Putnam DMV Branch to Close Due to Budget Cuts QUOTE “It Is Better to Suffer AUG
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Mailed free to requesting homes in Eastford, Pomfret & Woodstock Vol. VI, No. 43 Complimentary to homes by request (860) 928-1818/e-mail: [email protected] FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2011 THIS WEEK’S Putnam DMV branch to close due to budget cuts QUOTE “It is better to suffer AUG. 11 SLATED AS FINAL DAY OF OPERATION wrong than to do it, and happier to be BY JACK MELTZER unfortunate that we don’t have a full-service DMV. sometimes cheated VILLAGER STAFF WRITER A lot of people including myself, if we have a lot than not to trust.” PUTNAM — Quiet Corner residents will have of work to do, [now have to] jump in the car and to find a new place to handle their motor vehicle run to Norwich.” issues due to the recent attempts by Gov.Dannel P. Viens said that at one time Putnam had a full Malloy to trim the state budget. service DMV in town, located in the northern Malloy put forth a proposal that will close many part of Riverfront Commons. After the state made INSIDE statewide Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) some changes many years ago, Putnam offered up stations, including the Putnam satellite office, some free space from the town for what is now the A8-9 — OPINION Jack Meltzer photo which is set to shut its doors on Aug. 11. satellite station. “It’s frustrating, first and foremost,” said “It makes you wonder, if the money in the A10 — SPORTS The DMV satellite office in Putnam will be closing in Putnam Mayor Robert Viens. “We’ve done every- OT POT August due to the state’s attempt to cut the budget B1 — H S Turn To DMV, page A11 deficit. thing in our power to keep the DMV here. It’s B2 — OBITS B4 — RELIGION B5 — CALENDAR TLGV launches business website LOCAL BY CLARE HOPKINS islation and regulations, and many more. VILLAGER STAFF WRITER There is also a resource glossary where site In order to assist agriculture businesses in visitors can find town links, CT state links, the area, The Last Green Valley has launched books, periodicals, UMass and UConn links a new website, www.aginfotlgv.org. and more. TLGV created a new website after survey- Business owners looking for a way to stay in ing hundreds of farms in 2009 and recognizing contact with their peers will find the message a need for a central Internet resource and a board, classifieds, and blog, useful. Blog fea- way to network with other businesses. tures will include land networking and land “Ours is a region of rural traditions, our for sale. culture, our economy, our built environment, The site will be continuously updated. An our landscape,” said TLGV Executive Director interactive map showing farm’s, farmer’s & CEO Charlene Cutler. “Agriculture and its markets, and natural features of interest to related businesses have tremendous potential agriculture will soon be uploaded. in our region because of all the land and water Cutler said the site was funded by a Rural resources that remain. TLGV wants to do Business Enterprise Grant from the U.S. Courtesy photo everything it can to help these businesses Department of Agriculture, Rural Bungay Fire Brigade Chief Roy Chandler sits in a dunk tank dur- thrive and expand.” Development Office and by the Farm Credit ing last year’s open house event. The new website has pages on commodities, East AgEnhancement Program. business development, the environment, and TLGV was established as a federally funded Deary interviewed energy. There are pages for the AGvocate organization in 1994, but funding has declined Program, a calendar, classifieds, facts and fig- in recent years and will cease in 2015. TLGV Page 3 ures, a message board, and a news section. hopes to become self-sustaining with the sup- Bungay Fire on Each section contains more specific cate- port of residents and businesses in the area. gories. For example under ‘commodities’ it TLGV’s Green Light Campaign has a goal of SPORTS lists beef, aqua farms, forest products, nurs- raising $100,000 in donations, memberships eries/greenhouses, poultry, veggies and herbs and business partnerships for the organiza- the lookout for and many more. Under ‘business develop- tion. ment’ there are subcategories including busi- TLGV also developed a strategic manage- ness planning, education and training, finan- cial assistance, marketing, going organic, leg- Turn To TLGV, page A11 volunteers CHANDLER: ‘ALWAYS LOOKING’ FOR NEW RECRUITS Football action BY JACK MELTZER page 10 VILLAGER STAFF WRITER WOODSTOCK — On Saturday, July 23, from 12 to 4 p.m., members of the Bungay Fire Brigade will host an open house at the station at 1256 Route 171 in West EVERYDAY ECOLOGIST Woodstock. PAGE A5 The general public is welcome and the event is