Prst. Std. U.S. Postage Paid Naugatuck, CT #27
“Who forces time is pushed back by time; who yields to time finds time on his side.” ~ The Talmud
FR EE
Bee Intelligencer Informing the towns of Middlebury, Southbury, Woodbury, Naugatuck, Oxford and Watertown A FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Volume IX, No. 10
Friday, March 8, 2013
Region 15 seeks community input Members of the Regional School District 15 staff and community are encouraged to fill out an online survey AND participate in a focus group about the superintendent search. The Region 15 Board of Education (BoE) hired Cooperative Educational Services (CES) to conduct a search for a new superintendent of schools after Dr. Frank Sippy announced his plans to retire. The survey and focus groups are designed to identify leadership characteristics and attributes the community finds important to the success of the new superintendent of schools. A link to the online survey is at www.region15.org. The survey is open until March 15. The focus group schedule is below. Superintendent Search Committee Chairperson Pat Perry said, “It is important for the Board of Education to hear from Region 15 citizens and the educational community about the desirable attributes of a new superintendent of schools.” Perry
encouraged all residents and school district employees to complete the online survey and attend a focus group. She said data from the two will help the BoE structure its screening of candidates to ensure the best match for the culture and needs of the school district. CES will compile and organize the data from the survey and focus groups, and their comprehensive report will be published on the district’s website. CES consultant Tom Jokubaitis said, “Gaining a clear understanding of the Region 15 school district community’s expectations of its next superintendent is critical to the success of the search and the eventual success of the new superintendent. The BoE expects to select a new superintendent this spring. For more information on CES, visit www.ces.k12.ct.us/searches. The page will give you more information on CES and has a clickable link to the Region 15 search.
Bicycle Works owner Matt Morris stands by the bike repair rack at his storefront location in Middlebury. The shop is closing March 8, but Morris hopes to reopen in a new location in April. In the meantime, he is offering mobile bicycle sales and repairs. (Marjorie Needham photo)
Middlebury bike shop goes mobile By MARJORIE NEEDHAM
Middlebury town budget taking shape By MARJORIE NEEDHAM Middlebury’s Board of Selectmen on Feb. 4 approved a proposed $11.01 million budget for 2013-2104. This is a 17-percent increase over the current $9.4 million budget. However, the budget summary sheet shows the mil rate staying at its current 28.09 mils. A mil is $1 in taxes for every $1,000 in assessed value. The mil rate is kept the same in part by making up a $1.8 million revenue shortfall by using $1.5 million from the unassigned fund balance. That, combined with $283,270 for an in-kind transfer from the Water Pollution Control Authority, covers the shortfall. Not taken into account in the initial budget is Superintendent Dr. Frank Sippy’s proposed 20132014 Regional School District 15 budget, which increases spending by 4.54 percent. If Sippy’s proposed budget is not reduced during Region 15 Board of Education budget workshops, it will include a $981,283 increase for Middlebury taxpayers. That alone will increase the mil rate 1 full mil to 29.09. First Selectman Edward B. St. John said Tuesday, “No matter
what the town does, the school budget propels a 1 mil increase.” He added, “We need to look at creative ways to lower the impact on taxpayers.” St. John said the majority of the town budget increase is capital expenditures. These are found in two categories: capital budget and capital budget – Town & Public Safety. Capital budget reserve expenditures for fire equipment, public works equipment, upgrades to town facilities and town infrastructure repairs total $1.13 million, a 297.8 percent increase. Capital expenditures for town and public safety increased 179 percent or $224,210, to $349,300 from $125,180. The largest increase in this account was a $197,000 increase for a fire pumper truck. “We used to have a separate capital budget,” St. John said. Now capital costs are incorporated in the town budget. St. John said the reserve accounts the Board of Finance has been eliminating used to be used for capital expenditures. He said monies that come in from tower rentals, for example, now go into
Middlebury’s Bicycle Works is giving up its storefront home at 1255 Middlebury Road in the Hamlet today, Friday, March 8. But that doesn’t mean owner Matt Morris is going out of business. Morris said he will offer mobile services to his customers until he can find a new location for his business. To arrange bicycle pickup or to buy a bike, call Morris at 203-598-0005. Morris opened the shop near the Middlebury Greenway May 7, 2007, and thought by now the business would be doing very well. “I chose here because of the location,” Morris said. “I thought I would get some bike traffic off the Greenway, but I got none.” Morris said the business grew in the first few years, and seemed on track to do well. In the end though, there simply wasn’t enough traffic through the doors to support his bicycle repair and sales business. Sales increased through 2010, which he said was his best year. But sales declined in 2011 and again in 2012. In 2010 and 2011, Morris invested about $40,000 in expanding the store and adding snowboards, skis and bindings to his inventory and ski tune-ups and binding installation to his services. It seemed like a good idea at the time. It meant the business would bring in customers during the winter months when not a lot is happening with bicycle sales and repairs.
It didn’t work out that way, though. The first year, the new inventory did well, he said. The second year, he sold one snowboard, and this year none of the winter inventory sold. “Visibility is a big part of the problem,” Morris said, noting his shop isn’t very visible from the highway. The part of the building Bicycle Works is in sets back a bit from Middlebury Road (Route 64) and is perpendicular to it, so although a lot of traffic passes by, drivers couldn’t easily see the business. To compensate for the poor visibility, Morris bought a small lit “open” sign for his window. He soon found himself at odds with the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission, which found him in violation of the town’s sign ordinance. Eventually, after Morris paid more than $1,000 to go through the special exception process, he was allowed to put the sign up. Since then, Planning and Zoning has stopped enforcing the sign ordinance, and lit signs can be seen in the windows of many Middlebury businesses. Morris said he hopes to open a shop in
a new location sometime in April. He hasn’t yet figured out where it will be. He said he has looked for possible locations in Newtown, Fairfield and Shelton and also will look in Prospect. “You have to have a certain amount of square footage to operate (a bike shop) effectively,” he said. He estimates the minimum space needed would be about 1,400 square feet. Morris is sad about closing his shop. “I wish I could make it work, but financially I can’t,” he said. When revenues dropped, he tried unsuccessfully to renegotiate his lease. Then he tried to obtain a bank loan. “I went to every bank in the area,” Morris said. None would give him a loan. So, for the immediate future, he will be operating a mobile bicycle sales and service business. Mustering a smile despite the setback for his business, Morris said, “I look at the bright side of things. The atmosphere and the quality of the work will be the same or better at the new location.” For now, his dream of a successful storefront business has been postponed.
Its time to Spring ahead Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 10 Dont forget to set your clocks ahead one hour
- See Budget on page 5
Adoptable Pets................ 8 Classifieds....................... 7 Community Calendar....... 2 Fire Log........................... 4 In Brief............................ 4 Library Happenings.......... 2 Nuggets for Life.............. 6
Obituaries....................... 5 Parks & Rec..................... 6 Puzzles........................... 7 Region 15 Calendar........ 3 Senior Center News......... 3 Sports Quiz..................... 6 Varsity Sports Calendar.... 6
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
Saturday
March 9
Oxford High to present “How to Succeed”
Middlebury Boy Scout Troop 5 Bottle Drive
When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. What: All Connecticut deposit bottles, cans and plastics will be accepted. Where: Village Square Mall at 530 Middlebury Road in Middlebury
Page 3
wednesday
March 13
Middlebury Knights of Columbus Annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinner When: What: Where: Cost:
5 to 8 p.m. Corned beef, cabbage and more! Shepardson Community Center Auditorium $15 adults, $12 seniors, $8 youth, children under 8 free, family of five $40
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P.O. Box 10, Middlebury CT 06762
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The Bee-Intelligencer
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Friday, March 8, 2013
Library Happenings
House Fire
Middlebury In the Stacks Stroll through the stacks with Lesley Wednesday, March 13, at 1 p.m.
Mystery Book Discussion The Mystery Book Discussion Group will meet Thursday, March 14, at 6 p.m. to discuss “Look Again” by Lisa Scottoline. Books are available at the library. For more information or to sign up, contact Joan at jarnold@biblio.org or call the library.
