Volume 20, Number 21
Serving Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall
www.TownTimes.com
Local assists with equestrian project Diana Carr
Special to Town Times
When Diane Ciano noticed that trails around the state were being used mostly for foot traffic, she decided the use of this resource could be broadened. “I wanted to save the trails for equestrian use and make sure that the horses and the horse people weren’t forgotten,” said Ciano, a Plymouth resident. “Horses started this country.” In 2003, she went to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection with the idea of starting a program that would help the
state save money, as well as promote multiple uses of the trails. “I wanted to preserve the equestrian community,” she said. The Volunteer Horse Patrol was born out of a partnership between the Connecticut Horse Council and DEEP. The CHC’s motto is “Horsemen United in Leadership, Service and Education”. The reduction in state funding, with its resultant layoffs of DEEP employees, has made the services of the VHP invaluable. There are 100 volunteers throughout the state who
serve as the “eyes and ears” of DEEP, helping to preserve and protect trails, forests, land trusts, open spaces, and town parks. They’ve saved the state over half a million dollars, according to those involved. “It’s a wonderful group of volunteers,” said Cat Wilder, of Durham, a VHP volunteer. “I enjoy keeping things open and safe for both horses and people, and helping people who don’t have exposure to horses to not be afraid of them.” The group aims to educate the public about the equine See Equestrian / Page 20
Friday, September 6, 2013
Security upgrades in place as classes begin
Kindergarten teacher Kristen Blake greet students as they arrive at John Lyman School. | Town Times photo by Mark Dionne.
Connecticut Mastery Tests and Connecticut Academic Town Times Performance Test scores, reviewed work done over At its meeting Aug. the summer and planned 28, on the eve of the first for the future with the apday of school, the Board proval of a building utilizaof Education took a look back at the past year’s See Security / Page 2 By Mark Dionne
Durham to host first Fall Fest Press Release
From left, Robyne Jaworski, Cat Wilder, and Meg Sautter, as they head out on a recent expedition to Rockland Preserve, in Madison, and Braemore Preserve, in Guilford.
The Economic Development Commission is promoting a town-wide Fall Fest on Saturday, Oct. 19. Fall Fest will include promotional sales offered by local retailers, activities on the Town Green, a fall decorating contest for residents, and more. The commission is advocating for businesses to offer special sales and promotions that day and encouraging shoppers to come out and explore retail offerings and join in the educational and recreational activities on the green. The Durham Volunteer Fire Company and Durham Agriculture Commission
will be on site. The Durham Ambulance Corps also will be on the green and activities are planned at Durham Public Library. The Registrars of Voters will be on hand to register eligible Durham residents and the Durham Middlef ield Interlocal Agreement Advisory Board will be taking orders for its composters and digesters. Activities on the green will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Store openings will be as posted by the individual businesses. The Durham Fa i r Association Farm Museum and the Durham Historical Society will both be open See Fest / Page 22
A2 Friday, September 6, 2013
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Security From Page 1
USPS 021-924 Published weekly by Record-Journal at 11 Crown Street, Meriden, CT. Periodicals Postage Paid at Meriden, CT and at additional mailing offices.
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Body sculpting sessions The Durham Recreation Department has scheduled body sculpting classes for Tuesdays, through Oct. 29 or Thursdays, through Oct. 31, at the Durham Activity center, 350 Main St. The program focuses on all levels of individual training in a small group setting. A fee is charged. For more information, call (860) 343-6724.
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Lakeside Day Spa offers relaxing skincare and body treatments in an exclusive waterfront setting. Staff members at John Lyman Elementary School lined up to meet buses Aug. 28. |Town Times photos by Mark Dionne.
been quick enough for preparation, but gradual enough to be manageable. Perlini said the training represented “an aggressive summer� but warned that more work was ahead with CCSS. “You made a leap this summer, but it is not over,� Perlini said. According to Berry, the district will be deciding soon when to transition away from the CMT and CAPT, a switch that will eventually be mandatory. CMT and CAPT Berry also gave an overview of last year’s CMT and CAPT results, comparing District 13’s results over time as well as against similar school systems. While the percentage of students who were at or above state goals had some spikes or dips in different areas and grades, the overall
results were not particularly dramatic. Berry said that in a small school system, one or two students can alter the results from year to year. Cohort trend lines over time, which track the same class of students year to year, continue to generally move up. This upward trend indicates that the longer a class stays in the district, a higher percentage of that class mets or exceeds state goals. Co m pa re d to s i m i l a r schools, called the District Reference Group or “Dirg,� District 13 often finished in the middle of the pack. “To be in the top half of the Dirg is respectable,� Berry said. Some notable scores included grade 5 science, with 83.5 percent of the class at or above goal, which Berry called the “highest score See School / Page 23
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Above: On the first day of school, students got off the buses with a mixture of confidence, confusion, and wonder. Right: The newly-installed fence and gate connects the portable classrooms to John Lyman Elementary School. This was one of the security upgrades discussed at the most recent Board of Education meeting.
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tion study. Summer Work Students returned to schools that had some notable physical differences from last year. In response to the tragedy at Newtown, portable classrooms now have fences and doors linking them with their schools and restricting access. “We have the fencing in place ... so that’s a plus,� Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ernest Perlini said. Less noticeable security improvements over the summer include additional cameras, electronic locks, and card swipes, Perlini said. State police also will visit each school around the second week of September for a security review. After the review, the police will provide the district with recommendations. These assessments, according to Perlini, will help the district get grants for security improvements. Non-security improvements completed over the summer include flooring repair, computer upgrades, and renovation to the water system serving the high school, Korn Elementary School, and Strong Middle School. Director of Curriculum Dr. Linda Berry detailed work done over the summer to train some teachers for the implementation of the Common Core State Standards. Berry said District 13 was in a “good place� compared to school systems that did not plan for CCSS. According to Berry, the pace of the instruction has
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Friday, September 6, 2013
A3
We’re still struggling to pay bills a measure of the net effect of state economist. The study from Sentier economic activity on the midResearch based its numbers dle class and how well they on the Current Population are able to buy food, housing Survey, a monthly govern- and other necessities every By Mary Ellen Godin ment survey of about 50,000 month, especially now during Special to Town Times households that uses the this unprecedented period of same definition as the Census economic stagnation,” said Gordon Green, a former Many state residents might Bureau. Median annual household Census Bureau researcher, not be surprised to learn that, while household income has income declined during the now with Sentier Research. recovered some since the re- officially defined recession “Almost every group is worse cession, there still isn’t a lot from $55,480 in December off now than it was four years of money left over after bills 2007 to $54,478 in June 2009. ago, with the exception of “In many ways, median households ... 65 to 74 years get paid. U.S. median household in- household income provides old.” come is starting to pick up since its low in August 2011, but it still remains 6 percent below the start of the recession, a recent study reports. In Connecticut, that number is closer to 7 percent Give your young adult the CrossFit lower and consumer spending is even weaker, said one ADVANTAGE ON & OFF THE FIELD TODAY!!!
