The 10th edition of the Forestville Village Association’s holiday ornament is now available. As in past years, the price is $10. The 2013 ornament features the F.N. Manross Memorial Library. The Manross Library was established on Dec. 31, 1949 when…
Author: mchaiken
Volunteers sought to prep, serve Christmas meals at soup kitchen
Again this Christmas holiday, volunteers at Zion Lutheran Church in Bristol will be preparing and cooking ham dinners to be served at the church fellowship hall as well as delivered throughout the community. They are in need of volunteers for…
Mayor issues Thanksgiving message
In my first term as Mayor, I bring you greetings from the City Council and the staff and employees of the City of Bristol. Every year around Thanksgiving, we are thankful for the blessings bestowed upon us living in this…
Re-use, re-purpose, and upcycle your sense of style
By MIKE CHAIKEN EDITIONS EDITOR There’s something to be said for fashion that is nothing like what anyone else is wearing. And what better way to create this unique fashion than to take everyday items, and redirect them for new…
United Way: Advocating for what you believe in
By DONNA OSUCH UNITED WAY OF WEST CENTRAL CT To advocate is to support or speak in favor of something. When you advocate for United Way, you show your support for the common good. You let people know that you…
Youths prove themselves via United Way board
By KAITLYN NAPLES STAFF WRITER Not only does the United Way of West Central Connecticut offer adults ways to get involved and volunteer, its Youth Board allows teenagers to be part of an organization all their own. It also serves…
Changes to city services for Thanksgiving announced
City Hall will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 28 and Friday, Nov. 29 for the Thanksgiving Holiday. There will be no curbside collections on Thursday, Nov. 28 and the Transfer Station will also be closed. Thursday curbside collections (rubbish, recycle…
Police blotter for Nov. 22
The Bristol Police Department reported the following arrests: •Nelson Quinones, 38, of 20 Adna Rd., Apt. No. C11, Bristol was arrested on Nov. 12 and charged with third degree sexual assault. •Howard E. Castle, 43, of 85 Lawndale Ave., Bristol…
Rumors of Fates Warning’s death were greatly exaggerated
By MIKE CHAIKEN EDITIONS EDITOR You’re excused if you thought the band Fates Warning had called it a day. After all the band’s last album was nine years ago, 2004’s “FWX,” and their profile in the U.S. has been pretty…
Listings for Nov. 22
Performance listings NOV. 22-24 OTHER ‘ANY DREAM WILL DO,’ A MUSICAL THEATER REVUE. Performed by The New Britain Youth Theater Teen Company. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. An evening of songs celebrating dreams,…
Battle of the Bell: Central is under the radar, and dangerous
By MICHAEL LETENDRE STAFF WRITER What to expect from Central A football team that’s flying under the radar is a dangerous team and Bristol Central is a squad that’s looking for a big upset come Thanksgiving. The Rams’ coaching staff…
Battle of the Bell: Turkey Day carries weight for Lancers
By MICHAEL LETENDRE STAFF WRITER What to expect from Eastern Most times for the Bristol scholastic programs, the Thanksgiving Day challenge – the “Battle for the Bell’ is the end of the line for the two squads. But, for the…
Philippines disaster hits home, spurring local response
By KAITLYN NAPLES STAFF WRITER Last Friday, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported there had been 4,460 deaths in the Philippines following the deadly typhoon that hit the country recently. This number is expected to…
Teens surviving in troubled times
By MIKE CHAIKEN EDITIONS EDITOR “The Survivor,” which will be performed by Bristol Central High School Footlights this weekend, is about a group of teenagers in the Warsaw ghetto defying the Nazis during World War II. The teens are in…
Mayor asks staff to ID unfunded mandates
In an effort to get a handle on the growing number of unfunded mandates, passed on to municipalities and local taxpayers by the General Assembly, Mayor Ken Cockayne announced in a press release that he asked each department head in…
Obituaries for Nov. 22
The following obituaries will be published in the Nov. 22 Observer. For further details, go to our print edition or e-edition published on Friday. Roy L. Modeen, 62, of Terryville, husband of Sharon (Brandt) Modeen, passed away on Wednesday, Nov.…
Grant to purchase emergency generator for city hall, police dept.
