wethersfield Furthering a vision

Transcription

LIFE
MEET THE CANDIDATES, 4 | SALUTING VETERANS, 29 | SLICE OF LIFE, 44
wethersfield
November 2015 • TurleyCT.com
A product of TurleyCT Community Publications
Volume 3, Edition 2
Furthering
a vision
Growth continues at Academy for the Arts
See story on page 20
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Wethersfield
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47 Cloverdale Circle, Wethersfield
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Wethersfield
$209,900
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Wethersfield
$116,500
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$174,900
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Newington
$264,900
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2 WETHERSFIELD LIFE | November 2015
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3
LIFE
QUOTE OF NOTE:
wethersfield
“The next thing I knew, the whole world
was tipping. As a result of that, I was in a
coma for three days.” - Erica McGregor
See story page 25
November 2015
Read online: TurleyCT.com
540 Hopmeadow Street
Simsbury, CT 06070
t 860-651-4700
TurleyCT.com
ON THE COVER
Betty Standish, the director of the
Wethersfield Academy for the Arts,
located at 431 Hartford Ave.
Photo by Lisa Brisson
See story page 30
4
Town Council
18
Board of Education
29
Saluting veterans
34
Thistle Needleworks
39
Mature LIFE
44
Slice of LIFE
46
Revising the charter
50
Life in the Classroom
55
News roundup
56Calendar
57
Events spotlight
66Letters
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November 2015 | WETHERSFIELD LIFE 3
4
Campaign 2015
W
Meet the candidates for Town Council
hen voters go the
polls Nov. 3, they will
find 16 candidates
representing the
Democrat, Republican and
Independence parties on the ballot
seeking election to the Town
Council.
Wethersfield LIFE asked each of
them to submit a photo and respond
to four questions to help residents
cast an informed vote. They were
allowed a maximum of 500 words
and editing was limited to style,
grammar, punctuation and spelling.
The questions are:
1) Property taxes are a major
issue in town. How would you
provide necessary town services
with minimum effect on the local
tax rate?
2) What should town officials do
to attract new businesses to town?
3) Other than the subjects
above, what do you see as the most
important issue facing the town, and
what would you do about it?
4) Is there any other information
you would like to share with voters
about your personal or professional
qualifications, background, community involvement?
Here are their responses.
Steve Barry
Democrat
1) Providing necessary town
services and supporting the school
system while simultaneously minimizing the tax burden is the greatest
challenge facing every council. There
are a number of ways we can, and
have, worked to minimize
Wethersfield’s tax burden.
We must aggressively search for
and support opportunities to expand
our commercial tax base. Positive
economic development will not happen by simply sitting on the sidelines. Council, through its leadership,
and town staff must ensure that
local businesses, property owners
and potential developers understand
the various local and state services
that are available to assist in maximizing property values and in devel-
Steve Barry
oping vacant property.
Consistent communication with
the business community to identify
needs and allocate appropriate
resources will enable local business
to prosper and thrive in
Wethersfield. Tax relief through economic development requires vision
and leadership that has resulted in
recent economic development successes in Wethersfield.
Tax burden can also be minimized by responsible fiscal policy.
The council’s allocation of surplus
funds to the rainy day fund – which
is at its highest level in years – will
lead to savings on the final bond
issuance for the high school renovation. This is an example of the
rewards of conservative fiscal policy.
We also need to continue the
work that council has initiated
under the Democratic majority to
consolidate the information technology services for the town and the
Board of Education. Exploring additional opportunities for shared services will contribute to further tax
reductions.
2) Town officials can attract
new businesses to town by engaging
and communicating with the present business community to identify
needs and available services. The
current business community must
view government positively in order
to successfully attract new business.
Potential new businesses must
perceive town government as a facilitator, rather than as an obstacle, to
growth. New business development
requires vision, strong leadership
and demonstrated commitment to
the business community and participation in regional business organizations.
3) The high school renovation is
a critically important issue facing
Wethersfield. As the Town Council
liaison to the building committee,
I have strongly supported all
efforts to ensure that the project is
completed in a timely fashion and
within budget.
This renovation of an occupied
building has been a complex project
requiring strong leadership and
vision to ensure its completion.
4) I am presently an
assistant attorney general. I
graduated from Wethersfield High
School, the College of the Holy
Cross and Fordham Law School.
My father, Peter Barry, was
mayor of Wethersfield when I was a
young boy, and he has instilled
in me the desire to give back to
my community.
I have coached youth soccer,
Little League baseball and taught
religious education at Corpus
Christi. Two years ago, I decided to
run for Town Council and have had
the honor to serve the last two years
as deputy mayor.
I have done my best to bring
energy, vision and professionalism to
the council. I hope to be granted the
privilege to serve Wethersfield for
another term.
Charles Carey
Republican
1) My experience on the Board
of Education for four years, the last
two as chair of the Finance
Committee, allowed me to have an
in-depth look at the $54 million budget. The board’s budget constitutes
the majority of the town’s budget.
My experience as chair of the
Finance Committee has given me
great insight on areas of the budget
Charles Carey
that could be cut to minimize the
tax increase on residents but still
support the continuing improvement
of our education system.
I have never been afraid to come
to the table with my ideas and
thoughts on areas of the budget that
should be reviewed and I plan to
continue as a council member. It is
crucial for taxpayers, especially as
we see the effects of the bonds from
the high school renovation, that we
take an in-depth look at our town’s
budget and find areas of savings that
will not impact town services.
2) If you drive around town you
see more “for sale” signs than ever.
More houses are selling this year
than last year, but the median sale
prices of those houses are down this
year compared to last year. We must
find a way to minimize raising taxes
without jeopardizing the services we
provide.
In the past two years, we have
had an 8 percent tax increase. This is
driving people out of our town, both
residential and businesses. We must
make Wethersfield the town people
want to live in.
Once we do this, businesses will
see that our town is the town it used
to be, where everyone wanted to live,
making it so businesses want to
open and stay here. We cannot
afford to give tax abatement for new
businesses without public input and
5
Meet the Candidates
without helping current businesses.
We need to do for current businesses what we do for new businesses. We are losing too many businesses. We must find a way to maintain
the businesses we have and bring in
new ones.
3) I feel that restoring accountability and transparency in government are key issues. Decisions are
being made on both the town side
and the education side and residents
are not being told about them until
after the fact.
There are meetings being held in
secret where crucial decisions for
our town are being made. I will fight
to make sure there is transparency
and accountability for all decisions
being made by elected officials and
those in charge.
4) I am a lifelong resident and
live in town with my wife Wendy
and my three children, Owen (9),
Braelynn (7), and Aliannah (3). I have
served on the Board of Education for
the past four years, the last two
years as chair of the finance and student programs and services committees.
I fought hard to bring transparency and accountability to the central office. I will continue to fight for
that when elected to the Town
Council. I believe the public should
have a full picture of what is happening in our town.
Amy Morrin Bello
Amy Morrin Bello
Democrat
1) Everyone hates to pay taxes.
The more commercial and retail
business the town can bring in, the
easier the tax burden for residents. It
is imperative that town staff and
elected officials continue to make
economic development a priority.
The Town Council should also
direct town staff to continue to look
at combining services with the
Board of Education and neighboring
towns in cost-saving efforts. We
must remember to maintain our
infrastructure, including town roads,
parks and buildings.
It is also crucial to provide a
high level of service to residents, i.e.
schools, library, senior services, and
park and recreation programming,
while being mindful of taxpayers’
dollars.
2) In the last two years, I have
seen an influx of new businesses in
town. The mayor has been a great
salesperson for our town. He, along
with the town manager and planner,
need to continue to engage in conversations with existing properties
owners of underutilized buildings to
work to bring new and exciting initiatives to town.
They are at present aggressively
marketing the town and must continue in this effort. The town should
do all it can to assist in the start-up
process of new businesses, whether
it be by assisting businesses in locating appropriate space, obtaining
funding, or working through the permit process. We must all do our part
and support local businesses in
order for them to thrive.
3) Education is a very important
issue in town. As a mother of three
children in the school system – one
in high school, middle school and
elementary school, I see first hand
what a great education the children
in this town are receiving.
My children have been blessed
with some wonderful teachers
throughout the years. I am thrilled
that the high school is being renovated. It was in desperate need and will
now be a true showpiece of our
town.
We need to continue to provide
a safe environment for learning and
appropriate resources for our educators. Education must remain a priority, as it is one way to ensure that
hard-working young families will
move to Wethersfield and stay here.
Appropriately funding the Board of
Education would be a priority for me.
4) I am a lifelong resident of
Wethersfield. My husband Rich and I
have been homeowners in town
since 1996. We have three daughters
and three dogs. My parents, sister,
in-laws, and brother-in-law and his
family all call Wethersfield home,
too.
I am a graduate of Providence
College and work at Wesleyan
University. I was an assistant town
clerk in town for 10 years. I strongly
believe in civic duty and want to
instill the idea of community
We’ve expanded Our family...
LIFE welcomes
input from our readers.
Please send us your letters
to the editor, calendar
announcements, photos, people notes and story ideas
about interesting people and
organizations in town. You
may send items to LIFE, 540 Hopmeadow
Street, Simsbury, CT 06070 or email
Mark Jahne at [email protected].
Michael Madonna
We are proud to announce that Michael Madonna has
joined our family as our PrePlan Specialist. He is a
Licensed Funeral Director and a Licensed Insurance
Agent with the State of Connecticut and as such,
is able to offer families flexibility when choosing a
funding vehicle that will provide greater protection
and benefits when planning ahead. When he isn’t
working, Michael and his wife, Mary, spend their
spare time raising their three active children.
To schedule a time to meet with Michael and learn
how he can help your family avoid unnecessary,
last minute decisions, call him at (860) 563-6117.
Licensed Funeral Director
PrePlan Specialist
Wethersfield
860-563-6117
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6
Meet the Candidates
involvement and volunteerism in my
children.
I was active for many years as a
Girl Scout leader, Faith Formation
teacher, PTO member, Pine Acres
board member and WCNS board
member. As the lone female
Democratic Town Council candidate, I hope that my willingness to
run for Town Council will empower
other woman to get involved in politics and seek elected office.
Gus Colantonio
Independence
1) I would not advocate for higher taxes and would look for cost
reductions. Would change the budget process that is currently
designed to spend all the money to a
process used in private business and
industry, a process that encourages
savings by minimizing departmental
spending.
The town manager would be
directed not to fill a position when it
becomes available, but the work be
spread over the remaining employ-
Gus Colantonio
ees in the department.
He would be directed to review
quarterly the remaining budget,
looking for items that can be eliminated. We need to spend our money
wisely and be accountable for our
actions.
2) My priority would be to hold
property taxes increases to zero or
less and let the business community
know we are serious in controlling
our budgets and final costs. Would
propose incentives to attract new
businesses. A complete tax break for
the first year, then pay 25 percent
the second year, 50 percent the third
year, 75 percent the fourth year and
full taxes thereafter.
I strongly believe that businesses
are the life of the economy. An
important attraction to businesses is
the condition of our roads, an asset
to our residents, businesses and outof-town visitors who use our roads
daily.
These roads have been neglected
or inadequately maintained for
many years. The town needs to take
steps to assure the repaving is done
correctly and to repave more miles
of road annually. The additional
money needed to increase our repaving program will come from prioritizing departmental funds based on
use.
3) The most important issue
that I see in our council is lack of
cooperation and communication
among themselves. Every time there
is a major vote the result is always
along the party line.
A few years back the town
bought construction rights to prevent construction of single-family
houses on an approved subdivision.
Recently the Town Council approved
a tax abatement of $400,000 to a
developer proposing to construct 70
apartments on Ridge Road.
I believe this proposed project
will generate a huge burden on services such as police, fire and schools.
They call it economic development.
I believe that in the past no
elected official has done his job
regarding holding the line on tax
increases. I do not mind paying
taxes for improvements, but when 82
percent of the BOE budget goes to
teachers’ salaries, or town employApril
2015 while
Langdon
Life
Pubs in
(Laser
ees’ raises,
many
people
town are struggling to meet expenses, I do.
Get rid of the unions. Who represents the taxpayer during contract
negotiations? Encourage town officials to manage the town as if it
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7
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1st Row: Moon, Barry, Montinieri, Granato, Morrin-Bello
Back Row: Spinella, Hill, Morris, Martino and Dellaripa
• Implement a new Math program
• Increase shared services cooperation
• Fully fund and support the WHS renovation
• Control class sizes and retain teachers
• Hire a full time Security Director
• Fully collaborate with the Town Council
And we DELIVERED!
We promised to preserve open space and provide recreational opportunities:
• Preserved 81 acres of open space with the purchase of the Wilkus Farm
• Prevented the Republican plan to construct six homes on the Wilkus Farm property
• Rebuilt the Webb tennis courts
And we DELIVERED!
We promised economic development:
• 60 NEW businesses
• 30% INCREASE in building permits
• 39 RETAINED businesses
• Approaching 100% commercial OCCUPANCY
And we DELIVERED!
Paid for by the Wethersfield Democratic Town Committee, Tom Izard, Treasurer
8
Meet the Candidates
ees, vote on issues with the best
interest of residents and be the taxpayers’ advocate.
Donna Hemmann
Republican
Donna Hemmann
were a private business.
4) I immigrated to the U.S. from
Italy in 1962, earned a bachelor’s
degree in engineering from UConn
in 1971 and worked for 37 years in
private consulting until retiring in
2008. Resident of Wethersfield since
1973. Married with three children.
I want to reduce taxes, require
accountability for all town employ-
1) Town services have been
examined and discussed at length,
but there are few opportunities
left for savings, based on the
expectation of citizens. Contractual
obligations make up most of the
budget increases.
We do need to direct our attention to the school budget, as that
constitutes more than half of what
we spend. The value of what is contained within a budget is not the size
of the binder, but the analysis of what
the programs are that are in place.
Are they the right ones? Data is
everywhere, but we are not using it
effectively.
2) The town needs to create an
environment that a business wants
to become part of. Business friendly
practices/tools and low taxes also
help. Do we have an up-to-date list-
ing of what properties are vacant? Do
we track those that leave and perform an exit survey? Are the tools on
our website intuitive for a prospective business owner?
Rocky Hill has a nice economic
development portal, easy to find and
good information within.
Wethersfield’s info is there for the
most part, but hard to find. We also
need to understand what types of
businesses are looking at us and why
they choose not to come. We are
largely built out, but not against new
ideas.
3) The most important issue facing the town is affordability and
accountability. Our tax rate is higher
than our neighbors and that is concerning. Our town manager has put
some very good practices into effect,
with direction given by the
Republican council from 2010-2014
(change in pension, dedicated road
tax levy, refinancing outstanding
debt to even out its impact on taxpayers).
Open dialogue with the community is also important. There are sev-
eral recent examples that fall short.
The $400,000 tax break was granted
for property on Ridge Road when the
purchase was not completed and the
neighbors were not aware of the proposed development.
The Republican opposition to the
statewide car tax bill was blocked by
the majority and the bill passed. Our
fears are coming true – tax revenue
going to the state that they will likely
need to fill future billion-dollar state
deficits and not be returned to
Wethersfield.
The town has been very thoughtful about its needs and now those
need to be reviewed on the school
side. Just throwing money at something does not always make it better.
4) My involvement with town
government has been because I care
about the town and it affects me as
well. I have served on both the Board
of Education and the Town Council,
and bring value and knowledge to
the table, as do my Republican colleagues. Please support the
Republican team on Nov. 3.
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9
Meet the Candidates
Paul Copp
Paul Copp
Independence
1) Property taxes are a major issue in
Wethersfield. The assumption that property taxes cannot be lowered, or at least
remain at the current level, is wrong. I have
spoken to candidates of both major parties
and received a commitment to at least hold
taxes at their current level.
2) The homeowner is the victim in
Wethersfield, unlike in other towns where
business taxes are the highest percentage
of income. We just don’t have enough businesses. This must change for the good of
the homeowner and of the town. We must
bring in more businesses, the right kind of
businesses.
Another vital need to lower taxes, fat
must be trimmed. Yes, each budget item
must be carefully and vigorously looked at.
Defeat at the ballot box town councilors
that are not business friendly, starting with
the current mayor.
Defeat at the ballot box the charter
review referendum that is not business
friendly (especially in signage) and it does
nothing to strengthen the Ethics
Commission. In fact, our soon-to-depart
mayor made certain that little would be
changed.
At the earliest convenience for the
town, dismiss our current planning and
economic development director who,
working with Mayor Montinieri, has been
a failure.
Then-the property was not used and
remains idle. Soon after Pfizer left the
state. The two major eyesores of the town
remain idle and eyesores after a decade.
3) Yes there are many other
problems in town that could be easily
fixed. The Town Council procedures are
antiquated, causing the council to be
criticized for a lack of openness and a
lack of accountability.
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Meet the Candidates
Today, after discussion, a vote is
taken, and then public comment is
permitted. This must be changed to
adopt a public comment of one minute each before the vote is taken. The
council will be helped, as well as the
town.
Again for openness and accountability, each time a check is written
by the town or by BOE, it will be
posted on a website in real-time for
public viewing.
4) Finally, as I am constrained
to 500 words, like you I am proud of
my children, I have coached (or
umpired) almost everything in town
youth leagues; Boy Scout leader from
Webelos to district chairman; USAF
veteran; and 40 years in business
consulting to the Top Fortune 500
companies to start-up mom and
pops.
Remember that the last election
was won by 39 votes.
Frank Dellaripa
Democrat
1) If our town is doing their due
Frank Dellaripa
diligence with maintaining acceptable levels of services, including education, then the real focus on taxes
will be paying down the debt service.
The high school construction
project will increase debt service, but
much of the other debt from past
projects should be on the downward
trend due to good fiscal responsibility
resulting in little to no net increases
in property taxes.
2) Businesses want good exposure to attract customers and clients
to the Silas Deane Highway and
Berlin Turnpike, which are two major
thoroughfares in our town. We need
to explore the option of razing blighted properties and buildings that are
considered too old to be renovated,
which will facilitate the startup or
relocation of new companies to
Wethersfield.
Additionally, tax incentives
always work to bring new businesses
to town. In the long run, the town
will benefit from this business-friendly approach.
3) Maintaining good roads and
public facilities is critical to a town’s
appeal. Taxpayers want properly
maintained infrastructure including
parks, buildings, schools and open
spaces; these are tangible items that
people can see and enjoy.
Good roads around town have
been one of the biggest issues I hear
during my campaign, so communicating to the public where their road
falls on the list of roads to be paved
Show your
gratitude.
Proudly wave
your flags high.
This Veterans Day, honor the brave men
and women who have defended our
country and fought for our freedom.
would go a long way to satisfying this
concern.
4) I have served the public my
whole life as an engineer and manager, starting with the federal government, then working for the MDC
(non-profit municipality) constructing new facilities that treat water and
sewerage while reducing energy consumption, also installing water and
sewer pipelines to replace antiquated
infrastructure.
I solve problems at work and can
do the same for Wethersfield, the
town where I was raised. My time
served on the Zoning Board of
Appeals and the high school building
committee have been positive experiences which I hope to bring to the
Town Council.
We have an aging population in
town and showing them we care is
important. My parents and other
family members who live in town are
elderly, so I have their needs to worry
about and other elderly folks I have
met during this campaign have
expressed their concerns to me as
well.
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11
Meet the Candidates
Managing youth sports like Little
League have been a joy to me and my
family, so I would always support the
youth in our town. My three children
went through the public school system in Wethersfield and had a great
experience and I know the people in
town want the same for their kids, so
I support quality schools.
I care about Wethersfield and the
people who live here who have been
so good to me throughout the years,
so it is fitting that I give back.
Michael Hurley
Republican
1) In the four years that I served
on the Republican-led Town Council,
we provided improved services with a
minimal effect on property taxes.
These included increases in funding
for paving, new full-day kindergarten,
and the high school renovation,
among others.
It was not easy, but we had tight
controls over our budgets and were
constantly looking for new ways to
reduce expenses. Substantial savings
came from pension restructuring,
Michael Hurley
single-stream recycling and bond
refinancing. Any savings achieved
were rolled into the next year in order
to keep taxes as low as possible.
Just because funds are available
does not mean you need to find
something to spend it on. Economic
development, discussed below, is
another key component for avoiding
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large tax increases.
2) Promoting the build-out of
what we call a medical corridor on
the Silas Deane by expanding medical
facilities and office space brought
new tax revenue and also new restaurants (Panera, Buffalo Wild Wings
and Chips) while the Republicans
were in charge. This should still be a
focus, along with an emphasis on the
development of the Berlin Turnpike
that the Democrats opposed.
We should not just focus on some
areas, we should be promoting businesses in all parts of town. In the last
two years of Democratic control, old
businesses have left and new businesses have replaced them, but no
new real economic development has
been accomplished.
Attracting new businesses to
town is a top priority, but what really
will make a difference is business-friendly policies at the state level
that will make it easier for towns to
attract and keep businesses, instead
of driving them out of state.
3) Another very important issue
is transparency and communication
within town government. The closeddoor meetings and last-minute vote
to give $400,000 in property tax relief
to a developer and the total disregard
for parent input into the new location
of the Transition Academy are just a
few examples of the issue.
There should be more communication with the public on the important issues in town and not just talk
about collaboration across party
lines.
Wethersfield and currently serving
my third term on the Town Council. I
work for Travelers Insurance
Company in their finance department.
I was a board member of the
George D. Ritchie Soccer Club and
also volunteered to coach my kids’
various sports teams. I am also a former auditor with the Office of the
Auditors of Public Accounts and a
former corrections officer at the
Hartford Correctional Center.
My wife Carol and I have four
children. The last six years I have
applied my personal understanding
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12
Meet the Candidates
of our town’s needs and concerns
along with my financial background
to help our town. I am looking forward to continuing this great opportunity to help our town stay a great
place to live and raise children.
Tony Martino
Democrat
1) The property tax is the most
important issue on our residents’
mind. We have many seniors on fixed
incomes (I am one) and young families just starting out. We have to keep
the mill rate as low as possible.
During the past two years, the
Town Council has worked with the
Board of Education through shared
services to combine data services and
become more efficient. There are
other areas where we can combine
functions with the board.
We have a competent and qualified staff. We need to review work
and projects that are bid out to contractors and see which ones can be
done in house to reduce project costs.
2) Town officials need to be
involved to keep current businesses
in town and attract new ones. As
council liaison to the town Economic
Development Improvement
Commission, I go to chamber of commerce Business After Hours to meet
with town businesses to make sure
Tony Martino
they are aware of the Façade Grant
Program and Shop Wethersfield
Program.