Ask Mike! Computer and Tech Questions Ask Mike will meet Tuesday, March 19, at 3:30 p.m. Have a computer or e-reader question? Need a basic lesson? Sign up for Ask Mike! Spaces are limited. Please call the library to sign up. The Middlebury Volunteeer Fire Department and Middlebury Police Department responded Wednesday night to this house fire at 381 Lakeshore Drive in Middlebury. Wind contributed to spread of the fire, and a lack of fire hydrants meant the fire department had to use tankers full of water to fight the fire and cool a propane tank on the premises. (Middlebury Police Department photo)
Book Review “A Cold and Lonely Place” By Sara J. Henry (Crown Publishers, $24) Reviewed by Rose McAllister Croke Freelance writer Troy Chance is taking photos of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival’s ice palace, which is being built of frozen blocks cut from the local lake. Suddenly, the ice-cutting machine abruptly stops, and a hushed silence falls over the working crew. Encased in the ice is the shadowy outline of a body – a local man known to the small group that is gathered. Despite no evidence of foul play, the media descend on the Lake Placid, N.Y., town, and one of Troy’s housemates, who casually dated the victim, immediately becomes a prime suspect and the subject of small-town gossip. Troy is assigned by her editor to write an in-depth feature on Tobin Winslow and his mysterious death. Was it more than a tipsy late-night stroll across a lake, on ice too thin, in weather too brutally cold? Soon, it is revealed that Tobin was the privileged son of a wealthy Connecticut family, who moved to this remote Adiron-
Dancemakers
This program will meet Thursday, March 21, at 5:45 p.m. Are you curious about dance? The Brass City Ballet, in partnership with the library, presents “Dancemakers,” a series of FREE multigenerational, inter-ability dance composition workshops. The workshops are open to the general public ages 5 and up, no dance experience is necessary, families are invited to attend and canes, walkers and wheelchairs are welcome! Please call the library to sign up. The Middlebury Public Library is temporarily at the Middlebury Timex Building at 199 Park Road Extension, Suite D, in Middledack village to escape a family bury. Call 203-758-2634 or visit tragedy that had haunted him for www.middleburypubliclibrary. years. After Tobin’s sister arrives org for more information. in town to learn more about her brother’s solitary life and a string of unsettling incidents occur, Troy doesn’t know who to trust Lessen your stress or believe. Brian Vaugh will teach “The Through her investigation, she Balanced Life: The Way to Live ultimately uncovers a story that with Less Stress” Tuesday, March threatens to shatter the tranquility of the mountain town. She 12, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The class must decide which family secrets will teach how to manage and should be exposed, which truths lessen stress to achieve a more should remain hidden and how balanced lifestyle. Call 203- 729far her own loyalty and profes- 4591 to register. sional ambition can reach. Snacks & Shows “A Cold and Lonely Place” profor Seniors vides a strong cast of female characters, each of whom has Tuesday, March 12, at 1 p.m., her own reasons and agenda for the library’s monthly Snacks & taking up residence in a small Shows for Seniors will feature the town during an unforgiving and 1947 Academy-Award winner for unbearably cold winter. It’s not Best Picture, the romantic drama, a typical whodunit, but there are “The Best Years of Our Lives” starenough twists and turns in the ring Fredric March, Dana Andrews plot that you’ll want to curl up and Myrna Loy. Before the film, with a cup of tea or hot chocolate participants will make Peanut Butand lose yourself for a spell. ter Dream Dip. This free program (c) 2013 King Features Synd., Inc. is open to patrons who are at least 50 years old and their guests. Registration is required. To sign up, call the reference desk at 203-7294591.
Naugatuck
Middlebury Community Calendar Monday, March 11
Reivers” by William Faulkner.
Board of Finance 7 p.m............................................................... Shepardson Room 26 Land Preservation & Open Space 6 p.m...................................................Town Hall Conference Room
Thursday, March 14
The Howard Whittemore Memorial Library is at 243 Church St. in Naugatuck. For information, call 203-729-4591 or visit whittemorelibrary.org.
Southbury Spring Story Times Registration Registration is under way for the Children’s Department’s sixweek Spring Story Time sessions. The story time schedule is as follows: • Babies & Books will begin Tuesday, March 19, at 10:30 a.m. • Stories & Crafts for 3 to 5-yearolds will begin Wednesday, March 20, at 10:30 a.m. • Stories & More for 2-year-olds will begin Friday, March 22, at 10:30 a.m. All story times include stories, songs and crafts. Registration is not needed for Drop In Story Time and Crafts every Monday at 10:30 a.m. or PJ Stories and Crafts every Thursday at 6 p.m. Register by stopping in the Children’s Department or calling 203-262-0626, ext. 3.
Special Display This month, a memorial display for the Sandy Hook victims created by a Newtown resident knitter is on display in the Brinker Fireplace Room glass cabinet in the library. The 26 miniature yarn dogs and cats were knitted in memory of the 20 children and six educators.
PHS Art Work on Exhibit
Meditation Practice
The ongoing meditation pracPolice Commission tice will meet Tuesday, March 12, 6 p.m...................................................Town Hall Conference Room from 6 to 6:45 p.m. in the Reading Room. Please arrive by 5:50 p.m. Tuesday, March 12 as it starts on time. Call the library for more information. Democratic Town Committee 7:30 p.m.......................................................... Shepardson Room 27 Book Club Republican Town Committee The Whittemore Book Club will 7:30 p.m......................................................... Shepardson, Room 26 meet Tuesday, March 19, at 7 p.m. Library Board of Directors in the Main Reading Room. The 6:30 p.m..................................................Middlebury Public Library book to be discussed will be “The
Wednesday, March 13
Colleen Plimpton portrays landscape gardener Beatrix Farrand (1872-1959). Plimpton will appear as Farrand Saturday, March 23, at 2 p.m. at the Woodbury Public Library (Submitted photo)
Region 15 is observing Youth Art Month again this year by displaying local student art work in the Gloria Cachion Gallery in the Southbury Public Library until Wednesday, March 27. The majority of the art will be two-dimensional paintings and drawings, but there also will be selected three-dimensional pieces, sculpture and photography. Region 15 has collaborated with
Bird Seed Headquarters
Black Oil, Premium Mix, Sunflower Hearts, Niger Seed (thistle for finches)
Deer Corn • Livestock & Poultry Feed Wood pellets available by the ton or by the bag Local eggs. Fresh daily. $3.50 per dozen
Woodbury The Children’s Department is offering the following programs free for area residents. Registration is required unless otherwise noted. For more information or to register, call 203-263-3502 or visit www.woodbury-libraryct. org. Arti Dixson Jazz - Families with children of all ages are welcome to attend a special performance of Arti Dixson Jazz Saturday, March 9, at 3 p.m. Audience participation is encouraged throughout this high-energy musical program. Special Story and Craft Hour Wednesday, March 13, at 3:30 p.m., children in preschool through grade 2 are welcome to attend a special story and craft hour hosted by the PR Literacy Club from Woodbury Middle School. Teens will read stories to children and provide assistance with a fun craft. Refreshments provided by the PR Club will be served. No registration is necessary; just drop in with your child. Dog with Different Abilities A special dog with different abilities will visit the library Saturday, March 16, at 10:30 a.m. Families with children of all ages are welcome to join his owner, Trisha Malfitano, as she reads her book, “My Dog Kiefer,” which explains why Kiefer is different than other dogs and why his differences make him special.
Take an Armchair Trip to Southeast Asia Thursday, March 14, at 7 p.m., Dr. Ira Mickenberg will bring library visitors to the ancient Khmer empire, now known as Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Two years ago, Mick-
enberg and his wife visited this area that has been of critical political and economic importance to the U.S. from the 1960s to the present. Current U.S. foreign policy is emphasizing a closer relationship with these Asian countries. Photos taken on their trip will facilitate a discussion of the cultural, political and economic aspects of this region. Mickenberg is a retired physician who was a founding partner and practiced with Southbury Medical Associates since 1971.
Beatrix Farrand Rediscovered Colleen Plimpton will give a dramatic, 45-minute first-person presentation of the life, times and work of the distinguished “landscape gardener” Beatrix Farrand (1872-1959) Saturday, March 23, at 2 p.m. Farrand was America’s first female landscape architect and a founding member of the American Society of Landscape Architects. Though overlooked for decades, her work is being rediscovered. Many of her gardens, such as Bellefield in Hyde Park, N.Y.; Hill-Stead in Farmington, Conn.; and Garland Farm in Bar Harbor, Maine, have been restored. Plimpton spent 30 years in her first career as a clinical social worker with the chronically mentally ill. Her second career is that of professional garden communicator. Trained at the New York Botanical Garden, she has tended her sloping Connecticut acre for 20 years. She has been on TV and radio, writes a newspaper column for Hearst Media Group, coaches gardening, lectures widely and writes for various publications. Her garden memoir, “Mentors in the Garden of Life” was a finalist for the 2011 Connecticut Book of the Year in its category. For more information, call 203-263-3502 or visit www. woodburylibraryct.org. The library is at 269 Main St. South in Woodbury.
Naugatuck Historical Society Events
The following events and programs will be held at the NaugParks and Recreation atuck Historical Society at 195 7 p.m................................................................. Shepardson Room 1 Water St. in Naugatuck. Contact the society at 203-729-9039 or naugatuckhistory@sbcglobal. net. The website is www.naugatuckhistory.com.
Middlebury Road (Opposite the Shell Station) Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily Anthony Calabrese 203-758-2765
the library for more than 25 years, displaying creative art work during Youth Art Month. Check www.southburylibrary. org for more information. The library is at 100 Poverty Road in Southbury (203-262-0626).
in Connecticut ; Nardelli’s Grinder Shoppe, featured on the Travel Channel; and Fascia’s Chocolates, a family owned and run business for generations, will be available for only two months. Explore the history of other local flavors such as Peter Paul and the Naugatuck Creamery through the Flavors of Connecticut artifacts of the society’s archives. This temporary exhibit featur- The fee is $2 a person, $5 a faming artifacts from Avery Soda, the ily or free for members. Call or oldest soda company still bottling email for group tours.
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Have a Banner St. Patrick’s Day Saturday, March 9, at 11 a.m., rediscover your Irish heritage. Make Irish banners to decorate your home for St. Patrick’s Day while listening to tunes from the Emerald Isle. This is a Colette’s Crafts program. The cost is $2 a child or $5 a family. Registration is recommended, but not required.
The Great Escape Join the society for a Sunday Series program March 10 at 1 p.m. as they step back in time with local author Chris Pagliuco. He will lead in the story of Edward Whalley and William Goffe and The Great Escape. Explore
the lives of these heroes as they hide out in Connecticut and other New England states. Discover the forgotten history of the English Civil Wars and the history of the founding of the New England colonies. This program is free for members and students and $2 for all others. Light refreshments will follow the presentation.
