Prst. Std. U.S. Postage Paid Naugatuck, CT #27
“Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned.” ~ Peter Marshall
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Bee Intelligencer Informing the towns of Middlebury, Southbury, Woodbury, Naugatuck, Oxford and Watertown AN INDEPENDENTLY OWNED FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Volume IX, No. 41
Friday, November 22, 2013
Board, commission highlights Parks and Recreation
police officers to dispatch police calls, so the dispatch situation should be better. Wildman agreed. Commissioner Fran Barton Jr. asked if the PC was going to do anything for the dispatchers for their years of service. Members voted unanimously to honor them with plaques. Cipriano said the police chief search committee expects to finish its work by Jan. 15, so it will be 2014 before a new police chief is in place. Wildman said a crime that “has been creaming Waterbury” has happened in Middlebury. A driver left his car running while at the Mobil station on Route 63. While he was inside, people in a stolen car pulled into the gas station, and one got out and stole the man’s vehicle, too. Wildman said officers made an arrest last week for heroine and cocaine possession and dealing. He said four people in Torrington died recently due to bad drugs, so he checked to see if these drugs came from the same dealer. He said each dealer marks his/her drugs. These bags were marked “Bad Medicine” and had a skull and crossbones on them. He also said Officer Ed Demers and his canine, JJ, recently helped the Watertown police department successfully track a home-invasion suspect to his apartment. This was the last meeting for outgoing commissioners Santos and Chip Ford. Selectman Ralph Barra, Chairman Cipriano and fellow commissioners thanked them for the four years they served on the commission. Reported by Marjorie Needham
During public comments at the Nov. 14 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, resident Beverly Dassonville asked if town land in Middlebury was available for a dog park. Dassonville is a finalist in the Beneful Dream Dog Park competition, which has a grand prize that includes $500,000 in improvements to an existing dog park in the winner’s area. Dassonville said the improvements might be in Middlebury if the town had a dog park. The commission will look into the matter. The commission also discussed fund-raising for the $800,000-plus project to install artificial turf at Meadowview Park. Commissioner Ray Kasidas reported a $30,000 commitment from lacrosse and a $7,000 commitment from football. He said the project has $300,000, but needs $500,000 more. “The only way it will happen is with corporate sponsors,” he said. The commission also discussed the lack of gym space for the growing youth basketball program. The gym at Middlebury Elementary School is not a regulation-size gym, so that leaves two gyms, Memorial Middle School and Long Meadow Elementary School. Pomperaug High School has two gyms, but Middlebury gets no floor time there. In contrast, Southbury Parks and Recreation has the use of five gyms. With 300 youth in the program, basketball is Middlebury’s biggest program, but there is no place to play games. There are enough players for eight teams, but there is only enough gym time for two teams. “By the end of the year, my team will have played 12 of 15 Pilot Seasoning games away,” Commissioner Jack withdraws Worgan said. “It’s a disaster.” Reported by Marjorie NeedThe Middlebury Economic ham and Industrial Development Commission (EIDC) canceled Police Commission its Tuesday, Nov. 19, meeting At the Police Commission because the only item on the (PC) special meeting Monday, agenda, a tax incentive applicaNov. 18, Acting Police Chief Rich- tion by Mary Volpe for the ard Wildman reported the last planned Pilot Seasoning Comday local police dispatchers pany building at 68 North Benworked was Friday, Nov. 8. Since son Road, was withdrawn. EIDC then, all police dispatching has Co-chairman Gerry Matthews been handled by Northwest Pub- said Volpe intends to re-apply lic Safety Communications Cen- when the company gets closer ter (Northwest) in Prospect. to breaking ground. The tax incentive policy Wildman said software incompatibility continues to be an is- grants partial exemption from real property taxes for a period sue. He said, “Every day I’m on the of years in accordance with the phone about a software issue. In economic impact. Volpe’s apthe past two weeks, every time plication estimated the value of an issue has been resolved an- machinery and other personal other one has come up.” Com- property at $356,610 and the missioner Jordano Santos said value of buildings and land at now the local dispatchers are $1,145,000, qualifying her for a gone, there is no backup for four-year abatement Due to Christmas week, the Northwest, and our officers and next EIDC meeting is expected residents are not protected. Wildman said Northwest has to be rescheduled. The usual hired an additional police dis- meeting date falls on Tuesday, patcher. He said the police officers Dec. 24, at 6:30 p.m. in Room 7 are complaining about dispatch. at Shepardson Community CenSantos said, “Let’s call a spade a ter. Reported by Terrence S. Mcspade. If the officers are complaining, the residents aren’t safe.” Auliffe Chairman Frank Cipriano – See Highlights on page 3 said Northwest now hires former
