www.plainvillecitizen.com
Volume 20, Number 7
Thursday, February 18, 2021
Fire department salutes its own Police K9 receives protective vest
The Plainville Fire Department saluted its new leadership and a retiring team member in recent Facebook posts :
Plainville Police Department K9 Riggs was provided with a custom-fitted Line of Fire (LOF) Defense ballistic and stab proof vest thanks to Brady’s K9 Fund and Mark and Dawn Breda of German Auto Repair in Watertown.
Secretary retires In a Jan. 27 post, the fire company wrote: “After an astonishing 38 years of hard work and dedication, Allyn K. Kall will be retiring from the position of Secretary of the Plainville Fire Company. A beloved teacher at PHS, Al first joined the fire company Kall and department in 1968 and has held a variety of offices during his tenure. During his time with the fire department, he served as 2nd Lieutenant from 1970-1971, 1st Lieutenant from 1972-1973, Captain from 1974-1976 and 2nd Asst. Chief in 1977. Although Al retired in 2004, he stayed on as secretary from 1983 to early 2021. “Al will be missed, as he has been such a valuable asset to the fire company. Always the dependable 'go to' guy, Al holds the history of the Plainville Fire Company and Department close to his heart and has worked tirelessly to keep records and traditions alive as part of the legacy of the brotherhood. ‘Al always knew the answer
Toner
The new chiefs.
for this or that and always knew where to go for whatever item we needed. He has taught me so much working under him, for which I am extremely grateful,’ says Phil Brousseau, asst. secretary. ‘He leaves big shoes to fill.’ “Al was not alone while
serving within the ranks of the fire department, as his son William was also a member before leaving Plainville for the West Hartford Fire Department. Thank you so much for your incredible service, Al!” See Department, A33
In a Feb. 12 Facebook post, the department states: “Riggs has been on patrol with Ofc. Mark Martocci for the Ofc. Martocci and Riggs. last 11 months and has been deployed dozens of Brady’s K9 Fund and Mark times. This ballistic vest and Dawn Breda, as not onwill provide extra protec- ly is K9 Riggs his partner, he tion for K9 Riggs during is also part of his family. potentially dangerous/ This LOF Defense ballistic hazardous situations. vests puts Ofc. Martocci’s mind at ease knowing that “Brady’s K9 Fund was should K9 Riggs be sent into founded by fifth grader a dangerous situation, he Brady Snakovsky of has more protection.” Strongsville, Ohio. Brady’s goal is to ensure The National Police Dog that all handlers have Foundation explains: “Dogs protection for their K9 have been used in law enpartners. Mark and forcement since the Middle Dawn Breda ... have gen- Ages … Police departments erously provided numer- require a dog to first pass ous K9 partners around basic obedience training. the State of CT with bal- The dogs must be able to relistic protection to enspond to and obey the comsure their safety. Ofc. mands of their handler Martocci would also like without hesitation for propto personally thank er control.”
36 Whiting St, Plainville
833.4BHDOCS
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Primary & Specialty Care
The Plainville Citizen | plainvillecitizen.com
Thursday, February 18, 2021
JOE’S LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Devils earn split with Knights By Ron Buck Special to the Record-Journal
SOUTHINGTON — They may not be the fastest, most athletic or best Central Connecticut Conference crew, but don’t say Southington’s basketball seniors aren’t scrappy. And maybe the scrappiest of the bunch made a play that turned things in the Blue Knights’ favor Friday night. Senior Devan Bade’s thirdquarter steal and fast-break turned into an intentional foul, resulting in four South-
ington free throws and possession of the ball in an eventual 49-37 CCC Region B victory over Plainville. Bade scored 14 points, eight after halftime. Senior center Aedan Derrick had a gamehigh 15, several coming after offensive rebounds. Another senior, Rick Macioce, added 12 for the Blue Knights, who evened their record at 1-1. Southington, which starts five seniors but played just eight of 15 players on its young bench, also turned up
the defensive heat after trailing 23-22 at halftime. The Blue Knights smothered Plainville, holding the Blue Devils without a basket in the third quarter. Plainville (0-2) managed just a pair of free throws in the period as the Blue Knights outscored the Blue Devils 13-2 to take a 35-25 lead into the fourth quarter. Southington forced four turnovers in the third quarter, and the Blue Devils missed all six shots they took from the field. See Basketball, A36
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See Honor roll, A35
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Grade 9, gold: Bella Apruzzese, Mustafa Aslan, Mikayla Ayers, Lindsay Barbagallo, Blake Bielawski, Cohen Blake, Alex Brzostek, Nicole Caruso, Gavin Cooke, Penley Giola, Alexis Graff, Victoria Hamel, Tamra Ibitz, Valiantsin Kasabrukhau, Teresa Lopez, Jamison McGinnis, Zeel Patel, Liliana Ruffini, Amelia Sarra, Eric Siani, Tate Stevens, Daniel Szarwacki, Brayden Unwin, Destiny Wasilonsky, Nikole Zaniewski; silver: Tara Adamo, Lucy Callender, Matthew Collado, Diana Czereba, Mikayla Dimock, Sean Egan, Chase Gray, Tamara Greene, Brianna Gridley, Timothy Haas, Jonathan Kafka, Eryk Kapusta, Amanda Linnhoff, William Lorenzo, Vanessa Maciaszek, Oliwia Marecik, Julianna Matos, Shane McCormick, Chase McNamara,
Madyson Miller, Eleshba Nadeem, J-Leigh Olan, Yandel Olan, Michelle Reveron, Gianna Rodriguez, Rileigh Ruot, Samantha Shumbo, Katerina Soto, Elisabeth Suchojad, Olaf Talar, Emily Tuczapski, Mariah Velasquez, Nikole Zaniewski; bronze: Jake Ambrose, Maliyah Aviles, Sebastian Banas, Ella Bravado, Jacob Casale, Richard Chu, Cadence Collin Lavoie, Rachel Diaz, Emma DiTolla, Faith Emery, Carlos Espinoza, Michael Fagan, Marissa Freitas, Lucas Grafton, Kailani Harris, Adelisa Jahic, Adam Jodlowski, Sydney Kalisz, Marcus Kiley, Eric Kolc, Teresa Lopez, Julia Maksymiw, Dylan Matthews, Adriana Mills, Cassiane Montanez, Natalia Rollo, Veronica Sakowski, Siriphone Siboriboun, Yiraida Sierra Lopez, Joseph Vasquez, Zachary Wyman. Grade 10, gold: Tea Autunno, Vanessa Autunno, Natalie Basile, Nora Couture, Megan Gray, Michelle Gryczewski, Kendall Hall, Nayelle Heredia,
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Plainville High School Honor Roll Plainville High School has named the following students to its honor roll for the second term.
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The Plainville Citizen | plainvillecitizen.com
Thursday, February 18, 2021
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Accepting applications for the 2021-2022 academic year for Preschool through Grade 8!
Saint Paul School FAITH - LEARNING - SERVICE Saint Paul School is a Catholic community dedicated to sharing our faith with others. In the ongoing process of educating the whole child, we support the development of our students spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, socially, and physically. As 21st century learners and problem solvers, our students strive to be models of Christ, moral leaders in service to others, and creators of a more humane and just world.
OUR COMMITMENT • Ensuring a quality, faith-based education for children of all faiths • Creating a supportive and safe learning environment • Delivering academic excellence • Our students consistently perform at least one grade level above nationally normed IOWA tests. • Track record of acceptance into private secondary schools • Giving back to others through our service initiatives
Please Contact Admissions Director Kelly Esposito at 860-828-4343 x136 461 Alling Street, Kensington CT • ourschool.stpaulkensington.org 238604
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The Plainville Citizen | plainvillecitizen.com
Thursday, February 18, 2021
Don’t Wait Until You Are Sick to Find a Great Primary Care Doctor!
WINNING ARTISTS
Dr. Tariq recently joined Starling’s Plainville Primary Care practice. He provides comprehensive care including: • Annual physical exams, routine screenings, and healthy lifestyle promotion • Treatment of illness including sinus infections, flu, digestive problems, and back pain • Detection and medical management of chronic health conditions such as diabetes, asthma, cholesterol, thyroid, and heart disease • Cancer screenings • Heart health, including blood pressure monitoring and electrocardiograms
Now accepting new patients. Call (860) 747-5766
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www.starlingphysicians.com
The Plainville Fire Department selects one fourth grade and one fifth grade winner of the annual Fire Prevention Poster Contest. This year, the department chose Devon Eli Landrette from Toffollon Elementary School and Chloe Fanguillo from Wheeler Elementary School. The winning artists were presented with a certificate and a gift card and their posters advanced to the county level of competition for a chance to appear in next year’s fire prevention calendar.
Apply Now! Robert T. Kenney Scholarship Program The American Savings Foundation will award college scholarships to over 375 new and renewing applicants for the 2021-2022 school year. Application Deadline: March 31, 2021 Apply online at www.asfdn.org or call (860) 827-2556.
The Plainville Citizen | plainvillecitizen.com
Thursday, February 18, 2021
Enchancements made to CHET savings plan Connecticut State Treasurer and Trustee of the Connecticut Higher Education Trust, Shawn T. Wooden, has relaunched the state’s 529 college savings plan under new program manager, Fidelity Investments. “CHET is dedicated to helping families save for their children’s future education, and we are proud to offer a number of enhanced benefits to make the CHET plan more accessible than ever before,” said Wooden. “Fidelity’s focus on providing an unparalleled customer experience and their strong investment heritage will help Connecticut families meet their future education savings goals.”
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Should I Rent or Buy the Home I Retire In?
Schools Adult education
Plainville Adult and Continuing Education will offer evening programming, free of cost, this spring in the following areas: Adult Basic Education (math and reading/writing), Adult High School Credit Diploma Program, Citizenship Preparation, English as a Second New enhancements to the CHET plan include no mini- Language, GED Preparation and PARC Adult Basic Edumum amount to open a cation. Most programs are CHET Direct 529 account, no annual account fees, and offered mornings as well, with cost-free child care profree planning and guidance vided by the Plainville Famifor families in their college ly Resource Network. savings journey. Call 860-793-3209 or visitplainvilleschools.org to See CHET, A35 learn more.
hope to cover at least some of the cost of higher education for their children. The reason to start saving early and often has never been clearer, as Americans currently owe an estimated $1.67 trillion in student debt.
Should you buy or rent in retirement? These five questions will help you figure out which one will work best for you: 1. Do you want to lock in your housing costs, or can you afford to pay escalating rents? When you buy, you lock in the biggest part of your housing costs. You will still face rising property taxes, utility bills and other costs, but at least your mortgage principal and interest costs will not rise if you buy with a fixed-rate mortgage. 2. How certain are you about this location? To be sure you have the best shot at recouping your purchase and selling costs, buying makes the most sense when you are sure you are going to live in a home for at least five years. That said, if you are buying in a popular area and decide to move, you may be able to turn your retirement home into a rental property instead of selling. 4. Do you have steady retirement income?
Existing CHET Direct Plan account owners should visit Fidelity.com/CHETactivate to activate their accounts. The CHET Advisor Plan will be effective on March 22.
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As the cost of education rises, a recent study by Fidelity shows 78 percent of parents nationwide have started saving for higher education, with Connecticut parents just above the national average at 79 percent. Nearly all Connecticut parents surveyed (92 percent), said they
If your income in retirement is going to rise and fall, then you may need to vary your housing costs by renting what you cannot afford in any given year. Those with steady income know they can afford the fixed housing costs of a long-term mortgage. Paying cash for your retirement home can reduce your ongoing monthly expenses. 5. What is more important to you: Control or repair help? When you are a renter, when something breaks, you call the landlord to get it fixed. But, renters do not have the freedom to customize their homes that owners enjoy. When you are a homeowner, you can customize your home by choosing flooring, decorating as you please or even knocking down walls.
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an interior dock with 14’ OHD) plus one 12’ drive-in door. Employee lunch and locker rooms. City sewer and public water. Plenty of parking. Taxes: $36,105. Environmentally Cell: 203-982-6789 | OfÞce: 203-795-5554 x304 | Email: AFischer@FischerCom.com clean. Price: $1,835,000. For more info contact Alan Fischer.
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35 Pearl St. Suite 301, New Britain, CT 06051 building in good condition. Nice office areas. Natural gas. 2.92 acres. ManufacturingManufacturing building in good condition. Nice office areas. Natural gas. 2.92 acres. Power is 800 Power is 800 Amps / 3 Phase / 480 Volts. Fully air-conditioned. Ceiling height is 18’ to Amps / 3 Phase / 480 Volts. Fully air-conditioned. Ceiling height is 18’ to the deck and the deck and 15’-6” to the underside of the beam. Sprinklers. Two loading docks (one is 15’-6” to the underside of the Sprinklers. (one door. is anEmployee interior dock 14’ OHD) plus one an beam. interior dock with 14’ Two OHD)loading plus onedocks 12’ drive-in lunch with and locker Manufacturing building inand good condition. Nice office areas.and Natural gas. 2.92 acres. rooms. City sewer and public water. Plenty of parking. Taxes: $36,105. Environmentally 12’ drive-in door. Employee lunch locker rooms. City sewer public water. Plenty of parking. Power is 800$1,835,000. Amps / 3 Phase / 480info Volts. Fully air-conditioned. Ceiling height is 18’ to clean. Price: For more contact AlanFor Fischer. Taxes: $36,105. Environmentally clean. Price: $1,835,000. more info contact Alan Fischer. the deck and 15’-6” to the underside of the beam. Sprinklers. Two loading docks (one is an interior dock with 14’ OHD) plus one 12’ drive-in door. Employee lunch and locker Manufacturing building inand good office areas. Natural gas. 2.92 acres. rooms. City sewer publiccondition. water. Plenty Nice of parking. Taxes: $36,105. Environmentally clean. Price:/ $1,835,000. moreVolts. info contact Fischer. Power is 800 Amps 3 Phase For / 480 FullyAlan air-conditioned. Ceiling height is 18’ to 203-982-6789 | OfÞce: 203-795-5554 x304 | Email: AFischer@FischerCom.com Cell: 203-982-6789 203-795-5554 x304 | Email: AFischer@FischerCom.com the deck andCell: 15’-6” to| Office: the underside of the beam. Sprinklers. Two loading docks (one is
Thursday, February 18, 2021
The Plainville Citizen | plainvillecitizen.com
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The Plainville Citizen | plainvillecitizen.com
Thursday, February 18, 2021
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In Brief Blood drive Plainville United Methodist Church, 56 Red Stone Hill, will host an American Red Cross Blood Drive Monday, March 1, 1 to 6 p.m. Call 1800-733-2767 or go to redcrossblood.org to make an appointment.
