Newtown Fund getting help from chiropractors

Chiropractors across the country are helping the people of Newtown by offering free adjustments to their patients for a donation to the Sandy Hook Elementary Memorial Fund.
The Connecticut Chiropractic Council organized the fundraiser, to be held Feb. 2, to help the people of Newtown after the Dec. 14 tragedy in which 26 students and adults were shot to death at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Those who are not patients will receive a free spinal evaluation for a donation. All donations will be sent to the fund held at the Newtown Savings Bank.
The chiropractors’ goal for the fund-raiser, “Adjusting for Sandy Hook,” is 100,000 adjustments nationwide, according to a release. A list of participating chiropractors can be found at www.ctcouncil.com under “Fundraising Events.”





In the photo: Neil Heslin of Shelton holds a photo of himself with his son, Jesse Lewis, and gives testimony at a legislative hearing about gun control at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.  His son was killed at the Sandy Hook shootings in December.
Photo by Arnold Gold/New Haven Register

New Haven Museum honors Black History Month with special event

NEW HAVEN — In honor of Black History Month, the New Haven Museum will continue its Spring 2013 Heroes & Villains lecture series with a lecture on the life of James W. C. Pennington, “a forgotten pioneer who helped lay the foundation for the contemporary civil rights revolution and inspire generations of future leaders,” at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 6.
The snow date is Feb. 7.
Christopher L. Webber will speak about Pennington, the subject of his book, “American to the Backbone: The Life of James W. C. Pennington, the Fugitive Slave Who Became One of the First Black Abolitionists,” according to a release.
“Pennington is a forgotten hero of 19th century America—a former slave who became a Yale University scholar, congregational pastor, and international leader of the Antebellum abolitionist movement,” the release said. “He was so respected by European audiences that the University of Heidelberg awarded him an honorary doctorate, making him the first person of African descent to receive such a degree. As he fought for equal rights in America, Pennington’s voice was not limited to the preacher’s pulpit. More than a century before Rosa Parks took her transformational bus ride, Pennington challenged segregated seating in New York City streetcars.”
Webber, a grad of Princeton University and the General Theological Seminary in New York, is an author, including of “Welcome to Christian Faith,” “Beyond Beowulf,” and “A Year with American Saints.”
Webber “also written hymns included in several major hymnals in the United States and Canada,” the release said.
He and his wife, Margaret Elisabeth (Rose) Webber and their four children live in Sharon, the release said.

Also in the release: The New Haven Museum, founded in 1862 as the New Haven Colony Historical Society and currently celebrating its 150th Anniversary, is located in downtown New Haven at 114 Whitney Avenue. Join the Museum in exploring the stories behind some of the most important historical figures in the history of Greater New Haven and Connecticut. The lecture series will continue through 2013 as the New Haven Museum celebrates its 150th and the City of New Haven’s 375th anniversary. All lectures begin at 6:30 pm. Most lectures will be accompanied by book signings, and copies of each speaker’s books will be available for sale. All lectures are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Michelle Cheng, Director of Education, at (203) 562-4183 ext. 11 or education@newhavenmuseum.org.


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

Heart Health: Get informed at Milford Hospital

Milford Hospital will hold an informational talk on “Heart and Vascular Health” at 6:30 p.m.  Feb.  11.

Dr. David Esposito, a cardiac, thoracic, and vascular surgeon, will give the talk, according to a release from the hospital..

 One in three people in the United States have cardiovascular disease, the release said. 

“Inform yourself on how not to become another statistic,” the release said 

The seminar is free but registration is required. 

To register, go to www.milfordhospital.org or call the Department of Education at 203-876-4004.

Connecticut Public Transportation Commission 2012 Annual Report

Connecticut Public Transportation Commission 2012 Annual Report and Recommendations

Connecticut Public Transportation Commission by

Jewish Community Center is site of 'Taste of Honey'

WOODBRIDGE — Now in its 17th year, A Taste of Honey will be held Saturday from 7-11 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center.
The program is open to people from all backgrounds and affiliations, and features speakers and discussions of topical issues.
Among the speakers are:
- Rabbi Yaakov Komisar speaking about Jewish views on gun control, especially in the wake of Newtown.
- Rachel Gur, former legislative director in the Knesset, discussing the impact of this week’s Israeli elections.
- Haviv Gur, who worked at the Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel, discussing issues involved in covering the Jewish community in the U.S. and Israel. ‰Rabbi Ari Weiss of Uri L’Tzedek, that created Tav HaYosher – ethical kashrut certification
- Sary Udashkin of Eshel, speaking on being Orthodox and LGBT.
- Miriam Benson, former lawyer for Women of the Wall, discussing its history and current legal issues.
- Jesse Freedman and Bronwen Mullen of the New York-based theater company Meta Phys-Ed, giving a workshop called “The Book of Ezekiel … and Zombies.”
A separate program for children and families will be held Sunday, 10-11:30 a.m.
Tickets are $22/$12 for students and seniors. Register online at www.jccnh.org. The program will take place in the Beckerman/Lender Building, 360 Amity Road.
For more information, call DeDe Jacobs-Komisar at 203-387-2522, ext. 300.  

