News
Overwhelming Opposition to Stewart Drinking Watershed Mining Proposal
Huge opposition met Republican Mayor Erin Stewart’s controversial plan to allow strip mining on New Britain drinking watershed land at the public hearing held on June 26, 2018 in front of the City Council and the Board of Water Commissioners. Speaker after speaker spoke in opposition to the plan at a packed hearing in the […]
Ordinance to Restore New Britain’s “Heritage of Trees” Up for Final Approval
More tree-lined streets may see a comeback in the city, under a proposal by Ald. Aram Ayalon (D-3) to restore the city’s “rich heritage of trees.” On June 27, 2018, the City Council will consider final Council approval of a new “tree ordinance,” which would require replacement of trees that are removed and encourage the […]
Former NBHS Associate Principal Damon Pearce Returns As Principal
At a special meeting on June 20, 2018, the Board of Education approved the Suffield Middle School Principal Damon Pearce as the next Principal of New Britain High School. Pearce returns after having been Associate Principal at NBHS from 2005-2014. Board of Education President Nicole Rodriguez (D) said that she is pleased that the process for selecting NBHS’s new […]
New Britain Residents Join Rally Opposing Trump Child Separations
New Britain residents joined in a rally on June 21, 2018 in opposition to the actions of Republican President Donald Trump in which children have been taken from their parents at the U.S. border. U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) invited people, “to a rally demanding [an] end to inhumane separation of […]
NBHS Graduation: Salutatorian Manuel Rivas’s Commencement Speech
New Britain High School’s Class of 2018 Salutatorian Manuel Rivas, in his commencement speech at NBHS’s graduation ceremonies on June 19, 2018, encouraged his classmates to make a difference on some of the key issues of the day. “Think about our world, our country, and, honestly, our president,” Rivas said. “From deportation and separation of families, […]
NBHS Graduation: Valedictorian Gabriella Roy’s Commencement Speech
New Britain High School’s 2018 Class Valedictorian, Gabriella Roy, attended Holmes Elementary School and HALS Academy before attending NBHS, excelling to the top of her class. Roy has been lauded by school officials for her academic accomplishments, but also for her involvement in sports and student clubs. Schools Superintendent Nancy Sarra said that Roy’s hard work and perseverance […]
Board of Education to Vote on New Britain High School Principal
The Consolidated School District of New Britain has announced that there will be a special meeting of the Board of Education, June 20, 2018. The announcement says that the meeting is to, “vote on Superintendent Nancy Sarra’s recommendation for the next New Britain High School Principal.” The meeting is to be at 6:30pm at the […]
Reported Stewart Veto Reverts Budget to Higher Taxes and Lower School Funding
Republican Mayor Erin Stewart has reportedly vetoed the city budget approved by the Democrats on the City Council that would have lowered her proposed tax increase and increased school funding. Under the City Charter rules, Stewart’s veto means that her original proposed budget takes affect as the official city budget instead of the budget approved […]
Racist Political Leaflet Distributed in Arch Street Neighborhood
A racist political leaflet has been distributed in the Arch Street neighborhood, resulting in a referral to city police. The leaflet is composed as a “letter” that makes obscene and vulgar references to former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. “I believe this is more than what is on the surface,” said […]
100 Year Anniversary of Nathan Hale School and Apartments
One hundred years ago, the Nathan Hale Junior Hale School was built on Tremont Street. Over the years, generations of New Britain residents attended school in the historic building. On June 15, 2018, the one-hundredth anniversary of the building, now an apartment building, was celebrated by its residents and owners. Residents shared the outdoor event, […]
Hartford Line Commuter Rail Service Launched
New Britain State Senator Terry Gerratana (D-6) joined Gov. Dannel Malloy (D-CT) and other dignitaries on June 15, 2018 in celebrating the culmination of years of transportation investment at the official opening of service on the much anticipated Hartford Line commuter rail service. The Hartford Line runs between Springfield and New Haven, providing transportation to […]
Hearing on Proposal to Sell 15 Acres of Watershed Land for $276,000 Rescheduled to July 9th
The City Council’s public hearing on a resolution that would authorize Republican Mayor Erin Stewart to sell fifteen acres of Class 3 watershed land owned by the city of New Britain in Burlington has been rescheduled to be on July 9, 2018. The hearing had previously been scheduled for June 5, but it was rescheduled. The resolution, proposed […]
YWCA Opens East Side Community Center
The YWCA of New Britain held the grand opening of its new Community Center serving the East Side on June 14th 2018. The center, located at 600 East Street, will serve as the home of the YWCA’s House of Teens program. The YWCA says that, Many high school girls call YWCA New Britain’s House of […]
Democratic Panel Decides in Favor of Hayes, Glassman Retains Endorsement
The five member panel appointed by State Democratic Party to consider challenges to the outcome of the Democratic Fifth District Congressional Convention has ruled in favor of Waterbury educator Jahana Hayes. The panel has decided that two of the New Britain delegates who New Britain Democratic Chair William Shortell had announced as having switched their votes from Hayes to […]
Hearing on Stewart Watershed Strip Mining Plan Set for Jun 26th
The anticipated public hearing on Republican Mayor Erin Stewart’s controversial plan to allow strip mining on New Britain drinking watershed land as been set for June 26, 2018. The hearing will be held at Gaffney Elementary School Auditorium at 322 Slater Road. The hearing is part of a process in state legislation approved at the request […]
Democrats’ Budget Lowers Stewart Tax Increase, Increases Education Funding
The City Council approved a city budget on June 9, 2018 that would lower the amount of the tax increase proposed by Republican Mayor Erin Stewart and increase education funding. The amendment to Stewart’s budget proposal that was made by the Democratic Council majority and opposed the Council’s Republicans, cut $1,745,844 from the City Hall budget […]
Sewer Rate Increase Proposed
The city Board of Public Works appointed by Republican Mayor Erin Stewart has proposed that the city’s sewer use fee be increased to a rate of $4.30 per hundred cubic feet of water used for the upcoming budget year. The proposal is on the agenda of the June 13, 2018 City Council meeting. The proposed […]
New Britain’s Congressional Delegate Votes Front-And-Center at Democrats’ Hearing
The State Democratic Party held a hearing by a five member panel appointed to consider challenges to the outcome of the Democratic Fifth District Congressional Convention. The proceedings were in response to official complaints at the request of the NAACP and by the Mayor of Waterbury. The convention had resulted in Democratic party endorsement for former […]
New Britain Votes at Issue at State Democratic Hearing on 5th District Endorsement
The State Democratic Party will hold a hearing on June 7th on complaints filed about the Fifth District Democratic Convention, including complaints about New Britain delegate votes. The convention resulted in Democratic party endorsement for former Simsbury First Selectman Mary Glassman, while Waterbury educator Jahana Hayes and New Britain Ald. Manny Sanchez (D-AL) qualified to primary for […]
Beehive Bridge Begins Construction
Construction was officially begun on the $7.5 million Beehive Bridge project on June 1, 2018 at a ceremony attended by state and city officials. According to a March 28th City Council resolution, “utilizing art and architecture inspired by the City’s seal as well as Complete Streets style improvements such as brick walkways, decorative lighting, and […]