middlebury bee january 2015

Bee IntellIgencerBee IntellIgencerInforming the towns of Middlebury, Southbury, Woodbury, Naugatuck, Oxford and Watertown

Volume XI, No. 1 January 2015

AN INDEPENDENTLY OWNED FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERFREE

Prst. Std. U.S. Postage PaidNaugatuck, CT

#27

“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” ~ Oprah Winfrey

Inside this Issue

Published by The Middlebury Bee Intelligencer Society, LLC - 2030 Straits Turnpike, Middlebury, CT 06762 - Copyright 2015

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Adoptable Pets ............... 8

Book Review .................. 2

Classifieds ...................... 7

Community Calendar ...... 2

In Brief ........................... 4

Library Happenings ......... 2

Obituaries ...................... 5

Senior Center Events ...2, 3

Diversified Tax Tidbits ...... 5

This is a Hammer ............ 7

Varsity Sports Calendar ... 6

Winning Ways ................ 6

Saturday & Sunday

Jan. 3 & 4MVFD chooses poster contest winners

page 3

Middlebury Police Chief James Viadero said a male wear-ing a dark hoodie, black ski mask and gloves, and carrying a duffle bag entered Sullivan Jewelers at 403 Middlebury Road in Middle-bury Thursday, Dec. 11, at ap-proximately 6:45 p.m. He pro-duced a black handgun, ordered the employees onto the floor and began removing items from a jewelry tray.

The man was very calm and stressed he would not hurt any-one. Prior to exiting the store, he smashed a glass jewelry case and removed additional jewelry. Store employees described him as being of medium build, pos-sibly in his mid-twenties and white, which was observed through a portion of the mask that exposed his eyes.

Middlebury Police asked the

Connecticut Sate Police Major Crimes Unit to assist in process-ing the crime scene for forensic evidence. Officers from the Mid-dlebury Police Department were conducting a canvas of the area and are in the process of obtain-ing possible video footage from area businesses. No vehicle in-formation was provided by wit-nesses. An undetermined amount of jewelry was taken, and an inventory will be con-ducted by the owner upon com-pletion of the scene processing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Middlebury Police Department at 203-577-4033. All information will be kept confidential. All employees pres-ent at the time of the incident were unharmed. The incident occurred just prior to the normal closing time of 7 p.m.

Armed robber hits sullivan’s Jewelers

by TeRRence s. mcAULIFFe

The Middlebury Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) at its Dec. 4 meeting continued two public hearings, discussed possi-ble regulation changes at Tyler Cove, and obtained a permit for unauthorized excavation on Mid-dlebury Road.

At its Nov. 6 meeting, the com-mission approved renewal of an excavation and grading permit for Middlebury Land Development LLC for Benson Woods and a Quassy Amusement Park site-plan modification to add a snack bar, candy store, two water slides and a new maintenance building. Also, in response to a request from at-torney Stephen Savarese, they agreed to write a letter to the Con-necticut Siting Council opposing the proposed CPV Towantic En-ergy Center at Oxford Airport that would be 500 feet from the Mid-dlebury town line.

In December, the commission continued until Jan. 8 a decision on changes to Section 22.7 of the zoning regulations for calculating the resale of affordable housing in the Brookside development. Town attorney Dana D’Angelo requested the continuance, saying written comments from the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (COG) had not yet been received. The commission had decided at its November meeting it would allow surrounding towns to com-ment on the proposed changes before proceeding.

The affordable housing regula-tions, originally worded for the Steeplechase subdivision, were applied to Brookside in 2003. At-torney Michael McVerry told com-missioners in November it took about eight months to sell such a house last year because the for-mula in the Brookside property declaration was not part of the regulations. D’Angelo said her pro-posed change would clean up the wording and tie it to Connecticut state statutes. The change also would broaden the definition of moderate income from the Water-bury metropolitan statistical area

to the more general Litchfield and New Haven County statistics.

Also continued until Jan. 8 was a public hearing for a special ex-ception for a 4-foot-by-8-foot sign at the former Golden Age of Truck-ing Museum at 1067 Southford Road because the new owner, Dr. Dean Yimoyines, d/b/a JSD Part-ners LLC, did not appear. At the November meeting, commission-ers approved a change in use to warehouse and retail space. Yimoyines told commissioners the majority of the building would be used by Middlebury Consignment as warehouse space to process shipping and receiving, with some sales made out of the front of the building. He was told at that meet-ing to apply for a special exception for the sign, which he said was needed to guide people to the building.

In an informal discussion with commissioners, D’Angelo said Mc-Verrry advised her that residents of the 38-unit Tyler Cove Associa-tion would be seeking to change the zoning regulations applicable to their Lake Quassapaug con-dominium community. She said this might be a good time for the commission to review and possibly clean up controversial parts of the Lake Quassapaug Preservation District regulating the nearby West Shore Homeowners Association (WSHA). The preservation district, known as Section 25 in the zoning regulations, was adopted in No-vember 2013 for the 26-unit WSHA to permit limited cottage expan-sions, but those regulations were later said to be flawed by commis-sioner Erika Carrington and others because of inconsistencies in the “before” and “after” calculations used to determine square footage.

Those inconsistencies were discussed at the November meet-ing when commissioners denied without prejudice an application to expand a 1,161-square-foot seasonal cottage at 2 West Lake Road on Lake Quassapaug. Com-missioners were assured by WSHA president John Butkus that

p&Z hearings move to January

– See P&Z on page 3

st John of the cross Bottle DriveWhat: Bottle and can drive to benefit Mission Trip 2015 When: Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon; Sunday after all massesWhere: St. John of the Cross Parish House at 1321 Whittemore Road in Middlebury

special town meetingWhat: To appropriate $80,000 to Reserve Account 30-71-00-6092 Reserve for Professional Services from Reserve Account 30-71-20-6092 Reserve Account for Town Facility Improvement/Land/Open Space from the Open Space balance.When: 6:30 p.m.Where: Shepardson Community Center, Room 26, 1172 Whittemore Road, Middlebury

connecticut siting council towantic Energy center Field Review and HearingWhat: As part of the approval process, the Connecticut Siting Council will visit the site of the proposed Towantic Energy Center and then hear public comments.When: 3 p.m. for site visit; 6:30 p.m. for public commentsWhere: Woodruff Hill Road in Oxford for the field review; Oxford High School auditorium for public comments

MOndayJan. 5

tHurSdayJan. 15

by mARJoRIe neeDHAm

Monday, Dec. 29, State Sen. Joan Hartley told a group of about 60 people the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released information showing the proposed Towantic Energy Center’s administrative building will pose a hazard to air traffic at Oxford Airport. The power plant to be built by Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) also was designed with two 150-foot high stacks. It will be roughly a half mile from the airport.

Hartley said an FAA letter dated Nov. 17, 2014, was sent to CPV’s project manager, Andrew Bazinet. It said the FAA conducted an aeronautical study and found the struc-ture “is presumed to be a hazard to air nav-igation.”

The FAA said CPV could resolve the plant’s issues by reducing the structure’s height to 46 feet above ground level from 52 feet above ground level. Other options are further study that includes public comment and could last up to 120 days or a request to terminate the study. CPV has 60 days from the date of the letter to resolve the issue. If it does not do so, it will have to reactivate the study by filing a new FAA Form 7460-1.

Hartley and other speakers stood in front of a chain link fence in the parking lot of the 121 Restaurant at 7 Juliano Drive in Oxford. On the other side of the fence, several sin-gle-engine airplanes belonging to the Oxford Flying Club waited for their pilots. Hartley was joined by State Sen. Joe Crisco and Mid-dlebury First Selectman Ed St. John, along with Master Certified Flight Instructor Burt Stevens, pilot Vince Calio (a member of the Flying 20’s Flying Club in Danbury) and pi-lot Tracy Anastas, who frequently flies out of Oxford Airport.

Stevens expressed concern for student pilots who would be flying about 700 feet above the power plant. Although he would tell his students to avoid flying into the plumes from the power plant stacks, he was concerned a pilot from another area might not know about the plumes. He said they could get their plane into an unusual attitude and be unable to recover before crashing the plane. “I’m not concerned with the physical height of the stacks,” he said. “I’m concerned with what is coming out of the stacks, with

the velocity and the volume.” He said the turbulence caused by the effluent is much more significant for small planes like those he uses for instruction.

Anastas said having the power plant near the airport will affect how she flies into and out of the airport. When she circles to land, if there is low cloud cover and she comes down through that cover as she is flying over the stacks, she said the turbulence from the stacks could force the plane back up into the clouds and she would have to go around again.

Barbara Berg, a resident of Oxford Greens, said, “We’re here with our walkers and our

canes. We’re opposed to the plant for safety and health reasons.”

Thursday, Jan. 15, members of the Con-necticut Siting Council will be in Oxford at 3 p.m. for a field review of the Towantic Energy Center site on Woodruff Hill Road and then will hear public comments in the auditorium at Oxford High School at 6:30 p.m. They also will hear cross examination by parties and intervenors who have sub-mitted testimony in advance (by Jan. 8, 2015). The cross examination will start be-fore the public comments period and con-tinue after it.

Attorney Steven Savarese, left, and Ray Pietrorazio, both of Middlebury, were repre-senting Middlebury’s interests at the Monday press conference along with Middlebury First Selectman Ed St. John (not shown). (Marjorie Needham photos)

power plant a risk to aviation

State Sen. Joan Hartley speaks at a press conference on the Towantic Energy Center Monday at Oxford Airport. Also speaking were, left to right, State Sen. Joe Crisco, flight instructor Burt Stevens, pilot Vince Calio and pilot Tracy Anastas. Middlebury First Selectman Ed St. John is behind Hartley.

2 January 2015The Bee-Intelligencer

middleburyBrown Bag Book

Discussion GroupThe Brown Bag Book Discus-

sion Group will meet Wednes-day, Jan. 7, at 1 p.m. to discuss Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist.” New members are welcome.

The Middlebury Public Li-brary is at 30 Crest Road. The telephone number is 203-758-2634, and the website is middle-burypubliclibrary.org.

naugatuckWhere is your living will?

Tuesday, Jan. 6, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., learn about a living will in the Western Connecticut Area Agency on Aging’s First Tuesday Roundtable Chat. When we can’t speak for ourselves, how can we let others know what we want? Learn the answers to all your questions about living wills. Call 203-729-4591 for more in-formation.

