New London Times

The New London High School Class of 2009

2009-07-02T16:51:54Z

Jessica Abrante, Nicole Marie Alicea, Darchand Anderson, Valentina Argel, Thomas Frederick Arico, Estefany America Aybar, Jorge Barberan, Jr., Erik Bardales, Simone Deshea Barner, Nicholas Adam Battista, Deidra R. Belcher, Charles Bernadeau, Kerline Bernadeau, Beria Bien Aime, Rojaia Dominique Braggs, Zachary Michael Brusca, Elthon Gerson Calderon, Emerson Joel Calderon, Desiree Camby, Laura May Cates, Bryce Branden Childs, Maxine Samone Coleman, George Luis Correa, Jr., Jazmin Marie Cox, Fredrick Marcus Craig, Jose Crespo, Jr., Natasha Frances Cuevas, Brittany Elizabeth Curry, Daniel William Dean Dallas, Adrian Catherine Davis, Mecole Aushante Deas, Kary Mark Delacruz, Gaurav Dhungana, Ruben Diaz, Wilder A. Diaz Ortiz de Villate, Isaiah Dixon, Marquette A. Dove, Tamara Drayton, Joseph AA Duckworth, Stephen S. Dwyer, Daniel Dyer, Emmanuel Echavarria, Najah Elahi, Cynthia Escalera, Thomas David Eshenfelder, Roxanne Mae Evangelista, Troy Evans, Evell Fernandez, Dimaris Figueroa, Terence Desean Ford, Crystal Garcia, Engelys Garcia, Maria D. Garcia, Shalmic Garcia, Tiffany Lynn Gaudenzi, Devon Gilgeous, Victoria Gilliard, Shayra Chanel Gomez, Joshua Gonzalez, Risel Gonzalez, Kyasha Monet Goode, Michael Patrick Grady, David Michael Granados, Aurisalli J. Guzman, Manuel Bolidal Guzman, Ramona Guzman, Delsio Hilario, Danny Shi Hill, III, Jasmine Hodge, Fiona Gabrielle Hook, Marvin A. Jones, III, Olsa Kutrolli, Alyssa Kydd, William Lawrence, Ethan Simon Levine, Ezequiel Jose Lucena Martinez, Gerald Marcus Luter, Jivonna Maddox, Keisha H. Maddox, Tyler Davis Major, Jeanette Diane Manning, Mercedes Manuel, Robert Marin, Mya Lashona Massey, Matthew Jacob McSparran, Julie Menelas, Jonairy Miranda, Michelle Miranda, Auri Enid Miranda Ramos, Jamel A. Monroe, Thomas O. Montague, Miguel A. Montanez, Sean Morneau, Teaurean Ashaud Nolan, Yecenia Nunez-Jimenez, Rebecca Olivero, Jasmine Ortiz, Rafael A. Ovalle, Grecher Pacheco, Brayan Alexander Paulino Familia, Gaby P. Perez,

Melanie Marie Perez, Gregorio Jose Pichardo, Darius Queenan, Claudia Quinones, Eliezar Quinones, Kimberly Quinones, Christopher Rabell, Jonathan Ramos, Ramonita Ramos, Jessrael Rapisura, Joanna Marie B. Rapisura, Jordan Reed, Timothy R. Ricatta, Marjorie Rinchere, Lisuanette Rivera Nieves, Brittany Sanchez, Luis Enrique Sanchez, Marcus Adam Santiago, William L. Satti, Anthony Steven Schiavone, Lamont Rashawn Antonio Singleton, Dylan Jerome Smith, Justina Nicole Smith, Michael Soto, William Howard Stanley, Junius Ward Stubbs, Jacquetta Surney, Justin Dennis Tarr, Christian Tavarus Thomas, Jaimee Leigh Topkin, Mayreni Urena-Ramirez, Oscar Valdez, Cynthia Valentin, Merilyn Vargas, Roberto Vega, Christina Rose Velazquez, Connor Louis Snell Vendetto, David Villacorta, Richard A. Vitale, Vivian Vitorino, Bryanna Waites, Jaqueal Wallace, Jason T. Wallace, Jr., Jeffrey Thomas Walz, Bryan Weaver, Nina Marie Wildrick, Tobias Wilson, Danny Yeung, Bernadette L. Young.

Market on the Move: Farmer’s market moves to Fiddleheads lot

2009-07-02T16:50:06Z

By Kathleen Edgecomb, Staff Writer:

The familiar white and blue tarps that cover a plethora of locally grown produce are moving this summer from a parking lot on Eugene O’Neill Drive to one on Broad Street.

The New London Farmer’s Market will open July 3 outside Fiddleheads Food Co-op.

“We’re happy to be working with another New London organization,” said market master Susan Lemke.

