Wethersfield Post 12-14-2012

Wethersfield

INSIDE:

Murphy meets with residents about low-income heating assistance, Page 3

POST Historic holiday prep SE RV I N G RO C KY H I L L Friday, December 14, 2012

Students make gingerbread houses for charity, Page 6

Growing luminaria tradition set to return for Christmas Eve, Page 4

Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum set to recreate three eras of Christmas

By ERICA SCHMITT STAFF WRITER

Thousands of people come from all over to see the Webb-DeaneStevens Museum’s three historic homes all dressed up for the holidays.

But preparing for the season is quite a feat for museum staff, whose designers arrange rooms reflecting Christmas from three different eras.

It takes 15 people three weeks to create the lavish displays, using authentic period pieces for an experience that brings back visitors from year to year.

“The whole thing is three centuries of Christmas past,” WDS Executive Director Charles Lyle said Tuesday, as busy bees buzzed around the homes, preparing for this Friday Volume 53, No. 45

50 Cents

night’s exclusive Preview Party, which draws in over 200 visitors with elegant foods, live holiday music and a sneak peek of the elaborate decorations.

The evening begins in the Silas Deane House, which is decorated to reflect the strict Puritan beliefs that suppressed the celebration of Christmas until the 1830s or so. Built in 1770, the home is modestly decorated the way it would have been on New Year’s Day, a holiday which the Puritans did celebrate.

“Ladies would host wealthy men, there would be refreshments, and people would settle their debts,” Lyle said of this occasion, which marked the beginning of New Years’ resolutions.

Visitors will then make their way over to the Isaac Stevens House next door to experience the very first Christmas traditions in New England.

It wasn’t until the 1830s and ‘40s after Queen Victoria married Albert — a German — that Christmas trees began emerging in households across A meticulously decorated table at the in the parlor of the Joseph Webb House at the Webb-Deane-Stevens MuSee THREE, Page 8

seum, which is holding Three Centuries of Christmas Tours from Dec. 15 to Jan. 6.

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Local News

2 | Friday, Dec 14, 2012

Town officials object to proposed 48-unit Newington subdivision

Wethersfield

POST

By ERICA SCHMITT

S E RV I N G R O C K Y H I L L

STAFF WRITER

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A plan for a 48-lot subdivision on nearby Cedar Mountain that has ignited substantial opposition in Newington is also facing concerns from Wethersfield officials.

The 73-acre site abuts Russell Road on the town line, where an application for a larger-scale luxury home development was denied last year. According to developer Toll Brothers, the revised plan they are currently seeking a wetlands permit for would have less of an environmental impact.

This claim is substantiated by analysis from the builder’s team of wetlands and blasting experts, which the town of Newington is challenging with its own team.

A report from this recentlyhired group is expected later this month, as Newington’s Conservation

Commission is still amidst the public hearing period. The deadline was extended to accommodate their examination.

The commission’s meetings have drawn an upwards of 40 residents who oppose the plan, including members of the Save Cedar Mountain advocacy group.

Wethersfield Town Manager Jeff Bridges has also been attending all of the hearings to stay involved in the project, as Wethersfield recently filed for “Intervener” status to address the town’s concerns.

According to town officials, their objections lie mainly with the fact that the site’s proposed retention ponds will drain into Wethersfield.

Their proposed solution is for both towns to take part in the drafting of the Homeowners Association regulations, providing for a fund to maintain and repair these ponds.

This would also serve as a back-up in case the ponds are not maintained, for either town to do the work and then place liens on the properties within the development for reimbursement of costs.

Wethersfield is hoping another issue will be addressed over the course of the approval process — creating a landscape buffer along the site’s Russell Road parameter.

The developer has also agreed to use Wethersfield’s blasting protocols in construction.

Planning officials from both towns will continue to work together in reviewing the application. The next Conservation Commission is Dec. 18 in Newington Town Hall, 131 Cedar St. Erica Schmitt can be reached at (860) 225-4601, ext. 210, or eschmitt@ newbritainherald.com.

CRRA encourages an eco-friendly Christmas

Forget what Irving Berlin wrote about a white Christmas.

Connecticut’s recycling leader, the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority, is encouraging everyone to keep the holidays green.

There are lots of holiday-related items that are recyclable, starting with what’s already appearing in mailboxes. According to Earth911.com, “each year 19 billion catalogs are mailed to American consumers.”

In addition to catalogs, here are some other dos and don’ts to make your holidays as green as can be: ∎ Corrugated cardboard – items ordered by mail or online are usually shipped in corrugated boxes. These boxes should be recycled. ∎ Greeting cards, envelopes and wrapping paper – but only those that

have no foil or plastic coating, and no photo cards or cards that play music or other sound. ∎ Gift boxes – boxboard (such as shoe boxes, cereal boxes and cracker boxes) and other types of cardboard should be recycled, but not if they’re coated with foil or plastic. ∎ Paper shopping bags – If your community hasn’t switched to singlestream recycling, these bags are also great for packing newspapers, catalogs and other types of mixed paper. ∎ Plastic bags – please keep them out of the recycling bins and barrels.

Many retailers will take them back. ∎ Glass – bottles and jars should be recycled. Light bulbs, mirrors, drinking glasses and window panes must be kept out of the recycling bins and barrels.

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∎ Lights – if you’re replacing your old decorative lights with new LED (light-emitting diode) light sets, the old light sets are recyclable electronics and must be kept out of the trash and your recycling bin. Call your town hall or check with the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection for opportunities to recycle these and other electronics. ∎ Trees, wreaths, garlands – if they’re made out of trees and shrubs, they should be composted. If you don’t have your own outdoor composting bin, many cities and towns will collect them after the holidays.

Call your city or town to find out. ∎ Foam packing peanuts – these do not go in the recycling bin or barrel.

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Local News

WETHERSFIELD POST

Friday, Dec 14, 2012 | 3

Murphy, residents discuss low income energy assistance

By SCOTT WHIPPLE STAFF WRITER

Mike Swanson, 48, a former insurance executive, said he has been out of work a year-and-a-half, has gone through his unemployment benefits, “and my wife and daughter have no way to pay for heat. We’ve been taking freezing, cold showers.”

He said without access to heat his and other families could die.

Swanson was one of several area residents who face a cold, hard winter because of dwindling energy funds. He and others at the Human Resources Agency Tuesday told U.S. Sen.-Elect Chris Murphy Tuesday that they did not know how they would be able to provide heat for their families in the coming months Murphy was joined by community leaders for a roundtable discussion on potential cuts to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

LIHEAP provides critical assistance to thousands of Connecticut families through the cold winter months. The program, which helps low-income families pay their heating bills, offers assistance in the form of a cash grant, sent directly to the utility company, or a crisis grant for households in immediate danger of being without heat.

Applicants apply for energy benefits through the LIHEAP program through HRA. Murphy met with representatives from HRA, the Connecticut Association for Community Action, and New Opportunities.

All three agencies, who are involved with energy programs, are struggling to meet the increase in applications for benefits statewide.

New Britain resident, Caroline Fragoza, 31, came to the agency with her son, Luisito, 4, and Zela, Fragoza-Graham. Fragoza said people not facing an energy crisis may not be aware of the personal tragedies that often left some of these families in a vulnerable position.

Murphy said purpose of the meeting was to bring stories like Swanson’s and Fragoza’s back to Washington, stories he could share on the Senate floor.

“Families shouldn’t have to keep their heat off when they have sick kids,” he said. “Stories are more compelling than statistics, especially when they’re about people who want to break a cycle of despair.”

Connecticut expects to receive

Annalisa Russell-Smith | Staff

Zela Fragoza-Graham, 2, of New Britain and U.S. Sen.-elect Chris Murphy, in background.

$79.5 million through LIHEAP, but the Senator-elect said the state could lose approximately $5.6 million in the program. He warned that the amount could be cut by 7 percent if Congress and the White House fail to agree on a deficit reduction package by the end of December. Murphy said the LIHEAP program could be cut as

Caroline Fragoza, left of New Britain, listens while her son Luisito Fragoza, 4, passes the time drawing while U.S. Sen.-elect Chris Murphy meets with local energy assistance recipients. Below, James Gatling, chairman of the Connecticut Association for Community Action, left, and Tammy Gibbs of New Britain meet with local energy assistance recipients and Murphy at New Britain’s Human Resource Agency on Arch Street Tuesday.

LIHEAP assistance are already 13 percent higher than last year, and a much colder winter is predicted.

“Until Connecticut’s economy recovers, programs like LIHEAP keep people alive,” Murphy said. “The cost of oil is going up; the average family will spend 400 hundred dollars more this year than last year. This could become a crisis in Connecticut and the Northeast.”

Murphy said cutting away basic elements of a social safety net like LIHEAP does little to reduce the budget deficit, but does immeasurable harm to working families in the state.

