1-22-2010TownTimes by Town Times Newspaper

Volume 16, Issue 41

Serving Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall

Middlefield selectmen handle park issues By Chuck Corley Special to Town Times

The Board of Selectmen met with Park and Recreation director Chris Hurlbert during their Tuesday, Jan. 19 meeting to discuss a few regulations that Hurlbert wants to implement at the Lake Beseck beach. While the board noted that most of the regulations already exist, Mary Johnson called attention to one change that would allow for any town representative to enforce the beach regulations. Hurlbert explained that a representative could be any town employee, as well as the volunteers who take care of the beach. Resident Dave Lowry suggested that the term be a town designee and that a list of designees should be put together. One item that first selectman Jon Brayshaw brought up was the restriction on fishing. Brayshaw felt that there should be some way for children to fish at the lake. Though Hurlbert replied that the restriction is only at the beach, the selectmen stated that perhaps areas away from the sandy areas of the beach could be designated as fishing areas with a sign. While not in the regulation changes, Hurlbert proposed allowing dogs at the beach during the off-season from October to March. Johnson recommended against this, though, to avoid any messes left in March getting found in the summer. The most important matter related to the beach, though, is

the fact that none of the rules are actually ordinances approved by the town. This can make enforcing the rules at the beach a problem. As such, the selectmen recommended that Hurlbert look into making the rules into ordinances. Another matter Hurlbert brought before the commission was regarding the upcoming 40th anniversary of the Powder Ridge Rock Festival. Hurlbert wants to hold a concert at Peckham Park in celebration of its 40th anniversary. He hopes to have Melanie perform, who was one of the few musicians to show up at the original concert. In order to do this, he has contacted the Lion’s Club in search of funds. The selectmen gave the concert their blessing and recommended that he may want to contact the filmmaker putting together a documentary on the festival and its anniversary. One final matter Hurlbert brought up was to request that the board appoint two alternates to the Park and Recreation Commission, though the selectmen chose not to act on the request at the time. Resident Al Smith also brought up a few matters relating to Peckham Park. Illegal parking was his primary issue, as he approached the board in September to do something about it. According to Smith, the board said they would institute a program to deal with the parking problem. As of yet, though, no such See Middlefield BOS, page 10

You asked, and puzzles are back! We can’t promise a puzzle every single week, but we’re betting that nine weeks out of 10, we will carry the crossword and sudoku puzzles our readers have been missing. Check out page 12 for the sudoku and page 14 for the crossword. Answers are on page 17.

Friday, Januar y 22, 2010

Korn School’s first Science Fair winners

Pictured, from left, first place winner Alessandra Fronc, second place Keya Stahl, principal Laurie Sinder and third place Joey Venables and Trevor Scotto. See story on page 3. Photo by Deborah Sokol

Regional School District 13 to join emergency notification system By Stephanie Wilcox Town Times A very enthusiastic Francis Willett, Durham’s emergency management director, gave a presentation on the emergency notification system Regional School District 13 will soon be adopting to a very excited Board of Education (BOE) at their Jan. 13 meeting. The system, which is already used by the town of Durham and which Middlefield is considering, is ready for phase two: bringing on the school district. The notification system

In this issue ... Calendar ...........................4 Durham Briefs...........11-12 Libraries .........................17 Middlefield Briefs......13-14 Obituaries.......................19 Sports .........................20-23 Spotlight .........................15

will alert those connected to the district (primarily parents, administrators, staff, etc.) of emergencies, urgent information and announcements. The system will be particularly useful in situations such as alerting parents that their child will be late coming home from school because a road is blocked off; streamlining early morning delayed openings due to weather or emergency school closings due to substance leaks etc., and informing staff of a student fatality, even outside of school hours and to staff who live out of town. Willett feels that communication to parents will be a smaller part of the system’s use by the district than communications among staff, i.e. “emergency meeting in 15 minutes.” He demonstrated the timeliness of the system with a test notification sent to a few members of the board, who received the message within seconds. The system

will be ready for the district as soon as data is loaded and those using it are educated, Willett said, and it will be used among staff members first to work out any kinks before being used to reach parents. The system will be run out of the superintendent’s office, and each school will have access to it. Willett clarified to the board that the system for the district is not the town’s system, though it’s essentially under the same “plan.” It is paid for through June 2011, at which time the next renewal will cost $4,900. Superintendent’s report Superintendent Susan Viccaro reported on the Brewster School playground, one of the few playgrounds in the area that will be geared toward children aged three to five (there will also be a section for older kids). She announced the plans are going well, and the tentative installation date

See BOE, page 10

Town Times Community Briefs

It’s never too late to complete your high school education. There are three ways to succeed with Adult Education. GED preparation classes, independent study and classroom instruction are offered. Choose the program that is best for you. Free day and evening classes at 398 Main Street in Middletown. Ongoing enrollment. Call Middletown Adult Education at 860343-6048 today or go to www.maect.org.

To advertise in the Town Times, call Joy Boone at 860-349-8026.

Unless noted, all events take place at the Youth Center in the Middlefield Community Center. New office Hours: 3:30-5:30 Tuesdays-Fridays *** 5th and 6th grade dance Friday, Jan. 29; 7 to 9:30 p.m.; $5 admission Pizza and snacks for sale.

Durham Recreation is sponsoring a special program at Strong School during the winter break for seventh and eighth grade boys and girls, from Tuesday through Friday, Feb. 16-19. The week-long, hands-on cooking classes will culminate in a luncheon on Friday, to which each student can invite a guest. On the menu is Sunny Acres corn chowder, Welsh rarebit over fresh tomato slices on toasted English muffin, individual spring salad with fruit

Clubs Keep your eyes open for more clubs coming your way. There will be homework club, free to be club, game club, kids’ yoga and dance club. **** Go to www.dmyfs.org for the calendar of events, pictures, directions, information about DMYFS programs and services. If you are interested in volunteering or to register for any of the Center’s programs, call 860-349-0258 or e-mail nmilardo.dmyfs@comcast.net. Any resident high school age or above who is interested in providing input or joining a task force to explore other services that DMYFS can provide is encouraged to contact Bernadette Basiel, DMYFS board secretary, at bernadettebasiel@hotmail.com. www.linosmarket.com

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Ken Marino Sales & Service .......5 Lema, William J., D.M.D..............7 Lino’s Market ...............................2 Masonicare................................17 MHS Primary Care....................10 Michalowski Agency Ins..............6 Micheli Unisex Styling Salon.......7 Middlesex Community College .11 Middletown Plate Glass.............22 Mims Oil.......................................5 MLT Painting .............................21 Monroe Property Services ........23 Morasutti Plumbing & Heating ..23 Movado Farm ............................21 Neil Jones Home Imp................19 Northwest Children’s Center .....12 Okenquist, Darlene .....................5 Paint Spot..................................11 Perrotti’s Country Barn................3 Petruzelo Agency Insurance.....22 RLI Electric ................................20 Rockfall Co. ...............................19 RSDL Home Improvements .....22 Sacred Heart Church ................17 Saldibar Construction................19 Sharon McCormick Design .......22 Singles Alternative.......................7 Snow Plowing by Joel ...............19 Split Enz ....................................21 T-N-T Home & Lawncare..........19 Thompson Candy Company .......6 Torrison Stone & Garden....20, 21 VMB Custom Builders...............22 Whitehouse Construction..........23 Whitney Ridge Stables..............20 Windows Plus............................14

Kids Game Night Friday, Feb. 5; 7 to 9 p.m.; $5 admission. Kids only game night drop-off. Game room and gym will be open, dodge ball and many other games will be played. Ages seven and up only. Pizza and snacks for sale.

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Academy for Little Learners ........5 Ace Oil .........................................7 All Ears Hearing Aid Service.....15 Allan’s Tree Service ..................23 APEC Electric............................23 Appraisal One Associates.........23 Area Cooperative Education.....12 Assisted Living of Meriden ........15 Barillaro, Michael.........................6 Batters Box................................14 Behling Builders ........................19 Berardino Company Realtors....24 Binge, Bruce, contractor............23 Bogen, Charles Jr., CPA...........20 Boylin, Dr. William .......................5 Cahill & Sons.............................21 Carlton Interiors...........................5 Carmine’s Restaurant .................7 Conroy, John, D.M.D...................3 Daricek Landscaping.................22 Dean Autoworks........................10 Durham Dental ..........................10 Durham Family Eyecare .............5 Family Tree Care ......................20 Ferguson & McGuire Ins. ..........13 Fine Work Home Imp. ...............23 Fuel & Service .............................3 Glazer Dental Associates............3 Golschneider Painting...............21 Grosolar.....................................16 Hitching Post ...............................7 Home Works..............................22 House Cleaning by Cheryl ..........3 Ianniello Plumbing.....................22 J. Randolph Kitchens ................20 Joe Riff’s Music ...........................6

Program hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon and Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The fee for the fourday program is $75 per student and includes all ingredients, materials, snacks and Friday lunch for student and one guest. Participation will be limited to 12 students. Call Durham Recreation at 860-3436724 for further information.

Durham/Middlefield Youth & Family Services

Get your tickets now for Taste of Four-day teen Durham Reservations for the Taste cooking of Durham are brisk, organiz- program ers say, and prospective party-

Index of Advertisers

Friday, January 22, 2010

and nuts, and stove-top baked apples a la mode, plus beverages. Students will learn basic cooking skills and techniques such as peeling, chopping, rendering, braising, basting, creaming and measuring, as well as ingredient information and selection, safety and sanitation. Recipes will be provided so items can be recreated at home.

goers should visit the library now to make sure they are included in the town’s favorite mid-winter party. The event takes place on Saturday, Feb. 6, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., at the Durham Public Library. Despite the poor economy, more than 20 restaurants and caterers will be on hand with mini-portions of their specialty appetizers, entrees and desserts. Look for a complete list of the restaurants in the Feb. 5 issue of the Town Times. Reservations are $30 a person and include unlimited tastings, three servings of wine or beer and unlimited mingling with your friends and neighbors. The event is limited to adults only and will go on regardless of weather.

We strive to bring you the most accurate and upto-date information available each week, but if you see something in Town Times that isn’t quite right, give our news department a call at 860-349-8000, and we’ll do our best to make things right. In the series of articles on Benchwarmer fall athletes, Sheehan Michael was reported to be the captain of the cross-country team. Actually, he will be the captain of the outdoor track team this spring. Ben Shoudy was the captain of the crosscountry team this fall. Also, Michael ran the 4x400 relay at the state open last year, not the 4x200. For the Durham 60+ Travel Club trip to the Smokey Mountains, the deposit needed is $75 not $475.

Corrections

, CT

• (8 60) 3

472 Main St., Durham, CT (860) 349-1717 Hours: M-F 7am-7pm Sat. 7am-6pm, Closed Sunday

ITALIAN GROCERY Sclafani Imported Pasta ..................... $1.99 lb. pkg. *Buy 2 lbs. Reg. Cut, Get 1 lb. Reg. Cut for FREE Excludes Fancy Cuts Sclafani Tomato Basil Sauce, 32 oz. Jar....$6.99 ea Buy 1, Get 1 FREE

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Whole Bone-in Pork Butt (Avg. Wgt. 7-8 lbs.)..$1.19 lb. Ground Pork.......................................................$1.39 lb. USDA Choice, Boneless Sirloin Steak...............$3.89 lb. USDA Choice, Boneless Spoon Roast...............$3.89 lb. Pork Tenderloin..................................................$3.49 lb. USDA Choice Shoulder Clod Roast...................$2.99 lb. Fresh Veal Stew..................................................$3.49 lb. Baby Beef Liver......................................................99¢ lb. Chicken Legs..........................................................89¢ lb.

PRODUCE SPECIALS Cello Mushrooms..........................................2 FOR $2.99 Bananas..................................................................69¢ lb. Golden Delicious Apples....................................$1.29 lb.

