Groton Times

A Playground For and By the Community:Fully inclusive play area undergoing finishing touches

Kristal Spence — Thu, 08 May 2008 20:43:13 GMT

It’s almost done. The wooden gazebo surrounded by the bright red slides, unfinished green swing set, and blue poles used for railings and other accents is visible from the street on Fort Hill Road in Groton. The blueprint of the fully inclusive Tercentennial Legacy Playground at the Poquonnock Plains Park, a tribute to Groton’s 300th anniversary in 2005, is finally becoming a reality. The playground is expected to welcome visitors this summer.

Though the playground has a black sign with orange letters stating ‘Keep Out’ and an additional wooden sign reminding would-be revelers that the area is not yet open for use, Jerry Lokken, manager of recreation services for the Groton Parks and Recreation Department, said they had no choice but to surround the playground with a fence to keep kids off the equipment.

“They wouldn’t stay off of it,” he said laughing. “It’s that attractive.”

“Even though the equipment has been installed, the area remains closed to protect the safety of park users,” Lokken quoted Director of Parks and Recreation John Silsby in a recent press release.

Lokken added that the only item left to complete is the installation of safety surfacing material. But the surfacing costs money. To date, Lokken said the playground committee has raised $330,000 from hundreds of contributors for the project. The committee hopes to raise an additional $25,000 by mid-May to cover the entire surface with a rubberized material that provides protection against falls. The rubberized material, Lokken added in the release, will also be smooth enough to allow people with walkers, strollers, and wheelchairs to get around easily.

Lokken said the original plan was to use wood fiber as protection against falls. After performing additional research, it was discovered that wood fiber needs constant maintenance for upkeep and that navigating the material would be much harder for people with mobility problems than travel on rubberized materials.

In a week’s time, Lokken said they’ve received a couple of thousand dollars toward the cause and he hopes that as they spread the word, they will receive more donations to finish the project the best way possible.

“If the money is not raised, a portion of the surface will be covered with wood fiber,” Lokken said in the release. “The committee is hoping donors can contribute the relatively small amount remaining.”

The committee is also looking for volunteers from the community interested in participating in a work day to be scheduled within the next few weeks.

“Volunteers with shovels, rakes, and wheelbarrows are needed to help prepare the base material for the surfacing,” Lokken said in the release.

It’s no secret that the model of the playground is different from other playgrounds in the community. Its origin came from the idea to provide a place for all children from all walks of life to enjoy the outdoor activities a playground can provide. The question remains if the project will achieve its original goal.

“The design, equipment, and location promote opportunities for people of varying abilities, ages, and generations to be involved with each other,” Lokken added in the release. “The playground will provide opportunities for users to experience a deep sense of belonging, interaction, and acceptance.”

“We’ve been working on this project for years and it is so encouraging to be so close to completion. The playground committee is hopeful the community will pitch in one more time to allow us to finish the job,” Lokken quoted Town Manager Mark Oefinger in the release.

“The community should be proud of itself,” Lokken quoted Silsby, “and soon they’ll be able to enjoy a state-of-the-art playground that provides opportunities for the whole community.”

Donors and volunteers are encouraged to contact Groton Parks and Recreation at 536-5680 or visit grotonrec.com for more information.

Ghost Chat New England Comes to Groton Public Access Television

Suzanne Thompson — Thu, 08 May 2008 04:31:00 GMT

Cindy Corriveau of Salem and Nancy Krissoff of Norwich are kindred spirits: Both are paranormal investigators, about 48 years old, and members of the Salem Lions. They are also co-hosts and producers of Ghost Chat New England: History, Mystery, Legends, and Ghosts, a zany local television show all about anything that has happened— or will be happening—in Connecticut and beyond.

The show is carried on public access cable channels in Groton and Norwich and on the Internet. With 39 episodes under their belts and still counting, Ghost Chat New England holds the distinction of being Google Videos’ seventh most-shared video across the globe in April 2008. It also has hit the Top 100 and Google’s Movers several times.

The two gals dreamed up the show after Kerrie O’Connor, a professional medium in Salem, hooked them up with Rapid Freeman, the producer and host on The Witchen’ Hour, another cable access show.

“Nancy and I started chit-chatting in 2004,” said Cindy, who has worked as a journalist for The Reminder, a local paper. “If Rapid could have a show, why couldn’t we?”

An old college friend, Robert Lee Teague, now a music teacher with his own jazz band, had recorded an eerie song with an old girlfriend, and agreed to perform it for their intro. They borrowed period clothes from the Salem Historical Society, where Cindy is president, blew some smoke around appropriately old, historic buildings in town and turned on the camera.

The show got put on hold for about a year, though, when Cindy took on the assignment of writing Salem: Images of America, part of the popular Arcadia Publishing series. The book was published in April 2006.

“Nancy kept asking me, ‘When are we going to do the show...?’” said Corriveau, who also works part time for the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services. They had begun collecting names of paranormal investigators even before prime time’s SciFi ghost-hunting show caught on, she said, and found strong interest. So they approached Comcast Norwich, took the public access training courses, and went to work on the shows.

The premier show aired in October 2006, in time for Halloween. A new episode is produced every second Thursday, using the Norwich Comcast studios and interviews shot on location.

Guests have included SciFi ghosthunter Carl Johnson; Laurie Cabot, the U.S. matriarch of Wicca, the pagan religion; Anna Robles, an international medium; and young author Estevan Vega.

The hosts also seek out local guests. Past shows have featured author Robert Kim Bingham on his book about his father, Hiram Bingham IV, the U.S. diplomat who defied American orders in World War II France to help Jews flee the ***, and a tribute to Mr. Sigmund Strochlitz, businessman and benefactor of the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. Others have covered area historical societies and the history of African captivity in southeastern Connecticut.

“We like to promote promising local authors, artists, and musicians who might not otherwise be on prime time television but that want promotion or practice,” Corriveau said. “We’re providing a service to anyone who would like to be on our show. It really is not all about ghosts.”

Krissoff is the natural interviewer and loves to ask the questions, said Corriveau, who prefers to focus on the public relations, marketing, and show production. It was a conscious decision to leave the show title broad enough to accommodate just about anything.

“I figure anything is history once it happens,” she said. “I’m also documenting local history.”

The show is one of those things a person has to watch in order to describe what’s going on.

Krissoff and Corriveau dress up for their shows, keeping with the theme and season. For St. Patrick’s Day, they donned giant green hats and added the obligatory O’ and Mac in front of their last names. For Presidents Day, they sported cotton beards and patriotic hats.

There’s also a regular guest on the show: Ghosty, a paper mache and fabric Halloween decoration, about a foot long, flits around the set, thanks to someone off-screen pulling a fishing line string.

