By MARJORIE NEEDHAM

Memorial Middle School (MMS) Principal Dr. John Seiller proved doing your homework pays off big time. He said of his victory in the principals’ race down the aisles of the Water-town Stop & Shop Monday, “You gotta prepare. You gotta do your homework. It’s a good lesson for the kids.”

Seiller came to the competi-tion against Long Meadow Ele-mentary School Principal Chris-topher Moretti and Middlebury Elementary School Principal Jack Zamary armed with a clip-board. On it was a list of items he intended to collect. Yellow highlighter identified each aisle, and below that was the list of items in the aisle, probably in order by their place in the aisle. He also showed up with a can of WD-40, which he used to lu-bricate the wheels on his cart preceding the race.

Seiller said he visited the store over the weekend and mapped out a route in advance. “I de-cided to go out to the end and hit the baby food first because it was small,” he said.

Zamary took a different ap-proach. “My approach was spontaneous and random. I re-lied on spontaneity and seren-dipity,” he said. Zamary brought a list, too, but it wasn’t long be-fore it was buried under a pile of groceries in his shopping cart.

Moretti’s approach seemed to be “more is better.” He was the only one who filled one cart and started on a second one.

Seiller had the idea for the race, and submitted it to the Stop & Shop A+ Program’s Prin-cipal Challenge. The A+ program donates funds to schools. Be-cause Seiller’s idea was a winner, MMS will get double A+ points in March, or $1,000, whichever is greater. Year-to-date, MMS has earned nearly $9,000 through the program.

Schools in the program get points when people who have registered their Stop & Shop cards in the program buy gro-ceries. They get a point for every dollar spent and extra points for “Healthy Ideas” or double-point items. The A+ program doesn’t affect other programs, such as the gas rewards program.

In Monday’s race, collecting those extra-point items was vi-tal. But race rules allowed each

competitor to collect no more than three of the same item. And there was a 10-minute time limit. This meant the rush was on to get to the extra-point items, toss three of them in the cart, and move on to the next extra-point item as quickly as possible.

When the time was up, Moretti

had $269.96 worth of groceries, Zamary had $319.19, and Sieller had $496. Moretti kept remind-ing everyone it wasn’t the dollar amount that counted; it was the amount of points, but it turned out the amounts paralleled each other. Sieller had 525 points, Za-mary had 310 points, and Moretti had 267 points.

Seiller got a $50 gift certificate for MMS for winning the race, and the runners-up got bags of store gifts for their schools as consolation prizes. Seiller had one more prize to take back to the school – the trophy he brought to award to the winner of the race.

Bee IntellIgencerBee IntellIgencerInforming the towns of Middlebury, Southbury, Woodbury, Naugatuck, Oxford and Watertown

Volume VIII, No. 12 Friday, March 23, 2012A FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

FREE

Prst. Std. U.S. Postage PaidNaugatuck, CT

#27

“Gardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoes.” ~ Author Unknown

Book Review ....................2Adoptable pets.................8Classifieds ........................7Community Calendar ........3Computer Tip ...................8Fire Log ............................3In Brief .............................4Legal Notices ...................7

Library Happenings ...........2Library Lines .....................2Nuggets for Life ...............6Obituaries ........................5Parks & Rec ......................6Reg. 15 School Calendar ..3Senior Center News ..........3Varsity Sports Calendar .....6

Inside this Issue

Published weekly by The Middlebury Bee Intelligencer Society, LLC - 2030 Straits Turnpike, Middlebury, CT 06762 - Copyright 2012

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saturdayMarch 24

Middlebury’s Oldest Living Resident

page 2

fridayMarch 23

By CRISTINA COMMENDATORE

Region 15 Board of Education (BoE) members agreed to accept Superinten-dent Dr. Frank Sippy’s flat budget pro-posal during a March 15 budget work-shop. They will present the $60.25 mil-lion spending plan to the public during an April 9 hearing before their regular meeting.

“Zero-percent increase, I think, is a fair budget this year,” member Paul Bab-arik of Middlebury said. “There were some areas of savings and some areas of expenses, and I think it balanced itself out, and I’m pleased with it. A lot of work went into it being zero – a lot of

work – and this is the second year we’ve been able to do that.”

The budget includes $832,475 in sav-ings for costs including health insur-ance, textbooks, and sick and severance pay. In addition, 5.6 full-time equivalent teaching positions will be reduced due to declining student enrollment, and Sippy hopes the district will save $350,000 for retirement incentives.

The proposal also includes adding Scientific Research-Based Intervention (SRBI) specialists. SRBI relies on scien-tific-research-based instruction and intervention to observe achievements in reading, math and social/behavioral performance. Sippy plans to reassign

7.6 full-time teachers, mostly as inter-vention specialists, and hire another high school media center teacher and one special education chairman, whose position would be funded by a grant.

The plan also includes using $400,000 from the capitol carryover account to pay for a new physical science lab at Pomperaug High School, install a new heating and air conditioning system in the eighth-grade wing at Memorial Mid-dle School, and add 35 SMART Boards in the middle schools.

Despite the decline in student enroll-ment, Sippy said certain embedded costs will keep the budget flat and not allow for a reduction. “Whether you

have 1,000 youngsters or 800 young-sters, you still have lights and heat for the same building. That doesn’t go away,” Sippy said.

The proposal does not include fund-ing for an elementary technology pro-gram, expansion of the world languages program or a health program at the middle schools. Sippy said he heard some parents were concerned about the lack of funding for the technology program, so he addressed the issue dur-ing the March 15 workshop.

Word had spread that 25 percent of the computers in the elementary schools were out of service. But Sippy said that’s not true.

“To me, that’s a big number,” Sippy said. “I’d wonder what’s going on and who’s paying attention to that. Of the 838 computers, 828 are fine. We had our technicians test every one.”

He said of the 10 that weren’t func-tioning, nine were unplugged and not charged. Ten computers is a little more than 1 percent of 838. In examining the computers, Sippy said he and the tech-nicians discovered some dead spots in the WiFi signal.

“I want to reduce the number of dead spots so we have better performance,” Sippy said. “So we’re going to take some

BoE agrees on flat school budget

By JONATHAN “CHIP” LONGO

The Board of Selectmen added an item to the agenda at its Mon-day night meeting – appointment of a legal firm to represent the town. This is a reversal of the BoS unanimous decision at its Jan. 17 meeting to appoint attorneys on a case-by-case, as-needed basis instead of appointing a town at-torney.

Members also heard a presen-tation from a number of Porter Avenue residents concerned about mandatory flood insurance and awarded the 2012 to 2013 insurance broker services con-tract to the town’s current insur-ance broker, H.D. Segur Inc.

Gregory Cyr of Porter Avenue made a presentation to the board regarding the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) designation of the Porter Avenue/Regan Road area as a “special hazard” flood area. He was joined by several of his neighbors.

This was Cyr’s second time before the BoS regarding this is-sue. Cyr said because of this des-ignation, his mortgage company requires him to carry flood insur-ance that costs $1,800 per year. Cyr bought his house seven years ago, but the bank started requir-ing the flood insurance two years ago.

Cyr talked about his struggles with FEMA and the outdated maps and information they are using to justify the severity of the hazards associated with the area. Cyr admits the area is in a flood plain, but doubts it’s as severe as FEMA claims. He noted that dur-ing Hurricane Irene, he got only a little water in his basement. “I cleaned it up with a five-gallon shop vac,” he said.

He said FEMA admitted the area has never really been stud-ied, and they are relying on old U.S. Geological Survey maps made prior to improvements in the area such as the bridge on Rte. 188 (Whittemore Road) that allows for greater drainage of the area. He said FEMA has no money to properly study the area, noting it would cost $14,000 to $16,000 per river mile.

Cyr said he has contacted var-ious state and federal agencies,

as well as representatives from U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy’s (D-5) office. He said he felt “stone-walled,” but they did put him in contact with FEMA officials. He said that if the area’s designation could be changed, not only would the neighborhood benefit, but possibly the town could see a change in its ISO rating. He said in his dealings with FEMA, they told him he probably would not get anywhere on his own, and he should seek the town’s help.

First Selectman Ed St. John asked Cyr to describe his previ-ous attempts to deal with this issue. Cyr said he approached former First Selectman Tom Gormley’s administration, but the town failed to appeal the new maps (there was a 30-day win-dow for an appeal).

Selectman Elaine Strobel re-membered Cyr being sent to the Conservation Commission.  St. John asked him how that went. “It was a very disappointing con-versation,” he said. He said he was not allowed to present to the board, and Conservation Com-mission Chairman Paul Bowler told him, “Go back to the BoS and tell them I resent them sending you here.”

St. John said, “We won’t send you to the guillotine twice.” He suggested Cyr talk to Wetlands Enforcement Officer Deborah Seavey and that Strobel could help him. “We are not trying to put you on a merry-go-round,” he said. “We stand willing and able to help.”

Land and Open Space Preser-vation Committee member John Cookson, who was just re-ap-pointed to a one-year term, sug-gested Cyr contact the Army Corps of Engineers, whose office is on Allerton Farms Road. He said the Corps has been studying that area.

The board voted on a bid for insurance broker services for 2012 to 2013. Five brokers bid on the contract, and it was given to H.D. Segur, Inc., the second low-est bidder, for $27,500. A lower bid of $25,000 was incomplete. The highest bid was $56,000.

Then Strobel asked the agenda be amended to vote on having a

Bos appoints town attorney

– See BoS on page 3

– See BoE on page 3

Dan LaRosa comedy Hypnotist showWhen: 7 p.m. What: Sponsored by PHS GradNite 2012Where: Pomperaug High School Auditoriumtickets: $10 at the door

parent Empowerment UniversityWhen: 8 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. What: Workshop for parents who want tips on positive parenting strategiesWhere: Newtown Middle School at 11 Queen St. in NewtownCost: $5 per adult; free for children payable online using PayPal

Doing your homework pays off

Left to right, Watertown Stop & Shop Store Manager Bryan Worthen, Memorial Middle School (MMS) Principal Dr. John Sieller and the MMS mustang mascot stand in the checkout lane after Seiller won a race Monday to chalk up the most points for his school. (Marjorie Needham photo)

PAGE 2 Friday, March 23, 2012The Bee-Intelligencer

By DR. RAYMOND E. SULLIVAN

This unusual denizen of the Breakneck area has inhabited the northwest corner of the junc-tion of Breakneck Hill and Artil-lery Roads for perhaps two cen-turies. No one knows its origins. Nor is it likely a native species. But one thing is for certain: It is the largest of its kind in the entire state of Connecticut!