The program offers assistance in the form of a cash grant, sent directly to the utility company, or a crisis grant for households in immediate danger of being without heat.

a result of the current fiscal cliff--an end to Bush tax cuts plus spending cuts in federal programs. Currently, 120,000 households in Connecticut that benefit from LIHEAP received an average $863 during fiscal year Scott Whipple can be reached at (860) 2011.

Though the winter heating sea- 225-4601, ext. 319, or swhipple@ son has just begun, applications for newbritainherald.com.

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Local News

4 | Friday, Dec 14, 2012

WETHERSFIELD POST

Luminaria to light up town once again Christmas Eve

By ERICA SCHMITT STAFF WRITER

Thousands of visitors come to Wethersfield every year to experience the cultural and historical wonders the town has to offer, but only a few will get to know a tradition that only occurs on Christmas Eve. As the sun drips down into the horizon and dusk falls upon the town, take a drive through Wells Quarter Village or Griswoldville and catch a glimpse of a unique neighborhood custom. It’s not strings of lights draping trees or houses, it’s tiny paper bags of candles lining the streets.

When Martha Kirsche moved to town 37 years ago she carried with her this tradition, which is widely-popular in her hometown of Syracuse, New York.

They’re called luminaria, and her family owns a gift shop back in Syracuse that sells the kits necessary to put each set-up together.

About 4,000 are sent to Wethersfield this time of year to accommodate the growing number of residents that partake in the lighting.

“We have had several calls already from people who have moved out of Wethersfield and gone to other towns and they’re bringing it to their new neighborhoods,” Kirsche

said Tuesday.

The hope is that more than 5,000 will sell this year, with all proceeds going to benefit the Richard Keane Foundation’s Memorial Sports Center at 30 Greenfield St. “Dick Keane was a friend of ours and it’s a really worthwhile program that Judy’s carried on; it does a lot for the town,” Kirsche explained of her choice to pass on proceeds to the foundation, which she has done since 2001.

While conventional votive candles burn for less than three hours, luminaria light up the night for 18 hours straight: from dusk till dawn on Christmas Eve. “They are said to light the way for the Christ child,” she says.

Whole neighborhoods take part in the lighting, emerging from their homes around 4 p.m. to place the luminaria along the line where their properties meet the street.

“Neighbors get together on Christmas Eve to set them up,” Kirsche added. “A lot of times during the winter you don’t see your neighbors out because it’s too cold, but on Christmas Eve this brings a lot of people outside walking around.”

People are encouraged to become a “team captain” — the individual who informs their neighborhood about this holiday

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tradition and encourages collective participation. They can also coordinate the entire neighborhood’s purchasing of luminaria.

Once you have a kit, assembly isn’t too complicated.

Fold down the top of the paper bag to form a rigid box, wrap aluminum foil around the candle, and place on top of about two inches of sand inside the bag.

Each bag is usually placed every 15 feet where the yard meets the street. Between five and eight kits usually suffice per household.

Luminaria can be purchased at Wethersfield Travel all year long because locals enjoy using them to adorn any outdoor celebration, including weddings, parties and picnics. Kits are $1.50 each and will be available until Friday, Dec. 24 at noon, for use on Christmas Eve. Instructions accompany each order.

To order yours, call Martha Kirsche at 860- 257-3775. They will be ready for pickup at Wethersfield Travel, 219 Main Street, Old Wethersfield. To learn more about the Keane Foundation’s activities and programs, visit www.keanefoundation.org. In a Christmas tradition which has been growErica Schmitt can be reached at (860) 225-4601, ext. 210, or eschmitt@newbritainherald.com.

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Friday, Dec 14, 2012 | 5

WETHERSFIELD POST

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10 oz. Burger Served with Fries, Pickle, Cole Slaw Classic Burger- Lettuce, Tomato, Onions and Cheese ....................................... $8.25 Wells Burger- Swiss and Mushrooms ............................................................... $8.75 Old Wethersfield Burger - Bacon, Swiss Cheese, Grilled Onions, Lettuce, Tomato .. $8.75 Chili Burger ....................................................................................................... $8.75

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Choice of Pasta ................................................................................................. $7.25 With Meatball Marinara or Sausage................................................................. $8.00 Aglio-E-Olio....................................................................................................... $8.00 Fettuccini Alfredo ............................................................................................. $8.25 Chicken Parmigiana with Choice of Pasta ......................................................... $8.75 Veal Parmigiana with Choice of Pasta .............................................................. $9.25 Eggplant Parmigiana ......................................................................................... $8.00

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All Seafood Served with Garlic Bread, Coleslaw & French Fries Fish & Chips ...................................................................................................... $8.75 Fried Calamari .................................................................................................. $8.50 *Fried Clams ..................................................................................................... $8.50 *Fried Shrimp - 6 Jumbo................................................................................... $9.50 White or Red Clam Sauce ................................................................................. $9.25

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All Stuffed Pasta Served with Garlic Bread & House Salad Baked Stuffed Shells ......................................................................................... $8.25 Baked Lasagna - ............................................................................................... $8.25 Baked Ravioli - (Cheese or Meat) ..................................................................... $7.75 Tortellini............................................................................................................ $8.75 Baked Tortellini Marinara - .............................................................................. $9.25 Tortellini & Broccoli Alfredo - ......................................................................... .$9.25

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Local News

6 | Friday, Dec 14, 2012

WETHERSFIELD POST

RHHS students make, sell gingerbread houses for charity

By ERICA SCHMITT STAFF WRITER

Culinary arts students at Rocky Hill High School are doing their part to end world hunger.

Under the direction of their teacher Karen Redanz, they’ve created more than a dozen gingerbread houses and are auctioning them off this week at the Cora J. Belden Library.

Proceeds from the silent auction, which runs between Dec. 10 and 20, will benefit Heifer International, a nonprofit organization with a mission to end hunger and poverty and care for the earth.

A total of 28 students worked in pairs over the last few weeks to build the houses, which are decorated with candy, frosting and other sweet edibles. Each has also been named.

“It was somewhat complicated, but fun,” said senior Brianna Novello.

The students’ goal is to raise at least $500 through their efforts.

Each pair will use the money their

gingerbread house garnered to purchase an animal for a poor family somewhere in the world. That’s how Heifer works.

It might be a cow, goat, llama, or even a group of baby chicks. The family that receives the gift will be educated by the organization’s volunteers on basic veterinary care so they can learn to help themselves.

The milk, eggs, meat, etc. the animal produces will be eaten and sold.

Once financial stability is reached, they are asked to pass the animal on to another neighboring family and teach them how to care for it.

“It really helps lift families out of poverty,” explained Redanz, who was voted 2012 Connecticut Teacher of the Year by the American Association of Family Consumer Sciences and is now in the running for nationals.

“I really try to have my kids get into community service by using their talents in food to benefit others,” Redanz explained. “They are learning

At left, students in Karen Redanz’s culinary arts class at Rocky Hill High School with the gingerbread houses they are auctioning off at the Cora J. Belden Library to benefit Heifer International. At right, Haley Lepsik, 16, and Macy Palmer, 18, show off the gingerbread house they created, called “Snoopy’s Winter House. ”

about the needs around the world at the same time,” she added.

Although Redanz has involved her classes in this silent auction for at least six years, this is the very first time it’s been at the Cora J. Belden

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experience,” said 16-year-old Haley Lepsik, who created flyers to inform people of the project.

Lepsik named her and classmate Macy Palmer’s gingerbread creation “Snoopy’s Winter House” and built it to resemble a dog house, with a tiny edible Snoopy in the front yard.

Gingerbread houses will be at the library for people to bid on until next Thursday, Dec. 20. Winners will be notified the same day to arrange for pick up.

The Cora J. Belden Library is located at 33 Church St., Rocky Hill.

(860) 258-7623.

Erica Schmitt can be reached at (860) 225-4601, ext. 210, or eschmitt@ newbritainherald.com.

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“By doing the project here, it gives parents and members of the community the chance to see and bid on the projects,” Redanz said Tuesday night at the auction’s opening ceremony.

The Friends of the Library are hosting their own silent auction simultaneously, to raise funds for all of the programs and activities they sponsor.

“It’s a great connection between the library and the school,” said the library’s Assistant Director Terri Corry. “It’s sort of one-stop shopping,” she added. “I think it’s wonderful.”

And the students are excited about what they’re doing, too.

“This class is really fun; it’s a good

Friday, Dec 14, 2012 | 7

WETHERSFIELD POST

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WETHERSFIELD POST

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“When pictures or drawings showed up in the magazines here of their trees, everybody had to have one,” said Linda Pagliuco, one of the designers preparing the house this week.

For a middle class family, Christmas Eve would consist of the children opening one present each, placed beneath a small tree decorated with handmade, edible ornaments and candles, and enjoy a special meal and desserts. The meal wouldn’t be nearly as lavish as today’s, however, usually including a small turkey, vegetable and bread.

“My vision here really has to do with the old version of A Christmas Carol,” Lyle explained of the simple but elegant settings.

