Lawmakers Praise $1.7 Million For Expanded Child Care At YMCA
Community Investment Fund 2030 OKs Support For Six Classrooms Staff Reports HARTFORD – The State Community Investment Fund 2030 (CIF) board approved $1.7 million in state funding to enable the New Britain area YMCA to renovate unused racquetball courts into space for six additional classrooms at the Y’s New Britain facility that will enroll 72 […]
Legislation On Clarity Of Local Ballot Questions Gets Hearing
GAE Committee Will Consider Changes Endorsed By NB League of Women Voters Staff Reports HARTFORD – Legislation to bring “clarity and simplicity” to municipal referendum questions will be the subject of a public hearing on Friday March 10th at the State Capitol. The Legislature’s Government Administration and Elections Committee will hear testimony in Room 2A […]
Hearing On Demolition Of Mount Pleasant Public Housing Set For Tuesday, March 7
Staff Reports NEW BRITAIN -A public hearing on the planned demolition of the Mount Pleasant family housing complex on Myrtle Street will be held Tuesday, March 7, at 3 pm at the Jane Johnson Conference Room, 18 Armistice Street that is located in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood. There is a zoom link for the meeting […]
Far Right Student Group’s Anti-BLM Film Disrupted At CCSU Campus
Protestors Call ‘The Greatest Lie Ever Sold: George Floyd and The Rise of The BLM’ “Hate Speech” By John McNamara NEW BRITAIN – Dozens of Central CT State University (CCSU) students disrupted the showing of the controversial film The Greatest Lie Ever Sold: George Floyd and The Rise Of The BLM Thursday (March 2) at […]
Senator Murphy Invites New Requests For Federal Funding Via Congress
Proposals for Special Appropriations Formerly Known as Earmarks Are Due March 19th By John McNamara Opportunities for “Congressionally Directed” federal funds for a wide range of community, institutional and local government projects in Connecticut are available through the office of U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) who is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Congressionally […]
Ed Vargas Is New Public Policy Chair At CCSU
Former Hartford State Rep, Union Leader Succeeds New Britain’s DeFronzo By John McNamara Former State Representative Ed Vargas, Jr. is the new holder of the Governor William A. O’Neill Endowed Chair in Public Policy and Practical Politics at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) succeeding Don DeFronzo, a former New Britain Mayor, State Senator and state […]
Leaders Show Solidarity With Ukraine On First Anniversary of Invasion
Lamont, Congressional Delegation Support Continuing Military, Humanitarian Aid At CCSU Event By John McNamara NEW BRITAIN – Governor Lamont and members of Connecticut’s Congressional delegation led a “commemoration” of the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine Thursday, February 23rd, at Central Connecticut State University’s (CCSU) Alumni Hall. Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz emceed a 90-minute […]
Remote Public Participation Resumes At Common Council Meetings 2/22
Staff Reports NEW BRITAIN – The opportunity for residents to raise issues at the start of Common Council meetings remotely resumes at the regular bi-monthly meeting on Wednesday, February 22nd. City Hall Watch Remote participation was available at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic but was ended by city officials for both Council members and […]
“Formal Changes” Coming To Fair Rent Commission’s Rules And Regs
Common Council Petition Seeks Answers To Commission’s Compliance With The Law In Handling Landlord and Tenant Rent Increase Disputes By John McNamara NEW BRITAIN – The Mayor’s Office “will be seeking formal changes to the rules and regulations of the Fair Rent Commission” to clarify the roles of housing and human rights and opportunities employees […]
Legislators Get ‘Rennied’ for Bill On Mandatory Voting
Universal Voting Will Get A Hearing At General Assembly’s GAE Committee by John McNamara Courant Columnist Kevin Rennie has skewered the co-sponsors of a bill that would “institute mandatory voting” to “incentivise civic engagement” not once but twice this month. Raising Rennie’s ire is legislation that would require voters to cast a ballot or provide […]
