THE INNER-CITY NEWS

Rainbow Flags Welcome Pride Week’s Start

by NORA GRACE-FLOOD

Drag performances, banned books, rainbow flags and more will be on display across New Haven this week as the city kicks off its annual pride festival. After rain postponed an anticipated ceremony to raise Daniel Quasar’s Progress Forward Pride flag on the Green, representatives of the Pride Center joined city officials and staff to bring the rainbow inside, draping that flag over a podium inside City Hall and taking turns drawing attention to the various events happening this week in celebration of New Haven’s LGBTQ+ community.

“We couldn’t do this week-long celebration without being in a community that’s so welcoming,” said Juancarlos Soto, who also introduced himself as the newly appointed executive director of the New Haven Pride Center during that press conference Monday afternoon. “In New Haven we celebrate pride several times per year, at the Pride Center we celebrate everyday,” he said.

“This year, it’s more important than ever,” Soto declared, as “we see antiLGBTQ rhetoric springing up all over the country.”

Read through the schedule of events taking place between Monday, Sept. 18 and Sunday, Sept. 24 here. That calendar includes, among several events, a Pride volunteer day in partnership with The Diaper Bank of Connecticut at 370 State St. on Sept. 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Drag Artist Story Hour at the Mitchell Library on

Sept. 20th at 4 p.m.; and the New Haven Pride Block Party in Ninth Square on Saturday, Sept. 23 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Annual pride celebrations have taken place in New Haven for more than two decades.

“People are actively fighting against diversity and actively trying to divide us,”

Mayor Justin Elicker said. “Get out and show your values by supporting and par-

ticipating!” he called on New Haveners. The festival arrives not only amid national attacks against trans and queer people across the country, but also following a tumultuous time for the Pride Center, one of Connecticut’s only LGBTQ+ community centers. After pausing their services amid financial and leadership woes last year, and then having their nonprofit

status reinstated in February, Monday’s press conference doubled as an update on the nonprofit’s current status: Soto has gone from interim director to permanent executive leader while Hope Chavez and Nick Bussett have stepped up as the center’s new board chairs.

“Today we are strongly reaffirming the partnership between the center and the

city and different nonprofits and community members,” Soto told the Independent. For example, he pointed to partnerships between the center and the New Haven Free Public Library as particularly key. “One of the things we’re very proud of this Pride season is making sure people have library cards part of dispelling this fear is making sure people are getting education and opportunities to learn,” he said. Librarian Sarah Quigley reminded her audience Monday that: “We are here for you, the library is a safe space… Get your library card, all the cool kids are doing it!”

Beyond this week’s special events, Soto reminded the public that the Pride Center at 84 Orange St. is open Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Food, clothing, hygiene products and other necessities are available for pick-up at the center in addition to support services like case management.

As the newly affirmed director of the organization, Soto said his top priority is ensuring that the center operates as an active community space for queer people living in Connecticut.

“The sense of isolation and separation from Covid is still a really big reality, and the rise in anti-LGBT rhetoric echoing across the internet has seen the number of folks coming into the Pride Center to talk about depression and anxiety increasing,” he said.

He offered a concluding invitation for New Haveners this week and beyond: “Come party with us, come dance.”

Parents Press For Davis After-School Answers

by MAYA MCFADDEN

Davis Academy for Arts & Design Innovation has put a pause on its beforeand after-school programming leading two parents to take to the Board of Education to plead for some way to bring back initiatives that helped their students with reading, socialization, and building connections with school staff and fellow classmates.

Davis school parents Jessica Utrup and Rachel Glover raised those concerns during the public comment section of last Monday’s latest biweekly full Board of Education meeting, which took place in-person at Barack Obama School on Farnham Avenue and online via Zoom and YouTube.

The two Davis parents testified separately to share about the life-changing benefits that have come from the programs for their children and them as working parents and about how they want and need the paused programs to return.

In an email response to the Independent Wednesday about the pausing of the Davis school before- and after-school programs, New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) spokesperson Justin Harmon explained, “There was an issue with the funding proposal put forward for the program. The program was put on hold at the start of the school year. We are looking to set a start date soon.”

Jessica Utrup shared her public testimony at the start of Monday’s meeting.

“We have recently been informed that our after school and before school is on hold, not gonna happen, we don’t know. It’s a 9 – 3:30 school day so it’s really hard for working parents,” she said to the Board.

Utrup shared thoughts from her nineyear-old daughter, who is a fourth grader at Davis, during her testimony to the board. She said that every day her daughter tells her: “I need after school to start again so we can finish reading our book with Ms. Coleman.”

Utrup said that her daughter started

reading a book last year in her afterschool program and the class didn’t finish before the school year was up, so “she really wants to know what happens and she does not want to read it on her own.”

“This has become a community thing in her class, she wants to read it with them,” Utrup added. Utrup also shared her own perspective of the paused programming’s impacts on her daughter.

“My daughter has been at Davis since she was three years old but she still get anxious around new teachers and when moving into new classrooms,” Utrup said.

“One of my favorite things about the after school program is her interaction with teachers and staff outside of those she sees daily. During after school she works on her homework with other teachers who not only help her with the academics but also make her feel comfortable. When she was a second grader she had after school twice a week with the fifth grade teacher. He helped her with math but he also made the second floor of the school where third through fifth grades are feel like a more familiar and safe territory for her. Continuing to help with her social emotional learning before and after school gives her a chance to actually just chat and play with her friends.”

The Davis parent continued: “There isn’t much time for socialization during the day and many of her friends come

Con’t from page 10

NORA GRACE-FLOOD PHOTO Pride Center Executive Director Juancarlos Soto (center): "Come party with us!”

MAYA MCFADDEN FILE PHOTO Davis seventh-grader Dulce creates a 3D guitar figure last spring

The new haven independent

The new haven independent

Freetown Mayor Calls 2-Year Terms “Crazy”

by THOMAS BREEN

The mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone, traveled across an ocean to her home’s “sister city” in New Haven to promote cross-continent comity, a shared history of liberation, green energy consciousness, and unexpectedly longer mayoral terms.

That happened Thursday at noon, when Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr met up with New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker at the Amistad statue outside of City Hall. She was joined by New Haven Sister Cities Program President Althea Norcott, past sister cities President Barbara Lamb, Roslyn Hamilton, and Cheryl Ray.

The two top mayors walked side by side in a circle around the decades-old memorial to one of the great, successful revolts in the history of the international slave trade, which has connections to both New Haven and Sierra Leone.

That connection dates back to 1839, when a 53 enslaved Africans captured from Sierra Leone revolted aboard a Spanish schooner while being ferried between Havana and Puerto Principe, Cuba to be sold into slavery. After being captured by the U.S. Navy, they were later imprisoned in New Haven, where they and a coalition of local, state, and national abolitionists fought years of legal battles to restore their freedom and ultimately return to Sierra Leone.

Aki-Sawyerr was in New Haven after flying from Freetown to Accra, Ghana to New York City Thursday morning in order to participate in a panel discussion on climate change on Friday morning at the Hixon Center Urban Conference at Yale University. She was also in town to sign a “Sister Cities Reaffirmation Agreement” with New Haven’s mayor, upholding a relationship of cultural exchange between the two cities that dates back to 1996.

“Freetown and New Haven have been sister cities for longer than I’ve been a mayor,” said Aki-Sawyerr, who recently finished her first five-year term in office and has won reelection to serve another five years. She said the sister city relationship with New Haven was started by Florence Dillsworth, who in addition to serving as the mayor of capital city of Sierra Leone in the 1990s, was also the principal of the school that AkiSawyerr went to as a kid.

Like former Mayor Dillsworth, she said, “I am also a Creole. I have the same history. My great, great, great grandparents left the plantation in Virginia in landed in Freetown in 1792.” Her family has been there ever since.

What goes through her mind as she looks at the New Haven statue of Sengbe Pieh and memorial to the Amis-

tad revolt?

“Resilience, perseverance, courage. All words which make what they did back then possible, and all words which we still need today,” she said.

And what’s life like in Freetown

right now?

“There’s a cost of living crisis,” AkiSawyerr said. “We’re also facing a political impasse.” She said that the city has an “energy deficit” and a “waste crisis” and is feeling the brunt of cli-

mate change. “You don’t have a population explosion like we do,” she said about New Haven. In Freetown, which has over one million residents, there’s a “rapidly growing population. It’s eating away at” many of the city’s previously green spaces.

She said that she came to New Haven to participate in Friday’s climate change panel in part to emphasize that addressing carbon emissions and resulting manmade climate change has to be addressed by the “global community,” and not any one city. “We’re the ones on a bicycle who have been hit by the ones in the limousine,” she said by way of analogy of lower-carbon-emitting countries getting hit hardest by climate change that has been exacerbated by huge, wealthy countries like the U.S. that are also some of the world’s biggest carbon emitters. Elicker also celebrated the unique historical connection between Sierra Leone and New Haven in his welcoming of Freetown’s mayor to the city.

When the two city leaders first met, Aki-Sawyerr gave inadvertently weighed in on one of an issue of lively political debate in New Haven this year: that is, lengthening the term for New Haven’s mayor.

The city’s mayor currently serves two-year terms. A charter revision proposal on the ballot this November will ask New Haven voters whether or not terms for mayor and alder should both be bumped from two to four years each.

Aki-Sawyerr said that, in Freetown, the mayoral term used to be four years, and was recently increased to five.

When she found out how long New Haven’s mayoral term is, she said with a gasp, “Two years is crazy! I think it’s very hard to get an agenda articulated” and to act on that agenda in such a short time period. Mayor Elicker agreed.

Roslyn Hamilton, Cheryl Raye, Sister Cities President Althea Norcott, Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor Justin Elicker, and Barbara Lamb.

The new haven independent

Unexpected Unaffiliateds Turned Away At Polls

by LAURA GLESBY and ALLAN APPEL

“I’ve been a Democrat all my life,” said May, an 81-year-old Newhallville resident who said she’s voted at LincolnBassett School every election since she bought her home in 1985.

Except she wasn’t a Democrat on Tuesday. She found out from a moderator that she had been re-registered as an “unaffiliated” voter, ineligible to vote in the primary.

May was one of at least dozens of people across the city to find out on Tuesday that they couldn’t vote because they weren’t Democrats. To many, including May, that news came as an inexplicable surprise. Poll workers and Democratic Party officials at three polling places reported that on Tuesday, more people than usual attempted to vote as Democrats but learned that they were registered as “unaffiliated” and therefore could not cast a ballot in the Democratic primary, which saw twoterm incumbent Mayor Justin Elicker handily beat challenger Liam Brennan. Citywide turnout in the Democratic mayoral primary was around 23 percent.

Ward 22’s Wexler-Grant polling place and Ward 20’s Lincoln-Bassett polling place turned away at least 10 people each, according to people present at the polls that day.

And at the senior apartment complex Bella Vista — one of three polling places located in Fair Haven Heights’ Ward 11 — moderator Pat Solomon reported that about 30 people, perhaps even more, had tried to vote without realizing that they weren’t registered Democrats. A certain amount of confusion is typical. Some longtime local Democratic Party stalwarts said that Tuesday’s numbers are higher than usual.

“I’ve never seen this,” said Dixwell Alder and Democratic Ward Co-Chair Jeanette Morrison, who heard from about 10 constituents that they weren’t able to vote in Ward 22, where 225 people voted in total. A couple of voters reaching out to her about this issue might be normal, Morrison said, but “you’re talking about 10? That’s a systematic problem.”

“If you talk to any of the moderators that day, they’re gonna tell you that they turned away a lot of people because they were unaffiliated,” said Bella Vista moderator Solomon on Thursday. “It seemed like every time I looked up there was somebody going to the table to be verified.” At that polling place, 183 people successfully voted.

The Registrar of Voters’ office did not have statistics about how many people were turned away from the polls due to their party affiliation (or lack thereof) on Tuesday. Neither did Democratic Town Committee Chair Vinnie Mauro, who said he had heard concerns about newlyunaffiliated voters on Tuesday but could

not confirm whether this happened to more people than usual.

Newhallville Ward Co-Chair Barbara Vereen said that she knew of about 10 people who discovered they were unaffiliated at Lincoln-Bassett — more than usual, she said, at a polling place where 295 people voted on Tuesday.

Vereen surmised that some voters may have accidentally changed their registration at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) when renewing their driver’s license or changing their address — a theory that Mauro echoed. The DMV gives people the option to update their registration when filling out other forms.

According to DMV spokesperson Sean Formica, DMV branches indeed give customers the option to update their voter status. Formica said that per the office’s protocol, those customers would be asked to confirm their registration status and party affiliation on a screen; they’d receive a receipt indicating the details of their voting status, including their political party; and they’d receive a confirmation letter within three weeks from the local Registrar of Voters.

Regarding people unknowingly changing their party affiliation, Formica said,

“Does it happen? From what I can tell, I guess it is happening. But there are those multiple layers of confirmation.” She said that there’s been no recent update in technology at the department: “The process has been the same for quite some time, now.”

Still, Vereen’s DMV theory resonated with May, who asked to only be identified by her first name. May said she had renewed her driver’s license at the department’s Wethersfield branch within the last year.

As someone who takes election participation seriously, May was outraged that she couldn’t vote on Tuesday. “This is interfering with my right,” she said.

