Harbor News

The Most Important Meal of the Day

Shore Publishing — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:39:11 GMT

Joyce Hansel, Doris Simoneau, Bill Neuman, and Nancy Olson, volunteers from the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Old Saybrook, prepared BBQ sandwiches and large salads with spinach feta bread at the Grace Episcopal Church of Old Saybrook as part of the regular meal program organized by the Shoreline Soup Kitchen & Pantries. Also volunteering but not pictured is Peter Olsen.

The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries welcomes all for food and fellowship on Thanksgiving Day at 1 p.m. at the Grace Episcopal Church, 338 Main Street, Old Saybrook. A traditional Thanksgiving meal with all the fixings will be served and no reservations are required.

The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries is in greater need of donations this winter due to even more increased numbers of those in need. To donate, visit www.shorelinesoupkitchens.org.

Photo by Nancy Dionne

State Takes Charge of Clean-Up

Shore Publishing — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:37:51 GMT

By Becky Coffey, Harbor News Senior Staff Writer:

WESTBROOK:

Uncertainty about whether there is any groundwater contamination below the future town garage site led the state Department of Transportation (DOT) recently to agree to take back responsibility for the clean-up work at the Route 145 site.

Questions about groundwater contamination were raised by the town’s state-approved environmental contractor, Milone & McBroom, when it found earlier studies that had not assessed this potential risk.

Is the groundwater below the future town garage site on Route 145 contaminated or not? This is the question that Milone & McBroom could not answer even after studying the prior environmental studies of the site by a DOT contractor.

Previous environmental studies shared with the town by DOT had described site clean-up needs as mainly limited to the removal of contaminated soil, a job estimated at between $140,000 and $180,000. When the town agreed to swap the current town garage site for the state’s road maintenance site, the town also agreed to take on responsibility to complete this clean up. This cost was to be paid from the $1.5 million in grant funds the state legislature agreed to provide to the town to cover the site clean up, and town garage design and construction.

But since the possibility of groundwater contamination hadn’t been assessed previously, when asked now to calculate the cost to clean the site, Milone & McBroom declined. That’s because groundwater contamination, if present, could be much more expensive to remediate than the $180,000 the town had estimated for the work.

“Milone & McBroom was hung up because they didn’t believe the information in the earlier studies was adequate to determine the ultimate scope of the clean-up project,” said Town Garage Building Committee Chair Anthony Marino. “The state’s environmental contractor had tested the site for soil contamination, not for groundwater contamination.

“For the town, we needed to determine what the town’s long-term financial exposure for site clean up could be if the town accepted this state property,” he continued.

Marino decided it was time to meet with the DOT’s project manager to try to resolve the issue. In the first meeting, DOT said it would have another firm, DTC, confirm Milone & McBroom’s findings before taking further action.

In a follow-up meeting with the state, the firms’ findings were discussed and it was agreed that the question of whether groundwater contamination was present could not be resolved based on past studies. In response, the DOT agreed it would accept liability for the clean up, whatever its scope might turn out to be.

In its recent letter to the town, DOT agreed to be the “certifying party” responsible for all clean up of its former road maintenance site on Route 145. The state would, as a result, prepare the site’s Remedial Action Plan and would hire the contractor to complete the clean up. As before, however, whatever the ultimate cost of the clean-up work, it would be charged against the $1.5 million the state has set aside for the town garage project.

“What this proposed agreement does is to clear the way to keep this project moving forward,” said Marino.

This month Marino expects the Building Committee to complete negotiations on cost with the town’s state-approved architectural/engineering firm, Weston and Sampson. This firm was chosen to design the new town maintenance garage and dog pound facility for the Route 145 site; this work’s cost would, like the clean-up’s costs, be charged against the $1.5 million in state project funds.

She’s Tops in Clinton

Shore Publishing — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:34:03 GMT

By Fay Abrahamsson, Harbor News Senior Staff Writer:

CLINTON:

There must be a secret among Spanish teachers that keeps them constantly in the winners’ circle. Last year, high school Spanish teacher Laura Luther won the Clinton Teacher of the Year award. This year, the accolade is awarded to elementary school Spanish teacher Jessica Godburn.

Jessica, who lives in New Haven with her husband Kevin, teaches Spanish to 2nd and 3rd graders at the Lewin G. Joel Elementary School in Clinton. This is her seventh year at the school.

She grew up in Westford, Massachusetts, graduated from the College of Wooster in Ohio with a BA in Spanish, and received her master’s in teaching English as a second language from Southern Connecticut State University.

In Clinton, Spanish is taught from kindergarten through 6th grade as part of its World Languages Program, Jessica says. Students have the option of adding French to their repertoire in 7th grade. At the high school level, the opportunity to learn Chinese is also available.

Jessica shares the responsibility of teaching Spanish at the Joel School with Maria Moran who teaches kindergarten and 1st grade.

“I’m a much better teacher because I work with her,” they each say of the other.

Jessica says her style is to teach as much of the lesson as possible in Spanish using a multitude of props so the children can quickly comprehend the language through many outlets.

“I have the students communicate and interact with each other as much as possible,” says Jessica, who converts many lessons into games that they love. “We make it fun to learn.”

