PD: Child ‘fine’ after falling from window in Bridgeport

Police officials say a young child is OK after falling from a window at a Railroad Avenue home.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/PD-Child-fine-after-falling-from-window-in-15096041.php

Severe injuries for Bridgeport bicyclist hit by vehicle in Fairfield

A Bridgeport man is in stable but serious condition after being hit by a vehicle while riding a bicycle in Fairfield.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Severe-injuries-for-Bridgeport-bicyclist-hit-by-15095928.php

US Pro Sports Leagues Monitoring Coronavirus Outbreak

Professional sports leagues in North America are in touch with health officials and teams about the ongoing coronavirus outbreak

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/us-pro-sports-leagues-monitoring-coronavirus-outbreak/2231390/

PD: Person shot in Bridgeport self-transported to hospital

The victim of an early morning shooting in Bridgeport was shot in the lower leg, according to police officials.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/PD-Person-shot-in-Bridgeport-self-transported-to-15095308.php

Traffic jam on Route 8 in Bridgeport

Two-car collision causing delays near exit 1

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Traffic-jam-on-Route-8-in-Bridgeport-15095046.php

Rex Brasher Dies – Today in History: February 29

On February 29, 1960, noted wildlife illustrator Rex Brasher died. A prolific painter, based in Kent, Brasher produced 875 watercolors depicting 1,200 species and sub-species of North American birds. In fact, Brasher recorded more than twice as many birds as his better-known predecessor John James Audubon, who painted 489 species.

Born in New York in 1869, Brasher began painting seriously in his teens. Inspired by his father at an even earlier age, Brasher had set the goal of painting all the species and sub-species identified in the American Ornithologists’ Union’s Check-list of North American Birds. Brasher strove for perfection, attempting to make his paintings as lifelike as possible by portraying birds in their natural habitats, illustrating gender differences, and recording their everyday activities. Visiting every state, Brasher captured birds that are now extinct, including the heath hen, passenger pigeon, and Eskimo curlew. He often financed these trips by working at odd jobs, including stints on fishing boats (this allowed him to work while also studying seabirds). He also funded his work through more unusual means, such as betting on the horses. Often unsatisfied with his results, Brasher twice destroyed all his paintings, an estimated 700 canvases.

In 1911, after having received a $700 commission for illustrating a book, Brasher purchased a 150-acre farm in Kent, Connecticut, calling it Chickadee Valley. By 1924 Brasher had completed his series of paintings and attempted to have his work published, but the cost of printing all the plates in color was prohibitive. The persistent Brasher came up with a less costly solution. He hired the Meriden Gravure Company to produce black-and-white reproductions and then hand-colored the prints himself using an airbrush and stencil technique that he’d developed. This labor intensive process took four years to complete. The final book, Birds & Trees of North America, was produced in a limited edition of 100 sets of 12 volumes and included almost 90,000 hand-colored reproductions.

The State of Connecticut purchased the Brasher collection in 1941 for $74,000, and though it has never been displayed in Connecticut in its entirety, the collection is preserved at the University of Connecticut’s Thomas J. Dodd Research Center.

from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/rex-brasher-dies-today-in-history/

Andover Lake: A Lesson in Social Change

Constructed in the early 20th century, Andover Lake is a man-made recreation area. While residents of Andover and other nearby towns enjoy swimming and boating on the property’s 159 acres, few may appreciate the role the lake played in challenging racial boundaries during the Civil Rights Era.

In 1926, after years of research and planning, contractors began clearing trees and brush out of Cheney Hollow to make way for the construction of a lake. At 3:30 pm on April 30, 1927, a sluiceway gate in a nearby dam closed and water began filling what soon would become Andover Lake. Charles White and 10 other initial investors watched with pride during the following decades as the little section of Andover became a prosperous resort area.

Resort Area Becomes Battleground for Civil Rights

In 1955, William M. Philpot, an African American minister at the New Haven Baptist church, bought a cottage on the lake. Despite buying what his attorney, George J. Ritter, described as an “implied easement” for access to the lake upon purchase of the home, Philpot encountered resistance as the Andover Lake Property Owners Association (ALPOA) repeatedly denied him access to the lake by refusing him membership in the owners’ association.

After years of effort put forth by Ritter and Philpot, the State Civil Rights Commission stepped in on Philpot’s behalf, reporting the situation to Governor John Dempsey as an act of racial prejudice. Philpot claimed that bias on the part of the lake association members kept African American and Jewish residents from accessing the lake. The Andover Lake Property Owners Association claimed it had the right to selective membership and denied any wrongdoing.

Philpot took his protest a step further when he threatened the association with “wade-in” protests. ALPOA responded by taking Philpot to court in 1964 to stop the protests. In 1967, after 12 years and 3 membership application denials, Philpot and Ritter won their case. State Superior Court Judge Samuel Googel ruled that Philpot and his wife acquired a right of way to the water when they purchased their home. After this ruling, ALPOA conceded and the legal battle ended.

Today, private residents still own Andover Lake but welcome new members of all races and faiths residing in Andover and other nearby towns. The lake remains ringed by houses occupied year-round and affords members opportunities for boating, fishing, swimming, and other recreational activities.

from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/andover-lake-a-lesson-in-social-change/

Stratford man who married wife at hospital after 2nd cancer diagnosis dies at 26

Jonathan Sales and Alyssa Griffin married in November 2019 after Sales got his second cancer diagnosis. He died Monday.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Stratford-man-who-married-wife-at-hospital-after-15093987.php

Video shows suspect enter unlocked vehicle in Derby

Two suspects were caught on Ring surveillance footage, checking cars for unlocked doors.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Video-shows-suspect-enter-unlocked-vehicle-in-15093845.php

Trumbull teacher fined $50 for driving on neighbor’s lawn

A Trumbull resident said the teacher drove in circles on his lawn on her way to school.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Trumbull-teacher-fined-50-for-driving-on-15093196.php

Solitary confinement in CT could be torture, UN expert warns

The United Nations’ critique speaks broadly about the use of solitary confinement across the U.S., but specifically mentions the Connecticut’s system.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Solitary-confinement-in-CT-could-be-torture-UN-15092825.php

Milford Hospital to host forum on acquistion by Bridgeport Hospital

There will be a forum at 5:30 p.m. Monday to discuss the latest on Milford Hospital’s integration in Bridgeport Hospital last year.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Milford-Hospital-to-host-forum-on-acquistion-by-15092587.php

Artists get one-on-one time with birds at Milford Audubon

Artists get a chance to get up close an personal with some birds of prey during a beginner's watercolor class at the Audubon Coastal Center.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Artists-get-one-on-one-time-with-birds-at-Milford-15092216.php

Derby man accused of stealing nearly $43,000 from Westport employer

Westport police arrested a Derby man for allegedly taking thousands from a former employer in multiple incidents that seem to span at least a year.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Derby-man-accused-of-stealing-nearly-43-000-from-15092205.php

No ‘silver solution’ to mental health parity in CT

Mental health parity requires insurance companies to cover mental health and substance use disorder at the same level as physical ailments.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/No-silver-solution-to-mental-health-parity-15092073.php

Dog has mysterious bite wound in Monroe

Monroe’s animal control officer reported that a dog was seen at a local veterinary office with a bite of mysterious origin.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Dog-has-mysterious-bite-wound-in-Monroe-15092037.php

Democrats: GOP has a healthy appetite for borrowing too

Over the first three weeks of the 2020 session, Republicans sponsored 11 bills authorizing more than $112 million in new bonding in their home districts.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Democrats-GOP-has-a-healthy-appetite-for-15092049.php

Early New Haven, from Quinnipiack to the American Revolution

A look back at the ethnic groups who built the Elm City and called it home.

Courtesy of the Ethnic Heritage Center

[SlideDeck2 id=23054 iframe=1]

from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/early-new-haven-from-quinnipiack-to-the-american-revolution/

Dog fights raccoon in Monroe, animal control responds

A raccoon was euthanized and a dog quarantined after the two animals fought at a Monroe residence.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Dog-fights-raccoon-in-Monroe-animal-control-15090135.php

Cold, windy weekend with below normal temps

Temperatures will be below normal tonight, and Saturday, and westerly winds will remain gusty.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/weather/article/Cold-windy-weekend-with-below-normal-temps-15091775.php

Former CFO of Naugatuck company charged with fraud

The former chief financial officer was accused of raking in bonuses while defrauding the metal fabrication company and its customers.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Former-CFO-of-Naugatuck-company-charged-with-fraud-15091740.php

USOPC Relying on Facts and Planning to Deal With Coronavirus

Managers at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee have coronavirus on their minds.

