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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

Abdussabur Kicks Off Alder Campaign

by PAUL BASS

New Haven I ndependent

A diverse cast of neighbors from one of New Haven’s most diverse neighborhoods gathered virtually Monday to help formally launch an alder candidacy.

The occasion was the formal announcement of Democrat Shafiq Abdussabur’s candidacy for the Board of Alders seat from the 28th Ward, which covers the Beaver Hills neighborhood.

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the announcement took place over Facebook Live. Campaign Manager Salwa Abdussabur (yes; Shafiq is their father) hosted the event.

Abdussabur, who retired from the police force after 21 1/2 years and currently runs a construction and cleaning company that hires ex-offenders, promised if elected to tackle both rising crime and broken sidewalks, poor street lighting, and tree stumps needing removal.

Armed robberies doubled in Beaver Hills last year, he reported. He said gun violence has hit its highest levels in the city in 15 years. He recalled how he helped spearhead the creation of a Street Outreach Worker program back then, among numerous official and unofficial violence-prevention efforts he had undertaken. He vowed to be part of the solution again this time, including a call to craft a citywide violence-reduction plan and to avoid “defunding the police.”

“We have been patient, only to find ourselves being victims of increased violent crime and hate crimes. We have demonstrated unity, only to have been met with empty promises, like the multitude of broken sidewalks, sidewalks that should serve as the pathway to bring our families together,” Abdussabur, wearing an American flag pin and celebrating his 54th birthday, said during the livestream.

Among the Beaver Hills supporters endorsing Abdussabur at Monday’s event (from left): Former Alder Moti Sandman, Nan Bartow, Gary Hogan, Natreece Mayes

PAUL BASS PHOTO Shafiq Abdussabur and Rivka Fenton with one of the lawn signs they have distributed in the neighborhood in response to hate crimes against Orthodox Jews.

“Strong communities build strong cities.

Strong families build strong neighborhoods. Strong youth build strong futures for us.”

Incumbent Alder Jill Marks has not filed papers yet to run for reelection and has not publicly disclosed her plans. She issued a written statement Monday wel-

THOMAS BREEN PHOTO Alder Jill Marks at a press conference about neighborhood crime.

coming Abdussabur’s interest in working on community issues; she argued that he doesn’t need to run for alder to work on them.

Before Abdussabur spoke at the event, neighbors offered their endorsements.

The neighbors included former Ward 28 Alder Moti Sandman, current president of Congregation Chabad Lubavitch on Norton Street; Natreece Mayes, whom Abdussabur helped raise money to pay for damage caused to her car during a Carmel Street shoot-out; parks preserver

and neighborhood clean-up organizer Nan Bartow; and Elks Club President and longtime city housing and neighborhoods official Gary Hogan.

Activists Rodney Williams and Barbara Fair added their support via the livestream’s comment section.

Abdussabur recalled heading over to Beaver Hills while growing up nearby at the Florence Virtue Homes, to make money shoveling when it snowed. He has lived in Beaver Hills for 23 years; his son, daughter-in-law and grandchild now live

in the neighborhood as well.

Jill Marks: Plenty Of Work To Do It is great to hear that Shafiq is stepping up to provide more leadership in our neighborhood.

We have lots of work to do, and many hands make light work - I’m committed to reducing the violence in our neighborhood and city, continuing to push Yale to pay their fair share, and as always, continuing to fight for my neighbors, improving streets, and our parks.

I’m proud of my work with Friends of Goffe Street Park in improving this community space. This year we will break ground on a new Splash Pad, see improvements in the park’s community building, and have new traffic calming infrastructure installed around the park.

I’m also proud of the traffic bumps that we have installed throughout our neighborhood and a new roundabout near Hillhouse high school.

These are accomplishments that save lives. We know that creating a safe neighborhood requires our entire community.

I’m also proud of my work with Ice the Beef and the police to help our entire neighborhood stay safe. As we see more violent crime across the city, I will continue to work with all community members ftp ind solutions.

Finally, we know that our biggest challenges require deeper commitments from powerful organizations like Yale University and Yale New Haven Hospital. Shafiq and I have the same goals and share a deep commitment to our community.

But he doesn’t need to be alder to start working with me on addressing these problems now.

I look forward to working with him this spring and summer in community building efforts that help our neighborhood and our city move forward.

Dillon Targets Racial Divide In Covid Monitoring

by MADISON HAHAMY New Haven I ndependent

Pulse oximeters, a central tool in monitoring oxygen levels of those stricken with Covid-19, can be three times as likely to provide a misreading in Black patients. Patricia Dillon wants to do something about that.

Dillon, a New Haven State Rep., has introduced a bill titled “An Act Concerning Pulse Oximeters, Individuals Of Color And Health Insurance.” The bill seeks to require a warning label attached to pulse oximeters indicating that the reading might be inaccurate for people of color, provide education to health care providers on erroneous readings, and “prohibit health insurers from reimbursing health care providers for certain health care, in-

cluding, but not limited to, home health care, provided to an individual of color for a low blood oxygen saturation level.”

Fellow New Haven State Reps. Robyn Porter, Juan Candelaria and Tpni Walker as well as New Haven State Sen. Martin Looney are cosponsors of the bill.

Dillon discussed the bill Wednesday during an appearance on WNHH FM’s “Love Babz Love Talk” program, during which host Babz Rawls-Ivy framed the conversation in the context of medical hesitancy within the Black community due to a history of racist experimentation. Dillon called the pulse ox reader a “brilliant invention” that “provided tremendous comfort to my family.” She also acknowledged that the comfort it can provide is contingent on one’s skin color.

Since the device works by analyzing the amount of red and infrared light absorbed by the skin, darker skin might lead to inaccurate measurements because of how the skin absorbs light differently. Plus, Dillon added, the initial studies were conducted on majority white men.

A 94 reading for a Black patient, for example, can mean dangerously low levels, while a white person might consider that on the border of needing to be checked by a healthcare professional.

That’s why the bill’s final stipulation regarding reimbursements tells insurers that they can’t deny coverage to someone based on their pulse ox reading. State legislators are unable to regulate Medicare but, according to Dillon, they’re “starting the conversation.”

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Rawls-Ivy noted that Black people “already have stress from” the medical profession, stemming from a history of experimentation. She specifically mentioned the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, in which Black men with syphilis were unknowingly observed for 40 years and not given treatment despite it being widely available, as well as gynecological experimentation on Black women who were deemed “subhuman.” She worried aloud about how emerging evidence regarding pulse oximeters might contribute to even more hesitancy for Black people to seek medical treatment. Especially in the midst of a pandemic, that hesitancy can be fatal.

Rawls-Ivy called the lack of knowledge on how the pulse ox reacts to Black skin

“the insidiousness of racism.”

Dillon agreed. She noted that women were not included in initial studies of the pulse oximeters, either.

It is unlikely that the bill will pass as a stand-alone law, Dillon said. She is hoping the proposal will be folded into a broader equity bill that the Insurance Committee is currently drafting.

When Rawls-Ivy asked Dillon if she was in talks with the committee, Dillon laughed. “They’ve been hearing from me, yes,” she said.

The bill is still in the proposal stage and has yet to go to public hearing, at which case Dillon and the other representatives will be able to better understand public opinion regarding the issue.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

Homicide Victim Families

Part 3 of our 4-part series in celebration of Black History Month

Don’t Forget Us

IN CELEBRATION OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH,

BOSCOV’S HONORS INNOVATORS AND TRAILBLAZERS IN

by LAURA GLESBY

New Haven I ndependent

As the city mobilized to investigate the murder of another military veteran killed by gunfire in New Haven, Angel Hubbard couldn’t stop thinking of her cousin DJ — and of the silence she felt in the aftermath of his shooting five months ago.

Divonne “DJ” Coward — a loving father, an herbalist, a health nut, and a passionate political debater — was murdered on Sep. 30, 2020 when he was 27 years old, on a Fair Haven street that saw several shootings last year.

On Saturday morning, his family gathered outside City Hall with anti-violence organization Ice the Beef to make sure that DJ—one of 20 local homicide victims last year—won’t be forgotten.

Like Kevin Jiang, the 26-year-old Yale graduate student whose murder in East Rock last week has garnered national attention and spurred a cross-state search for a person of interest, Coward was a young veteran excited for a new career path.

By all accounts, both men — just a year apart in age when they were killed — prioritized family and community, and were devoted to their Christian religion.

“Kevin did not deserve to get murdered. Nobody deserves to get murdered,” Hubbard said. Having witnessed a sense of urgency that the city, community, and press have devoted to Jiang’s killing, she called for the same attention to be given to the murders of Black and Brown New Haveners like DJ. Hubbard noted that within days, the U.S. marshals posted a $5,000 reward for information leading to a person of interest in that case. “What made his life matter more?”

Another one of DJ’s cousins, Luquaia Opara, echoed this sentiment. “There’s so many people who get killed in New Haven and nothing is done. It’s just another Black life,” she said. “‘Oh, he was in the streets, he was selling drugs’ — that wasn’t the case.

And even if it was, it shouldn’t matter.”

When asked about criticism like Hubbard’s and Opara’s at a recent press conference—which the Independent has heard from a number of commenters in recent days—Mayor Justin Elicker responded that the New Haven Police Department takes every homicide seriously. “They face a pretty challenging time in getting people to share information and identifying leads. … When there is information, we do everything we possibly can to track [the murderer] down,” Elicker said during a Wednesday evening press briefing.

The mayor noted a disparity in public attention surrounding the Kevin Jiang case. “There’s been a lot of public interest in this case and I think we should reflect upon that as a society,” he said. “Every loss of life in New Haven is tragic.”

LaQuiva Jones, the mother of 18-year-old Dashown Myers who was killed a year ago, attributed the slower pace of other homicide cases not to negligence from city officials and police, but to a pressure on witnesses to remain silent.

On Saturday, she called for those who have information about unsolved homicides to speak up. “Stop acting like you don’t see nothing,” she implored through tears. Otherwise, “we’re gonna continue to bury our babies. We’re gonna continue to have homicide after homicide after homicide.”

SCIENCE & MEDICINE

Katherine G. Johnson

LAURA GLESBY PHOTO Angel Hubbard: “DJ’s life mattered.”

Marie M. Daly

Lewis Howard Latimer

Dr. Daniel Hale Williams

FAMILY PHOTO

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Divonne Jaquel Coward.

Mae C. Jemison

Opara later echoed these words. “Somebody knows what happened.”

Jones spoke to a loneliness that families of gun violence victims often face. The New Haven community doesn’t come together the way it should, she said; it feels like no one gets outraged, until a homicide happens to someone they love.

The 23rd of February — the anniversary of Myers’ death — is coming up. “My heart races” thinking about that soon-approaching date, Jones said.

Myers was one of 20 people murdered in New Haven in 2020, including Kiana Brown, Dayshon Smith, Kaymar Tanner, Howard Lewis, Nathaniel Henry, Secundino Ramirez, Roberto Rivera, Robert Lee Joines, Nancy Rivas, Luis Nelson Perez, Joel Price, Ricky Newton, Carlos Gonzalez, Sterling Timmone, Jerome Moye, Divonne Coward, Natosha Gaines, Allen Leeshawn Freeman, Tylee Bellamy, and Ibrahim Shareef Jr. Jiang was one of six people known to have been murdered in New Haven in the first month and a half of 2021, including Alfreda Youmans, Jeffrey Dotson, Jorge Osorio-Caballero, Marquis Winfrey, and Joseph Vincent Mattei.

Today, we can thank leaders like inventor Lewis Howard Latimer, scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson, chemist Marie M. Daly, heart surgeon Daniel Hale Willams, doctor and astronaut Mae C. Jemison and mathematician Katherine G. Johnson for their contributions to and advancements in science and medicine. Boscov’s remembers with respect African Americans who set the standard and pushed the boundaries, developing breakthroughs in their fields.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

Love Letters Unlock History Of Community

by BRIAN SLATTERY

New Haven I ndependent

When New Haven-based author Jill Marie Snyder found the letters detailing the romance between her parents when they were young, it was the beginning of a journey that led her to learn more about not only her own family, but the history of the Black community in New Haven, and how both contended with the racism they faced in their lives.

On Wednesday evening, Snyder gave audience members a taste of both in discussing her 2017 book Dear Mary, Dear Luther, in an online event hosted by the New Haven Museum.

