Montville Times

The Montville High School Class of 2009

Interactive Desk — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:00:34 GMT

Graciela Gabriella Abbiati, Matthew Charles Alaimo+, Mario Alexis Jr., Rhoda Kate Alfred, Maxwell Peter Anderson, Nicholas William Andrew, Joanna Marie Arpin+, LesliAnn Nicole Baker, David Christopher Ball, Catherine Banta+, Gabrielle Arianna Barboza, Kelsey Elizabeth Barlow, Lauren Kate Barnett+, Kaitlyn Marie Barnhouser, Kyle Andrew Baron, Kayla Mary Bassett*+, Stephanie Marie Bayreuther, Kelsey Jean Bazinet, Raena Marie Beetham+, Jessica Colleen Bennett*+, Matthew Ryan Bernier, Chad Stephen Berry, Eric John Brennan+, Joseph Alan Brennan, Kayla Marie Brennan+, Megan Gesine Brosig, Alec Matthew Brown+, William Andrew Bullinger, Rachel Anne Burdick, Philip Robert Carlsen, Hannah Ingrid Carlson+, Dominic Joseph Carpino+, Brandon Scott Carroll, Michael Angelo Castano, Douglas Fielding Chapman, Victor Chen, Jennifer Catherine Helen Clark, Kimberly Robyn Cole, Chelsea Nicole Colella, Audrey Lea Collin, Jordan Alan Contillo, John Michael Courville, David Charles Cummings, Elizabeth Anne Darney, Laura Anne Davis+, Nichole Renee Delaney, Nicholas Paul Deshefy+, Michael Daniel DeShong, Brian Kevin Dragoo*+, Haley Kimberly Dragoo+, Patrick Eugene Dugan, Ross Cushman Dvorak, Andrew Jonathan Dye+, Shawn Robert East, David John Faraci, Jr.+, Kevin Thomas Fontaine, Nicholas Julian Foster, Cayla Loren Fresquez+, Joseph John Furman+, Felicia Marie Gagnier, Alisha Ann Ganley, Jenna Darcie Gauthier, Lauren Marie Giroux*, Ariana Noel Cramer Gittens, Michael Gittens, Alysha Jane Giulietti, Kimberly Marie Gladue, Brian Patrick Glynn, Peter Bernard Godin, Samuel Alonzo Gomez, Emily Anne Grondall, Eross John Sogo-an Guadalupe+, Cristy Diane Haddon, Alexandra Theresa Haggett, Amanda Gabriel Hajj, Alexander Michael Hall, Samantha A. Hatch+, James Thomas Haumer*+, Jessica Ann Heavenor, Elizabeth Noel Heller+, Ryan John Heller, Julia Marie Henry, Jane´e Elizabeth Hinojos, Wei Hao Huang, Jeanette Marie Jarvis+, Moriah Ashley Jensen+, Andrew Sanders Jeon, Leigha Marie Johnson, Laura Jean Kalin, Rourke Jonathan Kennedy, John Patrick Keryc, Justin Eric Kobyluck, Jeffrey Kwan, Brittney Alexis LaBrosse, Man Lung Law, Mei Xiu Li, Xiao-Wei Li, Harold Eugene Limkemann, Jessica Marie Long+, Shane Long, Andrew Longo Jr.+, Branden Nelson Lyon, Ming Ho Ma, Sarah Beth Maher*+, Brittany Lee Majeski, Taylor David Manville, Logan James Marsh, Cara Grace Matteson, Melanie Jordan Mazzei, Patrick Sean McNamara+, Ashlee Al’ise McNichol, Nathan Tensing Mei, Mariam Mena+, José Miguel Mendoza, Diana Carolina Mercado, Marissa Nicole Meredith+, Brianna Lynn Middel, Max Norman Mikolajczyk+, Cristina Maria Morell, Jennifer Irene Navin+, Kasey Jo Nitsch+, Kaylee Erin Oatley, Anthony Joseph Occhialini, Benjamin James Oettinger+, Kyle Anders Palmer, An Qi Pang, Fred Gino Pardini Jr., Akash Shashikant Patel, Joseph Steven Piersa, Alexandra Lyn Plack, Timothy David Plourde*, Jessica Police, Stephen Ralph Price Jr., Sydney Kathleen Price+, Shelby Jacqueline Prokop, Shen Hai Qi, Travis Shawn Quidgeon, Lauramarie Rahusen*+, Emily Catherine Reed*+, Jessica Burgess Remondi, Kendall Lee Remondi, Daniel Austin Rheaume, Cassandra Marie Rice+, Samantha Louise Richards, Alanna Mary Riley*+, Sarah Nicole Roberge, Larissa Araújo Rodrigues, Kevin Arthur Roe+, Jared Lloyd Roeder, Rachel Morgan Rogoff*+, Joseph Lawrence Russell, Nicholas Palmer Sabilia+, Anthony David Santiago, Kaela Shenae Santiago, Samantha Lynn Sautter, Heather Michelle Scoggins+, Lorie Katherine Scovish, Taylor Joseph Seacor+, Dawa Phuti Sherpa, Elizabeth Theresa Smith, Nikkia Patrice Smith, Lisa Alexandria Stark, Macy Lee Stefanski, Parker Christopher Stevens+, Thomas Gary Taylor III+, Sarah Elizabeth Thoman, Ryan David Thompson, Tynisha Lé-shea Thompson, Katherine Joy Todd*+, Corey Patrick Tonucci, Jonathan James Trombley, Joseph Michale Turner, Morgan Ashley Vadnais, Richard Eligio Valdes+, Kali Marin Varney+, Sarah Kay Vine+, Matthew James Voelker, Frank Thomas Walden, David Jonathan Wasilko*+, Brandon Joseph Watterson, Brieanna Elizabeth White, Derek Christian Wilcox+, Freddisha Brittney Williams, Jordan Ashley Wojick*+, Vinkei Wong, Megan Marie Yakimchuk, Lei Ye, Jessica Marie Zalagens*+, Edward Ryan Zubritsky