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/usopc-relying-on-facts-and-planning-to-deal-with-coronavirus/2230822/

2 charged after alleged attempted burglary in Bridgeport

Bridgeport police arrested two people they say tried to break into a city home Thursday morning.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/2-charged-after-alleged-attempted-burglary-in-15091089.php

CT gun rights advocates blast proposed ammunition tax

Second Amendment advocates criticize proposal for a 35 percent excise tax on ammunition sold in the state.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/CT-gun-rights-advocates-blast-proposed-ammunition-15091190.php

Dish washer charged with sexually assaulting teen in Bridgeport restaurant

A dishwasher in Vazzy’s restaurant has been charged with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl in the eatery.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Dishwasher-charged-with-sexually-assaulting-teen-15090372.php

Tragedy averted in Ansonia home where shooting took place

Second tragedy averted in Ansonia home where fatal shooting occurred.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Tragedy-averted-in-Ansonia-home-where-shooting-15090262.php

State Supreme Court orders new trial for Bridgeport gangster “Red Dreads”

A local gangster convicted of murder and assault charges for a 2013 shooting spree has been ordered a new trial by the state Supreme Court.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/State-Supreme-Court-orders-new-trial-for-15090032.php

State: Nine new flu deaths; total at 58 for season

Though flu activity seems to be declining statewide, there were still nine flu-related deaths last week.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/State-Nine-new-flu-deaths-total-at-58-for-season-15089946.php

Report: CT representation falls short of gender, racial goals

A new report indicates the gender and racial composition of the state’s boards and commissions fails to reflect the diversity of the people of the state.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Report-CT-representation-falls-short-of-gender-15089782.php

Retired Monroe officer dies after cancer battle

Retired Monroe Police Officer Andrew Wall, 55, died recently after a lengthy battle with cancer.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Retired-Monroe-officer-dies-after-cancer-battle-15089290.php

Sen. Alex Bergstein is now Alex Mochary Kasser

The first-term senator is shedding her marriage name after a divorce and taking the last names of both of her parents.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/politics/article/Sen-Alex-Bergstein-is-now-Alex-Mochary-Kasser-15089299.php

TPZ Public Hearing 03/11/2020

The Town Plan and Zoning Commission will consider the following petitions...

from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1231

UConn Beats UCF to Guarantee No Losing Record This Year

UConn could drop the rest of its games this season and still avoid a losing record for the first time in four years. Isaiah Whaley tied a career-high with 18 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to help Connecticut to an 81-65 win over UCF Wednesday in the American Athletic Conference. Christian Vital also had 18 points and James Bouknight...

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/dog-house/uconn-beats-ucf-to-guarantee-no-losing-record-this-year/2230356/

New Bridgeport top prosecutor to be selected March 19

A new Bridgeport state’s attorney is scheduled to be selected March 19.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/New-Bridgeport-top-prosecutor-to-be-selected-15089007.php

Buy Big Papi’s Stuff: Estate Sale at David Ortiz’s Weston Home

You probably can’t hit a home run quite like Red Sox legend David Ortiz. But you can own his mirror, his chair and his lamp. More than 350 items belonging to Big Papi will go up for sale Saturday morning. Exceptional Estate Sales posted photos of the merchandise. Inside Ortiz’s home in Weston, Massachusetts, there is baseball memorabilia for sale,...

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/buy-big-papis-stuff-estate-sale-at-david-ortizs-weston-home/2230297/

Eversource to acquire MA gas pipeline after $53M criminal settlement

Any legal liabilities for the Massachusetts gas explosions will remain in the hands of NiSource, with the $1.1 billion deal subject to regulatory approval.

from Business https://www.ctpost.com/business/article/Eversource-to-acquire-MA-gas-supplier-after-53M-15088618.php

Improperly stored toxic chemicals among reasons why 8 businesses fail Stratford’s January health inspections

STRATFORD — The town’s health inspection failure rate increased last month.

Of a total of 36 inspections by the health department last month, eight establishments failed, a rate of roughly 22 percent.

A failure means an establishment scores below an 80 and/or has one or more major four-point violations.

The January failure rate was up from last month, when only three businesses out of 41 failed inspections. The January failure rate was still lower than last November, when there were seven failures out of 27 inspections, a rate of roughly 26 percent.

Toxic chemicals stored improperly, food at improper temperatures and problems with consumer advisories were among the four-point violations found by inspectors last month.

Some businesses with scores lower than some of those that failed didn’t have any major four-point violations, so they passed even though their scores were lower.

If a food service establishment fails an inspection, it can be closed if an inspector determines there’s an imminent risk to public health if it were to stay open.

Otherwise, the business will be brought to a hearing at the health department and eventually inspected again.

The inspection forms are available for public view at the health department’s offices at 468 Birdseye St.

Establishments that failed inspections, their scores and four-point violations:

Cumberland Farms, 1290 W. Broad St. — 83 (Cleaner spray bottle stored on counter at ice machine).

Bruce Avenue Corner Market, 189 Bruce Ave. — 86 (Beef patties at improper...

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Improperly-stored-toxic-chemicals-among-reasons-15088585.php

Eversource to acquire MA gas pipeline after $53M criminal settlement

Any legal liabilities for the Massachusetts gas explosions will remain in the hands of NiSource, with the $1.1 billion deal subject to regulatory approval.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/business/article/Eversource-to-acquire-MA-gas-supplier-after-53M-15088618.php

Member of Bigelow Tea family dies

Lori Sue Bigelow, 66, the retired co-president of the the Bigelow Tea company, died peacefully in her home in Wilton on Monday.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Member-of-Bigelow-Tea-family-dies-15088464.php

Holmes at Home: The Life of William Gillette

By Emily E. Gifford

William Gillette was an American actor, playwright, and stage director most famous for his stage portrayal of Sherlock Holmes and for the extraordinary stone castle he built on a promontory above the Connecticut River in East Haddam. Born in the Nook Farm neighborhood of Hartford, Connecticut, Gillette grew up in a politically progressive atmosphere. His father, former US Senator Francis Gillette, supported reform movements including public education and the abolition of slavery; his mother, Elizabeth Daggett Hooker Gillette, was a direct descendant of Connecticut Colony co-founder Thomas Hooker. The family’s neighbors included Harriet Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain.

As a boy, Gillette built a miniature puppet theater and entertained friends and family with short plays. Along with friends, he co-founded an amateur journal, Hail Columbia, a general interest publication that included articles, stories, puzzles, and jokes and was published regularly for nearly two years (1866–1867). In later years, Gillette credited his Hartford Public High School experiences in English and public speaking with his more “natural” style of acting; in an era of melodrama and actors proclaiming every line, Gillette spoke his lines more conversationally, a style of relative underacting that appealed to audiences ready for something new.

Early Life and Acting

Gillette set his sights on acting, although he did attend, among other schools, both Harvard and Yale universities. While not pleased with his youngest son’s career choice, Francis Gillette, having already lost two adult sons, supported his surviving sons’ career ambitions (William’s brother Edward was a newspaper editor and politician in Iowa).

Poster: Charles Frohman presents William Gillette in “Sherlock Holmes,” 1900 – Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division

Gillette’s first professional role, in 1874, was a small speaking part in his neighbor Mark Twain’s theatrical adaptation of The Gilded Age, a novel Twain co-wrote with newspaper editor Charles Dudley Warner. By 1881, theatrical producers Gustave and Daniel Frohman hired Gillette as an actor, director, and playwright; the first play he wrote for them, The Professor, enjoyed a 151-performance run in New York and a national tour.

Not always popular with critics, Gillette focused on pleasing the public. During the 1880s, he experimented with new sound technologies and lighting techniques to enhance the plays he performed in and directed. He also enjoyed a happy personal life. In 1882 he married Helen Nichols and had a highly successful marriage until she died in 1888 of complications from a burst appendix. The couple had no children, and Gillette never remarried.

Gillette Brings Sherlock Holmes to Life on Stage

Gillette continued to work in American theater, eventually crossing the Atlantic to appear in London in 1897, where his play Secret Service was both a critical and commercial success. At that time, Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the famously eccentric and well-educated detective Sherlock Holmes, found himself in need of money. Having concluded his original Sherlock Holmes stories in 1893, Doyle decided to raise funds by adapting Sherlock Holmes for the stage.

A competing, unauthorized play based on his work further spurred Doyle to action, but he proved unable to write a Holmes play to his own satisfaction. In 1897, Doyle and his agent met with Charles Frohman, one of Gillette’s Broadway associates; Frohman, in turn, suggested Gillette as the perfect person to bring Holmes to life on stage. Doyle agreed and Gillette immediately read Doyle’s Holmes adventures (for the first time) and set to work on the adaptation while on an American tour of Secret Service. In 1899, Gillette traveled to England to show his play, titled simply Sherlock Holmes and drawn from several of Doyle’s stories, to Doyle personally. The two began a longtime personal friendship and a highly profitable professional relationship.

William Gillette as Sherlock Holmes – Harriet Beecher Stowe Center and Connecticut State Library

In bringing Sherlock Holmes to life on the stage, Gillette introduced three elements that became synonymous with the famous detective: his deerstalker cap, his long traveling cloak, and his curved briar pipe. Doyle’s Holmes was a Victorian fashion plate who would have worn the first two garments only while in the country; while some illustrations had shown Holmes smoking a straight pipe, Gillette felt that the curved pipe was a better stage prop which, along with the cap and cloak, became distinctive trademarks for the detective.  Additionally, Gillette played Holmes as a more arrogant character, often impatient with his colleagues’ inability to keep up with his deductions. Gillette wrote the phrase, “Oh, this is elementary, my dear fellow,” which Clive Brook, the first film Holmes, later edited to “Elementary, my dear Watson.” Neither phrase ever appeared in any of Doyle’s works.