Snyder’s mother, Mary Brooks, was born in Scranton, Penn. and grew up in neighboring Wilkes-Barre. Mary’s father, Clarence — a musician and a barber — and mother, Stella, had both grown up in a small town called Catawissa. They eloped in 1917. Clarence was Black (his father had escaped slavery in Virginia) and Stella was White, which some in Catawissa, including some in Stella’s family, could not abide. “Her brothers never spoke to her again,” Snyder said. “Sometimes there were people marching in front of their house.” They found burning crosses on their lawn. “Eventually they burned down the barbershop,” Snyder said, and Clarence and Stella left to start their family in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre instead.

Snyder’s father, Luther Snyder, was born in Wilkes-Barre. His family two generations before had lived in a Black enclave and stop on the Underground Railroad in what is now Pottsville, Penn. His grandfather had been a well-regarded chef who spoke multiple languages. Mary and Luther met when they were paired in a wedding procession in 1935. “Luther was smitten,” Snyder said. Mary was a few years younger than he was, and still only 15. Luther discovered that Mary and one of his aunts were neighbors. “He would visit his aunt and spent hours on the front porch swing with Mary,” Snyder said.

In 1937, when Mary graduated high school, Luther left to take a summer job in Asbury Park, N.J. That’s when the letters began.

It was Luther’s “first time at a beach resort, and he was just loving it,” Snyder said. Mary must have written him first, because Luther wrote back that “it was really swell to receive a letter from you — I only read it 17 times since I received it.”

He went on to describe people wearing sunglasses strolling the boardwalk, the waves rolling in and out, and the fashionable people at the resort. “You should see the darn fool fang dangles they wear, such as hats with no tops and just the sole of the shoe, but that is the style,” he wrote.

When summer ended, Luther moved to New York City, where he dove into Harlem’s nightlife. Mary visited him there and professed she was jealous in a letter to him later. Luther reassured her that she was his favorite girl. “He’s being kind of

COURTESY JILL MARIE SNYDER The Snyder family in 1969.

cute. I think he’s learned to be a playboy,” Snyder said of that letter. But on New Year’s Day of 1939, having just come in from partying all night, Luther wrote Mary a letter that explained just how he felt. “Every day is a holiday since I met you,” he wrote. “Yes indeed, Mary, you really do things to me.”

They started talking about marriage in 1940 and got married in Harlem in January 1941. A relation of Mary’s told her that there were factory jobs at Winchester Repeating Arms in New Haven that Luther could get, so they moved to the Elm City. And Luther went to work at Winchester.

“New Haven in the 1940s was a boom town during World War II,” Snyder said.

Mary and Luther arrived to find an already well-established Black community.

The first Black people in New Haven arrived as slaves; slavery was practiced in Connecticut until 1848. Free Black people faced harsh discrimination. Housing restrictions meant they could only live in Fair Haven (then called New Liberia), the Hill, and the area between Goffe Street and Dixwell Avenue then called Poverty Square — establishing housing patterns that turned out to be remarkably persistent.

But the community saw successes, too.

Three churches — Varick AME, Dixwell Avenue Congregational UCC, and St. Luke’s — were established by 1850.

The community also had a “network of strivers,” as Snyder described them.

Among them were Civil War hero Peter Vogelsang, entrepreneur William Lanson, teacher and later ambassador to Haiti Ebenezer Bassett, and Sarah Boone, who Snyder said may be the first woman of African ancestry to receive a patent, for a type of ironing board.

Snyder’s brother Roy was born in 1941.

Segregation in the hospital meant that Mary didn’t have a bed in the hospital, and slept on a cot in the hallway. Jill and Jill’s brother Dale followed. The family, Snyder said, “called me Rascal. I don’t know why I had that nickname.” She recalled “family picnics at my aunt’s house in West Haven, going to the beach together — we were a tight-knit family growing up.”

Thanks to the work of local civil rights leaders, there were more opportunities for Black people in New Haven starting in the 1960s. All of the Snyders worked for Yale at some point. Luther worked with the campus’s mail. “I like to say that my mom went from being a homemaker to a nuclear physicist,” Snyder said, because Mary became a research assistant in the Wright Nuclear Structure Laboratory.

Roy became a human resources manager.

Dale worked for campus police for 26 years. And Jill became a research assistant at the School of Epidemiology and Public Health. The last photograph of the Snyder family was taken in 1969. In 1973, Luther died of cancer.

Writing about her parents for Dear Mary, Dear Luther, Snyder said, “really forced

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me to think about each of them and their impact on my life. I started to think of them more wholly.” She encouraged others to try to do the same kind of genealogical research she did. “One reason I feel its importance is because reverence for ancestors is an important part of African culture,“ she said. “I found a deep sense of joy and gratitude for all my ancestors did for me … for what they did in their lives to make our lives better.”

For Snyder, doing the research also brought into sharper focus the ways both overt and institutional racism shaped the lives of her family members for as long as they lived. Mary, she recalled, had wanted to be an artist. “After she retired, she took up the hobby of painting. After a lifetime of raising children she fulfilled her dream,” Snyder said. Her father’s “disappointment was that he couldn’t go to college, though he never said it outright.” He instead pushed his children to do that for themselves. “His mantra for me was ‘go to college, go to college,’” Snyder said.

“They were capable of so much more than they had the opportunity to do,” Snyder said of her parents. “My father still knew his high school French and his algebra” when Snyder was a student herself.

“I realized he was probably on the college prep track in high school, but given the economics and limited opportunities that the men in his family had, he was not able to go.”

In response to a question from the audience, Snyder also recounted her own experiences with racism. In the late 1950s, when she was six, a White friend invited her over to play. When Snyder arrived at the house, however, the friend’s mother said, “You can’t come in here,” Snyder recalled, and “slammed the door in my face.”

“Jill, you’re going to meet a lot of people in your life, and some of the people won’t like you,” her mother explained to her.

Sometimes that could be for legitimate reasons; maybe personalities clashed. But “some won’t like you because you’re a little colored girl,” Mary said.

More recently, Snyder said, she was driving in Vermont when a state trooper pulled her over. “He just came over to and asked me one question: ‘Are you an American?’” Snyder seethed. “My family’s been here since the 1600s,” Snyder said. “My family’s been here 400 years.

This person had the right to ask me if I’m an American because I’m brown.”

But by then, Snyder was no stranger to racism and its effects. “As a child, you have that moment that you realize being Black, you’re going to stand out, and some people are not going to like you,” she said. In response, she said, “in my family, the mantra was, ‘you just have to work twice as hard to get half as far.’”

Dear Mary, Dear Luther is available through Author House and other online booksellers.

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Middle Schools Set To Reopen THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

by EMILY HAYS

New Haven I ndependent

New Haven Public Schools sixth through eighth graders will have the option to attend some in-person classes starting on March 4, Superintendent Iline Tracey announced Tuesday.

This adds the later grades to many of the K-8 school buildings in the district. Prekindergarten through fifth graders have had the option of in-person school since Jan. 19. All other students have been learning remotely since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We had originally articulated that we would go in phases. We are bringing in 6-8 grade levels in the hybrid model. There are many factors why we do this in phases. Parents have the choice of remote or in person.

That hasn’t changed,” Tracey wrote in a text message.

About 50 percent of Connecticut school districts are offering fully-in person learning now.

Like fourth and fifth graders, sixth through eighth graders can attend in-person class two days a week. Half of the in-person students would attend on Mondays and Tuesdays, and the other half attend on Thursdays and Fridays. Wednesday is a deep cleaning day at the schools and a work catch-up and wellness day for students.

Board President Yesenia Rivera and board

member Larry Conaway Tuesday expressed support for the move.

“Bringing back the remainder of the students in the K-8 schools—which were prepared prior to the return of the PK-5 students—makes sense. As Dr. Tracey stated in her email, we’re continuing to make these decisions in conjunction with the health department. We wanted to give parents a few weeks’ notice prior to bringing back those grades,” Rivera said.

While Rivera was ready to reopen schools in September, Conaway pushed for a 10week delay to make sure schools were fully Covid-safe. He said on Tuesday that he was ready to support reopening schools in November and that the reopening steps since then have built his confidence in that decision.

“As long as everything is safe, I think this is the next logical and progressive step. The vaccine is coming out. We brought the lower grades back. The virus is reducing itself in this part of the country,” Conaway said.

The district reopened school for the younger grades, despite high community transmission rates of Covid-19 at the time, based on research that reopening schools for younger children does not increase community transmission.

The federal Centers for Disease Control’s most recent report calls for reopening classrooms.

FILE PHOTO Ed board’s Conaway: “Next logical step.”

Conaway has seen success in the reopening so far. He saw the district demonstrate caution by keeping West Rock STREAM Academy and Quinnipiac Real World Math STEM School closed. He still has concerns about nurse resignations and whether the schools have enough bus monitors to ensure safety on student rides to and from school.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Teacher Jennifer Graves: It’s been stressful.

“We have a year more knowledge of what’s going on. I never had the intention of keeping kids home and schools closed forever. We’re playing basketball with no fans. We’re opening restaurants back up, and we’re being met with some success I think. Do I think we’re out of the woods?

Absolutely not. Do I think we should move forward? Yes, I do,” Conaway said.

Board member Darnell Goldson is still hesitant.

“My opinion is that everyone agrees that in the perfect world, in-class learning is probably the better option. None of us ever opposed that. We just want it done in a safe environment for everyone. I still have nagging questions about transportation safety, contact tracing, cleaning protocols, and—just as important—improved communication with those in the hot zones, our classrooms. Teachers don’t feel completely supported,” Goldson said.

New Haven Public School Advocates member Sarah Miller has been tracking the number of Covid-19 cases among students and staff in the reopened schools and doesn’t see the reopening as a success so far.

“I don’t understand how this is in line with CDC guidelines, given what our numbers are and given that there are clearly implementation issues,” Miller said. “There seem to be a lot of cases. We don’t really know how many cases, because the dashboard hasn’t been updated.”

Miller’s own children attend the soon-tobe renamed Christopher Columbus Family Academy as first and fourth graders. They are still attending remotely and have less live instruction than they did before.

“They’ve removed one of the live sesCon’t on page 09

Photo Credit: Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen

OPPORTUNITY + EQUITY

Stay connected to what’s happening in our region to address the impact of COVID-19 and to advance racial equity.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

City Nursing Director Resigns

by EMILY HAYS

New Haven I ndependent

March 12 will be Jennifer Allis Vazquez’s last day as New Haven’s director of public health nursing.

Vazquez has played a prominent role in helping schools partially reopen during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The pandemic is taking a toll across [the country] on frontline workers.

We have been fighting it for almost a year,” said New Haven Health Director Maritza Bond.

Bond said that the resignation letter from Vazquez did not explain her reasons for resigning.

“We respect her wishes and do wish her the best in her future endeavors,” Bond said.

Bond promised continuity in the city’s vaccination plan. She said that other staff members will take on some of Vazquez’s responsibilities temporarily and that there was plenty of time to make the transition happen smoothly.

Vazquez could not be reached for comment.

Vazquez’s department helps conduct contact tracing after a student or staff member tests positive for Covid-19.

School nurses are also responsible for assessing students who develop Covid-like symptoms during the school

Reggy Eadie, M.D., President & CEO, Trinity Health Of New England

THOMAS BREEN FILE PHOTO Director of Public Health Nursing Jennifer Vazquez has resigned.

day.

The department has seen public scrutiny in recent days after reports of multiple nurse resignations made their way to the teacher’s union and Board of Education. According to city spokesman Gage Frank, 12 nurses have resigned since August 2020 and the department is currently hiring for eight vacancies.

The city health department is working with temp agencies to fill gaps when nurses are sick or have left their position.

Bond pointed to high staff turnover in the health care field before and during the pandemic.

When asked whether she would like to see changes like higher wages or fewer hours to decrease this turnover, Bond said she just wants the pandemic to end.

“In an ideal world, I wish we were not in a pandemic. We all as health care professionals have a responsibility when it’s our turn to step up. This is definitely not a job for the weary,” Bond said.

Will New PILOT Fly?

by THOMAS BREEN

New Haven I ndependent

New Haveners will have an opportunity Tuesday to weigh in on whether or not the state should send more money to poor cities that can’t collect property taxes on land owned by tax-exempt hospitals and colleges.

On Tuesday at 11 a.m., the state legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance, Revenue and Bonding will host a livestreamed public hearing on Senate Bill No. 873: An Act Mitigating Adverse Tax Consequences Resulting From Employees Working Remotely During Covid-19, And Concerning The Removal Of Liens On The Property Of Public Assistance Beneficiaries And A Three-Tiered Grants in Lieu Of Taxes Program.

At the core of that proposed bill is one of the policy initiatives that New Haven State Sen. and President Pro Tem Martin Looney has identified as one of his top priorities this general session.

