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Lights, Lights and more Lights…They’re everywhere you look this time of year. How safe are they? And is anyone reading the fine print on the box? On Friday, December 11 Localonlinenews.tv asked the store manager at Moscarillo’s in West Hartford, to help us with the safety warnings for stringed lighting and how they should be used. Distributed by Tubemogul.

A little over a year ago, the decorative globes on the front steps of the Rockville Public Library were stolen. On December 8th, the library hosted an unveiling ceremony for replacement globes that were crafted by a local artist. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Mrs. Bob Cratchit's Wild Christmas Binge opens at Playhouse on Park with a preview on December 9th, with opening night on the 10th. The play runs through Dec. 20. http://playhouseonpark.org/ Distributed by Tubemogul.

West Hartford's Blue Back Dental will be offering a year of free dental care to a West Hartford Family in need. Learn how to apply here: http://localonlinenews.tv/blog/2009/12/04/1189/ Distributed by Tubemogul.

Activists from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals removed their clothing and protested a West Hartford's Max Zeller's Furs on Thursday, December 3rd. We spoke with the activists, residents, and the store's owner. Distributed by Tubemogul.

The Auxiliary of Manchester Memorial Hospital invites community members to purchase tree lights for its special annual tree lighting ceremony that will be held on Thursday, December 3 (snow date the following day), at 5 p.m. in front of the hospital. The lights, which sell for $5 each at the hospital's Gift Shop, may be designated in honor of a person or special event or in memory of loved ones. Distributed by Tubemogul.

The state budget crisis is causing unprecedented measures and on Wednesday, November 23, Governor Rell proposed cutting state to municipalities. Distributed by Tubemogul.

West Hartford completed its audit of three voting precincts that were randomly selected by the Secretary of the State's office for a manual recount. We talked to town officials regarding the audit's cost and asked if West Hartford has too many voting precincts. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Mayor Slifka, the Chamber of Commerce, and members of the business community, unveiled West Hartford’s “Way-Finding” Signage in time for the increased holiday traffic on December 1. The signs will be installed throughout the month, just in time for holiday shoppers. There are six business districts and the signs will be placed at 13 key intersections. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Sponsored by Citizens Bank at http://www.citizensbank.com. On November 25th the Children’s Museum unveiled a large color print of our galaxy that combines a near infrared view from the Hubble, Spitzer, and Chandra space telescopes into one multi-wavelength picture. The unveiling commemorates 400 years since Galileo first turned his telescope to the heavens in 1609. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Read more at the Journal Inquirer: http://www.journalinquirer.com Manchester defeated East Hartford 32 to 6 in their pre-thanksgiving matchup on November 25th. Distributed by Tubemogul.

The newly elected West Hartford Town Council members began their work on Monday, November 23rd. Democrats and Republicans pledged to work together in what will be another difficult budget year. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Story sponsored by Citizens Bank at http://citizensbank.com - On Wednesday, November 18, the Holiday Retirement Residence celebrated their 40th Anniversary with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and public open house. LocalOnlineNews.TV's Theresa Freeman was there. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Sponsored by Citizens Bank - http://citizensbank.com. Two members of the girls' basketball team at Northwest Catholic High School, Allison Mullings and Uju Nwankwo, signed letters of intent to play for division one colleges on Wednesday, November 11. LocalOnlineNews.TV's Theresa Freeman interviewed the athletes and their families. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Sponsored by Citizens Bank http://www.citizensbank.com West Hartford Police were called by Wolcott school officials to investigate a case of attempted abduction on Friday November 13th. Three students that are siblings ran away from a car that afternoon and reported to a teacher that a white male, age 20-40,wearing a black hat and black coat tried a couple of times to get them in a Honda. In communication with the school, the principal of the school came forward to us and said that, upon hearing the report, a grandmother of some children that were at the school came forward and said she was the one that offered the kids a ride. Distributed by Tubemogul.

