Governor Lamont Says Tourism in Connecticut Experiencing Surge, Announces Upgrades To Welcome Centers

Renovations to Welcome Centers in Danbury and Darien Now Complete; Similar Upgrades Coming Soon to Greenwich, North Stonington, West Willington, and Westbrook

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that as the summer season nears its end and autumn approaches, the tourism industry in Connecticut has been experiencing a surge in visitation.

Through June, independent research data from Tourism Economics shows that visitation to the state has risen by 3% year over year. Through July, national benchmarking STR data shows that the Connecticut lodging industry has seen a 10% increase in revenues over the last year. Additionally, the state’s official tourism website CTvisit.com has logged an impressive 7.3 million site visits since January – up 44% over the previous year. Already the fifth most visited state tourism site in the nation, this increase in traffic positions CTvisit.com for a record-breaking year and bodes well for continued momentum for the state’s many tourism-related businesses.

“This spike in both current visits — and interest in future visits — reflects Connecticut’s growing appeal,” Governor Lamont said. “This fall, we encourage our residents and our visitors to explore Connecticut’s amazing attractions and enjoy all the ways you can take in our incredible fall foliage.”

“In addition to our breathtaking fall colors, there are so many reasons to enjoy Connecticut,” Anthony Anthony, chief marketing officer for the Connecticut Office of Tourism, said. “It’s a great time to get out for a UConn football game and see why USA Today recently named UConn the best college for sports fans. It’s also an ideal time to experience our ever-popular fall fairs and music festivals, our worldclass museums and theaters, our perfect pizza, and local oysters, and so much more.”

Connecticut boasts the longest foliage season among its New England counterparts, offering visitors an extended opportunity to savor the bright colored landscapes. This year, forecasters are anticipating that the views may be even more vivid.

“With such ample rain this summer, the trees are less stressed this year, which can result in more vivid colors,” Katie Dykes, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, said. “Typically, the vibrancy of our fall colors do depend on seasonally cool nights in September and early October. Given that the temperatures soared at the beginning of this month, the colors may be a little later than normal, but they still should be particularly vibrant.”

In time for this expected surge of visitors, Governor Lamont also announced the recent completion of a successful pilot program between the Connecticut Office of Tourism and the Connecticut Department of Transportation that has revitalized the state’s Welcome Centers in Danbury and Darien. Upgrades include installation of touch screen kiosks connecting visitors with things to do, see, and eat; 50” LED television screens showing the Connecticut’s tourism reel; and the state’s new CT Visit tourism branding that was launched in June 2022. Four more Welcome Centers across the state – Greenwich, North Stonington, West Willington, and Westbrook – will see similar upgrades over the coming year prior to next summer’s peak tourism season.

“We appreciate the ongoing partnership with the Office of Tourism in revamping the Welcome Centers, where visitors often form their first impression of Connecticut,” Laoise King, deputy commissioner for the Connecticut Department of Transportation, said. “With so many must-visit Connecticut destinations, we look forward to working with Governor Lamont and our state agency partners to expand these upgrades to additional entry points to ensure that no matter how someone travels, they are aware of all that Connecticut offers.”

One popular activity that draws travel to and across Connecticut is hiking. Recent research from Why This Place named Connecticut the best state in America for hiking, with an impressive 1,455 hiking trails per 1,000 square miles.

Just in time for fall foliage, earlier this week the state launched CTParks.com, a cutting-edge website showcasing Connecticut State Parks that was designed to integrate with CTvisit.com. The inspiring and useful site makes it easier for residents and visitors to discover the beauty of our parks and recreational areas and all the activities that each park offers.

“What makes this video-rich website a great experience for users is that it allows visitors to find exactly what park is right for them based on their interests or location,” Commissioner Dykes said. “As we approach the much-anticipated fall foliage season, this resource becomes invaluable for planning an unforgettable autumn adventure. The difficult part will be deciding which park to enjoy first! Fall is a beautiful time to hike, so one great option for hikers and families to consider is DEEP’s Sky’s the Limit Hiking Challenge.”

