by | Jul 23, 2021 5:55 pm | Comments (70)
Nora Grace-Flood Photo
Council candidate Justin Piper: Republicans see beyond race.
Justin Piper is hoping that a year that began with the excitement of attending the “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington ends with making his own history back home in Hamden — as the town’s only Black Republican Council member.
by | Jul 23, 2021 10:07 am | Comments (10)
Nora Grace-Flood photo
The team, at Thursday night’s convention: Austin Cesare, Laura Santino, Justin Piper, Chris Acosta, Betty Wetmore, Marjorie Bonadies, Tom Figlar, Cecilia Shea, Nick D’Amato, Ron Gambardella, Ralph Nicefaro Jr., Lesley DeNardis, Pat Destito, Andrew Tammaro, and James Anthony
Promising fiscal discipline and real change in town leadership, Hamden Republicans Thursday night endorsed 16 candidates to run in November’s municipal elections.
by | Jul 22, 2021 4:56 pm | Comments (1)
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A police lineup: For the Cha Cha Slide.
The young people set the rhythm for the Cha-Cha-Slide, and the cops joined in — with the hope of making one “right foot stomp” fit into a broader effort to connect police with developmentally disabled youth.
Continue reading ‘Cops “Cha Cha” With Developmentally Disabled Youth’
by | Jul 22, 2021 1:40 pm | Comments (14)
Tom Breen Photo
NHPS Asst. Superintendent Paul Whyte: “No official way to check who has and hasn’t been vaccinated,”
When students return to public school next month in Hamden and New Haven, they will need a mask to enter — but they won’t necessarily need to have received Covid-19 shots.
Continue reading ‘Schools Expect Masks, No Vaccine Mandates’
by | Jul 22, 2021 9:36 am | Comments (0)
Karen Ponzio Photos
(from left to right) Lawrence, James, Serenita, and Andersen
Four singer/songwriters shared their words, music and admiration for each other side by side last night under the ever-changing spotlights on The Cellar at Treadwell’s stage while a full moon glowed in the night sky.
Continue reading ‘Storytellers in The Cellar Share the Love’
by | Jul 21, 2021 3:39 pm | Comments (1)
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The abandoned Newhall middle school: Still deteriorating.
Developers hired six years ago to reimagine and rebuild the site of an abandoned Hamden middle school — which six years later is instead still deteriorating — have been granted a three-month extension to get a plan going.
Continue reading ‘NeighborWorks Gets 3-Month Extension On Plan To Rebuild Middle School Site’
by | Jul 21, 2021 3:04 pm | Comments (2)
Cops recovered a stolen car — and arrested the three teens they say stole it.
by | Jul 20, 2021 4:43 pm | Comments (2)
Sam Gurwitt file photos, Facebook
Democratic mayoral candidates Lauren Garrett, Brad Macdowall, and Peter Cyr.
Standing on the stairs of attorney Charles Reed’s Santa Fe Avenue porch, Lauren Garrett laid out plans for next steps as a crowd of fundraiser guests managed to applaud while holding Truly’s, Polar Seltzers, and pizza slices.
Two days later, Peter Cyr seared burgers on the grill outside the East Gate Condos and chatted with family, community members, and hopeful high school supporters about his politics and his parents’ new puppy.
Meanwhile, Brad Macdowall moved between his treasurer’s living room, where community organizers consumed plates of chipotle mac and cheese, and the backyard, where he discussed the ins and outs of issues facing Hamden with familiar faces munching hot dogs and barbecued snacks.
Those three different meet-and-greets took place over the past week to promote the mayoral candidacies of three Democrats associated with the party’s progressive wing — events that symbolized the status and strategy of their campaigns.
Continue reading ‘3 Meet-&-Greets Reflect Campaigns Of 3 Would-Be Hamden Democratic Mayors’
by | Jul 19, 2021 5:34 pm | Comments (6)
Sam Gurwitt photo
Hamden Legislative Council President Mick McGarry is resigning with five and a half months left in his term.
Continue reading ‘Hamden Legislative Council President Resigns’
by | Jul 16, 2021 1:41 pm | Comments (6)
Sam Gurwitt Photo
Perennial sight: Post-storm clean-ups in Hamden, where micro-grids are now under discussion.
Hamden will see more microgrids, LED street lighting, and electric vehicles if the vision of a new Municipal Energy Planning Guide (MEP) takes hold.
Continue reading ‘Climate Change Panel Backs Micro-Grids, E-Cars, LEDs’
by | Jul 15, 2021 4:28 pm | Comments (4)
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Hamden Mayor Curt Leng has added his voice to a chorus of parents, teachers, and community members calling on the Board of Education to reverse a unanimous 2018 vote to shutter Church Street School.
Continue reading ‘Mayor Adds Voice To Calls To Save Church Street School’
by | Jul 13, 2021 5:11 pm | Comments (3)
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The abandoned Newhall middle school: Still deteriorating.
Hamden’s new development chief is proposing giving a nonprofit developer three extra months to get started on a long-delayed promise to renovate the abandoned former Hamden middle school and its surrounding property.
Continue reading ‘Erik Johnson Seeks To Salvage NeighborWorks Deal’
by | Jul 13, 2021 1:29 pm | Comments (5)
Sam Gurwitt file photos; Facebook
Lauren Garrett, Brad Macdowall, and Peter Cyr: Progressive Dems competing against each other for the nomination.
Political newcomer Peter Cyr has led the race for dollars in what is becoming a crowded race for mayor in Hamden, according to newly released campaign finance reports.
