Volume 20, Number 42 Serving Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall www.TownTimes.com Friday, January 31, 2014

Seniors in the lunch program at the Middlefield Senior Center get more than a well-balanced meal. They get a warm and nurturing environment that lets them know people care.

“As they get older and maybe lose a spouse, they come not only for the hot meal, but also to so-

cialize,” said Joan Lombardo, Senior Center and Social Services director. “It’s a friendly place; if people don’t know you, they soon will. And if someone who is a regular doesn’t show up, we call to make sure they’re alright. It’s also nice for their adult children who live out of state, because they know their parent is taking care of himself or herself.”

Lunch for seniors (who must be 60 or older) is Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at noon, with a suggested donation of $2. Reservations should be made at least 24 hours beforehand, so that enough food can be ordered. Seniors can drop in, but meals will be served first to those

SHOW TIME

On Jan. 18, the Coginchaug Regional High School Music Department held “Under the Lights 2014,” a concert showcasing CRHS music groups. The evening featured performances by the Jazz Ensemble, the Show Choir and the a capella group No Refund. Several students belonged to multiple groups and dashed from one to the other between songs. The groups combined for the opening number “Blue Suede Shoes” and the closing number “Jet Set” from the musical “Catch Me If You Can.” In this photo, the male contingent of the Show Choir sings The Police’s “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.” Additional photo page 13. | (Mark Dionne/Town Times)

Senior Center needs help with meal serviceBy Diana CarrSpecial to Town Times

Lunch time at the Senior Center.

“It’s the people who make the program. And it’s the best lunch for the best price in town. More people should come.”

— Joan Lombardo, Senior Center and Social Services director.

If you’re a people-person, consider volunteering

See Meals / Page 5

The Public Association of Library Supporters has been busy preparing to transform the Durham Public Library for the annual Taste of Durham. The food-and-wine tasting party will take place for the 18th time on Saturday, Feb. 1, 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Library Board of Trustees President Jane Eriksen told the Town Times that plan-ning for the event is “kind of a year round thing” but prepa-rations ramp up in November.

According to PALS vol-unteer Ona McLaughlin, 21 restaurants, chefs, caterers and wine-sellers are commit-

ted to the event.Cozy Corner Restaurant

& Pizza, Lino’s Market and Caterers, Perk on Main, and Time Out Taverne are among the returning food options from Durham. Middletown-based Anoho Noodle House and Haveli of India are among other returning favorites.

Sweet-tooth cravings can be satisfied at several dif-ferent tables. Kim’s Cottage Confections and Tschudin Chocolates will offer choco-late and baked sweets. Those who prefer their sugar in ice cream form can visit Stone Cold Creamery.

According to a PALS press

18th Taste of Durham this SaturdayBy Mark DionneTown Times

See Taste / Page 20

A2 Friday, January 31, 2014 Town Times | towntimes.com

School building options expected to ‘narrow’, planners say

At its regular meet-ing on Jan. 22 at Memorial Middle School, the Board of Education announced the scheduling of the last in a se-ries of three public workshop meetings to look at building use in the face of declining enrollment.

The workshop again will be conducted by architec-tural and educational plan-ners from Drummey Rosane Anderson, Inc., the firm re-sponsible for the first two meetings and tapped to pro-duce recommendations for the BOE. The meeting will take place Feb. 19, from 7 to 9 p.m., in the Coginchuag Reg iona l Hig h School auditorium.

During the first meetings, DRA focused on gathering feedback from community members. At the second meeting, Dec. 11, DRA pro-duced a handful of plans that showed potential ways to close one or more schools within the district, but em-phasized that the plans are still in flux and not endorsed.

BOE member Bob Fulton, who chairs the ad-hoc School Utilization Review Committee, said he expects two things emphasized at the upcoming meeting. DRA will present a “narrowing of the options” and a public review of the demographic study previously commissioned by the BOE.

That study, and its con-clusion that the district will face declining enrollment, has been referred to repeat-edly by BOE members and DRA planners as the reason or opportunity for school reconfiguration.

BOE chair Kerrie Flanagan called demographics the “driving factor” of the uti-lization study. Flanagan also noted that it has been about two years since the study. With updated data, Flanagan said, “We have not seen anything to indicate that the population is going any way other than where we thought.”

Members of the BOE met

By Mark DionneTown Times

with DRA, Jan. 17, to review community feedback and make sure all the planners heard the same feedback.

At the first meeting, Oct. 29, an audience consisting of many parents and teachers stated their desire to main-tain both the Integrated Day and Contemporary programs.

In the wake of the second meeting, which revealed several plans closing John Lyman Elementary School where the ID program be-gins, many parents contacted the BOE to push for keeping a school dedicated to the ID program open at the elemen-tary level.

Addressing the question of housing the programs to-gether or in separate build-ings, Fulton said, “I think we’ll probably see three op-tions and all of them will have both possibilities.”

D u r i n g publ ic com-ment, John Lyman Parents A s so c i a t ion P re s ident Christine Gerardi said that she has been getting feedback concerning Lyman’s status as a Higher Order Thinking, or HOT, school. Gerardi asked if that would be part of DRA’s considerations.

Flanagan answered that the issue of HOT schools was brought to DRA, whose members appeared unfa-miliar with the HOT pro-gram at the Dec. 11 meeting. According to Flanagan,

DRA would not address the HOT schools in its presen-tations, leaving that topic as a BOE and community consideration.

Superintendent of Schools Kathryn Veronesi suggested ways of contacting parents to increase attendance for the Feb 19 meeting and to al-lay fears.

Saying she hoped this would be seen more as an opportunity than a threat, Flanagan said, “Yes, I un-derstand that it’s scary but I really believe that we can come out of this as a stron-ger, better, more efficient or-ganization that is more on task on our goals of enrich-ing the student experience in District 13.”

Levi Coe Library in Middlefield will host Eric Lehman, co-author of A History of Connecticut Food and A History of Connecticut Wine, Saturday, Feb. 8. Those who would like to attend are encouraged to register by calling the library or stop-ping by.

“We’re always excited to bring in authors, especially Connecticut authors, and to offer programs on a variety of subjects and interests,” Levi Coe Library Director Loren Webber said.

Lehman said he and coau-thor Amy Nawrocki wrote the books because “We both love our state and feel it is of-ten under-appreciated.”

A History of Connecticut Food is part history book, part recipe book. “Over the years we read a num-ber of food history books that did not include reci-pes, and thought that was really strange, as if they are talking about food in a vac-uum,” Lehman said. By com-bining history with recipes, Lehman has created a his-tory you can taste.

Author to discuss state’s food and wine historyBy Charles KreutzkampTown Times

See Author / Page 11

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Town Times | towntimes.com Friday, January 31, 2014 A3

As they are required to do on a yearly basis, the Durham Board of Selectmen con-cluded a review of the town’s procurement policy, or the rules governing how the town purchases goods and services.

As they have at several re-cent BOS meetings, the se-lectmen discussed potential issues with the purchasing methods. No changes were made to the policy.

Roger Kleeman, of Durham, had offered several sugges-tions, both in writing and at recent meetings. Kleeman, a former candidate for first selectman and a member of Durham’s Compensation Review/Personnel Policy Board, was not in attendance.

One of Kleeman’s sugges-tions was to examine the repeated purchase of low priced items without going

out to bid.A single purchase of small

items, such as t-shirts, or a one-time use of professional services, such as a plumber or a large machine operator, can be small enough that the town is not required to go out to bid.

“At the end of the year, when you take that in the ag-gregate, you might find that you’re paying a contractor or vendor a decent amount of money,” First Selectman Laura Francis said.

Francis asked Durham’s Finance Director, Mary Jane Malavasi, to review how other towns handle this issue.

Malavasi discovered that the methods used by other towns vary. Some towns use “preferred vendors” who have submitted a bid for the year. Others hire on an as-needed basis.

Malavasi’s recommenda-tion was not to amend the

policy, but to monitor the purchases.

The selectman allowed the procurement policy to stand. “It’s a valid point, but it also seems to me that the system is working as it should,” select-man Steve Levy said.

Another suggestion from Kleeman was to lower the threshold for purchases re-quiring a purchase order, currently at $500. According to Francis, Malavasi de-scribed this potential change as “cumbersome.”

Francis also presented an update on town finances, say-ing they were on track, with no surprises. “Our revenues are keeping up with expendi-tures, which allows us to meet our obligations,” said Francis, who added that Durham might be over budget in ma-terials in future updates. The town, according to Francis, has used more road salt than projected.

Selectmen review town purchasing, financesBy Mark DionneTown Times

The American Cancer Society is looking for vol-unteers to drive patients to treatment.

