EastonCourier.

com

Twitter.com/EastonCourier
Facebook.com/EastonCourier

Hersam Acorn Newspapers

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Vol. XXXVIII No. 35

$1

Irene comes to town

Downing trees and power lines, storm leaves Eastonites in the dark
by Liz Skalka
Editor
While Easton may not have
been hit as hard as other towns
along the East Coast, Tropical
Storm Irene still brought
with her damaging winds
that downed trees and power
lines and left many Eastonites
yearning for restored electricity.
As of Wednesday morning, much of the region was
still struggling to regroup
after Irenes hit Sunday.
Immediately following the
storm, roughly half of the state
lost power and debris made
many roads impassable.
Once Irene had passed,
Eastonites emerged to find
about 20 blocked-off roads,
including parts of Black
Rock and Westport roads, and
numerous dangling power
lines. As of Tuesday morning,
14 roads were still impassable.
Late last week, residents
throughout the region were
inundated with news about the
See Irene on page 2A

Following Tropical
Storm Irene, trees and
downed power lines
lined Eastons roads.
Areas such as Wells Hill
Road, above, and Toth
Park, right, flooded,
while many roads were
closed to traffic due to
debris.

Inside
Region 9

Board returns extra funds

to towns.
Page 3A

Storm photos

More color storm photos

inside.
Page 2A

Saddle Ridge

P&Z decision
prompts appeal
by Liz Skalka
Editor

Arts & Leisure ..................... 7A

Classifieds ........................... 9A
Opinion .............................. 4A
Police News ........................ 3A
Sports ................................. 8A
Spotlight ............................. 6A

The Planning and Zoning

Commissions denial of Saddle
Ridges application for a 99unit housing development has
been met with an appeal from
those who seek to build it.
An appeal dated Aug. 24
was received by the town, and
possibly marks the beginning
of lengthy court proceedings
regarding the application,
which was made under State
Statue 8-30g, Connecticuts
affordable housing appeals
law. The law is designed to
make it easier for developers
to build affordable housing in
communities where it is lacking.

In August, P&Z denied an

amended version of Saddle
Ridges original application,
which included 105 units,
30% of which would meet
the states criteria for affordable housing. The 99-unit plan
also included 30% affordable
units.
In its appeal, an attorney
for Saddle Ridge cites that
Easton has an acute and unmet
need for affordable housing.
As of 2010, only 10 homes in
Easton qualify as affordable
housing, which means that
less than 0.5% of Eastons
housing stock is considered
affordable by the state.
The appeal discusses both
See Appeal on page 5A

Irene derails
planned jazz festival
by Liz Skalka
Editor
Canceled last Sunday because of
Tropical Storm Irene, the Easton Jazz/
Music Festival has been rescheduled
for this Sunday, Sept. 4, pending more
bad weather.
Festival producer Gene Leone said
the festival will go on rain or shine,
unless Sunday brings very heavy rain
or dangerous thunderstorms. Updates
are posted on the festival Web site,
EastonMusicFestival.org.
The event is scheduled from noon
to 7 on Pond Field next to Helen Keller
Middle School and is free. It is being
undertaken with help from the Easton
Department of Parks and Recreation.
Mr. Leone said the slate of roughly

100 musicians is expected to be practically as planned for the original date.

The same concession vendors are also
expected.
Residents are encouraged to bring
blankets and lawn chairs to relax on
as they view music being performed
on two stages. There will be a small
amount of cover for light rain.
This is Mr. Leones second year
producing the jazz festival, which he
hopes will draw many from surrounding towns. Performers are coming from
near and faraway and include widely
recognized artists performing jazz,
R&B, gospel, blues and funk.
Last year the festival was held
at the gazebo in front of the Easton
Community Center and drew roughly
1,000 attendees.

PAGE 2A

THE EASTON COURIER, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

Irenes wind gusts were strong enough to tear up large trees, many of which
ended up in roadways. At left, a weeping willow at Silvermans Farm is missing
its top half.

Irene
Continued from Page One
storm, which made landfall in
North Carolina as a hurricane
but weakened to a tropical
storm by the time it reached
Connecticut.
Even so, Irene knocked out
power to more than 700,000
Connecticut homes and has
caused the deaths of more than
40 people, two of whom were
from Connecticut, but not
from the immediate area.
As of late Wednesday morning, the United Illuminating
Co. (UI) was reporting that
63% of its Easton customers were still without power
1,828 of 2,913 homes.
At the same time, UI said
it restored electricity to 62%

of its 158,000 customers who

lost it, and the power company
was hopeful it could reduce
its total number of outages to
10,000 over the weekend.
Connecticut Light & Power
restored power to more than
500,000 customers, it said
early Tuesday. Even with that
progress, more than 354,000
customers remained without
power.
Many area residents heeded
warnings from officials and
flocked to supermarkets to
stock up on bottled waters,
bread, canned foods and other
non-perishables, leaving slim
pickings for those who were
not as quick to shop. The bottled water has especially proven essential for Eastonites,
who need electricity to pump
well water into their homes.
First Selectman Thomas
Herrmann said Tuesday that
he has not yet received information from UI about when

power would be fully restored

to Easton. He said UI crews
have been in town sporadically and have worked alongside
town highway crews.
The priority is to get roads
passable and power restored,
Mr. Herrmann said. The
impact of this storm has been
devastating.
It appeared Tuesday that
some residents were beginning to get power back, as
Eastons total outages dropped
from a high of 78% of town
Sunday.
Due to the road blockages
and power outages, the first
day of school for Easton public school students was pushed
back from Wednesday, Aug.
31, to Tuesday, Sept. 6.
Impact around town
On Monday, traffic was
light throughout town. Many
roads that were blocked
Sunday remained closed.
Greisers and the post office

were empty and dark. Down

the street, town hall was also
empty, except for the police
department downstairs, which
has been running on generator power since Sunday. As
of Tuesday, the Easton Public
Library was also closed.
During the storm, several
residents spent the evening at
the Easton Senior Center with
Director Val Buckley. They
brought their own food and
the towns emergency mass
care trailer provided cots. Ms.
Buckley said Monday she
planned to go door-to-door to
check on seniors following
Irene.
It was probably one of the
worst weve seen here, she
said of the storm.
Some areas of town were
fortunate enough to retain
power through Sunday. The
Village Store was open for
business Monday. Silvermans
Farm nearby also kept its

power and was open.

Owner Irv Silverman said
hardly any of his peach and
apples trees were damaged
during the storm. Some fruit
was blown to the ground, but
he estimated it was less than
5% of his harvest. They held
on pretty tight, he said.
Services for citizens
While Easton does not
have a reverse 911 or Code
Red Alert system, the police
department, which oversees
emergency management operations, has been trying to get
the word out to residents about
services offered to help residents without electricity.
Helen Keller Middle School
has been open to the public for
showering from 3 to 7 daily,
and will remain open until
power is restored. Residents
are asked to bring their own
towels and toiletries.
At the middle school, senior
center and police department,

non-potable water is available

to residents who bring their
own containers. The senior
center also has outlets for
charging cell phones.
Beginning Tuesday, the
police department was distributing bottled water and MREs
(Meals, Ready to Eat) to residents.
Following Irene, police
received 42 reports of downed
trees and 31 reports of downed
wires, according to Capt.
James Candee.
Capt. Candee asked residents to be patient while UI
crews work to restore power.
A liaison from UI has been at
the town helping to coordinate
the efforts.
Theyre out there working, Capt. Candee said. Its
a slow process.

Are you ready to

swingsway?

Join us at our Monroe studio

OPEN HOUSE
September 10
10:00-2:00

Were so much more than just music!