Designers have more room for creativity in the Joseph Webb House, which reflects holiday customs of the 1930s and ’40s. Here there are three different Christmas trees hung with period ornaments, and many fruit and garland display typical of that time. An elaborate dessert spread can be found in the parlor, where guests would gather together.

“The reputation of a hostess could be made or broken by the quality of her desserts,” Lyle added, pointing out the elegant cakes and pastries on display.

Upstairs, visitors will find a child’s playroom, filled with copious displays of antique iron toys,

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After the holiday tours, explore the WebbDeane-Stevens gift shop, which offers household items, jewelry, books, accessories, stocking stuffers, hostess and children’s gifts and more. For more information visit webb-deanestevens.org.

Erica Schmitt can be reached at (860) 225-4601 ext. 210, or eschmitt@newbritainherald.com.

Friday, Dec 14, 2012 | 9

WETHERSFIELD POST

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The event was hosted by the Cora Belden Library in Rocky Hill and was well-attended by women Chamber members and guests.

Merja’s talk was entitled; “Business is a Game & It’s Time to Play”.

For information on future WOW meetings please contact the Chamber Office at (860) 258-7633 or email to execdir@rhchamber.org Please visit the Chamber’s website at www.rhchamber.org

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10 | Friday, Dec 14, 2012

Local News

WETHERSFIELD POST

Area residents inducted into National Honor Society STAFF REPORT

Five area residents were among the 78 students inducted into the Aquinas Chapter of the National Honor Society at Northwest Catholic High School on Dec. 6. The students are Brian Kozak, Melissa Nenninger, and Mary-Kathryn Rogers of Rocky Hill and Ryan DelMonaco and Eamon Wizner of Wethersfield.

The inductees were recognized for outstanding scholarship, admirable character and leadership, and generous service to NWC and their communities.

To be invited into membership in NHS, students must maintain a 3.5 grade-point average and must demonstrate exemplary character, leadership, and service to their school, their parish, or their town. A selection committee of five teachers reviews the applications and qualifications of all eligible students.

“These students represent the highest in academic achievement and leadership,” said Terri Turley, a member of NWC’s Math Department and the NHS Moderator. “They serve as role models for the entire student body and their communities.”

“The National Honor Society is about so much more than just grades,” agreed Margaret Williamson, NWC Principal/ Chief Administrator. “It is a way to help educate the whole student and reinforce the importance of making a difference in the world.”

Since 1961, Northwest Catholic’s mission has been to educate the whole person: mind, body, spirit, and soul. Enrollment for the Class of ’17 is now under way, and prospective students are invited to take the entrance exam on Jan. 26, 2013. For more information, contact Maryann Lacouture (860) 236-4221, x140 or mlacouture@ New National Honor Society members, from left, Brian Kozak, Mary-Kathryn Rogers, Eamon Wizner, Melissa Nenninger nwcath.org. and Ryan DelMonaco.

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School vacation week programs planned at Dinosaur State Park

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill will sponsor a series of programs for families during December’s school vacation week.

Although it may be cold outside, the park is bringing “The Wild Inside” in a series of special programs being offered this school vacation week.

They include: Daily from Wednesday, Dec. 26 to Sunday, Dec. 30, Naturalist programs at 11, 11:30 and 2:30 p.m. Park staff will present a “Track Talk” or an Animal Demonstration; Crafts 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors will be able to make a craft to take home. Films — 10 a.m.

10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. (film schedule will be adjusted on the 27th to accommodate our special live animal program).

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by Riverside Reptiles. This show will feature a number of live lizards. Space is limited to 100 visitors. Tickets will be available on a first-come, firstserve basis at 9:00 a.m. on the day of the show. This 45-minute show is recommended for ages 5 and older.

This special program is made possible through the sponsorship of the Friends of Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum (FDPA).

Dinosaur State Park is offering a series of special programs during school vacation week this December.

The park, which is open all year, has over 500 early Jurassic dinosaur footprints on display along with a series of related exhibits, a 100-seat theater, a Discovery room, a bookstore that features many unique titles, toys and jewelry and 2-1/2 miles of hiking trails. The park is located 1 mile east of I-91, off Exit 23. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The outdoor trails and the bookshop close at 4 p.m.

P&W sells turbine unit to Mitsubishi

EAST HARTFORD (AP) — Pratt & Whitney is selling its turbine business in order to better focus more on its core aerospace and commercial businesses.

Terms of the sale of the Power Systems segment to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries were not disclosed Wednesday, but the deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2013.

Pratt & Whitney, subsidiary of United Technologies Corp., applied its airplane engine technology to industrial gas turbines, which use heat from geothermal or other heat sources to vaporize a fluid with a lower boiling point. The vapor creates pressure to power a turbine that generates electricity.

United Technologies has been selling non-aerospace businesses to finance its $18.4 billion purchase of aerospace parts maker Goodrich Corp.

The Hartford conglomerate has sold its wind power company and is selling industrial companies that are part of its aerospace components manufacturer Hamilton.

Dinosaur tracks preserved in mud at Dinosaur State Park, 400 West St., Rocky Hill. The park will be holding a variety of exhibits and events throughout December.

The museum is closed Mondays and the park will be closed for Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year’s Day. There is a $6 admission fee for ages 13 and up, $2 for youth 6-12 and children 5 and under are free. For more information, contact Meg Enkler at (860) 529-5816.

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Colleagues remember sportscaster, Rocky Hill native, Arnold Dean ASSOCIATED PRESS

University of Connecticut men’s Longtime sportscaster Arnold basketball coach, said in a statement.

Dean, who created one of the “He was extremely easy to talk to nation’s first sports call-in shows and listened to what you had to at a Hartford radio station, died say. He was just an incredible guy.”

Saturday morning.

Geno Auriemma, women’s basketHe was 82.

Dean, who was born Arnold D’Angelo, died at his home in Rocky Hill, a Brooklawn Funeral Home employee said.

His death came a day after having his pacemaker replaced, his family told the Hartford Courant. a career Ad Size:During 3.875” x 6”that spanned more than 60 years, Dean interENTERTAINMENT Section: viewed such legends as Jackie GENO AURIEMMA Robinson, Joe DiMaggio and UConn women’s basketball coach Ted Williams. He talked to them on his “SportsTalk” show at ball coach at Connecticut, said in a Arnold Dean, legendary Connecticut sportscaster, credited with creating one of WTIC-AM in Harford. The show, statement that Dean reminded him the first sports call-in shows in the country, died last week at the age of 82. started in 1976, was one of the earli- of an earlier time when gentlemen est all-sports call-in shows. reporters were the norm.

Guests on the show said Dean “I had great respect for the work always made them feel comfortable. he did and more importantly for “When Arnold Dean asked for the person that he was. He was an interview, I actually looked for- and always will be the Dean of ward to it,” Jim Calhoun, former Connecticut sports,” Auriemma said.

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Dean interviewed more that coaches and players. He was fan of big band music and interviewed Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington. He also interviewed former White House press secretary Pierre Salinger shortly after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963.

Dean joined WTIC in 1965 and started “SportsTalk” 11 years later. WTIC General Manager Suzanne McDonald said Dean was “a treasured member of our WTIC family, and a much-beloved member of the broadcast and sports community.” WTIC Operations Manager Steve Salhany said Dean “was a consummate professional, consummate gentleman, and an all-around good person.”

Dean started his broadcast career as a teenager in 1948 at a radio station in his hometown, Cortland, N.Y. He never really retired and was on the air as recently as two weeks ago.

His wife, Helen, died last year. He is survived by three children.

“I had great respect for the work he did and more importantly for the person that he was. He was and always will be the dean of Connecticut sports.”

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BY MATT STRAUB Staff Writer

Arnold Dean, I figured, I could do anything.

I’ve learned in the years since there’s a long way between making a call as a kid and covering sports for a living. Few people I’ve ever encountered or listened to, however, ever made it sound as easy as Dean did.

Today’s media is much more confrontational, which is both good and bad. In the end, however, we’re all doing the same thing: sitting around and talking about sports.

When I go to the New Britain game Saturday, I’m going to do my best to make you the reader feel like you were there, and that the players and coaches I quote are talking to you.

While I like to think I’m pretty good at it, I assure you it isn’t easy.

Certainly not as easy as it sounded that night in my kitchen.

I didn’t know Dean nearly as well as many in the state’s media.

I only met him a couple of times, the last at a luncheon where Howie Dickenman was the guest speaker.

I certainly didn’t know him well enough to tell him about the time I sat on the counter to call him.

I wish I had.

He’s gone now, but I have a memory which I’ll take with me forever.

I had many influences which helped me get from the counter to the desk I now sit behind in the office, but that night was one of them.

The Whalers are in North Carolina now, and I’ve lost the fight to start big sporting events at a decent hour. But I never have to wait on hold to talk sports.

My only hope is that I can make it seem as easy as it did then.

I was a kid, probably not more than 12 years old, maybe younger.

The exact details have faded from my memory over time. What I do remember is sitting on a countertop next to our old phone, which was in the wall in the kitchen.