Sandra Perry, who’s lived in her Dixwell home since 2005, expressed a similar sentiment after also learning, to her surprise, that she was unaffiliated on Tuesday at Ward 22’s polling place. “I feel like my rights were taken away,” she said.

“I thought it was important to vote,” she added, holding an enthusiastic Yorkie named Loki at her front porch on Thursday. She said that it “may have been a mix-up,” but she still felt frustrated.

On Tuesday, Anthony Carter arrived at

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the Bella Vista polling place at two minutes to the 8:00 p.m. closing time. He ended up not voting — not because time had run out, but because he, too, discovered he wasn’t a registered Democrat.

Carter indeed had voted last time for a Democrat, but that was in a general election when anyone who is registered can vote. And, he said, he has occasionally swung away from the Democratic party and enrolled as an Independent.

“I had to re-register as a Democrat,” Carter agreed, but he had not done so.

He said he was disappointed not to be able to vote, but still left the polling place with a smile.

On Thursday, Solomon theorized that some people who registered to vote may have checked off that they wanted to enroll in a political party without actually indicating which party they wanted to join.

She urged voters to check their registration status ahead of the Nov. 7 general election to avoid any surprises.

For those wishing to register to vote in time for the general election, both paper and electronic registration forms are due by Oct. 31; same-day registration will also be available.

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

ALLAN APPEL PHOTO Surprised non-Democrat Anthony Carter, with Bella Vista moderator Patricia Solomon.

The new haven independent

B u i l d i n g B e t t e r F u t u r e s ( B B F ) p r e p a r e s y o u n g a d u l t s , a g e s 1 6 - 2 4 , f o r t o d a y ’ s w o r k f o r c e t h r o u g h a n i n n o v a t i v e a n d h a n d s - o n p r o g r a m .

D e s i g n e d t o e n h a n c e j o b - r e a d i n e s s , t h e B B F p r o g r a m w i l l t e a c h m o d e r n e m p l o y a b i l i t y s k i l l s a n d e m p o w e r y o u n g a d u l t s o n t h e i r c a r e e r j o u r n e y s .

P r o g r a m p a r t i c i p a n t s w i l l h a v e t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o g a i n s k i l l s t r a i n i n g a n d d i r e c t e m p l o y e r a c c e s s i n s e v e r a l r a p i d l y g r o w i n g s e c t o r s l i k e t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , h e a l t h c a r e , c o n s t r u c t i o n , a n d m a n u f a c t u r i n g .

Connecticut Launches Prescription Discount Program

by Mike Savino

Starting next month, residents in Connecticut will be able to utilize a new program that will help some spend significantly less on prescription drugs.

Residents will be able to use a discount card, called ArrayRX, that could save them up to 80% on generic prescription drugs and 20% on branded drugs, state Comptroller Sean Scanlon said Thursday. The discount cards will become active on Oct. 2, although residents can sign up ahead of time.

“Everyday we see people come in that might not be able to afford medications, so this is another option that we can give people,” said Ed Anulewicz, a pharmacist at the Arrow Pharmacy in Hartford where Scanlon and other state officials announced the program during a press conference.

Connecticut is joining Washington, Oregon and Nevada, three states that have contracted with pharmacy benefits manager Navitus to negotiate the discounts. Scanlon’s savings projections are based on the results from those states.

Residents will be able to use the ArrayRX card at any pharmacy that has an agreement with Navitus. Scanlon said 98% of the state’s 679 pharmacies will take the card.

The program currently does not offer physical cards. Instead, residents can either use an app or provide their name to a pharmacist, who can search for them in a database.

Vera White, a senior and advocate with AARP, said the discount program will help her because her insurance coverage

got worse after she retired. One medication previously cost $495 for a 30-day supply but now costs $1,680 for a 60-day supply, including $400 out-of-pocket for White.

“It’s ridiculous and this bill can help so many people in my situation, where retirees who used to be able to afford it can now afford it,” White said.

Everyone is eligible for the discount card, but Scanlon said some residents will find it more beneficial than others.

He said seniors on Medicare, people with high-deductible plans and the uninsured will likely be able to save on some

or all of their medications. People with low deductibles and copays, on the other hand, may find the available discounts aren’t better than what they would pay through with their insurance.

Scanlon said the discount card is part of a broader effort to try and reign in soaring healthcare costs.

“We’ve got to do more to control the cost of healthcare,” he said.

Lawmakers who supported the program agreed that more has to be done.

“The cost of medicines is out of control,” said Sen. Saud Anwar, D-South Windsor, co-chair of the legislature’s Public Health Committee and a doctor.

Sen. Tony Hwang, R-Fairfield, a ranking member of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee, said part of the problem is Lamont’s Insurance Department, which last week approved an average premium increase of 9.4% for individual insurance plans sold in Connecticut.

“I was an enthusiastic supporter of creating this prescription drug discount card program,” Hwang said in a statement. “We do, however, have much more work

to do in this area if we ever hope to rein in these unsustainable increases.”

Lamont, meanwhile, said the federal government ultimately needs to take the lead on bringing healthcare costs under control.

“We have the best healthcare in the world right here in the state of Connecticut, but it’s unfair, unequal and affordable,” he said.

Until then, Connecticut will continue to take a piecemeal approach to do what it can.

Scanlon said one of the major drivers is pharmacy benefit managers. While the consortium of states is partnering with Navitus to negotiate discounts, critics have said PBMs have generally helped drive up the cost.

PBMs have carved out a role as middlemen who negotiate drug prices on behalf of insurers, large employers and others who pay for healthcare.

PBMs have the ability to decide which drugs an insurance plan covers, and in some instances they’ve used that power to keep the savings and rebates they negotiate instead of passing it to patients.

“It’s a never ending fight because these bad actors are constantly changing the rules and change the game,” Scanlon said, noting PBMs have even imposed gag orders on pharmacists that prevent them from telling consumers they can purchase another drug for a lower cost.

The legislature has previously approved a law aimed at creating more transparency, but Scanlon said PBMs have found ways to continue their practices while complying with the law.

Child Poverty Doubles Nationwide; Debate Rages Over Tax Credits

by Mike Savino

Policymakers and advocates disagree on what, if anything, the Connecticut legislature should do next session after data from the U.S. Census last week showed child poverty doubled nationwide.

Some lawmakers and advocates said the trend demonstrates the need to bring back child tax credit at the state and federal level. Others, including Gov. Ned Lamont, said the state has other ways to help families in poverty, though.

“There are a lot of different ways we can make sure we keep faith with the kids,” Lamont said after a press conference in Hartford Thursday.

The Census Bureau released new data last Tuesday showing Supplemental Poverty Measure, or SPM, child poverty rate rose from 5.2% nationwide in 2021 to 12.4% last year. The bureau said that’s the highest measure since it began using SPM in 2011.

The report did not include state-level data, but Connecticut’s average SPM rate

between 2019 and 2021 was 9%.

The bureau attributed the spike to several factors, most of them at the federal level. The COVID-19 pandemic caused many people to lose their jobs while inflation made it more difficult for families to provide for children during a year when real median income fell.

Pandemic-era relief for families, including a federal Child Tax Credit, also expired.

United Way President and CEO Lisa Tepper Bates said in a statement that Connecticut lawmakers should take action instead of waiting for a partisan Congress to address the problem.

That includes bringing back Connecticut’s program, which also expired in 2022, she said.

“Combined with the lapses in enhanced federal benefits that pulled critically needed support out from under these same families, it is not surprising that the data point toward an increase in child poverty,” Tepper Bates said in her statement.

Lamont didn’t directly say if he has soft-

ened on his opposition to a state-based Child Tax Credit, but touted funding in the budget to expand free school lunches, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits and support for childcare.

The program that expired in 2022 was a temporary one, which offered rebates to families of up to $250 per child based on income requirements.

House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, said he remains opposed to a state level Child Tax Credit, and noted much of the root causes in child poverty growth were at the federal level. He mentioned many of the same benefits as Lamont, but also pointed to the recent launch of a Baby Bonds program that sets aside money for children born into poverty.

“I think from a financial perspective, Connecticut has one of the most robust welfare programs, and so I do think there are a lot of safety nets there to prop our children up,” Candelora said.

He said his caucus would prefer to of-

fer a child tax break to the income tax, similar to what is offered in the federal tax code, rather than a credit that requires

an application.

Gov. Ned Lamont and Sens. Saud Anwar and Jorge Cabrera at Arrow Pharmacy (Mike Savino / CTNewsJunkie photo)

House Speaker Matt Ritter addresses the chamber on the last night of the 2023 session Credit: Hugh McQuaid / CTNewsJunkie

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Alders Approve $16M Cox Settlement Plan

by LAURA GLESBY

New Haven will pay Richard “Randy” Cox the largest municipal settlement in a police misconduct case in this country’s history with the help of surplus budget funds — and no new borrowing — after official approval from the Board of Alders for how to cover the uninsured portion of a $45 million agreement.

In June, the city committed to paying $45 million to Cox one year after city police officers’ mishandling of the then-36-yearold arrestee left him paralyzed.

The city’s insurance is covering $30 million of that settlement, leaving the city responsible for paying $15 million, plus a self-insured retention of up to $1 million.

On Monday night, the Board of Alders unanimously approved the transfer of $16 million from the general fund toward Cox’s settlement.

According to Finance Committee Chair and Westville Alder Adam Marchand, “it was clear as of today” that the Fiscal Year 2022 – 2023 surplus is large enough to cover the city’s financial commitment to Cox in full. (In a media advisory released on Monday evening, city spokesperson Lenny Speiller wrote that the surplus for the fiscal year that ended on June 30

amounted to $22.3 million.)

As a result, alders voted not to pass an additional ordinance amendment on Monday’s agenda, which would have allowed the city to borrow money in order to pay the settlement.

That means that the city will cover the entirety of the $16 million uninsured portion of the $45 million settlement via a budget transfer of surplus funds, and not with the help of any new borrowing.

“It is vital that the city make good on its commitment,” Marchand told his colleagues during the meeting, urging them to vote in favor of the $16 million budget transfer.

The vote marked a pivotal step in compensating Cox for an incident of police brutality on June 19, 2022, that ignited national outrage. New Haven police officers arrested Cox, transported him to the detention center in a seatbeltless van, braked so abruptly that Cox hurtled against the wall and injured his neck and spine, and dragged him out of the van and into a cell despite his pleas that he was injured.

During Internal Affairs (IA) interviews in the runup to the officers’ police commission disciplinary hearings, the four now-fired officers sought to justify their treatment of Cox by telling investigators they thought he was drunk, intentionally

noncompliant, or otherwise faking his injuries after his arrest.

As a result, Cox has suffered the paralysis of most of his body and has required extensive and costly medical care. In the aftermath, he relied for a time on oxygen and a feeding tube, unable to speak. He spent months in the hospital and in rehab centers, where he needed 24-hour care that family members said the facilities could not always provide. He and his family sued the city for $100 million.

In addition to the settlement, the city has responded to the Cox incident by mandating that officers ask arrestees if they need medical attention (with a requirement to follow up immediately if arrestees say they do) and is now only transporting arrestees in vehicles with seatbelts. All five officers involved with the incident were arrested; four were fired, while the fifth retired before facing disciplinary action. In a statement released at the time of the settlement’s announcement, attorneys Ben Crump, Lou Rubano, and R.J. Weber (representing the Cox family) wrote: “As the largest settlement in a police misconduct case in our nation’s history, this settlement sends a message to the country that we know we must be better than this.”

MAYA MCFADDEN FILE PHOTO Protesters rally for Cox in June 2022.

The new haven independent

80 Degrees At School? Time To Go Home

by MAYA MCFADDEN

After high heat and broken air conditioning systems sent students home early two days in a row last week, New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) Superintendent Madeline Negrón has established an “extreme temperature protocol” that considers closing school buildings if classrooms get above 80 degrees.

Next up, she plans to put together a longawaited district preventative maintenance program.

Negrón provided the Board of Education and public with that update on Monday during the latest regular biweekly school board meeting, held in person at Barack Obama School on Farnham Avenue and online via Zoom.

She presented that plan less than a week after the district closed all city schools early two days in a row thanks to extreme heat and busted air conditioning systems, sending students home early and prompting some parents to scramble to pick up their kids in the middle of the workday. During the meeting, Negrón recapped last week’s unexpected HVAC failures. “New Haven was one of a number of schools districts in the state that dismissed early last week due to extreme heat. Surrounding districts included Branford, Bridgeport, Danbury Middletown, Milford, New Britain, North Haven, Stamford, Stratford, Trumbull, and West Haven,” Negrón said.

She explained that the district’s school buildings, though equipped with air conditioning, are not equipped to handle extreme heat like that that occurred last week.

“As air conditioning systems are strained we may see interior temperatures rise above 80 degrees,” Negrón said. As a result, Negrón said, “the district has now created an extreme temperature protocol that includes consideration of school closures, or early dismissals, or

delayed openings when interior temperatures rise above 80 degrees.”

When asked why the district picked 80 degrees as the threshold for when to potentially close schools early, schools spokesperson Justin Harmon said via email, “The 80 degree threshold was cited by a number of Connecticut districts in making decisions about early dismissals last week.”

