INNER-CITY NEWS

THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016 INNER-CITY NEWS July 27, 2016 - August 02, 2016

Financial Justice a Key FocusGreet at 2016BTWA NAACPStudents Convention New Home, Approach New Haven, Bridgeport

INNER-CITYNEWS Volume 21 No. 2194 2200

THERE’LL NEVER BE… Fire Union, DEBARGE Neighbors Rally For Engine 9 A BETTER Malloy To ELDems:

Neighbors Rally For Engine 9 Malloy To Dems:

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

Fire Union, Neighbors Rally For Engine 9

by MARKESHIA RICKS

NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

Firefighters and some Edgewood neighbors pushed back at a rally Monday afternoon against the Harp administration’s plans to remove Engine 9 from the Ellsworth Avenue firehouse.

With the sounds of the Caribbean Vibe Steel Drum Band as a backdrop, more than 100 firefighters and neighbors gathered at the firehouse Monday to sign a petition and to call on Mayor Toni Harp to reconsider a plan that she argues will will not only save the city money, but also save more lives.

The administration, after a lengthy planning process, decided it made more sense to have an ambulance stationed on the west side of the town rather than two full trucks, since the majority of calls that come in are for medical assistance.

New Haven Fire Fighters Local 825 President Frank Ricci said at the rally that he believes that the mayor has been given some bad information and the union is ready to sit down with her at any time to discuss the matter. He joked that he doesn’t enjoy calling press conferences; he enjoys crashing them.

But he said it was necessary to let downtown know that the neighborhood and the firefighters are in accord and they make their feelings known to Harp. He encouraged people to email and tweet City Hall. Acting Fire Chief Matt Marcarelli attended the rally in support.

“Every neighborhood deserves to have a neighborhood fire engine,” Ricci said. “All they’d have to do, without even increasing the budget, is to simply add on an additional emergency unit to enhance our paramedic service and insure that every neighborhood has a fire engine that can respond to medicals and fires.”

Ricci said it wouldn’t cost the city more money because the administration is already hiring paramedics and the positions are in the current budget.

“We’re not at full staff right now,” he said. Ricci accused city officials of “neighborhood shopping” on a quest to cut an engine from a neighborhood firehouse. He said a similar attempt was made in East Rock a few years ago.

Neighbor William Stancil, who

MARKESHIA RICKS PHOTO

Stancil signs a petition while Firefighter Ed Taylor and Battalion Chief Mark Vendetto look on.

management chief Rick Fontana, a member of the committee that drew up the plan. Four firefighters are needed to operate it. The

Ricci: Every neighborhood deserves a fire engine.

signed the petition, said he could attest to the quickness and efficiency of Engine 9’s service.

Stancil, who has lived in the neighborhood for 13 years, said he had a neighbor who was sick and needed help.

“I went right over to the fire house and they came to help,” he said.

His wife, Serease Kittrell, said she feels safer knowing that the fire engine is right in the neighborhood.

“You get a real safe feeling when you know they are so close by,” she said.

In addition to neighbors like Stancil and Kittrell, neighborhood movers and shakers like former Alder Liz McCormack and Rabbi Daniel Greer came to show their support for keeping Engine 9 in the neighborhood.

A Harp administration committee, which included two former fire chiefs, drew up a plan to put Engine 9 out of commission at the Ellsworth Avenue firehouse and replace it with a smaller paramedic unit. An estimated 75 to 80 percent of the approximately 25,000 calls that come into the fire department each year are for medical services. The administration argues that it will cost less and get firefighters there more quickly to send the smaller ambulances. It is seeking to increase from two to four the number of department ambulances in the city.

The west side of town currently doesn’t have one in operation.

It costs $750,000 to $800,000 to purchase and then fully outfit an engine, according to emergency

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two new paramedic units recently purchased by the city cost $55,000 and $90,000, he said.

Harp argued on a recent edition of WNHH radio’s “Mayor Monday” that the big engines wear out faster by being sent unnecessarily to medical calls, and they’re harder to navigate through narrow streets, especially in winter.

The proposed change “actually is a more efficient way to carry out the business of the fire department,” Harp said. “I don’t understand why the leadership of the fire union doesn’t get that, and why they are stoking fears in people. It is irresponsible and unacceptable to me that they are doing that. ... We are actually making people safer.”

The Ellsworth firehouse is one of only two of 10 in the city to have both an engine company and a squad truck. The Harp administration plans to keep Squad 2 at the firehouse. It will serve as the neighborhood’s fire truck to respond quickly to fires, Fontana said.

Bike-Pizza Combo Returns THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

by MICHELLE LIU

NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

Two of New Haven’s mostbeloved traditions bikes and pizza will converge in New Haven’s second annual Grand Prix cycling races next week.

Almost 150 years after the first bicycle patent was granted to the mechanic Pierre Lallement in New Haven, Mayor Toni Harp, other city officials and those leading the Grand Prix into its sophomore year gathered at City Hall Thursday morning to unveil the schedule for the race, which will take place primarily in the afternoon and evening of Sept. 16.

In addition to a course which circles downtown through Elm, Temple, Chapel and High Streets, the event will include freestyle trick shows, local entertainers and a concurrent Apizza and Eats Feast.

“New Haven has incredible history in the sport of cycling,” city transit chief Doug Hausladen said. “And we’re excited to bring it back.”

The Prix redux is also another puzzle piece in New Haven’s evolution as a bike-friendly and pedes-

MICHELLE LIU PHOTO Some

of this year’s cyclists get at Thursday’s crust-filled preview.

trian-friendly city, Harp said. This summer season-closing extravaganza will include three back-toback bike races, with 70 total miles of “grand-prix” style competition.

The Grand Prix aims to raise money for the Connecticut Cycling Advancement Program,

which has established youth cycling programs across the state.

Aidan Charles (pictured at left), director of the Prix and founder of the CCAP, anticipates that about 150 cyclists will participate in this year’s races, but Charles is more focused on the attendees: Last

year drew somewhere between 8,000 to 10,000 of them, and he’s hoping for more this time around.

“It’s not about the cyclists so much as it is about the scene downtown,” Charles said.

Colin Caplan (pictured), director of the Apizza Feast this year,

carried several boxes of pizza in his arms, before handing over a box to Hausladen. The feast will line the streets of downtown with trucks, restaurants, beer gardens and of course pizza. Notably, the feast also does not include an entry charge this year.

“I see a lot of people drooling now,” Caplan said, shutting his open box. “I must leave.”

While Harp politely declined the pie Caplan offered her, students from cycling clubs established with the aid of CCAP at Worthington Hooker School and the New Horizons School for Higher Achievement swarmed around the leftover slices, clad in their uniforms.

“I wasn’t cycling as much until I joined the club, and now I’m re-inspired,” Steven Zhang, an eighth grader at Worthington Hooker School, said through a mouthful of crust. “My goal is to finish the race and not be last.”

His coach, Tim Shortt, who also teaches sixth grade science and literacy at Worthington Hooker, pointed a finger at him.

“You are racing,” he said.

“You’re doing it.”

1,450 Pedal To Fight Cancer

by MARKESHIA RICKS

NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

As riders cleared the last few feet of the sixth “Closer to Free Ride” to fight cancer, Beth Frayne was one of the first faces to greet them. She made sure her turquoise pom-pom and small cowbell were at the ready.

Whether they rode 10 miles or 100 miles, she was there to yell: “Congratulations!

You made it.”

“I take my job seriously,” she said while standing in the finish line shoot at Yale Bowl Saturday after waving in another bike rider.

This was Frayne’s fourth year volunteering with the annual bike ride, which benefits patient care and research at Smilow Cancer Hospital and the Yale Cancer Center. “I can’t ride, but I can do this.”

She leaves the riding to her 26-yearold son, Stephen, who is pursuing a PhD in chemistry at Weslyan University. This was his fourth year riding the 100-mile route of the ride. “There is a bumper sticker on the car that says ‘400 miles closer to free,”’ she said proudly.

Frayne knows well the importance of the fundraising efforts. She is a 20-year survivor of Hodgkins lymphoma. She recently

Laurie Van Wilgen, a right, with team members.

lost relatives to bone and pancreatic cancer.

“Cancer is one of those awful things that never truly leave you,” she said. “But I’m grateful because when I was diagnosed, he was in kindergarten and I never thought that I would see him graduate high school. Now, he’s in graduate school.”

Most everyone with some kind of

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connection to the ride has a similar story, including ride founder and Yale-New Haven Hospital Vice President of Development Kevin Walsh.

Since the ride’s inception, Walsh has often been on the 62.5-mile route.

This year one of his best friends and ride buddies couldn’t handle the

route. He’s battling throat cancer.

“He’s dropped from 200 pounds to 135 and could not make it,” he said. “So we dropped back to the 25, and he did great.”

Walsh said the ride has seen tremendous growth since he came up with the idea for a fundraiser as an alternative to throwing the gala that his boss suggested as a signature fundraiser. The first ride started with 251 riders; this year’s ride drew 1,450. More than 500 people offered their time as volunteers and fundraisers. The event raised close to $3 million this year, according to Walsh.

“One hundred percent of what riders and volunteers raise goes to clinical care and research,” he said.

And people like Laurie Van Wilgen of Branford are grateful. Her husband, Bill, is a two-time survivor of cancer.

Her daughter’s best friend Erin Labery is a survivor of breast cancer at just 32. She and friends of Labery’s team, Wishes Come True, braved the sweltering heat Saturday to cheer on the riders.

“This is a meaningful day,” she said with tears in her voice even as she smiled. “Smilow is very close to my heart to his heart. To all of our hearts.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

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Schools Seek Public’s Help In Reform

by ALIYYA SWABY

NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

New Haven schools officials called out to the public Wednesday to help them roll out this year’s “change” plan.

At a press conference at 54 Meadow St., Superintendent Garth Harries described the need for an operating plan engaged the public, in part by asking community members to engage in facilitated focus groups to figure out how to improve the schools.

