Waterbury Rep-Am: "Holy Land cross blessed in small ceremony"
With a sprinkling of holy water and a prayer Wednesday morning, Archbishop Henry J. Mansell blessed a new 50-foot-tall cross at the peak of Pine Hill, replacing a landmark that had overlooked the city center for 40 years.
In April, workmen took down the former cross, which had become unstable from years of weathering and repeated attacks by vandals. The Religious Teachers Filippini, an order of nuns that owns the property, paid $250,000 to have it replaced with a cross that is a little shorter, a bit thinner, but more durable.
The previous cross was one of Waterbury’s most beloved and prominent landmarks. Illuminated at night, it was a beacon seen from many homes and thousands of motorists passing daily on highways below. Pilots even used it for orientation.
“I’m so happy to see this cross here, reminding us as we go on our journeys we are also on the journey of life,” Mansell told a dozen people who gathered for the dedication.
Greenwich businessman Ned Lamont, who challenged U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman two years ago, donated $25,000 to the rebuilding effort. For Waterbury natives, the cross is a reminder they’re home, Lamont said. For him it’s a reminder he’s on his way home.
The Archdiocese of Hartford matched Lamont’s gift. Another $25,000 came in gifts from small donors. The nuns dipped deep into their reserves for the work and are still asking for help. During the ceremony, Sister Frances Stavalo challenged the business community to help close the gap.
“We want to keep John Greco’s dream alive,” she said.
Greco was a devout Waterbury lawyer who, along with dozens of volunteers, built a religious theme park called Holy Land USA on 17 acres atop Pine Hill in the 1950s and 1960s. The park featured religious statues, stations of the cross, a replica of the Roman catacombs and dollhouse replicas of the churches, shops and towers of Jerusalem. In its heyday, the park attracted thousands.
The new cross is actually the third giant cross to grace the site. The original was 32 feet tall and was erected in 1956. The cross was dedicated to world peace in a ceremony attended by 1,200 people in November of that year. It was the beginning of Holy Land.
That original cross was replaced in 1968, by a cross of steel girders and plastic that reached 56-feet into the sky. This one was dedicated to peace and also to the slain John and Robert Kennedy.
Wednesday’s ceremony was much more subdued than the original dedication. A small crowd gathered. The archbishop was accompanied by Mayor Michael J. Jarjura, Lamont, six nuns and representatives from OR&L Construction, which oversaw the project.
Today, much of what was Holy Land is in ruins. Broken pavement lines the road winding through the property. Yellow tape blocks access to displays, many of which have been smashed by vandals. While the site is officially off-limits, people still skirt no-trespassing signs to visit.
“We come up here to meditate and to reminisce,” said Tom Durso, 59, of Watertown. He attended Wednesday’s ceremony with his cousin, Tony Durso, 63, of Thomaston. Both grew up in the city and visit the hill occasionally to look down at their old schools and familiar places in the city center below. The cross also holds a special place in their hearts.
“For anybody raised in Waterbury, this is in your memory banks,” Tom Durso said. “The nuns from St. Mary’s used to march us up here every Easter to say rosaries.”
Tony Durso said the new cross will take some getting used to. It’s not quite as tall or as broad, or as bright.
“But a cross is a cross,” Durso said. “It’s a symbol.”
SOURCE: Mike Puffer, Republican-American
http://www.rep-am.com/news/349079.txt
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Wednesday, June 18, 2008
06/19/08 Greenwich doctor marries Philly doctor
Magnificent, superb, perfect, excellent, entertaining, tasteful and classy are all adjectives I would use to describe the martial nuptials between Dr. Audrey Miller and Dr. Brion Gross.
On Saturday May 31st, 2008, 110 of Audrey's and Brion's closest friends and relatives flew into Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas to celebrate the wedding of the year on a lanai at sunset.
Guests traveled from as far as Nigeria and Hawaii to witness the bride's uncle Dr. Frank Richards accompany her down the aisle. Bridesmaids Joan Miller and Jane Miller Brown (sisters of the bride) were escorted by groomsmen Howard Gross, Jr. (brother of the groom) and Robert Williams. Mother of the bride Marion Miller was escorted by usher Winston 'Jay' Miller. Audrey walked down the aisle to "what are you doing the rest of your life" and soloist Patty Butler serenaded the couple with "Say you love me"during the 'sand ceremony'.