Get Your Shot

That is, to restructure the system by which municipalities with lots of college- and hospital-owned lands off the tax rolls (like New Haven) are reimbursed by the state, so that poorer communities (like New Haven) aren’t left holding the bag on properties they legally can’t tax. The current system is called Payment in Lieu of Taxes, better known as PILOT. The proposed bill would create three new tiers based on the relative per capita property value of each town or city in the state. The first tier would be for municipalities with an equalized net grand list per capita of less than $100,000, the second for municipalities with an equalized net grand list per capita between $100,000 and $200,000, and the third for municipalities with an equalized net grand list per capita of greater than $200,000.

Tier one municipalities (that is, the poorest municipalities in the state) would receive a grant worth 50 per-

cent of the current state-provided reimbursement rate for how much they cannot collect in property taxes each year on land owned by colleges and hospitals. That current reimbursement rate is 77 percent of total property taxes that would otherwise be owed.

Tier two municipalities would get a 40 percent reimbursement on the current rate, and tier three municipalities would get a 30 percent reimbursement on the current rate.

The proposed PILOT restructuring will be heard Tuesday as Mayor Justin Elicker—who has signed on to a petition with two dozen fellow mayors and first select-people in support —has said that New Haven is staring down a projected $66 million budget deficit next fiscal year.

Elicker, meanwhile, has sent out mass emails and created a Facebook event to encourage New Haveners to testify at Tuesday’s hearing.

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For almost a full year we have been living in a world defined by the COVID-19 pandemic. Here and around the world, COVID-19 has made millions sick, killed nearly 400,000 in the United States and 6,400 in Connecticut, and it has cost us jobs and livelihoods.

Here in Connecticut, we have done our part to limit close physical contact, wear masks appropriately and practice good hand hygiene as a way to keep the disease from spreading even more quickly, but the only sure way to beat this virus is through a vaccination program that reaches as many people as possible.

Thanks to advances in science, funding from governments around the world, and global collaboration among medical and public health experts, we were able to quickly develop vaccines for COVID-19. This was not the result of cutting corners.

The vaccines have been rigorously tested and proven safe and reliable, both in clinical trials involving tens of thousands of volunteers and now in the real world. The speed with which these vaccines have been developed is a testament to more than a decade of research and development of this vaccine technology for other diseases. By identifying a protein specific to COVID-19, researchers were able to tailor a vaccine to help us develop a robust immunity to COVID-19.

The first doses of COVID-19 vaccine arrived in the state at the end of last year, and we are receiving a fixed number of doses each week, and those shipments should grow in number as manufacturers are able to supply more vaccine. In Connecticut, we began our vaccination program by giving shots to nursing home residents and staff and frontline medical workers. The elderly are the most susceptible to the worst effects of COVID-19, and the workers who care for them and for us should be protected so they can continue to provide quality care and keep their own families safe from the disease.

With a steady, but limited stream of vaccines received each week, we are

expanding our vaccination program in a thoughtful, phased approach to cover more and more Connecticut residents. Starting with our most vulnerable populations and critical workforce and working toward our healthiest adult residents, our goal is to vaccinate everyone who wants a vaccine before the end of the year.

If everyone gets vaccinated, we all will have the opportunity to see our friends and family safely, limiting the suffering and deaths, and bolstering economic recovery.

A vaccination program with a high percentage of participation is the only way we can eliminate the threat of COVID-19 and get our lives back to normal. And that is what we all want.

We have all suffered through the last year as our world has been turned upside down by this virus. The vaccine is our best hope to return to the lifestyle we all prefer, build back our labor force and restore our economy.

Historically, Connecticut has had one of the highest vaccination rates in the country and it is my hope we will continue to live up to that standard with this vaccine. Over the last year, there has been confusion and unfortunately some misinformation about COVID-19, its seriousness and the threat it poses. However, data reflects the sad reality of debilitating illness, suffering, and loss of life in horrifically large numbers. The data on the vaccines are also real. They have been thoroughly tested. They are safe.

And now they have been given successfully to people around the world, including hundreds of thousands here in Connecticut. Since the beginning of the pandemic, this is what we have been waiting for; a safe vaccine that stops the virus in its tracks.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the federal government, and partners in the private sector to deliver this vaccine to as many people as possible, as soon as possible. Right now, we have limited supply of vaccine, and we are asking for patience as we vaccinate our highest risk populations first. Please stay up to date on our vaccination program by visiting the Connecticut COVID-19 vaccine website (ct.gov/covidvaccine) to find out when, where and how you can get vaccinated. We all need to do our part to protect ourselves, our families, our friends and our communities. Get your shot when you are eligible and let’s put COVID-19 behind us.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

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7

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

Today’s Special: Sandra’s Bourbon-Glazed Salmon

by EMILY HAYS

New Haven I ndependent

The oil sizzled as soon the salmon fillet hit the pan.

That noise was the hint that the fish would turn out crispy but not overcooked, explained Sandra Pittman, chef and co-owner of Sandra’s Next Generation.

The cast-iron pan was already very hot when Pittman added the spice-covered salmon, so it only took a few minutes to cook each side of the fillet. When the fish was done, Pittman started sautéing onions and bell peppers in another skillet. Finally, she ladled in a glaze made in advance from bourbon, cherries, peaches, brown sugar and thyme.

“Salmon’s the type of meat you never want to overcook. Overcooked salmon is dry. That’s why you have to pay attention— and don’t leave the stove when you cook!”

Pittman said.

Together, the blackened spices and Pittman’s bourbon glaze added a smoky, savory taste to the natural flavor of the salmon. Hints of sweetness popped through without being overpowering. And the fillet had the crisp edge and tender interior Pittman promised.

Take-out and delivery orders will prove crucial to the ability of local restaurants like Sandra’s Next Generation to weather the Covid-19 pandemic. Call (203) 7874123 or visit the restaurant’s website to order the blackened salmon and other dishes for take-out or delivery. Hours are Wednesday through Sunday 11:30 a.m to 8 p.m.

A Year Of Growth Unlike the restaurant industry as a whole, Sandra’s has pulled off a miracle: Sales at the popular Hill restaurant are double what they were this time last year.

The restaurant needed a federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan to avoid laying off any staff members during the initial instability of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the summer though, the soul food establishment found its feet.

Sandra and her husband, Miguel Pittman, removed all the seats in and outside the Congress Avenue restaurant. They converted the inside seating area into a second takeout counter and cleared space outside the restaurant for a socially-distanced line of customers.

“We cleared that first hurdle because of the PPP,” Miguel Pittman said.

Even in the relative quiet of the weekday afternoon, the steady hum of activity underlined his statement.

Taylor Williams handled orders as they came in by phone and online.

Longtime Sandra’s employee Sabrina Smith packed up a new batch of bread pudding at the second takeout counter.

Walk-in customers ordered from the original takeout counter... while Miguel Pittman, Jr. ran the cash register.

Sandra has used the moment to expand her menu and diversify her products. She now sells bottles of her spice mix, along with health-focused teas and weekly meal preparation kits. She has created a vegan menu, featuring curried chickpeas and vegan col-

EMILY HAYS PHOTOS Sandra Pittman with her blackened salmon platter.

Sandra with her husband and business partner, Miguel Pittman.

lard greens.

“People are more health-conscious than ever, staying at home all the time,” Sandra said.

Sandra’s own inventions, like her soul empanadas, grace the expanded menu. The

lobster version has the crunchy exterior and cabbage strips of a spring roll, the lobster pieces and rice of a classic Sandra’s plate, and the crescent shape of an empanada.

The blackened salmon is an earlier product of Pittman’s culinary creativity.

The recipe fuses her search for healthy substitutions with the tastes and skills she learned from her mother, Mary Harris, who still cooks at age 85.

The decision to use salmon started two to three years ago in an effort to expand options for diabetic and health-conscious customers. The spice mix of paprika, garlic and onion that covers the salmon originates in Harris’ cooking.

“Anything that I bake, that I fry, that I steam means a lot to me, because I feel that I’m continuing to let the legacy of my mom’s recipes live on. And it’s good to have her still here with me too,” Sandra said.

Sandra’s excitement about the food she creates is contagious. Whenever she introduced an employee, they would wave, face brightening as they continued ladling food or taking orders. Longtime customers clutched new products or picked up orders with toddlers in tow.

I biked my own precious cargo back home: one order of the bourbon-glazed salmon with cabbage, corn, rice, blackeyed peas and macaroni and cheese, plus fried chicken, mac and cheese and yams for my partner. Sandra tucked a lobster empanada and two different types of cornbread into my order.

When I got home, I tilted the takeout container towards my partner, who was teaching online and hadn’t kept track of where I was.

“Is that ...?” he asked, tears in his voice.

Yes, it’s Sandra’s.

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8

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

Con’t from page 05

Middle Schools

sions, because in-person kids have to go to lunch. They have nothing on Wednesdays.

It seems like there’s been a lot taken out of the remote experience. We’re looking at teachers in masks and face shields instead of at dining room tables,” Miller said.

Pre-K Reopening Lessons Jennifer Graves teaches preschoolers with autism at the Dr. Reginald Mayo Early Childhood School. Four of her students attend school in-person four days a week and two of her students are learning remotely.

She can see how much better in-person learning is for her students. At the same time, she has her own stress about working in-person.

“It’s definitely an uneasy feeling going to work. Following a lot of the district guidance isn’t feasible for my grade level. 3 to 5-year-olds don’t stay six feet apart and don’t keep their mask on for very long,” Graves said.

Graves’ partner works daily at their father’s business. If Graves gets Covid-19, that could affect her mother-in-law, who is on oxygen at all times.

To manage, Graves wears higher-quality masks and wears a gown when she changes diapers on the children. She models maskwearing to her students and reads books about the importance of wearing a mask.

She herself gets tested for Covid-19 every Friday morning before class at the old Strong School. It would alleviate her anxiety, and those of other teachers, if there were a broader testing program for students and staff. Rhode Island has kept its schools open since September and offers on-site Covid-19 testing at every school.

She is happy with the Covid-19 policies at her school but knows many teachers at other schools who feel differently.

“You can talk to a first grade teacher at every school and everyone has different procedures and protocols in place. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of universal strategies,” Graves said.

The New Haven teacher’s union signed onto a letter requesting a delay to the Jan. 19 school reopening because of the schoolby-school control of these policies.

Graves sees transparency as the key to repairing teacher trust. Like Miller, she feels in the dark since the district’s Covid dashboard stopped updating. She sees other districts with dashboards with more information, daily updates and district-wide emails.

“Then you get a lot of social media rumors and a lot of gossip, because everyone is hungry for information that we’re not receiving,” Graves said.

Graves finds teaching both in-person and remote students at the same time difficult and has not gotten much professional development on how to juggle both. She is thankful that she has four students and a paraprofessional to help out. She finds she is most successful if she teaches a minilesson to the in-person group, sets them up with activities and then switches to the remote group.

“Hybrid instruction is sub-par teaching to two groups. We really should be focusing on one group at a time for far superior instruction,” Graves said.

Neighbors Disturbed By Car “Gunshots”

by EMILY HAYS

New Haven I ndependent

Around 1 a.m. on weekends, Hill neighbors often hear what sound like gunshots — which actually come from the pipes of souped-up cars.

Members of the Hill North Community Management Team spoke with police on Tuesday evening about the noise.

“Is the fact that it sounds like gunshots something that is illegal?” asked Leslie Radcliffe.

Yes, answered Hill top cop Sgt. Justin Marshall: Any engine modification is a violation police can enforce.

He said his department tends not to chase down drivers for the violation, though, for the safety of others on the road.

“If we do try to enforce the motor vehicle violation, cars are often speeding away, not stopping,” Marshall said. “We have to take public safety into account before chasing a vehicle. Their cars are much faster than ours.”

The drivers often meet to street race at set times and locations, like the IKEA parking lot on the weekends. So Marshall said he focuses on keeping police cars visible in those areas. The department has also shut down parts of Long Wharf on Friday and Saturday nights to eliminate one of the favorite unauthorized race courses.

THOMAS BREEN PRE-PANDEMIC FILE PHOTO

Howard Boyd: Some seniors think people are firing in the air.

Radcliffe asked whether it would help the police to know where the engine modifications are taking place or where the cars are being stored. Marshall said that

neighbors could reach out to him or the non-emergency police line with that information.

Hill North CMT Chair Howard Boyd said that police visibility has helped on Friday and Saturday evenings. Still, police are often focused on violent crime and robberies taking place and cannot always station officers at Ella T. Grasso Boulevard — drag racers’ new home, according to Boyd.

