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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

Black Fraternities, Sororities Give Back For MLK Day by ALLAN APPEL

Women’s Clubs (NANBPWC), reflected the multi-generational, follow-my-example style of the festive gathering. Youth division President Nevaeh Simon-Burroughs of Metropolitan Business Academy is following in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother, who were past presidents of the club. Simon-Burroughs said the MLK event and the club participation give her “a stronger sense of connection to my community.” The local AKA chapter has been organizing MLK Day events for more than 50 years, said the AKA chapter’s Sondi Jacksons. The restrictions on gathering pursuant to Covid in 2020 shifted the event focus from a workshop/conference/ career development format to food distribution for today’s 300 families, triple the number of the first Covid day of service. “Why do we have so many hungry children?!” Rev. Antona Smith challenged her listeners in her invocational remarks, before the packers dived into their work. She’s from the Southern Connecticut State University chapter of Zeta Phi Beta, yet another historic African-American sorority founded at Howard University in 1920. “Let’s pray,” she said, “that we have changes so we won’t have to have so many food drives!”

The new haven independent

More than 200 volunteers from 23 different African-American led fraternities, sororities, and civic and service organizations gathered for a “We Are One” day of service in honor of Martin Luther King Day. The event took place Monday morning at the Wexler-Grant Community School on Foote Street in the Dixwell neighborhood. The service consisted of collecting and packing 300 bags of groceries, which were then delivered a short distance down Dixwell Avenue to the Women of the Village Community Food Pantry, at the Charles Street police substation, to be distributed to families in need beginning tomorrow. The Black fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha, to which MLK belonged, was founded in 1906. The local chapter Monday contributed 300 cans of tomato, minestrone, chicken and rice, and other healthy soups to the drive. It was joined in helping to lead Monday’s event by the women of Theta Epsilon Omega, the local chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Participants Cynthia Farmer Streeter and her daughter Sabrina, from one of the local chapters of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional

ALLAN APPEL PHOTO Myles Marbry of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity at Monday's MLK community service event.

Love March Sparks Civil Rights Revelation by JAMIL RAGLAND

The new haven independent

As a practicing agnostic, I’ve often wondered why the Civil Rights Movement began in the church. Christianity has always seemed antithetical to Black liberation to me. After all, this is the white man’s religion, with a white Jesus foisted upon our people during the degradation of slavery. I’ve resented my people’s devotion to a God we wouldn’t even know if not for our conquest. This question was cycling through my mind when I stepped off with the members and supporters of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church for their 54th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Love March through the streets of East Rock, the state’s longest-running celebration of Dr. King’s life and achievements. I didn’t feel much like celebrating Martin Luther King’s birthday on Monday. Here we are, in 2024, continuing to march for the same things Dr. King marched for more than 60 years ago. What really broke my heart was seeing the kids marching through the streets of New Haven. We have to spend time justifying our desire to simply be treated like everyone else. And here are these kids, marching in freezing temperatures on their day off instead of talking trash to each other

on Fortnite. This march has been going on for 54 years. Will these children be marching 54 years hence? Is there a time coming when we can just be people instead of activists and martyrs even at the youngest age? By the time we made it back to Shiloh for the service following the march, I was feeling down. Things have obviously gotten better since Dr. King was murdered in Memphis, but not so much better that our children are afforded the luxury of sleeping in on the day honoring him. I stood outside the church for a moment, leaning towards heading home and wallowing in my feelings. That’s when the first notes of gospel drifted out of the closed doors. Agnostic or not, I love gospel music, so I decided to go inside and enjoy it while warming up. I walked into the church just as the singers began performing Lord You Are Good: Lord you are good You’ve been so good Lord you are good You’ve been better than good I can’t praise enough I owe you my life Can’t praise you enough Even If I tried

JAMIL RAGLAND PHOTO At the MLK Love March Monday in the Goatville neighborhood.

Cause you’ve been… so good… to meeeee I could feel my brain trying to come up with some cynical retort to the lyrics, but it didn’t form. My sadness evaporated with each major chord the organ struck. The singers — Di-

vine, Cherish, Naja and Alea — had been singing together for only two years, but their harmonies sounded like they’d spent their lives performing together. The people in the pews were on their feet, swaying with the music and singing along. Melancholy had been replaced with joy.

I was ready for Pastor Samuel RossLee when he took the stage after the performance to deliver a sermon. He hit the ground running, in an understated yet powerful style that kept everyone, myself included, hanging onto his every word. “It doesn’t matter if the people aren’t working for you, just because they look like you,” he said. He spoke the words softly, but they hit like a sledgehammer. Dr. King and his words have been co-opted for all sorts of nefarious ends since his murder, and some of the people who have helped in that dastardly endeavor are the very people he was trying to save. By the end of the service, I was ready to go back into the cold to march again. I’d been to church. However it happened, Black Americans have the legacy of Christianity as part of our culture. I think the Civil Rights movement began in the church not just because of the opportunity for organizing there or the moral clarity. It started there because this is hard, depressing work, and it must be balanced with hope. Even if that hope comes from the white man’s Jesus, that might be better than wallowing. I didn’t see the kids in church for the sermon, at least. I hope they got to go home and play Fortnite.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

City Starts Reimagining Parks System

LAURA GLESBY PHOTO Parks staffer Janice Parker, right, explains the department's current structure.

by LAURA GLESBY

The new haven independent

A public-private funding structure. A “superintendent of fields.” A department divided into geographical districts, each with a point person for neighbors to contact. Those ideas are all on the table as the city moves forward with a plan to unmerge the Parks and Public Works Department. About 50 people heard that update from Mayor Justin Elicker and the Urban Resources Initiative (URI) at the Q House last week. The public meeting Wednesday night marked the latest step of an effort to restructure how local government manages about a hundred city parks — three years after Elicker’s first attempt at that restructuring. In 2020, the Elicker Administration successfully submitted a budget proposal to split up what was then the city’s Parks, Recreation, and Trees Department. The city merged the “parks and trees” half of that department with the Public Works Department, while combining the “recreation” half with the Youth Department. In the ensuing years, the newly-fused Parks and Public Works department has faced criticism from “Park Friends” groups, Parks Commissioners, and mayoral challengers who have argued that city parks have been neglected as a result. Now, Elicker said on Wednesday, he plans to propose splitting the city’s parks and public works staff into separate departments for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2024 – 25 budget. The city granted URI, a Yale-affiliated environmental non-profit, a $17,000 contract to solicit public feedback on the Parks Department’s future organizational structure. Wednesday’s community dialogue marked the final step before URI submits a report to the city about the best steps forward next week. On Wednesday, URI presented a set of recommended short, medium, and longterm goals — from “improve external communications” to “develop internal plan to address inequity.” (The vast ma-

jority of Wednesday’s attendees appeared to be white.) URI also proposed a few potential structural elements for the future parks department. The first idea would be to split the parks staff into geographic zones “with dedicated staff working in a zone,” explained URI Director Colleen Murphy Dunning. She noted that Minneapolis, Asheville, and Portland follow this model. “It’s what we heard from everyone,” Murphy Dunning said. A potential drawback, she said, is that “this would require more staffing” — and far more city funds. Later on in a small-group discussion, parks caretaker Janice Parker pointed out that city park employees are already divided into four geographical zones. She said that there’s just not enough resources for the teams to robustly focus on their own districts. URI also proposed bolstering publicprivate partnerships to incorporate funding from outside sources. Murphy-Dunning laid out multiple ways this could take shape: more organizations focused on individual parks, like the Edgerton Park Conservancy or the Town Green Proprietors; formalizing the maintenance responsibilities and fundraising capacity of existing Parks Friends Groups; and/or bringing in a private organization to help fund and govern the parks system as a whole, perhaps modeled after the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. Public-private partnerships “could start to address gaps in services,” MurphyDunning said. “There could be union issues with some of this.” After URI’s presentation, Elicker offered his initial thoughts on their proposals. He said he envisions combining aspects of the various models that URI proposed — especially the idea of a more formal division of the city into a handful of park districts. Elicker said he is considering hiring a liaison in each district to attend community management team meetings and Parks Friends groups, serving as an equivalent of the Livable City Initiative’s neigh-

borhood specialists or the police department’s district managers. He also suggested adding a “Superintendent of Fields” position to the department, as he said he heard from sports field users across the city that the fields should be better maintained. And he said he hopes to work toward opening park-based bathrooms for more substantial hours. These proposals “are not finalized,” he stressed — partly because the city has to weigh other priorities for how to spend its limited budget. “You all care a lot about parks, and I do too,” he said. “There’s another room of people who care about gun violence. There’s another room of people who care about homelessness.” He urged meeting attendees to show up to the Board of Alders’ public hearings on the budget in the spring to voice their ideas for city parks. Soon, attendees divided into smallgroup discussions to provide their feedback on the ideas presented. The idea of an umbrella “Park Friends” group — merging the volunteer groups that tend to individual parks across the city so that cleanup efforts and volunteer activities can be more coordinated — garnered a lot of support. Doreen Abubakar, who founded the Community Placemaking Engagement Network that tends to Newhallville’s Learning Corridor, said that New Haven’s more affluent and white neighborhoods tend to have more capacity for robust Park Friends volunteer groups. “The Friend Groups could get some money from the city,” she suggested, to ensure that resources are distributed more evenly across different neighborhoods. The idea of private funding also gained traction. “We’re missing out on so many opportunities to get money,” said a participant who identified himself as David. Climate change activist Zach Pinemaker said that private stewardship groups could be effective, but they could also “gatekeep decision making.” He stressed a need to “stay away from closed doors.”

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

Rose Dell Breaks Yale PD’s Blue-Glass Ceiling by ALLAN APPEL

The new haven independent

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The only two Yale College alums ever to serve as cops in the Yale Police Department’s 130-year history are now its two top officers — and for the first time, one of them is a woman. That history was made Friday night in an emotional swearing-in ceremony at Yale’s Whitney Center for the Humanities on Wall Street. YPD Chief Anthony Campbell pinned the badge on new YPD Assistant Chief Rose Dell, the first woman chief in the history of the department. They both previously served in New Haven’s police department in addition to attending Yale. Back in 2008 when then-officer-candidate Rose Dell showed up for her first day of training at the New Haven police academy, then Sgt. Anthony Campbell was in charge. “Do you remember me?” Dell recalled asking him. “Of course I do,” Campbell responded. In the late 1990s they had both been undergraduates in Yale’s Berkeley College, two years apart. Campbell eventually rose to become the NHPD’s chief before he retired. They now are the only Yale College graduates who have ever served in the YPD, although one other officer in the 93-member department has a graduate degree from Yale, said Campbell. Friday night’s swearing-in-ceremony included the promotions of four other YPD officers. It unfolded before an affectionate crowd of 100 wives, husbands, parents, kids, fellow officers, friends, and admirers. “Rose has broad experience and the best qualifications,” Campbell said, “and

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Staff Writers Christian Lewis/Current Affairs Anthony Scott/Sports Arlene Davis-Rudd/Politics ALLAN APPEL PHOTO Reunited: Yale Chief Campbell with newly minted Asst. Chief Rose Dell at Friday's swearing in.

bridges the gap between the community, Yale University, and NHPD.” In her 15 years at the NHPD, Dell rose quickly in the ranks from supervising the midnight patrol shift to becoming expert in crash reconstruction to district manager in Westville/West Hills to working in the department’s Internal Affairs Unit and helping to revamp a wide range of policies in areas of officer-involved shooting. She also spear-headed the implementation of the body-worn camera program, among other demanding tasks. She finished her NHPD career as a captain. Dell’s new appointment was approved just on Tuesday by the NHPD’s Board of Police Commissioners, a requirement for all YPD officers. She will be in charge of

Dell sworn in by New Haven Board of Police Commissioners Chair Evelise Ribeiro.

the YPD’s Patrol Operations Division. Dell said she intends to mentor YPD officers, especially the female ones, and help to recruit new cops. Both Campbell and Dell said the appointment is a step in the direction of the fulfillment of the 30 by 30 pledge. That’s an informal but growing initiative among police leaders, agencies, and researchers nationwide to have 30 percent of police recruits be women by 2030, and to increase the representation of women in all ranks. Currently the 93-member YPD has only 16 percent women in the ranks, said Campbell. That’s better than the 12 percent nationally, but still a long way to go to reach the 2030 goal.

Contributing Writers “The greatest recruiters in a department are the other officers,” Dell said. So you cultivate the leadership of the ones you have and then “these are the ones who spread the word,” she added. Click here for the swearing-in ceremony program in full, with summaries of Dell’s and the other promoted officers’ achievements. Those officers include Gregg Curran and Raymond DeJesus who were both promoted to detective; Gabrielle Cotto, who was promoted to sergeant; and John Healy. Healy joins the YPD as captain after leaving the NHPD in 2022 at the same rank. At the NHPD he commanded the SWAT team and emergency services, and was the officer of the year in 2020.

Capt. John Healy with proud father John Francis Healy, Jr.

David Asbery / Tanisha Asbery Jerry Craft / Cartoons / Barbara Fair Dr. Tamiko Jackson-McArthur Michelle Turner / Smita Shrestha William Spivey / Kam Williams Rev. Samuel T. Ross-Lee

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Paul Bass www.newhavenindependent.org

Memberships National Association of Black Journalist National Newspapers Publishers Association Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce Greater New Haven Business & Professional Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc. The Inner-City Newspaper is published weekly by Penfield Communications, Inc. from offices located at 50 Fitch Street, 2nd Floor, New Haven, CT 06515. 203-387-0354 phone; 203-3872684 fax. Subscriptions:$260 per year (does not include sales tax for the in State subscriptions). Send name, address, zip code with payment. Postmaster, send address changes to 50 Fitch Street, New Haven, CT 06515. Display ad deadline Friday prior to insertion date at 5:00pm Advertisers are responsible for checking ads for error in publication. Penfield Communications, Inc d.b.a., “The Inner-City Newspaper” , shall not be liable for failure to publish an ad or for typographical errors or errors in publication, except to the extent of the cost of the space in which actual error appeared in the first insertion. The Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason and to alter advertising copy or graphics deemed unacceptable for publication. The entire contents of The Inner-City Newspaper are copyright 2012, Penfield Communications, Inc. and no portion may be reproduced by any means without the written permission of the publisher.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

Thomas Works To Restore Election Trust by PAUL BASS

The new haven independent

Stephanie Thomas said she was “as shocked as everybody else” when she saw a video of a Bridgeport campaign worker allegedly hauling stacks of harvested absentee ballots into a drop box. Unlike most everybody else, Thomas had a role in responding to that shock. And making sure it doesn’t happen again. The alleged ballot-harvesting took place in the 2023 Bridgeport mayoral election. It was a rerun of the same alleged activity, by the same people, four years earlier. It occurred during Thomas’s first year in a four-year term as secretary of the state, Connecticut’s top elections official. She wasn’t responsible for investigating the allegedly widespread absentee ballot fraud. A different agency did that. She wasn’t responsible for ordering a new election. A judge did that. The new do-over Democratic mayoral primary election takes place Jan. 23 with a possible do-over general election after that. Thomas is responsible for overseeing that election and the monitoring of absentee ballot collection. As the controversy erupted, she asked herself, “What more can we do?” to address the fraud moving forward and safeguard public trust in elections, Thomas said during an interview Tuesday on WNHH FM’s “Dateline New Haven” program. “During a special session in September of last year, the legislature granted her office the legal authority to send a monitor to the city clerk’s office to observe how absentee ballots are handled. Historically the office has sent one monitor in such situations. She decided to send two so that at least one would always be on duty during business hours. In the past the office has sent lawyers as monitors. Thomas decided to send monitors who have

“

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Dr. King fought for equality and justice with a message of love, prosperity, and unity. His sacrifice shall never be forgotten.

Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas at WNHH FM. experience in election administration — a former city clerk and a secretary of the state election official — so they could provide real-time training and adjustments. She also produced a video aimed at informing people about the legal handling of absentee ballots. She produced English and Spanish-language versions. She sent it to nonprofits and businesses to share in addition to using social media. While aiming to show she takes election fraud seriously, she also reminds people that more than 99.9 percent of elections run smoothly without fraud, she said. An important message in an area of distrust in the electoral system. “The math won’t lie,” she said. Thomas’s office is also overseeing the roll-out this year of early voting, beginning with the April 2 presidential primaries.

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Edward A. Bouchet was the valedictorian of the Hopkins class of 1870, the first African-American to graduate from Yale College, and the first African-American to receive a Ph.D. in physics. His intellectual drive and dedication to his studies remain hallmarks of a Hopkins student today. Since 1660, Hopkins School has provided students with an exceptional education and the skills required to succeed in the world. To learn more, please visit us at hopkins.edu.

Welcome To “Vision 2034” THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

by NORA GRACE-FLOOD The new haven independent

The city invited the public to a launch party for a once-in-a-decade rewrite of New Haven’s primary land use document — and the community showed up. More than 100 people piled into a hall at Betsy Ross Magnet School for the launch party Thursday night to pitch ideas for and ask questions about “Vision 2034,” New Haven’s upcoming once-a-decade rewriting of its Comprehensive Plan, which lays out the city’s planning aims for the next ten years. Think of the Comprehensive Plan as the city’s charter for land use as it relates to economic development and neighborhood planning. The document lays out specific goals, timelines, data and public values in order to guide how the city approaches the development of housing, public services, transportation, parks and recreation, schools, libraries, and climate infrastructure. The rewrite is an opportunity for the public to both define and reference the city’s common vision of development. It then becomes an official tool to guide government officials tasked with pursuing, approving, and rejecting proposals to build up and invest in the city. The planning process can and should spur edits to other rules and regulations, like the city’s zoning code or affordable housing (“inclusionary zoning”) ordinance.

NORA GRACE-FLOOD PHOTO City Plan chief Laura Brown Thursday night: Help us chart city's future.

On Thursday night, city planners set out tables with wings and mac and cheese; a game which let people decorate a shared micro-map of New Haven’s nine squares with imagined infrastructure; and informational pamphlets. It was all part of an effort to get the public excited about and engaged with a lengthy legal undertaking mandated by the state every decade. Before the hard work starts of actually drafting, editing and passing that plan by

2025, City Plan Director Laura Brown said her team is focused on gaining as much public input as possible to inform the process. She said the document reflects the community’s priorities and can be a tool to hold elected decision makers accountable for enacting those aims. The city is hiring ten “community navigators” at $25 per hour to conduct community outreach to get input, as well as five students from public high schools to

perform the same work across younger populations. Topic-specific teams of volunteers will be selected down the line to collect input on issues like accessibility, sustainability, city services, economic growth, and affordable housing. Click here to learn more about those positions and apply. Following a presentation on those details by city staff, planners answered questions Thursday night from the public.

Angela Hatley inquired how planners would consider the disparate conditions between neighborhoods in the rewrite. She offered the city’s accessory dwelling unit ordinance (which seeks to make it easier for people to build addition dwellings on their property) as an example. An upcoming amendment to the law seeks to allow non-owner occupants to increase density as an incentive to get more housing units online. But areas already ripe with absentee landlords and overwhelmed by “close quarters” apartments might be disproportionately hurt by such a change, Hatley argued. “We plan to do templates of neighborhood plans as part of the process,” replied Planner Esther Rose-Wilen. “We’ll unroll those plans over the following years, and those neighborhoods will get specialized attention.” Others questioned how the city would ensure public feedback is solicited from members of all neighborhoods — and not just communities like East Rock. RoseWilen further promised that geographic representation would influence the hiring and dispersal of community outreach workers. Stay wary or alert while grocery shopping over the next year, Rose-Wilen told the gathering: “Community navigators” might want to talk with you at school pick-up, outside your church or mosque, or by the doors of Stop & Shop.

Ocean Owner Gets A Second Chance by NORA GRACE-FLOOD The new haven independent

Megalandlord Shmuel Aizenberg took a second stab at scrubbing his potential criminal record clean — and won a second chance. Aizenberg appeared inside the housing court at 121 Elm St. Tuesday to make his second plea since September for acceptance into the state’s accelerated rehabilitation program, which allows first-time offenders with minor charges to avoid criminal convictions going on their permanent records. The hearing took place after the landlord was charged with a criminal misdemeanor for failing to fix water damage in a Hamden apartment complex, along with five other housing-code-violation infractions for Ocean rental properties in New Haven. Read in more detail about those here. The company now has plans to “turn a new leaf,” attorney Gerry Giaimo told state Superior Court Judge Walter Spader, Jr. “We have no intention of ever being here again.” After a brief back and forth, Spader granted Aizenberg accelerated rehabilitation. The offense will be removed from his

record if he pays a $7,250 fine due for past housing code violations, makes it through a full year without any new arrests or violations, and sticks to a new “process” alluded to by Giaimo which Spader said was developed in collaboration with the Livable City Initiative to better conditions at Aizenberg’s apartments. Aizenberg must also pay an additional $100 to participate in the process of accelerated rehab itself. Aizenberg is the head of Ocean Management, a property management company. Through its affiliates, Ocean controls over 1,000 mostly low-income apartments across the city. Ocean has been selling and selling and selling off its local rental portfolio in recent months, as tenants unions form citywide to protest conditions at their properties. Aizenberg had previously applied to participate in the accelerated rehabilitation diversionary program regarding one of six cases pending against him. In that case the landlord was charged with a Class C misdemeanor for a water-damaged kitchen ceiling and walls in a first-floor apartment inside a 12-unit complex on 11 Gorham

LAURA GLESBY PHOTO Ocean Management's Shmuel Aizenberg with attorney Gerry Giaimo: Ready to "turn a new leaf.”

Ave. in Hamden that violated the town’s public health code. Judge Spader denied that request back in September on the basis that Aizenberg would likely be a repeat offender. “This is a two-prong finding,” Spader repeated on Jan. 16. concerning the decision of whether or not to grant someone accelerated rehab. “Legislation has specifically made this

case eligible for accelerated rehab,” Spader said Tuesday of the Class C misdemeanor, given that the charge “is not so serious.” But that rule, Spader said, comes with a “caveat,” which is that the judge must determine whether or not the defendant is likely to offend again. “We keep seeing you on the docket,” Spader stated, noting that Aizenberg faces 29 housing violations, including the misde-

meanor at hand. “The state stands by its previous argument” that Aizenberg, who has been a regular on the criminal housing docket in recent years, will return to court down the line for perpetuating dangerous living conditions — from ceiling leaks to rodent infestations — across his properties, Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Donna Parker said. However, this time around, Judge Spader said he was willing to reconsider Aizenberg’s application since no new charges have been levied against the landlord since the summer. Whatever Aizenberg has changed to improve Ocean Management’s operations, Spader said, “it’s been successful” and the defendant has been found “not likely to offend again.” Aizenberg is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 7, 2025, Spader ruled, to determine whether or not the landlord has made it through a year without breaking any housing codes. “Whatever it took to get to this point,” Spader said, “it’s working.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

Pro-Palestine Protesters Crash Guv’s Speech by PAUL BASS

The protest brought Lamont, who first made his national reputation as an antiIraq war U.S. Senate candidate in 2006, face to face with a new generation’s antiwar activism. The confrontation reflected a reality setting in for elected officials in branches of government that don’t usually deal day to day with international issues: Local protest over the war in the Middle East is coming to their doorstep. When Andi finished addressing the governor, the dozen protesters chanted

The new haven independent

Gov. Ned Lamont was beginning to tout Connecticut’s economy to a banquet hall of New Haven business leaders Wednesday morning when a dozen protesters swept into the room to protest the war in Gaza. “Gov. Ned Lamont. Israel has killed over 30,000 Palestinians, including 10,00 children,” a Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) student named Andi called to him from stage right. “Can I tell you something?” the governor responded. “You can’t tell us anything!” a man responded from the back of the room. “This is genocide. We are appalled you are not calling for a ceasefire,” Andi continued, pointing her finger at Lamont. She said the same of SCSU administrators. “We demand you call for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the illegal Israeli occupation with Palestine” and end the state’s business ties with Israel, Andi continued. (She declined to give her full name, saying Andi is a nickname she goes by.) The confrontation took place at the 2024 Regional Legislative Forum breakfast hosted by the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce on the third floor of SCSU’s Michael J. Adanti Student Center. Hundreds filled tables in the banquet hall. Lamont was the event’s keynote speaker. The protesters identified themselves as members of CT Democratic Socialists of America, CT Dissenters, and the SCSU student group Owls for Justice in Palestine.

, “Ceasefire now! Ceasefire now!” Lamont sought again to respond. “You’ve had your piece … You’ve made your …” The chanting continued. “I’m happy to meet with you afterwards.” Then he gave up, stepped off the stage, conferred with aides and legislators. “There’s no business as usual with Gaza! Business owners cannot function as usual in Gaza with a blockade!” a man yelled out from amid a sea of seated breakfast attendees. State Rep. David Yaccarino rushed to the stage, grabbed the mic and began calling back to the protesters. No one could hear him. He dropped the mic. “I’ve fucking had enough!” he told the Independent as he watched the chanting continue. “It’s terrible. Israelis, people were having a party. Thousands got killed for what? For nothing? Nobody’s looking to have this war. But you can’t go into Israel or anywhere and start killing innocent people. And they’re to blame? And

PAUL BASS PHOTO SCSU officer escorts protester from Chamber breakfast forum.

I’m not even Jewish. It’s just wrong.” Two SCSU officers conferred with the protesters then led them, chanting, into the sunlit outer hallway. The officers locked the doors from the outside as the protesters continued chanting. Back inside, Lamont returned to the podium. “They didn’t happen to mention that I’m probably one of the only people in this room who has been to Gaza more than once,” Lamont told the audience. “I’ve seen those kids. When I see the devastation there now, those are faces I recognize. “They have a right to protest. But I’ll tell you something else. Nobody’s going to listen to them unless they lead off with the fact that they acknowledge and condemn the brutal sadistic genocidal attack of Oct. 7 and what it did to all those innocent” civilians. The crowd applauded. “Anyway, what the hell was I gonna talk about?” Lamont continued as the applause turned to laughter. “I’ll tell you what, the future of the state does run through New Haven …” “Ceasefire now!” the chants continued in the hallway, now muffled background noise in the banquet hall. The two SCSU officers and Sgt. Kim Clare then escorted the protesters down three winding flights of stairs to the student center basement and out onto Fitch Street. The protest was over. Sgt. Clare said the students were cooperative with the police and no one was arrested.

Connecticut Seeks to Expand Medicaid Coverage to Residents About to Leave Prison by Hugh McQuaid

The new haven independent

Connecticut is pursuing a new waiver to allow incarcerated residents to enroll in Medicaid prior to their release from prison in hopes of curbing high rates of overdose deaths often seen among those transitioning back to society. Officials with the Department of Social Services — the state’s primary Medicaid-administering agency — briefed members of the legislature’s Black and Puerto Rican Caucus on the effort during a Tuesday morning policy forum. “These services really are desperately needed,” DSS Commissioner Andrea Barton Reeves said of mental health and substance abuse treatment, housing assistance and other programs expected to be covered under the waiver. “We also want to reduce deaths in the near-term of post-release,” she said later. “We find that people die from overdoses and from untreated mental health. We find a lot of folks get out of being incarcerated and feel hopeless and suicidal

and we really want to turn that around.” The waiver would provide an exemption from a longstanding “inmate exclusion,” which effectively prohibits Medicaid coverage for otherwise eligible residents who are incarcerated in prison. If approved, the waiver would allow those residents to regain some coverage up to 90 days prior to their release. According to Barton Reeves, Connecticut is one of 18 states now seeking to follow in the footsteps of California and Washington, where state administrators received approval from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services last year to implement plans extending coverage to some soon-to-be-released individuals. The waiver is expected to apply to all Medicaid-eligible youths leaving Department of Correction custody, as well as Medicaid-eligible adults who meet one of a handful of criteria. Those include having a mental illness or substance abuse disorder, having an acquired brain injury or an intellectual or developmental disability. Other eligible

DSS Commissioner Andrea Barton Reeves

criteria include pregnancy or HIV/AIDS, according to DSS. The state estimates that roughly 650 minors and 12,000 adults leave correctional facilities each year. Most are expected to qualify for the waiver, according to slides presented Tuesday to lawmakers. About 85% of adults are expected to meet the waiver’s medical needs criteria. Meanwhile, a 2022 DOC analysis estimated that more than 95% of the incarcerated population had either a mental health disorder or history of substance use disorder. More than 80% had an active disorder requiring treatment. Initially, DSS is proposing to cover transitional case management for people leaving prison, a 30-day supply of medication, as well as medication treatment for those with substance abuse disorders. Later, the agency hopes to implement other services including laboratory services, access to contraceptives, and medication and screening for health conditions like diabetes, HIV, hepatitis C, and high blood pressure, according to DSS.

Barton Reeves said the state would also like the waiver to cover certain housing supports including one-time transition and moving costs or security deposits. “We know how expensive it is in order to be able to move and there’s just no way for you to be able to have any of those resources, having just been released from incarceration,” she said. Some of the lawmakers who attended Tuesday’s virtual forum expressed support for the state’s plans to seek the Medicaid waiver. Human Services Committee co-chair, Sen. Matt Lesser, D-Middletown, said his panel was interested in implementing the waiver. Sen. Patricia Billie Miller, a Stamford Democrat who chairs the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, thanked the agency for applying for the change. “This has been a long-forgotten group of individuals,” she said of incarcerated people. “We look forward to hopefully doing what we need to do to get this passed.”

Stetson Readies for MLK Keynote THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

Danielle Campbell, The Arts Paper newhavenarts.org

The second graders from Lincoln Bassett Community School listened intently as former New Haven Mayor Toni Harp read from a small book. The cover featured a little brown girl who looked a lot like many of the students in the two classes. The story Harp read was about Ruby Bridges, the first Black American to desegregate an elementary school in the United States after the passage of the landmark Supreme Court ruling, Brown vs. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. Bridges is now a 69-year-old civil rights activist and she will be the keynote speaker at Yale University’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration event, which will be held Jan. 24, 2023 at Woolsey Hall. “There were people against this,” Harp said to the students as they sat gathered at her feet on a Tuesday morning at the Stetson Library to hear about Bridges’ historic act of desegregation. “Some of their signs said ‘Race mixing is communism!’ and ‘Keep schools segregated!’” The reading event, known as the Ruby Bridges Story time Citywide Reading, was kicked off at the Stetson Branch with Harp as its inaugural reader.

