Plainville High School will host an informational session on college financial aid, on Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 5:3- to 6:30 p.m., in the high school auditorium.

The program, facilitated by the Barnum Financial Group’s Center for College Planning will touch on several topics including how to survive funding your student’s college education, need based aid information, resources for Merit aid, FAFSA versus CSS profile, tax code incentives, minimizing student loans, and more.

There will be time allotted for questions at the conclusion of the program.

The program is free to attend, and open to students and parents who are interested in learning more about funding a college education.

by MIKE CHAIKEN

EDITIONS EDITOR

There was a Journey before there was a Steve Perry. And Journey barely lost a step after the final reunion with its long-time singer. So there’s been plenty of Journey without Perry.
Perry finally parted ways from the rest of the guys in 1997, which was 22 years ago.
However, when you go to a Journey concert, to longtime fans one of the first observations they make is that Perry is no longer with the band.
In one respect, it’s understandable since Perry had been the voice of the group for all of its hits, including “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Who’s Cryin’ Now,” “Open Arms,” “Faithfully,” “Separate Ways,” “Lights,” “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’”
However, although a lead singer is typically the face of a band, one voice does not make a band.
And truth be told, when Journey came to the Mohegan Sun Arena on Oct. 4, the group is exactly as it was during its biggest commercial years. Long-time leader and founder of the group, Neal Schon, is still slinging his guitar with the group as are keyboardist Jonathan Cain (who helped mastermind a lot of the group’s hitmaking power), bassist Ross Valory, and drummer Steve Smith.
At the Connecticut gig, Journey proved that their instrumental skills are as strong as ever. (This was clearly demonstrated by the solo spotlights taken by Schon, Cain, and Smith during the gig.) The sound on stage had the same chemistry demonstrated on their hit albums, such as the iconic “Escape” and its equally strong follow-up “Frontiers.”
Some in the audience may have pined away for the missing member, but the thing with Journey is that the songs are really the selling point of the group. For the audience, the music of Journey- as evidenced by the out-of-tune voices singing behind me—is about memories and special moments. Also demonstrating the importance of the music was the older couple in front of me who carefully videoed on their iPhone (in loving violation of copyright laws) to preserve some of their favorite tracks to listen in the future, private mementoes of the band.
And the fans wanted to hear the songs.
The group didn’t disappoint, cranking out the top tracks throughout the evening such as the previously mentioned.
Another treat for the evening was the band’s willingness to trot out a couple of deeper tracks, ones that got some airplay but weren’t commercial monsters. “Only the Young” and “Ask the Lonely” were a welcome addition to the Journey experience.
As for the vocals, Arnel Pineda is a worthy lead vocalist. Yes, he sounds like Perry, hitting those trademark high notes, so fans were still getting the songs as the Journey collaborative intended. However, more importantly, the youngest member of the group provided a great deal of energy to the evening. While the rest of the band proved to be master instrumentalists, focusing on the notes and chords, Pineda offered the show showmanship.
Pineda also clearly is a fan of the music. Even though he has been a member of the band for 12 years, he still acted as if he were a recent acolyte to the band’s catalogue. There was a look of delight on his face each time the opening notes of the next track was cued up.
So, there indeed have been changes in Journey since Ronald Reagan was president, but the memories still remain, the skills still remain, and the songs remain.
And Journey’s reputation as a live act clearly was justified throughout the Mohegan Sun show.
I give Journey four out of five stars.

The Plainville Police Department announced the following arrests and citations from Wednesday, Oct. 2 to Monday, Oct. 7:

• Leonard Gale, 64, of 54 Carol Dr., Plainville, was arrested on Wednesday, Oct. 2, and charged with operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence.
• Jonathan Maldonado, 35, of 125 Butternut St., Middletown, was arrested on Wednesday, Oct. 2, and charged with operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence, and evading responsibility of injury or property damage.
• Charles F. Michalak, 19, of no known address, New Britain, was arrested on Wednesday, Oct. 2, and charged with first degree criminal trespass.
• Joseph A. Schufreider, 27, of 16 Jefferson St., Westfield, Massachusetts, was arrested on Wednesday, Oct. 2, and charged with violation of a protective order, and second degree harassment.
• Deshond R. Griffin, 47, of 7 Gilberte St., Plainville, was arrested on Thursday, Oct. 3, and charged with having minimal insurance, and operation or parking an unregistered motor vehicle.
• Andrea Santiago, 18, of 56 Millard St., New Britain, was arrested on Friday, Oct. 4, and charged with evading responsibility of injury or property damage, and operation of a motor vehicle without a license.
• James O. Gaudreau, 56, of 15 Artisan St., Bristol, was arrested on Saturday, Oct. 5, and charged with failure to signal a turn or stop, and operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence.
• Marcus C. Williams, 49, of 36 Roberts St., New Britain, was arrested on Monday, Oct. 7, and charged with second degree failure to appear.

Aiden Minervini battles through the course at the Sloper Relays in Southington last Wednesday. (Photo by Janelle Morelli)

By KEN MORSE

CORRESPONDENT

This week, my Big Blue award for the outstanding performance of the week goes to Plainville cross country runner Brody Anderson. The sophomore long distance runner put up his highest finish of the season placing fifth,  matching the Blue Devils highest finish of the season, in a time of 18:47 at Hubbard Park in Meriden last Tuesday in a tri-meet with Middletown and Maloney.

Here’s the week in review:

Girls Swimming

The Lady Blue Devils have turned the corner, battling to pick up two close wins last week and improving to 2-3 on the season. Last Tuesday Plainville pulled out an 87-81 win over Haddam-Killingworth. On Friday they battled back to squeak out a 90-86 win over East Hartford.

Natalie Basile was a double winner in the 200 IM (2:34.95) and the 100 back stroke (1:14.71) in the victory over H-K. Isabella Samperi had a first place in the 100 fly (1:14.56) and a second place in the 200 IM. Ashleigh Bantz won the 500 freestyle (6:16.28) and finished second in the 200 freestyle. Emma Miller grabbed two, second place finishes in the 50 and 100 freestyle.

Basile again was a double winner (200 IM, 100 backstroke) against East Hartford. The Yellowjackets stayed close and eventually took a 66-64 advantage. Plainville regained the lead when Basile won the 100 backstroke and Olivia Sleszynski swam to victory in the 100 breast stoke to give the Blue Devils a slim 84-78 advantage with one event to go to decide the meet.

