AHNA New and Views for August 2021

August, 2021

Greetings!

Your copy of the Asylum Hill Neighborhood Association 'News & Views' has arrived! You will find that you can easily go to any subject in the table of contents by just clicking on it or just browse through the articles as you wish. Please have a look.

Next Meeting

The next meeting is Monday August 2nd at 6:15 PM. The meeting will be held utilizing Zoom software.

The Zoom e link for that meeting will be

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81459837275?pwd=aHR6NHVtQ2VMdlNPb2Y3RTV6R3NOQT09

Agenda

May Minutes

June Minutes

From The Executive Director

David MacDonald

Asylum Hill Strategic Planning continues

AHNA’s Strategic Planning Task Forces are continuing with their work to develop recommendations and goals to guide the revitalization of Asylum Hill for the next ten (10) years. The Asylum Hill Strategic Planning Steering Committee met on June 23^rd to review the draft recommendations of 6 of the 8 Task Forces.

The Public Safety Task Force met to discuss public safety concerns in Asylum Hill on July 21^st. We had a good turnout of more than 16, including many residents and Directors of AHNA.

From The House

New State Laws Took Effect July 1

By Rep. Matt Ritter

A variety of new laws passed by the legislature aimed at improving quality of life in Connecticut took effect July 1. Many of the bills approved this year targeted the disparate impacts the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our communities while also addressing numerous archaic laws and practices in a more equitable way to better our state for everyone.

Exploring Asylum Hill - Prison Arts Exhibit at Twain Center

Nearly two years ago the Prison Arts Project Exhibition came to Asylum Hill Congregational Church with sixteen examples of their work, and we wrote an article about it in the November News & Views.

Asylum Hill Then And Now

Twain House over time

Volunteer Of The Month - Lauren Little

I first ran into Lauren during the Pollinator Festival in September 2018 at Trinity Episcopal.

Carol Padberg, at the time an AHNA Board member, produced it along with Emily Petersen and Lauren. It was a remarkably creative event, and a dream for a photographer.

Unfortunate Fire at 316 Sargeant St

For years, this perfect six on Sargeant St near Woodland had been an eyesore at best, and the site of drugs and crime. Then in 2017 Macalum Lindo purchased the property from the bank that had foreclosed and began the difficult task of bringing it back to life.

Help for Incarcerated people and Their Families

In our Exploring Asylum Hill Column this month we revealed some of the talent that exists in our prisons here in Connecticut. This is a report about what we who are not in prison are doing to help prepare those who are for their eventual return to society.