Thursday, September 27, 2018
www.berlincitizen.com
Volume 22, Number 32
Summer of extremes hurts harvest Familiar face fills council vacancy By Devin Leith-Yessian The Citizen
Reaching through tangled browning leaves, Steve Vengtson, owner of Cold Spring Brook Farm in Berlin, plucked tomatoes off their vines and turned them over to show the mold and cracked skins plaguing this year’s harvest.
By Devin Leith-Yessian The Citizen
“We’re fortunate that most of our crops have survived … the main crops did well,” he said, noting that other farmers in the state have lost significant portions of their fields. The season got off to a dry start in June and July, causing crops to shrivel until rain in August inundated the fields. Vengtson’s onions doubled in size and some of his tomatoes grew so fast their skins split. “We went from one extreme to another,” he said. Steve Vengtson, owner of Cold Springs Brook Farm in Berlin, inspects tomatoes on the farm. Devin Leith-Yessian, The Citizen
crops can get a chance. The weeds tower like trees as Vengtson tries to keep up and remove them. “I’ve never seen the
weeds be such a terrible problem,” he said. The rain can also dilute the sugar See Harvest, A20
Berlin hires firm for promotional videos By Devin Leith-Yessian The Citizen
owners and businesses.
Filming will soon begin on a set of videos portraying the town as an attractive place for prospective home-
Will Colon, an account executive with CGI Communications, said the goal of the videos is to showcase “the best aspects of what Berlin is all about.”
The company operates nationwide, creating promotional videos and marketing material for thousands of municipalities. See Videos, A15
THE FuTuRE oF CHILDCARE AND PRESCHooL IS HERE!
Danielle resigned earlier this month and the council unanimously approved Paonessa’s appointment on Sept. 18. Kaczynski said he approached Paonessa because his two terms on the council from 2013 to 2017, when he lost his bid for reelection, made him an ideal See Council, A2
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Crops growing close to the ground, such as cucumbers, peppers and squash, were hardest hit because they absorb more moisture and can grow mold on their leaves. The rain has also been a boon to weeds which sprout up through silage tarps before
Mayor Mark Kaczynski said Republican Charles Paonessa’s past experience on the Town Council, particularly with the budget, are what made him the ideal Paonessa candidate to fill the vacant seat left by councilor Amy Danielle.