For example, Jessica has the students play the roles of la compradora (a female shopper) and el comprador (a male shopper) with another student playing the storekeeper. They make a budget, devise a shopping list, and purchase items with fake money–all in Spanish. Not only are they learning a foreign language, they’re doing math.

“We try to integrate Spanish with other curriculum,” she says.

In another exercise called Mix and Mingle, each student has a question. They must find the answer from their classmates–again, all done in Spanish.

“We are learning about Picasso now,” says Jessica, noting that her students will describe the various paintings and survey each member of the class asking them how they feel about a particular work of art.

Kids love the game of matamosca in which they get to use real fly-swatters. The purpose of the game is for the children to identify the written word as their teacher speaks it. Spanish words are spread out like playing cards on a table. When one of the students sees the right word, he or she can swat it.

“When a real fly is in the classroom, the children really get excited,” says Jessica.

Celebrating Spanish holidays are always a big hit with the children, she says. Three Kings’ Day and Cinco de Mayo become ways to teach both the language and history. It’s also fun when the superintendent of schools, the assistant superintendent of schools, and the co-principal don their stately attire and dress up as kings.

Jessica, as one would imagine, is a big proponent of learning a foreign language when young and credits her school district in providing this program.

“We don’t take it for granted,” she says.

Considering there are 20 Spanish-speaking countries in the world, learning the language as a kid can reap many benefits as an adult.

“When you are a kid, your brain is hardwired to accept a foreign language,” she notes, saying young children are tuned-in to accepting different sounds and have the flexibility of thinking that is required of learning a new language. “This skill will transfer to the next language they choose to learn.”

Pictured: Clinton Teacher of the Year Jessica Godburn writes a few notes in Spanish on her portable classroom. She teaches 10 classes a day for 22 minutes each, logging in lots of foot mileage in the halls at the Joel School.

Photo by Fay Abrahamsson

Holiday Happenings: Clinton, Westbrook, Old Saybrook

Shore Publishing — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:29:52 GMT

CLINTON:

Sunday, Dec. 7:

The following events are part of Christmas in Clinton, which takes place from 2 to 6 p.m. on E. Main St. and W. Main St.

Farm on Wheels: 2 to 3:30 p.m. Pierson School, E. Main St.

Concert: Sailing Masters of 1812 Colonial Fife and Drum Corps: 2 p.m. Andrews Memorial Town Hall, E. Main St.

Open House: 4 to 7 p.m. “Old Brick,” 103 E. Main St.

Tree Lighting: 4:30 p.m. Andrews Memorial Town Hall.

Hayrides and Truck Stop for Kids: Cashman’s Hardware, 58 W. Main St.

For the first time, West Main Street businesses will be open to greet visitors, including Station One, Book Loft, and Friendly’s.

The Clinton Park and Recreation department is spearheading a Decorate Your Community contest. Complete details are available through the department at 860-669-6901 or clintonparkrec.com

The Pierson School Chorus, under the direction of Choral Director Gina Neddermann, will perform outdoors in front of Town Hall at about 4 p.m.

Hayrides, compliments of Steward’s Ace Hardware will run from 2 to 6 p.m., weather permitting. Pick-up for the hayrides will be in the parking lot in front the store, located at 114 East Main Street. Rudolph and Frosty will be available for picture taking.

First Church of Christ Congregational (Route One) will host a community living nativity on its front lawn from 2 to 6 p.m. Church of the Holy Advent on Main Street will be open serving refreshments and fellowship. St Mary’s Church on Grove Street Christmas Concert begins at 3 p.m. United Methodist Church on Commerce Street St. Lucia Festival begins at 6 p.m.

The Lions Club, with assistance from the Boy Scouts, will light the luminaries along Main Street and will serve refreshments at the Pierson School. The Clinton Historical Society (Old Brick) will be open from 2 to 6 p.m. Docents in period costumes will be on hand to greet visitors. There will be a large model train display outside, compliments of Ray Bovich. The antique tool shed will be open. Stanton House will be open from 2 to 6 p.m.

Shoreline Community Women’s annual bazaar begins at 2 p.m. at the Andrews Memorial Town Hall on Route One. Crafts, gifts, cookies, bake sale, coffee, chili and hotdogs will be available. Proceeds benefit local charities. Malone’s Coffee House, 10 West Main Street, will be open offering refreshments and pictures with Santa.

Available for viewing will be the Arbor Garden Club Christmas Tree and Wreath Festival in the entry of Town Hall. Designated trees and wreaths will be sold through a silent auction. Any business or organization wishing to contribute a tree or wreath for sale or viewing should contact the club president at 860-669-5121. Trees will be decorated the week prior to Dec. 7.

Toys for Tots (new and unwrapped) can be dropped off at the Clinton Police Department through December 15th. While strolling along Main Street guests are welcome to tour the Clinton Firehouse and have refreshments. Technique Printers is hosting its 11th Annual Mitten Tree. New mittens, gloves or hats can be dropped at the shop, located at 227 East Main Street, through Dec. 21.

The Arbor Garden Club’s Festival of Trees takes place on Sunday, Dec. 7 from 1 to 5 p.m. at Andrews Memorial Hall in Clinton. The event is a silent auction of trees, wreaths, and decorations to benefit a scholarship fund. For more info, call Jill McCulloch at 860-669-9082.