The drag racing has been going on for a long time. The city has continued to try various approaches to stopping it.

The loud pops and flashes from modified mufflers are a more recent trend.

“It’s all about personal opinion. Some people don’t like it. Some people do— usually younger kids, who are 25 and younger,” said Jonny Ven, who works at CT Discount Muffler & Brakes LLC. “Kids like the sound of it. It makes them seem cooler, I guess.”

Ven is himself 22 and has a few friends who are car lovers. The shop where he works doesn’t make those kinds of modifications, so he has learned about the trend through peers.

Boyd has heard complaints about the trend for about four to six months.

“It’s disturbing to hear. There are a couple of elderly people in the area that think they are gunshots and think the police

department’s not doing anything about random people shooting in the air,” Boyd said.

Boyd’s mother Ann lives near Ella T. Grasso Boulevard and can hear the sounds with her windows closed from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Boyd went out himself once to investigate, he said. He watched 20 to 30 cars racing, plus a crowd of hundreds. The drivers had customized their cars’ engines and some had added lights underneath their cars. He knew one young man involved, who said the racers came from Bridgeport and Waterbury, as well as New Haven.

Is there a safe way to channel all of this passion and creativity? Boyd said he doesn’t think so, not with how fast the racers go.

“The chance of them hitting somebody or flipping, or hitting the next car—it’s really unsafe,” Boyd said.

Given the pressures on the police department, Boyd would like to see speed cameras installed on Ella T. Grasso Boulevard to take photos of cars going over certain speeds and send tickets automatically.

Connecticut does not currently allow speed cameras on roads; there’s a bill at the state legislature that would allow this automatic traffic enforcement in school zones and construction sites.

ter, clearing downed trees, designing and creating trails.”

Future plans include “enhancing the experience of recreation with some bridges, lean-tos, and maybe some rope course,” she added.

Kathleen Brady, who leads one of the area block watches, said she has worked

in the past with Solar Youth kids, and found the experience worthwhile.

The voice vote taken at the end of the meeting was unanimous in favor of the Solar Youth request. The next step is for the CMT’s executive committee to draft the letter and send it on to the city as part of Solar Youth’s application.

“Trailblazers” Get A CMT Boost

by ALLAN APPEL

New Haven I ndependent

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, as Robert Frost once wrote — but they are sometimes also knee-deep in trash and in need of a major clean-up, new trails, bridges, and sustained TLC. That describes the woods between the Westville Manor and Rockview public housing developments in West Rock and the new life the area is receiving thanks to a program appropriately called Trailblazers run by Solar Youth.

The environmental youth organization successfully piloted the program last year; Solar Youth now hopes to make the program permanent, on a stronger financial footing.

On Wednesday night representatives attended the monthly meeting of the Westville/West Hills Community Management Team meeting to describe the program and explain that the group is applying for $30,000 from the city’s share this year of the federal CDBG (Community Development Block Grants)..

The Zoom-assisted meeting attracted two dozen neighbors and was chaired by Amy Marx.

Solar Youth representative Julia Lister asked the management team for a formal letter of support to accompany the group’s

Solar Youth Trailblazers on the trail.

request to the city for the $30,000. The program was piloted in the fall through employing 15 16-24-year-olds, with funding from Youth at Work, among other sources.

“We’re asking for funding for staff to lead Trailblazers,” Lister explained. The work the young people would continue to do into this year includes “removing lit-

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

Black Health History

Rosa Parks

by Jasmine Browley, BlackDoctor.org With racial tensions having reached a boiling point over the summer, it’s easy to harken back to the pioneers of the Civil Rights Movement: Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and John Lewis among many others. But one of the most revered is Rosa Parks, the godmother of the movement.

The civil rights icon served as a catalyst for social justice demonstrations when in 1955 she refused to give up her seat for

a fellow bus rider, simply because they were white and she was Black. Since that moment, generations thought of her as a surrogate grandmother that stood for what’s right.

Similar to most other grandparents, Rosa Parks passed due to complications with Alzheimer’s disease in 2005. There are still many things about the disease that are unclear but here’s what we know: What’s Alzheimer’s?

According to the Alzheimer’s Foundation, Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other cognitive abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life.

Overall Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60-80% of US dementia cases.

Despite what most might think, Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of getting older. The greatest known risk factor is increasing age, and the majority of people with Alzheimer’s are 65 and older.

But Alzheimer’s doesn’t just affect the elderly. More than 200,000 Americans under the age of 65 have younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease (also known as ear-

ly-onset Alzheimer’s).

Perhaps the saddest aspect of Alzheimer’s is that it gets worse over time, no matter what. As Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, in its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer’s, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment. Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States.

On a brighter note, a person with Alzheimer’s lives four to eight years after diagnosis, but can live as long as 20 years, depending on other factors.

Risk Factors Although researchers believe there is not a single cause of Alzheimer’s disease, they have extensive information around which risk factors are stronger links than others.

Genetics, lifestyle, and environment all come into play. Researchers have identified factors that increase the risk of Alzheimer’s.

• Age • Family hereditary factors • Genetics

Symptoms According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease progress slowly but completely over time. Sometimes these symptoms are confused with other conditions and may initially be put down to old age.

Physical symptoms include: • infections • stroke • delirium • difficulty eating and swallowing (dysphagia) • difficulty changing position or moving around without assistance • weight loss – sometimes severe • unintentional passing of urine (urinary incontinence) or stools (bowel incontinence) • gradual loss of speech • significant problems with short- and long-term memory Other symptoms may also develop, such as: • increasing confusion and disorientation – for example, getting lost, or wandering and not knowing what time of day it is

• obsessive, repetitive or impulsive behavior • delusions (believing things that are untrue) or feeling paranoid and suspicious about carers or family members • problems with speech or language (aphasia) • disturbed sleep • changes in mood, such as frequent mood swings, depression, and feeling increasingly anxious, frustrated, or agitated • difficulty performing spatial tasks, such as judging distances • seeing or hearing things that other people do not (hallucinations) • some people also have some symptoms of vascular dementia Treatments for Alzheimer’s Although Alzheimer’s has no current cure, symptoms can be managed with proper care and attention. Current Alzheimer’s treatments cannot stop Alzheimer’s progression, they can hold off the worsening of dementia symptoms and improve the overall well-being of the patients and their caregivers.

BDO’s Black History of Health series is designed to show the correlation between the health of historical black figures and Black Americans today. Many of the health disparities we currently experience have been in our community for centuries. This series is meant to bring these conditions to the forefront and provide blacks with preventative and management steps to reduce these disparities and improve the overall health of the Black American community. It’s time to change the narrative.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

Black Broadway, Madame Lillian Evanti and Washington DC’s Black History

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent There’s little question that African Americans have been a significant part of Washington, DC’s civic life and identity since the city was first declared the new national capital in 1791.

According to Cultural Tourism DC, African Americans were 25 percent of the population in 1800, and most of them were enslaved.

While most were free by 1830, slavery was still in practice.

On April 16, 1862, nine months before President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in January 1863, the U.S. Congress passed the District of Columbia Emancipation Act, making the District of Columbia’s slaves the first freed in the nation.

African Americans flocked to the District, where the nightlife became famous, and U Street was the thriving center for Black culture and social exchange.

Reportedly, iconic figures like Zora Neale Hurston and Mary McLeod Bethune found refuge in what became known as Black Broadway. Performers like Louis Armstrong and Billie Holliday were regulars.

And so was Madame Lillian Evanti.

Born Lillian Evans in D.C. in 1890, Evanti was the first African American to perform with a major European opera company.

A Howard University graduate, she made her professional debut in Nice, France, in 1924 and adopted the stage name Evanti.

According to whitehousehistory.org, Evanti returned periodically to the District and performed on Lafayette Square several times in

the 1920s and 1930s.

At the Belasco Theater, a six-story building had a soaring facade, Evanti performed before a desegregated audience.

During one 1926 appearance, Marian Anderson joined Evanti for a performance before a football game between Howard and Lincoln universities.

Later, Evanti performed for President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. “She made me feel right at home,” Evanti reportedly said after chatting with the First Lady.

“That was a time when colored people – as

we were known – could feel good, could have some hope that the world wasn’t all bad,” Cleveland McFadden, a Northern Virginiabased art collector and “sometimes historian” noted.

“We hadn’t ‘made it’ by any means, but you could feel D.C. was more home than just about any place in the United States,” McFadden offered. “Singers and performers like Madame Evanti helped to take us different places in our minds and spirits. And, because she was from here, from the area, her impact was probably felt deeper than the superstars who visited and performed on Black Broadway.”

Whitehousehistory.org historians wrote that, on August 28, 1943, Evanti made her most acclaimed performance in the capital, portraying Violetta in the National Negro Opera Company’s La Traviata, which was staged on a barge floating in the Potomac River.

“Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, she traveled to Latin America as a good-will ambassador on cultural outreach journeys organized by the State Department and received decorations from the governments of the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Liberia, and Nigeria,” the historians wrote.

“Beginning in the mid-1930s, Evanti was an advocate for the establishment of a national cultural center in Washington for classical and contemporary music, drama and dance – legislation establishing such a center was approved in 1958.”

Evanti, a composer and a collector of works

by African American artists, died in 1967 in Washington, DC. Madame Lillian Evanti in France in 1926 (Photo: Agence de presse Meurisse - Bibliothèque nationale de France / Wikimedia Commons)

HOWARD K. HILL F UNERAL

SERVICES

Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Includes Civil Rights Giants;

Registration Open for Historic Global Virtual Event

By BlackNews.com

Selma, AL — Two civil rights legends are set to make the historic 56th Annual Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee scheduled for March 5-7, 2021, even more special. Andrew Young, former ambassador to the United Nations and a close confidant of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the National Farmworkers Association (now United Farmworkers) with Cesar Chavez, are both scheduled to appear at the event, themed “Beyond the Bridge: People Power, Political Power, Economic Power.”

“We are honored to have Andrew Young and Dolores Huerta sharing their prolific voices with us. As we continue the work of the movement ‘Beyond the Bridge,’ we don’t do so alone,” said Drew Glover, principal coordinator of the Jubilee. “We are standing on the shoulders of the elders and ancestors. The presence of these civil rights icons makes our first foray into the virtual space even more powerful.”

Young and Huerta headline a group of distinguished guests and activities for the Jubilee, which is moving online in light of COVID concerns and to extend its reach globally. The star-studded lineup is a fitting way to share the commemoration of equity and justice with the world.

“We’re expecting a bigger audience than

ever before, so we’ve taken various approaches in our efforts to educate, celebrate and commemorate the occasion. We’ll have music, speakers, photography, workshops, performances, films, and of course, the virtual bridge crossing. No matter who you are, there will be enjoyable activities that help drive home the important history behind Selma and the voting rights movement.”

The portal for free registration is now open at selmajubilee.com/register. Early-bird registrants will get exclusive access to a preJubilee Symposium for Social Change February 13th, featuring interactive workshops and live Q&A with activist Nina Turner, Dr. Sekou Franklin, a lineup of incredible educators and a special celebrity guest. The theme is This Is Your Grandparent’s Movement:

The Significance of Intergenerational Understanding and Shared Action.

The 56th Annual Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee kicks off on Friday, March 5 with activities: Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee activities are educational, inspirational, and entertaining for people of all ages. Register for free at www.selmajubilee.com/register. Help finance the Jubilee’s global reach by donating at https://spot.fund/selmajubilee. Email Drew Glover at drew@selmajubilee.com for media inquiries, advertising, and sponsorship information.

For press inquiries, contact Drew Glover, Principal Coordinator at (334) 526-2626 x 801 or drew@selmajubilee.com

11

ya l e i n st i t u t e o f s a c r e d m u s i c joins the

i n n e r city news in celebrating the accomplishments of African Americans to the cultural and spiritual life of New Haven and the world.

e v e n t l i st i n g s at ism.yale.edu

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

Dr. Ralph Bunche: A Hero of U.S. Diplomacy

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Political Science Department at Howard University in Northwest, Washington, D.C. Dr. Bunche became the first African American Desk Officer at the State Department during World War II. He helped form the United Nations in 1945 and, in 1948, he mediated the hostile Arab-Israeli conflict that led to his Nobel Prize. Later, Dr. Bunche served as Undersecretary-General for Special Political Affairs at the United Nations.

After winning the Nobel Prize, Dr. Bunche remained active stateside in the fight for civil rights.

Dr. Ralph J. Bunche earned the moniker “a hero of U.S. Diplomacy,” in part for efforts that led to his becoming the first African American to win the Noble Peace Prize.

The scientist and diplomat earned the award for his role as United Nations Mediator in the 1949 peace settlement between Palestinians, Arabs, and Jews.