Sherlock Holmes premiered at the Star Theater in Buffalo, New York, on October 23, 1899, and moved to Manhattan’s Garrick Theater on November 6, 1899. While not popular with the critics, audiences loved Gillette’s play and his interpretation of the popular detective.  Until Gillette’s final appearance as Holmes on March 19, 1932, nearly 33 years after his first, Gillette appeared as Holmes approximately 1,300 times. Beyond his theatrical performances, illustrations and photographs of Gillette as Holmes circulated widely, and Doyle used Gillette’s Holmes as the model for illustrations of Holmes stories when he began writing new adventures for the detective in 1901.

Gillette Builds a Castle

Gillette made a fortune playing Holmes, and used part of that money, as well as his sense of ingenuity and fun, to build a castle, which he named the Seventh Sister, on property fronting the Connecticut River in East Haddam, Connecticut. Built from Connecticut stone, the castle has 24 rooms, with puzzle locks, secret doors, and even hidden mirrors that allowed Gillette to spy on his guests (including Albert Einstein and Calvin Coolidge) in order to time dramatic entrances for their amusement. The estate, now called Gillette Castle, is owned and maintained by Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). As a state park, it hosts approximately 100,000 visitors a year.

The Seventh Sister now known as Gillette Castle – Harriet Beecher Stowe Center and Connecticut State Library

Millions of mystery lovers around the world who never heard of William Gillette can recognize Sherlock Holmes on sight, largely because of the distinctive wardrobe and mannerisms Gillette created when he interpreted Holmes. Gillette died on April 29, 1937, in Hartford, Connecticut, and received a burial in the Hooker family cemetery in Farmington, Connecticut, next to his wife, Helen Nichols Gillette.

Emily E. Gifford is an independent historian specializing in the history of religion and social movements in the United States.

from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/holmes-at-home-the-life-of-william-gillette/

Big changes in the weather: Here’s what to expect

After rain showers come to an end this morning, dry air moves in behind a cold front of a deepening low pressure system.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/weather/article/Big-changes-in-the-weather-Here-s-what-to-15088376.php

William Gillette’s Last Performance – Today in History: February 27

William Gillette

On February 27, 1936, William Gillette made his last appearance on any Connecticut stage at the Bushnell Memorial auditorium in Hartford, starring in Austin Strong’s comedy Three Wise Fools. After a thunderous ovation at the final curtain, Gillette, then in his mid-80s, thanked the audience for their “fine performance.” He would go on to perform the play in New York but died nearly a year later, never returning to a Connecticut stage. Gillette is probably best remembered for his 1,300 performances in the lead role of his own play Sherlock Holmes, written in 1899.

from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/william-gillettes-last-performance-today-in-history/

MLB Appoints 1st Black Umpire Crew Chief

Major League Baseball has appointed its first African American umpire crew chief, promoting Kerwin Danley to the position this week, The Associated Press has learned.

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/mlb-appoints-1st-black-umpire-crew-chief/2230262/

Walker Scores 25 as No. 6 UConn Women Beat Cincinnati 105-58

Three players scored at least 20 points, one of them breaking out of a deep slump. UConn put up 100 points for the first time this season. All along, the sixth-ranked Huskies have envisioned themselves doing it more often. Megan Walker scored 25 points, freshman Anna Makurat added 20, and UConn dominated a match-up of the American Athletic Conference’s top...

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/dog-house/walker-scores-25-as-no-6-uconn-women-beat-cincinnati-105-58/2230194/

Gun charges for Ansonia murder defendant transferred to Milford Court

All charges in Ansonia murder now pending in Milford

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Gun-charges-for-Ansonia-murder-defendant-15086896.php

Olympic Figure Skater Chris Knierim Announces Retirement

Figure skater Chris Knierim has announced his retirement

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/olympic-figure-skater-chris-knierim-announces-retirement/2230036/

Wanted: Your Ideas!

Please join us for a monthly idea forum, held on the first Wednesday of each month at the Newington Senior & Disabled Center.

from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1230

Scam Alert! Social Security Administration Phishing Phone Call Scam

Recently, there have been numerous reports of scam phone calls claiming to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA). The calls often appear to come from actual SSA phone numbers but are fraudulent “voice phishing” schemes.

from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1229

Flexible Ash Wednesday options in CT

Want to get ashes but don’t have the time to commit to a mass? Don’t worry, many churches in Connecticut have other options.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Flexible-Ash-Wednesday-options-in-CT-15086619.php

2 busted after narcotics, weapons found in Bridgeport home

The warrant came as a result of information obtained by investigators, state police said.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/2-busted-after-narcotics-weapons-found-in-15086335.php

Retired state’s attorney John Smriga joins Bridgeport law firm

Recently retired state’s attorney John Smriga has joined the local law firm of Robert Berke, best known for federal civil rights cases he has filed against police departments.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Retired-state-s-attorney-John-Smriga-joins-15086363.php

Rare blue whales spotted in deep ocean off Connecticut

There may be only 250 blue whales left in the world, and two of them were spotted a few hundred miles off the coast of Connecticut.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Rare-blue-whales-spotted-in-deep-ocean-off-15086311.php

Bridgeport man facing 15 years in 2017 murder

A Bridgeport man about to go to trial in a 2017 murder agreed to plead guilty to reduced charges.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Bridgeport-man-facing-15-years-in-2017-murder-15085984.php

Darien woman, Obama contributor, named by Trump to bench in New York

Jennifer Rearden, a frequent Democratic contributor, has been named by the White House to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Darien-woman-Obama-contributor-named-by-Trump-15085829.php

Here’s that Yale study on Medicare for All Bernie Sanders keeps mentioning

Bernie Sanders keeps mentioning a study published earlier this month as evidence that Medicare for All would save $450 billion. Here it is.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Here-s-that-Yale-study-on-Medicare-for-All-15085667.php

5-time Major Champ Maria Sharapova Retires From Tennis at 32

Maria Sharapova says she is retiring from professional tennis at the age of 32

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/time-major-champ-maria-sharapova-retires-from-tennis-at-32/2229814/

Israel Putnam: A Youthful Trailblazer Turned Colonial Militiaman

by Patrick J. Mahoney

Israel Putnam is perhaps known best for his role as an American general during the Revolutionary War. The courage, leadership, and perseverance that endeared him to those of his cause, however, were qualities Putnam displayed long before the war, both in his youthful trailblazing exploits in Connecticut and his service as a colonial militiaman and ranger during the Seven Years’ War.

Putnam Thrives in the Wilderness

Recognized as a Connecticut hero, Putnam was born into an influential Massachusetts family in Salem Village, now known as the town of Danvers. Rather than settling into the comfortable life afforded him by his father’s inheritance, Putnam decided to strike out on his own, in what was then the wilderness of Connecticut. After purchasing a plot of uncultivated land from Massachusetts Governor Jonathan Belcher, a recently married Putnam and his 18-year-old bride, Hannah Pope, ventured about 75 miles south to start a new life in Connecticut. In the years that followed, the young Putnam quickly gained a reputation for resilience, building a comfortable new residence for his rapidly growing family and expanding his holdings through the arduous labors associated with farming and raising livestock.

Putnam’s Cave or Wolf Den. Drawing by John Warner Barber, ca. 1835. The story of Putnam and the wolf was an oft-repeated tale throughout the 18th and 19th centuries – Connecticut Historical Society

Putnam’s determination might best be conveyed in an anecdote from the winter of 1742–43 that first made its rounds among his farming peers and later lent itself to embellishment and inclusion in a number of popular 19th-century histories and biographies, including Samuel Goodrich’s Peter Parley children’s series. In the story (eventually referred to as “Putnam and the wolf”), the title character and five of his neighbors went on a hunt for a she-wolf that preyed on their domestic animals. Tracking the animal to its den in a hollowed cave, the men tried various tactics (such as smoke and musket shots) to draw her out. After contemplating whether his broad frame fit through the narrow entry, Putnam agreed to enter the cave, armed only with a makeshift torch and a rope around his foot enabling his comrades to pull him out in the event the wolf attacked. Crawling deep into the cavern, approximated at no more than three feet wide and two feet high, Putnam found the agitated wolf and then quickly signaled his neighbors to pull him out. After assessing the situation, he reentered the cavern with his musket and killed the animal with one shot. The resounding courage and heartiness displayed by Putnam proved indicative of not only the qualities that brought him success as a farmer, but also those that led him to military renown.

The Seven Years’ War

In the summer of 1755, as the turmoil between France and Great Britain began to intensify among each side’s allies and colonial possessions in North America, Putnam enlisted as a private in the first of the Connecticut regiments raised to assist in a military campaign against the French at Crown Point in New York. By the fall of that year, after earning distinction for his heroics at the Battle of Lake George, the legendary Robert Rogers recruited Putnam to serve as a ranger and scout. Serving in this capacity until 1758, Putnam saw action in a number of campaigns, including General James Abercromby’s ill-fated assault on Fort Ticonderoga in July of that year. In one raid, France’s Iroquois allies captured Putnam and nearly burned him alive before the intervention of a French officer saved him. As a prisoner of war, Putnam traveled to Montreal, and later Quebec, before the French eventually ransomed him. Upon returning to his Pomfret home in the winter of 1758, Putnam found that tales of his exploits in both colonial and English periodicals earned him a measure of international celebrity.

