Mailed free to requesting homes in Thompson Vol. V, No. 44 Complimentary to homes by request (860) 928-1818/e-mail: [email protected] FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010 THIS WEEK’S QUOTE Probate court race heats up ‘The function of freedom is to free MURPHY SAYS SHE WILL SCHAD WANTS TO somebody else.’ BE FULL-TIME JUDGE CONTINUE HER WORK BY RICH HOSFORD BY RICH HOSFORD VILLAGER STAFF WRITER VILLAGER STAFF WRITER INSIDE Thompson Probate Judge Two-term Pomfret Probate Judge Kathleen Murphy is hoping her and practicing attorney Leah Schad A8-9 — OPINION experience as both a judge and a is touting her experience in law dur- licensed psychologist will help her ing her bid for the newly formed A12 — SPORTS win over voters in the upcoming pri- 26th District Probate Court. B1 — HOT SPOT mary for the 26th District probate Schad is facing Thompson seat. Probate Judge Kathleen Murphy in B3-4 — OBITS Murphy is facing Pomfret Probate the primary for the Democratic B5 — RELIGION Judge Leah Schad in the primary for nomination. If she is the victor, she B6 — CALENDAR the Democratic nomination. If she will face either Republican Mary is the victor, she will face either Ann Champney or Stephen Adams Republican Mary Ann Champney or in November. Stephen Adams in November. The primary will be held Aug. 10, LOCAL The primary will be held Aug. 10, and each town will run polling sta- and each town will run polling sta- tions for its residents. In order to tions for its residents. In order to vote in a primary,a resident must be vote in a primary,a resident must be registered as part of either the registered as part of either the Democratic or Republican Party. File photo File photo Turn To MURPHY, page A14 Kathleen Murphy Turn To SCHAD, page A14 Leah Schad Lynch, Rovero square off for 51st District seat CMT PRIMARY IS AUG. 10 BY MATT SANDERSON Grease is VILLAGER STAFF WRITER Two well-known Quiet Corner scores the word politicians are campaigning around the 51st District in high anticipation Page A7 of the Tuesday, Aug. 10, primary. Former Putnam Mayor and SPORTS Democrat Daniel Rovero and former released Thompson First Selectman and Democrat Brian Lynch are vying for incumbent state Rep. Shawn GRADES 6, 7, 8 Johnston’s seat (D-North Grosvenordale) in this year’s elec- SEE BIG GAINS tion season. Johnston announced earlier this year that he would not BY MATT SANDERSON run for re-election. VILLAGER STAFF WRITER For a Connecticut state represen- HARTFORD — Results from the File photo Courtesy photo Turn To 51ST, page A11 2010 Connecticut Mastery Test Brian Lynch Daniel Rovero (CMT) and the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT) were released earlier this month. According to the Department of Education, the CMT results show a TBA action Mother Teresa statue graces school, parish trend of improving student per- Page A12 formances in major subject areas since the new generation test was KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS DONATES LIFE-SIZE FIGURINE introduced in 2006. While scores FUN CONNECTICUT were up and down from 2009 to 2010, FACT OF THE WEEK: BY RICH HOSFORD depending on grade and discipline, Did you know that long VILLAGER STAFF WRITER scores generally improved, especial- before the invention of cell THOMPSON — A statue of a ly for grades 6, 7 and 8. phones, Blackberrys, etc., world-renowned humanitarian “This year’s test results show that the first American pay sta- is now in a place of prominence from 2006 to 2010, there is a positive tion telephone service was at St. Joseph’s School, providing upward trend of improved student inaugurated in New Haven a reminder of how compassion, achievement across all six grades on June 1, 1880? Nine years dedication and a ceaseless strug- and academic disciplines, which is later, the first automatic coin gle to help others can help the encouraging,” said Mark telephone was patented by lives of countless people and McQuillan, state commissioner of Hartford’s William Gray in make the world a better place. education. “Our students are per- August 1889 (Source: The St. Bernard Council of the forming better, but challenges “Connecticut Firsts” by Knights of Columbus Council remain.” According to the state, writing Wilson H. Faude & Joan W. 2087 recently donated a life-size scores in grades 3, 7 and 8 dropped Friedland). statue of Mother Teresa to the St. Joseph School that has been by approximately 1 percentage point installed in front of the school. from 2006. Grades 6 and 7 posted The statue was unveiled and ded- their greatest gains since 2006, in icated in a ceremony on Sunday, both reading and math, with a 12.4 Courtesy photos July 25. percentage point increase in math and an 11.3 percentage point The Rev. Charles LeBlanc, pastor of St. Joseph Church in North Grosvenordale, The dedication ceremony was increase in reading for grade 6. For blesses a statue of Mother Teresa with holy water as the Rev. Richard Breton of presided