Waterbury
By John Murray
Lugging a dream around in your head for 15 years is tiring. The only path to freedom is to hurl yourself towards the fire and either transform the dream into reality, or fail trying. A dream without effort will never materialize, so it was with a sense of relief that I unchained one of my dreams last Autumn, and set out to create a multi-cultural festival in Waterbury celebrating the extraordinary diversity of the people living and working in the city.
| Login or register to post comments | Tags: 2013, Albania, Alexis Rotella, Bill DeMaida, Chelsea Murray, Connecticut, Dale O'Leary, Donna Bonaserra, Doug Poger, Ede Reynolds, Emmett McSweeney, Garrett Casey, Geraldo Reyes, Gerry Reyes, Jimmy Saunders, Joe Geary, John Murray, Ken Killer, Leo Lavalle, May 18, Mickey Albini, Mike Ptak, Minerva Maldanado, Saranda Belica, The Gathering, The Waterbury Observer, Waterbury, Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary
Members of the Hellenic Dance Troupe (above and below) from the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Waterbury performed all weekend long at the 41st Annual Greek Festival. Photographs by John Murray
| Login or register to post comments | Tags: Connecticut, Greek Festival, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Waterbury
Waterbury has always had the ability to rebound from crisis. Forty-two buildings in the city's commercial district were destroyed in a massive fire in 1902, yet three years later downtown was completely rebuilt. This is the view looking south on Bank Street in 1905. The Howland-Hughes building is on the far left.
| Login or register to post comments | Tags: 1902 fire, 1905, Bank Street, Connecticut, Howland-Hughes, Waterbury
Join the Mattatuck Museum for Cinema Spring beginning with a screening of Home of the Brave: When Southbury Said ‘No’ to the Nazis on Sunday, April 28, 2013 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. The movie will conclude with a discussion featuring filmmaker Scott Sniffen and others in the documentary including Rev. Shannon Rye Wall from the South Britain Congregational Church.
| Login or register to post comments | Tags: Connecticut, German American Bund, Home of the Brave: When Southbury Said ‘No’ to the Nazis, Mattatuck Museum, Rev. Shannon Rye Wall, Southbury, Waterbury
Daisy Cocco De Filippis is the president of Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury, and today became the ceremonial Dominican Mayor for the Day during a ceremony in City Hall. Photographs by John Murray
| Login or register to post comments | Tags: Connecticut. Dominican Mayor For The Day, Dr. Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Naugatuck Valley Community College, Waterbury, Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary
The spires of St. Anne's Church dominate the Waterbury skyline with the Town Plot neighborhood looming in the background. St Anne's was the center of the French-Canadian community in Waterbury for most of the past century. It has now evolved into The Shrine of Saint Anne for Mothers, and is a place of pilgrimage and worship where the sanctity of life is honored by praying for mothers, grandmothers and godmothers. Photograph by John Murray
| Login or register to post comments | Tags: Connecticut, St Anne's Church, The Shrine of Saint Anne for Mothers, Waterbury
Madre Latina Organization is a local group, which intends to form a non-profit, educational organization, born out of Yoellie Iglesias’s experience with the community. Mrs. Iglesias saw the need to create a bridge to connect the Hispanic community with programs and services available in the city. Yoellie Iglesias and her team, will host the first annual Luncheon “MUJER LATINA…2013 NUESTRO AÑO DE ÉXITO” (LATIN WOMEN…2013 OUR YEAR OF SUCESS).
| Login or register to post comments | Tags: Community Bulletin Board, Connecticut, Luanelly Iglesias, Madre Latina Organization, Waterbury, Yoellie Iglesias
By John Murray
There was an astounding response to Mayor Neil O'Leary's offer to pay Waterbury youth to help shovel out the schools. At least 500 kids packed the entire upper floor of City Hall, filling both Veteran Memorial Hall, aldermanic chambers, and the hallway inbetween. It's hard to imagine that more city residents have ever been in City Hall at one time. An historic response to an historic crisis. Very cool.
| Login or register to post comments | Tags: Connecticut, Mayor Neil O'Leary, Nemo, Snow Brigade, snow shoveling, teenagers helping with snow removal, Waterbury
By John Murray
Day #5 of Nemo and inspirational stories are beginning to emerge from the fog. While some frustrated city residents ranted about the lack of snow plows on their street, other city residents decided to take matters into their own hands. A group of ten men formed a snowblower brigade on Woodcrest Drive in the Bunker Hill neighborhood and cleared their road themselves. One of the men, Anthony Engala, told Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary, "after this, we're going to have a block party this summer."
| Login or register to post comments | Tags: community spirit, Connecticut, crisis, Nemo, shovel brigade, snow blower brigade, Waterbury, Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary