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Volume 42, Number 45 Published by The Glastonbury Citizen August 17, 2018 Area Towns Favor Lamont, Stefanowski by Allison Lazur Democrats and Republicans in the majority [Lamont] is honest and open and he’s not do- didate for the election in November.” people that wants to get out to the main event. of the Rivereast towns went the way of the state ing this to seek another job – in fact, he’s said Statewide, the five-way race for the Repub- I think [the results are] positive and we have a at the polls Tuesday, choosing Ned Lamont and this will likely be his last job.” lican gubernatorial candidate was a closer call, good candidate to put forth in November.” Bob Stefanowski as the respective Democrat Connolly added Lamont “really wants to turn with Bob Stefanowski the ultimate victor, win- On that November ballot, Lamont will be and Republican candidates for governor. the state around – economic-wise – and wants ning 42,067 votes, or 29.43 percent. joined by former Connecticut secretary of the Statewide, Lamont, the endorsed candidate, to bring people together.” He also said he be- Four of the six Rivereast towns went for state Susan Bysiewicz, who won Tuesday’s pri- sailed to victory, receiving 172,557 votes, or lieves Lamont wants to “have a place of oppor- Stefanowski as well; Andover Republicans mary for the lieutenant governor seat, while 81.19 percent, to just 39,975, or 18.81 percent, tunity for everyone, regardless of where you opted for Timothy Herbst, while David Stefanowski’s running mate will be state Sen. for his opponent, Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim. live.” Stemerman won in Marlborough. Joe Markley (R-16), who also won Tuesday. Hebron resident Sean Connolly, former com- Rivereast Democrats across the board also Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, who was Marlborough Republican Town Committee missioner of the Connecticut Department of proved their overwhelming support for Lamont, the state’s endorsed Republican candidate, fared Chairman Ken Hjulstrom said in an email to Veterans Affairs, initially sought the governor’s by casting votes in his favor amounting to up- no better than fourth place in each of the the Rivereast Wednesday, “When it comes to seat himself, dropping out of the race at the wards of 10 times the number of votes received Rivereast towns. (See related sidebars on page the November elections, it would appear that Democratic convention in May and endorsing by Ganim in towns such as Marlborough. 10.) the two teams (Lamont/Bysiewicz vs. Lamont, a Greenwich businessman who previ- Hebron Democratic Town Committee Chair- Portland Republican Town Committee Chair- Stefanowski/Markley) will provide voters with ously unsuccessfully ran for governor and for man Ted Bromley said he thought the results man Tim Lavoy told the Rivereast Wednesday a choice between two diametrically opposed U.S. Senate. were “positive,” adding, “I think that the pri- he’s ready to move forward with the general sets of candidates when it comes to how they Connolly told the Rivereast this week, “I’m mary [process] was able to work and the Demo- election. plan to address Connecticut’s woes.” excited about the campaign going forward. crats in Hebron were able to choose their can- “I’m glad it’s over,” he said. “I’m one of those See Towns Favor page 2 Marlborough Tavern to Rise Again by Allison Lazur militia men celebrated the end of the Revolu- A piece of town history that is older than the tionary War in the tavern’s taproom, the town’s country itself will soon open its doors once activities centered around the taproom and, in again. the early 19th century, meetings for the town’s The Marlborough Tavern, which has been incorporation were found there. closed since 2011, is expected to open by the The building was owned by the Buell fam- end of October, Evan Schwartz of Schwartz ily until 1898, and has changed hands multiple Realty Developers told the Rivereast this week. times since. “The community is excited and we are su- Before being acquired by the Schwartz de- per excited to be a part of the community,” he velopers, the building had been most recently said. owned by Robert Elliott and the tavern run by When Glastonbury-based Schwartz Realty Jim Bradley and John Spellman. In 2011, the purchased the property in 2016, it hoped to turn tavern closed its doors, after being run by Bra- turn the property back into a tavern. The build- dley and Spellman for more than 25 years. ing – which dates to 1760 – is located at the In 2013, brothers Scott and Marc Digalbo corner of South Main Street and Route 66 and attempted to reopen the tavern as the New has been an iconic landmark for the town. Marlborough Tavern. The building was set to According to a 1978 letter nominating the undergo several renovations, but by mid-2014, A local historical landmark, the Marlborough Tavern has been closed since 2011. historic spot for the National Register of His- the renovations had come to a halt. But new owners are hoping to have the eatery up and running again by the end of toric Places – a nomination that proved suc- The building – still owned by Elliott at the October. As this sketch shows, the outside isn’t expected to change much from the cessful – the tavern was at one point “a major time – was later foreclosed upon, along with building area residents know and love. Sketch by Parsons School of Design student stopping point along the turnpike from Hart- four other Elliott-owned properties located in Carly Blumenthal. ford to New London.” The letter states that See Tavern page 2 FOIC Rules Paper Ballots Not Public by Elizabeth Regan The Connecticut Freedom of Information controls access to paper ballots once a statu- quested paper ballots is governed by state elec- “The emphasis in this argument is on ‘may Commission has ruled paper election ballots are tory 180-day impoundment period has expired. tion statutes,” not by the Freedom of Informa- be destroyed,’” the Rivereast brief said. “It does not public documents protected by the state’s The argument made by East Hampton Town tion Act. not say the documents shall be destroyed.” Sunshine Law. Attorney Richard Carella, which was upheld The Rivereast requested at a subsequent The Rivereast argued state election law con- The commission last week dismissed the by Freedom of Information Commission attor- meeting of the Freedom of Information Com- trols access to the ballots up to 180 days after Rivereast’s complaint against East Hampton ney Kathleen K. Ross, hinges on a provision in mission – which occurred on June 27, after the the election, but that Freedom of Information Town Manager Michael Maniscalco and the state election law that requires election ballots 180-day retention period had expired – that provisions control access after 180 days. Town of East Hampton for refusing to allow to be sealed for 180 days after the election. Only commissioners take a broader look at the issue. Commissioners, who tabled the issue at the access to handcounted ballots from last year’s a judge can order the ballots be unsealed, ac- The commission is charged with making a June meeting because Ross was not present, municipal election. cording to the statute. final decision based on the hearing officer’s were initially receptive to the Rivereast’s argu- The Rivereast’s Freedom of Information re- Ross’s proposed final decision was released report. ment. Addressing concerns that the ballots may quest for access to all handcounted ballots from on May 21. A hearing on the matter had been The Rivereast argued in a post-hearing brief be destroyed before a decision was rendered, the 2017 municipal election was made after held March 26. that state statute does not preclude access to members voted to send a letter to the Town of officials revealed an unspecified number of “It is found that such 180-day period had not the ballots in the time between the expiration East Hampton requesting that the town main- ballots had inadvertently been counted twice. expired as of the date of the hearing in this of the 180-day impoundment period and their tain the records while the case was still active. At least one commissioner expressed con- matter, nor had the complainant obtained a court eventual destruction. The ballots were retained as requested dur- cern with questions about whether state elec- order to disclose such records,” Ross wrote. State law says the ballots “may be” destroyed ing that time period, Republican Registrar of tion law or the Freedom of Information Act She concluded “public access to the re- after the 180 day period. See Paper Ballots page 2 Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cov Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cov Paper Ballots cont. from Front Page Towns Favor cont. from Front Page Voters Lori Wilcox said in July. Republican “Essentially, the decision preserves unnec- Other races for spots on the ballot included land Bhargava collected 332 votes to his 308. Deputy Registrar Margaret Jacobson said this essary secrecy and deprives the public of trans- Attorney General and Treasurer. Three-term In the attorney general race, all six of the week the ballots are still in the vault. parency in the voting process should questions state Sen. Art Linares (R-33), whose district Rivereast towns mirrored the state’s overall re- But when the case was taken up again at the arise about any given election or referendum,” includes the Rivereast towns of Colchester, East sults – with victories for Democrat William commission’s Aug. 8 meeting, members said he said. Hampton and Portland, was hoping to secure Tong and Republican Susan Hatfield. the issue of access to ballots after 180 days was Reason for the Request the spot of state treasurer despite failing to be * * * outside the purview of the commission. That’s The Rivereast on Nov. 20, 2017, requested the Republican endorsed candidate. Statewide, 201,334 votes of 702,664 total because the complaint and the hearing officer’s to view all handcounted ballots after the previ- However, while Linares won the primaries registered Democrats – or 28.65 percent – decision were made before the 180 days had ous week’s recount revealed an unspecified in four Rivereast towns Tuesday – Colchester, turned out at the polls Tuesday, while 123,379 elapsed. number of ballots had been counted twice on East Hampton, Portland and Marlborough – he votes of 387,773 registered Republicans – or Commissioner Matthew Streeter said com- Election Day. came up short in his overall total across the 31.82 percent – showed up. missioners were unclear at the previous meet- The recount was triggered by close votes in state, collecting 58,129 votes, or 43.97 percent, Rivereast towns had similar results, with an ing whether the commission had any jurisdic- Town Council and Zoning Board of Appeals to opponent Thad Gray’s 74,087, or 56.03 per- average of about 31 percent of Democrats and tion over access to the ballots. contests. The vote for a referendum question cent. 33 percent of Republicans making the effort to “And at this point, it seems like we don’t,” on the construction of an $18.98 million mu- Linares told the Rivereast Wednesday after- get to the voting booths Tuesday. he said. nicipal hub passed by 30 votes, narrowly avoid- noon that he wanted to thank all the voters in Hebron Republican Town Committee Chair- Streeter said the issue can be taken up with ing a recount. the 33rd District. Linares