“The objective of any who sincerely believe in peace clearly must be to exhaust every honorable recourse in the effort to save the peace,” Dr. Bunche said after winning the prestigious honor on Dec. 10, 1950.

Born Aug. 7, 1904, in Detroit, Dr. Bunche’s father worked as a barber while his mother was a musician. Dr. Bunche spent parts of his childhood in New Mexico and in Los Angeles.

His Aunt, Lucy Taylor Johnson, raised him.

With parents of different races, Dr. Bunche credited his grandmother with teaching him how to respond and deal with racism.

“I recall most vividly high school graduation exercises. After the exercises were completed, the principal of the school came up to me, thinking to be kind,” Dr. Bunche remarked in a 1955 address to the

He also reflected on the plight of Black people in America.

Dr. Ralph J. Bunche (far right) greets Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (left) and Coretta Scott King (center). (Photo: ucla.edu)

NAACP. “He congratulated me on my graduation.

Then he said to me in a most friendly way: ‘We’re sorry to lose you, Ralph. You know we have never thought of you as a Negro here.’ This struck me immediately, but I, at that time, did not know just what to reply,” Dr. Bunche continued.

“I would today, but one of the reasons I

would know what to reply today was because I was reared by a grandmother who always knew what to reply in such situations. She happened to be standing beside me when Mr. Fulton, the principal, said this to me.

“She gave Mr. Fulton an education in racial pride and pride of origin, which I am sure he never forgot. She did it in the

12

most polite but in a very firm and pointed way, and when it was over, we both got a very profound apology from him.”

A valedictorian at UCLA in 1927, Dr. Bunche earned a master’s in political science in 1928 and a Ph.D. in government and international relations in 1934 from Harvard University.

He founded and taught classes in the

“Like every Negro in America, I’ve suffered many disillusioning experiences.

Inevitably, I’ve become allergic to prejudice,” Dr. Bunche said in 1950.

“On the other hand, from my earliest years, I was taught the virtue of tolerance; militancy in fighting for rights – but not bitterness. And as a social scientist, I’ve always cultivated a coolness of temper, an attitude of objectivity when dealing with human sensitivities and irrationalities…”

President Lyndon B. Johnson awarded Dr. Bunche the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963.

Dr. Bunche died in 1971 at age 68.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

Plans to Unveil a Bust of Marcus Garvey in Ethiopia Revealed

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once called Marcus Garvey the first “man on a mass scale and level to give millions of Negroes a sense of dignity and destiny.”

The founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), a fraternal order of Black nationalists, Garvey implored Black people to pride themselves in their race and return to Africa.

But, through his many travels, Garvey never traversed African soil.

Now, 81 years after his death, officials in Ethiopia plan to unveil a Bronze Sculpture in Addis Ababa to honor the legacy of the Pan African independence movement architect.

According to a news release, the sculpture highlights Ethiopia as a focal point for Pan-Africanists to engage in constructing a unifying African heritage and destiny.

“Our history began, in a sense, with Ethiopia,” Dr. Julius Garvey, Marcus Garvey’s youngest son, told NNPA Newswire.

“Its history goes back to the beginning of civilization. Ethiopian history is fundamental, and it began before Egyptian history, and that’s important when you consider the true history of [man],” Dr. Garvey remarked.

“But, of course, the history has been distorted in terms of European history, rewritten in the 17th and 18th centuries.

We have to know our Black history and understand our history because we’re still making history built on what went on before.”

In commissioning the sculpture, Dr. Garvey joined with the Pan African Technical Association, Strictly Roots, and the renowned Los Angeles artist Mr. Nijel Binns to create the Marcus Garvey Bronze.

Plans are to unveil the sculpture during a public ceremony on Aug. 17.

Dr. Julius Garvey, Ambassador Yaw Davis, the founding director of the Pan African Technical Association, and renowned sculptor MNijel Lloyd Binns, plan to speak at the event that viewers can witness via http://www.iaafestival. org.

Marcus Garvey earned recognition as

Jamaica’s first national hero, and his bust stands in the Hall of Heroes of the Organization of American States in Washington, D.C. He is considered one of the central pillars of the Pan-Africa movement.

13

Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League boasted more than 6 million members and over 1,000 branches in 42 countries in Africa and the Americas.

“My father was a major proponent of

the redemption of Africa, but he was never allowed to go to Africa because of the colonial policies,” Dr. Julius Garvey remarked.

“So, taking a bust of him back to Africa is significant and historical from that perspective as well,” he said.

Dr. Julius Garvey again offered a reminder of the significance of knowing and understanding Black history. He pointed to the New York Times’ acclaimed 1619 series in which it detailed how the transatlantic slave trade began 400 hundred years earlier.

However, the United Nations, the National Newspaper Publishers Association, and others have recognized the 500 years of the transatlantic slave trade.

“You know, they say it was 400 years ago when the first African slaves landed in the United States, but people were brought to the Americas, meaning Central America, the Caribbean, and South America, before that,” Dr. Garvey exclaimed.

“So, 400 years is just a convenient date, and it shows how much we need to know our history.”

Marcus Garvey (Photo: A&E Television Networks / Wikimedia Commons)

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

COVID VACCINES: Are Prisoners Included?

by Althea Ward-Curtis, BlackDoctor.org

Coronavirus outbreaks in prisons and jails in the United States have been widespread. However, inmates have been neglected as policymakers determine the priority level for vaccinations. Inmates of US prisons and jails have largely been left behind as the country rolls out its first set of COVID-19 vaccines. Public health experts and advocates have been pushing for states and the federal government to make this vulnerable population a priority.

More than 1.3 million people are incarcerated in the United States. One tracking project of the coronavirus reported more than 270,000 cases and more than 1,700 deaths in the prison system since April 2020. Inmates are twice as likely to die from the coronavirus as the general population, and 19 of the top 20 hot spots in the US are inside prisons, according to the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice. Poor living conditions and overpopulation have added to the problem.

“They have been the source of so many cases because they are a confined population because they can’t do the social separation,” Dr. William Schaffner, professor of preventive medicine and health policy at Vanderbilt University, told DW. “They are a high-risk circumstance.”

Health experts warn that the consequences could be disastrous if nothing is done to help alleviate infections among the incarcerated. The American Medical Association recommends inmates and correctional workers “should be prioritized in receiving access” to the vaccines in the first phase of inoculations.

Still, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory committee in mid-December did not recommend prisoners be included in the initial phase.

Under the Trump administration, the federal government largely left state governments on their own to determine how to distribute the vaccines.

A few states have added prisoners and staff to the first tier of candidates, but most have not designated them as a priority. In Colorado, health officials had recommended prisoners be part of the second tier of vaccine recipients. That prompted a backlash driven by state Republicans and conservative media. Colorado Governor Jared Polis changed course in early

December, saying “there’s no way prisoners are going to get it before members of a vulnerable population.”

Civil rights advocates are concerned that as the numbers of COVID-19 cases continue to grow, more politicians will cave to public pressure because vaccines and resources are limited.

“Science should dictate this, not politics,” said Denise Maes, director of public policy at the ACLU of Colorado. “Science tells us that we do need to start vaccinations in the prisons.”

Jails are also risky because they hold suspects for short periods of time — sometimes only for hours — before sending them back into their communities,

possibly after being exposed to infected people.

Correctional staff and prison inmates are also constantly being moved to balance out the population size, and in the process, coming into contact with people outside prison walls. State prisons throughout the country are not taking the necessary measures to protect the public, prisoners or staff, according to DeAnna Hoskins, president, and CEO of JustLeadership USA, an organization focused on reducing the prison population.

“They transfer prisoners from facility to facility. They are not testing them,” she said. “This is a super-spreader situation.”

After a major outbreak in San Francis-

co’s San Quentin Prison in late May, the US Appeals Court ordered the facility to cut its population to 1,700 people, or by one half.

Some states have decided to thin out their prison populations in the hopes of creating more space to allow for physical distancing by releasing prisoners who are either near the end of their sentence or who don’t pose a threat to the community. In New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy freed more than 2,000 inmates in November to reduce the spread of the coronavirus there.

Prisons are facing another ethical dilemma when they impose lockdowns to limit interaction between inmates and staff.

Civil rights advocates have observed that isolating people for long stretches punishes them for something that is not their fault and essentially creates a prison within a prison.

“They are stuck in their cells, and that creates a serious situation,” said Maes.

“They don’t get visitations, outdoor activities or cafeteria time and that cannot be sustained.”

Hoskins said prisoners are afraid, getting sick, and worried they’re going to die. She likened the situation to “a burning building,” where prisoners are stuck inside without any help.

The vaccines could relieve those problems if prisoners could get them. It can be said that the lack of procedures in disseminating the virus in the correctional system is adding stress and unnecessary burdens to inmates’ lives and infringing on their rights as human beings.

“You are sentenced to prison, not to die,” King said. A telling statement indeed.

Children and the COVID Vaccine …anytime soon? by by Althea Ward-Curtis, BlackDoctor.org

Vaccines are now available to fight against COVID-19. The first vaccines released are authorized for use in adults and teens who are at least 16 years old. Highrisk groups such as frontline workers and elderly people are first in line to receive the vaccines, with other adults and teens possibly gaining access this spring.

Research shows the COVID vaccines are effective and safe and the American Academy of Pediatrics urges teens and adults to get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is available to them. And yet, as the rollout of vaccinations against the coronavirus continues to ramp up, one group — kids — has been conspicuously absent from any of the priority groups.

Although children represent a small but significant percentage of coronavirus cases, a few of those patients have experienced some of the most severe COVID-19

symptoms. Plus, research has shown children are responsible for at least some of the virus’s spread. So, why aren’t kids getting vaccinated yet?

There are a few reasons. First, neither of the vaccines currently being used in the US has been approved for those under 16.

But there’s also the fact that children tend to have a higher rate of recovery from COVID-19 than almost any other age group.

Second, clinical trials need to be completed before COVID-19 vaccines become available for younger teens and children. Obviously this is done to ensure the vaccine is safe and effective for these age groups.

Right now, it appears unlikely that a vaccine will be ready for children before the start of the next school year in August. While there are current studies that include children as young as 12 years of age, children of all ages must be included in more trials in order to safely administer the vaccine to them.

As of late January, Pfizer’s trial is now fully enrolled, including children age 12 to 15. The company has declined to provide an estimated timeline of when research will likely wrap up, but in general, clinical trials conducted in the US have moved along faster than anticipated, due in part to the country’s high rate of infection. Moderna has also begun clinical trials focusing on ages 12 through 17.

So far, however, the company has run into some trouble finding enough volunteers to fill its study. Parents can volunteer online to allow their adolescent children to participate, but Moderna says only about 800 of the 3,000 or so volunteers needed per month have signed up.

Despite Moderna’s lack of participants for the trial, pediatricians expect vaccines for adolescents to be authorized sometime this year. Younger children, however, may have much longer to wait. Regarding trials for children under 12, Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel told Business Insider in

14

January, “We have to age de-escalate and start at a lower dose. So we should not anticipate clinical data in 2021.”

Once trials are completed and the information is available, the AAP will review it and make vaccine recommendations for children and adolescents. Based upon the current pace of research, it may be possible to have a vaccine for some age groups of children and adolescents before the 2021-22 school year begins.

Health authorities, including the CDC and the AAP, will recommend when and how children should receive the vaccine. State governments will to determine which if the COVID vaccine will be required for school entry. Those decisions could vary by state.

If your children are age 15 and under, continue to check the links below for information on when your child may be vaccinated. Until such time, continue to exercise the measures the CDC has in place to help prevent the spread of COVID 19.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

Here’s to the brave, the brilliant, and the selfless.

Even with the promise of the new vaccine, COVID-19 continues to affect us all deeply each and every day. That’s why our talented and tireless doctors, nurses and staff are doing everything in their power to research, diagnose and treat this virus in the cities and towns we all hold dear.

Because our community deserves world-class care, right here.

Learn more about COVID-19 and the vaccine at ynhhs.org/covid19

15

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

#AFROCoronavirusUpdate

The first-ever industry-wide principles on clinical trial diversity

By Courtney Christian, Senior Director, Policy and Research at PhRMA

Late last year, PhRMA published the first ever industry-wide principles on clinical trial diversity, set to take effect in April 2021. At the core of these new principles is the need for our industry to better serve historically underserved populations and address the systemic issues that deter mainly Black and Brown communities from participating in clinical trials.

By committing to enhancing diversity in clinical trial populations, we can better reflect the patients that will use the new therapy or medicine being studied and contribute to improved health outcomes.