Celebrate Yale Bowl centennial

Join us to commemorate a lo-cal sporting milestone – the cen-tennial birthday of the Yale Bowl with “A Bowl Full of Memories with Rich Marazzi” Wednesday,

Jan. 7, at 6:30 p.m. Marazzi’s book, “A Bowl Full of Memories,” discusses the history and per-sonalities of the Yale Bowl. Signed copies of the book will be available for a reduced price. Call 203-729-4591 or drop by to reg-ister to ensure seating,

Concert, beer tasting “The Sea, The Sea” in concert,

will be Friday, Jan. 9, at 8 p.m. at

the Corner Tavern at 178 N. Main St. in Naugatuck. Part of the li-brary’s music series, it features New Haven’s rising indie-pop duo playing a free set on their “Love, We Are Love” tour. A FREE beer tasting will be from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The sponsor is Friends of the Whittemore Library.

The Howard Whittemore Me-morial Library is at 243 Church St. in Naugatuck. For informa-tion, call 203-729-4591 or visit whittemorelibrary.org.

southburyStudent test-taking

workshopThe library is offering a FREE

hands-on, interactive workshop for students in grades nine to 12 with Eileen Sullivan Studdert, ed-ucational consultant and language arts instructor, Saturday, Jan. 17, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Students will be introduced to the skills, strategies and practices necessary to help them reach their top test score potential.

Sullivan Studdert is a rigorous academic who loves learning and helping students achieve their potential. She provides individu-alized instruction for students in grades K to 12 with a strong focus on SAT prep and teaches in Region 15. Registration is required. Call 203-262-0626, ext. 130, for infor-mation or to register.

Children’s winter story times

The Children’s Department will begin registration for its six-week winter story time sessions Mon-day, Jan. 5, at 9:30 a.m. To register, stop by the Children’s Department in person.

Story times with no registration are also held weekly. Mondays at 10:30 a.m., the library offers Drop-

In Story Time and Crafts for all ages and Thursdays at 6 p.m., the library offers a PJ Stories and Crafts program.

Betsy Rogers-Knox exhibit

An exhibit of Betsy Rogers-Knox’s watercolors is at the library until Wednesday, Jan. 28. Rogers-Knox earned a certificate in bo-tanical illustration from The New York Botanical Garden and is en-chanted by the full life cycle of the plants she portrays in watercolor. She usually observes her plant subjects for a full year before be-ginning her compositions.

For more information, call 203-262-0626 or visit www.south-burylibrary.org. The library is at 100 Poverty Road in Southbury.

WoodburyMy year in the Peace Corps – Azerbaijan

Sunday, Jan. 4, Cherril Kolesik will talk about her year as a Peace Corps Volunteer teaching English in Azerbaijan and share her expe-riences learning about the food, language, music traditions and people of this unique culture. She also will talk about the Peace Corps in general and what it requires and expects of volunteers. Kolesik was 65 when she joined the Peace Corps and will speak about being involved as an older adult.

How to use a tabletSo you’ve got a tablet! Now

what? Those who got a tablet or e-reader for the holidays but aren’t sure where to go from there can learn the basics Tuesday, Jan. 20, from 7 to 8 p.m. Learn such things as surfing the web and checking email and also how to borrow e-books from your home library. Feel free to bring your de-vice with you. Call 203-263-3502 to register as space is limited.

Children’s emergency preparedness workshop

The Connecticut Chapter of the American Red Cross will present an emergency preparedness work-shop for children ages 8 to 11 Sat-urday, Jan. 17, at 3 p.m. Children will learn how to prepare for emer-gencies, practice what they have learned, and share their knowl-edge with family and friends. This program is free and open to area residents. Registration is required by Jan. 13 to ensure adequate sup-plies. For more information or to register, call the library.

For more information, call 203-263-3502 or visit www.wood-burylibraryct.org. The library is at 269 Main St. S. in Woodbury.

To see library events for the remainder of the month, please look online at www.bee-news.com.

Donate used ink cartridges

Don’t throw your used ink car-tridges away. Please donate them to the Middlebury Senior Center, which will recycle them. Thank you.

First community and health fair

Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Middlebury Senior Center, Visiting Angels Living Assistance Services and Hop Brook Pharmacy will offer their first community and health fair at Shepardson Community Center in Middlebury. The fair will feature community services available to seniors and caregiv-ers, including physicians, elder law attorneys, assisted living, in- home care services and commu-nity services. Also, those attend-ing will be able to sample delectable delights courtesy of notable chefs from local restau-rants and assisted-living com-munities. Complimentary health screenings also will be offered.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Middlebury Senior Cen-ter at 203-577-4166. The snow

date will be Wednesday, Jan. 28.

Nutrition classesThe Brass City Harvest pro-

gram will offer nutrition educa-tion and healthy cooking classes every Monday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for one month start-ing Jan. 12. The classes will be free of charge to 20 participants.

Nutrition education will ad-dress behavior modification techniques as they relate to diet and nutrition; meal planning; nutrition for special medical top-ics such as those suffering from heart disease, diabetes, osteoar-thritis, high cholesterol and physical disability (lack of phys-ical activity); interventions for those on certain heart, blood pressure and kidney medica-tions; and interventions that will be useful for older adults who eat alone.

All participants will receive a take-home package of recipes and at least one food item based on each week’s lesson. To reserve a seat, call 203-577-4166. Only 20 participants will be accepted.

SNAP application helpThe Staywell Health Center will

send outreach workers to the Mid-

dlebury Social Services Center the second Monday of each month (Jan. 12) at 10 a.m. until further notice to help residents apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assis-tance Program (SNAP), also called food stamps.

To be eligible, according to household size, the household’s gross income cannot exceed $1,800 for one, $2,425 for two, $3,052 for three or $3,678 for four. A “household” is all the people who live together and buy and prepare food together. You can just walk in. No appointment is needed.

Nutritionist speakerA speaker will discuss weight

management Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 11:30 a.m. This informative class is just in time for those wanting to get ready for summer.

Towantic power plant hearing

The Senior Center minibus will offer two trips to Oxford Thursday, Jan. 15, for the Siting Council hearing on the power plant proposal. The hearing will begin at 1:30 p.m. with a tour of the site. At 3 p.m., Siting Council members will begin hearing ev-idence from Competitive Power Ventures at Oxford High School. Public comments can begin at 6 p.m.

Seniors willing to protest out-doors in the cold can take the bus leaving Shepardson at 1 p.m. It will take them to Woodruff Hill Road in Oxford where they will gather with others to protest as

Connecticut Siting Council mem-bers tour the site of the proposed power plant. The bus will return to Shepardson at 2 p.m.

Seniors who want to protest indoors at Oxford High School can take the bus leaving Shep-ardson at 5 p.m. It will take them to Oxford High School, where they will gather with others to protest as Connecticut Siting Council members listen to pub-lic comments. The bus will return to Shepardson at 7 pm.

Signs to carry will be available for those who want them on ei-ther trip. To sign up for a seat on either bus, call the Middlebury Senior Center at 203-577-4166.

Holiday closingsThe senior center will be

closed Monday, Jan. 19, for Mar-tin Luther King Jr. Day.

Commission on AgingThe Commission on Aging will

meet Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 9:30 a.m. All interested persons are welcome to attend.

Trip

Painted Pony restaurantAs part of the Senior Dine

lunch program, the minibus will go to the Painted Pony restaurant in Bethlehem Friday, Jan. 23.

You must have a Senior Dine card to participate. If you do not have a card, stop by the senior center office to get one. If you want to go to the Painted Pony, call 203-577-4166 to reserve a seat.

Middlebury Senior Center news

Library Happenings

“Who Stole the American Dream?”

By Hedrick Smith

(Random House, $18)Reviewed by Chris Richcreek

If you believe things haven’t been quite right with the Amer-ican economy for some time, but you’re not exactly sure why, then “Who Stole the American Dream?” will serve as an infor-mative and eye-opening source.

Hedrick Smith defines the American Dream as having a decent-paying, steady job and health benefits, owning a home and saving enough for retire-ment. He then explains why the dream, and a large chunk of the middle class, have been eviscer-ated over time.

Some of the reasons are well-known, like the subprime- mortgage mess or the failure of politicians to protect the middle class.

Others are more obscure. Take, for example, future Su-preme Court Justice Lewis Pow-ell’s call to arms in 1971 that challenged corporate America to embrace more political power, a call that was heeded. Or the passing of two key legislative pieces in 1978 that brought changes in bankruptcy laws and creation of the 401(k), a good idea that had the unexpected consequence of leading many

companies to eliminate their regular retirement plans.

Some of the statements and decisions of former Federal Re-serve Chairman Alan Greenspan, especially related to the sub-prime-mortgage crisis, come under fire, dimming the image of the man once deemed a finan-cial wizard.

The chapter on Walmart, which details the mammoth re-tailer getting 80 percent of its items from China-based produc-tion while squeezing U.S. suppli-ers for painfully low prices, is informative, if not infuriating.

In contrast to America, Smith points out the success of coun-tries like Germany, which weath-ered financial challenges in part because of a trade surplus (un-like the U.S.) and a solid manu-facturing base.

In closing, Smith offers a num-ber of solutions for Americans’ economic woes. At a time when the economy may be improving but the positive effects have yet to be felt by most people, his rec-ommendations certainly are worth considering.

(c) 2014 King Features Synd., Inc.

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Jan. 1 to 10, 2015

Monday, Jan. 5Board of Selectmen6 p.m. .................................................Town Hall Conference Room

Wednesday, Jan. 7Land Preservation and Open Space6 p.m. ............................................................ Shepardson, Room 26

Zoning Board of Appeals7:30 p.m. ............................................Town Hall Conference Room

Thursday, Jan. 8Parks and Recreation7 p.m. .............................................................. Shepardson, Room 1

Jan. 11 to 17

Monday, Jan. 12Police Commission6 p.m. .................................................Town Hall Conference Room

Tuesday, Jan. 13Library Board of Directors3 p.m. .....................................................Middlebury Public Library

Democratic Town Committee7:30 p.m. ....................................................... Shepardson, Room 27

Republican Town Committee7:30 p.m. ....................................................... Shepardson, Room 26

Wednesday, Jan. 14Board of Finance7 p.m. ............................................................ Shepardson, Room 26

Thursday, Jan. 15Parks and Recreation7 p.m. .............................................................. Shepardson, Room 1

Jan. 18 to 24

Monday, Jan. 19Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday All town offices, library and transfer station are closed.

