Lieutenant Virgil Decker of the Waterbury National Guard presenting the flag at the burial service of Henry "Sarge" J. Raymond Jr., 85, of Terryville, to his daughter Pat Raymond of Bristol. The funeral service and burial took place Tuesday with full military honors at St. Joseph's Church and cemetery in Bristol. At right with her mother is Gabby Raymond.

United in prayer at a vigil for hope and against violence on North Street, New Britain Sunday afternoon, Tina Sweeney of New Britain, left, comforts Barbara Playa, the mother of teenager Jackson DeJesus who died on North Street after a hit-and-run.

Five small boys quietly watch as their firefighter fathers, some who volunteered in New York City after the Twin Towers came down in the 9/11 attack, stand at attention during the Bristol Fire Department 9/11 tenth anniversary memorial on North Main St. Bristol, Connecticut. From left to right, Drew Martineau, age 2, Brandon, Jude and Tyler Lavoie ages 5, 3 and 6 respectively, and Noah Dufour, age 7.

Iwo Jima survivor Stanley Dabrowski, 89, of New Britain speaking at the 4th annual VJ Day candlelight ceremony of remembrance at the National Iwo Jima Memorial Monument and Park on the Newington/New Britain town line Sunday. "68 years have passed since we took that island, yet it looms so vividly" Dabrowski said.  08.12.12

Helen, a young pit bull mix rescued after a life in the underground world of dog fighting, with her new owner, therapist Warren Corson III aka "Doc Warren" who has given her a new life as a therapy dog at his office in Bristol, Connecticut. 

Michael Karabin of Karabin Farms in Southington explains how they make maple syrup to four local girls at his modern sugar shack. "It takes roughly 40 gallons of sugar maple sap to make one gallon of syrup" he explains. From left, Alyssa Beharry, 8, of New Britain, Gloriah Mills, 10, of Bristol, Ashlynn Beharry, 5 of New Britain, and Evalynn Beharry, 5 of Plainville.

The Reverend Al Sharpton spent Mother's Day at McCullough Temple in New Britain Sunday, holding an enraptured congregation for an hour with down-to-earth advice, "You go to church on Sunday to get energized like going to a gas station so you can go and do good things for the rest of the week." In the background from left, local minister Chivas Grant, Reverend Thomas Mills and Pastor Jenks.

Basketball coach Ryan Martin, left, who plays pro-basketball in Spain, being blocked by Rachael Grusse, 21, of Glastonbury at the Hospital for Special Care Ivan Lendl Adaptive Sports Camp held at the University of St. Joseph in West Hartford.

New Britain Firefighters Randy Smith, Sean Crawford, Chris Choipaski and Lieutenant Andrew Coppa cut their way through the roof of a building on Washington Street in downtown New Britain during a real-life training exercise on Saturday. The triangular holes take less time to cut enabling crews to alleviate heat quickly to facillitate the rescue of occupants.

Twelve-year-old violin soloist Kenta Nomura of New York takes the stage at Welte Hall in New Britain for his performance of Tchaikovsky's violin concerto, movement 1, with Maestro Adrian Sylveen conducting the New Britain Symphony Sunday afternoon. 

 Treacherous conditions and "thundersnow" a strange and unusual phenomenon producing lightning and thunder in a snowstorm hit most of Connecticut on Saturday evening, October 29th. Downed trees and power lines add insult to injury for all those trying to get to Halloween parties. 800,000 are without power and thousands of trees that still have their leaves are badly damaged and cannot bear the weight of the snow.

Ex-marine Ron Eldred of Terryville, Connecticut, surveys an enormous downed oak estimated to be 200 years old, which totally blocking Jacob Street near Rockwell Park in Bristol on Sunday morning, October 30th. An early snowstorm the night before knocked out power to a large portion of the city and state, downing trees still in leaf and power lines that could not bear the weight of the wet snow.

Boy Scout Tyler Jandreau of Newington, rappelling 17 stories off the CT River Plaza in Hartford. Buddy and fellow Scout, Travis Londen of Bristol is alongside him. Even so, the teenager admitted to being "very nervous”

Doris Wujcik, a resident of the Jerome Home in New Britain cuddling Eddie, a therapy kitty who belongs to Terri Jennings of Waterbury, in background. "I rescued Eddie" explains Jennings, "and he clearly loves his job, though I'm not sure who really rescued who."

"No doll should ever go in the garbage” says Renee Silvester, owner of Calling All Dolls, who restored a badly dilapidated house in Cobalt, Connecticut, to house her doll collection, store and doll hospital. She spends countless hours working in the doll hospital, a quiet room at the back of the store with a door opening to the garden. The dolls wait here to be restored, set up in antique beds. "Some have been waiting for a long time" she explains ruefully, "but I get to them all".

New Britain firefighter Christopher Choinski makes his retreat at 132 Oak Street in New Britain late Thursday morning where fire had broken out. The cause is under investigation.

World War II veteran Sam Vasellina of New Britain at the Iwo Jima Memorial Historical Foundation 4th Annual Flag Day Open House Sunday at the National Iwo Jima Memorial on the New Britain/Newington town line, with his wife Betty standing behind at right and her sister Gladys Young who is visiting from Scotland.

New Citizen Celebration, July 4th The Duque family of New Britain, proud new citizens of the United States after being sworn in Tuesday in a ceremony at the New Britain Stadium before the Rock Cats baseball game. From left, mom Martha Andrade, Monica, 22, father Jaime, and Juan, 20. The family is originally from Columbia.

Vance Elementary School staff among 150 teachers being trained on new iPad software for administering reading tests Thursday at New Britain High School auditorium. From left front, Denise Raap, reading resource teacher, Eileen Sliwinski, literary coach, from left rear, Michele Kushman and Kim Gambee, both grade 1 teachers.

Nine-year-old Kaylie Lee, right, of New Britain, holds a candle at the city's vigil held in Central Park for the victims of yesterday's shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School where 20-year-old Adam Lanza fatally shot 20 children between six and seven years old, and six adult staff members. At left is her sister Karyann Aleverio, 16.

Best friends Deanna DelMonaco, 17, left, of East Haven and Vanessa Jamieson, 16, of Milford with stylist Tina Gunther at the Cadillac Ranch in Southington Sunday raising money for St. Baldrick's Foundation, the largest private funder of research and assistance to kids who are fighting cancer. Deanna is fighting the disease for the third time since 2009, so Vanessa pledged to support her by having her auburn locks buzzed off. "I was a bit nervous about it at first, but I'm okay now!" she said.

Jeanette Cyr of Berlin, 78, left, congratulates fellow runner Geoffrey Etherington of Killingworth, 80, at the Fifth Annual GE Road Race in Plainville, Connecticut, to benefit the Petit Family Foundation. Both runners placed in the top three in their age categories. 

Reluctant to give their names, but wanting to tell their stories all the same, Susan, at right, explains that her family back home don't know that she is homeless as her friend does her hair and make-up for a photo to load onto FaceBook at the shelter. "I know it's hard to believe, but I have a good education, my father is a doctor, circumstances are tough sometimes."