Stuffed Pumpkin Recipe - Pumpkins Aren't Just for Carving!
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Fall 2021 October 27 Volume 25 Issue #4
6 Stuffed Pumpkin Recipe
Pumpkins Aren’t Just for Carving!
DIY Fall Leaves Tealight Holder
12 A Beautiful Autumn Craft for Under $10!
How Do You Decorate for Halloween?
18 Ways to Show Your Spooky Spirit This Season!
om The Current Staff! 1
Origins of Halloween - 4 De-Stressing this Semester - 22 Puzzles for a Rainy Day - 42
Do you know how it all started? 5 Ways on How to Relax Mid-Semester! Can YOU find All of the Words?
Editor Can YOU Find Your Way Out?
Stuffed Pumpkin - 6 The #1 Priority in All Education - 23
Pumpkins Aren’t Just for Carving! Let Your School Help You!
Managing Editor Ghost Pepper Brownies - 7 President Biden Promotes Human
You Can Feel the Halloween Spirit, LITERALLY! Rights - 26
The “Build Back Better” Program
Roasty-Toasty Pumpkin Seeds - 8
Staff Perfectly Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipe for You!
The Current is the official
Homemade Chocolate Candy - 10 student publication of Three
Bringing That Great Taste of Chocolate into Your
Home! Opportunities at Mystic Aquarium - 28 Rivers Community College.
Getting Involved with Volunteering and Marine Life.
DIY Fall Leaves Tealight Holder - 12 The Current is written, edited,
A Beautiful Autumn Craft for Under $10! Preserving A Piece of Connecticut
Advisor History - 32 and designed solely by stu-
The Current Staff’s Favorite Fall Connecticut Preserves Historic Plot of Land.
dents.
Activities - 14
Get to Know Us Better with Our Favorite Fall Activites! Experience the Arts at the Garde - 34
Garde Arts Center is Back!
If you would like to
TRCC’s Favorite Candies - 16
What Gives TRCC the Biggest Sweet Tooth? contribute to The Current,
email submissions, responses
Visit us! How Do You Decorate for That 90’s Show - 36 and ideas to:
The Second Official Spin-Off is Announced!
Halloween? - 18
Ways to Show Your Spooky Spirit this Season!
Midnight Mass Review - 38 trccnewspaper@gmail.com
Have Faith in this New Netflix Series.
or
Back 4 Blood Review- 40 kamenta@threerivers.edu
Left 4 Dead’s Successor.
Origins of
Every culture celebrates what we call Hallow- Halloween
een, in some fashion. Do you ever wonder Do You Know How it All Started?
where it all started? All stories must begin
somewhere. Written by Sabrina Tyree
The church tried to use Christianity to convert Trick-or-treating allows people, especially
Most historians and scholars believe that Hal- and change these pagan Celtic rituals into the kids, to dress up in whatever they can imagine
loween originated from the Celtic, Festival holidays we know today. and go door to door with friends to get some
of Samhain. Samhain goes back thousands of sweet treats. This tradition is still huge today.
years and is the Celtics New years celebration. Ciallela stated, “Halloween is one of the most
Where the name means “summer’s end,” it interesting in it’s bringing together the harvest The fun doesn’t end at trick-or-treating as a
also marks the close of the harvest season and festivals and darker rituals.” kid. As one grows up, they still get to dress
the upcoming winter. up to attend parties and watch scary movies as
This is a time where it is believed that the veil Some of the Celts also believed that, in the pres- part of their new traditions.
between the world of the living and the dead ence of otherworldly spirits, crops were dam-
was at its thinnest, and some even believe aged, but the Druids had the best connection to Trick-or-treating has spin offs of its own.
broken. During this time, the dead would the world at this time. Druids would build large Around the same time in England, they
have the ability to walk among us once again. bonfires to gather and burn the crops and sacri- would have All Souls’ Day and host parades.
ficed animals in hopes to please the Celtic dei- At these parades, beggars would beg for food
Erica Ciallela, a curatorial fellow at the Mor- ties. Costumes were worn, typically resembling for their families and people would give them
gan Library and Museum finds this topic very animals with animal heads and skins. soul cakes. They were only given soul cakes if
interesting. they had promised to pray for the dead rela-
When Halloween finally came to America, tives in their family.
“It’s all based off pagan rituals but it’s inter- it was vastly popular in the states that have a
esting how we have taken pieces of each to strong Protestant belief system. However, with This tradition took the place of leaving food
create what we know today, like pumpkins time, the American Halloween started to form and wine for spirits that we still roaming the
were used to ward off evil and now we have as we has many Native American cultures that earth. It was highly encouraged by the church
pumpkin carving contests. Also, that dressing were now tying into the holiday. This created a to hand out soul cakes to those who needed
up now comes from trying to hide from evil whole new take on the once pagan celebration. them.
spirits crossing over,” Ciallela mentioned.
Beginning late in the 1800s, there was a huge Many of the ancient rituals and traditions
movement to take the pagan holiday that was have changed, but the origins stay the same.
currently about ghosts and witchcraft and turn All stories have a truth to them, or do they?
it into a family and community friendly holiday.
Trick-or-treating was a huge success.
4 Happy Halloween from The Current Staff! 5
Ghost Pepper
Stuffed Pumkpin Brownies
Pumpkins Aren’t Just for Carving! You Can Feel the Halloween Spirit, LITERALLY!
Written by Nick Niedojadlo Written by Philip Jason Avisan
Ingredients Directions
This hearty meal is perfect for a cold autumn day, Steps:
matching the season and atmosphere. You can • 4 eggs 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Set
cook as many of these pumpkins as you’d like, just 1. Remove the top of the pumpkin and make sure • 1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder aside a 9x13-inch baking dish (or two bread loaf
increase the recipe accordingly. You even get seeds to clean out the seeds and the pulp. Make sure • 1 teaspoon salt pans or an 8-inch baking dish, see headnote)
for a perfect tasty treat. to save all of your pumpkin seeds so you can • 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional) that has been lined with foil.
try out the roasted pumpkin seed recipe also • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Ingredients: found in this issue! (Page 8) • 1 teaspoon baking powder 2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs,
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract cocoa, salt, espresso powder, cinnamon, baking
• 1 Small Pumpkin
2. Peel and dice your potatoes, and then boil them • 1 cup unsalted butter powder, and vanilla extract until smooth. If you
• 4 Large Potatoes
in a pot of water. • 2 1/4 cups sugar use a whisk, it will become stuck.