“It’s kind of corny,” Corriveau admits, “but it makes people remember us. Sometimes he dresses up to match us.”

Although it’s tough for the co-hosts to pick a favorite episode or guest, perhaps one of their most exciting was the personal interview with comedian, actor, and author Gene Wilder, known for his work in shows including Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. They interviewed him in Hartford in April before he was honored with a Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism Award.

“It was so much fun, he was so sweet,” Corriveau said. “Here we are with this legendary superstar so well-known, and he’s holding the microphone for us.”

They asked Wilder about Gilda’s Club Worldwide, started in honor of his late wife, comedian Gilda Radner, who died of ovarian cancer in 1989. It has grown to 18 organizations in the U.S., two in Canada, and one in England, providing free emotional and social assistance to cancer patients and their families.

The Wilder show, recently aired on Norwich Comcast, is available online. DVDs of some past shows also can be checked out at the Salem library, Corriveau said.

For now, Ghost Chat is a labor of love for both women and members of their families, who comprise Ghostlady Productions. Stephen Burton, Krissoff’s husband, a former Navy submariner, is the cameraman and production specialist. His daughter, Jessica, did a lot of the work before moving to South Carolina. Corriveau’s husband, Dan, gets involved, too. Their son, Quinn, is 11.

“One minute final show is an hour of editing,” Corriveau said. “So a 20-minute segment is like 20 hours of editing.”

After using cable access equipment, the families decided to invest in their own television camera and editing equipment. They edit in Adobe program software.

“As we’re evolving, we see that we need better equipment,” she said. “Steve has really mastered the editing and special effects. We’re appearing and disappearing.”

The two women have helped each other manifest some of their lifelong dreams through the show. Krissoff always wanted to be a television announcer, something she pretended to do while going to high school in New Jersey.

Krissoff’s other dream is to be a pilot. Corriveau is working on getting her co-host up in the air, piloting a plane with an instructor. That just might be a future episode.

“When I was young, I wanted to be a writer,” Corriveau said. “It wasn’t as easy to publish then as it is now.”

She got very involved in her church and volunteered in psychiatric hospitals, for the Salvation Army, and started volunteering for the Department of Mental Retardation at the New Britain General Hospital when she was 13 years old.

“I also had all of these humanitarian ideals—I guess I was kind of a hippy,” she laughed. “I wanted to help the world.”

Corriveau is continuing her objectives through the show’s lineup of guests and topics.

“We try to promote diversity,” she said. “Race, religious beliefs, and backgrounds. It’s an opportunity to educate people in a subtle way.”

Through the Salem Lions, the Historical Society, Habitat for Humanity, and other groups, the two have a good pulse beat of what’s going on around town and the region.

“If it wasn’t for the town of Salem electing me president of the Historical Society about six years ago, and believing in me, I would never have gotten as far as I have,” said Corriveau, who moved there about 15 years ago. “They just welcomed me with open arms and gave me so many opportunities, and believed in me; that’s why I’ve managed to do what I’ve done. I’m really proud of this town.”

Longer-term, the two would love for the show to become syndicated. Corriveau is pursuing the possibility of 501(c)3 nonprofit organization status. She’d also like to throw a big town Halloween party, hosted by Ghost Chat New England.

“Ghost Chat New England will continue to support local talent and cover historical and legendary sites to give them visibility,” Corriveau said. “We will also reach out to famous talent and celebrities. Who knows who will be the next guest?”

Ghost Chat New England airs on Groton Comcast on Thursdays at 8 p.m.and on Norwich Channel 14 on 7:30 p.m. on Fridays.

Past and current shows can be watched at www.freewebs.com/ghostlady40.

Fashion Report: Fitch seniors take to the runway

Kristal Spence — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:26:54 GMT

Fitch High School held its 2008 Talent and Fashion Show April 26, an evening filled with entertainment and some modeling. With radio personality Angie from 102.3 FM, The Wolf, as the emcee, the seniors modeled the latest fashion trends and impressed the audience with their talents.

Co-chairman of the fashion show Lisa Dennison of Noank said she became involved with the show last fall when she joined Fitch’s 2008 Drug- and Alcohol-Free Graduation Party Committee because her daughter, Jessica, is a senior this year.

“I decided to volunteer when I heard how much the students enjoyed doing the show and that it was really missed last year when there was no...show,” Dennison said. “Sue Taylor, whose son, Geoff, is also a senior, and I have been working on the fashion show since last November.”

This year’s talent portion of the show featured students of all grades using their wide range of abilities. Most of the students performed original songs, showcasing a variety of choreography, instrumental accompaniment, and several duets.

“With the prom season upon us, the fashion show [highlighted] formal wear from Deb’s and Sir Tux,” Dennison said. “Bob’s Stores, Chico’s, and EMS [showed off] the latest in the look for spring and summer.”

“It’s a combination of fashion so they can show the current trends and then explore the talents of the senior class this year,” Principal Robert Bacewicz said, adding that the event is one of the school’s more successful and popular programs. He said the event is truly run by the parents of the senior class and all of the proceeds go toward the seniors’ after-graduation party.

Dennison said the show began to really come together in the last few weeks before the event.

“I would say the hardest task for me has been finding stores willing to participate in the fashion show,” Dennison said. “The stores that are participating this year have been incredibly enthusiastic and helpful in working with the students. It’s also been difficult staying in contact with students despite the fact that they all have cell phones. Word-of-mouth seemed much more effective!”

The best part of the show, she added, was working with the students who were all very enthusiastic.

“The talent is impressive, and although it’s been quite a challenge to
coordinate 50 or more students, Sue and I agree it’s a lot of fun,” Dennison continued.

The Graduation Party Committee is also hosting a golf tournament at the Shennecossett Golf Course May 16. To participate, payment fees are due by May 2.

For more information regarding the golf tournament, contact Annette Lapietra at 536-6703 or Liz Walsh at 446-1690.

Going Out with a Bark: Meet the members of Charles Barnum Elementary’s Book Club

Kristal Spence — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:24:16 GMT

It was hard for Jennifer Harren, a third-grade teacher at Charles Barnum Elementary School in Groton, to keep her students focused April 22 during her Book Club program. After all, there was a dog in the room.

Therapy dog Bentley visited as the class read Nora the Fifty Cent Dog by local author Lolly Stoddard.

A teacher in Groton for seven years—six at Mary Morrisson and one at Charles Barnum—Harren said she was notified in mid-January of the grant she received from the Groton Education Foundation to commence the book club program.

“I had written a book grant previously with Sue Morehouse, the principal at Mary Morrisson, and this was an extension of one of the book clubs from last year,” Harren said.

She explained that the club consisted of 20 students with teachers Janice Salemma and Laurie Hinckey helping out.