My dad had plopped me down and I sat there waiting as he dialed the number. While I waited, I listened to the little portable radio next to me on the counter.

A few minutes later, I was on the phone with Arnold Dean talking about sports.

Usually they didn’t let kids on shows like “Sportstalk,” but I guess my question was well-rehearsed and good enough that they made an exception.

Maybe I sounded cute or maybe older than I was, or perhaps there weren’t a lot of callers that night. This was, after all, during an era when you didn’t have to dial 100 times to get through to a talk show or wait 45 minutes to ask a question.

I don’t remember what I asked, though there’s a good chance it had something to do with the Hartford Whalers. I seem to recall it having something to do with why games are on so late.

I’ve always stayed up a little later than I should, but when I was young it was harder to make it all the way to the end of the game. In particular I remember trying to make it through Game 7 of the 1990 playoffs against the Boston Bruins. There might have been a second-period nap on the floor, but I’ll never admit to it.

When the call was over, we flipped the radio back on. It was the first time I’d ever heard myself mentioned on the radio, and one of the experiences at an early age which hooked me on Matt Straub can be reached at (860)225-4601 ext. 273 or journalism.

If I was good enough to talk to mstraub@newbritainherald.com

He’s gone now, but I have a memory which I’ll take with me forever.

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14 | Friday, Dec 14, 2012

WETHERSFIELD POST

Rainbow Center encourages reading with 1st literacy night

By ERICA SCHMITT Staff Writer

Literacy advocates, children learning to read and their parents gathered this Wednesday evening to celebrate the joy of reading and the opening of a new library in town.

Literacy Night took place at the Rainbow Center for Children and Families, a place where children three months old to kindergartenage are served in therapeutic nursery and full-day kindergarten programs.

This was the first annual evening of literacy at the center, which opened up in town 12 years ago.

“We have been designing new

activities and events involving stamped, after which they received our families in our children’s daily a complimentary book as a reward.

At the same time the center unlives,” explained Dr. Ozlem Camli, Rainbow Center owner and direc- veiled a new addition to their faciltor. “We wanted to open it also to ity, located right outside the main the community so that families not entrance.

Center staff hope the “little free necessarily enrolled can benefit library” becomes a community fixfrom it,” she added.

The evening featured a variety ture.

The self-serve philosophy is: of activities in the facility’s four preschool and kindergarten class- “bring a book; take a book.”

“It not only promotes literacy, rooms.

Kids and their families fished but makes it easier for our families letters from a makeshift pond to to get books on their way home form words, made literacy-oriented without making the trip to the floor puzzles and also read rhyming town library, which they might ksm rhyming Mon -bingo.

10/29/2012 346301.3110 not- 12:45:46 have timePM for,” Dr. Camli exbooks and played As they completed each activ- plained.

Small huts created by a group of ity the children had their cards

volunteers out of California, these libraries can be found throughout the country and in places around the world. They are built from completely recyclable materials and can withstand any weather.

“It’s like an honors system,” Camli added. “Hopefully people use it the right way so everybody can enjoy it.” The Rainbow Center for Children and Families was founded by Dr. Camli and a group of independent child practitioners, who have their own offices in the building right next door. Families can walk between both facilities, depending on what services or programs they are seeking.

“We know our families and our kids well,” Dr. Camli said Tuesday.

“We work on establishing a relationship and becoming extended parts of their families and helping them throughout their lives.”

The Rainbow Center for Children and Families is located at 80 Garden St., Wethersfield. (860)529-5229.

For more information, visit RainbowCenterforChildrenandFamilies.com.

Erica Schmitt can be reached at (860) 225-4601, ext. 210, or eschmitt@newbritainherald.com.

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Friday, Dec 14, 2012 | 15

WETHERSFIELD POST

No holiday for crime: rates rise around Christmas

Local authorities seeing increase in robberies, other crimes tion was robbed where the suspect followed the clerk into a store and pulled out a knife.

“Fortunately, what I haven’t seen is a pick-up in purse snatchings that usually happen this time of year,” said Bristol Lt. Donn

By LISA BACKUS STAFF WRITER

“Most of it happens this time of year while shopping. There are more people out and more people carrying money.”

in recent weeks. “We made some arrests and that may have helped,” he said. “We also have been highly visible with our traffic enforcement. People tend to think twice when they see a lot of blue lights out there on a regular basis.”

Lisa Backus can be reached at (860) 225-4601, ext. 306, or lbackus@newbritainherald.com.

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Robberies usually increase around the holidays, admits Southington Sgt. Jeffrey Dobratz, but last week the seasonal thievery may have reached a new high for SPD with three heists in less than 24 hours.

“I can remember when we’ve had two in one day, but I don’t ever remember three in one day,” Dobratz said Friday. “It definitely wasn’t like this last year.”

Bristol also has been hard DONN WATSON hit with a gas station robbery Bristol police lieutenant early Saturday morning coming a few days after an attempted Watson. “We normally have more robbery of a Subway shop and the purse snatchings this time of year holdup of a restaurant. than any other.”

On the plus side, Bristol police The purse snatching thefts can report that usual holiday uptick in range from perpetrators grabbing purse snatching has not material- a woman’s purse while she’s wearized. ing it to taking her pocketbook or Area police say the number of wallet while it’s sitting in a grorobberies tends to ebb and flow, cery carriage. “People will leave it but holiday time is usually one of there and turn their back to look the peaks. at an item,” “There is definitely a time of Watson said. “Most of it hapthe year when we have more rob- pens this time of year while beries than others,” he said. “But shopping. There are more people we’ve been lucky this year so far,” out and more people carrying said New Britain Capt. Thomas money.”

Steck, head of the department’s Bristol police are also investiCriminal Investigation Division. gating a robbery at the United While New Britain police have Bank on Farmington Avenue Nov. only seen one robbery in the past 30 and an attempted robbery at a week where a man showed a knife Subway restaurant on Farmington to get narcotics at the CVS on Avenue Wednesday night that West Main Street, Bristol police was foiled when employees ran are seeing an upsurge but they say to the back of the store when the it’s not above average — yet. On suspect demanded cash.

Saturday, a Middle Street gas staBristol police also arrested

two men accused of robbing a Pine Street restaurant at gunpoint Wednesday night after a witness took down their license plate number as they were fleeing the scene.

Watson said they’ve investigated eight robberies since Nov. 15 which is about average.

“It’s not over yet,” he said.

“We probably have a little ways to go.”

Southington police have charged a local man with one of the three robberies that occurred Dec. 3 and early the next day.

Brandon Dlugos, 24, of Southington, was taken into custody Wednesday morning at a local business on Waterbury Meriden Turnpike to face charges in a robbery at the TD Bank on the same road Monday around 5 p.m.

Southington also had to deal with a robbery at the Farmington Bank branch that occurred around 11:55 a.m. Monday and a robbery at the 7-Eleven at 777 Queen St.

around 1:20 a.m. Tuesday where a man entered the store and handed a clerk a note demanding cash.

Dobratz also said Southington police made an arrest in a West Street convenience store robbery that happened Nov. 23.

Steck said New Britain police did have a spurt of robberies throughout the fall but the number has dropped off considerably

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16 | Friday, Dec 14, 2012

WETHERSFIELD POST

Judge grants injunction against HealthBridge

ASSOCIATED PRESS

A federal judge on Tuesday granted an injunction that will temporarily halt an employer’s implementation of a new contract at five nursing homes in Connecticut, where about 600 workers have been out on strike since July.

The workers walked out on July 3 to protest what they said were labor concessions imposed by the company that owns the nursing homes, Parsippany, N.J.-based HealthBridge/ Care One. The union that represents workers at the nursing homes in Milford, Westport, Stamford, Danbury and Newington declared victory.

“This ruling is a decisive victory for workers and a sign that HealthBridge cannot get away with its unfair and illegal treatment of its employees” said David Pickus, president of the New England Health Care Employees Union, District 1199, SEIU. “The question remains not whether HealthBridge is violating the law,

but how many more times does HealthBridge have to be found guilty of illegal activity until the company decides to work with its employees to settle a fair contract? Until they do, the health and well-being of workers and their patients hangs in the balance.” “The judge’s decision to grant an injunction validates everything my coworkers and I have said about the horrible way HealthBridge has treated us,” said Tanya Beckford, a CNA at Newington Health Care Center. “All we want is to be able to care for our patients and at the same time support our own families, and with this ruling we are one step closer to getting back to work, where we belong.” A spokeswoman for HealthBridge, Lisa Crutchfield, said it will review the decision and weigh its options.

“We believe the decision to grant injunctive relief unnecessarily short circuits the established venue — the ongoing NLRB trial — in which this issue should be resolved, and we

continue to be confident that we will ultimately prevail in this matter,” she said.

The NLRB, which has accused the company of refusing to bargain in good faith with the union, filed the injunction asking for the striking workers to be allowed to return to work and that the company provide for back pay and bargaining, among other provisions. John Cotter, the officer in charge of the NLRB in Connecticut, said the board sought the injunction in part because its own processes were too cumbersome to achieve a remedy.