• ½ Medium Onion
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 lb Hamburger
3. Next, you want to brown the hamburger meat • 2 cups dark chocolate chips 3. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat,
• 2 tsp. Poultry Seasoning
and the onions together. • 1 to 2 pinches dried ghost pepper chili , then stir in the sugar. Don't use a whisk this
• Salt and pepper to taste
ground to a powder in an electric spice mill or time.
4. Now you want to mix your hamburger, onions, mortar and pestle.
Recipe takes approximately 1½ hours.
and potatoes together and add your seasonings. 4. Stir in the heated butter/sugar mixture until the
egg/cocoa mixture is smooth.
5. Fill up the cavity of the pumpkin that you cre-
ated and place the top back on. 5. Stir in the flour and chips until they are com-
pletely smooth. Allow the batter to cool some-
6. Using some sort of sheet to hold the pump- what before adding in the chocolate chips if you
kin, place it into the oven and bake at 350° want the chips to stay more intact. Pour the bat-
until golden brown and a knife inserts into the ter into the pan after adding two large pinches
pumpkin easily. of ground ghost pepper chile. Alternately, half
your quantity and adjust your chili powder
7. Scoop the meat, potatoes and squash out of the quantities appropriately (see headnote).
pumpkin and place on a separate dish to serve.
6. Depending on how hot your oven runs, bake
for 30 to 50 minutes. Brownie should appear set
rather than runny, although it should leave goo
Stuffed Pumpkin Closeup on a tester or knife. Before removing the foil
Ghost Pepper Brownies on top of of Ghost Peppers
and slicing, let the cake cool fully in the pan.
6 Happy Halloween from The Current Staff! 7
Roasty-Toasty Pumpkin Seeds
Perfectly Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipe for You!
Written by Lauren Susi
You carved your pumpkin but now you are left Steps 5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line pan with Now curl up with a spooky halloween movie and
with a pile of pumpkin guts and seeds- YUCK! aluminum foil. enjoy your perfectly roasted pumpkin seeds!
1. Separate seeds from pumpkin guts. Place
But all those seeds can be made into a delicious seeds into separate bowl. 6. Place seeds on tin foil and add olive oil to Roasted seeds are also good as a garnish on soup,
snack to enjoy this spooky season. Here is a great prevent sticking. Season seeds to your liking salad, or oatmeal!
roasted pumpkin seed recipe to fill your hungry 2. Fill pot halfway with water and add salt to (I used salt, cheyenne, and paprika for a little
tummy. water (this will be used to clean the seeds). bit of spice). Mix seasoning and oil into seeds
and spread seeds evenly across pan.
Prep Time: 30 minutes 3. Bring salt water to boil and add seeds and
Cook Time: 10-25 minutes stir. Turn down water to low and simmer 7. Cook seeds in oven for 10-25min. Mix half
Supplies: a big bowl, a large pan, tin foil, towl, a seeds for 5mins. way through cooking. Seeds will be done
pot, 2 towels, silicon spatula, colander, olive oil (or with you can smell them and they start to
nut oil of choice), salt, cheyenne, and paprika. 4. Drain seeds and water into colander. Then, turn more golden.
place seeds onto towel to dry and place Let seeds cool
another towel over the top. Let dry for about
10min or until seeds are nearly dry. Make
sure any pumpkin strings are removed.
Finished Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Recipe inspired by Adam and Joanne from
Pumpkins Pumpkin seeds on towel Pumpkin seeds in pan inspiredtaste.net
8 Happy Halloween from The Current Staff! 9
Homemade Chocolate Candy
Bringing That Great Taste of Chocolate into Your Home!
Written by Adam Browne
The holiday season is finally upon us once again. How to make halloween homemade chocolate
As always, that means we start off with Hallow- candy:
een on October 31st. What makes this holiday 1. Pour at least 2 ½ inches of water into the
so enjoyable is both the horror movies and the frying pan.
candy. 2. Turn on the stove putting it on 275 degrees.
3. Pour ½ pound of chocolate in each jar to
To me though, it is the deeper meaning of Hal- start.
loween, and how it came to be the way it is 4. Constantly check to see if it is beginning to
today. The origin of Halloween, or the first ever melt. If it is, you need to stir it in order to
practices of Halloween, mostly come from Celtic get all the lumps of chocolate remaining to
Finished Candy
paganism in the British Isles. It revolves around melt.
their feast of Samhain in the new year. They What you will need for this recipe: 5. Once chocolate has become creamy, spoon
believed it was the time when ghosts and spirits • Electric frying pan chocolate into the shaped candy mold
came out to haunt, and the Celts would appease • Wide mouth canning jars - 16 ounce trays.
the spirits by giving them treats. • Merckens chocolate (Milk Chocolate, Dark 6. When the molds of chocolate are ready.
Chocolate White Chocolate etc..) Evenly, place chocolate by picking it up
While it may be the one holiday the dentist for- • Candy molds for occasion about one inch and gently dropping it on a
gives us for craving candy, Halloween is fun for • Wax paper hard surface or countertop.
everyone. Whether, you're a parent or just enjoy • Containers 7. Put the molds in the freezer and make sure
handing out candy to trick or treaters. This holi- • Freezer should have level spots to place the the mold is leveled; it is leveled it won’t
day always has a kick in it through the enjoyabil- molds spill out chocolate.
ity of great horror stories or movies that go good 8. Take the mold trays out of the freezer after
with any candy. Here is just one tradition from 10 minutes. Unless chocolate isn’t finished
this great holiday we know called Halloween. becoming hard.
