1919 classic
goes home
PUTNAM — A classic Oldsmobile last week returned to its roots, making the journey from Putnam to Lansing, Mich.
The car was built in Lansing and is now returning — it’ll have a home in the R.E. Oldsmobile Transportation Museum.
The 1919 Oldsmobile, owned by Greg King, third-generation owner of the former King Cadillac GMC, said his grandfather, Walter King, purchased the car in 1959.
King believes his grandfather may have bought the car because he was an Oldsmobile dealer and wanted it for promotional events. Or he may have purchased that one “because it was built the same year as my father (Russell King) was born. I will never know because he had a stroke in 1960 and never drove again.”
King added, “People who remember my father, Russell King, know that he didn’t spend a lot of time on leisure events. He put it away in storage.
“In 1966 I got my driver’s license and thought we should show this car off. I joined the Yankee Yesteryear Car Club and took it to some car shows and drove it in some parades.  I took it to many car shows at the Woodstock Fairgrounds,” King said.
He said: “The last time I had it out was in 2004 when Oldsmobile built its last car. I took some pictures of it next to a 2004 Oldsmobile, one of the last Oldsmobiles we sold.
“This car was built in Lansing and now it is going back home.”

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PSA's Harris
accepts
Howard U
scholarship
The fact that Howard University is an HBCU isn’t the main reason that Bryce Harris committed there this week. But it is a pretty cool reason nonetheless.
Harris, Putnam Science Academy’s 6-foot, 6-inch, 220-pound guard, announced his decision to accept a full basketball scholarship to the Washington, D.C. school this past weekend, and in the process will become the fourth member of his family to attend a historically Black college and university. His father went to North Carolina A&T, while both his cousin and sister attended Hampton University.
“I wanted to add some Bryce to the mix,” he said with a smile.
The biggest thing that led him to Howard was his relationship with head coach Kenneth Blakeney. Harris said Blakeney began recruiting him early when he was a member of the Class of 2020 and kept recruiting him hard when Harris reclassified to the Class of 2021.
“When you have a coach that shows that much effort, it’s going to be a good place to be,” Harris said. “And basketball-wise, I really feel like I’ll fit there. I’m going to be a piece of the puzzle.”
Howard, which plays in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, has had eight games cancelled or postponed due so far to the pandemic, and has dropped four of five games in the disjointed season. The Bison struggled mightily last year, going 4-29.
Recruitment has been a roller coaster for Harris, as it has been for so many in his class. The pandemic shutdown essentially all in-person recruiting – college coaches weren’t allowed to go out and watch kids play (if there even games being played), student-athletes weren’t allowed to visit prospective colleges, and new transfer rules at the college level are leaving fewer open roster spots.
“I’m excited and relieved, probably more relieved than anything,” Harris said. “It’s getting the weight off your shoulders and you can play the game again for the fun of it and just for getting better. You don’t have to worry about what coaches are seeing or not seeing. I think it kind of put me on edge a little. Basketball is easier when you have less to think about. You’re going to make mistakes as a basketball player regardless but you don’t feel like your mistakes are as detrimental to your recruitment.”
With his size and strength, Harris is a mismatch for both smaller guards and bigger post players. He is originally from Brentwood, N.Y. on Long Island, but played his high school ball in North Carolina. Before coming to PSA for his postgrad year, Harris was ranked among the Top 10 players in both states. In two games before the pandemic shut down play here, he averaged nine points and six rebounds.
“He’s a talented player,” PSA coach Tom Espinosa said. “He can do a lot of things at his size that cause problems.”
Said Harris: “One of the Howard coaches actually told me, ‘Other players play like they came in a limo. You play like you took the bus.’ It’s good to be known as a hustle guy, grabbing offensive rebounds, doing the dirty work that is so important. But I can bring more too.”
Harris is the seventh member of this year’s team that has committed to a Division I school, joining Bensley Joseph (University of Miami), Nic Louis-Jacques (Colgate), Sean Durugordon (University of Missouri), Alexis Reyes (East Carolina), Mohamed Sanogo (Florida International), and newcomers Nana Owusu (Brown) and Josh Bascoe (Bucknell).
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy

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caption:

Support
SPIROL raises money for the Northeast Connecticut Cancer Fund of Day Kimball Healthcare. From left: SPIROL Employee Giving Committee member Tara Meinck, Product Sales Engineer, SPIROL International; Day Kimball Healthcare Chief Executive Officer, Kyle Kramer; SPIROL Employee Giving Committee member, Matt Bartlett, Manufacturing Manager, SPIROL International; and Day Kimball Healthcare Director of Development, Kristen Willis. Courtesy photo.




PUTNAM — SPIROL International Corporation of Danielson stepped forward for a second consecutive year to support the Northeast Connecticut Cancer Fund of Day Kimball Healthcare (DKH), by raising over $9,300 for the fund.
In addition to designating the company’s fiscal year 2020 employee giving campaign to the Northeast Connecticut Cancer Fund of DKH, SPIROL’s fund-raising team raised money by hosting various philanthropic initiatives throughout the year.
Despite the cancellation of DKH’s annual NECT Cancer Fund Walk & Race due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SPIROL supported the hard work of its employees by still contributing $5,000 which was earmarked for the event.  
“It is a great testimony of strong support when local businesses choose Day Kimball to be the beneficiary of their annual fund-raising,” said Kyle Kramer, chief executive officer, Day Kimball Healthcare. “Our ability to provide vital resources to our patients in need, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, is in large part due to the generous support of local businesses like SPIROL. We extend heartfelt gratitude for the outpouring of support for local cancer patients shown by the generosity of SPIROL and its employees.”
“The support of our local business community, despite the hardships this year has brought, continues to astound us,” said Kristen Willis, director of Development, Day Kimball Healthcare. “In the face of this global pandemic, SPIROL maintained their goal of raising money for this important cause and generating valuable funds for the NECT Cancer Fund, which plays such a critical role in our community. This donation will help us continue to build upon a long legacy of providing financial assistance to individuals battling cancer in the Northeast Connecticut community.”
“SPIROL and its fund- raising team are happy to have continued our partnership throughout the past year with Day Kimball Hospital and the Northeast Connecticut Cancer Fund,” said Matt Bartlett, manufacturing manager, SPIROL International. “Despite challenges associated with the pandemic we are proud to say that our community continues to step up to assist people in need to make our quiet corner a better place to live. It is always a pleasure working with the Day Kimball team and we look forward to many more years of working together.”
“SPIROL remains a socially responsible organization, focused on giving back to our community,” said Jeff Koehl, chief executive officer, SPIROL International. “We are proud to continue our partnership with the Northeast Connecticut Cancer Fund of DKH, and that partnership would not be possible without the continued support of our incredible SPIROL team members and their personal dedication to their community.”
The SPIROL team has once again pledged to support the Northeast Connecticut Cancer Fund of DKH for the company’s 2021 fiscal year.

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