Hall of Fame hoops coach to speak at St. Pat's dinner

Bob Hurley, a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame coach, will be the guest speaker at the Archbishop’s St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast, hosted by Archbishop Henry J. Mansell and the Foundation for the Advancement of Catholic Schools.

The breakfast, featuring Irish-themed entertainment and food, will be held at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford at 7 a.m. March 17.

Hurley, who coaches at St. Anthony High School in Jersey City, N.J., led teams that won more than 1,000 games, earned 23 state titles, 10 Tournament of Champions titles and three USA Today national championships. He was a two-time National Coach of the Year.

“Being around children for over 39 years and counting, the coach surely knows how to motivate them to excel on and off the court,” said Cynthia Basil Howard, executive director of the Foundation for the Advancement of Catholic Schools. “He’s had several offers to coach on the collegiate and NBA levels, but refuses to leave the students behind. He knows the importance of a Catholic school education.”

For information about sponsorship, advertising in the program or to purchase tickets at $75 each, call 860-761-7499 or go to FACSHartford.org.

Metro-North offers schedules via text message

You can now find out Metro-North train schedules by text message.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has partnered with a service called CooCoo.

If you text a request from your cell phone, such as “Milford to Grand Central,” to 266266, you’ll get back a list of scheduled trains.

“CooCoo’s text-messaging service is the perfect complement to TrainTime, an Internet-based service developed in-house for users of smart phones and desk-top computers,” said Metro-North President Howard Permut in a press release.

“This service expands the ability of our customers to access information on train arrival and departure times on a user-friendly, station-specific basis.”

The new service is one more way for train riders to make their commute easier. Another service (not sponsored by the MTA) is Clever Commute, in which riders use text messages to let each other know about delays and other issues.

The services are free (except for text-messaging fees).

For more information, go to www.CooCoo.com, http://www.mta.info/ or http://www.clevercommute.com/

Tot Shabbat celebrated March 4 at Mishkan Israel in Hamden

HAMDEN — Congregation Mishkan Israel invites families with children 6 years and under to a Tot Shabbat at 6:15 p.m. Friday, March 4.

The celebrations of Shabbat, led by Rabbi Alison Adler, Cantor Arthur Giglio and nursery school Director Rebecca Luty, are a wonderful opportunity for families with preschool-age children to get to know each other and enjoy an evening of blessings, stories, food and fun.

Congregation Mishkan Israel is a Reform synagogue located at 785 Ridge Road. For more information, call the synagogue office at 203-288-3877 or go to the website.

Future Tot Shabbats are scheduled for April 1 and May 6.

Grants offered for clean energy projects in West Haven

WEST HAVEN — The West Haven Energy Commission, in partnership with the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund, is soliciting proposals for projects that promote the use of clean renewable energy in the city.

Funding for projects is availble through a grant from the CCEF to the WHEC. City leaders, organizations, schools and individuals are invited to submit applications until March 4.

Grant applications can be submitted to the West Haven Energy Commission, City Hall, 355 Main St., West Haven 06516.

Over the next year, the WHEC will make individual micro-grants, ranging from $250 to $1,000 each, to support community-based projects that raise awareness of the availability and benefits of clean energy and to encourage enrollment in the CTCleanEnergyOptions program in West Haven.

Examples of such projects include school sign-up campaigns, a community corn maze, a school calendar to raise awareness about the importance of clean energy and local access cable programming.

Program fact sheets, grant guidelines, the grant application form and the grant report form can be downloaded here. Selected applicants must attend a training session to review grant conditions with the WHEC before awards are made.

Donation helps the homeless in Greater New Haven

NEW HAVEN - Employees of BlumShapiro recently donated $2,500 to Columbus House, which provides service and shelter for homeless people.

“We value our relationship with BlumShapiro and their employees and are very grateful for the contribution. Their continued support of Columbus House’s work is crucial as we provide hope to so many in our community,” Columbus House Development Director John Brooks said, in a statement.

The BlumShapiro employees decided to forgo their annual company celebration for the third year and instead donate funds to non-profit organizations throughout Connecticut, according to a statement.

“For nearly 30 years, Columbus House has been home to many who have experienced homelessness from throughout the region, providing shelter, support services and housing. We, like the thousands they serve every year, are extremely grateful for their invaluable services,” BlumShapiro principal Mike Hanlon said in the statement.

In the photo: receiving BlumShapiro’s check is, at center, John Brooks, development director, Columbus House, at right, Mike Hanlon, principal, BlumShapiro; and at left, Thomas DeVitto, chief marketing officer, BlumShapiro.

Project Early Detection at the Hospital of St. Raphael

NEW HAVEN – The Women’s Center for Breast Health at the Hospital of St. Raphael recently held the hospital’s first event as part of Project Early Detection, an effort to offer free breast exams and mammograms to uninsured and underinsured women, according to a statement.
St. Raphael clinicians screened 29 women and four of them were referred for follow-up visits, the statement said.

The St. Raphael’s screening enrolled women 40 and older who were eligible for the Connecticut Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, the statement said. "Project Early Detection, funded through a grant from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure in Connecticut, aims to supplement the state’s effort by offering screenings to eligible women who come to the hospital for other reasons," the statement said.

"More than 200,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. It’s the second leading cause of cancer death in women after lung cancer. Doctors believe early detection tests save thousands of lives each year, and many more lives could be saved if more women took advantage of these tests," the statement said.

