“May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, and may trouble avoid you wherever you go.” ~ Irish Blessing Prst. Std.
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EE
Bee Intelligencer
Informing the towns of Middlebury, Southbury, Woodbury, Naugatuck, Oxford and Watertown
A FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Volume VIII, No. 11
Friday, March 16, 2012
Police chief
seeks to replace
two cars
By CRISTINA COMMENDATORE
Middlebury Police Chief Richard Guisti put two police
cruisers to rest. He’s hoping he’ll have the money to
replace them soon.
The retired cruisers are 2004 Ford Crown Victorias,
one with 93,676 miles and the other with 139,965 miles.
The 93,676 mile car has internal rear-end damage, and
the other needs new shocks, brakes and rotors. Both
have expired warranties.
Guisti budgeted around $60,000 for two new police
cars under his 2012-13 capital expenses. Depending on
whether the budget is accepted as is, Guisti is considering also phasing out a 2007 Ford Crown Victoria with
98,026 miles and a 2008 Ford Crown Victoria with 79,764
miles.
The car with 98,026 miles on it is the canine officer’s
car, and Guisti said it is constantly on the road. He said
he probably will repaint the 79,000-mile car and give it
to the lieutenant, whose 139,965-mile Crown Vic is one
of the two already retired.
“It’s not cost effective to put money in them because
they’re always going down and are in for repairs,” Guisti
said. “And the warranties have expired, which makes it
expensive to fix the vehicles.”
Guisti said police cars have a life expectancy of 18 to
24 months, and both cars he recently took out of service
have lasted the department seven years.
Every year, except the last few years, Middlebury has
retired two vehicles and replaced them. Guisti said other
towns’ police departments do the same depending on
their needs. Middlebury has purchased cars in the past
with special duty funds or through the department’s
capital expense.
In Woodbury, Resident Trooper Sgt. Joseph Roden
said his department typically buys three new cruisers
every three years. Although the last time the town of
Woodbury had budgeted money for a new police vehicle
was in 2006, Roden said he has been able to keep his
fleet intact with overtime funds from special duty.
Woodbury, which has 9,900 residents, has a police
fleet of 10 vehicles and each of the eight full-time officers
is assigned a vehicle, which leaves two spare cars. Roden
said his 2007 Crown Vics have about 70,000 miles on
them now. Woodbury bought three new cars in 2010.
“My oldest car in the fleet is a 2004,” Roden said.
“We’re looking to replace that one. The problem with
police vehicles is you can’t go by mileage; you have to
look at the hours on the engine as well. As cars come out
of warranty they become more and more expensive to
keep in service.”
Roden said new Crown Vics (basic models) cost
around $26,000 to $28,000. All-wheel drive SUVs cost
more. “Budgeting $30,000 to get a police vehicle is not
unreasonable,” he said. “Having reliable vehicles is really
a requirement of the mission of law enforcement.”
Middlebury, which has more than 7,500 residents,
has an 11-car fleet, two of which are out of service. Depending on when the budget is approved and whether
funds for additional cars will be included, Guisti said it
could be eight months before he can buy two new cars.
“With a smaller fleet, we have to replace vehicles
faster,” Guisti said, noting cars could be in use eight to
24 hours a day. “Vehicles are always out of service for
some reason, whether it be maintenance or an accident.
The fleet we have is conducive to the events in town.”
During the summer Middlebury holds six road races,
and Guisti said he doesn’t have enough cars. He said he
needs two to three officers on patrol and always has to
figure in at least one car down for maintenance. He also
uses cars to block off roads for the athletes.
Police Commissioner Frank Cipriano said before he
was on the commission, which was 12 years ago, Middlebury retired and replaced two cars annually, but
because of the recent slip in the economy and budget
difficulties, cars have not been replaced as often.
Cipriano said Tuesday Guisti reported to the Police
Commission March 12 that he could get by with 11 total
cars – nine black and whites for officers and two unmarked, one for him and the other for the lieutenant.
Cipriano hopes the police department budget will be
approved as is.
“Hopefully we can get back on board,” Cipriano said.
“I think it’s going to be fine. We’ll also be putting the
motorcycle out more, which will be helpful. Hopefully
that will save on mileage and gas on the cars out there.”
Above, Junior Girl Scouts Jackie, 10, and Jillian, 11,
of Middlebury wear face-painted “100s” Monday
night at the Girl Scouts 100th anniversary celebration
in Middlebury. (Marjorie Needham photo) At left,
an exhibit celebrating the 100th anniversary of Girl
Scouting, this part featuring Girl Scout founder
Juliette Gordon Low, is at the Middlebury Public
Library this month. Middlebury Service Unit Manager
Janice Kulpa collected a variety of Girl Scout items for
the exhibit. (Cristina Commendatore photo)
Girl Scouts celebrate 100 year anniversary
By MARJORIE NEEDHAM
Last week, Middleburians celebrated Dr.
Jessamine Goerner’s 100th birthday. This
week, they celebrated 100 years of Girl Scouting. Middlebury Service Unit Leader Janice
Kulpa organized a Scouts’ 100th anniversary
celebration held at the fire house on Tucker
Hill Road Monday night.
Shortly before 6:30 p.m., Kulpa instructed
the girls to form a circle, and at exactly 6:30
p.m., they raised their right hands, as thousands of Girl Scouts across the U.S. did the
same, and repeated the Girl Scout Promise.
The Promise says, “On my honor, I will try: To
serve God and my country, To help people at
all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law.”
Afterwards, Kulpa led them in a song familiar to all who have been Girl Scouts, “Make
New Friends.” The first verse is, “Make new
friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the
other is gold.”
First Selectman Edward B. St. John attended
the event and read a proclamation declaring
2012 the Year of the Girl. Kulpa presented him
with a 100-year anniversary pin and pencil.
Kulpa said 126 girls participate in Middlebury’s nine Girl Scout troops. Statewide, 46,500
girls in grades K through 12 participate, and
50 million U.S. women are Girl Scout alumnae.
Turnout Monday night indicated enthusiastic
community support for Girl Scouts: Girls and
their parents filled the function room at the
fire house, and vehicles spilled out of the parking lot and along Regan Road.
While camping and crafts may come to
Girl Scout Service Unit Manager Janice Kulpa, left, and former Girl Scout leader Dr. Roberta
Anderson-Massey, right, listen as Gold Award Girl Scout Amy Drzwecki explains the Gold
Award project she completed. Anderson-Massey said the project to provide child care during
a school break involved a lot more hard work than Drzwecki implied.
mind when one thinks of Girl Scouts, service
to others is vital to the group, Kulpa said.
After setting a goal of completing 1,000 hours
of service between March 2011 and March
2012, Middlebury’s Scouts far surpassed that
goal. They gave 3,900 hours of service to the
community. The current service project is for
each troop in turn to prepare 50 care bags a
month for patients at the Howard Leever Cancer Center, just over the Middlebury line in
Waterbury. In addition Scouts provide
Thanksgiving baskets and Christmas funds
to local families.
Kulpa also has filled the display shelves in
the Middlebury Public Library entry area with
an exhibit of Girl Scout memorabilia that can
be seen through the end of March. For more
information on Middlebury Girl Scouts, contact MiddleburyGirlScouts@comcast.net or
call Kulpa at 203-758-8482.
University to empower parents
Parents who want tips on positive parenting strategies will find
them in abundance at the Parent
Empowerment University Saturday, March 24, from 8 a.m. to 1:45
p.m. at Newtown Middle School at
11 Queen Street in Newtown.
Bonnie Harris, author of “When
Kids Push Your Buttons,” will be
the keynote speaker. Copies of her
book have been donated to both
the Middlebury and Southbury
public libraries by one of the pro-
gram sponsors, S.M.A.R.T. (Southbury & Middlebury Acting Responsibly Together).
Following Harris’s talk, parents
can choose among 10 different
learning sessions for morning and
afternoon sessions. Included are
“Confident Parents, Remarkable
Kids;” “Use or Abuse? Identifying
Addiction Issues in Adolescents &
Young Adults;” “Helping Your Worried Child Worry Less;” and “Kids’
Rights – Safety First!” a workshop
on bullying. Sessions also cover
preparing for college, communicating effectively with your children, changes in the modern family and more. All are listed on the
website given at the end of this
article.
A complimentary lunch will be
served between the sessions. Children ages 3 to 11 will be offered a
variety of fun, age-appropriate activities at the “Kids University” being held at the same time.
Organizers Newtown Parent
Connection, S.M.A.R.T. and Brookfield Substance Abuse Coalition
say their goal in offering the program is to strengthen families and
enrich their communities. Register
and pay online at www.newtownparentconnection.org. The fee for
the day is $5 per adult (children are
free) payable online using PayPal
or any major credit card via PayPal.
For more information, call 203-2701600 and leave a message for Joan.
Inside this Issue
Legal Notices....................7
Library Happenings............2
Nuggets for Life................6
Obituaries.........................5
Parks & Rec.......................6
Reg. 15 School Calendar...3
Senior Center News...........3
Varsity Sports Calendar......6
Editorial Office:
Email: mbisubmit@gmail.com
Phone: 203-577-6800
Mail: P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762
Advertising Sales:
Email: mbiadvertising@gmail.com
saturday
Upcoming Events
Book Review.....................2
Adoptable pets.................8
Classifieds.........................7
Community Calendar.........2
Computer Tip....................8
Fire Log.............................2
Frugal Mummy..................5
In Brief..............................4
St. Patrick’s Day
March 17
tuesday
March 20
friday
March 23
Spring Begins
Dan LaRosa Comedy Hypnosis Show
When:
What:
Where: Tickets:
7 p.m.
Sponsored by PHS GradNite 2012 (See story on page 3)
Pomperaug High School Auditorium
$10 at the door
Published weekly by The Middlebury Bee Intelligencer Society, LLC - 2030 Straits Turnpike, Middlebury, CT 06762 - Copyright 2012
Learn Lithuanian
egg decorating
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Our office is at
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Mail: P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762
The Bee-Intelligencer
PAGE 2
EIDC elects officers,
reviews tax
abatement program
The Middlebury Economic
and Industrial Development
Commission (EIDC) elected a
new co-chairman, reviewed updates to the Tax Incentive Policy
and made plans to meet with the
Planning and Zoning (P&Z)
Commission to discuss architectural standards.
Michael Kenausis was elected
to serve as co-chairman with
Gerry Matthews, replacing resigning member John Cookson,
who was recently elected chairman of the Land Preservation
and Open Space Commission
and also serves on the Regional
School District 15 Board of Education. Other members of the
EIDC are Ted Manello, Joseph
Salvini and Mark Petrucci.
