French Announces Bid for 29Th District Senate Seat
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Mailed free to requesting homes in Thompson Vol. IX, No. 22 Complimentary to homes by request THIS WEEK’S QUOTE French announces bid for 29th District Senate seat “Nothing is WILLIMANTIC RESIDENT SETS UP SHOWDOWN WITH WILLIAMS particularly hard BY JASON BLEAU responsibility to the town. VILLAGER STAFF WRITER Now, French is hoping to bring those same goals and if you divide it into WILLIMANTIC — With the recent announcement of aspirations to the State Senate as well as many other small jobs.” his plans to run against Senate President Pro Tempore plans for improvement that he says will help better Donald Williams for the 29th District Senate seat in this Connecticut’s position in the grand scheme of things. year’s election, Republican John French has made it “As you know, I’ve been a businessman in this com- official, announcing his candidacy on Tuesday, Feb. 18, munity for over 35 years,” said French before supporters Henry Ford in his hometown of Willimantic. and members of his home community. “I’ve been in The seat represents the towns of Brooklyn, Canterbury, politics in this community since 1985 on a number of Killingly, Mansfield, Putnam, Scotland, Thompson and boards, always doing what I feel is best for the commu- Windham, which includes Willimantic. nity. Unfortunately, the way the state has been going French comes into the race with a résumé showcasing over the last 20 years, it’s eaten away at me so much that INSIDE a sense of fiscal awareness. He served many years on his I’m going to the next step. We’ve had situations where Jason Bleau photo town’s Board of Finance, including many years as chair- the state of Connecticut has been the most unfriendly to business and industry that is has ever been, which has A8-9 — OPINION John French makes his official man, during which time he said his town had a much made it very hard for a business to want to stay here, or better financial plan than the state itself does today. B1-4 — SPORTS announcement that he will run even come into the state. We’re now just buying busi- against Senate President Donald He retired in 1998 from the Board of Finance before B5 — REAL ESTATE Williams for the 29th District moving to the Board of Education and its Finance and Turn To FRENCH, A11 B6 — LEGALS Senate seat. Audit Committee, again seeking to bring a sense of fiscal page B6-7— OBITS B9 — CLASSIFIEDS Local Tea party brings new meaning LOCAL educators to Valentine’s Day DKH WOMEN’S respond BOARD REMEMBERS to pre-K MOSES DAY KIMBALL BY JASON BLEAU VILLAGER STAFF WRITER CANTERBURY — Valentine’s Day is usu- proposal ally a day of celebrating love for one another, but for the Women’s Board of Day Kimball Hospital, the day has some added meaning. On Saturday, Feb. 15, a day after the holiday GOVERNOR’S of love, the board held a Valentine’s Tea Party at Wrights Mill Farm in Canterbury to cele- ‘Fire & Ice’ comes INITIATIVE brate Day Kimball’s humble beginnings and to Main Street COULD CLOSE help bring in support for the hospital’s future. Jason Bleau photos Women from all over northeastern Valentine Iamartino, who shares her birthday, Valentine’s Day, with Page A14 EDUCATION GAP Day Kimball Hospital’s namesake, Moses Day Kimball, stands with the tea party event chairman Nancy Dziki. Turn To DKH, page A16 BY JASON BLEAU VILLAGER STAFF WRITER FINANCIAL FOCUS Gov. Dannel P. Malloy made his State of the State address to Thompson buses to receive new tech PAGE A7 a joint session of the Connecticut General Assembly on Thursday, BY JASON BLEAU buses to be on every day all day “It’s for the safety of the kids. ON THE GO Feb. 6, where he proposed a dar- VILLAGER STAFF WRITER while the kids are being transport- The bus driver helps resolve prob- ing initiative to achieve univer- ed to and from school in a normal lems and issues and these cameras PAGE A9 THOMPSON — In an effort to sal pre-kindergarten in schools improve security and safety on routine school day.” record everything. We’re hoping statewide. its buses, the Thompson Board of Superintendent Dr. Michael to get them in soon,” said Wilcox. “This plan is about moving to Education has approved the pur- Jolin called the cameras an New England Transit was select- universal access to early child- chase of brand new security cam- important tool to help keep stu- ed as the winning bidder, even hood opportunities for all chil- eras to be fitted on each and every dents and the bus driver’s safe. though