James Monroe (yes that James Monroe) to visit New Haven again

According to the New Haven Museum, James Monroe "will return to New Haven 200 years after his original visit—not in human or spectral form, but in a special, travelling exhibit: 'In the Spirit of the People: James Monroe's 1817 Tour of the Northern States.'”

 

Further, "Never one to fall behind in fashion, Monroe will be tweeting about his experience once he arrives in the Elm City. Though he is new to Twitter, his messages are expected to be relatively erudite," according to a release.

 

The commemorative exhibit will open at the New Haven Museum on June 3, and run through June 24, 2017, the release said.

 

Monroe’s tweets are available:at https://twitter.com/PresMonroe.

 

Monroe, fifth president of the U.S. visited New Haven June 20-22, 1817, visiting the large Eli Whitney arms manufacturing facility, the release noted.

 

“'In the Spirit of the People' is made up of 10 full-color vinyl banners containing images, quotations, and captions to present a history of (Monroe's) northern tour and convey a sense of the exuberance it generated," the release said.  "The first three banners introduce viewers to James Monroe and offer an overall summary of the tour.  The next six banners focus on specific locations that Monroe visited, with one banner dedicated to each.  The final banner offers interactive educational links as well as credits for the exhibit's sponsorship and preparation.

 

"The exhibit is a joint project of The James Monroe Museum and The Papers of James Monroe, both of which are administered by the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia."
 

The New Haven Museum is at 114 Whitney Ave. For more information visit Facebook.com/NewHavenMuseum or call 203-562-4183.
 

Editor's note: All information and the photos in this post were contributed by the New haven Museum. Click one of the buttons below to share it.

Peabody Museum to hold 21st annual MLK 'Legacy of Environmental and Social Justice'

"Peabody’s Celebration of Dr. King’s Quest for Environmental and Social Justice

to feature Teen Summit, Food Drive and Community Poetry Open Mic"

 

NEW HAVEN - The Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History will hold its 21st Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy of Environmental and Social Justice 2017 on Jan. 15-16, according to a release. 

 

The program runs from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, and thanks "to the support of presenting sponsor COMCAST, the event is free and open to the public," the release said.

 

The Peabody is at 170 Whitney Ave.

 

"The annual celebration recognizes Dr. King’s efforts to ensure environmental and social justice for all people. The term 'environmental justice,' coined long after his death, is based on the principle that all members of society have the right to clean air, water, and soil, as well as a right to live in communities where they can raise their families and send their kids out to play in healthy and nurturing natural environments," the release said.

 

 "Events and activities are designed to demonstrate how Dr. King strove to raise awareness about public health concerns and urban environmental issues that disproportionately affect minorities and low-income communities. Local organizations will be on hand both days to show how environmental justice also entails equal access to relief and community participation in the decisions of government and industry. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter,” proclaimed Dr. King."

 

The New Haven Museum, one block from the Peabody at 114 Whitney Ave. nue, will host the storytelling portion of the program. Admission is free at the New Haven Museum from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, the release said.

 

The Museum is also hosting a Food Drive "in honor of Dr. King, recognizing that one in seven households in the state struggle to put food on the table. Donations of non-perishable food items for the New Haven Community Soup Kitchen and Christian Community Action will be accepted at the Museum, 170 Whitney Ave. through January 17." Items past their expiration date cannot be accepted. Suggested donations can be found on the Peabodywebsite at peabody.yale.edu. For more information on the Food Drive, email peabody.events@yale.edu or call (203) 432-6646.

 

 

Additional support for the event comes from the Yale African American Affinity Group, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Stop & Shop, Subway, and the Yale University Office of New Haven and State Affairs.

 

Following is the complete schedule of activities.

Sunday, January 15, Noon to 4:00 pm

World Stage Performances (Great Hall of Dinosaurs)

12:30–1:15     Community Poetry Open Mic

1:15               The Rahsaan Langley Project — Motown: Earth Wind & Fire

2:15               Tia Russell Dance Studio — Lyrical dance & Jazz

3:00               Kouffin Kanecke Company — Traditional West African dance and drumming performance

 

David Friend Hall (3rd Floor)

12:00–4:00      8th Annual Teen Summit

 

Monday, January 16, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

World Stage Performances (Great Hall of Dinosaurs)

10:45              Dance Battle

11:00–12:00    Community Poetry Open Mic

12:00              Red Supreme Productions Hip Hop Dance Entertainment

12:30              Kenyatta Harris Jr. — Jazz and R&B

1:00                Red Supreme Productions Hip Hop Dance Entertainment

1:30                African Arawak Connection

2:30                Michael Mills — Drumming performance and drum circle finale

 

David Friend Hall (3rd Floor)

10:30–11:30    Martin Luther King “I Have a Dream” – Video Approx. 60 mins

11:30–12:00    Been to The Mountain Top – Video Approx. 30 mins

12:30–3:30      Annual Invitational Zannette Lewis Environmental and Social Justice Poetry Slam