Yarn Egg Surprise In another Colette’s Crafts program, this one Saturday, March 30, at 11 a.m., make your own Easter eggs with a candy surprise in the middle. Registration is recommended, but not required. All are welcome. The fee is $2 a person or $5 a family.
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The Bee-Intelligencer
Friday, March 8, 2013
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Region 15 School Calendar Saturday, March 9 No Events Scheduled
Sunday, March 10 No Events Scheduled
Monday, March 11 Personnel Policies/Curriculum Committee ......................................................PHS Media Center Conf. Rm., 6 p.m. Board of Education.......................... PHS AP Room No. 103, 7:30 p.m. MMS Auditions for Talent Show March 11-15
Tuesday, March 12 PES PTO..........................................................................................7 p.m. MMS Auditions for Talent Show March 11-15
Wednesday, March 13 PHS PLC-Advisory Day........................................... Delayed Schedule MMS Auditions for Talent Show March 11-15
Thursday, March 14 MMS PTO........................................................................................7 p.m. MES PTO....................................................................................9:30 a.m. Elementary Parent Conference.................Elementary Early Release PHS GradNite at Nardelli’s
Friday, March 15 The cast of Oxford High School's musical are, left to right, Erin O'Brien (ensemble), Rachel Camarra (Smitty), Tori Bogen (ensemble), Kaitlyn Speaker (Rosemary), Nathan Seibert (Bud Frump), James Kostka (Finch), Tyler Panek (J. B. Biggley), Nicole Maksymiw (ensemble), Kristen Lovell Elementary End of Second Marking Period (ensemble), Ashley Sanders (ensemble), and Maggie Palys (ensemble). Front is Katelyn Wentz (Mr. Twimble). Missing are Travis Pyka (Bratt), GES Father and Daughter Square Dance......................... 6-6:45 p.m. Ashley Veltri (Miss Jones), Jean Marie Winger (Hedy), and Kayla Buypal (Miss Krumholtz) and others from the ensemble. (Submitted photo) Grades 1 & 2 GES Father and Daughter Square Dance......................... 7-7:45 p.m. Grades 3-5 MMS Basketball Blowout at PHS............................................ 6-8 p.m. Elementary Parent Conference................ Elementary Early Release The Oxford High School Wol- Without Really Trying” to climb previous shows including “Into Gilbert with music and lyrics by MMS Auditions for Talent Show March 11-15 verine Players will present the the corporate ladder from lowly the Woods,” “Grease,” “West Side Frank Loesser. Saturday, March 16 musical “How to Succeed in window washer to high-powered Story” and most recently “Guys Thursday and Friday, March Business Without Really Trying” executive, tackling such familiar and Dolls.” 14 and 15, performances will be PHS Marching Band in NY City for St Patrick’s Day Parade Thursday and Friday, March 14 but potent dangers as the aggres“How to Succeed in Business at 7:30 p.m. and the Saturday, and 15, and Saturday, March 16. sively compliant “company Without Really Trying” is based March 16, performance will be Find the Bee-Intelligencer on This musical is a satire of big man,” the office party, backstab- on the 1952 book, “How To Suc- at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults business and all it holds sacred. bing co-workers, caffeine addic- ceed In Business Without Really and $8 for students and seniors. “How to Succeed” follows the tion and, of course, true love. Trying: The Dastard’s Guide to Tickets are available at www. rise of J. Pierrepont Finch, who The Wolverine Players are in Fame and Fortune,” by Shepherd showtix4u.com or by calling Oxuses a little handbook called their sixth year and have many Mead. It was written by Abe Bur- ford High School at 203-888“How To Succeed In Business awards and recognitions from rows, Jack Weinstock and Willie 2468.
Oxford High to present “How to Succeed”
Read the fine print Sometimes brochures and cards that come in the mail look like something real and legitimate. I received a card that at first glance appeared to have come from Social Security. It invited me to send back the card (postage paid) to receive a free brochure entitled “New Social Security Changes and Benefits.” It was only when I looked at the very bottom at the fine print (and yes, I had to use a magnifying glass because it was so tiny) that I learned the sender was not affiliated with the government: It was a sales pitch! When I traced down the person named on the card, it turned out he’s selling investments.
I found the same card on a marketing site on the Internet. Marketing companies sell the cards as a direct-mail piece, part of a lead-generation program for salespeople. Somehow they got my name and address and hoped I’d fill out even more information on the card (date of birth, home phone number and email address) and mail it back to them. With that information, they could start calling me to push whatever they’re selling.
I found a similar website, one that deals with promotional mailers, with this banner streaming across the top: “Social Security Leads are HOT ... mailers pulling 5 percent-plus.” That means that one in every 20 people who receive the mailing piece will respond. The lesson in all this is to hesitate before you fill out something you get in the mail, even if it appears to be legitimate. Get out your magnifying glass and look carefully. You might find a line or two of the truth at the bottom. Matilda Charles regrets she cannot personally answer reader questions, but she will incorpo-
Middlebury Senior Center News Don’s Computer Classes Google Voice - Tuesday, March 12, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., learn about Google Voice. The future of telecommunications is now with Google Voice. You’ll get your own exclusive telephone number and a personalized phone manager – free! This is one of the best apps available. The class fee is $15. Skype - Wednesday, March 13, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., find out what Skype is and how it works. Sign up for free video calling to friends and family both near and far. The class fee is $15. Computer Checkup – Thursday, March 14, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., learn how to schedule, maintain and keep your computer safe and up to date. Learn to back up your data, settings and programs and how to recover data you thought was corrupted, damaged or lost. The class fee is $15.
Diabetes and nutrition talk Tuesday, March 12, at 11:30 a.m., Erica Burdon, a nutritionist from New Opportunities will be at the senior center to talk about
diabetes and nutrition. No res- day, March 13. Call 203-577-4166 ervation needed. Please plan to to reserve your seat. attend.
Annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinner The Middlebury Knights of Columbus will hold its annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Wednesday, March 13, at 5 p.m. Traditional corned beef and cabbage with side dish, beverage, coffee or tea and dessert included. Ticket prices are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, $8 for youth, and children 8 and under are free. A family dinner ticket for a maximum of five is $40. Tickets are available at the door.
St. Patrick’s Day Luncheon Monday, March 18, at 11:30 a.m., the senior center will serve a St. Patrick’s day luncheon in the main dining room at Shepardson Community Center. On the Menu are corned beef and cabbage and the works in the authentic Irish tradition. The cost is $10 per person. The deadline for reservations is is Wednes-
AARP CT Tax Aide
Free income tax assistance is provided at the Middlebury Senior Center at 1172 Whittemore Road in Middlebury by the AARP Tax Aide program for low- to moderate-income taxpayers of all ages, with special attention to those 60 and older. Call 203-5774166 for more information or to schedule an appointment with a certified AARP Tax Aide counselor.
Daffodil Days Fundraiser Daffodil Days the week of March 18 is one of the American Cancer Society’s oldest and most beloved fundraising programs. To the Society, the daffodil represents the hope for a future in which cancer is no longer a life-threatening disease. Buy some daffodils, and help fund American Cancer Society research. Call 203-577-4166 to place your order.
Falls Avenue Senior Center Events Falls Avenue Senior Center events for area adults 55 and older follow. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 860-945-5250. Please speak with a staff member when calling as the senior center does not accept voice-mail reservations. The center is at 311 Falls Ave. in Oakville, Conn.
Book Club The senior center is establishing a book club for adults 55 years of age and older. Joanne Pannone is coordinating the group. Please call 860-945-5250 to register. Dates and times will be scheduled based on the level of interest.
Card-making Class
law enforcement officials. Please The center’s card-making register by March 11. class taught by Barbara Paquin Stretching for Seniors will meet Tuesday, March 12, at Physical Therapists Jim 9:30 a.m. Individuals interested in creating spring-themed cards Jablonka and Keith Havemeyer should register by March 11. The from Peak Physical Therapy will lead a Stretching for Seniors class cost is $5. Friday, March 15. at 10 a.m. Please register by March 14. Protect Against
Financial Exploitation
Elder Financial Exploitation and Abuse will be the topic Tuesday, March 12, at 2 p.m. Attorney Amy Orlando of Czepiga Daly Law will teach participants how to protect themselves or others from this form of abuse and will outline the process to follow with
Vocal Performance Bob Lupe, one of the center’s most popular singers, is performing Friday, March 15, at 2 p.m. Admission is a dish of appetizers to share. Please register by March 14. Apple Rehab of Watertown is sponsoring this musical event.
rate them into her column whenever possible. Write to her in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to columnreply@gmail.com. (c) 2013 King Features Synd., Inc.
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The Bee-Intelligencer
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Friday, March 8, 2013
Bee Intelligencer
in•tel•li•gencer: n. One who conveys news or information The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed.
Issued every week by: The Middlebury Bee-Intelligencer Society LLC Bee-Intelligencer Staff: Editor-In-Chief/Publisher: Marjorie Needham Contributing Writers: Mary Conseur, Terrence S. McAuliffe, Kathleen Riedel Art & Production: Mario J. Recupido Advertising Sales: mbiadvertising@gmail.com - Submit press releases in person, by mail or email The Bee-Intelligencer welcomes news, press releases and advertising from all surrounding communities Editorial Office: 2030 Straits Turnpike, Suite 1, Middlebury, CT 06762 Direct mail to P.O. Box 10. Telephone: 203-577-6800 • Email: beeintelligencer@gmail.com Advertising Information: Telephone: 203-577-6800 • Email: mbiadvertising@gmail.com Deadlines: Display Advertising: 5 p.m. Friday preceding publication Classified Advertising: 5 p.m. Monday preceding publication
Editorial/Press Releases: Noon Monday preceding publication Copyright © 2013 by The Middlebury Bee-Intelligencer Society, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
In Brief Boy Scout Bottle Drive Middlebury Boy Scout Troop 5 will hold a bottle drive Saturday, March 9, in the parking lot at Village Square (530 Middlebury Road) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. All Connecticut deposit bottles, cans and plastics will be accepted. If you need bottles and cans picked up, please call Michael Zinko at 203-758-8599 before March 9. The Boy Scouts thank you for your donations.
