Vol. VII, No. 51 Complimentary (860) 928-1818/e-mail: [email protected] Friday, September 14, 2012 THIS WEEK’S QUOTE Eleven years later, “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of DOG Quiet Corner preparation, hard work, and learning remembers from failure.” DAY Colin Powell OFFICIALS TALK 9/11, AND HOW IT HAS AFFECTED THEM Meryl E. Willett photos INSIDE Connor Duffy, with his two dogs BY KERENSA KONESNI AND Edie and Nora, ready to walk. The Duffy Family recently donat- MERYL WILLETT A8 — OPINION VILLAGER STAFF WRITERS ed $2,000 to the future Dog A12 — SPORTS Park expected to come to B1 — CALENDAR Putnam. On Tuesday, Sept. 11, Americans throughout the B3— OBITS world remembered our coun- B4 — RELIGION Meet Miss Bailey. trymen and women, lost in the attacks on the World B5 — CLASSIFIEDS Trade Center, Pentagon and Shanksville, Pa., 11 years ago. So too remembered in cere- monies throughout the LOCAL nation were the American men and women who have since given their lives to pro- Rick Hayes tect a nation that will never forget the day that has changed the trajectory of our modern society and the sky- line of New York City. The World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks occurred 11 years ago, but the memories are still crystal clear in the minds of emer- gency personnel and service- men and women in the Villager Interview Northeast Corner. Administrative Manager at Page A3 Quinebaug Valley Emergency Communications Dispatch John DonFrancisco SPORTS was working as a dispatcher Danny Rovero on 9/11. He remembered that PUTNAM — Saturday, Sept. 8 marked Canines for Combat Veterans cause. there were two dispatchers the fourth annual Lions Club Dog Walk, While rain was on the horizon, the event on duty that day, and there then the phones began to in support of the NEADS Foundation of continued as scheduled raising about was an influx of calls QVEC ring. We could only tell peo- MA. The event was held at the Putnam $3,000 for NEADS, according to event Co- received from residents look- ple what we saw on TV and Farmers Market on Kennedy Drive, and Chairman Stu Neal. ing for answers to questions what little information we drew a crowd of some 30-plus dogs, who that he and his co-worker could gather from over the brought their owners down to support the For more photos, turn to page A9! weren’t able to provide. frequencies about what was “We turned on the news like everyone else did, and Please Read 9/11, page A10 ‘A great opportunity’ for Brooklyn Pigskin Review Page A12 SHOVELS ENTER GROUND FOR FIRST TIME ON WAL-MART SITE EVERDAY ECOLOGIST BY MERYL E. WILLETT ceremonial ground breaking “Brooklyn made a lot of PAGE A5 VILLAGER STAFF WRITER ceremony. sense as a location for a Wal- BROOKLYN — On The new Wal-Mart super- Mart store. In some ways, TAKE THE HINT TAKE THE HINT Monday, Sept. 10, distin- store, when complete, will be the people of Brooklyn are guished members of 163,000 square feet. The underserved when it comes PAGE A7 Brooklyn’s business commu- building will feature a pro- to year round access to fresh nity, along with State Rep. duce and grocery section, produce and affordable gro- Mike Alberts, State Senate that according to Director of ceries and affordable gener- President Pro Tempore Public Affairs and al merchandise options,” Government Relations said Buchanan. “I think it Donald Williams and First Meryl E. Willett photos Selectman Austin Tanner Christopher Buchanan, is makes a lot of sense for us to gathered at the future site of something the people of State Rep. Mike Alberts shakes the hand of Wal-Mart Public Affairs Director Christopher Buchanan Wal-Mart on Route 6 for a Brooklyn will benefit from. Please Read WAL-MART, page A10 Little legs, big heart Visit our website with POMFRET MOTHER-DAUGHTER TEAM WALK your smart phone or tablet device! PORTION OF JIMMY FUND WALK Just scan the “QR code” below with your device and BY KERENSA KONESNI cancer seven years ago. instantly be linked to our VILLAGER STAFF WRITER “Mom was the most amazing mother. website, www.villagernews- POMFRET — For the third year in a She worked her hardest for us and wanted papers.com, where you can row, Isabelle Tedisky took part in the everything for us,” said Marlena. “She lost read the PDF versions of annual Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund the battle but she gave it all she had and we our newspapers! It’s as easy Walk to honor her late grandmother, wanted to do something in her memory.” as that! Maureen Gentry,on Sunday,Sept. 9. It was Marlena’s sister Carleen Gentry And while the five-mile Boston College who suggested walking the race as a way route seems like a manageable length to to honor their mother, and provide little most walkers