THE INNER-CITY NEWS

Volume 32. No. 1644

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Alders Approve Borrowing $27M For Wrongful-Conviction Settlements by Brandon Cortes

The New Haven independent

The Board of Alders on Monday night approved a plan to borrow up to $27 million to pay the city’s share of settlements with Vernon Horn and Marquis Jackson, two men who spent nearly two decades in prison each for a murder they did not commit. Alders voted 25-0, with one abstention, to authorize the issuance of those general obligation bonds during their latest meeting in the Aldermanic Chamber at City Hall. No one spoke against the measure. Including interest, the borrowing is expected to cost the city about $40.5 million over 20 years, according to an estimated amortization schedule included in the city’s initial proposal — roughly $13.5 million in interest on top of the $27 million principal. The city’s Bond Sale Committee must still sign off on the final terms, including the interest rate. “Committee members agreed that the city had a legal and moral obligation to meet its commitments to these settlement agreements,” Westville Alder Adam Marchand, who chairs the Board of Alders Finance Committee, told colleagues before the vote. “Committee members also agreed with city staff that issuing bonds was the most appropriate method for doing so at this time.” Monday’s vote took place less than two months after the Elicker administration agreed to pay Horn and Jackson $15.25 million each, $30.5 million in total, to settle federal lawsuits the two men filed in 2018. The cases had been weeks away from trial.

Vernon Horn and Marquis Jackson outside the Church Street courthouse in 2018. Credit: Thomas Breen file photo

The city’s insurance will cover $5 million of those settlements, leaving the city responsible for $25.5 million. City Controller Michael Gormany wrote in a cover letter that the city requested authority to borrow up to $27 million in case it issues the bonds directly to a bank and needs to cover issuance costs out of the principal. After the vote, Marchand told the Independent that $40.5 million remains the latest estimate, but that the final cost will

depend on the rate the city gets when it issues the bonds. “Of course, we would love to see something more affordable for the city than that,” Marchand said. “But that was a reasonable estimate given by our city staff.” He said the Finance Committee had discussed alternatives to borrowing, including a special tax levy, but that option raised its own concerns for residents. “I would love for somebody else to pay

it for us, right?” Marchand said. “Would the state come in and pay for future things for us? We haven’t had that conversation with them, and maybe we will. But at this point, when you negotiate a settlement, you’re on the hook for coming through on your side of the agreement, and so this is what we need to do.” Horn and Jackson were convicted in connection with a 1999 robbery and murder at a Dixwell deli. Horn spent 17 years

in prison and Jackson 19. Both were freed in 2018 after a reinvestigation uncovered nearly 140 pages of phone records, found in the home of a retired assistant police chief who had worked the case as a detective, that contradicted the state’s evidence and had never been turned over to the men’s lawyers. The Horn-Jackson payouts are the first wrongful-conviction settlements the Elicker administration has reached since a federal jury awarded Stefon Morant $38 million in May in a case the city took to trial. The city has appealed that verdict. Alders also approved on Monday a $235,000 increase to the city’s agreement with Howd & Ludorf, the outside law firm that defended the city in the Horn, Jackson, and Morant suits. Marchand told colleagues the city has ended its work with the firm, but that the money was needed to complete its business with it. The city still faces several other pending wrongful-conviction lawsuits, including those filed by Adam Carmon, George Gould, the family of Ronald Taylor, and Ward 21 Alder Troy Streater. (Streater abstained from voting on the Horn-Jackson settlement item at Monday’s Board of Alders meeting. In a phone call on Tuesday, he declined to comment on his abstention.) “There’s going to be more of these,” Marchand said. “We don’t know yet the results and what the numbers will be, but we’re going to keep discussing and thinking through how we can meet these obligations and manage the impact on our budget.”

CT Officials Tell Trump Administration: Hands Off Head Start by Donald Eng CTNewsJunkie

HARTFORD, CT — Gov. Ned Lamont, Attorney General William Tong, and Connecticut Office of Early Childhood Commissioner Elena Trueworthy are urging the Trump administration to withdraw its proposed rule to strip the federal Head Start program of the majority of its performance standards, saying that the overhaul will negatively impact children and families who rely on the early childhood education program. Tong and Trueworthy are submitting written responses to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on behalf of Connecticut opposing the proposed rule, state officials said. Both letters are calling on the federal agency to withdraw the proposed rule in its entirety and instead pursue targeted approaches to reduce unnecessary administrative burden while maintaining strong federal standards for quality, comprehensive, inclusive services, family engagement, parent leadership and workforce quality. “Connecticut is making historic investments to expand access to early childhood education because every child deserves a chance at a strong start in life and this proposal from the federal government threat-

ens to dismantle the progress that states like ours are doing to increase childhood opportunities,” Lamont said. “As a country, we should be doing more to increase affordability and make it easier for working families to raise children, and this proposal from the federal government just does the exact opposite.” Tong said the proposed changes “eviscerate” standards for one of the nation’s most successful anti-poverty programs, effectively abdicating responsibility for educational quality for hundreds of thousands of American children. “This is a cruel and callous insult to educators, parents and children everywhere and this proposal should be rescinded immediately,” he said. Trueworthy called Head Start an integral partner in Connecticut’s early childhood system. “Its strength is rooted in the combination of comprehensive federal standards, federal investment, and local implementation,” she said. “It’s critical that this program continues to serve Connecticut families and children with these vital comprehensive services.”

FILE — Preschool children play with their teacher. Credit: Rawpixel.com / AdobeStock

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The proposed rule, which HHS announced in August, will decrease the federal standards and protections. The changes will reduce requirements related to teaching and learning, staffing, group size, coaching, and professional development; eliminate important suspension and expulsion protections; reduce the administrative cost cap from 15% to 5%; and shift federal responsibilities and potential costs to state and local systems, officials said. In particular, these changes will impact children and families who rely most heavily on Head Start, including children with disabilities, children experiencing homelessness and families who face multiple barriers to accessing early childhood, health, developmental, and family support services, officials said. Head Start delivers services to about 5,600 children up to age five in Connecticut, and their families. Head Start preschool provides services for children ages 3 to 5 years old, and Early Head Start provides services for infants and toddlers from birth to age 3, as well as for pregnant women. Services are provided in public schools, child care centers, family child care homes, and in the family’s own home through a home visiting model.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - Octber 07, 2026 - October 13, 2026

Undefeated Steelers Prevail In Nor’easter by Lisa Reisman

The New Haven independent

There are no points awarded for sheer grit in football. Even if there were, the New Haven Steelers 13U squad, defending New England regional champs with higher aspirations, likely wouldn’t need them. Which is perhaps why last Saturday’s 26-6 win over the New Britain Canes in the face of a raging Nor’easter was, as defensive coordinator Martin Colon put it, “business as usual.” The situation was this. New Haven’s Parks Department canceled all outdoor events on Saturday morning, forcing Daryel Barros’ league to relocate the game to New Britain’s Chesley Field. Soon a caravan of 27 players, eight coaches, and two team moms, as well as families and supporters were crawling the 30 miles up I-91 or Route 15 amid torrential rains and whipping winds. The New Haven Steelers, which currently sport a record of 4-0, play in the Pop Warner Football League, which has as its mission to encourage youth participation in sports; to “instill values of teamwork, dedication, and a superior work ethic”; and to ensure scholastic aptitude among its members. Approximately 60 to 70 percent of all NFL players began their organized football careers in Pop Warner, which also acts as a feeder to top prep schools in the area and then college. Some members of the 13U team, which last year dominated the New England region before falling short in the first round of nationals, will go to those prep schools, others to public high schools. With many of them having played together for years, the goal for this last season is plain: win it all. “Time to get baptized,” said team mom

Proud parents Jay Barajas and Claudia Sandoval cheer on their son with a "drill horn" at the most recent New Haven Steelers game. Credit: Lisa Reisman photo

Shatea Threadgill early Saturday afternoon, as the team, sheltered under a pavilion in New Britain, prepared to take the field. “This is about showing up, no matter what,” said New Haven Pop Warner President Barros, watching the players begin stretching and calisthenics on the sidelines. No matter the weather, it seems. No matter the condition of the field that has other teams refusing to play without police or security. No matter the ongoing lack of city support that has the team piecing together fundraisers to cover uniforms and equipment for kids that can’t afford them and to get to nationals each year. “We show up.” He called out to a 10U player whose game had just ended. “You got a ride

home?” Barros, who’s been with the league since 1994, allowed that things have changed over the years — and not so much with the kids. “We’re still the biggest mentoring program that’s been going for 30 years plus in New Haven,” he said. A retired corrections officer at New Haven Correctional Center on Whalley Avenue, he routinely took his players on a tour of the jail — “scared straight stuff,” he said. He also took them out for meals, and hosted parties at his house. “Some of our parents get that we’re supposed to be like a family, but others, who probably never played a team sport, don’t.” Threadgill, one of the team moms, agreed. “I tell my parents, if your kids

act up in school, don’t make them stay home,” she said, as rain drummed on the corrugated roof. “Bring them to practice. I don’t got nothing to do at practice. I can watch them. And they can work things out by playing.” The referee’s whistle sounded to start the game. The Steelers scored on the first drive, with Jaden Pickette breaking free for a 20-yard run. On the next possession, New Britain fumbled. The crowd of 30 bundled-up, poncho-ed fans behind a short chain-link fence went wild. A horn sounded. “This is fun,” head coach Garrett Barros shouted into the chill air, grinning, as the swirling winds flipped someone’s umbrella inside out. “Anyone up for some hot cocoa?”

By halftime, the score was 20-0. There were no pep talks. “Right now they’re doing good,” said offensive line coach Jay Davis. Some of the other coaches were drinking hot tea. Team moms passed around Ziploc bags with tangerines and pretzels. The rain had slowed to a drizzle. “I love this game because it gives you a chance to shine,” said defensive end Landon Murphy, his helmet dripping with raindrops. “I love this.” With that came the third-quarter kickoff, with kicker Christian Barajas lofting the ball through the heavy gray mist. It slipped through the New Britain receiver’s hands. Jay Threadgill recovered, taking it into the end zone. “That’s right,” Claudia Sandoval called out from the crowd, as her husband, Jay Barajas, sounded the horn. Sandoval said her son, kicker Christian Barajas, has been with the team since he was six years old. “I go wherever my son goes,” she said. “I am his number one fan.” Known as “The Boot,” Christian, who also plays on the offensive and defensive lines, has drawn interest from several top prep schools in the area. The horn, a deconstructed drill paired with a trucker horn, “is something my husband came up with,” she said, as the skies opened for another downpour. Over the years, it’s become a signature of success for the team. As for an official beverage: the nutrition-packed traditional Mexican tea that Jay brews when the weather turns nasty and shares with fellow Steelers fans. 0“We’re going to miss all this.” There will be a fundraiser Friday, Oct. 2 at Jimmy D’s Bar & Grill on 1372 Dixwell Ave. in Hamden from 6 – 10 p.m. All proceeds go to New Haven Steelers. Donations to Cashapp: $NEWHAVENPW.

