the (161)

AVvXsEjtBIxaVg2f-lcrbuOhowdVG_RWW2POq2HHcGZU-MKFpkhwmsCRwjGdrbsVCGSGxK8g28yMtu8moT5ujfPczTYXZl_OphslXz2k09QrfvaNx_TYVn-6ReiGHXNzXxbTEx2Tb5s84cwbRW4iQD-KHMaafUEXXYS2cSJaMBJpZWxkcxvfNOLV-sMfmd4t8g=w507-h624Just received from Scot Esdaile :I have received a Huge Announcement and Great News - I’ve just been chosen as the 53rd NAACP’s Image Awards Activist of the Year 2022

Gonna dedicate this one to my Mom -
I want to thank Almighty God and all the Members of the CT NAACP - My entire Family, Friends and Relatives, I appreciate your support over the Years
This is a Big One and I appreciate You All
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Please spread the word for anyone who may need it! The Hamden Warming Shelter will now be stationed at the Keefe Community Center gym located at 11 Pine St., Hamden 06514 (Enter through George Street parking lot side). It will be open from January 11th - Feb 28th, 7 p.m.-7 a.m., 7 nights a week. For more information, please call 203-562-5129.
The Warming Center will be staffed by experienced volunteers who will share community outreach information with our guests. Beds will not be available. Donations such as non-perishable, pre-wrapped snack food, fruits and beverages can be dropped off at the Keefe Community Center (11 Pine Street, Hamden) between the hours of 8:30am and 4:30pm. Donations of new socks, new underwear, gloves, and hats are also welcome.
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Mayor Elicker, Chief Reyes Release Statements on Violence Over the Weekend

Press Conference Tomorrow at 11AM on the Steps of NHPDMayor Elicker, Chief Reyes Release Statements on Violence Over the WPress Conference Tomorrow at 11AM on the Steps of NHPD NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Following the sixth homicide of 2021 and multiple violent acts of the weekend, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker and New Haven Police Chief Otoniel Reyes released statements ahead of a press conference to be held Monday morning. Mayor Elicker released the following statement: Over the weekend we experienced multiple violent #

 

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Following the sixth homicide of 2021 and multiple violent acts of the weekend, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker and New Haven Police Chief Otoniel Reyes released statements ahead of a press conference to be held Monday morning.

 

Mayor Elicker released the following statement:

 

Over the weekend we experienced multiple violent acts in our community, including those involving a New Haven Public Schools teacher, a New Haven Public Schools administrator, and a graduate student at Yale. I am deeply saddened that we lost Yale School of Environment student Kevin Jiang last night to gun violence. Kevin would have celebrated his 27th birthday next week.

 

To those who continue to perpetrate these crimes: you undermine the safety of our residents and yourselves. You continue to promote fear for our safety in our everyday lives. We, as a community, will not stand for this and we will be relentless in efforts to provide justice for all of the victims, their families and loved ones. Addressing and eradicating gun violence takes serious action both in the short-term and the long-term—and the City of New Haven is committed to that. If you have any information pertaining to any ongoing investigations call the NHPD at (203) 946-6304.

 

Chief Reyes is asking for the public’s help in providing information in these cases. Chief Reyes added, “Our department is working around the clock to solve these most recent acts of violence. We will bring all of our resources to bear to ensure the safety of our city.”

 

The Mayor, New Haven Police Department and members of the Yale Police Department will be hosting a press conference on violent crime tomorrow on the steps of the New Haven Police Department, 1 Union Avenue at 11:00 AM.

 

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11020660468?profile=originalStatement on the Puerto Rico State of Emergency

 

NEW HAVEN, Conn. ­– Puerto Rico was recently hit by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake, displacing thousands of residents; subsequently, many are without power and access to water. In the wake of the state of emergency in Puerto Rico, Mayor Justin M. Elicker and New Haven Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Ilene Tracey, released the following joint statement:

 

“The City of New Haven and New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) are prepared to receive residents and students from Puerto Rico in the wake of this most recent disaster–including those unaccompanied by a parent or guardian–and provide them with supplies, clothing, and transportation. Students will be assessed for bilingual education and special needs and will be placed in the appropriate classrooms. Resources to support all students and families received during this disaster will be covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

 

The NHPS Youth, Family, and Community Engagement Department will be coordinating communications and will be a resource to students and families if they arrive in the school system.

 

We stand with Puerto Rico, and our hearts go out to all those affected by this disaster. The Elm City is ready to accommodate those seeking refuge in this perilous time.”

 

NHPS is offering services to existing students and incoming students affected by the earthquakes and can be coordinated through Daniel Diaz by calling (475) 220-1063.

