“Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.” ~ Author Unknown
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Bee Intelligencer AN INDEPENDENTLY OWNED FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Informing the towns of Middlebury, Southbury, Woodbury, Naugatuck, Oxford and Watertown
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Volume XII, No. 6
May 2016
Presidential Primary Results Middlebury Democrats
Republicans
Sanders.............................324 Clinton..............................271 Uncommitted.....................12 De La Fuente........................1
Trump...............................770 Kasich...............................285 Cruz..................................104 Uncommitted.....................15 Carson..................................6
EIDC approves funeral home design By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE The Middlebury Economic and Industrial Development Commission (EIDC) at its April 26 meeting unanimously approved the design of the proposed Albini Funeral Home and Crematory planned for Benson Road. That approval is a necessary step towards construction approvals from the Planning and Zoning Commission. It also welcomed new member David Cappelletti and discussed objectives for the commission in promoting economic development. Land for the new building, with about five to 10 usable acres fronting on Benson Road, was purchased from the Town of Middlebury in June 2015 by Raymond and Panagiota (Penny) Albini. It was acquired by the town in June 2014 from Baker Residential in lieu of $75,925.07 taxes owed. The Albini family owns the Albini Funeral Home on Chase Parkway in Waterbury. Zoning regulations were revised in November 2015 to permit funeral homes in Middlebury’s LI-200 zone. Co n st r u c t i o n of the 8,000-square-foot building will be managed by structural engineer Joseph L. Calabrese, owner of a company bearing his name in Waterbury. He introduced architect Alphonse K. Kuncas Jr. of CK Associates in Waterbury and roofing and siding consultant Mario Almeida of Metro Supply in Danbury. Kuncas used a site plan to describe the rectangular building,
which has two carports, two parlors, administrative offices, bathrooms and a crematorium. Parking for 100 cars is included, along with space for a possible 2,000-square-foot expansion. Raymond Albini said the funeral home would be an annex to the one he operates in Waterbury. He said cremation rates are rising nationally and he expects them to rise in Connecticut. Calabrese said Connecticut field stones or New England mosaic stone, as used on the Moore, O’Brien and Foti building on Straits Turnpike, will be used in pillars and columns. Two coppertopped cupolas will follow the theme of the cupola on the Middlebury Historical Society building. Almeida showed samples of PVC cedar shake siding, Timberline asphalt shingles and Azek molding that will be used. A crematory garden for on-site burial, not fully described in the site plan, is planned for four or five years in the future, Calabrese said, and will be designed by a landscape firm familiar with such designs. In other matters, newly appointed commissioner David Cappelletti was welcomed as a member. Cappelletti, a former member of the Middlebury Board of Finance, agreed to help the commission develop written objectives and plans for economic development. The next regular meeting will be Tuesday, May 24, at 6:30 p.m. in the Town Hall Conference Room.
This artist’s rendering shows the Albini funeral home/crematory proposed for Benson Road in Middlebury. The design was approved by the EIDC Tuesday night. (Rendering courtesy CK Associates Inc.)
Don’t forget to vote! Wednesday, May 4, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Shepardson Community Center 1172 Whittemore Road in Middlebury • Town budget of $10.4 million • Regional School District 15 budget of $66.9 million
Adoptable Pets............8 Senior Center Events....2 Classifieds...................7 Senior News Line.........3 It Happened in Middlebury... 5 Sports.................. 3 & 6 Obituaries...................5 To Your Good Health....7 Puzzles.......................7 Veterans Post..............5
Editorial Office: Email: mbisubmit@gmail.com Phone: 203-577-6800 Mail: P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762 Advertising Sales: Email: mbiadvertising@gmail.com
Upcoming Events
Inside this Issue
Tuesday & wednesday
May 3 & 4
wednesday
May 4
The Cat Adoption Center in Southbury will hold a grand opening Saturday, May 14.