The Clinton Chamber of Commerce is the umbrella organization for this free event. The office will be open and serving refreshments. Clubs, businesses and religious organizations interested in participating should call the chamber office at 860-669-3889 or email chamber@clintonct.com.

OLD SAYBROOK:

Friday, Dec. 5:

The Saybrook Stroll, a free event, will feature hay rides, food, music, and special demonstrations from 5 to 9 p.m., with caroling on the Town Green followed by events on Main Street. For more info, visit www.visitoldsaybrookct.com.

Spaghetti Supper: 5 to 8 p.m. St. John School, 42 Maynard Rd., Old Saybrook. Tickets: $7 ($5 for seniors and children 10 and under). Benefits the Class of 2009. For info, call 860-388-0849.

Old Saybrook High School Chorus: 6 to 7 p.m. Katherine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center. Bring canned food for the Shoreline Food Pantry. For info, call 860-729-2200.

WESTBROOK:

Sunday, Dec. 7:

The Westbrook Tree Lighting is a free family event for the citizens of Westbrook from 4 to 6 p.m. on the Town Green. In case of inclement weather all activities will take place at the Mulvey Municipal Center at 688 Boston Post Road in Westbrook.

A bicycle decorating contest will be judged at 3:30 p.m. behind the Riggio Building on Route One. Prizes will be awarded to the winners following Santa's Parade which steps off at 4 p.m. The afternoon will end at 6 p.m. and feature the Tree Lighting, a Community Carol Sing, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, stage acts from our gazebo, children's craft booth to create environmentally safe decorations for our tree, holiday story readings, horse and carriage rides around the Green, and refreshments. The Historical Society Building will also be open for the afternoon. For more info, call Cathy Rourke at 860-399-4776.

Investigation Continues into ‘Untimely Death’

Shore Publishing — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:13:11 GMT

OLD SAYBROOK:

A Middletown man found beaten and lying unconscious in the parking lot of an Old Saybrook motel was pronounced dead after he was transported to the Middlesex Medical Center in Essex late Sunday, Nov. 16.

Although a person of interest has been named in the case—Elena Hernandez, 49, of Manchester—police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of Felix Diaz, 57, of Middletown.

When police were summoned to the parking lot of the Comfort Inn, 100 Essex Road, on Sunday at 8:15 p.m. they found Diaz unconscious, unresponsive, and seriously injured. After pre-hospital emergency medical care was provided to Diaz, he was later pronounced dead by medical staff at the Essex clinic.

The State of Connecticut office of the chief state medical examiner performed an autopsy on Diaz and stated his death was causes by “multiple blunt traumatic injuries,” according to Old Saybrook Deputy Chief Michael A. Spera.

“Old Saybrook police in cooperation with detective from the Connecticut State Police Major Crime Squad seized several pieces of evidence including a motor vehicle,” Spera stated.

Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to call the Old Saybrook Police Department at 860-391-3142.

-Jason J. Marchi

An Intern at Work

Shore Publishing — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:10:55 GMT

By Becky Coffey, Harbor News Senior Staff Writer:

OLD SAYBROOK:

As the student council president of Old Saybrook High School (OSHS), Jordan King works with the student council to organize charitable projects to benefit the disadvantaged and events to benefit the students. Passionate about politics and reform and having dipped his toes in the waters of student government, he was eager to learn more about what it would be like to work in town and state government.

Thanks to a community internship program offered at OSHS, King got the chance to intern at Town Hall and learn about it firsthand.

“What makes this program successful is that the Old Saybrook community of businesses and organizations has been so receptive and willing to contribute to the future of these students,” said Carina Using, coordinator of the OSHS School to Career program.

Between 25 and 40 students from OSHS participate in the internship program each semester in settings ranging from Dr. Scott Houghton’s medical practice office to the offices of the State Department of Environmental Protection and from the event planning division of Water’s Edge to the Town Hall offices.

But before a student can be placed, they must interview for an internship opportunity, just like a real job. So King approached First Selectman Michael Pace last summer about serving as an intern in Town Hall this semester.

“My goal is to be a reformer and to be a public servant who meets the needs of constituents and facilitates fairness in government,” said King.

For five hours each week, King is at Old Saybrook Town Hall to learn how town government works on a daily basis as an observer in meetings of town departments, with elected officials, and through discussions with town hall department employees and elected officials about their jobs.

“Coming from a political [background], I thought government work would be about debating ideologies but it’s not–that’s a good thing,” King reflected. “Government is more about management and leadership–that’s what has been the most gratifying to learn. I’ve learned about how to lead.”

King said that so far, he had participated in meetings of the Economic Development Commission, of the Cemetery Committee, and with constituents who needed government help to solve a problem and had one-on-one meetings with the assessor, the town planner and other department heads, with Pace and even with the custodian.

“All of them have a sense of responsibility and personal dignity” that they bring to their posts, King explained. “It’s interesting the way that everyone in Town Hall works together–there is no frivolous function. I’ve learned some really good lessons.”

It’s clear that for King, the town hall internship has further cemented his plan to pursue a career in politics and government. Unlike many who might choose to major in government, King will pursue the subject from a real base of knowledge about exactly what a career in government work might be like, thanks to OSHS’s School to Career program.