Southbury birth to 5 years

Monroe birth to 7 years

www.MusicForLittleHands.com

203-452-8252

THE EASTON COURIER, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 3A

POLICE NEWS

Region 9

Board will return surplus money to towns

by Mike Russo
Hersam Acorn Newspapers
The Region 9 Board of
Education ended its 201011 fiscal year with a surplus of more than $203,000,
of which $100,000 will be
divided between Redding
and Easton based on the
enrollment of the two towns
students at Joel Barlow High
School.
Of the $203,613 surplus
in the school budget at the
close of the fiscal year, the
board unanimously approved
on Aug. 23 to transfer the
other $50,000 into its capital
reserve fund.
Redding, with 53% enrollment at Barlow based on Oct.
1, 2010 figures, will receive
$53,000. Easton, with 47%
enrollment, will receive
$47,000.
Following a presentation of a financial report by
Peggy Sullivan, director of
finance and operations for the
Easton, Redding and Region
9 school districts, the district
showed a $103,000 projected surplus, from which the

board unanimously approved

a $50,000 transfer into the
pension account.
At the June 9 meeting,
Ms. Sullivan attributed the
savings to the cleaning and
repair, and heating oil line
items on which the district
spent less than last year and
less than budgeted this year.
During a report to the
board on Aug. 23, Ms.
Sullivan said the $153,613
remaining surplus stems from
savings from the electricity,
heating oil and transportation
line items.
The work of Walter
Czudak, director of facilities,
contributed to the savings
in electricity and heating oil
through repairs and maintenance at Joel Barlow High
School, she said.
Likewise, Ms. Sullivan
said due to the effort of Eva
Colligan, the districts business manager, who did a
good job in consolidating
bus routes with other schools,
the transportation line item
showed savings.
Ms. Sullivan said another
contributing factor was that

Exchange club tournament

will benefit parent center
The Tony Colonnese
Invitational
Golf
Tournament is Monday,
Sept. 12, at the Connecticut
Golf Club in Easton. The
outing is hosted by longtime
resident and past first selectman Anthony Colonnese.
Tee-off is noon. The event
is limited to 100 golfers at a
cost of $300 per player.
The tournament began 25
years ago. The majority of
funds raised through advertisements, contributions,

donations, auction items

and fees go to the Parenting
Skills Center in Stamford.
Since its inception in
1989, the Exchange Clubs
Parenting Skills Center has
assisted more than 3,500
children and their families.
The Exchange Club is a
nonprofit organization.
For more information
contact Michael Kot at
203-455-0462, or Thomas
Bladek at 203-261-2998.

the Barlow sport teams did

not make the playoffs, which
eliminated additional school
bus usage.
All of a sudden invoices
were coming in that were
much lower than expected,
she said. There were big
savings in the area of transportation.
Mark Lewis, school board
chairman, said with the transfer into the capital reserve
fund, the balance of that
account is now $180,000.
The surplus is the highest
I have seen in recent years,
he said.
Mr. Lewis added that during the boards discussion on
what to do with the surplus,
it was decided that there was
no need to fund the health
care reserve account, which
he said is in good shape.
We pinched our pennies
as best as we could this year
he said.
Ms. Sullivan said with the
new bus contract, the district will see an additional
$25,000 this year. She added
that there should be an anticipated $10,000 savings to

The following reports come from the Easton Police

Department. They were reported between Monday, Aug. 22,
and Monday, Aug. 29.

the district with the refuse

and recycling bid that is still
being negotiated.
The district, she added,
will be meeting with its
financial advisor this fall to
renegotiate its debt on previous building projects, which
would create more savings.
However, Ms. Sullivan
said one uncertain area in the
current budget is for diesel
fuel. Currently the district
is part of a consortium with
60 towns and school districts
throughout the state. She said
the current contract expires
on Aug. 31, and representatives of the consortium are
currently in negotiations with
fuel providers.
Another concern for the
district, she said, is the cost
of heating oil, which may
change the financial picture.
Ms. Sullivan said the district
does not have to purchase
heating oil until October, and
should be receiving a quote
in the next couple of weeks.
We should know something by mid-September,
she said.

Accident following storm

A vehicle on West Road got stuck in the woods on Aug. 28

after trying to pass a downed utility pole. The driver was given
an infraction for failure to drive in the proper lane.

Suspicious vehicles

Police responded two suspicious vehicles parked on Pond

Road Aug. 28. Inside one of the vehicles, police found two
street signs from roads in Fairfield. One driver was also given
an infraction for possessing less than a half-ounce of marijuana.
The drivers had parked on Pond Road to go kayaking on the
Mill River nearby, according to police.

Post office fight

A 46-year-old man from Monroe was arrested for disorderly conduct following an altercation with another man at the
Easton Post Office on Aug. 24.

Missing person

An 82-year-old man with Alzheimers disease was reported

missing but was later found by police down the street from his
home on Aug. 24.

Theft from car

A Westport Road resident reported that a phone, keys and

personal documents were stolen from a car parked inside his
garage on Aug. 22.

Himes issues statement

on hurricane damage

U.S. Rep. Jim Himes

(CT-4) this week released
the following statement
after surveying the damage
from Hurricane Irene.
Though we were not hit
as hard as we may have been,
there is substantial damage
to property and disruption
to peoples lives. I want
to congratulate Governor
Malloy, town executives
and our first responders for
their thorough preparations
and response to this disaster.

EMT class starts Sept. 13

The EMT-Basic course
will be conducted on consecutive Tuesdays and Thursdays
beginning Tuesday, Sept. 13,
from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. at
Easton Volunteer EMS headquarters, 448 Sport Hill Road,
and every other Saturday
(beginning Sept. 18) ending
Saturday, Dec. 17.
Regular classes will start
promptly at 6 p.m. and each
student is expected to arrive
prior that time. Saturday classes will be from 8 a.m. to 5

There is much work to be

done in the days and weeks
ahead to fully recover, however, and my office stands
ready to assist individuals,
businesses, and communities
in accessing federal disaster
aid as it becomes available
through FEMA. In order to
assist our office expedite the
FEMA process, individuals should document losses
and report this information
to their local Emergency
Operation Center.

p.m. Early registration is recommended.

Regular tuition: $500 ($250
with application, $250 at first
night of classes). Tuition for
Easton residents: $250 ($125
with application, $125 at first
night of classes). Tuition for
ages 16 to 21: $250 ($125 with
application, $125 at first night
of classes).
Fee includes text book;
stethoscope/BP cuff; pen light;
CPR card and CPR pocket
mask.

OPINION

PAGE 4A

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

Sport Hill chickens

Thursday, September 1, 2011
Published weekly by Hersam Acorn Newspapers, LLC
Liz Skalka, Editor
Nancy Doniger, Managing Editor
Rocco Paul Valluzzo, Mike Suppe, Sports
Doug Smith, Editorial Cartoonist
Rose Sayers, Classied Manager

cd

Martin V. Hersam, Chief Operating Ofcer

Thomas B. Nash, Publisher

ba

News releases, letters and other correspondence may be

e-mailed to: eastoncourier@hersamacorn.com
or dropped off at Easton Town Hall.
Advertising ofces:
1000 Bridgeport Avenue, Shelton, CT 06484
203-926-2080 or 800-843-6791
Circulation: 800-372-2790
Editorial ofces:
16 Bailey Avenue, Ridgefield CT 06877
203-926-2080, 203-438-6544 or 800-843-6791
The Easton Courier is afliated with:

The Amity Observer, The Bridgeport News, The Darien Times,

Faireld Sun, Greenwich Post, The Huntington Herald,
The Lewisboro Ledger, The Milford Mirror, The Monroe Courier
New Canaan Advertiser, The Redding Pilot, The Ridgeeld Press,
Shelton Extra, The Stratford Star, The Trumbull Times,
The Valley Gazette, The Weston Forum,
The Wilton Bulletin and The Country Shopper
POSTMASTER: Send address change to Easton Courier,
Hersam Acorn Newspapers, 1000 Bridgeport Ave.,
Shelton, CT 06484.
Periodicals Postage paid Shelton, Conn. 06484 (USPS 007-438)
and additional mailing ofces.
Yearly subscription: $19.00. Out of County: $38.00

Liz Skalka

After lying low during the tropical storm, chickens at Sport Hill Farm were happy to be outdoors and enjoying the fine
weather that followed the bad weather.

