Ttimesaug1

Volume 20, Number 15 Serving Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall www.TownTimes.com Friday, August 1, 2014

The destruction of the house at 322 Tuttle Road in Durham that be-gan with a fire on Jan. 15, 2010 was completed more than four years later. On July 25, workers leveled and removed what was left of the fire-ravaged structure for the new owner.

The fire was severe enough to ruin the large home – which had 3,984 square feet of living space – and summon fire departments from

several nearby towns. According to residents, and the original Town Times report, the house was vacant at the time of the fire.

The new owner, Nicholas Lau-dano, purchased the property on Dec. 16, 2013 from Capital One for a price of $119,995, according to pub-lic records.

Capital One foreclosed on the property on Sept. 25, 2013, taking possession from Alicia Alfano, who owned the home at the time of the fire.

Of the structure that had been

eye-catching for all the wrong rea-sons on the corner of Tuttle and Parmelee Hill roads, only the foun-dation remains.

Neighbors reacted positively to seeing the construction crews level and remove the house. One neighborhood resident said drivers honked their horns as they drove past the demolition. “Bulldozers were like the sound of music to my ears,” one neighbor said.

After the fire, the open areas of

Demolition of fire-ravaged house cheeredBy Mark DionneTown Times

July 25, the house on the end of Tuttle Road damaged in a 2010 fire had been mostly hauled away to Manchester. The removal of the home immediately changed the look of the neighborhood. | Mark Dionne / Town Times

See Demolition / Page 18

Before returning to Washington, D.C. for his sophomore year at American University, Justin Etheridge of Durham is spending the summer as the Govern-ment Intern for the town of Durham.

Etheridge said he does “anything and everything that is needed of me.”

“I work in almost all the departments in the building,” Etheridge said. “I’m an intern for everyone.”

Government intern spending the summer at

Town HallBy Mark DionneTown Times

Government Intern Justin Etheridge has been helping out in different Town Hall offices, including the Town Clerk’s office. | Mark Dionne / Town Times

See Intern / Page 17

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A2 Friday, August 1, 2014 Town Times | towntimes.com

The Emerald Ash Borer has made its way into Middlesex County, with sightings in Durham and Cromwell, ac-cording to Dr. Kirby Staf-ford, the Connecticut State Entomologist.

It’s too late to exterminate the Asian-originated beetle from America, Stafford said. “That battle was given up a long time ago.”

In Connecticut, the De-

partment of Environment and Environmental Protec-tion (DEEP) is doing all it can to slow the onslaught of the insect, nicknamed “EAB,” which has a devastating ef-fect on ash trees without its natural predators to control the population. The Journal of Forestry estimates that the beetle has already killed more than 150 million ash trees in North America.

A quarantine on ash logs, firewood, and yard waste is the control measure the av-erage person is most likely to encounter.

EAB first came to America in Detroit, Michigan in 2002. Since then, it has spread to 12 states. In Connecticut, DEEP says it is feared that EAB could annihilate ash trees entirely, as the population is already struggling due to a disease called ash yellows that is afflicting the trees.

“The idea is to slow the spread for a number of years,” Stafford said, to give ento-mologists more time to come up with a long-term control strategy, as the insect is now considered established in America.

“In contrast to the Asian Longhorn, which we are still trying to eradicate,” Stafford

said. The Asian Longhorn is another tree-boring bee-tle that has been spotted in New York and Massachus-sets and may be on its way to Connecticut.

According to Stafford, this year’s polar vortex that brought colder temperatures to the United States in the winter has had little effect on the EAB. The insect fares quite well in the North Amer-ican climate, able to survive anything warmer than tem-peratures below 30 degrees.

The first symptom that a tree has been infested with the EAB is a thinning of bark. The telltale sign is a D-shaped hole, which is unique to the insect. Trees infested with EAB also often see activity from woodpeckers, which feed on EAB larva, though not effectively enough to control the population.

Entomologists are con-tinuing to work on forestry techniques and biological and chemical agents that can control the beetle’s popula-tion and stop the spread.

DEEP has requested that individuals report any sight-ings of the beetle, and use firewood that is obtained lo-cally to prevent accidental spread of insects.

Destructive beetle spotted in Middlesex County

By Charles KreutzkampTown Times

The Emerald Ash Borer. | DEEP

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Town Times | towntimes.com Friday, August 1, 2014 A3

At its regular July 28 meet-ing, the Durham Board of Se-lectmen voted to hold a public hearing on Monday, Aug. 25 for two unrelated issues.

At the public hearing, which will take place at 8 p.m. at the Durham Public Library, there will be a vote to exempt horses and ponies from per-sonal property tax.

In its last session, the Con-necticut legislature enabled towns to exempt horses and ponies from personal prop-erty tax, but towns must still approve that option.

Durham First Selectman Laura Francis said she hoped

the Town Assessor and mem-bers of the Board of Assess-ment Appeals would attend the meeting.

Also at the public hearing, the possibility of building a solar farm on town-owned property will be discussed. There have been three po-tential sites for the proposed solar farm, one on the corner of Haddam Quarter Road and Brick Lane, one on the corner of New Haven Road and Birch Mill Road, and one on Tuttle Road.

Middlefield First Select-man Jon Brayshaw has also spoken recently about install-ing a solar farm on Hubbard Street in Middlefield. The in-terest in solar farms has been

spurred by Connecticut’s Ze-ro-Emissions Renewable En-ergy Credit (ZREC) program. The ZREC program, which is funded through CL&P and UI, allows utility customers to get credit for electricity generated by solar farms they install.

“We did go forward with an application to the ZREC pro-gram because we didn’t want to lose the opportunity and we did get picked,” Francis said. “There is no obligation be-cause we were chosen.”

Francis said that Durham’s selection was fortunate be-cause the program received many applications.

The properties are unen-cumbered and the Haddam

Quarter Road and New Haven Road are undeveloped prop-erties with wetlands on them.

Francis said that technical questions could also be an-swered at the public hearing.

Public hearing for horses and solar farm setBy Mark DionneTown Times

Cat Tales, a non-profit rescue, is seeking foster care volunteers to provide temporary housing for cats and kittens. Volunteers will prepare the cats for adoption and prevent overcrowding in the shelter. Cat Tales will pro-vide food, supplies, and medications, and all vet care.