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

UConn 'fact sheet' 2013

The University of Connecticut announced in a release that its "annual fact sheet has been updated for 2013." 

"It’s a quick reference to UConn information including enrollment, academic programs, student demographics, tuition and financial aid, the budget, donations received, and research activities," the release said.

See "fact" sheets from previous years here.

See the 2013 sheet here and it can be viewed, downloaded, or printed:

UConn Fact Sheet 2013 by

Give Kids a Smile event slated Feb. 2 in New Haven

NEW HAVEN — The Levy Dental Group, 921 State St., will join dentists across the nation participating in the American Dental Association’s Give Kids A Smile Program.
The event will be held 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 2. It is intended to provide dental care for the estimated 100 local children from underserved families who qualify.
Care is provided by dentists, hygienists, and assistants, with funding from corporate sponsors such as Henry Schein and Vine Products; and other volunteers.
The Give Kids A Smile Program is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Last year, more than 44,800 dental team members nationwide participated in Give Kids A Smile.
Nearly one in four children, age 2 to 11 have untreated cavities in baby teeth, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many children enrolled in Medicaid receive no dental services throughout the year.
Give Kids A Smile is held annually to raise awareness of the epidemic of untreated dental disease occurring here and across the country and raise awareness of the need to build local public and private partnerships to increase access to oral health care to solve this crisis.
For more information, contact Sherry Fucci at 203-865-2245 or email sherry@levydental.com.

Albertus Magnus College continues Thomas Aquinas Lecture Series

 NEW HAVEN — Mary Catherine Hilkert, a professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame, will be on the Albertus Magnus College campus Jan. 29 to give the second talk in the 2012-2013 St. Thomas Aquinas Lecture Series, named for the great scholar and member of the Dominican Order.
Hilkert’s topic is “Reading the Word of God and the Book of Nature,” focusing on the ways in which the Book of Nature and the Bible can shed light on each other, according to a release.
Hilkert, a member of the Dominican Sisters of Peace, is the author of several books and numerous articles on theology, preaching and spirituality, the release said. She has received a grant from the Louisville Institute for the 2012-13 academic year to support her current research project, a book titled “Words of Spirit and Life: Theology, Preaching and Spirituality,” based on the 2010 Lyman Beecher Lectures at Yale, the release said.
A graduate of the University of Dayton, Hilkert earned her master’s an doctorate from The Catholic University of America, the release said.
She received honorary degrees from Providence College in 2002 and Aquinas Institute of Theology in 2012.
The event is free and open to the public. It is made possible through the Marie Louise Bianchi ’31 Fund, the release said.
The talk will take place at Devaney Hall, in Aquinas Hall, from 5:15 to 6:30 p.m. To reserve a place, call 203-773-8502 or email alumni@albertus.edu.
A Catholic College in the Dominican tradition, Albertus was founded in 1925, the release said. It has an enrollment of nearly 1,700 students in the traditional undergraduate program, accelerated undergraduate programs for working adults and graduate degree programs, including the only master’s of arts in art therapy degree in the state of Connecticut, the release said.

Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders announce new board members

Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, or GLAD, has announced the appointment of three new Board members: Anne Stanback, David Wilson and Trina Soske, according to a release.

“I enthusiastically welcome our newest Board members, who each share a passion for GLAD’s mission and bring unique talents and life experiences to our Board,” said Board President Dianne Phillips, also in the release. “Anne, David and Trina all have connections to broad and diverse communities, and I am confident they will help GLAD continue to grow and execute our mission.”