EDITORIAL

Preparing for the next one

Whether or not Eastonites were prepared, Tropical
Storm Irene barreled through New England early
Sunday, scattering trees and power lines in her wide
path of destruction.
Most of the region was in her dangerous path, and
the result has been days without lights, refrigeration,
water and for those without television and Web
access information about conditions in Easton.
Many towns utilized reverse 911 systems to keep
residents informed about road conditions, power outages and shelters opening following the storm. For
many, short robocalls provided much-welcomed information that was otherwise inaccessible.
Easton has no such system in place and, as a result,
no way to guarantee that residents have access to
important information during emergencies. For example, citizens without electricity and Internet have little
way of knowing that showers are available at Helen
Keller Middle School or that non-potable water is
available at the senior center and town hall.
A call to either a land line or designated cell phone
is essential in these situations, especially for a small,
rural town like Easton. For this day and age, this is not
too much to expect.
While Irenes visit stopped short at tree limbs scattered on roads and days inconvenienced by disrupted
electricity, it could have resulted in a far more serious
situation. Easton should consider how it would reach
residents if and when a dire situation occurs.

Tell us your 9/11 story

As the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks
nears, The Easton Courier is planning localized coverage to remember those who were killed in or witnessed
one of the deadliest attacks ever on American soil.
We want to hear residents stories of hope, bravery or loss, and your thoughts on the attacks 10 years
later. Please send them in fewer than 200 words to E
astonCourier@hersamacorn.com with Easton 9/11
as the subject. Your stories may be incorporated into
our overall coverage of the 9/11 anniversary, depending on the volume of submissions we receive from
Easton residents.
We need to receive all submissions by 5 p.m. on
Monday, Sept. 5. Please include your full name and
daytime phone number. If you have any questions, feel
free to call 894-3343 for more information.

Letters Policy
We welcome letters from our readers. Please limit
your letter to 500 words and include a daytime phone
number in case we have a question. We will not publish
letters that are libelous or in poor taste, and we reserve
the right to edit letters.
E-mail: eastoncourier@hersamacorn.com
Deadline is Monday at noon; mail address is The
Easton Courier, 16 Bailey Ave., Ridgefield, CT 06877.

E-mail

EastonCourier@hersamacorn.com

COLUMNS

Remembering the Hurricane of 1938

With all the angst over and
media coverage of Hurricane
Irene this past weekend, it
got me to thinking about the
Great Hurricane of 1938 as
it came to be known as it was
long before hurricanes were
known by alphabetical names.
My memories of Sept. 21,
1938, are vivid to this day.
I was in a class at Stratford
High School that fateful afternoon. A lasting image is of
looking out the window and
seeing leaves and debris blowing horizontally. What was
going on? I wondered. I have
never seen a sight like that
before.
Getting home was a problem. There were several of us
who lived in relative proximity, and one of the fathers
came to the school to bring
us home. But at every turn
there were trees blown down
that obstructed one street after
another.
I finally arrived home to
find my mother in a state of
high anxiety. The three other
members of our family were
out and about, and she knew
not where; she was beside herself with worry.
Eventually, my older sister
made it home, but dad was the
real concern. He was a food
salesman, and, as luck would
have it, he was seeing his
customers in the Hartford area
and did not make it home until
the following day.

Reections

By Ellen Beveridge

The wind was fierce, and the

rain pelted down in all directions. I especially remember
watching a large maple tree in
front of the house next door. It
had a large trunk that branched
off into three large sections.
As the winds increased without let up, the sections began
to split open, wider with every
gust.
Unlike so many trees that
were felled, this maple was
spared, but at a price. In the
end, the owners had it reinforced with a heavy wire in a
triangular formation that connected the affected branches.
This preserved it for many
years, but it was never the
same healthy tree it had been
before it was so viciously
attacked.
Dad made it home successfully the day after the storm.
He had had his camera with
him and took several storm
photos; one, I remember,
showed a demolished automobile with a large tree that had
crashed into its roof. In the following days, dad went about
town (Stratford) taking photos of the devastation. Several
captured the many stately elm
trees that lay like match sticks
across Main Street.

A few months prior to the

storm my parents had purchased an electric stove, a relatively rare appliance in those
days. My mother was so proud
of her gleaming white stove,
and it was a great advancement from the wood, coal or
gas stoves she had cooked on
all her life.
But the storm, which came
to be known as the Great
September Gale because the
word hurricane was not common in American vernacular
at the time, had brought down
so many trees that electric
power was out for days. So
my mothers pride and joy was
rendered useless. I remember
her trotting next door to cook
some of our meals on the gas
stove of our neighboring family.
Yes, it was a terrible storm,
but little did anyone realize
we (but not everyone) had survived what today would be
classified as a category 3 hurricane, down from what today
would be a monstrous category 5 as it churned its way
up the Atlantic.
An unwanted notoriety
came to Connecticut when
landfall was near New Haven
at about 2:30 p.m. But the
greatest destruction actually
occurred eastward where the
storm ferociously impacted
the towns along the coast. And
perhaps Rhode Island was
hardest hit of all with its end-

less ocean coastline and the

water surge that plowed into
Narragansett Bay.
To this day, it is the most
powerful, costliest and deadliest storm ever to hit New
England, exacerbated by the
lack of communication at the
time. Think of life without
todays minute-to-minute television coverage of Irene, for
example. No one had any idea
such a monstrous storm was
coming. Wed had our share
of devastating noreasters, but
hurricanes happened in Florida
or the Caribbean, unheard of
in this area.
All told, between 682 and
800 people lost their lives; the
storm damaged or destroyed
approximately 57,000 homes,
and property losses were estimated at $306 million (equivalent to $4.77 billion in 2011).
It would be months, sometimes years, before things
would get back to normal, and
in some areas, like parts of
Long Island where the configurations of the land were
changed forever, normal never
returned.
The storm of 1938 is still
known as the worst natural
disaster in Connecticuts 350year history.
Reach Ellen Beveridge
ellenfb@sbcglobal.net.

at

Selfishness vs. heroic virtue in times of trouble

What has always frightened
me about disasters, beyond the
magnitude of destruction and
the loss of life and property, is
that while they can bring out
the best in us, they often bring
out the worst.
They can open the tiny
portals into our souls, and
in microscopic moral detail,
reveal us to be either selfless people or selfish people.
Sometimes I shudder when I
see what Im really all about.
Instead of courage, theres
cowardice. Instead of caring
for others, Im caring for me.
A crisis can magnify our
character so much that acts of
compassion and kindness are
elevated to what saint-watchers call heroic virtue, while
acts of greed and self-interest
are shown for what they truly
are, classical evil.
The examples are many.
A store owner price-gouges
because people are rushing to
buy water and food. After all,

Did I Say That?