“As the leaves begin to turn, there’s no better time for travelers and state residents to explore Connecticut, especially the scenic trails,” Alexandra Daum, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, said. “Through DECD’s partnership with DEEP on the launch of this new website, visitors can plan a perfect day trip or vacation by picking the right state park and finding places to stay, restaurants to eat at, and other great things to do in surrounding towns and cities. By encouraging longer stays, we can grow our already robust tourism industry that brought $17 billion into Connecticut in 2022.”

Governor Lamont Announces Bond Commission Set To Approve $25 Million for New Voting Machines

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the Connecticut State Bond Commission will vote at its upcoming meeting to approve an allocation of $25 million that will be used to purchase new ballot-counting tabulators for use in elections and primaries statewide. The equipment will replace Connecticut’s existing voting machines, which are used at every polling place in the state to tabulate the choices that voters make on their paper ballots.

The governor, who serves as chair of the commission and sets its meeting agendas, said that he is recommending the members to approve the funding because the existing machines, which were first put into use in 2006, are beginning to show signs of aging and should be replaced for the continued functioning of accurate and timely election results. The allocation is being placed on the agenda for approval at the commission’s October 6, 2023, meeting.

“The machines we use to record votes are the backbone of our election system, and it is essential that we provide election officials with the equipment they need to tabulate results with accuracy and timeliness,” Governor Lamont said. “Although our existing machines continue to function, they are more than 17 years old and election officials tell us that they are starting to show their age. Implementing a statewide replacement of all these machines now will ensure that election workers continue to have the tools they need to conduct an Election Day that runs smooth and free of any glitches that could potentially be caused by outdated technology.”

Following the commission’s approval of the funding, it is anticipated that the Office of the Secretary of the State will solicit proposals from manufacturers to supply the state with the equipment. Once purchased, the state will provide the equipment to every municipality and the existing equipment will be retired. The state is funding the entirety of the cost to purchase the equipment. It is estimated that the allocation will enable the state to purchase several thousand traditional tabulators and dozens of high-speed tabulators used to tally absentee ballots.

This will be the first time the state is implementing a statewide replacement of all its voting machines since it eliminated the use of lever machines 17 years ago and made a switch to machines that read paper ballots as part of a nationwide requirement enacted by Congress in 2002 for states to have voting systems that keep a paper record of every vote cast in case an election is audited or recounted. Because lever voting machines cannot produce a paper ballot, they were retired from use.

The October 6, 2023, meeting of the State Bond Commission will be held at 10:30 a.m. in Room 1E of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. Additionally, video of the meeting will stream live online at ct-n.com.

Twitter: @GovNedLamont

Facebook: Office of Governor Ned Lamont

The nation’s premier convening of college and university executive leadership, faculty, students, and supporters, the Annual National HBCU Week Conference is back, September 24-28, 2023, at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Reagan National Airport.

2023 National HBCU Week Conference

U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution to officially recognize DSP Recognition Week

Cardin, Collins Lead Senate Recognition of Direct Support Professionals Week

Frontline health care professionals honored for their service and dedication

WASHINGTON – The Senate has unanimously approved a resolution from U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) recognizing this week as Direct Support Professionals Week. Their resolution (S. Res. 337) designates September 10-16 as a time to honor frontline health care workers for their dedication and work enhancing the lives of individuals with chronic illness, seniors and those living with a disability.

"This week, we honor direct support professionals, the frontline health care workers who are on the job around the clock to make daily life more manageable for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, chronic illnesses and seniors. They bring dignity back to people's lives and make a difference 365 days a year," said Senator Cardin. "We value your service and dedication all year, but this week, is a special time to recognize the challenges you face as you help patients. Building on your example, we will continue to invest in home- and community-based services and building up the home care workforce with appropriate income and support they deserve."

