“America’s present need is not heroics, but healing; not nostrums, but normalcy.” — Warren G. Harding THOMPSON VILLAGER Friday, June 12, 2020 Serving Thompson since 2005 Complimentary to homes by request Bradley Playhouse More than 130 honors gather at Pomfret vigil Cris Cadiz — Courtesy Wendell Davis During a vigil in Pomfret on June 5, a 30-foot sign showed the names of BY REBECCA RAMSEY CONTRIBUTING WRITER 75 unarmed black victims of police in the United States. PUTNAM — Some BY CAROL DAVIDGE laughs are unforgettable. CONTRIBUTING WRITER Their memory sticks with us, and can be heard in our POMFRET — On June 5 at 5 minds again and again. p.m., more than 130 people of Wendell R. Davis, Sr. had all ages from around north- one of those laughs. eastern Connecticut spread According to Monique out along Route 169 and Route Maldonado, business 97 by the Pomfret Green. They manager of the Bradley showed up in solidarity with Playhouse in Putnam, the mourners of George Floyd Davis’s laugh was “soul- and others who have died at the ful” and “contagious.” Wendell Davis hands of police. The protest- Davis was born in Milo, ers also knelt for eight minutes Maine, in 1938. He grad- always could see him on and 46 seconds, the time that uated from Old Town the way out.” a policeman’s boot compressed Rebecca Surni Patenaude — Courtesy High School in 1956 and Davis had two specific Floyd’s neck while he pleaded Rori Mackenzie (left) and Louella the University of Maine seats that he always sat to be allowed to breathe. Flanagan (right) came to the vigil. in Orono in 1960. He also in when he came for a Most of the 130 people carried held an advanced degree show—D13 and A3—near signs and all wore masks and from Eastern Connecticut the front. His presence in maintained social distancing. A State University. After equal justice and treatment for the theater had a unique sign 30 feet long bore the names people of color in our country— serving in the army from effect on the actors. Upon of 75 unarmed black people 1961-1964, Davis moved to was affirmed by this gathering. hearing his large laugh, who have been killed by police. I am grateful that my friends Killingly, where he taught which carried all the way “The vigil or peaceful protest English at Killingly High and neighbors feel the same backstage, a wide smile in Pomfret was a last-minute, and are anxious for change,” School from 1966-1989. He would form on the faces of grassroots event organized later became a member of said Cris Cadiz of Pomfret. actors and crew members. by Quiet Corner Shouts! We Cadiz is Co-founder of The Bradley Playhouse in They were always happy wanted to show our grief over Putnam, where he became Quiet Corner Shouts! and the to see him in the audience. George Floyd’s unnecessary creator of the 30 foot sign. enthralled by the stage. Davis had a small his- death and for the hundreds of “He went to every sin- Another participant was Cheryl tory in stage performance other people of color who have Kapelner-Champ of Pomfret. gle comedy night we had and played in two shows suffered the same fate at the here at the Bradley. Every “When I was a very young at The Bradley Playhouse, hands of police in recent years. child, my father told me about single one,” said Scott in the ensemble of “Guys I was surprised that so many Higgins, Emcee, “always an encounter he’d had on his people came out. Our shared way home from college in could see him up front, Please Read DAVIS, page A7 sentiment—support of Black Lives Matter, and support for Please Read VIGIL, page A7 Renovations complete at Lofts at Cargill Falls BY REBECCA RAMSEY decaying mill into a commer- startling halt in 2016. police described the shooting passed, and the case is still CONTRIBUTING WRITER cial and residential campus, On Aug. 22, Putnam police as an isolated incident, they considered open and active. complete with 82 residential officers responded to a call never released a conclusive Renshaw’s death is becoming PUTNAM—For decades, the units and nearly 30,000 square from the Cargill Falls Mill com- report on the shooting. The one of Putnam’s unsolved mys- six-acre lot at 52-58 Pomfret feet of commercial workspace. plex for a report of a shooting. Chief Medical Examiner’s teries. St., across from the Quinebaug Renshaw’s vision was huge. Entering the upstairs apart- Office said they have no record For years after his death, River, had sat abandoned, its The development he was plan- ment, police found 55-year-old of Renshaw in their system and Renshaw’s multi-million-dol- 14 mill buildings slowly decay- ning would double the size of Renshaw suffering from a gun- no formal cause and manner lar mill renovation was under- ing. Many saw the buildings, Putnam’s downtown footprint. shot wound to the head. He died for his death. Hayes, the for- standably put on hold. Rumors dating from the 1800’s to 1950’s, Little by little, Renshaw two days