by | May 28, 2021 9:46 am | Comments (0)
Emily Hays Photos
Gammy Moses leads Elm City Montessori drummers at Thursday’s protest.
In 1963, kids marched for desegregation in Birmingham, Alabama, as police officers attacked them with dogs and fire hoses.
In 2021, kids in New Haven remembered their predecessors’ bravery with the hope that they too could spark change.
by | May 27, 2021 12:26 pm | Comments (0)
Karen Ponzio Photos
Siul Hughes with DJ Collin In Kind
District Arts and Education turned their bi-weekly DAE Presents livestream into a live, on-site event Wednesday night as they invited a small number of guests in and added a food truck and outdoor musical entertainment — as a prelude to their indoor performance, that would be broadcast on Facebook Live.
Continue reading ‘District Opens Livestream To Live Audience’
by | May 26, 2021 8:42 am | Comments (2)
The cast of A Light in the Dark — the showcase from Lights Up Drama Club at Wilbur Cross High School, which will be broadcast June 4 and 5 — assembled in a rehearsal room at the school that would also serve as the beginning scene for the number “I Feel So Much Spring,” from the William Finn-penned musical A New Brain.
As the music began, and music director Matt Durland conducted, all the voices behind the masks sprang to life.
The students glided across the floor as co-director Salvatore DeLucia weaved among them with a camera. It would all be edited together into a final product, with 17 other songs, in time for broadcast.
Continue reading ‘Wilbur Cross’s Drama Club Shines “A Light In The Dark”’
by | May 26, 2021 8:34 am | Comments (2)
Contributed Photos
After two years of pandemic-induced cancellations, the James Hillhouse High School Army JROTC was back at a leadership camp.
This time, instead of lasting two weeks, the camp was one day long. And it was at Stone’s Ranch Military Reservation in East Lyme instead of Massachusetts.
by | May 25, 2021 11:38 am | Comments (7)
Paul Bass Photo
Alder Rodriguez (speaking at an event this month): Hundreds of my constituents and neighbors lost jobs in the pandemic.
(Opinion)—As both a healthcare worker and a member of the New Haven Board of Alders, I have seen the enormous impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our communities.
Continue reading ‘Alder To State: Follow New Haven’s Lead On Worker Recall’
by | May 25, 2021 9:48 am | Comments (5)
New Asst. Supt. Viviana Conner.
The Board of Education approved the hiring of two top educators — after debates on the right time to hire administrators, and whether New Haven is being proactive enough for English learners.
by | May 25, 2021 9:27 am | Comments (1)
Brian Slattery Photos
There was already one message written on the large black circle with the prompt “I hope,” written in several languages. That first inscribed message read “that our memories will not all be of darkness.”
The disk was located at the entrance to the Wooster Square Farmer’s Market this past Saturday morning. A woman with a child in a stroller approached the disk with a white marker. She knelt and added her own message. Within the hour, many more would follow.
by | May 24, 2021 8:52 am | Comments (0)
Karen Ponzio Photos
Alexis Robbins, Cliff Schloss, and Dylan Olimpi McDonnell.
When Suzannah Holsenbeck and Robb Blocker were organizing a party for their children this year, they knew exactly where to turn to provide the entertainment: The International Festival of Arts and Ideas Arts On Call program.
by | May 21, 2021 5:21 pm | Comments (21)
Melissa Bailey, Emily Hays Photos
Candidates in do-over-over election: current teacher union president Dave Cicarella and Hillhouse teacher Vincenzo Sullo.
Balloting has begun to choose a new teachers union president — after the national union stepped in and canceled the previous election.
Meanwhile, the city government clerical workers union has new temporary leaders — after the national union stepped in and suspended the elected ones.
Continue reading ‘National Unions Intervene In Leadership Decisions For Teachers, Clerical Workers’
by | May 21, 2021 2:54 pm | Comments (3)
City of New Haven
How the city plans to spend the first $26.3M in American Rescue Plan money.
Alders have fast-tracked approval of city plans to spend the first $26 million-plus in federal pandemic-era aid to bolster lost municipal revenue and build up a host of summer youth programs moved ahead.
Continue reading ‘City’s First $26.3M Covid-Aid Spending Plan Advances’
by | May 21, 2021 2:42 pm | Comments (7)
Thomas Breen photo
Destinee Leiti, left, with Mer Rosario and Patty Giordano: It’ll take time, not a taco.
Flyer for Long Wharf clinic.
Seeking to convince holdouts to get vaccinated for Covid-19, New Haven is turning to cash — and fried tortillas.
Continue reading ‘Vaccine Lure: Taco (Or $10) With Your Shot’
by | May 19, 2021 1:44 pm | Comments (2)
Thomas Breen photo
State schools chief Charlene Russell-Tucker in New Haven Tuesday.
Summer camp scholarships. Free student access to museums. Tens of millions of dollars to address learning loss. Hundreds of millions more in direct aid to local education boards — including $79.9 million, not $94 million, for New Haven schools.
A state official came to town to dangle those possibilities.
by | May 19, 2021 1:43 pm | Comments (9)
Thomas Breen pre-pandemic photo
NHCM organizer Kiana Flores (center).