Adult Education

Caitlynne Baker, Marshall Brooks, Matheau A. Brown, Samantha Angela Davis, Will T. Fulcher IV, Karissa Girard, Christopher Blaine Henault, Kayla Kumpf, Thomas A. Messore, Ryan Alan Page, Brittany Ann Schalla, Kayla Marie Smith, Jeffrey R. Stone, Justin Stone, Renalda Telesford, Violet Walters, Kristina Wood, Joseph P. Williams, Paula Williams

*National Honor Society

+CAPT

Town Council Appoints Building Committee Members

Interactive Desk — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:24:24 GMT

By Megan Bard, Staff Writer:

The newly created Public Safety Building Committee is slowly taking shape.

At its meeting June 8, Town Council members appointed six of the original eight members who served on an ad hoc committee that researched the proposal to build a new municipal public safety building.

The appointees include Montville Police Lt. Leonard Bunnell, David Jetmore, William Bucko, Paul Lewis, and John MacNeil.

However, the new building committee needs eight members to be whole.

Councilors have announced that interested candidates have until the end of the first week in July to submit an application to the mayor’s office.

The candidates will be considered at the council’s July 15 meeting, at which time councilors could also decide whether to adopt the building proposal and plan for the structure that has been submitted by the ad hoc committee.

In March, the ad hoc committee presented the council with a proposal to build a 16,000-square-foot facility on town-owned property at 909 Norwich-New London Turnpike (Route 32).

Most of the councilors have said they support the plan and agreed with Mayor Joseph Jaskiewicz’s request that they forgo appointing a traditional building committee and instead give the new Public Safety Building Committee specific charges, such as focusing on how to fund the project, which could cost about $6 million.

In May, Jaskiewicz said the ad hoc committee and Kaestle Boos Assoc. have already created a basic plan, including a floor plan sketch and needs assessment.

The present police and emergency dispatch center has become cramped and is in “rough shape” because the department has doubled in size since it relocated to the facility in the early 1980s.

The building, which the town leases from the state, is void of an appropriate place to interview suspects or victims, police officials have said.

In addition, while the building, close to the edge of the westbound lanes Route 2A, is in poor condition, limited improvements have been made because it is slated to be razed if an ongoing effort to expand the road—a main passage between the region’s two casinos—succeeds.

A New Attitude: Kimberley Gladue catches up, catches on to benefits of education

Interactive Desk — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:32:09 GMT

By Megan Bard, Staff Writer:

As a freshman in high school, Kimberley Gladue said she just didn’t care.

If she didn’t want to wake up in the morning for school, she didn’t. She didn’t listen in class—she purposely sat in the back to chat with friends. She didn’t do her homework, and she didn’t complete her in-school work.

Then she got her grades. Gladue failed three classes. She didn’t earn enough credits to become a sophomore with the rest of her class.

“I’m embarrassed by it now,” the 18-year-old senior said recently.

By her junior year, Gladue had found her focus. She got a job and distanced herself from her old crowd and a former boyfriend that she said had a bad influence on her. Her home life began to improve, too.

This past marking period, Gladue made the honor roll with two As and four Bs.

“I changed as a person; that’s mainly how I did it,” Gladue said recently while seated in the kitchen in her Uncasville house where she lives with her father, Richard Gladue, and stepmother, Denise Gladue.

Gradually, and with support, Kimberley’s confidence grew stronger and she made up for her failed classes. On June 18, she sat on the stage alongside her peers at Montville High School, eager to take her next steps in life.

She has little to be embarrassed about now.

“A lot of kids hate school. I used to, but I’ve gotten older. I like having someplace to go in the morning, I like to be busy. I like seeing people and having something to do. I love working,” she said.

Reality hit Gladue hard her first year in high school. Much more was expected of her than in middle school. If she didn’t get the work done at home and she missed too many days of school, things weren’t as easy to make up.

Early on in high school, Gladue was identified as a special education student; she said she has Attention Deficit Disorder. She was put into smaller, more specialized courses in an effort to keep her focused on school.

Before the class structure could work for her, Gladue said she had to get a grip on extenuating circumstances that included a turbulent home life and the negative influence a group of people she hung out with had on her.

Gladue said after a couple of troublesome episodes at home, she was diagnosed with depression and bipolar disorders. She said it didn’t help to hear the news, but it made her understand a bit better what she was going through.

The outside influences had a great effect on her education and her willingness to want to learn, she said.

“To tell you the truth, she just did not buy into education,” Naomi Fiora, Gladue’s English teacher and special-education case manager, said.

Despite Gladue’s initial resistance, Fiora and other teachers kept at her.

Then, during her junior year, Fiora said she noticed Gladue becoming more assertive, more focused on learning, and confident in her own opinions.