She said customers who shop at the farmer’s market also shop at Fiddleheads, so it was natural for the two venues to be near each other. The new location is less than a quarter mile from the old one at the municipal parking lot on Eugene O’Neill Drive.

The New London Farmer’s Market offers native fruits and vegetables from six different vendors. Some also sell their goods inside Fiddleheads.

The market, which has been operating in the summer months in the city for 24 years—18 of them Eugene O’Neill lot—will be open at its new location from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays.

This year’s vendors include Lemke Valley Farms of South Glastonbury with vegetables, fruit, jams, honey, and baked goods; Urban Eden Soap Co. of New London, handmade soaps and body care products; Valchris Farm of Oakdale with organic vegetables; and Beckett Farm of South Glastonbury and Smith Acres Farm of Niantic offering fruits and vegetables.

AT THE CAPITOL ~ End-of-Session Notes

2009-07-02T15:26:10Z

By State Sen. Andrea L. Stillman:

At this writing there is ongoing uncertainty about the status of the state budget. Legislative leaders and the governor have worked to identify common ground, but regrettably significant differences remain, so a budget agreement has been elusive.

It is little but some consolation that the vast majority of states face this predicament. Perhaps the most stark example is in California, where the governor has suggested cutting costs by releasing thousands of convicts from state prisons. We certainly hope to avoid that here in Connecticut.

As the extended budget process plays out, I will continue with updates about other policy successes; this time to highlight one new law enacted to the benefit of constituents and a couple from the Public Safety and Security Committee, for which I have responsibility.

On the second-to-last night of the legislative session, legislation was approved to allow the Boy Scouts of Troop 24 in East Lyme to once again operate a safety coffee stop at the Waterford weigh station on I-95 on Labor Day weekends. That unanimous vote ensured a 25-year tradition, that had inexplicably fallen out of favor and was suspended last summer, will resume in 2009.

I worked to restore this tradition because it helps keep drivers on a major thoroughfare—on one of the busiest weekends of the year—alert and alive while traveling through our state. A longstanding cliché for the good deeds of Boy Scouts is helping people cross busy streets and this safety stop along I-95 is simply a modern version of that.

I know how eager the Scouts are to provide this community service and I know how grateful local charities are to receive any contributions collected. In 25 years there were never any accidents, injuries, or other incidents related to this project to cause concern, protest, or cancellation, so it’s gratifying to know the tradition will be revived.

In another new law, we sought to protect first responders from the highly contagious and very serious complications from tuberculosis. To their credit, emergency medical personnel often put their patient’s interests ahead of their own, sometimes at great personal risk. Public Act 09-76 requires hospitals to notify these first responders if a patient they treated and transported has infectious pulmonary tuberculosis, an airborne, extremely contagious, and very serious infectious disease.

Recent enhancements in patient confidentiality protections have unintentionally neglected some common-sense requirements regarding potential risks assumed by those who treat anonymous patients. This new law restores timely notification to state statute to better protect those whose service in the name of public safety inadvertently exposes them to hazardous conditions.

Yet another recently enacted law requires mandatory school crisis drills. This legislation, recently signed by the governor, requires local boards of education to conduct a crisis response drill once every three months in lieu of the required monthly fire drills. Furthermore, the bill requires the first fire drill to be held within the first 30 days of each school year.

Sadly, several shocking tragedies in recent years prompted this initiative to have all Connecticut schools well-versed in their response to a crisis situation. Routine and repeated drills provide local law enforcement agencies with the opportunity to collaborate on the planning for and response to circumstances that are both unthinkable and yet quite possible.

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

A Scene Unfolds: Magnet school senior headed to NYC film school

2009-06-25T19:45:20Z

By Stephen Chupaska, Staff Writer:

Six years ago, Stephen Dwyer took out a DVD of “The Godfather” from the Groton Public Library and knew that it wasn’t just another movie.

“I loved the slow camera movements, the setting in Sicily, the light,” he said. “I loved the Nino Rota soundtrack. It was set apart from other movies I’ve seen.”

After that, Dwyer, 18, devoured the movie collections at the library, watching everything from the salad days of American cinema in the 1970s to spaghetti westerns and Fellini.

As a student at the Science and Technology Magnet School of Southeastern Connecticut he wrote and directed his own shorts, even shooting scenes based on parts of Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye.”

He took seminars with director Roger Christiansen, a New London High School graduate.

So earlier this year, when Dwyer got an acceptance letter from Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, it was an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Dwyer, who graduated June 24, will in August start at the highly selective undergraduate film program that counts Ang Lee and Martin Scorsese as alumni.

“I looked at Florida State, Texas, and UCLA,” Dwyer said, “but when I heard I got into NYU, I had to go.”

The school accepts roughly 20 students per year, so Dwyer didn’t think he had much of a shot.

“This feels like destiny,” he said.