The 400 relay team of Basile, Phoebe Gediman, Miller and Samperi took second and Plainville still need another solid finish. The second 400 relay squad of Bantz, Vanessa Autunno, Liz Susco and Alyssa Macomber took third and the Blue Devils escaped with a four point win.

Plainville is back in the pool this week at home on Monday against Bristol Central and on Friday hosting Farmington.

Cross Country

The Blue Devils ran into a couple of tough opponents last week in losses to Middletown and Maloney, running their record to 2-6 on the season. Last Tuesday, the boys were outpointed 18-38 to Middletown and 27-32 to Maloney. The girls came up on the short end of a 15-50 final to Middletown and 19-38 to Maloney.

Brody Davidson led the boys with a fifth place finish in a time of 18:47. Jeremy Coutar was eighth at 19:12, Travis Levine 11th at 19:51, Owen Davidson 12th at 19:54 giving the Blue Devils four runner to break the 20 minute mark.

Justin DeBellis 14th at 20:10 and Matt Cavaliere 15th at 20:12 were right on the cusp with Dan Sozanski 16th at 20:21, Owen Leander 19th at 20:36, Jacob Demmons 22nd at 20:56, Matt Anderson 23rd at 21:00, Matt Badorek 26th at 21:25 and Konrad Koc 30th at 21:39.

Emily Roy led the girls with an eighth place finish in 24:18. Emma Lopez was 13th at 25:52, Kate Riedel 15th at 26:17, Allie Chambrello 18th at 27:30, Helena Yawin 20th at 28:34, Teagan Russell 22nd at 29:06, Julia Restelli 23rd at 29:37 and Anneli St. Lawrence 30th.

Plainville will finish out the regular season on Tuesday, Oct. 8, against Lewis Mills before they gear up the CCC championship.

Volleyball

Plainville had a chance to pick up a few games in the win column last week but only came away with one victory.

“It was a tough week,” said Plainville head coach Bob Moffo. “They were certainly winnable games.”

The Blue Devils ended up on the wrong side of a 3- 2 final to Middletown last Tuesday dropping a close match by margins of 24-25, 25-21, 22-25, 25-21, 8-15. Olivia Gajor kept Plainville within striking distance.

The Blue Devils made quick work of Rocky Hill 3-0 last Wednesday in a 25-17, 25-19, 25-23 sweep. Wiktoria Galazyn and Makayla Caron led Plainville to their second win of the season.

Plainville fell to 2-7 on the season getting shutout by Enfield last Friday by a wide margin of 15-25, 23-25, 11-25. The Blue Devils will try and get back into the win column this week facing three tough opponents on the road at Lewis Mills on Monday, at Simsbury on Thursday and at Kennedy of Waterbury on Friday.

Girls Soccer

The Lady Blue Devils battled Middletown last Tuesday and fell short by a 4-1 final. Delaney Beausoleil tallied the only goal for Plainville. Last Thursday against Enfield Plainville fell to 1-6 on the season following hard fought 3-1 loss.

Beausoleil closed a 2-0 deficit in the second half scoring a goal on an assist from Cortney Ouellette. Amber St. Onge made 14 saves in the net.

Plainville is back on the pitch this week on Monday at home hosting Lewis Mills for a 6pm showdown and on Thursday will be at Hall.

Boys Soccer

The Blue Devils escaped with a 1-0 overtime won against Middletown last Tuesday. Plainville dropped to 2-5 on the season following a tough 2-1 setback to South Windsor last Friday.

Plainville will be back at it looking to get back in the win column on Monday at Nassahegan State Park in Burlington taking on Lewis Mills. On Thursday the Blue Devils will host Glastonbury.

Plainville quarterback Christian Collin, right, gets protection in the pocket with blocks from No. 5 Tanner Callahan and No. 7 Mason Sarra.

By KEN MORSE

CORRESPONDENT

The Plainville Blue Devils took the field at Tiny Stadium last Friday looking to become the first team in 15 years to start the season at 4-0. The road couldn’t get any steeper, as their opponent Bloomfield looked every bit the defending Class S state champion in a 47-0 loss.

“They are fast,” said Plainville head coach Tim Shea. “But that’s Bloomfield. Defensively we were there for the initial contact but we didn’t finish our tackles and allowed them more yardage. We stopped them on first and second down but couldn’t get them off the field on third down.”

Shea said that there are some things to fix before the team takes that next step forward. “We will watch the film, take our medicine and go back to work,” said the coach. “We have a bye week coming up and we can work on cleaning some things up.”

The Warhawks, ranked seventh in the state, came in with a perfect 3-0 mark having outscored the opposition by a wide 149-6 margin. Bloomfield went to work and took over 11 minutes off the clock in their first two drives that went for 13 plays each, converting five out of six third down opportunities, resulting in two touchdown passes.

The first one, a fourth down two yard pass deep in the back corner of the end zone from Daren Bryden to Anthony Simpson. Following a short six play drive that resulted in a punt by Plainville, Bryden was on the mark again hitting Simpson on a 9 yard scoring strike to build a 14-0 lead with ten minutes left in the second quarter.

The Blue Devils almost got back in it when Christian Collin ran a miss direction play and caught Bloomfield out of position, hitting Esteban Torres with a 32 yard pass. Fighting for extra yards Torres was stripped of the ball and Bloomfield was back in business at their own 26 yard line.

It took just two plays for Bryden to light it up again. This one was picture perfect, lofting a pass down the sidelines that hit Jayvon Massey over his shoulder on the numbers with Collin draped all over him, for a back breaking 74 yard touchdown and a 21-0 lead.

That pretty much set the tone for the remainder of the game as Bryden went on to break the Bloomfield school record for career touchdowns lofting six scoring passes on 20 of 27 passing for 361 yards.

Simpson hauled in 9 passes for 144 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 66 yards on 9 carries. Massey caught three passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns and just for good measure Christian Garcia caught 6 passes for another 103 yards giving Bloomfield three receivers with over 100 yards in receptions.

The Plainville defense had their moments coming up with four turnovers. Dom Chambrello and Tanner Callahan made interceptions with Ryan Barker and Ty Pales coming up with fumble recoveries, but it did little to generate any points on the board for the Blue Devils.

