Volume 16, Issue 3
Serving Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall
Friday, May 1, 2009
District 13-Oaxacan connection is swine flu-free By Stephanie Wilcox Town Times
With nine students from District 13 visiting Oaxaca, Mexico just two months ago and 11 Oaxacan students spending a few weeks at Coginchaug High School this month, some might be concerned about the exchange of the swine flu that’s making national headlines. As it turns out, all 20 kids are fine. According to Marilyn Horn, Spanish teacher at Coginchaug who was part of the exchange program, none of the children from either Region 13 or Instituto Blaise Pascale in Oaxaca were affected or show signs of swine flu. Signs and symptoms include headache, fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, coughing, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, according to information from the Centers of Disease Control. Though Region 13 is proceeding as normal, the 11 students from Oaxaca are out of school.
“It was decided yesterday to close every school in Mexico, from kindergarten through university,” said Ashley Horn, daughter of Marilyn, who lives in Mexico where she teaches the students who participated in the recent program. She explained that schools in Mexico City and the state of Mexico were closed first last week, followed by more closings in other states on Sunday night. By Monday afternoon, all other schools were closed, including Instituto Blaise Pascale. Students and teachers left school early and were told not to return until May 6. “We already had a long weekend because May 1 is Labor Day and May 5 is Cinco de Mayo,” Ashley Horn said. “I guess the hope is that in a week things will be more figured out or contained, but it’s no guarantee.” Horn noted that many people in Mexico are wearing masks, and the pharmacy is sold out of masks, vitamin C
and cold medicine. She and her students have been advised to stay in their homes and away from large crowds, to wash hands and refrain from shaking hands and the customary greeting of kissing on the cheek. Also, doctors advise those with symptoms to see a doctor rather than try to treat themselves. “Right now I’m concerned but not over worried,” Marilyn Horn said about the Oaxacan students and her daughter. “From what I understand, the deaths that occurred were because people didn’t get help soon enough.” For those who are concerned, Ashley Horn is going to send an email to Region 13 this week for an update on how the exchange students who just left Durham are doing. Meanwhile, just before press time, we learned that there is a suspected case of swine flu in a Middlefield child that is being investigated. See story on page 2.
Durham Public Safety Committee presents analysis of additional police coverage By Stephanie Wilcox Last year, the Durham Board of Selectman charged the Public Safety Committee with determining the needs and options for increasing police protection in town. The committee spent over a year working on different scenarios and presented their findings to the Board of Selectmen during their April 27 meeting. Chairman of the Public Safety Committee, Frank DeFelice, reported that Peter DiGioia has been resident state trooper (RST) for the town for nearly 12 years at 40 hours a week. The Resident State Trooper program provides 24hour law enforcement service, including, but not limited to, criminal investigations, accident investigations, pub-
lic safety programs and informational talks. It currently costs $139,110 a year for a RST services, and 70 percent is paid for by the town and 30 percent by the state. However, DeFelice noted that the cost of the RST program is expected to increase by about four percent in each of the next three years. However, the state may reduce its participation, and by 2011 they may cotribute $0 to the program. The committee used a CostBenefit Analysis to look into each option in terms of cost, benefits/insurance and liabilities, infrastructure requirements, command structure, training and coverage. If supplemental coverage was deemed necessary, the different options the committee looked into were additional
hours of resident state trooper coverage (overtime), using a second RST for temporary duty coverage (TDY), using a second RST permanently, regionalizing with Middlefield because of proximity and sharing the school district (though other towns were considered), using a retired police officer (already trained and ready to go), using town constables (may require cost from the town to get started), forming a local police department or hiring an administrative assistant for the RST. DeFelice presented several recommendations as voted on by the Public Safety Committee at their April 7 meeting. He said the committee feels that additional police coverSee Police, page 18
April 25 was a beautiful day to plant memorial trees to honor two of Durham’s most generous citizens.
Memorial trees honor Roger Newton and Charles Wimler By Stephanie Wilcox Town Times Under blue, sunny skies on April 25, an Arbor Day ceremony was held to plant two trees at White’s Farm on Maple Avenue in Durham in memory of Roger Newton and Charles “Charlie” Wimler. Roger and Charles were two Durham citizens who made lasting contributions to the town and its civic well-being. According to Casey Cordes, chair of the Durham Conservation Commission that manages town-owned open space and set aside a portion of the farm’s open space as a memorial arborteum, Roger was commemorated with a swamp white oak tree and Charles with a magnolia virginia. “Planting a tree takes an act of faith in the future,” he said. “Both of these men’s legacies are imprinted on this town in the institutions we cherish: the high school, grange and fair.” State Rep. Matt Lesser attended the ceremony and spoke about protecting the values of environmental
stewardship that Charles Wimler and Roger Newton put in place. His words were followed by a brief speech from First Selectman Laura Francis who said she had the pleasure of working with both men. “Charlie was a walking link to the past,” she said, adding that he was First Selectman for 25 years and was the last one to run the town from his kitchen table. “He knew what was under almost every road in town because he built almost every road in town.” She added that Charles’ last act of generosity was selling the development rights See Trees, page 21
In this issue ... Calendar ........................4-5 Durham Briefs ..........17-18 Libraries ....................24-25 Middlefield Briefs .....14-15 Obituary .........................29 Sports..............................30 Summer, Part 1 ..............22