"Every day, direct support professionals work hard to provide those in need with critical support that leads to more independent living and a better quality of life," said Senator Collins. "Our bipartisan resolution ensures that these professionals receive the recognition they deserve. I thank all direct support professionals for making such an incredible difference in the lives of so many seniors and those living with a disability."

In addition to Senators Cardin and Collins, the resolution marking Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week is cosponsored by Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.).

The full resolution follows and can be downloaded at this link.

Title: Designating the week beginning September 10, 2023, as "National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week".

Whereas direct care workers, including direct support professionals, personal assistants, personal attendants, in-home support workers, and paraprofessionals, are key to providing publicly funded, long-term support and services for millions of individuals with disabilities;

Whereas direct support professionals provide essential services that ensure that all individuals with disabilities are-

(1) included as a valued part of the communities in which those individuals live;

(2) supported at home, at work, and in the communities of the United States; and

(3) empowered to live with the dignity that all people of the United States deserve;

Whereas, by fostering connections between individuals with disabilities and their families, friends, and communities, direct support professionals ensure that individuals with disabilities thrive, thereby avoiding more costly institutional care;

Whereas direct support professionals build close, respectful, and trusting relationships with individuals with disabilities and provide a broad range of personalized support to those individuals, including-

(1) helping individuals make person-centered choices;

(2) assisting with personal care, meal preparation, medication management, and other aspects of daily living;

(3) assisting individuals in accessing the community and securing competitive, integrated employment;

(4) providing transportation to school, work, religious, and recreational activities;

(5) helping with general daily affairs, such as assisting with financial matters, medical appointments, and personal interests; and

(6) assisting individuals in the transition from isolated or congregate settings or services to living in the communities of their choice;

Whereas there is a critical and increasing shortage of direct support professionals throughout the United States, a crisis that was exacerbated by the COVID–19 pandemic, bringing uncertainty and risk to individuals with disabilities;

Whereas direct support professionals do not have their own Standard Occupational Classification for the purposes of Federal data collection, which includes data produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor;

Whereas the direct care workforce, including direct support professionals, is expected to grow more than any other occupation in the United States;

Whereas many direct support professionals-

(1) are the primary financial providers for their families;

(2) are hardworking, taxpaying citizens who provide a critical service in the United States; and

(3) continue to earn low wages, receive inadequate benefits, and have limited opportunities for advancement, resulting in high turnover and vacancy rates that adversely affect the quality of support, safety, and health of individuals with disabilities; and

Whereas the Supreme Court of the United States, in Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1999)-

(1) recognized the importance of the deinstitutionalization of, and community-based services for, individuals with disabilities; and

(2) held that, under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S. 12101 et seq.), a State must provide person-centered, community-based service options to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate-

(1) designates the week beginning September 10, 2023, as "National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week";

(2) recognizes the dedication and vital role of direct support professionals in enhancing the lives of individuals with disabilities;

(3) appreciates the contribution of direct support professionals in supporting individuals with disabilities in the United States and the families of those individuals;

(4) commends direct support professionals for being integral to the provision of long-term support and services for individuals with disabilities;

(5) encourages the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor to collect data that is specific to direct support professionals; and

(6) finds that the successful implementation of public policies affecting individuals with disabilities in the United States can depend on the dedication of direct support professionals.

Check out the trailer for OUTLAW JOHNNY BLACK, an upcoming Western action-comedy movie from the team that made Black Dynamite. OUTLAW JOHNNY BLACK stars Michael Jai White, Anika Noni Rose, Erica Ash, Byron Minns, Kym Whitley, Kevin Chapman (CODA), and more. Hell bent on avenging the death of his father, Johnny Black vows to gun down Brett Clayton and becomes a wanted man in the process while posing as a preacher in a small mining town that's been taken over by a notorious Land Baron. OUTLAW JOHNNY BLACK, directed by Michael Jai White, opens in theaters on September 15, 2023. Check out the trailer for OUTLAW JOHNNY BLACK, an upcoming Western action-comedy movie from the team that made Black Dynamite. OUTLAW JOHNNY BLACK stars Michael Jai White, Anika Noni Rose, Erica Ash, Byron Minns, Kym Whitley, Kevin Chapman (CODA), and more. Hell bent on avenging the death of his father, Johnny Black vows to gun down Brett Clayton and becomes a wanted man in the process while posing as a preacher in a small mining town that's been taken over by a notorious Land Baron. OUTLAW JOHNNY BLACK, directed by Michael Jai White, opens in theaters on September .

