Listen Here! Short Story Reading Series

by Bennett Graff, New Haven Review

The Institute Library is proud to host the Listen Here! Short Story Reading Series. Join us for a night of classic short stories selected by the New Haven Review staff and read by the New Haven Theater Company cast members. Reading starts at 7 p.m., with a talk back at 8 p.m. exploring the stories’ background, meaning and dramatic interpretation. Also, freshly baked cookies and tea are available.

Free! Join us every third Tuesday of the month at the Institute Library, 847 Chapel St.

The next reading will be Nov. 15.

Our theme: “Recreation.”

Our stories: “Nobody in Hollywood” by Richard Bausch and “Hershel” by Judy Budnitz.

Please note the Institute Library is one flight up and not wheelchair accessible. For more information: http://www.institutelibrary.org.

What is New Haven Review?

by Bennett Graff, New Haven Review

It is New Haven’s own literary journal, founded in August 2007 to draw attention to the writing scene in the greater New Haven area. In its role as the literary heart of the Elm City, New Haven Review publishes essays, fiction, and poetry in print and on the web twice a year. Individual issues feature work from both local and national writers, placing them in dialogue. New Haven Review is also a program of the Institute Library.

But New Haven Review is so much more!

Its editors and contributors blog for its website about the arts and literature.

It features, hands down, the best theater reviewing in all of New Haven—covering nearly every play production from Long Wharf to Yale Rep to New Haven Theater Company to smaller independent productions.

It hosts author talks at The Institute Library by local writers.

It collaborates with New Haven Theater Company in the presentation of the Listen Here! Short Story Reading series the 3rd Tuesday night of each month.

It commonly throws for its subscribers the best winter party in town at the Institute Library.
Want to know more?  Find us at http://newhavenreview.com and subscribe!

New Haven stands with Standing Rock outside Wells Fargo Bank

Thirty-five people protested outside of Wells Fargo Bank across from the New Haven Green on Oct. 20 because of the bank’s support of the Dakota Access pipeline.

Melinda Tuhus, organizer of New Haven Stands with Standing Rock, reports: ” …we shut down the bank for the last 10 minutes of the day… We got 25 more names for future work and handed out 100 flyers. We sang and chanted for quite awhile and local activist Norman Clement (Penobscot) spoke about his visit last month to Standing Rock. Afterward some of us discussed potential future actions, most likely around Thanksgiving.”

From the flyer at the protest:

Wells Fargo is a major investor in the Dakota Access pipeline, being built by Energy Transfer Partners at the edge of the Standing Rock Sioux reservation and on their historic territory in North Dakota. The tribe is leading a global campaign to stop the pipeline, which threatens their water source – the Missouri River – and that of millions of people downstream.

Wells Fargo is contributing $467 million to the $3.8 billion globally funded project; the bank needs to cut off its financial support for this pipeline. If you are a Wells Fargo customer, please ask the bank to pull its funding for the pipeline. You can back up your request by moving your money to a local bank or a credit union.

Thousands of indigenous “protectors” are putting their bodies on the line to stop the destructive fracked oil pipeline. Its 1,100-mile path would move 500,000 barrels a day of heavy oil across four states from North Dakota to Illinois, not only threatening the water but also – through its massive carbon emissions – contributing to the over-heating of the planet beyond its capacity to maintain life as we know it.

While the issue is tied up in court, construction continues, and the protectors are facing increasing arrests and more repressive police action in response to their militant but non-violent stance. They say this pipeline cannot and will not go forward, and we stand with them.

For more information go to http://www.nodaplsolidarity.org, or contact New Haven Stands with Standing Rock [email protected].

Celebration of the UN International Day of Peace

This Ginkgo tree is a gift to New Haven from Japan.

Jim Pandaru hold the umbrella for New Haven Peace Commission representative Al Marder. (photo: Aaron Goode)

Jim Pandaru hold the umbrella for New Haven Peace Commission representative Al Marder. (photo: Aaron Goode)

It is a sapling survivor of the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima, August 6, 1945, and was planted in the United Nations Peace Garden (Ella Grasso Boulevard and Legion Avenue) on Sept. 18 at the opening of the International Day of Peace celebration in the West River neighborhood.

Neighbors at the ceremony. (photo: Aaron Goode)

Neighbors at the ceremony. (photo: Aaron Goode)

 

Register now for CABHN’s annual Legislative Forum Nov. 18

“The CT State Budget: What is it? What can you do about it?” Friday, Nov. 18, from 9 a.m.-noon Legislative Office Building, 300 Capitol Ave., Room 2E, Hartford.

To register, go to http://www.cabhn.org/upcoming-events.

CABHN (CT Alliance for Basic Human Needs) invites you to its FREE annual Legislative Education Forum. Join Sen. Beth Bye, Rep. Toni Walker, legislative staff, advocates, and lobbyists to learn how the budget process works, when in the process one can have an impact, and the current state of CT’s budget. CABHN’s Legislative Education Series fills up fast so reserve your spot today!

