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Covering Bethany, Orange and Woodbridge

Volume XVI No. 35

$1/Issue

Thursday September 1, 2011

amityobserver.com

16 Pages

We had a busy
36 hours
By Bettina Thiel
Editor
WOODBRIDGE Unpassable roads,
loose tree limbs and dangling wires
contributed to school officials decision to delay the opening of school,
originally planned for Tuesday.
In addition, most of the schools
had not had power restored or phone
service. Thus calls to the high school
as well as Beecher Road school went
unanswered Monday afternoon.
Town highway crews were out assisting fire departments and UI crews removing fallen tree trunks
The schools in Bethany did not
long before the storm was officially over. In all three of the Amity towns, officials praised the coop- fare any better, and in Orange only
eration between police, the fire department and the highway crews. Their second priority after safety Mary L Tracy and Peck Place School
was to open the roads.
(Photo by Bettina Thiel) had power.

Irene knocked out power

Indeed, the loss of power caused
by downed wires throughout town
was the main problem that was left
after an otherwise cooled off hurricane/tropical storm.
Yet it kept emergency responders
busy for three days straight, including preparatory meetings on Friday.
The Woodbridge Fire Department
responded to 85 calls for service
from Saturday night to Monday
morning, said Fire Marshal Michael
Cavanagh.
- see Cleanup on page 16A

Fire guts Woodbridge

home during hurricane
By Bettina Thiel
Editor
WOODBRIDGE

The
Woodbridge Volunteer Fire
Department was called to
the scene of a house fire on
Soundview Drive Sunday morning.
Fire Marshal Mike Cavanagh
said the call came in around 9
a.m., in the middle of a hurricane.
An old tree had snapped and
brought down live wires, which
caused a short and eventually

ignited the roof.

The fire department had a hard
time getting to the dead-end road
because they encountered roadblocks in the form of downed
trees and wires everywhere.
Newton Road was closed,
Route 67 was closed, Peck Hill
Road was closed and lower
Amity Road was closed.
Soundview Drive is a quiet
cul-de-sac with about a dozen
houses off Forest Glen Drive.
Despite the driving rains of
the hurricane, the house was
fully engulfed by the time the

fire department made it to the

location. Bethany firemen supplied mutual aid trucks.
The elderly couple living in
the house had made it safely to
the garage. The firemen took
them to the towns emergency
shelter until interim accommodation could be arranged.
In spite of the adverse conditions, nobody was hurt in the
incident. However, the roof was
lost to the fire and the house is
considered unsafe to live in. It A fire caused by arcing wires destroyed a house on Soundview Drive during
will need to be rebuilt, Cavanagh the height of the hurricane. An elderly couple was displaced by the fire.
said.
(Photo By Bettina Thiel)

Security concerns cause

chief to request cutoff

Orange roads
are passable

By Bettina Thiel
Editor

By Bettina Thiel
Editor

BETHANY Like other towns,

Bethany emergency responders were
dealing with long hours trying to
ensure residents safety successfully, one might add, albeit at a price.
To ensure the safety of residents as
well as his crew, Bethany Fire Chief
Al Green asked CL&P to cut power to
the whole town. And they obliged.
The decision came after Bethany
fire crews had assisted in two house
fires in neighboring towns, one in
Prospect, one in Woodbridge, both of
which were caused by live wires.
In addition they had several calls
from Bethany residents complaining
about arcing wires and the smell of
smoldering materials, which finally
caused Green to ask for a total cutoff. It makes Bethany one of four
municipalities to request a cut-off, he
said. The utility had a great number
of communities, especially rural communities, showing 90-100% loss of
power.
Eventually large areas of town
would have been cut off anyway,
given the number of calls that came
in. By Sunday night they had a backlog of about 35 calls.
Three days and two nights work
were written on the Fire Chiefs face
as we caught up with him and First

ORANGE First Selectman

James Zeoli said road crews
consisting`of both town crews
and United Illuminating are
working like crazy to continue the cleanup as the result
of Tropical Storm Irene and
get everyone back on the grid.
He said UI had assigned a
truck to Orange by Monday
afternoon, and they are working together with the Public
Works crews, in addition to
extra hired help.
He said some people were
getting stressed and angry and
he gets to hear it.
Everybody wants to be first
[back on the grid], he said.
He said all the roads are
passable now, but a lot more
work is ahead.
The utility will have to string
new wire and replace a number of broken poles. Some
are completely destroyed,
Zeoli said after taking a ride
through town.
With about 3 inches of rain,
Irene did not dump as much
rain on Orange as they had
expected, yet several old trees

Bethany CERT members track calls of downed trees and wires. By

Sunday night they had a log of 38 calls, and the pegs showing locations on a map ran out.
(Photo by Bettina Thiel)
Selectman Derrylyn Gorski at the
Emergency Operations Center Sunday
evening at the firehouse.
Green said about 25 volunteer firefighters were at the fire house during
the storm as well as six or seven at the
Hinman Station. They had cots ready
for them to rest on.
CERT team members helped out
most of the day Sunday, taking calls
and locating the reported problems
on a map.

Fire calls
Green said by 4 a.m. Sunday they
had a call for wires down on Sperry
Road. The FEMA directive tells them
not to go to non-life threatening situations. But the wire was arcing by
the side of the road and a neighbor
thought the side of the house had
caught fire. On route to the call they
- see Security on page 16A

Inside
Arts & Leisure ..................... 7A
Classifieds ......................... 12A
Obituaries ........................... 8A
Opinion .............................. 4A
Police News ........................ 2A
Senior News ....................... 9A
Sports ............................... 11A
Spotlight ............................. 6A
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Page 7A

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got uprooted. On Oakwood

Road three massive old oak
trees, each over 100 feet high,
were uprooted. Highway crews
had to hire a larger chainsaw
to cut them up.
Its been very difficult,
Zeoli said.
There was some flooding of
the Wepauwaug River, a perennial problem that Zeoli would
like to get federal help for. The
answer may require`dredging
of the riverbed. He said he
brought that up with U.S. Rep.
Rosa DeLauro, hoping that
the town could get the Army
Corps of Engineers to assess
the situation. She was supportive, he said.
Assistant Police Chief Ed
Koether said police officers
were working 12-hour shifts
to be able to respond to the
calls. Luckily there were no
major medical calls and no
injuries. In at least two locations trees fell on houses and
broke through the roof so that
rain could penetrate.
Koether said the police, fire
and highway crews formed

Williams makes his

mark in fencing.
Page 11A

- see Orange on page 3A

THE AMITY OBSERVER, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 2A

Health Notes

Ed Rhodes and Al Mushin, Orange CERT members, set up a HAM radio station in the
Senior Lounge to have radio contact with the Emergency Operations Center at the
police station throughout the storm.
(Photo by Bettina Thiel)

Orange CERT Team lls its niche

By Bettina Thiel
Editor

ORANGE For the second time this year the Orange

CERT team has been called
upon to assist first responders in a big way.
As Hurricane Irene sent
her first showers and gusts
of wind, CERT team members set up an emergency
shelter at the High Plains
Community Center, where
residents and their pets could
find respite from the elements.
Its what we were trained
for, said CERT Leader Al
Mushin.Now here we are.
Their training helped them
develop great efficiency at
setting up an operation such
as this one, Mushin said.
They were set up in an hour.
He said the group had the
operation going within an
hour, setting up cots in the

gym, putting up signs, arranging for a sign-in station; and

were serving pizza. They had
had several inquiries from
residents, and ended up with
about six overnight guests.
Pets also could be accommodated, said Kathleen
Miller, one of the volunteers
at the shelter, as long as their
owners stayed as well.
The CERT group members
set up a command center
for themselves in the Senior
Lounge, which offers a TV.
They installed a HAM radio
station to establish contact with the Emergency
Operations Center over at
the police station.
CERT team members
had assisted police already
Friday night by going doorto-door in flood-prone areas,
to remind residents to evacuate. Not everyone complied. The CERT volunteers
knocked on over 50 doors

and distributed flyers.

CERT members also helped
fill sandbags at the town
Highway Garage Friday.
As part of the shelter they
offer not only bathrooms and
two showers, but some hot
meals, drinking fountains,
and a first aid station manned
by Dr Bruce Bacher.
The American Medical
Response ambulance was to
be stationed at the center
rather than at Firehouse 1, as
it usually would be.
As of Tuesday night, the
shelter remained open for
residents who dont have
power to hang out, said First
Selectman Jim Zeoli. At that
point people were not sleeping there any more. But they
could take advantage of the
facilities.
He expected the shelter to
stay open Wednesday and
possibly Thursday.

Health Notes highlights

Free exercise video
health and wellness news
program
in the area. Hospitals and
other health related agenA new online video procies may e-mail items to gram called A-B-E (Activity
scappetta@hersamacorn. Bursts Everywhere) for
com.
Fitness, designed specificalBereavement support ly to help adults meet those
recommendations for daily
Bereavement
support physical activity, is available
groups at Griffin Hospital at abeforfitness.com.
run Tuesdays, noon-1:30 and
The program offers a
2:30-4 (ongoing); eight week library of more than 50 videvening group Wednesday, eos of guided physical activ6:30-8 p.m. beginning Sept. ity routines, each of which
7-Oct. 26. To register, call may be done in 3 to 5 min203-732-1100.
utes. It offers a variety of
options based on users time,
interests, needs, and fitness
Mini-Med School
levels.
Griffin Hospital will offer
a fall session of its 10-week
OCD support group
Mini-Med School course
beginning Thursday, Sept. 15.
Yale Obsessive Compulsive
The free course, which will (OCD) Support Group meets
be conducted over 10 con- first and third Thursday of
secutive weekly sessions by the month, 3-4 p.m., CHMC,
various Griffin Hospital phy- 34 Park St., 3rd floor confersicians who serve as faculty, ence room, New Haven. Free
will meet Thursdays from support group for those diag6:30-9 p.m., in the hospi- nosed with obsessive compultals Meditation and Learning sive disorder; psychiatry.yale.
Center. The Mini-Med School edu/ocd/patients; Suzanne
will culminate with a gradu- Wasylink, 203-974-7523.
ation ceremony for participants Nov. 17.
The course is specifically Fibromyalgia support
designed for the layperson
Derby
Fibromyalgia
with little or no medical back- Support Group meets the
ground, providing a unique last Tuesday of the month,
opportunity to gain a greater 2-3:30, Griffin Hospital, 139
understanding of how the Division St., Derby; Daun
human body works, insight Barrett, 203-732-7584.
into common disorders of
the various organ systems, as
MS support group
well as information about disease prevention. To register,
Derby MS Support Group
visit griffinhealth.org or call meets from 4:30 to 5:30
203-732-1511.
p.m. on the third Wednesday
of each month at Griffin

Hospital, 130 Division St.,

in Derby. For details contact
Lisa at (203) 231-4716.

Weight-loss surgery
support

Griffin Bariatrics, a new

program of Griffin Hospital,
will host weight loss surgery support group meetings the third Thursday of
every month at 6:30 p.m.
at the Griffin Imaging &
Diagnostics Center at Ivy
Brook, 2 Ivy Brook Road,
Shelton. Advance registration
requested; griffinhealth.org;
888-657-9252.

Breast cancer support

Woman to Woman of the

Valley group meets second
and fourth Thursday of the
month, 6-7:30 p.m., Griffin
Hospital Cancer Center, 350
Seymour Ave., Derby.
Information:
Midge
Johnson, breast care coordinator at Griffin Hospital,
203-732-7566 or e-mail
mjohnson@griffinhealth.org;
or Joyce Grohe, co-facilitator, 203-888-3993.

Diabetes support

Diabetes Education &

Support Group, in conjunction with the American
Diabetes Association, meets
September-June,
second
Tuesday of month, 7 p.m.,
Griffin Hospital, Derby; open
to all patients and families;
203-732-7371.

Police News
Sexual assault

ORANGE The police

department is continuing its
surveillance of the Racebrook
Tract, where officers recently
arrested a number of local
men for indecent behavior.
Wednesday, Aug. 24,
at 2:50 p.m., an officer

working undercover at the

Racebrook Tract property
was approached by a man a
short distance from the main
trail.
The man, later identified
as Martin Robbins, 80, of
905 Clinton Ave., Bridgeport,
allegedly approached one of

the officers and grabbed him

in a sexually suggestive manner. He was then taken into
custody and charged with
fourth- degree sexual assault
and disorderly conduct.
Bond was $250 for court
Sept. 6.

THE AMITY OBSERVER, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 3A

Information on Woodbridge services

The following is information obtained
from the Woodbridge First Selectmens
Office:
Woodbridge was hard hit by Hurricane
Irene and had the highest percentage of
residents without power in the region. The
Police, Fire Department and Public Works
are working together with UI to have electricity restored as soon as possible.
The town has been in daily contact with
officials from United Illuminating concerning the restoration of power to residents and
businesses in Woodbridge. As of Tuesday,
August 30, 1,368 residents are out of electricity (45%) which is down from 2,992 on
Aug. 29, or 79%.
The UI has four tree crews and five
line crews clearing debris and restoring
power. UI anticipates that it will be 5 to 10
days before power is restored throughout
Woodbridge. UI has supplemented its crews
with crews from out-of-state.
Fallen trees need to be removed and
wires and poles fixed before power can
be restored. It is important residents keep
away from all downed power lines until UI
can respond. Information on power restoration can be found at the UI website: www.
uinet.com.
Homeowners are advised to check the
electric service to their homes. If anything appears suspicious they should call
the Police (203-387-2511) or the Fire
Department (203-389-3400).

