I hope you have a box of tissues nearby. The Los Angeles Lakers opened up their doors and their hearts to a sold out crowd at Staples Center on Friday night. It was the first time the organization that Kobe Bryant played with for 20 years took the court for a game after the helicopter crash that killed nine people,...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/video-lakers-deliver-touching-tribute-to-kobe-bryant/2217714/
Friday, January 31, 2020
Ciara McDermott 15th Annual Basketball Classic
The 15th Annual Basketball Classic with students, teachers, and Police will take place on .........
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1204
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1204
Parking Ban in Effect
As of November 1, 2019 the parking ban is in effect..
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=673
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=673
Shots fired on Seaview Avenue in Bridgeport
After shots were fired on Seaview Avenue, several police cruisers swarmed the area.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Shots-fired-on-Seaview-Avenue-in-Bridgeport-15021319.php
Orange family desperate to find cat missing since Thanksgiving
Sampson the cat went missing on Thanksgiving night. He hasn’t returned home since.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Orange-family-desperate-to-find-cat-missing-since-15021249.php
Police: ‘Obviously impaired’ CT woman crashed into Mar-a-Lago security checkpoints
A Middletown woman crashed into Mar-a-Lago in Florida after leading police on a high-speed pursuit.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Obviously-impaired-CT-woman-crashed-into-15020872.php
Stratford man charged with risk of injury to a child
Stephen Shapiro was charged with leaving his young daughter home alone while he went out drinking, police said.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Stratford-man-charged-with-risk-of-injury-to-a-15020843.php
Republicans and Democrats say goals align in state of town address
FAIRFIELD — First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick and Representative Town Meeting Majority Leader Jill Vergara seemed to present a unified front during the State of the Town Address and Democratic response.
During the Jan. 27 RTM meeting, Kupchick, a Republican, outlined her vision for Fairfield’s future. She said it was important to set a tone of collaboration and communication from the start of her term, citing her appointment of individuals from both parties to town positions.
In a similar vein, Vergara said it was important to respect those across the aisle while disagreeing with them on policy issues. She said she appreciated Kupchick’s “civil and collaborative approach to governance thus far.”
Both leaders spoke of the importance of cooperation during a time when the town goes through a scandal regarding the illegal dumping of contaminated soil at the town’s fill pile. Kupchick said the reputation of Fairfield has suffered as a result of the events.
“Please note that I am diligently working every day on this issue,” said Kupchick, “and I will not stop until it is resolved.”
Kupchick said she was in the process of selecting Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Environmental Protection Agency qualified specialists to remediate the pile’s contaminents. She said she would host a town hall meeting as soon as she has more information.
Kupchick set her sights on strengthening the town charter’s code of ethics, saying she will ask the RTM to create a charter revision commission in order to review and rewrite it.
The First Selectwoman said she wanted to focus on modernizing the town government’s technology, and emphasized...
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Republicans-and-Democrats-say-goals-align-in-15020756.php
Easton police warn of law enforcement impersonators
Easton police are warning residents about scammers pretending to be law enforcement.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Easton-police-warn-of-law-enforcement-15020637.php
Draft Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD)
Newington's Planning and Zoning Commission recently completed a draft update to the Town's current POCD...
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1198
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1198
Police: Former Fairfield CFO stole fill pile documents after he was let go
Former Fairfield Chief Fiscal Officer Robert Mayer was charged Friday with third-degree burglary, third-degree larceny and tampering with evidence.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Police-Former-Fairfield-CFO-stole-fill-pile-15020094.php
Twice-deported man gets 16 years in fatal shooting
A man twice deported from this country only to come back to Bridgeport was sentenced to 16 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to fatally shooting his former girlfriend’s new boyfriend.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Twice-deported-man-gets-16-years-in-fatal-shooting-15020111.php
Protected: DN-1: The US Navy’s First Airship
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/dn-1-the-us-navys-first-airship/
10 Ads to Watch for on Super Bowl Sunday
This year’s Super Bowl won't be a politics-free zone, as both President Donald Trump and presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg will air campaign ads during the game
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/10-ads-to-watch-for-on-super-bowl-sunday/2217427/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/10-ads-to-watch-for-on-super-bowl-sunday/2217427/
Police task force leader: Cop laughed while tasing me five times
Daryl McGraw has had run-ins with law enforcement and is now trying to spark change as the chairman of the new Police Transparency and Accountability Task Force.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Police-task-force-leader-Cop-laughed-while-15019751.php
History and Excitement: a Nice Mix for the Super Bowl
Few Super Bowls in recent memory have appeared as competitive as 49ers-Chiefs
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/istory-and-excitement-a-nice-mix-for-the-super-bowl/2217415/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/istory-and-excitement-a-nice-mix-for-the-super-bowl/2217415/
Super Bowl 54: Viewer’s Guide to the Big Game
Sunday's Super Bowl between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs marks the biggest day of sports broadcasting for networks
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/uper-bowl-54-viewers-guide-to-the-big-game/2217413/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/uper-bowl-54-viewers-guide-to-the-big-game/2217413/
Teen charged in assault of mentally-disabled man
Capt. Brian Fitzgerald said the man was “assaulted without provocation and sustained serious physical injuries to his face and head.”
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Teen-charged-in-assault-of-mentally-disabled-man-15019527.php
CT nonprofits seek share of future state budget windfalls
The CT Community Nonprofit Alliance is seeking a share of projected future budget surpluses — more than $460 million over the next five years.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/CT-nonprofits-seek-share-of-future-state-budget-15019513.php
With coastal storm far south, slight chance of rain, snow showers
Sunday is the pick of the weekend with sunny skies and and temperatures in the mid to low 40s.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/weather/article/With-coastal-storm-far-south-slight-chance-of-15019390.php
Frozen Reservoir Destroys Danbury – Today in History: January 31
On January 31, 1869, Danbury’s Kohanza Reservoir froze. At around 7 o’clock in the evening the icy surface broke, causing the upper Kohanza dam to burst, which in turn caused a flood surge on the lower dam. With both dams destroyed, the water once contained in the reservoirs flowed quickly and forcefully into Danbury.
By 1860 Danbury’s thriving hat industry employed almost 2,000 hatters in 12 factories. In order to turn animal pelts into felt, hat makers needed abundant amounts of water. To satisfy this demand the town built numerous dams and reservoirs, the first of which was the lower dam of the Kohanza Reservoir constructed in 1860. The earthen dam was 336 feet long and 27 feet wide, held 40 million gallons of water, and was located three miles from the town. To get the water supply into the town, residents built water lines from wrought iron, wood, and cement. By 1865, residents built the upper dam.
On the evening the dams broke, the force from the two reservoirs was so great that it carried ice floes, rocks, and trees with it. This deluge swept away houses and buildings and destroyed three bridges in a matter of minutes. Most tragically, the flash flood took the lives of 11 Danbury residents. Portions of both reservoirs still serve the residents of Danbury and are known as Upper Kohanza Lake and Lower Kohanza Lake. While other natural disasters, such as floods and hurricanes, have threatened the area throughout the centuries, the 1869 deluge remains the town’s single worst disaster.