is not seeking re-elec- woman Catherine Marx said she was satisfied the state legislature if advocates believe the law Election officials recounted only the two af- tion to his senatorial seat. with voter numbers. should be changed. fected offices. Per state guidelines, none of the “It was honor of a lifetime to represent them “The Republican turnout was one of the high- Commission member Jonathan Einhorn other contests – including the referendum ques- as their senator,” he said. “I hope they support est ever – close to 130,000 statewide,” she said. spoke at both meetings in favor of transparency tion – were tallied again. all the Republican nominees and I am very ex- “That shows that we have energy in our party when it comes to paper ballots. Democrat Deputy Registrar of Voters Terry cited to get back into the private sector on a and I believe that we are going to unite to get a He said in June that a lack of access to paper Latimer said after the recount that the error in- full-time basis and spend time with my wife win in November. ballots “tends to keep electors in the dark.” But volved ballots on which voters had filled in the and baby boy due in November.” Marx added, “We have a strong team and we he acknowledged this week that the commis- bubble for “write-in votes.” Those ballots were On the Democrat ballot, Shawn Wooden won are going to show stark differences between the sion’s decision must be based on circumstances run through the tabulator first and then the treasurer race, both statewide as well as in plans we put forward to get Connecticut back at the time of the hearing. handcounted as well. four of the six Rivereast towns; in Andover, he on track versus repeating the eight years of “I have to say, thinking about this thing since The Secretary of the State’s Moderator’s received exactly the same number of votes as Dannel Malloy.” the last time we met, one of the salient points Handbook for Elections and Primaries speci- opponent Dita Bhargava – 121 – while in Port- that I think I really overlooked last time was fies in bold, all capital letters that only the write- that the 180-day period hadn’t expired as of the in vote on the ballot should be handcounted. It time of the hearing,” Einhorn said. “Anything emphasizes all other votes were previously How Democrats Voted for Governor that happened after is pretty much outside of counted by the tabulator. Marlborough: Lamont – 399 votes Portland: Lamont – 555 votes the jurisdiction or purview of the hearing.” There were no registered write-in candidates Ganim – 40 votes Ganim – 96 votes He suggested the Rivereast submit another for any races on the ballot. Colchester: Lamont-783 votes Andover: Lamont – 218 votes Freedom of Information request to the town Latimer last November could not be sure of Ganim-108 votes Ganim – 32 votes asking for access to the ballots. the specific number of write-in ballots since the East Hampton: Lamont – 595 votes Hebron: Lamont – 524 votes “I’d like the opportunity to discuss and re- sheets are on lockdown following the election. Ganim – 113 votes Ganim – 65 votes view this matter if, in fact, there’s another re- She said she thought there were about 22 of quest made [to] the town now that the 180 days them. is up. And then we can see what happens,” The winners of the two seats in question re- How Republicans Voted for Governor Einhorn said. “Unfortunately, that’s not what mained the same after the recount corrected the Marlborough: Stemerman – 127 votes Portland: Stefanowski – 134 votes we have before us now. Hopefully it will be problem, even though the number of votes Stefanowski – 117 votes Stemerman – 124 votes before us in the future.” changed. Herbst – 63 votes Herbst – 84 votes The Rivereast last week filed a second re- Some residents, like Chatham Party mem- Obsitnik – 52 votes Obsitnik – 67 votes quest to inspect the handcounted ballots from ber Kyle Dostaler, have wondered why elec- Boughton – 44 votes Boughton – 43 votes last year’s municipal election. Town Manager tion moderator Steve Maynard didn’t call for a Colchester: Stefanowski – 237 votes Andover: Herbst – 69 votes Michael Maniscalco acknowledged receipt of broader recount once the double-votes in the Herbst – 160 votes Stefanowski – 56 votes the request but has not yet responded with an Town Council and ZBA races came to light. Stemerman – 134 votes Stemerman – 44 votes answer. But Secretary of the State spokesman Gabe Obsitnik – 117 votes Obsitnik – 35 votes Carella has stated since the Rivereast first Rosenberg said last year that that’s not how it Boughton – 115 votes Boughton – 22 votes filed its request that citizens who want access works. East Hampton: Stefanowski – 252 votes Hebron: Stefanowski – 182 votes to ballots should go to a judge, not the Free- “If something is discovered during a recount, Stemerman – 151 votes Stemerman – 178 votes dom of Information Commission, to seek the the place that it would be dealt with is in court,” Herbst – 131votes Herbst – 96 votes release of the documents. He described the 180- Rosenberg said. Boughton – 87 votes Boughton – 84 votes day retention period as a mechanism to ensure State statute gives eligible voters seven days Obsitnik – 85 votes Obsitnik – 78 votes the ballots are preserved if a judge determines to make a complaint with the Superior Court they should be made available. regarding any discrepancies that are revealed “I will tell you, we told the complainant in through the recount process. December in our response, we told the com- The Rivereast’s request to view the plainant in March at the hearing, and I begged handcounted ballots was an effort to find out the complainant after the last hearing to go to a how the double-counted votes may have af- court and seek to get the ballots. That has not fected the results of the referendum question. occurred,” he said. Dostaler, who ran unsuccessfully for a coun- Carella told Einhorn at last week’s meeting cil seat in last year’s election, remains shocked that he believes the Secretary of the State’s of- that taxpayers don’t know how many people fice controls the ballots even after 180 days has voted for the referendum question and how elapsed. many voted against it. “I don’t know that the town has the ability to He said the possibility that some ballots were disclose those absent a court order,” he said. counted two times raises questions about Rivereast publisher Jim Hallas this week de- whether or not the slim margin of victory would cried the commission’s ruling. hold if every vote only counted once.

Tavern cont. from Front Page the town center. Ownership of the properties who has recently moved back to the state. was passed to the Chelsea Groton Bank in Feb- “[Varkala] is very interested in working with ruary 2016 and was later purchased by Schwartz local farms and local ingredients,” Schwartz Realty Developers. said, adding that Varkala has extensive cook- Schwartz this week said the 100-seat restau- ing experience in various types of cuisine. rant has undergone a transformation and will The new tavern will also be home to a three- now accommodate a variety of dining desires sided fireplace positioned in the dining room, for local residents. an outdoor patio on the corner of South Main Schwartz explained that the focus is on Street and Route 66, as well as a banquet room “variations of good quality tavern food,” but will located in the front of the restaurant that will also offer a more “elevated dining experience” host everyday dining patrons, as well as pri- where residents can order items such as pork vate events, Schwartz said. chops and filets. Progress of the tavern can be followed on “The dining room really sets the tone for a the restaurant’s Facebook page at casual fine dining experience,” he said, adding facebook.com/themarlboroughtavern or that there will also be a kids’ menu. Instagram page at www.instagram.com/ Patrons will be able to dine on culinary of- the_marlborough_tavern, where Schwartz said ferings by New York City chef Peter Varkala, photos of construction will be shared. Portland Pipeline to be Emptied, Cleaned by Elizabeth Regan A pipeline running underneath an abandoned The three-parcel site was a petroleum stor- Bransfield said the owner will first pay half sioning the pipeline at their expense and we tank farm the town hopes to buy will be emp- age and distribution site operated by Port Oil the cost of a ground penetrating radar survey to will know exactly where the pipeline is and go tied and cleaned at the owner’s expense. Company before it was vacated almost a de- determine the exact location of the pipeline. The from there,” she said. A contract signed July 17 by First Select- cade ago, leaving five conspicuous oil tanks on contract specifies the owner and the town will The town must take ownership of the prop- woman Susan Bransfield specifies the owner the site. Bransfield said the pipeline was used share the bill, which is not to exceed a total of erty before it can access a $750,000 grant from will be responsible for the $20,700 cost of de- to carry oil from river barges up to the tank farm. $3,000. the state Department of Economic and Com- commissioning the pipe, according to estimates A town meeting originally scheduled for Feb. Selectmen at a July 13 special meeting unani- munity Development to remediate the brown- attached to the contract. 28 to allow the public to vote on the proposed mously authorized Bransfield to sign off on the field site. According to reports from the envi- Bransfield in January signed the original purchase was postponed after a public hearing amendment. ronmental engineering firm Tighe and Bond, purchase agreement for $385,000, with associ- yielded questions about who is responsible for The purchase agreement originally specified that’s how much it will cost to mitigate soil and ated fees bringing the total to $410,000. The removing and/or remediating the pipeline. the town has 90 days from the signing to in- groundwater contamination on the site. sale is contingent on approval by taxpayers at a The property is in estate after the death of spect the property and review any existing ease- Possibilities for the site, if purchased by the town meeting. the company’s owner. The estate will pay to ments, liens or encumbrances. There have been town, include a waterfront restaurant that could The sale includes 222, 230 and 248 Brown- empty the pipe of oil, transport the oil for dis- multiple extensions since then. be operated as a private business on land leased stone Ave. posal, and wash the pipe. The contract amendment gives the town up by the town. An example of a similar model of The purchase is part of a riverfront revital- The project involves capping the pipeline on to 90 more days to do its “due diligence” once partnership between public and private entities ization effort. Officials hope to build on the the property where the pipeline reaches the sur- the pipe is decommissioned. is the Brownstone Exploration & Discovery success of the municipal Riverfront Park as well face and where it intersects with the Buckeye Bransfield said she expects the project to be Park, which officials say has paid the town more as Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park, Pipeline in the vicinity of 56 Brownstone Ave, finished this month. than $2.75 million in lease fees since the park a private venture that leases land from the town. according to the contract. “I’m very pleased they will be decommis- opened in 2005.

