Minor League Baseball cancelled the 2020 season on Tuesday amid challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic ending the season for the Hartford Yard Goats before it had a chance to get started. Major League Baseball informed MiLB that it will not provide its affiliated minor league teams with players for this season, a press release said. “As a result, there...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/coronavirus/minor-league-baseball-cancels-2020-season-amid-covid-19-pandemic-yard-goats-season-canceled/2295760/
Tuesday, June 30, 2020
Stratford zoning board member sworn in after special election canceled
Lorenzo Elder’s term will expire in 2022 — though his time on the board could end sooner if he runs successfully for Town Council.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Stratford-zoning-board-member-sworn-in-after-15377552.php
Rain brings flooding to Bridgeport
Tuesday’s rainfall proved busy for the city’s first responders, who were dispatched to a slew of weather-related calls for service, according to city officials.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/weather/article/Rain-brings-flooding-to-Bridgeport-15377609.php
Feds: N.Y. man made anti-Semitic death threats to Stratford man
A New York resident faces federal charges after he allegedly made anti-Semitic death threats to a Stratford resident, according to authorities.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Feds-N-Y-man-made-anti-Semitic-death-threats-to-15377456.php
Judges Question Warrants in Kraft Massage Parlor Sex Case
A Florida appeals court is questioning the legality of police video recording that show New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft receiving massage parlor sex he allegedly paid for
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/judges-question-warrants-in-kraft-massage-parlor-sex-case/2295786/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/judges-question-warrants-in-kraft-massage-parlor-sex-case/2295786/
Troopers announce increased July Fourth weekend patrols
Already, state police have seen an increase in the number of vehicles on the highways.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Troopers-announce-increased-July-Fourth-weekend-15376860.php
COVID travel advisory requiring quarantine in CT doubles to 16 states
As coronavirus cases continue to rise across the country, the number of states on the list for mandatory quarantines in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut is at 16.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/Tri-state-COVID-travel-advisory-doubles-to-16-15376675.php
Virtual Made in CT- Labyrinth Brewing Company- Monday, July 13 at 6:30 pm
Join us for a live virtual Made in Connecticut program with Adam Delaura, co-owner of Labyrinth Brewing Company in Manchester, CT who will talk about his craft brewery and the business of beer making. Registration is required.
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1391
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1391
Travelers Championship to Help Fund Police Training Initiative
The Travelers Championship is giving some of the money raised by last week’s golf tournament in Connecticut to help create a program to train police in how to deal with teens and young adults, especially in Black and racially diverse communities. The tournament and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving announced Tuesday they are teaming to provide $300,000 over two...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/travelers-championship-to-help-fund-police-training-initiative/2295633/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/travelers-championship-to-help-fund-police-training-initiative/2295633/
Westport police: Man performed lewd act while asking for directions
The female fled and the suspect left traveling northbound towards the Minute Man statue
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Westport-police-Man-performed-lewd-act-while-15376538.php
Will college students return to campus? Schools face financial uncertainty due to coronavirus
Connecticut colleges face many questions as they prepare for the fall semester, including whether students will tolerate the socially-distanced, online-dominated, yet-still-expensive experience.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/Will-college-students-return-to-campus-Schools-15376198.php
Pavement repairs planned on 5-mile stretch of Route 25
Starting Monday, a three-month pavement preservation project will be done on Route 25 northbound and southbound in Trumbull.
The state Department of Transportation said the project consists “of full-depth, concrete pavement roadway repairs” on a 5-mile segment of Route 25.
This work is scheduled to begin on Monday, July 6 and continue through Friday, Oct. 16.
Lane closure information
Motorists can expect various lane closures on Route 25 northbound and southbound between Exit 6 (Old Town Road) and Route 111 (Monroe Turnpike) in Trumbull.
Traffic control devices and signing patterns will be utilized to guide motorists through the work zone. The regular work schedule for this project is from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. (northbound) and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (southbound), Monday through Friday.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Pavement-repairs-planned-on-5-mile-stretch-of-15376252.php
AAA: Demand for gas rises, CT prices 70 cents lower than last year
In Connecticut, the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline is $2.166.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/AAA-Demand-for-gas-rises-CT-prices-70-cents-15376052.php
Allergies or coronavirus? Health experts say symptoms could be similar
Some seasonal allergy sufferers have been wondering whether the symptoms they have been experiencing are COVID-19.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/Allergies-or-coronavirus-Health-experts-say-15376100.php
Milford cops: 3 shoplifted $800 in goods from Boscov’s
All were charged with sixth-degree larceny and conspiracy.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Milford-cops-3-shoplifted-800-in-goods-from-15376122.php
Last day for ‘free’ plastic bags in CT stores
Today is the last day, Connecticut stores will be providing free plastic bags.
That’s because the temporary suspension of Connecticut's single-use plastic bag fee, originally implemented by Executive Order on March 26, is set to expire on Tuesday.
Retailers should prepare to resume collection of the state-level plastic bag fee on Wednesday - July 1.
The Department of Revenue Services says any Connecticut retailer that provides plastic bags to its customers in connection with a sale of goods is required to collect the plastic bag fee.
The plastic bag fee, which applies statewide at the rate of 10 cents for each single-use plastic bag, is collected by retailers and remitted to DRS on their state sales and use tax return.
As it has throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection strongly encourages state residents who use reusable bags for shopping to continue to do so.
Over the past year, Connecticut shoppers have overwhelmingly embraced the use of reusable shopping bags, which helps reduce plastic waste that harms the environment.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Last-day-for-free-plastic-bags-in-CT-stores-15376108.php
On Monday, T-storms gave 1 CT town month’s worth of rain
According to the Community Collaborative Rain Hail and Snow Network, East Lyme had 3.94 inches of rain - the highest total in the state
from News https://www.ctpost.com/weather/article/On-Monday-T-storms-gave-1-CT-town-month-s-15375974.php
Furniture Caster Patented – Today in History: June 30
P.E. & J.A. Blake, Caster, patent number 821, June 30, 1838
On June 30, 1838, the US patent No. 821—the first for a furniture caster—was granted to the Blake Brothers of New Haven. The brothers, Eli Whitney Blake, Philos Blake, and John Blake, all nephews of Eli Whitney, established the hardware casting and furnace works in 1835. Located in the Westville section of New Haven, the company manufactured door locks, latches, hinges, and other articles of domestic hardware—many of which were eventually patented. The most celebrated of the brothers’ inventions were their mortised locks, Philos’ corkscrew, and Eli’s stone crusher for macadamized roads. Eli and Philos Blake had gained invaluable civil and mechanical engineering skills working at the Whitney Armory, their uncle’s arms factory, which they continued to run for 10 years after Whitney’s death.
The caster patent was the first in the US for a furniture caster and was submitted as an “improvement in the mode of constructing casters and applying them to bedsteads.” The improvements to the caster included how the caster was inserted or supported in the leg of a piece of furniture so that it could be easily adjusted or removed.
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/furniture-caster-patented-today-in-history-june-30/
Deadly Fire at Gulliver’s – Today in History: June 30
In the early morning hours of June 30, 1974, a rock group called Creation was blaring away when the first wisps of acrid smoke drifted into Gulliver’s, a nightclub that straddled the Port Chester, New York, and Greenwich, Connecticut border. Then, according to one of the survivors, “smoke came in really quickly and there was almost a stampede for the stairway.”
Two Greenwich police, investigating a burglary at a store across the parking lot, saw smoke and called in the alarm. Three hundred firefighters from New York and Connecticut, including central Greenwich, Sound Beach, Cos Cob, and Byram, responded. But, by the time the firefighters arrived, the building was engulfed in flames; the heat and smoke were so intense that it was almost impossible to enter the building even with air packs. Also on scene were ambulances from central Greenwich, Byram, Glenville, Cos Cob, and Old Greenwich. The Greenwich chapter of the American Red Cross sent an emergency unit with a fully trained Red Cross first aid disaster team as well as a canteen service to provide food and coffee. Red Cross cars and drivers with a social worker were alerted to provide transportation for parents of the young club goers if needed.
The fire at Gulliver’s was the deadliest dance club fire in the United States in more than a generation. Killing 24 people, mostly from smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning, it called attention to the dangers of herding young people into windowless underground rooms without smoke alarms, sprinklers, fire-resistant walls, or limits on occupancy. Gulliver’s had passed inspection on May 8—everything legally required had been done, but as a New York Times reporter said, “that was certainly not enough…With 24 young people needlessly dead, law and technology cannot be so powerless.” In the aftermath, some municipalities put safeguards against fires into effect, but, sadly, it would take future tragedies of a similar nature to inspire statewide legislation.
Karen Frederick, Curator and Exhibitions Coordinator, and Anne Young, former Curator of Library and Archives, of the Greenwich Historical Society contributed this article and co-curated the exhibition Everyday Heroes: Greenwich First Responders (September 14 through August 26, 2012) from which it is derived.
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/deadly-fire-at-gullivers-today-in-history/
Roster Shuffle: Plans Change in MLB Because of Health Issues
Players like Rockies outfielder Ian Desmond and Nationals slugger Ryan Zimmerman say they're opting out of the upcoming 60-game season.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/roster-shuffle-plans-change-in-mlb-because-of-health-issues/2295489/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/roster-shuffle-plans-change-in-mlb-because-of-health-issues/2295489/
Monday, June 29, 2020
Car crashes into a pole, closes Boston Avenue in Bridgeport
BRIDGEPORT — Boston Avenue is closed to eastbound traffic after a car crashed into a pole Monday night, according to police.
The crash happened around 8:50 p.m. near the intersection of Boston Avenue and Helen Street.
Police said the condition of the driver is unknown.