Drivers needed The Plainville Senior Center and CW Resources are in need of volunteer drivers to deliver meals to homebound older adults in Plainville. Meals are delivered between 10 a.m. and noon Monday through Friday. For details, call Ronda at 860-747-5728.
Join us for a free virtual class
idential customers are eligible for payment arrangements. Customers can learn more about payment programs and enroll at Eversource.com/BillHelp.
Bladder problems in women
Energy monitoring Eversource is making it possible for customers to monitor their energy use with the Kill A Watt electricity usage meter. The Kill A Watt kits are available for borrowing from nearly 200 libraries around the state. A list of participating libraries can be found at eversource.com.
Join our interactive class right from the comfort of your phone, computer or tablet and learn more about: ■
Customers can also take advantage of the Green Button – an Eversource online tool Utility assistance that allows customers to Eversource is reminding cus- download their energy usage tomers to enroll in one of its data so they can easily share payment plans or assistance it with energy-efficiency experts to make home imprograms to protect them provements. from service disconnection by calling 800-286-2828. Both residential and nonresSee Briefs, A32
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The Plainville Citizen | plainvillecitizen.com
Thursday, February 18, 2021
COVID IN CONNECTICUT
New cases dip in town Plainville, and nearly every other Connecticut municipality, remains in the coronavirus red zone. The color coded status for cities and towns represents two weeks of cases. The trigger for red status starts at a rate of 15 cases per 100,000 people per day.
The state’s most recent report, issued Feb. 11, showed 103 positive cases in Plainville. That works out to an average of 41.7 daily cases per 100,000 people. In the previous report, 133 positive cases were reported in town. See COVID, A31
Mass vaccination sites Our Services
Network Cabling and design Wi-fi Setup and Troubleshooting Firewall & Router Installation TV & Radio Installation
• • • •
By Mary Ellen Godin Record-Journal staff
Computer Sales and Services Conference Room Solutions Managed IT service VoIP Phone system
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Hartford HealthCare has agreements with towns and property owners to open four new mass vaccination centers statewide — including one at the Toyota Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford. The centers will open and operate based on pending vaccine supply, HHC officials said last week. “We are in position to dramatically scale up, and we are completely committed to using our resources in this way,” Hartford HealthCare President Jeff Flaks told reporters Wednesday, Feb.
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Feb. 10, the health care network, and parent of MidState Medical Center in Meriden, announced the opening of a mega-vaccine site at Liberty Square in New Britain between Feb. 22 and March 1. In addition to Liberty Square, HHC secured rights to properties at the Xfinity Center, Foxwoods, Central High School in Bridgeport See Sites, A10
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• • • •
The Plainville Citizen | plainvillecitizen.com
Thursday, February 18, 2021
Health
More outstanding cardiac care.
Dementia program Caregiver series A diagnosis of dementia can be frightening for those affected by the syndrome, their family members and caregivers. The free virtual class, “They Say I Have Dementia – What Does That Mean?,” will be held Thursday, Feb. 18, from 3 to 4 p.m. Presenter will be Patty O’Brian, CDP, dementia specialist with Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging, which is sponsoring the event. Registration is required; call 1-855-442-4373 or visit HHCHealth.org/VirtualClasses.
Men’s health Men and women have health concerns specific to their gender. Knowledge and being proactive can help people take charge of their health and possibly prevent certain conditions and diseases. The free virtual class, “Men’s Health – A Path to Health & Wellness,” will be held Thursday, Feb. 25, from 10 to 11 a.m. Nicholas Arsenault, RN, transitional care nurse with Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging, will lead the program. Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging and Plainville Senior Center are sponsoring. Registration is required; call 1-855-4424373 or visit HHCHealth.org/VirtualClasses.
A free virtual dementia caregiving series can provide the tips and strategies to gain greater insights into caring for a loved one with dementia. Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging is providing a five-week series on Fridays, Feb. 26 to March 26, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. A certified dementia specialist with Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging will lead the series. Participants are encouraged to attend all sessions. Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging is sponsoring the series. Registration is required; call 1855-442-4373 or visit HHCHealth.org/VirtualClasses.
Right in your neighborhood.
Movement disorders The Chase Family Movement Disorders Center and Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging are offering a caregiver support group for individuals who care for people with movement disorders and other neurodegenerative conditions. This free support group is offered the first and third Tuesday of the month, from 10 to 11 a.m. Facilitators are Amanda Brill, LCSW, at the Chase
Stephanie Saucier, MD
Director of the Women’s Heart Wellness Program
ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS 100 Grand St., New Britain 860.224.5694
See Health, A33
EXPERTISE IN:
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Women’s Cardiovascular Wellness General & Preventive Cardiology Cardiovascular Imaging including: echocardiography, peripheral vascular imaging and nuclear cardiology
Visit hartfordhealthcaremedicalgroup.org/safe to learn more about how we’re keeping you SAFE during appointments.
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The Plainville Citizen | plainvillecitizen.com
Thursday, February 18, 2021
Sites From A8
and the Oakdale in Wallingford, Flaks said. The new sites are in addition to mass vaccine sites already opened at the Hartford Convention Center and the Torrington Armory. Hartford HealthCare is now equipped to dispense 35,000 doses of the Pfizer BioNTech
and Moderna vaccines weekly and has vaccinated 82,000 people across its network. The new sites will allow the network to dispense 75,000 doses weekly, Flaks said.
vaccine allotment from the federal government to increase from 45,000 doses to 65,000 doses a week and is awaiting even more supply as vaccine manufacturing ramps up.
Gov. Ned Lamont announced this month that those over age 65 may schedule vaccine appointments in addition to those over age 75, health care workers and first responders. Lamont expects the state’s
Underserved groups The opening of the mega vaccine center in New Britain is part of an effort to break down barriers for populations that are currently underserved in the state’s vaccination rollout. “COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted older individuals and individuals in traditionally underserved communities,” state Public Health Acting Commissioner Dr. Deidre Gifford said. “We want to ensure that within this high risk group, we focus on getting vaccine to individuals within the group who come from communities that have been hardest hit by the virus, namely our Black and Latino communities. We are working with our vaccine providers and other community partners to identify underserved areas and focus vaccine resources into those
areas, including providing transportation assistance and other solutions to address barriers to vaccine access.” HHC’s real estate arm has worked to identify potential mass vaccine sites in metropolitan areas that can be easily accessed, and has begun running mobile centers at churches, community centers and homeless centers.
Resources : VAMS online system: The Vaccine Administration Management System can be used to schedule appointments at multiple clinics across the state. To make an appointment using this system, click on portal.ct.gov.
COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment Assist Line: Connecticut’s COVID-19 vaccine appointment assist line is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven Infectious disease specialist Dr. Henry Anyimadu, of The days a week. To make an apHospital of Central Connecti- pointment, call 877-918cut, said the virus has dispro- 2224. portionately affected people Hartford HealthCare: Hartof color. Yet minorities are alford HealthCare has multiple so less likely to be vaccinatlocations throughout the ed, he said, referring to a state, including large clinics study by the Centers for Disin the Hartford area. To make ease Control and Prevention an appointment using this showing that, from Dec. 14 to system, go to hartfordhealthJan. 14, only 5 percent of elicare.org. gible African Americans and 11 percent of eligible Hispan- Yale New Haven Health: ics were vaccinated. A study Yale New Haven Hospital has by the Pew Research Instimultiple locations throughtute revealed that while out the state, including large about 70 percent of African clinics in the New Haven Americans know someone area. To make an appointaffected by COVID, only 42 ment using this system, go percent were willing to get to ynhhs.org. the vaccine.
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The Plainville Citizen | plainvillecitizen.com
Thursday, February 18, 2021
MORE BLACK HISTORY MONTH ARTICLES CAN BE FOUND ON:
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Thursday, February 18, 2021
BL ACK HISTORY MONTH 2021
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A special thank you to all the people and businesses who wanted to support our efforts in covering this subject. We are very grateful for your contributions. — RJ’s Writers, Editors & Creatives
THANK YOU
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BLACK HISTORY MONTH: listening & learning
Black history can’t be confined to one month. It’s a case of the more you learn the more you realize how much more there is to discover. This is a rich and complex topic. Our goal with today’s special coverage of Black History Month is to highlight a few of the many stories that comprise local Black history — the people and events that have contributed to the vibrant and diverse life of our communities. We also want to provide resources that can help expand our understanding of racism, our historic and ongoing struggles with racial equality and how that impacts our country today. Here at the Record-Journal, we are proud of our long history of providing the local news to our communities. Over the past year, we reassessed and reinvigorated our commitment to serve our communities and add to the diversity of our publications as well as our workplace. As a company, we have formed a Diversity & Inclusion Committee whose members created the mission to “take actions that will create and support a workplace and products that are inclusive, diverse and representative of the communities we serve.” To this end, the Record-Journal is taking steps to ensure that our content, community outreach, and hiring practices remain equitable and representative of our community. One approach to our outreach is listening. This is done through a program called Voices — Community Powered Journalism, a chance for us to hear questions from local community members and answer them through our reporting. Soon, we also plan to launch a Latino Communities Reporting Lab, another opportunity for us to incorporate community listening into our reporting. By listening to our community, we can better provide our readers with focused content to keep you informed and engaged. We’re also supporting local students by offering minority internships and scholarships, and we’re developing new ways to attract and retain diverse and representative talent. We celebrate the diversity of our communities and will continue to explore the many cultures in the towns we cover. We will to listen to the wide variety of voices that contribute to that diversity and welcome their stories to our pages. Today we put the focus on Black History Month and we hope that you’ll enjoy this special edition of the Record-Journal. RJ Diversity & Inclusion Committee
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WALLINGFORD’S FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN VOTERS Commentary by Lorraine S. Connelly
Norwyn Campbell
Meet our Black History Month guest editor Norwyn Campbell is a Digital Advertising Sales professional at RJ Media Group, based in Meriden. He holds an MBA (marketing) and has more than 26 years of sales and management experience in insurance and media/ advertising sales, with another eight years in banking services. Norwyn is proud of his Caribbean roots, being born in Jamaica, birth place of Reggae icon Bob Marley and Usain Bolt — the greatest sprinter of all time. Also the same roots as former Secretary of State Colin Powell and Vice President Kamala Harris. Having settled with his wife and two sons in Connecticut, he has since become involved in serving his community. He is a board member of the Meriden Rotary Club and a planning committee member of Journey Found Inc; a nonprofit organization that helps with the housing of individu-
als with intellectual disabilities in Connecticut. Norwyn hopes that his contributions will make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate. Words that he lives by: “The Constant Dripping of Water Wears Away the Stone”. In his spare time and when the weather permits, he likes being outdoors playing football/ soccer. Being invited to be the guest editor on the Black History Month project at RJ Media is a special honor and privilege, as this gives him the opportunity to, even in a small way, positively influence the perception of his race as a Black man in America. Norwyn expresses that he never really knew what it meant to be “Black”, until he came to the U.S. to live permanently. He applauds companies and individuals who make the effort to treat everyone fairly and has very optimistic hopes that “we can all get along”.
table of contents wallingford’s first african american voters.......................................... 3 dr. woodson’s vision for black history................................................. 5 nzinga’s daughters bring a message with their songs............................. 5 a wide range of reading options to explore black history...................... 7 violet’s story....................................................................................... 7 cemetery association disputes claim about black burial site.................. 9
resources are available fight racism. ................................................. 10 black golfer recalls breaking into the game. ...................................... 13 notables in black history.................................................................... 13 local naacp chapter perseveres during pandemic................................. 14 local woman first vegan chef featured by bon appétit magazine. .......... 16 black-owned businesses take hold and bring new vitality to the city... 17 a leader for change............................................................................ 18
more stories on myrecordjournal.com/bhm
We look to history to tell us about the past, but how can history inform the present and offer guideposts for the future? This year, the theme of Black History Month is “Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity.” It explores the African diaspora and the spread of Black families across the United States.
Royce House (538 N. Main St., Wallingford), one of two properties owned by the Trust.