O’Reilly Puts Retirement Plans on Hold in Portland by Elizabeth Regan Superintendent of Schools Philip O’Reilly School board member Meg Scata said phone interview Wednesday. I was hired,” O’Reilly said. There have also put his retirement plans on hold after the Board O’Reilly told her shortly after the school year “I said it was a board decision and if the board been leadership changes affecting athletics, of Education asked him to finish his three-year ended that he was conflicted about his retire- asked me, I would strongly consider it,” he said. special education, curriculum and technology. contract instead of bowing out at the end of the ment. Board of Education Chairwoman MaryAnne Both Scata and Rode said O’Reilly has in- upcoming school year. Scata said the conversation reminded of her Rode said members came to the conclusion it stituted numerous successful initiatives, includ- O’Reilly initially submitted a letter of resig- own indecision as she neared the end of her would benefit the school board and the district ing enhanced reading, writing, and mathemat- nation in June, describing his time in Portland career as a librarian in the Portland school sys- as a whole if O’Reilly stayed on an extra year. ics coursework and the introduction a program as the capstone of his career. tem. Whether or not she should retire was some- The time would both extend the transition pe- to provide a dedicated mini-laptop for every He rescinded his resignation last Tuesday. thing she debated for several years before fi- riod while a new superintendent is sought and student in grades five-12. They also pointed to O’Reilly came to Portland in 2014 to replace nally submitting her resignation in 2016. would give a relatively new group of adminis- a new collaboration with Wheeler Clinic to Sally Doyen. He brought nine years of experi- “When I finally decided to retire, I knew it trators time to grow as a team. address the social-emotional needs of students ence as the superintendent of New Hartford was time. It was such a positive decision and Rode described O’Reilly as adept at guiding at school. Public Schools. when I made it, I didn’t ever think to take it the administrators to work together to ease stu- O’Reilly’s leadership skills are evident in the He is currently entering the second year of a back,” she said. dents’ transition from one year to the next. team of professionals he hired in his time here 3-year contract approved in 2017. A set series Hearing O’Reilly question his decision made O’Reilly agreed the extra continuity would and the vision he put in place for the district, of 3.5 percent salary increases puts him at her think it might not be the right time for him, benefit the administrators. according to Scata. $192,292 this year and $199,722 in 2019-2020. she said. “[Portland Middle School Principal] Scott “He needs to stay to finish what he started,” The contract specifies he receive an additional So she asked him to stay. Giegerich is the only remaining principal since she said. $20,000 tax sheltered annuity each year. O’Reilly acknowledged Scata’s request in a

Dead Trees Hang in Limbo in Marlborough by Allison Lazur A countless number of dead, large oak trees gypsy moths during year one, the following year budget clocked in at $15,000 plus an additional, He said that even if a dead tree is across the currently loom over Marlborough after being – this year – the trees die. recent transfer of $5,924 from the snow removal street from a power line, but leaning in the di- ravaged by gypsy moths last year – and the town “We are trying our hardest to clear [the fund to cover the excess cost of removing trees rection of the line, Eversource might remove tree warden said this week the situation is at trees],” he said. “All the towns have the same during last year’s budget season. Another it, adding when and if the tree falls it’s “an act “the point of being dangerous.” problem; the gypsy moths are not selective.” $15,000 was allocated for tree removal in the of nature” and difficult to predict. After a Hartford tree fell and injured a boy The town just recently removed 80 trees from current year budget, with approximately “The main thing we are concerned about is last week, and another incident last month oc- Ogden Lord Road – a location that desperately $10,500 utilized so far, according to Treasurer public safety,” he said. curred where a fallen tree across Route 44 in needed to be addressed, Jones said. Hayley Wagner. Eversource spokesman Mitch Gross told the West Hartford blocked all four lanes on the But the gypsy moths aren’t the only concern. Because public works does not have the Rivereast this week that the arborist who roadway, Marlborough is being faced with its Jones said the emerald ash borer (EAB) could proper equipment to clear such large trees, an handles Marlborough, as well as East Hamp- own timber dilemma. impact any ash trees in town, although he said outside contractor is hired, Jones explained. ton and East Haddam, disclosed those towns Jones told the Rivereast this week he could “I’ve seen very little impact” of the beetle so far. In regards to private residences, Jones said have been impacted “the worst she’s ever seen.” not provide a definitive number on how many The EAB feeds on ash trees according to the “If the tree overhangs town roadway or prop- Gross explained that Eversource has re- trees actually need to be taken down or how website for the Department of Energy and En- erty, the town can go and take the tree if it’s moved “thousands and thousands” of trees that much it would cost, but did say that “maybe 55 vironmental Protection. Similarly to gypsy dead,” otherwise it’s the resident’s respon- could potentially impact the 17,000 miles of percent” of the dead trees would fall to the re- moth-infested trees, trees overrun with an EAB sibility. electrical lines the company oversees. sponsibility of the town, with the remaining 45 infestation die within 2 to 3 years. DEEP urges The town has also relied on DEEP and Eversource “works on a quarter of those percent falling to the state and Eversource to that firewood not be transported long distances Eversource to clear a number of trees that im- miles every year,” Gross said, adding that 80 chop. to minimize the impact of the EAB – an insect pact state roadways and power lines. million dollars has been invested in the work “I couldn’t give you an estimate” in terms of that didn’t appear in North America until 2002. Jones said Eversource has been proactive in for just this year. how many trees need to go, Jones said, clarify- The DEEP website states that insects such working with him to identify and remove any “There’s a lot of damage out there,” he said. ing that everyday more trees are added to the as the EAB “hitchhike readily on firewood, trees that could have a potential impact to any “The major challenge is balancing the aesthet- list of those that need to be chopped down. which can then sit in a backyard for a year or power lines. ics [of the trees] with reliable service. We un- Jones explained that the dead tree situation more, giving ample time for the insect to “Every time I have a question, [Eversource] derstand our customers love the trees, but also is a vicious cycle that is difficult to remedy. He emerge.” has done a fantastic job,” Jones said. want their lights on when they need them.” explained that when the trees are devastated by Funding for tree removal in the 2017-18 town Marlborough Residents Row the River by Allison Lazur mately 700 people from all ages and walks of In a boathouse which sits along the Connecti- life, as well as about 78 boats owned by the cut River, residents from across the state gather clubhouse. to tackle the river by boat where they partake Wendry explained the program offers begin- in acts of teamwork, communication and ner, intermediate and advanced classes, as well aquatic mastery through rowing. as classes for veterans and those with disabili- Rowing is just one of a slew of programs ties or visual impairments. offered by the Riverfront Recapture program – He explained that rowing utilizes “almost all a privately funded organization based in Hart- lower body” muscles. ford. Although there are smaller boats, those fre- The team consists of members from around quently used in the program are nine-person the state including Rivereast town Marlborough. vessels consisting of eight rowers and a cox- Marlborough resident Marcelle Groves who swain. has been involved with the program since April, Rowers are attached to the boat with sneak- serves as the coxswain – the person who steers ers while sitting on a sliding seat, Wendry ex- the boat – for the morning recreational team. plained. “The coxswain really serves as an onboard “It’s like doing a squat and then you finish it coach who looks at all eight rowers and deter- off with your arms,” he said. mines who if anyone is doing anything incor- Marlborough resident and evening recre- rectly,” Groves said, explaining that everyone ational team member Roberta Murphy acknowl- has to be “in sync with the stroke seat,” a posi- edged the physical and community aspects of tion that is closest to the stern or back of the rowing to the Rivereast this week. boat. “Everybody there has been so nice,” she The Riverfront Recapture organization hosts several programs including rowing Groves, who served as the role of coxswain said. The coaches are so wonderful and there is classes for all walks of life – many of which are enjoyed by residents of Marlborough. in college in the 1980s, said when she started such comradery; you get your exercise in while The boathouse sits along the Connecticut River in Riverfront Park. working in Hartford her interest in rowing was having fun.” rekindled. Murphy who has been involved with the pro- day, Sept. 29, from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., at 20 utes.” “I would come in the morning and see the gram for six years referred to the program sim- Leibert Rd., Hartford. Unlike rowing, to paddle a dragon boat re- crews out there [on the river] and it just made ply as, “super” for all of the support the classes But rowing isn’t the only aquatic activity that quires “all upper body,” Wendry said. me feel like I wanted to belong again,” she said offer to kids and adults. can be seen on the river. Wlochowski, while bailing water out of one Marlborough resident Martha Rogers also In addition to regularly hosting recreational This Saturday is the Riverfront Recapture of the Dragon Boats, said this weekend’s festi- delved into rowing as an adult and is currently teams, the boathouse will entertain approxi- Dragon Boat & Asian Festival. val includes food and activities all celebrating in her second summer as part of the recreational mately 3,000 participants who competitively Approximately 82 teams –community and Asian culture. team. row in high school, collegiate and adult teams professional teams from Boston, New York City He said six to eight boats will race side by She emphasized that rowing is something at its 20th annual Head of the Riverfront Re- and Philadelphia – will paddle in 2 to 3.5 minute side, holding 20 paddlers, a steersperson and a “you can learn as an adult,” adding “if it’s some- gatta. races launched from the Mortensen Riverfront drummer who establishes the beat for the pad- thing you’re curious about and you’ve always Wendry said approximately 10,000 people Plaza, Facilitator/Dragon Boat Steersperson, dling tempo. wanted to try it, you can,” she said. – participants and spectators – will gather at Blair Wlochowksi, said. “It’s a great teambuilding activity,” Director of Rowing Programs, Brian Wendry, Riverside Park, the home of the boathouse, to “The race is 500 meters, he said, “a good Wlochowski said. “You figure 20 people on a who has worked for Riverfront Recapture for race down the Connecticut River. team [completes the race] in just under 2 min- boat sitting side by side – the only way it moves 20 years, said the boathouse is home to approxi- The event is scheduled to take place Satur- utes and community teams take 2.5 to 3.5 min- is to work together.”