Boston Avenue will be closed, starting at Pembroke Street, as police continue their investigation.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Car-crashes-into-a-pole-closes-Boston-Avenue-in-15375342.php
Surging COVID cases in other states could delay CT reopening plan
Lamont is considering data from other states, as well as testing data in Connecticut, to make decisions about how the state will move forward with its reopening plan.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/Surging-COVID-cases-in-other-states-could-delay-15375254.php
GOP chair: Cancel culture should apply to Democratic Party
J.R. Romano calls on Democrats to change their party name due to a racist past; Democrats retort that Republicans should examine their present.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/politics/article/GOP-chair-Cancel-culture-should-apply-to-15375263.php
Pandemic creates new challenges for disabled
Nearly one in four Americans lives with some form of disability, whether physical, intellectual or behavioral. The obstacles many face on a routine basis— especially isolation and inadequate access to services — have been compounded by both the pandemic-associated shutdowns and the ongoing reopening.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Pandemic-creates-new-challenges-for-disabled-15375104.php
Big E cancelled for first time since WWII over coronavirus concerns
The Big E Fair has been cancelled for only the third time in its 103-year history.
Organizers of the Eastern States Exposition cited health concerns related to the coronavirus as the reason for cancelling the New England staple in an announcement on their website on Monday afternoon.
“Please know that this decision was not made lightly. In fact, it was one of the hardest decisions we, as an organization, have had to make in modern times,” read the statement. “The Big E Fair is so much more than just a fair, it is tradition, it is celebration, it is the showcase of everything we are so proud of in New England. This is why our hearts are heavy as we bring you this news.”
A record 1,629,527 people attended The Big E fair in 2019, according to MassLive.
The only other times that the Big E was canceled in the past were during World War I and World War II.
“We know our faithful fairgoers will be disappointed. This decision was difficult and complex but we all know in our hearts that it’s the right thing to do for the health and safety of the 1.6 million people who support us each year,” the statement said.
The fair had been scheduled to run from Sept. 18 to Oct. 4 this year.
For information on refunds, visit the Big E website.
Organizers said that the fair is expected to return next year.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Big-E-cancelled-for-first-time-since-WWII-15374891.php
Police: Derby teen charged in drive-by shooting at Bridgeport murder memorial
A Derby teenager has been charged with shooting at mourners at the memorial for a murdered teenager in Bridgeport.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Police-Derby-teen-charged-in-drive-by-shooting-15374661.php
State releases details: Here’s what school will look like come fall
Days after announcing a plan to reopen school full time in the fall, state officials on Monday afternoon released a 50-page guideline they are calling a road-map with guardrails.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/State-releases-details-Here-s-what-school-will-15374521.php
NWS: Thunderstorms with hail headed to Fairfield, New Haven counties
A severe thunderstorm with “quarter-size” hail could be headed to central Fairfield and New Haven counties Monday afternoon.
The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook throughout southern Connecticut. The advisory is in effect until 4 p.m. on Monday.
The storm was last spotted in Naugatuck around 3:05 p.m. and heading southeast, the NWS said.
“Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle,” the NWS said in its advisory.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/NWS-Thunderstorms-with-hail-headed-to-Fairfield-15374531.php
Bridgeport police: Man injured in a shooting
BRIDGEPORT — A man was shot in Bridgeport on Monday afternoon, according to police.
Scott Appleby, Bridgeport's Director of Emergency Management & Homeland Security, said the man suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the shooting.
Appleby did not say where the shooting occurred in Bridgeport.
Police were alerted to the incident when the victim drove up to an officer in the area of Fairfield and Railroad avenues around noon.
Appleby said the victim so far has not been cooperative with police.
Police are still investigating the incident.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Bridgeport-police-Man-injured-in-a-shooting-15374568.php
JULY TAXES ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE TUESDAY, JUNE 30
SAVE TIME BY CHECKING OUT OUR ON-LINE PAYMENT FEATURE
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1390
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1390
Is CT passing on chance to tackle housing segregation?
Gov. Ned Lamont and legislative leaders shelved a raft of proposals that could spur more affordable housing. When they return, their focus will be on police accountability.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Is-CT-passing-on-chance-to-tackle-housing-15374171.php
Lamont extends ban on tenant evictions until the end of August
$33 million plan to help stabilize CT’s housing industry will include the emergency prohibitions on tenant evictions through August.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/Lamont-extends-ban-on-tenant-evictions-until-the-15374023.php
Former Presidents Unite to Pay Tribute to 100th Anniversary of Negro Leagues
Former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama are among those who are tipping their caps in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Negro Leagues.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/former-presidents-unite-to-pay-tribute-to-100th-anniversary-of-negro-leagues/2295074/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/former-presidents-unite-to-pay-tribute-to-100th-anniversary-of-negro-leagues/2295074/
Former Trumbull police officer ordered to stay away from teenager after sexual assault allegations
A former Trumbull police officer, facing new sex assault charges, was ordered to stay away from the alleged teenaged victim.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Former-Trumbull-police-officer-ordered-to-stay-15373896.php
CDC: More people at risk of coronavirus complications
Connecticut health experts say the CDC’s expanded list of guidelines for people at greatest risk for COVID-19 is long overdue.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/CDC-More-people-at-risk-of-coronavirus-15373492.php
Despite empty galleries, Traveler charity coffers fill with $1.6M
Since Travelers assumed sponsorship in 2007 of the TPC River Highlands tournament in Cromwell, the Travelers Championship has generated more than $20 million for charity.
from Business https://www.ctpost.com/business/article/Despite-empty-galleries-Traveler-charity-coffers-15373253.php
Connecticut Attorney General John H. Light and His Fight for Woman’s Suffrage
By Kathleen Motes Bennewitz
Attorney General John H. Light never hesitated to share his opinion on the “woman question.” In fact, he used his visibility and influence to defend the justice of equal suffrage for women in the final push for the 19th Amendment. A court attorney by training, Light was a giant among state orators—a quality underscored by his powerful, melodious, and resonant voice, a face that bore a frank yet fearless expression, and his six-foot frame. In 1911, The Norwalk Hour described Light as having always stood for progress and that “women who believe in suffrage are fortunate in such a champion.” Yet, Light’s contributions to the Connecticut Woman’s Suffrage Association’s (CWSA) fight for political equality, like that of other notable “suffragents,” received little or no mention in official biographies.
A Farmer’s Political Rise
John Henry Light was born in 1855 in Carmel, New York. His father Belden was a farmer known for his firmness, energy, and loyalty, and his mother Ann for her great strength of character. One of eleven siblings and five half-siblings, John attended school when not working on the Somers, New York family farm. In 1880, he graduated from Chamberlain Institute and Female College, an early co-educational institution founded by Benjamin F. Chamberlain, a New York abolitionist judge.
Connecticut Men’s League for Woman Suffrage Dinner Program, Greenwich Country Club, Friday, April 17, 1914. Courtesy, Dr. Kenneth Florey.
The Lights moved to New Canaan, Connecticut by 1880 and John began studying law in Norwalk under Levi Warner, who served as a U.S. Representative. In 1883, he opened a practice in South Norwalk. The aspiring barrister quickly scaled the rank and file, first, as city attorney, and then prosecuting attorney for the Criminal Court of Common Pleas, where he eventually earned an appointment as a justice. Next, Light pursued a path as state representative for Norwalk (1899-1902), and he ascended to Speaker of the House (1901-1902). In the General Assembly, Speaker Light made his pro-suffrage stance public at a time when such advocacy could still lead to criticism. In 1910, Governor Weeks appointed Light to fill Marcus H. Holcomb’s vacated seat as Attorney General, an office to which he would be elected in 1911.
His political advancement coincided with a reinvigorated Connecticut Woman’s Suffrage Association (CWSA) led by Katharine Houghton Hepburn. The Attorney General was engaged as a prominent speaker who could articulate the case for suffrage to particular audiences and persuasively counter antis’ claims. Light spoke at town meetings— like those led by the Norwalk Equal Franchise League where his wife Ida May Lockwood Light was active—and at highly visible events, including the 1911 Litchfield County automobile tour and 1912 “Tri-County Crusade for Votes” trolley campaign. While stumping for suffrage, Light shared the dais with CWSA leaders and such renown progressive men as Max Eastman, Charles Zueblin, Charles Beard, and Lincoln Steffen. At the 1911 CWSA convention in Bridgeport, the Attorney General introduced British activist Emmeline Pankhurst, whom he lauded for her “spirit of heroism and self-sacrifice that permeated the English women to such an extent as to lead them to brave prison for the sake for their principles.”
Connecticut Men’s League for Woman Suffrage
Men’s League for Woman Suffrage ephemera, from scrapbook of Elizabeth Smith Miller and Anne Fitzhugh Miller. Library of Congress, Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Washington, D.C.
In 1912, Light helped found the Connecticut Men’s League for Woman Suffrage (CMLWS). The organization, to which Light became president, was one of twenty-six associations for men in America organized to help gain woman suffrage; the first being established in 1909 in New York City. The league began as a “council of forty” and by 1919 expanded to one hundred members.
CMLWS supporters were passionate foot soldiers for the CWSA, joining the women at parades in New York, Washington, D.C., and Hartford and at state and national suffrage conventions; they also published newsworthy media pieces and attention-getting letters to editor. At the CWSA’s request, the men exerted their influence lobbying legislators and candidates on political equality along with a special legislative session to ratify the 19th Amendment. Their relentless efforts continued until “Tennessee set Connecticut Women Free,” to quote a parade banner that CWSA president Katharine Ludington had made after clinching the 36th state’s ratification vote on August 18, 1920.