Matthews distributed markedup copies of the current Tax Incentive Policy sent to the Board
of Selectmen last year. Proposed
revisions include clarification of
applicant delinquency in other
towns and additional detail on
personal property tax abatement
and eligibility for uses other than
manufacturing, a revision suggested by Middlebury Tax Assessor Daniel Kenny to be consistent
with Connecticut General Statutes. A follow-up discussion with
Kenny is planned.
Commissioners also discussed establishing written standards for architectural review.
Manello said the commission
was charged with reviewing construction plans, but there were
no guidelines for developers to
follow. Kenausis said he would
arrange for a joint meeting with
P&Z to participate in the Plan of
Conservation and Development
workshops currently discussing
standards for the Middlebury
Center business district.
The next EIDC meeting will
be Tuesday, March 27, at 6 p.m.
in the Town Hall conference
room.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Patriotic radicalism talk at Fairfield U
The wit, wisdom and personality
of Sarah Vowell will take center stage
Wednesday, March 28, at 8 p.m. at Fairfield
University’s Regina A. Quick Center for the
Arts as part of the signature lecture series Open VISIONS Forum (OVF). The bestselling author, journalist, essayist and social
commentator will give a lecture entitled “Author’s Liberty as a Voice of Patriotic Radicalism.” An informal conversation with Professor Philip Eliasoph, OVF moderator, and Dr.
Cecelia Bucki, chair of the department of
history at Fairfield University, will follow.
Single tickets are $45.
“With her feisty nature, Ms. Vowell has
emerged as one of America’s most delightfully subversive voices,” said Eliasoph. “Let’s
anticipate for our forum audience an evening of droll insights and iconoclastic lampooning - sharpening her razor sharp lance
at our nation’s most sacred cows.”
Vowell is a New York Times’ bestselling
author of six nonfiction books on American
history and culture, was a contributing editor for Public Radio International’s “This
American Life” and was the voice of teen
superhero Violet Parr in Brad Bird’s Academy
Award-winning “The Incredibles,” a Pixar
Animation Studios film.
Her writings examine the connections
between the American past and present,
offering personal, often humorous accounts
Sarah Vowell
(Bennett Miller photo)
of everything from presidents and their assassins to colonial religious fanatics, as well
as thoughts on American Indians, utopian
dreamers, pop music, and the odd cranky
cartographer.
Vowell’s most recent book, “Unfamiliar
Fishes” (2011), is the intriguing history of
our 50th state, Hawaii, annexed in 1898. Replete with a cast of beguiling and often tragic
characters, including an overthrown Hawaiian queen, whalers, missionaries, sugar barons, Teddy Roosevelt and assorted con men,
the book is another history lesson in Amer-
icana as only Vowell can tell it – with brainy
wit and droll humor.
Her book, “The Wordy Shipmates” (2008),
examines the New England Puritans and
their journey to and impact on America,
revealing how American history can show
up in the most unexpected places in our
modern culture, often in poignant ways.
Another book, “Assassination Vacation” (2005), is a haunting and surprisingly
hilarious road trip to tourist sites devoted to
the murders of presidents Lincoln, Garfield
and McKinley. Her first book, “Radio
On” (1997), is her year-long diary of listening
to the radio in 1995. Her two essay collections are “The Partly Cloudy Patriot” (2002)
and “Take the Cannoli” (2000).
Tickets are available through the Quick
Center Box Office at 203-254-4010, or tollfree at 1-877-ARTS-396.(1-877-278-7396).
Tickets also can be purchased online at www.
quickcenter.com.
The Center is on the campus of Fairfield
University at 1073 North Benson Road in
Fairfield, Conn. Entrance is through the Barlow Road gate at 200 Barlow Road. Free, secure parking is available. Access for people
with disabilities is available throughout the
Quick Center, and hearing amplification devices are available at the Box Office. For more
information, call 203-254-4010 or 1-877-2787396, or visit www.quickcenter.com
Middlebury Community Calendar
Saturday, March 17 – Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Jigsaw puzzle
contest winners
Monday, March 19
Board of Selectmen
6 p.m...................................................Town Hall Conference Room
Public Works Commission
7 p.m............................................................... Shepardson Room 26
Jigsaw puzzle contest winners,
left to right, Kasey Schneider,
Brandt Schneider, Michelle Benish and her daughter, Allison,
9, sit behind the trophy they
won for being the first team
to finish the puzzle shown in
the foreground. They finished
the 500-piece puzzle in less
than two hours and won the
trophy for the fifth time in
the six years the Middlebury
Public Library has had a jigsaw
puzzle contest.
(Marjorie Needham photo)
Tuesday, March 20 – Spring Begins
Commission on Aging
9:30 a.m.......................................................... Shepardson Room 26
Elderly Tax Relief Committee
5:30 p.m.......................................................... Shepardson Room 26
Mental Health Support Group
6 p.m............................. Russell Place, 1F, 969 W. Main, Waterbury
Water Pollution Control Authority
7:30 p.m.......................................................... Shepardson Room 26
Wednesday, March 21
Beautification Commission
6:30 p.m.......................................................... Shepardson Room 26
Calendar dates/times are subject to change
If your organization would like your event included in the community
calendar, please e-mail the information to beeintelligencer@gmail.com
Middlebury Volunteer
Fire Department Call Log
Date TimeAddress/Incident
3/07/12 13:50
Truck Museum. Activated fire alarm
3/10/12 09:26
Rte. 63 at Woodside Avenue. Motor vehicle
accident with injuries.
Book Review
“The Expats”
By Chris Pavone
(Crown Publishers, $26)
Reviewed by Rose M. Croke
Kate Moore’s life in Washington, D.C., might appear normal,
but she is hiding a secret life
working as an analyst and former
operative for the CIA. When her
husband is offered a lucrative job
in Luxembourg, Kate welcomes
the opportunity to start fresh and
leave behind her double life. She
reinvents herself as an expatriate,
or “expat,” and a stay-at-home
mother, who fills her days with
household chores, afternoon
play dates, and lunch or coffee
with other expat mothers.
As her husband works increasingly long hours at a job Kate has
never understood and for an
employer she doesn’t know, her
isolation and loneliness grow,
and doubts arise about her marriage. When a mysterious American couple arrives in Luxembourg, Kate becomes convinced
they are not who they claim to
be, and she fears her past life has
finally caught up to her.
Kate uses her skills as a spy to
uncover the secrets of the people
who surround her, including her
own husband, who harbors the
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biggest secret of all. Kate soon
finds herself mired in layers of
deceit so deep and multi-layered
they threaten her family, her
marriage and even her life.
Author Chris Pavone is firing
on all cylinders in his debut
novel. He slowly builds tension
and methodically crafts a story
with an end game so elaborately
executed readers will shake their
heads in awe and disbelief. No
one – not a single character – is
who she or he appears to be. The
plot twists come fast and furious
with the action building to a
spectacular climax.
Pavone writes convincingly
from the female perspective, and
readers of both women’s fiction
and espionage thrillers will enjoy
“The Expats.” Kate Moore is a
full-dimensional female protagonist who, in spite of living a daily
charade, will stop at nothing to
protect and defend her family.
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Library Happenings
Middlebury
kids-friendly movie every Friday
at 10:30 a.m. Adults can enjoy a
movie every Friday at 12:30 p.m.
Discover Cuba
The Middlebury Library is at
Thursday, March 22, at 6:45 30 Crest Road in Middlebury.
p.m., Ann and Michael Feinberg
will talk about their travel to
Cuba. The Feinbergs are expert
photographers and raconteurs,
and Ann assures there will be a Naugatuck River Movie
“taste” of Cuba as well.
“The Hidden World,” a new
The program is one in a series movie by The Naugatuck River
sponsored by the Friends of the Revival Group will be shown at
Middlebury Library. The pro- the Whittemore Library Saturgrams are being presented on day, March 24, from 10:30 a.m.
the new wide-screen projection to 12:30 p.m. and Tuesday, April
system in the refurbished Larkin 3, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Come disRoom. Enjoy refreshments as you cover the wildlife of the Naugalisten to and watch the presen- tuck River. For more information,
tation.
call 203-729-4591.
All talks are free. If you are inOld Abe Fundraiser
terested in becoming a member
of the Friends of the Middlebury
Sunday, April 15, from 1 to
Library, call 203-758-2634 or stop 4:30 p.m., Abe Lincoln, aka Lewis
by the library for more informa- Dube, will once again partner
tion. with Tom Cruciani, musical director of “An Evening with AbraMusic with Devlin
ham Lincoln,” in producing “Let
Calling all teens and tweens it Shine.” This will be the third
for Tuesday, March 20, at 6:30 biannual fund raiser for the
p.m. Join our very own teen mu- Howard Whittemore Library
sician, Devlin, as he performs his held at Reynold’s Café in Union
favorite guitar songs. Signup is City.
required.
The event is a combination
arts exhibit/cabaret that will inFridays at the Movies clude dance (flamenco/ballEnjoy the library’s new sur- room), music (vocal/instrumenround sound system in the Lar- tal), drama, painting, photograkin Room! Children can enjoy a phy, and sculpting, as well as
local artisans. The public is urged
to contact Dube at dubeaslincoln@yahoo.com to volunteer
their talents and join this excursion into the old-time bohemian
atmosphere of yesteryear.
Due to a reporting error,
Admission is free, but volunthe community calendar in
tary contributions will be acthe March 2 issue listed an
cepted. Reynold’s Café is at 419
incorrect date for a Water
N. Main St. in Naugatuck.
Commission meeting. The
Water Commission meets
Emergency
the first Tuesday in February, April, June, August,
Preparedness Program:
October and December. Its
Are You Ready?
next meeting will be TuesWednesday, March 28, from
day, April 3.
6:30
to 7:30 p.m., the Naugatuck
Due to incorrect inforValley Health District will presmation provided to the
ent a program on emergency
newspaper, the March 9
preparedness. Come learn how
Senior Center News listed
you and your loved ones can betan incorrect date for the
ter prepare for emergencies. Folstart of the Introduction to
lowing tropical storm Irene and
Computer Fundamentals
October snow storm Alfred, the
Class. It began meeting
importance of personal preMonday, March 12.
paredness really hit home. Indi-
Naugatuck
CORRECTIONS
viduals need to prepare to be
self-sustaining for at least three
days after a disaster strikes.
Learn how to better prepare for
any type of emergency.