Democrats are working with the
town planner, commercial real estate
brokers and commercial property
owners to help them find businesses
to fill empty stores. During the past
two years, 60 new businesses have
moved to town.
We are working with developers
to develop properties such as the
Weight Watchers building. We
recently approved a tax incentive to a
developer to build a 70-unit apart-
ment complex with mostly one-bedroom units to meet the needs of
young professionals and empty nesters looking to downsize.
3) Other important issues to be
addressed are infrastructure repairs.
We need to provide our facility managers with the funds needed to do
preventive maintenance to stop our
buildings from falling into such disrepair that they require capital
improvement projects for the facility.
We also need to add money each
year to our pavement repair account
to keep up with our roads to keep
them from falling into such disrepair
that they require major road reconstruction. The past two winters have
raised havoc with our roads.
4) I am currently finishing my
first term on the Town Council. I sit
on four council committees, chairing
two, and I am council liaison to four
commissions. I work tirelessly for the
needs of Wethersfield residents and
work to cut expenses to keep taxes
down.
I have lived in Wethersfield for 36
years and my sons were educated
here. I belong to civic and fraternal
organizations, one of which has the
motto “service above self.”
Please remember me and the
Democratic team on Nov. 3 so I can
give back to the town that provided a
great education and living environment to my family.
Jodi Latina
Republican
1) Wethersfield’s beauty and
colonial charm are priceless but it’s
no secret the biggest downside is the
property tax. Wethersfield’s mill rate
is 38.19. If you own a home that is
worth an estimated $250,000 your
property tax is about $9,500 for the
year.
In nearby Newington, property
tax would be $600 less and in Rocky
Hill more than $2,000 less for the
same home.
Town services like snow plowing,
garbage pickup, quality education,
parks and recreation, along with stellar police and fire departments, can
cost less than we are currently paying
for. How, you ask? Prioritize spending.
There are wants and needs. In
our own household budgets we make
tough decisions. Town Council must
do the same. Controlling the tax rate
can be done if there is the will to do
so.
2) Wethersfield has major assets:
the Silas Deane Highway, the Berlin
Turnpike, Wethersfield Cove and
Interstate 91. There are too many
open storefronts on the Silas Deane
Highway and open land for develop-
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Meet the Candidates
My former life as a television personality has given me insight into
many different aspects of life in New
England.
In my current role as a senior
press secretary for several senators
at the Capitol, I’m keenly aware of
the policies that work in our state
and the ones that don’t.
Quality of life is a major issue
for us all. We work too hard to have
to struggle to live in a state and
community that we love. I would
like to make our corner of the world
more affordable and joyful to live in.
Jodi Latina
ment on the Berlin Turnpike.
Everyone should have a seat at
the recruiting table: the town’s economic and community development
office, the local chamber of commerce and the state Department of
Economic and Community
Development. We should market
our assets.
The state has plenty of programs available for small and
minority-owned businesses to kick
start hiring or expansion. Those
programs should be used. Available
land can be showcased to potential
businesses in an effort to recruit
them.
Reminding travelers that
Wethersfield shops and restaurants
are an exit away off I-91 is like rolling out the welcome wagon to tourists. Our cove may be small, but
don’t discount the pleasure boaters
who may visit, shop and dine in our
historic district. Mystic and Essex
don’t.
3) Many issues are important in
an evolving town. One area we need
to pay more attention to is lack of
quality senior housing. We currently
have some, but is it senior housing
that is truly affordable?
With a high mill rate and cost
of living in Connecticut on the rise,
we should be more attentive to
providing a good mix of housing.
Many seniors would like to retire
in Wethersfield, but living on their
fixed income has become very
difficult, if not impossible.
That’s not fair.
4) I am a mom of two beautiful
children ages 12 and 10. My husband is a Division 1 men’s basketball
coach for Sacred Heart University.
“ I’m a Baby
Paul Montinieri
Paul Montinieri
Democrat
1) The past two years, as
mayor and leading our Democratic
majority, our team promised and
delivered on critical initiatives that
have entirely changed Wethersfield.
Dozens of businesses have come to
town and empty buildings have
filled.
There is an energetic enthusiasm that has not been seen in
years. Talk to business owners and
they will confirm that we’ve played
an active role in securing their
entrance into the business community. We’ve recruited, surmounted
impediments, and delivered a business-friendly atmosphere. The
results are undeniable.
2) As a business owner,
I comprehend business recruitment:
reach out, engage, and champion
Wethersfield as a great town. Our
demographic and strong access to
the entire capital region, if not all of
Connecticut, make Wethersfield an
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14
Meet the Candidates
ideal location for business success.
We have differed dramatically
from the previous Republican leadership who chose a path of passive
indifference to economic development. Our success is clear.
Controlling taxes is aided by
expanding our grand list and recruiting businesses. We helped relocate
D&D Market to the closed Bliss
Supermarket. We secured state aid to
clear the long-vacant Weight
Watchers property on Silas Deane.
Putnam Park is now fully leased.
We approved a short-term tax abatement to incent $7 million of investment on the most blighted property
in town on Ridge Road. This project
will bring vitally needed housing for
post-college residents who cannot
find housing in town.
3) We drilled into the most
important feature that determines
young families’ choice to come to
Wethersfield – excellence in schools.
We secured $10 million in additional
state support to overcome unexpected challenges with the building, keeping our high school renovation on
time.
Republican officials sought to put
it on hold, costing our community
millions in delays and rebidding
costs. We engaged with the leadership on the Board of Education and
crafted a fully funded education budget that differed dramatically from
previous Republican council majorities who sought zero dialogue with
their own board.
Our result – a 2.8 percent
increase (identical scope to the
increase approved by the 2013
Republican council majority) that
secured additional classroom teachers, a full-time security director, technology advances and a new elementa-
ry school math curriculum.
4) Our opponents’ campaign
playbook is best described as “down
on Wethersfield,” suggesting that residents should feel bad about their
hometown and are “fleeing
Wethersfield,” a statement completely
at odds with reality.
I love Wethersfield. I’m proud to
champion it as a wonderful place to
live and raise our families, and I
pledge to continue to make it stronger, more vivacious and collegial. Our
progress the past two years is clear:
economic vitality, engaged communication with residents, leadership
without infighting, collaboration with
all stakeholders, and a leadership
team that will continue to make us
stronger.
It is critical that our entire
Democratic slate gets elected for us to
continue. This requires increased
voter participation and turnout.
Please reward our hard work with
your commitment to vote and allow
us to continue making the progress
that has energized Wethersfield for
the past two years.
Stathis Manousos
Republican
1) Over the last two years, spending increased 8 percent without any
tangible results. The only way to fix
this is to replace current leadership
on Election Day.
When we were in the majority in
2010-2013, we proved we didn’t need
to waste taxpayer money to be effective, provide services, fund our
schools and improve quality of life.
We kept taxing and spending to the
lowest levels in the previous 10 years
by using good management practices.
We worked hard to pass reason-
Stathis Manousos
able, responsible budgets without
impacting town services. We set up a
road improvement fund to make sure
roads get paved in a responsible payas-you go approach, rather than issuing bonds costing taxpayers $1 million-$2 million in unnecessary interest expense.
We set up a school capital
improvement fund to give the BOE
incentive to manage their budgets
responsibly and deposit any surplus
into the school fund, rather than irresponsibly spend their budgets down
at the end of each year for fear of losing it.
We implemented single-stream
recycling that saved money while
making garbage disposal and recycling much easier. We eliminated
defined benefit plans (pensions) for
new employees and instituted a
401(k) type plan which will have longterm savings.
We also were able to fully fund
educational initiatives such as all-day
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kindergarten and complete the installation of lights on Cottone Field. We
got things done while we laid the
groundwork for a stronger future.
2) Attracting new business is
challenging, regardless of who is in
charge. I believe it starts by making
Wethersfield a more attractive place
to live.
We need to attract and retain
families. Families drive spending and
provide the demographics retailers
and businesses desire. Families want
to see responsible funding of town
programs, services and education
while keeping tax increases to a minimum.
We are a residential town with
limited commercial areas (80 percent
of our tax base comes from residential property taxes). We need to be
the best residential community possible so residents see value in the relatively higher tax burden they support.
3) First, the lack of communication and public input on important
decisions. Look no further than the
$400,000 tax giveaway for a 70-unit
apartment complex on Ridge Road
that neighbors knew nothing about;
the BOE decision to move the
Transition Academy to a location parents knew nothing about and strongly disapproved; and the irresponsible
spending of the BOE’s $900,000 surplus without anyone’s knowledge or
approval.
Second, our athletic fields need
improvement due to overuse. We
need creativity to add more fields
and invest in existing ones to reduce
the overall cost of maintenance.
4) We lost the majority by 38
votes in the last election. Please don’t
let this happen again. If you liked
our performance when we maintained the majority, then please vote
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16
Meet the Candidates
for our entire Republican team.
I say this with confidence, as
someone born and raised in
Wethersfield, married with two boys
in our school system and a spoiled
dog named Striker.
Anthony Spinella
Democrat
1) I believe that the necessary
services to the citizens of
Wethersfield need to be preserved. As
a first-time candidate for the Town
Council, I intend to scrutinize the
entire town budget to determine
what spending is essential and what
can be eliminated.
In these difficult financial times,
I hope I can bring a fresh approach
and mind to the budget process to
achieve a more austere budget. In
addition, I want to review and
improve the way the town collects
taxes and pursues those who do not
pay their taxes.
I believe if we make wise investments with our pension funds and
work hard to attract new businesses,
we can achieve a larger tax base. As a
Anthony Spinella
homeowner and taxpayer in town, I
hope to identify areas in the budget
that can be cut and streamlined.
2) To attract new businesses, the
town must aggressively market itself
and pursue businesses outside of
Wethersfield to move to Wethersfield.
In a rare situation where a new business desires to move to Wethersfield,
I would consider offering a small tax
incentive to get that business into
town.
However, any such incentive
must be tied to a business that makes
a long-term commitment to
Wethersfield, brings new jobs and
increases the town’s tax base.
3) One of the most important
issues facing Wethersfield is public
safety. Since we border the capital
city that is currently experiencing an
increase in crime, we need to make
sure Wethersfield remains a safe and
secure community.
This is necessary to continue to
attract young families to move into
Wethersfield. Thus, we need to make
sure we adequately staff our police
force and provide our police force
with the resources it needs.
I believe that we need to continue
the strong tradition of excellent police
performance by our police department to ensure that all our citizens,
including our students in the school
system, are safe and secure.
Wethersfield and I am proud that I
decided to purchase my first home in
The Dental Center, LLC
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Wethersfield. I have volunteered
coaching youth hockey and I am a
parishioner and lector at the Church
of the Incarnation on Prospect Street.
I served 12 years as a state prosecutor in our criminal justice system
prosecuting criminal offenders on
behalf of the people of the state of
Connecticut. I have not only prosecuted minor criminal offenders but I
have prosecuted many child molesters, rapists and violent criminals.
I know what it means to protect
our most vulnerable residents including children, the elderly and citizens
who cannot protect themselves. After
serving in the public safety realm, I
now would like to serve the public in
the government realm by learning
and serving on the Wethersfield
Town Council.
Michael Rell
Republican
1) Ensuring that Wethersfield
taxpayer’s dollars are spent appropriately and that the public is aware
of how their tax dollars are spent is
vital to me. Ways to reduce our
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17
Meet the Candidates
over-reliance on property taxes,
town officials should look at
increased efficiencies, lowering costs
and regionalizing some functions.
I am proud to say that
Wethersfield is currently reaping the
benefits of cost-saving measures
implemented under a Republican
council. A few of these measures are
a defined contribution plan for
municipal retiree pensions that is
already saving taxpayers money, a
dedicated levy for road improvements and single-stream recycling.
This was done all while keeping
taxes low and without impacting
services to residents.
2) One initiative town officials
can take is visiting businesses and
hearing directly from owners and
employees their opinions on what
can be done at the local level to fix
burdensome regulations and
improve business growth.
By talking with current business
owners about their needs, officials
can reach out to new business owners with the mindset that we are a
business friendly community.
We
We
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Michael Rell
Additionally, town officials
should take the initiative to educate
our legislative delegation to enlighten them that the decisions they
make in Hartford affect
Wethersfield’s business community.
3) There is an overwhelming
number of “for sale” signs throughout Wethersfield. This troubles me. I
am interested in finding out why our
neighbors are leaving. Our resale in
town is stagnating – houses are sitting on the market for too long.
As such, Wethersfield does not
have a lack of housing, we are a town
with an over-reliance on revenue and
elected officials with a desire to
increase town spending. This leads
me to believe families are leaving
Wethersfield for towns with lower
mill rates.
In 2012, under Republican leadership, the WHS renovation was put
up for a vote and the town overwhelmingly approved. It was evident
then, as it is now, our children need
a top-notch education system, families need a property tax rate that will
allow them to continue to live here
and businesses need to know that
they will have a champion for them
in town government.
4) I strongly believe in the
importance of giving back to a
community that does so much for
its residents and families. I grew up
in a family that served its community on the state level and on the local
level on the volunteer fire department and on various local boards
and commissions.
Early on I learned that if change
was needed, I should become part of
the collective voice for change.
Wethersfield and its people have
a special place in my heart. My wife
and I are proud to be raising our
family in such an outstanding community. My love of history and the
quintessential New England charm
of Wethersfield are just a few of the
many reasons why we settled here.
As a town councilman, I enjoy
being able to advocate for you and
will continue to work hard for all of
Wethersfield’s residents.
Charlotte Bailey
Independence
Bailey did not respond to the
request for photo and information.
Ted Burhans
Independence
Burhans did not respond to the
request for photo and information.
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18
Campaign 2015
W
Meet the candidates for Board of Education
hen voters go the
find eight candidates
on the ballot seeking
election to the Board of Education.
Wethersfield LIFE asked each of
them to submit a photo and respond
to four questions to help residents
cast an informed vote. They were
allowed a maximum of 500 words
and editing was limited to style,
grammar, punctuation and spelling.
The questions are:
1) How would you provide necessary education services while also
trying to control expenses?
2) What are the most important
education issues facing the town,
and what would you do about them?
3) What changes in policy do
you think are needed to improve the
quality of a local public education?
4) Is there any other information
you would like to share with voters
about your personal or professional
qualifications, background, community involvement?
Here are their responses.
Leslie Esoian
Republican
1) The majority of the town’s
budget is for education; therefore,
students are getting the necessary
education. But necessary does not
mean great. It is also a fallacy that
always spending money makes
things better.
Really looking at the budget and
ensuring funds are spent in the best
way possible is one of the most critical issues for board members. From
there, fine-tuning what’s already
Leslie Esoain
available is the challenging part.
Controlling expenses is not easy, but
it is doable, while still providing not
only necessary, but great education.
2) One of the biggest challenges
is benchmarking our standardized
tests scores against ourselves first,
then comparable towns. Having students scoring at the state average is
not good enough.
The taxes residents and businesses pay are wide and deep and it
is simply not acceptable that student
results do not show better test
scores. I am not suggesting teaching
to the test by any means, however, it
is one of the most utilized and
viewed barometers showcasing how
well teachers are teaching and students are learning.
Over the most recent years, we
have begun the high school renovation, introduced SBAC testing, the
Common Core State Standards, a
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Meet the Candidates
new superintendent, and new math
curriculum for the elementary
schools. This is unbelievably challenging for even a seasoned superintendent to carry out.
The district is still trying to navigate the waters on all of these new
issues while dealing with the normal
daily activities of an administration.
With seven schools in town, I
would like to see a shift, with
administration focusing more on
curriculum and instruction, including consistent monitoring and
adjusting to current academic
trends, text books and educational
materials. This can be accomplished
by identifying curriculum champions in each school, meeting as a district and bringing those consistencies back to each school. Getting a
variety of teachers with different
experience involved is integral to the
process.
3) Quality comes from leadership. The Board of Education sets the
policies for education. The superintendent as the CEO of the school system carries out the policies, which in
turn transcends to the administration and ultimately the students.
Focusing on academic achievement is and should always be the
priority. Putting policies in place are
only good if there is follow-through,
monitoring and benchmarking
against those who are doing it better.
4) My commitment to
Wethersfield is deep rooted. My husband, a lifelong resident of
Wethersfield, and I have lived in
town for over 14 years, and his family lives in town. I was a claim analyst
for many years prior to having my
12-year-old son.
Since leaving a career full time I
have become involved in
Wethersfield, first with the PTO and
then in town. I serve on several
boards in town specific to children. I
also substitute teach in urban
schools, which gives me a wider perspective on education.
I earned an MBA from the
University of Hartford. I am a religious education teacher for my son’s
seventh grade class at St. James
Church.
Bobbie Hughes Granato
Democrat
1) The tax burden on homeowners is real. My children have not utilized Wethersfield schools in nearly
15 years, yet my husband Mark and I
pay the same property taxes as a
family with multiple children in the
system.
We don’t object to contributing
“Family owned, family operated,
family values.” Dr. Jason Haviar
Bobbie Granato
to the cost of education for two reasons. One, because we recognize
that it is an investment. It is an
undeniable fact that a quality education system directly influences our
real estate value.
We also recognize that it is our
responsibility as citizens to provide
the best education experience possible for the next generation of
Wethersfield citizens. As a board
member, it will be my responsibility
to communicate to taxpayers the
vital importance of both these issues
and to communicate how the school
system is working to achieve an
excellent return on our investment.
Further, the bulk of any school
budget is in teachers’ salaries. I have
experienced first hand that our tax
dollars are spent on conscientious
and hard-working teaching staff.
The opportunity to control
expenses lies in improving the capability, proficiency and conduct of the
business administration side of the
school system through greater communication, transparency and stronger oversight by the board.
2) It is the unnecessary disconnect between administration and
staff. How can a system work when
the critical pieces do not communicate? The answer to this problem is
open communication, cooperation,
and compromise between teachers
and administration.
This is possible through a
healthy dialogue where teaching
staff can contribute ideas or opinions without fearing retribution.
Second, we need to do a better job of
projecting the number of classes and
class size before the school year
begins.
It is important to note that
while the state’s birth rate declined
by 15 percent over the last nine
years, Wethersfield’s birth rate has
increased by 1.6 percent. That means
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20
Meet the Candidates
we need to plan for these young families entering our system. A school
year should start off smoothly and
well planned and not in a state of
confusion.
3) It is critical that we rethink
our focus on testing and on the evaluation tool for teachers. Statemandated controls over education
must be wrested away from
test-makers and politicians and put
back in the hands of educators, parents and students. Wethersfield must
take a stand.
These issues have overly narrowed our curriculum and have burdened classroom educators with
non-productive data collecting. It is
imperative that we create an environment for learning, not test taking
and data collecting every six weeks,
and allow faculty to use their time to
create lessons that stimulate young
minds.
4) I was born and raised in
Wethersfield and my family walked
and talked their passion for this
town. My 40-year career as an elementary teacher was a labor of love.
Working with young students and
their parents was an exceptionally
rewarding experience.
I received many awards and
accolades during my teaching
career, but none was as satisfying as
seeing my students smile and hearing them say about learning, “I love
this.”
Diane Fitzpatrick
Diane Fitzpatrick
Republican
1) By establishing priorities and
developing a plan for meeting the
essential services needed to enhance
our children’s education and build
from there. Evaluating the cost benefit of programs and proposals that
are brought before the board to
determine if they meet these priorities and what impact they will have
on education.
We also need to carefully evaluate our administrative costs and the
use of consultants. One thing that I
would like to see is the combining of
board and town administrative
functions such as IT, human
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resources and business management. There is no need to have two
separate functions on each side of
the house.
2) The biggest issue facing us is
preparing our children for the future,
whether it be further educational or
vocational endeavors. Students in
our schools today are at various levels and have multiple needs; whether
it be an educational intervention or
Advanced Placement courses, we
must meet them all.
Our educational system has lost
ground over the years in these areas.
Our scores are down and our children are falling behind. We need to
insure that our curriculums are
challenging, rigorous and meet the
various educational needs of all students.
We especially need to look at
our middle school, it has not been
preparing our students for their high
school experience, and they are
starting high school steps behind,
not ahead.
3) The biggest policy change
that we need to make is that we as a
board need to be involved and
engaged. We as elected officials need
to be directing the educational policy of Wethersfield.
We are not elected to simply
rubber stamp decisions made without our input and direction. We need
to hold our administration accountable and we need to engage the
stakeholders, which include our
teachers, in the planning and evaluation process.
4) Diane McCormick
Fitzpatrick, resident for 20 years and
has over 30 years of employment in
the public sector. She holds two master’s degrees, the first in social work
and the second in public administration.
She served in management positions in three municipalities including as assistant town manager in
Wethersfield and is currently
employed by the Office of Policy &
Management as a labor relations
specialist where she represents the
state in arbitrations and negotiations.
She has extensive experience in
public budgeting, policy and program development, human resources
management and labor relations. She
has served on the building committees for the police department, Silas
Deane, Stillman, Webb and is currently on the renovation committee
for the high school. She was a founding member of the Webb PTO and is
currently co-president of WHS PTSA
and chairperson of Safe Grad 2016.
She was a Brownie leader and is
an active member of the WHS band
and soccer boosters. Married to Tom
Fitzpatrick, former councilman,
their daughters Maggie and Alison
are students at WHS.
Community service is part of
the whole family, her husband serves
on Dollars for Scholars and her two
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21
Meet the Candidates
daughters are active in Special
Olympics and other volunteer
programs.
Kevin Hill
Democrat
1) Education is the largest portion of the town budget. With that
large a sum, there are certainly areas
where efficiencies can be found.
The town’s Shared Services
Committee is an excellent way for
the town to continue to deliver quality services efficiently and in a
cost-effective manner. The committee’s aim is explore ways that that
town and Board of Education functions can be consolidated.
For example, I look forward to
examining administrative and overhead costs to determine what is truly
necessary. I would lean heavily on
this committee to find efficiencies in
government and continue to explore
what other towns have done with
their own shared services models.
2) There is a disconnect between
the administration and parents in
town. Many of the education issues
that have arisen recently could have
been avoided had there been adequate dialogue.
For instance, had there been
proper communication between the
Kevin Hill
administration and the town’s parents regarding the Transition
Academy, many of the issues regarding the movement of the facility
could have been resolved at the outset. Parents and other stakeholders
must be involved in these decisions
and the administration must
improve communication.