Outreach Crew Readies Response To HUSKY Cuts by Paul Bass

The New Haven independent

A team of New Haveners is preparing for an upcoming storm — of people losing their health insurance. As many as an estimated 110,000 people statewide could lose Medicaid (HUSKY) coverage on Jan. 1 due to new federal work rules. A nonprofit called Project Access-New Haven is looking to expand its corps of outreach workers to help those people get needed surgery or other health care. The group’s 14 staffers find uninsured people who need but can’t afford care, then link them with doctors who have agreed to help them for free. The team’s patient navigators help patients prepare for or get to appointments. The team’s community health workers help patients with related problems like addiction or homelessness for longer-term health stability. The project already works with 800 un-

Project Access's Ma"Glinda Ager, Stacy-Ann Walker, and Rabbi Herbert Brockman at WNHH FM. Credit: Paul Bass Photo Posted inHealth

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insured local people a year. It has signed up more than 900 doctors to offer the free care. Now it’s looking to raise $50,000 at a 16th anniversary celebration honoring seven of the group’s founding physicians at the Lawn Club next Thursday, Oct. 8, beginning at 6 p.m. It’s looking to raise much more in donations to hire more staffers in preparation for the Jan. 1 change. Project Access Executive Director Stacy-Ann Walker, clinical program supervisor Ma’Glinda Ager, and board member Rabbi Herbert Brockman discussed the group’s mission, upcoming challenges, and their personal connection to the work during a conversation Thursday on WNHH FM’s “Dateline New Haven. Click on the video below to listen to the full conversation. Click here to subscribe or here to listen to other episodes of “Dateline New Haven.” Click here to download the WNHH FM app.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - January 23, 2019 - January 29, 2019

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - October 07, 2026 - October 13, 2026

“Lipstick” Traces Latest Yalie Protest by Adele Haeg

The New Haven independent

Hundreds of Yale students rallied around a cardboard replica of the famous Lipstick statue Friday afternoon, urging the university to avoid a settlement with the Trump administration over Yale’s admissions policies — and protesting recently implemented free speech policies restricting campus gatherings. Friday’s demonstration — the most attended protest held on Yale’s Beinecke Plaza since 2024 — violated those policies, which require students to register on-campus demonstrations and ask for permission before placing any structures outdoors on university property. The measures, which student organizers called “restrictive and arbitrarily enforced,” were put in place after pro-Palestine protests on campus in 2024, during which Yale police arrested dozens of students. Friday’s was the second unregistered demonstration a group known as “Democratize Yale” has held on campus since a teach-in last month. “That Yale’s policies today ban such work along with peaceful student protests and demonstrations without the university’s express permission is censorious and outrageous. What is Yale afraid of?” the sculptures’ architects, Sam Callaway and Stuart Wrede, wrote in a statement sent to organizers. Claes Oldenburg’s actual Lipstick statue — its full title is Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks — was first installed in a college courtyard during antiwar protests in 1969, against university policies. It was moved last year to the Yale University Art Gallery. Students on Friday said they reconstructed it as “a symbol of student dissent on campus.” Protesters were joined by U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Mayor Justin Elicker, and other

Blumenthal said at the press conference that Yale was in the middle of a “five-alarm fire”: he said the university was “bending when it should be staying strong.”

Yale faculty and alumni, many affiliated with the group “Democratize Yale.” “Yale represents everything this administration resents. Freedom of thought, diversity being our strength, innovative solutions to improve the human condition,” DeLauro said at a press conference held outside Yale Law School as students constructed the Lipstick replica nearby on Beinecke Plaza. DeLauro and Blumenthal have communicated with Yale administrators about the settlement, Blumenthal said at the press conference; the two legislators also sent letters to alders last week asking them to pass a resolution against a deal with the Trump administration. “The response that I’ve received, in a letter back to me, was essentially, trust us,” Blumenthal said, “trust us. I’m not

willing to trust the administration in Yale with our freedom.” “All is not well in our classrooms today,” said Amy Kapczynski, law professor and a founder of Yale’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors. “There is a concerted attack on all of our education systems today coming from people like our president, like our vice president, who want to control what we teach here and what you learn. And we here at Yale, like everyone else, are being affected by this assault.” Blumenthal has been demonstrating against the proposed settlement since July, just after the New York Times first reported the university was in negotiations with the Department of Justice. Yale President Maurie McInnis confirmed in

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July that the university was in talks with the Department of Justice, and in August, said negotiations were ongoing. In response to requests for comment, a university spokesperson emailed: “It is Yale’s longstanding practice not to discuss the specifics of any ongoing legal matter. That said, Yale is committed to following the law and has provided information to the DOJ regarding our admissions processes. Yale’s commitment to academic freedom is absolute and its admissions and hiring decisions will continue to be made independently and in accordance with the law.” Conor Webb, a Yale junior with the Yale College Democrats, said that after students read about the settlement in the Times, many were worried the university would reach an agreement over the summer when students were away. “I think organizing has slowed the pace,” Webb said. “From all angles, there’s a very clear message that we feel our values are not being represented in the discussion room,” said John Robert Walker, a junior with the Endowment Justice Collective. One of Democratize Yale’s demands is that the university end its “trustee successor system,” and open voting on trustee selection to more members of the Yale community. Trustees met for the first time this year last month; initially Friday’s protest was planned during their visit, but it was rescheduled due to last weekend’s rainstorm. Although McInnis has not provided more information about negotiations, she wrote an email to the Yale College Council on Sept. 24 in response to the demands of “Democratize Yale.” “Our fidelity to academic freedom is absolute,” McInnis wrote. “Our faculty must retain full academic freedom in the classroom, in what they research, and in what they write. Our admissions and hiring decisions must continue to be made independently and in accordance with the law. Our commitment to freedom of expression, which is rooted in the Woodward Report, must remain unwavering and our pursuit of knowledge unfettered.” Students who received the email disagreed with McInnis’ description of democracy at Yale, writing in a press release in response: “Yale has already wavered from these commitments,” namely by entering into settlement negotiations. “We will continue to mobilize until our demands are met,” Andrew Storino, a senior with Democratize Yale wrote in a press release. “The surge of student energy on campus has been refreshing in the midst of a national environment where university administrators prove unwilling to stand up for the students, faculty, staff, and alumni that sustain our campuses every day.” Isabel Matos, a junior and Democratize Yale organizer, was one of a few students to say she was energized to see “life on Beinecke” again, adding that on Friday, students got to see a plaza “true to its roots.”

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - October 07, 2026 - October 13, 2026

Song & Dance Make World Refugee & Immigrant Festival Soar By Abiba Biao

Arts Council of greater New Haven

When Rahab Kinity took to the mic, her energy was nothing short of contagious. Flaunting a bright red sequin maxi dress adorned with gold accents, her outfit was just as bright as her demeanor, mesmerizing adults and kids alike. It wasn’t long before the whole auditorium, from young kids to Mayor Justin Elicker, was clapping along to the beat. In white block heels, Rahab danced up a storm, spreading the message of immigrant rights, unity, and support through the arts. “Every hand that works makes the nation grow. Together we rise, together we grow. Let’s welcome them, let’s stand as one. Their future is our future,” she sang. Song, dance, and food from across the globe filled the Dixwell Community Q House last Saturday, as over 200 people gathered at the World Refugee and Immigrant Festival. The event was the brainchild of nine nonprofit collaborators including Elena’s Light, Havenly, Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS), CT Students for a Dream (C4D), the Collective for Refugee & Immigrant Women’s Wellbeing (CREW), Junta for Progressive Action, Sanctuary Kitchen by CitySeed, New International Hope for Refugee and Immigrants, and New Haven Immigrants Coalition. One principal goal of the event is “to have a celebration, to have this one day a year when everyone doesn’t need to worry and [can] just show up,” said Tetyana Pavelo, Ukrainian community outreach specialist at IRIS. Pavelo noted the importance of amplifying refugee voices and providing a safe space, saying that over 46 volunteers signed up to help with the event. The decision to host the festival at the Q House was also a calculated safety decision, she added. Organizers wanted the venue to be accessible for people who rely on public transit, as many immigrant and refugee families do, but also have a lockdown procedure in place in the event that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were in the area. The federal agency has increased its presence in Connecticut, including in New Haven, dramatically in the past several months. While World Refugee Day is usually celebrated on June 20, the event was postponed to September, to allow time for all nonprofit groups to collaborate due to scheduling conflicts in the summer. The event was emceed by Yemiamrew Teferi, a lecturer in the department of anthropology at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) and assistant director at New International Hope, where he works with Executive Director Jane Kinity. Prior to his time teaching at SCSU, Teferi was a visiting assistant professor on the Council on African Studies at the Yale University MacMillan Center. “I’m really very happy about the day

to celebrate refugees and immigrant[s] from the community… I hope we can continue doing this every year,” Jane Kinity said. She also serves as the Democratic co-chair for the Dwight neighborhood (that’s technically New Haven’s Ward 2), working alongside Alder Frank Douglass, and has been a Connecticut delegate for the Refugee Congress. “When we see ICE in the community, we come together,” Jane said. “Right now, there’s a lot going on. Refugees, they are scared so that is why we came together to show them we are here to support them. Nobody can hurt them here.” In November, Jane said that New International Hope plans to celebrate African day in New Haven to unite immigrants across the African diaspora. After going to an African event in Hartford and seeing New Haven residents there, she was inspired to host a gathering right in the Elm City. Nearby, Yale students Dayra Quinonez and Whitney Xiao invited passersbys to join in an art project. The friends are sophomores at Yale, both studying political science. The project they’d designed was simple: on a canvas with a heart in the middle, the two had asked people to write the word “heart” in their native language. Xiao is a member of the social justice campus organization Mecha de Yale. While she was at first expecting the event to be outdoors, she highlighted how the small space in the Q House “keeps people together” and allows for intimate and close connection, describing it as a “really welcoming, energetic space.”

Jane Kinity and Yemiamrew Teferi.

“I've had so far, two people just come up to me and ask ‘What's going on?’ And then I was like, ‘Do you want to draw a heart?’ And they were like, ‘Yeah, sure.’ So I thought that was really cute, and I'm looking forward to that.” With a purple marker, Quinonez wrote the word “heart” in Korean on the canvas and mentioned the importance of community involvement. “I've been in New Haven a year now but I feel like I haven't had a proper chance to engage with the New Haven community,” Quinonez said. “So I'm trying to get out here and be at the events and kind of connect with these people, which I think it's been enjoyable so far.” Xiao also shared some advice for those looking to volunteer and become more civically engaged. “I'm super shy, too, but [I] like being a part of something. I like trying to give back,” she said. “So if you try, bring a friend with you. I brought a friend, it's like moral support. It helps a lot.” As festivities continued, Elicker perused the booths, talking to attendees and organizers and reading informational pamphlets. In a speech to the crowd,

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he shouted out Jane and Fereshteh Ganjavi, founder of Elena’s Light, for helping organize the event as the landscape around immigrant rights and community safety continue to shift under the current presidential administration. He also highlighted the work of all the immigrants rights groups in the room, saying that there are “so many that I see working every, every day, in particular at this time, when immigrants in our nation are under attack.” Elicker pointed to recent success, including the release of SCSU basketball student Deng Deng, who was captured by ICE at Tweed New Haven Airport earlier in the month. He also noted the city’s legal efforts to fight the Trump Administration, such as New Haven filing six lawsuits alongside other cities to push back against President Donald Trump and his anti-immigration efforts. “We will fight back. We will continue to be together as a community,” he said, and the audience broke out into applause. The event also included information and resource sharing, organizers not mincing words around the moment they and immigrant families are experiencing. Beginning on October 1, Medicaid and CHIP (the Children’s Health Insurance Program) coverage will be limited to lawful permanent residents (also known as Green Card holders) who have achieved a five-year waiting period; some but not all Cubans and Haitians; and residents of Micronesia, Palau, or the Marshall Islands living in the U.S. That stems from the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act, which placed new restrictions around lifesaving and vital coverage for millions of Americans. Rebekah Sookdeo, associate director at Elena’s Light, said that inspiration for the event came from the last immigrant festival two years ago. While organizers weren’t able to hold the festival last year, Sookdeo said, they were determined to resurrect it by forging partnerships with additional community groups, which they since have. She said that celebrations were especially important under increased ICE presence, giving a shout out to the Connecticut Immigrants Support Network. “It was really meaningful for me to include the word ‘refugee and immigrant festival’ because we wanted to really emphasize especially in these times the sort of nomenclature separation, it's not a real separation of the people,” she said in a phone call Monday evening. Now they’re working to expand their programs in health education, English proficiency, and advocacy, and hoping to continue elevating refugee and immigrant voices. “I really wanna thank the community for coming out and trusting us to be able to connect them to have a good day,” she continued. “A lot of folks are really going through a lot of situations, so we hope this event was really meaningful.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - Octber 07, 2026 - October 13, 2026

