by | Sep 20, 2021 8:08 am | Comments (0)
Karen Ponzio Photos
Still from “Skin.”
Black Haven Film Festival returned on Saturday for its second year, with five new filmmakers ready to share their vision via spoken word, song, dance, and animation — both in person and online.
by | Sep 13, 2021 1:08 pm | Comments (1)
Maya McFadden Photos
In a Dixwell parking lot, literature came to life and spoken words about loss, faith, injustice, family, and self-love filled the air.
by | Sep 4, 2021 9:12 pm | Comments (15)
ConnCORP’s Erik Clemons, Carlton Highsmith, Anna Blanding, Paul McCraven, and Elaine Roper at Saturday’s event.
One hundred residents, city officials, and outreach members celebrated the planned transformation of Dixwell Plaza into “ConnCAT Place.”
ConnCORP, the complex’s new owner, threw a block party Saturday afternoon behind Stetson Library in the plaza’s parking lot as a way to thank the community for support as the organization proceeds with plans to build a new $200 million mixed-use complex on the site.
Continue reading ‘Block Party Celebrates Dixwell Plaza’s Rebirth’
by | Aug 30, 2021 3:09 pm | Comments (20)
Kwadwo Adae at work on the Bouchet mural.
As you drive through New Haven on Henry Street, you will notice something at the intersection of Dixwell: Across from a derelict lot is a magnificent mural in progress on a wall that was once pink.
The image consists of cascaded portraits of a Black man rendered in gradients of color. The man is Edward Bouchet, a New Havener who was the first Black man to get a doctorate in the United States. Bouchet got his Ph.D. in physics from Yale in 1876. Yet, most children in the Elm City don’t know about him.
Muralist Kwadwo Adae hopes to change that one brushstroke at a time.
by | Aug 23, 2021 12:20 pm | Comments (0)
Maya McFadden Photo
New Dixwell corner name is unveiled Saturday.
The late Bishop Lethenial McClam.
The “legacy, integrity, generosity, and love” of the Bishop Lethenial McClam will now live on forever at the corner of Bristol Street and Dixwell Avenue.
“Bishop Lethenial McClam Corner” was unveiled at that spot Saturday afternoon to the family, friends, and community members whom McClam helped throughout his lifetime through unspoken acts of kindness, prayer, and his establishing of the McClam Funeral Home more than 20 years ago.
by | Aug 20, 2021 1:43 pm | Comments (3)
Maya McFadden Photos
Johnny Cummings: Keep your eye on the ball, not me.
Johnny “JC” Cummings stepped on the court where he once reigned, not to sink a three-pointer, but to pass along wisdom about the game of basketball to an up-and-comer he hopes will follow in his footsteps.
by | Aug 10, 2021 3:40 pm | Comments (2)
Thomas Breen photo
Ralph Walker Skating Rink.
Alders unanimously advanced two proposed public-private accords — one that would keep a community health center in Dixwell for the next two decades, another that would bring an ice rink management company to Upper State Street for the next five years.
Continue reading ‘Hill Health, Skating Rink Contracts Advance’
by | Aug 4, 2021 4:43 pm | Comments (10)
Sophie Sonnenfeld Photo
Scantlebury playground, newly resurfaced.
Jeanette Morrison admired a new poured-in-place rubber play surface at Scantlebury Park — and said some benches, a gate, and swing set chains should come next.
by | Aug 4, 2021 2:36 pm | Comments (0)
Maya McFadden Photo
Eighth and ninth-graders during Tuesday’s class.
Summer camp continued for one group of teens in New Haven this week, as they learned about how government catches up with sexual predators and about the science of scamming.
Continue reading ‘Real Life On The Agenda At Social Justice Camp’
by | Aug 2, 2021 11:05 am | Comments (2)
Maya McFadden Photos
A Summer of Fun field day commenced at Hillhouse High School with adaptations to keep students safe from Covid.
Continue reading ‘Field Day Wraps Up 2,000+ Campers’ “Summer of Fun”’
by | Jul 23, 2021 9:32 am | Comments (14)
Natalie Kainz Photo
Walker-Myers: Boost community policing, face redlining legacy.
Focusing on jobs, housing, and public safety, 18 members of the Board of Alders gathered to jointly kick off their reelection campaigns.
by | Jul 22, 2021 4:57 pm | Comments (6)
Thomas Breen photo
Elks leader Gary Hogan: Looking to buy and build atop city-owned lot.
Google Maps photo
71-75 County St.
The Elks Club is one step closer to finding — and eventually building — a new Dixwell home, as city planners OK’d the historic African American institution’s bid to purchase two vacant city-owned lots on County Street.
by | Jul 22, 2021 4:36 pm | Comments (2)
Paul Bass Photo
At the Scantlebury Park splash pad.
One new sign, four temporary security bollards, and a new operator for the skating rink were all voted up.
No vote was taken — yet — on a proposed new policy asserting the right of every neighborhood in town to have a playscape or playground and a water area.
Continue reading ‘Ice Rink Contract, Scantlebury Sign Approved’
by | Jul 22, 2021 10:17 am | Comments (3)
Isaac Yu Photo
Wednesday’s ward committee
Dixwell Democrats pressed the mayor on housing — then endorsed his challenger, 8 – 3.
