www.southingtoncitizen.com
Volume 20, Number 30
Friday, July 28, 2023
Communities rolling out license plate reader cameras By Jesse Buchanan Record-Journal staff
License plate reading camera are going up in Southington and Cheshire with more possible in surrounding towns as police see the value in surveillance technology.
Florian Fungi Lion’s Mane mushrooms are seen here on the shelves at Tops Marketplace at 887 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike in Southington. Dave Zajac, Record-Journal
Florian Fungi: A hidden gem By Ciara Hooks Record-Journal staff
some type of grain mixed with mushroom spores.”
SOUTHINGTON — Florian Fungi like the product they grow is a hidden gem in the city that is utilizing the Connecticut Grown Program to make its presence known.
These mushroom blocks are about five pounds each. “We place them into one tent to start baby mushrooms. That is called pinning, and then once the baby mushrooms form, we move them to a flushing tent, but only for two or three days,” Florian said.
“We are a gourmet mushroom farm,” said Amy Florian, owner of Florian Fungi. “But it's not a traditional farm in a sense even though Mushrooms in bloom are they call it a farm; the mushcalled a flush. rooms are grown indoors.” “When the mushrooms are There are different methods fully grown, we take the for growing mushrooms, but blocks out, cut the mushmost of the growth happens rooms off and deliver them inside of a blackout tent. to our customers,” Florian “What we do is get what are said. The blocks produce a range of size and number of called mushroom blocks shipped in from a block sup- flushes depending on the plier,” Florian said. “This is a type of mushrooms. plastic bag filled with what “Oysters can produce a large the mushrooms need to eat, flush of about 2 pounds, but which is sawdust mixed with
they are very difficult to get subsequent flushes after the first. The Lion’s Mane, on the other hand, will produce about five ounces per flush and will flush four or five times,” Florian said. The mushrooms are not watered as normal plants on a farm are. “Instead they stay in a controlled environment with very high humidity between 80-90%,” Florian said.
Made with care and love Florian expressed that the business is dedicated to clean, local foods. And their mushrooms are grown with care and love. “I love the health benefits of mushrooms and I love that I could be in the local community helping provide peoSee Fungi, A27
cameras. The company also holds the images and data the cameras generate although the images and data are owned by police departments.
The scope of surveillance made possible by such cameras raises concerns from the American Civil A rise in vehicle thefts and Liberties Union, which has break-ins prompted South- opposed their installation. ington police leaders to suggest the array of 22 How license plate fixed position cameras that automatically read license cameras might help plates, record the date and Automatic license plate reading cameras capture time of a passing car and alert police to stolen vehi- an image of a vehicle and cles. Cheshire is building a register the license plate number. That number is network of 12 cameras as run through state and fedwell for similar reasons. eral databases for Amber Both towns are buying Alerts, stolen vehicles or cameras and accompanymissing persons. If there’s ing software from Flock a match, police are notiSafety, an Atlanta, Georfied instantly. Police can gia-based company that also create their own lists installs and maintains the
See Camera, A26
Exhibit highlights local ‘oasis of natural beauty’ From the Plainville Historical Society
Once known as the Great Pond and later named for a prominent family that lived near its banks, Plainville’s Hamlin Pond is both an important part of the Quinnipiac River watershed and a local haven for a diversity of nature. The vibrant world of Hamlin Pond throughout the
seasons is captured in a collection of photographs exhibited this summer at the Plainville Historic Center, 29 Pierce St. “Life on Hamlin Pond” includes captivating images of the wildlife, plant life and scenery that exist in a spot that too often goes unnoticed as we drive along the highways and roads nearby. See Exhibit, A5