Police Incident Report: Nov. 12 to 18

Shore Publishing — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:04:33 GMT

The Harbor News publishes a Police Incident Report to inform residents of incidents, criminal activities, and police responses occurring in Clinton, Westbrook, and Old Saybrook. As those charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty, the report does not include names. It may be edited for length and content.

Old Saybrook

Wednesday, Nov. 12

• A 77-year-old Haddam man was arrested at 12:19 a.m. and charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs following a motor vehicle stop on Route 1 at Railroad Bridge

• A 42-year-old Middletown man was arrested at 8:08 p.m. and charged with larceny in the sixth degree and conspiracy to commit larceny in the sixth degree. He was processed and released on a $1,000 non-surety bond pending a Nov. 25 court date.

Thursday, Nov. 13

• A 20-year-old Chester man was arrested at 2:44 a.m. on two outstanding court issued re-arrest warrants charging him with two counts of failure to appear in the second degree. He was processed and held on a combined $5,000 court set bond pending arraignment in Middletown Superior Court on the same day of arrest.

Friday, Nov. 14

• A 48-year-old man of Machado Lane was arrested at 3:58 p.m. on an outstanding warrant charging him with assault in the third degree under the Domestic Violence Act after he surrendered to Old Saybrook police. He was processed and released on a $500 surety bond pending a Nov. 18 court date

• A 36-year-old Ivoryton woman was arrested at 9:37 p.m. and charged with larceny in the sixth degree. She was processed and released on a $500 non-surety bond pending a Nov. 25 court date.

• A 19-year-old man of Hartford Avenue and an 18-year-old man of Briarwood Lane were issued citations at 9:32 and 9:36 p.m. consecutively for possession of alcohol by a minor on Trask Road at Kavanaugh Park.

Saturday, Nov. 15

• A 21-year-old woman of Sherman Street was arrested at 2:58 a.m. and charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol and or drugs, failure to drive in the proper lane of a multiple-lane highway, and failure to obey a stop sign on Attawanhood Trail near Sea Lane. She was processed and released on a $500 non-surety bond pending a Nov. 25 court date.

Sunday, Nov. 16

• A 52-year-old Clinton man was arrested at 8:35 a.m. and charged with threatening in the second degree. He was processed and released on a promise to appear in Middletown Superior Court on Nov. 25.

Monday, Nov. 17

• A 46-year-old woman of James Court was arrested at 10:10 a.m. on a warrant charging her with failure to respond to a citation. She was released on a $50 cash bond pending a Dec. 2 court date.

• A 50-year-old Ivoryton man was arrested at 11:21 a.m. on a warrant charging him with violation of probation/conditional discharge. He was released on a $2,500 surety bond pending a Dec. 2 court date

Tuesday, Nov. 18

• A juvenile was arrested at 8:23 a.m. and charged with criminal mischief in the third degree. The juvenile was released on a written promise to appear in juvenile court on Dec. 3.

• A 26-year-old Madison man was arrested at 5:30 p.m. and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. In the same incident a 29-year-old Higganum man was charged with possession of less than four ounces of marijuana. Both were released on $500 non-surety bonds and issued Dec. 2 court dates.

Clinton

Wednesday, Nov. 12

• A 20-year-old woman of Plymouth Court was arrested at 1:04 a.m. and charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, possession of liquor by an underage person, and failure to maintain the proper lane of a multiple-lane highway following an motor vehicle stop on East Main Street near Old Post Road.

• A 20-year-old man of Waterside Lane was issued a motor vehicle summons on Liberty Street near Fairy Dell Road at 6:33 p.m. for traveling unreasonably fast, operating an unregistered motor vehicle, and improper use of registration plates.

• A larceny on Waterside Lane was investigated at 10:12 a.m.

Thursday, Nov. 13

• A 19-year-old man of Sandy Brook Road was arrested at 6:07 a.m. on a warrant charging him with violation of probation/conditional discharge.

• A 13-year-old juvenile was arrested at 2:47 p.m. and charged with breach of peace.

• A 51-year-old woman was arrested at 3:11 p.m. on a warrant charging her with forging a prescription label.

• A 28-year-old woman of William Street was arrested at 11:39 p.m. and charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and failure to maintain the proper lane of a multiple-lane highway.

• A 24-year-old woman of Marine Avenue was issued a motor vehicle summons at 12:55 a.m. for operating a motor vehicle without a license.

• A larceny on East Main Street was investigated at 11:06 a.m.

• A burglary on Old Mill Road was investigated at 7:23 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 14

• A 30-year-old man of a Liberty Place apartment was arrested at 10:36 a.m. on a warrant charging him with assault in the third degree and disorderly conduct.

• Criminal mischief on Houperts Way was investigated at 9:11 a.m.

• A larceny on East Main Street was investigated at 12:47 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 15

• A 37-year-old Madison woman was arrested at 12:16 p.m. on a warrant charging her with violation of probation/conditional discharge.

Sunday, Nov. 16

• A 13-year-old juvenile was arrested at 6:06 a.m. and charged with disorderly conduct following a domestic dispute.