In Colonial Wallingford, the enslaved and the enslaver were caught in what the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., while protesting the injustices of the segregated South some 200 years later, described as “an inescapable network The Black Stories Matter History Project, an of mutuality.” initiative of the Wallingford Historic Preser- By the second half of the 18th century, New vation Trust upon the occasion of Walling- London, a bustling seaport on Connectiford’s 350th Jubilee, is uncut’s coast, led the state earthing some interesting in both the number of enfacts about Black Colonial slaved Africans and Black life in Wallingford. residents, with a white Jerry Farrell Jr., president population of 5,366 and a Powder horn owned by of the Wallingford Historic Black population of 522. Dick Freedom. Freedom, Preservation Trust, says, New Haven had a white from Wallingford, was one “The American narrative population of 5,224 and a of approximately 300 Black is missing some key chapBlack population of 160. enslaved or freemen from ters, and the project is our According to the 1762 Connecticut who fought for attempt not to rewrite, but census, Wallingford with the Continental Army. He to add some very critical a population of just under chapters about a signifi- served in the all-Black Second 4,000, had a population Company of the Fourth cant Black population in of 182 Blacks. Merchants, Connecticut Regiment. Colonial Wallingford — ministers, politicians, millives that should be cele- Photo Courtesy of Wallingford itary officers, physicians, Historic Preservation Trust brated for their many conlawyers, and farmers tributions as well as their owned enslaved people. courage, sacrifice, and resolve.” As Menapace has also discovered, “Every Along with Nathan Hale, the martyred soldier of the American Revolution, and Lyman Hall, born in Wallingford and later a signatory of the Declaration of Independence as governor of Georgia, who are other notable local figures “tied in a single garment of destiny”? Slavery scholar Chris Menapace is combing through census, military, and probate records of enslaved and free Black residents of Colonial Wallingford, collecting data points and stories for an exhibit the Trust will have on permanent display at the Nehemiah
prominent family in Wallingford — the Atwaters, Cookes, Halls, Stanleys, Royces and Yales — were all enslavers.” Know their names There is the story of Chatham Freeman, whose headstone lies in the Broad Street Cemetery in Meriden. Freeman, born in Africa in 1750, was enslaved by Wallingford’s Noah Yale. During the Revolutionary War, Yale sent Freeman to fight in his son’s stead Continued on next page
Chatham Freeman headstone. Broad Street Cemetery. Photo by Lorraine Connelly
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with the promise of freedom in exchange for his service. From Freeman’s pension records, it is learned that he served under the command of Captain Eli Leavenworth in the 6th Connecticut Regiment of the Continental Army (1777-1780). Freeman and his wife, Rhea, and son, Jube, were set free in 1782, two years after his return from the war. The Freemans also had a daughter named Kate. Another descendant, Robert Prim, was a popular violinist in Wallingford in the late 19th century. Research has also uncovered the stories of Jack John and Toby Birdseye, who had gained emancipation and then registered to vote in Wallingford, in 1799 and 1803, respectively. The freeman (voter) statute, under early state constitutions, stipulated the qualifications for voting: One had to be 21 years of age, male, and having met a residency requirement, be a taxpayer and/or property owner. John’s land holdings equaled 26 acres, and his estate upon his death in 1816 was valued at $2,800. Birdseye owned three-quarters of an acre of land and a portion of a sawmill.
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While voting records do not exist, it’s likely that both men voted in Wallingford. Birdseye’s registration was not without controversy, according to authors Ramin Ganeshram and Elizabeth Normen in “Constitution of 1818 & Black Suffrage: Rights For All?”
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In 1803, Federalist Party members accused Birdseye of a moral disqualification, alleging he had attempted to rape a white woman. No criminal record was ever found to substantiate the claim. Ganeshram and Normen further explain that the Connecticut legislature, in 1814, reversed Black enfranchisement by inserting the word “white” into the freeman (voter) statute. By 1818, a new state constitution was adopted, outlining a white-race requirement for voters, thereby depriving African Americans of equal representation in the state’s electoral process. The authors state, “As it had in matters of slavery, abolition, and enfranchisement, Connecticut continued to take a more southern approach, protesting any federal efforts to delineate the nature of voting rights.”
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Although, the North is often considered the cradle of the anti-slavery and abolitionist movements, its participation in slavery and “the network of mutuality” cannot be denied. Wallingford should, however, take pride in two African Americans, Jack John and Toby Birdseye, who were the earliest proponents of voting rights for Black Americans in Connecticut. We should know their names. The issue of Black enfranchisement is still relevant today. Black voters, in certain parts of our nation, are still more likely to have their legitimate votes challenged. Dr. King’s “garment of destiny,” like the Shroud of Turin, is an iconic symbol — if only we could touch the hem of its garment, our Beloved Community could be made whole by its lessons. Stay current on The Wallingford Historic Preservation Trust’s Black Stories Matter History Project https://www. wallingfordcthistory.org/visit Lorraine S. Connelly is a writer, a Wallingford resident and member of the steering committee for the Black Stories Matter History Project.
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NZINGA’S DAUGHTERS BRING A MESSAGE WITH THEIR SONGS By Nadya Korytnikova Record-Journal staff
Carter G. Woodson
DR. WOODSON’S VISION FOR BLACK HISTORY The basic idea that underlies Black History Month has been around in one form or another for more than 100 years. Here are a few highlights outlining how this special month-long designation unfolded through the decades.
tory from Harvard University in 1912, only the second African American to earn a doctorate. More about his life and groundbreaking accomplishments can be found at www.asalh.org.
According to ASALH, Woodson felt that The concept of setting time aside to ac- the American Historical Association had knowledge the struggles and celebrate the no interest in Black history. A dues-paying accomplishments of peomember of the AHA, he ple in the Black communiwas not allowed to attend ty took hold in the summer AHA conferences. ASALH of 1915 when Illinois sponexplains that to be able to sored a national celebrawork as a Black historian tion of the 50th anniversary would require creating an of emancipation. institutional structure that would make it possible for Carter G. Woodson, a UniBlack scholars to study hisversity of Chicago alumtory — so Woodson set out nus, traveled from Washto find the funds to make ington, D.C. to participate this happen. in the event — along with thousands of other Black Americans from around the U.S. While inspired by what he saw, Woodson also knew the accomplishments of Black Americans were scarcely recognized. In 1915, he founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, now called the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). He, along with other like-minded intellectuals in the Black community, worked to expand the knowledge of Black history and was involved in numerous publications and other efforts to that end.
In 1926, Woodson initiated the celebration of Negro History Week, which corresponded with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. In 1976, ASALH expanded the celebration to include the entire month of February, and “today Black History Month garners support throughout the country as people of all ethnic and social backgrounds discuss the Black experience,” states ASALH. The organization views the promotion of Black History Month as one of the most important components of advancing Woodson’s legacy of “pioneering Woodson, born of illiterate parents who leadership.” were former slaves, earned a PhD in hisContinued on next page
PLAINVILLE — For over 26 years Nzinga’s Daughters, a vibrant five-woman performance ensemble, has been sharing their gift of songs and storytelling to educate the public about the history and cultural achievements of Africa and the African Diaspora.
the route North. Some songs gave directions about when, where, and how to escape while others warned of danger along the way.
“Everybody came to listen to the music but not everybody knew where it came from, so that’s what encouraged me to start the band and tell people all about its history,” Williams said.
a way to warn runaway slaves to get off the trail and into the water to hide their scent from dogs.
Nzinga’s Daughters are best known for their interactive “Underground Railroad” performances which invite the audience to experience the creativity, ingenuity, and perseverance employed by African American slaves in their efforts to escape slavery.
slaves were not intimidated by us singing and dancing, they didn’t catch any message in that.”
“If I were picking cotton and somebody was walking down the street singing ‘Steal Away to Jesus,’ I’d know that means The ensemble features Dayna the time for my sister and Snell, Alison Johnson, Taffie brothers to escape is coming,” Bentley, and the band founder, said Dayna Snell. “I am going Gail Williams. While perform- to conduct my business as ing at the Newport Jazz Festiusual but when the sun goes val in 1994, Williams noticed down and the master goes to that the audience was presleep, I am going to that secret dominantly white. While the spot.” listeners enjoyed her music, One of the songs of the UnderWilliams wondered whether ground Railroad was “Wade in they knew the songs’ origins. the Water.” It had been used as
Another song, “Follow The Drinking Gourd” contained essential directions for fugitive Ever since, Nzinga’s Daughters slaves. The verses mention have been deepening pubdrinking gourd, which refers to lic understanding of Afrithe Big Dipper constellation. can-American history through By following the line of the music and entertainment constellation to the North Star, while also running three protravelers had a guide in the grams for children and youth: night sky that pointed them Nzinga’s Watoto, Girls Empow- toward freedom. erment program PRIDE, and “Slave owners were not smartthe Male Mentor Program. All er than the slaves,” Snell said. three promote positive youth “We had to figure out how to development among chilget out and how to survive and dren of all races and abilities how to rebuild our lives with throughout Connecticut. nothing. Those who owned
Since slaves were prohibited from learning to read or write, they developed an elaborate system of communication. They sang songs coded to convey secret information about
Historically, music has been used to help overcome difficult times, Snell believes. The social and political climate of any era is reflected through art, with music being a powerful inspirational expression of ideas. “The history of the Civil War is Continued on next page
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NZINGA’S DAUGHTERS
Diversity is a core value at allnex.
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Nzinga’s Daughters are best know for their “Underground Railroad” performance. They perform both adult and youth adapted versions. The program invites the audience to experience the creativity, ingenuity, and perseverance employed by African-American slaves in their efforts to shepherd runaway slaves to safety. Photo Courtesy of Nzinga’s Daughters
embedded in music. Similarly, when COVID hit Italy, people would come out on their balconies, sing and play instruments,” Snell said. “Music always seems to be helpful in both good and bad times. It helps bring joy and relaxation.”
We are proud to celebrate our differences and are committed to an environment where all colleagues contribute for the benefit of our employees, our products and our communities.
nKorytnikova@record-journal.com 203-317-2444 Twitter: @n_korytnikova
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WOODSON from page 5
Cheshire Adult Education
In 1976, Black History Month, also known as African American History Month, was officially recognized by President Gerald Ford, who issued the first Message on the Observance of Black History Month. He urged the nation to “recognize the important contribution made to our nation’s life and culture” by Black Americans.
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This proclamation stated further that this month was a time “to celebrate the many achievements of African Americans in every field from science and the arts to politics and religion.”
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For more information, call 203.250.2450.
Black History Month also is celebrated Canada during February, while in Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom it’s observed in October. In honor of all the work that Woodson did to promote the study of African American History, an ornament of Woodson hangs on the White House’s Christmas tree each year. R238314
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A decade later, Congress passed the observance into law as “National Black (Afro-American) History Month.” According to the Library of Congress, “National African American History Month in February celebrates the contributions that African Americans have made to American history in their struggles for freedom and equality and deepens our understanding of our Nation’s history.”
This story is compiled with information from the Library of Congress, Wikipedia and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History.
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A WIDE RANGE OF READING OPTIONS TO EXPLORE BLACK HISTORY Want to learn more about the people and events that have shaped Black history and culture? There’s a wide variety of literature available in every genre and for every age group and interest. Below you’ll find just a few examples of these engaging stories gleaned from local library offerings to Black run web and news services. But first, we’ll start with suggestions from guest editor Norwyn Campbell, the Record-Journal’s digital advertising sales manager at Homebase Digital.
Norwyn Campbell recommends The Hate U Give is a young adult novel by Angie Thomas. This debut novel is based on her reaction to the police shooting of Oscar Grant. The book is narrated by Starr Carter, a 16-year-old black girl from a poor neighborhood who attends an elite, private school in a predominantly white, affluent part of the city. Starr becomes entangled in a national news story after she witnesses a white police officer shoot and kill her childhood friend, Khalil. The novel was made into a movie in 2018. Rotten Tomatoes gave the film an approval rating of 97%. The film was nominated for and won numerous accolades. Lead actor Amandla Stenberg won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture.
Meriden Public Library recommends Reading for children and young adults: Meriden Public Library offers two extensive sections of books for children and young adults that relate to Black history. Check out: Conversations about Race as well as the Juneteenth and Slavery sections at meridenlibrary.org. Here are a few samples of those selections by notable Black writers and illustrators:
Discovering Black America, From the Age of Exploration to the Twenty-First Century, by Linda Tarrant-Reid “An unprecedented account of more than 400 years of African American history set against a background of American and global events. The book begins with a black sailor aboard the Niña with Christopher Columbus and continues through the colonial period, slavery, the Civil War, Jim Crow, and civil rights. Includes first-person narratives from diaries and journals, interviews, and archival images. Discovering Black America will give readers an intimate understanding of this extensive history.” — Publisher’s synopsis The Bell Rang, written and illustrated by James E. Ransome A slave family is distressed when they find their young son has run away. A compelling story made even more so by Ransome’s art. He has illustrated over 60 picture books, and has illustrated greetings cards and magazines. Commissioned murals include three for the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. —– Publisher’s synopsis, Wikipedia Gordon Parks, How the Photographer Captured Black and White America, by Carole Boston Weatherford
“Gordon Parks is most famous for being the first black director in Hollywood. But before he made movies and wrote books, he was a poor African American looking for work. When he bought a camera, his life changed forever. He taught himself how to take pictures and before long, people noticed. His success as a fashion photographer landed him a job working for the government. In Washington DC, Gordon went looking for a subject, but what he found was segregation.” — Publisher’s synopsis
Black Enterprise recommends (Black Enterprise is a Black-owned multimedia company with digital, print and television divisions.) Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison. Morrison’s Nobel Prize-winning book traces the history of a Black family and “shows the nuance and complexity of black community rarely highlighted in mainstream literature.” — Black Enterprise How to Succeed in Business Without Being White: Straight Talk on Making It in America, by Earl G. Graves Sr., Black Enterprise founder and publisher. “What it takes to be a great, Black entrepreneur in a white world is just the prescription the black business world needs.” — Black Enterprise
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VIOLET’S STORY: SOLD, AGE 3 FREED, AGE 51 By Glenn Richter On April 20, 1750, it was decided that a little girl named Violet would be moving from Haddam to Meriden; that is, to a farm on Misery Road in Wallingford (gee, I wonder why they changed that name), which is now Paddock Avenue in Meriden. Violet was three years old. I say “it was decided” for good reason; more about that later. The way we know about this stuff is from a document in “A Century of Meriden,” written a century ago; more about that document,too. Anyway, that’s pretty much all we know about little Violet. Obviously she had parents, but we know nothing about them. Siblings? We don’t know. Did she eventually marry and have children? The record is silent. Did she even survive to adulthood? So many children didn’t in those days, when people had huge families in part because they knew that many of their babies wouldn’t make it. (They had nothing we’d recognize as medical treatment, which is why, decades later, all the doctors could do for no less a personage than George Washington was to bleed him, several times, and apply “cataplasms of wheat bran.” It didn’t work.)