Discussion will include making a plan, building an emergency kit, where to go if you need
to leave your home, understanding your own needs during an
emergency, including your pets
in preparedness planning, and
how to become more resilient
during any kind of emergency.
Call 203-729-4591 to register,
so the presenter will know how
many handouts to bring.
Shawn Sullivan Exhibit
The March exhibit features
artwork of borough resident
Shawn Sullivan. Sullivan has
been interested in both art and
photography since he was a teenager. He works in photography,
watercolors, oils and pencil. A manufacturing engineer by
profession whose career has often asked him to step away from
the canvas, Sullivan likes by his
own admission “to give life to
memories.” This month’s exhibit
of a variety of subjects worked in
different mediums can be viewed
on the Whittemore Gallery Wall
on the main floor of the library.
The Howard Whittemore Memorial Library is at 243 Church
St. in Naugatuck. For information, call 203-729-4591.
disliked by all his neighbors;
she’s a Southern belle who goes
out west to marry him. The setting is the Great Plains of the
American frontier in 1880. Others in the cast of this 1947 film,
which was directed by Elia Kazan, are Melvyn Douglas, Robert
Walker and Phyllis Thaxter.
The room’s surround sound
theater has an infrared listening
system available. For more information, call 203-262-0626.
Youth Art Month Exhibit
Region 15 schools are observing Youth Art Month with a display of local student art work at
the Gloria Cachion Art Gallery
in the Southbury Public Library
through Thursday morning,
March 29.
Check www.southburylibrary.
org for more information. The
library is at 100 Poverty Road in
Southbury (203-262-0626).
Woodbury
Children’s Science Club
Children ages 8 to 11 are welcome to join the library’s new
FETCH! Science Club based on
the PBS kids show. The club
meets Thursdays to April 5 at 6
p.m. During the four weeks children will construct a catapult
and launch marshmallows, test
for the best way to make invisible
ink reveal itself, learn about
bridges and how they support
weight, and learn about heating
and cooling by making ice
Southbury Teen Improv cream. Space is limited; registraLocal actress Magghie Warner tion is required.
will teach this class for youth in
Block Island
grades five to 12 Thursday,
March 22, from 6 to 8 p.m. Got
Art Exhibit
the acting bug? Here’s the cure!
This month, Dr. Vincent de
Eager teens are invited to join in Luise of Woodbury is sharing an
a night of improvisational acting. exhibit of photographs and postRegistration is required. Call 203- ers of Block Island. The de Luise
262-0626, ext. 110.
family has lived in Wood-
Southbury
Wednesday Film
The Wednesday afternoon
movie March 21 at 1:30 p.m. in
the Kingsley Meeting Room is a
great romantic western/drama
starring Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn in a fourth cinematic pairing that is pure magic.
He’s a prosperous cattle baron
bury more than 30 years, and
during that time they have visited
Block Island every year for summer vacations and autumn and
spring getaways.
For information, call 203-2633502 or visit www.woodburylibraryct.org. The library is at 269
Main St. South in Woodbury.
The Bee-Intelligencer
Friday, March 16, 2012
PAGE 3
Middlebury Seniors enjoy St. Patrick’s Day Dinner
Volunteer chefs Paul Babarik, left, and John Cookson, right, stand in front of the stove in the kitchen A crowd of 65 seniors await their St. Patrick’s Day dinner at Shepardson Community Center last
at Shepardson Community Center after preparing a St. Patrick’s Day dinner for Middlebury seniors Friday. Tom “T-Bone” Stankos regaled them with song while they enjoyed the traditional meal
last Friday. They fed a crowd of 65 seniors corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, carrots and all the fixings. of corned beef and cabbage.
(Marjorie Needham photos)
Principals to race through Stop & Shop
Senior Center News
a winning plan, the program will
double MMS’s receipts for the
month of March.
“It got chosen surprisingly,”
Sieller said of his plan. “I didn’t
expect it to. I tried to make it more
fun and involve other principals
as well.”
To participate in the A+ rewards program, shoppers register
their 13-digit Stop & Shop Rewards number and designate it
for a particular school. At the end
of each month, the A+ School Rewards are used in a calculation to
determine a school’s cash total.
The program ends at the end of
March for the 2011-12 school year.
So far MMS has earned $8,876 to
help buy SMART Boards.
Sieller credited MMS’s Stop &
Shop A+ Rewards coordinator
Karen Critelli for building up the
A+ family registrations with Stop
& Shop. He said even though
MMS has a little more than 500
Commission on Aging
By CRISTINA COMMENDATORE
Ready, set, go …
Memorial Middle School
(MMS) Principal Dr. John Sieller
will challenge Long Meadow Elementary School Principal Christopher Moretti and Middlebury
Elementary School Principal Dr.
Jack Zamary to a three- to fiveminute speed shop to see who can
put the most groceries in their
shopping cart Monday, March 19,
at 4:30 p.m. at the Stop & Shop in
Watertown.
The Principal Challenge is a
moneymaking opportunity run
as part of the Stop & Shop A+
School Rewards Program. MMS
will use the funds to buy more
SMART Boards, interactive white
boards, for the school. Sieller came up with the idea
to race and submitted it to the
national Stop & Shop A+ Rewards
Program. Since he came up with
students, Critelli got more than
900 families registered to build up
points, which are then converted
into dollars for the school.
Critelli said, “We are thrilled to
announce that Dr. Sieller was one
of five principals (nationally) selected to perform their challenge
out of over 10,000 schools in the
program! His idea will award Memorial Middle School double
points for any spending in March,
which is the last month of the program – that means an extra $1,700
for MMS.”
Sieller said he invited Middlebury’s other two principals to
make the competition more fun.
“I would call it the ultimate
friendly competition,” he said.
“They’re being very generous with
their time, since I roped them into
this in the first place. They’ll probably be sorry, but so far they’re
still laughing about it and are excited about it.”
University offers high schoolers
summer college credit classes
The next Commission on
Aging meeting will be Tuesday,
Did you get a new digital camMarch 20, at 9:30 a.m. All are era for Christmas? Instructor
welcome to attend.
Don Chabot will show you how
to use it in a course that will meet
Free Income Tax
Tuesday, March 20, and Friday,
Preparation Help
March 23, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Learn how to download/edit/
Free income tax assistance is
provided at the Middlebury Se- print/organize all those wondernior Center at 1172 Whittemore ful photos of the New Year’s party
Road in Middlebury by the AARP you attended where you took
Tax Aide program for low- to photos of family and friends actmoderate-income taxpayers of ing crazy. Bring your cameras.
The course fee is $20. To reall ages, with special attention to
serve a seat, call 203-577-4166.
those 60 and older.
Call 203-577-4166 for more Class size is limited.
information or to schedule an
Spring Salad
appointment with a certified
AARP Tax Aide counselor. Bring
Demonstration
to the appointment your spouse
Monday, March 26, at 11 a.m.,
(if you are married), proof of Roberta Winters from TLC Homeidentity, Social Security numbers care will present “Spring Salad
for yourself and your depen- Demo” at the Middlebury Senior
dents, a personal check with Center and will serve it to all who
bank checking account and rout- participate. Registration is reing numbers, copies of last year’s quired. Please sign in at the senior
federal and state tax returns and center office or call 203-577-4166.
all income statements.
Fairfield University will offer
Summer Scholars, a new twoweek, for-credit college academic/residential experience for
talented rising high school juniors and seniors July 8 to 20.
High school students will learn
alongside college students,
broadening their knowledge in a
host of courses.
High school students will get
a taste for what college is really
like by taking a three-credit
course and living in a residence
hall, taking advantage of all Fairfield’s safe and scenic 200-acre
campus has to offer. In addition,
students will attend workshops
on topics such as the college
search and application process
and meet with the assistant dean
of the College of Arts and Sciences to discuss their academic
progress.
“Fairfield University’s Summer
Scholars Program has been designed specifically for talented
high school students who want a
comprehensive taste of what college life is like at our beautiful and
dynamic campus,” said Aaron
Perkus, associate dean of University College at Fairfield University. “Students will live in our
dorms, eat at our facilities, take
our credit classes, and participate
in an array of enrichment and
recreational activities. Faculty
and staff will develop an individual relationship with each participant to ensure we are meeting
the needs of the whole person.”
Program highlights are three
college transfer credits; small
class settings led by expert, fulltime Fairfield faculty; a full residential experience with access to
recreational facilities and stateof-the-art library and computer
and science labs; and planned
activities, such as field trips to the
beach and New York City, karaoke
socials, dodge ball tournaments,
movie nights, and video game
contests; a safe and secure environment; opportunities to meet
with admission professionals to
discuss the college application
process and other fun and informative workshops
Tai Chi-certified instructor
Sherry Galvin teaches Tai Chi
Enrolled students may take every Wednesday at 11 a.m. The
one three-credit course that cost is $30 for 12 lessons. To sign
meets three hours each weekday up, call 203-577-4166.
for the two-week period. Students
Medical Loan Closet
will prepare for their course by
If you or a family member is
completing about five hours of
work online prior to the begin- in need of crutches, a walker, a
shower chair, or other assistive
ning of class.
Course options are varied and device after surgery or an accithere are no prerequisites. Stu- dent, the senior center may be
dents may choose from Biology: able to help. Call 203-577-4166
“Identity and the Human Ge- if you would like to use the mednome,” Communication: “Family ical loan closet.
Communication,” Film: “Films of
Time to Plan
the 90s,” International Studies:
“United Nations Security Council
Community Garden
Crisis Simulation,” Music: “The
Middlebury’s intergeneraHistory of American Song,” So- tional community garden prociology: “Race, Gender and Eth- vides fresh produce for residents
nic Relations,” and Studio Art: interested in gardening. Last
“Foundation: Drawing.”
year, dedicated volunteers of all
The Summer Scholars Pro- ages grew tomatoes, potatoes,
gram is open to qualified high lettuce, beans, peppers, squash,
school students in the classes of and a variety of herbs such as
2013 and 2014. Students must parsley, sage, basil, oregano, and
have a GPA of 3.2 or higher. For rosemary.
more information or to apply bePreparing this year’s garden
fore the June 15 deadline, will begin in late March or early
visit www.fairfield.edu/summer- April. Those interested, includscholars.
ing local groups, are invited to
Online banking grows by leaps and bounds
Say it isn’t true. Seniors are
moving to online banking?
So says a survey done by the
American Bankers Association.
For the first time ever, those of
us age 55 and older now prefer
doing our banking online rather
than going to the bank in person
or using the mail. It wasn’t just a
few of us either. We went from 20
percent of seniors doing banking
online in 2010 to a whopping 57
percent in 2011.