 

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Mayor Elicker, Chief Reyes Release Statements on Violence Over the Weekend

Press Conference Tomorrow at 11AM on the Steps of NHPDMayor Elicker, Chief Reyes Release Statements on Violence Over the WPress Conference Tomorrow at 11AM on the Steps of NHPD NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Following the sixth homicide of 2021 and multiple violent acts of the weekend, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker and New Haven Police Chief Otoniel Reyes released statements ahead of a press conference to be held Monday morning. Mayor Elicker released the following statement: Over the weekend we experienced multiple violent #

 

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Following the sixth homicide of 2021 and multiple violent acts of the weekend, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker and New Haven Police Chief Otoniel Reyes released statements ahead of a press conference to be held Monday morning.

 

Mayor Elicker released the following statement:

 

Over the weekend we experienced multiple violent acts in our community, including those involving a New Haven Public Schools teacher, a New Haven Public Schools administrator, and a graduate student at Yale. I am deeply saddened that we lost Yale School of Environment student Kevin Jiang last night to gun violence. Kevin would have celebrated his 27th birthday next week.

 

To those who continue to perpetrate these crimes: you undermine the safety of our residents and yourselves. You continue to promote fear for our safety in our everyday lives. We, as a community, will not stand for this and we will be relentless in efforts to provide justice for all of the victims, their families and loved ones. Addressing and eradicating gun violence takes serious action both in the short-term and the long-term—and the City of New Haven is committed to that. If you have any information pertaining to any ongoing investigations call the NHPD at (203) 946-6304.

 

Chief Reyes is asking for the public’s help in providing information in these cases. Chief Reyes added, “Our department is working around the clock to solve these most recent acts of violence. We will bring all of our resources to bear to ensure the safety of our city.”

 

The Mayor, New Haven Police Department and members of the Yale Police Department will be hosting a press conference on violent crime tomorrow on the steps of the New Haven Police Department, 1 Union Avenue at 11:00 AM.

 

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Social Justice


Equal human rights for all seems like it would be simple enough. However, there are vast social justice issues that plague countries around the globe. Learn what social justice is and how it has morphed over the years, as well as explore several examples of social justice issues affecting our world both historically and today.

Global Social Justice Issues

When you look at social justice, it is all about equality. To be socially just, every individual must be treated equitably and fairly by society.

Unfortunately, around the world, this utopian ideal is far from reality. Social injustices can happen at small and global scales, in schools and by whole diverse groups. Whether it is the segregation of an entire cultural group or bullying in the hallways of a school because of your sexual orientation, social injustice is everywhere.

Changing Face of Social Justice

With the modern era, the face of social justice has changed. While rallies and marches are still prevalent, the Internet is also used to bring social justice issues to light. This can be seen through movements like #blacklivesmatter and the #metoo movement against sexual harassment. These campaigns work to expand issues into bigger movements that rally activists together.

Now that you know what social justice is and how it's changed, it's time to take a look at a few historical and modern examples.

Racial Discrimination

While several global organizations are looking to provide equal rights to all, racial discrimination is still a hot topic. There are laws in place around the world, but incidents still happen to illustrate that racial discrimination has not been irradiated. Here, explore a few specific examples of racial discrimination.

Slavery

An ultimate example of racial discrimination was slavery, which was abolished in America in 1865. African Americans and people of color were forced into servitude on homes and farms, and they were treated deplorably.

You would think that slavery was a non-issue in current culture. However, it is still a social injustice issue found around the world. As of 2017, according to Free the Slaves, 40 million people around the world were still trapped in some form of slavery, including marriage slavery and forced labor.

Stereotyping

Stereotyping is something that can happen to any racial group. While there is positive and negative stereotyping, both can have consequences in a society. For example, since 9/11, Muslims have faced discrimination and prejudice in America, sparked by fears of terrorism and acts committed by the Taliban.

Segregation

A famous historical example was the segregation of Black Americans in the U.S. via Jim Crow laws. Black Americans were required to use specific schools, houses, and medical services, among other institutions and facilities, that were separate and of lesser quality than white Americans.

Another famous example of segregation was apartheid in South Africa. Many civil rights movements were founded on the unequal treatment and segregation of a cultural or racial group.

Ageism

Discrimination comes in all shapes and sizes. The number of birthdays that you have accumulated is another example. Ageism, where the elderly are discriminated against, creates negative stereotypes of the elderly being weak, feeble, or unable to change. A few examples include being denied work and or being seen as a burden to society.

Denied Work

Many times, the elderly are forced into retirement or looked over for work. For example, workers that are over 60 years of age may be asked to retire from their career. They may be laid off to bring in younger, less experienced workers. Those who do contractual work, like farming, may be looked over because of their age, leaving them with little way to support their families.

Seen as a Burden

An older individual might also be seen as a burden by their family and their society. For example, many neighborhoods tailor themselves to younger generations through playgrounds and new-age restaurants. Those of advanced age may be put into a nursing home or retirement community the moment that society sees them as being no longer useful. However, Senior Lifestyle has shown that children who grow up with an older individual can benefit tremendously.

Sexuality and Gender

Beyond discrimination based on age, other hot topics both currently and historically are gender and sexuality. In recent years, gender has morphed into a complicated topic that goes beyond the binary designations of male and female. Explore how these issues can affect work life, school and even your home.