The American Revolution

By the eve of the Revolution, Putnam, now remarried after the death of his wife Hannah in 1765, had settled back into life as a farmer and tavern owner. Displaying disdain for British colonial policy following the Seven Years’ War, he embraced news of the skirmishes at Lexington and Concord in April 1775, and soon offered his services to the fledgling patriot cause.

John Trumbull, The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker’s Hill, June 17, 1775, 1786, oil on canvas. General Israel Putnam was the leader of the American troops and is thought to be at the far left of the painting – Boston Museum of Fine Arts

His first major engagement in the Revolution came at the Battle of Bunker Hill, where he played a central role in aligning patriot forces and ensuring order and calm among the men as they fought the superior forces of General William Howe. In the heat of the fray, Putnam (or one of his associates) purportedly delivered the now famous order for patriots not to shoot until seeing the “whites of their eyes,” so as to make the best use of the little ammunition available.

Following the Battle of Bunker Hill, General Washington awarded Putnam the commission of Major General. Congress supported the decision, recognizing Putnam as an indispensable leader who held the army together in its infancy. The image of “Old Put” (as some called him) riding along the lines at Bunker Hill with sword drawn, unperturbed by the dangers around him, embodied the growing belief in the colonials’ ability to fight successfully against British regulars. Although the effort ended in defeat, the early heroics of Putnam at Bunker Hill proved to be his crowning achievement in the Revolutionary War. Authorities later called his leadership and tactical abilities into question following his forced retreat at the Battle of Long Island in 1776, and a subsequently unsuccessful campaign in the New York Highlands. In the winter of 1779, while home on military leave, Putnam suffered a stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed and effectively ending his military career.

Putnam Phalanx at the tomb of General Putnam, Brooklyn, June 19, 1860, wood engraving – Connecticut Historical Society and Connecticut History Illustrated

A second stroke further debilitated Putnam in 1782, and he died on May 29, 1790, after years of illness. Timothy Dwight, who briefly served as chaplain to Putnam’s army while stationed in the Highlands, penned the former soldier’s epitaph, noting, “Ever attentive to the lives and happiness of his men…he dared to lead where any dared to follow.”

Patrick J. Mahoney is an adjunct professor in the history department at Sacred Heart University. He also writes the Hartford Historic Places column for Examiner.com.

from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/israel-putnam-a-youthful-trailblazer-turned-colonial-militiaman-2/

Brown Bag it with a Documentary - Joseph Pulitzer- March 24 at 12:00 p.m.

Join us for the American Masters: Joseph Pulitzer: Voice of the People documentary that explores the life and the legacy of Joseph Pulitzer, the father of modern journalism.

from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1228

Social media threat prompts police presence at Bridgeport school

The investigation last night and early this morning did not produce any other information to suggest that the threat was legitimate and targeted in Bridgeport specifically.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Social-media-threat-prompts-police-presence-at-15085417.php

Fairfield man wins $100,000 on ticket bought at Cumberland Farms

James McDonald’s Cash 5 ticket matched five numbers to win the game’s biggest prize.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Fairfield-man-wins-100-000-on-ticket-bought-at-15085212.php

Vehicle fire closes SB lane on Merritt Parkway in Norwalk

The fire, reported at 6 a.m., has right southbound lane between Exits 41 and 40B on Wednesday morning.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Vehicle-fire-closes-SB-lane-on-Merritt-Parkway-in-15085224.php

2 injured after two-vehicle crash on Route 8 in Shelton

The crash generated comments on Echo Hose’s Facebook page. “We need people to stop speeding up the slow lane and then cutting into traffic. Happens every day.”

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/2-injured-after-two-vehicle-crash-on-Route-8-in-15085189.php

Death penalty sought for CT man charged in killing his family

State Attorney Aramis Ayala said a grand jury returned an indictment on 4 counts of capital murder and 1 count of animal cruelty against 44-year-old Anthony Todt.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Death-penalty-sought-for-CT-man-charged-in-15085152.php

Gun, drugs seized after foot pursuit in Bridgeport

City police arrested one teenager after a foot pursuit at Greene Homes Tuesday.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Gun-drugs-seized-after-foot-pursuit-in-Bridgeport-15084621.php

‘This is torture,’ former inmate advocates ending solitary confinement

The Judiciary Committee plans to raise a bill to legislate the end of solitary confinement in Connecticut. The issue was raised as a concept two weeks ago.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/This-is-torture-former-inmate-advocates-15084395.php

Surfer Kelly Slater to Build World’s Largest Man-Made Wave in the Desert

Kelly Slater is planning to build the world's largest man-made wave in the desert.

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/slater-to-build-worlds-largest-man-made-wave-in-the-desert/2229592/

See University of Bridgeport students partake in polar plunge

Students and faculty from the University of Bridgeport School of Naturopathic Medicine plunged into the chilly Sound during the school's fifth annual polar plunge at Seaside Park on Tuesday.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/See-University-of-Bridgeport-students-partake-in-15084228.php

Feds: Milford pilot gets prison for role in weed trafficking ring

A Milford man will serve 30 months in federal prison for his role in a marijuana trafficking ring.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Feds-Milford-pilot-gets-prison-for-role-in-weed-15084032.php

Water main break repairs underway in Bridgeport

Aquarion is working on a water main break near Woodside Avenue and Fleet Street.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Water-main-break-repairs-underway-in-Bridgeport-15083866.php

Southern Black Baseball League Celebrates 100th Anniversary

This month, the Negro Southern League Museum in Birmingham, Alabama, will celebrate the league’s centennial anniversary, NBC News reports.

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/southern-black-baseball-league-celebrates-100th-anniversary/2228871/

Be on the lookout for bobcat collars

Collars used by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to track bobcats should be falling off soon, and the state is asking for residents’ help in retrieving them.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Be-on-the-lookout-for-bobcat-collars-15083308.php

Stickup man gets 21-plus years in prison

A man who confessed to seven gunpoint robberies and shot two people was sentenced to more than 21 years in prison.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Stickup-man-gets-21-plus-years-in-prison-15083086.php

Teen Essential Oils Makerspace - Tuesday, March 10 at 6:30 p.m.

Fore teens in grades 6 - 12. Drop in to check out the variety of essential oils makerspace projects we will have available with Cailin McBee.

from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1227

Settlement proposals due in ex-Fairfield cop’s case against town

Lawyers in the lawsuit by former Fairfield Detective Stephen Rilling have been ordered to submit settlement proposals.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Settlement-proposals-due-in-ex-Fairfield-cop-s-15083033.php

IOC Senior Member: 3 Months to Decide Fate of Tokyo Olympics

The longest-serving member of the International Olympic Committee estimates there's a three-month window to decide the fate of the Tokyo Olympics

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/ioc-senior-member-3-months-to-decide-fate-of-tokyo-olympics/2228748/

Cost to secure CT courthouses: Nearly $18K in OT per week

In response to a shooting last month in Bridgeport, the state is paying $17,819 per week in overtime for troopers to provide security at six Connecticut courthouses.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Cost-to-secure-CT-courthouses-Nearly-18K-in-OT-15082815.php

CT response uncertain for ICE subpoenas on criminals

The state is considering how it will respond to federal subpoenas seeking information about three immigrants who have been convicted of crimes in Connecticut.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/CT-response-uncertain-for-ICE-subpoenas-on-15082896.php

Parent-Child Workshop- Mondays at 6:00 pm and Tuesdays at 10:15 am in March

A four week series of free workshops for parents and their 1 - 3 year old children. Meet other families, talk with librarians and child development experts as you play and read with your child.

from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1226

Kids' Winter Reading Finale- Time Traveling Party- March 7- 11:00 a.m.

Travel through time and enjoy an hour of crafts , movies and snacks. Kids ages 4 - 10 may bring their completed Winter Reading Log as an admission to the party.

from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1225

Just a Story and a Song - March 4 & 11 at 10:15 a.m.

Join us for a 30 minute all-ages story time where we'll enjoy a story or two and a song to welcome the morning.

from Newington, CT - News Flash http://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1224

Metro-North manager at Stratford train station Wednesday

A Metro-North District Manager will be on hand at Stratford Station from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday to speak with you about the station.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Metro-North-manager-at-Stratford-train-station-15082411.php

The Revolving Gun – Today in History: February 25

On February 25, 1836, Samuel Colt received a patent for a “revolving gun” US patent number 138, later known as 9430X. His improvement in fire-arm design allowed a gun to be fired multiple times without reloading. Committed to his revolutionary idea but lacking the funds to patent and produce it, young Sam Colt had tried to raise money touring Canada and the United States for three years as “a practical chemist.” Advertising himself as “Dr. Coult of New York, London and Calcutta,” Colt charged 25¢ admission to his demonstrations and lectured on the recently discovered nitrous oxide, better known as laughing gas.

from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/the-revolving-gun-today-in-history/

The Gildersleeve Shipbuilding Legacy in Portland

The town of Portland has a rich history of shipbuilding. Launching its first vessel in 1741, Portland, like many river towns in Connecticut, built numerous ships for local industries, as well as for military protection during the American Revolution and the War of 1812. Perhaps the most recognizable name in the history of Portland shipbuilding is Sylvester Gildersleeve, the man for which a large section of Portland is still named today.

