JANUARY 22, 2025a

New Haven’s Birthday Present: 25 In ’25

by Allan Appel

Where’s a good place to visit in New Haven in the first days of the Trump administration?

City Historian Michael Morand recommends the grave of Roger Sherman at the National Historic Landmarked Grove Street Cemetery one of 25 local history stops included on a new list put out by the city in honor of New Haven’s 241st birthday.

Morand recommended Sherman’s headstone for a visit this week not just because Sherman was that rare colonial leader who signed all four of young America’s founding documents (can you name them all?). He was also the first mayor of New Haven when the city incorporated in 1784.

And now here comes the most important reason to pay respects to Sherman right now, according to Morand:

At the 1787 Constitutional Convention, “Roger Sherman was among the top figures objecting to unchecked power for the executive. He knew there was and never should be a king.”

Morand made that recommendation Tuesday morning at the New Haven Museum where he, Mayor Justin Elicker, New Haven Museum Executive Director Margaret Anne Tockarshewsky and others were on hand to mark the city’s 241st

birthday with a gift: 25 in ’25, which is a list of historic places in town recommended to visit in 2025.

In no order of priority, the list of historically rich locales, now up on the city website, includes, not surprisingly, the cemetery, the New Haven Museum, the Green, Dixwell Community House, Yale

Bowl (150 years of the Yale-Harvard Game), Fort Nathan Hale in Morris Cove and Frank Pepe’s Pizzeria Napoletana, which is also marking 100 years in 2025. There are other historic anniversaries coinciding with the city’s 241st, which fall under the tenth recommendation on the list: Albertus Magnus, now in the

midst of its centennial, and local public elementary schools Nathan Hale, in Morris Cove, and Augusta Lewish Troup, in Dwight.

#19 on the list is the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, now on Huntington Street, which has been helping us identify mosquitoes, ticks, and much else since 1875. Recommendations #21 to #24 include Toad’s Place, Claire’s Corner Copia, Campus Customs, and the Atticus Bookstore, all marking their jubilees this year.

Why couldn’t there be many more than 25 history-rich destinations in New Haven? asked a reporter.

Morand gingerly held up a copy of the 1784 incorporating charter, which, he pointed out, was printed by Thomas and Samuel Green, whose establishment was also likely on the Green, and in the state house building then planted there as New Haven was the state co-capital location at the time.

“Recommendation number 25,” Morand replied, is “make your own list.”

The group then moved to the New Haven Museum rotunda, where, under a portrait of William Lanson, celebrants sliced the strawberry-and-chocolate birthday

cake for the city.

Morand praised the mayor’s evolving comprehensive plan which, he said, “is turning to history for guidance. For here there’s more accessible history than any place our size. New Haven history is not just about the past, but a living resource for how we can improve where we are.” Next up are the Museum’s and the city’s planning for the semiquincentennial (250th anniversary) birthday of the United States coming up in 2026.

And now, if you haven’t already Googled: In addition to the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution, the fourth founding document that New Haven Mayor Roger Sherman put his name to (he always remained mayor even while participating on the early national stage) was a document called the Articles of Association, adopted by the First Continental Congress in 1774 to boycott British merchants and pressure the English parliament to pay attention to the concerns of their American cousins.

It didn’t quite work, and the Revolution followed, whose success led to the collective confidence sufficient for New Haven’s leaders to write a charter and get it approved to become, formally, the first city in the state (with New London a close second).

New Haven museum's Whitney Library librarian Emma Norden conducts an

house" Saturdays at noon where you can look at original materials. Next

Panther history.

The New Haven independent

Strings & Steel Make Sure The Day Belongs To MLK

Lucy Gellman

At first, it was hard to put a finger on exactly what the song was, the strings purring to life between the pulpit and the front row. There was a suggestion from the violins, a murmur of assent from the cellos. The smell of incense still hung low and holy in the air, as if it was blessing the space.Then the steel drums came in, bell-like and undulating, and the lyrics clicked.

Wake up, everybody No more sleepin' in bed, the pan and strings sang out, no need for words at all. No more backward thinking, Time for thinking ahead! Attendees bobbed in their seats. It was the sound of how to get through the next four, and ten, and 50 years, note by note. Monday afternoon, members of Music Haven and St. Luke's Steel Band played in a stunning commitment to community with their annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day concert, a tradition that has been running almost every year for over a decade. Held just hours before two downtown protests advocating for human rights, the event became a musical roadmap for building solidarity, a powerful reminder that artists, healers, activists and families belong to each other—and to the people and places they call home.

"This year, as we chose the music, we were very intentional about what we were playing," said Kenneth Joseph, who has directed the steel band since 2011. "We have different songs like 'One Love,' and that is the goal for the next four years and beyond. We just have to do more loving each other and just coming together."

“Whatever side is your view, you need to be awake and see what's happening,” he added of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes’ “Wake Up Everybody,” which became popular when it was released just months after the end of the Vietnam War. “Don't just receive the info without checking in to see what's happening.”

As the church filled with families Monday, Joseph focused on that vision for unity, checking in with students as he looked over the setup. At the front of the space, a few pan players milled about, weaving in and out of the instruments as they checked for their mallets, placed sheet music on stands, and scanned the crowd for siblings and family members. Among them, Joseph looked at ease; he only later admitted that he’d been doing his best not to focus on the presidential inauguration unfolding in Washington, D.C.

Along one side of the church, Music Haven students filed in, milling around the front for a moment before they took their seats. In the violin section, Adina Salahuddin slid into the first chair, and ran through the concert one last time in her mind. Student readers checked and double checked their scripts, across which King’s words bloomed from the past into the present. Conversations rose and fell around her, students holding their instruments anxiously as they waited to begin. And then, as if there was an invisible sign, Joseph stepped up, raised his hands, and

coaxed the sound slowly forward. In the audience, hugs and hellos stilled to silence; half a dozen phones came out and started to record, then half a dozen more. For a moment, it sounded as if the strings were simply warming up, the notes low and trembling. Violin swooped in, a suggestion of life, and then fell back to a hum just as quickly.

At the end of his row, Mathias Nuñez sat bolt upright, so fused to his cello that it seemed as though they existed as two parts of a whole. Something was shifting underfoot, and he could hear it. He later stood to read part of the Black Eyed Peas “Where Is The Love,” trading strings briefly for the lyrical swerve of the song. The mood changed: it was suddenly as though the whole group had found its bearings. To Joseph’s left, steel pan came in, the sound full enough to raise the roof. Strings began to build toward the hook, pan responding with a sort of rolling tremolo. From somewhere in the back, a drum kit entered the fray. It was officially a call to action, and the audience seemed to take note.

A rainbow flag suspended from the second story balcony rippled in bands of brilliant color, as if even it was listening. Something in the room shifted again, and the audience burst into applause.

“Personally, I have a lot of complicated feelings today,” said resident musician and Haven String Quartet member Philip Boulanger, taking the mic as applause died down, and students turned their attention to Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good.” When he reflects on the work of Dr. King, “I’ve been thinking about what it means to me, and … it’s not yelling into the void online,” he said to murmurs of agreement. Instead, it’s asking “what are you doing for others,” a question that was fundamental to King’s crusade against poverty and his warnings that capitalism, militarism, classism and racism were all interconnected and insidious forms of violence. Almost 70 years after King first posed that question, “it’s that sense of service and connection … that gives me joy and that gives me hope,” Boulanger said.

His words echoed as Salahuddin rose from her chair, brows knitted in concentration. She looked at the floor, and took a breath. For years, she’s loved to sing— but has only just been getting back to it recently, after stopping during the first years of the Covid-19 pandemic. Several weeks ago, she asked her violin teacher, Haven String Quartet artistic director Yaira Matyakubova, if she could sing the first verse of “Feeling Good” at the concert, which she’s played for almost as long as she can remember.

It was an easy yes. The song, which Simone recorded a version of in 1965, became part of the soundtrack to Civil Rights and Black liberation. Six decades later, Salahuddin feels like she’s known it for her whole life. “I wanted to mirror Nina Simone” in tribute to the singer and to the song’s spirit, she said after the concert. But she also wanted to make it her own. As a junior in high school, she can

feel chaos swelling all around her—particularly when she thinks of her dreams of studying obstetrics and gynecology. The sign helps steady her.

“To be honest, I just want to focus on moving forward,” she said. “As a community, we have the power to make change in our own ways.”

Back in the church, a honeyed afternoon light had begun to pour through the windows Salahuddin looked up, and seemed certain of the ground on which she stood, the ebb and flow of breath all around her. With a knowing nod from Joseph, she began to sing—Birds flying high, you know how I feel—and let herself ease into the music. She gave Simone’s trademark hum, a string of notes that needed no words at all. As pan rolled in beneath her voice, strings gave a deep, breathy response, wrapping the front rows in their sound.

That momentum carried over as students wove in King’s own words, placing them amidst strings and steel, song and speech. Between “Feeling Good” and Bill Withers’ “Lean On Me,” Nia Antoine and Jasmine King brought it back to the principles of nonviolence, part of King’s philosophy and practice that he referred to as a form of resistance and “a way of life for courageous people.” In less than two minutes, the two had conjured the civil rights leader himself, reminding the room how much his words—and his fight—still apply today.

“The aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the beloved community,” King said 68 years ago, delivering a speech at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala., and the words' legacy came to life in the quiet downtown church. “The aftermath of nonviolence is redemption. The aftermath of nonviolence is reconciliation. The aftermath of violence are emptiness and bitterness.

“This is the thing I’m concerned about. Let us fight passionately and unrelentingly for the goals of justice and peace. But let’s be sure that our hands are clean in this struggle. Let us never fight with falsehood and violence and hate and malice, but always fight with love, so that when the day comes that the walls of segregation have completely crumbled in Montgomery, that we will be able to live with people as their brothers and sisters.”

As readers returned to their seats, that message of love came through the music. In Bill Withers’ “Lean On Me,” a listener could feel a pull toward redemption as strings took the lead, soaring toward the high ceiling. In “Nature Song,” featuring Harmony In Action and some of St. Luke’s youngest pan players, it was a reminder of the kinship humans have with the earth, a recognition of the planet from the generation that may be most affected by its precipitous warming.

By “Where Is The Love,” it was a vision for what New Haven is and what it could be: a city knitted back together one relationship, one interaction, one step toward mutual aid at a time. Or as Joseph said after he had gotten the audience to

Arts Council of greater New Haven

Connecticut Leaders Respond To Trump’s Inaugural Address With Commitment to Unity, Civil Liberties, State Sovereignty

Following President Donald Trump’s second inaugural address Monday, Connecticut leaders, including US Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, expressed their commitment to safeguarding the interests of state residents and their civil liberties, and focusing on unity and growth.

Trump outlined plans to guide the country into a “golden age” and address what he referred to as the nation’s decline under the previous administration. The address mirrored his first, which he delivered in 2017, with promises of restoring America’s greatness.

“The golden age of America begins right now,” he said, vowing to reclaim national sovereignty, restore safety, and create a proud, prosperous, and free nation.

Trump also criticized the previous leadership, stating that the current government was “incompetent and corrupt” and promised swift changes. Trump’s comment on corruption came a little over 48 hours after he launched a new cryptocurrency that pushed his net worth into the billions based on its early valuation.

By Monday, market analysts said the new currency accounted for 89% of Trump’s net worth, setting up a likely challenge to the Emoluments Clause of the US Constitution that prevents presidents from being corrupted by gifts from foreign powers. In his speech, he positioned himself as a savior, claiming he was “saved by God to make America great again” after facing persecution from “dark forces.”

The address took place inside the Capitol Rotunda instead of outdoors on the Washington Mall – which the Trump administration blamed on cold weather. The audience in the rotunda included billionaires and tech leaders like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, with Trump making controversial remarks, including a false claim about ongoing wildfires in California and his desire to “take back” the Panama Canal.

Tong, whose parents immigrated to the US, also delivered additional remarks in a video address and expressed his resolve to protect Connecticut’s values amid concerns about the nation’s direction under Trump’s leadership.

“Many tell me they have never been more worried for the future of our country,” Tong said. “I have never been more resolute and determined to fight for it.”

Tong reaffirmed his commitment as attorney general to uphold Connecticut’s policies and protect vulnerable communities.

“It is the policy of the state of Connecticut to respect, honor, and protect immigrants and immigrant families,” he said. “If the President and the federal government violate Connecticut’s sovereignty, laws, and policy, Connecticut will stand its ground and fight back.”

He continued: “A lot of changes are coming but one thing will never change here in Connecticut, in Connecticut we’re going to take care of each other, and in the office of attorney general, I will never quit, I will never surrender, and I will nev-

er ever back down.”

Trump’s address outlined proposals to reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” policy, increase border security, revive energy production, and combat drug cartels. He also pledged to eliminate birthright citizenship and reaffirm traditional values, such as signing an executive order declaring that there are only two genders.

Blumenthal sharply criticized Trump’s speech, calling it grievance-driven.

“I was hoping for a unifying message –a speech seeking to bring us together and heal our differences,” Blumenthal said. “Instead, it was replete with grievance and grandiosity – playing to cultural and political divisions.”

He also criticized the presence of tech billionaires at the inauguration, calling it a government for sale.

“The predominance of tech giants on that platform shows that it’s a government for sale, not just to billionaires, but to telecommunications oligarchs,” Blumenthal said. “I’m determined to fight them if they seek to dominate our public square and communication networks, especially in efforts to protect children on the internet.”

Blumenthal expressed concern over the potential harm Trump’s actions could cause Connecticut.