“We had to limit the number of kids due to space and staff limits, and each child gets a copy of the book,” she continued. “The kids have loved it so far—they give up lunch/recess on Tuesdays to join. I think they like discussing topics and relating it to their own life in a relaxed, non-threatening atmosphere. The parent surveys to date have been positive.”

Eating pizza and celebrating the club’s finale of the program, the class welcomed Assistant Animal Control Officer Melissa Bouffard from the Groton Animal Control shelter.

Bouffard brought a book filled with pictures of dogs to teach the children visual signals they can look for when they encounter a dog.

“When dogs are scared they’ll crouch down to the floor, like this dog’s doing,” Bouffard said as she pointed to one of the pictures in the book.

Though she said this was her first experience teaching children in a classroom setting, Bouffard comfortably circled the room, showing the students different pictures, answering their questions, and listening to their own dog stories.

At the end of Bouffard’s presentation, Harren told Bouffard that in honor of her visit and the class’s animal-themed book club, the third-graders had filled a large box full of cat food, dog food, treats, toys, and a $50 gift card to Pets Plus in Groton for Bouffard to take back to the animal shelter.

At the end of the program, Harren recapped how children should not approach stray dogs and should always ask the owner of a dog before petting one before she gave the children the opportunity to pet therapy dog Bentley.

One by one, each student asked Bentley’s owner, Mrs. Stein, before petting the dog.

Now that the program is over, Harren said she plans to ask the kids how she can make the book club better.

“They have already given me ideas,” she said. “I think it shows them that reading is fun,” she said, referring to the book club program. “You do not have to be the best reader or the smartest kid in the class to enjoy reading. A lot of the kids like the idea of making a picture in their minds and comparing what they ‘see.’ They also love sharing parts of their own lives that are similar to the books.”

Performing with Distinction: Groton resident leads Con Brio Society on tour

Kristal Spence — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:44:17 GMT

Celebrating 11 years, the Con Brio Choral Society filled the rooms within the Christ the King Roman Catholic Church in Old Lyme April 13 with music and song. Under the direction of Dr. Stephen D. Bruce of Groton, music director and conductor, the society drew from its audience laughter, participation, and an overwhelming applause after each piece.

Helen Barnett, Con Brio’s publicist, stated that the auditioned choir of professional and amateur voices has established a reputation for presenting challenging music and performing each work in the language it was originally written, mentioning examples such as Latin, German, Russian, and French.

“We limit ourselves to 50, because we don’t want to be any bigger than 50,” Bruce said, referring to the number of singers in the choir. “We want to maintain that small group, family feel where everyone in the group knows everyone’s name.”

Bruce said Con Brio sometimes loses members who move away from the area or other circumstances, and that’s why they hold auditions at the beginning of each concert season.

“For the first concert, we audition for the first week of September, and then we have the Christmas concert in December,” he said. “Then we audition for the first week of January for the concert in April.”

Involved since the beginning, Bruce said the group began with very experienced choral singers from Essex and Old Saybrook.

“They were looking to start a new group, and they were also involved in a project called Summer Sings,” Bruce explained.

During the Summer Sings performances, held at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Old Saybrook, there are five or six sessions where a different conductor is invited to each session.

“I happened to be conducting one the summer [Con Brio] was looking for a conductor,” Bruce continued. “I guess they liked me during the Summer Sing, so they invited me to be the conductor of the new group. That was 11 years ago.”

Describing the society as exciting, dramatic, and encompassing wonderful performances of a wide variety of choral music, Bruce said Con Brio concerts typically feature one big piece that they refer to as a major work, usually accompanied by an orchestra.

“That really just means that they’re long,” Bruce said. “They’ll typically be a half an hour to an hour long.”

He explained that major works are divided into smaller group parts, incorporating some solo movements and then movements from the whole chorus. The second half, he continued, is usually shorter music, mentioning examples such as Renaissance pieces, serious a cappella pieces, and folk song arrangements.

Bruce said he spends a lot of his time picking the different selections for the chorus to sing.

“I go to choral director conventions where you listen and watch the music, and I go to reader sessions and other choirs’ concerts, so I’m always on the lookout for music that would be right for the group,” he explained. “So that’s a fun part of it that I do mostly by myself.”

After consulting with the society’s music committee, he said, the group moves on to the process of learning the music.

“Fortunately most of the singers are experienced, so they’re good sight-readers and they’ve sung a lot of music. So it’s not as challenging as it could be,” he added.

The first piece performed at the April 13 spring concert was J.S. Bach’s “Jesu, meine Freude,” meaning “Jesus My Joy,” a piece Bruce called one of their more challenging pieces. Though it’s a funeral piece, he said he wouldn’t call it sad because it’s also very powerful.

In contrast, during the second half of the performance, Con Brio gently sung “There Will Be Rest” by Frank Ticheli, a piece Bruce said was written in honor of an 18-month-old boy who died.

“It’s kind of a sad piece, but a very strong message of hope,” he said.

A piece that made the audience smile was mountain song “Nelly Bly” written by Stephen Foster and arranged by John Holloran.

“The guys sort of say to their wives [in the song] it’s time for us to start sharing the housework,” Bruce said. “So how about we do this. In saying to the wife he says, ‘You do the cooking and cleaning and I’ll do the banjo playing.’”

“It’s a mixture of work,” Barnett noted, “and some of it is more classical…there’s the ending where there’s the folk spirituals and the other numbers where the audience can join in, so it’s a nice unusual mixture of works.”

A regular member of the Christ the King Roman Catholic Church, Fideles Florkoski of Westbrook said after a dull winter, the concert was an uplifting and delightful experience.

“The molding of the voices was done very professionally, and I think it’s something that any age can enjoy…it was the right performance at the right time,” she said.

“I think [Bruce]’s built that chorus into quite a professional group and I think there is a lot of camaraderie,” Barnett said. “People really enjoy each others’ company, and I think that means a great deal, too. They’re quite a close-knit group and all ages...it’s quite a mixture of people but all coming together and working hard to put on a fine performance, which I think they achieved.”

“We have wonderful people in this group and there’s the music,” Bruce said, explaining his interest in the group. “We’ve really worked very hard on the music and the end product is something that we’re really proud of. Part of it is what you deliver to the audience and part of it is to experience it.”

Performing two concerts a year, the society will make its second international appearance with a concert tour of Germany and the Czech Republic in May.

Barnett said the chorus has also performed in Italy on a tour that included performances in Florence and at St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice. She added that she believes this opportunity to perform in European countries holds great appeal for this adventurous chorus, particularly because Germany is the birthplace of many musical geniuses, among them Beethoven, Brahms, Bach, Mendelssohn, and Wagner.