For more information about Project Early Detection at the Saint Raphael’s Women’s Center for Breast Health, visit www.srhs.org/earlydetectionprogram

In the photo: Medical Assistant Jenelle Stout takes the blood pressure of patient Claudia Rivera at the first Project Early Detection screening at St. Raphael’s on Feb. 10.

Stuttering Mutual Support Group meets in New Haven

NEW HAVEN — A Stuttering Mutual Support Group meets at 7:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month at the Center for Speech and Learning, 801 Edgewood Ave., in the Westville section, organizers said. The group is affiliated with the National Stuttering Association, according to a statemetn by organizers.
Particpants must call in advance: 203-397-3224.


The next meeting is March 8.

Irish eyes to smile

And dancing too

NEW HAVEN — The 2011 St. Patrick’s Parade Ball will take place at 7:30 p.m. March 5 at Yale Commons, 168 Grove St.

The four Associated Irish Societies have announced the honorees, who will be: Mary Gallagher Carter, the recipient of the Appreciation Award for her contributions to the Irish community and parade committee; William Tinker, for the Cornelius Driscoll Award on behalf of the New Haven Police Emerald Society; Joseph P. Faughnan, the James J. Dinnan award for his dedication and service to fellow Americans; and Walter J. Nester, will be conferred the title of the 2011 Grand Marshal for the Greater New Haven St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

The ball will include dancing to the sound of the New York Show Band until midnight. Donation of $90 includes buffet dinner and open bar.

For tickets, call chairman Kevin A. Smith at 203-535-3694. Tickets also can be purchased online at the parade website: http://www.stpatricksdayparade.org/

In the photo: Ryan Crowley (left) of New Haven dances with his brother, Kevin (right), of Milford on Chapel St. during the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in New Haven on March, 14, 2010.

Photo by Arnold Gold

'Wilderness School' programs begin in April

Two Coyotes Wilderness School, a nature mentoring organization, will offer two wilderness leadership program for teens at Sleeping Giant State Park and at surrounding nature preserves.


Beginning in April, Two Coyotes Wilderness School will be providing two overnight wilderness survival program: Wilderness Boys and Wilderness Girls, according to a statement.

"The programs take teens out of the context of teens’ daily lives and drop them into nature. Away from cell phones, Facebook, and modern convenience, the teens learn wilderness skills and experiences challenges that become opportunities for them to learn about who they are and what is their relationship to the natural world," the statement said.

Activities include harvesting wild edible plants to prepare a wild gourmet feast, making herbal medicines, making fire by rubbing sticks togethe

For more information visit http://www.twocoyotes.org/

Two Coyotes is a nonprofit 501©(3) organization dedicated to raising healthy whole children through building self awareness, community, and connecting people to their local environment, the statement said.

Two Coyotes staff have been providing programming for 10 years, the statement said.

Saving the dinosaurs

An evolution revolution in New Haven

NEW HAVEN - The Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History is one of nine recipients of a Save America’s Treasures Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, according to a statement.
The $450,000 award, one of the largest issued, will allow the museum to re-house and secure the long term preservation of the 19th century dinosaur collections from the American West of Othniel Charles Marsh, the statement said.
Among them are iconic dinosaurs Apatosaurus (“Brontosaurus”), Allosaurus, Stegosaurus and Triceratops.


"Save America’s Treasures grants support the preservation of our nation’s most significant and endangered cultural treasures," the statement said.
“These Save America’s Treasures grants will preserve the physical fabric of our history and the rich diversity of America’s story, as told by its artists, scholars, and other notable figures. These awards also honor the hundreds of volunteers, organizations, and communities whose energy and investment are ensuring that this national legacy endures for generations to come,” said First Lady Michelle Obama, who announced the grants at a ceremony in the nation’s capital, according to the statement.

O.C. Marsh, a Yale professor of paleontology from 1866 to his death in 1899 —the nation’s first— and first head of the Peabody (the title “director” not yet in use), is a major figure in the history of science and one of the founding fathers of American paleontology, the statement said.
On his death in 1899, the New York Times referred to his “marvelous achievements in paleontology,” and ranked him among the “greatest scholars and investigators” and “distinguished naturalists” of the age, the statement said.

"Marsh’s greatest legacy is the massive collection of dinosaur fossils that represents the backbone of the Peabody collections."
 “Prior to the 1870s, dinosaur specimens were rare,” Peabody Director Derek E. Briggs said in the statement. “The wealth of specimens obtained by Marsh helped to raise the profile of the group and lay the foundations of today’s public fascination with dinosaurs.”
Together with Marsh’s body of work based on them, these collections provided the fossil evidence to advance Darwin’s theory of evolution, the statement said.

Overseeing the preservation project for the Peabody will be Senior Collection Manager Dr. Chris Norris and Chief Preparator Marilyn Fox.

In the photo: 1927-vintage storage that will be replaced under the grant.

Editor's note: All information and the photo in this post are contributed.

Saying CMT success in pictures

Troup School wanted to make sure that parents and children are well prepared for the upcoming Connecticut Mastery Tests, so the school’s Boost! work team, led by Coordinator Abby Ostruzka, held a fun and informative CMT Bingo Night, according to a release.

"The family atmosphere proved to be a fun way to help familiarize parents with the different sections of the CMTs, how they are scored, the types of questions their children will see, and strategies for success," the release said.

"Augusta Lewis Troup School is one five schools piloting Boost!, the wraparound services partnership with United Way of Greater New Haven, the city of New Haven and the New Haven Public Schools, a component of the School Change initiative," the statement said.

By coordinating community resources and fostering parent engagement, Boost! schools seek to ensure that all students have the support and services they need to succeed, the release said.