In a press release, the organization stated: “As we welcome in 2014, the American Cancer Society believes cancer patients throughout Middlesex County may be at risk of missing medical care. There is currently a need in this area for drivers for the American Cancer Society’s Road to Recovery program.”

The American Cancer Society Road to Recovery program offers transpor-tation to and from treat-ment for people who have cancer and do not have a ride or are unable to drive themselves. The American Cancer Society is in need of volunteer drivers to donate their time and re-sources to take patients to their life-saving treatments and back home again. These volunteers don’t

only provide transporta-tion, but also offer encour-agement and support to the patients.

Volunteer drivers for the Road to Recovery program must have a valid driver’s license for the state where they live. They must also have a safe, reliable vehi-cle and proof of automo-bile insurance. Volunteers must have a good driv-ing history and be in good health. Once passing a background check, a vol-unteer will receive proper training from the American Cancer Society. Drivers are asked to volunteer for at least one hour, one day, once a month. The society matches drivers’ availabil-ity and geography with the needs of patients who call.

Residents who are in-terested in volunteering or know of someone who may benefit from this free service are asked to call the American Cancer Society at (800) 227-2345.

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SeniorsSenior Happenings

Stroke programA free presentation “Stroke

- Improving Outcomes Through Action” is sched-uled for Monday, March 17, 1 p.m. at the Durham Activity Center, 350 Main St.

The program, presented by Paramedic Brad Fowler, will discuss stroke incidence and impact, who is at great-est risk, causes and types of strokes, prevention, recog-nize stroke signs and symp-toms, importance of early recognition and more.

For more information, call (860) 349-3153.

Middlefield senior events

The Middlefield Senior Center, 405 Main St., has scheduled the following events:

Monday, Feb. 3 at 1 p.m. – Senior Center Advisory Board Meeting at the Community Center.

Wednesday, Feb. 5 from 1 to 2 p.m. - Cooking Demonstration by Laura Falt from Waters Edge.

Friday, Feb. 14- No Need for a Valentine - Valentine’s Day Party, 1 p.m. Sharing and Valentine’s Day and history. Valentine’s for everyone. Wear red.

Senior Exercise Class meets every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning at 7:45 a.m. Class is free to those 60 years of age and older. (No class on President’s Day, Monday, Feb. 17.)

Friday, Feb. 28, at 1:00 – Fe b r u a r y B i r t h d ay Celebration to celebrate February Birthdays.

Volunteer opportunity

The Middlefield Senior Center is looking for volun-teer servers for the lunch program. Lunch is served Monday, Wednesday and Friday at noon. Volunteers usually work in pairs (single persons will be paired with another volunteer) for ap-proximately two and a half

hours. Training and instruc-tion is provided.

For more information and to volunteer, call the Senior Center at (860) 349-7121.

ScrabbleThe Middlefield Senior

Center has a Scrabble game. An interested person is look-ing for a Scrabble partner. For more information, call (860) 349-7121.

60+ Club day tripsThe 60+ Club has sched-

uled the following day trips. Wednesday, March 12 -

Ronan Tynan of the Irish tenors at Venus De Milo, Swansea Mass.

Thursday, April 10 - Newport Playhouse $ Cabaret “My Husbands Wild Desires”.

Wednesday, May 28 - Frankie Valli and 4 Seasons Tribute at the Aqua Turf.

Wednesday, June 11 - Doris Duke Estate walking tour.

Tuesday, July 8 - All You Can Eat Lobster at Delaney House.

Wednesday, July 23 - Naut ical Newport Inc

Newport Slots, Harbor Cruise.

Sunday, Aug. 17 through 23 - Mackinac Island.

Thursday, Sept. 4 - Hidden Treasurers of New England.

Tuesday, Oct. 14 - Jimmy Sturr at the Log Cabin.

For more information, call (860) 346-0724.

Middlefield/Durham Senior Bus

The Senior Center has a 17 passenger bus that trans-ports seniors to out of county doctors’ appointments and twice a week trips. The bus is free; participants pay for their lunch.

To reserve a spot on the bus, call (860) 347-5661.

For more information, call the Senior Center at (860) 349-7121.

Dial-A-RideDial-A-Ride will transport

seniors to doctor appoint-ments within Middlesex County. It is necessary to be Registered with Dial-A-Ride is required.

A fee is charged. The Dial-A-Ride service operates Monday-Friday, 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For more information, call Dial-A-Ride (MAT) at (860) 347-3313.

AARP tax aideAARP offers free tax-aide

to Durham and Middlefield low and moderate income taxpayers, especially those 60 and older.

The program is sched-uled for Feb. 4 through April 7, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Middlefield Community Center, 405 Main St., by ap-pointment. If tax counselors do not have adequate knowl-edge or a return is too com-plex, participants may need to seek another qualified coun-selor or paid tax assistance.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Joan at (860) 349-7121.

Office hours and senior lunch

The Senior Center office hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lunch is served on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at noon. Make a reservation at least one day in advance, by visiting the Senior Center or call (860) 349-7121.

Senior Center Programs

The Senior Center offers a knitting group, a card group, a bridge group, an exercise group, a yoga group.

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The Durham Board of Assessment Appeals will schedule hearings regarding real property on Thursday, March 13, 2014, beginning at 7:00 p.m. and on Saturday, March 15, 2014 beginning at 9:00 a.m. Meetings will be held in the second floor conference room at the Durham Town Hall, 30 Town House Road, Durham, Connecticut. To be heard, taxpayers must submit a completed ap-plication for appeal to the Board of Assessment Appeals at the Durham Town Hall on or before February 20, 2014. Petition forms are available at the town hall and on the town website - www.townofdurhamct.org.

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Town Times | towntimes.com Friday, January 31, 2014 A5

Meals

with reservations.All seniors are welcome,

and there is no criteria for income. CW Resources (of New Britain), supplies, cooks and delivers the meals, which are reimbursed by the federal government. There are usu-ally 10 regulars who come for the lunches, which are served by two volunteers. Attendees can look forward to a hot nu-tritious meal consisting of a protein, a starch, a vegetable, a fruit, and milk.

The Senior Center is cur-rently in need of two sets, or four, volunteers to serve lunch for one day a month or so, for two and a half hours.

“A good server,” Lombardo said, “is a people person, one who particularly likes being with seniors.” The volun-teers meet the driver from CW Resources and bring in the meals, which are then put in warmers; serve the meals; and clean up afterwards.

One hour of training by CW Resources is required, where the volunteers learn about sanitation, food safety, and clean-up procedures. (Volunteers must wear hair nets and gloves when han-dling food; food must be kept at 165 degrees; disposable plates, cups, and cutlery are used; if someone is sick, they are not to come in; for the sake of sanitation, no sponges are used, but rather dispos-able cleaning materials.

“The people who attend and the volunteer servers are wonderful,” Lombardo said. “It’s the people who make the program. And it’s the best lunch for the best price in town. More people should come.”

Jo y c e D o w l i n g , o f Middlefield, has been a happy server since 2005. “I like serv-ing this population,” she said. “It’s a way for me to give back to my community. A lot of these seniors are alone now, and in a lot of ways they don’t get the recognition they need. They have stories and jokes to tell, they have endured

From Page 1

Middlefield Senior Center volunteer servers Catherine Carlson and Donald Ginter. | (Submitted)

The Salute to Senior Service program is accept-ing nominations for its out-standing senior volunteer. The award recognizes the contributions of adults, age 65 and older, who give at least 15 hours a month of volunteer service to chari-table causes.

Nominations will be ac-cepted through March 1, at SalutetoSeniorService.com. State winners will be determined by popular vote. A panel of senior care experts will then select a national Salute to Senior Service winner from among the state honorees.

Home Instead, Inc., sponsor of the contest, will donate $500 to each of the state winners’ des-

ignated and approved non-profit organizations. The selected volunteers stories will be shared online on the Salute to Senior Service Wall of Fame. In addition, $5,000 will be donated to the national winner’s des-ignated and approved non-profit charity.

To complete and sub-mit an online nomination form for a senior age 65 or older, who volunteers at least 15 hours a month, and to view the con-test’s official rules, visit SalutetoSeniorService.com. Completed nomi-nation forms can also be mailed to Salute to Senior Service, P.O. Box 285, Bellevue, NE 68005.

Outstanding Senior Volunteer search

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For more information about becoming a volunteer server, call (860)349-7121.

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A6 Friday, January 31, 2014 Town Times | towntimes.com

A Durham couple who has been collecting rocks and minerals for years explained, in a recent interview with Town Times, how their pas-sion for mining earth’s ele-mental matter came about.