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/frozen-reservoir-destroys-danbury-today-in-history/
Accidents close parts of Merritt Parkway and I-95
No word yet on when the lanes will reopen.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Accidents-close-parts-of-Merritt-Parkway-and-I-95-15019253.php
Tokyo Olympic Organizers Try to Dampen Cancellation Rumors
Tokyo Olympic organizers are trying to shoot down rumors that this year's 2020 Games might be canceled or postponed because of the spread of a new virus
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/tokyo-olympic-organizers-try-to-dampen-cancellation-rumors-amid-virus-outbreak/2217290/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/tokyo-olympic-organizers-try-to-dampen-cancellation-rumors-amid-virus-outbreak/2217290/
NASCAR Driver John Andretti Dies at 56
Former race-car driver John Andretti has died at the age of 56 after battling colon cancer.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/nascar-driver-john-andretti-dies-at-56/2217278/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/nascar-driver-john-andretti-dies-at-56/2217278/
How to Bet on the Super Bowl as Legal Sport Betting Spreads
With legal sports betting spreading throughout the U.S., this year's Super Bowl could be among the most bet-on championship games ever.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/how-to-bet-on-the-super-bowl-as-legal-sport-betting-spreads/2217271/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/how-to-bet-on-the-super-bowl-as-legal-sport-betting-spreads/2217271/
Thursday, January 30, 2020
Colchester resident Anthony Todt enters written not guilty plea on murder charges
The Colchester man accused of killing his wife and children in Florida entered a written plea of not guilty in court on Thursday.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Colchester-resident-Anthony-Todt-enters-written-15018273.php
Ansonia man shot in exchange of bullets charged by police
More arrests are expected in the case of an exchange of gunfire last summer, according to Ansonia police.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Ansonia-man-shot-in-exchange-of-bullets-charged-15018159.php
Matches at Olympic Tournament Delayed Due to China Virus
An Olympic women's qualifying soccer tournament will proceed but China's match with Australia will be delayed because of the visiting team's continuing isolation at a Brisbane hotel due to the coronavirus. Football Federation Australian officials said Friday that Australia will now play China on Feb. 12 at Campbelltown in western Sydney. China was originally scheduled to play Thailand on Monday of next week.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/matches-olympic-tournament-delayed-china-coronavirus/2217178/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/matches-olympic-tournament-delayed-china-coronavirus/2217178/
Fairfield Selectmen approve transfer station spending
The Fairfield Board of Selectmen approved money to upgrade the trash compactors and bring the building up to code.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Fairfield-Selectmen-approve-transfer-station-15017882.php
Police: Four arrested in connection with Fairfield crimes
Four Bridgeport men were arrested and charged with car thefts and burglaries they allegedly committed in Fairfield.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Police-Four-arrested-in-connection-with-15017815.php
Special session vote on tolls is off; support unclear
Plug gets pulled on special session, but leguislation can still be voted on later.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Plug-pulled-no-special-session-for-tolls-15017848.php
UConn Snaps 4-Game Losing Streak With 78-63 Win Over Temple
UConn fans got a glimpse Wednesday of what the future may hold for the Huskies.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/dog-house/uconn-snaps-4-game-losing-streak-with-78-63-win-over-temple/2217056/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/dog-house/uconn-snaps-4-game-losing-streak-with-78-63-win-over-temple/2217056/
NBA Changing All-Star Game Format, Adding a Kobe Tribute
Kobe Bryant's jersey number will be chased at this year's NBA All-Star Game
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/nba-changing-all-star-game-format-adding-a-kobe-tribute/2217018/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/nba-changing-all-star-game-format-adding-a-kobe-tribute/2217018/
Jennifer Dulos case renews calls for CT bond reform
When Fotis Dulos posted a $6 million bond this month, 438 people remained behind bars in Connecticut on bails of less than $20,000
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Jennifer-Dulos-case-renews-calls-for-CT-bond-15017086.php
UConn Announces Finalized Football Games Through 2029
UConn has released the schedule of the football team’s future games that have been finalized, including a game at Michigan in 2022 and a home-and-home series with North Carolina in 2026 and 2027. The Huskies will travel to Ann Arbor, Mich. for a showdown with the Wolverines on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. UConn said Michigan will not return the game...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/dog-house/uconn-announces-future-football-games-against-michigan-north-carolina/2216939/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/dog-house/uconn-announces-future-football-games-against-michigan-north-carolina/2216939/
Flu cases shoot up in state
Though the state reported only three new flu associated deaths last week, the total number of flu cases rose by more than a thousand.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Flu-cases-shoot-up-in-state-15016899.php
DJ Khaled, Cardi B, Gaga to Perform During Super Bowl Week
DJ Khaled will be celebrating his first-ever Grammy win in the city where the former radio host built his career: Miami
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/j-khaled-cardi-b-gaga-to-perform-during-super-bowl-week/2216850/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/j-khaled-cardi-b-gaga-to-perform-during-super-bowl-week/2216850/
Monroe health department urges radon testing
It’s National Radon Action Month and Monroe’s health director is asking that people test for the invisible gas in their homes.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Monroe-health-department-urges-radon-testing-15016287.php
A Connecticut Slave in George Washington’s Army
Nero Hawley, born into slavery in Connecticut in the 18th century, fought in the Revolutionary War. After his emancipation at the age of 41, he went on to become a successful businessman who diligently worked to emancipate his four children. His story is one that provides valuable insight into the legacy of slavery in Connecticut.
As an enslaved person, Nero was considered the property of Peter Mallet, his first owner, who gave Nero to Daniel Hawley when Hawley married Mallet’s daughter, Phebe. Daniel Hawley owned a gristmill, cider mill, and brick-making operation in Trumbull (then known as North Stratford). Nero spent much of his younger life working and learned from Hawley his various trades.
Detail from An Act Concerning Invalid Pensioners approved April 30, 1816 by James Madison and printed in the Connecticut Journal, June 4, 1816
One day, while attending church with the Hawley’s, Nero met and fell in love with a servant of the Reverend James Beebee. They married in 1861 and Nero, though still the property of the Hawleys, went to live with his wife at the Beebee residence.
Serving at Valley Forge
In 1777, in place of Daniel Hawley, Nero went to Danbury and enlisted in the Continental army. He joined the 2nd Regiment under Colonel Charles Webb and promptly marched to Pennsylvania to serve with the troops under George Washington. Nero spent the winter of 1777 at Valley Forge and fought in numerous battles (primarily along the Hudson River) before receiving an honorable discharge from the army in 1781.
Nero returned to Connecticut, and on November 4, 1782, Daniel Hawley emancipated him. Now a free man, Nero chose to stay on and work alongside Hawley at his saw and brick mills. In addition to the salary he drew from mill work, Nero received $8 per month from the US government as a pension for his military service. The money he saved eventually allowed him to purchase some land in the Daniels Farm area and start his own brick-making business.
Nero Hawley’s Life Commemorated by Freedom Trail
While the Reverend Beebee maintained ownership over Nero’s children, it is believed that while he was alive he released two of them to Nero. Upon Beebee’s death, Nero finally regained all his children. He emancipated all four (then between the ages of 26 and 34) in 1801.
Nero Hawley, who lived to be 75 years old, passed away on January 30, 1817. He received a burial at the Riverside Cemetery near his home in Trumbull. Today, Nero’s gravesite is a stop on the Connecticut Freedom Trail, and this war veteran’s life continues to remain an inspiration for new scholarly research on slavery in the state.
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/a-connecticut-slave-in-george-washingtons-army/
Bloomberg Unveils Super Bowl Ad Focused on Gun Violence
Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg will use his Super Bowl ad to highlight his efforts to combat gun violence as he blankets the airwaves against President Donald Trump
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/loomberg-unveils-super-bowl-ad-focused-on-gun-violence/2216844/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/loomberg-unveils-super-bowl-ad-focused-on-gun-violence/2216844/
Man arrested in assault of Bridgeport ambulance worker
Peter Ragusa was charged with assault on a public safety officer, disorderly conduct and interfering with a police officer.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Man-arrested-in-assault-of-Bridgeport-ambulance-15016162.php
Car hits Jersey Mike’s in Wilton
A car crashed into Jersey Mike’s sandwich shop in Wilton early Thursday morning.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Car-hits-Jersey-Mike-s-in-Wilton-15016193.php
Stratford’s ‘King of Broadway’ dies at age 86
Joseph P. Patria Jr. worked on more than 100 Broadway shows such as “Annie,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “Les Miserables,” “Riverdance,” and “The Producers.”
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Stratford-s-King-of-Broadway-dies-at-age-15016078.php
Monroe police planning DUI checkpoint this weekend
The location will Main Street (Route 25) in the area of 234 Main St.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Monroe-police-planning-DUI-checkpoint-this-weekend-15015915.php
2 sentenced in New Haven drug-trafficking ‘conspiracy’
Marvin Spruill and Carnell Edwards purchased crack from other members of the conspiracy and sold the drug in smaller quantities to their own customers
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/2-sentenced-in-New-Haven-drug-trafficking-15015898.php
Kenin of US Ousts No. 1 Barty to Reach Australian Open Final
Two-time major champion Garbiñe Muguruza of Spain will face 21-year-old Sofia Kenin of the United States in the Australian Open women's final.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/kenin-of-us-ousts-no-1-barty-to-reach-australian-open-final/2216792/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/kenin-of-us-ousts-no-1-barty-to-reach-australian-open-final/2216792/
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Lakers Release Statement, Say They’re ‘Devastated’ About Kobe Bryant’s Death
The Los Angeles Lakers continued to incrementally break their silence following the death of Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/lakers-release-statement-say-theyre-devastated-about-kobe-bryants-death/2216756/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/lakers-release-statement-say-theyre-devastated-about-kobe-bryants-death/2216756/
Seymour firefighters take part in ice rescue drill
Firefighters warn residents that fire units are working on drills in Sochrin Park on Wednesday.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Seymour-firefighters-take-part-in-ice-rescue-drill-15015131.php
Naugatuck PD looks for store that sells bleach linked to arson case
Naugatuck police said they’re looking for the store that sells a specific bottle of bleach, likely linked to a recent arson case.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Naugatuck-PD-looks-for-store-that-sells-bleach-15014931.php
CT police dogs providing security at Super Bowl
Two Connecticut State Police police dogs and their handlers are helping out with security at this year’s Super Bowl.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/CT-police-dogs-providing-security-at-Super-Bowl-15014903.php
Silver Alert issued for Naugatuck teen known to frequent Bridgeport
A Naugatuck teen identified as an endangered runaway apparently spends time in the area of the Greene Homes in Bridgeport.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Silver-Alert-issued-for-Naugatuck-teen-known-to-15014836.php
Democrat announces candidacy in state senate race for the 28th District
FAIRFIELD — Michelle McCabe, a Fairfield Democrat, has announced her candidacy for the 28th district state senate seat.
She made her announcement on Jan. 26 at the Fairfield Democratic Town Committee headquarters.The 28th district represents Fairfield, Newtown, Easton and portions of Westport and Weston.
McCabe is the director of the Center for Food Equity and Economic Development at The Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport.
According to a press release, McCabe is a long-time resident of Fairfield, where she lives with her three children.
State Senator Tony Hwang, a Republican, currently holds the seat and has for three terms. McCabe challenged Hwang in the 2018 election and lost with 23,336 votes to his 25,277.
Hwang also faces a challenger from his own party. J.T. Lewis, the brother of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victim Jesse Lewis, announced his intentions to run in July 2019.
The election for the seat will be held on Nov. 3.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Democrat-announces-candidacy-in-state-senate-race-15014442.php
New Beginnings Charter School announces open house and lottery
The Bridgeport-based charter school will fill openings in preschool through 8th grade.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/New-Beginnings-Charter-School-announces-open-15014065.php
Pajama Music - Mondays, February 3 and 10 at 6:00 pm
Children ages 2 - 4 and a caregiver are invited to experience music together. We'll sing, explore instruments and rhythmic patterns and listen and dance to great music. Finally we'll wind down with a bedtime story.
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1196
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1196
Take Your Child to the Library Day- February 1
February 1 is Take Your Child to the Library Day. Join us for a puppet show with the Lionheart Puppet Company, crafts and activities and the kick-off of kids winter reading.
