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By John McNamara Saturday, March 7th was one of those days when New Britain lived…
Community Announcements
By Candyce Scott Something special is brewing! 💛 Join us on November 4th, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, as we celebrate the opening of Candy Scott -Gorgy & Luis Malave Jr. Write To Rise Book Cafe with a ribbon-cutting ceremony! Thank you honorable Mayor Bobby Sanchez for your continued commitment to keep empowering educational […]
By South Church Mad Agnes is coming to South Church to perform on Sunday, November 8 at 1:00 p.m. Who is Mad Agnes? It is a genre-bending trio of seasoned and talented musicians—Margo Hennebach, Adrienne Jones, and Mark Saunders—whose intricate harmonies, compelling songwriting and passionate delivery have established their fan base on two continents. In […]
By the NAACP New Britain Branch, The New Britain Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) hereby issues its official notice to all members and the public regarding the upcoming 2027 biennial election of branch officers and executive committee members. In accordance with the Constitution and By-Laws for Units of […]
News
Ward 4 City Council members, Ald Luz Ortiz-Luna (D-4) and Ald John McNamara (D-4) are…
Community News
By Candyce Scott Something special is brewing! 💛 Join us on November 4th, from 11:00…
News Analysis
Urban Farming: Ordinance Will Allow Reuse of Industrial and Retail Space for Indoor Growing By…
Opinion
By Joseph Wasserman We need to thank Representatives Hayes, Larson and DeLauro for their decision…
Featured Journalism
by John McNamara Sponsors and attendees at the New Britain Public Library’s (NBPL) 10th Annual Fundraiser on…
Flooding Series
Latest News and Opinion
By Joseph Wasserman We need to thank Representatives Hayes, Larson and DeLauro for their decision to cosponsor H. Res. 317. This resolution is designed to bring us back from the brink of nuclear war. President Trump’s threats to annihilate Iran, the discussion of the use of tactical nuclear weapons, the termination of all nuclear weapons […]
By Candyce Scott Something special is brewing! 💛 Join us on November 4th, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, as we celebrate the opening of Candy Scott -Gorgy & Luis Malave Jr. Write To Rise Book Cafe with a ribbon-cutting ceremony! Thank you honorable Mayor Bobby Sanchez for your continued commitment to keep empowering educational […]
By South Church Mad Agnes is coming to South Church to perform on Sunday, November 8 at 1:00 p.m. Who is Mad Agnes? It is a genre-bending trio of seasoned and talented musicians—Margo Hennebach, Adrienne Jones, and Mark Saunders—whose intricate harmonies, compelling songwriting and passionate delivery have established their fan base on two continents. In […]
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 […]
Happening in New Britain Jan 9th to 15th
New Britain city meetings and community events coming up during the week of Monday, January 9, 2023 to Sunday, January 15th include… [MEC id=”30319″] Editor’s note: If you would like to submit an event for inclusion in the New Britain Progressive weekly events articles, or would like to update something already listed, here, feel free […]
Council Committee Agrees To Compromise On Tax Break For Myrtle Street Housing Development
Incentive Drops From 26 To 13 Years In Amended Resolution That Goes To Common Council For Approval By John McNamara NEW BRITAIN- The Common Council’s Committee on Administration, Finance and Law (AFL) unanimously approved a “compromise” tax break at a January 4th meeting for Avon Towers LLC to develop 119 housing units at 480 Myrtle […]
Les is More: It’s The New Year – New Organizational Structure
Les is MoreBy Leslie Jacobs Everything requires energy/motivation to do something you really don’t want to do. This includes losing weight, mastering yoga or getting organized. But everyone can do it, if they have the right plan. Here is one plan. Mark a month or more out on your calendar and then book online a […]
City Seeking Bios for Upcoming Black History Month Exhibit
The city Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities and Mayor Erin Stewart are, “seeking biographies of individuals who have made a significant impact in the fields of arts, business, community service, education, science, sports or any other area of public or private endeavor.” “The chosen individuals will be featured in the exhibit and recognized at […]
Atty. Rivera Is Sworn In As Judge Of Probate
Democrat Begins First Term After Taking Oath At CCSU Ceremony by John McNamara NEW BRITAIN – The office of Judge of Probate for Berlin and New Britain changed hands for a third time in two years on January 3rd when Attorney Bill Rivera was sworn in to a four-year term. Rivera, an attorney in New […]
Council Considering Tax Reduction for Apartment Development