HealthBridge has said it was negotiating in good faith with the union “when it chose to abandon negotiations, jobs and our residents.”

The workers won some high-profile support. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, a Democrat, joined the picket line in July at Newington Health Care Center and accused the company of taking “unfair actions” against Members of New England Healthcare Employees Union, District 1199 SEIU employees. striking outside of the Newington Health Care Center.

UConn journal: Job growth may lag until second half of 2013, or later

By KEITH M. PHANEUF CONNECTICUTMIRROR

Connecticut was able to slow its loss of jobs — if not reverse the trend — in the third quarter of 2012, and might have to wait until the second half of 2013 to see significant growth, the University of Connecticut’s quarterly economic journal reported Wednesday.

But the winter issue of The Connecticut Economy also warned that even this dour forecast might be scrapped for something worse — including as many as 20,000 job losses — if the Nutmeg State tumbles, along with the rest of the nation, over the fiscal cliff Jan. 1.

“The U.S. economy has toiled mightily to recover from its worst recession in two generations,” wrote

economist Steven P. Lanza, who added that the gross domestic product — the value of all goods and services produced — has averaged just 2.2 percent annual growth over the past three years. “Connecticut hasn’t done half bad, considering.”

The state has gained 30,000 jobs since the recession ended just over three years ago, but the employment outlook has been poor for more than a year, and particularly in the second and third quarters of 2012.

Connecticut lost 1,700 jobs between July and September “following a 4,000 job swoon” between April and June, the journal notes.

Citing a survey of four dozen economists polled by the Wall Street Journal, the national economy is expected to grow at 2 percent

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for most of next year. “The problem is that with momentum building so slowly, Connecticut’s economy will struggle to post more than nominal job gains” the next year, wrote Lanza, who projected that about 7,500 positions would be added.

Employment remains high in Connecticut.

Connecticut’s unemployment rate rose marginally in October, climbing to 9 percent. The November numbers are expected next week.

But the last report also showed a stabilizing of the jobless rate, which has hovered at or around 9 percent for much of the fall after a volatile summer. The rate rose from 8.1 percent to 9 percent between June and August before dropping to 8.9

percent in September.

Besides high unemployment, other problems Lanza cited include flat wage growth and an unresolved European debt crisis that is slowing economic growth globally.

If any of those factors proves to be more damaging than expected, Connecticut could add as few as 4,000 new jobs next year, or even see more losses.

But Lanza quickly added “that dour outlook assumes we avoid the dreaded ‘fiscal cliff,’” referring to the series of federal tax increases and budget cuts mandated by law if Congress and President Obama fail to compromise on deficit-reduction measures by Dec. 31.

“The consequences for Connecticut employment would be

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And the estimate of 20,000 jobs lost doesn’t include further reductions that would result if federal deficit-reducing measures include dramatic cuts in the military budget, which would slam hard into Connecticut’s defense industry.

“Political analysts are cautiously optimistic that, in the wake of the president’s re-election and modest legislative gains for the Democratic Party, recalcitrant Republicans will negotiate an agreement to avert disaster,” Lanza wrote.

In that event, he added, the state could begin adding as many as 1,000 jobs as soon as the next quarter, and could set a pace to grow up to 10,000 new jobs by the end of 2013.

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Friday, Dec 14, 2012 | 17

WETHERSFIELD POST

DEEP facing budget cuts both federally and in state

By JAN ELLEN SPIEGEL CONNECTICUTMIRROR

Facing potentially dramatic budget cuts on two fronts, Connecticut’s commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection says the agency will need to remake its business model to continue to do its job.

In a particularly sobering presentation to an annual gathering of environmental advocates, Daniel Esty made it clear that the pain from a series of expected state budget cuts would be exacerbated by anticipated federal ones — money that the department has relied heavily on for many years.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s budget rescissions last month have already stripped nearly $1.5 million from DEEP’s budget and more are all-but guaranteed in the coming weeks and next year.

“As tough as our budget situation is in the state circumstances,” Esty said. “I believe it’s facing an even more severe crunch in Washington.”

DEEP fed chart Nearly a third of DEEP’s operating budget comes from the federal government and between the potential for falling off the “fiscal cliff ” and inevitable budget cuts — a bleak budget outlook could start to look even bleaker in the coming months.

“I think we are going to have to re-prioritize and explore what is the core of the mission of environmental protection in the state,” Esty said.

“It’s going to require a broader transformation of how we do business broadly not just in state government but in particular how we do business in our department and it’s going to mean we have to think creatively and try to be quite transformative in how we do regulation, in how we finance our efforts including our land conservation efforts and how we engage with partners.” In fiscal year 2012, 27 percent, or $51 million, of DEEP’s $187 million budget came from the federal government.

That money included funding for 194 positions (down from about 265 a decade ago), which is about 17 percent of the department’s staffing.

“In preparation for this we’ve delayed some refills,” Dennis Thibodeau, DEEP’s chief of fiscal administrative services, said of vacant staff positions. “We have a lot of uncertainty in front of us and there are not a lot of other resources

available.” The $51 million presently comes through more than 140 federal grants (the total value of them is about $312 million with many running over several years) in nine different agencies. The biggest single chunk — about 47 percent of the federal funding — comes from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Second is from the Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service, providing 28 percent.

The biggest single grant, $10 million a year, is the EPA’s Performance Partnership Grant. It’s generally used for programs that support requirements under the federal Clean Air and Clean Water Acts.

The Department of Interior money largely goes to conservation programs. If sequestration occurs in the absence of an agreement to avert a fiscal cliff scenario, much of that money will be withheld for a year.

Other than that, the department is bracing for the 8.2 percent acrossthe-board cuts for eligible grant programs as part of sequestration.

Think of it, said Dan Moylan, DEEP’s grant and contract manager, “for every $1 million we receive, $82,000 would be cut.” But he said there were no specifics to work with yet and stopped short of predicting there would be layoffs. “The bottom line to us is an 8.2 percent cut,” he said. “Looking at programs that fund our staff — it’s a dramatic cut.” Esty last week indicated that conservation could be one of the hardest hit areas. “We are not going to be able to continue to do what we’ve been doing. The resources will not be there,” he said. “So we are going to need to think hard about how we remake the business model of our state parks and forests and wildlife areas.” He suggested ideas like an EZ Pass -style system to get into parks as a means to cut staff costs along with greater Internet management of them.

Another major cut is likely to involve what is known as passthrough funding — money that DEEP funnels to cities, towns and regional planning agencies for a host of uses from flood mitigation planning to recreational trails.

This story originally appeared at CTMirror.org, the website of The Connecticut Mirror, an independent nonprofit news organization covering government, politics and public policy in the state.

health notes: Flu Vaccine

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How quickly after getting the vaccine am I protected?

Generally speaking, it takes about two weeks following vaccination for your body to develop protective antibodies.

When do I get my flu vaccine?

The “Influenza Season” is not found on yearly calendars simply because the beginning and end of the flu season varies somewhat from year to year.

Historically, flu vaccines have become available between August and October, and you should get vaccinated as soon as the vaccine becomes available.

Remember, it takes a two or three weeks before you have protective antibodies. To learn more about availability of the flu vaccine in your area, speak to your primary healthcare provider as soon as possible.

Is the flu vaccine a guarantee I will not get the flu?

The flu vaccine is not a guarantee against getting the flu. However, by getting vaccinated, you reduce the chances that you will get the flu and increase the chances that it will be a milder illness if you do get it. And, the more people who are vaccinated, the less likely that we will have a flu epidemic affecting large numbers of people.

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18 | Friday, Dec 14, 2012

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Friday, Dec 14, 2012 | 19

WETHERSFIELD POST

Conn. kids who ‘age out’ of foster care face uncertain fate

By JACQUELINE RABE THOMAS CONNECTICUTMIRROR

Vincent Espino was removed from his home by the state’s child welfare agency almost five years ago. He has bounced around to four different foster homes and a group home since then. He has never paid rent or a bill himself.

He has to ask his social worker when he needs money for things like a yearbook or for a class field trip.

And unless this teen from Waterbury — and dozens of other foster children like him — go to college or another educational training program when they turn 18 or leave high school, they may be on their own.

Espino Vincent Espino, a foster child and a senior in high school: ‘It’s a count down, a ticking time bomb.’ “It’s frightening to think that the little support you do have may be going away. It’s a count down, a ticking time bomb,” Espino said. He was taking a break at a daylong event at the state Capitol explaining what happens when foster children turn 18.

Department of Children and Families Commissioner Joette Katz is hoping to change the reality that many foster children face as they reach the age of legal adulthood.

Katz is moving ahead with plans to apply for federal reimbursements that will pick up some additional costs of running her agency that has 4,300 children in her custody on any given day.

