Greater New Haven NAACP to hold prayer service

NEW HAVEN - The Greater New Haven Branch of the NAACP and its Religious Affairs Committee will hold a prayer service for healing and rebirth and sponsor a collection of non-perishable items for shipment to Haiti from 6:30 to 8 p.m. March 5 at Varick AME Zion Church, 242 Dixwell Ave.
Amonbg items sought are first aid kits, antibiotics, clothing and footwear for adults
and children, comb and brush sets, soap, toothbrush and toothpaste,
shampoo, towels, wash cloths, deodorant, lotion, blankets,
sheets, food and water.
Music and refreshments will be provided.

Quinnipiac to offer grad student info

NORTH HAVEN — Quinnipiac University will offer information sessions for prospective graduate students March 20, at the 370 Bassett Road campus.
Sessions are at 10 a.m. for those interested in learning about the master’s degree program for physician assistants and at 11:30 a.m. for students interested in learning about other master’s degree programs.
The first program will begin with an overview at 10 a.m., followed by a presentation about the physician assistant program from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Tours of the campus will be offered.
The second program will begin with an overview at 11:30 a.m., followed by a presentation about the other master’s degree programs noon-1 p.m. Tours will follow.
For more information, call the Graduate Admissions Office at 203-582-8672 or visit www.quinnipiac.edu/gradinfosession to register for the event online.

If I had a hammer...

NEW HAVEN - Carpentry instructor Sal Lombardo and students from New Haven's Eli Whitney Technical High School gather in Yale Law School's Levinson Auditorium, where Lombardo's carpentry students worked on a cooperative project with the Law School to construct and install 580 replacement desktops for the auditorium, a popular location for Yale College classes and major university events.

Photo by Tyson Streeter/Yale Law School



Editor's note: Thank you to Kathy Colello, news director for the Office of Public Affairs at Yale Law School for providing this information and photo.

SCSU ensembles to play for Haiti

NEW HAVEN - The community of Southern Connecticut State University is rallying together to support the relief effort in Haiti and a concert to benefit the cause will be held at 7 p.m. March 3 in Engleman C-112.


As a part of this large-scale effort, the SCSU Music Department and honor-service society Zeta Delta Epsilon will present a benefit concert for Haitian relief as part of the campus commitment to “365 days of Haiti relief,” SCSU said in a statement.

The March 3 concert features student performers and Southern ensembles, including the Jazz Standards Ensemble, University Choir, Blues Ensemble and Latin Jazz Ensemble.
The public is invited to drop in at any time to make a donation and listen to the SCSU ensembles, the statement said.

Suggested donation is $5 for students and $10 for faculty, staff and general public. Refreshments and T-shirts will be available at the event for purchase. All proceeds from will be added to the campus fund for Haitian relief set up by the Office of Student Life.

The SCSU Haiti Relief Committee will continue to organize fundraisers on Southern’s campus to address humanitarian needs of that country. "Zeta Delta Epsilon strives to advance the spirit of service and fellowship and promote and recognize scholarship and service within the student body," the statement said.
For more information about the Haiti Relief Committee, call Aaron Washington at 203-392-5885. For more information about the March 3 concert, call David Chevan in the Music Department at (203)392-6630.

Author who has written about terrorism to speak in Woodbridge

WOODBRIDGE — Emad ElSirgany, a native Egyptian who has written about terrorism, will speak at 1 p.m. March 15 at the Greater New Haven Jewish Community Center, 360 Amity Road.
ElSirgany was sent to a secret political prison in Saudi Arabia in 1977.
An order for his execution was denied by President Anwar Sadat. ElSirgany fled to the United States with information about terrorism and the Saudi arms deals in the Middle East.
ElSirgany will speak at a meeting of the National Council of Jewish Women, Greater New Haven Section.
He has written two books on the subject, including “The Defilers: Sowing the Seeds of Terrorism,” and spoken on TV, radio and at universities.
For more information, call the center at 203-387-2522.

Designs sought for memorial to honor veterans

Gov. M. Jodi Rell has announced the design competition for the first statewide memorial to honor all state veterans has opened for submissions, with the deadline for entries at 3 p.m. April 14.

The state veterans’ memorial will be located on a grassy meadow adjacent to the Col. Raymond F. Gates State Veterans Cemetery, which is across from the State Veterans Home on West Street in Rocky Hill, Rell's office said in a statement.
Groundbreaking is expected later this spring or summer with a dedication ceremony to be held by the end of the year, the statement said.

The Connecticut State Veterans Memorial design competition is open to state residents, artists, architects, landscape architects and resident/non-resident students who are enrolled in Connecticut institutions of higher learning, the statement said.

Submissions are welcome from those who can fulfill all submission requirements. All entry rules, instructions and site photos are available at www.cthonorsvets.org or by e-mailing president@cthonorsvets.org, the statement said.

“Throughout the history of our nation, more than 1.3 million Connecticut citizens have served in defense of our country’s peace and freedom,” Rell said in the statement. “The Connecticut State Veterans Memorial will be a central, dignified place to pay honor to state heroes and heroines of the past, honor the veterans of today and demonstrate the deep appreciation we hold for their service for generations to come.”

Rell also said financial support from individuals, businesses and veterans’ service organizations from across the state is needed "to make the creation of this memorial a reality."
She noted that the state "responded with overwhelming financial support when we brought 700 troops home for the holidays in December," and is "confident the citizens of this great state will respond with the same generous support, particularly when it comes to honoring our veterans who never made it home after serving our country.”