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1195
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1195
LeBron James Makes First Public Remarks After Death of Kobe Bryant
If you’re a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers, you’re quite aware of the many superstars who have donned the purple and gold over their illustrious careers. From Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James, each of these legends helped lift the Lakers to glory, as they passed the torch down the...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/lebron-james-makes-first-public-remarks-after-death-of-kobe-bryant-2/2215589/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/lebron-james-makes-first-public-remarks-after-death-of-kobe-bryant-2/2215589/
Tight Security Promised for Super Bowl 54 in Miami
Florida and federal law enforcement agencies preparing for the Super Bowl this Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens say they are ready for anything, including a detonated bomb or massive food poisoning.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/tight-security-promised-for-super-bowl-54-in-miami/2216404/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/tight-security-promised-for-super-bowl-54-in-miami/2216404/
Joe Montana Headlines QBs With Ties to 49ers, Chiefs
Hall of Famer Joe Montana went to Twitter soon after the Super Bowl matchup was finalized to guarantee he would be a winner no matter what
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/joe-montana-headlines-qbs-with-ties-to-49ers-chiefs/2216394/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/joe-montana-headlines-qbs-with-ties-to-49ers-chiefs/2216394/
Stratford Avenue bridge closed in Bridgeport for maintenance
Route 130 ( Stratford Avenue) is closed in both directions at the Stratford Avenue Bridge between Kossuth and Water streets.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Stratford-Avenue-bridge-closed-in-Bridgeport-for-15013558.php
Yard Goats to Hold Auditions for National Anthem Singers
The Hartford Yard Goats will be holding auditions for fans to sing the National Anthem at Dunkin’ Donuts Park for the coming baseball season. The Hartford Yard Goats Baseball Club will be holding National Anthem auditions at Dunkin’ Donuts Park in Hartford on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 9 a.m. Singers of all ages are welcome to audition for the opportunity...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/yard-goats-to-hold-auditions-for-national-anthem-singers/2216370/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/yard-goats-to-hold-auditions-for-national-anthem-singers/2216370/
No. 1 Nadal Upset by Thiem in Australian Open Quarterfinals
Top-seeded Rafael Nadal is out of the Australian Open after losing his quarterfinal to Dominic Thiem in four sets
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/no-1-nadal-upset-by-thiem-in-australian-open-quarterfinals/2216354/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/no-1-nadal-upset-by-thiem-in-australian-open-quarterfinals/2216354/
First General Copyright Law – Today in History: January 29
On January 29, 1783, Connecticut became the first state to pass a general colonial copyright law, entitled “An Act for the Encouragement of Literature and Genius.” Printing books in the colonies got off to a slow start. At the time, many colonial authors still sent their manuscripts back to the established presses in England. The few printers operating in the colonies made their living printing proclamations, sermons, broadsides, and newspapers as well as by selling writing supplies, stationary, and imported books. Larger and lengthier works could be produced far more cheaply in London, and law books were almost the only printed books in the colonies before 1740.
But by the revolutionary era, authors became worried about protecting their rights. It was not uncommon for a printer, who had been paid by the author to print a set number of copies, to produce extras to sell on the side. Also, another printer might copy and sell the author’s book without permission. In October of 1781, Andrew Law, a singing master with ambitions to publish a music book, petitioned the Connecticut General Assembly regarding his volume, A Collection of the Best and Most Approved Tunes and Anthems for the Promotion of Psalmody. Law was granted an “exclusive patent” for a five-year period. At that time, patents were the only form of protection for an author’s work and legislatures generally granted these private bills for relatively short periods.
Another vocal advocate for copyright was Noah Webster, a Connecticut schoolteacher and member of the New York bar. He had completed the first volume of his three-part American textbook, A Grammatical Institute of the English Language. Webster, also concerned about safe-guarding his rights, sought protection for what would become known as the “blue-backed” speller. In 1782, he petitioned the legislatures in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut for general copyright protection. His efforts, however, proved unsuccessful.
Ultimately, it was John Ledyard who succeeded in securing the first general copyright protection, which set the precedent for other colonies to enact similar laws. The author of A Journal of Captain Cook’s Last Voyage to the Pacific Ocean, Ledyard petitioned the Connecticut General Assembly and was granted copyright on January 29, 1783. The General Assembly, instead of passing a private bill for Ledyard, issued the first general colonial copyright statute. It secured the rights to the author for 14 years with the ability to renew the copyright once. Nathaniel Patten in Hartford printed Ledyard’s book in 1783.
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/first-general-copyright-law-today-in-history/
G. Fox & Co. Destroyed by Fire – Today in History: January 29
On January 29, 1917, at about 11:00 pm, watchmen discovered a fire on the ground floor of the G. Fox & Co. building complex located on Main Street in Hartford. The fire spread quickly and firemen had difficulty controlling the blaze. The building, constructed of brick, wood, and metal, burned for nearly 18 hours, and although no one was seriously injured in the fire, it destroyed the complex and its contents.
The building complex on Main Street had grown from a two-room store opened by German immigrant Gerson Fox in 1847. His small shop proved to be hugely popular and in just a few short years the store expanded, and with Fox’s son Moses on board, the business continued to grow to a 5-store complex by 1915.
G. Fox Department Store, Main Street, Hartford, 1918 – Connecticut Historical Society
The fire’s destruction in early 1917 left Moses Fox undeterred. The company hired renowned architect Cass Gilbert to design a new state-of-the art building. Gilbert’s neo-classical design for the G. Fox & Co. building totaled 11 floors and loomed over the street’s existing buildings. G. Fox’s popularity held steady through the first half of the 20th century, and Moses’ daughter Beatrice, who took over the presidency from 1938 to 1965, ran the company with integrity. A civic-minded and philanthropic executive, she was well-loved by her community. In 1965 the May Department Stores Company acquired G. Fox & Co., and in 1993 the flagship store in downtown Hartford closed for good.
For years, the former G. Fox building laid vacant and abandoned until private investors teamed with the state to rehabilitate it for use as the Hartford campus of Capital Community College, retail shops, and offices. Today, the restored building exhibits much of its original splendor and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of Hartford’s Department Store Historic District.
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/g-fox-co-destroyed-by-fire-today-in-history/
NWS sees little impact in CT from weekend storm
The storm is expected to strengthen in the Atlantic Ocean when it is well east of New England.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/weather/article/NWS-sees-little-impact-in-CT-from-weekend-storm-15013005.php
LeBron James Makes First Public Remarks After Death of Kobe Bryant
If you’re a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers, you’re quite aware of the many superstars who have donned the purple and gold over their illustrious careers. From Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James, each of these legends helped lift the Lakers to glory, as they passed the torch down the...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/lebron-james-makes-first-public-remarks-after-death-of-kobe-bryant/2215586/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/lebron-james-makes-first-public-remarks-after-death-of-kobe-bryant/2215586/
‘He Was Special’: The NBA Tributes Continue for Kobe Bryant
In Philadelphia, Joel Embiid paid tribute to Kobe Bryant by wearing one of his jersey numbers.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/he-was-special-nba-tributes-kobe-bryant/2216260/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/he-was-special-nba-tributes-kobe-bryant/2216260/
Hall of Fame DE Doleman Dies at Age 58
Hall of Fame defensive end Chris Doleman, who became one of the NFL's most feared pass rushers during 15 seasons in the league, has died
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/hall-of-fame-de-chris-doleman-dies-at-age-58/2216251/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/hall-of-fame-de-chris-doleman-dies-at-age-58/2216251/
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Shaq Mourns, ‘Never Could Have Imagined’ Anything Like Kobe Bryant’s Death
Shaquille O'Neal tearfully said Tuesday he never could have imagined anything like Kobe Bryant's death, remembering his former teammate as a great player whose kids called him "Uncle Shaq."
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/shaq-never-could-have-imagined-anything-like-kobes-death/2216231/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/shaq-never-could-have-imagined-anything-like-kobes-death/2216231/
1 hospitalized after Route 8 rollover with ejection in Bridgeport
A crash with ejection closes lanes of Route 8 north in Bridgeport Tuesday night.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/2-lanes-of-Route-8-in-Bridgeport-closed-after-15012108.php
At his ‘own peril,’ Bridgeport school board member can represent himself against felony charges
Christopher Taylor said he wants the option to attain counsel after seeing evidence against him on charges that include attempting kidnapping and impersonating a police officer.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Judge-Bridgeport-school-board-member-can-15010921.php
Why Wait? See the Super Bowl Commercials Before the Big Game
Here's a quick look at some of the Super Bowl commercials already making the rounds.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/hy-wait-see-the-super-bowl-commercials-before-the-big-game/2215935/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/hy-wait-see-the-super-bowl-commercials-before-the-big-game/2215935/
Fire marshal appointed Stratford fire chief
Brian Lampart replaces Robert McGrath, who retired as chief last week after 50 years in the fire service.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Fire-marshal-appointed-Stratford-fire-chief-15010376.php
Fotis Dulos bond could get revoked in Jennifer Dulos case
Last week, Judge Gary White ordered Fotis Dulos to be on strict home confinement after he removed items from a memorial for his estranged wife who he is accused of killing.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Fotis-Dulos-bond-could-get-revoked-at-emergency-15010319.php
Philanthropic foundation support firm in Fairfield sold to PA investor
Incline Equity Partners did not state what it paid for Foundation Source, founded by Avi and Neil Greenbaum and marking its 20th year in business.
from Business https://www.ctpost.com/business/article/Philanthropic-foundation-support-firm-in-15010191.php
Final Notice: January Taxes are Due
Don't wait in line...Save time and pay online...
