Friday, May 27, 2011

Top 5 Picnic Places

Now that the weather is finally warming up and drying out, many people will be packing their baskets and going out on picnics. The following are the top 5 must-visit picnic places, as voted on by Register Citizen readers.

View Top 5 Picnic Places in a larger map
#5 - Burr Pond State Par, Torrington
Burr Pond features several picnic tables around the beach area, as well as an open-air picnic pavilion that can hold 80 people and can be rented for $220 per day. Grills are available.

#4 - Dennis Hill State Park, Norfolk
Dennis Hills features several picnic areas, and is shady with "breathtaking views" according to one reader.

#3 - People's State Forest, Barkhamsted
People's Forest features a picnic shelter that can hold 100 people and can be rented for $220 per day, as well as standalone picnic tables.

#2 - Kent Falls State Park, Cornwall Bridge
Kent Falls features several picnic tables and grills for public use, in view of the waterfalls.


#1 - Topsmead State Forest, Litchfield
Topsmead features several informal picnic areas; no grills or fires are allowed.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Top 5 2011 Spring Sports Games

The following are the top 5 spring sports games so far this year, as chosen by the Register Citizen sports department and reader votes.

#5 - April 27 - THS baseball improves to 10-0 with tight 5-4 win over Wilby at Municipal Stadium
Every win this season is sweet for Torrington High School baseball fans. Collectively, they add up to a 10-0 Raider record. Individually, each gets more exciting than the one before.
Click here to read more on this game.

#4 - April 29 - Northwestern girls track beats Nonnewaug to end Chiefs' 15-year undefeated streak
The streak is over.
After 15-plus years and 163 straight meets, the Nonnewaug girls outdoor track team lost. Northwestern took the close matchup 79-71 during a highly competitive meet at Northwestern High School Friday afternoon.
Click here to read more on this game.

#3 - April 25 -- Torrington's Sydney Matzko tosses 2nd no-hitter of the season, striking out 15 Derby hitters in 9-0 win
Freshman Sydney Matzko threw her second no-hitter of the year as the Torrington Red Raiders toppled the Derby Red Raiders 9-0.
Matzko struck out 15 Derby hitters, and came just one batter short of a perfect game (she walked a hitter in the fifth).
Click here to read more on the game.

#2 - May 9 -- Litchfield baseball beats Lewis Mills 15-14 in 8 innings after being down 10-0 after the top of the 1st
It’s been a season-long battle for Berkshire League supremacy, but the Cowboys and Spartans took it to the next level on Monday.
Litchfield (9-5) was down 10-0 after the top of the first inning. By game’s end — a contest that took eight frames to complete — the Cowboys had won 15-14.
Click here to read more on the game.

#1 - April 21 -- THS baseball beats Sacred Heart 4-3 in 11 innings, win No. 300 for Gerry Carbone.
Years from now, Torrington High School baseball coach Gerry Carbone will remember every moment of his 300th career coaching win.
Heck, most fans at Fuessenich Park Thursday morning and all the players will remember right along with him.
Click here to read more on the game.

MARIANNE KILLACKY/Register Citizen Correspondent Torrington’s Eric Rinaldi’s connects on his game-winning single in the bottom of the 11th inning of Thursday’s 4-3 win over Sacred Heart at Fuessenich Park in Torrington. The win is No. 300 for head coach Gerry Carbone.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Top 5 Hiking Spots

Now that the weather is finally warm, and there’s no snow on the ground, it’s time to break out the sneakers and backpacks and head out on the hiking trails.
The following are the top 5 hiking spots you can’t miss this summer, as voted by Register Citizen readers.

View Top 5 Hiking Spots in Litchfield County in a larger map

#5 - Kent Falls State Park, Cornwall Bridge
According to BerkshireHiking.org, Kent Falls has a short, but steep hiking trail up the falls. The trail is about 1/4 mile, and goes to an elevation of up to 200 feet. View a map of the park here.
Entrance to the park is free on weekdays and weekends from November 1 through Memorial Day. There is a parking fee of $9 for Connecticut vehicles and $15 for non-Connecticut vehicles on weekends from Memorial Day through October 31.
Image courtesy of Google Maps.


#4 - Burr Pond State Park, Torrington
According to a map on the Connecticut Department Environmental Protection's website, Burr Pond State Park features four trails that circle the pond, with several scenic viewpoints and picnic spots.
There are weekday parking fees of $6 for Connecticut vehicles and $10 for non-Connecticut vehicles. There are weekend parking fees of $9 for Connecticut vehicles and $15 for non-Connecticut vehicles.
Image courtesy of Google Maps.