Mules and Men, Zora Neale Hurston. Hurston depicts the culture of her native Florida, and New Orleans, and “brings forth the beauty
As I say, we know very little about Violet, but there’s quite a bit we can surmise. Because this was still pretty much a howling wilderness in 1750, with wolves and cougars and other hungry things skulking around; and people had to work from dawn to dusk just to put food on the table; and you had only the spring and summer to coax enough grub out of this rocky soil to last through the fall and the long, dark, cold winter, and the following spring. And if you didn’t manage to do that, there was no backup plan; there was no Stop & Spend, no Pastry Palace with a drive-up window and, of course, no government to turn to. And even if you did everything right, you could consider yourself lucky to go to your rest in your mid 50s, as the old tombstones attest.
Continued on page 11
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The Marrow of Tradition by Charles W. Chesnutt. A fictional account of the rise of the white supremacist movement, this story portrays the many classes and races in the postbellum southern United States, and depicts the Wilmington insurrection of 1898.
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VIOLET from page 7
And there were no labor-saving devices to speak of — not in the fields and not in the kitchen. So little Violet, as a woman, would have faced a future that consisted mainly of drudgery. And little Violet would have been burdened with another misery, one that we don’t usually think much about when we think of Colonial times in this part of the country. You see, the document about Violet in the history book is not a birth certificate, nor a baptismal record, nor any of the other kinds of papers people accumulate in the course of their lives. It is a bill of sale. So when I say “it was decided,” what I mean is that it was decided by farmer Joseph Shailer of Haddam to sell “one negro girl aged about three years” — little Violet — to farmer Benjamin Roys of Meriden, to be his slave for life, her ownership then to pass on to his heirs; or, for that matter, to anyone to whom farmer Roys might later decide to sell her. Farmer Shailer made this transaction “avouching my self to be the proper and sole owner of the said negro girl and have a right to dispose of the said negro girl during the term of her natural life.”
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Is there a moral here? Sure: By all means, let’s celebrate the accomplishments of our forebears — while asking how on God’s green Earth these people, who supposedly were so pious, could think it was perfectly OK to buy and sell other people’s children. End of story? Maybe not. Although slavery was not outlawed here until 1848 (which would have made Violet a free woman at age 101, if she lived that long), later in the book we find this entry: “Dec. 17, 1798 Abner Rice emancipated negro woman Violet.” If that’s our little Violet, she would have been 51 by then, and free at last — if only because she was past child-bearing age.
The Midstate Chamber of Commerce takes a proactive leadership role in moving, improving and positively changing the communities we serve. Through our daily participation, we cause results and create a roadmap for our future. No projects ever get done by themselves. They require vision and action through leadership; that is where the Midstate Chamber of Commerce makes a difference. We inform and engage our staff and membership in the economic development, workforce development and business development projects in the towns we serve and in the region.
Originally published in the Record-Journal in 2006, in a special section commemorating Meriden’s 200th anniversary.
We are proud to support Black History Month and any effort to improve education on diversity and community growth.
Reach Editorial Assistant Glenn Richter at grichter@record-journal.com or 203-317-2222
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more stories on myrecordjournal.com/bhm Artist couple navigated race issues each in their own way 21 Artists speak of race, color and creating a new culture 21 Changing the course of events through philanthropy 23 Hayes historic role representing the 5th District 23 Plainville Historical Society celebrates local Black history 25 Local resident active in anti-slavery movement 26 Cape Verde families who migrated to the area focus of discussion 27 Plainville’s rich legacy of African American musicians 28
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CEMETERY ASSOCIATION DISPUTES CLAIM ABOUT BLACK BURIAL SITE By Mariah Melendez Cheshire Herald staff
CHESHIRE — Hillside Cemetery is chock-full of the histories and mysteries of the town and its former residents.
are already buried there,” Pittsley said. “They cannot be doing this.” Pittsley’s research is extensive, and lists names of people — specifically members of the Freeman family — who she believes were buried in that location and have been disturbed by the Hillside Cemetery Association.
But one current resident claims that her research has uncovered some controversial information about activities that have gone on within the cemetery’s gates. Christine Pittsley, a historian who works for the Connecticut State Library, published a blog post on Oct. 20 presenting her research regarding the northeast corner of Hillside Cemetery, where she claims African Americans, including some former slaves, had been buried over decades. “In the northeast corner of the old section of Hillside Cemetery is a roughly quarter-acre area that was used as the African burying place until at least 1935,” she explained. “Most are in unmarked graves, some have stones with their names on them, but a majority of them have no (identification) whatsoever.”
The issue, according to Pittsley, is that the Hillside Cemetery Association had been performing burials on these grounds until 2011, despite knowing, Pittsley claims, that individuals had already been buried there, and having offered no notifi-
cation to the state or the families of those involved.
“In the 1980s, the Hillside Cemetery Association decided that this area was empty and began to sell plots,” she wrote in her post. “Never mind that in the center of this section were four stones that belonged to Prince Freeman and his wife Lucy (d. 1831 & 1833); Prince’s son Henry Peter Freeman (d. 1882); Henry’s second wife Flora (d. 1880); and Henry’s grandson Lewis Freeman (d. 1935). Clearly, there were already some people there.”
Pittsley states that she presented her findings to the cemetery association “Thirty years ago, the Association 10 years ago with the hopes of stopstarted selling those plots as if no one ping the continued burials, but was was buried there. They (were) digmet with resistance. In her blog post, ging graves for modern burials and Pittsley describes the meeting as disturbing the African remains that
Claims about an old African burial ground in the northeast portion of Hillside Cemetery have become a source of controversy. Tracey Harringtonm, Cheshire Herald
Continued on page 11
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Sojourner Truth
RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO
FIGHT RACISM BRAIN FOG SHORTNESS OF BREATH PHYSICAL WEAKNESS STAMINA ISSUES
Difficult issues related to race and racism have been interwoven with our nation’s history since the beginning and recent events show that much more needs to be done when it comes to equality for all. Black History Month provides another opportunity to put the focus on this topic and there are many resources available for those who’d like to deepen their understanding. We’ve highlighted a few below. Meriden-Wallingford NAACP, 74 Cambridge St., Meriden. Telephone, 203-237-6907. From its website http:// www.mwnaacp.org, the organization states its purpose: “The NAACP insures the political, educational, social and economic equality of minority groups and citizens; achieves equality of rights and eliminates race prejudice among citizens of the United States.”
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Connecticut Health Foundation at Cthealth.org states: “Our vision is that Connecticut’s next generation will be free from racial and ethnic health disparities.”
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The organization offers anti-racism resources that “aim to deepen our understanding of racism and how to fight it.”
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Check out the Cthealth.org website for information on racial justice efforts in the areas of housing, health, education, criminal justice and more. Among the many topics are: a TED talk on “How Racism is Making US Sick”, asking the question: why does race matter so profoundly for health?; and from The Smithsonian’s partnership with the National Museum of African-American History and Culture, “Talking About Race.” The topic “although hard, is necessary. We are here to provide tools and guidance to empower your journey and inspire conversation.”
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Desegregate Connecticutat www.desegregatect.org promotes “inclusive growth by design”. The organizaContinued on next page
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RESOURCES
CEMETERY
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tion states: “Most people in Connecticut support equity, inclusive growth, and a clean environment. Now is the time to align our laws with our vision. Our century-old land use laws need to be refreshed.”
often aren’t heard, especially women.” Before she died, in February 2018, she was honored with the “Washington Women in Public Relations” award.
Among the notable speakers on the “29 Speeches” list “Uncomfortable Conversaare: Sojourner Truth, Ida B. tions with a Black Man” the Wells, Josephine Baker, Myrlie series can be found on YouEvers-Williams (Medgar Evers Tube, hosted by Emmanuel widow at President Obama’s Chinedum Acho. second inauguration), Coretta The former NFL linebacker sits Scott King, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm (introducdown with celebrities, police, ing the Equal Rights Amendfamilies, sports figures and others to engage in thoughtful ment), Fannie Lou Hamer, Barbara Jordan, Anita Hill, and revealing discussions Rep. Gwen Moore, Edwidge about race and racism. Danticat, Viola Davis, Lupita At denisegraveline.org check Nyong’o, Kerry Washington, out a Black History Month Gabourey Sidibe, Maya Angehighlight: “29 Speeches by lou, Michelle Obama, Shirley Black Women”. Chilsom, and Barbara Jordan. Also included is Rashema The late Denise Graveline Melson’s 2014 high school was an expert in communivaledictory speech that made cations and held a degree headlines because the speakin that field as well as in journalism. During her career er overcame homelessness to graduate at the top of her she coached over 100 TED class and get into Georgetown Talk speakers. She was born University. "A short, fierce, and raised in New Britain fantastic speech." and dedicated her life to “giving voice to those who
BOOK RECOMENDATIONS from page 7
of common folk; their voice, their diction, their living, their way.” — Black Enterprise Learn more at www.blackenterprise.com/best-blackbooks-black-history-month
Urban Faith recommends
Selected Poems of Langston Hughes, by Langston Hughes. An extensive collection of poems hand-picked by Hughes. “They offer a breathtaking look at being Black in America that is contemplative, celebratory, gut-wrenching and praiseworthy.” – UrbanFaith
Malcolm X: A Life of Rein(Urban Faith is a media/ news company with an online vention, by Manning Marable. Marable “provides new magazine of diverse Chrisperspectives and information tian voices sharing news and on the controversial leader. commentary on faith and Marable connects Malcolm’s culture.) life with other leaders, faith, Here’s a sample from 11 Must and Black Nationalism in a Read Books for Black History masterful, historical context Month compiled by Urban and call for social change.” — Faith; check out more sugges- UrbanFaith tions at urbanfaith.com.
respectful, but states that some cemetery association members were aggressive in disputing her presentation. Pittsley told The Herald that the reaction went beyond just questioning her research. “Some of the members began attacking my credibility, me personally, which is just disappointing and sad,” she stated. The Hillside Cemetery Association disputes Pittsley’s claims, stating that they had no records of grave sites in the north end of the cemetery when burials were taking place there and that, after 2011, when the state told them to halt all such activity, no new burials took place. “… We have no idea where she is getting her proof,” said Phyllis Perry, the Hillside Cemetery Association’s secretary and treasurer, of Pittsley’s accusations that the group knowingly disturbed existing graves. “We have erected monuments (In the northeast corner) recently, and maybe that is what she is referencing. There was an incident where a family member, who had purchased a burial plot in that location with their other family members, needed to be buried in that area. We tried to call the state and let them know what was happening, but we never got a call back, so we proceeded with the burial with no issue.” In Pittsley’s blog post, she references stakes in the ground that served as grave markers on the site in question, some of which even had the names of those buried etched on the side. However, Perry, whose family has taken care of the cemetery for multiple generations, rebuts Pittsley’s claim that there are stakes in the ground at the northeast location. “She says that there are stakes in the ground there, but we have no clue what she is taking about,” Perry added. “Even our groundskeeper, who knows the land well, has no idea where (on the property) she is referencing or what stakes she is talking about.” Perry, however, does acknowledge the meeting with Pittsley a decade ago, insisting that she was unaware of the African American grave sites until that time. “A lot of the old cemetery documents I have are not very detailed. They didn’t keep good track of who was being buried where back then, so it can get very confusing,” Perry said. Regarding the stakes, Pittsley acknowledged that they were likely removed or had decayed before the HCA became
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involved with the cemetery. However, she questions how the HCA would not have known about the burial site, given the available information. “In larger cemeteries, like Hillside, the surveyors split the cemetery into sections to divide the work. These records were then compiled, printed, and made available to the public. Every library and historical society in the state has a copy and I am sure many cemeteries around the state have them as well,” she explained. “I pointed to this research when I addressed the HCA more than 10 years ago, so they were aware. But if the HCA maintains that they were unaware of these records, it would show a serious lack of interest or concern with their own history.” Another assertion made by Pittsley in her post is that a member of the HCA admitted to her that human remains had been uncovered during more modern burials, but that burials continued and neither the state nor families of individuals buried in the area were notified. Pittsley, in her post, does not name the individual who allegedly divulged this information. Perry, when asked about this accusation, strongly denied the claim that any bones or remains were uncovered while performing any modern burials at that location. “There have been no bones dug up during any of our modern burials or in the process of preparing a grave for a burial,” Perry said. “We would have to notify the state if that happened.” After Pittsley published her findings on her blog, the post began attracting all kinds of attention. “The response has actually been very positive,” she said. “A lot of people are horrified to find out this information. My goal is to hopefully start a (general) discussion about racism and how Cheshire has a complicated history with that.” Two local groups — Rams Against Racism and the Cheshire Coalition for Change — approached Pittsley and invited her to present her research findings via a Zoom meeting last month. “I know the descendants of the people who were buried there, and they are disgusted. I want to bring light to this issue so we can deal with this as a town and, hopefully, come to grips with this uncomfortable history,” she explained.
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NOTABLES IN BLACK HISTORY: INVENTORS, INTELLECTUALS, INFLUENCERS & MORE By Nadya Korytnikova and Jessica Simms American history resonates with the names of great African American men and women. Here are 14 men and women who made their mark on history — in many cases as the first Black Americans to succeed in their chosen fields.
Frank Eaton
Gwen Reed
BLACK GOLFER RECALLS BREAKING INTO THE GAME By Sean Krofssik Record-Journal staff MERIDEN — Meriden’s Frank Eaton is 78 and is playing some of the best golf of his life.
municipal course in Stamford, which is now E. Gaynor Brennan golf course, he recorded a hole in one still wearing a neck and back brace. The first of nine in his career.
Eaton, an African American, first picked up the game as a 9- or 10-year-old in his native North Carolina in the 1950s. During a time before golf carts, the caddies at that time were mainly Black children, according to Eaton. That was how he discovered the game. He caddied for a tobacco tycoon, Harold Beasley, and also picked up some pointers along the way. “I lived a mile or two from the golf course and I would make 50 cents for being a caddie,” Eaton said. “Fifty cents was a lot of money back then. I could go to a movie, get popcorn, soda and a hot dog and still have money left over” In addition to getting paid, Eaton also learned how to hold a club and properly hit a golf ball. He made his own “golf sticks,” as he called them, put a tin cup in two areas near his home and hit a ball back and forth.