“Germany, and especially the cities we will be visiting and performing in, is the cradle of much of the music which we continue to sing today,” noted Bruce. “Naturally a highlight will be to sing in Bach’s churches. When we perform in magnificent venues like the Duomo in Florence, where we sang our last tour, I have the feeling that our voices are mingling with the sounds of music of the last 800 years.”

For more information about the Con Brio Choral Society, visit www.conbrio.org. Non-members interested in joining the tour can call 860-767-8998.

Safety Program Opens at Branford Manor

Kristal Spence — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:40:34 GMT

Branford Manor residents and children of all ages in Groton crowded into the Groton City Police Substation located on Mather Avenue on April 16 as they learned about a new program called HES: Health, Education, and Safety Satellite.

Sherry Bassi, faculty member of the UConn School of Nursing and wellness coordinator for the Visiting Nurse Association of Southeastern Connecticut, said she had heard that the space at the police substation at Branford Manor was under-utilized and that there was space for programs. After approaching Groton City Police Chief Bruno Giulini, she said he was very receptive and helpful with putting the program together.

“Before you know it, we all started meeting and it all just snowballed,” she said.

The City of Groton Police, in conjunction with the Catherine Kolnaski School staff, the owner of Branford Manor Bay Management Corporation, the UConn School of Nursing faculty and students, the VNA of Southeastern Connecticut, and Groton Human Services, are now providing programs and activities for the local residents.

“It’s to build a sense of community for the residents so that they have a place that can be like a center. That’s why we call it the satellite,” Bassi said. “What that means is that it’s a satellite…where we all will promote health, education, and safety.”

Bassi said the women’s group is one of the programs they’re focused on promoting.

“This women’s group will be dealing with women’s issues,” she explained. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be recovery from substance abuse. They could be recovering from an illness, recovering from a domestic violence situation …We’re looking for not only women who have problems, but women where ‘life is good’ so we can support each other.”

UConn nursing students, Bassi added, will be presenting a wellness series and every Tuesday they’ll offer programs on general wellness.

Bassi’s husband, Dominick Bassi, principal of the Catherine Kolnaski school, said the school has been trying to get more involved in the community and believes HES will able to achieve that. He plans to provide a toddler group program once a week, and begin a parent support group and an educational reading program in future weeks. He thanked Eastern Point School for their donation of most of the furniture now at the satellite.

Alison Robinson, spokesperson and school psychologist of the Catherine Kolnaski school, agreed with the program Principal Bassi mentioned and added the idea of a math program.

“When we moved to the new school, it was farther away from the parents and where they live,” Robinson said. “So when we offered a parent training program, we wouldn’t get a good turnout. We figured we can hold the trainings here [at the substation] closer to them. It’s helping the children because of the after school [programs] and I think it’s really neat and really important.”

She said the different organizations are figuring out what hours they can cover to keep the satellite open for visiting local residents as well as writing a grant to a local organization to gain more materials such as computers.

“I’m glad there are so many families here and it’s great to collaborate with everyone,” Robinson said. “It’s been a really good experience.”

Sharon Burbelo of the VNA of Southeastern Connecticut in Waterford said she’s fortunate to be the visiting nurse for several mothers of newborns who are in Branford Manor and participate in a program called Nurse Family Program.

“I begin to see them during their first trimester of pregnancy and I get to follow them all the way until the kids are 2,” she said. “Moms want to take care of their families…they want to know how to keep their kids safe. No matter what, that’s what mothers want to do.”

She said she was asked by the different organizations to come on board with everyone and she has agreed to come to the satellite twice a month on Wednesdays to help out. She plans to come armed with topics and suggestions for mothers but will tailor what she discusses based on who comes to the program.

“So if I only have pregnant women, we’ll talk about how to have a healthy pregnancy,” she said. “If I only get mothers with 2-year-olds who keep sticking their fingers in outlets, we can talk about how to keep their kids safe…Moms are looking for support and this is another opportunity to help.”
Kari Corveno, Branford Manor’s new property manager, said she’s new to Connecticut, has been in the business for 19 years, and began her current position March 3.

“It has been great to meet everyone in the community right off the bat,” she said. “It’s been wonderful how warm and open everyone in Groton has been for me.” She added that property owners Bay Management are thrilled to have the new program in Branford.

“It was out of their good will that we were able to come in,” Dominick said of Corveno and Bay Management.

Tom Forbes, who has been lieutenant of the Groton City Police Department for 26 years, agreed that the collaboration of the different organizations and agencies has been a success.

“It’s really about delivering the services to the public and to the community,” Forbes said. “The police department has been having community policing services in this community for some time and we really look to strengthen that with the partners that we have here today.”

He explained that the substation will still be a source for direct help from the local Groton City police and the programs provided through HES are an extension of their current services.

“It’s when there’s time of need…we have this resource that can really make a difference,” Forbes said.

CSI in Groton:Streeter reveals a world of examination

Kristal Spence — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:19:45 GMT

Forensic science examiner James Streeter of Groton set up an eye-opening PowerPoint presentation at the Bill Memorial Library in Groton City, April 3. Groton-area residents were treated to a peek of real untelevised CSI work up-close and personal. By presenting some crime scenes, information on cases, and examples of the capabilities of some of his high-tech devices, Streeter’s audience of about 30 were amazed.

“I’m on the board of trustees for the library…they know that I work at the Forensic Science Laboratory [and] they asked if I could give a presentation to help out the library,” Streeter said.

Streeter presented what he calls “the CSI stuff.” In the field of forensics for more than 25 years, Streeter explained to the library audience that he worked for the Connecticut State Crime Laboratory in Meriden for 13 years, assisting in the development of many cases in a variety of ways. He said his type of work is not like what viewers see on television shows, where cases are always solved within the hour.

In a recent interview, Streeter said one of his special disciplines was being a questioned document examiner.

“A questioned document examiner does handwriting and signature comparisons…we look at documents for alteration, obliterations, and erasures,” he explained.

He added that he examines indented writing and different types of ink and restores documents.

“There can be documents that have gotten wet, charred, or burned up in a fire,” Streeter explained. “We restore those, mostly just to determine the authenticity of a document.”

During Streeter’s slide show at the library, he also discussed different situations in which he used his skills as an imprint and impressions examiner, showing examples of its use to indicate footprints and tire impressions.

“If you step in blood, you step over here and then step over there, I can compare the impressions that you left with your shoes, and, egotistically, there’s 58 of us in the world that are certified to do that,” he said. “If a particular device or instrument was used as an assault weapon…we make a determination to try to find out what instrument or device made that and compare the marks.”

He added that an imprint and an impression are two different things.
“An imprint is two dimensions—length and width—and an impression is three-dimensional, where it also has depth. For instance, if you stepped into mud or snow, that’s an impression.”