The information in this post was contributed by United Way of Greater New Haven

Four Yale scientists named Sloan Fellows

(This is a press release from Yale University Office of Public Affairs)

New Haven — Four of Yale’s brightest young scientists were among 118 named today as 2011 Sloan Research Fellows by The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

The fellowships are meant to encourage “fundamental research by early-career scientists and scholars of outstanding promise…in recognition of distinguished performance and a unique potential to make substantial contributions to their field.”

The two-year fellowships are awarded annually to researchers in science, mathematics, computer science and economics from the U.S. and Canada and include $50,000 in research funding.

“We are very proud to have four of Yale’s outstanding young scientists recognized as Sloan Fellows this year,” said Steven Girvin, the Eugene Higgins Professor of Physics and Applied Physics and deputy provost for science & technology. “Their work explores a wide range of topics at the frontiers of human knowledge ranging from database architectures to seismology, chemical biology, and neuroscience.”

The Yale winners are:

Daniel Abadi, assistant professor of computer science

Abadi, who has already received prestigious awards for his research, focuses on database system architecture and implementation, cloud computing, and the Semantic Web.

Michael J. Higley, assistant professor of neurobiology

The goal of Higley’s lab is to understand how synaptic connections between brain cells support the processing, storage, and retrieval of information in healthy individuals and during the cognitive decline associated with neuropsychiatric disease.

Maureen D. Long, assistant professor of geology & geophysics

Long studies the physics of the earth’s interior, specifically the structure and dynamics of subduction systems.

David A. Spiegel, assistant professor of chemistry

Spiegel’s lab develops novel chemical strategies for controlling the human immune system, which can be used to and treat diseases such as cancer, HIV infection and diabetes.

Founded in 1934 by Alfred P. Sloan Jr., then president and CEO of General Motors, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation makes grants to support original research and broad-based education related to science, technology, and economic performance, and to improve the quality of American life.

Quinnipiac University School of Law to act as host for talk by Ian Millhiser

The American Constitution Society for Law and Policy, a student group at the Quinnipiac University School of Law, is holding a lecture by Ian Millhiser of the Center for American Progress at 5 p.m. Feb. 23, in the Grand Courtroom in the School of Law Center, according to a statement.
The lecture, entitled “Doomed to Repeat History: The Tea Party’s Legal Arguments and Why They’re Wrong,” is free and open to the public, the statement said.

Millhiser is a constitutional expert with the Center for American Progress and a leading authority on “tentherism,” a conservative movement that "believes that most of what the federal government does is unconstitutional," the statement said.
"He previously held the open government portfolio for CAP’s Doing What Works project, and was a legal research analyst with ThinkProgress during the nomination and confirmation of Justice Sonia Sotomayor to the United States Supreme Court," the statement said.

Millhiser clerked for Judge Eric L. Clay of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and has worked as an attorney with the National Senior Citizens Law Center’s Federal Rights Project, as assistant director for communications with the American Constitution Society, and as a Teach For America corps member in the Mississippi Delta, the statement said.

For more information, call 203-582-8652.

Editor's Note: All information in this post was contributed. It is posted here only as a public service.

Greater New Haven residents will shine at Special Olympics Connecticut event

Special Olympics Connecticut will honor several people from Greater New Haven and companies at the annual Hall of Fame dinner at 7 p.m. March 11 at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington.
Local award winners are: State Department of Correction Capt. Joseph Carlone of Branford, Sean Bogart of Hamden, Anders Carlson of Guilford, Jill Marshall of North Haven and Andy Rice of Cheshire.
Tickets are $25.
For more information, contact Kelli Bigelow at 203-320-1201, ext. 276 or KelliB@soct.org.
>

New Haven Power Squadron charts a course for you

The New Haven Power Squadron will conduct a boat piloting course beginning at 6:30 p.m. March 2 at Amity Regional High School, 25 Newton Road, Woodbridge.
This new 11-session course will focus on navigation on recreational boats, and includes GPS as a primary navigation tool and traditional techniques, navigation aids, plotting courses and charting.
Cost is $175.
To register, call the Amity School District at 203-397-4811, ext. 8.

Photo by Peter Casolino

St. Andrew's celebrates first black Episcopal priest

Absalom Jones, the first black priest in the Episcopal Church, will be celebrated in a Eucharist at 4 p.m. Sunday at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 262 Shelton Ave., New Haven.

Jones was born into slavery in 1746, purchased his own freedom and became a lay reader in what is now the United Methodist Church.

Disagreement over segregation in the church led Jones to leave the Methodist Church for the Episcopal Church, where he was ordained a priest. He died Feb. 13, 1818. The church recognizes Feb. 13 as Jones’ feast day.

The service is sponsored by the Union of Black Episcopalians and the Diocese of Connecticut.

'Healthy Yards, Safe Waters Conference' coming up

NEW HAVEN — To highlight the "positive relationship between organic land care, a beautiful yard, healthy eating and a more healthful local and global environment," the NOFA Organic Land Care Program and Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies will hold the Healthy Yards, Safe Waters Conference from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 19.

Designed for homeowners and property managers, the conference will be held at Kroon Hall, a green building on the campus of Yale University, according to a statement.

"Biodiversity, climate change, water quantity and quality and other important environmental factors are closely connected with, and influenced by, the way we landscape our yards and communities," the statement said.

The conference "will teach you how to transition your yard to organic and explain why organic practices are crucial to the health of our lands and water," the statement said.

