final_March 7 2024 issue

Nuvance hospital system to merge with Northwell Health

By Jenna Carlesso

Nuvance Health, which owns four hospitals in Connecticut and three in New York, will merge with Northwell Health to form a larger regional health system across two states.

Together, the companies will own 28 hospitals and more than 1,000 sites of care and employ 14,500 providers.

“By joining forces with Northwell Health, we are taking a giant leap forward in our shared mission to enhance the quality, accessibility and equity of the healthcare we provide to our communities,” said Dr. John M. Murphy, President and CEO of Nuvance Health. “This agreement enables us to make significant improvements to health outcomes for community hospitals and to deliver unparalleled care and drive positive change in the healthcare landscape.”

In Connecticut, Nuvance owns Danbury Hospital, Norwalk Hospital, Sharon Hospital, and New Milford Hospital. Northwell, based in New Hyde Park, NY, owns 20 hospitals.

“This partnership opens a new and exciting chapter for Northwell and Nuvance and provides an incredible opportunity to enhance both health systems and take patient care and services to an even higher level,” said Michael Dowling, President and CEO of Northwell Health. “We have similar missions in providing high-quality care for patients in the communities we serve.”

The deal is still subject to a certificate of need process for state approval in Connecticut and New York, and must also be approved by the Federal Trade Commission. Amy Forni, a spokeswoman for Nuvance, said certificate of need applications are expected to be filed in the coming months.

Nuvance and Northwell officials said the merger will bring greater access to primary, specialty, and hospital care through a diverse network of providers. “Northwell will make significant investments in Nuvance Health, helping it continue to evolve as a high-quality and comprehensive health care system,” they said in a statement.

Leaders of both companies said they hoped the merger would create a broader workforce pipeline and expand medical innovation across their facilities.

“Together, both organizations would have the ability to make significant improvements to health outcomes and address health disparities across the communities they serve,” they wrote in a statement. “As non-profit organizations, Northwell and Nuvance

or six weeks before spring begins, whenever they are feeling particularly over the cold and dreary weather. "It keeps us excited for spring - because winters are long," said Cutler. Luckily, spring comes a few days early this year, with the vernal equinox falling on Tuesday, March 19. If you have a

you'd like to see featured here, with credit of course, please e-mail editor@reddingsentinel.org

Demolition begins at historic Side Cut Road building l

On Wednesday, February 28, crews began the partial demolition of the structure at 3 Side Cut Road, known to many as the old “West Redding Store”. The historic building, which has had

By Jessie Wright

several uses over the past centuryand-a-half, was purchased in April 2022 by SC-3 LLC and is being redeveloped by Greenwich Property Partners, Inc.

The new owners went through the Town’s Historic Review Committee process for demolition in the spring of 2022 and after assessment, the Town waived the 180-day demolition delay due to the poor condition of much of the structure. The redevelopment process then hit several snags; the developer had initially planned to demolish the building, but because of limitations of the existing septic system and contamination of other areas of the site, now is planning a renovation of the existing structure. Supply chain issues have also added to the delays, according to Hendric R. E. Vogt,

Redding’s Big Outdoors

Dead End Trail l

By Jessie Wright

It’s

Managing Director of Greenwich Property Partners, Inc. The Zoning Commission approved an application from SC-3 LLC after a public hearing on June 28, 2023 for the renovation and addition to the structure, with the submitted plan showing residential apartments on the upper floors and commercial space on the first floor with parking. Vogt told the Sentinel that revised architectural plans, which take elements of the historic structure into account, were completed in December 2023, and they hope to move forward with work in the coming weeks. For a complete history of the building, see page 7 for this week’s Remembering Redding column by Town Co-Historian Bruce Nelson. g

The Redding Education Foundation relaunches

By Anne Young Albanese

Tara Patrick and Laura Worosz are relaunching The Redding Education Foundation (REF) after several years of dormancy. The non-profit organization will function like educational foundations found in other towns such as Easton, Weston, and Ridgefield and will be dedicated to enhancing, fostering, and supporting educational opportunities at Redding public schools. It will partner with teachers and administrators within the Redding and Region 9 school districts. The REF is primarily supported by donations from the local community.

According to its website, “The Redding Education Foundation is dedicated to mobilizing and enhancing educational opportunities at Redding’s public schools.” It will execute its mission through a multitude of initiatives, including investments in unique programs and providing resources that are above and beyond the constraints of Redding’s annual budget. The organization will provide grants for programs within Redding Elementary School, John Read Middle School, and Joel Barlow High School.

The REF plans to support new, emerging, and innovative trends in education and learning across a multitude of needs. It will allocate funds where they will have the most impact. Grants will be approved by the REF Board, the ER9 Superintendent, and the schools’ administration. For example, the prior iteration of the organization, which was founded in 2002, was responsible for providing smart boards to certain classrooms and found that they are extremely beneficial in education.

The organization will focus on initiatives in three different general categories and purposes: technology and innovation; arts and culture; and the general enhancement of educational and learning opportunities and practices. This will allow the schools to benefit from additional options which typically don’t fit into school budgets.

The REF is currently seeking board members. Desired qualifications include the ability to make a time commitment for 6-12 meetings a year and help with fundraising and a passion for education, especially in technology and the arts. A strong local network or experience fundraising and experience in the non-profit, accounting, and legal professions would be beneficial but are not required. To be considered, applicants can e-mail a resume and/or a statement of intent to hello@ thereddingeducationfoundation. org. This is a chance for community members to get involved, even if they haven’t been involved in

Photo by Jenn Cutler

This annual countdown to spring on Peaceable Street is a beloved family tradition for Jenn Cutler, her husband, and three kids, who have been sharing their excitement for the change of seasons with the neighborhood for over ten years. Cutler was inspired to post the sign after seeing a similar countdown at a property in Darien she drove by each day on her way to work. The family typically puts their sign out five

photo

Photo by Jessie Wright

Photo by Susan Clark

Partial demolition of the building at 3 Side Cut Road began on

February

Grand List drops by about $15 million l

Due to reductions in personal property, motor vehicle, and other taxes, Redding’s 2023 Grand List decreased $14,918,774 from that of the previous year to $1,943,125,621.