Theodore H. Phillips, director of school counseling, said throughout the transformation, Gladue has been able to remain true to herself.

“It took a while and she had some curveballs thrown at her, but what she’s doing is terrific. She had a goal and she’s made it happen,” Phillips said of Gladue graduating and continuing her education.

Fiora said Gladue has shown that “no matter how pressing the circumstance in your life outside of school, to be able to succeed is to be able to overcome the obstacles that try to impede your progress.”

Knowledge in hand, just before her junior year, Gladue decided the time had come to get more serious about her life.

She had started working at Target in Waterford—a job she loved until she left in February because the hours she worked were being reduced, she said.

Working at night and going to school during the day left little time for her to socialize, but enough time to focus on her coursework and spend time with friends she said influenced her positively.

“I didn’t have time to goof off, I had responsibilities,” she said.

Gladue remained part of the special-education program and in smaller classes, but she’d begun to integrate into the mainstream classrooms, where she sat in the front row.

“I started realizing that school wasn’t as hard as I was making it seem. I sit in the front of class now, and do my work. I pay attention,” she said.

Gladue’s experience in the smaller classes at Montville High taught her what educational environment best suits her needs.

“I know what I want to do, now. I want to go to college and have a career,” she said.

In the fall, Gladue will begin classes at the Brio Academy of Cosmetology in Niantic. The small class sizes and the focused curriculum are what Gladue said she needs to succeed.

It helps that she enjoys all things related to hair, makeup, and skin care. Her goal is to open her own salon with a business partner.

“She’s just marvelous now. I have no qualms about her being successful after high school,” Fiora said.

The Sounds of Summer

Interactive Desk — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:30:10 GMT

By Megan Bard, Staff Writer:

Imagine a warm summer evening with a light breeze, just enough to keep the temperature comfortable.

Family and friends are unpacking a picnic dinner and have already spread out the blanket or set up the picnic tables. Chairs are dotting the freshly mowed lawn.

In the background a familiar band is doing a sound check, just before kicking off a free, two-hour show.

Members of the Montville Parks and Recreation Department and commission are hoping this scenario is played out at least three times this summer as they once again host a concert series at the Camp Oakdale Pavilion.

“It’s going to be great,” Eileen Cicchese, a commission member, said recently.

Last year was the first for the summer concert series, a venue to allow local artists to perform. Department Director Jim Butler said it was fairly successful and he hopes for a better audience turnout this year.

Cicchese added, “It brings the community together. There is a sense of pride involved and it gives residents an opportunity to see what else is available at the camp.”

The public works department has finished the horse-shoe pits and is in the process of creating new sand volleyball courts.

“It’s just a nice, free family activity that supports local artists,” she
finished.

Local businesses have also stepped up and contributed financially to help keep the series going. They are: Connecticut Scrap, LLC, RandWhitney Containerboard L.P., The Mohegan Tribe, and Bob’s Discount Furniture.

This event is free; bring chairs and/or blankets or sit under the pavilion with a picnic dinner and enjoy. No alcoholic beverages allowed.

For more information about the concert series or to suggest a band, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 848-3030 or visit www.townofmontville.org.

Here’s a Scoop: Car Show at DQ

Interactive Desk — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:13:57 GMT

By Larry Kelley, Special to the Times:

Mike Mann works 40 hours at Groton Dairy Queen to earn a living. The 20-year-old’s real passion, however, is dabbling with classic cars either as a mechanic or simply as a fan.

“I drive a ’91 Toyota Supra,” said Mann, a Grasso Tech graduate whose trade was electronics. “I’m constantly working on performance upgrades. I just love being around older cars. I travel around to see a lot of classic car shows and really get into it.”

Matt Botchis, Dairy Queen’s manager, also shares a love of cars. Every three weeks, he hosts a classic car “meet” in Dairy Queen’s parking lot. Mann and fellow DQ employee Matt Salva, 19, eventually conceived an idea to produce a full-fledged car show and soon asked their boss for permission to promote first Groton Car Show June 28 from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Johnson’s True Value Hardware parking lot next to Dairy Queen.

“The ‘meets,’ which are like a miniature car show, have been successful, so I asked the boss if we could step it up and do something a little bigger,” Mann said. “He liked the idea, so I went for it.”

Mann has secured sponsorship from Dairy Queen, Swift Motorsports in Norwich, and Computer Gaming Arena in Groton. There is a $2 entry fee for spectators, and all proceeds will benefit the Groton Animal Shelter. Mann says plans for a local radio station to a live remote and provide music are in the works. Hot dogs, hamburgers, and, of course, Blizzards and traditional Dairy Queen fare will be available.

Cars will line up at 1 p.m. and gates will open at 2. Awards will be presented around 4 p.m. There will also be raffle prizes for the public.

“We have room for 35 cars, and it’s open to all cars, which should make for a pretty nice show,” Mann said. “We’ll have trophies and gift certificates for winners in Best Overall Car, Best Tuner, Best Muscle Car, Best Import, Best Restoration, and Best Hot Rod. The public also will be part of the judging panel, so everyone in attendance can have a say in the awards.”

Mann is optimistic the car show will turn into an annual event. Perhaps one year the event will rival the size and popularity of the Groton Business Association’s Classic Car show at Grasso Tech during the Groton Fall Festival (Oct. 10 this fall).

“If everything goes like it should for this first car show, we should be even bigger next year,” Mann said.

Take the Challenge: Charity bike ride to raise funds for local cancer center

Interactive Desk — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:53:58 GMT

By Chonel LaPorte, Times Intern:

In an effort to create a support system for cancer survivors across the state of Connecticut, the Connecticut Challenge is seeking volunteers from the region to ride their bikes to raise money.

The Connecticut Challenge is a charity bike ride that helps hospitals across the state create special programs to help cancer survivors. The organization, now in its fifth year, has raised more than $2 million since 2005 to improve the care of the 120,000 cancer survivors living in Connecticut. It helped open the first cancer survivor clinic at the Yale Cancer Center and supports similar programs at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford, St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, and Stamford Hospital.

“Now we need them established at other hospitals across the state,” said Bob Mazzone, Connecticut Challenge executive director. “There is no reason we can’t have these everywhere because they treat cancer patients everywhere.”

He said cancer survivors from the New London area have to drive long distances to get the support they need following treatment. The volunteers at the Connecticut Challenge hope to build a cancer survivor clinic at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital to make the transition from cancer patient to cancer survivor an easier one.

According to Mazzone, the survivorship programs improve the quality of life of cancer survivors through screenings for long-term health and psychological health effects from the disease and treatments.

Anyone able to ride a bike can help raise money to support cancer survivors by taking part in the challenge,which will be held on July 25 in Fairfield. Riders can register for a 12-, 25-, 50-, 75-, or 100-mile ride and raise funds from personal sponsors to support their efforts.

“It is really for anybody,” Mazzone said. “We’ve had kids as young as 8 and people as old as 72.”

Because there are cancer survivors everywhere, Mazzone wants volunteers from any community to help.

“We want people to get involved to support cancer survivors from every community,” he said.

To learn more about the event, visit www.ctchallenge.org.

A New Path: Palmer student overcomes surgeries, deafness and graduates from high school

Interactive Desk — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:57:49 GMT

By Megan Bard, Staff Writer:

A year ago, it was questionable whether Ross Dvorak was going to graduate from his school.

The 20-year-old Palmer Academy student said life experiences have not been kind to him, but instead of letting them get the best of him, he wanted to persevere.

Profoundly deaf, Dvorak described certain aspects of his life as a disaster.

As a child, Dvorak had chronic ear infections. His parents brought him to a specialist in New Haven, who discovered he had cysts covering his ear drums.

Dvorak underwent six surgeries in three years beginning when he was 8 years old. He’s had nine altogether, and for the rest of his life he will occasionally have to return to the surgeon, he said.

“I was scared to death,” Dvorak said. “If it didn’t get taken care of it would have gone up to my brain…and I don’t want to talk about it.”

His mother, Gwen Hatt, said with every surgery, her son prepared for death, no matter how much people tried to convince him otherwise.

“It was horrendous. It’s still hard,” Hatt said, her eyes welling up.

“The worry is always there…I mean God has a purpose and a reason for everything, there is no doubt in my mind, and Ross will use what he’s gone through to help other people,” she said. “As a mother it made me really buck up and become the mother that I wanted to become.”

The recovery is brutal, Dvorak said.

“I decided I could handle it. I’ve been through a lot; I guess that’s what makes me special,” he said with a hint of sarcasm.

Then he changed his tone: “My mom calls me the ‘walking miracle.’”

His last surgery was Jan. 18, 2006 — two weeks before his birthday.

‘Exactly the Same’

Dvorak is fluent in sign language and reads lips like a pro. He is most conscious about his mumbling and difficulty with the pronunciation of certain words.

“I want people to think of a deaf person as the same as a hearing person,” he said. “We’re exactly the same. Don’t think I get treated differently, or at least I don’t let it affect me.”

Hatt said without the support of Palmer Academy Principal Sheila Reagan, head teacher Dave Gollsneider, and teacher for the deaf Paula Bell, Dvorak might not have made it to graduation.

He was nervous about the ceremony, though. The class of 2009 wasn’t the class he was supposed to graduate with—he was 1½ credits shy of graduating in June 2008.

Reagan said his family and school support system helped him regain focus.

“No, it couldn’t get done by June 2008, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t get done,” Reagan said.

“He’s resilient for all the things that he has gone through,” Bell said. “He’s persistent and says ‘Yeah, I messed up some of the time on my own, but I am going to graduate.’”

Overcoming Other Obstacles

Hearing loss has affected Dvorak nearly his entire life, but he said several other factors would have made it easy to give up. Throughout his educational career, he would routinely miss school or show up late.

During his freshman year in high school, Dvorak went through another type of personal struggle. He had a breakdown at the school twice; the first got him a trip to a hospital’s emergency room, the second a 10-day stay at the Yale psychiatric hospital, where he was diagnosed with severe depression and bipolar disorder.

Dvorak said he has chosen to use these experiences to better himself.

“I will just take what comes in life and just smile. Sometimes I look to the future and I cry, but I get over it,” he said. “Because of all the suffering I went through in my life, when I look back on why—why so many surgeries just for one lousy thing—but that’s life for me.

“I guess that’s what makes me special,” he said, this time without the sarcasm.

Dvorak has an extended support system. Aside from his mother, Bell, and Reagan, Dvorak’s cheering squad includes his brother, Ryan Laukshtein, his father, Robert Dvorak, uncle, Bill Henderson, aunt, Merna Blanchard, and cousin, Tom Scarpellini.