“It started out as my hobby,” Maria Nilson said. “When I got interested — be-cause of a friend’s enthusiasm — I couldn’t understand why my husband Peter, working outside all those years, never picked up a rock.”

Eventually, though, her husband came to share her passion.

“As soon as I went out the first day, I was hooked,” Peter said. “It’s hard work, though. We carry a lot of heavy rocks back to the car, and then I break them open with a sledge hammer to see if there’s a crystal inside. You assess the possibility of a crystal being inside according to where the rock came from. I have to break open a lot of them to find something good. And sometimes it’s danger-ous. There are high cliffs, and rocks overhead, and the pos-sibility of landslides. When we’re in an old mine shaft, there’s the possibility of rot-

Hooked on rocks, crystals and minerals

Peter and Maria Nilson, of Durham, with their collection of rocks and crystals. | (Diana Carr/Special to Town Times)

By Diana CarrSpecial to Town Times

ting timbers collapsing.”Danger and exhaustion

aside, they have reveled in their hobby for many years,

mining rocks in places such as Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, California, and

Montana. They find them in quarries, old mines, road cuts, and when they are hik-ing in the woods. And they find them in pegmatites. “A pegmatite can be found any-where,” Peter said, “including old mines, and can be half the size of a room or many acres. It’s made up of quartz, feld-spar (which is used to make ceramics), and mica. I like digging in them the best because you have a better chance of finding something.

“These rocks were pushed up through the earth a cou-ple of million years ago, and crystals formed in them when they cooled. The longer it takes for the rock to cool, the more different crystals form. The more time the crystals have to develop, the larger they get. And the larger they get, the more imperfections they have, and the more eas-ily they fracture.”

See Crystals / Page 7

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Town Times | towntimes.com Friday, January 31, 2014 A7

Library Briefs

Durham Public Library

Programs for Kids:Bouncing Babies (birth

to crawling). Mondays at 11 a.m. Drop in.

Mother Goose Storytime (18 to 30 months). Mondays at 10:15 a.m. Drop in.

Time for Tots (2 ½ to 3 ½ years). Wednesdays at 10:15 a.m. Drop in.

Preschool Storytime (3 ½ to 5 years). Tuesdays at 10:15 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Drop in.

Bedtime Storytime (ages 2 to 5 years). Mondays at 6:30 p.m. Drop in.

Story Magic (Grades K to 2). Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. Drop in.

Kids in the Kitchen (8 to 11 years). Wednesdays, Feb. 5 and 12 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Observe, learn, try, saute, boil, bake, mix, fry taste, enjoy.

LEGO Club (6 to 12 years). Thursday, Feb. 13, 6:30 p.m. Drop in.

L u n c h B u n c h B o o k Discussion (grades 4 to 6 ). Saturday, Feb. 15, 12:30 p.m.

Bring lunch, dessert pro-vided. Discuss “Dead End in Norvelt” by Jack Gantos. Registration required.

Programs for Young Adults:

Teen Advisory Group (ages 12 to 18). Saturday, Feb. 1, 11 a.m. Discussion on how to improve the library for young adults.

After school movie - Movie to be announced (ages 13 to 18) Wednesday, Feb. 5, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Origami (ages 10 to 18). Thursday, Feb. 6, 4 to 5 p.m. Learn the art of paper fold-ing. Register at the desk or call (860) 349-9544.

After school movie - Movie to be announced (ages 13 to 18) Wednesday, Feb. 12, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Va l e n t i n e ’ s M u r d e r Mystery (ages 12 to 18). Saturday, Feb. 15, 2 to 4 p.m. Collect evidence, compare fingerprints, solve the mur-der. Register at the library or call (860) 349-9544.

After school movie - Movie to be announced (ages 13 to 18) Wednesday,

Feb. 19, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Teen Book Club (ages 12 to

18). Wednesday, Feb. 26, 5:30 p.m. “Steampunk!” Drop in.

After school movie - Movie to be announced (ages 13 to 18) Wednesday, Feb. 26, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Levi E. Coe LibraryL i b r a r y h o u r s a r e :

Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; closed Fridays.

The library is scheduled to be closed Monday, Jan. 20 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

ProgramSaturday, Feb. 8, at 1 p.m.

- Meet Eric D. Lehman, author of “A History of Connecticut Food: A Proud Tradit ion of Puddings , Cla mba kes & Stea med Cheeseburgers” and “A History of Connecticut Wine: Vineyard in Your Backyard” at the Levi E. Coe Library.

For more information and to register, call (860) 349-3857 or stop by the library.

Crystals

Some crystals are poison-ous due to being radioactive, or containing arsenic.

The Nilsons were de-lighted to obtain a Ball-Pene Mica, which they got from a mine in Branchville, Conn., that is now closed. “We were told that was the only place in the world it was found,” Peter said. “We have since read that it’s been found in a couple of other places.”

The couple is not out col-lecting rocks and minerals quite so much these days, be-cause a lot of them have shop-ping centers or golf courses on top of them, or are on pri-vate property. But their con-siderable collection and their

memories give them much joy. Maria has had some of the crystals made into jew-elry, and delights in knowing that her jewelry didn’t come from a store, that she and her husband found that crystal. And she enjoys the challenge of “finding something good.”

They both have fond mem-ories of days spent rock-col-lecting with their children when they were young, “un-til they reached an age when

they didn’t want to go out with their parents.”

Peter also enjoys the sat-isfaction of finding a crys-tal. “It’s not easy,” he said. ‘Sometimes we would have to go back to a mine three or four times before we found the best place to go. You just have to keep going.

“I can look at those rocks and remember the day we found them and where. We’ve got lots of memories.”

From Page 6

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A8 Friday, January 31, 2014 Town Times | towntimes.com

Opinion

P.O. Box 265, Middlefield, CT 06455www.towntimes.com

News (860) 349-8000 news@towntimes.comAdvertising (203) 317-2313 advertising@towntimes.comFax (203) 639-0210Marketplace (877) 238-1953 (toll-free)

Town Times is published every Friday by the Record-Journal Pub-lishing Co. and delivered to all homes and businesses in Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall.

Executive Vice President and Assistant Publisher – Liz WhiteSenior Vice President of Operations

and Major Accounts – Michael F. KillianSenior Vice President and Editor – Ralph TomaselliNews Editor – Olivia L. LawrenceAssistant News Editor – Nick CarrollReporter – Mark DionneAdvertising Director – Kimberley E. Boath Advertising Sales – Joy BooneOffice Assistant, Press Releases – Marsha Pomponio

Letters to the Editor

Old town charm lacking

To the editor:After reading the article by

Mark Dionne regarding the Main Street makeover, I, again, lament the fact that Durham does not have the commercial charm that Chester, Essex, Guilford and Branford, to mention a few, have, which initiates holiday strolls or just plain poking around. Those towns offer antique shops, craft shops, galleries, etc. Yes, we have several strip malls, which are not conducive to walks around the green area. It’s just not the same as walk-

ing from place to place. I wish we had several shops around the green where neighbors could meet and shop. I think it would make Durham more of a place to go to experience old town charm. Also, perhaps the town could give small shops a big break on taxes to get started.

I just want Durham to be “warmer” and inviting. Maybe give Main Street residents li-cense to open small shops by their porches. I remember the little variety shop on the cor-ner of Maiden Lane.

Janet Shea ReaDurham

We’re just about half way to spring and we’ve done a little research to bring you a few facts and a bit of lore about an observance that marks this passage – Groundhog Day — celebrated Feb. 2, a Sunday, this year.

According to the state’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, wildlife division , wood-chucks, also called ground-hogs are common throughout Connecticut. They are ro-dents, related to mice, squir-rels, porcupines and beavers. When the early settlers ar-rived in this country, most of Connecticut was forested land. Woodchucks lived in the scattered forest openings. As land was cleared for farms, this highly adaptable animal also found suitable habitat in the fields and along the forest edge. The new habitat actu-ally provided a more reliable source of food and the wood-chuck is more abundant now than it was during Colonial times.

The woodchuck’s range extends from eastern Alaska, through much of Canada, into eastern United States south to northern Georgia. They can emit a shrill whistle when alarmed, followed by a chattering “tchuck, tchuck” sound.

Groundhog Day marks the midway point between the winter solstice and the ver-nal equinox. It’s also known as the Christian holiday of Candlemas Day, a day of pu-rification and candle pro-cessions. Pagan’s called it Imbolc, a celebration related to fertility and weather div-ination. St. Brigid’s Day is celebrated on Feb. 1, an Irish saint and also a Celtic fertility goddess, an early Christian merger of those two female identities.