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experienced a 5.2-percent decline, while the Midwest saw a slight increase of .8 percent. In Connecticut, the impact of the recession on those in the lower income brackets is reflected in the demand for social services. Requests for Medicaid began rising steadily in 2007 from under 400,000 and increased sharply in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, showing no signs of a downturn at 750,000 See Struggling / Page 17
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For some groups — blacks, men living alone, young and upper-middle age brackets, part-time workers, the unemployed, women with children present, and those with only a high school degree or some college but no degree — the declines have tended to be larger than average, the study reported. The Northeast, with a 3.9-percent decline, fared better than the South which experienced a 6.2-percent decline. Households in the West
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A4 Friday, September 6, 2013
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Saving tips for seniors back in your monthly Social Security check and minimize your premiums and copays by learning more about Medicare Savings Programs. There are four different Medicare Savings Programs that can help with Part B premiums and other costs. Each program has a different income and resource eligibility limit. 3. Prescription Drugs If you qualify, Medicare’s Extra Help and local prescription drug assistance programs can help you cut your medicine costs. 4. Property Taxes Legally whittle down your annual tax bill with help from local abatement, circuit rider, or work-off programs. On average, you can save $500–$2,000 annually with this assistance. See if you qualify for free tax assistance from the IRS 5. Phones In many states, individuals over a certain age qual-
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If you’re living on a fixed income, every penny counts. Use this checklist to make sure you’re saving money where you can. 1. Current Expenses Take the time to compile all of your current obligations (supplemental health insurance, prescription drug insurance, life insurance, etc.) and examine if you have the most cost-effective plan for you and/or if all plans are still relevant. Consult with a trusted information source before terminating plans. When assessing your prescription drug plans, consider reaching out to your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), where you can get free information about Medicare, including applying for and selecting plans. 2. Health Insurance I f you’re en rol led i n Medicare and have limited income and assets, you may be able to put over $100
Many retailers offer discounts to older customers on certain days of the week. Consider making all your purchases on that day, so you can receive an additional discount. 9. Estate Planning “Must have” legal documents include a will for property distribution decisions, a living will for health care decisions, and a durable power of attorney to designate a personal representative in the event of incapacity. Also, consider a written plan for distributing untitled personal property (e.g., jewelry, furniture, and collectibles) See Savings / Page 12
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Friday, September 6, 2013
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Bartolomeo, Malloy tour cartoon museum Gov. Dannel P. Malloy waxed nostalgic and showed his love of trivia, Aug. 28, when he visited Ba rker Character, Comic & Cartoon Museum for the first time. “This is reliving my childhood,” he said, as he slowly traveled down the narrow aisles filled with items from as far back as 1873. Malloy visited the museum, 1188 Highland Ave., Cheshire, (Route 10), because it was recently named as one of “the places to see” in New England by Money Magazine and CNNMoney. com. “I’m actually kind of blown away,” he said. An 1873 item, a tiny black elephant, prompted Malloy to ask a trivia question. “I wonder if it came out after (P.T.) Barnum was mayor (of Bridgeport)?,” Malloy said. “Someone google that.” It turns out that Barnum was mayor in 1875, two years after the tiny toy was made. Malloy literally danced and sang as he passed some of his favorite characters. “It’s Howdy Doody time, it’s Howdy Doody time” he sang as he looked at the collection of Howdy Doody puppets. “Here’s Wimpy, right?” he said looking at a display case of figurines. “I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.”
When he passed the Dr. No exhibit he impressed the Barker family and museum staff. “Dr. No was what year, ’62, right?” “Exactly,” said tour guide Benjamin George. Democratic state Sen . Dante Bartolomeo, who was also on the tour, said she was amazed by the memories it triggered. “I know I got a new lunch box every year,” she said, looking at the display of more than a hundred lunch boxes hanging from the second floor ceiling. “I’m feeling like I need to go home and call my mother and see which ones I had.” Republica n state Rep. Lezlye Zupkus said she was also in awe of the number of items. “Ziggy, oh my goodness,” she said, looking at the shelves of Ziggy items. Malloy said he had a Maxwell Smart briefcase as a kid. “It was really cool,” he said. The governor said he wants to find ways to let more people know about the museum. “We’re proud to have it here in Connecticut,” he said. “We’ve got to think of a way to promote this more.” ebritton@record-journal.com (203) 317-2208 Twitter: @EveBritton
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Mr. & Mrs. Paul Belanger The wedding celebration of Melissa Anna Harris and Eric Paul Belanger took place on Friday, May 24, 2013 at The Woodwinds in Branford. Carol Denning, Justice of the Peace, officiated the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Derek and Gail Harris, of Durham. The groom is the son of Ronald and Phyllis Belanger, of Southington. The bride was given in marriage by her father and attended by her sister-in-law, Christina Harris, as Matron of Honor. Bridesmaids were Pauline Harris, sister-in-law of the bride. Emily Pintavalle, cousin of the bride. Jaime Drenzek and Jessica Embacher, friends of the bride. Celia May Harris was flower girl for her aunt. Matt Delilla, friend of the groom, served as Best Man. Groomsmen were Dan Kaminski and Derek Bird, friends of the groom. Andrew Harris, brother of the bride. Josh Carney, cousin of the groom. Luke Benane was ring bearer for his cousin. The bride is a 2006 graduate of Coginchaug Regional High School and a 2012 graduate of Southern Connecticut State University with a BA degree in Early Childhood Education. The groom is a 2005 graduate of Southington High School and 2011 graduate of the University of Hartford and is an Engineer for Turner Construction. The newlyweds reside in Bristol with their growing family of rescue pets: Socks, Pudge and Gunnar. A Caribbean Honeymoon is planned for the Fall.
A6 Friday, September 6, 2013
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Conn. lawmakers approve medical marijuana regs By Susan Haigh Associated Press
HARTFORD — Connecticut became the latest state to enact a medical marijuana program when a legislative committee on Tuesday, Aug. 27, approved regulations that spell out the details of a new system that’s expected to be up and running next year. By a voice vote , t he G enera l A ssembly ’s Regulation Review Com mittee approved the rules crafted by the Department of Consumer Protection. While there were some nay votes, no tally was taken. Some cheers erupted in the audience after the regulations were declared approved. After filing the regulations with the secretary of t he state, Consu mer Protection Commissioner William Rubenstein said the agency will seek applications for marijuana
producer and dispensary licenses early next month. In the department’s request for applications, it will say how many licenses it expects to issue in this round. “We’re still fine-tuning what the numbers will be,” said Rubenstein, who anticipates applications will be due 60 days after the request. He anticipates licenses would be issued sometime around Jan. 1, and production and dispensing operations will be up and running within three to six months afterward. Rubenstein had urged committee members to approve the regulations, parts of which were recently retooled to address concerns raised by legislative attorneys. He said many patients are waiting for the drug to become legally available. “There are a lot of people who don’t have any idea how or would not buy this product on the black market. And there’s a lot of risk
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associated with buying a product that you don’t know what’s in it,” he said. “We expect that there are a lot of patients out there who are waiting to see if this program is going to be up and running.” Rubenstein said physicians have already certified 881 patients for the program and almost 600 have gone through the vetting process and received their registration cards. Of those, he said some are likely buying their marijuana from illegal sources, while many others are waiting for the program to begin. Still others have held off applying for certification. The wide-ranging regulations address everything from how marijuana dispensaries and growers will operate to how marijuana can be kept secure and unadulterated. The General Assembly passed the original legislation that created the medical marijuana program in
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Of the 20 states that have either implemented or adopted medical marijuana laws, Clark said his office is aware of four where courts tackled the issue of “pre-emption,” in which a state law is invalidated when it conflicts with a federal law. But he said there has been a split on those decisions. In a written memo, the attorney general’s off ice called the case law “highly unsettled.” Rubenstei n sa id t he agency, which currently oversees the manufacturing and dispensing of medications in Connecticut, attempted to craft tight and comprehensive regulations “that would not capture the attention of federal authorities.” Also last week, the committee voted to change the classification of marijuana from a drug with no medical purpose to a drug that has a medical purpose but also has the potential for abuse and needs to be controlled.