This can be done in several
ways: a letter or email sent directly
to parents, a memo that gets sent
home with students, the inception of
a town-wide newsletter sent home to
each parent on a frequent basis.
3) Our high school students can
be overwhelmed with the amount of
standardized testing they must
endure. We must redefine the role of
testing in our schools. Though tests
like the SBAC have merit, they disrupt learning and are often not
taken seriously by students.
Many superintendents agree
they do not measure our highest
aspirations for our students. They do
not measure the quality of a school
or the performance of an individual
teacher and are corrupted when misused for these purposes.
One proposal I endorse is to
replace the SBAC with the SAT for
all 11th grade students. We can rid
ourselves of a cumbersome data-collecting test and instead replace it
with a college entrance exam that
students can take during the school
day and at no cost to the student.
4) I am a lifelong resident who
attended Wethersfield Public Schools
along with my five siblings. After
college and graduate school, my wife
and I moved back to Wethersfield as
I experienced what an ideal place it
is to raise a family.
Beyond my personal experience
in the school system, my professional
life also suits me well for a position
on the board. Having worked in government affairs for over a decade, I
have expertise as to how government
works and finding common ground
amongst disputing factions.
This town has provided me with
countless opportunities in life. I owe
much of it to the education system,
and most importantly, my teachers. I
have two young children about to
enter the school system and serving
on the board is an ideal way to
ensure they receive the same opportunities I had.
Paul LaPerriere
Republican
1) As an 18-year veteran of the
manufacturing industry, I understand the concept of lean manufacturing. As much as possible, this ideology must be applied to the BOE
budget.
I would strongly propose that we
take a proactive approach, reanalyze
the expenditures of the school system, and utilize lean practices to
make sure that we are stretching
every penny in the budget. It is
important that we get what students
and teachers need in the most economical way possible.
2) The most critical issue facing
our children is the lack of instruction time with their teachers. Our
teachers, especially those at the
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22
Meet the Candidates
Paul LaPerriere
elementary level, are being pulled
out of their classrooms for professional development on a regular
basis, and much more often than
most parents realize.
While professional development
is definitely necessary, I believe that
we need to analyze how and when
this professional development is
delivered. When teachers are pulled
out of their classroom and students
are left with a substitute, the quality
of instruction is not the same.
With the implementation of the
Common Core, our children are trying to learn a new, rigorous curriculum, and they need the consistency
of having our highly qualified teachers, not substitutes, directing their
lessons.
I’d see how extensive and widespread the issue is and work with the
administration to take necessary
steps into lessening its impact. A
shorter school day has also contributed to this dilemma. Less time in
school equals significantly less
instructional time during a school
year.
3) Transparency and communication between the administration,
BOE and parents is crucial. Decisions
have been made by the administration with little input from the BOE or
parents.
Some examples include the
administration spending surplus
money on nonessentials without
deliberation from the board, to the
lack of communication regarding the
proposed Transition Academy, as
well as a proposed move last spring
of the high school graduation from
the cove to CCSU.
A portion of the mission state-
ment of the Wethersfield Board of
Education includes, “While the
schools bear the primary responsibility for the formal education of
Wethersfield youth, the family and
community share in that responsibility. To meet that obligation, the
Wethersfield schools should foster a
partnership with the community.”
The only way this can happen is
to adopt a policy that asserts transparency and open communication
between the administration, BOE,
teachers and parents.
4) A Wethersfield resident for 12
years, I’ve been an active member of
our Wethersfield community since
my children were school age. This
involvement includes seven years of
active PTO membership, holding
positions of secretary and co-president, as well as assistant coaching in
the Wethersfield soccer program.
I am a passionate and determined individual who works with
others to get a job done. As a proven
team leader in both the professional
and volunteer world, I pride myself
on listening, analyzing challenges,
evaluating the options and enacting
a responsible solution.
I feel that with my personality
and experiences, I could achieve
true, tangible results as a BOE
member.
Polly Moon
Polly Moon
Democrat
1) Line-by-line review is the only
way to control non-essential spending. Eighty percent of expenditures
consist of state mandates and contractual obligations. The board and
administration struggle to continue
existing programs, monitor and
update technology and maintain
schools.
New initiatives are key, especially relating to curriculum and staffing. Full-day kindergarten and
Go-Math are two examples. This has
become more transparent during the
past two years as the mayor, town
councilors and the public have
attended workshops and contributed
to the adoption of responsible budgets.
We need to negotiate reasonable
wage increases but continue to
address expenses. Changes in health
and benefits and pension contributions have resulted in significant
savings with a minimum additional
cost to employees.
Shared services between town
and board will and have had a significant impact. Consolidation of IT
services, including trouble-shooting,
procedures, training and staffing,
create efficiencies that continue to
benefit both.
2) Class size and classroom
space. As we try to accommodate
this problem budgetarily, we face
hiring of teachers, long-term substitutes and/or additional tutors or
paraprofessionals. Additional staffing and classroom requirements are
difficult to predict because of residency and registration delays, but
should be addressed during budget
development.
One long-term goal includes
review of school infrastructure and
accommodation of student population that, unlike many areas, is
growing and diversifying.
Completion of the high school renovation is the primary step toward
that goal.
Student diversity and special
education services are incredibly
important to our community. We
are extremely proud of the programs
that have been developed over the
years, especially since arrival of our
superintendent, Michael Emmett.
Continuing partnership among
parents, students, administration
and community are vital to enriching our town and making it even
more attractive to young families.
3) Comprehensive review of
board policies is presently underway
and the board has reviewed and
approved many policies, including
school nutrition and physical activity, mission-goals-objectives and
community relations, addressing
parent involvement, school-community relationship and use of school
facilities.
Board approval of transfer of
funds by the superintendent, adopted by the board in 1998, is under
review. Policy language regarding
class sizes in all grades also merits
review.
4) I have been a resident for
nearly 40 years and my children
went through the school system and
two of my grandchildren are attending now. For 10 years I served on the
Town Insurance Committee, two as
chair; nine years on the Library
Board, three as chair.
Board committees have included chair of Human Resources &
Personnel, member of Shared
Services, Policy & Planning,
Communications & Public
Relations, and Finance &
Information Management committees. I have also participated in contract negotiations for two unions
and assisted with development of
SEED evaluation requirements for
administrators.
This, combined with over 30
years in the insurance industry as
an agent, specialty lines broker and
compliance and product development analyst, has resulted in my
unique global perspective to town
and school issues.
I have contributed to a board
that has moved the district forward
through cooperation and mostly
non-partisan efforts.
Janet Vasel
Republican
1) My first job as a Board of Ed
member is to look out for our students and to ensure that they get
the best education for the tax dollars spent. Our transparent policies
will seek appropriate input from the
superintendent, but after adoption,
the superintendent and staff will be
held accountable for implementation.
I will work to ensure that the
goals and objectives are truly
aligned with the spending outlined
in the budget, through collaboration
with my team.
2) Low test scores are our most
important issue. The quality of
learning in the classroom needs to
improve in order for the students to
perform at the level we expect.
3) Demand more accountability
23
Meet the Candidates
Janet Vasel
after our goals and policies are
established. Improvement in the
lack of transparency.
4) Wethersfield is very
welcoming and enjoyable town to
live in. My family and I have enjoyed
the rich heritage and traditions the
town offers. This has allowed me
to want to learn and do more
for the community.
Working with the Wethersfield
Girl Scouts since my oldest was in
kindergarten and I still continue to
be part of a strong and empowering
organization. I have been actively
involved with Madres Latina of
Wethersfield which was just started
in May of 2015, Safe Grad for classes
of 2015 and 2016, PTO, Wethersfield
High Marching Band Boosters, WHS
Dance Team, helping families in
need in town and former committee
member for the Ballet Theater
Company in West Hartford.
While I enjoy supporting all
groups and clubs, I most enjoy the
“thank you” that our young adults
give, many of whom know that my
time volunteering is done with love
and conviction. I do work full time
managing a dental office in
Manchester and I’m currently working on achieving a second degree, as
I already have a business management degree.
John Morris
John Morris
Democrat
1) The BOE lives by its budget.
There is no more fundamental element to our role than understanding
and creating a responsible budget,
because without it, we could not
afford to provide the level of programs, facilities and services residents want.
During my past two years on the
board we have taken on an active
role in a detailed review of all of our
district’s programs and expenditures
– something that did not happen in
prior years. Last year’s budget
increase was kept to 3.3 percent
while managing to continue to provide technology improvements for
students and implementing a new
K-6 math program.
Our budget is posted online on
the district’s website for review by all
residents. I’m proud to say that in my
past two years, the district has completed its fiscal years with a surplus
that was returned to the town.
2) The two most pressing educational issues for our town are the
completion of the high school renovation and elementary class sizes.
The high school renovation continues to press forward with a new
media center, gymnasium, choral
and band rooms, guidance/nursing/
administration spaces and new café
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Meet the Candidates
already on line and in use.
Anyone who has not seen these
new spaces should reward themselves by a visit. The media center
and café are beautiful spaces, worthy of a 21st century school.
Elementary class sizes continue to
have bubbles of high class sizes,
which is both an instructional and
space problem for us, but is also a
testament to the good work of the
Town Council because it means
people are moving to our town.
In the past two years economic
development is up substantially
and that hard work pays off with
new residents and higher property
values. To resolve class size issues,
we have hired two new-long term
substitutes to split large classes at
Charles Wright and Hanmer into
smaller sections. Our administrators continue to manage and provide resources so that all of our
children have the best educational
opportunity they can have.
3) My research into educational improvements shows that pro-
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viding regular and quality professional development to our staff is
one of the best ways to improve
instruction and hence provide a
quality education. The investment
in our teachers and professional
staff is well worth the expense. I
have been an advocate for more
professional development and will
continue to do so.
4) I care deeply about our
schools. I am a product of our
school system and have raised four
children who all also went through
our school system. I’m proud to say
that all four kids have gone on to
college, two have graduated from
college so far, and one graduated
from the University of Hartford
magna cum laude.
I attribute a lot of their success
to the solid education they received
here in Wethersfield. Plus their parents are geniuses. WL
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25
Looking for a
lifesaving gift
Wethersfield mother desperately
needs a new kidney
Erica McGregor wants to be around to
watch her daughter Juliana Levy, a first
grader at Emerson-Williams School, grow
up. McGregor needs a kidney transplant.
I
t’s not her birthday, or even the
holidays, but Erica McGregor is
still hoping for a really big gift.
She doesn’t even care if she
knows the person who gives it to her
but she will be extremely grateful.
McGregor, a single mom in her
30s, is looking for a new kidney.
While she’s on the national trans-
plant waiting list, she’s hoping to find
a living donor.
McGregor first discovered problems with her kidneys about five
years ago when she and her then-husband and their 2-year-old daughter
had just moved to Wethersfield.
“He’s Jewish and we were getting
ready to celebrate Passover and I
For a Lifetime of Smiles
from 3 to 83
couldn’t find pants that fit. I was
gaining weight; I was sick all the
time,” she said.
“His parents left after Passover
and the next day I woke up and my
entire face was swollen. It was double
in size. I went to the doctor. It
seemed like I might have the
mumps.”
Photos courtesy of Beth Kalosky
by Mara Dresner
Staff Writer
She began running a fever and
couldn’t get out of bed.
“I woke up with the most
extreme abdominal pain,” said
McGregor, who ended up in the
emergency room.
“They asked, ‘Do you normally
weigh this much?’ I had gained 30
pounds. It seemed there was some-
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thing wrong with my kidneys.”
She learned she has lupus nephritis and is dealing with end-stage renal
disease. There’s no cure for lupus.
“The lupus is attacking your kidneys and causing them not to function as efficiently,” she said. “[You get]
treatment to make it go into remission. You try to manage your flares.
That’s what they call it, a flare.”
In addition to her other symptoms, McGregor had to deal with a
weight gain of more than 60 pounds,
both from the fluid she was retaining
and as a side effect of the Prednisone
she was taking to combat the illness.
She was in and out of the hospital.
“They’d release me and I had to
go right back,” she recalled.
She tried different medications,
including low-dose chemotherapy,
which helped for a while, then decided to switch doctors. While the medications kept her from flaring, they did
not stop her kidneys from declining.
“By 2011, probably in 0ctober, we
had a ‘come to Jesus’ meeting. We
started talking about putting me on
dialysis and the transplant list. I was
31 at the time,” McGregor said. “By
the end of November, I was on dialy-
sis. It happened really quickly.”
She had a type of dialysis called
peritoneal dialysis.
“They put an access port in your
stomach. A tube goes in the peritoneum. It fills the stomach cavity with
fluid and sits in your body for two
hours. You drain it out and it drains
out the impurities your kidneys nor-
times while you sleep,” she said.
“For the most part, I could sleep
through it.”
While McGregor was adapting to
what had to be done, her marriage
was not.
“The hard part was my husband
was very annoyed by everything, the
fact I had to have it done, that it had
“The next thing I knew, the whole
world was tipping. As a result of that,
I was in a coma for three days.”
– Erica McGregor
mally filter out.
“It’s very attractive having a tube
in your stomach that’s two feet long,”
McGregor, now 35, said with a laugh.
“I’d wrap it around so I could still
wear clothes, but I still thought everyone could see it.”
The good part was that she could
do her dialysis at home.
“I would do it at night. There’s a
home machine. You roll it into your
bedroom and put it next to your bed.
You hook it up to your machine. It
does it while you sleep. It does it four
to be in our bedroom, that it had to
be at night,” she said.
“It started to cause a lot of
drama. There was lots and lots of
drama. It caused a lot of problems
with me physically.”
It took until Christmas, but she
finally got rid of the extra 30 to 40
pounds of fluid that had accumulated. During this time she was also
being evaluated for a transplant.
Then, in January 2012, she contracted an infection called peritonitis.
“Your body is basically open to all
the bacteria. When that happens you
can’t do peritoneal dialysis. The only
option is hemodialysis. I was on the
machine three times a week, hooked
up to a machine,” she said.
“Your blood gets washed and put
back in. They put a fistula in my arm.
That takes six weeks to develop. I had
a chest port and that’s how I did dialysis until this was ready.
“That’s not fun. You do what you
have to do. You get very weak because
all your blood is out of your body. I
got very sick. My body was still fighting infection. My fever would spike
and I would end up in the hospital.”
Between January and April, she
was hospitalized six times.
“I lost my vision at one point
during dialysis. I had an infection
because I’d been on Prednisone so
long. It came back, but I spent a good
month in a blur,” McGregor said.
“Also, because of all the steroids, I
developed pancreatitis. I had no idea
until I developed convulsions, until I
passed out.” It happened over Easter
2012, while eating soup.
“The next thing I knew, the
whole world was tipping. As a
result of that, I was in a coma for
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27
three days,” she said.
“We went to the ER and my mom
was yelling at me to breathe. The next
time I opened my eyes, my mom said,
‘Welcome back.’ It had been three
days. They had taken off 30 pounds of
fluid,” she said.
“It was really weird. They said
I probably should not be alive right
now, but I was. I felt I was truly
blessed.”
McGregor found herself in a bit of
survival mode.
“My daughter was really young.
She didn’t even recognize me when I
came home and didn’t want to be
around me for a while,” she recalled.
“There was a huge distance between
my husband and me. I was just happy
to be alive.”
The couple separated in February
2013 and divorced in November 2014.
One of the major stressors in her life
was her inability to find someone to
donate a kidney. She knows it’s a big
request and started with her family.
“I had only two people who
wanted to be tested,” she said, and
they were not a match for her.
She once saw an article where a
man in Colorado posted a sign on his
truck about his wife’s need for a kidney and she’s hoping that perhaps
she’ll find a living donor by making
her story public.
“He found her a kidney that way.
I would always joke with my friends,
we should put up a billboard [saying],
‘Erica needs a kidney; do you want to
donate?’ Sometimes, people want to
help, they want to pay it forward and
they don’t know how,” she said.
For example, a friend’s husband
received a lung transplant.
“She wants to pay it forward, but
she was not a match to me,” she said.
“Most living donors can have the
procedure done laparoscopically and
you can lead a healthy life with one
kidney. If you’re a healthy person, you
should have no lasting effects from it,”
McGregor said.
While a person can’t receive compensation for the donation, medical
costs are covered.
“Your medical costs are paid for
by my insurance, your hospital is paid
for by my insurance,” she said.
The fact that she has needed a
number of blood transfusions complicates the matching process. She is
still on the national transplant list for
a cadaver kidney.
McGregor continues to do dialysis at home, noting that 18 people die
daily while waiting for a transplant.
“It’s a huge epidemic,” she said.
The average wait time for a kidney is four and a half to five years. As
of December, it will be four years
since her name was placed on the list.
She’s been able to continue to work at
her job as a financial consultant for
Travelers, where she’s worked for
eight years.
“They are some of the most supportive people in the world. I’ve been
out on disability so many times,” she
said. “They let me work from home
two days a week. I’m very lucky.”
“Erica is an exceptional person. I
have a daughter Erica’s age yet we
bonded at work and talked about
many things. Erica became ill shortly
after having her daughter and it was
very difficult for her, and to watch her
go through all the different stages of
lupus to kidney failure to dialysis,”
her co-worker Laura Roix said.
“She took each step with such
courage and strength. She learned
everything she could about what was
going on with her and went through
every stage head on. Her attitude has
been, ‘OK, what do I do next?’
Needing kidneys has turned her
normal life upside down and she
had to learn to live and accept a new
normal,” she added.
“Erica has done it with such
dignity and grace. I admire her, she
is such a fighter. I have watched her
take one step forward and fall back
physically three. Yet she brushes
herself off and takes that big step
forward again,” Roix said.
She is waiting for her own
transplant.
“Little did I know that watching
Erica go through all that she has gone
through would help me in my own
journey. In 2013 I was diagnosed with
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. IPF is
scarring buildup in the lungs.
“In the U.S. alone, over 200,000
people have a form of Pulmonary
Fibrosis with annually 50,000 new
cases being diagnosed and 40,000
deaths,” Roix said.
“Most people with IPF die within
three to five years of diagnosis. I have
been accepted in a lung transplant
program. Unlike a kidney, lungs cannot come from a living donor. Most
lungs are not usable and most recipients get a bilateral lung transplant,”
she added.
“Because of my age, I may only
get one if I am lucky enough to reach
that stage. With that said, it was the
strength I saw in Erica that taught
me to learn everything I can about
Erica McGregor, shown
here with her daughter
Juliana Levy, needs a kidney.
Although she’s on the national
transplant list, she’s hoping to
find a living donor.
my own disease and to be an advocate and a fighter.”
McGregor keeps pushing forward. “I have some assistance, but for
the most part I do it on my own; it’s
mostly piss and vinegar. The fact is I
have too much to do. My daughter is
six years old. She’s seen me have really bad days on dialysis; she’s seen me
have really good days,” she said.
“My mom helps out with her a
lot. As bad of a husband as he was, he
has been a really decent father to my
daughter,” added McGregor who uses
her daughter for inspiration.
“I think about my daughter, I
think about how she would feel if I
gave up. I know how I would feel if my
mother gave up. When I was growing
up, my mother was huge pillar of
strength for me.”
She remains generally upbeat
about her situation.
“With all the stuff I go through,
I’m still relatively lucky. I’m able to go
to work five days a week. I’m able to
give her a good life. It’s not that bad; it
could be worse. The fact is I woke up
after those three days [in a coma] no
worse for wear. If I can get through
that, I can get through anything,” she
said.
“You’ve just got to do what you’ve
got to do. That doesn’t mean I don’t
have [times] where I don’t cry all day,
where I don’t want to get out of bed.
Everyone deserves to wallow.
“I also like to think of myself as a
funny, easy-going person. It makes
some people uncomfortable that
I’m very straightforward. I can joke
about it.”
She is an active partner in her
health care, working with her medical
team to make the best decisions, and
is honest about some of the difficult
parts of her condition.
“The diet stinks. I have to watch
pretty much everything that goes in
my mouth. Not to mention the sticking needles in my arm every day,” she
said.
As she continues to wait for a
kidney, she reflects on the big picture. “Some people are caught up in
their everyday. It’s hard to step outside it and say there’s bigger things.
Life is something you really need to
cherish,” McGregor said.
“I never thought anything bad
would happen. I was 30 years old. I
had a house, I had a kid, I had a husband, I had a job. All of a sudden I
woke up and life was day to day,
sometimes minute to minute,” she
said.
“It just puts things in a different
perspective. Don’t take it for granted
because you don’t know. It just
makes you appreciate when things
are boring.”
Roix is hoping that someone will
step forward to save her friend.
“We go about life and don’t think
about being a donor until something
happens to ourselves or a loved one.
There are so many people who need
a kidney and my friend Erica is one
of them,” she said.
“A living donor can give her a
better life and if I could, I would. A
living donor is a hero for saving
another human’s life.” WL
Learn more at facebook.com/
EricaNeedsAKidney or ericaneed-
28
People notes
Paul Copp, the son of Paul Copp of
Wethersfield, was appointed a director of graduate studies at the
University of Chicago. The younger
Copp is a graduate of the University
of Connecticut and Princeton
University. He began his teaching
career in Chinese religion and
thought in East Asian languages and
civilizations.
Amanda Aguilera Clark was elected to the 2015-2016 Campus Union
Assembly at Wofford College.
Timothy Curran, a professor of
chemistry at Trinity College, was
awarded a $234,957 grant from the
National Science Foundation to
examine a potential new method of
creating protein shapes called betasheets, which may have implications
for understanding amyloid diseases
like Alzheimer’s disease.
Ralph Horowitz was awarded a
Veterans Wartime Service Medal by
the state of Connecticut for his service from 1959-1965 in the U.S. Navy.
Joseph Massaro, a financial advisor
and regional director with Massaro
Wealth Management, was named
one of Connecticut’s 2015 Five Star
Wealth Managers by the Five Star
Professional award program. He is
also a member of Wethersfield
UNICO.
Analissa Mandile was named a
URI 101 mentor at the University of
Rhode Island.
Eight Wethersfield students were
awarded Robert T. Kenney
Scholarships from the American
Savings Foundation The recipients
are: James McDunnah, Penn State
University; Paige McDunnah, Penn
State University; Kamila
Kayla Generis, a 2015 graduate of Wethersfield High School, now attends
Emmanuel College, where she is studying toward a degree in business management. She is continuing the soccer career she enjoyed at WHS and recently
scored her first collegiate goal in a win over UMass-Boston.