A collaboration between the New Haven Free Public Library, the Boys and Girls Club and Yale’s planning committee for the upcoming MLK event, there will be at least three more readings before Bridges makes her address at Woolsey Hall. on Jan. 24. The next reading for children will be Tuesday, Jan. 16 at the Ives Branch downtown at 10 a.m. Mitchell and Fair Haven will host their readings on Jan. 17 and Jan. 22, respectively, at 10 a.m. But thanks to the work of the students' teachers Anthony Reid and Darlene Walden, the students knew about the concepts of segregation, integration, protesting and even a more obscure civil rights activist, Claudette Colvin, who was arrested at 15 for attempting to desegregate a public bus in Montgomery, Ala. by refusing to give up her seat to a white woman as the laws of that state, at the time, required. Harp gushed over how knowledgeable the students were about topics that more recently have been found by some states to be too controversial for school-aged children. “In this day and age, where people are trying to hide the real history. It’s so wonderful to see teachers who are actually teaching that history,” Harp said. “ And that children can understand it and inte-

together.” The story time is the brainchild of longtime Stetson Librarian Diane Brown and Risë Nelson, director of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility at Yale University Library & Collections, and it is a precursor to joint ventures to come. Harp served as the kickoff event’s special guest reader in her capacity as the president of the New Haven Chapter of The Links Inc. After the reading portion and an acknowledgment of Harp as a champion for the Stetson Library’s new building, the children participated in a special arts and crafts project where they decorated crowns that affirmed that though they are young, like Ruby Bridges, they are capable of great things.

Former New Haven Mayor Toni Harp reads from "Ruby Bridges: A Brave Child Who Made History." Danielle Campbell Photos.

grate it and it’s not threatening to them and actually makes them all stronger.” Reid said he and Walden don’t shy away from difficult subject matter but they do try to make it accessible and age appropriate for the students. “We try to make sure that the kids are aware of their surroundings, and we teach them history, but we teach history hon-

estly,” he said. “We teach it about blacks and about whites. We don't segregate it. We try to tell the truth with it, and the kids really enjoy it. “And we always make sure that we preface it with that there’s always good and bad in every race. Not just one race is bad, or the other race is good, or anything like that,” he added. “But we can all coexist

“I am brave like Ruby Bridges.” “I am beautiful like Ruby Bridges.” “I am kind like Ruby Bridges.” Newly appointed NHFPL Public Service Administrator Robert Kinney looked on proudly while the students crafted their crowns. “I think it's really good for our community to invest in our history,” he said. “It's important that we know our history and the reading was fantastic. And I just love what Diane is doing in the community.”

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Streetwear Trio Is “DA’W.O.R.L.D.” THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

by LISA REISMAN

The new haven independent

The bell above the door sounded at DA’W.O.R.L.D., the Whalley Avenue mecca for men’s urban clothing. “Coming in for some love,” the customer said, dapping up DA’W.O.R.L.D. manager Hallie “Bizzy” Bolden III, wardrobe consultant Tariq “Riq” Bolden and owner Hallie “Rock” Bolden, Jr. behind the counter. “Have a good one.” “A lot of times people come in even if they’re not shopping,” said Rock, as the neighbor exited. “Make themselves known, make their presence known, show their respect. And that feels great because I think one of the most important things you can do if you have a business in the community is know your people. Nothing’s better than feeling welcome, anywhere.” That generosity of spirit extended further when DA’W.O.R.L.D. donated upwards of $10,000 in children’s clothes to a free holiday shopping event at Stetson Branch Library, according to organizer Kristen Threatt. Rock, along with sons Bizzy and Riq, opened DA’W.O.R.L.D. in August 2021 with a mission to offer premium men’s urban clothing and accessories as well as, Rock said, “to involve ourselves with this community.” Rock formerly owned Rock’s World, a retail men’s clothing store at the intersection of Orange Street and Chapel Street. “Fashion can be very appealing to our youth,” said Rock, as Kanye West’s “Flashing Lights” sounded on the speakers in the mellow light of the shop. “Engaging with them is a big part of who we are and what we do. If you come into this store, even if you just want to look, someone is going to greet you, someone is going to speak to you.” Bizzy, 22, a triplet with Riq and their sister, agreed. “There will be some customers that maybe had a bad day, and then they come in here, and they tell us what’s going on with them, and as they’re leaving, they’re like ‘I feel better now.’ Retail therapy for real.” “We are in the business to make money for sure, but everything is not about a profit,” Rock said. Hence, the “W.O.R.L.D.” in the shop’s name. “It’s our trademark,” he said. “It’s short for ‘We Own da Right to Live our Dreams.’ We see what we do and what we bring in urban fashion as a way to help inspire people to get after that.” Rock’s passion for retail began with the display windows at Chambers Army & Navy while he was growing up in Mount Vernon, NY. “They were always captivating and I’d go in a lot, even though I couldn’t afford anything,” he said. “But I knew this is

Rock with a photo of a younger Rock at Rock's World on Orange and Chapel.

the business I wanted to be in, and I kind of spoke that into reality.” He worked at a retail clothing store, then got into sales, parlaying his experience into a position as buyer for Seven Fox clothing store in Waterbury. It was when Seven Fox moved to Massachusetts, and asked Rock to continue working with them, that he decided to forge a path of his own, opening Rock’s World on Orange and Chapel. When the pandemic hit, Rock had moved on to a business that specialized in personalized shopping for people. There was an opportunity to be an operations manager at an Amazon warehouse doing supply chain management. He took it. It was an education. “I was managing 75 to 100 associates a night, and we would regularly ship out 15,000 to 20,000 packages,” he recalled. “It showed me the power of e‑commerce.” Before, he said, “I had to rely on the community to keep my doors open. Now I saw the potential to ship not only to states but around the globe.” In the summer of 2021, Rock saw an empty storefront in the stretch between Orchard and Sperry streets. “The rest is history,” he said. According to Gorilla Lemonade ’s Kristen Threatt, a regular customer, DA’W.O.R.L.D. stands out for its premium quality and fashion-forward trends. “They have it all before anyone else does,” he said, citing Stacked jeans. “We introduced them two years ago when no one knew what they was, now it’s the hottest jeans, that’s what everyone wants,” Bizzy said. “I go to a lot of trade shows, so I see the season ahead of time, I see the samples

Rock, with a New York Blank Yankees jersey, part of the Negro League collection from SD Sports.

Tariq "Riq" Bolden, Rock, and Bizzy in front of Whalley Ave's DA'W.O.R.L.D.

that the world won’t see,” Rock said, standing in front of a wall with an array of baseball shirts from the Negro Leagues. There’s another way the shop is forwardlooking. “All three of us are buyers,” Rock said. “So we have the advantage of two generations. Their fathers were my peers as a customer base, and now they’re coming in with their sons, so Riq and Bizzy are building their relationships and their customer bases.” Working with his sons has another benefit. “We’re family-owned and ‑operated, and we’re also father and sons, and our customers see that,” he said. “They see a unity here, not us beefing with each other. We are one chord, one harmony, and we translate that to our customers.” To that end, he makes a point of keeping the lines of communication open. “The fashion part is easy for them because they live it, but they are still learning the business part,” he said. “Everything I’m dealing with, overhead, profit and loss statements, taxes, we talk, we converse.” For Rock, “that’s all showing them what they can do in business and in the community, and also showing them as business partners their worth,” he said. “I always say a job is cool, but a lot of people won’t pay your worth or understand your worth.” “See this?” Riq asked, gesturing at a T‑shirt with a slogan that read LOYALTY HONOR RESPECT. “That’s Tenaciti, a designer brand, premium goods, super-nice stuff. We introduced this to the city, all positive messages.” For Bizzy, “fashion is a way for people to express their personality, and for us, we not only sell it, we live it, this is us,” he said. “This is us trying to do right by our community.” To that end, DA’W.O.R.L.D, which is just a short walk from Yale’s campus, has become a destination spot particularly for the university’s football and crew teams, Rock said. “Every year they bring new guys in,” he said, adding that the store extends a 10 percent discount to college students in the area, including Southern Connecticut State University and the University of New Haven. Last summer, DA’W.O.R.L.D. was the first New Haven store to partner with Sillable, an online app launched by three Yale students to make it easier to shop locally. “There’s a little bit of a disconnect between Yale and the larger New Haven community … we felt like the Sillable app would be like a little bridging gap,” Rock said. “We are all about fostering better connections between everyone, in our community and in the larger community,” he added. “That’s everything.”

Area first responders attended a special training session on electric vehicles at the Michael E. Grant Regional Fire School off of Ella Grasso Boulevard. The session took place Saturday morning. Jason Emery, a battalion commander from Waterbury and a member of the National Fire Protection Association spoke about how to handle the unique aspects of fires in electric vehicles, a growing problem for first responders. The event was sponsored by Greater New Haven Clean Cities in collaboration with the CT Fire Academy and the National Fire Protection Agency. Why? “Electric vehicles require specific fire extinguishing procedures, and there is currently a nationwide training gap for first responders dealing with electric vehicle fires, especially electric school buses. In addition to the growing popularity of electric cars, school districts have also begun implementing electric school buses in Connecticut. This week, DATTCO was awarded $33 million by the Clean School Bus Program to expand their fleet of electric buses in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Government initiatives and incentives will accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles, and our first responders must be well-prepared and aligned with these upcoming changes.” The session covered “essential insights into HEVs/EVs, as well as post-incident handling of vehicles and incidents involving charging stations.”

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New “Agenda” Slate Challenges Ward Co-Chairs

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It looks like Democrats will have primary challengers for Democratic Town Committee co-chair elections come March. This is thanks to the “New Haven Agenda,” a group that defines itself as a “Democratic club” that hopes to disrupt the Democratic party’s Unite Here-affiliated majority in New Haven. Jason Bartlett, an organizer of the group, served as former Mayor Toni Harp’s campaign manager and as her youth services director. In a Wednesday press release, Bartlett is quoted as saying that the “New Haven Agenda” prioritizes “empowering community voices not tied to special interests to become involved in the New Haven political process.” The two co-chairs in each of New Haven’s 30 wards nominate candidates at party conventions and work to increase voter engagement. Petitions to run are available in the Democratic Registrar’s office, and the deadline to file is Jan. 31. Referencing a recent article in The New Yorker, Bartlett continued, “New Haven politics has become controlled by a monolithic power structure, led by the efforts of the Unite HERE Yale workers union.” The “New Haven Agenda” has confirmed a slate of 15 candidates who will be running for ward co-chair, some of whom have experience challenging incumbent Democrats:

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Civil Rights Leaders 2024 Insights on Martin Luther King’s Courage By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia During his short life, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stepped on all kinds of powerful toes in his fight for civil rights, and he was a courageous and determined leader who refused to let prison or violence sway his end mission. He also never lost sight of the fact that civil rights — addressing racial and economic injustice — were inextricable from liberation, freedom, equality, and world peace. As the founding leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Dr. King led a nonviolent movement to abolish the triple evils crippling American society: racism, poverty, and militarism. Associates said he believed those forces were contrary to God’s will for humanity and could only be effectively opposed by an interfaith-inspired, nonviolent, multiracial social change movement. On April 4, 1967, King spoke publicly and eloquently against the tragedies of the U.S.-led war in Vietnam. Today, as the nation observes Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, civil rights leaders, including those who knew the slain leader, offered their thoughts on what his position might be on conflicts in the Middle East and Russia and on the twice-impeached and fourtimes indicted former President Donald Trump. “At the March on Washington in 1964, Dr. King talked about Alabama Gov. George Wallace having his lips dripping

with interposition and nullification,” said the Rev. Peter Johnson, who began working for the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) in Plaquemine, La., and later was recruited by Andrew Young to work for King in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Atlanta. “What’s the difference between George Wallace and Donald Trump? You’re not going to hear Trump publicly say the n-word, that’s the only difference,” Johnson remarked. “King would easily have seen that Trump is a bigot in the true sense of the word who actually believes he is superior to people of color.” Johnson, Rev. Dr. Jesse Jackson Sr, Rev. Dr. Benjamin Chavis Jr, and others said that the wars between Israel and Hamas, and Russia and Ukraine would have stirred Dr. King courageously to declare in King’s own words that “An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Dr. King would again say, “Peace is not just the absence of war; it is the presence of peace.” Rev. Jesse Jackson noted that King spoke of a deeper malady in American society. He believed that presidential administrations have been embroiling themselves in global conflicts for the wrong reasons. “Dr. King was outspokenly anti-war and anti-racism,” said Rev. Mark Thompson, a civil rights leader who recently joined the National Newspaper Publishers Association as the trade association’s global digital transformation director. “There’s no question King would oppose the war

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his “I Have a Dream” speech. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

in Ukraine and seek diplomatic solutions. I believe he would also call for a ceasefire in Gaza.” “I believe his posture on Congress’s dysfunction would be consistent with the words he used to describe segregationist intransigence in his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech – interposition and nullification,” Thompson declared. NNPA President and CEO Rev. Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., also an SCLC youth coordinator alum in the 1960s, concurred. “Dr. King was a nonviolent freedom fighter who believed that we all are members of one humanity. His concept of the ‘beloved community’ was all-inclusive and not discriminatory to anyone,” Chavis insisted. “Today’s world realities of racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, oppression, war, hatred, and bigotry are void of love for one another. We need Dr. King’s wisdom, inclusive theology, and leadership courage today more than ever.” Johnson said there’s little doubt where King would stand on today’s issues because the icon never wavered. “I don’t think he would have changed his position fundamentally,” Johnson determined. The Black Press of America, through the NNPA, salutes and pays an eternal salute to the wisdom, vision, and courage of The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. May the 2024 Marting Luther King National Holiday be a day of reflection, action, and freedom movement building, and constructive social change for all people in America and throughout the world.

Civil rights icon Andrew Young reflects on Dr. King’s legacy and America’s progress on MLK Day One of the last surviving members of King’s inner circle, Young sat down for an exclusive interview on PBS-TV’s “The Chavis Chronicles” with National Newspaper Publishers Association President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., where he shared valuable insights into his historical journey as a leader of the civil rights movement and his own enduring legacy. By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Civil Rights activist Andrew Young speaks during an interview on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, in Atlanta. “If there is a place where we can learn to live together as brothers and sisters, rather than perish together as fools, it’s the United States of America,” he says. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) As the nation commemorates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, civil rights icon, diplomat and former Atlanta mayor Andrew Young reflected on King’s legacy and progress in America since the 1960s. One of the last surviving members of King’s inner circle, Young sat down for an exclusive interview on PBS-TV’s “The Chavis Chronicles” with National Newspaper Publishers Association President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., where he shared valuable insights into his historical journey as a leader of the civil rights movement and his own enduring legacy. “I do this,” Young said, reflecting on challenging injustices like the false arrest and imprisonment of the Wilmington Ten in the

1970s, “because it’s the right thing to do. I wasn’t being militant or outspoken, I was trying to get people to see just what it is.” From his beginnings in segregated schools in New Orleans to his early graduation

from Howard University and later studies at Hartford Theological Seminary, Young’s commitment to justice emerged during his time as a pastor in southern Georgia. Organizing voter registration drives in the face

of death threats, he played a crucial role in the campaigns leading to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Elected to congress in 1972, Young became the first African-American representative from the Deep South since Reconstruction. His legislative efforts included establishing the U.S. Institute for Peace, The African Development Bank and the Chattahoochee River National Park. He left an indelible mark on the city by negotiating federal funds for vital infrastructure projects in Atlanta. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter appointed Young as the first African American ambassador to the United Nations, where he played a crucial role in shaping U.S.Africa policy based on human rights. His efforts contributed to ending White-minority rule in Namibia and Zimbabwe. Reflecting on his experiences, Young shares poignant moments during the interview, including facing violence during the Civil Rights Movement. “When the Klan came marching down in the community, they wanted to provoke a fight. They had guns under their sheets in Lincolnville, Florida,” he recalled.

