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MASHANTUCKET, Conn. (Aug. 26^th, 2017) – Reigning World Boxing Council U.S. National Boxing Council (WBC USNBC) welterweight champion Jimmy Williams retained his title Saturday in a wild finish over Issouf Kinda of the Bronx at Foxwoods Resort Casino.

Williams (14-0-1, 6 KOs) scored the knockout at the 1-minute, 26-second mark of the fourth round in peculiar finish, cracking Kinda (18-5) with a right cross on the break as veteran referee Steve Smoger separated two following a brief clinch.

As Smoger yelled, “Break!” Kinda threw a quick right that momentarily clipped Smoger instead of Williams. The reigning champ landed with his right hand, sending Kinda crashing to the canvas. Smoger counted him out and Williams retained the title despite trailing on two of the three scorecards entering the fourth round.

 CHECK OUT 3:20:00 MARK

The event, promoted by CES Boxing, aired live on Facebook via FIGHTNIGHT LIVE as a precursor to Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor megabout in Nevada.

The controversial finish set off a brief melee in the ring, but cooler heads prevailed as Williams celebrated his first title defense and 10^th consecutive win since fighting to a draw with Greg Jackson in 2013. Kinda has now lost two in a row since his win over Zach Ramsey in May of 2016.

Up until the knockout, Kinda led by three rounds on one of the scorecards and one round on another card while Williams led by three rounds on the third scorecard.

In a fight that turned out to be as exciting as advertised, junior welterweight Cristobal Marrero (5-0) of New London, Conn., edged Springfield, Mass., vet Miguel Ortiz(2-1) by split decision, 57-56, 56-57, 57-56.

Marrero fought thrown a swollen eye and dropped Ortiz in the fifth round to seal his fifth win in as many fights, but Ortiz, as always, came to brawl and brought the fight to Marrero in the early rounds, using his come-forward style to bully Ortiz and press him into the ropes while landing short, clean punches on the inside.

Marrero found his difference down the stretch with the knockdown sealing Ortiz’s fate, even with one judge scoring the bout in favor of Ortiz. The bout was supposed to take place in June, but Ortiz was forced to withdraw due to a shoulder injury. The bout was rescheduled for Saturday and changed from four to six rounds, which ultimately worked in Marrero’s favor.

With boxing and mixed martial arts colliding in Nevada in the Mayweather-McGregor bout, CES got in on the action at Foxwoods with eight-time Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) vet Leandro Silva (0-1) of Sao Paolo, Brazil, making his professional boxing debut against unbeaten cruiserweightRichard Rivera (3-0) of Hartford, Conn.

Silva, who is 20-6 in MMA, came out with his hands held high, more reminiscent of his style inside the cage, which flustered Rivera at first. The hard-hitting cruiserweight had a hard time landing anything clean until he caught Silva flush with a right hook on the inside that sent him to the canvas for a split second.

Silva popped up quickly, unharmed by the flash knockdown, and continued to trade fearlessly with the heavily-decorated Rivera, at one point dancing along the ropes and taunting his opponent. Rivera won the fight, 40-35 on all three scorecards due to the knockdown.  

Worcester, Mass., lightweight Jamaine Ortiz (5-0) kept his perfect record intact, earning a 40-36 verdict on all three scorecards against Loraine, Ohio, vet Angel Figueroa (4-5-1). Fighting for the first time since April, Ortiz’s endurance and output was too much for Figueroa, who hung tough early, but ran out of gas in the closing rounds. Ortiz returns to the ring Sept. 16^th in Rhode Island, looking to improve to 6-0.

Sicilian heavyweight Juiseppe Cusumano (12-1, 10 KOs) continued to impress on his regional tour, making his Foxwoods debut in grand fashion with a first-round knockout win over Wilmington, Del., vet Robert Dunton (11-17-1) at the 2-minute mark. Dunton tried to work the body against the taller Cusumano, but Cusumano’s superior size and strength was too much to handle; Cusumano caught Dunton along the ropes with a left and followed by cracking him with three consecutive overhand rights, sending Dunton into the ropes and forcing the referee to step in and stop the bout.