The focus groups are a new part of the updated “School Change 2.0” effort, which includes higher numerical goals for students and a commitment to social-emotional support.

This summer, 88 community and school leaders were trained to lead focus group discussions that will start this month and end in November, said Lola GarciaBlocker, chief of staff. Students

ALIYYA SWABY PHOTO

Garcia-Blocker at Wednesday’s press conference..

will also get training so they can lead some of the focus groups.

Those 88 people will fan across the city to get different factions of the community to talk

about what should and should not be priorities for school officials moving forward, she said.

And community members are encouraged to host their own fo-

cus groups, which should be kept small, about 10-12 people, to talk about their priorities and how they match with school leaders’ stated goals. A calendar on the schools site will keep track of them.

The notes from those focus group conversations will be posted on the schools website, Garcia-Blocker said.

In addition, central office department heads will hold regular public meetings Thursdays between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., to hold themselves accountable for progress, and to update the community on their challenges and successes, she said.

“Our goal now is to fine-tune the priorities and metrics of all of our departments,” Garcia-Blocker said.

Parent Cindy Cadet, a trained facilitator, said she is most interested in focus groups around socialemotional learning. “I’m very invested in the system,” she said.

NEW LEADERSHIP FOR NEW HAVEN SCHOOLS Letter to the Editor The Inner-City-City News

When the New Haven Public Schools sought a new Superintendent in 2013, the following criteria were established by the Board of Education: “A superintendent with academic vision, leadership, experience, and strong communication skills…” A person “committed to collaborating and engaging with students, educators, communities, public officials and institutional leaders to continue driving dramatic gains for students, building on current successes while exploring new opportunities for change and reform.” “An individual who understands, embraces, and ap-

preciates New Haven’s diversity and history.” The criteria further states, “A candidate committed “to transparency, access and creating equitable environments” for all New Haven’s students.

In our opinion, the current Superintendent, Garth Harries, has fallen short of meeting these high expectations of the New Haven Board of Education and this community. Our position has been confirmed by Mr. Harries’ mediocre evaluation by the New Haven Board of Education. In 2015, Harries was evaluated in four areas: Student impact, vision and leadership,

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collaboration and engagement, and transparency, access and equity, centered around twelve core competencies. In the four major areas of Mr. Harries’ evaluation, each worth five points, the Board awarded him 12.25 points out of 20. Mr. Harries was placed on a plan of improvement and was to be monitored by the Board every two months. The results of this plan of improvement have not been made public. Keeping this information from the public appears intentional in its purpose and lacking in transparency.

Many New Haven residents, seasoned administrators and

other educators of the New Haven Public Schools are increasingly expressing serious doubts and concerns about the Superintendent’s performance. They are dissatisfied with his ineffective leadership, mismanagement and wasteful expenditures.

Here are several specific concerns about Mr. Harries which we believe have negatively impacted the New Haven Public Schools and its students: Mr. Harries’ decision to divide Hillhouse High School into three academies with three Principals, demonstrated poor planning, resulting in a confusing and disruptive school environment for staff, students and parents His mismanagement of Barnard Environmental Studies School His failure to inform the Board, other Mayors, Superintendents or the Education Commissioner about charging tuition to out-of-district students.

His excessive expenditures on outside consultants, including a personal time-management consultant

THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

New Home, Approach Greet BTWA Students

by ALIYYA SWABY

NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

Clambering off school buses just after 7:30 a.m., some students were excited to walk into Booker T. Washington Academy for the first day of school Tuesday. Others dragged their feet and rubbed sleepy eyes.

Either way, they got a highfive and in some cases a bit of help regulating their emotions.

A double line of suited male greeters clapped and rhythmically chanted as students passed through to the front door, organized by the Northeast Charter School Network to welcome them to their first real day of school.

A set of more permanent changes also greeted BTWA students Tuesday morning. One change: A new behavior management system that helps students manage their feelings, instead of punishing them for acting out right away. Another change: A beloved founder of the school has moved on to Smyrna, Georgia.

And a third change: A completely different building. The yellow buses drove their charges to 804 State St., formerly the temporary home of New Haven Academy, instead of the Wooster Square location where BTWA resided for its first two years of existence at 240 Greene St. The key to juggling all the changes? “Systems and routines,” Principal John Taylor said as he met the school buses and made his morning rounds in the building.

New Year, New Space After their morning cheerleading, students walked into a building that is almost double the size of the Greene Street property, from 24,000 to 45,000 square feet.

BTWA outgrew the former building, which it had leased from Achievement First (AF) charter network intending to stay four months and staying for two years.

This year, BTWA will include two third-grade classes for the first time, and a bigger kindergarten class, bumping its total enrollment from 180 to 242. Currently they take up two entire floors of the building and will branch out to the third floor next year.

They have a gym and cafeteria, which are separate from their

ALIYYA SWABY PHOTO

Half a dozen men greet BTWA students Tuesday.

A third of BTWA teachers are new this year.

auditorium. In the old building, they used one large space in the basement for all three functions.

Six new teachers, making up a third of the total teaching staff, have jumped on board, to replace Teach for America volunteers who finished their two-year service last spring and to head up the new third-grade classes.

And there’s a high-profile staff change at the top. Reverend Eldren Morisson, founder and visionary behind BTWA, is heading to Shaw Temple AME Zion Church in Smyrna, Georgia.

“I know he was torn,” Taylor said, of his partner in building the school. “All the way up to the moment he left, it ripped him up.”

He acknowledged the shift to accommodate the vacancy will be “tough because he was the visionary behind the school and the face of the school.” But Morrison will remain on the school board,

as its first long-distance member. The board is still ironing out the terms of that involvement.

Morrison was also crucial to the charter school’s fundraising efforts. BTWA is putting money together to buy its own building in the next two to three years. But Taylor said he and other board members have been active fundraisers, building a network of community supporters who aren’t expected to budge, even after the school’s celebrity founder disappears.

“I don’t think it’ll be a huge difference. We’ll be fine,” Taylor said.

Desiree Fraser walked her 5-yearold kindergartner through the double line of high-fives to the back door of the school. She said she heard about BTWA through Reverend Morrison, who is a “close family friend.”

Fraser will be sad when Morrison heads South, but she doesn’t think his departure will affect the school

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negatively, she said. Though, she added, “it might be different.”

The Golden RULER As the school grows in size, Principal Taylor said, he seeks to deepen students’ supports and tackle the school’s weak points.

Moving into the building New Haven Academy recently vacated meant a fresh coat of paint and a reconfigured electrical system.

It’s a more difficult process to get parents accustomed to bringing kindergartners to school on time, or at all, every day. And it’s hard to ensure school staffers are addressing students’ underlying emotional issues when disciplining them in the classroom.

As Taylor walked around the school before 8 a.m., he saw students take the time they need to wake up as they peeled open cartons of milk with their breakfast. The goal is to have students in the school building by 7:40 a.m., done with breakfast in the next 20 minutes, and deep into reading by 8 a.m., Taylor said.

“We’re not there yet but we’ll get there,” he said.

Taylor pushed to partner with Yale’s Center for Emotional Intelligence, which helps schools build systems for emotional regulation in the classrooms. The process is described by a simple acronym: RULER. Students who act out are encouraged to recognize the feeling, understand the cause, label the feeling, express it appropriately, and eventually regulate it.

All teachers were extensively RULER-trained this summer.

Last year, teachers used an electronic point system to track student classroom achievement each day. This year, they’re using the same system, but won’t take away points to punish students who act out. “Some kids tended to have a temper tantrum if points were taken away,” he said.

He peeked into a classroom where most students had circled up around the teacher, except for one, who had wiggled under a round table. “Hopefully, he’ll want to join the group,” Taylor said.

Several minutes later, closer to the official start of class, he passed by and the student hadn’t joined his peers.

Sternly but kindly, Taylor pulled

him out of the room and asked him to stand by the water fountain, to await the dean of students.

The student was upset because he had been left back a grade and was feeling defeated as his friends started a new year without him.

“We know our scholars,” Taylor said. “We’ll work with him.”

BTWA is still growing, a grade each year. The charter allows them to keep going through eighth grade.

In two years, the end of the lease at the State Street building, they will be too big to stay put. Taylor hopes they will have raised enough funds to buy and renovate a new building.

“A lot of people didn’t expect us to make it,” Taylor said with a laugh. “But we’re still standing.”

High-Fives All Around Jose Alfaro was thinking about BTWA’s new building when he asked his co-workers at the Northeast Charter School Network and other friends to join him in welcoming students on their first day.

“We wanted to celebrate them,” he said. Students might be motivated “seeing young people in their community rooting for them.”

The group of men that turned out was seven-people small but energetic. They clapped in beat and sang, “Welcome back to school!”

Some of the students met them with hands timidly outstretched.

Others swung into the high-fives with all their might. A couple swerved and went around the men.

Carlos Chaparro, a banker at Wells Fargo, joined independent of a charter organization. He is an older college student, matriculating at Albertus Magnus last year at the age of 24. “I realized later in life that education was important,” he said.

He wants students to come to that realization earlier and for community members to hold large organizations like Wells Fargo accountable for getting involved in more events.

Byron McCauley, director of communications for the charter advocacy group ConnCAN, said it’s important for students to see positive representations of black men, to “make them feel really proud of where they’re going.”

The high-fives communicate a lot, McCauley said. “Hey, you matter. You’re going to do great this year. We value you.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

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GCC was recently identified by the U.S. Department of Education as excelling in the area of student acceleration. Gateway’s Resource, Education and Training (GREAT) Center was recognized for several programs including a free 3-week summer and winter intercession Math and English Boot Camp which includes coursework on College Competencies 101, Financial Aid, New Student Orientation and Documents needed for School.