Fundraiser for Rescued Dog Drop in for the Saturday, March 9, 10 a.m. Yoga beginner class at Tula Family Enrichment Center, and your $10 class fee will go towards vet care for Precious, a puppy being cared for by Waterbury Animal Control and its vets. The dog has a severe case of mange and chemical burns that may be the result of an attempt to treat the mange. Tula is at 489 Middlebury Road in Middlebury (behind Dunkin’ Donuts).
Program about Studying Cemetery “Residents” The Naugatuck Valley Genealogy Club will meet Saturday, March 9, at 1 p.m. at the Naugatuck Historical Society at 195 Water St. in Naugatuck. After a
brief business meeting, Jolene Mullen, a member of the Connecticut Professional Genealogists Council, will present “A Prosopography of a Cemetery,” regarding how to do a study of the “residents” of a cemetery. The public is invited, and admission is free. Check radio WTIC-AM, TV WFSB and internet www.wfsb. com for storm cancellations. For more information, visit the club website, www.naugatuckvalleygenealogyclub.org or call Dick Kreitner at 203-881-8181.
Lenten Services Thursday evenings through March 31, from 6:15 to 7:45 p.m., Hillside Covenant Church at 100 Hillside Avenue on the west side of Naugatuck will host Lenten soup suppers and a special Lenten program. Pastor Rev. Liz Leggett and the church deacons will facilitate a DVD-based program entitled “What Wondrous Love: Holy Week in Word and Art” that will engage the visual senses with masterpiece illustrations by John August Swanson shown on a large screen. The program also will include video commentaries by Evangelical Covenant Church member Dr. Tim Johnson, longtime chief medical correspondent for ABC News, along with theological commentary by Thomas Long, Jan Love and
Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department Call Log Date Time Address/Incident 2/26/13 04:19 Route 63. Motor vehicle accident. Basic life support. Minor hand injury. 2/26/13 08:08 40 Winthrup Drive. Fire alarm activation,
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Carol Newson. In addition, each Patty Gibbs, a volunteer with week a familiar Scripture passage the Alzheimer’s Association, fawill be discussed. For more in- cilitates the group. For more information, call 203-729-2444. formation, call Debby Horowitz, at 203-267-3177. In case of a Elder Living Maze Talk school delay or cancellation for Assisted Transition Senior Region 15, the support group will Care Advisor Wendy Seiler of not meet. Newtown will present “NavigatDonate a Prom Dress ing the Elder Living Maze” Wednesday, March 13, from 6:30 Support “Princess and the to 7:30 p.m. at Cornerstone Phys- Prom” by dropping off a prom ical Therapy at 51 Sherman Hill dress at Defining Moments Salon Road, Building A, Suite 201, in and Barbershop at 344 MiddleWoodbury. Admission is free. bury Road by March 15. In April, Seiler helps families explore the “Princess and the Prom” senior care and senior living op- nonprofit organization will protions in Connecticut. She aids vide prom dresses and accessofamilies with finding assisted ries to any area high school girl care and independent living fa- who might not otherwise be able cilities, continuing care provid- to afford one. ers, skilled nursing and home Those who donate a dress will care, legal and financial re- receive a salon voucher for $10 sources and more. off a special occasion updo or Attendees will be eligible for $15 off a wash, cut and style. For a complimentary needs analysis more information, call 203-758for a family member who is be- 8899 or visit www.definingmoginning to require assistance mentsct.com. with their daily activities. ReMusic Program freshments will be served. To reserve seating or learn more, for Kids call Cornerstone Physical TherSoulshine Arts invites parents apy at 203-263-3104. or other caregivers and their in-
Alzheimer’s Support Group The monthly support group for friends and family of people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias will meet Thursday, March 14, at 10:30 a.m. at the Jewish Federation of Western CT at 444 Main St. North in Southbury. There is no charge for this open and on-going group, whose purpose is to provide emotional, educational and social support for caregivers through regularly scheduled meetings.
fant, toddler and preschool children to an open house Saturday, March 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Tula Family Enrichment Center at 489 Middlebury Road in Middlebury. See demonstration classes of Music Together®, a parent/child music and movement program developed by the Center for Music and Young Children in Princeton, N.J. Call 857-998-0780 to schedule a demonstration class time. Enjoy refreshments, door prizes and enter the grand prize drawing for $100 off tuition.
The registration deadline for the spring semester of Music Together classes is April 5, when classes begin. Classes will be held at Tula Family Enrichment Center. Call Leslie Pratt at 857998-0780 for more information or visit www.soulshineartsct. com.
Indoor Flea Market & Tag Sale The Scholarship Committee of the Church of St. Leo the Great in Waterbury will have an indoor flea market and tag sale featuring 24 vendors Saturday, March 23, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free. Refreshments will be available. Proceeds will benefit the Scholarship Fund. The church is at 14 Bentwood Drive in Waterbury (off Pierpoint Road). For directions, call 203574-9761.
PHS 5K Run The Pomperaug High School (PHS) Class of 2015 is sponsoring the first “Run with the Panthers” 5K race Saturday, March 30, at PHS. Registration will be from 9 to 9:45 a.m., and the race will start at 10 a.m. The $25 entry fee includes a race tee-shirt. The 3.1-mile course will begin and end at PHS. All participants will be entered in a raffle. Should cancellation be necessary, it will be posted on the PHS website. For more information, contact Maegan Bollin at mbollin@region15.org or Marlanea Elsdon at melsdon@region15.org. For a sign-up form or a sponsorship form, go to www.region15.org and then to the PHS page.
Pet-Assisted Therapy with Kitties Is your kitty calm and confident? Does your kitty love people? Maybe your kitty has what it takes to become a member of Jerome Home’s Pet-Assisted Therapy Program. The home is offering complementary sessions Thursdays at 6:15 p.m. beginning April 25 to help prepare feline lovers to become part of its feline pet therapy team. The sessions will enhance a handler’s understanding of basic feline behaviors as well as provide simple, gentle training techniques to prepare for registration through “Love On A Leash” – The Foundation For Pet-Provided Therapy. Sessions will be facilitated by Terri Jennings, certified cat trainer, and will run for five weeks. Space is limited, so please RSVP to Rita Nadeau-Breive at 860-3568236 or breiver@jeromehome. org.
Vote for Middlebury Senior Center The Middlebury Senior Center received funds from the Naugatuck Savings Bank Foundation last year based on votes cast for it. This year, it is again asking people who have accounts with Naugatuck Savings Bank to cast a vote for the Middlebury Senior Center. Pick up a ballot at the Middlebury Senior Center or any Naugatuck Savings Bank location, or vote online at naugatucksavingsbank.com. Ballots can be returned to the bank or to the senior center or mailed to Naugatuck Savings Bank Foundation, 251 Church St., Naugatuck, CT 06770 by March 31, 2013.
Letters to the Editor A Violence Control Proposal To the Editor: People on both sides of the gun debate have valid arguments. One point seems to be misunderstood or forgotten, however. When the Constitution was drafted by our founding fathers, it did not include the right to bear arms. The Constitution was ratified and then changed. The Second Amendment was added; that is why it is called an amendment. What makes our nation great and free is that we have the power to change laws with which we don’t agree. So if we can change the Constitution to include the right to bear arms we are just as free to change the Constitution to take it away. (Whether or not we should is another debate.) Defending our inalienable right to change the Constitution is as sacred and patriotic as the document itself. That notwithstanding, I offer a proposal that may reduce gun violence without impinging upon the second amendment. 1. Eliminate gun permits. Instead, require anyone wishing to own a gun to first become licensed. Licensure requires the completion of a course on gun safety and usage.
2. All ballistic weapons (including shotguns and rifles) must be registered to a licensed buyer at the time of purchase whether at a retailer, gun show or personal sale. 3. A valid gun license must be presented when purchasing ammunition. 4. No carried weapon may be concealed at any time. 5. Possession of a weapon not registered to the possessor carries a mandatory minimum sentence. 6. If a gun is possessed during the perpetration of a crime, an automatic charge of conspiracy to commit murder is imposed with a sentence of 25 to life. 7. The person to whom a gun is registered, when used in the perpetration of a crime, receives a mandatory minimum sentence unless the gun was previously reported stolen. Mario Fusco Jr. Middlebury
budget, started in February. The consensus result will be almost exclusively from individuals with a direct stake in the results. They have children in the school system, think they won’t have the resources needed or the curriculum isn’t generating enough free college credits (AP). The workshop is conducted by faculty, questions are “stacked” to arrive at a conclusion that reproduces the Board of Education objectives and forecasts what level is acceptable. It’s a win-win budget situation! The budget will go to referendum in May. If rejected, an insignificant reduction will occur, and we will go to referendum again. The end result is the Board of Education will attain at least 85 percent of their original objective. The parents, PTO and faculty will be placated. Meanwhile, the catalyst for budget increases is ignored. Eighty percent of the budget will directly benefit certified personnel. In January, the Board of Education signed off on a threeyear contractual agreement that dictates substantial budget increases through 2016-2017. This commits the taxpayer to 14-perTo the Editor cent salary increase and 24 perRegion 15 workshops, suppos- cent for benefits. edly designed for voter input So here’s my dilemma! We igregarding the 2013-2014 school nore workshops on union con-
Region 15 Budget Workshops
tracts. These contracts are accessible after they become legal documents. Voter input doesn’t exist. Workshops could level the playing field. Previous contract analysis would provide a snapshot of what the union accomplished and how inept the Board of Education performance record is. It’s a matter of comparing the public sector with the private sector and negotiating to a balanced agreement. A union contract workshop would result in a taxpayer manifesto directing the Board of Education exactly where to attack extravagance. I’ll volunteer and recruit volunteers to make it happen. Frank Pellegrini Southbury
Letters to the Editor Letters to the editor may be mailed to the Bee-Intelligencer, P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762 or emailed to beeintelligencer @gmail.com. Letters will be run as space permits. Please limit letters to 500 words, avoid personal attacks, and understand letters will be edited. For verification purposes, please include your name, street address and daytime telephone number.