Dvorak wants to go to college—specifically the University of Connecticut at Avery Point—and focus on an accounting degree with a concentration in elementary education or study to become a sign-language interpreter.

Bell said she fully expects Dvorak to come into his own as an adult.

“It’s just a feeling of knowing him. I’ve watched him grow from a boy to a teen to a young man. I’ve watched him mature,” she said. “I just know that he is going to find what’s right for him. It may not be next week and next year, but he’s going to find it.”

Food, Flamenco, and Art: Local painter displays special works in NL restaurant

Interactive Desk — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:56:22 GMT

By Kathleen Edgecomb,Staff Writer:

Ted Genard, the customer service manager for Faria Corp. in Uncasville, has managed to work a love of food from southern Spain and a fascination with flamenco dancing into an artistic hobby.

Genard, who takes classes from Christopher Zhang at the New London Art Students League and at the Mystic Arts Center and the Lyme Art Association, also has found a platform in New London to showcase his talent.

Three of his paintings, “Flamenco in Red,” “Julissa,” and “Julissa and Jose” are hanging at Dev’s on Bank restaurant at 345 Bank St., for all to see and for anyone to buy.

“I’m really happy to have them out there where people can enjoy them,’’ said Genard.

Genard, whose grandmother was a painter, took up a brush about three years ago. Only recently did he begin to focus on people and portraits. He was attracted to the motion and attitude of flamenco dancing and drew inspiration from that bold and colorful art form.

“I’m surprised I’m painting faces,’’ he said. “I used to paint boats.”

Then a serendipitous meeting last year at a New London restaurant led to the display at Dev’s.

Genard met Bunny Devendittis at Tony D’s, where he was having a bite to eat before his weekly art class. They chatted about Genard’s lessons, which have been on going for three years. Devendittis said her daughter’s restaurant, Dev’s on Bank, features Spanish tapas. They talked of Genard’s sailing trip to Spain in the 1970s and his fascination with flamenco dancers. Devendittis asked Genard to keep her updated on his artistic progress.

Eventually Genard brought some flamenco-inspired paintings to show Candace Devendittis, the owner of Dev.’s. She fell in love with “Julissa.”

The original artworks complement the theme of the restaurant and are hanging in the “Spain” dinning room and over the hearth of the “La Familia” lounge.

The oil paintings are for sale and will remain up “until someone buys them or some other art comes along,’’ Genard said.

AT THE CAPITOL ~ Plenty Accomplished, Plenty More to Do

Interactive Desk — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:55:16 GMT

By State Sen. Andrea L. Stillman:

Now that the General Assembly’s 2009 regular session has been adjourned, we can take stock of meaningful legislation enacted and assess the prospects for other important bills approved by the legislature, on which the governor has yet to act.

In doing so I would not minimize the amount of work remaining to be addressed in special session. Negotiations continue toward resolution of a daunting budget stalemate, brought on by deep-seated philosophical differences between legislative leaders and the governor about how to close the gaping deficit projected for the next two years.

But in other policy areas there is significant progress to report. In terms of healthcare coverage, for instance, we enhanced last year’s law requiring coverage for physical, speech, and occupational therapy for autism patients; this year, in a bill I co-sponsored, we added mandatory coverage for diagnostic procedures, behavioral therapy for children, prescription medications, and psychological and psychiatric treatment for this vexing condition.

In women’s health, to follow-up mandatory coverage for breast cancer screenings, we now require all mammography reports to be expanded to include vital information about breast density, a key indicator about a woman’s predisposition to breast cancer.

In matters of healthcare policy, a bill that could save the state a tremendous amount of money is still being considered by the governor. It would move the state toward bulk purchasing of prescription medications to take advantage of those economies of scale.

To better care for the state’s senior citizens, two new healthcare laws were passed and signed by the governor. The first provides for personal care assistance for the growing number of elderly residents who need additional attention yet prefer to maintain their independence. No one argues this approach is more desirable for seniors and more cost effective for the state: it is now the law.

Another important new law requires an emergency notification system for missing seniors and for younger, mentally impaired adults, comparable to the Amber Alert system to help locate missing children. The number of those with some form of dementia or impairment is already in the tens of thousands, and incidents of disoriented, missing seniors are likely to increase in number and frequency. This “Silver Alert” system will help when that happens.

At this writing, two other groundbreaking initiatives face an uncertain fate on the governor’s desk. The first would overhaul the state’s healthcare delivery network through what’s called the SustiNet Plan. It would move the state toward improved quality and access to services, insurance coverage for those who would otherwise be uninsured, effective checks on runaway healthcare costs, and reforms to streamline the healthcare delivery system.

The other would allow access to the state employee health insurance plan by municipal governments, non-profit groups, and other qualifying small businesses so they can reduce healthcare coverage costs. This healthcare “pooling” bill would help achieve savings by spreading costs among a larger group of insured residents.

To be sure, there has been resistance to each of these initiatives, primarily from those who would prefer to perpetuate and benefit from the status quo. I hope the governor ignores every temptation to yield to these elements and, instead, signs these bills to move Connecticut forward on the healthcare front.

Andrea Stillman represents the 20th Senatorial District, which includes New London, Waterford, East Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Salem, and Montville.

A Half-Century of Teamwork: Montville Little League celebrates its 50th anniversary

Interactive Desk — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:59:59 GMT

By Megan Bard, Staff Writer:

Five weeks ago Michael Kurasz hit a ball to shortstop during a Montville National Little League interleague game.