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2012. Some of the committee members expressed concerns that the program will be at odds with federal drug laws, putting growers, dispensaries, state employees and possibly legislators at risk of federal prosecution. Rep. Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, acknowledged there is “some comfort that can be taken that these regulations are being written as conservatively as possible,” but he remained concerned about violating federal law. “I think we’re boxing ourselves into a potential federal conf lict that we are trying to regulate an industry that is, frankly, it’s illegal under federal law,” he said. A sked by Rep. Sel i m Noujaim, R-Waterbury, the committee co-chairman, whether he can be sued for enacting the regulations, Robert Clark, special counsel to the state attorney general, said, “I don’t know. I think it’s highly doubtful.”
Town Times | towntimes.com
Friday, September 6, 2013
A7
Vocal Chords accepting members
Durham Fair tickets available online Durham Fair tickets are available online at www:durhamfair.com, through Sept. 16. A discount is available when purchasing online. Group sales also are available for corporations and organizations of 25 or more. For more information, contact Carol Schilling at carolsschilling@yahoo.com for ordering details.
Msgr. Fox Parish Hall of St. Francis Church, 10 Elm St., Middletown. No auditions are necessary but proper choral singing capabilities are required. New members will be accepted until Sept. 24. The community oriented choral group has entertained audiences for 23 years with lively concerts showcasing a variety of musical interests.
Those who like to sing and lift your spirits, be part of a family and contribute to the community may be interested in joining the Vocal Chords. The Middlesex Hospital Vocal Chords is scheduled to resume rehearsals on Tuesday, Sept. 10, in preparation for the annual holiday concert in December. Rehearsals are held every Tuesday, at 6:45 p.m., at the
You do not need to be a hospital employee to join. Requirements are that you love to sing and are willing to make a commitment to the mission of relieving stress, lifting spirits and healing souls with music. All men and women are welcome. For more information, visit www.vocalchords20. org/ or call (860) 342-3120.
Got news? We’d love to print it along with your photos. Send to: The Town Times P.O. Box 265 Middlefield, CT 06455 news@towntimes.com
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Opinion Commentary
Letters policy - E-mail letters to news@ towntimes.com, mail to 11 Crown St., Meriden, CT 06450 or fax to (203) 6390210. Town Times will print only one letter per person each month. Letters should be approximately 300 words. We reserve the right to edit letters. - Letters should be on topics of general interest to the community. We do not list names of people, orga-
nizations and businesses being thanked. - Names of businesses are not allowed. Letters must be signed and names will appear in print. - Include a phone number so Town Times can contact you for verification. - Letters must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Monday to be considered for publication on the following Friday.
Government Calendar Durham Government Calendar (Unless otherwise indicated, all meetings are held in the Durham Library. Check the town website at www. townofdurhamct.org for updates.) Monday, Sept. 9 Board of Selectman, Town Hall, 7 p.m. Historic District Commission, Library, 7 p.m. Inland Wetlands, Library, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10 Economic Development Commission, Library, 7 p.m. Conservation Commission, Library, 7:30 p.m. Library Board of Trustees, Library, 7:30 p.m. Durham Vo l u n t e e r Company, Firehouse, 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11 Board of Education, Korn Elementary School, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12 B oard of Assessment Appeals, Town Hall, 7:30 p.m. Zoning Board of Appeals, Town Hall, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14 B oard of Assessment Appeals, Town Hall, 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17 Board of Finance, Town Hall, 7 p.m. Agriculture Commission, Town Hall, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18 Senior Center B oard, Durham Activity Center, 5 p.m.
Planning & Zoning, Town Hall, 7 p.m. Recreation Committee, Durham Activity Center, 7 p.m. B o a rd o f E d u c a t i o n , Brewster School, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19 Public Safety Renovations Planning Committee, Durham Volunteer Firehouse, 6:30 p.m. DMIAAB, Middlef ield Community Center, 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 23 Board of Selectman, Town Hall, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24 Economic Development Commission, Library, 7 p.m. Ethic’s Commission, Library, 7 p.m.
Middlefield Government Calendar (Unless otherwise indicated, all meetings are held in the Community Center.) Wednesday, Sept. 11 Planning & Zoning, 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16 Middlefield housing Authority, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17 Board of Selectman, 7 p.m. Zoning Board of Appeals, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18 Inlands/Wetlands Commission, Thursday, Sept. 19 Board of Finance, 7 p.m.
Change for the better Diagnosis: Life By Tanya Feke M.D. Special to Town Times
Change is all around us. We see it especially in New England with our foray into the four seasons. In summer, we fuss about the stifling heat and humidity but six short
Letters Policy for Political Season For Letters to the Editor regarding any candidates or issues that involve the political season, Town Times will only accept and publish letters that are 100 words or less. This policy is in keeping with the policy of the Record-Journal and will be in effect starting with the next edition of The Citizen. The last edition for which we will publish letters of a political nature is Oct. 25. We ask writers to focus on their candidate’s worthiness for office and refrain from personal attacks on individuals. As always, we reserve the right to edit letters or to not publish a letter. Letters should contain contact information, including, full name, address and phone number. Only your name and town will be published. If you have a specific role in politics or the political process, please include that information. Letters on other topics will continue to be accepted up to a 300 word limit. Send letters to news@towntimes. com or Town Times, P.O. Box 265, Middlefield, CT 06455.