The offense stalled punting seven times, losing possession on downs once and turning it over four times, two interceptions and two lost fumbles. Collin was 5 of 16 passing for 63 yards and rushed 9 times for 43 yards. Mason Sarra pounded the rock 12 times for 23 yards.

The one thing coach Shea was quick to point out was that one game doesn’t define the season. Plainville did come into the contest at 3-0 armed with an offense that has been moving the chains led by Sarra (385 yards rushing, 5 TD’s) who ripped off 239 yards rushing in a win over Northwest Catholic.

Collin has shown he can get the job done in the pocket having passed for 12 of 23 for 168 yards and rushed for 259 yards and 4 touchdowns. Beau Lasher is another threat rushing for 169 yards and 4 touchdowns.

The defense came in having allowed just 4 touchdowns through the first three games with Plainville holding a 98-28 advantage on the scoreboard. Nine turnovers (6 interceptions, 3 fumbles) have stopped opponents in their tracks.

But on a night when sheer speed and the inability to stop the Warhawks on third down, there was just no holding Bloomfield in their tracks.

The glass is still full for the Blue Devils and it will depend on how they respond to this last game. Do they put it behind them and move on or do they let it define the season. If coach Shea has anything to do with it this game will serve as a learning tool to move forward and take that next step.

The only two times Plainville has reached the state playoffs was in 2010 and 1997 and both squads started the season at 3-1. The road only gets steeper from here and if the Blue Devils are up for the challenge the sky is the limit.

Plainville is on a bye week this Friday and will be back on the gridiron next Friday at 3-1 Tolland.

Local supporters swarmed to Norton Park last Saturday for the annual Coughlin walk to benefit PARC. First responders and their families were front and center at the walk, which was dedicated to Plainville’s first responders.

Photos by JANELLE MORELLI

Frank Robinson honors Colin Regan, who recently retired from the Plainville Parks and Recreation Department.

State Sen. Henri Martin (R), center, and State Rep. Dr. Bill Petit Jr. (R), right, spoke to community members at West Main Pizza and reviewed the recent legislation passed by the General Assembly. (Photo by Janelle Morelli)

By TAYLOR MURCHISON-GALLAGHER

STAFF WRITER

State Sen. Henri Martin and State Rep. William Petit Jr. shared a slice with their constituents last week and discussed what has been happening at the state capitol. Of the many topics discussed, Plainville residents kept circling back to two in particular—the increased grocery tax and tolls.

As of Tuesday, Oct. 1, the Connecticut Sales and Use Tax was increased from 6.35% to 7.35%. The Department of Revenue Services released a policy statement that reads, “The sale of all meals, regardless of cost, is subject to sales and use taxes at the rate of 6.35% for sales occurring on and before Monday, Sept. 30, 2019, and at the rate of 7.35% for sales occurring on and after Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019.”

Petit explained that discussions about the increase stemmed from talks about increasing the tax in restaurants by 1%. Those funds would have been allocated to municipalities “because towns can’t raise funds unless they raise property taxes, so they were thinking about having teachers pensions come down to towns and regionalization,” according to the representative.

That idea eventually fell to the wayside, and after many discussions and a special session, the 1% increase was passed.

“Essentially what we’re doing is increasing the restaurant tax, so anything you paid for that was taxed at 6.35% is now taxed at 7.35%, we’re not taxing anything new,” said Petit.

Martin, a ranking member on the transportation committee, said this was the fifth year that tolls had been presented. He and State Rep. Laura Devlin (R-134, Fairfield and Trumbull) created a grassroots effort around the state Republican’s solution to the tolls suggestion—“Prioritize Progress.”

Martin and Devlin brought the “Prioritize Progress” presentation to Bristol in March, where they explained that since about 2015, Connecticut has spent approximately $17 million on studies regarding tolling, and thus, the state has entered into a value pricing pilot program. Devlin said that meant if the state goes forward with tolls, the only way it would be feasible would be to implement congestion pricing, intended to discourage travel at peak commute times (between 6 and 9 a.m. and 4 and 7 p.m.) by implementing higher toll prices during those hours.

The Republican-backed “Prioritize Progress” is “a plan to address long term transportation needs in the state,” with the goal of stabilizing “transportation funding sources within state resources while not adding a burden to the people of Connecticut,” Martin explained during the presentation.

“It started with 82 gantries (or toll booths) throughout the whole state on various routes—15, 95, 91, 84, RT 9, RT 691, RT 8—it was all over the place, every six miles we were going to have a toll booth,” said Martin.

Recently, Martin explained, members of Connecticut’s legislature met with The Build America Bureau to discuss two programs: RRIF (Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing) and TIFIA (Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act)

“The governor right now is looking for an overall plan that would address the rail system, the bridges, the roads, along with the airports,” said Martin. “We have not seen that yet, but in short, the loan programs are—the RRIF is 100% financing at, like, less than 2% loan, compared to bonding that you currently bond 4 to 4.5% I think for the state. The roads and bridges are also less than 2%, they’re about 33% financing, up to 45 to 49% amount that they’ll loan us.”

Other topics of discussion included the recent increase to the state minimum wage, a proposed bill that would offer later start times for students at the elementary level, a bill that would address posttraumatic stress disorders in first responders, and a possible tax for digital downloads.

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Taylor Murchison-Gallagher, email her at TMurchison@PlainvilleObserver.com.

Plainville offered a historical tour through the community last Saturday. The event, led by the Plainville Historical Society, had been rescheduled from Plainville’s 150th Anniversary celebrations over the summer due to heat. The trolley took community members through town and stopped at some historical sites, such as the old railroad station, the Charles H. Norton House, Cooke’s Tavern (which is now known as J. Timothy’s), the Plainville Historic Campground, the Congregational Church, and the Bristol Basin. Above, from left, Cheryl Provost, Crystal St. Lawrence, and Foster White were some of the volunteers at this event.