Wage Gap

When it comes to wages in the workplace, there is a noticeable differentiation between men and women. According to the American Association of University Women (AAUW), in 2018, the gender pay gap from men and women for the same job was 82 percent. Stated simply, women make 82 percent of what men make doing the same work. This can be further broken down into a pay gap for minority men and women.

LGBTQ Oppression

When it comes to oppression and human rights, individuals of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual and Queer (LGBTQ) community face several forms of social injustice and oppression. For example, same sex marriages are outlawed in some states and countries. Additionally, transsexual students often face discrimination and bullying within school settings.

Education System

Globally, steps are being made to close the education gap between male and female students. However, there are still several areas around the world where girls may never set foot into a classroom at all. UNESCO notes that more than nine million girls never go to school, compared to only six million boys in areas of Africa.

Child Welfare

Social workers and human rights activists are working tirelessly to combat issues relating to children and their welfare. Despite their efforts, there are still several problems children face that are harmful to their health and mental wellbeing.

Forced Child Labor

Laws are in place around the world to ensure a safe work environment for children. These laws were drafted from historically harsh and dangerous working conditions for children. While many would like to believe that child labor is a thing of the past, it persists in some areas around the globe.

As an example, India still has children working in forced labor, producing carpets, clothing, footwear and yarn. Not only are conditions unhealthy and unsafe, but the work hours are also very long.

Child Abuse and Neglect

Thousands of children globally are being neglected. They're also being physically, sexually and emotionally abused. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that as many as a quarter of adults have been abused as children. This abuse has both social and economic impacts that include mental health problems.

Civil Rights for Exceptional Students

Many laws have been passed over the years to help enable students with special needs, like those with autism or ADHD. This wasn't always the case, however. Prior to laws like No Child Left Behind and Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), many children were simply neglected in their education or they were shuffled into special schools and asylums if they had learning disabilities.

While the world is making progressive steps toward equality for exceptional students, many point out how labeling and stereotyping a child based on their disability can have lasting, negative effects. Additionally, many countries around the world lack any adaptive services or special education for exceptional children.

Poverty and Economic Injustice

Poverty and economic injustice is a pressing issue for human rights and social justice. Not only do men, women and children in the U.S. and abroad lack access to housing and food, but many also lack access to the basic human necessity of clean water. Dive into social injustice issues created by poverty.

Lack of Resources

When you think of poverty, you might think of having little food or maybe living in a homeless shelter. However, the sad truth is that many individuals don't have access to food, clean water, schooling, healthcare or even sanitation at all.

According to The World Counts, more than 485,000 children die from lack of food, shelter or clean water each year. Within the U.S. alone, more than two million children lack clean water, especially Native Americans.

Quality Healthcare

Poverty and disease go hand in hand. Access to quality healthcare is harder when your income is lower, but access to quality food is diminished too. This means heart disease and diabetes are more likely among impoverished individuals.

While there are programs in America for those in poverty, these programs are far from perfect. This means that many poor individuals will go without basic care. Globally, among poorer communities, finding access to healthcare or doctors is nearly non-existent. The World Bank and WHO state that nearly half the world lacks essential health services access.

Social Justice Warrior: Not Always a Good Thing

Looking at the term "social justice warrior," you would think that it is a good thing. According to its most basic definition, a social justice warrior is someone who fights social injustices around the world.

However, the term itself has taken on a negative connotation recently because of the types of people who are called social justice warriors. These are typically online bloggers or activists who jump on the bandwagon of the most recent social injustice. They then get into overzealous debates that appeal to emotions over logic.

A social justice warrior is seen as a self-righteous individual, someone who is looking for online attention rather than promoting the actual cause.

Human Rights for All

Creating human rights for all isn't as easy as one might think. Rather, it is a long, involved process with new social justice issues coming to the surface daily. When it comes to social justice, explore examples of courage to see how you can make a change


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City of New Haven Announces Acting Director of the Livable City Initiative. Arlevia T. Samuel is a Real Estate and Development Professional with over 20-years

 

New Haven, Conn. – Today, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker and Economic Development Administrator Michael Piscitelli announced the new Acting-Director of the City’s Livable City Initiative (LCI). Former Director, Serena Neal-Sanjurjo, announced in late September that she will be moving over to work at the Economic Development Corporation of New Haven. Director Neal-Sanjurjo’s last day will be October 9, 2020. Subsequently, the City has appointed longtime LCI employee Arlevia Samuel as the Acting-Director of LCI. Ms. Samuel’s most recent role at LCI was the Manager of Neighborhood and Commercial Development.

 

“Arlevia’s expertise in urban housing and development make her the perfect fit as the Acting-Director of LCI,” said New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker. “I appreciate her willingness to set up to the task and am looking forward to working with Arlevia and LCI to serve the residents of New Haven,” he concluded.