But for all the Klieg light twinkle in his eyes, Dwyer’s dreams of directing features are tempered by practicality instilled by his mother, Elga Concepcion.

Dwyer was born in Indianapolis (“It’s like a John Mellencamp video there,” he noted) raised by his mom, as his father was “out of the picture.”

When Dwyer was 10, they moved to Groton, then to New London five years later.

“It was tough,” he said. “She worked 14, 15 hours a day with two jobs, it was part of life.”

Although Dwyer spent some time alone when he was young, Concepcion made her presence felt.

“My mom pushed the hell out of me,” he said. “I wanted to get good grades to please her.”

Dwyer will finish the magnet school as one the top 10 students in his class, who excelled in science as well as in the arts.

“He took three AP science classes [in his last] semester,” said Denise Swiatek, a science teacher at the magnet school. “Not a lot of students do that, but Stephen took on a challenge.”

Swiatek said that Dwyer is “more mature than most high school students,” and has a “great demeanor.”

“I think all of his teachers would say that,” she said. “Now he’s following his dream.”

Dwyer is preparing both his left and right brain for life in New York.

“I’m a sucker for New York City,” Dwyer said. “It’s the most amorous city in the world, it’s like our Rome. Think about the love that goes into such a city.”

But Dwyer knows it doesn’t come at a discount.

“I’ve already got my bartending license,” he said.

Young Citizens are on Patrol

2009-06-25T19:44:02Z

By Chuck Potter, Staff Writer:

Cynthia Ramos finds it a lot easier to be a good girl now than she did a year ago.

“I had my brushes with the law,” the demure, 15-year-old said. “Now I know they’re not just being nosy. They’re trying to help us. They’re trying to help this town.”

Cynthia says she might even want to wear a badge some day.

“It seems like a fun job,” she said. “You just have to understand what they are trying to do.”

Ramos was one of 14 New London High School students who took part in a Citizen’s Police Academy this spring. The class, in which police personnel teach civilians about the functions and methods of the police department, is usually taken by adult members of the community at police headquarters. This session was held in the classroom at New London high School, for credit, and was taught by Lt. Chip Segar and Patrolman Anthony Nolan, the school’s resource officer.

The participants received their certificates of completion during the June 15 City Council meeting. The class included a CPR and first aid program through which most of the students earned the certification that could help them save a life someday.

Most of the nine students who were present at the meeting said they came away from the class with new respect for the police department.

“I used to think cops were jerks,” said one of the students. “Now I see what they go through.”

Segar, a recent law school graduate, handed out the certificates on the same day he was sworn in and admitted to the Connecticut State Bar. He said he learned a lot from the students.

“The first thing, I learned a lot more Spanish than I knew before,” he said. “We had two kids [for whom] English was a second language.”

He said he also gained a better understanding of the issues concerning the young people in the community.

“The students got a glimpse of officers in a non-threatening environment. We were able to talk candidly and honestly,” Segar said.

Segar said they talked with the students about things such as the use of reasonable force. He said discussions on the thresholds of sexual activity, legal age differences in dating, and race relations in the school, on the police force, and in the community were prominent in the class.

Mariaha O’Neil, 17, said she discovered that police officers are not the people a lot of teenagers assume they are.

“Before, I thought they were mean, annoying,” she said. “Now I know they are just trying to do their job. They were really nice.”

Creg McPherson called Segar “the coolest cop ever.” That’s high praise considering Nolan is one of the department’s most popular officers for his involvement with local youth, both on and off duty.

Besides Ramos, O’Neil, and McPherson, the graduates included Joaquin Garcia, Jonathan Garcia, Raymond Mendez, Eddie Johnson, Benjamin Horn, Tiesheedah Phillips, Boghens Larrieux, Rossel Pichardo, Jaron Wilbur, Alex Martinez, and
Romanita Ramos.

“They saw us as less threatening,” Segar said. “We were able to have open and frank discussions. It was positive interaction in a nonthreatening forum.”

The class also went on field trips to the Superior Court, City Hall, and the state capitol, thanks to a grant from Saint Francis House. Several councilors praised the students as well as the officers for providing the training.

Mayor Wade Hyslop said he had a chance to interact with the group and found them to be, “most impressive.”

“We appreciate the time you took to work with the kids,” Hyslop said.

Councilor Michael Buscetto III noted that the positive interaction between law enforcement and the young people in the city is invaluable.

“You’ve achieved some great things,” he said. “The best thing is a connection between youth and police. That’s something that is needed in this city. We need to develop a level of trust between our youth and the police if we are going to achieve anything in New London. I get a sense of hope from this program.”

Baseball Title Shows NL Can Win Without Cochran

2009-06-25T19:43:03Z

By Larry Kelley, Special to the Times:

New London High athletes and parents, take a bow. You accomplished greatness without the superhuman powers of Jack Cochran.

