Eastford, Pomfret & Woodstock Vol
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Mailed free to requesting homes in Eastford, Pomfret & Woodstock Vol. VII, No. 4 Complimentary to homes by request (860) 928-1818/e-mail: [email protected] FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2011 THIS WEEK’S QUOTE Platt: Second term will be last as first selectman “The face is the mir- ror of the mind, and ‘POLITICS IS NOT A CAREER FOR ME, eyes without speaking THIS IS A PUBLIC SERVICE’ confess the secrets of the heart.” BY TERRI VIANI final term to complete or bring near to completion VILLAGER STAFF WRITER a number of large projects that are part of EASTFORD — First Selectman Allan Platt Eastford’s ongoing multimillion dollar infrastruc- believes in term limits. ture project that was launched during Platt’s first The first-term official is currently running term. INSIDE unopposed in the 2011 election — a circumstance “The initiatives we put forth are extremely A8-10 — OPINION he laughingly attributes to the “sound reasoning large and it’s a matter of completing them,” said and sober judgment of the good citizens of Platt. “The follow-up is 9/10 of the battle. We need A12 — SPORTS Eastford” — but said no matter how much he likes to finish what we started.” the job, this second term will be his last. The infrastructure project includes repair and B1 — HOT SPOT Terri Viani photo “Politics is not a career for me, this is a public reconstruction of Mill Bridge, which has carried B3 — CALENDAR Eastford First Selectman Allan Platt, who is running service,” Platt said. “I strongly believe in term a state rating of poor for 10 years, and drainage unopposed in November’s election, said last week his limits. Two terms in, do what I can, and get out.” B4 — OBITS Turn To PLATT, A16 second term would be his last. Platt looks forward to using his second and page B5 — RELIGION LOCAL Volunteers create quilts for tercentennial celebration BY TERRI VIANI VILLAGER STAFF WRITER POMFRET — An old-fashioned quilting bee has been taking place in Pomfret for the past several years. Since 2009, volunteer quilters of all levels have gathered at the Old Town House three times a week to design and stitch two quilts of different sizes that will be part of the town’s Meghan Couture photo 2012-2013 tercentennial celebration. Shirley Bernstein, a fine arts adjunct lecturer at Quinebaug Local logger claims The smaller quilt, which is in the form of a Valley Community College, will have her art displayed until map of Pomfret and depicts a number of the Nov. 10. Her work is titled “Impressions of Light.” championship crown town’s landmarks, measures 4 feet by 5 feet and was designed, assembled and hand-quilt- Page A2 ed by a group of Pomfret women in 2009. It Terri Viani photos will be presented to the town sometime in Volunteers Ilsa McCarthy, Catherine French and Ann ‘There’s just Hinchman work on the Dear Jane quilt. Turn To QUILTS, page A16 so much to see out there’ ‘IMPRESSIONS’ GALLERY NOW Boo! Quiet Corner gets SHOWING AT QVCC spooky as Halloween nears BY MEGHAN COUTURE Page A3 VILLAGER STAFF WRITER KILLINGLY — From Oct. 12 through Nov. 10, Quinebaug Valley Community College’s Spirol Art SPORTS Gallery will be showcasing Shirley Bernstein’s “Impressions of Light” oil pastel and print collection. Bernstein is a fine arts adjunct lecturer at the col- lege, holding a B.F.A. from the University of the Arts and an M.F.A. from Indiana University. A native of New York City, Bernstein moved to Connecticut in 1989 and found herself in awe of the sky. “In New York City, you don’t see sky,” said Bernstein. “I went with a cousin to do leaf watching, and we went up to Mount Washington, and coming FUTURE FIREFIGHTERS down, I just saw the colors, the landscape, and the sky, Terri Viani photo and that’s what started the whole series really.” Showcasing both prints and oil pastels, Bernstein WOODSTOCK — Nathan Olson, 9, Noah Keaton, 8 and Tim Billings 8, try fire helmets on for size Reen unexpected World Series Wednesday, Oct. 12, as the Woodstock Volunteer Fire Association held its annual fire safety event at Woodstock Elementary School. For more photos, turn to page A4! Turn To QVCC, page A12 Whelen Modified Tour winner Page A12 Walker looks ahead to third term as first selectman EVERYDAY ECOLOGIST PAGE A5 ‘WE HAVEN’T HAD A LOT OF CONTROVERSY’ BY TERRI VIANI financial resources unavailable to the school. VILLAGER STAFF WRITER OPINION “We can use United States