Another Route 72 Update

Road Closed, Route 72 Intersection in Background

The work on State Project No. 17-137, Route 72 Relocation, will continue on through to the New Year. 

According to a recent DOT press release, since November 6^th, Bohemia Street in Plainville has been closed to through traffic so the intersection of Route 72 and Forestville Avenue can be realigned.

No date is set for the opening of the road.

Also, a retaining wall is being built between Riverside Avenue, and the Pequabuck River.

Carol sing moved indoors

The Forestville Green empty due to cold temperatures

Many of Forestville’s residents braved a bitter cold December night to attend the annual Christmas Carol sing at the former Forestville train station.  But the carol sing was moved indoors to Nuchie’s due to the swirling wind and cold temperature.  Bummer, I was all set with my Thermacore insulated sherpa jacket and accessories.

Hello Winter Storm Albert! Welcome to Forestville.

Center Street around 4:30 today, prior to your arrival

Winter Storm Albert, welcome to Forestville!  We have been expecting you.  I believe you will find our industrial looking village very accommodating.  

Forestville is located in the southeastern section of Bristol, Connecticut, and borders the town of Plainville.  While here you should visit the antique shops on Center Street, and the eating establishments on Pine Street. 

Speaking of Pine Street, you must check out Pine Lake for recreational purposes. There is a challenge course in the back and there are reports of a ghost in the woods along the lake. Enjoy.  

If you seek adventure, you have come to the right place.  Forestville has several taverns in the west end of the village (they actually might be in Bristol but let’s keep that between us), but don’t drink and drive because we have a full service police department.  And we have a dominatrix as well. Oh yeah!

One more thing, we might even have a Sasquatch!  I am not kidding.  The rumor is that he lives under Nuchie’s Restaurant on the Pequabuck River. Personally I believe this proves my point about drinking and driving in Forestville. But what the heck there are those that swear to it. If nothing else you check out his area along the river.

And because you are only visiting, it would be appreciated if you limited your destruction.  We have a Blight Committee and they do not take kindly to unsightly and unkempt areas.

Well, I hate to say it but I must run because I need to rest up for all that shoveling I will have to do later on this morning.  So, enjoy your stay you big lug.

Winter Storm Update

Current conditions

Snow began falling in Forestville around 9:30 PM.  A wind gust of 30 MPH was reported earlier this evening near the Little League complex. The precipitation is expected to fall at 1 to 3 inches per hour during the night.

Forestville Braces for Winter Storm

The center of town today around noon.

 The village of Forestville is bracing for winter storm Albert.  A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for the entire state of Connecticut. Forestville can expect to see 10 to 14 inches of snow between tonight and daybreak tomorrow. Road conditions will be treacherous as parts of Connecticut will approach blizzard conditions. 

Forestville residents busied themselves earlier today with their various affairs as the storm approached.  The center of town was busy as expected as was the Stop & Shop on Pine Street. Snow blowers could be heard throughout Forestville’s neighbhoods warming up for their first performance of the winter.

More later.

AB

Forestville’s empty lot

The empty lot looking south from Mr. Bubbles Car Wash. Route 72 is in the background.

The empty lot on the East Main Street near the center of Forestville remains, empty.  The lot has not been idle for many years and will continue to be, according to several sources, who wish to remain nameless.

Popular Children’s Show Star Dead

The ever popular Slappy the Seal

Slappy the Seal – star of the Baumbauer Television Network (BTN) program, “Slap Happy Slappy” died late Monday, off the shores of Norway.  Preliminary autopsy results indicate the cause of death as “harpooning.”  Officials would not comment on rumors that Slappy was being turned into a hat, tastefully trimmed in chinchilla.  The Seal was last seen Friday afternoon, dining with his agent, Rick Jaspers at a sushi bar in Los Angeles.  Jaspers was unable to explain how his client ended up halfway around the world.

Slap Happy Slappy was the highest rated children’s program on BTN, and featured The Seal performing various tricks for a studio audience of children – in between Japanese Anime cartoons. 

News of the show’s fate came swiftly.

Baumbauer Entertainment, CEO, Horrace Baumbauer announced the immediate termination of the program – calling for the entire studio to be gutted and steam cleaned.  When asked to comment, Baumbauer stated “the whole place smells like low tide.”  When pressed on the subject of Slappy himself, Baumbauer denied being particularly fond of the aquatic mammal, describing him as a “money grubbing whore.”

AB

Forestville resident Makes Bold World Series Prediction: Yankees win in 6

Here is how I see the 2009 World Series.

Starting Lineups: Close but a two hundred and fifty million dollar payroll buys a lot.

Advantage Yankees

Starting Pitching: After Cliff Lee who do the Phillies have, Pedro?  Despite what he did versus the Dodgers I am not convinced.

Advantage Yankees

Bullpen: One word, Mariano

Advantage: Yankees

Bench: Joe Girardi has no reason to use his bench other than when they are in a National League ballpark because they have an all-star at almost every position.

Advantage: Phillies

Manager: Charlie Manuel is no Dick Williams but Joe Girardi?  Please, he likes to play with his toys too much.  He manages a game like he has to prove how smart he is. 

Advantage: Phillies

Intangibles: The Phillies seem to find a way to win.

Advantages: Phillies

Umpires: Not even close.  There will be several bad calls and certainly a few controversial ones.  As a result, somehow and someway the Yankees will get more calls their way.

Advantage: Yankees

Series MVP: Jorge Posada. 

With all the silliness of him catching or not catching, I believe he will have a great series. Plus he is a switch hitter. Besides although I am no fan of the team from New York, I like Posada.

Bottom Line: Yankees in 6.

Question: Which is worse?  A whiney Red Sox fan or a spoiled, obnoxious Yankees fan? 

Answer: I’ll let you know when the series is over.

Possible Drainage Issue with Route 72

Route 72 looking west to Lincoln Avenue

These photos were taken this morning of Route 72 looking west to Lincoln Avenue (behind the Stop & Shop). Notice the leaves blocking the drain? That can’t be good. Following last night’s rain storm there is two inches of standing water.

Close up view

Route 72 Update: Uncompleted Route 72 Extension has graffiti

Looking west below the bridge

Well, it only took a year but the still uncompleted Route 72 Extension has graffiti on the Forest Street Footbridge. 

I was there almost one year ago and there was not even a scribble.  Today it is riddled with all sorts of foul language.

On second thought it is not graffiti. It is vandalism.