What’s New on HartfordInfo.org

January 2009

What’s New on HartfordInfo.org is a periodic update announcing recent additions to HartfordInfo.org. Please feel free to forward this message to others. To be added to the distribution list send an email message through our feedback page.

HartfordInfo.org, a program of the Hartford Public Library, is a gateway to information and data on issues important to those who live and work in Hartford and the region.

Introducing a Beta Version of Interactive Mapping:

HartfordInfo.org offers a beta (trial) version of interactive mapping that enables users to view maps of Hartford from a selection of information layers. To view the maps, go to www.hartfordinfo.org and click on the Interactive Mapping, Beta Version box on the right side of the page.

NRZ Snapshots:

HartfordInfo.org has prepared new statistical profile spreadsheets for Hartford Neighborhood Revitalization Zones (NRZs). To view them go to www.hartfordinfo.org and click on NRZ Snapshots in the Hartford Data Sets box in the middle of the page.

Need Research Services?

Let Hartford Public Library’s experienced information professionals assist you with your research and presentation needs. We can find the best and most current information sources quickly, extract and arrange the data that is most useful for your purpose, and deliver the information to you in presentation formats. For more information, click here.

New Community Programs on HartfordInfo.org:

To view any of these recent programs, go to www.hartfordinfo.org and click on the View Community Programs box on the right side of the page:

Charter Revision Commission, Public Hearing, Part 1 and Part 2 (December 10, 2008)
HartfordInfo Today: Raising the Bar: Preparing Hartford's High School Students to Succeed (December 3, 2008)
HartfordInfo Today: Where There's Crisis There's Opportunity: The Impact of the Current Financial Climate on Hartford and the Region (January 22, 2009 interview with David Panagore, City of Hartford Director of Development Services , and November 19, 2008 panel discussion)
What's New At the Department of Public Works ( November 18, 2008)

New Reports on HartfordInfo.org:

Health Care We Can Count On - A comprehensive plan to provide health care coverage to all state residents was recently unfurled by the Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “count on health” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Connecticut Ready to Go: Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) Survey on Municipal Infrastructure Projects That Are Ready to Go - The projects on this list include a wide range of “shovel-ready” infrastructure projects from road and bridge projects to mass transit to fiber optic/broadband. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “ready to go” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Coltsville National Park Visitor Experience Study - This study describes the Places, People, and Partners associated with the effort to create a National Park in the National Historic Landmark District in Hartford, Connecticut, known as Coltsville. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “visitor experience” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
The State of Working Connecticut, 2008: Wage Trends - This report concludes that recent economic trends are undermining the foundations of Connecticut’s prosperity and threatening the well-being and economic security of our families. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “wage trends” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Is College Opportunity Slipping Away? - Polling revealed that ever larger numbers of people see a college education as a necessity for success but that many also believe the opportunity is slipping out of reach. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “college slipping” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Smart Choices: A Digital Guide to Public School Choice in the Greater Hartford Region - A website that provides a search tool to for parents to learn more about public school options for their child in Hartford and nearby suburbs. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “smart choices” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
How Is the Economy Affecting Philanthropy in Our State? - The Connecticut Council for Philanthropy recently asked its members about the effects of the current economy on the philanthropic and nonprofit sector. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “philanthropy” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Hard Lessons: School Resource Officer Programs and School-Based Arrests in Three Connecticut Towns - The results of an investigation by the ACLU in Hartford, East Hartford, and West Hartford. Two factors may contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline – school-based arrests and SRO programs. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “hard lessons” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
The Recent Surge in Homicides Involving Young Black Males and Guns - A recent study shows that the number of young black men and teenagers who either killed or were killed in shootings has risen at an alarming rate since 2000. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “recent surge” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
National Assessment of Adult Literacy: State and County Estimates of Low Literacy - The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) produced estimates of the percentage of adults lacking Basic Prose Literacy Skills (BPLS) for all states and counties in the United States in 2003 and 1992. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “state literacy” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Sheff v. O'Neill Phase II Comprehensive Management Plan - This new five-year plan frames and directs state and local efforts in the Hartford Region necessary to increase and sustain the numbers of Hartford-resident minority students in reduced-isolation educational settings. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “sheff phase II” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Hartford 3-1-1 Neighborhood Reports - Hartford 3-1-1 provides a streamlined, integrated and secure way to report, track and resolve problems or issues people may have with City of Hartford services. This page gathers together the monthly neighborhood reports documenting the number and types of calls received. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “311 reports” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”

