April: Bermudians avoid injury from bombing

Brush with disaster in Boston

Bermudians and other people from all over the world were horrified when two bombs went off near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. A contingent of local runners participated in the race and several college students avoided being hurt. Cary Butterfield was 300 yards from the finish line when the bombs went off while stopping for lunch may have saved JoAnne Lee and her family from harm. 

Hoody is not just for tourists

Everyone had to have one. The Bermuda Est. 1612 Atlantic Outpost became the must-have clothing item the hip and the trendy were wearing. But it became more than that as also took in cultural pride.

Local archivist and culture worker Kystl Assan wrote: “We’ve adopted an item intended for outsiders (tourists), added our own flair... and re-branded it to express our individuality and fierce Bermudian pride. 

A celebrity in Kenya

Bermudian dancer Joanne Ball-Burgess became a star on an X-Factor-style show in Kenya.

The show, Sakata, pits dance crews against each other in a bid to win the top prize of 1m Kenyan shillings.

Miss Ball became known as ‘Judge Joanne’ to millions of Kenyans.

The show can also be seen in Uganda and Nigeria. 

She became so popular that Sakata hired a bodyguard to help her go about her daily business without being mobbed by adoring fans. 

Dockyard cam creates buzz

A state-of-the-art webcam started beaming live footage of Dockyard around the globe. The Port Bermuda webcam is positioned on the top of Commissioner’s House to give users the best view of cruise ships as they arrive and depart from the West End. The cam can also pan across Dockyard and broadcast seascape images leading all the way across Bermuda to St George’s. 

Questions about Wharf

Government said time restraints were a factor as it deviated from the building code for the Heritage Wharf project to get it ready in time for the Norwegian Breakaway. Ungalvanized rebar was used instead of the anti-corrosive, zinc-coated steel in galvanized rebar. Government said high-density concrete along with a string of other modern anti-corrosion techniques will help make sure the wharf will stand the test of time. 

Killers get life in prison

Jay Dill, 23, and Devon Hewey, 24, were sentenced to life in prison for the premeditated murder of footballer Randy Robinson.

When Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves declared he was the shooter, Dill quietly said: “Bulls**t, your honour.”

He would later stick up both of his middle fingers as he was led down the steps as a protest. 

Hewey said after being sentenced: “Justice ain’t served.” Both Dill and Hewey must serve 40 years each before they are eligible for parole.  

Bomb scare at airport

A suspicious package left at LF Wade International Airport caused it to be evacuated.

The Fire Service investigation proved the package to be nothing more than a paper bag with a tubed wall poster.  

The first Bermuda home?

Archeologists believe this cave on Smith’s Island may have been the camp set up by Bermuda’s ‘Three Kings’ (Christopher Carter, Robert Waters and Edward Chard) — the first people to set up permanent home here after the Patience and Deliverance set sail for Jamestown.

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