Town services

The Transfer Station is open TuesdaySaturday 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Brush fees
have been waived for two weeks. A permit
must be obtained to bring brush to the
Transfer Station.
Contact the Facilities Office at 203-3893420.
Water is available 24 hours at The Center
building outside faucet on the side of the
building near the Town Green (where concerts are held) and at the Town Hall pump
house (small white building to the right of
Town Hall). Please bring your own containers. Bottled water is also available at
the Woodbridge Fire House.

Beecher Road School

Beecher Road School will reopen

Tuesday, Sept. 6. Please check www.woodbridge.k12.ct.us for more information.

Senior Center

Open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. come

and visit, play cards, watch TV and charge
your electronic devices.

Showers

The Jewish Community Center, 360

Amity Road is open for Woodbridge residents from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. best time is
between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Planet Fitness (160 Amity Road) also has
shower facilities available for Woodbridge
residents from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. at no
charge.

The Town Hall and The Center building

offices (the old Center School) are open for
Call Woodbridge Town Hall at 203-389business as usual.
3400 or 203-389-3401 for additional inforThe Library is open for regular hours.
mation.

Bethany roads cleared,

power in most parts out
BETHANY As of
Tuesday night, Bethany residents seemed to be digging
out from the rubble left by
tropical storm Irene.
Power was still lacking for
the most part, but all road
blockages have been cleared,
according to First Selectman
Derrylyn Gorski. She said
CL&P had one ground crew
and two line crews working in town, that is after she
had been on the phone (cell
phone) with the Governors
office.
Town Hall, the schools,
the highway department,
the fire headquarters, none
of the municipal buildings
had power or phones operating. The fire house and the
Highway Department were
operating on generators, and
they had procured a small
generator for the Community
School to operate as a comfort station, for the lack of a
better word.
It is here that residents
can get water, simple MRE

meals, and take a shower.

It was open Tuesday until
8 p.m. and will open again
Wednesday from noon to 8
p.m.
Trash pickup has been
continuing at the usual rate,
and recycling will be open
Wednesday, with one compactor running on a generator.
The schools will remain
closed until the day after
Labor Day, Tuesday, Sept. 6.
The reason for that decision had nothing to do with
the school doubling up as
emergency shelter. Rather the
schools officials of all three
Amity towns decided it was
too dangerous for children to
be walking along the roads,
especially when power will
be restored to sections at a
time.
The Amity schools system
also will be opening Sept. 6.
It is not known yet how the
districts will make up for the
lost days.
Residents can use the

high school gym bathrooms

to have a shower, however
there is no privacy curtain
or stalls.
The Jewish Community
Center and Planet Fitness
also have opened their shower facilities for residents who
dont have running water.
Gorski did see a silver lining in that state police barracks are one of the states
priorities for restoring power,
and the municipal buildings,
including the schools, are part
of that grid. As a side effect,
some 2,000 CL&P customers
and Laticrete may get their
power back as well.
Gorski is hoping for that
to happen Wednesday. But
that doesnt mean that other
neighborhoods may still be
left in the dark for a few more
days.
She warned residents to
stay away from wires, especially as the utility company
starts reconnecting areas.

Hadassah to host humorist

WOODBRIDGE The
Wepawaug-CT Valley-West
Rock Chapter of Hadassah
will meet on Tuesday, Sept.
13 at 7:30 p.m. at a private
home in Woodbridge.

Dr. Joyce Saltman, noted

educator, author, performer
and humorist will present her
entertaining and interactive
program, The Chocolate for
Breakfast Diet. All current

www.AmityObserver.com

and perspective members

of Hadassah and friends are
invited.
For directions and more
information call Paula, 203799-6924.

Orange Country Fair coming up

Hard to believe, but it is
September and the Orange
Country Fair is right around
the corner.
Scheduled for Sept. 17 and
18, fair hours are Saturday
8 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Sunday 8
a.m. - 6 p.m. Exhibits will be
removed on Sunday at 6 p.m.
Start off the day with Chips
famous Pancake Breakfast,
which will be served in the
Main Food Pavilion starting at
8 a.m., followed by Saturday
at 8:30 a.m. horse show; and at
8:30 a.m. garden tractor pull.
Official Opening ceremonies are at 10 a.m. A two-person hand saw contest will be
at 11 a.m.
Homing Pigeon will be
released several times during the weekend, at 11 a.m.
Saturday, again at 1 p.m., 3
p.m.
Oxen draw also is at 11 a.m.
Saturday at 1 p.m. is the
always popular womens skillet toss, followed by a 2 p.m.
magic & juggling show and a
3 p.m. Doodlebug contest.
3:30
p.m.
Musical
Entertainment
On Sunday, Sept. 18 start
with Chips famous pancakes

stronger and healthier plants

in the coming year.
At 3 p.m. Orchid grower
and expert Tony Ho will show
how best to repot orchids.
Bags of potting medium will
be available.
Sunday, Sept. 18, 2 p.m.
Garden Club of Orange member Dorothy Zolla will demonstrate the art of creating colorful and long-lasting corn husk
flowers.

At 3 p.m., orchid grower

and expert Tony Ho will
explain how to repot orchids
for stronger and more flowerfull plants. Potting medium
will be available.
Also, jams and jellies made
by Club members will be for
sale.
To learn more about the
Club, go to orange-ct.gov/gardenclub.html or contact Nettie
Bartocetti at 203-795-3692.

Orange

tributed to make the operation

successful. That includes the
cooperation between police,
fire and highway department,
but also the cooperation with
UI and the assistance offered
by CERT.
It really made things move
smoothly, Koether said.
He cautioned people to stay
away from electrical wires,
especially as the electricity is
being restored. Electricity may
be fed back through dangling
wires thought to be dead.`

problem mainly for the food

industry.
The transfer station is open
during regular hours, but will
be open Sunday from 8:30
a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for yard
brush only. The station will
not be accepting household
trash on Sunday.
Schools will not open until
Sept. 6, the Tuesday after
Labor Day, out of concern for
the safety of the children.
Residents can charge their
phones at the High Plains
Community Center; they can
also get water and simple
meals.
Some just come to hang out
and take a shower.
The high school has offered
its gym showers to any resident in need. However, the
showers have no privacy curtain or stalls.
Planet Fitness also offered
to open its doors to local
residents who need a quick
shower.

Continued from page one

strike teams, where they
planned and headed to calls
together, with the police planning the route, and the highway
trucks taking care of debris.
The list of road closures
on Sunday and Monday
was extensive, but most of
the problem areas have been
cleared, at least enough to
make the road passable.
We have a full list of things
that need attention, Koether
said.
He said that the extensive
preparation for the storm,
including the notification of
residents through the Reverse
911 system was very effective.
The public for the most part
was staying off the road and
was prepared for the storm.
The pre-planning and cooperation between the different
responding agencies also con-

Town Services
up and running
Orange was lucky in that the
center of town did not loose
power. However, the police
and Highway Department did
lose power and operated on a
generator.
The businesses on the
Boston Post Road also had
lost power, but a number of
them had power restored. The
lack of refrigeration was a

Food offerings
Include at the Food Pavilion
clam chowder, chili; hot dogs
& burgers; deli sandwiches;
hot roast beef au jus on a hard
roll; or Philly cheese steak
sub.
Longhini chicken sausage
& pepper sub is available as is
grilled chicken sub
BBQ Teriyaki, French
fries / cheese fries / Onion
rings and chicken nuggets.
Offerings at the Satellite
Food Tent include the surprising
Lollipop
Lamb
Chops;pulled pork BBQ on a
roll,burgers & dogs.
French Fries and corn on
the cob.

ORANGE The Garden

Club of Orange will have a
tent at the Orange Country
Fair where Club members will
be offering several hands-on
workshops.
Saturday, Sept. 17, 2 p.m.,
Gail Nixon, Federated Garden
Club of CT Master Landscape
Design Consultant presents
the easiest methods for dividing perennial plants.
Dividing plants will produce

and Commemorative Items

available at the Souvenir Tent.
Ticket are $7 for adults and
children 15 and under free.
For senior citizens, $5.
For an entry form in one of
the 30 departments, go their
Web site, orangectfair.com/
departments.htm
Parking is free and a free
shuttle will be provided.

Garden Club plans demos at Fair

Seymour Barber Shop

at 8 a.m. followed by Antique

tractor pull at 9; and antique
car show at 10 a.m.; 11 a.m.
horse draw; 11:30 a.m. pedal
tractor pull
At 1 p.m. mens hay bale
toss (16 years & older)
Homing pigeon release will
be at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
both Saturday and Sunday.
At 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. musical entertainment; 6 p.m. fair
closes
Live Entertainment Saturday
will be by Flashback, and
Juggler/Unicyclist
Bruce
Sarafian
On
Sunday
Live
Entertainment
by
Phil
Rosenthol (Traditional Blue
Grass, Banjo, Mandalin).
Juggler/Unicyclist
Bruce
Sarafian after a half hour
stage show will be around fairgrounds all day.
Special features at this year
fair are Chips famous pancakes; also the largest snake
& reptile exhibit in the East; a
toddler driving contest
Birds of Prey, 11, noon, 1 &
2 pig races;
Garden Club demonstrations 2 & 3 p.m.
Official Fair T-shirts, hats

Opinion
Thursday September 1, 2011
Published by Hersam Acorn Newspapers, LLC
Bettina Thiel, Editor .........................203-402-2355
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Circulation Department ....................800-372-2790
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cd

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ba

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Editorial

On the lines

ts been a trying week for most of Amity, as it

was for most of Connecticut. One Woodbridge
couple lost their home as hurricane-force winds
snapped a tree which came down and brought down
live wires on their roof Sunday morning.
Some houses suffered wind and water damage.
More have been without power, and could still be in
the dark for days.
Its not easy.
But it could be worse.
Irene, at last count, took the lives of 40 people on
the East Coast, two of whom lived in Connecticut.
One elderly woman in Prospect perished in a house
re caused by downed wires.
The danger these wires pose cannot be over-emphasized.
Some ofcials had to make decisions that are not
popular. The Bethany Fire Chief for instance had to
ask the power company to cut off the whole town.
He saw his crews working under the arcing wires. It
was too dangerous for them and it was too dangerous for anyone living near. He made a bold decision
in the best interest of the town.
It may be hard to understand for some why the
schools had to remain closed even after electricity
and phone service had been restored.
But the cleanup was nowhere near being nished.
A number of roads were still closed. And trees still
had to be removed.
Its not an easy task. Power must be turned off to
safely remove trees and debris. Poles and lines must
be rebuilt and reinstalled. The system then needs to
be turned back on safely.
By Monday the romantic dinner-by-candle-light
had worn off; kids getting bored, impatience taking
hold. The minute the rain stopped Sunday, some took
to the street on foot or in car, driving under and over
wires that likely were still energized, searching for
a utility truck, any utility truck, working to restore
power to their neighborhood, their house.
Complaints started within minutes. Why arent
the roads open? Where are the power company
crews? I dont see anyone out there.
Never mind that winds remained 70 miles per
hour, and hazards lurked around every corner. Never
mind that it takes them ten times as long to work in
the dark.
Those who would not work outside, especially in
rain and wind, want to know why others are not doing it for their benet.
Crews are doing the best they can as quickly
as they can. Linemen and others are working long
hours in potentially hazardous situations, away from
their families, homes and beds as long as it takes
until all power is restored.
Give the crews on the lines time to get the job
done safely. No one needs to die so you can check
Facebook.

In the dark

s Hurricane Irene approached, a gag posting

made the rounds on Facebook. It offered,
tongue-in-cheek, tips for facing the prospect
of actually having to speak face-to-face with people
if Internet and text message access were to be lost
due to the storm.
The posting got more than a few chuckles, yet like
any good joke struck a chord. We have become masters at communicating from the safe haven behind the
screen, atop a keyboard. Some of us rarely have conversations, even with those with whom we make a home.
Days of darkness in the storms aftermath have forced
us to find pastimes that dont require electricity, games
that dont involve trading with online friends, and
maybe taking a new look at things we take for granted.
Feeling more free to wander in darkened neighborhoods, deer and other wildlife cross streets and graze in
yards under the moonlight.
Absent artificial light, humans can gaze skyward and
see stars in a new brightness, as layer upon layer of the
vastness in which we live come into focus.
Its not enjoyable to be without electricity, and the
convenience it brings, for days. But it can afford an
opportunity to do and see things in a new light, or lack
thereof.