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - October 07, 2026 - October 13, 2026

“The Wiz” Is Still Wonderful

by Karen Ponzio The Wiz Shubert Theatre New Haven Through Oct. 4, 2026 Scarecrows danced and witches melted while every single voice raised in song was as powerful as the tornado passing through Kansas Thursday night at the Shubert Theatre, where the groundbreaking musical The Wiz opened up the 20262027 Broadway season with joy and delight. Though the show first premiered in New York back in 1975 (where it won 7 Tony awards, including Best Musical) and the original story was published back in 1900, it felt as bold and exciting as if it were brand new. We all know the tale of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: A young girl from Kansas gets taken away by a tornado into a new world where she meets a few new friends — a scarecrow, a tin man, and a lion — and they help each other find their true selves. They meet witches, a wizard, and many other characters along the way and learn a lesson about how who we are is always there inside of us. First made famous in a novel by L. Frank Baum, it was memorably turned into a classic 1939 musical film by Victor Fleming that remains a cultural touchstone even today. While that production and those songs remain indelible, The Wiz — with a book by William F. Brown and music by Charlie Smalls — took the same story and made another version of the fantasy, one with a combination of soul, R&B, gospel, and ’70s rock & roll and more modern dialogue and dance, plus an all African-American cast. That show also became a hit and was even famously

adapted into its own film in 1978 starring, among others, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, and Richard Pryor. On Thursday evening, the audience was treated to the second stop of this show’s most recent tour, one that will consist of five shows in New Haven over four days. And what a treat it was. From the moment the first few bars of the song “Ease on Down the Road” rose into the air, even before the curtain itself rose, there were cheers and applause. They were ready. While I have never been the biggest fan of the film The Wizard of Oz (whose flying monkeys scared me for a decent part of childhood), I always respected its impact on culture, its songs and performance, and its central message. I have been and continue to be, however, a huge fan of The Wiz‘s film adaptation, even rewatching it earlier this week to get in the groove for this show. The music remains insanely catchy and inspiring. Finally seeing it performed live was a revelation. The main cast — Gabby Simone as Dorothy, Jose E. Figueroa, Jr. as Scarecrow, Jaelen Spellman as Tinman, and Asher Havon as Lion — each brought charm and power to their performances, though every single vocal performance of the evening sent chills through me and seemed to shake the Shubert walls as if a real tornado was going on outside. From Dorothy and Auntie Em’s reassuring and inspiring version of “The Feeling We Once Had,” as they reminisced about losing Dorothy’s mother and starting over somewhere new, to the foursome’s bracing version of “Be a Lion” as they braved themselves to travel to meet The Wiz and ask for help, every single performance makes the listener feel as if they too can find the resolve to do anything they wish. The dancing was off the charts as well,

the performers often becoming living, breathing set pieces that helped bring the show to another level of life. Dancers in green bodysuits covered in pink flowers became the poppies that the Wicked Witch of the West, Evillene, uses to try to bring the foursome’s trip to a halt. Dancers in grey bodysuits with swirling, twirling capes become the tornado that lifts Dorothy’s house and delivers it from Kansas to Oz. Through it all, the audience was mesmerized. There were a lot of laughs, too. For all the seriousness of the original story — houses falling on witches, the fear of being lost in a strange land — the dialogue kept it light quite often and garnered big reactions from the crowd, like when the both Lion and Evillene were concerned about messing up their hair. But this show is over and over about the music. I dare anyone to go and not sing along with “Ease on Down the Road” each time it is reprised or the show-stopping, heart-swelling, life-affirming “Everybody Rejoice” — also known as “A Brand New Day” — which the cast started singing again after the final bow with so many of us joining in. Even if you’re not typically a sing-along-at-the-show type of person, maybe let loose this one time. It feels so good. And once again, at its core, the story remains one that inspires. Auntie Em tells Dorothy early on, “The hard stuff is there to let you know just how good you got it,” a line that is repeated to Dorothy later in the show by Glinda, the Good Witch. There is certainly nothing wrong with all of us hearing that phrase and taking it home with us as well. “The Wiz” runs through Sunday at the Shubert. Please see their website for more information, including tickets.

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Chief Crafts Community Policing 3.0 by Paul Bass

The New Haven independent

Compassion + Accountability = Community Policing. That’s how New Haven sees the formula for community policing in 2026, according to Police Chief David Zannelli. Zannelli has traversed the city practically nonstop since suddenly assuming the chief’s job in January in the wake of a gambling-and-theft scandal that deposed his predecessor. Zannelli already had 17 years of experience working at all levels of the police department and in all corners of the community. But he wanted to hear fresh from neighborhood-based management teams, activist groups, religious communities, and everyday citizens how they want the city policed. The answer he received updates New Haven’s — and America’s — ongoing debate over how to keep all people safe in a fair way that involves working with the community to tackle small problems before they grow into, say, murders. New Haven pioneered a “broken windows” community policing model that deemphasized quality-of-life arrests 35 years ago, then sought to revive it with new tools in the mid-aughts, before the pandemic-era police accountability movement scrambled the equation. “More folks, often than not, wanted more police presence. They wanted to see more officers. Five or six years ago, after the murder of George Floyd, there was kind of a different tone across the country in general, not just locally,” Zannelli, who’s 42, said of his community discussions during a wide-ranging conversation Tuesday on WNHH FM’s “Dateline New Haven.” Back then, he said, police got the message: Focus on violent crimes, not minor crimes. The department has focused on gun violence in particular. It’s on track, at 90 shootings so far this year, to build on last year’s 40 percent drop in violent crime. But the message has grown more nuanced, he said. People also want police to tackle quality-of-life offenses from noise to street takeovers to people smearing feces on the walls of a church on the Green. “Smearing feces on a church just simply won’t be tolerated. People will be charged for that, and they will be held accountable,” Zannelli said. “Some of these situations, like obviously homelessness, being unhoused, having an addiction, is not a crime in and of itself. But if you do things that are criminal and happen to be unhoused, or happen to have a substance abuse issue, like a burglary or breaking into cars, what I hear from the community is, yes, we have compassion. But compassion with accountability.” In practice, that means continuing a philosophy central to the first wave of New Haven community policing in the 1990s: Start not with locking up as many people as possible for minor offenses. Start with directing people to help by drawing on community “partners,” like street outreach workers, school-based officers, mental health workers, and programs like

"Everybody has a voice": Police Chief David Zannelli at WNHH FM. Credit: Paul Bass photo Posted inLegal Writes

COMPASS and CTVIP and Project Longevity. But don’t allow small crimes to continue to occur. And yes, lock up people if they continue to commit them, while also referring them to programs that may help them. Meanwhile, Zannelli said, he has arranged training in handling people in emotional crisis — called ICAT (Integrated Communications Assessment and Tactics) — for 80 officers who hadn’t yet undergone it. The chief credited that with helping the department cut its use of force incidents by half. Another strategy: Building the retinue of bike cops. Zannelli heard from many New Haveners who want to see more visible cops in the neighborhood. There’s a limit to how many walking cops a department like New Haven’s can field while also having enough officers available each shift to respond to emergencies. Bike cops can interact with people and get to know them the way walking cops do, while hustling to crime scenes when needed. Under Zannelli, the NHPD trained 24 cops to patrol on bikes. (Click here and here to read about that.) The department has managed to gradually rebuild its ranks to make possible more assignments like these. The number of officers rose by 15 (to 348 out of 415 budgeted positions) over the past year, with 34 more recruits either having completed training or about to begin it, according to Zannelli. The chief credited city alders for upping fines to $1,000 for noise offenders. He said his officers can measure violations with their body cameras. He also credited cooperation with other law enforcement agencies as helping the department tackle street takeovers. (Read more about that here.) The city went seven months with no homicides until a spate of killings this summer, when nine occurred. Overall, shootings and violence have continued a decline to — in some cases — the lowest rates in decades. “We try to make collective decisions when we can” with community “partners,” Zannelli said. “That way, everybody has a voice.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - Octber 07, 2026 - October 13, 2026

White Supremacist Group Rallies Outside Conn. Police HQ Before Officers Knew It Happened A masked white supremacist group gathered outside Danbury police headquarters to protest a policy allowing permanent legal residents and DACA recipients to become officers.

DANBURY, CT—City leaders roundly condemned a group of masked white supremacists who held a brief protest outside police headquarters this weekend over a recent decision to allow immigrants to join the force. Mayor Roberto Alves, a Democrat who championed the new officer hiring policy, said white supremacy is not welcome in Danbury. He described diversity as one of the city's greatest strengths. "When American neo-Nazi's are against what we're doing, I know we're on the right side of history," Alves wrote in a Facebook post Monday. The group was spotted standing outside police headquarters at the corner of Main and East Franklin streets Saturday night holding a banner reading "Keep New England White" and chanting "white power." Erin Henry, a city spokesperson, said police only became aware of the demonstration after it ended. She said there were no interactions between any police officers and the dozen or so protestors. The banner referred to the group as Northeast Action. According to the Counter Extremism Project, the group describes itself as a "pro-white, street-oriented fraternity dedicated to raising authentic resistance to the enemies of our

people in the Northeast." In a publicly accessible Telegram channel, the members said the demonstration was held after the City Council "voted to allow illegal immigrants to become police officers." They also cited Danbury's "massive demographic shift." The City Council voted overwhelmingly in September to allow permanent legal

residents and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) recipients, known as Dreamers, to be hired as police officers. The decision was made after Alves, who was elected to a second term last fall, argued that Danbury residents who are eligible to serve in the U.S. military or fire department should also be able to join the police department.

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"(This) vote was about removing an unnecessary barrier for qualified people who already call Danbury home and want to serve their community," Alves said at the time. The Connecticut Police Officer Standards & Training Council made changes to police hiring in 2020 and 2025 to expand hiring of state and municipal police

officers to include permanent legal residents and DACA recipients. Danbury Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour was among those that denounced the weekend rally. He said "rhetoric such as this should have no place in our society and certainly is not part of our department's mission and values." "We are here to protect and serve everyone within our jurisdiction," he added. "We do not support or condone the actions of this group or of any individuals, groups, or organizations that promote hate or exclusion in this or any community." Raghib Allie-Brennan, a state representative whose district includes Danbury and Bethel, pointed to the incident as an example of "white supremacy." "Hiding behind masks while you try to intimidate your neighbors isn't strength. It's cowardice," he said. Glenda Armstrong, president of the Danbury NAACP, said Monday the organization opened an investigation following the demonstration. "The community is definitely concerned, we're gonna meet with city officials to see where we are," Armstrong said, adding that if the group came once, they could come again.0 "My question is: why here, why now?" she said.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - October 07, 2026 - October 13, 2026