He didn’t realize that the hit would keep him out the game he loves for the rest of the season.

“As he was running to first, the short stop threw the ball to first and a little off the mark,” said Michael’s dad and coach, Robert Kurasz.

“It hit him right in the nose and broke it into eight pieces. I was coaching first base at the time. He dropped right in front of me. I scooped him up,” Robert Kurasz said recently, recalling a lot of blood and then rushing Michael to the emergency room.

The fifth grader from the Regional Multicultural Magnet School in New London has undergone an intense reconstructive surgery to fix his nose.

It had been three weeks since he was hit and two since his last surgery when Michael Kurasz, 10, and a pitcher for the Mohegan Fire Company team, took to the mound for the first time since his accident.

On May 31, Michael Kurasz was honored by the league for his perseverance and for just being an “overall good kid” by being asked to throw out the first pitch to kick off the league’s 50th anniversary afternoon celebration at the Gallivan Lane facilities.

“It felt good. I’m happy I could do it,” he said of throwing the ball after being congratulated by his family, who are thankful the ball didn’t do more damage, and having posed for pictures with the special baseball.

“When you think of the Little League player, Mikey is the kind of kid everybody wants to be on the team and field. He took a hard ball to the face and he’s out for the rest of the season, but he always gave 110 percent,” Zeppieri said of why the committee chose Kurasz to throw the first pitch.

On May 31, the anniversary of the first game played for the league, about 100 of the 143 players signed for the 2009 season marched team-by-team, led by their coaches, out onto the first base line to be recognized by the crowd.

President of the league Ron McDaniel said no matter how old you are those who played Little League will always remember that one special game or that one special play. And you might still talk about it with former teammates.

On “anniversary Sunday,” before picking up a bat— some had already grabbed their gloves and a ball—the players stood with caps off for the National Anthem and then recited the Little League pledge before starting the day’s festivities.

Dozens of players—sluggers from the youngest minors’ level outfield player to the oldest majors’ level first baseman signed up for the home run derby. Most balls reached the outfield but some were lucky enough to make it over the outfield wall.

At the minors’ field, players were being timed running the bases—a 5-year-old tee-ball player finished in 27.1 seconds. In the outfield, pitchers challenged each other in the fastest pitch contest—one clocked at 61 miles per hour, according to a reading on a local police radar gun used to settle any debate. Still elsewhere practice drills were set up to test and encourage throwing accuracy.

Annette Zeppieri, organizer of the event, said each competition enabled the players to showcase their talents in their special areas, as well as give them an opportunity to cheer for each other.

“What’s special about Little League is it gives the kids something to do to stay active. It teaches them about courage, respect and about the team as a whole, not an individual,” she said, admitting, though, that the older players still check their personal statistics and compare numbers.

As his peers competed in the various events, Michael Kurasz stood by and watched, until he got to play a short game of catch with his dad.

On the fence line in left field, Michael and his father tossed the ball lightly at first but gradually with a bit more vigor.

“It’s nice to toss the ball with you,” Robert said to his son.

“Yeah, it is,” answered Michael.

Montville Mayor Recognized at Polish Day in Hartford

Interactive Desk — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:58:16 GMT

By Megan Bard, Staff Writer:

It's a reception the mayor had not been expecting, but one he was proud to have received.

On April 29, Mayor Joseph Jaskiewicz was recognized at the state’s annual Polish Day in Hartford for community accomplishments.

Polish Day is held at the Capitol each year to commemorate the anniversary of the Polish Constitution of 1791, ratified that year on May 3, and the memory of former New Britain state Rep. Stanley J. Krawiec, who started the annual event in 1990.

The purpose is to recognize state residents of Polish descent and highlight the ways in which they have positively affected various aspects of the greater community.

“It’s a nice day to focus on our heritage,” said Jaskiewicz, who was raised by his Italian mother. “The Polish people are hardworking people and they’re proud.”

This year Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz presented Jaskiewicz with a citation during a formal presentation and recognition ceremony held in the Capitol’s Hall of Flags.

Bysiewicz, who has known the mayor since 1998, said Jaskiewicz was chosen as a recipient because of his contributions to the state and his town.

“Joe has a strong commitment to public service and the democratic election process,” the Secretary said, adding, “he is faithful to making sure that the Polish contributions to the state continue to be acknowledged.”

There are a lot of noteworthy people of Polish heritage in this state, Jaskiewicz said, adding that the descendants work hard to prove false Polish stereotypes.

“The stigma that we’re dumb, it’s wrong. We need to get rid of it,” Jaskiewicz said.

“There are quite a lot of Polish people in our town and I want them to know that we do get recognized in this part of the state for our accomplishments,” he said recently.

Several members of the Town Council, the mayor’s wife Beverly and some residents attended the ceremony and listened as representatives from the Polish embassy in Washington, D.C. and the Polish consulate from New York City spoke of the significance of the day and Polish history in the United States, according to the event program.

When asked to recall a recent moment in Polish history that made him proud, Jaskiewicz named the day a bishop from Krakow, Poland became Pope, referring to Pope John Paul II.

“I was a proud Polish person, that day, I really was. I was a proud Polish person at the Capitol and I really am just proud of my heritage,”
Jaskiewicz said.