Many of us have either stopped or slowed our vehicles, as we round the curve of Breakneck Hill Road, in attempting to read the small bronze plaque near its base. The plaque was placed there by the Connecticut Botanical Society.

This rather rare species is known in the scientific commu-nity as Magnolia acuminata, or in plain English, the Cucumber Magnolia. Named for its cucum-ber-shaped, immature fruit, which follow the loss of its early spring blossoms, the Middlebury specimen has a circumference of 220 inches – over 18 feet! Mid-dlebury’s state champion tree is 96 feet tall and, when fully leafed out, measures 72 feet in diameter across its spread.

This greatest of Middlebury’s trees was nominated for its lofty position by Peter North on Jan. 1, 1989, and last measured Aug. 20, 2010. Also known as the Cu-cumbertree, (often expressed as a single word) or Blue Magnolia,

this tree is native to the Appala-chian belt. However, because of its cold-hardiness, it is now found in almost every state of the union. Although the young fruits are green, they gradually turn pinkish and eventually a dark red.

The national champion of this species resides in Stark County, Ohio and is more than 7 feet, not in circumference, but in diame-ter! Yet it is only 79 feet tall.

Our gigantic resident is not

the largest tree in the state. That honor is reserved for the Pynchot Sycamore in Simsbury, measur-ing 104 feet tall with a circumfer-ence of 28 feet and sporting a canopy some 147 feet across.

So, what of the origins of Mid-dlebury’s Cucumbertree? For one thing, it is obvious it was purposely planted on that corner, and its presence is certainly no accident. It lay directly across the road from where young Titus Bronson Jr. grew up. Titus trav-elled extensively in Michigan, Iowa and Illinois. Could he have passed trough Stark County, Ohio as well, carrying a young sapling home with him, as he returned to Breakneck in 1863? Whatever its origin, this Con-necticut State Champion tree has withstood the test of time and will no doubt remain for many years into the future.

Nor is our Breakneck denizen the only Connecticut state cham-pion tree in Middlebury. The List of Connecticut’s Notable Trees also includes a White Spruce or Picea glauca, as the largest of that species in the state. That speci-men measures 111 inches in circumference, 78 feet in height and has a spread of 14.5 feet. Its location remains unknown. Kindly email mckysull01@att.net if you know its whereabouts.

middleburyFridays at the Movies

Enjoy the library’s new sur-round sound system in the Lar-kin Room! Children can enjoy a kids-friendly movie every Friday at 10:30 a.m. Adults can enjoy a movie every Friday at 12:30 p.m. The Middlebury Library is at 30 Crest Road in Middlebury. For information, call 203-758-2634.

naugatuckNaugatuck River Movie

“The Hidden World,” a new movie by The Naugatuck River Revival Group, will be shown at the Whittemore Library Satur-day, March 24, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and Tuesday, April 3, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Come dis-cover the wildlife of the Nauga-tuck River. For more information, call 203-729-4591.

Emergency Preparedness

Program: Are You Ready?

Wednesday, March 28, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., the Naugatuck Valley Health District will pres-ent a program on emergency preparedness. Come learn how you and your loved ones can bet-ter prepare for emergencies. Fol-lowing tropical storm Irene and October snow storm Alfred, the importance of personal pre-paredness really hit home. Indi-viduals need to prepare to be self-sustaining for at least three days after a disaster strikes. Learn how to better prepare for any type of emergency.

 Discussion will include mak-ing a plan, building an emer-gency kit, where to go if you need to leave your home, understand-ing your own needs during an emergency, including your pets

in preparedness planning, and how to become more resilient during any kind of emergency.

 Call 203-729-4591 to register so the presenter will know how many handouts to bring.

Old Abe FundraiserSunday, April 15, from 1 to

4:30 p.m., Abe Lincoln, aka Lewis Dube, will once again partner with Tom Cruciani, musical di-rector of “An Evening with Abra-ham Lincoln,” in producing “Let it Shine.” This will be the third biannual fundraiser for the Howard Whittemore Library held at Reynold’s Café in Union City.

The event is a combination arts exhibit/cabaret that will in-clude dance (flamenco/ball-room), music (vocal/instrumen-tal), drama, painting, photogra-phy, and sculpting, as well as local artisans. The public is urged to contact Dube at dubeaslin-coln@yahoo.com to volunteer their talents and join this excur-sion into the old-time bohemian atmosphere of yesteryear.

Admission is free, but volun-tary contributions will be ac-cepted. Reynold’s Café is at 419 N. Main St. in Naugatuck.

Shawn Sullivan Exhibit The March exhibit features

artwork of borough resident Shawn Sullivan. Sullivan has been interested in both art and

photography since he was a teen-ager. He works in photography, watercolors, oils and pencil. This month’s exhibit of a variety of subjects worked in different me-diums can be viewed on the Whittemore Gallery Wall on the main floor of the library.

The Howard Whittemore Me-morial Library is at 243 Church St. in Naugatuck. For informa-tion, call 203-729-4591.

southburyUnplugged Play

A new program featuring good old-fashioned fun will be offered Tuesday, March 27, at 6 p.m. in the Kingsley Meeting Room. The Children’s Department will start a “Family Unplugged Play” monthly event for all ages. No registration is required. A variety of board games for all ages and abilities will be on hand for fam-ilies to enjoy. Moms, dads, grandparents and kids are in-vited to come enjoy an un-plugged evening away from TV, cell phones, iPads and laptops.

Eggimals for Teens and Tweens

Teens and tweens in grades five to 12 are invited to make animals out of recycled plastic eggs Thurs-day, April 12, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Registration is required. Call 203-262-0626, ext. 110, to sign up.

Wednesday FilmThe Wednesday afternoon

movie March 28 at 1:30 p.m. in the Kingsley Meeting Room is about one of the most influential 17th century painters, Diego Ve-lazquez. The character of the artist is revealed through a study of his paintings and various as-pects of his life and times, includ-ing his relationship with the Spanish monarch, Phillip IV. The room’s surround sound theater has an infrared listening system available. For more information, call 203-262-0626.

Youth Art Month Exhibit

Region 15 schools are observ-ing Youth Art Month with a dis-play of local student art work at the Gloria Cachion Art Gallery in the Southbury Public Library through Thursday morning, March 29.

Check www.southburylibrary.org for more information. The library is at 100 Poverty Road in Southbury (203-262-0626).

WoodburyTeen Logo

Design ContestThe Friends of the  Wood-

bury Public Library seeks Wood-bury teens in grades six and up to design a new logo. The win-

ning logo will printed on tee shirts that will be sold as a fund-raiser for the Friends.  Entry forms will be at the Friends of the Library Book Cellar and at the Woodbury Public Library April 1 to 30. No submissions will be accepted after April 30. 

The Friends’ board and the li-brary director will choose the top two entries, and those entries will be on display in the  li-brary during May to be voted on by library patrons. First prize will be a digital camera and a tee shirt with the logo printed on it. The runner-up will receive a $50 Am-azon gift card.

Calling All ArtistsThe library is seeking artists

to display their work in the li-brary gallery. Space is available in late fall 2012 and in 2013. Orig-inal works will be displayed on a monthly basis, and the exhibit space includes a locked display case for smaller three-dimen-sional works. Artists can host an opening reception and can have a solo or joint exhibit.  Con-tact  Library  Director Patricia Lunn at 203-263-3502 for more information or to set up an ap-pointment to submit art for con-sideration.

For information, call 203-263-3502 or visit www.woodburyli-braryct.org. The library is at 269 Main St. South in Woodbury.

“The Vow”By Kim and Krickett Carpenter

Reviewed by Mary Conseur

“The Vow” sounds like an-other Nicholas Sparks’ novel: boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, a tragedy occurs that threat-ens the core of their relationship, the ending is bittersweet.

But “The Vow” isn’t a novel, it is the autobiography of a young couple, who, 10 weeks after their marriage, have a near-fatal au-tomobile accident, an accident that leaves the wife permanently disabled and the husband with post traumatic stress disorder that needs to be treated with painkillers, antidepressants and sleeping pills. The husband also has to deal with hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills, which he is unable to pay, and the collapse of his business, which falters in his absence.

In the accident, Krickett (the wife) damages the frontal lobe of her brain, leaving her with no short-term memory. She doesn’t know who her husband is, has no recollection of her marriage or her honeymoon, and can re-late only to “snapshot memo-ries,” not to “heart memories” of her relationship with her hus-band. She is a stranger in her own home.

Angry, confused, frustrated, and nearly bankrupt, Kim and Krickett try to salvage their un-raveling relationship. Kim is ad-vised to file for divorce as the only solution to mounting med-ical debts. Yet, against all odds, this couple survived; today they are happily married and have become the parents of two chil-dren.

The film version of “The Vow,” now playing in area theaters, changed some details, like names and places, and elimi-nated any mention of the faith in a Christian God the original couple relied on. But essentially the message is the same. It leaves the viewer wondering how any couple could survive such a per-manent and debilitating brain injury. When young couples take their wedding vows to honor and cherish each other “in sickness and health, for richer and for poorer, as long as they both shall live,” can they even begin to com-prehend the challenges life may have in store for them?

Library Happenings

Mary’s Book review

Library Lines

celebrate women’s history this monthBy DONNA HINE

It is so interesting to find the many obscure holidays ob-served by different cultures.

Lists can be found on the Inter-net to celebrate for almost any reason on any day of the year – some valid (a presidential holi-day), some very silly (March 14 is national Pi day – get it? March 14 – 3.14 is pi!). March is also known as women’s history month; this can and should be commemorated!

An excellent general source for information about women is “American Women’s History” (305.4 WEA) by Doris Weather-ford. Arranged alphabetically, it covers women’s “organizations, issues, and events” in a compre-hensive manner. From the mu-sical talents of Marian Anderson, through flappers and “lying in” to Zonta International, you’ll find material about a variety of sub-jects relating to women. Maria Mitchell discovered a comet, Ruth Bryan Owen was the first woman elected to Congress from the South, “Typhoid Mary” was only a carrier of the disease, and Mae West was the first to earn a million dollars in the movie busi-ness: these and so many more fascinating facts are written about here.