The West Hartford Fire Department, Station House #2, on Brace Road collected non-perishable food items for the state food banks. Governor Rell asked 15 fire stations around the state to take part in a “Day of Caring and Compassion” to replenish the state’s two main food pantries. Distributed by Tubemogul.

West Hartford was the unlucky winner in a random drawing conducted on Wednesday, November 10th, to determine voting precincts subject to audit following last week's election. Three of West Hartford's voting districts were randomly selected by Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz, and the town will now have to fund the manual counting of several thousand paper ballots. Distributed by Tubemogul.

On Thursday, November 5, it was tea time with a purpose at the grand opening of the Green Tea House in Blue Back Square. A percentage of the new store’s sales for this day will benefit the West Hartford Kiwanis Club Community Service Foundation. The store owner was welcomed by the Chamber of Commerce and Mayor Slifka at a ribbon cutting ceremony. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Deep River's Chris Lindner is a volunteer puppy raiser for Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Lindner's first dog "Barton" graduated from the program last August. Lindner has just received a new puppy that she is in the process of training. Distributed by Tubemogul.

West Hartford Democrats had a big night Tuesday, winning the maximum number of Town Council and Board of Education seats allowed by Connecticut state statutes. Democrats now control six of nine Town Council seats, and five of seven seats on the Board of Education. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Story sponsored by Citizens Bank at http://citizensbank.com 19 percent of students at Bugbee Elementary were absent last week, raising concerns that students are coming down with the H1N1 flu. In a letter sent home to parents last week, Superintendent of Schools Karen List said most schools in West Hartford are at a 5% absence rate. Distributed by Tubemogul.

We profiled Town Council Candidates Judy Casperson and Denise Berard Hall earlier this summer just before campaign season began. Both are first time candidates and both work in the banking industry. LocalOnlineNews.TV's Michael Lurie caught up with Casperson (a Democrat) and Hall (a Republican) to talk about their campaign experience. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Connecticut’s racial imbalance statute has become the hottest topic for debate among candidates for West Hartford’s Board of Education. Charter Oak and Smith schools have been out of compliance with the law for years, and Democratic candidates believe there is no issue now. Republicans believe the law should be challenged through a hired legal council, and it should be addressed immediately. Distributed by Tubemogul.

The Bank of America branch at Bishops corner was robbed at approximately 9:00 a.m. on Monday, October 26th. LocalOnlineNews.TV spoke with West Hartford police to get more details on the crime and the suspect. If you have information about the robbery, please contact West Hartford police at 860-523-2070. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Max Restaurant Group has locations throughout the greater Hartford area, including many right here in West Hartford. The company's growth and success introduced a new challenge: managing all of the data those restaurants generated. A project that began as a way to improve internal communication between restaurants recently concluded with a robust realtime data communication network. Scott Smith, a partner with the Restaurant group, says the new system will give managers more time to focus on the customer satisfaction. LocalOnlineNews.TV's business profiles focus on business events and milestones in West Hartford. Business profile pieces are not advertisements and we do not produce stories for advertisers. If your business has an upcoming event or milestone, please send an email to press@localonlinenews.tv. Distributed by Tubemogul.

West Hartford's Intensive Education Academy held their 6th annual Stars fundraiser event on October 16th. The non-profit private academy focuses on helping children grades K-12 with learning disabilities. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Abby the dachshund has a skeletal disease in her neck. Medication wasn't helping relieve her pain and surgery was not an option. So Abby's owner Mae Ostergren decided to take her to West Hartford for acupuncture at Veterinary Specialists. LocalOnlineNews.TV's Mike Lurie takes a look at this alternative treatment option for pets. Distributed by Tubemogul.

At Whiting Lane elementary school, kindergarten teacher Kristi Luetjen has something to celebrate. She is Connecticut's 2010 Teacher of the Year. Kristi was named West Hartford's Teacher of the Year this past spring. Education commissioner Mark McQuillan honored her as the state winner at a Whiting Lane assembly on October 14th. Many teachers and students dressed in purple, her favorite color. LocalOnlineNews.TV's Mike Lurie Distributed by Tubemogul.