Orzechowski, University of Saint
Joseph; Abby Phillips, Eastern
Connecticut State University;
Zacarias Slater, University of
Connecticut; Kristi Spiri, University
of Connecticut; Mario Suljoti,
University of Connecticut and
Zachary Weinberg, University
of Connecticut. WL
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Could it be the book
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29
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Meet some of the members of American Legion Post 23
by Mark Jahne
Editor
Beverly Olis was a medic in
the Army Reserve and also
served in electronic communications with the Connecticut
National Guard. Her service ran
from 1978 to 2004 and she rose
to the rank of master sergeant.
She remembers being on
duty in Georgia when the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001
occurred. Olis returned to
active duty for two years following that event and was
John Church
860-563-8367
email: [email protected]
Beverly Olis and Francis Barber
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W
ith Veterans
Day just around
the corner,
Wethersfield
LIFE thanks all members of the
U.S. armed forces, past and
present, for their service to the
United States of America. Here
is a brief look at a few local veterans who served their country
and now belong to the BourneKeeney American Legion Post
23 in Old Wethersfield.
Commander Larry Spellacy
said the post, founded in 1919
shortly after the World War I
armistice, has approximately
80 members. There are 18 veterans of World War II, 17 veterans of the Korean War, 39 of
the Vietnam War and 10 who
served in Iraq or Afghanistan.
The post’s Auxiliary has 36
members.
One less thing to worry about.
deployed overseas three times.
Francis Barber was a specialist 5 with the Army’s 543rd
Combat Engineers from 1960 to
1966. He was deployed overseas
during the Vietnam War, where
his primary task was building
landing strips and fuel depots.
Howard Page joined the Army
right out of high school to fight
during World War II. He was
part of a headquarters unit in
the Philippines at Los Baños
and also participated in jungle
training in Panama.
He continued on in the
Howard Page
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Army Reserve and saw combat
with the 33rd Infantry Division
in the Korean War. He left the
Army with the rank of sergeant
first class.
John Church was a naval aviator from 1943-1947. He was
assigned to a stateside training
unit and his squadron was the
last to fly the old Stearman
Yellow Bird biplane trainer. He
was scheduled to deploy for
combat, flying the Navy’s
Grumman F6F Hellcat, when
the two atomic bombs dropped
on Japan abruptly ended World
War II. WL
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30
“What’s interesting
about our students
is they tend to be
people who are
getting back into art
after a career doing
something else.”
– Betty Standish
Students hone their skills in
a portrait painting workshop
with instructor Liz Derik.
s
e
u
n
i
t
n
o
c
h
t
w
o
r
G
pansion
x
e
le
ib
s
s
o
p
forward to
s
ne
k
o
lo
ts
r
A
by Mark Jah
e
th
r
fo
y
cadem
Editor
Wethersfield A
L
ife keeps getting better at
the Wethersfield Academy
for the Arts. The cultural
center is seeing more classes, more participants and gaining
more attention regionally and
beyond.
The number of students is on
the rise and more funding is coming
in as well. Those students come from
all over New England and beyond,
with some traveling from as far away
as Florida and Kansas.
That makes Betty Standish
happy. She is the president of the
board and was one of the founders of
the academy in 2007, located in a
barn at the north end of Hartford
Avenue in Old Wethersfield.
“The vision was for an arts center
and we have definitely fulfilled that,”
she said. “We had a ballet school here
for a little while. We’re hoping to do
something with the high school poetry group in the spring.”
The academy plays host each
Sunday to an Irish music academy as
well as a community lecture series,
music and poetry, but fine arts are its
primary element and those programs
keep expanding.
“There’s a clear distinction
between classes and workshops,”
Standish added.
Workshops usually run from
three to 10 days and are taught by
nationally recognized artists. Classes
are held once a week for all skill levels
and are three hours in duration.
“It’s good to learn from a trained
teacher. It’s a process and you learn
from every painting you do. We try to
attract nationally and internationally
known instructors.
“This fall we have the most
robust series of classes and workshops in almost every medium. We
have lowered our prices to be competitive. We offer specials throughout
the year,” she said.
“What’s interesting about our
students is they tend to be people
who are getting back into art after a
career doing something else.
“We are bursting at the seams.
We would love to go into the next
barn, but we need to find some funding,” she added.
Standish was pleased with the
success of the summer youth program. Eighty children participated
and their work was showcased on the
academy’s Facebook page.
She added that anyone who is
interested can sign up for email
updates and blasts.
The fall program offers numerous classes and workshops. The
Classical Atelier Program features a
pair of Figure Drawing courses
taught by Christina Mastrangelo,
Barque Drawing Essentials also
taught by Mastrangelo and Sculpting
the Head in Clay with instructor
Deidre Sassano.
She will also teach Sculpting the
Figure in Clay as well as a Character
Design Sculpture class just for teenagers. Elizabeth Rhoades leads
Pastels – Underpainting for a Strong
Composition.
Drawing the Cartoon Character
brings Jenn Maynard to the academy
and Nick Frasco is the instructor for a
Courtesy photo
31
Koo Schadler gives a demonstration while students eagerly watch in her
egg tempera workshop.
This painting was done in a
workshop on still life in oils led
by Trudy Mitchell.
pair of youth classes, Drawing and
Painting for ages 6 and older and The
Imaginary Landscape for teenagers.
A trio of three-day workshops are
also on tap. They are: Birds and
Botanicals with Kelly Radding, Still
Life in Oils with Qiang Huang and
Painting the Portrait in Oils with
Christina Mastrangelo.
Mastrangelo studied classical
painting and drawing in Florence,
Italy, and passes along what she has
learned to her students.
“I wanted to teach this type of
art,” she said. She compares the
instruction offered in Wethersfield
with that offered in Florence. She
enjoys working with Standish and
likes the location.
“It’s a venue where people can
come and learn all different things,”
she said. “It’s a really nice community. It’s a beautiful building, too.”
She added that it is the closest
classically based art school to her
home in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Mastrangelo likes the fact that
her students are deeply focused
LIFE
Read
on their art.
“My classes are definitely for the
serious student,” she said.
There are numerous one-day
workshops as well. The academy’s art
lecture series started Sept. 15 with
Looking at Nature: A Brief History of
Landscape Painting, and continues
through next June.
The academy recently hosted its
2015 Fine Arts Competition and
Show. The show was juried by Vivian
Zoe, director of the Slater Memorial
Museum in Norwich. Sponsors were
TD Bank, Webster Bank, Blick and
Jerry’s Artarama of West Hartford.
There are three studios now and
two of them were used for the exhibition. More studios may be added if
and when the second barn on the
property, which is attached to the
first, is renovated for use.
“This is a good place. There’s a lot
of potential. We would love to have
more classroom space, gallery space,
private studio space. I think that can
all be accomplished in the next barn,”
Standish said.
“I think we’re doing a wonderful
service for the community,” Standish
said. “What is unique to the academy
is the training in sight/size.”
That’s a big trend in art right
now, she added, calling it an academically respected and more traditional
style of art. Plans are in process for
the Connecticut Plein Art Painters
Society to make the academy its official home. That group plans to conduct “paint-outs” around town.
Standish said artists love lighting
conditions in town, the open spaces
and the “paintable” structures. WL
To learn more about the
Wethersfield Academy for the Arts
visit wethersfieldarts.org or call
860-436-9857.
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Please call today for an appointment:
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860-829-8939
www.TurleyCT.com
1166 Farmington Ave, Berlin
ratchfordeyecenter.com
32
A singing
success
Photos by Allie Rivera
High school student wins admission
to All-National festival
by Allie Rivera
Staff Writer
“I was shocked and excited.
I’ll get to work with these
world-renowned choral
directors.”
Sixteen-year-old Sawyer Gaunt comes
from a musical family and has taught
himself how to play the guitar and piano.
But it is his singing talents that will take
him to Nashville for the National
Association for Music Education’s
All-National Ensembles Concert.
– Sawyer Gaunt
S
itting in the living room of
his family home, Sawyer
Gaunt looks content. Behind
him, one corner of the room
is filled with old vinyl albums, boasting such titles as the Beatles.
The other corner is home to a
guitar and mandolin sitting on their
stands beside a small drum. Around
the corner is an upright piano surrounded by art projects. At every
Concert, where he will sing with the
chorus. A total of 673 students from
49 states will come together to present choral and orchestral music by
some of the most talented student
musicians in the country.
For Sawyer, the road to AllNationals began as a child when he
would sing around the house and do
musical theater with his grandparents in Manchester.
turn, the room oozes creativity.
It is here that the 16-year-old
musician got his creative start. Now
a senior at Wethersfield High School,
Sawyer is both a singer and instrumentalist, and those talents are now
taking him to a stage in Nashville.
From Oct. 25-28, Sawyer will
represent his school in Tennessee at
the National Association for Music
Education’s All-National Ensembles
Wethersfield Monument Company
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“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been
singing,” he said.
He became involved with the
school chorus in elementary school,
but a few years later he took a hiatus
from singing.
“In middle school my voice totally dropped and I lost my confidence,”
he said. “So I dropped out.”
It wasn’t until he entered high
school and met choral teacher Scott
Kenneth A. Rizzio
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Sawyer Gaunt, a senior at
Wethersfield High School, is active
in music, athletics and student
government. He will represent his
school at the All-National
Ensembles Concert in Nashville.
Rioux that he decided to give singing
another try.
“Mr. Rioux really encouraged
me,” Sawyer said.
During his freshman year, he
auditioned for the school’s selective
singing group, the Choraliers, and
was accepted for the following year.
He continued to sing and during
his junior year auditioned at the
regional level for the National
Association for Music Education’s
annual competition. Of the eight students who auditioned, he and four
others made it through, allowing
them to perform in the regional choir
and automatically qualifying them to
audition at the state level.
“That was such an amazing
experience because it’s even a higher
level than the Choraliers,” he said.
Four of the five qualifying students went on to audition at the state
level. Of those, Sawyer was the only
one to be accepted into All-States,
which he said was an exciting honor.
“It was common for some people
to do the Regionals concert, but it
had been a while since anybody had
done the All-State,” he said.
In the winter of his junior year,
he was able to perform with some of
the best young singers in the state at
the All-State concert. He immediately
qualified to audition at the national
level in the spring.
“They take the scores and notes
from your All-State audition and then
you have to send in a video as well,”
he said.
Toward the end of the school
year, Sawyer was sitting in class and
got a text message from Rioux.
“It just said to go to him as soon
as possible,” he said.
Upon arriving in the music wing,
he learned that his audition had successfully placed him in the AllNational choir.
“I was shocked and excited,” he
said. “I’ll get to work with these
world-renowned choral directors.”
“We were just so beyond excited,”
his mother Heather Gaunt said. “This
is about taking it to that next level
and it gives you another perspective.”
Students attending the festival
are expected to arrive already knowing the choral music, so to prepare for
his time in Nashville, Sawyer has
been working with Rioux to learn his
parts in the seven different pieces.
“We’ve been working on it but it’s
totally different when you get there,”
Sawyer said. “I know for All-States I
had really just focused on my line,
then when I heard it all together, it
was amazing.”
His mother said his attendance
at the festival would not be possible if
not for the tremendous support of
many people and organizations in
town, especially Mary Goldman and
the Wethersfield High School Choral
Boosters, who are assisting financially to get Sawyer to Nashville.
“Even when he got into All-States,
it was $350 just to participate and she
didn’t even blink an eye,” Gaunt said.
“To have that kind of support in the
community is wonderful.”
In addition to the financial support from the Boosters, Sawyer and
his mother both said they are thankful to Rioux and instrumental director David Dion, as well as Principal
Thomas Moore.
“Everyone has been so supportive
of him,” Gaunt said.
Although Sawyer has been recognized for his singing, his musical talents extend beyond that. Over the
years he began teaching himself the
piano and during his freshman year
he began learning the guitar, which
quickly transformed into also learning the mandolin and the ukulele.
“He really is more self-taught
than anything,” his mother said. “He
has that drive.”
Sawyer comes from a musical
family. His mother has a master’s
degree in ethnomusicology and both
of his younger siblings, Hadden, 12,
and Lily, 14, also play instruments.
“We provide the environment,
but I can’t take credit for his talent,”
Gaunt said. “We’ve fostered the love
of it, but there are some things you
can’t teach.”
It is not uncommon for the three
to suddenly start playing together.
“She’ll get on piano, he’ll pull out
the guitar, it’s great,” Gaunt said. “It’s
truly great to live in this house.”
In addition to the instruments
Sawyer taught himself, he also plays
the trumpet in the WHS jazz band,
marching band and honor band, and
is currently taking music composition
as an independent study.
Along with his musical pursuits,
he plays soccer in the fall and volleyball in the spring.
“I just picked up volleyball last
year and I loved it,” he said.
Sawyer has also been recognized
for his talents in the visual arts.
“In middle school I doodled on
every piece of paper I ever got,” he
said with a laugh.
“It’s just about creativity for him,”
Gaunt said. “There are so many creative outlets that he explores.”
For all of his efforts throughout
the school, Sawyer was elected class
president, and he often stays after
school to help with various activities.
“He’s a leader, but people also
look to him because of his great personality,” Gaunt said.
“It seems like everyone knows
him through some channel and that’s
nice as a parent to feel like your kid is
making a difference.”
Both Sawyer and his mother reiterate that his successes are due in
large part to the support system in
place at Wethersfield High.
“A lot of what this reflects is the
incredible guidance and support of
the teachers he’s had,” Gaunt said.
“That positive energy that Mr.
Rioux has rubs off on these kids and
Mr. Dion is so inspirational and so
supportive. As a parent, to know
that’s the kind of instruction that
your children get is incredible.”
While he enjoys music, Sawyer
hopes to pursue a career in film.
“They’re kind of like dual passions for me,” he said. “Film is something I’d truly love to study, but
music is something that just felt like
it always flowed through me.”
His parents are proud of his
accomplishments and of the person
their son has become. WL
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34
‘If you like needlework, it’s like a party’
Thistle Needleworks moves from Glastonbury to Wethersfield
by Mara Dresner
Staff Writer
riving down the Silas
Deane Highway, it’s hard
to miss the large purple
canopy at the new location of Thistle Needleworks, Inc. The
store moved to town from its previous location in Glastonbury, opening
Sept. 10.
“We’ve been providing supplies
and education and advice for all
forms of threaded needle embroidery,” said Judie Solomon.
She runs the store with her
daughter, Karen Plante. That might
mean needlepoint, counted cross
stitch, crewel and Hardanger, a
Norwegian form of needlework.
“Everything we do is hand
embroidery,” Solomon said. “We do
not have knitting. We do not have
crochet.”
The shop has been in business
for 32 years. Solomon originally had
a partnership with two friends in a
teaching studio in Manchester.
“All we did was teach. It was a
concept whose time had not yet
come. When we decided to close that
business, I decided I liked the retail
end of it,” she said.
“I decided I wanted to open my
own store, so I did. I opened my own
space in a rear building, on a side
street, and it just grew from there.”
The first store was on Naubuc
Avenue in Glastonbury, which they
quickly outgrew, expanding to a
larger store in the same building.
Four years later the shop moved to a
D
Thistle Needleworks
features supplies and advice for
threaded needle embroidery.
2,400-square-foot space on Hebron
Avenue, expanded to 3,600 square
feet in that building after three
years, moved to Somerset Square
two years after that and stayed there
for 12 years, before moving to
Hebron Avenue.
Now, for the first time, the shop
is not located in Glastonbury. Plante
said that the size of the Silas Deane
location was a main factor in the
decision to move.
“We wanted to streamline. We
had too much space where we were,”
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she said.
“We’re really a destination shop.
People come here on a regular basis
from all over New England, New
York, New Jersey,” Solomon added.
The company also has a strong
online business. The two women,
who both live in Glastonbury, are
avid needle workers.
“I’ve done needlework since I
was 3 or 4 years old. I learned at my
mother’s knee. I joined the local
chapter of the embroiderers’ guild in
1966. I’ve taken a lot of classes over
the years,” Solomon said.
“Karen’s been doing needlework
since she was a child. Everyone who
works here was first a customer
before she was an employee.”
Plante joined the business in
1996. While she has offered specific
classes in the past, Thistle
Needleworks now offers what
Solomon calls an open classroom.
“Students bring in a project
they’d like to work on. I help them
and give them encouragement. I help
them with different stitches and
threads,” she said.
“I like to say I like to expand
their horizons. I like to have them
look at different ways to working the
piece, so it really enhances it and
brings it to life.”
They also teach and offer needlework framing, as well as sell supplies, including patterns, threads,
canvasses, tools and accessories.
They welcome all skill levels, from
beginners to advanced.
“That’s part of our job and our
staff’s job, to encourage new people
and give them the support system
that they need to continue, and offer
the encouragement,” said Solomon.
She likes to stitch for a couple of
hours in the evening if she doesn’t
have emails and other business to
handle. She noted that some items,
such as Christmas ornaments, are
always popular.
“It’s instant gratification and
they’ll do them year round,” she said.
ENROLL NOW! Come on in!
• Age Appropriate
Programs for Ages
6 Weeks to 9 Years
• Nursery School with
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• Child and Parent
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• State Licensed Staff
• Open Door Policy
• CT ELDS
6 LOCATIONS
MERIDEN (203) 235-8461
186 Pomeroy Ave.,
(E. Main St. Exit Off I-91)
CHESHIRE (203) 272-1637
1311 Highland Avenue (Rt. 10)
SOUTHINGTON (860) 276-1031
1348 West Street
(Exit 31 Off I-84)
ORANGE (203) 881-0599
801 Baldwin Rd.,
(At Derby Ave./Rt. 34)
ROCKY HILL (860) 563-9096
558 Cromwell Ave.,
(Rt. 3 Exit 23 Off I-91)
MONDAY TO FRIDAY
6:30 AM-6:00 PM
GLASTONBURY (860) 659-3002
586 New London Tnpk
(At Rt. 17 Overpass)
painting coming with me, oil painting. I’m particularly fond of birds and
animals,” she said.
“As time got on and I got braver, I
was doing rabbits and things the way
I thought they should be done. Now
they call it needle painting,” she
added.
She was concerned when she
first heard the store was changing
locations.
“When she said moving, it was
like someone shot me in the heart. It
turns out it was closer,” said
Piontkowski, who is at Thistle
Needleworks every Thursday morning from 10 a.m. to noon.
“We each bring our own project
and Judie is there and she can basically address anything you might be
having a problem. There are very
“It’s not just a bunch of old
ladies doing needlework.
You have something in common.
You stitch away and it’s a social thing.”
– Martha Piontkowski
An employee encouraged her to
join, and when she purchased materials for another project, she decided to
give it a try.
“When I joined, I was so intimidated by all these really good stitchers, but I thought this was a really
perfect place. They were very patient
and I was really interested, so little by
little, I kept going and took on more
and more projects,” Piontkowski said.
She eventually went on to teach
classes and make her own samples.
“What I really, really enjoy is
painted canvas work. I have a little
experienced people, not so experienced people and beginners, and
everyone accepts everybody,” she
said.
“There are very different people
who come there, from all kinds of
backgrounds. It’s not just a bunch of
old ladies doing needlework. You
have something in common. You
stitch away and it’s a social thing.
“You talk, not politics, not religion. You talk about different things
in life. You learn from each other. You
get to be really, really friendly. I’m not
an outgoing person; it’s just a nice
Judie Solomon and daughter Karen Plante
recently opened Thistle Needleworks, Inc.,
on the Silas Deane Highway.
thing,” she said.
“To me, it’s a social thing. You
just get away from everything and
you concentrate on what you’re
doing. If you like needlework, it’s like
a party.”
Even though the inventory is the
same, the new location changes
things up.
“A fresh location is a fresh new
outlook,” Plante said.
“I can tell you almost the first
thing people say is ‘I love the walls
and I really love the floor,’” Solomon
said.
While the floor was there, they
renovated much of the interior.
“Karen and her husband and her
friends did paint the walls and trim.
People love the color. We try to make
it look bright and cheerful and
classy,” she said.
The primary color is purple, the
color of thistles, the national flower
Photos by Mara Dresner
“Trends tend to be decorating motifs.
Owls will be really big or frogs will be
really big.”
Martha Piontkowski of New
Britain has been a faithful customer
for at least 13 years. She started doing
needlework in the 1970s.
“I just taught myself,” she said. “I
used to buy the kits.”
She went to Thistle Needleworks
because she needed some yarn to finish two pillows.
“They were in Glastonbury at
Somerset Square at that time. I had
them order the thread. At the time,
they had the classroom at the back,”
she recalled.
“I was in there doing my thing
and I could hear all this laughing and
talking. It sounded like they were
having a really good time.”
Photo by Mara Dresner
35
of Scotland and a nod to Solomon’s
ancestry. A stuffed bear dressed in
her family’s tartan greets visitors to
the shop.
Whether one is an experienced
stitcher or just ready to start a first
project, the staff at Thistle
Needleworks is happy to lend a hand.
“It’s fun, just to look at all the
stuff you can get involved in. Come in
and expand your horizons. Try something new,” Plante said.
Solomon added that you can find
“inspiration for creativity. You can
start with nothing and end up with
something beautiful to accent
your home or give as a gift. A little
bit of love goes into it if you’re
making it as a gift and that makes it
very enjoyable.” WL
Thistle Needleworks is located
at 506 Silas Deane Highway. Call
860-257-2718 or log on to
thistleneedleworks.com.
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36
STAY CALM & VOT
We can Get it Do
7%
Avg. Annual Taxes & Spending
Increase
2% avg. annual increas
Bond Refinancing = $35
Pension Restructuring =
Single Stream Recycling
Created & funded Road
Created School Capital I
WHS Renovation starte
CREC School opened wi
Medical building develo
Lights on Cottone Field
6%
5%
4%
3%
2%
1%
What we will do agai
1. Listen to the public b
2. Eliminate wasteful sp
3. Restore confidence in
decision making
0%
Democrat
2004-2009
REPUBLICAN
2010-2013
Democrat
2014-2015
= GOOD
= Bad
Wethersfield Taxpayers ….. We Hear You & We’re Ready
Town Council:
Hurley
Board of Ed:
Esoian
Rell
Carey
Fitzpatrick
Hemm
Vasel
37
OTE REPUBLICAN
t Done again ….. if you vote us back in the majority !
crease w/ no service cuts
$350k savings
ing = Big future savings $$$
cling = $84,000 savings
Road Paving Program
ital Improvement Fund
arted & nearing completion
d with free facilities to Town
evelopment & expansion
ield
•
•
•
•
•
Responsible Budgets
Control Taxes & Spending
Commitment to Education
Economic Development
Quality of Life
again?
lic before acting
ul spending
ce in Town government & BOE
ady to Lead !
mmann
el
Latina
LaPerriere
Manousos
Vote Row B
Nov. 3rd
Paid for by Wethersfield Republican Town
Committee, Brad Milvae, Treasurer
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39-mature
MATURE Lifestyles
Advice for aging athletes
Retired professional athletes often speak
about the difficult moment when they knew it was
time to retire from professional competition. The
transition can be easy for some but far more difficult for others. But aging amateur athletes know
you need not be a professional to realize there
comes a time when your body is telling you it’s
time to ease up.