“First Generations: Women in Colonial America” (305.42 BER) by Carol Berkin examines the important contributions of the 17th- and 18th-century woman. Slaves and pioneers

alike were influential in shaping today’s modern woman as much as men of the era shaped the men of today. Read about the Quaker community, the lives of black women and their families – both Southern slave and northern re-sistor – and the role of activist women in the American Revo-lution. Check out the chapter about Native American women whose identity is shaped by their place in ritual and the impact of American society on their devel-opment.

A more comprehensive his-tory of women is found in “Daughters of the Promised Land: Women in American His-tory” (301.412) by Page Smith. From primitive roots and my-thology to the future of modern women (in some areas with tongue firmly in cheek), the au-thor winds his way through a vast amount of the past and touches on women’s rights, birth control, feminism and many other issues in an attempt to offer a clear view of the evolution of women.

“Founding Sisters and the Nineteenth Amendment” (324.6 CLI) focuses on votes for women in an effort to explain the strug-gle and vision of the suffragettes. We, as modern women, take vot-ing for granted today, as if it were always possible, forgetting many people – men and women alike – fought for this right. With en-thralling insights of the movers and shakers in the battle, the author offers us a thrilling “you-are-here” view.

On a light note, skim through “First of All: Significant ‘Firsts’ by American Women” (305.4 McC) by Joan McCullough. The first pilot to fly airmail was Kath-erine Stinson in July 1912. The first patent holder was Mary Klies of South Killingly, Conn.! The first White House physician was Dr. Janet G. Travell in 1961. Ded-icated to her grandmother, Ethel Virginia Wright, the first woman postmaster of Mary Esther, Fla., this book lists many unique “firsts” we have never even thought about!

No discussion of women’s rights would be complete with-out a mention of Gloria Steinem. Her book, “Moving Beyond Words” (305.42 STE) is set in six parts loosely connected by her one obvious topic. Even if you don’t agree with her, you can’t deny her humor and intelligence in presenting a cohesive and valid stand for women and wom-en’s rights. The section entitled “What if Freud Were Phyllis” is very amusing and yet, in typical Ms. Magazine fashion, makes you think beyond the surface of the story.

A compelling read, “The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surren-dered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade” (362.82 FES) by Ann Fessler cen-ters on the dilemma faced by an unwed mother in post-World War II. Excerpts include experi-ences written in their own words – lending even more stark reality

to an explosively emotional de-cision. With abortion too dan-gerous, illegal or unavailable, women felt their only option was to give these children up for adoption.

“Some Wore Bobby Sox: The Emergence of Teenage Girls Cul-ture, 1920-1945” (305.235 SCH) by Kelly Schrum followed by “The Women Who Broke All the Rules: How the Choices of a Gen-eration Changed Our Lives” (305.42 EVA) by Susan B. Evans present a unified history of the 1900s and how our present ev-eryday lives were formed. It is hard to believe the teenage years were not seen as a separate age group until after World War II – especially when you consider their impact on today’s economy!

Books focusing on the history of women are too numerous to mention here, but two in partic-ular are appropriate for children. “America’s Daughters: 400 Years of American Women” (J 305.4 HEA) by Judith Head and “Women in 19th Century Amer-ica” (J 305.42 MAC) by Fiona Macdonald are individually and together a terrific source for young women eager to learn about the fascinating emergence of women as equals in society, sports, government, industry, and any other field of endeavor.

Do you have a favorite subject that hasn’t been covered in Li-brary Lines? Let me know what library books you would like to read about by calling 203-758-2634.

203-232-0077 lic. #632821

No job too small. Give me a call.

Matthew Como’s

860-214-6516lic. #625909

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middlebury’s oldest living residentit Happened in Middlebury

Middlebury’s oldest resident soars some 96 feet into the air.

The plaque on Middlebury’s Cucumber Magnolia says it was 91 feet tall in 2000, when it was certified as the largest tree of its kind in Connecticut. (Submitted photos)

Friday, March 23, 2012 The Bee-Intelligencer PAGE 3

steps to improve that. We’ll make those changes this year.”

Region 15 has spent more than $1 million on technology in the last four years. Sippy’s pre-sentation broke down by grade level how technology instruction is interspersed throughout the elementary curriculum. Kinder-gartners begin with logging on and off computers, using the mouse and keyboard, choosing menus and saving and closing

files. By fifth grade, students should know how to use spell checker and other revision tools and use online resources to en-hance problem solving. Instruc-tion takes place in the library/media center or computer lab.

Sippy said instruction for el-ementary school students needs to focus more on literacy than technology. However, he said, SMART Boards, interactive white boards, help enhance teachers’ technology demonstrations in the classroom, and kids use them, too. School parent-teacher organizations have raised money

for most of the district’s SMART Boards.

“My concern is creating the opportunity for kids to have the IT environment so they can learn from each other and use it as a tool,” Sippy said. “It’s meant to enhance learning. I am pleased

with the progress we’ve made. The bottom line is the majority of the board felt comfortable that the product we’re putting in front of kids is a good product. Can it be improved? Yes, it al-ways can, but it’s a good prod-uct.”

senior Center News

region 15 school CalendarMonday, March 26

PHS Fashion Show Rehearsal ...................Auditorium, 2:15 to 5 p.m.Board of Education ......................... PHS AP Room No. 103, 7:30 p.m.Region 15 Enrollment & Facilities Task Force ............... PHS Media

Center, 5 to 7 p.m.

Tuesday, March 27GES ...........................................................................Women in HistoryMiddle School ......................................... Fourth marking term beginsPHS Fashion Show Rehearsal ...................Auditorium, 2:15 to 5 p.m.LMES PTO .....................................................................................7 p.m.

Wednesday, March 28PHS Fashion Show Rehearsal ...................Auditorium, 2:15 to 5 p.m.

Thursday, March 29PES Kindergarten Parent Coffee ...............................................7 p.m.MES Kindergarten Parent Coffee ..............................................7 p.m.GES Kindergarten New Parent Orientation .............................7 p.m.LMES Kindergarten Parent Orientation ...................................7 p.m.PHS Pomp Games, Sophomore Class Fundraiser ......... Auditorium

7 to 9:30 p.m.

Friday, March 30Middle School .............................................. Third marking term endsProfessional Development Half Day ...................... Early release dayPHS Senior Semi-Formal .................................................. 6 to 10 p.m.

Region 15 website: www.region15.org

David R. TherouxManaging Partner

OFFICE: 203-753-4166, ext. 2FAX: 203-578-3003

500 Chase ParkwayWaterbury, CT 06708-3346Email: theroux@drubner.com

Free Income Tax Preparation HelpFree income tax assistance is provided at the

Middlebury Senior Center at 1172 Whittemore Road in Middlebury by the AARP Tax Aide program for low- to moderate-income taxpayers of all ages, with special attention to those 60 and older.

Call 203-577-4166 for more information or to schedule an appointment with a certified AARP Tax Aide counselor. Bring to the appointment your spouse (if you are married), proof of identity, So-cial Security numbers for yourself and your de-pendents, a personal check with bank checking account and routing numbers, copies of last year’s federal and state tax returns and all income state-ments.

Tai ChiTai Chi-certified instructor Sherry Galvin

teaches Tai Chi every Wednesday at 11 a.m. The cost is $30 for 12 lessons. To sign up, call 203-577-4166.

Medical Loan ClosetIf you or a family member is in need of crutches,

a walker, a shower chair, or other assistive device after surgery or an accident, the senior center may be able to help. Call 203-577-4166 if you would like to use the medical loan closet.

Time to Plan Community GardenMiddlebury’s intergenerational community

garden provides fresh produce for residents in-terested in gardening. Last year, dedicated volun-teers of all ages grew tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce, beans, peppers, squash, and a variety of herbs such as parsley, sage, basil, oregano, and rosemary.

Preparing this year’s garden will begin in late March or early April. Those interested, including

local groups, are invited to participate. To sign up, or for more information, call 203-577-4166.

Spring Salad DemonstrationMonday, March 26, at 11 a.m., Roberta Winters

from TLC Homecare will present “Spring Salad Demo” at the Middlebury Senior Center and will serve it to all who participate. Registration is re-quired. Please sign in at the senior center office or call 203-577-4166.

Introduction to Apple ComputersAngelo Malagrino will give one-on-one lessons

on using Apple computers, either on the senior center’s Apple laptop, or people can bring in their own laptops. He charges $10 for the lesson and is available Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Please call 203-577-4166 for an appointment.

Trips

West Point Dress ParadeTravel to West Point Academy in New York to

view its famous dress parade Saturday, April 28. With great pomp and circumstance, the cadets march in full uniform in cadence with military music, presenting arms in unison. Enjoy a boun-tiful buffet at the Hotel Thayer, which offers an assortment of salads, hot and cold entrees and an extensive sweets table. Also included in the ex-cursion are guided tours of West Point’s highlights: the Cadet Chapel, Trophy Point and the Hudson River Lookout.

A Friendship Tours luxury coach will depart from Shepardson Community Center at 8 a.m. and return to the lot at 6 p.m. The cost is $83 per person. Call Middlebury Parks and Recreation at 203-758-2520 to reserve a seat.

town attorney on retainer. The board voted unanimously to add it to the agenda. Strobel said there was an open position for town attorney. The board voted to appoint what St. John called The Middlebury Law Firm (attor-neys Robert Smith and Dana [Moreira] D’Angelo) for $6,500 per month retainer ($78,000 per year). Former Town attorney Steve Savarese was paid a re-tainer of $4,500 per month. It does not appear the contract went out to bid.

D’Angelo has been a partner in D’Angelo and Forte while Smith’s practice has been Robert W. Smith Law Offices. It is un-

clear whether or not they have jointly formed a new law firm for their work with the town. Smith, who also is the Water Pollution Control Authority chairman and a member of the Middlebury Re-publican Town Committee, was St. John’s campaign manager during the last election. Both Smith and D’Angelo contributed to St. John’s and Strobel’s cam-paigns.

Strobel said the appointment will save the town money be-cause the contract includes all routine labor negotiations on behalf of the town. However, rou-tine negotiations do not include contested labor matters. Those will be billed at the rate of $150 per hour. At press time, one town department had five active griev-ances against it.