“The same Black folks who got beat up with me said they had the love of Jesus in their hearts; that spiritual witness of nonviolence and forgiveness moved the Congress, and the next week they passed the 1964 Civil Rights Act.” Assessing the progress in civil rights, Young emphasizes the strides made, saying, “If anybody says things are no better now than they were then, they don’t understand how well we have it now.” He acknowledges the challenges but underscores the opportunities for education and progress. As Young reflects on Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream, he interprets it as a call for equal opportunity. “We are no longer slaves; we have equal opportunity to make this a great nation if we are able to work hard. The educational opportunities are opening up,” Young said. He acknowledges the partnership with White folks that contributed to Atlanta’s success. Young said he remains optimistic about the nation’s future, echoing Dr. King’s words: “It’s inevitable to me that this nation, as Martin Luther King said, will live out, one day, the true meaning of its creed.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

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City, Amistad House Strike Plan To Heat Shelters by NORA GRACE-FLOOD

plan drafted by the local and state building inspectors before they could turn on the heat. Mayor Justin Elicker said the state finished reviewing that document on Thursday. Once Amistad House reports compliance with those standards, he said, the building inspector and fire marshal can and will inspect the property and sign off on the electrical permit and certificate of occupancy for the temporary structures. The state building inspector’s office did respond to requests for comment. Amistad House is also required to submit an application to the Board of Zoning Appeals requesting zoning relief, which will be heard at a special meeting scheduled specifically for Amistad House on Jan. 30. Elicker said the city will allow Amistad to turn the power on prior to actually attaining that zoning relief. The ten rules finally written by the city require Amistad leadership to remove snow from the shelters’ roofs within six hours; evacuate residents if winds rise above 100 miles per hour; verify the wind load capacities from the shelters’ manufacturers; provide an evacuation plan; establish lighting egresses; determine exit egresses within the shelters that

The new haven independent

The city has reached a tentative agreement with Amistad House to turn on the heat in six backyard shelters as soon as Saturday — after representatives and residents of that ever-developing homeless encampment marched to the mayor’s office in demand of electricity “tonight.” That’s the latest news in the ongoing saga involving Hill housing activists and the Elicker administration concerning whether or not the city will allow and electrify those prefabricated shelters in the Hill. The shelters were installed without local or state permits in an effort to offer emergency protection for those without housing. Read in more detail here about that initiative, which is taking place behind the nonprofit Amistad House at 203 Rosette St. Residents of the encampment dug trenches last weekend to house electric lines that will deliver heat to each of those six tiny homes. But they need a signature from the city — which has spent the past month working with the state to figure out pathways to legalize the atypical structures — in order to close their electrical permit and get United Illuminating to turn on the power. City officials said they had been waiting on the state’s approval of a management

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Organizer Sean Gargamelli-McCreight talks with city officials Friday morning.

Drunken-driving test. Credit: Nikamo via Shutterstock by Hugh McQuaid

Connecticut was among several states that considered but declined to adopt proposals last year that would have lowered the blood alcohol threshold for driving while intoxicated from .08 to .05. Lawmakers may take another look at the idea during the session that begins next month. State’s across the nation are nearly unanimous in setting the BAC limit for drunk driving at .08. Only Utah has adopted a different policy – the legislature there lowered the limit to .05 back in 2018. However, the impact of lowering Utah’s limit has other states considering the policy. A 2022 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that the rate of fatal crashes declined by 19.8% in Utah between 2016 and 2019 compared to a 5.6% decline over the same period in the rest of the country. “The evidence is incredibly compelling,” Sen. Christine Cohen, a Guilford Democrat who co-chairs Connecticut’s Transportation Committee, said in an interview this month. “There are many states also pursuing passage and implementation.” Although the transportation panel advanced a bill out of committee that would have lowered Connecticut’s blood alcohol limit, the proposal never received a

vote in either legislative chamber by the end of last year’s session. Connecticut was not alone in weigh-

ing the idea last year. State legislatures in Hawaii, North Carolina, New York, and Washington state all raised similar bills

only to table the idea. Cohen said she expected lawmakers on the Transportation Committee, which she co-chairs with Rep. Roland Lemar, DNew Haven, would propose the concept again this year. “I think we’re going to see more of this and hear more about it,” she said. “Connecticut is really interested in being a leader here and we’d like to see it come back for a public hearing.” Last year’s proposal had the support of both Gov. Ned Lamont and his Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto, who testified during a public hearing that Connecticut ranked third in the nation for the percent of crash fatalities that were caused by drunken drivers. “To be frank, Connecticut has a drunk driving problem,” Eucalitto said last year. “We’re one of the worst-offending states in the nation… This is unacceptable. What we’ve been doing is no longer working and it’s time for us to do everything in our power to change the behavior of Connecticut’s drivers.” In 2021, the most recent year with complete data, 112 people were killed in crashes caused by alcohol impairment, according to a December release from the Department of Transportation. The bill that came out of the Transportation Committee won a 21-15 vote with

support and opposition on both sides of the aisle. During the meeting some legislative Republicans objected to the change, saying motorists driving under the influence of cannabis posed a more pressing concern. “While I appreciate the good intentions of this bill, I think we are ignoring the biggest problem we have and that’s the marijuana problem,” Rep. Tom O’Dea, R-New Canaan, said last year. In other states, the proposals have encountered opposition from restaurants and the hospitality industry, who worry that, depending on factors like the size of a patron, just one drink could put them over the legal limit to drive. A representative of the Connecticut Restaurant Association could not be reached Monday for comment. However, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study, similar concerns about the impact of the change never materialized in Utah. “The data reviewed for this study indicated none of the negative effects some projected were realized,” the study’s authors wrote. “In fact, alcohol sales and per capita consumption continued to increase, as did tourism and tax revenues. Likewise, DUI arrests for alcohol did not increase markedly after the law became effective.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

Continue from page 24 can be opened without a key; equip each shelter with a fire extinguisher and interconnected wireless smoke detectors; give every resident of 203 Rosette St. keys to Amistad House; ensure that Amistad House maintains a common bathroom and sanitation facilities for residents; and submit to a walk-through inspection of the property prior to the city’s closing of their certificate of occupancy for temporary structures. Organizer Sean Gargamelli-McCreight said Friday that Amistad House is already in compliance with all of those regulations and intends to submit that application by end of day Friday. Building Inspector Bob Dillon, in turn, said he could inspect the property Saturday morning and potentially sign off the same day, so long as the fire marshal is also available. That resolution followed an hour-plus public back-and-forth Friday between Rosette Street residents and city officials. On Friday morning, those living at and helping to build the backyard “village” of tents and tiny roofs marched into City Hall and into the mayor’s office — as city spokesperson Len Speiller held the door open for them — to demand that the city give them an immediate go-ahead to get the heat on. Once inside, the protesters were met by Mayor Elicker, Building Inspector Bob Dillon, City Plan Director Laura Brown, and economic development officials Mike Piscitelli and Carlos Eyzaguirre. “This is a crisis that’s been created by the administration,” organizer GargamelliMcCreight said repeatedly of New Haven’s homelessness issue, “both through the bulldozing of encampments and the road blocking of neighborhood efforts like this one.” City officials shook their heads at claims that they had “roadblocked” the shelters. “We don’t work with magic wands,” Piscitelli stated, as residents and organizers interrupted city officials to criticize what they described as intentional stalling around project approvals and to blame the leaders for creating and perpetuating a “humanitarian crisis.” “Normally we would not entertain a project like this when it was built without permits. We’ve been working really hard on this,” Piscitelli said. Once calm was achieved, Piscitelli distributed the city’s management plan, explaining that the state had only approved the document one day earlier. The two sides talked through next steps and agreed on a plan of action. Towards the end of the heated conversation, Elicker addressed Gargamelli-McCreight and company. “Our team has met with you multiple times to make this work and you haven’t acknowledged this,” he said, asking for affirmation that the crew “feel that this is a collaborative effort.” After a pause, Gargamelli-McCreight responded: “I guess I can say we appreciate you doing your job.”

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

Audit Reveals Partial Implementation of Key Recommendations For Caregiver Program by Christine Stuart A recent follow-up report by the state Auditors of Public Accounts found several of its recommendations regarding the Community First Choice Program have been largely ignored. The program headed by the Department of Social Services allows elderly and disabled indivduals hire personal care attendants, who are paid with Medicaid dollars. The audit primarily assessed the timeliness of the application and enrollment process, payment controls, participant assistance, fiscal intermediary role, and overall management of CFC services. The findings indicate that DSS has only partially or fully implemented 31% of the 16 audit recommendations, sparking concerns among state officials. DSS collaborates with four access agencies across the state to conduct client assessments, create personalized care plans, perform annual reassessments, and work alongside a fiscal intermediary to provide employer assistance and budget management support to clients. In March, the vendor that pays the PCA’s will change. After years of objecting to paycheck processing errors

by a state-contracted payroll vendor, a union representing 11,500 Connecticut home care workers was optimistic as the state prepared to transition to a new fiscal intermediary. Beginning next March, Michiganbased GT Independence is expected to start operating payroll processing for personal care attendants funded through a handful of state agencies. The program has seen substantial growth. In fiscal year 2020, it saw an increase in its clientele, with 3,952 clients compared to 1,683 in fiscal year 2016, marking a 134% increase. Expenditures also surged, reaching $125,192,539 in fiscal year 2020, up from $36,419,833 in fiscal year 2016, representing a substantial 243% increase. The audit report highlighted 16 key recommendations aimed at improving the program’s efficiency and effectiveness. These recommendations focused on integrating data systems, identifying clients struggling with self-direction, tracking historical assessment dates and technical assistance calls, streamlining critical incident report submissions, enhancing data systems, bolstering data integrity, ensuring contracts contain adequate performance measures, and

improving fraud investigations and improper payment collections. Since the release of the audit, DSS has taken steps to address these recommendations. Measures included enhancing the exchange of information

between the Strategy and Operations Units’ data systems, improving data system access for CFC staff, adding a CFC-specific feature to the Operations Unit data system, and onboarding new support staff. However, DSS also noted

facing competing priorities, including public health emergencies and staffing changes, which have impacted their progress. Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly expressed deep concern regarding the DSS’s partial implementation of the audit recommendations. He emphasized the importance of providing essential services and support to the elderly, vulnerable, and disabled individuals who rely on the CFC program for their well-being and independence. “This is a failing grade, and that’s unacceptable, especially when you consider how our elderly, vulnerable and disabled are the ones who are being left behind. The State of Connecticut must constantly work to assist individuals with accessing services and supports to enable independence and care in the environments of their choice,” Kelly said. “It must be our priority to provide these individuals the dignity and lifestyle choices they deserve. This follow-up audit shows that it isn’t. Performance must improve, efficiencies must be implemented, taxpayers’ dollars must be respected, and these recommendations must be implemented. In short, DSS must do better.”

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Educational Videos Watch Now! This [project/publication/program/website, etc.] is supported by the Office of Minority Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $4 million funded by OMH/OASH/HHS. The contents are solely the responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by the Office of Minority Health/OASH/HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

Connecticut’s Fiscal Outlook Improves Modestly, Bringing Both Promise and Challenges by Christine Stuart

New numbers released Tuesday by Connecticut budget analysts show the state’s financial position improving slightly, but modestly. Revenues have increased about $52 million, however, the budget totals about $26 billion and growth is primarily attributed to income tax receipts, which offset declines in sales and cigarette taxes. On its face it looks like Connecticut has a relatively healthy fiscal outlook, especially compared to other states, but a deeper looks shows a number of challenges for lawmakers. The state’s spending cap, designed to ensure that annual spending remains aligned with either the growth in personal income, limits additional spending to just $30 million above the $26 billion already approved for the fiscal year beginning on July 1. To make things more difficult state agencies have overspent their budgets this year by hundreds of millions of dollars. What this means is that lawmakers will need to consider reducing state funding for some state agencies, which will prove unpopular. During past administrations access to what state agencies were requesting as part of their budget adjustments were made public, but those haven’t been made public during Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration. Requests for the documents have gone unanaswered. “Connecticut remains on solid financial footing, particularly when you look at other states, several of which are facing deficits,” Lamont said in a statement. The state’s fiscal health and projected $650 million surplus is largely attributed to the fiscal guardrails adopted in 2017. These guardrails anticipate cost over-

THE INNER-CITY NEWS

NEW HAVEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

2024 SCHOOL CHOICE EXPO

- March 15, 2023 - March 21, 2023

From a 4-year-old orphan to an international award-winning actress

The inspiring story of Thuso Nokwanda Mbedu by Ben Ebuka, Face2FaceAfrica.com

Did you know that New Haven Public Schools offers:

Gov. Ned Lamont Credit: Christine Stuart photo

runs and require lawmakers to build a healthy surplus into the budget when it is adopted. Additionally, another guardrail intercepts and saves hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue before it can be applied to the budget. These fiscal guardrails, in combination with income tax rate increases in 2011 and 2015 and a robust stock market, have generated substantial state surpluses. That in addition to federal COVID funds have made it easy for lawmakers to budget and cut taxes. “Our state’s fiscal guardrails have been essential to protecting core state services while paying down our unfunded liabilities and delivering the largest income tax cut in state history, which took effect two weeks ago,” Lamont said. “We continue to carefully monitor higher-than-anticipated expenditures and the expiration of federal COVID relief funding. Any midterm budget adjustments I present will protect both that tax reduction and the recent increase in

the Earned Income Tax Credit.” Republican lawmakers reiterated the need to uphold those fiscal guardrails. “It remains clear that the caps and savings programs that Republicans effectively pushed for seven years ago are working,” Senate Republican LEader Kevin Kelly said in a statement. “They are working so well that last year, Senate Republicans called for the largest income and property tax cuts in state history: $1.5 billion in relief. We have now passed the first state income tax rate cut since the mid-1990s, and those smart fiscal guardrails have brought us to this point. The guardrails clearly work, so they don’t need fixing.” However, Democratic lawmakers are likely to look for more flexibility from Lamont in some areas, but have maintained the need to find common ground. Last year, they complained about the fiscal guardrails and the impact it had on constitutents, but ultimately voted in favor of the two-year budget.