Rell announced the effort to build a statewide memorial in November 2008 and provided $100,000 in seed money through capital funding to help support its initial design and construction, the statement said. She appointed an advisory committee; Department of Veterans’ Affairs Commissioner Dr. Linda Schwartz is chairwoman.

To contribute, checks and money orders should be made payable to Connecticut State Veterans Memorial, Inc. and mailed to: Connecticut State Veterans Memorial, Inc., c/o Rockville Bank, P.O. Box 660, Rockville, 06066. Donations can be made online at www.cthonorsvets.org.

The Connecticut State Veterans Memorial, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, the statement said. for more information, see here.


Editor's note: This information posted here as a public service, and with respect for all veterans, was provided wholly in a release by the governor's office. It is only lightly edited here.

Calling all actors

Are you ready for your close up?

"The Day of the Rice Cake Coupon" is a short film, to be shot in Derby in May by Olivia Snyder-Spak.
Snyder-Spak is a former Amity student and is currently a senior at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.
She is shooting this film as her culminating thesis project.
Adams Super Food Store on Route 34 in Derby has generously offered their store location for the shooting of the film, which will enhance the authenticity of the production, Snyder-Spak said.
The story is a semi-autobiographical comedy inspired by Snyder-Spak's experiences working at a local grocery store during high school, she said.
It centers around several teenagers who work in a supermarket and features their interactions with a variety of quirky customers, she said.
The script started out as a short story Snyder-Spak wrote for her high school newspaper. In college, she reworked it into a script that went on to win the Laing Scriptwriting Award and the White River Indie Film Award.
The film production is being funded by awards won by the script and by grants, Snyder-Spak said.
The final film will be submitted to festivals nationwide.
Snyder-Spak credits her enrollment during high school in the ACES Educational Center for the Arts in New Haven with creating her first interest in the performing arts.

ECA is the state's oldest Interdistrict Magnet School dedicated to the arts and is unique in that it allows the student to attend their home town school half of the day and immerse themselves in the arts at the ECA facility during the remainder of their day; students graduate from their home school, she noted.


During her years at Dartmouth Snyder-Spak has worked within and outside the Dartmouth curriculum to broaden her experience, she said.
Most recently she worked as an assistant to a creative executive at Columbia Pictures in Los Angeles during the productions of Salt and Zombieland. She also has worked as an assistant producer and assistant editor to an independent documentary director, which earned her first listing in the Internet Movie Database - that's IMDB.com.

Snyder-Spak said intends to fill some of the production and acting roles with local high school students. Auditions for the project will take place from 5 to 10 p.m. March 19 at the Woodbridge Community Center, on Center Road. Parts are available for a wide range of ages. Anyone interested in acting or being involved in film production should contact her at: the.day.of.the.rice.cake.coupon@gmail.com

Stretch out at the New Haven Public Library

Let your inner animal out

NEW HAVEN - Just in time for tax day (that's April 15, in case you forgot)a therapeutic session of Tai Chi will be held at the the New Haven Public Library, 133 Elm St.
Instructor Kathleen Brenner, shown, returns with her "popular series of six classes designed to provide beginners with the skills to practice on their own," the library said in a statement.
The class will meet 5:30-6:30 p.m., Thursdays, from April 15 through May 20.
Brenner will lead the class through a 10form set of Yang style tai chi, derived from the form practiced in parks and sidewalks worldwide, the statement said.
No previous experience is required, just wear comfortable clothing, it said.
A $10 series contribution will be collected at the first class. Registration is required at www.taichispring10.eventbrite.com.
Free parking is available, and the class will meet on the library terrace overlooking the New Haven Green. Indoor space is available in case of incelement weather, the statement said.

Look what the Mayo Clinic has to say about Tai Chi. It says "there are more than 100 possible movements and positions with Tai Chi, many of which are named for animals or nature."

P.S. Debbie Kahan offers Library Yoga 1 to 2 p.m., Wednesdays, Feb. 10-Mar. 24, library. Classes are suitable for all levels and include basic poses and meditation, organizers said. Participants should wear comfortable clothing and bring a mat. No previous yoga experience is required. A $5 donation will be collected for each class. Information at www.libraryyoga2.eventbrite.com or 203-946-8835.

March is Women's History Month

NEW HAVEN — The New Haven Public Library, 133 Elm St., celebrates Women’s History Month. To register, call 203-946-8835 or go online as listed below.
The events are:
March 3, 5:30-7:30 p.m., free showing of “Gaslight” (1944), mystery starring Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer, shown in photo.
March 3, 10, 17, 1-2 p.m., yoga with Debbie Kahan, $5 donation at door. RSVP: www.libraryyoga.eventbrite.com.
March 4, 6-7 p.m., Anne Fadiman and students present “First Person Singular: An Evening of Personal Essays.” Contact http://www.annefadiman.eventbrite.com.
March 10, 6-7 p.m., “The Science of Memory and Aging” with Yale senior research scientist. Contact http://www.memoryandaging.eventbrite.com .
March 16, 6-7 p.m., meet Aife Murray, author of “Maid As Muse: How Servants Changed Emily Dickinson’s Life and Language.” Contact http://www.maidasmuse.eventbrite.com.
March 17, 6-7 p.m., Elm Street Book Group, “The Art of Racing in the Rain” by Garth Stein. RSVP: www.artofracing.eventbrite.com.
March 18, 4:30-6:30 p.m., seminar on nonprofits. RSVP: http://www.nonprofitstories.eventbrite.com.
March 24, 6-7 p.m., meet Terry Walters, author of “Clean Food,” cooking demonstration and samples. RSVP: www.cleanfood.eventbrite.com.
March 25, 6-7 p.m., “First Ladies and the Press,” presented by Lisa Burns, Quinnipiac University professor. Contact www.firstladies.eventbrite.com.
March 31, 5:30-7:30 p.m., showing of “Born Yesterday,” (1950), comedy starring Judy Holiday, William Holden, Broderick Crawford.
March 31, 6-7:30 p.m., fiction-writing workshop with author Patricia Lapidus. RSVP: www.writingfiction.eventbrite.com.