¡Fiesta Latina! Centers Community At The Peabody By Lucy Gellman

Arts Council of greater New Haven

It was the sound of the drums, rolling like the ocean beneath four pairs of hands, that first called to Caprice Taylor Mendez from where she stood at the back of the room. Over the sound, she could feel Addys Castillo’s deep, muscled voice, enough to summon generations of ancestors. Tambo, tambo! De La bomba oye'l tambo! Castillo sang out, a maraca movingl in one hand as the other wove through the air. Que te suba por los pies / Y llega al corazón. Mendez felt the sound travel from her feet to her hips to her ribcage, and began to move. That sound, which bridged continents and centuries of history, filled the Yale Peabody Museum Sunday afternoon, as a joyful, ringing and resilient ¡Fiesta Latina! danced away the threat of rain across the museum’s floors and galleries. Held in collaboration with Junta for Progressive Action, the day welcomed over 1,000 visitors to the museum, with education stations, information booths, and music and dance in almost every gallery. The festival, which has become an annual tradition, falls during Hispanic Heritage Month, which since 1988 has taken place from September 15 and October 15 (when President Lyndon Johnson first signed it into law in 1968, it was just a week-long celebration). For the second time this year, the Peabody offered expanded Spanish-language programming, from crafting activities and storytime for kids to lectures from professional scientists, curators and academics in the field. Throughout, it celebrated the sheer breadth of a diaspora—and the vitality of a diverse cultural community—in a time when anti-immigrant violence has continued to grow across the U.S., including in Connecticut. Junta’s Fair Haven-based events, initially scheduled for Saturday and postponed due to weather, will now take place on Saturday Oct. 10. More information is available here. “We're very excited to be working with Junta to plan another celebration of Hispanic cultures that are represented here in New Haven and the broader community,” said Janae McMillan, assistant manager for public and youth engagement, in a press release before the event. “We hope to foster connection and solidarity through education, performance, storytelling, and hands-on cultural activities.” And from the Hall of the Dinosaurs to a living lab aflutter with poison dart frogs and monarch butterflies, it was. As young attendees padded toward millenia-old, glittering fossils in their still-wet coats and pint-sized rubber boots, staff members like Vanessa Rhue and Mariana Di Giacomo were ready for them, standing over a display that featured large and small vertebrate fossils from Argentina, Ecuador, and Mexico. Di Giacomo, who was born and raised in Uruguay, said she was excited to see the day’s festivities spring to life around her. Beneath her and Rhue’s rarely-still hands, fossils from assorted mammals seemed to peek back at attendees who got

close enough. She pointed to evidence of a glyptodon—that’s a large, armored mammal that looks a lot like today’s armadillos—and the bones of a ground sloth nearby. Rarely was the station quiet: Di Giacomo chattered with tiny and grown attendees alike in a mix of English and Spanish, as Rhue waited to join in, sporting a gem-colored blouse from Oaxaca that made her easy to spot. The day is a celebration Rhue can relate to on many levels: she’s always glad to share her research, but her family also hails from Mexico “To me, it’s a wonderful thing that we get to have a day where our culture gets shown in such a beautiful way, and such a diverse way,” Di Giacomo said. Two galleries away, Mariachi players were packing up after a performance from the Spanish Community of Wallingford, the bright dresses of their Ballet Folklórico dancers soon adding pops of color to the galleries. Di Giacomo added that for her, ¡Fiesta Latina! is as personal as it is professional. Before her research brought her to the U.S., where she pursued a doctorate at the University of Delaware and was a conservation fellow at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, she nurtured her love for science at the Universidad de la República in Montevideo. Now, she loves being able to share her work as a conservator, which is often not public facing, with New Haveners of all ages, who hail from multiple cultural backgrounds and may speak any mix of languages. As if on cue, she held up a copy of the Spanish-language book Megafauna, on which she worked with several colleagues, and she flipped to a page with a glossy, large fossil. Across two pages it seemed to come to life anew. At the end of the table, a young girl looked on curiously, her dad beaming. Back in the lobby, New Haven Academy junior Samantha Garza welcomed attendees to a table covered in free children’s books, from Debbie Levy’s I Dissent to a National Geographic survey of sharks across the globe. A member of the museum’s after-school Evolutions program, Garza called the day a chance to center the richness and resilience of the community in a safe and welcoming space. Her family, like many in New Haven, hails originally from Tlaxcala, Mexico, a heritage that her parents remain very proud of as they raise their children in New Haven. Across New Haven, so many families come from Tlaxcala that the city has since 2010 recognized San Francisco Tetlanohcan, a state within Tlaxcala, as one of its eight sister cities. Since 2022, the city has also recognized an annual Tlaxcala Friendship Day every year in April. “This feels great,” Garza said, nodding to volunteers from the New Haven Immigrants Coalition who sat at an info table just a few yards away. “We are really getting seen. Having that support touches my heart,” particularly as Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents ramp up their activity in Connecticut, often separating families in the process. Just past the Egyptian galleries, that en-

Evolutions members Shahd Mahaini and Sarah Nakhi.

Lucy Gellman Photos.

thusiasm for the day radiated to Joceline Colón, there with her three young children. At a long table, Evolutions member Daniel Apprekhu walked her daughters, 7-year-old Amariana and 4-year-old Isabella, through making knots for a community quipu, a device that was used to track time and record stories across the Inca empire. Apprekhu, a junior at Engineering and Science University Magnet School (ESUMS), steered them toward a chart that described the meaning behind different knots. As the two settled on a single knot in bright yarn, their mom looked on, bouncing 2-year-old Adonis on her hip. Raised in the city’s Fair Haven neighborhood, Colón had originally spotted ¡Fiesta Latina! on social media, and was interested in learning more. While she is Puerto

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between the group and the audience remained unoccupied, like a gulf between speaker and listener. At some point, twin sisters Natasha and Naomy Velez exchanged a look, one making her way out onto the floor as the other hung back, and danced at a mic. Bomba, member Addys Castillo later explained, is a music of resistance: it comes out of the painful history of the Afro-Caribbean slave trade, and of the essential and human need for communication even and especially in the most dehumanizing of circumstances. In 1513, Spanish colonizers—acting within the Spanish monarchy’s authority—began bringing enslaved Africans to Puerto Rico, where the port city of Loíza was for many the first point of entry. That forced migration and labor, with which Puerto Rico has still not fully reckoned centuries later, ultimately birthed Bomba, as a call-and-response that became a form of messaging through drums, footfalls and full-bellied song that telegraphed vital information through its lyrics. As a drizzle picked up outside, Castillo invited the audience to turn the floorturned-stage into a bombazo—a communal space for the conversation that lives within bomba to unfold. Before moving onto a piece from mentor Norka Hernandez Nadal, who co-founded BombaWorksNYC, she motioned to the open space, then looked out across the crowd.

Vanessa Rhue and Mariana Di Giacomo.

Rican—her family hails from Cayey—she feels separated from the culture. For a while now, her eldest daughter, Amariana, has wanted to learn more about her heritage. This felt like the perfect way in. Downstairs, the rumble of barrilles drifted towards the museum’s high, vaulted ceiling, where the giant, hanging skeletons of an Archelon and Mosasaur seemed to dance along from close to the rafters. On a second-floor area overlooking the hall, children and parents alike looked on, some already moving their shoulders and feet as the members of the bomba group Proyecto Cimarrón took the stage. From the moment they began, hands drawn to the drumskin, attendees watched, spellbound, letting the music take them back in time and bring them squarely back to the present. At first, a wide slice of floor

“This music enters your soul from your feet,” she said, a primer to Hernandez Nadal’s lyrics in the next song. “It goes right into your heart.” As the drums rose around her, Castillo held a maraca with one hand, and gestured to the heavens, to the audience, and to her fellow musicians with the other. On one side, the Velez twins let themselves sink into the rhythm. On the other, musician Monica Matos hammered out a rhythm on the cuá as drummers Carlos Cruz, Kica Matos, Asher Delerme and Davis Calderon let the sound wrap all the way around the room. Mendez, who migrated to the U.S. at five from Guatemala with her family, could feel something moving through the soles of her feet. As if by a magnetic force, she gravitated toward the dance floor, rocking back and forth to the sound until she had found her rhythm. While she may not have been technically dancing bomba, that negotiation is part of the style’s rich tradition: the dancer communicates with the primo, or lead drummer, through a series of movements, and he or she responds with a drum that seems to speak. It leads to an entire story told in music, the sound of percussion a heartbeat throughout. “I feel joy,” Mendez said afterwards. “[There’s a] connectedness in rhythm. It feels nice to be in community with people who share common values. To know where we come from gives us strength in how we choose to create the future together.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - Octber 07, 2026 - October 13, 2026

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Artist’s “Fumble” Lands In Dixwell THE INNER-CITY NEWS - October 07, 2026 - October 13, 2026

by Janday Wilson

Power, Practice, Purpose: Contemporary Art and Civic Life

NXTHVN New Haven Oct. 4, 2026

The collage features a Black man immaculately dressed in a red suit, complete with a red pocket square, top hat and white gloves. He appears to be amid a performance of some kind, looking vaudevillian. All around his head and figure are falling golden and silver trophies. Glowing red and yellow circles frame the piece, giving the impression of a sign for a carnival attraction. Look closer at the piece and you can make out some of the newspaper images and headlines on which the suited man is standing. Elon Musk’s recalcitrant face hangs upside down in the right corner. There’s a Financial Times headline about travel and leisure stocks surging as fear faded over the Omicron variant of Covid. Another headline is about French conservative politician Valérie Pécresse’s mission to defeat French President Emmanuel Macron. I wondered if the piece — entitled Highstep Fumble, and made of acrylic, charcoal, cardboard, oil pastel and foil on newspaper mounted on canvas — reflected the precarious balancing act that is the performance of living, all the more dangerous in a world full of bad actors and uncontrollable circumstances. Those musing over Derek Fordjour’s engaging work got the privilege of hearing directly from the internationally acclaimed artist in his talk with NXTHVN founder and artist Titus Kaphar and renowned interdisciplinary scholar and author Dr. Imani Perry on Sunday afternoon at the NXTHVN gallery at 169 Henry St. The event was sponsored by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; both Kaphar and Perry have been MacArthur Fellows, a fellowship that funds boundary-defying, society-shaping work. Sunday’s conversation unfolded with the ease and curiosity that only exists between true friends. “You can have an exhibition wherever you want. Let’s be real,” Kaphar said to Fordjour, NXTHVN’s 20262027 visiting artist. “You can show anywhere in the world, and you’re showing in our neighborhood.” Indeed, the award-winning interdisciplinary artist Fordjour has shown at any major museum you can imagine, from The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, as well as internationally. He has done publicly commissioned work for the High Line and MTA’s Arts and Design program, among others.

Artists Titus Kaphar, Derek Fordjour and scholar and author Dr. Imani Perry in conversation at NXTHVN on Sunday.

Global publisher Phaidon will publish a monograph of his work in 2027. Now, he’s showing in New Haven’s Dixwell neighborhood. Fumble, Fordjour’s solo show at NXTHVN (Sept. 23 – Nov. 22), is a nod to his work in The Big Game, a 2014 exhibition that analogized sportsmanship and artistry. Per Fumble’s curatorial statement: “Both art and sport offer no utility beyond spectatorship; however, the significance of their social value is well established. The artist and athlete wholly devote themselves to pursuing mastery, yet both are acutely vulnerable to calamity.” At Sunday’s opening celebration at NXTHVN, guests mingled amongst Fordjour’s vibrant work presented as three distinct mediums: collage, video and sculpture. In all pieces, Black men are engaged in sport: rowing, dance, equestrianism and biking. Highstep Fumble (2022) was the outlier piece and the only one that featured the show’s title. With Kaphar facilitating Sunday’s discussion, Perry and Fordjour discussed their work centered on Blackness and history and discovered intersections in their practices. The concept of archive was thoroughly examined as it resonates through all their work, particularly the vulnerability of archive within the Black community where so much has been lost (or stolen). Fordjour shared that he steeps himself in scholarly research when coming up with a concept. Perry considers her writing to be more artistic and creative, not conforming to the bounds of classical scholarship. I found fascinating their conversation

about history, not always entirely precise though it is often presented as fact. Fordjour admitted to once making the mistake of putting inaccurate information on Black derby winners in an art piece. He had pulled information from one source and found out something else two years later. He doesn’t castigate himself for the error, though, because he views art’s subjectivity as a source of freedom. He mentioned Alex Haley’s work as being seminal despite not being wholly accurate. Fordjour and Perry found another point of connection. Many of Fordjour’s pieces are frenetic, tactile collages, while Perry makes collages of people and environments as she writes to draw out her voice. “No one will ever see them,” she laughed. Fordjour observed, “There’s something a little irreverent about collage. You’re taking things that don’t belong together, that kind of mash up. If you think about Black cultural production, collage is central.” He mentioned the collage sensibility inherent to hip hop, the youth’s flips and remixes of their parents’ records. He spoke about his own life being a collage: “I was born in Memphis, but my parents are immigrants.” Outside was America, inside was Ghana. That sense of assembling something new from disparate parts extends beyond Fordjour’s artistic practice. As the conversation turned toward the institutions that determine who gets to make and profit from art, Fordjour and Kaphar spoke candidly about their responsibility to create opportunities for Black artists coming behind them. For both, success within the art world is insufficient if it does not also widen the door for someone else. In pursuit of that goal, Fordjour created the youth arts organization Contemporary Arts Memphis. “I really did not solely want to be a tool for wealth building,” he said. Kaphar echoed his sentiments. “We know the miracle of our existence in this particular moment. So we want to make this more possible for the people that are behind us.” “I’m thinking about NXTHVN in 40 years, in 60 years. This institution will persist. I am convinced,” declared Fordjour.