When you hear some Whaler football athletes and supporters bestow the virtues of Cochran, the embattled football coach who is currently separated from his NL position, you’d think Whaling City’s finest athletes could not walk and chew gum without him. The irony of Cochran stepping down as baseball coach before he even started because he allegedly held an illegal early practice only to see a new coach, Mike Wheeler, lift the team to a title is remarkable. Hopefully the Whaler baseball team’s surprising run to the Class M state championship will leave a legacy proving mere mortals can win big as well.

There’s seemingly no middle ground with Cochran. His critics despise him; his devotees revere him. Perhaps everyone needs to take a Cochran time-out. When you read quotes from football players like, “I’d probably be on the streets selling drugs if it weren’t for coach Cochran being here,” that’s an inferiority complex that needs to be changed.

One of the interesting aspects of New London’s baseball championship is the fact that very few football players played baseball. Only center fielder Billy Satti, a starting defensive back, and infielder Manny Guzman, a football reserve, were on Cochran’s state title team last winter. There are no Whaler athletes who played varsity baseball, basketball, and football, a sign of these specialized sports times and a tribute to New London’s depth of major sport athletes.

A tip of the cap to Wheeler, New London’s players, and their parents and guardians whose efforts improving New London’s Little League and Junior Babe Ruth league and facilities sprouted into fruition with an Eastern Connecticut Conference Small championship and a major run in Class M states.

Accept our apologies for interjecting Cochran into this column, but we’re trying to make a point. There are many talented, dedicated, and passionate athletes, coaches, and contributors responsible for this state championship. All-State pitcher Luis Sanchez and an excellent No. 2 in Yohendy Gonzalez combined to allow just one run in five state tournament games. Fine catcher Eddie Sierra, promising first baseman Matt Greene, and sure-handed shortstop A.J. Turnier stepped up on what was a solid if unspectacular lineup.

Youth baseball coaches and administrators such as Dean Bailey and Ed Hallisey and Mike Sousa of Junior Babe Ruth, and parks and recreation director Tom Major, who has helped greatly improved New London’s fields recently, can be assured they contributed in small part to these players’ development. There are many others, I’m sure.

Take some credit for what you accomplished as a group. It takes more than one person to win a state championship.

Cochran’s success is unquestioned. But if he does not get his job back or decides to coach in college, it’s not the end of “Whaler Pride.” To his detriment, he’s a lightning rod for stories. His passion and success commands more attention than his program. And any coach will tell you the name on the front of the jersey should carry more weight than the name on the back of a jersey.

This is the opinion of Larry Kelley.

As I See It: Love Springs Eternal

2009-06-25T19:42:23Z

By Renelda Moorehead, Special to the Times:

What makes the spring and summer in New London different than anywhere I have lived? Seagulls.

You see, I’ve never lived so close to the river in a riverside community. Seagulls sail by. The Herring, Black-back, and Ringed-billed gulls rule the air just four blocks from the Thames River—a view I enjoy in all weather.

Since late April I was privy to what I imagined was mating madness all day into the night. Something was strange. The gulls didn’t sound the same in September when I moved to this “Golden Nugget on the Thames.” A call to the Pequotsepos Nature Center gave me answers. Yes the gulls were mating. Yes, I was hearing what I was hearing—strange cries, plaintive, screeching, even laughing calls. And yes, I am witnessing a heightened flurry of activity. Bird love was in the air.

And from Mother Earth love is springing up in a cornucopia of colorful displays of perennial offerings. And the trees! Joyce Kilmer was right—there’s no poem as lovely as a tree. In the district and all around New London is a proliferation of gorgeous trees. On Union Street there stand two symmetrically sprawling trees with rust red leaves. Bright yellow Forsythia bushes along the highways and houses are part of spring’s welcoming committee.

Nature’s backdrop—sunny or tempestuous—coupled with New London’s sounds and sights, as I see it, is the perfect atmosphere for lovers. I’ve seen young lovers, older lovers hand-in-hand talking softly, laughing loudly, sharing intimacies, hugs, and kisses. Then every half hour the church bells chime to remind us of a higher power. From my windows I watch energetic kids popping wheelies while racing their bikes on a quiet side street. Strolling along the Thames River Park I come upon fishermen and women dangling their lines hoping to land a big one. Folks, fish, flora, and fauna are catching rays. The immensity of the river muffles their laughter; a swarthy woman in a bright red scarf snaps photos of her companion to capture the memory. He fidgets, until he’s sure. A wide smile eases over his face.

These hope-filled signs send the message that love springs eternal. We generally accept that there are many different expressions of love. But the love that endures is that which we give in service to others as volunteers. History tells us that America has always been a volunteer-spirited country. Recently President Obama, flanked by former President Clinton and Sen. Ted Kennedy, signed into legislation a bill calling Americans—especially young Americans—into volunteer service.