Sylvester Gildersleeve from History of Middlesex County, Connecticut, with Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men by Henry Whittemore

Born on February 25, 1795, Sylvester Gildersleeve was the fifth of six children born to second-generation shipbuilder Philip Gildersleeve. Sylvester’s grandfather started the family business in 1776. When Sylvester turned 18 he entered his father’s business, then quickly relocated to the lakes region of western New York to build ships to bolster area defenses during the War of 1812.

Gildersleeve Builds Ships in Portland

Sylvester returned to Portland after the war and in 1821 began building ships under the name S. Gildersleeve & Sons. Between 1821 and 1844, the firm produced 135 vessels worth approximately $2.5 million. After purchasing a shipyard from builders Charles and David Churchill in 1828, S. Gildersleeve & Sons went on to produce some of the most famous ships in US history.

In 1836, Gildersleeve launched the schooner William Bryan, the first vessel to make regular voyages between New York and Texas. The journey proved so successful that investors established a regular New York and Galveston Line. Between 1847 and 1850, S. Gildersleeve & Sons built five ships for this line, naming them all after Texas patriots. The line continued operation right up until hostilities broke out between the North and the South in 1861.

An Early War Casualty and a Continued Legacy

One of the early victims of Civil War hostilities was the 1,400-ton S. Gildersleeve. Built in 1854, the ship, while carrying coal on a voyage to China, fell prey to an attack by the Confederate cruiser Alabama. The Gildersleeves did more than produce commercial vessels during this era, however. One of the company’s most important and substantial builds was the steam-powered gunboat Cayuga built for the US government in 1861. Three years later, the family completed work on the United States, the largest steamship in the country, weighing in at 1,600 tons.

Despite Sylvester’s death in 1886, the Gildersleeve legacy in Portland lived on. During the height of his shipbuilding operation, Sylvester opened a mattress factory, wagon shop, and general store in town. His son and grandson ensured the shipbuilding company operated well into the 20th century. Other members of his family served the town as teachers, its first postmaster, and in a variety of other occupations ensuring that when the Connecticut River flood of 1936 brought devastation to local industries—and thus an end to the Golden Age of shipbuilding in Portland—the Gildersleeve name continued to play an important role in shaping the town’s identity.

USS Gildersleeve on the launching ways, Portland, 1917. The vessel was listed as a United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation vessel in 1919 – Gildersleeve Ship Construction Company – Mystic Seaport and Connecticut History Illustrated

from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/the-gildersleeve-shipbuilding-legacy-in-portland/

Reports: Sikorsky close to landing $2.1 billion India helicopter contract

An initial outline for an India deal was reached in 2018, a Ministry of Defense official indicating a security committee has given its final approval.

from Business https://www.ctpost.com/business/article/Reports-Sikorsky-close-to-landing-2-1-billion-15082197.php

‘More potent’ storm could bring heavy rain, T-storms

The National Weather Service says “rain chances then increase again Wednesday night as another, more potent, area of low pressure approaches the region.”

from News https://www.ctpost.com/weather/article/More-potent-storm-could-bring-heavy-rain-15082190.php

Shelton man beats big odds to win $100,000

John White’s Cash 5 ticket matched five numbers in the game to win the big prize.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Shelton-man-beats-big-odds-to-win-100-000-15082108.php

Report: Hyde destroyed records, withheld devices from House investigators

The committee staffers also said the records Hyde did provide “contain significant gaps.”

from News https://www.ctpost.com/politics/article/Report-Hyde-destroyed-records-withheld-devices-15081300.php

Bridgeport police pull person from burning vehicle

“Upon arrival by Bridgeport police, they confirmed occupants inside the vehicle with the vehicle on fire. Officers proceeded to pull one occupant from the vehicle.”

from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Bridgeport-police-pull-person-from-burning-vehicle-15082069.php

CT man busted in Delaware; loaded gun, 3 pounds of pot found

After midnight, Harrington, Del. police pulled over Jovaughn Alphonse’s vehicle during a traffic stop on the South DuPont Highway.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/CT-man-busted-in-Delaware-loaded-gun-3-pounds-15082018.php

Halls Arrow Archery Tradition Carries on in Next Generation

Halls Arrow in Manchester boasts itself as the oldest indoor archery range in New England. With history like that, more than a few of the country’s best archers have taken their shot inside its walls. “It is super unique,” said Roxanne Reimann, program coordinator at the range. “I don’t know of many other places that are hidden little gems that...

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/halls-arrow-archery-tradition-carries-on-in-next-generation/2228506/

Nurse gets suspended sentence in larceny case

A Hamden nurse accused of stealing more than $100,000 from her former employer was given a suspended sentence.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Nurse-gets-suspended-sentence-in-larceny-case-15080653.php

Sen. Blumenthal takes millenial lingo test

The senior senator from Connecticut was asked to define modern colloquialisms, and didn’t get any questions right.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Sen-Blumenthal-takes-millenial-lingo-test-15080590.php

Man accused of DUI, hitting signs in Monroe

A Monroe man was arrested Saturday after allegedly hitting multiple signs and fleeing the scene.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Man-accused-of-DUI-hitting-signs-in-Monroe-15080566.php

Former Bassick basketball player sentenced to prison on drug charges

Kentwan “Thomas” Robinson who dreamed of playing basketball in college will be spending time in federal prison.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Former-Bassick-basketball-player-sentenced-to-15080418.php

Optimus Health sponsors mental health event

Author, Broadway star and Hollywood legacy Lorna Luft will speak March 5 at “Building Connections for Healthy Minds: A Symposium on Mental Health,” sponsored by Optimus Health Care and Optimus Health Foundation.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Optimus-Health-sponsors-mental-health-event-15080114.php

CT environmentalists push to ban Styrofoam food containers

The proposed bill would prohibit schools, restaurants or caterers from providing or distributing single-use containers made of expanded polystyrene to consumers.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/CT-environmentalists-push-to-ban-Styrofoam-food-15080030.php

Westport man accused of pillow assault

A Westport man was arrested Sunday after police said a verbal argument escalated into a physical assault involving a pillow.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Westport-man-accused-of-pillow-assault-15079837.php

Eversource $83M trimming program to face ‘crisis’ of dead, hazardous trees

Trees will also be trimmed along 124 miles of roads in Greenwich, 107 miles in Woodbury, 105 miles in New Milford and 101 miles in Westport.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Eversource-83M-trimming-program-to-face-15079866.php

CT fiscal issues loom as tolls debate reaches dead-end

DOT officials say nearly $2 billion per year is needed maintain the state’s overcrowded highways and bridges.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/CT-fiscal-issues-loom-as-tolls-debate-reaches-15079513.php

UConn Women Win 7th Straight AAC Title, Top UCF 66-53

UConn has taken home every conference regular-season and tournament trophy offered in the history of the American Athletic Conference. But senior Crystal Dangerfield said Saturday’s clinching 66-53 win over UCF made holding this one feel a little bit different. “We had to bear down and earn the win and in other years that hasn’t been the case,” she said. “In...

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/dog-house/uconn-women-win-7th-straight-aac-title-top-ucf-66-53/2227552/

Watch 86-Year-Old Grandmother Sink Epic Putt to Win a New Car

Happy Gilmore, meet Mary Ann. An 86-year-old grandmother stunned a crowd — and the internet — by sinking a 94-foot putt during an Ole Miss-Alabama basketball game Saturday to win a new Nissan Altima. Viral video of Mary Ann Wakefield’s hot shot across the hardwood shows the ball rolling toward its target as an announcer says, “that’s looking really good.”...

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/watch-86-year-old-grandmother-sink-epic-putt-to-win-a-new-car/2227549/

Red Cross urges blood donations

The American Red Cross is asking those of all blood types to donate blood and platelets in March, which is Red Cross Month.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Red-Cross-urges-blood-donations-15079349.php

Jackson v. Bulloch and the End of Slavery in Connecticut

by Andy Piascik

In 1784, as the American Revolution drew to a close, the new government of Connecticut passed the Gradual Abolition Act to address the issue of slavery in the state. The law freed none of the approximately 3,000 slaves in Connecticut but rather confined itself to the fate of future individuals born into servitude—the children of slaves—by stating that all such individuals born after March 1, 1784, “shall be free” upon reaching the age of 25.

Detail from Acts and Laws of the State of Connecticut, in America: Slaves, 1784 – Yale University, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Ten years after passage of the Gradual Abolition Act, the state legislature considered and rejected a bill (forthrightly entitled An Act for the Abolition of Slavery in this State, and to Provide for the Education and Maintenance of Such as Shall be Emancipated Thereby) that called for the immediate outlawing of slavery in the state. Thus it was that slavery continued in Connecticut until 1848.

Nancy Jackson

In 1837 when there were approximately 25 slaves in Connecticut, a black slave named Nancy Jackson living in Hartford petitioned the state for her freedom, claiming she was “illegally confined” by James Bulloch, a slaveowner from Georgia who lived approximately half the year in Connecticut. Bulloch brought Jackson (a slave born on his plantation in Georgia) to Hartford in 1835. Two years later, Jackson’s claim of freedom cited the Nonimportation Act, a state law passed in 1774. The law, the full name of which was the Act for Prohibiting the Importation of Indian, Negro or Molatto Slaves, stated that no slave could be “bought or imported” to be “disposed of, left or sold” within Connecticut.