If East Hampton Budget Fails Again, ‘There Will Be Cuts’ by Elizabeth Regan Town Council members Tuesday reiterated on social media in saying they believe some or in taxes to ensure there is money in the capital tal budget. The items instead would have been in no uncertain terms that voting down the gen- all of an unexpected budget surplus should be budget to address public works needs such as funded through a portion of the current budget eral government budget in East Hampton for a applied to the education budget. vehicle upgrades and road maintenance. surplus, which Jylkka has said is “just north third time will be interpreted to mean the bud- Philhower said residents were well aware Philhower, who made the motion to approve of” $700,000. get is too high. how the council interprets ‘no’ votes. the capital budget reductions, said he hopes The $250,000 freed up in the capital budget The Republican council majority drove the “The education people did not want their voters come out in support of the proposal. He would have been directed to the Board of Edu- point home by cutting an additional $40,000 budget cut any further, so they approved it,” emphasized there will be “deep cuts” if they cation to restore a third grade teacher, fifth grade from the capital budget when they approved the Philhower said. “However, there must be people don’t. teacher and high school English teacher, accord- latest town budget proposal in a 4-3, party line in town that think [the town] budget is too high.” “Things will be closed. People will be laid ing to the plan. vote. The $91,000 reduction made by the finance off. I don’t see any other way if you have to go Smith has said the affected elementary class- Combined with $91,000 cut by the finance board last month resulted from a decision to much lower,” he said. rooms will have about 27 students each with- board last month, the $131,000 decrease brings pay for repairs to the community center roof Voter Intent out the additional teachers. the total proposed 2018-19 general government out of the current budget surplus instead of the Democrat Dean Markham disputed the Both the finance board and council did, how- budget to $14.95 million. The proposal – which capital fund. council’s insistence on interpreting any failed ever, approve a plan to buy a public works de- includes general government operations, debt Councilors on Tuesday endorsed the cut de- referendum as a directive to cut the budget pro- partment plow truck and paver with cash in- and capital spending – represents a 5.16 per- spite a discussion at the same meeting during posal. stead of leasing the items. The $347,000 price cent increase over the current budget. The in- which they rescinded a previous motion to put He said he hasn’t seen “any real substantia- tag will be paid using a portion of the current crease is largely driven by debt from the high in a new roof on top of the existing one. tion” about why people voted the way they did. budget surplus if the supplemental appropria- school renovation project. Council members instead empowered “I don’t think there’s any information gath- tion is approved by voters at a town meeting. A town budget meeting will be held Sept. 10 Philhower and councilor Pete Brown to work ered one way or the other,” he said. “I think The vote is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. on Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. in the East Hampton Middle School with Town Manager Michael Maniscalco to we’re all in the dark.” at the middle school library. library. The referendum is scheduled for Sept. explore other options for the library roof after His suggestion to include advisory questions Budget Numbers 19 in the middle school gymnasium. Philhower raised concerns that the fix recom- on the ballot to gauge voters’ thoughts on the The $14.95 million general government bud- Voters struck down the proposed general mended by an engineering firm and an archi- budget was not supported by other council get is down from $15.14 million at the first ref- government budget first in May and then again tect was not something he’d ever seen on a non- members. erendum and $15.17 million in the subsequent in June. residential building before. Fellow Democrat James “Pete” Brown dis- round. Councilor Mark Philhower was adamant it’s Councilors also made multiple cuts affect- agreed there was any ambiguity. The town operations budget proposal now the council’s responsibility to cut the budget ing the public works department when it re- “I’ve said this on other occasions, that for all comes in at $10.73 million. Representing an whenever it fails at referendum. duced the vehicle sinking fund by $75,000 and practical purposes, if a budget does not pass, increase of 1.11 percent over the current bud- “We were quite clear on day one of the bud- took out $18,000 from its budget for road re- it’s too high,” Brown said. get, it did not change from the amount that failed get process that if the budget failed – and we pair and maintenance. Council Chairwoman Melissa Engel told at the last referendum. were quite clear on education as well as gen- The council removed $30,000 from the pub- Markham council members have made it clear The $992,206 capital and transfers budget is eral government – there will be cuts,” Philhower lic safety budget by deferring until 2020 a plan that a failed budget means more cuts. She said an increase of 21.7 percent over the current said. to dredge a small pond near Watrous Street. The the interpretation is in line with how other coun- budget. The $30.50 million education budget passed pond is used by the fire department to draw cils have acted in the past. The town’s debt accounts for $3.23 million at the first referendum despite the fact that it water for fire suppression, according to “There shouldn’t be any confusion,” she said. of the council’s budget proposal. That’s an in- included the reduction of eight teaching posi- Maniscalco. He said officials are concerned silt- Education advocates have already expressed crease of 15.74 percent over the current year. tions. Three of the affected teachers were laid laden runoff may be clogging up the pipe, but concern about the budget proposal based on the The budget proposal, if approved by voters off; the remaining positions were left unfilled cautioned testing should be done before any finance board’s refusal last month to appropri- at referendum, could result in a mill rate of after teachers retired or were shuffled around dredging is done. ate $250,000 from the current budget surplus 32.21 mills, which would amount to a 0.89 mill the district. The reductions were endorsed by Councilor Kevin Reich, a Democrat, de- to reinstate three teaching positions cut from increase over the current year. The projected the Board of Education after the finance board scribed the decision to cut capital spending as the already-approved education budget. increase is down from the 1.01 mill increase cut the school board’s proposed budget by short-sighted. The failed budget maneuver, crafted by Fi- associated with the budget proposal that failed $670,000. “We need to be proactive, not reactive. We nance Director Jeff Jylkka in consultation with in June. But some of the same voters who supported need to take care of tomorrow, because you Superintendent of Schools Paul K. Smith, Property taxes for someone with a home as- the education budget rejected the proposed gen- know tomorrow isn’t going to be any better than would have taken $250,000 slated for student sessed at $250,000 would go up $223 in the eral government budget at the first and subse- today,” Reich said. computer tablets and classroom interior door upcoming budget year if the general govern- quent referendum. Advocates for the school He said he’d rather pay “a few extra dollars” locks out of the town’s proposed 2018-19 capi- ment budget passes. system have been vocal at public meetings and Hebron Women’s Club Leaves Legacy of Service by Sloan Brewster from activities, she said. After nearly five decades of giving back and “Unfortunately, people don’t have the time making lifelong friends, the Hebron Women’s that we had back then,” she said. Club is disbanding. Johnston said it was sad to see the club go Membership in the small club has dropped because she met so many lifelong friends in the past few years, according to Alice Marien, through it –folks with whom she continues to the sole member of the Membership Commit- stay in touch. tee. “But truly it was one of the best times of my “Just me, a committee of one,” she said. life,” she said. “I used to look forward to meet- At the last club meeting in June, members ings.” looked at the numbers and realized there would Johnston recalled when she was being dis- not be enough women to staff offices in the fall, charged from the hospital after having a baby. she said. The club was meeting that night and though “We’re a small club,” she said. “Everyone had she went home, she wanted to go to the meet- some reason not to come in the fall.” ing. Some women said they were dropping out “They were having jelly beans and I wanted because they had become empty nesters and had jelly beans,” she said. “It was good, it was fun plans to return to school or work. Others had times. Really, really fun times.” young children who put demands on their at- Club members have held fundraisers, per- tention. Still others were starting families. formed community service projects and just “It just seemed like it was a perfect storm of enjoyed