months later, we claw our way out of nor’easters and ogle the exorbitance of our heating bills. We see it too in the public arena. The federal government has proffered health care reform for better or worse. The Postmaster General has threatened to cut back hours at the post office in rural communities. Even the sale of Powder Hill ski resort in Middlefield is sure to have its effects on our local economy. All of these outside forces affect our lives on a day to day basis. If we disliked the weather, we could move to another area but never inherently change the climate. If we disagreed with a political stance, we could vote and lobby but never attain complete control of the situation. In no way is this meant to make you feel hopeless. In fact, my intention is the complete opposite thanks to a little secret I have to share with
you – you have complete control over YOU. Life is about how we see the world we live in. Life is about perspective. This may bring to mind the archetypal glass half empty and glass half full debate, but when you come to think if it, the glass is always full. Glass = half liquid + half air = always full to the brim! This may not be instinctive to us because we have become so accustomed to thinking concretely or with our reactive emotions. The path to positive thinking is as easy or as hard as you make it. Again, it all comes down to you. Here is a little exercise to start you on your way. STEP 1: ACKNOWLEDGE IT. Acknowledge when you feel bad and ask yourself why. Is it physical? It is emotional? Is it in response to something you’ve recently experienced or is it an echo from the past? See Change / Page 10
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Friday, September 6, 2013
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Commentary
BOE updates community on superintendent search Special to Town Times
we have created a survey designed to identify the leadership characteristics and other expectations you may have for our new superintendent. Please visit the home page of our RSD13 website to see the focus group schedule or to participate in the leadership profile survey. We hope you will participate; your input is invaluable! We have already received several applications for the superintendent position and will continue to accept applications until mid-September. Once we close the job posting, Dr. Griffin will gather all the applicant data and meet with the entire Board to begin the important work of reviewing and selecting candidates. The Board is committed to finding an educator who mirrors our values, shares our standards and loves our children. If we find an applicant who conveys those values and meets all the criteria we’ve gathered, we anticipate voting on a permanent hire in late October. Given the strong leadership currently in place at both the district and at CRHS, the Board remains comfortable with delaying the search for the permanent high school principal until such time as we can involve our new superintendent. We will certainly keep you informed by updating our website and contacting our local newspapers as we proceed over the next few months. In addition to the superintendent search, the Board has realigned our committee structure and scheduled regular committee meetings throughout the year. Our new committee structure is as follows: Student Achievement,
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E duc at ion a l Re sou rce s , Hu m a n R e s ou rc e s a nd Policy. Committee members, responsibilities and the meeting schedule are posted under the Board of Education tab on our website. Our hope is that the new committee structure and meeting schedule will make us more productive and our meetings more accessible to the community. Please check the dates and join us if you can. In mid-July we distributed an RFP for the Facilities Utilization Study approved in the budget referendum last May. Our Educational Resources Committee has reviewed the proposals submitted and interviewed firms considered for this project. At our Board of Education meeting on August 28th, a discussion and vote for the firm recommended by the Educational Resources Committee was taken. I am pleased to announce that the Board has selected Drummey Rosane Anderson, Inc., a planning, architecture and interior design firm with ex-
tensive experience in school utilization studies across the state and beyond. We believe that feedback from the community is also essential to the success of this project and we hope you will get involved as we engage in the study. We are looking forward to this facilities review and recommendations to help us respond to the declining enrollment we are experiencing in our district. As you can see, we are staying busy and working hard to continue to deliver a quality educational system to our community. We look forward to the coming year and the opportunities that lay ahead. On behalf of the Board of Education, I thank you for your patience and support as we navigate through this challenging time and I hope you will join us and provide input at our Board of Education meetings throughout the year (Kerrie R F lanagan i s chairwoman of the RSD13 Board of Education.)
LEGAL NOTICE TOWN OF MIDDLEFIELD BOARD OF ASSESSMENT APPEALS SEPTEMBER 16th MEETING All owners of Motor Vehicles registered in the Town of Middlefield are hereby notified that, pursuant to the Connecticut General Statutes Section 12-110(a), the Board of Assessment Appeals of the Town of Middlefield will meet in open session at the Middlefield Town Hall, 393 Jackson Hill Rd on Monday 16th September, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., for the sole purpose of hearing appeals related to the assessment of Motor Vehicles. All persons claiming to be aggrieved by the doings of the Assessor of the Town of Middlefield with regard to Motor Vehicle assessments on the Grand List of October 1st, 2012 are hereby advised to make their appeal to the Board of Assessment Appeals at this meeting. Please bring the vehicle in question to the Town Hall for inspection by the Board at this meeting. Mark Myjak, Chairman, Board of Assessment Appeals.
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nities and complete security improvements and other capital projects throughout the It’s hard to believe that District. He has addressed September is here and that many issues and provided direction on countless other school has already started! The Board of Education tasks that required his attenhas had a very busy sum- tion over the summer. I can mer working to f ill key say with full confidence that school administrative po- RSD13 has not skipped a beat sitions with experienced since Dr. Perlini joined us. With all the interim adand highly qualified professionals. Previously, I intro- ministrative positions filled duced Mr. Don Gates who and Dr. Perlini firmly at the had been named Interim helm, the Board of Education Principal at CRHS back in has remained focused on May. Mr. Gates has proven our highest priority, the to be a strong leader, having S u p e r i n t e n d e n t S e a r c h brought his many years of Process. Working with Dr. experience and profession- Kaye Griffin of Cooperative alism as well as his genuine Educational Services, we depassion for educating our veloped and implemented students to the district. We a timeline for the entire are very fortunate to have search process. Dr. Griffin Don’s commitment until we then helped us to develop a find a permanent Principal recruitment brochure, idenfor Coginchaug Regional tify state and national networks to contact, complete High School. We are also extremely advertising and communihappy to be working with cation strategies, create the Dr. Ernest Perlini who joined job posting and define the our district on a full time community-wide assessment basis on July 1. Dr. Perlini process. As your Boa rd of has made a seamless transition onto our RSD13 team. Education, we are very comWith his extensive experi- mitted to finding a superence and natural leadership intendent who meets your skills he was able to imme- expectations as a leader and diately focus on key issues educator in our community. and insure that every school We have been careful to crewas fully prepared for open- ate a community-wide asing day. Some of his accom- sessment process that will plishments include hiring be accessible by all of our Mr. Patrick Gustafson, new constituents. Several focus Assistant Principal at CRHS group meetings were held in and filling many other open, August reaching many of our budgeted staff positions cre- town leaders, school adminated as a result of natural istrators and other staff memattrition within the system. bers and some of our senior Dr. Perlini was also able to citizens. Additional focus re-align District Goals and groups for school staff memSchool Improvement Plans, bers, parents and students insure staff participation in are scheduled in the first a variety of professional de- two weeks of September. In velopment training opportu- addition to the focus groups, By Kerrie R. Flanagan
A10 Friday, September 6, 2013
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Change
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If you don’t take note of the problem, you’ll never be able to change it. Example: I hate it when my dog barks at passersby. STEP 2: NEUTRALIZE IT. Take that experience or thought and put it into a single sentence. Eliminate all the negative words (“no”, “not”, “hate”, “dislike”, etc.) from that sentence to remove the associated connotations. By making the experience factually as opposed to emotionally based, you are removing the pessimism from your life. Example: My dog barks at passersby. STEP 3: SPIN IT. Spinning a neutral statement into a positive one is challenging,
in demand. We also have a limited number of paid assignments available for those interested in freelance work. To learn more or to submit a story email news@ towntimes.com.
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but it can be done. Even tragedy can offer a life lesson – if not now, then in the future. This requires creativity, imagination, and a sincere heart. Example: My dog barks at passersby because she is trying to protect our home. Yes, change is all around us, and not all change is easy (loss of loved ones, dysfunctional relationships, job changes, moving, etc). But change can be reaffirming depending on your active decision to see the big picture. The choice has always been yours to lead a happier and healthier life. Follow Diagnosis: Positivity at www. diagnosislife.com for more tips to a more positive and healthier you.
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Would you like to write for Town Times? We welcome submissions on a wide variety of topics of interest in Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall. Columns and first-person accounts for the opinion page are always
From Page 8
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Friday, September 6, 2013
Absentee ballots New legislation Public Act 12-57, “An Act Concerning Permanent Absentee Ballot Status for the Permanently Disabled” created permanent absentee balloting status for certain individuals and became effective Jan. 1, 2013. To be eligible for permanent absentee ballot status, an elector must file with the Town Clerk an absentee ballot application together with a doctor’s certificate stating that they have a permanent disability and are unable to appear in person at their polling place. The doctor’s note should be on letterhead. There is no prescribed form - the doctor’s note and the absentee ballot application would satisfy the requirement of the law. Permanent absentee ballot status enables the elec-
tor to receive an absentee ballot for each election, primary, and referendum in the municipality in which they are eligible to vote. Absentee ballots are available 21 days before a Primary and 31 days before an election. In January of each year, the Registrars of Voters will send written notice to each elector with permanent absentee ballot status to determine if the elector continues to reside at the address on the permanent absentee ballot application. If the elector fails to respond to the notice, the permanent absentee ballot status will be removed, but the elector will remain on the voter registration list. For more instructions and an absentee ballot application, call the Town Clerk’s off ice at (860) 349-7116.