Tuesday, Jan. 20Commission on Aging9:30 a.m. ....................................................... Shepardson, Room 26

Elderly Tax Relief Committee5:30 p.m. ....................................................... Shepardson, Room 26

Board of Selectmen6 p.m. .................................................Town Hall Conference Room

Public Works Commission7 p.m. .............................................................. Shepardson, Room 4

Water Pollution Control Authority7:30 p.m. ....................................................... Shepardson, Room 26

Wednesday, Jan. 21Beautification Committee6:30 p.m. ....................................................... Shepardson, Room 26

Jan. 25 to 31

Tuesday, Jan. 27Economic and Industrial Development Commission6:30 p.m. ...........................................Town Hall Conference Room

Conservation Commission7:30 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 email the information to [email protected].

Middlebury Community Calendar

Bursting Out - This watercolor painting by Betsy Rogers-Knox depicts the moment in a plant’s life cycle that it disperses its seeds. All the plants chosen for this illustration were found locally.

(Submitted photo)

Middlebury Road (Opposite the Shell Station)Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily

Anthony Calabrese 203-758-2765

Deer Corn • Livestock & Poultry FeedFirewood available

in bins and bags

Bird Seed Headquarters Black Oil, Premium Mix, Sunflower Hearts,

Niger Seed (thistle for finches)

January 2015 The Bee-Intelligencer 3

by mARY conseUR

In an awards ceremony at the Middlebury firehouse Dec. 8, the Middlebury Volunteer Fire De-partment gave cash awards to four Middlebury schoolchildren for their winning entries in the 30th Annual Fire Prevention Poster Contest. First-place win-ners were Catherine Crowley, a fourth-grader at Middlebury El-ementary School (MES), and Natalia Balarezo, a fifth-grader at Long Meadow Elementary School (LMES). Second-place winners were Madison Rowin-sky, a fourth-grader at MES, and Nicholas Wiltshire, a fifth-grader at LMES.

First-place winners each re-ceived a cash award of $125. Sec-ond-place winners each received a cash award of $75. The winning posters were selected from among more than 250 entries from children in grades four and five at LMES and MES. Judges were Middlebury firefighters Mike Proulx, Mike Dayton and Dave Sanchez.

The annual Fire Prevention Poster Contest is a cooperative effort of the Office of State Fire Marshal, the Connecticut Fire

Falls Avenue Senior Center events for area adults 55 and older follow. Most require reser-vations, which can be made by calling 860-945-5250. Please speak with a staff member when calling as the senior center does not accept voice-mail reserva-tions. The center is at 311 Falls Ave. in Oakville, Conn.

Book clubThe center’s book club will re-

view “Astor Place Vintage” by Stephanie Lehmann Monday, Jan. 5, at 10 a.m. Next month’s novel is “The Round House” by Louis Ver-dict. That review will take place Feb. 2. Check the Watertown Li-brary for the book. New members are welcome. Reservations are not needed.

Oral health presentation

Students from Porter and Ches-ter’s dental assisting program will discuss oral health and provide oral health aides to participants on Wednesday, Jan. 7, at 10 a.m. Reservations are needed by Jan. 6.

Learn about your kidneys

Do you know what your kidneys do every day to keep you healthy? Do you know that one in three Americans is at risk for developing kidney disease? The center is host-

ing “Your Kidneys and You,” spon-sored by the National Kidney Foundation, Monday, Jan. 12, at 9:30 a.m. Reservations are needed by Jan. 9.

Neck pain therapyKathy Andres of Beacon Brook

Health Center will present “Trigger Point Therapy and Neck Pain” Jan. 13 at 2 p.m. Reservations are needed by Jan. 12.

Larry and Doreen to perform

The ever-popular Larry and Doreen are back to share their musical talents Wednesday, Jan. 14, at 2 p.m. Admission is an ap-petizer to share. Reservations are needed by Jan. 13. The audience is limited to 70 people.

ReflexologyCertified reflexologist Kim Stew-

art will offer 20-minute reflexology sessions for your hands or feet Thursday, Jan. 15, from 8:30 to 10:15 a.m. The cost is $15. Reser-vations are needed by Wednesday, Jan. 14.

Accordion concertAccordion musicians Bob and

Anita Siarkowski will present a concert Friday, Jan. 16, at 2 p.m. The audience is limited to 70 peo-ple.

Be prepared for emergencies

The Ready’s Program Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 2 p.m. will help you and your family plan and prepare for emergencies. This interactive pre-sentation, which utilizes a fictional family, illustrates simple steps you can take to be aware, plan, prepare and connect with your community during times of emergency. Res-ervations are needed by Jan. 16.

Social services information

Residents 55 years of age and older in need of social services assistance may meet with Jim Dunn of the Western Connecticut Area Agency on Aging Wednesday, Jan. 21, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. He is available to provide one-on-one assistance with social services questions and needs. Reservations are not needed.

Meet your legislatorsMeet with State Sen. Rob Kane

and State Rep. Eric Berthell Thurs-day, Jan. 22, at 9 a.m. This is an opportunity for seniors to express opinions on issues that impact them. Reservations are needed by Jan. 21.

Discover Litchfield County’s past

Peter C. Vermilyea, author of “Hidden History of Litchfield

County,” will talk about the traces of Litchfield County’s past that are hidden in plain sight Friday, Jan. 23, at 2 p.m. Reservations are needed by Jan. 22.

Cooking with CorkyCooking with Corky will meet

Monday, Jan. 26, at 9:30 a.m. Join chef and wedding planner Corky Plourde as she presents an afford-able and easy-to-prepare menu. Reservations are needed by Jan. 23.

Home modifications for aging in place

Wednesday, Jan. 28, at 2 p.m., Jim Gustin, owner of Home Crew CT in Danbury, will explain how homes can be modified for peo-ple who want to age in place in their homes. Home Crew CT builds ramps, creates barrier-free entrances, enhances lighting, and installs lifts, elevators, show-ers, grab bars, railings and non-slip floors. Learn how modifica-tions can enrich your life in your home. Reservations are needed by Jan. 27.

Chat with school superintendent

Meet and chat with Superinten-dent of Schools Dr. Bridget Car-nemolla Thursday, Jan. 29, at 3 p.m. Reservations are needed by Jan. 28.

Watch Carol Burnett Shows

The center will show a DVD of classic Carol Burnett Shows Friday, Jan. 30, at 1 p.m. Reservations are needed by Jan. 29.

Bible studyNew Hope Anglican Church

offers a nondenominational Bible study at the center each Friday at 10 a.m. Join other seniors for the study and discussion. No reserva-tions are required.

See the Region 15 School Calendar at bee-news.com

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When you live long enough, you often see old things come around again as new. Hemlines go up and down, hairstyles change. But sometimes the good stuff goes away and doesn’t come back.

Like the milkman. Like doc-tors who made house calls. Like paper savings bonds.

Remember when you got your first savings bond? It was a tan-gible item you could hold in your hands and read. Maybe you got one when you were married. Maybe you did the same for your children when they had big life events. If nothing else, they were a safe place to save money.

They’re gone now. The paper version of Series EE Savings Bonds is no more. Jan. 1, 2015, marked three years since we’ve been able to buy them. You have

to get on the computer and order them online (www.treasurydi-rect.gov). You open an account, working your way through many steps and putting in a lot of per-sonal information, such as your bank accounts. Your details have to be verified before you can make a bond purchase. Not sur-prisingly, bond sales have plum-meted since the change.

The website lists good reasons to go electronic: You can see all your bonds online and you don’t have to keep track of pieces of paper. You can redeem them and have the money wired to your bank account. You can change

the bond’s registration name with the click of a few keys. And, if you have paper bonds, you can convert them to electronic. See www.savingsbonds.gov for more information.

Keep in mind, however, that the current interest rate on Series EE bonds is 0.10 percent. Interest on even a simple savings account is higher.

P.S. There is hope, however. After seeing cell phones get smaller and more complicated, with smaller buttons, the more basic flip phone apparently is coming back.

Matilda Charles regrets she cannot personally answer reader questions, but she will incorpo-rate them into her column when-ever possible. Send email to [email protected].


the end is near for savings bonds

Falls avenue Senior Center Events

mvFD chooses poster contest winners

Middlebury Fire Chief Anthony Bruno (center) congratulates the four winners of the annual Fire Prevention Poster Contest, left to right, Nicholas Wiltshire, Natalia Balarezo, Madison Rowinsky and Catherine Crowley. (Mary Conseur photo)

Marshals Association, the Con-necticut Public Fire Education Association and the Connecticut FAIR Plan (Fair Access to Insur-ance Requirements.) It is de-signed to educate children to improve fire safety and fire-pre-vention awareness. Last year more than 30,000 Connecticut students from more than 135 communities participated in the contest.

Crowley and Balarezo will go on to compete at the county level, and winners of that com-petition will compete at the state level. The state winner will re-ceive a $1,000 savings bond, and his or her poster will be displayed at the state capitol building next October during fire prevention month. The state winner will be announced in March at an awards luncheon to which all 32 finalists, their parents, teachers, principals and fire marshals will be invited.

Fire continues to be a leading cause of death and injury in the U.S. Every 2½ hours, someone is

killed in a home fire and thou-sands more are injured each year. Children often are victims of res-idential fires that most often occur at night. Through fire-prevention education and community par-ticipation, many of these fires can be prevented.

Children are likely to retain fire safety messages. They are a valuable link in the chain of com-munication, taking the lesson home and promoting fire-pre-vention measures to the family. This educational program aims to increase fire safety and pre-vention awareness.

Deputy Fire Marshal Brian Proulx and the poster contest committee thank Region 15, LMES Principal Richard Gusen-burg, MES Principal Lauren Feltz, the fourth- and fifth-grade teachers, and all of the partici-pating students for their enthu-siastic artwork and creative thinking in this very important fire-prevention awareness pro-gram.

sewer and water capacities for additional expansions were ade-quate and had been approved by all necessary entities, but Carring-ton questioned the percentage of expansion in the application, say-ing it was absurd to include the square footage of a porch in the “before” calculations and not use them in the “after” calculations.

In other business, town plan-ner Brian Miller said maps from COG still needed to be incorpo-rated into the long-awaited Plan of Conservation and Develop-ment. He suggested a public hear-ing in the first months of 2015 would give commissioners a chance to make corrections and final suggestions. In procedural

matters, a form for acknowledg-ment of the recently adopted town code of ethics was distrib-uted to each commissioner for signature.

