Watershed: New Britain’s 1989 Mayoral Campaign (Part I)
The Municipal Election That Changed New Britain Politics For A Generation Introduction: In 1989, Donald DeFronzo became New Britain’s 34th Mayor ending the late William (Billy Mac) McNamara’s six terms as the city’s top elected official, a modern-day record not matched until last November when Mayor Erin Stewart won a sixth, two-year term. “During the […]
Students’ Art, Music and Essays Commemorate MLK Day in New Britain
“America has not reached greatness yet because we are all not great together.” –Bishop Rha-Sheen Brown, Right Now Ministries by John McNamara On the 38th anniversary of the national holiday for the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the 95th anniversary of his birth, New Britain held its commemorative program Monday (January 15) featuring music, […]
Op-Ed: Council Democrats Address Stormwater, Audit and Shelter For Unhoused Issues
Hearing From Citizens Will Be Essential During City Budget Process Two months into a new term the new Democratic majority on the Common Council is working on key issues raised in last year’s municipal election and in responding to public concerns on housing and shelter for the unhoused, stormwater infrastructure and the status of the […]
Black Ministers Mark Anniversary of Emancipation Proclamation On New Year’s Day
By John McNamara The first day of 2024 marked the anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation 161 years ago by President Lincoln. The Proclamation signed at the start of 1863 freed more than 3.5 million enslaved African Americans in the secessionist Southern states during the bloodiest year of the Civil War. New Britain’s […]
Hearing On Batterson Park Study Set For Thursday (12/7) At NBPD Community Room
A public hearing on the feasibility of Batterson Park’s revitalization as a state park will be held Thursday, December 7th at 6:30 p.m. at the New Britain Police Department’s Community Room, 10 Chestnut Street. The CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is taking public comments on the study at three separate meetings in Farmington (December 4), Hartford […]
Two Poems By Ray Marafino
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA for Heather Hyer Tell us that the Confederate flag | does merely stand for heritage | when waved alongside the Nazi. And tell us that this is free speech | while being exercised as the swing | of a fist striking. Do tell us how the President lies | by dog-whistling […]
11-22-63: That Day Frozen In Time
by John McNamara It is a November 22nd when many Baby Boomers are going to tell you where they were 60 years ago. At age 13, I was in Mrs. Sonigan’s 7th grade speech class when the class abruptly ended at Pickering Junior High near Wyoma Square in Lynn, Massachusetts. This was just one year […]
City Marks 30th Anniversary Of MLK Park
Staff Reports NEW BRITAIN – Officials and residents marked the 30th Anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park on October 14th, rededicating the monument for the slain civil rights leader with more than 90 new commemorative bricks donated by individuals and organizations. The Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities organized the observance […]
New Britain’s Union Organizing History Is Worth Retelling On Labor Day 2023
1991 Saturday Night Club Paper Recounts City’s Labor Movement Past By John McNamara Labor Day is not a time to be nostalgic about the struggles of the last century to organize factory floors that turned New Britain into a “union town” with its many thousands of factory jobs, most of which have been long lost […]
NBPD Publishes Arrest Log Online After FOI Controversy
A July controversy over the City’s and New Britain Police’s denying access to arrest logs to the New Britain Herald without formal Freedom of Information requests has led to the New Britain Police Department (NBPD) posting a weekly arrest log online at https://pd.newbritainct.gov/safety-prevention/police-blotter. The link shows arrests made in the city for one week — […]
Monsignor Plocharczyk Is Honored At 40th Dozynki Festival
Staff Reports NEW BRITAIN – Monsignor Daniel Plocharczyk, the longtime pastor of Sacred Heart Church on Broad Street, received a special recognition award August 19th at the 40th holding of the Dozynki Festival, the city’s celebration of Polish culture and traditions that began in 1980. The Festival Committee also recognized the Polonia Paderewski Choir and […]
Lowell Weicker’s Victories Dashed The Hopes of Liberal Democrats Throughout His Career
Reflecting on the Politics of Connecticut’s Three-Term Senator and One-Term Governor By John McNamara The first time I and many viewers (outside CT) saw and heard Lowell P. Weicker was watching the U.S. Senate Watergate Committee hearings in 1973. I was paying attention every day from my perch in the newsroom of the Lynn Sunday Post where […]
“Bleibol!” Exhibit Features New Britain’s Springer Family At Museum for Culture and History
¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues Opens Aug. 12 and Runs Though November 5 By John McNamara The Connecticut Museum for History and Culture’s exhibition “¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues / En los barrios y las grandes ligas“ that opens on Saturday, August 12 celebrates baseball through the experiences of […]
State School Aid to New Britain Up 56% Since 2012; Grant Will Reach $115.5 Million By 2025
“Flat Funding” Claim By Mayor Stewart Is Contradicted By The Actual Numbers By John McNamara The new state budget adopted last month brought increases in Educational Cost Sharing (ECS) funds to the New Britain School District over the next two years. The $11.9 million increase approved by the legislature and Governor will bring the total […]
Attorney For Stalled East Street Project Seeks Dialogue With City
Developer Jim Sanders Says City Hall “Gag Order” Violates Property Rights By John McNamara NEW BRITAIN – The Attorney for Chamberlain Square LLC and its owner, James Sanders, is requesting further discussion with city officials on the “land use and economic development merits” of a proposed mixed use development at 600 East Street and an […]
Byron Jones Will Sponsor The 31st Annual Osgood Shootout This Summer
NFL Pro Bowler, UCONN Standout To Give Back To His Native City Staff Reports New Britain’s Byron Jones, a National Football League ( NFL) Pro Bowl cornerback and University of Connecticut standout, will sponsor the Annual Osgood Shootout in its 31st year, Coach and Tournament Director Darwin “Bubby” Shaw announced. “Byron Jones, informed me earlier […]
Sportswear Retailer With New Britain Roots Is Closing All Stores
EBLENS: “Born in the streets of New Britain in 1949……” By John McNamara Eblen’s Streetwear and Sneakers, the Torrington-based sportswear retailer, is closing all of its stores in the coming weeks including its Main Street location in downtown New Britain where it began 74 years ago. Through the years Eblen’s grew into a modest-sized, multi-state […]
Commission Holds First Hearing On Rent Hike Complaints
By John McNamara NEW BRITAIN – The first of seven scheduled hearings in June by the Fair Rent Commission was held Tuesday, June 13th over rent increase complaints involving a West Main Street apartment complex. Anibal Garcia and Reina Torres, 34-year residents of an apartment at 923 West Main Street, are seeking relief from a […]
Feasibility Study Is Next Step For Batterson State Park Designation
Public Hearings To Be Held in New Britain, Farmington and Hartford By John McNamara HARTFORD – Action on turning Batterson Park, the unused open space and pond between New Britain and Farmington, into a state park will not happen in 2023. The newly adopted biennial state budget, however, includes a Batterson Park Feasibility Study. It […]
New State Budget Increases Funding For NB Schools
City Gets $15.5 Million More For Education; Lawmakers Tout Personal Income Tax Cut Staff Reports HARTFORD – The state budget for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years will increase state funds for municipal government and the city’s schools, New Britain legislators announced after bipartisan approval in the State Senate and House of Representatives on June 7th. […]