Department of WOODSTOCK — First Selectman Allan Walker Agriculture money for it,” said Walker. We can GET YOUR Jr. is headed into his second unopposed election borrow money from USDA and we can do that POINT ACROSS and his third term as Woodstock’s first selectman. because we’re a municipality. We hope to get the PAGE A8-10 “We haven’t had a lot of controversy,” said project done as soon as we can in the spring.” Walker, who was born and raised in Woodstock. Walker said additional issues for his third term HAT O O Although he says things are “pretty quiet” in include looking at the infrastructure of the town WHAT TO DO the town, during his third term Walker said he and maintaining services while keeping the tax A CALENDAR would continue to focus on two projects currently rate steady. OF AREA EVENTS in motion — a new highway garage that is nearing “I think one of the things all towns struggle PAGE B3 completion and the extension of the sewer line with — and it comes up every year when it comes that currently ends just past Woodstock Middle to budget time — you want to continue to provide School and will eventually be extended to services and minimize impact on the residents Woodstock Academy. and minimize any tax increase,” Walker said. “We are involved with the extension of sewer “None of us want to increase taxes. So, we’re look- line,” said Walker.“It terminates just past the mid- ing for ways of saving money all the time. Because dle school down here and goes up to the Academy. of the economic times I want to minimize the The Academy is tying into that now. The town is impact on our residents, keep that to a minimum going to be borrowing money but it’s going to be if at all possible. It’s one of the biggest struggles paid for by the school. We went to referendum on we have. You try to get as creative as you can.” that about a month or so ago.” One way to do this is to regionalize expenses Terri Viani photo Walker said the sewer project initially became a First Selectman Allan Walker is heading into his third Turn To WALKER, page A13 town project because the town was able to tap into term, and second unopposed election. 2 • Friday, October 21, 2011 WOODSTOCK VILLAGER Local logger claims championship crown TWO-TIME CHAMPION TALKS EXPERIENCES, FUTURE OF LOGGING Dayville resident went on to com- the training at all four levels, and wants.” pete at the Nationals, held at The they are good at what they do. But, Paul Bunyan Show at the THE VILLAGER that’s the way the cards played out How about the Game of Guernsey County Fairgrounds in for me this year. I don’t consider Logging? Cambridge, Ohio, on Oct. 8. With INTERVIEW myself a champion.” the help of Southern New PAUL BURKE “I’m not sure what the future England’s Game of Logging What role does logging hold holds for that. They make me sit Trainer Bill Girard, Burke won in your future? out for two years. If you win the the title of National Logging How do you prepare for com- nationals, they don’t want to see Champion and $5,000, a feat he petitions? “I don’t know where the indus- you next year, so I’ve got to sit out also accomplished in 2006. try’s going — things are tough. for two years. We’ll see what the This week, The Villager sat “There’s some different compo- The markets are all over the place, future brings.” down with Burke to see where it nents to that. One, for sure, is your the trends have changed. I don’t all began and how it feels to be a chainsaw skills that you hone see myself as doing anything dif- Meghan Couture may be reached two-time national champion. down over a number of years. ferent, my niche has really been at (860) 928-1818, ext. 112, or by e- Having control, filing, felling, conscientious logging. I like to cut mail at meghan@villagernewspa- How did you get into logging aiming — this is stuff we practice saw timber, firewood just as well, pers.com. in general? in the woods everyday. Before I whatever the landowner really went to the nationals, I took a cou- “I began cutting firewood in ple of days to practice, just to high school, and I was actually brush myself back up. But, there’s milking cows at the time as a kid. a mental component as well. I VILLAGER ALMANAC A couple of friends of mine were work alone, and I’m not used to cutting logs for a guy when cutting trees with 300 people look- UOTATION OF THE WEEK Turnquist Lumber was still run- ing at me. You’ve got the specta- Q ning in Foster. They were making tors and also the competitors.