HARTFORD —  The February 10 suspect in a homicide case surrendered on Tuesday to Hartford Police Headquarters on Tuesday,  according to Hartford Police Chief James C. Rovella.

The suspect,  Traistyn George, 20,  of unknown address in Hartford was wanted by Hartford Police in connection with a homicide  at 366 Maple Ave.

Police said they have been searching for George since Major Crimes Division Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for him on Feb. 15, charging him with murder and carrying a dangerous Weapon.

A judge set bond of $1 million police said.    George is awaiting arraignment in Hartford Superior Court, police said.

On Feb. 10 at 11:44 p.m., officers responded to 366 Maple Ave on a report of abouttwenty people fighting in the street.  Two individuals were located suffering from stab wounds.  The victim, Kevin Rodriguez, 21, of Hartford, was found in the driveway.

HPD officers performed CPR and he was transported to Hartford Hospital by ambulance where he was pronounced dead.  A second victim was admitted to and treated for stab wounds at Hartford Hospital.

He is recovering from his injuries, police said.

See related press release of February 15, 2012.

As the investigation remains on-going, Hartford Police continue to ask  anyone with information about this incident to contact HPD Major Crimes Division Sergeant Brandon O’Brien at (860) 757-4089. Information can be given anonymously by contacting Crime Stoppers Tipline at 860-722-TIPS (8477).

HARTFORD –  Hartford Police Department Major Crimes Division have identified a suspect for a Feb. 10 homicide of a 20-year-old on Maple Ave.

Traistyn George, 20, of an unknown address in Hartford, is the suspect named on the warrant for allegedly killing the 20-year-old.

No further information is available for victim who was shot at 366 Maple Ave., police said.

George was charged with murder and carrying a dangerous weapon, police said.

A Hartford judge set bond for one million dollars.  George has not yet been arrested.

The Hartford Police Department Major Crimes Division is asking anyone with information about this incident, to contact HPD Major Crimes Division Sergeant Brandon O’Brien at (860) 757-4089.

HARTFORD – Hartford resident Brandon L. McGee Jr. will formally announce his candidacy for State Representative in the 5th Assembly District on Thursday at Vibz Uptown.

“I have always believed that powerful change occurs when people come together for a common goal,” McGee said. “I am excited about the many possibilities for growth in the new 5th District, and I’m eager to work with the residents of Hartford and Windsor to develop legislation that capitalizes on those possibilities.”

At 6: 30 p.m., Brandon will be introduced by former Hartford City Councilman and retired Fire Captain Steve Harris and John Motley, Principal at Motley Beup. Retiring 5th District State Representative Marie Lopez Kirkley-Bey is also expected to attend, McGee said.

A native of Hartford, McGee currently serves as Network Development Manager at Urban Alliance, Inc. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Alabama State University and is pursuing his Masters of Science in Management & Organizational Leadership.

He has also been actively involved in the political arena, most recently as the Director of Outreach and Strategic Planning for former Gubernatorial Candidate Ned Lamont and Congressman John Larson.

Brandon graduated from A.I. Prince Technical High School in Hartford, where he was elected Student Government Association President. At Alabama State University and in the Montgomery, Alabama community, his leadership ability and drive resulted in his selection to be the State of Alabama’s NAACP Youth and College Division President.

Vibz is at 3155 Main St.

A few days before the release of The Best of Soul Train DVD set Soul Train founder, creator and impresario Don Cornelius was asked what it was that made Soul Train the hit that was. Cornelius didn’t hesitate, “That was the period when soul music grew up.”

Cornelius could have added one more thing to his on-point observation for the reason for the show’s success. It was also the music that I, and many other blacks, grew up with. It was virtually a black household ritual to do one of two things when Saturday rolled around and it was Soul Train time. One was to sway, swoon, and sing the lyrics belted out by the parade of R&B legends and top hit artists, Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, the Jackson Five, Stevie Wonder, and the Four Tops who regularly turned up on the show.

The other ritual was to dance, or more likely stumble around the living room, trying to do our best imitation of the latest dance steps displayed by the show’s perpetual motion gyrating couples. Then there was the signature Soul Train circle dance line. Then and now there isn’t a party, dance, or social that you can go to without a group of partygoers breaking into the Soul Traincircle line. Even if you had two left feet, the spontaneity, gaiety, joy, and liberating feeling, that you got from strutting your stuff, or just making a fool of yourself as you paraded down the center of the circle line was irresistible and infectious.

But it wasn’t all song and dance on Soul Train. To drive home the point that this was a unique product of the African-American experience Cornelius managed to slip into the show’s format, the “Soul Train Scramble Board.” Two dancers had sixty seconds to unscramble a set of letters, which was not limited to trying to figure out the name of that show’s performer but also a famed African-American historical figure. The man really knew how to educate an audience on our history literally without missing a beat.

It didn’t take long for the ritual watch and imitate Soul Train groove that gripped black America to become America’s ritual. Cornelius observed “Record stores were cropping up and Motown emerged to allow the music to cross over to the point where all cultures were listening to soul music.” That cross over was due to Soul Train. It made black music and dance not only respectable but virtually mandatory for non-black kids and adults to watch and try to imitate. TheSoul Train happy time infection spread everywhere. It was just simply too much pure unadulterated fun to watch, sing and dance along with the couples on the show that seemed to render race for the moment a non sequitur.

