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Volume 14, Number 42
New AD expected later this month
APPLE HARVEST FESTIVAL
Pie-eating featured as festival came to a close
By Jesse Buchanan Record-Journal staff
By Steven Scarpa Special to the Record-Journal
Education officials hope to appoint a new athletic director later this month, filling the position left vacant by Greg Ferry.
Alex Thomas was skeptical that Jake Gorham could eat all that apple pie. Sophomores at Southington High School who’ve been friends their whole lives, Thomas had it on good knowledge that Gorham could be moderate in his culinary habits.
Friday, October 18, 2019
Melody Rivera holds her own in an apple pie eating contest in front of the
“As far as I’m aware, he makes an en- main stage at the annual Apple Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 12. tire box of mac and cheese for a snack Photos by Emily J. Tilley, special to the Record-Journal. and he usually doesn't finish it,” Thomas said. He’d clearly forgotten Gorham's past victories at the apple pie-eating competition, held every year at the Southington Apple Harvest Festival. “I eat when I’m hungry, but when I get a challenge like this, I eat,” Gorham said. There were two heats in this year’s pie-eating contest, held Saturday, one for ages 11 through 17, and the other for 18 and up. The rules are simple. One pie is placed on the table per person and the first person who finishes wins. One catch. “No hands. All face. It’s a mess,” said Julie Berar-
Howie Hewitt, hired to be the Southington High School girls basketball coach earlier this year, stepped in as interim athletic director, a position he held several times at Maloney High School in Meriden. Ferry left to take a counseling job in the West Hartford school system. Brian Goralski, school board chairman, said one of Ferry’s strengths was his counseling experience and focus on student well-being in addition to athletics. “Greg brought a great connection (with student-athletes) during his time with us,” Goralski said.
Sean Sweeney celebrates his victory. See Festival, A13
David Williams races to eat his pie without hands.
Twenty-nine people applied for the athletic director posiSee AD, A2
Zoni: Why set spending goals if they’re not followed? By Jesse Buchanan Record-Journal staff
A finance board member criticized her own and other boards for ignoring spending increase goals and questioned the value of setting targets for the future. The Board of Finance is setting
up workshops to discuss the upcoming fiscal year’s budget. Sue Zoni, a Democratic member running for re-election, said a board committee earlier this year set an education budget increase target that was later increased.
“If we say ‘This is what we want,’ in spending for the current fiscal year. then we vote another way, what’s the point?” Zoni said dur“The Board of Education ignored ing Wednesday’s meeting. the number,” Zoni said. Despite telling education leaders Zoni and Republican Tony Morthat the goal was a 2.5 percent rison voted against the school increase, the school budget was proposed with a 4.6 percent hike
See Budget, A3 Zoni