The Berlin
Cit itiz ize en
Volume 14, Number 19
Berlin’s Only Hometown Newspaper
Thursday, May 13, 2010
VIP fishermen to converge on Sage Park By Nick Carroll The Berlin Citizen
Sage Park Pond will be alive with activity Sunday, May 16 as Connecticut’s 2nd Annual Visually Impaired Persons Fishing Tournament comes to town. Senior fishermen — age 17 and up — will compete that day. Last month, a Junior tournament drew 15 young anglers to Sage Park. VIP fishing tournaments are sanctioned by Lions International and sponsored by local Lions Clubs. The two tournaments at Sage Park Pond are sponsored by The Berlin Lions Club. “VIP fishing tournaments provide visually impaired
and sighted fishermen an opportunity to share their enthusiasm for the sport,” said Berlin Lions Club member Bob Christensen, who oversees the local tournaments. “Fishing is a hands-on sport, and as such, heavily relies on an individual’s tactile senses.” Christensen explained that VIPs attend tournaments with a sighted guide — usually a parent, spouse or friend. Volunteers from various Lions and Leo clubs are on hand to assist the VIPs, as well. “Both Junior and Senior VIPs can hold their catch, sense the length and weight of the fish, and many times, our Senior VIPs can identify
the fish by its shape, scales, tail configuration and feel,” Christensen said. “Most participants do catch and release,” Christensen pointed out. “In a couple of cases, large fish destined for dinner have been brought home.” The Connecticut VIP Fishing Tournament is patterned after the North Carolina VIP Fishing Tournament, established nearly 30 years ago. The North Carolina tournament has blossomed into a three-day event, which includes educational programs, counseling and socialization. More than 530 VIPs participate.
Berlin is host of the 2010 Connecticut Visually Impaired Persons Fishing Tournament, a Lions Club event. The Junior tournament was held April 18 at Sage Park Pond. The Senior tournament also will take place there, on Sunday, May 16. Pictured: Junior fishSee Fishermen, page 29 ermen pose at Sage Park Pond.
A secret garden at the library
Town Council moves two major projects forward Beckley Road bridge and Town Hall cooling system to be fixed By Susan Kondracki Special to The Citizen For the first time since the 1970s the Beckley Road bridge and the Town Hall’s chiller and cooling tower will be worked on and replaced
thanks to a unanimous vote passed at the May 4 Town Council meeting. “After a 2008 investigation of the Beckley Road bridge, the town concluded that the bridge was deteriorating and operating at an insufficient low capacity,” said Art Simonian, public works director at a public hearing held before the meeting. The bridge, originally construct-
See Projects, page 10
DeFronzo proposes tough texting while driving fines Local police see cell phones as a likely cause of many crashes By Olivia L. Lawrence The Berlin Citizen
A portion of the new “Secret Garden” mural in the children’s department at the Berlin-Peck Memorial Library. See story page 5.
State Senator Donald DeFronzo (D-New Britain) wants substantial fines levied on drivers who text mes-
sage on their cell phones while operating a motor vehicle. “Distracted driving is a major cause of accidents in Connecticut and across the country,” DeFronzo said. “Five years ago, we passed a cell phone bill to help curb the distracted driving problem that the use
See Fines, page 22