The midpoint of winter has long roots and many mystical

associations in human his-tory. In parts of Europe, it was the hedgehog that carried the honor as a bearer of weather divination.

In Germany, the badger was said to have the power to predict the coming of spring and ultimately when to plant crops. Many German immi-grants settled in Pennsylvania and likely brought this tra-dition with them. As there weren’t many badgers in Pennsylvania the groundhog made a good substitute.

In the United States, Groundhog Day has become a popular fun, unofficial hol-iday centered on the idea of the critter coming out of its home to predict the weather – an early or late start to spring depending on whether or not the critter sees his shadow. If he sees his shadow he’s said to be frightened by it and will return to its burrow, indicat-ing that there will be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t see his shadow, then spring is on the way. However, the end result can seem quite vague.

The current version of

Groundhog Day was estab-lished in this country in 1887 and its popularity remains strong. Clubs, dinners, par-ties, websites and more are devoted to celebrating the groundhog’s emergence and the march into spring. Canada also recognizes Groundhog’s Day. Punxsutawney Phil, at his big party at Gobbler’s Knob is not the sole celebra-tion, just one of the better publicized ones.

The groundhog is also known as a marmot, whis-tle-pig, or in some areas land-beaver. It belongs to the family Sciuridae, which in-cludes large ground squirrels.

The average groundhog is 20 inches long and weighs from 12 to 15 pounds. They have coarse gray fur, with brown or dull red highlights. They have short ears, a short tail, short legs, are fast and also have strong jaws. A groundhog eats greens, fruits, and vegetables. They don’t need much water, most of their required liq-

Groundhog fact and fancy marks winter midpoint

A woodchuck, also known a groundhog, scurries across a backyard in Durham. | (Diana Carr / Special to Town Times)

See Groundhog / Page 15

Commentary

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Town Times | towntimes.com Friday, January 31, 2014 A9

Government Meetings

Durham government calendar

( U n l e s s o t h e r w i s e indicated, all meetings are held in the Durham Library. Check the town website at www.townofdurhamct.org for updates.)

Tuesday, Feb. 4Town Green Tree

Design Committee, Town Hall, 5 p.m.

Clean Energy & Sustainability Task Force,

Library, 6:30 p.m.Compensation Review/

Personnel Policy Board, Town Hall, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 5Planning & Zoning, Library, 7:30 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 10Board of Selectman Budget Meeting, Town Hall 5 p.m.Board of Selectman, Town Hall, 7 p.m.Inland/Wetlands,

Town Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 11Conservation

Commission, Library, 7 p.m.

Library Board of Trustees, Library, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 12Board of Education,

Strong School, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 13Zoning Board of Appeals,

Town Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 18Town Green Tree

Design Committee, Town Hall, 5 p.m.Board of Finance,

Town Hall, 6:30 p.m.Agriculture Commission,

Town Hall, 7 p.m.Board of Selectman Budget Meeting, Town Hall, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 19Planning and Zoning, Library, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 20Durham Middlefield

Interlocal Agreement Advisory Board,

Middlefield Community Center, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 25Ethic’s Commission,

Library, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 26Board of Education

Student Achievement, Central Office,

135 Pickett Lane, 9 a.m.Senior Citizen Board,

Durham Activity Center, 1 p.m.

Board of Education, Strong School, 7:30 p.m.

Middlefield government calendar

(Unless otherwise indicated, all meetings are held in the Community Center.)

Monday, Feb. 3Board of Selectman, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 6Park and Recreation

Department, 6:30 p.m.Economic Development Commission, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 12Planning & Zoning,

6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 18Board of Selectman, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 19Inland/Wetlands, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 20Board of Finance, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 25Zoning Board of Appeals,

7 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 27Board of Assessment

Appeals, 3 p.m.Middlefield Housing Authority, 3 p.m.

Follow us on Twitter: @TheTownTimes

Every Thursday, my moth-er-in-law, three sis-ters-in-law, and I make t he sa me slow cooker recipe. We call it Crock Pot Thursday, and it is our way of sharing a family meal despite some 3,000 miles separating us.

I l ove C r o c k P o t Thursday. Since we mem-bers take turns choosing the recipe, the task of meal planning is taken out of my hands on four out of five Thursdays, and often the recipe is something out-side of my regular rotation. My husband and children appreciate the variation, and I like that there is of-ten enough left over to be Friday’s dinner, as well.

We share our feedback, including any variations or modifications we have made to the original rec-ipe, and document those changes when we add the

recipe to our regular rota-tion. Surprisingly, after al-most two years of Crock Pot Thursdays, we’ve only had a few duds, which must be, in some part, a nod to the ease of slow cooking.

Slow cooking is a won-derful way to prepare meals, especially this time of year. There is nothing like the delicious smells from a slow cooked meal to make a cold, dark evening cozier, and between hearty stews and tender roasts, slow cooked meals warm the body and the soul.

Slow cookers are con-venient, too. Most recipes take very little preparation, and can be thrown together quickly in the morning and enjoyed at dinnertime, or as we like to call it around here, “Mooom, I’m soooo hungry” o’clock.

My favorite meals to pre-pare in my Crock Pot are: soup, chili, roasts, and shredded pork or chicken to be used in a variety of dishes. My six-year-old son’s favorite Crock Pot meal is this Corn Chowder recipe, modif ied from www.Crockingirls.com. It

is terribly easy and perfect for a cold winter day!

Slow Cooker Corn ChowderIngredients• 4 medium potatoes,

peeled and diced• 1 can cream corn• 1 can whole kernel corn• 2 cups chicken broth• 10 oz. bacon, fried and

chopped• 1 small onion, diced• 1/4 cup butter• 2 cups half and halfInstructions1. Place potatoes, both cans

of corn, chicken broth, bacon, and onions into the slow cooker.

2. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.

3. Mash the mixture to your desired consistency, and add the butter and half and half.

4. Cook for an additional 30 minutes on high.

You can see the en-tire Crock Pot Thursday collection, along with feedback from all of the participating members at http://funnyisfamily.com/crock-pot-thursday.

Crockpot centerpiece of family dinners

By Amy Flory Special to Town Times

Commentary

Amy Flory

The 18th annual Taste of Durham is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 1, 6:30 to 9 p.m., at the Durham Public Library. Reservations are required and may be made at the library. A fee is charged.

The event features numerous vendors, offering food, confections, wine and beer tasting, ice cream, coffee, des-serts and more. Entertainment is planned. The Taste of Durham is for adults only. The fee includes unlimited food tasting as well as three servings from the bar. The event will be held, regardless of the weather.

Taste of Durham

The New England Chamber Choir is scheduled to pres-ent the Stabat Mater of Giovanni Pergolesi on Sunday, Feb. 16, 4 p.m., at the Church of the Epiphany, 196 Main St.

The 12-movement piece, written for devotional use on Good Friday, describes the sorrows of Mary as she watches Jesus die on the cross. It is written for an en-semble of women’s voices.

The concert is free and open to the public. A freewill offering will be accepted. For more information, call (860) 663-2703 or visit www.newenglandchamberchoir.org.

Chamber choir concert

The Town Times welcomes submissions regarding upcoming community events.

These brief items run free of charge.

We do our best to run a submission at least one time, however, we can-not guarantee a submis-sion will be published on a specific date and con-tent may be edited.

Send submissions to news@towntimes.com or contact Marsha at (203) 317-2256.

If you have specific re-quirements contact your sales representative at (203) 317-2313.

Submissions

To advertise please call Joy Boone

at 203-317-2313.

A10 Friday, January 31, 2014 Town Times | towntimes.com

STRIKE UP THE BAND

At the Strong School concert on Jan. 23, the eighth grade band gets ready to play while band director Steve Fitzgerald expertly stalls for time. | (Mark Dionne/Town Times)

Schools

School Briefs

Eighth grade parents meeting

Coginchaug Regional High School has scheduled an ori-entation meeting for parents of eighth grade students en-tering the high school in the fall of 2014. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 6 at 6:30 p.m. in the school auditorium. An overview of the course selection process will be discussed along with an opportunity to meet with department heads. Snow date is Thursday, Feb. 13.

President’s listElon University, North

Carolina - Kari Garvy of Durham.

Dean’s listPratt Institute, New York

- Emily Brown of Middlefield.R o g e r W i l l i a m s

University, Rhode Island - Julia Giancola of Durham.

University of New Hampshire - Evan Rand of Middlefield.

Western Connecticut State University - Charlotte

Dabrowski, Mallory Figoras of Durham.

Wi l ke s U n ive r s i t y, Pennsylvania - Paige Trusty of Durham.