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The Durham Fair has an amazing Farm Museum with a vast collection of antique farm equipment and collect-ibles that will transport you back in time. Our collection is priceless and we are grateful for all the generosity of dona-tions we have received so that we can showcase Connecticut agriculture history.

The Durham Fair was re-

cently gifted with a vintage John Deere tractor from a long time supporter, Henry Sagan, who passed away in March of this year, at age 89. Sagan was a lifelong resident of Middletown, a World War II veteran and an avid agricul-turalist. In his youth, his fam-ily owned chickens and cows,

Farm Museum receives vintage John Deere

See Museum / Page 5

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Museum

and he even sought a degree in chicken raising during his college career at the Univer-sity of Connecticut, before eventually becoming a tool designer at Pratt and Whit-ney Aircraft.

In the late 1970s through 2000, Sagan raised Christ-mas trees and was a mem-ber of the CT Christmas Tree Growers Association, which has sponsored tree exhibits at the Durham fair for a num-ber of years. Tagging and cut-ting your own trees at Sagan’s Christmas Tree Farm was a fa-vorite tradition for many fam-ilies for more than 25 years, and he even was recognized by the Mayor of Middletown, who designated Dec. 19, 2003 as Henry Sagan Day, for his contributions to the town.

Throughout his life he also indulged his passion for rais-ing gladiolas, which he inher-ited from his mother. He was a member of the CT Glad-iolas Society and faithfully exhibited his beautiful flow-ers in their annual flower

shows and, of course, at the Durham Fair for many years. At its peak, Sagan grew al-most 3,000 gladiolas a year, and sold them to local florists and at his own roadside stand off of Randolph Road, as well as gifting them to family and friends.

He owned and enjoyed tin-kering with his numerous tractors and implements in-cluding Cub Cadet, Farmall, Kubota and John Deere. He often visited the Farm Mu-seum at the fair and intended to donate his vintage John Deere GP tractor to the mu-seum one day, but never fi-nalized his plans prior to his passing. His daughter, Karen Young; son, Allen Sagan, and their families wished to fulfill his wishes and have donated this antique tractor to the fair for future generations to en-joy. We are grateful for their donation and look forward to restoring it to its previous glory.

--Submitted by Debbie Huscher

Marketing Coordinator, Durham Fair

From Page 4

Summer Concert Series at Peckham ParkSaturday, Aug. 9, 7 p.m. The Benevolent Dictators. Music of the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s. Bring your musical instrument. Musicians and singers are

welcome to sit in. Percussion available for children.Thursday, Aug. 14, 6:30 p.m. The Humble Bees.Music mixed with comedy.Thursday, Aug. 21, 6:30 p.m. Jackson Hill.Contemporary country and rock, with some original songs.Thursday, Aug. 28, 6:30 p.m. Zydelicious.Zydeco is dance music of Southwest Louisiana, combining Creole with blues and soul.

For more information, call the Middlefield Parks and Recreation Department, (860) 349-7122.

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Saturday, Aug. 2Farmer’s Market - The

Dudley Farm Farmer’s Mar-ket is scheduled every Satur-day through October, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 2351 Durham Road, North Guilford. Local and organic fruits and veg-etables, flowers and plants, baked goods, eggs, naturally raised meats, arts and crafts, maple syrup, jams and jellies, pickles and more. Subject to cancellation due to inclement weather. For more informa-

tion, call (860) 349-3917 or www.dudleyfarm.com.

Saturday, Aug. 3Adoption event - Cat

Tales non-profit feline rescue has scheduled an adoption event for Saturday, Aug. 3, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. , at PetCo, 760 Queen St. Southington. For more information, call Cat Tales at (860) 682-2383.

Thursday, Aug. 7Durham Farmer’s Market

- The Durham Farmer’s Mar-ket is scheduled for Thurs-days, 3 to 6 p.m., on the Durham Town Green.

Saturday, Aug. 9Artisan event - Colors of

the Wind Artists’ Emporium & Consignments, 360 Main St., has scheduled a truck show/meet the artist event for Sat-urday, Aug. 9, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Rose Muolo-Carrano of

Durham plans to attend. For more information, call (86) 788-2514.

Sunday, Aug. 10Tractor Cruise-in - The

Durham Fair Foundation has scheduled the 12th annual Tractor Cruise-In for Sunday, Aug. 10, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Durham Fairground, Rt. 17. Tractors, antique cars and trucks are welcome. Food will be available. Free parking. A fee is charged.

For more information, www.durhamfairfoundation.org.

Tuesday, Aug. 12Fundraiser - Middlesex

County Historical Society has scheduled a book signing fundraiser, Nails: The Story of the Modern Manicure, for Tuesday, Aug. 12, 7 p.m., at the Wadsworth Mansion, 421 Wadsworth St., Middletown. Reservations are required by Aug. 6. For more information, call (860) 346-0746.

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Levi E. Coe Library

Library hours: Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; closed Fridays.

The library is closed Sat-urdays for the summer.

Museum passesLevi E. Coe Library has

museum passes. Multiple state parks and forests are available.

Summer Reading Program - Fizz, Boom, Read, In-per-son registration only.

Zinio - The Levi E. Coe Library subscribes to Zinio. Patrons may access over a dozen different magazines online.

Durham Public Library

Library hours: Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Programs for kids:Foreign Language Work-

shops (ages 7 to 10). Tues-days, through Aug. 12, 4 to 5 p.m. Led by Coginchaug High School student Shaun Whitaker, the program uses games, songs, stories and crafts to appreciate and teach basic French and Spanish.

The Magic of Christopher - Summer Reading Clos-ing Celebration (all ages). Thursday, Aug. 7, 6:30 p.m. The Magic of Christopher comedy magic show closes the sumer reading program.

Programs for teens:Robotics Club (ages 11 to

18). Tuesday, Aug. 5, 3 to 4 p.m. Use a solar kit to build one of 14 different robots.

Teen End of Summer Party (ages 11 to 18). Friday, Aug. 8, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Food, games, music, and raffle prizes.

Programs for adultsOscar Winner Movie Mat-

inees: Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. Free and open to the public.

Aug. 7 - Dallas Buyers Club.

Aug. 14 - Blue Jasmine. Book Lovers’ Circle -

Wednesday, Aug. 6, 7:30 p.m. “Something Wicked This Way Comes” by Ray Brad-bury. All are welcome.

Learn the Essentials of Medicare from Physician Dr. Tanya Feke - Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2:30 p.m. Feke is the au-thor of “Medicare Essentials: A Physician Insider Explains the Fine Print.”

