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Registrar of Voters: • What are you doing to inform people where to vote on Primary Day and Election Day? Please respond in detail, including but not limited to the following topics: ? Are mailings being sent to every registered voter before each election and if so when were/will they be sent?
A mailing is going to every registered Democrat in the city alerting them to the Primary on September 12, 2023, to their polling location, and due to redistricting, it might be different than what it was in previous years.
Will maps/signs be posted around the city (e.g., post offices, NHFPL branches, Q House, senior centers, apartment buildings, etc.), so people can see what ward they are in/where they vote? We are not posting maps around the city.
If an elector wants a map, they can contact the City’s Engineering Office for a copy. (203-946- 6417) We also have requested that the guidebook be posted on our website. An elector can also call our office with any questions or concerns at 203-946-8035. ?
Do you have special messaging for individuals who were redistricted, telling them they are now in a new ward and how that does/does not affect where they vote? Is there any kind of special notation on the postcards being sent to voters that would help draw their attention to the fact they have been redistricted to a different ward?
Yes, the postcards that are being mailed to the elector has that Information on them. It also includes the office phone number for any elector who will have questions regarding their ward/polling location. ?
What kind of quality control mechanisms are in place to make sure that the information on the postcards is correct.
Although the information on the postcards is reviewed and reviewed again by our office errors can occur. All our information comes directly from CVRS and that is information which comes directly from the elector. We are only as good as the information provided to us by the electors. We do our best to keep our voter rolls as accurate as possible, but the law of human nature also exists.
Does the State polling place finder work for redistricted individuals? How do you promote this resource to voters?
The redistricting lines are entered into the State polling place finder and if an elector is using the state system, they will get the correct information.
If someone who is redistricted mistakenly goes to the wrong polling place on Primary or Election Day, will you have ballots they can use? Or will they need to go to their new polling location?
As with any election redistricting or not an elector will need to go to his/her correct (new) polling location in order to vote.
Are you training poll workers on the confusion around redistricting/where people vote, since there may be lots of confused/frustrated folks?
Yes, as we do for every election or Primary. The poll workers are accustomed to electors coming into the wrong polling location. They are instructed to send the elector to the Moderator/ Assistant Registrar for assistance in finding their correct polling location.
Have you updated your website with a big alert about redistricting, and removed outdated notices?
Outdated notices are being removed and a notice regarding redistricting will be posted on our website.
What outreach are you doing to local colleges/universities about redistricting’s impact on voting? Has there been outreach to, or through, the school political party organizations?
We have been in conversation with some of Yale’s top people regarding this issue. We are sending a list of polling locations over to Yale to post on their website. Hopefully, this alleviates confusion as to where the students vote.
Is there a space for write-in candidates on the Primary ballot?
Write-in candidates do not appear on a Primary Ballot only on the Ballot for the November 7, 2023, election.
New Haven green September 7th
A Great debate Yale & Howard
Reggae sensation third world and legendary Wailers
The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for our area, forecasting 90-degree temperatures and high humidity from Tuesday through Thursday.
To help residents stay safe and cool, the City of New Haven has activated our extreme heat protocols through Thursday 8 p.m.:
· City libraries and senior centers will be open as cooling centers during normal business hours.
· Splash pads at city parks will continue to be operational.
· City shelters will extend their hours and capacity, as needed.
A full list of all these locations can be found on the city’s website: newhavenct.gov
Please stay cool, stay hydrated, limit your time in direct sunlight, avoid strenuous activities, and check on your loved ones and neighbors – especially at-risk populations such as young children, the elderly, and people with underlying medical conditions. Please always call 9-1-1 for any heat-related emergency.
Thanks everyone – stay cool and stay safe!
SEPTEMBER 5, 2023 – NEW HAVEN POLICE DEPARTMENT
RESPONDS TO MULTIPLE SHOOTINGS AND A HOMICIDE
OVERNIGHT
The New Haven Police Department (NHPD) responded to two shootings and a homicide,
which occurred in different parts of the city in the overnight hours. The NHPD is actively
investigating these incidents and urges anyone with information to come forward.
The first incident took place at approximately 9:29 pm on Woosley Street, where NHPD
officers were dispatched following reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers discovered a
crime scene at the side entrance of a residence. Moments later, a gunshot victim was
dropped off at Yale-New Haven Hospital on York Street. The victim, who had been shot by an
occupant of another vehicle, recounted a heated exchange that escalated into violence. The
victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Detectives arrived at the scene to gather evidence, interview witnesses, and search for
surveillance footage. A fired cartridge casing was located across the street from the
residence. The Bureau of Identification processed the scene and collected the casing.