School News
Parent Night Coginchaug High School has scheduled Senior College Parent Night for Thursday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. Senior students and parents are welcome to the event, which includes information for those planning to attend a four-year, two-year, vocational or proprietary school. For more information, call (860) 349-7221.
Got news? We’d love to print it along with your photos. Send to: The Town Times P.O. Box 265 Middlefield, CT 06455 news@towntimes.com
The Durham Middlef ield Local We l l n e s s Council h a s been selec ted by Community A nti-Drug Coalitions of America, the nation’s leading subst a nce abu se prevention organization in the country, to participate in an innovative national project to address impaired driving. The project, funded by t he Nationa l Highway a n d Tr a f f i c S a f e t y Administration, will support the coalition’s efforts to adopt and implement evidence-based and evidence-informed s t r a t e g i e s to r e d u c e impaired driving in Durham and Middlefield. W h i le episodes of
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to heirs or charitable organizations to reduce confusion and family conflicts. 10. More Help Find out what other public benefits you may be eligible for by getting a free online screening through
National Council On Aging’s BenefitsCheckUp service. Or find help in your area by visiting Eldercare Locator, a service of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. --ncoa.org
Conn. seen reporting homeless students unevenly NEW HAVEN (AP) — Connecticut towns are unevenly counting the number of homeless school-aged children, hampering efforts to provide help. The Register Citizen reports that 93 school districts, or more than half in the state, reported having no homeless students in 2011-2012, the last year that data were available. Rural Killingly, with a population of 16,000, reported more homeless students than did Bridgeport, Connecticut’s largest city. School districts have identified only 2,804 homeless students in Connecticut. That’s up 50 percent from the number they reported in 2008, but a fraction of the 13,000 in other estimates. Some advocates question whether school districts
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are failing to completely identify homeless students to avoid a sometimes costly legal requirement for transportation and other services. “Homelessness exists in practically every community, and any school district that says otherwise is not in touch with the realities of the lives of the students,” said Jerry Jones, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless. The state gets about $500,000 in annual federal funding that’s distributed in school district grants. The Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness reported more than 12,000 residents used a shelter in 2007. Of that number, 1,561 were children. Defining homelessness
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Town Times | towntimes.com
Friday, September 6, 2013
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Commentary
Towns without a newspaper get Good Gnus By Stephanie Wilcox (Editors’ note: The followin g stor y by for mer staffer Stephanie Wilcox was printed in April 2010. At that time, Town Times was noting its 16th anniversary. This year, Town Times is in its 20th year of publication. Wilcox’s interview with the founders provides a thorough re-telling of how Town Times came to be and one we though worth re-running. The story has been updated to ref lect the latest changes in Town Times history.) Somewhere under the ground at Peckham Park in Middlefield, a Town Times time capsule awaits. No one remembers when it was put there, what’s in it exactly or when it was supposed to be resurrected. But it was put there as a fun way to commemorate a newspaper that has been serving the towns of Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall since 1994 and has become very much a part of the community. Though they didn’t open the capsule, the four found-
ers of the Town Times gathered around last Wednesday evening for this story on the paper’s 16th anniversary. While f lipping through past issues of Town Times and old photographs, there were a lot of “remember whens.” Remember when Sue VanDerzee bumped into Phyllis Sheridan at a bagel store in Middletown one morning? Phyllis approached Sue and said, “Hey, I heard you worked for a newspaper, and I think there should be a newspaper in our town.” Sue had worked for a newspaper and agreed that the town needed on since The Gazette, the town’s former paper, was bought by Shoreline Times and eventually disbanded. Sue recalled “much commiserating among folks in parents’ groups” during the months the town was paperless. So on that morning in the bagel line, Sue and Phyllis came to the realization that they both were interested, and they both had friends who also wanted to make it happen. With Sue and her friend
M a r i ly n Keu raji a n a nd Phyllis and her friend Bill Currlin, it was the real makings of a team. Sue wanted to write, Marilyn had experience designing and selling ads, Phyllis wanted to write but also was a good business person and Bill was great with computers and technology. From then on, their lives were consumed with the See Newspaper / Page 21
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Library Library Briefs
Library hours are: Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; closed Fridays and Saturdays. News Library closed Saturday, Sept. 28, for Durham Fair. Levi E. Coe Library and Durham Fair Coffee Booth Sign up for a time slot to volunteer at Levi E. Coe
Senior Center Monday, Sept. 23, from 1 to 2 p.m. Join the Levi E. Coe Library and the Middlefield Senior Center for a book talk on The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. For more information and to register, call the Middlefield Senior Center at (860) 349-7121 or the Levi E. Coe Library at (860) 349-3857.
Library’s coffee booth at the Durham Fair at: http://signupschedule.com/jeanburr or visit leviecoe.com. 2013 Annual Meeting Wednesday, Sept. 11, at 6:30 p.m.. Levi E. Coe Library presents an author talk and book signing by Connecticut author Susan Santangelo. For more information and to register, call (860) 349-3857. Book Talk at Middlefield
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Programs for Kids: Programs for preschool and elementary-aged children begin Monday, Sept. 30. Check www.durhamlibrary.org/kids/ programs for a full schedule of fall programs. Programs for Young Adults: Teen Knitting Club (ages 1018). Tuesday, Sept. 10 from 7 to 8 p.m. New members always welcome. Bring your projects or come and learn how to knit. Needles and yarn available. Drop in. Practice SAT (ages 14-18). Saturday, Sept. 14 from noon to 3 p.m. Practice the SAT in actual test conditions. Receive your scores the following week to determine where you need more work for the official test. Call (860) Durham Public 349-9544 to register. Library Teen Cuisine: Harry Potter Durham Public Library (ages 12-18). Wednesday, Sept. is open Monday through 18 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; next installment of cooking Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to for teenagers has a magical 5 p.m. Telephone: (860) 3499544, www.durhamlibrary.org. See Library / Page 15 Copies of the book are available at the library. Lucia K. Ginter Day and Pumpkin Pizazz Saturday, Oct. 19, at 11 a.m. Bring in a pumpkin or pumpkins and turn it into a Pumpkin Masterpiece. The library will supply all of the arts and crafts. Registration required. C o n n e c t i c u t Trave l Author Book Signing and Talk Thursday, Oct. 17, 6 to 6:45 p.m. Cindi D. Pietrzyk, author of Off the Beaten Path Connecticut: A Guide to Unique Places at the Levi E. Coe Library. Registration is recommended. For more information and to register, call (860) 349-3857.
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Friday, September 6, 2013
A15
Commentary
Banned Books Week is coming soon By Peter Chase
Special to Town Times
Sept. 2228 is Banned Books Week, organized in part by the American Library Association. It is a time Chase to celebrate our freedom to read by calling attention to attempts to censor books throughout America in the past year. It reminds us that our freedom to read cannot be taken for granted; we need to defend it from attacks even today. During the week, libraries will be sponsoring programs and featuring displays of
books that have been challenged. The most frequently challenged book during 2012 was the Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey. The series is aimed at boys in grades 2-4 who are reluctant readers. It uses simple cartoon drawings and stories about school pranks that youngsters find “immediately engaging.” Many people believe that censorship is a thing of the past. Sadly, it continues even today. There were 464 cases of attempted book censorship reported to the American Library Association in 2012. The would-be censors have a variety of reasons for their efforts, but a common theme runs through them: They want to silence anyone who disagrees with their beliefs.