The operative word though is “seemed” because underneath the universal popularity of Soul Train, the show was an unvarnished testament to the historic role that music and dance has played to provide comfort, relief, escape, and the sense of personal freedom for generations of blacks, young and old. Soul Train captured in all its naked and raw beauty and energy the sound and fury of black cultural life. That life no matter how harsh the discrimination and conditions that blacks faced could not be snatched away.

Soul Train accomplished one other feat that’s considered a rarity in pop culture. It transcended it. It became both a musical and a social phenomenon. This added to its appeal, cross over and otherwise, and its staying power. The popular artists that appeared on the show would come and go. The dance styles would change. The outlandish fashions on garish display would change. The outrageous high Afros of the times would disappear.

Yet Soul Train always managed to stay fresh, alluring and project the unmistakable magnetism of black dance, song, and art. This is why only a scant five years after the last Soul Train episode was seen in 2006, the Smithsonian Museum will be the repository of some the show’s memorabilia.

This almost certainly won’t be the last stop for Soul Train. The tributes, accolades, remembrances, and interviews with the principals will continue for years to come. It could be no other way for a series that was the complete musical and cultural package when it came to not only showcasing the art and artistry of black America. And equally important, it made that art and artistry an integral part of America.

Cornelius’s stock ending to each show was “As always in parting, we wish you love peace, and Soul.” Forget the parting part, the soul that Soul Train so embodied was America’s train. And that train will never part the station.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst, and host of the weekly Hutchinson Report Newsmaker Hour on KTYM Radio Los Angeles. Follow Earl Ofari Hutchinson on Twitter: http://twitter.com/earlhutchinson

HARTFORD — The Connecticut Judicial Court will host an open house for  Hartford Community Court on Feb. 9.

The open house from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. will allow members of the Hartford community to meet the court staff, learn about all that is accomplished at the Community Court, and offer their suggestions for community service projects.

For more information about Community Court, click on the link:  http://www.jud.ct.gov/external/super/spsess.htm#CommunityCourt

HARTFORD — The leading cause of death among women over 40 is heart disease, according the health experts.

In an effort to create awareness among Greater Hartford residents, Hartford will host an event for Heart Disease Month and the GO RED for Women Campaign.

The City of Hartford Health and Human Services Department, in collaboration with St. Francis Hospital Phillips Women’s Heart Program, will offer free health screenings and educational sessions for women.

The event will be from 9 a.m. to noon on Feb. 3, at the Burgdorf Clinic Lobby, 131 Coventry Street. Blood pressure, blood sugar, BMI (Body Mass Index) and cholesterol screenings will be provided.

Diet, lack of exercise, gender, smoking, obesity and family history are all risk factors associated with heart disease. Learning about the early signs of heart disease and how to help prevent serious complications are very important, experts say.

According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular (heart) disease ranks first among all disease categories in hospital discharges for women. Nearly 37 percent of all female deaths in America occur from cardiovascular disease, including stroke. Moreover, the death rate due to cardiovascular disease is substantially higher in Black and Latina women than in White women.

Heart attacks can be a silent killer, as many women are unaware that they have severe heart disease. By checking current heart status and beginning the process of maintaining a healthy heart, women can positively impact the incidents of heart disease.

The event is open to all women who live and work in the city.

HARTFORD— The Community Renewal Team is offering free income tax preparation services to help low- and middle-income Connecticut families capture maximum tax credits while saving them costs on tax preparation services – to the tune of millions of dollars, CRT officials said.

CRT administrators said that tax volunteers put more than $6.7 million into the pockets of Hartford and Middlesex County families through federal Earned Income Tax Credits, child care credits, tax refunds and savings on tax preparation fees. And CRT tax customers held on to more than $30 million in the past five years.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA), offered by organizations across the nation, offers free tax preparation by IRS-certified volunteers to income-eligible families. State and federal returns are e-filed, and refund checks are direct-deposited for those who have checking accounts or issued as a pre-loaded bank card for those who cannot open a traditional bank account.

VITA aims to help working families obtain tax refunds and credits and to educate the community about refunds and opportunities to grow their assets. CRT will offer VITA services at most sites from now until April 15, 2011.