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New Articles on HartfordInfo.org:

Through agreements with the Hartford Courant, the Hartford Business Journal, the Hartford News, the Hartford Advocate, and the Northend Agent's, HartfordInfo.org continues to offer selected articles as permanent additions to the web site. Some recent additions include:

Good News in Hartford:

A Quiet Cultural Revolution - The return of the Hooker Day Parade, a quirky D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) affair, signals a wider rebirth of Hartford's funky artsy spirit. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “cultural revolution” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
A Tale Of Two Churches - Hartford recently celebrated a milestone: the 50th anniversary of the merging of two historic downtown churches, St. Anthony and St. Patrick.Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “two churches” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Political Matriarch Sees Dream Coming True - Once, Gertrude Johnson Mero caught a glimpse of the epic moment that arrives today. Fifty years ago, Mero's husband, Wilfred Xavier Johnson, became the first black man elected to the General Assembly in Connecticut. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “matriarch” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
The Two Susans - Could it be the dawning of a new era for the Wadsworth Atheneum? Susan Rottner, the new board president, and Susan Lubowsky Talbott, the new director of the museum, have brought with them a new sense of optimism. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “two susans” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Domino Effect - The thriving Hartford domino community came together recently as 18 teams squared off at the Hartford Public Library. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “domino” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Budget Coaching Pays Big Benefits - Sherry Coelho, a vice president at Prudential Retirement, recently became a volunteer budget coach helping working families move toward economic stability. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “big benefits” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Hartford Renter's Fight Leads To Fannie Mae Policy Change - What began with a single mother in Hartford fighting her eviction has led to a policy change by Fannie Mae, a switch that could help thousands of renters across the country. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “renters fight” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Companies Put Survival, Workers Ahead Of Competition - As he watched news reports of the fire that destroyed Bruce Johnston's Sunshine Laundry in October, Jim Reiner remembered a flood of his family business, Mayflower Laundry & Drycleaning Co. back in 1979. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “mayflower” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”

Education and Youth:

City's School Choice Program Inspires Excitement, Skepticism - At Hartford Board of Education events, the topic of school choice often is met with excited anticipation. Among some parents, however, the conversation about school choice is marked by skepticism. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “choice inspires” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Second Look: Covenant Preparatory Academy Offers Fresh Start For 21 Hartford Kids - The YWCA building on Broad Street is dramatically different today than it was last spring. The quiet energy of 21 middle-school boys flows through the space, now the home of Covenant Preparatory School. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “second look” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Hartford's Capital Prep Serious About Success - Many in Hartford aren't talking enough about what they're doing at Capital Preparatory Magnet School, though others outside of Hartford are noticing. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “capital prep” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Hartford Students Proving They Have What Counts - Eastern Connecticut State University took a chance on nine Hartford Public High School students, bringing them to live on campus for a shot at college. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “proving chance” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Connecticut Cities Gain From New Pool Of Young Teachers - The upside of this grim recession is we now have thousands of graduates from top colleges rethinking their career choices. It could transform public education. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “cities gain” in the Google search

In the Neighborhoods:

With Cajun's Closing, Time For A Makeover - One of Hartford's landmark diners, Rajun Cajun, recently closed for business — maybe for good. When Chef Thomas Armstrong took over the vacant Hal's five years ago, the place was a dump. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “cajun makeover” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
A Looming Battle - The dispute about minority hiring between Hartford's African-American Alliance and the Metropolitan District Commission, the quasi-governmental agency that's responsible for water and sewers in Hartford and eight surrounding communities is heating up. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “looming” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Equestrian Complex Proposed For Hartford 's Keney Park - The backers of a plan to take 200 acres of Hartford's Keney Park and build a $65 million, world-class equestrian and exhibition center want "tentative" development rights to the property from the city. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “equestrian” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Credit Union Reaches Out To Trinidad - When the West Indian Federal Credit Union closed its doors in 1999, the Hartford Healthcare Federal Credit Union stepped in and welcomed its members. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “credit union” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”