That month, CMLWS chairman, Lieutenant Governor Clifford R. Wilson, also aided the CWSA in arranging for the pealing of bells across Connecticut on the 27th to mark the 19th Amendment being signed into federal law on the day prior. Connecticut’s suffragists and suffragents collectively rejoiced again on September 14th when the General Assembly finally, and symbolically, became the 37th state to ratify the amendment.
Kathleen Motes Bennewitz serves as Westport’s town curator and helps manage the Westport Public Art Collections. She has worked for art and historical museums across the country and today is an independent American art historian and exhibition curator.
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/connecticut-attorney-general-john-h-light-and-his-fight-for-womans-suffrage/
Patriots Owner's Prostitution Case Heads to Appellate Court
Prosecutors charging New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft with buying sex from massage parlor prostitutes are trying to save their case.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/patriots-owners-prostitution-case-heads-to-appellate-court/2294977/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/patriots-owners-prostitution-case-heads-to-appellate-court/2294977/
NFL Hands Down Punishment to Patriots for Film Crew at Bengals Game: Report
The National Football League has handed down its punishment to the New England Patriots for the team's television crew filming at the Bengals-Browns game in December, according to an ESPN report.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/nfl-hands-down-punishment-to-patriots-report/2294937/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/nfl-hands-down-punishment-to-patriots-report/2294937/
Sunday, June 28, 2020
New England Patriots Sign QB Cam Newton: Reports
The New England Patriots have reportedly reached an agreement with former National Football League MVP Cam Newton, according to multiple reports Sunday night. The former Carolina Panthers quarterback will now step into the mix to compete for the chance to replace former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who left to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency, Adam Schefter first...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/patriots-sign-qb-cam-newton-report/2294859/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/patriots-sign-qb-cam-newton-report/2294859/
State troopers assist Bridgeport after a violent week
State police are increasing their presence in Bridgeport after a week in which three people were killed and a number of others injured in shootings, according to officials.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/State-troopers-assist-Bridgeport-after-a-violent-15372758.php
Milford: Multi-car crash on I-95 resulted in minor injuries
A multi-car crash on I-95 in Milford resulted in minor injuries, according to Connecticut State Police.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Milford-Multi-car-crash-on-I-95-resulted-in-15372644.php
Photos: Fairfield farmers market returns to Sherman Green
Customers shopped for fresh produce on the opening day of the Fairfield Farmers Market on Sunday.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Photos-Fairfield-farmers-market-returns-to-15372637.php
Dustin Johnson Wins 2020 Travelers Championship
Dustin Johnson has won the 2020 Travelers Championship. Johnson finished the tournament at 19-under thanks to several birdies on his round Sunday. He began the day two shots behind Brendon Todd but surged to the lead with four birdies on the front nine. The PGA Tour suspended play due to weather just after Johnson nearly went in the water on...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/dustin-johnson-wins-2020-travelers-championship/2294817/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/dustin-johnson-wins-2020-travelers-championship/2294817/
‘Strong to severe’ thunderstorms could bring wind and hail to CT Sunday
“There is potential for scattered strong to severe thunderstorms this afternoon into the evening,” the National Weather Service said in a bulletin earlier in the day.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Strong-to-severe-thunderstorms-could-bring-15372262.php
CT reports five new deaths from coronavirus
Health officials recorded 97 new cases of the disease, bringing the state’s accumulated total to 46,303.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/CT-reports-five-new-deaths-from-coronavirus-15372039.php
Saturday, June 27, 2020
NWSL Players Kneel During the National Anthem
Players for the Portland Thorns and the North Carolina Courage knelt during the national anthem Saturday when the National Women’s Soccer League opened the Challenge Cup tournament in Utah. The players wore Black Lives Matter T-shirts in warmups before the game, which was nationally televised on CBS. In addition to the anthem, the players knelt for a moment of silence...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/nwsl-players-kneel-during-the-national-anthem/2294610/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/nwsl-players-kneel-during-the-national-anthem/2294610/
Photos: Rainbow pride flag flies in Monroe
Several dozen people gathered to watch a rainbow pride flag raised in front of Town Hall. First Selectman Ken Kellogg also read a proclamation declaring Friday Pride Day.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Photos-Rainbow-pride-flag-flies-in-Monroe-15371084.php
Bridgeport police identify Shelton man killed in Friday night crash
Rushane A. Frazer, 26, was struck while riding a motorcycle on Boston Avenue, police said. He later died from his injuries.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Bridgeport-police-identify-Shelton-man-killed-in-15370904.php
Bridgeport Fire Department sees record retirements
Thirteen ranking members of the Bridgeport Fire Department retired June 26.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Bridgeport-Fire-Department-sees-record-retirements-15369940.php
Murder on the Map: The Mysterious Death of Captain George M. Colvocoresses
By Tasha Caswell for Your Public Media
The “murder map” is, at first glance, unremarkable—hand-drawn, it depicts a section of an unnamed town, one that contained various houses and businesses, was near the water, and had railroad tracks running through it. Things get decidedly more compelling when it becomes clear that it depicts the scene of a sensational crime in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Map of a portion of Bridgeport. Drawing by an unknown draftsman, 1872. Colvocoresses was on his way to the steamboat dock when he was killed – Connecticut Historical Society
Captain George M. Colvocoresses, naval officer, Pacific explorer, Civil War hero, and survivor of kidnapping, yellow fever, and various wars, was killed in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1872. Colvocoresses, or “Colvos,” as he was known to friends, was born in Chios, Greece, in 1816. At the age of six, George was kidnapped and enslaved by the Turks in the Greek War for Independence. Ransomed by his father, the child was sent to the United States, where he lived with Captain Alden Partridge and his family in Vermont. George was educated at the local military academy (now Norwich University) and eventually joined the Navy, with which he enjoyed a distinguished career.
After retiring from the Navy as a captain in 1867, he returned to family life in Litchfield, Connecticut, where he lived with his second wife. On June 3, 1872, George was traveling to New York City, first on the Shepaug Valley Railroad to Hawleyville, then the Housatonic Railroad to Bridgeport, from which point he was to catch the steamer to New York at 11:00 pm. He carried with him an umbrella, $8,000 in cash within a carpet bag, and a cane that contained a sword. He stopped into the Sterling House seeking supper but the kitchen was closed and he went to Ward’s Restaurant instead. After revisiting the Sterling House to return a hotel key he had forgotten to give back the previous week, he then stopped at Wheeler’s drug store to purchase paper and two envelopes. George left the drug store at 10:35 pm and headed toward the dock. He never made it—he was intercepted along Clinton Street and shot with a pistol.
Despite 19th-century Crime Scene Investigation, Bridgeport Case Remains Unsolved
Site of the Murder of George M. Colvocoresses, Bridgeport, Connecticut. Drawing by an unknown draftsman, 1872. This detail of the “murder map” shows where Colvocoresses’s body was found – Connecticut Historical Society
The map shows the location of his prone body on the sidewalk of Clinton Street next to his cane and umbrella; across the street are a pistol and powder horn, while the empty carpet bag is some distance away, near the dock. At the bottom of the map are two projections of the trajectory of the bullet, one from the side and one from the top. There is a second map, also hand-drawn, that depicts more of Bridgeport, showing the businesses Colvos patronized on the night of his death, the route he was taking when he was killed, and the steamboat he should have boarded. The only confirmation that this map, which does not show the location of the body or the trajectory of the bullet, is connected to the murder is the inscription at the bottom right, which reads, “Carpet bag 300 yards south of South Ave.”
George’s killer was never caught, and though numerous theories were floated over the years to explain what happened that night, the crime was never solved. Along with the $8,000 in cash, another $80,000 in stocks was presumed to have been stolen. The money was never recovered and no one was ever charged with killing the captain. The secret of who killed a war hero, naval officer, explorer, and survivor most likely died with the person who committed the crime.
The “murder map” is one of 800 maps in the collections of the Connecticut Historical Society that are being digitized and added to CHS’s online database, with generous support from Connecticut Humanities.
Tasha Caswell is the Thorne-McKenna Curatorial Assistant at the Connecticut Historical Society
© 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/murder-on-the-map-the-mysterious-death-of-captain-george-m-colvocoresses/
Friday, June 26, 2020
Dodgers' Outfielder Andrew Toles Arrested in Florida
The mystery of what has happened to Los Angeles Dodgers' outfielder Andrew Toles has been solved.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/dodgers-outfielder-andrew-toles-arrested-in-florida/2294476/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/dodgers-outfielder-andrew-toles-arrested-in-florida/2294476/
Crash with injuries shuts down Bridgeport road
Bridgeport police are investigating a reported crash with injuries Friday night.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Crash-with-injuries-shuts-down-Bridgeport-road-15370340.php
Bridgeport’s Snack Shop demolished to make way for neighborhood improvement
A store seen as a long-time magnet for illegal activity by police and city officials will soon be demolished, the city announced Thursday.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Bridgeport-s-Snack-Shop-demolished-to-make-way-15370106.php
In urban areas, churches serve as sites for coronavirus testing
“You can’t get to the people who need the information in urban centers without going through the churches,” said state Sen. Marilyn Moore.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/In-urban-areas-churches-serve-as-sites-for-15370066.php
NBA, Players Sign Off on Final Terms for Restarted Season
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association have finalized terms of the deal that will allow the league to restart the season at the Disney World campus near Orlando, Florida next month
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/nba-players-sign-off-on-final-terms-for-restarted-season/2294342/
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Police: teen fired shots at 14-year-old Stratford boys
A Stratford teenager was arrested after police said he fired multiple shots at two 14-year-old boys.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Police-teen-fired-shots-at-14-year-old-Stratford-15369627.php
Another Player Tests Positive For COVID-19 at Travelers Championship
PGA Tour player Denny McCarthy withdrew from the Travelers Championship on Friday after testing positive for COVID-19. He is the second player and fourth person to test positive at the tournament at the TPC River Highlands in Cromwell. McCarthy played in the First Round on Thursday but woke up in the middle of the night feeling achy and sore. “I...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/coronavirus/another-player-tests-positive-for-covid-19-at-travelers-championship/2294155/
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NHL Not Planning to Quarantine Players for Training Camps
Eleven NHL players tested positive for the coronavirus during the first two weeks of voluntary workouts
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/nhl-not-planning-to-quarantine-players-for-training-camps/2294146/
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Shoreline state park beaches closed to new visitors
By 1 p.m., the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection announced that 4 state park beaches are closed to new visitors because parking lots are full.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Shoreline-state-park-beaches-closed-to-new-15369133.php
State: 10-cent fee on using plastic bags returns next week
The temporary suspension of Connecticut's single-use plastic bag fee, originally implemented by Executive Order on March 26, is set to expire on June 30.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/State-10-cent-fee-on-using-plastic-bags-returns-15368915.php
Boat reported in distress in Bridgeport’s Black Rock Harbor
The call came in shortly after noon.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Boat-reported-in-distress-in-Bridgeport-s-Black-15368969.php
Metro-North: Trains skip Fairfield stations because of ‘police activity’
Customers requiring those stations are advised to seek alternate transportation
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Metro-North-Trains-bypassing-Fairfield-stations-15368657.php
Holiday Closing – July 3, 2020
Newington Town Hall, Lucy Robbins Welles Library, and other municipal facilities will be closed Friday, July 3, 2020, in observance of Independence Day.
