Active Service: 1954 to 1959 Reserves: 1959 to 1962 Rank: Sergeant, U. S. Marine Corps; Force Recon Assignments: 75mm Recoilless Rifle Co, 2nd Marine Division; Guard Detachment, Argentina, Newfoundland; 2nd Amphibious   Recon Company; 2nd Force Recon Company Campaigns: USMC Expeditionary Missions  & NATO; Middle East, North   Africa, Haiti, Panama, Algeria, Syria, Turkey & Philippines   Tell me a story, or two. Since only one in a hundred Marines qualify, I was privileged to be selected and serve as a Force Recon Marine. The overall mission of this elite force is both conventional and …

While the colorful and whimsical picture window at Lola and Me is hard to ignore, on your way either into or out of Collinsville, new owner Naomi Stanhope says that’s just what many in town seem to do. “My typical customer is someone who is visiting Collinsville, versus a native.” With an upcoming Grand Reopening in March, Stanhope hopes to tempt the local community to stop in and see what out-of-towners find so special. This is no ordinary, been there, seen that, Babies 'R' Us store. Maybe it’s the snuggle blankets in the shapes of animals or the fire trucks, tug boats and construction …

  Growing up as one of seven siblings on a working, family farm in Canton, John K. Luntta may have been well suited for his position as Seaman 1st Class aboard the USS Nevada. Among his many responsibilities aboard the Nevada, John would have: cooked, cleaned, loaded, unloaded and distributed cargo, as well as maintained and handled the ship’s ropes. He’d also be an important part of the security crew on the battleship. One can only imagine the many roles he played on the Nevada the day Battleship Row at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was attacked by miniature submarines, torpedo and bomber planes from…

  Navy Seaman 1st Class John Kalervo Luntta tragically became part of local history when he lost his life aboard the USS Nevada at Pearl Harbor in 1941. Here is John’s story — how he lived, his family life and his last months prior to Pearl Harbor. The Luntta family was of Finnish and Russian descent; and John wore the fair complexion, light hair and eyes of his heritage. The Navy may also have been part of his DNA. When John’s uncle Hans Luntta arrived at the Port of New York in 1918, he stayed at the Scandinavian Sailors Home in Brooklyn, New York. John’s parents: John Einar Luntta, (a …

  December 1941 Collinsville, much like the rest of the country, was focused on the United States entry into World War II. While Christmas would nevertheless arrive that year, the war would intimately and integrally impact the everyday lives of residents, organizations and businesses; bringing them, perhaps, more in tune with the true meaning of the season. Here are some of the Christmas stories of that time: As expected, town churches: Trinity, St Patrick’s and Collinsville Congregational, were busy with live music, pageants, roving carolers and gift giving — via Santa at times — for the …

  There are the historic and statistical facts:  Collinsville resident, John Kallervo Luntta was 20 years old when he lost his life aboard the USS Nevada. The USS Nevada was mortally wounded by a targeted Japanese torpedo and bomb attack in Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii, on Dec. 7, 1941. The Nevada attempted a courageous, but ill-fated escape out of Pearl Harbor as the attack upon it was redoubled.  Admiral Pye ordered Captain Scanlan to beach the Nevada instead. This was a strategic directive in hopes that the severely damaged ship would not block the entrance - and ultimately the exit - …

  For those of you who have attended Christmas in Collinsville — i.e. it’s  part of your holiday season — you already know the ‘got to get to’ events. It is for the novices that About Town presents this community service note. There are some places, events and experiences that you don’t want to miss….even or especially if you only have a little bit of time at Christmas in Collinsville this year: Friday Night: Highlight #1 Leff & Equus This is not your usual Horse Drawn Carriage Ride. Town Historian, David Leff will contribute just the right perspective to what it was like living in …

Judy Lockwood arrived again this year, with members of her family, to decorate a tree with handmade ornaments. Their tree will be perched in front of the blacksmith’s exhibit at the Canton Historical Museum, to honor another member of the family — Lockwood’s grandfather, William Whitfield Henry, who ran the blacksmith shop in Collinsville.  Lockwood is not alone in returning to the Museum with a custom arbor for the Gallery of Trees. ”About 75 percent of participants come back each year,” says event chairwoman Marge Harmon. “There should be about 60 trees at this year’s Gallery.” A quick …

World War II Veteran: Michael B. Kaminsky, Canton, CT Active Service: September/1944 to July/1946 Overseas Service: February/1945 to July/1946 Campaigns: Northern France; Rhineland Branch: US Army Rank: Private 1st Class Unit Assignments: G Company, 222nd Infantry Regiment   Duties: Combat Infantryman   Tell me a Story. The first target our regiment secured and held was the Germans at their U-Boat Pens in Saint Nazaire, France. After securing the U-Boat Pens, we joined General Patton’s Third Army in France as replacement troops. Later on, we combined forces with the 42nd Rainbow Division, due…

So much history to explore at Canton Library’s Local History Room, but where to begin?  Reference Assistant Jane Hoben had some suggestions. She pulled out a box of letters from veterans writing home to Canton. Definitely a future About Town column. There was the oversized album of Collinsville Congregational Church parishioners, full of pristine, if unsmiling, photos of ancestoral families still very active in town, generations later. Another column opportunity. Then, there were the newspapers: The Collinsville Star and The Portfolio. About Town couldn’t resist reading how correspondents of …