The following letter was written by Co-Op High School senior Kiana Flores in collaboration with other New Haven Climate Movement organizers to Mayor Justin Elicker in advance of Thursday night’s public hearing on how to spend the city’s American Rescue Act federal aid.
Continue reading ‘Opinion: Spend Federal Covid $ On Climate Projects’
by | May 19, 2021 11:34 am | Comments (0)
Lisa Reisman photos
Xiaona Lu picks up lunch from Healthy Way’s Melissa Chang.
It was a few minutes past 11 on a recent Wednesday on Cedar Street, and Christopher Chialastri was digging into an aluminum container of spicy fried shrimp.
Continue reading ‘Today’s Special: Melissa’s Eggplant With Tofu’
by | May 18, 2021 6:48 pm | Comments (0)
Thomas Breen photo
Gov. Lamont in New Haven on Tuesday.
Masks can come off — for vaccinated individuals, in most settings statewide — starting Wednesday, according to a new order signed by Gov. Ned Lamont.
And jury trials in Connecticut will resume starting June 1.
Continue reading ‘Lamont Loosens Mask Mandate; Jury Trials Resuming June 1’
by | May 18, 2021 9:25 am | Comments (3)
Emily Hays Photos
Sophomores tune into their virtual class from their Hillhouse classroom.
Hillhouse sophomore Jazmin Townsend leaned forward in her desk to whisper an observation from the text into her microphone.
Half the class was sitting in the room with her. Half was online. They all contemplated how to keep the virtual conversation going after they heard her say: “I think one interesting fact is that after it was cooked, the dumpling became alive.”
by | May 18, 2021 8:36 am | Comments (0)
Emily Byrne, Executive Director of Connecticut Voices for Children, introduces the presentation.
More than 20 percent of childcare centers across Connecticut have closed since the start of the pandemic, leaving an industry that struggled to meet demand pre-pandemic increasingly threadbare.
by | May 17, 2021 6:31 pm | Comments (8)
Thomas Breen photo
Mayor Elicker: city sticking with “status quo” approach to mask guidelines, for now.
Come Wednesday, fully vaccinated people will be able to leave their masks in their pockets — even when going indoors — in most settings across the state.
City Hall, meanwhile, is sticking with a “status quo” approach to local mask-wearing recommendations, as city officials push to get more New Haveners inoculated against Covid-19.
Continue reading ‘State To Remove Mask Mandate In Most Situations; City Staying “Status Quo”’
by | May 17, 2021 11:46 am | Comments (3)
Sophie Sonnenfeld Photo.
Aondre Chapman (right) and his wife Tonya at home in Hamden.
After six long months battling Covid-19, Aondre Chapman is finally out of the hospital and back at home.
by | May 17, 2021 8:24 am | Comments (0)
Karen Ponzio Photos
Caribbean Vibe Steel Drum Band
Sunday afternoon offered a few hints of another city summer on the horizon: a short burst of rain followed by a sunny break in the sky, the sound of music blasting from open car windows, and two International Festival of Arts and Ideas programs coming together to celebrate.
by | May 14, 2021 5:08 pm | Comments (5)
Thomas Breen photo
Sidelined front-line worker Veronica Cassis: Why won’t the city help?
Laura Glesby photo
Clybrun (right) checking on tenants: Program’s point is to help people like this.
Veronica Cassis turned to the city for emergency pandemic help paying bills — and so far has been turned down because … she hasn’t been able to pay her bills.
by | May 14, 2021 10:18 am | Comments (2)
Emily Hays Photos
Teacher Michelle Romanelli, Cherifa Ourodjeri, 9, Kayden Bush, 9, Chawnaye Battle, 9.
After a year of sitting at their computers, King/Robinson fourth graders were ready to move. Their teacher, Michelle Romanelli, realized she could harness that energy to help them learn math.
This led to one of Romanelli’s takeaways from hybrid school — cutting up worksheets makes them way more fun.
by | May 14, 2021 9:50 am | Comments (5)
Courtney Luciana photo
Derek Flagge (owner) hands out slices of pizza to those who just got vaxxed.
Thirteen year-old Miranda Higbee was “really excited” to get vaccinated Thursday.
“Because,” she said, “I’m ready for Covid-19 to end.”
Continue reading ‘Now Eligible For Shots, 12-15s Line Up To “Get Back To Normal”’
by | May 14, 2021 8:41 am | Comments (1)
Connecticut Speaker of the House Matthew Ritter helps pick which bills make it to his fellow legislators for a final vote. What he’s looking for in those bills is investment in long-term growth.
Ritter talked about his priorities in an appearance on WNHH FM’s “The Municipal Voice,” hosted by the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities and WNHH, as the legislative season draws to a close.
Continue reading ‘As Session Nears End, House Speaker Prioritizes Longterm Growth’
by | May 13, 2021 8:50 am | Comments (1)
Courtney Luciana Photo
Wallace Daniels Sr. receives his J&J vaccine from nurse Mimi Wright.
The latest two-day effort to reach unvaccinated New Haveners is relying on live music and pizza. Whatever it takes.
Continue reading ‘Mobile Pop-Up On Green Tries Tunes, Pizza To Lure Vaccine Takers’