THE NEW GIRL

In a recent social media post, the Berlin Police Department introduced its “newest hire,” a female bloodhound who will be joining the K9 program. “This sweet girl, who is just a pup, will be attending upcoming specialized tracking training and will be paired with Officer Patterson. She came to us as a shelter dog, rescued from the Pawtucket Animal Shelter in Rhode Island,” the department stated. “BPD thanks everyone at the shelter for taking such great care of her and actively searching for a job for her!” Now, she needs a name. The Berlin Police Department welcomed suggestions from its members and the public, and submitted three names to Berlin’s elementary schools “for the final decision!” Stay tuned. BPD, Facebook

Fire Department Responses

James Simons, Fire Administrator for the Town of Berlin, reports the following incidents for the week of January 29.

January 30: Mill Street and Middletown Road: Motor vehicle accident – Companies 1, 2 and 3

January 30: 400 block of Christian Lane: Fire alarm – Companies 1, 2, 3 and 4

February 2: Mutual aid rendered to Wethersfield Fire Department

February 3: Route 9 near Route 571: Good intent call – Companies 1, 2 and 3

February 3: 100 block of Moreland Road: Hazardous material investigation – Companies 1, 2, 3, and 4

February 4: Worthington Ridge: Fire alarm

Companies 1, 2 and 3

February 4: 100 block of Church Street: Assistance call – Company 2

February

100 block of Glen Street: Assistance call

Company

Proud legacy

Editor:

This Black History Month it’s important to recognize that Black history is woven into the fabric of all American history and that our hometown of Berlin played an important role.

Many point to Martin Luther King, Jr. in the fight for justice and equality in America and can recall a few select lines from his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. What many residents may not know, is that Black history is an important part of Berlin’s own history.

Berlin’s Historical Society has uncovered fascinating

Blood drive

The Berlin Lions Club and the Berlin High School Athletic Booster Association are co-sponsoring a Red Cross Blood Drive Saturday, Feb. 18, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at BHS. The drive is being held in memory of former BHS student Nick Zuk, who lost his battle with leukemia in 2016. To register, go to redcrossblood.org (enter sponsor code:BerlinCT).

Berlin DTC

The Berlin Democratic Town Committee’s monthly meeting will take place Thursday, Feb. 16 at the Italian Independent Political Club. Meetings begin at 7 p.m. and are preceded by a meet and greet at 6:30. Berlin Democrats are encouraged to attend to learn about important town issues and how to get involved. For more information, email berlindemocrats@gmail.com.

Letters to the Editor

details about our rich Abolitionist tradition.

Among them is the museum’s prized possession, the Wide Awakes Lantern from 1860. The Wide Awakes were a National movement instrumental in electing Abraham Lincoln and abolishing slavery.

Berlin’s club included over 100 townsmen who led lantern-lit parades along with thousands of others in support of their cause.

Two noted Berlin Abolitionists of the time were Milo Hotchkiss and Daniel Galpin, who opened their homes to shelter African Americans fleeing the south as part of the Underground Railroad. The Berlin Equity Action Team held our inaugural June- teenth celebration last year to commemorate America’s newest National Holiday and Mayor Mark Kaczynski dedicated a proclamation honoring the Hotchkiss home.

Recently, records were uncovered that eight free African-American Berlin men fought in Connecticut’s Colored Troop Regiments during the Civil War. Berlin’s legacy celebrates residents both Black and White who believed no one should own another human being as property. This important history is something all who call Berlin home today should know!

While I cannot illustrate here how deep Berlin’s historical legacy of Black history goes, residents can begin to learn it by visiting the Historical Society. These stories will be the focus of the museum’s seasonal opening on April 15.

Chris Barlow, Berlin Equity Action Team co-founder

Recycle Your Old Newspapers

Please & Thank you.

Grade 9, high honors: Leila Abdulhak, Alexander Ahlquist, Isabel Andersen, Isabel Arana, Mackenzie Ayotte, Lilliana Bellini, Carter Braun, Grace Buchholz, Sofia Calabrese, Sandra Carminati, Chloe Constantine, Lillian Cookson, Gianna D’Arena, Rocco DeGrandi, Lex Ding, Grace Foster, Aidan Garneau, Matthew Greenwood, Jenna Grumo, Addison Guarino, Eleanor Henriques, Anna Hunt, Zackary Johnson, Sophia Kizilski, Mya Lamoureux,

Berlin High School Honor Roll

Ryan Lavender, Aadil Malik, Grace Melnyk, Joshua Miller, Michelle Mosur, Liyah Motyka, Muizz Naru, Luke Norton, Sophia O’Brien, Gretchen Perreault, Julia Pikor, Brayden Reynolds, Cynthia Rivera, Gabriella Santoro, Sophia Savi, Meghan Snyder, Emma Toce, Sophia Turetska, Brendan Wagner, Alyssa Walker, Brooke Walker, Nina Welch, Grace Wood, Natalie Zadroga; honors: Oscar Abeso Matomba, Savanna Adamowicz,