About Town moved past the tall stacks of bookshelves, to the very back of the Canton Library. There, in a clearing of sorts, is a small, densely packed room teeming with history; stories to be told; and more than a few secrets to be discovered. This is the Canton Library’s Local History Room. Town icon the late Peg Perry, was a devoted collector of history for the Room. “She looked for and absorbed anything old, not just Canton items, says Library Reference Assistant Jane Hoben. The original Library concept for amassing historic photos, letters, newspapers, maps and books about Canton, began …

About Town walked into one of the many meeting rooms on the 2nd floor of the Community Center, which are currently serving as living quarters for about 100 people sheltering from the nor’easter, and others coming and going seeking power for their electronics.  Scanning the room, About Town noted the cots that were neatly appointed with foam mattresses, pillows and some with well-loved stuffed animals. There were three empty cots on the side awaiting a plan.    “That’s where we’re putting the single men!” came an unexpectedly cheery voice from behind me. Sue Engel and her posse of single moms…

About Town made a quick stop at the temporary retail shop known as Spirit Halloween in Avon, to find out what costumes are hot for the holiday. Harry Potter et al, continue to rein supreme for children. Vampire and zombie costumes are neck and neck in popularity for adult males. And with wall to wall options, women can be sexy sailors, sexy firefighters, sexy nurses…. you get the point. But on the way back to Canton, About Town caught sight of a stylish arrangement of potentially ghoulish costuming outside the Pink House. Especially eye catching was a long, black coat, trimmed in feathers …

World War II Veteran: Joseph A Hatala, Canton, CT Active Service: September/1942 to October/1945 Overseas Service: April/1943 to September/1945 Campaigns: Sicily; Naples Foggia; Rome Arno; Rhineland; Central Europe Branch: US Army Rank: Private First Class Assignments: Company “C,” 253 Infantry, 63rd Division   Duties: Combat Engineer, Heavy Machine Gunner Tell me a Story. The Division’s motto, “Blood and Fire,” was inspired by a quote from British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. At the Casablanca Conference in 1943, shortly before the activation of the 63rd Infantry Division, Churchill …

After speaking with Eduardo Barrios, for Part I of this column, About Town understood his approach to market branding — in theory. But, putting a new marketing plan that redefines a small business into practice, requires that the owner suspend some belief in what they’ve been doing - perhaps rather well - and rethink how to rethink. About Town met up with Barrios client, Steve Roberto, whose business recently rebranded from Body Parts, LLC to DentfixExpress, LLC, to see what and how he was thinking. AT: So, Body Parts? Sounds like a CSI episode. SR: Or, maybe a fitness center or a place to …

When you spend even a short period of time with Marlene Snecinski, aka Mushroom Marlene, it changes the way you see nature. Your focus expands from not only looking at what’s around and above you but below, way below, as well. On a preview tour of the upcoming Canton Land Conservation Trust Mushroom Walk, About Town was accompanied by Snecinski and Trust board member Betty Stanley. We had barely stepped onto the Uplands Trail off Orchard Hill Road, when they began to point out mushrooms of different shapes, textures, colors, sizes and as it turns out, purposes. There was the darkly colored …

Fall fashion. While not nearly as frightening as bathing suit season, fall is a transition period where we still want to look great, but are looking to fill our wardrobes with beautiful staples that will serve us well — now and in the coming months, if not longer.  Enter Blumen Laden, where owner Ann Wincze is bringing the same expert styling and quality to her boutique’s clothing collection as she has to her distinctive home accessories and furnishings for many years now. About Town spent a recent afternoon with Wincze, talking about trends; what still works; what the must haves are; and how…

A small, scalloped mirror hangs from a silver ribbon. On the mirror appears the query, “And You Are?” This petite art piece, along with dozens of others, happily, fearfully and mysteriously set the stage for, “Masks” a new exhibition at Gallery on the Green. “To mask is not only to hide, but to re-identify the wearer,” says, “Masks” curator David Holzman. While the wearing of masks has played an integral part in many ancient cultures, Holzman believes that modern technology also affords the user an opportunity to wear and express different identities. “Every uploaded self-image is a …

When About Town first learned of the Collinsville Social Club, aka the Speakeasy, the expectation was that it would be a wonderfully, eclectic mix of artistic and musical diversity — Collinsville style. Couldn’t wait to go and report back. Saturday’s Speakeasy at Gallery 101 Main, followed on the heels of Sam Collins Day. “In my opinion,” said owner Doug Tubach, “this was one of the better attended Sam Collins Day events. We were busy supporting the Canton Historical Museum’s `Old Time Photo’ event during the day." "At the same time, we were hosting a crowd outside the Gallery who was …

The best speakeasies of the 1920s and early 1930s were swanky places, where people gathered to enjoy good food, great entertainment and the forbidden fruit of the day, alcohol. Nothing within reason, however, will be forbidden at the Collinsville Social Club’s Speakeasy on Sept. 17. CSC’s Speakeasy takes place in the art space that is Gallery 101 Main. There will be an eclectic mix of live musical performances. Guests are invited to contribute their own creative pot luck dishes to share with others. And this will be a "bring your own" forbidden fruit event.  "April to December is the main …