 

Arlevia T. Samuel is a Real Estate and Development Professional with over 20-years of experience across the housing industry. Arlevia currently works as Manager of the Neighborhood and Commercial Development with the City’s Livable City Initiative. Arlevia completed her M.S. in Urban Studies in Public Policy and Development from Southern Connecticut State University and B.S. in Criminal Justice: Law Enforcement Administration from the University of New Haven, where she was also a standout member of the Women’s Basketball team. Arlevia also works as a Realtor with Coldwell Banker.

“I thank Mayor Elicker for entrusting me to lead the distinguished Livable City Initiative department,” said Ms. Samuel. “I look forward to continuing the work we have all started.”                                   

 

A lifelong New Haven resident and avid community volunteer, Arlevia is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., as well as a member of the Junior League of Greater New Haven, the New Haven Rotary and United Way of Greater New Haven, Women United. Arlevia has served on the University of New Haven Alumni Board of Directors for six years, the Antillean Manor Board of Directors, and the American Cancer Society, New Haven Planning Committee. Previously, she served on the Board for Livable City Initiative and the Institute of Real Estate Management Executive Committee (Friends Committee chair). Arlevia is also a former Assistant Girls’ Basketball Coach with Hillhouse High School. During this time, the team won three consecutive State championships.

 

“Arlevia is a proven leader both in City Hall and in the community. She brings the passion and commitment to the wellbeing of our neighborhoods that is the hallmark of the Livable City Initiative,” said Michael Piscitelli, Economic Development Administrator.

 

About the Livable City Initiative:  The Livable City Initiative’s mission is to develop and implement an innovative and balanced approach to promote, grow, and sustain our neighborhoods while creating a sense of community throughout the City of New Haven. LCI administers anti-blight, property maintenance, residential code inspection, housing, and community development programs in part with Community Development Block Grant funding from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. In the fiscal year 2020, LCI handled over 2,000 referrals on anti-blight issues and conducted over 6,600 residential inspections.

 

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Actress/Singer/Songwriter SAVANNAH LATHEM has a Feature Song and Role in Lionsgate’s film Hell On The Border,

A True Story about the First Black U.S. Marshal

in Theaters December 13th

(Los Angeles, CA) – Savannah Lathem is on her way to stardom with a featured song and a role in Liongate’s film Hell On The Border starring David Gyasi (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil), Ron Perlman (Hand of God) and Frank Grillo (Captain America film series), a film about the first Black Deputy U.S. Marshal in the Wild West.  The epic, action-packed Western, Biopic film Hell On The Border premiers December 13, 2019 in select theaters.

Savannah is a young actress, singer, songwriter and classical pianist. After she was booked in a small role in Hell On The Border, written and directed by Wes Miller. Savannah was asked by the producer, Curtis Nichouls, to write a song for the movie after he learned she was a singer-songwriter. She wrote Gonna Make A Change based on the script and rough cut Curtis sent her of Hell On The Border that she fell in love with. Savannah delivered a R&B and Pop song with her soulfully, rich, and strong voice that is unique to only her.  The song is available on all major streaming sites, iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Amazon Music, Deezer, iHeartRadio.

Link to Song “Gonna Make A Change”

https://soundcloud.com/user-647834163/gonna-make-a-change

About Hell On The Border

This epic, action-packed Western tells the incredible true story of Bass Reeves (David Gyasi), the first Black U.S. Marshal in the Wild West.  Having escaped from slavery after the Civil War, he arrives in Arkansas seeking a job with the law.  To prove himself, he must hunt down a deadly outlaw (Frank Grillo) with the help of a grizzled journeyman (Ron Pearlman).  As he chases the criminal deeper into the Cherokee Nation, Reeves must not only dodge bullets, but severe discrimination in hopes of earning his star – and cement his place as a cowboy legend.

Hell On The Border Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dml8ovobRA0&feature=emb_title

About Savannah Lathem

This Birmingham, Alabama native has already accumulated an impressive list of film and television credits, including TNT’s Major Crimes, Disney XD’s Gamer’s Guide To Pretty Much Everything,  Awesomeness Guidance and the series JOY airing in France and Africa. She won Best Actress in a Feature Film Supporting role, California Solo, alongside Robert Carlyle, as well as Best Lead Actress in an Independent film, The Guest House.

She has had several Independent films at International Film Festivals including Sundance Film Festival that have received awards and distribution.  As a music artist and classical pianist, Savannah has written over thirty songs she plans to record. Her Originals consist of: Adult Contemporary R& B, Contemporary R& B, Jazz, Crossover Jazz, Neo Soul, R& B, Soul and Vocal Jazz Genre. For more information visit:

http://www.SavannahLathem.com

https://twitter.com/savannahlathem

https://www.facebook.com/ActressSavannahLathem/

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3130809/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Media Contact for interviews, photos, and information:

Dr. Edna Sims, ESP Public Relations

310.770.8117 ~ esppr@mac.com

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Mayor Justin Elicker State of the City  -- February 2, 2021 

Read below the full transcript from the State of the City Address made tonight at the New Haven Board of Alders meeting.
 