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Friday, March 8, 2013
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Obituaries Charles H. “Tex” Anderson Sr. Former Naugatuck Police Officer
Charles H. “Tex” Anderson Sr., 73, of Prospect passed away unexpectedly Sunday March 3, 2013, at his home. He was born in Austin, Texas, Jan. 18, 1940, son of Erma (Muller) Girourd. Mr. Anderson had lived in Prospect for the past 29 years, and he retired from Risdon Manufacturing after 30 years of service. He also was a police officer for the Borough of Naugatuck for more than 9 years. Charles served his country in the U.S. Air Force. He leaves a son Charles H. Anderson Jr. of Naugatuck; a daughter, Lori Anderson of Torrington; and his three grandchildren: Taylor, Odin and Clara. A graveside service was held Thursday at Old Calvary Cemetery at 2324 East Main St. in Waterbury. The Naugatuck Valley Memorial/ Fitzgerald Zembruski Funeral Home at 240 North Main St. in Naugatuck is assisting the family with arrangements. To send an on-line condolence, visit www.naugatuckvalleymemorial.com.
Mario Guerrera
Father of Robert Guerrera Mr. Mario Guerrera, 69, of Waterbury, passed away, Friday, March 1, 2013, at St. Mary’s VITAS Innovative Care Unit surrounded by his loving family. He was the husband of Carmela (Gugliotti) Guerrera. Mario was born in Pontelandolfo, Benevento, Italy Aug. 13 1943, son of the late Rocco and Maria Grazia (Mancini) Guerrera. He moved to Waterbury from Italy in 1962. Shortly after settling in Waterbury he joined the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craft Local 3 of Wallingford. He became a skilled concrete craftsman and worked for various concrete contractors, including Albini Construction, Ultimate Concrete and Waterbury Foundation. He and several associates formed Brass City Concrete and Pumping Co. that they successfully operated for five years before returning to Ultimate Concrete.
He was a proud member of the Pontelandolfo Community Club and volunteered his time for many of their annual feasts. He was an avid gardener, enjoyed making homemade wine, playing Bocce and traveling, especially to the “Old Country.” He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend, who took great pleasure in spending time with his family. Besides his devoted and caring wife of 45 years he leaves two sons, Rocco “Rocky” Guerrera and his wife, Camille, of Waterbury and Robert Guerrera and his wife, Mary Beth, of Middlebury; a brother, Paolo Guerrera of Montreal, Canada; five sisters: Maria Guerrera and her husband, Antonio, of Montreal, Canada; Rita Paternostro of Waterbury; Antonietta Longo and her husband, Armando, and Carmela Paternostro and her husband, Vito, all of Montreal, Canada; and Vittoria Guerrera and her husband, Francis, of Oakville, Conn.; a sister-in-law, Nicolina Guerrera of Oakville; two granddaughters, Isabella and Eva Marie Guerrera of Middlebury; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother, Pasquale Guerrera of Waterbury, and a sisterin-law, Orsola Guerrera of Montreal, Canada. The family would like to sincerely thank the VNA Health at Home of Watertown; Dr. Daniel DiCapua, Neurology, of Yale Medical Group; Dr. Franco Galasso, Internal Medicine of Waterbury; and Dr. Zhang, Pulmonary Associates of Waterbury, for the care given to Mario during his illness. The funeral Monday was from Chase Parkway Memorial/The Albini Family Funeral Home in Waterbury to St. Lucy’s Church for Mass. Burial followed at Calvary Cemetery. Contributions may be made in Mario’s memory to ALS Association (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), 1275 K Street NW – Suite1050, Washington, DC 20005. For more info or to send e-condolences, visit www.chaseparkwaymemorial.com.
Colleen R. (O’Brien) West
Mother of Harold F. West Mrs. Colleen R. (O’Brien) West, 90, of Middlebury died Saturday, March 2, 2013, at Waterbury Hospital after an extended illness.
She was the widow of Harold F. West Sr., who died in 1997. Colleen was born March 5, 1922, in Naugatuck, the daughter of the late Morgan P. and Colleen R. (Horn) O’Brien. She was a graduate of Salem High School in Naugatuck and Perry Business School. A longtime Middlebury resident, Colleen was a certified dental assistant with Dr. Bergin for many years and then was the business manager for A.D. Bowan Inc. of Middlebury. She and her family were the founders of CH Computerized Services of Middlebury, a firm that specialized in home computing. Colleen was a longtime member of the board of directors of the Middlebury Historical Society and also served as its treasurer for many years. She was a loving wife and mother who will be dearly missed by her son, extended family and friends. Colleen is survived by her son, Harold F. West Jr. of Middlebury. She also leaves her nephew, Morgan J. O’Brien and his wife, Joan, of Litchfield as well as several grand nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her brother, Morgan J. O’Brien. Funeral services for Mrs. West will be held today, Friday, March 8, at 11 a.m. at Eastside Memorial “A Casey Family Funeral Home & Tribute Center” at 1987 East Main St at Southmayd Road in Waterbury. Burial will follow in New Pine Grove Cemetery in Waterbury. Memorial donations in Mrs. West’s memory may be made to Middlebury Volunteer Ambulance Corp, Middlebury Fire Dept., Middlebury CT 06762. To extend on-line expressions of sympathy to the family, light a memorial candle or for additional information, visit www.eastsidememorial.com
Obituary Policy Please ask your funeral director to send obituaries and photos to us at beeintelligencer@gmail. For more information, call 203-577-6800. The Bee-Intelligencer runs obituaries and their accompanying photos free of charge. We
do this as a community service to honor the deceased and the family and friends who love them.
Continued from page 1 the general fund instead of being held in a separate account as they once were. The $525,000 surplus from 2011-2012 also went into the general fund, St. John said. He said the Board of Finance required it be put there. St. John said the unassigned fund that is the proposed source of $1.54 million for the budget is currently at 14 percent of the combined town and Region 15 budgets and using that money would not take the fund below the 8 percent minimum required by the town’s charter. “Most towns are even lower,” St. John said. “Ours is close to $4 million,” Chief Financial Officer Lawrence Hutvagner said. Hutvagner said at last week’s Board of Finance (BoF) meeting BoF chair Michael McCormack said the town budget needs to be lowered by $400,000 in operating expenses and $400,000 in capital expenses. McCormack also said the Region 15 budget needs to be $550,000 lower. Reached by phone in Florida Wednesday, McCormack said he wasn’t surprised to receive a budget with a 17-percent increase from the BoS. He said he and St. John had discussed some of the things St. John wanted to accomplish when they were bonding the library renovations and sewer improvements. However, McCormack said the BoF has had a goal for four to five years now to lower the per-person cost of running the Town of Middlebury. “We were at $1,500 per person while towns in our peer group were at $1,000 per person,” he said. “We’ve whittled it down now to about $1,275 per person.” He said if the budget were left unchanged, the per-person cost would jump up to about $1,475. To keep that from happening, the BoF laid out the following suggestions at its Feb. 27 meeting. Operating expenses will be reduced by $400,000, and capital expenses will be reduced by
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$400,000. In addition, Region 15 will be asked to reduce its proposed budget. “I’ve met with Keith McLiverty, chief financial officer for Region 15,” McCormack said. “We discussed areas Region 15 may consider to try to reduce their budget. We would hope Region 15, which calls for a 4.54-percent increase, will come in at no more than 2.5 percent.” He said the BoF believes it can trim the town budget enough that if the region comes in with a 2.5-percent increase, the town can use the $525,000 surplus from last year’s budget to come in with a 2-percent overall budget increase. The town budget would be flat. The BoF also suggested reducing raises for elected officials (except selectmen, who were given none in the proposed budget) and appointed officials to 1 percent from 2 percent, eliminating raises for part-time employees and deleting all overtime except for some that is needed in public works, the police department and the finance department. Asked why the raises were reduced, McCormack said wages paid in Middlebury are right at the highest levels for towns under 10,000 residents in data published by the Connecticut Council of Municipalities. He said if you look at towns with 10,000 to 20,000 residents, Middlebury
wages are still in the top 15 to 20 percent. “We could do one of two things – either reduce salaries paid to department heads or solve the problem over time by giving either no raises or reduced raises until we get more where we want to be,” McCormack said. “We probably need to be in the top third rather than the top 20 percent.” The BoF also suggested increasing employee contributions to the health savings account deductible. The town has been paying the $1,500 for single employees and $3,000 for married employees since that plan began several years ago. The BoF suggested employees pay half of their respective deductibles. McCormack said of the Feb. 27 meeting, “Basically, at the first meeting we had, I asked members of the board to come up with ideas of what we might do. We laid out the ideas.” He said at the Wednesday, March 13, meeting the BoF will further define the budget. “It’s totally reasonable to cut $1 million from this budget,” he said. Two weeks after the March 13 meeting, on March 27, the BoF will vote on the budget. That vote will allow time for a town meeting on the budget before it goes to the voters along with the Region 15 budget Wednesday, May 8.