DELI SPECIALS Land O’Lakes American Cheese........................$2.89 Muenster Cheese................................................$3.99 Krakus Imported Ham........................................$4.99 Boar’s Head (Low Sodium) Deluxe Ham...........$6.99 Italian Mortadella ............................................... $6.69 Carando Hot Capicola........................................$4.99 Wunderbar German Bologna ............................. $1.99 Willowbrook Smoked Turkey Breast.................$4.99 Boar’s Head Classic Chicken Breast.................$6.49

$20.10 We reserve the right to limit quantities We are not responsible for typographical errors. Expires 1/27/10.

lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. lb.

Town Times Community Briefs

To advertise in the Town Times, call Joy Boone at 860-349-8026.

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Durham/Middlefield Youth & Family Services

Get your tickets now for Taste of Four-day teen Durham Reservations for the Taste cooking of Durham are brisk, organiz- program ers say, and prospective party-

Index of Advertisers

Friday, January 22, 2010

Corrections

, CT

• (8 60) 3

472 Main St., Durham, CT (860) 349-1717 Hours: M-F 7am-7pm Sat. 7am-6pm, Closed Sunday

BONUS BUY 10 lb. Bag Boneless Chicken Breast 2 lbs. Boneless Chicken Thighs

Whole Bone-in Pork Butt (Avg. Wgt. 7-8 lbs.)..$1.19 lb. Ground Pork.......................................................$1.39 lb. USDA Choice, Boneless Sirloin Steak...............$3.89 lb. USDA Choice, Boneless Spoon Roast...............$3.89 lb. Pork Tenderloin..................................................$3.49 lb. USDA Choice Shoulder Clod Roast...................$2.99 lb. Fresh Veal Stew..................................................$3.49 lb. Baby Beef Liver......................................................99¢ lb. Whole Bone-In Chicken Breast..........................$1.29 lb.

$20.10 We reserve the right to limit quantities We are not responsible for typographical errors. Expires 1/27/10.

lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. lb.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Town Times

Two Memorial School students achieve high scores in WordMasters Challenge By Stephanie Wilcox Seth Azevedo, a fifth grader at Memorial Middle School, has won highest honors in this year’s WordMasters Challenge — a national language arts competition entered by approximately 215,000 students annually. Fellow Memorial School fifth grader Jack French also impressed with his near-perfect score. Competing in the difficult Blue Division of the Chal-

lenge, Azevedo earned a perfect score in the year’s first of three meets, held in December. In the entire country only 84 fifth graders achieved perfect results. “In class we went over the words a lot, so we were prepared and it wasn’t as difficult that way,” said French. He and Azevedo said part of their preparation before the Challenge was to look at words to see if there were any relationships.

Korn School holds first ever Science Fair By Deborah Sokol Special to Town Times

House Cleaning

and 75-word Challenge later this school year. “I’m a little more nervous for the next ones because there’s going to be more to remember,” admits Azevedo.

Medals and certificates will be awarded in June to those who achieve and/or improve the most in the course of the year.

Seth Azevedo, left, and Jack French scored well in the WordMasters Challenge.

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There was no rocket ship protruding from the floor nor did everything in the cafeteria turn blue. There was, however, some “Weird Science” going on at Korn School on Thursday, Jan. 14th. While John Hughes sparked the interest of two teen boys in his 1985 comedy, Oanh Stephen sparked the scientific interests of more than 40 third and fourth graders during the first Korn School Science Fair. The event, sponsored by the Brewster/Korn PTA, and spearheaded by education committee chair Stephan and Korn library media specialist Jenny Lussier, was a complete success with hundreds turning out to see some very hands-on science experiments. Stephan, a scientist herself, feels “there is a real need for scientists in our work force” and that helping to spark an interest early-on in a child’s educational development is key to keeping their interest throughout one’s school career. With the help of volunteers, teachers, administrative staff and parents, children researched ideas for projects using their school and local libraries as well as the internet. Each child learned not only to perform the experiment, but the scientific process involved in making a hypothesis, discovering the outcome of the experiment and reporting on their results using charts, graphs and other visual aids. After weeks of preparation, the experiments were displayed for students, teachers, families and judges. Judges were Dr. Joseph Ochterski, board of education member;

Georgia D’Agostino, fifth grade teacher at Memorial School; Krista Bauchman, science teacher at Strong School; Kevin Brough, principal of Memorial School; Lorrie Martin, outdoor education specialist; Ron Hubbard, retired teacher; and Laurie Sinder, principal of Korn School. Each entrant was judged on their hypothesis, scientific process, method, materials used, observations, conclusion, results, creativity, neatness and independence.

The WordMasters Challenge is an exercise in critical thinking that first encourages students to become familiar with a set of interesting new words (considerably harder than grade level), and then challenges them to use those words to complete analogies expressing various kinds of logical relationships. Azevedo says some of the hard words in the Challenge were “lackadaisical,” “lethargic,” “mull” and “deplete.” The school’s students were coached in preparation for the Challenge by Integrated Day (ID) teachers. ID teacher Martha Swanson said the Challenge is fun and a great vocabulary builder. “We’re really proud of them, and getting that many words correct is phenomenal,” she said. The first Challenge consisted of 25 words and will be followed by a 50-word Challenge

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Town Times & Places

4 FRIDAY

January

January 22

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

TGIF The grade five TGIF social event will be held at Memorial School from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Legislative Breakfast The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Legislative Breakfast at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cromwell at 8 a.m. The legislators invited to attend are Senators Eileen Daily, Paul Doyle, Thomas Gaffey and Edward Meyer; and Representatives Marilyn Giuliano, Gail Hamm, Matt Lesser, Linda Orange, Brian O’Connor, James O’Rourke, James Spallone and Joseph Serra. For information, call the Chamber at 860-347.6924. Opening Reception At Wesleyan University’s Ezra and Cecile Zilkha Gallery, German artist Julika Rudelius will present her solo exhibition with three video installations. This exhibit runs through Sunday, Feb. 28. The public is invited to a reception tonight from 5 to 7 p.m., with an artist talk at 5:30 p.m. The gallery is located at 283 Washington Terrace in Middletown. For info, call 860-685-3355 or visit www.wesleyan.edu/cfa. Dylan Tribute Concert The Ivoryton Playhouse will present “Shoreline Women Digging Dylan: a Tribute Concert” at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20. The Ivoryton Playhouse is located at 103 Main St. in Ivoryton. For more information or tickets, call 860-767-7318 or visit www.myspace.com/smalltownconcertseries. Comic Book Exhibit Green Street Art Center, 51 Green St. in Middletown, will host a comic book gallery show and tribute to artist Rusty Haller at 7 p.m. Retrospective work from Haller, whose work includes the Flintstones, Looney Tunes, Alf and Ace and Queenie will be featured. Bye, Bye Birdie Bye, Bye Birdie is an exuberant, rock-and-roll musical set in the 1950s. All performances will be held at Polson Middle School auditorium, 302 Green Hill Rd. in Madison. Show times are 7 p.m. for tonight, Jan. 23 and 29 and at 3 p.m. for Jan. 24 and 30. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10

for children. For more information visit www.backstageplayerscompany.org.

SATURDAY

January 23 Job Search Workshop Career coach Donna Sweidan will present a workshop from 1 to 3 p.m. at Russell Library, 123 Broad St. in Middletown. She will focus on reconfiguring your job search role and your approach in today’s competitive job market. For info, call 860-347-2528. Free Guide Training Connecticut Forest and Parks, 16 Meriden Rd (Route 66) in Middlefield, will hold a free training session from 9 a.m. to noon for adults interested in becoming family guides for the WalkCT program. Attendance at the training session does not obligate you to become a volunteer. Contact CFPA at 860-3462372 or e-mail info@ctwoodlands.org to register. Web Design and Comic Books The Green Street Arts Center, 51 Green St. in Middletown, will hold two workshops at 1 p.m. One is on web design, exploring the options available to putting your images and videos on the web, and the other one on comic books, focusing on basics of creating art for comic pages.

SUNDAY

January 24 Community Supper This month’s community supper will be hosted by the Boy Scouts at the Church of the Epiphany, 196 Main St. Durham, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The dinner is free and open to the public. All are invited and are welcome. African Drumming First Church of Christ in Middletown welcomes Aly Tatchol Camara, a native of Guinea, at the 10 a.m. worship service. The church is located at 190 Court St in Middletown. For info, call the church at 860-346-6657. Preschool Open House Grace Lutheran Preschool, a private, Christian early childhood program located at 1055 Randolph Rd. in Middle-

town, will hold an open house from 1 to 3 p.m. For more information, call 860-346-0766.

MONDAY

January 25 Free Movie Every Monday the Middletown Senior Center, 150 William St., offers a free movie at 12:30 p.m. Today’s movie is I Can Do Bad All By Myself with Tyler Perry and Gladys Knight. Call 860-3443513 for more information. Relay For Life Kickoff Learn about the Relay For Life, a 24-hour event where participants come together for one night and one great cause. The Inn at Middletown will host an informational event at 6 p.m. Everyone is welcome. RSVP to morgan.rae.greenleaf@cancer.org or call 203-379-4782. Durham 60+ Club The Durham 60+ Club will meet at 1 p.m. at the United Churches Fellowship Hall at the corner of Route 68 and Main Street in Durham. There will be a variety table and a social hour at this meeting. Newcomers are welcome. Readers Theater The play Art, by Yasmine Rez will be read by local actors at 7 p.m. at Russell Library, 123 Broad St. in Middletown. This work is a witty examination of the effect which the acquisition of an ultra-modern work of art has on relations among three long-time friends. It’s thought-provoking, and very funny. For more information, call 860-347-2528.

TUESDAY

January 26 Concert Memorial School will present a winter concert in the Coginchaug auditorium at 7 p.m. Anime Film Series Children ages 11 and older are invited to see the movie Princess Mononoke from 4 to 6 p.m. at Russell Library, 123 Broad St. in Middletown. This anime epic centers around a cursed prince who travels to the Far East in search of a cure. Call 860-3472528 for more information. Auditions Oddfellows Playhouse teen repertory company, for ages 14 to 20, will hold auditions

Friday, January 22, 2010

for Orestia. You must have attended two pre-audition workshops. Call 860-347-6143 for information.

WEDNESDAY

January 27 TOPS Durham TOPS Club meets every Wednesday at 6 p.m. on the third floor of the Durham Town Hall. For info, call Naomi Klotsko at 860-349-9558 or Bonnie Olesen at 860-349-9433. Open House The academy of Little Learners, 68 Main St. in Durham, will hold an open house from 4 to 7 p.m. For information, call 860-349-0909. Book Club The Middlefield Federated Church book club will meet at 7 p.m. in the upstairs meeting room to discuss Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. All are welcome.

THURSDAY

January 28 Dine with a Doctor Dine with doctors to discuss women’s health issues at Midstate Medical Center, 61 Pomeroy Ave. in Meriden from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Topics for discussion will include weight loss, breast imaging and pap smears. Tickets are only $10 person and dinner will be provided. Call 203-694-8733 for information.

FRIDAY

January 29 Social The Strong School social evening begins at 7 p.m. Business Networking The local chapter of Business Networking International will meet in the United Methodist Church, 24 Old Church St. in Middletown, at 7:30 a.m. Contact Kirk Hagert at 860-349-5626 for info. Cogin-Chuggers The Durham Cogin-Chuggers will hold a snowflake square dance at Brewster School in Durham from 8 to 10:30 p.m. Todd Fellegy will be the caller and Sue Lucibello the cuer. Donation is $6 per person. For information, call 203-235-1604 or 860-349-8084. Family Night Bring the entire family out to the gym at Coginchaug

High School and cheer on the Blue Devils as they take on the Bellringers of East Hampton. The JV game starts at 6 p.m., the varsity game at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for the entire family. One student from each school in the district will win a Blue Devil prize. Enjoy half-time fun with the Coginchaug pep band. Little League Tryouts Little League boys’ and girls’ majors tryouts will be held in the Lake Grove gym, at 6 p.m. for boys ages 9 to 12, and at 7:30 for girls ages 9 to 12. Bring sneakers and a baseball glove. For info, call Nick Faiella at 860-344-1670 for the boys and Rick Quirk at 860349-3520 for the girls. Our Elders, Our Youth The Green Street Arts Center, 51 Green St. in Middletown, will present Our Elders, Our Youth, a documentary film that attempts to bridge the gap between oldest and youngest generations of Middletown residents while confronting the perceptions each has of the other. The film begins at 6 p.m. Dance Program Minneapolis-based Morgan Thorson makes her Connecticut debut with her newest work, Heaven, exploring the nature of ecstatic perfection by synthesizing vocal and physical rapture with omnipresent lighting effects. The program is set to music by indie rockers Low, who perform live while seamlessly integrating with the movement on stage. Performances at the CFA theater, 283 Washington Terrace in Middletown, will be held tonight and tomorrow 8 p.m. Call 860-6853355 for information.