In enforcement matters, Zon-ing Enforcement Officer Curt Bo-sco said he had spoken to District Manager Jack Starr about excava-tion work at the Shell station on 520 Middlebury Road owned by Wesson Energy. He said Starr didn’t think soil remediation work required a permit and immedi-ately filed an application with a $250 fee when he was told it did. Bosco said lead contamination found buried at the site was pri-marily from old paint cans and discarded equipment.

The next regular P&Z meeting will be Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015, at 7:30 p.m. at Shepardson Commu-nity Center.

p&Z -Continued from page 1


Letters to the Editor

Bee IntellIgencerin•tel•li•gencer: n. One who conveys news or information

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed.

Issued by:The Middlebury Bee-Intelligencer Society LLC

Bee-Intelligencer Staff:Editor-In-Chief/Publisher: Marjorie Needham

Contributing Writers: Mary Conseur, Terrence S. McAuliffeArt & Production: Mario J. Recupido

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The Bee-Intelligencer welcomes news, press releases and advertising from all surrounding communities

Editorial Office:2030 Straits Turnpike, Suite 1, Middlebury, CT 06762

Direct mail to P.O. Box 10.Telephone: 203-577-6800 • Email: [email protected]

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Copyright © 2015 by The Middlebury Bee-Intelligencer Society, LLC.

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

Deadlines:Display Advertising: 5 p.m.

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Monday preceding publicationEditorial/Press Releases: Noon Monday preceding publication

In Brief

Trust & Dignity

the hidden costs of the proposed power plantTo the Editor:

Oxford First Selectman George Temple has been praising the financial benefits of a potential new Oxford power plant. What he has not been talking about are the economic downsides. Resi-dents will take a hit to their prop-erty values, and the future com-mercial development of Oxford and surrounding towns largely will dry up.

As for property values, house values in Oxford will decline as the town becomes less desirable to future home buyers. Many are unwilling to live in a “smokestack town” because of air and water pollution, potential emissions which are particularly harmful to children, twin smokestacks emitting 300-foot smoke plumes visible from I-84 and many roads in town. The desirability of living and raising a family in Oxford will decline, as a California study bears out. So this plant will hit Oxford homeowners directly in their pocketbooks.

Regarding commercial devel-opment, desirable company headquarters, along with the research facilities envisioned for Oxford, likely will not happen. One need only look at the neigh-boring town of Naugatuck. A large insurance company – ev-eryone would recognize its name – had decided to build their na-tional headquarters in Nauga-tuck, providing 400 permanent jobs. Then that firm heard about the proposed Oxford power plant. Their reaction was, “Either you get rid of that power plant or we are not moving to Naugatuck.” This is what happens to the de-sirability of the greater Oxford area if a power plant is built

So I would advise all Oxford residents to consider these “hid-den costs” very carefully and unite in opposing this power plant. It will harm our town ir-revocably. Additionally, I would hope that George Temple and

his fellow selectmen will recon-sider their opinion of this plant and instead recognize its great undesirability and join in work-ing to keep the power plant out of Oxford.

Frederick RaskopfOxford, Conn.

Health dangers of proposed oxford power plantTo the Editor:

Without hesitation, the health of our children far outweighs any tax benefit from the proposed CPV Towantic Gas/Oil Power Plant adjacent to the Oxford air-port. There are no safe levels of pollutants such as nitrogen ox-ides, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide and volatile organic compounds. You will not see, hear or smell these nasty toxins spewing from the 150-foot stacks, but they will be in our air.

The U.S. Environmental Pro-tection Agency (EPA), American Lung Association and other ex-perts have published informa-tion and data that link these dangerous air pollutants to re-spiratory and pulmonary prob-lems. Lung cancer and heart disease have been linked to breathing polluted air in people exposed to it long term. No one can say that a power plant is good for your health!

The fact that this plant at 785 megawatts will be the third larg-est in Connecticut makes these health issues even more dra-matic. These unsafe pollutants will impact not just Oxford but also everyone in Middlebury, Naugatuck, Southbury, Wood-bury, Seymour, Beacon Falls and beyond. There are approximately 40 schools with almost 21,000 children within a 10-mile radius of the proposed power plant.

It is not a done deal! The Con-necticut Siting Council has yet to make a final decision on this power plant application. If you are concerned and upset about the impact this power plant could have on our children, please write

to the Connecticut Siting Council, attend the public meeting in Ox-ford on Thursday, Jan. 15 at 6 p.m. at Oxford High School, and visit stoptowanticpower.com.

Jerry FogelOxford, Conn.

stop towantic powerTo the Editor:

The CT Siting Council will be meeting Jan. 15 at Oxford High School to evaluate whether they will permit the Towantic Power Plant to be built near the airport in Oxford. Studies have shown that toxins coming from the smokestacks of a fossil-fuel power plant are linked to cancer, COPD, asthma and heart dis-ease. Children and the elderly with compromised immune and respiratory systems are most vul-nerable to these illnesses.

There are 20 schools and 21,000 children within a 10-mile radius of the plant. There are several 55+ communities within that radius as well. Shouldn’t we care about the the dangers to our communities and environment?

This power plant is not a done deal, so your voice is very impor-tant. Come to the meeting on Jan. 15 and support us by writing let-ters to the editor of all the news-papers serving our communities. Email your friends and neighbors and tell them to visit our website, www.stoptowanticpower.com, for information.

Ruth SchiffOxford, Conn.

Fire chief wasn’t asked to prove need for moneyTo the Editor:

Need $15,000 in a hurry? Why not try your luck at the next Mid-dlebury Board of Finance (BoF) meeting? That’s what the former Middlebury fire chief did in 2008. And he got the money. He told the BoF a “federal audit vali-dates” the need for this money.

Did anyone on the BoF ask to see this “audit” or even what federal agency would perform such an “audit”? No, no BOF member did.

The former fire chief stated he needed the money for a “co-pay” to a $297,000 grant. Did anyone on the BoF ask to see this “grant”? No, no BoF member did. The former chief stated that the for-mer administration “urged” him to apply for this grant. Did any-one on the BoF ask the former administration or even bother to check the Board of Selectmen minutes? No, nobody did. Did the BoF have the authority to take $15,000 out of the Commu-nications Revolving Fund? No, it didn’t. So who signed the check?

Did anyone on the BoF ask to see the three bids necessitated by federal law before giving the $15,000 to Motorola? No, nobody on the BoF did.

In retrospect, Mr. Dayton, a former BoF member, said he saw some yellow flags relative to the chief ’s request. Evidently he didn’t see enough “flags” to stop him from voting to give the money to the former fire chief. Mr. McCormack questioned the former chief’s authority to apply for the grant, but he still voted “yea” to the give-away.

What we had here, in 2008, was the perfect storm where in-competence met alleged malfea-sance. With friends like the Mid-dlebury Board of Finance, the taxpayers of Middlebury don’t need enemies.

Pat de AngelisMiddlebury

Letters to the EditorLetters to the editor may be

mailed to the Bee-Intelligencer, P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762 or emailed to beeintelligencer @gmail.com.

Letters will be run as space per-mits. Please limit letters to 500 words, avoid personal attacks, and understand letters will be edited. For verification purposes, please include your name, street address and day-time telephone number.

Quilts that CareQuilts that Care, an organiza-

tion that makes quilts for people who undergo cancer treatment, will meet Mondays, Jan. 5 and 19, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at The Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center at 1075 Chase Parkway in Waterbury. It also will meet Tuesdays, Jan. 6 and 20, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Bristol Public Library at 5 High St. in Bristol.

Quilts are donated to seven Connecticut hospitals. Volunteers are needed, especially quilt fin-ishers, as are donations of fabric shop gift cards, 100 percent-cotton fabric, cotton flannel, quilting ma-terial, and gallon Ziploc bags. Monetary donations can be given through PayPal at www.quiltsthat-care.org or through Amazon-Smiles. For information, call Deb at 860-945-0184, email [email protected] or visit www.quiltsthatcare.org.

Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias

Support GroupA monthly support group for

friends and family of people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias takes place the sec-ond Thursday of each month at 10:30 a.m. at the Jewish Federa-tion of Western Connecticut at 444 Main St. N. The next meeting is Jan. 8. There is no charge for this open and ongoing group, whose purpose is to provide emotional, educational and so-cial support for caregivers through regularly scheduled meetings.

The meetings help partici-pants develop methods and skills to solve problems. The groups encourage caregivers to main-

tain their own personal, physical and emotional health, as well as optimally care for the person with dementia. Patty Gibbs, a volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association, facilitates the group. It is not necessary to register in advance. For more information, call Debby Horowitz, Brownstein Jewish Family Service director, at 203-267-3177, ext. 310.

Friends of Fiber Arts meeting

The Jewish Federation Friends of Fiber Arts, a group open to any-one who is interested in any kind of fiber art or craft, will meet Mon-day, Jan. 12, from 1 to 3 pm at The Jewish Federation of Western Con-necticut at 444 Main St. N. in Southbury. Anyone who is inter-ested in the fiber arts is welcome to attend this free event. There will be knitters, spinners, weavers, cro-cheters, felters, quilters and nee-dlepoint enthusiasts attending, and anyone with a love or hanker-ing to create things from yarn or fabric is welcome to come. Partic-ipants should bring their own proj-ects to work on, with some infor-mal help and/or teaching pro-vided.

To register for this program, call 203-267-3177 or email [email protected]. In case of inclement weather, please call ahead to make sure the meeting is still scheduled.

Health insurance enrollment assistance

The Jewish Federation of Western Connecticut is hosting an enrollment assistance day for the public for Access Health CT and Medicaid health insurance Thursday, Jan. 15, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. at 444 Main St. N. in

Southbury. Mariana Dossantos, the outreach coordinator and HUSKY liasion with StayWell Health Center, will help clients, by appointment only, navigate the Access Health CT and Med-icaid qualification and enroll-ment process. All client informa-tion remains confidential, and enrollment data is entered using a state-issued, authorized com-puter.

Open enrollment for Access Health CT runs through Feb. 15. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call Mariana Dossantos at 203-756-8021 ext. 3053.