This marks a change of approximately 0.76%. Containing all the taxable property in Redding, the Grand List is used to determine the mil rate, which will be set by the Board of Finance after the Budget Referendum this spring.

“We saw from last year to this year we had approximately $15 million decrease, primarily due to the settlement with Meadow Ridge,” said Tax Assessor John Ford at a meeting of the Board of Finance on Monday, February 26. The retirement community, like many taxpayers, appealed their 2022 revaluation and reached a negotiated settlement with the Town.

“We did have a slight increase in personal property of a couple of million. We saw reductions obviously in real estate and motor vehicle.”

Personal property rose from $80,656,515 to $82,504,547, an increase of 2.29%. Real estate totals decreased from $1,927,807, 400 to $1,917,804,130 (-0.52%), and motor vehicles went from $124,219,840 to $117,935,617 (-5.06%).

There was also a decrease in the amount of taxable real estate owned by seniors (age 65 and older) who qualify for the state homeowners' tax credit. Redding offers two benefits for seniors. The

By Rocco Valluzzo

local senior benefit is a tax credit offered to homeowners who are 65 years of age or older, have lived in town for three years prior to receiving the benefit and have paid real estate taxes, maintain the legal residence/domicile in Redding, and occupy their home at least 183 days per year.

The state homeowners’ tax credit provides a property tax credit for property owners who are 65 and older, and whose annual incomes do not exceed certain limits. The credit amount is calculated by the tax assessor and applied by the tax collector to the applicant's real property tax bill.

The taxable amount for qualifying seniors went from $16,454, 150 to $8,883,700 (-46.01%), which was then added back to the amount of total taxable real estate. According to Ford, this was due to homeowners selling and no longer receiving the benefit.

According to Ford, very few people get the state benefit, perhaps only 40 or 50 families. About 800 get the local benefit.

Having met with Finance Director Jim Sanders to discuss potential other changes to the Grand List, Ford recommended adjusting the $1,943,125,621 total down an additional $25 million to account for any future adjustments. These may result if there are any reductions in motor vehicle due to pro ratings or cars being sold. The Board of Assessment Appeals will also meet this week and could make some changes in assessment values. g

Life-saving AEDs arrive after ARPA funding

By Rob Sample

The Town recently received a life-saving delivery of six new automatic external defibrillators (AEDs). This $17,000 purchase was made possible by Redding’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant funding.

“AEDs are very important for our town – or any town – to have,” noted First Selectwoman Julia Pemberton. “With AEDs, everything is in the right place at the right time to save a life in a cardiac crisis.”

Legal Notice

In total, Redding received $2.7 million in ARPA funds, which went to a variety of both municipal and non-profit organizations.

The AED expenditure was factored in last spring, when the Town allocated its last share of remaining funds. ARPA stipulates that all funding must be allocated by December 31, 2024, and spent by December 31, 2026.

The expenditure on AEDs

Continued on page 3

Letter

Notice is hereby given that a Presidential Preference Primary of the Republican and Democratic Parties will begin with early voting on March 26, 2024, through March 28, 2024, and March 30, 2024, with the primary being held on April 2, 2024, in each town.

Notice is also hereby given that the following are the names of the candidates (including the category “Uncommitted”) which are to appear on the ballot at said primary in the manner and in the order in which such names and category are herein listed, under the office designation “Nomination for President of the United States”, together with the addresses of such candidates:

To the Editor,

This is my statement made on Tuesday, February 27 to the Joint Legislative Committee on Energy & Technology of the General Assembly in Hartford. We want our Redding neighbors to know of our interest in Solar Energy at Meadow Ridge, coming in November.

Good day, members of the Energy and Technology Committee.

I am Susan Auslander, Chair of the resident-led Meadow Ridge Residents Solar Committee. Meadow Ridge is a 350-person retirement community located in Redding.

In November of this year, we are very excited to throw the switch on a new on-property solar power plant. The $3 million Green Bank financed project will yield less than 1 Megawatt or 16 to 20% of our electricity usage. 1344 solar panels will operate on roof tops and on canopies over two parking lots. We stopped short of the current 26 percent limit on large installations simply because that was the limit allowed by the state at the time.

Our project, while very exciting, shows that current law restricts similar Connecticut facilities from optimizing their ability to construct solar power projects.

Our request is this: Our Resident Solar Committee at Meadow Ridge recommends increasing the current limits from 26% to 50% of annual power usage and continue with the current 2% annual add-on. Such a change could significantly reduce Connecticut CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.

Our project's feasibility came from a grassroots campaign by Meadow Ridge residents. You may have seen our story in The New York Times last November. Ownership and management approved it because of several financial incentives: These include the 30% federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and an Eversource grant of $560,000 over a 15-year period. It will be installed and managed for 25 years by Verogy of West Hartford.

I wish to thank Representative Anne Hughes and State Senator Ceci Maher for facilitating my testimony.

The senior residents at Meadow Ridge would like to leave a cleaner, greener environment for their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. This project is a start in that direction.