Negrón added during Monday’s meeting that stressed HVAC systems are more prone to mechanical failures, especially when older, “and ours are very old.” Last week several school buildings experienced “a number of unexpected mechanical and building management system failures,” said Negrón.

“Most of the repairs are relatively minor but have significant impact on building operation. As an example, take John C Daniels school [in the Hill], where there was an unexpected failure of a valve that brought down the entire air conditioning system. The part had to be overnighted and students needed to be relocated to Hillhouse for a day while the part was installed,” Negrón explained.

She added that the district’s facilities management team is made up of three staffers. That team was not able to manage the volume of repairs needed during the school day and therefore the district decided to dismiss students early last Wednesday and Thursday.

“We all know that our schools are aging. We also know that over time New Haven has lacked the funding to perform all the maintenance that our systems have needed,” Negrón said.

Negrón shared about the financial expenditures by the district and its increased investment in building maintenance and repair over the past few years. This was done by repurposing capitol dollars and dedicating federal ESSER funding to HVAC expenditures, she said.

In 2020, the district spent $1,257,470

on HVAC repairs and improvements, she said. This investment then grew to $1,665,816 in 2021. In 2022 it increased again to $1,824,380 and in 2023 it expended $3,823,616. So far for this school year, the district has spent $581,000 on HVAC related repairs.

Negrón emphasized that “we are not just sitting on the problems.”

Over the period from September to June last school year NHPS installed or repaired chillers in six schools and two are scheduled this month. “Four more are or will be out for bid in the next week,” she said.

Also during this period eight chiller pumps were repaired at five schools. Four hot water heaters and two heating boil-

ers were also replaced at the district’s larger schools.

A new water tower was also installed at Hillhouse and extensive work was done on school electrical systems, fire alarm systems, elevators, exterior doors, interior locks, roofs, and pools across the district, Negrón reported.

“Contrary to our popular narrative what we fix stayed fixed, which is not to say that new problems haven’t arisen, sometimes even within the same system. So the work is ongoing and again I want to reiterate we are responding as quickly as human and capital resources will allow us to do so,” Negrón said.

Negrón’s goal is to next establish a preventative maintenance program for the schools.

“There is no question that as a district we

will need to make increasing investments in our facilities in the year ahead,” Negrón said. “We are going to leverage any ESSER funds that we still have. We’re going to have to leverage state grant funding to replace the aging infrastructure. We will need to complete and fully fund a preventative maintenance program.”

The district is doing a study to create a comprehensive plan to quantify the necessary investments across schools.

“We can’t think that we’re gonna just repair and then not have a plan on how we’re gonna maintain the work that we do because if we continue to make that mistake we’re going to continue to have the issues that we have for years to come,” she concluded.

“We Have A Delayed Maintenance Problem”

Board member Darnell Goldson commended the superintendent on Monday for making the right decision to dismiss students early last week. However he raised concerns that the district’s systems operation team can’t “get its act together” because for years it’s struggled to be proactive about building maintenance. “Every summer we have HVAC cooling problems. Every summer our schools have these problems and somehow we just can’t seem to get on top of it,” Goldson said.

He suggested the district apply for state grant funding for HVAC system improvements.

“We did a whole study on all of our schools and their systems during Covid, at the assistance of this board, and that study resulted in two of our schools being closed down because of their inadequate systems. So at the very least we should have been applying for money for those systems, for those schools during this ap-

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COVID Infections on the Rise in Connecticut Prisons

by Hugh McQuaid

The number of incarcerated people housed in the Department of Correction’s COVID Recovery Unit has increased during the month of September, according to the agency, mirroring trends observed by Connecticut hospitals.

As of Tuesday, there were 40 incarcerated individuals housed at the department’s COVID unit at MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution in Suffield. That’s an increase over the unit’s count of 28 on Sept. 1 and a stark jump over the eight people who were housed there on Aug. 1. The DOC’s COVID unit had logged

monthly counts in the single digits since April 1, when it reported just two individuals in the unit, a sharp drop from 68 the month before.

“As with the general public we are seeing a slight uptick in the number of Covid positives for both the incarcerated population, as well as for staff,” Andrius Banevicius, a spokesperson for the agency, said in an email this week. “Also, much like the general population, the vast majority of those who test positive have mild cold-like symptoms.

Rising COVID rates have also impacted DOC staff as 149 employees had tested positive for the coronavirus and had not

returned to work as of Tuesday. The department could not immediately provide monthly staff infection numbers for Sept. 1 or Aug. 1, but as of July 14, there were 51 staff members out with COVID.

The increases correspond to rising COVID rates reported by hospitals beginning in August, driven by a novel strain called “Eris” or “EG.5,” which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believed accounted for around 21% of cases.

On Tuesday, the CDC recommended that everyone over the age of six months receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine, which is expected to become available later this week.

THOMAS BREEN FILE PHOTO Co-Op students Shay, 14, and Shianna, 13, on their way back home to Fair Haven after Sep. 6's early dismissal.

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Child Poverty

Children’s Committee Vice Chair Rep. Sarah Keitt, D-Fairfield, said she wants the legislature to at least discuss bringing back the tax credit, though.

“I think putting money into the hands of families who need it just to survive is an excellent way to help families get on their feet or stay on their feet,” she said.

Keitt also said the state needs to do more to help working families, including a tax credit to encourage employers to offer childcare for their employees.

“Having affordable, reliable childcare allows parents to stay in the workforce,” she said, recalling she quit a part-time job because her income was less than the cost of childcare.

She said she was lucky that her husband earned enough income on his own to allow that, and that many families are not as fortunate.

Keitt also said the state needs to provide incentives for municipalities to revise local zoning rules to expand affordable housing.

The Census Bureau uses two methods to evaluate poverty, one of them being the traditional measure that looks at whether households make enough income to meet a certain standard of living. SPM factors noncash benefits, such as food stamps and utility assistance, and accounts for additional expenses, including child care and medical bills.

XL Center and CT Lottery Corp. Unveil New Downtown Sportsbook, Bolstering Hopes for Hartford Revival

by Mike Savino

The XL Center and Connecticut Lottery Corp. showed off a new sportsbook at the downtown arena Monday, opening the restaurant, bar, and betting terminals to the public.

Officials also said they hope the opening is the first in a series of announcements for both the CT Lottery and the city of Hartford, which views the sportsbook as a boost for the XL Center and surrounding area.

“This is just an anchor tenant to a city that’s on the go,” Gov. Ned Lamont said during a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The grand opening followed a weeklong “soft launch” and coincided with a Monday Night Football doubleheader to end the second week of the season for the NFL, the league that easily brings in the most revenue from sports bettors.

The 90-seat sportsbook sits on the back side of the XL Center, with an entrance near the intersection of Church and Ann Uccello streets.

The restaurant has a capacity for 300, including standing room. It will be open everyday regardless of whether the XL Center is hosting an event.

Event attendees can access the XL Center through the restaurant, but patrons need a ticket to get into the arena.

City officials said the new sportsbook, which was added to the building’s exterior, is a major visual improvement to the

concrete slabs that surrounded the building’s loading dock.

“This whole side of the building was a concrete bunker of concrete and steel that blocked off access to the street,” Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin. “It just felt like it had no interaction with the street whatsoever.”

He said he’s hopeful the addition of the restaurant can also spark interest from businesses to the surrounding streets. Speaker Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, mean-

while, said he hopes the restaurant will help reinvigorate the XL Center, originally opened in 1975.

Ritter recalled being able to shop and dine at the venue, once known as the Hartford Civic Center, even when the stadium wasn’t hosting games or events.

“Why can’t we make this place the nicest arena in Connecticut, where families will want to go?” he asked during the press conference.

He hinted at “probably two more excit-

ing announcements” about more investment into the XL center.

The Capital Region Development Authority, which operates the building, is in the process of reviewing bids for an estimated $100 million in renovations to the arena.

The CDRA will handle the restaurant operations for the sportsbook, while the lottery and its partner will manage the gambling.

Meanwhile, the CT Lottery also hopes the ribbon cutting will be the first in a series of announcements in the coming months.

When lawmakers legalized sports betting, they also authorized the lottery to open up to 15 sportsbooks around the state. Each of the two tribal casinos also has their own sportsbook.

The XL center is the 10th location. Lottery President and CEO Greg Smith said the agency is “still actively working on” finding “almost enough (locations) to fill that 15.”

The law required one of those locations to be in Bridgeport.

“There’ll be an announcement on that, call it, in not too many days,” Smith said Monday about a Bridgeport location. “Maybe more than a few days but not more than, let’s say probably in the next week-ish.”

The lottery is also looking for a new

1 in 6 U.S. households pay half or more of their income on housing. Let's do something about it. no down payment 0% interest mortgage never exceeds more than 30% of a family's monthly income

Ribbon cutting on the new XL Center Sportsbook (Mike Savino photo)

Dixwell Church Reaches 100-Year Heights

by ALLAN APPEL

To hear Rosie Hoke tell it, Beulah Heights First Pentecostal Church a century old this year was born with a miracle.

The year was 1923, two years before Hoke was born, and her older sister went suddenly blind. None of the New Haven docs could help. The desperate parents, walking downtown one day, noticed a sign for a revival meeting in a storefront window. The preacher could both preach and heal.

And it worked!

A century later, Hoke, now 98 and the Beulah Heights First Pentecostal Church’s (BHC) oldest member, told that story of the beginnings of the long-standing Dixwell church.

The occasion was a Sunday service celebrating the centennial of what has become a thriving institution helping to anchor the Dixwell neighborhood not only spiritually but also as a significant builder of affordable and senior housing.

Sunday early evening at the church, on 782 Orchard St., Hoke’s was one of many stories that percolated through a festive and hallelujah-filled celebratory service. The service was one of many events unfolding through the end of October to mark the anniversary, including many of what are being called “homecoming events” like inviting back a bevy of preachers spawned by BHC as well as the children and grandchildren of pioneering families like Hoke’s.

“As I think on a hundred years,” we don’t appreciate our past sufficiently, said Pastor Harold Brooks, the third generation leader, since 2021, of BHC after his father Bishop Theodore Brooks and grandfather, George Brooks.

He sketched for this reporter the origins of the church in the sudden arising and thriving of a new expression of Christianity centered on physical and emotional expression of the spirit. It was called Pentecostalism and emerged from what has become known as the years-long Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles beginning in 1905 and making its way to New Haven by the early 1920s.

Many of its practices, subscribed to by white people as well as Black, like giving full physical expression to a descent of the spirit into a worshipper’s body and soul and speaking in tongues, were controversial. “Pentecost was not widely accepted,” Brooks said. “We are standing on the shoulders of giants. These were pioneers.”

Today Pentecostalism is growing worldwide and Beulah’s regular Sunday church attendance averages 150 (with a lot of participants on Zoom). That’s still a tad down from the pre-Covid days, but with many young families recently joining the church, Brooks added.

Recollections and visions of the founding families were very much on the mind of Sunday’s invited pastor, Alan Thorne, who married into one of BHC’s pioneer families, became an assistant pastor at BHC under current pastor Harold Brooks’s father

Bishop Theodore Brooks, and now heads a sister Pentecostal church in Norwalk, Grace Mercy and Peace Ministries.

“Make some noise,” Pastor Thorne said as he assumed the pulpit, after Brooks’ introduction, and he looked out on a sea of familiar faces. “Jump up and down, do some flips if you have to. Do whatever the Holy Ghost wants. God’s work is on an in-

is that the church is my second home, whenever you enter there is rejoicing and the spirit of God.”

Yet there is another kind of home – affordable, in the neighborhood, good for young families and for the elderly and built by the church’s development arm – that is also central to the BHC mission.

What makes BHC unusual is that they were early on developing affordable housing in the neighborhood establishing in 1994 the Beulah Land Development Corporation. Over the past two decades it has developed about 50 units of affordable housing, said Pastor Brooks.

That includes razing and building anew or gut-renovating most of the formerly dilapidated buildings on the west side of Orchard down to Henry Street.

At the other end of Orchard, the church also redeveloped as affordable rental senior housing The Walter S. Brooks Elderly Homes at Ormont Court. They’re named for Walter Brooks, Bishop Theodore Brooks’s brother, a builder and former state representative who was instrumental in obtaining blighted properties on Orchard and fulfilling the church’s vision of affordable shelter.

And the newest project is at Joe Grate’s Lot, where Orchard angles in to Dixwell, where 69 units, 55 of which are planned to be affordable, is in progress.

Affordable shelter and home ownership make for strong families, and as churches make for strong families too, that’s why BHC is an affordable housing builder, said Brooks, whose twin brother Darrel is the chief officer of the development corporation.

And there’s a good Biblical text for that too, Pastor Brooks explained: Jeremiah 29:4 – 7, where “the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ‘Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.’” Even while being “disciplined,” Pastor Brooks added, the defeated Judeans must “build strong homes to occupy even in exile –the understated metaphor is also that this isn’t the final stop. Ultimately it’s heaven.”

Meanwhile in the church’s spacious sanctuary, Alan Thorne called out to the congregants, “I pray, Lord, you will meet us right where we are. Grab your neighbor’s hand and say, I’m praising God for you.”

from towns outside of New Haven. Having time both before and after school to forge connections with her peers helps her become the best she can be. For a district that claims to encourage a holistic approach to children through social emotional learning, you certainly seem to be depriving them of the opportunities they need to grow socially as young people.”