Yale-New Haven Hospital awards $10,000 to Fellowship Place

NEW HAVEN - Yale-New Haven Hospital recently awarded a grant of $10,000 to Fellowship Place, which qualified for a $5,000 matching grant from the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven, YNHH said in a statement.

Fellowship Place provides housing, meals, homeless outreach and engagement, and psycho-social services for people recovering from severe mental illness.

Shown in the photo at the check presentation are, l to r, Dee Melio, program coordinator, YNHH community and government relations; Mary A. Guerrera, executive director, Fellowship Place; and Melissa Holroyd, Fellowship Place development director.

Get onboard the “Dinosaur Train”

NEW HAVEN - On Thursday, March 4, Dinosaur paleontologist Dr. Scott Sampson, research curator at the Utah Museum of Natural History and primary scientific consultant and on-air host of Discovery Channel’s Dinosaur Planet and the PBS series Dinosaur Train, will visit the Yale Peabody Museum to explore some of the latest ideas and controversies about dinosaurs at 5:30 p.m. March 4.
The talk is free and open to the public and will be held in the third floor auditorium.
Keep in mind: For "more than a century, paleontologists have been collecting abundant, often spectacular dinosaur fossils from the Western Interior of North America. Only recently have we learned that most of these dinosaurs—among them horned, duck-billed, dome-headed, and armored plant-eaters, as well as giant tyrannosaur meat-eaters and smaller “raptor-like” predators—existed on a “lost continent” known as Laramidia," according to organizers.
Talk topics include: How were so many giant animals able to co-exist on such a diminutive landmass? Why were most of these dinosaurs adorned with bizarre bony features such as horns, crests, domes, or spikes? How did the predatory giant Tyrannosaurus rex ultimately evolve, and what factors may have led to the great extinction of dinosaurs at the close of the Mesozoic Era?
Following the presentation, Sampson will sign copies of his recent book, "Dinosaur Odyssey: Fossil Threads in the Web of Life." The first comprehensive review of dinosaur paleontology for a general audience in more than two decades, it covers the topics addressed in the talk.

Editor's note: this information was provided by the Yale Peabody Museum

“A Conversation with Jennifer Baszile”

STRATFORD - The first black woman to teach history at Yale University is the guest speaker at an upcoming event at the Stratford Library.
The “One Book, One Stratford," community-wide reading event begun last January at the Stratford Library continues through March with “A Conversation with Jennifer Baszile” at 6:30 p.m. March 2.
"The idea behind the “One Book” program is that everyone in town reads the same book at the same time, much like a town-wide book club," organizers said.
The library chose Baszile’s acclaimed memoir about growing up black in a white suburb in Los Angeles, "The Black Girl Next Door," as the town’s selection, organizers said in a statement.
At the special library event, Baszile, shown, will meet and discuss her memoir in an informal setting with an intergenerational audience including area teenagers as well as adult patrons, the statement said.
Baszile earned her bachelor's degree from Columbia and her doctorate in American history from Princeton, the statement said.
She was the first black female professor to join Yale University's history department and has been named one of the "Thirty Leaders of the Future" by Ebony magazine. She currently lives in Connecticut.
“A Conversation with Jennifer Baszile” will be held in the Stratford Library Lovell Room. Co-sponsored by Simon & Schuster, it is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will follow the program.
For more information call the library Public Relations & Programming Office at 203-385-4162 or visit www.stratfordlibrary.org.

Editor's note: the information contained here was provided wholly by the Stratford Library. It is lightly edited here.

You still can't sivilize him: Huck Finn at the library

"What's the use you learning to do right, when it's troublesome to do right and ain't no trouble to do wrong, and the wages is just the same?"

NEW HAVEN - Craig Hotchkiss, education program manager for the Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford, will present Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: An American Story, from 6 to 7 p.m. April 14 at New Haven Public Library, 133 Elm St.
Hotchkiss will examine the history of race relations in America and the role that Mark Twain's book has played over the years, library officials said in release.
Although race is only one of the themes explored in this classic American novel, Huck Finn was controversial almost immediately upon publication in 1884, for its earthy (sometimes offensive) language and depiction of racial stereotypes, the release said.
Slavery had been abolished, but there was a great deal of discussion about the "staus" of freedmen, especially during the Jim Crow era when the book first came out, the release said.
Huck Finn is still one of the most challenged books in the United States, including in New Haven, where it was removed from the 8th grade curriculum in 1995, the release said.
The library presents this discussion to mark National Library Week (April 11-17). There is no charge and free parking is available. For more information, visit www.huckfinn.eventbrite.com or call 203-946-8835.

Editor's note: this information and photo was wholly provided by the New Haven Free Public Library.