“I’m extremely concerned that his actions could do grave harm to Connecticut and do it quickly. I am prepared to fight, and I know that we have state leaders in Connecticut who will defend the rule of law and the rights of individuals and work to stop these harms,” Blumenthal said.

He opposed Trump’s plan to pardon the January 6 insurrectionists, calling it “abhorrent” and a discredit to the judicial system. Trump later issued a blanket par-

don for the group.

“These J6 rioters were lawfully convicted by a jury of peers, everyday Americans,” he said, before also condemning Trump’s proposed executive order on gender, stressing that unity is needed instead. “His actions today appeal to grievances and foster division.This approach plays to some of the worst instincts in our society.”

Blumenthal also pointed out that some of President Trump’s executive orders may require additional authority or resources, which depend on appropriations controlled by other branches of government or agencies. He added that the president could face legal challenges in court, which could further limit his ability to carry out his proposed actions.

On the matter of Trump’s lengthy comments about the Panama Canal, Blumenthal expressed confusion.

“The President has said that they have violated the agreement, but I have no clue what he means,” Blumenthal said. “There is a legitimate security interest that we have in the Chinese companies that control both ends of the Panama Canal, and we ought to address that. But that kind of agreement doesn’t necessarily violate the terms of Panama taking the canal. I don’t know what President Trump means when he talks about violations of the agreement.”

Blumenthal stressed the need for bipartisan cooperation to address national challenges while vowing to defend Connecticut from harmful policies.

Tong reaffirmed his commitment to protecting immigrant families, reproductive rights, and LGBTQ+ individuals, while Blumenthal called for collaboration on border security and economic growth.

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“Our response must be more than opposition,” Tong said. “Connecticut will lead the way, just as we have before.”

Later Monday, Tong released a statement decrying Trump’s executive order attacking birthright citizenship as unconstitutional.

“This is a war on American families waged by a President with zero respect for our Constitution. We will sue imminently, and I have every confidence we will win. The 14th Amendment says what it means, and it means what it says – if you are born on American soil, you are an American. Period. Full stop. There is no legitimate legal debate on this question,”

Tong wrote. “But the fact that Trump is dead wrong will not prevent him from inflicting serious harm right now on American families like my own. Abolishing birthright citizenship will cause chaos across Connecticut and the United States, with babies born here lacking legal status anywhere, imperiling their future careers, education, healthcare, and more in the only country they will have known.”

He continued: “My parents and grandparents ran for their lives, they fled war and hunger and ultimately made it to Connecticut with nothing. They worked until their bodies broke in the hot kitchens of Chinese restaurants so that I could become the first American born in my family – a citizen by right of my birth here in Hartford, Connecticut. My life would not be possible without birthright citizenship. This is the core of the American dream, and part of the essential character of our nation. We knew this fight was coming, and we are prepared.”

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Warrant: Friend’s Death Followed Fight Over Gun

Davies thanked NHPD for "sticking with me," over the last 14-months.

by Nathaniel Rosenberg |

Pearson’s friend “Willie G” was arguing with the occupants of a silver Honda CRV, including an 18-year-old who went by “Bizz” as documented in a recently released arrest warrant for the teenage suspect in Pearson’s 2023 homicide.

Bizz, sporting a cast from a recent bullet wound, was upset because Willie G had allegedly sold him a fake gun a few days before. Pearson, according to police, went over to join the argument and protect his friend, boosting Bizz’s anger.

A few minutes later, police say that Bizz pulled back into the parking lot driving a stolen black Volkswagen SUV and holding a gun with an extended magazine. He was allegedly looking for Willie G, who was hiding in a nearby barber shop. When he couldn’t find his target, Bizz sped off down East Pearl Street where he spotted Pearson walking, and allegedly shot and killed him.

That’s all according to an arrest warrant affidavit filed by New Haven police for Bizz, who they have charged with murdering the 29-year-old Pearson in Fair Haven on Nov. 14, 2023.

The nine-page affidavit was written on Jan 14. by Det. Christopher Stroscio, who also spoke to the Independent on Wednesday about the arrest. The suspect was arrested on Jan. 15.

“Bizz” who the Independent is not naming at this time per site policy as we have not been able to make contact with him or his attorney, and the arrest warrant affidavit does not include an interview with him —has been charged with Murder, Carrying a Pistol without a Permit and Possession of a Large Capacity Magazine. He is currently being held on a $4 million bond. (Both “Bizz” and “Willie G” are nicknames used in the warrant.)

According to the warrant, police found the SUV, which didn’t have license plates, mere minutes after

the shooting at a nearby housing complex where the warrant says police know people often stash stolen cars.

The SUV fled, leading to a chase where police tried to stop the car, at one point deflating a tire with stop sticks, but the car got away.

Police found the car abandoned in North Haven later that night. In June, roughly seven months after the fatal shooting, police pulled DNA from the vehicle that a state laboratory linked to Bizz.

Despite that evidence and other eyewitness accounts of the shooting, the case stalled for several months, until a jailhouse witness, who is not named in the warrant, came forward. Stroscio said police did not make any promises in exchange for information on Pearson’s case.

“We had a witness come forward towards the end of this whole situation, and cooperating. They gave us a statement but it all has to be corroborated and verified to know what they’re saying is true,” Stroscio said. “We can’t just take their word for it. It has to be verified through video footage, through other witnesses, through any other means we can figure out.” It was this witness who, along with surveillance camera footage, provided most of the account of Pearson’s shooting.

At a press conference announcing the arrest Wednesday morning, Anita Davies, Pearson’s mother, thanked police for continuing to work on the case for over a year after her son’s killing. Surrounded by family, she choked back tears as she remembered her son as a joyful and humorous young man.

“Shaq enjoyed writing and rapping his own music and playing basketball. He was such a comedian and loved to make you laugh, he was always smiling. Those are things that I’m gonna miss, him making me laugh,” Davies said, her voice trembling. “I’m just glad that justice is done for my son.”

Martin Luther King Jr. inspires us to continue working toward a more just and equitable world.

LUTHER KING JR.

Nathaniel Rosenberg photo Pearson's family, including his mom Anita Davies (right), gathered Wednesday to mourn their loved one, who would have turned 31 in less than a month.

The New Haven independent

Eighth Graders Pay It Forward

by Maya McFadden

“Wig,” said Fair Haven School eighth grader Dayana.

First grader Samaner sounded out the word, as Dayana helped her place a “w” to finish spelling it out.

That was the scene Thursday afternoon at the city’s largest middle school, as a group of eighth graders volunteered their time to mentor first graders in reading, writing, and spelling.

The group of 16 eighth graders split up to support four first-grade classrooms. Their efforts were a result of the eighth grade class being “adopted” by New Haven Promise for the school’s annual Snowball event. The eighth graders decided that because New Haven Promise has a community service requirement, they would volunteer with some of the school’s youngest students.

In each first grade class, for 45 minutes, the groups practiced writing upper and lowercase letters, reading and spelling, and played games that flexed their skills. As one pair flipped through a book together, they shared what their favorite colors were and pointed to the fairies on the book’s pages that they liked most.

Dayana worked with Samaner, sounding out words like “car,” “jet,” and “sun.”

As Dayana pronounced the words aloud, Samaner listened to figure out the missing vowel or consonant. While practicing with “car,” Samaner looked at her spelling card, which left an empty blank space

between the “c” and “r.”

Samaner first thought the missing vowel might be “e.”

“Close,” Dayana said, then pronounced the word again but a bit slower this time.

Samaner then reached for the letter “a.”

After 20 minutes, the students switched stations.

While eighth grader Beyonce worked with first grader Janelle Torres, the two read “After School Fun” by May Nelson.

The duo agreed it was their favorite book of the day.

In a dual language classroom, students learned English and Spanish vowels by playing card games and bingo.

First graders Khaleesi and Witsel said they enjoy working with the eighth graders because they not only practice learning words, but also not to say “bad words.”

Khaleesi said she hopes one day to

work in a daycare, teaching young people lots of languages like English and Spanish. She said that she plans to teach more than just the two languages by using Amazon’s Alexa.

“I want everyone to know how to make new friends because sometimes they don’t just speak English,” Khaleesi said. Wiesel said he hopes to be an author who writes in both English and Spanish.

Eighth graders Denairy, Beyonce, Ri-

ley and Angel have visited the first-grade classrooms twice per week for the last few weeks. They described their volunteer work as a chance to establish older-sibling relationships with the young students.

While helping the students with their handwriting, spelling and reading, the eighth graders said they are able to learn about working with students at different learning levels, and students who may not have the most confidence speaking or working with others.

“I want to make them feel like school is a safe space for them all,” Denairy said. Riley agreed and said she enjoys being a person for the students to lean on, apart from their teachers. She recalled her elementary years being influential for similar reasons. She said she would often read “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” books with an eighth grader, and that that fostered her current love for reading.

“I want them to be book nerds like me,” she said.

They all agreed that they also learned that first graders are brutally honest. “The kids are our future, and I love taking care of them. They deserve the whole world,” Beyonce said.

Angel said that he loves having a buddy around the school building who he can greet throughout the day. “When I help them, they get so happy, and that really does make me happy too,” he said.

Senate Dems Roll Out Bills to Protect CT Consumers, Public Health; Republicans Cry Foul

HARTFORD, CT – Democratic Senate leaders announced two more of their high-priority bills Tuesday: a bill to combat price gouging and a bill to protect public health at the state level from federal interference. Republicans, however, are skeptical of what they characterize as “government overreach.”

Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven, was joined by Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, Sens. James Maroney, D-Milford, and Saud Anwar, D-South Windsor, to announce Senate Bill 3, An Act Concerning Consumer Protection and Safety, and Senate Bill 7, An Act Concerning Protections for Access to Health Care and the Equitable Delivery of Health Care Services in the State.

“We are committed to making life more affordable for Connecticut families by addressing the practices that unfairly drive up costs,” Looney said. “Price gouging shouldn’t be prohibited only during declared emergencies – it’s a harmful practice that burdens consumers at any time. This legislation will ensure fairness and accountability up and down the supply chain, so that residents aren’t exploited when they shop for essential goods.”

a news conference on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, at the Legislative Office Building

we continue to focus on the people, by the people, and for the people. Which is why we have these bills today, and why we’ll continue to roll out legislation that impacts working families, working people, for the positive, all across the state of Connecticut.”

Additional provisions of S.B. 3 include steps to protect consumers from junk fees that drive up prices, creating a right to repair products by requiring companies to make consumer tools and parts available and a ban on state agencies buying drones manufactured by “adversarial” countries such as Russia and China.

Anwar discussed S.B. 7, which Democrats say is focused on strengthening Connecticut’s public health infrastructure against potential disruptions by the newly inaugurated administration of President Donald Trump.

S.B. 3 would primarily expand the attorney general’s authority to pursue price gougers. The attorney general would be empowered to issue notices of abnormal economic disruption. These notices would apply to significant interferences

in the production, distribution, supply, sale or availability of necessary consumer goods such as diapers, baby formula or prescription medications. Once issued, the state could then target manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and suppliers

who drive up prices.

“Yesterday we saw an inauguration of a president that was of the billionaires, by the billionaires, and for the billionaires,” Duff said. “And here in the state of Connecticut, we’re going to make sure that

The major provisions of S.B. 7 are to maintain the current level of fluoridation in Connecticut’s public drinking water in the event the federal Department of Health and Human Services makes changes. The bill also provides for funding for a public health urgent communication fund and an emergency public health financial safe-

Sen. Saud Anwar, MD, a South Windsor Democrat, speaks to reporters during

in Hartford. Credit: Jamil Ragland / CTNewsJunkie

Fair Haven eighth and first graders, reading together.

The New Haven independent

MLK Poetry Slam Remembers The Titans

by Brian Slattery

The Z Experience Poetry Slam on Monday saw a lot of changes from previous years, in introducing new hosts and a new competition format. But its commitments to making voices heard, diving deep into tough issues, and building community remained as central and strong as ever.

The year 2025 marked a turning point for the Z Experience Poetry Slam, formerly known as the Zannette Lewis Environmental and Social Justice Professional Poetry Slam. This marked its 29th year as part of the Peabody Museum’s celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.‘s birthday. The slam was the brainchild of educator and community activist Zannette Lewis, but it “wouldn’t exist,” said poet Croilot Adames Semexant, without the collaboration of Lewis and poet and musician Ngoma Hill. Ngoma went on to host the slam for the next three decades. This year, Ngoma passed the hosting baton to Croilot, who had hosted the open mic portion of the event for several years.

This Monday’s slam began with an open mic hosted by New Haven poet laureate Sharmont “Influence” Little, in which any community member could take the mic to try out verses or just express their thoughts. The lineup for the open mic also turned out to be stacked with veteran poets of the Z Experience and the New Haven Scene from poets Lyrical Faith, J Sun, and Tymani Rain to poet and Free 2 Spit open mic host Baub Bidon.

“Ladies and gentlemen, are we ready for a slam?” Croilot then asked, receiving an enthusiastic “yeah!” from the crowd. Ngoma warmed up the crowd with a valedictory performance, creating layered loops on the spot of samples, drones, flute, and violin that he then performed his poetry over. It clarified that the elder poet was handing over hosting duties at the top of his game.

With a change in host also came a change in format. In previous years, individual poets had competed against one another, passing though two elimination rounds, with the final round involving three poets going poem for poem to win first place. This year involved a competition among four slam poetry teams: Dream Free, from New York City; Pick Up the Pen, from Rhode Island; Team News, from Massachusetts; and Connecticut’s own Verbal Slap. Rather than going through elimination rounds, every team performed for three rounds, with the team with the highest cumulative score emerging victorious.