The conference "will feature interesting and informative workshops, including: Plant Choices and Site Analysis, Rain Garden Installation, Composting, the Importance of Watersheds, Your Yard and the Long Island Sound, Children and Wildlife, Why Go Organic?, a panel discussion on innovative strategies and local initiatives."

It also will provide a unique opportunity to consult with local NOFA Accredited Organic Landscapers about landscape concerns or with gardening questions.

The conference is supported by a grant to CT NOFA from the Watershed Fund of the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority, the statement said.

The day will include breakout sessions focusing on three tracks for: community leaders, environmentalist, and do-it-yourselfers. The conference will cost $25 and will include lunch provided by the Big Green Truck Pizza, the statement said.

For more information, call 203-888-5146 or visit http://www.organiclandcare.net/
 or http://www.ctnofa.org/.

Editor's note: all information in this post was contributed.

Kennedy is keynote speaker for annual Nightingale Awards for Excellence in Nursing

Edward M. Kennedy, Jr. will serve as the honorary chairman and keynote speaker for the 11th annual Nightingale Awards for Excellence in Nursing to be held May 5 at the Toyota Presents Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, John R. Quinn, President & CEO of VNA Health Systems, announced in a statement.

"The Nightingale Awards for Excellence in Nursing is Conn.’s largest statewide nursing recognition program that celebrates outstanding nurses and the nursing profession," the statement said.

“I am thrilled to announce that Ted Kennedy, Jr. will be this year’s Honorary Chairman and Keynote Speaker for our distinguished Nightingale Awards event,” Quinn said in the statement. “Ted recognizes that nurses are invaluable and looks forward to honoring Greater New Haven’s outstanding nursing professionals.”

Kennedy is the president and co-founder of Marwood Group & Co., a healthcare focused financial services firm that specializes in proprietary healthcare research, capital introductions, asset management and private equity advisory services, the statement said.
"Kennedy has been an active leader in the civil rights movement for people with disabilities and practices health law. He continues to serve on the corporate and advisory boards of numerous disability organizations and lectures nationwide on topics relating to health and disability law. Kennedy received a law degree from the University of Connecticut School Of Law," the statement said.

The Nightingale Awards for Excellence in Nursing program was originally developed in 2001 by the Visiting Nurse Association of South Central Connecticut, the statement said.
The goal of the awards is to encourage retention, inspire future nurses, focus public attention on and recognize the breadth and scope of nursing practice at the local level, the statement said.
For more about the event or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.nightingalenursingawards.org/newhaven/

The Nightingale Awards for Excellence in Nursing are non-competitive and inclusive of all health care settings - hospitals, home health care, health centers, schools, health departments, long-term care facilities, nursing schools, agencies, and medical practices, the statement said.

To learn more about nominating a nurse, visit https://www.nightingalenursingawards.org/newhaven/

Sponsorship opportunities for the event are available.

For more information about becoming a sponsor or supporting the awards event contact Jennifer Bernheim, Public Relations Coordinator, at 203-859-6765 or email nightingale@vnascc.org.

Editor's note: The information in this post was contributed.

DeLauro receives education award

U.S. Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-3, received the "Teach For America Congressional Champion Award" Feb. 10 "in recognition of her leadership in the effort to expand educational opportunity to all of America’s students," according to a statement.
"One of 12 legislators honored, Congresswoman DeLauro has also served as a guest teacher in a Teach For America corps member’s classroom in New Haven," the statement released by her office said.

Teach For America is the national corps of recent college graduates who commit to teaching for two years in public schools around the country, the statement said. Many graduates of the program pursue careers in education, and become leaders in working to expand educational opportunity. This year in Connecticut, about 150 Teach For America corps members are reaching approximately 9,000 students in underserved schools around the state, the statement said.

“For over two decades, Teach For America has worked to bring young, bright, and motivated men and women right out of college into the school systems that most need the benefit of their talent and enthusiasm," DeLauro said in the statement.
"In doing so, Teach For America has done more than just work to transform our education system. They have changed thousands of children’s lives for the better, and helped to see that each boy and girl in America has access to the educational opportunities they deserve. Teach for America is a great idea that works, and I have always been proud to support your efforts,” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “With that in mind, I humbly accept this award today. It means a great deal to me, and I take it as a call to continue trying to make a difference in people’s lives.”

Editor's note: Information in this post was contributed.

Concerns about aging to be addressed in new library program

East Rock Village and All About You Home Care Services are collaborating to present a new monthly series of classes on concerns that older adults face as they age, according to a statement.
The free classes will be held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. the last Friday of each month, from Feb. 25 through July 29 at the 50+ Transition Center of the New Haven Public Library, 133 Elm St., the statement said.
Call the library at 203-946-8835 to register for one class or the whole series.
The complete schedule is:

February 25 - Head : Use It or Lose It! Stress management; early detection of cognitive impairment; strategies to maintain function. Presenter: Catherine Lavio, MSN, APRN Creative Stress Management

March 25 - Heart/Lung: Be Heart Smart, Don't Let Jack Frost Take Your Breath Away. Early signs and symptoms of hypertension and congestive heart failure; COPD; inhalers, nebulizers, tubing; how to handle a common cough; pneumonia shots; sleep apnea; home care. Presenters: Eileen McAdoo, RN, MSN, CNS cardiology, Kathy Short, RRT and Cathy Fortin,MBA.

April 29 - Stomach: How we feed it; how we abuse it. Digestion; healthy eating habits; navigating the hazards of eating out. Presenter: Richard J. Frankonis,RPh,MS,CCN, Registered Pharmacist and Board Certified Clinical Nutritionist.