Whether they want to eliminate references to other religious or political beliefs or other ideas about what is appropriate for children, the urge to suppress is always present. Rather than promote or explain their own ideas, they want to get rid of alternates. The public library has the exact opposite goal. We want to represent all points of view so that readers can select what they want and make up their own mind. The public library is a foundation of democracy. We take our duty seriously. Here is a list of the top 10 challenged books in 2012 and the reasons for the complaints. These books are available at local libraries many of which will feature a Banned Books Week
display. 1. Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey. Reasons: Offensive language, unsuited for age group 2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie. Reasons: Offensive language, racism, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group 3. Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher. Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/ smoking, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited for age group 4. Fifty Shades of Grey, by E. L. James. Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit 5. And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson. Reasons: Homosexuality,
unsuited for age group 6. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. Reasons: Homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit 7. Looking for Alaska, by John Green. Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group 8. Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz Reasons: Unsuited for age group, violence 9. The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit 10. Beloved, by Toni Morrison Reasons: Sexually explicit, religious viewpoint, violence Peter Chase is the director of the Plainville Public Library.
Lake Beseck Cardboard Boat Race Middlefield Park and Recreation has scheduled the first annual Lake Beseck Cardboard Boat Race for Saturday, Sept. 7, from 1 to 4 p.m. Boats must be made of cardboard and duct tape only. The event features prizes for most creative, most spectacular sinking and best team spirit, as well as music, food and a movie after dark.
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A16 Friday, September 6, 2013
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Cardboard boat race at Lake Beseck By Mark Dionne
Town Times
Middlef ield Park and Recreation is holding its first cardboard boat race at Lake Beseck on Saturday, Sept. 7. This is not a race for little cardboard boxes with small sails attached, however. It’s a race for boats that carry people — people paddling, racing, and, most likely, sinking. The idea came to Park and Rec from the Lake Beseck Association, according to Park and Rec’s Amy Poturnicki, who is helping to run the event. According to the rules, the boats must be made entirely of cardboard and duct tape. Decorations and team costumes are encouraged, although they cannot aid in the floatation of the boat. The racers — let’s optimistically call them “boaters” — will paddle out to a marker about as far out as the swim markers or a little farther and then — let’s be optimistic again — back.
Cardboard boats races are coming right up at Lake Beseck. Teams and groups are encouraged to participate. According to Poturnicki, the Lake Environmental Committee will have a team. Middlef ield First Selectman Jon Brayshaw and State Representative Buddy Altobello will participate and State Senator Dante Bartolomeo will attend. “There’s no limit” to the number of people each boat can carry, according to Poturnicki, and each boater gets to paddle. When asked if teams are allowed to go on the offensive, Poturnicki said, “It’s kind of discouraged.” Cheering for boats as they sink, however, is “absolutely” part of the fun. Considering that these boats will be carrying multiple people on a material that can be effortlessly torn apart by children, sinking seems to be an inevitable part of the contest. In addition to
prizes for first, second and third place finishes, Most Spectacular Sinking will be recognized. Poturnicki said that the race is designed to be a “last hurrah” to celebrate Lake Beseck. The race is the last
lake event of the summer and the last one before the draw down of the lake’s water. The races will be held from 1 to 4 p.m., with DJ Joe Cunningham providing music and a movie after dark. There will be under 12
and over 12-years-old age groups. Full rules are available at lakebeseckliving.com/ things-to-do/. Day of the race entries will be accepted, but pre-registration by e-mailing MiddlefieldPR@aol.com is encouraged.
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Friday, September 6, 2013
Struggling ple) moved into the higher educational categories that have incomes above the overall median annual household income,” the study reported. The shift put some upward influence on the overall median annual household income and prevented further decline had the educational groups remained static, the study reported.
prospects during the recession pushed many people to pursue advanced degrees. Between June 2009 and June 2013 the number of people without a high school degree decreased by 7.9, while the number of those with an associate degree increased by 14.7 percent and the number with a bachelors’ degree or more increased by 10 percent. “In other words more (peo-
Church of the Holy Trinity, 381 Main St., has scheduled its annual holiday fair for Saturday, Dec. 7, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Made possible by the installation of a new elevator,
the fair will be held on two floors. Vendor space is available for rent. For more information, call the church at (860) 347-2591.
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people in 2012, according to the state Department of Social Services. Requests for SNAP benefits, the state’s food stamp program, followed the same trajectory; beginning with just under 200,000 clients in 2007 and rising steadily to nearly 400,000 in 2012. State economist Donald Klepper-Smith said the state recovery has consistently been more sluggish than the nation’s. After crunching some numbers, he found that Connecticut’s disposable income is down about 7 percent from what it was in 2007 due to a lack of jobs, job creation and the quality of those jobs. “The state has regained 58 percent of the jobs lost in the recession, nationally it’s 77 percent,” Klepper-Smith said. “ Klepper-Smith said the state’s above-average incomes have mitigated the higher proportional job losses here and consumer confidence remains weak. “We’ve seen such fractional gains in the Connecticut economy,” Klepper-Smith said. “For the first half of the year (2013) real disposable income grew at 1.2 percent. This is not a recovery the way most people would understand. After the bills are paid there isn’t a lot left over.” University of Connecticut economist Fred Carstensen agreed that the state picture is worse than the nation’s but that the entire country has declined in every area of global competitiveness. Household incomes have been declining for 30 years since the 1980s, he said. “You need to put the sharp contraction of the last five years into the larger context of a national economy that has been delivering poorer and poorer results for the vast majority of households – roughly 80 percent,” Carstensen said. “Virtually all income growth since 1980 has been captured by people with post-baccalaureate degrees.” People with less than fouryear degrees have gone backwards,” Carstensen said. The Sentier Research study reflects that the poor job
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From Page 3
A17
A18 Friday, September 6, 2013
Town Times | towntimes.com
Seniors Senior Briefs
Bocce Bocce games are scheduled for every Tuesday at 6 p.m. on the back lawn of the Middlefield Community Center through mid-September. All seniors are welcome. Drop in games. Bring a lawn chair. For more information, call (860) 349-7121.
Renter’s rebate Renter’s Rebate Assistance is available. 2012 Income limits are: single - $33,501; married - $40,900. Participants must be 65 years of age by Dec. 31, 2012 to qualify. Program runs through Oct. 1.
For more information and to schedule an appointment, call Amanda at (860) 349-3153.
Blood pressure screenings
Free Blood P ressure Screenings are held every first and third Wednesday of each month, at noon, at the Middlefield Senior Center. No appointment is necessary.
Get in shape The Senior Center has scheduled exercise classes for seniors every Monday and Friday, at 7:45 a.m. Yoga classes are scheduled for Wednesdays, at 7:45 a.m. The
Durham senior lunches
classes are on a drop-in basis and free to Middlefield seniors, age 60 and older. Bring a water bottle and mat. For more information, call (860) 349-7121.
Dial-A-Ride
Senior lunches are offered every Monday and Wednesday at the Durham Activity Center, 350 Main St. The Elderly Nutrition program is designed to provide nutritional meals, at a low cost to persons ages 60 and over and their spouses. To cover the cost of the meal, a suggested donation is welcome. To make lunch reservations, call Amanda Pedersen, senior cafe manager, at (860) 349-3153. Bingo is offered every Wednesday, at 1 p.m., following the luncheon.