After the ceremony, the bride and groom along with their guests danced blew whistles and rang cow bells in a private carnival from the lanai to the restaurant to the sounds of steel bands and drums reminisced of Carnival in Rio.
This wedding was like nothing I have ever experienced before. For Audrey and Brion to get 100 plus people to stop what they were doing for 3 plus days and join them on a resort on the Atlantic Ocean says a lot about their characters. There were guests that went to high school with Audrey and there were guests who were in 'Jack and Jill' with Audrey. There were many, many friends from college, medical school and traveling buddies who gave up what they were doing just to show their love for Audrey and Brion on one of the most important day of their lives.
Audrey and Brion I love you guys and I wish you nothing but the best of everything that life has to offer. CAN'T WAIT FOR THE 1st ANNIVERSERY PARTY!!!!!
www.greenwichdiva.com
06/18/08 The Latest: The Raw Greenwich News Feed (Afternoon Edition)
Stanwich plans get preliminary OK
Greenwich Time
The school shares the site with the Greenwich Reform Synagogue, which would be housed in a new building. While the new mixed-use campus project brought out ...
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ACS tees off against cancer with June 26 golf outing
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GREENWICH - The American Cancer Society is looking to drive out cancer with the help of a new golf tournament. The American Cancer Society's...
Body mechanic
Connecticut Post
Greenwich Time
Strong pitching and clutch hitting resulted in a trip to the championship game of the Greenwich Junior Babe Ruth League for Civic Pride.
To the editor:
Do any of the town officials, past or present, know how small Island Beach is? I don't think any of them, with the exception of Penny Monahan, our former selectman, have ever been there....
....Greenwich Point was, fortunately, not overwhelmed with nonresidents. I believe the reason for this is the $20 parking fee. This will not save Island Beach. The many seniors and young mothers who use it will be the losers.
=================================================Connecticut Post
Greenwich Time
Strong pitching and clutch hitting resulted in a trip to the championship game of the Greenwich Junior Babe Ruth League for Civic Pride.
To the editor:
Do any of the town officials, past or present, know how small Island Beach is? I don't think any of them, with the exception of Penny Monahan, our former selectman, have ever been there....
....Greenwich Point was, fortunately, not overwhelmed with nonresidents. I believe the reason for this is the $20 parking fee. This will not save Island Beach. The many seniors and young mothers who use it will be the losers.
Helene J. Griffin
Greenwich
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06/18/08 - Intern Accidentally Deletes Greenwich Citizen News Stories Five Days In A Row
GHS INTERN SEVERELY BEATEN
A Greenwich High School intern working at the Greenwich Citizen newspaperwas was nearly beaten to death by co-workers yesterday, after she deleted Greenwich Citizen news and sports reports five days in a row while trying to print the sme document for over a week.
Greenwich Police Officers were aghast at the horrific scene that they encountered upon their arrival, with one officer calling it “the most ghastly crime scene I’ve ever witnessed.” When Greenwich Citizen employees quickly told the officers what the Greenwich High School itern had done, the atmosphere quickly changed, as the men in blue “looked away” so the outraged Greenwich Citizen reporter, Patricia McCormack could get a few last good kicks in.
“She erased all of our Greenwich news reports for the last five days! Now what the heck am I going to do?” Greenwich Citizen editor Don Harrison shouted hysterically. “The only reason our readers make it through the workday without going psycho is the ability to check out updated Greenwich High School sports reports and the latest news on the Greenwich Beaches! Now our website visitors have to visit the frequently updated Greenwich Post news web site.”
Greenwich Citizen web site visitors were heard unleashing blood-curdling screams and banged their heads on computer monitors all over town.
Greenwich news consumers are tired of reading the same lead story at the Greenwich Citizen for five days in a row.....
