Category Archives: Local
Bethel Artist Dana Benz on a Mission to Bring Joy to Grieving Families Through Art
Bethel Artist Dana Benz on a Mission to Bring Joy to Grieving Families Through Art
Drawing of Emilie Parker by local 23-year-old Bethel artist Dana Benz.
On 12/14/12, Sandy Hook Elementary School lost 20 children, 5 teachers and a beloved principal in a horrific tragedy. Twenty-three year old Bethel Artist Dana Benz is on a mission to bring joy to grieving families through her artwork. Dana said she is in the process of drawing each victim as a tribute to their families after this senseless tragedy. To date she has drawn Emilie Parker, Dylan Hockley and Olivia Engel. Below is her tribute to Olivia.
Beautiful Olivia,
Your sudden death has shaken us to the core. We love you and will remember you always. You may not be here physically but your soul is alive and well, resting in God’s loving arms.
~Dana
Dana’s goal is to draw all 26 children and adults who passed away at Sandy Hook Elementary School and give the drawings to the families.
Below is her tribute to 6-year-old Dylan Hockley, who was also a member of Dana’s church, Walnut Hill Community Church. On Friday December 21, 2012 at 1:00 PM, the Walnut Hill Community Church, 156 Walnut Hill Rd., Bethel, will hold a memorial service for Dylan which is open to the public. Dana plans on giving Dylan’s family the drawing at the service.
In the wake of the horrific tragedy, Dana has found a way to bring healing through her artwork and has partnered with the Sandy Hook Arts Center, a non-profit organization who will bring art therapy, music therapy and pet therapy to the Newtown community.
For more information or to donate to the fund, please click here.
Beauty Abounds Inside Best Buy in Bethel
Beauty Abounds Inside Best Buy in Bethel
7 Fleetwood Ave., Bethel, CT. Photo credit: April Furey Sotheby’s International Realty
Check out the best buy in Bethel- a beautifully redone 2 bedroom ranch, conveniently located at 7 Fleetwood Avenue, just minutes from historic downtown Bethel. Beauty abounds in each room of this home, which has been professionally redone from top to bottom by Terzian & Son, LLC, a Bethel-based developer. Crown moulding and new trim lines the freshly painted walls leading down to the buff, refinished hardwood flooring. Owner Bryan Terzian oversaw the remodel and hand-picked every detail of the project, even down to the tile backsplash in the kitchen, resulting in a picture-perfect place to call home.
The corner, level lot has plenty of room for a fresh vegetable garden and swing set for the kids. Sunlight pours into the large bay window in the living room. The kitchen boasts new stainless steel appliances, tile flooring and new cabinets with marble countertops. A mudroom ensures the flooring stays as good as new. The updated full bathroom has tile floor and wainscoting and there is a full basement and attic for plenty of storage. In move-in condition with a new roof, new oil tank and an updated furnace, all that’s left to do is call this house your home.
This home is listed at $207,500. To make an appointment to see this home, please contact April Furey of Sotheby’s International Realty by calling 203-792-7333 or email her by clicking here.
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- 7 Fleetwood Ave., Bethel, CT. Photo credit: April Furey Sotheby’s International Realty
First Selectman’s December 2012 Newsletter
First Selectman’s December 2012 Newsletter
The First Selectman of Bethel, Matthew Knickerbocker. Contributed Photo.
Bridge update.
A welcome sight greeted drivers whose daily commute takes them over the Walnut Hill bridge: Except for a little bit of cosmetic work, it’s done! Sight lines have been improved at the base of the hill, the bridge is wider to accommodate bicycles and pedestrians with greater safety and the roadway has been raised to prevent flooding.
Construction preparation is under way at the other Walnut Hill bridge near the intersection of Taylor Road.
Road work for 2012 season completed.
Year No. 2 of the four-year Road Recovery Project has drawn to a close for the season. Only one planned road reconstruction, Diamond Avenue, was forced off the schedule by Superstorm Sandy. That one will be added to next season’s schedule when construction resumes this spring, 2013. Roads completed this year include Aunt Patty’s West, Williams, McNeil, Castle Hill, Adams, Buff, Partridge, Wooster, Keeler, Cawley, Hearthstone and North Hearthstone. The roads remaining on the four-year project will be reevaluated for wear and deterioration during the winter months. The construction list for 2013 will be announced as part of the upcoming budget process.
Solar Farm on “hold,”For now…
Readers may recall the announcement more than a year ago about our plans to install a “farm” of solar panels at the town’s transfer station. Bethel was poised to take advantage of the states new “net metering” law, which would allow municipalities to set up renewable energy generation systems that “sell” electricity back into the grid, thereby reducing the town’s energy costs. The cost of the installation was to be covered through a third-party power purchase agreement, which would allow the solar panels to be installed at zero cost to Bethel taxpayers. The energy cost savings would be shared with the third-party provider.