The Outlaw Johnny Black

Long Wharf Plan & District Updates     Long Wharf Responsible Growth Plan

HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that beginning on January 1, 2024, Connecticut’s minimum wage will increase from the current rate of $15.00 per hour to $15.69 per hour as a result of the state’s first-ever economic indicator adjustment.

This newly enacted adjustment is required under a state law Governor Lamont signed in 2019 (Public Act 19-4), which implemented five incremental increases in the minimum wage between 2019 and 2023, followed by future adjustments that are tied to the percentage change in the federal employment cost index. Beginning on January 1, 2024, and occurring annually each January 1 thereafter, the state’s minimum wage will be adjusted according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s calculation of the employment cost index for the twelve-month period ending on June 30 of the preceding year. The law requires the commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Labor to review this percentage change and then announce any adjustments by October 15 of each year. The minimum wage adjustments become effective on the next January 1.

Connecticut Labor Commissioner Danté Bartolomeo reports that the employment cost index increased by 4.6% over the twelve-month period ending on June 30, 2023, accounting for a $0.69 increase to the state’s minimum wage that will become effective on January 1, 2024.

Governor Lamont said, “The minimum wage for many years remained stagnant, making existing pay disparities even worse and preventing hardworking families from obtaining financial security. That is why several years ago I signed a bill into law enacting several increases in the minimum wage and then ultimately attaching it to federal economic indicators so that as the economy grows the wages of low-income workers can grow with it. This is a fair, modest increase and the money earned will be spent right back into our own economy and support local businesses.”

Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz said, “For too long, while the nation’s economy grew, the income of minimum wage workers stayed stagnant – worsening economic disparities. Connecticut took steps to address this problem with a fair, gradual increase for workers and brought the minimum wage to $15. Today, we mark another significant step in ensuring a fair, livable baseline of income for those who work as the state makes it’s first-ever economic indicator adjustment. We will continue to do everything we can to improve the quality of life for all the residents who call Connecticut their home.”

Commissioner Bartolomeo said, “This increase will benefit Connecticut’s 160,000 to 200,000 minimum wage workers and help offset some of the effects of national economic challenges, such as higher energy costs and interest rates. I commend Governor Lamont and the legislature for enacting this important wage reform.”

According to the Current Population Survey as calculated by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 60% of minimum wage earners in Connecticut are women.

Moving forward under this new law, Connecticut workers and employers may anticipate announcements by October 15 of each year declaring the change in the minimum wage that will become effective on January 1 of the approaching year

Treasurer Erick Russell Announces Strong Year-End Investment Performance,
$200 Million in New Commitments at September Investment Advisory Council Meeting

HARTFORD, Connecticut – On Wednesday, Connecticut State Treasurer Erick Russell announced that the state’s pension funds have outperformed investment benchmarks over the past fiscal year. 

The update, given during the September meeting of the Investment Advisory Council (IAC), shows the Teachers' Retirement Fund ("TERF") and the State Employees' Retirement Fund ("SERF") generated net investment results of 8.35% and 9.02% respectively for Fiscal Year 2023. Across the full portfolio of Connecticut Retirement Plans and Trust Funds (CRPTF), the positive investment performance added an estimated $1.1 billion in plan assets during Fiscal Year 2023.