May 27 - Leaky pipes. Kidney stones; UTIs/ incontinence; supplies that insurance covers. Presenter: Karen Mack APRN

June 24 - Feet: Achy back? Knee pain? pain caused from feet; orthotics. Presenter: Lauren Cook MSPT

July 29 - Managing Your Own Care. Community health care; insurance; Medicare; modalities of care.
Presenters: Michael Mackniak, Esq., and Yvonne Gamelin, RN.

Connecticut efforts for the Union during the Civil War

MADISON — Warner Lord, former town historian, will present stories of the Bradley brothers through long-lost letters, revealing their work for the Union cause - and that of other Shoreline residents - during the Civil War.


Lord will speak at 4 p.m. Sunday for the Frederick Lee Lecture at Memorial Town Hall, 8 Meetinghouse Lane. Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for Madison Historical Society members, and $2 students.

For information, contact http://www.madisoncthistorical.org/ or 203-245-4567.

Petit Family Foundation scholarship added to Dr. Henry C. Lee Awards and Recognition Dinner

Jane Doe No More will honor several people on March 18 at the second annual Dr. Henry C. Lee Awards and Recognition Dinner.

They are being recognized for their contributions in helping to improve the way society responds to victims of sexual assault, according to a release.

The recipients are Neil O’Leary, retired chief of the Wolcott and Waterbury police departments; writers and producers Rich and DiDi Dobbs of Mom & Pop Films; professor of communications Rebecca Abbott of Quinnipiac University; and Susan Herman, an associate professor in the department of criminal justice at Pace University and author of “Parallel Justice for Victims of Crime.”

New this year, and sponsored by The Petit Family Foundation, is a scholarship to a college student working to improve the lives of victims of sexual assault. Dr. William Petit and Donna Palomba, founder of Jane Doe No More, will present the scholarship, the release said.

The event will be held at The Waterview in Monroe at 5:30 p.m.

More information about the event can be found at http://www.janedoenomore.org/events/drleedinner

Sponsorships and reserved tables are available for the event, the release said.

For tickets call 203-575-8288 or e-mail info@janedoenomore.org

Yale announces reappointment of dean of School of Art

NEW HAVEN - Yale University President Richard C. Levin announced Wednesday that Robert Storr has been reappointed as dean of the Yale School of Art.

Storr begins his second five-year term July 1, according to a statement.

"Dean Storr is valued for his refreshing and exciting vision for the school and for opening the school to new sources of artistic influence, both domestically and internationally," Levin wrote in a letter announcing the appointment to the Yale community, the statement said.

Click here to read more about Storr
"His colleagues have found him to be a great intellectual resource, eager to share his broad knowledge and expertise. Under his leadership, international student enrollment has increased substantially and students are benefiting from his fundraising success."
"An accomplished...painter, writer, critic and curator, Storr came to Yale as dean of the School of Art in 2006, shortly after he was named the commissioner of the 2007 Venice Biennale, becoming the first American invited to assume that position," the statement said.

Storr made his mark as a curator "early with a number of major exhibitions at MoMA and elsewhere, which enhanced the public prominence of such artists as Elizabeth Murray, Gerhard Richter, Max Beckmann, Tony Smith and Robert Ryman," the statement said.
He also organized a number of reinstallations of MoMA's permanent collection, covering such topics as abstraction and the modern grotesque.
Storr is the author of dozens of monographs and catalogs and has been a regular contributor to arts publications, including Art in America, Artforum, Art Press, Art & Design, Art Press (Paris) and Frieze (London) as well as wide-circulation newspapers such as the New York Times and Washington Post, the statement said.
In 2002 he was named the first Rosalie Solow Professor of Modern Art at the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. He also taught at the CUNY graduate center and the Bard Center for Curatorial Studies as well as the Rhode Island School of Design, Tyler School of Art, New York Studio School and Harvard University, and has been a frequent lecturer in this country and abroad.
His many honors include a Penny McCall Foundation Grant for painting, a Norton Family Foundation Curator Grant, and honorary doctorates from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Maine College of Art. He also received awards from the American Chapter of the International Association of Art Critics, a special AICA award for Distinguished Contribution to the Field of Art Criticism, an ICI Agnes Gund Curatorial Award, and the Lawrence A. Fleischman Award for Scholarly Excellence in the Field of American Art History from the Smithsonian Institution's Archives of American Art. In 2000 the French Ministry of Culture presented him with the medal of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres.

Editor's Note: All of the information in this post was provided by Yale.

'The Legal Challenges of Immigration' topic of event at Quinnipiac University School of Law

HAMDEN — The Quinnipiac University School of Law will hold a free conference on immigration, “Coming to America and Staying? The Legal Challenges of Immigration,” 2-5 p.m. Feb. 18 in the Grand Courtroom in the School of Law Center.
The conference is organized by the International Human Rights Law Society, a student organization at the School of Law. Speakers will explore legal issues surrounding immigration and the challenges immigrants face living in the United States.
Speakers include: Muneer Ahmad of Yale University; Alina Das of New York University; Sheila Hayre from New Haven Legal Assistance; Kica Matos from Atlantic Philanthropies; and Jeffrey Meyer of Quinnipiac University School of Law.
“Everyone is affected by immigration laws and related issues, and we should definitely encourage more discourse on immigration because it’s interesting, ever-changing, and absolutely relevant to our lives,” said Prerna Rao, a second-year law student at Quinnipiac and an organizer of the event.
More information about the conference is available at http://www.sites.google.com/site/ihrqusl/immigration . For more information, call 203-582-8652.