It is a family recipe that has been passed down 9. Once it is hard enough to take out com-
through many generations. A perfect recipe for pletely from the mold trays. Place this mold
that chocolate candy lover. Hope you all have a of chocolate down onto a piece of Wax
great halloween. Paper.
10. Finally, layer the wax paper in a contain- Keith Browne Stirring Chocolate
er and place the pieces of chocolate in the
container, making sure they do not touch
each other.
10 Happy Halloween from The Current Staff! 11
DIY Fall Leaves Tealight Holder
Written by Lauren Susi
A Beautiful Autumn Craft for Under $10!
Final Tealight Holder
12 Happy Halloween from The Current Staff! 13
The Current Staff’s Favorite Fall Activities
Get to Know Us Better with Our Favorite Fall Activites!
We are all FALL-ing for the Autumn season! We’d like to share Written by Lauren Susi
some of our favorite fall activities with all of our readers.
“Trick or treating with my “My favorite thing “My Favorite fall tradition is
older brother and cousins about fall is that transi- Apple picking. I love to choose
back in New York. My tion from warm to cool the best ones I can find. I like
favorite fall tradition is outside. I get to enjoy to bake, so I try to make one
spending time with fami- having the windows new recipe a year. Last year
ly. Growing up we woke open again before it’s was classic apple crisp, and
up around 6am to get too chilly, and just relax maybe this year I’ll get around
with family to make home with a warm drink.” to making an apple pie! The
made chocolate for Hal- trick to getting good apples to
loween and raviolis for bake with is going early in the
Thanksgiving.” season, so all the good ones are
still on the trees.”
Adam Browne Nick Niedojadlo Kaycee Gagnier
“I spend the fall going for “I think my favorite “I’m not very original with my
nature hikes, preferably fall activity is going traditions each fall, but I love going
at Bluff Point and going to all the fall fairs to Clyde’s Cider Mill each year. I
to the Annual Preston going on around go with my friends and family to
Farms Corn Maze!!! Most the state and biking get cider doughnuts and hot cider.
importantly, it is not fall through the parks. It is such a quintessential fall set-
without watching my You get to see all the ting among the trees and drinking
49ers football games!” fall leaves on your hot cider in the cool air. But by far,
ride and it’s so relax- I just LOVE their doughnuts! I just
ing.” can’t get enough of them! It just
doesn’t feel like fall till I go and get
them.”
Sabrina Tyree Philip Jason Avisan Lauren Susi
14 Happy Halloween from The Current Staff! 15
TRCC’s Favorite Candies
What Gives TRCC the Biggest Sweet Tooth?
Written by Kaycee Gagnier
Luckily for our voters who love Kit Kat, they’ll
As the Halloween season quickly approaches, be almost guaranteed a piece this Halloween…
our sweet tooth comes out of hiding. But there an average of 172,663 pounds of Kit kat candy
are so many choices of which candy to pick! is sold during the Halloween season, making
It’s so difficult to choose what satisfies the them also the 18th most popular candy!
candy craving. Candy companies prep for this,
and begin to sell their halloween candies early, Don’t worry Reese’s fans, you might not be #1
stocking the shelves… Halloween candy sales in the heart of Three Rivers, but in the heart of
earn about 2 billion a year! America, Reese’s is the number 1 candy sold!
The Current released a Poll, asking students, The third place winner in the Halloween candy
staff, and faculty, what is their favorite Hallow- poll was a tie, between candy corn and Butter-
een candy. The results were overwhelmingly fingers, both sitting behind 8% of voters.
diverse, splitting 47 answers between 18 differ- Candy corn, a Halloween classic, sells about
ent types of candies. 35 million pounds at Halloween time a year.
That’s a lot of candy corn! It’s doubtful that fans
The winner, by a narrow success, was the are going to miss out on their favorites.
classic KitKat candy, winning 24% of voters. In
second place was Reese’s, at 20%. Remember, stay safe during Halloween and
have fun! Be sure to treat yourself to your
Surprisingly, there weren’t any votes for Al- favorite candy too, whether it be Almond Joy,
mond Joy, which was recorded as Connecti- KitKats, Reese’s, or any other candy!
cut’s favorite candy by the Norwich Bulletin,
since it was created in West Haven, Connecti-
cut in 1946.
Poll Results Pie Chart
16 Happy Halloween from The Current Staff! 17
TI
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How do You Decorate for Halloween? UT
IO
Ways to Show Your Spooky Spirit this Season! N
Written by Sabrina Tyree -D
O
Do you have trouble trying to
figure out how to decorate your
home this Halloween for you
local trick-or-treaters?
There are many different ideas
that might come to your mind,
but bigger is not always better.
Creating a Halloween display
creates more of an impact than
you would get by creating a
wall of inflatables that have
Decorated House Photo by Sabrina Tyree nothing to do with one another.
Decorated House Photo by Sabrina Tyree
Each house has its own person-
ality and here are some ideas
your neighbors have created.
Decorated House Photo by Kevin Amenta Decorated House Photo by Sabrina Tyree
18 Happy Halloween from The Current Staff! 19PA
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O NUTI
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A S UTI
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PAS
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Decorated House PhotoN
by Sabrina Tyree Decorated House Photo by Sabrina Tyree
D O
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S S
PA
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N
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AUDecorated House Photo by Sabrina Tyree Decorated House Photo by Sabrina Tyree Decorated House Photo by Kevin Amenta
20 Happy Halloween from The Current Staff! 21De-Stressing this Semester The #1 Priority in All Education
5 Ways on How to Relax Mid-Semester! Let Your School Help You!
Written by Adam Browne
Written by Kaycee Gagnier
Midterms may have just passed, but that doesn’t 4. Enjoy a warm drink and snack There comes a time where all students must This particular nationwide program was built
mean the workload stops. Now, it feels like it’s Especially with the cold weather sinking feel accepted. It is one of the key reasons why from the ground up designed to help schools
all about preparing for finals and, for some, get- in, a warm cup of tea and a pastry could students want to embrace taking classes on a evaluate and strengthen these three areas
ting ready to graduate and maybe continue their be what you need to calm you down. Try college campus. To feel as though they fit in students suffer: their mental health, substance
education. All of this school stress, including to avoid drinks that have caffeine in it, during that hour or two hour lecturing class. misuse, and suicide. Through the years the JED
the pandemic, is beginning to become a recipe because it might not calm you down in the Through each moment, finding acceptance in Foundation has improved each area of pre-
for disaster if you don’t have a good outlet for way you want. school peers who they look to at times of hard- vention programs within College level school
stress. Here are some ways you can easily de- ship and positivity. When making friends in systems. The newly elected CSCU President,
stress and relax before jumping into a pile of 5. Listen to your body!
