by | Oct 7, 2013 11:33 am | Comments (0)
After undergoing two months of renovation, New Haven Reads unveiled its remodeled book bank on 45 Bristol St. on Sunday — with matching bookshelves, and lots of light.
by | Oct 5, 2013 9:54 pm | Comments (10)
Allan Appel Photo
Bruce Morrison stood across the street from where he helped turn an old housing project into an attractive new development — and endorsed Justin Elicker as a politician who could pursue similar goals.
Continue reading ‘Ex-Congressman Returns To Town To Endorse Elicker’
by | Oct 3, 2013 8:29 am | Comments (10)
Allan Appel Photo
A year-long study has reached a conclusion about how to revive the shuttered Dixwell Community “Q” House: Tear it down, then rebuild it bigger, and move in an expanded Stetson Branch Library. Julian Harris, for one, drew on his own history to applaud the idea.
Continue reading ‘$40,000 Answer: Combine Stetson With Q House’
by | Sep 30, 2013 8:10 am | Comments (0)
Now that the community has buried Mae Ola Riddick, it is taking the next step in her memory — keeping alive her annual Thanksgiving food drive.
by | Sep 26, 2013 8:03 am | Comments (0)
Allan Appel Photo
Castillo and Dawn Aranjo.
She taught an alderman how to lead, a DJ how to serve, and a young woman how to rebuild her life. Those and other beneficiaries of Mae Ola Riddick’s advice shared their gratitude in a heartfelt radio tribute to their late matriarch.
Continue reading ‘On The Airwaves, Mae Ola’s Wisdom Spreads’
by | Sep 25, 2013 3:18 pm | Comments (3)
After about 21 years of being overweight, West River community activist and resident Ann Greene was on her way to becoming “just another familiar African-American female statistic — obese, diabetic, stroke-in-the-making, maybe dead.”
Continue reading ‘New Haven Challenged To Lose 375,000 Pounds’
by | Sep 18, 2013 3:20 pm | Comments (6)
Allan Appel File Photo
Riddick instructs Lt. Anthony Duff at a 2011 Dixwell police substation gathering.
She went by many names: “Miss Mae Ola.” “Alderwoman.” “Tenant organizer.” ‘The chairlady.” And “mom” — even though she had no biological children of her own.
Whatever people called her, anyone who wanted to make a difference in the Dixwell neighborhood or did political or police business with Dixwell knew Mae Ola Riddick. And she made sure they knew what the neighborhood needed.
by | Sep 16, 2013 3:02 pm | Comments (3)
Allan Appel Photo
Cassandra Lawson was watching TV on quiet Bristol Street at 10:12 a.m. Monday when she heard a “boom,” then a “pow.” Everything electrical went suddenly dark in her house.
“I went outside. I thought it was my apartment. It was everybody,” she said.
Seven or eight houses in all lost electricity for about two hours on her single block of modest homes between Ashmun and Goffe.
by | Sep 6, 2013 8:53 am | Comments (1)
Gilad Edelman Photo
As a staffer in the registrar’s office, Helen Powell spent decades helping her Dixwell neighbors register to vote. Now she’s encouraging them to cast those votes — for her.
Continue reading ‘Q House Looms Large In 3-Way Dixwell Race’
by | Aug 26, 2013 12:09 pm | Comments (10)
Paul Ondrejka’s take on the West River.
Campaigning in Westville, Toni Harp came across one of her favorite New Haven scenes — on a wall.
by | Aug 22, 2013 8:18 am | Comments (30)
As mayor, Henry Fernandez would bring back the Q House — but not in the Q House itself.
Continue reading ‘Fernandez: Rebuild Q House Somewhere Else’
by | Aug 13, 2013 2:56 pm | Comments (3)
Brianne Bowen Photo
Doug Bethea had basked in the glory of a national drill team championship 13 times before. His Nation Drill Team’s just-earned 14th championship has added meaning — he dedicated the victory to his recently deceased sister, Michelle Reid, who encouraged him to start the team 26 years ago.