By Joe Pisani

he reasons, everyone has to

make a buck.
An old man struggles down
the stairs to escape an office
building during an earthquake,
and scores of people rush by
him while one or two pause to
help, but then even they abandon him to save themselves.
Amid the hysteria and
turmoil, maybe one person
makes the sacrifice and stays
with him to her own peril.
Meanwhile, the rest of us with
shaky consciences breathe a
sigh of relief because someone
is doing what we know we
should have done but were too
afraid to do.
As the hurricane approaches, a car with a mother and
children is stranded on the side
of the highway, and she waves

for help, but motorists pass by

because they have their own
lives to worry about.
On the occasions that Ive
been the one to pass by someone in need, Ive thought in a
moment of self-deception that
it didnt necessarily make me
a bad person, even though I
couldnt deny that it illuminated my selfishness in a very
painful way.
Im reminded of that parable of the Good Samaritan,
where two people walk by the
traveler who had been beaten
and robbed and left for dead.
To their thinking, they had
good reasons to keep walking.
However, when youre the one
lying by the side of the road,
watching the parade of passersby look the other way, it
can lead you to despair.
There were examples like
that during Hurricane Irene,
in the supermarket aisles, at
the gas station lines, and in the
flooded areas where people

were stranded.
And yet, sometimes goodness still shines through, and it
can be an inspiration for all of
us most especially 10 years
ago on 9/11, when terrorists
hijacked four jet airliners and
slammed them into the Twin
Towers, the Pentagon and a
field in Pennsylvania.
That day, there were many
heroes who acted with exceptional grace. Some thwarted
the terrorists who intended to slam a jet plane into
the Capitol, and many more
rushed into the World Trade
Center while everyone else
was rushing out.
They were ordinary men
and women who found that
thing called heroic virtue
inside themselves when the
world needed it most.
Joe Pisani can be reached at
joefpisani@yahoo.com.

THE EASTON COURIER, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 5A

Residents should not hesitate to call EMS

Easton Volunteer EMS feels

it is vital that all residents fully
understand the billing policy
of our ambulance service. No
one should ever hesitate to call
911 because they feel unable
to pay for the service.
Easton EMS bills for calls
through a billing agency called
Certified Ambulance Group
(CAG). When an ambulance
is sent to a residence or scene
and an individual refuses care
there is no fee. Nor is there
a fee for Easton ambulance
providing standby service for
an event.
CAG bills on behalf of the
Town of Easton. CAG only
bills a patients insurance com-

EMS Corner
pany (commonly referred to as
Insurance Only Billing). If
a patient does not have insurance, the patient is billed, but
not expected to pay. In other
words, CAG does not turn the
patients bill over to collection. An individual gets one
bill, and if he/she does not pay
it, they will never hear from
CAG again.
When Easton EMS volunteers respond to your emergency, they will ask you for

your insurance card (billing

information) and ask for your
signature. Your signature permits Easton EMS to directly
bill your insurance company
and you will never see a bill.
Easton EMS holds a contract with Nelson Ambulance
of Bridgeport because they
provide paramedic level care
in addition to the level of
care our volunteers provide.
Because we have this contract
with Nelson Ambulance, we
bundle bill, which means
you and/or your insurance
company will receive one
bill from CAG, not one from
each Easton EMS and Nelson
Ambulance. Again, if an indi-

STUDENT NEWS

vidual does not have insurance

they are not expected to pay.
Easton Volunteer EMS
hope the above information clears up any questions
or concerns the residents of
Easton may have regarding
ambulance fees. For further
information about EMS billing, visit the CAG Web site at
certambgroup.com.
All proceeds from billing
are turned over to the Town
of Easton. Easton Volunteer
EMS receives no compensation directly from billing.
The column is submitted on
behalf of the Easton Volunteer
EMS.

Weather Service:

Irene could have been worse for region

by David DesRoches
Hersam Acorn Newspapers
Emergency and municipal
personnel continue to assess
the damage of Tropical Storm
Irene, the downgraded hurricane that flooded properties,
knocked out power to more
than 700,000 Connecticut
homes and caused the death
of more than 40 people on the
East Coast.
We knew early last week
about the (hurricanes) potential, what we didnt know
was the intensity, David
Stark, a meteorologist with
the National Weather Service
told The Couriers sister paper
The Darien Times this week.
The intensity is so difficult to
forecast because of so many
variables.

Appeal
Continued from Page One
versions of Saddle Ridges
application. After P&Z denied
the original application,
Saddle Ridge was permitted
by law to return with a revised
version of its plan that aimed
to address the commissions
concerns.
In its denials, P&Z cited
fears that the proposed devel-

Connecticut Light & Power

has more than 800 crews working to restore power, but many
towns may not see electricity
for several weeks, according
to some reports.
Although flooding is still a
problem in many coastal areas,
waters are beginning to recede,
Mr. Stark said. The Stevenson
Dam, between Monroe and
Oxford, is an indication of
receding waterways and Mr.
Stark said its high point has
passed and it should have
dropped below moderate stage
by Wednesday.
Irenes eye crossed 10
miles west of Danbury at 11
a.m. Sunday, Mr. Stark said,
but it dropped rain in sporadic
chunks, leaving 2.92 inches
in Stamford but 6 inches in
neighboring Greenwich. That

happens often, Mr. Stark

said of hurricanes, explaining that sections of hurricanes
and tropical storms carry rain
bands that are saturated with
various amounts of moisture.
Wind damage also varied
from region to region. Igor
Sikorsky Airport in Stratford
recorded wind gusts of
63 mph, but Danbury only
saw gusts that hit 40 mph.
Sustained winds were between
20 and 40 mph for most areas.
Central Connecticut was hit
the worst, Mr. Stark said,
although many towns along
the coast had 100% of residents without electricity as of
early this week.
The storm could have been
worse, Mr. Stark said. As
Irene made landfall in North
Carolina, its structure changed

slightly. By the time it hit

Connecticut it had downgraded to a tropical storm. But
its reach extended across the
northeast, and before the eye
of the storm hit in western
New York, much of the region
was already soaked and suffering wind damage. This also
helped slow the storm as landmasses take away the storms
energy source, Mr. Stark said.
Hurricanes are low-pressure systems that spin counterclockwise and are categorized
as cyclones, Mr. Stark said.
These storms get energy from
warm water, so the cooler
water in the north also helped
weaken the storms intensity.
Mr. Stark added that vertical
streams of wind may also have
helped slow the storm, but its
unclear if that was a factor.

opment was too dense and

would adversely impact the
public drinking water watershed in which it would be
built. The proposed site is
124.7 acres bordering Cedar
Hill, Sport Hill, Silver Hill
and Westport roads.
The revised application was also denied by the
Conservation Commission,
prompting another court
appeal from Saddle Ridge. The
Conservation Commissions
decision on the revision was
rendered before P&Z made its
final decision.
The P&Z appeal states that

Saddle Ridge presented sitespecific expert testimony that

the post-development conditions would protect the water
supply watershed and would
not create an unsafe condition.
In addition to fewer units,
the appeal also states that the
revised proposal decreases
stormwater runoff by reducing the amount of the site
covered that would be covered by roads and homes, and
also reduces disturbance to the
wetlands.
Reference is also made to
P&Zs earlier approval of a

21-lot subdivision for larger

homes on the same site in
2009.
This appeal marks the end
of deliberations at the townlevel, and the beginning of
proceedings that will determine whether Saddle Ridges
proposed development is
built.
Ira Bloom, the attorney representing P&Z, said I think
P&Z did a thorough, good job
and they rendered a comprehensive decision.

Miss something? We have archives online www.EastonCourier.com

Wine tasting
Attorney at Law, LLC
to benefit

restoration

Approved Clo. Atty. for most Banks & Lenders

A wine tasting and art show

is being held at the historic
Bradley-Hubbell House, 535
Black Rock Turnpike, on
Saturday, Sept. 17, from 7 to
10 p.m.
Join us for an evening
of fine wines at antique prices hosted by Wine Zone of
Fairfield, the Historical
Society said. A special preview of artwork for sale by
Easton residents will be on
display in the Bradley-Hubbell
House. The art show will feature the beauty of our towns
historic buildings and landscapes.
Proceeds benefit the
Bradley-Hubbell
Barn
Restoration Fund.
More
info:
HSEastoncCT@gmail.com.

Sarah Fleischer of Easton was named to the deans

list for the spring semester at the Villanova School of
Business in Villanova, Pa.
Paul Alfred Carleton Jr. of Easton was named to
the deans list for the spring semester at Washington
University in St. Louis, Mo. Paul is enrolled in the universitys School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Allison M. Pagliaro of Easton was named to the spring
deans list at Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I.
Fairfield University has announced that the following local residents have been named to the deans list for
the spring semester: Brittany L. Spezzano of Easton,
a junior studying in the College of Arts and Sciences;
and Ryan M. Spicer of Easton, a junior studying in the
School of Engineering.
Rachel Ordway of Easton was named to the deans
list at the Savannah College of Art and Design for spring
quarter. Rachel is seeking a bachelor of fine arts degree
in sequential art.

