March 15, 2019

Page 1

PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE PAID BRIDGEPORT, CT PERMIT NO. 140

OUR TOWN, FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2019

Daily Updates Found at www.GreenwichSentinel.com | $1.75

LOCAL POSTAL CUSTOMER

B a c k C o u n t r y | B a n k s v i l l e | B e l l e H a ve n | B y r a m| C h i c k a h o m i n y | C o s C o b | G l e n v i l l e | O l d G r e e n w i c h | P e m b e r w i c k | R i ve r s i d e

The Briefing Room

GHS Dominates LL Finals

John Ferris Robben photo.

S Greenw ich High School honored 26 students for t hei r i nspi r at iona l contributions to the c o m mu n i t y a t t h e annual Community S er v ic e Awa rd s on Tuesday nig ht. For more on the awards a n d r e c i p i e nt s , b e sure to check out greenwichsentinel.com S Hollywood could be coming back to C on ne c t ic ut , a s long as members of Greenwich’s legislative delegation can push through the latest house bill 6267. State Rep. Livvy Floren said last week she is throwing her support behind the bill which would persuade filmmakers to work in the state. O t he r me m b e r s of the town’s bipartisan delegation say they will do the same. The brief text of HB 6267 says it would amend the state’s general statutes to “restore the film and digital media tax credit prog ra m as it was originally established.” S Greenwich Library is now accepting nominations for Greenw ich Reads To g e t h e r t h r o u g h March 27. In addition to t he Greenw ich R e a d s To g e t h e r selection criteria, to b e c on sidere d a classic, a book should continue to hold meaning now and in the future regardless of when it was written. To this end, the past requirement that an author had to be living and available to speak in Greenwich will not apply to the selection criteria for 2019. S The Representative Town Meeting voted to push consideration of a name change fo r He n d r i e D r i ve E x t e n sion to t he i r June meeting to allow for the gathering of more i n for m at ion . Looking to be renamed Mont y Poi nt, t he matter cannot proceed without RTM approval. Renaming it is not a simple matter citing conf usion on maps and with directions, it remains unresolved. Instead of the full RTM reject recommended by the committee, the vote has been delayed on the recommendation of the body’s Public Works Committee.. S T he Greenw ich Fire Depar tment i s ac t ively s e ek i ng Volunteer Firefighters and Fire Police to join the 7 Volunteer Fire Companies and 1 Fire Police Patrol within the Town of Greenwich. Volunteer members of the Greenwich Fire Depa r t ment work along the Career Firefighters as a team in mitigating emergency fire calls. You will be taught the skills both in house and outside of the department in order to operate safely. S Mourning the death of retired Greenwich Police Officer Michael Cofone. Officer Confone was an officer f rom 1948 to 1973. He was 98 years old. Officer Cofone's career i n c lu d e d a s s i s t i n g members of the Fire Depa r t ment i n t he rescue of a man trapped in the basement of the Pickwick Arms Hotel during a fire. See page 7 for his full obit.

What it Takes: The St. Patrick's Day Parade John Ferris Robben photo.

The Greenwich High School boys’ swimming and diving team dominates the CIAC class LL championships, held at the Southern Connecticut State University. The Cardinals finish with a whopping 911 points to take home the gold medal. Ridgefield, a distant second, comes in just under 600 points. Stephan Todorovic and Charlie Clark each help pace Big Red by taking home state class LL individual titles. To read more on Greenwich and its class LL championship, please turn to the Sports page on A2.

A Brief History Lesson Money, Power, & Betrayal: Beware the Ides of March

Roman Aureus Gold Coin replica of Julius Caesar struck between 48-47 BC.

In 46 BCE, Julius Caesar minted the largest quantity of gold coins in Roman history,

outproducing even the state. He used the coins as a powerful statement a s wel l, i nclud i ng h i s own image as part of the minting. Tw o y e a r s l a t e r h e was assassinated on the Ides of March, which often corresponds to our date of March 15, by his colleagues in the senate... including his own protégé, Brutus. His f inal words were reportedly, "Et tu, Brutus?" or "also you, Brutus?"

The legend is that a seer warned that harm would come to Ju l ius Caesa r no later than the Ides of March. On his way to the theatre (where he would soon be assassinated), Caesar saw the seer and said, "The Ides of March are come" pointing out he was still very much alive. The seer replied, "Aye, Caesar; but not gone." This moment is retold i n Sha ke sp e a re's play Julius Caesar, with the now iconic line "beware the

Ides of March." Brutus made his own powerful statement when he used his image on one side of the coins he minted a nd on t he ot her side two daggers reminding Roma ns of h is role i n assassinating Caesar. After defeating Brutus, Octavian created a uniform Roman system of coins. On the Ides of March in 40 B.C., Octavian executed 300 senators and knights, avenging Caesar.

Camillo Makes it Official John Ferris Robben photo.

The St. Patrick's Day Parade, 2017.