Part of this, it’s said, is due to
the banks now having a long list
of requirements to avoid the fees
they now charge. In some cases
we’re required to have a very
large balance in savings or we’re
charged a monthly fee to get
statements by mail. Doing our
banking online often is one of
the ways we can save money.
Why do we do it? It’s convenient, especially if we no longer
drive or if we live in places with
inclement weather. For those of
us who are so busy it’s not easy
to get to the bank during working
hours, online banking is a means
to easily take care of business.
That doesn’t mean we’re eager
to use our cell phones to conduct
bank business, however. We’re
not quite there yet. Computer
classes have made us more comfortable pressing keys, but a
small cell phone is easily lost.
So, what can we do online? We
can transfer funds from one account to another, check balances,
see if a check has cleared, view
our statement and pay bills.
If you want to explore online
banking, remember two key
safety steps. Keep good virus
protection on your computer,
and close your browser after you
log out of the bank’s website.
Matilda Charles regrets she
cannot personally answer reader
questions, but she will incorporate them into her column whenever possible. Write to her in care
of King Features Weekly Service,
P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL
32853-6475, or send email to
columnreply@gmail.com.
(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.
Please support the advertisers who help us
bring you this free weekly newspaper.
Introduction to
Apple Computers
Tai Chi
Trips
Basic Digital
Photography
Angelo Malagrino will give
one-on-one lessons on using
Apple computers, either on the
senior center’s Apple laptop, or
people can bring in their own
laptops. He charges $10 for the
lesson and is available Tuesdays
and Wednesdays. Please call 203577-4166 for an appointment.
Stew Leonard’s
Thursday, March 22, the Senior Center mini bus will go to
Stew Leonard’s in Danbury and
then stop for lunch at the Blue
Diner. The bus will leave the senior center at 10:30 a.m. and
return before 3 p.m. The cost for
transportation will be $7 per person. Call 203-577-4166 to reserve
a seat.
West Point
Dress Parade
Travel to West Point Academy
in New York to view its famous
dress parade Saturday, April 28.
With great pomp and circumstance, the cadets march in full
uniform in cadence with military
music, presenting arms in unison. Enjoy a bountiful buffet at
the Hotel Thayer, which offers an
assortment of salads, hot and
cold entrees and an extensive
sweets table. Also included in the
excursion are guided tours of
West Point’s highlights: the Cadet
Chapel, Trophy Point and the
Hudson River Lookout.
A Friendship Tours luxury
coach will depart from Shepardson Community Center at 8 a.m.
and return to the lot at 6 p.m.
The cost is $83 per person. Call
Middlebury Parks and Recreation at 203-758-2520 to reserve
a seat.
Region 15 School Calendar
Monday, March 19
PHS .................................................................... Talent Show Rehearsal
Tuesday, March 20
RMS Grade 8 D.C. Field Trip Parent Meeting............................7 p.m.
PHS ...................................................................................... Talent Show
Wednesday, March 21
PHS PTO.........................................................................................7 p.m.
Thursday, March 22
String Rehearsal Grades 6-12................. PHS, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
String Festival Concert Grades 6-12................................. PHS, 7 p.m.
Friday, March 23
MMS Basketball Blowout Snow Date ........................ PHS, 6 to 8 p.m.
Elementary ........................................................................Report Cards
participate. To sign up, or for GES Mother-Son Square Dance................ Grades 1-2, 6 to 6:45 p.m.; .
Grades 3-5, 7 to 7:45 p.m.
more information, call 203-577Region
15
website:
www.region15.org
4166.
1255 Middlebury Road
Middlebury, CT 06762
www.brasscityballet.org
Spring Gala 2012
Mainstage Theater at
Naugatuck Valley
Community College
750 Chase Parkway, Waterbury, CT 06708
Saturday
March 17, 2012 at 6:30pm
Call (203) 598-0186 for tickets
Tickets are $35 for Adults
and $20 Seniors/Students
BCB_2012_Gala_MdlbryBee_Ad_v2.indd 1
Featuring a new,
original production of
Beauty & the Beast
2/17/12 10:07 AM
The Bee-Intelligencer
PAGE 4
Friday, March 16, 2012
Bee Intelligencer
in•tel•li•gencer: n. One who conveys news or information
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed.
Issued every week by:
The Middlebury Bee-Intelligencer Society LLC
Bee-Intelligencer Staff:
Editor-In-Chief/Publisher: Marjorie Needham
Editorial Assistant: Cristina Commendatore
Correspondents: Mary Conseur, Jonathan “Chip” Longo, Terrence S. McAuliffe
Art & Production: Mario J. Recupido
Advertising Sales: mbiadvertising@gmail.com
- Submit press releases in person, by mail or email The Bee-Intelligencer welcomes news, press releases and advertising
from all surrounding communitie
Editorial office:
2030 Straits Turnpike, Suite 1, Middlebury, CT 06762
Direct mail to P.O. Box 10.
Telephone: 203-577-6800 • Email: beeintelligencer@gmail.com
Advertising Information:
Telephone: 203-577-6800 • Email: mbiadvertising@gmail.com
Deadlines:
Display Advertising: 5 p.m. Friday preceding publication
Classified Advertising: 5 p.m. Monday preceding publication
Editorial/Press Releases: Noon Monday preceding publication
Copyright © 2012 by The Middlebury Bee-Intelligencer
Society, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole
or in part without permission is prohibited.
Your help
is appreciated
This month we are asking readers to help support this
newspaper with a donation of $25. In its eighth year of
publication, this newspaper is still struggling to get its
balance sheet into the black. It costs more than $100,000
to produce the paper each year.
We try to publish a paper that gives our readers the news
they need and shares information that enriches their lives.
We view the paper as a service to readers, and that’s why,
unlike most newspapers, we run obituaries free. We consider it a community service.
That does, however, leave us with just two sources of
income – advertising (classified and display) and legal
notices. Because our staff is small, producing a paper every
week while also trying to sell ads has been a challenge.
Despite this we remain determined to build our ad base
so the paper can support itself.
If you can donate, please do. If you can’t, please help us
by supporting our advertisers. Frequent their businesses,
and tell them you saw their ad in the Bee-Intelligencer.
And if you know a business that would benefit from advertising with us, please mention us to them.
We hope you feel this paper is an important part of this
community that deserves your support. Donations can be
sent to Bee-Intelligencer, P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT
06762.
As the editor and publisher of the newspaper, I thank
you for whatever you can do to help. To those who responded to the request for donations in last week’s issue,
thank you very much for supporting your free community
newspaper.
Marjorie Needham
Bike riders get early
bird discount
The American Lung Association (ALA) will sponsor its 28th
“Autumn Escape Bike Trek” on
Cape Cod in Massachusetts this
fall. And those who register in
March will get a discount on their
registration fee.
The annual ride brings hundreds to the Cape in support of
lung disease research and treatment, clean air, and the ALA. The
2012 Autumn Escape Bike Trek
will kick off at the Hilton Garden
Inn in Plymouth Friday, Sept. 28,
and ride along the coast to Provincetown, finishing Sunday afternoon. Trekkers will travel 160
miles over three days and experience some of the most breathtaking sights Cape Cod has to
offer.
Children under the age of 18
must be accompanied by an
adult; the Trek provides a perfect
fall getaway for families of all
sizes. The ride additionally offers
a two-day, 105-mile option.
Along the way medical and technical support are provided, together with overnight accommodations, food, fun and entertainment. Trekkers and volunteers
enjoy a free lobster dinner Saturday night.
Trekkers are required to raise
a minimum of $500; those who
raise $1,000 or more become part
of the prestigious Winner’s Circle. Members of the Winner’s
Circle will receive a 2012 Autumn
Escape cycling jersey, along with
plenty of perks throughout the
weekend.
Boston’s Magic 106.7 will be
the official radio sponsor and
Urban Adventours, also of Boston, will be the official bike sponsor. Seventy-eight cents on every
dollar supports the mission of
the ALA, which is to save lives by
improving lung health and preventing lung disease. Proceeds
help fund lung disease research,
programs, advocacy and education and the Fight for Air.
For more information, to register, or to sign up as a volunteer,
visit biketreknewengland.org.
Three-day riders should use discount code AEEB23 to receive
$20 off the $75 registration fee
and two-day riders should use
discount code AEEB22 at checkout to receive $10 off the $55
registration fee. Those who register after March 30 will pay full
price.
In Brief
Theatre Presents “Rumors”
The Clockwork Repertory Theatre will
present “Rumors,” a comedy by Neil Simon
and directed by Harold J. Pantely March 16,
17, 23, 24 and 31, at 8:15 p.m. at the theatre
at 133 Main St. in Oakville.
“Rumors” concerns four couples who arrive at the townhouse home of the Deputy
Mayor of New York City to celebrate his 10th
wedding anniversary. The party never begins
because the host has shot himself (only a
flesh wound) and the hostess, his wife, is
missing. The cover-up grows progressively
more difficult as more guests arrive and nobody can remember who has been told what.
Tickets are $18 at 860-274-7247.
Humphreys’ House Tour
David Humphreys’ house at 37 Elm St. in
Ansonia will be open for guided tours Saturday, March 17, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and
every third Saturday of the month. Led by
Derby Historical Society docents, the tour
covers the keeping room, Sarah Riggs Humphreys’ parlor, The Rev. Humphreys’ study
and a bedroom off the keeping room (borning room). Spinning and weaving rooms also Chris (Jill Bonnett) and Lenny (Bill Wilson) enjoy a drink and a good joke during “Rumors,”
are included in the tour. The cost is $5 for a comedy by Neil Simon. It is playing at the Clockwork Repertory Theatre through March
adults, $3 for seniors and children 8 years 31.
(Submitted photo)
and older, and free for children younger than
8. For more information, call 203-735-1908.
at 90 Cabbage Lane in Bethlehem. This workDocumentary Screening
shop is suitable for beginners or intermediThe
Jewish
Federation
of
Western
CT
and
Social Service Screenings
ate, urban or rural beekeepers, who want to
Free social service screenings for food B’nai Israel synagogue will sponsor a free support honeybees in the face of growing
stamps and other programs to help any Con- film screening of the documentary “UN- concerns about colony collapse disorder
necticut resident facing difficult times will MASKED: JUDEOPHOBIA” Sunday, March and the decline in numbers of pollinators
be Thursday, March 22, from 10 a.m. to 3 25, at 10 a.m. at The Walzer Family Jewish that visit fruit and vegetable plants we rely
p.m. at the Jewish Federation at 444 Main Community Campus Social Hall 444 Main on for food. Avitabile will demonstrate inSt. North in Southbury. Screenings by ap- St. North in Southbury. A post-screening stalling a new bee package into a top bar
pointment are for a dozen work support/ discussion will be led by Director/Producer beehive, and the class will visit his bee yard
basic needs programs, including SNAP (the Gloria Greenfield. The documentary exam- in Bethlehem.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, ines rising anti-Jewish ideology and threats
The fee is $45. Pre-register by April 11
formerly food stamps), energy assistance, to the existence of Israel. The screening is (after that, call for availability). Visit www.