their bid was not the low- dren, regardless of income,” said bus the district operates. Security cameras on school buses est on paper. According to Wilcox, Malloy. “We’re not going to get District Business Manager Gary are nothing new for school dis- a closer look at the bids revealed there overnight, which is why I Wilcox says this purchase is one tricts throughout the Quiet Corner that other bidders were from far- am calling for a phase-in plan the school district made a priority who have used the devices for ther away and did not warranty or that will expand 4,000 new oppor- of in the past and is a tool that will years to ensure rules on the buses install the cameras without extra tunities by 2019. But let me assure be used daily by the district. are being followed and to identify cost, which would have made them you, we will get there.” any students who may be involved more expensive than New England Visit our website with “We had quite a few bidders The plan calls for more than in a dispute, disturbance or claim Transit. your smart phone or tablet and we tried to get the best value for the security cameras,” Wilcox from another student, a parent or device! Turn To PRE-K, page A10 said. “They are designed for the a driver. Turn To BUSES, page A11 Just scan the “QR code” below with your device and instantly be linked to our website, www.villagernews- papers.com, where you can Board of Education seeking supplemental funds for shortfall read the PDF versions of our newspapers! It’s as easy REQUEST CONTINUES DISTRICT’S FINANCIAL STRUGGLES as that! BY JASON BLEAU of the district and keep them from falling short projected $1,048,215 the school district would VILLAGER STAFF WRITER again. need to meet the minimum budget require- KILLINGLY — As the saga continues concern- Superintendent Kevin Farr spoke in support ments. It also takes into account the estimated ing the potential consequences the Killingly of the request, and said that the district under- $153,621 in funding from the state’s Education School District could face for failing to meet the stands the town can’t be held responsible for all Cost Sharing Program that the district is expect- state’s minimum budget requirements (MBR) of the shortfalls in the district’s budget. ed to obtain that could be added to the MBR. for the 2013-14 budget year, school officials are “If we need more funding it’s going to be up “That’s based on the most recent info received coming forward with a request for a special to us to find it and rearrange our budget as from the Department of Education that will be appropriation to help control the shortfall. necessary to be able to live within our means new aid given to the town by virtue by an At a meeting of the Board of Education on throughout the rest of the year,” Farr said. appropriation from the state,” said O’Connell Feb. 12, Killingly school officials voted to make District Business Manager Brian O’Connell about the cost sharing funds. “My contention to a request to the town for $1,201,836, an appro- presented the figures to the board and stated priation that they hope would cover the needs that the appropriation was not limited to the Turn To FUNDS, page A11 A2 • Friday, February 21, 2014 THOMPSON VILLAGER KHS to debut Athletic Hall of Fame irst, I want to make a cor- edge. this first one — another profes- originally compiled by Vance rection to a statement in Recently, I have been in con- sional football player in addi- who asked me to “tweak it” for the Feb. 14 column. tact with Killingly High School tion to Eric Laasko). the column. Thank you, Vance). Marilyn Labbe pointed grad Vance Carter (’73) who has KILLINGLY “From 1922 to 1924 Arthur ‘Pop’ Now I’ll try to jog your mem- Fout the fact that the Killingly exciting news for those of you ories on a completely different Williams graced the gridiron, as Historical Center is looking for who love(d) Killingly sports. He AT 300 a fullback, for the Redmen. He topic. back issues of the “Killonian” relayed the following informa- eventually went on to star for How many of you remember yearbooks for its own collec- tion and is seeking your input UConn for the next four years. when Davis Park had a fountain? tion. The Killingly High School and assistance. A Killingly MARGARET In 1928 he joined the NFL. He Recently, Ted Sabourin was look- Alumni Association has a com- High School Alumni Athletic WEAVER played for the Providence Steam ing through a photo album at the plete set, to the best of her knowl- Association has been organized.