President Walker-Myers, City-Town Clerk Michael Smart, Honorable Members of the Board of Alders – good evening. To my fellow New Haven residents, visitors, all those who have a deep connection to this inimitable City, and all those tuned in virtually – good evening. 

Before I get started, I want to take a moment to remember all those we have lost over the past year to COVID-19 and all those we have lost to gun violence…

It has been a long year since I gave the State of the City speech in the Aldermanic Chambers last January. Our Administration here at City Hall has been working nonstop responding to the pandemic and many other challenges we have faced, all while implementing many plans to help those most vulnerable and challenged residents. 

I think we all can be proud to say that we in New Haven, together, have responded to the pandemic emphasizing swift action, following the science, collaborating with each other, and focusing on those most in need. Together, with all of you and many leaders throughout our community, our response to COVID-19 has been strong:
  • Early on, our Administration worked hard to become one of the first cities in Connecticut to offer COVID-19 testing for all residents free of cost which included walk-up testing, many neighborhood pop-ups and a focus on access for vulnerable populations. 
    • And today, we are one of the first municipalities in the State to implement a robust vaccination plan to save lives across the City. Our Health Department has vaccinated over 4,000 residents and started neighborhood pop-up vaccination sites that will save lives. Thank you to our health workers, school nurses, and medical reserve corps volunteers for your tireless work over the past year helping New Haven lead during this health crisis.
  • We worked to close the digital divide in New Haven by providing tablets, laptops, computers, free Wi-Fi access, and hotspots to all New Haven Public School students in need.
    • Today, we are opening schools up for in-person learning for those students that need the structure of in-person school to significantly improve their focus on education; and for those hardworking parents that simply cannot make ends meet when struggling to manage childcare and a job. Thank you to the teachers and school staff for their tireless effort to make remote learning and in-person learning successful. 
  • We worked hard to put food on the table for those families that could not—by distributing hundreds of thousands of meals through New Haven Public Schools and many other food distribution events.
    • I would like to also take a moment now to thank those countless community organizations and leaders throughout the City who helped organize efforts to distribute food, masks, hand sanitizer, and other items that many families are struggling to acquire: 
      • Alder Honda Smith, Alder Carmen Rodriguez, Kim Harris and the Newhallville CMT, KIEDC, the New Haven NAACP, the Jewish Federation, and many more… 
  • Our Economic Development Administration worked hard early on during the COVID crisis to promote mask-wearing with the “Mask Up” campaign, and to set up “Together New Haven” with all of the City’s partner organizations, helping our small business owners struggling to stay open, serve their customers, and bring their employees back to work.   
    • With our specific focus on Black and Latinx business owners, we have 23 businesses in the pipeline for funding out of the $1.5 million dollar program approved by the Board of Alders in partnership with HEDCO, the Community Foundation and the Amore Propre Foundation -- thank you to all of our partners in this regard.  
    • You will see the “Eat New Haven” posters across the City as we market the amazing variety of restaurants across the City.  Even if you are not dining in-person … take it home or have it delivered all winter long. 
    • And while many of our businesses are under economic stress like they have never seen before, we are looking ahead to a strong economic bounce back. Market confidence in New Haven has not waivered because of COVID-19 – we have welcomed 40 new businesses to the Elm City this past year – entrepreneurs such as Tisha Hudson from Edible Couture, a graduate of our small business program, took a risk and bet on New Haven. You can try all her great treats right behind City Hall. Please buy local and support New Haven’s treasures.
Our Administration’s dedication to safety has not waivered because of COVID-19. And I want to take a moment to talk about safety, because it means so many things to so many people. It is the fundamental expectation that we all should have – that we feel safe in our homes, in our community – and the reality is that today it is just not the case:
  • Safety means that families with young children deserve to live without fear of their child being poisoned by lead. In the past year our Health Department has increased the lead inspectors from four to six, implemented new inspection processes including digitizing data and streamlining inspections, and established the Lead Advisory Committee to keep New Haven’s most vulnerable children safe.
    • Despite being limited by the impacts of the pandemic, our Health Department conducted 117 lead inspections and another 233 re-inspections, and so far has overseen lead abatements for 26 housing units.
  • Safety means safe streets. In addition to the 22 speed humps and traffic calming infrastructure built this year, our City Engineer and Traffic, Transportation and Parking Department are scheduling neighborhood meetings as we roll out our “Major Corridors” project. This project will improve the safety of many City-owned traffic arteries that have historically posed a safety threat to our pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists.
  • And thanks to our partnership with the Board of Alders and State legislative partners, we implemented increased fines and other consequences for those who wish to ride through New Haven streets illegally on ATVs and dirt bikes.
  • And safety also means being safe from pollution. We, as a community, fought back against big corporate interests and stopped the expansion of a trash facility in the Annex; we stood up together—the entire State Delegation, the entire Board of Alders, residents, neighborhood leaders and non-profit partners—for environmental justice. And we were successful.
But I want to take a moment to talk in particular about violence. Let’s be clear, most people in our City do not feel safe from violence – especially in our Black and Latinx communities. Like many cities at this moment, we are struggling with an increase in violent crime. This challenge has an urgency like none other, because we are losing our young people prematurely and the waves of impact go beyond the loss of that one individual. We are working urgently to address the violence and our plan focuses both on the short-term and long-term:
  • First, we hold violent offenders accountable. Our Police Department has worked hard to make arrests and take guns off the street. This time last year, we seized 8 guns and made 6 arrests.  This year, we have seized 14 guns and made 14 arrests.  As for major felonies, there was a homicide arrest in January 2021 and 3 arrests for non-fatal shootings.  There were also 140 felony arrests in January.  
  • And while we struggle to fund even more positions in our police force, we are working hard to rebuild and fill the vacancies that currently exist. Last week we graduated 16 new officers who are already out on the beat. And the Civil Service Board just certified a list of 167 candidates with whom we will begin the hiring process as we prepare to seat our next police class.
  • Beyond policing itself, we are implementing policies to address violence in both the short-term and long-term:
    • We are working with State Probation and Parole—after they took a long hiatus because of COVID, they are now doing custom visits to returning citizens suspected of being involved in violence. Starting next week our team will be doing 10 custom visits per week.
    • We will be conducting a gun buyback event in the coming weeks to take more guns off the street.
    • Our Youth Connect Team (previously known as Youth Stat) is working to engage New Haven’s most at-risk young people one by one, person by person to ensure they have the resources they need.
    • And last Tuesday we hosted our first “call-in” in over a year, where Project Longevity, our Police Department, law enforcement partners, and support staff provided options to the 17 men participating and a pathway so they could put the guns down and receive support. This call-in was only the second call-in to happen in the country amid this pandemic. Group violence intervention is proven to work and is critical in addressing the increasing violence in our City. We are preparing another call-in in the coming months.
    • And being safe for many in our community doesn’t always mean police responding to crises. That is all too clear. This has been elevated more than ever before by the millions of people around the nation and thousands in New Haven demonstrating that Black Lives Matter. Safety is about undoing historical inequities, addressing the trauma in our communities, and undoing racism. We are responding to this call in many ways:
      • As a City we are working to undo racism. I applaud the Board of Alder’s Health and Human Services Committee for working to define and address racism as a public health emergency.
      • In addition to this work, I am announcing that the City of New Haven has joined the Government Alliance on Race and Equity. GARE is a national network of local governments working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all.  This work allows us to reach deep into our bureaucracy to normalize the conversation and make the necessary structural changes in the way we serve the public.
      • And safety to many does not mean calling the police when there is a crisis. Many times, mental health and social service support is needed rather than a uniformed officer with a gun. After much planning work, our team is poised to launch the Community Crisis Response Team PILOT program where social workers and medical experts will help respond to substance use and addiction problems, mental health issues or episodes, domestic issues, and other calls for service that may not need a police response.
Ultimately, we cannot address violence and many other challenges we face as a community without addressing the roots of the problem. These roots are based on the opportunities people have and do not have – opportunities for economic stability, for safe and affordable housing, for a good education, for a second chance.