• A 19-year-old man of River Road was arrested at 12:15 p.m. and charged with disorderly conduct following a domestic dispute. In the same incident a 34-year-old man was arrested and charged with assault in the second degree. The assault resulted in the need for medical transport.

• A larceny on the 1000 block of Killingworth Turnpike was investigated at 5:04 p.m.

• A larceny on the 1000 block of East Main Street was investigated at 4:39 p.m.

• Criminal mischief on Liberty Street was investigated at 6:04 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 17

No arrests were made.

• A larceny on the 1000 block of Killingworth Turnpike was investigated at 2:49 a.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 18

• A 21-year-old man of West Main Street was arrested at 10:26 a.m. on a warrant charging him with failure to appear in the first degree.

Westbrook

Wednesday, Nov. 12

No arrests were made and no incidents were reported.

Thursday, Nov. 13

• A 37-year-old Chester man was arrested at 10:15 a.m. on a warrant charging him with larceny in the first degree. He was released on a $35,000 bond at noon to the custody of his father.

• A 25-year-old Clinton man was arrested at 9:20 p.m. and charged with breach of peace and criminal mischief after he created a disturbance at both the Creative Cooking and New Deal restaurants. He broke a podium and a sign. He was processed on a surety bond pending an unspecified court date.

• A suspicious incident at 340 Toby Hill Road was investigated by Trooper Wayne Buck at 6:47 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 14

No arrests were made and no incidents were reported.

Saturday, Nov. 15

No arrests were made.

• A 24-year-old Hamden woman was issued a citation at 6:54 p.m. for traveling too fast for conditions after the 2001 Dodge Neon she was operating skidded on wet pavement and went off the roadway. She had a 22-year-old male passenger from Boston onboard. No injuries were reported.

• A larceny at 68 Old Mail Trail was investigated by Trooper Wayne Buck at 3:58 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 16

No arrested were made and no incidents were reported.

Monday, Nov. 17

• A 24-year-old man of Rockland, Maine, was arrested at 8 p.m. and charged with possession of less than four ounces of marijuana, possession of narcotics, and failure to keep prescription drug in original container. In the same incident a 24-year-old man of Union, Maine, was charged with possession of narcotics and failure to keep prescription drug in original container. A 34-year-old man of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, was charged with possession of less than four ounces of marijuana and use and possession of drug paraphernalia. All three were processed on $2,500 bonds pending unspecified court dates.

Tuesday, Nov. 18

• A 36-year-old Durham man was arrested at 6:30 a.m. on a warrant charging him with assault in the second degree and criminal mischief. He was released at 8:20 a.m. on a $5,000 surety bond pending court arraignment on the same day of arrest.

• A 40-year-old Branford man was arrested at 1:17 p.m. and charged with criminal mischief in the first and second degrees, possession of burglar’s tools, larceny in the sixth degree, interfering with an officer, and criminal attempt. He was held on a $50,000 cash bond pending court arraignment on the same day of arrest.

• A 31-year-old Middlefield man was arrested at 5:30 p.m. on a warrant charging him with assault in the second degree and breach of peace after he turned himself over to police. He was released on a $5,000 surety bond pending a Dec. 2 court date.

Police correspondent Jason J. Marchi compiles the Police Incident Report

Unknown Odor on School Bus Brings Big Response

Shore Publishing — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:03:21 GMT

By Fay Abrahamsson, Harbor News Senior Staff Writer:

CLINTON:

It could have been a harrowing day last week in Clinton as 40 elementary school children were evacuated from their school bus due to an unknown odor that brought 10 different emergency response teams to their rescue.

When all was said and done, no one was hurt or suffered any ill effects, said Sgt. Jeremiah Dunn, public information officer of the Clinton Police Department. The cause of the odor was due to a small, unintentional mechanical malfunction.

Dunn said that the bus driver, employed by the school district’s bus company M&J Bus, was traveling to the Lewin G. Joel Elementary School in the morning when he noticed that many of the children on the bus were starting to rub their eyes and cough.

“The driver was not affected by the odor since he had his window cracked,” said Dunn.

En route to the school, the driver radioed his headquarters to request a new bus. The students were safely transferred from one bus to another and brought to school.

When they arrived at the school, authorities called the Clinton Police Department.

“We had no idea what the cause of the sneezing and coughing was from,” said Dunn.

The Clinton police, fire, and emergency medical services responded as did the Middlesex Hospital Paramedics and the Guilford, Madison, Killingworth, Westbrook, and Old Saybrook Mutual Aid Emergency units.

A medical team known as SHARP, short for Sponsor Hospital Area Response Physicians responded and arrived at the school to provide medical evaluation and assistance.

“The SHARP team is based out of Yale-New Haven Hospital and is designed to respond to the scene of a mass casualty incident,” said Dunn. “They provided hospital-level care directly at the scene.”

The goal of this type of response is to contain any potential life-threatening issues such as the spread of anthrax. Responders could quickly lose control over a situation if the victims of any unknown illnesses were taken to several hospitals.

At the school, Co-principal Claudia Norman said they isolated the students on the bus, further separating those who had symptoms.

“The emergency personnel dealt with all the students from the bus, even those who said they had no symptoms,” she said.