SATURDAY

January 30

Benefit Concert The South Congregational Church, 9 Pleasant St. in Middletown, will hold an organ concert to help support the needy in Middletown at 7:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.

MONDAY

February 1

Kindergarten Registration Registration begins today for kindergarten children in District 13.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Town Times

Clean-up in aisle 2009. How will 2010 economy look? By Stephanie Wilcox Town Times

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P O S T M A S T E R: Send address changes to Town Times, P.O. Box 265, Middlefield, CT 06455.

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Attention Families!

Durham Family Eye Care USPS 021-924 Published weekly by Record-Journal Publishing Co., d/b/a Town Times, P.O. Box 265, Middlefield, CT 06455. Periodicals Postage Paid at Middlefield, CT and at additional mailing offices.

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Jan. 20). I think GDP growth will be roughly 2 percent domestically and about 1 percent in the state, so numbers in the state will be positive, but will continue to lag. The strengthening GDP numbers are a good thing heading into the new year.

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business cycle itself. Ignoring structural change is a big problem. We need to acknowledge structural change in the economy, meaning globalization, out-sourcing and offshoring, and work on incorporating this structural change into our budgetary process. We as a state need to do what every household knows and does: live within our means. It is highly important for state and local governments to live within their means for the long run. Will our economic output improve with the end of the recession? The TD Bank business barometer anticipates that 2009 will reflect a decline of 4 percent in the CT economy. The U.S. economy, measured by GDP, is expected to decrease 2.5 percent last year (final numbers aren’t in as of

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will rise. So the job situation is in the process of bottoming. Unemployment in the state is currently 8.2 percent as of November. And some folks who are tired of the corporate situation might start their own private consulting firms and other small businesses. What do economists say are roadblocks now as the economy slowly improves? It all comes down to jobs. We need an environment that is conducive to job growth. Right now it’s not, and I’m concerned about the out-migration of businesses. We’re still a highly leveraged economy, and credit availability is still a problem for consumers and businesses as credit is the lifeblood for many small businesses and consumers. A large factor in the strength of the economy this year is credit availability. You’ve said many times that economic cycles are normal, but is it simply the business cycle that’s emerging here? No, it’s more than that, because we have both structural change and change in the

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Just before 2009 ended, Durham economist Don Klepper-Smith declared that the recession likely ended in the third quarter of 2009 because real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) numbers turned positive. In other words, economists determined that the recession appeared to be over. That’s great news going into a new year and a new decade. Unfortunately, a new decade doesn’t mean we’re presented with a blank slate in the economy, and Klepper-Smith explains what challenges it will create for 2010. The recession is over, but what does that really mean? There are three questions economists have now. Number one is what does the pending recovery look like going forward?; number two is will it be sustainable?; and number three is will the rising tide lift all the boats in the harbor? In other words, when the economic recovery starts to emerge, are all families going

to participate? What’s the honest answer to this? On the third question, ‘will a rising tide be lifting all the boats in the harbor,’ I say ‘no’ because some families aren’t able to differentiate recovery from recession. The economy is now improving and will continue to do so slowly based on GDP numbers, but most people don’t look at it the way economists do. They want to see jobs coming back, which is probably the best indication of recovery to the average person, and that will probably happen in the second quarter of 2010. There will be a gentle rise of unemployment; it will go up slightly one month and down the next. This rise and fall is not atypical, though. What does unemployment look like right now? We expect to lose 100,000 jobs in Connecticut as a result of the recession, but right now we’re only down 88,000 with still another 10 percent or so to go. I expect to see continued job loss in early 2010 and therefore unemployment

Friday, January 22, 2010

Town Times

Earthquake in Haiti touches Durham and Middlefield By Sue VanDerzee Town Times Another earthquake, this time 5.9 on the Richter scale, shook the Island of Hispaniola Wednesday morning, Jan. 20. Originally the news reports pegged the quake at 6.1 in magnitude, but the U.S. Geological Survey has since downgraded it. The earthquake, which struck at 6:03 am local time, was located 35 miles (60 km) west-southwest of Port-auPrince. The earlier Jan. 12th 7.0 magnitude earthquake, which turned many of the buildings in Port-au-Prince into rubble,

may have killed 200,000 people, according to HaitiNews.net. There were no initial reports of injury or damage from Wednesday’s tumbler, but most Haitians were already moved to the streets and open areas. Interestingly, for two small towns, Durham and Middlefield have extensive connections in Haiti through humanitarian work over the years. Maryann and Pat Boord, of Durham, are among those most involved as they spent over a year as directors at the Diocese of Norwich’s mission in Haiti. Maryann, a former first selectwoman, has continued her involvement through service on two boards. Pat noted that the couple “was devastated by the earthquake. We lost friends.” He added that the supply chain in Haiti for delivering goods and services is disorganized in

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served for more than a decade. Hospice also had a maternal/childcare clinic on the first level, supported more than 150 children’s educations, and provided for various other needs in our neighborhood community. One of our staff lost a daughter and we’re told her sister, who was our cook and housekeeper when Pat and I lived in Haiti in 1994 and 1995, lost both her legs. We have not been able to locate Lanite as yet. The financial support will be redirected now to respond to the earthquake needs. Notre Dame Church sponsors a boy and a girl for education. We have not yet heard if they survived the earthquake. We know that some of our 150 students did not.” To donate to the hospice, go online to www.hospicesaintjoseph.org or send a donation to Hospice St. Joseph, 1595 Norwich-New London Turnpike, Uncasville, CT 06382. To donate to Fonkoze, go to www.fonkoze.org. “And prayer support is essential,” concluded Maryann. Durham Middlefield Youth and Family Services/HELO

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normal times, and according to reports, it has been almost completely destroyed. Maryann said that the two boards she currently serves on – Hospice St. Joseph, a project of the Norwich Diocese delivering medical care to, among others, pregnant women, had the third floor fall into the second floor but suffered no casualties of staff, and staff have been able to go back in and rescue some of the medicine, which is desperately needed. The other organization – FONKOZEUSA is “a bank for the poor,” she explained. FONKOZEUSA raises money and then lends it to street vendors and artisans. There are 20 offices around the country, and I believe that the Port-auPrince office re-opened today (Wednesday).” Maryann shared: “Hospice St. Joseph was a house of hospitality until it collapsed during the earthquake. I still cannot believe it is no longer standing. We have been going there for more than 15 years. It is where Sr. Ellen Flynn, who was Pastoral Associate at Notre Dame in Durham,

Durham Middlefield Youth and Family Services is currently accepting relief items for disaster victims of Haiti’s earthquake. Board members Elisabeth Kennedy, of Middlefield, and Jeff Francis, of Durham, have close ties to Haiti. In 2006, Elisabeth met Pastor Jean-Lubin (John) Beaucejour, of the Bethesda Evangelical Mission (BEM), who organizes missionary work in Haiti. Later they partnered to found an orphanage, HELO, Inc. Their nonprofit corporation provides Home, Education, Love and Opportunity (HELO) to orphaned and abandoned children in Haiti, the poorest country in our hemisphere. Jeff Francis has traveled to Haiti with Elisabeth and helps raise funds to support the orphanage. In tribute to their efforts and to assist the hundreds of thousands of Haitians affected by the earthquake, DMYFS will act as a collection point for the following items: overthe-counter pain relievers, antibacterial ointments, gauze, tape, blankets, water and summer clothing. In addition to these items, cash is also very much needed. Checks made payable to HELO, Inc. are most welcome. Any of these items can be dropped off at the lower level of the Middlefield Community Center in the kitchen area and can be dropped off even if DMYFS staff is not available. For more information regarding the orphanage and/or to make donations on line, visit www.HeloHaiti.com. BEM/Jazz’d 4 Life Arne Yaghsizian, of Wallingford, was scheduled to go to Haiti Jan. 25 with a team of 20 led by Pastor Beaucejour. Because of the earthquake, however, Pastor Beaucejour will depart in the next few days to assess the conditions, devise strategies and report back to the team. Arne and Catherine Yaghsizian, daughter and son-inlaw of jazz great Dave Brubeck, are devoted to BEM as well as their nonprofit, Jazz’d 4 Life. Catherine writes: “Jazz’d 4 Life has a long time partnership with BEM Haiti (www.bemhaiti. org). There will be an influx of people coming to live outSee Haiti, next page

Friday, January 22, 2010

Haiti

(From page 6)

www.lcif.org/donate. Select Disaster and include “LCIF Haiti Earthquake Relief” in the comments section. Or you can make a credit card donation with a Master Card, Visa or American Express. Fax the following information to LCIF: name, address, phone number, credit card type, credit card number, expiration date, and amount of the donation. If you are a Lions member, please provide your club’s information. LCIF’s fax number is 630-571-5735.

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To mail a check to LCIF: make the check payable to Lions Clubs International Foundation, noting “LCIF Haiti Earthquake Relief” in the memo field. Please send the check to LCIF, 300 W. 22nd St.,

Oak Brook, IL 60523, USA, Attn: Donor Services. (Submitted by Summer Lerch-Spencer) Norwich Diocese Ministries A new matching challenge grant of $25,000 by two anonymous donors was given to Haitian Ministries on Monday. For every dollar you give, these donors promise to match that amount, dollar for dollar. To donate, please call: 860638-1018. Or mail your gift to: Haitian Ministries, 1595 Norwich-New London Turnpike, Uncasville, CT 06382. Donors can also give at any Citizens Bank to: Earthquake Relief for Haitian Ministries account

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system and in the first three hours of operation, they tended to 100 sick and injured. The Lions Clubs of Middlefield and Durham contribute annually to Lions Club International Foundation with proceeds raised from their Durham Fair food booths, local fundraisers and donations from the community. LCIF works with Lions in the immediate area to assess the greatest needs and ensure funds are used to help those who need it most. The foundation is the charity arm of Lions International and has experience in disaster relief, providing over a combined $23 million for the south Asia tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and the China earthquake, as a result of Lions’ worldwide generous contributions. As with past disasters, Lions worldwide are supporting LCIF relief efforts in Haiti. Within 48 hours, Lions worldwide had pledged nearly $250,000 to help. Donors can assist Lions in the immediate area and Lions Clubs International Foundation in responding to this disaster with a designated donation to the “LCIF Haiti Earthquake Relief” Fund. If you would like to join this effort, please donate on-line at: 1143981

side of Port-au-Prince because it will take months, even years, for that city to recover. There is an infrastructure of support and care already in place through the BEM Network. Should you prefer to donate to Jazzed4life, we will make sure your money gets to Haiti (www.jazzed4life.org).” Liberty Bank to match donations for Haiti Liberty Bank branches are accepting donations for the American Red Cross effort to assist with Haitian earthquake relief. The bank will match the first $5,000 collected from employees and the public with another $5,000. Those wishing to contribute are asked to go to one of the bank’s 37 locations across central, shoreline or southeastern Connecticut by Feb. 15. Lions International We have all seen horrific images of the devastation in Haiti by now. Many of you have contributed to the Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF) either through your support of the Lions Club of Middlefield or Durham and/or through your support of Middlefield’s campaign Sight First II initiative. We want you to know that your support is now in Haiti making a difference for the thousands of individuals in need there. LCIF has awarded a $50,000 Major Catastrophe Grant to help provide for immediate needs for victims following the earthquake on Jan. 12. LCIF is in contact with Lions’ leadership in the area, working to provide the best assistance to those in need. Lions members in the area have mobilized while Lions in the Dominican Republic are collecting goods, as well as using LCIF funding to purchase relief supplies, such as water, food, medicine and other essential needs, which they will drive across the border to distribute to affected areas. Lions from District A-9, Ontario, Canada were in the area when the earthquake hit, helping to establish a clean water system for the Mission of Hope orphanage, and are now assisting in providing immediate medical care. Lions have established a command post and are administering medical assistance around the clock. They have worked out a shift

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Town Times is published every Friday by the Record-Journal Publishing Co. and is delivered to all homes and businesses in Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall. Sue VanDerzee, Editor Stephanie Wilcox, Reporter Brian Monroe, Advertising Director Joy Boone, Advertising Sales Wendy Parker, Office Manager Contributors: Betsy White Booz, Chuck Corley, Chris Coughlin, Trish Dynia, Kathy Meyering, Judy Moeckel.