“I also have children who have a hard time sometimes connecting with others. After school and before school is their chance to socialize and to have the SEL [social emotional learning] that they need.”

She shared that her daughter had a hard time learning to read and “a lot of her learning happened beyond the school day” which these programs helped with.

“All of the things that I’ve heard are a priority as far as New Haven Public Schools are concerned are supported during after-school. It completely aligns with what we want because that is the time that we had the SEL,” Glover said. She added that the before and after school programs lower transportation costs because parents must pick their students up from after-school and allows students to engage with both their peers and school staff.

“As well as that, truancy which is huge issue, it’s not an issue when parents drop their kids off, we know where our kids are in the morning. So many problems are solved just by a little bit of afterschool and before-school,” she added. Glover said she she “can’t imagine how I would get to work as a working parent without before- and after-school.”

In the past when Davis lacked grant funding for before- and after-school programming, Glover said, parents were willing to pay to keep the programming going.

“I do not know many people who can work a five-and-a-half-hour day,” she said.

dividual level. He’s always working something in you, or working something out of you,” Thorne preached. “Come on, Beulah Heights! One hundred years!”

Remembering or hearing of the previous locations of the church on Broad Street, Admiral, then Goffe at Webster, but always in the Dixwell neighborhood, Rosie Hoke said, “What keeps me coming back

He asked everyone to turn to the Book of Samuel, chapter 20, fascinating stuff about how a people transitions from judges to kings, how a king like Saul just doesn’t have the leadership skills, but then David comes along, and he does, along with, of course, the anointing of God. Who is an effective leader? How to make transition work? And a very appropriate lesson to preach on the occasion of a centennial.

For more information about the line-up of centennial preachers and other events culminating at the end of October, go to the church site.

Glover concluded that as a teacher for Bridgeport Public Schools for the past 17 years she’s learned that “as a specialist teacher I can say kids do not come for what happens during the day most of the time. They come for their specials. They come for art. They come for music. They come for dance. They come for gym and afterwards they come to socialize and talk about who shoots the best hoops. That’s why they come to the school day.”

At the end of the meeting’s public comment section, Board of Education president Yesenia Rivera requested that Superintendent Madline Negrón assign a central office staffer to follow up with the parents that testified Monday about Davis’s paused programming.

ALLAN APPEL PHOTO Pastor Harold Brooks (right) and Rosie Hoke.

Pastor Thorne surrounded by his uncle and aunt Robert Thorne, Jr. and Cynthia

Church's Social Integration Program Executive Director Blanche Reeves Tucker

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At Co-Op, Parking Day Takes School Spirit Outside

On Friday morning, high school junior Aniannalis Rivas woke up exhausted. It had already been a long week, and for a moment she dreamed about staying in bed. Then she remembered it was Parking Day, and that her first period class would be singing outside.

An hour later, she was among fellow juniors and seniors, warming up beneath a brick overhang on the corner of College and Crown Streets. By the time the first notes hit, she could feel her mood lifting. One song in, and she felt like it was an entirely different day.

Friday, Rivas was one of dozens of student performers and budding chalk artists at Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School’s ninth annual Parking Day, an outdoor celebration of arts and culture just weeks into a new school year. First instituted almost a decade ago, Parking Day is part of an annual, international public art project to challenge the way cities are built around cars, rather than people.

At Co-Op—a public high school in the heart of downtown, where drivers have been known to blow through red lights— it resonates with students and teachers alike.

“You can feel a lot of good energy,” said Arts Director Amy “Ms. Migs” Migliore as strings students began an arrangement of Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready,” and she paused to listen to the lifting violins. She pointed to the day as the first time most upperclassmen get to perform publicly for their peers. “The kids love being outside, and it’s bringing the student body together.”

From the corner to the surrounding blocks on Crown and College, that energy vibrated through an hour of performances, some students stopping to cheer on their peers as others created ornate designs on the sidewalk. From an open door, upperclassmen trickled outside, many making a beeline for the sidewalk. Beneath the overhang, strings instructor Henry Lugo picked up a guitar and launched into Randy Sabien’s “Puerto de Libertad,” strings following suit. As they did, students swarmed around them, cheering as phones came out to record the moment.

Beaming, Lugo made a half-circle around the group, nodding to band department chair and Grammy-nominated educator Pat Smith as percussion entered the fray. To the trilling, sharp sound of violin and viola, mellow bass and cello answered, rhythmic and unhurried. Drums roiled beneath them, and the strings picked up, giving off short, succinct bursts of sound before rising into a hook. Through it all, Lugo kept time, never quite still as he played along.

Listening from College Street, senior Nate Murzin knelt on a patch of sidewalk, making it entirely his own. Searching for a light green piece of chalk, he filled in a half-moon and then another, streaking

it with sections of white until his fingers were covered in a dusty film. Beside his left hand, a picture of Lime Lips peeked out from his phone. The internet trend has become something of an inside joke among his friends—and felt like exactly the right tone to strike on his first Parking Day.

“I’ve been extremely excited all week,” he said. Before arriving at Co-Op his sophomore year, Murzin heard about the day from his older siblings, three of whom attended the school. Because of scheduling conflicts, he wasn’t able to participate until this fall.

There was something that felt very fullcircle about the moment, he said. As an aspiring tattoo artist—his family runs a shop called Sacred Art Tattoo in Seymour—he fell in love with the visual arts as a kid, and has been able to nurture and grow that interest in Co-Op’s classrooms. Now, after a rough morning, drawing was also helping him get his frustrations out. “I feel like art is such a big part of my life,” he said. “I use my drawing to express my feelings. This helps me let them out … I wanted to feel better.”

Back at a makeshift stage on Crown Street, all eyes pivoted toward choir director Harriett Alfred, waiting for a single cue. As she lifted her hands, the first lines of Ysaye Barnwell’s “Hope” floated over the corner, hanging low in the air. With each word—If we want hope to survive in this world to-o-day/Then ev-er-y day/We got to pray on - pray on!—it seemed that more young bodies crowded in to watch, students falling to a hush as two solos melted into four-part harmony.

If an attendee scanned the back row, they could spot recent alum Kurtis Hughes, who arrived from just down the street to sing with the group before the weekend. Now a freshman at Gateway

Community College, Hughes spent his four years at Co-Op navigating the Covid-19 pandemic, including singing online, then with a mask, then in front of the whole school at concerts and graduation. It was Alfred, who he still refers to as “like my second mom,” who carried him through. Months after walking out of CoOp’s doors for the last time as a student, he still texts her to check in on the choir and on educators that he cares about, he said. So when she mentioned to him that Parking Day was Friday and she could use an extra bass part, he knew he wanted to be there.

“Being able to sing—it just brings me joy and brings a smile to my face,” he

her peers stood waiting, their eyes wide as if to say, You got this. As the sound rose, Kelly-Walker nudged her glasses onto her forehead, raised her hands, and began, the breeze tossing her hair gently around her shoulders. Afterwards, she called it a fitting way to celebrate her third and final Parking Day at the school.

“It felt exciting!” she said, making time to do some chalk art before heading back inside with her peers. “The best part [about Parking Day] is having the freedom to come together, seeing your peers perform. I think when you have an outdoor space like this, it becomes a sense of community. It’s sort of a rite of passage.”

As the sound drifted out on College and Crown Streets, junior Kimaya Richardson worked on a chalk portrait of a face, filling in full, flushed peach- and clementinecolored cheeks beneath swirling purple eyes and ombre bangs. Originally, she said, she was just going to do the eyes but realized she had time for a full face. A yard away, a portrait of the singer Selena Quintanilla looked out wide-eyed from the sidewalk, becoming a sort of unexpected pendant.

“Everyone is getting to experience their creativity and I think it brings everyone together,” Richardson said. “Art lets me show my true self on paper. I don’t talk to people that often, so I feel like it lets me tell people what’s going on.”

She added that she’s grown to love parking day for the outdoor drawing and the 90 minutes of music, which announces the school’s presence to surrounding businesses and passers-by. “It’s just a good energy and a good vibe,” she said.

Around her, conversation ebbed and flowed. Dancers and theater students, who don’t perform during parking day, dotted the sidewalk among their peers, some chatting as others picked up thick, long pieces of chalk and began to draw. Beneath the overhang, band members had assembled, and a thicket of students three rows deep burst into applause at the first suggestions of a drum solo.

said. Parking Day is a particularly special moment, he added—“It’s a way for students to show the work that they’re putting in before any of the concerts.”

For other students, this year’s Parking Day lit a creative spark. Laila KellyWalker, a senior who plans to study biology in college, took the day to try conducting for the first time. Last Thursday, she’d approached Alfred about the possibility of leading “Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning,” which has been a favorite since the choir first performed it last year. For Alfred, it was an immediate yes.

Friday, she stepped to the right, and rooted Kelly-Walker on as she took a place in front of a music stand. Before her,

Moments later, students had eased into a jazzy, groove-flecked tune that felt right for the weekend. It was, it turned out, the best way to close out the celebration: Migliore was soon announcing that it was time to head back inside.

In the quiet that followed, senior Zoe Stowe walked among the chalk drawings with a clipboard in one hand, watching teacher Zach Chernak tidy up out of the corner of her eye. A visual arts student who has long loved Parking Day, she offered this year to help plan the event with faculty and administrators at the school. Friday, that meant judging her peers’ drawings after they had headed back inside for class.

“It’s nice!” she said, adding that part of her missed having the chance to chalk it out, as she’s done for the past two years. “It’s cool to show off to downtown New Haven what Co-Op is all about.”

Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School juniors Giada Thomas, Willie Smokes, and Aniannalis Rivas.

Senior Laila Kelly-Walker conducting for the first time. More from the performance is available on the Arts Council's Instagram.

FRIDAY, 10.06.23 | 8 PM

One of America’s Cultural Treasures, Ballet Hispánico brings communities together to celebrate and explore Latino cultures through dance for over 50 years.

Photo Credit: Steven Pisano

ed to be a dermatologist, but after taking a dramatic arts class in the 10th grade, she became interested in acting.

MINIPNG Brings Maximum Creativity To Audubon Street

by KAREN PONZIO

Audubon Street is a promenade of institutions that ignite creativity and keep it alight. For the past year that street has also housed the storefront of artist/designer MINIPNG (a.k.a. Eiress Hammond), who has made a home away from home for fans of her original handmade clothing as well as lovers of vintage pieces and accessories from the late ’90s and early ’00s. This Saturday, Sept. 23, she is copresenting an event that will be bringing an even larger creative crew to the street from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The event, known as Offline on Audubon, is curated by Hammond and Matteo Feliz of Forgotten Flea vintage market. Feliz has run a variety of successful events revolving around vintage and thrifted goods throughout New Haven, from Edgewood Park to the The State House. The first one happened this past spring when Hammond wanted to bring the same vibe of what she was doing in other states to New Haven.

“New Haven already has a lot of great things, but I feel like people are constantly leaving the town to go experience fun stuff, or leaving the state in general to experience fun things,” she said. “I wanted to kind of bring something maybe people are leaving for here so they don’t have to leave.”

Hammond had been doing many fleas out of state herself and still does, “because I think it’s good to circulate my brand as much as possible and also, I have fun doing it,” she said. But she longed for

something closer to home. The last event “was so much fun.” She is hoping this one will be an expanded version of that one.

“I think it’s going to be a whole differ-

ent experience with all the students back, so I’m excited to see how that turns out,” she said.

Around 30 vendors will again fill Audu-

Her acting career has earned her fame and fortune locally and internationally, rising to become one of the most sought after actresses from South Africa. At 27, she was named in the 2018 Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 List, and one of the 100 Most Influential Africans by New African Magazine.

bon Street, which will be closed to traffic for the event. Those vendors will sell clothing, jewelry, visual art, vintage, and antiques. There will be music, food, and even the chance to adopt pets from New Jersey’s North Shore Animal Shelter and Friends of the New Haven Animal Shelter. Hammond is hoping this becomes a routine market with unique choices for everyone that is open three times a year: spring, summer, and fall.

Born on July 8, 1991, at the Midlands Medical Center in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, to a Zulu mother and Xhosa and Sotho father, she never enjoyed the care of her parents who died when she was barely four years old. She was raised by her grandmother, a very strict school principal in school and at home. Her name reflected the multicultural tribes of her parents – Thuso is a Sotho name, Nokwanda is a Zulu name, and Mbedu is Xhosa.

As far as the rest of the year goes, the MINIPNG storefront is open every day except Sundays and Mondays, and features Hammond’s own designs as well as vintage from the late ’90s and early ’00s, which she said people often say is not “true vintage,” though she believes otherwise.

Mbedu went to Pelham Primary School and Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School and graduated from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa in 2013, where she studied Physical Theatre and Performing Arts Management. Earlier in 2012, she took a summer course at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York City.

just bottoms,” she said. “Right now, I’m in a just bottoms phase, so I’m making a lot of bloomer type pants with a lot of lace, a lot of re-found materials, old crocheted pieces, and vintage lace.” She’s also used French vintage lace and old vintage pillow cases, noting that she likes to “clash materials” as well.