Everyone in New Haven deserves the opportunity to thrive. This is the reason I ran for mayor and continues to be the primary focus of our Administration. And while this work may take years, even decades, this is the work of our time, for this is the work that will make a true difference in our City’s ultimate success. This past year we have continued to build on the work of past leaders to do just that:
  • Later this week, in partnership with Project MORE, we will launch New Haven’s first one-stop “Re-Entry Center.” We cannot expect our returning citizens to succeed if they have no path to success, and the re-entry center is designed to do just that. In New Haven, we believe everyone should not only have an opportunity to thrive, but they should have a second chance. You will hear more about this effort later this week, but I can tell you I’m proud of the work that the City’s Reentry Coordinator Carlos Sosa-Lombardo has put into this effort and am confident the impact will be significant.
  • And people cannot thrive without an opportunity for a job. This past November, we launched a construction jobs program to give our residents the training, education, and work experience they need to set them up with a lasting career in the construction trades. Thank you to all our partners and especially to New Haven Works as we now move forward with placing graduates into employment and moving to the next training cohort.
And, of course, people cannot thrive without safe, stable housing. And this is an area where our team is working to take significant steps – both within New Haven and by advocating beyond our City.
  • Even as we continue to grow, residents are faced with rent burden. Over 6,000 households in New Haven need housing at the deeply affordable level in part due to income at 30% or below the median income for our area.
  • And, to be clear, the burden falls squarely on New Haven with little to no assistance from our suburban towns. Let me first acknowledge the groundswell of support for the lawsuit against the Town of Woodbridge, which seeks to open up affordable housing options in one of our neighboring communities. However, that lawsuit turns out, we will still need to drive forward on dramatic change in order to deal with the affordable housing crisis.
  • Substantial progress has been made this year:
    • The new Affordable Housing Commission will have its first meeting in the coming weeks. Thank you to our new Commissioners for stepping up and volunteering to serve.
    • We anticipate that the state will receive over $200 million dollars in federal funding to support tenants at risk of eviction. It is important that we all work together, identify our neighbors in need, and ensure they have the support and resources to keep housing stability. Our CASTLE program, the Coronavirus Assistance and Security Tenant Landlord Emergency Program, is working to assist homeowners and tenants falling behind on payments so we have a strong foundation to help support those facing instability.
    • The 16 new housing units on Judith Terrace, Thompson Street, and Winchester Avenue are finished with new homeowners building wealth and contributing to neighborhood stability.
    • Over the past year, our Administration worked with our local partners and the State to rehouse over 350 homeless individuals into permanent housing. And we will continue to work with our partners to give people a chance at having a stable home environment and the support they need to get back on their feet. 
  • Looking ahead to the next four months, we will launch the next set of initiatives to make Housing available for all:
    • In terms of removing zoning barriers that exist right here in New Haven, we are in step with the Desegregate Connecticut approach: preparing new ordinances for inclusionary zoning, accessory dwelling units and opening up our most restrictive zones for more density.
    • As you know, we inspect rental units on a rolling basis for compliance with the Housing Code. But we do very little in terms of training and education. Just passing the inspection is not an acceptable standard. Through a new training program to be run out of LCI, landlords will be better prepared and always held accountable to the Housing Code.
    • At some point, the moratoriums on tenant eviction will expire.  Nobody has an exact number of households at risk of eviction. There is no early warning system before a “notice to quit” is served on the family. In the coming months, our foremost responsibility is to educate tenants on their rights, work with landlords and tenants on mediation and work outs to prevent evictions, and then support tenants in crisis when faced with an eviction.  Alders, if you are made aware of a tenant in crisis, let’s connect the family to resources at Legal Aid, the Connecticut Fair Housing Center, and our case managers at LCI and the Financial Empowerment Center.  
      • I want to take a moment to thank the Financial empowerment Center. This past year they have assisted over 400 New Haven residents, including enrolling clients in financial counseling, and helping to reduce their debt and increase their savings.  I am proud of the work the center is doing to address systemic inequality at its core by assisting people for a stable financial future.
    • And not just in the next four months, but for the entire year, we must also have a commitment to build housing and encourage investment.  Here are just some of the projects I am very much looking forward to:
      • The City will take on the second phase of the Thompson/Winchester project and the George Street historic renovation project adding 18 affordable units, 8 of which will be going to homeowners.
      • Partners are delivering on large scale, transformational projects.  The Prince Street School renovation is underway, creating 30 affordable units as part of the Hill to Downtown plan.  Farnum Phase 2, Westville Manor, Antillean, and the Valley Townhomes are all moving forward.
      • CONNCORP’s proposed mixed-use redevelopment of Dixwell Plaza—together with the Q House across the street and the Beulah Development at Joe Grate’s site—will immensely elevate the quality of daily life and inspire kids of all ages to love their neighborhood and stay close to home to raise their own families.
  • Alders, residents, and stakeholders listening in tonight…is vitally important to support this growth and keep pushing forward at every level to create safe, quality housing for all. We have a strong plan but have much work ahead of us to implement this plan.
Finally, our City will not thrive without adequate resources. I would be remiss if I did not talk about the elephant in the room, or rather the ivory tower in our backyard. The City’s financial health is dire. In the next fiscal year, our City faces up to a $66 million-dollar deficit. And this problem will continue into future years. We cannot cut or tax our way out of this problem. Our City is at a crossroads today. And Yale University and the State of Connecticut are, too. All eyes are on them.

In the coming days, Governor Lamont will submit an over $40 billion biennial budget proposal to the Legislature at the state level. Connecticut billionaires made many more millions over this past year while hundreds of thousands lost their jobs. Based on data collected by Forbes, seven of Connecticut’s billionaires last year increased their wealth by $1.7 billion dollars. These seven individuals made enough money to close New Haven’s budget deficit for decades. There is something deeply wrong with this. The Governor has indicated he does not want to raise taxes on them. But at what cost? That forces our Cites to raise taxes on residents who simply cannot afford it. Governor Lamont, we are looking to you to add funding in your budget to support the tiered PILOT proposal in front of the Legislature. The proposal has bipartisan support, has the support of the Mayors of major cities and First Selectpersons of small towns, that is practical, progressive and costs only half a percent of the State’s annual budget. Think about that, half a percent. Governor Lamont, we are looking to you.

And in our backyard is Yale University. Yale spends over $4 billion dollars each year to serve 12,000 students; whereas the City of New Haven spends under $600 million dollars to serve 130,000 residents. Something is just not right there when Yale spends over $300,000 per student, and we spend only $4,600 per resident. Yale, we are looking to you to dramatically increase your voluntary payment because it is the right thing to do, because it is good for the City and Yale, and because it is high time. We want the State, Yale, and New Haven to thrive together. We can only thrive together, if we all thrive, if we all thrive. All eyes are on you.