Proud of their heritage

And helping out in today's world

NEW HAVEN - The Connecticut Italian American Organization got a treat Friday: a social at the home of U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3.
CIAO Sorelle is a sorority for women of Italian heritage, President Laura Impelluso Maniglia said.
It is a cultural and social networking organization, launched in spring 2009, and based on the Shoreline, she said.
CIAO, Sorelle is an affiliate of the National Italian American Foundation, Impelluso Maniglia said.
Any Connecticut woman who has at least one Italian grandparent, and is interested in exploring their Italian heritage is invited to join. Recent events have included social and charitable events.
For more information about membership, email ciao709@yahoo.com, or send a letter to CIAO, Sorelle 1204 Main Street #214 Branford, Connecticut.

First of its kind art demonstration in Old Lyme Saturday

OLD LYME - David Black, a Stonington artist and Fulbright Scholar, will demonstrate a unique concept of collaborative painting developed in Tunisia to students of Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday.

This will be the first demonstration of this concept in the United States, organizers said.

The event will also be attended by three international dignitaries: Mustapha Tlili, who is director of Center for Dialogues, Islamic World: U.S. - the West; Ira Goldberg, director of the Art Students League, both in NYC, and Francis Dubois who served at the United Nations for 31 years. Dubois left the UN to promote art as a way of building bridges between cultures and is organizing exhibitions in various countries, including the United States, organizers said in a statement.

Black has participated in the U.S. Department of State’s ART in Embassies Program since 1997, the statement said. Four of his paintings were selected for the ambassador’s residence by the United States Ambassador to Tunisia, Robert Godec, in 2007, it said. In 2008, Black was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to conduct workshops with Tunisian artists.

In the collaborative approach that was developed by Hechmi Ghachem, leader of a group of artists at the Bouabana Art Space in Tunis, anyone in a group can paint at any time, and anyone can paint over another artist’s work. Disagreements are settled by one artist who is designated the leader for each painting. One artist is chosen to begin the painting and to say when it is finished.

The Tunisian Collaborative Painting Concept will be brought from Africa to America by David Black on Saturday, February 20th. Black will instruct and supervise three groups of students at Lyme Academy College on how to create group paintings using the Tunisian rules.

In November of this year six Tunisian artists will join David Black for two weeks in New York under the sponsorship of New York University’s Center for Dialogues: Islamic World-U.S.-The West. The seven artists will demonstrate the Tunisian collaborative painting concept at the Art Students League. Students from several New York-based art schools will attend the demonstration and have the opportunity to collaborate on paintings, the statement said.

Landry launches photo exhibit

NEW HAVEN - Radio personality and writer Pam Landry is having her first photography exhibit at 116 Crown Street.

While Landry is known for photos of everything from the beauty of the Connecticut shoreline to pets, this exhibit focuses on sand and sea.



To learn more about 116 Crown, visit: http://www.116crown.com/

New Haven Friends of Haiti to collect donations Saturday

NEW HAVEN — New Haven Friends of Haiti will hold its first widespread community effort to raise money and non-perishable items for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti last month from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at locations around the city, organizers said in a statement.

Volunteers will be at: Grand Avenue and Ferry Street; C-Town in the Fair Haven neighborhood; Kimberly & Lamberton; C-Town in the Hill neighborhood; intersection of Orchard Street, Dixwell Avenue and Munson Street; some other intersections around the city. Volunteers will be identified with badges and T-shirts displaying the flag of Haiti to ensure donors of the legitimacy of the organization.
"I urge our community to come out and help us bring the relief that our brothers and sisters need," state Rep. Juan Candelaria, D-New Haven, an organizer of the group said in the statement. "Despite all the efforts that have been done to raise money, Haiti is still in great need of support. It will take many years to restore this country and anything that we do will have a significant impact."
New Haven Friends of Haiti includes local elected officials, business owners, social agencies, and community volunteers who have been working to organize events centered on providing resources for the earthquake victims, the statement said.

Yale-New Haven to hold blood drive Feb. 24

NEW HAVEN -Yale-New Haven Hospital will sponsor a blood drive from 7 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Feb. 24, in the East Pavilion cafeteria special events area.

Recent bad weather in other parts of the country has reduced the number of extra units of blood that can be sent to this area.

To sign up to donate, call (203) 688-7436. Appointments are not necessary and walk-ins are welcome.

Free computer course

NEW HAVEN — Free computer classes for novices, including senior citizens, will be held for the spring at Gateway Community College at Long Wharf Campus. Classes will meet once a week for two hours.
Registration forms are available in the reception area at Gateway on Long Wharf. Registration ends 4 p.m. this Saturday.

