The Berlin
Cit itiz ize en Berlin’s Only Hometown Newspaper
Volume 16, Number 30
www.berlincitizen.com
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Berlin’s bat cave a treasure trove of Batman lore By Daniel Jackson The Berlin Citizen For Ezra Welch, Batman is more than Christian Bale’s interpretation of the character in this summer’s release The Dark Knight Rises. Batman is an idea. “He’s a regular human being who developed his body and skills to fight against the predators who prey upon the weak,” he said. Welch’s basement is museum to that fact. For years,
he has collected Batman memorabilia of all kinds, from McDonald happy meal toys to movie posters to a rock from the cave that was the bat cave in the 1960’s Batman show starring Adam West. He keeps it all in a room in his basement he terms “the bat cave.” For several years, Welch has been “surrounding myself with power and beauty” through the images and fig-
See Batman, page 3
Photo by Daniel Jackson
Kart racers drive around the track at the Berlin Fairgrounds.
Young kart racers learn at Berlin Fairgrounds By Daniel Jackson The Berlin Citizen
Every two weeks, the Nutmeg Kart Club gathers at the Berlin Fairgrounds to race karts. Families pull up their
trailers, erect awnings for shade and start generators to power industrial fans pushing air, combatting the hot air which smells of rubber and dust. Nutmeg Kart Club president John Latte explained
the track at the fairground is a short track; one oval loop where karts can reach top speeds of 45 miles per hour. The club races here every See Kart, page 8
Park and rec director position dissolved By Daniel Jackson The Berlin Citizen
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See Position, page 5
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Stephen Kelly’s position as director of Parks and Recreation was dissolved July 1, at the start of the town’s financial year. Town Manager Denise McNair said the elimination of the position is part of larger reorganization in town hall which will culminate in the creation of a new position of Human Services Director, she told The Berlin Citizen. “I consider it regionalizing with ourselves,” McNair said. “I’m not doing it to eliminate people. It makes more sense.” The elimination of one position
Kelly’s departure from the Park and Rec Department means a change of leadership in the middle of summer, when the pools are filled with people and the summer programs are in full swing. McNair was aware to the timing but believes park and rec can handle the change. “They’re good workers,” she said. “I have every confidence in Debbie.” The Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation, Debbie Dennis, still keeps her title and oversees the same programs as she did before Kelly left. Kelly was not planning on retiring, Mc-
Photo by Daniel Jackson
Ezra Welch displays his Batman costume in “the bat cave.” Welch said the cosume is mostly modeled after the 1960s interpritation of Batman, but the ears remind him of the Batman of the 1940s.