spending time together, Marien, who reasons,” Marien said. has been a member for 28 years, said. The club, which is a member of the Connecti- She said the nonprofit community service cut Junior Women, Inc., was founded in 1969 organization provides members with the oppor- and started out as the Hebron Junior Women’s tunity to use their combined energy for the bet- Club. terment of our community – “and to meet According to the CT Junior Women, Inc. people and make friends.” website, the organization is open to all women A club activity that stands out most in over the age of 18. Marien’s mind was bringing the Hartford Sym- In the 1990s, however, the clubs were only phony Orchestra to town for four benefit con- open to women under 40 and as members aged certs at RHAM High School. Members of the Hebron Women’s Club enjoy a pot luck meal in March 2017. out, they had to leave, said Mindy Johnston, a The concerts were seemingly enjoyed by the Standing from left to right are Maria Morelli-Wolfe, Alice Marien, Mary Schadtle, lifetime member of the Hebron club, which town, she said. Marcia Tecca and Rebecca Scorso, current president. Seated are Mary Rose and combated the problem in a different way. The club has supported various local projects Phyllis Beaulieu. “We dropped Junior from name in the early and agencies, including AHM, the local food 1990s because we decided that we wanted to bank and social service agencies, Marien said. Two of the club’s first projects, according to $6,000 for the Hebron playscape - and done be welcoming to women of all ages and not just “Several years back we raised money for a the document, were baking monthly birthday even more. women under 40,” Marien said. thermal imaging unit for the fire department, cakes for nearby convalescent homes and a Now that it is disbanding members will have At that time, some of the women, including which was one of their critical needs,” she said. weekly story hour for preschoolers. to look elsewhere for avenues for giving back. herself, were approaching 40 and weren’t ready “We haven’t done anything really big in the That year, the club also donated funds to a Marien said at first she was disappointed the to leave, she added. last year or two because the membership has RHAM High School Band trip to England and club was disbanding as she has made many The Hebron club is not alone in being dis- gone down.” to fifth and sixth grade trips to the United Na- friends over her 28 year membership, but she banded. Other clubs in the state have either dis- The club has also held story hours at the tions. has since begun to view it differently. banded or combined, Marien said. Douglas Library, summer reading programs, At Christmas, club members collected ap- “All good things come to an end,” she said. “It’s not just Hebron, I think it’s a trend,” she holiday gift drives and breakfast with the Eas- proximately 75 gifts for incarcerated children. “I’m at peace with it at this point, I’m just re- said. “Last year several disbanded.” ter bunny, among others. The biggest fundraiser of that year was an ally pleased to look out over the years and know In 2009, due to conflicting meetings with According to a couple different histories arts and crafts fair. that Hebron Women’s Club has had a signifi- another organization, Johnston became inactive. compiled by the club, it was organized in No- On and on the list goes, with project after cant impact on the town of Hebron.” “When I was active I was extremely active,” vember of 1969 by approximately eight women. fundraising project held for 49 years. * * * she said. “I was co-president for a couple years, “A lack of opportunity for community ser- In 1975 and 1976, as the country celebrated All current and former club members are in- I ran a lot of events.” vice and sociability seemed to indicate the need its 200 birthday, the club constructed more than vited to a commemoration dinner on Aug. 29 Johnston, who was involved for 26 years, at- for such an organization in Hebron,” the his- 200 toys for a bicentennial workshop for teach- to celebrate the positive impact made by the tributes declining membership to changing tory of 1969 to 1990 reads. “Officers were ers. club on the town over the years and to honor times. elected at this time to serve as the Board of In 2009 to 2010, the club celebrated its 40 the enduring friendships that have been formed “When I first joined most of the moms Directors and to write the by-laws for the new year anniversary. along the way. weren’t working and we had play groups and club. Mrs. Carol Cubit was elected Hebron’s “Unbelievable!” reads the line in the 1990 – Meal cost will be partially offset by the club. now most of the people are working,” she said. first president to serve for the 1970-1971 club 2015 history. Those planning to attend must RSVP by Aug. “I used to spend hours and hours on women’s year, Hebron’s first year as a Federated club.” Over the years, the club has made blankets, 20 by email to [email protected] or by club things, but I had the time to do it.” In 1970, the club’s by-laws were approved toys, enjoyed paint nights, shared potluck din- calling 860-228-4416. Upon RSVP, further Nowadays moms have little time between and accepted by the Connecticut State Federa- ners, served food to the homeless, raised thou- details will be provided regarding time and lo- working and running around getting kids to and tion of Women’s Clubs. sands of dollars for the community - including cation of the dinner.

Former Hebron Woman Ruled Fit to Stand Trial by Sloan Brewster A former Hebron woman, charged with at- was admitted to Whiting Forensic Hospital at ing her on the head with a hard object. She re- Christakos and the woman who called police. tempted murder after an attack in an Old Connecticut Valley Hospital in Middletown for ported she had lost consciousness and was in The woman said she had recently had a stroke Colchester Road home in March, has been de- a period of 60 days – after which time a hear- extreme pain and said her roommate was the and Christakos had moved into her bedroom to clared competent to stand trial. ing to reconsider her competence was to be held. person who attacked her, and that she did not keep an eye on her and that they each had their According to documents on file at Rockville Christakos was arrested on March 26, accord- know why. own beds in the room. Superior Court, on Aug. 9 Judge Jorge Simon ing to the prosecutor’s report included with the Upon searching the room, Olson found an According to her statement, the alleged vic- found Paula Christakos, 77, formerly of 435 Old court paperwork. The six charges against her empty handgun holster on the nightstand, the tim did not know what happened and said Colchester Rd. and now a resident of 32 Park include disorderly conduct, attempted murder, document states. Christakos “just snapped.” She said the night Place in Middletown, competent to stand trial. assault, assault of an elderly victim, threaten- Medical personnel responded and treated the before they had watched a TV interview of Simon also granted a motion to reduce ing and reckless endangerment. victim, the report says, while Olson and another Stormy Daniels, an adult film star who alleged Christakos’ bond to $5,000. According to the arrest report, police were trooper, referred to as Trooper Jason Hickey, an affair with President Donald Trump, and then Christakos posted bond and was released called to 435 Old Colchester Rd. at 4:25 a.m. went to a neighbor’s house, where Christakos went to bed. The alleged victim said Christakos under a list of several conditions, court docu- March 26 by a 911 caller who said she awoke was located in the living room and detained. may have had a glass of wine but had taken no ments show. to yelling. The caller said two women were ar- Christakos admitted to striking the victim drugs or medication. Under the conditions, she must wear an elec- guing and one of them was bleeding from her with a handgun and led the troopers to the spot The woman said when she woke up tronic monitoring device, and comply with her head. where she had left it in the yard of her Old Christakos was hitting her with the handle of probation officer and with all medical and psy- The caller also reported that the door was Colchester Road residence, according to the the gun while talking to her. chiatric recommendations. She is also to remain open and said one of the women – Christakos – report. Police seized the Smith & Wesson re- “Do you want to go?” Christakos asked, ac- in her residence, though she will be allowed to may have left the residence. volver, which had no bullets in it, and arrested cording to the victim. “Do you want to die?” move to a new place once her family acquires When troopers arrived, the caller greeted Christakos. “No I don’t,” the woman said she responded. one for her and it is approved by her doctor and them and explained she lived there with The alleged victim was transported to “I’ll help you,” Christakos said as she hit her probation officer. Christakos is allowed to leave Christakos and another woman, who was lying Windham Hospital, the report states. She had again, according to the report. the house for medical, psychiatric and proba- on her bed bleeding from her head. two cuts on her head. One above her left ear The woman said she did not know exactly tion appointments and to go out to meals with According to the prosecutor’s report, Trooper required three staples while the other, which how many times she had been