For example, Black and Brown populations are at higher risk for certain diseas-

es, such as sickle cell disease, diabetes or heart disease. These chronic diseases run in my family and it is especially important to me that clinical trials for the development of new medicines for those diseases aim to reflect families and communities like mine. Ultimately, diverse clinical trials support a better understanding of the medicine. This is one important way the industry can improve health care for the patients and communities that we serve.

This comes as part of our industry’s greater effort to rectify health inequities. In the wake of important and timely conversations surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion in Black and Brown communities across America, we are pushing for necessary, positive and long-

term systematic changes to better meet people’s needs. This pandemic has made even more glaringly obvious that, as one might expect, areas that have better access to care, greater economic opportunity and resources are faring better than areas where they are not. We want to be a part of solutions that ensure equitable access to the best available treatments for everyone, especially underserved patients and communities of color. First, we must listen to the needs of these communities and understand how they are affected by health disparities. Then, we will help influence the conversation and policies around diversity in clinical trials and health disparities and increase our local engagement with Black and Brown com-

munities.

It is with these core clinical trial diversity principles in mind that the biopharmaceutical industry commits to continuing to work with patients, patient advocacy groups, regulatory authorities, health care practitioners, academics and policymakers to define the systematic and impactful approaches that can enhance the diversity of clinical trial participants and help reduce health care disparities. Now is the time for all of us across the healthcare spectrum to band together to ensure that Black and Brown Americans – no matter where they live – have access to quality health care and treatment.

Learn more about these efforts at phrma. org/equity.

Serena Williams’ Battle Off the Court: The Fight for Her Health

By Courtney Christian, Senior Director, Policy and Research at PhRMA

Late last year, PhRMA published the first ever industry-wide principles on clinical trial diversity, set to take effect in April 2021. At the core of these new principles is the need for our industry to better serve historically underserved populations and address the systemic issues that deter mainly Black and Brown communities from participating in clinical trials.

By committing to enhancing diversity in clinical trial populations, we can better reflect the patients that will use the new therapy or medicine being studied and contribute to improved health outcomes.

For example, Black and Brown populations are at higher risk for certain diseases, such as sickle cell disease, diabetes or heart disease. These chronic diseases run in my family and it is especially important to me that clinical trials for the development of new medicines for those diseases aim to reflect families and communities

like mine. Ultimately, diverse clinical trials support a better understanding of the medicine. This is one important way the industry can improve health care for the patients and communities that we serve.

This comes as part of our industry’s greater effort to rectify health inequities. In the wake of important and timely conversations surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion in Black and Brown communities across America, we are pushing for necessary, positive and longterm systematic changes to better meet people’s needs. This pandemic has made even more glaringly obvious that, as one might expect, areas that have better access to care, greater economic opportunity and resources are faring better than areas where they are not. We want to be a part of solutions that ensure equitable access to the best available treatments for everyone, especially underserved patients and communities of color. First, we must listen to the needs of these communities and understand how they are affected

by health disparities. Then, we will help influence the conversation and policies around diversity in clinical trials and health disparities and increase our local engagement with Black and Brown communities.

It is with these core clinical trial diversity principles in mind that the biopharmaceutical industry commits to continuing to work with patients, patient advocacy groups, regulatory authorities, health care practitioners, academics and policymakers to define the systematic and impactful approaches that can enhance the diversity of clinical trial participants and help reduce health care disparities. Now is the time for all of us across the healthcare spectrum to band together to ensure that Black and Brown Americans – no matter where they live – have access to quality health care and treatment.

Learn more about these efforts at phrma. org/equity.

Homeless Teen From Texas Gets Signed to Play College Football flung it and it didn’t go far,” Adindu told Fox News.

However, Charles Perry, the team’s coach at Arlington Heights High School, saw potential in him and convinced him to try the sport. Adindu eventually got the hang of it.

Last year, he played two games on the Junior Varsity team before the pandemic began. The team continued workouts virtually and eventually noticed that Adindu wasn’t showing up anymore.

As it turns out, Adindu had become homeless. After getting into an argument with his father, he moved out of

BlackNews.com

Nationwide — 18-year old Leslie Adindu, a Nigerian native who is currently a homeless high school student from Forth Worth, Texas, has been recruited to play college football. He was able to achieve that feat despite all his challenges.

Adindu said he couldn’t even properly throw a ball before he actually learned about football in 2019.

“I couldn’t throw it, normally you have to hold the ball at the letter part, I didn’t know you had to do that I just

16

the state and lived in a shelter.

More than that, he was told he couldn’t play football at Arlington Heights anymore because of his age. Still, his coaches helped him make it into college football. They made a highlight video of him in practice games and several universities reached out with scholarship offers.

Adindu ultimately chose to sign with Southwest Baptist University where he would play college football. He said that although it may seem that he is not showing his emotions, he is very grateful and he still can’t believe it.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

Couple Opens First Ever Black-Owned RV Resort in Alabama Near NASCAR Speedway BlackNews.com

Nationwide — Meet Nathan and Alicia Lawson, the African American couple that owns Time Away RV Resort, which will be the first recreational RV resort within walking distance of the NASCAR Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. It is conveniently located two miles off Interstate Highway 20, near a truck-stop/gas-station, and will be open year-round.

Once completed, the new resort will feature near perfect, oasis-style landscaping, adding lush trees to the area’s already gorgeous natural landscape, as well as the area’s first large, family swimming pool.

Construction includes the installation of 100 big-rig friendly, large pull-through sites, full hook-up, Wi-Fi, and cable access, plus a host of high-end resort amenities. The resort plans to provide an enjoyable stay and enhance the overall experience for RV travelers, whether guests arrive for an extended vacation, a quick get-away, hope to take advantage of the thrill of the Talladega Superspeedway or visit nearby local attractions: horseback riding, go-cart track, river rafting, hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing.

Recreational vehicles are now major purchases for American families. Aside from vacation purposes, RVs are func-

tional and convenient for those participating in conferences, speaker tours, or vending at festivals as part of today’s gig economy. These luxury vehicles allow families to navigate road travel in comfort. More campgrounds and trailer parks are opening across the country to meet the demand. However, the larger size of the Class A RV requires special accommodations.

The Talladega Superspeedway is NASCAR’s largest and fastest track, hosting 102 NASCAR Cup Series races since 1969. Fans watch from the edge of their seats, as vehicles whip around the sharp curves of the tightly packed NASCAR track at top speed. Time Away RV Resort will be open in time for NASCAR’s 2021 season, which will be historic with Sports icon Michael Jordan and Bubba Wallace premiering their new single-car team. Officials expect this collaboration to attract a more diversified audience to the sport of auto racing and draw huge crowds to the area of Lincoln, Alabama.

Time Away RV Resort promises amenities for RV travelers. Guests will be escorted to their assigned location by their greeter/concierge to individual pads that will be accommodating to large Recreational Vehicles. Guests are encouraged to enjoy the resort’s signature amenities: an open pavilion, indoor bathhouse, dog

park, on-site laundry facility, children’s playground, Recreational Center with Gift Shoppe, Blue Lagoon area complete with a splash pond, and a stage area designed to project to the park. This resort will also be open for seven-day service, which includes weekends.

Time Away RV Resort is owned and operated by the family of Nathan and Alicia Lawson. As a veteran, Nathan is the former owner of an interstate trucking business that has been in operation for more than 30 years. His wife, Alicia, is experienced in pharmaceutical sales

and marketing and has earned President’s Club recognition numerous times in a career that spans more than two decades.

Along with their adult children, Shirley, Terrance, and Arlinda, this is a family of luxury RV enthusiasts who, as a practice, have vacationed together frequently. The Lawsons pride themselves on having served this country honorably in the military. Father and son, Nathan and Terrance are retired U.S. Army veterans, while daughter, Shirley is retired from the U.S. NAVY. Realizing the expertise among them, which also includes licensing in plumbing and electricity, in 2018, the family pooled their resources to intentionally design a top-of-the-line luxurious, recreational experience for RV travelers.

The official Grand Opening Celebration will take place on the weekend of June 12, 2021. To book your reservation, call (205) 855-3033 or visit the website at TimeawayRVResort.com For press and media inquiries, including promotional photos and interviews, please contact Publicity Services by email to timeawayRVResort@gmail.com.

Also, follow them on social media: Facebook – @TimeAwayRVResort Twitter – @TimeAwayRV Instagram – @TimeawayRVResort

GET THE

FACTS ON THE

VAX

Information is the best protection against COVID-19. ct.gov/covidvaccine

The vaccine is here.

Get the facts.

17

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

Michelle Obama to Launch New Cooking Show for Kids on Netflix

BlackNews.com Nationwide — First Lady Michelle Obama has confirmed that she is launching a new cooking show for children on Netflix called Waffles + Mochi. The 10-episode series will debut in March 2021.

The 57-year old wrote her Instagram page: “It’s all about good food, discovering it, cooking it, and of course, eating it.

These two will take us on adventures all around the world to explore new ingredi-

ents and try out new recipes.”

Back in 2018, both Michelle and her husband former President Barack Obama entered into a multi-year agreement to produce films and series with Netflix, the world’s leading internet entertainment service.

They will produce a diverse mix of content, including the potential for scripted series, unscripted series, docu-series, documentaries, and features. All of their projects will be accessible to more than 125 million households in 190 countries.

Georgia Prosecutors Open Investigation into Trump’s Call to Secretary of State

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Georgia prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into Donald Trump’s phone call to Georgia’s secretary of state Brad Raffensperger. During the call, the former President asked him to “find” the votes he needed to overturn the state’s election results.

“All I want to do is this: I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won the state,” Trump said to Raffensperger during the call.

The transcript of the phone call played a prominent role in the House of Representatives’ second impeachment of the 45th president and is expected to play a central role in the Senate trial.

Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis promises to look into Trump’s actions following the now infamous Jan. 2 telephone call.

“Anyone who commits a felony violation of Georgia law in my jurisdiction will be held accountable,” Willis said in a statement last month.

“Once the investigation is complete, this matter, like all matters, will be handled by our office based on the facts and the law.”

During his Jan. 6 rally that led to the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Trump told his supporters about the phone call.

“In Georgia, your secretary of state, who — I can’t believe this guy is a Republican. He loves recording telephone con-

18

versations,” Trump told the large gathering. “You know, that was a — I thought it was a great conversation, personally.

So did a lot of other — people love that conversation because it says what’s going on,” he bellowed. “These people are crooked.”

According to the “Articles of Impeachment Against Against Donald John Trump,” with closing endorsement by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, “…President Trump, by such conduct, has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to the Constitution if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with self-governance and the rule of law. President Trump thus

warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.”

The resolution cites the call to Raffensperger urging him to “find” enough votes to overturn the state’s election results.

“We cannot allow this unprecedented provocation to go unanswered,” House members said in a statement.

“Everyone involved in this assault must be held accountable, beginning with the man most responsible for it – President Donald Trump. We cannot begin to heal the soul of this country without first delivering swift justice to all its enemies — foreign and domestic.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

Leadership Academy for Black Boys Formerly Held at Princeton University is Available Online Featuring motivational speaker and best-selling author Dennis Kimbro

By BlackNews.com

Lawrenceville, NJ — Uplifting the Black male’s education and value in the African-American community are more important now than ever. The From the Fire Leadership Academy for high school male students of color is now accepting applications for its celebrated summer program. Dates for the three academies are in July and August 2021.

Once held on Princeton University’s campus, due to COVID-19, the program is now online and expanded to include additional components. From the Fire was founded in 2018 as an arm of the longrunning At the Well Young Women’s Leadership Academy. From the Fire began as a mechanism to forge more Black male leaders in business, the arts, social justice, and the sciences with the values and innovative insight to address national and global issues.

The program seeks to continue nurturing scholars by providing them an enriched learning environment that delivers excellence in leadership development. A transformative educational experience is offered through instruction, mentoring, and coaching from seasoned influencers culminating in an exceptional Rites of Passage program. This year’s guest speaker will be Dennis Kimbro, the renowned

All programs will have instruction in Leadership, Social Awareness, Emotional Intelligence, Goal Setting, Planning, Critical Reading, and Critical Writing.

In addition to academics, mentorship is offered to overcome widespread indifference to these most vulnerable young men.

A Rites of Passage component will be a journey of self-discovery that unlocks the students’ hidden resilience as fundamental to their manhood. Students who seek academic enrichment, professional inspiration and are committed to uplift underserved communities are encouraged to apply to the program.

