PRSRT STD POSTAL U.S. POSTAGE PAID CUSTOMER PERMIT #231 ECR WSS SOUTHBRIDGE, MA 01550 Serving Eastford, Pomfret & Woodstock Vol. III, No. 40 Complimentary (860) 928-1818/e-mail: [email protected] ‘If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.’ FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2008 Second Education cuts get deeper budget SPED TEACHER, ATHLETICS FUNDING CUT BY MATT SANDERSON for next Tuesday’s town meeting amended to the reductions in order athletic program in the budget is VILLAGER STAFF WRITER and second referendum. to bring back $9,750 in some sug- $32,498. WOODSTOCK — Keeping the The budget is $15,475,800, which gested $22,350 combined cuts of Superintendent Francis A. Baran vote is impact as minimal as possible to is a $472,235 increase from last year, school supplies between the ele- said he figures Woodstock voters Woodstock’s future kindergartners or 3.14 percent. mentary school and the middle turned down the education portion through eighth-graders was the One special education teacher, at school. This now results in a partial of the budget because they thought Board of Education’s daunting task a $42,182 cost, was eliminated, along “pay to play” scenario that will the board was targeting them. Monday night, June 16, as they with that person’s $9,824 health equally be spread across all sports, “We thought we could get there June 24 insurance plan. Å 30 percent reduc- popular to least popular, at a rate of meandered through specific line items to reduce its budget in time tion, or $9,600, in athletics was also $47 per student. The total cost of the Turn To SCHOOLS, page A9 BY MATT SANDERSON VILLAGER STAFF WRITER WOODSTOCK — The town goes back to its second referendum next Tuesday, June 24, at Town Hall, ‘Broadway Live’ set to light up Hyde Cultural Center with the voting booths open between noon and 8 p.m. The June 3 referendum failed DAILY BREAD, TEEG TO BENEFIT FROM SHOW with 864 votes for “no” and 530 for “yes.” BY CHENOA PIERCE 1999 after coming back from New The Board of Selectmen and the VILLAGER STAFF WRITER York [after] watching ‘A Jerome Board of Education presented their Get ready for a night of singing Robbins Broadway,’” he said, respective cuts to the 2008-’09 budg- and dancing entertainment sure adding that the show featured et of $21,054,813 Tuesday night, to please the whole family that music and choreography from June 17, to a room of about 50 peo- will also benefit local charities. Robbins’ career. ple at Town Hall. The general gov- Broadway Live Productions, the After leaving the theater where ernment cuts totaled $304,712 and Putnam Rotary Club and the the show was held, Panteleakos the education cuts totaled $230,774. Thompson Lions Club are pleased said, “I just felt that after that pro- The mill rate will increase by 0.45, to present “Broadway Live … 2008 duction … everyone loved some- as contractual obligations, fuel Helping Hands” Friday, June 27, thing about that show,” adding costs, revaluation and emergency and Saturday, June 28, to help that he wanted to create a show medical services account for a large raise money for local organiza- for the Quiet Corner that would portion of the 3.3 percent budget tions that benefit those in need. have the same effect. increase. Broadway Live first lit up the The Broadway Live shows are a “We really tried not to cut servic- Hyde Cultural Center stage in “culmination of musical favorites es to people, particularly in public 1999 and has received a standing from many genres,” Crosetti said. health and the elderly,” said First ovation every year since. “There is something for every- Selectman Allan Walker Jr. “Any Broadway Live Productions is one.” further cuts will get into services, the brainchild of Executive In the past, musical numbers like the ambulance service.” Director David T. Panteleakos, that have been used in the produc- Of the larger general govern- who dreamed up the organization tions have included songs from ment cuts, they managed to skim as a way to give back to the com- Les Miserables, Little Shop of $166,667 off the revaluation, $89,146 munity. Horrors, Grease, Annie, Man of La from the highway department’s “This was a creative endeavor Mancha and more. budget (office technologies, dump that David Panteleakos, owner of This year’s show offers selec- Courtesy photo truck) and $30,000 from the open Broadway Live Productions began tions from West Side Story and The cast members of “Broadway Live … 2008 Helping Hands.” space land acquisition. An $18,140 in order to assist raising funds for High School Musical, as well as was reduced