CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY CENTRALRECORDER @THERECORDER CENTRALRECORDER www.centralrecorder.orgTHE | September 25, 2019 RECORDERVOLUME 120 | ISSUE 5 Polish President Makes Historic Visit To New Britain Enrollment A Despite arriving 45 minutes Main Focus later than expected, the crowd was still quick to greet President During Duda with a spirited rendition of Poland’s national anthem. President Dr. Before Duda would greet Zulma Toro’s the thousands gathered, he was welcomed by speakers Annual Opening representing the state. New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart Meeting started her speech in Polish, BY BRUNA VILA ARTIGUES garnering a reassuring thumbs- ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR up from President Duda. Stewart went on to grant the President resident Dr. Zulma Toro’s the key to the city, accompanied annual opening meeting by a specially made Stanley debuted with some Punpleasant news for the 2019 Black & Decker tape measurer manufactured in New Britain. - 2020 academic year. During Speaking entirely in Polish, the speech, Dr. Toro addressed Duda praised the Polish- the low-enrollment of the Fall Americans of New Britain and 2019 semester and it’s heavy influence on several aspects of President Duda is the first foreign head-of-state to visit New RYAN JONES | STAFF extended a welcome invitation Britain. back to Poland to all of the university, such as student Connecticut’s Polish population. retention, campus projects and BY RYAN JONES had visited the state. Blumenthal said. The President went on to present creative solutions. SPORTS EDITOR “This turn out is amazing, The Polish population of awards to leaders within the Dr. Toro immediately dove people are coming out not only New Britain has always played Polish-American community into enrollment statistics which housands of to pay respects to the President a huge part in the telling of the and enjoyed some traditional are “low in every category.” Connecticut’s deep but to celebrate Poland and the city’s history. New Britain has Polish performances, such as The total full and part-time rooted Polish community Polish heritage and traditions the largest Polish population of dancing and singing. enrollment is just over 9,000 and Tbraved the harsh sun Sunday to the graduate school’s students that have so enriched this any city in Connecticut and five Martin Krawic, Polish witness history. Polish President nation,” Democratic Senator of the city’s mayors have been immigrant, was one of the many barely reach over 2,000; the Andrzej Duda’s visited Walnut Richard Blumenthal said in an of Polish decent. In 2008, Broad in attendance Sunday. school’s combined number of Hill Park to meet the community interview with The Recorder. Street and its surrounding area, “Not being in my country for students is 11,154, becoming the that makes up 30 percent of New “We owe so much to people the epicenter of New Britain’s 20 years, having that chance to CONTINUES ON PAGE 3 Britain’s population, the first who have come here from Poland thriving Polish community, was meet the President of Poland, it’s time he, or any Polish President, huge,” Krawic expressed. and we’re celebrating that today,” officially dubbed “Little Poland.” BLUE DEVIL DINNER CONTINUES ON PAGE 4 DOWNTOWN CAUSES A BUZZ Former Student Accused Of Showing Interest In Mass Shooting Had Long, Troubling History BY SARAH WILLSON SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR entral Connecticut found itself scrambling to Multiple bee themed avoid becoming another statures were unveiled, Cstatistic after a former student including a Kizer, the “Blue charged with possession of high- Devil Bee.” capacity magazines left a virtual trail of racist and hateful posts and an interest in committing a SEE PAGE 10 mass shooting. Alongside with a heavier FOOTBALL FALLS TO police presence on and around EASTERN MICHIGAN campus, President Dr. Zulma Toro said CCSU will be informed if Brandon Wagshol, who was released on a $250,000 bond and is currently on house arrest, is within a certain perimeter of Former Central student, Brandon Wagshol (above), has been banned from NORWALK POLICE campus. campus. “We are [also] training, staff, fact that all the police officers last month facing charges faculty and students... that will now have an iPad with their of possessing large-capacity What Investigators With a last second blocked punt, educate any individual how to plans and map of every building magazines, raising fears about Discovered: Central fell to FBS opponent deal with any event like [a mass [so] it’s very easy for them to get whether or not CCSU could fall Eastern Michigan. shooting],” Toro said. “In the to that building immediately.” into the hands of the country’s The arrest and a joint FBI- case of an event, we have a plan Wagshol, 22, attended CCSU next gun massacre — number