Volume 19, Number 35
Serving Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall
www.TownTimes.com
Friday, Januar y 9, 2015
Regular business for Middlefield BOS By Mark Dionne
First Selectman Jon Brayshaw noted that the fiscal year 2015/2016 budget There were only procedural was beginning to take shape. votes taken at the Middlefield Brayshaw encouraged input Board of Selectmen’s Jan. 5 from the other selectmen to meeting – approving minutes town Financial Director Joe and the agenda and such – and Geruch as the budget is being no members of the public were formed. One project that could have in attendance as the board kept tabs on multiple town projects. an impact on the budget and Town Times
the town was touched on at the meeting. For approximately four years, Middlefield officials have been considering a deal for a cell tower in town. The proposal was scheduled for discussion, not at the Jan. 5 BOS meeting, but for the Jan. 8 Board of Finance meeting. See BOS / Page 13
Mount Higby has two peaks, one in Middlefield and a northern one in Middletown. At its highest point, Mount Higby has an elevation of 892 feet.
Higby’s colorful, sometimes tragic, history By Terry Sutton
Special to Town Times
With its brown basalt cliffs looming large in the distance of Interstate 91 and the Connecticut State Police headquarters, Mount Higby – also known as Higby Mountain – is a site to see, and visit. A popular hiking destination, it is possible on a clear day to see Hartford, Long Island Sound and New Haven from the mountain’s wide open summits. According to Clare Cain, Trail Stewardship Director for the Connecticut Forest & Park Association, the hike up Mount Higby is one all Connecticut hikers should experience. It is part of the New England Trail, which stretches from Long Island Sound to the Massachusetts/New Hampshire border. The NET, the country’s newest designated scenic trail, is comprised of the historic Metacomet and Mattabesett trails in Connecticut. “The NET traverses the traprock ridges in Connecticut offering hikers terrific views and craggy hiking adventure,” Cain said. “Mount Higby is one of the highlight spots on the NET and is one of the NET’s most popular hiker destinations in the state. Hikers are rewarded with unbeatable, long-distance views from the summit that stretch to the See Higby / Page 12
Oxen remain in use in Cuba, as witnessed by Nancy Winship-Poole.
Local who spent 10 days in Cuba will share her experience By Charles Kreutzkamp Town Times
On the heels of President Barack Obama announcing his intention to normalize relations with Cuba, a timely talk will be coming to the Durham Library Thursday, Jan 15. Middlefield resident Nancy Winship-Poole will be speaking about her experiences visiting Cuba last year, around Thanks-
giving, a rare opportunity that required special permission to be obtained from the State Department. “What perfect timing,” Winship-Poole said, with Obama’s Cuba announcement coming only three weeks later. Winship-Poole said she found out about the opportunity to visit Cuba through an advertisement in an email about genetically modified
foods. She applied and was approved, and after jumping through “many hoops,” she was permitted to visit the country under a professional license. “That’s the only way to get there,” Winship-Poole said. As part of a group of 17, Winship-Poole visited Cuba to examine organic farming and farming cooperatives See Cuba / Page 2