In my comings and goings I found diligent volunteers among my neighbors. I’ve seen the elegant Bettie McIntyre ushering at the Garde. Bettie caught the volunteer spirit before her retirement from the U.S Postal Service. Her Elks Club had presented a play, “Black Nativity,” as a fundraiser at the Garde. “I liked what I saw,” says Bettie, and she wondered what she could do to help. That was 13 years ago. Bettie’s love of volunteering has her on the Board of Directors of the Kente Cultural Center; an officer of the L&M Hospital auxiliary; and the New London Zoning Board of Appeals.

Then there’s 17-year-old Jessica Abrante, also an enthusiastic usher at the Garde for the last three years. Jessica likes her job because, of course, she gets to see shows. “And,” she adds, “it’s great because I’m going to college for acting. It’s a new beginning process for me.”

Audrey Kincade, who resides at the Mohican, has been ushering at the Garde for the last three years. Audrey’s love of helping people brought her to volunteerism. With a mischievous grin Audrey says, “It adds a spice to my retired life.”

I first met Matthew O. on the elevator, carrying his guitar case. I wondered where and what he played. One could say I have a case for music and musicians. A tall, ample man of few words, Matt is a volunteer member of Second Step Players. This group performs classic rock and blues at Art Reach in Norwich. Matt has been a member of the band since 1995. Matt says, “It makes me feel good to help myself and others.” As I see it, that’s love. And love springs eternal right here in New London, the Golden Nugget on the Thames.

For volunteer opportunities, check out Kente Cultural Center, 444-1995; the Garde Performing Arts Center, 444-7373; L&M Community Outreach, 442-0730; and the Old Trolley Station info booth at Golden Street and O’Neill Drive, 443-9694; among others.

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

2009-06-25T14:55:52Z

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 Day in the Garden: Celebrate the sixth annual Connecticut Historic Garden Days

2009-06-17T17:51:25Z

By Kathleen Edgecomb, Staff Writer:

The old boxwoods are finally getting some recognition.

The colonial and Victorian gardens surrounding the Shaw Mansion have been added to the list of Connecticut’s Historic Gardens and will be one of the designated stops Sunday (June 21) during the sixth annual Connecticut’s Historic Garden Days.

The Thankful Arnold House Museum in Haddam and Weir Farm National Historic Site in Wilton also join the 11 other sites as the state’s premier historic gardens.

On Sunday each location is planning special events and activities.

“This is very unique and very special,’’ said Edward Baker, executive director of the New London County Historical Society, which is housed at the Shaw Mansion.

The historic home on Blinman Street also includes a summer house in the backyard, which dates back to around 1792.

“It provided a comfortable place to be on a hot summer day,’’ Baker said.

The gardens were redesigned by Christopher Tunnard after being destroyed by the 1938 hurricane. Tunnard, a Canadian-born landscape architect who spent his early career in England and ended up at Yale University in 1943, received special recognition in 1945 for his work on the New London site. Today, David Jacques is writing a book about Tunnard, which will include images from the Shaw Mansion.

The book is to be entitled ‘Landscape Modernism Renounced: the career of Christopher Tunnard (1910-1979)’ and is expected to be released in July, according Baker.

Volunteers trained as Connecticut Master Gardeners and under the direction of Susan Munger of New London, tend to the beds.

In conjunction with the Historic Garden Day, several members of the Starr Street Association, located a block away from the Shaw Mansion, will open their small backyard gardens to the public.

All the gardens will be open from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday (June 21). Tickets are $20 in advance and can be purchased at the Shaw Mansion or by calling 860-443-1209.

Other Connecticut Historic Gardens nearby that will be
holding special events on Sunday include the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme and Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford.

Garden, estate, and mansion tours at Harkness will be offered from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Florence Griswold is hosting free outdoor activities from 1 to 5 p.m. Visitors can stroll through “Miss Florence’s” gardens and walk down to the Lieutenant River. Members of the “Garden Gang” will be on hand to discuss the museum’s grounds and gardens and show visitors around the new Rafal Landscape Center, a recently restored historic barn.

Visitors can watch a pastel artist at work in the garden and then try their hands at creating their own masterpieces. Families can go on the new garden scavenger hunt. Museum admission applies to the house and galleries—$9 adults, $8 seniors, $7 students, and children age 12 and younger are free. A coupon is available at www.FlorenceGriswoldMuseum.org

For a listing of the other historic garden sites, visit www.cthistoricgardens.org.

AT THE CAPITOL ~ Plenty Accomplished, Plenty More to Do

2009-06-17T17:47:09Z

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.

