Intoxikated

From A1

“It was kind of hard because it’s like, you know, I have darker skin, but I also speak Spanish,” Green said. “So a lot of people were like, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ I was culturally raised Puerto Rican, which is kind of hard when you look a little bit different. But I’m proud of both cultures for sure, now that I really understand what it means to be a woman of color but also Afro-Latina.”

Green has never stopped pushing forward and being successful, continually freeing herself from focusing on the opinions of others. “You shouldn’t worry about what everybody else thinks,” Green said. “And I know that sounds probably cliche. But once you start doing that, owning your power, you can really hone in on whatever business you want to run because you won’t be worried about the opinions of others. I know it’s a fearful thing to do, but hone into that because it will motivate you to keep pushing forward.”

Green’s love for makeup artistry began in high school, when she did makeup for theater productions. In addition, she would often do her friends’ and her own makeup, never foreseeing that she would make a career out of it. After high school, she figured doing makeup full-time would only be possible if she moved away from her hometown.

Green was the first person in her family to attend college and start her own business. She went to college for marketing because, at the time, she didn’t believe she could turn her side makeup business into a full-time career, she said. However, after quitting her nine-to-five job after college, she decided to try her hand at doing makeup full-time and going to an esthetician school to specialize in skin beautification.

Green had left her nine-tofive job right before the COVID-19 pandemic, which meant trying to launch her business was complex, she said. However, she rented a small office space in the meantime, and found her current location in 2021.

“I had to learn that you must pave your way, ” Green said. “Because being a womanowned and minority-owned business in a predominantly white town is tough, that really doesn’t happen often.”

Green describes her business location as “relaxing,” “ serene ” and “calm.” Her space has green color on the walls to add to the peaceful atmosphere of her spa. She said one of her goals was that she wanted everyone, whether a client or an employee, to love the environment.

“I think we’ve made a lot of progress in the goals of establishing ourselves here in town,” she said. “And really creating an ideal environment where you want to come to work, where we have the ideal clients. That was pretty much the motivation. I wanted to be able to come into a job that I didn’t hate. Because I’ve done that for such a long time.”

With the success of her business, Green plans to add more team members, expand her space and, at some point, open a second loca- tion either out of state or just out of the area.

“This is not an easy road,” Green said. “I think a lot of people think being a business owner is easy; it’s all fun and games. But it is a lot; it takes a lot of work. I think that would be the biggest takeaway, that hard work and dedication is really what will push you forward even when you think you want to quit. I do it at least twice daily; it’s really what pushes you because then you’re looking back like, wow, you know, I made significant strides to make it here.”

Customer feedback

Local resident Jessica Chambers said she met Green right before the pandemic while she was working at another salon. The woman that normally did her lashes wasn’t available, so Green covered for her. When businesses shut down due to COVID-19, she searched for Green on social media and learned of her new business. From then on, they reconnected and Chambers became a regular customer.

“She's just an amazing person, ” Chambers said. “She puts off such a great energy and vibe. She truly just makes you feel like you're the only one that matters, right? And she puts the hot mess back together. She’s just a great person. And with her starting her own business, I just wanted to support her.”

Chambers described the Berlin spa as “clean” and “comfortable.” Chambers said whenever she gets a service from Green, she always leaves feeling like a different person.

“We have long, busy weeks in our crazy worlds, right? And I walk in there and she just kind of washes everything away for me,” Chambers said.

“And I feel just renewed when I leave her. It's kind of funny, because I was just with her this past week to get my lash extensions refilled and I came home and I had this sudden burst of energy. I don't know where it came from … She just re-energizes you.”

The occasion Wednesday, July 26 was a relatively esoteric public-policy milestone: The publication of proposed regulations ensuring Connecticut continues to meet evolving California standards for passenger-car emissions, a commitment made 20 years ago during the administration of a Republican governor, John G. Rowland.

