Pedestrian injured in Hit and Run

Submitted by MPD.
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The Middletown Police Department responded to a motor vehicle accident on October 2, 2019 around 4:30pm. The accident occurred at the intersection of Newfield Street and Westfield Street.

A 50 year old man was crossing Newfield Street with the cross walk signal when a dirt bike traveling southbound at a high rate of speed on Newfield Street passed all stopped southbound traffic and went through the red light. The dirt bike then struck the pedestrian in the cross walk sending him flying 15 feet. The pedestrian suffered a broken leg as well as other bumps and bruises from being hit by the dirt bike. The drive of the dirt bike did not stop and fled the area.

The Middletown Police Department is looking for the public’s help in identifying the operator of the dirt bike. The operator is described as a white male wearing a white helmet. Anyone with any further information is urged to contact Officer John Passacantando at 860-638-4063 or 860-638-4000.

Art Walk Climate Action Opening Today

Submitted by Demetrius D'Alessandro

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The Human Element Free Film Screening, Monday, October 7!

We hope to see you on Monday, October 7, 2019 for a screening of The Human Element, the first film of the 2019-2020 season of The Elements: An Annual Environmental Film Series! It will be shown at 7pm at the Wesleyan University Center for the Arts Ring Family Performing Arts Hall, 271 Washington Terrace, Middletown, CT. As always, the film is open to the public and free of charge.

The Human Element is about how environmental change is affecting the lives of everyday Americans. It explores how human activities alter the basic elements of life—earth, air, water, and fire—which in turn change human life. More information and a trailer can be found at (https://thehumanelementmovie.com/).

Following the film, we welcome you to stay for an informal discussion.

Please phone the Conservation District office at 860-346-3282 if you have questions.

 

The Elements: An Annual Environmental Film Series is co-sponsored by the Connecticut River Coastal Conservation District, Middlesex Community College, Middletown Garden Club, The Rockfall Foundation, and Wesleyan University's Center for the Arts, College of the Environment, and College of Film and the Moving Image. 

Reader's Theater Back in Action This Sunday

The two actors pictured on the left are acting out a scene from "Better Late" – they are, in fact, John Mahoney and Linda Kimbrough from a 2001 production of the play in Chicago, IL.  This Sunday, Readers Theater returns to the Hubbard Room of the Russell Library for a 2 p.m. reading of the Larry Gelbart play.  Gelbart, best known for his work on the "M*A*S*H" television series, originally wrote the piece in 2006 – the version you'll see and hear is the 2011 revision.  Either way, it's a comedy with dramatic overtones, about end-of-life issues, old age, love, lost love, and more.  The cast, directed by Naomi Kamins, features Pat Farrell, Henry Coe, Ben Werblow, and Richard Kamins.

The event is free and open to the public.  Doors open at approximately 1:30 p.m.

Readers Theater returns to the Hubbard Room on November 17 for a reading of "Mary Jane", a play by Amy Herzog ("4000 Miles").

Women in Hip-Hop, Contemporary Black Culture, and the Role of College Radio

Akua Naru will share her music and speak on “Women in Hip-Hop, Contemporary Black Culture, and the Role of College Radio.”




Independent artist and founder of The Keeper Project – a multi-media archive which chronicles the role of women in the creation and evolution of hip-hop music and culture – Akua Naru was awarded the prestigious Nasir Jones Fellowship at Harvard University and is currently an artist-in-residence at Brown University.
Since her 2010 debut, The Journey Aflame, she has released 2 studio albums; The Miner’s Canary (2015), and the Blackest Joy (2017), and a live Recording: Live and Aflame Sessions (2012). She has performed in more than fifty countries and has become a highly sought lecturer.
Please join us in learning more about Akua Naru’s music and artistic inspirations.

