Sports: White Sox hold on in ninth to outlast Red Sox, 10-8, at Fenway Page C1

VOL. 135, NO. 27 24 PAGESTUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015 NEW ENGLAND NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR NEW LONDON www.theday.com $1.00

Through the Lens

North Korean soldiers watch as fireworks explode,Monday in Pyongyang as part of celebrations for the 62ndanniversary of the armistice that ended the Korean War. Goto theday.com for a gallery of the day’s best wire photos.

Keene, N.H. — The only thing missingwas the waffles.

Authorities in Keene, N.H., were infor some sticky times when a load ofmaple syrup shifted in a tractor trailerand leaked very slowly all over a mainhighway.

Police Sgt. Thaddeus Derendal saysabout 220 gallons of the sweet-smellingpancake-topper from a Vermont pro-ducer oozed onto Route 101 on Mondayafternoon.

Firefighters used squeegees to corralthe mess and poured something like kittylitter on it to speed the drying process.The two eastbound lanes were reducedto one lane while the cleanup was under-way.— Associated Press

MAPLE SYRUP SPILL MAKESFOR A STICKY SITUATION

Honolulu — The military on Monday exhumedmore caskets containing the unidentified remainsof USS Oklahoma crew members killed in the 1941bombing of Pearl Harbor.

The coffins were dug up at the National Me-morial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, wherethey have rested for decades. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency said in April it would dis-inter up to 388 Oklahoma servicemen to accountfor sailors and Marines still classified as missing.

The cemetery and the military allowed mediato observe a ceremony afterward when flagswere draped over the coffins.

The Oklahoma identification project involvesdisinterring 61 caskets at 45 grave sites at the Ho-nolulu cemetery commonly known as Punchbowl.More than a dozen caskets have already beenexhumed.— Associated Press

REMAINS OF PEARL HARBORVICTIMS DUG UP TO BE ID’D

WEATHERToday, morning clouds, then mostlysunny. High 82. Wednesday, warmand humid. High 85. B6

INDEX

Business/C5Classified/D5Comics/D4Daybreak/D1Editorials/A4Movies/D2Nation/A2Obituaries/B3

Police logs/B2Public notices/D5Puzzles/D6Region/B1Sports/C1Television/D3World/A2

KAYAK CLASS ON THE COVE

TIM COOK/THE DAY

Camp Rotary students come in from kayaking on Alewife Cove as part of the New England Science & Sailing summer program at OceanBeach Park in New London. Go to theday.com to see a photo gallery.

By ANN BALDELLIDay Staff Writer

New London — Getting out of bedon summer mornings is easier whenKerian Ortiz knows she’ll be partic-ipating in New England Science &Sailing programs later in the day.

“I’ve learned to sail,” said the13-year-old Bennie Dover JacksonMiddle School student, who will bea high school freshman at the endof summer. “We do fun things. I don’tlike to capsize, but I do like to sail.And we go kayaking and snorkeling,too.”

Kayleigh Bolanos, also 13, and an-other participant in New London’sCamp Rotary, which includes after-noon sessions with NESS at OceanBeach Park and Greens Harbor Beach,said she looks forward to days thatinclude activities hosted by the non-profit, ocean adventure-focusedNESS.

NESS has grown froma communitysailing programstarted in Stoningtonin 2002 to a year-round educationalorganization that engages students

New London becoming the Sailing CityStonington-based program getting city youths on the water to build confidence and leadership skills

TIM COOK/THE DAY

Students in the New England Science & Sailing Hartley Level 1 and 2 program practice swamping anduprighting their sailboats on a low-wind day in Stonington Harbor.

Autopsy results releasedfor artist and son-in-lawwho died in 1959,1948By CLAIRE BESSETTEDay Staff Writer

Norwich — Autopsies done on thebody of local African American artistEllis Ruley and his son-in-law Doug-las Harris have revealed that Ruleydid die of hypothermia and exposureto cold, as was originally reported in1959, but it could not be determinedwhat triggered Ruley’s fall down the

long driveway of his Hammond Ave-nue home.

Harris’ death, however, “clearlywas a homicide,” said Dr. MichaelBaden, retired chief medical exam-iner for New York City and retiredchief forensic pathologist for NewYork State Police, who conducted theautopsies last fall on the two bodies.