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1383
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1383
Check out the newest stuff at the library- Sign up for Wowbrary
Sign up for Wowbrary and a receive weekly email and RSS feed and be the first to know the newest materials at the library.
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1389
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1389
Page Turners Adventure Series for Kids begins June 29
Kids join the library for this NINE week virtual program series that will run from June 29- August 28. Each week will feature a different theme and each day will bring a new adventure!
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1385
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1385
Latest Bridgeport homicide victim ID’d
Two females and a male were also struck by gunfire while seated in a vehicle.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Latest-Bridgeport-homicide-victim-ID-d-15368335.php
Trumbull police issue advisory for March for Racial Justice Saturday
Traffic disruptions are expected between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and motorists are asked to avoid these areas if possible.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Trumbull-police-issue-advisory-for-March-for-15368270.php
NWS: Part of weekend could have severe T-storms
The National Weather Service says there is potential for scattered strong to severe thunderstorms Saturday afternoon into the evening.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/weather/article/NWS-Part-of-weekend-could-have-severe-T-storms-15368193.php
Fire damages Bridgeport church; religious artifacts saved
Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire without any injuries,
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Fire-damages-Bridgeport-church-religious-15368210.php
State cops: We are not stopping out-of-state drivers due to COVID-19
The advisory, which currently has no legal consequences for violators, took effect early Thursday.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/State-cops-We-are-not-stopping-out-of-state-15368161.php
Educator Sarah Pierce Born – Today in History: June 26
On June 26, 1767, pioneering educator Sarah Pierce was born in Litchfield, and during her long life Pierce would open one of the nation’s first schools for young women, advance educational equality and help educate such future leaders as Harriet Beecher and her sister Catharine. Pierce founded the school in her home in 1792, and during the Litchfield Female Academy’s 41-year-long history, she educated women from throughout the United States and Canada. Litchfield academy emphasized both academics and the decorative arts and was famous also for the high quality of the needlework produced there. Pierce, who believed in the role of women in shaping home life, children, and culture, was celebrated for her piety and her kindness.
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/educator-sarah-pierce-born-in-litchfield/
Thursday, June 25, 2020
Bridgeport’s Snack Shop to be demolished
A store seen as a long-time magnet for illegal activity by police and city officials will soon be demolished, the city announced Thursday.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Bridgeport-s-Snack-Shop-to-be-demolished-15367619.php
Bridgeport police respond to reported shooting
City police are investigating a reported shooting Thursday night, according to the police department.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Bridgeport-police-respond-to-reported-shooting-15367512.php
Photos: Magnet students get diplomas at Fairchild Wheeler drive-up graduation
Graduates picked up their diplomas during the drive-up graduation at the Fairchild Wheeler Interdistrict Magnet High Schools campus on Thursday.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Photos-Magnet-students-get-diplomas-at-Fairchild-15367183.php
NASCAR Releases Photo of Noose Found in Bubba Wallace's Garage
NASCAR on Thursday released a photo of the noose found in Bubba Wallace's garage Sunday and said it was "real." The photo's release comes two days after the FBI concluded that Wallace, the only African American driver in NASCAR's top series, was not a victim of a hate crime as the "garage door pull rope fashioned like a noose" had been positioned there since as early as last fall.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/nascar-releases-photo-of-noose-found-in-bubba-wallace-garage/2293664/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/nascar-releases-photo-of-noose-found-in-bubba-wallace-garage/2293664/
State calling for full-time, in-school learning in the fall
Public schools would be back in business come September under a plan announced Thursday by Connecticut’s governor and education chief.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/State-calling-for-full-time-in-school-learning-15366848.php
Fragrance, lotion industry supplier closing factories in Stratford, Torrington
Connecticut regulators disclosed details of AptarGroup’s plan to close two Connecticut plants, despite record earnings last year and with profits continuing early into the pandemic.
from Business https://www.ctpost.com/business/article/Pharma-cosmetics-supplier-closing-factories-in-15366550.php
Kentucky Derby, Oaks Will Run With Limitations on Spectators
Churchill Downs says the rescheduled Kentucky Derby and Oaks will run this fall with spectators under strict guidelines to limit crowd density for the race that annually attracts more than 100,000
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/coronavirus/kentucky-derby-and-oaks-will-run-with-limitations-on-spectators/2293505/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/coronavirus/kentucky-derby-and-oaks-will-run-with-limitations-on-spectators/2293505/
NFL Cancels Hall of Fame Game, Delays Inductions Until 2021
The NFL has canceled the Hall of Fame game that traditionally opens the preseason and is delaying the 2020 induction ceremonies for a year because of the coronavirus pandemic
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/nfl-cancels-hall-of-fame-game-delays-inductions-sources/2293483/
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TPZ Public Hearing 07/08/2020
The Town Plan and Zoning Commission will consider the following petitions...
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1388
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1388
Young offenders influence new CT juvenile justice report
Young people whose lives have intersected with the criminal justice system helped influence a new report that calls for state and local leaders to eliminate racial inequities.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/New-juvenile-justice-report-based-on-firsthand-15365603.php
Florence Griswold Museum reopening with landscapes exhibition July 7
Scenic Flo-Gris Museum will fully reopen on July 7, with restrictions for safety of visitors and staff, and a new exhibition of landscapes.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Florence-Griswold-Museum-reopening-with-15352290.php
What did CT learn from child care centers that stayed open during pandemic?
The state is participating in a national study to examine the effects on children who have been in day cares during the pandemic.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/What-did-CT-learn-from-child-care-centers-that-15365442.php
Expert: CT businesses will pay for coronavirus impact on jobless fund
Connecticut businesses will be responsible for the large amount of money the state will have to borrow to cover the surge of unemployment claims.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/Expert-CT-businesses-will-pay-for-coronavirus-15365479.php
Expert: CT businesses will pay for coronavirus impact on jobless fund
Connecticut businesses will be responsible for the large amount of money the state will have to borrow to cover the surge of unemployment claims.
from Business https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/Expert-CT-businesses-will-pay-for-coronavirus-15365479.php
Trumbull woman beats 1 in 324,632 odds to win $100K
The winning ticket was purchased at the Trumbull Food Mart on White Plains Road.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Trumbull-woman-beats-1-in-324-632-odds-to-win-15365344.php
CT health experts: No truth to killer coronavirus mask theory
Connecticut doctors are debunking a theory circulating online that wearing a mask to protect against COVID-19 can limit oxygen flow and elevate carbon dioxide levels.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/CT-health-experts-No-truth-to-killer-coronavirus-15365341.php
Juvenile shot and killed in Windsor Locks park
The victim was found in Pesci Park off Center Street near the baseball field shortly after 10 p.m. Wednesday night.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Reports-Juvenile-shot-and-killed-in-Windsor-15365285.php
‘Emergency road work’ closes 2 lanes of I-95
The DOT announced at 5:52 a.m. that the left and center lanes of I-95 are closed between Exits 8 and 7.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Emergency-road-work-closes-2-lanes-of-I-95-15365237.php
Police: No intent to ‘abduct or lure kids’ in CT neighborhood
Police said an intoxicated passenger’s behavior caused alarm and concern to the children.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Police-No-intent-to-abduct-or-lure-kids-in-15365274.php
Grounds for Divorce – Who Knew?
… that in 1667 the colony of Connecticut passed the first divorce statute.
While Connecticut was not the first to grant a divorce, it was the first to define the grounds for dissolution of a marriage in An Act Relating to Bills of Divorce. The act passed after New Haven Colony joined the Connecticut Colony and established the Court of Assistants in 1666. Enacted by the Governor and Council and House of Representatives, the act defined sufficient grounds as “adultery, or fraudulent contract, or willful desertion for three years with total neglect of duty; or in case of seven years absence… .” On the granting of divorce by the courts both husband and wife were “deemed and accounted single and unmarried.” This equitable treatment of both men and women in the matter of divorce was rooted in the Puritan belief, prevalent in the New England Colonies, that marriage was a civil contract. Approximately 1,000 divorces were granted in Connecticut between 1670 and 1800. The four grounds for dissolution remained essentially unchanged until 1849 when “habitual intemperance” and “intolerable cruelty” were added.