Hammond began making the clothes that would lead to the MINIPNG brand back in 2018 while in college for pre-law. “I’ve always been a really artistic person, but I felt like I was kind of missing something since I was always focused on something very serious,” she said. As she got into creating in her free time, one of the pieces she made went viral on social media. The design, which she had copyright protected, ended up being copied and sold by numerous online stores, requiring her to obtain a cease and desist order to send out to those vendors. She also made a video about the incident that went viral and “generated this pretty big audience that kind of allowed me to express myself creatively.”

Career

“I don’t think people want to accept the fact that that’s vintage now,” she said with a laugh. “I feel like I resonated more with late ’90s/early 2000s. That’s just the era I grew up in, so I’m a lot more familiar with that.” She occasionally carries older vintage pieces like slip dresses and halfslips, “if it fits the theme that I’m going for.”

Her acting career began in 2014 when she played a minor role of ‘Nosisa’ in the popular South African Soap Opera ‘Isibaya’ from Mzansi Magic. In 2015, she played a guest role as ‘Kheti’ in the Second Season of the SABC 2 youth drama series ‘Snake Park.’

The MINIPNG brand name came from a combination of Hammond’s nickname Mini combined with png, the type of file she used to save her Procreate artwork. Her original drawings that adorn the walls, as well as some of her handmade pieces, are the focal point of the store. She has made all types of clothing, depending on what feels right to her in that moment. “I’ll have phases where I make just tops and then I’ll have phases where I make

She got her first starring role in the teen drama television series ‘IS’THUNZI’ from Mzansi Magic where she played ‘Winnie.’ Her international debut was in ‘The Underground Railroad’ an American fantasy historical drama series based on the novel ‘The Underground Railroad’ written by Colson Whitehead.

In 2022, she starred in her first film ‘The Woman King’ an epic historical drama about Agosie, where an entire female warrior unit protected the West African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 17 – 19th century. She played ‘Nawi’, a zealous recruit in the military unit.

In 2017, Mbedu was nominated for the ‘DSTV Viewers Choice Awards’ and the ‘International Emmy Awards for the ‘Best Performance by an Actress’ for her role

‘Winnie Bhengu’ in the 2016 -2017 television drama series ‘IS’THUNZI.’

In 2018, she won the ‘South African Film and Television Awards’ for ‘ Best Actress – TV Drama’ for her role ‘Winnie Bhengu’ in the 2016 -2017 television drama series ‘IS’THUNZI.’ She was also nominated for the ‘International Emmy Awards for ‘Best Performance by an Actress’ for her role ‘Winnie Bhengu’ in the television drama series ‘IS’THUNZI.’

In 2021, she was nominated for the ‘Television Critics Association Award’ (Individual Achievement in Drama), the

Thuso Mbedu. Photo -IOL ‘Black Reel Awards’ (Outstanding Actress – TV Movie / Limited Series), the ‘Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards’ (Best Actress in a Limited Series, Anthropology Series or Television Movie), the ‘Gotham Awards’ (Outstanding Performance in New Series), the ‘Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards’ (TV Breakout Star), and the ‘Critics Choice Television Awards’ (Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Movie), all for her role ‘Cora Randall’ in the 2021 TV series ‘The Underground Railroad.’

She won the ‘TV Breakout Star’ award from the Hollywood Critics Association TV and won the ‘Outstanding Performance in New Series’ award from the Gotham Awards.

When the pandemic hit in 2020 and everybody was home, Hammond saw a big uptick in sales on her website. She ended up taking time off from college and focusing on her design work, traveling to New York, where she met new people and designers, setting her on the course that would lead to her storefront and beyond. All of the drawings on the walls inside the store are MINIPNG originals, which she said people seem to be drawn to when

In 2022, Mbedu was nominated for the ‘Independent Spirit Awards (Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series), for her role ‘Cora Randall’ in the 2021 television series ‘The Underground Railroad.’ She won the ‘Critics Choice Television Awards’ for ‘Best Actress in a Miniseries or

Read More at www.the innercitynews.com

er Women Summit, Thuso Mbedu tearfully spoke of how she overcame the loss of her dear parents, grandmother, and aunt. But her role in Amanda Lane’s ‘IS’THUNZI’

da Lane happened in 2016. The role that Amanda Lane gave me was the difference ing that audition brief, I told myself that tion. I gave it the last of everything that I had, that at the time I got the callback, I had nothing left. I secretly made the decision ing left to give. But fortunately, I received cause the role was mine. I had given up. I was in a very dark place at the time, and the character, the role, the opportunity, was a much needed light. And I told myself that I will act as if it was the last character that I will play. And through a great script and tional Emmy Awards for that role…”

KAREN PONZIO PHOTOS MINIPNG.

The new haven independent

Kristen Welker Set to Become First Black ‘Meet the Press’ Host

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

Chuck Todd hosted his final episode of “Meet the Press” on NBC, handing the reigns over to White House Correspondent Kristen Welker, who will make history as the first Black person to host the iconic program.

Kristen Welker will now lead the most venerable program on television, inheriting the legacy of such predecessors as Tim Russert and Chuck Todd, but doing so as the first Black person to lead the iconic show. next custodian, it is a privilege to pass it to someone who needs no introduction,” Todd remarked. Welker wasted little time letting viewers know she was up to the task.

Todd announced earlier this year that he would leave the show he has hosted since 2014. He mentioned feeling concerned about this moment in history but reassured by the standards they have set for the show. On his final show, which aired on Sunday, Sept. 10, Todd thanked his viewers and team and offered a glimpse of what the show would look like with Welker as host.

“The last nine years as moderator of the longest-running show on television have been the honor of my professional life, and as I prepare to pass the baton to the

“I am ready, Chuck, and I just want to say I am also so thankful and grateful to you for this moment for entrusting me with this monumental, important role,” said Welker, who earlier during her final White House briefing was feted with congratulations by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

“I take this responsibility so seriously. I’m ready because you have helped me get ready, Chuck. You are someone who invests in the people that you care about, and you have invested in me, and I am so eternally grateful for that,” Welker said. The 47-year-old Philadelphia native has served as a White House correspondent for NBC since 2011 and moderated one of the presidential debates in 2020. This week, NBC’s Andrea Mitchell marked

the historic passing of the baton with an op-ed, writing, “On Sept. 17, another milestone will be passed for women journalists. Kristen Welker is set to become

the 13th moderator of ‘Meet the Press,’ the longest-running show on American television.”

Mitchell noted that for the first time, every Sunday public affairs program will be moderated or co-moderated by a woman as Welker joins Dana Bash, Shannon Bream, Margaret Brennan, Jen Psaki, and Martha Raddatz at the helms for their respective networks. As the 13th moderator in the 75-year history of “Meet the Press,” Welker will be the first Black person in the role. But not, as Mitchell noted, intriguingly, the first woman. That honor belongs to the broadcast’s founding host, Martha Roundtree, who launched the program in 1947.

Welker, who has held the title of the network’s chief White House correspondent during three presidencies, has a wellearned reputation for being collegial and inclusive. “I can attest to her eagerness to jump into action for others, even while under pressure herself,” Mitchell wrote.

“A conversation with her usually begins with her asking, “How can I help you?” She is a rare combination: a pit bull when chasing a story and the kind of friend you know you will treasure forever.”

Welker received widespread praise for her remarkable composure and exceptional handling of the high pressure as the moderator of the final debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden in 2020. Mitchell heaped more praise on Welker for her accomplishments and predicted more award-winning journalism from her colleague.

“Welker will now lead the most venerable program on television, inheriting the legacy of such predecessors as Tim Russert and Chuck Todd,” Mitchell noted. “There is still a long way to go in the march to equal representation, but Welker will be an example to follow. Not that long ago, “woman journalist” was almost an oxymoron, especially in broadcast news.”

60th Anniversary of Birmingham Church Bombing Unites Families of Victims and Perpetrators

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

Four innocent young girls getting ready for Sunday services died when the Ku Klux Klan detonated a devastating bomb inside Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church sixty years ago. Today, as the nation commemorates the somber 60th anniversary of that fateful September 15, 1963, day, two remarkable women, Lisa McNair, and Tammie Fields, stand united not only by their shared tragedy but also by their unwavering message to combat hate.

McNair’s sister, Denise, was one of the four girls who tragically died in the bombing. In contrast, Fields’ father, Charles Cagle, was initially questioned as a potential suspect in the horrific church bombing but was never charged. Decades after this devastating event, the two women crossed paths at a Black History Month event, forging a seemingly improbable connection and an enduring friendship. Despite being born on opposite sides of one of the most heinous events of the civil rights movement, McNair and Fields shared a common goal: to speak out against hate. As the nation reflects on the 60th anniversary of this tragic event, McNair implored people to remember what transpired and contemplate how to prevent such hatred from rearing its head again.

“People killed my sister just because of the color of her skin,” McNair passionately declared in an interview with the Associated Press. “Don’t look at this

anniversary as just another day. Instead, consider

each of us

ally to ensure that this doesn’t happen again.”

The explosion occurred when dynamite, surreptitiously placed outside the 16th Street Baptist Church underneath a set of stairs, exploded. The four girls, aged 11 to 14, were assembled in a downstairs washroom before Sunday services when the devastating blast occurred. Tragically, 11-year-old Denise McNair and her friends, 14-year-olds Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Addie Mae Collins, all perished in the explosion. A fifth girl, Sarah Collins Rudolph, Addie Mae’s sister, was also in the room and sustained severe injuries, including losing an eye.

The vile act of violence took place during the zenith of the civil rights movement, just eight months after then-Gov. George Wallace defiantly proclaimed, “segregation forever.” It occurred a mere two weeks following Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington, D.C. Three Ku Klux Klansmen were convicted in connection with the bombing: Robert Chambliss in 1977, Thomas Blanton in 2001, and Bobby Frank Cherry in 2002.

Tammie Fields, now 64, was a toddler during the bombing. She vividly remembers her father, who died several years ago, harboring deep-seated hatred and bitterness toward Black individuals. Racial slurs were commonplace, and she was encouraged to despise her Black classmates. Fields credited her preacher grandfather with showing her a different path in life. “The most important thing to

me is that my children will never know the hate that I’ve known,” Fields shared.

Lisa McNair, 58, was born a year after her sister’s tragic death, and she grew up witnessing the profound sorrow that haunted her parents. Her mother often took her and her siblings to the cemetery, where she would grieve or sit solemnly.

In her book, “Dear Denise: Letters to the Sister I Never Knew,” McNair candidly wrote about her life in the aftermath of the bombing. When she first heard of Tammie Fields and learned that both

were scheduled to attend the same church program, she admitted to being hesitant.

“Originally, I didn’t really want to meet her,” McNair confided to AP. “I was kind of nervous about it, even though she didn’t do it. It was almost like meeting the person who killed your sister, in a way. You’re trying to figure out how I should feel about this?”

Despite her reservations, the two women eventually met at another church where Fields was speaking. McNair listened from a pew, and when the event

concluded, the two women shared a heartfelt embrace, tears streaming down their faces. “I was extremely, extremely nervous. She had every right not to accept me, but she did,” Fields remembered in a discussion with the AP.

McNair recognized the authenticity of Fields’ desire for reconciliation. Fields, now a grandmother with Black children and mixed-race grandchildren, refrained from discussing the bombing for an extended period. However, she now firmly believes that open dialogue is essential for progress. “How is it ever going to change in the world if we’re not honest?” she pondered.

Lisa McNair also expressed concern about the current political climate, where some politicians appear to be deliberately stoking divisive rhetoric. She sees valuable lessons in the events of 60 years ago for today’s society. “So much hate, so much racism is coming back up. That’s the thing that upsets me and saddens me; we should have made more progress. I think we’re going backward instead of forward,” McNair lamented.

During a recent speech in Montgomery, Alabama, McNair unveiled a small box that the funeral home had given to her family and contained items found with Denise, including patent leather shoes, a pocketbook, and a delicate handkerchief. Among these items was a chunk of concrete, about the size of a rock, embedded in Denise’s head, ultimately causing her death.

“It shows that racism can kill. Hateful words can kill. And this is a tangible piece of that,” McNair declared solemnly.

Kristen Welker

Despite being born on opposite sides of one of the most heinous events of the civil rights movement, McNair

and Fields shared a common goal: to speak out against hate.

what

can do individu-

Surplus

Reaches $22M

by THOMAS BREEN

Higher than expected property tax collections, building inspection revenue, interest rates, and city employee vacancies helped New Haven’s budget end last fiscal year more than $22 million in the black.

After the city sends roughly $15 million of that surplus towards a record policemisconduct settlement, that means the city can bank another $7 million-plus for a rainy day.

Mayor Justin Elicker and Acting City Controller and City Budget Director Michael Gormany delivered that fiscal news Tuesday afternoon during a press conference on the second floor of City Hall.

Elicker and Gormany said that the city’s finance team and auditors have officially closed the books on the fiscal year that ran from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, also known as Fiscal Year 2022 – 23 (FY23). That budget projected $633.1 million in general fund revenue and expenditures.

On Tuesday, Elicker and Gormany said that the city ended FY23 with a $22.2 million surplus.

On the revenue side, some of the key drivers of the FY23 surplus included:

• $7.3 million more than expected in property tax collections. Elicker said that, by city charter, each year’s budget has to anticipate a property tax collection rate that is 1 percent less than the previous year’s. FY23’s actual collections exceeded that projection. He said the city also saw “a lot of residents pay delinquent taxes.”