Growing up in the early 1990s, Thuso Mbedu never dreamt of being an entertainment figure. At a very young age, she wanted to be a dermatologist, but after taking a dramatic arts class inTuition the 10thto grade, » FREE Newshe Haven & CT Resident Students became interested in acting. » career FREE inside & outside New Haven Her acting hasTransportation earned her fame and fortune locally and internationally, rising » FULL-DAY Kindergarten and After-School Programs to become one of the most sought after actresses from South Africa. At 27, she was » FREE Preschool for 3- and 4-Year-Olds named in the 2018 Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 List, and one of the 100 Most Influential Africans by New African Magazine. Please join us at the School Choice Expo to learn more! Born on July 8, 1991, at the Midlands Medical Center in Pietermaritzburg, KwaAM PM Zulu-Natal in South Africa, to a Zulu mother and Xhosa and Sotho father, she never enjoyed the careCross of her High parentsSchool who died. 181 Mitchell Dr., New Haven Wilbur when she was barely four years old. She was raised by her grandmother, a very strict Thuso Mbedu. Photo -IOL school principal in school and at home. ‘Black Reel Awards’ (Outstanding Actress Her name reflected the multicultural tribes – TV Movie / Limited Series), the1.‘Hollyof her Complete parents – Thuso is a Sotho name, the applicaton online between January 30 March wood Critics Association TV Awards’ (Best Nokwanda is a Zulu name, and Mbedu is Actress in a Limited Series, Anthropology Xhosa. Series or Television Movie), the ‘Gotham Mbedu went to Pelham Primary School Awards’ (Outstanding Performance in New and Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School Series), the ‘Hollywood Critics Associaand graduated from the University of Wittion TV Awards’ (TV Breakout Star), and watersrand in South Africa in 2013, where the ‘Critics Choice Television Awards’ she studied Physical Theatre and Perform(Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television ing Arts Management. Earlier in 2012, she Movie), all for her role ‘Cora Randall’ in took a summer course at the Stella Adler the 2021 TV series ‘The Underground RailStudio of Acting in New York City. road.’ Career She won the ‘TV Breakout Star’ award Her acting career began in 2014 when she from the Hollywood Critics Association played a minor role of ‘Nosisa’ in the popuTV and won the ‘Outstanding Performance lar South African Soap Opera ‘Isibaya’ in New Series’ award from the Gotham from Mzansi Magic. In 2015, she played a Awards. guest role as ‘Kheti’ in the Second Season In 2022, Mbedu was nominated for the of the SABC 2 youth drama series ‘Snake ‘Independent Spirit Awards (Best Female Park.’ Performance in a New Scripted Series), for She got her first starring role in the teen her role ‘Cora Randall’ in the 2021 televidrama television series ‘IS’THUNZI’ from sion series ‘The Underground Railroad.’ Mzansi Magic where she played ‘Winnie.’ She won the ‘Critics Choice Television Her international debut was in ‘The UnAwards’ for ‘Best Actress in a Miniseries or derground Railroad’ an American fantasy Television her role ‘Cora Ranhistorical drama series based on the novel New Haven Movie’ Public for Schools dall’ in ‘The Underground Railroad.’ ‘The Underground Railroad’ written by Office of Choice & Enrollment In her keynote speech at TheWrap’s PowColson Whitehead. er Women Summit, Thuso Mbedu tearfully In 2022, she starred in her first fi54 lmMeadow ‘The Street | New Haven, CT 06519 | 475-220-1430 spoke of how she overcame the loss of her Woman King’ an epic historical drama newhavenmagnetschools.com dear parents, grandmother, and aunt. But about Agosie, where an entire female warher role in Amanda Lane’s ‘IS’THUNZI’ rior unit protected the West African Kinggradually renewed her hope in life. dom of Dahomey in the 17 – 19th century. “…my world was that blur, until AmanShe played ‘Nawi’, a zealous recruit in the da Lane happened in 2016. The role that military unit. Amanda Lane gave me was the difference In 2017, Mbedu was nominated for the between life and death for me. Receiv‘DSTV Viewers Choice Awards’ and the ing that audition brief, I told myself that ‘International Emmy Awards for the ‘Best I would audition like it was my last audiPerformance by an Actress’ for her role tion. I gave it the last of everything that I ‘Winnie Bhengu’ in the 2016 -2017 televihad, that at the time I got the callback, I had sion drama series ‘IS’THUNZI.’ nothing left. I secretly made the decision In 2018, she won the ‘South African Film not to do the callback because I had nothand Television Awards’ for ‘ Best Actress ing left to give. But fortunately, I received – TV Drama’ for her role ‘Winnie Bhengu’ the callback. So I didn’t do the callback bein the 2016 -2017 television drama series cause the role was mine. I had given up. I ‘IS’THUNZI.’ She was also nominated for was in a very dark place at the time, and the the ‘International Emmy Awards for ‘Best character, the role, the opportunity, was a Performance by an Actress’ for her role much needed light. And I told myself that ‘Winnie Bhengu’ in the television drama I will act as if it was the last character that series ‘IS’THUNZI.’ I will play. And through a great script and In 2021, she was nominated for the an amazing director, I earned two InternaCONNECTICUT’S FOR URBAN NEWS ‘Television Critics Association FIRST Award’CHOICE tional Emmy Awards for that role…” (Individual Achievement in Drama), the

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

Michelle Obama: Fierce, Fearless & Still Fighting For The People by Nicole Marie Melton, BlackDoctor.org

Despite taking a much-needed vacation from the public eye after eight years in the White House, the courageous Mrs. Michelle Obama continues to make it her business to helping others. With the launch of the Obama Center, the former First Lady is still making her rounds to speak about injustices in America. She’s still working with a Partnership for A Healthy America, works with several non-profits on improving education for minorities and will be in Philly for the 14th Pennsylvania Conference for Women in October, not to mention all of her other duties as a mom. This year on her 60th birthday, former President and dedicated husband Barack Obama shared this lovely message: “This is what 60 looks like,” he wrote via his Instagram. “Happy birthday to my better half — who happens to be one of the funniest, smartest, most beautiful people I know. @MichelleObama, you make every day better. I can’t wait to see what this new decade brings you.” Last year, the former President showed his lovely wife love via social media. Barack took to social media and posted a super sweet throwback photo alongside a message celebrating how much she means to him. “Happy birthday to my love, my partner, and my best friend,” Barack wrote alongside the pic. “Every moment with you is a

(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

blessing. Love you, Miche.” In her final White House speech, First Lady Michelle Obama said, “serving as the First Lady has been the greatest honor of my life and I hope that I made you proud.” Made us proud is an understatement! Little girls from across the world saw the poise, the beauty, the love and the rise of such an encouraging and giving First Lady. We are more than proud, we are in awe. Forget that her book, Becoming, sold more copies and faster than any other U.S. President or First Lady in history.

Forget that Michelle was named as the #1 most stylish First Lady in Style Magazine. Forget that Mrs. Obama is the ONLY First Lady in American history to hold two Ivy League degrees. Forget that First Lady Michelle Obama is one of the few First Lady’s to show love for her husband openly without scandal. Even if you forget all of that, we’ve got 16 other amazing accomplishments that former First Lady Michelle Obama has done. Take a look. 1. In 2010, she launched Let’s Move!,

bringing together community leaders, educators, medical professionals, parents, and others in a nationwide effort to address the challenge of childhood obesity. Let’s Move! has an ambitious goal: to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation. Whether it’s providing healthier food in our schools, helping kids be more physically active, or urging companies to market healthier foods to our children, Let’s Move! is focused on giving parents the support they need to make healthier choices for their kids. 2. In 2010 she passed The School Lunch program with bipartisan support. The program provides free and reduced-price meals to more than 21 million low-income children, now requires districts to serve more fruit, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy products. 3. Walgreens, Supervalu, Walmart and several regional grocers announced a commitment to build or expand 1,500 stores in communities with limited or no access to healthy food. This initiative will create thousands of local jobs, and will provide access to fresh food to an estimated 9.5 million people who currently have limited access. In California alone, the Fresh Works Fund has committed 200 million dollars to this effort to increase access to healthy food. 4. Darden, the world’s largest full service restaurant company, which owns Olive Garden, Red Lobster and other chains, made a commitment to improve kids’ menus by offering a fruit or vegetable and

low-fat milk with every meal. Darden will also reduce total calories and sodium by 20% across their menus over the next 10 years. TAKE A LOOK: Michelle Obama Is Officially A Guinness Book Of World Record Holder 5. The First Lady launched MyPlate and MiPlato, an easy to understand icon to help parents make healthier choices for their families. More than 6,100 community groups and 100 national organizations and corporations have partnered with the USDA to give families across the country access to this important nutritional information. 6. The First Lady worked with the US Tennis Association to build or refurbish more than 6,200 kid-sized tennis courts across the country, sign up more than 250,000 kids to complete their PALAs, and train 12,000 coaches to help kids learn the sport of tennis. 7. The First Lady launched Let’s Move! Child Care to ensure that our youngest children are getting a healthy start. As of January of 2013, more than 10,000 child care professionals and organizations have registered to implement new criteria for nutrition, physical activity, and limited screen time. 8. Walmart announced a new Nutrition Charter through which they lowered the cost of fruits, vegetables, and whole grain products by $1 billion in 2011. Wal-Mart has also pledged to work with manufacturContinue on next page

Isabella Strahan Was Diagnosed With Brain Cancer : Medulloblastoma Explained By BlackHealthMatter.com

People who have been speculating about Michael Strahan’s absence from Good Morning America last fall now have an answer they weren’t expecting: the morning show co-host was out because one of his daughters, Isabella, was diagnosed with brain cancer. In the duo’s interview with Robin Roberts, Ms. Strahan talks about experiencing symptoms of excruciating headaches, nausea, and the inability to walk straight in early fall during her first semester at the University of Southern California. However, she initially brushed off her symptoms because she believed she was suffering from vertigo. When she began throwing blood, she knew the condition was more serious. After a thorough check-up and an appointment for an MRI, Ms. Strahan got a call from her doctor to meet her at CedarsSinai Hospital. After arriving, she learned there was a fast-growing tumor called medulloblastoma. It was 4cm, larger than a golf ball, and growing in the back of her brain. She had emergency surgery for its removal the day before she and Sophia, her twin sister, turned 19. What is Medulloblastoma? According to the Mayo Clinic, medullo-

blastoma is a cancerous brain tumor that starts in the lower part of the brain called the cerebellum, which plays a part in muscle coordination, balance, and movement. The medulloblastoma cells spread through the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Medulloblastoma Symptoms

According to the NIH, people with medulloblastoma in the cerebellum may have: • Issues with walking, balance, and/or fine motor skills If the tumor blocks the Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), this can lead to increased pressure inside the skull. This problem is

known as hydrocephalus. Signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus may include: • Headaches • Nausea • Vomiting • Blurred and double vision • Extreme sleepiness

• Confusion • Seizures and even passing out If medulloblastoma has spread to the spine, symptoms may include: • Weakness or numbness in the arms and or legs • A change in normal bowel or bladder habits • Spinal pain What is the Treatment? Ms. Strahan is undergoing all the necessary steps to treat her cancer. She began with surgery and afterward went through the process of freezing her eggs. Next, 30 sessions of radiation over a six-week period. At times, she felt fatigue and dizziness and experienced bouts of nausea later in the process. Next month, she will begin chemotherapy at Duke Children’s Hospital and Health Center. For some patients, bone marrow transplants and clinical trials may be prescribed. The five-year survival rate for medulloblastoma is 72.1%. Ms. Strahan’s doctor discussed her diagnosis and treatment here. What is Next for Isabella Strahan? After staying quiet about her diagnosis, Strahan wants to be a voice that brings information and hope to people with cancer. She is partnering with the hospital to document her journey on a YouTube channel.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

Continue from page1 8 ers to eliminate trans fats and remove 10% of the sugar and 25% of the sodium in the food they sell by 2015. 9. Through Chefs Move to School, 2,400 chefs and nearly 4,000 schools have signed up to work together, teaching kids about healthy eating and helping cafeteria staff prepare healthy meals. That was all FLOTUS’ doing. 10. The country’s largest food manufacturers pledged to cut 1.5 trillion calories from the food they sell by 2015 through their Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation. 11. The American Beverage Association fulfilled their commitment to the First Lady to put clear calorie labels on the front of their products to give consumers better information. 12. Through her Let’s Move! Museums and Gardens, 597 participating institutions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia have signed up to offer active exhibits and healthy food choices. 13. In 2011, Mrs. Obama and Dr. Jill Biden came together to launch Joining Forces, a nationwide initiative calling all Americans to rally around service members, veterans, and their families and support them through wellness, education, and employment opportunities. Joining Forces works hand in hand with the public and private sector to ensure that service members, veterans, and their families have the tools they need to succeed throughout their lives. 14. In 2014, Mrs. Obama launched the Reach Higher Initiative, an effort to inspire young people across America to take charge of their future by completing their education past high school, whether at a professional training program, a community college, or a four-year college or university. Reach Higher aims to ensure that all students understand what they need to complete their education by working to expose students to college and career opportunities; helping them understand financial aid eligibility; encouraging academic planning and summer learning opportunities; and supporting high school counselors who do essential work to help students get into college. 15. In 2015, Mrs. Obama joined President Obama to launch Let Girls Learn, a U.S. government-wide initiative to help girls around the world go to school and stay in school. As part of this effort, Mrs. Obama is calling on countries across the globe to help educate and empower young women, and she is sharing the stories and struggles of these young women with young people here at home to inspire them to commit to their own education. 16. Michelle hosted a White House dinner to support mentoring programs for young girls, encouraging them to break the glass ceiling. “Once you see somebody on TV it looks like it’s easy, but the truth is we only know many of these women once they’ve become famous, once they’re in the news. Faith and love and hard work — that’s what got us through. You don’t need money or connections. The question is, do you let that fear stop you?” Way to go Michelle! We see you! Barack loves it!

The Early Childhood REGISTRATION OFFICE is located at:

New Haven Public Schools

Early Childhood Programs Programs for 3 and 4 Year Olds in New Haven

SCHOOL READINESS NEW HAVEN

Free 6-hour early childhood programs for low-income New Haven families in the following New Haven Public Schools:

• Benjamin Jepson Multi-Age School • Dr. Mayo Early Childhood School (Immediate Openings) • Fair Haven School • John Martinez Sea & Sky STEM School ••Lincoln-Bassett School T• ruman School (Immediate Openings) Additional community locations also participate in the program. Contact:

Head Start Registration Office Tel. 475-220-1464 HeadStartNewHaven.com 475-220-1464

NEW HAVEN Sliding scale, fee-based 6-hour early childhood programs for New Haven families in the following New Haven Public Schools:

• Augusta Lewis Troup School • Columbus Family Academy • East Rock Community School • Hill Central School • Nathan Hale School • Additional community locations also participate in the program. • Free 4-hour programs available at East Rock Community and Nathan Hale Schools. Contact : School Readiness

Registration Office Tel. : 475-220-1482

Celentano Observatory 400 Canner Street New Haven, CT 06511

In person REGISTRATION is Available

We are Accepting Applications NOW! How to Apply

The Office of Early Childhood is accepting applications electronically. Parents of 3 and 4 year olds are encouraged to apply online. English: https://registration.powerschool.com/family/gosnap.aspx? action=24982&culture=en Spanish: https://registration.powerschool.com/family/gosnap.aspx? action=24982&culture=es

What you will submit with your Application 1) Proof of Age

Child’s Birth Certificate OR Legal Custody/Guardianship Papers

2) Proof of Address

Current utility bill (Gas, Electric, Phone, Cable) in your name

3) Proof of Income

• 2 months of Current & Consecutive pay stubs OR W-2 or 1040 Tax Return • Budget Statement from the CT Department of Social Services or Social Security Office or Child Enforcement Bureau • Notarized Statement indicating Parent is unemployed • Additional forms may be requested 4) Proof of a Physical (within one year-to-date)

• CT Department of Education Early Childhood Health Assessment Record • Anemia and lead level test results • TB assessment • Immunizations records • Seasonal flu vaccination • Health insurance card 5) Proof of a Dental Exam (within 6-months-to-date)

Dental Exam record

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

Navy naming destroyer after Charles French, who saved 15 U.S. sailors in WWII by swimming in shark water by Stephen Nartay, Face2FaceAfrica.com The U.S. Navy is set to name its new destroyer after Second World War hero Charles Jackson French, who bravely saved 15 shipmates from shark-infested waters after the Japanese sank their ship. French, one of six sailors involved, swam for hours to rescue all but 11 USS Gregory’s crew members by towing them to safety on a raft. Despite being recommended for the Navy Cross, he was never awarded a medal for his bravery, according to Daily Mail. Instead, he was given a letter of commendation by Admiral William F. ‘Bull’ Halsey, the commander of the Southern Pacific Fleet. Recently, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced that a new Arleigh Burke-class destroyer will be named after French to honor his heroics. Del Toro posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to French in May 2022, and a training pool for rescue swimmers at Naval Base San Diego was also named after him.