More recently, the Connecticut Clean Air Act passed in 2022 at the urging of Dykes and her Democratic boss, Gov. Ned Lamont, requires increasingly cleaner emissions for trucks through 2032. By 2035, auto manufacturers must offer only zeroemission electric vehicles in the state.

“We cannot meet our goals to do our part to reduce emissions and slow climate change if we do not reduce emissions for the transportation sector, and a big part of the solution is offering more electric vehicle and clean vehicle options for Connecticut drivers,” Dykes said.

With weather extremes ranging from drought to deluge, interspersed with periodic heat waves, the summer of 2023 is emerging as a potential catalyst for climate legislation.

The press conference featuring Dykes, Lamont, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker, lawmakers and advocates came on a day when the front page of the New York Times featured a story warning that warming ocean waters were showing signs of reaching a tipping point towards disrupting crucial currents that shape the climate around the North Atlantic.

The messaging for climatechange bills has broadened in Connecticut from an em- phasis on how state policies can eventually reduce greenhouse gases to the more immediate impacts that cleaner air will have on urban children who suffer from some of the highest rates of asthma in the U.S.

New Haven was called one of the nation’s “asthma capitals.”

“The air that’s flowing into our state is already out of attainment with ozone standards. And our transportation sector is contributing, exacerbating those ozone and smog impacts because of vehicle exhaust,” Dykes said. “And we have many of our cities that are where we have communities living adjacent to major transportation corridors.”

Elicker noted that New Haven now has an Office of Climate and Sustainability run by Steven Winter, a former city alder who worked on Lamont’s unsuccessful 2010 campaign for governor while a student at Yale.

Sen. Tony Hwang, R-Fairfield, said, “Clean air is critical, and it’s a non-partisan issue.”

While other measures have generated broader support, Hwang was the only Republican in the Senate to vote in 2022 for passage of the Connecticut Clean Air Act. Every House Republican was opposed.

Passage of the law was one of the victories that made the 2022 session a high point for environmentalists, and Dykes. On climate change, the 2023 session that concluded in June was largely a bust.

The Lamont administration’s major bill died in committee. It would have given Dykes’s agency authority to designate greenhouse gas emission targets for specific sectors of the economy and levy penalties if they weren’t met. Opposition came from Republicans and the fossil fuel industry.

The 2035 all-electric deadline in the 2022 law is a mandate on automakers and will not ban the purchase or sale of used gas-powered vehicles in 2035. But in concert with federal policy and rules adopted or being adopted in another dozen states, the

Connecticut regulations will reinforce the direction already set by makers of cars and trucks.

With the publication of the proposed regulations, Connecticut joins Rhode Island, Maryland, New Jersey and New Mexico in announcing an intention to adopt the new standards. Massachusetts, New York and Vermont already have finalized adoption of the rules.

“Connecticut and our neighboring states are taking decisive action to meet our climate pollution reduction targets,” Lamont said. “Cars and trucks represent the largest air pollution sector in our state, and these regulations are moving in coordination with commitments made by vehicle manufacturers to go all in on electrification.”

As Dykes spoke, Lamont glanced towards one of Toyota’s oddly named offerings in its all-electric line, the bZ4x sports-utility vehicle. The first two letters stand for “beyond zero” emissions, and X marks it as a crossover.

The version on the floor was the more expensive of the two basic versions: one a front-wheel drive car with a single electric motor; the other, with a motor on each axle and all-wheel drive. It carried a sticker price of $49,899 and had a range of more than 220 miles.

There are only 36,000 electric vehicles currently registered in Connecticut, but Dykes said a shift to EVs is underway: Registrations are up 20% since January and 42% over a year ago.

With federal funds, the state Department of Transportation is currently mapping a network of fast chargers on its interstates, with construction expected in 2024. Once completed, the federal funds can be used for chargers on secondary roads.

Cornerstone

Derek Jutras Broker/Owner

Office (860) 828-7877

The RISE shop at BHS sells handmade items throughout the year, and the money raised goes to scholarships.