In addition to their retainer and their billings for contested labor matters, Smith and D’Angelo will be paid a 20-percent contingency fee for collection of taxes, water and sewer fees. St. John said if the town is sued for any matter, that will increase the attorney’s fees above and beyond the retainer.

In other matters, St. John spoke about the May 1 deadline to join the Torrington Area Health district that is needed so the town can take advantage of a two-month credit. St. John said he is pleased with the contract and has not heard one word of opposition from any town resi-dents.

Selectman Ralph Barra talked about concerns residents of Rich-ardson Drive have about their street being so close to the inter-

section of Rtes. 63 and 64. Even though these are state roads, he said he has spoken to Police Chief Richard Guisti about possible remedies to prevent motorists from making illegal right turns on Rte. 63 northbound. He said this is a safety concern for resi-dents of the neighborhood.

Eagle Scout Ryan Bushka sent a letter to the BoS thanking them for going to his Court of Honor. He also thanked them for their support.

St. John read a letter from local resident Myrsini Papoutsis com-plaining there are too many restaurants in town and express-ing her wish Middlebury would build its own high school. St. John referred the matter to the Planning and Zoning Commis-sion.

Bos -Continued from page 1

BoE -Continued from page 1

middlebury volunteer Fire Department call Log

Date Time Address/Incident3/14/12   14:42 765 Straits Turnpike. Fire alarm activation.3/15/12 17:04   Rte. 188 and Shadduck Road. Motor vehicle

accident - rollover. Two patients. Both re-fused treatment.

Floor Model SALE on New Furniture Going on Now

The Design Center at The Shoppes at Whittemore Crossing can assist you in all your decorating needs. We offer a

complete array of design services for your projects. We can offer you a design plan

evaluated on your individual needs.

Here are just some of the services we offer:

•ColorConsultationandwallfinishes•CustomWindowTreatments, bedding, and accessories• Fabrics•HunterDouglasWindowTreatments•WallCoverings• Floor&SpacePlanning• FurnitureSpecificationandSelection• Lighting•CarpetSpecification•Room Re-Design to work your existing furniture into your new space•ProjectCoordination

The Design Center at The Shoppes at Whittemore Crossing prides itself in providing you with custom products at affordable prices. Please feel free to call us to schedule an appointment with our decorator. We look forward to working with you and creating an interior unique to your needs.

20% off Wallpaper$50 Off Any Custom Drapery

With This Ad

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~ DESIGN CENTER ~1365 Whittemore Rd., Middlebury, Ct

203-528-0130Interior Designer Nancy McCormack

Middlebury Community CalendarFriday, March 23

Dan LaRosa Comedy Hypnosis Show7 p.m. ....................................Pomperaug High School Auditorium

Saturday, March 24Parent Empowerment University8 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. .............Newtown Middle School, 11 Queen St.

Tuesday, March 27Mental Health Support Group6 p.m. ........................... Russell Place, 1F, 969 W. Main, Waterbury

Economic and Industrial Development Commission6:30 p.m. ...........................................Town Hall Conference Room

Conservation Commission7:30 p.m. ........................................................ Shepardson Room 26

Calendar dates/times are subject to changeIf your organization would like your event included in the community calendar, please e-mail the information to beeintelligencer@gmail.com

Individuals interested in help-ing adults succeed through im-proved English literacy skills are  invited to participate in  a volunteer orientation sponsored by Literacy Volunteers of Greater Waterbury (LVGW). Orientation participants will learn about the state of adult literacy, LVGW vol-unteer opportunities, and the tutor training program and schedule. Individuals may choose to attend ONE of the fol-lowing sessions:• Monday,March26,at6:30p.m.

at Silas Bronson Library at 267 Grand St. in Waterbury

• Tuesday,March27,at 6:30 p.m. at Whittemore Memorial Li-

brary at 243 Church St. in Nau-gatuck

• Wednesday,March28,at10:30a.m. at Oakville Branch Library at 55 Davis St. in Oakville

• Thursday,March29, at 6:30p.m. at Silas Bronson Library at 267 Grand St. in Waterbury

• Friday,March30,at10:30a.m.at Prospect Public Library at 17 Center St. in ProspectLVGW trains and supports vol-

unteers who teach adults to read, write, speak, and understand En-glish.  As a learner-centered ed-ucational program, LVGW aims to help adults reach their goals, which may range from securing employment to passing the U.S.

citizenship test to reading with their children.  No prior teaching experience is necessary, but vol-unteers must be at least 18 years old with a high school diploma or equivalent and possess strong oral and written English skills.

The spring training program is sponsored by The GHADA Foun-dation of the Connecticut Auto-motive Retailers Association and The Linford and Mildred White Charitable Fund.

The program is accredited through ProLiteracy America.  For more information about LVGW or to register for one of the orien-tations, please call 203-754-1164.

Literacy volunteers get oriented

I signed up for a small plot in our community garden. It was a big step going public this way. While others can grow glorious mounds of colorful flowers, my past attempts had humble results that were best relegated to pots on the porch.

For the second year, the local land trust has divided up one of its properties and made small rectangles of land available at a low cost to seniors who want to garden. I was able to select my own site – near one of the faucets and the hose.

For those of us who don’t have a green thumb (as I apparently don’t), the land trust is holding a series of weekly gardening classes, designed to help us get the most out of our little plots of dirt.

Different types of mulch, how to understand the three numbers on the labels of fertilizer, planting seedlings versus seeds, soil pH, staying organic – all are topics we’re learning about.

This weekend I went to the community garden and located my plot. It’s weedy and flat, with cold, hard-looking soil. It was used last year, so I assume all the rocks are gone, but still, I won-dered: How am I going to trans-form it into a space full of beauti-ful flowers?

I made my decision while

standing there looking at the weeds. I won’t grow flowers. I’m going to grow vegetables for the two homeless shelters near me and for the food bank. This time my attempts to succeed with a garden will be different: The land trust will provide hands-on help and advice.

I hope the food bank is pre-pared for a deluge of carrots, beans and tomatoes.

Matilda Charles regrets she can-not personally answer reader ques-tions, but she will incorporate them into her column whenever possible. Write to her in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send email to columnre-ply@gmail.com.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

community garden

Middlebury Canine Police Officer Ed Demers and "J.J." are shown with Daisy troop members at the Middlebury Public Library. Demers and "J.J." recently gave a K-9 demonstration for the troop. (Submitted photo)

K-9 Demonstration

PAGE 4 Friday, March 23, 2012The Bee-Intelligencer

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Issued every week by:The Middlebury Bee-Intelligencer Society LLC

Bee-Intelligencer Staff:Editor-In-Chief/Publisher: Marjorie Needham

Editorial Assistant: Cristina CommendatoreCorrespondents: Mary Conseur, Jonathan “Chip” Longo, Terrence S. McAuliffe

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or in part without permission is prohibited.

in BriefParent University

Newtown Parent Connection Inc., Brook-field Substance Abuse Coalition and SMART Inc. (Southbury/Middlebury Acting Respon-sibly Together) will offer a Parent Empow-erment University Saturday, March 24, from 8 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. at Newtown Middle School at 11 Queen St. in Newtown. The event is open to all parents seeking “higher education” and more effective skills in the ever-changing and challenging field of child rearing. It will feature Bonnie Harris, author of “When Kids Push Your Buttons,” and a “Kids University” program, including a va-riety of fun, age-appropriate activities for children ages 3 to 11.

The event is $5 per adult. Pay using PayPal or any major credit card via PayPal. Children are free. Register online at www.newtown-parentconnection.org. For questions, sched-ules and more information, call the New-town Parent Connection office at 203-270-1600 and leave a message for Joan.

Breakfast with the Easter BunnyThe Middlebury Community Women’s

Club invites children to enjoy breakfast with the Easter Bunny Saturday, March 31, from

8:30 to 11:30 a.m. in Shepardson Community Building in Middlebury. Enjoy pancakes, sausage, bacon, baked goods and beverages. The cost is $6 for adults and $4 for children with a family maximum of $20.

Egg HuntThe Woodbury Parks and Recreation 2012

Egg Hunt will be Saturday, March 31, at 10 a.m. at Hollow Park, rain or shine. Wear your prettiest or funniest spring bonnet, bring your basket and join the Easter Bunny at The Hollow! Take your child’s photo before the race to fill their basket with chocolate eggs hidden in the fields. This is a lot of fun for children up to the age of 10 years old. The Easter Bunny will arrive at 9:30 am., and the Egg Hunt starts exactly at 10 a.m.

This is a free event, but optional monetary donations for the Woodbury Food Bank will be collected.

Easter Flower & Vegetable SaleBrass City Harvest will sell Easter flowers

and plants and vegetable plants, including cold weather vegetable plants, Thursday, April 5, through Saturday, April 7, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at its Crownbrook Greenhouse at 73 Hill Street in Waterbury. Brass City Harvest’s mission is to provide food, educa-tion, nutrition and supportive human ser-vices to Waterbury residents and non-resi-dents. All proceeds benefit the nonprofit Brass City Harvest’s Sustainable Community Food System, which provides freshly-grown vegetables to low-income and homeless individuals in the area. For information, visit www.brasscityharvestwtby.org.

Beekeeping WorkshopAlphonse Avitabile, zoologist, retired

UConn professor and acclaimed bee re-searcher and author, will instruct a practical beekeeping workshop Saturday, April 14, at 2 p.m. at the Center for Sustainable Living at 90 Cabbage Lane in Bethlehem. This work-shop is suitable for beginners or intermedi-ate, urban or rural beekeepers, who want to support honey bees in the face of growing concerns about colony collapse disorder and the decline in numbers of pollinators that visit fruit and vegetable plants we rely on for food. Avitabile will demonstrate in-stalling a new bee package into a top bar

beehive, and the class will visit his bee yard in Bethlehem.

The fee is $45. Pre-register by April 11 (after that, call for availability). Visit www.connsoil.com for a registration form. Print form and mail it to P.O. Box 365, Bethlehem, CT 06751.

Volunteers Needed In WoodburyThe Community Services Council

of Woodbury (CSCW) is seeking volunteers to assist with the CSCW Food Bank opera-tion. Both food bank stockers and shoppers are needed. Commitment times vary from weekly shoppers and stockers to volunteers to help with food drives and fill in as needed. A brief training session is required of all volunteers. 

To volunteer or for more information, at-tend an informational meeting Tuesday, April 10, at 7 p.m. at the Woodbury Public Library at 269 Main St. South in Woodbury. For more information, please contact community.ser-vices.council@gmail.com.