Eaton fully recovered and was back shooting under par again.
him to go to the driving range and courses. In his later teens he moved to Stamford, acquired his first set of golf clubs and played his first round of 18 holes. “My first ever round I shot a 97,” Eaton recalled. “No one believed I had never played before. By the next year I was shooting in the high 80s, the following year I was in the low 80s. Three or four years later I was in the 70s.” When he was 22 years old, he finally shot even par.
“I was so good but I had no money,” Eaton said. “I came along at the wrong time. No Blacks were playing on Tour and you can’t play on Tour if you have no money.” Eaton did find some inspiration at Hubbard Heights. He crossed paths with the man who broke the Major League Baseball color barrier, Jackie Robinson. Robinson, who lived in North Stamford, played at the municipal course after not being allowed to be a member at the High Ridge Country Club, a course he played many times as a guest.
“I played with Jackie after he “The next day I broke my neck retired from baseball...” Eaton in a car accident,” Eaton said. said. “He lived about a half “I was temporarily paralyzed mile from the course. They on my left side and I was in the didn’t let him play as a memA few years later, he moved to hospital for three months.” ber at the Country Club, so he Long Island with his sister. Her During his first round three had to play public courses. neighbor was a semi-pro golfmonths after the accident, in er and Eaton latched on with 1964 at Hubbard Heights Continued on next page
Hartford History Project, Hartford Public Library
The actress who played Aunt Jemima was a Hartford native From 1946 to 1964, Gwen Reed, an actress, an advocate for childhood literacy and a theater director, played the role of Aunt Jemima, the face of the Quaker Oats Company products. Reed traveled to promote the brand at pancake festivals, state fairs, school assemblies and grocery stores, but her real name was never revealed. While playing the role of Aunt Jemima (in 1951), Reed became the director of the Hartford Community Players. She directed “A Raisin in the Sun,” “Rain” and “Purlie Victorious.” — CT Post Connecticut freedman wrote one of the first examples of African American literature In his autobiography that was published in 1798 in New London, Venture Smith, a captured slave, documented his life. He shared how he overcame slavery, became a businessman, freed his family and acquired more than 130 acres of land in Connecticut. This was one of the earliest examples of African-American literature. Smith, a child of a Guinean prince, ended up marrying another slave, Meg, in 1753, and together they had three children. — CT Post Inspiration of modern home security systems Mary Van Brittan Brown, an African American nurse from Queens, New York, developed a home security system that has since inspired modern home security systems that are used today. She created this invention as a result of the risks her home faced due to the crime rates in her neighborhood. Her security system allowed her to know who came to her home and gave her the opportunity to contact the authorities quickly. — History.com Landmark technology inventions at IBM were developed with the help of Mark Dean As a part of a team of 12 that worked at IBM, Mark Dean, a Black inventor and engineer, helped create the first IBM PC in 1981. Later on, Dean also helped develop the color monitor and led his team in the invention of the first gigahertz processor. This chip was built in 1999 and allowed for PCs to have faster and higher processing rates. Not only that, this piece of technology allowed for Continued on next page
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NOTABLES
FRANK EATON
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the PC to do a billion calculations a second. — History.com
Jackie was good,” Eaton added. “He could play and shoot even par.” Eaton turned pro in 1967 and was playing regularly in Black golf tournaments along the East Coast in the United Golfers Association. He would total more than 150 career tournament wins. But it wasn’t easy at first.
Marian Anderson Library of Congress
A singer who lived in Danbury was the first African American to sing at the Met On Jan. 7, 1955, Marian Anderson, who lived on a farm in Danbury, became the first African American to sing as a member of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Anderson then became a goodwill ambassador for the United States and a delegate to the United Nations in September 1958. As a result, President Lyndon B. Johnson awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963 and she received many other honorary honors, such as the Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1991. — CT Post and NPR America’s first Black diplomat was from Derby In 1869, 36-year-old Ebenezer Bassett was appointed as U.S. Ambassador to Haiti, becoming the country’s first African American diplomat. Bassett was also the first black man to graduate from Connecticut Normal School — now known as Central Connecticut State University. After receiving his diploma, he taught at Whiting School in New Haven, befriending the legendary abolitionist Frederic Douglass. Later, Bassett became the principal of Philadelphia’s Institute for Colored Youth. — Connecticuthistory.org Yale’s first Black alumnus In 1874, Edward Alexander Bouchet became the first African American to graduate of Yale University. Just two years later, Continued on next page
Meriden/Wallingford NAACP President Kim Fisher speaks at a Black Lives Matter protest in Meriden on June 7, 2020. Photo: Devin Leith-Yessian/Record-Journal
LOCAL NAACP CHAPTER PERSEVERES DURING PANDEMIC By Jessica Simms Special to the Record-Journal As a way to continue to have important conversations, the Meriden-Wallingford NAACP chapter has been meeting online during the pandemic. “We are all Zooming,” said chapter president Kim Fisher. “Everything is through Zoom. We had our state conference through Zoom, we do all of our conference calls through Zoom, we have meetings once a month, those are all through Zoom. We stay in touch.” Fisher said that it has been important for the organization to stay active during the year despite the pandemic. “We did a lot of the rallies even though it was in the midst of the pandemic,” Fisher said. “We took our precautions, wore our masks, but we felt that it was very important for us to be visual and be out there and be seen, so we did that.”
involved with the organization is because she has two Black children. “Seeing the way things are in this world and how I feel like there is a difference between whether you’re white or whether you’re Black or brown, I felt like it was important for me to have a say and get out there and talk and be seen and be heard,” Fisher said. “I want my kids to have the same as any other kids just like any other mother wants for their child to have the same as any other. We should all be treated the same. None of us should be treated differently and I felt like it was important for me to get out there and speak on that.” Before the pandemic, the Meriden-Wallingford NAACP’s youth council used to work out of Maloney High School. Many of the youth involved have since graduated.
“We were meeting once a week at the school before everything hit with coronavirus...so what we’re looking to do now, we’re looking to revamp things,” said NicKimmy Hayes, second vice president and head of the “We talk about some of the issues that education committee for the Merare going on, how we can talk to the iden-Wallingford NAACP. Hayes also kids in the schools about these is- has worked with the youth council. sues,” Fisher said. Hayes said two high school teachers One of the reasons Fisher became Fisher is on many different NAACP committees to help facilitate conversations. One is the Wallingford Diversity, Equality and Exclusion committee.
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“The first year I turned pro I played in six or seven tournaments and played well until the last three holes and I didn’t make a quarter,” Eaton said. “I was nervous about making money and my wife said we couldn’t afford me playing.” The next year he went back on the tour and won the first tournament that year in Springfield, Mass. “I made $300 and that was more than I was making in 40 hours of work in a week,” Eaton said. “That was like a million dollars for me. The next week I played at Keney Park in Hartford and won it with a 65 and won $600. After that I never looked back.” Meanwhile, Eaton was working in the computer center for Union Trust Bank. He lived in Stamford, New Haven and Middletown before settling in Meriden. Eaton became a fixture in tournaments around the state and New England for the next few decades. One of his crowning achievements on the course was claiming Connecticut Section PGA Senior Open championships in 1995 and 1996. He also had stops on the New England Circuit and played all of the big open tournaments. He also played in the Florida Mini-Tour. His best round ever was Sept. 10, 1989. He carded a course record 11-under-par 61 at Stamford’s Red Course at Fairchild Wheeler. He also holds course records at Hubbard Heights (Stamford), Keney Park (Hartford), Sterling Farms (Stamford), Alling Memorial (New Haven), Banner Lodge (Moodus) and Fairchild Wheeler (Bridgeport) Continued on nrxt page
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FRANK EATON
NOTABLES
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Eaton said there were as many as 150 Black golfers during his heyday. “Now there only a couple of Black pro golfers,” Eaton said. The main reason for fewer Black golfers compared to back then, Eaton said, is because of the lack of caddies. “Years ago all caddies were Black,” Eaton said. “That’s how they got into golf. But when carts started coming in, caddies were shut down.” In addition to playing, Eaton has given back at youth programs. “Anywhere I do a youth program, 98 percent of the kids are white and maybe there are three Black kids,” Eaton said. “When I ask Black kids about golf, they say it’s too expensive and they would rather play football or basketball.” Eaton feels his race was a big reason he never made it to the highest level. “If I had been white, they would have put me on the Tour and you know damn well I could make money,” Eaton said. Eaton said he never felt outright racism at tournaments. “Many tournaments I’m with about 130 other guys and I was the only one that wasn’t white,” Eaton said. “I was by myself. I knew people used to look at me. They didn’t say anything, but when I walked in, everyone stopped eating and looked. I would tell myself, ‘They can’t rattle me.’ I didn’t let it get to me.” Eaton is married to his second wife, Juanita. He has four children: Frankie Jr., Dean, Jere and Kim.
Eaton said he’s playing great golf now. He plays three or four times a week and said he’s gotten better with age. He said he’s shot under his age every year since he turned 66. He’s a 2 handicap now. “If I shot a 78 now, I would be mad as hell,” Eaton said. Eaton travels every Thursday throughout Connecticut and Massachusetts with a group of 24 guys in the Players Club.
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Bouchet completed his dissertation, becoming the first African American in the nation to earn a Ph.D. as well as the sixth American of any race to earn a Ph.D. in physics. Despite his excellent credentials and extraordinary gifts, Bouchet was never offered a faculty position and spent most of his career teaching science to high school students. — Connecticuthistory.org
James E. West Photo: Blackpast.org
“I wish I was 25 years younger the way I’m playing right now,” Eaton said. “It’s unbelievable. I guess I’m blessed.” Eaton is also a member of the New Haven-based Knickerbocker Golf Club. He was honored by the club in the 75th anniversary ceremony in 2019. “That was one of my big moments,” Eaton said. “I help the best I can with the club. I teach for free. I never charge.” The Knickerbocker Club, a predominantly African-American group, was formed in 1944. The Knickerbockers are the second-oldest African-American golf club in the country, behind Wake Robin Golf Club in Washington, DC, a female club started in 1937. The Knickerbockers currently has 43 members. Knickerbockers past president Willie Holmes said Eaton is “one of the greatest golfers to come out of Connecticut.” Holmes is 92 and still plays regularly. “I’ve known him for a number of years. He’s a great golfer, father and gentleman. He’s been instrumental as far as promoting golf to the younger generation.”
Frank Eaton of Meriden, at Hunters Memorial Golf Course in Meriden on Jan. 19, 2021. Photos: Aaron Flaum, Record-Journal
The invention of the foil electret microphone Dr. James E. West, an African American inventor, helped develop a more sensitive and compact microphone at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey in the 1960s. He worked with his colleague Gerhard Sessler on this invention. This foil electret microphone was less expensive to make than other condenser microphones and was licensed in 1964. By 1968, the microphone was universally produced and used in devices such as telephones, baby monitors, hearing aids and tape recorders. Now, about 90% of the microphones are based on this invention. — History.com A New Haven developer of the modern ironing board In the 1890s, an African American dressmaker was awarded a patent for her improved ironing board with collapsible legs. Her name was Sarah Boone. She was born into slavery in North Carolina but migrated to New Haven using a network closely linked to the Underground Railroad. In her design, Boone expanded upon the original ironing board, which was essentially a horizontal wooden block. With Boone’s additions, the improved board featured a narrower and curved design, making it easier to iron garments, particularly women’s clothing. — CTexplored.org Bridgeport inventor of the longer-lasting light bulb While Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, a black member of his research team, Lewis Latimer, improved Edison’s original design. Latimer increased the life span and practicality of light bulbs, which had previously died after just a few days. Latimer also worked closely with telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell. In 1880, after relocating to Bridgeport, Latimer was hired to work in the U.S. Electric Lighting Co., which was owned by Edison’s competitor, Hiram Maxim. — History.com Inventor of the automatic elevator doors African American inventor Alexander Miles was born in 1838 in Minnesota and is best known for being awarded a patent for an automatically opening and closing elevator door design. Before Miles’ invention in 1887, people had to manually shut both the shaft and elevator doors before riding. Forgetting to do so led to multiple accidents as people fell down elevator shafts. — History.com Inventor of the three-position traffic signal Garrett Morgan was one of the country’s most successful African American inventors. In 1923 he came up with the device that led to the modern three-way traffic lights. He saw that existing mechanical stop-and-go signals were dangerous since they had no caution signal to buffer traffic flow. So, he patented a three-armed signal. Morgan also invented a revamped sewing machine, a hair-straightContinued on page 17
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We always have, and always will serve all races, creeds and religions.
Chrissy Tracey
LOCAL WOMAN FIRST VEGAN CHEF FEATURED BY BON APPÉTIT MAGAZINE By Mariah Melendez Cheshire Herald staff CHESHIRE — Cooking has proven to be one of the most popular pandemic pastimes for many as they look for ways to spend their time while in quarantine. For some, however, it didn’t take COVID-19 to spark their interest in what happens in the kitchen. The passion for making and serving food has always been there. … Just ask one of Cheshire’s own. Chrissy Tracey, a 2012 graduate of Cheshire High School, has been cooking up special dishes for several years now, and was just recognized for her skills by the popular Bon Appétit magazine. Tracey is the magazine’s first featured vegan chef, but for Tracey, who comes from a large Jamaican family, the recognition goes beyond her love of cuisine. “Let me just start by saying that the power of your voice and the power of social media and connecting is larger than you’d ever imagine,” she said. “When George Floyd was killed in May, riots began, and attention started to turn toward companies and individuals — forcing them to think about their behaviors when it came to inclusion, racism, etc. As a result, many companies would get on Instagram and share their faults within the realms of racism and be vulnerable to their followers. Typically it would be followed up with an action plan of sorts on how they plan to move forward. Bon Appétit did that.”