Carrasquillo also has taught at the American School for the Deaf in West Hartford and at Oak Hill School in New Britain.

“I get to work with my students for the full four years in the high school,” Carrasquillo added, “so I get to see them come in as freshmen and then see all those small successes when they graduate.”

In addition to her teaching duties, Carrasquillo also runs the RISE Program at the school – Realizing Individualized Student Excellence. RISE teaches special education students life skills they'll need out in the real world.

“Nicole is a remarkable teacher who works tirelessly to provide opportunities for all of her students,” Berlin High School Principal Katie Amenta said. “She cultivates inclusiveness in every aspect of her program and has created a strong community amongst her students and staff.”

Carrasquillo began her teaching career at Tyrell Middle School in Wolcott, where she was a special education teacher for eighth graders.

It was just by chance that Carrasquillo landed in Berlin. Her first job in town was at McGee Middle School.

Carrasquillo said she started an application on the public education jobs website CTREAP, but never finished the essay portion. So when she received a call from the Berlin Board of Education

Preservation CT

asking if she was still interested in the position, she was quite confused.

“I didn’t realize that the employer can see your information before you can click submit,” Carrasquillo said. “I ended up here in Berlin by mistake.” nzappone@record-journal.com

Carrasquillo went in for the interview, did a teaching demonstration, and was hired. “I keep waiting for that phone call asking me where my essay is,” the Teacher of the Year said.

Preservation Connecticut is a statewide nonprofit historic preservation organization, established in 1975 by a Special Act of the Connecticut General Assembly as the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation. Visit preservationct.org.

Wreath-laying

Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. The group’s mission – Remember, Honor, Teach – is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at thousands of veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond. Visit wreathsacrossamerica.org.

Service Directory

Furniture, Paintings, Oriental Rugs, Hooked Rugs, Quilts, Sterling, Pottery, Glassware, Post Cards, Old Toys, Dolls & Berlin, CT Items

Clint & Pat Bigelow Antiques

174 Main St, East Berlin, CT 06023 860-828-1868

USPS delivery is available in the towns of Berlin, Cheshire, Durham, Middletown, Middlefield, Meriden, Plantsville, Southington and Wallingford. Delivery is Tuesday-Saturday by USPS.

Brooke Shields,

Long-lost ring back in family’s hands

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Maintainer I

Entry-level position performing a variety of maintenance, repair and construction tasks. Must have a valid State of CT driver’s license and a clean driving record, a CDL Class B is preferred. Requires 3 years experience in construction, grounds or building maintenance or in work involving the operation and care of construction equipment. Pay rate: $22.48 to $26.66 hourly (wages under negotiation) plus an excellent fringe benefits package. Applications may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page and can be mailed or faxed to the Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492, or emailed to: wlfdhr@ wallingfordct.gov. by the closing date of August 14, 2023. Phone: (203)294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

School Bus Drivers

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Childcare$$ - Contact Sheila at New Britain

Transportation (860) 8280511 ext. 221 or visit us at, 257 Woodlawn Rd., Berlin, CT

LOOKING FOR:

1-st piece inspector, QC manager, Shop manager, programmer, Swiss screw machine setup and operator.

Contact: gary@bnaerospace. com or at 860-665-0134

TOP CASH PAID For any Toyota any condition, running or not, crashed okay. Will take other makes and models. (203) 600-4431.

TOP CASH PAID

For Junk or unwanted vehicles, Toyota’s etc.

Please call Mike @ 203284-8562 8am-5pm.

IMPOUNDED - Parakeet, vicinity Randeckers Lane; Black kitten, vicinity Southington Rd. Call Berlin Animal Control, 860-828-7055.

CRAFTSMAN - LT1000 Lawn Tractor, w/42” mower - Kohler 17 hp OHV, and grassbagger attachment, includes trailer, asking $450, 203-675-8604.