Mayor Ken Cockayne announced that the City of Bristol has been awarded a $255,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to replace the aging and inadequate emergency generator at the Bristol Police and Court Complex. The current emergency generator…
Help the children shop; Donate to the Re-gifting program
The Young Professionals for United Way and Webster Bank are now accepting donations of unused items for Bristol’s Annual Re-Gifting Program. This is a popular program that allows children in low-income areas of Bristol to learn the joy of giving.…
Holiday lights illuminate Compounce starting Nov. 29
Lake Compounce has announced its second annual “Lake Compounce Holiday Lights,” a seasonal holiday themed family event taking place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings beginning on Nov. 29. The park gates will open at 5 p.m. on Fridays, and…
St. Paul holds placement exam Saturday
St. Paul Catholic High School, Bristol will hold its placement examination for grade 8 students on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 8 a.m. Pre-registration is suggested but not required. For more information, visit at www.spchs.net or by calling the Admissions Office…
Showcase of Robots at Imagine Nation Dec. 1
The Imagine Nation Museum will be hosting a Showcase of Robots on Sunday, Dec. 1 from 12 to 2 p.m. FIRST (For Inspiration & Recognition of Science & Technology) Robotics Teams, FLL or JFLL from surrounding towns are invited to…
Meet some more members of the Hall of Fame, Class of 2013
By MICHAEL LETENDRE STAFF WRITER BRISTOL – The Bristol Sports Hall of Fame will be inducting its Class of 2013 from the Doubletree Hotel on Saturday, Nov. 22 from Bristol. This season’s class – it’s 17th overall – will see…
Who will be Miss Connecticut USA and Miss Teen Connecticut USA?
Last year’s Miss Connecticut USA pageant gave the state Erin Brady, who went on to win Miss USA and then finish in the top 10 at Miss Universe earlier this month. Brady is back at the Miss Connecticut USA pageant…
Pulitzer-winning comedy, ‘Harvey’ coming to Bristol Eastern
By MIKE CHAIKEN EDITIONS EDITOR Although Jim Parsons of television’s “The Big Bang Theory” appeared in a Broadway revival last year, the play “Harvey” is bit off the beaten path for most teen audiences and teen performers. All the same,…
United Way: Making the case for giving
By DONNA OSUCH UNITED WAY OF WEST CENTRAL CT. United Way isn’t about short-term charity, it’s about lasting change. We look at the big picture and provide large-scale solutions to the root causes of problems in our community. Many organizations…
United Way gears up to help less fortunate
By KAITLYN NAPLES STAFF WRITER It is hard to believe, but Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away, and Christmas is just a little over one month away. So it is that time to think about helping others less fortunate…
Police blotter for Nov. 15
The Bristol Police Department reported the following incidents: •Dovin Lee Crooks, 22, of 79 Myrtle St., Hartford was arrested on Nov. 5 and charged with third degree assault, second degree breach of peace and threatening. •Samuel Rivera, 19, of 35…
There’s a new mayor in town: Dems, GOP now share council evenly
By KAITLYN NAPLES STAFF WRITER Bristol has a new mayor, and a City Council that now is split evenly between Republicans and Democrats. Republican mayoral candidate Ken Cockayne was elected to fill the city’s top job last Tuesday, beating Democratic…
Laughter and curiosity will arise next week
By MIKE CHAIKEN EDITIONS EDITOR Ready to laugh and ready to raise a few eyebrows? Well, prepare for a journey into the odd little world of playwright David Ives as Southington Community Theatre prepares to be your thespian guides. The…
Listings for Nov. 15
Holiday listings NOV. 15, 16 BRISTOL HOLIDAY COUNTRY FAIR. Friday from 5:30 to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Holiday crafts, country store, bake sale, tea-cup raffle, food and Swedish coffee rolls (on Saturday). GraceLutheranChurch,…