Miss Debutante 2009: The region’s young women showcase their talents and dreams

2009-06-10T19:51:15Z

By Chuck Potter, Staff Writer:

New London’s Shiloh Baptist Church Women of Excellence crowned Miss Debutante 2009 May 9 at the Mystic Marriot Hotel during the Debutante Scholarship Program Cotillion.

She is Brittany C. Watts, 18, the daughter of Bishop Benjamin and Sister Cynthia Watts of East Lyme. Bishop Watts is pastor at Shiloh. Mrs. Watts founded the Women of Excellence and rejuvenated the debutante program.

Minister Roberta Fauntleroy and Deaconess Bettye Jo Williams were the committee chairs for the program and the cotillion.

Ten young women took part in the year-long program during which they were mentored by women from the church and community. They also took part in educational and recreational field trips, held fund-raising events, and performed in a fashion and talent show. The year of training and fund-raising required the debutantes to gather almost every weekend to work on dance routines, hear speakers, and finally, to rehearse “Angels,” a group performance that was part of the pageantry of the cotillion.

The performance was choreographed by award-winning dancer, teacher, choreographer, and lecturer Mari DaSilva. She also taught the debutantes and their gentlemen escorts to waltz, which they danced to “Requerdos de la Alhambra.”

The Debutante of the Year was crowned by Courtnee Fields, Miss Debutante 2007.

“The real accomplishment was not just in winning, but in being with the other girls for 32 Saturdays, laughing talking, learning, and just having fun,” Fields said before yielding her throne. “This is truly a blessing for all.”

Brittany Watts, a senior at East Lyme High School is president of her senior class. She also is president of Shiloh’s Youthful Praise Choir, the church’s dance ministry advisor, and teaches Sunday school and Vacation bible school. Watts is co-president of the Connecticut State Missionary Baptist convention youth department and is vice-president of the Rotary Interact Club. She will attend Wheaton College in the fall.

“This program has taught me the importance of patience,” she said. “I have become a more independent thinker and more accepting of differences in people. I enjoyed the exposure to different cultures and activities offered to us.”

Watts founded and developed a youth camp in which children enjoyed organized play, arts and crafts, and skill building activities for her community service project.

Other 2009 debutantes include:

Bianca R. Abreu, daughter of Jewell and Reginald Jones of Waterford, where she is a high school junior and a member of the track and field team. She is a member of the New Life Christian Fellowship Church in Ledyard, where she works with the youth ministry. She considers her father her most significant role model.

Simone D. Barner, 17, is the daughter of Sharon and Robert Barner, of New London. A senior at New London High School, Barner is a member of the National honor society, Senior class president and a cheerleader. She is a member of Today’s Students, Tomorrow’s Teachers.

Although her community service project was teaching cheerleading, her work with Students Against Drunk Driving and the Girl Scouts accounted for more than 400 hours of community service.

“Even though we were in competition with one another, I learned a lot from the other debutantes,” she said. “I learned you have to work for what you want, nothing is given to you.”

Jazmin M. Cox, 18, is the daughter of Tonja Danzler-Cox and Shannon Cox. She is a senior at the Science and Technology Magnet High School in New London, where she played football, basketball, and ran track.

Cox dressed as the scarecrow and performed a crowd-arousing dance routine of “Ease on Down the Road” from “The Wiz.”

Cox volunteers with the New London Youth Football League, Waterford Country School, a local AIDS clinic and works with the Coaches vs. Cancer Basketball benefit program. She plans to be a child psychologist.

Octavia V. Jenkins, 17, is the daughter of Victoria Spearman of Groton. She will graduate from Fitch High School in June. Jenkins said she enjoys giving to the community, which she did by tutoring students at Gallup Hill Elementary. She is also a talented cook who developed a skit that included making crepe Suzettes live on stage for the talent show.

“This experience taught me to throw myself out there, ask questions, and get out of my shyness,” she said. “I recommend this opportunity for all young girls.”

Double Header at Hygienic: Paintings of Will Holub and Nathan Lewis

2009-06-10T19:49:35Z

By Amy J. Barry, Special to the Times:

In some ways the paintings of Will Holub and Nathan Lewis are in stark contrast. In other ways, they are quite complimentary. But one thing is certain: the work of these two talented artists is thought-provoking, inventive, and infused with both serious messages and ironic humor.

Holub and Lewis’s paintings are on exhibit in New London’s Hygienic Art Galleries from May 30 to June 27 with an opening reception on May 30.

Will Holub’s Pairings

For this exhibit, Holub has given himself the challenge of pairing up his figurative/realist and abstract paintings created over a 30-year period while he was living in New York City (1975-1991) and Santa Fe, New Mexico (1992-2006).

Holub invites the viewer to go beyond the obvious differences between the paired paintings and discover the shared and unifying characteristics in his various approaches to art.