A City Council committee is holding a hearing and meeting on a proposal to provide a tax reduction for a planned conversion into apartments of a former Stanley Black and Decker office building. The proposed Council resolution, submitted by Ald. Robert Smedley (R-4), concerns plans by Amit Lakhotia, managing partner of Avon Towers, LLC, to […]
Happening in New Britain Jan 2nd to 8th
New Britain city meetings and community events coming up during the week of Monday, January 2, 2023 to Sunday, January 8th include… [MEC id=”30208″] Editor’s note: If you would like to submit an event for inclusion in the New Britain Progressive weekly events articles, or would like to update something already listed, here, feel free […]
Top 10 of 2022: #1: Federal COVID Aid to City Boosts High Profile Capital Projects
The quantity of federal aid given to the city as part of the federal pandemic relief, and how it was spent, may have seemed mundane news in the moment, but its impact in terms of local projects — and politics — has been profound. In 2022, Republican politicians attributed federal spending in the form of […]
Top 10 of 2022: #2: Attorney Bill Rivera Is First Hispanic Elected To Probate Court
New Britain appears to have made history in the state by electing the first Latino as Judge of Probate. It is a proud moment, not just for Attorney Bill Rivera, but for the New Britain community, as well as for Berlin. Judge-elect Rivera, who was, in the past, the Majority Leader of the New Britain […]
Top 10 of 2022: #3: Property Revaluation
Property tax revaluations in Connecticut communities are producing higher than ever appraisals for tax purposes. New Britain is no exception and the impact on city residents and the municipal budget will hit home in 2023 when they take effect. Connecticut’s main system for local taxation, property taxes, are regressive, meaning that people tend to pay […]
Top 10 of 2022: #4: CCSU Honors DeFronzo’s Public Service To City And State
In October, CCSU recognized former Mayor, State Senator and State Commissioner Donald DeFronzo for his public service career, a history of service that deserves to be recounted and honored. DeFronzo’s long career of leadership, spanning decades, includes union leadership in AFT, leading the city as Mayor, representing New Britain, Berlin and neighborhoods in Farmington as […]
Top 10 of 2022: #5: Hayes, Other Democrats Win Big in New Britain
What Republicans sought and Democrats feared never happened. The anticipated 2022 Republican wave victory fizzled out and Democrats rolled to big wins in New Britain. Republicans had high hopes nationwide. Buoyed by predictions of the “red wave”, they were blaming President Joe Biden and Congressional Democrats for the runaway inflation that was much more caused […]
Top 10 of 2022: #6: More City Debt To Pay For Stewart Annual Budgets
On topic, again, of a newspaper’s role as the first draft of history is what is probably the most historically enduring legacy of Republican Mayor Erin Stewart — annual budgets being floated by debt to be paid for by taxpayers long after she is no longer Mayor. It has been called formal-sounding terms, like, “debt […]
Happening in New Britain Dec 26th to Jan 1st
New Britain city meetings and community events coming up during the week of Monday, December 26, 2022 to Sunday, January 1, 2023, include… [MEC id=”30205″] Editor’s note: If you would like to submit an event for inclusion in the New Britain Progressive weekly events articles, or would like to update something already listed, here, feel […]
Top 10 of 2022: #7: Charter Changes: New City Power Jobs, Transparency Concerns and Minority Party Council District System
Republican Mayor Erin Stewart and her newly elected Republican City Council supermajority set right away in 2022 to change the City Charter in a raft of different ways. Some of the changes were widely viewed as innocuous, while Council election changes raised concerns and new, powerful appointed positions and other changes, encased in an opaque […]
Top 10 of 2022: #8: Council Districting Raises Racial Gerrymandering Concerns
It is said the journalism is the first draft of history. And part of the mission of any real newspaper, including the New Britain Progressive, is to record contemporary events well for the future judgment of history. In 2022, the city hall of Republican Mayor Erin Stewart approved a plan for new City Council districts […]
Top 10 of 2022: #9: A New Schools Superintendent
In 2022, New Britain saw the retirement of Schools Superintendent Nancy Sarra and the selection and installation of Anthony Gasper as the new head of the city’s school system. In April, the Board of Education named Dr. Anthony J. Gasper, Ed.D as the new schools Superintendent, who came to lead the New Britain school district […]
Top 10 of 2022: #10: New Britain Support for Ukraine
The suffering of the Ukrainian people has been a major concern for many people in New Britain as Russia carried out a war of aggression against its neighbor. The invasion has drawn widespread condemnation from people across New Britain, as well as support for the people of Ukraine affected by the largest war in Europe […]