Continue reading ‘After Housing Debate, Dixwell Ward Backs DuBois-Walton’
by | Jul 21, 2021 9:01 am | Comments (2)
Sophie Sonnenfeld photos
Tyrick B. Keyes New Haven Basketball League try-outs Tuesday.
Hill Health nurse Jonathan Johnson fields vaccine concerns.
In the memory of a teen whose life was cut short by gunfire, organizers gathered 70 teens with the aim of making basketball shots on the court — and receiving Covid-19 vaccine shots in their arms.
by | Jul 14, 2021 12:46 pm | Comments (4)
Maya McFadden Photo
Tuesday’s journey.
Inside the NHFPL’s read mobile bus.
Eighty New Haven Public School (NHPS) students, parents, teachers, and administrators gathered for a summer afternoon focused on fitness and reading.
Continue reading ‘Parents, Kids Meet A Fitness & Reading “Challenge”’
by | Jul 8, 2021 10:26 am | Comments (10)
Isaac Yu Photo
Nina Silva (pictured at right, with Pat Solomon) presses paraprofessional living-wage concern at mayoral forum.
New Haven’s “upstairs-downstairs” divide was on display at a Democratic ward committee meeting Wednesday night in both a vote taken and an exchange about low-wage workers.
by | Jun 30, 2021 8:41 am | Comments (3)
Contributed Photo
From top left: Layo Bright, John Guzman, Alyssa Klauer, Africanus Okokon, Daniel Ramos, Warith Taha, Patrick Quarm, Marissa Del Toro and Jamillah Hinson.
Seven artists and two curators have won yearlong fellowships at the Dixwell-based art center NXTHVN.
The fellows hail from Brooklyn, Texas and Ghana and came out on top from among over 325 applicants to get to New Haven. One fellow, Africanus Okokon, was already living in New Haven and attended Yale for a master’s degree in fine arts.
by | Jun 28, 2021 9:03 am | Comments (1)
Sophie Sonnenfeld PHoto
Trevor Benjamin and his daughters Yasmina (center) and Leila.
The lures of jerk chicken, Jamaican music, island crafts, dancing — and, this year, free vaccinations — brought a crowd from throughout the region to DeGale Field in Goffe Street Park Sunday afternoon for the 7th annual New Haven Caribbean Heritage Festival.
Most of all, as one participant put it, it was a day to celebrate New Haven’s Caribbean culture and come together as a community.
Continue reading ‘For 7th Year, Caribbean Community Celebrated In Goffe Street Park’
by | Jun 25, 2021 2:03 pm | Comments (8)
Thomas Breen file photo
ConnCORP’s Clemons, McCraven: Rebuilding Dixwell Plaza (below).
Dixwell Plaza’s redevelopers are one key storefront closer to gaining site control of the decaying mid-century shopping strip — after paying $1.3 million to buy out a Black-business support agency that can now relocate to Chapel Street.
by | Jun 24, 2021 7:42 pm | Comments (7)
Emily Hays Photos
Matthew Gibbs, 17, practices with Hurdles Coach Milani Glass.
To’Rae Wright, 17, dashes ahead in a practice race.
(Updated Friday 2:08 p.m.): Hillhouse is sending seven track stars to the same arena where the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials just took place — thanks to some help from the community.
Continue reading ‘Update: Hillhouse Racers Head To Nationals’
by | Jun 23, 2021 8:17 pm | Comments (2)
Natalie Kainz Photo
Craig Crews at center cuts the ribbon Wednesday surrounded by Chamber of Commerce prez Garrett Sheehan and Mayor Justin Elicker.
By cutting a ribbon to signal the opening of a newly renovated laboratory and office space in Science Park, Dr. Craig Crews added his company to the ongoing quest to turn New Haven into a thriving biotechnology center.
Continue reading ‘Biotech Start-Up Halda Therapeutics Opens SciPark HQ’
by | Jun 20, 2021 1:24 pm | Comments (4)
Sophie Sonnenfeld Photos
Sondi Jackson, Marlene Graham at Elm City Freddy Fixer clean-up.
Some members of Saturday’s clean-up crew.
Without the usual fanfare of drums, drill teams, banners, and horses, a 30-strong Elm City Freddy Fixer contingent marched down Dixwell — armed with trash bags, shovels, and rakes to beautify the Avenue during a year in which the pandemic quashed the usual parade celebration.
“We can’t have a parade this year, but we can still have impact!” exclaimed one participant.
by | Jun 19, 2021 10:43 pm | Comments (9)
Maya McFadden Photo
Solar Power and community at Dixwell festival’s dance party.
Tracey Massey at Hill fest: “We’re building another Wall Street.”
From the Hill to Dixwell, New Haveners celebrated Juneteenth with dance, soul food, and investments in Black businesses.
by | Jun 14, 2021 10:35 am | Comments (7)
Allan Appel Photo
Frazier (left), Alder Morrison at unveiling of “Jeffie Frazier Way.”
One of the city’s leading educators, retired Principal Jeffie Frazier, has died at the age of 77.