Gov. M. Jodi Rell today urged Connecticut residents to submit nominations for the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame.

�This Hall will be a creative and lasting way to pay tribute to the brave men and women of Connecticut who have served in our armed forces and continued to serve their communities after discharge,� Rell said. 

�With just a month left to submit nominations, I am asking Connecticut residents to take a few minutes to think about who should be honored in this fashion and send us their stories. Feel free to nominate a family member, a longtime friend, or a neighbor down the street.

�Essentially, the Veterans Hall of Fame is a way for us to simply say thank you to Connecticut heroes. Our veterans have demonstrated bravery and courage not only in defense of freedom but in service to their communities and the people of Connecticut.

By Gov. M. Jodi Rell

Gov. M. Jodi Rell: Announces open house day June 11. Contriibuted photoTourism is a $10 billion industry in Connecticut. In 2004, about 15 million people visited our historical sites, coastline, art exhibits, theaters, quaint towns and villages, museums, galleries and gardens. 

I want Connecticut residents to become familiar with the very treasures that out-of-staters are discovering every day. That�s why I am pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for all of us to contribute to Connecticut�s continued growth and prosperity.

I am asking Connecticut residents to please join in a very special one-day statewide celebration on Saturday, June 11: Connecticut Open House Day.  Connecticut Open House Day showcases our state�s exceptional world of art, history and tourism. On June 11, Connecticut tourist attractions will open their doors in a neighborly way to residents so we can discover � and rediscover � all that is uniquely Connecticut.

More than 125 cultural and tourist destinations will participate.  Many will offer free admission, unique tours, special offers and even refreshments to visitors.  Some of the participants include the following:

Thanks to WestportNow’s army of contributing photographers, WestportNow posted 140 photographs of Westport’s Memorial Day parade Monday and other holiday events, a record.

“The Memorial Day parade has long been a highlight of annual events in Westport and we were delighted to be able to present a digital history of the day for all to see,” said Gordon Joseloff, WestportNow editor and publisher.

“Twenty photographers submitted almost 250 photographs,” he said. “We launched a special photo gallery feature to accommodate the photos. This is the most photos we’ve published of any one event since our start more than two years ago.

“Unfortunately, we were not able to use all of them, but we are grateful to Westporters for taking time to share their photos with our readers. Thanks to them, WestportNow continues to set the pace among citizen journalism efforts on the Internet.”

A World War II painting of the honor roll in front of Westport�s Town Hall by artist Steven Dohanos is on display at the Westport Historical Society. The painting, which appeared on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post on Dec. 4, 1943, is on loan to the Westport WPA Art Rescue Committee from its present owner, a collector of Dohanos art works. THe committee hopes to raise $12,500 to return the piece permanently to Westport. Mollie Donovan of the Westport Historical Society and husband Jack view the painting.  (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Ron Malone for WestportNow.com. For more pictures by Ron Malone click HERE.

A flag flying on the banks of the Saugatuck River in Westport Monday saluted all who gave their lives for their country. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Maureen Whiteman for WestportNow.com

Almost perfect Memorial Day weather � sunny skies and temperature in the mid-70s, drew crowds to Westport’s Compo Beach today. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Phyllis Groner for WestportNow.com

Parade Grand Marshall Barry McCabe addresses the crowd on Veterans Green across from Westport Town Hall at the conclusion of today’s Memorial Day parade. For more parade pictures see below and a special WestportNow picture gallery HERE. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo