Category: Uncategorized

Dwight’s Kensington Playground Is About to Be Sold for $1 to Build Housing

by Jane Comins, Friends of Kensington Playground

Kensington Playground is the largest green space and the only public playground in the Dwight neighborhood. It is about to be sold by the City of New Haven for $1 to non-profit housing developer The Community Builders/TCB. TCB plans to build a 15-unit apartment building and a 15-space surface parking lot on the playground. A diverse group of neighbors has organized to stop this sale.

The proposed deal was approved by the full Board of Alders on Monday, October 19, 2020. Only three alders, Douglass, Festa, and Roth, stood with the neighborhood. Others relied on old stereotypes of Kensington Street to hijack our only playground to benefit TCB, a non-profit developer that has not been a good landlord. Kensington Playground is a major success story for policing in New Haven. Lt. John Healy made it his top priority when taking over this police district. As a result, it is now a place we can use. The City did not follow the law. The Dwight Central Management Team never gave its support. Housing can be built without taking this playground from our children. We call upon the Mayor to reject this plan.

For updates, visit: KensingtonPlayground.org

 

The Yale Cross Campus Occupation Oct. 22-24

Facebook Yale Endowment Justice Coalition

The Yale Endowment Justice Coalition demands Yale’s complete divestment from fossil fuels and Puerto Rican debt! They held an in-person COVID-safe occupation on Cross Campus from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day on October 22, 23, and 24. There were speakers and events throughout, and time designated for calling University President Peter Salovey, Chief Investments Officer David Swensen, and other members of the Yale Corporation to demand that they divest. They ended on International Divestment Day—Oct. 24—when hundreds of youth organizations around the world call on their institutions to stop profiting from climate change.

For years, Yale students and New Haven community members have demanded that Yale listen to scientists, stop profiting from the extraction and burning of fossil fuels and cancel its holdings in exploitative and imperialist Puerto Rican debt. Last year hundreds of students and community members stormed the field at the Harvard/Yale game in support of those demands. Yet our administration still refuses to listen to student voices. Now, as New Haven struggles with the worst public health crisis and the worst economic downturn in living memory, it could not be more important that Yale invest its $30 billion endowment in the New Haven community, not fossil fuel companies or predatory debt collectors. Join us as we continue to demand that our university curb the violence of their financial practices and become a more equitable, accountable institution. (See up-dates at: yaledailynews.com/blog/2020/10/23/endowment-justice-student-protesters-occupy-cross-campus.

NeverEnding Books Hosting Great Fall Give-Away

NeverEnding Books is Hosting the Great Fall Give-Away! We have so many books, we need to find new homes for them. Call (203) 865-6507 and leave a message for Rainbow Recycling or for Roger to find out when you can come by the bookstore at 810 State Street. Bring a box or a bag (or two) and fill up with the all free books you want.

Two Green Party candidates qualify for November ballot; one to challenge DeLauro | New Haven Register

Two candidates for public office from the Green Party have gathered enough signatures to qualify for the Nov. 3 ballot.

Dr. Justin Paglino of Guilford is challenging 30-year Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro for the 3rd District congressional seat, while attorney Paul Garlinghouse will be on the ballot with Democrat Shannel Evans and Republican Marlene Napolitano for registrar of voters in New Haven.

Paglino is running on a platform that supports Medicare for All; ranked choice voting; the Green New Deal, which includes a ban on fracking; and reduced military spending.

Read the rest of the story in The New Haven Register: 2 Green Party candidates qualify for November ballot; one to challenge DeLauro – New Haven Register

Tell us, and the community, about your organization

Dear PAR Contributors,

Thank you for your continued readership and support of the Progressive Action Roundtable newsletter. In a few weeks we will begin to compile our October issue. Readers want to know: What is the purpose of your organization? How are you building your group? What campaigns are you organizing? What events are you planning?

We want to publicize the work that groups have done and what they’re planning to do. We want to spread the word to others who will be inspired to join you, support your activism and build the struggles. Send us articles (even a paragraph or two) about what your group wants to do and any ideas for organizing! 350-word limit, please!

Please send articles about your group’s recent and current activities and upcoming actions and events to parnewhaven@hotmail.com.

***Help inspire others through your commitment! ***

The deadline for the October Progressive Action Roundtable Newsletter is Saturday, September 19.

Please keep in mind that as layout space permits, we will include photos.

IMPORTANT: Don’t neglect to add your organization’s contact information such as phone number, e-mail address or website, so our readers can get more information about what your group is doing.

ABOUT CALENDAR ITEMS

If you mention an event in an article, please also send a SEPARATE calendar announcement.

Please give street addresses for any events or meetings, even for “well-known” public buildings.

VERY IMPORTANT: Please indicate whether your event location is wheelchair accessible.

You can also send us SAVE THE DATE items about future events, even if you do not yet have all the details in place.

The PAR newsletter will come out approximately Wednesday, September 30. Please consider this when submitting calendar items.

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If your group has a website, please add our link to your webpage.

To renew your own subscription or to buy a subscription for a friend, the rate is $13 for 10 issues. Please make the check out to PAR and mail it to

PAR
P.O. Box 995
New Haven, CT 06504

Dear PAR Subscribers,

After two months of being available only on-line, we’re glad to provide you with the printed PAR newsletter. We still encourage all our subscribers to sign on to get PAR notices on-line so you can be kept informed of events that weren’t known in time to be included in the printed version. You can subscribe at par-newhaven.org.

PAR does not print in July or August. The next newsletter will be the September issue. Because there are still so many restrictions on gatherings, we are unsure of when, or which, of our regularly-scheduled events will take place. Many meetings, conferences and rallies are taking place via the internet. We urge you to contact the organizations you are interested in to find out how you can participate in their work.

Enclosed in this issue is the War Resisters League’s famous “pie chart” flyer, Where Your Income Tax Money Really Goes. It analyzes the Federal Fiscal Year 2021 Budget, published in February 2020. FY2021 is 1 Oct. 2020 – 30 Sept. 2021. We recently contacted the War Resisters League to see if these figures are still accurate, due to the emergency spending necessary for the pandemic, massive unemployment and economic crisis. We were told the current Pie Charts are based on figures for the FY2021 Federal Budget, not the current budget, so those figures are not affected by expenditures connected to the pandemic.

Wishing you a healthy, safe and peaceful summer.

PAR Planning Committee

How You Can Help At-Risk People in Our Community

by Mark Colville, Amistad Catholic Worker [edited. See last month’s PAR for full statement]

Friends,

This is an urgent call to come together as advocates, caregivers, organizers, activists and allies, in response to the ongoing unmet needs of some of the most at-risk people in the New Haven community. We’ve seen the city and some of its institutions take bold and proactive steps. At the same time, there is a growing fear that those efforts are falling short in terms of providing safe spaces for significant numbers of people who still lack the wherewithal to follow the statewide directive to shelter in place.

There is an effort underway to erect a tent city, in open space somewhere relatively close to the city center. This is being organized collectively and with a fair degree of urgency. It will integrate the requirements of social distancing and sheltering in place, but the rules and regulations will be developed and agreed upon by those dwelling in that space. Thus the responsibility for its operation in a safe and sanitary way, maintaining the peace and respecting the privacy of its residents, will also be assumed collectively.

We are now looking for camping supplies, especially tents, sleeping bags, warm blankets and tarps. If you can donate any of these or other items, please call or text me: (203) 645-5417; markcolville9761@gmail.com. For anyone interested in taking an active role in getting the project off the ground, I’m happy to discuss that as well.

Stay safe everyone.

Gratefully,

Mark Colville

Reach Out New Haven: Call if You Need Help

In these anxious, isolating and uncertain times, many people don’t know where to turn for resources and someone to talk with. The Clifford Beers Center has launched a warmline to help connect you with various programs for your needs. Also, if you want someone to talk with, have questions on how to get information about COVID-19, or need help, we are here with compassionate listeners who are trained in providing mental health guidance. Please call us for help! The number is (203) 287-2460.
Visit our website for more information and a listing of links for useful information at www.cliffordbeers.org/COVID-19-resources.

Lots of Fish launches “50 Fish” in honor the 50th year of Earth Day

Runoff Art starts with 50 Fish!

Lots of Fish launches “50 Fish” in honor the 50th year of Earth Day

In confluence with the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, Lots of Fish (LOF) launches 50 Fish! The Runoff Art pilot program is working with a team of artists, scientists, and educators (Team Fish) to produce a multi-faceted Art & Environmental Education program, engaging citizens to reduce pollutants entering our waterways through stormwater runoff. May: Adapted to COVID-19 protocol, the education program will begin in New Haven Schools. July – Oct: fish art painting on 50 storm drains by youth & community groups.

50 Fish! kicks-off LOF’s Runoff Art pilot in New Haven. In coordination with the New Haven Dept. of Engineering, we are painting art on 50 storm drains throughout the city with local artists, schools, and Youth@Work. Runoff Art is a “Public Outreach & Education” campaign that helps the City of New Haven meet the EPA MS4 permit requirements by engaging citizens of all ages in activities that support the health of our local waterways. Sustainable CT is matching dollar-for-dollar all contributions to the 50 Fish! project and COVID-19 adaptation until May 1st.

The adapted program starts with school and online presentations and musical performances.
6 main components optimize community engagement:

1. Art with QR codes installed on 50 Storm Drains and up to 20 rain barrels
2. User-friendly map (GIS) to host a variety of informative and interactive experiences
3. COVID-19 Adapted – Educational presentations and musical performances
4. COVID-19 Lessons and Citizen Science activities for New Haven teachers
5. COVID -19 Adapted Surveys to quantify educational benefits and citizen response
6. NEW – COVID adapted EarthDay 50 celebration – “Did You Know? “ social media campaign.

https://lotsoffish.info/water promoting the hashtags #EarthDay50Fish #50WaterFacts #50FishFacts

About Lots of Fish: Lots of Fish (LOF) is an Art & Environmental Education project based in New Haven, CT. Initiated in 2018, LOF is the brainchild of artist and environmental advocate JoAnn Moran. Through her dedicated effort, LOF has been engaging and exposing city youth and community members through a series of environmental art and impact projects, events, presentations, and public awareness campaigns. Lots of Fish hosts school-year and summer youth employment programs to create “Artful projects that reduce pollution.”

Lots of Fish will be swimming on a billboard near you!

Barrett Outdoor has graciously donated a colorful fish-filled billboard.

Barrett Outdoor is happy to support Lots of Fish projects and the celebration of the 50th year of Earth Day!

For more info:
Lots of Fish (LOF)
LotsofFish.info
Contact JoAnn Moran – Artist /Director JoAnn Moran
(203) 298-2628
Art25LOF@gmail.com

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