ScholarshipThe Executive Board of the

Middlesex Hospital Vocal Chords is accepting applica-tions for its annual scholar-ships to students pursuing a career in nursing or music. The $1,000 scholarships will be presented at the spring concert at Portland High School, Saturday, May 17. Applications are available at guidance offices or a www.vocalchords20.org/. Deadline is Monday, March 31. For more information, call (860) 277-3913.

Got news?We welcome your

submissions.

Please send us your stories, photos

and letters:

The Cheshire Citizen 11 Crown Street

Meriden, CT 06450

news@cheshirecitizen.com

EAGLE SCOUT

Brian Blake of Middlefield recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He was the 41st scout from Troop 33 in Middlefield to earn the Eagle rank. Blake’s Eagle project was the refurbishment of the flag pole at the Old North Burying Ground on Jackson Hill Road. In addition, a pathway was created for veterans to have easier access to the flag pole for Memorial Day and Veterans Day cer-emonies. As with all Eagle projects, he was helped by members of Troop 33 and the community.

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Town Times | towntimes.com Friday, January 31, 2014 A11

Obituaries

Author

Connecticut was the birth-place of the hot lobster roll, steamed cheeseburgers, and the thin crust New Haven style pizza. “Some would say we invented the best pizza, if not the original article,” Lehman said.

New Haven also may have invented the hamburger, and although that is up for de-bate, Louis’ Lunch is “the oldest hamburger joint in the nation,” Lehman said.

Lehman and Nawrocki’s favorite Connecticut food is the hot lobster roll, invented in Milford in the early 20th century. Lehman is pleased more people are starting to call it the Connecticut Hot

From Page 2 Lobster Roll, and hopes that perhaps his book has done something to encourage that.

When Lehman visits the Levi Coe Library, he will be minutes away from the birth-place of the steamed cheese-burger, “right down the road

in Middletown.”Those who attend the

event at Levi Coe will learn “how to make steamed cheeseburgers at home with-out spending $400 on a spe-cial oven,” Lehman said.

View obituaries online: www.legacy.com

T h e D u r h a m His tor ica l Soc ie ty is looking for veter-ans from Durham who would be interested in being interviewed about their experiences in the service. The goal of the project is to record the oral history from these men and women and eventually publish these interviews in a book documenting Durham’s involvement in all wars. All video and/or audio recordings would also be available to the public at the historical society.

Veterans can be native to Durham or currently living in town and could have served at any point (World War II to the present). Family mem-bers of a deceased vet-eran are welcome to tell their story.

The Historical Society is also looking for volun-teers who would like to conduct interviews, edit video, or participate in other ways.

For more informa-tion, to participate or volunteer, contact Sarah Atwell at (860) 716-5497 or satwell@wesleyan.edu.

Historical Society seeks veteransCarole Lynne Pearson

MIDDLETOWN — With broken hearts we announce the passing of Carole Lynne Pearson, “Gigi”, “CP”, 66, of Middletown on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014, following a very

brief illness. She was born April 1, 1947, and was the daughter of Carolyn Adams, of Middle-town, the late Donald Pearson, and her late step-father Allan Adams. Gigi was a loving soul, beautiful inside and out. She grew up in Middlefield at the Lyman Farm and later moved with her family to Durham graduat-ing from Durham High School. Gigi lived

in many places throughout the years always finding her way home to family. She made long lasting friendships in Norwood, Mass., and summered with those same friends yearly in Newport, R.I., before eventually moving there full time. She also lived for a time in Denver, N.C., and traveled the world spending seasons in Anguilla. Gigi had a discerning eye for fashion and jewelry becoming a certified gemologist. She owned a jewelry store, “Gigi’s Touch”, in Charlestown, R.I. and worked in JCPenney’s fine jewelry in Connecticut and North Carolina for several years winning numerous sales awards. She also worked in her mother’s furniture business, Carolyn Adams Coun-try Barn. Besides her mother, she is survived by two brothers, Ken Pearson and his wife, Marilyn, of Durham, Daniel Pearson and his wife, Gail, of Northford; three sisters, Donna Noonan, of Durham and Middletown, Alana Ad-ams, of Durham, and Belinda Adams, of New Smyr-na Beach, Fla.; several aunts, uncles, cousins; nieces, nephews; great-nieces and nephews; her dog Rocko. Her last wish was for her friends to know how much she truly loved them. Sleep peacefully our loving angel. Funeral services were held on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at the United Churches of Durham followed by burial in the family plot in Mica Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, do-nations in her memory may be made to the CT Humane Society, 701 Russell Road, Newington, CT 06111 or to Help Willy’s Friends P.O. Box 556 Durham, CT 06422.

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Traci Dalton MIDDLEFIELD — Traci Dalton, of Middlefield, died Friday, Jan. 17, 2014, at the Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven. By her side were her husband, Doug

Dischino; her children, Lindley Donecker and Brittney Dalton; and Lindley’s husband, Daniel. She was 57. After graduating from the State University of New York at Cortland in 1978 with a major in biology and health science, Traci joined Bristol Laboratories in Syracuse. She subsequently transferred to Wallingford. Over the course of her career, she held a variety of positions, retiring as

an Associate Director of Global Quality and Regulatory Compliance after 33 years with Bristol-Myers Squibb. Traci was born in Corvallis, Ore., and graduated from Liverpool High School, a suburb of Syracuse, in 1974. She was a member of the track and swim teams, captain of the gymnastics team, and an Onondaga County and Section III champion in vaulting. Through her later years at Liverpool High School and while at SUNY Cortland, she spent summers as a lifeguard. In 1976, she became the first female chief lifeguard at a state park in New York. Traci lived her life with an adventurous spirit and unlim-ited energy. She loved the outdoors. Everything that she put her mind to was done with zeal: downhill and cross country skiing, swimming, bicycling, scuba diving, roller blading, and hiking. She and her husband hiked exten-sively on Connecticut’s Blue-Blazed Hiking Trail System. She was a cat lover and cared for many stray cats. She was also an avid gardener. Throughout her six-year bat-tle with cancer, Traci was determined to remain active. Four years into the ordeal, she and her daughter Brittney hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, stayed over-night at the Phantom Ranch Lodge and then hiked out the next day. During her last two years and while on two different clinical trials, she and her husband traveled to Scotland, New Zealand and Norway, where they crossed the Arctic Circle, organizing their trips around treatments and procedures. More recently, no matter how she felt, Traci made sure to spend time being with and support-ing Lindley, Brittney and Doug. She was devoted to her granddaughter, Kayla and grandson, Logan. When health permitted, she traveled to Apex, N.C., to be with them. Later, Skyping and video emails were a daily event. In addition to Doug; Lindley, Daniel, Kayla and Logan; and Brittney, of St. Louis, Missouri; Traci is survived by her parents, Ron and Jan (Bogart) Dalton; her sister, Les-lie Katz; brother-in-law, Mitchell; and nieces, Rebecca and Dana; all of Liverpool, N.Y. A memorial service to celebrate Traci’s life will be held at the Middlefield Federated Church, 402 Main Street, in Middlefield on Saturday, Feb. 8, at 11 a.m. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made in honor of Traci’s life to the Termer Center for Targeted Therapies at Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St., Boston, MA 02114, Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven, 20 York Street, New Haven, CT 06510 or the Connecticut Forest and Park Associa-tion, 16 Meriden Road, Rockfall, CT 06481. Doolittle Fu-neral Home in Middletown is handling the arrangements. To share memories or send condolences to the family, please visit www.doolittlefuneralservice.com.

A12 Friday, January 31, 2014 Town Times | towntimes.com

The f i fth annual Healthy Family Funfest is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 23, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Aqua Turf Club, 556 Mulberry St., Plantsville. Admission is free.

The event includes health information, speakers, screenings, car safety seat infor-mation, food samples, and demonstrations. Activities include a pet-ting zoo, obstacle course, gym and Sloper Express Train.

For more information, call (860) 276-1966 or visit www.healthyfami-lyfunfest.com.

Healthy Family Funfest

HealthTracking a child’s developmental milestones

(StatePoint) It is natural for parents to be curious about how their children are devel-oping mentally, emotionally

and physically. And it’s even natural for parents to expe-rience some apprehension about what is “normal.” But

experts say that by better un-derstanding your child, you can put the anxieties aside and help guide your children through each age and stage.

“Each child grows at a dif-ferent pace,” advises Dr. Lise Eliot, an early childhood mental development expert.

“There are few hard and fast deadlines when it comes to a child’s milestones.”