Literacy volunteer orientation

Literacy Volunteers of Greater Waterbury will host volunteer orientations for those interested in learning about helping adult learners develop literacy and English as a Second Language skills. Those interested should

register for one of the following orientation sessions: Tuesday, Jan. 6, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Howard Whittemore Memorial Library at 243 Church St. in Nau-gatuck; Wednesday, Jan. 7, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Depot Square, Suite 213, at 51 Depot St. in Wa-tertown; Thursday, Jan. 8, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Woodbury Public Library at 269 Main St. S. in Woodbury; Thursday, Jan. 8, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Wolcott Public Library at 469 Bound Line Road in Wolcott; and Saturday, Jan. 10, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Silas Bronson Library at 267 Grand St. in Waterbury.

Volunteers are trained to tutor adult learners in functional lit-eracy and language skills to help them achieve their personal, educational, employment and civic goals, Tutors and their stu-dents meet a minimum of two hours per week for one year, All tutors must be at least 18 years old with a high school diploma

or equivalent, No previous teach-ing experience is required, To register for an orientation or for more information, call 203-754-1164 or email [email protected].

Win a makeover A group of businesses in the

Southbury area is holding a con-test for someone who is looking for a change in 2015. The win-ning contestant will be given top-of-the-line noninvasive skin care treatments to tighten the skin on their face and neck, cosmetic dermatological services, nutri-tion counseling to help him/her achieve their fitness goals, a beauty consultant to recondition their hair and create their best style, a professional wardrobe consultant to help them dress appropriately for their body type, a makeup artist to apply and in-struct on makeup application, and an expert photographer to capture their progress every step of the way. At the completion of the program, the recipient also

will enjoy an overnight and brunch at an area hotel.

To enter the competition, sub-mit one current full-body and one current face-and-neck close-up photo along with a letter of 1,000 words or less stating why you feel you deserve to receive the beauty package with an esti-mated value of more than $8,000. Send your entry to 33 Bullet Hill Road, Suite 204, Southbury, CT 06488 or email digital pics and your essay to [email protected] The deadline for re-ceipt is Jan. 30, 2015.

A round of interviews will be held before a finalist is selected. The selection will be announced on lucky Friday, Feb. 13, 2015, via the Facebook page, www.facebook.com/makeoverNWCT.

The winner’s services and ac-commodations will be offered by Revèe Spa, DermAesthetics, Su-san and Susan hair salon, Su-zanne Boccuzzi wardrobe con-sultant, Dana Noto (makeup artist of Revèe), Heather Norris photography and the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

online 24/7 at

www.bee-news.com


Rev. John Desantis Jr.Loving husband, father,

grandfather and great-grandfather

Rev. John DeSantis Jr., 79, of Mid-dlebury passed away Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014, surrounded by his loving family. He was the husband of Rita (Rossi) DeSantis.

John was born in Waterbury on Christmas Day 1934, a son of the late John and Rose (DiLeo) DeSantis. He was a U.S. Navy veteran who served during the Korean Conflict. John worked at the Middlebury Public Works Department for many years and as a Middlebury police officer. He later went to work with his brother at De-Santis Street Sweeping Co. until his retirement. He then began his minis-try and became ordained a reverend. He was most recently a member of The Rock Church of Waterbury and served as treasurer on the board.

John loved helping out at their food pantry. He also enjoyed singing and was a soloist. John participated in the Eagles Wing Television Program on Channel 13 on a monthly basis for many years. He was a carpenter by trade and had built several houses for himself and other family members. John was a charter member of the Middlebury Police Social Club.

Besides his wife, Rita, of 58 years, he leaves three sons, John DeSantis III of Woodbury; David DeSantis of San Francisco, Calif.; and Richard DeSantis and his wife, Judy, of Water-town; two daughters, Susan Powers and her husband, Tim, and Amy L. DeSantis, all of Middlebury; a brother, Joseph DeSantis, and his wife, Susan, of Middlebury; seven grandchildren: John William DeSantis and Maegan Evans; Michael Ryan DeSantis and his wife, Joann; Mikayla Shea Powers, Griffin Leon Powers and Zachary John Powers, all of Middlebury; Jacob Rob-ert DeSantis and Marguerite Judith DeSantis, both of Watertown; two great-grandchildren, Bailey DeSantis and Josephine DeSantis, both of Mid-dlebury; and several nieces and neph-ews. He was predeceased by his sister, Rosemary DeSantis.

A funeral service was celebrated Dec. 20 at The Rock Church of Water-bury. Burial was private and at the convenience of the family. Chase Parkway Memorial/The Albini Family Funeral Home at 430 Chase Parkway in Waterbury was entrusted with the arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorial con-tributions can be made in John’s memory to The Rock of Waterbury Food Pantry, 513 Meriden Road, Wa-terbury, CT 06705. For more informa-tion or to send e-condolences, visit www.chaseparkwaymemorial.com.

carlton A. HallLoving husband, father,

grandfather and great-grandfather

Carlton A. Hall, 83, of Middlebury passed away peacefully at Waterbury Hospital surrounded by family Sun-day, Dec. 21, 2014. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Dolores (Bam-bace) Hall. He also leaves behind his six children - his son Thomas Hall and wife Donna of Troy, N.Y.; his son Gre-gory Hall and wife Gail of Southington, Conn.; his son Richard Hall and wife Heidi of Manakin Sabot, Va.; his son Peter Hall and wife Barbara of Led-yard, Conn.; his daughter Susan (Hall) Cussen and husband Thomas of New Milford, Conn.; his daughter Patricia (Hall) Soracin and husband Mark of Bethlehem, Conn.; his five grand-daughters: Emily Hall, Brittany (Hall) Roberson and husband Will, Stacey Amburgey and husband David, Kendall Soracin and Sydney Soracin; his four grandsons: Michael Hall, Christopher Hall and wife Kelley, Derek Cussen and Sean Cussen; and his two great-grandchildren: Lailah Roberson and Logan Amburgey. He was predeceased by his sister, Shirley Wood.

Carl was born April 7, 1931, a son of the late Archie and Emily (Moore) Hall of Ellenville, N.Y. He graduated from Ellenville High School in New York and went on to attend SUNY Cortland. Midway through his college years, he enlisted in the Army and served two years during the Korean Conflict as a 2nd lieutenant in special service. Following his return from

service, he completed college and earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education. After several years of teaching and taking courses to further his career, Carl went on to obtain a master’s degree in educational admin-istration and guidance and worked toward his doctorate in administra-tion. He devoted 28 years of his pro-fessional life to the students at The Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, N.Y. as a teacher, guid-ance counselor, class adviser and highly decorated coach who earned multiple Coach of the Year awards.

He and his wife resided in Bedford Village, N.Y., until his retirement. Throughout his adult life, Carl enjoyed boating, snow skiing in Vermont with his family, playing tennis, and golfing with family and friends. He always regarded his family as his greatest accomplishment and made raising and educating his children his top priority.

His funeral Mass was Saturday, Dec. 27, at St. John of The Cross Church in Middlebury. A private graveside burial was to be at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family sug-gests donations be made to The Amer-ican Diabetes Association at P.O. Box 11454 in Alexandria, VA 22312 or call 1-800-342-2383. To send an online condolence, please visit www.mun sonloveterefuneralhome.com.

John Frederick KotchianLoving husband, father and

grandfather

John Frederick Kot-chian of Elim Park in Cheshire, Conn., died Dec. 10, 2014. John Kotchian was born Nov. 14, 1921, in North Dakota, where his grand-

parents homesteaded in the 1880s. He was the son of Arthur George Kotchian and Erma Belle Hunger. He was raised in Wisconsin, participated in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, and earned his Eagle Scout award. He loved the sound of brass and played the alto horn and then the French horn in high school. He attended the University of Wisconsin and played French horn in the marching band. He met his future wife, Winifred Rennebohm, at a dance there; they enjoyed so many dances during that Big Band era.

After graduation in 1942, he re-ceived Navy midshipman training at Columbia and post-graduate training in communications at Annapolis. He served as communications officer for a destroyer squadron in the Pacific theater in World War II. After the war, John earned his master’s degree in business administration from Harvard Business School. Winnie and John were married in 1947. He spent his career as a district sales manager with Lincoln Electric, living in Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit and Connecticut. After retirement from Lincoln Electric, he worked in industrial sales with Pearce Real Estate.

Since boyhood, John loved and explored the natural world and the outdoors and particularly enjoyed wilderness challenges. He made sev-eral canoe trips north of the 60th par-allel, served as an instructor for white-water canoeing, and taught his four children to hike, camp, ice skate, ski, canoe and backpack. He showed them how to recognize the stars and con-stellations in the night sky, wax cross-country skis, make a fire with one match, change a tire and drive on ice. He and Winnie spent many happy years skiing at Burke Mountain, Vt. John was an inveterate New York Times reader and was curious about sciences and the natural world. He taught cribbage to his family and loved to skunk his opponents every chance he got. He and Winnie traveled widely around the world, many of their trips centering on birding. He also enjoyed bridge, art, theater and opera, and tried his hand at sculpture and paint-ing.

John was active in many civic ac-tivities. He was appointed to the North Haven Conservation Commission, served on the Quinnipiac River Study Committee, later the Quinnipiac River Watershed Association, and was in-strumental in the cleanup of the Quin-nipiac River in the 1960s. He and Winnie volunteered at the Yale Pea-body Museum of Natural History, John

serving as chair of the volunteer board. John also chaired the land ac-quisition committee of the Sleeping Giant State Park board and was active in the New Haven Bird Club. He was president of the Hamden-North Ha-ven YMCA board; the new building in Hamden was completed while he was on the board. He chaired the white-water canoeing committee for the Connecticut chapter of the Appala-chian Mountain Club and was a mem-ber of Spring Glen Church for many years, serving as an elder and on the minister search committee. He was a member of the American Welding Society, Toastmasters International, Kiwanis and the High Lane Club. He enjoyed weekly hikes with his men’s hiking group until he was in his late 80s.

He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Winifred; son John and wife Regina of Middlebury; daughter Sarah and husband Bob Nellums of Al-buquerque, N.M.; daughter Nancy Prentiss of Farmington, Maine; daugh-ter Ann Lombard and husband Rob of Bridgton, Maine, and 12 grandchil-dren: Will, Jonathan, Elizabeth and Edwin Kotchian; Laura and Ross Nel-lums; Ben, Alex and Sam Prentiss; and Rob, Heidi and Molly Lombard.

His memorial service will be held at Elim Park Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015, at 11 a.m. in Nelson Hall. Donations may be made to The Sleeping Giant Park Association, P.O. Box 185340, Hamden, CT. For more information, go to www.beecherandbennett.com.