Torah program for young families Children 7 and younger and their families are invited to a special session of Beth El Synagogue’s Shabbat Shalom program called “Torah and Me” Saturday, March 9, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the Beth El sanctuary at 444 Main St. North in Southbury. During the program, everyone will parade with the baby Torah and help dress the Torah before returning it to its home in the Ark. Led by Cantor Sharon Citrin, Shabbat Shalom is a unique Shabbat experience that includes activities like singing, dancing and story-telling to engage children in the wonder and joy of Shabbat. Juice and healthy snacks are served. Parents and grandparents are especially encouraged to participate in the family activities, including the blessing of the children.
Shabbat Shalom is a program of the CHAI Center for Jewish Learning, and student volunteers from the school will assist. Shabbat Shalom is free and open to the community. The final program of the winter-spring season will be Saturday, April 13. Space is limited, so please sign up in advance indicating the number of children attending and their ages. For reservations, call 203-264-4500 or email info@ bethelsyn.org. Funded in part by the Jewish Federation Foundation of Western Connecticut, the CHAI Center for Jewish Learning is a “creative, holistic, alternative and intergenerational” school and educational initiative for children and adults started by Beth El Synagogue in September 2012.
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This "mystery" photo is likely from the 1930s. If you can name anyone in it, send responses to mbisubmit@gmail.com, or call Middlebury Town Historian Bob Rafford at 203-206-4717. (Middlebury Historical Society photo)
How accurate is your credit report? Consumers are allowed to get a free copy of their credit report each year. Chances are most send for it only when a problem arises with a loan or a hike in insurance rates. A better tactic is to send for the report annually and check it closely for accuracy. Look for errors about whether your bills have been paid on time, if you’ve paid more than the minimum payment and your percentage of credit availability used. All of these affect your credit score. The Federal Trade Commission recently completed the fifth segment of its ongoing study about the accuracy of consumer credit reporting by the Big Three: TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. Here are some of the things the FTC discovered:
• Five percent of consumers had a serious-enough error to cause them to have to pay higher interest for loans and insurance. • One in five had an error on at least one report. • One in four had errors that could affect their credit score. • One in five had an error that was eventually corrected after it was disputed. • Four out of five who disputed an error had a modification to their credit report.
• One in 10 had a change in their FICO score after the errors were corrected. • One in 20 had a FICO score change of more than 25 points; one in 250 had a change of more than 100 points. Nowadays, it’s important to check for someone else’s name on your report. This information often is at the very end under an “Also Known As” section. If your name is Thomas J. Smith and you’ve never opened a line of credit with “TJ Smith” or “Tom Smith” and you see an alternate name on your reports, beware that someone might have been using your credit or there might be a conflict between files. To file a complaint with the FTC, call it at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877382-4357). The Big Three reporting
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agencies are: TransUnion, 1-800916-8800; Equifax, 1-800-685in Greater Waterbury Area. 1111; and Experian, 1-888-3973742 Scrutinizing your credit report once a year and then disputing any –Patch Readers errors is the best way to keep your MON special special FICO score as high as it legitiFRI Happy Hour 3-6 pm mately should be. Get your reports TUESat AnnuSelected Drafts.......$2 Price Appetizers (from all three agencies) Irish Half food! alCreditReport.com, or call 1-877Buy one flatbread Irish beersAfter on9:30 draft! SAT pm 322-8228. In some states you’re Get One 50% Off 1 /2 Price Pizza, Wings allowed two free reports per year. Open at 10 am Sunday, Mar. 17! & Flatbread Dine-In Only WED David Uffington regrets heLadies can- 9 pm ‘til close MAR. SAT, MAR. SUN, MAR. not personally answer reader ques........$1 FRI, Well Drinks SUN Happy Hour 3-6 pm tions, but he will incorporate them Buy one pizza into his column whenever possible. Get Appetizers Price 9:30 pm 9:30 pm 4 &1/2 6 pm Write to him in care of KingGet Fea- One 50% Off with drink purchase at bar tures Weekly Service, P.O. Box THUR Martinis & Margaritas . . . . $5 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, Buy one burger, Get One 50% Off or send email to columnreply@ gmail.com.
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Middlebury Parks & Recreation Safe Boating, PWC Certification Course
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burybaseball.baberuthonline. Today is International Womcom for more information. en’s Day, and on Sunday daylight saving begins. Two special days Pomperaug Youth to celebrate! International WomSoftball Registration en’s Day has been observed since Find information for Middle- the early 1900s and though its bury/Southbury softball for ages reasons for celebrating over the 5 and up online at southburys- years offer different variations, oftball.baberuthonline.com. it’s a time for showing respect, love and appreciation for women Middlebury Soccer and their achievements. Association Registration Men, take a little no-fuss time Middlebury Soccer registra- to acknowledge and appreciate tion will be ONLINE ONLY. Reg- how the strong, lovely ladies ister at www.middlebury-soccer. around you enhance your life. com. Participants must have Maybe you can sit with your wife been four years old by Dec. 31, with no cell phone in hand or TV 2012. All new travel players must on and ask her about her day. Or submit a copy of their birth cer- offer to make supper for the famtificate and a current 1-inch by ily. Maybe you can draw her a 1-inch photo to Middlebury Soc- special bath, telling her to relax cer Association, P.O. Box 357, and unwind while you put the kids to bed. Middlebury, CT 06762. You could give your mom a surprise call just to chat, or take Easter Egg Hunt
A one-day safe boating and personal watercraft certification course will be offered Saturday, March 30, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The single-session, eighthour course taught by Professional Marine Education provides a certificate of completion as partial fulfillment of the requirements to obtain the Certificate of Personal Watercraft Operation, which allows operation of motorized recreational vessels up to 65 feet and sailboats 19.5 feet or longer. PRIOR TO CLASS, participants should create an account online at www.ct.gov.deep, then click “Purchase a Hunting/Fishing License.” Create an account (if you don’t already have one) to purchase and print the certificate after satisfactory completion of the course. Students The Easter Egg Hunt this year should bring a pen or pencil to will be Saturday, March 30, at 1 class. The class fee is $62 for res- p.m. at Shepardson Field. The idents; $72 for nonresidents. event for Middlebury children ages 3 to 10 is sponsored by the Middlebury Baseball Middlebury Police Social Club The next session of LIVERegistration and Middlebury Parks and Rec- STRONG at the YMCA will run Monday, March 11, to May 31, Baseball registration will be reation Department. 2013, at the Greater Waterbury ONLINE ONLY. Visit middleYMCA, and only a few spots are available. The main goal of the program is to help each survivor return to their “old normal,” and when the smiles on their faces return as March 9 - 16, 2013 they achieve things they didn’t think they were capable of Boys’ Swimming Saturday, March 9................ CIAC Class L Qualifying (A)................6:15 p.m post-treatment, the program has Tuesday, March 12............... CIAC Class L Finals (A).......................... 3 p.m. achieved its purpose. In addition to offering a FREE 12-week exer(H) Home (A) Away cise and strength training program, LIVESTRONG at the YMCA also helps survivors address:
Nuggets for Life By CYNTHIA DE PECOL your daughter out for ice cream and let her talk about what’s going on in her life. You could thank your female coworkers for a job well done. Women, why not take a half hour from the flurry of daily responsibilities to relax with your favorite cup of java, stop for a half hour chair massage on the way home or journal about the pride you feel at how you contribute to your family, community and the world at large. Contemplate how you’d like to make a difference this year to refresh your own life and those
of the women who mean the most to you. Focus on connecting with the part of you that represents your highest values, and feel proud of the gifts and talents you offer everyone in your life. Compliment the women in your life, and hold sacred their friendships. Do something to uplift yourself today and feel great because you are spreading positivity to those around you! Whether you’re a mother, daughter, sister, aunt, grandmother, mentor, friend or teacher, notice how our lives as women are interwoven in very interesting, special and wonderful ways! Thanks to the men for indulging me this moment. This week’s nugget for life is to enjoy daylight saving time, often referred to as “Summer Time.” Remember to set your clocks forward one hour Sunday
and spring forward into life by getting outside every night this week to enjoy the extra hour of daylight in the evenings. Take a long walk. Dust off the bike and take a spin around the block. Run around the yard with your animal friends. Crack the windows open and let the cool breezes blow winter away. Fill the bird feeders at this time of day and look around to see where you might plant the first spring flowers. Replace the healthy comfort foods of winter with lighter fare and jumpstart your internal spring cleaning! Ah, spring is in the air – breathe deeply – can’t you just feel it? De Pecol is a Yoga instructor, Reiki master and life coach who lives in Washington, Conn. See lifecoachingllc.com or email lifecoach3@aol.com.