Holding a Popular Principal Accountable: D'Amico to Return
... D'Amico had "made false statements and knowingly misrepresented the facts multiple times to multiple people over nine days to his superiors and others in the school community." Sternberg's strongly worded six-page investigative report, made available to reporters on the FOI act (plus payment of $6.50), tells of those nine days commencing on May 6 when D'Amico turned away parent Frank Carbino from delivering his ice cream birthday cake to his daughter's class on the grounds it was school policy. The principal then added the "policy" online to the student handbook where he believed it should have been in the first place. For reasons known only to D'Amico, he chose not to admit over the course of nine days his inclusion of the school policy after Carbino's visit. But the computer-savvy Carbino discovered just when he had added the "Birthday Celebration" policy after his visit and communicated this to Sternberg and her deputy, Kathy Greider.....
Greenwich Police Officers tased the intern three times and before announcing that they will not bring any charges against Greenwich Citizen Reporter Patricia McCormack or the other Greenwich Citizen staffers that participated in the Greenwich High School student.
“Where are we going to find 12 jurors that will convict these people? They’re heroes if you ask me”, stated Assistant States Attorney Steven Weiss.
The interns parents were not surprised to hear of the tragic beating of their child. The mother explains: “She has always been kind of awkward, the kind of child that would messing things up all the time, never on purpose mind you, but she was always screwing something up.”
The mother continued,"I can understand why the Greenwich Police Department gave her a fifty thousand dollar bail."
The next issue of the Greenwich Citizen will highlight Greenwich community groups in that are conducting fund-raisers, hoping to raise enough money to purchase tasers all of the towns high schools teachers. Unfortunately, nobody has found out how much all those new tasers will costs.
Greenwich Citizen Sports reporter Scott Farrari said," These Greenwich High School students are out of control. Last time I was at the school some kid from Byram dropped a water balloon on my head!!!!"
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06/18/08 The White Birch Polo Team has won more high goal polo tournaments than any other single team in the past 25 years.
Thomas B. Glynn Memorial Results
The men in green and white simply outplayed their opponents. Both Mariano Aguerre and Ulysses Escapite had six goals. Mother nature must be a White Birch fan as the skies opened up with a thunderstorm and torrential downpour just minutes after the final horn.
PoloBlogs - http://www.poloblogs.com
More: Greenwich Polo Club (CT)
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06/18/06 Shoot The Messenger: Real Estate Columnist Chris Fountain Tried To Warn Local Realtors And Homeowners, But The Greenwich Post Shut Him Down
Ex-Citigroup boss cuts price on Greenwich mansion
The median home price fell 8.1 percent in Greenwich in the first quarter from a year earlier. Declines were as much as 25 percent in 14 of 19 wealthy Manhattan suburbs in Connecticut, New Jersey and Westchester County, New York, ...
Ex-Citigroup CEO Having Hard Time In Housing Market
... of the housing slump. Now he's having a hard time selling his home. Prince's five-bedroom Tudor-style house in Greenwich, Connecticut, has been on the market for six months. He has cut the price by $300,000 to $5.85 million, according to the ...
Chuck Prince Discovers the Housing Slump
... Bloomberg article details the difficulties that former Citigroup Inc. CEO Chuck' Prince III is having selling his Greenwich home. Bloomie ironically notes that Prince "lost his job because of the housing slump" -- and the same slump is giving him a ...
New Housing Problem for Ex-Citi Chief
DealBook
... ousted last year amid the troubles emanating from the bursting of the mortgage bubble, is now finding it hard to flush out a buyer for his own home, Bloomberg News reports. Mr. Prince’s country estate in Greenwich [...]
DealBook - http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com
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06/18/08 - Real Estate News - Buckingham Partners and Sun Homes announce the opening of the model residences at Palmer Hill
Palmer Hill Announces Opening of Model Residences
... model residences at Palmer Hill, a private community ideally positioned where vibrant Stamford meets charming Old Greenwich. The community, beginning occupancy this summer, will feature 81 condominium homes and 114 townhouses situated on nearly 20 ...===============================================
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06/18/08 Today's Top Story: Man Trades Wigs For Prison Uniform
In the Massachusetts and South Windsor robberies, Kertesz entered the stores wearing a wig and women's clothing, before pulling out an Uzi-type firearm on an unsuspecting clerk. He escaped with $388,000 in jewelry from the Natick store and $259,000 from the South Windsor store. His take from the Glastonbury store was $200,000.