unready to tackle the chal- Isabelle a special way to connect with the lenge of the entire 26.2-mile trek, it’s a bit grandmother she would never be able to of a hike when you’re less than 3 feet tall. meet. The Pomfret Center preschooler and Carleen works in cancer research at seasoned marathon walker is only three Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, which is years old. the beneficiary of the fundraising event. Each year, Isabelle and her mother According to the Jimmy Fund, The Boston Courtesy photo Marlena Tedisky participate in the Jimmy Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk is the largest Isabelle Tedisky received a medal and high-fives after finishing the Boston Fund Walk to honor Marlena’s mother, College route of the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fun Walk Sept. 9. Maureen, who lost her batter with kidney Please Read JIMMY FUND, page A11 A2 • Friday, September 14, 2012 PUTNAM VILLAGER Voters OK $7.5M for sewer replacement project NEWS BRIEF BY MERYL E. WILLETT no decision at this time what option project will be funded by a low inter- had been called in by a physi- VILLAGER STAFF WRITER to take, but refurbishing the pipes est loan and subsidy under the Danielson pharmacist cian’s office, and then docu- PUTNAM — On Wednesday,Sept. 5, stands to be the less expensive option. Connecticut Drinking Water State mented filling the prescrip- more than 100 taxpayers cast their “We needed to be able to borrow the Revolving Fund, Connecticut sentenced tions in the same manner that votes to approve appropriating $7.5 money,and that is just the first step of Department of Public Health, total- he documented legitimate pre- David B. Fein, United States scriptions. In total, Fiore million in bonding for the WPCA this large-scale project,” said Shaw. ing $6,712,000 for the loan portion and Attorney for the District of sewer replacement project slated to Anticipating that the upgrade a $187,864 subsidy portion. The state unlawfully dispensed 1,542 Connecticut, announced that tablets of Schedule III and 210 take place in Putnam to improve the would be a necessary project for the has also awarded the town $677,000 Daniel Fiore, 60, of Brooklyn, town’s drinking water systems. town, Shaw said it was about six under the low-interest loan program tablets of Schedule IV con- was sentenced last week by trolled substances. The plan called for either a total months ago a when a separate town for the project design work. Current Senior United States District pipe replacement or cleaning of meeting was held, at which time the loan interest rates under the state After his arrest in January Judge Ellen Bree Burns in 2011, Fiore agreed to surren- existing pipes and then relining WPCA put together a series of rate program range from 2.06 percent to New Haven to two years of those pipes with cement. A total of increases to cover the cost associated 3.7 percent. The rate applicable to der his federal and state probation and a fine of $20,000 licenses to dispense controlled almost 30,000 linear feet will be with the upgrade. Putnam will be based on the financial for unlawfully dispensing con- impacted by the project. “The increases were designed to and legal status of the town. substances. trolled substances. On April 18, Fiore waived “This water system reinforcement cover phase one and phase two, those “The design and engineering phase Fiore must serve the first project was developed after an exten- increases were approved so water of the project will be completed in his right to indictment and six months of his probation in pleaded guilty to one count of sive hydraulic model was completed rates will not be raised a second 2012 and 2013,” said Shaw. “We hope home confinement under elec- of our entire drinking water system time,” said Shaw. to complete the actual drinking water unlawfully dispensing con- tronic monitoring by the trolled substances. and demonstrated areas of the sys- The following six areas of the system improvements over a two- United States Probation tem that required either rehabilita- water system are slated for either year period from 2013 and 2014.” This investigation was con- Office. ducted by special agents from tion or replacement,” said WPCA rehabilitation or replacement, and Shaw said that the water system According to court docu- Chairman Jim Shaw. will be the first to be addressed — improvements would replace or reha- the Federal Bureau of ments and statements made in Investigation and the Office of While the taxpayers have approved South Main Street area, Mechanics bilitate aged pipes that were installed court, Fiore owned and operat- the $7.5 million bonding, Shaw Street Project area, Laconia prior to 1940.