(Marjorie Needham photo)
Cat adoption center to open in Southbury By MARJORIE NEEDHAM Caroline Abate of Rose Hope Rescue Inc. has found a home in Southbury for a cat adoption center that will be open seven days a week for those wishing to adopt a cat or kitten. Housed in a building in Bennett Square at 134 Main St. S. in Southbury, the center has room for a number of cats and also has a play room where cats can exercise and potential adopters can spend some time getting to know them. The center’s grand opening Saturday, May 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. will offer a bake sale, a ribbon cutting at noon, tours of the center, and the opportunity to see the adoptable cats and kittens that are in the program. Area merchants also will be there. One merchant is Pet Aesthetics, which is a few doors away. Owner Sue Begasse said, “I’m excited we’ll actually have some-
thing for cats. Everything in town has been for dogs.” She invites those attending the grand opening to mosey over. Pet Aesthetics is one of the few groomers that will groom cats, offering everything from a full bath, brush out, ear cleaning and claw trim to items off an a la carte menu. Begasse said those who adopt from Rose Hope Rescue can stop by for a free bag of food and a coupon for grooming. For the grand opening, she plans to offer sample packs and coupons. Another local merchant supporting the new adoption center is Pet Valu Pet Store at 100 Main St. N. in Southbury Plaza. Manager Jessica Martin said the store will have a tent at the grand opening. She said of the center, “It’s very exciting. It’s pretty unique. Not many rescues have the opportunity to have a storefront. I think it will be very good for Southbury.” She said one way her store
will help is by having cats from the center rotate through cages in her store so customers can see the cats available for adoption. “I’ve also provided her (Abate) with adoption kits that have coupons for the store and break down for new owners what supplies they need to pick up for their new cat.” She said the store just donated 77 bags of cat litter to the center and is about to donate 77 more. She said she likes to do what she can to help. “It’s important to be part of the community,” she said. On May 14, those who go to the grand opening and see a cat or kitten they would like to adopt can fill out an application, and their applications will be processed as soon as possible. Vet references are required from all applicants.
– See Cat Center on page 2
Spotlight on Middlebury Land Trust properties By JANINE SULLIVAN-WILEY Congratulations to Anne Marie Niesobecki, the first person to correctly identify April’s mystery photo as Sperry Pond. Also correct, and the first to respond to the online edition, was John Kotchian. Well done! The trail in the photo is actually not the main trail leading in, but the trail on the western edge of the pond area, facing south, along a similar flat and needle-carpeted stretch. While probably everyone in Middlebury has seen Sperry Pond, not everyone knows it is a Middlebury Land Trust (MLT) property open to the public for passive recreation. Its entrance on the west side of Route 63 a half mile north of Park Road is flanked by two stone pillars. The full property that includes Sperry Pond is called Juniper Hill and encompasses over 130 acres; an adjacent piece (the Fairhaven tract) has 11 acres. One of the
Send in your guess identifying the May “Can You Guess The Location?” mystery Middlebury Land Trust property. (Janine Sullivan-Wiley photo) earlier properties acquired by Leavenworth “Lem” Sperry and pond and the earthen dam on the the MLT by way of The Nature his brother, Mark Sperry. right. There also is a smaller trail Conservancy (the MLT did not The main trail starts at the enyet exist), it was donated by trance and curves north along the – See MLT on page 7
Connecticut Community Foundation Give Local Day What: When: Where: Info:
Donations to your favorite local charity can earn it bonus money 7 a.m. May 3 to 7 p.m. May 4 Donate online at www.givelocalccf.org Call Tricia Poirier at 203-753-1315, ext. 130, or email tpoirier@conncf.org
Vote on Middlebury and Regional School District 15 2016-2017 budgets What: Voters cast ballots on the town and school district budgets. When: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Where: Shepardson Community Center, 1172 Whittemore Road, Middlebury, Conn.
sunday
May 8
Pomperaug Baseball and Softball updates Page 3 & 6
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P.O. Box 10, Middlebury CT 06762
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