The West Hartford Republicans are criticizing Democrats on the Board of Education for holding retreats to discuss policy issues. The meetings in question were held at town hall and open to the public. We talked with both Democrats and Republicans to get their perspective on the issue. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Our earlier blog post announcing Dine West Hartford 2009 was one of our most heavily viewed pages ever. Many viewers contacted us to find out why the promotion was canceled just days before it was to begin. LocalOnlineNews.TV's Mike Lurie met with the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce to find out what happened. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Sponsored by Sartorius Sports at http://www.sartoriussports.com. West Hartford's Conard Chieftains are currently undefeated this season, shutting out every one of their opponents so far. LocalOnlineNews.TV was there for the home game against Hartford Public on September 18th and under the lights when the team was away in Farmington September 25th. Conard defeated Bulkeley 42-0 on October 2nd, their third shutout so far this season. Distributed by Tubemogul.

MARC, Inc., in operation since 1952, serves and supports children and adults with developmental disabilities. This weekend, MARC, Inc. enjoyed the support of the wider Manchester community during a Saturday walk-a-thon. Proceeds from the event will go to assist the non-profit organization's efforts to build a new facility in a new Manchester location. This campaign is two years in the making. Meredith Rizocki was on-site during MARC, Inc.'s "WalkFest." Distributed by Tubemogul.

Hundreds of Nepalese people gathered at West Hartford's Our Lady of Fatima Church on September 27th to celebrate Dashain, a Hindu festival. The Dashain festival lasted through the night with live music, dancing, and of course, food from the east. It's sponsored by the Nepalese Association of Connecticut, which unites the hundreds of Nepalese living right in West Hartford. Distributed by Tubemogul.

In our first West Hartford business profile, we look at a new local financial planning firm that relocated to West Hartford to be closer to its clients. Distributed by Tubemogul.

The Connecticut Corsair organization is in the process of rebuilding a F4U Corsair that saw service in the Pacific during WWII. Volunteers work out of a hanger at the Chester Airport. Distributed by Tubemogul.

The leaves may only be first starting to fall in West Hartford, but residents need to know that the Town will no longer pick them up from yards unless they are bagged. LocalOnlineNews.TV's Michael Lurie Reports Distributed by Tubemogul.

Story sponsored by Tom Murphy at http://www.twitter.com/agentmurphy The West Hartford Art League held a kick-off ceremony for its 6th Annual Art Walk on September 17th. The celebration was extended by a week when rain delayed the sidewalk chalk competition. It was held September 24th. More than 150 works of art are shown in shop windows around West Hartford Center and Blueback Square until October 11th. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Sponsored by Tom Murphy at http://twitter.com/agentmurphy Aurora Women and Girls Foundation was founded in 2000 by a group of forward thinking women who wanted to make a difference for other women and girls in their own community. Since that time, Aurora has evolved into a 501(c)(3) entity with a board and officers, as well as committees to oversee the work of the Foundation. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Ivoryton's Gather celebrated their first anniversary this week with some very unique attractions. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Video by Meredith Rizocki Tuesday, September 15th is primary day in Deep River. Two candidates, Nancy Talbot and Stella Beaudoin, are seeking the Democratic nomination for the office of Town Clerk. The successful candidate will then face Republican Amy Winchell in the November 3rd general election vote. Take a look at what Nancy Talbot says about her qualifications and intentions for the office and how she is reaching out to the community. An interview was attempted but could not be scheduled with Ms. Beaudoin. We will continue our attempts to schedule an interview with Ms. Beaudoin before Tuesday's primary. Distributed by Tubemogul.