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1192
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1192
Stratford superintendent requests $6 million budget increase
The town currently spends $16,601 per student annually, $387 less than the state average.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Stratford-superintendent-requests-6-million-15010200.php
Milford man charged in firing gun in air after argument
Peter Parks, of Victory Crescent, was charged with one count of unlawful discharge.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Milford-man-charged-in-firing-gun-in-air-after-15009991.php
Tolls opponents on new bill: 'unacceptable'
Leading opponents of trucks-only toll legislation say that the General Assembly needs more control if a draft bill goes forward in a special legislative session next week.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Tolls-opponents-on-new-bill-unacceptable-15009999.php
First Commercial Telephone Exchange – Today in History: January 28
On January 28, 1878, the Boardman Building in New Haven became the site of the world’s first commercial telephone exchange, the District Telephone Company of New Haven. The exchange was the brainchild of Civil War veteran and telegraph office manager George Coy in partnership with Herrick Frost and Walter Lewis.
List of Subscribers, February 21, 1878 – Southern New England Telephone Company Records, Archives & Special Collections of the University of Connecticut Libraries
Prior to this time telephones, invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1875, were owned by private persons or businesses who leased telephones in pairs to connect, for example, one’s home with a business. They also needed to arrange for telegraph contractors to string the wires between the two locations. Coy created a rudimentary telephone switchboard that allowed a central office to connect multiple persons, thus allowing each subscriber the advantage of having to buy only one phone in order to connect to a potentially infinite number of other subscribers. He built the switchboard with carriage bolts, handles from teapot lids, wire, and other spare parts. The 21 original subscribers to the exchange each paid $1.50 per month. All calls were made through the central office, where a telephone operator connected the person initiating the call to the party that he or she wished to reach. Direct dialing and telephone numbers would not become common until the 1920s.
Another important world-wide first occurred soon after, when, on February 21, 1878, Coy’s company printed what is now known as the first-ever telephone directory. Listing 50 individuals and businesses in New Haven, the directory was printed as a one-page flyer. The directory in the University of Connecticut Libraries’ collection is one of two remaining copies known to exist. Included in the list of names are Coy, Frost, and Lewis among the residential subscribers. In 1882 the District Telephone Company of New Haven changed its name to the Southern New England Telephone Company.
Contributed by Laura Smith, Curator for Business, Railroad, and Labor Collections at the University of Connecticut Libraries.
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/the-first-commercial-telephone-exchange-today-in-history/
Survey: Super Bowl LIV wagering to top $6.8B
Six more states plan to legalize sports betting in the coming months, with Connecticut lawmakers to consider the issue in the legislative session starting in February.
from Business https://www.ctpost.com/business/article/Survey-Super-Bowl-LIV-wagering-to-top-6-8B-15009801.php
Ansonia police investigate shooting; man shot in foot
When officers arrived, they found a 19-year-old man from New Haven who was shot in the foot.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Ansonia-police-investigate-shooting-15009782.php
State Police: Problem with making 9-1-1 calls fixed
The issue impacted multiple states, state police said, and Comcast worked to restore 9-1-1 calling to its customers
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/State-Police-Problem-with-making-9-1-1-calls-15009502.php
Fighting Back Tears, Fans Continue to Flock to Kobe Bryant Memorial in Los Angeles
Fans call it The House that Kobe Built, and since Kobe Bryant's shocking death in a helicopter crash mourners by the thousands have gathered outside the glistening steel-and-glass edifice where the Los Angeles Lakers legend made so much basketball history.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/fighting-back-tears-fans-continue-to-flock-to-kobe-bryant-memorial-in-los-angeles/2215656/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/fighting-back-tears-fans-continue-to-flock-to-kobe-bryant-memorial-in-los-angeles/2215656/
1 Point From Defeat 7 Times, Federer Wins Australian Open QF
Roger Federer was not going to go gently, of course, no matter how daunting the number of match points -- his opponent accumulated seven! -- no matter how achy his 38-year-old legs, no matter how slow his serves, no matter how off-target his groundstrokes.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/1-point-from-defeat-7-times-federer-wins-australian-open-qf/2215652/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/1-point-from-defeat-7-times-federer-wins-australian-open-qf/2215652/
In #MeToo Era, Kobe and Other Athletes Often Get a Pass
Some argued that there was no need to dredge up accounts of the 2003 rape allegation against Kobe Bryant when he died suddenly over the weekend.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/in-metoo-era-kobe-and-other-athletes-often-get-a-pass/2215651/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/in-metoo-era-kobe-and-other-athletes-often-get-a-pass/2215651/
Monday, January 27, 2020
Shaquille O’Neal Reveals His Biggest Regret Over Friendship With ‘Brother’ Kobe Bryant
You can't talk about the Los Angeles Lakers' history without bringing up Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/shaquille-oneal-reveals-his-biggest-regret-over-friendship-with-brother-kobe-bryant/2215638/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/shaquille-oneal-reveals-his-biggest-regret-over-friendship-with-brother-kobe-bryant/2215638/
Kobe Helicopter Tried to Climb to Avoid Clouds Before Crash
The pilot of the helicopter that crashed near Los Angeles, killing former NBA superstar Kobe Bryant and eight others, told air traffic controllers in his last radio message that he was climbing to avoid a cloud layer before plunging more than 1,000 feet (305 meters) into a hillside, an accident investigator said.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/kobe-bryant-helicopter-crash-investigation/2215626/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/kobe-bryant-helicopter-crash-investigation/2215626/
LeBron James Makes First Public Remarks After Death of Kobe Bryant
If you’re a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers, you’re quite aware of the many superstars who have donned the purple and gold over their illustrious careers. From Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James, each of these legends helped lift the Lakers to glory, as they passed the torch down the...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/lebron-james-makes-first-public-remarks-after-death-of-kobe-bryant/2215586/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/lebron-james-makes-first-public-remarks-after-death-of-kobe-bryant/2215586/
LeBron James Makes First Public Remarks After Death of Kobe Bryant
If you’re a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers, you’re quite aware of the many superstars who have donned the purple and gold over their illustrious careers. From Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James, each of these legends helped lift the Lakers to glory, as they passed the torch down the...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/lebron-james-makes-first-public-remarks-after-death-of-kobe-bryant-2/2215589/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/lebron-james-makes-first-public-remarks-after-death-of-kobe-bryant-2/2215589/
Gianna Bryant, 13, Was Going to Carry on Basketball Legacy
She had next. Her name was Gianna Maria Onore Bryant. The world, now and forever, knows her as Gigi. Her dad, Kobe Bryant, called her Mambacita. He was Mamba, of course, and she was going to be basketball’s female version of him. She was going to play at Connecticut and head to the WNBA. That was the plan. Over the...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/gianna-bryant-13-was-going-to-carry-on-basketball-legacy/2215523/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/gianna-bryant-13-was-going-to-carry-on-basketball-legacy/2215523/
Kobe Bryant & Daughter Gianna Honored as UConn Takes on Team USA
Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were on minds of many as the UConn women’s basketball team took on Team USA Monday night.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/kobe-bryant-daughter-gianna-remembered-as-uconn-takes-on-team-usa/2215505/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/kobe-bryant-daughter-gianna-remembered-as-uconn-takes-on-team-usa/2215505/
Multiple NFL Twitter Accounts Hacked, Including for Super Bowl-Bound Chiefs and 49ers
A "white hat" hacker group on Monday claimed responsibility for hijacking the social media accounts for the NFL and multiple football teams. OurMine, a Saudi Arabian hacking account that promotes its own cyber security services, said it hacked a number of the league's accounts on its Twitter page, NBC News reported. The first team to be exposed to the hackers appeared to be the Chicago Bears on Sunday. "Apologies that our account was compromised this morning," the team tweeted Sunday. Read more at NBC News.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/nfl-twitter-accounts-hacked/2215501/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/nfl-twitter-accounts-hacked/2215501/
Lakers’ Next Game Postponed After Kobe Bryant’s Death
The Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers will not be taking the court on Tuesday, January 28 after the sudden and tragic death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna. The NBA announced in a statement on Monday, that the game would be postponed and rescheduled at a later date out of respect to the Lakers organization. “The National Basketball...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/nba-postpones-lakers-and-clippers-game-in-wake-of-kobe-bryants-tragic-death/2215483/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/nba-postpones-lakers-and-clippers-game-in-wake-of-kobe-bryants-tragic-death/2215483/
Appointed council would set toll prices
The long-awaited Democratic plan for trucks-only highway tolls includes an appointed council to set prices.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Appointed-council-would-set-toll-prices-15008629.php
Kids Winter Reading Kick-Off - Reading Through Time -Saturday, February 1
Kids, stop by and pick up your Winter Reading Activity Log to participate in the program to collect cool prizes. All day we will have crafts and activities for you to do in the Children's Room.
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1191
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1191
UConn Huskies Family Reacts to Death of Kobe Bryant
Many people with connections to the University of Connecticut weighed in on social media upon learning of Kobe Bryant’s passing. Kobe’s daughter Gianna, who also passed in the helicopter crash, was “hellbent” on going to UConn Kobe had once said.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/dog-house/uconn-huskies-family-reacts-to-death-of-kobe-bryant/2215367/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/dog-house/uconn-huskies-family-reacts-to-death-of-kobe-bryant/2215367/
Keeping Memory Strong
Join us for a presentation on keeping memory strong.
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1189
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1189
Adult Winter Reading Kick-off & Registration - Tuesday, January 28
Adults drop-in between 10:00 am - 7:00 p.m. or register online for the Adult Winter Reading Program "Reading Through Time" that runs from January 28 through March 6.
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1188
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1188
Voter Registration Announcement
Reminder: January 28, 2020 is the deadline to change parties and be eligible to vote in the event of an April primary.
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1175
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1175
3 reported shot at Bridgeport courthouse
Scott Appleby, Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, said “no immediate threat at this time.”