“Reforms that have been put in place to strengthen our investment returns are starting to produce positive results,” said Treasurer Russell. “As long-term investors, single year returns are not how we measure success, but I’m confident that we will build on this work and continue towards our goal of being among the best performing public investors in the nation. Maximizing pension investments is important, not just for the retirement security of retired teachers, state and municipal workers, but for all state residents. Strong returns will free up resources for other budgetary priorities, including long-term investments in our communities, and complement the progress that’s been made to build reserves and stabilize state finances. I’m grateful to the IAC and the team in my office that have worked so hard to get to this position, and I look forward to continued success going forward.”

The investment performance comes after the Office of the Treasurer and IAC rewrote the Investment Policy Strategy in 2022 and made targeted changes to asset allocations and risk mitigation strategies. Legislation passed this past session will improve retention, recruitment and professional development opportunities within the agency, and expanded eligibility for members of the IAC. 

"The volunteer members of the IAC are proud to serve and share responsibility for Connecticut's investment strategy and performance," said Ellen Shuman, Chair of the Investment Advisory Council. "Together, we have implemented several significant changes to rebalance assets, improve manager selection, mitigate risk, and position the CRPTF for sustained, long-term growth. While the results for FY23 are promising and evidence that we are heading in the right direction, our efforts are aimed at maximizing performance over multi-year intervals. It will be crucial to maintain our positive momentum and build on this encouraging progress."

For the longer-term period of 10-years, ending June 30, 2023, both the TERF and the SERF plans outperformed benchmarks, generating net investment results of 6.94% and 7.04%, respectively. 

Also in Wednesday’s meeting, Treasurer Russell announced two upcoming investment commitments totaling $200 million, based on input he received at July’s IAC meeting. Both investments are in the state’s private credit portfolio: $125 million to Bregal Sagemount Credit Opportunities Series 2023 and $75 million to Bregal Sagemount Direct Lending Series 2023.  

Potential investments in two categories were also reviewed at the meeting. Principal Investment Officer Denise Stake and Investment Officer Philip Conner presented Blue Owl Real Estate Fund VI, L.P., a Real Estate Fund opportunity. Principal Investment Officer Mark Evans and Investment Officer Carmen Melaragno presented Leeds Equity Partners VIII, LP, a Private Investment Fund opportunity.

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About the Office of the Treasurer 

The Office of the Treasurer is charged with safeguarding Connecticut’s financial resources through prudent cash and debt management, with the State Treasurer serving as principal fiduciary for six state pension and nine state trust funds. Additionally, the Office enhances the state’s fiscal stability through programs promoting financial literacy and college savings, and it leverages business partnerships to support the advancement of Connecticut’s social and policy priorities, including combating gun violence and protecting our environment. The Office of the Treasurer is led by State Treasurer Erick Russell, the only Black elected state treasurer in the country. To learn more, visit portal.ct.gov/ott. 

*** END 

FILE - Former President Donald Trump walks to speak with reporters before departure from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023, in Atlanta. A judge on Friday, Sept. 8, is expected to release the full report compiled by a special grand jury that helped an investigation by the Georgia prosecutor who ultimately indicted Trump and 18 others. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File

Lawyers Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell are the two who have filed speedy trial demands. They also requested to be tried separately from each other, but McAfee denied that request. Chesebro is accused of working on the coordination and execution of a plan to have 16 Georgia Republicans sign a certificate declaring falsely that Trump won and declaring themselves the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors. Powell is accused of participating in a breach of election equipment in rural Coffee County.

Most of the other defendants have filed motions to be tried alone or in smaller groups, but prosecutors noted that those defendants have not waived their rights to file their own speedy trial demands. The deadline for that is Nov. 5, and if such demands were filed it would trigger one or more trials starting within the two-month court term that begins Nov. 6, with the trial for Chesebro and Powell likely still underway. That could lead to multiple trials in the high-profile case happening simultaneously, creating security issues and “unavoidable burdens” on witnesses and victims, prosecutors argued.

