Latest news with #JustinElicker
New York Post
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Cocky Connecticut town thinks it can break ‘largest pizza party' world record: ‘We want a legitimate win'
Connecticut hopes to get a slice of a world record. New Haven is setting out to break the Guinness World Record for the largest pizza party — a title that was previously set by the World Pizza Champions in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Jan. 21, 2023, as reported by NBC News. To break the record, the pizza extravaganza would have to have more than the previous 3,357 people — which was the previous winning number. New Haven is aiming to get 5,000 people to their party. Advertisement The pizza party will take place on Friday, Sept. 12, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. during the A-1 Toyota Apizza Feast at the New Haven Grand Prix. The city of New Haven is handling the logistics of the big bash while Big Green Truck Pizza will take care of the grub. 'We plan on bringing four of our trucks, lining them up and feeding everybody,' Liane Page with Big Green Truck Pizza told NBC Connecticut. Advertisement 3 New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said New Haven will 'crush' the current record. WNBC Once pizza lovers enter the party, the rules stipulate that they must stay until the end of the event at 7 p.m. so they can finish the count. By the time the party wraps up, the event organizers hope to announce that the attempt 'has been successful, cheer, and open up the fencing so all can move around freely,' the website said. New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker believes they will go way over the 3,357 people needed to break the record. Advertisement 'When we plant our stake in the ground — and have the largest pizza party in history, we are going to crush that, yes,' he said. 'We want a legitimate win here.' 3 Liane Page said there's nothing like New Haven-style 'apizza.' WNBC A judge from Guinness World Records will be in attendance to make sure the city is complying with the rules to break the record. The city is also looking for volunteers to help keep count and make sure the event is going smoothly. 3 World Pizza Champions set the world record in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Jan. 21, 2023 Facebook / Perfect Crust Pizza Liners Advertisement 'We do great things here and it takes a big group effort but this is serious, this is like playing a pizza game, and if you want to participate, we want you to take this serious,' Colin Caplan, creator of Taste Of New Haven, said. The city estimates that they will hand out more than 10,000 slices, and about 400 people at a time will be eating pizza. Page said there's nothing like New Haven-style 'apizza' — and some have gone as far as to declare Connecticut the 'Pizza Capital of the U.S.' Frank Pepe's, a New Haven, Connecticut, favorite, just celebrated its 100th anniversary — and locals and New Yorkers alike can't get enough. 'When I would serve the New Yorkers at our New Haven restaurant, they would tell me, 'I'm from New York, and I come back and forth for your pizza — hands down,'' Pepe's granddaughter, Jennifer Bimonte-Kelly, previously told The Post. 'New Yorkers are the toughest critics. When they said it was good, I got chills on my legs.' Those who want to get their hands on a New Haven slice and participate in the record-breaking pizza party can buy a ticket for $17.44 ($12.12 for kids. With a ticket, you'll get access to the party, two slices of pizza, a water, a drink ticket. Ticket holders will also get early access to the Apizza Feast — and 'you also will get to be part of pizza history.'
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
GUIDE: Low-cost or free summer activities for New Haven youth, families
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — School is almost out for summer in New Haven. The last day of school is Tuesday, June 17. A sunny Thursday at Lighthouse Point Park served as the perfect backdrop for city leaders to announce a full slate of fun summer activities. Dive into summer safely: Connecticut's efforts to raise awareness for child water safety 'If you are a young person, you have no business sitting on the couch this summer because we've got something for you,' New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said. The mayor and the city's Youth and Recreation Department released the '2025 Summer Youth Guide,' featuring dozens of free or low-cost summer activities and programs for kids and families. 'We're going to have cultural activities, financial empowerment, extreme adventures; families can come to our signature programming such as family fun day and Friday night movies in the park. There is something for everyone,' Dr. Gwendolyn Williams, the director of the Youth and Recreation Department, said. 2025-Mayors-Summer-Youth-GuideDownload The city is partnering with local nonprofits and other organizations, such as the Police Activity League (PAL), to offer summer camps, sports clinics, open swim sessions, and 16 different splash pads. Local leaders are pushing residents and youth to get outside this summer. 'Our parks feature playgrounds, splash pads, trails, fishing ponds, boating access, pavilions for gatherings, community gardens and sports facilities,' Outdoor Adventure Coordinator for the New Haven Parks Department Jackie Gaudioso said. For the first time, the Youth and Recreation Department is providing financial aid and scholarships to families who may need assistance. Southington Drive-in announces 2025 summer movie lineup 'Especially if you need to put your young person in a camp or your children in a camp, we understand in these economic times, it may not be easy,' Williams said. There is also academic tutoring available to help prevent the so-called summer slide, as well as various youth employment opportunities. The goal is for kids and families to have a happy, safe and fun-filled summer season. 'I will tell anyone that asks me … The city of New Haven does an amazing job of providing opportunities and experiences to the youth,' Sergeant Ronald Ferrante, supervisor of Youth Services for the New Haven Police Activity League, said. For more information and the full 2025 Summer Youth Guide, head to: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New community health center opens its doors in Fair Haven