school, it gives an outlet to those who may be Terrance Cheng, spoke on this new partner-
homework: It’s important to listen to yourself and
suffering from substance abuse, depression to ship. “CSCU is excited about this partnership
when it’s time to take a break. Pushing
1. Nap yourself to finish an assignment early isn’t the brink of suicide, and their own demons. It that will allow us to build upon CSCU’s exist-
Sometimes, all you need to do is just take going to get you your best work. Mental gives them a sense of hope that even though ing student mental health support systems and
a breather… by dreaming. Taking a quick health is important too! at that moment life is hard, it may get better implement enhancements.”
power nap to clear your head and return through each moment they don’t give up in
back to work with a fresh mind is all you It’s also OK to talk to someone if you’re stressed. life. This program may come with pros and cons to
need! Three Rivers provides a list of community re- it. The Pros being that school systems will pay
sources for anyone to use if they might need any Recently, college level schools in Connecticut close attention to bringing awareness to these
2. Exercise help. You can check out the Three Rivers website have started to take notice of these problemat- three issues. The other pro being now that this
Now, this one might not be for everyone. for more, or scan the QR code to be taken to the ic issues. CSCU school systems are no longer system is making Mental Health more of a pri-
But, maybe you should give it a try! Light Community Resources page. turning a blind eye on students, who may suf- ority. The better schools from here on out will
exercise is an easy way to blow off some
fer from these types of problems. Instead, they be able to understand and assess these situa-
steam. If you aren’t all too interested in
are starting to help try to understand ways on tions. The Cons being for instance, if a student
lifting weights, a quick 30 minute walk
can do just the trick! how to prevent them. Well, CSCU has begun acts out in an abnormal way, they could be
furthering its support of student well-being labeled as having mental health issues.
3. Listening to Music and mental health by joining the JED Campus.
Maybe studying in silence isn’t for you. The JED Campus is a nationwide program
Listening to some happy music might be of The Jed Foundation, “the nation’s leading
enough to calm you down and get you organization dedicated to young adults mental
back in the groove of things! health” (JED).
22 Happy Halloween from The Current Staff! 23Now, with the addition of the JED Founda- Let TRCC Help
tion aligned with Fresh Check Day, moder-
ators of these events will be able to use JED’s
evidence-based Comprehensive Approach to
You!
Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Preven-
tion framework. Each institution will assess
available mental health resources, then admin- We are here for you!
In the past there have been occurrences where This year’s Fresh Check Day at Three Rivers ister and implement the Healthy Minds Sur- Visit or Call today!
a student gets placed in special education if Community College happened on October vey to hear directly from students. The survey
they were abnormally acting. Though, with 14,2021. Fresh Check Day aims to soon create measures students’ attitudes, behaviors and
awareness on emotional well-being and sub-
every con comes a pro. The pro being, no one an approach to these mental health issues.
stance use issues. The CSCU school system will
National Suicide Prevention
student is singled out. Instead, we as students Then, a knowledgeable host of these events
are more combined in a feeling of belonging provides a hopeful atmosphere. An atmo- then prioritize, plan and implement a custom- Lifeline
on campus and off campus. Thus, in the end sphere where students are encouraged to en- ized approach to strengthen current policies,
helping to manifest a better peer system and gage in dialogue about mental health. Through programs and systems. After all, the main
self esteem. A student who feels as though years of practice, Fresh Check Day has proven purpose is to increase protective factors and
decrease risk factors for mental health issues
Visit: ulifeline.org/trcc
they belong on campus, is more able to suc- itself worthy. This single day helps colleges in
ceed in class. the CSCU system to build a bridge between and suicide. or
“JED Campus helps schools by working with
students and the mental health resources avail-
Yet this doesn’t solve what happens outside
Call: 800-273-8255
able on campus; the level of outreach extends
them to survey everything their college or towards the community and nationally. of this state. This same system created by JED
university is doing to support their students’ Foundation and partnered with CSCU could
emotional health and find practical ways to benefit out of state colleges. To become more We are here for our veterans
augment these efforts in a comprehensive aware of this newly formed partnership make too!
way. We believe that the implementation of a sure to pay close attention to on school campus
campus-wide approach to mental health will mental health events.
lead to safer, healthier communities, and likely
greater student retention,” responded the CEO If you are a student who may suffer from men- Call: 800-273-8255
of JED John MacPhee when questioned further tal health,substance abuse or momentarily Press 1 for Veterans Crisis Line
on the partnership. It is important to bring suicide thoughts. Please don’t hesitate to reach
awareness to a special event that happens out to a friend, family member or college facul- Or
ty member. We are all in this together.
every October here on campus. It is called the Visit: VeteransCrisisLine.net
Fresh Check Day, in fact Fresh Check Day
takes place on most of CSCU school grounds.
Sad Student Photo by Kaycee Gagnier
24 Happy Halloween from The Current Staff! 25President Biden Promotes Human Rights
The “Build Back Better” Program
Written by Philip Jason Avisan
Speaking about his $3.5 trillion “Build Back Better” Biden’s half-hour visit to the Capitol Child Devel- He then stated that, while the $3.5 trillion package
program of social and environmental investment opment Center in Hartford, behind tight security, may not be fully executed in Congress, a signifi-
at a Hartford child care facility, he said “the world was intended to showcase the vast plan’s cen- cant portion of it is likely to be adopted — and the
is watching” as the plan teeters in Congress. The terpiece: child care. With a handful of protesters nation’s wealthiest will have to contribute more.
president also raged against authoritarian excesses shouting epithets a block away, Biden said the
and the development of anti-democratic thinking, United States is falling far behind other developed “Name me a single time in American history when
both at home and abroad, as he helped re-dedicate countries and risks losing its competitive edge the middle class was doing well and the wealthy
UConn’s Dodd Center for Human Rights in Storrs. unless more investments are made in preschool weren’t doing very, very well,” Biden said.
President Joe Biden photo by Peter Morenus
programs and other key components of his propos-
It was a four-hour fast-paced triangular itinerary al, such as expanded broadband internet. “Pay your fair share,” Biden said quietly to the The plan would prolong the $300-per-month child
that began with an Air Force One arrival at the Air Biden first paid his respects to the state’s solidly 60 or so people crammed into a small classroom, tax credit, which is scheduled to expire in Decem-
National Guard installation at Bradley Internation- Democratic congressional delegation, as well as to including TV crews. “By the way, a lot of Fortune ber, provide universal pre-kindergarten, subsidize
al Airport, followed by helicopter rides to Hart- Gov. Ned Lamont, Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, 500 businesses have come to me and said, ‘you’re child care for low-income families, and add federal
ford, Storrs, and back to Bradley. Along the way, and Barbara Jo Warner, executive director of the right, we can pay greater taxes,’ because they real- paid family and medical leave, which Connecticut
Obama visited a playground with preschoolers development center, which was established by the ize the implications.” Working people understand. implemented two years ago.
and paid tribute to his old Senate chum, a now- General Assembly in 1988 for the children of legis- That is why, despite the attacks and falsehoods, my
white-bearded Chris Dodd, and Gov. Ned Lam- lative employees and is partially subsidized by the approach continues to have overwhelming public Among several aspects of the president’s proposal,
ont, a fellow Democrat who was among the first to state. support.” Biden emphasized that families earning up to 150
promote his candidacy. percent of the statewide median income will spend
The $3.5 trillion bill, also known as the human in- no more than 7% of their wages for child care -
frastructure plan, has little Republican support and a savings for the vast majority of families with
must be trimmed since a few Democrats feel it’s preschool children. On Friday, no specifics were
too huge and their votes are needed. This disagree- provided.
ment is preventing the passage of a bipartisan,
$1.1 trillion package for traditional infrastructure, Republicans argue that the ambitious idea, when
which would bring $5.3 billion to Connecticut. paired with Biden’s efforts to address climate
According to Biden, the time is critical. change driven by greenhouse gas emissions, is too
costly and would increase the nation’s debt, creat-
“The world is watching,” he said. “Autocrats be- ing inflation. In January, the news site ProPublica
lieve that the world is evolving so swiftly that reported the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s
democracies cannot produce consensus quickly assessment that the nation’s deficit rose by $7.8
President Joe Biden speaks during the dedication ceremony of The Dodd Center for Human Rights at the University of Connecticut main enough to get things done.” trillion under President Donald Trump.
campus in Storrs on Oct. 15, 2021. (Peter Morenus_UConn Photo).
26 Happy Halloween from The Current Staff! 27Opportunities at Mystic Aquarium
Getting Involved with Volunteering and Marine Life Written by Nick Niedojadlo
Photos Provided by Mystic Aquarium
There are always opportunities around us to get With a plethora of different options, it can be hard is forty and female who has been with us almost
involved in something we care about, and one of to focus on one aspect of what the aquarium offers. her whole life since the 80’s, and Natasha who is
those things for some may be the ocean and marine Thankfully, Senior Trainer of Marine Mammals also forty and female who has been here a couple
life within it. Our ocean is one of the most import- Kathryn Justice, was able to share her experience times before but officially moved in from SeaWorld
ant things on this planet, and in that respect it is working with the beluga whales of Mystic Aquar- San Antonio in 2019. There are also four more from
also important to know how to get involved and ium. Justice’s interest in this field of work started Canada that we recently received who current-
support it, and Mystic Aquarium has plenty to from a young age. ly have no name, all females around six to seven
offer when it comes to volunteering and learning years old.”
about work with the ocean and marine life. “I grew up in Chicago, forty-five minutes from an
aquarium there with a great beluga population. I
Kendall Rabeneck, Mystic Aquarium’s Commu- had family who were members at this aquarium,
nications Manager, gave an overview of what the and I loved watching the belugas all day, they had
aquarium has to offer. “We have volunteering for to tear me away from the glass or I’d just continue
any age between teens and retirees through many watching,” she said. “I later went on to Michigan
different forms. This includes working with ani- Mystic Aquarium Beluga State College to get a bachelors in zoology, which
mals directly, stationed at exhibits to talk about our the college had a big and really great program, and
animals, to more technical stuff like water quality Mystic Aquarium also offers educational programs I had concentration in on zoo and aquarium sci-
and behind the scenes work you wouldn’t normal- for multiple ages. Rabeneck said that “we’re actual- ence, but really honed in on the aquarium aspect.”
ly see on a day-to-day basis,” Rabeneck said. ly the only aquarium with a pre-school, which we
call Sea-School, where kids can learn about animals Justice eventually moved to Connecticut in 2011
Rabeneck also shared that “we actually just through there.” As far as other programs, Mystic to begin her whale internship at Mystic Aquari-
wrapped up first responders training which in- Aquarium currently is offering less as not all have um, and in 2012 moved on to become a full staff
cluded people from Rhode Island, Connecticut and returned because of Covid-19. member. “It’s kind of hard to put a whole synopsis
Fisher’s Island. When they get a hotline call, they together on what I do for my job,” she said.
go to the area to watch the animal from a distance “We had summer camps over the summer and
and keep the aquarium updated on what’s happen- high school interns which our new sessions are “I come in six to eleven-thirty in the morning and
ing.” about to launch soon. Those internships allow stu- do exhibit maintenance, getting the animal’s exhib- Mystic Aquarium Penguin
dents to come before or after classes to help out,” its ready for the day, nice and clean. Around eight
Rabeneck said. “We also have college or collegiate to nine we start training sessions with our new
level internships. Those can involve trainers, ani- whales from Marineland in Canada,” Justice said.
mal caretakers, research interns, and even vets if “We have three big whales; Juno who is male and
they have the right experience.” nineteen years old weighing around 2400 lbs, Kela
28 Happy Halloween from The Current Staff! 29Justice also spoke on what skills she has gained
from working with the beluga whales. “You learn
a lot about yourself when you interact with these
animals. You learn to adapt efficiently to different
scenarios and learn to read their behavior, as they
are wild animals. I’ve also learned time manage-
ment and adaptation skills through this position, as
well as what threats are threatening the belugas.”
For anyone seeking advice on how to get involved
with the field, or how to handle the beluga whale
program specifically, Justice said you should “keep
being dedicated and working hard. It can be really
hard to get into the field, but stay patient and flex-
ible while getting all the experience you can.” For
Mystic Aquarium specifically, Justice said that “we
offer internships and volunteer work with belugas,
as well as the seals and sea lions. Just get a foot
in the door even if it is unpaid, I was passionate
about it and never gave up even though it sounds
corny...I kept coming back until they hired me.”
Kendall Rabeneck also had some words of advice
on those interested in this line of work. “Everyone
has some level of connection to the environment,
and it’s never a bad time to get involved. Helping
with cleanup, making the beaches more beautiful
Mystic Aquarium Seal and coming to the aquarium to support conserva-
tion. If you want to get more heavily involved than
In terms of what Justice enjoys most about the start with something small. Volunteer once a week
job, she said that “building relationships with the and if you want to invest more, speak with other
animals is what’s most rewarding. It’s important volunteers and staff to find more avenues.”
to have these individual relationships with them
when we train them, we actually don’t allow any- If you’re looking to get involved, Rabeneck shares
one to train with them if they haven’t built one that the easiest way is to “go to our website under
up.” Justice continued, saying that they “are a great employment and find the volunteer tab to sign up.
part of public interaction. Not so much right now Fill out our application, send it in, and someone in
due to Covid, but it’s really great to interact with charge will contact you. With many different op-
them during presentations with people who’ve portunities here to volunteer, it gives you a chance
never seen a beluga before… being able to talk and to feel out a possible career if you enjoy certain
educate them on why these whales are special.” parts of the industry.”
30 Happy Halloween from The Current Staff! 31Preserving A Piece of Connecticut History
Connecticut Preserves Historic Plot of Land
“I have a dream that one day...” Written by Adam Browne
Who would have thought these fateful words some may be wondering if it is land that is histor- words in the letter would soon be followed up by
would be the start and end to Martin Luther King ic, why is only two acres being kept for history’s this very powerful statement. “After we passed
Jr. A day that would forever shape and shake the sake? Washington there was no discrimination at all. The
Martin Luther King Jr Monument in
Washington D.C. foundations of our very nation. The fact is it still white people here are very nice. We go to any place
remains as true today as it did when it was first The Trust for Public Land and the town of Sims- we want to and sit anywhere we want to.” To un-
heard. Through the hardship of the pandemic, we bury responded with, “the property, in addition derstand where he was coming from and to be able
sometimes forget to treat each other as friends. to the experiences that occurred there, offers to say this, it shows the progression in racial lines
We soon realize that if we look around every- important connections to Civil Rights history in and treatment of others. It shows the separation
one is equal and deserving of the same respect. Connecticut.” So not just those two acres but as a of blurred lines that had portrayed the north and
As history repeats itself around the nation, it whole Simsbury will be finally represented proud- south United States in history textbooks.
is finally good to see some of our history being ly. Just how much of a bright future will this new
preserved. preserved land have? What began as a citizen’s With the protection from the state, Meadowood
petition on the internet, will soon become reality. can now be part of the Connecticut Freedom Trail,
A plot of land in Simsbury, CT was once a thriv- Simsbury citizen voters in May overwhelmingly which is a series of sites that “celebrate the accom-
ing tobacco farm where Martin Luther King Jr. authorized an estimated $2.5 million to purchase plishments of the state’s African American com-
worked as a college student in the 1940s. How- the property, and the help of preservation didn’t munity and promote heritage tourism,” according
ever, today it is being protected for its historic stop there. to The Trust for Public Land and the city of Sims-
and cultural significance to the state’s civil rights bury. Through recent months other unforgettable
history. Who would have thought Martin Lu- Various state agencies, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife historic landmarks of the United States have been
ther King studied in college here in Connecticut. Service, the George Dudley Seymour Trust, indi- discredited. They have been uncredited because of
Though, that is only the tipping point of this viduals and other foundations have provided an the history lessons that may be thrown off. It is for
preserved land. Last month’s finalized sale of the additional $4 million in funding for the site. An once good to see that the lands are being preserved
288-acre parcel of land was announced Friday interesting fact that ties Martin Luther King Jr to for the greatness they once had. The credit that is
October 8th. The nonprofit Trust for Public Land this preserved land. King was among a group of due to them will soon come. It is clear that perhaps
and the town of Simsbury held a ribbon-cutting students from Atlanta’s prestigious Morehouse those historic times keep getting repeated in some
ceremony on Oct. 16 for the Meadowood site. College who were recruited by tobacco growers shape or fashion. It is because we as people are al-
in Connecticut to work in the fields so they could ways looking for answers of the past. When we do
In the near future, nearly 130 acres of the land earn money for tuition. In the days of going to find them, we get discouraged from the real truth.
will be set aside for recreational access and college, historians believe King’s experiences in
roughly 120 acres for working farmland. Thus, Connecticut influenced his decision to become a There’s a lot of stories from history that were mis-
helping to produce more harvesting seasons and minister and civil rights leader. placed in those days. For the sake of the color lines
jobs for local farmers. The rest will be saved for In a letter to his father during these days in June that were being portrayed to stay protected. We
future needs of the town of Simsbury, while two of 1944, Martin Luther King would write these can break those lines and become equally inter-
acres will be kept for historic preservation pur- following words. “On our way here we saw some ested in our history. This way when we get to the
poses to tell the history of the property. Though, things I had never anticipated to see.” Those future, we can be proud of where we came from.
