On With The Show

Submitted by johnmurray on Wed, 12/01/2004 - 03:00

Palace Gala.. A Sparkling Success

     The Palace Theater opening night gala on November 12, 2004 was a party that Jay Gatsby might have hosted. F. Scott Fitzgeralds fictional character, the Great Gatsby, created in the 1920s around the same time that Sylvester Poli built his palace in Waterbury, was known for discreetly hosting lavish soirees with hundreds of well-dressed guests who partied and danced late into the Long Island night.

Dr. Louis D'Abramo's Waterbury Hall of Fame Speech

Submitted by johnmurray on Mon, 11/01/2004 - 03:00

Waterbury Values

By Dr, Louis D'Abramo

   Thank you for this wonderful honor of induction. Thanks to the Selection Committee and to the Silas Bronson Library. This honor brings on different feelings, excitement, joy, humility, why me. I particularly thank those who have taken time today to be here and to share this special day with me.

Cold Case

Submitted by johnmurray on Mon, 11/01/2004 - 03:00

To Catch A Monster

Excellent Work By The Waterbury Police Department Leads To Arrest In Controversial 1993 Rape Case

Story by John Murray

   At the end of another long day at police headquarters, Neil O'Leary climbed into his car and headed home. For the past 15 months, O'Leary had served as the acting chief of the Waterbury Police Department. As he headed home on that September night two months ago, O'Leary, 46, had a lot on his mind. The city had begun testing 11 candidates for the permanent chief's job, and O'Leary was stressed about taking the oral and written exams.

Avventura Deli Is A Waterbury Treasure

Submitted by johnmurray on Mon, 11/01/2004 - 03:00

Nourishing The Neighborhood

Article by Susan Frome

   At 72 America Street, in the Town Plot section of Waterbury, you will find a small red square building with hardly any distinguishing features. Open the door - and it is just like Dorothy opening her door to the glorious Technicolor world of Oz! Suddenly you are in a bright, new, open, airy space known as Avventura, a gourmet Italian deli - the real thing. "We redecorated in July 1990 for $250,000," said owner Rosario Minnocci, "and re-designed it so that the customer can see the whole store at once. It creates a flow of movement so that as you move along you have to go by and see all the products."

Reflections On The 10th Anniversary of the Observer

Submitted by johnmurray on Fri, 12/05/2003 - 03:00

(Editor's note - the following column was written by Observer publisher John Murray in October 2003, on the 10th anniversary of the newspaper. Eight years later the newspaper has transitioned into the digital world with new computers, digital cameras and a bustling website. The drama for survival, however, continues)

  The Waterbury Observer recently celebrated it’s tenth anniversary, and although this column may appear to be the sound of one hand clapping, I’m going to stop and celebrate some of the highs and lows along the journey.

   Any newspaper across America has the responsibility to reflect the community back upon itself, and somewhere along the way the Observer morphed into the chaos of the city. As Waterbury struggles and groans to transition itself from an industrial giant there has been an explosion of social problems that has permeated the community, problems that the Observer absorbed.

   Illness and mayhem seeped through our door.

Donna Bonasera's Lifetime Pursuit of Art

Submitted by johnmurray on Sat, 11/01/2003 - 03:00

 

Passion To Dance

Story By Maryanne Moon Boyen

   Angelo Bonasera was ahead of his time.

   In the early 1970s, before it was culturally commonplace to eat on the run, Angelo grabbed a bite to eat quickly three nights a week, so that he could drive his teenage daughter, Donna, to dance class in Hartford. Though he had already driven two hours round trip to Pratt & Whitney in Windsor Locks for work, he never balked at another two hour journey to bring Donna from their Torrington home to the Hartford Conservatory.

   Angelo was the only adult driver in the family of four and he was glad to help his youngest daughter follow her heart.

Journey To The Dalai Lama

Submitted by johnmurray on Tue, 01/08/2002 - 19:45

 

Across Thin Ice

Story and Photographs By John Murray

    Momentum is a curious and powerful force.

   After traveling 48 hours non-stop from Waterbury, Connecticut, to a small Tibetan refugee camp tucked into the southwest corner of India, I felt like I was hanging ten as I surfed a large wave of momentum towards the beach. The 13,000 mile journey had taken me through barrels of bureaucratic red tape, through New York City, Newark Airport, Milan, Italy, Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay) and into Goa, a resort town on the west coast of India. There had been visa headaches, ticketing problems, frantic last second packing, buses, taxis, three flights and finally a six hour drive from Goa along a treacherous mountain road frequented by monkeys, cows, buses, motorcycles, and thousands of Indians carrying water, wood and rocks on top of their heads.

Waterbury Mayor Philip Giordano Arrested By FBI

Submitted by johnmurray on Wed, 08/08/2001 - 03:00

 S.O.S. - Save Our Souls

Story and Photographs by John Murray

   The Soldier's Monument was cloaked in brilliant orange light from the late afternoon sun. After working out at the YMCA I headed up West Main Street and came to a stop at the first traffic light. When I turned to check out the monument I saw Waterbury Mayor Phil Giordano heading the other way on a motorcycle.

Project Nicaragua

Submitted by johnmurray on Mon, 03/01/1999 - 03:00

 

   Nobody seemed to know her name, and in an odd way, it didn’t matter.  She needed help, and even though the two doctors spoke no Spanish, their actions transcended words and cultural barriers.  The little girl was hurt and these gringo doctors – National Guardsmen in camouflage fatigues – were there to help.

A Peek Behind The Scenes With Governor John Rowland

Submitted by johnmurray on Thu, 07/30/1998 - 03:00

 

The Gov

Story and Photographs by John Murray

   The wise man edged close to the youth and whispered a secret in his ear. "Listen carefully,'' the man said, "and you will live a long and happy life. Work is doing something you don't enjoy doing. Find something you love and you'll never work a day in your life.''

   John Rowland logs staggering hours as governor of Connecticut, but you won't find him complaining about his whirlwind schedule -- he's too busy having fun. As the youngest governor in the United States, Rowland has found his passion. He tours Connecticut like a heated neuron, heads up a massive 52,000 employee workforce and routinely works 12 to 14 hours a day.

   His schedule and duties sound like the recipe for a daily migraine, but wherever Rowland goes he seems to have more fun than anyone else.

Hiking The Hood

Submitted by johnmurray on Sun, 01/12/1997 - 03:00

 
Hiking The Hood
01/12/1997

Hiking the Hood
Story By Dan White

We stood under the cross and looked down on the ruins of Jerusalem.

Holy Land is a decaying religious amusement park. Busloads of tourists used to come here. Not anymore. Now it was just us. Herod's palace leaned against a rock. The manger was a mess. We climbed up past a warren of walkways and miniature buildings stacked on top of each other. A replica of Jerusalem surrounded us. We could see the chicken wire and the inner framing.