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Tracey first reached out to the magazine during the May riots, and commented on a post of theirs highlighting how she, as a Black vegan chef, would love to work with a brand like Bon Appétit, and they answered. “My comment sort of went viral from a ‘likes’ perspective,” she recalled. “Next thing I knew, I had an email Continued on page 18
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NOTABLES from page 14
ening product, and a gas mask. — History.com
Constance Motley Photo: Library of Congress
A New Haven-born warrior for justice Constance Baker Motley was a longtime Connecticut resident and a trailblazer for women of color. In 1946, she became the first Black woman to graduate from Columbia University School of Law. She also was the first African American to serve as a New York state senator and the first African American woman to serve as a federal judge. — Connecticuthistory.org
Deja Durant, owner of Mind, Body & Soul Food, right, and brother Drew Durant, left, reflect on the success of the business at 511 W. Main St., Meriden, Wed., Jan. 13, 2021. Photo: Dave Zajac, Record-Journal
BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES TAKE HOLD AND BRING NEW VITALITY TO THE CITY By Faith Williams Record-Journal staff MERIDEN – In recent years, Meriden has seen a rise of Black-owned businesses in various industries and some are saying that Black Lives Matter has helped encourage the increase. City Economic Development Director Joseph Feest said that although there is no record, he has noticed an increase of Black-owned businesses in Meriden.
police officer, on May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis. Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck while he lay on the ground and pleaded for more than eight minutes, “I can’t breathe.” Floyd’s death led to a summer of protests and marches calling for justice.
On a national level, Yelp reported a huge increase in searches for Black-owned businesses during that same Additionally, last summer, NBC timeframe — more than a 7,000% increase, with more News Connecticut reported than 2,500,000 searches for that Black-owned businesses around the state were seeing a Black-owned businesses comspike in sales and gave numer- pared to approximately 35,000 ous examples of increased traf- over the same time period the fic for both start-ups and estab- year before. lished businesses. This wave of Here are some of the local new engagement came as the Black-owned businesses: Black Lives Matter movement American Soul Kitchen, gained greater recognition and 164 Scott St. support coinciding with the Meriden native Richard PenGeorge Floyd protests. nyman opened American Soul Floyd, a Black man, was killed Kitchen and Bar in late 2019 by Derek Chauvin, a white just before the COVID pan-
demic. Although in a struggling industry, the restaurant has been able to maintain steady business. Pennyman said it was essential to bring a new experience to Meriden and be able to share his culture and passion with the community he grew up in. “It was important to me to want to have soul food showcased in a setting where if you want to be at a table, booth or bar, you can do that,” the owner said. “Growing up, the soul food restaurants that were here in Connecticut were mostly takeout.” Mind, Body & Soulfood, 511 W. Main St. On the other side of Meriden, Deja Durant, co-owner of Mind, Body & Soulfood, spoke of the significance of being a Black man with a business in his hometown. “Growing up, my friends’ Continued on page 19
Revolutionizer of refrigeration industry Frederick McKinley Jones was a self-taught, African American engineer. He also was an inventor, entrepreneur, winner of the National Medal of Technology, and an inductee of the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Jones patented more than 60 inventions in his lifetime. While more than 40 of those patents were in the field of refrigeration, Jones is most famous for inventing an automatic refrigeration system that’s used to refrigerate goods on trucks and railroad cars. — History.com nkorytnikova@record-journal.com jsimms@record-journal.com
NAACP from page 14
have since joined the Meriden-Wallingford NAACP and can offer support to the youth council. “We’re looking to cultivate through them to start back up and get students from Platt and Maloney,” Hayes said. “We have a good program to really help to cultivate leaders and help them with leadership skills and everything.” jsimms@record-journal.com
Meriden-Wallingford NAACP Board of Directors Photo courtesy of Kim Fisher
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CHEF TRACY from page 16
from a talent manager from Condé Nast (owner of Bon Appétit), and then interviews happened very quickly after that.” In one of the three videos she has with the magazine, Tracey is challenged to create a vegan banh mi (Vietnamese baguette) sandwich faster than take-out can deliver; which, for the video, meant in under 30 minutes.
Dr. Aleesha Grier-Rogers, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Cheshire Academy. Photo: Michael Torelli, Cheshire Academy
A LEADER FOR CHANGE: CHESHIRE ACADEMY’S DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION By Joy VanderLek Special to the Record-Journal CHESHIRE – Dr. Aleesha Grier-Rogers, director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, at Cheshire Academy oversees a wide range of diversity initiatives for the campus. She’s also a member of the school’s class of 1990. “In my work, I always focus on the individual and all of the experiences that the individual is bringing to the table,” Grier-Rogers said. “So, from that perspective, you cannot ignore the different experiences that a person of color has versus someone who is white. It’s just different. So, yes, someone of color would be impacted differently by different experiences because they have these experiences of discrimination and disparity and bias that are also a part of their lives.” As a Black woman, Grier-Rogers said it’s important for her to serve as a mentor to other women of color, just as she herself received encouragement from women in academia. “You cannot separate gender from race,” she said. “When I think about my intersecting identities as a person of color and as a woman, the obstacles I have encountered — I have overcome them through the support of my family, my friends and the phenomenal women
who have mentored me along the way.” Her mentors include Katurah Bryant, who she met at Yale. Bryant is a marriage and family therapist, registered nurse and detox specialist. Bryant gave the keynote address, “Updates on the Dream”, at the academy’s recent Martin Luther King Jr. Day event. Another mentor was Dr. Tami Sullivan from Yale School of Medicine, who taught Grier-Rogers to push herself in Yale’s competitive environment. Kathy McCloskey was Grier-Rogers’ mentor in graduate school at the University of Hartford’s Department of Psychology. McCloskey focuses on diversity issues in psychology. “She was the first person to get me to think more about multiculturalism and the impact of diversity in individual backgrounds of a client’s mental health and wellness,” Grier-Rogers said. Grier-Rogers is a licensed clinical psychologist who worked with underserved populations in community healthcare before coming full circle to return to her hometown and her alma mater at Cheshire Academy. She was promoted to director this year, Continued on next page
“I chose to do a banh mi sandwich because it is one of my favorites,” she explained. “I was introduced to a little holein-the-wall (restaurant) called Pho Saigon in West Hartford that made the best vegan banh mi sandwich, and I wanted to showcase the delicious food that Vietnamese culture brings to the table and highlight a dish people might not know about, because those sandwiches are truly delicious!” Tracey’s talents don’t just stop at Bon Appétit videos. She also runs a vegan meal delivery and meal prep service. “My hobbies have always been food and art, and my life is currently a conglomerate of all of that.” she said. “I spent many years in technology working for Apple, but realized I would only be happy doing things I was passionate about. (So) in 2020, I took a chance and made food and art my focus. I am a freelance web developer and graphic designer, and I run a vegan meal delivery company called Vegan Vibes Meal Prep, which is a subsidiary of my business, Chrissy’s” Tracey is also conscious of the current economic climate, and aims to use her passions to help others “When I can, my team donates meals to food-insecure families in New Haven” she added. “I always believed that if you have a gift, you should use it to help others, so I do just that.” Tracey credits her entrepreneurial beginnings to a few
teachers she had at Cheshire High School, who helped spark her ideas and guide her talents. “I do want to shout out two of my high school teachers, Michael Earley and Leslie Paier, for inspiring my artistic and entrepreneurial journeys,” she said. “Those were two teachers who always truly encouraged me and embraced my thoughts and ideas while I was in high school. “Ms. Paier is the reason I pursued entrepreneurship — I’ve had this idea to run a vegetarian/vegan meal company since I was in high school, and now I am living that dream and still creating a lot of art, “ she continued. “I am so thankful for them and wouldn’t be here without their endless encouragement and inspiration.” While 2020 was an exceptional year for Tracey, she has her eyes set on 2021 and all that is in store for the future. “I hope that in 2021 I can continue my mission of fighting food insecurity, as well as continuing to highlight how delicious plant-based food can be and bringing it to the masses,” she said. “Everything my company brings to the table is fresh, organic, and made from scratch. Many people question why the pricing is low for my business — and the truth is, I know I can charge more, but that defeats my purpose of making plant-based meals accessible to the masses. One thing I can say is, we never compromise on quality and I hope people are encouraged to try the meals that I create with so much love.” But what is Tracey’s biggest dream? To own and operate her very own vegan food truck. Visit www.veganvibesmealprep.com to learn more about Tracey’s business. Her Bon Appétit videos are available at www.bonappetit.com/ search/chrissy%20tracey.
BL ACK HISTORY MONTH 2021
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Thursday, February 18, 2021
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BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES
DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY
from page 17
from page 18
The Lab, 34 High St.
parents that owned businesses were usually Caucasian,” Durant said. “I didn’t really see any Black-owned businesses. “
The Lab: A Creative Space for the Arts is still working on gaining traction as it has only been open for a little over a year.
Durant and his brother Drew Durant opened the restaurant in the midst of the pandemic, knowing the community would support them. The brothers said they appreciated the awareness that the Black Lives Matter movement brought to social injustices past and present. “As a Black man, I’ve always known what’s been going on,” Durant said. “But, I like that more people are more aware and calling things out.” B.L.A.C.K. apparel Parrish Holloman, NAACP youth president for Middlesex County and a self-proclaimed activist, organized a march in Meriden this past summer in remembrance of George Floyd. However, his activism didn’t begin in 2020. “My mother was the president of the Meriden-Wallingford NAACP when I was younger so I’ve been involved with this my whole life,” he said. Holloman said his goals include mentoring youth and increasing diversity in all aspects of the community, including schools and jobs. A new apparel line he created — B.L.A.C.K. — is set to release next month. The acronym stands for “Building Leaders And Cultivating Knowledge.” “I just want to be the voice of the youth,” Holloman said. “I want to be the person in the middle that can bridge that gap, that’s kind of what my brand is saying.” Derell’s Andre Collins created Derell’s to be an outlet for people to express with colors in a way they wouldn’t have before. The brand specializes in using
“Being a Black-owned business, it is something to be proud of,” owner Gerald Lovelace said. “I noticed there isn’t a lot in Meriden which led to me doing what I am doing now: being a Black man with my own business.”
stepping up from her position as Diversity, Equity, Inclusion coordinator the previous year. Earning her pre-doctoral and postdoctoral degrees at Yale School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry, Division of Addictions, Grier-Rogers serves as a clinical faculty member at Yale. She also has taught at Southern Connecticut State University for more than a decade. Grier-Rogers is on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion task force which works on issues such as updating policies and procedures, and looking at hiring and retention.
Since he was a teenager, he has been interested in photography, videography and dance. Dance classes are often recorded and posted to the studio’s Instagram account.
Niche.com ranks Cheshire Academy, located at 10 Main St., as number seven on its list of most diverse private high schools in Connecticut, out of more than 70 schools, and gives it an A-plus rating on this count. According to usaschoolinfo.com, the academy’s student body includes five ethnicities. The largest ethnic group of the approximately 365 students is white, 63.9 %, followed by: Asian, 27.3 %; Hispanic, 5.2 %; Black, 3 %; and Indian, .6 %.
The Lab is not a typical studio where a class has one dance instructor for a year. Students can come to classes when they like, with rotating instructors teaching various genres of dance.
Grier-Rogers’ work at the academy includes program and event planning that often is developed with student input. “We have speakers who come to talk about diversity issues during the course of the year,” Grier-Rogers said. This year’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration is one such event Grier-Rogers helped plan with academy students. Another program Grier-Rogers helped students get involved with was The Students Diversity Leadership Conference, the youth portion of the annual People of Color Conference was held in late November, early December. Four students from the academy attended the virtual conference as a delegation of affinity students.
“2020 was the year where people had the courage to actually act on things and speak up,” the stylist said.
“It’s a great opportunity for others who look like me and people who don’t look like me to see me with this skin color and say, ‘He’s able to do it and the possibilities are endless,’” Lovelace said. “After George Floyd, I changed our logo to a fist with Black Lives Matter under it. Yeah, we are a business and we are diverse, but at the end of the day this is a Black-owned business and Black Lives Matter.”
Because he is a new business and designs, sews and markets his brand entirely himself, Collins has experienced the hardships of being a business owner.
The city also has several other Black-owned businesses listed on shopBlackct.com including Brosily Bath and Body, Legendz Barbershop and Bentley’s Little Jamaican Cuisine.
“Working to promote awareness of social justice on campus is also a huge part of my job,” said Grier-Rogers.
“I do think I have to work harder, being that I am a gay, Black male trying to start up a business,” Collins said, comparing to larger brands with white people behind them. “Being a Black-owned business, the more you believe in your business, the more attraction and customers you’ll gain.”
“Meriden has always seen various races and cultures opening new businesses and the ever-growing trend of Black-owned businesses is great and we wish them the best,” Economic Development Director Feest said.
Andre Collins created “Derell’s” to be an outlet for people to express with colors in a way they wouldn’t have before.The brand specializes in using rare fabrics to create one-of-a-kind custom pieces. Photo courtesy of Andre Collins
rare fabrics to create one-ofa-kind custom pieces. More about Derell’s can be found at https://fashionmingle.net/ The former Meriden resident said the Black Lives Matter movement helped open his eyes to his own history. He also appreciates that more people are aware of social injustice.
fwilliams@record-journal.com 203-317-2373 Twitter: @faith_williams2
“They learned so much and said it was one of the most amazing experiences they ever had,” said Grier-Rogers. Helping the academy’s student affinity groups is still another way Grier-Rogers supports students with diversity, equity and inclusion issues, often referred to as DEI.
Serving as a faculty advisor for a couple of the groups on campus is another dimension of her work she enjoys. The Black Student Union is dedicated to promoting awareness on campus, she said. The Student Equity Team, new this year, is an affinity and leadership group which allows students to learn about social justice and DEI concepts and “we teach them to be allies and advocates for other students in the community,” said Grier-Rogers. Additionally, she is part of the academy’s leadership team. “I get to collaborate with all of the departments on campus and have the opportunity to look at things through the DEI lens,” she said.
Thursday, February 18, 2021
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“Diversity is the one true thing we all have in common. Celebrate it every day.” – Anonymous Recognizing the trailblazers and history-makers in the field of medicine.