Photo by JANELLE MORELLI

by MIKE CHAIKEN

EDITIONS EDITOR

Deep Purple is on its “Long Goodbye” tour, wrapping up a career that has seen many personnel incarnations, spin-offs, and imitators over its five decades-plus career.
And the Purple will be missed by the rock music universe because it unintentionally provided a template that a generation of bands that followed. The group also provided a reminder of the creativity that can be harvested from crushing volume, crunching guitar riffs, pounding drums, and soaring vocals.
It’s unlikely that we’ll ever see groups like Deep Purple again. With no disrespect to the new generation of rockers, in today’s music industry climate, most groups are lucky to get three albums out before the labels say farewell or the fans migrate onto another trend.
Although, admittedly the quality swung around a bit over the years, Deep Purple still was able to release 20 studio albums, plus countless live sets, over the course of its career.
The Mohegan Sun Arena performance on Oct. 9 demonstrated that Deep Purple has lost none of its firepower over the years. The classics and deep tracks were full of energy. The playing was sharp- from the tight rhythm section of bassist Roger Glover and drummer Ian Paice, to the creative flourishes from keyboardist Don Airey, to the expert shredding of guitarist Steve Morse, and to the soaring vocals of Ian Gillan.
One trademark of Deep Purple’s generation of rockers was a desire to stretch out and demonstrate their skills on their chosen instruments.
Solos are almost a forgotten art form in 2019. But Deep Purple showed how entertaining these interludes could be, if the talent and creativity were there.
Morse offered inventive runs in every track performed by Deep Purple and took his mastery on the guitar even deeper with his solo spotlight. And Airey, a late edition to the band following the loss of founder Jon Lord, proved to be a master about the keys. His solo harkened back to the heyday of progressive rock, offering up a mix of rock, jazz, R&B, and classical music.
Let me also take a moment to salute Gillan.
Ian Gillan is a wonder. Even as the band heads into retirement, the group’s best-known singer still has iron lungs. He can hit the high notes just as he did when the group’s “Machine Head” thrust the band into superstardom. He may be using more restraint, the result likely of vocal training as the years marched on, but there is a lot to be said about protecting your bread and butter by “following the instructions.”
Then, of course, there is the joy of hearing the classics from Deep Purple. The group gave the audience the warhorses, such as “Space Trucking,” “Smoke on the Water,” and “Highway Star.” The quintet sounded just as excited to play the tracks as they did decades ago.
The group also pulled out a couple of deeper tracks. And they came from some unexpected places. For instance, they trotted out “Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming” from “Purpendicular,” the first album to feature Morse, and “Uncommon Man” from “Now What?!” The band also reached way back to “Bloodsucker from 1970’s “In Rock.” Deep Purple also reminded the audience that they still make new music, performing “Time for Bedlam” from 2017’s “Infinite.”
The end of the road may be coming for Deep Purple But rather than feeling like a funeral, the show at the Mohegan Sun Arena felt like a celebration that demonstrated the group has lost none of its spiritual or instrumental fire.
I give Deep Purple at the Mohegan Sun Arena on Oct. 9 4 ½ out of 5 stars.

By TAYLOR MURCHISON-GALLAGHER

STAFF WRITER

The Plainville Wind Ensemble and Central Connecticut State University will once again hold a free concert in honor of Veterans Day, but this year the program will offer a special twist.

As part of a nationwide effort to acknowledge and celebrate all veterans who served during the Vietnam War era, commemorative pins will be presented by Hartford Healthcare at Home to veterans during the concert.

Any living U.S. veteran who served active duty during the period between Nov. 1, 1955 and May 15, 1975, regardless of location, is eligible to apply for a commemorative pin. For more information, and to apply, veterans are urged to contact Sherri Vogt of Hartford Healthcare, sherri.vogt@ hhchealth.org.

PWE flutist, Kathleen Marsan, said the annual concert was first held in 2005 after she reached out to the CCSU Veterans Affairs Department, extending an invitation to attend a Veterans Day concert to be held at Plainville High School.

“The woman on the other end of the phone said, “You’re not going to believe this, but we’re looking to have a veterans concert, would you be interested in playing here?” and we have played every year since then, it was just the right time at the right place type thing,” said Marsan. “So we have been working with Chris Gutierrez [director, CCSU Veterans Affairs Department] and every year we put on a concert along with the Hardware City Detachment Unit, they’re the Marine alumni group, and we help them collect toys for Toys for Tots.”

Several veterans organizations have been invited to the event as well, in order to connect veterans to services throughout the state. Plainville’s Sea Cadets will also be taking part in the event. Every year, Marsan explained, the Sea Cadets do the honor guard and “have become a tradition.”

“For the past couple years without the parade in Hartford—the Veterans Day Parade—I’ve always been hoping that this concert could become a statewide event, that we could honor the veterans in one way or another,” said Ken Bagley, who has been directing the ensemble for six seasons.

The concert, to be held on Sunday, Nov. 17, at 2 p.m., will be held on the CCSU campus in Welte Hall. The parking garage and Welte Hall are accessible, and free to the public. Attending the concert is free, but the PWE asks that attendees bring a new and unwrapped toy to be donated to Toys for Tots.

The 84-member Plainville Wind Ensemble is a community symphonic concert band that has played in festivals such as the American Concert Band Festival, the Boston Community Band Festival held at Faneuil Hall, and the Lake George Community Band Festival, amongst others.

To learn more about the group, and to see where they will be performing next, visit www.plainvillewindensemble.com.

Former Plainville standout Kayla M. (Jandreau) DaSilva was one of the athletes inducted into the Rhode Island College Athletic Hall of Fame at a recent ceremony.

By KEVIN ROBERTS

STAFF WRITER

Former Plainville softball standout Kayla M. (Jandreau) DaSilva received a great honor this past Saturday when she was inducted into the Rhode Island College Athletic Hall of Fame.

Jandreau, who graduated from RIC in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in health education with a concentration in public health, played all four years for the Anchormen, according to a press release about the induction. She was a catcher, designated player and third baseman during her career.

In her freshman season, Jandreau was second team All-Little East Conference as a utility player. She wasn’t done earning accolades that season. Jandreau was third team All-New England, and she earned a spot on the NCAA Division III New England Regional softball all-tournament team. Here was Jandreau’s stat line from that first season: 43 games, 40 starts; .390 batting average; 37 runs scored; 48 hits; seven doubles; four triples; four home runs; 34 RBI; seven stolen bases; .610 slugging percentage; .460 on-base percentage; .953 fielding percentage.

In her sophomore season, Jandreau made second team All-Little East and second team All-New England as a catcher, designated player, outfielder and third baseman. Here was Jandreau’s stat line from her sophomore season: 48 games, 47 starts; .383 batting average; 45 runs scored; 59 hits; seven doubles; one triple; three home runs; 28 RBI; 77 total bases; eight stolen bases; .500 slugging percentage; .448 on-base percentage; .972 fielding percentage.

