Front desk agents at the Omni petitioned to unionize in late January. The union won by a majority in the vote to unionize on March 1. Although the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale has been unionized for decades, it was not until last Friday that front desk workers entered the union. 

Isadora Milanez ’19, an organizer for Local 217 UNITE HERE, told the News that front desk workers approached Local 217 UNITE HERE, which is affiliated with the AFL-CIO, to join their colleagues in the existing contract with Omni.

“We have a great standard of the Omni union contract, and they wanted to be a part of it,” Milanez said. “We also have upcoming contract negotiations to renew our contract between the employer and the union this year that people are feeling optimistic about.”

Milanez said that the vote was triggered by the National Labor Relations Board after front desk employees submitted union representation cards that demonstrated interest in forming a union.

Bobby May, a front desk worker at the Omni, shared his excitement following the unions’ victory.

“It was a great feeling,” May said. “The Omni is a great company to work for. But now, being part of the AFL-CIO, only makes it better.”

May said that the process to unionize was straightforward and smooth overall.

May also said that he feels a new sense of unity with his colleagues now that front desk workers have joined the union.

“I feel like we’re one. We have a pension, we have a retirement and we will have fair wages.”

The addition of front desk agents to the union is welcomed by other workers at the Omni as contract negotiations approach.

Ryenamar Ortiz, a restaurant server and shop steward at the Omni, voiced his support for the front desk workers joining the union.

“We’re happy and excited for front desk workers to join us in bargaining for our new contract,” Ortiz said, according to Milanez. “This shows unity and makes us stronger.”

The Omni did not reply to a request for comment on the unionization.

Almost the entirety of employees at the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale are now a part of the Local 217 UNITE HERE union.

The Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale is located at 155 Temple St.

The post Six front desk agents unionize at the Omni appeared first on Yale Daily News.

Evans originally started the business from a bus before moving it to a physical location in 2016.

He associates the “non-traditional” route he took when he first began Ricky D’s with his new mobile app venture. 

Jorge Banuelos GRD ’27, a Ph.D. student in history who is a regular, declared it the best restaurant in the city.

“I think it’s definitely the best one I’ve spotted in New Haven. Probably the best I’ve had in Connecticut as a whole,” Banuelos said. “I’m originally from Kansas. So I have very high standards when it comes to smoked meat, and it exceeds the mark every time.”

Banuelos also highlighted the restaurant’s atmosphere and described it as service with a smile, which reminds him of the southern hospitality of his childhood.

The restaurant has also become a destination for undergraduate students, given its proximity to Pauli Murray College and Science Hill.

Ludovico Mazzocchi ’27 thanks the restaurant for exposing him to American dishes and culture.

“As an international student, I have always wanted to try new restaurants in New Haven,” Mazzocchi said. “In the UK, wings and ribs aren’t a very popular dish, so getting to try that here has been super fun.”

Despite Ricky D’s in-person success, the restaurant implemented their new mobile app last fall to increase their engagement and reward loyal patrons.

Evans began working on this venture last year and expects it to play a crucial role in growing Ricky D’s. Through the app, he hopes to reach more customers and spread his brand’s name domestically and internationally.

According to Evans, the game is a restaurant management simulator in which users can prepare and sell dishes digitally and collect in-game currency. In the future, patrons will be able to use the in-game “shack points” in store, creating a new form of rewards points for loyal customers. 

“[The app] is something new and innovative that I’ve been really focused on to help grow the business not just physically but also gauging digitally as well as the rib shack cooking game is available in 176 countries in the Apple App Store in the Android app store,” Evans said. “It’s essentially a replica of the restaurant. Users can serve customers in the game, earn shack points, get on the leadership board, upgrade their menu and upgrade their equipment.” 

Evans began working in conjunction with developers, and he hopes the app can help other local businesses grow as well.

Other small businesses will be able to use Ricky D’s template of the app to personalize it for their own businesses.

Ricky D’s is located at 302 Winchester Ave.

The post Ricky D’s Rib Shack launches new game for patrons appeared first on Yale Daily News.

Pizza, which has played a crucial role in shaping New Haven’s fame, has also helped generate economic growth in the restaurant industry. To honor its centrality to New Haven’s identity, Governor Ned Lamont took the opportunity to declare New Haven as the pizza capital of America. 