Vincent sullivan Loving husband, father

and grandpa

Vincent Ferrer Sul-livan, 91, of Middle-bury, died Friday, Nov. 28, 2014, at home, surrounded by his loving family. A loving husband, father and grandpa,

he was predeceased by his beloved wife of 50 years, Francine (Dozois) Sullivan; his son, Gary, and all of his 14 brothers and sisters. He was at the time of his death the eldest male mem-ber of his family both here and in Ire-land.

He was born May 15, 1923, in New York City to Denis and Anne (Barry) Sullivan. He was a proud veteran of World War II and served as an armorer in Italy, Sicily and North Africa in the Army Air Corps. Following his service, he graduated from St. John’s Univer-sity in Brooklyn, N.Y., with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and worked most of his life for Pan Amer-ican Airlines, first as a flight attendant, then purser, then in management overseeing cabin operations. He was very proud to have developed the pro-cedures for use on the first 747; he was on its first flight.

He lived and raised his family in East Northport, Long Island, N.Y., then lived in Pembroke Pines, Fla. and Lake Como, Pa. He moved to live with his daughter and son-in-law in Middle-bury in 2002. Through his work for Pan Am and an interest in all cultures and places, he traveled to many parts of the world and enjoyed adventures on virtually all continents. He enjoyed birdwatching, fishing, deer hunting, and making and fixing things mechan-ical and in wood. He loved to celebrate all occasions and personified living and enjoying a good life.

He was a founding member of the A.R.I.S.T.I.C.S. on Long Island, which got together to enjoy gourmet meals and fellowship. He was a long-time member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in Lake Como – achiev-ing the rank of Noble Grand - and a member of the American Legion, Six Star, Post 209 in Lakewood, Pa.

He is survived and will be missed by many: his daughter, Janine, and her husband, Kent, of Middlebury; his son Donald and his wife, Patti, of Felton, Calif.; his son William and fiancé, Debbi, of Spring Hill, Fla.; six grand-children and five great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and cous-ins in the large Sullivan clan.

His funeral service was Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Middlebury Congrega-tional Church in Middlebury. Burial was to be private. To place an online condolence, visit www.munsonlove terefuneralhome.com.

You may have heard of the IRS’s “hobby loss” rules. These rules relate to the situation in which you are reporting business activities on Schedule C on your tax return, but you are repeatedly showing losses rather than prof-its for that business. The IRS’ def-inition of a “business” is an activ-ity that is intended to make a profit. Now the IRS cannot read your mind to determine what your real intentions are, so ac-cording to IRS regulations, if you do not show a profit in your busi-ness for at least three out of five years, the IRS can rule that you do not have a business but rather have a hobby. The corresponding time period for horse breeding, training, showing or racing is at least two out of seven years.

What is the effect of your ac-tivity being ruled a hobby instead of a business? Well, if you have a bona fide business activity, then you generally are allowed to write off all your business expenses even if you end up with a net loss. Also, if you are not able to fully utilize that net loss on your cur-rent year’s tax return, then you may be able to carry it over to future years.

On the other hand, if you have a hobby rather than a business, then you are only allowed to write off your expenses up to the amount of your income and only

if you itemize your deductions on Schedule A and then only if these expenses exceed a certain thresh-old.

When one of our clients has a business that is showing recur-ring losses, we discuss the IRS rules and the risk that the IRS might rule the business is really a hobby. Now if your intention is not really to make a profit, then you should treat it as a hobby on your tax return. But if your inten-tion is indeed to make a profit, then we advise our clients not to be overly concerned about it. Go ahead and take a deduction for the expenses even if it results in a net loss. Even if the IRS later determines that it should be a

hobby, you will have to pay some additional taxes, but those are the same taxes you would have had to pay if you originally had treated it as a hobby. You also may owe a small amount of interest but probably no penalties unless the IRS feels you have been abusive.

If you have a start-up business that is not yet showing a profit but that you expect to turn around in the near future, it may be to your benefit to file Form 5213 with the IRS which will delay the time pe-riod within which the IRS, will determine if your activity is a business or a hobby.

The above discussion is very general in nature. Make sure you consult with your tax adviser re-garding your specific situation.

Mark A. Burns, M.B.A., is a C.P.A. with Diversified Financial Solutions PC in Southbury. He can be reached at 203-264-3131 or [email protected].

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Is it a hobby or is it a business?

What will the new year bring us financially? Here are some educated guesses and predic-tions:

CardHub (www.cardhub.com) assembled the opinions of financial experts ... who don’t agree on all points. Credit-card interest rates likely won’t go up, credit will be more available be-cause of low rates, and consum-ers are likely to spend more in the next years (to the tune of $60 billion in credit-card debt) be-cause we haven’t learned any-thing from the past few years.

Overdraft protection might be harder to get, and your credit worthiness will be checked be-fore banks offer that service on your accounts.

The reader machines for “chipped” credit cards will show up in more places, especially since new rules (starting next October) will force merchants to pay for any fraud if they haven’t installed new machines. If you have an opportunity to swap an existing card for one with a chip, take it.

Data breaches will continue.U.S. News (money.usnews.

com) consulted experts who see more access to credit in 2015, especially for those who haven’t qualified in recent years, for two main reasons: Banks are a bit more relaxed with approvals now, and bad credit is scrolling off the credit reports of consum-ers who got in financial trouble before.

We’ll see more offers of bal-ance transfers at zero-percent interest for a year or year and a half. Again, credit-card compa-nies are more relaxed about ex-tending credit now.

More credit-card companies will provide FICO scores on your monthly statements.

Without consensus from ex-perts on how 2015 will go finan-

cially, your best bet is, as always, to keep your head down. Don’t charge what you can’t pay for within three months. Look at statements when they first come in for any signs of fraud or com-promise. Save, save, save. Try to get one more year out of your vehicle before buying another one. Keep good security on your home computers, and stay on top of news about viruses and how they might present them-selves in email or on websites. If you can qualify for a zero-percent interest balance transfer credit card, use it to pay off any other credit card that charges interest. (Don’t close that other account – just don’t use it.)

But mostly, don’t give in to the feeling that it’s safe to start spending extravagantly. It’s not.

David Uffington regrets he cannot personally answer reader questions, but he will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Send email to column [email protected].


2015 credit predictions


The Middlebury Land Preser-vation and Open Space Acquisi-tion Committee (LPOS) at its Dec. 3 meeting discussed up-coming Fenn Farm maintenance and repairs. Also, members were asked to review bylaw updates, and an election of officers was set for the January meeting.

Member Ray Pietrorazio said no progress had been made on cow-barn roof repairs because a specification for bids was needed to get quotes from roofing con-tractors. Members had agreed at their Nov. 5 meeting that the work was not sufficiently urgent to bypass the town’s bidding pro-cess even though two roofers had cautioned about a collapse. He suggested town engineer John Calabrese assist in developing the specification. Chairman John Cookson told him to include building inspector Ollie Leduc and Public Works Director Dan Norton. Pietrorazio said it would be best to move the process along quickly so the work could start before the more expensive spring busy season.

Pietrorazio said masonry re-pairs on collapsing horse barn walls are still waiting for a third written proposal. Two quotes were received in November, and he is waiting on one from Miri’s Masonry of Naugatuck. He said an area on the west wall needed to be supported by jacks so loose stones and dirt could be removed and the stones cemented back in place. Cookson tabled the evaluation of quotes until the January meeting.

On the topic of asbestos re-moval from furnace pipes in the farm-house basement, Cookson

said a purchase order had been issued to Abatement Plus LLC of Windsor by Norton after two bids for the remediation had been reviewed by him. The total cost is $4,275 for removing and dis-posing of the asbestos and then reinsulating the pipes with Fi-berglas. The work was expected to be complete before Christmas. After questions on the lack of a thickness specification for the new insulation, Cookson said it was in the hands of Norton.

The next issue was electrical service repairs. Cookson said a contract for replacing old wiring from the CL&P weatherhead point into the farmhouse and upgrading the electrical service to 200 amps from 60 was awarded to Mark Electric of Middlebury by Norton earlier in the day. The work also will include a manual transfer switch to an existing backup generator.

In procedural matters, Cook-

son distributed LPOS bylaws originally adopted in 2007. He asked commissioners to bring suggestions and corrections for any possible updates to the Jan-uary meeting. He said the bylaws called for an election of officers, including chairman and secre-tary, which also would be done in January. Members noted the need to replace resigned com-missioner Ken Long and possibly also Kris Jacobi, who has not been attending meetings. Cook-son said a written resignation was required, and he would con-tact Jacobi to see if she was still interested in being a member. In other procedural matters, a form for acknowledgment of the re-cently adopted town code of ethics was distributed to each commissioner.

The next regular LPOS meet-ing will be Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015, at 6 p.m. in Room 26 at Shepardson Community Center.

Lpos addresses Fenn Farm maintenance

The Fenn Farm horse barn west foundation wall is deteriorating and needs to be rebuilt to support the barn. (Terrence S. McAuliffe photo)


DEAR DR. ROACH: I was put on Coumadin several years ago for atrial fibrillation. It was a perpet-ual pain in the butt, all those tests and never knowing from day to day how much the blood had been changed from meal to meal. Both extremes were dan-gerous. I had two friends on Cou-madin who were in remote areas when they fell, both hitting their head. Both died from brain hem-orrhage before they could be treated at a hospital. My doctor suggested Pradaxa, a more ex-pensive product, but no testing required. From what I read, there

is no more danger of internal bleeding from one than from the other, and apparently Coumadin can be reversed medically in an emergency room while Pradaxa cannot (true or false?).

It would be helpful for you to explain the chemical/medical differences between the two drugs and how they work and why they work differently and give an opinion as to which is the safer to use and why. – C.L.ANSWER: Atrial fibrillation, the chaotic beating of the upper part of the heart, puts people at higher risk for blood clots and is

one of the most common reasons to prescribe warfarin (Cou-madin). Warfarin really did start off as rat poison, but, like many

drugs, it’s useful as a medicine in small doses even if it is poten-tially deadly in high doses. It has been in use for 60 years.

Unfortunately, it is ineffective if you don’t give enough and can cause serious bleeding if too much is given, as happened to your friends. The INR blood test (international normalized ratio) is used to determine the correct dose, and the usual desired range is 2-3, although people with me-chanical heart valves need a slightly higher dose, 2.5-3.5. Blood testing needs to be done at least every few weeks and much more often when just start-ing and in people whose levels go up and down.

