By Ed Harris Editor A local woman is collecting candy for St. Jude’s Hospital. Allyson Genovese began the St. Jude’s Candy Drive several years ago after learning that her stepdaughter’s mother, who works at St. Jude, would bring in Halloween candy for the kids at the hospital. The first year Genovese was able to collect 70 bags of candy and offered it to the hospital. “I was told that I was the answer to their prayers and they held a Halloween party for the children,” Genovese said. Last year Genovese was able to collect 400 bags of candy, which made shipping an issue. Genovese said the cost of shipping the candy was quoted at $500. For a bit she had partnered with a local company that covered half the costs, but the business has since closed. Now Genovese, a WBFF pro, is hosting a charity fitness class on Saturday, Oct. 12, at a place to be determined. The cost for the class is $20 and the money raised will be used for shipping purposes. Any money raised beyond the shipping costs will also be donated to St. Judes. Those interested in donating can drop off the candy at several area [...]
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Local woman collecting candy for St. Jude’s Hospital
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Convenience store owner arrested
The owner of Stats Convenience Store at 169 School St. was arrested Wednesday morning after an ongoing investigation into illegal sales of tobacco products. A press release said Tajaree L. Walker was arrested by Special Agents of the State of Connecticut Department of Revenue Services, and charged with fraudulent cigarette tax stamp, illegal sales of untaxed cigarettes, and sale of cigarettes without a license. The release said he was release on a $10,000 bond. Walker was also arrested by Bristol officers and charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia and was released on those charged with a written promise to appear.
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Connecticut Dept. of Transportation to work on traffic signals
The Connecticut Department of Transportation is replacing traffic signal LED’s at various intersections within Southington. An Alternating One Way Traffic Pattern Using Traffic Control Will Be Utilized On A Daily Basis To Perform The Construction Work. The Contractor Will Not Be Allowed To Interfere With Traffic Between 6 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m.., Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday And Sunday. Work is anticipated to occur between September 1, and October 15, at the following locations: Route 10 at Sr 509 (Clark St.) Rte 322 at Rte 10 Connector & Old Tpke Rd. Rte 10 (Mainst. & South Main St.) at West Main St. Rte 10 at Old Tpke Rd. (North Jct.) Rte 10 at Rte 120 and School Drive Rte 10 (Main St.) at Columbus Ave. & Berlin Ave. Rte 10 at Center St. & Riccio Way Rte 10 at High St. and Merrill Ave. Rte 10 at Curtiss St. & Shopping Ctr. Drive Rte 10 at I-84 S.B. Ramps Rte 10 at I-84 W.B. Ramps Rte 10 at Southington Plaza Drive & Interstate Park Drive Rte 10 at Southington Plaza Drive & Randy’s Restaurant Rte 10 at Aircraft Rd. Rte [...]
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YMCA expansion includes parking lot and other buildings
By Lisa Capobianco Staff Writer Members of the Southington YMCA may have more parking spots to choose from by the end of September, as construction of the lots is near completion. Director of Operations Tony Palmieri said there will be 99 additional parking spaces in front of the building alone, bringing the total number of spaces to more than 200 in the front. This serves as phase one of renovations at the YMCA, along with roof unit replacements in work out areas and updates on the men’s and women’s locker rooms, which received new tiling, a paint job and new lockers. Renovations also took place at the Spirit, Mind and Body Center on North Main Street, which will feature the Women’s Fitness Center, Studio 130 for yoga and pilate classes.Women’s Fitness Center, Studio 130 (for Yoga, Pilates, etc. classes) and Rooted In wellness therapeutic massage. Phase two involves renovations of the pool and the gymnasium. Palmieri said the goal is to make the pool accessible to residents with disabilities by installing an elevator. The plan also involves the addition of bathrooms and offices for staff members of the Aquatic Department as well as the improvement of the dehumidification system. Executive [...]
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School board meetings change location
The Plainville Board of Education monthly meetings now will be held in the Mel Perry Auditorium at the Middle School of Plainville,150 Northwest Dr., beginning with the Sept. 9 and all subsequent Board of Education meetings. The board previously met at Plainville High School.
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Open house set for superfund site
There is an open house scheduled for the SRSNE superfund site at 90 Lazy Lane, across the street from the police station. The open house is set for Saturday, Sept. 7, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will include EPA, CTDEEP and representatives of the potentially responsible parties’ group will present information and answer questions about the upcoming in-situ thermal remediation, and the wide variety of other cleanup activities going on at the site, which include investigating the extent of solvents in groundwater, preventing further migration of contaminated groundwater by pumping and treating the water using UV/oxidation, and monitoring on-going bioremediation of solvents in groundwater by naturally occurring bacteria. A very significant phase of the remediation is under construction right now, and will become operational later this year. This phase of the work is called “in-situ thermal remediation”, which is expected to remove approximately 1,000,0000 pounds of solvent from the soil under 2 acres of the site. This will be the largest treatment project of its’ sort to date in the world. This process will use electrical heaters bring about 50,000 cubic yards of soil at the site to the boiling point, evaporate the solvents, then capture them with a [...]
