Bakery on Maple co-owners tie the knot

The way Dave Landi of Bakery on Maple tells it he and Erika Stirk, co-owner, didn’t want to have to deal with all the hoopla associated with a wedding, so when it came time, they just made the decision to do it. They chose the date, Saturday, May 22, and they enlisted Bob and Kevin, of Broadview Manor to help with the ceremony.

“They are great friends and hosted our special evening,” Dave said in an email recounting the event. As witnesses, they chose good friends Carolyn and Eric from Dusty Dude Woodworks.

“Of course, we were running late and still had orders to finish,” he said. “Bell City Diner has a wholesale account with us for cupcakes that go on their giant milkshakes, and they needed more.”

Erika headed home to get ready, while Dave stayed and baked and when the dust settled, they were two hours late for their own ceremony. “I was off to get married in a dirty hooded sweatshirt!” he said. Everything went great, he said, and added, they partied until midnight and then it was home to sleep and back at the bakery at 3 a.m.

They celebrated over Memorial Day by taking a mini-honeymoon in Burlington, Vt. “We truly enjoyed Burlington,” he said. “They have a wonderful spirit of inclusiveness and community with just a hint of New England sass to keep things lively.” One week earlier, Erika and David celebrated the first anniversary in business of Bakery on Maple.

State announces tax rebate for families with children under 18 years

The governor’s office announced that the application period for the 2022 Connecticut Child Tax Rebate is now open. Taxpayers who claimed at least one dependent child under 18 years old on their 2021 federal income tax may be eligible for a $250 rebate for up to three children, but they will have to apply before July 31 with the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services. For those families who qualify, the rebates will be available in late August.

The following income guidelines must be met: single or married filing separately with an income of $100,000 or less; head of household with an income of $160,000 or less; married filing jointly with an income of $200,000 or less. Those who have higher income rates may be eligible to receive a reduced rebate based on their income.

To apply, visit portal.ct.gov/DRS and click “2022 CT Child Tax Rebate” icon.

The rebates were included in this year’s budget, which Gov. Ned Lamont signed recently.

Pride celebrations

A number of organizations are celebrating Pride month in Bristol. They include the following:

Bristol Health Diversity Committee members, leadership, medical staff and employees; City of Bristol Mayor Jeff Caggiano; LGBTQ+ community members and LGBTQ+ supporters.

WHEN: Tuesday, June 7 at 12pm

• Bristol Health will recognize and celebrate Pride Month with the raising of the Pride Flag outside of Bristol Hospital on Tuesday, June 7 at 12 p.m.. The flag will remain up throughout the month of June.
• Bristol Blues versus Valley Blue Sox, for the second annual Pride Night celebration at Muzzy Field, June 14. Gates open at 5 p.m.
• PRIDE 4 ALL celebration at the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, 851 Stafford Ave., Saturday, June 14 from 7 to 9 p.m.

Bristol Parks & Rec a finalist in national parks competition

The City of Bristol’s Department of Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services (BPRYCS) is a finalist for the 2022 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management, the nation’s highest honor for park and recreation agencies.

The honor was announced jointly by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AARPA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) earlier in the week.

BPRYCS joins three other finalists in their class to compete for Grand Plaque Award honor: Hoffman Estates Park District, Hoffman Estates, Ill., Park District of Oak Park, Oak Park, IL, and Waukesha Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department, Waukesha, Wis.

The winner will be announced in September at the 2022 NRPA Annual Conference in Phoenix, Ariz.

Sklenka resigns

John Sklenka, who was elected to the Bristol Board of Education in November, resigned suddenly this week from his position on the board. The mayor and city council have 35 days to confirm a replacement as per the city charter. The replacement will serve out the remainder of Sklenka’s term. The mayor said he will consult with board chair Jen Dube before naming a replacement.

Bristol Sports Hall of Fame hosted ’60’s Reunion Night Wednesday

The night featured memories shared by Gary Palladino and Bart Beardsley from BEHS, Mike Giovinazzo and Greg Ziogas from BCHS, and Tony Carrier from BCHS and St. Anthony. A crowd of about sixty people were entertained with some great stories of ”the old days,” and many in the audience chipped in with a tale or two of their own.