“The most important thing in illness is never to lose heart.” ~ Nikolai Lenin
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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. 34
Few face opposition in Middlebury election By MARJORIE NEEDHAM Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 5, is a month away, and there are no signs of political campaigning in Middlebury. Unlike previous years, when there were many candidates for first selectman, selectmen and for seats on the police commission, including petitioning candidates and write-in candidates, voters may find this year’s election offers little excitement. Middlebury Town Clerk Edith Salisbury said, “It’s definitely a quiet year compared to the last few years we have had. The only positions contested are the police commissioners.” She said there are no write-in candidates, and there are no petitioning candidates for any of the offices. Looking at the contested positions for police commission, three Republican commissioners’ terms expire this year. They are Don Ford Jr., Paul Bowler and Jordano Santos. With Paul Bowler the only one of the three to seek re-election, the Middlebury Republican Town Committee (MRTC) nominated him and then chose George Moreira and Kenneth Heidkamp to fill the other two slots. These positions are considered Republican seats because statue statute does not say they must go to Democrats under the minority rule. Democrats are protected as a minority in Middlebury, where registered Republicans outnumber them by more than two to one. The state guarantees at least one Democrat will be on the commission, and that position is filled by Democrat Fran Barton Jr. His term does not expire this year. The MDTC members said at their nominating meeting earlier this year they want to have more representation on the commission, in part because it handles promotions in the police department. If they can bring in more votes than the Republican candidates, they will gain more seats on the commission. With this in mind, they decided to run Democrats Sharon Bosco, Joseph Drauss and Noa Miller for the positions.
For the top positions in town government, incumbent First Selectman Edward B. St. John is running unopposed, as are Selectmen Elaine M.R. Strobel (R) and Ralph Barra (D). Also unopposed are the following incumbents: Town Clerk Edith Salisbury (R), Town Treasurer John Calabrese (R), Board of Finance member Stephen Ruccio (D), Library Board of Trustees member Michele Finn (R), Water Pollution Control Authority members David Civitello (R) and Noa Miller (D), Regional Board of Education member Paul Babarik (R) and Pomperaug Valley Water Authority Member Fran Barton Jr (D). The MRTC chose William J. Stowell as its candidate for the Board of Finance and also to fill a vacancy for two years as a library trustee, Brendan Browne as its candidate for the Board of Assessment Appeals, and Richard Spierto as its other candidate for the Regional Board of Education. It also chose Rita Smith, a library trustee who has been filling a vacancy, as its candidate for a full term as a trustee. The MDTC endorsed two of the Republican candidates, Salisbury and Calabrese. As of today, Friday, Oct. 4, absentee ballots for the Nov. 5, 2013, election are available for electors who cannot vote in person due to active service in the Armed Forces, absence from town during all of the hours of voting, illness, religious tenets forbidding secular activity on the day of the election, duties as an election official at a different polling place or physical disability. Absentee ballots may be obtained from the Middlebury town clerk’s office either by mail or in person. An application must be filled out and received before an absentee ballot can be issued. Applications are available at the town clerk’s office or can be downloaded from the secretary of the state’s website at www. sots.ct.gov under Elections and Voting. The town clerk’s regular hours are Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please call the town clerk’s office at 203-7582557 with any questions.
Food Bank needs apple pickers Hallock Orchard, owned by Anthony Dibenedetto, provides the entire apple crop each year to the Connecticut Food Bank for distribution to 650+ emergency food service agencies (soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, etc.) in Connecticut. All the food bank has to do is pick them. The food bank is seriously behind where they should be, and apples are falling faster than anticipated. They could really use more help picking apples before they fall off the trees, so please rally the troops. Groups, families and individuals are welcome. Volunteers are needed Sunday, Oct. 6, from 12 to 2 p.m. and 2 to 4 p.m. and Wednesday, Oct. 9, from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Please be aware there is some poison ivy as well as bees in the orchard. The orchard is at 213 Calhoun St. in Washington Depot, Conn. If you can help, RSVP to Kim Damien of the Connecticut Food Bank at Kdamien@ctfoodbank.org and let her know you can help and how many people are in your party.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Colorful fall foliage
Turtle Pond reflects the colorful fall foliage along its shores Tuesday. Fall color has been increasing dramatically in recent days. (Marjorie Needham photo)
Chase chooses 20th head of school Chase Collegiate School in Waterbury has appointed Polly A. Peterson, Ph.D., M.S.W., as its new head of school. The appointment is the culmination of an intensive nationwide search launched to identify a successor to Mr. John Fixx, who stepped down last June. Dr. Peterson, who will take office July 1, 2014, comes to Chase from The Winston School in Dallas, Texas, where she has been head of school since 2007. An educational leader for more than 25 years, Peterson is a strong supporter of mission-driven education and is known for her determination to make a positive difference in the lives of young people. An articulate and strategic thinker, Peterson possesses imagination and foresight to conceptualize new ideas and the skills to bring them to fruition. “The measure of an inspirational school is the students, fac-
ulty and staff, families and community culture. Chase Collegiate is a community of committed, caring and dedicated people who love their school, their traditions and are excited about new opportunities. Without any doubt in my mind, I am thrilled to become a member of the Chase community, lead this magical place through the 21st century and love it as much as everyone who is already a part of this great community,” said Peterson. Head Search Committee CoChair and Board of Trustees Chair John Pronovost said, “Dr. Peterson’s appointment brings to a close a reaffirming process that strengthened our school and our vision for its future. I would like to extend my most sincere thanks to the search committee for its commitment to identifying a proven leader who was seeking a strong school community and
Dr. Polly A. Peterson (Submitted photo) who held a commitment to academic excellence and planning for the future in the highest regard. I am deeply thankful for the current leadership provided by Academic Dean Joe Hadam, who is serving as the school’s interim head of school until Dr. Peterson arrives.”