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COVID
appear two to 14 days after being exposed to the virus. Symptoms can include: From A8 cough, shortness of breath As of Feb. 11, the total of lab- or difficulty breathing, fever oratory-confirmed and prob- or chills, muscle or body able COVID-19 cases report- aches, sore throat, headache, ed among Connecticut resi- nausea or vomiting, diardents was 267,337, including rhea, runny nose or stuffy 250,915 laboratory-connose, fatigue, and recent loss firmed and 16,422 probable of taste or smell.” cases. Six hundred seventy— Citizen report four patients were hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. There had been 7,381 COVID-19associated deaths.
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Library
Obituaries Jeanette Pagano W I L L I A M S P O R T, PAJeanette/Janine (Janssens) Pagano, of Williamsport, PA, passed away one day after her 98th birthday, on Tuesday, January 26, 2021. She is now reunited with her beloved husband of 55 years, Harry A. Pagano, who predeceased her in 2001. Born in Roux, Belgium, on January 25, 1923, she was one of three children to the late Henry and Maria Janssens. She met Harry while he served his country in Belgium during W.W.II. They settled in Galeton, PA, upon his discharge where they raised their family, later moving to Williamsport and sharing more than 55 years together. Jeanette was a woman who was ahead of her time; full of strength, class, and many talents. Proud of her European roots, she had a keen sense of fashion that she shared with others as a clothing store owner in Galeton and a beauty consultant for Estee Lauder in Williamsport. Jeanette never left the house without “putting her face on” and gave countless ladies the advice and confidence they were seeking. She was a talented seamstress whose intricate lace tatting, knitted and crocheted creations are treasured by her family, and her quilts emulated as she was often looked to for recommendations on patterns and color coordination. In her later years, she found joy in treating herself to Las Vegas adventures and
Briefs From A7
Red Cross The American Red Cross urges individuals who have fully recovered and received
Upcoming programs
trips to local casinos. A fun-loving Mother and Mimi, Jeanette was a precious gift to her family and will forever live on in their hearts. She is survived by her daughter, Rosemarie Babin of Plainville; her son, Harry Pagano and his wife Kim of Williamsport, PA and Ports St. Lucie, FL; her grandchildren, Melissa Howard and her son, Ian, Pamela Pires, her husband Victor and their son Jesse, Anthony Pagano and his daughter Cecelia and Michael Pagano, his wife Amanda and their children Luca and Frankie. She was predeceased by her brothers, John Janssens and Jacque Jenssens; and leaves her nephews, Jacque and Philippe and her niece Nicole. In lieu of flowers, Jeanette may be remembered with contributions to the Plainville Community Food Pantry, PO Box 233, Plainville, CT 06062 Jeanette’s life will be celebrated privately with her immediate family. For online expressions of sympathy, please visit www. plainvillefuneralhome.com a verified COVID-19 diagnosis to sign up to give convalescent plasma by completing the donor eligibility form at redcrossblood.org/plasma4covid. Blood donation appointments can be made by visiting redcrossblood.org.
Update
Curbside pickup service will continue for the foreseeable future. Meeting rooms will reCooking program: Wednesday, Feb. 24 at main closed until all COVID-19 safety restric5:30 p.m. via Zoom. tions have been lifted for our region. Current service hours are Monday through Thursday, Catalina Quesada, MPH, RDN, Community 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 Education Specialist at the Center for Popu- a.m. to 5 p.m. Library patrons are asked to lation Health at UConn Health and keep in mind that visiting the library is at evSNAP4CT, will demonstrate how to make a ery individual’s own discretion and risk; if a healthy bean, vegetable and barley chili. person chooses to enter the library, they Participants are welcome to cook along or agree to follow protocol and accept the safety watch and ask questions during the demon- measures taken as sufficient. Should anyone stration. Register atplainvillect.com/library. have concerns or complaints, it is most effective to directly contact Library Director Trish For a complete list of library programs, visTomlinson, ttomlinson@libraryconnecit plainvillect.com/library. tion.info; 860-793-1446.
1918 flu claimed at least 50M lives By Joy VanderLek Special to The Citizen
As the planet’s population is currently swept up in the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cheshire Public Library invited Natalie Belanger from the Connecticut Historical Society, in Hartford, to revisit the time of the 1918 influenza outbreak. The webinar, held Jan. 21, was sponsored by Friends of the Cheshire Public Library. While influenza has always been around, the 1918 flu was unusual in a number of ways, Belanger said. This flu was far more contagious than the average flu and it hit teenagers and young adults very hard, she said. The average age of those who died was 28. “Normally, the flu is most dangerous for the very young and the very old. This flu hit those in the bloom of youth.” It is estimated a quarter of the world’s population was affected by the virus, said Belanger. To be conservative and guess 50 million people were killed, that number is still higher than the number of soldiers killed in both world wars, she said. “We will never really know how many people died in the pandemic,” Belanger said, adding that it’s unusual not to have statistics. However, at that time record-
keeping, as we know it today, was not being done in many areas of the world.
in September 1918 was the deadliest. September was when civilian infections were being seen, said BeThe way in which the 1918 langer. The final wave was outbreak was handled by of- in late winter 1919. Showficials and perceived by the ing a mortality chart for public was also unusual. “It cities during the 28 weeks appeared to Americans that of the outbreak, Belanger the flu came out of Spain,” notes New Haven came in Belanger said. This is beat 61 percent. New Loncause Spain reported an illdon’s Naval Base reported ness at the time that was the illness in September, sickening many of its people, probably a result of soldiers including the King of arriving from Boston. The Spain. Those were the first flu generally spread east to reports Americans heard. west in the state, said Be“Spain was not in the war, langer. By October 1918 and those countries that about 40 percent of the were fighting the war cenpopulation of Connecticut sored their press. So, it is not was infected and approxithat the flu began in Spain, it mately 9,000 people died. was because it was the first country to really report Overall, “the federal reabout the flu, because they sponse was almost nil,” said didn’t have censorship.” Belanger. Some guidance was given by the U.S. Public Belanger said the outbreak Health Service, an arm of began in Kansas in the the Treasury Department, spring of 1918 at a military but states were left to tackle camp, Fort Funston. The the response and ended up malady then traveled camp giving the responsibility to to camp, and was transmitmunicipalities to educate ted with the transport of populations and handle the troops going overseas to outbreak. Shortages of fight in World War I. “So, it’s medical personnel did not more accurate to call it ‘the help. Most nurses and docAmerican flu.’” tors were serving in the war. (Editor’s note: According to Immigrant populations, esthe Centers for Disease Conpecially Italians, eastern trol “there is not universal Europeans, and French consensus regarding where Canadians were hit hard. the virus originated.”) The flu coincided with peak There were three “waves” of the flu and the second wave
immigration, so it was
See 1918, A33
The Plainville Citizen | plainvillecitizen.com
From A1
New guard Chief Thomas Moschini, Deputy Chief Adrien Paradis, First Assistant Chief Kurt Plourde and Second Assistant Chief David Massey were appointed in January.
1918 From A32
thought overcrowded living conditions, notably in cities, could further spread the illness. Schools, which were new and well-ventilated would be safer, and therefore were urged to stay open, Belanger said. Theatres were also left open, not because they were cleaner, but because they would be a morale booster, she said. As the nation was at war, that was a priority. The flu was also known as “The Grippe” from the French word meaning flu. Advice to cure or not catch it was abundant. Some of it was sound, some ridiculous.
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Belanger described how tonics and salves were plentiful in advertising of the day, including Dr. Jones’ Liniment, Beaver Oil, and Smo-ko Cigarettes, which promised no tobacco, just a few puffs of disinfectant to say goodbye to the grippe. Masks were not mandatory everywhere. New Haven did have a mandate for anyone going to a gathering or into public spaces, said Belanger. The term “slacker,” generally used for draft dodgers, was also a pejorative term used
From A9
Family Movement Disorder Center, and Jennifer McCaughey, MS, resource coordinator, Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging. For more information, call Brill at 860-696-4653, or McCaughey at 860-6964623.
for those who would not wear a mask. Belanger showed a picture of a conductor who stopped a man without a mask from coming aboard a streetcar.
Facebook group A Facebook page specifically for families and caregivers who have questions or comments pertaining to caregiving has been launched by Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging. People are welcome to join the “Hartford HealthCare Center
That the flu raged on, was due much to the fact that medicine was not advanced enough. Medical researchers looked in the wrong places for a cure. They looked for a bacterium. “You can’t make a vaccine unless you know what causes it,” said Belanger, adding that Influenza is a virus. It wasn’t until 1944 that a flu vaccine was developed. Belanger pointed out that a person who survived the flu was in a weakened state, and since there were no antibiotics yet, secondary infections could kill them.
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grace, humility, dignity, and, most importantly, integrity. He has kept the safety of the firefighters as his top priority, and has handled challenges with a level head and the overall good of the department at the forefront. Congratulations and thank you, Chief Toner, from a grateful department and town.”
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As the fire department prepared to welcome its new leaders, it honored outgoing chief Kevin Toner in a Jan. 4 post, stating: “Chief Kevin Toner has served the Plainville Fire Department and our community for eight years, and he's done a tremendous job leading. A fire chief's job is never easy, but Kevin has served with
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Thursday, February 18, 2021
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Ryan Dickey, Davia Garewski, Reymarcos Hernandez, Curtis Johnson, Jacob Keen, Joseph Kennedy, Alexander Knutelski, Antoni Krupski, Kyle Kumitis, Keith Lagassey, Seth Lahoud, Jillian Lamb, Austin Lausier, Garrett Lausier, Annalisa Little, Kleo Malone, Vincent McGraw, Patryk Nicewicz, Idalisse Ortiz, Carl Smith, Anneli St. Lawrence, Jaylen Thigpen, Saylor Tompkins, Adrian Tran, Julissa Ventura, Andrew West, Gabriella Willequer. Grade 11, gold: Hailey Calder, Victoria Charnetskaya, Alexis DeMaine, Nathan Garand, Harper Giola, Keira Guarco, Michael Haddad, Nicholas Kafka, Konrad Koc, Garret Millette, Avery Palma, Aumika Patel, Kevin Rondini, Alexander Santini, Daniel Sozanski, Sage Volpe, Areesha Waseem, Lillian Wazorko; silver: Matthew Andersen, Matthew Badorek, Alivia Bialko, Dylan Bucci, Alexandra Burnes, Alexander Calver, Evanie Cater, Jailexlene DeJesus-Mercado, Dakota-Marie Dinielli, Emma Donovan, Argjend Doroci, Jack Dube, Steven Dzierzbinski, Evelyse Estevez, Emily Fagan, Wiktoria Galazyn, Justin Giano, Katherine Gibson, Antonio Gohar, Kaleeya Green, John Guzzardi, Gabriel Hernandez, Katy Jeney, Nicole Kolc, Jacob Lagassey, Madison
A35
R230319
From A2
Levesque, Jonathan Marfia, AlMouangvienkham, Emmalynn Alexander, Kyle Badorek, Ashyse Marquez, Claudia MizRanno-Conant, Isabella Ruffini, leigh Bantz, Brianna Bartley, Deerek, Keegan Mullan, Tessa NaEmily Serrano-Aviles, Peyton laney Beausoleil, Janeil Benparstek, Justin Niziolek, AuStehle, Grace Stewart, Zeyana son, Isabelle Berube, Colin drey Pace, Alexander Pelletier, Thigpen, Katelyn Torres, Daman- Blake, Robert Bradley, ChristoJesse Pires, Aidan ni Turner, Austin Tyc, Christopher pher Brojek, Tanner Callahan, Plourde, Janessa Rames, Vaughan, Ava White, Kimberly Jeremy Courtar, Alec Couture, Joseph Rossi, Brandon Roy, Xiques. Vincent Dashukewich, Gabriella Katelyn Royce, Jacob Schilling, Grade 12, gold: Jenna Adam- DeGregorio, Jacob Deschaine, Jessica Schnaufer, Whitic, Ryan Barker, Jeremy BuckTianna Durham, Joshua ney Southall, Jacob ley, Anthony Cardoso, O’Neillia Fontaine, Patrick GryczewsStanczykiewicz, Samantha Cowie, Alexander Dube, Kaitlyn ki, Lauryn Guardarrama, Talia KilThompson, Macayle Wells, Maya Gagnon, Kassidy Gagnon, by, Andrew Laprise, Anthony Winkleman; bronze: Ilializ Ayala, Katherine Guarco, Nanci GutierLestini, Mara Malone, Sabrinna Gavin Bravado, Arianna Cappelrez, Marcelina Halas, Skyler Ibitz, Matthews, Sydney Ouellette, lo, Connor Cello, Owen DavidKori Jones, William Lauria, Paige Aiden Payne, Brandon son, Justin DeBellis, Janessa Levesque, Joseph Michalic, Paznokas, Ethan Perez-ChamAimee Michaud, Alan NilFreitas, Kyle Gelt, Nicholas berland, Claudia Pierscinski, AliGrabowski, Evan Gray, George son, Alexander Obrusnik, Cortcia Quirion, Tucker Rau, Corey ney Ouellette, Hannah Peck, James, Xaidan Joiner, PaoRexinger-McConnell, Abigale Tanner Rau, Lex Roberts, Benla Kuehlkamp Rojas, Ellie-May Rich, Julia Rostkowski, Anne Lacasse, Nicholas Lastrina, jamin Royce, Valerie Simoneau, Roux, Basement Waterproofing Services s e c i v r e S g n i f o o r p r e t aW tnemEmily esaB Roy, Isabella SamTessa Susco, Andrew SzymuOwen Leander, Morgan peri, Jordan Thompkins, 36 Years combined experience. cneirepWisz, xe denibmocOlivia sraeY 6Unwin, 3 revO Kyle Voila, Bianca Talarico,.eKayla Levesque, Over Matthew Morneault, Wojcik; Manivone Fully Transferable Written Guarantee*,Andrew Sump Pumps, ,spmusilver: P pmuS ,Justin *eetnarauG netsine; tirW eblbro arenfsznea:rTGabriel ylluF Aguilera,
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Honor roll
Thursday, February 18, 2021
860-598-8091 1908-895-068 Welcome to On The Menu. 237387
Let us help you find the perfect place to eat.