The school began calling the parents of the children on the bus, informing them of the situation. Norman said that she knew of only two parents who came to the school, checked out their children, and returned home, apparently satisfied with the results. All of the children on the bus remained at school for the day, said Norman.

“When we had the ‘all clear’ signal from the emergency personnel, we then instituted our Global Connect call system,” said Norman.

The Global Connect calls every residence of all 690-plus elementary school students, informing them of situations and their resolution. In addition, a letter from the school was sent home to parents of the children on that particular bus.

Dunn said that according to the investigation, the odor was caused by a burning wire connected to the bus’s heating system. The unpleasant smell was then pushed through the heating system and out the vents with the heat.

Westbrook Girls’ Soccer Improves

Shore Publishing — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:29:28 GMT

By Holly D’Addio, Harbor News Sports Writer:

The Westbrook girls’ soccer team had yet another tough season and finished 1-14-1 but brought more to the table than in previous years under new coach Brian Moore, including hard work that equaled to many of their games ending in one-goal losses.

“Our game against East Hampton went into overtime,” said Moore. “The girls clearly played their best against a great team.”

Leading the Knights on the field as captains were seniors Alyssa Bernstein and Shannon Godiksen, as well as junior Brittany Moore. Moore earned First Team All-Shoreline honors and Bernstein earned Honorable Mention. Brittany Palermo was a Second Team All-Shoreline pick while goalkeeper Tara Higgins was also Honorable Mention.

“Hopefully we have a larger team next year, giving us more players to utilize,” said Moore. “This year, being my first year, I pushed the girls, but not hard enough. Next year we will be a different team.”

Westbrook season reviews will continue in next week’s issue.

Pictured: The Westbrook girls’ soccer team was led by seniors Merema Cecunjanin, Angela Uilein, Shannon Godiksen, and Alyssa Bernstein, pictured with Coaches Moore and Abraham, this season.

Photo by Mike Cormier

Martel Enters Freshman Year with Sports Fanaticism

Shore Publishing — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:12:00 GMT

By Holly D’Addio, Harbor News Sports Writer:

Westbrook’s Erica Martel is all about trying new things so when she had the opportunity to play soccer as a youngster—a popular sport in her parents’ native Argentina and one she religiously watched on TV growing up-she jumped at the chance.

“When I was younger, I was always watching a lot of soccer games on TV because my parents are from Argentina,” says Erica. “I used to watch the Boca Juniors and dreamed I would someday play.”

At the age of seven, Erica played on the Westbrook Parks and Recreation travel team, followed by Southeast Premier—a team she has been a member of for three years now. She made varsity as a freshman this fall and was a part of the team that made vast improvements since last year.

“We were a good team this season,” says Erica. “Despite the fact we only won a couple of games, we played well and just had some bad luck. Our team got along very well and although I think we had the potential to go much farther than we did, next year we’ll be really good.”

Erica plans on trying out for Westbrook’s basketball team after first playing in middle school last year after being persuaded by friends and also hopes to make the varsity tennis team after playing for fun for years now.

Erica has also picked up a couple of extreme sports in the past three years to keep her busy when not playing high school sports. She started snowboarding three years ago after taking lessons during a family trip to Vermont and that summer learned to windsurf in Ninigret Pond, Rhode Island.

“My dad windsurfs so he taught me, plus I had taken a lesson at Camp Hazen in sixth grade and it stuck with me,” says Erica.

At Westbrook High School, Erica is a member of Students Against Destructive Decisions, is secretary of her 2012 class, is a member of ski club, and is a member of People of People—a group she was nominated into by a teacher. The group learns about other countries and then gets the opportunity to visit them. Erica and the group will travel to Australia in the summer and Erica will add to her already long list of countries traveled to including Chile, Mexico, Finland, Sweden, Canada, Estonia, and Argentina, where she just returned from recently after a visit with family.

“I have a lot of goals for this year and it mostly includes becoming a better person and athlete,” says Erica. “I’d like to get high honors for the year and try to start on varsity in every sport I play in this year. I plan on working hard to get there because my goal is to become a better all-around athlete.”

Sidelines with Erica Martel

What is your most memorable sports moment?

In Southeast Premier, we travel a lot and my favorite trip has always been when we go to Cape Cod. The whole team gets along really well and we get a lot closer from that trip.

Who would you like to thank?

My dad because he’s always kept me into sports and he always helped me figure out things. I want to thank my mom for helping me in school and making everything always so positive. I also want to thank my coaches for teaching me well and my teachers for helping me in school.

Pictured: Erica Martel just finished her first season on the girls’ soccer team at Westbrook but has been playing soccer for most of her life.

Photo courtesy of Erica Martel

Old Saybrook Field Hockey Sees Marked Improvement

Shore Publishing — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:39:58 GMT

By Holly D’Addio, Harbor News Sports Writer:

Field Hockey

What a difference a year makes for the Old Saybrook field hockey team. After finishing their 2007 season 5-10-1 and failing to qualify for the state tournament, the Rams began 2008 with five wins in a row and ultimately qualified for the state tournament after finishing 7-7-2 on the season.

“The year started off very well with five straight wins and really helped team morale,” said Coach Kara Bell. “We had a tough loss on our sixth game and it was a turning point in our season. We played some big games after that, including a lot of one-goal losses and could not seem to get our momentum back until the last two weeks of our season.”