A native of Waterford, Conn., Peterson holds a doctorate in clinical psychology from Southern California University for Professional Studies. She earned her master’s degree in social work from the University of Maryland and her bachelor’s degree in social work from Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, Conn. In addition, Peterson is a 2013 fellow from the Head of School Program at the Klingenstein Center for Independent School Leadership at Columbia University. Peterson has authored a number of publications; most recently a book titled “Healthy Jingles for Kids-Nutrition.” She is an avid hiker, kayaker, biker and a runner who has completed several marathons. She also has served as a volunteer for Genesis Women’s Shelter, Shoes for Orphan Souls and the North Dallas Food Bank.
Woodbury Lions hayrides this month The Woodbury Lions 23rd Annual Haunted Hayride and Haunted Barn event will be held Friday and Saturday, Oct. 18 and 19, and Friday and Saturday, Oct. 25 and 26, starting from Mitchell School at 14 School St. in Woodbury. Guests climb onto a tractordriven wagon and ride around some of the spooky fields and cemeteries in Woodbury, where, if you’re lucky, you may see some of the ghosts, ghouls, zombies and other denizens of the dark that come out only at this time of year. There will be a brief stop at the “Three Rivers Insane Asylum,” this year’s three-dimensional Haunted Barn display. The question exists as to whether the barn has an extra haunt. “We’ve been calling it the ‘haunted barn’ for years, but we finally realized that the space actually does have a ghost,” said Barn Chairman Kerry Simmons. Workers have reported strange voices while they were working late at night and the occasional gust of wind when all the doors are closed. “Some of our mem-
Woodbury Lions create Halloween scenes like this one for their annual haunted hayride and haunted barn event. (Dennis Yates photo) bers refuse to work in the barn after dark,” Simmons said. “Nothing more than a couple of good scares have happened so far, but we don’t know what may occur in the future.” The Connecticut Soul Seekers Paranormal Investigations group based in Naugatuck will be investigating the barn to see if supernatural events really are taking place or if it’s entirely in the
imagination of the workers. “You can definitely feel the shift in energy in certain areas of the barn. I could only describe what I felt as a sensation of foreboding,” said Nichole Ortiz, one of the founders of the group. If there are any spirits lingering about, Simmons hopes they’re friendly. “We have no problem sharing the space with ghosts as long as they don’t hurt
anyone,” he said. Tickets for the hayride are $12 for adults and $6 for children under 10. Tickets sales start each night at 6:30 p.m. at Mitchell School and are on sale until 9 p.m. Refreshments are available for sale at the school. Besides the evening rides, the Lions also will hold a special “Children’s Hayride” Saturday, Oct. 19, from 1 to 3 p.m. for younger children for whom the regular hayride may be too scary. The wagons will start at Mitchell School, go through some of the quieter streets in town and stop at the “pumpkin patch” where children can select a pumpkin to take home. Tickets for this ride are $4 for adults and $3 for children. In the case of rain, the children’s hayride will take place Oct. 26. The Lions are still looking for volunteers ages 18 and older to help at this year’s event. Contact Dr. Gary Greenstein at gary1122@ snet.net if you’re interested in helping. For more information, visit the club’s website, www. woodburyctlions.org.
Inside this Issue Library Lines.................... 2 Nuggets for Life.............. 6 Obituaries....................... 5 Region 15 School 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
Boy Scout Troop 5 Redeemable Bottle and Can Drive
Upcoming Events
Adoptable Pets................ 8 Book Review................... 2 Classifieds....................... 7 Community Calendar....... 2 Fire Log........................... 2 In Brief............................ 4 Library Happenings.......... 2
What: Boy Scouts accept bottles and cans as a fundraiser for Troop 5. When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Where: Parking lot at Village Square Plaza at 530 Middlebury Road in Middlebury
saturday
Oct. 5
Panthers drop the hammer on New Milford
Page 7 Blessing of the Animals at St. George’s Episcopal Church What: When: Where:
Father Andrew Zeman blesses animals, pet adoptions, pet portraits, pet groomer, chances on pet baskets, pet psychic, Blue Moon Raptors, children’s games, vendors, lunch items 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. St. George’s Episcopal Church, corner of Tucker Hill and Whittemore Roads in Middlebury
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