Jandreau started in all 36 games that she played in as a junior. She hit .349 with 25 runs scored, 38 hits, five doubles, five triples, 13 RBI and 12 stolen bases. Jandreau had a .486 slugging percentage, .432 on-base percentage, .972 fielding percentage.

In her senior season in 2011, Jandreau was team MVP, first team All-Little East, and second team All-New England. She also earned LEC Player of the Week honors once during that season. Here was Jandreau’s stat line from her senior season: 51 games, 51 starts; .345 batting average; 41 runs scored; 57 hits; 10 doubles; one triple; three home runs; 26 RBI; 20 stolen bases; .473 slugging percentage; .402 on-base percentage; .994 fielding percentage.

All told, Jandreau played in 178 games for RIC and started in 174. She batted .367 (202-for-551) for her career with 148 runs scored, 202 hits, 29 doubles, 11 triples, 10 home runs, 101 RBI and 47 stolen bases. Jandreau had a .514 slugging percentage, .434 on-base percentage and .978 fielding percentage. She still ranks highly in many categories for the Anchormen. Jandreau is second in at bats (551), runs scored, hits, stolen bases and walks (64). She is fourth in home runs and RBI; fifth in batting average, triples, putouts (679) and slugging percentage. Jandreau is seventh in doubles.

During Jandreau’s career (2008-2011), RIC won two LEC regular season and tournament championships. The Anchormen appeared in three NCAA Division III tournaments and reached the national championship round once.

Jandreau’s 2008 softball team was also inducted into the hall of fame this past Saturday, along with the team from 2007. The 2008 team compiled a record of 36-9 and finished ranked 10th in the country, the highest ranking in program history. RIC won the LEC regular season title for the fourth of five straight seasons with a 12-2 record, then took its third of four straight conference tournament championships. The 2008 team qualified for the NCAA Division III tournament, but didn’t stop them. The Anchormen won the New England Regional and advanced to the national championship round in Salem, Va., for the second straight season and second time in program history.

Christopher Tomalczyk of New Britain, CT, beloved son of the late Franciszek “Pop” and Marie (Tubez) Tomalczyk passed away on Tuesday, October 1, 2019 at Hartford Hospital with family members at his side. He was 56.

He was born in Buffalo, New York on June 25, 1963. His family had resided in Buffalo until 1965 when they moved to New Britain.

Chris was employed at Panera Bread, Dave’s Bagels and Manhattan Bagels until health issues forced him into early retirement. During his life and in his retirement years he enjoyed cooking, fishing, gardening and most of all, spending time with his family and friends.

He is survived by his brothers Karol Thomas (Allison) of Terryville, Joseph of Bristol, his sisters Jacqueline of South Carolina, Patricia Thompson (Richard) of Plainville along with nephews Brandon Thomas, Greg Piechowicz. Michael Piechowicz, Jason Thompson (Jessica), Joseph Thompson (Margarita) and Justin Thompson (Ginger), nieces Amber Thomas, Michelle Piechowicz and Jennifer Vaverchak (Paul), great nephews and nieces, cousins and his very dear friends

Joseph Krawiec, Michael Krawiec, Susan Krawiec, Robert Lopol, Elaine McCue and Mary Ann Watson. Besides his parents he was predeceased by his fraternal grandparents, maternal grandparents and his best doggie buddy Sam (he was an animal lover).

Chris was a loving son, brother and uncle who will be dearly missed by everyone who knew him. His never ending smile and contagious laughter made everyone feel happy and good even during difficult times.

Donations may be made in his memory to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital www.stjude.org  or the CT Humane Society, 701 Russell Rd, Newington, CT 06111.

Family and friends may gather in celebration of Chris’s life on Monday from 5-7 p.m. at Plainville Funeral Home, 81 Broad ST, Plainville. Words of remembrance will be shared at 7 p.m.   For online expressions of sympathy, please visit www.plainvillefuneralhome.com

by MIKE CHAIKEN

EDITIONS EDITOR

Sometimes, well many times, an artist in concert prefers to let the music do the talking. They may offer some prepared between songs patter. They may even offer up some periodic acknowledgement of appreciation to the crowd.
But no matter how pleasant, it’s clear their actions are taken because they know it’s expected of them.
At Sara Bareilles’s show at the Mohegan Sun Arena on Oct. 12, her conversational approach did not seem like an obligation. Her rapport seemed genuine in its off-the-cuff approach. She clearly was over the moon to stand before a packed house and to experience the loving appreciation of her fans. Her stage patter was driven by her own joy over the opportunity to perform.
The show was much more intimate than what one would expect from an arena show inside a casino. At times, Bareilles seemed as if she were on stage in cabaret show at a small club hidden away inside New York City. This is truly a testament to her winning personality as well as her tunes.
Intimacy is a definite plus for Bareilles. Her music fits most comfortably in small places.
Even though some songs will offer a pop appropriate beat or crescendo like “Love Song,” “Brave” or “King of Anything,” most of her songs are subtle with different musical textures moving in and out.
One of the highlights of the evening was her suite of songs from her stage musical, “Waitress.” She performed “Soft Place to Land,” “You Matter to Me” and “Bad Idea.” The songs demonstrated Bareilles’s facility with different musical traditions, but none of them typical for a Broadway show. The songs also demonstrated her ability to build texture into her arrangements.
Songwriting is definitely key for Bareilles. Her melodies and lyrics offer small tales rather than grand and broad themes. We hear about a woman stirring cinnamon in her coffee as she ponders a man she once wanted (“Poetry by Dead Men“). We step inside a tale of a woman saying farewell to a narcissist when she realizes he’s no good for him (“Wicked Love”).
The audience was filled with women and that’s probably due to Bareilles ability to write about women from a strictly women’s point of view. It’s a pure voice that clearly is relatable to her fans.
The one dimension of her show that impressed me most was her ability to express such pure emotion with her voice. There were several moments during the course of the show where I was on the verge of shedding a tear. Her performance of “Orpheus” from her latest album “Amidst the Chaos” had me closest to the edge.
Another testament to how entertaining the show was I never felt the desire to take out my phone and check my email or social media. Her performance had me focused on what was on stage and not what was happening in cyberspace.
Sara Bareilles is not one of those artists who light up social media or entertainment news shows. She is low-key and modest. But her show at the Mohegan Sun Arena demonstrates that the singer-songwriter’s talents loom large.
Emily King opened for Sara Bareilles with a charming intimate set that offered a hint of what was to come when the headliner took the stage. King performed a set of soulful jazzy music that reminded me of some of the smooth R&B groups, such as Loose Ends and Five Star, that seemed to drop from the sky out of London in the 1980s. Her sound was more organic that the sounds typically found on the hot list of streaming music found on the web today.
PHOTOS by MIKE CHAIKEN

Emma Isabelle “Belle” (Maxwell) Johnson, 96, though forever 39 at heart, passed away peacefully with her beloved family by her side on Thursday, October 10, 2019 at Touchpoints of Farmington. She is now reunited in the arms of the Lord with her husband, Harold M. Johnson, Sr. and her son, Harold M. Johnson, Jr.