State Rep. Shaban praises

recreational liability bill

State Rep. John Shaban

on Friday praised the governors approval of a bill
that would give cities and
towns immunity in suits
spurred by injuries suffered
on recreational land.
Gov. Dannel Malloy on
Friday signed H.B. 6557,
An Act Concerning Liability
for the Recreational Use of
Land. It protects municipalities, political subdivisions
of the state and special
districts as owners of land
entitled to immunity under
the Recreational Land Use
Act.
The new law (P.A. 11211) focuses on passive
reaction areas, such as
hiking trails. Recreation
facilities such as basketball courts and swimming
pools things that require

maintenance are not

included.
Towns throughout the
state that have been forced
to limit activities that can
be enjoyed on these recreational lands due to the
potential for personal injury
lawsuits, said Mr. Shaban,
a member of the legislatures Judiciary Committee.
This exposure to legal
liability, and the costs that
come with it, effectively
defeats one of the initial
purposes of municipalities
preserving open space.
The bill was spurred
by an issue last year a
nearly $3 million jury verdict awarded to a Rocky
Hill resident who crashed
her bicycle on a trail at
a Metropolitan District
Commission reservoir.

203-929-7771

One Trapp Falls Rd. Suite 901

Shelton, CT 06484

The Easton Courier welcomes news about student

achievement. Send items to EastonCourier@hersamaco
rn.com.

PAGE 6A

THE EASTON COURIER, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

SPOTLIGHT
Stamford. The cost is $300 per player and tee- Senior Center beginning at 11:30 a.m. The cost
off is at noon. For more information, contact is $20 per person. RSVP by Sept. 9 at 203Michael Kot at 203-455-0462, or Thomas 268-1145.
Art show An exhibition of Carol Bladek at 203-261-2998.
Nipomnich Dixons recent art, Correlations,
Saturday, Sept. 17
will be on display at the Easton Public Library. Monday, Sept. 12, to
Costume swap Easton Learning
It will be installed in the librarys conference Wednesday, Sept. 22
Foundation 4th annual Super Sporting Goods
room and is open to visitors during regular
Silent auction Easton Senior Center Sale and Halloween Costume Swap, Helen
visitor hours.
silent auction. Donations of antiques and gift Keller Middle School tennis courts. Contact
Barbara Powell at bgpowell@optonline.net for
items are being accepted.
Sunday, Sept. 11
a pick-up at your home. Donations accepted
Homecoming Christ Church, Easton Tuesday, Sept. 13
through Sept. 15.
welcomes Eastonites to come and celebrate
Wine tasting Wine tasting and art show at
Reception

Reception
for
the
exhibiits annual Homecoming at the 8 a.m. or
the historic Bradley-Hubbell House, 535 Black
tion
of
Carol
Nipomnich
Dixons
recent
art,
10:30 a.m. service. Activities on Homecoming
Rock Turnpike from 7 to 10 p.m. Light appetizinclude: Sunday School registration for infants Correlations,at the Easton Public Library ers will be served. Tickets are $35 per person
from
5:30
to
7:30
p.m.;
open
to
the
public.
through senior high; Confirmation preparaEMT class The EMT-Basic course will and proceeds benefit the Bradley-Hubbell Barn
tion; the resumption of the choir and childrens
be
conducted on consecutive Tuesdays and Restoration Fund. Info: HSEastoncCT@gmail.
choir at the 10:30 service, and a Welcome to
Thursdays
beginning today from 6 p.m. to 11 com or call 203-581-0850.
Friends and Newcomers Potluck following the
p.m.
at
Easton
Volunteer EMS headquarters,
10:30 service. More information: www.christ448
Sport
Hill
Road,
and every other Saturday Sunday, Sept. 25
churcheaston.com.
Barn tour Second Annual Barn Tour of
(beginning Sept. 18) ending Saturday, Dec. 17.
Eastons treasured and historic barns from 10
More information: EastonEMS.com.
Monday, Sept. 12
to 4. Meet at the Bradley-Hubbell House, 535
Golf tournament Tony Tony Colonnese Friday, Sept. 16
Black Rock Turnpike. Cost is $25 per person.
Invitational Golf Tournament to benefit the
Info: HSEastoncCT@gmail.com or call 203Lobster
bake

Lobster
bake
at
the
Easton
Exchange Clubs Parenting Skills Center in
581-0850.

Wednesday, Sept. 7, to
Saturday, Oct. 15

Saturday, Oct. 1

Retirement party A retirement party

in honor of longtime Easton Volunteer EMS
member Marge Smith is being planned at
Testos in Bridgeport. Tickets are $50 per
person. For more details and to reserve tickets,
e-mail POJTAEMT@gmail.com.

Monday, Oct. 17, to

Thursday, Oct. 20

Tag sale Easton Senior Center tag sale

from 8 to 3:30. Items for donation will be
accepted after Sept. 1.

Sunday, Oct. 9

Retirement party Rescheduled Officer

Csanadi retirement party from 1 to 5 at the
Stone Barn in Monroe.

Monday, Oct. 24, and

Wednesday, Oct. 26

Flu shots The Easton Senior Center will

offer flu shots. Call 203-268-1145 for information or to make an appointment.

Outstanding achievement?
EastonCourier@hersamacorn.com

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

ARTS LEISURE

National political cartoonist

to comment at Sacred Heart

Award-winning political
cartoonist Jimmy Margulies
will speak at Sacred Heart
University as part of the
Gottlieb Memorial Lecture
Series, co-sponsored by the
Department of Communication
and Media Studies.
Margulies has been at The
Record in Hackensack, N.J.,
since 1990, and his work is
distributed nationally to more
than 425 newspapers and
magazines, including The

Washington Post, The New

York Times, Time and USA
Today.
He has won the National
Headliner Award and Fishetti
Editorial Cartoon Competition,
and also the Barryman Award
from the National Press
Foundation.
When the National Rifle
Association placed Margulies
on its blacklist, he considered
it a badge of honor.
The author of two published

Arts & Leisure Briefs

Curtain Call falls victim to hurricane Joanne

Rochman lives in a hard-hit neighborhood where power

went out early Sunday morning and is not likely to be
restored for up to a week. As a result, to her regret, she
was not able to produce the Curtain Call column this
week but reassures readers that they can expect to find it
in next weeks edition.

collections of cartoons My
Husband is Not a Wimp! and
Hitting Below the Beltway
he appears regularly on
network and local TV news
programs.
His talk takes place at Sacred
Heart Universitys Schine
Auditorium, 5151 Park Ave.,
Fairfield, on Sunday, Sept. 18,
at 7 p.m.
The event is free and open
to the public. Donations are
welcome.