Derek Fordjour’s ‘Kyoto Rider’ (foreground) and ‘Straight Four Swing’ (background) Credit: Janday Wilson Photo

Perhaps that is what makes his decision to show at NXTHVN and serve as the organization’s visiting artist so meaningful. Fordjour can exhibit anywhere but he’s looking toward the longevity of a Black arts institution and the generations it might nurture long after him. For more NXTHVN events, visit their website.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - Octber 07, 2026 - October 13, 2026

3-Way Alder Race Takes Shape In Edgewood by Laura Glesby

Varick Church Soup Kitchen, the Perfect Blend mentorship program, and a variety of other community groups. The special election will take place on Nov. 10. The deadline for individual candidates to petition onto the ballot, and for political parties to submit candidate nominations, is Monday, Oct. 5. (Update 5:49) The Ward 24 Democratic Ward Committee will meet on Sunday, Oct. 4, at 3 p.m. at the Whalley Avenue police substation to make an endorsement. The Nov. 10 special election in Ward 24 will be the third special election for alder in New Haven so far this year. Christine Kim won a February election to become the alder for Downtown/East Rock’s Ward 7 after incumbent Eli Sabin stepped down in January. Maria-Threese Serana won a September election to become the alder for East Rock/Fair Haven’s Ward 9 after incumbent Caroline Tanbee Smith stepped down in August. Whoever wins the Nov. 10 election will fill out the rest of Hamilton’s two-year term, which ends at the end of 2027.

The New Haven independent

Three candidates have filed to run for a newly vacant seat representing Edgewood on the Board of Alders, now that Evette Hamilton has officially concluded her 15-year tenure representing Ward 24. Local realtor Jennifer Tillman has entered the race for Hamilton’s former seat, joining Randall Furlow and Lindsey Tengatenga (A.K.A. Lindsey Eichler). All three candidates are Democrats. Furlow is a Ward 24 Democratic Ward Committee co-chair, a pastor, and a cousin of Board of Alders Majority Leader Richard Furlow. Click here to read more about his candidacy. Tengatenga is the executive director of a statewide organization that brings together leaders from different sectors to advance racial equity, a mom of two, and a 12-year resident of Edgewood Avenue. Click here to read more about her candidacy. Tillman is currently a realtor affiliated with Diamond Realty Partners. Previously, she worked for three decades as a social worker focusing on mental health and addiction, according to her professional biography, and she volunteers with the

15-year incumbent Evette Hamilton, whose last day as Ward 24 alder was Wednesday. Credit: Thomas Breen file photo

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - October 07, 2026 - October 13, 2026

COMMENTARY: HOUSTON DEFENDER — Black voters have long been a reliable base for the Democratic Party, but political strategists and voters indicate that years of inconsistent engagement and unfulfilled expectations have created a trust gap.

Battling Black Voter Distrust

By. BlackPressUSA Newswire Black voters have been among the Democratic Party’s most dependable supporters for generations. But loyalty and trust are not the same thing. With less than a month to go before the midterm elections, Black voters and political strategists say years of inconsistent engagement and unmet expectations have left some voters questioning whether the party has earned their continued support. The challenge now is bigger than winning votes. It’s convincing distrustful voters that staying politically engaged is worth it. Communications strategist Ashley Etienne argues that Democrats have spent years taking one of their most reliable voting blocs for granted, creating a widening trust gap that threatens the party’s long-term prospects in Texas and nationally. “Trust is the currency of persuasion,” she said. “We’re seeing distrust at an alltime high, especially with Black voters … distrust of the media, institutions, the Democratic Party, self-agreement. Campaigns don’t lose because they fail to talk to voters. They lose because they fail to listen.” Etienne, who served as a senior adviser to Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden and communications director for Vice President Kamala Harris, said repairing that relationship requires something considerably more difficult than another campaign advertisement. It requires listening. Black support remains strong, but not absolute Recent polling suggests Democrats continue to hold a substantial advantage among Black voters heading into November, but that support isn’t universal. A July 2026 Pew Research Center survey found 68% of Black registered voters said they would support the Democratic

candidate for U.S. House in their district, compared with 8% who favored the Republican. Another 25% said they were either unsure or would support another candidate. Harris County Democratic Party Chair Traci Gibson pointed to close election losses to show Black turnout could change outcomes. Credit: HCDP That uncertainty follows some erosion in Democratic support among Black voters in the 2024 presidential election. A Pew analysis of validated voters found 83% of Black voters supported Kamala Harris in 2024, compared with 92% who supported Joe Biden in 2020. Pew found that shift was driven less by individual voters switching from one party to another than by differences in who turned out to vote. The findings don’t suggest Black voters have abandoned Democrats. They do raise questions about whether longstanding party loyalty is enough to guarantee participation.

“We’ve been making that same argument decade after decade,” Etienne said. “Those are becoming less persuasive arguments.” Why is trust disappearing? The distrust isn’t necessarily about one candidate or one election. For some Black voters, frustration comes from feeling heavily courted during election season without seeing enough progress afterward on the issues affecting their daily lives. Housing costs remain a concern. So do education, economic opportunity, neighborhood investment, and the cost of everyday necessities. That creates a difficult dynamic for campaigns: Asking voters to participate in a political system that some believe has not delivered enough for them. It also raises a separate question. What happens when frustration with political parties becomes disengagement from the political process altogether?

What happens when voters stay home? The answer can become particularly consequential in local elections, where races can be decided by hundreds of votes rather than thousands. Harris County Democratic Party Chair Traci Gibson has pointed to several 2024 judicial races decided by narrow margins. District judge candidate Elaine Palmer lost by 304 votes, while Jeralynn Manor lost by 647 votes. Gibson also warned about voters who begin Harris County’s lengthy ballot but don’t finish it. “If you go into these polls and you vote for the first five people and then you leave, that’s how we get Elaine Palmer losing by about 300 votes,” Gibson said. The larger issue extends beyond any candidate or political party. Judges are elected. School boards make decisions affecting students and families. City and county officials determine how public dollars are spent. State lawmakers decide which bills become state law. Those decisions are made regardless of how many eligible voters participate. “We have to have strategies, we have to have plans, we have to have a mechanism in place for people to feel they are heard.” For voters distrustful of political parties or government institutions, political participation also doesn’t have to mean unquestioning loyalty to either party. Voters can research candidates individually, compare their positions, attend or watch candidate forums and examine an incumbent’s record against previous campaign promises. They can also learn what the often-overlooked offices farther down the ballot actually control. In that sense, distrust can become a reason for greater scrutiny rather than disengagement. Candidates have work to do, too Responsibility for rebuilding participation doesn’t fall solely on voters. At a recent Third Ward town hall hosted by state Rep. Jolanda “Jo” Jones, Harris County Precinct 7 Constable James “Smokie” Phillips and Houston Black American Democrats, voters and political strategists called for more sustained campaign engagement.

“Investment drives outcomes. If you don’t invest in it, it doesn’t work,” Etienne said. She argued that campaigns spend heavily on polling, consultants and advertising while directing too little money toward Black-led political infrastructure and organizations with established relationships in Black communities. Shamier Bouie, chair of Houston Black American Democrats, said organizing cannot begin a few months before Election Day. “It’s all about year-round organizing, and increased investment in Black voter outreach … more funding for Black-led organizations that have relationships, infrastructure, and experience in effectively engaging Black communities,” Bouie said. The question of investment also surfaced in July when Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico pledged $25 million toward Black voter outreach. Some voters wanted specifics about where and how that money would be spent. “We still need our kids, we still need our schools equitably funded,” said Augie Cahee, vice president of marketing web delivery at JPMorgan Chase & Co. “So, we want to know what you’re going to do with the money. Don’t stand up and tell me $25 million and you don’t have a plan.” The exchange illustrated the larger trust problem: Voters aren’t simply asking candidates to talk to them. They want to know what happens after the conversation. From distrust to accountability Karla West, a precinct chair for downtown’s Precinct 16, said responsibility ultimately belongs on both sides. “We fell asleep at the wheel,” West said of voter turnout. But she also challenged political leaders. “The Democratic Party did not say what they would do for you,” West said. “We haven’t heard a plan for years. I’m sick of it. We have to have strategies, we have to have plans, we have to have a mechanism in place for people to feel they are heard.” Defender Reporter Tannistha Sinha contributed to this report.

Gas Gaffe Earned Labor Relations Director One-Day Unpaid Suspension by Thomas Breen

The New Haven independent

The city’s labor relations director was suspended without pay for one day last September after she filled up her personal car’s tank with gasoline from the municipal pump at the city’s public works facility. That department head, Wendella Ault-Battey, wound up reimbursing the city for the cost of the gas — to the tune of $42.46. City Chief of Staff Sean Matteson and Mayor Justin Elicker provided those de-

tails in an email comment sent to the Independent on Thursday. They did so one day after this reporter heard about and asked about the year-old incident. Matteson said that Ault-Battey was issued a one-day unpaid suspension on Sept. 26, 2025, for using a municipal gas pump at the city’s Department of Public Works (DPW) facility — which is located on Middletown Avenue — on Sept. 24, 2025, “to refuel her personal vehicle, which is prohibited.” “Director Ault-Battey is issued a city vehicle for her work-related duties, and city

City Labor Relations Director Wendella Ault-Battey. Credit: Laura Glesby file photo

14

vehicles are filled up at the DPW municipal gas pumps,” Matteson said. “Attorney Ault-Battey explained that she drove her personal vehicle to work that day due to her assigned city vehicle having mechanical issues. She further explained that she was concerned that her personal vehicle was running low on gas and she went to the nearest gas station that she was aware of.” He said that Ault-Battey reimbursed the city for the cost of the fuel, and that the total amount of gas used was $42.46. “Director Ault-Battey acknowledged

that she exercised poor judgement in this instance, apologized and addressed the matter accordingly,” Elicker said in a statement. “Director Ault-Battey has a long track record of dedicated service to the city and remains a valued member of this administration.” In a separate email to the Independent on Thursday, Ault-Battey confirmed the accuracy of the details provided by Matteson and otherwise declined to comment on the matter. She has served as the city’s labor relations director since 2022.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - October 07, 2026 - October 13, 2026

A $2.1 Trillion Wellness Industry Never Built a Daily Practice for Black Children. So This Atlanta Family Did.