Jaeden Aichele, Mariam Akberzai, Kaley Alkas, Aidan Arcila, Mackenzie Baker, Victoria Borissov, Sydney BronkZdunowski, Lorenzo Calafiore, Julia Collin, Sawyer Eberhardt, Isabella Gagnon, Cameron Garneau, Jack Heeps, Sara Langford, Austin Lauria, Joseph LaVallee, Cassandra Lazzara, Colin Lennehan, Thomas Motta, Khai Nguyen, Jonathan Ortiz, Ariel Rivera, Gabriella Rivera, Daisy Ruiz, Kayden Santana, Mariah Shea, Jayden Showerda, Vladyslav Shpilchuk, Arden Singh, Dante Sisti, Liana Spinali, Ryan Tang, Spencer Toussaint, Jessica Vale da Serra, Janalyn Weber, Isabella Wesoly, Philip Wilkinson, Samantha Wood, Mateusz Wroblewski, Phineas Yamalis, Margaret Yantz. Grade 10, high honors: Nicole Akulin, Sunita Amiri, Jayden Andrade, Brody Bannon, Gianna Barile, Faithe BarkoskiLaPosta, Anna Barnat, Kayron Bobbs, Philip Bogacz, Karolina Carlone, Charlotte Carlson, Madelyn Carlson, Elizabeth Cugno, Sara Cugno, Daniel Cwieka, Taylor DeMaio, Lindsay Dempsey, Natalie Dempsey, Ava Desmarais, Max Ding, Phillip Dutremble, Nicholas Ebrahimi, Julia Farrand, Andrew Feldman, Lanie Ferguson, Olivia-Anne Ferrante, Klaudia Fidyk, Isabella

Fogarty, Joseph Francalangia, Lorenzo Gil, Nadia Goulet, Reni Guo, Anousha Hashim, Juliana Holliday, Brookelyn Johnson, Kaitlyn Kozlowski, Macie Krawciw, Emily Laskowski, Fiona Li, Juniya Lighty, Nadia Malec, Anthony Manafort, Nicholas Manzi, Madisen McBride, Victoria Molas, Omar Montanez, Elyse Niemiec, John Pease, Julia Pelc, Bella Perugini, John Platt, Amelia Powalka, Grace Ramirez, Christian Riccitelli, Kate Roberti, Natalee Rockhill, Chloe Rollins, Madelynn Sadowski, Daphne Smith, Sarah Swanson, Addison Szczesniak, Katelyn Tierney, Zachary Ulan, Jatnna Vega, Victoria Vozvyshayeva, Luke Wadstrup, William Weber, Cole Webster, Katherine Zibell; honors: Jaelyn An, Thomas Andersen, Mason Asklar, Joshua Beaudoin, Marissa Bellizzi, David Castro Guardado, Grace Catalano, Kiera Colello, Zuzanna Dabek, Matthew Dalek, Zoe DiMauro, Samantha Dunn, Aiden Dunphy, Nathaniel Elmani, Timothy Gorham, Izabella Jamrozek, Haley Johnson, Marcus Joshi, Natalia Kmita, Joseph Manafort, Raymond Martin, Gianna Miele, Madeline Mota, Peyton Nadeau, Sarah Nielsen, John O’Brien, Olivia Parciak, Benjamin Parisi, Peter Poplawski, Emma Radoncic, Lucas Revenaugh, Maddox Rodriguez, Ryan Scaranuzzo, Hiram Sepulveda, Samyra Shillingford, Conlan Simard, Kamryn Stepina, Kamil Szok, Kaylie Vaccaro, Amy Wall, Max Weber.

School Notes

Locals in college

Eastern Connecticut State University, Willimantic, named the following students to its dean’s list for the fall semester: Maisie Hayes, Thomas Hebert, Jack Melville, Evan Morin, Michael Parzych, Julia Raynock, Dakota Rymarzick, Domenic Scarano.

Lasell University, Newton, Mass., named Lea Cabral to its dean’s list for the fall semester.

Quinnipiac University, Hamden, named the following students to its dean’s list for the fall semester: Jacob Biello, Morgan Biello, Rachael Cavanagh, Abigail Cutler, Nicole Cyr, Taylor Droste, Samantha Ferrero, Hannah Grega, Tiana Hayek, Anastasia Houle, Danyella Kaplan, Hailey Karas, David Russell, Abigail Wendehack.

Stonehill College, Easton, Mass., named Julia Ladd to its dean’s list for the fall semester.

University of Rhode Island, Kingston, R.I., named Malachi Burby and Victoria Turcotte to its dean’s list for the fall semester.

Western New England University, Springfield Mass., named Kevin Brockel to its dean’s list for the fall semester.

Preschool

Residents between age 3 and 4 years, 8 months by April 1 are eligible to participate in a town-wide preschool screening. The Preschool Round-up will take place at the Community Center Friday, March 24, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and Saturday, March 25, 8:30 a.m. to noon.

Appointments for the Preschool Round-up will be scheduled through Saturday, March 18. Call JoAnn at 860829-6795 (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.).

School Notes

More than 90 scholarship funds administered by Main Street Community Foundation are accepting applications. The scholarships are available to graduating high school seniors, current college students, adult learners who are or will be attending two or four year colleges as well as technical schools and career certification programs. The deadline for all application submissions is March 10. A full list of scholarships available, their eligibility criteria and links to the online application are available on the foundation website, mainstreetfoundation.org.

The American Savings Foundation is accepting applications from high school seniors, college students, and nontraditional adult students who will be enrolled for the 2023-2024 academic year. Students can apply at asfdn.org.