Library Briefs

The Entertainment Committee of the Durham Fair has scheduled its 11th annual talent show for Saturday, Sept. 27.

Auditions are scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 6 at the United Churches of Durham. Professional performers are excluded.

For more information and an application, contact Bill Currlin at (860) 343-3414 or email [email protected].

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Op-Ed

P.O. Box 265, Middlefield, CT 06455www.towntimes.com

News (860) 349-8000 [email protected] (203) 317-2313 [email protected] (203) 639-0210Marketplace (877) 238-1953 (toll-free)

Town Times is published every Friday by the Record-Journal Publishing Co. and delivered to all homes and businesses in Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall.

Executive Vice President and Assistant Publisher – Liz WhiteSenior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer – Shawn E. PalmerSenior Vice President and Editor – Ralph TomaselliNews Editor – Nick Carroll Assistant News Editor – Olivia L. LawrenceReporter – Mark DionneAdvertising Sales – Joy BooneAdvertising Director – Kimberley E. Boath Office Assistant, Press Releases – Marsha Pomponio

EDC must do moreTo the editor:I had to laugh at the article entitled “The need for more

revenue is inevitable” in the July 18 issue.How ironic that some of the people on our Economic Devel-

opment Committee who are claiming that we need to support business in town to increase tax revenue, are the same people who repeatedly opposed any prospective buyer of Powder Ridge for years and fought hard against the deal that finally went through.

Furthermore, the article states “there is a very definite opin-ion out there… that Middlefield is unfriendly to developers.” Of course there is, and this opinion is well founded. There are several people serving on committees and working for our town who are trying to derail Powder Ridge at every turn. The reason so many things have been delayed (restaurants, mountain biking trails, etc.) is because some of our planning and zoning and building officials are making it almost impos-sible to get the business up and running.

What has gone on over the last few years here with Powder Ridge will surely scare any prospective business owner away from Middlefield.

I certainly hope that our Economic Development Commit-tee will encourage the people who are currently serving as obstacles to Powder Ridge to support the owners instead. The sooner Powder Ridge gets up and running to its fullest poten-tial the more tax revenue it will generate. Having a successful business in town that everyone supports and is proud of will also encourage other developers to invest in our town.

Cindy NickMiddlefield

Letter to the editor


The Durham Republican Town Committee unani-mously endorsed the Repub-lican slate of state candidates, led by Tom Foley for Gover-nor, that had been selected at the state party convention in May at the town committee meeting on July 23.

State Rep. Penny Bacchio-chi, candidate for Lieutenant Governor, and Peter Lumaj, candidate for Secretary of the State, were at the meeting and urged members to vote on Aug. 12 in the Republican state primary and to encour-age all Durham Republicans to come out and vote.

The committee endorsed Tom Foley for Governor; Rep. Bacchiochi for Lt. Governor; Mr. Lumaj for Secretary of the State; Trumbull First Se-lectman Timothy Herbst for State Treasurer; Sharon Mc-Laughlin for State Comptrol-ler; and Attorney Kie Westby for Attorney General.

Bob Poliner, Vice Chair of the committee said, “Tom will make a good governor.

He has the executive experi-ence needed to lead an orga-nization with nearly 50,000 employees and a $20 bil-lion-plus annual budget. He will achieve what our current Governor could not; a state economy that provides jobs in the private sector for out of work and underemployed workers, lower taxes for in-dividuals, businesses and es-tates and a balanced budget that is not full of gimmicks and giveaways.”

Jay Berardino, who rep-resents Durham and five other neighboring towns on the Republican State Central Committee added, “Tom Fo-ley nearly won the election in 2010 and don’t we wish he was our governor today.”

Berardino went on, “Gov-ernor Malloy has imposed the largest tax increase in Connecticut history, in-creased state spending way beyond the ability of the average citizen to pay and failed to build a vibrant economy in which jobs for

those folks laid off five years ago would be created. He has spent his time courting Washington and as a result he and the Democratic legis-lature passed Common Core over the opposition of par-ents and teachers. Common Core allows Washington to set the curriculum for our lo-cal school system. That is not right and that is one more reason why his term in office is a failed term and we need a new governor.”

The Republican Party will be holding a primary on Aug. 12 and all registered Repub-licans are urged to take ad-vantage of the opportunity to vote. Folks who will be away on the 12th can obtain an ab-sentee ballot from the Town Clerk’s Office during regu-lar office hours. Committee members will be reminding folks to vote and urging them to support Mr. Foley and the entire endorsed slate.

--Submitted by Robert Poliner

Durham GOP gets behind Foley

Durham(Unless otherwise indicated, all meetings are held in the Durham Library. Check the town website at www.townofdur-hamct.org for updates.)Monday, Aug. 4Fire Department Trustees, Durham Volunteer Fire-house, 7 p.m.Tuesday, Aug. 5Town Green Design Committee, Durham Public Li-brary, 5 p.m.Wednesday, Aug. 6Planning & Zoning, Library, 7 p.m.Thursday, Aug. 7D.A.R.T. Durham Animal Response Team, Library, 7 p.m.Public Safety Facility Renovations Planning Commit-tee, Town Hall, 7 p.m.Monday, Aug. 11Board of Selectman, Town Hall, 7 p.m.Inland Wetlands, Town Hall, 7:30 p.m.Tuesday, Aug. 12Conservation Commission, Library, 7 p.m.Library Board of Trustees, Library, 7:30 p.m.Durham Volunteer Fire Company, Durham Volunteer Fire Department, 8 p.m.Republican State primary, Korn Elementary School, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.Tuesday, Aug. 19Board of Finance, Town Hall, 7 p.m.Agriculture Commission, Town Hall, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 20Planning & Zoning, Library, 7:30 p.m.Thursday, Aug. 21DMIAAB, Library, 7 p.m.Public Safety Facility Renovations Planning Commit-tee, Town Hall, 7 p.m.Monday, Aug. 25Board of Selectman, Town Hall, 7 p.m.Tuesday, Aug. 26Ethic’s Commission, Library, 7 p.m.Wednesday, Aug. 27Board of Education, Coginchaug Regional High School, 7:30 p.m.

Middlefield(Unless otherwise indicated, all meetings are held in the Community Center.)Monday, Aug. 4Board of Selectman, Middlefield Community Center, 7 p.m.Wednesday, Aug. 8WPCA, 7 p.m.Tuesday, Aug. 12Republican State primary, Middlefield Community Center, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.Thursday, Aug. 21Board of Finance, Middlefield Community Center, 7 p.m.