Athletes are used to pushing themselves and
stretching their limits, but some limits are best
not pushed. Such is the case with the limits posed
by aging. While athletes don’t have to completely
fold up shop and hang up their cleats, tennis shoes
or other athletic equipment as they approach senior citizen status, there are steps aging athletes
can take to ensure they aren’t pushing their bodies too far as they grow older.
* Recognize your new recovery time. Veteran
athletes tend to have a sixth sense about their bodies, knowing how long they need to recover from
common ailments like ankle sprains, knee pain,
back pain and shin splints. Despite the body’s remarkable ability for recovery, it’s not immune to
aging, and that recovery time will increase as the
body ages. Whereas a sprained ankle might once
have been as good as new after a few days or rest,
aging athletes must recognize that the same ankle
sprain now might require more recovery time. Returning too quickly from an injury can only make
things worse for aging athletes, so don’t push
yourself.
* Take more time to warm up. As the body
ages, its response time to exercise increases. This
means the body needs more time to prepare itself
for cardiovascular and strength training exercises.
Increase your warmup time as you age, gradually
increasing the intensity of your warmup exercises
until your body feels ready for more strenuous exercise.
* Focus on flexibility. The more flexible you are,
the more capable the body is of absorbing shock,
including the shock that results from repetitive
activities. But as the body ages, it becomes less
flexible, which makes it less capable of successfully handling the repetitive movements common to
exercise. Aging athletes should focus on their flexibility, stretching their muscles before and after a
workout. In addition, activities such as yoga can
work wonders on improving flexibility for young
and aging athletes alike.
* Don’t stop strength training. Some aging
athletes mistakenly feel they should stop strength
training as they get older. No longer concerned
about building muscle, aging athletes might feel as
if they have nothing to gain by lifting weights and
continuing to perform other muscle strengthening exercises. But the body gradually loses muscle
mass as it ages, and that loss puts the joints under
greater stress when aging athletes perform other
exercises. That stress can put people at greater
risk for arthritis, tendinitis and ligament sprains.
While you no longer need to max out on the bench
press or challenge yourself on the biceps curl, it is
important to continue to make strength training a
part of your fitness regimen as you age.
Aging athletes need not associate aging with
ceasing their athletic pursuits. But recognizing
your limitations and the changes your body is going through is an important element of staying
healthy as your approach older adulthood.
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40-mature
MATURELifestyles
Snack foods that promote better sleep
Even though difficulty sleeping
may be a part of aging, that does not
mean men and women over 50 cannot
take steps to improve their sleeping
patterns. For example, certain snack
foods may help to improve quality of
sleep, especially when these foods replace less healthy snacking options.
While men and women over 50 should
always consult with their physicians before making any changes to their diets,
the AARP notes that the following are
a handful of snack foods that promote
better sleep.
• Almonds: Magnesium is a mineral with muscle-relaxing properties,
and almonds contain enough mag-
nesium to help men and women get a
better night’s sleep. A small amount of
almonds before bed might be enough to
make falling and staying asleep easier.
• Bananas: Much like almonds, bananas provide a substantial amount of
magnesium. Bananas also contain the
amino acid tryptophan, which many
people associate with Thanksgiving turkey. While tryptophan might be most
often associated with the sleepiness
people feel after eating a holiday meal,
it also has been linked to better sleep
quality, so a banana shortly before bed
might be just what you need to fall and
stay asleep.
• Cheese and crackers: One more
traditional snack may just help you
get a better night’s sleep. Cheese and
crackers contain tryptophan and carbohydrates, which can induce a better
night’s sleep and help you fall asleep
sooner.
• Cherries: Cherries contain the
sleep hormone melatonin, and the
AARP notes that recent studies indicated that participants who drank tart
cherry juice on a daily basis fell asleep
more quickly and slept longer and better than participants who did not.
• Hummus: The primary ingredient in hummus is chickpeas, which are
loaded with tryptophan, folate and vitamin B6. Folate has proven especially
beneficial to older men and women
who need help regulating their sleep
patterns, while vitamin B6 helps the
body regulate its clock.
• Peanut butter: Peanut butter is
another snacking item loaded with
tryptophan. Spread some peanut butter
on a carbohydrate, whether it’s a slice of
toast or some crackers, before going to
bed, and you may enjoy a better, longer
sleep.
• Walnuts: Like cherries, walnuts
contain melatonin, which can contribute to a longer, more restful night’s
sleep. Walnuts also can help regulate
stress, which is a leading cause of sleeping difficulty.
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41-mature
MATURE
Lifestyles
An Active Adult Community
THE RIGHT CHOICE IN ACTIVE ADULT COMMUNITIES
Evergreen is the right choice in Active
Adult communities, centrally located
in Cromwell with easy access to major
highways and conveniently located to
shopping, banking, restaurants and
more. Evergreen offers a quality built
home with many standard features
including oak floors, granite counter
tops and 9’ ceilings. All homes are free
standing with 2 car attached garages.
Did you know?
The Baby Boomer generation
is one of the most influential demographics in the world today. Boomers
represent roughly 28 percent of the
total population of the United States,
according to “Baby Boomer” magazine, and this means they are the
largest generational segment as well
as the single largest economic group
in the United States. They hold 70
percent of the U.S. wealth and are expected to inherit millions of dollars
over the course of the next 20 years.
Baby boomers comprise a population of adults who were born between 1946 and 1964. That makes
boomers people who are between 49
and 67 years old. Many of these baby
boomers have grown to be household
names and influential individuals in
all areas of business. Actor Brad Pitt
is a baby boomer, as is President of
the United States Barack Obama. Director Peter Jackson, singer k.d. lang
and business mogul Donald Trump
all belong to the baby boomer generation. Here are some additional facts
and figures about baby boomers:
* Baby boomers have more discretionary income than any other
age group.
* Baby boomers own 80 percent
of the money in savings and loan associations.
* Baby boomers spend more
money than other groups.
* Baby boomers account for
nearly half of all consumer demand.
Baby boomers have been known
to have an unprecedented impact
on American culture, society and
the economy, and that influence is
bound to continue for several more
years.
*Available on certain Units only,
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Route 372 in Cromwell to Willowbrook Road, left onto Long Green Terrace.Follow signs to Model
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42-mature
MATURELifestyles
Social media no longer just child’s play
More than just a method of channeling information to the comfort of home, the Internet and the
various social media platforms, including Twitter,
Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram, are ways for older adults to stay connected with friends and family.
For seniors faced with mobility issues, social media
helps to bring the world to them.
Despite the stereotype that seniors do not want
to learn to use new technology, many seniors are getting on board. Findings from the Pew Research Institute show that social networking use among Internet
users ages 50 to 64 grew by 88 percent between April
2009 and May 2010. The research also found that the
percentage of those 65 and older using social media
grew from 13 percent to 26 percent during that same
stretch. * Photo and video sharing: The majority of photos being taken today are digital, as fewer people are
making prints of their photos. Rather, they are being
shared via e-mail or through social media sites. Also,
if they’ve managed apps that enable video sharing,
they can view and chat with relatives who live miles
away, just as if they were sitting across the table.
* Conversations with family: In a world where
families are no longer centrally located, communication may be lacking. Despite the prevalence of mobile phones, fewer and fewer people seem to pick up
the phone and make calls as they once did. Instead,
they’re texting and updating social media posts.
They’re also e-mailing one another.
* Convenient check-ins: At times when a fullblown conversation may not be practical, having a
quick method to check in with a loved one can make
social media advantageous. Men and women can
send a quick text to their parents to find out how
they’re feeling or if they need anything.
* Online shopping: Seniors who don’t get out
much or who cannot safely drive a vehicle might not
be able to shop as often
as they would like. Having Internet access and
experience with browsing
Web sites enables older
Personalized care...
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men and women to shop from reputable Web sites
who ship items directly to the house. With the vast
array of items now sold online, anyone can have their
choice of items and not be forced to settle because of
their age.
* Improved feelings of well-being: Avoiding
feelings of isolation and loneliness can benefit older men and women. A study by Dr. Shelia Cotten, a
sociologist and associate professor from the University of Alabama, Birmingham, revealed that Internet
use was associated with a 30 percent decrease in depressive symptoms among older adults who used it
regularly, while other studies have shown similarly
impressive results.
* Working the mind: Going online, chatting on
social media or simply writing an e-mail works areas of the brain. Typing also helps improve manual
dexterity. These factors can be beneficial for seniors
looking to stay sharp.
Using the Internet as a form of communication
is a growing trend among the 50-plus demographic.
It enables them to stay connected with family and
the world in a variety of ways.
People are talking about life...
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43
care
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in
rs
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le
il
k
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a
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livin
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p
l
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c
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p
s
y
is a ver
Come see the new Noble Residence at Avery Heights for top quality Intermediate Care.
The freshly renovated Noble Residence may be the perfect solution for your senior loved one who can and should live
an active, social lifestyle, but now needs full-time access to extra medical support.
• 24/7 nursing care with medication
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• Weekly rounds by Hartford Hospital
cardiologist and pulmonologist
• Diabetic management
• Welcoming, home-like setting with private and semi-private rooms
• Just renovated private dining room, rec room, and lounge with
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Plan now for the next phase of your loved one’s care, before the need is urgent.
For more information or to schedule a tour, call
433
860-527-9126 ext.
705 New Britain Avenue • Hartford, CT 06106 • www.averyheights.org
44-slice
Slice of
photos by Lisa Brisson
LIFE
1
Cornfest
The 31st Annual Wethersfield Cornfest Sept. 19 drew thousands to the Broad Street
Green to celebrate all that is great about the town. There was a wide variety of local
foods, family-friendly activities, a mechanical bull ride, tractor-drawn hay rides and pony
rides. The annual festival is sponsored by the Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce.
2
3
4
5
1. Antonio Garro, 13, sinks his teeth into a huge disc of fried dough. 2. Spiro Koulouris sells Lynn Mahder an ear of Mexican street corn from his Heirloom Market at
Comstock booth. 3. Nine-year-old Nora holds on for a ride on the mechanical bull, a new addition to this year’s event. 4. Pals Austin Ritone, 4, and Avery Ostrout, 5,
get to pick out some of their favorite snacks to enjoy. 5. The Wethersfield Soccer Club’s Shannon Hattie and Hannah Nardella, both 14, helped youngsters win prizes
by shooting the ball in the goal at their booth. 6. Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce President Todd Lamore, Executive Director Leslie Civitello, board member Diane
McAdams and Secretary Alana DiMarco made sure everyone attending the 31st Annual Wethersfield Cornfest had a blast. 7. Company 2’s Joe Martelle shows twins
Kayden and Camden Sharkevich, 8, some of the Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department’s safety giveaways. The boys are the sons of Firefighter Robert Sharkevich Sr.
8. Tony Santucci, Mark Console and Jody D’Natale of the Wethersfield Chapter of UNICO happily served up slices of pizza. 9. Cornfest volunteers David Bonola and
Carolyn Mead make sure every ear of Anderson Farms’ butter and sugar corn is cooked to perfection. 10. Mackenzie Stevens, 14, Abby Sywenkyj, 15, and Jillian
Amoroso, 15, feast on fried Oreos and kettle corn. 11. The Wethersfield High School Marching Band serenaded the Cornfest crowd with some Led Zeppelin tunes.
45-slice
Your
thoughts
6
This month we asked local residents:
What is your favorite thing about autumn?
Here are some of their answers.
7
8
“I enjoy the weather. It’s nice and cool,
perfect weather.”
–Pelino Silvestri
9
10
“I like the colors of fall.”
– Emidio Pizzoferrato
11
“I like the smell of it, that crisp, clean, cool
air … you can tell that winter’s coming.”
– Morris Borea
46
Revising the charter
Commission talks about changes to governing document
by Mark Jahne
Editor
W
hen voters go to the
determine who will
represent them on
the Town Council and Board of
Education. They will also be asked to
vote pro or con on proposed changes
to the Town Charter.
The biggest and most controversial change calls for modifications to
the Board of Ethics. Members are
appointed and address issues
brought to them about potential ethics problems within town government.
Currently, the board operates
under the authority of a Town
Council ordinance and is not part of
the charter, which operates like a
local version of the Constitution. The
Charter Revision Commission is recommending the change because any
future council could simply vote to
repeal the ordinance and the ethics
board would cease to exist.
As described by commission
members, a charter-based Board of
Ethics would operate as an independent body, without input or interference from elected officials to deliberate over any allegation and decide
what to do once those deliberations
are completed.
The Charter Revision
Commission decided not to arm the
Board of Ethics with strong enforcement powers because such powers
would likely conflict with state law
“It took a long time because we talked
this out and reached consensus on
almost everything we did.
We had some really
intense discussions.”
– Daniel Silver
and, in such cases, state law takes
precedence. The commission does
believe it will give the ethics board’s
decisions more authority and finality
if an ethical violation is confirmed.
Another major issue the commission debated was whether to
change the charter to allow taxpay-
ers to have a direct and final vote on
the annual municipal budget by referendum. After much discussion, the
members decided to leave this
authority in the hands of the Town
Council.
Daniel Silver, a Democrat and
former council and school board
HELP SUPPORT OUR VETERANS.
FOR EVERY NATURAL BALANCE PURCHASE
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member, is chairman of the Charter
Revision Commission. Stephen Kirsche, a
Republican and former council member, is
vice chairman. The other members are
Mary Pelletier, Lou Laccavole, former police
chief T. William Knapp, former fire chief
John McAuliffe and Michael Zaleski.
When the council appointed the commission, it took steps to keep it as nonpartisan as possible. Its membership includes
three Democrats, three Republicans and
one unaffiliated voter – Knapp.
Four commission members sat down
with Wethersfield LIFE to discuss the
process and the proposed changes that are
part of the charter referendum that will
appear on the ballot. They hope that everyone who votes will take the time to express
their opinion on this matter.
State law requires municipal charter
review every 10 years.
The commission met more than 30
times over the course of a year and a half.
It reviewed the charter piece by piece and
solicited public input via letters and
a public hearing.
“Every idea that was brought up at the
public hearing was discussed,” Pelletier
said.
The same is true of the letters they
Photo by Mark Jahne
47
Members of the Charter Revision Commission include,
from left, Lou Laccavole, Vice Chairman Stephen Kirsche,
Chairman Daniel Silver and Mary Pelletier.
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received, she added. Even those
suggestions the commission
deemed rather odd or irrelevant
received their moment at the table.
“It took a long time because we
talked this out and reached consensus on almost everything we
did. We had some really intense
discussions,” Silver said. “A lot of
what we did was clean up language.
We really did our homework.”
Some of that language was
repetitive, and some of it was no
longer needed, such as the provision for a dog warden. The police
department employs modern-day
animal control officers whose work
extends beyond dealing with
canines.
Silver and Kirsche agreed that
they quickly realized if they were to
make any progress, partisan bickering could not be part of the process.
“We respected each other,”
Kirsche said. “In the normal political arena, people come with their
own agendas. We were doing this
for the best interests of
Wethersfield.”
Issues were debated and
consensus was reached whenever
possible. Individual members didn’t
always get everything they wanted,
but they understood that the
bigger picture required them
to compromise.
“We influenced each other,”
Laccavole said.
All four agreed that each commission member changed his or her
mind at least once during their discussions. They cast votes on every
proposed change, of which there
were dozens. Some votes were
unanimous; others were not.
The Board of Ethics debate was
the most difficult and took more
time than any other charter item.
“That was the biggest disagreement on the commission,” Silver
said.
They reflected back on an ethics complaint filed against a school
board member six years ago that
resulted in costly litigation and no
action by the existing ethics board.
None of them want to see that happen again.
Kirsche was concerned that
the Board of Ethics charter section
could have become a major issue in
this year’s election campaign.
“We all agreed we wanted to
do something with this. It gives the
ethics board more authority than
they had under the ordinance.
Some of us wanted to go much further and put some teeth in it,”
Pelletier said. “There is some vocal
opposition because they say we
didn’t go far enough on the ethics.”
Kirsche added that the majority of commission members agreed
with Pelletier’s position but felt it
was a futile gesture to enact penalties that could never be assessed
because of state law.
Silver said the importance of
the change – if approved – is that
the Town Council can no longer
trump a Board of Ethics decision
for political or other purposes. The
board’s determination will be final.
“The buck stops with the ethics
commission,” he said.
He added that there is a penalty provision. It can censure the
guilty party or call for his or her
resignation.
“The Town Council and the
Board of Education could always go
further” with additional punitive
measures, Pelletier said.
Silver said the proposed change
does not replace the existing ordinance. That ordinance would need
to be amended if the referendum
passes.
Kirsche said other possibilities
the commission discussed were
changing town government from
the current council/manager format to a strong mayor model.
Laccavole said a small, but loud,
number of people pushed hard for
the budget referendum.
They decided not to take either
action and leave things the way
they are. Another proposed change
recognizes that a new state statute
removes the authority of a town
council to issue subpoenas for testimony at its hearings.
They did change the wording
regarding the town clerk from an
“indefinite” appointment to someone who serves at the pleasure of
the Town Council.
“We did spend a fair amount of
time studying the reporting relationship,” Laccavole said.
Silver said the commission
frequently requested legal opinions
during its many months of discussion to better understand the issues
and the changes it was
considering. He said a fact sheet
explaining the proposed charter
changes will be mailed to all
homes in town prior to the Nov. 3
election. WL
49-edu
Special Section
TurleyCT.com | November 2015
50-edu
LIFE
in the classroom
A unique ‘Twelfth Night’
High school actors prepare to
present Shakespeare with a twist
I
f performing William
Shakespeare’s “Twelfth
Night” at the high
school level sounds a
bit daunting, try mixing in a
bit of the comedy film
“Caddyshack.” That
approach is what the young
actors at Wethersfield High
School plan to do for their
fall drama production.
Director Jeff Roets is
taking the Bard’s romantic
comedy and giving it a modern twist by adding elements of the 1980 golf-based
movie starring Bill Murray,
Rodney Dangerfield and
Chevy Chase. Roets teaches
English and is advisor to the
WHS Drama Club.
Sondra Blanzaco is producing the show.
“This is our third
Photos by Mark Jahne
by Mark Jahne
Editor
Dina DiMarco
plays the Fool,
a role usually
portrayed by a
male actor.
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Nate Sommers and Rachel Way
rehearse their lines.
Nate Sommers and Rachel Way
rehearse their lines.
Shakespeare production,” Roets
said. “The tragedies are a little
harder to pull off.”
Previous groups of actors performed “Much Ado About Nothing”
and “A Midsummer Night’s
Dream.” They also did a teen film
adaption of “Twelfth Night” called
“She’s the Man.”
“We’ve done a lot of script editing. We’ve cut more than we’ve
changed. We decided to do this
through the lens of Caddyshack,”
Roets said.
That viewpoint helps makes
the play more contemporary for
performers and audience alike. He
explained that the original play
deals with issues of social class distinction, and a modern country
club could be perceived in the
same manner.
“Shakespeare’s gender-bending
love triangle play, ‘Twelfth Night,’
is silly, but complex. There is a love
triangle, a fool, a gull, a drunk,
twins kept apart, cross dressing
and gender confusion, threats of
violence, and a nasty prank against
a nasty servant,” Roets said. “We
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52-edu
adults. He is doing some gender
switches to add to the fun. For
example, Dina DiMarco will portray
the Fool, a traditionally male role.
Roets works hard to help his
young actors understand the meaning behind their lines. In 2015, people
don’t speak the way they did in
Shakespearean times, and all of
those “forsooths” and “prithees” are
difficult for anyone in today’s world
to grasp.
role as Duke Orsino.
“Duke Orsino is a really fun
character because he’s so over the
top and so dramatic,” he said.
Lindsey Gordon is excited about
her role, Viola, saying one of the
enjoyable aspects of that character is
she pretends to be a boy,
“I love it. I really like
Shakespeare and I wanted this part
for a while. The story is really fun,”
she said.
“We’re trying to make it as much
fun as possible. There still is the
anchor of tragedy.”
– Jeff Roets
Zach Martin is cast
as Sir Toby Belch.
wanted to make these stories accessible for our audience of high school
students, not to mention accessible
for our players, so we decided to set
the play in a contemporary time.
“That decision led us to think
about where and when specifically
we could see a very class-oriented
society that would allow for lots of
silly posturing and costuming. We’re
trying to make it as much fun as
possible. There still is the anchor of
tragedy,” Roets said.
The cast of 16 includes two
He is also planning to use music
from the 1980s to the present to create fun transitions between scenes.
Golf clubs will be employed in place
of swords.
Those who recall reading
Shakespeare during their scholastic
careers may have found it dry and
difficult to follow, but this group of
teenagers is enthusiastic about taking on the challenge of performing
this play.
“It’s just classic. They’ve always
been done,” Zach Martin said.
“It’s cool doing a Shakespeare
play because Shakespeare has his
own style of doing things,” Kenny
Acuna added.
“Trying to get down the rhythm
and how you’re supposed to say it is
tricky at first,” Rachel Way said.
Nathaniel Sommers said blending the film with the play makes it a
more interesting production.
Will Stabach spoke about how
much he is looking forward to his
“I get to have a rap battle in
this,” DiMarco said. “I get to sing ‘It’s
Raining Men.’”
She has performed in numerous
shows, but this is her first shot at
doing a comedy. It’s the first time
doing live theater for fellow cast
member Timothy Laurito, who plays
the Priest.
Sabrina Berry has done musicals
before but this is her first play of
another style. She admitted that she
doesn’t understand all of the
Shakespearean language, but is still
having a lot of fun.
Shows are scheduled for 7:30
p.m. Nov. 13-14, and 3:30 p.m. Nov.
15. Tickets are $8 for general admission and $6 for senior citizens and
students. Because of the ongoing
construction at WHS, all performances will be held in the Webb
School auditorium. WL
For tickets and additional information call 860-721-9075.