(Continued from page 7)

860-344-9547 to confirm hours. A report on the Haitian Ministries website had updated news about personnel in Haiti: “Jean Baptiste, the mission house manager, and his family are uninjured but living in the street outside a motorcycle stop. They are not staying in their house for fear of a collapse, and they do not have any food and very little water. “Jane Wynne, who lives in the Kenscoff community in mountains above Port-au-Prince, said that she is fine, but people are escaping the city and moving in all directions to find safer places to stay. Many have headed toward the town where she lives, but there is little food and water there. She said she is extremely worried about the growing emergency. “In the seaside community of Mariani, just west of Port-au-Prince, there is much destruction, according to Max Beauvoir. There is only one doctor in the area to treat thousands of injured. People need water, food, medicine and fuel. No one has seen representatives of the gov-

Friday, January 22, 2010

ernment or humanitarian non-profits, he added. The nearby city of Leogane is about 80 percent destroyed, he said.” For updates, go to www.haitianministries. org. “Even the Red Cross said they are out of aspirin,” Pastor Beaucejour said. “They need everything they can get. But money is the number one thing.” And prayers. Now local residents who would like to help have many suggestions about how to do that. Editor’s note: Epic natural tragedies such as the recent Haitian earthquake, the tsunami in the Indian Ocean after Christmas 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in late August 2005 in the Gulf of Mexico are humbling on many levels. They show us that human beings are essentially powerless in the face of this kind of destructive power, but they also remind us of how much we need each other. In fact, just as in Southeast Asia and the Gulf Coast, Haiti’s citizens now depend on us to help them face the future. Give generously — and pray. Sue VanDerzee, editor

Letters to the Editor Support Jen and LLS

In June 2009, a close 13year-old friend of ours from Durham was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The poor kid spent her summer in and out of hospitals, losing her hair and throwing up due to an aggressive chemotherapy regimen. Since her last round of radiation therapy, she is making great progress and is planning on going back to school soon.

I am truly inspired by the leaps and bounds that medical technology has made during the past couple of decades. The life of our young friend and the lives of many others like her are saved due to these advancements in medical understanding and technology. Therefore, I am raising funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) as a par-

ticipant in their Team In Training program. I will be participating in the St. Anthony’s triathlon on April 25 in St. Petersburg, FL. I’m asking readers to help by making a donation to my fundraising campaign. Please use the link in this letter to donate online quickly and securely plus learn more about my progress. You will receive confirmation of your donation by e-mail, and I will be notified as soon as you make your donation. The web site is http://pages.teamintraining.o rg/ct/anttry10/jhuddlesto. Each donation helps accelerate finding a cure for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. More than 823,000 Americans are battling these blood cancers. I am hoping that my participation in Team In Training will help bring them hope and support. On behalf of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society,

Letters policy The Town Times intends to present a forum for the lively exchange of ideas and issues. To facilitate the publication of your contributions, several guidelines should be followed. Letters to the editor must be signed, with a phone number included. The writer will be called to confirm authorship. No anonymous letters will be printed. Contributions by any individual or group will not be published more frequently than once a month. Every effort will be made to print all letters received. However, the selection and date of publication will be at the discretion of the editor. Finally, the opinions expressed by our letter writers are not necessarily those of this newspaper. Deadline: Tuesday noon for Friday publication.

thank you very much for your support. I greatly appreciate your generosity. Jennifer Huddleston, Middlefield

Applauds Devil’s Advocate writer’s position In the Dec. 11 edition of the Town Times, there was an article written by Coginchaug student Mike French entitled “The Stimulus Package, Not At Work.” I was pleasantly surprised to see our town’s students thinking critically about the federal government’s policies. These days, there is a pervasive feeling that many American students are apathetic about politics or government, focusing solely on entertainment and new technology. But in writing this article, Mr. French has proven that students can be attentive to detail and critical of whether the majority party’s policy decisions are truly what are best for our nation. For example, Mr. French looks to the Obama administration’s promised effects of the stimulus package with regards to jobs. His reporting has been accurate and I’d like to add some more statistics. Last January, President Obama’s economic advisers told the nation that if the stimulus was not passed, we would suf-

fer an unemployment rate of 8.5 percent (with the stimulus, it would rise to a lower 7.8 percent). Of course, the stimulus passed, and today we see the unemployment rate at 10 percent, slightly down from a 32-year high of 10.2 percent in October. As a recent college graduate, I found myself in a tough position to find work with the record unemployment rate that meant more people were competing for less jobs. Also, the spending of nearly $800 billion has not performed as well as the administration had initially claimed, and in result, we see that the national debt has skyrocketed. However, the Republican Party, chastised by the Democrats as the “Party of No,” has the economic answers: reduce spending and cut taxes. Remember that last month President Obama was quoted as saying that our nation “must spend our way out” of recession. It is dangerous thinking indeed. As far as health care reform is concerned, there is a need to cover those with preexisting conditions and to lower premiums. But the public option (now likely not an option) and the expansion of Medicare will only lead to a deeper deficit that future generations will have to pay off. Some sort of reform is needed, but any plan that will boost spending, and thus taxes, will only hurt the American citizens who are working hard

during these times of economic hardship. I look forward to having critical, intelligent thinkers such as Mr. French providing insight and analysis to determine what decisions or policies will be the most beneficial for our nation in the years to come. Don Rawling, Durham

Announcement regarding obituaries Currently, Wendy Parker, office manager at Town Times, looks for obituaries of Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall residents on-line and in other publications, and when she finds them, we print them for free. This is not a foolproof system. We sometimes miss a particular obituary, and the responsibility has been mostly on us. It is rare that a family member actually submits an obituary, though funeral homes sometimes do so and are astonished that this service is free. Starting Feb. 6, we will charge a $25 processing fee to print an obituary (not based on length) and will be informing local funeral homes of this change. We will not search for obituaries that may apply, and will print only those that are submitted by funeral homes or family.

Friday, January 22, 2010 —

Town Times Columns

Korn School has ‘Starr students’ Electric rates are out of control Korn School has work pass and small Laurie Sinder, principal implemented a new rewards such as penprogram promoting Korn Elementary School cils, erasers and water positive behavior bottles. Staff members called STARR (Stucontribute their time dents Acting Respectand talent each month fully and Responsito allow a variety of bly). The discipline choices offered to stucommittee began discussing different dents. options to improve behavior, especialTeachers who have students once a ly during related arts and the less week for related arts and staff superstructured times during the day, such vising the cafeteria and recess have as lunch and recess. Ms. Holland, our found this incentive program to be Physical Education and Health very helpful in promoting positive beteacher, focused her professional havior. Students are motivated to growth project this year on the imple- earn the STARR points and eager to mentation of the program. Students demonstrate respectful and responsican earn up to five STARR points ble behavior. when they go to one of their related One of our other school goals this arts classes: Library, Art, Music, year is Connectedness. When stuHealth and Physical Education. Addi- dents have an opportunity with other tionally, they can earn one STARR third and fourth grade students to point when they are in the cafeteria, earn a reward together it can foster a lining up for recess, walking down the new friendship or make a special conhall or caught by a staff member “be- nection with an adult in the building. ing good.” At the end of each day, stu- Students are excited to offer additiondents turn in their points which are al ideas of what they would like to recorded on a monthly tally sheet and earn with their STARR points and totaled at the end of each month. look forward to the monthly menu of This year, in honor of the Winter choices and which staff member is Olympics, our monthly bulletin board willing to share their time and talent acknowledges students who earned a for the next month. bronze, silver or gold star. Students The STARR program has encourtake pride in finding their star on the aged students to demonstrate respectboard, which is displayed in the cafe- ful and responsible behavior throughteria, and keep careful track of their out the day. An added bonus is referprogress. Additionally, students ex- rals to the office for discipline have change their STARR points for re- been significantly reduced and stuwards such as: lunch with a teacher, dents feel good about following our extra PE time, extra art time, home- Core Values.

A View From District 13

Web update Only 17 respondents answered last week’s poll question: What do you believe would be a fitting way to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.? Answers to choose among were: Attend an event honoring MLK (6 percent), Resolve to volunteer in the community (24 percent), Become an activist for non-violent conflict resolution in your own life (6 percent), All of the above (41 percent, or 7 people) and I don’t know (24 percent). Next week’s poll At a writers’ breakfast last weekend, “Freelance” Karen Kean mentioned that some people might be interested in participating in the poll but not online. So we decided to try that theory out. Our poll question for this week is: Have you donated money for Haitian earthquake relief? Ansers are: Yes No No, but will be doing so. Then, in our discussion box below the poll box on the righthand side of our web page, we ask: If you donated money for Haitian relief, how did you do it and through which agency? On-line? By mail? In person to an organization? Red Cross? Durham/Middlefield Youth and Family Services? HELO? BEM? Doctors without Borders? Oxfam? Church-based charity? Other? Email news@towntimes.com, mail or bring your answers to our office.

In the 1990s, Connecticut families and businesses paid some of the highest electric rates in the country. The state legislature decided it needed to act – it would experiment by partially deregulating the electric industry, in the hopes that increased competition would benefit consumers. Market forces would encourage companies to build State Rep. more power plants and transmission lines, or so the thinking went, and more supply would mean lower rates. After more than a decade of tinkering with deregulation, it is clear to me that for the vast majority of people in our towns, electricity deregulation has been an abysmal failure. Out-of-state players, including investment banks Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, have come to dominate the market. They have made billions in unregulated profits trading in Connecticut’s energy markets. But instead of lower prices, rates have skyrocketed to the point where we now pay the highest electricity rates in the continental United States. While some have made billions, deregulation has been devastating to Connecticut families and businesses. Last fall, when Pratt & Whitney, one of the largest employers in Connecticut, announced that it was moving more than one thousand Connecticut jobs out of state to Georgia and overseas to Asia, it cited our electric rates as one of the chief reasons. It is difficult to attract and retain jobs when our costs are simply not competitive. Meanwhile, families and seniors, some of whom pay astronomical rates for electric heat, are being squeezed ever tighter. As a member of the Energy and Technology Committee, I understand that energy policy is not easy. In the past, the debate has often been held prisoner to ideology, with liberals pushing re-regulation and conservatives supporting increased deregulation. The result has often been gridlock. We need to move beyond this. A number of ideas are on the table, including the possible creation of a Public Power Authority – a non-profit corporation similar to entities in existence in New York and Illinois and elsewhere – which would have the ability to compete with private play-

ers to create downward pressure on rates. Currently the town of Wallingford has public power, and consumers and businesses there pay just 2/3 of what Durham and Middlefield residents pay. The idea of a power authority has been endorsed by a number of prominent consumer groups, including the AARP. Funded by ratepayMatt Lesser ers, not your taxpayer dollars, the authority would have the ability to compete with private electric companies to negotiate long term contracts with private power plants, or even build its own, with the sole purpose of providing electric power to consumers and businesses at the lowest possible cost. There is no easy solution, and there are risks and potential downsides to any approach. I have been working with a bipartisan group of legislative, consumer and industry leaders as we examine possible solutions. We need to be careful in undoing some of the misguided reforms of the 1990s and mindful of unintended consequences. Over the next few months, I will be going around the district and looking to hear from you for your thoughts on this issue. We do some things in Connecticut very well – encouraging energy efficiency and distributed electric generation, for example. We will also fight this year to make it easier for homeowners, towns and businesses to lock in their electric rates by switching to solar power. Any reform efforts should protect what we already do well. In times of crisis, we expect our elected leaders to rise to the occasion. My hope is that in 2010, we will be able to move beyond the gridlock of the past to bring serious rate relief to consumers and businesses. We should hold a public hearing on rate reform legislation in the next month. Unfortunately, a few Connecticut state senators have proved in the past to be obstacles to serious reform of our electricity prices. If you support reform, Durham and Middlefield residents should contact your state senators and Governor Rell and ask that they place this at the top of the agenda. We need to position Connecticut to prosper when we get out of this recession. Making our electric rates more competitive is a key step on the road to recovery.