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spends their workout sessions joking around with one another in a relaxed atmosphere. Participants have done strength workouts, cardio interval workouts, Tai Chi, Zumba and even spinning classes. In addition to being stronger, they have reported less back pain, less knee pain, less shoulder pain (all ailments mentioned during their intakes), noticed improvements in their flexibility and say everyday tasks such as walking up stairs are easier. In fact, a pancreatic cancer survivor reported she is officially in remission and her doctor said all tests came back “perfect!” – good cholesterol,
blood pressure, blood sugar and all clear of cancer! Participation in the program is 100 percent FREE to the survivor and one support person. For the duration of the session, both the survivor and their supporter have full access to the YMCA as well as the twice-weekly organized program. Space is limited and on a firstcome, first-served basis. For more information or to be added to the roster for the upcoming sessions of LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, contact Health and Wellness Programs Specialist Meghan Curley at 203-754-9622, ext. 155, or livestrong@waterburyymca.org.
Life is still good without an appendix DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My 13-year-old son went to camp for five days. On day three, he had terrific stomach pain and started to vomit. The instructors were alarmed and took him to the local hospital, where doctors diagnosed appendicitis. We had to give phone permission for him to have an operation. Everything went fine, and he recovered quickly. My wife and I have a few questions. Could he have eaten some-
thing that caused appendicitis? What does not having an appendix do to people? No one in my wife’s or my family has had such an operation. We’re ignorant about all this. – G.G. ANSWER: The appendix dangles from the first part of the colon in the lower right side of the abdomen. It looks like a slender worm, and has an average length of 3 inches (8 cm). The function of the appendix isn’t clearly defined, but it might have a role in body immunity. Life without an appendix goes on as normally as life with one. The appendix has a hollow core, which is lined with lymphoid tissue, the same kind of tissue found in lymph nodes. Bacteria from the colon can invade the hollow core and cause the lymph tissue to swell. Swelling cuts off blood supply, and the appendix begins to disintegrate – appendicitis. Undigested food or hard fecal material also can block the appendix’s core and lead to the same situation. Nothing your son ate is likely the cause. All the other campers ate the same food, but he was the only one to develop this problem. The pain of appendicitis most often starts in the area of the navel (bellybutton) and works its way toward the lower-right corner of the abdomen. Temperature rises. Vomiting is common,
Register online for Middlebury baseball Middleburybaseball.baberuthonline.com
Registration extended to March 10!
All levels – T-ball through majors Majors - ages 11 & 12 Minors - ages 9 & 10 Instructional II - ages 7 & 8 Instructional I - ages 5 & 6 Business owners who want to sponsor a team can call 203-598-0180
and sometimes diarrhea is part of the picture. A doctor, by what he or she hears from the patient, along with the examination of the abdomen, usually can make the diagnosis. In confusing circumstances, an ultrasound is most helpful. Millions of people worldwide live without an appendix. They do quite well. So will your son. DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Can hand sanitizer kill all harmful bacteria? – D.D. ANSWER: By “hand sanitizer,” do you mean waterless hand cleaners? Most of them incorporate ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol. They kill many bacteria, but not all harmful ones. Nothing short of sterilization does that. Frequent hand-washing with
soap and water for 20 seconds is an effective way of eliminating many germs, including cold and flu viruses. You don’t have to use soap that has antibacterial agents in it. The water doesn’t have to be hot; cool water is fine. Dry your hands with a paper, disposable towel, and turn off the faucets in a public restroom with a paper towel. DEAR DR. DONOHUE: When is the better time to take medicines: a.m. or p.m.? Is it better to take them with water or juice? I have been told conflicting answers. – S.R. ANSWER: If the prescribing doctor or the pharmacist hasn’t specified a particular time, you can take medicine when it’s most convenient for you. You’ll never go wrong taking medicine with water. Dr. Donohue regrets he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. (c) 2013 North America Synd., Inc.
All Rights Reserved
5. How many times has Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin been the runner-up for the Hart Memorial Trophy (NHL MVP)? 6. Who was the last NASCAR Cup season champion to drive a Dodge before Brad Keselowski in 2012? 7. Who was the last teen to win 1. Who holds the pitching record a singles title in a Grand Slam for most consecutive batters women’s tennis event? struck out? Answers 2. Name the last major-league team before the 2011 Philadelphia Phillies to win more than 100 games in the regular season and not reach the World Series. 3. When was the last time before 2010-12 that Notre Dame won at least eight games for at least three consecutive seasons in football? 4. Who was the last NBA rookie before Detroit’s Brandon Knight in 2012 to have at least 20 points and 10 assists with no turnovers in a game? (c) 2013 King Features Synd., Inc. 1. The New York Mets’ Tom Seaver struck out 10 San Diego batters in a row in 1970. 2. The 2004 New York Yankees won 101 games. 3. It was 1987-93. 4. Houston’s Steve Francis, in 1999. 5. Twice (2008, 2009) before he won it after the 2011-12 season. 6. Richard Petty, in 1974-75. 7. Maria Sharapova won the U.S. Open in 2006 at the age of 19.
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• Empowerment • Relationships • LIVING • Reclaiming life LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is available to ALL survivors regardless of income, ethnicity or background FREE of charge. As part of a pilot program, YMCA LIVESTRONG instructors have been meeting with a group of eight cancer survivors twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the survivors are already stronger. Each participant has a different type of cancer and has opened up to the group about their experience with this disease. The group is supportive and
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The Bee-Intelligencer
Friday, March 8, 2013
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Classified Advertising Deadline: 5 p.m. Monday Classified Advertising Cost: $10 per week, up to 40 words. 25¢ each additional word. Submit ad with your name, address, telephone number, and payment to: Mail: Bee-Intelligencer, P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762 Email: mbisubmit@gmail.com Office: 2030 Straits Turnpike, Suite 1 available. Job placement asThis publication does not knowInstruction Education ingly accept advertising which is sistance. Call AIM 877-534deceptive, fraudulent, or which 5970. LANGUAGE TUTOR: English, might otherwise violate the law or AVIATION MAINTENANCE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT French, English as a second accepted standards of taste. HowEXCHANGE is “Looking TRAINING Financial Aid if language, SAT, PSAT, and ever, this publication does not warFor You”! Host Families For qualified. Job Placement TOEFL preparation. Middlerant or guarantee the accuracy of 2013-2014 School Year Assistance. Call National bury: 203-758-1888 any advertisement, nor the quality Needed! Bring The World Aviation Academy Today! of the goods or services adverTo Your Home. Call Charity: FAA Approved. CLASSES MISCELLANEOUS tised. Readers are cautioned to 1-855-815-8740 STARTING SOON! 1-800thoroughly investigate all claims 292-3228 or NAA.edu DIVORCE $350* Covers Child made in any advertisements, and to EMPLOYMENT Support, Custody, and Visitause good judgment and reasonable ATTEND COLLEGE ONLINE from Home. *Medical,*Busicare, particularly when dealing with tion, Property, Debts, Name ness,*Criminal Justice,*Hos- NOW HIRING: Companies persons unknown to you who ask Change... Only One Signadesperately need employpitality. Job placement assisfor money in advance of delivery of ture Required! *Excludes ees to assemble products at tance. Computer available. the goods or services advertised. govt. fees! 1-800-522-6000,
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Subscription Information The Bee-Intelligencer is available by mail to those outside our delivery area or in need of extra copies. Mail delivery costs $40 a year for each subscription. Send a check and the mailing address to Bee-Intelligencer, P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762. Call 203-577-6800 for rates for shorter periods of time.
We’d like to hear from you! Got a hot news tip for us? Please email it to: mbisubmit@gmail.com Please include your name and telephone number. We also welcome your ideas for articles you’d like to see in the newspaper. If you don’t have email you can call us at 203-577-6800.
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Get ready to reseed bare spots in lawn
Q:
I read a column of yours some months ago that said if you reseed bare patches of grass before the first winter frost, the seeds will sprout in early spring. I did not get around to doing that. Is it still possible to reseed? – Gladys in Knoxville, Tenn.
A:
Yes, it’s very possible. In fact, with the wintertime pre-seeding method, the bare spots still usually need a bit more seed the following spring to completely fill them in. Try to match the new grass seed with the type of grass that makes up your lawn. (You may need to take a sample of the sod
By Samantha Mazzotta to a professional landscaper or garden center.) Also, note how much sun the bare patch gets. You’ll want a seed that performs well in the available sunlight. Or, you can just pick up a sun-andshade seed mixture. To reseed, clear the bare spot of debris and rake out loose or dead thatch. Use a pitchfork to puncture the soil, then spread the new seed according to package instructions. Be careful not
to overseed as that can lead to rot. Water the spot, but don’t flood it. Tamp the soil to press the seeds in, then scatter straw or grass clippings on top to keep birds from eating all the seed. Another option is to completely re-sod a bare spot. If the spot is fairly large with a lot of underlying thatch buildup, dethatch the area so you have clear ground underneath. Purchase sod that matches the surrounding grass (this is where taking a sod sample into the garden center comes in handy). Measure the height of the new sod against the depth of the dethatched bare spot. If the spot is too deep to ensure an even lawn, fill the bare spot with soil, tamped down firmly, until the difference is made up. Add a little more soil so the new sod sits about a half-inch higher than the surrounding lawn; it will settle in the next few weeks. Lay the new sod pieces, packing them tightly together. Tamp them down lightly, and poke a few holes with a pitchfork so the soil stays porous. Keep the new sod moist for the next two weeks so the sod grows in well. In both cases, protect a newly seeded or sodded spot by marking it with stakes and string around the perimeter so people stay off it while the lawn regrows. Send your questions or home tips to ask@thisisahammer.com, or write This Is a Hammer, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 328536475. (c) 2013 King Features Synd., Inc. Clear away old mulch around trees and shrubs and replace with fresh mulch each spring.
