KILLINGLY VILLAGER Mailed free to requesting homes in Brooklyn, the borough of Danielson, Killingly & its villages Vol. IX, No. 17 Complimentary home delivery (860) 928-1818/email:[email protected] Friday, April 22, 2016 The art of Putnam Lions donate procrastination $25K to local My Facebook was exploding this week with a familiar refrain that can be heard from the organizations mountaintops every mid-April, the voices of those who were waiting until the very last sec- ond to get their taxes done. GROUPS EXPREss GRATITUDE DURING I have to admit, there have been years when Jason Bleau photo I was right there with them, but if you all NIGHT OF GIVING Heirloom Food Company owner Wendy Garosshen could be so kind as to allow me a minute to pat speaks during a press conference at her Danielson myself on the back really quick for getting my BY JASON BLEAU business on April 19 in support of Senate Bill 221, NEWS STAFF WRITER taxes done back in February. which would establish a Paid Family and Medical OK…I’m done. Boasting complete. At least POMFRET — The Putnam Leave Program in Connecticut. The press confer- for this year… Lions Club continued their ence also included speeches by Sen. Mae Flexer But procrastination always seems to rear its seemingly endless efforts and Rhode Island Sen. Gayle Goldin, who champi- ugly head. We always think we have time to do to give back to local com- oned a similar bill in her own state in 2013. this or do that. Next thing we know, we have munities throughout the THE a deadline, and region on April 15 with their not enough time annual Night of Giving at MINOR to get every- the Connecticut Audubon thing done. This Society in Pomfret. DETAILS job, a job with The Lions presented Flexer, weekly dead- checks to representatives of ADAM lines built in, 49 different groups, organi- MINOR has been very zations and programs in the good at training supporters tout Paulette Blagburn photos Quiet Corner in a night that me how to give was described as “Christmas myself enough Kathi Peterson of Interfaith Human Services in Putnam accepts a check for come early” in northeastern time to do what I need to do. Hopefully, after Connecticut. 10 years of doing this, you would think I would $1,100 from the Putnam Lions Club as advantage of The Night of Giving event learn not to procrastinate. Ask my paginators part of numerous donations to local orga- nizations during the Lions Club’s annual (they’re the ones who actually lay out our Please Read GIVING, page A13 papers), and they would most likely say I give Night of Giving. them everything they need with more than new Senate bill enough time to spare. I’ve always tried to give them all the content for the week’s papers with enough time so that they don’t have to rush PLAY BALL! everything out to the press. Although some SENATOR CALLS FOR NEW weeks, I bet they would admit they wish they got my column earlier in the week! Sorry guys! PAID FAMILY, MEDICAL But even going back to college, and even further back to high school, I was always LEAVE PROGRAM IN CT pretty good about not procrastinating. I had my moments, and definitely had my share of BY JASON BLEAU Program to the state. late nights, but I think most of it was due to NEWS STAFF WRITER over scheduling then pure procrastination. Sen. Mae Flexer Sometimes I think I would underestimate how DANIELSON — was joined by much work was actually going to be involved Senators from both Rhode Island Sen. in a project, then my eyes would open slowly Connecticut and Gayle Goldin, both as I realized the scope might have been bigger Rhode Island, as Democrats, as well than I expected. I remember one such project well as advocates as representatives of in high school, for one of my Social Studies for a new Senate many different orga- Bill in Connecticut nizations at Heirloom classes. We were all tasked to find a town in the Jason Bleau photos world — any town in the world — and create came together for Food Company in a board game about it. Of course, I decided to KILLINGLY — The Killingly Little League kicked off its 2016 season a press conference Danielson to express pick a town that was unique, a town that no one with the annual Little League Parade and Opening Day Ceremonies on on Tuesday, April the need for pas- would think of, so I grabbed a globe and found Saturday, April 16. Pictured, the Killingly Rebels, sporting their tradi- 19, to discuss the sage of Senate Bill the southern most town in the world — so far tionally unique uniforms, march