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — As Black parents strive to raise resilient, confident, brilliant children within systems that too often underestimate them, an Atlanta-based company launches an app that delivers a five-minute daily wellness practice, backed by forty years of research, to help build the identity, confidence and self-worth their children carry into every room. By BlackPressUSA Newswire As Black parents strive to raise resilient, confident, brilliant children within systems that too often underestimate them, an Atlanta-based company launches an app that delivers a five-minute daily wellness practice, backed by forty years of research, to help build the identity, confidence, and self-worth their children carry into every room. ATLANTA — October 6, 2026 — Every morning, Black children walk into classrooms and spaces that weren’t designed with them in mind. They carry a quiet, daily weight most adults never see. There is no shortage of national conversation about the challenges they face; there has been far less discussion about what actually helps. Yet the research has pointed to answers for decades: a grounded sense of who they are, the steadying power of breath, and the pride that comes from knowing their history and their own worth. What was missing was a way to deliver those answers to Black children, consistently and easily, every single day. Until now. Bright Crowns, the first daily wellness practice built specifically for Black children, launched and is available now on the Apple App Store. The morning practice takes just five minutes and fits easily into a busy day. “As much as we’d like to, we can’t always lighten the load our children carry each day,” said co-founder and CEO Tia Harley. “But we can help make them strong enough to carry it — with their heads held high.” Here is what the Bright Crowns wellness practice delivers. Each morning,

A young girl starts her day with Bright Crowns, a daily wellness practice built for Black children. (Photo: Bright Crowns)

a child opens the app and hears a voice that sounds like home. The breath comes first, to help them settle and notice what they’re feeling. Then an affirmation that names who they are and the people they come from. Then the story of someone from Black history whose life is proof of the strength being built in them that day. A new figure every day, all year long, not just in February. Not a history lesson, but evidence of what they already carry inside. They start each day steady, certain, and ready for whatever it holds. The arc is deliberate: Breathe. Belong. Become. That five-minute morning session is called Crown Time, and Bright Crowns doesn’t stop there. Its practices carry a child through the whole day. Crown Ready steadies a child before a hard test or a game. Crown Reset meets a big feeling the moment it rises. Crown Together is a weekend reflection a parent reads aloud. And Bedtime Crown carries them into sleep with folktales from the African diaspora. Instead of points or

badges, children earn crowns drawn from real African kingdoms — an inheritance, not a reward. A badge says good job; a crown says this was always yours. “Bright Crowns isn’t about making a child feel better for five minutes,” said Tia Harley. “It’s about giving them tools that compound: steadiness, identity, and resilience they carry long after the session ends, into the classroom, under pressure, and into rooms where they may be the only one.” Built on joy. Backed by forty years of science. Husband-and-wife team David and Tia Harley built Bright Crowns out of love for their own children. Then they discovered that every piece of what they had built had already been supported by research. A landmark study in the journal Science found that a brief, culturally grounded practice measurably narrowed the racial achievement gap for Black students, without any change to the school itself. Research has since identified ethnic-racial identity as a key protective fac-

tor for Black youth mental health in the Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, and a meta-analysis of 76 mindfulness programs for young people found significant improvements in stress, attention, emotional regulation, and academic engagement. Psychologists have a name for what these build together: hardiness, the inner architecture that lets a person meet difficulty without breaking. It has been studied since 1979, when psychologist Suzanne Kobasa first identified it, and the research is clear that it is teachable, built through brief, consistent daily practice. “The research showed that while the school didn’t change,” Tia Harley said, “what those children carried into it did.” A category built, not borrowed. Wellness has grown into one of the largest industries in the world, worth roughly $2.1 trillion in the U.S. alone, with apps for sleep, focus, breathing, and meditation. Yet when the Harleys went looking for a daily wellness practice built for their own Black children, they found none. What

existed was generic: polished and useful, but spoken in voices and settings that never felt like home, and asking a Black child to set part of themselves aside just to belong there. “A Black child’s identity isn’t separate from their wellness. It’s part of it,” said Tia Harley. Bright Crowns wasn’t adapted for Black children after the fact. It was built with them in mind from the very beginning, the first of its kind, and one this community has long deserved. David Harley, an award-winning creative director, began building a morning wellness routine at their family’s kitchen table, and he and Tia joined forces to grow it into what Bright Crowns is today. The two brought professional rigor to a labor of love: David, with two decades leading multicultural campaigns for major brands, and Tia, who led business development and partnerships at Google. They built Bright Crowns to a standard they’d trust with their own children. Then they used it with their two kids every morning for more than a year before it reached anyone else. “We built it for our children first,” Tia Harley said. “We watched them change: quicker to recover from tough moments, more willing to try hard things, holding their heads a little higher. Then we realized every Black family we knew needed the same thing.” The launch arrives as Black families across the country are thinking hard about how to prepare and educate their children in schools and spaces that weren’t always designed with them in mind. Bright Crowns speaks to the part that travels with a child into any classroom: the certainty of who they are. Availability. Bright Crowns is available now on the Apple App Store with a free 7-day trial. Families who join by December 31, 2026 lock in the Founding Family rate of $69.99 for the first year; one subscription includes every child in the home. Learn more and download at hellobrightcrowns.com. “Our children are already brilliant,” said co-founder and chief product officer David Harley. “We don’t teach them to survive. We teach them they were born to thrive. Their crowns are already on — we just help them remember.”

Annika Ashton First Black Woman and Jamaican Broward County Attorney SOUTH FLORIDA TIMES — Annika E. Ashton is the new Broward County Attorney, becoming the first Black woman and Jamaican American to hold the position. Ashton, 42, was sworn in last month, replacing Andrew Meyers who retired after eight years.

By BlackPressUSA Newswire

attorneys and a support staff.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Annika E. Ashton is the new Broward County Attorney, becoming the first Black woman and Jamaican American to assume the role. Ashton, 42, was sworn in last month to replace Andrew Meyers who retired after eight years at the helm. The Broward County Commission unanimously appointed Ashton, who was the Deputy Broward County attorney, in April 2026 and she took over on September 10, 2026 the official last day of Meyers’ tenure.

Ashton’s appointment reflects overcoming racial and gender barriers to become the chief legal advisor for the county. The Coral Springs resident thanked the commission and Broward County legal department for their support. “I’m very excited to work with a really great office of people and have the support of the Broward County Commission,” Ashton said. Broward County Commissioner Nan Rich called Ashton “the most qualified person to lead the County Attorney’s Office,” noting the county attorney position is one of only three the board is responsible

She will oversee more than 50

16

for appointing Ashton has worked for Broward County since 2014, starting as an assistant county attorney and rose to senior assistant county attorney before becoming deputy county attorney in 2019. She graduated from Princeton University and Columbia Law School and clerked for the Hon. Adalberto Jordan on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Ashton’s county work has included litigating federal court cases, drafting ordinances and contributing to the $1 billion expansion of the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale.

She previously did private practice in New York and Miami. According to her bio, Ashton was born in Spanish Town, Jamaica and raised with deepy family roots in Clarendon, particularly Palmer Cross. She migrated to the U.S. and graduated from Ft. Lauderdale Boyd Anderson High School, earned her bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and law degree from Columbia Law School. As the new chief attorney for Broward County, Ashton will provide legal counsel for commissioners and administrators, represent the county in litigation, drafting Con’t on page 21

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - Octber 07, 2026 - October 13, 2026

Botham Jean’s Killer Granted Parole 7 Years After His Murder

MICHIGAN CHRONICLE — Former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger has been granted parole, seven years after her conviction for murdering Botham Jean inside his Dallas apartment. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles approved her release on October 1, seven years to the day after her murder conviction. Guyger was convicted in 2019 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for Jean’s 2018 death. Former Dallas police officerAmber Guyger has been granted parole seven years after she was convicted of murdering her neighbor,Botham Jean, inside his Dallas apartment. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles approved Guyger’s release Thursday (October 1), seven years to the day after Guyger was convicted of Jean’s murder, according to NBC News. In 2019, a jury convicted Guyger of murder and she was sentenced to 10 years in prison for Jean’s 2018 death. Her conviction and 10-year sentence were upheld on appeal in 2022. Geyger’s first parole request was denied in 2024, NBC Dallas-Fort Worth reported. The Dallas Police Department fired her after the shooting. During her trial, Guyger testified that she mistakenly entered Jean’s apartment after returning home from work, believing it was her own apartment one floor below. She said she saw Jean inside and fired her weapon because she believed he was an intruder, according to NBC News. Jean was a 26-year-old Black man from St. Lucia who worked as an accountant. He was inside his home eating ice cream when Guyger entered and shot him, NBC DFW reported. The parole board cited Guyger’s prison record in approving her release. According to NBC DFW, officials said she did not have a documented pattern of violent or assaultive arrests or convictions, maintained a satisfactory adjustment while incarcerated, and completed programs intended to help her obtain and maintain employment. Jean’s family opposed the parole decision and had asked that Guyger serve her full 10-year sentence, according to NBC DFW. Civil rights attorney Lee Merritt, who represents the family, told NBC DFW that the decision was deeply disappointing. “They stood up again and again to ask that the full sentence be served,” Merritt said. The Dallas Police Department told NBC DFW that the parole decision was outside its authority and that the department had no role in determining whether Guyger would be released. The department said its thoughts remained with Jean’s family and others affected by his death. Guyger’s conviction and 10-year sentence were upheld on appeal in 2022. A civil jury ordered Guyger to pay Jean’s

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THEINNERCITYNEWS.COM

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - October 07, 2026 - October 13, 2026

Chief Examiner: The Town of East Haven is currently seek-

The Housing Authority City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities

ing qualified applicants to participate in the Civil Service Examination for the position of Chief Examiner. This position, under the general direction of the Civil Service Commission, administers the Town's Civil Service examinations and oversees all aspects of the competitive hiring process for the town. Coordinates recruitment, application review, examination administration, eligibility lists, certification of candidates, Commission support, records management, and compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and Town policies. Graduation from high school or equivalent required. Associate's degree preferred. Five (5) years of progressively responsible administrative experience, preferably in Human Resources, Civil Service, municipal government, or a closely related field; or any equivalent combination of education and experience. Salary range 33,546.16 - $38,836.20, 19.5 hours per week. This job is not eligible for medical benefits or pension. Applications to participate in the examination are available online at https:// www.easthaven-ct.gov/jobs.aspx or the Civil Service Office, 250 Main Street, East Haven CT and must be returned by October 23, 2026. The Town of East Haven is committed to building a workforce of diverse individuals. Minorities, Females, Handicapped and Veterans are encouraged to apply.

Request for Qualifications

Architectural Engineering Services for West Rock Community Center Redevelopment The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven d/b/a Elm City Communities acting through its instrumentality, The Glendower Group, Inc. Is soliciting request for qualifications (“RFQ”) for a selection of a qualified and experienced A & E Firm for the redevelopment of the West Rock Community Center Located at 295 Wilmot Road. For the detailed RFQ- please register with New Haven Housing Authority Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

Thursday, September 16, 2026, at 3:00PM.

Listing: Technician Pre-Apprentice Immediate opening for a full-time Technician Pre-Apprentice. Candidate must possess a valid driver’s license and have knowledge of computers and power tools. HVAC/supply knowledge is preferred. Must be detail oriented and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email HRDept@eastriverenergy.com **An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer including Disabled and Veterans**

MECHANIC III

The Town of Wallingford is accepting applications for Mechanic III. Wages: $36.31 to $44.08 hourly. For additional information and to apply online by the October 5, 2026 closing date please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for multiple Agency Labor Relations Specialist Trainee (Leadership Associate (Confidential) positions in the Office of Labor Relations. Further information regarding the duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at: https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/ sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= 260831&R2=5989VR&R3=001

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

THEINNERCITYNEWS.COM

360 Management Group is currently seeking bids from qualified contractors to perform Pest Extermination Services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

Thursday, October 5, 2026, at 3:00PM.

