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By Kerri Provost, April 28, 2013 8:42 pm

May 1

• The Hartford Public Library will be hosting a community program on planning for sustainability. The HPL says, “This workshop offers in partnership with the Hartford Foundation for Public giving. Sustaining your initiatives requires leadership, persistence and a plan. This workshop will enable you to think and act more strategically in demonstrating the sustainability of your initiative and will offer suggestions on planning for program continuation.”  10am-12pm in the Downtown Youth Program Room.
• Reel Youth Hartford Film Festival, founded by Public Allies Connecticut, “aims to engage and unite Hartford youth in telling their stories and the stories of their city through film.” Films created by youth living in Hartford will be screened tonight at Cinestudio. Doors open at 5:30pm, programming begins at 6. There will be an awards ceremony and reception. This is free and open to the public.
• Also at 5:30, young professionals are welcomed to the Connecticut Convention Center for the free networking event, Get HYPEd. This goes until 8:30pm. It’s casual. No rsvp required. Bring business cards!
• Ever wanted to try drawing with a live model as the subject? Who hasn’t? Studio N111 is offering a Life Drawing workshop with a different theme every month. For tonight, JaVon will model as artists of all skill levels wrangle with “proportion.” There is a $15 fee that includes materials. 7pm. Studio N111 is located at 75 Pratt Street, #301. No need to rsvp — just drop in. Continue reading 'May 2013 Events'»

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By Kerri Provost, April 3, 2013 10:30 pm

Having grown up in Hartford when there was an arcade on Main Street across from what is now the Capital Prep Magnet School, a man explained that areas north of downtown experienced divestment beginning in the late 1960′s. “They called it civil uprising,” he said of the trigger for this loss. “We called it riots.” Continue reading 'Albany-Homestead Corridor: Whatever sticks'»

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By Kerri Provost, February 18, 2013 5:05 pm

The community meeting to discussion the Albany Avenue streetscape has been reschedule for February 21, 2013. The original meeting was canceled because of snow.

This will take place at the Artists’ Collective (1200 Albany Ave) from 5:30-7:30pm. All are welcome.

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By Kerri Provost, February 11, 2013 1:58 pm

Trinity Street in downtown has been plowed several times. Residents in some neighborhoods are still waiting for one plow.

The snowfall stopped two days ago, but residents are reporting that a number of streets have yet to see a plow. Streets described as not “open,” with open being defined “as the plow opening up the middle of road” were posted by residents on the Hartford Fire Department’s Facebook page. It is safe to assume that this is an incomplete report, as not everyone has access to Facebook.

If you want to know exactly which streets were reported as “not open” — which areas receive service and which do not — check out the map created by Real Hartford. The streets included on the map — marked with snowflake icons — were reported on Monday morning and early afternoon.

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By Kerri Provost, February 2, 2013 6:30 am

Continue reading 'In Your Neighborhood: Clay Arsenal'»

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By Kerri Provost, January 21, 2013 9:30 am

Unlike parking or access to grocery stores, the groans elicited by travel on arterial streets are actually well-deserved. Continue reading 'Safety and Aesthetic Improvements Coming to an Ave Near You'»

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By Kerri Provost, January 16, 2013 11:14 am

Starting May 1st, trash and recycling collection days will be shifted for about 20% of Hartford residents. Most impacted will be those in the Blue Hills, Frog Hollow, Upper Albany, West End, and Clay Arsenal neighborhoods, and those within the South Downtown NRZ. Continue reading 'Garbage Day'»

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By Kerri Provost, November 27, 2012 9:13 am

This monthly calendar is meant to be an alternative to those automated ones you can find online that are loaded up with outdated information. You know, ones that claim events are happening at venues that closed six months ago. There is no attempt to be all-inclusive. Events that are free or inexpensive are favored, but exceptions will be made for performances, lectures, and other activities if they seem unique or high quality.

If events seem pandering (most things aimed at children) or too commercial, they will not be included.

Here are just a few things you might consider filling your calendar with this December:

December 1

• From 9-5, there is free admission to the museum galleries at the Connecticut Historical Society on Elizabeth Street. Visitors can make holiday poppers/crackers at various times. The free entrance does not include the Research Center.
• World AIDS Day will be marked by the Getting to Zero program in the Center for Contemporary Culture at the Hartford Public Library. This runs from 9:30a.m. until 1p.m.
• Today is the first half of the Hartford Prints! Holiday Printshop, a workshop during which participants will learn letterpress printing, make their own personalized holiday cards, and close out the class with a cocktail reception. This is one of those rare not-remotely-cheap ($250) events that makes it onto the calendar because the experience is unique. If all you are interested in is making cards, then this is expensive. If you want to come away with a skill you can use again and again, then the price tag may feel worthwhile to you. The session runs from 10am-5pm today, and resumes from 6pm-9pm on December 6th at 56 Arbor Street, Suite 220. For information about registration, contact Hartford Prints!
• At the Charter Oak Cultural Center, Bonita Weisman and guests will be performing improvisational dances as part of the free Havdalah service. The Havdalah service is a ritual that marks the end of Shabbat, but one need not be Jewish to participate in this event beginning at 7:30 p.m.