“I’m always willing to experiment,” Holub says. “You can see how the threads of my own creative preferences exhibit themselves throughout, regardless of what the style is, either abstract—which take on a number of forms—or figurative, from the ’70s or now.”

Holub sees these pairings as “showing the arc of the timeline as well as how the paintings are almost uncannily related—even in their color.”

For example, he points out that “Dayton” and “For Caroline,” painted 30 years apart, are on the surface quite different (in style, subject, and medium) and yet there is a lot in common about the technique.

“‘For Caroline’ is a very textural, mixed media piece and also very much about drawing—the way the surface is incised,” Holub says. “‘Dayton’ is also very carefully drawn and delineated. Craftsmanship has always been a hallmark of my work.”

Holub is appreciative to the Hygienic for offering him “an opportunity to not just do a normal exhibition, but show a range of work and support the mandate of any non-profit arts group, which is to educate.

“My [aim] is to elevate discourse—the mission of art—through the feeling in the work,” he says. “It’s great to be sharing galleries with Nathan Lewis—a young, impressive painter. I’ve always enjoyed that kind of relationship with younger artists as I’ve progressed along in my career.”

Holub has been visiting Southeastern Connecticut since his parents moved to North Stonington in 1980. He returned to the area a year ago when his father (recently deceased) became ill and he decided to establish permanent roots here, moving to Groton last year.

“I felt like I was coming home,” Holub says. “I realized how much I loved it here even after seeing the West, South, and living in New York City. It’s got all the amenities of small-town life and is close to Boston and New York, where I’ve exhibited. I, like many artists, have searched for a place to live and this feels right.”

Holub is a member of the Hygienic Art Galleries and Cambridge Art Association, where he most recently received a Best in Show Award from Jen Mergel, curator of the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston.

Nathan Lewis’s
Storytelling

Nathan Lewis’s oil and acrylic paintings tell stories—and even sometimes include actual text, from all different sources. A painting in the show titled “Blessed Isles,” for example, is ringed with words from a Kafka parable, a Stephen Crane poem, and a Gilbert and Sullivan song.

He also brings physical characters from history, literature, and philosophy into his work. “Strange Fruit” includes Mussolini and his mistress, characters from “Waiting for Godot,” and a Johnny Ramone look-alike with a blue guitar.

Most of Lewis’s paintings in the exhibit were completed within the last two-and-a-half years.

A resident of New Haven, Lewis studied art in the U.S. and abroad before receiving his BFA in 2000 from the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts and his MFA in 2004 from Tufts University/School of Museum of Fine Arts Boston.

He teaches painting and drawing at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield and has exhibited widely in New York and New England over the past six years.

“Most of my work is narrative; trying to imply meaning or some sort of story,” Lewis says. “Sometimes it’s fairly direct and sometimes uses symbols or symbolism. A lot of my work has to do with the relationship of art to religion and the difficulties between the two. They don’t always fit together very nicely.”

Lewis refers to his painting, “Hey Light,” whose title is from the song by Animal Collective.

“The figure looks dead, but the hand is sort of reaching for this light. I think it’s also a metaphor in terms of painting—what your hands can do, how [artists] really see light and understand light and paint light.”

Humor and seriousness come into play in “Mockingbird,” a “landscape painting” in which a hand holds up a sign that says, “Anything you think or do has already been thought of or done by someone else smarter and more talented than you” and underneath in fine print, “Can you triumph over this thought?”

“In terms of painting a beautiful landscape, it’s been done for so long, you have to be aware of the past, and in many ways that’s a burden,” Lewis explains. “You have to look through a window of what’s been done and find some way of making it your own.”

Lewis is looking forward to exhibiting with Holub at the Hygienic.

“It’s always interesting to see how the works respond to each other. It’s the really nice part of being an artist and putting stuff out there to be shown,” he says. “It gives you a new look at your work—and to see other artists’ work as well.”

“Will Holub+Nathan Lewis” is on exhibit through June 27 at the Hygienic Art Galleries, 79-83 Bank Street, New London. The public is invited to an opening reception, Saturday, May 30, from 7 to 10 p.m. For more information, call 860-443-8001 or visit www.hygienic.org.

A Haitian Celebration: For Haitians, Flag Day is a time to celebrate culture

2009-06-08T15:09:28Z

By Stephen Chupaska, Staff Writer:

Many of New London’s estimated 75 Haitian families and others gathered at the New London High School cafeteria to celebrate Flag Day, a major holiday in Haiti and in cities with large immigrant populations, with dancing and traditional cuisine.

“It’s an opportunity to share our culture with other people,” said Marc-Eddy Georges, a high school student.

Held every May 18, Flag Day was started in the 1930s by Haiti’s president Dumarsais Estime as a celebration of culture and cuisine.