Cusumano also returns Sept. 16^th in Rhode Island in a six-round bout against Californian Matt McKinney.

Boston, Mass., native and former U.S. Marine Jarel Pemberton (1-0), the son of New England icon and former world-title challenger “Sandman” Scott Pemberton, impressed in his professional debut, defeating game challenger Nate Schulte (0-3) of Woburn, Mass., by unanimous decision, 39-37 on all three scorecards.

Pemberton was the aggressor from the opening bell, but Schulte hung in for four hard rounds, unafraid to fight on the inside, and even landed a clean left hand in the third round that momentarily stunned his opponent. Pemberton ultimately regained his composure and finished strong to seal the victory, his first win as a pro.

Also on the undercard, Hartford junior middleweight Jose Rivera (4-1) won his second consecutive fight, outworking the hard-charging Corwin Farmer (1-2) of Tarboro, N.C., to earn a 39-37, 39-37, 40-36 unanimous decision victory. Farmer, entered fresh off his first professional win in January, actually did his best work on the inside, but Rivera controlled the pace by utilizing his jab to keep Farmer from gaining any momentum.

– CES –

PROGRAMMING ALERT: CES BOXING, FIGHTNIGHT LIVE

AUG. 26 PRE-MAYMAC CARD FREE ON FACEBOOK

Online: https://www.facebook.com/FaceFIGHTNIGHTLIVE/

Feel free 2 text, comment, like & share the photos. For the weigh in results click HERE: http://bit.ly/2017-8-25CESweights.

MAYOR HARP TO CUT RIBBON

AT VANITY BAR NIGHTCLUB

New Haven – Mayor Toni N. Harp will join owners John Mocadlo and Greg Maloney at a grand opening celebration of the new Vanity Bar Nightclub on Tuesday, August 22, 2017, at 2:30 p.m. at 144 Temple Street, New Haven. 

The 15,000-square foot property will provide patrons with a host of entertainment and dining options, including a dueling piano bar, a restaurant, a lounge on the 2^ndfloor, a 30-seat corporate dining room,  and a 100-seat nightclub.

Thank you for your attendance at our 2nd “Newhallville Grassroots Action” meeting on Tuesday, August 15^th.  It was very encouraging to hear your reports/updates on the amazing things that community leaders have accomplished in Newhallville thus far, and the need for more action to improve the lives of residents in the aftermath of the shooting death of Tyrick Keyes.  The notes from the meeting are attached for your review.  

If you were unable to attend the August 15^th meeting, please email me with updates of your assigned group task.  In addition, please review the attached list of people who participated in an initial "Newhallville Grass-root Action Group".   Once finalized, your group facilitator will begin communication with you -   

As you know, we will be meeting periodically to stay connected.  Our next follow-up meeting will take place in September after the start of the new school year.  In the meantime, please continue the outstanding work you are doing to make a difference in the lives of “…the least of these (poor, hungry, thirsty, homeless, naked, sick, and imprisoned)”.

Your Brother in Struggle,

Kermit Carolina

“If you want to go fast – go alone.  If you want to go far – go together.” 

- African Proverb

Community Leaders!

NEWHALLVILLE GRASSROOTS ACTION PLANNING

Tuesday, August 15th, 2017 – 5:30pm

Lincoln Bassett Elementary School

8/15 - FOLLOW-UP NOTES FROM GROUP SESSIONS

SAFETY

Facilitator:  Leonard Jihad & Sheldon Tucker

• Better communication and trust between the police and community

  • Visit the Police Academy to talk with cadets about community concerns

    • Discussions are taking place with NHPD

      • Person(s) Responsible:  Karl Jacobs

      • Deadline: 9/29

  • Meet with the Area/District Manager to discuss how to build trust

    • Renee Forte-Dominguez, Lt./D.M.