Selfishness vs. heroic virtue in times of trouble

hat has always

frightened me
about disasters,
beyond the magnitude of
destruction and the loss of
life and property, is that
while they can bring out the
best in us, they often bring
out the worst.
They can open the tiny
portals into our souls, and
in microscopic moral detail,
reveal us to be either selfless people or selfish people.
Sometimes I shudder when I
see what Im really all about.
Instead of courage, theres
cowardice. Instead of caring
for others, Im caring for me.
A crisis can magnify our
character so much that acts
of compassion and kindness
are elevated to what saintwatchers call heroic virtue,
while acts of greed and selfinterest are shown for what
they truly are, classical evil.
The examples are many.
A store owner price-gouges
because people are rushing
to buy water and food. After

waves for help, but motorists

pass by because they have
their own lives to worry
Did I Say That? about.
By Joe Pisani
On the occasions that
Ive been the one to pass
all, he reasons, everyone has by someone in need, Ive
thought in a moment of selfto make a buck.
deception that it didnt necAn old man struggles
essarily make me a bad perdown the stairs to escape
an office building during an son, even though I couldnt
deny that it illuminated my
earthquake, and scores of
selfishness in a very painful
people rush by him while
one or two pause to help, but way.
Im reminded of that parthen even they abandon him
able of the Good Samaritan,
to save themselves.
where two people walk by
Amid the hysteria and
the traveler who had been
turmoil, maybe one person
beaten and robbed and left
makes the sacrifice and
for dead. To their thinkstays with him to her own
peril. Meanwhile, the rest of ing, they had good reasons
to keep walking. However,
us with shaky consciences
when youre the one lying by
breathe a sigh of relief
the side of the road, watchbecause someone is doing
ing the parade of passersby
what we know we should
look the other way, it can
have done but were too
lead you to despair.
afraid to do.
There were examples like
As the hurricane approachthat during Hurricane Irene,
es, a car with a mother and
in the supermarket aisles,
children is stranded on the
side of the highway, and she at the gas station lines, and

in the flooded areas where

people were stranded.
And yet, sometimes goodness still shines through,
and it can be an inspiration
for all of us most especially 10 years ago on 9/11,
when terrorists hijacked four
jet airliners and slammed
them into the Twin Towers,
the Pentagon and a field in
Pennsylvania.
That day, there were
many heroes who acted with
exceptional grace. Some
thwarted the terrorists who
intended to slam a jet plane
into the Capitol, and many
more rushed into the World
Trade Center while everyone
else was rushing out.
They were ordinary men
and women who found that
thing called heroic virtue
inside themselves when the
world needed it most.
Joe Pisani can be reached
at joefpisani@yahoo.com.

Remembering the Hurricane of 1938

ith all the angst

over and media
coverage of
Hurricane Irene this past
weekend, it got me to
thinking about the Great
Hurricane of 1938 as it
came to be known as it
was long before hurricanes
were known by alphabetical
names.
My memories of Sept. 21,
1938, are vivid to this day.
I was in a class at Stratford
High School that fateful
afternoon. A lasting image is
of looking out the window
and seeing leaves and debris
blowing horizontally. What
was going on? I wondered.
I have never seen a sight like
that before.
Getting home was a problem. There were several
of us who lived in relative
proximity, and one of the
fathers came to the school to
bring us home. But at every
turn there were trees blown
down that obstructed one
street after another.
I finally arrived home to
find my mother in a state of
high anxiety. The three other
members of our family were
out and about, and she knew
not where; she was beside
herself with worry.
Eventually, my older sister
made it home, but dad was
the real concern. He was a
food salesman, and, as luck
would have it, he was seeing
his customers in the Hartford
area and did not make it

match sticks across Main

Street.
A few months prior to
Reections the storm my parents had
By Ellen Beveridge
purchased an electric stove,
a relatively rare appliance
home until the following
in those days. My mother
day.
was so proud of her gleamThe wind was fierce,
ing white stove, and it was a
and the rain pelted down in
great advancement from the
all directions. I especially
wood, coal or gas stoves she
remember watching a large
had cooked on all her life.
maple tree in front of the
But the storm, which came
house next door. It had a
to be known as the Great
large trunk that branched off
September Gale because the
into three large sections. As
word hurricane was not comthe winds increased without
mon in American vernacular
let up, the sections began to
at the time, had brought
split open, wider with every
down so many trees that
gust.
electric power was out for
Unlike so many trees that
days. So my mothers pride
were felled, this maple was
and joy was rendered usespared, but at a price. In
less. I remember her trotting
the end, the owners had it
next door to cook some of
reinforced with a heavy wire
our meals on the gas stove of
in a triangular formation
our neighboring family.
that connected the affected
Yes, it was a terrible
branches. This preserved it
storm, but little did anyone
for many years, but it was
realize we (but not everyone)
never the same healthy tree
had survived what today
it had been before it was so
would be classified as a
viciously attacked.
category 3 hurricane, down
Dad made it home successfully the day after the storm. from what today would be
He had had his camera with a monstrous category 5 as
it churned its way up the
him and took several storm
Atlantic.
photos; one, I remember,
An unwanted notoriety
showed a demolished autocame
to Connecticut when
mobile with a large tree that
landfall
was near New
had crashed into its roof. In
Haven
at
about 2:30 p.m.
the following days, dad went
But
the
greatest
destruction
about town (Stratford) taking
actually
occurred
eastward
photos of the devastation.
where
the
storm
ferociously
Several captured the many
stately elm trees that lay like impacted the towns along the
coast. And perhaps Rhode

Island was hardest hit of all

with its endless ocean coastline and the water surge that
plowed into Narragansett
Bay.
To this day, it is the most
powerful, costliest and deadliest storm ever to hit New
England, exacerbated by the
lack of communication at the
time. Think of life without
todays minute-to-minute
television coverage of Irene,
for example. No one had
any idea such a monstrous
storm was coming. Wed
had our share of devastating
noreasters, but hurricanes
happened in Florida or the
Caribbean, unheard of in this
area.
All told, between 682
and 800 people lost their
lives; the storm damaged
or destroyed approximately
57,000 homes, and property
losses were estimated at
$306 million (equivalent to
$4.77 billion in 2011).
It would be months, sometimes years, before things
would get back to normal,
and in some areas, like parts
of Long Island where the
configurations of the land
were changed forever, normal never returned.
The storm of 1938 is still
known as the worst natural
disaster in Connecticuts
350-year history.
Reach Ellen Beveridge at
ellenfb@sbcglobal.net.

Weekly columns online. Go to www.AmityObserver.com

THE AMITY OBSERVER, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 5A

Commissioner urges fuel efciency

Department of Consumer
Protection
Commissioner
William M. Rubenstein said
his Department is monitoring
the fuel market closely for any
possible fuel shortages.
There appears to be no fuel
shortage, he said. However,
there is a supply disruption in
moving the fuel out of the terminals to retailers and then to
consumers. Power outages and
water damage have reduced
the number of fuel terminals
and gas stations that are currently fully operational. As
power is restored across the
state, any supply bottlenecks
will similarly dissipate.
While the situation should
improve dramatically over the
next few days, consumers are
asked to implement conservation measures to prevent adding stress on the outlets currently in operation.
With the gasoline supply
emergency now extended in
Connecticut until 5 p.m. on
Tuesday, Sept. 6, I want to
advise residents that a few
precautionary measures will
ensure that our fuel supplies
remain sufficient for normal
use, Rubenstein said.
By limiting driving when
possible and not topping off
or filling up more than usual,
we can keep our fuel distribution outlets running smoothly.
Im asking everyone to pay
attention to their driving habits, and conserve where they
reasonably can.

The Department is sharing

some suggestions provided by
fueleconomy.gov, the official
U.S. government source for
fuel economy information.
Tame your driving habits. Speeding, frequent lane
changes, and rapid acceleration and braking all waste gas,
lowering your gas mileage
up to 33 percent at highway
speeds.
Avoid idling. Leaving your
engine running can use to
a gallon of fuel per hour,
depending on your engine
size and air conditioner use.
Picking up the kids from practice? Turn off your engine
when your vehicle is parked.
Dial it down. While every
vehicle reaches its optimal
fuel economy at different
speeds, gas mileage usually
decreases above 60 miles per
hour (mph). Think of it like
this: each 5 mph increase over
60 mph is like paying an additional $0.29 per gallon of gas.
Lose the baggage. Avoid
keeping unnecessary items
in your vehicle, especially
weighty ones.
To conserve fuel, leave kitty
litter, heavy tools, and multiple cases of soda at home
if possible. An extra 100
pounds in your vehicle can
reduce your fuel economy by
2 percent. This weight factor
affects smaller vehicles most
significantly.
Be cool naturally. With
much of summers worst heat

behind us, its fine to let the

air conditioner have a rest and
crack the windows a bit to
allow fresh air to ventilate
your vehicle.
Avoid idling. Leaving your
engine running can use to
a gallon of fuel per hour,
depending on your engine
size and air conditioner use.
Picking up the kids from practice? Turn off your engine
when your vehicle is parked.
Buy a tire gauge and
check your cars tire pressure.
Driving on under-inflated tires
can reduce fuel efficiency by
2 percent for each pound that
the tires are under-inflated.
The best time to check your
tire pressure is when the tires
are cool before driving, if
possible.
Inflating your tires to the
pressure indicated in your owners manual is another simple
way to save on gas consumption, and costs you nothing,
Rubenstein said. Connecticut
law requires gasoline retailers
to provide air for tire inflation
at no cost.
Commissioner Rubenstein
indicated that the Department
of Consumer Protection continues to receive consumer
e-mails and phone calls
regarding alleged instances of
profiteering. Report suspected
instances of over-charging to
foodandstandards@ct.gov or
to 1-800-842-2649.

Campus News
Connecticut College

The following Woodbridge

students have achieved deans
honors, or deans high honors,
for the 2011 spring semester at
Connecticut College.
Andrew Colabella, class of
2012,
high honors; David
Kriz, class of 2011, deans
honors; KellyAnn McManus,
class of 2014, high honors.
Alexandra Micci-Smith,
class of 2011, high honors.
Andrew Stein Zeller, class
of 2014, high honors; and
Natalie Theys, class of 2011,
high honors.

received a Bachelor of
Science/Engineer in mechanical engineering.
Karl C. Miller received
a Master of Science in the
management of technology
(MS). Danielle L. Evanko
received a Master of Business
Administration, finance. Rui
S. Fernandes received a
Certificate of Advanced Study
in Special Education MA
Only.
Amanda L. Cotela received
a Master of Arts in school
counseling; Mercedes T.
Fernandes received a Master of

Arts in Special Education MA

Only. Joelle M. Constantino
received a Bachelor of Science
in nursing.
Paige E. Launder received
a Master of Science in Nursing,
nursing anesthesia.
Bethany resident Gina C.
Caldwell received a Bachelor
of Arts in communication.
Bethany resident Micaela
M. Morris received a Bachelor
of Science in information systems.
Woodbridge resident Sean
E. Savage received a Bachelor
of Arts in English.

Letters Policy
We welcome letters from our
readers. Please limit letters to
500 words and include a daytime
phone number in case we have
any questions. We will not publish

Deadline is Monday at noon;

letters that are libelous or in poor
taste, and we reserve the right to mailing address is 1000 Bridgeedit letters.
port Ave., Shelton, CT 06484.
E-mail letters to: amityobserv
er@hersamacorn.com

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Congresswoman
Rosa
DeLauro, CT-3, spoke to
Connecticut officials, utility
representatives and FEMA
officials Tuesday and urged
the companies to increase
their efforts to restore power
to residents.
The Congresswoman also
offered her assistance by
calling for more utility crews
to be sent to the state, and
urged the utility companies
to improve coordination with
state and local officials to
better serve residents and to
speed the recovery process.
While progress has certainly been made, there
are still more than 400,000
Connecticut residents without power down from
900,000, by far the worst
power outage caused by a
storm in the states history.
And for those residents in
areas along the shoreline,
which were devastated by
this storm, power is especially critical in restoring
communications and ensuring residents can get the help
they need.
She said after speaking to
many of the Districts town
mayors and first selectmen,
it is clear that more must be
done.
That is why I have urged
United Illuminating and
Connecticut Light & Power
to send more utility crews
to assist in response efforts,
specifically repairing and
making safe downed power
lines so that roads can be
reopened and power can be
restored to residents.

I have also asked

the Federal Emergency
Management Administration
(FEMA) directly for more
utility crews to be sent to
Connecticut, and urged
the Department of Energy,
scheduled to visit the state
tomorrow, to bring crews as
well.
Additionally, I have asked
that United Illuminating and
Connecticut Light & Power
increase their coordination
with local towns and officials. Our local public works
departments are ready and
able to assist in the recovery process, and their efforts
will help to speed our recovery. I will keep working to
communicate and coordinate
with town and state officials
to prioritize and address the
issues our residents are facing. As always, my office
is ready to assist anyone in
need of help and will continue to support all federal
relief requests.
To contact Congresswoman
DeLauros office, call (203)
562-3718 or go to delauro.
house.gov.
Connecticut Light and
Power (CL&P), which services Bethany, issued a press
release late Tuesday night
pointing out the progress
made so far.
In the first two days following Hurricane Irenes
impact on Connecticut,
CL&P has restored power
to over 500,000 customers.
Even with that significant
progress, over 354,000 customers remain without power

as of 8 p.m. on Tuesday.
As of Tuesday afternoon,
900 line and tree crews were
working across the state, with
additional crews arriving
daily. By Friday, the utility
expects to have nearly 1,200
crews working to restore
power to CL&P customers,
making this the largest single contingent of crews in
Connecticut history.
First restoration estimates
will be available for towns
on the western side of the
state where damage was less
severe and assessments were
completed more quickly.
As for its priorities, the
company said over the next
48 hours, it will focus on
working with the state and
towns to restore power to
critical customers including
schools, waste water treatment plants, communication
facilities and other town
priorities. In the hardest hit
towns, were also focused
on restoring town centers,
which will be critical in providing people with important
services.
To report outages or
check the status of an outage, visit cl-p.com or call
800-286-2000. For helpful
tips and news updates, go
to cl-p.com, follow them on
Twitter @CTLightandPower
and
Facebook.com/
CTLightandPower. You can
also get updates on outages in your town by texting
outage and your zip code
to 24612 (texting fees may
apply).