A LA CARTE ~ Eye of the Round

Interactive Desk — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:57:18 GMT

A few Sundays ago, our Massachusetts son, his wife, and their three children drove to our house to help us with our yard, which really needed help. Our four raised vegetable beds and our herb bed needed tilling, the enormous rhododendron needed pruning, two dead bushes needed to be chopped off, and about 20 years of ivy that had covered two sides of our house needed to be pulled. We worked like beavers (perhaps we could have used a few of them, too).

The night before, I had made potato salad for Sunday dinner, since I make a pretty darned good potato salad. I planned on a nice green salad with my Latitude 38 salad dressing. My friend Linnea was to bring dessert (it turned out to be a terrific banana cake with cream cheese frosting).

When it was time to put the roast on the rotisserie of our gas grill, we couldn’t get the rotisserie to work. So I took the roast off the spit, seared it on the cooktop in the kitchen, then allow to cook in the oven. It was delicious. The salad, as always with that dressing, tasted great. The potato salad, also as always, was also good. But a week later, my friend Priscilla made a potato salad for us. Now I wouldn’t consider giving you my own recipe for potato salad; she will give me her own recipe, and in a few weeks I will give you that recipe instead.

In the meantime, here’s how to do a roast if your outside rotisserie fails. And here’s the recipe for the Latitude 38 recipe, too.

Eye of the Round Roast

I bought my roast at Cliff’s in Essex, where he will wrap caul fat over the roast, then tie it. I’m sure Carlo and Son in East Lyme will do the same.

Yield: serves 4 to 6

1 3-to-4 pound eye-of-the-round or boneless roast beef, tied

one-quarter or one-half cup rub for beef or pork

extra-virgin olive oil

Rub the rub all around the roast and place the roast on a plate in the kitchen, allowing it to sit to room temperature or a little cooler.

Place a good skillet that can go on the oven on the cooktop and add olive oil; heat the oil until it is hot. Place roast on the hot skillet. Allow the roast to get a nice sear on every side and on the bottom and top, about 6 to 10 minutes total.

In the meantime, heat oven to 350 degrees. Place skillet in the oven. If you like your roast medium rare, take out roast when meat thermometer is at 120 degrees (130 or 140 degrees if you like your roast medium or, and I wouldn’t suggest this, well done).

Place roast on a platter, cover loosely with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Slice and serve.

If you would like a recipe for gravy, feel free to e-mail me and I will send one to you.

Latitude 38 Degrees
Salad Dressing

This recipe comes from a restaurant in Oxford, Maryland, called Latitude 38.

1 cup rice vinegar

1/3 cup white vinegar

½ cup Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon minced garlic

¾ cup sugar

1 cup olive oil

1 1/3 cups salad oil

Into large blender container place vinegars, mustard, garlic, and sugar and blend well. Combine oils and, with blender running (Note: remove only small, plastic top leaving big rubber lid on), pour in a slow steady stream until well blended. This makes more than 3 cups.

Lee White of Old Lyme has been a food editor and restaurant reviewer for more than 25 years. You can e-mail her at Leeawhite@aol.com.

A Formula for Fun: Montville schools host another successful math night

Interactive Desk — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 21:28:03 GMT

By Megan Bard, Staff Writer:

Puzzle pieces, salt, balloons, and plastic colorful teddy bears. What do they have in common? They can all be used to teach basic mathematical concepts.

To prove their usefulness, math and science teachers, administrators, and high school students recently used the materials to transform the high school cafeteria into a virtual math carnival for the town’s elementary schoolers.

Montville’s Family Math Night, an activity created by Janet Kelly, the district’s K-8 math and science coordinator, was designed to provide different hands-on activities to engage students in a higher level of learning but also have some fun.

“We want the kids to leave with an understanding of higher order of math, for the families to get involved, and for the kids to have fun,” Dr. Charles E. Murphy Elementary School Principal Jeff Newton said.

In 2008, Kelly coordinated a science night meant to introduce children and their families to the value of science and how scientific methods can be taught and reinforced at home. The project was such a success, Kelly and her colleagues, dozens of whom volunteered to help oversee and run the tables, decided to focus on mathematics this year.

“There is math everywhere,” said Kelly, the district’s K-8 math and science coordinator, excited as she watched nearly 150 students who circled 32 stations set up with mathematically themed games.

For Jay Giurleo, an engineer and father of Emma, 7, and Sophie, 6, Math Night was a good way for his daughters to experience fractions and estimation outside of the classroom.

“I like that they get to experience math in a different context outside of school and they get to see different ways to apply it in a fun way,” he said. “For them it’s just having fun doing math.”

Rolling dice to determine how many times it took her to empty a basin of blocks was a great way for Emma, a second grader at Oakdale Elementary School, to learn the principals of estimation.

Sophie, a kindergartener at Oakdale, preferred counting felt circles on a mat.

It didn’t matter which of the games got and kept their attention, Giurleo said, what mattered is that it didn’t feel like learning to them and they were excited.

Sapna Chouhan, mother to Karishma, 9, and Geetanjali, 7, agreed.

“I love it. They need to think about what problems are to be solved. I love to see them taking their time, enjoying and doing the games, counting and learning,” Chouhan said.

Karishma, a fourth grader at the Murphy school confessed that although math is not her favorite subject—for her, music is the best—she enjoys the challenge of fractions and the infinite possibilities for problem solving.

“All you need is one and you can make more and more fractions just by multiplying or dividing,” she said smiling.

