Featured
10th Annual Public Library Fundraiser Will Mark Growth, Expanded Community Engagement
by John McNamara Sponsors and attendees at the New Britain Public Library’s (NBPL) 10th Annual Fundraiser on Friday, April 10th will enjoy food, music and camaraderie with NBPL patrons, staff and volunteers right next to the book stacks and reading areas this year. The event will be held at the High Street main library to showcase recent […]
Making The New Britain Public Library A ‘Library of Human Connection’
Director Sjöberg Shares Plans To Build Infrastructure For Reading In New Britain by John McNamara Walk into the New Britain Public Library (NBPL) on High Street these days and you will notice physical changes to the main floor. The circulation and reference desks have been merged into one. The main floor’s makeover will include five […]
Longest Night Service Remembers Lives Lost in 2024
Friendship Center’s Cold Weather Triage Program Is Open To Help Unhoused NEW BRITAIN – A “Longest Night Service” was held at South Church in the Downtown District December 20th to remember individuals who died here in 2024 after experiencing homelessness. The late afternoon service that is observed each year as the “homeless persons’ Memorial Day” was held […]
New Britain Ranks Low for Tree Canopy Cover: What are the Consequences and What Could be Done?
A 2013 report “New Britain Urban Forest” prepared for the City of New Britain by the Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency (CCRPA) found that New Britain has one of the lowest tree canopies comparing to other cities in Connecticut. While Connecticut cities had an average tree canopy of 49% and overall town coverage average of […]
There is a large Gap between New Britain municipality employee diversity and the diversity of the City’s Population
According to WalletHub report New Britain has the 30th most diverse population among all cities in the United States. The diversity measure includes ethnic diversity, ethno-racial diversity, linguistic diversity, and birthplace diversity. Within these categories, New Britain stands out as 12th in the nation in language diversity (https://wallethub.com/edu/cities-with-the-most-and-least-ethno-racial-and-linguistic-diversity/10264). According to the census, New Britain’s racial/ethnic […]
New Britain’s Union Organizing History Is Worth Retelling On Labor Day 2023
1991 Saturday Night Club Paper Recounts City’s Labor Movement Past By John McNamara Labor Day is not a time to be nostalgic about the struggles of the last century to organize factory floors that turned New Britain into a “union town” with its many thousands of factory jobs, most of which have been long lost […]
Lowell Weicker’s Victories Dashed The Hopes of Liberal Democrats Throughout His Career
Reflecting on the Politics of Connecticut’s Three-Term Senator and One-Term Governor By John McNamara The first time I and many viewers (outside CT) saw and heard Lowell P. Weicker was watching the U.S. Senate Watergate Committee hearings in 1973. I was paying attention every day from my perch in the newsroom of the Lynn Sunday Post where […]
“Bleibol!” Exhibit Features New Britain’s Springer Family At Museum for Culture and History
¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues Opens Aug. 12 and Runs Though November 5 By John McNamara The Connecticut Museum for History and Culture’s exhibition “¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues / En los barrios y las grandes ligas“ that opens on Saturday, August 12 celebrates baseball through the experiences of […]
Prof. Jannette Carey Is Commencement Speaker At CCSU Saturday
Alumna Is Prominent Researcher in Biophysical Chemistry; Advocate For Access To STEM Education By John McNamara NEW BRITAIN – Scientist Jannette Carey, Ph.D, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Molecular Biology at Princeton University, will address Central Connecticut State University’s graduating class for the Schools of Engineering, Science and Technology and Education and Professional Studies on […]
‘Taste of Ramadan’ Event At High School Calls Attention To Yemen’s Civil War
Ethnic food and culture shared before the month-long religious observance begins for Muslims By John McNamara NEW BRITAIN – Students and teachers filled the New Britain High cafeteria on March 15th for an after-school “Taste of Ramadan” event with ethnic food and observances of Muslim traditions and customs before the start of Ramadan on March […]