She is survived by her children, Gregory S. Henry and his wife, Liz; Stephanie Santos and her husband, Sylvestre, and Deborah Anderson; and her step son, Ernest Johnson.  Affectionately known as “Nana Grape” to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she will be missed by R.J., Tony, Kevin, Jennifer (J.T.), Felicia, Harold, III., Isabelle, Sharelle, Dena, Scottie, Louie, Ernie, and Jennifer (J.J.), Anthony, Jr., (Deuce), Carter, Harper, K.J., and Eleni, and would have been filled with joy to meet one more great-grandchild on the way.  She was predeceased by her brothers, Sydney, George, Albert and Sam Maxwell and her sisters, Doris Hines and Hilda Massie; and her step-daughter, Jacqueline Lancelin; and leaves many nieces, nephews, and extended family.

A proud native of the Bronx, she was born on February 25, 1923, the youngest and last surviving of seven children to the late Samuel and Mary (Fullwood) Maxwell, and was a 1942 graduate of Jamaica High School in Queens.  A telephone operator and later in her career, a training instructor, she worked for both New York Bell and S.N.E.T, from where she retired after more than 25 years of dedicated employment.  She raised her family in Plainville, taking great pride in the accomplishments and diversity of her children and grandchildren.  Belle was a crochet artist and expert baker and monkey bread maker, spoiling her family with blankets and treats that they all looked forward to each holiday, and passed along her baking skills to many of her family members for them to continue to enjoy.  A woman of great strength, independence and spunk, she leaves a legacy of love for her family and many precious memories and will be missed dearly.

In lieu of flowers, Belle may be remembered, and her family honored, with contributions to the Harold M. Johnson, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund at www.hmjscholarshipfoundation.org or to The Be Thoughtful Movement www.bethoughtfulmovement.org

Family and friends may gather in celebration of Belle’s life on Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Plainville Funeral Home, 81 Broad St, Plainville.  Prayers and words of remembrance by the Reverend Shaw Mudge will be held at 12:00 p.m. at the funeral home.  Belle will be laid to rest privately at the family’s convenience.  For online expressions of sympathy, please visit www.PLAINVILLEFUNERALHOME.com

Martha (Frederick) Brksa Royle, 88, of Plainville, formerly of Norwalk, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 8, 2019, at the Jefferson House in Newington.

Born and raised in Norwalk, Martha was the youngest and last surviving of ten children to the late William and Lillian (Hall) Frederick.  A 1949 graduate of Norwalk High School, she went on to work for Union Trust Bank for many years, while raising her three daughters.  Upon her retirement, she moved to New Port Richey, FL., where she resided for more than 20 years.  She quickly came out of retirement to maintain her social butterfly status, working for several area retail stores until the age of 78.  In her down time, she enjoyed caring for the tropical plants and flowers in her yard, and cheering on the Tampa Bay Rays, rarely missing the chance to watch annual spring training.   A loving mother and grandmother, who took great pride in becoming a great-grandmother, enjoying many precious times with her Ava, she will be missed dearly, leaving many cherished memories.

She is survived by her daughters, Susan Brksa of Plainville with whom she made her home; and Mary Jane Kosach and her husband, Raymond; and her son-in-law, Terry Meehan; her grandchildren, Erin Meehan, her husband, Danny, Sgt. Ryan J. Meehan, and Kyle W. Kosach; and the little one who made her smile the most, her great-granddaughter, Ava Girard.  She was predeceased by her daughter, Martha “Marty” Brksa Meehan, and her nine brothers and sisters, leaving many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Martha’s family extends their sincerest gratitude to the nurses and staff at the Jefferson House, for the compassionate care shown to her during her stay.

Martha may be remembered with contributions to the Jefferson House Recreation Fund, 1 John H. Stewart Dr. Newington, CT 06111.

A memorial service celebrating Martha’s life will be held and announced in November, upon her grandsons return from Afghanistan.   For online expressions of sympathy and future service information, please visit www.PLAINVILLEFUNERALHOME.com

The Plainville Police Department announced the following arrests and citations from Monday, Oct. 7 to Wednesday, Oct. 9:

• Michael A. Gonzalez-Mojica, 22, of 367 East St., Plainville, was arrested on Monday, Oct. 7, and charged with two counts of first degree failure to appear.
• Iris M. Rivera, 42, of 6211 Hampshire House, Albany, New York, was arrested on Monday, Oct. 7, and charged with first degree failure to appear, and second degree failure to appear.
• Paul L. Griswold, 36, of 64 East St., Vernon, was arrested on Wednesday, Oct. 9, and charged with first degree larceny.

Graduates of the International Institute of Cosmetology walk down the runway with the models they styled for a final hair fashion show. The graduation ceremony for the school, which has campuses in Plainville and Wethersfield, was held at the Aqua Turf in Plantsville on Sunday, Oct. 13.

By MIKE CHAIKEN

REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

Rather than simply receive a certificate, a handshake, and congratulations, the graduating class of the International Institute of Cosmetology took the plunge into their professional life a step further.

The students put on a hair fashion show demonstrating what they had learned from staff at the school, which has locations in Plainville and Wethersfield, and the guest artists who came into the school to prepare them for the final show.

In the fashion show, the graduates demonstrated their skills with bridal hair as well as their creativity for more fashion editorial worthy work.

There were over 100 students from the two campuses formally capping their time at the International Institute of Cosmetology. The students needed to clock in 1,500 hours of training to reach this point.