Now, would you please raise the cap from 26% to 50% for solar energy. Thank you. g

Legal Notices

The Redding Board of Assessment Appeals will be meeting on the following dates in the Town Hall Hearing Room of the Town Office Building for the scheduled hearings and deliberations of eligible appeals for tax assessments

The Redding Zoning Commission has scheduled a Public Hearing for March 13, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. in person at the Town Hall Hearing Room, 100 Hill Road, Redding CT. The purpose of the hearing is to consider the following applications.

1. Application #24-01Z – 33 & 43 Lonetown Road (Onion Field) (Assessor’s Map and Lot #21-13) – Town of Redding:

on the grand list as of October 1, 2023. New applications for appeals will not be accepted. Applicants must appear in person for their scheduled hearing. Meeting dates for March 2024 are Thursday March 7, 4-7 p.m. and Satur-

Agent: Drum Hill Chapter NSDAR & Town of Redding Historic Cemetery Committee, Wilton CT 06897 – In accordance with Redding Zoning Regulations Section 5.11 request for a Special Limited Duration Permit for “Revolutionary War encampment and reenactment of by the Brigade of the American Revolution” on April 26-April 28, 2024 rain date TBD

EXPENDITURE BUDGET PROPOSAL 2024-2025

day March 9, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. g

Greg Stackpole, Chairman Redding Board of Assessment Appeals

2. Application #24-02Z - 34

Mountain Road (Assessor’s Map and Lot #41-8): Owners

Ronald J. DeSantis and Donna M. Livolsi. In Accordance with Redding Zoning Regulations Section 5.5, request for a Special Use

Permit for earth moving in excess of 300 cubic yards. g

Matt Lecher, Chairman Redding Zoning Commission

The Legal Voters in the Town of Redding, Connecticut are hereby notified that a PUBLIC HEARING on the proposed 2024-2025 Annual Budget Expenditures will be held on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at 7:30 p.m. at the Community Center, 37 Lonetown Rd, Redding, CT. If cancelled due to snow, the meeting will be held Thursday, March 21, 2024 at 7:30 P.M. at the Community Center.

Board of Finance:

Ward Mazzucco, Chair

Karen Gifford, Vice Chair

Jamie Barickman

Rob Dean Roger Van Ausdal Jenifer Wyss

For details, please visit our website at www.townofreddingct.org OR a copy is available in the Town Clerk's Office at Town Hall. g

Susan Auslander Meadow Ridge Democrats

Name

Dated

The

Hours

March

a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

March 27, 2024 - 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

March 28, 2024 - 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

March 30, 2024 - 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Primary Day - 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Location of Polling Place for District #135 (all Redding Electors) is Redding Community Center, 37 Lonetown Road, Redding CT. Absentee Ballots will be counted at the polls.

Absentee Ballots will be available by mail or in person from the Town Clerk’s Office starting March 12, 2024.

Dated at Redding CT this 1st day of March, 2024. g

Michele R. Grande Town Clerk-Town of Redding

Redding Sentinel Ltd

News and Views of Redding, Connecticut

Publisher, Susan Clark

Managing Editor, Jessie Wright

Creative Director, Debora DeCarlo Rosa

Assistant Graphic Designer, Connor Feeney

Marketing Operations Manager, Nicole DuBois

Reporters:

Donna Christopher

Rocco Valluzzo

Rob Sample

Justin Reynolds

Pamela Brown Anne Young Albanese

School board has $690,000 capital plan

By Rocco Valluzzo

To cover facilities improvements and other expenses at Redding Elementary School and John Read Middle School, the Redding Board of Education has proposed a $690,000 capital plan for academic year 2024-25.

Chair Laura Worosz also highlighted other capital projects at a meeting of the Board on Finance on Monday, February 26. These will need to be addressed in the next few years.

One request is for $150,000 to connect a secondary well to the middle school. Although the current well has good water quality, it sometimes does not produce enough water to get through a school week as water consumption fluctuates.

“There have been weeks where had to use emergency transport trucks of water,” said Worosz. “If we were to run out of water, we would have to close the school down temporarily until the well was able to refill itself.”

The Board of Education has also requested $50,000 for roofs at both schools. Most of this involves flashing and membrane repairs.

Although Worosz noted that both roofs are reaching the end of their lifespan, the Board feels they can last another couple of years before they should be replaced entirely.

An internet improvement project at both schools would cost $115,000 for upgrading the access points for each of the internet routers in the classrooms. The project would move those access points and increase the connectivity and speed and conceal some of the exposed cables.

“Where they sit now, they’re sort of in the corners, making you have sort of dead spots in the classrooms where internet connection is unstable or too slow for people to access it,” said Worosz.

ject, which would improve all the learning spaces, over the next few years. A request of $375,000 for the upcoming academic year addresses Phase 2A of the project, which includes improving the band room and musical instrument storage area at the middle school. Phases 2B and 2C would address the remaining classrooms at each of the schools over the following two years.

Worosz noted that the Board toured these areas at its last facilities meeting. It determined that much of the storage area is unusable, and the band room is in poor condition.

Woman found dead on Route 53 identified as 26-year-old Bridgeport resident l

By Donna Christopher

State police have identified the person found dead last month on Route 53/Glen Road as Leah Chaparro, born August 11, 1997, of Bridgeport. Her body was found in a wooded area off the roadway early on Sunday, February 18 by a jogger who reported it through a 911 call to The Redding Police Department.

week that “Detectives are actively investigating the suspicious circumstances surrounding Chaparro’s death."

The Chief Medical Examiner said on February 29 that "everything is still pending further studies."

Connecticut state police said on March 2, "The investigation remains active and ongoing at this time."