struck, accord- family as long as they are supervised and ap- James Olson noted that the victim’s pillow was was on the left side of her forehead, needed ing to the report. proved by her probation office, the documents soaked in blood and there were streaks of blood three stitches. She also had multiple bruises on Christakos was initially assigned a $100,000 state. on the bed sheets. In addition, Olson saw a the left side of her head. cash surety bond, which she could not post, and In addition, she may not possess any weap- wound on her head from which blood was While at the hospital, the woman provided a was transported to Rockville Superior Court for ons or illegal substances. “flowing freely.” sworn statement to Detective Sean arraignment. Christakos in May was declared not compe- According to the report, the woman woke in McManaway, in which she stated that for ap- There is no date for a trial specified in the tent to stand trial, court documents show, and the night when someone was repeatedly strik- proximately 30 years she had lived with court documents. East Hampton East Hampton Town Clerk Police News 8/1: Richard Olinatz, 44, of 11 Barrington Leaving for Rocky Hill Way, Glastonbury, was arrested and charged by Elizabeth Regan with DUI and failure to drive right, East Hamp- There’s a job opening in East Hampton. ton Police said. Town Clerk Sandi Wieleba, who took the 8/2: Renee Marchant, 53, of 58 Mallard role almost 14 years ago, said she will leave Cove, East Hampton, was arrested and charged East Hampton on Sept. 7 to become the town with DUI and failure to drive right, police said. clerk in Rocky Hill. Also, from July 30-Aug. 5, officers re- Wieleba began her municipal career in sponded to 11 medical calls, three motor ve- Wethersfield as the assistant town clerk, where hicle crashes and seven alarms, and made 31 she served for 11 years. traffic stops, police said. Wieleba said she is leaving the department in good shape and in good hands. Her assis- tant, Bernice Bartlett, has been in her posi- Portland Police News tion for 20 years. 8/4: Lisa Loffredo, 48, of 85 N. Main St., “Everything has been backed up. Every- East Hampton, was charged with criminal mis- thing has been preserved, which is very, very chief and tampering with a motor vehicle, Port- important,” Wieleba said. land Police said. Town Manager Michael Maniscalco said he received Wieleba’s resignation last Friday. “We wish her all the luck in the world,” he said. “I’m sure she’ll do well in her next po- sition.” Sandi Wieleba The position has been posted internally and Life Star Called After Hebron Crash online, according to Maniscalco. It’s also ad- of organizing ordinances into a single, accu- A vehicle collided with an oak tree last approximately 15 feet off the shoulder. vertised in a professional journal. rate volume of all the local laws. week, which resulted in a boy sustaining se- Smith was transported by Hebron Fire De- The town clerk, with a salary range of “That was my very first project,” she said. rious injuries and Life Star being called to the partment to Hartford Hospital with suspected $61,080-$70,858, is responsible for manag- The move will shorten the commute for the scene, State Police said. minor injuries and her 11-year-old male pas- ing municipal functions related to land Wethersfield resident. It will also be a change At approximately 3:26 p.m. Aug. 7, police senger was transported to Connecticut records, elections, vital statistics, licensing of pace. said, Tammy Smith, 43, of 12 Oakland Rd., Children’s Medical Center by Life Star. and other municipal records. Rocky Hill has a population of 20,119, Amston, was driving a KIA Stinger south on According to police, this case remains ac- Wieleba is a state-certified town clerk with based on 2016 statistics from the U.S. Cen- North Street when she exited the roadway off tive. a master’s degree in management from Cam- sus Bureau. East Hampton’s population is the right shoulder, striking a large oak tree bridge College. 12,869. Wieleba listed accomplishments including She said she is looking forward to working codification of the town’s ordinances, back- in a larger municipality with a staff she de- ing up all meeting minutes on laserfiche, re- scribed as incredible. designing the town seal, and putting all land “I love the work. I love serving people. I records and maps online. love the variety,” she said. She described codification as the process Pair Arrested After Drug Altercation in Andover A pair of men were arrested after a drug tody after a pound and a half of marijuana was deal turned violent at the Xtra Mart on Route found in his vehicle, police said. 6 Monday, State Police said. Smith was arrested and charged with reck- Police said they responded to the scene to a less driving, operating a motor vehicle with- report of a disturbance, and learned that out a license, possession of 1kg or more of Pair of Silver Alerts Issued in Vincent Smith, 27, of 659 Center St., Ludlow, cannabis with intent to sell, first-degree lar- Mass., and Shawn B. Buczko, 27, of 361 ceny, interfering with officer/resisting arrest Colchester, Both Canceled Pucker St., Coventry, had gotten into a physi- and second-degree breach of peace, police by Allison Lazur cal altercation over a marijuana sale – and that said. Silver Alerts were issued on two separate property. The Colchester Fire Department also Smith fled the scene. Buczko was charged with possession of less occasions last weekend after two women went provided a boat and drone for the search, po- Police said they found smith operating his than one half ounce of marijuana and second- missing, although both were later canceled af- lice said. vehicle at a high rate of speed on Route 6 in degree breach of peace, according to police. ter the women were found. According to Colchester Police, Rafala was Coventry. He was stopped and taken into cus- The first alert came Aug. 10, state police found shortly after midnight Saturday, Aug. said. A report was received at approximately 11. She was located on Route 85, police said, 10:35 a.m. on Aug. 10 of missing Brooke near the area of Deer Run, and was transported Rafala, 23, who did not return home on the to the hospital with minor injuries. This inci- night of Aug. 9, according to her mother, and dent has been deemed non-criminal in nature, had not recently posted anything on social state police said. media. A second Silver Alert was issued at approxi- A Silver Alert was issued, and Rafala’s ve- mately 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 12 for 55-year-old hicle was located at Ruby and Elizabeth Cohen Vicki Miller who was last seen at her Woodlands, state police said. Colchester residence. The alert was later can- The State Police Search and Rescue K-9 celed at approximately 9 p.m. when she was unit was requested and responded to search discovered safe at Mohegan Sun Casino, the woods, as well as the state police dive team, Colchester Police said. who searched the Ruby Cohen Preserve on the

Man Seriously Injured in Portland Crash by Elizabeth Regan A Route 66 motorcycle accident Wednes- rious injuries to his lower extremities. day night left a man with serious injuries. There were no other vehicles involved, ac- Portland Police Capt. Ron Milardo said the cording to Milardo. unidentified man was on a 2007 Harley Portland Fire Chief Robert Shea said Life Davidson traveling east on Route 66 in the Star was called but the helicopter was delayed. area of Butler Construction at about 10 p.m. Middlesex Hospital Paramedics decided to He rounded the corner, lost control and hit a take the man to Hartford Hospital by ambu- guardrail. The man landed in the westbound lance. left lane of the state road after he was ejected Milardo said the road was closed for a from the motorcycle. couple of hours. Milardo said the motorcyclist received se-

Early Morning Crash in East Hampton Kills Motorcyclist by Elizabeth Regan A motorcyclist is dead after an early Thurs- nis Woessner. He said he turned over the case day morning crash in Cobalt involving a Port- to the state police “due to the severity of the land police cruiser. accident and the involvement of a neighbor- State police said a motorcycle reportedly ing agency.” struck a Portland police vehicle at the inter- The state police accident reconstruction section of Route 66 and Route 151. squad responded to the crash at 1:24 a.m., state The identities of the motorcyclist and the police said. driver of the police cruiser were not available Portland Police Capt. Ron Milardo on at press time. Thursday morning said he is not releasing any The emergency call came in at 1:03 a.m., information at this time. according to East Hampton Police Chief Den- Obituaries Colchester East Hampton Cobalt East Hampton Carlton Porter Ous Burton Sanford Hodge Jr. Dorothea Dagle Janet Kay Parent Carlton Porter Ous, Burton Hodge, be- Dorothea Pearl Janet Kay Parent, 73, lifelong resident of the loved father, grandfa- (Johnson) Dagle, 95, of of East Hampton, be- Westchester area of ther, brother, uncle and Cromwell, wife of the loved wife of George F. Colchester, passed away friend, passed away late Walter A. Dagle, Parent, died Sunday, at his home Friday, Au- Tuesday, Aug. 7, in passed away Wednes- Aug. 12, at Middlesex gust 3. Carlton was born Lake Worth, Fla., with day, Aug. 8, at Cobalt Hospital, surrounded by March 4, 1958, the son his family by his side. Lodge Healthcare & Re- her loving family. Born of Betty Jones Ous of He was born in Middle- hab