The festivities commenced with a speech from Colin Caplan, the owner of the culinary entertainment company Taste of New Haven.

“This is a day to celebrate what pizza’s all about. It’s about community, it’s about sharing, it’s about the hard work of the people that stand behind me,” Caplan said.

Caplan highlighted the economic impact of pizza in New Haven, saying pizza alone contributes $100 million to New Haven’s economy, with a significant portion of that being through tourism.

Mayor Justin Elicker also spoke about the importance of the dish in driving market interest and tourism. 

“It is just amazing how folks are taking a risk, investing in our community, bringing a lot of attention to New Haven,” Elicker said in his speech. 

Connecticut State Comptroller Sean Scanlon highlighted the significance of celebrating the city’s most famous food. 

“What we do here is a special thing that people come from all over the world to see. We should be really proud of that,” Scanlon said. 

Rep. Patricia Dillon brought a bill to the House floor in 2021 to recognize pizza as Connecticut’s state food, but the bill failed to pass the Senate. 

Even though the bill didn’t pass, Dillon said that she still hopes that the city’s pizzerias get the recognition they deserve. 

“When I brought out the pizza bill in the house, I said I wanted to honor people who make things with their hands — the craftspeople. The people who kept us alive during the pandemic,” Dillon said. “When we were home safe, they were in the kitchen cooking.”

Despite this sense of community and unity, pizzerias across the city have been vying for the spot as No. 1 in New Haven. 

George Koutroumanis, the owner of Yorkside Pizza, described this as a healthy form of competition, however. 

Despite the underlying sense of competition between the pizzerias across the city, Koutroumanis said it’s all in good fun, adding that at the end of the day, the different pizzeria owners are “all friends.”

He also highlighted the difficulty of labeling one pizzeria as the best. There is much more than taste that determines a customer’s preference, according to Koutroumanis. 

“Every pizza has a special palace in every person’s heart. When I came to America from Greece, I used to go to a pizza place in Waterbury,” Koutroumanis told the News. “That place has a very special place in my heart. Everyone has a pizzeria or a slice that is very special to them. So it’s very hard to say where the best pizza is.”

Ernie’s Pizza is located at 1279 Whalley Ave. 

The post Governor declares New Haven ‘Pizza Capital of America’  appeared first on Yale Daily News.

The smoke shop, which opened in 2022 at 986 Chapel St. and is not licensed to sell cannabis products, failed multiple undercover visits by state officials. On Jan. 9, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong brought a lawsuit against Anesthesia, three other cannabis retailers and three wholesalers for failing to comply with Connecticut’s Unfair Trade Practices Act. 

“On multiple unannounced visits, investigators from the Department of Consumer Protection and Office of the Attorney General observed thousands of high-THC products, including those more potent than any product available in the regulated cannabis market,” a state press release read. “Products included potent edibles, as well as marijuana flower.” 

In addition to illegal distribution, the lawsuit alleges that Anesthesia sold products that lacked labels and state-mandated warnings. 

Bryan T. Cafferelli, the commissioner of the Department of Consumer Protection, explained the dangers that come with unlabeled products and the harm it can cause to underage buyers. 

“Many of these products are packaged in a way that is misleading – signaling to consumers that the product inside is safe when it is not – and, most shamefully, are often sold to people who are underage and may not realize the effects of what they are consuming,” Caffereli wrote in a press release. “Adults who choose to consume cannabis should shop in the regulated market and keep their products out of sight and out of reach from children and teens.” 

Anesthesia Smoke Shop declined to comment on the allegations in the lawsuit. 

Three underage patrons told the News they were able to buy cannabis and other THC products from the shop dating back to transactions from 2022. The legal age to buy cannabis products in Connecticut is 21.

The New Haven Police Department and the New Haven office of the Drug Enforcement Administration did not respond to requests to comment. 

“I would say it was easier to buy from them freshman year. They got a little more strict with IDs at the beginning of sophomore year,” a Yale College sophomore — who requested anonymity because of their age — told the News.  “I don’t know if it was because I was a regular_, but they stopped checking my ID after the first few times. They definitely sold to minors. Freshman year they only asked for my age and didn’t cross-check with my ID.” 

An anonymous first-year student said that there were no cannabis products visible when they first entered the store, but that when they asked a worker for edibles, they were able to purchase without issue.