Government Meetings


As a family physician and movie critic, I am drawn to films that draw on medi-cal topics, be they about physical or mental illness. It allows me to offer insight into my dual passions of film and medicine, the essence of Diagnosis Movies. I had the pleasure of meeting with director Gren Wells and the cast of THE ROAD WITHIN prior to the film’s world premiere at the LA Film Fes-tival. This is one indepen-dent film that you have to

hunt down and see. It stimulates the mind and stirs the soul.

Robert Sheehan trans-forms himself into Vincent, a young man affected by a rare form of Tourette syn-drome known as coprolalia. Coprolalia, often misun-derstood to be synonymous with Tourette syndrome in the public eye, results in uncontrolled swearing and outbursts. It is present in less than 10 percent of cases. Vincent’s struggles to live with his affliction are evi-dent with every contorted gesture and verbal outburst. Sheehan’s research into the disease included months of research including mov-ing in with advocate Jaxon Kramer who himself has To-urette syndrome. The result is a thoughtful and realistic

glimpse into what life would be like with the condition.

Vincent is not the only one who must learn to cope with the effects of his Tourette syndrome. Emo-tionally abandoned by his father, the always brilliant Robert Patrick, Vincent is raised by a mother who re-sorts to alcohol as a defense mechanism. When she dies, Vincent finds himself in confrontation with his fa-ther who believes his best recourse is to send his son to an experimental clinic for treatment. Sadly, Bob Rhodes’ priorities are to his profession and his bid for political office rather than to his son. A son cursing and swearing at his campaign events after all would surely not earn him votes.

At the clinic, Vincent

meets others with men-tal disorders and this is where writer/director Gren Wells flourishes. Vincent is roomed with Alex (Dev Patel), a young man with ob-sessive compulsive disorder who is overcome by the in-vasion of his personal space. His obsession with clean-liness triggers outbursts of painstaking fear. An unlikely

friendship develops between the two as they learn to trust each other.

The relationship that de-velops between the room-mates is only a fraction of the dynamic that builds between Vincent and fe-male clinic patient Marie (Zoe Kravitz). Marie suffers from anorexia, and while the boys must struggle with the challenges their psychiatric conditions bring, her dis-ease – if left unchecked – is one that could actually kill her. Kravitz lost consider-

able weight for the film and actually ate clay as a way to cleanse the body. Vincent develops sincere feelings for Marie but is she capable of loving another person if she does not love herself or her own body?

The trio make their way to the ocean after they steal their doctor’s car. The road trip becomes as much of a personal journey of self dis-covery as a scenic one. His father, forced to abandon

The Road Within: The film is its own journeyBy Tanya Feke MDSpecial to Town Times

Tanya Feke with Zoe Kravitz.

See Movies / Page 10

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his politics in the moment, unites with Dr. Mia Rose (Kyra Sedgewick) to track them down and does some growing of their own.

The acting in the film is full throttle, frequently hys-

terical and always honest. That can only be the case with exceptional directing. Cast and crew together give the proper stage to these conditions. People with psychiatric illness need not be ostracized from society. They have the potential, like everyone else, to live independent and meaning-ful lives if they look within themselves. A condition alone does not define you. You define you. While The Road Within remains a bit sensationalized in parts, it is an enriching journey into life’s realities.

From Page 9

New chair for Alzheimer’s Association

The Alzheimer’s Associ-ation Con-necticut Chapter has a new Chair-man of the Board of Di-rectors, Al Gatti, who is also the Law Firm Admin-

istrator for CzepigaDaly-Pope. The firm specializes

in areas of the law affecting elders.

“I am honored to serve with such an incredibly experienced and diverse board,” Gatti said in a state-ment. “I look forward to sup-porting the chapter and its staff.”

Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of de-mentia, accounting for more than half of all cases, ac-cording to the Alzheimer’s Association. No cure is yet known, but treatments are

available and scientists are still working on understand-ing exactly what causes the disease, which is not a part of normal aging.

Alzheimer’s usually man-ifests first with difficulty in short-term memory and gets worse over time.

The Alzheimer’s Associa-tion is a great organization with a lot of excellent re-sources, according to Mina Silverberg, Assistant Direc-tor of The Alzheimer’s Dis-ease Center Program at the National Institute on Aging.

According to Silverberg, if an elderly parent or rela-tive is acting strangely, it’s a good idea to read up on the NIA website as well as the Alzheimer’s Association website, alz.org, and to visit a doctor. In some cases, cer-tain vitamin deficiencies,

medication, or other curable conditions can have demen-tia as a symptom.

“We know from our re-search that a lot of people with dementia are not di-agnosed in primary care,” Silverberg said in a phone interview. It can be helpful to accompany an elderly rel-ative to the doctor to pri-vately discuss the symptoms that have been observed.

If the doctor seems reluc-tant to provide a diagnosis, ask for a referral to a geri-atrician or a neurologist, Silverberg said. The Alzhei-mer’s Association can also assist in locating a doctor trained to diagnose memory problems.

Silverberg said that ex-citing things are happening in research for Alzheimer’s as, relatively recently, im-

aging techniques have been discovered that can detect new types of proteins that may be related to the dis-ease. Although the cause of the disease isn’t known, it has been noted that proteins form plaques in the spaces between nerve cells in the brain, while another type of protein forms “tangles” from within cells.

Silverberg said that it is critical to find volunteers to participate in research, both participants who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and those who have not. Vol-unteers who give up their time to assist in research can have an enormous impact on developing better treat-ments or even a cure for the disease.

Visit tinyurl/BCAlz14 for a list of symptoms to look for.

By Charles KreutzkampTown Times

Gatti


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Connecticut middle school students are welcome to en-ter a contest to express what the heroism and commitment of U.S. veterans means to them. The top winner will ride in the 15th annual Connecticut Veterans Parade scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 2.

The 2014 essay question is “I Want to Say Thank You to a Veteran Because…” A panel of judges will select one top winner and two runners-up. Contest deadline is Fri-day, Sept. 26.

All Connecticut students entering sixth, seventh or eighth grade may enter the statewide contest that salutes the contributions of veterans. The Navy League of the United States – Hartford Council and the State of Connecti-cut Department of Veterans Affairs sponsor this project to encourage middle school students to learn more about the heroism and importance of American servicemen and women throughout our nation’s history.

