Issues. People. Events. Waterbury Connecticut's Independent Newspaper
The new 55-foot tall cross installed atop Holy Land on December 22nd is now shining green over the city of Waterbury, Connecticut. There are nine basic colors, but an infinite number of mixes and matches. The image tonight was captured from Congress Avenue in the Brooklyn neighborhood as hundreds of crows flew north along the Naugatuck River. Photograph by John Murray
Albania's ambassador to the United States, Gilbert Galanxhi, traveled from Washington D.C. for an historic meeting of the local Albanian community in Waterbury with two United States Senators.
Story and Photographs By John Murray
With 12,000 Albanians living in Waterbury the city has one of the largest populations of Albanians in the United States. Some came more than 50 years ago, but a large influx of Albanians came seeking opportunity in the 1990s when Albania opened it's borders. Thousands more ethnic Albanians came to Waterbury to escape the hardship of the Balkan wars when Yugoslavia broke apart.
East Main Street in Waterbury during Monday afternoon's deluge of rain.
Story and Photographs by John Murray
Last night the Board of Aldermen in Waterbury voted unanimously to move a proposed $40 million greeway project forward with an initial investment of $1 million. As exciting as that project is, Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary is already zeroing in on a massive downtown revitalization project that he is presenting to state officials in mid-January. It involves five separate projects, all in downtown, that O'Leary believes will begin the transformation of downtown Waterbury.
"I can't be specific at this point because we haven't presented the ideas to state officicals yet," O'Leary said. "But I can tell you that we are excited at the potential this has to revitalize downtown Waterbury."
While planting your yearly garden, include an extra row to donate to Connecticut Food Bank or a food program in your area.Clean, fresh produce can be delivered to any of Connecticut Food Bank's warehouses in East Haven, Fairfield and Waterbury.
By John Murray
Peter Bearce worked on a section of the massive new Holy Land cross inside Pisani Steel yesterday afternoon in Naugatuck. Bearce is the shop foreman at Pisani Steel, and said the construction of the 55 foot tall cross has been a daunting challenge due to the length and weight of the piece.
Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary and Richard King from King Industries, formalized their business relationship with a contract signing ceremony iniside City Hall at noon today. Photographs by John Murray
It’s official: King Industries, Inc. of Norwalk, Conn. is expanding to Waterbury.
Mayor Neil M. O’Leary and Richard S. King, the company’s owner and president, signed the purchase and sale agreement today at Waterbury City Hall, sealing the deal on the purchase of approximately 10.75 acres of a remediated brownfield industrial site at Waterbury Industrial Commons, 1975 Thomaston Ave.
Story and Photographs by John Murray
Jackson Wandres from the RBA Group uncorked a far reaching vision for the Waterbury Greenway Project last night during a presentation at the Board of Aldermen in City Hall. RBA had been hired to design the phase one section of the greenway which included the Platts Mills section of the city up to the Eagle Street Bridge (all in the south end), but through an aggressive intervention by Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary, those plans expanded to continue north to Colonial Plaza.
Democrat Majoity Leader on the Board of Aldermen, Tony Picocchi, foreground, listened to his Republican colleague, Steve Giacomi, right, give a blistering commentary about the board's December 1st vote to control debate between aldermen, and to limit the public's ability to address subjects not on the agenda without submitting questions 11 days in advance of meetings. The public's response to the Democrats attempt to limit debate at aldermen meetings was fast and furious. Both the Rep-Am newspaper and the Waterbury Observer condemned the rule changes, and when the ACLU threatened a lawsuit, the Democrats reversed course and voted last night to return to the old rules.
Photographs By John Murray
Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary was sworn in to a second term in office yesterday afternoon during a ceremony at Kennedy High School. O'Leary captured nearly 70% of the vote on election day and has a clear mandate to continue the projects and issues his administration has been implementing.
By John Murray
Albanian Independence Day is celebrated on November 28th and is a national holiday in Albania, and for ethnic Albanians scattered across the globe. The local Albanian community in Waterbury celebrated the holiday, and their annual Mayor For the Day ceremony at Waterbury City Hall a day later this year since Thanksgiving fell on November 28th.
A Holiday Artisan Market is being hosted by the State of Connecticut and the City of Waterbury on November 29th and 30th inside City Hall, 235 Grand Street. The market will feature a collection of handcrafted products and will showcase artisans and artists from around Connecticut. With its premiere in City Hall, we expect this Market to grow every year and become a state-wide attraction.
Chelsea Murray's wonderful new friend at the market in Ceret, France.
Story and Photographs by Chelsea Murray
(Editors note - For the next several months Chelsea Murray is working her way across Europe on a network of organic farms. Chelsea and her boyfriend Michael Kaneb spent two weeks harvesting potatoes in Bavaria, in southern Germany, and are now harvesting olives for a month on a farm in the south of France. They hope to continue on through Spain, Portugal, Italy, Albania and Greece. Chelsea has been writing columns for the Observer (which is owned by her father) since she was 11 years old. She will continue to report her adventures as time and internet access allows.)
After helping my farm host set up her stand at the market in Ceret, France (the city where Picasso, Dali and other artists had flocked to for inspiration), she informed me that I was a free woman and could wander around for a few hours to take in the sights, smells, and culture of a French market. My first moments alone were spent breaking from my vegan diet again (it's the lifestyle at the farm I'm working at), and sampling hoards of cheeses, meats, delicious baguettes and perusing through people’s wares.
Actor Dylan McDermott was inducted into the Waterbury Hall of Fame this afternoon during a ceremony at Holy Cross High School (his alma mater) in Waterbury, Connecticut. McDermott joined Edith Morton Chase, Susan Cecelia O'Neill, Joseph Stein and Hobart Victory Welton as inductees into the class of 2013.
Medical marijuana will be grown in Connecticut, and C-Three is looking to do it legally at a production and distribution center on East Aurora Street in Waterbury. Photo from CNN
C-Three, LLC, a company led by long-time Connecticut businessman Thomas Macre, today filed applications with the State of Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection for the production and dispensing of medical marijuana at a facility on East Aurora Street in Waterbury.
A press conference will be held this morning in Waterbury to announce plans to bring a medical marijuana production and dispensing facility to the city. The press conference will take place at 11 am today, November 15, 2013 at 182 East Aurora Street. Waterbury Mayor Neil O’Leary will join the team of C-Three, the company which today will file applications with the State of Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection for the production and dispensing of medical marijuana.
Story By John Murray
Facebook messages, e-mails, phone calls and personal conversations have all been saying the same thing - the City of Waterbury is about to buy the Republican-American building on Meadow Street and convert it back into the transportation hub of Waterbury.
The first tip to the Observer came six weeks ago, and came from a journalist who had a credible source with extensive experience in economic development in greater Waterbury. The word was it was a "done deal."
A autumn view of Waterbury from the South End of the city. Photo by John Murray
Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary steamrolled his way into a second term in office by winning a resounding 68% of the vote in a three-way contest. O'Leary was delighted with the results, and said it's a clear message from the voters of Waterbury to keep pushing his agenda forward. Republican Jason Van Stone came in second with 19% of the vote, and Larry De Pillo of the Independent Party took third with 13%.
Photographs By John Murray
Industrial Riggers of Waterbury removed the cross at Holy Land this morning to make way for a new and bigger cross that Giuseppe Pisani of Pisani Steel hopes to have installed before Christmas. That's a steeple of St Anne's Church on the right.