Geetanjali, a second grader at the school, agreed that fractions are fun, but said she enjoys adding and subtracting and combing different shapes to make something different, such as two triangles to make a square.

To encourage families to continue the fun at home, small colorful sheets of paper with descriptions of the games were made available for parents to take home to guide them in continuing the games.

“There are numbers everywhere, counting cars, counting by fives…you can make a math game out of just about anything,” Kelly said.

With so many of the attendees pleased with the outcome, Newton and Kelly were already talking about next year’s event, although they haven’t yet determined its theme.

Revising Recycling: Palmer Academy community launches recycling initiatives

Interactive Desk — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 21:26:26 GMT

By Megan Bard, Staff Writer:

When she walked through the hallways, classrooms, and the cafeteria of Palmer Academy, teacher Kim Jaskiewicz couldn’t help but notice that there should be a greater emphasis on in-school recycling.

In September, Jaskiewicz, an environmental science teacher at the alternative high school, started a program aimed at motivating students to become active recyclers.

“I wanted them to start thinking about the materials we use every day, the cans, bottles, paper, and ways to recycle,” Jaskiewicz said.

With the students on board—they’re now rinsing the plastic milk jugs from lunch and depositing them into designated bins instead of the trash—they started to think of a way to involve the entire school district, and the town. Thus far, students at Palmer Academy and employees of the public works department have teamed up to promote recycling in town and school facilities.

Earlier in the school year, Jaskiewicz met with Don Boudreau, director of public works, to talk about different ways to recycle and how to implement a school-based program.

Boudreau said the first step was to assess the current recycling programs within the schools, primarily the elementary levels.

Once the surveys are completed, public works department staff will create a report to assess how the program is working. Boudreau said his hope is students from Palmer Academy will become the leaders of the project and oversee the program. The students have already begun talking about producing an informational video, including tips for recycling for elementary school students.

“We’ve made people aware,” she said. “We really feel it’s important to make this video and increase awareness for the younger students.”

Although the program is in its infancy—it will not be fully implemented until next year—Jaskiewicz and Boudreau said the students have already begun to work with established community groups that focus on recycling.

On Mondays, the four students help sort through the donated materials at the town’s transfer station and bring the items to the reuse room at the former Fair Oaks School. Each weekend a community tag sale is held and the proceeds go to the hosting nonprofit organization.

“The kids really enjoy it. I think the program is going to work,” Jaskiewicz said.

Out of the Darkness: Shedding light on teen dating violence

Interactive Desk — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:03:56 GMT

By Megan Bard, Staff Writer:

Preliminary results of a county-wide survey of 8th through 12th graders shows that 14 percent of teens who have dated have felt threatened at some point in their relationships.

According to the results of 400 surveys on teen violence collected by the Women’s Center of Southeastern Connecticut, 12 percent of teens said they’ve been pressured sexually by a partner and 40 percent said that they’ve known someone who has been physically or verbally abused.

And information is still being compiled.

For the staff of the Women’s Center this information is startling, but for Lauren Walendziak, a Montville High School senior, it is scary.

The recent tabloid news reports about the alleged abusive relationship between young music stars Chris Brown and Rihanna has brought the issue to teenagers’ attention. Walendziak wanted to take it a step further and get her peers into a productive discussion about the risks.

In an effort to make her peers aware of the dangers of teen violence and dating, and to make them more comfortable discussing the issue, Walendziak, 18, dedicated her senior independent project to researching teen dating violence and its effects on abusers and victims and identifying ways for teenagers to be comfortable talking about the “taboo” subject.

“It seems no one wants to acknowledge that it’s a problem. I think it’s good to get it out there, that this is a problem, especially for people in high school,” Walendziak said.

Although she has not been a victim or an abuser, Walendziak said she’s overheard girls explain the problem away by saying that it was their fault, that they were hit because they’d angered their partner.

“Then there are the people that don’t think it can happen to them. I’ve heard people talk about it and no one deserves it,” Walendziak said.

On May 16, Walendziak organized a walk-a-thon at the high school track to raise money for the Women’s Center—at least $1,000 was collected—and to provide a forum for high school students to show their willingness to help those in need without being stereotyped as someone who has experienced the acts.

“It’s a tough subject to embrace,” Darcie Folsom, the community education and involvement coordinator for the center said.

But it’s an important subject, nonetheless, Folsom said.

One in four people will experience some form of domestic violence at some point in their lives, Folsom said. If the violence occurs during the teenage years it could mean that the individual will experience a similar situation as an adult, she added.

To get a better idea on the effect of teen
violence on New London County youth, the Women’s Center is circulating a survey in area middle and high schools asking teens to
anonymously answer questions about their
relationships.

In addition to hosting the walk, Walendziak helped to solicit responses to the teen violence survey; Walendziak collected 600 surveys in Montville.

Preliminary results of all the surveys collected, including some from Montville, indicate that 61 percent of those who responded want more information about teen violence, Folsom said. Survey results are still being calculated, she said.

“I just wanted people to know that the problem is so much more prominent than they think it is and they need to stop ignoring it. They need to acknowledge it, and if they don’t then domestic violence will never go away,” Walendziak said.

For information about teen violence and/or to talk anonymously and confidentially to a counselor at the Women’s Center of Southeastern Connecticut call 860-701-6000. Despite the name of the center, men are also encouraged to call for help and information.