Later at around 10:45 pm, while NHPD officers were at Yale-New Haven Hospital for an
unrelated incident, a second gunshot victim walked into the facility. The victim stated that he
had been lured to the area of Chapel Street and Ella T. Grasso Boulevard by a person he had
met online. Once there, an unidentified male attempted to rob him, resulting in non-life-
threatening injuries.
No additional information or evidence could be found at the location, and there were no
witnesses or callers. The victim's vehicle was not located. Subsequently, a check with the
Bridgeport Police Department revealed another shooting in their city at approximately 9:45
pm. The connection between the two incidents remains unclear at this time.
In the early hours of September 5, at approximately 1:35 am, NHPD received a ShotSpotter
activation indicating five rounds fired on Winthrop Avenue. Soon after, multiple 911 calls
reported a person shot in the 400 block of Winthrop Avenue. Responding officers discovered
Leron Vaughn, 29, of New Haven, suffering from a gunshot wound behind a white Infinity.
Despite immediate medical attention, Vaughn succumbed to his injuries at Yale-New Haven
Hospital.
Witnesses reported observing two suspicious individuals fleeing the scene, running
northbound on Winthrop Avenue. A K9 search was conducted, but it yielded no significant
leads. Detectives are currently exploring footage from nearby businesses that may have
captured the incident.
Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed these incidents or who may have
information valuable to investigators to call detectives at 203-946-6304 or through the
department’s anonymous tip-line at 866-888-TIPS (8477).
EMMY AWARD-WINNING PRODUCER, ACTOR, AND AUTHOR KERRY WASHINGTON TO DISCUSS HER UPCOMING MEMOIR, AS PART OF [AT] THE INTERSECTION, THE APOLLO’S INAUGURAL FESTIVAL OF ARTS & IDEAS
OCTOBER 6 – 8, 2023
Additional participants include Sage Adams, Dr. Yaba Blay, Jelani Cobb, Ghetto Gastro Collective, Michael Harriot, Jemele Hill, Marlon James, Barry Jenkins, Bomani Jones, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Chelsea Miller, Terence Nance, and Kamasi Washington.
Harlem, NY – (August 3, 2023) – The Apollo and Ta-Nehisi Coates, Apollo’s Master Artist in Residence announced today that Sage Adams, Dr. Yaba Blay, Jelani Cobb, Ghetto Gastro Collective, Michael Harriot, Jemele Hill, Marlon James, Barry Jenkins, Bomani Jones, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Chelsea Miller, Terence Nance, Kamasi Washington, and Kerry Washington have been added to the lineup of [at] The Intersection, The Apollo’s Festival of Arts & Ideas, Friday, October 6- Sunday, October 8, 2023.
Curated by critically-acclaimed thinker and writer Ta-Nehisi Coates, [at] The Intersection will bring together Black artists, intellectuals, creators and cultural movers. The new creators will join previously announced participants, including Ted Bunch, Bisa Butler, Jordan E. Cooper, Stefon Harris, Michael R. Jackson, Diallo Riddle, Bashir Salahuddin, Dominique Morisseau, Stephen Satterfield, Salamishah Tillet, Scheherazade Tillet, and Liesl Tommy.
The three-day event will be held at The Apollo’s Historic Theater. Festival passes are available for purchase at https://www.apollotheater.org/event/at-the-intersection-festival,
Sessions will include:
- Emmy award-winning producer, actor, and author Kerry Washington in conversation with Ta-Nehisi Coates about her upcoming memoir, Thicker Than Water. For more information on Kerry and Thicker Than Water, visit www.KerryWashingtonBook.com.
- Sports journalists’ Jemele Hill and Bomani Jones as they discuss the prominence of Black athletes in 21st Century sports entertainment.
- A panel discussion about the historical context of erasure in the age of woke culture with Dr. Yaba Blay, Michael Harriot, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, and more panelists to be announced.
- Theater creatives’ Jordan E. Cooper, Michael R. Jackson, Dominique Morisseau, and Lisel Tommy panel discussion about telling new stories on Broadway.
- Breaking Bread, a panel exploring Black food as culinary delight, cultural memory and communal empowerment with food writer and producer, Stephen Satterfield and Bronx-based collective, Ghetto Gastro.
The festival will also include:
- Music Performances: Curated performances from emerging and legendary music artists.
- Between the Talks: Unique opportunities for festival attendees to network and engage with each other.
TICKETS
[at] The Intersection tickets and festival passes are available for purchase at https://www.apollotheater.org/event/at-the-intersection-festival/.
