Hometown Heroes

Omicron Couldn't Keep This School Down

by | Jan 7, 2022 3:03 pm | Comments (8)

Nora Grace-Flood photos

Social worker Glenn Xavier: Without us, where would the kids be?

Upon learning that his colleague had tested positive for Covid-19, Matt Tremper did double duty: He taught history to his seventh-graders on one side of the library while overseeing a science experiment for another class assembled across the stacks.

Learning continued — even though the Omicron variant was doing its best all week to render schools inoperable.

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Sgt. Dad Reports For Pick-Up

by | Nov 15, 2021 4:52 pm | Comments (4)

Maya McFadden Photos

Operation Hug: Staff sergeant Andre Cunningham greets 4-year-old Moriah after four-month deployment.

Serenity before her father’s surprise arrival.

Andre Cunningham came home from a four-month deployment in the Middle East a week early — and deployed to Benjamin Jepson School for a surprise mission.

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Bishop Davis Leaves His Mark

by | Sep 20, 2021 8:20 am | Comments (2)

Maya McFadden Photos

Elijah Davis Jr. leads final service as pastor: God needs fishers of men.

New sign revealed.

En route to leading his last service as pastor of Pitts Chapel Unified Free Will Church, Elijah Davis Jr. accidentally left his bible in the limo. So he ditched his planned sermon and preached a word about fishermen and loyalty.

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Hoops Star Remembers Kids Back Home

by | Aug 13, 2021 4:39 pm | Comments (3)

Maya McFadden Photo

WNBA’s Tanaya Atkinson at Friday’s giveaway.

Barber Brian MacCalla give 5-year-old Jayce Smith a shape-up at Friday’s back-to-school event.

As basketball star Tanaya Atkinson prepared to fly out of the country, she passed the rock to kids back home in New Haven to ensure they have filled book bags and free fresh hair cuts in time to return to school.

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Parks Hero Gets His Due

by | Jul 6, 2021 3:14 pm | Comments (7)

Contributed Photo

David Burgess at work.

Natalie Kainz Photo

David Burgess in the park Tuesday with citation from the Connecticut General Assembly.

David Burgess has worked five days a week since the days of the first George Bush Administration to clean debris out of New Haven’s waterways, sweep up trash in Edgewood Park, and plant shrubs around the city — and people noticed.

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