Soon-to-be graduates of the International Institute of Cosmetology created hair looks for a fashion show that was held prior to receiving their certificates for the completing their studies.

At the graduation celebration held at the Aqua Turf in Plantsville, the school’s founder Carmelo Gugliotti asked the graduates’ families to show support for their child’s chosen profession.

“If they really want to impress this profession, be proud of what they are doing,” said Gugliotti.

“They do fantastic work but need a little self-esteem,” said Gugliotti. “They also need you to encourage them and to support them.”

“Today, I want you to enjoy what they are capable of doing,” said Gugliotti.

Salvatore Fodera, president of OMC, which runs Hairworld, a worldwide hair stylist competition, said, as hairdressers, “We make people look good from the neck up. Men we make good-looking. Women- we make beautiful.”

Although he is in charge of a world competition and encouraged the graduates to keep the competition in mind as a future goal, Fodera said, they don’t need to be champions to be successful. “It’s what you have in your mind, what you have in your heart, and what you have in your hands.”

Fodera said, “When you have a lot of clients and they request for you and your pocket is full and your bank account is full, you’re a champion.”

“If you take the profession with pride and you do it with all your heart, you will be successful,” said Gugliotti to the graduates. “This is a profession that will take you all over the world.”

By KEN MORSE

CORRESPONDENT

This week, my Big Blue award for the outstanding performance of the week goes to boys soccer goal keeper Brennan Staubley. The sophomore keeper has been instrumental is providing a spark for the 3-5-1 Blue Devils recording his third shutout in the net in the last four games.

Last week Staubley helped the Blue Devils with back-to-back shutouts over Lewis Mills 1-0 and last Thursday keeping last year’s Class LL champion Glastonbury (8-0-1) off the scoreboard during a scoreless tie.

Volleyball

The Lady Blue Devils continue battling but fell short last week against Lewis Mills last Monday in a 3-0 loss (22-25, 23-25, 13-25). Last Thursday Plainville traveled to Simsbury and were upended in a 3-0 sweep (6-25, 11-25, 16-25).

The Blue Devils put up a fight last Friday against Kennedy of Waterbury falling short by a 3-1 margin after winning the first set (25-23, 10-25, 18-25, 13-25). Olivia Gajor led the way with 15 assists and 15 digs, Katherine Tanguay had 8 kills and 8 blocks and Makayla Caron added 13 digs and 4 kills.

Plainville stands at 2-10 on the season and will be home to Wethersfield on Tuesday and will be at Maloney on Thursday.

Boy Soccer

The 3-5-1 Blue Devils are kicking it up a notch. Plainville took on last year’s Class M quarterfinalist and 2017 state champion Lewis Mills last Monday and came away with a 1-0 win. Patrick Gryczewski scored the only goal of the game and keeper Brennan Staubley turned away four shots on goal to record the shutout.

The defensive of Tucker and Tanner Rau along with Jens Wadehn and Brady Beausoliel limited the Spartans offensive attack. Gavin Bravado, Trevor Rau and Gryczewski maintained the Blue Devils attack dominating possessions holding a 15-4 edge with shots on goal.

“We have been getting incredible defensive efforts,” said Plainville head coach Tim Brown. “We smothered Glastonbury all over the field and forced them to take their shots from a distance.”

Plainville used a stifling defensive presence to salvage a 0-0 tie last Thursday against last years Class LL state champion (8-0-1) Glastonbury. Staubley again was a stalwart in the net making nine saves and putting up his third shutout in the last four games.

The Blue Devils are back in action this week on Tuesday at Newington and again on Friday at Maloney with both games slated for 3:45 starts.

Cross Country

The Plainville boys defeated Lewis Mills by a 23-36 margin with Brody Davidson finishing second in a time of 18:32 and Jeremy Courtar taking third at 18:47. Travis Lavigne finished with the third best time for the Blue Devils in 19:08 placing fifth overall.

Justin DeBellis was sixth at 19:15, Javan Benoit seventh at 19:16, Owen Davidson ninth at 19:37 and Owen Leander tenth at 19:41.

“The kids ran great,” said Plainville head coach Shaun Berard. “The boys took off massive amounts of time. Emily Roy got her first win of the season. I’m very excited going into the Wickham Invitational and then competing in the CCC meet on Wednesday.”

Emily Roy ran to victory in a time of 22:32 to lead the girls but Lewis Mills took the next 10 places to pull away from Plainville. Allie Chambrello and Caitlin Riedel and Teagan Russell finished tied for 12th with a time of 27:44 and Emma Lopez and Helena Yawin were tied for 13th at 27:45.

Swimming

The Blue Devils won their third straight meet pulling away from Bristol Central 94-84 last Monday. Emma Miller led the way as a double winner in the 50 free (28.97) and the 100 free (1:04.10).

Natalie Basile won the 200 IM (2:33.61), Asleigh Bantz won the 500 freestyle (6:07.27) and Olivia Sleszynski won the 100 breast stroke (1:20.16). The 200 freestyle relay team of Isabella Samperi, Olivia Unwin, Phoebe Gediman and Katherine Lyman swam to victory in a time of 1:58.42.

“We had two more swimmers qualify for the Class S meet,” said Plainville head coach Chris Zagorski. “Bella (Samperi) qualified in the 200 freestyle and Olivia (Sleszynski) qualified in the 200 IM and the 100 breast stroke.”

Plainville went to 3-4 on the season dropping a close meet to Farmington last Friday by a 93-84 final. Lyman won the 100 back stroke (1:14.77) and Basile won the 100 breast stroke (1:23.92). Samperi was second in the 100 free (1:02.78) and Basile was second in the 200 free (2:16.77). Liz Susco was third in diving with a score of 143.20.

Plainville is back in the pool this week on Tuesday hosting Maloney/Platt and again on Friday at home to Berlin with both meets starting at 4 p.m.

Plainville goalkeeper Amber St Onge breaks up a play during a loss to Lewis Mills.

By KEN MORSE

CORRESPONDENT

The Plainville girls soccer team is in the process of a rebuilding phase, and head coach Leszek Wrona has been down this road before. The Lady Blue Devils have shown they can be competitive with the teams they match up well with and then there are games when the competition is just a step ahead.