Detail from Acts and Laws of the State of Connecticut, in America: Slaves, 1784 – Yale University, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Much of Jackson’s case hinged on interpretations of the simple word “left.” Bulloch claimed he was only in Hartford temporarily and intended to return to Georgia with Jackson, and therefore Jackson had not been brought to Connecticut to be “left.” Jackson’s counsel claimed that she had indeed been “left” in that she had lived in the state for two years consecutively, with no end in sight, while Bulloch traveled back and forth between Connecticut and Georgia.

Over the course of their deliberations, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled out two possible extreme interpretations of the act and its wording. First, they discarded the notion that the slave must be left permanently in the state in order to meet the law’s intent. That interpretation would have made it possible for a slaveowner to bring a slave to the state with no time limit whatsoever on when the owner and slave might leave to return from whence they came.

The court also rejected a scenario where a slave might claim freedom during a temporary stopover in the state. However repellent they found slavery, the justices viewed the granting of freedom in such cases as a possible affront to slave states and slaveowners who, the court asserted, had the right to travel through Connecticut without risk to their property, even if that property consisted of slaves.

The Court Finds For Jackson

By a 3-to-2 decision, the court eventually found for Nancy Jackson, setting her free. The two justices in the minority interpreted the law to apply only to permanent residents of the state, as opposed to temporary residents such as Bulloch. The majority, however, opined that the law did not provide for slaves to be brought to Connecticut “for any time their owners choose.” To find for Bulloch, they wrote, allowed someone to “go abroad and hire slaves and bring them to labour in the state,” reinvigorating slavery in Connecticut.

Attributed to Osbert Burr Loomis, Nancy Toney, oil on canvas, ca. 1862 – Photograph from the collection of the Loomis Chaffee School Archives, Loomis Chaffee School, Windsor, Connecticut

A year after the Jackson decision, in 1838, the Connecticut legislature increased the rights of blacks identified as fugitives. Connecticut did not abolish slavery, however, until 1848, when approximately six slaves remained in the state, including 74-year old Nancy Toney of Windsor. Study of the matter offers only incomplete records, but Toney may have been the last slave in Connecticut when she died on December 19, 1857, at the age of 83.

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/jackson-v-bulloch-and-the-end-of-slavery-in-connecticut/

Week starts off mild, then rain and very cold temperatures

It also looks like Connecticut will end the month with below average snowfall.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/weather/article/Week-starts-off-mild-then-rain-and-very-cold-15079218.php

Vital, Bouknight Lead UConn to 78-71 Win Over South Florida

UConn guard Christian Vital believes the experience of losing a lot of close games this season helped the Huskies get a win on Sunday. Vital scored 24 points and freshman James Bouknight had 16 of his 19 points in the second half to lead Connecticut past South Florida 78-71. Jalen Gaffney and Brendan Adams each added 10 points for Connecticut...

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/dog-house/vital-bouknight-lead-uconn-to-78-71-win-over-south-florida/2227468/

Kobe and Gianna Bryant Memorial: What You Need to Know

Thousands of mourners will gather in Staples Center on Monday to say farewell to Kobe and Gianna Bryant.

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/kobe-bryant-memorial-what-you-need-to-know/2227444/

Zamboni Driver, Emergency Goalie David Ayres Wins in NHL Debut

Emergency backup goalie Dave Ayres made eight saves in relief of Carolina's two injured netminders in the Hurricanes' 6-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/zamboni-driver-emergency-goalie-david-ayres-wins-in-nhl-debut/2227435/

Bridgeport Police: Some injured in five-car accident

Officials say some drivers were injured after a five-car accident on Barnum Avenue Sunday Evening.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Bridgeport-Police-Some-injured-in-five-car-15078833.php

Bridgeport: Police recover stolen vehicles, apprehend suspects

Bridgeport Police recovered two stolen vehicles and apprehended two juveniles responsible for the crime on Saturday night.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Bridgeport-Police-recover-stolen-vehicles-15078743.php

Red Cross helps Ansonia family after fire

The Red Cross is providing aid to a family after a fire damaged their home in Ansonia Sunday afternoon.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Red-Cross-helps-Ansonia-family-after-fire-15078289.php

Newman Confirms He Suffered Head Injury in Daytona 500 Crash

Ryan Newman says he suffered a head injury in his crash on the last lap of the Daytona 500 but did not disclose details

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/newman-confirms-he-suffered-head-injury-in-daytona-500-crash/2227329/

Man arrested in Bridgeport stabbing

Police were called to the 1,00th block of Park Avenue shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday, after a caller reported a fight, and said one of the people may have been stabbed.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Man-arrested-in-Bridgeport-stabbing-15078082.php

One shot in the head overnight in Bridgeport

Police found a “trail of blood” leading to a local business, where they determined the owner had taken the wounded victim to the hospital, said Appleby.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/One-shot-in-the-head-overnight-in-Bridgeport-15077971.php

Shelton school board to get Freedom of Information lesson to settle complaint

Shelton’s Board of Education has acknowledged that it violated state Freedom of Information rules at its Nov. 20 meeting and that it will do better.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Shelton-school-board-to-get-Freedom-of-15076674.php

Black History Month – Marian Anderson

By Anne Farrow

In a month when the achievements of black Americans receive particular focus, the life of long-time Connecticut resident Marian Anderson holds lessons for us still. Considered one of the great singers of the 20th century–and her life spanned nearly the entire century–Anderson was an artist who did not seek to become a symbol of civil rights, yet the times and her country made her so.

Born into modest circumstances in South Philadelphia, Anderson’s astonishing contralto voice was recognized in her family’s Baptist church, though she did not begin her formal training until she was 15. In her 1956 autobiography, My Lord, What a Morning, she recounts, without rancor, the prejudice she encountered even as her fame and career grew. She performed in concert halls where blacks could not be seated, traveled to performances in segregated Jim Crow railroad cars and endured humiliations and rejections by white society.

Marian Anderson – Hartford History Center, Hartford Public Library and Connecticut History Illustrated

But a triumphant European tour, made in her 20s, awoke the wider world to her great talent, and she returned to the United States a star. Conductor Arturo Toscanini said she had a voice such as one hears once in a century, and her repertoire of both classical music and the spirituals sung by her ancestors created a huge demand for her performances.

Yet the moment that made her a symbol for the ages came in 1939, when the Daughters of the American Revolution refused to grant her permission to sing a program in Constitution Hall, which the DAR owned. In the national outrage that followed, Eleanor Roosevelt surrendered her membership in the DAR, Miss Anderson’s artistry and color became a national debate, and it was arranged for Anderson to sing at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. On Easter Sunday in 1939, an estimated 75,000 crowded onto the Washington Mall to hear her, and a radio audience in the millions heard Anderson sing a short program of Schubert and spirituals. “There seemed to be people as far as the eye could see,” she recalled.

A few years earlier, Anderson and her husband, architect Orpheus “King” Fisher, had begun looking for a property in the country, someplace where they could enjoy peace and privacy and she could have a garden. They looked around New England and Long Island, but settled on Connecticut, and bought an old farm in Danbury in 1940. It wasn’t exactly what they wanted, so a few years later Fisher designed a home for them on a large property across the street, and they called their compound Marianna Farm. Fisher lived there until his death in 1986, and Anderson lived there until a year before her death in 1993.

As a child, Marian Anderson had worried about disturbing family and neighbors during her vocal rehearsals. Her husband built her a free-standing vaulted studio on their property, so she could practice her music without fear of being overheard. That studio, which is a site on the Connecticut Freedom Trail, was donated to the Danbury Museum and Historical Society and now visitors to the museum can see where a great artist sang freely.

Anne Farrow is the co-author of Complicity: How the North Promoted, Prolonged, and Profited from Slavery and is at work on a new book about slavery to be published by Wesleyan University Press.

YouTube – Marian Anderson Sings at Lincoln Memorial

from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/black-history-month-marian-anderson/

Fury Wins WBC Heavyweight Title After Wilder’s Corner Throws in Towel

Tyson Fury is a heavyweight champion once again, dominating Deontay Wilder in their title rematch Saturday night before Wilder’s corner threw in the towel in the seventh round.

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/tyson-fury-wins-heavyweight-title-in-stunning-stoppage-of-deontay-wilder/2227205/

Bridgeport cop suffers minor injuries in crash

Bridgeport police say the officer was on her way to help another officer with a call when a driver went through a stop sign and crashed into her.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Bridgeport-cop-suffers-minor-injuries-in-crash-15076661.php

NASCAR Had Paramedic in Newman’s Car 35 Seconds After Crash

NASCAR says a paramedic was inside Ryan Newman's upside-down race car 35 seconds after it came to rest on its roof on the final lap of the Daytona 500

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/ascar-had-paramedic-in-newmans-car-35-seconds-after-crash/2227121/

In Photos: Blanket making for kids with cancer

The Binky Patrol works to make fleece tie blankets for childhood cancer fighters and other critically ill kids.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/In-Photos-Blanket-making-for-kids-with-cancer-15076365.php

Q&A: Things to Know About Tokyo Olympics and Spreading Virus

The Tokyo Olympics open in five months on July 24

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/a-things-to-know-about-tokyo-olympics-and-spreading-virus/2227057/

Abraham Ribicoff dies – Today in History: February 22

On February 22, 1998, Abraham Ribicoff died. An American Democratic Party politician, Ribicoff served as Connecticut governor, a member of Congress and the United States Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to the John F. Kennedy administration.