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GCC President, Dr. Dorsey Kendrick, Victoria Bozzuto, Dean of Workforce Development and Community Partnerships, and Erika Lynch, Director of Workforce Development will be in Washington, D.C for the Thought Leaders’ Summit on September 23. The Summit brings together the four validated sites (LaGuardia Community College, Gateway Community College, Amarillo Community College and St. Louis

Community College) with other community college and adult education practitioners and representatives from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to review the finding of the validation and discuss the next steps moving forward. The Summit will also offer participants an opportunity to provide feedback on how initiatives for the upcoming year can support future efforts of community colleges and adult education sectors.

The initiative, conducted by the Manhattan Strategy Group, is an investment aimed at identifying successful programs at community colleges across the United States in the areas of acceleration, contextualization, hybrid, and student supports. It seeks to identify how community colleges are aligning with adult education programs to support low-performing students in furthering their post-secondary education and employment goals.

The goal of the Reform is to identify community colleges to be validated, identify alignment practices between developmental and adult education, design validation rubrics, convene a task force, validate alignment practices at community college sites and provide technical assistance product development. The validation process involves interviews with key staff as well as document review.

The four validated sites including Gateway Community College are also under consideration for a U.S. Department of Education grant to be announced in 2017.

For additional information about the Education’s Supporting Student Success: Adult Education and Remedial Education Reform in Community Colleges initiative contact Vicki Bozzuto, Dean of Workforce Development and Continuing Education at (203) 285-2408

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Turnaround Principal Aims Higher THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

by ALIYYA SWABY

NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

In the last two years at Hill Central, Lillian Fontan has overseen climbing test scores, decreasing student absentee rates, and a jump off the state list of troubled schools.

Her secret?

Loosening her grip on the reins.

Principal Fontan is continuing a school model of distributed leadership, pioneered there by predecessor Principal Glen Worthy.

The model encourages teachers to take powerful roles directing dayto-day operations at Hill Central Music Academy at 140 Dewitt St. The data shows it’s working.

And increases in parental requests for slots at the 492-student K-8 neighborhood school shows that families are taking notice.

But, as is the common concern among New Haven schools officials, Fontan said she needs to keep rallying money and community support to keep going at the same level — with a popular after-school program for English language learners (ELLs) in financial jeopardy.

As a new school year begins, she’s also working on ways to aim even higher academically and in school culture, meaning boosting test scores and lowering out-of-school suspension rates.

When Worthy, now Hillhouse High School’s sole principal, headed Hill Central, the school received a 2010 federal School Improvement Grant aimed at overhauling schools with poor performance. He replaced half his staff and promoted strong teachers to leadership positions to help him run the school. The three teacher-leaders for academic, school culture, and bilingual missions organize professional development opportunities for other teachers and lead discussions through the school system on student progress.

Six years after first getting the grant, Hill Central is no longer considered a struggling school by the state, according to 201415 accountability standards.

And the leadership model is still going strong, Fontan said. Under the three school leaders are five sets of “vertical teams” of teachers, divided by grade. The teams are divided into grades K-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 and “specials,” which includes any elective teachers, as well as special education and English language learning (ELL). Hill Central is an

ALIYYA SWABY PHOTO

Fontan oversees dismissal this week.

ELL-heavy school, with a large percentage of Spanish speaking students.

Teacher leaders meet weekly, and teams meet monthly, to come up with quarterly action plans for school improvement, work on content units for the classroom, and ask for help and support, if they need it.

At the beginning of the turnaround, teachers got so much professional development, they “should have gotten college credit,” Fontan said. As the structure continues to solidify, she holds meetings with her teams at a more manageable frequency, once a month instead of once a week, she said.

And the $53.4 million federal Teacher Incentive Fund grant is paying stipends for a handful of teacher facilitators who lead workshops for their peers at the school.

For the first time this year, fifth and sixth grade will be departmentalized, like in a middle school, instead of having just one classroom teacher. And seventh and eighth graders will have individual schedules, instead of moving as a class, just like in the average high school, Fontan said. That’s intended to get students prepared for higher education while they’re still in the safety net of a K-8 school.

From her office in a $46 million modern school building tucked in the Hill neighborhood, Fontan rattled off a list of positive changes.

Last year, seventh and eighth-grade

teachers, wanting to come up with a way to engage struggling students, created a social justice class, which partly fills the gaping hole in available electives at the school, Fontan said.

Fifth graders jumped 5.8 percentage points on the science section of their Connecticut Mastery Tests, with half of students meeting or exceeding standards.

Student attendance rates were at a high of 94.1 percent last school year, up from 92.7 percent in 201415, with the help of the bilingual truancy officer in the school every two weeks to check in on parents.

Staff attrition is low, with just two staff members leaving last year for major leadership positions.

Superintendent of Schools Garth Harries called Hill Central’s success in building strong leadership and teaching teams a “core strategy” of the district’s “school change” campaign. He said he hopes to duplicate the success at other schools. “At Hill Central our team really honed in on perfecting instruction and focused on the unique needs of the school – in particular, ensuring that every student who has bilingual needs has access to an educator who has experience and can help, and building a strong model of teacher leadership that maximizes the impact of our best teachers,” Harries said. “Hill Central has also able been able to engage parents on a personal level and the parents there have really taken on a

10

key role and agreed to be active partners in their students’ education.”

Surrounded by a sea of families at 3 p.m. dismissal, Fontan used just as much Spanish as she did English to inquire about students’ days.

Wednesday was the first day of school for kindergartners.

“Como estan? How are you?” she asked, flagging down parents and guiding students in or out the front door. Her arm around another student’s shoulders, she assured him— in Spanish—that she’d help him figure out how to get home, when he didn’t know what bus to take.

Fontan spoke no English when she arrived in Connecticut from Puerto Rico with her family as a child.

She started first grade in the Waterbury public school system, without academic support from her monolingual Spanish-speaking mother.

“Not having my mom able to come to the classroom because of not speaking the language” was difficult, Fontan said. She wants to be the bilingual bridge for her school’s English language learners and their families.

That’s why she started her career as a bilingual teacher in Fair Haven Middle School in 1977. After six years there, she became an itinerant ELL teacher for the next 18 years in New Haven Public Schools, before rooting in Columbus Academy as a dual language coordinator. She has spent time in central office as an instructional high school coach in ELL.

She was an assistant principal under Worthy at Hill Central for seven years, before taking over as principal when he left two years ago.

The turning point in Fontan’s career was a training session in Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP), intended to help instructors continue to build on academic knowledge with their English language learning students, while also improving their English. Fontan went to California with a group of other teachers when she was an itinerant ELL teacher.

“That was a turning point for me,” she said. “I learned so much.” And she got the chance to share what she had learned with her peers and superiors, who pushed her to consider leadership roles in New Haven schools. At first, she shrugged off the advice, wanting to remain in the classroom. But she decided to seek leadership opportunities in central office, and then at Hill Central.

SIOP is a respected instructional model now implemented at Hill Central schoolwide.

Planning Ahead Hill Central is currently overenrolled, which Fontan plans to immediately flag with schools officials. “It’s not an easy conversation” to have to tell students they can’t stay at the school, she said. Kindergarten has the longest waitlist of all the grades.

Superintendent Harries contested the term “overenrolled”: “Hill Central as a whole is not over enrolled at the moment and was not at the start of the school year – the question is the allocation of students between different classrooms, as the grade levels and language of instruction has changed for different students. We are actively working with the school to be sure that students get the optimal classroom for them within the constraints of class size – I expect any residual classroom misassignments to be resolved by Tuesday of next week.

Given late arrivals and adjustments to grades and programs, reflecting the reality of our families and community, these kinds of issues happen every year. We have significantly reduced the incidence of oversized classrooms in recent years, and will continue to improve our processes to minimize the ways late decisions cause disruption in schools.”

With greater popularity comes greater responsibility to keep stanCon’t on page 15

THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

Culinary Students Feed Elm City — And Beyond

by BRIAN SLATTERY

NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

Duck confit crostini and vegan mushroom sliders were on display at Elm City Market on Saturday evening along with a recipe for launching new careers.

The food and the mission were intertwined at an event at the market hosted by the Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology (ConnCAT) culinary arts program.

ConnCAT is a youth arts and adult career-training program in Science Park. The culinary program’s students brought samples of their work to the market, on the ground floor of the ritzy downtown 360 State high-rise at the corner of State and Chapel streets.

So the market’s aisles were crowded not with shoppers, but with diners a gathering of city officials, community leaders, and the culinary students’ friends and family members. They came together to celebrate the market’s rejuvenation and the burgeoning partnership between the education program and the market since ConnCAT launched its Culinary Arts Academy Program in January.

Carlton Highsmith, a ConnCAT founder, walked the audience through the culinary institute’s history, from its conception in 2014 to a whirlwind 6 months of construction to openings its doors to its first students.

“It’s efforts like this that will make people want to come to New Haven to work, and play, and live,” he said.

Matthew Nemerson, the city’s economic development administrator, explicitly tied the culinary institute to New Haven’s industrial past, as the Elm City continues to move from a manufacturing to a service economy. “The people who made this city, made things,” he said, addressing the culinary students. “And you are going to be making things, carrying on that grand tradition.”

Beyond the partnership between ConnCAT and the Elm City Market, and the coordination among them, the city, and various funders that made it possible, the evening celebrated the culinary students themselves, on the verge of finishing their program this fall and the food they created.

On the menu that evening were grilled flatbread. Mediterranean salad, lamb kebabs with cous cous, vegan mushroom sliders, duck confit crostini, and a wide assortment of desserts. This reporter can say that the lamb was cooked perfectly, the cous cous was tangy and flavorful, and the vegan mushroom sliders, served on a soft roll with pickled red onions and tofu ranch sauce, made a strong case for giving up meat altogether if mushrooms can be made to taste like that.

“We all worked together to put it all together,” said Charles Nixon, one of the students. “That’s what made it come out so good.”

A 57-year-old Dwight neighborhood resident, Nixon had previously worked as a landscaper and in facilities maintenance at Yale.

He saw an announcement for the program while “channel-surfing on television,” he said. He “signed up for it and got accepted.”