Immediately after the autopsy re-ports were released Monday duringa news conference at CityHall, Depu-ty Police Chief Patrick Daley said citypolice are conducting a cold case in-

vestigation into both deaths. Daleyput out a public appeal for informa-tion about both cases. Anyone withinformation is asked to call cold caseinvestigator Lt. Corey Poore at (860)886-5561.

Ruley, 76, a self-taught artist,lived his entire life in Norwich anddied Jan. 16, 1959, under mysteriouscircumstances. His partially frozenbody was found in the road at thebottom of the long driveway at his28 Hammond Ave. home, a lacera-tion on his forehead and a long trail

of blood on the driveway. An autopsyat the time said Ruley had suffered aheart attack and died of exposure.

The 38-year-old Harris, Ruley’sson-in-law, died 11 years earlier onthe property in even more suspi-cious circumstances. His body wasfound Nov. 20, 1948, head first in anarrow, shallow well on the proper-ty. Without an autopsy, Harris’ deathwas ruled accidental drowning.

The bodies were exhumed fromMaplewood Cemetery Oct. 17. Baden

Ruley’s death ‘undetermined,’ Harris called homicide victim

Public support low;Los Angeles is likelyto contend insteadBy EDDIE PELLSAP National Writer

Boston’s bid to host the 2024Olympics is over.

The city and the U.S. Olympic Com-mittee severed ties after a board tele-conference Monday, USOC spokes-man Patrick Sandusky told The Asso-ciated Press.

The decision throws the bid pro-cess — and hopes that the U.S. willhost another Olympics — into flux.Only seven weeks remain before cit-ies have to be officially nominated. Ifthe USOC wants to stay in the race,Los Angeles is its likely choice.

The Boston bid soured within daysof its beginning in January, beset bypoor communication and an activeopposition group that kept publicsupport low. It also failed to get —and keep— the support of key politi-cians.

Bostonends itsbid forOlympicgames

By DAVID CRARYAP National Writer

New York — The Boy Scouts ofAmerica on Monday ended its blan-ket ban on gay adult leaders whileallowing church-sponsored Scoutunits tomaintain the exclusion for re-ligious reasons.

The new policy, aimed at easing acontroversy that has embroiled theBoy Scouts for years, takes effectimmediately. It was approved by theBSA’s National Executive Board ona 45-12 vote during a closed-to-the-media teleconference.

“For far too long this issue has di-vided and distracted us,” said theBSA’s president, former Defense Sec-retary Robert Gates. “Now it’s time tounite behind our shared belief in theextraordinary power of Scouting tobe a force for good.”

The stage had been set for Mon-day’s action on May 21, when Gatestold the Scouts’ national meetingthat the long-standing ban on partic-ipation by openly gay adults was nolonger sustainable. He said the banwas likely to be the target of lawsuitsthat the Scouts likely would lose.

Two weeks ago, the new policywas approved unanimously by theBSA’s 17-member National Executive

Boy Scout boardapproves endto blanket banon gay adults

SEEMYSTERY PAGE A3

SEE NESS PAGE A5

SEE BOY PAGE A3

SEE BOSTON PAGE A3

in water-related, experientiallearning designed to build con-fidence, teamwork and leader-ship skills.

While NESS is still home-based in Stonington, it hasmade a deep thumbprint inNew London, with classes andprogramming at the city’smiddle school, Ocean Beach,Greens Harbor and MitchellCollege.

NESS assumedmanagementthis year of the free New Lon-don Community Boating pro-gram, which has been teachingcity youth to sail for years, andblended it with marine scienceprogramming offered at OceanBeach, including kayaking andsnorkeling.

Last year NESS helped NewLondon High School start itsfirst-ever sailing team, and re-cently partnered with MitchellCollege to expand sailing andwater sports offerings for thecommunity and Mitchell stu-dents. Working with NESS,Mitchell foresees developmentof a top-notch sailing pro-gram on the campus that willinclude a varsity sailing teamand the launch of a robust wa-ter sports program.

NESS, which grew out of thecommunity sailing programstarted 13 years ago at the thennewly created Stonington Har-bor Yacht Club, is now an inde-pendent nonprofit that taught3,200 students last year. Al-most half of them receivedsome form of financial aid.

Bennie Dover Jackson Mid-dle School recently received agrant to help cover the non-profit’s costs, but for years,much of the NESS program-ming in New Londonwas free.