A child visits with the Easter Bunny at a previous Breakfast with the Easter Bunny in Mid-dlebury. (Submitted photo)

Westover School’s Swim Team, competing in just its third sea-son, placed first in Division III competition at the Western New England Prep School Swimming Association Championships Feb. 25 at Hopkins School in New Ha-ven. The team’s success reflects “the depth of our team,” said Coach Kate Seyboth.

“Some teams have a few standout swimmers who make

a difference for their teams. We have a lot of solid swimmers who place in competition,” she said.

The team also placed second in the Connecticut Independent School Athletic Conference meet for the third year in a row. It ended its season with a record of 8-7, and 14 Westover swim-mers qualified to compete at the New England Championships (NEC) March 3 compared to

seven swimmers in 2011 and four swimmers in 2010.

The team was co-captained by Anna Eggert ’12 and Katie Hedberg ’12. “Anna has im-proved so much this year,” Sey-both noted. “She dropped 24 seconds this season in her best time for the 500-yard freestyle. She had a really good season. Katie also has had an excellent season, especially in her 100-yard

butterfly.” At the NEC, Eggert set school

records in the 500-yard freestyle and the 200-yard freestyle, while Mary Kate Kosciusko ’13 set a school record for the 100-yard freestyle. The relay team of Eggert, Kosciusko, Anna Chaha-neau ’14, and Jane Funk ’13 also set a school record in the 200-yard freestyle relay.

Westover swim team places first

Period Feb. 1 – 29, 2012

Information provided courtesy of the Middlebury Town Clerk. Date given is the date the transaction was recorded.

Despres, Vanessa to CMB Ex-change LLC dba American Oil Solu-tions on 2/1, Trade Name File (403 Washington Dr.) for Trade Name.

Placke, Beth to Pisani, Giuseppe N. / Pisani, Mary Jean on 2/1, 119 Falcon Crest Rd. via War for $520,000.

Fletcher, Edward W., Est. / Fletcher, Marilyn J., aka / Fletcher, Marilyn J., Tr. to Fletcher, Edward W., Est. / Fletcher, Marilyn J., aka / Fletcher, Marilyn J., Tr. on 2/1, 38 Avalon Dr. / Vol 261 Pg 220 / Trust Affidavit, Affidavit.

Moniot, Richard Paul aka Est to Moniot, Richard Paul aka Est on 2/2, Fiduciary Appointment for Probate.

Trentalange, Michael W. to Trentalange, Paul, Tr. on 2/3, 530 Whittemore Rd. via Q.C. for -0-.

DeSantis, Michael to DeSantis Farm on 2/6, Trade Name File (68 Old Watertown Rd.) for Trade Name.

Widman, James to Widman En-terprises on 2/7, Trade Name File (94 Watertown Rd.) for Trade Name.

D’Angelo, Concetta K. to D’Angelo, Concetta K. / D’Angelo, Anthony P. on 2/8, 215 Upper Whittemore Rd. via Q.C. for -0-.

Marcone, Vita J., aka / Marcone, Vita Guiseppina, aka to Marcone, Ferdinando on 2/8, Parcel “A” Atwood St. aka Ave. (70 Atwood Ave.), CDEV.

Hummel, James T. to Hummel, Carline C. on 2/9, 15 Jericho Rd. via Q.C. for -0-.

Strakosch, Gisela M. to Strakosch, William D. on 2/9, 106 Skyline Dr. via Q.C. for -0-.

St. Germain, Sharon to St. Ger-main, Kenneth on 2/10, Lake Shore Dr. via Q.C. for -0-.

Fletcher, Edward W., Est. to Fletcher, Edward W., Est. on 2/14, Rel Est Tax / V261 P220 / Avalon Dr via Probate.

Winslow, Leatrice B., Est. to Win-slow, Leatrice B., Est. on 2/16, Rel Est Tax / V240 P1008 / 16 Northwood Dr. via Probate.

Browne, Brendan to Browne, Brendan / Browne, Carolanne E. on 2/16, 49 Clearview Knoll via Q.C. for -0-.

Guerrette, Clifford L, Est. to Guer-rette, Clifford L., Est. on 2/17, Rel Est Tax / V67 P548, 435 Whittemore Rd. for Probate.

Guerrette, Clifford L., Est. to Guer-rette, Clifford L., Est. on 2/17, Rel Est Tax / V77 P334 / Lot 31 Whittemore Rd. for Probate.

Crutcher, William C. for Whitefield Company on 2/23, Trade Name File (84 Munson Rd.) for Amended Trade Name.

McKay, Evelyn P. to Artillery Road LLC on 2/23, North St Ext. aka Artil-lery Rd (207 Artillery Rd.) via War for $170,000.

Daniels, Darrell S. for Darrell S. Daniels MD on 2/24, Trade Name File (195 Chesham Dr.) for Trade Name.

Caulfield, Donna to Kloss, Jona-thon / Kloss, Joy on 2/28, Bronson Dr. (175 Bronson Dr.) via War for $315,000.

Bryk, Donna M. / Connecticut State of Dept. of Revenue Services to Household Realty Corporation on 2/28, 161 Algin Dr. via FORC.

Polito, Anthony M. CitiMortgage, Inc. on 2/28, 542 Whittemore Rd. via FORC.

Federal National Mortgage Cor-poration to Cluney, Carl on 2/28, 9 Winding Trail via War for $275,000.

Cluney, Carl to Cluney, Carl / Clu-ney, Nicki on 2/28, 9 Winding Trail via Q.C. for -0-.

Middlebury Legal filings

We’ve been asking readers to help support this free commu-nity newspaper this month with a donation of $25. That’s about what it costs us per reader to pro-duce a year’s worth of papers.

And readers are responding, which is very gratifying. The per-sonal notes included with your checks are deeply appreciated.

One person wrote, “I no longer live in Middlebury. I enjoy read-ing about what goes on in my old town. I was there for 60 years but moved out here after I was alone … I enjoy your paper a lot. Thanks!”

Another said, “We look for-ward to receiving the weekly ‘B.’ You and your staff do a great job!”

And another wrote, “My hus-band and I are new to Middle-bury and just love your newspa-per! It’s refreshing to read a newspaper full of good things! Thanks for making this available to us. Keep up the good work!”

We try to publish a paper that gives our readers the news they

need and shares information that enriches their lives. As we’ve ex-plained in the last two issues, the newspaper has just two sources of income – advertising (classified and display) and legal notices.

Because our staff is small, pro-ducing a paper every week while also trying to sell ads has been a challenge. But we are working hard to build our advertising base so the newspaper will be solidly in the black.

If you can donate, please do. If you can’t, please help us by supporting our advertisers. Fre-quent their businesses, and tell them you saw their ad in the Bee-Intelligencer. And if you know a business that would ben-efit from advertising with us, please mention us to them.

Donations can be sent to Bee-Intelligencer, P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762.

Thank you for whatever you can do to help.

Marjorie NeedhamEditor and Publisher

thanks for supporting your community paper

Letters to the EditorLetters to the editor may be mailed to the Bee-Intelligencer, P.O. Box 10, Middlebury,

CT 06762 or emailed to beeintelligencer@gmail.com. Letters will be run as space permits. Please limit letters to 500 words, avoid personal

attacks, and understand letters will be edited. For verification purposes, please include your name, street address and daytime telephone number.

Friday, March 23, 2012 The Bee-Intelligencer PAGE 5

Obituaries

Middlebury Road (Opposite the Shell Station)Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily

Anthony Calabrese 203-758-2765

Local eggs. Fresh daily. $3 per dozenDeer Corn • Livestock and Poultry Feed

Pansies are here! Easter Palm CrossesWe Sell Quality Wood Pellets!

Bird Seed HeadquartersBlack Oil, Premium Mix, Sunflower Hearts, Niger Seed (thistle for finches)

Here come higher gas prices – again. No one should be sur-prised. These things run in cy-cles. Yes, prices generally are higher in spring and summer – when we all need more gas for vacation – and go down in the winter.

If you don’t get good gas mile-age, consider whether it’s time to buy a more efficient, econom-ical vehicle. You won’t be alone. The sale of small and compact cars has increased in the past year. One automaker reported that sales of its small cars in-creased by 40 percent. Another reported an increase of 43 per-cent.

Decide, too, whether the ve-hicle you buy should be consid-ered your “last” one. In other words, buy as though the vehicle will be the last one you’ll ever own – and then drive it for the length of its useful life. The idea is to keep driving the car long after it’s paid off. Keep up with

all scheduled maintenance to extend the life of the car. A pay-ment-free vehicle is a nice thing to own. Besides not making a hefty monthly payment, the older a vehicle is, the lower the taxes and insurance.

If you’re going to trade your car in, invest in a detailing pack-age so it looks its best. At the very least, run it through a carwash and spring for the wax.

These basics of saving on gas apply to whatever type of vehicle you own:• Keepyourvehicletuned.Not

being at peak performance means it is going to use more fuel. Keep an eye on the tire pressure as well.

• Planandcombineyourerrand

trips around town. • Carpoolifyoucan,ortakepub-

lic transportation at least a few days a week.For more ideas on saving on

the cost of fuel, see the website by the U.S. Department of En-ergy: www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/gasprices. You’ll find infor-mation on hybrids and electric cars, alternative fuels, miles per gallon, notes from other con-sumers, tips on choosing an ef-ficient vehicle, a side-by-side comparison of vehicles, and in-formation about the new labels

required on vehicles. Besides the estimated mpg, the new label has to disclose how much money you can likely save over five years, the greenhouse rating, the annual cost of fuel and the smog rating.

David Uffington regrets he can-not personally answer reader questions, but he will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Write to him in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send email to columnre-ply@gmail.com.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Is it time to buy a new car?

Obituary PolicyThe Bee-Intelligencer runs obituaries and their accompanying

photos free of charge. We do this as a community service to honor the deceased and the family and friends who love them.

Please ask your funeral director to send obituaries and photos to us at beeintelligencer@gmail. For more information, call 203-577-6800.

John V. MakepeaceHusband of

Marion Makepeace

Memorial services for John V. Makepeace, 91, husband of Marion and father of Tyler, David, Richard and Seth will be Saturday, March 31, at 11 a.m. at the Middlebury Congrega-tional Church on Rte. 188 on the Green in Middlebury.