Requiring defendants to waive their speedy trial right as a condition to separate their case “would prevent the logistical quagmire described above, the inevitable harm to victims and witnesses, and the risk of gamesmanship,” prosecutors wrote. Additionally, they argued, defendants who say they want to be tried separately because they won’t be ready by Oct. 23 should have to inform the court when they expect to be ready for trial.

Five of the defendants are seeking to move their cases to federal court, and lawyers for Trump have said he may do the same. McAfee expressed concern last week about proceeding to trial in the state court while those attempts are ongoing because the law that allows federal officials to move state charges to federal court in some cases says “a judgment of conviction shall not be entered” unless the case is first sent back to state court. But prosecutors noted that the law explicitly allows a case to continue to move forward in a state court while the question of moving a case to federal court is pending.

Federal Judge Steve Jones last week rejected the attempt by Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to move his case to federal court and sent it back to state court, but Meadows is appealing that ruling. The four others who have already filed notice to move their cases have hearings before Jones scheduled for next week.

As we all know, providers and front-line staff are seeing a rise in the number of unsheltered community members. This alarming shift is reflected state- and nation-wide, highlighting the urgent need for collaborative efforts among state agencies, communities, and homeless services providers.

In acknowledgment of the incredible progress we have made as a state when we have worked collectively to address homelessness, the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness (CCEH) is proud to introduce a pivotal conversation on implementing an Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH) in Connecticut through the CT CAN End Homelessness Initiative.

Join us for an Interagency Roundtable Discussion with the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH)

Tuesday, September 19th, from 11:30AM to 12:30PM

order the book Harlem Godfather: The Rap on My Husband, Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson

For years movies have been made to portray the original gangsters of American history like; Scarface, Harlem Nights, and Hoodlum. What a lot of people don’t know is that many of these movie characters are not fiction. These were real gagsters straight out of New York, California and Miami. But since the release of the Denzel Washington’s movie American Gangster everyone has been turning there heads to the interest of the black gangsters in America and really paying attention to the stories of the “Hood Heroes”. The story of Frank Lucus caught the attention of the media like you would expect any Denzel movie to achieve. And for months the real Frank Lucus was all over the air waves promoting his story and like any true black celebrity shouting out all of the people who road with him on his journey.
I was able to catch up with someone who did not directly get a shout out from Frank but was indirectly praised. On a bright sunny spring day in Harlem all the Harlemites came out to celebrate the release of the highly anticipated Harlem Godfather; The wrap on my husband Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson by Mayme Hatcher Johnson with Karen E. Quinones Miller. Mayme Johnson the widow of Bumpy Johnson was not singing the same praises to Frank as he would have allotted her. Mayme says that every thing Frank claims to be true are lies. Karen E. Quinones Miller a self made Harlem success story was personally touched by Mayme’s story and found it her duty to help her set the record straight. Mayme says Frank broke the number one rule that her husband would have never broken, and that was what Frank is mainly famous for…for being a Snitch!

Street Connfinement: I just wanted to say congratulations because I know it’s been a long time at work. So if you want to give us a little background about how you met and how this project started.
Karen Quinones: I knew Bumpy when I was a kid; I met him when I was nine or ten years old. But it didn’t register in my mind that this was the Bumpy Johnson. I knew he was Bumpy Johnson, but not like “The Bumpy Johnson”. And it wasn’t until about 20 years ago that Mayme and I connected. And we’ve been friends, close friends I say for about fifteen years. On and off we’ve been talking about doing the book, but sometimes we just never get a chance. So we’ve been talking on and off about doing the book for the last fifteen years, but just never seemed to get together, wouldn’t you say?
Mayme Johnson: I would say that we kept putting it off.
Karen Quinones: Mayme got really upset because American Gangster there was a lot of lies in there. In Hoodlum they made a lot of mistakes, but Mayme wasn’t upset because they made mistakes, they got it wrong. But in American Gangster there were a lot of lies, outright lies, and she got really upset about that and we’ve been talking about doing this book all this time, let’s go ahead and do it. So that’s how it came about.
Street Connfinement: So exactly how long did it take you to complete from beginning to finish the project?
Karen Quinones: I’ve been researching it actually for almost twenty years. That’s one of the reasons why I think it would be really good for anyone else to do an auto biography on him in Edgar’s Point because a lot of people have died. So there for instance I was able to speak to Junie Bird, Bumpy died in his arms. I was able to speak to Edgar. I was able to speak to Billy Hopkins, and Mayme’s memory is just tremendous. So the research been going on, I mean Mark Henry Perk died about eight years ago. I have him on the record before he died. Ralph Camerno was the best human known gangster, organized crime expert in the country. He died four years ago. I have him on the record talking about Bumpy. So on and on the research has been going on for about fifteen years. You know but it’s like it was never a rush. Eventually we were gonna get it done.