From The State Capitol

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Friday, January 22, 2010

Town Times

Middlefield BOS (Continued from page 1)

program exists. Furthermore, Smith’s efforts at contacting the police about the problem has only met with minimal success. Smith told the board that the only way to deal with the problem is for the town to hit violator’s pockets by issuing tickets. Smith also said that Park and Recreation was using one of the fields for soccer without proper authorization. Smith mentioned that the zoning commission’s minutes note that the permission of Planning and Zoning is required to make use of the field. However, he then brought up the Board of Selectmen’s minutes from September 2009 at which time they gave the go-ahead to use the field for soccer. Smith claimed that this is still a violation of use as it wasn’t approved by the zoning commis-

sion. The final item Smith brought up was the presence of two dedication structures (signs) which he felt should be removed as they are at the park without permission. While the board heard Smith’s complaints, they did not act on or otherwise discuss them at the time. Other Business Mary Johnson also brought something up on behalf of Marianne Corona. Johnson read a statement into the record where Corona expressed her belief that the town has a right to know what’s happening with the Powder Ridge property, as it’s their land. According to Corona, developer Dan Frank should know some of the issues with the property that have been raised by the public. This prompted a response from Lowry, who is the head of the Powder Ridge Ad Hoc See Middlefield BOS, page 12

BOE

(From page 1)

is the last weekend in June when school will be out for the summer. The exciting piece of the project, Viccaro noted, is it will be a community build, and therefore she is looking for volunteers. The board was informed that Viccaro and the necessary district personnel did not sign a commitment for Race To The Top federal funds from the state. According to Viccaro, Connecticut is applying for these funds and requested a signed commitment from each school district; however, only three have signed. The reason, she explained, is superintendents are not clear about the expectations and have requested more information. If they had applied and the state is accepted, District 13 would receive roughly $39,000. As chair Tom Hennick said, it looks like free money at first, but there

might be costs they’re unaware of. Viccaro told the board they have the chance to apply again in June after receiving more information. Her last item to address with the board was seatbelts on school buses as a Rocky Hill student was recently killed in an horrific bus accident. She is discussing the issue with Dattco Bus Co. and has a study on seatbelts in school buses, so “I want everyone to know it’s very much on my radar, and we’re taking it very seriously to make decisions in the future.” Field trip requests The board approved a field trip request for the National Ocean Sciences Bowl on Feb. 5-6 and the Model UN Club Conference on Jan. 21-24. They also heard a presentation from Coginchaug oceanography teacher Lorrie Martin regarding Discovery Dive, a program put on by New England Dive Shop in Wallingford. Martin shared that students expressed inter-

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est in a hands-on, educational program after representatives from the shop came to Martin’s classroom recently. Discover Dive is not a scuba certification, although what students do with the skills and info afterward is up to them. It provides exposure to scuba to see if students want to pursue it in the future. A rep explained the program provides real-time experience in the shallow-end of a pool (under four feet of water) where students will learn how to set up their gear, understand air pressure and put on and take off their equipment properly. “There is so much to learn in terms of oceanography (in the Discovery Dive),” he told the board. District 13 is being offered the educator rate of $37 per student, which students will pay individually. Naturally, the board was concerned with liability issues and were told students and parents will need to sign a release. In addition, the district will ask the shop to add the district as additional insured, and will also ask them to sign a release. With one abstention, the Discovery Dive was approved by the board. Other business The board approved the 2010-2012 proposed administrator’s contract, which includes a zero percent increase in salary the first year and a 1.75 percent increase the second. In addition, all administrators are switching to the Health Savings Account which will bring significant savings to the district. The 2008-09 annual report was also approved, and the board applauded the cost-saving measures it employed, such as being produced in black and white, non-glossy with fewer copies printed. During public comment, resident Donia Viola stressed the difficulty of the economic times and urged the board to consider freezes, not hiring new employees and perhaps even laying people off. The focus of the next board meeting, at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 27 at Coginchaug High School, is the budget. Residents, like Viola, who have ideas on what should/shouldn’t be in the budget are asked to come with their thoughts. The board will spend the majority of the meeting considering these ideas; they will not be approving proposed budget numbers at that time.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Durham Town Briefs

Durham house fire still under investigation By Stephanie Wilcox Town Times The house fire that occurred last Friday morning, Jan. 15, at the corner of Tuttle and Parmelee Hill roads in Durham, is still under investigation by the local and state fire marshal’s office, said Durham Fire Chief Harry Hall. Besides Durham Fire Department and EMS emergency personnel, included Middlefield and Killingworth Fire Departments and South Fire District, who defensively attacked the flames. In other words, there was no aggressive interior firefighting because it was not deemed safe enough. Hall reported that the home, which was vacant, had sustained previous damage from a water leak when pipes froze years ago, and the structural integrity was unclear. Because its vacant status had made the home a “high risk property,” a preplan was completed months ago where details, such as where to get the water in the event of a fire, were worked

the fire needed to be put out, said Hall. The fire, which was reported around 3:41 a.m. with multiple 911 calls, was under control within 45 minutes to an hour. According to Durham native Elmer Clark, who grew up on that same corner, the parcel is no stranger to fire. His father’s house burned down there in 1927, and the family barn burned down in 1931. The barn fire perhaps figured in the decision of a town meeting in March 1931 to establish the Durham Volunteer Fire Company later that year.

The stop sign at the corner of Tuttle Road approaching Parmelee Hill Road bears an ironic message (Don’t Stop Smoking) in light of the house fire on the same corner on Jan. 15.

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Durham firefighters, left above, keep watch over the vacant house on Jan. 15. The fire was called in just before 4 a.m. and was under control in less than an hour.

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Mostly Durham Town Briefs

Durham Government Calendar (All meetings will be held at the Durham Library unless otherwise noted. Check the town Web page at www.townofdurhamct.org for agendas and last-minute changes.) Monday, January 25 7 p.m. — Board of Selectmen at Town Hall Tuesday, January 26 7 p.m. — Ethics Commission Wednesday, January 27 7:30 p.m. — Board of Education at CRHS; residents are encouraged to attend and discuss next year’s education budget before it is too far along in the process. Tuesday, February 2 6:30 p.m. — Public Safety Committee 7:30 p.m. — Midstate Planning, 100 DeKoven Dr., Middletown Wednesday, February 3 7:30 p.m. — Planning and Zoning Commission Monday, February 8 7 p.m. — Board of Selectmen at Town Hall 7:30 p.m. — Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency

Housing rehabilitation program proposed

The town of Durham is hoping to receive a grant from Small Cities Community Development Block Grant funds for a town-wide Housing Rehabilitation Revolving Loan program that would

provide financial assistance to rehabilitate and renovate housing units occupied by income eligible individuals, families or investor owners. Typically, funds are offered in the form of deferred loans. Deferred loans are 0 percent interest loans that do not require payment until a title is transferred, the property owner has died, or the subject property is no longer the applicant’s primary place of res-

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idence. Once established, the program would assist low and moderate income residents with the rehabilitation of their homes to increase energy efficiency or make necessary repairs to correct deficiencies in health and safety issues. The town could receive up to $300,000 per fiscal year for the Housing Rehabilitation Program. Income eligibility is based on household size; for example, a household of two with an annual gross income of less than $51,200 or a family of four with a gross annual income below $64,000 would be eligible for participation in the program. For an individual, the gross income limit is $44,800. Both owner occupants and investor owners may apply and receive financial aid, but rental units must be maintained as affordable for at least five years after rehabilitation if they participate in the program. Investors may be eligible for direct loans with interest rates up to three percent and maximum terms of 15 years. All loans are secured with a mortgage deed, promissory note and memorandum of agreement. The town may, at their option, subordinate their loan upon written request from the owner, if determined to be in the town’s best interest. Officials must establish a need for this program within the town. Interested residents

Friday, January 22, 2010

are asked to kindly submit a letter of interest to First Selectman Laura Francis, P.O. Box 428, Durham. At least 15 letters are needed. Letters should indicate need for the loan and detail the interested party’s situation, i.e. an elderly person on a fixed income needs a new furnace or roofs, an individual with a disability or medical condition must make repairs or alterations to stay in the home; loss of assets; loss of a secondary income; recent housing problems etc. The Department of Economic and Community Development wants to be sure there is interest/demand for the funding and that eligible residents will use the funds. Residents with questions can call L. Wagner & Associates, Inc. at 203-573-1188. L. Wagner and Associates provide professional and technical services required to prepare Small Cities Community Development Program applications.

Stolen sign Someone has stolen the big wooden sign that says “Royal Oak Park Middletown.” This sign is approximately two and a half feet by three feet, and is maroon and gold. If you have it, please return it to 217 Acorn Drive, with no questions asked. If you know where it might be, please call Al at 860-349-7123.

Middlefield BOS

(Continued from page 12) Committee. Lowry pointed out that the information discussed by the committee thus far has all been in executive session and that there should be no information to offer to the public at this time. The board also approved a request for an 8-24 review of Powder Ridge by the P&Z Commission. This must go through before any sale of the property. An 8-24 review for the Strickland property that may be sold to Monarca is also required. Acknowledging that the town may not want to sell the property to Monarca, Brayshaw stated that perhaps it could be leased instead. It’s in the P&Z Commission’s hands. Otherwise, Brayshaw noted that the town needs census takers and that positions are available to anyone who might want the job. Pat Olzewski was also appointed as a ZBA alternate before the meeting adjourned. The selectmen will meet next on Thursday, Jan. 28, where they will hold a joint meeting with the Durham Board of Selectmen at the Durham Town Hall. Depending on how the meeting goes, the board may opt not to meet for their first February meeting.

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Middlefield Town Briefs

Friday, January 22, 2010

Senior Center

Start the new year right with a commitment to get your blood pressure checked at least twice a month at the Senior Center. This free clinic is offered on the first and third Wednesdays at 12:15 p.m. You may also discuss any other health issues or questions you may have with the nurse. There will be a cholesterol/blood glucose screening starting in February. This will be held four times a year. The next screening will be Thursday, Feb. 11, at 8 a.m. Fasting is recommended. No appointment is necessary. The Middlefield Senior Center annual snowflake BBQ will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at noon. Beat the winter doldrums with a lunch of burgers on the grill. Following lunch, warm up with sizzling bingo games and prizes or enjoy games of setback. The cost per person is $2. Bring a yummy side, salad or veggie to share (no desserts, chips or soda please). The side dish should feed eight people. Please make your reservation, side selection and payment by Tuesday, Feb. 16. Call 860-349-7121 or stop in the Center. Snow date is Thursday, Feb. 25. Free income tax assistance will be available every Tuesday from February to April. This income tax preparation service is provided by AARP. The IRS-trained counselor will help those 60 years and older with low or moderate income by appointment only. Please call the Senior Center once you have received all your documents and paperwork for filing. We will not be taking any appointments until you have all your paperwork.