VIP Festival Passes begin at $250 offering premium entrance, preferred seating, discounts on food and beverages, and admission to all daytime panel discussions, lectures, performances, and workshops on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. General Admission Full Festival Passes begin at $180. Single day tickets and discounts to Harlem residents, students, business owners and employees are also available.
ABOUT TA-NEHISI COATES
Ta-Nehisi Coates is a writer, currently holding the Sterling Brown Chair in the Department of English at Howard University. He is the author of the bestselling books The Beautiful Struggle, We Were Eight Years in Power, The Water Dancer, and Between the World and Me. He is a recipient of a National Magazine Award, a National Book Award and a MacArthur Fellowship.
ABOUT THE APOLLO’S MASTER-ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM
Apollo’s Master-Artist-in-Residence program is a three-year initiative that deepens the Apollo’s relationship with a prominent, influential artist whose work aligns with the Apollo’s mission as a beacon of Black culture and catalyst for artistic production for the Harlem community and around the world.
ABOUT THE APOLLO
The legendary Apollo—the soul of American culture—plays a vital role in cultivating emerging artists and launching legends. Since its founding, The Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world. In 2023, The Apollo will open The Apollo’s Victoria Theaters, which will include two new theater spaces, and begin the renovation of its Historic Theater, marking the first ever expansion and renovation of The Apollo in its nearly 90-year history. Read more about the project here: www.apollotheater.org/renovation-restoration-and-transformation/
With music at its core, The Apollo’s programming extends to dance, theater, spoken word, and more. This includes the world premieres of The Blues and Its People and the theatrical adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me, and the New York premiere of the opera We Shall Not Be Moved; special programs such as the blockbuster concert Bruno Mars Live at the Apollo; 100: The Apollo Celebrates Ella; and the annual Africa Now! Festival. The non-profit Apollo is a performing arts presenter, commissioner, and collaborator that also produces festivals, large-scale dance and musical works organized around a set of core initiatives that celebrate and extend The Apollo’s legacy through a contemporary lens, including the Women of the World (WOW) Festival as well as other multidisciplinary collaborations with partner organizations.
Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, The Apollo has served as a testing ground for new artists working across a variety of art forms and has ushered in the emergence of many new musical genres—including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Among the countless legendary performers who launched their careers at The Apollo are Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Jo Vaughan, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, H.E.R., D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Machine Gun Kelly, and Miri Ben Ari; and The Apollo’s forward-looking artistic vision continues to build on this legacy. For more information about The Apollo, visit www.ApolloTheater.org.
CoCo
REMINDER: The 2023 New Haven Road Race is this Monday, September 4th and over 5,000 runners are expected to participate! No parking restrictions and road closures will be in place along the course in order to provide a safe race for the runners.
Please pay close attention to posted streets signs with “no parking” notices and be sure to move your vehicle beginning tonight, as directed, to avoid a ticket and being towed. (No parking will be in place from 1 am to 12 noon.)
The main course maps are here and you can learn more about the race at www.NewHavenRoadRace.org
Thank you for your cooperation, good luck to all the runners, and have a safe and enjoyable holiday!
Aboard Air Force One
En Route Gainesville, Florida
11:59 A.M. EDT
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right, guys. Hi, hi, hi. We’re going to do a gaggle with the FEMA Administrator De- — Deanne Criswell. And I’m just going to give it right over to her to take — she’s going to have a couple of things to say at the top and then take your questions, and then we’ll be done. Thanks, guys.
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: All right, I’ll get close. It is hard to hear back here. First, I just wanted to say when we arrive today, what the President is going to see is what I saw earlier this week. He’s going to see some damaged and destroyed homes. He’s going to see downed trees and powerlines. But he’s also going to see communities that are working together to help and begin their recovery efforts.
While there was one tragic loss of life as a result of this storm, this storm could have been very — so much worse. And so, before I get into your questions, I’m just going to give a little bit of an operational update on what’s going on on the ground.
In total, we still have over sixteen hundred — one thousand six hundred — federal responders on the ground. They’re supporting things like feeding and sheltering operations; power, communications restoration — power and communications restoration; as well as public health and safety.
The search and rescue mission itself has come to an end, and I’m proud to share that our federal responders have helped save several lives in those early hours after the events.
There’s approximately less than 1 percent of the state that is without power currently. But in the county that we’re going to go to today where Live Oak is, 53 percent of that county is currently without power. But this is down significantly from the peak of power outages immediately following the storm.
This is largely due to the pre-positioned linemen that the state already had in place to jump into action. And we also had the Army Corps of Engineers; they are still on standby to support with generators or any other power restoration needs that may arise.