Continue reading ‘Cyr Tops Latest Fundraising Round In Hamden Mayoral Race’
by | Jul 12, 2021 5:15 pm | Comments (12)
Garrett talks capital sweeps with Doug Richardson.
Garrett pets and poses with Peter, a bunny out for his daily walk.
On Hamden’s busy mayoral campaign trail.
by | Jul 12, 2021 11:33 am | Comments (7)
(Opinion) The financial challenges confronting Hamden are well known to its residents and taxpayers. Hamden is among the most fiscally distressed municipalities in Connecticut, with the highest per capita liabilities in the state, bond ratings that teeter just above junk status, and a general fund balance that, after years of being perilously low, actually went negative at the end of FY20. We remain unable to meet the normal expenses of running the town, relying instead on expensive debt restructurings to temporarily and artificially lower our debt service payments. All this despite taxes that are already among the highest in the state.
Continue reading ‘Opinion: Change Needed At Top To Tackle Town’s Fiscal Mess’
by | Jul 9, 2021 10:38 am | Comments (2)
Tyrese Dennie, a CSK employee who started out as a volunteer, at the new weekly farmers market.
Nora Grace-Flood Photos
Khadijah Middlebrooks and son Lex wait for bus with free groceries.
“We having a barbecue, throw some meat on the grill!” Khadijah Middlebrooks proclaimed to her son Lex, while picking up packs of frozen turkey, beef, and pork at one of two new weekly events aimed at tackling increasing food insecurity in Hamden.
by | Jul 8, 2021 6:17 pm | Comments (10)
Paul Bass Photo
Mayor Curt Leng Thursday at WNHH FM studios.
Hamden Mayor Curt Leng is “seriously considering” seeking a fourth term as mayor — though he’s not saying whether he’ll do that as a Democrat or as an unaffiliated petition candidate.
Continue reading ‘Leng “Leans Toward” Mayoral Reelection Run’
by | Jul 7, 2021 5:24 pm | Comments (8)
Nora Grace-Flood photo
4016 Whitney Ave., circa 1808.
Paul Geary and Meghan Hatch-Geary: Proud parents of a baby much older than themselves.
Over 355 private homes constructed before the Civil War are still standing In Hamden — because, as owners know, “old houses have good bones.”
Hamden is making a start on ensuring those homes remain standing, and the town’s history remains on display along with them.
by | Jul 7, 2021 9:23 am | Comments (1)
Nora Grace-Flood photo
Harlem Pressley: Water-gun wielder.
Isabella Parra: Water-gun target.
“I like to do crafts, art, drawing, music, dancing, video games, I like my phone, my tablet, vegetables, seaweed, and crab legs,” said 8‑year-old Harlem Pressley.
Rising first grader Isabella Parra listened quietly to Pressley’s long list. She also likes a lot of specific activities, but, she reported, “I love camp just the most.”
by | Jul 7, 2021 9:20 am | Comments (0)
On a rainy Tuesday afternoon, Trish Clark, Benjamin Hecht, Michael Illian, and Isabelle Gasser — all filmmakers and film enthusiasts — met at Best Video Film and Cultural Center on Whitney Avenue in Hamden. They were there to say hello after a year apart, and to prepare for New Haven’s 11th annual 48-Hour Film Project, a filmmaking competition that happens in cities across the country and beyond, and in New Haven, will span the weekend of July 30 to Aug. 1.
The result will be a few dozen short films, at least a few of which will train their lenses on the Elm City.
by | Jul 1, 2021 7:07 pm | Comments (9)
Nora Grace-Flood photo
Atharv eats hotel breakfast Thursday.
Sorae Kim photo
925 Mix Ave. on Saturday night.
As Sangeetha watched her two sons eat “Grab and Go” breakfasts in their current “home” — a Hamden hotel — she was looking ahead for a new place to live, not looking back.
by | Jun 30, 2021 7:00 pm | Comments (4)
MacMillan File photo
Acting Town Planner Eric Johnson.
When New Haven native Erik Johnson was named Hamden’s acting town planner in April, he was welcomed home with open arms.
When Mayor Curt Leng added the job of economic development director to Johnson’s responsibilities, some members of the public became concerned … and confused.
by | Jun 30, 2021 10:02 am | Comments (3)
Nora Grace-Flood Photo
Hamden movers and shakers hop on the electric-ride movement.
Kevin King pitches Mayor Curt Leng and Council’s Kathleen Schomaker on green transit during Tuesday journey
Twenty full-grown adults filed into an electric school bus without air conditioning on a 90 degree afternoon … with the hope that children will come on board in the future and help tackle the climate crisis.
by | Jun 28, 2021 4:40 pm | Comments (1)
HFD
The damage at Chestnut Hill apartments.
Hamden’s Chestnut Hill Apartments will be able to be repaired and reopened at some point, but not soon, in the wake of a four-alarm fire that displaced all 90 residents.
Continue reading ‘After Fire, Apartment Complex Repairs Will Take Months’
by | Jun 28, 2021 2:45 pm | Comments (4)
Emily Hays Photos
Meryem Bostanci interviews Shelagh Laverty at QU media camp.
Asked by interviewers to demonstrate a hidden talent, rising Wilbur Cross senior Shelagh Laverty touched her tongue to the tip of her nose.
The group was practicing man-on-the-street interview techniques at a media production camp at Quinnipiac University. Rather than asking strangers policy questions, however, the teens asked their classmates to show off talents, jokes and victory dances.