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/grounds-for-divorce-who-knew/
Remembering CT centenarians who died after coronavirus
Among those the COVID-19 pandemic claimed are several centenarians. Born into or on the cusp of another pandemic, they saw wars, a depression, and all manner of social upheaval.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/Remembering-CT-centenarians-who-died-after-15364094.php
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
NBA Stars Brogdon, Parker, Len All Reveal They Have Coronavirus
The return of Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon has been delayed after he tested positive for the coronavirus.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/nba-stars-brogdon-parker-len-all-reveal-they-have-coronavirus/2293307/
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Baseball Scrambles Back Into Action Amid Lingering Concerns
As baseball scrambles to start an abbreviated season, the prevailing mood is one of nervous excitement.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/baseball-scrambles-back-into-action-amid-lingering-concerns/2293262/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/baseball-scrambles-back-into-action-amid-lingering-concerns/2293262/
LifeBridge to launch camp for Bridgeport youth
A new, full-day free summer camp for middle school-aged students will launch in the city next week.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/LifeBridge-to-launch-camp-for-Bridgeport-youth-15364704.php
Photos: A cap toss at Bunnell High School's socially distant graduation
Bunnell High School's 60th commencement Wednesday included the annual cap toss — it just looked a little different this year.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/Photos-A-cap-toss-at-Bunnell-High-School-s-15364616.php
DMV appointments filling up fast upon reopening
“This has really caused a lot of challenges.” DMV Commissioner Sibongile Magubane.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/DMV-appointments-filling-up-fast-upon-reopening-15364357.php
Former MLB Star Curt Schilling Deactivates Twitter After Comparing Bubba Wallace to Jussie Smollett
Curt Schilling has retreated from social media after comparing Bubba Wallace’s discovery of a noose in his garage to the controversial incident involving Jussie Smollett. The famed baseball player turned Blaze TV commentator quipped on his now de-activated Twitter account, “So we have @JussieSmollett v 2.0? Where is the media recanting their idiocy?” As some will recall, in Jan. 2019,...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/former-mlb-star-curt-schilling-deactivates-twitter-after-comparing-bubba-wallace-to-jussie-smollett/2293192/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/former-mlb-star-curt-schilling-deactivates-twitter-after-comparing-bubba-wallace-to-jussie-smollett/2293192/
CT Supreme Court upholds police officer immunity in fatal crash that killed Oxford teen
The state Supreme Court upheld police officer immunity in fatal police chases in the death of a Oxford teenager in 2012.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/CT-Supreme-Court-upholds-police-officer-immunity-15364136.php
Trustees: UConn COVID-19 budget cuts will cause Huskies to bleed
UConn COVID-19 budget cuts begin with athletics but won’t end there, officials say
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Trustees-UConn-COVID-19-budget-cuts-will-cause-15363769.php
Brooks Koepka, 3 More PGA Tour Players Withdraw From Travelers Championship
Four more PGA Tour players have withdrawn from the Travelers Championship after two caddies tested positive for COVID-19. The PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan announced four-time major winner Brooks Koepka, Webb Simpson, Graeme McDowell, and Chase Koepka withdrew on Wednesday. The announcement came just a day before the first round of the tournament at the TPC River Highlands in Cromwell....
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/coronavirus/brooks-koepka-3-more-pga-tour-players-withdraw-from-travelers-championship/2293072/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/coronavirus/brooks-koepka-3-more-pga-tour-players-withdraw-from-travelers-championship/2293072/
UConn Athletics to Eliminate Four Sports, Reduce Some Scholarships
UConn athletics is cutting four sports at the end of the 2020-21 season and will be reducing some scholarship. UConn Athletics said it had to cut 25 percent of the budget from the university, around $10 million by 2023, and it will eliminate men’s cross country; women’s rowing; men’s swimming and diving; and men’s tennis. Around 124 student-athletes and at...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/uconn-athletics-to-eliminate-four-sports-reduce-some-scholarships/2293047/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/uconn-athletics-to-eliminate-four-sports-reduce-some-scholarships/2293047/
Newington COVID-19 Property Tax Relief Programs
On April 1, 2020 Governor Lamont signed an Executive Order which established the Tax Deferment & Interest Rate Reduction Programs.
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1356
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1356
JULY TAXES ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE THURSDAY, JUNE 25
SAVE TIME BY CHECKING OUT OUR ON-LINE PAYMENT FEATURE
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1387
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1387
Bubba Wallace ‘Relieved' He Wasn't Target of Hate Crime, But ‘It Was Still a Noose'
Bubba Wallace, NASCAR's only Black driver, said he's relieved by the FBI's determination that a rope resembling a noose found in his team's garage stall was not a targeted hate crime and had been hanging at the Alabama track since at least October, but noted that "it's still a noose."
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/bubba-wallace-relieved-he-wasnt-target-of-hate-crime-but-it-was-still-a-noose/2292879/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/bubba-wallace-relieved-he-wasnt-target-of-hate-crime-but-it-was-still-a-noose/2292879/
NYC Marathon Canceled Over Coronavirus Concerns
The 2020 TCS New York City Marathon has been cancelled, four months in advance but with fears of coronavirus still in mind, New York Road Runners said Wednesday. The race was scheduled for Nov. 1. “New York Road Runners (NYRR), the event organizer, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of the City of New York, have made the decision to...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/coronavirus/nyc-marathon-cancelled-over-coronavirus-concerns/2292846/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/coronavirus/nyc-marathon-cancelled-over-coronavirus-concerns/2292846/
Tri-state governors, NY, NJ, CT, expected to announce quarantine for out-of-state visitors
The governors of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut are expected to announce mandatory quarantines for out-of-state visitors Wednesday that would likely hinder their summer tourist seasons, but keep people from regions with increases in coronavirus infections from possibly spreading COVID-19 here.
As the tri-state region recovers from the pandemic while dozens of other states experience record increases in COVID-19 infections, Gov. Ned Lamont, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy in recent days have discussed ways to protect their residents.
The governors have also discussed the possibility of allowing visitors who do not wish to quarantine for two weeks, to present proof of recent negative tests for the virus upon their arrival here.
While some states including Arkansas, Florida and Oklahoma created mandatory 14-day quarantines for visitors from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut when this region was the epicenter of the nation’s COVID-19 outbreak, now, as it subsides, the northeast states will likely create their own orders.
Massachusetts has a similar quarantine in effect and Rhode Island requires 14-day quarantines for people from states with stay-at-home orders.
Meanwhile, the European Union is planning on prohibiting visitors from the United States because of the nation’s soaring infection and fatality rates.
kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/Tri-state-governors-expected-to-announce-15362863.php
Hospitals update visitation policies as coronavirus declines
As COVID-19 cases in Connecticut decline, some hospitals are altering their visitation policies.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/Hospitals-update-visitation-policies-as-15362796.php
UConn Trustees meet to talk needed cuts due to coronavirus pandemic
The University of Connecticut Board of Trustees are meeting Wednesday to outline the fall semester and the cuts necessary due largely to the COVID-19 shutdown.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/UConn-Trustees-meet-to-talk-needed-cuts-due-to-15362793.php
JULY TAXES ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE THURSDAY, JUNE 25
SAVE TIME BY CHECKING OUT OUR ON-LINE PAYMENT FEATURE
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1386
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1386
Police: Abduction of NYC boy by brother may lead to CT
NYC police said Mohsin Ali fled with his younger brother in a white Toyota Sienna with NY license plate JJX 5315.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Police-Abduction-of-NYC-boy-by-brother-may-lead-15362678.php
Henry Ward Beecher Born – Today in History: June 24
On June 24, 1813, Henry Ward Beecher was born in Litchfield. The Beechers were already well-known because Lyman Beecher, Henry’s father, was a nationally renowned clergyman, and Henry, too, became a famous minister. Like his father and his sisters Harriet and Catharine, Henry was a committed abolitionist and where Harriet Beecher Stowe used the written word to change hearts and minds, Henry used the pulpit. The Congregationalist minister drew thousands to hear him preach at his Brooklyn, New York, church, and throngs of people attended his sermons when he spoke in Connecticut and elsewhere. Beecher was active in publishing circles also, and it was through his writing for the newspaper The Independent that he came to be accused of adultery with the editor’s wife. After a sensational trial that riveted the nation, the jury was unable to reach a verdict. He was exonerated by his church and his national popularity as an orator and clergyman remained undimmed.