December 2

• Free jazz at the Hartford Public Library! For an hour, beginning at 3pm, music will be performing in the atrium.
• Annual Festival of Lessons and Carols: The Trinity College Chapel Singers, Trinity College Concert Choir, and Trinity College Guild of Carillonneurs will be giving two performances today, with Mayor Segarra giving a reading at the 4pm one. You are challenged to go and not be moved by the music, regardless of whichever religion (if any) you are affiliated with. The second performance begins at 7pm. It is suggested that guests arrive at the chapel early, as seating is limited. Continue reading 'December Events'»

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By Kerri Provost, October 31, 2012 10:44 am

On Tuesday, November 6th, as with every election, the polls are expected to be open from 6am-8pm on Election Day.
This year’s ballot question (yes or no) asks whether or not more funds should be appropriated for the massive MDC project. According to The Hartford Votes-Hartford Vota Coalition, the question — in layperson’s terms — reads:

Approval for the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) to appropriate an additional $800 million for Phase 2 of the Clean Water Project, which is being implemented to comply with a Federal consent decree and State consent order requiring the reduction of sewage overflows.  The appropriation is to be financed through grants, loans, and MDC issuance of bonds.

But on MDC literature, it is stated as follows:

Shall the appropriation of an additional $800,000,000, to be financed, in part, by the
issuance of bonds and Clean Water Fund grants and loans, for Phase II of the Metropolitan
District’s combined sewer overflow, sanitary sewer overflow and nitrogen removal programs to decrease levels of pollution in Metropolitan District member towns, the Connecticut River and its tributaries, and Long Island Sound to comply with a consent decree of the United States District Court of the District of Connecticut and a consent order of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, be approved?

Currently, diluted sewage is sent into the Connecticut River and its tributaries. The Clean Water Project will deal with the “approximately 1 billion gallons of combined wastewater and storm water currently released each year to area waterways,” says the MDC. Residents of Bloomfield, East Hartford, Newington, Rocky Hill, West Hartford, Wethersfield and Windsor will also be able to vote on this question.

As for the candidates, voters should have taken responsibility to learn about their options by now; however, one’s choices might seem limited if a person’s total knowledge of the process comes from advertisements, commercials, and phone calls. Besides the choices listed on the ballot, it is possible to write in candidates. The Registrar of Voters is not required to have the names of all candidates listed on the ballot; in other words, it is up to the voter to know the names of write-in candidates when they enter the polling place. The Hartford Votes-Hartford Vota Coalition has provided a list of options:

In addition to the listed candidates for President,  it is possible to write-in Stephen Durham, James E. Harris, Tom Hoefling, Raymond Sizemore, Jill Stein, and Gerald Warner.

Stephen Durham is an openly gay candidate running with the Freedom Socialist Party; his running mate is feminist Christina López.

Tom Hoefling is an America’s Party candidate; this party believes that abortion and euthanasia violate the U.S. Constitution.

Jill Stein, Green Party candidate, is running with Cheri Honkala.

Individuals do not need to vote along party lines. For example, a registered Democrat can vote for a Libertarian candidate if he feels so inclined. Voters can also choose not to vote, either in general or for any position or question. Even if only one choice is provided for a particular seat, there is no obligation to cast a vote for that candidate. While this seems like commonsense, less informed voters are sometimes given misinformation by cheerleaders standing outside of polling places, and worse, by poll workers. Continue reading 'Hartford Voting Guide'»

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By Kerri Provost, August 27, 2012 8:12 am

This event calendar is not intended to be one-stop-shopping. Major events or those already receiving heavy promotion tend to be excluded, as do most events with large price tags, though exceptions are sometimes made, particularly if the cause is good or there are discounts offered.

If there is anything that fits that bill, happens in Hartford, but is missing from this list, leave a note in the comments and/or remind your organization to send out press releases:

September 1

• Free admission to museum galleries at the Connecticut Historical Society from 9-5 today.

• Pliny Street Block Party: The Clay Arsenal Neighborhood Revitalization Zone and various community organizations will be on hand from 12-4pm. There will be face painting, food, entertainment, and of course, a moon bounce. Continue reading 'Stuff to Do in September'»