“We’ve done our best to really extend the life of some of our bigger projects,” said Worosz. “We did some boiler improvements last year, so we’ve pushed the boiler improvement out a few years, which is great. We’re really trying to maintain all of our facilities to extend the life of all the equipment and buildings that we have.” g

Redding BOE proposes 3.6% increase

By Rocco Valluzzo

Citing an increase in costs in external factors such as healthcare, transportation, utilities, and special education, the Redding Board of Education has proposed a budget of $25,453,622 for the 2024-25 academic year, or an increase of $884,094 (3.6%).

This is below the 5.8% average increase for other neighboring districts and schools in Redding’s District Economic Reference Group, a classification system in which districts that have public school students with similar socioeconomic status and needs are grouped together. Easton is proposing a budget increase of 4.9%.

“Many of the surrounding districts, including ourselves, are facing a lot of increasing costs,” said Chair Laura Worosz at a Board of Finance meeting on Monday, February 26. “We’re very fortunate to be where we’re at right now. There are all these external factors that are driving our budget up. We always want to make very mindful decisions with our budget and consider the impact this has on the Town and the cost

The Board has also scheduled an educational modernization proto the Town.”

Worosz noted that the proposed budget was $25,704,018 in early February. Since then, it had gone through several reductions.

The biggest change the Board has made was reducing health care allocation. At end of the last academic year, unexpended funds were placed into a health care reserve.

“We have a nice healthy balance in there,” said Worosz. “We felt comfortable reducing our allocation this year.”

The Board increased its allocation for special education placement, so in the event there is a student who moves to town who needs outplacement, the District will not be scrambling for the funds to accommodate this.

The majority of the budget is comprised of four different cost centers. Redding Elementary School accounted for 22% of the budget and John Read Middle School was 19.4%. Pupil personnel services were 24% and districtwide expenses were 26.1%.

According to Superintendent Jason McKinnon, there were

four main budget drivers which had increases: medical insurance (5%), certified staff (4.18%), non-certified staff (6.52%), and transportation (5.90%). Together, staff and non-certified staff accounted for an increase of approximately $687,000.

McKinnon added that the District recently extended a fiveyear busing contract with First Student Transportation. Bids from other companies averaged 17 to 18% higher.

“We were able to extend First Student for less than half of that,” said McKinnon. ““We’re actually very pleased with First Student as a vendor. They’re very reliable. They’ve got high quality buses.”

Next year, the District will receive a number of title grants. These will help offset the costs of professional development, multilingual learners, and instructional supplies. It has also received funds earmarked for special education.

“We do look closely at grants,” said Worosz. “We use grants both from the state and federal government to offset local taxpayer monies.” g

Region 9 continues to hone budget, discusses formation of STEM Academy

By Anne Young Albanese

On February 27, the Region 9 Board of Education (which oversees Joel Barlow High School - JBHS) met to continue its discussions on the fiscal year 2024-25 budget and other matters of district importance.

The first discussion covered the Retro-commissioning (RCx) project with an update from Mike D’Agostino, the Facilities and Operations Manager for Easton, Redding, and Region 9 (ER9).

According to the Energize Connecticut website, RCx is a program that will offer technical and financial incentives to help optimize JBHS’s operation and maintenance. An engineering firm will evaluate how JBHS’s mechanized equipment and related controls operate and function together within the building and how best to achieve energy efficiencies. This will allow JBHS to develop an automated control system to save money on oil and electricity costs. Eversource will cover half of these investigating costs.

This is a program that the Board approved at its June 20, 2023, meeting. Region 9 voted on February 27 to submit a progress payment to continue the improvements and authorize the administration to sign a financing agreement (at 0% interest) with Eversource. The total amount for the automated controls was already approved and the Board voted to draw from that money.

Through participation in the RCx program, electricity usage is estimated to decrease by 8.3-

12.1%, or $23,540-$35,780 (as compared to the 2023-24 school year costs) while oil consumption should decrease from 10.4%14.6% or $24,900 to $35,100 (as compared to the 2023-24 school year costs) based on the investigation report recommendations. Eversource will refund all costs of the study if 50% of the recommended suggestions are implemented and Region 9 will save money on its energy bills. The hope is that the automated control system will also correct the temperature in the classrooms that currently get too hot or too cold.

Since this is budget season, a large portion of the rest of the meeting covered recommended changes to the budget from the February 12 budget workshop and answering questions received over the past several weeks.

Previously, the Board and Superintendent Jason McKinnon discussed career clusters introduced by the state. These clusters are the areas that the state has identified as professional areas growing most rapidly. While there are twelve career clusters, Region 9 has chosen to begin by addressing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and information technology (IT).

Dr. McKinnon began the discussion with a sample of the STEM courses that are currently available at JBHS. He then introduced the information technology (IT) cluster.

The administration’s first goal is to create a Barlow STEM Academy, which would begin by

Later that morning at 9:27 a.m., at the request of the Danbury State’s Attorney’s Office, members of the Connecticut State Police Western District Major Crime Squad at Troop A Southbury were requested to investigate a “suspicious death.” Redding Police noted on social media that there was “no threat to the general public at this time” on Sunday, February 18. Still, the Connecticut State Police said last

Chaparro, who graduated from Brien McMahon High School in Norwalk, is remembered as a vibrant, resilient, and determined young woman with “an infectious sense of humor,” according to her obituary. g

Life-saving AEDs arrive after ARPA funding / continued from page 2

was small in comparison to other ARPA-funded expenditures in Redding. “The town already has AEDs in our schools, at Town Hall, and at the Redding Community Center, and Joel Barlow will be installing an AED at its sports complex as part of the current upgrade,” said Pemberton. “But we felt it was necessary to add more, since our town is so spread out.”