Center. Born in Nor- Sept. 23, 1944, in Fenni- Colchester and the late town Nov. 1, 1933, the wich, she was the more, Wis., she was the Joseph Andrew Ous. son of the late Burton S. daughter of the late daughter of the late Alva He leaves three sis- Hodge Sr., Charles Ed- Frank and Beatrice and Neva (Johnsen) ters, Darlene Ous ward Ocelik and Doris (Canning) Johnson. Blackbourn. (Dusty) of Andover, Hi- Barber Ocelik. Dot lived in Crom- Janet was a commu- lary Ruitto (Jim) and Jodie Ous (Karl) of Burt grew up in East well her entire life and nicant of St. Patrick Colchester. He also leaves his companion of many Hampton on Clark Hill in the days when the kids was a member of Saint John Church. She was a Church in East Hampton where she had taught years and best friend, Linda Montminy; a nephew, ran wild all day, picking fruit, weeding the gar- veteran of World War II serving in the United CCD for several years, and was active in the Josh Ruitto; and two nieces, Chelsey Barr and den and “stealing” the vegetables for a snack, States Navy. After being at a lecture where Eleanor prayer line. Janet was a member of the East Hamp- Jaime Hunt. playing, swimming in the lake, and sledding down Roosevelt was speaking, Dot and four other Waves ton Garden Club; she enjoyed flowers and had Carlton worked for many years with his father the hill until they were “whistled” in for dinner. were escorted in queenly fashion into Eleanor’s worked at a local florist years ago. She also en- at Ous Const., and spent most of his life working He grew up in a loving family surrounded by grand- waiting car where she took them downtown to joyed watching birds. Janet’s family meant the with heavy machinery. He loved the Salmon River parents, cousins, extended family and friends that the White House and gave them a tour of the presi- world to her, especially her grandchildren and her area, NASCAR, and being outdoors, especially became like family. dential manor. Dot loved to shop and enjoyed her great granddaughter. camping in the Allagash. His favorite time was Immediately upon graduating from East Hamp- morning trips to McDonald’s. Besides her husband George she is survived playing guitar with friends. ton High School, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. Dot is survived by her sons, Richard B. Dagle by her son, Todd Parent and wife Julie of Preston; A memorial service will be held at the Burt served for four years during the Korean War. and his wife, Pauline of Lowell, Mass., and Tho- two daughters, Julie Lefemine and husband Westchester Congregational Church Saturday, Upon his return to East Hampton he worked for mas J. Dagle and his wife, Julie of East Hamp- Patrick of Union, Katie Measimer and husband Aug. 18, at 1 p.m. with Pastor Ron Thompson various trucking companies and then settled into ton; three grandchildren, Jennifer Dagle, Lindsey Ken of East Hampton; brother, Robert Blackbourn officiating. MGB/Contech as a foreman, from which he retired. Gionfriddo and Kimberly Dagle; three great- and wife Eloise of Texas; seven grandchildren, In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Following in his stepfather and mother’s foot- grandchildren, Collin Grimshaw, Lucas Gion- Samantha, Ashley, Jessica, Patrick Jr., Matthew, the Animals Humane Society or the Westchester steps, Burt was active in the VFW and served as friddo and Dylan Gionfriddo; five stepgrand-chil- Abigail, Corbin; and her great-granddaughter, Congregational Church Memorial Fund. Commander of the East Hampton Veterans of dren, Julie Fisher, Robert Zukas, Jr., Susan Harper. Foreign War Post 5095, 1981-1982. Eickenhorst, Lawrence Zukas and Virginia She was predeceased by her sister, Judith His passions were his family, golf with his bud- Criscitelli; 16 step-great-grandchildren and eight Bollant. East Hampton dies, crossword puzzles, the Civil War, and walk- step-great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces Friends may call at the Spencer Funeral Home, Michael J. Cavanaugh ing in the local park, especially when his sisters and nephews. 112 Main St., East Hampton, Monday, Aug. 20, Michael J. Cavanaugh, visited. Several people will tell you they could Along with her husband and parents, Dot was from 6-8 p.m. A funeral liturgy will be celebrated 36, of Blacksburg, S.C., never beat Burt at golf because he always insisted predeceased by her daughter, Carolyn Dagle; sis- Tuesday, Aug. 21, at 11 a.m., in St. Patrick formerly of East Hamp- on being the score keeper! ter, Gertrude Rose; and three brothers, Robert, Church, East Hampton. Burial will follow in St. ton, died unexpectedly Burt was devoted to his mother Doris and was a Herbert and Richard Johnson. Patrick Cemetery. Saturday, Aug. 11, in great help to her in her later years. She could al- A graveside service will be held Monday, Aug. To leave online condolences, visit spencer Hartford. Born May 24, ways depend on Burt to take care of “her business.” 20, at 10 a.m., in Cromwell Hillside Cemetery funeralhomeinc.com. 1982, in Middletown, he Burt later moved to Florida to enjoy the sun- West, 29 Hillside Rd., Cromwell, where full mili- was the son of Thomas shine and golf courses in his retirement years and tary honors will be accorded. Colchester Cavanaugh and Donna thoroughly enjoyed his time there. Many of his In lieu of flowers, donations in Dorothea’s (Kelsey) Cavanaugh. children were nearby and he was thrilled when memory may be made to VITAS Hospice, 628 Carl D. Zirkenbach Michael had worked his daughter Tracie moved around the corner; she Hebron Avenue, Suite 300, Glastonbury, CT Carl D. Zirkenbach, in the construction busi- became a great source of comfort and help to her 06033. 65, of Colchester, part- ness for many years. By parents. His first wife, Barbara Ostergren Hodge, To share or send condolences to the family, visit ner of the late Karen A. trade he was a heavy ma- and Tracie’s mother, lived across the street from doolittlefuneralservice.com. Goguen, died Friday, chine operator who loved working in the woods. Burt. Aug. 10, at St. Francis Michael had been a member of the 4H Club when Burt would always greet you with a smile and Colchester Hospital. Born Aug. 27, growing up in East Hampton. Michael had a great big hug and had a silly nickname for every mem- 1952, in Holden, Mass., love for animals, especially oxen. He was a dedi- ber of the family. Raymond John Stevens son of the late Carl W. cated member of the Connecticut Whiplash Team- Burt is survived by his seven children: Mark Raymond John and Margaret (Thienes) sters and spent many hours training and working Hodge (Mindy) of Clermont, Fla., Jay Hodge of Stevens, 79, of Colches- Zirkenbach, he had with steers on the family farm with his son Dane, Lake Worth, Fla., Brian Hodge (Dora) of ter, passed away Tues- lived in Colchester since teaching him the family way. Loxahatchee, Fla., Scott Hodge (Sharon) of day, Aug. 14, at Hart- 1992. If you couldn’t find him on the family farm, Muldraugh, Ky., Tracie Hodge of Lake Worth, ford Hospital. Born in Carl was the owner you would find him at a fair, helping with the Fla., all with first wife Barbara Ostergren Hodge Hartford Oct. 22, 1938, and operator of New animals, making jokes, pranking someone, laugh- of Lake Worth, Fla.; and Michael DeSantis (Kim) he was the son of the England Traditions and The Barn in Marlborough. ing or the occasional late night line dancing. of Colchester and Tracy DeSantis Cooley (Mike) late Frederick and Mar- He was a member of the Hebron Lions Club, and Michael was a lover of life with charm and wit to of Colchester, with second wife Betteann DeSantis garet (Leary) Stevens. a proud 15-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force. match. Hodge of East Hampton. He is also survived by Raymond was a Carl is survived by his daughter, Karly L. Michael struggled with addiction these last few three sisters: Donna Cronin (Wayne) of proud veteran, having Zirkenbach of Moodus, and many friends whom years. It led him to many places that most of us Colchester, Patricia Dessureault of East Hamp- served with the U.S. Air he considered to be family. couldn’t even imagine. In the end, it took his peace ton, and Mary Ley (Bill) of East Hampton; grand- Force from 1956-60. He The funeral service will be held today, Aug.17, and his life. May he find peace now. We thank children: (Mark) Alaina, Morgan, Parker, Sarah married his beloved at 11 a.m., in the Mulryan Funeral Home, 725 you all for your unending love, support and (Jay), Shane, Ryan (Brian), Sean, Eric, Brian, wife, Jeanne Archambault, June 26, 1958. The Hebron Ave., Glastonbury. Burial with military prayers. Jeremy (Scott), Bree, Kimberley, Victoria, couple moved from Wethersfield to Colchester in honors will follow in Marlboro Cemetery. Friends Michael leaves his father, Thomas Cavanaugh, (Tracie), Nicholas (Elizabeth), Emily Porras 1960, where they made their home and raised their may call at the funeral home this morning from and stepmother Kathy of East Hampton; his (Santiago), (Michael) Makayla, Madison (Tracy), family. 