Explore family history on Sept. 28

Ashley Geremia and Chelsea Geremia, sisters from

Bethany, brought home academic honors. Ashley
Faireld University was inducted into the National Italian Honor Society
The following area residents at Wheaton College. Chelsea was inducted into the
received degrees at Fairfield National Society of Collegiate Scholars at Fairfield
University.
University. They are the daughters of Attn. Joseph and
From Orange, Rosanna L. Dr. Michelle Geremia.

Cappetta received a Bachelor

of Arts in International Studies;
Marissa L. DePalma received
a Bachelor of Arts in English;
and Kelly G. Erwin received
a Bachelor of Arts in communication-organizational.
Lauryn A. Jaser received
a Bachelor of Arts in psychology; Michael C. Moritz
received a Bachelor of Arts
in English; and Elisabeth T.
Muller received a Bachelor of
Arts in History.
Mariam Iftikhar received
a Bachelor of Science in
chemistry-biochemistry;
Christopher N. Thomas

DeLauro: Utilities speed up restoration,

utility points out extraordinary efforts

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Genealogy for Everyone is

kicking off the new season on
Wednesday, Sept. 28, from
3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Meeting
Room at Plumb Memorial
Library, 65 Wooster St.,
Shelton.
Guest
speaker
will
be Kathleen Jones, the
Connecticut State History
Center Director of the Church

of Jesus Christ of Latter Day

Saints. She will discuss the
American and European
genealogy records available
at the Woodbridge Family
History Center on Racebrook
Road, Woodbridge, and how
to order microfilm from the
Genealogical Society of
Utah.
Many records can also be

searched online at familysearch.org.

These monthly gatherings
which meet every fourth
Wednesday in the month to
share ideas, research techniques, and paths traveled to
discover family roots. Walkins are welcome. Call 203924-1580 for more information.

THE AMITY OBSERVER, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 6A

Spotight
Thursday, Sept. 1

Gala & auction to

benefit the Elm Shakespeare
Company, 5-8 p.m., followed
by performance of Measure
for Measure, Edgerton Park,
75 Cliff St., New Haven.
Gala tickets: $125; elmshakespeare.org.

Saturday, Sept. 3

Fund-raising dinner
First of what is planned to be
an annual event at Massaro
Community Farm, 41 Ford
Road. Starting with farm tour
at 4:30 p.m., cocktails at 5,
dinner at 6 at the farm. Familystyle dinner to be catered by
Antonios, featuring Massaro
Community Farm produce.
Tickets $100; RSVP to
melissa@massarofarm.org.
Soccer game The
Jeremy Saxe Memorial Amity
Boys Soccer Alumni game
will be played Saturday, Sept.
3; rain date Monday, Sept. 7.
Participating alumni are asked
to donate $20 to play, which
includes a commemorative
game shirt; a portion donations will go to the Jeremy
Saxe Scholarship Fund.
Donations also accepted for
the scholarship through the
Amity High School Athletic
office. Confirm attendance
by Aug. 26 by e-mailing
coachmike008@gmail.com.
Bethany Farmers Market
Open every Saturday, 9-1
at Bethany Old Airport, Rt.
63; organic produce, goat
cheese, crispy kale, German
breads and croissants, goat
soap, laundry soap, pork,
beef, fish, fresh lemonade,
salsa, and more.

Sunday, Sept. 4

Museum open Get a

whiff of local history at the
Stone-Otis House Museum
on Center Road in Orange.
Open Sundays, 1-4 p.m. until
the end of October.

Tuesday, Sept. 6

Teddy Roosevelt presentation The Friends of the

Library presents Ted Zalewski
in his one man show, Teddy
Roosevelt: Mind, Body and
Spirit 7 p.m., Case Memorial
Library, 176 Tyler City Road,

consisting of a large piece of

metal beam from the World
Garden club meeting Trade Center, is being erected
Garden Club of Woodbridge in front of the new fire house,
meets 11:45 a.m., at the 10 a.m.
home of member Valerie
Traumer. Garden tour through
Tuesday, Sept. 13
rooms of zinnias, elephant
Orange garden club
ears, and dahlias. Traumer
meeting
The Garden Club
was awarded the 2011
of Orange meets at 11:30
State Penny Jarvis Love-ly a.m., Case Memorial Library
Garden award. Prospective meeting room, 176 Tyler
members welcome. Chris City Road, Orange. National
Lovejoy,
203-298-4238; Garden Club master judge
clovejoyhomes@yahoo.com. and master landscape critic
$5 guests.
Marilynnn Blaisdell will create both a traditional and a
creative floral design and
Friday, Sept. 9
also review the steps of judgTemple fair Temple ing horticulture for flower
Emanuel celebrates its first shows. Members exhibit flo50 years with a new mem- ral designs with a fall bounty
ber fair, 5 p.m., 150 Derby theme. Light lunch at 11:30
Ave., Orange. Face painting a.m., followed by short busiand various family activities, ness meeting; program begins
followed by 5:45 barbeque at 1 p.m.; orange-ct.gov/garwith hot dogs, hamburgers denclub.html; 203-795-3692.
and veggie burgers. Evening
service at 6:30 p.m., held
Saturday, Sept. 17
outside (weather permitting);
Orange Country Fair
oneg shabbat follows service. 8 a.m.-7 p.m., and Sunday, 8
Free; reservations required, a.m.- 6 p.m. with events such
office@templeemanuel-gnh. as womens skillet toss, mens
org.
hay bale toss, tractor pulls and
more. Also antique car show,
horse show, pig races and
Saturday, Sept. 10
snake and reptile exhibit.
Benefit concert The
Jamie A. Hulley Arts
Saturday, Sept. 25
Foundation is having its
Evening for the Arts gala
PetsAffair an event to
benefit Saturday, Sept. 10, at support rescue and placement
the Quick Center in Fairfield. of racing greyhounds, hosted
Dr. Ks Motown Revue is by REGAP of CT, Inc., 10-4,
the featured group. Tickets, at 105 Fairwood Road, Bethany.
$40 in advance, and $45 at the Silent auction, tag sale, pet-adoor, include complimentary cures, 50/50 raffle, basket rafwine and appetizers and auc- fles, pet photos, special guest
tion prizes. Proceeds will help Scooby Doo, greyhound meet
promote the arts in this area. and greets, picnic and cook
For tickets call 203-891-8869 out, bake sale canine and
or e-mail jamieart@snet.net. human, Chabaso handcrafted
breads. For more information
Sunday, Sept. 11
about PetsAffair or how to
Commemoration
adopt, visit regapct.com or
Ceremony at the American call 203-393-1673.
Legion Post 127, at 360
Grassy Hill Road in Orange,
Reunions
on the 10th anniversary of the
Commercial
High School
attacks of Sept. 11, starting at

Class
of
1946
65th reunion
at 8:45 a.m. Father Gallarelli
SJ, of Fairfield University, is Sunday, Sept. 25, 1-5 p.m.,
will officiate. Seating is lim- Gabriele Ristorante, 326
ited and residents who can are Boston Post Road, Orange.
Cost: $37, checks payable
asked to bring lawn chairs.
to Vincent Cofrancesco, 15
Dedication Woodbridge Dayton Rd, Bethany, CT
community is invited to the 06524. Deadline for checks
dedication of a monument to and reservations is Sept. 1.
those who died in the attacks Information: Marion 203of 9/11, especially the first 397-0677 or Jane, 203-467responders; the monument, 0869.
Orange; 203-891-2170.

National Garden Club Master Judge and Master Landscape Critic Marilynnn Blaisdell
with one of her floral designs. Blaisdell will be in Orange Sept. 13 to address the
local Garden Club members at their meeting at the Case Memorial Library.
(Submitted photo)

Garden Club hosts master judge

ORANGE The Garden
Club of Orange will have a
meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 13,
at the Case Memorial Library
Meeting Room, 176 Tyler City
Road.
National Garden Club
Master Judge and Master
Landscape Critic Marilynnn
Blaisdell will create both a

traditional and a creative floral design and also review the

steps of judging horticulture
for flower shows.
Garden Club of Orange
members will also be exhibiting their floral designs with
the theme of Fall Bounty.
The meeting starts at 11:30
with a light lunch, followed

by a short business meeting,

with the program beginning
at 1 p.m.
For details about the Garden
Club, go to www.orangect.gov/gardenclub.html or call
membership Chairman Nettie
Bartocetti at 203-795-3692.

Family movie night, campout

BETHANY First Church
of Christ, Bethany, will have
a family campout and movieunder-the-stars event Saturday,
Sept. 17.
The movie to be shown is
the family-friendly and thoroughly hilarious Despicable
Me, starring Steve Carell on a
big screen under the stars out-

side on the church side lawn.

Dinner will start at 6 and the
movie at 7 p.m. The cost is $6
per person, $20 max per family for hot dog, soda, chips
and dessert.
Bring blankets or chairs to
get comfortable for the evening.
For those camping out,

bring tents, sleeping bags,

etc. It will be a fun way to
spend the evening and kick off
First Churchs Rally Day on
Sunday, Sept. 18.
For more information,
contact First Church at
(203) 393-3116 or e-mail
info@bethanyfirstchurch.org.

Seek nominations for largest tree

ORANGE The Orange
Tree Committee is looking for
nominations for the largest
Black Cherry tree in Orange.
The winning entry will
receive a certificate and a ribbon to be presented at the
Orange Country Fair.
This large cherry is native
to eastern North America. The
wood of the Black Cherry is

hard and reddish brown, and

is much prized for furniture,
cabinets, gunstocks and musical instruments.
A mature black Cherry can
be identified by its broken,
dark gray to black bark. It
grows to a height of 6080 feet. The berries are small
dark purple and are a favorite
of birds.

They can be a nuisance on

driveways and sidewalks since
they cause stains.
Use a tape measure to find
the circumference around the
trunk at a height of 4.5 feet
from the ground. For more
information see the display in
the Case Memorial Library or
call Nancy Nyhan at (203)799-2217.

Support Community Assistance Fund

ORANGE Wood-n-Tap Restaurant, 311
Boston Post Rd., will donate 10% of diners bill to the Community Assistance Fund
Monday, Sept. 20, between 5 and 10 p.m.
Diners must present a flyer to the wait staff
for Community Services to receive the donation. The flyer applies to To-Go and gift card
purchase as well. Diners also have the chance

to win a $25 gift card if they fill out the

information section of the flyer. Flyers will
be available at Community Services at High
Plains Community Center, Town Hall, and at
the Library. The Community Assistance Fund
aids income-eligible Orange residents with
emergency fuel assistance and food, and other
needs.

THE AMITY OBSERVER, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 7A

Arts & Leisure

Arts & Leisure Briefs

Joanne
Rochman lives in a hard-hit neighborhood where power
went out early Sunday morning and is not likely to be restored for up to a week. As a result, to her regret, she was
not able to produce the Curtain Call column this week but
reassures readers that they can expect to find it in next
weeks edition.

Curtain Call falls victim to hurricane

National political cartoonist

to comment at Sacred Heart
Award-winning political
cartoonist Jimmy Margulies
will speak at Sacred Heart
University as part of the
Gottlieb Memorial Lecture
Series, co-sponsored by the
Department of Communication
and Media Studies.
Margulies has been at The
Record in Hackensack, N.J.,
since 1990, and his work is
distributed nationally to more
than 425 newspapers and
magazines, including The

Washington Post, The New

York Times, Time and USA
Today.
He has won the National
Headliner Award and Fishetti
Editorial Cartoon Competition,
and also the Barryman Award
from the National Press
Foundation.
When the National Rifle
Association placed Margulies
on its blacklist, he considered
it a badge of honor.
The author of two published

collections of cartoons My
Husband is Not a Wimp! and
Hitting Below the Beltway
he appears regularly on
network and local TV news
programs.
His talk takes place at Sacred
Heart Universitys Schine
Auditorium, 5151 Park Ave.,
Fairfield, on Sunday, Sept. 18,
at 7 p.m.
The event is free and open
to the public. Donations are
welcome.

Free Shakespeare Elm Shakespeare Company presents Measure for Measure Thursday-Sunday, 8 p.m.,
through Sunday, Sept. 4, Edgerton Park, 75 Cliff St.,
New Haven; elmshakespeare.org; 203-393-1436. Bring a
blanket or chair. Picnics encouraged. Free with suggested
donation.
To benefit the Elm Shakespeare
Company, Thursday, Sept. 1, 5-8 p.m., followed by performance of Measure for Measure, Edgerton Park, 75 Cliff
St., New Haven. Gala tickets: $125; elmshakespeare.org.