AEDs are also a key part of Connecticut’s HEARTSafe Community program. This initiative encourages all communities to strengthen every link in the cardiac “chain of survival” –which encompasses early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), early defibrillation, early access to emergency care, and early advanced care. Redding has held the distinction of being a HEARTSafe Community since 2010.

Two of the six new AEDs will be located outdoors and will be housed in heated steel cabinets. The remaining four AEDs will be considered seasonal units and will be in spots at Town Hall, the annex building adjacent to the Redding Post Office, the Community Center Field 3, and the Town Green. All sound an alarm when activated, both to deter theft and to alert people nearby of a potential emergency.

featuring three academic pathways: programming & software development, engineering design and development, and web and digital communications.

The administration will need to alter some of the facilities to make STEM equipment more accessible to students. Two of the classrooms can be converted for $85,000 to allow students to access three dimensional printers and the school’s computer numerical control (CNC), as well as increasing workshop and classroom space. These changes could be made during the summer of 2024.

The long-term plan addresses another two classrooms that are adjacent to the first two. For the 2024-25 budget, the administration recommended budgeting $75,000 to work with experts to determine what needs to be done to create a STEM Academy during the summer of 2025. After discussion, the Board felt it would be more effective to combine the two amounts together for a total of $160,000, which would allow the administration to target the school’s needs more effectively.

More information on the currently considered expenses for the fiscal year 2024-25 budget and the opportunity to ask questions and make comments can be found at sites.google.com/er9.org/ region9budget/home. The next Region 9 budget workshop is scheduled for Thursday, March 14 at 7:00 p.m. g

Pemberton said the mix of permanent and seasonal AEDs will help achieve her goal of dispersing the units throughout the town more widely. “Also, all of our existing AEDs are at indoor locations,” she said. “If you’re having a cardiac crisis and you’re outdoors, those indoor AEDs might be too far away. So having them at outdoor locations will be beneficial.”

The first of the two permanent outdoor units will be set up adjacent to the pavilion at the

Redding Community Center playing fields. “We haven’t yet determined the exact location for the second unit, but my intent is to have it installed at the tennis courts,” said Pemberton. “We are still working out the logistics of the installation, including the provision of electricity for the heated cabinet.”

So, just how do AEDs work?

An AED can diagnose and treat life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias, or types of irregular heartbeat, which can lead to cardiac arrest. These include ventricular fibrillation, when lower heart chambers contract in a very rapid and uncoordinated manner and the heart cannot pump blood to the rest of the body; and pulseless ventricular tachycardia, which occurs when heart ventricles contract too fast and don't have time to fill with blood.

An AED will apply electricity to stop arrhythmia, allowing the heart to reestablish an effective rhythm. The technology was first invented in 1930 by an electrical engineer in Brooklyn, William Kouwenhoven. In 1947, Cleveland cardiac surgeon Claude Beck became the first doctor to use defibrillation in a hospital setting. In 1965, Northern Ireland’s Frank Pantridge invented the first portable AED.

Since then, AEDs have become lighter in weight, more portable, and simpler – making them easy to use by any bystander in a crisis.

“If someone’s heart stops, you have seconds for them to regain circulation,” Pemberton said. “An AED will guide you through the process of using it with both voice and visual commands. We’ve had instances of people’s lives being saved because of the proximity of an AED. AEDs are worth every penny.” g

Barlow finishes season in first round of state tournament Girls basketball l

The Joel Barlow High girls varsity basketball team did not have to wait long to run into some serious competition in the state Class MM tournament last week.

The 28th seeded Falcons, who were making their first trip to the state tournament in four years, had their hands full with host Sheehan of Wallingford in the first round on Monday, February 26.

The fifth-seeded Titans’ ability to score down low as well as from the perimeter meant trouble for the Falcons, who lost 35-60 to end the season.

“Offensively we got plenty of good shots,” said Barlow Head Coach Joe Carollo. “We didn’t convert as many as we needed to

against a quality opponent.”

An experienced team, the Titans have eight or 10 players who play basketball year-round, according to Carollo. This soon became apparent, as they presented a balanced scoring effort early.

Sheehan’s overall team speed, shooting, and ball handling were the major problems for Barlow defensively. Sarah Ashgar’s field goal and a free throw by Avery Vanderburg accounted for all of Barlow’s offense in the first quarter as Sheehan jumped out to a 13-3 lead.

The Falcons picked up their offense significantly in the next frame, led in part by Mia Tartaglia, who hit one three-pointer and free

By Rocco Valluzzo

throws. Agnes Davis also sank a three-pointer to help keep Barlow in contention.

Sheehan, however, had offensive support in the form of Megan Wresien’s seven points to lead her team to a 29-15 advantage at halftime.

When play resumed, the Titans basically pulled out of reach with some effective long-range shooting in the third quarter, as four different players hit three-point shots to help their team outscore the Falcons better than two-to-one for the period. Although Davis hit a three-pointer of her own with Ashgar and Vanderburg also sinking field goals, the Falcons still fell behind 51-25.

Having such a comfortable lead, the Titans eased up a bit on offense in the last quarter, the only time they were outscored by the Falcons. Davis hit one threepointer while Tartaglia sank two and a field goal as Barlow’s season came to an end.

Tartaglia led Barlow with 14 points for the game, including three three-pointers. Davis was next with nine points, all coming on three-pointers.

Ashgar and Vanderburg each had four points. Mackenzie Sickinger sank two in her last high school game, while Caroline Lippoth and Allie Ogden each hit a free throw.

“I really enjoyed how much the team learned this season, not just offensive and defensive schemes, but individual player development was great to see in so many of them,” said Carollo, whose team finishes at 8-13 overall.