“Cutting For The Cure” is this Saturday

NEW HAVEN — The New Haven County Firefighters Emerald Society will hold “Cutting For The Cure” 2-8 p.m. Saturday at the Wicked Wolf Tavern, 144 Temple St.

During the society’s St. Baldrick’s Day fundraiser, members will shave their heads for donations toward childhood cancer research. This year, Logan Solomon, 3, of Hamden, has asked the Emerald Society to help him promote this event.

Similar events typically take place each year in the region.

Click here to read about the folks who partcipated last year in an event and here for a 2009 event

Logan has Down syndrome, and in the fall he was diagnosed with leukemia. His parents, Todd and Robin, have joined with their son to help the event to help put a face on what the St. Baldrick’s Day Foundation is all about. To make a donation, go to http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/participantid/415549

In the photo: Tom Kaplan, right, and Lou Landolfi, left, get their heads shaved at the St. Baldrick’s Foundation fundraiser at North Haven Middle School in March 2009
(Brad Horrigan/Register)

Jazz NightOut coming up at The Arts Center at Killingworth

The Arts Center at Killingworth will present Jazz NightOut at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26 with headlining pianist and composer Kevin Hays & Trio.

Hays, shown top, whose, Seventh Sense, CD was recognized as one of the “Top 40 Jazz Releases of the Year” by Musician Magazine, has been called a “jolt of joy” by the New York Times, according to a statement.

"Opening Jazz NightOut is the legendary jazz vocalist and pianist Bob Dorough, show below, of ABC TV’s Schoolhouse Rock," the statement said.

Set in a café-style environment with appetizers and desserts, Jazz NightOut is held at The Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main St., Ivoryton. Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for seniors, $20 for students and $12 for children 10 and younger.

Balcony rows: $20 for adults, seniors and Students; $10 for children 10 and younger.

Appetizers in orchestra area only.

Free dessert buffet and cash wine bar available to all, the statement said.

For tickets call (860) 663-5593, and to listen to music by the headliners or get tickets online at http://www.artscenterkillingworth.org/.

Southern Connecticut’s Darwin Day Dinner features Yale professor as speaker

NEW HAVEN - City resident Paul Turner, associate professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University, will be the featured speaker at Southern Connecticut’s Darwin Day Dinner on  Feb. 11.
Darwin Day is an international celebration of science and humanity held on or around Feb. 12, the day on which Charles Darwin was born in 1809, according to a statement.

"Specifically, the event celebrates the discoveries and life of the man who first described biological evolution via natural selection with scientific rigor. More generally, Darwin Day expresses gratitude for the enormous benefits that scientific knowledge, acquired through human curiosity and ingenuity, has contributed to the advancement of humanity," the statement said.
Turner's talk, entitled “Viruses - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.” puts "into entertaining terms new information on the evolution of viruses and what it means for us," the statement said.
"Viruses are the majority of Earth's inhabitants, feared for their ability to cause deadly - downright ugly – epidemics.” Turner said in the statement. “But despite conventional wisdom, very few viruses make us sick. In fact, past and present virus infections are essential for human well-being and the maintenance of healthy ecosystems, and in the future a virus may even save your life."
The Darwin Day Dinner is an eventful evening with cocktail hour, full course dinner, fascinating conversation, science quiz, and capped with the talk by Turner, the statement said.
See www.darwindayCT.org for info on the event and how to reserve a place. Additional Darwin Day events are happening globally, see: darwinday.org.

Turner, shown in the photo, runs the Turner Lab at Yale, which uses RNA viruses, DNA viruses, and bacteria as model systems to test evolutionary and ecological theory, especially questions regarding the evolution of genetic exchange (sex), virus ecology and evolution, host-parasite interactions, and the evolution of infectious disease, the statement said.
Turner holds a bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Rochester, a doctorate in Microbial Evolution from Michigan State University, and did postdoctoral work at University of Maryland, University of Valencia and National Institutes of Health, the statement said.

Turner regularly lectures at national and international venues such as the Graduate Research School in Genomic Ecology (GENECO, Lund University, Sweden), and in the Workshop on Molecular Evolution USA (Marine Biology Labs, Woods Hole, MA) and Europe (Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic). He instructs K-12 teachers in the Yale National Initiative and the Yale-New Haven Teacher’s Institute, with the goal to help teachers develop new curricula in Evolutionary Medicine, the statement said.

Last year’s event was sold out, so reserve soon. Send name, address, e-mail address, phone, names of attendees, dinner choices, and $55 per person ($60 after Feb. 1) to CT Darwin Day Committee, 249 Chestnut Hill Road, Norwalk, 06851.
Meal choices are New York angus sirloin, chicken marsala, pan seared salmon, and eggplant parmigiana, the statement said.


For more information on Turner, visit http://www.yale.edu/turner/home/index.htm

Bishop Rosazza to celebrate Mass

Bishop Peter Rosazza will celebrate Mass on Friday sponsored by Communion and Liberation, a lay movement within the Roman Catholic Church.

Rosazza retired last year as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Hartford.

The Mass will take place at 7 p.m. at St. Mary’s Church, 5 Hillhouse Ave., New Haven, on the 29th anniversary of Communion and Liberation’s receiving papal approval and the sixth anniversary of the death of its founder, Msgr. Luigi Giussani.

Cupcake contest for kids

NORTH HAVEN — Saturday, Feb. 12, is the last day of registration for the cake decorating contest at the North Haven Library, 17 Elm St.