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Plainville’s Niko Koutouvides cut from Pats
By MICHAEL LETENDRE STAFF WRITER With the New England Patriots having to cut its training roster to 75 players this past week, a former Plainville high school standout was released from the squad. Niko Koutouvides was cut by the Patriots on Monday, Aug. 26 – making him a free agent that any NFL squad can now sign. It became a numbers game for New England with free agent signings, newly drafted players, and the reshuffling of the roster which forced a couple veterans to get cut from the team. It’s an all too familiar pattern for Koutouvides and the Patriots. Last season, Koutouvides played in a total of 16 games – 14 straight to end the regular season – and managed to make four tackles on the campaign. He’s been in the NFL since 2004 and has played for Seattle (2004-2007), Denver (2008), Tampa Bay (2009-2010) and the Patriots (2011 and 2012) over his nine seasons of action. For his career, the 32-year-old Koutouvides has made 164 tackles with his best season coming when he had 62 as a rookie. Over the past two seasons with New England, Koutouvides has played in 22 regular season games, made 18 tackles and [...]
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Smiles on both sides of win-loss in City Series
By MICHAEL LETENDRE STAFF WRITER BRISTOL – You’d expect to see about a dozen frowns after the Tigers blitzed the Bandits 21-1 in the championship game of the Bristol Girls Little League Softball Series game from the McCabe-Waters softball field on Thursday, Aug. 29. The Tigers wrapped up the series 2-0 and reclaimed the title it last won in 2011. But after the grueling contest, there wasn’t a sad face on the field seen by anyone. And consider that a mission accomplished by all involved. It’s about fun, it’s about togetherness, and it’s about playing a little softball and enjoying the moment that they’re in right then and there. While the Tigers, the 2013 City Series Champions, were busy posing with its new trophy, the Bandits were actually running around the bases like fools and sliding into home plate – laughing the whole time while doing it. It’s what Little League Softball should be all about. “That’s what it’s all about,” said Bandits coach Steve Masi. “Look at them right now, they’re still smiling. These girls showed heart, you know what I mean? And they didn’t get down on themselves. When one of the girls came out, normally, they’d be [...]
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Lack of interest scuttles Miss Mum
By MIKE CHAIKEN EDITIONS EDITOR Each year, the Bristol Mum Festival opens its festivities by crowning a new Miss Mum and new Junior Miss Mum. It’s a tradition that goes back decades for the annual festival. But it’s a tradition, at least for this year, has experienced a hiccup. Last Wednesday, the festival posted on its Facebook page, “It is with great sadness that we officially announce that there will not be a Miss Mum/ Junior Miss Mum Pageant this year. We hope that this program will be revived next year so that young girls can experience the journey and excitement of holding such a wonderful title.” “Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough contestants,” explained Kristina Mazzone Duarte, who co-chaired the Miss Mum pageant with her mother Dina Mazzone. “My mom and I hate having to do this because Miss Mum is a tradition and part of the Mum Festival. But like all other pageants, we have rules and guidelines that we need to follow in order to run the pageant and those guidelines were not met.” Darlene Sawe, the president of the Mum Festival, said, “It is a great loss to both the Mum Festival and all the organizations that [...]
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School officials pleased with test scores
By Lisa Capobianco Staff Writer School officials said they are pleased with the scores on the Connecticut Mastery Tests (CMTs) and the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT) for the 2012-2013 school year, and are ready to prepare for changes the exams will bring during the current school year. Students in grades three to eight take the CMTs, which evaluate their skills in mathematics, reading and writing, every year. Fifth and eight grade students also take science, an additional section of the test. Students in the district scored above the state average across all subjects in regards to the percentage of students meeting the goal on the tests. The “goal” is equivalent to what school officials want students to attain every year, which is also the percentage that federal programs like No Child Left Behind evaluate to ensure that students do not fall behind academically. When school officials evaluate the test scores, they view them laterally in order to understand the strengths and weaknesses of grade levels instead of comparing the score to the year before. For instance, fourth graders scored 6.9 percent higher on the reading portion than they did last year as third graders. Fifth graders, sixth graders and [...]