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/3-reported-shot-at-Bridgeport-courthouse-15007621.php
Italian Town Where Bryant Played as a Kid Mourns — Again
Kobe Bryant’s death made a particularly strong impact in the Italian town of Rieti
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/talian-town-where-bryant-played-as-a-kid-mourns-again/2215233/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/talian-town-where-bryant-played-as-a-kid-mourns-again/2215233/
Report: Nearly 40% of young children do not get vision screenings
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found many children 3 to 5 years old did not have their eyes examined and whites were more likely to be tested than blacks and Hispanics.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Report-Nearly-40-of-young-children-do-not-get-15007423.php
Rafael Nadal Beats Nick Kyrgios in 4 Sets at Australian Open
Rafael Nadal is into the quarterfinals at the Australian Open after getting past home-favorite Nick Kyrgios in four sets
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/steady-nadal-beats-animated-kyrgios-in-4-at-australian-open/2215166/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/steady-nadal-beats-animated-kyrgios-in-4-at-australian-open/2215166/
State trooper charged in DUI crash expected to enter plea
John McDonald, a state police sergeant, was charged with DUI, assault with a motor vehicle, reckless driving and failure to obey a stop sign.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/State-trooper-charged-in-DUI-crash-expected-to-15006883.php
Newington 150th Anniversary’s Calendar Picture Contest
Calling Newington Artists, Graphic Artists, and Photographers...
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1104
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1104
John Ledyard, Connecticut’s Most Famous Traveler
By David Drury
John Ledyard, one of the most adventurous figures in Connecticut’s long history, would have made a great fictional character had he not been real.
Born a ship captain’s son in Groton in 1751, Ledyard, when just a young man, canoed solo down the Connecticut River from Dartmouth College to Hartford. He sailed uncharted waters with Captain James Cook and wrote a best-selling journal about the navigator’s fatal third voyage. He trekked across Siberia and was arrested as a spy. And, living on the edge until the very end, he died in an Egyptian hovel in January 1789 while preparing to explore the African continent.
Ledyard’s passing saddened his many friends and admirers who included such luminaries as Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, the Marquis de Lafayette, and John Paul Jones. Jefferson himself helped cement his friend’s posthumous legacy as Ledyard the Traveler. “…a man of genius, of some science, and of fearless courage and enterprise,” Jefferson recalled in his 1821 autobiography. The two had met in Paris in 1786 and Jefferson had hoped Ledyard would become the first white man to traverse the North American continent, an accomplishment that might have eclipsed Jefferson’s later Corps of Discovery, better known as the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
The Young Ledyard
As a boy, John Ledyard grew up in thriving New London County, where the West Indian trade made fortunes for enterprising merchants and captains. But there were always risks, and when John was 11, his father, known as Captain John, and an uncle, Youngs Ledyard, died of disease while at sea. Young John and two cousins were sent to live in Hartford with their parental grandfather, the formidable Squire John Ledyard, who provided his grandson with room, board, and a solid education.
After Squire John’s death in 1771, John became the ward of his uncle, Thomas Seymour, and apprenticed in Seymour’s law office, but a different path opened for him in the spring of 1772 when he enrolled at Dartmouth. The college, the creation of former Connecticut preacher Reverend Eleazar Wheelock, had opened in the rustic New Hampshire woodlands just two years before.
From the moment he arrived, fashionably dressed and riding in a horse-drawn sulky, until his escape downriver in a 40-foot dugout canoe a year later, Ledyard alternately antagonized Wheelock and fascinated his fellow students. His ability to adapt to cultures and peoples different from his own became evident when he spent several months traveling and living in the woods, conversing and learning from the area’s indigenous people. His canoe escape became part of Dartmouth lore and is commemorated each year by a springtime float trip by members of the Ledyard Canoe Club who journey from Hanover, New Hampshire, to Old Saybrook, Connecticut.
After leaving Dartmouth, Ledyard sought to launch a career in the ministry, making contacts in eastern Connecticut and Long Island, where his mother had settled after her remarriage. Failing that, he spent a year as a merchant seaman, returning to Connecticut in the summer of 1774.
Stint as a British Soldier
In March 1775, just as revolution was about to erupt in the colonies, Ledyard boarded a ship to England where he enlisted in the British Army. Four months later, in July, he transferred into the British Navy, joining the Royal Marines, and exactly one year later, in July 1776, he left Plymouth harbor aboard Captain Cook’s HMS Resolution to begin the voyage of a lifetime.
His four years, two months, and 24 days spent at sea was the pivotal event in Ledyard’s life. From Britain, the Resolution and its sister ship Discovery sailed south and east, around the Cape of Good Hope, across the southern Indian Ocean to Tasmania, New Zealand, and from there to the various Polynesian island chains of the South Pacific, where Ledyard was believed to be the first Euro-American to be tattooed.
Francesco Bartolozzi, The Death of Captain Cook, 1784, engraving
The expedition continued north and eastward reaching the Pacific Northwest coast of North America. It then sailed north, probing the Alaskan coastline in search of a Northwest Passage. The onset of winter weather forced a return to the Sandwich Islands (the Hawaiian chain) where Cook met his end in February 1779. Then it was north, northwest to Siberia, south along the coast of China and Indonesia, and back to the Indian Ocean and homeward bound. The voyagers returned to England in October 1780.
A World Adventurer is Born
In January 1783, after deserting the British Navy, Ledyard returned to Hartford. Using Seymour’s law office, he penned largely from memory his account of Cook’s voyage. The work became a best seller and a footnote in the nation’s legal history, after Ledyard’s petition to the General Assembly seeking copyright protection provoked a series of state laws that codified that right. Eventually, a federal copyright law was adopted in 1790.
Though portions of Ledyard’s A Journal of Captain Cook’s Last Voyage were later shown to have been plagiarized–perhaps by the publisher–and his supposed eyewitness account of Cook’s death remains controversial, the journal remains a compelling document. Ledyard was a keen observer of the peoples and cultures he encountered, and his journal contains detailed descriptions of clothing, adornments, foods, and rituals.
A Journal of Captain Cook’s Last Voyage to the Pacific Ocean by John Ledyard
Ledyard was quick to grasp the similarities of language and customs between far-flung groups of people. For instance, after meeting a group of Natives in what is now British Columbia, and calling upon his familiarity with native peoples from his Dartmouth days, he concluded, “I had no longer beheld these Americans than I set them down for the same kind of people that inhabit the opposite side of the continent.” A few years later, he would record that, based on his own observations from deep within the Russian Empire, it appeared that Native Americans originally had migrated from Asia, a conclusion supported by many anthropologists and archaeologists today.
Ledyard was convinced that a fortune could be made in trading North American furs with China. He spent two years pitching the idea to potential investors in the US and Europe, before arriving in Paris in mid-1785. There he met Jefferson, Lafayette, and Benjamin Franklin and was drawn into the fabulous and seedy carnival that was life in the French capital in the last years of the ancien Régime.
Ledyard’s tales from his travels ignited Jefferson’s interest in unlocking the secrets held in the vast expanse of North America between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. From those conversations emerged a staggeringly audacious plan: Ledyard would travel across Europe and Asia, cross over to the North American continent, and continue on foot to the East Coast of America.
With little money and possessing scarcely more than the clothes on his back, Ledyard left the port of Hamburg in December 1786. From there, he visited Copenhagen and Stockholm, then made a punishing 1,400-mile, mid-winter traverse of the Gulf of Bothnia, reaching St. Petersburg in March 1787.
In June 1787, accompanied by a traveling companion, Ledyard set off in a kibitka, a coach drawn by three horses, across Russia, the Urals, and Siberia. He ultimately reached the village of Yakutsk, a journey of about 4,000 miles. Extreme heat, bitter cold, dust, and flooded roads didn’t stop him, but the Russian authorities did. They were suspicious that his real purpose was to unlock the secrets of their fur trade monopoly. His letters to friends and patrons again show Ledyard as a keen, sympathetic observer of the myriad of native peoples who inhabited the far reaches of the Russian Empire.
He was, as in his earlier travels, attentive to the women he met, observing in the journal that he kept, “the Woman whereever found is the same kind, civil, obliging, humane, tender being; that she is ever inclined to be gay & cheerful; timorous & modest; that she does not hesitate like Man to do a generous action of any kind.”
Chased out of Russia, Ledyard found his way back in London, where in June of 1788 a group of gentlemen formed the Association for Promoting the Discovery of the Interior Parts of Africa. Ledyard seemed the perfect choice for exploring the mysterious continent. He was hired, and after a brief stopover in France to visit old friends, including Jefferson, Ledyard set off for Cairo where he died unexpectedly, possibly from an overdose of an acid then used to treat enteric (intestinal) illnesses, before he could embark on what would have been his next great adventure.
David Drury, a retired editor of The Hartford Courant and lifelong student of history, regularly contributes articles about Connecticut history to The Courant and other publications.
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/john-ledyard-connecticuts-most-famous-traveler/
Man killed by a Metro-North train out of Stamford
Metro-North first reported the train strike in a 10:34 p.m. Tweet.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Man-killed-by-a-Metro-North-train-out-of-Stamford-15006839.php
Bryant’s Death Draws Tributes From Asian Fans, Politicians
Kobe Bryant was a hugely popular figure in Asia, no more so than in China where basketball rivals soccer as the most popular sport.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/bryants-death-draws-tributes-from-asian-fans-politicians/2215130/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/bryants-death-draws-tributes-from-asian-fans-politicians/2215130/
CT boy showing flair on ‘Kids Baking Championship’
Sam Occhiogrosso, 11, son of a political insider, has made it through three weeks of the Food Network reality show.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/CT-boy-showing-flair-on-Kids-Baking-15006671.php
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Lamont vows to bring affordable housing to wealthy CT suburbs
Gov. Ned Lamont said he wants to tie state spending on transportation upgrades in affluent communities to local approval of more affordable housing projects.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Lamont-vows-to-bring-affordable-housing-to-15006502.php
Four arrested for wireless store robbery
Westport police coordinated with other police departments to arrest a group of four that had robbed a wireless store and planned to rob another.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Four-arrested-for-wireless-store-robbery-15006407.php
Bridgeport: two shootings in nearly as many hours
BRIDGEPORT — Police reported two separate shooting incidents on the evening of Jan. 26.
