Staff report
Carter wows the audience at Bristol Historical Society
TBE’s own Rit Carter presented a program on Theodore Beussel Thursday evening drawing a good-sized audience including former State Rep. Gardner Wright to the Bristol Historical Society. Carter’s 45-minute talk was punctuated with moments of humor that involved Carter’s mastery of the remote, or lack thereof, and some witty repartee with the audience. The humor was necessary to balance the serious nature of the subject matter.
We are still waiting for someone to ask a question about how sedition during World War I might have differed to what we are experiencing today. Rev. Beussel was found guilty of saying things like German soldiers were superior to American soldiers. (Keep in mind he was a German immigrant with family still in Germany.) For his expressing his opinion, he was found guilty of sedition and sentenced to three 10-year prison terms.
We now see those “patriots” who stormed the U.S. Capital sentenced for anything from a couple of years to only a few months. Which offense was more severe? Can that even be open to debate?
1970’s photo of TBE editor found in church papers
Earlier in the week, David Fortier, TBE editor and reporter, received an email from Larry Anderson who was combing through the archives at the First Congregational Church when he came across a photo featuring Fortier receiving a scholarship check from the Bristol Boys and Girls Club (aka, back then the Bristol Boys Club). Two others receiving checks were Gary Fleming and David Casey. The checks were handed out by the legendary Norman Beland, Bristol Boys Club executive director, and Townsend Mink, of the scholarship committee.
Mayor and economic development head do publicity photo with restaurant owners
On Friday, Mayor Jeff Caggiano and Economic and Community Development Director Justin Malley were sighted at breakfast time heading into the newly opened Magpies, a breakfast and lunch establishment on Terryville Ave., where they inquired about whether the owner/chef was available. When he arrived at their table, the mayor asked if he would mind posing for a photo. After the photo, the two city officials left quickly without even purchasing a soda. Shortly afterwards, the photo appeared on the Bristol All-Heart Facebook page.
Caggiano has been busy taking and posting photos. Another day during the week, he posted a half-eaten pulled-pork sandwich from the Heavenly Smoke BBQ food truck.
Diamantis investigation continues
CT Mirror continues to look into the Kosta Diamantis investigation, releasing their report about the first of two planned email dumps from their Freedom of Information request. This round focuses on Diamantis’s emails to various state agency directors about job opportunities for his daughter. The story can be found here.
Hahn and Rasmussen-Tuller announce candidacies
Two Democrats announced their candidacy for the state legislature. Former city council member Greg Hahn will be running in the 31st Senate district against incumbent Republican State Senator Henri Martin and Andrew Rasmussen-Tuller will be running in the 77th House district against incumbent Republican Cara Pavalock-D’Amato. This is the second time Rasmussen-Tuller will be challenging Pavalock-D’Amato. Regarding Pavaloc-D’Amato, she is currently under investigation by SEEC for residency issues and also being investigated by the Connecticut State Bar Association for signing paperwork associated with the residency question.
Construction of assisted living facility is humming along
The corner of Route 6 and North Main Street has been vacant for years, but now the construction of the Kindcare Assisted Living facility is proceeding quickly. The foundation is being completed after weeks of digging deep into the site for the underground parking garage. Here are some photos of the construction site. The photos could be better, but our aging TBE photographer got kicked off the site by the construction manager.
Here is a picture of what the building will look like when completed.
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