Thursday, July 2, 2020
www.berlincitizen.com
Volume 22, Number 18
Local gym owners Pro shares hot weather lawn tips discuss reopening By Joy VanderLek Special to The Citizen
Phase 2 of Connecticut’s reopening plan went into effect in June, and gyms were one of the businesses allowed to throw their doors open once again. “We opened on the first day we could, on Wednesday, June 17,” said Jack Banks, co-owner of Powerhouse Gym of Berlin and Malibu Fitness in Farmington. “Initially, it was a big rush to come back in. A lot of new members joined, a lot of enthusiasm. Since then the overall volume of people has been down.” Banks said the state’s reopening protocols “get a little bit ambiguous.” The rules include social distancing and mask-wearing. “You may be six feet apart, but it’s a fluid situation at the gym,” Banks said. “It’s not as cut and dried as initially thought.”
Banks said if a gym-goer isn’t complying with the mask protocol, they’ll be reminded of the rules. “I’ve done that,” he said. “People are extremely understanding. They start out seven or eight feet apart and get closer. I went up to them and said, ‘you have to put a mask on.’ There was no grief whatsoever. It’s more of a reminder thing. People feel at home here, they are talking to someone they know. But there is a rule that applies to everyone, otherwise the whole thing would break down.” Jason Perrone is co-owner of Revolution Fitness Club in North Haven. He said business has been steady since reopening on June 17. “I haven’t had a bunch of people cancel or quit. People are trying to wait and see a bit,” Perrone said. “We also had a fair number of new signups.” See Reopening, A11
Record-breaking heat came in alongside the first official day of summer on June 20. It also kicked off the first heatwave of the season. June will also be remembered for the lack of rain. The extended stretch of broiling hot days with no rain left lawns and plants devastatingly parched. Symptoms include wilting, curled leaves and crunchy brown grass.
See Lawn, A11
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July’s Dog Days of summer may offer more of the same. Irrigation systems are obviously wonderful to have, said Steve Walowski of Hillside Landscaping in Berlin. “Unfortunately, not everyone is fortunate enough to have them,” he said. “It’s been very dry, and we’ve received very little rain. Plants will tell you when they need a drink. People should take heed to notice and water deep and as long as possible,” said Walowski. “When you water deeply, it protects better and the roots benefit. When you give plants or grass frequent, short-duration watering, it creates shallow roots. You need the deep water to create deep roots so the grasses and plants can survive.”
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cording to CTDEEP, “Lawns may turn brown and dormant during periods of
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Artist Lisa Salamon delivered some handpainted rocks to the Berlin Police Department recently to show her support for law enforcement. The department wrote on its Facebook page: “We appreciate these more than you know … We truly have the BEST community behind us!”
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By Sean Krofssik Record-Journal staff
Grass lawns that look dead may actually be in a state of dormancy. This is a stress reaction during periods of extreme dry weather. Ac-