Continue reading ‘Nation Drill Team Captures Another Trophy’
by | Aug 9, 2013 8:11 am | Comments (34)
“How many of you know about Kingstree, South Carolina?” mayoral candidate Kermit Carolina asked.
“That’s my home!” called out a voice from the crowd.
“That’s your home? OK. So you understand,” Carolina replied.
by | Aug 2, 2013 2:38 pm | Comments (29)
Thomas MacMillan Photo
As he dropped out of the mayor’s race and endorsed Toni Harp, Newhallville plumber Sundiata Keitazulu said he might run again in the future, for alderman — or governor.
Continue reading ‘You Haven’t Heard The Last Of Sundiata Keitazulu’
by | Jul 29, 2013 8:44 am | Comments (0)
Allan Appel Photo
Sewing/quilting instructor Smith and Tegan with gift-to-be.
There’s a 92-year-old grandmother in Ohio who used to sew her own dresses. She will soon receive a pillow as a present from her granddaughter, the first item Tegan Thomas ever sewed.
by | Jul 25, 2013 8:29 am | Comments (0)
Stacy Davis Photo
Dozens of children dance at Stetson Library Wednesday.
Staff members at Stetson Branch Library told students to put down their books and to put on their dancing shoes Wednesday evening.
by | Jul 23, 2013 3:41 pm | Comments (12)
Pastor Jerry Streets asked the congregation of Dixwell Avenue Congregational Church to stand if they feel more vulnerable in the wake of George Zimmerman’s acquittal in the killing of Trayvon Martin. About half of the people in the crowded room rose to their feet. Then they started discussing what to do about it.
by | Jul 23, 2013 2:02 pm | Comments (4)
Paul Bass Photo
(Updated 4:07 p.m.) Maybe a gang of teens did attack the 49-year-old man left bloodied in the street after a scooter robbery. Or maybe a car hit him first. The evidence so far fails to support either theory, according to police — though the victim’s coworkers are convinced a beating did take place.
by | Jul 22, 2013 2:12 pm | Comments (21)
Paul Bass Photo
Early rush-hour stopped in both directions. A disoriented 49-year-old man collapsed in the middle of the street, bathed in blood. Women rushed to his aid. One called for somebody to give her a shirt to help stanch the blood. Another asked the bloodied man if he could remember his name. Someone called for an ambulance.
by | Jul 22, 2013 12:11 pm | Comments (0)
Allan Appel Photo
Lead volunteer organizer Jesse Hardy lived at 185 Ashmun.
Shirlee Gray never called the old Elm Haven apartments, where she raised six kids, “the projects.” Nor did her neighbors. They identified where they lived by whether their buildings rose two or three stories — or eight to ten. Hence the name on the T‑shirts they all wore to Scantlebury Park: “Ashmun Street High Rise/Low Rise Reunion.”
by | Jul 16, 2013 1:56 pm | Comments (0)
Melissa Bailey File Photo
Pastor Eldren Morrison hosts a mayoral debate in June.
The Dixwell pastor who seeks to open a new charter school in his neighborhood has withdrawn his proposal, with plans to resubmit it in the fall.
Continue reading ‘Varick Pastor Revises Charter School Application’
by | Jul 4, 2013 11:24 am | Comments (28)
Paul Bass Photo
“I love you!’
“I love you, man!”
“Now put that on your wrist, man. Represent!”
by | Jul 3, 2013 12:08 pm | Comments (14)
Toni Harp’s signs came down. A Kermit Carolina sign went up. But the battle for the vote at 48 Foote St. may not be over yet.
by | Jul 1, 2013 4:07 pm | Comments (48)
When mayoral candidate Kermit Carolina noticed an opponent’s sign on a Dixwell front lawn, he found he had some explaining to do — about a misunderstood notion of “special-interest” money.
by | Jun 30, 2013 12:11 am | Comments (1)
Allan Appel Photo
Arthur Tyson grew up in the old Elm Haven and Brookside projects, where he pitched horseshoes in his backyard seven hour a day seven days a week. He became a champion, ranked number two in the world, with an 83 ringer percentage, and is now the only African-American in the National Horseshoe Pitchers Hall of Fame.