Volume 18, Number 35
Berlin’s Only Hometown Newspaper
www.berlincitizen.com
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Storm season is upon us – get prepared By Charles Kreutzkamp The Berlin Citizen
There is a 70 percent change a Category III hurricane will one day come to Connecticut, according to Robert Scata of the Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Specif ically, Scata explained, water temperatures are such that a Category III hurricane set on a path to Connecticut has, in general, a 70 percent chance of making landfall. New England has had numerous hurricanes make landfall over the years, including the recent Hurricane Irene, a Category III storm at peak intensity. Irene resulted in 16 deaths.
Ten people attended a seminar on emergency preparedness Scata presented at the Berlin-Peck Memorial Library the afternoon of Sept. 23. Attendees were told Connecticut features a number of challenges in emergencies. “We have seven strikes against us,” Scata said, explaining that these strikes were the four seasons and times of day: morning, evening, and night. Emergency management plans must be “living documents” Scata said, and flexible enough to address a wide variety of scenarios. Connecticut must be prepared for hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, and other See Storm / Page 6
The first day of this year’s Berlin Fair, Friday, Oct. 3, drew an impressive crowd. | Charles Kreutzkamp / The Berlin Citizen
Another successful year at Animals still a big the Berlin fairgrounds part of the fair By Charles Kreutzkamp The Berlin Citizen
The agricultural roots of the Berlin Fair still show with the cows, chickens, rabbits, and sheep who compete for best in their breed and best in show. This year, first time entrant Tara Eggleton took home best in show for the rabbit she raised. Kathy Thomas, who volunteered at the rabbit pavilion, explained that rabbits are entered in two categories: pets and American Rabbit Breeders’ Association rabbits. Entrants are judged on the standard for each
breed. Judges look at how well kept the rabbit is, friendliness, the quality of the coat, nails, and other characteristics. Eggleton, 18, said that she started being interested in raising rabbits four years ago. “I like being able to try to achieve the top,” Eggleton said. Rabbits shared space with chickens, which were judged for the condition of their feet, beaks, feathers, the waddle, and the “saddle” – the feathers coming off of the chicken’s back. The roosters’ combs are See Animals / Page 7
By Charles Kreutzkamp The Berlin Citizen
The Berlin Fair had a great turnout in spite of rain on Saturday, Oct. 4, according to Lions Club President Gary Bienkowski. Some food booths nearly sold out by Sunday afternoon. “Friday was a banner day, near record turnout,” Bienkowski said. “It never fails, it always rains one day of the fair,” Bienkowski added, but the Lions did what they could to increase turnout, relocating the Lo Cash Cowboys to an indoor pavilion and getting the word out on social media that free admission was being offered for that evening. This improved turnout a bit, Bien-
kowski said. “Today was a repeat of Friday,” Bienkowski said Sunday, Oct. 5. “I think everyone is having a great time.” Boy Scout Troop 41 leader Michael Paul said that their steamed cheeseburger booth did “excellent, very good on Friday but horrible on Saturday,” and that they were nearing selling out of their stock, with only 150 burgers remaining in the early afternoon out of the 1,000 originally purchased. Berlin Fire Department firefighter Dave Pethigal said that sales of the department’s specialty – freedom fries – were about average. UpBeat Volunteers at the Berlin Lions Memorial Pool
Food Court said that they were “very busy, lots of customers.” UpBeat students Max Wade, Vinny Biscoglio, and Connor Ladd have been volunteering at the both for three years. “It’s fun, I like helping out and it’s good for the club,” Wade said. “Friday I believe we did good, but yesterday was kind of drab,” another added. Superintendent of Schools David Erwin was hard at work cooking at the booth. “UpBeat is a great organization … Alice Mitchell gets everyone involved,” Erwin said. Erwin has been with the district for five years, and has been cooking See Fairgrounds / Page 8