HUSKY, Medicaid and Charter Oak insur- open to the public. RSVP to jaframe@jfed. connsoil.com for a registration form. Print
net.
ance.
form and mail it to P.O. Box 365, Bethlehem,
Reservations are required for a one-hour
CT 06751.
Easter Flower
screening, which is given by Nera Clemente
& Vegetable Sale
of the Connecticut Association for Human
Parent University
Services. To RSVP, call Debby Horowitz,
Brass City Harvest will sell Easter flowers
Newtown Parent Connection Inc., BrookBrownstein Jewish Family Service director, and plants and vegetable plants, including field Substance Abuse Coalition and SMART
at 203-267-3177, ext. 310. All calls are con- cold weather vegetable plants, Thursday, Inc. (Southbury/Middlebury Acting Responfidential.
April 5, through Saturday, April 7, from 8 sibly Together) will offer a Parent Empowa.m. to 3 p.m. at its Crownbrook Greenhouse erment University Saturday, March 24, from
Blue Jeans Ball
at 73 Hill St. in Waterbury. Brass City Har- 8 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. at Newtown Middle
For the third consecutive year, Family vest’s mission is to provide food, education, School featuring speaker Bonnie Harris,
Services of Greater Waterbury will hold its nutrition and supportive human services to author of “When Kids Push Your Buttons,”
Blue Jeans Ball Thursday, March 22, at 6 p.m. Waterbury residents and non-residents. All and a “Kids University” program with fun,
at Coco Keys resort at 3580 East Main St. in proceeds benefit the nonprofit Brass City age-appropriate activities for children ages
Waterbury. The night will begin with con- Harvest’s Sustainable Community Food Sys- 3 to 11. It is open to all parents seeking
versation, hors d’oeuvres, wine, a cash bar tem, which provides freshly-grown vegeta- “higher education” and more effective skills
and a silent auction. Comedian Dave Reilly bles to low-income and homeless individ- in the ever-changing and challenging field
will top off the evening. Reilly’s comedy is uals in the area. For information, visit www. of child rearing.
tailor made for 30- to 60-year-old people brasscityharvestwtby.org.
The cost of $5 per adult can be paid via
who have love, life and relationship experiPayPal or any major credit card via PayPal.
Beekeeping Workshop
ence and who like to laugh!
Children are free. Register online at www.
All profits will support Family Services of
Alphonse Avitabile, zoologist, retired newtownparentconnection.org. For more
Greater Waterbury’s work in the community. UConn professor and acclaimed bee re- information, call the Newtown Parent ConWear your favorite blue jeans. Tickets are searcher and author, will instruct a practical nection office at 203-270-1600 and leave a
$35; purchase them in advance at www.fam- beekeeping workshop Saturday, April 14, at message for Joan. Newtown Middle School
ilyservicesgw.org or 203-756-8317.
2 p.m. at the Center for Sustainable Living is at 11 Queen St. in Newtown.
Pre-Passover programs
Beth El Synagogue will hold a
series of Pre-Passover Learning
Programs and invites the public to
attend. All programs will be at Beth
El Synagogue at the Walzer Family
Jewish Community Campus at 444
Main St. North in Southbury.
The film, “The Prince of Egypt”
will be shown Saturday, March 24,
at 7 p.m. This animated movie is
appealing to all ages. Children can
bring blankets and pillows. A brief
Havdalah ceremony will start off
the evening, and movie snacks will
be available. There is no charge to
attend, but RSVP by Thursday,
March 21.
Two Friday evening services will
be March 23 and 30 at 7:30 p.m. On
March 23, the new Hebrew month
of Nissan will be celebrated with a
joyful “Rosh Chodesh” service. On
March 30, a Pre-Passover program
called “Miracles in our Midst” will
feature music and story. Both services will be followed by refreshments and socializing.
For reservations and more information, call 203-264-4500 or
email info@bethelsyn.org.
Girl Scouts sell
cookies for heroes
Middlebury Girl Scouts will
sell cookies at a special “Cookies
for Heroes” event at Dunkin’
Donuts at 489 Middlebury Road
(Rte. 64) Saturday, March 17,
from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and also will
sell them at a regular cookie
booth at the Middlebury Post
Office from 9 a.m. to noon. At the
“Cookies for Heroes” event, you
can buy a box of your favorite
cookies and also a box for our
servicemen and women
overseas. Saturday’s goal is to sell
100 boxes for heroes in honor of
the Girl Scouts’ 100th anniversary
celebration.
You also can cast a ballot for
your favorite cookie. Look for the
ballot box. And watch for dancing
cookies! For more information,
email middleburygirlscouts@
comcast.net or call Janice
Kulpa at 203-758-8482.
The Bee-Intelligencer
Friday, March 16, 2012
PAGE 5
Obituaries
James B. Grant
Husband of Theresa Grant
of Southbury; his father- and mother
in-law, Anthony and Mary Melita of
Stratford; and several nieces and
nephews. He was predeceased by
his brother Richard.
Burial was in Mt. Olivet Cemetery
in Watertown. Contributions may
be made to the CT Hospice, 100 Double Beach Road, Branford, CT 06405
or to St. John of the Cross Church,
1089 Whittemore Road, Middlebury,
CT 06762. Online condolences may
be made through www.munsonloveterefuneralhome.com.
James B. Grant, 55, of Middlebury
died March 7 at his home after a
courageous battle with cancer. He
was the husband of Theresa (Melita)
Grant. His funeral Mass was March
10.
Jim was born Sept. 2, 1956, in
Bridgeport, a son of the late John and
Lois (Kniffin) Grant. He had resided
in Middlebury for five-and-a-half
years, previously living in Newtown
for more than 12 years. He was raised
in the Lordship section of Stratford
and worked more than 25 years at
Bridgeport Fittings Inc. as a quality
Uniroyal Employee
control supervisor.
Edward Rompre, 59,
Besides his wife of more than 28
of Cheshire passyears, he leaves two sons, Richard S.
ed away March 6 at
Grant and George T. Grant of Midhome. He was the
dlebury; sisters, Ellen McFarland,
husband of Theresa
Caroline Cremin and her husband,
(Parian) Rompre,
Robert, all of Stratford; and Sheila
and they were marTucciarone and her husband, Jack,
ried for 33 years.
of Oxford; brothers, John Jr. “Jackie”
Theresa was his
Grant and his wife, Karen, of Milford
(Kathleen Brown-Carrano cartoon) and David Grant and his wife, Shelly, princess bride, and he loved her very
much.
Edward was born Jan. 6, 1953, in
Waterbury and was a son of Alice
(Gagnan) Rompre of Waterbury and
the late Robert Rompre. Ed was employed by Uniroyal in Naugatuck. He
amount showing in Box 3.
don’t understand the numbers was an avid bingo player, loved to
If you want to complete your in the various boxes, the publi- play “the claw machine,” and enreturn yourself or read about fil- cation explains each one.
joyed fishing, boating and horseback
ing to get an estimate of the tax
If you receive railroad retire- riding. He was a communicant of St.
you might owe, go online to the ment benefits on FORM RRB- Bridget’s Church in Cheshire.
Besides his wife and mother, he
Internal Revenue Service website 1099, this publication explains
is
survived by a sister, Carolyn
at irs.gov and search for Publica- the figures in each of the 11
Brown, and her husband, Samuel,
$19,000 (or $9,950 for an individ- tion 915. The name is “Social boxes.
of Watertown; a brother, Francis
ual) requires that a tax return be Security and Equivalent Railroad
If you do your taxes yourself Rompre, and his wife, Lenore, of
filed.
Retirement Benefits.” Look for and have a question, you can con- Waterbury; a niece and several
However, if you receive a large the Lump-Sum Election on page tact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. nephews; and his best friends, the
lump-sum payment and report 11 for detailed instructions on Your best bet, however, if you’ve Rancourts, Kellys, Tierinni and Higthat, as well as any other income, the Worksheets 1 through 4 that received a lump-sum benefit, is gins.
His memorial mass will be Saturyou could end up paying too need to be filled out. Scroll down to get help from a tax preparer.
much in taxes.
and look for the examples of the
David Uffington regrets he can- day, March 17, at 10 a.m. at St BridThis is where you’ll need the worksheets. The result of the cal- not personally answer reader get’s Church. Burial will be at the
help of a tax preparer or tax prep- culations on those worksheets questions, but he will incorporate family’s convenience. The DellaVecaration software to complete your determine which election them into his column whenever chia Funeral Home in Southington
handled the arrangements.
Edward Rompre
Handling lump-sum benefits and taxes
If you began receiving Social
Security Disability Insurance
(SSDI) payments in 2011, you
could have a problem when you
file your tax return and end up
paying too much.
Here’s why: Since it takes so
long to begin receiving SSDI benefits, it’s possible that you’ll receive a one-time lump-sum payment that includes back payments for previous years. Those
benefits are taxable income, and
you could pay taxes at a rate up
to a whopping 50 percent. The
calculation to determine your
income includes any other income you have.
According to a news release by
the Allsup Disability Life Planning Center, an average SSDI
benefit is $1,073, which comes to
$12,876 for the year. For a couple,
a total income of more than
return: You’re allowed to spread
that lump-sum income out over
previous years.
You’ll receive a Form 1099
showing the amount of SSDI income you received, with the
method will get you the lowest
tax.
Publication 915 contains other
helpful information as well. If you
receive a FORM SSA-1042S Social
Security Benefit Statement and
possible. Write to him in care of
King Features Weekly Service, P.O.
Box 536475, Orlando, FL 328536475, or send email to columnreply@gmail.com.
(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.
Frugal Mummy
By CLAIR BOONE
My father-in-law is tricky to
buy for, but I always hate to just
give him a birthday card, which
is why last year we got brownie
points for a unique idea. Now, I’m
sharing it with you for that hardto-buy-for person on your list or
for a fun “big” birthday gift like a
50th or 60th!