Go Green with Shoreline League of Democratic Women

WESTBROOK - The Shoreline League of Democratic Women it will hold its free 4th Annual Green Lifestyle Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 27 at the Water’s Edge Resort and Spa.
The Green Lifestyle Fair will include more than 45 exhibitors, featuring energy alternatives, green products and services, the league said in a release.
"Industry experts and environmental advocates will be on hand to offer valuable insight into real world energy alternatives, financial incentives, conservation initiatives, and the most pressing challenges affecting our environment today," the release said.
There also will be a Green Book Fair, with special guest author, Nancy Elizabeth Wallace featuring her new book "Planting Seeds and Recycle Every Day!"
For more information on the event, visit www.SLDW.org, call 860-399-1147, or email: sldworg@gmail.com.
GREEN LIFESTYLE EXHIBITORS:
The Green Lifestyle Fair presents a variety of alternative energy solutions, exhibitors of green home and consumer products, service providers, and leading environmental groups, the release said. They include:
Alternative Energy - Solar, Wind, Geothermal, and Biodiesel
Aegis Solar Energy
Alteris Renewables
Waldo Renewable Electric
Hale Hill Biodiesel
King Energy Associates
East River Energy
CommunityEergy
Custom Mechanical Services
PV Squared
CT Clean Energy Fund
Energy Efficiency and Building Materials
CT Energy Efficiency Fund
Middletown Monitor Monitor of Bristol
Branford Building Supplies
The Home Depot
Tuxis Lumber Company
PPG Pittsburgh Paints
The ReCONNstruction Center
Bender Plumbing Supplies
Contractors, Consultants and Builders
JRV Home Inspection Services
Erik Block Design-Build
Green Homes
Consulting Engineering Services
Tavella Design Group
Erik’s Design-Build Associates
The Greensulators
Hybrid Automobiles
Grossman Chevrolet - Nissan
Lorensen Toyota Westbrook
Honda Ford of Branford
Locally Grown & Organic
Growing reen Co-op
CT Farm Fresh Express
The Farmer’s Cow
Green Earth Agriculture
Green Lifestyle
CT Green Team of Hydro-Dynamics
The Green Supply Company Merrill Lynch – Green Investing
Nardella’s Turf Care
SAVATREE
Natural Awakenings Magazine
Green Advocacy Groups
CT Fund for the Environment
PACE - People’s Action for Clean Energy
Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance
And more eco-friendly representatives from leading companies!

About the Shoreline League of Democratic Women
The Shoreline League of Democratic Women is dedicated to educating its members about political and social issues important to women of all ages. Women from thirteen towns in Southeastern Connecticut are encouraged to join the SLDW and participate in the organization’s valuable work in the community. Members can be involved in any capacity, whether it is 30 minutes a month, or 30 minutes a year. As a part of the SLDW educational charter, members will be notified of important pending state and national legislation. For more information on the Shoreline League of Democratic Women, please send email to sldworg@gmail.com or contact Betsy Hodgson at (203) 887-2211. Visit their web site at http://www.SLDW.org.

Editor's note: this information was provided by the Shoreline League of Democratic Women. It is lightly edited here and is provided as a public service only, not as an endorsement of any political party.

New MediaHaven tonight

Prolific Interactive is proud to present the first ever New MediaHaven at Black Bear Saloon from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight.

The event is the first of its kind in Greater New Haven area and will bring all techies, creatives, entrepreneurs and anyone who is interested in the digital space together, some place other than Twitter, organizers said.
New Media Haven is the perfect event to meet, greet and have a good time with people while talking digital.

"We encourage you to relax andtake in a couple of demos from local Connecticut companies," organizers said.

Featured presenters are Ben Berkowitz, CEO of SeeClickFix, and Odin Liam Wright, founder of Beeing.com, who both will showcase their kick a-- companies, organizers said.

The event will include Black Bear’s complimentary dishes of food and drink specials.

More on Ben Berkowitz: "Local T-shirt king, graphic designer and free-lanceweb designer, he can also manage your construction project whilespinning records. As a fourth generation New Havenite, Ben knows almost everyone and quotes the comments on New Haven Independent forfun."
And, on Odin Liam Wright: "Industrial Designer, Artist, Entrepreneur & Founderof Beeing.com (a social media platform that adds a social layer to the web). Liam has always had a strong desire to create new products and to develop them with like-minded individuals. After leaving the NYCadverting scene to take time to travel and finish grad school, he started part-time a design service to maintain an income. Subsequentlyit grew into a design company - the V3 Group - a service orientedcompany, which out of that experience in the interactive 3D virtualworld created a LLC, Beeing - that is now a product oriented company."
Anyone interested in presenting at, or sponsoring a New MediaHaven event, can e-mail info@prolificinteractive.com.

Editor's note: details here are thanks to New MediaHaven organizers

Collective Consciousness Theatre honors Black History Month

NEW HAVEN - In honor of Black History Month, Young Audiences Arts for Learning Connecticut will bring the Collective Consciousness Theatre production "Struggle for Freedom" to the Wilson Library, 303 Washington Ave.

"Featuring the voices of eight of our country’s greatest freedom fighters, three actors will bring to life the struggles of the civil rights period and beyond, teaching an important lesson in history," organizers said in a statement.

The free program will runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dinner will be served. Organizers request that an adult family member (over 18) accompanies children and youths for "the best possible experience."

The Family Night Out series, to increase family involvement in community events, is sponsored by Young Audiences Arts for Learning Connecticut, based in Hamden; Easter Seals Goodwill Industries; the Annie E. Casey Foundation; and the Department of Cultural Affairs for the City of New Haven.

For more information, call the library at 203-946-2228.