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/henry-ward-beecher-born-in-litchfield/
Tuesday, June 23, 2020
FD: Bridgeport house fire contained to attic
A fire on Colony Street was contained to an attic and no one was displaced, fire department officials said Tuesday.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/FD-Bridgeport-house-fire-contained-to-attic-15361732.php
Judge Denies American Women's Soccer Immediate Appeal
A federal judge has denied a request by American women’s soccer players to allow an immediate appeal of his decision to throw out their claim of unequal pay against the U.S. Soccer Federation
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/judge-denies-american-womens-soccer-immediate-appeal/2292669/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/judge-denies-american-womens-soccer-immediate-appeal/2292669/
Injuries in Monroe crash with vehicle off the road
There were injuries in a crash Tuesday night that ended with a vehicle off the road, according to the fire department.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Injuries-in-Monroe-crash-with-vehicle-off-the-road-15361678.php
Baseball's Back: Players Reporting to Camps After Reaching Deal With Owners
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/baseballs-back-players-reporting-to-camps-after-reaching-deal-with-owners/2292659/
14 more coronavirus-linked deaths in CT; DMV reopens some services
There were another 14 deaths linked to COVID-19 in Connecticut and another 117 residents have tested positive for the virus, data showed.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/14-more-coronavirus-linked-deaths-in-CT-DMV-15361455.php
Top health officials: Trump did not order coronavirus testing slow down
“None of us have ever been told to slow down on testing,” said Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/Top-health-officials-Trump-did-not-order-15361321.php
PGA Tour Player Cameron Champ Tests Positive for COVID-19 at Travelers Championship
PGA Tour player Cameron Champ has withdrawn from the Travelers Championship after testing positive for COVID-19 during a pre-tournament screening process on Tuesday, according to the PGA Tour. Cameron was in Cromwell to play in this year’s event. All players are being tested as part of the PGA Tour’s coronavirus protocols. “I feel great physically and I was obviously surprised...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/coronavirus/pga-tour-player-cameron-champ-tests-positive-for-covid-19-at-travelers-championship/2292556/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/coronavirus/pga-tour-player-cameron-champ-tests-positive-for-covid-19-at-travelers-championship/2292556/
No Charges in NASCAR Noose Incident Involving Black Driver
The noose found hanging in Bubba Wallace’s garage stall at Talladega Superspeedway had been there since at least last October
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/no-charges-nascar-noose-incident-bubba-wallace/2292550/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/no-charges-nascar-noose-incident-bubba-wallace/2292550/
Derby adds new members to its city ‘Hall of Fame’
The city established the Hall of Fame in 2007 as tribute to Derby natives or residents whose achievements played a significant role in shaping history.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Derby-adds-new-members-to-its-city-Hall-of-15361223.php
CT recouped 3 percent of furloughed jobs in first weekend
In the days after Connecticut’s limited May 20 reopening of retail and limited restaurant services, about 9,500 fewer people were getting jobless benefits new data shows.
from Business https://www.ctpost.com/business/article/CT-recouped-3-percent-of-furloughed-jobs-in-first-15360830.php
Virtual Cookbook Club for Kids - Video links available June 24
Mrs. Mendelsohn has created a video cooking demo that you can do at home. Learn how to make overnight oats! Enjoy!
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1384
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1384
CT recouped 3 percent of furloughed jobs in first weekend
In the days after Connecticut’s limited May 20 reopening of retail and limited restaurant services, about 9,500 fewer people were getting jobless benefits new data shows.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/business/article/CT-recouped-3-percent-of-furloughed-jobs-in-first-15360830.php
Former Bridgeport councilman seeks to join state Rep. election lawsuit
Former Bridgeport councilman Robert Halstead has filed a motion to intervene in a federal lawsuit challenging restrictions on election petitions.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Former-Bridgeport-councilman-seeks-to-join-state-15360530.php
Photos: Three-day graduation for Central High students in Bridgeport
Given the class size at Central High School, drive-up graduation was spread over three days, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/Photos-Three-day-graduation-for-Central-High-15360651.php
2 paddle boarders lost in fog, rescued on LI Sound island
At approximately 8:25 p.m., the Station New London boatcrew located two paddle boarders on Gates Island and confirmed they were in distress and calling out for help.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/2-paddle-boarder-lost-in-fog-rescued-on-LI-Sound-15360325.php
State opens motor vehicles offices — partially, by appointment
After a three-month shutdown for in-person transactions, the state Department of Motor Vehicles offices have partially reopened — by appointment only.
Gov Ned Lamont and Commissioner Sibongile Magubane were at the Waterbury DMV office to announce the reopening on Tuesday.
Click here for more information and to make an appointment or go to portal.ct.gov/DMV.
Testing for learner’s permits is being done at the Cheshire and Wethersfield locations on limited days and requires an appointment.
The shutdown for coronavirus tested the department’s ability to move transactions online, a longtime effort that had already gained speed.
The state delayed the renewal deadlines by 180 days for driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations expiring March 10 to June 30, and by 90 days for those documents expiring in July. But others, such as tests for new drivers and some tax transactions, have been slowed.
This story is developing and will be updated.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/State-opens-motor-vehicles-offices-partially-15360136.php
Cops: Man performed ‘lewd act’ on CT town green
Police: It was reported that Francis Keen was seen sitting in the gazebo on the green committing a lewd act in full view of the public.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Cops-Man-performed-lewd-act-on-CT-town-15360180.php
DEEP warns of increased forest fire danger in CT
According to the Northeast Regional Climate Center, some parts of Connecticut have received less than a half-inch of rain this month.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/DEEP-warns-of-increased-forest-fire-danger-in-CT-15359943.php
UConn brass to take furloughs to deal with budget shortfall
In a letter sent to faculty and staff, the university asks non-union managers to take one furlough day a month, senior manager two days and both to forego merit raises.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/UConn-brass-to-take-furloughs-to-deal-with-budget-15359942.php
Cops: Man tried to lure 11-year-old child into car
The vehicle is described as similar to a gray, older model, Chrysler 300.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Cops-Man-tried-to-lure-11-year-old-child-into-car-15359819.php
Register Today for Summer Reading
Summer Reading has begun. Register online today for one of the three summer reading programs for kids, teens or adults.
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1382
from Newington, CT - News Flash https://www.newingtonct.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1382
Tennis Star Novak Djokovic Tests Positive for Coronavirus
Novak Djokovic tested positive for the coronavirus on Tuesday after taking part in a tennis exhibition series he organized in Serbia and Croatia. The top-ranked Serb is the fourth player to test positive for the virus after first playing in Belgrade and then again last weekend in Zadar, Croatia. His wife also tested positive. “The moment we arrived in Belgrade...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/coronavirus/tennis-star-novak-djokovic-tests-positive-for-coronavirus/2292220/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/coronavirus/tennis-star-novak-djokovic-tests-positive-for-coronavirus/2292220/
NWS: After warmest day of the year, heat and humidity to continue
Even along the Connecticut shoreline, high temperature records were set with 91 degrees in Bridgeport, 90 in Stamford, New Haven, 89 in Danbury and Greenwich.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/weather/article/NWS-After-warmest-day-of-the-year-heat-and-15359429.php
The Short Bright Life of Luna Park
[layerslider id=”3″]
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/the-short-bright-life-of-luna-park/
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/the-short-bright-life-of-luna-park/
Cops: 2 dead, 3 wounded in separate Bridgeport shootings
The identity of the victims is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Cops-Man-dead-after-being-shot-multiple-times-in-15359240.php
Monday, June 22, 2020
Expert: ‘It’s scary’ how coronavirus and Lyme pose similar symptoms
Headaches, muscle aches, fever, chills, fatigue — those are all potential symptoms of COVID-19 and the tick-borne illness Lyme disease.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/Expert-It-s-scary-how-coronavirus-and-15358976.php
NASCAR Race Begins After Show of Support for Bubba Wallace
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. edged Ryan Blaney to win the second stage of a rain-delayed race at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/nascar-race-begins-after-show-of-support-for-bubba-wallace/2292007/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/nascar-race-begins-after-show-of-support-for-bubba-wallace/2292007/
AP Source: Players' Board Rejects 60-Game Season by 33-5
A person familiar with the decision tells The Associated Press that the executive board of the Major League Baseball Players Association rejected a proposed 60-game schedule by a 33-5 vote
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/ap-source-players-board-rejects-60-game-season-by-33-5/2291991/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/ap-source-players-board-rejects-60-game-season-by-33-5/2291991/
Police: Multi-car crash with ‘possible entrapment’ in Bridgeport
BRIDGEPORT — Emergency crews are responding to reports of a multi-car accident with “possible entrapment,” according to police.
The Bridgeport Police Department Twitter account reported an accident involving multiple vehicles around 3:30 p.m. Monday at Stratford and Seaview avenues.
Police, fire and emergency crews all responded to the scene.
It is uncertain if there were any injuries.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Police-Multi-car-crash-with-possible-15357952.php
Listen: Here's how 2020 is almost exactly like 1919
Listen as a historian breaks down the striking similarities, and the considerable differences, between the summers of 1919 and 2020.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Listen-Here-s-how-2020-is-almost-exactly-like-15357851.php
Bridgeport state rep election case delayed by pandemic
A lawsuit by two challengers for Bridgeport’s state representative seats is being bogged down by limitations brought on my the pandemic.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Bridgeport-state-rep-election-case-delayed-by-15357873.php
Victims Advocate Anne McGee named Center for Family Justice employee of year
Anne McGee is a domestic violence adult victims advocate and was honored by the Center for going above and beyond for victims of abuse, the Center said.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Victims-Advocate-Anne-McGee-named-Center-for-15357743.php
Governors of CT, NY, NJ discuss quarantine for out-of-state visitors
With COVID-19 cases in decline, the governors of CT, NY, NJ talk about quarantining visitors, like RI did in the early days of the pandemic.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/Governors-of-NY-CT-NJ-discuss-ordering-15357629.php
Cops: Person stabbed with a bottle in Bridgeport
BRIDGEPORT — A person was stabbed with a broken bottle Monday afternoon, police said.
The stabbing occurred on Worth Street around 2:20 p.m., according to police.
Police did not specify the condition of the victim.
Emergency medical services were called to the scene, police said.
The incident is still under investigation.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Police-investigate-shooting-in-Bridgeport-15357648.php
Police investigate shooting in Bridgeport
BRIDGEPORT — Police are investigating a shooting that left one person with a leg injury.Reports surfaced around 1:30 p.m. of a victim who had checked into St. Vincent’s Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the leg, according to police.
Police did not disclose where the alleged shooting occurred.