Rosalie L. NaylorSister of Matthew Vaccaro

Mrs. Rosalie L. (Vac-caro) Naylor, 63, passed away peace-fully Friday, March 16, at St. Mary’s Hos-pital. Rosalie was born Nov. 10, 1948, in Waterbury, dau-

ghter of the late Fred and Lucy (Albano) Vaccaro.

Rosalie is survived by her daughter, Angela Naylor of Waterbury; her brother, Matthew “Matty” Vaccaro and his wife, Ginny, of Middlebury; her sister, Barbara Vaccaro of Water-bury; and two nephews, Fred and Matthew Vaccaro.

Burial will be at the convenience of the family. There are no calling hours. Maiorano Funeral Home has been entrusted with all arrangements. For more information and online con-dolences, visit www.maioranofuner-alhome.com.

Paul B. RobinsonGrew up in Middlebury

Paul B. Robinson, 68, of Southington died Sunday, March 18, at the West Ha-ven Veteran’s Hospi-tal after a brief battle with pancreatic can-cer.

Paul was born in Waterbury, April 7, 1943, a son of Marguerite (Handle) Robinson of Kentucky and the late Bernard J. Robinson. He was raised in Middlebury and graduated from Leav-enworth High School in Waterbury. He was a Vietnam veteran, having served with the U.S. Army. He was a draftsman at Timex and retired from the Southbury Post Office after 23 years. After retirement, he became a senior companion for New Opportu-nities of Waterbury.

Paul was an old car enthusiast and a self-taught musician. He was a mem-ber of the Pedal Steel Guitar Club. He enjoyed line dancing and taught it at Illusions Dance Club in Wolcott

Besides his mother, Paul is survived by three brothers, Richard A. Robin-son of Florida, David A. Robinson of Kentucky, and Allan R. Robinson of Waterbury; a sister, Judy Mazulaitis of Kentucky, several nieces and neph-ews; and many friends in Florida and Connecticut. He was predeceased by a brother, Bernie “Sonny” Robinson.

Graveside services with military honors will be today, Friday, March 23, at 2 p.m. in Evergreen Cemetery on North Street in Watertown. There are no calling hours. Arrangements have been entrusted to Hickcox Fu-neral Home at 195 Main St. in Water-town. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Lustgarten Foundation, 1111 Stewart Avenue, Bethpage, NY 11714. For ad-ditional information or to leave an online condolence, visit www.hick-coxfuneralhome.com.

Angeline SciarrettoFormer Uniroyal Employee

Mrs. Angeline (Cariello) Sciar-retto, 84, formerly of Waterbury, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, Friday, March 16, at Beacon Brook Health Center in Nau-gatuck. She was the devoted wife of the late Joseph Sciarretto Sr.

Mrs. Sciarretto was born May 4, 1927, in Waterbury, daughter of the late Felix and Eufemia (Errico) Car-iello. Angeline was an employee for Uniroyal Company for more than 30 years. She was a loving mother and grandmother.

Angeline is survived by her sons: Joseph Sciarretto and his wife, Rose-marie, of Waterbury; David Sciar-retto and his wife, Jeannie, of Dan-bury; and Mark Sciarretto and his wife, Lucy, of Naugatuck; six grand-children, three great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

The funeral was Tuesday. Burial followed in St. James Cemetery. Maiorano Funeral Home of Water-bury handled the arrangements. Memorial contributions in Angel-ine’s name may be made to the American Diabetes Foundation, 2080 Silas Deane Highway, 2nd Floor, Rocky Hill, CT 06067.

Irving “Bill” SouthardClose friend of

Dorothy “Pat” Little

Mr. Irving “Bill” Southard, 90, of Au-burn Street, passed away on Friday, March, 16, 2012, at Glendale Health Center. He was the widower of Helen

(Yocius) Southard.Mr. Southard was born in Water-

bury Jan. 13, 1922, son of the late Clifford and Laura (Stauffer) Southard. He was a longtime Naug-atuck resident, moving from Water-bury in 1946. He retired from the Footwear Division of Uniroyal Inc. where he worked for 33 years. He proudly served his country in the Army during World War II in the North Africa, Italy and Austria cam-paigns.

He was an active member of the American Legion Post 17 for 63 years and its oldest member. He was also a member of the VFW Post 1946, a member of the Shep herd Salem Ma-sonic Lodge 78, 33 Degrees, for 26 years, the AARP in Middlebury and an avid pool player at the Middle-bury Senior Center.

He leaves a son, Alan Southard of Naugatuck; his very close friend of many years, Dorothy “Pat” Little of Middlebury; dear friends, Karen and Justin Bunker and family; and sev-eral nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his brother, Arnold Southard, and his sister, Shir-ley Faller.

The funeral was Tuesday. Naug-atuck Valley Memorial/Fitzgerald Zembruski Funeral Home of Naug-atuck handled the arrangements. Private burial with military honors will be held at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial con-tributions may be made to American Legion Baseball, P.O. Box 226, Nau-gatuck, CT 06770. To send an online condolence, please visit www.nau-gatuckvalleymemorial.com.

School principals, left to right, Christopher Moretti of Long Meadow Elementary School, Dr. John Seiller of Memorial Middle School and Dr. Jack Zamary of Middlebury Elementary School are all smiles before beginning their race down the aisles of the Watertown Stop & Shop Monday afternoon. The race idea was Seiller's award-winning submission to the Stop & Shop A+ program that won $1,000 for his school. Student decorations adorn the principals' shopping carts. (Marjorie Needham photo)

Advertise in the Bee-IntelligencerYour advertisement in the Bee-Intelligencer reaches more than

7,000 readers in Middlebury and surrounding towns

203-577-6800 • mbiadvertising@gmail.com

(Family Features) Financial liter-acy is as important as learning the ABC’s. By teaching financial and entrepreneurial practices at a young age, children will be bet-ter prepared for their financial futures.

The first step is to get started, so start with these educational activities:

Start Talking: Try a simple question such as, “What is in-vesting?” Questions are conver-sation starters and shouldn’t be complicated. The key is to teach through open communication that allows kids to discover – rather than be told – the answers.

Starting Thinking: Most kids are impulsive and fixate on things that are interesting. It’s tough to get them thinking be-yond “now” when it comes to money. Overcoming that helps kids understand the basic prin-ciples of budgeting. Challenge them with questions such as, “Are you still going to want that expensive sweater in a month, or would it be better to save to-ward something else?” Helping kids grasp the concept of “value” instills a sense of financial own-ership and responsibility. Re-mind them that once they spend the money, it’s gone.

Start Practicing: Kids learn through repetition. The more they do something, the better they get. No matter what age the child is, present her with scenar-ios that require practicing differ-ent financial principles. For ex-ample, during the summertime give your child $20 to set up a

lemonade stand. Ask her, “What types of products will you need to buy to make lemonade? How much will those items cost? How many days do you plan to have the lemonade stand open?”

Asking these questions not only will help her work through the answers, but also will in-crease her understanding of sim-ple business terms such as “over-head” and “profit.” Additionally, contributing more “investment” money to the fledgling business opens up dialogue about inves-tors and stocks. It takes a little imagination to come up with scenarios, but it can be a fun

learning opportunity for the child and the parent.

Start Investigating: The In-ternet provides a wealth of finan-cial learning tools for children and parents. Of course, parents should monitor what their chil-dren are viewing online, but there are some invaluable edu-cational sites, such as www.smc-kids.com, which features webi-sodes for Secret Millionaires Club (SMC), an animated series starring Warren Buffet as he mentors a group of kids.

Featured on The HUB net-work, as well as the website, the SMC series is an innovative way

to teach sound financial and en-trepreneurial practices to young people. Modeled after the les-sons instilled by Buffett in the animated series, SMC’s “Learn & Earn” Promotion – sponsored exclusively by www.creditreport.com – also offers interactive ed-ucational tools for parents and kids.

The bottom line: Stop waiting. It’s never too early to start teach-ing financial lessons.

For more fun and engaging financial resources, or to watch “The Secret Millionaires Club” webisodes, visit www.smckids.com.

Four ways to help kids make cents of finances

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

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Please include your name and telephone number.

We also welcome your ideas for articles you’d like to see in the news-paper. If you don’t have email you can call us at 203-577-6800.

Before the Big Race

PAGE 6 Friday, March 23, 2012The Bee-Intelligencer

By MICHELLE ZINKO

Tyler Zinko, a Middlebury Troop 5 Boy Scout has a passion for animals. He recently com-pleted a Boy Scout merit badge for Citizenship in the Community and combined his passion for an-imals with helping out his com-munity.  To fulfill his merit badge requirements, he chose to volun-teer at the Middlebury Animals for Life Shelter. He wanted to help out in any way the shelter needed.

With his father’s assistance, he contributed by walking dogs. “The dogs at the shelter need volun-teers to give them the exercise they need and provide them with love, attention, and stimula-tion. The smallest dog was a tiny Chihuahua named Twinkie, and the largest was a big old hound dog named Lady. These dogs only get to come out once every day, so it was nice to be able to provide this service,” Zinko said.  

While he was walking the dogs along Woodside Avenue, he no-ticed the amount of litter that lined the road and woods along the way.  This inspired him to or-ganize a clean-up day to clear the litter and debris along the walk-way. On March 3, Zinko met other Troop 5 members, including eight other Scouts and youth, as well as five adults, to pick up litter along the road.

“We collected six full bags of things that shouldn’t be out there! We found everything from dirty baby diapers, campaign signs to empty soda bottles. We even found full containers of an-tifreeze,” he said. He said now the volunteers of the shelter will have a nice area to walk the dogs.

Zinko said of Middlebury, “A community that uses some time and resources to help and save homeless animals is a community that I want to live in!”

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am a 38-year-old woman who has a very stressful job. It is also very well-paying, so I don’t want to give it up. I think it might be giv-ing me chest pain. The pain comes and goes unpredictably. Sometimes I am just sitting at my desk, and I get a squeezing sen-sation in my chest. At other times, I had been hurrying around.

I have had several EKGs, been examined by three doctors, had a stress test and a radioactive stress test. The doctors say my heart is healthy, and the chest pain could come from stress. In speaking with people I trust, I have been told to have a heart catheterization. What do you think? – P.A.ANSWER: None of your three doctors told you that. Don’t you think they might know more than your friends? You have to be guided by advice given to you by those who have had experience in assessing people’s complaints. There’s no pattern to your chest pain. Heart pain, in contrast, causes chest pain when a person is physically active. That pain goes when the person rests. Your kind of pain is not suggestive of a heart disorder.