Knitting and crocheting
Knitters and crocheters meet every Thursday, at 9:30 a.m., at the Middlefield Senior Center for coffee and knitting. Bring your unfinished project or start a new one. The group also makes Afghans for the Middlesex Cancer Center and the MidState Cancer Center. Yarn and needles are available.
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Dial-A-Ride provides curb-to-curb transportation for the elderly and disabled. This service can be used for medical appointments, shopping, banking and other places, and is available five days a week. Call (860) 3473313 for a reservation. There is a fee. Senior exercise Senior exercise is offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday, at the Durham Activity Center. Two classes are offered: 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. There is no cost for Durham residents 60 and over.
St. Luke’s Eldercare St. Luke’s supports successful aging and independent living serving veterans and elders. Free services provided are friendly visiting, out-of-area medical transportation, transportation for elderly veterans to VA hospitals, grocery shopping services, minor home repair, information/resource referral, individual case management, education/ advocacy, The Gatekeeper Program, Access4Care and St. Luke’s Apartments on Broad Street in Middletown. For specific information on their services, call (860) 3475661. St. Luke’s is located at 760 Saybrook Road in Middletown. The Middlefield Senior Center is located in the Middlefield Communit y Center at 405 Main Street. Monthly lunch menus can be picked up at the senior center or Town Hall. Meals are served in the Senior Café Monday, Wednesday and Friday. For questions or to sign up for any programs contact Antoinette Astle at (860) 349-7121.
Got news or photos of senior events? Send it to us at news@towntimes.com
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Faith
Faith Briefs Notre Dame Church
The Church of the Epiphany, 196 Main St., has scheduled a free community supper for Sunday, Sept. 8, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the church hall. The main meal will be prepared by Epiphany’s parishioners. Members of Notre Dame Church will provide desserts. Please join us the second Sunday of the month (except on conflicting holidays) from September through June, as other local churches and organizations host, assist, or sponsor the event. All are welcome.
Faith Formation registration Children not yet registered for the 2013-2014 Faith Formation must register as soon as possible. Registration forms will not be accepted on the first day of class. Those registering children for First Grade or are new to our parishes must present a Baptism Certificate at the time of registration, if your child was not baptized at either St. Colman or Notre Dame Church. St. Colman Faith Formation
United Churches of Durham
1. Wicca might seem like an ancient religion, but it actually wasn’t formed until the 1900s. 2. Converting to Islam is not ceremonial but private, the individual has to fully believe, recite a declaration of belief, and take a cleansing shower. 3. Buddhists don’t believe they reach Nirvana through death but through enlightenment; that can sometimes take multiple reincarnations. 4. In Catholicism there are patron saints for nearly everything including danger from water, protection against Whooping Cough, and protection against
See Faith / Page 22
Witchcraft. 5. While it’s common in the U.S. for Hanukkah to mean eight nights of presents (at least for the kids) gift giving for the holiday is only common in North America and Israel. 6. The three main gods worshiped by Hindus are Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva but there are many more lesser gods who are also acknowledged. 7. Mormons aren’t allowed to drink tea, coffee, or alcohol though they are allowed to drink soda. 8. Some faiths require believers to refuse medical treatment; Jehovah Witnesses aren’t allowed to
receive blood transfusions and Christian Scientists often refuse all traditional medical treatment. 9. Other religious denominations refuse modern technology, Amish individuals do without electricity or telephones. 10. Although the U.S. has a separation of church and state, some countries are controlled by one religion, though a true modern theocracy is rare (Vatican City is an example). 11. Christianity is currently the world’s largest religion with Islam the second and Hinduism the third.
Town Times Service Directory
United Churches of Durham, 228 Main St., has scheduled Rally Sunday for Sunday, Sept. 8. The event includes Sunday School registration and a pancake breakfast at 9 a.m. in the fellowship hall. Meet the teachers. Registration forms will be available. Sunday School classes begin at 10:15 a.m. (Fellowship Hall is wheelchair accessible.) For more information, call (860) 349-3683.
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The Ladies Guild of St. Colman Church, Middlefield, has scheduled its Christmas Holiday Fair for Saturday, Oct. 26, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Holiday Fair includes crafts, games, a White Elephant Table, refreshments and other attractions. A limited number of vendor space is available. A fee is charged for table rental and space. Members and parishioners meet Thursday evenings in the parish hall to ready items for fair. Parishioners who are not Guild members are invited to bring their skills to these sessions and learn more about the ministry of the Ladies Guild. For information, call (860) 349-3868 or (860) 349-3058.
A19
Some interesting facts about religion
Community Supper
Ladies Guild of St. Coleman Church
Friday, September 6, 2013
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A20 Friday, September 6, 2013
Town Times | towntimes.com
Equestrian
Submissions
From Page 1
The Town Times welcomes submissions regarding upcoming events happening in the community. These brief items run free of charge. Due to space constraints we cannot guarantee a submission will be published on a specific date and content may be edited. Send submissions to news@towntimes.com or contact Marsha at (203) 317-2256. If you have specific requirements for a submission you must place a paid advertisement. To discuss this, contact Town Times sales representative Joy Boone at (203) 317-2313.
community, promote trail etiquette, maintain trails, provide information on rules, give First Aid when necessary, and give directions to anyone who is lost. Members also give the DEEP statistics on the different uses of the parks and forests, thus providing that organization with information that will help determine state and federal
funding. Volunteers are on horseback (some have been on donkeys or mules), are biking, or are hiking. All are certified in CPR and First Aid. Riders must have adequate riding skills, be familiar with the area they are patrolling, and they and their horses must be in good physical condition. Meg Sautter, of Newington,
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along with Ciano, is a supervisor of the VHP. She said, “For a horse to be accepted into the program,” “he’s got to be safe for people to be around. He can’t spook when we run into dogs or screaming kids or dirt bikes. He’s got to be able to stand still when the rider is clipping branches.” Wilder, Sautter, and Robyne Jaworski, of Danielson, enjoy patrolling the trails together. “We go three miles in three hours, because Meg keeps getting off her horse and trimming with her hand saw. She’s our psycho clipper,” Jaworski said. Wilder once found six people who were lost and going in the opposite direction of their car. They had one bottle of water and they were running out of light. “I got them back to their car and made six new friends,” she said. All three are passionate about what they do. “It’s an amazing way to combine our love of horses with doing something for the community,” Jaworski said. “And the camaraderie in the group is amazing.” “I like giving back to the community,” Sautter said. “We educate people-those on the trails and in the groups who ask us to speak-about horses. For instance, we tell them not to hide behind a tree because the horse will think you’re a monster. He needs to know you’re human. Talk to him. And bikers, call out when you’re behind us. The horse knows you’re coming, but I don’t. “What’s amazing about this is, if we didn’t have horses, none of us would know how much land is available in Connecticut for recreation.”
Would you like to write for Town Times? For information, please email news@towntimes.com
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Friday, September 6, 2013
A21
Newspaper encyclopedias on disks - this was before Google. Once the pages were designed using PageMaker on the computer, they had to be tiled because they were printed in quarters. Then what was printed was cut up and arranged on a piece of paper using a wax machine. One time for a story on May flies, the creators found a specimen and waxed it down for use in the paper.
With these slow, meticulous methods of production, there were many overnighters, but all felt there was equal contribution. In fact, they worked four to six months for free, and after that they began paying themselves a small amount. There was hardly a week when Sue, Bill, Phyllis or Marilyn didn’t have their children or dogs at the office during working hours.
