STANDING TALL The ‘Little Church’ that could

Citizen report

On April 1, 2022, East Berlin Methodist Church posted the message "Pray for our little church" on social media, along with several photos of firefighters battling an early morning blaze at the house of worship. Fire destroyed part of the roof, and led to the church building being gutted.

Congregants of “The Little Church with a Big Heart,” while devastated, persevered. And they stuck together.

Now, nearly a year after the fire, the process of rebuilding East Berlin Methodist Church has begun. On Sunday, a groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of the job was held at the Main Street church.

Iconic local businesses celebrated

Citizen report

The Town of Berlin celebrated dozens of ribboncuttings in 2022, but local officials have not forgotten about the many businesses which have operated in the community for decades. The following Berlin businesses had anniversaries in recent months and were presented with plaques in recognition of their longstanding ties to the town:

September 2022

Attorney Rick Pentore, 45 years; Jacunski Humes Architects, 25 years; Fortunato Construction, 30 years.

October 2022

Central CT Lawn, 30 years; Sirois Tool, 60 years; Kensington Pizza, 45 years; AMCO Precision, 55 years; New Britain Transportation,100 years; Okay Industries, 110 years.