Headlines
News
The City Council approved a resolution allocating funds provided to New Britain by the federal…
Community News
New Britain Mayor Bobby Sanchez (D) has announced availability of the 2026 New Britain Arts…
Opinion
By Joe Wasserman Members of Back from the Brink CT carried a poster into the…
News Analysis
The Common Council will hold three meetings (May 5,6,7) to review the Mayor’s proposed budget…
Featured Journalism
by John McNamara Sponsors and attendees at the New Britain Public Library’s (NBPL) 10th Annual Fundraiser on…
New Britain Racial Justice Coalition
By the New Britain Racial Justice Coalition, The New Britain Racial Justice Coalition (NBRJC) is raising serious concerns about Mayor Bobby Sanchez’s proposed FY27 budget, stating clearly that it reduces overall education funding while failing to meaningfully invest in libraries and community services. Despite public claims of increased support for schools, the full budget shows […]
Community Announcements
By Bike New Britain On Monday, Bike New Britain will be providing the 5th grade class at Smalley School in New Britain with a bike safety education program. Beginning on Monday, May 4th and continuing through Thursday, May 7th, members of Bike New Britain will be conducting safety education classes from 8am to 9:45am Then […]
Community Announcement by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut (BBBSCT) honored two New Britain residents during its annual Big Night celebration this Saturday, recognizing Big Sister Alex Steel as the 2026 Big of the Year and Jessica Mercado as the 2026 Parent Partner of the Year. Both were celebrated […]
Schools
As the summer days wind down and back-to-school shopping begins, familiar signs of a new school year appear. Store shelves are stocked with school supplies, shopping carts start to fill, and a growing sense of anticipation starts to creep in. Across the town of New Britain, students are preparing to return to the school halls […]
History
By John McNamara Saturday, March 7th was one of those days when New Britain lived…
Flooding Series
Latest News and Opinion
The City Council approved a resolution allocating funds provided to New Britain by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the federal dollars meant to support viable communities, provide decent housing, and expand economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents. Funding is provided annually to the city by HUD and distributed by the […]
Photojournalism by Dr Frank Gerratana and Rhona Cohen. Cover photo by Dr Frank Gerratana. Staff reports. US Rep Jahana Hayes (D-5) easily won the Democratic endorsement for re-election, but longtime US Rep John Larson (D-1) narrowly lost the Democratic endorsement to former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin (D). Both votes were at the Democratic Party Congressional […]
Photojournalism by Gregory L Gerratana The Connecticut Breast Health Initiative (CT BHI) held its 2026 Race in the Park on Saturday, May 9th, continuing a Mother’s Day weekend tradition in New Britain. People come to the event each year to honor breast cancer survivors, and remember loved ones while supporting the work of the Connecticut […]
Two Jr Canes Teams Win State Championships
Two New Britain Jr. Canes football teams have won their 2017 State Championships in recent games. The 9U and 12U Canes both bring home Championship honors in the Connecticut Youth Football & Cheer Conference. The 9U won their Championship 26 to 0 against Bridgeport on November 5th. They had advanced to the championship game, having […]
West End Block Party Gives to Local Non-Profits
The New Britain West End Block Party Committee has announced that it is making donations of $800 to four local non-profit organizations from the proceeds of the 2017 New Britain West End Block Party, held on August 19th. The West End Block Party is an event hosted in the historical, turn-of-the-century neighborhood for the benefit and fun of residents […]
North Oak NRZ “Coffee With The Chief” Nov 18th
Coffee, pastries and neighborhood discussion are planned at a “Coffee With The Chief” event hosted by the North Oak Neighborhood Revitalization Zone (NRZ) and the New Britain Police Department. “Coffee With The Chief” will be held on Saturday, November 18th, 2017 from 9:30am to 11:30am. “Don’t miss the chance to talk in person to our chief of police, […]
Thank You to New Britain’s Veterans
New Britain has a long tradition for how our community honors veterans on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. War memorials are placed throughout the city, remembering those who served, and especially those who gave their lives, in different wars. New Britain has long held to the tradition of holding memorial ceremonies at war monuments all […]
Services Announced for Students and Others Coming From Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands After Hurricane Disasters
New Britain has close family and community ties with Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and other places hit by hurricanes and other recent natural disasters. In the aftermath of the hurricanes and then the failure of the Trump Administration to provide needed aid, New Britain residents have been sending aid to Puerto Rico and Virgin […]
NAACP New Britain Branch Announces Awardees at Nov 17th Annual Freedom Fund Dinner
The New Britain Branch of the NAACP has announced awards recipients for its 2017 Freedom Fund Dinner on November 17, 2017. The Freedom Fund Dinner will be on held at the Saint George Hellenic Center which is at 301 West Main Street. The event reception will begin at 5:20pm and the Dinner Program will start […]
A Split Decision in New Britain’s City Elections
Democratic Mayoral candidate Merrill Gay’s campaign, in which he had said he wanted to revitalize and build-up city Democrats, brought a split decision in the 2017 city elections. The Democratic team led by Gay won victories over Republican incumbents across the city and won a 9 to 6 majority on the City Council, but Gay, […]
City Taps Patton Brook Well For Water After Calling Off Bargain Basement Sale, Hiking Rates To Pay For MDC Water.