Editor's note: Elm City Express offers its thanks to Collective Consciousness Theatre for this release. Photo is courtesy of Young Audiences

West Haven Pee Wee B Hockey Team takes the icy plunge

WEST HAVEN - The West Haven Icy Plunge for the Cure recently brought more than 230 people into the rightfully not quite frozen but truly freezing waters of Long Island Sound.
The event raised $42,000 in support of breast cancer research, organizers said.
Among those taking part in this year’s mid-winter swim were 17 young hockey players from the West Haven Youth Hockey Pee Wee B Travel Team, team officials said in a statement.
The catalyst behind this brave group of 11- and 12 year-olds was Hunter Cole.
For several years Hunter has asked his parents Bill and Jennifer, both long-time supporters of the event, if he could take the plunge; this year they finally relented and he received their permission, the statement said.
Hunter’s next step was to get as many of his hockey buddies as he could to join him.
So after one early season practice he approached his teammates about taking the plunge with him.
He didn’t have to ask twice; the team, players and coaches alike, responded with unanimous enthusiasm and immediately began their fundraising efforts, the statement said.
A tightly knit group of friends off the ice, the team is having a very successful year on the ice, the statement said.
Team members are: Michael Annunziata, Joe Bepko, John Brunetti, Hunter Cole, Wyatt Condon, Kevin Coyle, Chris Durost, Justin Edwards, Donny Froehlich, Brian Kelly, Matt Kennedy, Dean Luedee, Jake Lynch, Jerry Maus, Kalan Morgillo, Tyler Paine, and Chris Woolsey. The coaches are Dave Coyle and Eric Wagner.

Fat Tuesday is here

By Andrew Lorentz


NEW HAVEN — Dig the mask out of your closet; it’s time for Mardi Gras.
The New Haven Public Library has rented a room at the Lawn Club, 193 Whitney Avenue, to celebrate. It starts at 5:30 p.m. Fat Tuesday – that’s Tuesday - and will include refreshments, holding a silent auction, and awards. A live jazz band will play. And whether you masquerade or show up after work, camaraderie will abound, organizers promised.
Tickets are $75 and for that you can eat, dance, mingle and enjoy a night off. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Full details are available at the Library Patrons Web site, www.newhavenlibrarypatrons.com.

Ask-A-Lawyer

NEW HAVEN — The New Haven County Bar’s Ask-A-Lawyer program offers free legal advice to the public.
Attorneys volunteer at local libraries to provide information on all legal matters including car accidents, probate matters, real estate and divorce.
Many legal problems may not be resolved during the initial consultation.
"Fear not," said association Executive Director Carolyn Witt. "If your matter requires more extensive attention, you will be referred to a qualified, prescreened attorney through the Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service."
Using the association’s Lawyer Referral Service generally carries a fee of $35, but the fee is waived for participants of the Ask-A-Lawyer program.
"It’s a win-win for anyone in need of an attorney," said Witt.
The lawyers meet the public at libraries in North Branford, Branford and New Haven.
Ask-A-Lawyer events coming up are Branford: Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., 6-7:45 p.m. Feb. 18; and Edward Smith Library, 3 Old Post Road, North Branford, 6-7:30 p.m. Feb. 24.
For a schedule of sessions, go to http://www.newhavenbar.org.

Think Pink

UNH and SCSU did and it paid off

The University of New Haven Department of Athletics has announced that fund raising proceeds from the 2010 Pink Zone® event have reached a record of more than $3,500.

As part of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's national initiative, which promotes breast cancer awareness, UNH will present checks to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fun and the Hospital of Saint Raphael's Father Michael J. McGivney Center for Cancer Care, organiers said in a statement.

With the joint efforts of Southern Connecticut State University, the UNH Pink Zone® initiative kicked off early last week with the sales of Pink Zone® Naming Ribbons and Pink Zone T-shirts on the UNH and SCSU campuses, the statement said.

The city of West Haven also sold Pink Zone® Naming Ribbons at City Hall.

With proceeds and a generous donation, West Haven added a $1,000 to the 2010 WBCA/Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

Sales of the ribbons and T-shirts, with other donations, which included a $100 donation from UNH professor Henry Lee, show with Deborah Chin, UNH Director of Athletics, brought 2010 proceeds to more than $3,500, the statement said. The 2010 mark broke last year's record of $2,500, the statement said. Organizers said special thanks goes to all the 2010 Pink Zone® sponsors for their support of breast cancer awareness:

Office of Student Activities, Office of Residential Life, Department of Athletics, Southern Connecticut State Athletics, Texas Roadhouse, Fireside Bar & Grill,Equinox Diner, Jones Beach Lifeguard Corps, Sodexo Dining Services, city of West Haven, SMILEStudent Athlete Advisory Committee, Emanon Dance Crew, UNH Cheerleaders, UNH Elite Step Team, and UNH Pep Band.

The WBCA began the WBCA Pink Zone®, formerly known as "Think Pink", in 2007 as an initiative to raise breast cancer awareness in women's basketball, on campuses and in communities the statement said.

Kay Yow, former North Carolina State University head women's basketball coach, served as the "catalyst for the initiative after her third reoccurrence of breast cancer in 2006," the statement said.

In 2007, more than 120 schools unified for this effort and helped make the inaugural year a success.

In 2008, over 1,200 teams and organizations participated, reaching over 830,000 fans and raising over $930,000 for breast cancer awareness and research. The 2009 campaign raised over $1.3 million, reached more than 912,000 fans, unified more than 1,600 participating teams and organizations, and saw 56+ schools break attendance records at their event.

For more information on the WBCA Pink Zone®, visit www.wbca.org/pinkzone.org.

The 2010 Pink Zone® event is part of the UNH Department of Athletics broader community engagement efforts, which seeks to help the surrounding towns and community organizations while providing opportunities for student-athletes, coaches and fans to give back to their communities, the statement saidHave an idea? Contact UNH Associate Director of Athletics, Susan Zawacki at szawacki@newhaven.edu.