A couple of Streeter’s slides had the crowd smiling and laughing in amazement as he displayed the abilities of some of his key high-tech lab equipment. He displayed many slides showing lines of black ink, and Streeter noted that to the naked eye, they all looked the same. His next slide showed different lines of black ink through alternate light systems, magnifying the inks and revealing their differences.

He used a picture of a forged check he had examined in one of his cases as an example of how this information would be helpful. It was evident that the check had been altered from a $6 check into a $60 check when the alternate lighting system was used and the check was magnified.

Streeter then introduced the room to his ESDA, or Electrostatic Detection Apparatus.

“We use that for indented writing,” he explained to the audience.

The device, he said, depending on the amount of pressure that was used when the document was written, can pick up previous writing that was done on top of a sheet of paper. In other words, if you have written your phone number on a piece of paper on a note-pad and removed that piece of paper to write an address, ESDA could pick up the previous written phone number from as deep as 15 pages.

To give examples of the device’s capabilities, Streeter discussed different cases where notes were left at every crime scene, and through indented writing, examiners could tell that the first note was written on top of the paper used for the second note and that the first and second notes were written on top of the paper that was used for the third note and so on. With the help of ESDA, he said he was able to indicate which note came first.

Director of the Bill Memorial Library Hali Keeler said the program turned out very well and that the crowd was so enthusiastic about his presentation, they didn’t want it to end. She was particularly impressed by the amount of knowledge Streeter presented and the way he made its technical aspects accessible to the public.

“You see it on television all the time, but here is this guy that lives in the neighborhood that does it every day…I think that’s what made it amazing,” Keeler noted.

Providing lectures on “CSI stuff” around the local area, Streeter said it was his apprenticeship and job training in law enforcement since he was in his early 20s that got him into this line of work.

“I apprenticed under both of those positions [as questioned document examiner and as a certified imprint and impressions examiner] under court-qualified examiners,” he added. “Every day is different, I know I’m contributing to society by doing the examinations. I can either identify or eliminate a suspect. That’s extremely important because by doing that…we can mostly bring my cases to a satisfactory conclusion.”

Seeking Sea Scouts: Youth program to hold open house April 21

Kristal Spence — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:16:38 GMT

As the winter melted away and spring approached, the Groton-based Sea Scouts held an open house April 6 at the U.S. Veterans Base in Groton. Skipper of the Sea Scout Ship Dragon (SSS 584) Marshall Parsons reports that the program is branching out and seeking new faces to get involved in its activities.

Sea Scouting promotes character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness. According to its Web site, “Sea Scouting is a youth development program for young men and women who are 14 (and have completed the eighth grade) through 20 years of age. Part of Venturing, its purpose is to provide positive experiences to help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults.”

“At the same time, we know that the program must satisfy the desire for fun and adventure,” Parsons added.

Based in Groton, the Sea Scouts will host another open house on Monday, April 21, at the U.S. Submarine Veterans Base, 40 School Street, Groton, from 7 to 9 p.m. The event will again provide information about the organization and explain its upcoming Pine Island Cleanup, on Sunday, May 4. The scouts’ Web site, http://subvetsgroton.org/seascout/default.aspx, states that the event is co-sponsored by ShopRite Supermarkets. The Sea Scouts will be a part of ShopRite’s Earth Day mission to promote civic engagement, broaden the meaning of environment, and mobilize communities.

The Sea Scouts will be rowing as a group to Pine Island to spruce it up, supporting the local John Gardner Chapter of the Traditional Small Craft Association.

“Because of the warm invite from the local John Gardner Chapter and our similar interest in small-craft boating, I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to get our youth out on the water,” Parsons said. “Getting their sea legs and a taste of the water will be just right for the new crew members who have joined us during our open houses.”

Parsons said he looks forward to the adventure the scouts will have rowing out to an island in search of trash and treasure.

“I feel it is exciting to be a part of something much bigger than ourselves,” he noted.

For more information about the Sea Scouts, send an e-mail to twinpars@earthlink.net or call Marshall Parsons at 860-448-1215. To view pictures of the scouts’ last cleanup, visit www.tsca.net/johngardner/pine_island2001.htm.

A World of Words: Groton Library studies, celebrates China

Kristal Spence — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:11:50 GMT

Aside from April being the host month of National Library Week, Reference Librarian Jean Schweid said it’s also the Groton Public Library’s second year of participating in the “World of Words” program, which is funded by the Connecticut Center for the Book at the Hartford Public Library.

“We happen to be an affiliate…so different libraries across the state come together for this World of Words celebration,” Schweid explained. “Every library that participates picks a different country to study.”

Schweid said the library picked China this year, because of the growing Chinese-American population in the area—and because its culture is so different than American culture. Coordinating a month of festivities to surround the program, she said planning started in August and had to be finished by December of last year.

At the beginning of the month, a children’s program titled “Family Stories and Fun - China, the Chinese Zodiac, and Chinese Paper Cuts” taught participants about Chinese zodiac signs. The program was accompanied by stories, snacks, crafts, and other activities. The Asian Performing Arts Company brought music, song, and dance to the library, and an associate professor of Chinese at Connecticut College read excerpts of Chinese women’s literature and led a book discussion of Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie.

And that was only in the first two weeks of the program.

“We’re going to have exhibits all month in the display cases,” Schweid noted. “We’ll have artifacts in the cases, like pottery and clothes.”

She added that the work by students of local artist Eva Leong also will be displayed on the library’s walls. Leong will visit the library Wednesday, April 16, to discuss Chinese art.

“I’m from China,” Leong said. “I left China in 1982.” Growing up around different forms of painting, Leong naturally pursued painting at the Parsons School of Design in New York. Now a resident of Mystic, Leong is a visiting artist, who teaches at different magnet schools and leads special workshops and programs across Connecticut. At the Groton library, she will discuss how to capture the essence of objects or subjects through big brush strokes.

“It’s the type of painting that paints the mind, body, and soul…A couple strokes can look like a horse,” Leong explained. “With just very few strokes, something can jump out. That’s what I teach. So I teach kids a different lifestyle. In other words, I teach them to look at things differently…Kids have to feel the difference between each object so eventually they begin to look at the world differently.”

“She’s going to give an introduction of what Chinese watercolors are about, give a demonstration, and then at the end of the program she’ll let the audience participate,” Schweid added, “but it won’t be a one-on-one art lesson. I think this is something that she’s very popular for and she does incredible work. I think there will be quite a crowd.”

Children’s Librarian Sue Palmieri will read about and teach children how to make Chinese characters during the library’s “Family Stories & Fun - Chinese Characters” program on Thursday, April 17, and Wednesday, April 23. Schweid said there will be a Tai Chi and Qigong overview, as well, instructed by Mystic resident Gary Donovan.