“We are an urban middleschool that has this partner-ship that provides our kids andany kid in southeastern Con-necticut opportunities thatmost adults would” love toparticipate in, said Alison Bur-dick, the Bennie Dover Jacksonprincipal. “And we do it allyear long, and we do it partlyduring the school day and af-ter school, and it is everythingthat quality education is reallyabout.”

David Sugrue, the managerat Ocean Beach, had all kindsof superlatives about thepark’s partnershipwith NESS.

“It’s one of the best pro-grams ever at the beach,” hesaid. “What they are doingin their classroom here, andAlewife Cove, is unbelievable.They have made all of OceanBeach and beyond a class-room, and that is somethingthat I have wanted to see for along time. I have always want-ed to see an educational com-ponent here.”

Talking about city youthkayaking on the cove and snor-keling to collect specimens foraquariums, Sugrue said, “Thebest thing we can do is teachthe kids stewardship. We needthe next generation to takecare of this place.”

Spike Lobdell, the found-er and president of NESS, saidsince its inception the non-profit’s core mission has neverchanged.

“Being inclusive was thefirst part,” said the retired fi-nancier, whowas at JPMorganChase for 27 years before join-ing XL Capital as CEO of GlobalBusiness Services. When Lob-dell left Wall Street and set-tled in Stonington Borough, hehelped to form the yacht cluband spearheaded the com-munity sailing program thatstarted with 14 youngsters,some of whom had no affilia-tionwith the club.

The community embracedthe program, helping it togrow, said Lobdell, and in2004, community sailing be-come its own separate entity,independent of the yacht club,except for members who stillsupport it financially.

“That feeling of being in-clusive was really the heart ofit,” said Lobdell. “But the nextpart, and this is important towho we are today, is experi-ential learning, hands-wet,getting kids on the water andunderneath it.

“We are taking kids out oftheir comfort zones, and intaking them out of their com-fort zones they are learning

something about themselvesthat they might not haveknown before, and that is real-ly important,” he said.

Lobdell has been sailingsince he was a youngster andearned his nickname in a sail-boat.

“All of us kids sailingwantedto sound big and terrifying,”said Lobdell, who was namedMichael by his parents. Lob-dell’s sailing buddies changedMike to Spike, and the namestuck. Even his trading licenseon Wall Street lists him as Mi-chael “Spike” Lobdell.

In addition to Lobdell, whoworks full time and volun-teers his services, NESS has17 full-time staff, 30 seasonalemployees and the support ofseven AmeriCorps membersat locations in New London,Stonington and Westerly.Nearly all its instructors arecollege educated, and manyare ranked or skilled in theirfields. Mark Zagol, who directsthe sailing program, is a two-time Collegiate All-Americansailor who spent 12 years as acollegiate sailing coach at theCoast Guard Academy, Mer-chant Marine Academy, andOld Dominion University be-fore joining NESS about threeyears ago.

This summer NESS is offer-ing more than 300 classes asvaried as sailing, kayaking,stand-up paddle boarding, ma-rine sciences, fishing, surfingand power-boating.

With an annual operatingbudget of about $2 million,about 35 percent of the fund-ing comes from full-pay or tui-tion programs, and the balancefrom grants and fundraising.Since 2012, NESS has given out$750,000 in scholarship pro-gramming just in New London.

“We used to like to say wewould like to have programrevenues cover 75 percent ofcosts, but, given whowe serve,that’s not possible,” said Lob-dell. “If we could get it to 50percent, that would be great.”

In New London, students inthe Camp Rotary program saidNESS allows them to get in andout on the water, and to OceanBeach and Greens Harbor,where some of them otherwisewouldn’t be able to visit.

“We go kayaking and thenwe look for creatures, like bluecrabs, green crabs and hermitcrabs,” said Lauren Lee, 13,who added that she’s learnedto sail, too.

“I want to try to pad-dle-board now,” she said.

Twelve-year-old LangstonPaige is in NESS programs forthe third year and said, “It’sreally cool. I like it,” addingthat participating keeps himbusy and out ofmischief.

Adults and the middleschoolers involved in theCamp Rotary and NESS pro-

gramming said many cityyouths would be at home orwalking city streets otherwise.Camp Rotary was started in2010 as an alternative to tra-ditional summer school in thecity and combines academicswith field trips, college visitsand NESS activities.