together as they make their way to the importance of add- 221, which would south, it nearly touched Antarctica, Ushuaia, diamond. For more photos, turn to page A12! ing a Paid Family the capital of Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e and Medical Leave Please Read BILL, page A15 Islas del Atlántico Sur Province, Argentina, nicknamed “The End of the World.” I decided to create a Monopoly-style game in the vain as all the other “opoly” rip-offs. I called it, of course, “Ushuaiaopoly.” I thought it would be Putnam teen teaming with NAPA for championship run a fun little project. I had a week or two to get it done. But it was only until a few days before it was due that I suddenly realized how much ROBINSON LOOKING TO MAKE work was ahead of me. Designing and creating a game board, designating each space on the HIS MARK ON RACING CIRCUIT board, making Chance and Community Chest cards, thinking of factoids about the town for BY JASON BLEAU each property, making the money, the game NEWS STAFF WRITER pieces and the packaging. It turned into quite the project. Before I knew it, it was all I was PUTNAM — Anyone frequenting the doing for three days. I was up until nearly 4 NAPA Auto Parts in Putnam on April a.m. the morning before it was due (this was 15 may have noticed a shiny blue racing back in the day I had to be up at 5:15 a.m. to machine in front of the store over the catch a 6 a.m. bus ride). It was completed with course of the afternoon. about two hours to spare, and it was awesome, That car was the #14 Dare Stock series but I was a zombie that day as I presented the car of Zack Robinson, a Putnam racecar project. driver moving up in the ranks at the leg- Nearly 15 years later, I find myself writing endary Stafford Speedway. Jason Bleau photo this column as a result of a procrastination, After beginning his career in go karts Putnam racecar driver Zack Robinson, who races in the Dare Stock series right on deadline, with only a few hours to and then taking some time off from rac- at Stafford Speedway, is looking to make his sophomore season a champi- spare. ing, Zack Robinson had a breakthrough onship season with Putnam NAPA Auto Parts by his side. The young 15-year- I guess I’ll never learn… season in 2015 by winning the Dare Stock old appeared at the Putnam store on April 15 to help support his sponsor Please Read RACER, page A17 and meet his local fans. Adam Minor may be reached at (508) 909-4130, or by e-mail at [email protected]. A2 • Friday, April 22, 2016 KILLINGLY VILLAGER Memories and tidbits First, I’d like to contin- Dubuc, Allan Dean, Christy ber these old comics: Rod spotty.” ue with extracts from old Haveles, Fred Nash, Brownie Rian of the Sky Police, If you recall family mem- “Killonian” monthly papers. Gmyr, Owen Bell, and Jimmy The Topps, Stupe McLupe, bers talking about working in Maybe you’ll recognize the Brown. Brown and Bell were KILLIngLY Chuck, Decks Awash- that mill please help preserve name of a relative in the next co-captains. American Naval Heroes, and share their memories by entries from old issues. The Oct. 29, 1942 Killonian at 300 Jim and Jerry, Dopey contacting me or calling the The 1938 Sports Issue includ- gave the result of class elec- Dan, Loco Luke, Cowboy Killingly Historical Center. ed a photo of the basketball tions for the year. Rene Primer, Enchanted Stone, Bernie Mitchell is again team. The coaches were Leach Frechette was elected pres- MARGARET Ted Strong, and Maya Lore. organizing scrapbook articles, and Hartwell (first names?). ident of the freshman class; WEAVER Even if you don’t recall any which included the following, Players were Tony Kesaris, Theresa Godbout, vice-pres- of these, perhaps you have “Attawaugan Hotel Closes. Charlie Sarantopoulos, Larry ident; Gloria Webster, secre- favorites that are no longer Danielson Era Ends. An era tary, Philip Wild, treasurer, being run. Do share your ended in Danielson last week, and Chester Domek, histori- memories. succumbing to rising costs an. George Soquet was elected The July 4, 1935 Transcript and stringent fire code reg- president of the sophomore contained an article about the ulations. The Attawaugan class; Lenore Helbig, vice Quinebaug Company. Hotel, a 123-year-old down- president, Terry Ralph, sec- “All Weaving is Suspended town landmark, closed forev- retary; Leo Viens Treasurer, at Quinebaug…Last week er Tuesday after a smattering and Jennie Tillinghast, histo- marked the end as a weaving of tenants completed the job rian.