A Tai Chi and Qigong teacher for 13 years, Donovan said he’s taught throughout Mystic and at senior centers in Groton, Westerly, Pawcatuck, and North Stonington. He also teaches privately, and will be the master of ceremonies this year for the World Tai Chi and Qigong Day celebration to be held at Waterford Town Beach in April.

“I have both a ‘modern’ certification: 200 classroom-training hours with written material requirements and continual study obligations,” Donovan said. “I have a ‘traditional’ certification, as well, whereby Grand Master Jiang Jian-ye of Albany, N.Y., has deemed me a teacher of his Health Preservation Series of Tai Chi and Qigong material. It is rather unusual to hold both types of certifications.”

Donovan said his journey of getting involved with the different ancient Chinese exercises and movements began in the 1980s when he suffered a back injury.

“Some years later I severely re-injured my back and was told by my orthopedist to avoid a second surgical intervention [and] that it would not be as successful as the first,” he explained. “I noticed on a flyer in Westerly that the study of Tai Chi was being recommended to help with back problems and pain, and I began my study in North Stonington at that time.”
He said the practices helped ease his pain and after deciding to become a full-time teacher of Tai Chi and Qigong, he entered the Tai Chi teachers’ certification program. He said the National Institute of Health has determined the practices lead to improved health for many people and have no negative side effects.

After participating in his program at the library, Donovan hopes people will feel more empowered about their own health and the health of others.

“After all, each of us has the opportunity, if not the responsibility, to make healthy choices of what and how much we eat, when we retire for the evening, and what activities we bring into our lives.”

After many other programs, the month of festivities about China ends Monday, April 28, with a special celebration.

“It’s a multi-ethnic celebration, and it’s a time to really try to focus of the culture and literature of the world,” Schweid said. “So many people in America have come from somewhere else…This also helps us focus on where their roots are and especially on the roots of literature…Last year, we did India. We had a great success with that and big crowds and hopefully this year will go well, too.”

Focused on Finance: Charter Oak Federal Credit Union At Fitch High School

Kristal Spence — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:06:39 GMT

The Charter Oak Federal Credit Union opened at Robert E. Fitch High School on April 4 to commence its Focused on Finances program in conjunction with the school system. Named by Fitch High School students, the program will feature a strong emphasis on the importance of savings, and Charter Oak will offer two types of saving programs, according to Marketing Coordinator Lynn S. Flanagan of the Charter Oak Federal Credit Union.

“The Credit Union, Board of Directors, and entire staff are delighted to be part of this exciting collaborative venture,” CEO Brian A. Orenstein said in a recent press release. “The primary goal of the Focused On Finances program is to teach young adults the importance of good financial practices, through education, that will last throughout their lifetime.”

Flanagan said in the release that the credit union offers its ComplimenTREE checking account to students that features free checks, no minimum balance requirements, a VISA debit/ATM card, free online banking, and free e-Statement.

“In order for a student to open a checking account, they must have parental consent and complete a chapter on proper checking account practices in the National Endowment for Financial Education’s Financial Planning Program workbook,” Flanagan continued. Also available to Fitch High School students is Charter Oak’s VISA Credit Card, she said.

“The credit card is offered to older students to teach them the importance of establishing good credit. Our goal is to improve the financial literacy of our youth,” Orenstein noted.

Flanagan said the credit card features a low interest rate, a low credit limit, and requires students to complete educational requirements before applying for the card.

Charter Oak Federal Credit Union is a cooperative financial institution owned by its members. Membership is open to persons who live, work, worship, attend school, volunteer in New London County and Windham County. Membership also extends to immediate family or household members.

Seniors Get the Ball Rolling: Wii Sports comes to the Groton Senior Center

Kristal Spence — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:10:17 GMT

Jackie Whelan sits near one of the Groton Senior Center’s wide projector screens March 24 instructing participating seniors how to bowl. The senior center’s lanes are a bit smaller than most, and Whelan’s instructions include the bowling-unorthodox “Press A.” For program supervisor Whelan, it’s just another day of Wii Sports play at the Groton Senior Center. With another swing of her arm, a new Wii user sends the ball rolling down the on-screen alley. Quiet talk quickly escalates into cheers as everyone witnesses the player’s strike.

“They love it,” Whelan later said with a smile. “People that thought they couldn’t do it are really enjoying it.”

Whelan said the idea to bring Wii to Groton came to her when she saw a senior center in Meriden hosting a Wii demonstration on television.

“[The station] said that because they had a demonstration, Health Net provided them a free Wii machine,” Whelan said, “so I wrote to [Health Net] and asked if we can do a demonstration and get a Wii machine, too. He [agreed], and...we set it up.”

Thus far, she says the gaming system has been great, getting seniors in the center up and active. Back in the game room, Groton resident Darrell Haynes concentrates as he battles Mystic resident Alfred Bradley. Haynes bowls in a traditional league but he also has played Wii Sports with his son-in-law and nephew.

“My score’s about the same as it is at the bowling alley!” Haynes says. “I think [Wii Sports] is great for everybody because you can actually do this sitting, you don’t have to stand up, and a lot of people that couldn’t go bowling can now bowl, play tennis, or whatever they want to.”

He doesn’t know if the program is going to bring more people to the center, but he continues to call the senior center the best-kept secret in Groton.

Life-long Groton resident Diane Haines rolled a strike in her first Wii Sports game.

“I think it’s wonderful,” Haines said. “I’ve never had a strike before, so it’s great. My first strike!”

She has already signed up for the senior citizens’ league and is thinking about inviting her brothers and sister who live in Ledyard to join.

“We’re going to just start with the bowling, because eventually Health Net would like for us to have a regional competition and a state competition,” Whelan noted.

“The hardest thing that we have is finding it,” said Bob Beckwith, community events planner of Health Net in Shelton, referring to Wiis.

It’s no secret that the Wii is a hot commodity. According to wikipedia.org, Wii is the fifth home video game console released by Nintendo, which targets a broader demographic than most and is Nintendo’s smallest home console to date. Even after the holiday season, crowds of people are still lining up at stores in search of Wii consoles.

“We have to go like everybody else does. We can only get them one at a time wherever we can find them,” Beckwith continued. “[Stores] won’t sell us any more than one at a time.”

He said it probably took Health Net about 30 days to acquire a Wii for Groton, since he received Whelan’s request. But he knows it’s worth the wait.

“It’s great because of the exercise factor; it brings people together, gets people motivated, and it’s a good time,” Beckwith said. “We’re looking forward to the state challenge.”

Beckwith said Groton is the only town in the southeastern Connecticut area that has received a Wii from Health Net so far, but he imagines that more local towns such as New London and East Lyme soon will join the movement.