Since warfarin works by block-ing vitamin K, people on warfa-rin need to have a consistent vitamin K intake, which is mostly found in green, leafy vegetables. Vitamin K will reverse the effects of warfarin in half a day or so, but blood products can be used to immediately reverse the effect.

Dabigatran (Pradaxa) is a new medication that works by directly blocking thrombin, a key protein in making clots. Dabigatran should not be given to people with poor kidney function or dis-ease of heart valves. There is no way to reverse its effects.

Studies comparing warfarin and dabigatran have shown sim-ilar rates of effectiveness and a slightly lower risk of brain hem-orrhage with dabigatran. Some studies show a slightly higher risk of heart attack in people taking dabigatran.

In my opinion, both are rea-sonable choices. Pradaxa may be more convenient since it doesn’t require testing and appears to be about as effective, and with a lower risk of brain hemorrhage. However, there is no antidote, and it needs to be taken twice daily.READERS: Atrial fibrillation af-fects some 2 million Americans. To learn more, order the booklet “Heartbeat Irregularities” by writing to Dr. Roach – No. 107W, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Can. with the recipient’s printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.

Dr. Roach regrets he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Read-ers may email questions to [email protected]. To view and order health pamphlets, visit www.rbmamall.com, or write to P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.

(c) 2014 North America Synd., Inc.All Rights Reserved

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Pomperaug High School Varsity Games Jan. 1 to 31, 2015

Boys’ BasketballSaturday, Jan. 3 ................... Nonnewaug (A) ............................... 5:30 p.m.Tuesday, Jan. 6 .................... Bethel (A) ............................................. 7 p.m.Friday, Jan. 9 .......................Masuk (H) ............................................ 7 p.m.Tuesday, Jan. 13 .................. Immaculate (H) .................................... 7 p.m.Friday, Jan. 16 ..................... Bunnell (A) ........................................... 7 p.m.Tuesday, Jan. 20 .................. New Milford (H) .................................... 7 p.m.Friday, Jan. 23 ..................... New Fairfield (A) ................................... 7 p.m.Tuesday, Jan. 27 .................. Brookfield (A) ....................................... 7 p.m.Friday, Jan 30 ...................... Joel Barlow (A) ..................................... 7 p.m.

Girls’ BasketballFriday, Jan. 2 .......................Wilton (Scrimmage) (A) ...................... 11 a.m.Tuesday, Jan. 6 .................... Bethel (H) ............................................ 7 p.m.Friday, Jan. 9 ....................... Stratford (A) ......................................... 7 p.m.Tuesday, Jan. 13 .................. Immaculate (A) .................................... 7 p.m.Friday, Jan. 16 ..................... Bunnell (H) ........................................... 7 p.m.Tuesday, Jan. 20 .................. New Milford (A) .................................... 7 p.m.Friday, Jan. 23 ..................... New Fairfield (H) ................................... 7 p.m.Tuesday, Jan. 27 .................. Brookfield (H) ....................................... 7 p.m.Friday, Jan. 30 ..................... Joel Barlow (H) ..................................... 7 p.m.

Ice HockeySaturday, Jan. 3 ................... Cheshire (H) .................................... 7:30 p.m.Wednesday, Jan. 7 ............... Farmington/Avon/Windsor (A) .............. 8 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 10 ................Milford Coop (H) .............................. 7:30 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 17 ................Masuk (H) ....................................... 7:30 p.m.Wednesday, Jan. 21 ............. North Haven (H) ................................... 7 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 24 ................ Shep./Litch./Nonn. (H) ................... 7:30 p.m.Wednesday, Jan. 28 ............. New Milford (A) .................................... 8 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 31 ................ Brookfield/Bethel/Danbury (H) ....... 7:30 p.m.

Boys Indoor TrackSaturday, Jan. 3 ................... SWC Developmental Meet (A) ............... 9 a.m.Monday, Jan. 19 .................. SWC Developmental Meet (A) ............... 9 a.m.

Girls Indoor TrackSaturday, Jan. 3 ................... SWC Developmental Meet (A) ............... 9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 19 .................. SWC Developmental Meet (A) ............... 9 a.m.

Boys’ Swimming and DivingTuesday, Jan. 6 .................... Bethel (H) ............................................ 4 p.m.Tuesday, Jan 13 ................... Bunnell/Stratford (A) ............................ 6 p.m.Friday, Jan. 16 ..................... Brookfield (H) ....................................... 6 p.m.Tuesday, Jan. 20 ..................Masuk (H) ............................................ 4 p.m.Friday, Jan. 23 ..................... Naugatuck, Conard (A) ......................... 6 p.m.Tuesday, Jan. 27 ..................Weston (A) ........................................... 4 p.m.

WrestlingSaturday, Jan. 3 ................... Trumbull Duals (A) ................................ 9 a.m.Wednesday, Jan. 7 ............... New Milford (H) .................................... 6 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 10 ................ Xavier Duals (A) .................................... 9 a.m.Wednesday, Jan. 14 ............. Bunnell (A) ........................................... 7 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 17 ................ Lyman Mem./Windham Tech (A) ......... 10 a.m.Wednesday, Jan. 21 ............. Stratford (H) ......................................... 6 p.m.Saturday, Jan 24 ................. Rodney Smith Invitational (A) ............... 9 a.m.Saturday, Jan. 31 ................ Portland Duals (A) ................................ 8 a.m.

(H) Home (A) Away

1. Stan Musial (475 home runs), Albert Pujols (445), Ken Boyer (255), Jim Edmonds (241), Ray Lankford (228) and Mark Mc-Gwire (220).

2. The Marlins are 1,643-1,853 (.470 winning percentage), while the Rockies are 1,641-1,861 (.469).

3. Melvin Pearsall (1994-97) and Lonnie Johnson (1990-93), with 10 each.

4. Kermit Washington, Buck Wil-liams, Chris Dudley and Robin Lopez.

5. Adam Graves, Jaromir Jagr and Vic Hadfield.

6. Germany’s Miroslav Klose, with 17 (2002-14).

7. Gene Tunney, Max Schmel-ing, Jack Sharkey, Primo Car-nera, Max Baer and James J. Braddock.


1. Six players have hit 200 or more home runs for the St. Louis Cardinals. Name four of them.

2. Entering 2015, who had the better record of franchises that started play in 1993: the Colorado Rockies or the Mi-ami Marlins?

3. In 2013, Nick O’Leary set a Florida State record for career TD receptions by a tight end. Who had shared the mark?

4. Four Portland Trail Blazers have grabbed 300-plus offen-sive rebounds in a season. Name two of them.

5. Only three players have tallied 50 or more goals in a season for the New York Rangers. Name two of them.

6. Which men’s soccer player holds the record for most World Cup matches won?

7. Name four of the six heavy-weight boxing champions between Jack Dempsey (1919-26) and Joe Louis (1937-49).

Answers:

coumadin versus pradaxa

There is probably nothing more personally demoralizing as ago-nizing over past mistakes and failures. Let’s face it; we all have at some point experienced set-backs of our own doing. It’s true that looking back can give us a clearer view of what we might have, could have or should have done, thought or believed. The problem is that it’s history, and it usually serves no positive purpose for us to continually reflect back on it.

Self-forgiveness is one of the hardest things we can do, but it also is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves. The purpose of self-forgiveness is not to excuse, overlook or condone previous er-rors in judgment. It is not about avoiding accountability or per-sonal responsibility, but rather

about releasing ourselves from the pain associated with our past mis-takes so they will not get in the way of our future potential for success and happiness.

Most of us probably have com-mitted major blunders during our lives – perhaps even during this past year – that we sincerely regret. But since we usually cannot re-verse the consequences of our actions, it makes no sense to beat ourselves up over them. While our lives may have been unfavorably changed by our actions, repeat-edly revisiting a regrettable situa-tion and fretting over its outcome will only make us feel bad about ourselves and perhaps even di-minish our current drive and am-bition.

The same is true with relatively minor situational miscues. We all

have probably said things we wish we hadn’t, but since we can’t take the words back, it’s unproductive to focus on the damage that may have been done or what may have been if the words had not been uttered. It only drags out the un-pleasantness and decreases our confidence in dealing with similar situations down the road.

Unfortunately, some of us carry around such negative emotions for weeks or even years and, in doing so, punish ourselves unnec-essarily. While our past failures and mistakes may not be revers-ible, the reasons and behaviors

that caused them usually are. Re-viewing the reasons for our past actions can provide valuable in-sights as to why we may have acted as we did, but dwelling incessantly on them usually does no good and can be potentially harmful.

If we can’t forgive ourselves, we will tend to hang on to our nega-tive feelings about ourselves and others, and these feelings may continue to play an unproductive role in our future decisions, ac-tions and relationships with po-tentially similar results as before.

Instead, what we need to do is learn from our mistakes, put them behind us and move on with the realization that we are each no longer the same person we were when we committed them. Fur-thermore, forgiving ourselves causes us to grow mentally and

emotionally, resulting in a positive shift in attitude and an enhanced sense of clarity and self-esteem about ourselves that will allow us to proceed with the confidence that we will not repeat them.

What is preventing you from forgiving yourself? As you start 2015, consciously release yourself from any past regrets that may limit your success and happiness and open yourself up to the pos-sibilities and opportunities that lie ahead of you.

Pat Iannuzzi of Symbiont Per-formance Group, Inc. is a perfor-mance consultant, trainer and coach focusing on selling, presen-tation and interpersonal skills. He lives in Litchfield and can be reached at 860-283-9963 or [email protected].

self-forgiveness is a giftWinning Ways

by PAT IAnnUZZIInsights for

Constructive Living

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It Happened in Middlebury

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Monthly SUDOKU

(Kathleen Brown-Carrano cartoon)

by DR. RobeRT L. RAFFoRD

Helen Hickcox Benson’s his-torical scrapbooks at the Middle-bury Historical Society provide us with a bucolic and sentimental view of Middlebury as it was in the first half of the twentieth cen-tury. One volume of pictures and articles from the 1940s contains this poem by an unknown author, although I suspect Helen herself may have penned the lines:

Middlebury, Connecticut Our town is the typical town,

of a countryside,Our homes, buildings, good

roads, are our pride,We have woods, hills, lakes,

brooks, and farms; We have Lake Quassapaug, a

place full of charms.No town can boast a prettier,

or statelier green,With as beautiful elm trees, as

are anywhere seen;Surrounded by colonial

homes, Church and Town Hall,And Westover School, which

gives distinction to all.The cemetery is situated on a

large pleasant hill,That even our winter clime

cannot wholly chill,For it is filled with warm mem-

ories of a by-gone day,And its mood of quiet and

peace, nothing can sway.In wartime, our town’s share

of soldiers went awayAnd we were proud of them,

and proud to this day;Homes had their service flags

on window, on door,Those memories are lasting,

will last forevermore.

