News
Ward 1 City Council Candidates
The City Council election in New Britain’s Ward 1 is between two incumbent Republicans and two Democratic challengers. Democrats Veronica T. DeLandro and Molly McGuire are taking on Ald. Jamie Giantonio (R-1) and Ald. Wilfredo Pabon (R-1), two of the city’s longest-serving Council members. Ten of the fifteen members of the City Council are elected from […]
Candidate Debate on Education Issues Oct 5th
The New Britain Federation of Teachers, in collaboration with other city organizations, including the Opportunities Industrialization Center and the NAACP New Britain Branch, are hosting a candidate debate on education issues in the city. The debate will feature Democrat Merrill Gay and Republican Erin Stewart, candidates for Mayor, and candidates for Board of Education. The […]
League of Women Voters Candidate Debate for Mayor and City Council Oct 14th
The League of Women Voters will hold its 2017 debate for the offices of Mayor and City Council on Saturday, October 14th. The event will take place at Trinity-On-Main at 69 Main Street. The debate is open to the public and will begin 1:00pm. The debate will feature Democratic and Republican candidates for city hall […]
New Britain Social Club Organizing Hurricane Relief for Caribbean Islands
The New Britain Social Club is organizing relief donations for people living on islands that were devastated by Hurricane Maria. Numerous Caribbean islands were hard hit by the storm. Dominica and St. Croix were directly in the path of the storm and suffered significant harm. The New Britain Social Club, a vibrant West Indian cultural society […]
Community Organizing Hurricane Relief for Puerto Rico
After the devastating impact of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico, people are rallying to send help. The massive storm directly hit the island and left a wake of destruction in its path. State Rep. Bobby Sanchez (D-25) and other Latino state legislators continued their efforts to raise money for hurricane relief, begun after the damage […]
Reportedly False Attempt to Bury Article on Stewart Tax Mailing Elections Complaint
Democratic City Council candidate Bobby Berriault reports that someone falsely used his identity in an attempt to have Facebook remove a New Britain Progressive article about an elections complaint filed against Republican Mayor Erin Stewart. This New Britain Progressive article reports that a formal complaint has been filed against Stewart with the State Elections Enforcement Commission […]
Complaint Against Stewart Filed Over “obvious campaign promotion in car tax bills”
A formal complaint has been filed against Republican Mayor Erin Stewart with the State Elections Enforcement Commission by Democratic Chair Bill Shortell, according the city Democrats. Shortell says that he filed the complaint in response to a brochure included in motor vehicle tax bills. The brochure, Democrats say, “included statements promoting Stewart’s candidacy under her […]
Students Organize for Immigrant Rights and Rally Sept 14th
The student organization, CHANGE, will hold a rally at CCSU Thursday, September 14, 2017, “in support of the immigrant population and their families at this university and around the country.” The rally comes at a time when immigrant communities have come under powerful attack by Republican President Donald Trump and his allies. Trump has recently […]
Council Considers Allowing City Borrowing Services Contract to Change Firms With Former Stewart Chief of Staff
The Republican-dominated City Council is set to consider a resolution that would authorize Republican Mayor Erin E. Stewart to sign a contract moving city borrowing services from one firm employing her former Chief of Staff to the firm to which he has recently moved. The Council resolution says that, “William Blair and Company, the City’s Public […]
Did Stewart’s Use of Main Street USA Advertising Violate Campaign Laws?
Questions have arisen about the legality of Republican Mayor Erin Stewart using the recent Main Street USA event for political self-promotion. A state law prohibits a candidate for public office from using public funds to promote themselves on, among other things, newspaper ads and billboards, within a year of an election. The questions about whether […]
Hurricane Relief Drive: New Britain’s Own George Springer Calls for New Britain to “Pack the Truck”
Houston Astros All-Star and New Britain native, George Springer, together with the New Britain Bees, Siracusa Moving and Storage, Premier Limousine and others, are calling for New Britain to join together for a “Pack the Truck” drive to collect needed supplies to help people affected by the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. The “Pack the Truck” […]
Proposed 23% Mayoral Pay Increase Re-Emerges As Issue in Debate on School System Salaries
The proposal promoted by Republican Mayor Erin Stewart to increase the mayor’s salary by 23% was thrust again into attention by the recent controversy among city Republicans about the salary levels of three school system staff members. In a recent article and editorial in the New Britain City Journal, Republican elected officials allied with Stewart […]
New School Year Brings New Associate and Assistant Principals Appointments
The new school year has also brought several new associate and assistant principal appointments to be a part of the leadership of the New Britain Schools. In New Britain High School, Antoine Billy has been named Associate Principal. An educator since 2013, Billy holds two Bachelor’s Degrees, one in Religious Education from New York Southeast Religious […]
Republican Partisan Gambit Raises Meeting Legality Questions
The attempt by members of the City Council elected as Republicans to claim different party affiliations than they were elected as has raised the question of whether the Republican Party’s caucus on the City Council may have been holding unlawful meetings. State law requires that meetings of a majority of City Council members must be […]
23 Students Graduate After Summer School
Twenty-three students received their high school diplomas on August 17, 2017 after completing summer school studies. “I know many of you displayed perseverance and grit to get here,” said New Britain High School Principal Joseph Pinchera, speaking at the graduation ceremony. “It would’ve been easy for you to give up, but you didn’t. As you […]
Talisha Foy Named Principal of Northend school
Talisha Foy, an educator at the Waterbury Public Schools since 2006, has been named as the Principal of the Northend Elementary School. “I am extremely excited about becoming a part of the CSDNB family and look forward to working closely with the wonderful students, families and staff at Northend Elementary School,” said Foy. Foy assumes the […]
Democratic and Republican City Election Candidates for 2017
With Autumn just around the corner, election season will be coming into full swing. The Democratic Party and the Republican Party have both put forward their slates for the city elections on November 7th. For Mayor, the candidates are: Democratic Republican Merril Gay Erin Stewart For Town and City Clerk, the two parties have nominated […]
Connecticut Hispanic Democratic Caucus Endorses Merrill Gay for Mayor and Entire New Britain Democratic Slate
The Connecticut Hispanic Democratic Caucus (CHDC), a statewide coalition of Hispanic/Latino elected and appointed officials, community leaders, clergy, and business leaders, has endorsed Democrat Merrill Gay’s candidacy for Mayor of New Britain, as well as the entire Democratic slate in this year’s New Britain elections. “Our caucus typically only endorses Hispanic candidates,” said CHDC president […]
Merrill Gay and other Democrats Call for Unity Against Trump’s Support of White Supremacists
Democratic Mayoral Candidate, Merrill Gay, the New Britain Democratic Party and local Democratic slate are calling for unity in New Britain against Republican President Donald Trump’s support for white supremacists. Gay, Democratic Town Committee Chair Bill Shortell and other Democratic candidates are calling on local Republicans who have supported Trump to do so as well. “Last […]
Former Board of Education President Creates Charitable Fund
Former school board President Fran Wolski has established a family charitable fund to make grants to enrich the lives of New Britain school children. The new Raymond and Frances Wolski Family Fund will be administered by the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain. The donor-advised fund will make small annual grants, with Wolski playing the […]