For more information, details, and an application, call (860) 653-4484 or visit www.ctveteransparade.org or www.ct.gov/ctva.

Essay contest

Durham Middlefield Youth and Family Services has scheduled Dungeons, dragons and duct tape for Mon-day, Aug. 4 through Thursday, Aug. 7, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The program, for boys and girls in grades 5 through 9, encourages adventures in cardboard. Participants de-sign and construct castles, amour, spikes, plates, helmets, shields and more. Groups form identities and team strat-egies to defend or storm a castle in daily competitions of capture the flag and compete in games that instill integ-rity, chivalry, creativity and collaborative play.

A fee is charged. Registration is required.For more information, call Durham Middlefield Youth

and Family Services at (860) 349-0258.

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Durham Republican voters may vote in the Repub-lican primary, scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 12 to deter-mine which candidate will be the Republican candidate for governor on the November ballot. Only Republicans are eligible to vote in the Republican primary.

To register to vote, or to change from unaffiliated to Republican, visit https://voterregistration.ct.gov/OLVR/. A driver’s license number is required. The form may also be printed at http://www.sots.ct.gov/sots/lib/sots/electionservices/electforms/electforms/ed-671s.pdf and returned to the Registrar of Voters office. The final day to register by mail is Thursday, Aug. 7. The final day to reg-ister in person is Monday, Aug. 11 at noon at Town Hall.

To see if you are registered to vote, visit www.dir.sots.ct.govLookUp and type your name and birth date in the box.

Those who will be out of town should submit an appli-cation for your absentee ballot now.

College students who will be back in school on Aug. 12 must fill out an absentee ballot in Durham (or register to vote in the new town.)

Absentee ballot application forms can be downloaded from the Town’s website, the website for the Secretary of State or obtained from Town Hall.

Republican primary is Aug. 12

Connecticut’s wide di-versity of bird species is di-minishing and is at risk of continued declines as hab-itats throughout the state suffer from neglect caused by a lack of conservation management.

That’s the key finding of Connecticut Audubon So-ciety’s annual Connecticut State of the Birds report, re-leased in late July at a news conference in Easton, at As-petuck Land Trust’s 1,009-acre Trout Brook Valley Conservation Area, based in Fairfield.

The report shows how land conservation agencies and organizations throughout the state have reduced or elimi-nated the natural processes that otherwise would create a mosaic of different habitat stages and types, resulting in an increasingly large forest monoculture and a diminish-ing variety of birds.

It also highlights exam-ples of how sound conserva-tion management planning is leading to sustainable improvements around the state. As Stephen B. Ores-man, chairman emeritus of Connecticut Audubon So-ciety, put it in his article, “What we are promoting is an approach to wiser land us

that is complex, detailed, and long-term.”

Released annually since 2005, Connecticut State of the Birds has become the leading research-based assessment of conservation conditions in Connecticut. This year’s re-port, “Connecticut’s Diverse Landscape: Managing Our Habitats for Wildlife,” high-lights examples of where

conservation planning and management has succeeded in sustaining the habitats that are most in danger, including grasslands and early-succes-sional fields.

“There is still a wealth of beauty and biodiversity throughout Connecticut,” said Connecticut Audubon

Audubon report: State of wild birds in Connecticut

Press Release

The Eastern meadowlark (Sturnella magna) is one of the bird populations on the decline in Connecticut.

See Birds / Page 16

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Todd’s CT Pour Tour is scheduled to stop at Time Out Taverne, 100 New Haven Road (Rt. 17), Sunday, Aug. 3, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Todd Ruggere plans to have a beer in all 169 Connecticut towns to raise money for Smilow Children’s Hospital at Yale-New Haven.

For more information or to make a donation, call (781) 974-9428 or email [email protected].

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More than 4,000 black bear sightings have been reported to the Department of Energy and Environmental protec-tion this year and DEEP en-courages residents to keep sending in bear data.

So far in the area: Berlin has had 30 sightings; Cheshire 3; Durham 11; Southington 14; Plainville 28; and Middlefield 12.

Of course, those figures pale in comparison to Farm-ington at the top of the sight-ings list with 444 bears. Avon is close behind with 431. Bur-lington, one of the state’s woodsier towns records 218

Wildlife department seeks black bear data

Letting bears get comfortable at your place is not a good idea, according to the state’s wildlife specialists. See Bear / Page 13

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Durham Recreation has scheduled Get Stitchy, an open sew event for quilters and sewers, for Tuesday, Aug. 12, 7 to 9 p.m., at the Durham Activity Center, 350 Main St. Get Stitchy is a time intended for participants to work on projects, exchange tips and ideas. Bring your project materials, sewing machine and extension cord.

For more information and to sign up, contact Pam Caery at (860) 349-0453, [email protected] or Vicki Berry at (860) 343-0879, [email protected].

Get Stitchy

Amy Bloom of Durham will be reading at well-known independent bookstore R.J. Julia’s in Madison Friday, Aug. 1 at 7 pm.

Bloom is the best-selling author of the novels “Nor-mal,” “A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You,” and the story collection “Come to Me,” among other works.

Her latest novel is titled “Lucky Us.”The reading is free, but R.J. Julia recommends reser-

vations (available at their website rjjulia.com) for all its author events.

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World’s Largest Golf Outing and Lyman Orchards Golf Club have scheduled the 4th annual World’s Largest Golf Outing, benefiting Wounded Warrior Project,, for Mon-day, Aug. 11 at Lyman Orchards Golf Club.

In 2013, over 10,500 golfers participated at 110 golf courses nationwide and raised $735,440 for Wounded Warrior Project.

For more information, call Ashley Ryan at (860) 349-6019.

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Bear

sightings. Even areas considered cit-

ies have had a few. New Brit-ain residents reported 13 bear sightings and Meriden, 10.

The Wildlife Division states that since the 1980s there has been a dramatic and continuing increase in bear sightings. Already this year, residents have filed re-ports for 4,298 incidents. The trend is expected to continue.

The tracking system DEEP has devised is meant, in part, to reduce duplication of sightings.

Residents can fill out an

online form that asks for spe-cifics, such as where the bear was spotted, when, and if it had an ear tag. If an ear tag is seen, note the color and any numbers or letters that are visible. Sightings can also be called in, during regular busi-ness hours, to the Wildlife Di-vision at: (860) 675-8130

Those who need imme-diate assistance concerning a black bear should call the DEEP’s 24-hour hotline at (860) 424-3333.

