The Power of Youth Persists City’S Youngest Common Councilmember Delvin Moody Speaks out Page 5
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Sun in Cancer 2020 | advocacy • health • community news • opinions • arts • reviews • events A Publication of For The Good, Inc. www.uticaphoenix.net Radio: 95.5FM Facebook.com/The Utica Phoeinx The Power Of Youth Persists City’s Youngest Common Councilmember Delvin Moody Speaks Out Page 5 Inside This Issue: Contact Testing: What is it? How does it work? Why do we need it? Phoenix Editorials Page Chamber: Wrong Message at the Wrong Time The morning of June 19th, as many from criminal justice officials and lo- assertion that the new law could harm friends and supporters of For The cal electeds. the state's business climate if the state Good and Phoenix Media were ea- The original intent of the 2019 law is perceived as being less safe, many gerly awaiting the second airing of was to provide more equity in the of those who will no longer linger in our Juneteenth special 'A Time for criminal justice system. The prison jail because they cannot post bail are Love,' on WKTV 2.2, we received a reform lobbying group FWD.us stud- hardly the type of person who will Cancer 2020 copy of a resolution recently passed ied records on incarceration in the immediately go out on another crime by the Greater Utica Chamber of years prior to passage of this law, and spree. The New York Civil Liberties Commerce. found that rates of pretrial release Union studied bail practices in 2018 Editor-in-Chief: C.Harris-Lockwood Photography: CHL Anne LaBastille Unlike statements and press releases have been significantly lower outside in eight counties outside New York Layout Editor:CHL from officials like Governor Cuomo of New York City, and among Black City, and found that the majority Copy Editor: Stephen L. Lockwood, and Congressman Anthony Brindisi New Yorkers. of the 90,000 people detained after Jay Stevens marking the observance of June- The legislative memo in support of they couldn't post bail had only been Webmaster: David Laguerre News Reporters: Pete Bianco, Jay teenth, the Chamber chose this red the Bail Elimination Act made power- charged with a violation or a mis- Stevens letter day to endorse an action which ful arguments for the need for bail re- demeanor—and faced bail of under Columnists: Roger Chambers, Natalie some studies confirm cause particu- form. Individuals who have not been $2,500. Williams, Ted Rajchel, Joan Shkane, lar harm to Black New Yorkers, and convicted of a crime, yet who cannot The most important precept in the Doug George Kanentiio, Mikasha Dawson, Willijah Dawson, Mark Zio- to state residents who live outside the post bail accounted for two-thirds of Bail Elimination Act is simply that bro, Jessica Szabo five boroughs of New York City. the average daily jail population in the criminal justice process should The Chamber's resolution calls New York. For many of these people, not be radically different based on in- for the complete repeal of the 'Bail the consequences of continued incar- come. The wealthy have long been For The Good, Inc. Elimination Act of 2019,' passed by ceration have been life-altering—the able to post bail—sometimes even Board of Directors the state legislature and signed into loss of their job, their housing, their for very serious crimes. For many President: Cassandra Harris-Lockwood law last year by Governor Cuomo. benefits, and even their children. And years, those without resources, who Chairperson: Onama Tanner-Connors The law took effect on January 1st, as the memo points out, “these harms are most likely Black and/or liv- Vice Chairperson: Frank Drayton Treasurer: Charlene Levonski but within three months, some of the are borne disproportionately by per- ing outside of New York City were Secretary: Stephen L Lockwood most unpopular aspects of the law sons of color.” more likely to face detention. There Denise Prince, Loretta Johnson,Sparkle Anthony were rolled back following an outcry In spite of the Chamber Resolution's Minority Owned Businesses Need More Guidance to Be Sustainable Utica Phoeinx Radio A Facebook post that went vi- recounts what she says is her futile provides grants with impunity, 95.5FM ral earlier this month resulted attempt to get assistance through without a watchdog agency to re- “The Heat” Classic Hip Hop, Rhythm &Blues, in a lively discussion about the the City of Rome’s Community and view this type of funding. “I have Funk, Latin, Soul, Jazz, Gos- amount of guidance and assis- Economic Development Depart- never applied for any funding, be- pel, Daily News, Talk, Opinion. tance a minority-owned business ment. cause every time I went to the City, Streaming Online at in Rome has received from the “Rome City government has re- they said nothing was available, and fused to give Gardner’s Farm to I was not even guided toward po- uticaphoenix.net or city she pays taxes in. 955TheHeat.com Shelley Gardner purchased a Table any financial support, and tential future sources of funding,” former Caribbean restaurant and Community Block Grant funding Gardner said. “This wasn’t just a the city receives are earmarked for one-time entrance—I’d look at one adjoining lot at 401 W. Dominick Contact Us: Street in Rome, beautified the women and minorities first,” Gard- site (for the restaurant) and be told ner wrote in the post. there is nothing. Then, I’d ask again Phone: (315) 797-2417 location, and opened Gardner’s Fax: (315) 797-7025 Farm to Table restaurant, which In a follow-up interview several and be told nothing was available. E-mail: [email protected] offers soul food and locally pro- days later, Gardner says three or They could at least help with a low- [email protected] [email protected] duced foods. four visits to Rome City Hall yield- interest loan, or a facade or awning ed no encouragement at all for her grant, but I haven’t even been able Advertising: [email protected] Gardner’s Farm to Table is one of Address: 1113 Linwood Place, Utica NY 13501 a small number of minority-wom- business. “I’ve been given zero in to get that, or a tax abatement.” On the web at www.uticaphoenix.net en owned businesses in Rome and any kind of actionable or even in- Rome Mayor Jackie Izzo recalls WWW.955theheat.com the entire Mohawk Valley region. actionable suggestive measures, or Gardner requesting a façade grant In recent years, New York State even friendliness—not even to the prior to owning the building she is The Utica Phoenix reserves the right to edit has set more ambitious goals to point of expressing gratefulness I currently in. However, Mayor Izzo inquired,” Gardner said. informs, “Façade grants are only submission for space constraints or content boost these businesses. • Contents copyright 2014 by the individual Gardner’s recent Facebook post Gardner feels the City of Rome available to property owners. And authors; all rights reserved • For permission to reproduce articles in any form, please contact the paper • The opinions expressed in the Utica Phoenix are not necessarily those of newspa- per’s staff • For reprints, back issues, subscrip- tions, and advertising inquiries, contact the Utica Phoenix at (315) 797-2417 or e-mail at [email protected] • The Utica Phoenix is not responsible for typos or grammar mis- takes in submitted ads. 2 July 2020 The Utica Phoenix www.uticaphoenix.net Minority Owned Businesses cont’d Saluting those who care for the sick By Eve Van de Wal it is a first come first serve policy. tity that works on a regular basis to catching COVID-19, as are their loved We don’t have an Economic De- ease the roadblocks and provide en- couragement to minorities seeking ones at home, and those with whom velopment person or programs. they come in contact as they travel to start-up or expansion assistance. We are limited to CDBG for low to and from work. moderate income residents but ap- One effort ongoing in New York We mustn’t overlook the exceptional plications are accepted for the State City has drawn a number of part- providers of care who serve the needs CFA program as well as MVEDGE ners with the goal of developing of the sick, injured and frail in patients’ grants.” Izzo did approve Gardner’s and expanding the number of finan- own apartments and homes. Their risk request for a bike rack for her Gard- cially sustainable Black businesses may be even greater because of envi- ner’s Farm to Table Restaurant and in New York City from two percent ronmental factors that are beyond their encourages Gardner to apply early to 22 percent in the next two years. control at the site, or sites, they visit each day. in 2021 for the façade grant. Meetings and focus groups have Front line health care workers who Gardner points out that existing been developing a written strategy for achieving this to present to those are African American are particularly higher-level assistance—such as vulnerable to the lethal nature of the seeking office in New York City. certification of Minority and Wom- There is a war underway against the COVID-19 virus. Nationally, and here en Owned Business Enterprises is We would encourage state and local COVID-19 pandemic, and the front in our region, the chronic disease states an extremely detailed process that officials to buy into this approach at line is a dangerous place. Health care that are significantly more prevalent is daunting at best for a small busi- the state level, so that the existing providers, including doctors and nurs- among African Americans—diabetes, ness owner.