On Wednesday at 7:00p.m., I will be holding Mayor’s Night Out for Wards 23-30 at Barnard School, located on 170 Derby Avenue. The heads of the City’s departments and agencies will join me in discussing the issues that are important to residents in these wards. I look forward to seeing you there!

Charity Ice Skating Event

On Sunday, March 22nd from 4:00-6:00 p.m., the New Haven County Bar Foundation will be hosting an ice skating event at the Ralph Walker Skating Rink, located on 1080 State Street. The NHCBF is a not-for-profit that provides grants to area organizations that focus on civic and legal education and/or services. The event will include two hours of skating, tips from figure skating instructors, an exhibition by local professional Jenna Adams, skate rentals and a pizza party. Tickets are $12 for children and $15 for adults over 15 years old. For more information or to reserve tickets, call the NHCBF: 203-562-9652 or email: nhcbainfo@newhavenbar.org.

Quinnipiac Avenue Community Meeting

Members of the Quinnipiac Avenue, Fair Haven and Fair Haven Heights communities are encouraged to join me for a meeting at 7 p.m. on March 23rd where we will discuss updates to the Quinnipiac Avenue Improvement Projects plan. This meeting will be held at Pilgrim Congregational Church on the corner of Grand Avenue and Lenox Avenue.

Community Budget Meeting

My first community budget presentation will be on Wednesday, March 25th at 6:30 p.m. at St. Bernadette’s Church, 385 Townsend Ave. Join me at this meeting to discuss my proposed 2009-2010 budget.

“Complete Streets” Study of the Hill

On Monday, March 30th, nationally-known “Complete Streets” experts will be leading a walking tour and hands-on workshop where residents will have the opportunity to brainstorm solutions for developing safer streets in the Hill Neighborhood. The study will focus on creating safe and convenient streets for pedestrians, bicyclists, bus users, and motorists. The walking tour will be held from 12:30-4:00p.m. and the hands-on workshop will be from 6:00-8:00p.m. Both sessions will meet at the Wilson Branch Library.

Flower Planting

On March 31st at 10:30 a.m. at the Pardee Greenhouse, 180 Park Street, Hamden, volunteers will gather to plant flower seeds that have been donated to the City. Please join Sound School students and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Trees in kicking-off this year’s flower planting season!

Open Schools

The following schools are Open Schools, offering New Haven youth the opportunity to engage in safe after-school activities from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.: Beecher, John C. Daniels, Ross/Woodward, Celentano, and Sheridan (Valley Street).

Green Tip of the Week

Cooking uses a significant amount of energy. Reduce your energy bills by using lids on pots, simmering instead of boiling, and pre-heating the oven as little as possible. Microwave and toaster ovens use significantly less energy than a kitchen stove or oven.

I hope you have a happy and healthy week!

Very truly yours,

John DeStefano, Jr.

Mayor

[3/15/2009]