32 Happy Halloween from The Current Staff! 33Written by Sabrina Tyree
Photos Provided by Garde Art Center
Experience the Arts at the Garde
Garde Arts Center is Back!
ings or hauntings at the Garde, Sigel stated that • Partnered in promoting the New London Cen- challenges.
“Through the years there have been sightings sus • Helped found CT Performing Arts Center
and impressions of “NOW YOU SEE THEM – • Opened a new satellite bookstore of Bank Coalition, a new state-wide alliance of the six
NOW YOU DON’T” experiences. We have care- Square Books, Title IX, in the cottage urban-based major performing arts centers:
Many places have been impacted during the fully allowed a few paranormal investigators • Provided a home in the Cottage for The Writ- The Garde, The Bushnell (Hartford), Place
pandemic, but the Garde Arts Center used this – such as TAPS from GHOST HUNTERS into the er’s Block InK, a non-profit organization that (Stamford), Palace (Waterbury), Shubert (New
time to make improvements so they are ready to Garde (we are protective of our “guests”…).” encourages youth to use writing and perfor- Haven), and the Warner (Torrington). Together
open their doors. The Garde also offers many programs for the mance as tools to address personal and social we have worked together to raise funds for the
community as the community is very important arts and reopen our theaters!
Jeanne Sigel has been with the Garde Arts Center to them. They also have hosted many events
in some capacity since 1988 and is the current that help bring attention to the work done at the There are so many ways that the Garde helps
Marketing and Development Director. Jeanne Garde. bring the attention needed to the fine arts. You
started by being a volunteer and has worked up can help them too, by volunteering as they always
the ranks since. Some of these events include: have many chances to dip your toes in the culture
• The national book launch of resident writ- and work various events.
“The Garde Arts Center was created in 1985 as a er Jeff Benedict’s NY Times bestseller “The
non-profit performing arts organization to save Dynasty” Finally, in September they were able to open their
and reuse the historic Garde Theatre, one of the • Hosted The Arc Eastern Connecticut’s 5th An- door to the general public since the beginning
few remaining historic movie palaces in Con- nual Film Festival fundraiser which includ- of COVID, although at a limited capacity. The
necticut,” Sigel informed. ed high-quality award-winning films about Garde wants its guests to be able to safely enjoy
people with intellectual and developmental their shows and guest comfortability and safety is
This historical building has been around since disabilities (IDD) always in the front of their mind.
1926, when it was known as Vaudeville Theater. • Premiered the documentary film “Those
People”, the story of the New London Tal- Come to the Garde and see one of their upcom-
When asked if there are any rumored sight- ent Show, produced by The Day and Curtis ing shows!
Goodwin
Marquee Intermission • The Garde lobbies, Oasis Room, and store- Our next show is Friday, November 5th
fronts housed classrooms for Rosanne Cash
the Interdistrict School for Arts gardearts.org/events
and Communication (ISAAC)
middle school and the City of Holiday Events:
New London public schools. A Magical Cirque Christmas -
• Provided rehearsal space for gardearts.org/events/a-magical-cirque-christmas
the New London Community
Orchestra The Eastern CT Ballet presents The Nutcracker
• Use the Garde marquee as a https://gardearts.org/events/the-nutcracker
voice of the community –
34 Happy Halloween from The Current Staff! 35That 90’s Show
The Second Official Spinn-Off is Announced!
Written by Kaycee Gagnier
Red and Kitty Foreman FULL Main Cast Promo Photo
FULL Main cast Promo
36 Happy Halloween from The Current Staff! 37Midnight Mass Review
Have Faith in this New Netflix Series.
Written by Nick Niedojadlo
- SPOILER SECTION -
ing the news that he will be replacing Pruitt while During one of the mass services, Father Paul forces Flanagan’s new limited series is definitely some-
For anyone looking to watch a new creepy limited he recovers. Extremely faithful citizen Bev Keane wheelchair bound teenager Leeza (Annarah Cy- thing unique to the genre in it’s own sense. The
series for Halloween, look no further than Netflix’s (Samantha Sloyan) soon becomes as close to Father mone) to receive communion on the altar, almost subject of religion, especially Christianity, is one
original series Midnight Mass. Created by Mike Paul as possible. aggressively telling her to get up and walk to him. that is commonly used throughout horror films,
Flanagan, who directed two other Netflix originals Lo and behold, after a moment of hesitation Lee- usually in terms of exorcisms and such. This story
The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Crockett Island itself is home to many different za steps up from her wheelchair and walks up to uses it in a much different way, one that equally
Bly Manor, Flanagan brings viewers into a world of people. From those who still fervently believe, to the altar. This miracle sparks a resurgence in the plays with a familiarity to any who have experi-
an isolated island community and religious fer- those who have lost their faith in their church and town’s faith, and soon the whole town starts to feel enced a christian mass service as well as the eerie
vor. With this setting, Flanagan manages to create their dying community and those who don’t get in- healthier. nature that comes along with how the series por-
an eerie and chilling series that doesn’t rely on volved at all. However, with the new mass services trays it.
jumpscares, but atmosphere and character person- by Father Paul and miraculous miracles beginning However, this begins to affect Father Paul’s health,
ality. There will be a basic spoiler free section, and to sprout up on the island, the whole core of Crock- as in the night he suffers from a period of coughing Almost all of the characters give you some sort of
a spoiler section that goes a little deeper into the ett Islands community begins to be shaken up. up blood, and is later found dead by Bev and some feeling that doesn’t sit right with you, and the at-
premise of the show’s story without spoiling the other townsfolk. It is revealed then during a flash- mosphere of the entire island, the subject of death
whole thing. back scene with Paul confessing his sins alone, that and the ideas of what really can be considered a
he has lied to the community and he is Monsignor miracle all mix together and create an enjoyable
- SPOILER FREE SECTION - Pruitt. On his trip to Jerusalem, with his health series.