Your doctors have told you your heart is healthy. You have had EKGs, stress tests and even a radioactive stress test. Those tests would have disclosed a

heart problem if you had one.Furthermore, you are only 38

years old – not an age for heart problems to occur. You mention no family history of heart trouble at early ages.

With a catheterization, a thin, pliable tube is inched from a groin blood vessel to the site where the heart arteries are found. There, dye is injected so doctors can visualize the health of heart arteries. The doctors can spot any obstructions, like cho-lesterol buildup, in those arter-ies. It’s an amazing test. However, complications can arise from any procedure that invades the body. When the detection of heart dis-ease can be accomplished in no other way, information from a catheterization is justified. In your case, it’s not.

Stress is the most likely cause of your chest pain.

Coronary artery disease is the No. 1 cause of death in most of the world’s countries. The book-let on that subject explains in

detail its symptoms and its treat-ments. To order a copy, write to Dr. Donohue – No. 101W, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Can-ada with the recipient’s printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I’ve been talked into donating blood. My hang-up is I have a fitness pro-gram I religiously adhere to. The thought of an extended rest both-ers me. How long do you have to spend recuperating after donat-ing blood? – A.A.ANSWER: You’re not facing an extended recuperation after do-nating blood. One day is enough. That sounds like too little time, but it’s sufficient. You won’t no-tice it.

It takes a full month for your blood count to return to what it was before you donated. That slight dip in your blood count isn’t going to affect your exercise performance unless you are into marathon training.

Dr. Donohue regrets he is un-able to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.

(c) 2012 North America Synd., Inc. All Rights Reserved

1. Mark Reynolds with a high of 223 in 2009.

2. Tommy Holmes had 224 hits in 1945.

3. John Mackovic (1992-97).4. Twice (5.0 blocks per game in

1985-86; 4.3 bpg in 1988-89).5. Jaromir Jagr had 54 goals and

123 points in 2005-06.6. Three – the Los Angeles Gal-

axy in 1998 (68 points) and 2011 (67 points), and the San Jose Earthquakes in 2005 (64 points).

7. Tony Tubbs, Tim Witherspoon and James “Bonecrusher” Smith.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Middlebury Parks & recreation

Pomperaug High school Varsity Games

It’s almost the end of March already! There’s a spring in your step and a smile on your face! You’re enjoying that extra hour of daylight! Time to create new mind habits!

This week’s nuggets for life are to focus your mind on the posi-tive. Check out this YouTube video: “Get Spanky” (What You Focus On Grows). What are you focused on? Notice your thoughts. Your mind is a very powerful thing. It’s your best friend or your worst enemy. Ev-ery emotion starts with a thought. First you think something and then you feel an emotion. Then you act on how you’re feeling.

Say “stop” when you hear neg-ative, niggling, rigid, scary, dis-combobulating, or otherwise judgmental thoughts. Start to create consistent healthy thoughts by being aware of what pops into your mind. If it’s not positive, say nope, not good

enough, and change your thought to a happier one. Your mood will lift with this simple perception shift. Pretty soon, it’ll be second nature.

Let your mind be flexible, fluid, and flow with change. Whenever your mind starts down the vortex of self-sabotaging talk, flip the focus switch to some-thing you really want in your life. Find something to appreciate in that moment. There’s always some little something to appre-ciate no matter what difficulties or upsets come your way.

I tell my clients there’s a gift in everything, and I truly believe this. Play with this idea. Try it on.

Look for evidence of the good stuff around you. Focus on what you want and it’ll grow. Ever heard the saying, “It’s all in your mind”? Yup, it is. Take a few min-utes and think something that makes you feel great. Watch what happens. Switch up to happi-ness! Step into focus!

Cynthia De Pecol is a Yoga In-structor, Reiki Master and Life Coach who lives in Washington, Conn. See lifecoachingllc.com or email lifecoach3@aol.com

By CYNTHIA DE PECOL

nuggets for Life

What you focus on grows

not all chest pain comes from the heart

(Kathleen Brown-Carrano cartoon)

Boat Rack LotteryMiddlebury Recreation Area

(MRA) boat racks are available to those whose names are drawn in a lottery. Lottery entry forms are available in the Parks & Rec-reation office. Residents must have a valid MRA pass before renting a boat rack. The fee is $45 per rack, and the limit is one rack per family. Lottery requests must be received in the Parks & Recreation office no later than April 27. The lottery drawing will be Wednesday, May 2.

Easter Egg HuntThe annual Easter egg hunt

for Middlebury children ages 3 to 10 will be Saturday, April 7, (rain date April 14) at 1 p.m. at Shepardson Field at 1172 Whit-

temore Road. The event is spon-sored by the Middlebury Police Social Club and the Parks and Recreation Department.

Bus TripNew York City Two-Option Trip

Saturday, April 14, a deluxe motor coach to New York City will depart from Shepardson Community Center at 9 a.m. on a trip that offers two choices:

New York City on your own or a “Million Dollar Quartet” mati-nee. The bus will depart NYC at 5 p.m. for the return trip.

For New York City on your own, enjoy the sights, sounds and food of NYC at your leisure. The 24 seats for this option cost $30 per person.

The “Million Dollar Quartet” option includes a 2:30 p.m. mat-inee of the acclaimed Broadway musical that recreates a 1956 gathering of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins at Sun Records in Mem-phis for one of the greatest jam sessions ever. The performance lasts 1-1/2 hours. The 20 seats available for this option cost $96 per person. Call 203-758-2520 for information or to reserve seats.

1. Which hitter holds two of the top three spots for most strikeouts in a major-league season?

2. Name the player who had the most hits in a modern-era season for the Braves fran-chise.

3. Who was the head coach of the University of Texas foot-ball team before Mack Brown took the job in 1998?

4. How many times did 7-foot-7-inch center Manute Bol lead the NBA in blocked shots per game for a season?

5. Who holds the New York Rangers record for most goals and points in a season?

6. How many times has the 60-point mark in the regu-lar-season standings been exceeded by a Major League Soccer team?

7. Name two of the last three WBA heavyweight-boxing ti-tleholders before Mike Tyson won the crown in 1987.

Answers:

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Before After

troop 5 Boy scouts help animals, pick up litter

Middlebury Troop 5 Scouts, back, left to right, Vincente Pirozzoli, Sean Bannon, Cole Rosenhein, Chistopher Azar-Brandes, Justin Zinko and Tyler Zinko, and front, left to right, Andrew Burns and Andrew Styblo, hold bags of trash they picked up along Woodside Avenue. (Submitted photos)

March 24 to 31, 2012BaseballSaturday, March 24 ............. Ridgefield Scrimmage (A) ..............10:30 a.m.Monday, March 26 .............. Bristol Central Scrimmage (H)............... 4 p.m.Tuesday, March 27 ..............Woodland Scrimmage (A) ................ 3:30 p.m.Saturday, March 31 ............. Danbury Scrimmage (A) ..................... 11 a.m.

Boys LacrosseSaturday, March 24 ............. Red-White Scrimmage (H) .................... 5 p.m.Wednesday, March 28 ......... Nonnewaug Scrimmage (H) .................. 6 p.m.Saturday, March 31 ............. Pomperaug Jamboree (H) ..................... 9 a.m.

Girls LacrosseSaturday, March 24 ............. Pomperaug Play Day (H) ....................... 8 p.m.Saturday, March 31 ............. Hamden Scrimmage (A) ........................... TBA

SoftballMonday, March 26 .............. Taft Scrimmage (H) .......................... 4:15 p.m.Wednesday, March 28 ......... Seymour Scrimmage (A) .................. 3:30 p.m.

(H) Home (A) Away

Troop 5 Boy Scout Tyler Zinko stops for a rest while walking “Essa” from the Animals for Life Shelter.

Friday, March 23, 2012 The Bee-Intelligencer PAGE 7

This publication does not know-ingly accept advertising which is deceptive, fraudulent, or which might otherwise violate the law or accepted standards of taste. However, this publication does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy of any advertisement, nor the quality of the goods or services advertised. Readers are cautioned to thoroughly investigate all claims made in any advertisements, and to use good judgment and reasonable care, particularly when dealing with persons unknown to you who ask for money in advance of delivery of the goods or ser-vices advertised.

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For Sale

SHED 8X8 STORAGE Ver-mont Post & Beam $1,982, now only $999, 50% off! Expires 4-30-12 Get a Free Plan by visiting www.VT-sheds.com, 866-297-3760

HUGE MIRRORS: NEW GYM LEFTOVERS 7 Mirrors, 72”x100”, $145 Each. Per-fect Condition, Free Deliv-ery, Can Install. GYM RUB-BER FLOORING, 1 Roll, 4’x25’x1/2” Thick, $250. 1-800-473-0619

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OIL TANK/BOILER: Just take them away. A 275-gallon oil tank (8 years old). 83000 BTU Burnham Boiler with burner (10 years old). In good working condition and was well maintained. Call 203-758-8306.

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Classified Advertising Deadline: 5 p.m. Monday Classified Advertising Cost: $10 per week, up to 40 words. 25c each additional word.

Submit ad with your name, address, telephone number, and payment to: Mail: Bee-Intelligencer, P.O. Box 10, Middlebury, CT 06762

Email: mbisubmit@gmail.com Office: 2030 Straits Turnpike, Suite 1

classIfIed ads

call 203-577-6800

ForInformation

My basement stays fairly dry, but in the spring and during other really rainy pe-

riods I can see the concrete walls are wet. Is it condensation or water leaking inside? I haven’t seen any puddles of water on the floor, but it is really humid at these times. – Bill in upstate New York

There’s an easy way to test whether the mois-ture on the basement

walls is seepage (water leaking inside) or condensation. Get a few large squares of aluminum foil and tape them to random spots on the basement walls and floor. Use water-resistant tape and completely cover all four edges of the foil so no air can get underneath it.

Leave them there for a couple days, and then carefully peel away the tape and check both sides of the foil. If the side facing the wall (the inner side) is wet, then seepage is your issue. If the outer side is wet, condensation

is the problem. If both sides are wet, seepage

is the most likely issue, with con-densation possibly a result of the seepage.