Street Connfinement: It seems like as soon as the movie dropped, the book came really quickly after, and I know that you are reputing a lot of things with American Gangster, so would that be the coincidence, or was it like once you say that you were like “Okay I gotta get this book out there?”
Mayme Johnson: May I just say one thing?
Street Connfinement: Yes.
Mayme Johnson: American Gangster was all lies. I didn’t see anything in there what I could see, what I’ve read to be. Frank Lucas did not know us. That was their way. And when they copied the life of black books I would say wouldn’t you?
Street Connfinement: So he really wasn’t a driver for Bumpy?
Mayme Johnson: No he never drove a day for us. And he was never ever in my home. He may have washed up his cars and shined his shoes, but he certainly did not drive his car. The only thing he ever did to that car was probably wash it, that’s all.

Street Connfinement: So you don’t know Frank Lucas very well at all?
Karen Quinones: What’s to know Frank? But I mean he was like a flunky. So it’s like if your boyfriend or your husband had a flunky you would know him, but he wouldn’t be invited to the house.
Mayme Johnson: He’d just come around to get to know Bumpy, and he just wanted to make a living, get out in the world, and he’d come around to make extra money. Bumpy really never shared his money. That’s why I can’t understand why he told so many lies. He made up all of that. And that’s when I thought he would have done that to my book.
Karen Quinones : And Judy Page, as a matter of fact she’s sitting right over there, she was at the movie theater when she told Mayme that she saw a trailer from American Gangster , and it was at that point that we found out that the movie was coming on and they had made some false remarks about Bumpy, so when she called her Mayme called me and she was like look we been talking about doing this book all this time and we have to do it because all their doing now is telling lies about my husband. And that’s how it came about.
Mayme Johnson: That’s right, that’s how we got started.