To ease parents’ concerns, Dr. Eliot worked with VTech, a world leader in age-appro-priate and developmental stage-based electronic learn-ing products for children, to create a set of developmental milestones. These milestones can be used as a guideline to help parents better under-stand a child’s development and determine which toys and games are appropri-ate for that stage. Here are three areas of development to consider:

Language and Cognition

Language immersion is absolutely key to children’s cognitive and emotional de-velopment. Children use words to express themselves, but also to learn about the people and world around them. Research has proven that early, two-way con-versations with babies and young children are critical to speech and later reading development.

“Look for interactive toys and books to expand your child’s vocabulary and aware-ness of letter sounds,” says Eliot.

At the same time, children learn important concepts

through non-verbal play, like building and sorting, and so the combination of verbal and spatial play is very pow-erful to children’s overall development.

Social DevelopmentRelationships are at the

core of all human learning. Babies look to their parents’ emotions and facial expres-sions to first learn about the world, and children con-tinue to depend completely on other people to learn lan-guage and the rules of social engagement. Peers are an equally important part of the social equation.

“The fact is, we are a highly social species and the better children learn to read other people’s feelings and desires the easier time they will have learning and befriending oth-ers,” says Eliot.

Physical and Motor Skills

Children learn through play. And as every exhausted parent knows, their play is extremely physical. Whether it is learning to crawl, run, or build a toy tower, young children are constantly ex-ercising their gross and fine motor skills, honing brain pathways for smooth, pur-poseful movement.

“The more opportunity children have for physical exertion and exploration, the better for the development of both their minds and bodies,” says Eliot.

With a broader under-standing of child develop-ment, parents can relax, have fun and help their kids grow to their full potential.

For a detailed milestones guideline, sorted by age group and area of development, along with other free parenting resources, visit www.vtechkids.com/milestones.

Find us on the Web: www.towntimes.com

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Town Times | towntimes.com Friday, January 31, 2014 A13

UNDER THE LIGHTS

A concert by Coginchaug Regional High School Music Department, Jan. 18, featured the Show Choir shown here taking a bow. | (Mark Dionne/Town Times)

V.F. McNeil Insurance announced the promotion

of Carmine Montuori t o v i c e president o f t h e Branford-based in-dependent insurance agency. I n h i s new posi-

tion, Montuori will work closely with the owner and President of V.F. McNeil Insurance, Daniel McNamara, on oversee-

ing day-to-day operations, business development, and allocation of resources.

Possessing over 20 years of experience in the insur-ance industry, his knowl-edge and strength in relationships is a major as-set to

Montuori has over 20 years in the insurance business. He joined V.F. McNeil Insurance in 1996 as an account manager and advanced to a Certified Insurance Counselor. Not long after, he earned his Connecticut Life & Health Insurance License.

Vice president named at McNeil Insurance

Carmine Montuori

The Church of the Epiphany has scheduled a free community sup-per for Sunday, Feb. 9, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., in the church hall, 196 Main St.

The main meal will be prepared by Epiphany’s parishioners. Members of Notre Dame Church will provide dessert.

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CalendarFriday, Jan. 31

Casual bridge - The Durham Activity Center, 350 Main St., schedules casual bridge every Friday at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome. For more information, call Jim Martinelli at (860) 346-6611.

Saturday, Feb. 1Dudley Farm - Dudley

Farm Winter Farmers’ Market is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 1, 9 a.m. to noon, in the Munger Barn, 2351 Durham Road, Guilford. Featured are baked goods, eggs, handmade art and crafts, honey and maple syrup, jams and jellies, naturally raised meat, pickles and craft vendors. For more information, call (860) 349-3917 or visit dudleyfarm.com.

Indoor track - CRHS at Shoreline Championship, Floyd Little Athletic center, 10 a.m.

Monday, Feb. 3Girls basketball - CRHS

vs. North Branford at CRHS, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 4Dining fundraiser -

Coginchaug Basketball Club has scheduled a fundraiser for Tuesday, Feb. 4, 5 to 9 p.m. at Ninety Nine Restaurant, 914 North Colony Road, Wallingford. For more information and voucher, visit www.CBCThunder.org.

Boys basketball - CRHS vs. North Branford at CRHS, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 6Girls basketball - CRHS

vs. Valley Regional at CRHS, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 7Boys basketball - CRHS

vs. Valley Regional at CRHS, 7:30 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 10Girls basketball - CRHS

vs. Old Saybrook at CRHS, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 11Boys basketball - CRHS

vs. Old Saybrook at CRHS, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 13Girls basketball - CRHS

vs. Cromwell at Cromwell, 7 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 14Boys basketball - CRHS

vs. Cromwell at CRHS, 7 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 16Concert - The New En-

gland Chamber Choir is scheduled to present the Stabat Mater of Giovanni Pergolesi on Sunday, Feb.

16, 4 p.m., at the Church of the Epiphany, 196 Main St. The concert is free and open to the public. A freewill of-fering will be accepted. For more information, call (860) 663-2703 or visit www.ne-wenglandchamberchoir.org. Monday, Feb. 17

Girls basketball - CRHS vs. Morgan at CRHS, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 18Boys basketball - CRHS

vs. Moran at CRHS, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 19Girls basketball - CRHS

vs. Haddam-Killingworth at Haddam-Killingworth, 7 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 21Boys basketball - CRHS

vs. Haddam-Killingworth at Haddam-Killingworth HS, 7 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 24Boys basketball - CRHS

vs. Enfield at CRHS, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 26Boys basketball - CRHS

vs. Valley Regional at Valley Regional, 7 p.m.

PET OF THE WEEKMy name is George. I am a 14-year-old Maine Coon. I am extremely affectionate and love when you hold me, pet me, play (laser light toy is my favorite), brush me, and talk to me. I am a great companion and will stay by your side. I know I’m older, but I need a home too...please give me a chance. Since I am an older cat, I do require some medicine with my food and a litter box that is easy to get to. My ideal home is one where I am the only cat. If you work from home or are retired, you are the perfect companion for me. CATALES is seeking a permanent foster parent for me and will tell you the best way to take care of me. I will bring a wonderful feeling to your heart if you take me home. Please call CATALES at (860) 344-9043 or email: info@catales.org.

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Town Times | towntimes.com Friday, January 31, 2014 A15

Groundhog

uid comes from dewy leaves. They are clean creatures and therefore less susceptible to disease that can plague other wildlife.

Groundhogs are one of the few animals that really hiber-nate. By the end of October, most woodchucks have be-gun their winter sleep. They wake up slowly during February and March. Young Groundhogs are usually born in mid-April or May, in litters of four to nine babies called kits or cobs. A groundhog’s life span is normally six to eight years.

Woodchucks are excellent diggers and create complex burrow systems, with at least two entrances and a nesting chamber. They stay within a few hundred yards of the burrow entrance and rely on keen hearing and sense of smell to warn of nearby

From Page 8 dangers. They can be fierce fighters with enemies, which include man, dogs, coyote, foxes, bear, hawks and owls, bobcat, mink and weasels. Although woodchucks are primarily terrestrial, they

can climb trees and are good swimmers.

(Sources of information in-clude groundhog.org, time-anddate.com and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.)

Tips for financial independence The New Year is a great

time to make some positive changes in your financial life. While Americans are good at creating resolutions, they often find them difficult to keep.

If your goal is to be finan-cially independent, and it should be, you need to make some changes in 2014 that you’ll stick with for the rest of your life. Here are a few suggestions for small resolu-tions that can have a signifi-cant impact on your financial future:

Spend less than you earn.

If you take home $1,000 per week, you cannot spend more than $1,000 per week. That seems simple, but a sur-vey released by Bankrate.com in 2013 found 76 percent of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. Resolve to live on a budget that’s below your means. You will never be able to out-earn your ca-pacity to spend, so get your spending under control this year.

Credit cards are a last resort.

Spending less than you

earn will cause your savings to grow. The savings ac-count will be there when the car breaks down or the wash-ing machine goes out, so you don’t have to turn to credit to handle the emergency. Most Americans are not prepared financially for any type of unexpected financial burden. Your goal should be to have three to six months of living expenses set aside in a liquid account for emergencies.

Invest for f inancial independence.

This is not the same as saving for retirement. The goal here is to get to the point financially where you no lon-ger have to work to support yourself. Set aside some of the money you’ve worked for today. Allow it to accu-mulate and grow so one day that money will be working for you. Start by controlling spending so you have money to save and invest. Continue the process until the return on your investments exceeds what you earn by working. Financia l independence gives you the freedom to choose to continue working, change jobs, work part-time

or not at all. It is the ultimate financial goal.

