At 6'8", Connor Harris is the tallest player in Banana Ball, not counting the guy who plays on stilts. Banana Ball is baseball with the bunts, mound visits and other boring parts replaced with choreographed dances, trick plays and fan participation (if a fan catches a foul ball, the batter is out). Last year they sold out two games at Fenway Park, two more at Yankee Stadium, and filled many other major league ballparks along with some football stadiums. There's a very long wa

When she started in June, Rev. Ali Hager became the first female pastor in the 267-year history of West Avon Congregational Church. She says delivering her one-hour sermon every Sunday at 10 a.m. is the easiest part of her week, but preparing for it takes about 15-20 hours. In addition to writing the sermon, she works with the staff on the music, the "children's moment," and the Children's Chapel (formerly known as Sunday School).

This story was originally posted on Sept. 24, 2025 By Carl Wiser Staff Writer Sure, you can hike to Heublein Tower, but everyone does that. Instead, try the nearby Tanager Hill trail, where you'll find vernal pools, a farm pond, and a wide variety of bird-friendly habitats before reaching the top of Talcott Mountain. It's one of 14 trails owned by the Simsbury Land Trust, a nonprofit with a team of vigilant and knowledgeable volunteers who maintain the trails and advocate f

"Heublein Tower, which looks like it's been there forever, is actually the fourth tower to grace the mountain," says Scott Lewis, author of Avon, Connecticut's First Century: Visionaries and Victims. "There were three predecessor towers and they were all located in Avon, not Simsbury."