Invitation for Bids Legal Services 360 Management Group is currently seeking bids from qualified contractors to perform Legal Services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

installation salesperson for the residential marketplace who is energetic and self-motivated. Salary, commission, 401K match, health, dental, vision & life insurance, paid time off and vehicle allowances for qualified personnel. Previous home improvement design/sales preferred. AA/EOE Employer. Please send resume to mpicard@atlasoutdoor.com

tor is looking for shop welder/fabricators. Individual will be required to weld, cut and fabricate steel and aluminum products. Must be able to read basic drawings and fill out daily reports. All necessary equipment provided. Required to pass a physical and drug test. A valid CT driver's license, OSHA 10 card and DOT Medical Card also required. Medical, holiday, vacation & other benefits included. Starting pay based on experience level. We are an AA/EOE company. Send resumes/inquiries to: pboucher@atlasoutdoor.com.

Invitation for Bids Pest Extermination Services

360 Management Group

Help Wanted: Atlas Outdoor is looking for an estimator/design and

Shop Welder/Fabricator: Large CT Fence & Guardrail Contrac-

360 Management Group

Thursday, October 5, 2026, at 3:00PM.

POLICE OFFICER ENTRY LEVEL City of Bristol $78,813/yr. Required testing, general info, and apply online: www.bristolct.gov DEADLINE: 12-07-25 EOE

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LaRosa Building Group LLC General Contractor has immediate opens for the following positions:

• Construction Project Manager • Construction Superintendent • Assistant Project Manager/Project Engineer Please apply on Indeed, LAROSABG.COM or email resumes to SEDMONDS@GOLAROSA.COM

“LaRosa Building Group is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer who values diversity and encourages all qualified applicants to apply.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - Octber 07, 2026 - October 13, 2026

RFP –Pest Control

360 Management

NBHA has determined that it will control pests using integrated pest management consistent with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’sGuidance on Integrated Pest Management (IPM). See Exhibit 2 for the Guidance. The Guidance identifies ten elements of an effective IPM program.

Invitation for Bids

SCOPE OF WORK

Snow Removal Services 360M 360 Management is currently seeking bids from qualified contractors for Snow Removal Services. A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from Elm City’s Vendor Collaboration Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

NBHA seeks a Contractor who will provide pest control services as described in Exhibit 3 for each of the ten elements except where contractor specifically identifies situations where it must follow alternative guidelines. Contractor must provide services in a manner that demonstrates sensitivity to the fact thatNBHA properties are primarily residential in nature and puts the needs of the residents and staff as the foremost priority

August 31, 2026, at 3:00PM.

RFP –Waste management

Scope of Services:

LEGAL NOTICE

The Contractor shall be required to collect, transport and dispose of all Acceptable Solid Waste from every housing development/property currently managed by the Housing Authority of New Britain (See Appendix “B”) which has been placed in acceptable containers. The material shall be transported to the Bristol Waste to Energy Facility. The Contractor will be responsible for disposal costs. The Contractor shall be responsible for providing and assuming all costs for labor, equipment, materials and all else whatsoever required to deliver such service.

Request for Proposals (RFP) for Services The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management, is seeking proposals to provide certain services related to a DOC & DESPP Staffing Study. The intent of the request is to identify individuals or firms with the necessary expertise to provide administration of the DOC & DESPP Staffing Study within a stated timeframe.

Listing: HVAC Apprentice Level 1

The RFP is available online at: https://portal.ct.gov/DAS/ CTSource/BidBoard and https://portal.ct.gov/OPM/Root/RFP/ Request-For-Proposals or from André Simons, Office of Policy and Management, Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division, 450 Capitol Ave., MS#52CJP, Hartford, Connecticut 06106-1379. E-mail: Andre.Simons@ct.gov. Telephone (860) 418-6287. Deadline for response submission is 5:00 P.M., October 27, 2026.

Opening for a full time HVAC Apprentice Level 1. Candidate must possess a technical school certificate in heating, ventilation, air conditioning, oil, propane and natural gas. Must be detail oriented and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or emailHRDept@eastriverenergy.com

Metering Supervisor

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

The Housing Authority of the city of Norwalk is requesting proposals from qualified firms for LEGAL SERVICES-CORPORATE GOVERNANCE. To obtain a complete copy of the Request for Proposal documents, contact Guillermo Bendana, Procurement Specialist at gbenda@norwalkha.org. Proposals are due at 2:00 PM, EST. on 11/02/2026. Norwalk Housing Authority is an equal opportunity employer. Adam Bovilsky, Executive Director.

The Town of Wallingford is accepting applications for Metering Supervisor. Wages: $118,083.00 to $147,603.00 annually. For additional information and to apply online by the October 8, 2026 closing date, please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

System Operator/Dispatcher

The Housing Authority of the city of Norwalk is requesting proposals from qualified firms for LEGAL SERVICES-LANDLORD/TENANT & HUD/ STATE REGULATIONS. To obtain a complete copy of the Request for Proposal documents, contact Guillermo Bendana, Procurement Specialist at gbenda@norwalkha.org. Proposals are due at 2:00 PM, EST. on 11/02/2026. Norwalk Housing Authority is an equal opportunity employer. Adam Bovilsky, Executive Director.

The Town of Wallingford is accepting applications for System Operator/Dispatcher. Wages: $45.58 to $53.32 hourly. For additional information and to apply online by the October 26, 2026 closing date, please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE Galasso Materials LLC, a quarry and paving contractor, has positions open for the upcoming construction season. We are seeking candidates for a variety of positions, including: Scalehouse Dispatcher/ Equipment Operators and Laborers. NO PHONE CALLS. Please mail resume and cover letter to “Hiring Manager”, Galasso Materials LLC, PO Box 1776, East Granby CT 06026. Galasso Materials is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race,

Exp. Welder call Jill 860-274-9668 19

color, religion, sex, orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - October 07, 2026 - October 13, 2026

NOW ACCEPTING PRE-APPLICATIONS FOR JUDD HOMESTEAD AT RUSSO ESTATES Affordable Rental Housing –ONE, TWO AND THREE BEDROOM UNITS, located at 980 High Street, Fairfield CT PreliminaryApplications will be accepted beginning on 09/28/2026 AND ENDS with a postmark date of 10/26/2026. Pre-Applications received after the end date as postmarked will be automatically rejected. Pre-Applications are to be mailed only to Owner’s offices located at 15 Pine Tree Lane, Fairfield, CT 06825. Owner: Judd Russo Limited Partnership Applicants will need to meet the income requirements based on family size for 80% of Area Median Income, or less. Preliminary Applications will be received by mail only during the period noted above and placement on the wait list will be made through the random selection method, once the period has ended. The maximum number of pre-applications to be placed on the wait list is one hundred twenty-five (125). Pre-Applications will not be accepted by handdelivery, facsimile, email or any other electronic transmission.

The Guilford Housing Authority

is currently accepting applications for single-person and two-person households for apartment waitlists at Sachem Hollow, Guilford Court and Boston Terrace in Guilford, CT. Applicants must be age 62 and over or on 100% social security or federal disability and minimum 18 years of age. Applications may be obtained by calling 203-453-6262 Option 4 or emailing Waitlist@GuilfordHA.org. Applications will be accepted from 9/28/26 until 11/6/26 at 4 pm. Credit, police, landlord checks are procured by the Authority. Smoking is prohibited in units. Equal Opportunity Housing.

COLLECTIONS MAINTAINER 1 (TRAINEE) The Town of Wallingford is accepting applications for Collections Maintainer I (Trainee). Wages: $27.85 to $30.59 hourly. For additional information and to apply online by October 9, 2026 closing date please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

Metering Supervisor

Four Person family – 30% AMI Max limit $42,180 2 Bedroom 30% unit monthly rent - $609* Four Person family – 50% AMI Max limit $70,300 2 Bedroom 50% unit monthly rent - $1063* Four Person family – 60% AMI Max limit $84,360 2 Bedroom 50% unit monthly rent - $1323* Four Person family – 80% AMI Max limit $112,480 2 Bedroom 50% unit monthly rent - $1561* *subject to change

Pre-Applications will be provided to any & all interested persons. Individuals or families may pick up a hard copy of the pre-application at the Owner’s offices located at 15 Pine Tree Lane, Fairfield, CT or online at https://www.fairfieldhc.org/ You may request a pre- application be mailed to you by contacting us at 203-366-6578. For Additional Information Contact Carol Martin or Carol Antrum: Phone: (203)366-6578 TRS/TDD: (800) 842-9710

The Town of Wallingford is accepting applications for Metering Supervisor. Wages: $118,083.00 to $147,603.00 annually. For additional information and to apply online by the October 8, 2026 closing date, please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

UNION CONTRACTOR SEEKS: Construction Equipment Mechanic (preferably experienced in Reclaiming and Road Milling Equipment) We offer factory training on equipment we operate. Job is in Bloomfield, CT. Contact: Tom Dunay Phone: 860-243-2300 Ext. 122 Email: tom.dunay@garrityasphalt.com Reclaimer Operators and Milling Operators (must have current licensing and a clean driving record; be willing to travel throughout the Northeast & NY)

Attendant I

Contact: Rick Tousignant Phone: 860-243-2300 Ext. 133 Email: rick.tousignant@garrityasphalt.com Tractor Trailer Driver for Heavy & Highway Construction Equipment

The Town of Wallingford is accepting applications for Attendant I. Wages: $29.93 to $34.66 hourly. For additional information and to apply online by the September 11, 2026 closing date, please visit: www.wallingfordct.gov/government/departments/human-resources/. Applications are also available at the Department of Human Resources located in Room #301 of the Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

Exp. Welder call Jill 860-274-9668

(must have a class A CDL license with Tank Endorsement and a clean driving record; be capable of operating heavy equipment and willing to travel throughout the Northeast and NY) Contact: Brian McKee Phone: 860-558-6189 Email: bmckee@garrityasphalt.com

• We offer Excellent hourly rates and benefits. • Women and Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply. • Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - Octber 07, 2026 - October 13, 2026

HBCU students march to demand justice for Nolan Wells: “No water in his lungs!” By Courtesy of HBCUNEWS.com

These were the chants of Atlanta University Center (AUC) students as they marched through the school campus on Thursday night. It was also the findings of the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s autopsy of Nolan Wells that the family released on September 26. Wells was an 18-year-old Black Mississippi teenager who went missing and was later found dead on a boating trip on July 4. Investigators initially ruled Wells’ death a drowning. However, due to a combination of the autopsy, Wells’ parents’ skepticism of the local police, and the lengthy history of Black lynching in Mississippi, concerned Americans around the country have demanded a deeper look into Wells’ death. The rally, organized by the Spelman College NAACP chapter, came together following the release of Mississippi’s autopsy of Wells. According to the report, Wells had no water in his airways at the time of his death. The coroner also found evidence of injury to the back of Wells’ head in the form of two contusions. That release came only three days after a grand jury determined that there were no criminal charges to bring forward. A’nija Hughley, president of the Spelman College NAACP chapter and thirdyear student, helped to organize the rally. The march was initially planned after the autopsy was released, although it wasn’t the first rally the chapter had organized. Previously, in January, the group organized a march to the Georgia State Capitol to protest the Trump Administration.