Almost all the cell towers in the area are operational, but we do have temporary cell towers that are deployed to communities where necessary to help augment. All of the interstates and bridges and the airports are currently open.
And while these response efforts continue, our recovery efforts are already going underway. We have already registered thousands of families for federal assistance to help jumpstart their recovery, and we have over 130 members from our Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams that are in the area helping communities register.
We also quickly approved Critical Needs Assistance, which is going to provide an advanced payment for many survivors for their immediate or urgent needs, as well as Clean and Sanitize Assistance, which provides funding to help them to clean their homes and prevent mold caused by the storm.
So, with that, I’ll take any questions.
Q Administrator, it seemed like from your conversations and working with Governor DeSantis’s team that you had agreed on the location for the President’s visit today as one that was doable with the security apparatus. Now we know the governor says otherwise. What happened?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: Yeah, I was with the governor on Wednesday — on Thursday — on Thursday, surveying the damage, and we were down in the more rural areas. I know that the governor and the President spoke on Thursday, and our teams began to work immediately to determine an area for the President to go visit. And the area that we’re going — Live Oak — was mutually agreed on by both the governor’s team and my team on the ground.
What we look at is operational impact. In this area, the power is being restored, the roads are all open, and the access has not been hindered. And so, that’s why this was a mutually agreed upon area for the President.
The President and the First Lady are really looking forward to talking to this community because this is a community — and while this — this incident was not widespread like Ian, this community is impacted, right? And those individuals that have damages to their homes are — are hurting right now.
And so, the President is going to be able to come in and let them know that the federal government is continuing to provide the resources and support to help them on their road to recovery.
Q And the governor not showing up today, is that politics at play?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: Yeah, I would defer you to the governor on his scheduling and why he made that decision.
Q When did the governor tell you he was not going to come? Did you find out when he announced it? Did he call you beforehand?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: I did not hear from the governor. Again, we’ve been planning this visit with his team. We’ve been in close coordination with his team, as well as the state and local officials, as to the details of the event today.
Q Were there any —
Q In terms of the meeting not happening, does that affect the recovery effort in any way? Is there anything lost other than a photo op?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: The recovery efforts are ongoing, right? And we have got a team that’s been embedded with the staff at the state EOC since before the storm made landfall. They are currently there, and we’re still supporting the recovery efforts from Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole from last year. And so, those efforts are not hindered, and they’re continuing to work very well together.
Q Were there any Florida emergency officials that expressed concern to you about a visit today and the operational footprint that it entails?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: I have teams that have been on the ground since I left, and we have heard no concerns over any impact to the communities that we’re going to visit today.
Q Are there any other either members of Congress or state officials planning to meet with the President —
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: I have spoken —
Q — despite the —
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: It’s my understanding that Senator Scott and Representative Cammack are both going to be there today at the first briefing.
Q And they have no security concerns or operational issues with meeting him?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: None that I have heard about.
Q How confident are you in the FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund to withstand another disaster that might be coming?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: As I — as I have said before, we have been watching the health of the Disaster Relief Fund very closely. And we anticipated, at the current spending prior to this storm, that we would run into a deficit in September sometime. That’s why I directed Immediate Needs Funding on Monday. We’re already seeing the benefit of that, as the draw on the Disaster Relief Fund has slowed significantly.
Our focus is on making sure that we can continue to provide those lifesaving efforts. And right now, the state of the Disaster Relief Fund, we have plenty of funding in this state under Immediate Needs Funding to continue to support the lifesaving efforts going on in Florida, as well as Maui.
You know, as we see other storms develop — the Atlantic is very busy right now — we’re going to watch this very closely each and every day.
Q What’s the biggest priority right now in Florida?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: The biggest priority is restoring the power, right? There’s a lot of businesses that are without power. There’s a lot of people in their homes that are without power. And so, now that the life safety mission and search and rescue has been completed, power restoration was starting from day one, but it continues, and that’s the number-one priority.
Q Administrator, just to go back to the issue of the governor. The President said in the Rose Garden yesterday that he would be seeing Governor DeSantis. So, was that just a misunderstanding? Or was it initially thought — or your understanding and the White House’s understanding — that a meeting would take place?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: What I can say is that I know that the governor and the President spoke while I was on the ground with the governor on Thursday, and the governor gave no indication at that time that he would not be meeting with the President.
Q Is there any- —
Q Karine, do you want to add anything to that?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I would just reiterate what — what Deanne said, which is that there was just no indication that he was not going to be there.
Look, this was a mutually agreed upon trip —
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: Location.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: — location from the governor’s side, from our side.
