www.southingtoncitizen.com
Volume 18, Number 5
Friday, January 29, 2021
YMCA Sloper Plunge fundraiser moved to February By Devin Leith-Yessian Record-Journal staff
The plunge, normally held this month, features dozens of participants leaping into the pond at Camp Participants in the annual Sloper Sloper, often in freezing temperaPlunge have a few more weeks to tures, to raise money for local chilprepare as the Southington-Cheshire dren to go to summer camp. Community YMCA has opted to “We noticed that January is kind of a move the event to Feb. 27.
tough month, so we wanted to give people more time to get their teams together,” said Justin Hubeny, the YMCA’s outdoor center director.
YMCA staff — form teams to jump into the water together, with each member raising at least $100 towards the $50,000 overall goal.
Local businesses and organizations — including Lake Compounce, the Southington Board of Education and
The plunge typically attracts hun-
SOUTHINGTON COUNTRY CLUB
From left, outgoing Connecticut Kid Governor Myra Stanfield, of West Hartford, is joined by Reese Naughton, a fifth-grade student at Southington’s Oshana Elementary School, who succeeds Stanfield as Kid Governor for 2021. Naughton took her oath of office into the role on the steps of the old Connecticut State House in Hartford.
Town could buy development rights By Jesse Buchanan Record-Journal staff
Photo courtesy of the Connecticut Democracy Center
Local student ‘sworn in’ as kid governor By Michael Gagne Record-Journal staff
See Sloper, A2
HARTFORD — Speaking behind a podium on the steps outside Connecticut’s Old State House, newly inaugurated kid governor Reese Naughton detailed her vision for her year-long term in office.
dent at Oshana Elementary School in Southington, had run her campaign on spreading positivity and improving the mental health of state residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Kid Governor program, now in its sixth year, is sponsored by the Connecticut Democracy Center.
Naughton, a fifth grade stu-
Naughton, who was joined
Friday morning, Jan. 22, by her parents and sworn in by Secretary of State Denise Merrill, explained in her inaugural address she was inspired to spread positivity when the pandemic struck last March. Her peers were able to watch her address remotely in classrooms throughout the state. See Reese, A2
Town officials are considering a development rights purchase for Southington Country Club, a $4.5 million deal that would prevent housing construction on the 90-acre golf course. If approved by town officials, the plan would require the support of voters at a referendum. Buying development rights would leave the golf course in the hands of its owners but would prevent them from changing the land’s use. Southington officials bought development rights to Hawk’s Landing
Country Club, an 88-acre golf course, for just under $1 million in 2015 and a horse farm on Laning Street late last year. Paul Chaplinsky, open space acquisition committee chairman and a Town Council member, said the Southington Country Club deal preserves undeveloped land, provides a wildlife corridor, protects drinking water and maintains a recreational draw in town. There’s also already a plan to put 114 houses on the golf course that has town approval. The developSee Club, A8
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