                       Invited Poetry Slam Participants: Mind Evolution, Malcolm Wicks, M.I.D.N.I.G.H.T, Paragraph,

                                                                              Crystal Valentine, Sky Raven-The Vegan Poet,

                                                                              Jasmine  Eaton, Aaron Jafferis, Brad Waldron, Jaime Lewis,

                                                                              Steven Willis, Gabriel Ramirez, Lynnette Johnson, Safi

 

Monday, January 16, AT THE NEW HAVEN MUSEUM, 114 WHITNEY AVENUE, one block from the Peabody:

Storytelling & Amistad Exhibit  

Free Admission to the New Haven Museum from 11:00 am to 4:00pm

11:30               Joy Donaldson — “Martin Luther King Word and Song”

1:00                 Waltrina Kirkland Mullins — “We’ve Come a Long Way! Celebrating the Legacy of Dr. King”

 

Editor's note: All information and the photo in this post were contributed. Click one of the buttons below to share it.

Puppypalooza to be held at Anna Liffey's in New Haven

NEW HAVEN - The Friends of New Haven Animal Shelter will hold Puppypalooza from 5 p.m. to closing June 18, at Anna Liffey’s, 17 Whitney Ave.

The event will include an open mic for dog stories, with music by Ian Biggs, Seth Adam, piper Durant McCurley.

Also, prizes, a vegetarian buffet, cash bar and "puppy punch."  Dogs are welcome.

Tickets are $18 at the door, and $15 in advance.

For tickets, go to the New Haven Animal Shelter, 81 Fournier St., Anna Liffey’s, FNHAS website.


Editor's note: All information and the photo in this post were contributed. Click one of the buttons below to share it.

West Nile virus identified in a New Haven resident

A human case of West Nile virus has been identified in New Haven, and it is among eight cases in Connecticut so far this year, the State Mosquito Management Program announced Wednesday.

Six of the cases are Bridgeport residents, which health officials say is an unusual number for a single community. The other two patients include a Shelton resident and the New Haven resident, according to a press release from the state Department of Public Health.

All eight are adults ranging in age from 30 to 90, the release said. Seven patients were hospitalized and one remains in the hospital.

West Nile-infected mosquitoes have been found in 11 different towns and cities across the state since July 20 and the most recent discovery was in East Haven on Sept. 29.

Although health officials said the risk of being exposed to the disease subsides in October because of colder temperatures killing off most mosquitoes, they urge everyone to wear pants and long-sleeved shirts when outside for long periods of time.

'Walking tour of Gay New Haven for June Gay Pride Month'

All great
adventures begin with a first step

NEW HAVEN---The Elm City "has a rich gay history that is unknown to most area residents," according to a release and "The New Haven Pride Center is featuring a 90 minute walking tour that takes walkers to key locations around the nine squares to reveal that queer people have been making history here for more than 350 years." 

"Guests will see where Cole Porter got a kick from Champagne, where the Doors’ front man Jim Morrison was bloodied and arrested, where Bette Davis had a bumpy night, where Judy and Liza played both sides of College Street, where frisky freshmen went subterranean for their meet and greets, and where Connecticut’s first public gay execution occurred in 1646," the release said.

 

The tour will be led by John D. Allen, founder and current co-president of New Haven Pride Center, the release said. "Dr. Allen has been chronicling Connecticut’s gay history for more than 20 years and invites guests to take a peek into New Haven’s closet."  

The walking tour, which is one of several events to commemorate June Gay Pride Month, takes place 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., June 20, rain or shine. The tour is free and open to all. Guests should plan to meet at the New Haven Pride Center, 84 Orange St., according to the release.

 

Questions? Email nhglcc@gmail.com or visit www.newhavenpridecenter.org

Help Save Connecticut's Trees

The state  Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is asking that anyone thinking of  summer travel and camping "help prevent the introduction and spread of destructive wood pests, like the Asian Longhorned Beetle... by buying and burning firewood near their vacation or camping destination," according to a release.

 “Harmful forest insects often spend a portion of their lifecycle as larvae inside the trunk and branches of trees and folks transporting infested firewood from one location to another may unknowingly move insect pests,” said DEEP Commissioner Robert Klee, also in the release  "Purchasing firewood locally rather than transporting it from home is a best management practice that reduces the risk of spread of these destructive pests.”

State Entomologist Dr. Kirby Stafford of the New Haven-based Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, also noted: “We continue to see adverse impacts on our trees and forests by introduced insect pests such as the hemlock woolly adelgid, emerald ash borer, winter moth, and most recently, the southern pine beetle.”

 

“Buying and burning firewood locally is one way Connecticut’s citizens and visitors can help prevent the introduction or spread of some of these exotic, destructive insects," Stafford said in the release.