Born in 1910 in New Britain to Jewish immigrant parents from Poland, Ribicoff attended local schools and, after graduation, worked in a New Britain buckle and zipper factory. Later, he attended New York University and then the University of Chicago where he received a law degree. Back in Connecticut, he practiced law and became involved in politics. Ribicoff served as a member of the state legislature from 1938 to 1942, was a member of the US House of Representatives from 1949 to 1953, served as the state’s 80th governor from 1955 to 1961 and was in President Kennedy’s cabinet in 1961 and 1962. He became a state senator in 1962 and served there until 1981.

In his public years, Ribicoff advocated for automobile safety and allied with Ralph Nader in creating the Motor Vehicle Highway Safety Act of 1966. In the years following his senate seat, he practiced law in New York City. He was, and remains, the only Jewish governor in Connecticut’s history.

from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/abraham-ribicoff-dies-today-in-history-2/

First Basketball Olympic Gold Medal Up for Auction

Bill Dennis remembers the stories his father-in-law Bill Wheatley would tell about playing in the 1936 Olympics.

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/first-basketball-olympic-gold-medal-auction/2227010/

World Cup Champion Women Pushed: Could They Beat German Men?

Deposition excerpts in the lawsuit by American women's soccer players against the U.S. Soccer Federation reveal lawyers for the governing body questioned the athletes about the distinction between their game and that of the men.

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/world-cup-champion-women-equal-pay/2226997/

State may boost penalties for ‘revenge porn’

An identical bill passed the Senate almost unanimously last session, but died on the calendar in the House.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/politics/article/State-may-boost-penalties-for-revenge-porn-15075345.php

Funds pouring in for survivor of deadly Shelton crash

One of the survivors of a deadly crash in Shelton earlier this month is being supported by the community through an online fundraiser.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Funds-pouring-in-for-survivor-of-deadly-Shelton-15075371.php

Feds: Former Greenwich cop provided guns to felon

The former Greenwich cop provided guns to a person who he knew to be a convicted felon, authorities said.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Feds-Former-Greenwich-cop-provided-guns-to-felon-15075148.php

Police: Collection of guns, ammo found at CT man’s home

State police are asking for the public’s help to track down the man who had more than 30 guns seized from his Bolton home on Thursday.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Police-Collection-of-guns-ammo-found-at-CT-15074719.php

Held for evidence in dog fighting ring, Udon up for adoption in Fairfield

Udon, who was one of 28 dogs seized when a dog fighting ring was busted, is being fostered in Fairfield and is ready for adoption.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Held-for-evidence-in-dog-fighting-ring-Udon-up-15074635.php

Himes: Trump’s treatment of intelligence chief puts nation in ‘very, very bad place’

U.S. Rep. Jim Himes said the president’s actions could inhibit members of the U.S. intelligence committee from reporting accurate information and threat assessments.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Himes-Trump-s-treatment-of-intelligence-chief-15074551.php

Norwalk man gets 55 years for killing best friend in Bridgeport

Deondre Bowden was sentenced Friday to 55 years in prison for fatally shooting a New Haven man in Bridgeport in 2017.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Norwalk-man-gets-55-years-for-killing-best-friend-15074129.php

Wrestler Adds to Abuse Allegations Against University Doctor

An Olympic wrestler is accusing a University of Michigan doctor of touching him inappropriately during medical exams at the school

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/wrestler-adds-to-abuse-allegations-university-michigan-doctor/2226734/

Cows on the loose in North Stonington

Connecticut State Police did a prime job corralling some cows clogging the road in North Stonington on Friday.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Cows-on-the-loose-in-North-Stonington-15073890.php

Cops: Westport man allowed prostitution in housing authority unit

Cops: Richard Lepkowski had been managing the victim in prostitution for approximately a month and a half while she had been living with him.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Cops-Westport-man-allowed-prostitution-in-15073741.php

CT keeping statute of limitations for sex assaults ‘devastating’ for survivors

The Judiciary Committee has no plans to raise legislation that would eliminate the civil statute of limitations for sexual assault.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/CT-keeping-statute-of-limitations-for-sex-15073617.php

Democrats renew push to extend voting rights in Connecticut

Secretary of State Denise Merrill is pushing for legislation that would extend voting rights to parolees and expand election-day registration.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Democrats-renew-push-to-extend-voting-rights-in-15073531.php

Feds: CT aide billed Medicaid after ending care for disabled man

Adrieonna Fisher, 26, of Grilleytown Road, was arrested Thursday by inspectors from the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Feds-CT-aide-billed-Medicaid-after-ending-care-15073569.php

Malcolm X in Hartford: “Our Mission is Not Violence but Freedom”

By Steve Thornton

On a warm summer day in 1955, 15 domestic workers—maids, cooks, and chauffeurs—packed into a small apartment in a Hartford public housing project. It was a Thursday, the one day of the week their employers granted them time off. They came to hear a trim young man, 30 years old, dressed in a coat and tie. He was Malcolm X, formerly Malcolm Little, a small-time criminal who remade himself into a minister for the Nation of Islam (NOI). Malcolm had just established a house of worship in Springfield, Massachusetts. He was about to do the same in Atlanta, Georgia. But he stopped in Hartford because a woman who traveled to hear Malcolm speak in Springfield was so impressed that she invited him to speak in her city. This he did, talking to working-class members of the black community who made up the majority of the NOI around the country.

Romero, Rachael, Designer, and Wilfred Owen Brigade. Malcolm X, poster, 1976 – Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division

The Nation of Islam Organizes in Hartford

The Hartford NOI group soon grew to 40 people, and by 1956, Malcolm X founded Temple No. 14 in the city’s north end at 2118 Main Street. He spoke to new recruits about the religious tenets of the NOI, but his topics also extended to the international stage and the organic links between black populations everywhere: “The Black man is rising up all over the world and now countries are starting to think before starting a war,” he told the mosque crowd.

Many of the uprisings about which he spoke took place in Africa, in places such as Ethiopia, Kenya, and Algeria. Malcolm wove the stories of black struggles against white racism at home with the fight against white colonialism abroad.

He returned to Hartford at least twice in January 1957. By this time, the FBI and its local office in New Haven tracked and recorded his every move.

Temple 14 moved to 1097 Main Street, where Malcolm spoke again in August, 1959: “We do not advocate violence but we do not turn the other cheek either,” he told his listeners. “When you kill a snake, that is not hate. You are merely protecting yourself.” The next month he narrated a home movie about his first trip to Africa for the Hartford temple members.

All during this period police and federal agents tailed Malcolm, and Malcolm knew it. In answer to a question about the Vietnam draft, the controversial leader replied that he would not tell anyone to become a conscientious objector because he knew the government was listening. He would, however, personally refuse to be drafted.

Malcolm X Tours Connecticut Universities

Although Malcolm X spent a lot of time in Hartford, he also accepted invitations to speak at Connecticut college campuses. He addressed Wesleyan University in February of 1962. An informant reported “there was no disorder whatsoever and he was well-received by the students.” He also received an invitation to speak at the University of Bridgeport.

Listening to Malcolm X was often a transforming moment for African Americans, and sometimes for whites as well. It was on June 5, 1963, that Malcolm spoke to his largest Hartford crowd, 800 people at the Bushnell Memorial Hall. The University of Hartford sponsored the event. According to African American writer J. K. Obatala, the speech inspired him to travel to Ghana, his ancestral homeland. “It takes a trip to Africa to realize how American we are,” Obatala wrote.

For this trip Malcolm stayed at the home of Thomas J. X., leader of the Hartford mosque. Newspaper reporter Don Noel spoke to Malcolm by phone at the local minister’s home. Noel later wrote that he preferred Dr. Martin Luther King’s approach to end racism, “but social change is often made meaningful because firebrands insist that problems not be swept under a rug of good feelings.” (Noel’s liberal view contrasted with a newspaper’s obituary for Malcolm in 1965, which called him “the prophet of race war and violence.”)

Halftone poster of Malcolm X by Personality Posters, ca. 1967 – National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Only four months later, on October 29, Malcolm X spoke to 700 at the University of Hartford. The speech was moved outside to accommodate the overflow crowd. It was a chilly autumn afternoon, which inspired Malcolm to quip “maybe what I say will make you hot.” In contrast, a representative of Dr. King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conferene (SCLC) gave a talk that same day which attracted only 30 people.

In 1963 the freedom struggle was indeed burning hot; racist forces in the South carried on a terror campaign of intimidation and violence. Hartford reporters, however, seemed more interested at the time in Malcolm’s disagreements with other national black leaders. Malcolm warned of “racial bloodshed” that was coming to America. He was assassinated in Harlem on February 21, 1965, three months before his 40th birthday.