Editor's note: Elm City Express is pleased to share this information - only lightly edited - provided courtesy of UNH.

It takes money to preserve history

HARTFORD — New Haven and two local nonprofits will receive Historical Preservation Technical Assistance Grants.
The recipients are:
- New Haven gets $5,750 for mapping of monuments, memorials and public art.
- New Haven Museum and Historical Society gets $10,000 for a conditions assessment of its Whitney Avenue headquarters.
- New Haven Preservation Trust gets $2,500 to create a database of records and images of structures listed on the State Historic Resource Inventory.
The grants are funded by the General Assembly, Connecticut Humanities Council and the Commission on Culture and Tourism. They were announced by Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, and Sen. Toni Harp, D-New Haven.
"The grants will help ensure that New Haven’s history isn’t neglected," Looney said in a statement. "Sometimes it takes modest investments to protect and preserve our local treasures. I’m pleased that the General Assembly and Gov. Rell have been able to work together on this important initiative."
Forty-one non-profit organizations and municipalities in Connecticut received Historic Preservation Technical Assistance Grants this year. The Connecticut Trust for Historical Preservation says that every grant, "… creates one or more short term jobs that employ architects, structural, mechanical and civil engineers, historic and preservation consultants, energy use consultants, technology firms and planning companies."

This news brief was created by Andrew Lorentz, from a statement released by the General Assembly offices of Looney and Harp.

Bowling to end domestic violence

Birmingham Group Health Services, Inc. is seeking bowlers and sponsors to participate in its annual Bowl-2-Benefit to be held March 6 at AMF Lanes, in Milford.

Proceeds from the event benefit BGHS’ The Umbrella program and Domestic Violence Services of Greater New Haven, which provide safe emergency shelter, 24-hour crisis, counseling, advocacy, support and other critical services for individuals and children affected by domestic violence, organizers said

This is the 22nd anniversary of the extremely popular community event that draws about 1,000 participants each year, organizers said.

Participants raise money for the event by forming bowling teams and collecting pledges. Individuals and/or businesses and organizations also can get involved by becoming an event or lane sponsor.

For information, call 203-736-2601 or visit http://www.bghealth.org/

Last year, the Bowl-2-Benefit raised more than $91,000, and event organizers hope to exceed that amount this year and attract an even larger bowling crowd.

Extra bowling lanes have been added to this year’s Bowl-2-Benefit to accommodate the continued growth of the event and the addition of a second event beneficiary: DVS.

DVS, which became an official program of BGHS in 2009, serves victims of domestic violence and their children in the Greater New Haven, Milford and Shoreline communities.

Participants of the Bowl-2-Benefit will have the option to bowl for either The Umbrella or DVS during any one of five bowling sessions, which at 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.

“We’re excited about the expansion of the event and the opportunity to touch the lives of an even greater number of persons affected by domestic violence,” Arlene Greco, director of Development for BGHS, said in a statement

“We’re hoping that the addition of DVS to the Bowl-2-Benefit will enable us to not only raise more funds but to also raise awareness about domestic violence among a much larger community of people.”

According to the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, more than 20 persons lose their lives to domestic violence in the state annually. Last year, The Umbrella program and DVS provided free emergency safe shelter, 24-hour crisis, counseling, advocacy, support and other crucial services to more than 9,000 battered women and their children in the Lower Naugatuck Valley, Greater New Haven, Milford, Shoreline and surrounding communities. Continuing decreases in state and federal funding, coupled with increases in demand for services, make fundraising events such as the Bowl-2-Benefit critical to sustaining services for those at risk and in need.

Yoga event to help Haiti

GUILFORD — Yoga in Bloom will hold a YOGA for a CAUSE event to benefit Haitian Ministries for the Norwich Diocese.
The free will donation yoga class, suitable for all levels, will be held from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, at the Nathanael B. Greene Community Center, 32 Church St.
Child care will be available, thanks to parent volunteers, organizers said. Mohawk Paper will donate materials for school-aged children to create an art project to be sent to the Norwich Mission House in Haiti.
Yoga in Bloom founder and teacher, Stefanie Patterson, will donate 100 percent of the proceeds of the event to the relief work of Haitian Ministries, organizers said.
"I find great joy in my yoga practice when teaching within a like-minded community, and I would like to foster a sense of love and peace for the Haitian people by quieting the mind, stretching the body and connecting the collective spirit," Patterson said.
Patterson selected Haitian Ministries because of its long-standing presence in Haiti and the work it does to support those in need, event organizers said.
The office of Haitian Ministries was inaugurated in 1985 with the help of The Rev. Jim Carini, who was Patterson's parish priest while growing up in Preston.
Over the years, Haitian Ministries has supported two orphanages, a meal program, a medical clinic, a scholarship program and reforestation projects.
To reserve a spot at the event, call Patterson at 877-224-3178.
Beginners are welcome. Space is limited and pre-registering for childcare and the children’s craft project is required.
Patterson has been practicing yoga for 15 years. She is certified through Finding Inner PeaceYoga School’s 200 hour program and is a member of the Yoga Alliance and has received specialty certifications in pre-natal yoga and children’s yoga, organizers said.

Film fest coming to Old Saybrook

The Connecticut Film Festival is coming to the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center (AKA The Kate) over the Valentine’s Day weekend.