But the money comes with significant strings attached. The agency must keep children in its care until they turn 21 if they are working 80 hours a month, in college or another education program, or are disabled.

“Connecticut does not serve all youth who are eligible to remain in foster care under [the law],” reads a handout from Voices for Children given to those who attended their event at the Capitol. “Connecticut has an opportunity to join a national movement and expand foster its foster care to youth until their 21st birthdays.” Katz was noncommittal to whether she plans to ensure services are provided to all these young people, but did say that a wavier request on how the state is currently reimbursed for federal funding “will be done by 2014.” Life after 18 years old Last

year, 526 foster children turned 18.

Some of these formerly abused and/or neglected children went on to college or another educational program and continue receiving help from DCF for tuition and housing.

But many did not.

In fact, 337 foster children “aged out” of DCF care last year with no permanent placement either because they turned 18 or dropped out or graduated from an educational program at an older age.

“That’s shameful. We are going to do something about it,” Katz said.

About 15 percent of children who leave DCF care each year do so because they “age out” of the system, one of the highest rates in the country, according to Fostering Connections, a non-partisan think tank on child-welfare agencies.

This distinction has followed the state for years.

Several of the foster children who attended Thursday’s event at the Capitol, co-sponsored by the Center for Children’s Advocacy, said some of their friends were the ones who “aged out.” “I won’t be making that mistake,” said Melquon Bridger, a 17-year old foster child living in Bridgeport who has already gotten into the Julliard School for dance and arts.

While DCF’s policies require children to be in school full-time — and the agency’s implementation of that rule last year stirred unrest among child advocates — officials Thursday insist many more children than those just enrolled in full-time programs are getting help.

“We don’t kicks kids out at 18,” Katz said, noting that exceptions are routinely awarded.

DCF officials report that about 500 foster children over 18 currently receive help with college or other education expenses, including many who attend part time.

“DCF is increasingly flexible as long as they’re in school” or some type of educational program, said Sarah Eagan, a lawyer the with Center for Children’s Advocacy.

But, she said, “They’re not all making it to 21.” A national study by the University of Chicago on the outcomes of children leaving foster care is sobering. There are high rates of homelessness, young parenthood or incarceration. Researchers followed foster

children in Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois in the years after they turned 18. Only 2 percent would have a college degree by the time they reached 21 years of age.

DCF recognizes that many of their children will not make it in college or another educational program the first time, and recently instituted a re-entry policy that allows former foster children to come back into care and go back to school.

“If the child is saying ‘I want you. I need your help.’ We are their parent and parents don’t say, ‘We’re done, no,’” said Ken Mysogland, DCF’s director of foster and adoption services.

But the child does have to agree to fulfill certain conditions — laid out in a transition plan — that includes things like going to school or receiving mental health services or career training.

But Eagan said the re-entry program is little used.

“It’s great it’s there, but it’s hard to navigate so you know how to get help,” she said.

Young people who want to apply for re-entry must call the agency’s 24-hour hotline, fill out and submit an application that is sent to them, then wait to hear back.

Just last week a Hartford teen who recently “aged out” of care walked into Eagan’s office hoping her office would have better luck getting her back into DCF. Katz, Joette DCF Commissioner Joette Katz: ‘That’s shameful. We are going to do something about it.’ “We’re going to help her,” said Eagan, who is taking on the case at no charge.

Foster children get free lawyers to help them get services and advocate for their best interests, but those advocates are no longer guaranteed when they turn 18.

For years, DCF offered children a one-year grace period after they turned 18 — known as the “gap year” — to figure out their plans and get situated in the real world.

“That needs to come back,” Dezerea Pepin, told the commissioner during the forum Thursday.

Pepin, a 17-year old from Norwich, is joining the National Guard when she graduates high school.

Katz said she is considering that possibility.

Katz, who in 2011 took over the troubled state agency that has been overseen by a federal judge

CONNECTICUTMIRROR

Vincent Espino, a high school senior, thinks of losing his DCF support as “a ticking time bomb.”

for decades, said the agency now has several lifeskills and other programs available to help better prepare older children leaving care.

The agency also is gearing up to launch “Permanency and Child and Family Teams” which will facilitate meetings between parents, family members, professionals and interested community members to team up and figure out what is best for the child approaching 18 years old.

The agency also plans on having staff dedicated to maintaining relationships so children don’t leave care with no one. That team is set to begin meeting with older youth this spring.

New federal pot of money?

Katz’s promise to apply for a waiver by 2014 could play a small role in helping the state close its projected $1.2 billion deficit for the upcoming fiscal year that ends June 30, 2014. Her proposal is estimated to bring in $17 million in additional federal funding and stop the agency from losing millions more in federal reimbursements.

Over the last five years, DCF has reduced the number of children in state custody by 20 percent.

This has won approval from child advocates, who prefer keeping families intact whenever possible and providing the necessary services for them in the community.

But it’s meant a major decline in federal funding — an $18 million reduction between fiscal 2011 and 2012 alone — since the state is only reimbursed for children in

its custody.

It is unclear how much expanding services to more foster children after they turn 18 will cost. State officials from California and Pennsylvania’s child welfare agency’s told audience members in Connecticut last week that doing so was cost neutral, since it opened the door for them to be reimbursed for so many other things.

Earlier this year, an official from the U.S. Administration for Children and Families urged Katz to apply immediately.

Katz said during an interview this week she has every intention of applying, but wouldn’t say if it meant expanding care to more children that “age out.” The land a waiver, the department has a handful of choices of what reforms to pursue.

In a proposal made to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s budget office in September, she recommended the state seek federal reimbursements for children over 18, for placing more children with relatives and more support for social workers.

The state spends at least $7 million for college expenses alone for those in college and other education programs.

“We will recover the money for the kids in that pipeline,” she said.

This story originally appeared at CTMirror.org, the website of The Connecticut Mirror, an independent nonprofit news organization covering government, politics and public policy in the state.

20 | Friday, Dec 14, 2012

WETHERSFIELD POST

As state’s transit funds grow shorter, the call for toll roads grows louder

By NEENA SATIJA CONNECTICUTMIRROR

Transportation advocates and officials across Connecticut gathered in the state capitol Monday to face a sobering fact: In an age of soaring deficits on both the state and national levels, the funds available for transit improvements are shrinking fast.

Funding on the federal level remains uncertain not only because of the slow negotiations to avoid the so-called “fiscal cliff,” but also because a highway trust fund is nearly broke. Meanwhile, Connecticut’s own deficit seems to rise daily — it is now estimated at around $400 million for this fiscal year — prompting budget cuts to a variety of different state agencies.

“In two years, our federal [funding situation] could be a disaster,” said Jim Redeker, commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Transportation. “There’s a real sense that we have to look very quickly at what the options are.” Like many other states, Connecticut is left with major transportation projects that have little or no source of funding at the moment — including a badly needed overhaul of the Aetna Viaduct, a threequarter-mile elevated stretch of Interstate 84 over Hartford, and the modernization of Metro-North’s New Haven rail line, which carries upwards of 38 million passengers between Connecticut and Manhattan each year.

“These are multi-billion-dollar projects ... and the state does not have the funds to do them,”said Emil Frankel, a former commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Transportation who is now with the Bipartisan Policy Center. “We have to look at other revenue sources.” Those sources must include tolls, he said, and was echoed by many others at the forum — touching what had long been considered a “third rail” in Connecticut politics. Since a fiery crash at a toll barricade in 1983 killed seven

people, Connecticut has eliminated all of its tolls and relies mostly on gasoline taxes and federal funding for transportation.

“We, as citizens, have to take on more responsibility for funding,” said Oz Griebel of the MetroHartford Alliance, who ran for Governor as a Republican in 2010 and suggested highway tolls for the state at the time. He speculated that Gov. Dannel Malloy, who was criticized by many for embracing the controversial $570 million Hartford-to-New-Britain busway dubbed CT Fastrak, might now be willing to touch the third rail.

Redeker said the state has been studying the possibility of adding fees for highway drivers based on time of day, type of vehicle, and lanes. “Tolls need to be looked at, like everything else,” he said. The Los Angeles-area, that for years boasted of its toll-free highwatys, recently began charging tolls on an 11-mile stretch of its 110 Freeway.

Still, tolls — or higher gasoline taxes, which have also been floated as a possibility on the national level — wouldn’t solve the problem. A large chunk of gas tax money that was technically meant for transportation in the state has for many years gone to other uses. Last year, Malloy put $40 million back into what’s called the “Special Transportation Fund,” but this fiscal year he took out $70 million. He offset the difference partly by fare increases on Metro-North that will take place on January 1, 2013.

If tolls were added, said many at the forum, they would have to be dedicated only to the Special Transportation Fund.

As Frankel put it, “People who use the system should pay for the system, and they should know that the money is being reinvested in the transportation system.”

Kim Fawcett, who represents Fairfield and Westport in the Connecticut General Assembly, said she’s been fighting for years

to get her constituents to warm to the idea of tolls on I-95 or other highways in the state.