Gala and auction

Jimmy Margulies

Time for homegrown tomatoes

Homegrown tomatoes, Homegrown
tomatoes;
What would life be without homeThe Conscious Cook
grown tomatoes?
By Robin Glowa
robeglow@yahoo.com
Only two things money cant buy;
Thats true love and homegrown
tomatoes.
tomato; for me, its the luscious
Sung by John Denver, pinky red Brandywine. Spread your
lyrics by Guy Clark favorite bread (very lightly toasted
sourdough) with a bit of mayonAhhhh, the mouth-watering, naise, season with freshly ground
meaty magnificence of homegrown black pepper and a pinch of sea salt
tomatoes. Fresh from the vine, and take a giant bite.
homegrown tomatoes are one of my
There are at least 10,000 varieties
great loves and truly the heartthrob of tomatoes, in a rainbow of colors
of the summer garden.
including black, green, pink, scarlet
Have you ever experienced the red, yellow and glowing little orbs
full, frontal flavor of a tomato of orange. Sun golds, the current
plucked straight from the vine? darling of cherry tomatoes, is a perThose lucky enough to have their fect blend of sweet, sugary flavor
own garden can get out there and and glorious orange color.
take a big bite!
Tomatoes are so good for you
The juices will run down your good for your heart, your brain,
chin as you revel in the dazzling your soul and your health. Bursting
explosion on your tongue. The sun, with lycopene, a super charged antithe rain, the moon, all the natural oxidant, tomatoes are an excellent
forces joined together to create this source of fiber and vitamins A, B
extraordinary taste experience that and C. Tomatoes can help repair
is such a symbol of summer.
smoke scarred lungs, combat heart
I can scarcely wait to make my disease and save vision.
first tomato sandwich of the season.
So, eat your homegrown tomaIn the dead of winter, I often dream toes, tomahtoes, anyway you say
of the sun warmed sweetness of it, tomatoes are one of the most
this simple, yet sweep-me-off-my delightful ingredients when preparfeet snack.
ing a delicious life!
Cut thick slices of your favorite

Fantastic Tomato Salad

Assorted tomatoes in assorted colors, use any

flavor or variety
Fresh basil, minced
Fresh parsley, minced
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

at the state Department of

Agriculture Web site, ct.gov/
doag.
Information about other
family activities and adventures in Connecticut can
be found by visiting www.
CTvisit.com or calling 1-888CTvisit. CT Visit is a site
created by the Connecticut
Commission on Culture &
Tourism to help residents
find fun in state activities and
travel deals.
I hope that you and your
family find this information
useful. Enjoy the local farms
and fairs.
Sen. Kevin Kelly represents the 21st District, which
includes all of Shelton, most
of Stratford, and parts of
Monroe and Seymour.

Civil War Living History Day

Saturday, Sept.
10, 10-4, grounds of Shelton History Center, 70 Ripton
Road, Shelton. Everyone from Army privates to President
Abraham Lincoln will be on the grounds. $5/person; $15/
family. Proceeds benefit the Shelton Historical Society;
203-925-1803; sheltonhistoricalsociety.org.

Apple Festival Saturday, Sept. 10, 10-5; Sunday, Sept.

11, 10-4, hosted by St. Peters Episcopal Church, on the

Historic Monroe Green, Route 111. Sunday service will be
conducted at 9 a.m. on the Green; the church bells will be
rung to commemorate the 10th anniversary of 9/11. 203268-4265; stpetersonthegreen.com.
Long Wharf Theatres Education
program offers Adult Acting I, Saturdays, Sept. 10-Oct.
8, 10:30-noon, $225; and Off the Cuff Improvisation II:
Middle School, Tuesdays, Sept. 13-Oct. 11, 5:30-7 p.m.,
$195, Long Wharf Theatre, 222 Long Wharf Drive, New
Haven; longwharf.org; 203-772-8262.

Saturday and Sunday,

Sept. 17 and 18, Taylor Farm Park, Norwalk. Exhibits,
speakers, local food, childrens activities, money saving
tips and green education; livegreenct.com.
Sticks & Stones Farm, 201
Huntington Road, Newtown, Sundays, 9-11 a.m., Sept. 18
and Oct. 16. Walk of reflection and a closing meditation.
Information: e-mail jwhite1108@gmail.com.

Healing gatherings

Hosted by Trumbull Arts Commission,

Sunday, Sept. 18, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., rain or shine on the
Town Hall Green, 5866 Main St. Handcrafted items with
60 artists and crafters; photography and sculpture for sale.
Childrens Creative Center, live entertainment, food vendors. Free admission; 203-452-5065.

Arts festival

Singers sought Harmony on the Sound (HOTS)

Chorus invites women who love to sing to come and learn
holiday music in four-part harmony beginning Wednesday,
Sept. 21, and then sing in holiday show. Visit harmonyonthesound.org or call 203-881-1477.
Fallen Heroes Memorial
Tribute Remembering military service members from
the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard,
Saturday, Sept. 24, 12:15 p.m., Indian Ledge Park, 307
Indian Ledge Park Road. U.S. Air Force Colorguard and
U.S. Marine Corps as escorts. Performances by The United
States Navy Band, Northeast, and the U.S. Army Parachute
Team Golden Knights. Free and open to the public.

Fallen Heroes tribute

PriMed welcomes Flora Zarcu Power, MD as the newest

partner to its growing family of physicians. A native of
Bucharest, Dr. Zarcu Power has most recently worked with
Milford Physician Services of Milford, CT as an internist. Board

medical degree from the Facultatea de Medicina Carol Davila

in Bucharest, Romania.

Live Green Connecticut,

Introducing Our Newest

Partner in Internal Medicine...

Saturday, Sept. 10, 10-4, Trinity

Episcopal Church, 1734 Huntington Tpke., Trumbull.
Jewelry, floral arrangements, crafts, bake sale, childrens
activities, book sale, plants and more. Lunch on the grill
available. Free admission.

Arts & crafts fair

Acting classes

Visit us on the Web www.AmityObserver.com

Tony Reno performs dance music

Tuesday, Sept. 6, 7 p.m., Trumbull Town Hall gazebo. In
case of rain, concert held in Trumbull Library community
room.

Robin Glowa, HHC, AADP, is a food and

wellness enthusiast who earned her certification in holistic health counseling from
the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and
Columbia University Teachers College.
She specializes in teaching healthy cooking classes for children and adults, as well
as cooking presentations and wellness workshops for many local organizations.
For more information go to theconsciouscook.net, call 203-393-1037, or http://confessionsofaconsciouscook.blogspot.com.

Connecticut fairs

By Kevin Kelly

Tag sale Sunday, Sept. 4, 8-4, Congregation Bnai

Torah, 5700 Main St., Trumbull. Clothing, small appliances, electronics, furniture, art, toys, sporting goods, household items. Funds raised benefit educational programs;
cash only; 203-268-6940; info@bnaitorahct.org.
Free concert

Goshen Fair, Sept. 3-5, goshenfair.org

Haddam Neck Fair, Sept. 2-5, haddamneckfair.com
Taste of Litchfield Hills Food & Wine Festival, Sept. 3-5
Woodstock Fair, Sept. 2-5, woodstockfair.com
Bethlehem Fair, Sept. 9-11, bethlehemfair.com
Granby Grange Agricultural Fair, Sept. 10, ctstategrange.
com/subgrangepage.asp?GrangeID=185
Hebron Harvest Fair, Sept. 8-11, hebronharvestfair.org
Ledyard Fair, Sept. 9-11, ledyardfair.org
Killingly Grange Fair, Sept. 10, ctstategrange.com/subgrangepage.asp?grangeid=47
Meriden Grange Fair, Sept. 10, ctstategrange.com/subgrangepage.asp?GrangeID=192
Monroe Apple Festival, Sept. 10-11, stpetersonthegreen.com
North Haven Fair, Sept. 8-11, northhaven-fair.com
Wapping Fair, Sept. 8-11, wappingfair.org
Four Town Fair, Sept.15-18, fourtownfair.com
Guilford Agricultural Fair, Sept. 16-18, guilfordfair.org
Orange Country Fair, Sept., 17-18, orangectfair.com
Wallingford Grange Fair, Sept. 17, ctstategrange.com/subgrangepage.asp?grangeid=84
Cheshire Grange Community Grange Fair, Sept. 24-25, ctstategrange.com/subgrangepage.asp?grangeid=26
Durham Fair, Sept. 22-25, durhamfair.com
Hebron Renaissance Fair, Sept. 24-25, ctfaire.com
Beacon Grange Fair, Sept. 26, ctstategrange.com/subgrangepage.asp?grangeid=17
Berlin Fair, Sept. 30-Oct. 2, ctberlinfair.com
155th Harwinton Fair, Oct. 1-2, harwintonfair.com
Portland Fair, Oct. 7-9, portlandfair.com
Riverton Fair, Oct. 7-9, rivertonfair.org

From the Capitol

For the benefit of muscular dystrophy,

Saturday, Sept. 3, 11-4, home and yard of Bob and Margie
Schulman, 3 Layayette Drive, Trumbull. Rain date: Sept.
4. Hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza cotton candy, magic show,
games, arts & crafts, bounce house, and dunk tank with
First Selectman Tim Herbst; 203-261-2248.

Carnival

Slice or chunk your tomatoes and arrange

on a large platter. If you picked up sun golds
or other cherry tomatoes, cut them in half
and scatter over the top. Drizzle with olive
oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with basil
and parsley. Season to taste with salt and
pepper. Serve immediately with good bread.
Gild the lily by adding minced garlic,
chopped cherry peppers, olives, crumbled
goat cheese or sliced fresh mozzarella.

Connecticut fairs and farms

As the summer months
come to an end, we all begin
thinking about the cooler
weather, the fall foliage and,
of course, fall family traditions such as weekend trips
around the state.
And as my family gets
back into the busy school
year and all the kids lacrosse
and hockey games, we enjoy
supporting our local farms.
Throughout the fall we take
time to visit local farms to
pick apples, drink cider, wander through corn mazes, or
experience a hay ride. These
trips are a fun way to enjoy
the fall season, and an even
better way to support our
local family farms, businesses
and economy.
Like me, I am sure many
of you also make one of our
states fairs an annual family
tradition where you can enjoy
food, rides, games, animals,
music, art, local crafts and
Connecticut culture.
Additional information
about upcoming fairs and
local farms can be found

Massaro Community Farm fund-raising dinner Saturday, Sept. 3, farm tour at 4:30 p.m., cocktails at 5, dinner at 6, outside on the farm, 41 Ford Road,
Woodbridge; catered by Antonios, featuring Massaro
farm produce. $100/person. RSVP to Melissa Waldron at
melissa@massarofarm.org.

Benefit dinner

and Residency at the New York Hospital Medical Center of

Queens, New York. She holds a Faculty
Appointment as Assistant Clinical Professor
of Medicine with Yale University School of
Medicine.

Flora Zarcu Power, MD

Medicine for adults and has special clinical interests in

Hypertension, Diabetes, Hyperlipidemia, and Obesity.

3 Enterprise Dr., Ste 404

Shelton, CT 06484

New patients are welcome. To schedule an appointment,

281 Seaside Avenue, Milford, CT 06460

(203) 878-9718 (Please note new phone number.)

www.PriMedMD.com

Where Compassionate Care Meets Medical Excellence

THE AMITY OBSERVER, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 8A

Obituaries

Frank C. Butler

Frank C. Butler, 88,

a Derby resident since
1947, husband of
Yvette Albert Butler,
died Aug. 20, at
Griffin Hospital. His
son, Bruce Butler and
his wife, Victoria live
in Orange.
Son of the late
William and Marie Gherkins
Butler, he was born Oct. 19,
1922 in New Haven.
Mr. Butler worked as both
a self-employed and union
painter until his retirement. He
served as the business agent
for Painters Union Local 99
and enjoyed flower gardening.
He also was a veteran of the
U.S. Army, having served during World War II.
Besides his wife, he is survived by four sons, William
Butler (Patricia) of Vermont,
David Butler (Mary) of
Southbury, Bruce Butler
(Victoria) of Orange, and Brian
Butler (Carrie) of Ansonia;
three daughters, Carlene
Sauer (Fred) of Florida, Jolene

Sheehy of Derby, and

Marlene Fiallos of
Ansonia; three sisters, Mary Carey
and Margaret Owens
of Florida and Anne
Saddig of East Haven;
19 grandchildren; 17
great-grandchildren;
six great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces
and nephews.
He was predeceased by a
son, Darrin A. Butler; a granddaughter, Diane Sauer; two
brothers, William Butler and
Thomas Bob Butler; and a
sister, Jane Butler.
Spinelli-Ricciuti/BednarOsiecki Funeral Home, 62
Beaver St., Ansonia, handled
arrangements.
Memorial contributions may
be made to the Connecticut
American Parkinsons Disease
Association, 27 Allendale
Drive, North Haven, CT 06473
or through the funeral home.
Online condolences: spinellifuneralhome.com.

Joel B. Whelan Jr.

Joel
Blonford
Whelan Jr., 26, of
Orange,
formerly
of Virginia Beach,
Va., died Aug. 23, at
home.
Son of Joel B. Sr.
and Deborah Anne
Kanel Whelan, he was
born Aug. 14, 1985 in
Milford.
Mr. Whelan was a graduate
of Southern Connecticut State
University with a bachelor
of arts in music. He continued his education completing
his masters in music education from the University of
Bridgeport.
Joel was a gifted and accomplished guitarist, his family
said. He achieved the status of
Life Scout in the Boy Scouts
of America. He also enjoyed
the outdoors. Fitness was a
passion of his as he worked

out on a daily basis.