      • Attended Newhallville Management Team meeting/4th Tuesday – 6pm

• More Community Outreach

  • Involve community in the selection of Street Outreach Workers

    • Attempting to hire more (particularly from Newhallville

      • Person(s) Responsible: L. Jihad

      • Deadline: 9/29

• Community Upgrades

  • Lights

  • Cameras

    • 6 new cameras committed to Newhallville

      • Person(s) Responsible:  Karl Jacobs

      • Deadline: Completed

  • The cutting of tree branches that block the view of cameras is happening now

    • Ongoing clearing of branches for lights and cameras

      • Person(s) Responsible:  Karl Jacobs

      • Deadline: Completed

• Organize

  • Talk to youth to teach them about our work as a collective

    • Organize “Youth Stat Talks” (weekly or bi-weekly) & invite community leaders

      • Person(s) Responsible:  Kermit

      • Deadline: 9/29

  • What are Black men doing to honor each other?

    • Person(s) Responsible: ?

    • Deadline:

JOBS

Facilitator(s):  Arthur Edwards, Gary Gates, Rodney Williams

• Identify Resources

  • Person(s) Responsible: ?

  • Deadline:

• Network Collaborate

  • Person(s) Responsible: ?

  • Deadline:

• Mentorship Training Program

  • • Person(s) Responsible: ?

    • Deadline:

• Increase Youth Employment & Job Training

  • Will organize a Job Training & Trade School Fair for Newhallville residents

    • Identify job training programs and send email (workforce Alliance, etc…)  - All

      • Person(s) Responsible: Arthur Edwards

      • Deadline: 9/29

EDUCATION

Facilitator(s):  Gemma Lumpkin & Ife Waters

• Restoring the Village System (Create Support System)

  • Person(s) Responsible: ?

  • Deadline:

• Build Student Voice

  • Will visit schools (i.e. Hillhouse) to meet with disengaged students from Newhallville

    • Person(s) Responsible:  Barbara Fair

    • Deadline: 9/29

• Increase attendance and City-wide Parent Team Meetings

  • Will recruit parents at upcoming football games (Pop Warner, Hilllhouse, Cross, etc…) - Ife

    • Person(s) Responsible:  Ife

    • Deadline: 9/29

• Making BOE accountable for updating policies

  • Person(s) Responsible: ?

  • Deadline:

• Meet parents where they are at (Sport events, etc…)

  • Will recruit parents at upcoming football games (Pop Warner, Hilllhouse, Cross, etc…) - Ife

    • Person(s) Responsible:  Ife

    • Deadline: 9/29

• Connect kids to safe adults

  • Person(s) Responsible: ?

  • Deadline:

YOUTH

Facilitator(s):  Kyisha Velasquez

• Meet w/youth to find out what they want/reach out through social media possibly w/survey.  Find youth who will send messages out.  

  • Will meet students through “Youth Stat Talks” once school begins

    • Persons Responsibilities: Krystal, Dearie & Samera

    • Deadline:  9/29

• Identify pastors & churches that will allow use of their buildings for youth activities

  • Person Responsible:  Steve

  • Deadline:  8/15/17

• Identify adults willing to work w/kids where they are on a consistent basis –

  • go canvassing

    • Person Responsible:  Kyisha, Niki

    • Deadline:  8/15/17

• Identify community businesses and organizations to see what they are willing to give us access to use (i.e. kitchen, office, etc…).  

  • Person(s) Reponsible:  Steve

  • Deadline:  8/15/17

• Healing circles to allow kids time to process their hurt and anger.   Attend an overnight camp (Camp Farnum, etc…) by the end of August.   

  • See Jason Bartlett regarding:  City Resources?  Dates?  How Many?

    • Person(s) Responsible:  Barbara, Steve, Samera, Krystal, Kyisha & Holly

    • Deadline:  9/12

COMMUNITY BUILDING

Facilitator(s):  Barbara Vereen

• Social Media

  • Person(s) Responsible: (John Pickett & Kim Harris)

  • Deadline: 9/29

• Neighborhood Beautification

  • Person(s) Responsible: (Darlene & Connie Cooper)

  • Deadline: 9/29

• Clergy and Business Owner Outreach

  • Person(s) Responsible: (John & Kim Tucker)