By John McNamara More than a year after the Stewart administration and Common Council sought to sell off the Patton Brook Well at an undervalued price of $1 million the unused well is replenishing the Shuttle Meadow reservoir. Mayor Stewart and her Council majority authorized the sale in August 2016, seeking to give up the […]
Numbers Don’t Back Mayor Stewart’s Claim That State Budget Caused City’s Negative Credit Rating
By John McNamara Contributing Columnist Mayor Erin Stewart has blamed this year’s state budget crisis for the city’s negative credit rating in response to a November 2nd report of an “escalating” debt and her administration’s own budget that shows interest payments will cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars over the next four years. “We were downgraded […]
New Britain’s Bond Rating Drops From Stable To Negative: Huge Spike In Debt Through 2021 Cited By Moody’s
By John McNamara Contributing Columnist Republican incumbent Mayor Erin Stewart, in her re-election campaign this year and throughout her second term, has touted improving municipal bond ratings for New Britain’s fiscal solvency, claiming credit for budget surpluses of $15 million and pushing spending up at City Hall with no need for an election year tax […]
Information Available on Where to Vote, and How to Register to Vote on Election Day, Nov 7, 2017
Editor’s note (11/1/2020): This article is from 2017. The New Britain Progressive has published a similar article for 2020, Registering and Voting This Tuesday Nov 3rd. City elections are coming up on Tuesday, November 7th for the offices of Mayor, City Council, Board of Education, Town Clerk, Tax Collector, Treasurer, Board of Assessment Appeals and […]
New Britain PAL Hosts “After Halloween Boo Bash” Nov 3rd
Families finding themselves already missing Halloween festivities have another chance to celebrate the season in 2017, before putting away those decorations and costumes for next year. The New Britain Police Athletic League (PAL) is hosting an “After Halloween Boo Bash” on Friday, November 3rd. The event will be held from 7:00pm to 9:00pm in the PAL […]
Two Jr Canes Teams to Play for 2017 State Championships
Two Jr. Canes football teams will be playing for State Championships in upcoming games, after winning their semi-final playoff games. The 9U team advanced in their semi-final game, winning 35 to 0 against East Hartford. They will play their Division 1 game on Sunday, November 5, 2017 at 9:00am against Bridgeport, who advanced by winning […]
New Britain PAL Teams to Play in Playoff Games
New Britain Police Athletic League (PAL) football teams will be competing in playoff games this week. On Wednesday, November 1st, the Jr. PeeWee team will have a playoff against New Haven. The game will be 7:30pm to 9:30pm at the New Britain PAL facility at 544 Osgood Avenue. On Saturday, November 4th, the PAL PeeWee team […]
April 2016 Protest in New Britain Against Manafort Prescient of Recent Indictments
Criminal charges are being made, now, against former Trump campaign manager, Paul Manafort, by Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller, but, on April 23rd, 2016, charges against Manafort were being made by members of the Ukrainian community in New Britain, warning of things now front and center in the national consciousness. As Contributing Columnist John McNamara wrote […]
“Halloween at the Hole in the Wall” for Kids and Adults, Oct 28th
The Hole in the Wall Theater is hosting a Halloween event on Saturday, October 28th. The event will have two parts. There will be a Halloween event for kids in the late afternoon and an evening event for adults. The event will feature “Spooky Stories, Songs and Scares to celebrate the season.” The Theater also […]
Will Erin Stewart Get Another Off The Books Push From An Absentee Landlord in 2017?
By John McNamara Contributing Columnist On the eve of the 2015 municipal election scores of tenants in New Britain got a notice about a possible rent increase from their landlord. It wasn’t an official increase but a not so subtle endorsement of Mayor Erin Stewart who at the time was cruising to re-election for a […]
Board of Education Candidates Discuss Education Funding, Diversity and Special Education.
Democrat Violet Sims and Democrat Annie Parker join incumbent Democratic Board of Education member Daisy Sanchez in running for Board of Education opposite Republican Nancy Rodriguez, current Republican Board of Education President Nick Mercier and Republican Board of Education member Mallory Deprey. The Board of Education is responsible for managing and setting policy for the New Britain school district […]
League of Women Voters Candidate Debates to Appear on Public Access TV Oct 25th to Nov 6th
The League of Women Voters has announced that its candidate debates will be aired from October 25, 2017 to November 6th on the area public access television system, Nutmeg TV. The debates, which occurred on October 14th, featured mayoral and city council candidates in this year’s November 7th city elections. The debate will be shown […]
Merrill Gay to Speak at North Oak NRZ, Oct 23rd
The North Oak NRZ (Neighborhood Revitalization Zone) will hold its monthly meeting on Monday, October 23, 2017. Board of Education member and Democratic Mayoral candidate, Merrill Gay, will be its guest speaker. The meeting will be held at 7:00pm at Saint Ann Church, at 47 Clark Street. Issues discussed in the North Oak NRZ include: Problems with buildings and […]