SPORTS FINAL TODAY RAIN HIGH 66 LOW 47 DETAILS, A8 SUNDAY NEWSSTAND $2.00 199th YEAR, NO. 114 @nhregister newhavenregister SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2011 W. Haven library in turmoil The $1.8 million fund has been a source $1.8M reserve fund questioned of concern for more than just employ- ees. The library’s board, called the Vil- By Amanda Pinto They also have raised concerns about lage Improvement Association, receives Register Staff $1.8 million in library funds that have for about $1.6 million annually from the city years remained unused while they say [email protected] for the operation of the library, Mayor the library is in need of equipment and John M. Picard said. The city has a main WEST HAVEN — All is not quiet at the employees have gone three years without library, two branches and a bookmobile. West Haven Public Library. raises. Every year, he looks at the $1.8 million Its employees, who have recently The board’s president, Nancy Ciarleg- the library has in the bank and consid- formed a union amid fears they would lio, said employees haven’t told her ers slicing its budget, Picard said, but the lose their jobs, are upset about “bully- why they are angry, but that it has been City Council routinely adds to the library ing and micromanagement” from the “brewing for a while.” She said employ- budget. library’s board of directors, and the immi- ees have declined board requests to share “I think the library has more than nent departure of their eight-year direc- their ideas about programming and train- enough money to operate the library and Mara Lavitt/Register tor, whose contract was not renewed last ing on three separate occasions, and then Library patron Richard Pittman of West Haven, left, gets help from library assistant week. surprised board members by unionizing. See Library, A4 Tanarha Smith-Dixon. EASTER SERVICE CELEBRATES Fresh Air ‘THE LIGHT OF CHRIST’ Fund gears up SPORTS CHARGING AHEAD for drive Blue Team wins annual New Haven spring game, C1 Goal is to send more kids to camp As the brutal winter finally is behind us and we begin to believe there truly Associated Press are hot days of summer around the cor- Pope Benedict XVI baptizes Zhonghua ner, the New Haven Register Fresh Air Caterina Wang of China Saturday. Fund is launching its annual appeal to SEE STORY, A7 send needy children from Greater New Haven to summer camp. The Fresh Air Fund was founded in 1905 by John Day Jackson, then the ARTS W. Haven church Register’s owner. The CLASSICAL & ROCK literally goes fund made Branford’s Concert Choir possible trips to the does a little Beethhoven, from dark to light countryside a little Queen, D1 and nearby amusement By Randall Beach parks. It was Register Staff a respite [email protected] from sum- mer idleness WEST HAVEN — During the “First and the hot Easter Celebration” at the Church of the city streets Holy Spirit Saturday night, the congre- for the immigrant children of the work- gation lit candles, sang and reflected ers in the city’s crowded factories. on what they have to be thankful for The city air is much cleaner now. The amid the gloomy weather and depressed soot from turn-of-the century factories is economy. gone. But, the goal, providing a summer At the outset of the service in the old experience to those who would other- LIVING stone church facing the West Haven wise be denied it, remains the same. Green, the church was dark, symboliz- Today, the Fresh Air Fund supports SKID LID ing the death of Jesus Christ. The foggy sending more than 100 children to 15 mist outside deepened the somber atmo- camps — from Woodbridge to Hebron Yale study shows benefits sphere. — where they form new friendships and of helmets, E1 But then the Rev. Dr. Lisa Hahneman are occupied with vacation activities, comforted some of the nervous-looking from tug of war to swimming and hik- kids along with everybody else sitting ing and amateur theatricals. in the darkness by saying, “We are the Each camp determines which child first ones tonight to celebrate; we start will receive Fresh Air Fund assistance on Saturday night.” and the dollar amount each child will “This is the story of Easter,” she said. receive. Camp costs vary, depending on “We know Jesus rose at some point; we whether it is a day or overnight camp, don’t know exactly when. But on Sun- the level of need and the length of expe- day morning, they saw the tomb was rience. empty.” The time spent at camp is a memory Then, near the entrance to the church, that many former campers cherish. As Hahneman and other parish leaders the years pass, they become donors to gathered in a circle