And look, I’m just going to, again, reiterate what — what the Administrator just said, which is: The First Lady and the President is looking forward to being on the ground to hear directly from the — from folks in the affected communities and continue to say to them that we will be here — the federal government will be here — will be there. And you hear us say this all the — all the time: today, tomorrow, and as long as it takes.
Look, and I — we’ve been very clear about that. We’re going to let the governor speak for himself. Of course, he is welcomed, right? Of course, he is welcome to be with the President today. It is up — that — that is something for — for him to answer. We can’t speak to that.
Q Is there any way —
Q But — hold on, let me just finish mine. It is —
Q Yeah.
Q It was — is it fair to say it was your understanding that he would be there and then he declined?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All I can say, and as — as the Administrator said, is that there was a conversation; the President spoke with the governor. It was an understanding that the President said to him he was coming to Florida. We never heard any — any disagreement with it. All we understood is both sides worked together for this trip, for this location to happen today.
That’s all I can say. I — there’s nothing else that I can add to that.
Again, the governor would have to speak to — for himself.
Q Is there any plan for the two maybe to talk now while the President is on the plane or after he concludes his visit to Florida today?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: I’m — I’m not certain. I’d be — turn to Karine on this.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I just don’t have any calls or anything to — to — planned calls or anything to — to lay out that may be happening on this — on this — on this trip for them to converse while we’re in Florida.
If that happens, obviously, as we always do, we will share that with all of you.
Q So, they’ve publicly collaborated. They met in 2021 with a disaster, in 2022 with a disaster. What is different this time?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: That is a question for the governor. Honestly, we are — our focus — and we have said this — you heard the President say this — this is not about politics. It doesn’t matter if it’s a red state or a blue state, the President is going to show up and be there for the community. And that’s what you’re seeing.
He’s done this many times before, sadly, when devastation hits a community the way that it — it has. And you all — some of you have traveled with us. I — I just can’t — we cannot speak for that. That is something for the governor to speak to. We just can’t.
Q Is there any worry that with this, clearly, disagreement that we’re seeing now, that it does impact any work on this going forward?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: Absolutely not. The — the teams on the ground, our staff from Region 4 — our teams are integrated in with the state emergency managers. And they have a very strong relationship.
As I said, we’re still supporting the ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricane Ian, which is going to be one year in just a few weeks. And so, they have a great working relationship. They’re working side by side every day. We’re supporting their needs and moving the resources in. There is absolutely no impact to the ongoing response and recovery.
Q Just logistically, you said the roads are open, there is really no- — nothing that will be taxed. I mean, is there anything else that would potentially — you know, the governor keeps saying that it was a logistics thing, he’s really worried about resources going elsewhere. Is there any other area where they — we might be not seeing resources going where they would otherwise go?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: No, like I — like I said, the areas that I visited with the Governor on Thursday were very coastal and rural areas. And I can understand, you know, concerns in those areas, because access was limited. And that’s why our teams worked collectively to find this area. This was a mutually agreed upon area because of the limited impact. They’re well on their way to the road to recovery.
And the President and the First Lady are looking forward to talking to the — the first responders, who — many of them have damage to their own homes, and to the community members, businesses that have been impacted. The agricultural industry, which has had a hard hit in this community, in this county, right?
The President and the First Lady look forward to talking to them and again reassuring them that the resources from the federal government are going to continue to flow into these communities to help them on their road to recovery.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right, guys. We’re going to wrap it up.
Q Do you have any — do you have any early sense of how Florida’s insurance market is responding to this disaster? I know it’s been very volatile, very expensive. Any sense of how that’s going?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: Yeah, I don’t have any information on that. The part that I would look at and the part that my teams look at is the amount of flood insurance in the area, which is the program that FEMA runs. But outside of that, I wouldn’t have any details, and I’d have to get you specifics on that.
Q Yeah, on the supplemental, you’ve requested $16 billion, which is four more than it was, like, three weeks ago. Do you have any confidence that $16 billion is going to be enough? Or is this number going to change?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: Right, and so, this gets us through to the end of this fiscal year, right? And one of the reasons we put in the Immediate Needs Funding direction is to ensure that we can prioritize our life safety efforts.
The $12 billion that we had put in originally was based on the amount of recoveries that are ongoing. But I think, as you can see, we are experiencing more severe weather events than we have ever experienced before.
And so, I am comfortable right now with $16 billion getting us through this initial — the rest of this fiscal year to support not only the lifesaving, but to not delay any of the reimbursements for the ongoing recovery actions that right now, through Immediate Needs Funding, will be delayed until the next fiscal year.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Thanks, everybody. Thank you.