“I’ve always wanted to cook,” he said, in between serving out portions of lamb and cous cous.

“I always found myself in the kitchen creating recipes. I couldn’t do them again if you asked me to,” he said with a soft laugh, “but they always came out good.”

There’s a difference between cooking at home and cooking in a professional kitchen. “There’s a lot of pressure,” Nixon said, “because everything you create, your name’s on it. But I like the challenge of it. This has been a career change

for me, and I’m just loving it.”

Nixon started the program in January. He’ll graduate in November, and is looking to possibly do his month-long externship before graduation right at Elm City Market.

The relationship between ConnCAT and Elm City Market was there from the culinary institute’s inception, according to Odell Montgomery Cooper, director of culinary arts. Her daughter, Jacqueline, was a student in the program and an employee at Elm City Market, and as the institute’s chef, Eric Blass, began talking about the kinds of ingredients they would be using, Jacqueline informed the class that Elm City Market carried

the specialty items they needed.

So Elm City Market’s relationship to the culinary institute grew, from grocery supplier to externship mentor, to potential employer.

In the externship phase of the students’ education, “they go in side by side with our chef,” explained Alexa Apotria, marketing manager at Elm City Market. The market’s different departments allow the students to follow their own passions, whether in the kitchen, the deli, or the bakery. “They love what they do. And we love what they do. And our customers love what they do,” Apotria said.

Elm City Market Chef David Lee agreed. Working at the market

gives the students a chance to “get their feet wet” in the kitchen, he said, from meeting deadlines to learning to be a team player, in addition to honing their kitchen skills. He takes his job seriously as a mentor; “I truly believe,” he said, “that a good chef will inspire them to become a lot bigger,” whether that means working into a job at Elm City Market or heading out to sea on a cruise ship.

Which is what culinary student Stanley Hair is doing, as he begins his externship with American Cruise Lines in October.

“I just wanted to travel, see the world, learn new things,” he said.

The 28-year-old was born in New York City and moved down south to Sumpter, S.C. as a child, then returned north at 19. He worked jobs in fast food and warehousing, most recently at Jordan’s Furniture, but is looking forward to getting into the kitchen as a baker and a cook work he has always been interested in since high school.

Is he more of a baker than a cook?

“Everyone in my class says yes,” Hair said, “but I’m learning both.”

One of his current favorite dishes to make is alfredo with Bechamel sauce, “with a little bit of shrimp in it,” he said. “Perfect.”

Asked about the pressure that can come with working in a professional kitchen, Hair nodded seriously.

He was ready. “I just want everybody to taste what I can do,” he said.

For more information on ACES schools, programs and services, please visit our website.

(203) 498-6800 | www.aces.org 11

THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

THERE’LL NEVER BE… A BETTER EL DEBARGE

by T. Thomas Asbery

The year was 1983…I can distinctly remember being in my parent’s bedroom (because they had the big mirror), hair brush in hand, belting out “I Like It” by DeBarge as it crooned from the small black radio perched on the nightstand. As far as I was concerned my “Oooh and I like its” were keyworthy enough to be an unofficial 6th member of this dynamic and incomparably talented family band. My only dilemma was how I could get the attention of Eldra Patrick “El” DeBarge, the most prominent leader of the group, to somehow hear me all the way in a small white town in the southern part of Connecticut that didn’t get BET until the 1990s, and to ultimately bless my status as a 6th member of DeBarge.

Fast forward thirty-three years later, I got my opportunity to have my voice heard

somewhere in the midst of the voices of the sold out standing room only performance of El DeBarge at the BB Kings Blues Club in New York City in August. Arriving at the Club two hours before El Debarge’s scheduled performance time was clear-

ly the wrong decision. Fans of El DeBarge covered that West 42nd Street sidewalk for at least three city blocks.

Without question, the herd of us speed walking to find our place in line had grossly underestimated the impact that El had on those of us

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who were born during a certain era. Some fans traveled from as far as Chicago to see one of the most unparalleled and superior voices in music.

Needless to say when we all finally filed into the Club, our impatience and bated excitement to see thee El DeBarge was palpable. His opening act was unfortunately met with polite applause as she closed her set for the night. The crowd had grown restless but not for long for El owned us the moment he hit that stage, blessed us with his first note, and pianistic ability. He entertained us, made us feel good, and reminded us of the power that musicians of his production, songwriting, and vocal caliber can have over us.

Time has been really good to El. There was not one crack in his vocal armor.

El’s voice is like homemade ice cream. Smooth, sweet, and heavy enough to caress one’s senses and

conjure up buried emotions.

From Time Will Reveal, I Call Your Name, I Like It, Rhythm of The Night, All This Love, Stay With Me, covering some Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, and more gems from his arsenal of hits, El had the audience on its feet for 2 continuous hours. The coolest of men tried their best to hit El’s signature falsetto right along with him, out signing their female companions. Without a doubt, El is a man’s man and has given a timeless playbook for those in love to effectually express what should be so simple when it comes to matters of the heart.

Throughout his 2-hour set there were moments where El spiritually “left us” to visit a place that musicians can sometimes go when the music they have created is weighted in memories we will never be privy to. They are no longer singing to us but to someone who is not among us in that moment. Regardless, we the fans unselfishly waited for El to return to us. We understood that momentary journey he needed to take for some of us took our own separate journey, whether on-key or off-key.

As expected, we were not ready for El to really leave us as he wrapped up his set for the night. We wanted more from him even as he kneeled and gave reverence to God, thanking Him. He graciously honored our request for an encore and reminded us to love in a special way as he bid us adieu… and that is why there will never be a better El DeBarge.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

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8/17/16 3:37 PM

Team Halal Guys Takes The Field THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

store would hire 30 employees.)

Since the summer the number has grown, as the store hours will be from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Fridays

and Saturdays and on the other days 11 a.m. to 11 p.m, he said.

Their baby Charlotte, the couple’s third child, is now a

happy liquids-only baby. Halal Guys fare “will be her first solid food,” Jena Yeung said.

As numbered yellow tickets were handed out to waiting customers the first hundred in the line were to eat free the line inched along as employees distributed cups of ice water and T-shirts and other swag.

Yeung said that according to company rules, the chicken must always be fresh, never frozen, and it must be marinated for 12 hours.

Shawn Sherwin, the general manager of the 50 employees, said the chicken comes from New Jersey, where the animals are humanely treated before being slaughtered.

The “halal” is similar, in the manner animals are raised and slaughtered, to the Jewish “kosher” designation in that regard.

If an animal is tense, not relaxed when it is slaughtered, the meat is tough, Sherwin added. Harris had noticed that the chicken on her platter was shredded and soft.

“We’re not fast food. We’re great food served fast,” he said, underlining the motto of New Haven’s Halal Guys, the franchise’s 15th operation worldwide.

Inside the restaurant, sandwiches and platters were being prepared by employees like Brandon Leon, of Bridgeport. He was working the beginning of the line. Behind him another employee moved the chickens along on the grill. The people moved and the chickens moved in

owned firms grew by 23.8 percent to 1.9 million. Women-owned firms grew by 26.8 percent compared to firms owned by men that grew by just 6.8 percent. Since the total number of firms grew by just 2 percent, to 27.6 million, the growth in minority and women-owned firms could define the way that business is being done in our country.

It is possible that the growth in minority and women owned firms could provide opportunities for women and people of color outside the traditional labor market, outside traditional corporate work.

Maybe. But the ugly underside of the growth data is the fact that only 11 percent of minority-owned firms

have employees. In other words, most of these firms are one-person businesses, providing consulting and other services from just one individual. Only 4 percent of African-American-owned firms – just 109,137 of the total 2.6 million businesses — have employees. The growth in new businesses, then, may be the result of people forming businesses when they lost or left jobs, as opposed to people entering business with an entrepreneurial vision that includes hiring and expansion.

Why aren’t more Black entrepreneurs trying to do more? It isn’t for lack of ideas. Not a day goes by when I don’t run into someone with a great, new, business idea. Sure,

some of them are whacky, and some are far-fetched, but many are solid ideas that can’t get off the ground because people need capital to start a business. The biggest challenge that Black entrepreneurs face is access to capital, or the difficulties experienced in attempting to get a bank loan. Some of the reasons have to do with lack of collateral, or with the fact that African Americans experience a wealth gap so large that few can jump through the fiscal hoops that many banks require. Some estimates say that Whites have 12 times more wealth than African Americans and Whites also have an advantage when going to lenders.

African American entrepreneurs,

by ALLAN APPEL

NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT

Erica Harris pronounced the famously mysterious white sauce “sweet with a tang,” the gyro beef “seasoned very well, not crispy, perfect,” and she noticed the chicken was shredded, a mark of freshness, so that it falls apart and is easy to eat.

Hers was the first of many yummy-to-rave reviews of the fare at the Halal Guys, Connecticut’s first and so far only outpost for the New York food truck-turned Mediterranean restaurant phenomenon.

The restaurant, which officially cut a ribbon at 906 Chapel St. right across from the Green, is the 15th establishment in the chain. It opened to the public Friday morning.

Harris was the first in a line of some 200 people aiting patiently for nearly two hours to try the chicken, beef, rice, with either the white or red sauce and, for vegetarians, the falafel. Wearing red shirts advertising their basic platter Connecticut pharmaciststurned-food entrepreneurs Jena and Jack Yeung were joined by economic development officials and a lot of eager and apparently very hungry New Haveners.

That food was served up to them by some 50 franchise employees. (Jack Yeung had said back in June when the Independent interviewed him and a then-pregnant Jena that he estimated the

Team Halal Guys huddles up before the opening.

a kind of, well, culinary line dance.

Jasmine Brown, another Bridgeporter, worked as the cashier at the end of the service counter.

She stood beside the register and a ziggurat of boxes of baklava. It was she who handed Harris her free platter, along with a drink.

“It’s crazy working here, but that’s what makes it fun,” she said.

None of the workers are fulltimers. None receive benefits, although all that is in the cards if additional stores are added to his franchise, Yeung said.