According to patrons, all cannabis products were stored behind the counter or in the back areas of the smoke shop. 

“I asked the person at the desk if they sold edibles and she went behind the counter and got stuff. It was 10 gummies of 10 milligrams [THC],” the anonymous first year said. “I paid in cash. They were stronger. They were definitely stronger than other 10 milligram edibles I had had before and they hit faster as well.”

Another anonymous sophomore described Anesthesia’s lax vetting measures, which allowed them to buy cannabis despite them being 19, two years below the legal age requirement.  

According to the source, the smoke shop also had patrons buy cannabis with cash instead of debit or credit cards.

“I’ve never been asked for my ID. The only questioning I’ve experienced is if I’m paying with cash,” the anonymous sophomore said. “I believe once you’ve made it in the door, you have access to buy whatever you want no matter the age.”

Violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act can result in fines of up to $5,000 per infraction. 

In 2024, Connecticut secured judgments against four additional Connecticut cannabis retailers and imposed fines totaling $40,000 for alleged violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act, stemming from the sale of delta-8 THC products. 

“We have multiple active investigations into additional retailers and wholesalers, and we will keep the heat on so long as these dangerous, illegal products are sold,” Tong said in the press release. 

The Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act was adopted in 1973. 

The post Anesthesia Smoke Shop facing lawsuit for allegedly selling cannabis products illegally appeared first on Yale Daily News.

The company closed their outlet in Orange, Conn., in 2019 but still has stores in South Windsor and Danbury.

The decision, which was announced earlier this year, aims to help the company optimize its customer service and general operations.

“This decision comes as we evolve the size and concept of our stores to best serve customers going forward,” reads L.L. Bean’s statement to the News. “While it is difficult to close a location, we are undertaking the closure  with great care for our employees and with the knowledge we can continue to serve Connecticut customers,” referencing their online and other stores.

James Sinclair, a music director who lives in the city, was shocked by the decision, considering L.L. Bean had outlasted competitors in the area, including Patagonia, which closed in 2022.

“It seemed like a perfect fit here. And they drove out to businesses that were somewhat parallel,” Sinclair said. 

Other patrons were not surprised by L.L. Bean’s departure as a result of the franchise’s limited availability and lack of merchandise variation at the outlet.

Sylvia Van Sinderin, another patron, found the franchise’s limited focus challenging and described difficulty finding clothing from L.L. Bean’s website.

“Well, the store was never big enough. With a very limited focus and a lot of the things that I usually get from L.L. Bean weren’t available here anyway,” Van Sinderin said. “But I do miss being able to pop in and they were good. If they didn’t have a pair of shoes in stock you can just get on your computer. But I’ll miss the in-person service. It’s always been good service here.”

She also highlighted the lack of non-student centric items and clothing. 

Others shared similar sentiments, including Savannah Eastler ’26.

Broadway’s L.L. Bean didn’t quite capture “the spirit” of the chain, according to Eastler, who cited its small space and location on Broadway. “I think that maybe you can’t be half an L.L. Bean and that was sort of half an L.L. Bean. If you’re not ginormous and in the middle of the woods and you also don’t have like three stories and sell fishing poles, you’re not a real L.L. Bean.”

A future tenant for 272 Elm St. has not been selected, but there are a few businesses vying for the space.

David DelVecchio, a director of real estate and asset management for Yale, highlighted the potential for another fashion retailer occupying the building. According to him, this business could be open later this year.

Van Sinderen hopes that the new tenant is a business that lasts, especially after the past few years’ series of closures.

“I just want someone who’s committed. Maybe not a chain because … it’s really easy to go online and just shop there unless you’re looking for something unique,” Sinderen said. “And it’s just kind of fun to go shopping the old way.”

L.L. Bean’s New Haven location opened in August 2018.

The post L.L. Bean to leave Broadway in February appeared first on Yale Daily News.

Affinity Dispensary, the sole dispensary in New Haven has become one of the biggest contributors to the growth of this industry. 

The dispensary, which serves both medicinal and adult-use customers, underwent a smooth transition and capped the year off with a healthy growth in sales. 

“The state enjoyed a very successful first year. We saw a successful rollout, and the Department of Consumer Protection was very thoughtful when they began rolling out adult-use products,” said Ray Pantelana, Affinity Dispensary’s founder. “We saw a smooth transition from a medical to hybrid market. We are really proud of our sales. There are always things that can be done better, but we along with the state did a good job of getting things off the ground.” 