The incident is still under investigation.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Police-investigate-shooting-in-Bridgeport-15357666.php
New Britain Bees to Hold Home Opener on July 2
Baseball is returning to New Britain and opening night for the New Britain Bees will be on July 2. Capacity at the ballpark will initially be limited to 25 percent amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The home opener will be against the Worcester Bravehearts and the game will start at 6:35 p.m. The season was supposed to start on May...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/new-britain-bees-to-hold-home-opener-on-july-2/2291787/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/new-britain-bees-to-hold-home-opener-on-july-2/2291787/
Rollover crash closes lanes on I-95 in Milford
The crash, reported at 1:37 p.m., has closed the right and center lanes between Exits 39B and 40.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Rollover-crash-closes-lanes-on-I-95-in-Milford-15357484.php
Lawyer claims Monroe cops illegally searched his home
A Monroe lawyer has filed a federal lawsuit against the town of Monroe claiming police illegally searched his home.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Lawyer-claims-Monroe-cops-illegally-searched-his-15357464.php
Sacred Heart University to host virtual discussion on white privilege — America’s ‘original sin’
Sacred Heart University’s department of Catholic studies and Center for Catholic Studies will present a panel discussion on white privilege and the “legacy of America’s ‘original sin.’”
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Sacred-Heart-University-to-host-virtual-15357262.php
Jury convicts investment advisor Westport Capital Markets
A federal court jury has convicted a Westport investment advisor of fraud. It was prosecuted by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Jury-convicts-investment-advisor-Westport-Capital-15357333.php
Former USC Offensive Lineman Max Tuerk Dead at 26
Award-winning former USC offensive lineman Max Tuerk died while hiking with his parents on a favorite trail in the Cleveland National Forest, his family announced Sunday, one day after his death. He was 26. Tuerk was the first-team All-Pac-12 center as a junior in 2014. He started the first five games at center in 2015, then tore ligaments in his...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/former-usc-offensive-lineman-max-tuerk-dead-at-26/2291659/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/former-usc-offensive-lineman-max-tuerk-dead-at-26/2291659/
Survey: CT kids have gained 5.5 pounds during coronavirus quarantine
The shutdown of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to some unhealthy behaviors that could be causing weight gain in children, a new study found.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/Survey-CT-kids-have-gained-5-5-pounds-during-15356612.php
Coronavirus contact tracers brace for more cases as CT reopens
Connecticut health officials are recruiting more volunteers to assist in the effort, which has been hampered by issues with the state’s tracing software.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/Coronavirus-contact-tracers-brace-for-more-cases-15356630.php
Vehicle fire closes lanes on I-95 in Norwalk
The fire, reported at 7:37 a..m., closed the right and center lanes between Exits 17 and 16.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Vehicle-fire-closes-lanes-on-I-95-in-Norwalk-15356546.php
NWS: Some areas of CT will have year’s 1st heat wave
High temperatures Monday- in the upper 80s and low 90s - will average about 10 degrees above normal.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/weather/article/NWS-Some-areas-of-CT-will-have-year-s-1st-heat-15356495.php
Instruction by Mail: The Famous Artists School
By Rena Tobey
After World War II, American education boomed. Armed with GI Bill funding, veterans wanted to quickly convert new, practical skills into careers. Self-improvement courses completed at home became increasingly popular. Through a correspondence course, participants learned how to repair radios and watches, raise rabbits, correct a stammer, and play a musical instrument. The Famous Artists School (FAS), once Westport’s largest business, captured that energy by marketing a wildly popular set of commercial art courses. Though over-expansion, scandal, and changing technologies later diminished its luster, its story is one built on the American Dream.
Albert Dorne and Norman Rockwell
Albert Dorne with his dog Mike, ca. 1945 – Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution
In 1948, charismatic illustrator Albert Dorne had an idea. He approached America’s most famous working illustrator, Norman Rockwell (known for his idealized depictions of American life on the covers of the Saturday Evening Post), about creating a correspondence school for commercial art, full of tips, methods, and case studies to appeal to those who dreamed of becoming an artist.
Dorne and Rockwell made a formidable team. Rockwell’s fame and modest demeanor balanced Dorne’s man-about-town persona—with his perennial cigar and bushy eyebrows inviting caricature. With the addition of another ten founding artists, the school opened in October 1948 in the old Sasco mill by the Saugatuck River in Westport, Connecticut. Each founder devised a distinctive curriculum marketed to prospective students, but when most students only expressed interest in Rockwell’s course, the initial model quickly became untenable.
Al Dorne and Norman Rockwell – © Norman Rockwell Museum Collections. All rights reserved.
Regrouping, the founders created one set of instruction manuals, and FAS leveraged Rockwell’s fame to attract students. “Art school for everyone everywhere” read one FAS ad, which ran in the back of magazines such as TV Guide and Life. For $200, or GI benefits, the student received large binders containing 24 lessons. After completing each lesson, the student mailed the resulting art in a large, flat envelope to Westport. On-site instructors, working under the direction of guiding faculty, then critiqued the student work by drawing or painting corrections on a tissue or acetate overlay.
Learning Along with Tony Curtis, Charlton Heston, and Dinah Shore
Charles Reid, who joined FAS in 1963 as its youngest instructor, noted that with the early lessons, students received a stock letter response according to their skill level. By lesson eight, the instructors sent personal critique letters, with marked-up art, back to the student. Reid recalls recording his letters by Dictaphone, completing three critiques a day. Students included celebrities such as Tony Curtis (who gained recognition for his easel paintings), Charlton Heston, Pat Boone, and Dinah Shore.
Norman Rockwell, “World’s Most Famous Cover Artist”, featured in a Famous Artists Course advertisement.
In its heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, 50 instructors, all men, worked side-by-side in a bullpen of cubicles, full of camaraderie. Instructor perks included attending lectures by the school’s founders. (Students had no contact with the founders.) When Charles Reid impressed Norman Rockwell with a portrait he created, the young instructor received several invitations to join the icon for lunch. Uniquely, Reid started with FAS as a 15-year-old student, when his father bought him the course. He only completed eight of the original lessons, then abandoned the course, citing its difficulty.
After Albert Dorne’s untimely death in 1965, without a succession plan in place, FAS leadership fell to its accountant, Gilbert K. Granet. In an era of business expansion, the debt-free FAS soon acquired other correspondence schools, including Evelyn Wood speed reading and Welcome Wagon. Unwisely, the company’s leadership leveraged receivables to finance the purchases. FAS became overextended. Reid recalled “Black Thursday” in 1974, when the school let go all but five instructors. Though he survived the cut, Reid later commented that after Black Thursday, “the spirit [of the school] was gone.”
Adding to the company’s troubles, Jessica Mitford published a career-making exposé of FAS’s sister organization, the Famous Writers School, in 1970. She revealed hucksterish sales tactics and the misleading pitch that famous figureheads evaluated student work.
Detail from Famous Artists Cartoon Course, Lesson 1, “The Comic Head,” ca. 1956.
Mounting Pressures on the Famous Artists School
Over-expansion and the Mitford article produced a backlash against FAS. Enrollment radically dropped. After changing ownership several times, FAS seemed to deplete its characteristic energy and good will, as well as its financial coffers. In 1981, Cortina International, successful with foreign language instruction, purchased the bankrupt business.
The new owners revitalized FAS. They reorganized the curriculum, building on existing strengths, and oversaw a joyous 45th anniversary reunion in 1993. They established a lucrative relationship with a Japanese licensee, which had 14,000 students (when FAS only had 150).
With instructors no longer working on site, FAS moved its operations to Wilton, but distance learning and art instruction became readily available online, and the world of commercial art shifted from hand-drawn, hand-painted illustrations to computer-generated work. Even with an online course, the FAS model of intensive home study and correspondence with an instructor became as nostalgically old-fashioned as a Rockwell magazine cover. The challenges brought on by the emergence of new technologies and educational models prompted the decision to close the Famous Artists School in 2016.
Rena Tobey is an American art historian and lecturer. She is also the creator of the Artventures! Game—a party game based on adventures in art and art history.
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/instruction-by-mail-the-famous-artists-school/
Officials: Juvenile severely burned in Bridgeport explosion
First responders were dispatched to the scene near Barnum School on Waterview Avenuer towards Seaview Avenue.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Officials-Juvenile-severely-burned-in-Bridgeport-15356365.php
Sunday, June 21, 2020
The ESPYS Focus on Honors, Pandemic and Racial Justice
This was a different version of The ESPYS.
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/the-espys-focus-on-honors-pandemic-and-racial-justice/2291521/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/the-espys-focus-on-honors-pandemic-and-racial-justice/2291521/
Fairfield brush fire delays Metro North NYC bound trains
FAIRFIELD-A brush fire near the Fairfield station forced Metro North to suspend all train service for nearly two hours Sunday night.
“We should be resuming shortly,” said Aaron Donovan, a Metro North spokesman said just after 11 p.m.
Donald said Metro North was alerted of the fire at 9:15 p.m. and shut down all service.
Firefighters had extinguished the blaze and were removing their equipment after 11 p.m.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Fairfield-brush-fire-delays-Metro-North-NYC-bound-15356102.php
Noose Found in Stall of Bubba Wallace at Alabama NASCAR Race
NASCAR says a noose was found in the garage stall of Bubba Wallace on Sunday at the NASCAR race in Talladega, Alabama
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/noose-found-in-stall-of-bubba-wallace-at-alabama-nascar-race/2291497/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/noose-found-in-stall-of-bubba-wallace-at-alabama-nascar-race/2291497/
Nine more deaths from coronavirus reported in CT
Health officials recorded 40 new cases of the disease, bringing the total number to 45,755— including both those who tested positive for the disease and those suspected to have it.
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Nine-more-deaths-from-coronavirus-reported-in-CT-15355522.php
Yankees, Mets Return to New York for Spring Training
New York’s professional baseball teams are returning to the Empire State for spring training while the league tries to work out a condensed season following delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the development on a call Saturday morning, one day after his final in-person daily briefing on the state’s response to the virus. The...
