Connecticut
Picture Connecticut: A Sculptor Who Certainly Left His Mark
WEST HARTFORD, CT — This week’s Hidden Gem kind of makes you go “whoa,” not only because of a prominent statue, but who carved it and his lasting impact nationwide.
OK … let’s set the stage. You’re shopping in the Blue Back Square commercial district in West Hartford. You’re at roughly 20 Main St. and gaze toward a set of red brick, traditional New England buildings.
Poof … there’s Noah Webster.
Most of us know the contributions of Mr. Webster. After all, he essentially taught us how to understand words before we use them. Aside from the statue, his West Hartford home also serves as a testament to his legacy.
Back to the statue …
To Webster’s left is a monument to Korczak Ziolkowsky, a professional artist who lived from 1908 to 1982.
Ziolkowsky was Born is Boston and was self-taught. He moved to West Hartford and began selling his works throughout New England and, in 1932, gifted the 13-and-a-half-foot Webster statue to the town, a two-year-project.
Then, in 1939, he was living large in South Dakota and assisted Gutzon Borglum with caving Mount Rushmore.
He then returned to South Dakota and initiated the carving of the Crazy Horse Monument that measures 563-feet high and 641-feet long.
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Picture Connecticut is a weekly series that features images of the state, past and present.
Here are past images:
2024
- The Cirque, Hartford
- The Amerbelle Spillway, Rockville
- The ECSU Gallery, Willimantic
- Great Captain Island, Greenwich
- Bobblehead Madness, Storrs
- Bobby Sands/Hunger Strike Memorial, Hartford
- Mr. Jonathan Goes To Hartford, Hartford
- The Latest Discount Airline, New Haven
- State Groundhog Gets Arrested, Manchester
- Historic Wartime Sutures, Willington
- Big Business Week In CT, statewide
- The Marketplace at Guilford Food Center Guilford
- Main Street at night, Middletown
- The Hide-and-Seek Bear, Tolland
- The MLK Mural, Manchester
- The Mount Southington Summit, Southington
2023
- All Faiths Gather At Town Park, Vernon
- Riverside Igloos, Milford
- The TPC Pro Shop, Cromwell
- The Santa House, North Pole, er, Northern Connecticut
- Mile 4 Funnel, Manchester Road Race, Manchester
- UConn Lacrosse Giving Back, Connecticut River Valley
- The Capitol Grounds Tour, Part 3, Hartford
- The Capitol Grounds Tour, Part 2, Hartford
- The Capitol Grounds Tour, Part 1, Hartford
- The Doughboy, East Hartford
- The Walt Whitman Stone, West Hartford
- The indoor bush plane, Hartford County
- The Big Pink Chair, Ellington
- The Notch, Granby
- The CT 9/11 Monument, Westport
- Vintage Gas Pump, Somers
- Tobacco Harvest, East Windsor
- Late Afternoon, Lakeside, Coventry
- Fogarea, New Haven County
- Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens, Washington Depot
- Connecticut River Police Boat, Rocky Hill
- The first dentist, Windsor
- The Frog Bridge, Willimantic
- The World War Bridge Rapids, Putnam
- The Peeking Cow, Tolland County
- The Ivy Lacrosse Tournament, New Canaan
- The Bradley International Airport runway, Windsor Locks
- The Underground Railroad, Unionville
- The cow carousel, Ellington
- Charles Island, Milford
- State Veterans Cemetery, Middletown
- Glastonbury-Rocky Hill Ferry, Glastonbury/Rocky Hill
- The Old County Jailhouse, Tolland
- Agent Orange Monument, Andover
- The Sunken Garden, Farmington
- Lafayette Tour Monument, Vernon
- The Pinchot Sycamore, Simsbury
- Bob’s Discount Furniture Studios, Manchester
Connecticut
5 Connecticut towns to receive $2M each for infrastructure upgrades
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Five Connecticut towns will collectively receive $10 million in grants for infrastructure upgrades, according to a Monday announcement by Gov. Ned Lamont.
The Connecticut Department of Housing (DOH) is awarding $10.7 million to Coventry, Guilford, Ledyard, Mansfield and Thomaston to modernize and rehabilitate housing for low- and moderate-income residents, the announcement said.
The funds are being released through the DOH’s Community Development Block Grant’s small cities program, with funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. To be eligible, a municipality must have fewer than 50,000 residents.
Cost Breakdown
Coventry: $2 million
Town of Coventry plans to use funds to upgrade, with a focus on making Orchard Hill Estates compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Guilford: $2 million
The Town of Guilford plans to use funds to design and build future affordable housing projects, consisting of up to 16 rental units and 8 homes.
Ledyard: $2 million
The Town of Canton requested funding for the first phase of affordable housing for people in Ledyard and the surrounding area. Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut is in the pre-development phase of the Colby Drive and plans to create 38 units.
Mansfield: $2.2 million
Funding will be used for upgrades to Wright’s Village, including roof replacements and sidewalk repairs.
Thomaston: $2.5 million
Funds will be used to make Green Manor ADA-compliant, including the installation of a new emergency call aid system.
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Connecticut
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Connecticut
Florida High School State Bronze Medalist Dajah German Verbals To Connecticut For Fall 2027
Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.
Florida high school state bronze medalist Dajah German has announced her verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Connecticut beginning in the fall of 2027. She publicized the news on SwimCloud, writing:
I am so excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Connecticut! I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who has supported me throughout this journey, my family, coaches, teammates, and friends who have pushed me to be my best throughout the years. And a very special thank you to Coach Chris and Coach Nicole for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I’m so excited for what’s ahead. GO HUSKIES!
A rising senior at Fort Lauderdale High School in Florida, German trains year-round with Swim Fort Lauderdale and primarily specializes in the sprint and middle-distance freestyle events.
German has improved each year of her high school career, most recently dropping from 23.78, 51.39, and 1:50.56 in the 50/100/200 free to 23.54, 51.35, and 1:49.69 during the 2025-26 short course season.
German’s top meet of the season was the Florida Senior Championships in March, where she recorded her current PBs in both the 50 and 200 free. She finished second in the 500 free (4:55.94) and 1650 free (17:02.78), third in both the 50 free and 200 free, and fifth in the 100 free (51.43). She set her current 100 free PB at a smaller holiday meet in December. In the 500 free, she clocked a season-best 4:55.21 at the Speedo Cup in January, with her lifetime best of 4:53.19 coming at the 2025 Florida Senior Championships.
German has qualified for the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) State Championships for the past three years, with her top performance coming at the 2025 iteration in November. She placed third in the 50 free (23.96), fifth in the 500 free (5:01.12), and helped Fort Lauderdale to fourth place in both the 200 free relay (24.64 leadoff) and 400 free relay (53.08 anchor).
Top SCY Times:
- 50 Freestyle: 23.54
- 100 Freestyle: 51.35
- 200 Freestyle: 1:49.69
- 500 Freestyle: 4:53.19
A Division I Mid-Major program, Connecticut competes in the Big East, with the women’s team placing second out of seven teams at this past season’s conference championships. German’s current lifetime bests would have placed third in the 200 free, fourth in the 500 free, eighth in the 50 free, and ninth in the 100 free, setting her up as an immediate contributor with two full seasons of training still ahead before her first conference meet.
German joins Anna Mumford, Lyla Devlin, Lena Brown, and Louisa Holda in committing to the Huskies’ class of 2031 so far.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
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