CHET
Whether it’s a celebration, date night, or just grabbing a bite to eat, this list of local restaurants is sure to satisfy your taste buds.
From A5
CHET continues to be the only 529 plan with a Connecticut state income tax deduction of up to $10,000 for Connecticut residents. Funds in a CHET account can be used at traditional two-year and four-year colleges and universities, technical and vocational schools as well as at some schools abroad for a variety of education-related expenses. For more information, visit AboutChet.com. — Press Release
A Classified ad is an easy way to sell your merchandise, and it’s easy on your wallet, too.
Find great local eats - MenusCT.com Adelphia Café 476 Washington Avenue North Haven, CT 06473 203-535-0149 Family owned/operated. Former proprietors of the Neptune Diner in Wallingford. Extensive menu for all tastes. Breakfasts, luncheons and special dinners. All baking on premises.
Colony Diner
611 N Colony Road Wallingford, CT 06492 (203) 269-9507 colonydiner.com Wallingford’s place to go for oldfashioned breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Proudly serving up delicious and hearty meals daily. Voted Best Diner 4 years running by Record Journal. Open seven days. Breakfast served all day.
Athena II Diner
320 Washington Ave, North Haven, CT 06473 203.239.0663 www.athena2diner.com Open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Serving breakfast, lunch, & dinner. Accept Q Cards. Serving North Haven for 30 years. Daily specials and full liquor available.
Duchess of Wallingford 124 Church St. Wallingford, CT 06492 (203) 265-9431 www.facebook.com/pages/ Duchess -of-Wallingford/119682821380599 Celebrating Over 25 Years in Wallingford! Our Success comes from dedication to quality,freshness & variety! Breakfast cooked to order. Open 7 days for breakfast lunch & dinner.
A36
The Plainville Citizen | plainvillecitizen.com
Thursday, February 18, 2021
Basketball
Bade swiped the ball away from Plainville guard Tyshawn Johnson behind the 3-point arc and raced toward the Southington basket with Johnson in pursuit. Johnson caught up to Bade at the basket, knocking Bade down on the baseline.
From A2
“They took it to us last week (in a scrimmage), so we knew what we were up against,” said Southington head coach John Cessario. “It was our job as a staff to get (the players) ready and we were ready.”
The two got face to face after Johnson’s hard foul, but it was Johnson who was called for a technical.
technical free throws to put the Blue Knights up 29-23. Southington also took possession after Macioce’s free throws, and despite Derrick being called for traveling on a nice dunking spin move on the baseline, Bade nailed a 3-pointer on Southington’s next possession with 4:34 to play in the quarter to put the Blue Knights up 32-23.
“We played basketball like we should (in the second half ),” Bade continued. “Our plays worked very well, we got a lot of inside touches and our big guys worked much better than last game. We also hit some outside shots, and our defense was just awesome.”
Derrick, who stands 6-feet-5 controlled the paint Friday. He had an emphatic third“It was my fault, really. I quarter block and his fifth stared at him. I shouldn’t As a result of the foul, Bane offensive rebound of the made one of two free throws. have done that,” Bane said of game resulted in his third his encounter with Johnson. and-one of the contest to Macioce then canned both “I could have been called for give Southington a 38-25 a double tech. But it did turn lead with 6:14 to play. CROSSWORD the game around. Plainville tried to mount a ANSWER comeback in the fourth quarter by pressing Southington.
The turning point of the game came courtesy of Bade, with Southington up 26-23 in the third.
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Blue Devils’ shooting guard Alec Couture (15 points) made two of his five treys in the quarter. His first one got the Blue Devils within 38-28 with 5:49 to play. He hit the other with 4:29 to play to pull Plainville as close at it would get, 40-33.
H.O.D. 7
Girls basketball Plainville 48, Southington 47 (OT): The Southington girls basketball team was 1.2 seconds away from improving to 2-0 on the young season Friday night. 1.2 seconds too long: Plainville's Lilly Wazorko connected on a 3-pointer with that much time on the clock to force overtime, where the Blue Devils outscored the Blue Knights 3-2 to pull out a 4847 CCC Region B victory. The loss spoiled a Southington comeback. Down 26-16 at the break, the Blue Knights dominated the third quarter 18-6 to take a 34-32 lead into the final frame. Wazorko's game-tying shot was her third 3-pointer of the night. The junior finished with a team-high 13 points and Kori Jones added 11 for Plainville (2-0). Southington's Kelley Marshall led all scorers with 14 points. Gabby Dangelo added 10 and Livvy Pizzitola was good for seven.
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The Plainville Citizen | plainvillecitizen.com
Thursday, February 18, 2021
A37
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A38
The Plainville Citizen | plainvillecitizen.com
Thursday, February 18, 2021
Legal Notices & Classifieds
Reach over 310,000 readers. Call us today 203-238-1953
RJ MEDIA GROUP | Record-Journal | myrecordjournal.com | HOMEBASE Digital | Berlin Citizen | Cheshire Citizen | North Haven Citizen | Plainville Citizen | Southington Citizen | Town Times | The Post Sporting Goods and Autos Wanted Wanted To Buy Help Wanted Help Wanted Health
CUSTOMER SERVICE
WATER DIVISION MAINTAINER I
REPRESENTATIVE The Wallingford Electric The Town of WallingDivision is seeking a ford’s Water Division is skilled individual to hanseeking an individual dle all inquiries, applito perform a variety of cations and complaints unskilled & semi-skilled from the public related tasks in the mainteto utility billing, service, nance, installation, and accounts receivable, repair of water lines and customer billing and related equipment. The delinquent accounts. position requires High The position requires a School diploma / GED or high school diploma / the equivalent in experiGED or business school, ence and training. Wages plus two (2) years $22.38 - $27.11 hourly, employment involving plus an excellent fringe customer contact and benefit package. Applithe receipt, custody and cations may be obtained accounting for sums of at the Department of money OR an equivaHuman Resources, Town lent combination of the of Wallingford, 45 South above experience and Main Street, Wallingford, training. Wages: $23.36 CT 06492. Forms will - $28.36 hourly, plus an be mailed upon request excellent fringe benefit from the Department package. Applications of Human Resources may be obtained at the or may be downloaded Department of Human from the Department of Resources, Town of Human Resources Web Wallingford, 45 South Page. The closing date Main Street, Wallingford, will be the date the 40th CT 06492. Forms will application or resume be mailed upon request is received or March 2, from the Department 2021, whichever occurs of Human Resources first. EOE or may be downloaded from the Department of WELDER/ Human Resources Web Page. The closing date FABRICATOR will be the date the 40th Custom Sheet Metal application or resume is Fabrication, light strucreceived or February 24, tural, min 5-10 yrs exp & 2021 whichever occurs SHEET METAL first. EOE MECHANICS, APPRENTICES & HELPERS: Steady SOUTHINGTON - Childcare worker, part-time, work, good benefits. must be available at 7 Call for interview. a.m. (860) 621-3408, 860-828-3762 leave message.
CASH PAID For any Toyota any condition, running or not, crashed okay. Will take other makes and models. (203) 600-4431.
TOP PRICES PAID
For Junk or unwanted vehicles, Toyota’s etc. Please call Mike @ 203284-8562 8am-5pm.
Apartments For Rent
MERIDEN 1st fl., 2 BR apt., fully remod., W/D & GAR incl., $1,200 mo. + sec. dep. Call Ken, (702) 445-5646. WALLINGFORD - 1 BR, LR, KIT, cable TV, all utilities, furnished. Available now. Call 203-265-1990.
Rooms For Rent MERIDEN - Clean, Safe Room. 203-605-6522. Utils & fridge incl. Share KIT/BA. Parking. $140/ wk + security dep.
Lawn and Garden
Delivery Routes Available Newspaper Delivery
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Routes available in the following towns: MERIDEN • WALLINGFORD • SOUTHINGTON CHESHIRE • MIDDLETOWN • DURHAM
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237783
Make extra cash before you go to work making early morning newspaper deliveries using your own vehicle. NO experience necessary.· Must be able to deliver early mornings, 7 days a week starting at 2:00a.m. MUST be dependable, able to read a map and a route list with specific delivery instructions. We will demonstrate the route to you. Routes average 1.5 to 3 hours daily. No collections required. Not Temp Work, Long Term Contracts.
MATERIALS DISTRIBUTION Screened Topsoil $25/ per yd; Sand-$15 per yd; Millings-$10 per yd; Screened Millings $30 per yd; Clean Fill $8 per yd: $100 minimum delivery. No pickup truck service. Minimum 16 yd pickup at our yard. Call Jim @ 860-982-4819 for delivery
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PISTOL PERMIT - Cer- GRASSY HILL AUCtification, for groups of TIONS, - an Estate 4 or less, masks req’d, Sale, Liquidation, Attic 1 session only, $140. & Basement Cleanout (203) 415-1144. Company is Always Buying and providing Wood Fuel Heating services all over Connecticut. These are just Equipment a FEW of the things TREE LENGTH we are looking for: Antiques, Collectibles, FIREWOOD Old/ Vintage Toys, MuCALL FOR DETAILS sical Instruments (Sax203-238-2149 ophones, Trumpets, Violins, Flutes, Clarinets, Trombone & SO MUCH Wanted To Buy MORE) Advertising Items, Wristwatches 1,2,3 Items or an Estate (Broken or Not), Pocket Watches, Tools (Ma$$$ CASH $$$ chinist, Woodworking, Todd Shamock & MORE) Doorstops, Estate Sale Service Clocks, Oil Paintings, Costume Jewelry, Old Signs, Old PhoAntiques, Dolls, Toys, tographs, Old PostPaintings,Meriden Items cards, Brewery Items, Hunting & Fishing, PEZ 203-494-1695 Dispensers, Costume Jewelry, Broken JewelAARON’S BUYING ry, Gold & Silver JewelOld Machinist Tools, ry, Gold & Silver Coins, Lathes, BenchTools, Military Items, Swords Hand Tools & more. & Bayonets, Helmets & (203) 525-0608. Patches, Medals & Uniforms, Pocket Knives, Lighters & Pipes, FounALWAYS BUYING tain Pens, Mechanical CASH PAID Pencils, Fraternal Order Vintage Electronics, Items, Religious Items, Musical InstruIndustrial Items, Winments, Amps, Ham chester Items, Sikorsky Equipment, HiFi, Items, Pratt & Whitney Radios, CB, GuiItems, Colt Items, Natars, Audio Equiptive American Items, ment, Antiques. Vintage Electronics, 860-707-9350 Slot Cars, Toy Trucks, Matchbox & Hotwheels, Barbie’s, Folk Art, Statues, Bronzes, ANTIQUES - Always Trains, Cameras, Mid buying old; Toys, Century Modern Furmilitary, jewelry, art, niture, Straight Razors, watches, musical Shaving Items, Political instruments, signs, Items, Comic Books, arcade games, Sports Cards & Autocameras, pre 1970 graphs…& THE LIST sports memorabilGOES ON! So please ia, plus more. One give us a call at your item or entire estate earliest convenience. contents. Call 860Grassy Hill Auctions 718-5132. 203-868-1816 - Grassy HillAuctions.com $$$BEAT ANY PRICE$$$ Antiques, military items, oddities, anything of value, motorcyles, minibikes, go carts. Estate & free appraisal services. Gary, 24/7, 203-237-4124.
BUYING MACHINIST TOOLBOXES - Tools & tooling, contents of machine shops, home WANTED Individual workshops and small firearms, collections & lathes. Call anytime estates including military 860-985-5760 & related items.Federally licensed firearms dealer. Gunsmith, appraisals, A Classified ad Richard Pleines, (860) 663-2214. is an easy way to sell
your merchandise, and it’s easy on your wallet, too.
RECYCLE YOUR OLD NEWSPAPERS Please & Thank you.
The Plainville Citizen | plainvillecitizen.com
Thursday, February 18, 2021
Businesses & Services Attics and Basements Cleaned GARY WODATCH
Home Improvements
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Roofing
A39
203-238-1953
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CARPENTRY
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Yalesville Construction IF YOU Mention Ice Damage Removal. This Ad Snow removal from Roof. Specializing in all phases FALL Yard #0649808 203.510.3830. of residential & Clean-Ups commercial roofing. Financing avail. www. Senior citizen discount lmconstructionct.com Brush, branches, leaves, Insured Free est. storm damage **JUNK REMOVAL** 203-265-5200 Tree Services Appl’s, Furniture, Junk, HIC#0631937 Debris, etc WE CAN REMOVE ANYTHING Entire house to 1 item removed! FREE ESTIMATES Advertise with us. Sr. Citizen Discount LIC & INS. 203-317-2312 203-535-9817 or 860-575-8218 Specializing in tree removal, trimming, Moving and Storage chipping & grinding. Call for free estimate. 203-945-1808.
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RT RELOCATION Your moving and storage specialists. Call for a free estimate. 833-668-3978.
RECYCLE YOUR OLD NEWSPAPERS Please & Thank you. Plumbing
Let Us BEAR Your Junk! Junk Removal in CT
GEORGE J MACK & SONS - Servicing the Meriden area since 1922. Toilet, faucet, sink & drain repairs. Water heater replacements. 15% Sr citizen disc. 203-238-2820.
A classified ad is an easy way to sell your merchandise, and it’s easy on your wallet, too.
Call Monday thru Friday 8:30am - 5pm • 203-238-1953
A40
The Plainville Citizen | plainvillecitizen.com
Thursday, February 18, 2021
CONTACT FREE DELIVERY AVAILABLE We are proud to serve for our community during this tough time. Stay home & stay safe, we’ll come to you!
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XLARGE 1 TOPPING, 10 WINGS, SMALL GARDEN SALAD $28.99