I remember for my dad’s 40th
my mum made a chocolate bar
poem, and I helped, which was
easy, as I knew English chocolate
bars. After Googling candy poem
a couple of weeks ago, I got all
kinds of variations with all kinds
of candy bars I didn’t know and
didn’t grow up eating! I had no
clue what a Watchamacallit was
and have never tried Carefree, so
I enlisted help at my local store
under the guise of being a foreigner! Anyway, for those of you
who’d like to borrow the idea
here’s how:
Here’s what you need: Large
piece of card, tape, and candy
bars: Watchamacallit, Snickers,
Mounds, Spree, Skor, Milky Way,
Lifesavers, Symphony, PayDay,
100 Grand, Smarties, Butterfingers.
Poem. You can tailor it to your
special person! Simply replace
the capitalized words with the
candy bars.
“People at your age often say
WATCHAMACALLIT and have a
bad case of BUTTERFINGERS.
Candy bar birthday poem
There are no SNICKERS at you
though! You always know the
SKOR and are a real SMARTIE.
You’re a LIFESAVER to so many.
If we had 100 GRAND we’d take
(Clair Boone photo)
you on a shopping SPREE downtown, to the SYMPHONY or better yet a trip to the MILKY WAY.
Alas our PAYDAY isn’t big enough
so we’ll just say Happy Birthday!
We love you MOUNDS!”
For a Bridal Shower gift
here’s what you need: Large
piece of card, tape and cleaners:
Dawn, Era, Joy, Brawny, Mr.
Clean, Shout, SOS, Easy On, Tide,
Vanish, Bounce, Fantastic, Zest,
Pledge, Snuggle. (I recommend
the smallest sizes or even trial
sizes for it all to fit.)
The Bridal Shower Poem. Simply write the words replacing
the ones I’ve capitalized with the
cleaner.
“We gather together with you
to celebrate the DAWN of a new
ERA. Marriage is a journey. Some
days it will be pure JOY but let’s
take a moment and talk about the
others.
There may come a time when
you realize your big BRAWNY guy
isn’t necessarily MR. CLEAN.
When this and other little glitches
occur, don’t SHOUT or send up
an SOS. Go EASY-ON him. Hopefully the TIDE will change quickly,
tensions will VANISH and things
will BOUNCE back to normal.
We think you and ______ are a
FANTASTIC couple with a ZEST
For life and a sincere appreciation
for each other. We fully support
you as you and ______ PLEDGE
to spend your lives as one.”
Join Clair Boone and thousands of other savvy shoppers at
w w w. f a c eb o o k. c o m / mu m mydeals.org, or read her other tips
at www.mummydeals.org.
Tribury Chamber
Wine Tasting
Middlebury Fine Wine and
Spirits owner Robert Heusted,
second from right, rings up a
purchase for a Tribury Chamber of Commerce member
while other chamber members socialize. Heusted hosted
a wine tasting for chamber
members last week.
(Marjorie Needham photo)
Brian Sluis
Son-in-law of Dr. Bernard
and Jean Oemcke
Brian Sluis, 53, of Brewster, Mass.,
died March 8 after a lengthy battle
with cancer. He is survived by the love
of his life since their summer romance
in 1979, Gail (Oemcke) Sluis, formerly
of Middlebury.
He was born in Hartford Sept. 18,
1958, to the late Phyllis and Mark Sluis
and was raised in Pittsford, N.Y. He
received a degree in hotel and restaurant management from Rochester
Institute of Technology and has
worked in this field on Cape Cod since
that time. He was a managing partner
of the 400 East Restaurant in Harwich,
Mass., and an owner of Pearl Restaurant in Wellfleet, Mass. Brian’s high
standards for service and equality
remain in place today and will forever
be a tribute to him, his staff and valued guests.
Brian filled the lives of those
around him with his infectious personality, his abundant energy and his
contagious laughter. A thoughtful,
loving and loyal husband, son,
brother, uncle and friend, he will be
deeply missed by all blessed enough
to have known him.
In addition to his wife, Gail, he is
survived by his brother, Ben and his
wife, Carol, of Manlius, N.Y.; his
brother, Scott and his wife, Valerie, of
Ogden, Utah; his in-laws, Dr. Bernard
and Jean Oemcke of Middlebury; sister-in-law, Patricia Rowland and her
husband, John, of Middlebury; sisterin-law, Cheryl Summa of Amherst,
Mass.; and brother-in-law, Dr. Glen
Oemcke and his wife, Kathleen, of
Southbury; as well as many nieces
and nephews.
Services honoring Brian’s life will
be Sunday, March 25, at the Brewster
Baptist Church in Brewster, Mass. In
lieu of flowers, donations in Brian’s
memory may be made to either PALS
for Life Foundation, c/o Chatham
Squire, 487 Main St., Chatham, MA
02633; or the Brewster Baptist Church,
1848 Main St., Brewster, MA 02631.
Hospice seeks volunteers
VITAS Innovative Hospice Care
of Connecticut seeks those with
compassion and a little time to
volunteer. Hospice volunteers
give their time to terminally ill
patients and their caregivers during a critical time. In orientation
classes they are trained in listening skills, family dynamics and
the right words to say to patients
and their loved ones at the end of
life.
After completing the class, volunteers provide respite for caregivers, offer companionship for
the patient, run errands and help
in small but meaningful ways.
They serve in private homes,
nursing homes, at the In-patient
Hospice Unit at Saint Mary’s Hospital and many facilities who
partner with VITAS in end-of-life
care. Assignments and schedules
are made according to the volunteer’s preferences and location.
For more information about
becoming a hospice volunteer or
to attend an orientation class, call
Karen Hale, volunteer services
manager, at 203-437-3127.
Middlebury Road (Opposite the Shell Station)
Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Anthony Calabrese 203-758-2765
We Sell Quality Wood Pellets!
Bird Seed Headquarters
Black Oil, Premium Mix, Sunflower Hearts,
Niger Seed (thistle for finches)
Deer Corn • Livestock and Poultry Feed
Local eggs. Fresh daily. $3 per dozen
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The Bee-Intelligencer
PAGE 6
Hypnosis show to benefit GradNite
“Our biggest fear
is waking up the
next day (after graduation) and reading
Ever dream of hitting
the paper,” Papiro
notes like your favorite
said. “That’s why we
rock star or taking a
do this, and that’s
magic carpet ride to a
why we’re adamant
beach to meet your ceparents drop their
lebrity crush? Those
kids off and pick
dreams could become
them up. We’re not
reality – sort of – when
trying to inconvecomedic hypnotist Dan
nience them; we’re
LaRosa works his magic
just trying to keep
on audience members
the kids safe.”
during a performance
Papiro said every
to benefit Pomperaug
year at least 95 perHigh School (PHS)
cent of graduates
GradNite Friday, March
attend GradNite.
23, at 7 p.m. in the PHS
Throughout the
auditorium.
night, the PHS pool,
“People have to want
athletic facilities,
to be hypnotized,” Lacafeteria
and
Rosa said. “I really don’t
All-Purpose Room
hypnotize anybody; I
are filled with enterguide them. I give suggestions, and they be- Comedic hypnotist Dan LaRosa (Tom Keyes photo) tainment and food.
Inflatables, games,
gin to accept the sugsenior photo colgestions. It’s all a simple
process of getting someone to GradNite’s biggest fundraiser, lages and a DJ are the main highopen their mind, focus, concen- began with LaRosa six years ago. lights of the night. The next
For the last two years, they hired morning, the Southbury Knights
trate and relax.”
LaRosa, who has been a hyp- a different hypnotist to perform, of Columbus prepare a pancake
notist for the last 25 years, has but invited LaRosa back this year. breakfast for the graduates and
“It’s just so funny the things volunteer chaperones. Papiro
done several shows at PHS. He
promises his show will be not he does and the things he is able said there are about 100 parent
only entertaining, but also in- to get the kids to do,” Papiro said. GradNite volunteers, and South“Nothing too embarrassing, but bury police greet graduates at
spiring.
“People outperform them- something to get the kids talking the door.
Though the comedy hypnosis
selves,” he said. “I can take a stu- the next day.”
Tickets for the show, which is show is GradNite’s biggest mondent very shy about public
speaking and have them speak for all ages, are $10 at the door. eymaker, throughout the year
with such power and emotion The show is an hour-and-a-half, GradNite board members raise
that the audience looks at it as and Papiro suggests attendees money from a concession stand
inspiring. I always make people arrive early for the best seats. at PHS football games and from
remember things. I’ve never had Half of the proceeds will benefit small businesses in Middlebury
and Southbury. Dinovas in Midone person say they felt bad GradNite.
On GradNite, graduates enter dlebury and Southbury Food
about performing for the show.
PHS between 10:30 p.m. and Center accept bottle return reNot one.”
PHS GradNite board members midnight and spend one last ceipts and donate the money to
have sponsored a comedy hyp- night as a class together. They GradNite.
“I’m hoping this show is a
nosis show for the past six years leave after a pancake breakfast
to raise money for GradNite, a at 5:30 the next morning. Grad- kickoff of what will be a fabulous
drug- and alcohol-free event for Nite began 20 years ago as a Gradnite,” Papiro said.
For more information on
graduating seniors the night of Mothers Against Drunk Driving
graduation. GradNite chair- initiative since the most danger- GradNite or to donate and or
person Maria Papiro of South- ous nights for graduating seniors volunteer, visit www.phsgradbury said the event, which is are prom and graduation nights. nite.org.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Girl Scout Anniversary Celebration
By CRISTINA
COMMENDATORE
Daily exercise increases your energy
What a great start to March!
Warm, sunny and almost 60 degrees! I’ve seen all kinds of happy
people and animals enjoying the
weather! Walkers, joggers, hikers,
bikers, strollers, roller bladers,
escapades and nature’s games.
Children frolicking as they await
the yellow school bus. A very old
lady who comes out from hiding
every spring to walk her very old
dog a very long distance on the
sidewalk of a very old town. All
kinds of birds singing and fluttering and pecking at seeds with
such joy. Pups playfully running
around acres inside perimeters
of the electric fence, falling over
each other and excitedly digging
in the unfrozen earth, all paws
engaged in the anticipation of
Nuggets
for Life
By CYNTHIA
DE PECOL
discovering something special.
Spring asks us to have more energy to enjoy all her great gifts.