#3 - Mohawk State Forest, Cornwall/Goshen
According to BerkshireHiking.org, Mohawk State Forest features 30 miles of trails. The trails are split into three main trail sets, and there are picnic areas, scenic vistas, and fire pits, all of which can be found on the DEP's map of the park.
There are no parking fees for Mohawk State Forest. The park is open daily from April to November.
Image courtesy of Google Maps.

#2 - Haystack Mountain, Norfolk
According to the DEP map, Haystack Mountain features three main trails and a large stone tower, which provides a 360-degree view of the mountain.
There is no parking fee for Haystack Mountain.
Image courtesy of Google Maps.

#1 - White Memorial, Litchfield
According to whitememorialcc.org, White Memorial features over 35 miles of trails, and many areas of wildlife conservation.
There are no parking fees for White Memorial.
Image courtesy of Google Maps.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

White House Briefing on Photos

Monday, May 2, 2011

Top 5 Most Wanted Terrorists after Bin Laden's Death

Now that Osama Bin Laden has been killed, who is replacing him as the FBI's most wanted terrorist?
All information sourced from the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorists List.

Photo courtesy of the
FBI's most Wanted List
#5 - JAMEL AHMED MOHAMMED ALI AL-BADAWI
Wanted for: Jamel Ahmed Mohammed Ali Al-Badawi is wanted for murder and conspiracy to commit murder of Americans and US military, along with several other charges, in relation to the bombing of the USS Cole off the coast of Yemen in October 2000, which killed 17 US sailors. He escaped arrest in 2003, was recaptured in Yemen in  2004, and escaped again in 2006.

Age: 49-51
Height: 5'5"
Also known as: Jamal Muhsin Al-Tali, Abu Abdul Rahman Al-Badawi, Abu Abdul Rahman Al-Adani, Jamal Mohammad Ahmad Ali Al-Badawi, Jamal Mohammad Ahma
Reward: Up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest or conviction in any country


Photo courtesy of the
FBI's most Wanted List
#4 - FAHD MOHAMMED AHMED AL-QUSO 
Wanted for: Fahd Mohammed Ahmed Al-Quso is wanted for murder and conspiracy to commit murder of Americans and US military, along with several other charges, in relation to the bombing of the USS Cole off the coast of Yemen in October 2000, which killed 17 US sailors. He was indicted in the Southern District of New York, and is believed to be residing in Yemen.
Age: 36
Height: 5'6"
Also known as: Fahd Al-Quso, Abu Huthaifah, Abu Huthaifah Al-Yemeni, Abu Al-Bara', Abu Hathayfah Al-Adani, Abu Huthaifah Al-Adani, Fahd Mohammed Ahmed Al-Awlaqi, Huthaifah Al-Yemeni, Abu Huthaifah Al-Abu Al-Bara'
Reward:  Up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest or conviction in any country


Photo courtesy of the
FBI's most Wanted List
#3 - AYMAN AL-ZAWAHIRI
Wanted for: Murder and conspiracy to commit murder of US nationals outside the US and launching a fatal attack on a US federal building in connection with the 1998 bombings of the US embassies in in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya. 
Age: 60 
Height: unknown 
Also known as: Abu Muhammad, Abu Fatima, Muhammad Ibrahim, Abu Abdallah, Abu al-Mu'iz, The Doctor, The Teacher, Nur, Ustaz, Abu Mohammed, Abu Mohammed Nur al-Deen, Abdel Muaz, Dr. Ayman al Zawahiri
Reward:  Up to $25 million for information leading to his arrest or conviction

Photo courtesy of the
FBI's most Wanted List
#2 - DANIEL ANDREAS SAN DIEGO 
Wanted for: Daniel Andreas San Diego is wanted in connection with two bombings in California in 2003. The first was in August 2003 at the Chiron Corporation in Emeryvill, and the second was the next month at the Shaklee Corporation in Pleasanton. He was indicted in California in 2004.
Age: 33

Height: 6'0"

Also known as: Andreas San Diego, D. Andreas San Diego, "Andreas"
Reward:  Up to $250,000 for information leading to his arrest

Photo courtesy of the
FBI's most Wanted List
#1 - ADAM YAHIYE GADAHN
Wanted for: Adam Yahiye Gadahn is wanted for treason and supplying Al Qaeda with material support. He was allegedly involved in many terrorist activities through that organization.
Age: 32

Height: 5'11"

Also known as: Abu Suhayb Al-Amriki, Abu Suhail Al-Amriki, Abu Suhayb, Yihya Majadin Adams, Adam Pearlman, Yayah, Azzam the American, Azzam Al-Amriki
Reward:  Up to $1 million for information leading to his arrest