By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — The rather warm temperatures hardly dampened the enthusiastic record crowds at the 13th annual Fire and Ice Festival.
The event, powered by the Town of Putnam and the Putnam Business Association, included everything from ice carving to the Big Igloo, UConn’s mascot Jonathan, Love Lane exhibit of Putnam student artists, face painting, Yeti on Stilts, DJ’s, games, Mirror Man Entertainer and LED Light Robot on Stilts, a warming block with a heart-shaped fire pit, food, 24 vendors, fire performances, veteran groups and more.
Fire and Ice Chairperson Jennifer Brytowski called the event a “home run.”
She said: “2024 is the new record-breaking year to beat. We showcased 64 ice creations made out of more than 80 300-pound blocks of ice. Twenty blocks were set for artists to create on site and the rest came precarved or created by the ice team over months of planning.”
Brytowski added: “We had the signature fire performances, food trucks and our massive bonfire pit but also added more unique experiences with roaming stilt walkers and magician. We featured a living snow globe, added a couple new dance floors and a curling game. It really brought a new element to the event.”
She noted the cake contest’s 3,782 votes by people’s choice was a record breaker.
She said, “If the highest attendance was projected at 20,000 in the past, there had to have been at least a few thousand more than that easily.” Police Chief Christopher D. Ferace said he didn’t count but it had to be a record as most of the day “people were shoulder to shoulder.”
Asked about possible changes for next year, Brytowski said: “As far as next year goes, there is a lot to discuss. However all the focus is on, and will always be on, making positive improvements to continue to showcase Putnam as the unique visitor destination it proves to be.”
In the ice carving the winners
Amateur: 3rd – Ren Deojay - Bear Hands Brewing Company Block Sponsor; 2nd - Marie Agresta - Congregational Church of Putnam Block Sponsor; 1st - Robert Bates - CT State Community College - Quinebaug Valley. Block Sponsor (dragon). Group: 3rd - Victoria Schroth - Evergreen Farms Block Sponsor; 2nd - Brittni & Simone Germain - NorthStar Home Loans Block Sponsor; 1st - Arrik Kim - Silver Circle Gallery & Sawmill Pottery Block Sponsor. Professional: 3rd - Silvino Quengo - Longmeadow Automotive Block Sponsor; 2nd - Rena Mason - Cargill Chevrolet Block Sponsor; 1st - Phil Mason - ServiceMaster by Mason Block - dinosaur (He won first place last year under the amateur category).
The cake decorating contest, Ooey Gooey Love, was the “sweetest” part of the festival.
Contest organizer, Tayler Sazhin said there were 16 competitors and she was very pleased with it.
Judges’ Choice — Flavor: Professional --- Kat Collin (white three-tier cake with gum paste florals); Novice --- Michelle Bartholic (Muppets Cake).
People’s Choice — Appearance: Professional: Jonathan Salvas — Ooey Gooey caramel and chocolate cake with macaroons and brownies); Novice: Cindy Miller — Willy Wonka Cake.
Brytowski added: “Overall, I feel like the event was a huge success. Families, couples and friends shared moments of laughter and intrigue together on our streets and in our shops and restaurants all day long. For some, we have become their tradition which is something I hold near and dear to my heart.”
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caption, page 1:
An icy interactive portrait at Putnam's Fire & Ice Fest. Expanded photo array Wed. night on FB (Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger). More photos on page 4. Linda Lemmon photo.
captions, clockwise, page 4:
Far left: The Muppet cake - a winner. Left: Hudson Smith with UConn mascot Jonathan
Right: Winner CT State Community College: Quinebaug Valley. Courtesy photo.
Hazel Martinez puts in a people's choice vote while her mom, Marjorie, holds her up. They're from Killingly.
Simone Germain (orange outfit)
Rebecca Patenaude
PSA team
wins New
England
crown
It’s not March yet, but the PSA Prep basketball team won another championship this past weekend.
The Mustangs, who will be looking for their third straight national title and fifth overall next month, were crowned the New England Basketball League Tournament champions Feb. 11 when they knocked off Bradford Christian Academy, 70-61.