This week’s nuggets for life are
to increase your energy by exercising in creative ways every day
for all seven days! Try active rest
exercise like the walk/jog. Start
out walking at a nice clip for
about five minutes and then jog
for a minute. Walk another five
minutes and jog for a minute and
a half. Keep the rhythm going for
30 minutes! Or get your bike out,
dust it off and take it for a quick
Pomperaug High School Varsity Games
March 17 to 24, 2012
Baseball
Saturday, March 24.............. Ridgefield Scrimmage (A)...............10:30 a.m.
Boys Lacrosse
Saturday, March 24.............. Red-White Scrimmage (H)..................... 5 p.m.
Girls Lacrosse
Saturday, March 24.............. Pomperaug Play Day (H)........................ 8 p.m.
Boys Swimming
Saturday, March 17.............. CIAC Open Swimming (A)................. 2:30 p.m.
(H) Home (A) Away
We need sports reporters
We want to cover local sports! Our readers want us to cover
local sports. We just need reporters to attend games/matches/
meets and write about them. Reporters can be students or adults.
Would you like to help us cover sports? We’ll help you learn
newspaper style, you’ll get a byline so everyone will know what
you have written, and you’ll have clips to show colleges/potential
employers. If you write well, love sports and would like to report
on them for this newspaper, please call us at 203-577-6800 or email
us at beeintelligencer@gmail.com.
15-minute ride down the road
and 15 minutes back again before
or after work instead of doing
something else. Check out www.
bodyrock.tv for a heart-pumping
full-on 12-minute free work out!
Everyone at every age and fitness
ability can ramp up the exercise!
Listen, it’s a great week to add
these nuggets because you’ll feel
you’re earning the green beer and
plate of corned beef and cabbage
I know you’ll be enjoying on Saint
Patrick’s Day!
Cynthia De Pecol is a Yoga Instructor, Reiki Master and Life
Coach who lives in Washington,
Conn. See lifecoachingllc.com or
email lifecoach3@aol.com.
Middlebury Girl Scouts hold their Juliette Gordon Low paper dolls at the 100th anniversary
celebration of Girl Scouts Monday night. Low founded the organization in Savannah, Ga., in 1912.
Middlebury Parks & Recreation
Litter Volunteers
Bus Trip
The Parks and Rec DepartNew York City
ment is providing supplies to
Two-Option Trip
volunteers who want to help pick
Saturday, April 14, a deluxe
up trash along the Greenway. motor coach to New York City
Stop by the Parks and Rec office will depart from Shepardson
to sign up and get your supplies. Community Center at 9 a.m. on
a trip that offers two choices:
Easter Egg Hunt
New York City on your own or a
The annual Easter egg hunt “Million Dollar Quartet” matifor Middlebury children ages 3 nee. The bus will depart NYC at
to 10 will be Saturday, April 7 5 p.m. for the return trip.
For New York City on your
(rain date April 14), at 1 p.m. at
Shepardson Field at 1172 Whit- own, enjoy the sights, sounds
temore Road. The event is spon- and food of NYC at your leisure.
sored by the Middlebury Police The 24 seats for this option cost
Social Club and the Parks and $30 per person.
The “Million Dollar Quartet”
Recreation Department.
option includes a 2:30 p.m. matinee of the acclaimed Broadway
musical that recreates a 1956
gathering of Elvis Presley, Johnny
Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl
Perkins at Sun Records in Memphis for one of the greatest jam
sessions ever. The performance
lasts 1-1/2 hours. The 20 seats
available for this option cost $96
per person. Call 203-758-2520
for information or to reserve
seats.
Is it a migraine?
DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have
had headaches since I was 12. I
am now 32. I hear people talk
about their migraine headaches
and wonder if I might have them.
What makes a headache a migraine headache? I take aspirin
for my headaches. It helps, but
not all that much. Are there special medicines for migraines? –
K.D.
ANSWER: Yes, there are special
migraine medicines, so it is important to determine if your
headaches are true migraine
headaches.
Some of the distinguishing
attributes of migraines are the
following: They begin before age
40. More women have them than
men. The headache starts out
with minor pain but often progresses to intense and incapacitating pain. The word used to
describe it is “throbbing.” Nausea
and vomiting frequently accompany it. In a little more than half
of migraine patients, the headache is on one side only. Bright
lights and noise intensify the
pain. Sufferers try to find a dark,
quiet room where they can lie
down until the headache goes
away, and that can take four to
72 hours.
Migraine sufferers can identify
triggers that bring on their headaches. Stress, missing a meal, too
much or too little sleep, menstrual periods, bright lights, certain odors like cigarette smoke
or perfume and fatigue are some
of the things that start a migraine.
Alcohol – beer and red wine in
particular – chocolate, some
cheeses and cured meats like hot
dogs, sausage and bacon are triggers for some.
Aspirin, Tylenol, Midrin and
naproxen alleviate mild migraines. Cafergot is a migraine
standby. A group of newer drugs
are especially good for migraine
sufferers. Seven of them are
available. Some names are
Imitrex, Maxalt and Zomig.
Imitrex comes as a nasal spray
and as an injection, administered like insulin. Zomig also
comes as a nasal spray. This is a
godsend for those who become
sick to the stomach along with
the headache.
Not all migraine headaches
produce all the signs and symptoms I mentioned, but if you have
more than two of these characteristic symptoms, it’s a good bet
you suffer from migraines.
The booklet on headaches
describes the common kinds and
their treatment. Readers can obtain a copy by writing to Dr.
Donohue – No. 901W, Box
536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.
Enclose a check or money order
(no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6
Canada with the recipient’s
printed name and address.
Please allow four weeks for delivery.
DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Many of
my friends take aspirin for the
prevention of a heart attack or
stroke. I decided I should join
them. Is this a wise move? – K.H.
ANSWER: Aspirin and similar
drugs are the rule for prevention
of heart attacks and certain
strokes. The aspirin dose in
greatest use is 81 mg – low-dose
aspirin. Three different regimens
for the prevention of stroke are
acceptable: Plavix, aspirin or aspirin combined with sustained-release dipyridamole.
The aspirin-dipyridamole combination comes in one tablet
called Aggrenox. Note that these
are for prevention of second
heart attacks and strokes.
For the prevention of a first
heart attack or stroke, patients
should consult their doctor, who
will evaluate each patient’s risk.
Based on that, the doctor will
recommend a regimen that’s appropriate. It’s not a good idea to
self-medicate with any medicine.
Dr. Donohue regrets he is unable to answer individual letters,
but he will incorporate them in
his column whenever possible.
Readers may write him or request
an order form of available health
newsletters at P.O. Box 536475,
Orlando, FL 32853-6475.
(c) 2012 North America Synd., Inc. All
Rights Reserved
1. Who holds the Los Angeles
Dodgers record for longest
hitting streak?
2. Since 1940, name the only two
players to retire with a career
batting average better than
.335.
3. Who holds the NFL record for
most consecutive games with
at least one touchdown pass?
4. Name the last Wooden Award
winner (top collegiate player)
before Kevin Durant to go on
to win an NBA season scoring
title.
5. Which No. 1 overall draft pick
recorded a hat trick the earliest in his NHL career?
6. Name the only two drivers to
win from the pole position in
NASCAR Cup’s Homestead-Miami Speedway.
7. When was the last time before
2012 that no male U.S. tennis
player made the final 16 at the
Australian Open?
Answers:
1. Willie Davis hit in 31 consecutive games in 1969.
2. Ted Williams (.344) and Tony
Gwynn (.338).
3. Johnny Unitas, 1956-60.
4. David Robinson in the 199394 season. (Durant’s came in
the 2009-10 season.)
5. In 2011, Edmonton’s Ryan
Nugent-Hopkins had three
goals in this third NHL game.
6. Bill Elliott (2001) and Kurt
Busch (2002).
7. It was 1973.
By CYNTHIA DE PECOL
Middlebury Girl Scouts and leaders recite the Girl Scout Promise Monday night at the 100th
anniversary celebration of Girl Scouts at the Middlebury fire house. Girl Scouts across the U.S.
said the promise at exactly the same time.
(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.
The Bee-Intelligencer
Friday, March 16, 2012
Classified Ads
Classified Advertising Deadline: 5 p.m. Monday
Classified Advertising Cost: $10 per week, up to 40 words. 25c each additional word.
Submit ad with your name, address, telephone number, and payment to:
Mail: Bee-Intelligencer, P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762
Email: mbisubmit@gmail.com Office: 2030 Straits Turnpike, Suite 1
This publication does not know-Runners Accepted. 800ment. Any condition, make or
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PAGE 7
Even insulated pipes can freeze
Q:
Regarding your recent
column on pipe insulation and freezing:
You blew it this time.
As a chemical engineer who has
worked with construction and
operation of various facilities, I
can categorically tell you pipe
insulation will not prevent pipes
from freezing – particularly where
power and heat are not available.
Pipe insulation will slow the
transfer of heat and cold into or
out of piping. However, if heat is
not available for a sufficient time,
the water in the pipe will freeze
if the surrounding air temperature is below 32 F. It might take
awhile, but it will freeze.
The simplest method for preventing damage to piping systems is to drain the piping as fully
as possible, thereby keeping any
remaining water from damaging
the pipes when it freezes. The
freezing water simply will expand
into the voids and not split or
break the piping.
When heat is available again,
the warming will melt the frozen
water. Adding water back into the
piping will permit it to operate as
usual, eventually. I had this ex-
and split lines after an outage. –
Ralph M. via email
A:
By Samantha Mazzotta
perience in my house back in the
‘80s during a massive and long
power outage. I drained the water and heating lines as best I
could. When power came back I
started the boiler, after pressuring
that system, and waited. Slowly,
the three heating zones came
back into operation – except for
about 20 feet of heating pipe in
the uninsulated space in the attic.
That took days and the sun’s heat
to return to normal operation.
However, in a heated garage
with pipe insulation, leaving the
garage door open (accidentally)
in 15O F weather did not protect
the piping. Luckily only a split in
a 2-foot length of pipe needed
replacement.
I worry your column will give
a false sense of security to homeowners who are not engineers or
tradespeople and will find frozen
You told them, Ralph,
and I thank you! While
pipe insulation slows
heat or cold transfer – keeping
hot water inside the pipes from
cooling more quickly as it travels
through unheated spaces – it
should not be relied upon to prevent pipes from freezing during
prolonged cold spells. Always
check the entire run, including
insulated sections, when monitoring for frozen pipes.
Send your questions or tips to
ask@thisisahammer.com, or write
This Is a Hammer, c/o King
Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box
536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.
(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.
As spring approaches, double check pipe
runs for damage
before turning
on water to sections such as
exterior spigots that were shut
off for winter.