increasing the number of bedrooms on a site, town planner Geoff Colegrove suggested that the sanitarian and assessor should be able to determine what sites meet the criteria and what qualifies as a bedroom. Attorney Mark Branse also suggested that the commission may want to include language that prevents an increase in the number of buildings on a site to avoid situations like splitting a duplex. Although prior hearings on the matter mentioned that the amendment would only apply to six locations throughout the town, Colegrove found that it may apply to up to 27 sites in Middlefield. In light of this, resident Lucy Petrella urged the commission to proceed with caution and recommended against changing the regulations just to address the issues of specific parcels. However, other residents, such as Doug Palmieri, felt that the amendment would be a good thing due to a potential increase in tax revenue. Although the commission closed the public hearing, they did not vote on the amendment itself. The commission held off until they could review the 27 locations that the amendment might apply to. The sale of part of the Strickland property to Monarca was another issue the commission discussed, as the commission must approve an 8-24 review before

the town can go through with the sale. As it stands now, Monarca has equipment on the town property it wants to purchase. Part of the reason the commission is concerned about the sale is due to the degree that the Monarca site is out of compliance. Although First Selectman Jon Brayshaw feels that the town should be pro-business, Commission chairman Ken Hamilton noted that the reason Monarca lacked the proper storage space on-site was because part of the property was leased out to an unapproved moving truck operation at the location. Fellow member Bill Waff suggested that the potential sale was a stalling tactic on Monarca’s behalf and suggested that the site conform with its site plan before the town moves ahead with a sale. These weren’t the only issues people had with the potential sale. Colegrove noted that a zone change will be required for the property that Monarca wants and added that an application to change the zone has yet to be filed. In light of this, Colegrove felt that an 8-24 approval was premature at this point. Meanwhile, Petrella stated that it was previously agreed by the town not to add more of the Strickland property to the industrial zone and that it should go before the town’s residents to decide whether to go through with the sale. The commission has yet to act one way or the other

Middlefield Government Calendar (Unless otherwise indicated, all meetings are held in the Community Center.) Tuesday, January 26 7 p.m. — Zoning Board of Appeals; on the agenda will be public hearing about an access variance for Powder Ridge. Wednesday, January 27 7:30 p.m. — Board of Education at CRHS. This meeting will be discussion with citizens about their ideas for budget priorities in the next fiscal year (2010-11). 6:30 p.m. — Planning and Zoning Thursday, January 28 7 p.m.—- Joint Board of Selectmen’s meeting with Durham BOS at Durham Town Hall. Monday, February 1 7 p.m. — Board of Selectmen (may be cancelled) Tuesday, February 2 7 p.m. — Levi E. Coe Library Association at the library 7:30 p.m. — Midstate Regional Planning Agency, at 100 DeKoven Drive in Middletown Thursday, February 4 7 p.m. — Economic Development Commission Wednesday, February 10 6:30 p.m. — Planning and Zoning 7 p.m. — Water Pollution Control Authority 7:30 p.m. — Board of Education at Korn School with Monarca, though Colegrove suggested that the business should be reviewed by the commission again. An informal discussion on Powder Ridge was also held, with Brayshaw reporting that the current developer for the site is Dan Frank, who plans on running a four-season recreational facility on the site. As part of the efforts to reopen Powder Ridge, Brayshaw informed the commission that a variance will be required from the ZBA for site access. Should the variance not be granted, the drive-

way would have to be turned into a town road to give the property the frontage it requires. While their discussion was brief, Marianne Corona wanted to remind Brayshaw and the commission that the town’s only viable aquifer is located near Powder Ridge and that the town needs to protect it when the property is developed. Bob Yamartino was also in attendance to discuss the Metacomet Wind Farm Wind Assessment Study with the

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The Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing on Wednesday, Jan. 13, regarding a zoning amendment that would allow for the demolition and reconstruction of non-conforming residential buildings in the HD-1, HD-2, MD and AG-2 zones. If approved, the amendment would only apply to sites with multiple residential buildings at one location, though the minimum number has yet to be determined. As the amendment prevents anyone from

P&Z (Continued from page 13) commission. This study is meant to determine the viability of putting wind towers in town to generate energy for Middlefield and Middletown. Yamartino explained that such towers could generate up to 20 percent of the energy currently used by both towns and that he hopes to have them up and running by 2014.

Mostly Middlefield Town Briefs

Friday, January 22, 2010

stands now, at least one matter that will need addressing is the town’s restriction on structures above 40’ tall. The towers range from 60’ to 80’ tall. However, Yamartino’s discussion was purely informational in an effort to alert the zoning commission to what he and the rest of the wind study committee are attempting to accomplish over the next few years. No other significant business came before the commission. The commission chose to hold off on electing officers until their next meeting. Meanwhile, chairman Ken Hamilton stepped down. Although he technically could have stayed on for another year and until a suitable replacement was found, he thought it necessary to “take a breath” after his nine years of service. (In attendance/Chuck Corley)

would ask the tax assessor if there are changes in these areas. The commission also reviewed financial information for the Route 66 system before adjourning. (From minutes/Stephanie Wilcox)

In the meantime, he’s already applied for grants to fund the study. Once funded, Yamartino wants to put in a MET tower for a year to measure the wind generated in the Metacomet area. The reason he approached the zoning commission is that he wants regulations to be in place so that the towers can be regulated properly, allowing the commission to act proactively rather than reacting once the towers are ready to be placed. As it

Bailey reviewed budget items with commissioners. They discussed the timing of bills that were sent out for user fees and the assessment, and in-law apartments versus apartments. Bailey said he

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WPCA The Water Pollution Control Authority met on Jan. 13 where officers were elected. Kathy Kokoszka was reelected as secretary, Ed Bailey was reelected as chairman and Peter Sibley was elected as vice chairman.

Newly elected second grade senators were introduced at the first assembly of the new year at John Lyman School. Photo by Betty Hadlock

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nity Foundation will host its first Party with a Purpose of the decade on Tuesday, Jan. 26, from 5–7 p.m. at Wadsworth Mansion in Middletown. The guest speaker is Essex resident Peter Prichard, noted author and journalist with 30 years experience in the field. His talk is “The Decline of the Daily Newspaper and What That Means for Democracy.” He will discuss how economic reverses and the rise of the internet have combined to damage newspapers and diminish journalism, and what that means for democracy and civic engagement. Recently retired as president of the Newseum, the $450 million interactive museum of news in Washington, DC, Prichard previously served as editor-in-chief of USA TODAY, the nation’s largest circulation daily newspaper. He is the author of The Making of the McPaper, the Inside Story of USA TODAY, which sold more than 28,000 copies in hard cover. To register or for more information call 860-347-0025, email info@MiddlesexCountyCF.org or visit the website: www.MiddlesexCountyCF.or g. The cost is $20 per person. Light refreshments will be served.

Town Times Spotlight

Friday, January 22, 2010

Below, Mason Passavant

(Xavier Class of 2012), of Durham, and Emily Dzialo (Mercy Class of 2012), of Middlefield, were recently honored with the “Trevor Palonen Top Youth Walker Award” from the March of Dimes Connecticut Chapter. Coincidentally, Mason and Emily, who attended Strong School in Durham together, are both among the top youth fundraisers for the March of Dimes in the Middletown area, the state of Connecticut, and the United States. Their proud families know they will continue their volunteerism throughout their high school and college years. The next “March for Babies” will take place in Middletown on Sunday, April 25, at Vinal Technical High School. For more information, call 1-800446-9255 or log on to marchofdimes.com/ connecticut or marchforbabies.org. Emily Rubendunst, of Durham, has been

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The purpose of the public hearing is to obtain citizens’ views on the Town’s community development and housing needs and review and discuss specific project activities in the areas of housing, economic development or community facilities which could be a part of the Town’s Application for funding. The Town anticipates applying for the maximum grant amount of $300,000 under the Housing Rehabilitation category for a Town-wide Revolving Loan Fund.

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The public hearing will also give citizens an opportunity to make their comments known on the proposed project and for review of the Program Income Reuse Plan. If you are unable to attend the public hearing, you may direct written comments to Laura L. Francis, First Selectman, Town Hall, 30 Town Hall Road, Durham, CT 06422 or you may telephone 860-349-3625. Additional information may be obtained at the above address between the hours of 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., weekdays.

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All are encouraged to attend. The hearing is accessible to the handicapped. Any disabled persons requiring special assistance or non-English speaking persons should contact Laura L. Francis, ADA Coordinator at 860-349-3625 at least five days prior to the hearing. The Town promotes fair housing and makes all programs available to low- and moderate-income families regardless of age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual preference, marital status, or handicap. Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action

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NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Town of Durham will conduct a public hearing on Monday, February 8, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. in the Town Hall, 3rd Floor Meeting Room, 30 Town House Road, Durham, CT to discuss its Fiscal Year 2010 Community Development Block Grant Program Application and to solicit citizen input.

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The Middlesex County Community Foundation recently chose new officers, including local citizens. Sharon Griffin, of Durham, was added to the Board of Directors. Other leaders include: Marcia Kalayjian and John Biddiscombe, both of Durham, who will serve as vice chairmen. Kalayjian will co-chair the Community F o u n d a t i o n ’ s Development/Communications Committee and will also chair the Nominating Committee. Biddiscombe will continue to lead the Grants Committee.

Town Times Obituaries

George Gulielmetti George Gulielmetti, 97, of Mica Hill Road in Durham, passed away on Jan, 13, 2010. Born on Oct. 23, 1912 in New York City, George moved to Durham with his parents in 1919 where he grew up on the family farm and attended Durham schools. As a child and young man he trapped and hunted before walking (uphill, both ways) to the one-room school house on Sand Hill Road, cared for and milked the cows and worked the fields and woods with teams of horses. His two favorite horses were Molly and Kitty, two ice-wagon horses who came from Middletown by barge from New York City. He and his brother Phil delivered firewood by horsepulled wagon to the Salvation Army in Middletown one frigid Christmas Eve and ate an entire frozen pumpkin pie on the way home. In 1938 George went to

work at United Aircraft and in 1950 joined the Farm Production Credit System and Federal Land Bank, serving as office manager until his retirement in 1978. Given George’s own agricultural experience and his empathy for the special needs and hard work of farmers, many farmers in Connecticut attributed their success to George’s advocacy. He was also active in town affairs, serving as chairman of the Durham Planning Commission, chairman of the Board of Finance, Board of Tax Review and other boards and commissions. He was chairman of the Regional 13 Memorial School building committee and a member of the Brewster School building committee. George was the son of the late Francesco and Angela (Agogliati) Gulielmetti, who immigrated to the United States at the turn of the last century. Throughout his life, he remained close to his Italian roots through visits to Salsominore, his mother’s village, and contact

with cousins and extended family. He was predeceased by his wife of 46 years, Bernice (Lee) Gulielmetti in 2008; his brother, Philip (wife Anna) of Portland; his sister, Teresa (Gus) Bidwell of Middletown and two nephews, Paul Gulielmetti and Roger Stevens. He is survived by his daughter Angela Gulielmetti and her partner, Randy McLean, of Portland, Maine; two stepdaughters, Linda Lee Healy of Middletown, Jackie Nelson and her husband Bill of Durham; two grandchildren, Joshua Nelson and his wife Mindy of Hamden, Sara Nelson Hartley and her husband Brian of Wethersfield; sisters Mary G. DiMella and her husband Doug of Durham, and Jane Stevens of King of Prussia, PA, in addition to many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations be made to the Middlesex Land Trust, 27 Washington St., Middletown, CT 06457. Given George’s love of the land, helping to preserve

the farmlands and woodlands of Middlesex County seems like the most fitting tribute to his years of life in the outdoors. Services were held at the United Churches of Durham; burial took place at the Mica Hill Cemetery. Biega Funeral Home took care of the arrangements.

Marion H. Olsen Marion H. (Kelly) Olsen, 88, of Middletown, beloved wife of 63 years to the late George A. Olsen, Jr., passed away Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010 at Apple Health Care in Middletown. She was born in Brooklyn, NY, the daughter of the late Charles J. and Irene M. (Murphy) Kelly, and later resided in New Hyde Park, Long Island, NY, until 1976 before moving to East Haddam, and Sarasota, FL. She worked for A&S Dept. Stores until moving to Connecticut. Marion was an avid reader and loved to travel, especially cruising, and in her later years discovered painting.

Friday, January 22, 2010

She is survived by her two daughters and a son-in-law, Kathleen Lang and her husband George “Bud” of Durham, and Lynn Yuris of Middletown. She was the loving grandmother of six grandchildren, Kelly Lang Schock and her husband Mark, Tracy Lang Sambor and her husband Scott, Noreen Lang Grenier and her husband Mike, all of Middlefield, Kerri-Ann Lang Kessler and her husband Ryan of New York, Tricia Yuris Belin and her husband Derrick, Rich Yuris and his wife Abby, all of Middletown. She was called “Grandma Marion” by her 15 great-grandchildren. Marion was predeceased by her only sister, Virginia Cooke of Long Island, NY.