Supporters of Standing Rock water protectors plan local action 4:30 p.m. Thursday Oct. 20

Supporters of the Standing Rock water protectors in North Dakota are holding a second local action at one of the banks that’s helping to fund the Dakota Access pipeline.

They will be at the Wells Fargo bank branch on the corner of the New Haven Green at Church and Elm streets on Thursday, Oct. 20, from 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Please come and bring signs and noisemakers.

More info: [email protected], 203.623.2186.

Jeremy Scahill Keynote Speaker in New Haven Oct. 8

Between the Lines Press Release

Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker of “Dirty Wars,” Jeremy Scahill will be the keynote speaker at Between The Lines/Squeaky Wheel Productions’ 25th anniversary event on Saturday, Oct. 8 at United Church on the Green, 270 Temple St., New Haven, from 2-4 p.m. He’ll address ongoing U.S. wars, drone warfare and other foreign policy issues facing the U.S. during this presidential election campaign and long after.

scahill-democracynowAdvance tickets are $10/ $15 at the door. Ticket outlet for main event: Best Video Film and Cultural Center, 1842 Whitney Ave., Hamden. Online tickets available at BrownPaperTickets.com: BetweenTheLines25thAnniversary.brownpapertickets.com.

Democracy in Action Awards will also be presented to Barbara Fair, New Haven community activist, to The Dragonfly Climate Collective and to Unidad Latina en Acción.

Scahill is an award-winning investigative journalist with The Nation magazine, correspondent for Democracy Now! and author of the bestselling book, “Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army,” about America’s outsourcing of its military. He is a two-time winner of the George Polk Award and producer and writer of the Academy Award-nominated documentary film “Dirty Wars,” based on his book. His latest book is “The Assassination Complex.”

After the talk, a reception and silent auction will be held in New Haven, $50/ticket. Please RSVP by Saturday, Oct. 1 by calling (203) 268-8446. We’ll give directions when you reserve and/or send check made payable to Squeaky Wheel Productions, P.O. Box 110176, Trumbull, CT 06611. Please include email and/or phone.

For more information see: http://Squeakywheel.net or call (203) 268-8446.

Co-sponsors include Progressive Action Roundtable at PAR-NewHaven.org, The Greater New Haven Peace Council chapter of USPeaceCouncil.org, Promoting Enduring Peace at www.pepeace.org and Middle East Crisis Committee at thestruggle.org.

Speak Up for Your Community and Against Privatization

by Robin Latta, Community Supporter

Families, group home residents and the dedicated state workers that serve them are uniting to fight the Connecticut Legislature and Gov. Dannel Malloy’s plan to privatize the Department of Developmental Disability Services. They are looking for support from the community and ask you to join their fight.

Tell Malloy and the State Legislature that there are other ways to balance the budget than off the backs of our most vulnerable citizens who cannot speak for themselves…there are other ways to balance the budget than to attack well-trained union workers and lower the wages of workers to below that of a living wage.

Based on testimony from a career case manager of thirty years who has worked in private group homes, critical therapeutic relationships will be severed when the turnover of workers dramatically increases due to lower wages associated with privatization. It was also reported that some specialized medical services now delivered in state run group homes will no longer be available in private group homes and residents in need would likely be transferred to a nursing home to receive these services.
Malloy and the State Legislature want to say that the money saved through privatization of group homes will be used to help get individuals off the waiting lists that have lingered there for years. However when asked directly for specific plans to implement this goal, none appear to be available.

They have turned a deaf ear to a union proposal to provide intensive home care services provided by state workers to those individuals on the waiting list (over 2,000 all together) who could most benefit from these services.

We know that ‘austerity’ does not benefit the majority of the people. Instead, let’s stop the endless wars, lower the bloated military budget and tax the wealthy according to their fair share in the wealthiest state in the nation.

Contact: Our Families Can’t Wait movement. Colleen McGill [email protected] or call (571) 206-7793.

Come to a meeting/stand outside a group home with a sign… WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!

New Haven To UI: Not One More Dime | New Haven Independent

by Markeshia Ricks, Sep 13, 2016 ©2016 New Haven Independent

New Haveners concerned about a proposed rate increase said that they want United Illuminating to have the infrastructure to withstand superstorms, but that they’ve already paid for it.

The electric company is asking the state Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) to grant a more than $100 million distribution rate increase over a three year period. The increase would generate $65.6 million next year, $27.1 million the following year and another $13.4 million in 2019. This would raise individual customer bills by an average of about $30 a month over that three-year period, according to the Office of Consumer Counsel.

The counsel’s office opposes the rate increase. It also came out for reducing by almost $10, to $7.63, a residential fixed charge that UI levies.

UI said it needs the increase to replace poles and wires and make other investments to avoid power outages during major storms.

More than 35 residents from New Haven and other parts of the state attended a PURA hearing Monday in the Hall of Records at 200 Orange St. to oppose the rate increase. They said some people already can’t afford their bills. And they argued that the rate increase de-incentivizes energy-efficiency efforts.
Several people also argued that UI is primarily seeking to line the pockets of its new parent company, Spain-based Iberdrola.