But NESS also does year-round programming with Ben-nie Dover Jackson MiddleSchool, and works with theJennings Family ResourceCenter, Covenant Shelter,Drop-in Learning Center, NewLondon Youth Affairs, and thecity’s Recreation Department,as well as other partners.

It has a full complement ofyear-round programming atits Water Street location inStonington Borough, and sea-sonal activities, including surf-ing, at another satellite site inWesterly. Last academic year,more than 50 schools, includ-ing some as far away as Hart-ford and Providence, sent stu-dents to field trips at NESS inStonington. It offers an arrayof programming for studentswho are home-schooled.

On a recent weekday morn-ing in the borough, whereNESS occupies two buildingsand an over-sized waterfrontshed, staff was readying youngsailors in the summer programon their fleet of Optimist sail-ing dinghies. Fishing instruc-tor Caleb Rose taught anothergroup to tie knots and preparerigs for bass fishing. Moreyoungsters were making plansto collect crabs, clams,musselsand minnows and set up salt-water aquariums, while stillothers practiced finding theirbalance on paddle boards outon Stonington Harbor. Therewas even a surfing class dis-cussing how to calculate theheight of waves, before head-ing out tomaster surfboards.

Lobdell said safety is para-mount at NESS, and a new fo-cus for the organization maysoon be teaching more stu-dents in New London how toswim. School, recreation andNESS officials all expressedconcern that too many cityyoungsters are non-swimmersor uncomfortable around thewater.

“Wehave sailing,marine sci-ence, adventure sports. Whynot add swimming?” askedLobdell.

About 2007, the sailing pro-gram was expanded to includea marine sciences compo-nent, added new opportuni-ties and broadened its corevalues beyond inclusivenessto add “hands-wet learning,”personal growth and steward-ship.

“We take those core valuesand combine them with oureducational mission, teachingscience, technology, engineer-ing and math,” said Lobdell.

“So it’s a very full packagethat kids are learning, but theyare also gaining self-confi-dence, and they are developingteam-working skills and lead-ership skills.”

In 2012, the independentcommunity sailing programchanged its name to NewEngland Science & Sailingto better reflect what it wasdoing and the scope of itsmission. Today, Lobdell isespecially excited about thesuccess of NESS programmingwith New London youth.

He recalled a time last yearwhen a boy from the citywas skippering a 35-foot sail-boat and feeling really goodabout himself.

“The wind is in his hair andthe kids in the boat with himare on the rail, and all of a sud-den he calls out, “Heyman, I’mdriving a boat worth $3,000,”said Lobdell.

“And the instructor in theboat with him says, ‘Oh no,Jason, this boat is worth$100,000.’ ’’

As Lobdell tells the story,the boy immediately loses con-fidence and the boat rounds upin the wind, its sails flappingand the young skipper clearlyfrightened.

His instructor tells him,“‘You can do it. You can drivethis boat. We trust you, Ja-

son,’” said Lobdell, and the boyresponds, ‘You trust me? No-body trustsme.’”

His instructor assures himthat the staff at NESS is con-fident he can handle the sail-boat.

The boy smiles, regains con-trol of the helm, and gets theboat sailing again.

“That iswhat NESS is about,”said Lobdell. “Not just makingkids proud of their environmentand thewater, but helping themdevelop self-confidence andleadership skills.Wewant themto come off thewater and say, ‘Ifeel like I candoanything.’”a.baldelli@theday.comTwitter: @annbaldelli

NESS teaches kids about sailing and life skillsFROMA1

TIM COOK/THE DAY

Students sail around Greens Harbor in New London on a low-wind day as part of theNew England Science & Sailing summer community boating program.

TIM COOK/THE DAY

Instructors watch as students in the New England Science& Sailing program’s Taste of Optis sailing programmaneuver in Stonington Harbor.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015 The Day www.theday.com A5

TechnologyMakes Golf More FunAverage to Slow Swing Speed Golfers Gain Up to 40 YardsMore Driving Distance

For a limited time, purchase any Polaradriver for $229 ($70 discount) and get afree Polara 6-ball trial pack. For addition-al information or to purchase a Polaradriver go towww.TryPolara.comor call (866) 556-3100 and a trainedPolaraGolf Specialist will determinewhich driverwill give youmuchmore

yardage � guaranteed.