Unfortunately, a recent decision by P.U.R.A. (Public Utility Regulatory Authority, the state’s utility regulator) determined that the new net metering law does not apply to third-party agreements. In order to be eligible to take advantage of net metering, Bethel and several other towns with similar plans under way would have to own their own equipment, at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Clearly, this was not what the legislature intended. Attorneys for P.U.R.A. have sent the net metering law back to the state legislature with a request that it be amended to allow third-party power purchase agreements. There is strong bipartisan support for this in Hartford, and we are hopeful that this flaw can be corrected during the new legislative session that begins in January and put our solar farm project back on track.
As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome. Please call or stop by for a cup of coffee.
Matthew S. Knickerbocker First Selectman
The hours of the CJH Municipal Center are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Municipal Center Will be closed Monday, December 24th & Tuesday, December 25th in honor of Christmas.
Bethel Police & Target to Host “Stuff-a-Cruiser” for Needy Children This Saturday
Bethel Police & Target to Host “Stuff-a-Cruiser” for Needy Children This Saturday
Bethel Police stand in front of their SUV at National Night out, summer 2011. Bethel P.D. will host “Stuff-a-Cruiser” at Target on Sat. Dec. 8, 2012. Come fill their SUV with toys for needy Bethel children. Photo credit: Wendy Mitchell
The Bethel Police Department have partnered with Target to present “Stuff-a-Cruiser” to benefit needy Bethel children. The event will be held this Saturday December 8th from 11am-4pm at Target, 7 Stony Hill Road, Bethel, CT. Please donate a new, unwrapped gift or gift certificate for children in need in Bethel. Gifts collected will benefit the Town of Bethel Social Services Holiday Program. The age group they are seeking donations for are for ages 2 through 16-years-old, with a strong need for gifts for children 10 and older. The toy drive is being sponsored by the Bethel Police Benevolent Association.
For more information call Kathleen Gillen at Bethel Social Services at (203) 794-8536.
Future Children’s Program Room Almost Complete, Library Modifies Hours During Construction
Future Children’s Program Room Almost Complete, Library Modifies Hours During Construction
Photo contributed.
From Lynn Rosato, Library Director–
The Bethel Public Library Renovation Project – Construction of the future Children’s Program Room is almost finished and we are getting ready to relocate staff from the Seelye House to this space and to other areas on the first floor. During this move, the Library’s hours will be modified as follows:
Friday, December 7: CLOSED 10 a.m.-1 p.m. OPEN 1-5 p.m.
Monday, December 10: CLOSED 10 a.m.-2 p.m. OPEN 2-8 p.m.
The Library will be open regular hours on Saturday, December 8 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and on Sunday, December 9 from 1-5 p.m.
Please note dates are approximate:
- Construction of Children’s Library program room–start 11/26/12
- Staff moving into temporary offices–start 12/7/12
- Work begins in Seelye House and on 2nd floor–start 12/17
In 2005, we moved into a partially finished new library addition. Now, in 2012, after many years of planning and fundraising, the final stage of the Bethel Public Library renovation project has begun!
From time to time, some materials and areas may be temporarily unavailable during construction. We’ll do our best to minimize disruption to service and to keep you informed of any changes in the Library’s schedule. As always, please ask staff for assistance.
We apologize for any inconvenience and we thank you for your support and patience!
Sincerely,
Lynn Rosato
Library Director
Congratulations to Bethel Quarterback Joe Piatnik, WFSB’s Friday Night Athlete of the Week!
Congratulations to Bethel Quarterback Joe Piatnik, WFSB’s Friday Night Athlete of the Week!
Bethel High School quarterback Joe Piatnik, BHS ’14, won WFSB’s Athlete of the Week. Photo contributed.
The Bethel High School Wildcats Football Team has something to be proud of this season! Their own quarterback, Joe Piatnik, was named WFSB’s Friday Night Athlete of the Week for Week 11! Joe had 249 rushing, 3 rushing touchdowns and 3 touchdown passes. Joe, junior at BHS, received a “Property of Friday Night Football” t-shirt and a caricature of himself drawn by artist Bob Domfried.
Joey said winning “feels great; it’s an honor.” Joey attributes his success to hard work and encouragement from his coaches and father. “My coaches Jason Gill and Bruce Martin, the offensive coordinator, and my dad have always pushed me pretty hard so I really thank them for helping me to become the player that I am today,” he said.
Joe, who grew up in Bethel and has been playing since he was 7-years-old, said he would like to pursue football professionally. So far he has looked at Temple, Rutgers UCONN, Villanova, Central Michigan and Missouri Colleges.
If after high school football doesn’t work out, he said, he does have a backup plan. “I want to study engineering and maybe own my own business someday,” Joe said.
Click here for Joe’s stats. The BHS football team is currently 4-6-0 and #78 according to Max Preps.
Click here for WFSB video.