According to preliminary reports, Bridgeport’s 911 dispatch center received several ShotSpotter activations and several calls regarding a possible party shot on Highland Avenue at approximately 6 p.m..
Bridgeport police and American Medical Responses responded to the scene.
The second shots were reported around 8:30 p.m. in the area of Ogden and Sheriden streets. According to Scott Appleby, Bridgeport's Director of Emergency Management & Homeland Security, an individual was shot in the leg.
Appleby said police were still processing the scenes of both shootings and further detail would be released later.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Bridgeport-two-shootings-in-nearly-as-many-hours-15006321.php
Kobe Byrant Left Deep Legacy in LA Sports, Basketball World
Kobe Bryant inspired a generation of basketball players worldwide with both his sublime skills and his unquenchable competitive fire. He also earned Los Angeles’ eternal adoration during his two decades as the fierce soul of the city’s beloved Lakers. Less than four years into his retirement from the NBA, Bryant was seeking new challenges and working to inspire his daughters’...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/kobe-byrant-left-deep-legacy-in-la-sports-basketball-world/2215026/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/kobe-byrant-left-deep-legacy-in-la-sports-basketball-world/2215026/
Man arrested connected to multiple burglaries in Bridgeport and Fairfield
BRIDGEPORT — A Bridgeport man was arrested on Jan. 23 in connection to multiple burglaries in Bridgeport and Fairfield.
Alison Hohn, 39, has been charged with one count of burglary while additional arrest warrants are pending for other burglaries he allegedly made in the two municipalities.
According to Scott Appleby, the director of the Office of Emergency Management & Homeland Security, Hohn confessed to four burglaries in the area and has been linked to five additional burglaries in Bridgeport and Fairfield.
Appleby said Hohn was arrested after being observed forcing entry into a residence on Eaton Street by Bridgeport police. He said detectives were assisted in the arrest by members of the Bridgeport police patrol division and Fairfield Police.
According to the Special Services Bureau commander, Captain Robert Kalamaras, Hohn was arrested, in part, due to the efforts of FPD Officer Justin Young.
“(Young) observed him coming out from behind a house of Valley Road (in Fairfield), but didn’t have enough probable cause to make an arrest,” said Kalamaras. “So he gave him an infraction for simple trespass and took a photograph of him. Over the next 24 hours, we (had him under surveillance) and caught him in the act of burglary right over the Park Avenue line in Bridgeport.”
Kalamaras said Hohn, while being interviewed by detectives, gave them information that may help clear nearly 20 cases. He said Hohn signed a promise to appear in court and was released the day after his arrest.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Man-arrested-connected-to-multiple-burglaries-in-15006239.php
This Courtside Moment Between Kobe Bryant and Daughter Gianna Shows Their Loving Bond
Basketball is one passion that Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna "Gigi" Bryant, had in common. On Sunday, NBC News confirmed that the pair died in a tragic helicopter crash in the Los Angeles area.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/video-of-kobe-bryant-and-daughter-gianna-shows-their-loving-bond/2214974/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/video-of-kobe-bryant-and-daughter-gianna-shows-their-loving-bond/2214974/
UConn Loses to Tulsa 79-75 in Overtime
Martins Igbanu scored a career-high 28 points and Tulsa held off UConn 79-75 in overtime Sunday to pick up its fifth straight win. Darien Jackson and Brandon Rachal each added 14 points for the Golden Hurricane (14-7, 6-1 American), who were picked to finish 10th in the American Athletic Conference but are currently in first place. Freshman James Bouknight had...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/dog-house/uconn-loses-to-tulsa-79-75-in-overtime/2214863/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/dog-house/uconn-loses-to-tulsa-79-75-in-overtime/2214863/
NBA Stars, Celebs React to Death of Kobe Bryant
As reports broke of the death of former Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant, tributes began pouring in on social media. Bryant was among five people killed in a fiery helicopter crash Sunday morning outside of Los Angeles, the city of Calabasas confirmed. Bryant retired in 2016 as the third-leading scorer in NBA history, finishing two decades with the Lakers as...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/nba-stars-celebs-react-to-death-of-kobe-bryant/2214888/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/nba-stars-celebs-react-to-death-of-kobe-bryant/2214888/
Important Moments in Kobe Bryant’s Remarkable Career
Kobe Bryant created a wealth of memories, overcome a host of setbacks and reached a multitude of milestones during his 20-year NBA career. Here are key moments in the career of the five-time champion and 18-time All-Star. ___ July 1, 1996 Los Angeles Lakers general manager Jerry West boldly trades his starting center, Vlade Divac, to the Charlotte Hornets for...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/important-moments-in-kobe-bryants-remarkable-career/2214851/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/important-moments-in-kobe-bryants-remarkable-career/2214851/
Lakers Great Kobe Bryant Among Five Killed in Calabasas Helicopter Crash
Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant was among five people killed when a helicopter crashed Sunday and then caught fire on a hillside in the Calabasas area outside Los Angeles. A Calabasas city official confirmed to NBC that Bryant was among those killed in the 10 a.m. crash northwest of Los Angeles. Authorities are expected to speak at a news...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/reports-of-plane-crash-in-calabasas-area-authorities-responding/2214846/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/reports-of-plane-crash-in-calabasas-area-authorities-responding/2214846/
Quinnipiac Hosts Rett Syndrome Awareness Basketball Game
The Quinnipiac women’s basketball team and third year medical student Nicole McAmis helped raise awareness for Rett Syndrome on Saturday during the Bobcats’ game against Fairfield. “Nobody really knows about Rett Syndrome,” said McAmis who attends the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University. “Surprisingly medical school doesn’t teach much about Rett Syndrome either so I figured...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/quinnipiac-hosts-rett-syndrome-awareness-basketball-game/2214828/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/quinnipiac-hosts-rett-syndrome-awareness-basketball-game/2214828/
Police: stabbing reported in Bridgeport
BRIDGEPORT — Police are investigating a stabbing that resulted in non-life threatening injuries Saturday night.
Police and medical responders were sent to the 1600th block of Park Avenue for a report of assault with a dangerous weapon, Bridgeport police said in a Tweet at 8:21 p.m. Saturday.
The agency said police were on scene minutes later, and described the wounds as non-life threatening.
Police have not yet said whether any arrest has been made.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Police-stabbing-reported-in-Bridgeport-15005540.php
Hannah Bunce Watson: One of America’s First Female Publishers
By Elizabeth Correia
Hannah Bunce Watson was the publisher of the Connecticut Courant (now called the Hartford Courant) between 1777 and 1779. As a widow, Watson inherited the Connecticut Courant from her late husband, Ebenezer, and operated it until she married Barzillai Hudson in 1779. She used the paper to spread news on the American Revolution across the 13 colonies, while possessing little business experience, being a mother of five, and overcoming a devastating fire at the company’s paper mill that threatened to close down her entire operation. Hannah Watson’s articles called for support of the patriot cause and defiantly aided her country’s search for liberty, earning her a place in the Connecticut Journalism Hall of Fame and the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame.
When her husband Ebenezer died, Hannah Bunce Watson took over the Courant, becoming one of the first women publishers in the country – Hartford Courant file photo
Early Life in Lebanon
Hannah was born on December 28, 1749, in Lebanon, Connecticut, to Aaron and Jerusha Bunce. After the death of her first husband, she married Ebenezer Watson on August 1, 1771. Ebenezer was the publisher of the Connecticut Courant newspaper at his shop on Main Street in Hartford. The paper became popular during the Revolutionary War by boosting morale among patriots with stories of their successes alongside those of British failures. When Ebenezer Watson died (due to smallpox) on September 16, 1777, the paper needed new leadership.
George Goodwin, the printer that served under Ebenezer Watson and worked at the Courant since 1766 (when he was nine years old), stepped in to take over operations. While Goodwin had sufficient training in working with printing machines, it soon became clear that he did not have the financial skills to maintain the Courant alone.
Hannah Watson’s Connecticut Courant
At the age of 27 Hannah Watson had no experience with production of the Courant and had five young children (all under seven years old) to take care of, but decided to partner with George Goodwin. On January 13, 1778, the Courant began printing a new heading that read: “Printed by WATSON and GOODWIN, near the GREAT-BRIDGE.” Watson decided what articles to publish, and also wrote some herself—the first being her husband’s obituary, which read:
On Tuesday last departed this life after a distressing sickness, Mr. Ebenezer Watson, Printer, in the 34th year of his age. A gentleman of a most humane heart, and susceptible of the tenderest feelings for distress, in whatever manner discovered — Jealous of the rights of human nature, and anxious for the safety of his country, his press hath been devoted to the vindication of rational liberty. The Governor’s company of Cadets, of which he was an Ensign, in token of respect for the deceased, attended the funeral in their uniforms. He has left a melancholy widow, with five young children, and a numerous circle of friends to lament his death.
Despite her noble intentions, Watson quickly ran into problems. She did not know anything about the paper’s subscribers and creditors and had to rely on Goodwin and also on Barzillai Hudson (a next-door neighbor who assisted Ebenezer in the past) for help. Then, shortly after she took command of the Courant, the paper mill in Manchester (that Watson now owned in partnership with Sarah Ledyard) burned to the ground. The total loss came to $5,000. Watson suspected that Tory sympathizers or prisoners of war on parole set it on fire in protest of the Courant’s promotion of liberty in the colonies. Shortly after, Watson and Goodwin released a statement that the Courant intended to print its last issue on February 3, 1778.