A slam often starts with a “sacrificial” poem to give the panel of judges a chance to warm up, and give the audience a sense of what their number scores might mean. This year, that poem was performed by Slamherst, a slam poetry team from UMASS Amherst, who broke out a team-performed piece about language and identity, and about how losing original languages didn’t have to mean losing a sense of cultural identity and origin.

“My words are a battlefield, and they

will fight back,” the poets exclaimed.

“Even when our words are lost, they won’t go down without a fight.” The poets’ performance garnered them a near-perfect score of 29.8 from the judges. They had set the bar. As Croilot said, “anything that comes after better bring the heat.”

Pick Up the Pen performed first, with a sharp solo performance that began as a humorous account of teeth whitening. The process “will hurt,” the poet said, but “you will have a more acceptable smile.” It then turned on the question: “Have you ever had your mind whitened?” It expanded to consider the school system as a place that demanded conformity. “If you can’t get a graduation picture, a mug shot will do,” the poet said. “Drop that attitude for your protection,” and, now dripping with sarcasm, “don’t forget to smile.” 29.6.

“I am not a person. I am a product,” Dream Free’s representative began, then detailed the hopelessness of living in poverty on a minimum-wage job, going to therapy as if the problem lies within when it’s clear that at least part of the problem is societal: it’s “so much cheaper to let us die of infection than to pay for virus protection,” the poet said. How to explain to a relatively well-off therapist that “my back is full of bed sores when I work a job that she wouldn’t get out of bed for?… I am not a mental patient. I am an undervalued product in a capitalist nation.” The poet’s raw, emotional performance scored a 29.1.

Verbal Slap then did a four-person performance of a piece that used a recipe as a metaphor for social change: “Step 6: start a fire,” they said in unison. “The revolution will be televised in Hell’s Kitchen.”

The poem was “food for thought,” and

ended with the command to “nourish your soul, amen,” but it was the team’s finely tuned delivery that brought the message home. The team earned a near-perfect score of 29.9.

Team News followed that with a solo

neighborhood struggled through hard times and improved itself. That turned out to be its undoing. “It’s been 20 years and my parents still own their house,” but “everyone we know has moved.” Now, when the poet visits, the neighborhood is safer, perhaps, and calmer, but they’d take the neighborhood of their youth over the current “flatline suburbs.”

“Even though murders have stopped on this block, there is still something dying here.”

The judges gave that poem a 29.7. It was a tight contest. “It’s getting hot in here,” Croilot said.

The second round found poets covering topics ranging from the erasure of undocumented immigrants, to the messy legacies of King and Malcolm X and the way White nationalism is on the unfettered rise while Black nationalism remains in check (“just for being in this room you’re all added to the list”). The poems continued by addressing the politics of hair, environmental catastrophe, and the high rates of incarceration among Black men and how they are traumatized by their prison time.

The scores stayed consistently high, keeping the race close, but another poem from Verbal Slap stood out, as what began as sounding like a boxing match ended up being male poets aggressively complimenting one another.

“They want us to cuss and clash,” the poets said, but they were there to defy that stereotype. “We are the heroes. This is what we do. We build each other up.” As the barrage of goodwill continued, a palpable shift happened in the room. It touched a nerve: had anyone ever seen men say so many kind things to and about one another in such a short time? It felt like a truly revolutionary moment. The poets hit their triumphant ending “we are the titans you will always remember” and the room exploded in cheering. It garnered the first clean sweep of 10s, a perfect score, from the judges.

The contest was still close, however, and Croilot declared that in the final round the teams would perform in reverse order. Verbal Slap led with a group piece about the harrowing Middle Passage and the countless people who drowned along the way instead of facing a life of bondage.

Pick Up the Pen finished with a duo giving a joyous ode to their neighborhood. Dream Free finished up with a piece that took apart Thanksgiving from the point of view of Black and Indigenous people.

performance of a heartfelt ode to the house the poet’s parents bought. “My parents took a city cave and made a home,” the poet said, just as the kids “turned a graveyard into a playground.” The poem moved through history, in which the

But it was Team News’s piece again about the difficulties of Black men, seen from the perspective of Black women that connected the deepest with the audience, and with the judges, earning the afternoon’s second perfect score. Team News’s performance made the race seem closer still. But in the end it wasn’t enough to catch Verbal Slap’s lead. The home team had won the slam. But it was the insights into the trials and difficulties of Black masculinity that had truly risen to the top.

Brian Slattery Photos Host Croilot; “Ladies and gentlemen, are we ready for a slam?”

Arts Council of greater New Haven

Ribbon Cut On Stop & Shop Renovation

by Allan Appel

When Stop & Shop announced last year the planned closing of what turned out to be 32 stores across five states, city economic officials and the Greater Dwight Development Corporation (GDDC) went into action.

Their aim: To make sure the Whalley Avenue supermarket, an anchor for the community, would not be on the list.

The advocacy paid off, and on Friday morning, GDDC Assistant Director Mikhila Pingili and Deputy Economic Development Administrator Carlos Eyzaguirre were on hand along with Stop & Shop brass not just to celebrate that the 150 Whalley Ave. store remained open, but also to cut the ribbon on an extensive renovation.

The changes occurred over a 12- to 18-month period without the store being closed. They feature bright and shiny new floors, decor, an upgraded self check-out section, a feeling of new technology all around, and a more open and inviting floor plan.

“It’s a fresh new look,” said Sarah Williams, Stop & Shop’s local marketing manager. She also called particular attention to 800 new products the store has begun to carry, “with significant multicultural assortments.”

Although they’re dispersed throughout the store, those new products, like very large bags of rice by Goya and a cornucopia of jerk sauces and glazes, are gathered around what Williams called a multicultural “hub” at the entryway to the store beneath a polyglot welcome sign worthy

of the United Nations.

All this reflects the growing multicultural population from Jamaican and Caribbean cultures, along with African Americans and Latinos who are the store’s customers in the Dwight neighborhood, Williams said.

Over the course of the renovations and the restocking, Stop & Shop relied not only on what their research told them the demographics might be calling for, but also on the food and other recommendations of the store’s employees, many

of whom live in the neighborhood, said Williams.

And then there’s something else that makes this particular Stop & Shop have an unusually neighborly relationship with Dwight: The store’s landlord is the GDDC, which developed the land 30 years ago, attracting initially the Shaw’s supermarket, and then, when it closed, Stop & Shop.

“It’s a gathering place,” said Linda Townsend Maeir, one of the founders of GDDC, who was on hand for the Friday

festivities. “It’s where people come to find out what’s happening in the neighborhood.”

The previous, long-time Stop & Shop store manager, Anne Demchak, is now retired from that job, but she serves as the chair of the board of the GDDC. The new store manager Jeff Page, only on the job for a short period of time, has begun to attend the community management team meetings.

And to put icing on the cake of what officials billed as the celebration of a “soft

reopening” in the new look and format, Stop & Shop also presented $7,500 to the food pantry at the Augusta Lewis Troup School.

It’s the third year of such support and goes a long way, said officials from the school who were also in attendance, to underwrite school events such as the annual multicultural lunch, which unfolds around Thanksgiving.

The kindergarten through grade eight school has 300 kids attending, said Tamara Green, who manages the pantry. Increasingly they comprise not only the large Hispanic and African American populations in the neighborhood, but also kids and their families from Haiti, Jamaica, Afghanistan (about 30 students), and the countries of Africa.

“We encourage our families to shop here,” said Green.

Roger Wheeler, the president of Stop & Shop (with more than 300 stores across five New England states) added, “This is not a faceless store. A store like this is part of the lifeblood of the community.”

While there was never a threat that the store was actually on a list of closures that were being contemplated in 2024, you just never know, said Eyzaguirre, and city staff jumped all over providing the company with statistics, information, offers of helpfulness.

“The advocacy helped bring the store to their attention, why it was so important to the community,” Pingili added. “And the renovation is indicative that Stop & Shop intends to stay.”

Trump DOJ Jail Threats? What, Me Worry?

by Nathaniel Rosenberg

Elicker: “What world are we in right now where, because of a disagreement on policy, the Trump administration is threatening arresting local officials? That's something you see in Iran, that's something you see in Russia, and I guess that's something we see in America right now, but that's really sad.”

The Trump administration might try to criminally prosecute local officials who stand in the way of its mass deportation efforts but Mayor Justin Elicker isn’t worried about being locked up. After all, he stressed, there’s a big difference between not participating in federal immigration raids and actively trying to prevent them.

Elicker offered those thoughts Wednesday morning in response to a memo leaked from the Department of Justice (DOJ) instructing federal law enforcement to investigate for potential criminal charges state and local officials who interfere with the administration’s crackdown on immigrants.

The mayor speaking with this reporter after an unrelated press conference at police headquarters – reiterated his support for his “Welcoming City” executive order. He also made clear that officials in New Haven won’t be opening themselves up to legal threats because they would not interfere with federal immigration authorities, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“We are not preventing the federal government from doing their work in our community. But we’re not going to participate in it because we have a lot of things to focus on, in particular with the police department on violence in our community,” Elicker said. “We need to work on keeping our community safe, not going along with the Trump administration’s, in my view, wrong-headed effort to persecute people that aren’t a threat to our community.”

The Welcoming City order currently prohibits city employees from inquiring about someone’s immigration status, disclosing confidential information, or using city resources to assist in an investigation

unless compelled by state or federal law. The leaked DOJ memo also instructs the department’s civil division to identi-

Mayor Justin Elicker

fy state and local laws and policies that “threaten to impede” the administration’s deportation plans and possibly challenge them in court.

While Elicker acknowledged the city is concerned about potential lawsuits, courts have repeatedly upheld sanctuary laws similar to New Haven’s that prohibit collaboration between local and federal law enforcement. Connecticut has also joined a lawsuit over Trump’s executive order rolling back birthright citizenship.

More broadly, Elicker described the new president’s flurry of executive orders as “contrary to what America stands for.” He also lamented what Trump’s threats mean for American democracy.

“What world are we in right now where, because of a disagreement on policy, the Trump administration is threatening arresting local officials?” Elicker said. “That’s something you see in Iran, that’s something you see in Russia, and I guess that’s something we see in America right now, but that’s really sad.”

Elicker reacted to Trump’s first 48 hours in office on Wednesday morning after a press conference at New Haven police headquarters at 1 Union Ave.

The New Haven independent

The New Haven independent

Protests Brace For Four More Years

by Laura Glesby

A Statue of Liberty drawn on fire, free toiletries for any who needed, and collective shouts of immigrant, transgender, and Palestinian resistance rang through the frigid cold at two parallel protests downtown.

Their message resounded on Monday afternoon as Donald Trump once again took an oath of office with a flurry of executive orders cracking down on immigration and cementing anti-trans policies awaiting his signature.

About 75 people clustered at the center of the New Haven Green at a rally organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) and a host of other organizations, from Trans Haven to the Semilla Collective to Unhoused Activist Community Team (U ACT).

Meanwhile, another 40 people affiliated with Unidad Latina en Acción (ULA) convened across the street on the steps of City Hall.

While the former protest shined a particular spotlight on Palestinian self-determination and the latter focused especially on the rights of undocumented immigrants, activists at both gatherings stressed a need to collaborate and stand against injustices they view as all interconnected.

“We need to step out of our silos,” said Sun Queen, a poet and activist with Black Lives Matter New Haven and U ACT, on the Green.

Sun Queen quoted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in honor of the national holiday also on Monday designated for remem-

bering King’s legacy: “There is nothing new about poverty. What is new, however, is that we have the resources to get rid of it.”

At that rally, protesters made clear that while they were gathered to oppose Trump, they were not there to mourn the status quo under Joe Biden especially when it came to the United States’ relationship to Israel.

“Trump, he’s just as much a warmonger

as the rest of them,” said Chris Garaffa.

“While they’re cutting our social services, while they’re cutting our schools

… They’re also funding the IDF.” They called for more than just the long-awaited ceasefire that began this weekend in Gaza, advocating for an end to Israel and for Palestinian sovereignty “from the river to the sea.”

Amidst these calls, the protest expressed solidarity with some of the people most

targeted by the Trump campaign this election cycle: trans people and undocumented immigrants.

“Hey, hey, ho, ho! Transphobia has got to go!” the group chanted. “Hey, hey, ho, ho! Deportations have got to go!”

A table run by the Mutual Aid coordinator CT Grapevine offered free supplies, from Q tips to condoms, for anyone who needed.

At the same time, across the street out-

side of City Hall, ULA filled the steps of City Hall with a striking collection of protest art.

One banner featured a humanized version of the Statue of Liberty, surrounded by a halo of either feathers or flames, carrying the sign “Resist the Trump Agenda” instead of her typical torch. Another depicted someone about to smash a wall, conjuring the one Trump has vowed to build at the U.S.-Mexico border since 2015. Others bore statements: Ni una más deportación. No one is illegal on stolen land. New Haven means sanctuary.

Between speeches from fellow activists, ULA founder John Lugo announced that the organization is preparing a network of neighborhood-based volunteers throughout New Haven and beyond to respond to potential deportation efforts under a Trump administration.

ULA has established a 24-hour hotline at 475 – 333-9413 to rally those volunteers for anyone experiencing or witnessing immigration enforcement in the local area.

Lugo said after the protest that while he does not believe Trump will succeed in deporting as many people as he’s promised, “He’s going to cause a lot of damage. He’s going to cause a lot of division, he’s gonna separate a lot of families.” “Who picked the fruit in this country?” he continued. “Who cleaned the offices? Who cleaned City Hall? Who cleaned the snow today all around the state? It’s the immigrant community.”

Meanwhile, three hundred miles away, Trump grabbed a pen and set to work.