President Obama was at Wakefield High School in Arlington, VA today to urge students to do their best this year. The White House had hoped all American students would watch the address live, but some school districts restricted student's access at school due to concerns the message would be political. LocalOnlineNews.TV visited one West Hartford Public School to hear the President's speech as well as get feedback from students. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Sponsored by Bob's Discount Furniture at http://mybobs.com. A loud and boisterous crowd gathered at the West Hartford Town Hall last night as Congressman John Larson held a town hall meeting on healthcare reform. The Congressman discussed why he's in favor of the proposed reforms and gave the hundreds gathered the opportunity to share their opinions as well. LocalOnlineNews.tv's Anna Stonestreet was there and had a chance to speak with the Congressman and proponents and opponents of the bill. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Sponsored by Bob's Discount Furniture at http://mybobs.com The last day of August was the first day of school in West Hartford. Monday marked the first of 179 more to come. LocalOnlineNews.TV's Anna Stonestreet stopped by a few schools to meet students arriving for their first day of school. Distributed by Tubemogul.

West Hartford’s population will grow by more than 1600 this weekend. Today kicks off move in day for first year students at the University of Hartford. One unusual concern this fall is the H1N1 virus or swine flu. The university is taking preventative steps like establishing a web site about the illness with tips to keep students healthy. But students and parents have other things on their minds today. Anna Stonestreet spoke with some on campus this morning. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Sponsored by Tom Murphy at http://twitter.com/agentmurphy Networking has an entirely new meaning these days. People are connecting using internet social media like Linkedin, Facebook, and of course Twitter. One group of Connecticut Twitterers has decided to also meet the old fashioned way - face to face - every few weeks at locations across Connecticut. It's called the Connecticut Tweet Crawl and we stopped by the latest gathering that took place in West Hartford Wednesday night. The next event will take place on September 17th at Stackpole Moore Tryon Tuesdays in Downtown Hartford. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Fran Adamcyk is a barber in downtown Deep River. In 1969 he was 25 when he and a group of eight friends made a split second decision to go and hear a few bands play in upstate New York. They had no idea they were in for the time of their lives. Woodstock footage from Warner Brothers’ Woodstock 40th Anniversary DVD. Footage used with permission. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Monday was the last day the Kennedy Pool on Oakwood Avenue will be open this season. The last swimmers of the day were...dogs. The West Hartford Dog Park Coalition held a fundraiser at the pool today to help raise funds and awareness for a West Hartford dog park. And, of course, to let dogs just be dogs. LocalOnlineNews.tv stopped by for all the barking, sniffing and swimming. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Story sponsored by Bob's Discount furniture at http://mybobs.com West Hartford is now an official HeartSafe community. The program is designed to promote awareness of the number one killer in the nation as well as Connecticut... heart disease. There are 39 other towns who have been awarded HeartSafe designations. To qualify, the town must have citizens trained in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), first responders including police and fire rescue trained in CPR and must have AED's (automated external defibrillators) available in public places. West Hartford submitted the application exceeding all requirements. The designation is to be reviewed every three years. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Sponsored by: Bob's Discount Furniture at http://mybobs.com Though school doesn't begin for two weeks, a group of parents and students gathered at Braeburn Elementary this morning. They stuffed envelopes with letters informing the community of the passing of Kindergarten teacher Kathy Carella. Mrs. Carella had been fighting lung cancer for more than two years. Parents and students shared memories from her classroom and the fond ways in which they will remember her. The Molloy Funeral Home is handling the arrangements for Kathy’s funeral. Calling hours will be held from 5:00-8:00 pm on Friday, August 21. Funeral Services will take place on Saturday, August 22 at 10:00 am at St. Thomas the Apostle Church on Farmington Avenue in West Hartford. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to: The Carella Family Fund People’s United Bank 1013 Farmington Avenue West Hartford, CT 06107 Distributed by Tubemogul.

Sponsored by Bob's Discount Furniture: http://mybobs.com Summer and warm weather in Essex and Ivoryton has usually meant peace and quiet. But a string of recent crimes has law enforcement sending word that those in Essex and surrounding communities should be on alert. Police are following several leads, but those with information are encouraged to call the Essex Police at 860-767-1054. Distributed by Tubemogul.