Besides his parents,
he is survived by his
brother, Joshua B.
Whelan of Orange;
paternal grandmother,
Shirley Whelan of
Milford and maternal
grandparents, Charles
and Colleen Kanel of
Milford; and numerous aunts,
uncles and cousins.
He was predeceased by his
paternal grandfather, Robert
Whelan Sr.
Cody-White Funeral Home,
107 Broad St., Milford, handled arrangements. Burial in
Kings Highway Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may
be made to Catholic Charities
Mental Health Services, 205
Wakelee Ave., Ansonia, CT.
06401.

Free English class at Library

Amity Adult and Continuing
Education is offering a free
English class for speakers of
other languages.
This class is designed to
help the non-English speaking
adult understand, speak and
write English.
Improve your English communication at home, at your
childrens school, and on the
job.

The class meets at the

Woodbridge
Library,
Meetinghouse Lane, Tuesday
and Thursday, 10 a.m. to
noon, beginning Sept. 13.
Registration is the first day
of class.
For further information,
call (203) 773-9211 or e-mail:
info@hamdenadulted.org

Garbage Museum shuts its doors,

citing lack of dollars
By John Kovach
Staff
The Garbage Museum in Stratford has
closed its doors.
Staff member Jaimie McCarvill was
at the museum earlier this week calling
area schools that had scheduled trips to
the museum to tell them they will have
to cancel.
Paul Nonnenmacher, director of public affairs for the Connecticut Resources
Recovery Authority, said the museum
board voted with one dissension to shutter the museum during its meeting last
week in Old Saybrook.
That spells the end for the Stratford
center that taught environmental
responsibility, barring a miracle,
Nonnenmacher said.
The last instruction we had gotten [from the board] was to come to
them with $100,000 in commitments,
Nonnenmacher said. We only had $68
[thousand]. There are a lot of things
were working on, but nothing is promised.
Milford and other communities had
voted to kick in funds to keep the museum open. Milford had pledged about
$26,000 toward the museum.
Among the other sources of funding
being explored is a $50,000 grant from

Trash-o-saurus was a popular display at the museum.

the Pepsi Refresh Everything Project.
Save the Garbage Museum was in
11th place as of 11:30 a.m. Thursday,
with up to 10 grants being awarded each
month.
The museum was actually in the top
10 before Tropical Storm Irene hit, leaving many would-be voters in this area
without power or Internet access to cast
their votes.
Voting for the museum was scheduled to end Aug. 31, and one day prior,

McCarvill said the museum had dropped

to 13th place, meaning it probably would
not get a grant.
I dont think theyd extend the deadline because its a national grant, and its
only this area thats affected, McCarvill
said.
That $50,000, plus the $68,000 already
raised, would have topped the amount
requested by the board by $18,000.
Weve had some people come forward in the last couple weeks to try to
help us, Nonnenmacher said. It just
wasnt enough to get them to change
their minds.
While the museum had not been
scheduling tours of late, Nonnenmacher
said 60% of the slots for school visits
for the coming school year had already
been booked.
The lone vote against closing the
museum came from Steve Edwards,
director of Public Works in Westport and
president of the Southwest Connecticut
Regional
Recycling
Operations
Committee [SWEROC].
SWEROC, Nonnenmacher said, owns
the exhibits in the museum. He said
Edwards told the CRRA board that
SWEROC is inclined to leave the exhibits and contents at the museum for six to
eight months in case a miracle occurs.

Library News
Case Memorial Library
176 Tyler Road
Orange

Most programs are free

and are open to the public.
Pre-registration is requested
in person or by phone. The
librarys summer hours are:
Monday and Thursday 10-8;
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday
10-5; Saturday 10-4.

Monday, Sept. 26, 7 p.m.

author, historian and photographer Anthony Riccio and
award-winning Chef Silvio
Suppa traveled to the farmlands of Campania, Italy,
where they researched the
origins of true Mediterranean
cuisine for their book,
Cooking with Chef Silvio.
With its original recipes
and first-hand research, the
book presents the history of
Campanian gastronomy, from
the ancient Samnites to the
present-day dishes offered at
Chef Silvios restaurant Cafe
Allegre in Madison.

Teddy Roosevelt Mind,

Body, and Spirit, Tuesday,
Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. The Friends
of the Library present Ted
Zalewski in his masterful oneman show in which he brings
Book Discussion For
to life one of Americas great- Banned Book Week, read
est presidents. Please pre-reg- and discuss Peyton Place,
ister at the library.
by Grace Metalious, the
1956 blockbuster novel that
shocked the nation and sold
Cookbook author

more than 60,000 copies

within the first ten days of
its release. Discussion led by
Toby Zabinski. Please preregister. Tuesday, Oct. 4 at
7:30 p.m.

Woodbridge Town Library

Book discussion Yale

Associate
Dean
Mark
Schenker will lead a monthly
discussion series of the works
of four major American
19th century authors at the
Woodbridge Town library.
The first session Tuesday,
Sept. 6, 7 p.m. will look at
Selected Tales by Edgar Allen
Poe (The Fall of the House
of Usher, The Tell-Tale
Heart, The Black Cat).
While the focus will be on the
works themselves, a variety of
cultural issues will be touched

on, such as the emergence of

a national literature; the burden of the past; the Puritan
heritage and the influence of
transcendentalism; individualism and the social compact;
competing conceptions of the
American self.
October 4: The Scarlet
Letter,
by
Nathaniel
Hawthorne;
November 1: Selected
Poems by Emily Dickinson
December 6: Billy Budd
by Herman Melville
Registration is required.
Copies of all works will be
provided to registered participants.
To register or for more information call 203.389.3433,
stop by the Circulation Desk,
or e-mail pvalsecchi@ci.
woodbridge.ct.us.

Property Transfers
The following property
BETHANY
transfers are copyrighted
50 Briar Rd, Jian Huang
material previously puband
Ying Y. Ma to Eyal and
lished in the Commercial
Marina
Yazdi, $533,000.
Record, a weekly trade paper.
It is reprinted with permisWOODBRIDGE
sion from the publisher, The
29
Acorn
Hill Rd, James
Warren Group, thewarrenP.
and
Kristina
K. Beirne
group.com.
to Christie and Salvatore
Cantalupo, $407,000.
38 Center Rd, Roger C.
and Maryjo Arpaia to Michael
Adam, $229,900.
177 Center Rd, Linda C.
Bubaris to Michael J. and
Kristin C. Haas, $355,000.

179 Seymour Rd, Charles

Q. Macauley to Charles J.
Nicol, $550,000.
6 Woodland Dr, Thomas S.
Lawlor to William and Patricia
Croasman, $471,250.
206 Ansonia Rd, Leonard
W. and Birgit L. Lohne to
Rebecca L. Gallou, $407,750.
22 Hemlock Hollow Rd,
Natalie E. Fenn to Thomas
Sova, $580,000.
15 N Racebrook Rd, Albert
F Ridinger Jr T and Willa J.
Ridinger to Sarah Manheim
and Jameson Scott, $480,000.

1166 Old Racebrook Rd,

Lipman M B Est and Blum
Jay H Est to Danielle Desanti
and Erich Davis, $258,500.
15 Rice Rd, Steven P. and
Carol S. Sorrels to Joseph M.
and Lisa P. Maus, $319,000.
155 Rimmon Rd, Barbara
A. Campbell to Nancy L P.
and Sherwood D. Silliman,
$834,000.
7 Tucker Meadow Rd, Leslie
and Michelle Trachtman to
Sherin S. Stahl and George
M. Anderson, $731,750.

www.AmityObserver.com

THE AMITY OBSERVER, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 9A

Senior News
For information or reserva- screenings, information, prodtions on the following pro- ucts and giveaways.
grams call the center at (203)
891-4784.
History of modern painting Introduction to
Travel showcase Sept. Painting Styles, Themes and
20, 4 p.m. Collette Vacations Techniques, a new class
and the Orange Senior Center Tuesdays, 1:30-3:30 p.m., Sept.
will host a slide show in the 13-Nov. 15. Led by Graham
senior lounge on two trips Dale, Room 6, $50, 10 weeks.
scheduled for 2012. There will This course is an introduction
be a slide show on a 5-day to the painting styles, techSan Antonio getaway in April niques and themes of 19th and
of 2012 and 10-day British 20th century art movements.
Landscapes trip in September It combines demonstrations,
2012.
practical work and art history. Movements examined
Fund-raiser Monday, will be Impressionism, Post
Sept. 19, between 5 and 10 Impressionism, Art Nouveau/
p.m., Wood-n-Tap Restaurant symbolism, expressionism,
on 311 Boston Post Rd Fauvism, cubism, futurism,
will donate 10% of diners Dada/surrealism, abstract, and
bill toward the Community pop art. Some painting expeAssistance Fund. Diners must rience will be needed.
present a flyer to the wait staff
for Community Services to
Ladies Lunch and Learn
receive the donation. Diners Yoga instructors Sue
also have the chance to win Neufeld will present Reiki, a
a $25 gift card if they fill Japanese technique for stress
out the information section on reduction and relaxation that
the flyer. Flyers will be avail- also promotes healing. Sue is
able at Community Services a Reiki master. Sept. 8 from
at High Plains Community 11:30 to 1 p.m. Participants
Center, Town Hall, and at bring their own brown bag
the Library. The Community lunch at 11:30 and the proAssistance Fund aids income- gram begins at noon. Coffee
eligible Orange residents with and dessert is served. Call
emergency fuel assistance, the center to register for this
food, and other needs.
event. Men are welcome.
Afternoon Cabaret
Autumn in New England,
Sept. 20 from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
The entertainer will be Tom
Callinan, who in 1991 was
designated Connecticuts first
State Troubadour. Coffee
and dessert will be served
at 1:30 and music begins at
2 p.m. in the Senior Cafe.
Tickets are $5 per person and
are available in advance at the
Senior Center starting Sept. 1.
Senior Health and Safety
Fair at High Plains
Community Center gym
Friday, Sept. 23 from 9:30
a.m. to noon. Many vendors will be present, along
with free refreshments, raffles,

Mens Club Sept. 15,

Mens Club at 10:30 a.m., a
small classic & antique car
show. The owners of the cars to
be displayed will speak about
their rides. Afterwards you
will be invited to go outside to
view the cars. Let the Center
know you are coming. Ladies
welcome.
Health Chat Join
Maria Biondi, a nurse from
the Orange Visiting Nurse
Association on Tuesday, Sept.
13 at 10:30 a.m. in the senior
lounge library for a Health
Chat. The topic for this month
is home safety. Following the
chat, Maria will be available
to take blood pressures. Call

to let the Center know you are

coming.
Blood pressure screenings The Griffin Hospital
Outreach and Valley Parish
Nurse will be at the High
Plains Community Center
Sept. 22 from 10:30 a.m. 12 p.m. for blood pressure
screenings.
Trips
Ronan Tynan performs
one of the original Irish Tenors
Thursday, Sept. 15, at the
Aqua Turf. He is also a physician. He is known for singing at the funerals of Ronald
Reagan and Ted Kennedy
and for singing God Bless
America at Yankee Stadium.
Cost $80 pp, includes the delicious Aqua Turf Family Style
luncheon, show, all taxes and
tips, and driver gratuity. Full
payment is due at registration.
Trips
Metropolitan Museum
of Art, New York City, with
Graham Dale - Wednesday,
Oct. 26. The museum is considered one of the worlds
largest and finest art museums. Its collections include
more than two million works
of art spanning five thousand
years of world culture, from
prehistory to the present and
from every part of the globe.
Included is transportation,
museum admission, a guided
tour of the museum, gratuities,
and lunch on your own. Cost:
$61 pp. Full payment is due
at registration. Spaces still
available.
Foxwoods Casino
Tuesday, Nov. 8. Leave the
senior center at 8 am and
receive a $15 bonus package
upon arrival at Foxwoods.
Cost: $27 pp. Includes transportation, casinos bonus and
driver gratuity. Space is limited so sign up now. Full payment due with reservation.

New set of classes for Orange seniors

Arthritis Foundation
exercise program
Tuesdays, Sept. 13, 20 10:50-11:35 am (note the time
change); Sept. 27 through
Nov. 15, 10:15-11 a.m. Lowimpact course that helps most
people with arthritis increase
joint flexibility, range of
motion, stamina and muscle
strength. Florene Nichols,
Room 15, $50.
Intermediate Bridge
Fridays, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Sept. 2, though Dec. 9, for
those who have mastered the
beginnings of Bridge and
want to expand on what they
have learned. Al Pol, Room
2, $60.

Fitness
Tuesdays and Thursdays,
8:45-9:45 a.m., 10-11 a.m.,
Sept. 27, through Dec. 13;
combines light weight lifting, stretching, and balance
into a fun-filled class which
burns calories and improves
your general health. Mindy
Leventhal, Gym, $25.

adults.

Opera favorites
Thursdays, 1-4, Oct. 6,
through Nov. 10.
Through viewing complete
operas and reading and discussing the libretto, students
will come to a new appreciation of this unique art form.
Silia Post, Senior Lounge,
$25.

Tap Dance II
Mondays, 10-11 a.m., Sept.
12, through Nov. 28, (no
class 10/10) Set those feet to
dancing and feel the excitement of seeing a dance come
together. This fun and energizing class is great exercise.
Marge Gloria, Room 15, $50.

Money management
for women
New class, Mondays, 9:3011:30 a.m., Oct. 24, though
Dec. 5. Learn to track income
and expenses, food costs,
needs vs. wants, credit cards,
taxes, insurance, and more.
Learn to use tables to document where money comes
from and where it goes.
Kathleen Gorelick, Computer
Lab, $35.