Monday, October 14, 4:30-6:00 pm,
Allbritton 311, 222 Church St. Middletown
Free and Open to the Public

Established in 1939, WESU 88.1 FM is one of the oldest non-commercial radio stations in the United States. 2019 marks the 80th year anniversary for the station and a unique opportunity for the campus and broader community to revisit its history, impact, potential, and import to the socio-political landscape of the 21st century. Throughout WESU’s history, there have been two constants: first, without interruption, Wesleyan students have continuously operated the station; and second, broadcasts have been focused on new, under-represented, or non-commercial programming aimed at students and the larger community. This event is part of the WESU 80th Anniversary Events Series.

Board of Ed Votes to Name New School, Beman Middle School

At a meeting that, as expected, was contentious, the Board of Education voted unanimously to name the new middle school, the Beman Middle School. The Beman family are well-known and well-regarded African American residents, descendants of slaves who founded the Cross Street Church, the Beman triangle of residential homes, among the first property to be owned by African-Americans in Middletown.  The family were well-known abolitionists and participants in the underground railroad.  The selected name will be delivered to Middletown's Common Council for approval.

Mayoral Forum at MHS Today!

From AFT-Connecticut.
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Middletown Educators Join Faith Leaders, Civil Rights Advocates for Mayoral Candidates Forum Unions representing teachers, paraprofessionals and administrators team up with area social justice  organizations to host first of three 2019 election events with candidates for municipal office

WHAT: Candidates for mayor of Middletown from each of the two major political parties will participate in a public forum coordinated by local educators, faith leaders and civil rights advocates. This first in a series of three events will be moderated by WTNH-TV Channel 8 News Investigative Reporter Mario Boone and feature a panel of volunteers asking candidates questions.

WHEN: Thursday, October 3 beginning at 7:00PM (doors open at 6:30PM).

WHERE: The Santo Fragilio Performing Arts Center at Middletown High School, located at 200 La Rosa Lane in Middletown.

INFO:  Confirmed candidates participating include;
     • Democratic Party Primary winner Ben Florsheim &
     • Republican Party-endorsed candidate Sebastian Giuliano.
Coordinating organizations include:
     • Middletown Federation of Teachers, AFT Local 1381;
     • Middletown Area Ministerial Alliance;
     • Middlesex County NAACP;
     • Middletown Federation of Paraprofessionals, AFT Local 3161 &
     • Middletown School Administrators Association, AFSA Local 70.

Solar for All Workshop, Wed, Oct. 9

We've added a workshop to the extended Solar for All campaign. All invited!

Middletown Hires New City Planner

Middletown will have a new City Planner starting Monday, October 7. Director of Planning, Conservation and Development Joseph Samolis confirmed today that Marek Kozikowski has been hired. Kozikowski comes to Middletown from the Berlin Town Planner position, and his professional profile from the Berlin website reads as follows:

Marek (Mark) Kozikowski, AICP became Town Planner for the Town of Berlin in January 2018 bringing professional regional and municipal planning experience in Connecticut to Berlin. 

Marek’s story begins when, as a teen, he was hired by the Town of South Windsor Building Department as an office assistant. He worked part time after school and during school vacations for the next seven years learning the administrative functions of municipal government. Initially hired to do filing and make copies, his experience expanded to managing permit records for Phase I of the Evergreen Walk lifestyles development. Furthermore, he was part of the team of municipal officials tasked to design a program and create policies for establishing a digital archive of municipal files. Marek managed the project for scanning and creating a digital record for the building department property files.

Marek attended the University of Connecticut at the time when the State of Connecticut was investing $1 billion to update and expand the university buildings and infrastructure under the UConn 2000 program. Marek became inspired to work in planning and development as he experienced the Storrs campus change and grow around him.
Upon graduating in 2004, Marek was hired by the Midstate Regional Planning Agency (Midstate), in Middletown, CT as an Assistant Transportation Planner. Marek engaged in long range transportation planning in the region. Marek coordinated a grant application with member towns and the Middletown Area Transit to expand ADA transportation services in the region. Marek also served as the GIS coordinator for Midstate and the Towns of Durham, Haddam and Middlefield.