Forms are available in the children’s department.

Prizes will be awarded by age categories.

The contest is open to ages 5 to 14 and will be held at 2 p.m. Feb. 22.

For details, call 203-239-5803.

For Black History Month, West Haven to honor students

WEST HAVEN — In recognition of Black History Month, the city will honor 18 students from Bailey and Carrigan schools Feb. 9 at the 16th annual Black Heritage Celebration.

The event will take place at 11 a.m. in the Harriet C. North Community Room at City Hall, 355 Main St.
The celebration will include an awards ceremony, musical selections and poetry readings, as well as remarks from Mayor John M. Picard, Superintendent of Schools Neil C. Cavallaro and guest speaker Martha Dye, a prominent early childhood educator.
Members of the Black Heritage Committee will present students awards for academics and leadership, most improved and perfect attendance.
The committee will also recognize others who have made contributions to the city’s African-American community, including entrepreneur Phyllis Haynes, recording artist Vicky Mariconde and author the Rev. Vivian Coleman.
Lunch will follow the ceremony.
In honor of the monthlong cultural celebration, organizers have draped the walls of City Hall with banners and posters depicting important black leaders and people worldwide.

Editor's note: The information in this post was provided.

Hamden Symphony Orchestra concert to help education program

The Hamden Symphony Orchestra and area musicians will raise money for the SAILS program at Hamden Middle School with an event at 5 p.m. March 27 at the University of New Haven Dodds Hall Theater 300 Boston Post Road, West Haven

The orchestra, led by Vesna Mehinovic, features local soloists: José García-Leon, piano; Mary Tokarski, accordion; Michael Betts, baritone; Kamau and Kai Burton, guitar; Chimes Chorus from the Unquowa School; UNH African Drumming Ensemble and a vibraphone quintet, according to a statement.

It is the 3rd Annual Benefit Concert and all proceeds benefit the SAILS program at Hamden Middle School, the statement said.

SAILS is a program "designed to provide students with the opportunity to raise their academic levels via accelerated classes, tutorial support, and community exposure," its website says.


Donations will be "gratefully accepted at the door," the statement said.

International Festival of Arts & Ideas planning meeting slated

NEW HAVEN - Regional artists, business owners and vendors, volunteers, and students looking for internships are sought as participants by the International Festival of Arts & Ideas.

The public is invited to a community meeting at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 17 at New Haven City Hall, where Festival staff members will discuss opportunities for performing, vending and merchandising, sponsorships and marketing, and working at the Festival, according to a statement.

About 100,000 visitors attend the International Festival of Arts & Ideas over 15 days. This year’s season is scheduled for June 11-25 at sites throughout New Haven, including the Town Green and on the Yale University campus, the statement said.

The informational meeting will be held in the Aldermanic Chamber at City Hall, 165 Church St., and will conclude at 7 p.m.

For more information, contact Lizzie Donius at (203) 498-3750 or ldonius@artidea.org.

International Development Bazaar in New Haven

NEW HAVEN — Reach Out’s World Micro-Market presents International Development Bazaar from noon to 4 p.m. Feb. 12 at Dwight Hall Chapel 67 High St.

Find unique gifts made by artisans from all over the world, organizers said in a statement.

Items for sale will include fair trade gifts, including paper bead bracelets and necklaces from Uganda, hand-made soap from Afghanistan, Equal Exchange chocolate and woven belts and scarves from Awamaki and other artisan groups from around the world, the statement said.

World Micro-Market, a committee of the international development organization Reach Out, is a nonprofit student-run organization that sells handicrafts from disadvantaged artisans in developing countries on Yale’s campus at regular markets in order to provide the artisans with a more profitable market, the statement said.
Through these markets, WMM enables Yale students to economically empower impoverished artisans and directly contribute to the alleviation of global poverty, the statement said.

LEAP dinners feature quite a cast of speakers

NEW HAVEN — Controversial parent/author Amy Chua, Frank Sinatra biographer Tom Santopietro, SeeClickFix co-founder Ben Berkowitz and the Professors of Bluegrass are among speakers listed for the annual LEAP dinners Feb. 24.

The 7:30 p.m. dinners will be preceded by a cocktail reception from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Heath Commons of Hopkins School. Both events are fundraisers for LEAP (Leadership, Education & Athletics in Partnership), which provides enrichment programs for New Haven youths.

This marks the 16th year in which LEAP supporters of the New Haven area have opened their doors to hold dinner parties. A guest of honor appears at each dinner. A few of the dinners are held at restaurants or other public sites.

Yale Law School Professor Chua, whose strict parenting techniques are described in her book “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother,” will be the guest of honor at a house in Woodbridge.


Five additional dinners will be held at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 26.

Read more about this story by clicking here

The cost for the reception and dinner is $150 per ticket. Those attending the reception only will pay $50 per ticket; people under 30 and LEAP alumni will pay $25. Reservations must be made by Feb. 14. Call the LEAP office at 203-773-0770.

Organizers say dinners with the most popular speakers often sell out early.

Miya’s Sushi chef Bun Lai will hold a gathering at his restaurant. Other food experts at the dinners will include: Claire Criscuolo of Claire’s Corner Copia; PBS “Everyday Food” host John W. Barricelli; Melissa Pelligrino and Matthew Scialabbo; and Rob Leighton.

Other speakers: Mary Lou Aleskie, executive director of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas; HigherOne entrepreneur Miles Lasater; New Haven Ballet Artistic Director Jared Redick; and Derek Briggs, director of Yale’s Peabody Museum.