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Keeping focus
Strategies to help kids with their schoolwork
S
ome youngsters experience
difficulty when the time
comes to focus on their
schoolwork. Such difficulties
may be linked to a variety of factors,
and parents can be overwhelmed as
they attempt to identify the root
cause of their youngsters’ struggles
in the classroom.
According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention,
roughly 6.4 million American children between the ages of four and 17
have been diagnosed with attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder, or
ADHD. ADHD most often occurs in
children, and these children may
have difficulty with concentrating,
paying attention, staying organized,
and remembering details. But not all
children struggling to focus on their
studies have ADHD. Parents who
want to help their kids overcome
their issues with regard to focusing
can consider a host of approaches
and strategies.
• Speak with a qualified healthcare professional. Because ADHD is
so common, parents should seek the
opinion of a licensed healthcare professional to determine if their child
has the disorder. According to the
National Resource Center on ADHD
(www.help4adhd.org), psychiatrists,
pediatricians, neurologists, psychologists, and certain licensed counselors or therapists are qualified to
diagnose ADHD. Determining if a
child has ADHD is a great first step
toward helping that youngster overcome his or her struggles in the
classroom. A qualified healthcare
professional can help develop a strategy to improve focus, and that may
include prescribing medication
to improve the child’s ability
to concentrate.
• Speak with your child’s
teacher. Students who don’t have
ADHD can still have trouble focusing on their schoolwork, and parents
of such students may want to speak
to their children’s teachers to solve
the problem. Educators have significant experience dealing with students who have trouble focusing, and
they may be able to make certain
suggestions to help kids focus on
their work.
• Minimize distractions at home.
Some kids may do well in class but
find it hard to focus once they arrive
home. That’s because home often
has far more distractions than the
classroom. Once the time comes for
your child to do his or her homework, minimize distractions that
can compromise his or her ability to
focus. Turn off the television and
take kids’ phones away if they have
their own phones. During homework
time, only allow them to use their
computers for their lessons and not
to connect with friends via social
media. Parents also should make
sure they aren’t the distraction.
Let kids do their work in peace
and quiet, offering to help if need be,
but steering clear of kids work areas
so they are encouraged to focus and
not strike up conversations with
mom or dad.
• Make lists. Some kids focus
better when they know exactly what
they have to do. Encourage such
youngsters to make lists of their
assignments and check items off as
they are completed. Checking items
off can give kids a sense of accomplishment, which can motivate them
to stay focused on their schoolwork
going forward.
• Encourage breaks. A breather
every so often can help kids avoid
growing tired. Make sure kids don’t
take up another task, such as playing
video games or watching television,
during their breaks. But keep in
mind that standing up every so often
to walk around or get a glass of
water can help them stay sharp and
energized over the long haul. WL
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News roundup
It’s leaf time again
Town crews will be out in force from
Nov. 2 until Dec. 5 for the annual leaf
removal program. Residents are
asked to have their leaves raked to
curbside by the first day of collection
in their area.
Leaves should be raked in a long
row about three feet high and placed
on the snow shelf behind the curb,
not in the street. Piles must be free of
any foreign matter, such as large
branches and stones.
The town will not make individual spot pick-ups of leaves. Residents
who do not have their leaves raked to
curbside by the time of collection in
their area must either compost them
or take them to the transfer station
at 100 Marsh St. for free disposal.
The schedule is subject to
change, depending upon weather
conditions, particularly snow. The
most up-to-the minute changes can
be found on wethersfieldct.com. An
area map and a street listing and
schedule are posted on the website.
Auxiliary leaders
sworn in
1. Officers of the Bourne-Keeney
American Legion Post 23 were sworn
in by 1st District President Laura
Santino at a meeting Oct. 6. They
are: President Mary Spellacy,
Secretary Virginia Barber, Treasurer
June Manning, Chaplain Carmen
Easinsky and Vice Presidents Susan
Gioco, Phyllis Baker, Barbara
Bukulski and Rachel Ewaski.
2
1
Remembering
fallen hero
2. Hundreds of motorcycles passed
beneath a giant American flag hanging from a Wethersfield fire truck’s
ladder on Prospect Street on their
way to Newington during the annual
memorial ride for Master Police
Officer Peter Lavery.
The veteran Newington officer
was shot and killed while responding
to a domestic dispute Dec. 30, 2004.
He was a motorcycle enthusiast and
every September this ride is held to
remember him and to raise money
for the charitable foundation that
was started in his honor.
Grant for walkway
approved
The Connecticut Bond Commission
has approved $1 million toward a
project that will connect the new
walkway on the Putnam Bridge to
local streets in Wethersfield and
Glastonbury. The commission’s decision, made Sept. 29, came under its
provision for urban bikeway, pedestrian connectivity, trails and alterna-
tive mobility programs.
Earlier this fall, state
Department of Transportation officials and bicycle and fitness advocates said they hoped the responsibility for paying for the bridge-tostreet connections would not be
borne solely by the two towns.
The walkway runs along the
southern side of the bridge and was
included in the major bridge rehabilitation project that, for the most
part, ended in late summer. The
walkway added about $5 million in
cost to the $25 million bridge rehabilitation project.
Library closes
for holiday
The Wethersfield Library will be
closed to observe the Thanksgiving
holiday Nov. 26-27. It will resume
regular hours on Saturday, Nov. 28.
The library can always be
accessed at wethersfieldlibrary.org
where patrons may search the catalog, use the online databases, download an audiobook, ask a reference
question, or renew, reserve or
request a book. WL
56
calendar
November
3
Coping with Grief and
Loss during the Holidays, 6 p.m.,
registration recommended,
Wethersfield Library, 515 Silas
Deane Highway, 860-257-2811 or
wethersfieldlibrary.org
5
BarBeQue and Beer
Fundraiser, 5:30-9 p.m., Webb
Barn, 211 Main St., 860-721-6200 or
wethersfieldchamber.com
7
First Church Village
Craft Fair, 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., 117
Wells Road
10
Teen Star Wars
Crunch ‘n Craft Workshop, 3:30
p.m., registration required,
Time to Talk, 7:30 p.m., for new
English language speakers,
wethersfieldlibrary.org, also Nov. 17
and 24
11
Computer Basics,
10:30 a.m., registration required,
Introduction to the Internet,
2:30 p.m., registration required,
14
Second Saturday
Cinema: “The Awful Truth,” 1:30
p.m., Wethersfield Library, 515 Silas
150 Prospect Coffeehouse, 6:30
p.m., Wethersfield United Methodist Church, 150 Prospect St., 860614-5158 or [email protected]
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Colonial
Thanksgiving Dinner, 1 p.m.,
Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum, 211
Main St., 860-529-0612 or webbdeane-stevens.org
17
Tuesday Night Movie:
“Love and Mercy,” 6:15 p.m.,
21
Ye Olde Sugar Plum
Fair, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Trinity
Episcopal Church Parish Hall, 300
Main St., 860-529-6825 or trinityepiscopalweth.org
15th Annual Wethersfield
Antiques Show, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Pitkin Community Center, 30
Greenfield St., 860-529-7656 or
wethersfieldhistory.org
23
Introduction to
Microsoft Word, 2:30 p.m.,
Introduction to Microsoft Excel,
6:30 p.m., Wethersfield Library, 515
Silas Deane Highway, 860-257-2811
or wethersfieldlibrary.org
24
GFWC Newington/
Wethersfield Woman’s Club, 6
p.m., Newington Senior & Disabled
Center, 120 Cedar St., Newington,
860-666-4371
Is your club, community organization,
school or house of worship holding an
event open to the general public? If so,
please send us the details for inclusion
in our calendar. Email your events to
Mark Jahne at [email protected]
or mail them to Turley CT Community
Publications, 540 Hopmeadow St.,
Simsbury, CT 06070.
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Events
spotlight
860-529-6825 or
trinityepiscopalweth.org
Commerce presents the first installment of what it hopes will become
an annual event to raise money for
next year’s fireworks display. The
party will have a country theme.
Tickets are limited in number and
are priced at $30. Orders can be
placed via email to wethersfield@
sbcglobal.net.
Start the holiday season with an event
featuring baked goods, handmade
gifts, books, puzzles and tapes, gift
baskets, Christmas crafts, Christmas
collectibles and a food court.
Haunted House
Witches and
Tombstones Tours
Oct. 24-25, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Webb House, 211 Main St.
860-529-0612 or
webb-deane-stevens.org
The Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum
offers an up-close and creepy examination of all things macabre.
Admission for the 90-minute tour is
$13 per person. Space is limited and
reservations are strongly advised.
The tour starts at the Webb House
with stops at the Buttolph-Williams
House, Wethersfield Ancient Burying
Ground and Isaac Stevens House.
Church Village Craft Fair
Nov. 7, 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
117 Wells Road
The First Church Village Social Club
is holding its first craft fair in its
clubhouse. Admission is free. Start
your holiday shopping with unique,
hand-crafted jewelry, pottery, specialty soaps, crocheted and knit
items, Christmas decorations and
much more.
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Oct. 23-25
Eleanor Buck Wolf
Nature Center
156 Prospect St.
860-721-2980 orinfo@
friendsofebwnaturecenter.org
The Friends of the Eleanor Buck Wolf
Nature Center’s annual haunted
house will be stuffed with hidden
treasures plus spooky and educational fun for children of all ages.
Hours are 6-9 p.m. Oct. 23, 2-8 p.m.
Oct. 24 and 2-8 p.m. Oct. 25.
Admission is $4 per person (age 2
and under are free). Games cost 50
cents each. Proceeds will benefit the
Friends and their support of adult
lectures, children’s education programs, summer camp financial aid,
scholarships and needed supplies.
BarBeQue and Beer
Fundraiser
Nov. 5, 5:30-9 p.m.
Webb Barn, 211 Main St.
860-721-6200 or
wethersfieldchamber.com
The Wethersfield Chamber of
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Colonial
Thanksgiving Dinner
15th Annual Wethersfield
Antiques Show
Nov. 15, 1 p.m.
Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum
211 Main St.
860-529-0612 or
webb-deane-stevens.org
Nov. 21, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Pitkin Community Center
30 Greenfield St.
860-529-7656 or
wethersfieldhistory.org
Priscilla Alden, a prominent guest at
the first Thanksgiving, will travel
nearly four centuries to be here, in
her finest dress. Alden will mingle
with guests at the opening reception
and give a presentation during the
authentic 18th century feast. Tickets
are available via PayPal through the
WDS website and by phone.
Ye Olde Sugar Plum Fair
Nov. 21, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Trinity Episcopal Church Parish Hall
300 Main St.
The Wethersfield Historical Society
brings in dealers displaying a wide
range of early American and 19th
century items. A gala cocktail preview party opens the show from
6:30-9 p.m. Nov. 20 at a cost of $35, or
$55 for patrons. Admission to the
main event on Saturday is $8 ($7
with a discount coupon or show
card). New this year are verbal
appraisals at a cost of $5 for one
item, $8 for two and $10 for
a maximum of three. WL
• No Seasonal price hikes.
• Cars are thoroughly sanitized before every rental.
• 10% discount on POSTED RATES BELOW for StarCard Members
and their out-of-town colleagues and corporate associates,
,
Costco, BJs, and Sam’s Club.
• Plus all applicable airport fees and taxes.
• Contacts & Eye Exams
• 15% Military Discount
• Gift Certificates Available
Serving the Newington area since 1971 with unsurpassed knowledge and personalized individual attention
2311 Berlin Tpke., Newington 860.667.0921
Visit our new website: EyeglassPlace-ngtn.com
Tues-Fri 10am-6pm • Sat 10am-2pm
Must make reservations at:
roncariautorental.com
Offer Expires on
12/31/2015
1-800-555-6540
58
Where to
Cinda-rella’s Attic
FIND IT
Wreaths are no longer
only a winter decoration.
This fall wreath was
handcrafted in Wethersfield
exclusively
for Cinda-rella’s Attic
and can come in other
seasonal or non-seasonal
varieties. It can be found at
Cinda-rella’s Attic, located at
59 Wells Road. It can be
reached at 860-563-0351
or online at
www.cinda-rellasattic.com.
Fair Weather Acres
Who says that pumpkins have to be orange? At Fair Weather Acres,
you’ll find a dozen varieties of heirloom pumpkins in colors including white; a bluish-green called Jarrahdale; orange-reds (more red
than orange); and Cinderella pumpkins, which are dark green. You’ll
also find some funky textures, such as the peanut pumpkin, which
looks as though it has peanut shells pasted on or ones that look as
though they’re covered with warts. They sell for 69-cents a pound.
There are 48 total different varieties of pumpkins, as well as heirloom varieties of gourds, and mini pumpkins and gourds.
Find them at Fair Weather Acres, 1146 Cromwell Ave., Rocky Hill,
860-529-6755, fairweatheracres.com.
Winter Is Coming! It’s Not Too Early To Think Snow!
RESIDEN
SNOW BLOTWIAL
ING
Mention Th
is Ad
And
Receive An
Additional
$25 Off!
www.sceniclandscapingct.com/snow
860-656-7440
Serving Sections of
Wethersfield and Rocky Hill
- Special equipment dedicated to residential customers.
- Driveways are snow blown, no more plows causing damage.
- No more giant snow piles that block your view.
- Our service covers the entire winter season.
- The most efficient and best-price service in town!
- One low seasonal rate! No budget surprises!
- Sit back, relax, and let us take care of old man winter!
- Locally Owned and Operated - Full Insured & Licensed #0632952
Always Something New & Tasty...
STEVE’S PLACE
G R I N D E R S • P A S TA • S A L A D • G R I L L E
FULL BREAKFAST • DAILY LUNCH SPECIALS
NEW “SAUTE” MENU $11.95
(Newington
Location Only)
featuring ... Chicken Marsala, Chicken Picatta,
Pasta ala Vodka and MORE!
84 Market Square
Newington
860.666.5975
YOUR ROAD TO A BETTER HOME
www.homedesigndistrict.com
Since
1969
Let us h
elp
make y you
home b our
eautifu
l
for the
holiday
s!
366 Cromwell Ave.
Rocky Hill
860.721.8545
LIFE
Read
online at
www.TurleyCT.com
59-re
Real Estate
BRAND NEW TO MARKET!
WETHERSFIELD
$389,900
AMAZING Open Concept. 15’ ceilings.
4bd/2.5baths. Nicely Updated. Mother
Nature right outside your door.
Tom Pia
(860) 305-8826
NEWINGTON
$173,500
RIDGEFIELD MODEL FHA APPROVED.
Town-house with full basement w/FP.
Front to back living room.
Anne Thomas
(860) 436-4765
ROCKY HILL
$1,195,000
EXCEPTIONAL 8257 sq ft Country
French. Brick/stone. Attention to detail.
Gorgeous grounds with pool.
Roseanne Scacca (860) 214-0236
WETHERSFIELD
$177,900
JUST LISTED Ranch with expanded
kitchen/family room. 3 bdrms. Gas
/C/air. Wood floors. Also for lease.
Jeanne Bailey (860) 665-1094
CROMWELL
$339,900
CONTEMP Walls of windows, generous
closets, seasonal river views. Secluded
park-like setting. Poss In-law.
Marie Padilla
(860) 205-2655
WETHERSFIELD
$224,900
BRAND NEW Kitchen with granite. 2
FP, Beautiful floors. Character! Views.
Freshly painted. New roof. Sun Rm.
Neil Howett
(860) 571-6661
OLD LYME
$650,000
POINT O’WOODS BEACH WATERFRONT. Reduced! 5 bd/2bth. Fireplace LR.
Sound and Marsh Views. Move-In. cond.
Peg Hurley
(860) 729-3094
WETHERSFIELD
$275,000
Open flexible floor plan. Oversized
kitchen. NEW bath rooms. Private
deck area. Master Suite w/balcony.
Anne Thomas
(860) 436-4765
CROMWELL
$464,900
JUST LISTED Spacious 2900+ sqft
home designed for today’s living. 2 MB.
1 on the 1st floor. Private yard.
Anthony LaCava (860) 944-4451
5 STEVENS PLACE
3 beds, 2 1/2 baths
condo in Rocky Hill
only $189,900.00
CALL ME FOR YOUR
PRIVATE SHOWING!
Diane McAdams
860.538.6006
dianemcadams.bhhsneproperties.com
GHAR Board Member
Wethersfield Chamber Board Member
© 2014 An independently operated member of BHH Affiliates. Equal Housing Opportunity.
bhhsNEproperties.com
BHHS New England Properties
1160 Silas Deane Highway Suite 101 & 102, Wethersfield, CT 06109, 860.563-2881
© 2014 An independently
operatedNE
member
of BHH Affiliates.
Equal Housing
Opportunity.
2014 BHHS
Properties
OFFICE
OF THE
YEAR
CLEMENS & SONS
Featured
Property!
35 BEAR ROCK ROAD, DURHAM $489,000
Custom built English Style Colonial Tudor,
6 bedrooms, 3 bath home that borders the
State Forest. In Law Possibilities, Central
Air, Oil Heat, Generator and large Family
& Dining Rooms. Needs a little TLC.!
352 WASHINGTON ST., BRISTOL $265,000
1840 Colonial Farmhouse. Home has been
updated, 9Ft. Ceilings, Large Dining &
Family Rooms, 4 bed, 1.5 Bath. Beautiful
Corner lot, Detached 2 car garage with
Green House.
Joe Ercolani
860.344.1658 or 860.978.1109
[email protected]
WETHERSFIELD- Awesome new price on this updated
and move in ready 3BR 1.5 bath colonial. HW floors
throughout, gas heat, new roof & windows, and a fenced
in backyard you will LOVE. $239,900
Julie Lemos
860-463-0426
[email protected]
Visit me online at www.julielemosrealtor.com
www.facebook.com/julielemosrealtor
117 ROBETH LANE, WETHERSFIELD
Great view of the Reservoir! Spacious 5 BR/3
BA with open floor plan. Fabulous location!
$449,000
Call Sandy Whitaker at 860-490-0695
Top 1% in Wethersfield Sales over the last 5 years
Multi-million $$ and Quality Service Pinnacle Producer
60-re
Real
Estate
CLEMENS & SONS
Wethersfield
Asking $279,000
Newly Listed 1700SF Colonial with new kitchen, roof
and siding. Still time to enjoy 3 season porch.
Nice lot and location.
Debi Rozewski
860-922-3221
[email protected]
Christine
Morrissette
&
Amy Nix
join
Team Ladd
Christine Morrissette
860-416-0974
at William Raveis
Real Estate
Wethersfield Office
Amy Nix
860-214-9440
Christine has been a resident of Wethersfield for 26
years where she and her husband Jeff have raised their
two children Nicole and Michael. “Working as a Dental
Hygienist for 29 years in both Wethersfield and Glastonbury has provided me with an opportunity to meet and
work with hundreds of wonderful people in the area.
For many years I have had a keen interest in following
the real estate market. In August, 2015 I decided to
pursue this passion and attained my real estate license. I
am a “people person” and feel my experience in working
with individuals one on one will help me lead potential
clients to a positive, productive outcome. I am very
excited to be a part of “Team Ladd”, with Andrea Ladd
at William Raveis of Wethersfield and I look forward to
helping future clients with their real estate needs.”
Amy Nix, a 16 year resident of Wethersfield, is
pleased to announce her affiliation with Wethersfield
William Raveis office as a member of Team Ladd.
Amy is the mother of two beautiful daughters. Addie,
a sophomore at Georgetown and Ansley, a senior at
Wethersfield High. Amy brings a diverse background
to her Real Estate practice. Her work experience as a
professional sales representative, coupled with her love
of homes and Real estate result in a knowledge base
that will be very beneficial for her clients.
She is an active real estate investor and brings a professional, yet personal level of service to each client. She
is an excellent communicator and is passionate about
helping each client achieve their real estate goals.
Please contact Christine at 860.416.0974 or via
email at [email protected]
Please contact Amy at [email protected] or
860.214.9440 to discuss your family’s needs.
Multi-Million Dollar Producer and
Quality Service Pinnacle Producer
A Change to Embrace
David Zionts joins Embrace Home Loans as Branch Manager Assistant and Senior Loan Officer
Embrace Home Loans, a dedicated mortgage lender based in Newport, Rhode Island is pleased to announce that David Zionts, has
joined the Rocky Hill, Connecticut office as Branch Manager Assistant, as well as a Senior Loan Officer. With more than 25 years in
residential mortgage and commercial lending, Zionts is no stranger to developing new markets and strong professional teams. Prior to
joining Embrace, Zionts was President and owner of Connecticut Mortgage Lenders LLC where he originated, processed, underwrote
and funded $395,000,000 in purchase and refinance residential loans and more than $5,000,000 in commercial loans over 17 years.
Zionts chose to join Embrace at this time because he was particularly impressed with the experience of the organization’s top Management. “This is a strong team of
professionals with many years of experience in the industry.” He was equally impressed with the teamwork philosophy, high level of professionalism and friendliness
he encountered. Zionts characterizes Embrace’s training program as “excellent” along with technology and support that, “are much better than I’ve experienced
elsewhere. The company knows what it’s doing and it has a great culture. Everyone wants to help everyone else succeed and the client is always number one.“
Looking at the market, Zionts sees opportunity. “I think, while the economy is still slowly gaining momentum, there are great deals on homes at still historically
low rates. “After all,” says Zionts, “economics is cyclic, and while we’ve yet to fully recover from the recent recession, home prices seem to be stabilizing. I think
conditions are excellent for those looking to buy now and we are entering a very long growth period in real estate.”
Originally from West Hartford and a graduate of the University of Connecticut, Zionts is a resident of Springfield, MA.
David Zionts NMLS# 110961, is employed by Embrace Home Loans and is licensed in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
About Embrace Home Loans: Founded in 1983, Embrace Home Loans is a direct lender for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, approved by FHA and VA, and an issuer for
Ginnie Mae. Embrace Home Loans has remained a prominent leader in the industry, having helped hundreds of thousands of individuals and their families purchase new
homes, lower their monthly payments and consolidate high-interest debt since its inception. For more information, please visit www.embracehomeloans.com.
Contact David Zionts for all your mortgage needs at
860.841.7005 or [email protected]
www.embracehomeloans.com
Embrace Home Loans, Inc. NMLS ID# 2184 www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org
To find out more about making your own move to Embrace,
call Cary Reines at 301.980.8805 today!