State Sues Over Birthright Citizenship; Matos: Trump Orders Are “Affront To Democracy”

by Dereen Shirnekhi

Connecticut has joined 17 states in suing President Donald Trump to challenge an executive order to end birthright citizenship just one of a slate of executive orders signed by the new president that a national immigrant rights activist based in New Haven describes as “comprehensive, cruel and shocking in scope.”

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced in a Tuesday press release that the state has joined 17 states, plus Washington D.C. and the City of San Francisco, in a joint lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts against Trump and his Monday signing of an executive order to repeal birthright citizenship. That order, the press release states, “eviscerat[es] clear constitutional rights to which all children born in the U.S. are entitled.”

Birthright citizenship guarantees that children born on U.S. soil are citizens regardless of their parents’ immigration status, and is enshrined in the 14th Amendment, which was ratified in 1868 and states that “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of

orders "should

and our democracy."

the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

The amendment overrode a previous decision ten years earlier in Dred Scott v. Sandford, where the Supreme Court had ruled that African Americans were not U.S. citizens.

“This is a war on American families waged by a President with zero respect for our Constitution. We have sued, and

I have every confidence we will win. The 14th Amendment says what it means, and it means what it says if you are born on American soil, you are an American. Period. Full stop,” Tong, who is a citizen by birthright, is quoted as stating. “There is no legitimate legal debate on this question. But the fact that Trump is dead wrong will not prevent him from inflicting serious harm right now on American

families like my own.

“Abolishing birthright citizenship will cause chaos across Connecticut and the United States, with babies born here lacking legal status anywhere, imperiling their future careers, education, healthcare, and more in the only country they will have known.”

Due to the order, states will also lose federal funding to programs and be required to modify benefit operations at their own cost. The filing argues that states should not have to bear those costs while their case proceeds because “the Order is directly inconsistent with the Constitution, the Immigration and Nationality Act, and two U.S. Supreme Court decisions.”

Kica Matos, a locally based national immigration rights advocate who is the president of the National Immigration Law Center (NILC), told the Independent that her organization is “prepared to use every tool in our arsenal” to fight what she called a “blatantly unconstitutional” slate of executive orders.

“They are comprehensive, cruel and shocking in scope,” she said of policies that call for mass detention, mass deportation and the usage of the military to enforce immigration laws.

Citing more than 100 years of Supreme Court precedent for birthright citizenship, she characterized Trump’s attempt to revoke the policy as an “affront to democracy.”

“It is so deeply racist and offensive to me,” Matos said. “It should offend any American who believes in our Constitution and our democracy.”

Among New Haven’s immigrant community, Matos said that she is noticing a “climate of fear” as a result of a “shocking terror strategy and aggressive enforcement effort” promised by the new presidential administration. She said that she believes the new administration hopes that immigrants will “self deport” out of fear.

She said that she is proud that Connecticut has joined the multi-state lawsuit and that the state is fighting for justice and the constitution. While some of Trump’s policies are unconstitutional, she said, “they are designed to devastate.”

“Immigrants should know New Haven will do anything to protect them,” Matos said, reiterating a commitment the city has made to its immigrant community. But at the same time, “people need to be careful.”

Lucy Gellman file photo

Kica Matos: Trump's executive

The New Haven independent

The New Haven independent

City To Immigrants: Know Your Rights

by Nathaniel Rosenberg

New Haven will protect immigrants, regardless of legal status, during a second Trump administration.

More than two dozen city officials, alders and immigrant rights advocates gathered in Fair Haven Friday afternoon to send that message as they highlighted the city’s newly updated resource guide for new residents, which includes sections on the legal rights available to undocumented New Haveners.

It came less than 72 hours before Donald Trump’s inauguration. The president-elect-again has pledged to end birthright citizenship and pursue “mass deportations” when he takes office, both efforts his administration is already preparing for.

According to Mayor Justin Elicker, New Haven’s city government will not help in those efforts to the fullest extent legally possible, and is currently retraining all city staff on New Haven’s immigration policies.

The city operates under a “Welcoming City” executive order that Elicker signed in 2020. That order prohibits city employees from inquiring about someone’s immigration status, disclosing confidential information, or using city resources to assist in an investigation unless compelled by state or federal law. The city also does not coordinate with federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents (ICE).

Police Chief Karl Jacobson reinforced that message Friday, noting that New Haven police have been prohibited from asking about immigration status since 2006 and that he has finished retraining the force on those orders in light of the incoming presidential administration.

“Part of our specific orders is that we do not ask about immigration status, and that is because it’s the right thing to do, but also because we need people to build trust with us,” Jacobson said. “We want you to call the police no matter what your immigration status is. We want everybody, every resident of this community, to feel safe and feel protected by the police and to be able to talk to the police.”

Another central message of the presser was for people to make sure they knew their rights under Connecticut law, especially when interacting with ICE agents.

Ben Haldeman, an immigration staff attorney at the New Haven Legal Assistance Association (NHLAA),

stressed that anyone with questions should reach out to them, IRIS or private attorneys for Know Your Rights training, as well as to get legal consults on their legal status.

“Most importantly, find a reliable source of information. Things are going to be changing, they’re going to be changing quickly, and you need to know where to go and what you can do to protect yourself and your family,” Haldeman said.

Fatima Rojas, a member of the Semilla Collective, said the group is working on community engagement efforts as part of a volunteer team with the city, with the goal of bringing Know Your Rights training into people’s homes and training people to teach their friends and family, in order to spread information as widely as possible.

“Can you just imagine, in six months, having 50 people from our community, doing Know Your Rights training at home?” Rojas asked, predicting it would reach hundreds of people.

Multiple speakers also touted the city’s newly resource guide for new residents, which can be read in English here, and in Spanish here.

The guide includes a summary of New Haven’s Welcoming City executive order, recommendations on what documents and other information to carry on you (e.g. a valid work

permit or visa; a family member’s phone number), and what to do or say if an ICE agent shows up to your door (e.g. “I will remain silent until I speak to an attorney.”) The document also includes lists of healthcare, food, shelter and legal resources.

But for all they have done to prepare, city leaders admitted that with a legal landscape that might shift rapidly and unpredictably in the coming months, there is a limit to what they can do.

“I think I’d say yes,” Elicker said when asked by this reporter if the city had a plan if ICE raids began next week. “But we don’t coordinate with ICE, so we would not know if that happens, and we will not intervene, because the federal government legally can come into the community. But we wouldn’t have our officers involved, that’s not our role.”

Also in attendance at the senior center (though not invited alongside other immigrant activists, in a move he described as “strange”) was Unidad Latina en Accion (ULA) leader John Lugo, who said while the resources provided were good, he thought Elicker had not done enough to protect immigrants currently in New Haven from wage theft and evictions.

“I think it’s good that they are saying that they’re going to defend the community. But I think the question is when they’re asked, ‘what is going to happen if an [ICE] raid happens?’, it’s just like they don’t have an answer,” Lugo said.

Lugo also criticized the Board of Alders for not codifying the mayor’s “Welcoming City” order into a more permanent city ordinance, a demand ULA has been organizing around for more than a year.

For Rojas, a big concern is a lack of urgency among undocumented residents surrounding the threat of deportation.

“It’s interesting because [reactions are] mixed. There’s a lot of uncertainty around should I save my kids, what’s going to happen,” she said. “But a lot of people right now are thinking that we already had [Trump’s presidency], we were able to live with that for four years, we are going to do it this time.”

Fair Haven Alder Sarah Miller: "Welcoming newcomers is baked into the DNA of our neighborhood."

ULA's John Lugo, immigration raid planning is good but "they're not doing anything to prevent evictions."

Nathaniel Rosenberg photo Chief Jacobson: "We want you to call the police no matter what your immigration status is."

ULA’s John Lugo, immigration raid planning is good but “they’re not doing anything to prevent

ULA's John Lugo, immigration raid planning is good but "they're not doing anything to prevent evictions."

The New Haven independent

OUTRAGE BUILDS OVER TRUMP’S ORDER ENDING DEI IN FEDERAL AGENCIES AND CONTRACTS

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

President Donald J. Trump’s first-day executive order to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies across federal agencies and contractors has drawn widespread condemnation. Critics say the move systematically undermines civil rights, economic equity, and decades of progress toward inclusion for marginalized communities.

The order terminates DEI considerations in federal hiring, promotions, and contracting. It revokes affirmative action criteria in federal contracting and directs agencies to investigate private-sector DEI practices, claiming these measures violate civil rights. Trump’s administration heralded the order as a return to “colorblind equality,” but civil rights leaders, labor advocates, and lawmakers strongly disagreed.

CBC: “A Step Backward for America”

The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) lambasted the order, calling it “an attack on economic opportunity for Black and minority communities.” CBC Chair Yvette Clarke said the action “does nothing to help our communities grow economically or address the costs of living for hardworking American families.” Clarke connected the move to the Supreme Court’s recent decision to end race-conscious college admissions, stating, “This administration is dismantling tools that have opened doors to education and opportunity.”

Broad Condemnation from Advocates Labor unions, civil rights organizations, and other groups responded with outrage. Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, warned that eliminating DEI policies

would harm both federal employees and the public they serve. “These programs promote fairness and build a federal government that reflects the diverse population it serves,” Kelley said. He also noted that DEI initiatives have contributed to narrowing gender and racial pay gaps.

Dr. Andrea Abrams, executive director of the Defending American Values Coalition, called the executive order “an alarm-

ing assault on the core values of diversity and inclusion.” Abrams emphasized that DEI has been instrumental in driving innovation and economic growth by fostering workplaces that attract top talent. “By dismantling these efforts, the administration risks weakening our economy and setting our nation back for generations,” Abrams said.

SEIU International President April Ver-

rett tied Trump’s actions to broader policies prioritizing the wealthy over working families. “This administration has made it clear that its priority is protecting the privileged few, not creating opportunities for everyday Americans,” Verrett said.

“We Will Not Back Down”

Rev. Al Sharpton addressed the order at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day rally in Washington, D.C., warning corporations that abandoning DEI policies would lead to boycotts. “DEI was a remedy to the racial bigotry practiced in academia and corporations. If you want to put us back in the back of the bus, we’re going to do the Dr. King-Rosa Parks on you,” Sharpton declared to a packed audience.

Sharpton reminded listeners of the historical struggles for civil rights and warned that dismantling DEI programs would provoke a sustained fight. “You must have forgotten who we are. We are the ones that you took everything from, and we are still here,” he said.

Economic and Social Impact

Advocates emphasized that DEI policies benefit everyone by promoting fairness and innovation. “Diversity is not a partisan issue,” Abrams said. “It strengthens democracy, ensures economic resilience, and gives everyone a fair chance to succeed.”

Critics warn that the executive order could reverse decades of progress. “Programs that promote an inclusive workforce ensure rules are applied fairly and help build a government that reflects the people it serves,” Kelley noted.

Labor groups, civil rights leaders, and advocates have vowed to resist. “Our fight continues,” Verrett said. “We won’t back down.”

Todd Dulaney, GRAMMY- Nominated Gospel Singer, and UConn’s Voices of Freedom Choir perform January 31

in collaboration with the Dr. Martin Luther King

STORRS, CT -- Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts on the UConn Storrs campus will celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a performance by Gospel star Todd Dulaney and UConn’s Voices of Freedom Gospel Choir on Friday, January 31 at 6 p.m. The event is sponsored by the UConn Office for Diversity and Inclusion in collaboration with the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Living Legacy Convocation.

The evening will begin with honoring the 2025 MLK Living Legacy awardees, followed by the concert. These awards recognize exceptional contributions in the realms of Leadership, Advocacy, Social Justice, Community Service, and Education. Each recipient has demonstrated remarkable commitment and achievement in their respective fields, embodying the values of excellence and positive impact. Drafted into Major League Baseball, the GRAMMY-nominated singer and songwriter left behind a career in professional sports to follow his calling in Gospel music. Dulaney is renowned for his powerful, scripture-inspired worship anthems

Roll Out Bills

guard fund that would be used in cases of emergency to address unexpected shortfalls in public health funding.

S.B. 7 would also address the potential ban of abortion drugs at the federal level by authorizing the state to import the active ingredients of drugs like levonorgestrel, mifepristone and misoprostol to ensure production can occur locally and access can be retained in the event of a larger ban. Finally, the bill would establish a Public Health Advisory Body within the state Department of Public Health to combat what Democrats say could be misleading public health information coming from the Trump administration in the event of a public health emergency.

“This is the time for us to shield the citizens of the state of Connecticut,” Anwar said. “This is the time for us to stay focused on evidence-based medicine, evidence-based public health policies, and also do that in a manner which is accepted by almost all of the public health experts in the country and beyond. And that’s what the time requires. And we are calling [SB 7] the Shield Bill because this is to shield the public health of our citizens.”

House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, speaks to reporters following a news conference by the Democrats on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. Credit: Jamil Ragland / CTNewsJunkie

House Minority Leader Rep. Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, said in an interview that the Democrats’ proposals are an attempt to solve a problem they created.

Jr. Living Legacy Convocation

Todd Dulaney

and has released several chart-topping albums, including Your Great Name and Anthems & Glory. As the CEO of Dulaneyland Music, a virtual music production company, he continues to push boundaries in the Gospel music industry.

Born in Maywood, Illinois, Dulaney grew up as a singer and an elite athlete.

After graduating from high school in 2001, he was drafted from Community College in Mt. Carmel, Illinois by the New York Mets. While refining his athletic skills, Dulaney realized that there was a higher calling upon his life. He accepted an invitation to travel and perform background vocals for gospel artist and Grammy winner Smokie Norful.