Shalimar Wuyke, director of the Shoreline Academy and Flag Day organizer, said last month’s celebration was a chance for New London to learn more about Haiti and its culture.

“We’re proud of the accomplishments of our Haitian students,” Wuyke said.

Families brought in various Haitian dishes, which are a fusion of Creole and Caribbean staples such as plantains, rice, and beans.

Wuyke said Flag Day also provides a chance to highlight the difficulties Haitian immigrant students experience, mainly with language.

“It’s hard to find people who speak Creole,” she said.

Ruth Stewart, an ESL teacher at Winthrop School, said most Creole speakers can pick up Spanish rather quickly.

“Also, most Haitian speakers are literate in French,” she said.

The night concluded with a list of awards for the students, along with readings and traditional dance performances.

Local Scouts Earn Eagle Rank

2009-06-08T15:08:16Z

Two members of the Boy Scout Troop 29 were promoted to Eagle Scout during a ceremony at the Quaker Hill Fire Department.

Michael Farwell of New London and Scott Van Verdeghem of Waterford (pictured above) were promoted to Eagle Scouts with accommodations during the ceremony before families and friends. Sen. Andrea Stillman, D-Waterford; and State Rep. Betsy Ritter, D-Waterford, attended.

Both scouts began their careers as Tiger Cubs with Pack 11 at St. Joseph’s School in New London. They went on to the Waterford-based troop to continue their involvement in scouts. They have been involved in many troop and community activities and completed an Eagle Scout community project.

Michael Farwell, 19, the son of Rachel Smolenski, did his community service project for the DNA EpiCenter in Waterford, where he has been a camp counselor for three years. He held a pancake breakfast at the Quaker Hill Fire Department to purchase supplies to create new wooden benches for the site. Michael is attending Unity College in Maine studying wildlife biology.

Scott Van Verdeghem, 18, of Waterford, is the son of Doug and Kathy Van Verdeghem. He completed his community service project with the Alliance for the Living in New London. He held a can drive where he earned funds to support the purchase of material and the construction of five storage shelves that are being used for clothing organization. Scott is attending Central Connecticut State University and is studying mechanical engineering.

—Kathleen Edgecomb

AT THE CAPITOL ~ A Sound Partnership

2009-06-08T15:06:59Z

By State Sen. Andrea L. Stillman:

Two weeks ago my Senate colleagues—every single one of them—joined me to vote for a bill I co-sponsored to establish a Bi-State Long Island Sound Commission, to provide with New York State ongoing stewardship for that shared natural treasure. As far as the Sound is concerned, where ecological, recreational, economic, and security issues all merge, this commission would supply broad perspective and mutually agreeable strategies.

That bill notwithstanding, there is already in place a mechanism for Connecticut to fortify its commitment to Long Island Sound. Our state’s Clean Water Fund, established in 1986, was designed to provide sustained financing for the design and construction of wastewater treatment plants, in large part to protect Long Island Sound and the rivers that flow into it from contamination. This year though, the state’s support for the fund is at risk given the precarious budget circumstance.

The risk to the Sound is self-evident: more than 20 million people are said to live within 50 miles of the estuary, generating waste at unprecedented rates. Furthermore, the vast majority of that growing population prospers directly or indirectly from the Sound-based regional economy, valued conservatively at $5.5 billion a year. We must invest in the Clean Water Fund because it’s both an ecological and economic imperative.

There is already ample scientific data collected over the past 20 years to support the value of this investment. Scientists have documented steady improvement in the Sound’s overall water quality, most notably with a reduced nitrogen load. This is manifest in reduced instances of hypoxia, low rates of dissolved oxygen.

This undeniably good news is the result of a $180 million investment over the past 15 years to successfully upgrade sewage treatment plants, with help from the Clean Water Fund. But the state is bound by an agreement, with both New York and the federal government, to make additional progress by 2014, and the cost to do so is projected to increase geometrically due to steadily increasing population and the need to complete more ambitious, large-scale wastewater treatment projects.

The state Department of Environmental Protection estimates the cost of necessary wastewater infrastructure improvements to be almost $5 billion over the next 20 years.

This staggering figure is compounded by the challenge we face to address and mitigate “nonpoint” sources of excess nitrogen such as suburban lawns and septic systems, urban storm water runoff, and farms. If we are to do so effectively, and remain compliant with the binding Long Island Sound management agreement, we’ll have to fortify the statewide flood control system to complement enhanced capacity of municipal wastewater treatment plants.

There is a silver lining in the high cost of all this. First, there is likely to be federal funding available to supplement our own Clean Water Fund, and every dollar invested in these projects creates jobs—in engineering and construction, and in scientific and environmental monitoring—and keeps money circulating in the local economy. There is also a 20-year track record of success and achievement, bolstering the argument that an investment of these resources will pay dividends soon, and for generations to come.

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