61-re
Real
Estate
Welcome To
Our Newest
Team Member
OPEN 10-25 from 1-3
Scott Rishar
Erik Sousa,
Broker
Erik Sousa,
Broker
Newington • $149,900
Rare find! 3 bed, 1.5 bath townhouse
at Glen Oaks. Remodeled kitchen, hrdwd flrs, part fin LL, newer windows,
slider, furnace and hot water heater!
Wethersfield • $179,900
2 bed, 2.5 bath townhouse at The
Crossings! Corian kitchen w/SS appl and
breakfast bar, fully fin LL w/full bath. Gas
heat, vaulted ceilings and garage!
Every listing gets a professional stager & photographer.
Cell 860.983.0457 | Office 860.258.6202
TheSousaGroup.raveis.com | [email protected]
1206 Silas Deane Highway | Wethersfield
860.983.0457
TheSousaGroup.raveis.com
Wethersfield Homes
860-997-1600 • [email protected]
Lisa Bowman, GRI, ABR
www.RedOnionHomes.com
Consistent Results • Caring • Award-winning
860-983-6789
D
I
WETHERSFIELD $825,000
Stylish Bungalow with a
“Secret Garden”
$214,900
Fabulous 6 Room Cape w/
2 Car Garage, Updated
$229,900
Well Built 3 BR Ranch
with an Open Concept
$224,900
Spectacular Brick 5 Bdrm Georgian Col on half acre manicured private fenced grounds. Over 6300 sq ft w/ 2 awesome
Kits & a MB & Jacuzzi on each level. 3-Car gar, Gas Heat,
CAIR. This home can suit multi-generational lifestyles- A must
see! Co-listed w/Madhu Reddy 860-918-2921
VE
RO
MP
ROCKY HILL $399,900
I
Spacious 4 BR Colonial
Newer Roof/Mechanicals
$199,900
Charming Brick Colonial
on Lovely Broad St. Green
$399,900
Custom One owner DeJohn-built Col w/views of 1860 Reservoir!
2300 sq.ft., 4 BR’S, 2.1 Bth, 2 Gar, Many updates plus Fin LL
for added living space. Florida Rm, New Landscaping & Walkways, Salt Water Ingrnd Pl, Fenced Priv Yard, Gas Heat, CAIR, a
beautiful place to call Home! Call Dan Montano 860-324-3702
Fabulous custom built 4000+
SF Colonial on cul-de-sac!
$574,900
Charm-filled Colonial
w/ 2 Car Garage
$264,900
2000 sq ft Colonial
on 1.11 acres!
$299,900
Extraordinary 10 Room
Colonial with Water Views
$574,900
Call Lisa for information on additional listings
Wethersfield’s
VE
RO
P
M
ICE
PR
!
Truly motivated sellers say SELL! Callery-built Traditional 4 BR Col, 3.1 Bths, 2-Gar, Part Fin LL. Outstanding Flr plan, Brand New Replacement Windows! Priv
Fenced Yard w/beautiful Ingrnd Pl -located close to Weth.
Country Club! Available now!
Walk to Highcrest School from
this sparkling 4BR colonial!
$359,900
SO. GLASTONBURY $289,900
“Like new” 6 rm/3 bd/3 bth,
2 car gar in 55+ complex
$307,500
!
420 Old Main Street...On priv rd w/a View! 3372 sq ft, 5
bdrms, 2.1 Bth, 2-Gar Grand Col on 1.32 acre priv lot
backs to meadows of CT River. Pristinely preserved & beautiful to the eye, lovers of Vintage homes will be impressed!
Call Cynthia Neznayko-Owner/Agent 860-881-8500
D
Cute Ranch with 3 Garages
Includes XL 2 Car Detached
$209,900
ICE
PR
#1 Realtor
Outstanding Luxury Townhouse Condo at Chestnut Hillmany recent updates including remodelled Kit w/Granite &
Refin HW Flrs. Contemp Design w/Skylights, Sunken LivRm
w/FP; Large Master w/Walk-In & Jacuzzi, Fin Walk-out LL
adds 3 more rms. Gas Heat, CAIR - Ready to move into now!
BUYING?
We will meet you free of
charge to discuss the HomeBuying Process from
Start to Closing
Great Value here! Pretty 1878 SF Cape w/Fabulous Great
Room w/Gas Fireplace. Enormous Kitchen, 1st Floor Master Bedroom w/Full Bath can give one-Level Living Space.
Formal Living rm & Dining rms, 2 add’l Bedrms & 2nd
Full Bth, 1 Garage-Call Karen McAlister 860-796-5833
Call Mirella
& Team
860-997-1600
SELLING?
We will provide Free
Comprehensive Market
Analysis & Marketing Plan
for your Home
62-re
WILLIAM
RAVEIS
REAL ESTATE
WILLIAM
RAVEIS
REAL ESTATE
8 6 0 - 8860
3 6 --0836
5 5 8 - 0558
[email protected]
Please visit my website: sharoncarducci.raveis.com
#1 Sales Agent in Wethersfield 2012 & 2013!
Wethersfield - $449,900
Custom Built Colonial with 1st Floor Bedroom/Possible In-Law, 1st Floor Laundry
& Full Bath! Gourmet Granite Kit, Cherry
HW Floors, Gas Heat, C/Air, Generator,
Trex Deck, All the Bells & Whistles! Pristine!
Wethersfield - $359,900
Charming 3000+SF 13 Room, 5 Bdrm, 3
Full Bth Col w/Loads of Character! Granite
Kit, HW Floors, Multi Zone Heat,1st Floor
Laundry, New Vinyl Siding, New Roof, 3 Car
Garage, 20x16 Deck, Location! Location!
Location! Truly One of a Kind!!!
(Based on MLS Data)
Real
Estate
Sharon
Carducci
Sharon
SkellySkelly
Carducci
Portland - $389,900
Gorgeous Builders Model. Huge Granite Kit,
Center Island, Crown Molding, Coffered Ceilings,
FR w/Vaulted Ceiling, Formal DR, 1st Floor
Master, HW Flrs, Close to Pool & Clubhouse, 55
& Older Community Great Financially Solvent
Condition. Available for Rent.
New
Construction
Hartford - $199,900
Charming Quality Built 2 Family Incl 10 Rms,
4 Bds, & 2 Full Baths! Features a 3 Car Gar,
Vinyl Siding, Lovely Front Porches, Newer Rf,
Gas Heat, 2 Gas Hot Water Heaters, LR w/F/p,
Eat In Kit, FR, Hrdwd Flrs, Needs Some
Updating but Well Worth The Effort!!!
Wethersfield - $1,800 Monthly
RENTAL. Gorgeous Totally Updated LShaped Ranch w/New Granite Kit & Bths!!
Formal Living & Dining Rms, Gas Heat, C/
Air, HW Flrs, Lower Level W/Frplc & 1/2
Bath, Beautiful Brick Exterior, Sunporch,
Breezeway, 2 Car Gar, Nice Yard, Immaculate!!
Rocky Hill - $499,900
Quality New Construction! Custom Built
2200 SF Ranch with Lovely Front Porch on
1/2 acre lot! Features a Gourmet Granite
Kitchen, 2 1/2 Baths, 3 1/4 in HW Flrs.,
Gas Heat, C/Air, Anderson Windows, 200
Amp Electrical, 2 Car Garage, Owner/Agent
860-729-2998 • AnnieDillon.Raveis.com
Sales Vice President
W
NE
PR
ICE
Wethersfield $289,900
158 Dudley Road
Wethersfield $2,700,000
185 Broad Street
254 Fox Hill Road
187 Clovercrest Road
255 Crest Street
62 Back Lane
5 Old Mill Road
Rocky Hill $585,000
55 Murphy Drive
75 Thornbush Road
Custom Col w/porte cochere, indr 3 BR Ranch w/attchd gar, CAIR, ren- Beautifully restored private estate
pool, 2 staircases, 6 car gar. on 1.75 ovated kit, LR & DR, newer windows. or turn key Bed & Breakfast on
gated acre of gardens.
Acres. Private Luxury Living.
Landscaped yard. Move-in ready!
NE
WP
R IC
E
5 Bdrm Col in the Highcrest School district Move-in Ready! 3 BR RRanch with Affordable, move in condition! Col
on lrge level nghbrhd lot! Open eat in kit w/ attached 2 car gar., walking distance w/2 car garage, hardwood floors
and newer roof. Walk-out lower
addit. sitting area, FP fam rm opens to a
to Highcrest School. Gleaming hw
level. Call Mary @860-543-0944.
more recent snrm addition. Add 500sf in LL.
flrs. Gas heat, CAIR & CVAC.
Col w/3 Bdrms & 2 1/2 bths, ren kit,
Spacious, mint condition Col in Custom built Energy-Star Col, located in sought
inside access to 2 car gar. Enclosed
Highcrest School district. Reno- after west-end nghbrhd. Open flr plan, 9 foot ceilporch & fin lower level. Gas, basevated kit opens up to fam rm w/gas ings. First flr MB suite. Eat-in kit opens to fam rm
board heat & CAIR. Convenient to
fp, raised hearth & slider to deck. w/gas frplc. Formal dining & living rms. Impresschools, restaurants & highway access. Newer rf & CAIR. Quality upgrades! sive staircase. New furnace & CAIR. Location!
Wethersfield’s Top
Selling Agent!
Expert Knowledge
Of Local Properties.
ROCKY HILL - This beautifully decorated
custom built masterpiece offers a French
country feel. Its 5,635 sq. ft. features 6
bedrooms, 3 of which are master suites,
4 full and 3 half baths plus 4 fireplaces, a
fitness room, butler’s pantry, formal living
room, dining room, possible in-law and
radiant heat. A fully finished lower level
rec room adds an additional 2,622 sq.
ft. of living space. The outdoor boasts a
professionally landscaped yard with a large
2 tier patio, pergola, inground pool with
slide, irrigation system, landscape lighting
and a full service outdoor kitchen for the
perfect BBQ!©Offered
at $1,195,000.
2013 An independently
operated subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and a
franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol
registered service
marks of HomeServices of America, Inc. ® Equal Housing Opportunity.
RoseanneareScacca
| 860-214-0236
[email protected]
www.33VexationHillDrive.com
© 2015 An independently operated member of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Equal Housing Opportunity.
63-h&G
ANDY WOTTON
PLUMBING &
HEATING, LLC
(860) 833-8153
Old fashion, honest, reliable
service at a reasonable price.
All residential plumbing, repairs
done from leaky faucets to oil/gas
heat conversions.
Call today and we will
show you quality still
makes a difference!
Everything for Your Home
WET BASEMENT?
TRUST IN OUR 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
Rocco Balesano Contracting LLC
Foundation Cracks
Basement Drainage Systems
Yard Drainage
Sump Pumps
Window/Dry Wells, etc.
Call for a free estimate and never deal
with a wet basement again!
860-236-0071
LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED
FULLY INSURED
ALL WORK GUARANTEED
SENIOR DISCOUNT
10% OFF
860-953-2200
7 CODY STREET • WEST HARTFORD, CT
MageeCompanies.com
Concrete Pav
& Retaining Wers
alls
Full Pallets only
Certain restriction
s apply.
Expires 11/30/15
Walkways • Walls • Patios • Pavers • Poolscapes
Delivery of Mulch, Stone & Top Soil
Landscape Design • Lawn Maintenance • Pruning • Stump Grinding
Brush Chipping for Trees • Bobcat & Excavator Services
Grading of Lawn Areas for Sod and Seed • Debris Hauling
Installation & Removal of Plants, Shrubs & Trees • Hedge & Shrub Trimming
100914
Check out our updated photos
860.257.3146
LANDSCAPING, Inc. GRIFFINLANDSCAPING.COM
Firepits • Fireplaces • Outdoor Kitchens
Wood Pellets • BioBricks • Seasoned Firewood
1943 Berlin Tpke . • Wethersfield • 860.563.9200
One Tolland Tpke.• Manchster
www.cedarmountainstoneandmulch.com •
Like us on Facebook
64-H&G
Visit
new
Visitour
our
newshowroom
showroomwith
with
the
latest
styles
,
colors
the latest styles, colors&&products
products
for
your
kitchen
for
your
kitchenand
andbath
bath. .
HARMONY
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A trusted,
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Hebron
Ave.,
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860-430-2661• •www.christinokitchens.com
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730730
Hebron
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Glastonbury
lic.
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65-h&G
www.thepowerisout.com
SALES AND SERVICE
Design. Build. Maintain.
Landscape design and instaLLation • Hardscape patio WaLLs, WaLks, drives
FuLL property Maintenance • drainage Work • 1 day Makeover edge, MuLcH, prune
Big enough to be professional, Small enough to be personal
General Landscaping, LLC
860-659-5757
www.generallandscaping.com
Member of BBB • CT Lic # 555660
66
LIFE
wethersfield
540 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT 06070
860-651-4700
Read our publication online at
TurleyCT.com
KEITH TURLEY, Publisher
EDITORIAL
Abigail Albair, Executive Editor
[email protected]
Mark Jahne, Editor
Alison Jalbert, Assistant Editor
STAFF WRITERS
Alicia B. Smith, Allie Rivera, Mara Dresner,
David Heuschkel, Ted Glanzer,
Sloan Brewster
ADVERTISING SALES
Melissa Friedman, Advertising Director
[email protected], 860-978-1345
Alana DiMarco
PAGE DESIGNERS
Daniel Kornegay, Cynthia Martel,
Robert Sirois
GRAPHICS DEPARTMENT
Barbara Ouellette, Production Manager
Maureen LaBier, Production Assistant
Corley Fleming, Cynthia Martel,
Kathy Kokoszka, Cindie Cagenello
CIRCULATION
For circulation issues, please call 860-651-4700
FOLLOW US ON
published by
Editorial
Vote, because you can
There will be an election Nov. 3, as there is
every November for one office or another. It’s not
for president; that’s scheduled for next year,
despite all of the presidential politics already filling the radio and television airwaves.
The 2015 election is all about this town. It’s
casting a ballot for those fellow residents who
have put themselves before the public to serve on
the Town Council, Board of Education and other
bodies.
More people vote in presidential elections,
and they should not be discouraged from doing
that. But the simple truth is that no election has
greater impact upon most people than the
municipal one.
Residents will be selecting the people who
determine how this town will be run. They will
determine the services they receive as taxpayers,
how their children are educated and protected
while in school, and so much more.
The people on the ballot are also the people
who will determine how much each business and
homeowner pays in property taxes. That impacts
most families more than anything that happens
at the state or national levels of government.
These men and women are community volunteers who are willing to spend a significant
amount of their time serving the greater good.
They may have different political parties,
approaches and philosophies, but they all have
the same goal – to do the best they can for this
town, its people and its schools.
They are not in it for personal gain. The
mayor does not get a paycheck for doing this.
Neither does any member of the council or school
board. Not even a modest stipend. Nothing.
There are places around the world where
people do not have the right to vote or are struggling to acquire it. There are places where people
are willing to stand in line for an hour or more to
cast their ballot.
The right to vote is one of the greatest individual liberties Americans enjoy. Yet more and
more people don’t bother to participate in the
political process until it’s time to pick a president.
Local elections have at times been decided by
only a handful of votes. Each vote cast in a
municipal election truly matters.
Vote because it’s your right. Vote because it’s
your civic responsibility. Vote to make a difference. Vote simply because you can.
It only takes a few minutes to go to the polling place, walk into the building, fill out a ballot
and then go about the rest of the day or evening.
That’s not an imposition.
Show that you care about your town by participating in one of most special and treasured
American traditions.
Letters to the Editor
Vote yes on charter
To the Editor:
In 1787, James Madison led a
delegation that produced a document that laid the groundwork for how the new country
would govern itself. From time
to time this Constitution would
be reviewed and amended, the
most notable being the first 10,
the Bill of Rights.
Wethersfield has its own
Constitution, our Town
Charter. It is a living, breathing
document that is reviewed by
law every 10 years. The sitting
Town Council appoints a
Charter Revision Commission.
Its duty is to make sure the
charter reflects the optimal
way for us to govern ourselves.
For more than a year the
current commission reviewed
every provision of the charter
and had multiple public hearings. The results of the commission’s efforts will be on the
ballot this November.
The commission took the
position that while political
issues come and go, the charter
served us well as to how to
manage those issues, and since
it wasn’t broken, we didn’t have
to fix it, just improve on it.
The seven commissioners
acted in a non-partisan manner. The charter’s role is only
supposed to lay out the rules by
which various issues are adjudicated, not decide the issues.
The commission did adopt
some changes. The most controversial issue added to the
charter is a provision establishing a Board of Ethics made up
of appointed electors. Up to
now the Board of Ethics existed
solely by an ordinance passed
by a past council, and if any
new council wanted to do away
with it, they could.
Once this is passed the
only way the town could eliminate the Board of Ethics is by a
vote to change the charter. For
all practical purposes we will
now always have a Board of
Ethics that no elected official
can change. From now on any
alleged unethical behavior will
have an independent body,
without input from elected officials, to deliberate on the allegation and decide what to do.
The commissioners and
the Town Council both voted to
approve the new charter with
all the amendments and to put
the charter before the electorate for its approval. The commissioners who put in count-
67
less hours on the town’s behalf were
Mary Pelletier, Lou Laccavole, Bill
Knapp, John McAuliffe and Mike
Zaleski. Please vote yes on the charter question on Nov. 3.
– Dan Silver, Chairman
Steve Kirsche, Vice Chairman
Wethersfield Charter Revision
Commission
Favors Spinella
To the Editor:
I have known Anthony Spinella for
many years and applaud his decision
to run for Wethersfield Town
Council. He is a fine young man from
a wonderful family and I know he
will serve our town with energy,
integrity and dedication.
Anthony is intelligent, well educated and has much knowledge of
the workings of government. As an
assistant state’s attorney for many
years, he was entrusted with the
public’s safety and was aggressive in
his prosecution of some of the worst
criminals in our state.
We need a man of his values and
dedication protecting Wethersfield’s
interests as well.
– Carol Plona
Granato is the choice
To the Editor:
Wethersfield is blessed with excellent candidates for the local elections
this November. One of this year’s
very best is Barbara “Bobbie” Hughes
Granato, an honored and well-loved
educator, and a wife and mother,
who has lived in Wethersfield all her
life. She has recently retired and is
running for the Board of Education.
Bobbie Granato has a B.S. degree
in child development from Stonehill
College and a master’s in reading literacy from CCSU.
She began her first year of teaching second grade at Highcrest School
in 1974. In 1983 she began teaching
second grade at Charles Wright
School and stayed until she retired.
She was nominated as a Walt
Disney Teacher of the Year in 2004.
She was chosen by the Wethersfield
Chamber of Commerce as its educator of the year in 2006.
In 2005 her classroom was featured in a documentary designed to
demonstrate teaching students the
importance of creating an emotionally safe learning environment to
increase literacy in young children.
Barbara Granato is a smart,
strong, dedicated educator. She is
everything a first-rate Board of
Education needs. I will vote for her
and I hope the rest of Wethersfield’s
voters will, too.
– Joyce Rossignol
Prefers the Democrats
To the Editor:
Wethersfield has made numerous
gains under Mayor Paul Montinieri’s
leadership and the Democratic
majority Town Council, with economic development at the top of the
list.
Just look around town.
Wethersfield has renewed vibrancy, a
thriving community in which to
operate a business, with openings of
D&D Market, the Country Store in
Old Wethersfield, Planet Fitness and
other new stores and offices.
Under their infrastructure
improvements increasing road repair
expenditures and replacing the
Webb tennis courts, preserving open
space, and funding a police resource
officer at Silas Deane Middle School,
our quality of life is enhanced, and
the safety of our children.
The Democrats vision is not just
great education, but leading the
state in education, across the spectrum in teacher performance and
student achievement.
– Michael Fortunato
Former mayor
backs Dems
To the Editor:
On Election Day, I will be proud to
support the Democratic team of candidates for the Town Council and
Board of Education. Under the effective and efficient leadership of our
Mayor Paul Montinieri, the town has
seen a great deal of accomplishment,
especially in economic development.
There has been much productivity and progress during the past two
years highlighted by two of the more
recent businesses to open, Kathy’s
Urgent Care and the new
Wethersfield Diner.
Our roads are another area of
improvement over the past two
years. Under the leadership of the
Town Council and in conjunction
with our local state legislators, the
funds were secured to have many of
our roads repaired, resulting in safer
driving conditions.
Vote Row A for the Democratic
team. They deserve your vote.
– Dan Camilliere
Promotes the
Democrats
To the Editor:
I write this letter in support of the
six Democratic candidates for Town
Council and urge the people of
Wethersfield to vote for them.
Mayor Paul Montinieri, Deputy
Mayor Steve Barry and Councilman
Tony Martino have proven themselves through their efforts to work
with all Town Council members for
the benefit of the people.
Election of the newly nominated
candidates Amy Morrin Bello, Frank
Dellaripa and Anthony Spinella
would further that end. These individuals are tried and true members
of the Wethersfield community. Each
of these people brings the experience
and knowledge that the people of
Wethersfield look for in their leaders.
– Biagio Ciotto
Former State Senator
Esoian stands out
Another for Spinella
To the Editor:
I am writing to support the candidacy of Anthony Spinella for Town
Council. Anthony is exactly the kind
of young man we need to insure that
our town continues to thrive.
He was born and raised in
Wethersfield and chose to come back
and contribute to its future.
Throughout his career as assistant
state’s attorney he had great success
in conducting legal research, analysis, investigation and prosecution of
serious criminal activity.
Now, in his role as private litigator, he continues to uphold the ethics
and values that his family background and work experience have
instilled in him.
As a member of the Town
Council, he will do everything in his
power to insure his considerable
skills as a manager and negotiator
will be applied to the benefit and the
development of Wethersfield.
– Maryanne Shinn
Thanks Carey
and Latina
and raises.
It is clear to me that these
school board members have good
reason for concern. Why didn’t the
board discuss the reasons justifying
an $18,000 raise for the new assistant superintendent? Even Donald
Trump doesn’t give a raise that large
without debating the merits.
The superintendent is accountable to the board and is responsible
for the performance of all people on
his staff. Board members are
accountable to the people and
should have a say when it comes to
spending our tax dollars.
I also think it is a good idea to
have board members take an official
vote on the hiring of senior level
staff. These are the people who guide
our school district and make decisions that impact our children.