By Richard Kaufman Every year, the Greenwich St. Patrick's Day Parade draws thousands of people into the heart of town to celebrate Irish pride, tradition and the beginning of spring. The day is one of the most highly anticipated events on the calendar, and it wouldn't be possible without the dedication of the Greenwich Hibernian Association (GHA). Since 1975, the GHA has organized, sponsored and put on the parade, which begins at Town Hall and goes north to Route 1, then down Greenwich Avenue to Steamboat Road where it disbands. This year’s parade will step off at 2 p.m., on Sunday, March 24. The Grand Marshal is Monsignor J. Peter Cullen from St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Greenwich. Although the parade isn't lengthy, the planning is. "It's about a full year planning process. As soon as this year's parade is over, [the parade committee] will meet, review what went well, what might be a problem, plan for the future and pick a date for next year," said GHA Vice President and parade publicity chairperson, James Dougherty. "Once we have that date, we start letting the bands and different groups know, and ask them to hold

Please turn to page A2

Children’s Author Paul Collins

State Rep. Fred Camillo shakes hands with members of the crowd of over 250 people gathered at the Arch Street Teen Center to hear him announce that he is running for First Selectman. Current First Selectman Peter Tesei, who is serving his sixth term, will not be seeking re-election.

By Richard Kaufman State Rep. Fred Camillo ( R-1 5 1 ) h a s o f f i c i a l l y thrown his hat into the ring, as he formally announced his plans to seek office as Greenwich’s chief elected off icial on Tuesday night at the Arch Street Teen Center, in front of a large and boisterous crowd. Camillo now joins Boa rd of Esti mate a nd Ta x at i on m e m b e r a n d fellow Republican, Michael Mason, as candidate for the position. Current First Selectman, Peter Tesei, a n nou nce d last mont h that he will not seek reelection for a seventh term in November. Attendees held red, white and blue signs that said “Fred Camillo First Selectman” and “I’m With Freddy!” before Camillo was announced on stage by his former Hartford colleagues, former State Rep. Mike Bocchino and former State Sen. Scott Frantz. “Every once in a while, you come across a truly extraordinary person

who would make an extraordinary candidate for an off ice that means so much to us here in the town of Greenwich. It is an office that is near and dear to our heart, and it can make all the difference in terms of our quality of life,” Frantz said. “[Fred Camillo] is a person who I've worked with for well over a decade, and I can tell you something: no one works harder than he does, no one loves this tow n more than he does, no one loves each and every one of you future and existing constituents more, than Fred Camillo.” Bocchino described Ca m i l lo a s a “ge nu i n e human being,” and said that if elected, he will work to represent all people in Greenwich, from youth to the seniors, and those who have to work two jobs to make ends meet. “Fred Camillo is a guy who is going to go out there and fight for them on their behalf every single step of the way. He's done it up in Hartford, he's taught us all some great lessons, and I guarantee you he's

going to do it in the town of Greenw ich for you,” Bocchino said. Camillo, a lifelong resident of Greenw ich, pointed out that if elected, he’d be the f irst person to ser ve on the R e p r e s e n t a t i v e To w n Meeting, Connecticut General Assembly, and as First Selectman. “But it’s really not about a title, nor is it about the next logical step. I love my job right now at the state capitol, but I love my town more,” Camillo said. “ In 10-and-a-half years at the state capitol, I’ve learned a lot. It’s a time that I’ll always cherish up there. I’ve learned a lot of things, and one thing I have learned is that I never want to see my hometown be like Hartford.” Camillo went on to say that “Greenwich has been the best run town since the 1930’s,” mostly because of civic involvement from residents and strong leadership. Camillo praised Tesei for his service to the town and strong leadership as First Selectman over the last 11 years.

Te s ei s a id e a rl ier i n the day at Town Hall that he’s willing to help any candidate if he or she has questions about the job. “I wish all the candidates seeking the position well. I f I c a n b e of s e r v ic e , offering information on elements of the job, and also what are issues we are currently facing, I'm happy to share that with any of the candidates who have interest,” Tesei said. “Is the town perfect? No. No town is perfect, n o p e r s o n i s p e r fe c t ,” Camillo added. “The great Vince Lombardi once said, ‘Always strive for perfection. You’re never going to attain it, but along the way you may catch excellence.’ That’s what we, public servants, do every day. We try to make it better, every issue, every endeavor. That’s what we do.” Camillo promised that if nominated by the R e p u b l i c a n Pa r t y a n d ultimately elected, he’ll follow the same mindset that has guided him through Hartford over the

Please turn to page A2

Tickles the Tiger Cub book cover from Moonlightpuppies.com

By Michelle Moskowitz Resident Paul J. Collins has added a new title, children’s author, to his repertoire which includes husband, father, and investment banker. With the launch of his publishing company, Moonlight Puppies Press, Collins has written and developed a dynamic series of children’s stories designed to entertain, educate and instill values and life principles in young readers ages 4-9. The recently released books in the collection are thoughtfully crafted through vibrant storytelling, evoking action and adventure — while the characters encourage and inspire children to make good choices, care for others, and become their best possible selves. Available titles include Ellie the Eagle, Tony the Tarantula, The Seamstress and the Prince, Moonlight Puppies, Tickles the Tiger Cub, The Dragon’s Treasure, and In Search of Bear, — a story about a little boy who, suddenly bored with his teddy bear, embarks on a journey in search of a better one, only to come to realize how special his own bear truly is. Collins, currently a partner at Centerview Partners, a global, investment banking firm, previously served as Vice Chairman, Investment Banking and Global Head of Chemicals at Barclays Capital. He also held senior positions at Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch and The Blackstone Group. Aside from building a lucrative career, Collins and his wife Elin, have been raising their children, ages 11, 9, and 7. Through the role of Dad, Collins tapped into one of his dormant talents of storytelling, which he developed as a child, often telling stories to his younger brother with whom

Please turn to page A13


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
March 15, 2019 by Greenwich Sentinel - Issuu