Pay less in taxes.Anyone looking for a place

to cut expenses might start with their own tax return. Too many Americans pay more taxes than they should. Take advantage of tax retire-ment accounts through work and health savings accounts, if they’re offered. There are tax credits available for chil-dren, higher education, de-pendent care and retirement savings. Many of these cred-its go unclaimed each year. Resolve to minimize your in-come taxes this year and put the savings into your new fi-nancial plan.

Make a plan. This is especially true if

you want to be financially independent. You need a short-term financial plan for controlling spending -- a budget.

You also need a long-term

Careful planning can impact your financial future and help you keep more money in your wallet.

plan that establishes the level of savings you main-tain, a plan to get out of debt and an investment plan that will take you to financial independence.

The plan becomes your road map. There will be de-tours along the way; your goals and plan will need ad-

justing as you progress in life. Keep working at it. Don’t be distracted by outside in-fluences you can’t control. You don’t want to get to the end of your working career only to find you haven’t saved enough to maintain your lifestyle and you still have a mortgage on your home.

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TOWN TIMES BUSINESS SERVICE DIRECTORY

Sports

Coginchaug hoopsters arrive at midseason in good standing

At press t ime, the Coginchaug boys owned a record of 6-4 (5-4 Shoreline Conference), while the Coginchaug girls were 9-3 (8-2 Shoreline Conference).

In recent action:Jan. 13, the boys traveled to

Old Saybrook and defeated the Rams by a 53-41 count.

Conor Doyle scored the third-quarter basket that put the Devils on top for good off

a Cam Powers assist, as the boys overcame a 26-25 half-time deficit.

Doyle led the team in scor-ing with 10 points, while Devin Rodrigue added nine points with 10 rebounds for the victors. Powers scored eight points while leading the team in assists (4) and steals (3).

Alex Markoski , Jack Granger and Zach Terrill each tallied six points for Coginchaug, while teammates Josh Smith and Taylor Sapia

netted five and three points, respectively.

Jan. 14, the Coginchaug girls hosted the Cougars of H-K. After falling behind early in the second period, the Blue Devils went ahead for good on a Kim Romanoff to Morgan Kuehnle bucket to close out the first half on their way to a 50-38 victory.

Kuehnle led the team with 19 points. She also pulled in nine rebounds.

Romanoff scored 12 points, and led the team in assists,

with six. Naomi Rinaldo scored 11 points for the vic-tors, and Caryn Sibiskie led the Blue Devils in rebounds, with 10.

Sibiskie, Audrey Arcari, Katelyn Williams and Alison Luther scored two points apiece for Coginchaug.

Jan. 16, the boys took the long trek to Old Lyme to take on the Wildcats and, in a tight contest, fell 46-40.

After tying the game on a Conor Doyle free throw at the end of the third period, Doyle

By Alan Pease hit another single charity try to open the final period, giv-ing the Devils their only lead of the night.

Unfortunately, Coginchaug would not score again for more than five minutes, while the Wildcats went on a 12-0 tear.

Three late treys, one by Doyle and two by Cam Powers, couldn’t undo the damage.

Devin Rodrigue led the team in scoring with 17, while Doyle scored 13 and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.

Powers scored six points. and Alex Markoski netted four for the visitors.

Jan. 17, the girls made the trek across the mouth of the Connecticut River to take on Old Lyme. It was a pleasant bus ride home, as the locals prevailed 58-46.

Early in the second half, the game looked to be in doubt for Coginchaug, as the Wildcats surged ahead 34-28. After Morgan Kuehnle hit a basket to draw the Devils closer, teammate Sydney Trusty took over.

Over the last four minutes of the third period, Trusty scored three times, including the basket that put the Devils on top for good.

The locals carried a 38-34 edge into the final frame. There, Caryn Sibiskie, Audrey Arcari and Trusty salted the game away.

Kim Romanoff had a big game for Coginchaug. She tal-lied 16 points, had four steals and dished out three assists.

Trusty had 12 points and three rebounds off the bench. Sibiskie (7 rebounds, 2 blocks) and Arcari (5 rebounds, 2 steals) each netted 11.

Kuehnle came through with six points and a team-high 10 points.

Naomi Rinaldo scored two points and grabbed three

See Basketball / Page 17

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Town Times | towntimes.com Friday, January 31, 2014 A17

TOWN TIMES BUSINESS SERVICE DIRECTORY

Basketball

boards.Jan. 20, the girls took on the

Huskies of Morgan in Clinton, and despite a solid effort, fell 51-45.

Coginchaug led 39-36 early in the final period af-ter a Caryn Sibiskie basket. Unfortunately, seven Blue Devil fouls down the stretch, each leading to free throws for the Huskies (10-for-14 from the charity stripe), sealed the locals’ fate.

Kim Romanoff powered the Devils with 18 points. Sibiskie had seven points, two blocks and a team-high 10 rebounds. Audrey Arcari netted seven points and grabbed six re-bounds for the visitors, while teammate Morgan Kuehnle pulled down five boards and scored four points.

Also chipping in for Coginchaug was Naomi Rinaldo (4 rebounds, 3

points) and Katelyn Williams (2 points).

Jan. 23, the boys traveled to Clinton for their own shot at Morgan. With five play-ers in double figures, led by Zach Terrill’s 17 points off the bench, the Devils rolled 69-43.

Terrill drained five 3-point-ers, and was 6-of-7 from the field.

Jack Granger (4 assists, 3 rebounds, team-high 4 steals), Devin Rodrigue (team-high 17 rebounds), Conor Doyle and Cam Powers (team-high 7 as-sists) scored 10 points apiece, while Coginchaug’s other starter, Alex Markoski, net-ted eight.

Also contributing to the victory was Zach Vallone (2 points) and Josh Smith (2 points) and Taylor Sapia (3 rebounds).

Jan. 24, the boys hosted the Highlanders from Portland and came away with a hard-

fought 45-36 victory.Although Portland led

just once, 3-2, Coginchaug had a difficult time shaking the pesky Highlanders. Two fourth-quarter free throws after a key steal, all by Jack Granger, put the Devils on top for good. A Cam Powers three extended the lead, and Zach Terrill and Devin Rodrigue made sure Portland would not come back this time.

Powers led the Devils in scoring with 12 points. Rodrigue had a team-high 12 rebounds and added 10 points for the double-double.

Granger scored eight points to go along with three rebounds, three steals and three assists. Terrill finished with seven points. Also grac-ing the Coginchaug scoring column was Conor Doyle (4 points, team-high 4 assists) and Alex Markoski (4 points).

Josh Smith collected three rebounds for the victors.

From Page 16

CHESHIRE — Starting this fall, the state high school football playoffs will look dif-ferent than they have for the past four seasons.

Just how different remains to be seen.

Jan. 22, the CIAC Football Committee approved a hand-ful of changes for the 2014 football season. Chief among them: the playoffs will con-sist of a semifinal round to be played on the Saturday 10 days after Thanksgiving and then a championship round that will be played the Saturday after the semis.

That indicates the end of the quarterfinals, which were added to the postseason in 2010 and played the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

Yet 32 teams will continue to qualify for the playoffs, as has been the case over the past four years, when there have been eight qualifiers in each of four classes.

Does keeping the num-ber of qualifiers at 32 with-out quarterf inals mean Connecticut football will re-vert back to the six-class sys-tem, with MM and SS back in the mix and an Open bracket, or “Best of the Best” tier, that will feature elite teams re-gardless of size? A separate Catholic school division?

Or will it be pushed to eight classes across the board?

We’ll see. The final deci-sion on the 2014 playoff for-mat won’t be made until the CIAC Football Committee meets again in February.

What remains unchanged is Thanksgiving. Those games will remain part of the regular season and will be the last to count for postseason power rankings.

Connecticut’s football play-

Face of CIAC football playoffs changing again

By Bryant CarpenterSpecial to The Citizen

off system has long been a topic of debate and has un-dergone multiple changes since the state shifted away from the old two-qualifi-ers-per-class system in 1994. The prime issue has been the number of qualifying teams, which has had the state tog-gling back and forth between four classes and six.

Another issue has been

See Football / Page 18

Quarterfinals are out; number of qualifiers to remain at 32

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Town Times Business Service Directory

Football

the dominant programs, be they parochial schools like Xavier or St. Joseph or small public powers like Ansonia. Some have suggested sepa-rate playoff brackets for the Catholic/prep schools or an Open division that would en-able an Ansonia to contend for a state title with the big-ger programs.

Then there’s the issue of weather, which became a fac-tor this past season.

With the changes ad-opted in 2010, the finals were pushed 2 1/2 weeks past Thanksgiving, the latest they were ever held.