over by the Rev.Charles reading in grade 7, the 2010 CMT St. Joseph Church and children from St. Joseph School observe. The blessing was showed an 11.8 percentage point part of a July 25 ceremony to unveil the statue, donated to the parish and school Turn To STATUE, page A10 by Council 2087 of the Knights of Columbus. Turn To CMT, page A4 A2 • Friday, July 30, 2010 THOMPSON VILLAGER VILLAGER ALMANAC Fire departments get federal grants QUOTATION OF THE WEEK BY RICH HOSFORD Bungay Fire Chief Roy Chandler Currently there are different types of VILLAGER STAFF WRITER said his station will use the funds for radios at the station and personnel “I am pleased that our students will have the Some area volunteer fire stations communications. He said the station must be trained to use each one. opportunity to learn from the magnificent were recently awarded grant money recently purchased a new service “This helps with training because example of Mother Teresa. By being in her from the federal government to pur- truck and will install a new radio in we will be able to teach people on one presence every day, I believe these young people chase new equipment and train that truck and in other vehicles to radio for multiple trucks,” Skene said. will take to heart her message of charity, giv- department personnel. improve communication abilities. Finally, EIFC Chief John Paquin ing and caring for those less fortunate than In total, 37 small towns in the state The new radios, he said, will be com- said the Eastford station will also use were awarded federal Volunteer patible with stations in surrounding the funds to purchase updated radios ourselves, and then put that message into Assistance Grants. The grants, communities and with stations in to improve communication. He said action in the way they live their own lives.” administered by the Connecticut Massachusetts. the department is also purchasing a Department of Environmental “Now we will have better communi- repeater, a device that acts as a relay — Sharon Briere, principal of St. Joseph School, during a cere- Protection, are for fire departments cation with surrounding depart- between hand-held devices and the mony to unveil and bless a statue of Mother Teresa at the located in towns that have a popula- ments,” he said. “Departments in radios in the trucks. This will allow school. The statue was donated by Council 2087 of the Knights tion of less than 10,000. The grants are Mass. operate on different frequen- emergency personnel to communi- of Columbus matching grants, meaning the depart- cies, so getting a new radio will allow cate from the field rather than return- ment must commit at least as much us to be more efficient and talk to ing to the truck to receive instruc- funds as it is receiving. The maxi- other stations during an emergency.” tions or provide updates. OPEN TO CLOSE mum grant amount is $2,5000. Chandler said that in the past, com- “Portables don’t have the power to Gov. M. Jodi Rell announced the munications problems have led to talk to incoming vehicles,” he said. “If THOMPSON grants in a press release last week. delays. He recalled that once while you are off doing something, you have She said the funds will help firefight- responding to a call for aid in Auburn, to run back to truck every time you TOWN HALL ers in small communities across the Mass., the truck got lost in unfamiliar need to talk. However, if you have a Monday through Friday ..................................8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. state be better prepared and better territory and was delayed in its repeater, you can keep the connec- ........................................................(Hours will vary by office.) equipped as they serve their commu- response time. tion.” LIBRARIES nities. “The new radios will help us save Paquin said keeping lines of com- Thompson Public Library/Community Center “We want to do all we can to time,” he said. “We can get better munication open during an emer- Monday..................................................................10 a.m.-5 p.m. enhance firefighting capabilities in instructions and get on scene quicker gency is very important. Since the Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday ........................10 a.m.-8 p.m. small towns across Connecticut,” Rell and put our equipment to work.” attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, he said, Friday ..................................................................10 a.m.– 5 p.m. said. “These grants will improve our Mortlake Fire Co. Deputy Chief departments across the country have Saturday ..............................................Closed until Labor Day local fire departments and help to William Skene said the department is been focused on improving communi- POST OFFICES save lives.” also purchasing new radios with the cation abilities because they were 366 Thompson Hill Road Locally, the Bungay Fire Brigade in grant money.