The Rams fell to North Branford in the first round of the state tournament in double overtime and had their best and hardest-played game of the year, which included double-digit saves for senior Lauren van Vliet who was an Honorable Mention All-Shoreline honoree.

Senior captains Meredith Chamberlain, Leah Sweet, and Mackenzie Slane were all contributors to the team’s success. Chamberlain, with nine goals and three assists on the season, was named co-MVP and was a Second Team All-State and First Team All-Shoreline player, while Sweet earned the Coach’s Award and a Second Team All-Shoreline nod and senior Arianna Pappas with 12 goals and an assist, was also named co-MVP, Second Team All-Shoreline and a Second Team All-State player.

Seniors Danielle Scott earned Second Team All-Shoreline honors, Marissa Souza earned Honorable Mention, and both Nikki Mehrtens and Kaitlyn Scarlett earned the Ram Spirit Award. Also contributing to the team effort were seniors Allie Jensen, Catie O’Brien, Colby Redway, and Paige Shelto.

With 12 graduating seniors, Old Saybrook will have plenty of holes to fill, but with an eager junior varsity squad that held an impressive 16-1-1 record this season, the transition should be smooth.

“This group has worked so hard together since middle school field hockey,” said Bell. “They’ve paid their dues as freshman and sophomores and really started to become a competitive varsity program their junior year. This carried into this year where they began the season 5-0 and beat North Branford 1-0 for the first time in my eight-year coaching career. The outlook on the future is positive, but the team will need to work hard to make the transition to varsity.”

Old Saybrook season reviews will be continued in next week’s issue.

Morgan Fall Teams Led by Youth

Shore Publishing — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:05:22 GMT

By Holly D’Addio, Harbor News Sports Writer:

Girls’ Soccer

The Morgan girls’ soccer team overcame youth and injury to finish the 2008 season with a solid 10-5-2 record and qualifying once again for the state tournament.

Senior captains Jocelyn Rose, Ania Kadlof, and Lauren Barnett went above and beyond as the team’s leaders with help from seniors Katie Hozian and Kerry Hayes. Rose and junior Ashlyn Zacarelli were named team MVP and earned First Team All-Shoreline and Second Team All-Shoreline honors, respectively. Kadlof was given the Sportsmanship Award, Hozian the Coach’s Award, and veteran goalkeeper Kaylee Woodford and Danielle Soucy were Honorable Mention All-Shoreline recipients.

“We should be strong next year, but that will depend on how we come back in August,” said Coach Megan Kilbride.

Field Hockey

After finishing a somewhat sub-par season with a 2-13-1 record, the Morgan field hockey team had plenty to brag about despite its small number of wins.

With only 19 consistent players on the entire squad-six of them seniors-the Huskies undoubtedly played their best game against powerhouse Haddam-Killingworth. Despite suffering a 1-0 loss, Morgan held the Cougars to one goal.

“It wasn’t all about winning that game, but we wanted to keep them from scoring, which is really what we did,” said Coach Kalli Schutz. “Everything worked out for us and it was like we got the win because we did what we had set out to do. They showed the ability they had.”

Leading the Huskies were senior captains Casey Vickerman and goalkeeper Paige Bogucki, who earned the Coach’s Award and All-State, First Team All-Shoreline, and Scholar-Athlete honors. Seniors Michelle Santamaria, Jess Sarkisian, Maria Ierardi, and Kelsey Welch were also major contributors.

Despite the fact the team will graduate those six seniors, there is plenty of young talent for the upcoming years for Morgan, including sophomore Honorable Mention All-Shoreline honoree Stacey Lecza.

“There a lot of hidden talent on this team,” said Schutz. “Sometimes this season we’d be up, then down the next day and we’d have moment in our games when we’d be absolutely spectacular. Even though our season wasn’t strong, we still have the ability to pack a punch. It’s wonderful to have a winning record, but it’s more meaningful when the kids learn from the good and the bad and when they realize it, they react differently and it makes them want to work harder during the offseason.”

Cross-Country

Youth certainly ruled both the Morgan boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams this season. With only one senior on the team—girls’ captain Emily Lane—the Huskies can only look to an even stronger future ahead with the experience gained from the underclassmen this season.

The boys’ success was found in the its eighth-place finish in the Shoreline Conference and 13th-place finish in Class SS. Leading the Huskies as captain was junior Mike Gosselin who no doubt proved to be a solid fixture on the team. Juniors Preston Porter, Gio Ortiz, and Grady McBride, as well as sophomores Kyle Waterbury, John Schroeder, and Guillome Bastian all contributed to the team’s success.

The girls finished 10th in the Shoreline Conference and 15th in Class SS under Lane’s leadership. The team’s No. 1 runner, freshman Elena Schroeder, earned Second Team All-Shoreline honors with her 18th-place finish at the shoreline meet, while junior Maria Paradis and freshmen Emily Card and Kelley Roche also put in a solid season for Morgan.

“In conclusion of the year, I’ve never had a person missing the entire year of practice or for injuries,” said Coach Mike Underwood. “Their dedication was so much better than years past as well. I’m really happy with the progress we’ve made.”

Morgan season reviews will be continued in next week’s issue.