Workers like Brown and Leon receive depending on experience, from $10 to $15 an hour.

About 60 percent are from New Haven, with the balance from the Greater New Haven area.

Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce President Tony Rescigno, who has his offices above the Halal Guys, took issue with those who say such jobs 50 of them are not good ones. “We think these are important jobs.

We think many will be promoted to supervisory positions,” he said.

Wanda Perez ordered the beef gyro sandwich, of which she said she took three bites before bagging it up again. She pronounced it fresh and appealing, and she praised the friendly staff.

She met Jack Yeung on the way out.

“I’ll be seeing you again?” he asked.

“Yes,” Perez responded.

“And I’m a picky eater.”

good ideas notwithstanding, won’t get a loan unless they have assets or collateral to back the loan up.

Yet, it is in the national interest to promote minority entrepreneurship and particularly Black entrepreneurship. Even Republican President Richard Nixon “got it” when he authorized the establishment of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and used the term “economic justice” to talk about the barriers to entrepreneurship that African Americans had experienced.

Though the agency, established in 1968, has been in existence for nearly 50 years, many African Americans find entry barriers as daunting

Why Do Black Businesses Struggle to Grow?

By Julianne Malveaux , NNPA Newswire Columnist

The most recent data on minorityowned firms in the United States was collected in 2012 (and released at the end of 2015). It showed that the number of minority-owned firms rose from 5.8 million in 2007 to 8 million in 2012. Hispanic-owned firms grew the most rapidly – by 46 percent to 3.3 million. African American-owned firms grew by 34.5 percent to 2.6 million. Asian-

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Con’t on page 20

THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016 Con’t from page 10

Aims Higher

dards high. Fontan knows her team needs to focus on science and math interventions for students, with science literacy just as important as reading. She said teachers are ready to double down.

The turnaround status of the school required teachers to show up at 8 a.m., an hour before the start of the school day, to collaborate on school planning. Though it’s no longer required, that has continued.

One challenge for the year will be stabilizing school culture. Last year, out-of-school suspension rates “peaked a little,” Fontan said, though they had been previously declining. She’s not sure exactly why. Some of the students getting in trouble were repeat offenders, she said. Some were new to the school, and new to seventh and eighth grade, succumbing easily to peer pressure. “We had a lot of new kids last year,” she said. “That impacted our numbers.” The school had 96 out-of-school suspensions this past academic year, up from 84 in 2014-15 and 71 in 2013-14.

She’s keeping an eye on those numbers. If they keep rising, that’s a problem. “It always helps to get the parents here on our side,” she said.

Sometimes “parents don’t understand” why their kids are in trouble, or they need help themselves working through tough situations, she said.

This year, many teachers will get training in restorative justice, which focuses on bringing offenders into the community, instead of immediately punishing them.

Already, teachers start the class day with “restorative circles,” where students share opinions and ideas before starting to learn.

Fontan is not sure whether Hill Central can continue to afford the before- and after-school programs offered last year at 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. every day. The before-school program focused on math skills, while the after-school program was specifically an ELL academy, targeting students in lower grades who needed to develop skills, she said.

Whether or not it happens this year depends on funding. If Hill Central gets Title I funds or money for an extended day program, the after-school program might be able to continue.

Fontan hopes she can substitute any funding gap with support from community organizations. “Most who came last year were ELLs,” she said. “ELLs need more time” in the classroom.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

The NNPA Launches Historic Black Voter Turnout Project for 2016 Election

By Benjamin Chavis, President and CEO of the NNPA The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) proudly asserts that, “We are the authentic voice of Black America.” We must use that voice as an urgent clarion call for a massive, historic and unprecedented Black American voter turnout on November 8, 2016 across the nation.

Today, the NNPA is launching “Project Black Voter Turnout 2016: 20 Million Black Voters to the Polls.” We’re calling on our entire NNPA membership, comprised of more than 211 Blackowned media companies operating in the United States, to issue front-page news coverage and motivational editorials and to present

banner ads on their publication websites, to promote effective Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) campaigns in the Black community.

It is an undisputed fact that a record number of Black Americans (16,133,000) voted in 2008 and helped Barack H. Obama to become the first Black President of the United States. Then, in 2012, Black Americans broke their 2008 record for voter turnout, casting 17,813,000 votes. In 2012, for the first time in American history, Black voter turnout (66.2 percent) at the national level surpassed White voter turnout (64.1 percent).

The United States of America is once again at a pivotal and crucial political crossroads. The outcome of the November 8th national elections will determine the future of the nation and of the world.

This is a propitious moment, not only for 47 million Black Americans, but this is also the time for all Americans to decide whether or not American democracy will

finally fully embrace the goals of freedom, justice, equality and empowerment for all people.

Don’t let anybody attempt to suggest that your vote doesn’t count. Every vote counts. For some strange reason, there are several national pundits that are once again predicting a low voter turnout

by Black America. These external pollsters and political observers really don’t know Black America.

This is one of the reasons why the NNPA and other Black-owned media companies are so strategically important. The NNPA not only knows the facts about Black America, the NNPA also reports and defends the interests of Black America without apology or compromise of principle and integrity.

For nearly 190 years, the Black Press in America has been and continues to be the “trusted voice” of Black America. No political party should take the Black vote for granted. Our votes have mattered and our votes will continue

16

to matter. We will make the critical difference in the outcome of the upcoming national elections.

We have both a sacred obligation and a historic responsibility to ensure that we will have the largest Black American voter turnout in history. Why? Because the overall quality of life of our families and communities is at stake.

Our energy, actions, and spirits must remain high and we have to fully engage the electoral process locally, regionally and nationally.

The NNPA’s “Project Black Voter Turnout 2016: 20 Million Black Voters to the Polls” will work in coalition with other national organizations including: The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, NAACP, Rainbow Push, National Action Network, National Urban League, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Black Lives Matter, National Baptist Convention, Progressive National Baptist Convention, African Methodist Epis-

copal Church, AME Zion Church, Church of the God in Christ, United Church of Christ, and the National Council of Churches.

“Project Black Voter Turnout 2016” will engage the Black community and all voters in print, online and through social media.

Please join our efforts by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @BlackPressUSA, @NNPA_BlackPress, @ NCBCP and @NAACP and using the hashtags #BlackPressMatters and #BlackVotesMatter.

Our time is now. Let’s all work together. Let’s get out the vote!

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. is the President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and can be reached for national advertisement sales and partnership proposals at dr.bchavis@ nnpa.org and for lectures and other professional consultations at: http://drbenjaminfchavisjr.wix. com/drbfc. You can follow Dr. Chavis on Twitter @drbenchavis.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

New Report: People of Color With and Without Disabilities Absent from Film

Only 2.4 percent of all speaking or named characters in film were shown to have a disability in 2015 and none of the leading character were from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups, according to a new report by The Media, Diversity, & Social Change (MDSC) Initiative at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, Inequality in 800 Popular Films.

This statistic is not representative of the number of Americans with a disability, which is one-infive, or 20 percent. Furthermore, as the report points out, “the portrayal of characters with disability is out of line with population norms in the U.S.” in terms of representation of other demographics – gender, race/ethnicity and LGBT status.

“Depictions of disability are not only marginalized,” the report says, “they also obscure the true diversity of this community.”

Researchers led by Dr. Stacy L. Smith examined 800 top films from 2007 to 2015 (excluding 2011) and the 35,205 characters in them – noting their gender, race/ethnicity, LGBT status and disability status. This is the first time that an MDSC report included an examination of the presence of disability.

Of the top-grossing 100 films of 2015, 45 films failed to depict a character with a disability. Ten of the films featured a leading or co-leading character with a disability, of which four had PTSD. Only three were women. None were from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups. The majority of the characters with a disability were supporting (54.3 percent) or “inconsequential roles (32.4 percent).”

Also in 2015, a full 17 percent of films did not feature one Black or African American speaking or named character on screen. Just 12.2 percent of characters were Black, compared to 73.7 percent who were white. There was no change in the percentage of either race/ethnicity from 2007 to 2015. Only 14 of the movies depicted an underrepresented lead or co-lead. Nine of the leads/coleads were Black, one Latino and four were mixed race. Only three female leads/co leads were played by female actors from an underrepresented racial/ethnic group, the exact same number in 2014.

“The norm in Hollywood is clearly exclusion, as storytelling

simply fails to include a variety of racial/ethnic groups on screen,” the report concludes. “Given that 45 percent of movie ticket buyers and 38.4 percent of the U.S. population is comprised of individuals from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, films do not reflect the demography of this country or the film audience.”

The numbers are worse when looking at the two demographics together. Fully 71.1 percent of the characters with a disability were white. Just 28.3 percent were from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups – and none of these characters were in leading roles.

A new television show, the Emmy-nominated Born This Way, is bucking this trend with a leading cast member who is both African American and an individual with a disability. The show documents real life as John continues to pursue his dream of becoming a rap artist and entertainer, but has a lot of life skills to master before he is ready to live on his own.

Starring a cast of seven people with Down syndrome, Born This Way is the first-ever series starring a cast with disabilities that has been nominated for three Emmy awards.

Born This Way, which airs every Tuesday night at 10/9c on A&E, also is unique in showcasing peo-

ple with a developmental disability.

According to the MDSC report, the majority of characters depicted with a disability in film had a physical disability (61 percent). Thirty-seven percent were depicted with a mental or cognitive disability and 18 percent had a communicative disability.

The depiction of characters with disabilities lacked a gender balance. Of the 2.4 percent, characters with disabilities were predominantly male. Just 19 percent of characters with disabilities were female. In the 100 top films of 2015, none of the characters depicted with a disability were LGBTQ.

“This is a new low for gender inequality,” said Dr. Stacy L. Smith, founding director of the MDSC Initiative. “The small number of portrayals of disability is concerning, as is the fact that they do not depict the diversity within this community.”