“We have them going up to Enfield, Danbury, Greenwich…we’ve probably given out about 40 so far,” Beckwith noted.

He added that he’s hoping area senior citizen centers will start local challenges in May that will ideally grow into regional challenges.

“What senior centers have to do to commit to this is have 30 people for a demo,” Beckwith explained. “In other words, we can’t just go out and give every senior center a free Wii game. They have to bring people in, show people how to use it, and actually get them involved with the challenge. But it’s working out very well. It’s working out better than I thought,” he said, laughing.

For more information, visit the Groton Senior Center, 52 Newtown Road, Groton, or call 441-6785.

$10,000 Grant Benefits Boys & Girls Club: Comcast raises Internet safety awareness in Groton schools

Kristal Spence — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:05:10 GMT

It was on March 20 that local Comcast employees read aloud to children in the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Connecticut’s After School Enrichment Program at the Claude Chester Elementary School in Groton.
Comcast senior manager and public relations staffer Laura Brubaker said the employees read to small groups of children about Internet safety.

“While on site, Comcast also announced that it has donated a $10,000 grant through the Comcast Foundation in support of the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Connecticut’s After School Enrichment Program,” Brubaker said in a press release. “Comcast employees read and donated books from the Internet Keep Safe Coalition that teach the basics of Internet safety. The books help children learn to protect their personal information, avoid strangers online, and [to] notify a parent or trusted adult when they see anything online that makes them uncomfortable.”

The $10,000 grant, Brubaker said, funds the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Connecticut’s After School Enrichment Program, a program that runs five days a week and is designed to engage young people in learning, encourage them to succeed in school, and to help them become lifelong learners.

“With the support of the Comcast Foundation, the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Connecticut has been able to continue to provide after school programs at its Groton Public Schools school-based [centers] and Boys & Girls Club facilities,” Brubaker noted, naming examples such as Claude Chester Elementary, Catherine Kolnaski Elementary, and Pleasant Valley Elementary.

Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Connecticut Ellen Roman said, “The Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Connecticut is very fortunate to have the support of Comcast, a company that knows the value of investing in today’s youth.”

“Comcast is committed to giving back to and enriching the communities where our customers and employees live and work,” said Vice President for Comcast’s New Haven-New York Area Michael Parker. “We are proud to partner with the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Connecticut to support their After School Enrichment Program, which encourages youth to learn and succeed.”

Friends and Felines: Groton fund-raiser spotlights trap, neuter, and release program

Melissa Babcock — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:12:26 GMT

Cat lovers from near and far joined together at Christopher’s in Groton on March 15 for a fund-raiser that benefited Friends of Feral Felines Inc. (FOFF). Between raffles, food, and good music, the event raised more than $1,400 for the organization.

Vice President of FOFF Jean Jones said the organization was founded in November 1997. Though the group’s post office box is in East Lyme, she said FOFF covers all of New London County. FOFF spays, neuters, and vaccinates between 100 and 200 cats a year.

“We neuter and release,” Jones noted. “They’re released back to their caretakers…behind apartment buildings, restaurants, in different neighborhoods, condo complexes.”

She said the members of FOFF don’t go looking for cats; for the most part, people come looking for them.

“We get calls,” Jones said. “The calls come from animal control and the people that call animal control. [Animal control] gives out our number, the Waterford and East Lyme animal control gives out our phone number, and we get referrals from the local vets.”

Life-long Groton resident Karen Oddo has received help from FOFF in the past and decided to head up the event at Christopher’s in an effort to give back to FOFF.

“I trap, neuter, and release [cats] and it used to cost me money,” Oddo said. “So I got in touch with Jean and she’s been helping me fund the neuters and the shots. Since she was so nice to me with all the ferals that I had, I was going to replace some of the money that she’s put out…I happen to have a lot of connections with bands, so I figured I would put something together.”

As a friend of the owners of Christopher’s, Oddo was able to hold the fund-raiser on a Saturday night.

The room at Christopher’s was full of supporters and donors. Roy and Linda Kiggans of Oakdale said they came to support Oddo and felt as though the event was a success.

“My wife did the same thing when she was working up in East Hartford,” Roy said. “The cat that we have now was a feral cat that we rescued about 10 or 11 years ago now.”

Denise Dostoler of Pawcatuck, one of Oddo’s co-workers at Electric Boat, helped Oddo sell raffle tickets.

Dostoler said, “A few years ago, there had been some stray cats on the company’s property…it took several months to catch this stray cat that people were feeding from the cafeteria…there was a notice that pest control was going to come and we were afraid that they were going to kill the cat. So we tried to catch it.”

Dostoler said it took about four months to catch the cat, which was finally caught by Oddo’s Have a Heart trap.

“It’s just kind of a wire crate, you put some cat food in it and the cat goes into this box…and the door closes..it doesn’t hurt it,” Dostoler said.
In her neighborhood, Dostoler said one can find quite a few feral cats, and over the years she has accumulated six.

“They’re all rescued, but they’re not really feral,” she said. “They’re domestic. They were someone’s pet but they were just abandoned…so [Oddo] would help me in a lot of instances where I would find a cat and it would need to be spayed and get shots.”

Oddo’s band Loose Change began their set with Motown hit “Get Ready.” By the time they were playing Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock ‘n’ Roll,” people were out of their seats and on the dance floor.

“We’ve been together for about nine years,” Oddo said, referring to Loose Change. “It’s really a compliment when people come to see us and tell us we’re good…we just love to do it because we have so much fun, and if it wasn’t for setting up and breaking down we would do it for free,” she said, laughing.

At the end of the day, between donations and raffle ticket sales, Oddo said the event generated more than $1,400 with more money on the way. Contributors to the raffle were stores Majestic Jewelers and Pentangle’s Boutique in Mystic and Sneaker Cafe and Send It With Love in Groton.

Raffle ticket winner Denise Trites won the grand prize of a diamond ring valued at about $1,300 from Majestic Jewelers. Other winners were Margaret O’Shea, Jen Boudah, Cappy Belden, Dave Vinica, Lori Matt, Patricia Charland, and Kathy Mastrionni.

All in all, Oddo was satisfied to see so many people support such a good cause.

“I’m a cat lover, and seeing all the cats out there that are strays and ferals,” Oddo admitted, “I just can’t stand to see them not have their shots and have their kittens. The ones that are friendly of course, I try to find homes for them, but the ones that are really feral, it’s better to put them right back out where you get them.”

Tax-deductible donations may be sent to the Friends of Feral Felines, Inc., at P.O. Box 791, East Lyme, CT 06333.

