New Haven Independent

Breaking News | April 17, 2008

Bleach Factory Evacuated

by Melissa Bailey | April 17, 2008 12:20 PM | Permalink

(Updated: 12:49 p.m.) Thirteen to 15 people have been taken to the hospital for respiratory problems after a leak of chlorine gas at H. Krevit & Co. on Welton Street near the Hamden border.

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Breaking News | February 5, 2008

Library Parties On

by Allan Appel | February 5, 2008 11:19 PM | Permalink

In her commedia dell'arte mask, Margaret Watley was in fine Mardi Gras form as she attended the ninth annual Fat Tuesday-themed party to benefit the New Haven Free Public Library (NHFPL) in its 121st year.

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Breaking News | February 5, 2008

Rookie Rodriguez Bats for Hall of Famer

by Allan Appel | February 5, 2008 12:24 PM | Permalink

The rookie alderman from the 15th Ward in Fair Haven, Joey Rodriguez, went to bat at Monday night's BOA meeting on behalf of Roberto Clemente, the great baseball player, who is a role model for many local Latinos.

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Breaking News | February 4, 2008

Lauri Roman Cleans Her Office

by Paul Bass | February 4, 2008 1:30 PM | Permalink

In five minutes! A presidential candidate was coming.

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Breaking News | January 17, 2008

No Noose Is Good News

by Melissa Bailey | January 17, 2008 3:21 PM | Permalink

In the wake of a disturbing rash of incidents involving nooses across the state, New Haven's NAACP and Turner Construction vowed zero tolerance for hate crimes in New Haven.

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Breaking News | January 10, 2008

Rell Pressed On Tobacco $$$

by Paul Bass | January 10, 2008 7:46 AM | Permalink

New Haven's Rosa DeLauro (pictured) and the rest of Connecticut's D.C. delegation want answers from the governor about where all that tobacco settlement money -- $1 billion and counting -- is going. Full story here.

Breaking News | January 7, 2008

Long Wharf Memorials Cleaned, But . . .

by Allan Appel | January 7, 2008 1:28 AM | Permalink

The Vietnam Memorial and others in Long Wharf Park, recently defaced with gang graffiti, were cleaned by the city Sunday morning. Becky Sanchez, peeking out from her business, might have had a bird's-eye view. For three months now she's been the owner and operator of the La Pinchera Coamena food truck, which is parked more or less parallel to the great V that faces toward Long Island Sound and the Atlantic in the direction of Vietnam.

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Breaking News | January 5, 2008

Vietnam Memorial Defaced Again

by Paul Bass | January 5, 2008 8:54 PM | Permalink

The city is considering installing security cameras on Long Wharf after vandals defaced the Vietnam veterans memorial for the second time in a little more than a week.

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Breaking News | December 12, 2007

Fire Damage Totals $10M

by Melissa Bailey | December 12, 2007 9:58 AM | Permalink

(Updated: 5:32 p.m.) A fire that ripped through a downtown block Wednesday morning has destroyed at least six businesses and incurred $10 million in damages, city officials say.

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Breaking News | July 5, 2007

July 4 Brings Anti-War Message From CT to DC

by Melinda Tuhus | July 5, 2007 9:06 AM | Permalink

As New Haveners joined a patriotic anti-war protest at an out-of-town Independence Day "boombox" parade, a Connecticut Congressman joining the march said that summer hearings will keep the pressure on the White House to bring troops home from Iraq.

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Breaking News | March 19, 2007

Ortiz Answers The Question Of The Hour

by Staff | March 19, 2007 4:19 PM | Permalink

Why did Police Chief Francisco Ortiz (pictured above) transfer Lt. Billy White -- then change his mind? That's the question of the hour in the unfolding city police bribery and theft scandal. Ortiz offered answers Monday. Click here to read about it.
Other developments:
• The state's ACLU chief (pictured) accused the mayor of ducking responsibility and questions about the affair by "scapegoating" another prominent black leader with accusations of a "shakedown." Click here to read more.
• Embattled Lt. Billy White (pictured) -- at the center of the scandal after his arrest last week in an FBI sting -- was honored as "cop of the year" at this police-firefighter hockey game last year.
• Cllck here to read a potboiler 57-page FBI affidavit about the case; here to read about the "Estupido" incident on Long Wharf; and here, here, here, here, here , here and here for other coverage of the case.