On the night of September 4, 1942, the USS Gregory’s crew was patrolling the waters between Savo Island and Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean when it encountered Japanese destroyers Yūdachi, Hatsuyuki, and Murakumo. The Japanese ships went undetected and opened fire on the USS Gregory and her sister ship USS Little. Amid the chaos, the crew deliberated whether to confront the Japanese destroyers or withdraw quietly. A Navy pilot, mistakenly identifying the flashes as Japanese submarines, dropped flares, inadvertently exposing the ships. Subsequently, the Japanese destroyers, joined by a cruiser, initiated firing at 1 am, marking the beginning of the Battle of Guadalcanal. The USS Gregory, facing superior firepower, became engulfed in flames and sank within three minutes during the Battle of Guadalcanal. Among the crew was French, a 22-year-old Mess Attendant. U.S. warships, including the USS Gregory, were segregated during World War II, with Black sailors often assigned roles such as cooks and stew-

ards. Following the sinking of the USS Gregory, French, and a few uninjured sailors were left floating on makeshift rafts in shark-infested waters. In a display of remarkable heroism, French improvised a human tugboat by tying a rope around his waist. Throughout the night, he swam for six to eight hours, towing a raft laden with his injured shipmates. “Just tell me if I’m going the right way,” he is said to have called out to the sailors who were all white. French’s heroic act prevented the raft, carrying his shipmates, from drifting towards a Japanese-occupied shore. Despite urging him to leave the perilous waters, French, standing at 5’8″ and 195 pounds, stayed resolute, and stated that he feared the Japanese more than the sharks. A scout aircraft spotted French and the 15 sailors on the raft at sunrise, leading to their rescue by a Marine landing craft. Upon their rescue, hospital staff attempted to segregate French from his shipmates into quarters designated for Black individuals. However, the injured shipmates vehemently opposed this segregation, even threatening to fight against it. Despite his heroic efforts, French’s story, initially featured in a comic book, was largely forgotten after the war.

COMING UP AT RIDGEFIELD PLAYHOUSE

CORINNE BAILEY RAE The Black Rainbows Tour

Meet Chantel Rostant, the entrepreneurial wife of Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo by Abu Mubarik, Face2FaceAfrica.com

FEB 13 @ 7:30PM 203.438.5795 • RIDGEFIELDPLAYHOUSE.ORG

Chantel Rostant is the wife of Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo. Following the appointment of her husband, she has become the new “first lady” of the New England Patriots. But Rostant is more than just a wife as she is also an astute entrepreneur. Per her Instagram handle, she is a cosmetologist and haircare guru as well as a creative cook, philanthropist, and floral and event designer. In 2016, she founded The Brand Finale, an online retail boutique for children’s clothing after getting frustrated about the limited fashion options for her own children. The clothing line is known for its chic, modern, and on-trend styles. The collection’s website describes Rostant as a “mompreneur redefining cohesive children’s style” coupled with her extensive background in the beauty industry, working with celebrity clients. Rostant and Mayo first met in his college days when he played football at Tennessee prior to his selection by the New

Chantel Mayo and Jerod Mayo. Photo: Instagram/Chantel Mayo

England as the tenth overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft. The linebacker played with the team until his retirement after the 2015 season. After retirement, Mayo worked as an executive in finance at Optum before joining Bill Belichick’s staff as the Patriots’ inside linebackers coach in 2019. Now hired as the Patriots new head coach after the team “parted ways” with Belichick, he has become the youngest head coach in the NFL at age 37. Today, Mayo and Rostant have four children — Chya (born in 2010), son Jerod Jr. (born in 2011), Chyanne (born in 2014) and Chylo (born in 2017). According to the Mail Online, Rostant and her husband live in a $2.5 million home in North Attleborough, Massachusetts, along with their four children. The house includes five bedrooms, five baths, a spa room with a hot tub, a finished basement with a movie theater and a billiards room. Also, the property contains a pool with a waterfall, a fire pit and a complete outdoor kitchen.

THE INNER-CITY INNER-CITY NEWS , 2024 - January 2024 NEWS- January July 27,17 2016 - August 02, 23, 2016

Seymour Housing NOTICE Authority CHFA – 23-301

CDBG 2023 –PRETBDAPPLICATIONS AVAILABLE VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING Revitalization at Castle Heights

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 Sealed bids are invited and will be received by the Seymour Housing Authority, 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have until 2:00PM on Thursday January 25, 2024, in the Office of the Seymour Housing been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon reAuthority, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483, at which time and place they will quest by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed prebe publicly opened and read aloud. applications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510. Proposals must be submitted on the forms provided and in a sealed envelope plainly marked with the appropriate title. “Revitalization at Castle Heights for the Seymour Housing Authority”.

NOTICE OF BID

NOTICIA

A MANDATORY pre-bid conference will be held at the Seymour Housing AuthorVALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES ity, Seymour Avenue, Seymour, CT 06483 on Monday January 8, 2024 at 2:00PM. AllHOME prospective toHouse attend.y de la New Haven Housing Authority, está INC, enbidders nombre are de larequired Columbus

aceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo A satisfactory Bid Bond or Certified Check, in an amount equal to five percent (5%) ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos of the base bid, shall be submitted with each bid. The Bid Bond shall be made paymáximos. Las pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 able to the Seymour Housing Authority and shall be properly executed by the Bidder. julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) A 100% Performance, Labor and Material Bond is also required. All sureties must be en las oficinas de HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición listed on the most recent IRS circular 570. 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 . Attention of bidders is directed to certain requirements of this contract which require payment of Davis-Bacon wages, and compliance with certain local, state and federal requirements. This is a partially Federally funded project. Contract Documents including plans & specifications can be viewed online beginning December 25, 2023 and purchased from Advanced Reprographics Planroom website, visit http://www.advancedplanroom.com/ select “Public Jobs” and select “Revitalization at Castle Heights for the Seymour HA”.

NEW HAVEN

242-258 Fairmont Ave

Note: Addenda this bid will be issued via email. 2BRtoTownhouse, 1.5 BA, 3BR,Contractors 1 level ,intending 1BA to bid MUST BE REGISTERED on the Advanced Reprographics Plan holder’s list in orAll new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 der to receive direct email of any and all addenda.

highways, near bus stop & shopping center underconsideration, 40lb allowed. must Interested contact Maria @ 860-985-8258 Bids, toPet receive be inparties the hands of the authorized representative, no later than the day and hour mentioned above.

CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s The Seymour Housing reserves the to right or reject anyofor all bids; Certificate Program. This is aAuthority 10 month program designed assistto in accept the intellectual formation Candidates response to the Church’s Ministry The cost is $125. startin Saturday, August 20, 2016of 1:30to inwaive any informalities, or;needs. to accept any bidClasses deemed the best interests the 3:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. Seymour Housing Authority. (203) 996-4517 Host, General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster St. New Haven, CT

All bids will be considered valid for a period of One Hundred Twenty (120) days.

The contractor who is selected to perform this State project must comply with CONN. GEN. STAT. §§ 4a-60, 4a-60a, 4a-60g, and 46a-68b through 46a-68f, inclusive, as amended by June 2015 Special Session Public Act 15-5.

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour

State requires minimumAugust of twenty-fi ve (25%) state-funded untillaw 3:00 pm ona Tuesday, 2, 2016 at its percent office atof28theSmith Street, portion of the be Concrete set aside Sidewalk for awardRepairs to subcontractors holding Seymour, CTcontract 06483 for and Replacement at curthe rent certification fromAssisted the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services Smithfield Gardens Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour. (“DAS”) under the provisions of CONN. GEN. STAT. § 4a-60g. (25% of the total state-funded value with DAS-certified Small Businesses and 6.25% of the topre-bid conference willDAS-certifi be held at ed theMinority-, Housing Authority Smith talAstate-funded value with Women-, Office and/or 28 DisabledStreetBusinesses.) Seymour, CT at 10:00 am, on Wednesday, Julygood 20, faith 2016.effort to meet owned The contractor must demonstrate the 25% set-aside goals.

BiddingANdocuments are available from the Seymour Housing Authority OfAFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER MBE’s, WBE’s, SBE’s AND SECTION 3 DESIGNATED ARE888-4579. ENCOURAGED TO APPLY fice, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CTENTERPRISES 06483 (203)

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

Town of Bloomfield

Salary Range:

$87,727 to $136,071 Deputy Finance Director/Controller Pre-employment drug testing.

AA/EOE. For Details go to www.bloomﬁeldct.org

Town of Bloomfield

Finance Director

Salary Range - $101,455 to $156,599 (expected starting pay maximum is mid-range) Fully Beneﬁted – 35 hours weekly Pre-employment drug testing. For more details, visit our website – www.bloomﬁeldct.org

Portland

The Town of Wallingford is offering an excellent career opportunity for a technical leader in the wastewater treatment industry to assist the Superintendent in providing managerial direction in the operation and maintenance of the Town’s wastewater treatment plant, pumping stations, and sanitary sewer collection systems. Applicants should possess 4 years of progressively responsible experience in water pollution control and a bachelor's degree in environmental science, chemical engineering or other engineering with courses in chemical qualitative analysis, biochemistry or microbiology, or an equivalent combination of education and qualifying experience substituting on a year-for-year basis. Must possess and maintain a State of Connecticut Class III or higher Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator's license or the ability to obtain the same within the probationary period. Must possess and maintain a valid State of Connecticut Motor Vehicle Operator’s License. Salary: $80,555 to $103,068 annually plus an on-call stipend when assigned. The Town offers an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, paid sick and vacation time, medical insurance, life insurance, 13 paid holidays, and a deferred compensation plan. Applications may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page and can be mailed or faxed to the Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492; Fax: (203) 294-2084, or emailed to: wlfdhr@wallingfordct.gov by the closing date of January 11, 2024. Phone: (203) 294-2080. EOE

Full time experienced welder for Structural/Miscellaneous metalsemail resume tojillherbert@gwfabrication.com

DRAFT HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN UPDATE NEEDS PUBLIC REVIEW

Police Officer full-time Go to www.portlandct.org for details

QSR STEEL CORPORATION

Wastewater Treatment ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT

The South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG) and a Regional Advisory Committee have updated the region’s Hazard Mitigation Plan for FEMA review and municipal adoption. Prior to State and FEMA review, the public is encouraged to review and comment on the draft plan. The plan identifies and prioritizes actions each of the 15 SCRCOG municipalities may take to mitigate the risks of natural hazards and climate change.

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice To review and comment on the draft plan, visit the SCRCOG Hazard Mitigation

webVILLAGE page at: www.scrcog.org/hazard SAYEBROOKE

Old Saybrook, CT APPLY NOW! The plan is available for review through March 13, 2023. (4 Buildings, 17 Units)

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Project The Wage plan Rate includes detailed information regarding twelve natural hazards and Top pay for top performers. Health climate change and their impacts to the region and each municipality. Impacts Beneﬁts, 401K, Vacation Pay.

include those to criticalSite-work, facilities,Casthistoric assets, and the built environment. The New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, goals of the plan include the categories of community planning, flood hazards, in-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, trees, regional collaboration, and public awareness and preparedness. Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, State of Connecticut Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. Comments can be submitted to Rebecca Andreucci, Senior Transportation PlanOffice of Policy This contract subject to state set-aside ner andatcontract compliance requirements. randreucci@scrcog.org or by phone at (203) 466-8601. andisManagement

Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut, Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016 Office of Policy and Management Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016 is recruiting for an Information Technology Technician hour). Project(40documents available via ftp link below:

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES

Further information regarding http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage the duties, eligibility Invitation for Bids requirements and application Unarmed Security Services Faxinstructions or Email Questions & Bids to:at: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com are available

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

https://www.jobapscloud.com/ Elm City Communities Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483is currently seeking bids for Services of a firm to proCT/sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= vide Unarmed Security Services. A complete copy of the requirement may be 230927&R2=7602FR&R3=001 AA/EEO EMPLOYER The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

obtained from Elm City Communities’ Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

Monday, November 6, 2023, at 3:00PM.

THE INNER-CITY INNER-CITY NEWS January , 2024 - January 2024 NEWS- July 27, 17 2016 - August 02, 23, 2016

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR BID HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF DANBURY NOTICE Elevator Maintenance and Repair Services

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE IFB No. B23008 HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the Haven Housing Authority, Please register here to obtain BidNew Package: https://ha.internationaleprocurement.com/requests.html?company_id=49968 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 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL RETURN: 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have Housing Authority of the City of Danbury, 2 Mill Ridge Rd,will Danbury, CT 06811 been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications be mailied upon reEnvelope be Marked: IFB No. B23008, Elevator Maintenance and Completed Repair Services quest byMust calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. preAttn: Lisato Gilchrist, Purchasing applications must be returned HOME INC’s officesAgent at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510. SUBMITTAL DEADLINE

January 8th, 2024 at 10:30am (EST)

NOTICIA

CONTACT PERSON FOR IFB DOCUMENT: Lisa Gilchrist – Purchasing Agent Telephone: 203-744-2500 x1421

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES E-Mail: lgilchrist@hacdct.org

HOME INC, en nombre de la Columbus House y de la New Haven Housing Authority, está [Minorityand/or women-owned aceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios ybusinesses apartamentosare deencouraged un dormitoriotoenrespond] 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 Petroleum/HVAC company has an immediate opening for a Full Time Receptionist. a lashave oficinas de HOME INC experience, en 171 Orangestrong Street,organizational tercer piso, Newskills, Havenability , CT 06510 . Must customer service to mul-

Listing: Full Time Receptionist

titask, and be capable of handling multiple telephone lines. Computer knowledge is required. Petroleum or HVAC knowledge preferred. Send resume by email to: HRDept@eastriverenergy.com or send resume to: Human Resource Dept. P O Box 388, Guilford CT 06437.

NEW HAVEN

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

242-258 Fairmont Ave REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 2BR Townhouse, 1.5FOR BA,(RFP) 3BR,#2023-12-GC 1 level , 1BA

All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 GENERAL COUNSEL/LEGAL SERVICES highways, near bus stop & shopping center Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258

The Housing Authority of the City of New Britain (Authority)

is seeking competitive proposals for general legal services from experienced, area law firms. CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist the intellectual formation of Candidates The RFP will be available on December 4, 2023, andincan be obtained online at www. in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:30nbhact.org. Proposals must be received at the Authority Administrative Office no later 3:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. than January 2023, atBishop 3:00 Elijah p.m.Davis, Eastern Standard Late Submissions and (203) 996-451705, Host, General D.D. Pastor of Pitts Time. Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster facsimiles willCTnot be considered. St. New Haven,

Transportation Planner

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

The South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG) is seeking to fill the Sealed bids Planner are invited by the Authority of description, Seymour Transportation position. VisitHousing www.scrcog.org for of thethe fullTown position qualifi and on application requirements. to beatsubmitted by Street, noon on untilcations, 3:00 pm Tuesday, August 2,Applications 2016 at itsare office 28 Smith Monday February 5, 2023 or until the position is filled. Questions may be emailed to jobs@ Seymour,SCRCOG CT 06483 Sidewalk Repairs andEmployer. Replacement at the scrcog.org. is anfor AffiConcrete rmative Action/Equal Opportunity

Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour.

