Laura Ospina
Staff Reporter
Laura.ospina@yale.edu
Laura Ospina covers Yale-New Haven relations and the Latine community for the City desk. Originally from North Carolina's Research Triangle, she is a sophomore in Branford College majoring in Political Science.
Author Archive
LAURA OSPINA
Court approves eviction of migrant workers

The Connecticut Superior Court ruled in favor of Mark DeFrancesco, a landlord evicting two of his former employees. Both of the migrant workers have pending workers’ compensation claims against DeFrancesco's company.

April 19, 2024

LAURA OSPINA & LILY BELLE POLING
Police union holds rally, passes out leaflets during Bulldog Days

The Yale Police Benevolent Association rallied with over 50 people in front of the Schwarzman Center — a move administrators described as “irresponsible and reckless.”

April 17, 2024

LAURA OSPINA & ARIELA LOPEZ
Police union trucks greet admitted students with crime fears

As students newly admitted to Yale College arrived for Bulldog Days, two trucks hired by the Yale Police Benevolent Association drove around campus, flashing billboards encouraging police presence at Yale. The union is currently 14 months into tense contract negotiations with the University.

April 16, 2024

LAURA OSPINA
City, University officials boast strong town-gown partnership in awards ceremony

At the Seton Elm-Ivy awards, Yale and the City of New Haven honored New Haveners and Yale-affiliates for their work bridging the two communities, while celebrating all-time high collaboration.

April 10, 2024

LAURA OSPINA
Yale police union pledges to ‘take full advantage’ of Bulldog Days and Commencement

More than 13 months into contract negotiations, after 53 bargaining sessions and the arrival of 28 tentative agreements, negotiations between the Yale police union and the University remain contentious.

April 1, 2024

LAURA OSPINA
Yale Community Kitchen faces funding shortage, concerns over long-term viability 

The head coordinators for the student service organization, which provides dinner for hundreds of New Haven residents every weekend, said that rising costs and a lack of avenues to increase Yale funding may hinder the organization’s 20-year history of serving the New Haven community.

March 8, 2024

LAURA OSPINA
Landlord-boss attempts second eviction of migrant workers, contests work compensation as activists mount pressure

MDF Painting & Power Washing sent Edgar Becerra and Josue Mauricio Arana their second eviction notices on Feb. 11. Unidad Latina en Acción has denounced the company for exploitation in weekly protests.

March 1, 2024

BENJAMIN HERNANDEZ & LAURA OSPINA
Yale to begin design for High Street pedestrianization

The University plans to start redesigning the street in the spring, though some New Haven residents have expressed concerns over Yale’s role in the new project.

February 16, 2024

MAGGIE GRETHER & LAURA OSPINA
Court blocks eviction of migrant workers by boss-landlord

Edgar Becerra, a migrant worker from Guatemala, will remain at 200 Peck St. as he awaits his pending workers’ compensation complaint against his employer MDF Painting & Power Washing.

February 8, 2024

ESMA OKUTAN & LAURA OSPINA
Graduate students reflect on new union contract

After Local 33 UNITE HERE ratified its first contract with the University last December, graduate workers are celebrating affordable insurance plans and pay raises.

February 6, 2024

LAURA OSPINA
Yale Office of New Haven Affairs ushers in new leadership

After 13 years, Lauren Zucker, associate vice president for New Haven Affairs and University Properties, retired on Thursday. Alexandra Daum, with a background in state development and New Haven real estate, assumes the lead on town-gown relations.

February 5, 2024