THE BULLETIN (May 18, 2020) — Even though the yearly Haitian festival in Norwich is canceled due to the presence of COVID-19, Norwich Alderman Darrell Wilson said he and others wanted to show “our small piece appreciation and honor for such an important community in the City of Norwich.”

To commemorate the presence of the Haitian community in Norwich, a ceremony for Haitian National Flag Day was held Monday in front of the Norwich City Hall by the United Congregational Church. The U.S. flag and the Haitian flag flew next to each other.

“Haitians around the world celebrate National Flag Day, expressing their national pride, honoring the forefathers of the Nation, and replenishing their resolve for Haiti’s future in the face of their ancestors’ tremendous and unique accomplishment,” the website for the Haitian embassy in Washington, D.C., states.

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THE DAY (May 16, 2020) — A muted celebration of Haitian Flag Day will take place Monday, starting with a morning raising of the Haitian flag in the plaza outside City Hall and an evening proclamation to be read by the City Council at its remote-access meeting broadcast.

Norwich Free Academy Haitian American students Allen and Alexander Dufort, recipients of the Martin Luther King scholarship, Norwich Alderman Derell Wilson and Haitian American Enock Petit-Home will participate in the 9:30 a.m. flag-raising ceremony. Global City Norwich, which has hosted Haitian festivals in downtown, is coordinating the program.

The proclamation, included as part of the City Council meeting agenda, will be read at the start of the 7:30 p.m. council meeting, to be broadcast on Comcast Channel 97 or by livestream on the city’s website, norwichct.org.

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NBC CONNECTICUT (May 13, 2020) — Restaurant owners in Norwich have spent the last two months changing the way they conduct business. The coronavirus shutdowns have prompted layoffs, takeout only meals and contactless delivery.

As the state is now entering a phase of reopening, the restaurant owners are working to conquer a new challenge: how to set up outdoor dining for the first time.

“We are going to try it,” said Justin Burrows, owner of La Stella Pizzeria in Downtown Norwich. “We are going to see how we can execute it.”

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THE DAY (May 13, 2020) —Jill Fritzsche, vice president of the Norwich Community Development Corp. and instrumental in getting the Foundry 66 shared workspace facility open and expanded, will leave the agency Friday to become economic development director in Killingly.

NCDC President Robert Mills announced Fritzsche’s departure Wednesday and said it’s a loss for the Norwich economic development agency, but a “great career opportunity” for Fritzsche.

“We’re going to need to find three people,” Mills said of the prospects of finding a replacement for Fritzsche.

Mills said NCDC will take its time to find a new replacement.

Fritzsche has served as vice president of economic development and the community manager of Foundry 66 for the past three years. During her tenure at NCDC, she oversaw the expansion of Foundry 66, tripling its occupancy and programming. She launched the creation of the pop-up shop concept for small retail ventures in the Sunlight Emporium Building of the complex, bringing retail back into the downtown.

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THE BULLETIN (May 1, 2020) — Bozrah resident Charlie Rutchick believes the time to start reopening businesses is “past due.”

“I’ve got kids sitting at home, going broke,” he said.

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced his plan Thursday evening to reopen businesses in Connecticut. Starting on May 20, a variety of businesses, including retail establishments, hair and nail salons, and various forms of outdoor recreation and activity, will begin to reopen. The plan is conditional based on whether the number of cases of COVID-19 and hospitalizations from it continue to drop, among other factors.

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THE BULLETIN (April 3, 2020) — The Norwich restaurant is giving free hot vegetarian meals to the community to help during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gurpreet Singh, owner and manager of The Royal Punjabi Restaurant in Norwich, wants to help the community for as long as he can, especially while the COVID-19 response leaves people out of work.

“I’ll try to do my best,” he said.

The Royal Punjabi is serving free Grab and Go Hot Meals, on Mondays and Fridays, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., just outside the restaurant on 198 Main St. The meals are vegetarian.

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THE BULLETIN (March 27, 2020) — The Coronavirus pandemic has offered plenty of trying circumstances, and media coverage of it. It can get depressing for those living it, reading about it, and even writing it.

But this week, Jason Vincent, the senior vice president of The Norwich Community Development Corporation, was eager to share the good news on Norwich’s response to the coronavirus.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty in the world right now,” he said.

In an email that was sent to Norwich Mayor Peter Nystrom and members of the Norwich business community, Vincent highlighted responses being taken by the community to support one another during these trying times.

“When you see your neighbors stepping up and doing what they need to do, they’re the real heroes in a time like this,” he said.

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