The unexpected appearance of a Greenwich police officer apparently rattled Kertesz, who dropped the backpack while making his escape from Betteridge Jewelers
The unexpected appearance of a Greenwich police officer apparently rattled Kertesz, who dropped the backpack while making his escape from Betteridge Jewelers
Jewelry Store Robber Gets 21 Years In Prison
Hartford Courant
Two other conspirators, Eric Ortiz and Ernesto Ortiz, pleaded guilty to charges related to their roles in the Greenwich robbery. ...
Jewelry robber sentenced to 21 years in prison
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Betteridge bandit gets 21 years
A former Bridgeport man has been sentenced to 21 1/2 years in prison after admitting to being the gun-toting motorcyclist in a chaotic holdup at Betteridge Jewelers on Sept. 1, 2006, during which he stole nearly $5 million in jewels.
Charles Kertesz, 38, was sentenced to 20 years on four counts of Hobbs Act Robbery in connection with the unsuccessful Betteridge heist and three other jewelry store hold-ups in Connecticut and Massachuetts between July 2005 and September 2006, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for Connecticut.
The Hobbs Act is a federal law prohibiting violence that could affect interstate commerce.
According to court affidavits, Kertesz planned the Betteridge robbery and held up the store using a semiautomatic weapon, before walking out with a backpack stuffed with more than 60 pieces of jewelry worth $4.7 million....
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06/18/08 Greenwich Post News Links For Wednesday
Shays panel outlines infrastructure needs
Transportation is the key to remaining a leader in the global economy, according to a panel of experts who took part in a special conference organized by U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays earlier this week.
No Duh....
The panelists agreed America’s aging infrastructure is in desperate need of repair and must be expanded and enhanced if the nation is to accommodate its growing transportation needs.
Here Is An Innovative Idea From 1998....
Mr. Shays, a Republican who represents the 4th District, which includes Darien, said federal, state and local officials must recognize the current transportation crisis and then come together as a nation to meet its challenge.
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06/18/08 Greenwich Time News Links For Wednesday
Antoninette Macri, born in 1931 in Greenwich and a Native of Byram, gives her oral history to Eric Knutsen during oral history day at Greenwich Library yesterday. Chairman of the oral history project Catherine Ogden next to the wall of residents who have told their stories to the library. Contributed photo Town retail legend Chancy D'Elia's photo from the wall of photos at the library. D'Elia's oral history is available at the library.
(Bob Luckey Jr./Greenwich Time Photo)
(Bob Luckey Jr./Greenwich Time Photo)
Oral History Project recalls simpler times
While some of her friends went off to war after graduating from high school, Daphne Finney, 83, worked at Greenwich Library as a clerk.
Himes' congressional TV ads debut
NORWALK - No need to double check your calendar - those political ads popping up on television don't mean it's time to put away the swimsuit, start packing school lunches and rake the leaves.
Judge dismisses grocer's claim
In another setback for a town grocer and his wife in their seven-year battle with the town's voter residency requirements, a New Britain judge has denied their bid for reinstatement to Greenwich's voter rolls.
In another setback for a town grocer and his wife in their seven-year battle with the town's voter residency requirements, a New Britain judge has denied their bid for reinstatement to Greenwich's voter rolls.
A group of wealthy contributors that includes the Empire State Building's owner is threatening to walk away from its offer to donate $15 million toward the Havemeyer Building's transformation into an arts center unless the town approves a lease of the downtown landmark by year's end.
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06/18/08 Greenwich Library News
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Evaulating a WebsiteWhere: Greenwich Library at Training Center This 1.5 hour session will offer tips and techniques for evaluating materials found on the Internet. Come to this session if you plan on using the Internet as one of your research ...
Greenwich Library | Today's Events - http://www.greenwichlibrary.org
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