  • Deadline: 9/29

• Neighborhood Block Parties

  • Person(s) Responsible: (Barbara Vereen & Delphine Clyburn)

  • Deadline: 9/29

Thousands of demonstrators chanting anti-Nazi slogans converged on downtown Boston Saturday in a boisterous repudiation of white nationalism, dwarfing a small group of conservatives who cut short their planned "free speech rally"

New Haven Herald August 2017 Edition page 2

Rave Reviews Couture Graphics and Invitations

CES BOXING, Fightnight Live to partner for Aug. 26 pre-MayMac show free on Facebook  

New Haven – Members of the Freetown-New Haven Sister Cities Program are devastated by news of the latest disaster to hit Freetown, Sierra Leone. Recent mudslides there have claimed more than 300 lives, destroyed many homes, and left thousands of residents homeless.

New Haven activists have mobilized to address this latest crisis, where the city’s ‘brothers and sisters’ have just started to recover from the Ebola Crisis.

The New Haven chapter of the Freetown-Sierra Leone Sister Cities Program are planning to make a contribution to relief efforts. Those interested in supporting this humanitarian effort are encouraged to send donations to New Haven Sister Cities (memo Sierra Leone) at P.O. Box 774, New Haven, CT. 06503

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A HEROIC SAVE

New Haven |On Sunday, 30 July, 2017, at 12:25 PM, Firefighters and Officers Yonick Crawford, Jason Jemiola and Paul Cavalier were dispatched to the Madison Towers at 111 Park Street. A dispatcher let the responding cops know there was an emotionally disturbed woman on the roof of the sixteen story apartment high-rise. An eagle-eyed Yale Police dispatcher saw the call on the screen and let YPD officers in the area know. A firefighter made the first contact.

A crowd of on-lookers had gathered on the ground below. The officers could see the woman above as they entered the building.

TO THE ROOF

Officers Crawford and Jemiola made their way up. Yale University Police Sergeant Dan Rainville and Officer Alex Rivera had arrived moments earlier and had begun talking with the woman. A chain-link fence surrounded the perimeter of the roof. There was just enough of the available ledge for the woman to stand. She was in clear distress and on the outside of the fence. Her heals were perched at the edge as she faced inward.

The distraught woman is twenty-four years old. She is not a resident nor was she a visitor at Madison Towers. She spotted the cautiously approaching emergency medical personnel and officers and yelled at them to stay back. She was drinking merlot from a bottle. She told the officers that she wanted to end her life. She said she would jump.

Responding to what they were hearing, they pleaded with her not to jump. The woman was, at some moments, holding on to the fence by a finger or two.

Occasionally, she’d lean backward with nothing between her and the pavement below. The YPD officers told her they wanted to talk with her. They wanted to better understand what she was going through. They told her they were there to listen to her.

YPD Sergeant Rainville and Officer Alex Rivera begged her to come closer to the fence and at least to hold on to it. Rivera, a trained Hostage Negotiator, listened as much as he talked. He allowed her to tell her story. She told him she’d argued with her husband, she gone through difficult times with work and was done with life. He encouraged her to think of those that care about her, those that would suffer in this world without her. After several frightening stumbles, Officer Rivera persuaded her to hold on to the fence.

HUSBAND & WIFE OFFICERS INCH CLOSER

Officer Elsa Berrios, the only female on the roof besides the distressed woman, arrived with the rookie officer she was training, Randy Billups. Officer Jemiola saw her approaching and asked the woman if talking to her would make her feel more comfortable. She agreed.

The woman allowed Officer Berrios to get close enough to talk with her. Cautiously, she inched forward to the woman on the precarious ledge. They spoke for a while, their conversation switching from English to Spanish – back and forth. They spoke in whichever language seemed to comfort the woman. “Me brinco”, said the woman – slang Spanish for “I’ll jump”. Then she chugged the remainder of a bottle of wine.