The remainder of this post is from the release: 

David Wilson was a plaintiff in GLAD’s landmark Goodridge lawsuit, which made Massachusetts the first state to legally marry same-sex couples. The case and the quest for equal rights under the law ignited his desire to become more involved in the civil rights struggle for LGBT folks, especially those raised in the black community. David was a founding member of Fenway Community Health Center’s Endowment Board, raising $1 million in this first three years.  Before retiring, David was Vice President of real estate company Spaulding & Slye Colliers and worked for 30 years at Verizon. As a former member of the Board of MassEquality, the Board and Business Council of the Human Rights Campaign and the Massachusetts LGBT Youth Commission, David has worked to eradicate institutional racism, introduce diversity and inclusion training programs coupled with targeted outreach to LGBT people of color.

“I see GLAD as the much needed partner in the LGBT civil rights struggle for people of color,” said Wilson. “I am committed to bringing corporate leaders, non-profit experts, straight allies, youth organizers, and my personal contacts to the GLAD table.”

Anne Stanback has worked as an activist for the LGBT community for over 30 years. For 20 years, she has collaborated with GLAD in her role as the Founder and Executive Director of Love Makes a Family, Connecticut’s marriage equality organization. Anne brings to GLAD’s board an excellent network of coalition partners in Connecticut, including a significant connection to the faith community and an understanding of the powerful role it can play in improving the lives of those who are LGBT or HIV+ or living with AIDS. Anne also has a long track record of working with the transgender community in Connecticut.

“I have always seen myself as an unofficial ambassador for GLAD here in Connecticut,” said Stanback. “I look forward to being part of the impressive, hard-working group that I know the GLAD board to be.”

Trina Soske’s lifelong passion for tackling injustice led her to become a GLAD supporter over 16 years ago. Trina is currently a Senior Partner at Oliver Wyman Leadership Development, bringing years of experience in strategy and leadership consulting to GLAD’s Board, and she spends her professional time teaching, researching, writing, speaking, and consulting about leadership. As Co-President of Harvard Business School's LGBT alumni association, Trina has cultivated extensive networks in the LGBT business community. Trina also has been very active in education-reform efforts over the last 10 years, involving policy, assessment, curriculum design, teacher professional development, and high-performance management of school districts.

“I’ve always spent my life’s energy and time on things that matter to me, and where I think I can make a difference,” said Soske. “I believe that GLAD has been very astute and strategic in executing against its mission – identifying and shaping what could be pivotal cases.”

Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders is New England’s leading legal organization devoted to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, HIV status, and gender identity and expression.  

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

Long Wharf: Global Health and the Arts Symposium

Long Wharf Theatre's 5th annual Global Health and the Arts Symposium takes place Thursday and Friday at the 222 Sargent Drive theatere, and will focus on obesity issues, the same subject as its current production, "January Joiner: A Weight Loss Horror Comedy," by Laura Jacqmin.

 Co-chairing the conference are David Scheer, president of Scheer & Company and a LWT board member, and Kelly Brownell, director of Yale's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity.

Among the dozens of speakers from academia, the health industry and public- service sector are Yale Provost and President-elect Peter Salovey, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3, Brownell and LWT Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein.

Scenes from several other plays addressing the issue also will be featured. Info: www.longwharf.org

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

Bedbugs? Don't use outdoor pesticides on them

In a release, The Connecticut Department of Public Health, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station warn the public not to use outdoor pesticides to treat for bed bugs.

Read more:

Bedbugs and presticides by

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

 

Take a hike, meet a reptile, all in Madison

The Friends of Hammonasset has scheduled the annual Bauer Series at 10 a.m. on the first 3 Saturdays in February at St. Andrew’s Church, 232 Durham Road (Rt. 79) in Madison.
The fourth program, on Feb. 23 at 11 .a.m., is a guided hike beginning at the Meigs Point Nature Center at Hammonasset Beach State Park.
The series is sponsored by Guilford Savings Bank.
‰Feb. 2: Live bird show, presented by Todd Secki and Christine Cummings Secki from A Place Called Hope, a bird rescue and rehabilitation facility in Killingworth.
‰Feb. 9: Live Reptiles and Amphibians show, presented by Kim Hargrave, educational director at Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center. There will be lots of live animals!
‰Feb.16: Exotic and Tropical Pets show presented by Russ Miller, director of Meigs Point Nature Center.
‰Feb. 23: Geology/Native American Land Use Hike, 11 a.m., starting at Meigs Point Nature Center, led by Gary Nolf and Don Rankin, representing Friends of the Office of State Archaeology. Geological features of the Park will be discussed. Archaeology exhibits will be available and folks can bring their own artifacts for interpretation. The atlatl will be demonstrated. Folks participate at their own risk and should dress for wintry conditions. No pets allowed on the hike.
Light refreshments will be available following all presentations.
For information, call 203-245-9192.


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