It will run Feb. 12-14 and feature more than a dozen films made in Connecticut. At noon on Feb. 14 there also will be a panel discussion on "The State of Independent Filmmaking in Connecticut."

The Kate is on Main Street in Old Saybrook. For more visit: http://www.katharinehepburntheater.org/blog/box-office/

It won't make you a millionaire but it will help the parade

A Trivia Pub Night to help the 2010 Greater New Haven St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Randall’s Restaurant, 236 Platt Ave., West Haven.
It will feature a buffet and game fee, organizes said Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased from Mary Malenda by calling 203-397-8523. Reservations are recommended. Come with a four person team or ask for an assignment.

SCSU and UNH unite to fight cancer

These champions are thinking pink

The University of New Haven and Southern Connecticut State University departments of athletics have joined together in support of the 2010 Pink Zone® initiative, UNH said in a statement.

The two departments will sell Pink Zone® T-shirts with each university’s logo all week long, prior to Saturday’s basketball doubleheader at Charger Gymnasium, the statement said.

Proceeds of the joint fund raising effort will go to support of the Father Michael J. McGivney Center for Cancer Care at the Hospital of Saint Raphael and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association/Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

The two universities’ women’s basketball coaches and players gathered Feb. 4 at the hospital with Dr. Denise Barajas, the co-director of Saint Raphael’s Women’s Center for Breast Health for a photograph.

The Pink Zone® event will take place in conjunction with the NCAA Division II Community Engagement initiative, and brings coaches and players together off the court in support of a common cause, the statement said.

The two universities look to continue to strengthen their community connection with this event. Last fall, the universities held a football captain’s dinner that brought the departments together for the first time.

Along with numerous other community engagement initiatives by each university, the two plan to unite once again this spring for a spring cleanup project along the Connecticut shoreline, the statement said.

The WBCA Pink Zone® initiative is a global, unified effort for the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's (WBCA) nation of coaches to assist in raising breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond," it said.

The WBCA began the WBCA Pink Zone®, formerly known as "Think Pink," began as an initiative to raise breast cancer awareness in women's basketball, on campuses and in communities, the statement said.

Kay Yow, former North Carolina State University head women's basketball coach, served as catalyst for the initiative after her third recurrence of breast cancer in 2006. In 2007, more than 120 schools unified for this effort and helped make the inaugural year a success. In 2008, more than 1,200 teams and organizations participated, reaching over 830,000 fans and raising more than $930,000 for breast cancer awareness and research, the statement said.

The 2009 campaign raised more than $1.3 million, reached more than 912,000 fans, unified more than 1,600 participating teams and organizations, and saw 56 + schools break attendance records at their event.

This information was supplied by the University of New Haven Athletic Department. It appears here in a lightly edited form.

Pepe’s to help Haiti relief game day

Everyone knows pizza and football are a match made in Heaven

NEW HAVEN — On Super Bowl Sunday, World Famous Pepe’s Pizza will donate 15 percent of the day’s sales to help people affected by the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti.
Pepe’s has many locations across the state, including 157 Wooster St.
The money will be donated to the American Red Cross for the Haiti Relief and Development.
For more information, contact Ken Berry at 860-919-0218 or info@pepespizzeria.com.

Special live reading at New Haven Library

NEW HAVEN - For the fourth year, Yale’s Francis Writer-in-Residence, Anne Fadiman, at right, will return with her students for a special live reading of their essays at the to New Haven Public Library, 133 Elm St.

Fadiman is the author of "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down," an account of cross-cultural conflicts between a Hmong family and the American medical system, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award for nonfiction, organizers said.

Her students include Victor Zapana, city editor for The Yale Daily News; actor and playwright Cory Finley; and Kate Lund, an associate editor of The New Journal, a Yale publication.

The program is free, and free parking is available. Register at www.annefadiman.eventbrite.com or call the library at 203-946-8835.

Students shown in photos are Kate Lund, Victor Zapana, and Corey Lund. bottom.

No blarney here

Just a pub and law students with a heart

NEW HAVEN - Yale Law School students have joined forces with the Playwright Irish Pub and Restaurant on Temple Street to raise money for Haiti relief efforts.

Law students donated part of their ticket price for an all-school party on Feb. 4, while the Playwright donated a portion of their liquor sales for the evening.

Shown in the photo, l to r, are: Students Aaron Zelinsky, Sohail Ramirez, Nabiha Syed, Playwright owner Eamon Ryan, Playwright manager Katrina Lynch, and student Kristin Burgess.

Photo is courtesy of Yale Law School/Tyson Streeter

Got dinosaurs?

Digging for fossils in New Haven part of February vacation week at the Peabody

NEW HAVEN - The Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History’s annual celebration of paleontology and dinosaurs, scheduled for the February school holidays, features "hands-on activities for the entire family," organizers said.

There will be a fossil dig, an extensive fossil touch table, dinosaur arts and crafts, and museum experts will demonstrate how they prepare dinosaur bones for display.

From Monday to Friday, at 11 a.m., there also will be a Roxi Fox puppet show.

New this year, the Leitner Family Planetarium, two blocks from the Peabody, will offer free planetarium shows Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 3 and 4 p.m.

The program runs 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Feb. 15 to Feb. 20. Cost is museum admission of $7 for adults, $6 for seniors 65 and older, $5 for children ages 3-18 and college students, no charge for children younger than 3.

Visit www.peabody.yale.edu/events for a complete schedule.

The museum is at 170 Whitney Ave. New Haven.