local police investigation began last spring and was arrested 284 this year alone. after a tip that said Wagshol was to deal with that, including the SEE PAGE 16 CONTINUES ON PAGE 4 @TheRecorder on Twitter 2 SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 NEWS THE RECORDER THE RECORDER Connecticut Takes Action Against Climate Change Student Center 1615 Stanley Street New Britain, CT 06050 860.832.3744 [email protected] centralrecorder.org Editor-in-Chief Daniel Fappiano [email protected] Managing Editor Natalie Dest [email protected] News Editor Bella Chan [email protected] Bruna Vila Artigues, Assistant [email protected] Sena Water led the rally on Climate Change in front of hundreds upon the Capital Building ISABELLA CHAN | STAFF Arts & Entertainment Editor steps.* Julia Conant BY ISABELLA CHAN a cause was because “adults don’t always the transportation and energy policies [email protected] NEWS EDITOR take action to protect our planet.” within the state. He suggests building a Carolyn Martin, Assistant “We do not just want a common train station in Newington to limit the use [email protected] undreds of Connecticut denominator out of the White House, of cars, due to their large production of high school students and Sports Editor we want a climate leader,” Wazer emissions. environmental activists rallied Ryan Jones, stated.”Perhaps if we had taken action in “I think what we really need to do Htogether on the steps of the Capitol [email protected] the past we wouldn’t have to take such is embrace local action, whether it is Trevi Alickolli, Assistant Building to protest for better action on the drastic action now. But we didn’t and now at the town level or state level we have [email protected] climate crisis the world is facing. you chosen it over me and my generation a responsibility to act no matter what They, along with millions across and future generations.” they say in Washington D.C.,” Lesser Layout Editor the country, stood with handmade signs “We don’t know exactly all the expressed. Mauriah Johnson saying, “Stop Environmental Racism”, [email protected] technical challenges of switching to a “We have to do everything we can. “Save Our Seas” and”Don’t Be A Bottom sustainable world. But we do know we If they’re not going to lead down in Copy Editor Feeder!” are not fighting for just one community Washington D.C., we’re going to have to Kelly Langevin The movement, known as the Global or one generation, we are fighting for all lead within the states,” he continued. [email protected] Climate Strike, began after 16-year-old people! And we are working towards clean Although Governor Ned Lamont was Jeremy Ganavage Swedish high schooler Greta Thunberg air, clean water and a livable future for not in attendance, he did issue a statement [email protected] started skipping school on Fridays to everyone” Wazer proclaimed. addressing the “significant threat” climate protest against Swedish politicians’ “We are not doing this because it is change plays on Connecticut’s quality of Photography Editor unwillingness to address the current Julia Jade Moran easy or because it is hard, we are doing this life following the rally. [email protected] climate crisis. because our future is at stake,” she added. “It is irresponsible to push these issues Kristina Vakhman As her efforts to draw awareness to The UN Summit, which began on Sept. down the road for future generations to [email protected] climate change continued, thousands 23, will look to implement the goals of the tackle and solve. That’s why we must began to join her, thus leading to Friday’s 2016 Paris Agreement, which will keep act now,” Lamont stated. “Connecticut Business Manager Shaina Blakesley protest - which was joined by over 150 the earth’s average temperature “below is leading the charge in charting a path [email protected] countries and all 50 U.S. states, according 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial toward a cleaner, healthier community to organizers of Global Climate Strike. levels and to pursue efforts to limit the through our commitment to a zero-carbon Social Media Editors The event was held in hopes of temperature increase even further to 1.5 electric grid by 2040 and to alternative Sarah Willson encouraging adults to join in and jumpstart [email protected] degrees Celsius.” energy sources, like the bipartisan support Bailey Murphy the week of events for the United Nations Connecticut Senator Matt Lesser for offshore wind.” [email protected] Climate Action Summit, which began on believes that Connecticut is working to Many of the activists argued that Sept. 23. eventually stop emitting carbon as whole; the Lamont’s plan for climate action by Staff Writers 15-year-old UCONN freshman Sena he added the rally was a great call to action 2040 was too late especially after the UN Kyle Flynn Shwar Zaidi Wazer was one of many who helped to for politicians.