Street Connfinement: So they didn’t even grant you the courtesy to let you know they were putting a movie out?
Mayme Johnson: No but I understand now he said I was old and wasn’t able to talk about it anymore.
Street Connfinement: Do you feel like Frank Lucas created his legacy off of your husband’s legacy?
Mayme Johnson: Yes, oh yes. The only person that ever drove Bumpy around was Randy Carson and JJ, JJ Johnson.
Karen Quinones: And Bobby Jones. He was one of the pall bearers.
Mayme Johnson: Yes, right.
Karen Quinones: But the thing is Frank Lucas knew Bumpy, Frank Lucas was a person. I mean I don’t know how else to put it. And Frank is as famous for his listening as he is for his dope dealing. And it makes sense to increase your street credibility to go ahead and hitch your wagon to a man who was known to never have snitched. You know cause no matter what you may say about Bumpy Johnson the man did his time and to anybody else he had to before he snitched. So that gave Frank a little bit of credibility. In his mind that’s what he was doing. And that’s what Mayme and I talked about. It’s like a grab for street credibility. I mean but it was so obvious, I mean because even in the documentary that they filmed for BET, if you look at the documentary their rolling around the street, Frank’s in the back of the car, you see on the street lamps on the street signs that say 121th street and 5th avenue and then he points to a brownstone and he says “My boss lives here, that’s where my boss lives.” But they never lived on 121st street and 5th avenue. They lived on the corner of 120th street and 5th avenue. They lived at 2 west 120th street in an apartment building. And as a matter of fact Willa Mae Park was just here, she lived upstairs from them. He didn’t even know where Bumpy lived, but he’s gone say that he lived six months with them.
Mayme Johnson: He was never in our home.
Karen Quinones: He never even knew them when they were there. He said that he rode Bumpy around for fifteen years. Bumpy was never on the streets for fifteen years straight since turning eighteen. He met Bumpy in 1963, Bumpy died in 1968. Do the math. Unless he was driving him around in Alvarcaz, you think? And since the movie’s come out there’s lawsuits going around, and now Frank is saying all those statements about “yeah we put all the dope in the coffin and this shipment to this plane and did he do it by himself”, and now he’s coming out and saying well you know 99 percent of this movie was a lie. See what happens when you’re threatened with a lawsuit, or see what happens when someone is alive who knows the truth? But I really believe that he didn’t know Mayme was still around. Because he didn’t say all that stuff until Junie was dead because he said that Bumpy died in his arms. Bumpy died in Junie Bird’s arms right at Well’s Restaurant. He would never have said anything like that when Junie was alive. He was old and encrypted when that story came out, and I believe he thought Mayme was dead. Because what he did was, the relationship that Bumpy had with Flash Walker, he made it up for himself. Flash was the one that met Bumpy in the pool hall, Flash was the one that when he got sick Bumpy and Mayme left the back of the house, and let him stay in his house. You know Flash was the one that Bumpy took shopping and bought clothes. Flash was the one that Bumpy treated like a son. But you know what, Flash Walker is dead and it’s so easy because who knew about Flash Walker before we wrote about it? And that’s what Frank Lucas was pouncing on, don’t you think?
Mayme Johnson: That’s right.
Street Connfinement: So he just completely took someone’s life basically?
Mayme Johnson: Well he wanted to make some money. He was broke and didn’t have any money. And I know he didn’t because he was rambling off the lotto.
Street Connfinement: So you’re not getting any rights from that movie at all? From American Gangster?
Mayme Johnson: I have nothing to do with it because it’s lies.
Street Connfinement: So have you heard anything about getting any movie rights for this book you have out here?
Karen Quinones: Well we would love; we would be willing to listen okay. We would certainly consider any offers for options okay. And as I say from your lips to God’s ears.
Street Connfinement: Is there anything that you’d like everybody to know? If you had one thing to tell the public what would you let them know about your husband?
Mayme Johnson: Well to me he was the greatest guy ever lived. He was a gangster, but he was no dope dealer. And to me, I think if he could have just the other day walked in he would have been very grateful to see all the people, my old friends and so many young friends, so many young men. I think he would have been very happy today. He was a great guy. A lot of people really didn’t know him, just knew of his name. To me he was the greatest guy ever lived.
Street Connfinement: Do you feel like his contributions to Harlem, because he’s known as “The Godfather of Harlem” like what major contributions did he make to Harlem?
Karen Quinones: Well if I could help with that.
Mayme Johnson: Please go right ahead.
Karen Quinones: I would say one of the major contributions is he let know people know that they can stand up no matter what position and what economic, what social position they were born in they could stand up to the white man. That they did not have to bow down. Cause you have to remember Bumpy came up at a time where there were still whites through Harlem, the Italians on the East side, and I mean that’s why Bumpy was a legend. Because he was the only black man in New York City, in New York State, in the United States that said, your not gonna do it. And to me one of the positive influences that I see from his life is that he let people know no matter who you are you don’t have to be treated like dirt. And I mean maybe his way wasn’t the best way but like Reverend Johnson said at his eulogy, “Maybe his way wasn’t the best way but he did what he had to do, and he did it well.”
Street Connfinement: Well thank you so much.
Karen Quinones: Thank you.
Mayme Johnson: Thank you.

BY- SHIREAL RENEE