www.towntimes.com
Volume 28, Number 4
Friday, January 28, 2022
221 new COVID cases reported in area
INTERSTELLAR TUBING
Town Times report
The state’s latest COVID-19 report, which includes two weeks of data, showed 146 positive cases in Durham and 75 in Middlefield, which kept the towns in the coronavirus red zone. The previous report showed 115 cases in Durham and 80 in Middlefield. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 symptoms may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus. One of the popular winter activities offered at Powder Ridge Mountain Park & Resort is Interstellar Tubing, a unique “sledding” experience featuring neon lighting and music. This group from Portland — Charlotte Carroll, Danica Strayhorn, Eli Carroll and Gabe Aponte — did some Interstellar Tubing on Thursday, Jan. 20, and it looks like they had a great time.
NEW FIRST SELECTMAN
Yamartino begins tenure By Nicole Zappone Special to Town Times
Middlefield officials announced earlier this month that Robert Yamartino was the town’s new first selectman, replacing Edward P. Bailey, who died Dec. 8. Yamartino served alongside Bailey on the Board of Selectmen. “When we lost Ed, I lost a friend. We worked closely together for many, many,
years. It was so sad,” said Yamartino, a Middlefield resident for more than three decades. Yamartino, a Republican, indicated that he isn’t looking to shake things up as first selectman. “Ed and I had been working on the Board of Selectmen since 2015, as we were in agreement that our town has been run very well,” he said. “When I view my role, it is to make
sure that our employees, staff, elected officials, and volunteers all have what they need. We give them the tools and resources and let them go. That is how our town works.” Along with his work on the Board of Selectmen, Yamartino also has served on the Board of Education and the Board of Finance. He will serve out the remainder of Bailey’s term and could run for the seat in 2023.
Symptoms may include fever or chills, coughing, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea. Health officials encourage people to wear masks indoors and social distance if among unfamiliar people. They are also encouraging people to get their first vaccine and boosters if their second shot was more than six months ago. Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order four free COVID-19 rapid tests through the federal website, covidtest.gov. Orders usually ship in seven to 12 days.