Volume 20, Number 11 Serving Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall
CRHS top students for Class of 2013
Friday, June 21, 2013
Tree removal progam underway throughout town Replanting to emphasize ‘right tree in the right place’
By Mark Dionne Town Times
If there was any sort of intense race to be valedictorian and salutatorian of Coginchaug Regional High School Class of 2013 the eventual winners, Carli Wallace and Justin Etheridge, hide such a competition well. Friends since elementary school, Wallace is valedictorian while Etheridge earned the salutatorian spot. The two seniors are so wellaligned they often finish each other’s sentences. Wallace can list Justin’s extra-curricular activities and interjects “Represent!” when Etheridge mentions the two are co-presidents of the French Honor Society. When asked if they’d ex-
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By Olivia L. Lawrence Town Times
Town Times photo by Mark Dionne
Justin Etheridge, salutatorian, and Carli Wallace, valedictorian. pected to finish in the school’s top two academic spots, Etheridge said, “I knew Wallace for sure.” “It wasn’t necessarily a goal,” Wallace said, “We just both strive to be the best at See Top, page 4
It’s official - summer is here It’s June 21, the Summer Solstice, and time to welcome the summer of 2013. For many of us summer is a special season that we anticipate for much of the year. Making the most of these precious, fleeting months is something to consider. But our activities don’t have to be big adventures or grand plans. This is a wonderful time for simple pleasures and taking life easy. In this special summer edition, we’ve gathered stories to give you a few ideas along with ones that may reflect pursuits you already enjoy. In these pages you’ll read about topics such as: day trips, including one to Wadsworth Mansion; tag sale fever; and more about a super parade that kicked off a summer of fun. In upcoming editions look for summer features such as how to “read locally”and new ways to garden. Thanks for reading and we look forward to hearing about your good times this summer. Send your stories and photos of picnics, camping trips, kayak adventures, family reunions and more to news@towntimes.com. - The editors
Bruce Villwock, tree warden for the town of Middlefield, says a significant tree removal program is underway around town and will continue for some time to come. Last week two large trees, a red maple and a sugar maple were removed from in front of the Levi E. Coe Library on Main Street. Those trees, like many other that are being removed, had sustained damage over the years or were otherwise not viable, said Villwock, a licensed arborist who also works in that capacity at the state’s Department of Transportation. This situation “warranted removal” of the trees, he said. Residents will continue to see work in other areas of town such as on Powder Mill and Cider Mill roads and Hubbard Street. Villwock said the trees are cut up and left at the site and are available to those who want to remove it for firewood. The work began a few months ago, and Connecticut Light and Power oversees much of the project, subcontracting the tree work. The town’s highway department also has been involved and recently removed a Norway maple from the community center. The tree was damaged and also is considered an invasive species, Villwock said. Some of these trees have been or will be replaced, such as at the library where new sugar maples have been planted. “The right tree in the right place,” is the approach that will shape future planting,
Town Times photo by Mark Dionne
This tree, opposite Peckham Park, was removed last week as part of a town-wide plan to reduce power outages due to trees. Villwock said. With storms, over the past couple of years, many trees have become damaged and are in decline, he said. Furthermore, the power company is proceeding with clearing trees that could impact power lines and lead to electrical outages if not removed.
“They need to be able to maintain the wires during a storm,” Villwock said of the utility company, adding that more funding has become available for this kind of upkeep. CL&P states that company licensed arborists oversee
See Trees, page 10
In this issue ... Calendar ........................12 Day Trips .........................3 Old Home Days Parade ...9 Obituary ........................25
Parks ..............................27 Schools...........................29 Seniors...........................28 Sports...............................6