Thursday, August 13, 2020
cheshirecitizen.com
Volume 11, Number 44
CHESHIRE HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2020 graduates, at last By Devin Leith-Yessian Record-Journal staff
Classmates and teachers were reunited one last time for the Cheshire High School Class of 2020 commencement ceremony on Sunday after still another change in plans. The original commencement set for Aug. 2 at the Farmington Polo Club was rained out. The Aug. 4 rain date was postponed to Aug. 6 because of Tropical Storm Isaias. However, the storm did so much damage in town the ceremony was moved to Sunday, Aug. 9. Then, on Friday, Superintendent of Schools Jeff Solan emailed students that some members of the school community had tested
positive for COVID-19. In collaboration with the Chesprocott Health District, school officials decided a drive-up ceremony was the safest way to award diplomas and the plan for an in-person event was scrapped.
from Bartlem to the high school. There, under a large United States flag hung from a fire engine, Solan and Principal Mary Gadd handed out diplomas and copies of the final edition of the student newspaper
Instead, the approximately 345 graduating seniors were only able to leave their vehicles during the ceremony to pick up diplomas and pose for photos.
Connor Ford said, that while all graduation ceremonies are bitter-
However, students still managed to find ways to connect with their longtime friends. While cars were parked in the staging area across the street at Bartlem Recreation Area, students got out of their vehicles and mingled. School staff lined the route
See Cheshire High School, A10
Before Cheshire High School graduation ceremonies on Sunday, best friend graduates Liney Dutchyshyn, left, and Marisa Brough re-enact a pose from a photo they took when they were 4 years old. Dave Zajac, Record-Journal
Storm recovery will take time and money ‘I’m glad it’s over’ Local homeowners assess damage By Sean Krofssik Record-Journal staff
The Fitzgerald family heard an eerie crackling sound at around 3:30 on Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 4. The sound was the falling and twisting of a massive chestnut tree on the roof of their Nob Hill Road home. See Damage, A2
Like much of the state, Cheshire experienced significant damage and power outages due to Tropical Storm Isaias that blew through Connecticut Aug. 4. The weather event included wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour and damaged trees and downed hundreds of powerlines throughout the area. The town and state declared a state of emergency and federal aid, through FEMA, will be requested to deal with the restoration and extra police and town crew overtime.
To illustrate the impact of the storm, here are a few details from the early days of recovery. Thousands of Cheshire residents lost electricity, with 95 percent of the town without power on Wednesday, Aug. 5 and 8,600 Cheshire residents still in the dark Aug. 6 as Eversource estimated 3,700 would have power back on by the end of that day. By Monday, all but a few hundred residents, had power restored. See Storm, A2
Crews prepare to remove a large tree from the roof of Matt Fitzgerald’s residence on Nob Hill Road in Cheshire last Wednesday. Photo courtesy of Matt Fitzgerald