Most of white America did not know what to make of Malcolm X during his rise to prominence, except often to fear him. During his short life, he challenged the racist political, economic, and cultural institutions of the United States. Like Nat Turner before him and the Black Panthers after his death, Malcolm defied all the stereotypes of how oppressed people behaved in the quest for liberation.

Steve Thornton is a retired union organizer who writes for the Shoeleather History Project

from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/malcolm-x-in-hartford-our-mission-is-not-violence-but-freedom/

Fire and Ice: A Very Bad Week in 1914

By Bethany Gallant for Your Public Media

Hartford’s Union Station, completed in 1889, acts as downtown’s western boundary and is the visual transition point between the business district and the residential neighborhood of Asylum Hill. The station originally operated for multiple railways including the Hartford and New Haven Railroad, Hartford and Connecticut Valley Railroad, Central New England Railway, and the New York and New England Railroad.

Union Station: Ladder work on Union Place. Photograph, 1914. Firemen on ladders combat smoke pouring from the roof – Connecticut Historical Society, Horace B. Clark Collection

Debris in front of Allyn Hall. Photograph, 1914. At this point the fire is under control – Connecticut Historical Society, Horace B. Clark Collection

Allyn Hall after fall of front wall. Photograph, 1914. Hose lines leading to the water tower are buried under fallen debris – Connecticut Historical Society, Horace B. Clark Collection

On February 21, 1914, a cold, snow-covered afternoon, a fire broke out at the north end of the station, in an area which held passenger baggage as well as freight and mail to be transported. Deep snow in the streets delayed the fire trucks rushing to the scene. A series of small explosions occurred while firefighters were battling the blaze, presumably from gas provisions in storage. Local newspapers reported that firefighter William Kane was injured from the resulting blasts. Two larger explosions lifted off a large portion of the roof and caused the waiting room ceiling to crumble. The newspaper stands and ticket and other offices were completely crushed by the collapsing roof. Images of the building after the fire reveal debris and rubble everywhere and fire ravaged walls. The estimated monetary loss at the time was $250,000. The structure was rebuilt and still runs and operates to this day. The current building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

The Allyn Hall Fire, commonly referred to as the “Auditorium Fire” or the “Happy Hour Fire,” occurred less than a week later on February 26, 1914. The auditorium, which opened in 1856, hosted many political gatherings as well as theatrical events. The building also housed a restaurant, offices, and a movie theater, which had begun showing “moving pictures” in 1909.

The first fire alarm was sounded at 12:21 pm. The fire originated in the rear of the store of the G.W. Fuller Co. on the ground floor. Fire trucks and firefighters struggled through snow to respond to the fire, which quickly spread to the north end of the building. Parts of the upper floors fell into the street, littering rubble and debris. Smoke poured from the windows and the roof of the commercial block containing the theater and other stores. The fire department’s new water tower was used to combat the height of the fire, reducing the flames considerably. Following the fire, the historic old building was so badly damaged it had to be demolished. Today the XL Center, which occupies the same block on Asylum Street, offers sporting events, concerts, and other forms of entertainment.

Bethany Gallant, a volunteer at the Connecticut Historical Society, is Exhibition Coordinator for Eastern Connecticut State University’s Visual Arts Department and plans to complete her Master’s degree in Education with Certification in May 2013, also at ECSU.

© Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network and Connecticut Historical Society. All rights reserved. This article originally appeared on Your Public Media.

from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/fire-and-ice-a-very-bad-week-in-1914/

Junco bird suffers head trauma in Monroe

The Monroe Police Department said a man reported finding a bird injured in his driveway on Valentine’s Day.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Junco-suffers-head-trauma-Monroe-15073294.php

Quiet weather will cause no problems this weekend

With a cold air mass in place, temperatures will remain 5 to 10 degrees below normal.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/weather/article/Quiet-weather-will-cause-no-problems-this-weekend-15073303.php

Overturned vehicle closes lane on I-95

The accident reported at 7:48 a.m., has closed the right lane between Exits 8 and 9.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Overturned-vehicle-closes-lane-on-I-95-15073275.php

Marine One gets $471M ‘go’ order for Sikorsky in Stratford

The VH-92A is derived from the Sikorsky S-92 helicopter, and will replace VH-3D Sea King and VH-60N White Hawk helicopters used to transport the president.

from Business https://www.ctpost.com/business/article/Marine-One-gets-471M-go-order-for-Sikorsky-15073189.php

China Plays ‘Home’ Olympic Qualifier in Sydney Due to Virus

The Asian Football Confederation says China's scheduled home match against South Korea in the final round of qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics will be held in Sydney due to concern over the China virus.

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/china-plays-home-olympic-qualifier-in-sydney-due-to-virus/2226570/

Scott, Pierre-Louis Help Temple Beat UConn 93-89 In 2OT

Monty Scott scored 25 points and Nate Pierre-Louis added 23 points, both of which were career-highs, to help Temple to a 93-89 double-overtime win over UConn on Thursday night. Quinton Rose added 15 points and Alani Moore II scored 14 for the Owls (14-12, 6-7 American Athletic Conference). Christian Vital tallied 21 points and Isaiah Whaley had 18 points and...

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/dog-house/scott-pierre-louis-help-temple-beat-uconn-93-89-in-2ot/2226529/

Feds: Bridgeport man pleads guilty to child enticement offense

A former bus driver for Wallingford students will serve years in prison after pleading guilty in federal court to a child enticement offense.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Feds-Bridgeport-man-pleads-guilty-to-child-15072386.php

Mass. Teens With Rare Disease to Play in 2021 Power Soccer World Cup

Troy and Andrew Chauppetta, 24-year-olds with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, qualified to play power soccer with Team USA in the 2021 World Cup in Australia.

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/massachusetts-twins-team-usa-power-soccer/2226464/

Trial begins for Stratford woman who sued Yale doctor for lack of consent

A Stratford woman claims a former Yale University doctor didn’t get her consent before performing a procedure on her.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Trial-begins-for-Stratford-woman-who-sued-Yale-15072078.php

Legislature unlikely to eliminate civil statute of limitations for sex abuse

“We trusted these institutions, including churches, community groups and people, and they’ve let us down.”

from News https://www.ctpost.com/politics/article/Legislature-unlikely-to-eliminate-civil-statute-15072024.php

Wilton man charged with stalking Bridgeport teen

A Wilton man was arrested after being accused of stalking a 15-year-old Bridgeport girl, police said.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Wilton-man-charged-with-stalking-Bridgeport-teen-15071904.php

NFL Owners Approve Negotiated Terms for New Labor Agreement

NFL owners voted to accept the negotiated terms for a new collective bargaining agreement

from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/fl-owners-approve-negotiated-terms-for-new-labor-agreement/2226393/

‘I pray for justice,’ says slain teen’s mom as family pursues lawsuit against state trooper

The family of Mubarak Soulemane, who was shot to death last month by a state trooper, demanded justice during a press conference Thursday in Bridgeport.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Family-of-teen-slain-by-state-trooper-demands-15071593.php

Beware of owls in Monroe

An owl was hit by a car and killed in Monroe Tuesday — the second owl to be struck and killed in town in the space of two weeks.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Beware-of-owls-in-Monroe-15071667.php

Fairfield gun manufacturer’s sales down significantly in 2019

Sturm Ruger has seen pressure across multiple fronts for its business, including a bankrupt distributor that held a fire-sale of remaining inventory at discount prices.

from Business https://www.ctpost.com/business/article/Fairfield-gun-manufacturer-s-sales-down-15070758.php

Nine new flu deaths in state

A total of 49 deaths in the state have been linked to the flu this season, according to the state Department of Public Health.

from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Nine-new-flu-deaths-in-state-15070800.php

Blotter: Traveling too fast for conditions in Norwalk

Feb 19

A 21-year-old Coldspring Street man, was charged with traveling too fast for conditions. He was given a court date of March 6.

A 79-year-old Wolfpit Avenue man, was charged with following too closely. He was given a court date of Feb. 28.

A 38-year-old Underhill Street man, was charged with failure to obey traffic signals. He was given a court date of March 6.

A 57-year-old Aiken Street man was charged with operating an unregistered motor vehicle. He was given a court date of Feb. 28.

A 65-year-old Plattsville Avenue man was charged with failure to obey a traffic signal. He was given a court date of March 6.

A 56-year-old New Haven woman was charged with traveling too fast for conditions. She was given a court date of March 6.

A 42-year-old Nordan Place man was charged with with traveling too fast for conditions. He was given a court date of March 6.

A 32-year-old Lowe Street man was charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian and operating a motor vehicle without a license. He was given a court date of March 6.

A 48-year-old Horton Street woman was charged with failure to obey a traffic signal. She was given a March court date.

Feb. 18

A 39-year-old Ferris Avenue man was charged with a violation in a school zone. He was given a court date of March 6.

A 38-year-old Bartlett Avenue woman was charged with failure to obey traffic signals. She was given a court date of March 6.

A 30-year-old Laura Street woman was charged with two counts of failure to drive in the proper lane. She was given a court date of March 6.

A 52-year-old Stamford woman was charged with failure to drive in the proper...

from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Blotter-Traveling-too-fast-for-conditions-in-15070797.php