Headlines
Racial Justice Coalition Leads Call for Housing Action
The New Britain Racial Justice Coalition led an event, with City Council members and activists to call for action to address housing costs, unavailability and poor living conditions. Coalition Director Alicia Strong was joined by housing activists in calling for more action to make housing available and direct the community’s resources help city residents. Joining […]
Police Blotter Data Appears to Show Many Latinos as White
Police blotter lists published by the city appear show list most Latinos arrested as white, listing ‘race’ but not ethnicity. The police blotter lists published by the city that have this demographic information appear to show that 73% of the people arrested in the periods covered by these reports were white and 27% were Black. […]
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 […]
Flooding in New Britain – The Role of the Shrinking Permeable Spaces
This year flooding hit New Britain hard. Flooding has been experienced in Roxbury Rd, Newberry Street, Allen Street, Overlook Ave, and McKinley Drive causing residents to speak in front of the common council demanding solutions. But flooding is by no means new in New Britain. The most susceptible area for flooding in New Britain is […]
Housing Insecurity in New Britain a Growing Problem That Needs to be Addressed
In September 2021 the US department of Housing and Urban Development awarded $2.2 million to the city of New Britain for a new grant called HOME-ARP. This grant was part of the $1.9 trillion that congress allocated for the American Rescue Plan to stimulate the economy, especially in poor communities who suffered most from the […]
Would Election Changes Turn Around Record Low Voter Turnout in New Britain?
Voting turnout is key to a healthy democracy. High turnout often means voters are motivated and believe their vote makes a difference. Politicians will tend to be more attuned to their constituents when turnout is high. However, in the US including Connecticut, municipal elections tend to have low voter turnout and as a result local […]
Racial Justice Coalition Calls Suspension of Public Defender Part of Attacks on Pro-Palestine Voices
Calling the suspension of New Britain assistant public defender Joshua Perldeiner, “part of a concerning series of attacks on pro-Palestine voices across Connecticut and the United States,” the New Britain Racial Justice Coalition said it supports Perldeiner. The organization called for, “respectful and constructive conversations to address the concerns raised by this incident and stands […]
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 […]
Community Events and Meetings in New Britain, Nov 27th to Dec 3rd
in New Britain, Connecticut, from Monday, November 27, 2023 to Sunday, December 3rd, community events and meetings include, [MEC id=”35828″] The New Britain Progressive, a publication of the New Britain Independent Newspaper, Inc. is free to read and community supported. http://newbritainprogressive.com. Please feel free to help the New Britain Progressive with a donation, and you […]
Happy Thanksgiving from the New Britain Progressive
The New Britain Progressive wishes you and your family a happy and peaceful Thanksgiving Day. We hope that your day is filled with the joy of celebration and time with family and friends. Many of us have many things to be thankful for, all of which, of course, are reminders of what so many others, […]
Connecticut Gets a Grade of “Incomplete” on Protecting Health Coverage of Medicaid Eligible Residents
By Dr. Peggy Lampkin, An open letter: Dear Gov. Ned Lamont; l am a resident of this state. I am sending you this message to urge you to act now to end a major health emergency regarding Medicaid Disenrollment. A coalition of Partners from the human rights community have developed state-focused scorecards that grade each […]
Are the Finances of the City of New Britain in Order?
In October 2023 both the New Britain Progressive and the New Britain Herald reported that the City of New Britain has failed to submit its 2022 financial audit report on time and was 10 months late. The city indicated it would submit its report by Halloween, but it has missed that deadline as well and […]
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 […]
Should there be a New Britain Chief Operations Officer
On the 2022 elections ballot there were three questions for the voters to vote yes or no. One question was put by the state legislator whether to institute early voting. The other two questions were put by the Republican majority based on recommendations by the city charter re-opening committee. One question asked the voters whether […]
Nov 20th to 26th Events in New Britain
in New Britain, Connecticut, from Monday, November 20, 2023 to Sunday, November 26th, community events and meetings include, [MEC id=”35718″] The New Britain Progressive, a publication of New Britain Independent Newspaper, Inc. is free to read and community supported. http://newbritainprogressive.com. Please feel free to help the New Britain Progressive with a donation, and you are […]
CCSU Hosts Peace and Unity Event
Central Connecticut State University Office of Equity and Inclusion and Division of Student Affairs hosted a “Unity-Peace Walk” on Friday to provide, the University says, “a demonstration of support for peace around the world, starting with the Central campus.” “The purpose of the event is to reaffirm and remind all members of the university community […]
CCSU Hosts Peace and Unity Event
Central Connecticut State University Office of Equity and Inclusion and Division of Student Affairs hosted a “Unity-Peace Walk” on Friday to provide, the University says, “a demonstration of support for peace around the world, starting with the Central campus.” “The purpose of the event is to reaffirm and remind all members of the university community […]
CCSU Hosts Peace and Unity Event
Central Connecticut State University Office of Equity and Inclusion and Division of Student Affairs hosted a “Unity-Peace Walk” on Friday to provide, the University says, “a demonstration of support for peace around the world, starting with the Central campus.” “The purpose of the event is to reaffirm and remind all members of the university community […]
Former Mayor Tim Stewart Ethics Dilemma
According to the minutes of the City of New Britain Zoning Board of Appeals, former mayor Tim Stewart has been representing applicants to obtain zoning variances for them since 2020 and continued to do so for at least 7 cases (cases: #4931, #4943, #4955, #4994, #4995, #4976, #4977) since being appointed by his daughter, mayor […]
Newly Elected Council Chooses Leadership
The New Britain City Council, at the first meeting since the 2023 election, elected and named its key leaders for the next two year term. Ward 5 Council member, Alderperson Francisco Santiago (D-5) was elected as the Council’s President Pro Tempore, which, under the city Charter is essentially the deputy mayor. Ald. Santiago is a […]