The Plainville
Cit itiz ize en Plainville’s Only Weekly Newspaper
Volume 8, Number 37
Thursday, September 10, 2009
‘Grease’ a slick choral society production By Robin Lee Michel The Plainville Citizen There’s good news and bad news about this weekend’s performance of “Grease” by the Plainville Choral Society Youth Theater. The good news is that the show may be one of the best shows they have ever presented, according to the enthusiastic cast. The bad news is the 600-plus seats in the Plainville High School auditorium are sold out for both nights, Sept. 11 and 12, with a waiting list of more than 200 people. Tickets are not available at the door. Maryjane Peluso, accompanist, said she thinks the performances sold out because of the popularity of the show and the fact there are 91 students in the cast, the most ever involved. The local production is the school version of the popular show, with “cleaned up” language.
Citizen photos by Robin Lee Michel
Left photo: Singing a number in “Grease” are, from left, Katie Willard, Alyssa Nelson, Sarah Damato and Samantha Zaza. Top: The guys are, from left, Justin Brown, Nick Dalena, Jesse Crofton, Jeremy Stein and Matt Macca. See more photos on page 13 and in our photo gallery at www.plainvillecitizen.com.
See Grease, page 12
Boukus calls budget Alumni Field won’t be ‘hardest’ she’s seen renamed, however... By Ken DiMauro The Plainville Citizen State Rep. Elizabeth A. “Betty” Boukus described the recent give and take on Connecticut’s two-year $37.6 billion budget to be the longest, hardest and most grueling she’s seen since she was first elected to the 22nd Assembly District seat in 1994. And while the legislature finally passed the budget Sept. 1 and sent it to Gov. M. Jodi Rell for her signature, Boukus already was answering Sept. 2 to local constituents at her periodically-held office hours. Boukus said Rell had indicated she wouldn’t sign the budget, but would let it automatically become official five days after it was submitted. “We did the best we could, it basically was a difference of opinion,” she said of the differences between Rell and Republicans and the Democratic majority. Boukus said she bit the bullet and fellow Dems held their ground on specific issues that hopefully will balance the budget, including a income tax increase for couples making more than $1 million, a $1 extra tax on a pack of cigarettes, and virtual doubling of state fees and licenses. See Boukus, page 17
By Ken DiMauro The Plainville Citizen The committee appointed by the Town Council in 2008 to look into whether Plainville High School’s Alumni Field should be renamed after two deceased longtime school board members has decided the name should not be changed. The committee met Sept. 3 and decided Alumni Field is meant to honor living and deceased alumni from the high school. The original proposal to rename the field after Thomas L. Wazorko, who was on the school board from 1984 until his death March 25, 2008, and Thomas R. Ferguson, who was a school board member for 16 years, was made by former state Rep.
Donald St. Pierre, who knew both men. Wazorko was 61 when he died from pancreatic cancer. Ferguson, 79, died March 24. 2008. Both men served as heads of the school board and were active in the community. Wazorko and Ferguson were very active in Plainville and area organizations. Both were accomplished athletes and were members of local and area athletic organizations. St. Pierre first made the suggestion to honor the men in May 2008. The council created the renaming committee a year ago. Becky Tyrrell, who is chairwoman of the school board, serves on the renamSee Field, page 17
Inside Calendar . . . . . . . 22-23 Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 History by Hummel. . 5-7 Marketplace . . . . . 34-39 Mini Pages . . . . . . 31-32 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . 15 Opinion . . . . . . . . 16-17 Schools . . . . . . . . . 8-10 Sports . . . . . . . . . 26-29 Sports Schedule . 20-21
Readers’ Poll: What are you doing for Labor Day? Total votes: 25 Working at my job: 2 (8%) Working at home: 6 (24%) Relaxing: 5 (20%) Traveling: 3 (12%) Nothing: 4 (16%) A combination of above: 5 (20%) Visit us at www.plainvillecitizen.com