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Free social services screening Due to the number of people in the area facing food insecurity, a free social service screening for food stamps and other programs will be held Thursday, March 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Jewish Federation at 444 Main St. North in Southbury. The Federation’s Brownstein Jewish Family Service and Stay Well Health Center teamed up to continue offering free one-hour social service screenings, by appointment, for a dozen work support/basic needs programs, including SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly food stamps), HUSKY, Medicaid and Charter Oak insurance. Call 203-267-3177, ext. 310, to learn about income guidelines for SNAP and other programs. For example, the gross monthly income for SNAP eligibility for a single person is $1,723 and $2,333 for a family of two. During the past year, dozens of local residents have been found eligible for food stamps during the screening. Reservations are required. To RSVP, call Brownstein Jewish Family Service Director Debby Horowitz at 203-267-3177, ext. 310. All calls are confidential.
The Bee-Intelligencer
8
Friday, March 8, 2013
Youth can enter meme contest The American Lung Association of the Northeast is sponsoring a Teens Against Tobacco Use (TATU) Tobacco-Free Meme Contest. Why? Because Kick Butts Day is this month! Kick Butts Day is a day that “empowers youth to stand out, speak up and seize control against Big Tobacco.” Teens Against Tobacco Use works year-round to educate and empower teens to inform their peers about the costs of using tobacco, but the association is stepping up the effort this month to raise awareness about the serious issue of tobacco use. The association wants teens to create a meme that embodies the tobacco-free message. (Not sure what a meme is? See information below.) The winners of the contest will receive an iTunes gift card and have their memes recognized publicly. Memes that are submitted will be used in ongoing tobacco-free efforts, such as being on the association’s Facebook and Tumblr pages.
Rules for the T.A.T.U. Meme Contest 1. Memes must promote a tobacco-free message. 2. Memes must maintain a PG13 rating (or less) and should not contain profanity or other obscenities that could not be shown or posted on the Amer-
ican Lung Association of the Northeast’s website or Facebook. 3. Students are encouraged to be creative and use humor and other innovative approaches to the topic area. 4. Entries must be submitted by Connecticut residents only. Any Connecticut resident aged 12 – 22 is eligible to submit an entry. 5. Entries will be screened by T.A.T.U. staff and volunteers to ensure they are appropriate. 6. People’s Choice Voting will occur on the Teens Against Tobacco Use Facebook Page from March 25 to 29. You can “like” more than one meme on the Facebook page. 7. The top three winning meme creators will receive iTunes gift cards and also will be recognized publicly. Winners will be determined by ranking from T.A.T.U. staff and volunteer judges as well as the number of likes received on the Facebook page. All entries submitted to the meme contest may be used in Teens Against Tobacco Use/ American Lung Association’s promotional materials. In entering the contest, students grant this permission, and the memes become the property of the American Lung Association of the Northeast.
We’d like to hear from you!
Submission Guidelines • Deadline: Meme submissions should be emailed to Ruth Perry at rperry@lungne.org by 12 midnight EST Sunday, March 24. The email must include the following information: • JPEG or PDF file of the meme • Student’s name, age, email address and phone number (if student is under 18, parental permission for submission also must be included). • Name of student group, school or community program representing, if any. Not sure how to go about making a meme? Here’s an article to links to lots of meme-making tools: webtrends.about.com/od/ re d di t /t p /Mem e -G en e ra tor-Tools.htm. Please be careful in reviewing these materials. Some are not always moderated for PG content. Remember, all submissions must be age-appropriate for teenagers. No crude or inappropriate material will be eligible. Questions/concerns? Contact Ruth Perry at rperry@lungne.org for more information. Want to know more about Teens Against Tobacco Use? Visit the Facebook page: www. facebook.com/TATUCT; the Tumblr, tatuct.tumblr.com/; or the website, lungne.org/programs/tatu.
Got a hot news tip for us? Please email it to: mbisubmit@gmail.com Please include your name and telephone number. also welcome your ideas for articles you’d YourWe pet’s photo could bedon’t here like to see in the newspaper. If you have email you can call us at 203-577-6800.
PET OF THE WEEK
Middlebury Girls Travel Basketball The Middlebury Girls Seventh- and Eighth-Grade Travel Team split in its final two games of the regular season. Earlier in the season, Middlebury defeated Thomaston Travel to reach the finals in the preseason “Turkey” tournament at the Courtside Sports Center in Harwinton by a score of 45-39. But Friday night, March 1, a stronger, more-organized Thomaston team came to Memorial Middle School and pressured Middlebury from the opening tap. Their physical play and length presented problems for Middlebury at both ends of the floor, resulting in an early 13-0 lead. Middlebury made several runs in the second and third periods, narrowing the gap to as few as 6
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DEAR PAW’S CORNER: I met my neighbor coming up the walk with her dog this morning. When I reached out to pet “Sassy,” she growled and nipped at me. My neighbor apologized and explained that Sassy cannot see well. I’m not sure that’s a good enough answer. She should have better trained her dog to respond in a friendly way to people. Don’t you agree? – Stung in San Antonio DEAR STUNG: No, I don’t agree. Dogs with vision or hearing problems can be startled easily and often react instinctively with a warning growl and even a nip. Even if you know a dog well, when you meet, always greet the owner first, keeping your hands in a relaxed position by your side. If you want to pet the dog, ask
the owner if it’s OK to do so. If the owner tells you to go ahead, call the dog’s name first to get its attention, then slowly present the back of your hand and let the dog sniff it. If the dog stays calm, gently scratch along its jaw line and behind the ears. Don’t pat the dog on the top of the head, which can be seen as threatening. Owners should keep their dogs leashed at all times during walks. If someone asks to pet
your dog, you can say no – you don’t have to explain why. There’s a growing movement to attach yellow ribbons to a dog’s leash to indicate to others that a dog needs space. YellowDog, which started in Sweden, now has a U.S. branch. You can find YellowDogUSA on Facebook. Another good resource is DINOS (Dogs In Need of Space), which gives more details on what kinds of dogs need a wide berth, how to approach dogs and so on. Send your questions or comments to ask@pawscorner.com, or write to Paw’s Corner, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. For more pet care-related advice and information, visit www. pawscorner.com. (c) 2013 King Features Synd., Inc.
Adopt a Rescue Pet
win the contest 53–35 and finish the regular season 15–5 (9–4 in league play). Orsini and Stango finished with 10 each followed closely by Yamin with 9, Ciara Connelly with 4 and Grace Bollard with 2. Up next for Middlebury is the Western Connecticut Girls Basketball League Championship where Middlebury will meet a very talented Watertown team in the first round at Thomaston High School Saturday morning, March 9, at 8:20 am.
Middlebury Boys Travel Basketball The Middlebury Boys Seventh- and Eighth-Grade Travel Team defeated Litchfield by a score of 49-30 Friday evening at Memorial Middle School. Middlebury came out very aggressively on defense. Danny McNamara, Will McDonald and Mikey Atallah took turns guarding Litchfield’s high scorer and limited him to just 4 first-half points. This helped Middlebury take a commanding half time lead of 31-11. The team cruised to an easy win in the second half behind the scoring of Matt Wynne, who had 9 points. Michael Kowalasky added 6 points, and Fran Barton contributed with 5 in the victory. The team plays New Hartford this weekend in a game in which both teams have two losses in league play.
Make it a Happy St. Patrick's Day! Celebrate with an Irish beverage!
DEACON Looking for a great mouser for your home or barn? Then look no farther. This poor lad was once living amongst a bunch of other cats in a trailer park. The “owner” of these cats had passed, and all of them were to be euthanized by the local animal control officer. MHS stepped in and took care of these animals, vetted them and socialized them. Deacon is one guy who still needs a home. Deserving of a life outside the shelter, Deacon would do well for most any home that is knowledgeable about cats.
POMEROY Pomeroy is a quiet cat that will need a quiet home to give her the attention and love she deserves. She will like a house with no dogs please, as they terrify her. If you desire to open your heart and home to a cat, please do not overlook the neediest ones. Those that have been thrown away by society; these are the ones that were someone’s cat – the lucky ones that survived the environment and are now safe and cared for once again.
For more information on these animals, as well as others at Meriden Humane Society (MHS), email meridensociety@sbcglobal.net. MHS is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m., and volunteers can be available to meet with you through an appointment. MHS is at 311 Murdock Ave. in Meriden.
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Your pet could be featured as “Pet of the Week” on this page. Send us your pet’s photo by email to mbisubmit@gmail.com or by regular mail to P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762 along with your pet’s name, your last name and your town.
The right way to greet a dog
Basketball Roundup points, but could not catch Thomaston. In the end, it was Thomaston 43, Middlebury 32. Lauren Stango led Middlebury with 12 points followed by Ashleigh Whitten with 7, Lauren Pelosi and Allie Orsini with 6 each and Juliana Yamin with 1. Sunday March 3, Middlebury hosted Northwest at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Waterbury. With the fifth seed in the Western Connecticut Girls Basketball League up for grabs, and with Friday night’s loss fresh in their minds, Middlebury played one of their best games of the season. Pelosi went to work early, scoring 10 of her game high 18 points in the first 14 minutes of play to give Middlebury a 23–14 lead at the half. In the third, the two teams traded baskets before Middlebury went on an 18–9 run (in the fourth) to
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