Remembering the past

If you read the front page of today's Record-Journal, you probably saw the article about Mary Mushinsky and Martin Looney. They are now the longest serving lawmakers in the General Assembly. They've been representing their respective towns for 29 years. Good for them!

To write the story that landed in today's paper, I talked to both Mushinsky and Looney about some of their memories over the years.

Did you know that for a few years some lawmakers actually set up their office in trailors parked outside the Capitol?

And did you know that Mushinsky and her staff has actually measured the amount of professional (paper) material the Wallingford lawmaker receives? Mushinsky told me she gets about 6 feet of paper each year.

And here's a random fact. Mushinsky says both her and Looney were single when they arrived at the Capitol, but since then, they've both gotten married and had children.

Throughout my interviewing, I also learned that Looney has a great memory and is particularly fond of sports. More than one person described Looney as a perfect gentleman.

Looney spoke a lot about his transition from the House to the Senate. He was elected to the Senate in 1992.

He even shared a funny moment that he had during his first year as a senator.

The House of Representatives has a bell that indicates that there will be a roll call vote. The Senate does not. They only have a voice announcement.

Anyway, the House bell rang one day, and Looney made his way to the House chamber, stopping only when he saw the representative that succeeded him. Representatives really are conditioned to react to the bell, he said as he laughed at the memory.