“Improvement player-wise and team-wise as the season went on was great to see.” g

Youth basketball coach looks back on 50 years

l

By Donna Christopher

Players in Redding’s Youth InHouse Basketball league played their last games under the guidance of Jeff Earle on Saturday, March 2. The all-around sports coach for an extraordinary 50 years is stepping down after spending the past 15 years coaching in Redding and running the Youth In-House Basketball league through Park and Recreation.

The wind-down for Earle bookends a passionate coaching spirit that began with a mentor he met at North Salem Middle School in 1974, Coach Greg Blake, who ultimately was his varsity coach in high school.

“He came to our middle school basketball practice and challenged me, ‘Do you want to do one-onone?” recalled Earle.

The experience initiated Earle’s own continuous involvement as a coach throughout his career, including 15 years as a teacher in manufacturing at Henry Abbott Technical High School, and now at Ace Hardware in Bethel. His overall coaching career in several towns includes parochial school, travel basketball, in-town basketball, high school freshmen, junior varsity basketball, and varsity soccer.

Earle and his wife Eileen, a

swim coach at Joel Barlow High School, live in Bethel. Married since 1987, the couple raised two children who both live in Florida, and recently became grandparents.

“My wife is a great support,” Earle said. “Good things come in small packages. She is a coach and has been a tremendous support of everything I've done. She’s a very big part of me lasting as long as I did.”

They recently returned from a weekend visiting their kids where the new grandfather described the experience of babysitting as making him “feel much younger.” He said freeing up Saturdays, when he’s spent 11 to 12 hours each week throughout his Redding coaching career, will enable them to “jump on a plane” more readily to be with family.

Earle has coached all ages of Youth Basketball through Redding’s Park and Recreation Department, from third grade through high school. He looks back on “great memories” and noted that there have been many examples throughout the years of players following the coaching example that was passed onto him as a teenager.

“What’s neat is the past couple of years at Redding, every one of

Barlow/Bethel is seventh in conference

Boys swimming l

By Rocco Valluzzo

A small group of swimmers would represent the Joel Barlow/ Bethel High boys swim team at the South-West Conference finals last week.

The team had just eight swimmers compete last Friday, March 1, all swimming in multiple events. Together, they accounted for 117 points, helping the team take seventh out of 10 at the Masuk High pool. Defending champ Pomperaug easily won its 12th straight league crown, this time with 711. Weston was a distant runner-up with 376, and Newtown took third with 320.50.

Despite having a small team, Barlow/Bethel competed in most of the events. Their first points came in the opening event, the 200-yard medley relay, with James Jandura, Lance Hansen, Alex Eriksen, and Sofiane Hilmi taking sixth in 1:52.87, beating their seed time by more than five seconds. Hansen earned Barlow/Bethel’s points in the 200 IM. Taking ninth in 2:09.08, he beat his seed time by nearly half-a-second.

Two scored for the team in the 50 free. Eriksen posted Barlow/ Bethel’s fastest time in 23.46,

the referees of Youth Basketball were once players in the league,” he said. “I had a dream to affect other younger players. I’ve always taken pride in being involved with younger kids, putting them in a place to achieve, to put the opportunity that someday will put them in the same position. It’s not about the league championships or postseason. It’s all about the kids that have come back and given back what you started.”

Fifty years have gone by “in the blink of an eye” for Earle. He credits several people for supporting his time coaching in Redding.

“I have deepest appreciation and support for Rob Blick who is the Director (of Park and Recreation) and specifically Laura Anderson for the first 14 years who was my supervisor and a great leader,” he said. “She was responsible for bringing me there. She means a lot to me. Deelia Wadsworth, now the supervisor, was tremendous in her first year and will do very well moving forward.”

Redding resident Linda Meyer Mitchell, whose 18- and 20-year old sons both played basketball in the program, was at the gym on Saturday to mark the last games with Earle.

“It’s the best program of Park and Recreation,” she said. “All kids of all skill levels can play together and have fun. They have a blast.” Her husband, Mike Mitchell, said he enjoyed coaching their sons for five years through the league.

“It is a great program, and everyone gets to play. It was particularly satisfying to teach the beginners and watch them become good basketball players. Jeff Earle did a great job trying to be sure the teams were balanced, and it was fun for all.” g

good for fifth. Hilmi also scored with a 25.45, beating his seed time and taking 18th.

Beating his seed time by more than six seconds, Eriksen took tenth in the 100 free win 52.53, 0.07 seconds behind Immaculate’s Marco Diaz. Hilmi also competed, finishing 20th in 57.16 to beat his seed time as well.

Hansen, Hilmi, Jandura, and Eriksen formed the 200 free relay team that took seventh in 1:39.68, an improvement of more than five seconds from their seed time.

Barlow/Bethel’s highest finish was in the 100 backstroke. With a 58.12, Hansen not only beat his seed time by more than a second, he was fourth overall. Jandura also earned points, taking 16th in 1:09.75 and improving his time as well.

Although he did not score, Jacob Pedicini competed in the 100 breaststroke, taking 26th in 1:19.34, beating his seed time by 0.42 seconds and completing the meet for the Falcons.

Barlow/Bethel next competes in the state Class M finals on Monday, March 11 at Wesleyan University in Middletown. g

Barlow teams take fifth, sixth in Class S Downhill skiing l

Despite warmer than usual temperatures and rain earlier in the week, the Joel Barlow High ski teams were still able to take to the slopes for the final race of the season on Thursday, February 29.

The Falcons were among 25 teams in all to gather at Mount Southington for the State Open.

Posting some of their fastest times of the season, the Falcon girls posted a total time of 313.21, good for fifth among Class S schools.

Fairfield was the overall winner with 279.51, less than a second ahead of runner-up Hand of Madison with 280.24. Ridgefield took third with 284.92.

As she has often done this season, Ava Kulikowski led the way for Barlow and was the only skier for her team in the top 20. A combined time of 46.85 earned her 18th overall.

Just 0.02 seconds separated Helena Zima and New Canaan’s Lucy Paine. The former finished behind the latter in 48.87 for 37th.

It was also a close call between Barlow and another New Canaan skier. In this case, Lucille Zima was just 0.02 seconds after Ella Schwartz in 51.91.

Taking 73rd, Gabby Boehlert finished in 52.52. Also finishing in the top 100, Ruby Ludwig was 92nd in 55.58.

Barlow then had two skiers finish in succession. Completing the scoring for her team, Katherine Stowell was 101st in 57.58, a halfsecond and one spot ahead of Na’ama Klein.

Two places later was Hailey Watson in 59.09. Sophia Boehlert

By Rocco Valluzzo

followed in 61.3 for 109th. Sophia Peterson completed the slate for Barlow in 62.38 for 113th.

The Barlow boys also faced a tough field of competitors. With a 316.32, they were sixth among Class S schools, including Weston, which was also the overall winner in 277.76.

Luke Mutuski posted the Falcons’ best time. Coming in at 50.52, he was 74th.

Back-to-back finishes came from Jack Gustavson and Tom Colby. The former was 87th in 51.71 and the latter was right behind him 0.30 seconds later.

It was a close call for 89th. Ridgefield’s Brett Zeyer was just 0.01 seconds ahead of Andrew D’Amaro, who was 90th in 52.05.

Next was Matt Luca in 54.68 for 105th. Two places later, Christian Jhilal completed the scoring for his team in 55.35, 0.01 seconds ahead of Ridgefield’s Jesse Hisiger.

Also skiing for Barlow, Sebastian Cowles took 110th in 55.72. Barrett Commisso was 120th in 59.44, and Nate Dyar posted a 62.99 for 123rd. g

File photo by Rocco Valluzzo Avery Vanderburg scored four points for the Joel Barlow High girls basketball team in the first round of the state Class MM tournament on Monday, February 26. Barlow lost 35-60 to finish the season.

Photo by Rocco Valluzzo

Joel Barlow/Bethel's Jacob Pedicini swims the breaststroke at the SouthWest Conference boys swimming finals on Friday, March 1. Barlow/Bethel placed seventh overall with 117 points.

Photo by Mike Mitchell

Jeff Earle (center) with several players in the Youth In-House Basketball league he helped run through Park and Recreation for 15 years.

Barlow to

the

By Anne Young Albanese

Audiences will have four chances to see the Joel Barlow High School (JBHS) theater group perform Carrie the Musical next week. Showtimes are on March 14 at 7:00 p.m., March 15 at 7:00 p.m., and March 16 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 for students and seniors and $15 for adults.

The musical is based on the horror novel by Stephen King and originally premiered on Broadway in 1988. It was reworked, and the revival premiered Off-Broadway in 2012. Critics generally preferred the revival, which is the version that JBHS students will perform.

The musical focuses on Carrie White, a bullied teenage girl with telekinetic powers. Her mother, an oppressive religious fanatic, dominates Carrie’s lonely life. When she is humiliated by her classmates at her high school prom, she unleashes chaos on everything in her path out of vengeance.

The musical is being directed

Girl

by Marcelle Morrisey, who also directed the JBHS production of Peter and the Starcatcher last fall. Morrisey is a grade four teacher in Fairfield and studied theater as an undergrad at Southern Connecticut State University. She participates in theaters around Fairfield County, especially the Fairfield Center Stage. She recently directed Elf the Musical and has performed in shows including A Christmas Carol Mamma Mia Spongebob SquarePants Guys and Dolls, and Sound of Music

The musical director is Gwynne Wittmann, a music teacher at JBHS. The pit orchestra is conducted by Chris Breault, another music teacher at JBHS. The technical director and producer is Andy Pohlen, a technology teacher in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) department.

Finally, the choreographer is Genevieve Seanor, Seanor is a JBHS graduate. She was a cochoreographer for the past two

Twelve Junior Girl Scouts will soon be making a difference in the community and in the lives of its reptilian residents by helping to save endangered animals and, possibly, getting motorists to slow down a bit as well.

As a service project, members of Redding Girl Scout Troop 31492 researched and developed an initiative with a positive environmental impact: helping to save three types of native turtles by installing “turtle crossing” signs on Picketts Ridge Road and at the corner of Topstone Road and Chestnut Woods Road. They’ll also replace two homemade signs in town that have become faded and dilapidated and conduct a townwide turtle-safety education campaign.

Troop 31492 members presented their project to the public on

years at John Read Middle School as well as assistant choreographer for at least nine productions at theaters around Fairfield County. She attends Sacred Heart University where she majors in media arts and music.

The cast includes: Carrie White: Alexia Sanchez; Margaret White: Naila Carter; Sue Snell: Sydney Toro; Tommy Ross: Skylar Giblin; Chris Hargensen: Kate Krug; Billy Nolan: Kieran Nevins; Ms. Gardner: Maya Cotter; Mrs. Stephens, Pastor: Julia Vassallo; Stokes: Andrew Kopec; Norma, Margaret understudy: Hannah Gourad; George: Simone Lupo; Frieda, Carrie understudy, dance captain: Kristina Stranik; Ensemble, Sue understudy: Annie Peters; Helen, Chris understudy: Avery Young; Ensemble: Sage Oliver, Shannon Darmofal, Sassy Wood, Marlowe Kaye, Abby Bonoff, Lucia Ferrari, Charlotte Ollendorff, Lilia Vero, and Grey Krois.