• $5.8 million more than expected in interest income on, say, money that the city receives from the state in municipal aid that it parks in a bank account before spending on city services. The Federal Reserve raised interest rates from 2.25 percent to 5.25 percent over the course of FY23 as the federal government sought to curb inflation.

• $2.8 million more than expected in building inspection-related revenue.

• $1.8 million more than expected in real estate conveyance tax revenue.

And on the expenditures side, one of the biggest drivers of the surplus included roughly $5 million in salary savings because of the persistently high number of vacancies among full-time city budgeted employee positions.

Elicker said that the city currently has 231 vacancies among 1,407 full-time positions, including at the police and fire departments. “It is no secret that the city,” like cities across the country, has “a lot of vacancies,” Elicker said. “We obviously very, very much want to fill those vacancies, and are working hard to do so.” Nevertheless, the empty positions do translate to salary savings for last fiscal year.

On the flip side, the mayor continued, parking ticket revenue came in roughly $2 million under budget, and debt service payments wound up being $2.3 million higher than projected. Elicker and Gormany said that the FY23 surplus number

— Minus $15M Settlement

also takes into account the roughly $6 million that was stolen over the course of several cyberattacks in May and June, more than half of which has been recovered.

All of those expenditure and revenue tallies for the fiscal year that was, he said, add up to a $22.2 million surplus.

But the accounting for New Haven’s FY23 budget doesn’t end there. Because, on Monday, the Board of Alders signed off on the Elicker administration’s proposal to transfer up to $16 million from the city’s FY23 surplus to cover the uninsured portion of the record $45 million police-misconduct-and-paralysis settlement that the city struck in June with Richard “Randy” Cox.

The city’s insurance is covering $30 million of that settlement; the city will be paying the remaining $15 million through surplus funds, plus up to $1 million more to cover an insurance-related deductible and legal fees.

At the end of the day, that leaves the city with roughly $7.2 million in its FY23 surplus.

Elicker said that money will go straight into the city’s fund balance, or rainy day fund, bringing that latter total to around $43.9 million.

“It’s very, very important to have a fund balance that is a good buffer if we face” fiscal challenges ahead, Elicker said. The best practice is to have a fund balance equal to around 16 percent of the general fund, which would translate to around $100 million, he continued. The city is “slowly working towards that number.” Overall, he said, FY23’s surplus plus the boost in aid that the city has received from the state and Yale, plus the city’s increased public employee pension fund payments and decreased expected rate

of return for those funds, plus the city’s capping of new debt at no more than $30 million a year, plus the steady growing of the fund balance all add up to “remarkable progress” the city has made on its fiscal front over the years. That’s especially the case when compared to the $66 million deficit the city projected at the start of 2021 thanks to many years of underfunding the city’s pensions. Since then, Elicker added, the city’s taxable grand list has grown from $6.6 billion to around $9 billion, thanks to lots of new construction as well as the latest citywide revaluation.

How would the city have spent the $15 million from the FY23 surplus if it did not have to transfer it to cover the uninsured portion of the Randy Cox settlement?

New Haven Register reporter Mark Zaretsky asked during Tuesday’s presser.

“It would go into the rainy day fund,” Elicker replied.

While some people may see that $22.2 million surplus number and ask why that’s not being used to increase funding for the city schools, Elicker said, directing it into the fund balance instead is part of being a “good fiscal steward for the city.”

“Frankly, these kinds of surpluses we are not going to see in the future,” he said. “We have the fortune right now of” $115 million in federal pandemic-relief American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, which can be used to bolster city services and which will eventually run out. The city hopes to and plans to fill its many vacancies, which would eliminate associated salary savings.

“What’s important for this time period is that we put some of this money aside so that when we do face financial challenges in the future,” he said, “we have some funding so that we don’t have to cut services.”

THOMAS BREEN PHOTO Acting Controller Mike Gormany and Mayor Elicker: "Remarkable progress" on city's financial front.

The new haven independent

Garrity Asphalt

Reclaiming, Inc seeks:

Construction

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

NOTICE

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

Contact: Tom Dunay

Phone: 860- 243-2300

Seeking to employ experienced individuals in the labor, foreman, operator and teamster trades for a heavy outside work statewide. Reliable personal transportation and a valid drivers license required. To apply please call (860) 6211720 or send resume to: Personnel Department, P.O. Box 368, Cheshire, CT06410.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Housing Choice Voucher/Section 8 Waitlist Opening

Email: tom.dunay@garrityasphalt.com

Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply

Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer

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

HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this development located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations apply. Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon request by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.

NOTICIA

Contact: Rick Tousignant Phone: 860- 243-2300

Email: rick.tousignant@garrityasphalt.com

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

PVC FENCE PRODUCTION

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

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

AA/EOE-MF

Union Company seeks:

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

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

Contact Dana at 860-243-2300

Email: dana.briere@garrityasphalt.com

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

NEW HAVEN

242-258 Fairmont Ave

Request for Proposals (RFP)

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

Underground Storage Tank Removal at Cambridge Park

The Housing Authority of the City of Bristol

Full Time Administrative assistant position for a steel & misc metals fabrication shop who will oversee the daily operations of clerical duties such as answering phones, accounts payable purchase orders/invoicing and certified payroll. Email resumes to jillherbert@gwfabrication.com

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

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

The Housing Authority of the City of Bristol is seeking a qualified contractor for underground storage tank removal project at Davis Dr., Bristol, CT. Proposals due by Aug. 24, 2023 at 3:00 p.m.

CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016

A copy of the RFP documents can be obtained at the Bristol Housing Authority, 164 Jerome Ave., Bristol, CT 06010 during normal business hours or by contacting Carl Johnson, Dir. of Capital Funds, at cjohnson@bristolhousing.org, 860-585-2028. Scope and proposal requirements will be available starting August 2nd, 2023. This is a HUD funded project.

The Housing Authority of the City of Bristol is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. SBE, MBE, W/DBE, and Section 3 businesses are encouraged to respond.

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

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

Construction

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

The Housing Authority of the City of New Britain will be opening its HCV/Section 8 Waitlist on September 18, 2023. Applications will be accepted beginning Monday, September 18, 2023, at 9:00 am and will close on Friday, September 22, 2023, at 4:00 pm. Applications will be available online and in paper versions and accepted in person thru a drop box, via mail, fax, and online only at www.nbhact.org<http://www.nbhact. org>.

If you are in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application, please call (860) 225-3534 during business hours (8:30 am-4:00 pm) for assistance. All applications will be included in the lottery and 1000 applications will be randomly selected from the applicant pool and put on the waitlist. Duplicate applications will be rejected.

If you have any questions, please contact the Housing Authority at 860-225-3534. Equal Housing Opportunity.

NOTICIA PÚBLICA

Vale de elección de vivienda/apertura de la lista de espera de la Sección 8

La Autoridad de Vivienda de la Ciudad de New Britain abrirá su lista de espera de HCV/Sección 8 el 18 de septiembre de 2023. Las solicitudes se aceptarán a partir del lunes 18 de septiembre de 2023 a las 9:00 a.m. y cerrarán el viernes 22 de septiembre de 2023, a las 4:00 p.m. Las solicitudes estarán disponibles en línea y en papel y se aceptarán en persona a través de un buzón, por correo, fax y en línea solo en www.nbhact. org<http://www.nbhact.org> .

Si necesita una acomodacion razonable para completar la solicitud, llame al (860) 2253534 durante el horario comercial (8:30 a. m. - 4:00 p. m.) para obtener ayuda. Todas las solicitudes se incluirán en la lotería y se seleccionarán al azar 1000 solicitudes del grupo de solicitantes y se colocarán en la lista de espera. Las solicitudes duplicadas serán rechazadas.

Policy and Management

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice

Si tiene alguna pregunta, comuníquese con la Autoridad de Vivienda al 860-225-3534. Igualdad de oportunidades de vivienda.

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

Soil Scientist/Permitting Specialist

Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units)

Seeking to employ experienced individuals in the labor, foreman, operator and teamster trades for a heavy outside work statewide. Reliable personal transportation and a valid drivers license required. To apply please call (860) 621-1720 or send resume to: Personnel Department, P.O. Box 368, Cheshire, CT06410. Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V Drug Free Workforce

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

The Housing Authority reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for a Planning Analyst. Further information regarding the duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at: https://www.jobapscloud.com/ CT/sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= 230815&R2=6297AR&R3=001

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

FHI Studio is seeking a Soil Scientists/Permitting Specialist. Candidates should demonstrate their ability to conduct wetland delineations and prepare permit applications for a variety of infrastructure projects throughout Connecticut, as well as other New England states and New York. Responsibilities include conducting wetland function-value assessments, preparing data forms and reports, and conducting botanical surveys. The candidate must also possess excellent oral and written communication skills. Experience with major transportation infrastructure projects is preferred.

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

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

Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V Drug Free Workforce DRIVER CDL CLASS A Full Time – All Shifts Top Pay-Full Benefits

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016

Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016 Project documents available via ftp link below: http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage

Minimum degree: Bachelor's degree in environmental science, biology, ecology, or related field with a minimum of 5 years of experience in environmental consulting or related field. Candidates must have a valid driver's license. Salary commensurate with level of experience. Submit your cover letter and resume at https://fhistudio.isolvedhire. com/jobs/. Fitzgerald & Halliday, Inc. is an EEO/AA /VEV/Disabled employer.

Payroll

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

HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483

AA/EEO EMPLOYER

EOE Please apply in person: 1425 Honeyspot Rd. Ext. Stratford, CT 06615

Payroll Clerk- Performs responsible office work in the processing of all general government payrolls and maintain all payroll records. The position requires a H.S. diploma or G.E.D, plus 5 years of experience in responsible office work involving typing, accounting, bookkeeping, data entry and payroll processing. $27.22 to $32.68 hourly plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Apply: Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Forms will be mailed upon request from the Department of Human Resources or maybe downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page and emailed to wlfdhr@wallingfordct.gov. The closing date will be the date that the 50th application form/resume is received, or September 11, 2023, whichever occurs first. EOE

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

NOTICE

Environmental Senior Planner

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this development located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations apply. Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon request by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.

NOTICIA

LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID: CONTINUUM OF CARE, NEW HAVEN is requesting licensed and insured contractors to provide bids for their property located at 310 Winthrop Avenue, New Haven. The owner is seeking proposals for the Hardwood Floor Refinishing Scope of 310 Winthrop, a threefamily property. Finish plan will be provided at open bid visit which details the refinishing of key locations of property such as main stairwell, 1st fl office, and second floor unit. Owner to select stain color. The project is CDBG funded by the City of New Haven. Project is tax-exempt and Davis/Bacon/Prevailing Wage rate. The selected company and any subcontractors must comply with EEOC workforce requirements. City of New Haven Chapter 12 ¼ of the New Haven code of Ordinances (MBE subcontracting ) applies- Minority/women’s business enterprises are encouraged to apply. A bidding site meeting will be held at 310 Winthrop avenue, New Haven on Thursday, 9/7/2023 at 12:30pm. All bids are due by 9/15/2023 by 3pm. All bids and questions should be submitted in writing to Monica O’Connor via email moconnor@continuumct.org or delivered to 109 Legion Avenue, New Haven.

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders

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

State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for a Principal Labor Relations Specialist.

FHI Studio is seeking an Environmental Senior Planner. Candidates should demonstrate their ability to develop proposals and attend interviews, develop project scopes and fees, and conduct environmental reviews utilizing best practices. Responsibilities include preparing NEPA and state documentation, guiding permitting efforts, conducting technical analysis, writing reports, and participating in public meetings. The candidate must also possess excellent oral and written communication skills. Experience with major transportation infrastructure projects is preferred.

Minimum degree: Bachelor's degree in urban planning, environmental planning, environmental science, or related field with a minimum of 4 years of experience in environmental consulting or related field. Candidates with a valid driver's license preferred. Salary commensurate with level of experience. Submit your cover letter and resume at https://fhistudio. isolvedhire.com/jobs/. Fitzgerald & Halliday, Inc. is an EEO/AA /VEV/Disabled employer.

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

LEGAL NOTICE Request for Proposals (RFP) for Services

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management, is seeking proposals to provide services related to medical debt erasure for Connecticut residents with low to moderate-income and those higher income residents with high medical debt burden.

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

The intent of the request is to identify individuals or firms with the necessary expertise to provide medical debt erasure within a stated timeframe.

Further information regarding the duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at: https://www.jobapscloud.com/ CT/sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= 230417&R2=6342MP&R3=001

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

The RFP is available online at: https://portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTSource/ BidBoard and https://portal.ct.gov/OPM/Root/RFP/RequestFor-Proposals or from, Regina Straka, Office of Policy and Management, Budget Division, 450 Capitol Ave., MS# 53BUD, Hartford, Connecticut 06106-1379. Email: OPM.MedicalDebtErasureRFP@ct.gov Telephone (860) 418-6224. Deadline for response submission is 4:00 P.M., October 13, 2023.

LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID: CONTINUUM OF CARE, NEW HAVEN is requesting licensed and insured contractors to provide bids for their property located at 310 Winthrop Avenue, New Haven. The owner is seeking proposals for the Hardwood Floor Refinishing Scope of 310 Winthrop, a three-family property. Finish plan will be provided at open bid visit which details the refinishing of key locations of property such as main stairwell, 1st fl office, and second floor unit. Owner to select stain color. The project is CDBG funded by the City of New Haven. Project is tax-exempt and Davis/ Bacon/Prevailing Wage rate. The selected company and any subcontractors must comply with EEOC workforce requirements. City of New Haven Chapter 12 ¼ of the New Haven code of Ordinances (MBE subcontracting ) applies- Minority/women’s business enterprises are encouraged to apply. A bidding site meeting will be held at 310 Winthrop avenue, New Haven on Thursday, 9/7/2023 at 12:30pm. All bids are due by 9/15/2023 by 3pm. All bids and questions should be submitted in writing to Monica O’Connor via email moconnor@continuumct.org or delivered to 109 Legion Avenue, New Haven.

NEW HAVEN

242-258 Fairmont Ave

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

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) FOR ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL CONSULTING SERVICES

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

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

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR BID HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF DANBURY Pest Control Services

IFB No. B23004

CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016

Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units)

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

3:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. (203) 996-4517 Host,General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor ofPitts Chapel

SCOPE:

The Housing Authority of the City of Danbury hereby issues this Request for Proposal to secure a contract to perform Pest Control Services

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL RETURN:

Housing Authority of the City of Danbury, 2 Mill Ridge Rd, Danbury, CT 06811

Envelope Must be Marked: IFB No. B23004, Pest Control Services

Attn: Lisa Gilchrist, Purchasing Agent

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

SUBMITTAL DEADLINE

October 11th, 2023 at 10:00am (EST)

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

CONTACT PERSON FOR IFB DOCUMENT:

Lisa Gilchrist – Purchasing Agent

Telephone: 203-744-2500 x1421

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

E-Mail: lgilchrist@hacdct.org

[Minority- and/or women-owned businesses are encouraged to respond]

The Housing Authority reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any informalities in the bidding, if such actions are in the best interest of the

Please

The Housing Authority of the City of Bristol (BHA) invites proposals from qualified firms to provide Accounting and Financial Consulting Services. For copy of RFP please contact Carl Johnson, Dir. of Capital Funds at 860-585-2028 or cjohnson@bristolhousing.org beginning Mon., Sept. 4, 2023. Sealed proposals must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. on Thurs., Oct. 12, 2023 clearly marked “RFP –Accounting and Financial Consulting Services” with one (1) original and three (3) copies mailed or delivered to: Housing Authority of the City of Bristol, Attn: Mitzy Rowe, CEO, 164 Jerome Ave., Bristol, CT 06010

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

The Housing Authority of the City of Bristol is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. SBE, MBE, W/DBE, and Section 3 businesses are encouraged to respond.

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016

Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016

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

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) FOR LEGAL SERVICES RELATED TO LABOR, EMPLOYMENT AND BENEFITS

The Housing Authority of the City of Bristol (BHA) invites proposals from qualified attorneys, legal teams or law firms to provide Legal services in labor laws, employment & benefits. For copy of RFP please contact Carl Johnson, Dir. of Capital Funds at 860-5852028 or cjohnson@bristolhousing.org beginning Mon., Sept. 4, 2023. Sealed proposals must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. on Thurs., Oct. 12, 2023 clearly marked “RFP –Legal Services. Labor, Employment & Benefits” with one (1) original and three (3) copies mailed or delivered to: Housing Authority of the City of Bristol, Attn: Mitzy Rowe, CEO, 164 Jerome Ave., Bristol, CT 06010

The Housing Authority of the City of Bristol is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. SBE, MBE, W/DBE, and Section 3 businesses are encouraged to respond.

SIZE 3.5 by 4.0 FOR

OUTREACH EVENT

Town of Bloomfield

NOTICE

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) FOR LEGAL SERVICES RELATED TO LABOR, EMPLOYMENT AND BENEFITS

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

The Housing Authority of the City of Bristol (BHA) invites proposals from qualified attorneys, legal teams or law firms to provide Legal services in labor laws, employment & benefits. For copy of RFP please contact Carl Johnson, Dir. of Capital Funds at 860585-2028 or cjohnson@bristolhousing.org beginning Mon., Sept. 4, 2023. Sealed proposals must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. on Thurs., Oct. 12, 2023 clearly marked “RFP – Legal Services. Labor, Employment & Benefits” with one (1) original and three (3) copies mailed or delivered to: Housing Authority of the City of Bristol, Attn: Mitzy Rowe, CEO, 164 Jerome Ave., Bristol, CT 06010

The Housing Authority of the City of Bristol is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. SBE, MBE, W/DBE, and Section 3 businesses are encouraged to respond.

HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this development located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations apply. Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon request by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.

Salary Range: $87,727 to $136,071 Deputy Finance Director/Controller

Pre-employment drug testing. AA/EOE.

For Details go to  www.bloomfieldct.org

SMALL CONTRACTORS WANTED

LaRosa Building Group is hosting an outreach event for small contractors interested in working on the Curtis Cofield II Estates construction project.

New Haven M/W/SBEs are encouraged to attend.

Community Engagement Senior Project Manager

NOTICIA

Town of Bloomfield Finance Director

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

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

FHI Studio is seeking a Community Engagement Senior Project Manager. Candidates should demonstrate their ability to lead project teams, supervise and develop staff, provide excellent client service with innovative and strategic solutions, manage multiple projects concurrently, and conduct business development. Responsibilities will include developing and implementing strategic outreach plans to meaningfully include and facilitate communication with stakeholders and the general public on transportation and community planning projects, utilizing a wide variety of tools and techniques including public meetings, printed materials, social media, website, press releases, and PowerPoint presentations. The candidate must also possess excellent oral and written communication skills. Experience with major transportation infrastructure projects is preferred.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN

NEW HAVEN

Salary Range - $101,455 to $156,599 (expected starting pay maximum is mid-range)

Fully Benefited – 35 hours weekly Pre-employment drug testing. For more details, visit our website –www.bloomfieldct.org

Portland

Police Officer full-time

Go to www.portlandct.org for details

Thursday, September 7, 2023, from 5-7 PM: Immanuel Missionary Baptist Church

1324 Chapel Street New Haven, CT 06511

Email: outreach@larosabg.com

An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

Executive Secretary

242-258 Fairmont Ave

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

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

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

The Town of Wallingford is accepting applications for EMT. Must possess a H.S. diploma or G.E.D., plus one (1) year of recent experience as an EMT. Must be 18 years old and be a Connecticut or National Registry Certified EMT with CPR Certification and a valid State of Connecticut motor vehicle operator’s license. Starting wage $796.53 (weekly), plus an excellent fringe benefits package. Apply: Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Forms will be mailed upon request from the Department of Human Resources or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page. Phone (203) 294-2080, Fax (203) 294-2084. The closing date will be the date of the 50th application or resume is received or August 28, 2023, whichever occurs first.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Bike Share System – Development and Implementation

QSR STEEL CORPORATION

APPLY NOW!

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units)

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

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

The Town of Wallingford is seeking highly qualified and experienced applicants for the position of Executive Secretary. This position provides high-level administrative support and assistance to a Town department head and performs difficult clerical and administrative work requiring considerable independent judgment and confidentiality. The position requires excellent public relations and office management skills. Must have 6 years’ experience in responsible office work, some of which must have been in a supervisory capacity, or an equivalent combination of experience and college-level training. Pay rate $28.75 to $34.86 per hour plus an excellent benefit package. Application forms may be obtained at the Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Forms will be mailed upon request from the Department of Human Resources or may be downloaded from Town of Wallingford Department of Human Resources Web Page and emailed to wlfdhr@ wallingfordct.gov. Phone: (203)-294-2080. Fax (203)-294-2084. The closing date will be September 11, 2023. EOE

Maintainer II – Collections System

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

New Haven Parking Authority

New Haven, CT

NHPA Project #23-065

Proposals due August 29, 2023 at 3:00 P.M.

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

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

Requesting proposals to develop and implement a Bike Share System in New Haven, CT. Proposal Documents will be available beginning August 8, 2023 at no cost by downloading from the New Haven Parking Authority/Park New Haven website at https://parknewhaven.com/request-for-bids/ or visit the Main Office at 232 George Street, New Haven, CT to obtain a copy.

NHPA is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

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

The Housing Authority reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any

LEGAL NOTICE

Request for Proposals (RFP) for Services

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

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management, is seeking proposals to provide certain services related to Connecticut Fair Share Housing Study.

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016

Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016

The intent of the request is to identify individuals or firms with the necessary expertise to provide planning services within a stated timeframe.

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

The RFP is available online at: https:// portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTSource/BidBoard and https://portal.ct.gov/OPM/Root/ RFP/Request-For-Proposals or from Debra McCarthy, Office of Policy and Management, IGPP Division, 450 Capitol Ave., MS#54ORG, Hartford, Connecticut 06106-1379. E-mail: Debra.McCarthy@ ct.gov. Telephone (860) 418-6297. Deadline for response submission is 4:00 p.m. EDT, Oct. 2, 2023.

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

HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483

AA/EEO EMPLOYER

The Town of Wallingford Sewer Division is seeking qualified applicants to perform a variety of skilled tasks in the operation, maintenance, repair and construction of sanitary sewers, including CCTV inspection and high velocity flushing. Requires a H.S., trade school or vocational school diploma or H.S. equivalency diploma, plus 3 years employment in a field related to sanitary sewer construction, operation or maintenance, or 1 year of training in a skilled trade substituted for 1 year of experience up to 2 years plus a minimum of 1 year of employment for a sewer utility or in the construction field with work experience in the installation and maintenance of pipelines, or an equivalent combination of experience and training. Must possess or have the ability to obtain within 6 months of appointment a valid State of Connecticut Class B CDL. Wages: $26.16 to $31.18 hourly, plus an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, medical insurance, life insurance, paid sick and vacation time. Applications may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page and can be mailed to the Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492, or emailed to: wlfdhr@wallingfordct.gov by the closing date of October 3, 2023. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the

Administrative

NOTICE

Aide (Mayor’s Office)

VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

Town of Bloomfield

Patrol Police Officer

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

HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this development located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. Maximum income limitations apply. Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon request by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.

NOTICIA

The Town of Wallingford is seeking a highly qualified individual to perform a variety of responsible administrative duties in support of the Mayor. Requires an A.S. degree in office management or related field plus 3 years of progressively responsible clerical or office management experience, or a H.S. diploma plus 5 years of progressively responsible clerical or office management experience, or an equivalent combination of education and qualifying experience substituting on a year-for-year basis. Must possess or be able to obtain certification as a CT ADA Coordinator within 1 year and as a Notary Public within 6 months of appointment. Annual salary: $69,587 to $89,039 plus an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, medical insurance, life insurance, 13 paid holidays, paid sick and vacation time. A complete job announcement and application may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page and can be mailed to the Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492, or emailed to: wlfdhr@wallingfordct. gov by the closing date of October 2, 2023. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 2942084. EOE

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

$37.93 hourly ($78,885 annually) – full time, benefited Pre-employment drug testing. For more details, visit our website – www.bloomfieldct.org

Deadline: Applications will be accepted until position is filled

Town of Bloomfield

Finance Director

Salary Range - $101,455 to $156,599 (expected starting pay maximum is mid-range)

LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID: CONTINUUM OF CARE, NEW HAVEN

SECRETARY

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

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. $23.72 to $28.28 hourly 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 and emailed to wlfdhr@wallingfordct.gov. The closing date will be that date the 50th application form/resume is received, or September 27, 2023, whichever occurs first. EOE.

NEW HAVEN

MAINTAINER II

242-258 Fairmont Ave

Fully Benefited – 35 hours weekly Pre-employment drug testing. For more details, visit our website –www.bloomfieldct.org

Portland

Police Officer full-time

Go to www.portlandct.org for details

QSR STEEL CORPORATION

is requesting licensed and insured contractors to provide bids for their property located at 310 Winthrop Avenue, New Haven. The owner is seeking proposals for the Interior Painting of 310 Winthrop, a three-family property. Scope includes clean, scrape, and paint all identified paintable surfaces of property. Cleaning, prep and paint of all interior doors, walls, and targeted trim. House colors to be selected by owner and Sherwin Williams is preferred. The project is CDBG funded by the City of New Haven. Project is tax-exempt and Davis/Bacon/Prevailing Wage rate. The selected company and any subcontractors must comply with EEOC workforce requirements. City of New Haven Chapter 12 ¼ of the New Haven code of Ordinances (MBE subcontracting ) applies- Minority/women’s business enterprises are encouraged to apply. A bidding site meeting will be held at 310 Winthrop avenue, New Haven on Monday, 8/28/2023 at 2:30pm. All bids are due by 9/8/2023 by 3pm. All bids and questions should be submitted in writing to Monica O’Connor via email moconnor@continuumct.org or delivered to 109 Legion Avenue, New Haven.

Request for Proposals (RFP)

Plumbing Maintenance Services

The Housing Authority of the City of Bristol

The Housing Authority of the City of Bristol is seeking a qualified contractor to provide Plumbing Maintenance Services throughout the Agency. Proposals due by September 21, 2023 at 4:00 p.m.

Invitation to Bid: 2nd Notice

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

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

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

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

APPLY NOW!

Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s Certificate

formation of Candidates in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:30-

3:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S.