Con’t from page 16

First Black Woman

legal documents including preparing ordinances, government contracts and oversight of zoning issues. Ashton will also advise commissioners on legal aspects of county projects, developments and public services, including environmental, transportation, and consumer protection issues in Broward County. She is also a Past President of the Caribbean Bar Association. Ashton credits her Jamaican upbringing for a stellar legal career. She said women leadership in Jamaica helped her thrive, studying successful women in business and public service, as well as community figures like Cathy Levy, founder of the iconic Little People and Teen Players Club, who has been a stalwart of youth arts education in Jamaica for decades. These early influences, along with the cultural ethos of resilience captured in the popular Jamaican refrain, “Wi likkle but wi tallawah,” she notes, helped shape her ambition and belief that she could make a meaningful impact on the world around her. The post Annika Ashton first Black woman and Jamaican Broward County Attorney appeared first on South Florida Times.

The march started outside the Robert W. Woodruff Library on the college campus. Following a prayer, the crowd of students marched their way through the campus of the Historically Black Universities. Those not attending the rally cheered from their apartment balconies, or joined the stream of chanters and protestors. The chapter’s goal of the rally was to return “to the Atlanta Student Movement ideas of protest and civil disobedience,” Hughley reported to the People’s World. Just 65 years earlier, AUC students formed the movement to protest segregation not only in the City of Atlanta, but across the entire South. “What we really want from this march is to make students in the AUC aware about the situation,” Hughley comment-

ed. On top of that, the students wanted to send a message to the AUC administration that they “are not going to be silent or apathetic to situations like this, and that we actually care about what’s going on, and we want to do something to fight back against it.” An Atlanta University Center (AUC) student holds a sign saying “He Did Not Drown” in reference to the death of Nolan Wells, Oct. 1, 2026| Erica Meade/People’s World Hughley was not the only one who planned to raise her voice on the campus. Thousands of students carrying signs reading “Black Boys Deserve to Grow Old” and “He Did Not Drown” marched in unison across campus. Another Spelman student and NAACP

member, Myana Garrison, called out Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch during the protest. “Treat this case as you would treat it if it was a white boy.” Garrison spoke of the student’s collective outrage and anger over the teenager’s death, emphasizing they “should not have to ask and beg for justice” not only for Wells, but every victim of racist violence in Mississippi. According to Tuskegee University, 539 Black people were lynched in Mississippi from the years 1882-1968. The rally lasted a few hours, but the organizers pleaded to the student body that the night of protest couldn’t be their only and last action for Wells. The activists behind the bullhorns acknowledged and condoned the crowd’s anger and frustration, but told them their anger “should be driving them to register to vote.” The

rally attendees agreed, and chanted back at the speakers: “Vote for Nolan Wells!” First, for the students and those invested in the case, there is the symbolic importance of voting in this election cycle. As Hughley pointed out to People’s World, “this would’ve been the first election [Wells] was able to vote in, and he is not able to.” Essentially, AUC students recognize they can vote in honor of a Black teenager who never had the opportunity to exercise his constitutional right. Elmore Wonsley, right, pauses from speaking as wife Christine Wonsley holds a photo of her deceased son, Nolan Wells, as they appear at the National Urban League’s annual conference, Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn.| John Amis/ AP Continuing on the importance of voting, Hughley remarked that “the people who handled his case are elected officials.” When students go out and vote for positions such as attorney general, they can ensure “cases like this have a better outcome,” Hughley clarified. Rally speakers reminded the protestors they have until October 5 to register to vote, and can begin early voting on October 13. The rally concluded at the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel. The civil rights leader graduated on the very same campus from Morehouse University. During a 1959 Morehouse commencement speech, Dr. King asked the graduating students: “Can we in America stand idly by and not be concerned?” about the racial terror that gripped the South. In his spirit of persistence and dedication, he declared the answer to be negative. That was sixty-seven years ago. On Thursday evening, students again answered his question. As the signs, the chanting, and the speeches proved, AUC students are not standing by and are more concerned than ever for Nolan Wells.

Meet the 25-year-old who just won NASA’s $300K prize for innovation to feed astronauts on Mars by Dollita Okine, Face2FaceAfrica.com Chinyere “Chichi” Ukeje, a 25-year-old from Philadelphia, won the $300,000 top prize in a NASA competition aimed at creating food systems for astronauts in space and on Mars. Originally from Bowie, Md., Ukeje, who now lives in Northeast Philadelphia with her husband, proposed a project called Adaptive Nourishment Infrastructure (ANI), named after the Nigerian goddess of harvest and fertility. Ukeje’s innovative winning idea involved astronauts using portable electric lunch boxes to heat food. They would take nutritious food cubes and turn them into everyday meals, allowing for fun themed dinners like “taco night” or “Italian pasta night.” She was amazed to win first place, though she expected to do well. “I completely poured myself into this project,” she said.

For the Deep Space Food Challenge: Mars to Table competition, NASA invited participants to find creative solutions for space food systems that ensure astronauts receive safe and nutritious meals while in

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space. NASA introduced Mars to Table in January 2026 as a continuation of the Deep Space Food Challenge, which took place from 2014 to 2021 in partnership with the Canadian Space Agency. The updated competition included entries from teams in 28 U.S. states and from a total of 33 countries. The total prize pool was $650,000 for five winning teams. Jennifer Edmunson, program manager for Centennial Challenges at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, stated: “The future of human space exploration depends on innovative food systems, and it’s impressive to see the creativity this challenge has inspired from participants worldwide.” This challenge was designed to discover methods for feeding astronauts without relying on prepackaged foods, which would be impractical due to the large volume needed for a long Mars mission. The main goal was to develop a functional system to support a crew of 15 astronauts

for 500 Martian sols, roughly equivalent to 513 Earth days. “The problem of feeding astronauts on Mars is more than just growing crops,” said Ukeje, who is studying for a master’s degree in computer science at Johns Hopkins University. Ukeje spent most of her childhood in Maryland before moving to Nigeria for high school. She later returned to the U.S. to obtain her bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and then relocated to Philadelphia. NASA described Ukeje’s “ANI” as a food system that combines farming in controlled environments, fermentation, and growing fungi, along with recycling nutrients in bioreactors, using some Earthsourced foods to produce half of the food needed away from Earth. Ukeje can use her prize money however she likes, but she mentioned that she plans to invest some of it in additional food technology research.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - October 07, 2026 - October 13, 2026

A Q&A with local Home Lending Manager, Jacqueline Plaza

Your home is an investment –How to create generational wealth by JP Morgan Chase

For most Americans, owning a home has long been considered a cornerstone to building and preserving generational wealth. A home purchase often symbolizes more than just securing a place to live – homeownership can help anchor families, support long-term financial stability and fuel local economic growth. If you currently own a home or if homeownership is one of your financial goals, it’s important to understand how your home can be a foundational pillar in helping you build and maintain generational wealth. A home can be an asset that appreciates over time as you build equity which can serve as a financial resource for you and your family for decades to come. Jacqueline Plaza, a Home Lending Manager in New York Cityshares more about the connection between homeownership and building generational wealth, and how you can make sure your home becomes, or remains, your most important financial asset. Q: How does a home create generational wealth? A: There are several perks to homeownership, many of which contribute to building wealth. Owning your home may be cheaper than renting in the long term if you have a mortgage with competitive rates; however, it’s important to keep in mind other home expenses, like insurance and taxes, when considering costs. Plus, since you own the home, that means you can build and tap into your equity for fu-

A: There are a few ways. You can borrow against your home equity by taking out a loan, using your property as collateral to secure the loan. There are a variety of ways you can do this such as through a home equity loan, home equity line of credit (HELOC) or a cash-out refinance. You may use these funds to cover other expenses, like high-interest credit card debt, make home improvements, invest in another home or in an emergency. Home equity loans also tend to have more favorable terms than credit cards or other personal loans, potentially saving you money in the long run.

Credit: Image Courtesy of JP Morgan Chase

ture expenses or profit when your home is sold. Another way to think of homeownership as it relates to your financial picture is that it can influence your overall net worth. When you make monthly payments, you’re slowly owning more of your home and it can become an asset. On the other hand, if you rent, your monthly housing costs are just an expense for a place to live and you don’t own any of it when you leave. Put simply, owning a home may help you grow your money over time.

equity works. A: The technical definition of home equity is the difference between the fair market value of your home and how much you still owe on your mortgage. Essentially, think of it as the part of your home’s value that you truly own. It’s made up of the amount you’ve already paid off, plus any increase in your home’s value. So, if you’re home’s value goes up, so does your equity and vice versa. Equity grows as you pay down your mortgage and, as mentioned earlier, the market value of your home increases.

Q: Explain home equity and how building

Q: How can this be beneficial financially?

Q: What if you sell your home? A: The more equity you have, the more you can profit from selling your home if you do so in the future. For example, if you’ve paid off your entire mortgage before you sell, you may get to keep all potential profits. If you haven’t paid off your mortgage, any profits will pay off what you owe and you’ll keep the remaining funds– the more home equity you have, the greater your profit could be. Q: What other benefits come from owning your home? A. Homeownership offers the potential opportunity for tax deductions. The interest you pay on your mortgage, insurance premiums, property taxes and even improvements to your energy efficiency may provide an opportunity for tax deductions. You can consult with your tax advisor if you’re looking to understand how buying a home may impact your

taxes.

There’s no place like home Homeownership has long been a powerful tool for building generational wealth in communities across the U.S. and can help you secure a solid financial future for yourself and your family. Your home is more than just the place where you rest your head—it can be your greatest financial asset. For informational/educational purposes only: Views and strategies described in this article or provided via links may not be appropriate for everyone and are not intended as specific advice/recommendation for any business. Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but JPMorgan Chase & Co. or its affiliates and/or subsidiaries do not warrant its completeness or accuracy. The material is not intended to provide legal, tax, or financial advice or to indicate the availability or suitability of any JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. product or service. You should carefully consider your needs and objectives before making any decisions and consult the appropriate professional(s). Outlooks and past performance are not guarantees of future results. JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its affiliates are not responsible for, and do not provide or endorse third party products, services, or other content. Home Lending products provided by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender. © 2026 JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Morehouse School of Medicine Fall Convocation Has Strong Ties to Nashville By BlackPressUSA Newswire

Morehouse School of Medicine held its 42nd Fall Convocation and White Coat and Pinning Ceremony on September 18, and it featured strong ties to Nashville. Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice is completing her 12th year as president and CEO of Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM). The school boasts 355 students seeking degrees and certificates in the medical field. “This entering class represents the future of medicine, science, public health and health care leadership,” said Valerie Montgomery Rice, MD, and FACOG. “As these students begin their journeys at Morehouse School of Medicine, they join a community grounded in excellence, service and our shared commitment to advancing health equity. We look forward to supporting their development as leaders who will transform the health and well-being of the communities they serve.” Infectious diseases physician and scientist Dr. Barney S. Graham, MD, and PhD, served as the keynote speaker. He serves as the director of the David

Photo credit: Philadelphia Inquirer

TENNESSEE TRIBUNE — Morehouse School of Medicine recently held its 42nd Fall Convocation and White Coat and Pinning Ceremony, which highlighted strong connections to Nashville. Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, in her 12th year as president and CEO, leads the institution, which welcomed 355 new students.

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Satcher Global Health Equity Institute, professor of Medicine and Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology at Morehouse School of Medicine. He is an inventor of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies approved for human use to prevent or treat RSV, COVID-19 and Ebola. He joined MSM in 2022. He served in various positions at Vanderbilt University for 21 years. Dr. Graham told the audience to “Embrace the Unseen” and focused on three points: Do the Best You can with what’s in front of you, Do what makes you come alive and Do the right thing even when no one is looking. He added, “Anything you do to improve mental and physical wellness and promote disease prevention will reduce health disparity by reducing the resources needed for treatment.” His remarks commanded a roaring applause from the audience, which included his wife, Dr. Cynthia Turner Graham, and the former First Lady of Tennessee State University, Mrs. Edwina Hefner, a close friend to the family. Based on reporting by Tennessee Tribune.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - Octber 07, 2026 - October 13, 2026

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - October 07, 2026 - October 13, 2026

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