– Dan Granfield
To the Editor:
I want to say thank you to Charles
Carey and Jodi Latina, the two
school board members who are consistently sticking up for the residents
and children in our town. It was
shocking to me to find out that the
superintendent has sole discretion
over hiring and firing of senior level
staff, including negotiating salaries
To the Editor:
It is with much enthusiasm that we
write this letter to endorse Leslie
Esoian, who is running for the Board
of Education.
We have known Leslie for many
years and know her to be a compassionate, well-spoken, action-oriented
individual, someone who backs up
her thoughts and visions with
actions that bring results.
She is passionate about education and strongly feels that a positive, challenging educational experience both in and out of the classroom is vital to the growth and maturation of children. She has been a
PTO president and is serving on the
boards of the Keane Foundation and
the Youth Advisory Board, and is a
member of the Wethersfield Schools
Parents Council.
Leslie has also volunteered for
many years at Wethersfield’s community television station, WCTV-14.
She is the creator and writer of
WethersfieldTownTalk.com, a website that brings timely information
to the community. For several years
she has worked part time as a substitute teacher in Wethersfield and surrounding towns. – Terry and Sal Santapaola
Will vote for Rell
To the Editor:
The November election is just a few
days away, and while we’ve seen the
lawns signs and read the pamphlets
of those running, many town resi-
68
dents don’t really know who our
elected officials are.
I wanted to take a moment and
share with you why I am supporting
Mike Rell, who is running for re-election to the Town Council.
Mike is from a family that has
devoted much of their lives to serving the community; you could say it
is in his blood. Prior to serving on
the council, Mike served on a number of boards and commissions in
town.
As he did then and continues to
do now as a council member, Mike
listens to the public’s input before he
acts. He thoroughly researches matters as they progress and ultimately
makes his decisions, not along party
lines, but on what he believes will be
in the best interest of our town.
– Dan O’Connor
Esoian will do good job
To the Editor:
When asked to attend a meeting to
nominate a candidate for the Board
of Education, nominating Leslie
Esoian, immediately the answer was
yes. Leslie Esoian is intelligent, articulate, motivated and an amazing
person.
Leslie Esoian believes in family
first. She is an incredible wife, mother, a dedicated daughter and the glue
that brings her entire family together. She is generous with her time and
supportive to anyone, family and
friends included. Without question
or hesitation, Leslie Esoian would be
there for anyone, anytime.
This mindset has been the catalyst for her personal goal achievements as she has worked so diligently to receive various degrees
throughout the years. She believes in
the values and fundamentals of a
strong education for all children.
– Tracy Scutari
Favors the Democrats
To the Editor:
The Democrats’ choices to run for
Town Council and Board of
Education couldn’t please me more.
They are a great mixture of seasoned
members of both organizations and
eminently qualified new additions.
Paul Montinieri has proven his
ability over the nine years he has
been on the Town Council, including
the past two years as mayor. Deputy
Mayor Steve Barry, a graduate of
Wethersfield High School, and Tony
Martino, a retired town employee,
are anxious to continue contributing
to the progress of our town.
New to the slate are Amy Morrin
Bello, Anthony Spinella and Frank
Dellaripa. Amy is a familiar face to
countless residents from the many
years she spent in town hall as assistant town clerk.
Anthony brings his experience
as a former prosecutor in the chief
state’s attorney’s office and now as a
practicing attorney. Frank is a lifelong resident who served as the president of Little League, on the Zoning
Board of Appeals and on the high
school building committee.
The two incumbents seeking
reelection to the Board of Education
are John Morris and Polly Moon.
John, a 1978 graduate of Wethersfield
High School, was a member of the
citizens energy committee and the
Flood Encroachment Committee.
Former chairwoman of the
Insurance Commission and Library
Board, Polly is a member of the
school board’s Finance and
Information Committee.
Rounding out the Board of
Education candidates are two lifelong residents, Kevin Hill and Bobbie
Hughes Granato.
– Harry Lichtenbaum
Granato gets support
To the Editor:
As the election approaches, we write
to encourage you to carefully consider the qualifications of candidates
for our Board of Education. Your
children are depending on you to
make the right choice.
Who is better at protecting our
children than someone who has
spent her career as a teacher? Who is
better at looking out for residents of
Wethersfield than a lifelong resident
of our town?
Who is better at understanding
the complexities of our public school
system than someone who has
worked 40 years in that environment? Who among the candidates
for our Board of Education can claim
all of those characteristics?
Bobbie Hughes Granato
deserves your vote because she is
positive, proactive, talented, knowledgeable, involved and committed.
She is eager to serve our town with
energy and vision.
– Mary Ellen and David Gregorio
Also writing in support of Bobbie
Granato: Nancy Musson
Backs Hill for
school board
To the Editor:
I am pleased to write this letter in
support of Kevin Hill, Democratic
candidate for the Board of
Education. Kevin has been a friend
and colleague for several years and I
could not think of a better man to
serve our town.
He is proud to be from
Wethersfield and his desire to serve
on the Board of Education is further
proof of his commitment to our
town’s future. Kevin’s work in government affairs provides him with a
solid foundation in negotiation and
political matters.
He is a strong, yet gentle leader,
the type of man who easily gains
other’s trust and respect because he
is genuine, kind and smart. Kevin is
a product of the Wethersfield school
system and has achieved great success as a result.
– Amanda Swan
Republicans
get his vote
To the Editor:
Yes, the Wethersfield Democrats
have “talents,” they can over-spend
and over-tax. We have had enough of
this. Wethersfield voters, control
taxes and spending, vote Republican.
– Gene Ziurys
GOP will protect
taxpayers
To the Editor:
Property taxes have skyrocketed 8
percent and the mill rate is up 14
percent in two years. To add insult
to injury, these unnecessary tax
increases were layered on top of the
largest tax increase in state history.
It didn’t surprise me to learn the
Wethersfield Democrats were
accepting large donations from public employee unions and other special interests. If you wondered why
your taxes are up so much, now you
know.
Do you think the mayor is going
to take your phone call first or the
union bosses who made big campaign donations? And when it comes
to collective bargaining, who is most
likely to come out ahead? Will it be
taxpayers or the union bosses who
made those campaign donations to
the Wethersfield Democrats?
If you are tired of this perpetual
game of pay to play, then you are
best voting for the Wethersfield
Republicans. They have a track
record of maximizing your tax dollars by keeping taxes reasonable.
– Mark Pappa
Morin endorses
Martino
To the Editor:
I write this letter of support for my
friend and incumbent Town
Councilor Tony Martino. Tony is currently serving in his first term on the
council and has been an extremely
hard-working and valuable member
of the Democratic leadership.
Tony’s background includes his
service in the Air National Guard for
over 25 years, employment at
Travelers. His experience gives him a
unique perspective and the rare ability to evaluate how our town runs
from both a business and municipal
standpoint.
Tony takes his role as a councilor seriously. He not only attends all
of his meetings, but he really
immerses himself into the issues.
His volunteer service goes well
beyond his role as a councilor, as he
volunteers his time with UNICO and
serves his faith community at the
Church of the Incarnation.
– Russ Morin
State Representative
Hill gets their vote
To the Editor:
Kevin Hill is ready and qualified to
assume the responsibilities of the
Wethersfield Board of Education.
After Kevin graduated from
Wethersfield High School, he attended Providence College in Rhode
Island, where he earned a bachelor’s
and a master’s degree.
He then enrolled at Trinity
College in Hartford, where in
received another master’s degree in
public policy. He is now working in
government relations for Levin,
Powers and Brennan, LLC and gaining valuable experience in communicating the needs and changes that
are necessary for our children.
– Charles and Beth Stewart
Farewell to pair
To the Editor:
I would like to express sadness that
we are losing both Councilors Jeff
Kotkin and Gerri Roberts from the
Town Council. I have seen them both
69
for years work very hard, putting in
countless hours.
I would like to recommend for
the Board of Education two candidates. I am an unaffiliated voter, so I
make my recommendations on their
qualifications.
I have known both of these
women for more than 40 years and
they each will bring different skills
and outlooks to the position, both of
which we desperately need on the
Board of Education to balance the
board’s product of an excellent education system. Both of them can
talk, work and cooperate on working
on issues across the aisle.
Bobbie Granato, a lifelong resident who raised her family here,
spent 40 years as a second grade
school teacher here.
Diane Fitzpatrick has over 30 years
in public administration in three towns
(one as assistant town manager here)
and is currently employed in the state’s
Office of Policy and Management. An
expert in budgeting, she sat on the
building committee of our police
department, Silas Deane and Webb
Middle Schools, and the WHS renovation committee.
She was a founder of the Webb
PTO and a leader in both the WHS
PTSA and Safe Grad 2016. A great,
tough, administrator, she will be a
great addition to the board.
– T. William Knapp
Voters have a
real choice
To the Editor:
You can vote for the Democrats and/
or Republicans who consistently
increase taxes and pander to their
friends and buddies. Or you can vote
for the Independence slate consisting of Charlotte Baily, Ted Burhans,
Charles Carey, Paul Copp, Jodi
Latina and Gus Colantonio, all longtime and committed voters and citizens, committed to zero tax increase
or less, and do not have any friends
and buddies to pander to.
The Independence slate is committed to include all the citizens of
Wethersfield and not just the special
interest groups and friends and buddies. The Independence slate recommends all registered voters vote on
Nov. 3 because in the last local election for Town Council the majority
party won by 39 votes.
Vote no and defeat the referendum question and instruct the new
Town Council to update the charter
to be meaningful and apply strong
directives on issues of ethics, corruption, nepotism, transparency, shared
services and include citizen’s right to
vote on annual budget referendum.
The Wethersfield Independence
slate is committed to the following:
spend taxpayers’ money more wisely,
property taxes will be zero increase
or less, and squeeze the fat out of the
budget, will be serious and responsible to attract new businesses and
projects that do not burden our taxpayers, enforce current town policies
and regulations, encourage citizens,
employees and/or officials to come
forward without fear of reprisal/
repercussion/intimidation to report
violations of town policies.
Provide a third party to take
complaints, shared services between
the town side and BOE to reduce
cost, electronic checkbook online
real time for public viewing, no more
up-front public funds to any nontown of Wethersfield organization(s),
athletic playing fields must be
self-supporting, school district will
maintain and control an asset inventory register, adopt public comment
allowance immediately before any
Town Council or BOE vote so the
attending public can verbally weigh
in on the issue being voted on, divest
town-owned properties that are a
burden on the taxpayers.
We know the above is a big job
and we need your support, guidance
and commitment to accomplish it.
We urge you to vote on Nov. 3 and
please consider voting for the
Independence slate.
– Robert Young
Campaign Manager
Independence Party
Democrats fixed
the roads
To the Editor:
The past three winters have been
very difficult for our town roads, but
I want to compliment Democratic
members of our Town Council for
addressing this issue head-on. For
the past two years, Paul Montinieri,
Steve Barry and Tony Martino have
recognized that crumbling roads
reflect badly on our community, not
to mention beating up our cars.
Tony, Steve and Paul increased
the town’s allocation for road repairs
by 25 percent from $1.2 million to
$1.5 million, allowing an expansion
of road repaving in town. When
some departments underspent their
2014-2015 budgets, they allocated
another $300,000 to repairs.
Dollars spent today on our roads
are very prudent long-term investments. They prevent many times that
amount spent years from now when
our roads are in even worse shape.
I support the work Paul, Steve
and Tony have done over the past
two years addressing this long-term
need. Please join me in supporting
these fine incumbents as well as the
three outstanding new candidates:
Amy Morrin-Bello, Anthony Spinella,
and Frank Dellaripa.
– Anthony Homicki
Opposes
development
To the Editor:
I am a resident of Toll Gate Road and
attended the meeting held by the
developers of the 70-unit apartment
project on Ridge Road . Of the 40-50
people in attendance, 99 percent of
them were not in favor.
No one thought that an apartment complex of this size was appropriate in this residential neighborhood. People are not happy that a
huge three-story building would be
the view from their homes.
There are traffic concerns from
a possible 140 additional vehicles
using an already busy Ridge Road.
No one believes the project will
attract young professionals. No one
believed the estimate of impacts to
our schools.
The value of our homes in the
neighborhood will go down, not up,
as a result of this project. This alone
will wipe out any financial gain to
the town.
I can’t help but think that we
would never have been at this point
if residents were notified and able to
comment before the town gave away
a $400,000 tax abatement on a project no one supports. This is why
Councilor (Stathis) Manousos and
his Republican colleagues on the
Town Council were absolutely right
in trying to postpone the vote on the
tax abatement.
Residents like me support economic development, but it must be
appropriate for the area. I believe
residents would prefer single-family
homes rather than a massive apartment complex.
– David A. Parker
Holding the line
To the Editor:
The kitchen table is often your
home’s financial center, where you
open your bills, where you pay your
bills, where you pay your taxes.
When you hear “election,” you think
of your kitchen table.
You have been paying attention
now because this election in a couple of
weeks is for the person that will decide
exactly what you will pay in taxes. Up
to now, it has been more, not less.
You know the Democrats are in
power in Wethersfield because they
won by 39 votes. You have noticed
that all their votes are along party
lines. All five vote as they are told by
Mayor Montinieri. There is not one
independent thinker in the bunch.
You need an alternative. The
Independence Party is that alternative that you need. An alternative
that will be open, not secretive, an
alternative that is committed to not
raising taxes.
It is an important election to
decide who will decide how much
you will pay. You also remember that
the person who decided how much
more you paid this year won by only
39 votes. Vote the full Independence
line and take control of your taxes.
– Paul Copp
Chairman
Independence Party
Favors the democrats
To the Editor:
The town of Wethersfield, led by
Mayor Paul Montinieri and the
Democratic majority on the Town
Council, has benefitted from impressive economic growth.
This growth is the direct result of
the Wethersfield Democrats’ proactive
approach to business development
The Democrats on the Board of
Education voted unanimously for the
education budget, one that fully
funds the town’s schools. Two
Republican board members, Charles
Carey and Jodi Latina, voted against
that BOE budget.
If you favor a proactive approach
to economic development with proven results, vote Democratic.
If you support maintaining our
wonderfully relevant Wethersfield
Library, vote Democratic.
If you want a team of passionate
stakeholders and experienced candidates, vote Democratic.
If you are a parent, grandparent
or a believer in the transformative
power of education, vote
Democratic.
– Cindy Greenblatt
70
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& insured. References
available. Reg.#612982
Call 860-803-5535 or
email chscarpentry@
live.com
Z-THE HANDYMAN,
LLC HOME IMPROVEMENT. Interior. Exterior. Painting,
flooring, decks, power
washing, vinyl siding,
roofing, etc. Don’t pay
high prices, Call 860690-2855. Ask for John.
Licensed & Insured.
ANDY WOTTON
PLUMBING & HEATING, LLC 860-8338153. We offer honest
plumbing at a reasonable price. Estimates
are always given before
any work is done. From
snaking your main
drain to water heaters
and boilers, faucets and
leaky pipes - WE DO IT
ALL. Remember with
Andy Wotton Plumbing, it’s not done until
you say it is. Call today
860-833-8153. Licensed
and insured P10282605
S1 0402048.
TREE REMOVAL SPECIAL SAVE 10%. Free
Estimate. Also stumps,
chipping, etc. Licensed/
Insured. 860-621-0008.
HHH
CLASSIFIED ORDER FORM
Classified Ads:
3 WAYS TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD!
$40 for up to 20 words, 30¢ each additional word
Classified Ads run monthly in all 9 of our local publications. If
ordering by mail, please make checks out to TurleyCT or provide your
Credit Card information. PAYMENT MUST BE RECEIVED BY DEADLINE
OR YOUR AD WILL NOT RUN. We accept Mastercard, Visa and
American Express. Make checks payable to TurleyCT.
Name ( PRINT)
AD TEXT
Company:
Address:
Phone:
Check or Card #
Exp Date
Security Code
No. of Months to run:
Call: 860-264-5656
Email: [email protected]
Mail: TurleyCT
Attn: LIFE Classifieds
PO Box 497
Simsbury, CT 06070
Services
DAVINO ANTIQUE
CLOCKS - Repair and
maintenance services
for antique and vintage
clocks. Timely and
reasonable. House calls
available. Call Steve
860-529-2138
PIANO TUNING
AND REPAIRS by
Hartt School of Music
trained tuner. Piano
cleaning and climate
control also available.
Contact Ted Williams
860-228-0309.
PROTECT YOUR
INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY. Patents,
trademarks etc. Call
Ted Paulding. No longer representing the big
guys. Now helping the
little guys become a big
guy. 860-474-5181.
PSYCHOTHERAPY.
LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR to help individual
adults with anxiety,
depression, stress, trauma. Reclaim your life
with guidance from a
caring professional. Call
860-214-7321 or Email
[email protected]. To
learn more, visit www.
carolinejestin.com
LIVE BY THE SUN
FEEL BY THE MOON.
Energy work/health and
wellness. Offering Reiki
therapy and Integrative
energy therapy at my
office in Farmington.
Email: gina_2uconn@
yahoo.com or call
860-716-5318. www.
live bythesunfeelbythemoon.massageplanet.com
KROEGER LAW
Debt Counseling and
Solutions Personal
Injury/Insurance Law.
Caring and Compassionate attorney with
30 years experience will
provide free consultation. Call 860-282-0216
Services
HOME WATCH
SERVICE - THE
ALTERNATIVE TO
HOUSE SITTING for
snowbirds, vacationers,
empty homes for sale.
Professional & Insured.
www.mindyourmanorct.com
860-805-6226
NEED A NEW LEASE
ON LIFE? Licensed
professional, 20 years’
experience. No diagnosis, full confidentiality, reasonable rates.
Relationship, family,
and life stage issues a
specialty. Call or email
today. 860-231-1997 or
[email protected]
Gamblers Anonymous
Gamblers Anonymous
can help you. Take
back your life. Phone:
855-2-CALL-GA
855-222-5542 to speak
with someone. Gamblers Anonymous is a
non-profit fellowship of
men and women who
share their experience,
strength and hope with
each other that they
may solve their common problem and help
others to recover from
a gambling problem.
www.gamblersanonymous.org.
OUR
JOB
is to make
YOUR
JOB
easier
ADVERTISE
IN OUR
CLASSIFIEDS
Call
860.651.4700
x5656
for details
71
BY MARK DIXON
WFSB METEOROLOGIST [AMS]
Daylight Saving Time...
A
s of November 1st
we have already lost
4 hours and 52 minutes of possible daylight, since the summer solstice
occurring back in June. By the
time we reach the winter solstice
in December, we will lose another 1 hour and 15 minutes of
daylight.
This year, November 1st
marks the official end of
Daylight Saving Time (DST),
meaning it’s time to ‘fall back’ …
wind our clocks back one hour.
Many think in the spring
we lose an hour and then in the
fall gain an hour’s worth of time,
when in reality we are reallocating that hour. This practice of
moving time, initially to make
better use of daylight and to
decrease energy consumption,
dates back to early 20th century
Europe. In the United States,
implementation happened in
the 1950s and 60s and not
every state participates in
this clock-turning tradition.
Furthermore, as recent as 2007,
Congress made a change
to start DST 3 weeks earlier
and end it 1 week later.
Given this, the end of
DST happens on the first
Sunday of November, at 2am to
be exact. But instead of waiting
up to make the adjustment, it’s
best to simply turn those clocks
back an hour before going to
sleep Saturday night. This is
also a good time to change
the batteries in your smoke
detectors! WL
72
WE
B
DY!
BO
V
E
E
R
T
Y
A
GUARANTEED
E LOWEST
PRICES
Instant Savings up Save Up Rebates up to
to $100 per set To $260 $160 per set
ANY SIZE • ANY BRAND
* Savings available off regular set of 4 price - $100 off sets over $500, $80 off sets over $400, $60 off sets over $300.
Present ad for savings - not valid with other offers. Requires installation with our standard installation package. Expires 11/15/15.
www.moderntirect.com
FREE
PLUS! 4 FREE FREE
Front End
Road Hazard
Lube, Oil
& Filters
With every 4 Tire Purchase
Incl. up to 5 qts Mobil
Special 5w30 motor oil,
oil filter, lube & courtesy ck.
Most Vehicles.
You Choose
$20
OFF
ANYTHING
Alignment
OR
Specialty, Thrust
Angle and Complete
4 Wheel Alignments
are additional - see
store for your vehicle's
alignment type.
Lube, Oil & Filter • Heating • Tune Up
Wiper Blades • Headlights & Bulbs
Coolant Service • Tire Rotation
Batteries • Tires • Shocks/Struts
Brakes • Electrical • Transmission
Alignment • Diagnostic
OR
Protection
Covers FREE Flat
Repairs and Tire
Replacement for
Road Hazards See store for full
coverage details.
SERVICE
$50 OFF ANY
Over $200
SERVICE
$100 OFF ANY
Over $500
Present Coupon for savings. Excludes Tire Service and Emissions. Not valid with other discounts. Not combinable. Exp. 11/15/15.
EXPRESS LUBE, OIL & FILTER
$
19
99
Includes up to 5 qts. Mobil
Special 5W-30 motor oil,
oil filter, lubrication &
courtesy check. Most cars.
Plus
Must present coupon. Not valid with any other
discounts. Expires 11/15/15. Oil disposal fee add’l.
FREE TIRE
ROTATION
FALL CAR CARE
BRAKE PADS or SHOES
$99 99
Get Ready
for cooler weather!...
installed, per axle
Most vehicles
Brake systems
are complex.
FREE BRAKE INSPECTION
Let our staff inspect your brake system.
$29 99
• Brake Inspection
• Standard 5 qt. oil change & filter
• Tire Rotation and Air Pressure Set
• Battery Test -- Underhood fluid check
• Courtesy check of lights, belts, wipers, suspension, filters and more.
Stop by or call for a convenient
appointment to have our experts
inspect your system.
There may be extra
costs for additional
parts and labor.
Must present coupon for savings. Most cars and light trucks. Expires 11/15/15.
Not available with other discounts. Oil disposal fee add'l.
Must present coupon. Expires 11/15/15. Not valid with any other discounts.
moderntirect.com
ays
Open Su4npdm
9am-
3455 Berlin Turnpike, Newington
Just before Stew Leonard's
860-666-2404
Mon-Fri 7AM-6PM, Sat 8AM-5PM
867 Cromwell Avenue, Rocky Hill
Next to Westside Market
860-760-9000
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER LOCATIONS
MODERN TIRE
MODERN TIRE
898 Farmington Ave., Rt 4
Farmington 860-677-5454
514 West Main Street
Cheshire 203-272-3296

wethersfield Furthering a vision

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