The 2021 From the Fire is led by Shurman L. Riggins, CEO and Founder of The Riggins Coaching Institute and The Kimbro Success Academy. An Army veteran, Riggins is a former From the Fire coach and instructor with a history of providing transformational change through his 40 years of experience with youth programs. motivational coach and best-selling author of Think and Grow Rich: A Black Choice and What Makes the Great Great.

The 2021 program features the following three options. The application deadline is May 1, 2021.

* 2021 FTF Alumni Weekend Intensive – June 25-27, 2021. Aimed at prior FTF Academy and Weekend Intensive alumni to develop leadership skills and help ensure college/education success. * 8th – 10th Grade Weekend Intensive – July 9-11, 2021. A condensed yet intense

19

version of the Academy that includes rigorous classes, mentoring, and coaching. * 11th & 12th Grade Two-Week Program – July 18-30, 2021. An in-depth learning experience focused on building social, academic, and leadership skills while journeying into manhood.

For more information about the From the Fire programs and to apply, go to FromTheFireAcademy.org For media questions, contact Shurman Riggins at info@fromthefireacademy.org or 856-356-3474.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Leads U.S. Reparations Bill H.R. 40 BlackNews.com

Nationwide — Meet Nathan and Alicia Lawson, the African American couple that owns Time Away RV Resort, which will be the first recreational RV resort within walking distance of the NASCAR Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. It is conveniently located two miles off Interstate Highway 20, near a truck-stop/gas-station, and will be open year-round.

Once completed, the new resort will feature near perfect, oasis-style landscaping, adding lush trees to the area’s already gorgeous natural landscape, as well as the area’s first large, family swimming pool. Construction includes the installation of 100 big-rig friendly, large pull-through sites, full hook-up, Wi-Fi, and cable access, plus a host of high-end resort amenities. The resort plans to provide an enjoyable stay and enhance the overall experience for RV travelers, whether guests arrive for an extended vacation, a quick get-away, hope to take advantage of the thrill of the Talladega Superspeedway or visit nearby local attractions: horseback riding, gocart track, river rafting, hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing.

Recreational vehicles are now major purchases for American families. Aside from vacation purposes, RVs are functional and convenient for those participating in conferences, speaker tours, or vending at festivals as part of today’s gig economy. These luxury vehicles allow families to navigate road travel in comfort. More campgrounds and trailer parks are opening across the country to meet the demand. However, the larger size of the Class A RV requires special accommodations.

The Talladega Superspeedway is NAS-

CAR’s largest and fastest track, hosting 102 NASCAR Cup Series races since 1969. Fans watch from the edge of their seats, as vehicles whip around the sharp curves of the tightly packed NASCAR track at top speed. Time Away RV Resort will be open in time for NASCAR’s 2021 season, which will be historic with Sports icon Michael Jordan and Bubba Wallace premiering their new single-car team. Officials expect this collaboration to attract a more diversified audience to the sport of auto racing and draw huge crowds to the area of Lincoln, Alabama.

Time Away RV Resort promises amenities for RV travelers. Guests will be escorted to their assigned location by their greeter/concierge to individual pads that will be accommodating to large Recreational Vehicles. Guests are encouraged to enjoy the resort’s signature amenities: an open pavilion, indoor bathhouse, dog park, on-site laundry facility, children’s playground, Recreational Center with Gift Shoppe, Blue Lagoon area complete

with a splash pond, and a stage area designed to project to the park. This resort will also be open for seven-day service, which includes weekends.

Time Away RV Resort is owned and operated by the family of Nathan and Alicia Lawson. As a veteran, Nathan is the former owner of an interstate trucking business that has been in operation for more than 30 years. His wife, Alicia, is experienced in pharmaceutical sales and marketing and has earned President’s Club recognition numerous times in a career that spans more than two decades. Along with their adult children, Shirley, Terrance, and Arlinda, this is a family of luxury RV enthusiasts who, as a practice, have vacationed together frequently. The Lawsons pride themselves on having served this country honorably in the military. Father and son, Nathan and Terrance are retired U.S. Army veterans, while daughter, Shirley is retired from the U.S. NAVY. Realizing the expertise among them, which also includes licensing in plumbing and electricity, in 2018, the family pooled their resources to intentionally design a top-of-the-line luxurious, recreational experience for RV travelers.

The official Grand Opening Celebration will take place on the weekend of June 12, 2021. To book your reservation, call (205) 855-3033 or visit the website at TimeawayRVResort.com For press and media inquiries, including promotional photos and interviews, please contact Publicity Services by email to timeawayRVResort@gmail. com.

Also, follow them on social media: Facebook – @TimeAwayRVResort Twitter – @TimeAwayRV Instagram – @TimeawayRVResort

Measures expand on goals and ideals of Black History Month

Congresswoman Beatty Introduces Black History Month Resolutions

WASHINGTON, DC — To kickoff Black History Month, U.S. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Chair of the powerful Congressional Black Caucus, introduced three related pieces of legislation. Collectively, the resolutions formally recognize the important contributions, struggles and sacrifices of Black veterans and servicemembers throughout American history.

“We owe Black veterans and soldiers, past and present, a huge debt of gratitude,” Beatty said. “All of us know that there are countless heroes and sheroes who sacrificed everything to make our Union more perfect for everyone.” She added, “In that spirit, I call on my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans alike, to come together and do the same by officially recognizing that Black history is American history.”

Specifically, Beatty will introduce three resolutions: (1) recognizing the challenges Black veterans faced after their selfless

U.S. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Chair of the powerful Congressional Black Caucus.

service and emphasizing the need for the VA to continue to work to eliminate racial health and benefit disparities; (2) supporting the goals and ideals of Black History Month, and honoring the outstanding con-

tributions of the 88 Black Medal of Honor recipients; and (3) expressing support for the issuance of a commemorative postage stamp in honor of the Buffalo Soldiers.

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BOOK REVIEW: Amber Pickens

Coloring Success and Black History

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Amber Pickens is celebrating Black History Month in a big way.

The dancer, actress, and singer has added author to her long list of titles with the release of “Blooming in Motion,” a coloring book that celebrates Black history in the performing arts through dance.

Pickens’ original illustrations honor nearly two dozen dance legends, including dancers and entertainers Alvin Ailey, Eartha Kitt, and Debbie Allen, whom she met as a fourth grader.

“When I met her, my eyes were opened to the world of dance and so much more,” Pickens told NNPA Newswire.

“She planted other seeds like choreographing and producing and making sure to build our communities,” Pickens added.

Allen, the famed dancer, choreographer, and actress, released a statement expressing her delight over being included in Pickens’ book.

“I am so proud to be included in Amber’s coloring book,” Allen wrote. “It is very important that young black and brown girls see images of themselves that they can celebrate.”

Pickens said Allen often reminded her and other students to find ways to give back to their community.

She remarked that Allen opened a new world for her and others.

“She introduced us to teachers from all around the world,” Pickens recalled. “It was life-changing, it was powerful.”

A Juilliard School graduate, Pickens made her choreography directing debut in January at the Sundance Film Festival.

Her film, “Passing,” is based on Harlem, New York, in the 1920s.

Originally, the “Passing” role was intended for a friend who thought Pickens would be better suited.

“Someone approached one of my friends and asked him if he was interested in a small project. He didn’t have any idea what it was,” Pickens recalled. “They did describe the type of dancer they wanted, and he pointed them to me.”

Written by Nella Larsen, “Passing” takes a close look at racial identity, racism, and white privilege. Netflix has picked up the film, and it is expected to air in the coming months.

Pickens grew up in Dallas, Texas, and began dancing at the age of 2.

She said her mother wanted her to participate in activities that matched her highenergy level.

She performed in church and at school and later earned a scholarship to Debbie Allen’s dance camp.

Pickens said she spent her summers in New York attending Broadway camps, the Alvin Ailey dance studios, and taking voice lessons. She also studied her mentor, Allen, closely and desired to emulate

her success.

“She taught us how to focus, how to shut everything out, and how important all of that was,” Pickens stated. “I learned so much from her, and I want to do the same for others. Give back.”

In 2011, Pickens received an invite to study at The Juilliard School.

In 2015, she graduated from Juilliard with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and later made her Broadway debut in Cirque du Soleil’s “Paramour.”

Additionally, Pickens has performed in “The Wrong Man” and was also cast in the long-running television hit, “Law & Order: SVU.” In keeping a full calendar, Pickens hosts “Kickback & Chat with Amber Pickens,” a talk show broadcast on local cable television in Texas and state schools.

“I want people to realize that Black history is [American] history,” Pickens told NNPA Newswire. “[Black American heroes] helped to shape the world.”

She said her new coloring book shines a positive spotlight on African American dance and entertainment legends, adding, “Even as an adult, I do not hear about these individuals on a regular basis.”

“You have so many Black kids in the ballet world, and we’re forced to compare our bodies and our ways when we should be celebrating our differences and learning from each other, not questioning our beings. Coloring is such a joy, and it takes you away from what’s going on in the world and increases positivity in your life.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February , 2021 - February 23, 2021 INNER-CITY NEWS July 27,17 2016 - August 02, 2016

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

The Wallingford Electric Division is seeking a skilled individual to handle all inquiries, applications and complaints from the public related to utility billing, service, accounts receivable, customer billing and delinquent accounts. The position requires a high school diploma /GED or business school, plus two (2) years employment involving VALENTINA RENTALcustody HOUSING APPLICATIONS customer contact MACRI and the receipt, and PREaccounting for sums ofAVAILABLE money OR an equivalent combination of the above experience and training. Wages: $23.36 - $28.36 HOME INC, behalf of Columbus and Applications the New Haven Authority, hourly, plus an on excellent fringe benefitHouse package. mayHousing be obtained at the is accepting for studio andWallingford, one-bedroom this develDepartment of pre-applications Human Resources, Town of 45apartments South MainatStreet, Wallopment 108 Frank Street, New Haven.

Maximum limitations apingford, CTlocated 06492.atForms will be mailed upon request from theincome Department of Human ply. Pre-applications will be available 9AM TOof5PM beginning Monday Resources or may be downloaded from thefrom Department Human Resources Web Ju;y Page.

25,closing 2016 date and will ending when pre-applications (approximately have The be the datesufficient the 40th application or resume is received 100) or February 24,been 2021received whichever first.of EOE at occurs the offices HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon re-

NOTICE

quest by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New CT 06510.

Maintainer I -Haven, The Town of Wallingford’s Water Division is seeking an individual to

WATER DIVISION

perform a variety of unskilled & semi-skilled tasks in the maintenance, installation, and repair of water lines and related equipment. The position requires High School diploma / GED or the equivalent in experience and training. Wages $22.38 - $27.11 hourly, plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Applications may be obtained at the Department VALENTINA MACRITown VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES of Human Resources, of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street,DISPONIBLES Wallingford, CT 06492. Forms will be mailed upon request from the Department of Human Resources en nombrefrom de lathe Columbus Houseofy Human de la New Haven Housing Authority, or HOME may beINC, downloaded Department Resources Web Page.

The está clospara estudios y apartamentos de un este desarrollo ingaceptando date willpre-solicitudes be the date the 40th application or resume is dormitorio received orenMarch 2, 2021, ubicado en la calle Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos whichever occurs first.109 EOE

NOTICIA

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 for 203-562-4663 esas horas.Pre-solicitudes deberánPrevious remitirse Full time Class A driver petroleumdurante deliveries for nights and weekends. aexperience las oficinasrequired. de HOMECompetitive INC en 171 Orange Street, tercer piso, New Haven , CT 06510 wage, 401(k) and benefits. Send resume to: HR.

DELIVERY PERSON

NEEDED

Part Time Delivery Needed One/Two Day a Week,

Must Have your Own Vehicle If Interested call

(203) 387-0354

POLICE OFFICER City of Bristol

$67,170 - $81,648

Required testing, registration info & apply at www.bristolct.gov DEADLINE: 12-13-20 EOE

Listing: Commercial Driver

QSR STEEL CORPORATION

Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437.

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

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders Top pay for top performers. Health Benefits, 401K, Vacation Pay.

NEW HAVEN

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

PJF Construction Corp is seeking to fill following positions.

Laborer Heavy and Highway Construction experience.

Equipment Operator 242-258 Heavy andFairmont Highway Construction experience.

Ave CDL Driver 2BR Townhouse, 1.5 BA, 3BR, 1 level , 1BA Prevailing Rate. PJF Construction Corporation is an equal opportunity employer M/F

All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95

Please forwardhighways, inquiriesnear and/or to attielordan@gmail.com bus resumes stop & shopping center

Office Manager Bookkeeper

Pet under 40lb allowed. Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258 CT. Unified Deacon’s is pleased to offer a Deacon’s Boundaries LLC isAssociation a full-service land surveying firm located in Griswold, CT We are Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates currently seeking and accepting resumes for an Office Manager/Bookkeeper. Resumes in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:30will accepted fromDeacon 2/15/21 12/31/2021.