Hebecamea timid golfer,holding back anddriving no more than 200yards. Tom said, �I stoppedplaying altogether because the gamewas no longer fun. When I heard aboutPolara Golf�s equipment I was skeptical,but I decided to give it a try. I took outthe Polara 12° driver and I hit a PolaraUltimate Straight ball as hard as I could. Iadded at least 60 yards to my drives. Usingthe Polara ball in combination with theirdriver, I stopped worrying about my sliceand was able to swing freely. Polara hasmade the game fun again, improved myscores and now I am playing once a week.�Polara drivers are available in fourmodels. Find out which one will deliverthe added distance you need. David Moody(Louisville, KY) said, �I have no doubt theAdvantage driver has added length to mydrives. I have gone from the short knockerto one of the longer drivers in our group.With the driver and the XD balls I have notlost a ball in the last several rounds. In factthe balls are getting beat up to the point Ihave to replace them.�Polara equipment is designed for themajority of golfers who want to takeadvantage of technology improvements, toscore lower and have more fun. �Our clubsand balls take away a lot of the frustrationspeople experience in golf,� said Polara�sDavid Felker, �Who doesn�t want to hitstraight drives 20-40 yards longer?�

Golf can be very frustrating, especiallyfor golfers struggling with distance issues.Are you looking to recover lost yardage orseeking to add signi�cant distance off thetee? The answer to your prayers just may bethe Polara �Advantage� driver. Polara Golf�snew drivers are designed to drive the ballfarther than any other club on the market.They have gone beyond design limits golfcompanies adhere to in order to make clubsthat can be used by PGATour players. Po-lara is building clubs that enable recreationalgolfers to hit the ball up to 40 yards farther.These oversized clubs are engineered tolaunch the ball higher and faster than otherdrivers, while also providing an extra-largesweet spot for more forgiveness and poweron off-center hits. They are intended for anygolfer whose #1 priority is achieving signi�-cantly more distance off the tee.Why are these drivers longer? The primaryadvantages come from an ultra-thin beta ti-tanium face and the larger 475cc head size,versus the USGA limit of 460. Beta titani-um is a more expensive but stronger alloy,which means the face can be made thinner,delivering a more enhanced trampolineeffect. This translates into higher ball ve-locity, producing longer distance off the tee.The larger head delivers a higher momentof inertia because the center of gravity ismoved farther back. This combination alsomeans greater forgiveness on off-center hits.The PolaraAdvantage driver is approved bythe USRGA for recreational play.Though the product has only been avail-able in limited quantities, it already has analmost cult-like following, as indicated bythe amount of testimonials the companyreceives. WilliamYaeger (Pen�eld, NY)wrote, �I bought the new PolaraAdvantagedriver and not only am I getting 15-25MORE yards per average but I�ve had manymishits forgiven by this driver. Especially offthe toe.� John Voros (Marsh�eld, WI) wrote,�I bought a Polara driver and Holy Man!!!!It was like I went back in time to my 20�s (Iam 52). I am now driving the ball 275 -300+ yards. Golf is fun again. Thanks.�TheAdvantage driver is designed to workwith any golf ball but it works especiallywell with Polara�s own anti-slice balls. Thecombination of distance and accuracy tech-nology is nothing short of a miracle.I know people that quit the game becauseit was so frustrating but began playing againusing Polara equipment. TomMatthews (SanMarcos, CA) used to slice the ball so badly itwould curve a countrymile.

By Leonard Finkel

D6

07931

860-876-0800OR BUY ONLINE ~www.ameliemichel.com

Monday, July 27 throughMonday, August 3

10am - 5pm

French Table LinenWarehouse Sale Event

Huge Selection of Unique, Easy Care, StunningTablecloths • Rounds • Runners • Napkins

Placemats • 100% Cotton JacquardsAcrylic-coated "Oilcloths"

Deco Pillows• Dish Towels • Organic Soaps & More!Extra LONG &Wide Tablecloths

Rounds from 70" to 110"ON SALE AT GREAT PRICES!

Essex, CT192Westbrook Rd. (Rte 153)1.5 mi south from Rte 9 Exit 3, on Rte 1533.3 mi North from I-95 exit 65, on Rte 153

Many extra markdownson closeout items!

D6

0570

6