Breaking News | March 13, 2007

FBI: City Narcotics Cops Stole Money, Took Bribes, Gambled; Billy White Considered Suicidal

by Paul Bass and Christine Stuart | March 13, 2007 2:30 PM | Permalink

(Updated: 7:15 p.m.) The government has requested a psychiatric evaluation of arrested New Haven police Lt. Billy White following his arraignment Tuesday afternoon on charges of accepting bribes from local bail bondsmen and stealing money at crime scenes. The government said the FBI caught White in a sting operation described in this affidavit. According to New Haven Chief Francisco Ortiz (pictured outside court Tuesday), it was a joint operation.

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Breaking News | January 23, 2007

Scofflaw Arrested For Running Over Tax Collector's Foot

by Melissa Bailey | January 23, 2007 8:50 PM | Permalink

A 26 year-old woman turned herself in to New Haven police Tuesday morning in connection with a hit-and-run Monday with the city's kindly tax collector, C. J. Cuticello. The woman owed $533 in car taxes. When the Bootfinder found her car on Orange and Crown Streets and towers prepared to seize it, she jumped in and sped away, running over Cuticello's foot and knocking him to the ground. She was arrested Tuesday on charges of evading responsibility, reckless endangerment and third-degree assault. FOX61 was there on the scene of the hit-and-run -- click here or here to watch the news channel's remarkable, exclusive footage.

Breaking News | January 21, 2007

"Holy #&%$!... Do It Again!"

by Staff | January 21, 2007 8:33 AM | Permalink

Click on the play arrow to watch reader Matthew Robb’s video of the demolition Saturday of the New Haven Coliseum. Following is more footage that readers sent in.

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Breaking News | January 12, 2007

Can You Hear Us Now?

by Allan Appel | January 12, 2007 8:37 AM | Permalink

If you've been wondering where in New Haven the spontaneous popular anger would surface at the president's newly announced escalation of American military involvement in Iraq, wonder no longer. Despite the cold weather, nearly 100 people took the steps and avenue in front of City Hall Thursday night carrying signs and shouting "Escalation hurts our nation" and "One, two, three, four, we don't want your stinkin' war."

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Breaking News | January 11, 2007

Rally Targets Gitmo

by Melinda Tuhus | January 11, 2007 4:22 PM | Permalink

This giant puppet alerted people to a press conference outside the federal courthouse on Church Street at noon on Thursday to call for closing the U.S. prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. And while the crowd that gathered was not huge, almost every passerby interviewed agreed with the protesters that justice is not being done at Guantánamo “” although there were definitely shades of difference.

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Breaking News | August 29, 2006

Katrina's Responders, A Year Later

by Melinda Tuhus | August 29, 2006 8:45 AM | Permalink

Megan Finn (top photo) and her family, washed out of New Orleans, parked in New Haven -- and stayed. Like many New Haveners moved by the tragedy, Frank and Paula Panzarella (middle photo) travelled to New Orleans to help people rebuild; then they returned home to raise money and consciousness here. Sheila Allen Bell (bottom photo) tried to figure out how to welcome refugees to town. A year after Hurricane Katrina unleashed its fury on the Big Easy, here's a look at how some New Haveners new and old responded.

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Breaking News | July 5, 2006

Independence Day - New Haven Style

by Allan Appel | July 5, 2006 9:12 AM | Permalink

Only a week ago the Aziz family of Yemen arrived on these shores. Allan Appel found the family and other relative newcomers at New Haven's Long Wharf fireworks celebration, and spoke with them about Independence Day.

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Breaking News | June 30, 2006

CAA Blows Up Its Board

by Melissa Bailey | June 30, 2006 9:21 AM | Permalink

With its old board of directors "imploded," this year's books balanced, and a new building in the works, the city's most corruption-mired anti-poverty agency is starting anew. "It was just time to move forward and restore the hope and integrity of the organization," said new Community Action Agency CEO Amos Smith (pictured at right), after a meeting Thursday night at which the board of directors was almost entirely turned over.

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Breaking News | June 29, 2006

An Energizer Bus-Stop Protest Keeps Going

by Melinda Tuhus | June 29, 2006 10:13 AM | Permalink

On the eighth anniversary of the removal of five downtown bus stops, a group of New Haveners (some of whom are pictured at left) marked the occasion with a sit-in on the steps of City Hall. Several of the stops have been restored in the past two years, but not the one at Church and Chapel. These folks want it back, but the city administration has moved on â€" to something better, it promises.

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