 

"The ALB is currently the greatest – but not the only – threat to the trees of Connecticut. The nearest infestation is within 30 miles of our border with Massachusetts, where Federal and State agricultural and forestry officials continue to eradicate the ALB infestation within a110 square mile quarantine zone in Worcester and surrounding towns. This effort has resulted in the cutting of more than 34,000 trees, and since October 2008 has cost the U.S. Department of Agriculture over $146 million. In New York, 137 square miles are under ALB regulation which includes the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, and a portion of central Long Island. "

 
Also in the release (shared unedited here): 

Emerald Ash Borer

 Another danger to the trees of our state is posed by the Emerald Ash Borer.  As a result of the presence of this beetle throughout much of Connecticut, there are restrictions on moving untreated firewood out-of state to New York and Rhode Island. Most New England State campgrounds and National Forest and Park campgrounds prohibit out-of state firewood. In addition to firewood confiscation, violators could face steep fines. 

The DEEP and CAES recommend the following steps to prevent wood movement: 

·         Purchase all firewood near your camp or seasonal home destination instead of bringing it from home. 

·         Burn all wood purchased at your camp or seasonal home destination and do not carry it back home with you.
DEEP is participating in a national program that seeks to heighten public awareness regarding the environmental dangers of moving firewood over long distances. This includes all wood intended to be burned including pine now that Southern Pine beetle has been discovered in Connecticut this past March.  For more information, visit the Don't Move Firewood website.

RECOMMENDATIONS IF PEOPLE SUSPECT ALB INFESTATION IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD

Suspected infestations of ALB or beetles should be reported to The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station at Caes.StateEntomologist@ct.gov or the Office of the State Entomologist at 203-974-8474 or 203-974-8485. Reports can also be submitted to the Asian Longhorned beetle New England hotline number 866-702-9938.

HISTORY OF ASIAN LONGHORNED BEETLE

 The Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) was first discovered attacking trees in the United States in New York City in 1996. ALB probably travelled to the United States inside solid wood packing material from China.  The beetle has been intercepted at ports of entry and found in warehouses in various locations around the United States. 

This beetle is a serious pest in China, where it kills hardwood trees.  In the United States, the beetle prefers maple species including boxelder, Norway, red, silver and sugar maples.  Other native preferred tree species include the birches, elms, horse chestnut, and willows. 

 Currently the only effective way to eradicate ALB is to remove infested trees and destroy them by chipping or burning.  To prevent further spread of the insect, quarantines are established to regulate movement of articles that could carry lifestages of the pest including all firewood. Early detection of infestations and rapid response are crucial to successful eradication of the beetle.

United States Department of Agriculture

 

For Additional Information: DEEP: Regulation on Movement of Firewood, DEEP: Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)

 

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed. Click one of the buttons below to share it.

St. Andrew the Apostle Society 114th Italian Festa celebration begins Thursday in New Haven

NEW HAVEN - The St. Andrew the Apostle Society and the Amalfitani-Italian Community of New Haven will continue to celebrate their heritage and traditions with the 114^th Italian Festa celebration that begins at 6 p.m. Thursday with the opening parade through Wooster Square, organizers said in a release.

The festa at 515 Chapel St. will include Italian food, music, entertainment nightly and games and rides for children., the release said,

There is no charge for admission.

The festa open at 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, the release said.

 

 

See the schedule below:

 

Opening Night - Thursday, June 26, 2014

6:00 p.m.                   Opening Parade through Historic Wooster Square

                                                            Immediately followed by the Blessing of the Festa with the unveiling of the statue of Saint Andrew the Apostle by JOSEPHINE (PETTOLA) ESPOSITO and ANDREW CALABRESE, JR.

 

7:00 - 10:00 p.m.      Vocal talents of Michael Nigretti

 

Friday, June 27, 2014

5:30 -  7:30 p.m.       Vocal talents of Michael Nigretti

8:00 - 10:00 p.m.      Vinnie Carr

 

Saturday, June 28, 2014

5:30 - 7:30 p.m.        Charlie sALERNO Band and friends

7:30 - 11:00 p.m.      NEAPOLITAN NIGHT – By Richard DiPalma & Special Guests. 

 

Sunday, June 29, 2014     

10:00 a.m.                             Old World Traditional Procession through historic Wooster Square

11:30 a.m.                             Mass at St. Michael’s Church in Wooster Square

4:30 - 5:30 p.m.        Strolling Italian Serenades by NICK GRASSO

6:00 – 9:00 p.m.       Vocal talents of Michael Nigretti with special guest Big Eddie

7:00 p.m.                               Honoring the Luigi and Elizabeth Pettola Family

                                                            Awarding of the St. Andrew’s Ladies Society Scholarships

9:00 p.m.                               Raffle Prizes

 

Please feel free to visit our website @ www.ssaanewhaven.com