In most situations, DEEP does not intervene with a bear presence, however the response to each situation will depend on the specifics.

If there is “persistent neg-ative behavior” then other methods, such as removal or relocation will be considered.

The bear management program advises those who are lucky enough to see one to “enjoy it from a distance…black bears are impressive animals. Even a long-distance glimpse of one foraging in a woodland is an unforgettable experience for most outdoor enthusiasts.”

Black bears can weigh from 150 to 450 pounds, depending on age and sex, and adults are five to six feet long. DEEP ad-

From Page 12

See Bear / Page 15

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Later this month Kim Beaudoin will be on a stage in Tuscon, Arizona dressed in a glitzy green bathing suit cov-ered in rhinestones, wearing large green wings, and sport-ing sparkling antennas on top of her head.

The Southington resident chose to dress as a praying mantis during the costume competition portion of the 2014 Mrs. America Pageant.

Why is Beaudoin planning to dress like an insect?

Many women pick the state flower or bird, but Beaudoin decided she wanted to be dif-ferent so she chose the state bug.

“Yes I’m going to be a pray-ing mantis,” she said laughing.

“I’m going to be the prettiest praying mantis you’ve ever seen!”

In March, Beaudoin won the Mrs. Connecticut Amer-ica Pageant. She and the other state winners will arrive in Arizona Aug. 23. Interviews will be held on Aug. 26, final rehearsals on Aug. 28 and the final competition on Aug. 29.

“She’s been working so hard. She’s so amazing,” said state pageant director Elaine Paolo, who has been working with Beaudoin on her prepa-rations for the national pag-eant. “I really, really, believe that she will do well at Mrs. America.”

Since she was crowned Mrs . Connecticut , the 34-year-old has made nearly 30 appearances around the state, including walks in sup-port of the March of Dimes and Make a Wish founda-tions. She has also been work-ing on cancer awareness, a cause that is very personal.

When she was 24, Beaudo-in’s father died from colon cancer. Her mother is a colon cancer survivor and Beaudo-in’s sister and mother-in-law are breast cancer survivors.

For the past five years, Beaudoin participated in Southington’s Relay for Life to help raise funds for cancer research.

She married Jerry Beau-doin nine years go. The cou-ple has three boys, Kamron,9, Konner, 7, and Kaden, 2.

“My father never got to meet them and I didn’t think that was fair,” Beaudoin said.

Beaudoin’s work with Paolo to prepare includes se-lecting outfits for rehearsals, dinners, and the competition. She also needs to be prepared her interview with the judges.

“I love talking with peo-ple so I’m not nervous,” said Beaudoin, who has partici-pated in pageants since she was 16.

“I don’t want to over pre-pare because I don’t want to sound rehearsed.”

Paolo, who is also help-ing guide Mrs. New Jersey, Mrs. Pennsylvania, and Mrs. Rhode Island, said it’s im-portant for contestants to “be themselves.”

Mrs. CT preps for national pageant

Mrs. Connecticut, Kim Beaudoin, 34, of Southington, will be traveling to Arizona to compete in the 2014 Mrs. America pageant.

| Dave Zajac / For Town Times

By Farrah DuffanySpecial to Town Times

See Pageant / Page 15

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Bear

vises that if you should unexpectedly encounter one, you can either slowly walk away or make noise and wave your arms to alert them to your presence.

“The mere presence of a bear does not neces-sitate its removal. In most cases, if left alone, the bear will make its way to a more natural habitat,” DEEP explains on its website. However, in urban areas it may be necessary to relocate the animal if it appears unlikely it can leave safely on its own. Bears cannot be relocated to another state because no other state allows it.

The agency also urges people to learn to live with bears and not encourage them in residen-tial areas – remove food sources, for instance. Garbage cans and bird feeders can draw inter-est, so can grills, compost piles and fruit trees. The DEEP website offers tips to avoid conflicts. For instance, a tablespoon of ammonia can be added to garbage cans to discourage wildlife. If bears become problematic, they may have to be destroyed.

−Information compiled from the state’s Depart-ment of Energy and Environmental Protection, Wildlife Division.

From Page 13

Pageant

“It give judges a chance to get to know the girls and learn about their personal-ity...it will be the only time the judges will have a chance to speak with these girls one-on-one,” Paolo said.

On July 29, Beaudoin was to attend a send-off party to help cover pageant expenses at Zingarella Pizzeria & Ital-ian Ristorante in Southing-ton, an event put together by one of her best friends, Ally-son Genovese. Genovese and Beaudoin both competed in the Mrs. Connecticut pag-eant. Genovese, representing Plantsville, was the first run-ner-up. “I thought it would just be something really nice to do, to give back to her as she’s giving so much to the community,” said Genovese.

Beaudoin appreciates the support from the Southing-ton community.

“My love is overflowing,” Beaudoin said. “There are no words to say how much I ap-preciate them.”

From Page 14

Mrs. Connecticut, Kim Beaudoin, 34, of Southington, will be traveling to Arizona to compete in the 2014 Mrs. America pageant. | Dave Zajac

/ For Town Times


This black bear wandered the Route 6 corridor, near Bristol, earlier this summer. At one point he made himself at home at this residence. The state’s wildlife division urges homeowners to discourage bears in residential areas.


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Notre Dame ChurchNotre Dame Church, 280

Main St., has scheduled its monthly flea market and tag sale for the first Saturday of each month, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., through Oct. 4. The tag sale will be located in the church hall, rectory garage, parking lot and lawn, rain or shine. Breakfast and lunch will be available. Vendor space is available for purchase. For more information, call Bob Smith at (860) 349-0356.

Religious Briefs

Preventive health screen-ings are scheduled for Mon-day, Aug. 18, at the Middlefield Community Center.

Life Line Screenings plans to offer five screenings that scan for potential health problems.

All five screenings take 60 to 90 minutes to complete.

A fee is charged for the screenings.

For more information and to register, call 1-888-653-6441 or visit www.lifelinescreening.com/community-partners.

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Birds

Society President Alexander R. Brash. “But managing ar-eas for wildlife is a lot more complicated than just let-ting them go. Because our landscape is already human dominated and no longer naturally balanced, we must determine what we want a landscape to look like and then actively manage the pro-cess to achieve that goal.”