Early Voting Bills Hearing Is Wednesday 2/22
CT Set To Join 46 Other States Allowing Balloting Ahead of Election Day Staff Reports HARTFORD – One of the big items for the General Assembly’s Government Administration and Elections (GAE) Committee in 2023 is implementing the state constitutional amendment that finally will allow early voting in the state. On Wednesday, February 22nd the GAE […]
Deadline Is Friday, Feb. 17 To Appeal Property Assessments
Common Council Adds Two Temporary Members For Board Hearings In March Staff Reports NEW BRITAIN – The Common Council has approved two special appointments to the Board of Assessment Appeal to hear property owner appeals of new assessments that took effect last October following the required revaluation of real estate in the city. The additions […]
Mount Pleasant Slated for Demolition and Redevelopment In Revised NBHA Plan
Staff Reports | News Analysis A March 7th hearing will be held at the New Britain Housing Authority (NBHA) on “significant amendments” to the Authority’s 2023 annual plan that include the demolition and redevelopment of the aging Mount Pleasant family housing complex on Myrtle Street. With an approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) this […]
Free Fashion Series Starts Saturday (1/28) For Students 10-18 At S.U.R.E.
NEW BRITAIN – S.U.R.E. (Safety Usually Resolves Everything), a non-profit youth development program, begins a series of Saturday educational sessions January 28th for students ages 10 to 18 on the fashion industry and careers. The Fashion Group organized by SURE Founder Candyce Scott, MA, LPC, “helps children improve self-esteem, social and vocational skills.” The program […]
‘Strengthening Local Journalism’ Is Topic at Community Meeting On January 28
New Britain Progressive invites participation to strengthen local coverage NEW BRITAIN – The New Britain Progressive’s Board of Directors will host a 2023 Kick Off meeting January 28th focusing on strengthening local journalism at the online, volunteer community newspaper now in its seventh year of publishing. Residents are invited to the meeting on Saturday 1/28 […]
City Charter Question Sparks Bill For “Clarity” In Wording Of Local Referendums
Local And State LWV Backs Proposed Legislation At GAE Committee By John McNamara HARTFORD -Legislation to ensure specific wording on local referendum questions has been proposed by New Britain lawmakers in the 2023 Connecticut General Assembly. Proposed Bill 862 “to increase the clarity and simplicity of the language presented to voters in municipal referendum questions” […]
CPOA To Donate To Police K-9s For Its Last Act
Conservative Taxpayer Group Is Dissolving After 90 Years By John McNamara (Update: The resolution concerning the dissolution of the CPOA and its donation was withdrawn at the meeting) NEW BRITAIN – The Citizen Property Owners Association (CPOA), a conservative taxpayer group and one of the city’s oldest citizen organizations, is dissolving and plan to donate […]
Lawmakers Will Discuss Legislative Issues, Priorities For 2023 Session
NB League of Women Voters Hosts Public Forum at Library January 21 Staff Reports NEW BRITAIN – The New Britain area League of Women Voters (NB-LWV) invite the public to ask questions and hear from local lawmakers at “2023 Legislative Conversations” on Saturday, January 21st, at 10 a.m. The forum will be held at the […]
Coalition Pushes For Rent Stabilization
2023 Legislation would cap rent increases to stem gouging, homelessness By John McNamara HARTFORD – A statewide “Cap The Rent” coalition kicked off a campaign to enact rent stabilization legislation in Connecticut this year at an online meeting of tenants, fair housing advocates and legislators on January 12. More than 225 participants heard calls for […]
Marlo Greponne Of HRA To Keynote MLK Day Observances
NB Museum of American Art To Hold Free Community Day To Mark Dr. King’s Birthday Staff reports NEW BRITAIN – Marlo Greponne, Ph.D, Executive Director of the Human Resources Agency (HRA), will be the keynote speaker at the Human Rights and Opportunities Commission’s observance of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) national holiday. The […]