The funeral liturgy was held at St. Bridget of Kildare Church in Moodus. In lieu of flowers, those who wish may send memorial contributions to Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, 1359 Broadway, Suite 1509, New York, NY 10018.

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In Our Libraries

Friday, January 22, 2010

Levi Coe Library

Durham Library

SUDOKU ANSWER

read from her newest novel to be published in February, The Next Best Thing. Kristan is the winner of the 2008 Ro-

mance Writers of America RITA award. Copies of her book will be available for sales.

Masonicare Primary Care Physicians announces Expanded Hours for the Community

Our Primary Care Physicians from l to r: Alla Bernshteyn, MD, Geriatrician; Robert Elwell, MD, Family Practice; Ronald Schwartz, MD, Internal Medicine

CROSSWORD ANSWER

To accommodate the busy schedules of our patients and their families, we’re now open Evenings, Saturdays and through Lunchtime. We are accepting new patients and can assist in transferring records. Our patient-centered team has been caring for adults from the greater Wallingford community since 1997. If you don’t have a primary care physician — or would like to make a fresh start — and are over the age of 18, give us a call. We are conveniently located on the first floor of Masonicare’s new Medical Office Building at 67 Masonic Avenue, right off Route 150, in Wallingford. And, should you need a blood test or x-ray, Clinical Lab Partners and MidState Radiology Associates have offices in our building.

Mini Meditation Sponsored by Father Nadolny Good News Fund

If you knew when you would go to heaven, how would you spend your last days? Would you tidy up your room? Would you check your finances? Would you watch your last baseball or basketball game? You would probably say, of course not. They would not be important then. Why are they so important now? But, Jesus would be important then. Why isn’t He important now?

For additional information or to make an appointment, call us at 265-0355. We look forward to meeting you.

Reverend Edmond S. Nadolny

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Hours: Regular library hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Visit www.durhamlibrary.org to search the catalog, review your account, register for a program or renew your materials online. For information or to register for a program by phone, call 860-349-9544. Storytime: Mother Goose for children 18 to 30 months

20 restaurants and caterers will provide food for sampling. Patrons must be 21 or older. Tickets are on sale now for $30 during regular library hours. Children’s book discussion and trivia: Children in grades four through six are invited to share their thoughts on The Lightning Thief a fun adventure story on Tuesday, Feb. 9, from 7 to 8 p.m. There will be a raffle for tickets to see the movie. Durham Author Nights: On Thursday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. Amy Bloom will read from her latest book, Where the God of Love Hangs Out. This is her first collection of short stories since A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You and follows her ALA notable and bestselling novel, Away. Copies of her new book will be available for signing. On Thursday, Feb. 25, at 7:30 p.m. Kristan Higgins will

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Hours: The library is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call the library at 860-3493857 or visit www.leviecoe.com for information or to register for any program. You can renew, reserve and check your library record on the website. Children’s Storytime will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for prekindergarten children. To register or for more information, call the library. Great new titles include Deeper than the Dead by Tami Hoag, Under the Dome by Stephen King, Fired Up by Jayne Ann Krentz, The Department of Mad Scientists by Michael Belfiore, The Humbling by Philip Roth and I, Sniper by Stephen Hunter. New young adults’ and children’s titles include Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork, The Book of the Maidservant by Rebecca Barnhouse, My Father’s Son by Terri Fields, A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts by Ying Chang Compestine, The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonder by Mark Cassino, Sylvie by Jennifer Gordon Sattler, Tiger who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr and Buying, Training & Caring for Your Dinosaur by Laura Rennert. Come in and check out these books or reserve titles that are coming soon! To view anticipated arrival dates for new titles, visit our web page www.leviecoe.com, click on Activities and Events and go to monthly calendars. New DVDs include Departures, In the Loop, The Final Destination, Halloween II, The Hurt Locker, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Post Grad.

will be on Mondays at 10:15 or 11 a.m., Time for Tots for children ages two and a half to three and a half will be on Wednesdays at 10:15 or 11 a.m. and the Preschool Story Time will be on Tuesdays at 10:15 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. Please stop by or call to register. Coupons: The library has free 20 percent off coupons for admission to the Connecticut Science Center. The Teen Book Club: Students in seventh through ninth grade are reading H.I.V.E. Higher Institute of Villainous Education by Mark Walden for the Thursday, Jan. 28 meeting from 7 to 8 p.m. The Book Lover’s Circle will meet Wednesday, Feb. 3, at 7:30 to discuss Finn by Jon Clinch. Everyone is invited to join this informal discussion. Taste of Durham: The 14th annual Taste of Durham will be on Saturday, Feb. 6, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. More than

Friday, January 22, 2010

Town Times

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Town Times Business

Friday, January 22, 2010

J. Randolph custom cabinetry showroom opens in Middlefield showroom, which has been fun and exciting,” said Dixon. Though the showroom is open for business now, there will be a grand opening in the spring. J. Randolph Kitchen’s showroom is located at 500 Main Street in Middlefield.

Above, one area of the showroom. Left, Jason Dixon, of J. Randolph Kitchens, with son Trevor, who enjoys spending time in the showroom where he plays hide-and-seek in the cupboards and cabinets.

Wednesday, Jan. 27, at 7:30 p.m. at CRHS: Talk to the Board of Ed about next year’s budget.

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J. Randolph Kitchens is excited to announce the opening of their new showroom in the Middlefield Plaza. The 1400-square-foot showroom will feature everything homeowners need for their kitchen/bathroom/home office/media room remodeling: sinks, faucets, tiles, flooring, cabinets, cabinet hardware, etc. Where once customers were handed pictures, books and sticky notes to design their rooms, they can now browse through the showroom and envision it all right before their eyes. “It’s what you would find at a store like Home Depot,” explained owner Jason Dixon. “But the problem with those stores is you get whoever is on duty that day, which usually means there’s no personal care and no chance to meet your installers, which can be freaky when they show up at your house.” That’s exactly what Dixon is trying to avoid. He wants each customer to feel comfortable through receiving individual attention. And he hopes they’ll feel right at home and stop by anytime. “It’s friendlier here for homeowners than our small location before at Old Indian Trail,” he said, adding, “I want people to know we’re responsive to what people want.” In fact, he did research on the town’s home values and considered what people were asking for so that nothing in the showroom was too out of reach for locals. “We kept the specific population of Durham and Middlefield in mind,” he said, noting that there will be different price point rooms. But Dixon says he also kept in mind the other businesses in town. “We don’t want to take over other businesses by opening a showroom,” he said. “Actually, we will offer discounts to local contractors and even carry some products for them if they want to do so through us. We’re here to help and not be a threat.” Similarly, Dixon would eventually like to start an Experience Center, which will

feature local businesses, such as an electrician, plumber, remodeler, home builder, architect, interior designer and a tile installer, who will come together in one shop as one business. Each specialist would be an individual vendor within the “Experience Center.” “People buy an experience, not things,” Dixon said. “When you buy a new car, you want the new car smell, new car sound and the security of the warranty. If people have a good experience, they’ll share that with others, and in a small town, that’s live or die. We could all help each other out.” Dixon hopes to expand J. Randolph Kitchens and open the Experience Center in the Middlefield Plaza. They would cover the cost of overhead since it will bring foot traffic to their showroom next door. “We’ve already had a bunch of walk-ins at our

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Friday, January 22, 2010

Town Times

Coginchaug Blue Devils busy winning the last four games By Alan Pease Special to Town Times

Overpowering Rams It’s been 10 years since the Coginchaug boys visited the Rams of Old Saybrook and won. That’s a long time to go without winning on a court that you visit every year. Even in the Dream Season, three years ago, when they lost only one game during the regular season, it was at Old Saybrook! When they visited Old Saybrook on Saturday, Jan. 9, for a non-league contest, there was some anticipation this might be the year. Coginchaug had one loss and the Rams had three, two of those to the still-undefeated Hyde and Cromwell teams. The game started evenly, and stayed that way through the first three periods, with a tie at 13-all after one, the Rams leading 19–18 at the half, and

the Devils taking a shaky 31–30 lead into the final period. But in that final period, it was Devil domination. All five starters scored, with Andrew Markoski leading the way with eight, Erikson Wasyl scoring seven, Tommy Ryan six and Jeff Tiedemann and Eric Hewitt chipping in two, for a total of 25 points in the period, compared to only 10 for the Rams. The final score was 56–40, a solid and longawaited win for the Devils. Markoski led the way with 14 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists. Note that I figured out how to spell his name (thanks to Paul Haberern, who pointed out my mistake). My apologies to Andrew, his brother Mike, and to the Markoski family. Wasyl scored 11 points and added a rebound and an assist. Ryan also scored 11, and assisted twice. Hewitt scored nine points, was the leading

rebounder with six and also had an assist and a steal. Tiedemann scored seven points, pulled down four boards and had a steal. Off the bench, Ethan Donecker had four points and a steal, EJ Luther had a rebound and an assist, and Ed Ruddy had a steal. Thanks to Randall Luther for providing game stats.

Toppling Hale-Ray All five starters made solid contributions, and four scored in double digits, as the Coginchaug boys overwhelmed the Little Noises of Hale-Ray by a score of 65–41. The game was played in Moodus on Monday, Jan. 11. Erikson Wasyl led the way for the Devils, scoring 19 points, grabbing four rebounds, assisting twice, stealing the ball once and blocking a shot, really filling the stat sheet. Eric Hewitt also had contributions in all areas,

leading the team in rebounding with eight, scoring 14 points, blocking two shots, stealing the ball twice and assisting once. Andrew Markoski had 13 points, six assists (to lead the team in that category), six rebounds and two steals. Jeff Tiedemann scored 10, had four rebounds and added an assist. Tommy Ryan scored six and added four assists, two rebounds and a steal. Off the bench, EJ Luther scored two points, two rebounds and assisted once. TJ Murphy had three rebounds and a block. Ethan Donecker had two rebounds, one point and one steal. Ed Ruddy had an assist. Jay Norton and Roby Graenger also played.

Squeaking past HK I’m not sure what I was thinking before the Coginchaug boys’ game at Haddam Killingworth (played Saturday, Jan. 16), I told Coach

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Todd Salva that it should be a comfortable win. After all, HK had no wins in conference, so I figured it was a safe forecast. There’s the jinx. Coach Salva, naturally, disagreed, saying that H-K was a wellcoached team that had been victimized by several close losses. I guess that’s why Todd coaches and I keep stats and write articles, because Salva knew what he was talking about and I did not. I will not be making any more public predictions – really – I promise, Coach. The Devils needed everything they could get to squeak past the Cougars (and my jinx) in overtime for a deceptively large score of 55–46. Before I talk about the game, a quick note about the national anthem at H-K, or at least the flag – there was none. As the fans were listening to the player introductions, some started to look around to see where the American flag was, so we would know which way to face. We thought it was hidden in a corner where no one could see it, but it was clear when the H-K coaches and players started to look around that there was no flag. I hope that the school takes care of this before there is another national anthem with no flag. The first quarter was closely contested with two ties and five lead changes. Tommy Ryan carried most of the scoring load in the period, hitting on two three-pointers and a two for eight points after Andrew Markoski’s basket opened the scoring. Late in the period, the Cougars scored on a two, then after a turnover by the Devils, a trey to take a 12–10 lead. In the final minute, Markoski converted on a rebound put-back, and he hit the free throw, to give Coginchaug a 13–12 lead after one. Tiedemann carried most of the scoring load in the second period, with seven of the Devil’s 13 points. They pulled ahead by five points late in the period, but could never extend the lead further, The half ended with Coginchaug up by a 26–22 count. The third period was like the second, as the Devils went See Devils, page 22

Town Times Sports

Friday, January 22, 2010

Boys’ indoor track team wins Shoreline Coaches’ Invitational Meet Below, senior Garri Sagenenko came within .03 seconds of the Coginchaug school record for the 600-meter run.