Interested parties can contact us at 3:30be Contact: Chairman, Joe through J. Davis, M.S., B.S. (203) 996-4517 or Host, Generalyour Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster 860-376-2006 submit resume to jfaulise@boundariesllc.net St. New Haven, CT

Boundaries LLC is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY Land Surveyor Civil Engineer

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

Boundaries is aTuesday, full-service land surveying located CTStreet, We are until 3:00 LLC pm on August 2, 2016firm at its officein atGriswold, 28 Smith currently accepting resumes for the following positions:

Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour.

Survey Field Technicians Survey Office Technicians

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

Resumes will be accepted from 2/15/21 through 12/31/2021. Interested parties can contact us at 860-376-2006 or submit yourthe resume to jfaulise@boundariesllc.net Bidding documents are available from Seymour Housing Authority Of-

fice, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579.

Boundaries LLC is an 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

APPLY NOW!

SECRETARY

Senior Clerk: Performs a wide variety of responsible clerical duties in a municipal government office. The position requires 4 years of office work experience of a responsible nature and a H.S. diploma. $22.41 to $26.72 hourly (Contract Currently Under Negotiations) plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Apply: Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Applications may be obtained at the office of the Department of Human Resources or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page. The closing date will be that date the 40th application form/resume is received, or February 16, 2021, whichever occurs first. EOE.

Waste Treatment

Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator (Attendant II): Operates and maintains equipment and processes in a municipal sewage treatment plant. Requires a H.S. diploma or GED. A State of Connecticut DEEP Class II Operator or higher certification; or a Class II Operator-in-Training or higher certification. Wages: $25.63 to $30.54 or $22.82 $25.63 hourly (based on certifications & experience) plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Apply: Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Applications may be obtained at the Department of Human Resources or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page. The closing date will be that date the 50th application form/resume is received, or February 23, 2021, whichever occurs first. EOE

Waste Treatment

Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator (Attendant II): Operates and maintains equipment and processes in a municipal sewage treatment plant. Requires a H.S. diploma or GED. A State of Connecticut DEEP Class II Operator or higher certification; or a Class II Operator-in-Training or higher certification. Wages: $25.63 to $30.54 or $22.82 $25.63 hourly (based on certifications & experience) plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Apply: Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Applications may be obtained at the Department of Human Resources or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page. The closing date will be that date the 50th application form/resume is received, or February 23, 2021, whichever occurs first. EOE

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice

360 MANAGEMENT GROUP

FIREFIGHTER SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE City of Bristol Old Saybrook, CT

Invitation for Bid

Elevator Services

(4 Buildings, 17 Units)

360 Management Group is currently seeking Bids for Elevator Services. A complete $53,964/yr.

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project may be obtained from 360 Management’s Vendor Collaboracopy of the requirement

Requires valid CPAT Cert tion Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on issued on or afterWood JuneFramed, 1, 2020, New Construction, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, Castwritten & oralin-place tests. Concrete, RegistraMonday, February 8, 2021 at 3:00PM. Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, tion Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, informationMechanical, & apply online: Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection.

360 MANAGEMENT GROUP www.bristolct.gov This contract is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements.

Request for Proposals DEADLINE: May 1,Extended, 2021 Due Date: August Legal Services for Nuisance and Lease Violation Cases Bid 5, 2016 EOE Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016 360 Management Group is currently seeking Proposals for Legal Services for Project documents availableNuisance via ftp link below: and Lease Violation Cases. A complete copy of the requirement may be http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage obtained from 360 Management’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhous-

DELIVERY PERSON

NEEDED

ing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com Wednesday, HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses February 17, 2021 at 3:00PM. Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483 Are you a cigarette smoker, not looking to quit?

AA/EEO EMPLOYER Have you used an e-cigarette or vape?

Part Time Delivery Needed One/Two Day a Week,

Must Have your Own Vehicle If Interested call

(203) 387-0354 21

Are you at least 21 years old?

Earn up to $320 by participating in a Yale research study!

Call or Text 203-605-5803 or visit YaleVapeStudy.com HIC# 2000025687

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021 INNER-CITY NEWS July 27, 2016 - August 02, 2016

Construction

Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks:

Seeking to employ experienced individuals in the labor, foreman, operator and teamster Construction Equipment Mechanic preferably experienced in trades for a heavy outside work statewide. Reliable personal transportation and a valid Reclaiming and Road Milling Equipment. We offer factory drivers license required. To apply please call (860) 621-1720 or send resume to: Personnel Department, P.O. Box 368, Cheshire, CT06410. training on equipment we operate. Location: Bloomfield CT Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits Drug Free Workforce VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE Contact: Tom Dunay

NOTICE

Phone: 243-2300 HOME INC, on behalf of860Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this develEmail: tom.dunay@garrityasphalt.com opment& located at 108 Frank Street, Haven. Maximum Women Minority Applicants are New encouraged to apply income limitations apply.Affi Pre-applications willEqual be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y rmative Action/ Opportunity Employer 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have The Town of East Haven seeks a qualified candidate to serve been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon rein the position of Purchasing Agent. This is a highly responquest by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed presibleStreet, administrative position involving performing and diGarrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Incoffices seeks: applications must be returned to HOME INC’s at 171 Orange Third Reclaimer Operators and Milling Operators with current licensing recting the purchasing functions of the municipality. The Floor, New Haven, CT 06510. and clean driving record, be willing to travel throughout the North- Purchasing Agent is responsible for developing and admineast & NY. We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits istering the Town's purchasing programs in accordance with

TOWN OF EAST HAVEN PURCHASING AGENT

THE GLENDOWER GROUP Invitation for Bids

Charles T. McQueeney Commercial Elevator Modernization The Glendower Group is currently seeking Bids for Charles T. McQueeney Commercial Elevator Modernization. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Glendower’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Monday, February 1, 2021 at 3:00PM.

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES Request for Proposals Physical Needs Assessment

NOTICIA

the Town Charter and Ordinances. The Purchasing Agent Contact: Rick Tousignant Phone: 860- 243-2300 works under the direction of the Finance Director. QualiVALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES Email: rick.toufiDISPONIBLES ed candidates should possess a Bachelor's Degree in Busisignant@garrityasphalt.com ness Administration or a related field from an accredited HOME INC, en nombre de la Columbus House y de la New Haven Housing Authority, está Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply college or university and five (5) years of progressively aceptando pre-solicitudes estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorioresponsible en este desarrollo Affirmative Action/ para Equal Opportunity Employer purchasing work, or an equivalent combination ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos of training and qualifying experience substituting on a yearmáximos. Las pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 for-year basis. The salary for this position is $51,776/year, julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) 30 hours per week and the Town offers an excellent benefit en lasTrailer oficinasDriver de HOME INC. & Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas Tractor for Heavy Highway Construction Equip- por correo a petición package.

Please send resume with references to: Michelle llamando HOME INCLicense, al 203-562-4663 duranterecord, esas horas.Pre-solicitudes deberán remitirse ment.

Must ahave a CDL clean driving capable of Benivegna, Assistant Director of Administration & Managea las oficinas de equipment; HOME INCbe enwilling 171 Orange Street, tercer piso, operating heavy to travel throughout theNew Haven , CT 06510 .

Northeast & NY. We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits ment, 250 Main Street, East Haven, CT 06512. Deadline February 17, 2021. The Town of East Haven is committed Contact Dana at 860-243-2300 to building a work force of diverse individuals. Minorities, Email: dana.briere@garrityasphalt.com females, handicapped and veterans are encouraged to apply.

Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply The Town of East Haven is an equal opportunity employer.

Union Company seeks:

NEW HAVEN

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: DeaconLAROSABG.COM/JOBS Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. Please visitChairman, our website for job descriptions, required (203) 996-4517 Host, General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster

qualifications and to apply for a specific job.

St. New Haven, Salary will beCTcommensurate with experience and best fit for the positions. Health plan; 401K; company-paid holidays in addition to paid time off.

EOE/AA Women & Minorities are encouraged to apply.

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY TOWN OF EAST HAVEN

Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour PLANNING AND August ZONING until 3:00 pm on Tuesday, 2, ADMINISTRATOR 2016 at its office at 28AND Smith Street, OFFICER Seymour, CT 06483 ENFORCEMENT for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the The Town of East Haven seeks a qualified candidate to serve in the position of Planning and ZonSmithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour. ing Administrator and Enforcement Officer. This is very responsible, professional, administrative, and field work position involving regulatory planning and the enforcement of state and local zoning laws, Town Ordinances, andbe land use at regulations.

Qualifi ed candidates should A pre-bid conference will held the Housing Authority Office 28possess Smitha Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university in Planning, Public Administration, Street Seymour, CT at 10:00 am, on Wednesday, July 20, 2016.

Engineering, or a closely related field, with a minimum of four (4) years' experience in the land use field required. AICP and CZEO certifications preferred. Possession of valid Connecticut driver's licensedocuments required. Must available from to attend afterHousing business hours on a regular Bidding arebeavailable themeetings Seymour Authority Ofbasis. The salary for this position is $84,815 per year, 35 hours per week and the Town offers an fice, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579. excellent benefit package. Please send resume with references to: Michelle Benivegna, Assistant Director of Administration & Management, 250 Main Street, East Haven, CT 06512. Deadline February 17, 2021.Authority The Town of East Haven committed to building a work diverse The Housing reserves the isright to accept or reject any force or allofbids, to individuals. Minorities, females, handicapped and veterans are encouraged to apply. The Town reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any of East Haven is an equal opportunity employer.

informalities in the bidding, if such actions are in the best interest of the Housing Authority.

ELM CITY COMMUNITIES Invitation for Bids Meraki Equipment – Infrastructure and Wi-Fi Elm City Communities is currently seeking Bids for Meraki Equipment – Infrastruc-

FIREFIGHTER City of Bristol SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

242-258 Fairmont Ave

Superintendent CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’sClerk Receptionist/AP

Monday, February 8, 2021 at 3:00PM.

Invitation toture Bid:and Wi-Fi. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City Communities’ Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesys2nd Notice

LaRosa Building Group LLC, a General Contractor is currently 2BR Townhouse, 1.5 BA,full-time 3BR, 1 positions: level , 1BA looking to add the following

All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 Project Manager highways, near bus stop & shopping center Project Manager/Project PetAssistant under 40lb allowed.

Interested parties contact MariaEngineer @ 860-985-8258

Elm City Communities is currently seeking Proposals for Physical Needs Assessment.

A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City Communities’ Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

Old Saybrook, CT

$53,964/yr. (4 Buildings, 17 Units)

tems.com/gateway beginning on

Monday, February 8, 2021 at 3:00PM.

TaxCPAT ExemptCert & Not PrevailingHealthy Wage RateOlder Project Volunteers Needed For a Blood Specimen Requires valid issued on or after June 1, 2020, Collection Clinical Research Trial.

New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, Castwritten & oral tests.

Registration ONE Visit And Receive a Gift Card Up to $75 Upon Completion. in-place information & applyConcrete, online: Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, CallResidential Chase Medical Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Casework, Research in Hamden, CT www.bristolct.gov at 203-419-4404 For More Information.

Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection.

ThisDEADLINE: contract is subject state set-aside and contract compliance requirements.

May 1,to2021 Bid Extended, Due Date: August 2016a cigarette smoker, not looking to quit?

Are5,you Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016 Have you used an e-cigarette or vape?

Seeking qualified condidates Project to fill numerous vacanciesavailable via ftp link below: documents to include, Benefits & Pension Coordinator and more. For Are you at least 21 years old? http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage information and detailed application instructions, visit www.ci.milford.ct.us Earn up to $320 by participating in a Yale research study!

CITY OF MILFORD

Call or Text 203-605-5803 or visit YaleVapeStudy.com

Click on Email SERVICES, JOBS&and Fax or Questions BidsJOB to: TITLE. Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com

QSR

HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses HIC# 2000025687 Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483 STEELHaynes CORPORATION AA/EEO EMPLOYER

APPLY NOW!

PJF Construction Corp is seeking to fill following positions.

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders Top pay for top performers. Health Benefits, 401K, Vacation Pay.

Laborer Heavy and Highway Construction experience.

Equipment Operator Heavy and Highway Construction experience.

CDL Driver

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

Please forward inquiries and/or resumes to attielordan@gmail.com

22

Prevailing Rate. PJF Construction Corporation is an equal opportunity employer M/F

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

23

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021

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