Transitions:

Mike Peters, 1948-2009 A City's Champion: 'Mayor Mike' Peters Dies At 60 - Mike Peters, the wisecracking fireman who over four terms as mayor helped lift Hartford from a political, financial and crime-ridden funk, died Sunday January 4, 2009. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “mayor mike” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Remembering the Mayor Mike Years - A compilation of articles about Mayor Mike Peters from past issues of the Hartford News. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “remembering mayor mike" in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Hartford Public Housing Reformer John Wardlaw Dies - John Wardlaw, the man whose name became synonymous with a revolution in public housing during nearly 30 years as head of Hartford's housing authority, died Friday, November 7, 2008. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “John Wardlaw” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”

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Economic Development:

Brokers Closely Watching Broadcast House Redevelopment Project - When Abul A. Islam revealed his plans for redeveloping Broadcast House in downtown Hartford into a 12-story, $40 million office tower, he was faced with a very different economy than when he bought the property just five months earlier. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “brokers” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Lacking New Operator, Hartford 's Goodwin Hotel Closes - The Goodwin Hotel in downtown Hartford shut down on December 29, 2008, as efforts to reach an agreement with a new operator failed before a year-end deadline for closing. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “hotel closes” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
A Good Match - When Joe Black's closed after $4.1 million in renovations and just two years in business, many brides who had booked wedding receptions there were left without a hall. But, within weeks, a catering business negotiated a lease. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “good match” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Going Hungry? - The economic crisis is grinding away on Hartford's little guys in the restaurant business. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “going hungry” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Peeling the Blue Onion - A new developer shows interest in reviving the Colt project. Let's hope all the baggage doesn't scare them off. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “blue onion” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Two Auto Dealerships In Hartford Close - The federal government's $17 billion bailout of the U.S. automotive industry came too late for Tony March. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “Tony March” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Scrap Metal Yards At Western Edge Of City Moving North - More than a few undesirable sites mar the view along Hartford's highways, especially near the city line. But one ugly area on the west side has a shot at becoming a little more welcoming. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “scrap” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”

Hartford Goes Green:

Hartford Landfill Reaches Its Last Day - The view from the top of the dump that towers over Hartford's North Meadows is spectacular. The landfill closed on December 31, 2008. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “landfill reaches” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Green As It Gets - United Technologies Corp. is helping the North End neighborhood agency SAND Corp. build what are called "Net Zero Energy" homes — homes that will produce about as much energy as they use. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “green” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
The Greening of Hartford - Imani and John Zito have created an oasis of green businesses on New Britain Avenue across from Trinity College. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “zito” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
UTC’s Fuel Cell Bus Gets Mixed Reviews - Connecticut Transit is pleased with progress on improving the region’s first fuel cell bus. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “bus reviews” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
City Pleased With RecycleBank Pilot - The City of Hartford is testing the effectiveness of a community recycling program designed to help both the city and its residents save money. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “city pleased” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Remember The Busway? - After a 1997 study of increasing traffic on I-84, state officials determined that a dedicated busway from New Britain to Hartford would take some of the commuter traffic off the highway. The busway is finally moving ahead. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “remember busway” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”

Public Safety:

Community Court A Different Model For Criminal Justice - It's been 10 years since the inception of Hartford's Community Court, and it continues to be a different criminal justice model. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “court model” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”
Heroin Moves Into Connecticut Suburbia - Heroin, a drug usually associated with skeletal addicts in the inner city, is increasingly infiltrating Connecticut's suburbs. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “heroin” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”

Other Major Developments:

Balancing Act - The newly formed Hartford Charter Revision Commission is considering whether to limit the powers of the mayor. Go to www.hartfordinfo.org and type “balancing act” in the Google search box and then click “Search.”

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