extortion lawsuit against Mr. Buzbee exposes his barrage of lawsuits against Mr. Combs for what they are: shameless publicity stunts, designed to extract payments from celebrities who fear having lies spread about them, just as lies have been spread about Mr. Combs.”

They added, “As his legal team has said before, Mr. Combs has full confidence in the facts and the integrity of the judicial process. In court, the truth will prevail:

that Mr. Combs never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone—man or woman, adult or minor.”

Background on Tony Buzbee

Black Virginia News Publisher and BlackPressUSA.com correspondent Lauren Burke reported that Buzbee has a history of filing high-profile lawsuits against wealthy Black entertainers and athletes, including Deshaun Watson, Travis Scott, and now Jay-Z and Combs. He previously represented over 120 clients who sued Scott following the deadly 2021 Astroworld Festival crowd surge.

Burke also drew attention to Buzbee’s political affiliations. Though he ran as a Democrat for the Texas State House in 2002, he supported Republican Rick Perry’s 2012 presidential campaign and hosted a fundraiser for Donald Trump in 2016.

Jay-Z concluded his statement by hinting at potential legal action.

“You have made a terrible error in judgement thinking that all ‘celebrities’ are the same. I’m not from your world. I’m a young man who made it out of the projects of Brooklyn. We don’t play these types of games. We have very strict codes and honor. We protect children, you seem to exploit people for personal gain.

“I look forward to showing you just how different I am.”

Denzel Washington’s Gladiator II Becomes His Highest-Grossing Film, Surpassing $325 Million Worldwide

by BlackNews.com

Denzel Washington’s latest movie, Gladiator II, has officially broken a career record, becoming his highest-grossing film worldwide. The film continues to perform strongly at the box office, surpassing $325 million globally.

Washington’s decades-long career includes blockbuster hits like The Equalizer trilogy, each earning around $190 million worldwide. Even his less critically acclaimed films, like Safe House (2012), have performed well, grossing $208.1 million against an $85 million budget. The actor’s versatility is a key part of his success. While known for his action roles, he has also tackled complex characters, such as Macbeth in The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021), earning him Oscar and Golden Globe nominations.

In Gladiator II, Washington plays Macrinus, a former slave turned gladiator trainer with secret plans to control the Roman Empire. His performance of the character, which plays a key role in the plot, has earned rave reviews and praise. This role marks Washington’s return to working with director Ridley Scott, their first collaboration since American Gang-

ster in 2007. According to Screen Rant, with its growing success, Gladiator II has already raked in $111.4 million domestically, potentially overtaking American Gangster‘s

$130.1 million domestic total. Internationally, Gladiator II has already earned over $325 million, surpassing Washington’s previous record set by American Gangster, which grossed $267.9 million.