later at the UMass mer Putnam police chief who quickly spread that the Cargill as only reminders of past days, began to dismantle the mill Memorial Medical Center in oversaw the department the Falls Mill would be sold, but but Greg Renshaw saw them as and transform the buildings Worcester, Mass. night Renshaw was shot, called Renshaw’s business partner an opportunity. into a livable space for tenants. Information about the cause the case one of the oddest he’s Leeann Parker addressed In 2013, he began a ren- Progress was slow but steady of Renshaw’s death was never dealt with in his decades-long those rumors in a statement ovation effort to convert the until construction came to a released. Although the state career. Nearly four years have Please Read LOFTS, page A7 Photo Courtesy An early race at Thompson Speedway. Thompson Speedway celebrates 80 years in business THOMPSON — The Thompson The concept for the raceway began Speedway Motorsports Park on East in 1938. On Sept. 21, a hurricane Thompson Road has recently passed swept through the farming commu- their 80th anniversary. This race- nity of Thompson, Connecticut. Dark way, which opened to the public on clouds billowed over the landscape, May 26, 1940, has a rich history in Connecticut. Please Read SPEEDWAY, page A7 A2 • Friday, June 12, 2020 VILLAGER NEWSPAPERS QVCC Advanced Manufacturing program is up and running DANIELSON — Quinebaug Valley Alliance (EAMA) and other manufac- Community College closed campus on turers. March 12 in response to the COVID-19 Mark Hill, interim president/ pandemic. Most QVCC classes were able CEO EWIB, congratulated the stu- to resume online the week of March 23, dents on their success, commenting but hands-on courses needing lab time “Congratulations to QVCC and the needed a different solution. Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative QVCC Director of Advanced (MPI) students for completing the Manufacturing, Steve LaPointe received Machine Operator training program! approval for a phase one re-opening of the Using on-line training and other cre- Advanced Manufacturing Technology ative options, they persevered in the Center (AMTC) by Connecticut State training program in spite of the COVID- Colleges and Universities President 19 pandemic. The students acquired Mark Ojakian in late May. Using CDC important skills which will help them guidelines, social distancing and safety in the job market in the future.” precautions, the first group of students On Monday, June 8, students who returned on June 2, and 12 students were enrolled in spring manufacturing were able to complete their short-term courses started back at the lab to fin- training in Introduction to Machine ish National Institute of Metalworking Operator Program they began March 3. Skills (NIMS) Credentials. Additional The Introduction to Machine Operator plans this summer include bringing Program, is a seven-week, 210 hour pro- Windham Early College Opportunity gram through the Eastern Connecticut (ECO) students to campus starting Manufacturing Pipeline, funded by the July 6. ECO is a collaboration between U.S. Department of Labor-Workforce QVCC and Windham High School, Innovation Fund in partnership with Willimantic, and provides a pathway the CT Department of Labor and the of courses taught at Windham High eager complete, as you can tell by their mally run for a total of 24 students, Eastern CT Workforce Investment School leading to a QVCC certificate in smiles (photo attached).” dividing them between on-ground in Board. This was the 21st Pipeline pro- Advanced Manufacturing. LaPointe also talked about the upcom- the classroom and in the lab. Students gram run at QVCC. The training sup- LaPointe stated, “It is great to get up ing fall semester, stating, “We will be who are interested in enrolling for fall ports the hiring demands for Electric and running again at the College. The running with half the capacity we nor- should not delay.” Boat, Eastern Advanced Manufacturing students in the Pipeline program were Day Kimball’s WIC program available for families affected by pandemic PUTNAM — Day Kimball about half of all infants born rely on the program. pandemic, or who are strug- is a nonprofit community Healthcare’s (DKH) Women, in the United States. WIC helps “WIC’s role in helping to gling to provide healthy food healthcare system comprised Infants, and Children (WIC) low-income pregnant, postpar- improve food security and for their family during the cri- of Day Kimball Hospital, program is supporting many tum, and breastfeeding women, dietary quality, and to support sis, should contact DKH’s WIC Day Kimball Medical Group, newly eligible families due infants, and children up to age 5 overall health, is more import- program to determine if they Day Kimball Healthcare At to the economic impacts of achieve and maintain a healthy ant than ever because of the qualify to receive assistance.