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2013 road race registration begins;
By John Goralski Sports Writer When John Myers took over as the Apple Harvest Road Race director, the annual 5-mile race attracted about 500 runners and a handful of workers. Over the last decade, that number has tripled. With armies of runners winding down by the finish line and legions of Little Fritters circling the town green, it’s become a logistical nightmare for police as church goers pour into the center of town and parade enthusiasts fight for space along Main Street. So, for the second time in as many years, race officials have pushed up the starting time. On Sunday, Oct. 6, the 5K road racers and 5-mile competitors will burst from the starting line at 8:30 a.m. at the same time as the 2-mile participants leave the YMCA. The extra 15 minutes should help ease congestion on opening day of the yearly festival. “We crept up 15 minutes last year, and now we’ve moved the start to 8:30,” said Myers. “I think that’s going to help out with some traffic control with the end of church services. Also, it gives us a little more time before the Apple Harvest parade, and that will give us a little break.” [...]
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Lincoln College builds athletic department; Deena Martinelli hired as cheerleading coach; Gina Prentiss as information director
SOUTHINGTON—Director of Athletics Preston Beverly has been busy since his hiring last spring as Lincoln College of New England continues to build its athletic department. In recent years, the NJCAA Division III school has shown promise with their men’s basketball team, and the women’s basketball team has had varied levels of success. Former Bristol Eastern assistant coach Mike Stokes has already been hired as the new Wildcat women’s basketball coach for this winter. Now, Preston has hired two more individuals as he builds the Wildcat program. Deena Martinelli was been hired as the new cheerleading coach, and Gina Prentiss was named as the sports information director. “These are just some of many revitalizing changings the college plans on making,” says Beverly. Martinelli has been involved in the sport of Cheerleading for over a decade. Some of her accomplishments include a Naugatuck Valley League championship, two state championships, two New England regional championships, a national title in Tampa FL, and numerous invitational competitions. At the collegiate level, Martinelli, a member of Eastern Connecticut State University, traveled to Daytona Beach, FL for the national competition. She has also also served as a volunteer coach at Southington High School for the past two [...]
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CT’s Logan West is now a ‘retired’ princess
By Mike Chaiken Editions Editor For the past year, Logan West was the princess of the world. Literally. The former Southington resident was crowned last year as Miss Teen USA 2012, a title which is part of the Miss Universe program. But Aug. 10, she crowned her successor and Logan finds herself a private citizen once again. The Pace University sophomore said she had “mixed feelings” about having passed on her crown. “It’s a very odd feeling to not be ‘it’ any more.” But, she added, “Overall, it feels really, really good.” “With the job, it’s really glamorous. It’s really glitzy,” said Logan. “But I always looked at it as a job. I knew it could only last one year. My time is done. And knowing… bigger and better things are waiting for me is the easiest part.” One of the bigger and better things on Logan’s agenda is her charity, “Unite Against Bullies Today.” She is holding a fund raiser, The Connecticut USA Extravaganza Pageant 2013, to help in her effort to put a halt to bullying. The year as Miss Teen USA had been a learning experience for Logan, teaching her about life beyond Southington and Connecticut. “It’s [...]
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Wasteland Gift Shop robbed over weekend
Bristol police are searching for a suspect who robbed the Wasteland Gift Shop on Saturday evening. Police were called to the shop, located at 320 Terryville Rd., just before 6 p.m. on Saturday after an employee said a lone male entered the shop with a semi-automatic handgun and robbed the business, a press release said. The suspect, who is described as being about 6 feet tall and having a slender build and wearing a gray hoodie, black pants and gloves, pointed the handgun at the cashier, a press release said. The suspect told the cashier to “stand back” and then removed the drawer from the cash register. The suspect fled on foot hearing east toward the First Student Bus Yard, and Bristol police searched the area but were not able to locate the suspect. The incident remains under investigation, and anyone with information about this incident should contact the Bristol Police at (860)584-3011.
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Public hearing in Bristol Tuesday on proposed bus fare increase
The Connecticut Department of Transportation will be holding a public hearing at Bristol City Hall, 111 North Main St., Bristol, on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at noon regarding the proposed increase of city bus fares. According to the DOT’s website, “The proposed bus fare increase of approximately 15 percent would take effect on or after Jan. 5, 2014. The proposed new bus fares would affect local bus systems serving the areas of Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, Waterbury, New Britain, Meriden, Bristol and Wallingford. ADA paratransit fares for these same areas would also be increased by approximately 15 percent, as would fares on express commuter bus services to the Hartford area and for the I-BUS Stamford to White Plains express. Combined, these bus systems serve over 32 million passengers per year. The base local bus fare is proposed to go from $1.30 to $1.50. The senior and disabled fare would increase from $.65 to $.75, and the ADA paratransit fare would go from $2.60 to $3.00. The express bus and discounted multi-ride passes would also increase by a similar percentage.”