That proved to be the case last Monday when Plainville took on last year Class M state champions from Lewis Mills. The 7-0-1 Spartans came in with an unbeaten mark, outscoring the opposition by a wide 38-4 margin.

The sky over Tinty Stadium was threatening rain in the forecast but the first half remained dry. Lewis Mills scored a couple of quick goals from Vicki Fleming and Alison Fox to grab the early lead minutes into the contest and the Spartans went on to a 7-0 win.

“Lewis Mills is a very tough team to play,” said Wrona. “We are very young with a few players never having played organized soccer before. But the girls come every day and work hard to get better each day, and they don’t quit.”

The Plainville defensive backline of Lyndsey Ditolla, Tea Autunno and Nora Couture had their work cut out trying to slow down the fast breaking Spartans that took advantage of their speed to create opportunities inside the box.

The Blue Devils keeper Amber St. Onge made several diving saves as she was under attack early on. At 28:40 to go in the first half Madison Hallet took one to the far post to give the Spartans a 3-0 advantage.

At midfield Elena Gorneault and Jordan Thompkins began to show a physical side of their game winning 50/50 balls and Plainville began to take it into the Spartans end looking to retaliate.

Skyler Ibitz and Cortney Ouellette managed to get a little passing game going finding Delaney Beausoleil within striking distance. With Resmije Bylykbashi in goal for the Spartans, having surrendered just four goals all season, the Lewis Mills defense was intent on keeping the Blue Devils out of the box.

Alexia Sirios and Nayelle Heredia worked hard to steer the Spartans attack along the sidelines keeping them from taking it down the middle of the field. At the 17 minute mark Lewis Mills Class M MVP from last year Grace Buchanan found a lane and deposited one to the back of the net for a 5-0 advantage.

When it rains it pours, and that is what it did for most of the second half. The Spartans took a 7-0 advantage and rode out the victory over the Blue Devils.

Plainville has shown signs of making some headway in a couple of competitive matches the week before in a 4-1 loss to Middletown and a 3-1 setback to Enfield. St. Onge made 14 saves in the net against Enfield and Ouellette assisted on a goal from Beausoleil.

Wrona said that Ouellette’s return from injury has helped lift the experience of his squad.

“Delaney (Beausoleil) has been carrying the offense. Amber (St. Onge) has been playing real well in goal making saves,” said the coach. “With such a young team it takes time to develop, but we are seeing improvement. This week we have a few games we can be competitive in.”

Plainville finished out last week with another challenge on Friday taking on a 5-3-1 Hall team from the Class LL division and the Blue Devils dropped a 6-1 outcome. St. Onge made 16 saves in the net and Beausoleil scored the goal for Plainville and leads the team with 7 goals and 5 assists this season.

The Blue Devils are back on the pitch this week at home facing Hartford Public on Tuesday and will take on Maloney on Friday with both games slated for 3:45 starts.

Gary Vincent, above with his award-winning pumpkin “Tank,” donated the pumpkin in front of the municipal center, which will be featured in a PumpkinFest contest.

By TAYLOR MURCHISON-GALLAGHER

STAFF WRITER

The 5th annual Plainville PumpkinFest will make its way to the downtown area this Saturday, bringing live entertainment, family friendly fun, and of course…pumpkins. The outdoor festival starts at 4 p.m. in front of the Plainville municipal building at 1 Central Square, rain or shine.

The annual festival will feature a “guess the weight” contest, where attendees will be asked to guess the weight and circumference of a giant pumpkin, grown by Plainville native Gary Vincent.

Vincent has been growing Atlantic Giant pumpkins for well over 20 years and is currently ranked in the top ten worldwide for growing one of the largest pumpkins this year—weighing in at a whopping 2,169.5 pounds. The record-setter will eventually be displayed in front of the Plainville Public Library.

Vincent, an avid gardener, first began sharing his pumpkins with the PumpkinFest in 2015, when the PumpkinFest committee contacted him in hopes of securing a giant pumpkin. He said that, providing he has good luck each year, he’ll try to loan a pumpkin to the festival every year.

And when he’s not busy growing award-winning pumpkins, Vincent enjoys growing all types of vegetables that he donates to the Plainville Food Pantry, and members of his church community

“I like to do it. I like to give back,” he said. “I won’t take a penny from anyone.”

In additional to the giant pumpkin contest, attendees can expect to experience live music with a performance by The Degenerates Band, children’s games, a pie eating contest, several food trucks, a haunted house, many local vendors, and a kid’s costume parade.

Sponsored by the Plainville Recreation Department and the Plainville Public Library, in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Plainville, children in preschool through fifth grade are invited to celebrate the spooky season with a Halloween party, held in the recreation parking lot at 50 Whiting Street.

The party begins at 4 p.m. with a performance by Magic by The Leones and will end at approximately 4:45 p.m., when the guests will be able to take part in the children’s costume parade, which will march through the downtown, culminating at the Plainville Public Library. Leading the parade will be the Middle School of Plainville eighth grade jazz marching band.

In the event of rain, the Halloween party will be held inside of the Recreation Department building.

Once you’ve arrived at the main festival, guests are invited to visit the Pumpkin Patch tent, where they can bring their own carved pumpkin, or carve one of their own. All Pumpkin Patch pumpkins will then be lite up, and displayed on the library lawn. Pumpkins can be taken home, and even entered into a contest.

Funds raised during the annual PumpkinFest are donated to the Plainville Community Fund, housed at the Main Street Community Foundation. Last year, $8,000 was donated to the fund from the festival committee.

According to the MSCF, the Plainville Community Fund was established in 2006 and since then, has awarded over $72,000 in grants. Kris Dargenio, one of the main organizers of the annual festival, said that this year they hope to raise at least $10,000 to donate to the fund.

The fund was established by a group of Plainville community leaders who were interested in creating a resource for charitable programs and projects that would enhance the quality of life for Plainville residents, according to www.plainvillecommunityfund.com. Each year, grants are awarded to charitable programs and projects working to enhance the community in the areas of arts and culture, education, environment, health, and human services amongst others.

The Plainville PumpkinFest committee suggests that all who plan to attend park at Plainville High School, 47 Robert Holcomb Way, where there will be two shuttles buses running continuously to the downtown area. All shuttle busses will drop off in front of the Park and Recreation building and Post Office on Whiting Street.

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Taylor Murchison-Gallagher, email her at TMurchison@PlainvilleObserver.com.