Story is by Randall Beach
Tweet

'Catch Baseball Fever in the Dead of Winter'

The JCC Mid-Winter Baseball Celebration is Feb 13

WOODBRIDGE - The Jewish Center for Learning and Live Mid-Winter Baseball Celebration will offer a line-up of baseball fun to "brighten these dreary days waiting for the first pitch to be thrown" beginning at 11 a.m. Feb. 13 at the Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven, 360 Amity Road.

At 11 a.m., enjoy the screening of “Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story (2010).”

"This remarkable documentary, directed by Peter Miller and narrated by Dustin Hoffman, celebrates the contributions of Jewish major leaguers and the special meaning that baseball has had in the lives of American Jews, according to a release.
Hank Greenberg, Sandy Koufax, Kevin Youkilis, Shawn Green and many other great players are featured, and interviews with non-baseball heavy hitters like filmmaker Ron Howard and players association head Marvin Miller share their insights, the release said. "These powerful personal and historical stories are interwoven with an extraordinary collection of rare archival footage and photos, enhanced by popular music of the eras."
 Admission for the film is $10 per person.

After the film, participate in a stimulating talkback session with Adam Greenberg, a former member of the Chicago Cubs. Greenberg is a New Haven native and a current member of the Bridgeport Bluefish, the release said.
"Martin Abramowitz, who is featured in the film for creating the popular Jewish baseball card series in 2003, will also be on hand. He created the card series to ensure each of the 142 Jewish Major League Baseball players in the history of the game is memorialized with a baseball card. The sixth and final set of cards was released in 2010. Sets of these collectible cards will be available for sale and viewing," the release said.
Even kids, preschoolers through age 6 can catch baseball fever as CJLL educator Saskia Swenson Moss reads "You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?!" by Jonah Winter. This story, part of The PJ Library series of Jewish books for tots, will delight children from 11 a.m. – noon, the release said.
Additional activities are planned, and kosher ball-park food will be available for purchase.
The JCC is a subsidiary agency of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven.
For more information, visit http://www.jccnh.org/  or http://www.jewishnewhaven.org/,  or contact Rich Walter at 203- 387-2424 x300 or rwalter@jewishnewhaven.org, or Ruth Gross at x310 or rgross@jewishnewhaven.org

Seminar on networking techniques to be held at the library

NEW HAVEN - The next Subway Supper Seminar at the New Haven Public Library at 4:30 p.m. Feb. 24 will explore networking techniques that job seekers should use to gain the attention of prospective employers.
At the vent, ChaChanna Simpson "will discuss how to stay optimistic while using specific strategies to stand out from the resume and land an interview," according to a release.
Simpson is an editor, author, professional speaker and syndicated columnist, the release said. Her website, Twentity.com, "addresses the concerns of twentysomethings as they transition from college life into the real world--and offers good ideas for the job seeker of any age," he release said.
Subway Supper Seminars are offered the third Thursday of the month (note change for February meeting only) to provide staff and board members of regional nonprofits and small businesses the opportunity to network and improve their professional skills, the release said.
Seminars are funded through the generosity of the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation and Subway Restaurants.
There is no charge for the seminar, which takes place at the downtown library, 133 Elm St., 4:30-6 p.m.
Free parking is available.
Advance registration is required at http://www.feb24.eventbrite.com/, or call the library at 203-946-7431.

Also upcoming are two more seminars with Simpson at the library, the release said.

March 3, 6-7 p,m,, Using Social Media for Networking. Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter—How are they different? How do they work? Come and find out!

March 10, 6-7 p,m,, Blogging for success. One way to show your potential value to an employer is to start a blog. It shows that you understand and use today’s communications technology. See how a blog is set up, how to manage it, and what elements should be included.

To register, call Seth at 203-946-7431.

Tweet

On a wing...

And in the air...

Did you know?
American Bald Eagles have been wintering in the Litchfield Hills for decades because the running waters of the Shepaug Dam on the Housatonic River in Southbury prevent ice from forming, insuring a ready supply of fish, the eagles’ favorite dish.

"To make matters even better, when the fish come through the dam turbine, they're a bit stunned and tend to lay on top of the water, making for easy picking," according to a statement from the Western Connecticut Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Every year eagles travel to Connecticut and "eagle-eyed bird lovers - 4,300 strong in 2010 - flock to watch them at the Shepaug Eagle Observation Area operated by FirstLight Power Resources," the statement said.

Some 130,000 people have visited the observation area since it was opened to the public in 1986.
Telescopes provide close-ups and volunteers from Connecticut Audubon are on hand to help spot the eagles and to answer questions about the birds, the statement said.
The viewing station is 1,000 feet from the river, insuring safety for the eagles while providing an excellent vantage point for visitors, the statement said.
"With a wingspan that can be almost seven feet, eagles are fascinating to observe as they soar overhead to spot their prey with eyesight many times stronger than human. The flight speed of a bald eagle can range from 36 to 44 miles per hour."

The Observation Area is open until mid-March from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Admission is free, but advance reservations are required to insure that the observation site is not overcrowded.
Call (800) 368-8954 Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through March 7, or visit http://www.shepaugeagles.info/.

For information on the eagles and other winter activities and a free copy of UNWIND, a 112-page color guide to lodging, dining and all the attractions in the Litchfield Hills, contact the Western Connecticut Convention and Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, check Facebook or visit their web site at http://www.litchfieldhills.com/

Editor's Note: All information and photos in this post were contributed and are posted here as a public service.
Tweet