Introduction to Painting
styles
New class, Tuesdays, 1:303:30 p.m., Sept. 13, through
Nov. 15. An introduction to
the painting styles, techniques
and themes of 19th and 20th
century art movements. It
combines demonstrations,
practical work and art history. Movements examined
will be Impressionism, Post
Impressionism, Art Nouveau/
Symbolism, Expressionism,
ComputersFauvism, Cubism, Futurism,
Word Processing I
Dada/Surrealism, Abstract,
Wednesdays, 9:30-11:30 and Pop Art. Some painting
a.m., Sept. 14, though Oct. experience will be needed.
19.
Graham Dale, Room 6, $50.
Letter writing and document handling; learn about
Painting and Drawing
fonts, type sizes, and colTuesdays, 9:30-11:30 a.m.,
ors. Learn to cut, copy and Sept. 13, through Nov. 15,
paste text from one place to This 10 week practical and
another. Learn to use bullets, structured course will introtables and clip art. Kathleen duce and improve drawing
Gorelick, Computer Lab, and painting skills with focus
$35.
on various techniques, methods, styles and materials.
Computers - Intermediate Graham Dale, Room 6, $50.
Word Processing
Wednesdays, 9:30-11:30
Tai-Chi
a.m., Oct. 26, through Dec.
Fridays, 11:30-12:30 a.m.,
7.
Sept. 23 though Dec. 23 (note
This class is a continua- change in start date) David
tion of Word Processing I. Chandler, Gym, $60. Tai-Chi
Kathleen Gorelick, Computer been shown to improve balLab, $35.
ance and flexibility, as well as
reduce fall risk among older

Tap Dance I
Mondays, 1-2 p.m., Sept.
12, though Nov. 28, (no class
10/10) Catch the rhythm and
learn the basics of tap dancing while having fun exercising. Marge Gloria, Room 15,
$50.

Watercolor II
Wednesdays, 10-12 p.m.,
since Aug. 3, through Oct. 5.
This class is for those who
have been painting for a
while. It offers the opportunity to expand on watercolor
techniques. Audrey Galer,
Room 6, $50.
Yoga
Mondays 9:15-10:30 a.m.
Sept. 12 through Dec. 5 (no
class 10/10) Dee Stephens,
Senior Lounge, $50.
Wednesdays, 9-10 a.m.,
10:15-11:15 a.m. Aug. 31
through Nov. 16. Sue Neufeld,
Senior Lounge, $50.
Yoga has been researched
and found to improve health,
flexibility, awaken inner energy, deepen breath awareness
and quiet the mind.
Zumba Gold
Tuesday, Sept. 13 & 20,
10-10:45 a.m. (note the time
change for these two days),
Sept. 27 though Nov. 15, 910 a.m.
Thursdays, 10-11 a.m.
Sept. 15 through Nov. 17.
This class was created to be
easier than the basic Zumba
but just as much fun for a
safe and effective total body
workout. Florene Nichols,
Room 15, $50.

Grant for homeless veterans job training Senior Center van available upon request
U.S Reps. Jim Himes and
Rosa L. DeLauro recently announced that The
Workplace,
Southwestern
Connecticuts
Regional
Workforce
Development
Board, will be receiving a
one year grant of $299,670 to
provide local, homeless veterans with job training aimed at
helping them succeed in civilian careers.
The grant has the potential
for up to three additional years
based on funding availability.
Communities in the greater
Bridgeport and New Haven
labor market areas will benefit
from this grant award. The
WorkPlace was selected from
a competitive process, becoming one of only 23 organizations nationwide to receive
money through this initiative.
Our veterans have sacrificed so much for this country, Himes said. Ensuring
they have the necessary tools
to re-enter civilian life must be
a top priority. Through training and support services to
help veterans find jobs and
stable housing, The Workplace
and its partners will help to
improve the lives of our growing veteran population.
I am very pleased that the
dedication and remarkable

efforts of the WorkPlace has

been recognized with this
grant, DeLauro said. For
years, the WorkPlace, led by
President Joe Carbone, has
helped Connecticut residents
find good, well-paying jobs
and their work with veterans
is especially commendable.
I believe we have a responsibility to these brave men
and women, and applaud The
WorkPlaces efforts to put our
veterans skills and knowledge
to work, providing them with
the training and support they
need to be successful in new
fields. This grant will ensure
that the WorkPlace will continue to create opportunities for
Connecticut residents, including veterans, and enhance our
states workforce.
Traditionally, the homeless veteran population was
thought to be older, Vietnam
era, single men. Today, the
reality is that the homeless
veteran population includes
many younger Operation
Iraqi Freedom and Operation
Enduring Freedom veterans,
female veterans with dependent children, and households
facing economic hardship.
The WorkPlace Homeless
Veterans
Reintegration
Project will provide services

to chronically homeless male

and female veterans referred
by the Connecticut VA Health
Systems. The WorkPlace and
its partners will provide an
array of training and support services to help veterans
find stable housing and enter
the labor force. Services will
include supported employment, job training, life management, housing counseling,
employability skills training,
psychosocial rehabilitation
and substance abuse counseling.
We look forward to working with our great partners,
said Joseph M. Carbone, president and chief executive officer of The WorkPlace. This
investment in training and
support services is a tremendous opportunity to build better futures for our veterans.

WOODBRIDGE The
Woodbridge Senior Center
offers basic transportation
service, providing doorto-door transportation for
Woodbridge residents only,
weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4
p.m.
Vehicle used is a wheelchair-accessible bus. Drivers

will provide limited assistance to and from the vehicle and pick-up and drop-off
locations. The transportation is for any resident of
Woodbridge who is 60 years
or older, or permanently or
temporarily disabled.
Transportation is provided
Monday through Friday to

the Senior Center, for shopping on Wednesday, and

for medical appointments.
Reservations should be called
in at least a day in advance,
since scheduling is on a firstcome, first-served basis.
To make reservations call
the Woodbridge Senior Center
at (203) 389-3429.

New organization presents form of elder care

ORANGE Orange
seniors and any others who
are interested can learn more
about a new concept of eldercare at a meeting on Thursday,
Sept. 8, 7 p.m., at High Plains
Community Center, Room 2.
The idea is to create a private, not-for-profit corpora-

tions to support independent

living in their own homes for
as long as possible.
Representatives of the
already up-and-running East
Rock Village in New Haven
( http://eastrockvillage.org)
will be present to describe the
workings of their organiza-

tion, answer questions, and

talk about how this model
might work for Orange.
For details call Libby
Meyer,
203-799-2461;
or e-mail Kate OBrien,
obrienstrings@optonline.net.

THE AMITY OBSERVER, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 10A

Evening for the Arts coming up

Scholarship recipient

ORANGE The Jamie

A. Hulley Arts Foundation is
having its annual gala event,
An Evening for the Arts, ten
days from now, on Saturday,
Sept. 10, at the Quick Center
in Fairfield.
It is the Foundations only
fund-raiser, and the one event
that makes their work for the
arts possible. The Foundation
gives grants to arts organizations and schools and scholarships to young artists.
The musical act at the gala
is Dr. Ks Motown Revue and
promises to be a light and
lively event, with wine and
appetizers and auction prizes.
Even though based in
Orange, the gala every year
takes place on the professional stage of the Quick Center,
given that Judy Primavera,
the chairman as well as the
heart and soul of the foundation, is a professor at Fairfield
University.
The Jamie Hulley Foundation
was born after Primaveras
older daughter Jamie passed
in 2002 of an aggressive cancer. Jamie Hulley, an Amity
graduate and at the time a stu-

Heather Ladutko, the daughter of Robert and Belinda Ladutko of Orange,

is the recipient of a $2,000 scholarship from BIC Corporation. The company awards scholarships annually to the children of BIC employees,
based on scholastic achievement. Ladutko is a student at the University
of New Haven. Pictured with her is Chris Mills, senior vice president and
general manager, North America.
(Submitted photo)

Families invited to Or Shalom

ORANGE Congregation
Or Shalom, a Conservative
synagogue in Orange, is
offering free kindergarten
along with their Opening
Doors program for children
in grades 1 and 2 in the fall.
Young families may enroll
their children free for kin-

to open the doors to various groups and committees

within the synagogue.
Information about the program is available by contacting the synagogue at 203799-2341. Congregation Or
Shalom is located at 205 Old
Grassy Hill Road in Orange.

dergarten and pay tuition for

grades 1 and 2 without the
requirement of membership
in the synagogue.
Rabbi Alvin Wainhaus,
synagogue spiritual leader,
said bringing young families
within the orbit of the community will stimulate them

Free English class at Woodbridge Library

Amity Adult and Continuing

Education is offering a free
English class for speakers of
other languages.
This class is designed to
help the non-English speaking adult understand, speak

and write English.

Improve your English
communication at home, at
your childrens school, and
on the job. The class meets
at the Woodbridge Library,
Meetinghouse Lane, Tuesday

and Thursday, 10 a.m. to

noon, beginning Sept. 13.
Registration is the first day
of class.
For information call
(203) 773-9211 or e-mail:
info@hamdenadulted.org

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dent at Wesleyan University,

thrived on the arts, all the
arts. She loved music and
dance and was very gifted as
an artist. Some of her works
can be viewed on the Hulley
Foundations Web site.
The Foundation preserves
the spirit of this young woman
and attempts to financially
support artistic endeavors at
Amitys schools and other
organizations.
The New England Ballet,
for instance, brought ballet
lessons to a school readiness program in Bridgeport,
financed by a grant from the
Hulley Foundation. The program benefited not only the
children, whose enthusiasm
radiated from their faces, but
also the ballet school.
The Foundation has given
a grant to the Amity Teen
Center and the Milford Boys
and Girls Club for afterschool programs.
The foundation is no longer
a secret in this area, and last
year they received 30 applications for 12 to 15 grants. They
had to say no and create a
wait list, Primavera said.

The economy is also putting a crimp into their grant

program, making the board
hesitant to start new commitments.
Primavera said the foundation supports a number of
the arts and theater programs
at Amity High School. When
Jamie was a student there in
the 1990s, the auditorium was
closed due to mold problems.
She would have a ball if
she was a student there now,
Primavera said. She would
just go crazy, she said. She
said the school leadership
supports the arts, and the
foundation is just a part of
that vision.
To be a part of that vision,
call (203) 891-8869 or e-mail
jamieart@snet.net for tickets.
Tickets are $40 and all of
the proceeds will be used for
scholarships and grants.
Even though it is a gala,
and people can dress up, there
is no dress code. It doesnt
matter what you wear - just as
long as you are there is the
motto on the gala flyers.

Area non-prots receive grants

BRIDGEPORT The
Community Soup Kitchen, the
Literacy Council of Greater
New Haven and New Haven
Ecology Project were among
the recipients of grants from
Peoples United Community
Foundation.
The foundation has awarded $637,940 in grants to
nonprofit organizations in its
service area throughout New
England for the third quarter
of 2011.
Sixty
organizations
throughout six states received
funding in support of their
programs, which ranged from
basic needs services and
affordable housing initiatives,
to education and employment
programs.
We are delighted to sup-

port these deserving nonprofit organizations throughout

our footprint, said Vincent
Santilli, executive director of
Peoples United Community
Foundation.
Nonprofit organizations
are under significant pressure
to deliver their services in
a very challenging economic
environment. Peoples United
Community Foundation is
proud to join our community
partners in a collaborative
effort to improve the quality
of life in the cities and towns
we serve.
The Community Soup
Kitchen received $5,000; the
Literacy Council received
$5,000 for tutoring adults;
and New Haven Ecology
Project received $10,000 for

the Green Jobs Corps.

Established in 2007,
Peoples United Community
Foundation was formed to
help support programs and
activities that enhance the
quality of life for citizens in
the communities that Peoples
United Bank serves.
In a press release which
announced the grants, the
foundation said special
emphasis was on programs
designed to promote economic self-sufficiency, education
and improved conditions for
low-income families and
neighborhoods, the funding
priorities of the Foundation
include community development, youth development and
affordable housing.

Business group plans golf outing

ORANGE The Orange
Economic
Development
Corporation (OEDC) will
have its 5th annual golf tournament, sponsored by PEZ
Candy.
The tournament is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 23,
at Orange Hills Country
Club, 389 Racebrook Road,
Orange.
Paul Grimmer, OEDC
executive director said the
committee has implemented
a number of fun activities for
participants.
The tournament is providing us an opportunity to
network with our peers and
generate new ideas for the
upcoming year, Grimmer
said.
Registration begins at 9
a.m. with tee off at 10 a.m.

The tournament price is $175

per golfer and includes 18
holes of golf with cart; egg
sandwiches and continental
breakfast, snacks and drinks
on the course and lunch at
the grill.
Golfers can also enjoy
massages provided by Inner
Essence Spa; a steak or lobster dinner catered by David
Grant Caterers and a beer
tent provided by Orange Ale
House & Grill.
Numerous
on-course
Contests, such as Hole in
One, Closest to the Pin, Par
3 Challenge, Closest to the
Line, Longest Drive (Men &
Women).
Tournament gifts, contest
awards, and raffle prizes total
more than $6,000.
To register call Paul

Grimmer or Annemarie Sliby

at (203) 891-1045. Online
sign-up is possible at the
OEDC Web site OrangeEDC.
com/golf.htm.
On the OEDC Facebook
page (Orange EDC) view pictures from last years tournament as well as our other
projects.
Tournament sponsor is
PEZ Candy; beverage sponsor Northeast Electronics
Corporation; breakfast sponsor Eagle Leasing Company;
dinner sponsor is Peoples
United Bank; raffle sponsor
is Southern Connecticut Gas
Company; contest sponsor is
Brueggers Bagels.
Tee Sign sponsorships are
available. Call the office if
interested, (203) 891-1045.