He has worked and shared the stage with award-winning artists including Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Jessica Reedy, Maurette Brown-Clark, Michelle Williams, Donnie McClurkin, Fred Hammond, Dr Bobby Jones, Ernest Pugh, TRIN-I-TEE 5:7, Nicole and David Binion, Tye Tribett and Donnie McClurkin. He has toured throughout the United States and has performed in Canada, France and Nigeria.

“I think when it comes to the high cost and affordability of living, it’s the Democrats’ own policies over the last 20 years that have put Connecticut at a very competitive disadvantage,” Candelora said. “They’re the ones that have raised taxes over a decade on the middle class. And so if they want to get real and have a conversation about how to make things more affordable in the state of Connecticut, I hope they bring the Republicans in the room, because we are really the only party that has championed those positions.” Candelora said Republicans would be offering their own set of proposals, centered on taxation and regulation.

“Democrats raised taxes on car purchases by 1 percent,” he said. “They raised taxes on meals by 1 percent, and they raised taxes on children’s clothing. We want to pull some of those back and make it more affordable for residents.”

“And when it comes to the private sector, we need to look at what regulatory environment the state of Connecticut has. There was just a report that came out yesterday. Connecticut is dead last in start-ups and when you restrict the ability for companies to come into this state and you restrict competition because you’re unaffordable, that trickles down to its residents.”

While Candelora is generally supportive of empowering Connecticut to manage its own public health affairs as a mat-

GOP Crashes New Haven For Inauguration

by Paul Bass

A rebel roar arose from a Temple Street bar in the People’s Republic of New Haven as Donald Trump took the oath of office Monday as America’s 47th president. The roar went up shortly after noon in the main hall of 144 Temple, the former Playwright nightclub across from the Omni Hotel. A hundred Republicans from around Connecticut and all walks of life gathered there in the downtown heart of blue New Haven, where protests were planned for later that day, for an inauguration watch party. They cheered on a man many viewed as a fellow take-it-tothe-man outsider ready to shake up the established order from the most powerful post on earth.

State GOP leaders were in D.C. to celebrate in person. It cosponsored the New Haven watch party for the party faithful remaining in the state.

“You just watched the rebirth of our nation!” event co-organizer Dominic Rapini, a former GOP candidate for statewide office, told the cheering crowd as Trump completed his “solemn” promise to defend the U.S. Constitution.

“Connecticut is next!” yelled a voice from the crowd.

The three TV sets above the bar went silent after the oath. The screens showed the U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club performing “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” inside the somber Capitol rotunda. Meanwhile, inside the Temple Street bar restaurant, DJ James Shanahan (aka TekNeek) cranked up the VIllage People’s “YMCA” for the second time at the

event. Beside him onstage, presidential impersonal Tommy Trump45 took to the stage stomping his version of the dance Trump made famous at his campaign rallies. Members of the crowd picked up the cue with their own moves.

Watching the crowd, Rapini, who runs a Branford cybersecurity company, noted how Trump assembled a winning coalition by luring people who saw themselves outside the political process.

“He inspired so many low-propensity voters. He appealed to our common sense and our sense of rebellion,” Rapini said.

“We’ve got business owners here, retirees, blue-collar workers. We’ve got custodians and CEOs … ” “… and,” he said with an eye twinkle, “a few baristas.”

Among those cheering on the new president was Paul Heriot, a 67-year-old illustrator and cartoonist who used to lead a punk band called The Presidential Targets and design controversial cover caricatures of police bruatlity for the now-defunct altweekly New Haven Advocate.

Wearing a “Trump 2024 God Guns” cap, Heriot said he retains his outsider views from the days he voted Democratic. He would have voted for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. this year were he on the ballot.

The biggest “rebel” on the scene now, Heriot said, is Donald Trump. He was drawn to Trump’s vows to “drain the swamp.” He followed podcasters like Joe Rogan and former Young Turk Dave Rubin as well as former Democrats like Kennedy and Tulsi Gabbard (“She was actually put on the no-fly list!”) to the MAGA ticket.

Pat Kennedy, who drove down from New London for the watch party, said he looks forward to having a “strong country again” under Trump. He met a New Haven construction worked named Oliver Augustin, who was seated on a stool next to his at the bar working on a Samuel Adams Cold Snap white ale. Augustin said he’s looking forward to “things actually changing” with a new president after four “tumultuous” years.

Mingling amid the crowd, a cowboy hat-wearing Assa Abloy IT engineer Thomas Kilstrom boosted his brand as “The Handler” promoting a “Magnetic Movement” as an online influencer. He spoke of how it takes “a bold motherfucker” like Trump “to make change.”

The sound came back on the Fox-tuned TV screens as Trump launched into his inaugural address. The barroom rebel cheers resumed when he declared a new policy that the U.S. would have only two official genders, that he would seal the border and deport immigrants en masse, that the U.S. would take back the Panama Canal and “drill baby drill!” He echoed sentiments spoken in the 144 Temple hall when he spoke of a “tide of change” that would upend “a radical and corrupt establishment” that “has extracted wealth from our citizens.”

Elon Musk got a rousing cheer as well when the Fox News camera panned to him smiling at Trump’s promise to send people to Mars.

Another event co-host, WDRC-AM morning co-host and former Newington State Rep. Gary Byron, took the stage after Trump finished speaking.

“Now,” Byron reminded the crowd, “we have to turn Connecticut red.”

Bridgeport Public Schools Announces Guidelines for Protecting Students During Potential ICE Raids

Bridgeport, CT – January 21, 2025 –

As concerns about potential Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions grow, Bridgeport Public Schools is reaffirming its commitment to protecting the safety and privacy of all students and families. During the Board of Education meeting on Monday, January 13, 2025, Interim Superintendent Dr. Royce Avery reported that the district’s immigration enforcement guidelines are in full effect and emphasized the importance of safeguarding students, regardless of their immigration status. Under these guidelines, no ICE agents or government officials are permitted to enter school buildings, buses, or attend school events without prior written authorization from the Superintendent.

Dr. Avery affirmed that Bridgeport Public Schools is dedicated to protecting all students, regardless of their immigration status. "We will not tolerate any threats to the safety or dignity of our students," Dr. Avery declared. "Every student in Bridgeport, regardless of their immigration status, has the right to feel secure and supported in our schools. I became

an educator to advocate for all students, and I will ensure their rights and privacy are upheld. Our schools will remain a safe space where all students can learn, grow, and succeed without fear or discrimination."

Important Guidelines

Visitor Protocol: All visitors must report to the main office, provide valid identification, and state a legitimate purpose for their visit. Unauthorized individuals will not be granted access.

Immigration Enforcement Restrictions:

Federal immigration activities are strictly prohibited on Bridgeport Public Schools property, transportation routes, or during school activities without prior approval from the Superintendent. No ICE agents or government officials can enter school buildings, buses, or attend school events without prior authorization.

Student Privacy Protections: Bridgeport Public Schools does not collect or store information regarding immigration status to ensure student privacy and safety.

Steps to Follow if an ICE Officer Arrives:

1. Secure the Premises: Use the intercom to communicate with the official. If nec-

essary, lock all exterior doors to prevent unauthorized entry and ensure the safety of students and staff.

2. Meet the Officer at the Entrance: Always meet the ICE officer at the school entrance, where all visitors are screened for entry.

3. Request Officer Information: Ask for

the ICE officer’s name, badge/ID number, and the reason for the visit during school hours.

4. Contact the Superintendent's Office: Immediately notify the Superintendent’s office to ensure they are informed and can take the necessary action.

5. Do Not Physically Interfere: If the

ICE officer does not comply with district protocols, do not attempt to physically intervene. Instead, gather as much information as possible and notify district security supervisors and the Superintendent’s office.

Bridgeport Public Schools is actively working with key community partners, including the Connecticut Institute for Refugees & Immigrants, CT Students For A Dream, and others, to host a series of community forums and trainings in the coming weeks. The forums are designed to ensure the Bridgeport community receives the vital resources and information needed to navigate concerns related to student safety and immigration. In addition, the district is offering professional development for staff to equip them with the knowledge and tools necessary to support students and families during challenging times. Bridgeport Public Schools remains committed to fostering a safe and supportive environment for all students, and continues to collaborate with the Bridgeport Police Department to uphold student safety, privacy, and well-being.

Paul Bass Photo Punk rocker Paul Heriot, at left, watching the inaugural address with fellow Trump supporters at Monday's downtown New Haven watch party.

The New Haven independent

Pictured: Todd Dulaney

Goddaughter of Dr. King, Donzaleigh Abernathy, to Give Keynote Address at SIUE’s

42nd Annual MLK Luncheon

The actress-author and her siblings grew up with the King children and the Roberts family of actors

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville welcomes actress and author Donzaleigh Abernathy as the keynote speaker at the 42nd Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Luncheon. Abernathy features her father Reverend Doctor Ralph David Abernathy and his best friend and her godfather, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in her coffee table pictorial “Partners To History, Martin Luther King, and the Civil Rights Movement,” published by Random House/ Crown. Attendees of the luncheon, hosted by SIUE’s Kimmel Belonging and Engagement Hub, will hear first-hand accounts of Abernathy’s time with her “Uncle Martin” and her father, Rev. Abernathy, who are two of the founders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. She gives her remarks on Wednesday, Jan. 22 during the event, scheduled from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Meridian Ballroom of the Morris University Center.

Donzaleigh Abernathy has had recurring roles on the TV series “EZ Streets,” “Commander-In-Chief,” “Lincoln Heights,” “Dangerous Minds,” and “Amazing Grace.” She has starred in several television movies including “Fatal Exposure,”

“Abducted – A Father’s Love,” “Ned Blessing” and “Grassroots.” She won the Tanne Foundation 2012 Artist Award for her work as an actress and for her script, “Birmingham Sunday.”

For four years and more than 60 episodes, Abernathy was a series regular on Lifetime Television’s critically acclaimed dramatic series, “Any Day Now.” She has also starred and co-starred in numerous other television and film projects.

Before taking the stage at SIUE she answered a few questions about growing up as the daughter of Mr. Ralph David Abernathy and Mrs. Juanita Abernathy and “in the shadow” of “gentle giants.” How would you describe yourself?

I’m a work in progress, for sure. I grew up in the shadow of these absolutely amazing, humble, gentle giants, and because of them and their dedication and service to humanity, I feel as if I have a moral obligation to continue the work that they started.

I am the great granddaughter of slaves— not the granddaughter, but the great granddaughter—and so it really wasn’t that long ago. And I stand on the shoulders of these incredible people. So for me, it’s humbling what they accomplished, what they did, and how the world changed in my lifetime. And you know, my mother always used to say, to whom much is given, much is expected.

My sister [Juandalynn], myself, Yolanda King, Martin, Dexter, my brother, Ralph, Bernice and my little brother Kwame, we watched the world change in our lifetime, and we now have freedom and liberties that we didn’t have growing up because of that.

There’s a reason I’m here, and there’s things that I need to do and I think we all need to do. But because we were raised under these amazing people who sacrificed and were never compensated for what they did—it was a labor of love for humanity— as their children, we each feel that we have to do our part. And so I have to do my part.

As an actress, you’ve been in numerous productions that reflect the state of America, when it comes to race. So how has the industry, you feel, measured up to telling America’s story and what remains to be

told.

There’s so much to be told, and we have to tell our stories. We can’t expect someone else to tell our stories, and it’s really important now, because with the banning of books and the history of people of color trying to be denied in educational institutions, it’s more important than ever that Hollywood rise up and tell our stories. They have to be the stories of what “Sounder” was, or the great stories of “Roots” or “Ragtime,” or the great sacrifices and incredible contributions that people of color made. And not only did Black people make these contributions, but Latino people have also made amazing contributions here in the United States of America and so have Asian people. Native Americans—you know the treaties that were written and those that were violated. We need to know about internment camps and what happened to those Japanese people. We need to know about what happened to Jewish people here in the United States of America, and how they weren’t even welcomed during the beginning of the Second World War.

And I am grateful that Hollywood is trying to do its part. I’m so grateful for the movies that have been chosen, and that have chosen me. Because I’ve chosen so many, but they don’t always choose me. It’s OK. I love being an artist. I can’t believe that we get to dress up and do make believe. And the reason I’m an actress today, honest to God, is because growing up in the civil rights movement was so traumatic for us because our home was bombed.

We took ballet, and after ballet, Yoki [Yolanda King] started taking acting lessons. And because we would leave ballet together, my sister and I would go with her to acting lessons, to Mr. Walter Roberts’ house. I was too little to participate, but it was so much fun, and I enjoyed it. And, I did not know that the little baby Julia in the house would grow up to be the Julia Roberts, but I remember her brother, Eric. He used to have to take care of me. I just thought he was the cutest thing I’d ever laid eyes on, and he was so nice. He would make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich

and take care of me on Saturday afternoons. I just knew that I wanted to become an actress, and then we started making plays. We had a Christmas play and an Easter play that we put on for our parents and Aunt Coretta would film us. We were just two families, but through the process, that’s where I found my escape, which would become my career.

When Mother and Aunt Coretta asked us if we wanted to integrate the elementary schools in 1965, I was the first child to raise my hand, and I said, “Oh my God, if I go to Spring Street School, I’ll see Eric—not just on Saturdays. I’ll see him every day.” But he was so much older I had no idea. So when I went to the third grade, he went to high school from the eighth grade. I was just too young. But it was great to be influenced.

And so now years later, I’ve just done a movie with Eric. I’m in the movie because of Eric.

Mr. Walter Roberts came to every single performance that we had for our parents. He was so supportive of us. He even came to my little ballet recital at Spelman College. You know, I just loved it and it didn’t matter that he was a different race. It wasn’t about being a different race—we were all the same.