The Dirge to the Sea: Groton resident’s film premiere is April 3

Kristal Spence — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:38:32 GMT

Director, producer, and editor Adam Huston of Groton has finished his film The Dirge to the Sea. The film creates a story around the haunted myths that surround the New London Ledge Lighthouse.

It was last year that Huston began the film as a project for his senior thesis at the University of Long Island’s C.W. Post Campus in New York.During production last year, Huston explained that the film is based on the myth of Ernie, the lighthouse keeper, and why he ended his own life.

“The legend itself is so scarce,” Huston said. Over the course of his research, he didn’t come up with much solid proof or records about Ernie. “When I was writing this film, I really had to try and create a lot of stuff that happened,” Huston said. “It was really interesting trying to come up with all these characters and their different motives…No one really did a story about it, and no one has really thought to make a movie into it,” Huston said.

The film will premiere April 3 at the Olde Mistick Village Cinemas, one showing at 7 p.m. and another at 8:30 p.m. Huston said questions and answers will follow both shows and he’s working on getting the cast to do a meet and greet prior to the premiere. He wanted to thank his cast and crew for their hard work during filming and really putting their hearts into the project.

“I also want to thank my friends and family for the constant support over the years when I decided to take this difficult path as a filmmaker,” he added. “Without them I wouldn’t be where I am today and I also want to thank Sean McKenna, who instituted a film study class at Fitch High School, which helped me realize my film passion.”

Huston is very optimistic and hoping for a full house for both shows. He hopes people enjoy the film and appreciate what his crew has done. And while he doesn’t expect to win an Oscar, he hopes to gain the approval of the community.

“I am really excited about revealing the film to residents,” Huston said recently in an e-mail. “It’s a chance to bring the legend to life and add new depth to the lighthouse. It’s actually kind of odd because parts of the film that I wrote I didn’t find as part of the legend until people revealed it to me during filming. So part of me feels that maybe Ernest and his wife, if they do exist, are happy that I’m doing this.”

Tickets will be sold for $5 and the proceeds will benefit the New London Ledge Lighthouse Foundation. To get tickets, e-mail a_dirge_to_the_sea@yahoo.com or call 860-287-3684.

2008 Premiere: AvS gallery opens first exhibit of the year

Kristal Spence — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 18:24:06 GMT

The Alexey von Schlippe Gallery of Art at UConn Avery Point opened its premiere exhibition for 2008 March 14 in the Branford House Mansion. The exhibition highlights the talent of local artists Gretchen Higgins of Groton, Pamela Pike Gordinier of Stonington, Annelie Skoog of Norwich, and Lise Lemeland of Alfred, N.Y.

Photographer Gretchen Higgins is an events coordinator at Mystic Arts Center. Her photo essay In Black and White, featuring photos of New York City and New London, is part of the premiere exhibition. Director and curator of the Alexey von Schlippe Gallery Julia Pavone describes Higgins on the gallery’s Web site as creating “stark, poetic, emotionally moving photographs in black and white that tell an in-depth story, pretty or not, to the viewer.”

“She brings to this exhibition, portraits of two cities, their grit and their beauty, in the form of intense photo essays/installation on New London and New York City,” Pavone continued.

“I had been an avid collector of black-and-white photography for over 30 years when I was given my first camera, took a class, and became hopelessly addicted to the magic of the darkroom,” Higgins said.
Higgins describes her work on display at Avery Point as photographic essays of New York and New London and their commonalities.

“There are approximately 50 small images of Lower Manhattan, mounted, hinged, and arranged in a zigzag fashion down the center of the space,” she explained. “Eighteen framed prints of downtown New London line the walls.”

When taking pictures, Higgins said she snaps anything that might satisfy her quirky sensibility and has enough contrast to be effective in black and white.

“For an exhibit this size, I usually shoot about 10 rolls of film, make about 100 prints, and edit those,” she said.

She admitted that her least favorite picture on display is her photo of the front of a wine shop on Bank Street in New London because it took her more than three hours in the darkroom to prepare for exhibition.
“It is included because it is one of the many signs of renewal in New London,” Higgins noted.

Pamela Pike Gordinier, Pavone said, is an artist who teaches privately at the Mystic Arts Center and alternative high school students. Higgins added that Gordinier is part of the center’s board of directors.

Gordinier’s work results in a different type of image and manages to turn the wheels in the minds of her viewers. For her current exhibit at Avery Point, Gordinier stated on the gallery’s Web site that she asked friends, neighbors, and strangers: “If God exists, what one question would you ask?”

“This exhibit is a visual representation of those myriad questions—the hopes, fears, and ideas that connect and divide us,” Gordinier continued. “It is my hope that by becoming aware of each other’s viewpoint, we can begin a dialogue for understanding and change. As I collected and read the questions that had been sent, I cried, laughed, and was awed by how personal and profound they were. I am indebted to the people who have participated in this project.”

She said to present the ideas people had provided, she adapted a labyrinth as a metaphor for questioning one’s life journey and hung illuminated books of questions. She also created a vessel to receive a “feast of ideas” and an urn.

Visitors to the gallery are welcome to participate in the experience and submit their own questions to deposit into the vessel. Gordinier explained that names will not be attached to the questions but will be documented for a potential book, and the questions that are collected during this exhibit will be burned and placed into the urn.

Also a member of the Mystic Art Center, artist Annelie Skoog displays her watercolor exhibit, mentioning marine environment and nature as her inspiration.

“I work almost exclusively in watercolor, because I like the transparent and luminescent quality of this medium,” she said on the gallery’s Web site. “I am largely self-taught, but have taken a number of evening classes in drawing, composition, and watercolor. For the past two years, I have shared a studio with a group of other artists in New London. Close-up, detailed views are my favorite way of working with an image. This is because I find that the close-up view tends towards an abstract quality that is appealing to me. I also use my detailed paintings to help me really see the world surrounding me, to allow my mind to dwell on one specific image until I understand it beyond the surface.”

Displaying detailed and vibrant patterns, Lisa Lemeland stated on the gallery’s Web site that her aquatints and mixed media on paper in the exhibit were inspired in part by Indian carpets.

“My fascination with textiles, however, is not limited to rugs, but extends to many fabrics including lace,” she said in her statement. “Lace, embroidery, and lace elements have become an integral part of the patterning on my most recent paintings. My work is a result of a longtime fascination with pattern in its many forms and related theoretical discourses. In a broader sense, my painting is a response to certain preconceptions about decoration and its secondary status is contemporary art theory.”

From Indian and Turkish to South and Central American carpets, Lemeland said these types of carpets have provided the structural foundation for her paintings.

The premiere exhibition of 2008 at the Alexey von Schlippe Gallery of Art runs until Sunday, April 20, For more information, visit www.averypointarts.uconn.edu or call 860-405-9052.