(203) 996-4517 Host,General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor ofPitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster St. New Haven, CT

The Town of Wallingford is seeking applicants for Maintainer II. The position requires 2 years’ experience as a laborer in construction work involving the operation and care of trucks and other mechanical equipment, or 2 years training in one of the skilled trades and 1 year of experience in construction operations, or an equivalent combination of experience and training. A valid (CDL) Class B is required and a copy included with your application. Wages: $23.73 - $27.82 hourly plus an excellent fringe benefit package that includes pension plan, paid sick and vacation time, 13 paid holidays. medical, dental and life insurance. A complete job announcement and application may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page and can be mailed to the Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492, or emailed to: wlfdhr@wallingfordct.gov by the closing date of September 25, 2023. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

A copy of the RFP documents can be obtained at the Bristol Housing Authority, 164 Jerome Ave., Bristol, CT 06010 during normal business hours or by contacting Yvonne Tirado, Director of Accounting & Special Projects, at ytirado@bristolhousing.org, phone 860-585-2039 or Carl Johnson, Director of Capital Funds, at cjohnson@bristolhousing.org, phone 860-585-2028. Scope and proposal requirements will be available starting August 21, 2023.

Old Saybrook, CT (4 Buildings, 17 Units)

The Housing Authority of the City of Bristol is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. SBE, MBE, W/DBE, and Section 3 businesses are encouraged to respond.

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders

Tax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project

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

Transportation Planner – Project Manager

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

LEGAL NOTICE Request for Proposals (RFP) for Services

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

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

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

The South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG) is seeking to fill the Transportation Planner – Project Manager position. Visit www.scrcog.org for the full position description, qualifications, and application requirements. Applications are to be submitted by noon on Monday, September 11, 2023, or until the position is filled. Questions may be emailed to jobs@scrcog.org. SCRCOG is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer.

Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016

Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016

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

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

LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID: CONTINUUM OF CARE is requesting licensed and insured Electrical contractors to provide bids for their property located at 12 Michael Street, East Haven. The project is for the design and installation of a standby generator (24KW) for the property. Scope to include a 200A automatic transfer switch, mounting pad and include battery and programming for the site. The awarded vendor is responsible for furnishing permit application to the City of East Haven for their work scope and related fees. Price should include dumpster (if necessary) and permit fees. The property can support a natural gas fueled standby generator. The project is tax-exempt, and funded by owner. A bidding site meeting will be held at 12 Michael Street, East Haven on 9/22/2023 at 11am. All bids are due by 9/29/2023 by 3pm. All bids and questions should be submitted in writing to Monica O’Connor via email moconnor@continuumct.org or delivered to 109 Legion Avenue, New Haven. Minority/women’s business enterprises are encouraged to apply.

The Housing Authority reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any informalities

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management, is seeking proposals to provide certain services related to performing a review of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) System.

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

Payroll

The intent of the request is to identify individuals or firms with the necessary expertise to provide higher education consulting services within a stated timeframe.

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

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

The RFP is available online at: https:// portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTSource/BidBoard and https://portal.ct.gov/OPM/Root/ RFP/Request-For-Proposals. Deadline for response submission is 9/29/23 at 5:00 P.M. (EST).

Payroll Clerk- Performs responsible office work in the processing of all general government payrolls and maintain all payroll records. The position requires a H.S. diploma or G.E.D, plus 5 years of experience in responsible office work involving typing, accounting, bookkeeping, data entry and payroll processing. $27.22 to $32.68 hourly plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Apply: Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Forms will be mailed upon request from the Department of Human Resources or maybe downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page and emailed to wlfdhr@wallingfordct. gov. The closing date will be the date that the 50th application form/resume is received, or September 11, 2023, whichever occurs first. EOE

Record Number of Black Quarterbacks Have Starting Positions in the NFL for the 2023-2024 Season

By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Contributor

On the opening day of the 2023-2024 National Football League season, a historic record was set. For the first time in the history of the NFL, 14 Black quarterbacks took the snap on week 1. Last season, 11 Black quarterbacks started on week 1. The Week 1 starters are Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Jalen Hurts (Eagles), Lamar Jackson (Ravens), Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Deshaun Watson (Browns), Russell Wilson (Broncos), Geno Smith (Seahawks), Desmond Ridder (Falcons), Joshua Dobbs (Cardinals), Justin Fields (Bears), Jordan Love (Packers), Bryce Young (Panthers), C.J. Stroud (Texans) and Anthony Richardson (Colts).

The 2023 NFL Draft marked the first time in NFL history Black men were selected in the top three positions for quarterback. The position was once seen as a white male-dominated one until players such as Michael Vick and Randall Cunningham revolutionized the position and the game of football. In the modern era, the NFL has seen an increasing number of Black quarterbacks breaking barriers and achieving success. Players like Michael

Vick, Donovan McNabb, Cam Newton, Russell Wilson, and Patrick Mahomes have become stars in the league. Mahomes is currently one of the most recent standout Black quarterbacks. He led the Kansas City Chiefs to a Super Bowl victory and has won the NFL MVP award.

The history of Black quarterbacks in the NFL is a story of perseverance. Breaking down racial barriers in the NFL has been a long and difficult road in a sport that is now dominated by African Americans. But the quarterback position has been a special problem: Teams from college up have been reluctant for decades to encourage Black players to play quarterback. Many talented Black athletes were denied opportunities to play quarterback. In the 1920s Fritz Pollard became one of the first African American quarterbacks in the NFL. He played for the Akron Pros in 1920, making him one of the league’s first Black players. He also became a playercoach. But he was a rare early pioneer at a time of racial segregation Jim Crow. In 1968, Marlin Briscoe became the first Black quarterback to start in the NFL during the modern era. He played for the Denver Broncos and later transitioned to a wide receiver position.

In the 1980s, Houston Oilers QB Warren Moon became one of the most prominent Black quarterbacks in NFL history. Moon started as a star in the Canadian Football League before joining the NFL in 1984. He had a highly successful NFL career, earning nine Pro Bowl selections and being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In 1988, Washington Redskins QB Doug Williams made history in Super Bowl XXII (1988) when he became the first Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl. He led them to a victory and was named the game’s MVP. Philadelphia Eagles QB Randall Cunningham was known for his athleticism in the 1980s and 1990s. Cunningham was a four-time Pro Bowl selection. While there have been significant strides in the representation of Black quarterbacks in the NFL, there is ongoing recognition of the need for continued diversity and inclusion in all positions in professional football — including owner and head coach.

Racial Bias in NFL Draft: Black Quarterbacks Undervalued, Investigation Reveals

By Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent@StacyBrownMedia

An extensive investigation by the West Coast news organization SFGate has shed light on a troubling trend in the National Football League (NFL). From 2010 to 2022, NFL teams consistently underestimated the potential of Black quarterbacks during the draft selection process. The investigation, which analyzed draft data and player performance, exposed a pattern of racial bias that may have profound implications for the league. “The NFL presents itself as America’s most cutthroat meritocracy. And yet evidence continues to show that teams screw up the single most important decision they make due to racial bias,” Journalist Marc Delucchi wrote.

The investigation’s findings are stark and unmistakable, Delucchi affirmed.

According to SFGate, the statistics paint a damning picture: Black quarterbacks drafted during this period had a staggering four times better chance of achieving at least one Pro Bowl selection than their non-Black counterparts.

At every draft stage, Black quarterbacks consistently outperformed their non-Black counterparts. Astonishingly, the data revealed that an average Black quarterback was more likely to secure at least one Pro Bowl selection than an average non-Black quarterback selected much earlier in the draft, approximately

66 picks or roughly two rounds earlier.

These findings strongly suggest that racial bias has influenced NFL teams’ decision-making processes during the draft, ultimately leading them to favor less capable quarterbacks if they are not Black. In the words of the investigators, “Black quarterbacks are penalized in the draft solely for being Black, our analysis suggests, and it’s a penalty that reverberates years into their professional careers.” The NNPA reached out to both the NFL and the NFL Players Association, but neither entity responded to comment requests.

It is essential to emphasize that these results do not reflect the players’ abilities or potential but point to shortcomings within the scouting departments and executive decision-makers responsible for the draft process, SFGate asserted. “Contrary to some persistent claims, no evidence suggests that an individual’s race has any bearing on their athletic prowess,” the outlet stated. Instead, the findings underscore longstanding allegations that Black quarterbacks are held to double standards, leading NFL teams to undervalue them during the draft.

For decades, the NFL has featured a significant representation of Black players, though this proportion has slightly declined in recent years. However, the discrepancy becomes evident when examining the number of Black quarterbacks drafted from 2010 to 2022, which accounts for less than a quarter of all selections.

had a staggering four times better chance of achieving at least one Pro Bowl selection than their non-Black counterparts. last non-Black quarterbacks selected after the 102nd pick to reach a Pro Bowl were Derek Anderson and Matt Cassel back in 2005. In contrast, several Black quarterbacks, including Dak Prescott (135th), Tyrod Taylor (180th), and Tyler Huntley (undrafted free agent), have all earned at least one Pro Bowl selection despite their lower draft positions.

This trend is observable throughout draft history, with remarkable talents like Patrick Mahomes falling to the 10th pick and Lamar Jackson going 32nd overall, despite one ex-NFL GM suggesting he should play wide receiver. Russell Wilson, who has become an All-Pro, wasn’t drafted until the third round. The report found that the consequences of this bias are not limited to missed opportunities but also extend to compensation. The NFL operates on a tiered pay scale based on draft position, making players more money the higher they are selected. This also leads teams to invest more in developing players chosen early in the draft and retaining them for extended periods.

“Black quarterbacks probably aren’t getting in the pool unless they’re amazing,” said David Berri, a respected economics professor at Southern Utah University who has extensively studied racial dynamics in the NFL. “White quarterbacks

are getting in the pool when they’re not amazing. That’s why you see this disparity.”

Even though NFL teams have allocated a significant number of draft picks to nonBlack quarterbacks in later rounds, the

Lamar Jackson’s contract serves as a poignant example of this disparity. Selected with the final pick of the first round in 2018, Jackson, who is Black, received a four-year contract with approximately $9.5 million in guarantees. In contrast, Baker Mayfield, the first overall pick in the same draft, who is white, signed a four-year deal guaranteeing him a staggering $32.7 million.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, Patrick Mahomes. Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Patrick Mahomes / All Pro Reels, District of Columbia USA

The statistics paint a damning picture: Black quarterbacks drafted during this period

Do you still qualify for HUSKY Health? Complete your renewal to find out.

At Access Health CT, we’re here to help you renew your HUSKY Health insurance. To get started, visit AccessHealthCT.com or call 1-855-805-4325 to update your address, phone number, email, and other information. You will be notified when your HUSKY renewal is due.

When it’s your time for renewal, we will use your information to see if you still qualify for HUSKY. If you qualify, you may be automatically re-enrolled. If you do not qualify, you can choose new coverage through Access Health CT. You will have up to 120 days from the date your

ends to enroll in new coverage.

But don’t wait until your HUSKY ends. Shop during your renewal period to be sure you have coverage when you need it. We’re here to help and can even see if you qualify for financial help. Start at AccessHealthCT.com

Take action today to stay covered tomorrow.

New Haven Public Schools

Early Childhood Programs

Programs for 3 and 4 Year Olds in New Haven

SCHOOL READINESS

NEW HAVEN

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

• Benjamin Jepson Multi-Age School

• Dr. Mayo Early Childhood School

• Fair Haven School

• John Martinez Sea & Sky STEM School

• Lincoln-Bassett School

•

Truman School

•

Additional community locations also participate in the program.

• Contact:

Head Start Registration Office

Tel. 475-220-1462

HeadStartNewHaven.com 475-220-1462 / 475-220-1463

The Early Childhood REGISTRATION OFFICE is located at: Celentano Observatory

400 Canner Street New Haven, CT 06511 In person REGISTRATION is Available We

are Accepting Applications!

How to Apply

The Office of Early Childhood is accepting applications electronically. Parents of 3 and 4 year olds are encouraged to apply online.

English:

https://registration.powerschool.com/family/ gosnap.aspx?action=24982&culture=en

Spanish:

https://registration.powerschool.com/family/ gosnap.aspx?action=24982&culture=es

What you will submit with your Application

1) Proof of Age

Child’s Birth Certificate OR Legal Custody/Guardianship Papers

2) Proof of Address

NEW HAVEN

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

• Augusta Lewis Troup School

• Columbus Family Academy

• East Rock Community School

• Hill Central School

• Nathan Hale School

• Additional community locations also participate in the program.

• Free 4-hour programs available at East Rock Community and Nathan Hale Schools.

Contact:

• School Readiness Registration

Tel.: 475-220-1482

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

3) Proof of Income

• 2 months of Current & Consecutive pay stubs OR W-2 or 1040 Tax Return

• Budget Statement from the CT Department of Social Services or Social Security Office or Child Enforcement Bureau

• Notarized Statement indicating Parent is unemployed

• Additional forms may be requested

4)Proof of a Physical (within one year-to-date)

• CT Department of Education Early Childhood Health Assessment Record

• Anemia and lead level test results

• TB assessment

• Immunizations records

• Seasonal flu vaccination

• Health insurance card

5)Proof of a Dental Exam (within 6-months-to-date)

Dental Exam record