“How do I sell it?” she asked panelists at the forum on Monday. “We need a grand vision.” Perhaps, she suggested after the forum, she could “sell” her voters on tolls if they came with this promise: “You’re going to get a commute of 30 minutes to New York City instead of the hour and 15 minutes that it currently takes on the train.” At the moment, though, the state doesn’t have any long-term plan that would allow her to promote such a vision. And there’s no guarantee that Connecticut won’t continue to raid its Special Transportation Fund, making the situation even worse.

In his opening remarks at the “Transit for Connecticut Forum,” Malloy referred to that issue, saying pointedly, “Putting our fiscal house in order after 20 years of ignoring it is a very important issue... these days will be behind us.” He also pointed out that Connecticut does have a few major transportation projects already underway, including CT Fastrak and the new high-speed rail line that runs from New Haven through Hartford up to Springfield. (Those projects are financed largely through one-time federal grants).

Redeker said the Special Transportation Fund should not be affected by changes to the state’s General Fund — but in reality, there are no guarantees.

“At this point I’m really not aware of what the proposals are or what the debates are going to be, but it’s a tough problem,” he said. “And we’ll work together on it.”

Redeker’s agency budget totals about $1.2 billion, including both capital and operating expenses.

This story originally appeared at CTMirror.org, the website of The Connecticut Mirror, an independent nonprofit news organization covering government, politics and public policy in the state.

Malloy defends plan to collect more taxes from businesses

By KEITH M. PHANEUF CONNECTICUTMIRROr

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy defended his plan Monday to seek an extra $22 million in revenue from businesses and power plants to help close the current budget deficit, arguing this doesn’t break his pledge not to raise taxes.

“We never said that we wouldn’t look at revenue,” Malloy told Capitol reporters following the State Bond Commission meeting in the Legislative Office Building.

Malloy unveiled an outline Friday of his proposal to the General Assembly to wipe $243 million in red ink off the state’s books this year.

Though details were limited, the “road map” — as referred to by the administration — called for $220 million in spending cuts and $22.6 million in new revenue.

Two proposals to raise more revenue focus on taxes, specifically: Scaling back the total value of credits businesses can use to reduce their corporation tax liability.

Closing what the administration calls a “loophole” in the new tax on electricity generation.

And though neither proposal technically changes a tax rate, both would cause businesses to pay more taxes.

The administration estimates the corporation tax change would raise an estimated $12 million in the final six months of this fiscal year, which ends June 30; while the electricity generation tax proposal would bring in an extra $10 million over that period.

So are these tax hikes?

“We are looking for a time at limiting the percentage of tax avoidance” companies can claim on the corporation tax, Malloy said. “That’s not a tax increase.”

Similarly, the governor said closing an unintended loophole in the levy on power plants shouldn’t be called a tax hike either.

The governor’s budget chief, Office of Policy and Management Secretary Benjamin Barnes, said Friday that the electricity generation tax change is a fairness issue. “Some companies have restructured to avoid paying the tax,” assigning their generation and energy marketing functions to separate affilliates. “There’s no reason for that.” Malloy has insisted repeatedly over the past month that he would not seek an increase in taxes to balance the current budget.

LIBRARY EVENTS CALENDAR DECEMBER ARTIST OF THE MONTH: Wethersfield resident Joan Rapaport is Wethersfield Library’s December artist of the month. Rapaport was a staff artist for an international daily newspaper for more than 10 years.

She has won several design awards and previously owned a design studio producing logo designs, promotional brochures and signage. She holds degrees in Graphic Design, Package Design and Fashion Design. Rapaport’s exhibit of pen and ink and pencil

sketches and watercolor paintings are on display during the library’s regular hours. For information and directions to the Library, visit www.wethersfieldlibrary.org or call (860) 257-2821.

WETHERSFIELD LIBRARY’S MITTEN TREE RETURNS: The Wethersfield Library will have its annual holiday Mitten Tree through Jan. 2. The library puts up a tree each year and members of the community decorate it with mittens, socks, mufflers, hats

and other cold weather clothing items.

The Wethersfield Social and Youth Services Department distributes the donated items to individuals and families in town. This neighbor-toneighbor project benefits residents of any age and residents of any age can contribute.

TIME TO TALK AT WETHERSFIELD LIBRARY: Wethersfield Library’s “Time to Talk,” a free conversation group for new English language speakers will

meet Tuesday, Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. Adult English language learners are invited to come develop conversation and speaking skills in a warm, friendly environment. “Time to Talk” will resume meetings Tuesday, Jan. 22. Carol Schulman, a retired ESL Wethersfield teacher leads the discussion group.

This program is free and open to the public. Registration is not required. For more information call the library at (860) 257-2811, or visit the library.

WETHERSFIELD LIBRARY HOLIDAY CLOSINGS: The Wethersfield Library will be closed Monday, Dec. 24 and Tuesday, Dec. 25 for the Christmas holiday. The library will re-open and resume regular hours on Wednesday, Dec. 26. The Wethersfield Library will close Monday, Dec. 31 at 5 p.m., and will remain closed on New Year’s Day, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013. The library will re-open and resume regular hours

See LIBRARY, Page 21

Friday, Dec 14, 2012 | 21

WETHERSFIELD POST

LIBRARY EVENTS CALENDAR Continued from Page 20 Wednesday, Jan. 2. The library’s regular hours are 10 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays.

Wii games with friends and family.

Registration is not required. For more information, visit the library or www. wethersfieldlibrary.org/kids.htm or call the children’s department at (860) 257-2801.

DECEMBER SCHOOL VACATION WEEK WEDNESDAY PROGRAMS: Wethersfield Library Children’s Services is offering a variety of programs for all ages during December school vacation week: Dec. 26 through Dec. 29.

Join us Wednesday, Dec. 26, at 10:30 a.m. for Family Magic show starring “Mr. Magic.” “Mr. Magic” will entertain families with his popular interactive magic show. Registration is required.

This program is recommended for children ages 3 and up. From 2 to 4 p.m.

“Get Crafty” for children ages 3 and up meets. Drop in to create a craft of your choice. Registration is not required.

From 2 to 4 p.m. Wii Playtime for children age 3 and up meets. Play

DECEMBER SCHOOL VACATION WEEK THURSDAY PROGRAMS: Wethersfield Library Children’s Services is offering a variety of programs for all ages during December school vacation week: Dec. 26 through Dec. 29. Join us Thursday, Dec. 27, at 10 a.m. for Build It! Families use their imaginations to create structures using LEGO, DUPLO, Magna-Tiles, wooden blocks and more! Registration is not required. At 6:30 p.m.: “Mad Science” for children first grade and up meets. Come for an evening of exciting experiments and hands-on activities. Registration is required. For more information, visit the library or www.wethersfieldlibrary. org/kids.htm or call the children’s

department at (860) 257-2801.

DECEMBER SCHOOL VACATION WEEK FRIDAY PROGRAMS: Wethersfield Library Children’s Services is offering a variety of programs for all ages during December school vacation week: Dec. 26 through Dec. 29. Join us Friday, Dec. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon for Sensory Stations — sensory exploration for children ages birth to 2 years. Help your child explore using their five senses.

Registration is not required. From 2 to 4 p.m. Get Crafty recommended for children ages 3 and up will meet. Drop in to create a craft of your choice. Registration is not required. From 2 to 4 p.m.: Wii Playtime recommended for children ages 3 and up also meets from 2 and 4 p.m. Play Wii games with friends and family. Registration is not required. For more information, visit the library or www.wethersfieldlibrary.org/kids.htm or call the children’s department at (860) 257-2801.

JANUARY COMPUTER CLASSES: The library is offering two computer classes Monday, Jan. 7, and two classes Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013.

“All You Need to Know About Email” meets at 2:30 p.m. Monday. Learn how to send, reply and forward e-mail.

Also learn about attachments. You do not need to own a computer to have email. “Introduction to Microsoft Word” (2010) meets at 7 p.m. Learn everything you need to create a letter.

You will be shown how to format, layout and print your document. On Wednesday, Jan. 9 “Downloadable Books” at the library will meet at 1:30 p.m. The 21st century library has much more than books! Learn about the free downloadable ebooks, audiobooks and videos now available online from the library. “Introduction to Microsoft Excel” (2010) meets at 3 p.m. Learn the basics of a spreadsheet program. You will be taught how to enter data and format cells. These

classes are conducted in a lecture format. Registration is suggested. You may register in person at the library or by calling the Adult Services Information Desk at (860) 257-2811. You may also e-mail registrations to library@ wethersfieldlibrary.org.

CHILDREN’S EVENTS — WEEKLY AND YEAR-ROUND EVERY WEDNESDAY: 10 a.m. to noon, Drop-in Playtime and 11 a.m., Short & Sweet Storytime: all ages. Drop in family fun with a story and a song.

EVERY FRIDAY: 10 a.m. to noon, Drop-in Playtime and 11 a.m., Short & Sweet Storytime: all ages. Drop-in family fun with a story and a song.