This transition is in large part due to the growing nature of both production and distribution, according to Pantalena. 

There are currently six marijuana producers, who cultivate the product, in the state, two of which opened last year. There are also 11 more with provisional licenses. 

Given ordinances that stipulate that state dispensaries can only sell cannabis grown in Connecticut, these nascent businesses rely heavily on state cultivators. 

To meet demand and expand its operations, Affinity also recently opened another site in Bridgeport. 

“We opened a couple of weeks ago,” Pantalena said of the Bridgeport location. “It’s an 8000 square feet store, and it’s Connecticut’s first superstore. We are looking to serve Bridgeport and the greater Fairfield area, which has seen a rise in demand. I think we will be seeing a ton of new stores opening up this coming year.”

This growth is not specific to Affinity, however, as there are now 64 dispensaries with either provisional or final licenses across the state. 

Adam Wood, the president of Connecticut’s Cannabis Chamber of Commerce, shared Pantalena’s optimism. 

The organization, which is the state’s leading trading association for businesses in the cannabis industry, has been a key player in shaping the market since its inception in 2022. 

“This product has always been present in our state for a long time, and many people just wanted it to be regulated, and the regulation brought health and safety benefits. I think the zoning and the citations from most towns have been accommodating and an understandable approach,” Wood said. “Some cities and municipalities have embraced it and have created an economy that helps and uplifts the communities.” 

Despite the market’s steady growth, Wood said he believes there are still some key barriers to entry and operation, one of which is access to capital. To aid emerging dispensaries the state has founded a $50 million social equity fund, which will provide low-interest loans to the businesses.  

The Cannabis Chamber of Commerce has been working with the state to accelerate this loan program and has also tried to tackle other regulatory obstacles, one of these being hampered marketing. 

“When you go into a dispensary you can’t see any of the products. There’s a menu, but you can’t physically see the products,” Wood said. “If you go to Massachusetts and other states and go into dispensaries, they have all the products displayed and they’re colorful and branded. There’s really creative marketing, but none of that exists here.”

There have been some efforts in the state legislature to deregulate branding, but the concern of cannabis becoming more appealing to younger audiences still looms, according to Wood.  

Despite these hurdles, Pantalena and Wood are still expecting a strong year for the market. 

Affinity hopes to see a “10-12 percent growth rate in expansion,” and Wood expects “over a dozen” new cultivators across the state. 

There is still a hint of volatility and variability in the margins of businesses, according to Wood, but the industry is expected to increase its profit margins and expand. 

In a sign of the industry’s growth, the Department of Consumer Protection recently raised the transaction limitations of dispensaries across the state.  

Beginning Dec. 1, transaction limits for adult-use customers increased to 1/2 ounce of raw flower or the equivalent per transaction, according to the Department of Consumer Protection’s new rule. The limit for medical marijuana patients stayed the same under the new rule. 

Affinity Dispensary’s New Haven site is located at 1351 Whalley Ave. 

The post At one year, New Haven’s cannabis industry is rolling along appeared first on Yale Daily News.

Despite the city’s claims that the construction violated both city zoning codes and state building codes, Colville remains opposed to complying with the city’s demands.

“We have people living in these homes already,” Colville said. “The last thing that we’re ever going to do is evict them.”

The second letter, dated Oct. 27, arrived at Colville’s home in the Hill neighborhood a few days after he received the first cease-and-desist order from the City Plan Department, dated Oct. 24. The letters, which were obtained by the News, outlined six violations of zoning and housing codes, including the erection of the tiny homes and the installation of a fence without the required permits. 

Colville dismissed these accusations as inaccurate representations of the project. While city officials expressed a desire to support Colville in obtaining legal permits for the tiny homes, Colville said that current zoning codes are “outdated” and maintained that the city ought to alter its policies to better serve residents in light of the ongoing housing crisis.

According to the letter, the tiny homes exhibit “solid fuel heating sources” without a method of smoke or carbon monoxide detection, which makes them in violation of the 2022 Connecticut State Building Code. The letter also states that the homes do not possess any utility approvals or hookups, which include access to plumbing and electricity.