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — New Haven opened the doors to a new community health center on Wednesday morning, expanding on its previous location. $750,000 Project Purple grant helps Hartford HealthCare with pancreatic cancer screenings The new 36,000 square-foot building was a part of a $40 million expansion for the Fair Haven Community Health Center (FHCHC) campus on Grand Avenue. According to a press release from Mayor Justin Elicker, this expansion hopes to meet the growing demand for accessible high-quality care in the community. The new community space will focus on supporting new learning programs like ESL, job training and digital health literacy, including support for neighborhood nutrition. WTNH News 8 collecting donations for Connecticut Foodshare | Nexstar's Founder's Day 'As you walk through, it not only is high quality space for both physical and behavioral health services, but it also has space for dieticians to meet with folks and do healthy cooking classes,' said Karen Dubois-Walton, president and CEO of the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. 'There's space for a food pantry, the ability for people to come here and get food resources they need.' Officials expect FHCHC to be able to field more than 55,000 visits per year with the addition of this new space. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Air purifier anyone? Tweed-New Haven Airport offering 800 to its neighbors
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — For months, residents near Tweed-New Haven Airport have been voicing their concerns about the environmental impacts of the airport. In response, airport officials Tuesday announced they're moving forward with a 'Residential Indoor Air Program' with plans to provide free high-efficiency air purifiers to 815 nearby households. Tweed New Haven Airport submits DEEP permit applications for expansion project 'This is about partnership,' CEO of HVN Michael Jones said. 'When the community speaks up— from residents to researchers— we believe airports can and should be part of the solution.' New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said the issues came up during a community meeting last year, during which residents asked for air quality monitoring and air purifiers. 'Air quality monitors, which have now been in operation for over nine months, have indicated that air quality near the airport is largely the same as air quality in other areas of New Haven. Even so, we want to be responsive to residents' concerns and are happy to support this program to provide indoor air purifiers to eligible residents around the airport,' he said in a statement. Airport officials said the program is in partnership with the City of New Haven and took into account insights from neighbors, stakeholders and the New Haven Environmental Advisory Council. However, it's fully funded by Avports, HVN's operator. Breeze promises quieter airplanes, longer quiet hours at Tweed as neighbors remain skeptical About 496 homes will be eligible in New Haven and 319 in East Haven. Those households will receive a medical-grade HEPA filter (Alen FLEX unit), designed to capture 99.9% of airborne particles as small as 0.1 microns. They're effective in spaces up to 1,400-sq-ft, airport officials said. Eligible residents will get direct notice with information on enrollment and delivery for the Residential Indoor Air Program. Other environmentally-conscious moves from airport leaders include transitioning the ground fleet to zero-emissions vehicles and applying for grant funding to add electric mowers and a zero-emissions airfield sweeper. A hydrogen fueling dispenser and additional EV charger are in development as well. The airport is also working on plans to construct a new terminal and expand the runway. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New Haven officials boosting awareness after 19 overdoses were reported in 4 days
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — In the city of New Haven, officials are activating a tier 2response after there were 19 overdoses in four days. Unfortunately, one person died but 18 others survived. Mobile overdose reduction clinic teaches Connecticut shoreline residents about prevention after recent overdose spike 'Tier 2 is 11 to 14 overdoses in 24 hours and then as you can imagine the higher number of overdoses would be a higher level of response,' Mayor Justin Elicker said. 'Above that, we would do robocall throughout the city to notify people. Tier 2 we use social media to engage our partners.' This comes just six months after police officers in New Haven started training and administering NARCAN. A big voice in the fight to get NARCAN into the hands of New Haven's police officers was Fiona Firine. Firine lost her 27-year-old son to a fentanyl overdose back in 2018 and since then, she's worked tirelessly to be an advocate for change. 'I'm so sad to hear that we have an uptick,' Firine said. 'I'm so grateful to hear those people were saved.' She said it took three years of fighting to get NARCAN into the police department, 'It had to go through a lot of different steps,' Firine said. 'It had to go through a lot of different barriers and ultimately it was decided the best way to get people to do it was to use these special tactical pouches that clip on.' Daniel Sullivan, supervisor of EMS for the New Haven Fire Department, said that generally, there are a large amount of overdoses in the city, but that 19 is high in a clustered time frame. Sullivan said administering NARCAN is imperative when it comes to saving someone's life during an overdose because it could prevent a cardiac arrest. 'With opioid overdoses, one of the biggest patient effects is it suppresses the respiratory system,' Sullivan said. Right now, DEA and intelligence units throughout New Haven have not been able to identify a common denominator or clear source, but one thing is clear: fentanyl is a common denominator. On Thursday city officials announced free CPR and AED training workshops that will be offered to residents at all five branches of the New Haven Free Public Library between June and November. Part of the workshops will also cover NARCAN administration. To register for a workshop, information can be found at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