EVERY SATURDAY: 10:30 a.m. Saturday Stories: all ages. Drop-in fun with books, songs and movement for the whole family.

REMEMBER THE MOMENT Any picture appearing in your community paper can be purchased – on paper or in digital format

• Local Sports • Community Events • Milestones • Awards • News Events

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22 | Friday, Dec 14, 2012

WETHERSFIELD POST

Classifieds 860-231-2444

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ANTIQUES. Always buying, cash paid. One item or entire estate. Clocks, military, cameras, watches, toys, posters, art, jewelry, signs, musician instruments & more. 860-718-5132.

Wanted to Buy 299 ALWAYS BUYING - Vintage electronics, Ham, CB, shortwave, radios, guitars, amps, hi-fi audio, watches.

860-707-9350.

Old Tools Wanted

Always Buying old, used and antique hand tools, carpentry, machinist, engraving & workbench tools. If you have old or used tools that are no longer being used, call with confidence. Fair & friendly offers made in your home. Please call Cory

860 - 322 - 4367

Apartments for Rent 720

Apartments for Rent 720 FARMINGTON - Spacious 2 BR twnhse w/gar. Ht & new appl inc. $1075 a month. $995 1st & 2nd mo to qualified applicant. Credit background and employer verification required.

Call 860-584-7447. www.stephenrealty.com

Tires/Parts/Accessories 645 TRUCK TIRES - Wrangler Very gd cond. 265/75/16.

Set of 4. $400. Call after 11:30 am. 860-770-0138.

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NEW BRITAIN - 1920’s charm. Restored 1 BR, elev, w/w, new cabinets. $625 inc ht/hw. 860-803-1286

Apartments for Rent 720

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NEW BRITAIN. 2 BR. Newly renovated. Inc ht/hw. Near Hosp for Special Care, on busline. Bob (860) 463-0904.

NEW BRITAIN 2 apts. 1 NEW BRITAIN: Move-in furn, both w/ht/hw, appl, Special. $650-$675. Heat & elec,pkg.Sec.860-229-4293. hot water included. Call for details, 203-639-8271.

Every week, we bring buyers and sellers, employers and employees, landloards and tenants together.

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Condominiums 730 FARMINGTON - Spacious 2 BR twnhse w/gar. Ht & new appl inc. $1075 a month. $995 1st & 2nd mo to qualified applicant. Credit background and employer verification required.

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home improvemenT direcTory or here’s my cArd call 860-231-2444

HOME IMPROVEMENT DIRECTORY

AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING MULL BROS., INC. - We are a family business that’s been catering to your cooling & heating needs since 1945.

We proudly install Lennox, American Standard, Weil McLain & other quality equipment (oil, gas & electric). We also service most makes & models. We are located next to the Wethersfield Post Office (behind the penguins and polar bears) at 61 Beaver Rd. 860- 529-8255 BASEMENT WATERPROOFING JP BACHAND BASEMENT WATERPROOFING Reliable local contractor. Hatchway leaks, foundation cracks, sub-floor drainage systems, sump pumps & yard drainage. Fully insured, free estimates, written guarantee. Our 27th year registered with CT Dept of Consumer Protection (Reg #511842).

Call 860-666-9737 CERAMIC TILE LEN & JEFF SHALLER - Fix leaky showers. Regrouting in tubs.

Bath, kitchen tile installed.

37 years experience. Neat, expert workmanship. Repairs a specialty.

Call 242-5805

CLEANING SERVICES Polish/English speaking woman can clean your house with care.

3rd cleaning 50% off for new clients only. Satisfaction guaranteed. Insurance Bonded.

Call Kasia 860-538-4885 HOUSE, CONDO, OFFICE CLEANING Polish/English speaking lady with many years of experience. References upon request. Please call Ela at 860-348-0234 ELECTRICAL SERVICES NDC ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING All aspects of electrical work, additions, new homes, renovations, pools, hottubs, etc. Main service up-grades from fuses to circuit breakers. Fast, quality workmanship.

Nick 860-665-7202.

CT Lic #E1-180139 GUTTER CLEANING #1 First In Reliability - We Show Up!!! One day service. Our 10th year.

Reasonable rates. Senior discounts.

Reliable service.

Call Rob (860) 982-3300 “A West Hartford Resident” Visit our web site: robpolo.com

PLUMBING POSITANO PLUMBING, INC. 31 years of serving Bristol and the surrounding areas. Specializing in all repairs. Plumbing & heating. Water heater replacement, boiler replacement.

CT Lic #202691, 308931. For the best repair work in the area, please call: 860-584-0012, 186 West St., Bristol.

ELI THE PLUMBER All Plumbing Services Bathrooms & Kitchens Remodeled.

Toilets, sinks, hot water, garbage disposals. Will respond to all calls.

Licensed & Insured.

860-548-0331.

10% Discount with this Ad

REMODELING FULL SERVICE REMODELING Windows, bathrooms and kitchens. All interior and exterior home or business remodeling and handyman service.

You name it - I’ve done it! Excellent references and competitive rates with over 10 years experience. BBB Accredited. Call Mike 860-690-6505 or Kris 860-348-076 today for your free estimate. Fully insured and licensed. Lic #565969.

ROOFING LA RICH, LLC - Master Elite Roofing Contractor with over 500 satisfied customers. Our workmanship is warranteed for 20 years by shingle manufacturer. Best warranty in writing.

“Quality you can count on for years.”

We do roof repairs, vinyl siding, windows, seamless gutters. Honest, competitive pricing. No hidden costs.

Free estimates. Fully insured. Written warranties. Clean and courteous installers. CT Lic #565709. GAFELK ME #11852. 860-622-9800 or 860-7474427. www.larichroofing.com

TREE SERVICE TOTAL TREE SERVICE & LANDSCAPING, LLC - Fall Cleanup & Lawn Maintenenace. Commerical & Residential. 75 ft. bucket truck.

Chipper, firewood, land clearing, stump grinding, tree removal. Registration #608808. Fully insured.860-529-8389 or 860-538-0980.

Friday, Dec 14, 2012 | 23

WETHERSFIELD POST

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Bruce Graver – Licensed Tree Surgeon – Certified Arborist

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24 | Friday, Dec 14, 2012

WETHERSFIELD POST

Happy Holidays from

Newington Wine Cellar 337 Willard Ave., Newington CT (7 Eleven Plaza) • 860-666-2244

NEW EXPANDED VARIETY OF CRAFT AND MICROBREW BEERS! Prices Valid 12/13 - 12/31/12

Vodka (1.75L) Smirnoff .................................. 16.99 (After $5 Mail in Rebate) Three Olives.............................24.99 (After $5 Mail in Rebate) Absolute .......................................................... 19.99 Grey Goose ...................................................... 54.99

(750ml)

Patron Silver .................................................... 41.99 Jack Daniels ..................................................... 22.99 Absolut Regular ............................................... 19.99 Ciroc (all) ......................................................... 29.99 Captain Morgan ............................................... 19.99 Tanqueray ........................................................ 19.99

(1.75L)

Bailey Irish Cream ....................................... 37.99 Jack Daniels ................................................ 41.99 Captain Morgan ..................25.99 (After $3 Mail in Rebate) Dewars White Label.................................... 35.99 Crown Royal................................................ 39.99 Tanqueray ................................................... 29.99

Champagne

M & R Asti (750) ......................................... 12.99 M & R Asti (1.5L)......................................... 19.99 Korbel (750) ................................................ 11.99 Moet Imperial............................................. 36.99 Dom Perignon............................................. 149.99

BEER SPECIALS

Corona Extra & Light 24pk. Loose Bottle ........................23.99 Bud & Bud Light 24pk. Bottle & Cans .............................15.99 Miller High Life 18pk. Bottle .............................................8.99 Heineken 12pk. Bottle .............................. 11.99 (After $2 Mail in Rebate)

WINE (1.5L)

Yellowtail ......................................................... 10.99 Barefoot........................................................... 11.99 Woodbridge ..................................................... 12.99 Cavit................................................................. 12.99 Sutter Home .................................................... 9.99 Bogel (750ml) (Chardonnay)............................ 9.99 La-Crema Cost Sonama (Chardonnay) ............. 19.99 Kendall Jack (750ml) (Chardonnay) ................. 12.99 Chateau St. Michelle (750ml) (Chardonnay) ... 10.99

WINE (750ml)

Josh Cellars (Cab)........................................ 12.99 337 (Cab) .................................................... 11.99 Chateau St. Michele (Cab) .......................... 14.99 Hess (Cab)................................................... 13.99 K J (Merlot) ................................................. 17.99 Chateau St. Michele (Merlot) ..................... 14.99 Cupcake (all) ................................................. 9.99 14 Hands (Merlot) ........................................ 9.99

Not responsible for typographical errors. We reserve the right to limit quantities. Prices do not include State sale tax or deposit. Minimum age to purchase alcoholic beverages is 21 years.

036403