declining, he becomes confused and wanders off
The story begins with Riley Flynn (Zach Gilford) re- into the desert. He finds shelter in an ancient tomb The show only features seven episodes at a little
turning to the isolated Crockett Island after spend- where he encounters a human-like winged beast over an hour each and can be very dialogue heavy.
ing four years in prison due to a DUI on the main- that he describes as an “angel of God”. Yet the whole time it manages to capture your
land where he killed a young girl. Riley’s goal is to interest, to view the perspectives of this type of
try and find some sort of peace with his guilt while The angel cuts open its wrist with one of its claws life through the characters’ lives and how it has so
reacclimating to life with his family and friend Erin and allows Pruitt to drink from its blood. Through deeply ingrained itself in them. Midnight Mass is
Greene (Kate Siegal) who is now pregnant. With his this, Pruitt is somehow restored to his youth, and well worth a watch.
time in prison, Riley has lost his faith in God and is now going as Paul on the island. Back to the
doesn’t plan to restore it. present, and Paul/Pruitt suddenly awakens from
his state of death, resurrected in a sense, but is now
Around the same time, new pastor Father Paul no longer able to step foot into the sun, and now
(Hamish Linklater) comes to the island to replace suffers from a new kind of hunger.
the previous elderly pastor Monsignor Pruitt, who
fell ill on his trip to Jerusalem. Father Paul hopes - SPOILER SECTION END -
to bring a renewal of religion to the island, bring-
Midnight Mass Poster
38 Happy Halloween from The Current Staff! 39Back 4 Blood Review
Left 4 Dead’s Successor.
Written by Philip Jason Avisan
Back 4 Blood is both and isn’t the Left 4 Dead fol- Perhaps you find an SMG you like, but it has an
low-up you hoped for. It’s the most modern inter- oddly long-range scope. It’s possible that the shot-
pretation of those concepts, but it’s realse date was gun’s reload speed is slower than you’d like. Or
October 12, 2021, so it’s trying to accommodate as maybe you opt to be your team’s point man and
many of our current expectations as possible with- embrace the long-distance lifestyle because this
out disrupting the flow. purple M1 rifle is so excellent. In Back 4 Blood’s
levels, you’re always seeking for something, and
Back 4 Blood’s gameplay differs significantly from weapons are just one element of that.
its predecessors. It’s a stop-and-pop zombie shoot-
er that pushes players to identify and deal with The locations of numerous chambers and stashes
hazards at a distance. are also randomly generated. Some require specif-
ic tools to open, while others will sound an alarm
That is reflected in the level design, opponent va- if opened, and a few are simple to open but don’t Back 4 Blood Promotional
rieties, and encounters. Almost every region of the necessarily hide something intriguing. Before you leave the safe room, you go through a
game opens up to expose a large, open area where buying phase in which you decide how to spend
you’re urged to explore the various paths, search The more difficult it is to enter a room, the more your Copper. Copper, a money gained at the end
for hidden loot, and inspect as much of the objec- likely it is to contain valuable prizes. Normally, of each segment and located throughout the levels,
tive as possible before triggering the large horde. you’re looking for different attachments for your can be spent on weapon attachments, weapons,
weapons that can affect how they play, especially grenades, ammo, and team-wide upgrades that
Back 4 Blood Poster The diner, the loud greasy bar, the brick residenc- if they’re higher up on the rarity ladder. Ammu- improve the efficacy of your various pieces of
Left 4 Dead’s influence and legacy were never in es near downtown, the suburbs, the small town nition, grenades, and one-time-use things such as equipment or increase the amount of them you can
doubt, but there’s this notion that the iconic co-op church, the misty woods – everything seems to propane tanks and other items are also available. carry.
zombie shooter from Turtle Rock and Valve had a be modeled by stereotypical Americana. Another
vague quality that couldn’t be explained; a formula important aspect of Back 4 Blood emerges as you Back 4 Blood doesn’t have many quiet scenes, but
that no one has been able to duplicate. progress through those levels. this is one of the more notable. We were pooling
our extra Copper as a coordinated group to pur-
I went back to re-experience Left 4 Dead in the This is a game with a large number of weapons, chase one more team upgrade, heal a buddy in
lead-up to the release of Back 4 Blood, the new which are divided into the standard categories. need, or buy someone the scope they’d been miss-
game from the creators who co-created the sub- Weapons are available in a variety of rarities, and ing.
genre. I was underwhelmed. Left 4 Dead is still their attachments are randomly assigned. You’re
entertaining, but in the same way that a PS2 game always on the lookout for a more powerful version Turtle Rock probably didn’t want to make shifting
might be for an hour or two before you realize how of your favorite weapon, or something outrageous attachments too complex or time-consuming, but
difficult it is to sacrifice years of design, graphic, enough to tempt you to give up what you have for being unable to remove any of them until some-
and production value for a nostalgic trip. it. thing else takes that space is a missed opportunity.
Back 4 Blood Promotional
40 Happy Halloween from The Current Staff! 41Can YOU Find Your Way Out?
Puzzles
for A Rainy Day
Can YOU Find All of the Words?
Word Bank
N J E L Z H N W C Y O Z C J N
W E L Z I F E I K R M L O N R autumn
blackcat
I N E Q A R N O Q F V Y S M E
candy
T B I W E M O C A N D Y T U T cornmaze
C C L W O P N J K N M P U T N
costume
decorate
H L O A S L T R I A W Q M U A frankenstein
T L E U C S L G O K K C E A L ghost
halloween
F R Z A O K H A S C R E A M O jackolantern
U G I H V T C E H P T K B I K leaves
nightmare
G D G C M E T A R O C E D V C princess
Q O A A K Q S A T A A F E K A pumpkinpatch
scream
Y E R I P M A V H L C A N G J spooky
O E F R A N K E N S T E I N X trick
vampire
P R I N C E S S Z A V I D F G
werewolf
H C T A P N I K P M U P E Y Q witch
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