That wasn’t an issue un-til this year, when a late Thanksgiving combined with early December snow reshuffled the Championship Saturday deck.

Class LL was most ef-fected, with Southington and Fairfield Prep not playing their final until the follow-ing Thursday, one night after the boys winter sports season had begun.

Weather, though, was the least of the CIAC Football Committee’s concerns. The tight windows between Thanksgiving, quarterf i-nals and semifinals — three games in 10 games for those that survive, something that’s been opposed by the medical community since the 2010 ex-pansion — has been the more pressing issue.

From Page 17

The Sa lve Reg ina football team landed a program-best 25 stu-dent-athletes on the 2013 New England Football Conference Academic All-Conference team, as an-nounced by the league’s publicist.

To qualify for the team a player must have com-pleted three semesters at the same institution with a cumulative of 3.0 or better grade point average (based on a 4.0 scale). In total, 178 student-athletes have been honored by the NEFC with Salve Regina’s 25 honorees landing the school third behind Massachusetts

Institute of Technology (44) and Endicott (35).

Eight of the 25 Academic Al l -Conference hon-orees were previously selected to the NEFC All-Conference teams, in-cluding Justin Johnson, a senior from Durham, and junior Dan Buonocore (Mahwah, N.J.), senior Josh Burnett (Whitman, Mass.), sophomore Danny Ives (Madison, Conn.), sophomore Alex Leddy (Warwick, R.I.), junior Rory McEntee (Wakefield, R.I.), junior Phil Terio (Trumbull, Conn.) and ju-nior Matthew Traynor (Secaucus, N.J.).

Local football player honored

The Coginchaug Thunder 6th grade boys travel basket-ball team took on host Branford in a rematch and opened the game hot, but faded.

A big and tough Branford team proved too much for Coginchaug.

Del Cade played a great game from start to finish for Coginchaug and ended up with eight points. Hugh Barrett, Justin Penney, Chris Onofrio and Derek Grant each had four points in the loss.

Youth basketball: Coginchaug falls

T h e C o g i n c h a u g Basketbal l Club has scheduled a fundraiser for Tuesday, Feb. 4, 5 to 9 p.m., at the Ninety Nine

Restaurant, 914 North Colony Road, Wallingford.

For more information and a voucher, visit www.CBCThunder.org.

Basketball fundraiser

Singing Leaves - the Stories and Songs of the Crickets and Katydids is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 13, 11:15 a.m., at the Durham Public Library.

The prog ram i s presented by John Himmelman, direc-tor of the Connecticut Butterfly Association.

The program, spon-sored by the Durham Garden Club, is free and open to the public.

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Town Times | towntimes.com Friday, January 31, 2014 A19

Town Times Business Service Directory

Adult education offers free classes for Durham and Middlefield resi-dents ready to earn their high school diploma.

Three high school completion options are available including the GED and the National E x t e r n a l D i p l o m a Program, an individu-alized, self paced pro-gram without classroom instruction.

Enrollment is ongo-ing and free of charge for area residents. Day and evening classes are available in Middletown, Killingworth and Old Saybrook. For more in-formation, call (860) 343-6044 or visit www.maect.org.

Free adult ed classes The Lynn DeCaro po-

etry contest is open to Connecticut high school students. Entries accepted through March 15.

This contest was set up in memoriam to honor Lynn DeCaro, a promising young Connecticut Poetry Society member who died of leuke-mia in 1986.

Prizes of $75, $50, and $25 will be awarded. There is no entry fee for this con-test. Send up to 3 unpub-lished poems, any form, 40 line limit.

Include two copies of each poem: one with com-plete contact informa-tion (name, address, high school, phone and e- mail)

and one with NO contact information. Both cop-ies must be marked: Lynn DeCa ro Compet it ion . Include self-addressed, stamped envelope for re-sults only; no poems will be returned. Send sub-missions to: Lynn DeCaro Poetry Competition, CPS, P.O. Box 270554, West

Hartford, CT 06127-0554. This year’s judge is Rhett

Watts, the author of the book Willing Suspension and the chapbook No Innocent Eye. She leads AWA (Amherst Writers & Artists) writing workshops in Connecticut.

For more information con-tact Ginny Connors, Contest Chair of CPS, vglc@aol.com.

Poetry contest

Durham Middlefield Youth and Fami ly Services has money available for Durham, Middlefield or Rockfall residents under 21 in-terested in developing a project/event based on creative expression. DMYFS has allocated $600 to fund projects based on the ideas.

Interested youth must attend a Mini-Grant Workshop, scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 27, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at DMYFS, 405 Main St. Registration is re-quired by calling (860) 349-0258. Completed applications are due by Tuesday, April 1. The Review Committee will announce the awards by April 29. Project/activity needs to be completed by Sept. 1.

For more informa-tion, contact Durham Middlefield Youth and Family Services at (860) 349-0258.

Grants to support youth’s ideas

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A20 Friday, January 31, 2014 Town Times | towntimes.com

At a previous Taste of Durham, Bruce Schmottlach found shelter from the crowds on the other side of his piano in the Durham Public Library’s main room. Schmottlach will again provide music for the event, taking place on Feb. 1. | (Mark Dionne/Town Times)

TasteFrom Page 1

release, “New this year are Durham caterer Kevin Smith and Durham Wine & Spirits (beer tasting), and Taino’s, Our Place, and Fiore’s II, all of Middletown.”

The Taste of Durham be-gan 18 years ago to support the library’s new addition. “It started 18 years ago as a library party” to raise funds, Eriksen said. PALS eventu-ally took over running the event.

“It became known as the community party. That has solidified as the theme - it’s the community party,” Eriksen said.

Taste of Durham has sold out in recent years. The free shuttle will begin running at 6 pm from Strong School. The event takes over most of the library, with tables in the main room, up in the activity room, around the children’s area and throughout the lower level meeting rooms.

Ticket prices have in-

creased to $35 this year and can be purchased by check at the library. The ticket in-cludes unlimited food sam-pling and three bar tickets. PALS uses proceeds from the snow-or-shine event to sup-port the library.

Taste of Durham proceeds are not dedicated to one spe-cific need. “The last few years it’s been primarily program-ming and items such as the Self-Check,” said Eriksen, who added, “There are items that PALS just steps up for.”

Music for the Taste of Durham will be provided by Bruce Schmottlach and Deep Ellum.

Schmottlach, who plays piano in the main room, dedicates his tip jar to the purchase of children’s books. Deep Ellum, the acoustic duo of Jon Swift of Durham and Richard Johnson, will play rock and folk roots music in the lower level.

Reach every home and every business every week: Advertise in The Town Times!

Please call Joy Boone at 203-317-2313.

When she began as the Superintendent of Schools earlier this month, Kathryn Veronesi cited the search for a new principal at Coginchaug Regional High School as a priority.

At the Jan. 22 Board of Education meeting, Veronesi laid out a timeline with the “hopeful outcome” of hav-ing a new principal working in May.

CRHS has been without a permanent principal since April 26, 2013 when Andre Hauser left to become princi-pal at Waterford High School. After one failed search, the CRHS position has been filled on an interim basis by Don Gates.

Veronesi told the BOE she would like to use focus groups similar to the ones in-volved in the superintendent search that brought her to

District 13 but “a little more focused, not quite as com-prehensive.” The proposed focus group would consist of BOE and community mem-bers, students and staff, and in February would define the skills and qualities of an ideal candidate.

In March, according to Veronesi’s timeline, a 12- to 16-member interview com-mittee would take over. Interviews would take place in March, with finalists re-turning for a second inter-view and a site visit in early April.

“Because the district doesn’t have a set interview process protocol, I’d like to work on that,” Veronesi said.

BOE chair Kerrie Flanagan called establishing a proto-col a good idea. “There’s so much on the plates of admin-istrators and teachers, that I think we have to have a pro-cess that works for them,” Flanagan said.

Flanagan also noted that a May hire of an existing high school principal may not mean a May start, as many principals would try to fin-ish their school year. “Mr. Gates is completely amena-ble, and, in fact, quite enthu-siastic about making sure that he is here for transition,” Flanagan said. “Regardless of the start time, he will be here to manage and to assist the transition.”

Veronesi characterized a July start as a “worst case scenario.”

“I’m going into this very op-timistic,” said Flanagan, who added that the failed search last year took place during a “terrible time” in the calendar to look for a principal.

Veronesi said the CRHS position should be a draw for potential candidates. “It is such a remarkable school with such tremendous op-portunity for an administra-tor,” she said.

Veronesi proposes timeline for principal searchBy Mark DionneTown Times

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