Frank Panzarella said that stats already showed during the last rate increase request that Connecticut residents are having trouble paying their bills. He asked what made UI think that customers can afford to pay more. [….]

For the complete article, visit: New Haven To UI: Not One More Dime | New Haven Independent.

Protesters Occupy Board of Alders Meeting

by Jon Greenberg, Contributing reporter, Sep 22, Yale Daily News

Members of the Board of Alders met Tuesday evening in City Hall to discuss a plan to allocate funds for a new police dog. But the meeting took an unexpected turn when about fifty New Haven residents, who were protesting police brutality just outside, stormed the chamber.

The protesters — who waved homemade posters and chanted slogans like “No justice, no peace, no racist police” — occupied the hall for over an hour. During that time, they expressed their frustrations to the alders and proposed courses of action that they believed the city government should take to curb police brutality and empower New Haven residents. The protest was spurred by the alleged assault of New Haven resident Holly Tucker by two New Haven Police Department police officers during a traffic stop on Sept. 10. Tucker, who was at the protest, said she was dragged from her car by one of the officers, thrown to the ground, handcuffed and spent the night in jail while her young daughter was unaware of the situation and waiting for her, worried, at home. At the protest, Tucker showed that she still had bruises on her arms from the altercation.

“A mother was dragged out of her car and we’re here talking about a dog,” said Barbara Fair, Holly Tucker’s mother and the leader of Tuesday’s protest.

To read the complete article, visit: Protesters occupy Board of Alders meeting

The Solution is Socialism: A One Day Conference Oct. 22, CCSU New Britain

by CCSU Youth for Socialist Action

socialism“The Solution is Socialism” conference will be held at 105 Ella Grasso Blvd. in New Britain (Central CT State University campus) on Oct. 22 from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Lunch will be served and the location is handicapped accessible. Please help us plan lunch and RSVP!

Call (203) 400-3246 or visit facebook.com/CCSUYSA.

It has never been clearer. Capitalism is the problem. It is a system built on inequality and exploitation, poverty for the vast majority of the world’s people, racism, sexism, homo-phobia, and the destruction of the planet’s life-sustaining natural systems. But what is the solution? Come to an educational conference organized around the conviction that we can build a socialist future managed and enriched by working class democracy, creativity and solidarity.

Speakers:

  • Alix Shabazz: Freedom Inc., Movement for Black Lives Today
  • David Kiely: Youth for Socialist Action, Capitalist Crisis & Revolutionary Socialist Strategy Today
  • Hannah A. Holleman: Amherst College, Method in Ecological Marxism
  • Charles Post: Borough of Manhattan Community College, Origins of US Capitalism
  • Alan Sears: Ryerson University, Toronto, Marxism and LGBTQI Liberation
  • Wendy Z. Goldman: Carnegie Mellon University, Women, the State, and Revolution
  • Edmond Caldwell: Independent Scholar, The Revolutionary Culture of the Paris Commune
  • Johnny E. Williams: Trinity College, The Carceral State as a Social Control and Profit-Making Agent

    International Guests:

  • Juan Cruz Ferre: Partido de los Trabajadores de Socialistas, The Left and Workers Front (FIT) Electoral Strategy and Victory in Argentina
  • Student Representative: Movimiento Independista Nacional Hostosiano, The Fight Against Austerity in Puerto Rico

    Special Appearance:

  • Jeff Mackler: Socialist Action candidate for President

The conference is free. Donations are appreciated.

Let’s Talk About Climate Change in October

by Chris Schweitzer, Director, NHLSCP

Climate change effects us all, so let’s talk about what it means, how we’re feeling about it and ways to respond. Healthy City/Healthy Climate Challenge (HCC) invites you to hold a discussion this October as a way to support a wider response to this new challenge. HCC has organized great resources for holding discussions.

There are many different ways that you can support climate discussions:

  • Organize a climate change talk at your organization or home.
  • Promote online discussions and blogs.
  • Watch and share videos (suggestions in our resource kit).
  • Print and hang up the posters (provided in our resource kit).
  • Create a series of Facebook posts related to climate change throughout October.
  • Get speakers from environmental organizations to come talk (HCC can suggest possible ones).
  • Participate in any of the HCC-sponsored climate change discussions this October (more details to follow).

Our resources include global warming videos, websites, articles, letters, visual tools, activity ideas, posters and graphics, so be sure to check them out! Let us know if you organize a discussion or have other ideas on how to engage people. We’re excited about this chance to get people talking…AND taking concrete steps to create a healthier future!

Contact Chris at [email protected] or (203) 562-1607.

New Haven/Leon Sister City Project works to promote social justice, education and sustainable development in Nicaragua and Connecticut. For more information see newhavenleon.org; www.facebook.com/newhavenleon; email [email protected]; or call (203) 562-1607.

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