By Susan Michael Special to Town Times On Saturday, Jan. 9, the Coginchaug boys’ indoor track team put forth some fantastic performances. Twenty-one teams competed at the Shoreline Coaches’ Invitational. Coginchaug came in first with a score of 48, followed by East Hampton with 39, Old Saybrook 38 and Windham 37. Sheehan Michael started off the meet with a time of 8.02 seconds in the 55-meter hurdles. This broke the school record for electronically-timed races held by

All photos by Susan Michael

ran a time of 1:40.07. It looks to be a pretty competitive season as the Shoreline Championships ap-

It’s time to kick off the Durham/Middlefield youth football league’s 2010 season. Returning coaches and anyone interested in becoming a coach for the Falcons, should be present for this and all upcoming meetings. The first meeting is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 25, at 7 p.m. in the Middlefield Community Center. The agenda includes coaches’ goals and objectives, professional ethics, coaching responsibilities and teaching strategies.

Part of the Coginchaug boys’ track team celebrating their first place finish at the Shoreline Coaches Invitational Meet. In back, from left, Will Conroy, Paul Benjunas, Ian Kopcik, Nate Szymanski, Conor Grady, Sam Frey and Alex Morin. Front row, Greg Smith, Sheehan Michael, captain Archie Doyle and Garri Saganenko. win with a second place finish by the 4x200 relay team. Michael, Sagenenko, Paul Benjunas and Greg Smith

Attention, football coaches

proach on Feb. 6 at Hillhouse Athletic Complex in New Haven. Consider coming out to support the boys’

and girls’ ‘indoor track teams and possibly see some school record-breaking performances!

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Todd Larese who set the record in 2004 with a time of 8:15. Still on the record books for hand-timed races are Tim Rogers who set the record at 8.0 and Chris Norton who tied it in 1990. Alex Morin had a great day. He earned second place in the 1600-meter run in 4:34.92, missing the school record by 0.02 seconds set by Pat Dooley in 2003. Later in the meet Alex finished first in the 3200 in 10:03.48! Garri Saganenko closed in on the school record for the 600-meter run with his fourth place finish in 1:29.78. Sam Frey scored in the pole vault with his top height of 11’ 06”, earning fifth place. Sheehan Michael earned second place in the 300-meter with a time of 37.74. The team polished off their

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Town Times Sports

22 Devils

( from page 20)

up by as much as seven points, with Markoski scoring seven of the team’s 12 points, but every time it looked like the visitors might break the game open, H-K would get a turnover or hit a key bucket to keep things in reach. The teams entered the final period with a 38–33 score in favor of the Devils. H-K opened the fourth period with a rebound put-back to draw within three, then both teams went cold for more than three minutes. The Cougars broke the drought at

the four-minute mark to draw within a single point. Erikson Wasyl scored the Devils’ first points of the period on an Eric Hewitt assisted basket, only to have the home team again draw within one at 40–39. Ryan converted on both ends of a one-and-one charity try to extend the lead to three, but the Cougars again answered to make it a one-point game. Hewitt converted a Markoski pass into two, and then converted the pressure foul shot for a 45–41 lead with 90 seconds left. H-K dropped in a long trey to draw the lead down to one at 45–44. On

Coginchaug’s next possession, they went into a spread offense, taking time off the clock. It seemed to be going well, but backfired as H-K stole the ball on a fast break. Wasyl managed to catch the H-K player and foul him on the floor, rather than in the act of shooting, resulting in a one-and-one chance for H-K (the basket was good, but did not count). H-K converted the first shot to tie the game for the first time since the first period, but missed the second. Tiedemann secured the rebound, and each team missed tries from the field as

Friday, January 22, 2010 time ran out to leave the game tied in regulation at 45-all. The overtime was completely anti-climactic as the Devils outscored the Cougars 10–1 for the 55–46 final score. Tiedemann started things, dropping in a three-pointer; then it was a parade to the charity stripe, as Markoski hit two-of-two, Hewitt hit a pair and Wasyl connected on three-of-four to wrap up the scoring. Markoski led the team in scoring with 14 points, seven rebounds, two assists and a steal. Ryan scored 12 points and four rebounds. Tiede-

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mann scored 10, pulled in nine rebounds and added an assist and a steal. Hewitt led the team in rebounding with 12, and earned seven points, three assists, two blocks and two steals. Wasyl scored seven and had a rebound, an assist and a steal. Off the bench, Ethan Donecker scored three points, and had two blocks, two steals, two assists and a rebound. Ed Ruddy scored two points and had a rebound. EJ Luther grabbed a rebound and put in some fierce defensive minutes.

Dominates H-K Just two days prior, the Blue Devils traveled to H-K, and were lucky to escape with an overtime win. But on Monday, Jan. 18, they played host to the Cougars and were not so accommodating, winning by more than 30 points. Eric Hewitt scored the first basket of the game, but H-K scored the next two hoops to go ahead 4–2. However, twoand-a-half minutes in, Jeff Tiedemann knocked in an Andrew Markoski assisted trey to take a lead that would never be relinquished. At the end of the first period, the Devils were up by six, 20–14, with Tommy Ryan scoring nine on three treys. In the second period, the lead expanded to 20, with Ryan scoring seven points, Wasyl six and Tiedemann five points. The third period saw the lead stay at 20 points, as each team scored 13 points. In the final period, with Coach Salva emptying the bench, the Devils outscored the Cougars 21 to seven, making the final score 76–42. Seven different players scored in the period. Ryan led the team with 24 points, and added two rebounds, a steal and an assist. Tiedemann scored 15 points, and got the double-double with 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals. Wasyl scored 12 points and also contributed five assists, four steals and two rebounds. Eric Hewitt scored nine, pulled in six rebounds, and added two assists, two steals and a block. Markoski, who was limited to 15 minutes with foul trouble, scored four points and assisted three times. See Devils, page 23

Town Times Sports

Friday, January 22, 2010

Coginchaug U10 girls indoor soccer team go undefeated By Rob Coogan Special to the Town Times

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Off the bench, Ethan Donecker scored four points and grabbed two rebounds. EJ Luther grabbed two rebounds, scored two points, had an assist and a steal. Roby Graenger had three rebounds, two points and an assist. TJ Murphy scored two points and grabbed two rebounds. Ed Ruddy two assists and a steal, and Alec Corazzini scored two points. Jay Norton and Jake Tietlebaum also played. Coginchaug is 8–1, 6–1 in the Shoreline Conference. Their next game is home against Old Lyme on Saturday, Jan. 23.

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Devils

Santoro. Midfielders Carly Front row, from Lane, Shannon Carey, Madeleft, Demarie line Montz and Julianna DeDel Vecchio, Flor are responsible for both Shannon Carey, offense and defense. The midJulianna DeFlofield speed made them unstoppable. Offense, led by Dera, Colleen marie Del Vecchio, Colleen Coogan and Coogan and Nicole Murphy, Nicole Murphy. created passing lanes and folIn the back row, lowed up on shots which enJamie Breton, abled Coginchaug to control Carly Lane, Isthe game. The girls were abella Santoro, coached by Pat Carey, Ciro DeFlora, Marc D’Amato and Madeline Montz, Lydia D’Amato and Hannah Clark. Photo submitted by Rob Coogan Rob Coogan.

T o wn T im es S e rv ic e Di re ct ory

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The Coginchaug U10 girls’ indoor soccer team finisheda perfect season last Saturday, winning the Oakwood U10 girls’ division first session with a record of 7-0-1. The session started in November when they battled a tough Colchester team, pushing past them late in the second half for a 7-4 victory. Easier victories came against teams from Marlborough, Glastonbury and Griswold One, putting the girls in first place in their league. While the games were not close on the scoreboard, they helped the girls focus on their skills. When more challenging matches with Oakwood U9 and Griswold Two followed, the girls ended up with wins after each. The final regular season match against Coventry went back and forth. Coginchaug would get a lead, and Coventry would storm back and tie the match. When the final horn blew, the girls had tied 7-7, keeping their perfect season in tact. In the championship game this weekend,. Coginchaug got out to an early lead in the first few minutes. Griswold Two was able to get an equalizer over our keeper’s head with around 15 minutes left in the first-half. From that point on, it was all Coginchaug. They kept the pressure up by keeping the ball in Griswold’s end most of the game. Goals started to pile up

and what started out as a close match ended up with a 6-1 victory for Coginchaug. The girls’ formula for success was simple, get out to a quick lead and rely on strong defense and goalkeeping. Hannah Clark was outstanding in goal, learning the game quickly. Her throws up the field set up the offense. The defense made Clark’s life easier. The opposing team ran into a brick wall when they tried to penetrate the defensive line of Lydia D’Amato, Jamie Breton and Isabella

Purpose Electrical Contractor "Electrical Construction Built on Quality" “ N o J o b To o S m a l l ”

Joseph W. Fontanella

Lic.# E1123497

860-349-0303

Town Times

Friday, January 22, 2010

Amy Greenbacker

Carol Kleeman

Cecelia Parillo

Marta Bertoldo

Paul Norman

Jason Berardino

Julie Raymond

Diane Padelli

Jay Berardino

Sweeping Views! Beautiful 3 bedroom Cape remodeled throughout! This home features a refurbished kitchen w/cherry cabinets, 2 updated baths, fresh paint, carpet, & refinished wood flrs. Spacious yard w/breathtaking views of Durham village in distance, & fenced-in patio ready for a hot tub! Only $319,900. Call Berardino Realtors at 860-349-0344.

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T I S O EP D

Elegant Residence

Build your dream home on 15 acre lot surrounded by state forest. Filled w/luxurious details, this 4 bedrm. home to be built will house your family in style. Open flr. plan has wonderful views from every room on 1st flr. Massive kit. island faces dinette that is flooded w/light from windows on 2 sides. Master suite w/tray ceiling, balcony & spa bath. Ideal for equestrians. For more information, please call agent at 349-0344.

Estate Sale 3 Bedroom Ranch on almost an acre of land. Located between Peckham Field Park and Recreation area (500 yds.), Powder Ridge Ski Area (1000 yds.), Lyman’s Orchards (1000 yds.), and two Golf Courses (600 yds. & 1 mile). Handyman special. Only $199,900. Call Berardino Realtors 349-0344 for more information.

At Berardino Company we know our job isn’t merely putting people in homes, it’s surpassing even the highest expectations of our customers Berardino Realtors a goal we meet every day. www.berardino.com

DURHAM DURHAM

Captivating Views! Captivating views from almost every room of this impressive 3900 sq. ft. home. All rooms on 1st floor open to one of Durham’s most beautiful kitchens. The fine 3 bedroom, 3 bath residence is guaranteed to meet the expectations of even the most discriminating buyer. $620,000. For more information or a private showing, call Berardino Realtors 349-0344 today!

MIDDLEFIELD

DURHAM

11 Partridge Lane Completely remodeled 3 bedroom Ranch on cul-de-sac! Everything new in ‘06 - siding, roof, electric, oil tank, hardwood, sheet rock, insulation, kitchen, bath, deck, SS appliances, bath tub, central air. Beautiful country neighborhood! Two stall outbuilding, fenced yard. $289,900. For a private showing or more information, call Berardino Realtors at 349-0344! DIR: Rt. 17 to Haddam Quarter to Stephanie Ct. to Edwards Rd. to Partridge

MIDDLEFIELD

DURHAM DURHAM DURHAM

-3 N1 U S EN OP

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A Family Tradition of Outstanding Service For Over 100 Years !

Investors Take Note New Listing! 2 Bedroom 1 bath ranch in need of complete renovation or tear down. Beautiful 0.82 acre lot located on a quiet country road. Cash or rehab loan only. $135,000. For more information call Berardino Realtors 349-0344.

Historic District Condo Beautiful views await you in this affordable 1 bedroom Condo in the center of Historic Durham. Immaculate condition! Age restrictions apply. Call Berardino Realtors 349-0344 today for more information or a private showing!

Indoor Swimming Pool Beautiful 6000+ sq. ft. home on 9+ acres. Wonderfully spacious living space capturing private natural views, indoor pool, steam room, and sauna. This one-of-a-kind home guarantees you a healthy lifestyle! $560,000. Contact agent 860-349-0344 for a private showing or more information!

To put our proven talents to work for you, call Berardino Company at (860) 349-0344 or visit us at 40 Main Street, Durham.

Not Shown: Paul Norman, Paul Ruzzo, Robert Ruzzo and John Spallone

(Next to Dunkin’ Donuts)