Free Shakespeare Elm Shakespeare Company

presents Measure for Measure Thursday-Sunday, 8
p.m., through Sunday, Sept. 4, Edgerton Park, 75 Cliff
St., New Haven; elmshakespeare.org; 203-393-1436.
Bring a blanket or chair. Picnics encouraged. Free with
suggested donation.
Jimmy Margulies

Time for homegrown tomatoes

Homegrown
tomatoes,
Homegrown tomatoes;
What would life be without
The Conscious Cook
homegrown tomatoes?
By Robin Glowa
Only two things money cant
robeglow@yahoo.com
buy;
Thats true love and homeCut thick slices of your favorite
grown tomatoes.
tomato; for me, its the luscious
Sung by John Denver, pinky red Brandywine. Spread your
lyrics by Guy Clark favorite bread (very lightly toasted
sourdough) with a bit of mayonAhhhh, the mouth-watering, naise, season with freshly ground
meaty magnificence of homegrown black pepper and a pinch of sea salt
tomatoes. Fresh from the vine, and take a giant bite.
homegrown tomatoes are one of my
There are at least 10,000 varieties
great loves and truly the heartthrob of tomatoes, in a rainbow of colors
of the summer garden.
including black, green, pink, scarlet
Have you ever experienced the red, yellow and glowing little orbs
full, frontal flavor of a tomato of orange. Sun golds, the current
plucked straight from the vine? darling of cherry tomatoes, is a perThose lucky enough to have their fect blend of sweet, sugary flavor
own garden can get out there and and glorious orange color.
take a big bite!
Tomatoes are so good for you
The juices will run down your good for your heart, your brain,
chin as you revel in the dazzling your soul and your health. Bursting
explosion on your tongue. The sun, with lycopene, a super charged antithe rain, the moon, all the natural oxidant, tomatoes are an excellent
forces joined together to create this source of fiber and vitamins A, B
extraordinary taste experience that and C. Tomatoes can help repair
is such a symbol of summer.
smoke scarred lungs, combat heart
I can scarcely wait to make my disease and save vision.
first tomato sandwich of the season.
So, eat your homegrown tomaIn the dead of winter, I often dream toes, tomahtoes, anyway you say
of the sun warmed sweetness of it, tomatoes are one of the most
this simple, yet sweep-me-off-my delightful ingredients when preparfeet snack.
ing a delicious life!

As the summer months

come to an end, we all begin
thinking about the cooler
weather, the fall foliage and,
of course, fall family traditions such as weekend trips
around the state.
And as my family gets
back into the busy school
year and all the kids lacrosse
and hockey games, we enjoy
supporting our local farms.
Throughout the fall we take
time to visit local farms to
pick apples, drink cider, wander through corn mazes, or
experience a hay ride. These
trips are a fun way to enjoy
the fall season, and an even
better way to support our
local family farms, businesses
and economy.
Like me, I am sure many
of you also make one of our
states fairs an annual family
tradition where you can enjoy
food, rides, games, animals,
music, art, local crafts and
Connecticut culture.
Additional information
about upcoming fairs and
local farms can be found

Fantastic Tomato Salad

Assorted tomatoes in assorted colors, use any
flavor or variety
Fresh basil, minced
Fresh parsley, minced
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Slice or chunk your tomatoes and arrange
on a large platter. If you picked up sun golds
or other cherry tomatoes, cut them in half
and scatter over the top. Drizzle with olive
oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with basil
and parsley. Season to taste with salt and
pepper. Serve immediately with good bread.
Gild the lily by adding minced garlic,
chopped cherry peppers, olives, crumbled
goat cheese or sliced fresh mozzarella.
Robin Glowa, HHC, AADP, is a food and
wellness enthusiast who earned her certification in holistic health counseling from
the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and
Columbia University Teachers College.
She specializes in teaching healthy cooking classes for children and adults, as well
as cooking presentations and wellness workshops for many local organizations.
For more information go to theconsciouscook.net, call 203-393-1037, or http://confessionsofaconsciouscook.blogspot.com.

By Kevin Kelly

at the state Department of

Agriculture Web site, ct.gov/
doag.
Information about other
family activities and adventures in Connecticut can
be found by visiting www.
CTvisit.com or calling 1-888CTvisit. CT Visit is a site
created by the Connecticut
Commission on Culture &
Tourism to help residents
find fun in state activities and
travel deals.
I hope that you and your
family find this information
useful. Enjoy the local farms
and fairs.
Sen. Kevin Kelly represents the 21st District, which
includes all of Shelton, most
of Stratford, and parts of
Monroe and Seymour.

Gala and auction To benefit the Elm Shakespeare

Company, Thursday, Sept. 1, 5-8 p.m., followed by

performance of Measure for Measure, Edgerton Park,
75 Cliff St., New Haven. Gala tickets: $125; elmshakespeare.org.

Benefit dinner Massaro Community Farm fundraising dinner Saturday, Sept. 3, farm tour at 4:30 p.m.,
cocktails at 5, dinner at 6, outside on the farm, 41 Ford
Road, Woodbridge; catered by Antonios, featuring
Massaro farm produce. $100/person. RSVP to Melissa
Waldron at melissa@massarofarm.org.
Carnival For the benefit of muscular dystrophy,
Saturday, Sept. 3, 11-4, home and yard of Bob and
Margie Schulman, 3 Layayette Drive, Trumbull. Rain
date: Sept. 4. Hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza cotton candy,
magic show, games, arts & crafts, bounce house, and
dunk tank with First Selectman Tim Herbst; 203-2612248.
Sunday, Sept. 4, 8-4, Congregation Bnai
Torah, 5700 Main St., Trumbull. Clothing, small appliances, electronics, furniture, art, toys, sporting goods,
household items. Funds raised benefit educational programs; cash only; 203-268-6940; info@bnaitorahct.
org.

Tag sale

Tony Reno performs dance music

Tuesday, Sept. 6, 7 p.m., Trumbull Town Hall gazebo.
In case of rain, concert held in Trumbull Library community room.

Free concert

Arts & crafts fair Saturday, Sept. 10, 10-4, Trinity

Episcopal Church, 1734 Huntington Tpke., Trumbull.

Jewelry, floral arrangements, crafts, bake sale, childrens activities, book sale, plants and more. Lunch on
the grill available. Free admission.

Civil War Living History Day Saturday, Sept.

10, 10-4, grounds of Shelton History Center, 70 Ripton
Road, Shelton. Everyone from Army privates to President
Abraham Lincoln will be on the grounds. $5/person;
$15/family. Proceeds benefit the Shelton Historical
Society; 203-925-1803; sheltonhistoricalsociety.org.
Saturday, Sept. 10, 10-5; Sunday,
Sept. 11, 10-4, hosted by St. Peters Episcopal Church,
on the Historic Monroe Green, Route 111. Sunday service will be conducted at 9 a.m. on the Green; the church
bells will be rung to commemorate the 10th anniversary
of 9/11. 203-268-4265; stpetersonthegreen.com.

Apple Festival

Connecticut fairs and farms

From the
Capitol

PAGE 7A

Connecticut fairs
Goshen Fair, Sept. 3-5, goshenfair.org
Haddam Neck Fair, Sept. 2-5, haddamneckfair.com
Taste of Litchfield Hills Food & Wine Festival, Sept. 3-5
Woodstock Fair, Sept. 2-5, woodstockfair.com
Bethlehem Fair, Sept. 9-11, bethlehemfair.com
Granby Grange Agricultural Fair, Sept. 10, ctstategrange.
com/subgrangepage.asp?GrangeID=185
Hebron Harvest Fair, Sept. 8-11, hebronharvestfair.org
Ledyard Fair, Sept. 9-11, ledyardfair.org
Killingly Grange Fair, Sept. 10, ctstategrange.com/subgrangepage.asp?grangeid=47
Meriden Grange Fair, Sept. 10, ctstategrange.com/subgrangepage.asp?GrangeID=192
Monroe Apple Festival, Sept. 10-11, stpetersonthegreen.com
North Haven Fair, Sept. 8-11, northhaven-fair.com
Wapping Fair, Sept. 8-11, wappingfair.org
Four Town Fair, Sept.15-18, fourtownfair.com
Guilford Agricultural Fair, Sept. 16-18, guilfordfair.org
Orange Country Fair, Sept., 17-18, orangectfair.com
Wallingford Grange Fair, Sept. 17, ctstategrange.com/subgrangepage.asp?grangeid=84
Cheshire Grange Community Grange Fair, Sept. 24-25, ctstategrange.com/subgrangepage.asp?grangeid=26
Durham Fair, Sept. 22-25, durhamfair.com
Hebron Renaissance Fair, Sept. 24-25, ctfaire.com
Beacon Grange Fair, Sept. 26, ctstategrange.com/subgrangepage.asp?grangeid=17
Berlin Fair, Sept. 30-Oct. 2, ctberlinfair.com
155th Harwinton Fair, Oct. 1-2, harwintonfair.com
Portland Fair, Oct. 7-9, portlandfair.com
Riverton Fair, Oct. 7-9, rivertonfair.org