To reduce seepage, check all of your gutters and downspouts to make sure they aren’t dam-aged and that rainwater is being directed well away from the foundation. The drain trough under the downspout also should be checked; make sure water isn’t pooling there.

Next, check the foundation and basement walls for small cracks, holes or gaps. Repair these with the appropriate type of cement. Finally, paint the in-terior basement walls with a wa-terproofing paint specifically formulated for this task, which

adheres well to concrete or ma-sonry.

To reduce condensation is-sues, install a dehumidifier in the basement, or install a fan that will pull air outside and help the basement air circulate. Wrap in-sulation around cold-water pipes so condensation is less likely to occur in the basement space. Outside, try and increase the amount of air and sunlight that reach the basement by trimming back plants and hedges, espe-cially around basement win-dows.

Send your questions or tips to ask@thisisahammer.com, or write This Is a Hammer, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Is basement moisture a leak or humidity?

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Legal Notice

Legal Notice of the Middlebury Planning and Zoning Commission

The Planning and Zoning Commission of the Town of Middle-bury will hold a public hearing on April 5, 2012, 7:30 p.m. at the Auditorium, Shepardson Community Center, 1172 Whittemore Road, Middlebury, Connecticut regarding the applications sub-mitted by 1365 LLC – Special Exception Use for “outdoor dining” pursuant to Section 31.4.2 of the Middlebury Zoning Regulations and Special Exception Use for alcoholic bever-ages pursuant to Section 66 of the Middlebury Zoning Reg-ulations. The public is invited to attend and be heard. Written comments may be sent and will be read into the record. They should be addressed to the Zoning Office at 1212 Whittemore Road, Middlebury, CT 06762. A copy of the application is on file for public inspection during normal working hours of that office.

Dated this 19th day of March, 2012

Curtis Bosco, Chairman

Town of MiddleburyLegal Notice

Notice is hereby given that a Presidential Preference Primary of the Republican Party will be held April 24, 2012 in each town.

Notice is also hereby given that the following are the names of the candidates (including the category “Uncommitted”) which are to appear on the ballot at said primary in the manner and in the order in which such names and category are herein listed, under the office designation “Nomination for President of the United States”, together with the addresses of such candidates:

Newt Gingrich, Atlanta GARon Paul, Springfield, VAMitt Romney, Boston, MA

Rick Santorum, Verona, PAUncommitted

Dated at Hartford, Connecticut this 20th Day of March, 2012.Denise Merrill

Secretary of the State

The foregoing is a copy of the notice which I have received from the Office of the Secretary of the State in accordance with Secs. 9-433 and 9-471 of the General Statutes. As provided, such primary will be held on April 24, 2012. The hours of voting at said primary and the location of the polls will be as follows:

Hours of Voting: 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Location of Polling Place: Shepardson Community Center, 1172 Whittemore Road, Middlebury, CT 06762.

Dated at Middlebury, Connecticut, this 23rd day of March, 2012.Town Clerk Edith Salisbury

Town of Middlebury

WaterburyMaria Baratta returns to her hometown of Water-bury with her award-win-ning play, “Vignettes of an I-talian American Girl,” through April 22. A goody-goody Italian American girl clashes with her rebellious younger sister and, through a twist of fate, reveals there is more to La Famiglia than the Sopranos, cannolis, and guns. Meet Baratta at a post-show cast party Saturday, March 31.

Tickets are $29 and $39 at 203-757-4676 or Se-venAngelsTheatre.org. Seven Angels Theatre is on Plank Road.

The Lenka Peterson Players’ musical “Ordinary Days” Sunday, April 1, at 7:30 p.m.; Monday, April 2, at 7 p.m.; and Tuesday, April 3, at 7 p.m. at Seven Angels Theatre. Tickets are $15 at 203-757-4676. “Ordinary Days” tells the story of four young New Yorkers whose lives intersect as they search for fulfillment, happiness, love and cabs.

Thomaston“Willy Wonka Jr.” at the newly re-opened Thomas-ton Opera House Friday and Saturday, March 23 and 24, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and children 10 and older, $8 for children younger than 10. For tickets or information, email Curtain-CallKidsCT@gmail.com.

FairfieldThe Acting Company’s William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” Sunday, March 25, at 6 p.m. at Fairfield University’s Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. Tickets are $40, $35 and $30 at the Quick Center box office at 203-254-4010 or online at www.quickcenter.com.

DanburyWestern Connecticut State University Opera will present Georges Bizet’s “Carmen” March 30 and 31 in Ives Concert Hall on the Midtown Campus of WCSU at 181 White St. in Danbury. Admission is $15, and $10 for children 12 and under and for seniors. WCSU students get in FREE with their student ID.

A brief lecture by WCSU Spanish Professor Galina Bhaktiarova will precede the opera. Make advance reservations online at www.wcsu.edu/tickets or at 203-837-8499. Tickets also will be sold at the door. Make reservations for an opening night dinner by calling the Alumni Office at 203-837-8290.

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PAGE 8 Friday, March 23, 2012The Bee-Intelligencer

DEAR PAW’S CORNER: We make sure to pick up after our dog, both when out for a walk and in the yard, which keeps the neighborhood and our lawn looking good. We store the col-lected excrement in an open box by the garage daily and then dis-pose of it each week in the trash. However, since this past summer we have been finding wood roaches – two outdoors on our deck and three indoors. Could

our disposal routine be attracting these roaches? – Cindy in MichiganDEAR CINDY: A bit of research gave me some insight into wood roaches, and I am reasonably sure your disposal method is not causing the infestation – and in fact, you may not have a big prob-lem.

Wood roaches are very differ-ent from the German cockroach (a tough-to-eradicate house pest). They live and breed out-doors. Homeowners most often see them in the warmer months, between May and October, ac-cording to colonialpest.com. Their breeding season is in May and June.

Most wood roaches enter through small cracks or openings

in a home, but they can some-times be carried inside with fire-wood or other items that are stored outdoors. They’re also attracted to lights and can sneak into the house that way.

Wood roaches can’t breed in-doors and usually can’t survive in an indoor environment. You can shoo them outside in most cases, rather than using pesti-cides to kill them. They’re actu-ally beneficial to the woods and wild areas around your home, although they are unsightly.

So, as long as your dog’s drop-pings aren’t causing an odor problem that bothers your neigh-bors or attracts other pests, your collection and storage methods probably are OK.

Send your questions or tips to ask@pawscorner.com, or write to Paw’s Corner, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. For more pet care-related advice and information, visit www.pawscorner.com.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Ever lose your Quickbooks (QB) data? That is a sinking feel-ing no one likes to experience. Multiple and frequent backups are the key to avoiding disaster. If your file becomes corrupt you can easily restore a backup, and you are back in business. However …

If you do not have a backup and the file you are trying to open is corrupt, there may be a way to recover your data. In QB 2010 (re-lease 12), or in version 2011 (re-lease 6, or later), there is a func-tion that creates an automatic

data recovery file. The file is your company name followed by the extension .qbw.adr.

To find this file, search for the folder QuickbooksAutoDataRe-covery (all together). Inside that folder is the .adr file you are look-ing for. Next, find your corrupt file, and copy, then paste it into an-other folder (create one called old data). Then copy the .adr file and paste it to the desktop for easy access. Close all windows and go to the desktop. Right click the file and select rename. Delete the .adr

at the end of the file name. Now the company file has only .qbw as the extension.

Open QuickBooks, select your desktop copy of the company file, and make sure your data are cur-rent. Use the verify data utility to make sure all transactions were restored.

Remember, make multiple backups of your QB data!!

For more tips, visit chapin-business.com. For answers to your technology questions, call us at 203-262-1869.

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Adopt A Rescue pet

For more information on these pets, call 203-758-2933 or visit Animals For Life at the Middlebury Transfer Station on Rte. 63 at the corner of Woodside Ave. Adoption hours are Mondays and Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 12 to 3 p.m. For more about the adoption process, visit www.animalsforlifect.org.

For more information on these animals, as well as others at Meriden Humane Society, email merid-ensociety@sbcglobal.net. MHS is open from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, and volunteers can be available to meet with you through an appointment. MHS is at 311 Murdock Ave. in Meriden.

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Your pet could be featured as “Pet of the Week” in this picture frame. Send us your pet’s photo by email to mbi-submit@gmail or by regular mail to P.O. Box 10, Middle-bury, CT 06762 along with your pet’s name, your last name and your town. 

Send in your pet photos

PET OF THE WEEK

PEARLPearl has been patiently awaiting a new family

for a few months now. She was saved from the basement of an abandoned building in New Ha-ven. This sweetie is between 1 to 2 years old, and she is very friendly. Pearl is wonderful with people! She will gently reach out of her crate to say “Hello” or try and get some attention from people who visit. Pearl is certain to compliment just about any household! If you would like to meet this petite princess, please visit her at the AFL shelter.

BRANDOBrando is a 3- to 4-year-old Poodle/Bichon mix

who is settling into his foster home nicely. He is very playful and active, and loves to be with his people. He would be best in a home where he’ll get lots of attention all day. Brando is fine with cats and enjoys visits from people and other pets. Brando will need a fully fenced yard or leash walks, as he is always looking for ways to escape and go on adventures! To find out more about him, call 203-758-2933. He is not living at the shelter, so an appointment to meet him is needed.

CHAMPAGNEChampagne has been here for such a long time,

and although she is doing well, I am sure she would love the comfort of a family, one who will not judge her, especially for the scars from her past life left upon her face. She is starting to get along with others very well, especially with male large-breed dogs. No small dogs or cats allowed, as she will not get along with them. Champagne loves to be loved, go for walks and adores playing in the yard.

MORGANWhat a sweet silly girl Morgan is! Morgan has

been here for over a year-and-a-half now and had ACL surgery that went very well! She is ready to find that forever friend she has been waiting for! Morgan loves other dogs, older children and adores taking baths in the tub. She is completely housetrained and has even learned to love cats! She will make such a great companion for an active family who has the time to properly exercise her as she needs the room to run and play!!

Bee-Intelligencer readers' contributions are among these beautiful prom dresses at Defining Moments Salon at 344 Middlebury Road in MIddlebury. The salon is collecting dresses through March 29 for the "Princess and the Prom" program that ensures all girls can feel like a princess the night of their prom. (Marjorie Needham photo)