There are signs of prog-ress, and the report recom-mends increasing support for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmen-tal Protection, the largest owner of conservation land in the state; and the creation of a grant program to help Connecticut’s 100-plus pri-vate land conservation orga-nizations pay for professional planning.

“We are starting to wake up to this dilemma,” said Mi-lan Bull, senior director of science and conservation for Connecticut Audubon Soci-ety, “and land management processes are evolving so that they consider broader scale biodiversity, particu-larly in terms of early suc-cessional habitat.”

Birds that require early successional, or scrub-shrub, habitat have experienced the most rapid decline of any group of Connecticut birds, because their habitat has been allowed to grow into mature forest or has been converted to lawn. Those birds include blue-winged warbler, Eastern towhee, in-digo bunting, chestnut-sided warbler and field sparrow. Grasslands birds such as bob-olinks and Eastern meadow-larks have similarly declined.

The report includes an ar-ticle about how Aspetuck Land Trust is attempting to use conservation manage-ment planning to resolve use conflicts at Trout Brook Val-ley that are threatening the preserve’s spectacular diver-sity of plants, birds and other wildlife.

Other articles examine the restoration of tidal marshes in Fairfield, creation of a grassland in Waterford, and the loss of a heron colony in Norwalk. The report also looks at the Department of Environmental and Energy Protection’s role in conser-vation management.

The 2014 report documents that to meet the state goal of preserving 21 percent of the land in Connecticut by 2023, conservation agencies and organizations would have to preserve about 25,000 acres a

year for the next decade.But even that is only an es-

timate because while officials have a good idea how much land the state has protected, no one knows how much land the municipalities and pri-vate organizations have pro-tected. And, further, no one knows how much of that land has important conservation value or what that value is.

Other Actions and Rec-ommendations in the report include calls for the state to fully implement the 2012 open space law; and for the creation of a state commis-sion of land conservation ex-perts to work with the DEEP and the state’s municipali-ties to document the loca-tion, amount and status of their preserved lands, includ-ing their conservation values and the status of conserva-tion planning.

From Page 11

The Second (Indian-head) Division Associ-ation is searching for anyone who served in the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division at any time.

For more informa-tion about the associa-tion or the 93rd reunion in Omaha, Neb., contact Bob Hayes at [email protected] or (224) 225-1202.

Army reunion


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Intern

Etheridge has assisted in the Town Clerk’s office, the Tax Collector’s office, and gone into the field with the Town Assessor.

Etheridge, salutatorian of Coginchaug’s class of 2013, is majoring in Political Science and hopes to enter public pol-icy, either within government or as a policy advocate.

While Etheridge said he will add the position to his resume, working as Durham’s Government Intern has also brought him up close to the workings of small town gov-ernment. “You forget how personable government can be. It can seem so isolated and official, but people come in here all the time ... and the people here are very friendly and open,” Etheridge said.

As a freshman, Etheridge got to meet both Connecti-cut senators and went to the Capital Building during the argument over the govern-ment shutdown. “That was interesting in a contrasting way,” Etheridge said. “Here in Durham we run pretty well.”

Etheridge said as Govern-ment Intern he has witnessed some interesting things about the workings of government, such as a regional meeting of registrars of voters, and also experienced the day to day activities. “There’s something very relaxing about opening the mail,” Etheridge said.

Based on a tip from Henry Coe of Durham, Etheridge tracked down records indi-cating that a time capsule was buried on the town green. Ac-cording to Board of Select-men minutes, students from the now-defunct gifted and talented program at Strong School buried a time capsule in May of 1986.

According to Board of Se-lectmen minutes taken be-fore the burial, the students intended to put “architectural pictures, tapes, drawings, prophecies, [and] invested monies” in the capsule.

The records indicate that the capsule was scheduled to be unearthed in May of 2016, but there is no more specific reference to the location than “near the flagpole.”

Etheridge is also working on digital records of meetings and approval of town roads.

Some of the early documents, according to Etheridge, con-tain still familiar names, like Coe, Parmelee, and Pisgah, but direct roads around land-marks like a tree or a pile of rocks.

The intern program for Durham dates back to 1999 with one intern per summer helping town officials. In two previous years, two interns were selected, but in 2014, Etheridge is the only intern.

The Government Intern is selected based on an applica-tion and interviews with two or three town officials.

Assistant Town Clerk Ali-cia Fonash-Willett, who participated in this year’s interviews, said that all the candidates were great, but Etheridge was selected based on his energy and leadership capabilities. “He was a good find,” Fonash-Willett said.

From Page 1PET OF THE WEEK

Jackson is an affectionate, playful 2-year old, black domestic short hair boy. He was rescued from an abusive situation as a stray. He loves attention and toys. Jackson prefers to be the only pet in the house, but would do okay with another non-dominate cat.. Trixie is a 1 year-old female. She is petite, full of energy and loves attention. Trixie likes to be held. Trixie is FELV+ (people cannot catch this). She gets along with other cats (they must be FELV+) or would do well as an only cat. A family with children over 8 years old is perferred. For more information, call Cat Tales at (860) 344-9043 or email [email protected].


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Demolition

the house were secured with tarp and wood and a no-tice warned “DANGER This Structure Is Declared Un-safe For Human Occupancy or Use.”

And there it sat for four and a half years. Tarp and wood were battered and torn away. Openings to the home grew larger and the elements

poured in, especially from some of the massive weather events in recent years. All four sides of the house, and the roof, had large openings.

The yard had also turned more wild and overgrown. Several times the grass was mowed by people unknown.

In an August, 2011 interview with Town Times, Durham First Selectman Laura Fran-cis said the town would

not do any grass-cutting or tree-pruning on the property except for public safety, such as clearing the sight lines near the intersection.

The inaction of the town regarding the entire prop-erty upset some residents and brought complaints to Town Hall and public meet-ings. Durham does not have a blight ordinance and, since the property taxes contin-

ued to be paid for years after the fire, Francis said in 2011, “The town does not have the right to go onto that private property.”

Building Official Rich-ard McManus sent a letter to Alfano on May 14, 2010, four months after the fire, in-structing her to take down the house, saying “Section 115.1 of the Connecticut State Building code allows for the

Building Official to order nec-essary actions of the owner which will render the prop-erty safe.”

After instructing the owner to take down the house, town officials, who consulted with the town attorney on the mat-ter, did not push the issue. As the house remained in its fire-ravaged state, both Fran-cis and McManus said that public safety was the only issue that would cause the town to take action against a still-owned property.

