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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 10 OcTOber 2017

Italian-Americans proudly celebrate Columbus Day with parade

NEW YORK (AP) — A rainy stood overlooking Colum- Christopher Columbus, but
day may have dampened bus Circle. Mayor Bill de you can’t debate the con-
turnout but not the spirits Blasio, a Democrat and tribution of Italian-Ameri-
of those who celebrated an Italian-American, put cans to this country. That is
Italian-American heritage together a commission to beyond question.”
Monday at the Columbus review statues of contro- Parade spectator Rose
Day Parade in midtown versial figures on city prop- Bove, 57, is adamantly
Manhattan. erty and to come up with against changing the
The marchers and musi- suggestions for how they name of the day or taking
cians gamely gave it their should be handled. The down the statue.
all as they paraded up Fifth notion that the Columbus “It’s part of history,” said
Avenue under gray skies statue could be part of that Bove, who was born and
and sometimes-heavy prompted backlash from raised in New York City and
rain. Onlookers waved Ital- other Italian-Americans, recently moved to Char-
ian and American flags, who vowed to defend it. lottesville, Virginia, where
although long stretches Speaking before the pa- a white supremacist pro-
of the parade route were rade, de Blasio said the test over the removal of a
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, center right, throws a kiss on
empty of spectators. 5th Ave. during the annual Columbus Day Parade in New York Columbus Day event was Confederate statue led to
The annual parade took Monday, Oct 9, 2017. the proud history of Italian- violence and the death of
place as some people (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) Americans. a counterprotester. “We
across the country are abolished and replaced In New York, the focus has Asked about Columbus, de grew up with that.
questioning whether Co- with Indigenous Peoples been on a statue of Chris- Blasio said, “You can de- I think we should learn from
lumbus Day should be Day. topher Columbus that has bate the historical figure of it.”q
Great pumpkins! Grower wins trifecta of giant food titles

By MICHELLE SMITH that weighed in at 1,689 lievable.” He said Jutras’
Associated Press pounds (766 kilograms). accomplishment showed
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A Both previous records have the best of the hobby. “It’s
Rhode Island grower is first since been surpassed, but about people competing
in the world to achieve Jutras is the only grower so and pushing the boundar-
a trifecta in the hobby of far to break world records ies,” he said.
growing gargantuan foods: in the three most competi- Jutras said his fruit is head-
world records for heavi- tive categories. ed to New York City, where
est pumpkin, longest long “It feels great,” Jutras said it will be on display this
gourd and now, heaviest Monday. “It’s really been month at the New York Bo-
squash. a goal of mine to try to tanical Garden.
After previously breaking achieve this.” In February, he’ll receive
two records, Joe Jutras got Jutras has been working on a coveted “green jacket”
his third during the week- the trifecta for a decade, honor for his squash record
end when smashed the gi- since his pumpkin win. He during at the annual con-
ant squash record with one was close to the goal a vention in Oregon of the
that weighed more than a few years ago, but then a Great Pumpkin Common-
ton. squash on track to break wealth, considered the
His green squash tipped the record split. NFL of giant fruit and veg-
the scales at 2,118 pounds Now 62, Jutras recently etable growing.
(960 kilograms) during a retired from his work as a Asked what he plans to do
weigh-in at Frerichs Farm in high-end cabinet maker In this Oct. 7, 2017, photo, Joe Jutras stands with his world record next after achieving the
Warren on Saturday. to devote more time to his breaking, 2,118-pound squash, following a weigh-in at Frerichs trifecta, he said he’s been
His other titles came in hobby. Farm in Warren, R.I. thinking about the bushel
2006, when broke the re- Jutras noted that others (Susan Jutras via AP) gourd.
cord for longest gourd, with had won multiple world “I think the record now is
a 126.5-inch (3.21-meter) records for fruits and veg- He credits a new soil cul- year’s win. about 279 pounds,” Jutras
gourd, and in 2007, when etables before, but in cat- tivation technique and a Ron Wallace, a multi-time said. “That might be some-
he broke the record for egories such as carrots that seed from last year’s world pumpkin record breaker, thing I might want to get
largest pumpkin, with a fruit are not as competitive. record breaker for this called Jutras’ feat “unbe- into a bit.”q