“Winning doesn’t get old and we never get used to it,” said coach Tom Espinosa after his team beat Bradford for the third time this season. “We really approached it as a championship game (Sunday) and wanted our guys to have the same mindset we’re going to need in March.”
Ben Ahmed had 10 points and 10 rebounds, Oswin Erhunmwunse had 10 blocks and eight rebounds, and Grant Randall had perhaps his best game of the season, finishing with 12 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. He also drew two charges on the defensive end.
Cris McElveen and Tony Williams both scored a team-high 13 points for PSA (23-10), which advanced to the final with an 84-67 win over Newman School Saturday night. Justin Johnson led the way with 20 points, while Ahmed added 16 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three blocks in the win. Erhunmwunse, meanwhile, finished with 10 points, 14 rebounds, and four blocks.
Ahmed moved closer to multiple big numbers at PSA. He enters Friday’s home game just 112 points shy of 1,000 for his career and 136 short of breaking the program’s single-season record. He also needs only 37 more rebounds to become the school’s all-time record holder in that category, and just 87 more to break the single-season record.
With his 14 blocks in the two games, Erhunmwunse now has 118 in his career and moved into third place on PSA’s all-time list.
PSA, ranked No. 8 in the country, started its week with a 69-55 win Tuesday over South Kent. Ahmed had 14 points and 10 rebounds, Erhunmwunse had four points, 10 rebounds, and nine blocks, and Randall finished with eight points and eight boards.
PSA’s Varsity team went 3-0, knocking off St. Andrews’s (60-47), Fisher College (68-58), and Wilbraham & Monson (77-70). Alvaro Salas recorded a career-high eight points, and Ilan Da Silva-Alp and Shane Sebastian-Smalls led a balanced scoring attack with nine points apiece in the win over St. Andrew’s Wednesday, as 11 different players scored for PSA.
Sebastian-Smalls and Julien Ville both tallied 20 points, and Amyas Hall-Chiari finished with 11 Friday as PSA beat Fisher for the second time this season.
And Hall-Chiari capped off the big week with a team-high 23 points in the big win over Wilbraham Saturday. Ville added 13, Sebastian-Smalls chipped in with 12 points and Da Silva-Alp knocked down three 3-pointers and finished with nine points for PSA (12-9).
The girls’ team won its lone game of the week, 52-33 Monday at Rocky Hill, behind Kate Lipatova’s 10 points and nine rebounds. Alicia Jimenez led PSA with 15 points, while Carlota Lopez finished with nine points, four assists, and three steals. Tati Bell added five points, eight rebounds, and three steals as PSA posted its fourth win in five games.
The boys Elite team split a pair of games, topping South Kent 87-77 Tuesday before falling 76-74 Thursday to Busche Academy.
Octavius Wheeler scored 23 of his 29 points in the first half of the South Kent game, while Jalen Claude knocked down five 3-pointers on his way to 17 points. Sebastian Fermin finished with 16 points, and DJ Germann and Carter Mungin both added 11 for PSA.
Carter Mungin scored 25 points against Busche, Javelle Epps finished with 14 points and Jalen Claude had 10 for PSA (16-6), but PSA had its three-game winning streak snapped.
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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caption, page 2:
The winning team. Photo byTom Netzer.
'Swamped' with Help
The Putnam Fire Department held a boot drive and donation event Feb. 3 to benefit two families who lost everything in two recent fires. The generosity of the community was impressive. Linda Lemmon photo.
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The following charges were listed in the Putnam Police Department logs. The people charged are innocent until proven guilty in court. The Town Crier will publish dispositions of cases at the request of the accused. The dispositions must be accompanied by the proper documentation. The Putnam Police Department confidential Tip Line is 860-963-0000.
Feb. 3
Robin A. Moorhouse, 68, Plum Road, N. Grosvenordale; OUI, improper turn.
Tyronne L. Pierce, 53, Colonel Ledyard Hwy., Ledyard; breach of peace.
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