Colville responded to these accusations, claiming that the tiny homes are equipped with both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. He said that the detectors are not functional because the city cut off electricity to the tiny homes. 

According to Colville, the smoke and carbon detectors are hooked up to an electricity box in the backyard of his home at 203 Rosette St., which the Collective received a permit to install. However, Collville said that the city did not issue a final approval to allow for the flow of electricity to the tiny homes. 

Because of the lack of electricity, members of the Rosette Village Neighborhood Collective — the unhoused community who helped install the houses — bought smoke detectors that run on batteries as an alternative to the ones that are built into the tiny homes and require electricity to operate. 

“Saying that these things are a fire hazard … it’s a lie,” Colville said.

Despite city opposition to the project’s zoning and building code violations, city officials expressed support for Colville’s initiative. 

“I am in support of all initiatives or individuals helping,” Ward 4 Alder Evelyn Rodriguez, who represents 203 Rosette St., wrote in a text to the News.

Rodriguez also mentioned that other projects looking to address homelessness — including the Days Inn for Homeless Shelter Initiative and the Christian Community Action Agency — have complied with city and state ordinances. She wrote that these compliances are a “commitment to those in need.”

Colville also received a letter from Executive Director of the City Plan Department Laura Brown in mid-September, expressing support for the construction and a desire to help the Collective acquire permits to ensure that the construction fit within city zoning codes. 

In a previous interview with the News, Mayor Justin Elicker said that applying for a zoning variance — which would grant the Collective an exception to city zoning codes — would legalize the construction of the tiny homes, if the application is approved by the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals.

Shannon Carter SPH ’22, who is working with Colville and the Collective, said that the group would like to pursue a zoning variance. Apart from the variance, Carter said that there is not currently any alternative within the law that explicitly offers a “pathway forward” without a lengthy waiting process.

City Building Official Robert Dillon, who signed the second cease-and-desist letter, said that the tiny homes violate building codes — which unlike zoning codes, are associated with the state of Connecticut rather than the city. Applying to challenge the building codes, he explained, is a process that would have to be approved at a state level.

“As a building official, I’ll continue to try and find a pathway and have discussions with the property on 203 Rosette Street,” he said. “I think I’ve demonstrated that throughout.”

Ultimately, Colville said, he hopes that the city will change zoning codes to better serve the needs of unhoused New Haveners. 

Colville pointed to the legal installation of tiny homes in over 100 communities across the country, claiming that zoning codes in New Haven ought to reflect those within other cities that allow for tiny home construction.

“The contention is that the zoning law that currently exists is extremely outdated, and doesn’t reflect the current needs of the population,” Carter said. 

The Collective finished construction on the tiny homes on Oct. 21.

Correction, Nov. 27: In a previous version of this article, Mark Colville’s name was spelled incorrectly. The article has been updated to reflect the correct spelling.

The post After receiving second city order to remove tiny homes, homelessness activist discusses next steps  appeared first on Yale Daily News.

The New Haven Youth & Recreation Department hosted the 11th annual Trunk-or-Treat event so that children from across New Haven could safely celebrate on Halloween, and dozens of community members answered the call, lining up their cars to give candy to a long line of New Haveners. 

“New Haven’s a city, so sometimes it’s not always safe to walk around at night, and [Southern is] a safe place for kids to come with their families. And it’s also nice for college kids to be able to give back to the community,” said Delaney Cotter, a student at Southern Connecticut State University, who was one of many handing out candy.

Cotter is in the Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority at SCSU where they have also previously participated in Trunk-or-Treat.

Families from all over New Haven attended the event, and community members expressed that they came for the sake of convenience. Several attendees also reported that they believed the event was a way to trick-or-treat more safely.

“It’s a good idea,” Javis Wilson, a New Havener attending the event with his family,  said. “It’s good for the kids too and it’s good for the community.”

Police were also present throughout the entire night handing out candy. 

Captain Keith Pullen of the Yale University Police Department was at the event handing out candy with other campus police departments.

“We try to get involved with the community as much as we can,” Pullen said. “And we love it. The kids, the families … it’s just a good event, we love it.”

Pullen said that Truck-or-Treat has a major impact on the community because it offers a one stop shop where families can collect candy quickly and without the fear of vehicle accidents.

The City of New Haven’s Annual Trunk-or-Treat Halloween event was hosted from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

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