As they spoke, the woman reached into her bag and took out a can of beer. She fumbled. The can dropped and the woman reached for it. She stumbled but didn’t fall. Meanwhile, on the ground, NHPD Sergeant Terrence McNeil was busy trying to gather information on what had led up to the situation playing out above. He was able to reach an acquaintance of the woman. Her phone number was radioed to Officer Jemiola. The woman said she’d be eager to speak with her friend but wouldn’t come close enough to Officer Berrios to take the phone. Perhaps she was worried they’d have attempted to grab her. “We’re sisters… hermanas”, said Berrios. “We are all tired… we all have bad days”, she said.

It was then that Officer Elvin Rivera (Officer Berrios’ husband) arrived with the rookie officer he was training, Officer Stephanie James. He called to the woman, “Mamá”! Officer Elvin Rivera started talking with the woman as his wife had done – in both English and Spanish. Their conversation seemed all over the place. They spoke of religion and other things. The woman seemed comfortable talking with Rivera. The woman mentioned her feet were “on fire” due to the sunbaked tar roof. Officer Berrios suggested they get her some ice. She asked Officer Crawford to find some.

THE ICE ARRIVED

At this point, the conversations with the woman had been going on for close to an hour. There were not many moments of true clarity. This was a tense and emotional rollercoaster for those involved. Compassionate and sometimes frantic pleas punctuated the conversations as the team off officers at the center of the roof and those on the ground strategized their next moves. Truth be told, there weren’t any sensible strategies. Nothing would have worked other than what they were doing – talking.

The ice the woman had requested had arrived. Afraid to move much from their positions, the officers, in bucket-brigade fashion, passed the container to Officer Elvin Rivera. He’d inched it to the ledge where Officer Berrios had been earlier. At his position, the fence cut in a bit. The ledge where he stood was somewhat wider than where the woman was. “Yo te quiero, y Dios te quieres” (“I love you and God loves you”), exclaimed Elvin Rivera. “Enfrente en los ojos de Dios ven a mi”. (“In front of God’s eyes, come to me”), he said with open arms.

By this time, the woman was holding on to the fence. She’d lean back allowing a foot to dangle over the edge. An occasional finger-grip on the chain-link was all that prevented her fall. Officer Elvin Rivera pleaded with her and offered her the ice cubes. He needed her to get closer. With the ice in hand, he was able to coax her toward him.

Officer Rivera saw his chance. He reached out and grabbed her. She tried pushing away. She struggled violently. YPD Sergeant Rainville had removed his duty-belt in case he needed to climb the fence. The group of officer standing on the other side rushed forward. Rainville, Alex Rivera and Jemiola reached over the fence as Elvin Rivera held on to the woman’s arm for dear life. The officers got a better hold and pulled the woman to safety. Officers brought her to a waiting ambulance.

On the ground, the back-story had developed. A man she’d met earlier on Derby Avenue claimed he’d asked her to “hang out”. They wandered downtown and snuck up to the roof. From there, he said, she made it to the edge. She told him she wanted to jump. The man wasn’t able to stop her. He went down to the lobby and had someone there phone police.

There was PCP in the woman’s backpack. (PCP or Phencyclidine, also known as angel dust among other names, is a dissociative drug. Common side effects of PCP can include hallucinations, delirium and mania.)

THE REUNION

On Monday afternoon, the woman who’d been on the edge days earlier was in the lobby at police headquarters. She’d come alone and wanted to meet Officer Rivera and the others who’d saved her life. In the public lobby, they shared an emotional private moment. They’d all been through a lot and were each thankful.

There is no blueprint that’ll assure success in saving a suicidal person from death. Whether influenced by drugs and alcohol, tormented by mental illness or trauma or those who suffer through immeasurable heartache, require unique approaches. Berrios and Rivera are two of the many NHPD & YPD members trained as CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) officers.

To date, about eighty NHPD officers are CIT trained – with department-wide training set as a future goal. The department’s Emergency Services Unit includes twelve specially trained Hostage Negotiators and relies on partnerships with a variety of groups that specialize in related matters. Those groups include the Peer Support Group, Employee Assistance Program, The Yale Child Study Center, CABLE (The Connecticut Association to Benefit Law Enforcement), area hospitals and CMHC (Connecticut Mental Health Center) as well as veterans and substance abuse organizations.