A Thanksgiving Day Thought from Captain Morgan

Shore Publishing — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:04:18 GMT

Our rivers and nets filled with a bounty of fish not seen in many years. Voices raised in cheer as anglers lifted heads in appreciation while onlookers extended special thanks for gifts of freshly caught fish, for, in many cases, it will mean the difference of not only fresh food for the Thanksgiving Day table but also food for the cold winter months ahead.

One doesn’t have to look too deep to find things for which to be thankful. As fishers, it doesn’t take much to paint a smile or create joy. A catch of a lifetime, a quiet day on the water, the wide-eyed youngster hooking into his or her first fish, recounting a memory, sharing the day’s catch with family and friends—and the list goes on.

We’re in a society that’s changing globally, with developing nations playing catch-up and leaders attempting to stay ahead of the pack, always looking ahead but rarely looking back to lessons learned. We, as fishers, always seem to keep what we’ve learned in the forefront, never forgetting what was successful in the past, while always looking to be innovative and unafraid to try something new.

We cherish what we have and when we go astray, we make attempts at a fix, albeit not as quickly and with foresight as many would like but, nevertheless we stay on top and force a corrective game plan. True, it’s more of a challenge in this global environment with different cultures viewing issues differently, but sooner or later, we somehow come together. If we don’t, in this case fisheries—and ultimately all fishers—suffer the consequences.

As fishers, we have a lot to be thankful for and, in some instances, regrettably sorry. We have a strong heritage stemming, in part, from the sea. We have waters filled with fish, but some going by the wayside due to unnatural causes. Some of those actions can be curtailed while others, too far gone. We have a strong young generation that appears to care in areas where many adults failed and for that, we should be thankful. And we should be thankful that in today’s hurry-up society, we have a place to go to enjoy a pastime garnered in centuries of history and memorable fish stories. Never stop being mindfully innovative! Give thanks this day and Happy Thanksgiving from captain and crew.

On the Water

Seas thrashed the shoreline as more wind and cold fronts invaded the area. Still, with water temperatures hovering the mid-50 degree mark, fish, so far, have been reluctant to give up. But they are gradually yielding. Very soon, the last of blues will depart, if not by press time. Clearly, water temperatures are dropping and the activity in the Sound is dwindling noticeably from east to west. Many small striped bass have already begun to infiltrate the tidal rivers, while others have joined their bigger cousins on the way to the southern bay states.

A clue to this time of year is the gannets. They have already displayed their acrobatic dive-bombing skills for bait as coastal striper anglers searched for their whereabouts. When they found the birds, they found the fish and often encountered top water lineside blitzes that have lasted for some time. In the meantime, small top water plugs and flies imitating baitfish have been ideal choices for the rivers.

If the weather would only cooperate, there could be a few more productive trips to the reefs for bass or deepwater ’togs–unless you’re up to following the striper coast into warmer latitudes. Not a bad thought considering the time of year! But unfortunately, we have been experiencing below-normal temperatures and wind conditions, making it a little difficult for boats to get out and a bit easier to get them ready for the winter season. By week’s end, the water temps could easily drop another a few more degrees.

So far, there’s been a slow start for sea run trout. However, with the colder conditions, fishing for them ought to improve. The Atlantic salmon bite is good and hitting a river for some fall trout would be a good way to work off a few of those turkey laden pounds. Look toward the Hammo, Salmon, Housey, and Farmington for the best action. Pike, perch, and carp are good bets in main tidal rivers with walleye as a backup at Gardner.

Wherever fishing, think Captain Morgan’s for all things fishy including the latest gear, bait, flies/flyfishing, rod/reel repair, clam/crabbing supplies, and licenses. Swing by the shop (203-245-8665) open seven days located at 21 Boston Post Road, Madison. Until next time from your Connecticut shoreline’s full-service fishing outfitter where we don't make the fisherman, we make the fisherman better...

Tight Lines,

Captain Morgan

Pictured: "and they cast the net on the night side"; created by AW Rice '87.

Image courtesy of Captain Morgan

Good luck to Brian Kobus of Meriden in his bid to take CT’s black seabass offshore record with his 25 ¾-inch, 6.8-pound trophy caught in Block Island Sound.

Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan

Take a Midsummer Break

Shore Publishing — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:10:49 GMT

The Westbrook High School Drama Club gets in character for A Midsummer Night's Dream directed by Nancy Malafronte on Friday, Nov. 21 and Saturday, Nov. 22 at 1 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 adults, $5 students and seniors, and are available at the door or at the school office.

Photo by Nancy Dionne

Songs from the Heart

Shore Publishing — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:08:13 GMT

Amid the respectful and somber air of Veteran’s Day, there was also fun and smiles at the Westbrook Senior Center’s 2nd annual celebration on Nov. 12. Led by Richard Zotti, the program included an American flag demonstration by the Antique Veterans, a musical march and singing by the Golden Cut Ups, and a narrative detailing the way World War II changed lives. Participants also paid respects to those local veterans who are currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Pictured are the Golden Cut Ups singing wartime songs to veterans Bill Schmid, Ken McCarthy, Charlie Gellatly, Bob Wilcox, Dan Cappiello, and Joe Hellar.

Photo by Nancy Dionne