City News Briefs

50,000 New Books Donated to HPHS
Last week, Creative Books, Inc. of New Canaan donated 50,000 new books to Hartford Public High School. The donation, which is valued at $250,000 is expected to help the school's battle to win back full accreditation. A shortage of books, especially new ones, was listed as a major area of concern in the New England Association of Schools and Colleges' accreditation report.

Judith Rhinehart-Engel, Co-owner of Creative Books and a former employee of the Hartford Public School System, was the driving force behind the donation.

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Reception to be Held for Polish Delegation
A delegation from the town of Olsztyn in Poland will be honored this Saturday, September 5, at the home of Mary Heslin, former Commissioner of the State Department of Consumer Protection, on Kenyon Street. Heslin said about 75 people are expected to attend the reception. The Polish delegation, which includes six students and several business people, will visit Georgia as well as Connecticut during their visit to America.

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Jennings, Horton Get Endorsements in 2nd District
Democrats Cynthia Jennings and Barnaby Horton have both announced recent endorsements in their race for State Representative from the 2nd District. Democrat John Gale and Republican Peter Brush are also vying for the seat.

Jennings has been endorsed by the African American Alliance of Greater Hartford. The Alliance had originally supported Anthony Gray, who dropped out of the race on August 12.

"Cynthia is a very tough candidate who can stand the heat and scrutiny," said Reverend Nora Wyatt, Past President and Elections Chairperson of the Alliance.

Horton, meanwhile, has been endorsed by prominent attorney John Brittain and television minister Stan McCauley. Brittain is best known as the lead attorney in the Sheff vs. O'Neill school desegregation case. That case was based in part on the Horton vs. Meskill lawsuit in the 1970's, in which Horton, as a youngster, was the lead plaintiff. Brittain said Horton "appreciates the rich racial and ethnic diversity in the legislative district...For the past five years Barnaby has pushed for Hartford neighborhood improvement."

McCauley, Director of the El Shaoday Christian Center and the Light Source Ministries, said "Neighborhood renaissance needs honest leadership that will go beyond the dream. I know that Barnaby is a person that will not let the vision die."

The 2nd District includes the West End, Asylum Hill and Upper Albany neighborhoods.

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Sorority Offers Free SAT Training
The Hartford Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority will once again be offering a free, eight-week SAT training program for students at Weaver High School. The sorority has been offering the program for the past five years.

Classes will be held on Saturdays at Weaver from 9 am to 12:15 pm, beginning September 12 and will run through October 31. Students may obtain applications from their counselors. A $5 refundable deposit is required.

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Hartford Public Schools Receive $46,600 in Grants
The Greater Hartford Chamber of Commerce and the Connecticut Capital Region Growth Council have received three grants totaling $46,600 to work on career building in the Hartford Public School System. The grants were made by the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA) through its School-to-Career Employer Incentive Grant program.

The Chamber received two grants totaling $36,600 to work with the Hartford Schools and United Technologies Corporation on finding additional internships for students, expanding programs at the school's Technology Academy and other school-based initiatives.

The Growth Council received a $10,000 grant to continue to work with manufacturing firms and nine local high schools to change perceptions of manufacturing.

"In an age of global competition, it is even more imperative that businesses and educators work together to ensure our children gain the skills needed to be successful later in life," said Lauren Weisberg Kaufman, CBIA Vice President.

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