A pre-bid conference will beCLERK held at the Housing Authority Office 28 Smith TYPIST

Performs wide variety of at routine clerical requiring excellent computer Street aSeymour, CT 10:00 am, duties on Wednesday, July 20, 2016.and interpersonal skills. This position requires 1 year of office work experience of a responsible nature and a H.S., GED, or business diploma. Wages: $21.83 to $26.43 hourly plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Apply: Department Human Resources, of Wallingford 45 South Main Street, Bidding documents areofavailable from theTown Seymour Housing Authority OfWallingford, CT 06492. Forms will be mailed upon request form the Department of Human fice, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579. Resources or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page. Phone: (203) 294-2080 Fax: (203) 294-2084. The closing date will be on December 11, 2023. EOE

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

Electric Utility Chief Engineer

QSR STEEL CORPORATION

APPLY NOW!

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders

Top pay for top performers. Health Beneﬁts, 401K, Vacation Pay. Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT

State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for a Principal Labor Relations Specialist. Further information regarding the duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at:

The Town of Wallingford Electric Division is offering an excellent career opportunity for a highly qualified engineer with strong leadership skills who will be responsible for the planning, designing, and maintenance of the electric generation, transmission, and distribution systems and related facilities of the Town’s electric utility. Applicants should possess 8 years of progressively responsible engineering managerial experience at an electric utility or an engineering consulting firm performing electric utility work, plus a bachelor's degree in electrical, mechanical, or civil engineering. An associate’s degree in one of these fields may substitute for two (2) years of the work experience requirement. Must possess or be able to obtain and maintain ESOP-100 Switching and Tagging qualifications within 12 months. Must possess and maintain a valid State of Connecticut Driver’s License. Salary (currently under negotiations): $102,810 to $131,545 annually plus on-call pay when assigned. The Town offers an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, paid sick and vacation time, medical insurance, life insurance, 13 paid holidays, and deferred compensation plan. Applications may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page and can be faxed or mailed to the Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492, or emailed to: wlfdhr@wallingfordct.gov by the closing date of January 29, 2024. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

https://www.jobapscloud.com/ CT/sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= 230417&R2=6342MP&R3=001 The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

WANTED

Seeking qualified candidates for the following positions:

to Bid: TRUCK DRIVERInvitation 2 Notice nd

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE Truck Driver with clean

CDL license(4 Buildings, 17 Units) Old Saybrook, CT

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

Please send resume to Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, CastNew Construction, Wood Framed, attielordan@gmail.com in-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding,

PJF Construction Corporation Flooring, Painting, DivisionAA/EOE 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework,

Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements.

POLICE OFFICER

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

City of Bristol

$73,220 - $89,002/yr.

Fax or Email Questionstesting, & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com Required HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses general info, and apply Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483 AA/EEO EMPLOYER online: www.bristolct.gov

DEADLINE: 12-04-23 22

THE INNER-CITY INNER-CITY NEWS , 2024 - January 2024 NEWS- January July 27,172016 - August 02, 23, 2016

Construction

Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks:

Construction Equipment Mechanic preferably experienced in Seeking to employ experienced individuals in the labor, Reclaiming and Road Milling Equipment. We offer factory foreman, operator and teamster trades for a heavy outside training on equipment we operate. Location: Bloomfield work statewide. Reliable personal transportation and a valCT We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits id drivers license required. To apply please call (860) 621Contact: Tom Dunay VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE 1720 or send resume to: Personnel Department, P.O. Box 368, Cheshire, CT06410. Phone: 860- 243-2300 HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, Email: tom.dunay@garrityasphalt.com is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom this develAffiatrmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to applyapartments Drug Free Workforce opment located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations apAffirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer ply. Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks:will be mailied upon rebeen received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications Reclaimer and Milling with current quest byOperators calling HOME INC atOperators 203-562-4663 duringlicensing those hours. Completed preand clean driving record, be willing to travel throughout the NorthLargeStreet, CT Fence applications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Third Company looking for an individual for our east & NY. We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits PVC Fence Production Shop. Experience preferred but will Floor, New Haven, CT 06510. train the right person. Must be familiar with carpentry hand Contact: Rick Tousignant Phone: 860- 243-2300 & power tools and be able to read a CAD drawing and tape Email: rick.tousignant@garrityasphalt.com measure. Use of CNC Router machine a plus but not required, will train the right person. This is an in-shop production poWomen & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply Duties include building fence panels, posts, gates and AffirmativeMACRI Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer VALENTINA VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDESsition. DISPONIBLES more. Must have a valid CT driver’s license & be able to obtain a Drivers Medical HOME INC, en nombre de la Columbus House y de la New Haven Housing Authority, está Card. Must be able to pass a physical and drug test. Please email resume to pboucher@atlasoutdoor.com. Tractor Trailer Driver for Heavy & Highway Construction Equipaceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo ment. Must have a CDL License, clean driving record, capable of AA/EOE-MF ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos operating heavy equipment; be willing to travel throughout the máximos. Las We pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m.tscomenzando Martes 25 Northeast & NY. offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefi Full Time julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100)Administrative assistant position en las oficinas de HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición for a steel & misc metals fabrication shop who will oversee the llamandoEmail: a HOMEdana.briere@garrityasphalt.com INC al 203-562-4663 durante esas horas.Pre-solicitudes deberán remitirseof clerical duties such as answering phones, acdaily operations Women & Minority encouraged to apply a las oficinas de HOMEApplicants INC en 171are Orange Street, tercer piso, New Haven , CT 06510 .purchase orders/invoicing and certified payroll. counts payable Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer Email resumes to jillherbert@gwfabrication.com

NOTICE

NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR

Union Company seeks:

The Town of Wallingford Electric Division is seeking a highly qualified Network Administrator to oversee its business and information systems. The position is responsible for the design, implementation and maintenance of local and wide area computer networks (LAN/WAN) in offices and remote sites. Applicants should possess five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in all phases of information technology processing, including supervisory and managerial experience and installation and support of personal computer workstations, plus a bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field. An equivalent combination of education and qualifying experience may be substituted on a year-for-year basis. Must possess and maintain a current and valid Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) certification or its equivalent. Must possess and maintain a valid State of Connecticut Driver’s License. Salary (currently under negotiations): $88, 811 to $113, 630 annually. 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. Applications may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page and can be faxed or mailed to the Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492, or emailed to: wlfdhr@wallingfordct.gov by the closing date of January 29, 2024. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

Contact Dana at 860-243-2300

Electric Utility GENERAL LINE FOREMAN

PVC FENCE PRODUCTION

NOTICIA

NOW HIRINGNEW FOR 2024 SEASON HAVEN

Fairmont Roma Construction, 242-258 Inc. has openings forAve Laborers, CDL Drivers 2BR Townhouse, 3BR, 1We level 1BA with Class A & B Licenses,1.5 andBA, operators. are,an Equal All new apartments, new appliances, newtraining carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 Opportunity Employer and have availability. highways, near bus stop & shopping center Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested partiesat contact Maria @ 860-985-8258 Please contact Rebecca 860-996-8766

or put in an application at romaconst.com

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. 630 Bishop PlainfiElijah eld Davis, Rd Jewett City, CT Chapel 06351U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster (203) 996-4517 Host, General D.D. Pastor of Pitts

ROMA CONSTRUCTION, INC.

St. New Haven, CT

Listing: Outside Sales & Estimator Position

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

Fast paced HVAC department has an immediate opening. This position will interact directly the customer the entire sales Responsible Sealed bidswith are invited by thethroughout Housing Authority of theprocess. Town of Seymour foruntil all aspects of on HVAC estimation includes sheetStreet, metal, 3:00 pm Tuesday, Augustwhich 2, 2016 at itssystem office design, at 28 Smith piping, and organizing information to compile estimates for poSeymour, CT 06483 vendor for Concrete Sidewalk Repairsaccurate and Replacement at the tential HVAC projects. This candidate must be well organized, hands-on, selfSmithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour. motivated, dependable and work independently. Minimum of 5 years of sales/ estimating experience. Must have the ability to read and comprehend blueprints. A pre-bid conferenceofwill be held at the Must Housing Authority Office 28knowlSmith Must have knowledge HVAC systems. have Microsoft Office Street Seymour, CT at 10:00 am, on Wednesday, July 20, 2016. edge. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or emailHRDept@eastriverenergy.com

Bidding documents are available from the Seymour Housing Authority Office, 28 Smith Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579. **AnStreet, Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity 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

The Town of Wallingford Electric Division is seeking a highly qualified General Line Foreman with strong leadership skills to oversee the utility’s overhead and underground line installation, repair and maintenance functions. The utility serves 25,000 customers in a 50+ square mile distribution area with a peak demand of 130 MW. Applicants should possess 8 years of progressively responsible experience in the construction, maintenance, and operation of utility-grade electric distribution facilities, State of Connecticut plus an A.S. degree in electrical, civil, or mechanical engineering, or an equivalent Office of Policy and Management of education and qualifying experience substituting on a year-for-year Invitationcombination to Bid: nd basis. Must possess or be able to obtain and maintain ESOP-100 Switching and Tag2 Notice ging qualifications within 12 months. Must possess and maintain a valid State of The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting Connecticut Driver’s License. Salary (currently under negotiations): $97, 917 to for an OPM Assistant Division $125, 278 annually plus on-call pay when assigned. The Town offers an excellent Director in the Office of Finance.Old Saybrook, CT fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, paid sick and vacation time, indi17 Units) Further information regarding (4 Buildings, vidual and family medical insurance, life insurance, 13 paid holidays, and deferred the duties,Tax eligibility Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rateplan. Project compensation Applications may be downloaded from the Department of Hurequirements and application man Resources Web Page and can be faxed or mailed to the Department of Human instructions are available at: Resources, of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492, New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Town Demolition, Site-work, Casthttps://www.jobapscloud.com/ or emailed to: wlfdhr@wallingfordct.gov by the closing date of January 29, 2024. CT/sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= in-place Concrete, AsphaltPhone: Shingles, Vinyl Siding, Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE (203) 294-2080; 230908&R2=0104MP&R3=001

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

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.

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

Request for Qualifications

The August South Central Bid Extended, Due Date: 5, 2016 Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG) seeks the services of15, one or more consultants for the four following transportation planning Anticipated Start: August 2016 QSR STEEL studies during the 2024 and 2025 Fiscal Years (July 1, 2023- June 30, 2025). Project documents available via ftp link below: CORPORATION http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage • South Central Regional Bike and Pedestrian Study

APPLY NOW!

• State Street Pedestrian Needs Study in Hamden

Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com • Town Wide Pavement Management Study in Madison HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE &•Section 3 Certified Businesses Orchard Street Safety and Mobility Study in New Haven Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483 Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders AA/EEO EMPLOYER Disadvantaged Business Enterprise firms are strongly encouraged to respond as Top pay for top performers. Health prime contractor or to play a significant role within a consultant team. Responses Beneﬁts, 401K, Vacation Pay. Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

are due by February 5, 2024, (12 noon local time). The full RFQ documents can be viewed at the Council’s website: www.scrcog.org or can be made available upon request. Contact James Rode at (203) 466-8623 with any questions.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

Prominent civil rights leaders share insights on King’s perspective on Middle East, Ukraine and Trump Johnson and others said the conflict between Israel and Palestine and Russia and Ukraine would have stirred King to declare that there was little difference between the demand for civil rights and the cry for peace.

between George Wallace and Donald Trump? You’re not going to hear Trump publicly say the n-word, that’s the only difference. He continued, “King would easily have seen that Trump is a bigot in the true sense of the word, who actually believes he is superior to people of color.” Johnson and others said the conflicts between Israel and Palestine and Russia and Ukraine would have stirred King to declare that there was little difference from the demand for civil rights and the cry for peace. “ Benjamin Netanyahu is on the wrong side of history,” legendary civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson told the Black Press. “What led up to Oct. 7 (when Hamas attacked Israel) is the issue, not what happened on Oct. 7.” Jackson, like he said King would have, decried the mass killings taking place in the Middle East and the war strategy occurring in Ukraine. “Those captured,” Jackson demanded, “should be allowed to go home under the supervision of the United Nations and anyone tried should be done so in the World Court.” Jackson noted that King spoke of a deeper malady in American society. His view was that presidential administrations have been embroiling themselves in conflicts across the globe for the wrong reasons. “Dr. King was outspokenly anti-war and anti-racism,” said the Rev. Mark Thompson, a civil rights leader who recently joined the National Newspaper Publishers Association as the trade association’s global digital transformation director. “There’s no question King would oppose

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent During his short life, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stepped on all kinds of powerful toes in his fight for civil rights, and he was a courageous and determined leader who refused to let prison or violence sway his end mission. He also never lost sight of the fact that civil rights—addressing racial and economic injustice—was inextricable from peace. As the leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), King led a nonviolent movement to abolish the triple evils crippling American society: racism, poverty, and militarism. Associates said he believed those forces were contrary to God’s will for humanity and that they could only be opposed by a religious vision of nonviolent social change. In April of 1967, King spoke publicly against the war in Vietnam. Today, as the nation observes Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, civil rights activists, including those who knew the slain leader, offered their thoughts on what his position might be on conflicts in the Middle East and Russia and on the twice-impeached and four-times indicted former President Donald Trump. “At the March on Washington in 1964, Dr. King talked about Alabama Gov. George Wallace having his lips dripping with interposition and nullification,” said the Rev. Peter Johnson, who began working for the Congress of Racial Equality in Plaquemine, La., and later was recruited by Andrew Young to work for King in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Atlanta. “What’s the difference

The Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. (Courtesy photo)

the war in Ukraine and seek diplomatic solutions. I believe he would also call for a ceasefire in Gaza.” Thompson added that the reason for King’s cancellation of a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1967—one year before his assassination—suggests King had an evolving posture on the Israel-Palestine question. “In canceling the pilgrimage during the Six-Day War, King said, ‘I just think that if I go, the Arab world, and of course Africa and Asia for that matter, would interpret this as endorsing everything that Israel has done, and I do have questions of doubt,’” Thompson said. “I believe his posture on Congress’s dysfunction would be consistent with the words he used to describe segregationist intransigence in his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech—interposition and nullification,” Thompson declared. NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., also an SCLC alum, concurred. “Dr. King was a nonviolent freedom fighter who believed that we all are members of one humanity. His concept of the ‘beloved community’ was all-inclusive and not discriminatory to anyone,” Chavis said. “Today’s world realities of racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, oppression, war, hatred and bigotry are void of love for one another. We need Dr. King’s wisdom, inclusive theology and leadership courage today more than ever before.” Johnson said there’s little doubt about where King would stand on today’s issues because the icon never wavered. He said, “I don’t think he would have changed his position fundamentally.”