9-11 a.m. mother, Donna (Kelsey) Cavanaugh of Middle- Taylor, Eric, Ryan, Faith great-grandchildren: Raymond was an avid outdoorsman. He espe- In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be town; grandmother, Dolly Lathrop of Essex; his (Nicholas) Jacob, Liam (Bree) Alex; numerous cially enjoyed hunting and fishing. He was a life- made to the Smilow Cancer Center at St. Francis son, Dane Joseph Bromm, his significant other nieces and nephews. long member of the Wethersfield Game Club and Hospital, 114 Woodland St., Hartford, CT 06105. and Dane’s mother Nina Bromm, both of South He was predeceased by an infant daughter, he was also a member of the Colchester Fish and For online condolences, visit mulryanfhcom. Carolina; brothers, Thomas M. Cavanaugh and Kimberly Ann, and brother, George Thomas Game Club. Most importantly, he will be remem- his wife Kamey of East Hampton, Randy Ocelik. bered by his family as a loving and devoted hus- Cavanaugh and wife Marsha of East Hampton; Burt will be remembered with love for his gen- band and father. East Hampton sister, Meghan Cressotti and husband Lino of erous spirit, sense of humor, ready smile and en- In addition to his wife of 60 years, he will be James Arthur Brown Maryland; two nephews, Lino and Tristin, and a couraging words for his family and friends. He remembered with love by his daughter, Tracy and will be greatly missed. James Arthur Brown, niece Ashley; and a great niece, Addison. her husband Edgar Girouard of East Haddam; six 59, of East Hampton, Friends may call at the Spencer Funeral Home, Services will be held at the convenience of the grandchildren, Krystle (Daniel) Petersen, Lyndsi family in Lake Worth, Fla., at South Florida Na- passed away Sunday, 112 Main St., East Hampton, Sunday, Aug. 19, (John) Klimasewiski, Samantha Phillips (Steven Aug. 5. James was born from 4-7 p.m. Funeral services will be held Mon- tional Cemetery with a full Honor Guard Cer- Botsch), Taylor Stevens, Nicholas Girouard, Jo- emony. Aug. 2, 1959, in Middle- day, Aug. 20, at 10 a.m., in the Haddam Neck seph Girouard; three great-grandchildren, Riley, town, to Howard W. Congregational Church. Burial will follow in Mckinley, Sawyer; and numerous extended fam- Brown Sr. and Eliza- Rock Landing Cemetery in Haddam Neck. ily and friends. beth (Massey) Brown. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be In addition to his parents, he was predeceased He is survived by his made to the Dane Bromm Education Fund, c/o by two sons, Mark and Kenneth. four children, Jennifer, Liberty Bank, 72 Berlin Rd., Cromwell, CT 06416 Friends and family are invited to attend calling Caitlyn, James and Attn: Cara Ehlers VP. hours on Monday, Aug. 20, from 5-7 p.m., at the Elizabeth; his siblings, To leave online condolences, visit spencer Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home, 167 Old Hart- William Barbour, How- funeralhomeinc.com. ford Rd., Colchester. The funeral liturgy will be ard Brown Jr., Cynthia celebrated Tuesday, Aug. 21, at 10:30 a.m., di- Treadwell, Lola Brown, Suzan Brown, Penny rectly at St. Andrew Church, 128 Norwich Ave., (Brown) Oschmann, Lisa Brown, and their fami- Colchester. Burial will follow in New St. Andrew lies; as well as his many friends. Cemetery. James was an avid outdoorsman – whether it Donations in his memory may be made to the be fishing, camping or kayaking. He had many Colchester Hayward Vol. Fire Dept., 52 Old Hart- talents and skills and loved helping anyone in need ford Rd., Colchester, CT 06415. due to his kind soul. For online condolences, visit auroramccarthy A memorial will be held at a later date; family funeralhome.com. and friends will be notified. Obituaries continued From the Editor’s Desk East Hampton John P. Palazzo Observations & Ruminations John P. Palazzo, 85, by Mike Thompson died peacefully at home Well that’s a relief. Speaking of the primaries, I go back and in East Hampton Sun- In a race that was called amazingly quickly forth on the idea of whether Connecticut day, July 29. A devoted Tuesday night, Ned Lamont beat Joe Ganim should follow the lead of a bunch of other husband, father, and to ensure he’ll be the Democratic candidate states in the union and hold open primaries. grandfather, John will for governor this November. This was the Currently, they’re closed; you have to be a be devastatingly missed outcome I’d hoped for, but I wasn’t quite sure registered Republican to vote in the Republi- by his wife, Christine it was going to happen. Sure, Ganim was a can primary, and vice versa. This shuts out (Emmons) Palazzo, convicted felon, but he’d also earned praise everyone else – meaning everyone who dares with whom he spent 26 in recent years for the work he’d done in to belong to a party that’s not one of those happy years of mar- Bridgeport. two, or people who are unaffiliated. riage. But at the end of the day, I guess voters Yes, you can switch over to the Republi- Born in Hartford Jan. decided that if their governor was going to be can or Democrat party before the primary – 6, 1933, he was a son of convicted of bribery and sentenced to prison, that’s how I became a registered Democrat in the late Michael and Christina (Venditti) Palazzo. it should happen after he was elected to the John lived in Wethersfield for several years be- 2008; I had been unaffiliated up until then, fore moving to East Hampton 30 years ago. Soon office, and not before. but I really wanted to vote in that year’s presi- after the start of the Korean War, he was drafted As I’ve written here before, if Ganim had dential primary – but I can certainly under- into the Army and served honorably as a military won the Democrats would have stood no shot stand why people wouldn’t want to do that, police officer. Upon his return back home, he co- in November. The attack ads would’ve writ- or, because of their jobs, they simply cannot founded General Paving, which he ran for 35 ten themselves. Even with Lamont, it’s still affiliate with a certain party. years, and then co-owned and operated Palazzo going to be an uphill battle, given how low Moreover, anyone can vote in the Novem- Construction for another 20 years with his son Gov. Malloy’s approval ratings have been. But ber elections, as long as they’re a registered John. I feel that, with Ned, at least Democrats have voter. It doesn’t matter what political party John lived a life of devoted service to his coun- a chance. That wouldn’t have been the case they belong to, or even if they are a member try, family, and town. He was a charter member with Ganim. of a party at all. So why not let them do the of the Wethersfield/Rocky Hill Elks Lodge 2308, None of this is to say I wish Joe Ganim ill. same in August, when folks are determining as well as a ‘lifetime member’ of the Wethersfield I’m a firm believer in second chances, and just what names they’ll be able to vote for in Game Club. In his free time, John loved to make Ganim, like all of us, deserves one. He seems November? his own wine as well as homemade Italian sau- sincere in his remorse. But he got his second At the same time, though, I’m not sure open sage. He was an avid hunter during the day and chance, when he was elected mayor of primaries are something I can 100 percent get had countless wine nights at home with his fam- Bridgeport again in 2015, after serving seven behind. I can see the potential for corruption. ily and friends. Mostly, John dedicated his life to years in federal prison. I feel his past would’ve Because you’re not voting on who you want bringing joy and memories to his beloved family. just been too much to overcome in a cam- to be governor or congressperson or president Besides his wife, he will be forever remem- paign for governor. so much as you’re voting on whose name you bered by his son, John Palazzo and loving daugh- ter-in-law Helen of Rocky Hill; stepdaughters, As for who Lamont will face: That race want to see on the ballot in November. Kelly Lamb and her husband Ed of Florida and took a little bit longer to sift out Tuesday So I could easily see people being disin- Brenda Trumbull of East Hampton; a daughter, night, but it wound up being Bob Stefanowski. genuous. Take Ganim, for example. I’m sure Joanne Palazzo of Wethersfield; 10 grandchildren, Which I hope is a good thing for Lamont. I I’m not the only one who thought he was John and his wife Maria, Christopher and his wife wrote about Stefanowski just last week, and unelectable when it came to governor – I’m Jamie, Nicholas and Nicole Palazzo, John- mentioned that I found his choice of language sure plenty of not just Democrats but Repub- Michael, Leigh-Ann and Robert Scrivano, Nik and just far too vitriolic – way too reminiscent of licans as well felt the same way. In an open Mackenzie Lamb, and Kyle Trumbull; eight great- Republicans on the national stage. Even in primary, what’s to stop Republicans and other grandchildren, Jason, Livia, Gianna, Taylor, his victory speech Tuesday night, he was unaffiliated but right-leaning folks from ask- Elena, Cody, Sophia and Caden. blasting the media and the “trolls on the ing for a Democratic ballot and stuffing the John was predeceased by his brother, Joseph Internet.” We don’t need that level of anger box, as it were, for Ganim? Then the GOP Palazzo, and sister, Antoinette Costardo. here. candidate can coast to victory in the fall. Also, in his commercials, he proudly boasts In the end, maybe the current system is the that he’s a conservative, and proudly compares only way it can cleanly work – the only way himself to Donald Trump. That approach may you can clearly be sure people are voting for work in other parts of the country, but Con- the person they authentically want to see win. necticut, despite the aforementioned disap- But it just feels awfully strange, and frankly pointment with Malloy, is still a pretty blue not right, to be disenfranchising so many po- state. I’m not sure that tactic will be success- tential voters. ful. * * * * * * See you next week.