NewiNgtoN
g i n el u d sfi cl i n er st h et po
W
starting
this weekend
towN CRieR Mill Pond Park safe
in downtown new Britain
d
3 days of Fun Food & live music sept 12 - 14, 2014
Free Admission
Friday, September 12, 2014
Voters reject $30M building plan By ERICA SCHMITT STAFF WRITER
NEWINGTON — Opponents of a $30 million plan to build a new Mortensen Community Center in Mill Pond Park celebrated their victory this week after voters’ landslide rejection, but that doesn’t change the fact the current center inside Town Hall remains in poor condition. The proposed project, which was two-and-a-half years in the making, failed by a nearly 5-1 ratio in Tuesday’s referendum, which brought a record number Volume 54 No. 37
Free
of voters to the polls. Now town officials are hoping to find out why, and how they can realign the project to voters’ desires. “The community is charged over this issue which I think is a good thing,” Mayor Steve Woods said Wednesday. “But the project is not going to go away; something has to be done with Town Hall and the community center.” Triton Polling, a private, non-partisan polling agency, began calling voters at random Thursday to find out how they felt about the project and how it needed to be modified to earn their approval. They will survey 400 people between 1 and 8 p.m. over the next several days and the results of their survey are See PARK, Page 7
More than 50 people participated in the Second Annual Guns ‘n’ Hoses Heroes Poker Run.
Guns ‘N’ Hoses raises $1,700 for vets By ERICA SCHMITT STAFF WRITER
Sunday was a beautiful day for a motorcycle ride, but helping raise over $1,700 for veterans gave those in the Second Annual Guns ‘N’ Hoses Heroes Poker Run a nice incentive. Forty bikes and more than 50 riders gathered at the VA Medical Center in Newington before zooming off on a journey across Central Connecticut.
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jewel
Money raised went to benefit VETS LINK, a non-profit organization that offers handson mentoring and services to guide veterans and their families through financial hardships that arise in their lives. They made stops at locations honoring fallen soldiers and emergency responders alike, including the nearby Iwo Jima Memorial on Route 175 and Hubbard Park in Meriden, where the Connecticut
Law Enforcement Memorial stands. Their voyage culminated with a barbecue lunch, music and raffle at the Ancient Order of the Hibernians on South Street in New Britain. “People had a good time and most of them said they’d be back again next year,” Terry Funke, organizer and a VETS LINK volunteer, said afterwards. The event was dedicated to See RIDERS, Page 8
becker’s estate jewelers oF west hartFord
now b
uying
jewel
ry
now in
newington
Becker’s has a great selection of Vintage, Estate and Contemporary jewelry, including earrings, necklaces, rings and bracelets. You will be surprised at the savings as all items are
half the price of new!
3311 berlin turnpike between target & best buy Mon-Fri 10-6, sat 10-4, sun 11-4
OF
WEST
HARTFORD
1-888-BECKERS | www.beckers.com