Does the Future Of Black Health Involve AI and Genome Sequencing? Yes, Here’s Why It Matters. By Corynne Corbett BlackHealthMatters.com Data informs everything, even how our health and diseases will be treated in the future. But if our community is not actively involved in the research, the likelihood of drugs and treatments not working as well for us could continue to be a reality. It’s not surprising that talk about research is met with skepticism by many Black people; the Tuskeegee experiment and other medical crimes loom large in our minds. However, an ambitious partnership between an HBCU, Meharry Medical College, and a group of pharmaceutical companies—Regeneron, AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk, and Roche—called Together for CHANGE holds promise for us. “Changing Healthcare for People of African Ancestry through an InterNational Genomics and Equity” is the mission. Why is this important? James E. K. Hildreth, MD, Ph.D., President and CEO of Meharry Medical College, explains that breakthroughs in gene

sequencing are the key. A genome is a complete set of genetic material in a cell or organism. “The basis for diseases and interventions for diseases will be based on what we learn from the genome,” he explains. Here’s the backstory. It took a decade to sequence the first genome in 2003, cost $2 billion, and involved 2,000 scientists. With artificial intelligence (AI) in the mix, it can be accomplished in a matter of hours for $1,000. “Thousands of genomes have now been sequenced, but only 1 in 100 come from people with African ancestry,” Dr. Hildreth explains. “We have large datasets (from the sequencing) to which we can apply AI and data science tools to find new drugs and interventions. If we are not represented in the data, we will not benefit from these powerful new tools.” Dr. Hildreth explained that there is now a considerable effort to get us to participate in clinical trials because the scientific community learned that while some drugs work well for patients of European

ancestry, they don’t work for us at all. But they didn’t know this because we hadn’t participated in the trials. “The same thing could happen with the use of genomic data if we are not included,” he says. Lyndon J. Mitnaul, Ph.D., Executive Director of Research Initiatives at Regeneron Genetics Center, one of the pharmaceutical partners in this project, has spent the last decade at his company working on genomic research. “We knew there’s a lack of knowledge of African ancestry genomic information in the databases we’re studying. And we also knew that there is a lack of Black professionals in STEM careers,’ he says. During the social justice movement that resulted from the death of George Floyd, Regeneron wanted to make a substantive difference instead of doing something performative. They decided to incorporate their specialization, their genetic research machine. “We built the skillset and the capacity to sequence. Why don’t we apply that knowledge to the Black community to train more scientists and build a data depository where

these scientists can study to help establish their careers and, at the same time, address health disparities within their community?” Dr. Mintaul explains. Because of the historic issues between our community and inequitable practices, the companies involved have designed this initiative with some built-in protections. The pharmaceutical companies won’t be directly involved. Instead, the governing body will be a new nonprofit called the Diaspora Human Genomics Institute (DHGI). The data collected will be secured and managed by DHGI to ensure the integrity and transparency of all activities undertaken under this initiative. The HBCU Connection One of the things that is exciting about this initiative is the connection to Meharry Medical College. One of the oldest and largest historically Black academic health science centers in the country was chosen as the academic convener of this project. And its students will be integral to this project. We will be generContinue on next page

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

Continue from page 24

ating scientists, physicians, and genetic counselors from minority communities,” Hildreth points out. “They will be at the table, in the rooms, when discoveries and breakthroughs occur. We’re also starting the first human genetic counseling at an HBCU.” Currently, less than 5% of researchers are Black. Dr. Hildreth points out that the normal progression to becoming a researcher is obtaining an undergraduate degree, graduate school, and a Ph.D.; you become a postdoctoral fellow and rise to become a faculty member. For white students, there is no drop-off between those steps. In minority communities, we start pursuing undergraduate degrees. However, fewer of us get graduate degrees, and fewer still get to become postdoctoral fellows and faculty members because there is a drop-off in our pipeline. One of the ways they plan to counter that is to engage students early on in K-12 to make science less intimidating. Dr. Mitnaul adds that a grant for a DNA Learning Center on the school’s campus is also included. “We’re doing this because we see an opportunity to make a difference. And, at the same time, advance science by creating more diversity in genetics.” How Can This Help Black Folks in the Future? One of the things that Dr. Hildreth is looking forward to is collaborating with scientists in Africa. “There are going to be people in Africa who have very similar gene genomes to African Americans in the United States. This will allow us to study the influence of environment, diet, and other factors on our health,” he says. Through this assessment, they will see the difference in the susceptibility to disease and isolate the differentiators. Dr. Mitnaul hopes that the safeguards they have put in place will help counter the existing mistrust. “If we don’t change that, we are the ones who will get hurt. What if a BRCA mutation is different from the one we know about now?” he asks. That kind of research could be vital to understanding why Black women are diagnosed more often with triple-negative breast cancer, for example. But what excites Dr. Hildrath most is the possibility of changing the narrative regarding the Black community’s access to technology that could improve our health and the quality of our lives. “Every time there is a technological leap forward, we are on the outside looking in,” he says. He uses sickle cell anemia as an example. A single mutation causes it. However, other diseases have multiple mutations, and because the genome is so large, human brainpower alone wouldn’t be able to tackle it, but machine learning is a gamechanger. Dr. Hildrath says, “I want to make sure we are part of both the data and the people researching the data, particularly regarding AI. Because when humans are involved in anything, consciously or unconsciously, bias can enter it.”

Oficina de registro de primera infancia Se encuentra en: Celentano Observatory 400 Canner Street New Haven, CT 06511

Escuelas Publicas de New Haven

Programas Infancia Temprana

para la

Programas GRATUITOS y de escala móvil de 6 horas para la primera infancia para familias de bajos ingresos de New Haven

SCHOOL READINESS

para el registro en persona

¡Aceptamos solicitudes!

Como aplicar

La oficina de Primera Infancia ahora está aceptando aplicaciones electronicamente. Se alienta a los pandres de ninos de 3 y 4 años a presentar su solicitud en linea.4 Spanish: https://registration.powerschool.com/family/gosnap.aspx? action=24982&culture=es English: https://registration.powerschool.com/family/gosnap.aspx? action=24982&culture=en

Que incluir en su inscripcion

1) Demostración de edad

• Certificado de nacimiento del niño/a O • Documentos legales de custodia / tutela

2) Demostración de dirección • Factura de servicio actual (gas, electricidad, teléfono) a su nombre

• Formulario de declaración jurada de residencia

de NEW HAVEN

3) Demostración de ingresos

Programas para la infancia temprana GRATUITOS de 6 horas para familias de bajos ingresos de New Haven en las siguientes escuelas públicas de New Haven:

Programas de educación temprana de 6 horas con tarifa variable y de escala móvil para familias de New Haven en las siguientes escuelas públicas de New Haven:

• 2 meses de talones de pago actuales

• Benjamin Jepson Multi-Age School • Dr. Mayo Early Childhood School- (Immediate Openings) • Fair Haven School • John Martinez Sea & Sky STEM School • Lincoln-Bassett Community School • Truman School (Immediate Openings) • Lugares comunitarios adicionales también participan en el programa.

• Augusta Lewis Troup School • Columbus Family Academy • East Rock Community School • Hill Central School • Nathan Hale School • Lugares comunitarios adicionales también participan en el programa.

Tel. 475-220-1464

• Contacto: Head Start Registracion

Programas gratuitos de 4 horas disponibles en las escuelas East Rock Community y Nathan Hale. Contacto: School Readiness Office

HeadStartNewHaven.com

475-220-1482

Tel. 475-220-1464

y consecutivos O W-2 o Devolución de impuestos 1040 • Declaración de presupuesto del Departamento de Servicios Sociales de CT, o de la Oficina del Seguro Social, o de la Oficina de Cumplimiento de Menores (Child Enforcement Bureau) • Declaración ante notario indicando que el padre o la madre es desempleado/a

4) Físico (dentro del último año) • Registro de evaluación de la salud del

Departamento CT de educación de primera infancia • Resultados de exámenes de anemia y plomo • Evaluación TB • Registros de inmunizaciones • Vacunación de la gripe de estación • Tarjeta de seguro de salud

5) Examen dental • Registro de examen dental

(dentro de los últimos 6 meses)

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

Opinion could save thousands of Black Lives

Virginia Attorney General says Insurances Should Cover 'Life-saving' Proton Radiation Administered at HBCU By Hazel Trice Edney

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - The announcement that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is being treated for prostate cancer has hit home with millions of families across the nation. But in Virginia, the announcement is particularly relevant as the state’s legislature is gathering on the heels of an opinion by the state attorney general that said insurances should be covering a specific prostate cancer treatment that could save more lives. Proton beam cancer therapy, administered by the Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute, was casted front and center just before Christmas as Attorney General Jason Miyares issued the opinion, which clarified that those insurance companies that cover radiation as a cancer therapy should not deny coverage for proton beam therapy when a patient meets the clinical standards in the policy for coverage, an issue that has raged in the state due to repeated insurance denials. Miyares clarified in the three-page opinion that a section of the Virginia code that covers the topic “prohibits an insurance carrier that provides coverage for cancer therapy from denying a patient coverage for proton radiation therapy when the coverage determination is based on the carrier’s application of a higher standard of clinical evidence to such treatment than it uses for treatments it otherwise approves.” The recent announcement from the Pentagon concerning Austin’s diagnoses did not include the type of treatment he is re-

ceiving. However, the fact that Austin is Black draws new attention to the health disparity between Black and White men with a prostate cancer diagnosis. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the risk of Black men dying from low-grade prostate cancer is “double that of men of other races" and Black men are slightly more likely than White men to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. In Virginia, the city of Portsmouth has the highest African-American cancer death rates in the state and the city of Petersburg, Virginia, leads the nation with Black men dying from prostate cancer. Both Portsmouth and Petersburg are less than an hour from Hampton University. Miyares pointed to the Hampton center, at a historically Black university, as being crucial to saving lives. “The Hampton University Proton Cancer Institute is a world-class academic and research institution that not only serves Virginians, but also treats people from around the world. They save precious lives. It’s essential that the prior authorization process is streamlined and patient access to proton radiation therapy is expanded and made accessible so that every patient can get the treatment that is right for them," he wrote. The opinion came as welcome news to families who have been repeatedly denied by insurance companies that have refused to pay for the treatment simply because it may cost more than other therapies and for reasons that many say are unexplained when their carriers provide coverage for other types of radiation treatment. Mary Lambert of Richmond whose

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin

52-year-old husband died of prostate cancer in 2019 after his insurance refused to pay for the proton beam therapy, applauded the attorney general’s opinion. “I am elated to know that the state’s attorney has written a formal opinion,” she said. “No one’s family should have to go through what my husband and what our family went through. Our children were 9 and 12 when he passed.” Ironically, the Virginia Legislature had already passed HB #1656 into law in

2017 stating that “each policy, contract or plan issued or provided by a carrier that provides coverage for cancer therapy shall not hold proton radiation therapy to a higher clinical standard of clinical evidence for decisions regarding coverage under the policy, contract, or plan than is applied for decisions regarding coverage of other types of radiation therapy treatment.” Yet patients continue to report that the insurance companies are denying access. In some states, patients and patient families have successfully sued their insurance carriers in court to get them to cover proton therapy for their cancer. Mary Lambert went on to stress the sad story of Congressman Donald McEachin (D-Va.), who recently died after beating his cancer, but his family highlighted that he died from the terrible side effects from other forms of treatment that are far more invasive than proton therapy. “It’s been law for five years. So why are people still going through this? And I’m hoping that this administration can do what they’re supposed to do. I would not wish this on anyone,” Lambert said. During the current session of the Virginia General Assembly, legislators will have a choice whether to further define and clarify clinical evidence that can be used to make determinations for proton treatment with HB #907. The legislators can clarify the law to assure that when proton treatment is recommended by a patient’s physician or oncologist, it may be an acceptable clinical standard for coverage. This will simplify

insurance coverage determinations and make them faster for patients who have no time to fight cancer and no time to fight their insurance company over coverage. Bill Thomas, associate vice president of governmental relations at Hampton University and a national advocate for proton therapy puts it this way: “No one wants cancer. No one wants to be radiated. No one wants side effects from any form of cancer treatment. But if you are diagnosed with cancer, if you must have treatment and the doctor prescribes proton radiation therapy, shouldn’t you be allowed to follow the doctor’s orders?” Thomas continues, “I am advocating for people all across – not only Virginia – but, the country because it is painful to see people suffer or die unnecessarily. I lost my Mom, Dad, and other family members from the horrible disease that wreaks havoc in the Black community. To help save one life from death or human suffering is worth all the fight in me. “For an insurance company not to cover proton radiation therapy when they cover other forms is plain wrong. People are dying while companies – not medical doctors - are choosing what form of treatment they will pay for,” Thomas says. “It is just a shame that Hampton University has invested over $225 million in developing the Hampton University Proton Cancer Institute with little to no financial support from the State or local community. It is time that Virginia invests in its HBCUs and other institutions that provide lifesaving modern medical treatment to the most vulnerable among us.”

After over 20 years of teaching, Brietta Clark now 1st woman and 1st Black to lead Loyola Law School y Abu Mubarik, Face2FaceAfrica.com

Brietta Clark now leads LMU Loyola Law School as dean. Her appointment comes after more than 20 years of teaching and five months of serving as interim dean. As the 19th dean of Loyola Marymount University’s (LMU) Law School, the appointment makes her the first woman to hold the position and also the first Black dean in the university’s 103-year history. According to CBS News, she will oversee a student body that totals more than 300 students, over 60% of whom are women. “I am thrilled to welcome Brietta Clark as the new Fritz B. Burns Dean of LMU Loyola Law School,” LMU Executive Vice President and Provost Thomas Poon, Ph.D. said. “Her unparalleled expertise, combined with her passion for advancing research and education and her commitment to diversity and inclusion, makes her an exceptional leader to propel our law school into a future of excellence and innovation.” Clark joins a growing list of black wom-

en who are leading law schools across the country as well as universities. Her appointment comes at a time when the university was seeking to be more inclusive, particularly in how they teach the law. “This is a place where we interrogate the law,” Clark said. “Where we’re all about social justice. We think about inequality, right? And yet it has taken a long time for the legal academy to start to have its leadership, and even its professors and faculty and students, really reflect the diversity of America.” She first joined the law school faculty in 2001 and has served in several capacities, including as Associate Dean for Faculty from 2015-20, according to the University’s website. The website adds that she was recently awarded the 2023 David P. Leonard Faculty Service Award by the St. Thomas More Society. Also, she has received recognition for her mentorship by the school’s Black Law Students Association, the Judge Stephen O’Neil Trial Advocacy Mentoring Program (“Young Lawyers Program”), and the Health Law & Bioethics Student Association. Additionally, she participated

Brietta R. Clark. Photo: Loyola Law School

in the AJCU Ignatian Colleagues Program for leaders in Jesuit higher education. In her early career, she served on the Los Angeles County Medical Association-Bar Association Joint Committee on Bioethics where she helped draft ethical and legal pain management guidelines for physicians. What is more, she served on the Institutional Review Board for Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles as well as a volunteer attorney with the HIV/ AIDS Legal Services Alliance. Prior to joining the LLS community, she specialized in healthcare transactions and regulatory compliance, working at the Los Angeles office of Sidley, Austin, Brown & Wood. She also volunteered with the National Health Law Program, which nurtured her interest in Medicaid access and protecting safety-net hospitals in underserved communities. Meanwhile, Clark got a B.A. from the University of Chicago and her J.D. from USC Law School, where she was also a post-graduate research fellow.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

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For more information, please contact Jennifer Lacombe PH: 203-888-8119 EMAIL: jlacombe@haynesct.com 27

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 17, 2024 - January 23, 2024

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