Records indicate the town did monitor the situation. On April 12, 2013, McManus sent a letter to Joe Alfano, who was often regarded as the owner of the property even after transferring the property to his daughter Alicia, reporting the results of a recent inspec-tion. At the Tuttle Road prop-erty, the “structure is unsafe,” the letter read, because “ply-wood that was placed to safe-guard the structure has been removed.” McManus also re-corded that the problem was subsequently fixed.

In an August, 2011 inter-view, Joe Alfano said that he had buyers ready to purchase the property and renovate the building.

Potential buyers never emerged to take control and, presumably, demolish the structure before foreclosure and Laudano’s purchase. Lau-dano is the owner of a neigh-boring property. Recently the property, including the ruined home, was put on the market with approximately 12 additional acres located be-hind the lot for a listing price of $455,000. That listing has since been removed.

Attempts to reach Lau-dano, who also has a Florida address, were unsuccessful as of press time.

From Page 1

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Sports

New grid plan targets playoffs, reduced contactCHESHIRE — The future

of high school football in Connecticut is taking shape. For the sake of player safety, it will likely mean slightly fewer games and a lot less contact in practices.

July 24, the CIAC Football Committee met with physi-cians from the CT State Med-ical Society Sport Medicine Committee. The resulting proposal calls for a three-game playoff series, a regular season limited to 10 games — including league champion-ship games — and a built-in bye week.

Contact during practice would also be subject to strict limits, especially during the bye week and in the postsea-son, when it would prohib-ited entirely.

The changes would take effect in the 2015 season and run on a two-year trial through the 2016 season.

The football committee’s proposal does require ap-proval by the CIAC Board of Control. That board will meet in late August and again in mid September, by which time the 2014 season will be under way.

The upcoming cam-paign, thanks to another late Thanksgiving like last year, features an 11-week regular season. The playoffs, how-ever, have been reformat-ted to two rounds in eight divisions.

Under the proposal is-sued July 24, the 2015 and 2016 playoffs would go back to three rounds and four di-

visions, starting with quar-terfinals the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. There would be 4-5 days between rounds.

That’s how the playoffs have run since 2010, when Connecticut football ex-panded its postseason to 32 teams.

The big change would ap-ply to postseason practices, when no player-to-player contact would be allowed.

There would also be lim-its on contact in practice at other points in the season. Preseason, week 1: No

contact. Pre-season, weeks 2-3: A

maximum of 120 minutes per week. Regular season, games

1-9: A maximum of 90 min-utes per week. Regular season, af-

ter game 9: A maximum 45 minutes (though if a game 9 is played on the Thursday, Friday or Saturday prior to Thanksgiving, no live con-tact will be allowed between games 9 and 10). Postseason: No contact.The July 24 proposal also

states that one week would be added to the regular sea-son allowing for a bye week with zero live contact.

The regular season would be limited to 10 games, includ-ing any league playoffs, which are still played in the FCIAC, South-West Conference and Naugatuck Valley League. Those, clearly, are likely to be reconsidered should the proposal be adopted.

Also, all Connecticut high schools that play football will be required to participate in the RIO Injury Surveillance study.--Record-Journal staff

Got news?

We’d love to print it along with your photos.

Send to:The Town Times

P.O. Box 265 Middlefield, CT [email protected]

Is Legion baseball striking out?

American Legion finds it-self in a continuing struggle with other summer baseball leagues. It bills itself as the finest teenage program in the country, and in many ways that’s true.

But in Connecticut and in other places around the nation, Legion ball is strug-gling. The number of teams is shrinking. In Connecticut alone, the program is down three or four teams, and Zone 3, is down to eight teams as Madison has folded its tent.

The response by the state Legion has been to tinker with its state tournament format. Every year the state commission comes up with something new. This year, the top 40 teams -- five from each of the eight zones -- will qualify for the postseason. The zone champions will

get a bye until there are only eight survivors from the first couple of single elimination rounds and in order for a zone champion to be elim-inated, it would have to be beaten twice.

Then there will be eight survivors who will play in two regionals -- Torrington and Stamford -- in a double elimination format.

Then the two survivors will play a best of three.

It’s too long and too con-voluted for the average fan to keep up with. It’s too con-voluted for me, and I think I get it.

One of the reasons the state Legion allows so many teams in is based on an as-sumption that unless teams have something to play for, kids will lose interest and teams will fold before the season ends, presenting the state with the headache of

By Jim BransfieldSpecial to The Citizen

See Legion / Page 20

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Former Olympic bobsledder, Rob-ert W. Huscher, visited his grandson’s classrooms and Boy Scout troop in the spring to talk about his experi-ences in the 1968 winter Olympics. He discussed how he was chosen for the team and showed a film that detailed how the U.S. Navy Bobsled Team was formed and how team members rep-resented the United States in Greno-ble, France.

Olympian shares his storyLegion

dealing with forfeits.Methinks that assumption

is shaky at best because it un-derestimates kids.

Almost always, the teams that have forfeited games -- and they are very few in number -- have done so for internal reasons. Oftentimes the coaching is, well, let’s just say is inexperienced. There are not clear rules at the be-ginning of the season about commitment, a team begins the season with small number of players and so it goes.

Almost always, it’s shaky management at the local level.

But it has been my experi-ence in involvement with Le-gion baseball since 1966 that kids hang in there. Kids don’t quit because a team is 10-15. Kids generally like to play. Study after study has shown that kids would rather be playing, even if a team is los-ing, than sit on a bench when a team is winning.

Another reason is that hav-ing 40 teams in the field cre-ates more fan interest. Not so. In the years since the expand-

ing playoffs were instituted in all its mutations, early round games draw mom, dad, friends and relatives. It isn’t until the final rounds are played that crowds get bigger.

But with the competi-tion from other programs, the Legion is deeply con-cerned about the future of its program.

That helps to explain why the National Legion backed off its plan to reduce the max-imum age of players from 19 to 18. Small towns across the country protested, saying this further diminished its talent pool.

It’s also the reason why the Legion in Connecticut has instituted a prep division, for eighth and ninth graders. The idea here is, obviously, get ‘em early.

The underlying concern may be the reason that the National Legion has gone to pool play for its World Series. Pool play is one in which the Series is divided into two four-team divisions and the two winners play a title game. The reason? ESPNU will tele-vise the title game, but only if the game is on a date certain. Double elimination makes that impossible.

From Page 19

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Documents

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