The Diorio family, left to right, Nick, Nicole and Pat, hold some of the offerings at their Como Bakery in Waterbury. On the shelf behind them are a gift basket, wedding cake and tower gift, all available from the bakery. Not shown is Kimberly Diorio, the family member who handles the bakery’s bookkeeping. (Marjorie Needham photo)
Bakery specializes in Italian pastries By MARJORIE NEEDHAM
distance away to 350 Fairfield Ave. The sunny and inviting bakery also houses La Dolce Vita Café, so customers can stop in for breakfast or lunch and pick up their pastries at the same time. The café is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Its offerings include soups, sandwiches, pannini and salads. Delivery is available on lunches that cost $10 or more. And the cafe offers a 10-percent discount to emergency medical service personnel, firefighters, police and teachers. When customers asked the bakery to also offer Italian products such as red cerignola olives, cherry peppers and olive oils, the bakery obliged. It also sells Torrone candy. The bakery continues to sell wholesale to area hotels and restaurants. Those who have rolls with their meals at Wing It On or at The Pour House are eating rolls made at Como Bakery. It offers customers authentic Italian bread and rolls and also has come up with
its own pretzel roll for sandwiches and hamburgers. Special occasion and wedding cakes are created at the bakery, too. Just email a photo of the cake you want to the bakery, and they will create it. Bridal favors for weddings and showers include designer cookies frosted with “lace,” a tuxedo or a bridal gown. Last weekend, the bakery provided three wedding cakes, including one that was 5 feet tall. It had to be delivered in pieces and assembled on site with the aid of a stepladder. The bakery also does catering. “Our motto is, ‘There is no party too small,’” said Nick. Pastry chef Nicole is herself highly allergic to shellfish. “Because of that, we are sensitive to allergies,” Nick said. “We do a lot of glutenfree baking. Even wedding cakes can be gluten-free.” However, gluten-free products do need to be ordered ahead.
With Thanksgiving next week and Christmas four weeks later, Como Bakery is busy creating pastries that will make holiday meals complete. Since the bakery focuses on Italian pastries, it is offering cannolis, sfogliatelle (lobster tails), pasticiotti, Italian rum cake, Napoleons, tiramisu, pizzelles, angel wings, biscotti and a full assortment of Italian cookies. For Thanksgiving, they have pumpkin cannolis, pumpkin tiramisu and pumpkin cheesecake. And since pie is a Thanksgiving tradition, they offer pumpkin, apple, apple-cranberry, Dutch apple and coconut custard pies and also carrot cake. Those who like to bake cookies at home can buy 2-pound containers of chocolate chip, sugar or oatmeal cookie dough. For Christmas, the featured flavor will change to peppermint, and the bakery will – See Como on page 3 offer peppermint cannolis, tiramisu and cheesecake. Like the pies at Thanksgiving, there will be a big demand for cookie trays at Christmas. And the bakery also will offer the popular Yule logs and pannetone bread. The latest addition to the bakery’s offerings is a box tower featuring Italian cookies and Fascia’s chocolates. It is expected to be a popular gift item. Partnering with Fascia’s, Como is featuring a four-box tower with two boxes filled with cookies and two boxes filled with Fascia’s chocolates. “Fascia’s could offer towers of chocolates, and we could offer towers of cookies,” said Nick Diorio. “Now each of us can offer customers towers that have both cookies and chocolates in them.” The bakery also recently started offering gift baskets filled with Italian specialties like olive oil, pasta, pesto and espresso. And the bakery makes its own fresh mozzarella. Nick and his wife, Pat, work in the business with their daughter, Nicole, a pastry chef who graduated from the Connecticut Culinary Institute. Another daughter, Kimberly, is an accountant and does the bookkeeping for the family business that started as a wholesale operation five years ago. “This has been a family business since day one,” said Nick. Their first storefront was near the Italian Catholic church in the Town Plot section of This “birch bark” cake is an example of the designer cakes available at Como Bakery in Waterbury, but customer parking there was Waterbury. Email a photo of the cake you want, and the bakery will create it for you. (Marjorie Needham photo) a challenge at times, so they moved a short
Adoptable Pets................ 8 Book Review................... 2 Classifieds....................... 7 Community Calendar....... 2 Fire Log........................... 2 In Brief............................ 3 Library Happenings.......... 2
Library Lines.................... 2 Nuggets for Life.............. 7 Obituaries....................... 4 Region 15 School Calendar....3 Senior Center News......... 3 Sports Quiz..................... 6 Varsity Sports Calendar.... 6
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Nov. 25
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Nov. 27
thursday
Nov. 28
Public invited to workshop on Middlebury Plan of Conservation and Deveopment What: When: Where:
The Middlebury Planning and Zoning Commission invites public comments on the proposed plan of conservation and development 7 p.m. Auditorium in Shepardson Community Center at 1172 Whittemore Road in Middlebury
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Panthers fall short against New Fairfield
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