MATERIALS

DISTRIBUTION

Screened Topsoil $30/ per yd; 2.5” screened gravel, $18 per yd; Sand$18 per yd; Millings-$22 per yd; Screened Millings $30 per yd; $100 minimum delivery. No pickup truck service. Minimum 16 yd pickup at our yard. Call Jim @ 860-9824819 for delivery

PREMIUM SCREENED TOPSOIL $30/yard delivered, 3 yd, $100 min. delivery Call Jim 860-982-4819

. Top Soil . Compost . . Wood Chips . FOR SALE. Catering to small deliveries. Call Bob (203) 415-0723

TREE LENGTH FIREWOOD

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ALWAYS BUYING CASH PAIDVintage Electronics, Musical Instruments, Amps, Ham Equipment, HiFi, Radios, CB, Guitars, Audio Equipment, Antiques. 860-707-9350

GRASSY HILL AUCTIONS, - an Estate Sale, Liquidation, Attic & Basement Cleanout Company is Always Buying and providing services all over Connecticut. These are just a FEW of the things we are looking for: Antiques, Collectibles, Old/ Vintage Toys, Musical Instruments (Saxophones, Trumpets, Violins, Flutes, Clarinets, Trombone & SO MUCH MORE) Advertising Items, Wristwatches (Broken or Not), Pocket Watches, Tools (Machinist, Woodworking, & MORE) Doorstops, Clocks, Oil Paintings, Old Signs, Old Photographs, Old Postcards, Brewery Items, Hunting & Fishing, PEZ Dispensers, Costume Jewelry, Broken Jewelry, Gold & Silver Jewelry, Gold & Silver Coins, Military Items, Swords & Bayonets, Helmets & Patches, Medals & Uniforms, Pocket Knives, Lighters & Pipes, Fountain Pens, Mechanical Pencils, Fraternal Order Items, Religious Items, Industrial Items, Winchester Items, Sikorsky Items, Pratt & Whitney Items, Colt Items, Native American Items, Vintage Electronics, Slot Cars, Toy Trucks, Matchbox & Hotwheels, Barbie’s, Folk Art, Statues, Bronzes, Trains, Cameras, Mid Century Modern Furniture, Straight Razors, Shaving Items, Political Items, Comic Books, Sports Cards & Autographs…& THE LIST GOES ON! So please give us a call at your earliest convenience. Grassy Hill Auctions 203-868-1816 - Grassy HillAuctions.com

BUYING ALL - Costume Jewelry, Old Watches, Gold Jewelry, Silver Jewelry, Gold & Silver Coins, Sterling Flatware, In Any Condition. Please Call Jude M. Dichele @ (203) 8681816.

BUYING MACHINIST

TOOLBOXES - Tools & tooling, contents of machine shops, home workshops and small lathes. Call anytime 860-985-5760

ANTIQUES - Always buying old; Toys, military, jewelry, art, watches, musical instruments, signs, arcade games, cameras, pre 1970 sports memorabilia, plus more. One item or entire estate contents. Call 860718-5132.

WANTED Individual firearms, collections & estates including military & related items.Federally licensed firearms dealer. Gunsmith, appraisals, Richard Pleines, (860) 663-2214.

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GOOD RATES BEST SERVICE

Fully ins. Free Estimate. Call Ed, We’ll take it to the dump for you!

DECKS & PORCHES

Give some new life to your old decks and porches. We can repair or replace stairs, deck boards, railings. We also construct new decks. HIC#647093 Insured. Call Bill for a free estimate, (203) 901-2136.

TEC

Phases of Electrical Work. 24 hr. Emergency Service. Small Jobs Welcome. 203.237.2122

JT’S LANDSCAPING LLC - Spring CleanUps, we specialize in weeding all types of beds, mulching, top soil work, pruning hedges & shrubs, & all your landscape needs. Residential & commercial. Lic. #616311. Call today for free estimate, 203-213-6528.

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