With integration, I’m like, we can all live together in a house, and we can have dinner together, and we can do some fun things together. Why are those people out there with problems? I just didn’t understand it. You were 11 years old when Dr. King was assassinated, and your father was with him. Can you take us back to that day?

So we were not allowed to watch television in our house during the week, only the news, and so the television was not on. And I had this friend in school. Her name was Julie Clements. And we were in the family room. Mother was in the kitchen. And so we had what you consider that open floor plan that people are trying to get in their houses now. We had that then. And I just remember I was sitting there on the floor doing my homework. And Ms. Clements, her mother, a beautiful white woman,

loving, to be killed so brutally. I remember when Medgar Evers had been killed, and my dad sat us down, and he said, “One day I’m not going to come back in this house, and you need to be prepared. You need to understand what we’re trying to do.”

And our home had already been bombed–our home in Montgomery. And so they would always call every night at dinner time and threaten to kill us. And Mother would slam that telephone down on the wall, and we’d eat the rest of our dinner in silence, and then run back to our bedroom, get our bath, finish our homework, and be as quiet as we could possibly be. And then we’d knock on the wall to our brother’s room to make sure we had a little code, to make sure he was OK.

You know, we always understood and we always knew, but when the reality happens, it’s devastating.

called my mother. She said, Juanita, you need to turn on the television. And I was the closest to the TV, and I turned on the TV. And on the TV immediately it said Uncle Martin had been shot. And so my sister started screaming and ran back to our bedroom, because we had our own phone, the children’s line. So she got on the phone, and she called Yoki, Uncle Martin’s oldest daughter, so they’re both crying together and commiserating together.

And then Aunt Coretta calls right after that, and she says, “Juanita, Martin’s been shot. Will you go with me to Memphis?”

So, Mother’s like, “OK.”

And so I’m trying to calm everybody down, because I was telling my sister and Yoki about the Road Runner cartoon. The Road Runner always gets run over and gets shot or whatever, but the Road Runner gets back up, and that God is not about to let Uncle Martin die, because Uncle Martin was good and everything is going to be OK, and everybody just needs to calm down.

So I was focusing on my mother, trying to make sure she was OK. The phone started ringing, and people started coming to the house. And then Dr. Otis Smith came, and his wife, Gwen. He said he would drive us.

And I said, “Mother, I’ll be there with you. I’m going to go with you to the airport, and then Uncle Otis will bring us back to the house, but we’re going to be there with you.” And my sister stayed in the house because people were coming.

So [my brother] Ralph and I rode with Mother to keep her calm. We got to the airport, and I just remember we walked through to the airport, to the tarmac, because back then, you know, you had to walk outside to go get on the airplane. And all of these people were outside. And there was Aunt Coretta, and there was Mother, and I just remember Mother and Aunt Coretta embracing. And then when they embraced, I knew he was gone.

And then I just started crying and this reporter turned and put a camera in my face, and I just got so angry. And I was just so devastated, because I didn’t understand how God could allow someone so good, so

And it was like the light went out in our lives, and it really never came back. You know when I speak about Uncle Martin, it’s like I get a chance to bring him back to life again. I remember all the crazy things he used to do, and how much fun he was and how good he was. So that’s why I talk about him.

I was blessed to know him, and to grow up with him, and been old enough to know him.

On Jan. 10, 1957, Rev. Abernathy’s home and church were bombed along with the home of another pastor and three other churches. The Abernathy family survived, and Donzaleigh was born seven months later.

Abernathy says it is of utmost importance that college students today learn that it is up to each generation to fight for their freedoms.

“It could all change in an instant,” she said. “And unfortunately, there are a lot of people who want it to change, and we cannot be naive and pretend that they don’t exist. We cannot. We have to be strong, and we have to be smart. We’ve got to rise up and be the best that we can be.”

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Luncheon will include musical performances and the award ceremony for this year’s Humanitarian, SIUE Student Scholarship, and Local Youth Awards.

Donations may be made to SIUE’s MLK Scholarship Fund.

For more information, contact MLKCelebration@siue.edu or 618-650-3179.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high-quality education that powerfully transforms the lives of all individuals who seek something greater. A premier metropolitan university, SIUE is creating social and economic mobility for individuals while also powering the workforce of the future. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Home to a diverse student body, SIUE is situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi River’s rich bottomland and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis.

Strings & Steel

clap along, “Let’s love each other, and we’ll be fine.”

The setting could not be more fitting: First and Summerfield has long been a hub for union organizing and progressive politics, including as a sanctuary congregation during Donald Trump’s first term as president. Its former pastor, Vicki Flippin, has been at the forefront of actions for women’s, LGBTQ+ and immigrant rights; she spoke passionately on the steps of the city’s federal courthouse on the day the Supreme Court of the United States struck down Roe v. Wade in 2022.

It lent the musicians an energy that flowed right into an arrangement of David Rudder’s 1998 “High Mas,” a piece of Calypso music that lets the steel pan shine as it calls its listeners to get up and dance. From the front row to the back of the church, people began to move in place, some bobbing as others bounced their kids on their knees and laps.

As a wood block inched in from the back, the sound suddenly seemed as if it was everywhere, wrapping the audience in its infectious, effusive joy and insistent march forward.

The song, which celebrates the custom of Mas or masquerade—part of the Carnival that comes before Lent in the West Indies and across the Caribbean—has in New Haven become a symbol of the breadth of diaspora, played beneath the scorching summer sun and in Soca and Calypso medleys meant to ring in the holiday season. This year, Joseph said, the band brought it back by popular demand.

With spirits high, Joseph asked the audience to stand for one more long-standing concert tradition: the singing of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” recognized as the Black National Anthem (listen to the performance here). At first, there was just one voice: Music Haven violinist Wesley McBride, an eighth grader at Worthington Hooker School who studies with Matyakubova.

But as he finished a verse, Joseph turned to attendees, cuing them in. Where there had been a single voice there were dozens, then hundreds, all carried by the instruments beneath them.

Several students held onto that momentum after the concert, as they zipped up their instruments and prepared to head back out into the icy cold. As he helped clean up, eighth grader Blake Adorno took a moment to reflect on the show, looking around a church that had been full of hundreds of people. While he grew up around the steel pan—his cousin, Logan Foreman, has played for over a decade and is still in the band now—Monday marked his first MLK Day concert.

“I feel like it's a day that everybody should come together,” he said, adding that he’s been thinking about what it means to honor Martin Luther King in his own life. “Not just African Americans, but everybody should be together … all different colors. [This year], I feel like we all know what we have to do. It's a matter of, are we gonna do it or not? I, as myself, I feel like I can spread togetherness, hap-

2025 SCHOOL CHOICE EXPO

A Culture-Bearer Passes On: Elaine Peters Dies At 70

Lucy Gellman

Elaine Peters had the spirit of dance inside of her. As a girl, she set the stage ablaze at the Bowen-Peters School of Dance, where her father and stepmother were the founders and she taught for years. In New York, she soared through work with the late Lavinia Williams and members of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Back home, a spirited conga line seemed to follow her across the city, from the New Haven city bus to the city’s Caribbean Heritage Festival. Her chihuahua, Coconut, was often dancing along in her arms or at her feet.

Now, New Haven must carry on that rich legacy without her. Peters, a skilled dancer, drummer and visual artist who built community through the arts and for decades led New Haven’s Kwanzaa celebrations, died late last month at the age of 70. She is survived by her siblings, Jomo and Ntombi Peters, her daughter, Tulani Peters-Adger, and a host of friends who are feeling her loss acutely.

In New Haven, she leaves behind a community wracked by grief, from former dance sisters and peers at the New Haven Free Public Library to drummers who can’t imagine a healing circle without her. She was also an active and longtime member of New York’s East Coast Village, a retreat dedicated to Indigenous ancestral wisdom and helmed by the late Malidoma Somé.

“She had a personality where she just embraced life—she would just take you where she wanted to take you, you were just happy to be along for the ride,” recalled her younger brother, Jomo Peters, in a phone call last week. “She loved to celebrate, she celebrated love and life and togetherness. There was always a spark in her. I’ve never encountered anyone else who could do that. She could make any situation a celebration.”

“The question for me is, what’s this world gonna be like without Elaine?” said drummer Brian Jarawa Gray, who first met Peters in the early 1970s, when he arrived as a drummer at Bowen-Peters.

“Everything that I've done, she was always part of that. She touched so many people. Some call her auntie, some call her sister, some people call her momma. There’s just so much that she did.”

While Peters was born in Boston, the story of her childhood begins in earnest on Dixwell Avenue, at the then-nascent Bowen-Peters Cultural Arts Center, in the 1960s. It was there, in 1963, that the late Kenneth and Angela Bowen Peters—her father and stepmother—founded a dance school with a few hundred dollars and a dream of bringing Black arts education to New Haven.

For an eight-year-old Peters, who had grown up watching her parents perform in Boston, participating wasn’t a choice. It was just the family business.

“I was in it before I knew I was in it, you know, because I was born into it,” she recalled in a 2021 Kulturaly LIT interview celebrating Kwanzaa (watch it here, or below). “I was born into it.”

From the beginning, it instilled in her a deep love not only for dance and drumming, but also for mentorship, which she continued to do for the rest of her life in New Haven (less than a week before she passed, she was participating in a Kwanzaa celebration at City Hall).

At Bowen-Peters, she quickly became one of the dancers that students looked up to, the cool older kid to New Haven culture-bearers like Diane Brown, IfeMichelle Gardin, and Shari Caldwell, as well as the late Chuckey Brown, Paul Hall and Aleta Staton. If a student passed through the school’s doors, they knew Elaine, and it was likely they loved her too.

“She was an amazing sister,” said former Bowen-Peters student Shari Caldwell, who went on to teach dance in New Haven for decades before moving to Maryland. “A beautiful, beautiful dancer. Her instrument was her body, and it was one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. Everybody has their ups and downs, and she went through a lot, but she was always thinking about how to contribute artistically and bring culture to the community.”

“Elaine was very creative,” remembered Stetson Branch Manager Diane Brown, who met her when she was eight, and started classes at Bowen-Peters. “Not just dance. She loved African American culture, Caribbean culture, and she embraced it all and she taught it all, whenever she had an opportunity to teach.”

“There was a sisterhood there,” she added, remembering the sense of mentorship that she felt from Peters and peers like Lucretia Moye-Mack, whose son Brooklyn just returned to the Washington Ballet after years leading the Columbia Classical Ballet. “She was a big dance sister. They set the example for us on what a sisterhood was.”

When Peters wasn’t in the studio, she

was working behind the scenes, doing some of the administrative work required of running a dance center (“All the envelopes!” she remembered with a small smile in a 2021 interview. “You had to lick and seal and send out things, [there were] no computers then.”). Through her parents’ guidance, she learned a kind of kindness, rigor and social grace, watching as they offered work in exchange for classes for students who could not afford tuition.

But it was on the dance floor, perfecting styles that ranged from advanced ballet and jazz to Afro-Cuban dance, that she shone most brightly. Peters excelled as a member of the school’s dance troupe, traveling to different places around the city to teach and to perform. Like her father, she became a skilled drummer, a talent that she carried with her for decades after the school had shut its doors. At some point, she became an assistant

excitement to all she did, infusing everyday activities with a bright, vast ebullience. When she took her siblings out with her, “we would have a ball,” Jomo remembered fondly. She was his gateway to George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, his cool playmate at a nearby park with a large hill, where a running start from her friends could make him feel like he was flying.

In the mid-1970s, Peters had her first and only child, Tulani Peters-Adger, who now lives in Hamden and works in New Haven. Her childhood was filled with dancing, Peters-Adger remembered in a phone call: Peters would lift her up and spin her around, spending long hours with her at the school (“She said when I was born, I came out and did a port de bras,” she remembered with a little laugh).

While her childhood was sometimes difficult, Peters-Adger said, “I was brought up with a lot of love.” Peters insisted on the value of a strong education, and she took it to heart, learning about the world around her as she also watched her mother teach and mentor members of the community.

“She was so full of life, and she brought that energy everywhere she went,” Peters-Adger said. “She was a teacher. She loved teaching … she did so many different things with her life.”

Peters never lost her love for, or dedication to, dance and drumming in New Haven. In the late 1970s, she went temporarily to New York, studying alongside the late Lavinia Williams and taking classes at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center School. Back in New Haven, she grew her cultural footprint, bringing dance to the old Dixwell Community “Q” House, community centers in the Hill and Fair Haven, and public schools.

It was an act of faith and precision and artistry: she once laughed remembering jumping into her trusty Dodge Dart and “doing 100 miles trying to go back and forth” on I-95 to make it work.

teacher to Bowen Peters, learning how to mentor under her stepmother’s watchful eye.

“She was one of the most powerful and beautiful dancers that you could ever see,” remembered Jomo Peters. “She could command a stage just by her presence there.”

She also had a vivacity that stood out to all those who knew her, whether it was in New York or New Haven or elsewhere. Jomo, who is roughly 14 years younger, recalled thinking of Peters as “one of the older people who helped raise me,” the cool big sister who was old enough that she felt almost like an adult. At Bowen-Peters, she was “a hell of an artist” who painted vivid drumskins, African masks, and sewed costumes at the drop of a hat (“I could make anything if you give me a piece of string and a button,” she later said).

Outside of the school, she brought that

But she did, building up hundreds of devoted students along the way, and raising a daughter of her own in between. As Staton, who has since passed herself, said in 2021, “you taught whole communities to dance.” When Bowen-Peters closed in 1984, she dedicated her career to keeping the same spirit of Black arts education alive in the city.

“After the school closed, she did so much work in New Haven to carry the legacy on,” remembered her younger sister, Ntombi Peters, in a phone call last week.