Last year in my State of the City, I talked about the precarious position our City was in. Without a doubt, throughout this past year, we have shown time and again that, despite the challenges we face, we are resilient, we will persevere. So, this year, I would sum up the state of our City as hopeful. While we face many challenges, the opportunities in front of us are incredible. We have more to go, but the end of the pandemic is in our sights. With it will come a significant economic rebound. Our financial challenges are daunting, but our partners give me cautious optimism to have faith we will not only overcome the challenges but vanquish them. And our community gets stronger every day. We in New Haven have shown just what we can accomplish when we work together, together we have led in a time of crisis and together we will continue to lead the way and ensure that New Haven is a place where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
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11020663683?profile=originalNew Haven Mayor
Justin Elicker, Police Chief Otoniel Reyes and the New Haven Police
Department would like to invite you to a press event.
The event will be held outside at the New Haven Police Department Garage at
710 Sherman Parkway to announce ATV and dirt bike enforcement and recent
arrests.
Chief Reyes wants the community to know the Police Department shares the
public’s frustration with the illegal and reckless operation of ATVs and dirt
bikes on the streets of New Haven. Chief Reyes said, “We are aware the
reckless riding of quads and dirt bikes seems to plague our community every
spring and summer. On behalf the New Haven community, I want to thank
Assistant Chief Karl Jacobson, Sergeants Matt Merced, Derek Warner, Michael
Fumiatti, and their staff of detectives and patrol officers for taking on this
most recent ATV and dirt bike enforcement.”
Chief Reyes also expressed his appreciation to the West Haven Police
Department for assisting with these efforts. Chief Reyes added, “I also thank
the West Haven officers who assisted New Haven in this initiative to enforce
laws for all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes. The community needs to know the
lawless riding of ATVs and dirt bikes on city streets will not be tolerated and
as challenging as effective enforcement may be, we will continue to address
this. Those who would endanger public safety and ruin our quality of life will
be held accountable.”

Attending today’s press event will be Mayor Elicker, Assistant Chief Karl
Jacobson, Assistant Chief Renee Dominguez, Sergeant Matt Merced, Sergeant
Derek Warner, Sergeant Michael V. Fumiatti, Command Staff, Law
Enforcement Agencies, Media, and Invited Guests.
Please let me know if you will be in attendance or if you have any questions.

New Haven| On Sunday, May 3, 2020, the New Haven Police Department collaborated with the West Haven Police Department in enforcement of laws for operation of all-terrain vehicles (also known as ATVs or quads) and dirt bikes.  The enforcement was aimed at those operators who engage in reckless and illegal operation on city streets and on public property.

 

During the day-long and city-wide effort in New Haven, officers made seven arrests and seized a total of eight ATVs and dirt bikes. West Haven PD reported two arrest and a total of four ATV/dirt bike seizures in their town.

 

Due to consideration about limiting the spread of the coronavirus in lock-up facilities, officers made arrests by issuing misdemeanor summonses rather than by making custodial arrests.  Those arrested in New Haven are as follow:

 

  • 20 year old Josue Colon of Amherst Street, Wethersfield is charged with reckless endangerment and reckless driving.

 

  • 22 year old Gordon Farrell the 3rd of Burwell Road, West Haven is charged with reckless endangerment, reckless driving, interfering with an officer, and an additional motor vehicle violation.

 

  • 20 year old Christopher Montefusco-Bicklell of Fairview Avenue, East Haven is charged with reckless endangerment, reckless driving, and larceny fifth degree.

 

  • 25 year old Kennie Negron-Soler of Truman Street, New Haven is charged with reckless endangerment, reckless driving, suspended operator’s license, and additional motor vehicle violations.

 

  • 42 year old Carmelo Piris of Kensington Street, New Haven is charged with reckless driving, interfering with an officer, and additional motor vehicle violations.

 

  • 20 year old Jose Sanchez of Bonner Street, Hartford is charged with reckless endangerment, interfering with an officer, and engaging police in pursuit.

 

  • A fifteen year old New Haven juvenile was released to a parent and charges have yet to be filed.

 

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11020662287?profile=original

Willam Lanson....The first rich black man in New Haven. He built the long wharf dock, the New Haven portion of the Farmington canal and was a founding member of the Dixwell Congregational church....Including he was the owner of a hotel he built for slaves (former) in Wooster Square...
The event will be held on Saturday 9/26/2020, at 10am to 11:30am 55 lock street

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For more Info RSVP click here William Lanson Dedication

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Main Rugar 21 years old I got my rap name from in my hood my name was main ppl just start calling me Main Rugar n I run with it I just liked music I gott a lot of influences like Tupac boosie Wayne chief keef a lot I’m from pompano beach i just started taking rap serious like 1 year a half ago

Download/Stream: https://instabio.cc/20712RyNTA4

Follow: Main Rugar https://www.instagram.com/main_rugar1200/

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