to light the paschal the Fresh Air Fund so that other chil- candle. “The light of Jesus is coming dren can enjoy the opening up of new back in,” she announced, and all began worlds and the fun of their own long- to sing of rejoicing and “the light of ago camping days. Christ.” The Fresh Air Fund long has depend- “The darkness has been vanquished,” ed on individual donations and those Hahneman said. Eventually everyone in who have volunteered their services at CONNECTICUT the church was holding a lit candle. fundraising events: concerts, variety Before the service, when asked about shows, road and bed races, lemonade SPRING TRAINING the mood of the congregation, Hah- stands and even the Register’s news- Police academy class neman said, “I think the parish has a Melanie Stengel/Register room book sales. The roster of contribu- Nora Mullins, 7, of West Haven, holds her candle during an Easter vigil Saturday at the tors is a cross section of our community: graduates, B1 See Easter, A4 Church of the Holy Spirit in West Haven. retired government workers, hospital staff, baseball leagues, those who give in memory of a parent or friend or to mark SECTION INDEX a birthday or wedding anniversary. People’s donations are usually mod- est, but they add up and they are effec- A NEWS C SPORTS E LIVING VIDEO VIDEO How to reach us. A2 Colleges . .C1,3 Anniversaries. E2 tive. Every penny is spent on sending Watch Long Meet the children to camp. The Register absorbs Lottery. A2 Hockey . .C1,3 The Naturalist . E2 Wharf Criscios of People in the news. A2 Football . .C1,5 Connecticut Money . E3 all administrative costs. Police blotter . A2 Baseball . .C1,6-8 Plan Well and Execute . E3 Theatre West Haven We would like to send even more Local news . A3 Schools . C4 Senior Moments. E3 actor John and learn children to camp this summer. To do Crossword/Horoscope . A6 Business . E4 Procaccino about Make- this, we need your help. Please send ARTS perform A-Wish Nation/World . A7-8 D Connecticut Watchdog . E4 your donation to New Haven Register Arts calendar . D2 at www. Foundation Fresh Air Fund (attn: Jack Kramer, edi- B CONNECTICUT Movie directory . D4 F CLASSIFIED newhaven- at www. Opinion . B2-3 TV listings . D5 register.com newhaven- tor and Register Fresh Air Fund presi- Obituaries . B6-7 Travel . D6 © Copyright 2011 New Haven Register register.com dent), 40 Sargent Drive, New Haven 06511. Schools: Sarah Baker, left, and TealHoward H.S. TEAM OF THE WEEK leading the way for See who this week’s nomineesareon Page C4, Hamden tennis teams and be sure to cast your vote online at Page C4 newhavenregister.com/sports/high_school C NEW HAVEN REGISTER* SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2011 New Haven’s Parker no itsy-bitsy Spider Richmond defensive tackle projected to be taken in NFL draft’s middle rounds By Chip Malafronte was too much for offensive linemen in the All-State pick in 2005 at Hyde, despite those THURSDAY Register Staff Football Championship Subdivision to han- teams being loaded with talent. Round 1 dle. But at 283, Parker would be considered “I had more academic scholarship offers 8 p.m., ESPN [email protected] undersized for an NFL interior lineman. than football scholarship offers,” Parker After four months of training at the U.S. said. FRIDAY His performance at the East-West Shrine Athletic Training Center in Manhattan, Richmond, which competes in the com- Rounds 2-3 Game drew some notice. But what really Parker has bulked up while keeping his petitive Colonial Athletic Association, got 6 p.m., ESPN piqued the interest of NFL personnel is body fat percentage in check and getting quite a bargain. Parker was a freshman red- 8 p.m., ESPN2 when New Haven’s Martin Parker stepped quicker on his feet. Now 6 feet 2 and 308 shirt, then spent the next four seasons as a onto the scale at the NFL Combine a month pounds, he has the NFL body that scouts starter. The Spiders won the FCS national SATURDAY later. and coaches desire. championship during his sophomore year, Rounds 4-7 Parker, an All-American defensive tackle Parker is projected to be taken in the mid- and he was a second-team all-conference Noon, ESPN last fall at Richmond, had been listed in dle rounds of this week’s NFLDraft, which selection. most guides at 283 pounds, his weight at begins Thursday and runs through Satur- INSIDE ... the start of preseason camp last August. day. See NFL, C5 First-round mock draft, “Not many people knew I weighed 300,” “I just want the opportunity,” Parker said. Page C5 Parker said. “They thought I was 280 or “I’ll be happy as long as someone gives me Associated Press file Photo 290.