Mailed free to requesting homes in Brooklyn, the borough of Danielson, Killingly & its villages Vol. VI, No. 25 Complimentary home delivery (860) 928-1818/email:[email protected] Friday, April 20, 2012 THIS WEEK’S Death penalty decision QUOTE “Don’t part with draws mixed reaction your illusions. When they are gone WILLIAMS: BILL ‘A HISTORIC you may still exist, STEP FORWARD’ but you have ceased BY MERYL E. WILLETT and final,” Williams said. to live.” VILLAGER STAFF WRITER “Connecticut’s criminal justice sys- Connecticut is set to become the tem has taken a historic step for- 17th state in the country to repeal ward. In a system of justice that is the death penalty, as Gov. not perfect, we must not Dannel P. Malloy has pub- employ a penalty that licly stated he will sign requires perfection. The INSIDE the bill when it crosses punishment of life in his desk. prison with out the possi- “I want to be careful in bility of release makes A8-9— OPINION the tone of my remarks, more sense.” A12 — SPORTS out of respect for the Under the bill, courts can impose a sentence of B1 — HOT SPOT gravity of the issue at hand and out of respect life in prison without Courtesy photo B2— OBITS for people on both sides of parole, and felons that are Jim Phaiah in his Jimmy’s Kids Foundation T-shirt during last year’s walk. given a life sentence will B4 — CALENDAR the issue,” Malloy said. “When I sign this bill, be placed in the same con- Connecticut will join 16 ditions that inmates on other states and almost Donald Williams death row are subjected Breaking the cycle, every other industrial- to. SPORTS ized nation in moving toward what I According to the bill, believe is better public policy.” the 11 men who are currently on The passage of this bill will make death row will be grandfathered in pounding the pavement Connecticut the fifth state in five and will still be subject to receive the years to end capitol punishment, death penalty. With the bill expected and after hours of debate and testi- to take effect immediately,Sen. Tony ARATHON WALK TO BENEFIT monies, the House of Guglielmo, R-Stafford, said he does M Representatives voted 86-62 in sup- not believe those men will receive port of the bill. Senate President Pro the death sentence, and feels that the WENDY’S PLACE Tempore Donald E. Williams, D- state is losing what has been used as Brooklyn, said that inmates who a bargaining chip for prosecutors. MERYL E. WILLETT could have been given the death “I have talked to attorneys who do VILLAGER STAFF WRITER penalty would face conditions that not believe it will hold up,” DANIELSON — The Jimmy’s Kids Foundation is holding an 18- are similar to, and in some cases Guglielmo said last week. “Under hour, 28-mile Awareness and Fundraising Walk April 28-29, that will more severe, than the conditions on Connecticut’s equal protection law, benefit Day Kimball Hospital’s Wendy’s Place, as well as the Darkness death row. lawyers would be able to argue that to Light Stewards of Children Prevention Program. “It is a punishment that is certain Turn To DEATH PENALTY, page A14 The committee is hoping for 20 entities to donate $500 each in an effort to raise $10,000 in support of those organizations. Speedway Ice Breaker “We’re excited — we have had two matches come in to add to our Page A12 Jimmy’s Kids donation, we’re very hopeful that we will be able to raise $10,000,” said child abuse survivor and founder of Jimmy’s Kids Council OKs Foundation Jim Phaiah. Wendy’s Place is a community-based child advocacy center. The model is a unique and multidisciplinary community response to severe child abuse, and enables law enforcement, prosecutors, child protective services, and the medical and mental health professions to $57M budget work together as a collaborative team to investigate and prosecute cases of child sex abuse. SPENDING PLAN TO GO TO TOWN MEETING MAY 7 Turn To WALK, page A18 MERYL E WILLETT resented $67,000 in reductions to VILLAGER STAFF WRITER the general government's budget, KILLINGLY — On Tuesday, April he felt that he was able to bring for- 17, the Town Council ward reductions that made sense voted to approve sending for the town. Town approves splash a budget to Town “The general guiding Meeting that represents principle is that the coun- a .5-percent increase, cil asked for a reduction which according to and they gave me an pad construction Chairman Dennis amount. I began scruti- Visit our website with nizing the budget and Alemian, is a reduction MERYL E. WILLETT your smart phone or tablet determined that there device! from the original budget VILLAGER STAFF WRITER that was brought