Acting classes Long Wharf Theatres Education

program offers Adult Acting I, Saturdays, Sept. 10-Oct.
8, 10:30-noon, $225; and Off the Cuff Improvisation II:
Middle School, Tuesdays, Sept. 13-Oct. 11, 5:30-7 p.m.,
$195, Long Wharf Theatre, 222 Long Wharf Drive,
New Haven; longwharf.org; 203-772-8262.
Live Green Connecticut, Saturday and Sunday,
Sept. 17 and 18, Taylor Farm Park, Norwalk. Exhibits,
speakers, local food, childrens activities, money saving
tips and green education; livegreenct.com.
Sticks & Stones Farm, 201
Huntington Road, Newtown, Sundays, 9-11 a.m., Sept.
18 and Oct. 16. Walk of reflection and a closing meditation. Information: e-mail jwhite1108@gmail.com.

Healing gatherings

Arts festival Hosted by Trumbull Arts Commission,

Sunday, Sept. 18, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., rain or shine on the

Town Hall Green, 5866 Main St. Handcrafted items
with 60 artists and crafters; photography and sculpture
for sale. Childrens Creative Center, live entertainment,
food vendors. Free admission; 203-452-5065.

Harmony on the Sound (HOTS)

Chorus invites women who love to sing to come and
learn holiday music in four-part harmony beginning
Wednesday, Sept. 21, and then sing in holiday show.
Visit harmonyonthesound.org or call 203-881-1477.

Singers sought

Angels

"For he will command his angels concerning

you to guard you in all your ways"
~ Psalm 91:11

Join us for a study of God's word about...

Hosted by the Trumbull church of Christ

Wednesday Nights 7: 00 - 8:00 pm September 7,14, 21 &28

2 Drew Circle Trumbull, CT 06611 203.261.5201

SPORTS

PAGE 8A

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

Ice ensemble wins gold

Ariana Paisan, nine

and Marin Valentine,
13, of Redding helped
the Danbury Ice Cabaret
Ensemble (DICE) capture the gold medal
at the International
Skating
Institutes
World
Recreational
Team Championships in
Blaine, Minn. on July 29.
DICE is a competitive theatre on ice (TOI)
team and is comprised of
skaters from area towns.
Coaches Gianine Craw
and Karla DeLeo Jones
of Monroe founded the
team six years ago with
a team of eight girls.
Over the years the team
has grown to its present size of 17 members,
ranging in age from six
to 16.
Theatre on Ice is a
relatively new discipline
of figure skating, blending the grace of figure
skating with the theatre

and dance. It is popular

in Europe, where it is
known as Ballet on Ice.
Teams consist of
between eight and 30
skaters who are responsible for conveying a
story (theatrical production) on ice. The competitions are judged by
U.S. Figure Skating
judges and are evaluated on technical merit
and presentation with
emphasis on originality,
costuming, artistry and
musicality.
DICE provides a team
atmosphere where skaters of various ages and
skill levels work together to portray their story.
It strives to improve the
theatrical skills and the
quality of the individual skaters as well as
provide an opportunity
where skaters can compete nationally.
This year the teams

theatrical performance
told the story of a Native
American village suffering from a drought.
The mythical figure,
Kokopelli, visits the
village and brings the
gift of music and dance.
The villagers rain dance
successfully brings the
much needed rain.
DICE performed this
program at several competitions in the Northeast
this year before traveling
to Blaine. The audience
was impressed with the
teams choreography,
costumes, and largescale props including
tee-pees and landscape
panels.
The team practices ten
months of the year, and
offers a Taste of Theatre
in October. Those interested in auditioning for
the team should contact
Craw at giask8@charter.
net.

Marin Valentine (standing, far left) and Arianna Paisan (sitting, third from left) helped the Danbury Ice
Cabaret Ensemble (DICE) capture the gold medal at the International Skating Institutes World Recreational
Team Championships.

Getting back in the saddle

by Rocco Paul Valluzzo
Forum Sports Editor
I must admit, Ive never
been much of a horseback riding enthusiast.
In fact, Ive been in the
saddle only three times in the
past 16 years. The most recent
occasion came last week.
For the second straight summer our family vacation took
us to the Finger Lake region of
upstate New York. If youve
ever been up there you know
theres a lot of farm country,
horse farms included.
One of the things on the to
do list was to go on a trail ride
again. We decided to go back
to the same farm we visited
last year, which is near the
southern tip of Lake Seneca.
Since it had only been a
year since I was last on a
horse I didnt feel as apprehensive this time. The fact that
I even remembered a few of
the things the guide had taught
me from the last time kind of
put my mind at ease.
She selected horses for each
of us and I was paired up with
a nine-year-old gelding named
Mack. He was one of the bigger horses in the stable but
seemed to have a quiet enough
disposition.
Taking him by the halter, I
Easton Courier Sports Editor Rocco Valluzzo guides Mack back to the barn after a trail ride guided him over to the corral. Im not sure how many
in the Finger Lakes region of New York last week.
hands tall Mack was but
with the help of some portable
steps I was able to get a foot

Viewpoint
in a stirrup and I was ready
to ride.
Erica, our guide, then gave
us the basic riding instructions
(how to hold the reins, starting, stopping, etc.). I remembered that last year I shook
the reins in an effort to get
the horse to move, which my
daughter found quite amusing.
Well, it seemed to work fine in
those western movies.
We then exited the corral
and went on our way in single file at a nice, slow pace.
Galloping, trotting and cantering were definitely out of the
question, at least as far as I
was concerned.
One of the things Erica had
told us was to not get too close
to the horse in front of you,
which kind of reminded me of
what I learned in driver education class way back when. For
the most part Mack seemed
to do fine on his own but he
was quite responsive for the
few times I had to apply the
brakes.
Most of the route was
alongside the cornfields on the
property, which were pretty
appetizing to Mack. Every so
often I could feel him veer
off to the side but would use
the reins to get him back on
course.
Of course, there were a
few times when I wasnt fast
enough and he managed to stop

and chomp down on a mouthful of greenery. Fortunately,

all it took was a tug on the
reins get him going on our
way again.
Part of the trail also took us
through the woods, which lessened the chance of Mack stopping to grab a quick snack. We
had to cross a stream a couple
of times but Erica assured us
that they were sure-footed
creatures.
My daughter (an experienced equestrian compared to
me) and another girl seemed
up for some more advanced
riding, and went off with a second instructor while the rest of
us continued on our way. The
only intimidating part of the
trail was when we came upon
a short, rather steep hill. After
watching a few others go up
with no difficulty I nudged
Mack to go and surely enough
he also made it with no trouble
as I breathed a sigh of relief.
After about four miles and
45 minutes we had made our
way back to our starting point.
Dismounting proved a little
tricky but I was glad I got
down without falling flat on
my face.
Much to my surprise, the
next day I was not as sore
from being in the saddle as I
thought Id be. Was I actually
a little more experienced as a
rider? I guess Ill have to wait
until next time (whenever that
is) to find out.

Open House
Shabbats
Fri., Sept. 9-7:30pm Sat., Sept. 10-9:30am

Bnai Torah... the center for Jewish life in Trumbull.

Bridgewater
New
Fairfield

Lewisboro

Brookfield

Ridgefield

Stamford

Cheshire

Seymour
Monroe

Redding
Easton

Wilton

Prospect

Beacon
Falls Bethany Hamden

Newtown

Bethel

Weston

Naugatuck
Oxford

Danbury

New York State

Middlebury
Southbury

Fairfield

Woodbridge
Ansonia

Derby
Shelton

Trumbull
Stratford
Bridgeport

New
Canaan
Norwalk

North
Haven

New Haven
Orange West
Haven

Greenwich

BUSINESS OPP.