Sports
Amity Observer

Thursday September 1, 2011

Mary Schneider
one of CASAs best

The Connecticut Amateur

Softball Association Hall of Fame
announced its newest members
for the Halls Fast Pitch Wing.
Players Mary Schneider from
Orange and Joe Plagesse, along
with umpires Joseph Auwood
and Ralph Moreo, will be honored at the CASA Hall of Fame
awards dinner, Sunday, Sept. 25
at Costa Azzurra Restaurant in
Milford at 4 p.m.
The Slow Pitch Wing honorees will be announced soon.
Mary Schneider
Schneider was a standout college and summer league player
in the 1980s.
She was the starting catcher
at the University of Connecticut
for four years, and was named
three consecutive years (19811983), to the New England
Intercollegiate Softball All Star
team.
During her senior year, she
was named co-captain of the
team, and earned the University
Medallion for outstanding athletics-academic achievement.
Schneider was also a twoyear starter on the varsity soccer
team and helped the Huskies to
a third-place finish nationally in
the 1981 season.
During the summer, she played
with the top teams in Fairfield
County, starting with leading the
Danbury Debs to a state championship in 1980.
She also starred for the
Stamford Flames, and finished
her fast-pitch career with the
Norwalk Mariners.
Schneider played two seasons
with the Raybestos Brakettes,
both national championship winning teams in 82 and 83.
Schneider, who grew up
in Sherman and now lives in
Orange, also had an accomplished 10-year slow-pitch career
playing in three national tournaments.
Joe Plagesse
Plagesse, who now resides in
Hammonton, N.J., played for
many of the top fast pitch soft-

ball teams in the state for over

10 years.
A New Haven area native,
he was a pitcher and first baseman for the Raybestos Hawks in
Stratford from 1961-63.
He then joined the Waterbury
Bombers for two seasons, where
he played with his brother Joe,
who was inducted into the CASA
HOF last year.
A solid hitter with tremendous
power, Plagesse concluded his
career with a two-year stint with
the Norwalk Eagles and spent his
last two seasons from 1968-70
with Mar Parks of New Britain.
Joe Auwood
Auwood has been an ASA
umpire for nearly 30 years working high school, college and ASA
games.
On the college level, he
umpired Division III games, and
also worked in many junior college games and tournaments in
Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Auwood was a regular ump
doing fast-pitch games involving
the Waterford Mariners in the
Eastern Womens FP League.
A Waterford resident, Auwood
worked 15 high school state
tournament championships from
Class S to LL.
He has also served as the
NFHS and ASA rules interpreter
for the Eastern CT Board of ASA
Umpires.
Ralph Moreo
Sixty years have gone by
since Moreo first put on a mask
and became an umpire, under
the tutelage of Bernie Iassogna,
the legendary Bridgeport-area
umpire.
Moreo worked Raybestos
Brakettes and Cardinals games,
and also umpired in ASA regional tournaments in Vermont and
at Raybestos and Penders fields
in Stratford.
The Bridgeport resident also
did college and high school
games, and is still active
doing slow-pitch games for
the Trumbull Slow Pitch ASA
League.

Page 11A

Sports Briefs

Williams earn gold

Saxe alumni soccer Saturday

The Jeremy Saxe Memorial Amity Boys Soccer Alumni

Game will be played Saturday, Sept. 3 with a rain date of
Monday, Sept. 7, Labor Day.
Participating alumni are asked to donate $20 to play,
which will include a commemorative game shirt and a
portion of the donations will be going to the Jeremy Saxe
Scholarship Fund.
Additional donations for the scholarship will be accepted through the Amity High athletic office.
Please confirm attendance by contacting coach Mike
Marchitto through Amity High School Athletic Department,
or email coachmike008@gmail.com.

Sunset Run update

Due to Hurricane Irene and surrounding weather, the

Sunset Run For the Warriors is being postponed until
Sunday, Oct. 9, at 3:15 p.m. Registration will carry over
to this date and the Kintera site will remain open. Those
unable to attend the race on Oct. 9 may consider their registration as a donation or may request a refund. To learn
more, visit hopeforthewarriors.org.

Cade Williams of Orange took home a fencing gold medal in the Connecticut Nutmeg
Games Competition Level Y-14 on Aug. 1.
He has also taken bronze and silver medals
in other recent competitions. Williams is
coached by Sandra Marchant and is a member of the Prospect Fencing Club. He hopes
to continue fencing through high school
and into college.
(Submitted photo)

Sport shing

Fish the calm waters of the Long Island Sound on a 28foot, fully-equipped sport fisherman boat from 7:30 a.m.
to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Tackle, bait, a gourmet boxed lunch, soft and hard beverages, are included.
Your catch is processed and packed for the ride home.
Six anglers maximum.
For more information, contact On The Scene
Entertainment at (800) 527-9764.

NFL bus trip

Lucas Morrissey
earns Kennedy grant
Golfers of all ages teed
up on June 27 to support
people with disabilities at
The Kennedy Center 20th
Annual Charity Golf Classic
at Shorehaven Country Club
in Norwalk.
This years tournament
raised a net $16,000 for
the benefit of The Kennedy
Center.
Since its inception, the
tournament has contributed
over $500,000 for vital programs and services provided

by The Kennedy Center.0

Lucas Morrissey from
Woodbridge was among the
22 junior golfers from 12
communities throughout
the state that were awarded
scholarships based upon academic achievement, school
and community leadership,
and golf proficiency.
Junior golfers aged 15
through 18 played for free
in this scramble-format, 18hole classic.

A bus trip is planned for the Dallas Cowboy NFL football game with the New York Jets scheduled for Sept. 11.
The bus will depart from the Route 8 commuter lot in
Trumbull at 2 p.m.
The trip costs $250 and includes Charter Bus transportation, tickets to the game, soft and hard beverages and a
tailgate party (drinks, hot dogs, sausage and peppers, burgers, pasta and chicken).
Visit GoOnTheScene.com.

Baseball for all ages

Roberto Mena, former professional baseball player, is

now at The Batters Box in Hamden.
With a bachelor of science degree in Exercise Science
and Sports Studies from the University of Tampa, Mena
offers strength and conditioning, speed and agility training, fielding and hitting lessons.
Private and group lessons are available.
Contact Mena at 203-583-2766 or rmenatraining@yahoo.
com.
Find The Batters Box at 21 Marne Street in Hamden.

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New
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PAGE 13A

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PAGE 14A

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PAGE 15A

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PAGE 16A

Security
Continued from page one

Nicholis Monelli (center), earned his Eagle Scout award by building a flag burning pit at the Veterans memorial Park in Bethany. Veterans David Ballerini, Paul
Sudak, Alberty Nayer and Arthur Slicer thanked him for his contribution.
(Submitted photo)

Eagle Scout builds ag burning pit

BETHANY Nicholis
Monelli earned his Eagle
Scout award by designing
and building a flag burning
pit at the Veterans Memorial
Park for Bethany VFW Post
2448.
Monelli is a member of
Boy Scout Troop 931. The
pit was dedicated at a ceremony with Scout families,
friends and VFW Post members in attendance. Monelli
gave a presentation about the
meaning of the red and white
stripes and the blue field,
each followed by a burning

of that item.
All recited the Pledge
of Allegiance and Walter
Gilliam played Taps.
The pit contains a steel
burning dish that can be covered and locked when not
in use. This is on a concrete
base surrounded by 13 stars.
It is located at a site between
Lakeview Lodge and Hockanum Lake, between the
Veterans Wall of Honor and
a stone dedicated to the Dogs
of War.
Post Commander Albert
Mayer said until now the

Post did not have a formal

Flag Day burning ceremony.
Flags are being collected at
Town Hall and then shipped
out for proper and respectful
disposal.
However, with the burning
pit in town, they may think
about having such ceremonies at the Memorial Park.
One problem is with nylon
flags, as burning them will
leave behind burnt plastic.
Should they conduct a flag
burning it would be for cotton flags only, he said.

Koether accepted into Vet school

ORANGE Brittany
Koether of Orange recently was accepted into the
incoming Class of 2015 at
Oklahoma State Universitys
Center for Veterinary Health
Sciences.

Koether is the daughter

of Edward and Margaret
Koether of Orange.
She graduated from Amity
Regional High School in
Woodbridge, and earned
a BS degree in Animal

Science from the University

of Connecticut, where she
received the American
Society of Animal Science
Scholastic
Achievement
Award.

Visit us on the Web www.AmityObserver.com

had to avoid a lot of downed

trees and one ambulance had
its side mirror broken off.
The CL&P truck was in the
neighborhood and took care of
the downed wire, Green said.
Shortly after they had a call
for mutual aid from Prospect,
for a structure fire in which
the homeowner perished. One
Prospect firefighter had to be
hospitalized for touching the
aluminum siding.
Shortly after they had
returned to Bethany, they had
a call for a structure fire in
Woodbridge and sent out three
units.
In addition they had a call
from Litchfield Turnpike for
a smell of smoke. As he was
leaving the house he saw the
transformer on a telephone
pole shorting, with a Public
Works truck parked underneath.
At that point he asked

Cleanup
Continued from page one
In addition to a house fire
on Soundview Drive Sunday
morning, the department had
a lot of calls for downed trees
and wires, a couple of flooded
basements, several medical
calls and a state trooper stuck
in a tree on Amity Road.
The officer was headed to
a house fire in Prospect early
Sunday morning when a tree
on Amity Road, right on the
Woodbridge-Bethany town
line, fell over and knocked the
cruiser to the side. Luckily the
trooper got out unharmed, but
his cruiser was stuck.
Power lines were down all
over town, said Police Sgt.
Brian McCarthy Sunday night.
He said United Illuminating
had a crew working specifically in Woodbridge throughout the storm, yet they were
backed up by about 50 calls.
All the utility crew could do at
that point was kill off power to
damaged wires. Then the town
highway crews could remove
the downed trees.
Thanks to their swift
response, many of the main

CL&P to cut the power to all

of Bethany, he said.
Given the fires he had just
witnessed,`I didnt want that
to happen here.
But power will not be
restored any time soon.
Although CL&P said it was
restoring power in record
time, with 600 crews deployed
state-wide, nothing seemed to
be happening in Bethany. By
Monday afternoon, the first
selectman said she was still
waiting for a crew to arrive.
Bethany opened its emergency shelter at the Community
School. But in contrast to the
other Amity towns, the shelter
did not open until Monday
morning, after the storm had
passed.
The reason to do this was
that town officials did not
want residents traveling during the storm. Fire Marshal
Rod White said it seemed to
make more sense to help residents deal with the aftermath
of the storm.
Residents could come in to

charge their phones, get water,

use the kitchen or get a MRE
(Military Meals Ready to Eat)
and use the showers. They
kept the school open Monday
and again Tuesday afternoon.
White was also not convinced that the school would
provide more security than a
regular home in town. Given
they were expecting hurricane-force winds and a tornado watch for the area, it
did not seem to make sense to
shelter people in the school,
he said.
Green said the fire department worked closely with the
highway department to help
clear the roads.
When its time to step up
to the plate, they do their job,
he said proudly of the highway
crew.
Green was also grateful for
the support the CERT team
provided and the Auxiliary
which sustained the fire fighters by cooking for them on
Sunday.

thoroughfares such as Center

Road, Rimmon Road, Peck
Hill Road and Newton Road,
all of which had been closed
in several locations, could
be opened before the regular
morning traffic on Monday.
Some roads were still closed
Monday, specifically Route
243 and Litchfield Turnpike.
It was unclear as of Monday
how long it would be for residents to see power restored.
According to numbers supplied by the utility, 79% of
Woodbridge residents 2,932
in all were out of power at
the height of the storm. On
Monday the restoration process began in earnest, and by
Monday night that number
had been reduced by 600.
The West River area, which
officials had watched with
big concern, as it is prone to
flooding, fared best in this
weather event. The water came
almost to the bridge level at
the Merritt Avenue bridge and
at Bradley Road bridge, but it
didnt flood the area like it did
this spring.
In fact, police officers had
gone door to door before the
storm, encouraging people to
evacuate. They also had made

plans to move animals in the

Bradley Road Animal Control
facility to the old firehouse,
should the need arise. In the
end Irene spared them, as the
area did not flood nor did the
residents and businesses lose
power.
For the first time in the
towns history the town opened
and operated an emergency
shelter. The Human Services
Department had set up cots
in the Center Building gym
and provided toys for families with children, also coffee,
pizza and a working television
in the senior center.
About 16 residents turned
out to sleep there, said Mary
Ellen LaRocca.
The shelter closed Monday,
but residents can still come to
the Senior Center to get water
or charge their cell phones
while the power is out.
The Jewish Community
Center as well as Planet Fitness
have offered their facilities to
residents. Residents can also
obtain water from the Town
Hall well pump station across
from the mailbox. Just bring a
covered container.