Detail from an announcement of the Paper-Mill Lottery in The Connecticut Courant, February 10, 1778.
In desperation, Watson and Sarah Ledyard appealed to the Connecticut Assembly who, within hours, agreed to hold a statewide lottery to raise money for a new mill and also commissioned three men to run it. During the four months of construction, the Courant printed half-sheet editions—newspapers made of one page printed on front and back—using wrapping paper, and never missed an issue.
Watson continued to publish patriotic articles, just as Ebenezer did, providing descriptions of battles from across the colonies, news on events in England (including Parliamentary proceedings), and editorials that called for colonists to support the Revolution. Watson also made the Courant her own. She added articles on moral and religious movements of the time (promoting temperance and cleanliness) along with news regarding scientific and geographic discoveries. She also limited advertising and local articles to make room for more patriotic news.
Life after the Courant
Then in March of 1779 the Courant’s header changed once again after Hannah married Barzillai Hudson. The Courant reported, “The late partnership between WATSON and GOODWIN is now dissolved and the printing business in all its branches will be carried out by HUDSON and GOODWIN.” Immediately the paper became more conservative; articles on social movements left its pages and the patriotic fervor of the Watsons also disappeared.
The Connecticut Courant and Weekly Intelligencer header under Barzillai Hudson, March 2, 1779.
Meanwhile, Hannah raised the five youngsters from her previous marriage, along with Hudson’s two children. Then, between the years of 1780 and 1793, she had four more children, though the youngest died at age three. Fourteen years later, on September 27, 1807, Hannah died of the flu. There is no mention of Hannah’s 16-month service to the Connecticut Courant and the American Revolution in her short obituary: “Died in this city, on Sunday last, Mrs. Hannah Hudson, wife of Mr. Barzillai Hudson, senior editor of this paper, aged 58 years.” She is now buried in the Old South Burying Ground in Hartford, Connecticut, beside Barzillai Hudson.
The Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame made Hannah Bunce Watson an inductee in 1994 and the Connecticut Journalism Hall of Fame did likewise in 2011, recognizing Hannah as one of the first women publishers in America. Both organizations commemorate Hannah’s ability to keep Connecticut informed of world news important to the patriot cause. Using the Courant to support the American Revolution, she aided Connecticut’s transformation from an English colony to a U.S. state.
Elizabeth Correia authored this article while an undergraduate student studying anthropology at Central Connecticut State University.
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/hannah-bunce-watson-one-of-americas-first-female-publishers/
Police: one shot overnight in Bridgeport
Emergency medical services and police were called to the 90th block of Calhoun Avenue around 1 a.m. Sunday after the city’s shotspotter system was triggered, Bridgeport police tweeted.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Police-one-shot-overnight-in-Bridgeport-15005305.php
’Didn’t Do It for the Hype’: Sofia Kenin Stops Coco Gauff in Australia
Coco Gauff's latest history-making Grand Slam run at age 15 is over. Gauff has been beaten by Sofia Kenin in three sets in the fourth round of the Australian Open. Kenin is a 21-year-old American who made it to her first major quarterfinal.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/sofia-kenin-stops-coco-gauff-australia/2214764/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/sofia-kenin-stops-coco-gauff-australia/2214764/
Saturday, January 25, 2020
Wesleyan University monitoring a student with possible coronavirus symptoms
Wesleyan University waiting for test results of a student who was in Asia where the coronavirus was confirmed
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Wesleyan-University-monitoring-a-student-with-15004432.php
Birth of the Brass Valley
The brass industry in Waterbury began in the mid-18th century and provided an alternative for people struggling to make a living off the rocky, exhausted soil. In 1802, Southington brothers Abel and Levi Porter moved to Waterbury and joined pewter button makers Henry, Silas, and Samuel Grilley to form Abel Porter and Company, the first rolling brass mill in the US. Brass ingots from old copper kettles and stills were alloyed with zinc and sent to iron mills in Litchfield for rolling into sheets and then returned to Waterbury to be finished by horse-powered steel rollers. The Porter brothers were likely the first in the US to make brass using this direct fusion of zinc and copper.
The demand for military and other uniform buttons in the mid-18th century led to the building of a water-powered mill and increased mechanization. By 1864, individual machines in the factory capably produced 216,000 buttons per day. By this time, the gilt button business of Abel Porter and Company had been purchased by James Mitchell Lamson Scovill, a fifth-generation descendant of one of Waterbury’s founders, Sergeant John Scovill. Along with Frederick Leavenworth and David Hayden, James Scovill formed the foundation of what later became the Scovill Manufacturing Company.
Scovill factory buildings, Waterbury, 1946 – Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Libraries
Scovill Manufacturing became Waterbury’s largest employer and, along with both American Brass and the Chase Brass & Copper Company, made up what local residents referred to as the “Big Three” of brass production. Together, these companies made Waterbury the leading producer of brass in the world.
After reaching unprecedented heights of production during World War II, the brass industry in Waterbury began a steady decline in the 1950s. Plastic, zinc, and aluminum replaced brass in household products. In addition, mono-industrial regions began a sharp decline as the age of large, national corporations took shape. The troubled US economy of the 1970s only exacerbated the local brass industry’s problems, as did cheap labor and new technologies found overseas. Eventually, the Big Three ceased operations rather than incur the prohibitive expenses of trying to refurbish their operations.
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/birth-of-the-brass-valley/
Jackman Avenue residents: Police response strong, community stronger following burglaries
Despite two residential burglaries within hours, residents said they trust in their neighbors to look out for each other and in the police department to respond quickly.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Jackman-Avenue-residents-Police-response-strong-15002590.php
Friday, January 24, 2020
Alysa Liu Successfully Defends U.S Women’s Skating Title
Alysa Liu needed all of her technical brilliance in her impressive jumping arsenal to hold off Mariah Bell and successfully defend her U.S. Figure Skating Championships title
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/alysa-liu-us-womens-figure-skating-championships/2214483/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/alysa-liu-us-womens-figure-skating-championships/2214483/
Unaccompanied minors are moving to CT in record numbers
There were 952 youths, mostly from Central America, who joined sponsors here last year.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Unaccompanied-minors-are-moving-to-CT-in-record-15003323.php
Grant program helps CT inmates look toward the future
Second Chance Pell grants have allowed 1,067 incarcerated students to pursue a post-secondary education since 2016. Of those, 173 have completed a certificate or earned a degree.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Grant-program-helps-CT-inmates-look-toward-the-15003346.php
CT health professionals monitoring coronavirus; urge vigilance, not alarm
Connecticut officials and institutions are monitoring the spread of a new virus that has infected hundreds of people in China, while experts are urging awareness but quelling panic about the outbreak’s potential spread in the United States.
Forty people have died in China and more than 800 people have been infected by the novel coronavirus, or 2019-nCoV, according to the New York Times. The epicenter of the outbreak is in Wuhan, a city of about 11 million people in central China; transportation in the city and at least a dozen others has been shut down in an effort to contain the illness.
“It’s a time for vigilance, but not panic,” said Dr. Dan Bausch, director of the United Kingdom Public Health Rapid Support Team, who spoke to students at Quinnipiac University on Friday. “We have a few cases imported into the United States now, and that’s not unusual or unexpected at this phase. It’s a very rapidly evolving situation, and we have to monitor as it goes forward.”
There have been two confirmed cases of the virus in the United States: a man in Snohomish County, Washington tested positive for the virus earlier this week, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed a second case in Chicago on Friday. Both patients had recently been traveling in Wuhan.
“We are keeping a very close eye on this in Connecticut and following the CDC guidelines,” Department of Public Health spokesman Av Harris said. “We have been and remain in close contact with local health departments, health care...
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/CT-health-professionals-monitoring-coronavirus-15002861.php
Stratford fire chief retires after 50 years as a firefighter
Stratford fire chief Robert McGrath has officially retired from the Stratford Fire Department.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Stratford-fire-chief-retires-after-50-years-as-a-15002909.php
Judge sets rent at $10 a month during 87-year-old Stratford woman’s eviction appeal
The woman has until April 27 to leave the house, though the appeal may last longer.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Judge-sets-rent-at-10-a-month-during-87-year-old-15002155.php
Federal agent involved in Bridgeport rollover by state police barracks
There were no life-threatening injuries in a rollover crash in Bridgeport Friday afternoon.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Federal-agent-involved-in-Bridgeport-rollover-by-15002020.php
Complete Street Project - Public Informational Meeting on 2/04/2020
Inform residents regarding proposed road improvements (Maple Hill Avenue and Robbins Avenue) and discuss and exchange ideas for designing corridor improvements...
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1187
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1187
TPZ Notice of Decision 01/22/2020
The Town Plan and Zoning Commission took the following actions...
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1186
from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1186
Amtrak train strikes truck on tracks in CT
Two people were able to get out of the truck before the train hit the vehicle.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Amtrak-train-strikes-truck-on-tracks-in-CT-15001795.php
Crews on scene of train vs truck collision in Newington
NEWINGTON -- Officials and first responders are on the scene of a train vs truck crash in Newington.
Amtrak officials say the 11:10 a.m. Hartford Line Train 470, traveling from New Haven to Springfield, Massachusetts, collided with an Amtrak engineering truck.
Six passengers on the train reported minor injuries. The crash is currently under investigation.
Delays are currently reported at Amtrak and the CT Rail Line.