Entertainment Listings
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Legal Notice
TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY
BOARD OF ASSESSMENT APPEALS
MARCH 2012 CANCELLATION OF
AND ADDITIONAL MEETING DATES
Cast members of “Willy Wonka Jr.” are on stage at the Thomaston Opera House with Director
Richard McKenna (back far left) and Jeff Dunn, executive director of Landmark Community Theatre (back far right). The cast includes 35 kids from Watertown, Middlebury, Oakville, Thomaston,
Southbury, Litchfield, Waterbury and Wolcott. (Theresa Mieczkowski/Snapshots Photography)
Waterbury
St. Patrick’s Day Comedy Night Saturday, March
17, at 8 p.m. at Seven Angels Theatre on Plank
Road. Four New York City comedians – Andy
Hayward, Liam McEneaney, Bob Luparello and
Carole Montgomery – will perform. Doors and the
Devil’s Corner bar will open at 7 p.m. Tickets are
$29 and $24 for season subscribers at the box office,
203-757-4676 or at SevenAngelsTheatre.org.
All real estate and/or personal property owners in the Town
of Middlebury, who have submitted an appeal to the Board of
Assessment Appeals of the Town of Middlebury, will be informed,
by the Board, of the appeal hearings schedule. The BAA will
cancel the previously scheduled meeting of Thursday March
15, 2012 due to a lack of a quorum. Two additional dates have
been added to the schedule. In addition to the previously printed
schedule of meeting dates, the BAA will meet on Saturday March
17 beginning at 9 am and on Tuesday, March 27, 2012 beginning
at 6:30 pm. In the Town Hall, Assessor’s Office. These appointments are for the sole purpose of hearing appeals related to the
assessments of real estate and/or personal property.
The Official Blues Brothers Revue Saturday, March
24, at 8 p.m. at the Palace Theater. Tickets are $55,
$45, or $35 at 203-346-2000, www.palacetheaterct.
org, or at the box office at 100 East Main St. Groups
of 15 or more should call 203-346-2011.
Dated: MONDAY MARCH 12, 2012
At: MIDDLEBURY, CONNECTICUT
Stephen R. Ferrucci III, Chairman
BOARD OF ASSESSMENT APPEALS
Thomaston
“Willy Wonka Jr.” will be the first show at the
newly re-opened Thomaston Opera House Friday
and Saturday, March 23 and 24, at 7:30 p.m. The
production is produced by Curtain Call Kids, a
children’s community theater troupe. Tickets are
$10 for adults and children 10 and older, $8 for
children younger than 10. For tickets or more
information, contact Curtain Call Kids at
CurtainCallKidsCT@gmail.com. There are 35 children in the cast, ages 6 to 16, who live in Watertown,
Middlebury, Oakville, Thomaston, Southbury,
Litchfield, Waterbury and Wolcott.
We’d like to hear from you!
Got a hot news tip for us? Please
email it to:
mbisubmit@gmail.com
Please include your name
and telephone number.
We also welcome your ideas for articles you’d
like to see in the newspaper. If you don’t have
email you can call us at 203-577-6800.
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The Bee-Intelligencer
PAGE 8
Friday, March 16, 2012
Adopt a Rescue Pet
Send in
your pet
photos
Your pet could be
featured as “Pet of
the Week” in this
picture frame. Send
us your pet’s photo
by email to mbisubmit@gmail or by
regular mail to P.O.
Box 10, Middlebury,
CT 06762 along with
your pet’s name,
your last name and
your town. PETS OF THE WEEK
Sammy and Cricket live with Joan and Don Krantz of Middlebury.
Chapin’s Computer Tip
Swapping hard drives
In this example we are taking
a good hard drive from a broken
laptop (bad board) and putting it
into laptop that is a different
model. The hard drive is from an
Inspiron 9400, and we placed it
in an Inspiron D630. The operating system is Windows XP. Make
sure your data is backed up prior
to attempting this procedure.
At first boot we got the error
[XLDR] ATA error. The system
would get to a black screen with
this error, and that was as far as
we could boot the system. The
problem is with the MBR (Master
Boot Record). Basically it tells the
BIOS where to look for your operating system. Using a different
drive caused this issue.
To resolve it, you will need to
boot to the Windows Installation
CD. In this case, any Windows XP
CD will work. When the system
boots, press any key to access the
CD and begin the installation.
After a few minutes loading the
necessary files, you will get to a
screen that will give you the option to press R for the recovery
console. Press R.
At the next screen, you will see
your operating system listed, usually with a number one next to it.
It will ask which OS you want to
repair. Press 1. Enter the administrators password, or leave it
blank and press Enter. At the
command prompt type fixmbr.
You may get a warning that you
VICKY’S LITTER
Animals for Life (AFL) still has four puppies
available from Vicky’s litter! The adorable puppies
are now 4 weeks old and will be ready to go to
their forever homes in early April. AFL hopes to
have their homes in place and ready before then
so the pups can transition right away. There are
three males and one female still available, and the
babies are expected to be medium in size when
full grown. Their mom is a Border Collie mix, and
the father’s breed is unknown. The litter was born
in a foster home while under AFL’s care, and they
are healthy and starting to get playful and independent. Call AFL to meet them.
MITTIE
Mittie is a 2-year-old solid black female kitty.
She ended up at the AFL shelter after a family
member became allergic to her and the family
had to give her up. Mittie is an overall great cat
who likes attention. She often kneads when someone comes by to visit with her. Ms. Mittie doesn’t
seem to like other cats, though, so she probably
would be happiest as the only feline in her new
home. Call AFL to learn more.
HAZEL
What a big beauty this girl is! She is right at
home at Meriden Humane Society (MHS), strutting herself around and loving the laundry room!
Hazel is a loveable quiet cat who would like the
same in a home. Give her a bed, a window and
some food, and she will love you forever! No small
children please, as she does need her naptime!
DODGER
Dodger is a 3-year-old Brittany Spaniel. He
adores going for long walks and does need room
to run. He is a special-needs dog, as he has cranial
nerve damage. It is nothing noticeable at all, and
in fact, if MHS never told you, you would not notice anything different about him. He is just as
active as any other dog and is such a cuddler! The
only thing that cannot be done for Dodger is a
neuter, as two specialists agree anesthesia might
do more harm to his condition. He does not mark,
as he is totally housetrained. Loveable and happy,
he is looking for the same from a family.
will need to acknowledge by typing Yes. (This is why you should
back up your data prior to this).
When complete, type exit at the
command prompt and reboot.
Done.
If you are using Vista, then use
a Vista CD, select language and
For more information on these pets, call 203-758-2933 or visit Animals For Life at the Middlebury
then Repair your computer. At the Transfer Station on Rte. 63 at the corner of Woodside Ave. Adoption hours are Mondays and Thursdays
System Recovery Options select from 4 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 12 to 3 p.m. For more about the adoption process,
Command Prompt. At the com- visit www.animalsforlifect.org.
mand prompt type bootrec and
press Enter.
The result is you will have all
your programs and files as they
were on the broken system. Nice.
For more tips, visit chapinbusiness.com. For answers to
your technology questions, call
us at 203-262-1869.
Learn Lithuanian egg decorating
P UZZLE SOLUTIONS:
Instructor Linda Zukauskas
will teach adults and teens with
an adult how to decorate eggs
using traditional Lithuanian and
Ukrainian methods Sunday, April
1, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Old
Town Hall in Woodbury. The class
will cover the basics of applying
the wax, using special dyes, and
polishing the eggs to a rich luster
that enhances your artwork. Once you know the basics, you
can create your own designs at
home with the starter kit provided. Have lots of fun! Please
bring one dozen white, jumbosize, hard boiled eggs!
The class costs $35 for residents; $40 for nonresidents and
is limited to 12 participants. To
register, go to www.woodburyparks.org and print the registration form. Mail it with your payment to P.O. Box 369, Woodbury CT 06798. For more information, call Jenifer Miller at 203263-3113.
Please tell our advertisers
you saw their ads in the
Bee-Intelligencer!
For
Your
Best
Friend’s
Well Natural and Organic Foods,
Being
Treats and more
Grooming
Adoptions
860-945-9077
Loyalty Program
HOURS: Mon - Thurs 10 - 6 Fri & Sat 10 - 5
1075 Main Street, Watertown, CT 06795
For more information on these animals, as well as others at Meriden Humane Society, email
meridensociety@sbcglobal.net. MHS is open from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, and
volunteers can be available to meet with you through an appointment. MHS is at 311 Murdock Ave.
in Meriden.
Sick cat can’t stop pooping
DEAR PAW’S CORNER: My
8-year-old longhaired cat, “Buster,”
has gas and diarrhea. He was given
Flagyl for two months with no improvement. Then he took three
months of probiotics, and no improvement. Now he gets 5 mg of
prednisone and 5 drops of Rescue
Remedy daily. His butt has been
shaved to help keep him clean, and I wash it once a day. Buster
eats special cat food, but that
doesn’t help his digestion either.
We have quarter-sized circles of
poop all over the house, and I am
breaking my back cleaning the
carpet and floor. My husband says
euthanize him. What more can I
do? – Pat R. via email
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DEAR PAT: Such long-term diarrhea is certainly cause for concern,
and I know it can be intensely
frustrating to care for and clean
up after a sick cat. Please convince
your husband to shelve the euthanasia suggestion, however.
Buster sounds like he has inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
– a term that describes a collection
of symptoms, such as frequent (or
constant) diarrhea, but not a specific cause.
Flagyl is a common treatment
for IBD, as is prednisone. Rescue
Remedy is a natural remedy to
calm pets. Buster’s vet should run
a number of tests, if he or she
hasn’t already, to rule out bacterial
infection, parasites or a metabolic
condition. If a conclusive cause
isn’t found, you must try and find
ways to mitigate his symptoms.
The change in diet also is recommended in case a food allergy
is the problem. You’re feeding
Buster a specialty cat food, but if
it isn’t working, try other brands
or even try making home-cooked
cat food.
Additional information can be
found online. And realize you’re
not alone: Many owners are caring
for cats with IBD. Please don’t give
up on Buster.
Send your questions or tips to
ask@pawscorner.com, or write to
Paw’s Corner, c/o King Features
Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475,
Orlando, FL 32853-6475. For more
pet care-related advice and information, visit www.pawscorner.com.
(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.
A great opportunity for kids to burn off a little energy,
run, jump, swing and play!
Instructional Classes • Birthday Parties • Cheerleading
• Great foundation for other activities • Meet new friends
• Free time for mom (this is huge) • Ages 2 to Adult • Try a Class... Then Decide
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