PAGE 10A

THE EASTON COURIER, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

Dont call the handyman ~ call the professional!

Chris does every job himself,

his name in full sight
Call Chris for personal
service and a job done right!

Odds & Ends

Economy Friendly

for 50+ years

203-278-1245

Moving Van, Mowing,

Leaves, Demos, Trees,
Yard, Assembly, Gutters, Shelves,
Paint, Pet Doors, Dump-Runs,
Hedges, Mulch, Shed Ramps,
Mailboxes, Wallpaper & Rug
Removal, Chimney Caps,
AC Brackets, Fire Escape
Ladders, Deck Repair, Shutters,
Pressure Wash, Grab Bars, Stone,
Clotheslines, Railings, Fences,
Blacktop, Rototilling, Attic,
Garage, Basement & Closet Work

Junk Removal Made Easy!

Local call 203-734-Junk(5865)

or Toll Free 1-800-Mr-Junker (675-8653)

Quality construction at affordable prices

Est. 1959

Michael A. DeDonato - Owner

Michael A. DeDonato - Owner

(203) 209-7134

Remodeling/Renovations/Additions
Kitchens/Baths/Finished Basements
Custom Cabinetry/Moldings/Mantles
New Home Construction
Design & Drafting Services

Fully Insured CT License #0578064

Fully Insured CT
License #0578064

www.dedonatobuilders.com

KBM LAWN &

Emergen
cy
Storm
Service

& LANDSCAPE
Family Owned and Operated - Complete
Lawn Maintenance and Landscape Services
Weekly Lawn Mowing New Lawns
Shrub Trimming & Hand Pruning
Spring/Fall Cleanups Trees & Shrubs Planted
Edging Mulching Landscape Maintenance

Free Estimates / Fully Insured

CT Lic. # 612550

203-387-LAWN

(5296)

www.KBMLandscaping.com

TREE
875.00 / TAKEDOWN

Customer Satisfaction Guaranted

Free Evaluations & Estimates Fully Insured
60 ft. Bucket Service & Expert Climbers
Call for your FREE ESTIMATE today!

1-800-834-9823

875 DAY

ANY TREE TAKEDOWN/BUCKET SERVICE

THE EASTON COURIER, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 11A

SAVE
100
SAVE 100

Contact Us Today!

203.735.9988
ct.maidbrigade.com
203.735.9988
203.735.9988
203.735.9988
203.735.9988

*when you sign up for regular service. some restrictions apply. call for details. exp. 12.31.11

$100Contact
Off Your 5thUs
Cleaning*
Today!
Contact Us Today!

ON HOUSECLEANING
ON
HOUSECLEANING
ON HOUSECLEANING
$100
Off Your 5th Cleaning*

You get what you pay for

WE WILL SATISFY ALL YOUR MASONRY NEEDS

AB MASONRY CONTRACTORS

STONE, BLOCK, CONCRETE,

PATIOS, WALKS TO WALLS,
CHIMNEY REPAIRS, FIRE
PLACE, STUCCO, BRICK
QUALITY WORK
FULLY INSURED
STATE LICENSE # 615553

CALL FOR FREE ESTIMATES

Phone: (203) 465-9897
(203) 725-1631

Call us for a good price!

oses Landscaping LLC

FREE ESTIMATES
Call ANY TIME

Email Joseslandscaping1020@yahoo.com

Walkways Stonewalls Veneer Brick

Concrete Stucco Repairs
Lic & Insured

203-732-4544

Free Estimates

L LC

Paving Sealing Masonry

Drainage Hot Crack Repair

Driveway
Sealing
& Hot Crack

Repair

PAGE 12A

THE EASTON COURIER, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

Delicate
Cover-Up

SERVICES

please

Recycle This Newspaper

For Your Winter Months Specializing In

INTERIOR RESIDENTIAL &

COMMERCIAL PAINTING

Also RENOVATION & CARPENTRY WORK

Call Greg for your FREE Estimate

203-272-3188 or 1-800-553-4452

Email: polkepainting@aol.com www.polkepainting.com (CT Lic. #544312)

MIKES MASONRY

with 30 years
experience

Stone Walls Block Fireplace

Brick Steps
Stucco
Stone Steps Stone Siding
Chimney
Roong Installation
Patio
Pool Decks - with concrete or pavers
All Types of Masonry Work & Repair
Free Estimates Fully Insured Lic# 583549

(203) 558-3444 MIKE.MASONCT@GMAIL.COM

THE EASTON COURIER, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 13A

DONATE YOUR CAR

1-800-883-6399

5 DAY
LABOR
DAY
Sales Event Going On Now!

NEW 2011 HONDA

BACKED BY AN A RATED INSURANCE

COMPANY IN BUSINESS FOR OVER 100 YEARS

BETWEEN EXITS
18 & 19 OFF I-95

Nationwide
Unlimited Time! Unlimited Miles! Its Real! Honored
Anywhere In The USA!

A L L

Where peace of mind is part of the deal

T H E

**

ALL-NEW 2011 HONDA

NEW 2011 HONDA

NEW 2011 HONDA

NEW 2011 HONDA

NEW 2011 HONDA

WE
ARE
AN

N E W

1372 POST ROAD EAST, WESTPORT

PAGE 14A

THE EASTON COURIER, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

Christ Church Homecoming is Sept. 11

Camp trio

Gabriella and Sophia Boehlert and Kayla Araujo show off their colorful painted faces
at a carnival day for Easton Parks and Recreation camp.

Christ Church, Easton

welcomes Eastonites to
come and celebrate its annual Homecoming on Sunday,
Sept. 11 at the 8 a.m. or 10:30
a.m. service.
This years Homecoming
event is an especially important one for Christ Church
as they begin planning their
250th Anniversary Year.
Activities on Homecoming
include: Sunday School registration for infants through
Senior High; Confirmation
preparation; the resumption
of the choir and childrens
choir at the 10:30 service,
and a Welcome to Friends and
Newcomers Potluck following
the 10:30 service.
Homecoming also marks
the kick-off of event planning for the parishs 250th
Anniversary celebration in
2012. Homecoming is one
of my favorite parish events,
said the Rev. Ellen Huber, full-

time rector, it marks a fresh

start for a number of church
ministries and activities, and
is a wonderful time for newcomers to come and find their
new church home. This is an
active, generous, supportive
community where we explore
spirituality together, and care
deeply for one another. In the
aftermath of Hurricane Irene,
it reminds me yet again how
important such a community
is for ourselves and our families.
Additionally, Christ Church
Nursery School begins its
academic year on Monday,
Sept. 12. CCNS director Lisa
Farnen is excited about the
start of the new year: As
we prepare for the start of
a new school year with new
curriculum and updated classrooms, we welcome back our
old friends and welcome new
ones. We look forward to the
first day of school when our

classrooms will again be filled

with all the energy, enthusiasm and creativity that the
children bring.
Christ Church, Easton
welcomes families, singles,
seniors, and children of all
ages. This church is a very
loving and caring community
and it looks forward to welcoming new members, said
Cindy Strachan, Christ Church
parishioner of 12 years. Its
a wonderful place to just
be yourself and explore the
many ways we can strengthen
and express our faith. This
church is particularly active
in outreach, supporting the
Bridgeport Rescue Mission,
Haitis Hope Foundation, as
well as other organizations.
The churchs next event will
be the community Blessing of
the Animals on Sunday, Oct.
2.
More information: www.
christchurcheaston.com.

Officer Csanadi party rescheduled

was moved to Sunday, Oct. 9,

A retirement for Easton weather last weekend.
The party was originally from 1 to 5 at the Stone Barn
Police Officer Gary Csanadi
was rescheduled due to the set for Sunday, Aug. 28, but in Monroe.