The location of the Town Times office has changed its venue a few times over the years. It is now part of the Meriden Record-Journal which purchased the paper in 2002. Publisher Eliot White is a former resident of Durham. As one of six papers produced by the weeklies department, Town Times shares staff and space with See Newspaper / Page 24
Town Times Service Directory
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Est. 1965
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work it took to get all the news and events out to the community, but what followed was an exciting and rewarding journey. “The town needed it and parents wanted it,” said Marilyn. At the start, the paper was only published every other week. “It was like a mission project for us, and no other local papers could serve these towns completely.” From the time they got together, it took a few months to get things going and to figure out who was doing what. But the big question was, “Can we actually do this?” They rented a space at Executive Offices in Middlefield, bought computers and spent $500 each to be trained in PageMaker. To pay for the soon-to-be paper, Marilyn went around trying to sell ads. “Many businesses took a leap of faith with us,” she recalls. Marilyn used her artistic talent to draw the masthead, and it’s still used across the top of front page. Though few people know this, in the drawing are all four of their houses, the Middlefield Federated Church, La ke Beseck, Lyman Orchards and a few other houses from town. One of the harder decisions was settling on a name, and it came down to Town Lines or Town Times. The corporate name chosen was Good Gnus, LLC. The first thing that was sent out to townspeople was a mailing that said “We’re Coming!” Shortly thereafter, on April 22, 1994, the 20-page first issue found its way to everyone’s mailboxes. The front page story was about Durham-Middlefield Interloca l Ag reement Advisory Board and there was a picture of construction going on at the United Churches of Durham. “One thing that struck me was how immediately we became like stars,” said Marilyn. Bill remembers the proud feeling when he delivered the bundles of papers. “It was like I was the hero.” After that first issue, the founders agree that the trust the town had for the newspaper and its dependence on it was almost
instant. Though the paper was pr i n te d o ut of Tu rle y P ublications i n Pa l mer, Mass., all the production was done right in Middlefield by these almost “rank amateurs.” Producing the Town Times back then was as technically advanced as the times allowed, though today it seems archaic. For instance, some of the information for stories came from
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Fest From Page 1
that day. The Durham Garden Club will be decorating the Durham Historical Society front yard and encourages homeowners to enter a decorating contest jointly sponsored by the Durham Garden Club and the Economic Development Commission. The fall decorating contest is open to all Durham residents. To participate, register with the Economic Development Commission by mail at EDC, P.O. Box 428, 30 Town House Road, Durham. Or register in person at Town Hall. You will be assigned a number to indicate your participation in the contest. Fall Fest Decorating Contest Rules: Have fun decorating your front door, a lamp post, or your front yard for fall. Be sure to place your assigned number in a prom-
inent place on your lawn. Voting begins Oct. 12 and continues all week. Voting will be in person at participating businesses. The winner will be announced on Oct. 20 and will receive a basket of prizes donated by the businesses. Th e o p t i o n a l u s e of Facebook, Twitter or any other networking is encouraged to get your friends to vote for your fall display. There will be plenty of ideas on display at the Durham Historical Society headquarters, which will be decorated by the Durham Garden Club in time for the Durham Fair. The Durham Garden Club will decorate the Durham Historical Society, on the town green, during Fall Fest on Oct. 19. |Town Times photo by Mark Dionne.
Faith
Town Times Service Directory
From Page 19
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are scheduled for: Sunday, Sept. 8, for grades 1, 2, 3 (8:30-9:30 a.m., parish hall) S u n d a y, Sept. 8, Confirmation Year 1 and 2 (10:30-11:30 a.m., parish hall) Monday, Sept. 9, Grades 4 to 7 (6 to 7 pm, Memorial School). No t re D a m e Fa i t h Formation classes are scheduled for: S u n d a y, Sept. 8, Confirmation Year 2 (9 to 11 a.m., rectory) S u n d a y, Sept. 15, Confirmation Year 1 (9-11 a.m., rectory) Thursday, Sept. 12, Grades 1 & 2 (5:15 to 6:15 p.m., church hall and rectory) Thursday, Sept. 12, Grades 3-7 (5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Strong School) Teachers and assistants are needed for the following positions: Notre Dame Church, classes at Strong School-third, sixth grade teachers, assistants and hall monitors and St. Colman, classes at Memorial schoolfifth grade assistant and Site Coordinator. Like us on Facebook: TownTimesNews
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Friday, September 6, 2013
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Real Estate Page School we’ve ever gotten” at that level. A low 2012 grade 10 score in reading - 48.9 percent at or above goal - was pulled up in 2013 to 60.1 percent at or above goal. The higher grade 10 results pushed District 13 up from last in that Dirg comparison. “Reading is still a huge concern at the high school,” Berry said. Berry will make a more detailed presentation to a BOE subcommittee on Sept. 11. Building Utilization Study The BOE unanimously approved a much-discussed building utilization study to be conducted by the architecture and planning firm Drummey Rosane Anderson, Inc. at a cost of $69,300. The study will analyze the way District 13 buildings are used and the potential impact of changes, such as altering classrooms or closing a school. The bid by Drummey Rosane Anderson emphasized community impact and involvement. According to BOE member Bob Fulton, the study will take a minimum of 4 to 5 months. The study will include a geographic information system portion, referred to as GIS, which can manipulate and analyze geospatial data. Perlini said a proper study was worth the wait, even if it had to be delayed. The study is a long range tool. “Whatever comes out of this is not going to have an impact on next year’s budget,” Perlini said. “It will have an impact two years out.” The next BOE meeting is scheduled for Sept. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at Korn Elementary School.
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From Page 2
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Newspaper
RAMP ADDS ACCESS
From Page 21
those involved in the production of papers for Plainville, Southington, Cheshire, North Haven, and Berlin. All of the weeklies maintain websites, Facebook and Twitter accounts to enhance news coverage. Over the years, many stories have stuck in the creator’s minds, such as when the Special Olympics came through and many local families hosted kids. The flood of ’95 that almost washed the Town Times office away is another indelible memory. At that time there were many tragedies in the community which the staff was required to report on and the emotional content of those stories made these difficult assignments. From a business perspective, Sue, Bill, Phyllis and Marilyn think that part of the Volunteers from all over the state recently helped build a new ramp at the United Churches of Durham. Volunteers brought a tractor with an auger, a cement mixer, and lumber for the project. Pictured are Rick Huntley and Bruce Tubby, pouring concrete for the footings. | Submitted by Malcolm Pearce
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success of Town Times was that they held meetings regularly and learned how to share the work. The rest of the success came from the relationship that was built between the paper and the community, a relationship that continues even after all but one of the founders moved on. “The community got to see itself through our eyes,” said Phyllis. Many Town Times readers have saved a significant past issue or one that featured their photo in Town Times. On the first anniversary of the Town Times, the four creators let themselves publish with two colors instead of one. This, of course, made it more expensive, so, “We splurged,” said Sue. “It was a big deal.” “The Town Times made the communities much closer,” said Bill.
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SUBMIT PHOTOS August 26 - September 8 Three Categories: Dogs, Cats & Other Pets
VOTE
Round 1 - September 9 - 15 Top 10 in each category move on to next round.
Round 2 - September 21 - 29 Three winners each category announced October 5.
WINNERS of Each Pet Category
1st Place - $100 Gift Card 2nd Place - $25 Gift Card 3rd Place - $25 Gift Card Brought to you by
Go to /pets to submit photos and vote. 30327R