“A lot of people who felt just really close to her and mentored by her. She felt a sense of responsibility and a joy in sharing the culture, the music, the history.”

Sometimes that looked like spreading the joy of dance and dance education— but Peters also delighted in and practiced music, drumming, spoken word and a connection with ancestral African traditions. In the mid-1980s, several friends

Arts Council of greater New Haven

Elaine Peters at last year's Caribbean Heritage Festival on the New Haven Green. For those who knew her, Coconut was forever by her side. He is now in the care of her friend, Marcey Lynn Jones. Lucy Gellman File Photo.

Peters and Coconut with drummer Jesse Hameen and Judge Clifton Graves. Contributed Photo.

Questions about your bill?

Yale New Haven Hospital is pleased to offer patients and their families financial counseling regarding their hospital bills or the availability of financial assistance, including free care funds. By appointment, patients can speak one-on-one with a financial counselor during regular business hours. For your convenience, extended hours are available in-person at Yale New Haven Hospital once a month.

Date: Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Time: 5 - 7 pm

Location: Children’s Hospital, 1 Park St., 1st Floor, Admitting

Parking available (handicapped accessible)

An appointment is necessary. Please call 855-547-4584

Spanish-speaking counselors available.

Evergreen Cemetery & Crematory We’re Here When You Need Us!

• Cremation (Choose to be cremated at Evergreen.)

• Columbarium in the Most Beautiful Cremation Garden

• Reserve your Niche in a secure location pre-need.

• Reserve a Niche for family and friends or purchase at-need to safely place your Loved One in the Columbarium.

• Burial Lots (infant, single, two-grave, or four-grave)

• Monuments & Markers (black, gray, or pink granite)

• Flower placement (single or multiple placement)

• All orders can be placed at the Evergreen office or the website.

ON MLK DAY, WISE WORDS ABOUT EDUCATION

By National Head Start Association

As we mark Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we recall what he said about education:

“The richest nation on Earth has never allocated enough resources to build sufficient schools, to compensate adequately its teachers, and to surround them with the prestige our work justifies. We squander funds on highways, on the frenetic pursuit of recreation, on the overabundance of overkill armament, but we pauperize education.” We also highlight early childhood education success stories. For instance, the National Head Start Association recognized Natalie Hankins with its Aubrey Puckett Memorial Award for demonstrating passion for and commitment and engagement to serving through advocacy—as both a current staff member and a Head Start alumna.

Ms. Hankins attended Head Start as a child in 1967. She remembers being a child who cried often but found comfort in her teachers. She vividly recalls the activities that helped her: finger painting,

reading books, singing songs, and her nurturing teacher Mrs. Katherine Culp.

“Head Start was a great start for me, on all levels,” says Ms. Hankins. “It was a great start for my education journey. Being a Head Start child instilled in me a strong desire to learn that I’ve always kept with me. Both of my grandmothers were educators and education advocates. It was only natural for me to follow their lead and improve myself through education.”

Ms. Hankins embodies the spirit and culture of Head Start. She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work, followed by her master’s in education, and has been working for the Institute of Community Services for over 24 years. She began as an outreach worker and is currently the parent advocate educator. She coordinates with center directors to facilitate parent-child events, parent committee meetings, implementation of parent curriculum, recruit policy council members, track parental engagement, and continuously measure efforts. She has rallied at both state and national levels advocating for Head Start funding, encouraged

and empowered parents to complete their voter registration, and led other enriching activities for children and families such as the Salvation Army Angel Tree and Stuff the Bus in her community.

When Ms. Hankins had her first child, she and her husband decided to enroll him in Head Start. Before his enrollment, her son had trouble with the alphabet. After attending the B.I. Whitaker Head Start of Byhalia, MS, Ms. Hankins recalls experiencing a drastic transformation, “like a light bulb came on.” Her son is now an electrical engineer, and her daughter is a clinical pharmacy specialist for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “It feels like a full circle moment doing what I do for a living,” stated Ms. Hankins. “I remember enjoying learning at Head Start as a child. That’s why I believed in Head Start to support my child. Then, I really enjoyed the training topics for Head Start parents; they motivated me to be so engaged. Now, I do the same for other Head Start parents. What keeps me going is seeing the wonderful and positive outcomes on children and their families.”

From Head Start to HBCU to Harvard: One Man’s Story

By National Head Start Association

Victor Jones graduated from Head Start over 30 years ago. Since then, Victor has built a career around his dedication to fighting for children, a passion he credits to his early education in Head Start. He has translated the Head Start mission into his work, first as a kindergarten teacher and today as an accomplished social justice attorney. Victor’s commitment to lifelong learning and his everyday efforts to make the world a more equitable place for children make him a true inspiration for the Head Start community. Victor shared his story with the National Head Start Association.

We are excited to learn about your Head Start story, Victor! When and where did you attend Head Start?

I’m a 1989 graduate of West Tampa Head Start, located in Tampa, Florida. My mother and I only lived in Tampa for two years, and these were the two years I attended Head Start. Thereafter, we returned to where I was born and raised, in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

Do you have any memories from your time in Head Start? Favorite activities, classmates, teachers?

I remember my class was always out and about — going on field trips to Busch Gardens to see the animals, going to the park, taking trips to the grocery store, and learning about fruits and vegetables. I also remember the times when doctors would visit us and check our eyes, ears and hearts, and I’ll never forget the day a giant toothbrush walked into our classroom, and we learned about the importance of dental hygiene. I still remember a

few of my classmates’ names, though this was 30 years ago.

I can also still picture the uniform we had to wear on field trip days — it was a red shirt with an image of a panda bear hugging a bamboo tree, with black shorts or pants, and a black visor. And for the strangest reason, I remember that my classmates and I had to learn the song “Shower Me With Your Love” by an R&B group named “Surface,” as part of our graduation ceremony. The few times

I’ve heard that song, I immediately think of my time in Head Start. Head Start was also one of the very, very few instances from my pre-K to 12th-grade journey in which I was taught by teachers who looked like me. I think having such vivid memories of my experiences in Head Start is a testament to just how positively impactful the program was for me. How do you think Head Start impacted your later school years? Or even your goals and career accomplishments be-

yond school?

Head Start directly impacted my professional trajectory. Because of the program, I’ve always wanted to serve children in some capacity. Before practicing children’s rights and disability law, I was a public-school kindergarten teacher! What did your educational and career journey that led to your current position look like?

After graduating from high school in Mississippi, I attended Xavier University

of Louisiana, a historically Black college located in New Orleans, where I majored in literature and double minored in history and political science. I then received a master’s degree in education from Harvard University. I then taught kindergarten, and, thereafter, returned to New Orleans to attend law school at Loyola University. While in law school, I took courses in civil rights and child advocacy. I spent six years as a private practice attorney at multidisciplinary law firms in New Orleans, and then, in 2018, I returned to my original passion for serving children as an attorney representing their interests.

Victor, what advice do you have for current Head Start children and families? Know that your child’s involvement in Head Start will be the best investment in their educational experience that you can offer them. The holistic approach to learning — physical care for self, care for your peers, and learning how to exist in the world around you, is an approach that I, as a former early childhood educator, can say is unique. I’m now the father of two daughters and I always say that I wish that they were able to have received a Head Start education like I did.

Anything else you would like to share with the Head Start community?

I always say that I went from “Head Start to HBCU to Harvard.” I’m eternally grateful for Head Start because it shaped me into someone who aspires to be a fierce advocate for marginalized children.

Victor Jones as a student (left) and a recent photo (right)

INVITATION TO BID:

Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator (Attendant II)

NOTICE

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

LaRosa Building Group, as Construction Manager, is seeking trade bids for the St. Lukes Development project located on Whalley Avenue in New Haven, CT. The overall project consists of new construction of a 49 unit, five story apartment building with retail space. This project is tax exempt and subject to the higher building prevailing rates. CHRO Set Aside requirements are applicable and must be bid accordingly. Bids are due to LaRosa no later than 2PM Friday, January 31, 2025. Bids are to be emailed to James Uryase at juryase@larosabg.com. Plans and specifications are available electronically by contacting James Uryase by email or phone 203-235-1770. LaRosa Building Group is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer. Small, Minority, Women, Disabled, and Section 3 Businesses are strongly encouraged to bid.

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

Listing: Outside Sales & Estimator

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.

HVAC department has an opening for a full time Estimator/Job Coordinator. Must have five plus years of experience in the HVAC industry. A valid driver’s license is required. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email HRDept@eastriverenergy.com

NOTICIA

ELECTRIC UTILITY DISTRIBUTION SUPERINTENDENT

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

**An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer including Disabled & Veterans**

Continuum of Care, New Haven, Connecticut –

APPLY NOW!

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders

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

Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT

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.

ELECTRIC UTILITY DISTRIBUTION SUPERINTENDENT

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

LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID: CONTINUUM OF CARE, NEW HAVEN is requesting licensed and insured contractor bids for their property located at 384 Edgewood Avenue, New Haven. Complete bathroom renovation to existing full bathroom on second floor. This includes a complete gut (down to studs) of the bathroom. GC to supply and install new shower stall, single vanity, toilet, tile flooring with floor drain and wall finish, tile 4ft wainscot is desired, lighting, grab bars by toilet and shower, exhaust fan with motion sensor, and baseboard heating. Owner to select tile style, colors, and style of faucets and light fixtures.

NEW HAVEN

Project also includes the installation of ductless mini split system for the third floor. The owner is looking for a total of 3 ductless units for the third-floor level. GC to include all costs associated with installation which includes review of existing electrical power of property.

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

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

GC price should include dumpster, 10% contingency for unforeseen conditions and permit fee. The project is funded by CDBG by City of New Haven. Project is tax-exempt and Davis/Bacon/Prevailing Wage rate. The selected company and any subcontractors must comply with EEOC workforce requirements. City of New Haven Chapter 12 ¼ of the New Haven code of Ordinances (MBE subcontracting ) applies- Minority/ women’s business enterprises are encouraged to apply. A bidding site meeting will be held at 384 Edgewood Avenue, New Haven on 1/23/2025 at 9am. All bids are due by 1/29/2025 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.

POLICE OFFICER City of Bristol

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

360 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 Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at 3:00 PM.

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

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

Listing: Direct Fueler

RFQ #024-02: ON-CALL GRANT SERVICES

Immediate opening for a full time direct fueler for petroleum like products deliveries for days and weekends. A valid driver’s license and TWIC card are required. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email: hrdept@eastriverenergy.com

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

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.

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.

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: $122,623 to $153,279 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 February 7, 2025, 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

Lineman – Electric Utility

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice

Please register here to obtain Bid Package: https://ha.internationaleprocurement.com/

The Town of Wallingford Electric Division is seeking highly skilled applicants for First Class Lineman. Applicants must be a H.S, trade school, or vocational high school graduate with 4 years’ experience in electric line construction/maintenance work with experience working with energized 13,800-volt equipment. Must possess and maintain a valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) to operate equipment. Wages: $51.88 to $57.67 hourly. 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 voluntary deferred compensation plan. To apply online by the February 7, 2025 closing date, 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

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units)

PUBLIC WORKS MAINTAINER II

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

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.

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016

Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016

The Town of Wallingford Department of Public Works has openings for Maintainer II. Applicants should possess 2 years’ experience as a laborer in construction work involving the operation and care of trucks and other mechanical equipment, or 2 years training in one of the skilled trades and 1 year of experience in construction operations, or an equivalent combination of experience and training. A valid (CDL) Class B or higher is required. $24.87 - $29.16 hourly plus retirement plan, paid sick and vacation time, life insurance, 13 paid holidays, family medical & dental insurance, and promotional opportunities. To apply online by the closing date of January 31, 2025, 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

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

THE GLENDOWER GROUP, INC.

Listing: Direct Fueler

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.

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

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.

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for an Associate Research Analyst in the Data and Policy Analytics Division. Further information regarding the duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at: https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/ sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= 241003&R2=6856AR&R3=001

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

Invitation for Bids

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

General Contractor for Westville Manor

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

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

Immediate opening for a full time direct fueler for petroleum like products deliveries for days and weekends. A valid driver’s license and TWIC card are required. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email: hrdept@eastriverenergy.com

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 Resumes to 203-468-6256 or emailvfederico@cjfucci.com. C.J. Fucci, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The Glendower Group, Inc. is currently seeking bids for General Contractor for Westville Manor. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Glendower’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, at 3:00PM.

THE GLENDOWER GROUP

AVISO DE AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA PARA

Request for Proposals

Firm to Assess, Market and Lease Commercial and Office Space

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

Town of Bloomfield

Salary Range:

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

The Glendower Group, Inc is currently seeking proposals from qualified firms to Assess, Market and Lease Commercial and Office Space. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

Position: Construction Project Coordinator

Location: East Granby, CT

Company: Galasso Materials LLC

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.

Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at 3:00PM.

Job Summary:

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.

Job Type: Full-time

THE GLENDOWER GROUP

Request for Qualifications INTERIOR DESIGN

NOTICIA

CONSULTANT(S)

$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

The Town of East Haven is currently seeking qualified applicants to fill the position of Police Accreditation and Crime Analysis Manager. This is a full-time position (40 hours per week) with the East Haven Police Department, salary for this position starts at $61,000. The Town offers an excellent benefit package. Candidates must possess a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university in criminal justice, criminology, public administration or a related field. Proficient with Microsoft Office Products (i.e., word, excel, PowerPoint, Power Bi, etc.) and Adobe Acrobat. Ability to learn and become proficient in the use of other specialized software as maybe required. Must possess and maintain a valid motor vehicle operator's license, and successfully pass a background investigation. Please see job description with application for a complete listing of duties and required qualifications. Please apply at www. PoliceApp.com/EastHavenCT. The application will be open until the position is filled.