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Teens ensure success of churches’ backpack project
By Kaitlyn Naples Staff Writer Two teenagers took the reins of a project that has been going on for 11 years that helps provide backpacks and school supplies to local students in need. Jack Murray, 15, of Bristol, and Megan Albert, 16 of Southington, raised funds from the parishioners at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Bristol to help buy school supplies and backpacks for children who are less fortunate than they are. Not only were backpacks distributed to several local organizations, but 60 backpacks were sent to Moore, Okla., which suffered widespread damage from a tornado on May 20 that killed 24 people. “We always send the backpacks to kids who can’t afford back to school supplies, but this year we also wanted to help with disaster relief,” Murray said, adding that this is his second year helping run the backpack project. The project has been going on for the past 11 years, and has been a collaboration between Gloria Dei Lutheran, and St. Andrew Lutheran in Bristol. The project began with Gloria Dei parishioner Tracy Carlson, who said the teens who volunteer are involved in “a great learning experience.” She said when the teens get involved in the project, [...]
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Obits for Sept. 13
The following obituaries will be published in the Friday, Sept. 13 Observer. For further details, look to our e-edition or the print version on Friday. Alice (Belisle) Stokosa, 87, of Bristol, widow of Louis Stokosa died at the Village Green, Forestville on Sept. 2. Dorothy S. Thomas, 91, of Bristol, widow of Robert D. Thomas, died on Wednesday, Sept. 4 at Countryside Manor. Mary G. (Jensen) Witkovic, 59, of East Haven, widow of Richard A. Witkovic, died Thursday, Aug. 15, after a long battle with cancer. Krystina (Kozikowski) Karwowski, 70, of Plymouth, wife of Boleslaw Karwowski died Friday, Aug. 30 at home. Barbara Ann Hudson was born Oct. 20, 1942, in Opelika, Ala. Shirley B. Glynn , 80, and a longtime resident of Bristol, died at Bristol Hospital on Saturday, Aug. 31 after a long illness. Joyce J. (Mills) Barney, “Meme” 84, of Bristol, wife of Leo E. Barney, passed away on Saturday, Aug. 31 at Sheriden Woods Health Care. William O. Parker, 77, of Bristol, husband of Bernadette (Przywara) Parker, died on Monday, Sept. 2 at Bristol Hospital. Thomas Joseph Caron, 72, of Terryville, widower of Cynthia (Gauvin) Thomas died at home on Wednesday, Sept. 4. Randy R. Ferro [...]
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Obits for Sept. 13
The following obituaries will be published in the Friday, Sept. 13 Observer. For further details, look to our e-edition or the print version on Friday. Mary G. (Jensen) Witkovic, 59, of East Haven, widow of Richard A. Witkovic, died Thursday, Aug. 15, after a long battle with cancer. Shirley B. Glynn , 80, and a longtime resident of Bristol, died at Bristol Hospital on Saturday, Aug. 31 after a long illness. Thomas “Tommy” Joseph Sastre, 58, died Aug. 23 in Greenville, S.C. after a battle with cancer. Dorothy S. Thomas, 91, of Bristol, widow of Robert D. Thomas, died on Wednesday, Sept. 4 at Countryside Manor. Doris (Ritchie) Decker, 85, of Southington, formerly of Plainville, died Wednesday, Sept. 4.
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City Council presents facts on blight
A letter from the City Council: Over the past few weeks, blight and code enforcement have been hot topics in Bristol. Suggestions have been made that this current City Council has not done “enough” to curtail blight and enforce codes. However, the facts of the City’s blight reduction and code enforcement efforts over the past six years, and particularly the last two, actually make an argument much to the contrary. In 2008, the City established the Code Enforcement Committee, consistent of representation from the Chief Building Official, Director of Bristol/ Burlington Health District, Chief of Police or his designee, Zoning Enforcement Officer, Fire Marshal, Director of Public Works or their designees and chaired by a member of the City Council, currently Mayor Ward. This group meets monthly to coordinate the City’s anti-blight and code enforcement measures. Since the creation of the Code Enforcement Committee, the number of code complaints received has totaled 7891, or approximately 1500 per year. The two years prior to the creation of this committee, the City had received just 129 complaints total. The City has resolved 96% of the complaints received since 2008, and has billed violators a total of $1.34 million dollars, with approximately $1.1 [...]
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Police make narcotics arrest in West End
As the ongoing investigation into the West End neighborhood narcotics activity continues, Bristol Police have made another arrest. Alex Aponte, 21, of 36 Park St., Bristol was arrested on Tuesday, Sept. 10, and charged with three counts sale of narcotics and three counts sale of narcotics within 1500 feet of a school. According to a press release, “Aponte is alleged to have been selling narcotics in the West End area of Bristol, and within 1500 feet of St. Anthony’s School and the Immanuel Lutheran School.” He was held on a $450,000 bond. In addition to that arrest, Leonel Rodriguez, 38, of 86 Colony St., Bristol was also arrested on a warrant for violation of probation. “He was on probation from an arrest in West Haven for possession of narcotics, and criminal possession of a weapon,” a release said. He was held on a court set $25,000 bond.
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