Appointments are available at three CRT Community Resource Centers in Hartford:

• 1229 Albany Ave.
• Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9 a.m. – noon; 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
• Tuesday, Thursday 9 a.m. – noon; 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
• Saturday 9 a.m. – noon
• 330 Market Street, and 395 Wethersfield Ave.
• Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – noon; 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
• Closed on April 6^th for Good Friday
• Contacts:
• 1229 Albany Ave, Ana Echevarria, (860) 560-5776
• 330 Market Street, Luis Escalera, (860) 560-5782
• 395 Wethersfield Ave., Katiria Rivera, (860) 560-5894

 Limited Hartford appointments also are available at:

• 555 Windsor Street (CRT): Tuesday and Thursday, 2-5 p.m. Contact (860) 560-5600
• 443 Franklin Ave. (Hartford Municipal Employee Federal Credit Union): Thursday, 3-6 p.m. Contact Carmen Ramos, 722-8110 x3

Appointments in Middletown, East Hartford and Manchester are available at the following locations:

• Middletown: 44 Hamlin (CRT): Monday 1-3 p.m.; Wednesday 9 a.m.-noon; Friday 1-4 p.m.; Saturdays Jan. 28, Feb. 25, March 10 and March 31 only, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.; Evening hours Feb. 7, March 10, April 6, 4-6 p.m. April 13, 16 walk-ins from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.; April 17 walk-ins from 9 a.m. – noon. Contact Michele Ryon, (860) 347-4465
• East Hartford: 81 Woodlawn Circle (Larson Community Center): Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Contact Giovanna Bajonero, (860) 282-0284
• Manchester: 479 Main St. (Manchester Human Services): Monday and Wednesday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Contact Melissa Simmons (860) 647-3095

HARTFORD — A mother and her son recently received a federal indictment for allegedly distributing more than 100 tons of heroine, Hartford police said.

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced on Thursday that a federal grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging Teresa Torres, also known as “Teresa Morales,” “Theresa Cardona,” and “Bebe” with distributing heroine.

Torres’s on, Jonathan Torres, also known as “Pete” and “Joker,” 21, was arrested. Both suspects live on Lawrence Street in Hartford.

Police said that between January 2011 and January 2012, both mother and son  conspired to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.

The indictment further alleges that, on January 6, 2012, both TERESA and JONATHAN TORRES possessed and distributed heroin, and that, on January 12 and January 19, JONATHAN TORRES possessed and distributed heroin.

If convicted, both face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of 40 years on the conspiracy charge, and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each possession with the intent to distribute charge.

The defendants have been detained since their arrests on January 19.

HARTFORD — Hartford Police arrested two suspects in two South End robberies that occurred earlier in  January.

Police arrested Alphonso Carmona, 36, of Hartford. Carmona was charged for first degree robbery in connection with the Jan.18, armed robbery of the Dunkin Donuts at 274 Franklin Ave.

And they also arressted Christopher Daniels, 17, of Hartford. Daniels was charged with one count of attempted murder, one count of first degree assault and one count of conspiracy to commit first degree assault in connection with a Jan. 18 stabbing.

Hartford police gave this report:

On January 20th, 2012, Southeast District officers took Carmona into custody at his vehicle on Webster Street, which they had had under surveillance since the early morning hours.

Once in custody, Carmona, during an interview with Major Crimes Division detectives, provided a written confession to the Franklin Avenue robbery as well as a Jan. 14 armed robbery of the Dunkin Donuts at 75 Airport Road, Hartford.

Carmona remains in custody on a $250,000 bond pending arraignment in Hartford Superior Court.

A warrant charging him with the January 14th armed robbery is pending, police said.

In a second arrest,  Daniels, was taken into custody by Major Crimes Division detectives on Jan. 24 and remains in custody on a $1,000,000 bond pending arraignment in Hartford Superior Court.

Daniel’s victim sustained a serious stab wound to the chest.

HARTFORD – Going back to school as an adult can be a daunting task. It typically involves re-learning many of the lessons taught in elementary and high school – or learning them for the first time. Adult education, moreover, is often interrupted by employment or family obligations.

“Whenever adults go back to school, it requires a sacrifice in another area of their lives,” said Tina R. Jeter, the director of the Hartford Public Schools Adult Education Center at 110 Washington St., in Hartford.

On Friday, March 2, the approximately 300 students attending the center will be asked to read a book that Jeter hopes will not only help improve their literacy and understanding of history, but inspire them to persevere and excel in their overall course work.

The book is called “Life Is So Good,” the autobiography of George Dawson, an African American born in the segregated South in 1898, who learned to read and write in an adult education class at the age of 98. He co-wrote the book with elementary school teacher Richard Glaubman, who came up with the idea after reading an article about Dawson’s tremendous accomplishment.

“Life Is So Good” chronicles Dawson’s experiences with racial injustice, poverty and hard work from the age of 4.

The book was immediately snapped up by Random House publishers and became a national sensation from the moment it was printed.  Dawson’s story was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Nightline, Good Morning America and other programs. The book and Mr. Dawson were reviewed and profiled in People Magazine and numerous other publications.

Proceeds from the publication enabled Mr. Dawson to tear down his old rundown house and build a new one.

Most significantly, Mr. Dawson became the national poster child for the effectiveness of adult education

Jeter has assigned “Life Is So Good” as a one-time school-wide reading project.

“We’ll see how the book is received by the students, and then explore the possibility of making it a yearly read. This book is not only inspirational, but we also see events in American history through Mr. Dawson’s eyes.” she said.

Students can register at the Hartford Adult Education Center at 110 Washington St., on Monday through Thursday between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. and between 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

The center assists adult learners in their pursuit of English language proficiency, secondary education completion and the acquisition of skills needed for postsecondary opportunities and the workforce.