Greetings on what was a sunny but cold day! I have a couple of community updates to share!Public SafetyThere were two Wooster Square public safety incidents reported at this morning's Compstat Meeting which was held at the Estate on Townsend Avenue in the Annex. In the coming year, Compstat Meetings will be held on the 4th Thursday of the month with the location updated when confirmed. Meetings are hybrid - in person and on zoom. Here are the updates: December 5 - 87 Union Street 10:50am Burglary/Breaking/Entering; and December 7 - 630 Chapel Street 8:22am Motor Vehicle Theft.
Last week Lt Borer let me know that he will be promoted (he hasn't yet shared what his new position will be) and that a new Downtown/Wooster Square District Manager will soon be announced. I will share more information as I have it. Additionally, our neighborhood officer, Ralph Consiglio, will be retiring in early 2025. He has left the neighborhood "beat" and Lt Borer reported that he assigns officers to Wooster Square as needed. Please continue to make emergency or non-emergency police reports when you need assistance. Also, please let Lt Borer know if you have any trending issues that need addressing, and cc the Wooster Square Watch email too! Lt Borer is extremely responsive when neighbors reach out to him with public safety trends.
Reminder - Holiday Jazz Concert - The Episcopal Church of St. Paul & St. James - Tomorrow, Friday December 13, 7-8:30pm 🎄
Join neighbors for this festive jazz concert at St. Paul & St. James Church at 57 Olive Street. PJ's Jazz Ensemble will perform with guest vocalist Tiffany Jackson. Tickets ($25) are sold at the door with a reception following the concert.
Chanukah Menorah Lighting - Sunday, December 29th at 4pm 🕎This year, Chanukah begins the evening of December 25th and lasts for 8 days. The Downtown Chabad of New Haven invites Wooster Square neighbors to the 11th Annual Wooster Square community Menorah Lighting and Chanukah celebration in Wooster Square Park at the corner of Chapel Street and Wooster Place - on Sunday, December 29. At 4:00 PM there will an On-site Graffiti Artist providing Chanukah Graffiti Craft for Kids, with Latkes (potato pancakes) + Donuts, Hot Cider + Hot Cocoa, Music + Dreidels + Chocolate Gelt (coins) and Dreidel Shaped Waffles! The fifth candle on the menorah will be lit at 4:30 PM. This event is open to all with no charge. Please kindly RSVP by filling out this form: https://forms.gle/zo5xUrQ3QpeuW9vS9. If you have questions or would like a menorah and/or candles please call 203.200.0113.Update: Traffic Calming ProjectI know you all must be wondering what happened to the Wooster Square plans for traffic calming and public space enhancements planned through an ARPA contract from the state with the City. As first reported in June 2024 and again at the Historic Wooster Square Association Annual Meeting in September 2024, the City received the executed contract in late April 2024. However, with passage of HB 5532 in May 2024, the state legislature pulled ARPA funds that had not yet been drawn down regardless of whether there were executed contracts, leaving the future of the project in doubt. The Mayor knows we are all eager for this project to move forward to make our neighborhood safer. We hope that our legislators - Representative Roland Lemar and Senator Martin Looney - can soon let us know whether they will take action early in the upcoming 2025 legislative session to reinstate the ARPA funding for this project so that the City can move forward with its implementation. Please stay tuned for our next steps in early January 2025.Stay safe and warm,Stay warm,