“Disability is the largest minority group in America and is the only minority group that people can join at any time due to accident, illness or aging,” RespectAbility President Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi said. “The disability community includes people of all genders, races, ethnicities, LGBTQ status and economic status, and should be represented in film as such.”

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Steven Tingus, former Presidential appointee in charge of disability research and policy, and now advisor on disability inclusion in Hollywood, pointed to another issue – the lack of both actors and producers/directors with disabilities.

“People with disabilities account for nearly $3 billion in annual disposable income, a huge market group for advertisers that support both film and TV projects. We must make the business case for disability inclusion in the studio boardroom. There are only a select few producers and creators who truly understand this and who want to create opportunities for disabled actors to play the role of a person with a disability. But, the vast majority of those roles still go to able-bodied actors.”

The report points to the lack of diversity among those behind the camera as one issue when it comes to the lack of diverse characters, which it says must change.

“In line with the findings on leading characters from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups and those identified as LGBT, characters with disabilities are not at the center of the action. This exclusion of different groups homogenizes the stories that are told and who can participate. It also discounts the experiences and perspectives

of individuals living with disability who identify with other underrepresented groups. Ultimately, film ensures that a very narrow slice of the community is all that viewers see.”

The inclusion of characters with a disability is a welcomed change from previous MDSC reports. When the Comprehensive Annenberg Report on Diversity in Entertainment excluded people with disabilities in February, activists joined together to protest disability discrimination.

“We are glad to have been included in the most recent report and are troubled by the research’s results,” Mizrahi added. “But we’re optimistic about the future trends as entertainment in general is making a huge shift in terms of how people with disabilities are portrayed.”

In addition to Born This Way, ABC’s new show Speechless will premiere later this month. This show revolves around the life of a student (Micah Fowler) with cerebral palsy and his family. Writer Scott Silveri, whose brother has cerebral palsy, inspired the show. “[Silveri] wanted to show the humor in all the relatable situations his family faced,” Fowler, who himself has cerebral palsy, said. “I live this every day, so if something doesn’t feel genuine or real, then I feel comfortable speaking up. I am so grateful that our creative team is so responsive to input the cast has.”

The fact that the character with cerebral palsy is played by an actor with cerebral palsy is important to celebrate. As the Ruderman White Paper on Disability in Television reveals, more than 95 percent of characters with disabilities are played by able-bodied actors on television.

The Paralympics began last night.

They show the remarkable physical achievements of serious worldclass athletes with disabilities. This summer’s Paralympics will feature more than 4,300 athletes competing in 22 sports, making this year’s Games the largest to date.

“We have a long way to go in how film and television show people with disabilities,” Mizrahi said.

“For almost five decades, the Jerry Lewis telethon stigmatized people with disabilities by showing what people with disabilities CAN’T do. Now is the time to show what people with disabilities CAN do.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

Stolen Black Lives…At The Hands Of Our Own

by James C. Wadley, Ph.D, BlackDoctor.org

Nykea Aldridge, who was caught in crossfire pushing her baby in a stroller on the sidewalk in Chicago, is only one of the latest horrific tragedies of another Black body needlessly stolen. The tragedy became a national high profile murder, as she happened to be the cousin of NBA player, Dwyane Wade. Condolences are offered to Ms. Aldridge’s family and all Black families who have lost a loved one to random or intentional gun violence.

Black people have been killing other Black folks for over three hundred years. Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Dallas, New York, Cincinnati, Detroit, and every other major city in the United States has Black citizens that involve themselves in heinous crimes including homicide. This phenomenon is sad but it is nothing new.

How many Black people have to be killed before we realize that something has to change and collectively initiate something different? One person getting killed is too many. Whether it is murdering each other or law enforcement violence, at what point do we say, “Stop it”?

Sure, this statement is an oversimplification of a complex issue that involves systemic oppression, racism, self-hate, unemployment, miseducation, mass incarceration, low socioeconomic status, drug trafficking and usage, money, low self-esteem and self-worth, gangs, mental health issues, history of slavery and modern day servitude, colorism, neglectful parenting, etc., but is murder the only option when circumstances don’t fall within our favor or our expectations are not met?

Who is to blame for the lives lost, and the lives that will be lost if none or only a few of us do anything different than what we did yesterday (when lives were lost)?

In an informal discussion I had the other day, a colleague of mine mentioned how tired she was of hearing about the same heartbreaking stories that involve slain Black lives. I agreed, shook my head, and responded that we (Black folks) have been in this de-

Diann Aldridge, center, the mother of Nykea Aldridge, holds her grandchildren/Photo: Joshua Lott/Getty Images structive cycle ever since I can remember. For many Black families, violence is normal and expected.

While most of us have been lucky or blessed to maneuver around or escape catastrophic events, we have family members, friends, or know of someone who has been directly affected by arbitrary acts of viciousness. Sadly, we have a very familiar and peculiar relationship with aggression that leads to death.

It seemed that at one point in our history, we were more likely to agree to disagree with one another and be okay with it. Sure, there was crime here and there but it wasn’t at the same rate as it is today. What happened to us talking things out, compromise, decency, or even humility?

Well, upon reflection, I just remembered some of the messages I got growing up regarding how compromise or walking away is not an option (that still happens today for many youth). Here are some of the items that I learned as an adolescent and young adult: 1. “You can’t be a real man if you show humility or weakness at any moment of time.”

2 “Never allow anyone to disrespect you.”

3. “Don’t be anybody’s punk.”

4 “Snitches get stitches.”

5. “Don’t talk to anyone when something is wrong.”

6. “Man up and don’t act like a bitch.”

7. “Take care of you and yours at all

costs.”

8. “You better come strapped.”

9. “Don’t make me pop my trunk.”

10. “Better him to go [die] than me.”

This skewed sense of reality of how Black folks should adjust socially when there is real or perceived threats is problematic because it creates and maintains a sense

19

of vigilance and feelings of survival. This form of hypermasculinity keeps us overly sensitive to any slights and prevents us from having compassion or empathy to one another because we are too damn afraid to say, “I’m angry,” “My feelings are hurt,” or “I want something better for my family.” Some of us internalize everything.

Others of us cognitively reframe nothing to become something, and something to become everything, that can only be released by the removal of someone who probably had no meaningful influence in our lives. We need to stop. We need to engage differently in our communities. We need to think about the impact of how we seemingly enable violent behavior by doing nothing. With all of the Black lives being stolen from us, when will we do something different than what we did yesterday?

Dr. James WadleyDr. James Wadley is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Counseling and Human Services Program at Lincoln University. He’s a licensed professional counselor and marriage, family, and sexuality therapist in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He is also the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Black Sexuality and Relationships and hosts the Black Families, Black Relationships, Black Sexuality Conference.

His website is www.drjameswadley.com and you can follow him on Twitter @phdjamesw

THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016 Con’t from page 14

Why Do Black Businesses Struggle to Grow?

as they were when the agency was established. Why? Many, thinking that we live in a “post-racial” era have reverted to old patterns of giving opportunities and contracts to their friends, instead of tapping a diverse pool of businesses that can deliver. Others say they can’t deal with those tiny companies that have no employees and just one principal scrambling to do all the work. Small minority businesses do themselves no favors, when they can’t manage the scope and scale of work that some larger employers require.

For all the barriers and challenges of scale, minority businesses are important, because they are more likely to hire minority workers, those affected by the persistent unemployment rate gap. Minority businesses, when they have employees, are also more likely to hire and advance women in executive positions. Entrepreneurship matters because it expands the realm of possibility for people of color, allows people to participate fully in the economic realm, and provides people with the opportunity to earn profits and to share those profits with family and community.

In order to fully encourage minority business, Fortune 500 companies must commit to supplier diversity and set numerical procurement goals. Federal, state and local governments, must also ensure that there is full minority participation in the contracts they award. Those

20

who work with minority firms must provide incentives for firms to do joint venture activities or to merge so that they can deal with issues of scale. Further, while many minority businesses crave independence, the acceptance of outside investors to facilitate growth. Finally, banks must “do the right thing” and provide more capital to minority businesses than they currently do.

But minority businesses must also understand that economic development can’t happen without economic justice. Minority businesses must provide jobs that pay living wages to the workers that they hire. It makes no sense for the Black community to advocate for Black business, if Black businesses will not pay a living wage with reasonable benefits.

Minority entrepreneurship matters. It matters most when it is both profitable and community-transforming. During this presidential election year, candidates need to be challenged to talk about minority business participation. Do they subscribe, as Richard Nixon did, to the principle of “economic justice.” How does that manifest in their campaign spending?

Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist. Her latest book “Are We Better Off? Race, Obama and Public Policy.” is available via http://www.amazon.com. For booking and wholesale inquires visit www.juliannemalveaux.com.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

Meet the Five Grand Opening Sponsors of the New Black History Museum

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Contributor Bank of America, Kaiser Permanente, Prudential Financial Inc., Target and Toyota have each provided $2 million in sponsorships to support the grand opening and inaugural events for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Each company is a founding donor of the museum and their sponsorship not only includes support for the grand opening, but officials said it would also provide assistance for other needs that the museum may encounter.

“These corporations have been longstanding, essential partners in the campaign to build this museum,” Lonnie G. Bunch III, the founding director of the museum, said in a statement. “Now, their support as sponsors will enable the museum to host a public celebration that reflects the historic significance of this event: the opening of the first national museum dedicated to the African American experience.”

Bank of America’s $2 million sponsorship is far from the company’s only gift to the museum.

Previously, the bank announced the donation of historic images from its corporate art collection to the museum that featured 61 black-and-white photographs by Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe that also includes Daufuskie Island, a unique national landmark off the South Carolina coast inhabited by a community whose distinctive language and culture is strongly influenced by its African heritage.

In addition to the portfolio of images, Bank of America contributed $1 million to the museum’s capital campaign after making a $1 million grant during the early stages of the museum’s establishment.

The original gift supported construction and the museum’s “Save Our African American Treasures,” a traveling program that teaches people to identify and care for the historically significant items they own, according to a press release.