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

Responsibilities:

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.

The Glendower Group, Inc is currently seeking proposals from qualified firms for Interior Design Consultants. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems. com/gateway beginning on

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. 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. 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

Monday, January 6, 2025, at 3:00PM.

QSR STEEL CORPORATION

APPLY NOW!

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders

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

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

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

Contraseña: yaw6Zk28PK

O marque:

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES

+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

Request for Proposals

Andrea M. Liquori Chief Examiner

Civil Service Commission

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 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.

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

Meeting ID: 185686287

Password: yaw6Zk28PK

Or dial:

+12679304000 United States (Philadelphia, PA)

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.

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

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

HCV- Project Based Assistance Program to Support the Development of Affordable Housing

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

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

NEW HAVEN

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.

• 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.

Qualifications:

The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities is currently seeking proposals from qualified firms HCV- Project Based Assistance Program to Support the Development of Affordable Housing. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

242-258 Fairmont Ave 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.

Monday, January 6, 2025, at 3:00PM.

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

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.

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.

HVAC Installer/Technician

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

• Proficiency in project management software and MS Office Suite.

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

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

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

***An Affirmative Action/Equal

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES

Why Join Us?

• Competitive salary and benefits package.

Invitation for Bids Unarmed Security Services

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

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

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

LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID

• Opportunity to work with a dynamic and supportive team.

• 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!

Elm City Communities is currently seeking bids for Services of a firm to provide Unarmed Security Services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City Communities’ Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

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

Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at 3:00PM.

Galasso Materials LLC is committed to creating an inclusive environment for

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.

Listing: Commercial Driver

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.

Immediate opening for a Class A full time driver for petroleum/ asphalt/like products deliveries for nights and weekends. Previous experience required. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email: hrdept@eastriverenergy.com

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.

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.

WATER QUALITY FIELD TECHNICIAN

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.

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

360 MANAGEMENT GROUP, CO.

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

Invitation for BIDS Agency Wide Plumbing Services & Preventative Maintenance

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

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

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.

The Town of Wallingford Water Division is seeking qualified applicants to perform field and administrative tasks involving the protection of the utility’s water quality from its source of supply to the customer’s faucet. Must possess a H.S. diploma or equivalency diploma plus 1 years’ experience as a Maintainer/Laborer for a water utility or in the construction field with work experience in the installation and maintenance of pipelines (water main, sanitary sewer, storm drain or gas main). A Bachelor’s degree in biology, environmental science, sanitary engineering, chemistry, civil engineering or related field may substitute for the 1-year experience requirement. Must possess a valid State of CT Driver’s License. Must possess or be able to obtain within the probationary period certifications as a General Backflow Preventer Tester and Cross Connection Survey Inspector, a State of Connecticut Department of Public Health Water Treatment Plant Class I Operator (WTP I) or a Water Distribution Operator Class I (DSO I). Wages: $$27.95 to $33.59 hourly. 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 December 31, 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

360 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.

A FORWARD MARCH FOR MLK IN THE NEW TRUMP ERA

By April Ryan

BlackPressUSA.com Washington

Bureau Chief and Chief White House Correspondent

“Today hits differently,” says Democratic Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett who decided to observe the National Martin Luther King Jr. holiday away from the 60th Presidential inauguration of Donald John Trump. A large swath of the 62 members of the Congressional Black Caucus who were invited to the ceremonies chose to observe the National King Day away from the nation's capital.

“Today, unlike any King Day before, I’ve truly searched my soul for his strength and praying for an ounce of his political prowess,” according to the outspoken Texas lawmaker who was a co-chair of

the Kamala Harris Presidential campaign last year. The Harris presidential campaign ended in defeat on November 5, 2024, with Donald Trump being named the 47th President of the United States.

If Dr. King, a civil rights icon, had lived; he would have been 96 years old on January 15th of this year. The irony of the day honoring the civil and human rights leader is that it is shared with the 60th presidential inauguration ceremony in the Rotunda of the Capitol Building. Historically, the second inaugurations of Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama took place on MLK Day in 1997 and 2013. There were some democratic hopes that Kamala Harris could be a repeat of today’s swearing-in history. A few months ago, some Kamala Harris campaign staffers believed the then-Democratic presidential candidate would have

been sworn in today by Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson on this King Day.

Since the 15th of this month, there have been many celebrations honoring the life and civil rights history of Dr. King. One was at Riverside Church in Harlem, New York Rev. Mark Thompson, host of “Make It Plain,” and NNPA Global Digital Transformation Director, remembered Dr. King by saying, “his memory calls us to transcend all of the things we are most concerned about today.” Dr. King, who was killed in 1968 by an assassin's bullet, challenged authority at the highest levels to achieve equality for African Americans in this nation like voting rights and civil rights. Thompson warns in this new political era, “rather than relax or be discouraged we should…continue to hold the Office of the President accountable.”

NEW RESEARCH SHOWS AFRICAN AMERICANS FACE SHARPLY HIGHER DEMENTIA RISKS

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA National Correspondent

A new study reveals that Americans over the age of 55 have a 42 percent chance of developing dementia, a figure more than double that reported in previous research. The significant increase in estimated risk means that roughly 514,000 Americans could develop dementia this year alone, with projections rising to approximately 1 million new cases annually by 2060. Dementia, characterized by progressive declines in memory, concentration, and judgment, is becoming more prevalent due to the aging U.S. population, the study concluded. Factors such as genetics, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, poor diet, lack of exercise, and mental health challenges also contribute to the rising dementia rates.

According to the study, earlier underes-

timations of dementia risk were likely due to unreliable recording in health records and death certificates, insufficient monitoring of early-stage cases, and underreporting of cases among racial minorities, who are especially vulnerable.

Conducted by a team from NYU Langone Health with contributions from Johns Hopkins University and other institutions, the research utilized data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study (ARIC-NCS).

Since 1987, this study has monitored the vascular health and cognitive function of nearly 16,000 participants, making it the longest-followed cohort of African Americans studying cognition and heart health.

The study, published in Nature Medicine, indicates that women and Black adults, along with individuals carrying the APOE4 gene variant, face higher risks of developing dementia, with lifetime risks ranging from 45 percent to 60 percent in

these groups.

Dr. Josef Coresh, the study's senior investigator from NYU Langone, noted the expected increase in dementia cases due to longer life expectancies and the high number of Americans now over age 65. He underlined the importance of early intervention strategies that target heart health to potentially slow cognitive decline and reduce the onset of dementia. The study also links hearing loss among older adults to increased dementia risk, recommending enhanced testing and government support for hearing aids to promote healthy hearing.

“The pending population boom in dementia cases poses significant challenges for health policymakers, who must refocus their efforts on strategies to minimize the severity of dementia cases, as well as plans to provide more healthcare services for those with dementia,” Dr. Coresh stated.

NNPA NEWSWIRE — A large swath

Author Marsalis Higgs’ ‘The Blue Topaz’ Dazzles Readers and Sci-fi Fans

By Roz Edward

Contrary to popular belief, Black sci-fi writers – although a relatively rare breed – do exist. They are not aliens who fell to earth as in Brother From Another Planet, or purveyors of the apocalyptic future predicted by writers given to the darker side of the future. They are introspective thinkers, willing to explore beyond the confines of a more mundane reality to explore societal issues and personal growth in a future that many of us will never see. They have determined to consider multi-dimensional living and explore imaginary universes where opportunities as … well as options abound.

In The Blue Topaz, visionary author Marsalis delves into the journey of a young African American girl, Timberly Crews, who along with her family moves from one planetary station to another and ultimately finds the realm of possibilities offered to her are more than worth the move.

In an age when pretty much anyone with a laptop and Internet can call themselves a writer (even though they’re not readers), Marsalis emphasizes the critical nature of both. At an early age he intuitively took both the discipline and the vocation seriously, and began to hone his craft, earning him national recognition for his talent by the age of eight. The diligent student often worked with older students to assist with their writing skills and encourage the practice of reading.

“I just loved reading. It was a natural thing for me. It wasn’t like you had to convince me to read a book or do anything related to that. And I just started writing my own stories. I sit in class during indoor recess. I go to my desk instead of playing with toys or whatever with my friends, I really disciplined myself,” ex-

plains the still young creative. “I ended up finding myself doing like little storytelling lectures to like fourth graders. When I was in second grade, teachers had me come to their classrooms and talk about how to write stories … and then, I just stuck with it and kept experimenting and pushing myself and trying new things.”

And as with most things technically innovative and immensely imaginative, young readers are drawn to the genre’s relatable characters, action-packed plots, and high-stakes scenarios. But Marsalis finds that savvy young readers have always been fans of sci-fi, thanks to their penchant for searching for and believing in unexplored possibilities, which can be particularly appealing to young minds eager for adventure and new ideas.

“I used to do a lot of basically young adult, real problems, kind of stories. But as I got older and really started thinking about my own voice, I gravitated back to my children’s work like when I was a kid. Of course, I wrote children’s stuff because you really rarely do anything else as a kid. I realized when I got older though, there was a freedom and imagination and creativity that was boundless when it came to those kinds of stories, and I found myself [spending] more time writing these kind of sci-fi stories … and now it’s my thing.”

In The Blue Topaz the reader is introduced to 12-year-old, Timberly Crews who like most pre-teens on the brink of knowing everything – finds that her parents are too often -especially this timeinsensitive to her need, and this time

ty with her friends. Her favorite band was coming to town. There was even a new amusement park on Mercury. But after her parents told her about the move, she knew those things would never happen. For a while, Timberly did not speak to her parents. She would only grunt or nod her head. Even aboard the shuttle, she remained very quiet and distant.”

Inevitably Timberly, opens her mind to the possibilities of a changing life and the treasures she discovers as the new world unfolds and reveals itself to her. But after nearly losing her parents and coming to terms with the importance of family and home – wherever that may be – Timberly comes to appreciate every step of her journey that would take the family to another new and exciting world to join and celebrate.

they are just plain insufferable. Having to move from their cozy home in a galactic neighborhood that afforded her all of the comforts of adolescent experience and uproot her well-balanced life which included loyal and long-time childhood friends, seemingly non-stop fun and games, and perhaps most importantly her popular standing among peers, she travels to her new home with no conversation for her parents and a lot of trepidation about the future.

“For her entire life, Timberly had been used to moving from one place to another. She knew that traveling was a good part of her parents’ work. But she did not know why they had to move on her twelfth birthday.

She had dreamt of having a big, fun par-

“Leaning back in her seat, Timberly watched the changing stars with hope. She imagined she and her parents spending more time together. She imagined she and her parents moving around less. She imagined she and her parents just being a happy family. She smiled to herself, dreaming of the possibilities.

The Blue Topaz is a must-read for young people looking forward to a coming-of-age story in a brave new world. Marsalis Higgs was born in 1989. He spent his childhood composing illustrated epics and giving lectures. At the age of 17, he published his first novel, March of the Libertines. After graduating from the University of Michigan, Marsalis published works in every literary style and genre. He is the founder of Paraphernalia, deputy editor of WAVES, and has been featured in the short fiction anthologies Five Minutes at Hotel Stormcove and Detroit Stories Quarterly. He loves bubblegum, fast cars, and silent cinema. Marsalis currently lives in Detroit.

Bestselling Author and Pastor of Union Church Stephen Chandler Releases New Book "Relationship Road Map"

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21, 2025 / PRNewswire/ -- Marriage rates are at historic lows, and modern dating is dominated by ghosting and swiperight culture. A recent Bumble survey revealed that 72% of singles want long-term relationships in 2025, yet many feel unequipped to navigate today's dating environment.

In Relationship Road Map: Stepby-Step Directions to Finding Your Spouse (WaterBrook), national bestselling author, pastor, and trusted voice to nearly one million followers, Stephen Chandler, provides practical, counter-cultural strategies to help singles move from single to spouse.

As the senior pastor to one of America's fastest-growing churches, Chandler has helped thousands of singles cut through the noise and find their partner. His latest book offers a biblically grounded, step-by-step guide to dating intentionally.

"Many singles today feel stuck, dis-

couraged or completely lost in their relationship journey," Chandler says.

"This book is designed to help them unpack their past, invite God into the process, and date with clarity, character and confidence."

With a mix of storytelling, humor, and biblical wisdom, Chandler shares practical advice for:

• Healing from past wounds to build healthy relationships.

• Seeking accountability from trusted mentors and counselors.

• Dating with integrity and avoiding common pitfalls.

Chandler challenges readers to reject the culture's shallow approach to romance and instead find their identity in Christ. Relationship Road Map equips readers to navigate modern dating with purpose and find the partner they'll spend their life with. Chandler is available for interviews.

About Stephen Chandler:

Stephen Chandler Marsalis Higgs

Stephen Chandler is the national bestselling author of Stop Waiting for Permission and senior pastor of Union Church in Maryland, one of the fastest-growing churches in America. Under his leadership, Union Church has grown from 50 people to tens of thousands attending in person and online weekly.

A sought-after international speaker, Stephen equips singles to navigate dating and build God-honoring marriages. With nearly one million followers, his teachings have garnered national attention, including appearances on Good Morning America and top-charting podcasts.

Stephen's latest book, Relationship Road Map: Step-by-Step Directions to Finding Your Spouse (January 21, 2025), provides practical, biblical advice for modern dating. Connect with him on social media or at www.stephenrchandler.com.

Design by Paul Evan Jeffrey | Passage Design

Chaundre Hall-Broomfield and Lauren F. Walker, photo by Itzel Alejandra Martinez, Marathon Digital.