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/yankees-mets-return-to-new-york-for-spring-training/2291356/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/yankees-mets-return-to-new-york-for-spring-training/2291356/
Some CT parks close Sunday amid coronavirus restrictions
Before noon, Scantic River State Park, Rocky Neck State Park and Huntington State Park had all closed
from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Some-CT-parks-close-Sunday-amid-coronavirus-15355423.php
Early Civil Rights and Cultural Pioneers:The Easton Family
By Steve Thornton
In 1899, the John Farris Music store in Hartford received an unusual request. It was a letter, relayed from Australia, asking for information on Hosea Easton, a Hartford man who had recently died in Sydney. A notice was placed in the Hartford Courant requesting information from local residents. No one could identify him, the newspaper reported.
In fact, Hosea Easton was the son of Sampson Easton, a respected citizen, and the grandson of the well-known intellectual and abolitionist Reverend Hosea Easton, the original pastor of Hartford’s first black church.
Reverend Hosea Easton (September 1, 1798 – July 6, 1837) Intellectual and Activist
The Eastons were one of New England’s most notable 19th-century African American families. Their lineage can be traced back to the 1690s after taking their surname from Nicholas Easton, a slaveholder and a founder of Newport, Rhode Island. Nicholas Easton’s relatives emancipated their slaves in the Quaker faith. Caesar Easton became a landowner who fought off a series of challenges by white men attempting to claim his property as their own. His son James Easton moved the family to Eastern Massachusetts and worked actively in the early movement for black freedom.
James was a veteran of the American Revolutionary War and possessed Native American (Wampanoag) heritage. He was a blacksmith and iron worker who sold industrial iron to big Boston construction projects and later opened an academic and trade school for black youth, which his son Hosea attended in 1816.
Hosea learned courage and activism as a child. The Congregational church attended by the Easton family built a “negro porch” in the back of the church and required all black members of the congregation to sit there during services. James and Sarah Easton refused. The family continued to sit on the main floor of the church until being physically removed.
This same struggle took place in a number of churches the Eastons attempted to join. As a child, the Reverend Hosea Easton engaged in at least five acts of civil disobedience, until he was a teenager. He and his family were the first African Americans known to have engaged in sit-ins for racial justice.
Copy of the 1828 Thanksgiving Day Address by Reverend Hosea Easton – The Shoeleather History Project
Hosea, married Louisa Matrick in the 1820s and became a minister and effective abolitionist agitator. Reverend Hosea first came to public attention in 1828 with a Thanksgiving Day Address in Providence, Rhode Island, attacking racism and slavery. It was a frank, explicit, angry condemnation of the brutalities of slavery, mixed with the call for spiritual uplift of black people. In this sermon he also criticized the African Colonization Society, a movement led by whites to remove all American blacks from the country. This was a “diabolical pursuit, Reverend Hosea preached, “where they will steal the sons of Africa . . . bring them to America, keep them in bondage for centuries . . . then transport them back to Africa by which means America gets all her drudgery done at little expense.”
In 1833 Rev. Hosea and Louisa Easton moved from Massachusetts to Hartford with their son, Sampson. Hosea became the first pastor of Talcott Street Congregational Church, and established the first school for black youth. He later established the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in Hartford.
As free northern blacks formed their own institutions and communities, racist violence against them dramatically increased. Across the North in the 1830s there were deadly riots in Cincinnati, Boston, New York, and Pittsburgh.
For a three day period starting June 8, 1835, white crowds harassed and beat African Americans in Hartford’s Front and Talcott Street area and destroyed a number of black dwellings. In 1836 the Methodist Episcopal Church was burned down. One apparent cause of these attacks was an organized effort for black men’s suffrage led by James Mars, a church deacon and former enslaved man born in Connecticut.
Rev. Hosea Easton died on July 6, 1837, at 38 years of age. The cause of his death is not known. Yet he might have written his own terminal diagnosis in his Treatise: “The effect of these discouragements are everywhere manifest among the colored people. I will venture to say, from my own experience and observation, that hundreds of them come to an untimely grave, by no other disease than . . . oppression.”
Sampson Easton (1829 – ?) A Courageous and Honorable Life
Sampson Easton was the son of Hosea and Louisa, born in 1829, who moved to Hartford with them. He was named after his great-grandfather on his mother’s side, Sampson Dunbar of Massachusetts.
Sampson Easton was an entrepreneur. He was listed as a livery driver and a hack driver during 1858 and 1859. He also owned the Easton Academy of Music on Commerce Street in 1860, where he crafted, repaired, and played banjos, fiddles, and possibly other musical instruments. That may have been where his dance hall was also located. He was not a famous man, unlike his father and other relatives (or, indeed, his own son); but there are three incidents that show the same courage and anti-slavery politics that Sampson learned from his parents.
In 1858 Sam Easton attempted to save “Aunt Mary” Robinson, a longtime friend, from being killed by her husband, Ben. They and others held an impromptu party at the Robinsons’ apartment, playing music and dancing. Ben Robinson was drunk and abusive toward his wife, angered that she was dancing with Sampson. By all accounts, Easton tried to peacefully de-escalate the situation, even after Ben assaulted him. Easton and friends started to leave, when Ben stabbed Mary many times. Easton put himself in the middle of the attack and was wounded. Mary Robinson died; Ben Robinson was sent to prison. Easton was a witness at Ben’s trial.
Two years later, in April, 1861, a Mrs. Thomas Flaherty attempted to commit suicide by jumping off a railroad bridge into the Connecticut River. Easton jumped in the icy water and rescued her. He brought her to shore and she rewarded him with a slap in the face.
The moment for which Sam Easton might best be remembered occurred on December 2, 1859. A dance was held at State House square, sponsored by Engine No. 5 of the Hartford Fire Department. At about 2:00am on Saturday morning, some of the dancers saw a light emanating from the cupola of the State House. They called on police who climbed to the belfry and apprehended Sampson Easton, “a colored citizen of this city,” and his white companion from New Haven, Charles Boyle.
But Easton and Boyle had completed their objective, “draping the figure of Justice upon the cupola with sable fabric, in view of the execution that was to take place in Charlottesville, Virginia during the day,” according to a news report. The condemned man was Connecticut-born John Brown, the white abolitionist who electrified the nation with his October raid on the government arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia.
The pro-slavery Democrats of the time insisted Easton had been hired by a Republican to perform the symbolic action, but Easton denied it. He was perfectly capable of acting on his own volition, Easton wrote in rebuttal.
Easton and Boyle spent the night in the Hartford jail while authorities tried to figure out how to charge them. It was decided that the two ”could be charged with neither insurrection nor resurrection,” and were released at noon, less than an hour after John Brown died.
Hosea Easton ( March 6, 1849- June 23, 1899) Stage Actor, Musical Virtuoso, “Prince of the Banjoists”
Arguably the most well-known of the Eastons was Sampson’s son (and Rev. Easton’s namesake) Hosea Easton. He was born in 1849.
At some point in his youth, Hosea picked up one of the banjos his father, Sampson, made. He later joined the Georgia Minstrels, frequent favorites in Hartford. Minstrel shows and other variety acts often played at the Roberts Opera House and Allyn Hall, both venues that were a short walk from Easton’s neighborhood. It’s likely a young Hosea saw them perform there.
Original Georgia Minstrels are coming (O.V. Schubert, c1876) – Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
The Georgia Minstrels featured, among others, “Dick Little, the greatest banjoist living.” What they did not feature was white performers singing and playing in blackface, as virtually all such acts did beginning in the 1830s. White blackface acts perpetuated the offensive stereotype that deliberately corrupted the public image of African Americans among the white population, but the Georgia Minstrels received an endorsement from none other than the abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison, who once said: “No imputation can be brought against them of presenting anything offensive to the eye or ear.”
By the time he was 27 years old, Hosea Easton left Hartford and traveled to Hobart, Australia, as a member of the Georgia Minstrels. The troupe was at the height of their popularity along the Pacific circuit, especially in Australia, New Zealand, and China. A Sydney Mail reviewer singled out Easton when he wrote that “he draws considerably on theology and temperance for his witticisms.”
Easton also performed with groups such as the Mastodon Minstrels in Hong Kong. The various American shows proved popular, but for a variety of reasons (mostly the performers not getting paid, competition between troupes who took the same names, and outright racism of owners and promoters), there was little stability and frequent turnover.
Quickly, Easton became an audience favorite, entertaining with “clever banjo solos riffed on popular airs” which “earned frequent encores.” Crowds flocked, requiring special trains to bring fans into urban venues from the outlying countryside.
Hosea Easton spent the rest of his life in Australia, an extraordinarily beloved figure, until his death. When he required hospitalization in 1899, other performers staged a benefit concert to help pay his medical costs. After Easton succumbed to cancer, his funeral became a parade as hundreds of admirers and musicians marched with his casket down the street to the Waverley Cemetery. His grave is still an attraction there.
Steve Thornton is a retired union organizer who writes for the Shoeleather History Project
from Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project https://connecticuthistory.org/early-civil-rights-and-cultural-pioneersthe-easton-family/
Saturday, June 20, 2020
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from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Good-Samaritan-helps-capsized-boater-in-waters-15354961.php
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from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/stafford-motor-speedway-prepares-for-the-start-of-race-season/2291210/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/stafford-motor-speedway-prepares-for-the-start-of-race-season/2291210/
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from News https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Police-Non-life-threatening-injuries-in-15354855.php
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from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/tiz-the-law-wins-belmont-stakes-in-first-race-of-triple-crown/2291191/
from Sports – NBC Connecticut https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/tiz-the-law-wins-belmont-stakes-in-first-race-of-triple-crown/2291191/
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