“The National Museum of African American History and Culture will bring to life an essential part of America’s heritage,” said Brian Moynihan, the CEO of Bank of America. “We’re

Lonnie G. Bunch III, the founding director of the museum said that the five grand opening sponsors have been longstanding, essential partners in the campaign to build the National Museum of African American History and Culture. (Freddie Allen/AMG/NNPA)

proud to contribute to that heritage so that others can experience the inspiration of this culture.”

Moynihan, who also serves as a member of the museum’s council, said that the bank is committed to creating awareness and support for the museum and is not only proud to help preserve and honor African-American history and culture, but is also proud to be a founding member and grand opening sponsor.

Angie Thompson, a spokeswoman for the Minneapolisbased Target, said the company is proud to have supported the museum since its inception and through the grand opening.

“We are a founding donor of the museum and we’re thrilled to be a grand opening sponsor of the museum,” Thompson said. “In addition, Brian Cornell, Target’s chief executive officer, serves on the advisory board of the museum and we’ve participated in the museum’s advisory council since 2010.”

Thompson continued: “At Target, inclusivity is one of our core beliefs and we are committed to helping foster diversity among our teams and communities. As part of this commitment, we are honored to support the mission of the museum to tell the story of

African-American history and culture, as a lens for understanding what it means to be American.”

Since 1946, Target – which serves guests at 1,797 stores and online at Target.com – has given 5 percent of its profits to communities, which today equals more than $4 million each week, officials said. The company has also provided early support for the museum’s capital campaign in the amount of $5 million.

Prudential Financial, a financial services leader with operations in the United States, Asia, Europe and Latin America, also has committed $2 million and is among the grand opening sponsors of the museum. The company, which boasts a diverse workforce with employees who are committed to helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth through a variety of products and services, also donated $1 million in support of the museum’s capital campaign.

“Prudential has focused its commitment to the museum around being a founding donor and one of five corporate sponsors during the grand opening weekend,” said Alicia R. Alston, vice president for global communications for Prudential. “As

21

part of Prudential’s support, the company will have sole naming rights to the museum’s The Hub ‘Power of Place’ exhibition which explores the idea of place and region as a crucial component of the African-American community.”

As part of its partnership with the museum, Prudential will continue important dialogue through the “Clement Alexander Price Lecture Series,” which will run through Dec. 2018 and highlight Price’s appreciation of African-American history, culture and art and his commitment to the museum and love of people of his hometown, Alston said.

“Prudential has continued to seek opportunities to address the challenges facing the AfricanAmerican community,” she said.

“Since 2011, Prudential has published three editions of the African American Financial Experience report, which takes an in-depth look at the challenges facing this community when it comes to achieving financial security.”

Noted as one of the country’s leading health-care providers and not-for-profit health plans, Kaiser Permanente also counts among the five grand opening sponsors. Officials said the company, which also donated $5 million to

the museum’s capital campaign, is committed to providing highquality, affordable health-care services and to improving the health of its 10 million members and the communities it serves.

Toyota, a top automaker has built more than 30 million cars and trucks in North America over the past 50 years and the company operates 14 manufacturing plants and employs more than 44,000 workers on the continent.

Toyota has provided $1 million to the museum’s capital campaign and the company’s $2 million grand opening sponsorship recognizes the corporation’s and the museum’s parallel commitments to education and conservation.

The Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture officially opens on Sept. 24 with President Barack Obama and other dignitaries scheduled to be on hand to dedicate the museum at an outdoor ceremony at 9 a.m.

The public is invited to gather on the Washington Monument grounds across the street from the museum to witness the ceremony on Jumbotrons. They’ll also be able to take in a three-day festival.

Congressional legislation signed

by President George W. Bush in 2003 established the NMAAHC, the 19th Smithsonian museum.

Groundbreaking occurred in 2012 and the museum occupies a prime location in the nation’s capital on the National Mall at the corner of Constitution Avenue at 14th Street, a short distance from the Washington Monument.

The nearly 400,000-squarefoot museum will be the nation’s largest and most comprehensive cultural destination devoted exclusively to exploring, documenting and showcasing the African American experience.

“African-American history did not stop with President Barack Obama’s election, and so we won’t stop either,” Bunch said in a televised interview this week. “There will be plenty for us to talk about in the future, and we’re looking forward to helping Americans understand the contributions of African-Americans to the rich tapestry of our culture.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

State Of Sickle Cell Disease 2016 Report: “This Status Quo Is Unacceptable”

by Team BlackDoctor.org

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited, lifelong chronic disorder affecting nearly 100,000 Americans and a growing global health problem that will touch nearly 30 percent more people globally in the next three decades. Though new approaches to managing SCD have led to improvements in diagnosis and supportive care, people living with the disease still have severe complications to overcome.

Many are unable to access quality care and are limited by a lack of effective treatment options.

In an effort to identify unmet medical needs for people with SCD, the American Society of Hematology (ASH), along with other groups, issued the State of Sickle Cell Disease: 2016 Report, evaluating the disease in four priority areas — access to care, training and professional education, research and clinical trials, and global health. The report shows that significant improvements are needed across all areas and that, though patients are living longer, the system of care needs to change to ensure a better quality of life. To address these challenges, ASH launched the Sickle Cell Disease Coalition along with more than 20 other organizations who are issuing a call to action that will amplify the voice of the SCD community, promote SCD awareness, and transform SCD care both in the United States and around the globe.

“Not only are individuals with SCD burdened by the pain and disability that comes with a chronic condition, but they also have very few accessible treatment options due to our fragmented health care system,” said ASH President Charles S. Abrams, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania.

“This status quo is unacceptable, and we are setting out to change it. ASH is proud to make a difference for people battling this disease worldwide by

teaming up with partners from around the globe to launch the Sickle Cell Disease Coalition.”

ASH will host a press conference today in Washington, D.C., to discuss the findings of the report and issue the Coalition’s global call to action on SCD. These efforts are supported by leading patient advocacy groups, people with SCD and their families, researchers, clinicians, policymakers, industry stakeholders, and foundations. Together, these groups are pledging their collective efforts to improve care, early diagnosis, treatment, and research.

ASH and its partners have identified several ways to help address the priority areas in the report. These include: Access to care: Developing evidence-based guidelines and coordinated health care delivery models to ensure that individuals with SCD can access quality care regardless of age, location, and socioeconomic status.

Training and Education: Increasing the number of providers who are able to care for those with SCD by educating established clinicians to treat symptoms and complications while encouraging medical trainees

to pursue careers in SCD care.

Research and clinical trials: Investing in strategies to expand use of existing treatments, developing novel therapies, and strengthening curative options while accelerating their discovery.

Global issues: Expanding newborn screening and early intervention programs, increasing SCD awareness and education, and improving access to quality care in developing regions.

In addition to these priorities, ASH has not only committed to developing and implementing up-to-date guidelines describing the management of acute and chronic complications of SCD, but to also educate health care providers in all settings to recognize and properly respond to SCD symptoms in their everyday practices. Targeted professionals include hematologists, primary care providers, and hospitalists. The Society is also working closely with The Emergency Department Sickle Cell Care Coalition to support their efforts to improve emergency care of individuals with SCD. ASH is also exploring the development of a consortium of African countries to institute a 22

population-based registry study for newborn screening and early intervention. In addition, the Society will continue to encourage SCD research through advocacy and has developedresearch priorities in SCD and sickle cell trait to encourage the study of unaddressed questions that could make a huge impact on the field. ASH continues to work with Congress and federal agencies to enhance and expand federal sickle cell disease programs.

“There are many unique challenges that people with SCD face. For example, the transition from pediatric to adult care can be especially difficult, and many people struggle to find health care providers with comprehensive knowledge and expertise to provide proper care, especially in rural communities,” said ASH Vice President Alexis Thompson, MD, MPH, of the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. “Given recent advances in research and treatment, there is enormous opportunity to transform the way we care for people suffering from SCD and conquer this disease.”

The Coalition will provide a platform to encourage stake-

holders to work together to develop and implement important projects and activities that will ultimately help the SCD community and improve outcomes for individuals with the disease.

About the American Society of Hematology (ASH) The American Society of Hematology (ASH) (www.hematology.org) is the world’s largest professional society of hematologists dedicated to furthering the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting the blood. For more than 50 years, the Society has led the development of hematology as a discipline by promoting research, patient care, education, training, and advocacy in hematology. The official journal of ASH is Blood(www. bloodjournal.org), the most cited peer-reviewed publication in the field, which is available weekly in print and online.

About the Sickle Cell Disease Coalition The mission of the Sickle Cell Disease Coalition (SCDC) (www.scdcoalition.org) is to help amplify the voice of the SCD community, promote awareness, and improve outcomes for individuals with SCD. The Coalition is focused on promoting research, clinical care, education, training, and advocacy while providing a platform to encourage stakeholders to work together to develop and implement important projects and activities that will ultimately help the SCD community and improve outcomes for individuals with the disease. The Coalition is comprised of leading patient advocacy groups, people with SCD and their families, researchers, clinicians, policymakers, industry stakeholders, and foundations with an interest in SCD. Contact Stephen Fitzmaurice, American Society of Hematologysfitzmaurice@hematology.org; 202-5524927

THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

Fusco Corporation is seeking a Project Manager for Construction Projects in the $ 15M to $100 M range.

DUTIES AND RESPONSBILITIES • Develops, monitors, and maintains Progress and Cash Flow Schedules for the project.

• Reviews invoices and approves payment to all subcontractors and vendors required for the project.

• Maintains proper contractual relations with owners, subcontractors and vendors, interpreting contracts, plans and specifications.

• Keeps a complete current record of work performed under the contract, and maintains the Cost Reports in conformance with the requirements of the corporation’s established cost system..

• Reviews and drafts monthly requisitions for final processing by the Owner. Monitors the payment requirements of the contract.

• Accumulates data and prepares statements covering extra work for the owner’s account; subcontractor and vendor claims, back charges and any data required by the Manager of Construction Administration.