free. Bungay Fire Brigade Chief Roy Chandler said there are two purposes of the event, now in its third year — to OPINION show the general public around the station, view the equipment, the trucks, and to learn about fire safety, GET YOUR and to recruit anyone who wants to volunteer for the POINT ACROSS department, which is in need of volunteer firefighters. PAGE A8 “If the townspeople want to come and meet us, we are also going to have applications available if there are WHAT TO DO those that are interested in possibly joining, they can A CALENDAR talk to us about what it entails, and we can give them some guidance. It does take quite a bit of time and train- OF AREA EVENTS ing. We can explain to the people to see if they have any PAGE B5 interest in joining.” According to Chandler, the need for volunteers sur- passes the town lines. READY TO FIGHT “I know the three departments in Woodstock, the sur- rounding towns; Eastford is always looking for new vol- Jack Meltzer photo unteers,” Chandler said. “Pretty much every volunteer WOODSTOCK — Eddy Raheb, 13, left, and brother Mikey, 12, of Killingly, pose with Jesse Viteri, of fire department needs extra manpower. It takes a lot of Woodstock as they prepare for a martial arts demonstration for Quest Martial Arts at the Sixth Annual time and some people don’t realize how much time it Summer Celebration sponsored by Northeast Placement Services at the Woodstock Fairgrounds Saturday, July 16. For more photos from the event, turn to page A9! Turn To BUNGAY, page A13 Area kids show their ‘Compassion’ CAMP TO SPEND WEEK GIVING BACK TO COMMUNITY BY JACK MELTZER Camp is a day program for middle and high VILLAGER STAFF WRITER school youths. Each day begins at the First During the week of July 25-29, the sixth Congregational Church of Woodstock and annual Compassion Camp will commence then campers head out to do a variety of serv- with a group of 35 kids from all around the ice projects that include visiting the Quiet Corner, including Woodstock, Pomfret, Northeast Regional Animal Shelter in Eastford, and Danielson. Dayville, working with the handicapped at Compassion Camp is a joint sponsored the Center of Hope in Southbridge, Mass., effort by the First Congregational Church of assisting with tornado relief efforts in Woodstock and the East Woodstock Brimfield, Mass., tending to the community Congregational Church. garden at People’s Harvest in Pomfret, and Courtesy photo According to Director of Youth Ministry Compassion Campers and clients from Center of Hope gather for a group picture after a morning of Unified (at both churches) Debby Kirk, Compassion Turn To CAMP, page A13 Games at the Bentley Field in Woodstock last year. 2 • Friday, July 22, 2011 WOODSTOCK VILLAGER ‘Producers’ set to open at Bradley NEW RENOVATIONS TO STAGE ACCOMMODATE POPULAR MUSICAL BY JACK MELTZER Database, “The Producers” is about an unsuc- Pollard said that VILLAGER STAFF WRITER cessful, down-on-his-luck Broadway producer, musical theatre PUTNAM — The Bradley Playhouse will Max Bialystock, and his accountant, Leo applies to a large audi- present the award-winning Mel Brooks musi- Bloom, as they attempt a get-rich-quick- ence but by showing a cal, “The Producers,” Aug. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20 at scheme by overselling interests in a definite musical like “The 7 p.m., and August 7, 14, 21 at 2 p.m. Broadway flop. Producers” opens the Tickets are $21 for adults, $18 for seniors and The Bradley’s version is directed by both doors up even further students. Seating is general admission. Pollard and Scott Guerin, and includes more for audiences. According to co-director Diane Pollard, the than 25 songs and numerous dance sequences “We’re looking for Bradley’s reasoning for picking the “The choreographed by Christine Guerin. lots of ways to bring Producers” was that it hadn’t been performed Musical numbers include, “Springtime for new viewers into the in the area yet, and they thought it would have Hitler,” “I Wanna Be a Producer,” and “When Bradley,” said Pollard. a lot of audience appeal because of the fact You Got It, Flaunt It.” “It really is a jewel of that it is a Tony Award winning show. “The audience will leave humming a tune Putnam, and we want “The neat thing is, it applies to Mel Brooks’ from the show, quoting a to keep those doors fans,” said Pollard. “You don’t necessarily particular humorous line, or simply revel in open.” Courtesy photo have to be a regular ‘theatre-goer’ to really the outrageousness that is Mel Brooks’ Pollard said that as ABOVE, Actor Tom Weber, as Max Bialystock, the down-on-his-luck Broadway enjoy this play.If you are not a regular theatre satire,” said promoter and producer Judy far as the show itself producer, taking money from adoring and gullible old ladies.