before were areas that had extra Just scan the “QR code” and I chose areas that KILLINGLY — The Town Council last week approved the construction of below with your device and the town at the public hearing the previous would represent the least a splash pad at Owen Bell Park, a decision likely to draw a smile or two from instantly be linked to our detrimental change for people looking to stay cool this summer. website, www.villagernews- week. The general govern- the town,” said Benway. The idea for a splash pad was first presented to the Town Council by Parks papers.com, where you can In the reductions list and Recreation Director Tom Dooley, who said that he’s seen splash pads in read the PDF versions of ment budget that will be Dennis Alemian sent to Town Meeting on that was presented to the action, but this will be his first involvement in the building of one. our newspapers! It’s as easy council on Tuesday “I always wanted to do it,” Dooley said. “I mean, I won’t take credit for the as that! May 7 is about $13 mil- lion, and the Board of Education night, changes included entire idea — it just came up in casual conversation.” budget is about $38 million, for a tires for the central garage, bitumi- The idea was tabled in March by the Town Council, citing insufficient total combined budget of $57 mil- nous, reductions to drainage, small information. However, during last week’s meeting, the Council voted to lion. tools and supplies, seasonal labor, approve transferring $35,000 from a contingency fund, using money left over “After lengthy debates, the Town transportation, contractual ser- from this year’s mild winter, into a capitol account to fund the remaining Council decided to reduce its bud- vices with M&E and health insur- amount needed to build the splash pad at Owen Bell Park. get by $67,000 and we are directing ance and Social Security. The final vote was close, with five councilors in favor and four against. the Board of Education to reduce Councilor John Sarantopolous Chairman Dennis Alemian said when the idea was first brought in front of its budget by $500,000,” said said that he felt the reductions pro- him, he was in favor of the splash pad, as it would put a stamp on the town’s Alemian. posed by Benway were doing a dis- flagship park. Town Manager Bruce Benway service to the town and the people “I’ll be honest with you — I did not vote for this splash pad,” Alemian said. said that after he was directed by who live in it. Turn To SPLASH, page A18 the council to create a list that rep- Turn To BUDGET, page A14 A2 • Friday, April 20, 2012 KILLINGLY VILLAGER Remembering Maple and Mechanics streets Recently, Dot Pryor stopped in at was owned by one of the most description-near Sayles Mill, Main Delicious Ice Cream, which is the Killingly Historical Center and prominent entrepreneurs in the Street; Charles M. Adams- unexcelled in Eastern Connecticut. shared a few thoughts on Maple ILLINGLY village — Lorenzo M. Kennedy. “Practical Blacksmith and Horse A large line of choice confec- and Mechanics Street with us. K Kennedy was also the agent for shoer-near Sayles Mill; two new tionery.” Now, she is in her 90’s so her AT 300 “Pennock’s Patent Road-Machine. open buggies and an express Then in the same ad (probably memories go back quite a ways. It makes one mile of good road per wagon for sale CHEAP.” A. G. needed after eating all that ice She noted that there was once a day. It is revolutionizing road-mak- Jones announced to the citizens of cream) “the best Corset for 50 cents pond where the track is at Ellis ing”(and had been utilized by the Dayville and vicinity that he had in town” — Webster Block, oppo- Tech on Maple Street. It was part of MARGARET selectmen of Killingly). A quick purchased the “Tobacco, Fruit, and site Depot, Dayville. Three physi- the farm of her “Uncle David and WEAVER glimpse at Natalie Coolidge’s Confectionery business formerly cians, A. E. Darling, M.D., H. L. Aunt Sarah Hutchins” who lived Killingly Business Encyclopedia carried on by Frank Brainard.” It Hammond,M.D., and S. N. Dennis, there. She said when she was grow- revealed that Kennedy had come was located in the Market Block. M.D. advertised for patients. ing up they referred to the section the present Dayville fire station from Foster, RI in 1846 and in 1866 Sol. Eckstein offered fancy and lux- If you remember relatives talk- of farmland behind where the parking lot is situated; the freight purchased the livery stable and ury items: “It will pay the public to ing about any of these old blocks or “trade school” now is as the Ox- depot was on the opposite side of hotel in Dayville.