• Reviews required procedures and develops systems necessary to close out all projects for which he/she may be responsible.

Administers processing of guarantees, warrantees, releases, maintenance and procedures manuals.

Insures collection of final payment from owner and proper final payment to all subcontractors and vendors.

• Produces customized Monthly Owners Progress Report

• Assists in Pre-construction Services, attend meetings, produce constructability and plan completion reports...

• Participates in formal presentations and interviews on qualification based project selection teams.

QUALIFICATIONS

Housing Authority of the City of New Haven Invitation for Bids Key and Lock Service The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities is currently seeking Bids for Key and Lock Service. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Monday, September 12, 2016 @ 9:00 AM.

Information Technology Administrative Application Technologist. The Town of Wallingford Public Schools is seeking a highly skilled individual to provide technical assistance in managing its organizational data system needs. The position requires 4 years information technology experience in a K-12 school environment which includes 2 years experience with Microsoft Office, PowerSchool, Crystal Reports, or similar reporting software. Must have own transportation to travel between schools in the district. Wages: $29.87 hourly plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Apply to: Personnel Department, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Fax #: (203) 294-2084. Closing date will be September 30, 2016. EOE.

Security 30 hrs. per week/10 months per year Security Guard- Seeking qualified individuals to perform a variety of duties associated with monitoring access to the building or assigned station, implementing security protocols as provided by district and building level administrative staff. Requires graduation from high school, plus a minimum of one year experience working with the public. One year security experience preferred. Individual considered for the positions will be required to be fingerprinted and undergo background checks. Hourly Rate: $13.99 - $14.21. Hours: 3:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. plus benefit package. Apply to: Personnel Department, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Fax #: (203) 294-2084. Closing date will be September 21, 2016, or the date the 50th application is received, whichever occurs first. EOE.

• BS degree in Engineering or Construction Management would be helpful.

• Well rounded computer skills Fusco Corporation offers a competitive benefit package including medical, dental and 401k. Fusco is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

Resumes should be sent to openjobs.group@fusco.com. Phone calls will not be accepted.

Maintainer II Must have 2 yrs. exp. as laborer in field of construction work involving the operation and care of mechanical equipment or 2 yrs. in a skilled trade and 1 yr. exp. in construction operations or and equiv combination of experience and training. A valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Class B and a clean driving record. Pay rate: $21.33 to $25.00 hourly plus an excellent fringe benefit package. Apply Personnel Department, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. The closing date will be that date the 50th application form/resume is received, or August 17, 2016, whichever occurs first. Candidates without a valid CDL should not apply. A copy of your license will be

City of Norwich Fire Department

FIREFIGHTER

Salary: $49,296 - $62,901 Visit www.norwichct.org/hr to apply and for more information. AA/EEO.

CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:30-3:30 Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. (203) 996-4517 Host, General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitt hapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster St. New Haven, CT

C

FENCE ERECTING CONTRACTORS

Large CT Fence & Guardrail Contractor is looking for Fence Installer foreman and helpers. Foreman must have at least 5 years’ experience. Helpers-no experience required, will train the right person. Work available 10-12 months per year. Valid Ct. Driver’s license required and must be able to get a DOT Medical Card. All necessary equipment provided. Medical, vacation & other benefits included.

Must be able to pass a physical and drug test. Foreman rates from $22 to $28/hour plus benefits, helper rates from $18/hour plus benefits. OSHA 10 training is a plus. Please email resume to rhauer@atlasoutdoor.com AA/EOE

Portland Youth Services – Junior Staff

Town of Portland, CT (EOE) Junior Staff: High School Youth (age 15 to 18) part-time from August 31, 2016 to June 2017, Monday thru Friday 3:00 to 6:00 PM; Counselor I, $9.60 per hour. Individual schedule determined by need and availability. Based at Brownstone Intermediate School, the Kids Blast After School Program is a very structured team program. Working, interacting and supervising children ages 5 to 12. Help with homework by staff is required. Other creative activities are also planned. Previous experience working with children preferred.

Send Seasonal Recreation Employment Application to: First Selectwoman’s Office P.O. Box 71 Portland, CT 06480-0071 Deadline: August 29, 2016 or until filled

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

Senior Construction Estimator for Fusco Corporation, NEW HAVEN, CT Provide cost estimating on a variety of project types including mixed use, commercial and tenant fit-out and education sectors.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

Class A CDL Driver with 3 years min. exp. HAZMAT Endorsed.

(Tractor/Triaxle/Roll-off)

Some overnights may be required. FAX resumes to RED Technologies, at 860.342-1042; Email: mandrade@redtechllc.com Mail or in person: 173 Pickering Street, Portland, CT 06480. RED Technologies, LLC is An EOE.

TOWN OF EAST HAVEN ASSISTANT TOWN CLERK

The Town of East Haven seeks qualified candidates to serve in the position of Assistant Town Clerk. The Assistant Town Clerk works under the direction of the Town Clerk and upon the absences of the Town Clerk, serves as such. The duties require knowledge of the laws, ordinances and charter provisions governing the duties of the Town Clerk and Registrar of Vital Statistics; some knowledge of legal instruments used in connection with the ownership and transfer of property; and strong computer skills. The Assistant Town Clerk also directly oversees and coordinates the operations of the offices as well as the employees in the office of the Town Clerk. Qualified candidates should possess a High School Diploma and one year of Business School or the equivalent and 4 years of experience in a responsible administrative position.

Experience in the Town Clerk’s Office is preferred. The salary range for this position is $47,848-53,181/ year, 35 hours per week and the Town offers an excellent benefit package. Please send resume with references to: Frank Gentilesco, Jr., Assistant Director of Administration & Management, Town Hall-250 Main Street, East Haven, CT 06512 or email to eh.gentilesco@att.net . Deadline September 23, 2016. The Town of East Haven is committed to building a work force of diverse individuals. Minorities, females, handicapped and veterans are encouraged to apply. The Town of East Haven is an equal opportunity employer.

Town of Bloomfield Town Assessor - Reposted $77,881 - $120,209

For details and how to apply, go to www.bloomfieldct.org. Pre-employment drug testing.

AA/EOE

Elm City Communities

Invitation for Bids Matthew Ruoppolo Manor Electric Generator Replacement DC-16-IFB-0003(C) Elm City Communities also known as The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven (HANH) is currently seeking Bids for Matthew Ruoppolo Manor Electric Generator Replacement. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 at 9:00 AM.

Elm City Communities Request for Proposals Housing Authority Independent Auditors Housing Authority City of New Haven d/b/a Elm city Communities is currently seeking Proposals for Independent Auditors. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 at 9:00AM

• Be able to work with minimal supervision to prepare estimates and bids for General Contracting / Construction Management, both new construction and renovation.

• Design-Build, Hard Bids and CM-R estimating will be the main focus of this person’s estimating role.

• Take a project from schematic design through CD stage working with Owner and design professionals.

• Present budgets and estimates to management and Owners.

• Assist with the development of the project schedule.

• Participate in design review meetings with Owners and Design Professionals.

• Ability to perform constructability reviews in conjunction with the project manager.

• Ability to incorporate new estimating systems and software as they are made available.

SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Presentation experience and ability to participate in proposal interviews with Owners.

• Working knowledge of structural and architectural building systems including a general knowledge of all trades.

• Experience in participating as member of a project based estimating team.

• Working knowledge of various software systems such as iSqft, on-screen take-off, MC2 or Timberline, Excel and Microsoft Office applications.

• Possess the analytical skills necessary to compare various building systems and configurations

MINIMUM YEARS OF EXPERIENCE:

12 + years of estimating experience working for a general contractor or construction manager.

Prior field experience a plus.

Prior experience in Design-Build a plus.

EDUCATION: BA/BS degree in related field REPORTS TO: Chief Estimator CONTACT INFORMATION: Interested candidates please email cover letter and resume to openjobs.group@fusco.com.

Candidates will be asked to provide references.

Competitive benefits include medical, dental, life and 401(k). Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

Phone calls will not be accepted.

DISPATCHER The Town of Wallingford is seeking responsible candidates to perform 911, police, fire and EMS emergency dispatching duties. Must be able to work under stressful conditions and be able to type information with a high rate of speed and accuracy. Must be able to work all three shifts including weekends and holidays and be able to work additional shifts beyond the regular shift schedule. Requires a H.S. or business school diploma with courses in typing and 2 years of responsible office work experience. $ 21.32 ~ $ 25.43 hourly plus shift differential and excellent fringe benefits. Closing date is September 14, 2016 or the date of receipt of the 50th application, whichever occurs first. Apply: Personnel Department, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main St., Wallingford, CT 06492. EOE. 24

THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

The Zoo just got a little cooler!

2016 SPECIAL FEATURE AFRICAN PENGUINS ICNEWS516

50% OFF BEARDSLEY ZOO

CHILD ADMISSION (ages 3-11)

with purchase of adult ticket and this coupon.

Limit 1 free ticket per household. May not be combined with other offers. EXPIRES: 12/31/16

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

Toddler Special Mon-Thurs 10-12 • 1 Parent 1 Toddler • Only $15 1 hr $20 2 hr

$60

off

frequent jumper

10 1-hour jump/play passes reg. $150 now $90 Complete coupon must be presented at time of purchase.

One coupon per person. These coupons are only valid in park, in person, and not valid for online purchases.

Cannot be combined with any other offers. Exp: 9/30/16

FREE

buy 1 hour, get second hour free buy 1 hour and jump/play for two hours Mon-Thurs only. Not to be combined with any other offer or promotion. Not valid online. Does not include required jump socks. Exp: 9/30/16

$20

HOURS: 10AM TO 10PM • 7 DAYS A WEEK

off

any Birthday Party booked Monday - Friday Coupon MUST be mentioned when booking. Coupon must be redeemed at time of party to receive discount.

Exp: 9/30/16

203-989-3357 • jumpoffct.com 27

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS September 14, 2016 - September 20, 2016

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