But wherever the place you happen to be living,

Give it a boost, and be happy in the giving,

Your town, your city, is made up of all of you,

Its service is yours, not just for the chosen few.

When this poem was probably written, stately elm trees still pop-ulated the Green, soon to fall vic-tim to a fatal disease.

Following the poem lauding the allure of our town are pictures and newspaper articles, most from the Waterbury Republi-can-American, of our men and women who served our country in World War II, among whom are:

Master Sgt. George H. Brandes, cited for heroism and bravery with the 19th bomb group, par-ticipating in action at the Philip-pines, Java, Australia, the Coral Sea, Milne Bay and New Guinea.

Helen E. Orencole, who was sworn in as a member of the Ma-rine Corps Women’s Reserve.

First Lieut. John T. Foster. After being declared missing in action, he was rescued in China. His plane, “Belle Starr,” got “at least seven Zeros before suddenly bursting into flames,” and he parachuted to safety. He was found and his wounds earned him the Purple Heart.

Corp. Anthony Bigolin was wounded in the Africa invasion and later saw action in the Sicilian campaign. He returned home on furlough. “Waterbury feels strange after Italy,” he said. “… I was walking along the street and looking at the buildings and peo-

ple and they seemed strange be-cause all the buildings were up and the people were upright. In Italy everything you see is flat and the people seem crushed.”

Pvt. Raymond Veillette and Sgt. Raymond Willefsky, both resi-dents of Steinmann Avenue, met on a Pacific Island as a result of correspondence.

Brief notices tell the sad news that Pvt. George F. Worgon, age 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Worgon, Breakneck Hill, Middle-bury, died Nov. 14 in Algeria, and Harold Woodcock of Middlebury died in an airplane crash in the Pacific.

Browsing through these pic-tures and newspaper articles about our town heroes, I believe Helen was sharing a message, that the enjoyment of our town with all its charm and beauty is a gift we have all received because of the personal service and sacrifice of these men and women and so many more.

These and many more stories deserve to be seen by all in Mid-dlebury and beyond, and your historical society is busy scanning these scrapbooks to make them available on the Internet. If you would like to volunteer to help in the scanning or other work, please contact me.

Bob Rafford is the Middlebury Historical Society president and Middlebury’s municipal historian. To join or contact the society, visit MiddleburyHistoricalSociety.org or call Bob at 203-206-4717. Your membership would be a valuable addition.

This postcard showing an image of Middlebury’s town green circa 1900 is in the Middlebury Histor-ical Society’s collections. (Middlebury Historical Society photo)

middlebury’s historical scrapbooks

One of the windows in our bedroom is leak-ing air underneath the bottom sash. On cold

days I can feel air flowing be-tween the sash and the window-sill, and condensation often forms along the bottom of the windowpane. In the summer, this is the window that we put our air-conditioning unit in. I checked underneath the sash to see if there is any damage, but did not see any. How can I stop the leak? – Drafty in Durham, N.H.

The window frame may not be damaged, but some slight warping

may have occurred over time as the window braced the air-con-ditioning unit. If there is no vis-ible damage, you should be able to quickly block the leak using weather stripping.

As far as the condensation: If the condensation is on the out-side or inside of the window – and not forming between double panes – it probably is a normal occurrence during winter. (If it forms between double panes, it may be time to replace that pane or bottom sash.) However, its location can help you pinpoint

where a gap exists between the sash and the sill.

In this case, the condensation is forming along the bottom of the window. On really cold days it may even drip down and puddle along the sill. It signals that warm and cold air are meeting much more frequently along that sash than other parts of the window.

As I mentioned, weather strip-ping should resolve this problem quickly. Your main concern is what type of weather stripping to use. This Old House has a nice, quick guide to the different types of weather stripping here: www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/pho tos/0,,20441335,00.html.

Because you need a fix in a hurry, consider either felt strip-ping or foam tape. You probably will need to replace the felt strip-ping each year, but it’s fairly inex-pensive and easy to install with finishing nails or a staple gun. Foam tape comes in several

widths and can be installed rap-idly by peeling off the backing and sticking into place along the bot-tom of the sash.

A pricier, but longer-lasting option is a vinyl-tube type of weather stripping. It’s durable, can be purchased in different widths and typically has the op-tion of either a peel-and-stick backing or screw-in fasteners.

Before installing weather strip-ping, clean the contact surfaces of the window thoroughly with soap and water and make sure they are completely dry. Measure the width of the bottom sash and cut the stripping with an extra inch on each side. When you in-stall the stripping, use a utility knife to trim away excess at each edge.

Send your questions or home tips to [email protected].


by sAmAnTHA mAZZoTTA

Winterizing: shutter repairQ:

A:

If the windows in your home or a room fog up regularly in winter,

try increasing air circulation to reduce humidity: open curtains and crack windows for a few minutes daily, or run a dehumidifier.


The Middlebury Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) at its Dec. 3 meeting unanimously voted to approve a sideline variance for an addition to a Central Road home. The variance was needed because the addition fell within the 40 feet zoning regulations require be-tween a structure and its side property line.

Attorney Michael McVerry, rep-resenting Doris and Gary Meier of 41 Central Road, told commission-ers the property consists of over an acre of land with the house in the middle of a narrow lot that has 100 feet of frontage on Central Road and only 80 feet across the rear. He said the house was built by Doris Meier’s grandfather and is now owned by her and her son.

She wishes to remain in the property, but climbing the stairs in the house has become an issue, and she would like to have a bed-room added to the first floor. Mc-Verry submitted a sketch of the property that showed an expanded kitchen area with a bedroom and bathroom addition behind it. He told Chairman David Alley the addition was close to the sideline rather than farther back so it wouldn’t encroach on other living areas. Doris Meier noted a well also limited placement of the ex-pansion. She told member Ken Long a stairway in the drawing allowed access to an attic storage closet in the single-story expan-sion.

McVerry said the hardship is the location of the house coupled with a right of way on the west side

of the property, the narrow width of the lot and wetlands in the rear. He said the proposed location is the best location on the property to build. A letter from adjacent property owners David and Mela-nie Metzer supported the expan-sion.

In procedural matters, Alley said the variance application pro-cess has been streamlined so homeowners need to appear be-fore the board only at the time of their public hearing. They for-merly were required to appear to have the application accepted and then wait a month for the public hearing.

The next ZBA meeting will be Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015, at 7:30 p.m. at Shepardson Community Center.

ZBA approves central Road variance


This is your

Waterbury Hospital

waterburyhospital.orgWe promise to keep you first

Keeping Our Promise to Our Patients and Our Community

Caring for Our CommunityKeeping Patients First

Advocacy for our FutureAward-Winning Care Training and Education

DEAR PAW’S CORNER: I’m planning to adopt a cat soon. This is my first pet, and I’m looking forward to caring for it. The local shelter gave me a few instructions to follow, pre-adoption, including making an appointment for a veterinary checkup. Is there anything I should know about my cat’s first vet visit? – Kara L., Buffalo, N.Y.DEAR KARA: Congratulations on deciding to accept a cat into your life! It will be a rewarding experience. I’m also glad you’re doing your homework ahead of time to give your cat the best start on a new life.

Here are a few tips that will help with your first veterinary visit:• Research local clinics ahead of

time. Is there one that special-izes in cats?

• Purchase a cat carrier that best fits your cat (in terms of size, not decor). This will make transporting the cat from the shelter and to and from the vet much easier and safer.

• Keep all paperwork from the shelter in a folder and bring it with you.

• You should be able to be pres-ent during the exam. It’s a great

time to ask questions about caring for your cat. Bring a pen-cil and pad to take notes.

• Listen to the vet as he or she gives you information about your cat’s general health. Vets or their assistants often talk to you throughout the process, telling you what they’re check-ing for and the result.

• Follow the vet’s instructions. If a follow-up visit or more tests are needed, make sure you do it. Write down special instruc-tions like how much and what type of food to feed your cat, or instructions on giving med-ication. And don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if you don’t understand something.Send your questions or com-

ments to [email protected]. (c) 2014 King Features Synd., Inc.

pet’s first visit to the veterinarian

These male, neutered, tabby- mix kittens are 9 months old. They are gray and white domestic short-haired cats with pretty eyes. They are lovable, affectionate, playful, healthy, sociable and well-be-haved kittens who will stay to-gether. When you meet them, you will fall in love. They are fine with other cats.

They need a reliable foster home until they are adopted. Pet Protectors provides everything needed for their care. Learn more about the Foster Care Program at www.petprotectorsrescue.org. Applications on website, or call 203-330-0255 or email [email protected] for more information or for an application.

Larry and Lenny need

a home

Adopt A Rescue pet

Your pet could be featured as “Pet of the Month” in this picture frame. Send us your pet’s photo by email to [email protected] or by regular mail to P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762 along with your pet’s name, your last name and your town.

Send in your pet photosPET OF THE MONTH

YoUR pEt’s pHoto coULD BE HERE

Monday, Jan. 19, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. area kids in grades kindergarten through five who are off from school for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday are invited to go to Flanders Nature Center in Woodbury to experience “Wonder-ful Wildlife.” They will spend the day discov-ering the many ways animals adapt to winter. They will take a hike to find tracks and see which animals are active in the snow, and they will learn about feeding birds in the winter. This will be a fun-filled day packed with ex-ploring the great outdoors and age-appropri-ate stories, games and crafts. Parents are asked to have their children dress for the weather and bring a bag lunch. Preregistration is re-quired.

The cost per child per workshop is $35 for Flanders members and $45 for nonmembers. Before- and aftercare are also available at $7 an hour. Those interested in having their chil-dren attend the program are asked to preregis-ter online or by calling 203-263-3711, ext 10.

Information on all adult and children’s pro-gramming, special events and memberships can be found at www.flandersnaturecenter.org. or on their Facebook page at facebook/FlandersNatureCenter. The Flanders Welcome Center is at the corner of Church Hill and Flanders Roads in Woodbury.

Flanders day off from school adventure

Children enjoy a winter hike at Flanders Nature Center in Woodbury. (Submitted photo)

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middlebury bee january 2015

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