from worker’s com- local charities,” said Broadway “Hand Jive” from Grease, comedic performances. Northeastern Connecticut, pensation, Social Security, Live Producer Laura Crosetti. Dreamgirls, “The Boogie Woogie “This performance is made up Massachusetts and Rhode Island,” Medicare and pensions. Panteleakos, who has run Bugle Boy” and “New York, New of music, dance and comedy,” said she said. Board of Education member Broadway Live Productions in col- York,” to name a few. Crosetti. “[It is] a show that the In 2003, according to a press Frank Corden said he has had diffi- laboration with the show’s “All the musicals, pretty much,” whole family will enjoy.” release from Crosetti, the VOICES culty stomaching the notion that writer/director Linda Colangelo said Panteleakos, who noted that Crosetti noted that those cast in in Concert group joined in as part individuals are voting down the since the beginning, said he got the best song from each musical is the shows are not only talented, of the production. The group fea- town’s budget when they don’t real- the idea for the organization after generally chosen for the show and but are in no way strangers to the tures the vocal talents of Donna ly have an idea where the money seeing a similar kind of show in that songs from movies are also stage. and Andre Bessette, Tonya Brock, goes. the Big Apple. included in the show. “Over 30 local and very talented Colangelo, Tim and Mackenzie “I created the concept of In addition to music, the audi- cast members who have per- Turn To REFERENDUM, page A14 Broadway Live [productions] in ence will be treated to dance and formed at theaters throughout Turn To BROADWAY, page A14 Buck up for some world-class bull riding Author Paterson to speak EVENT TO BE HELD THIS WEEKEND AT WOODSTOCK FAIRGROUNDS at Woodstock Academy BY MATT SANDERSON VILLAGER STAFF WRITER BY MATT SANDERSON VILLAGER STAFF WRITER WOODSTOCK — It was only last weekend that the World Cup Bull WOODSTOCK — Freedom of Riders Championships were taking speech in literature has always place in East Falmouth, Mass., at found new ways of testing the the Barnstable County uncharted waters of our society. Fairgrounds. Now, the association Take Mark Twain’s vernacular in is gearing to kick off its 2008-’09 sea- The Adventures of Huckleberry son this weekend at the Woodstock Finn or the language of Holden Fairgrounds. Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye by It’s the second year the event is J.D. Salinger. When writers think being held at the fairgrounds after of a great subject for a story, they some positive turnout and enthusi- cannot place limits on where their asm in 2007, according to WCBR’s mind takes them, especially if it’s Chief Operating Officer Kenny to entice the plot and make it enter- Churchill. taining for the reader. The gates open tomorrow, When Vermont-based author Saturday, June 21, at 3 p.m. when a Katherine Paterson decided to country band will be playing. At 5 write Bridge to Terabithia in 1977, p.m. the bull riding will start, with she was basing it on a real-life inci- barrel racing at 7 p.m. On Sunday, dent that occurred to her while liv- June 22, the gates open at noon and ing in Maryland. The content of the country band will be playing the novel has frequently been a tar- Author Katherine Paterson on the front Courtesy photo again. At 2 p.m., the bull riding get over the years by censors and cover of World Literature Today’s May- The World Cup Bull Riders will kick off its 2008-’09 season this Saturday and Sunday begins and at 3 p.m., the barrel rac- has been one of most challenged June 2008 edition. at the Woodstock Fairgrounds. Turn To BULLS, A9 page Turn To PATERSON, page A8 A10-11..........OPINION LOCAL SPORTS VILLAGER TRIVIA! Who holds the record A 12..............SPORTS SALMONELLA OUTBREAK 1ST AMERICAN SECT. B .....OBITUARIES for the most home runs NVESTIGATED WINS with the Red Sox? SECT. B .......CALENDAR I ECT ELIGION PAGE A3 PAGE A12 INSIDE S . B ....... R Answer on page 2. 2 • Friday, June 20, 2008 WOODSTOCK VILLAGER DKH Women’s Group donates VILLAGER ALMANAC QUOTATION OF THE WEEK funds for hospital equipment “My brothers and father rode bulls. DONATION PART OF A TWO-YEAR PLEDGE There’s no better adrenaline rush in your life. It’s hard to explain that type of feeling, BY CHENOA PIERCE fle. The raffle was open to the commu- was Patricia Sposato, who won a $100 with people yelling and cheering, and it’s VILLAGER STAFF WRITER nity. gift certificate to the Shop at Day just you and you’re riding a bull.” PUTNAM — On Thursday, June 12, “Everyone was welcome to pur- Kimball.