As of 1:20 p.m., passengers were seen getting off the train and onto another.
from Newington – FOX 61 https://fox61.com/2020/01/24/crews-on-scene-of-train-vs-truck-collision-in-newington/
NFL’s Saints Fight to Shield Emails in Catholic Abuse Crisis
The New Orleans Saints are going to court to keep the public from seeing hundreds of emails that allegedly show team executives doing public relations damage control for the area's Roman Catholic archdiocese to help it contain the fallout from a burgeoning sexual abuse crisis
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/fls-saints-fight-to-shield-emails-in-catholic-abuse-crisis/2214123/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/fls-saints-fight-to-shield-emails-in-catholic-abuse-crisis/2214123/
Bridgeport woman goes to market, wins $100,000 in Keno
Bonita Robinson Fuller won $100,000 playing Keno at Los Primos grocery store at 64 Roosevelt Ave. in Bridgeport.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Bridgeport-woman-goes-to-market-wins-100-000-in-15001252.php
Tokyo Mark 6 Months Until Summer Olympics With Fireworks Show
Tokyo put on a flashy fireworks display to mark the 6-months-to-go milestone for this year's Olympics
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/tokyo-marks-6-months-to-summer-olympics-with-fireworks-show/2214100/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/tokyo-marks-6-months-to-summer-olympics-with-fireworks-show/2214100/
Hamden police seek two in shoplifting incident
Police have released photos of two suspects in a recent shoplifting at a Hamden Old Navy.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Hamden-police-seek-two-in-shoplifting-incident-15001091.php
Ernest Borgnine: Breaking the Hollywood Mold
by Andy Piascik
It is unlikely anyone ever mistook Ernest Borgnine for Tyrone Power. Short and stocky and possessing a look not traditionally coveted for leading roles in Hollywood, Borgnine nonetheless carved out a long, admirable career in movies and television. He exhibited great range and worked into his 90s on both the dramatic series ER and as the voice of superhero Mermaid Man on SpongeBob SquarePants.
Ernest Borgnine Grows Up in Connecticut
Borgnine was born Ermes Effron Borgnino on January 24, 1917, in Hamden, the son of two Italian immigrants. When his parents separated, Borgnine lived for four years in Italy with his mother. His parents reconciled and Borgnine returned to Connecticut with his mother in 1923. The family lived for a brief time in North Haven and Hamden and then settled in New Haven where they rented a house on Bassett Street.
The family had a garden in the backyard and Borgnine recalled the hours he spent working there with great fondness. Mrs. Borgnine oversaw the gardening so that it included vegetables to eat and flowers for the kitchen table. Borgnine recalled that the garden grew larger and the vegetables it yielded became more central to the family’s meals after the stock market crashed in 1929. He so took to working the soil that he signed on at a nearby farm picking peaches and apples.
Advertisement for the film Marty starring Ernest Borgnine and Betsy Blair, 1955
With the onset of the Great Depression, Borgnine’s father found employment through the Works Progress Administration (WPA) as a foreman on the construction of roads and bridges in New Haven. Ernest, meanwhile, attended local schools and graduated from Hillhouse High School. He enlisted in the navy in 1935 and served two tours of duty totaling ten years.
At the end of the Second World War, Borgnine retuned to Connecticut and, with nothing in particular to do, heeded a suggestion from his mother to study acting. At the rather advanced age of 28, he enrolled in the Randall School of Dramatic Art in Hartford in the fall of 1945. Thereafter he joined a repertory company in Virginia and made his professional debut on Broadway in Harvey in 1949.
Marty Brings Film Stardom
It was in the 1950s that Borgnine made a number of film appearances that were as disparate as they were well received. In a span of just two years, he played sadistic, thuggish characters in the vintage film version of James Jones’s From Here to Eternity and in Bad Day at Black Rock while also appearing in two classic westerns, Vera Cruz and Nicholas Ray’s cult favorite Johnny Guitar. All of these films featured great ensemble acting of which Borgnine was an integral part.
In 1955, Borgnine appeared as the title character in Marty, the part and the movie for which he is best known. Unlike many of the previous movies Borgnine had been in, Marty was a relatively low-budget film and, aside from himself, utilized a cast of lesser-known actors. Marty earned seven Academy Award nominations and won four, with Borgnine winning for Best Actor.
Ernest Borgnine as McHale in the television program McHale’s Navy, 1962, ABC Television
After Marty, Borgnine continued to appear regularly in movies, including Ice Station Zebra, The Dirty Dozen, The Wild Bunch, and The Poseidon Adventure, while also playing the lead character in the television comedy McHale’s Navy for four years beginning in 1962. Four decades later, he received an Emmy nomination for a part he played on ER, a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in A Grandpa for Christmas, and, capping his long career, a prestigious Life Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild in 2010.
Return Visits to Connecticut
People from Connecticut who met Borgnine over the years observed that he was down-to-earth and never let his acting fame go to his head. He returned to Hamden in 1971 for a reunion and spent hours visiting familiar sites and reminiscing with town residents. In 2004, Hamden showed its appreciation with Ernest Borgnine Day; while in 2009, Borgnine traveled to New Haven to attend events marking the 150th anniversary of his alma mater, Hillhouse High School. And in 2010, though he was 93 at the time, Borgnine flew from his California home to talk at Sacred Heart University in what turned out to be his last visit to his home state. Borgnine died on July 8, 2012, at the age of 95.
Bridgeport native Andy Piascik is an award-winning author who has written for many publications and websites over the last four decades. He is also the author of two books.
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/ernest-borgnine-breaking-the-hollywood-mold/
A Total Eclipse of the Sun – Today in History: January 24
On January 24, 1925, Connecticut residents witnessed a full solar eclipse. They had ample notice. Governor John H. Trumbull had issued a proclamation on January 15:
On Saturday, the twenty-fourth of January, the people of Connecticut are to have an opportunity to witness a scientific event of the first importance—
A TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN
This phenomenon has been visible in New England only twice since the landing of the Pilgrim fathers, and only fourteen times in the last two thousand years. On the present occurrence Connecticut has a particularly favorable position in the path of totality and astronomers and others are coming to our state from all parts of the world, to view a natural happening which affords so infrequent occasions for scientific study.
I earnestly urge all school authorities and teachers, at some time prior to the coming of the eclipse, to devote a reasonable time for instruction and explanation of this unusual astronomical event; and to all others for whom it may be convenient I recommend that advantage be taken of this exceptional opportunity to witness a spectacle which is now engaging the attention of scholars and learned institutions of the world. It is a manifestation of the enlightened age in which we live that solar eclipses are no longer regarded, as by the ancients and savages, as auguries of war and disaster, but as opportunities for scientific research, fraught with the possibilities of new fields of knowledge for this generation.
Total eclipse by Frederick E. Turner, Willimantic, January 24, 1925 – Connecticut Historical Society and Connecticut History Online
Frederick E. Turner, of 175 North Street in Willimantic, recorded the event with his camera. Turner managed the A. S. Turner pharmacy on Main Street in that town and appears to have been an amateur scientist; he was also a member of the Mineralogical Society of America.
Shirley T. Wajda, PhD, currently an independent historian living in the Connecticut Western Reserve, is the creator and organizer of Viennapedia, a wiki devoted to the history and culture of her hometown, Vienna, Trumbull County, Ohio.
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/a-total-eclipse-of-the-sun-today-in-history/
The Astronomical Event of the Century
By Nancy Finlay
Snow covered the ground and the temperature hovered at zero degrees on the morning of January 24, 1925. Businesses were closed—or planned to open late—as crowds gathered on hilltops and rooftops throughout Connecticut. Special trains brought visitors from Boston and elsewhere in Massachusetts, and scientists from around the country joined colleagues at Yale, Wesleyan, and Trinity. The sun had come up as normal, but about 8:30 a.m. it began to grow dark again, as the moon passed between the earth and the sun. At about 9:13 a.m. the eclipse was total, lasting almost two minutes in parts of the state. Church bells chimed and factory whistles blew and automobiles, trains, and trolleys throughout the state came to a standstill.
Time-lapse photograph of the Eclipse of January 24, 1925. Postcard, 1925. This postcard was issued to commemorate the “astronomical event of the century,” Willimantic vicinity – Connecticut Historical Society
Total Eclipse of the Sun
For weeks in advance, newspapers had advised the use of smoked glass when viewing the eclipse and had recommended limiting the amount of time spent looking directly at the sun. The Gustave Fischer Company in Hartford sold what they called “filmeo,” special cards that enclosed a piece of exposed photographic film to protect viewers’ eyes from the sun’s light. Those wishing to get the best views of the corona (the rays of light surrounding the sun during a total eclipse) were advised to bandage their eyes for an hour before in order to improve their night vision.
Spectators in Willimantic got some of the best views. Thirty thousand people crowded the rooftops of the Thread City, 5,000 of them on Hosmer Mountain. Fox Hill in Rockville was another favored viewpoint, as were Hubbard Park in Meriden and East Rock and West Rock in New Haven. In Hartford, the public were invited to the Trinity College campus to witness the event.
Crowd on Hosmer Mountain during the Eclipse, January 24, 1925. Photograph, 1925. Five thousand people gathered on Hosmer Mountain in Willimantic to see the eclipse – Connecticut Historical Society
Worldwide, eclipses are not rare occurrences, but the moon casts a narrow shadow, and throughout history very few total eclipses of the sun have been visible in New England. The eclipse on January 24, 1925, was the last total eclipse to be visible in Connecticut; the next total eclipse to be visible here won’t happen until May 1, 2079.
Nancy Finlay, formerly Curator of Graphics at the Connecticut Historical Society, is the editor of Picturing Victorian America: Prints by the Kellogg Brothers of Hartford, Connecticut, 1830-1880.
© Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network and Connecticut Historical Society. All rights reserved. This article originally appeared on Connecticut History | WNPR News
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/the-astronomical-event-of-the-century/
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