In 2007, Marek left central Connecticut to become a planner for the Town of Greenwich Planning & Zoning Department. Marek gained experience and expertise in a vast array of planning and zoning issues including downtown mixed use development, open space preservation, flood plain management, historic preservation and upgrading public buildings and infrastructure. Marek helped shape the administrative policies for the department, seeking efficiency in workflow and improve the quality of customer service.

In his spare time, Marek is active in the planning community serving on the planning committee for the Southern New England American Planning Association annual conference which draws up to 700 planners, engineers, architects, landscape architects, academics, students and other professionals in the development community across public and private sectors from Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

Marek became a certified planner by the American Institute of Certified Planners in 2011.

EDUCATIONM.P.A., University of Connecticut. 2009 M.A., Economics, University of Connecticut. 2006 B.A., Economics and Geography (Honors), University of Connecticut. 2004Certificate in Public Financial Management, University of Connecticut. Certificate in Quantitative Economics, University of Connecticut.

Kozikowski will have a lot on his plate as he transitions from Berlin to Middletown. The update to the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) is well underway, the riverfront development is a top issue in the upcoming City election cycle, and the Office of Planning, Conservation and Development itself has seen much staff turnover in the last two years. Middletown's last City Planner stayed less than 6 months in the job before moving on to Farmington.  

Sunday: Walk To Raise Domestic Violence Awareness

From the Community Health Center.
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New Horizons & Middletown Police Department Host Annual Walk to End the Silence October 6

Five Years of Raising Domestic Violence Awareness in Middlesex County

WHAT:  New Horizons is joining all domestic violence shelters in Connecticut under the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) to recognize & break the cycles of abuse. The Fifth Annual Walk to End the Silence honors all of our neighbors who are affected by domestic or intimate partner violence. There will be a food truck, raffle prizes, face painting, Zumba and more. This year, New Horizons and the Middletown Police Department will honor Middletown Mayor Daniel Drew.
                       
                             Tickets: $20 for adults | Students and children under 5 FREE

WHEN:  Sunday, October 6, Registration, Breakfast Food Truck, Face Painting, and DJ begin at 9 AM, Program and Award Presentation at 10 AM, Zumba Warmup at 10:15, Walk until 11 AM

WHERE: Harbor Park, Middletown, CT 06457

WHO: New Horizons Domestic Violence Services & Middletown Police Department

WHY: The walk will benefit New Horizons Domestic Violence Services, a non-profit organization that provides services to victims of domestic and intimate partner violence.

Secondary School Fair - Thursday, October 3rd

The Independent Day School is hosting a Secondary School Fair on Thursday, October 3rd from 6-8pm. More than 60 schools will be represented, including Xavier High School and Mercy High School.

The event is designed for current 6th, 7th and 8th grade students, but all members of the public are welcome to attend the free event. Interested students are encouraged to come with index cards (or something similar) pre-filled out with their contact information to hand to school representatives.

The Fair will be held in the IDS gym. The school's address is 115 Laurel Brook Road, Middlefield. For more information, contact Charlie Mitchell at 860-347-5958 ext. 1620.

Mayoral Candidate Forum Thursday

Modified from a press release by Janice Pawlak.
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The Middletown Federation of Teachers, Middletown Ministerial Alliance and the Middlesex NAACP, in conjunction with the Middletown Paraprofessionals announce Middletown Municipal Candidate Forums.

The first forum will feature the Mayoral candidates:

Thursday, October 3, 7:00PM, doors opening at 6:30.
Santo Fragilio Performing Arts Center
Middletown High School

The Mayoral Forum will be moderated by Channel 8's Mario Boone. Each candidate will be given 2 minutes for an introduction and 1 minute to respond to every question asked.  At the end, each candidate will be given 2 minutes for closing statements. Afterwards candidates will be invited to meet and chat with the public in the foyer. 

The Common Council and BoE forums will be on Thursday, October 17th and Thursday, October 24th. They will have a moderator and a panel of volunteers asking questions submitted by the community.