The crew includes: Student director: Sadie Baran; Stage manager: Nathanael Knorr; Lighting director: Samangini Kalita; Assistant lighting director: Angela Humphrey; Spotlight: Randy Rivera and Bella Valvo; Lighting: Boden Rehder; Lighting consultant: Penny Jacobus; Head of sound: Mi-Hyun Dechavanne; Sound: Kenji Aoki Perretz, Mateo Jara, and Alisson Espejo; Properties director: Duncan C. Martin; Props coordinator: Dewey Gray; Props: Felicia Van Malderghem; Costume designer: Grey Krois; Costume assistant: Abigal Supon; Costume assistant: Gabby Casatell; Set designer/construction: Penny Jacobus; Set construction: Andrew Cotter; Set construction: Maya Cotter; Set construction: Andrew Cotter; Stage crew/set painter: Maddy Green; Stage crew/Set painter: Phillip Delima; Stage Crew/set painter: Anna Isabel Pardo.

The musicians who will accompany the performance are:

Keyboard 1: Willow Bradford; Guitar 1: Alex Stinson; Guitar 2: Dylan Winegar; Drums: Charlie Villani; Cello: Elle Cederbaum.

Tickets to Carrie the Musical can be purchased in advance at jbhs.booktix.net or at the door.

The house opens 30 minutes before curtain. In recognition of inappropriate references, such as violence, sexual contact, and profanity, the material in this show is potentially unsuitable for children. Children can attend with parental permission, but it isn’t recommended for kids younger than 16 years old. g

P.E.O. now accepting scholarship applications

Awards up to $2, 500 available to college-bound women

Weston’s Chapter P of P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization) announces that scholarships up to $2,500 are available to college-bound women who reside in Weston, Redding, or Easton. Candidates must exhibit: • Excellence in academics • Leadership • Extra-curricular activities

• Participation in community service

• Demonstrated financial need

The deadline for applications is March 29, 2024. An application form is available at www.

PEOChapterPCT.org g

New group for female founders begins this month

l

By Jessie Wright

Starting Thursday, March 7, female-identifying entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to gather for camaraderie and connection each month at Georgetown Collective. The new group – Foundhers Circle – is the brainchild of Redding residents Jess Tyson and Jenna Lloyd.

“The more I’m starting to meet people around here, I’m realizing there are a lot of entrepreneurs,” said Tyson, founder of Don’t Panic Management and Georgetown Collective. “And they are looking for like-minded, trusted community members who are doing similar things to what they are doing.” Tyson has been part of several professional groups as an entrepreneur herself, but they have typically been held online. She noted there is something special about gathering in person, and Georgetown Collective’s co-working space presented a centrally located, comfortable location to connect. When Tyson met Lloyd, a mindful marketing expert, several months ago, they hatched the idea for the Circle. “We talked about how it can be really lonely to be an entrepreneur,” said Tyson. “It’s lonely both ways. It’s lonely if you’re by yourself, but it’s also kind of lonely if you have employees because you are the one on the top.”

Lloyd will facilitate the monthly meetings, which will focus both on the business side of female-identifying founders’ lives as well as their overall

of the Girl Scouts’ Falcon Service Unit in Redding and Easton and a former troop leader; and Masako Nakamuta-Vigneault, a Girl Scouts treasurer who is also on the Board of Directors at New Pond Farm Education Center.

“The girls’ presentation was terrific and shows quite an accomplishment, involving research, agreement on a project, raising money, and implementing that project,” said Pemberton. “Turtles are at risk of being hit by vehicles at certain times of year, and I’m all for this. Our Highway Department will install the posts for the new signs.”

Thursday, February 29 at First

Church of Christ, Congregational. The project will count towards the troop members earning their Bronze service award – the first of three awards a troop can receive (the others are the Silver and Gold Awards).

In Girl Scouts, this is a relatively new troop: It was formed five years ago when its members were in kindergarten, and its members include Chloe Alvarez, Skylar Britton, Ellie Edwards, Iliana Eriksen, Violet Fuller, Julia Kant, Maya Khanna, Meredith Lyons, Adrianna Ragbir, Mackenzie Rivera, Ruby Rothberg, and Sarah Slater. All 12 scouts took part in the presentation.

Also in attendance were First Selectwoman Julia Pemberton; Director of Land Use Aimee Pardee; Stephanie Gregory, leader

A lot of research took place before the Scouts even decided that the turtle project would be their goal. During this “discover” phase, the girls spent hours researching community issues. This included conducting research at the Mark Twain Library and by paying visits, in teams of three, to four key places in town: the Redding Community Center, John Read Middle School, the Redding Transfer Station, and the Redding Police Department.

“To earn the Bronze award, we team up as a troop to explore our community, discover a need or issue we care about, and work together to address it,” Lyons noted. “It’s a chance to create a plan and make an impact on our community. We each have to complete 20 hours on the plan from start to finish. That is 240 hours altogether, so there is a lot

of opportunity to make a real difference!”

The winning idea was to install signs to alert people to turtles crossing roads, which led to the troop’s “connect” phase. Troop members did extensive research at the Mark Twain Library about the kinds of turtles that live in Connecticut: there are 13, with the Eastern Box Turtle, Eastern Painted Turtle, and Snapping Turtles most prevalent in Redding. After learning these turtle basics, they all got hands-on experience during a visit to New Pond Farm Education Center. Besides getting to hold and feed some of the turtles who live at the Farm, they learned about turtle diets, how the turtle’s body functions as a form of camouflage, and what happens when a turtle is injured. Turtles also often view humans as threats, so handling them requires caution. Motorists need to be on the lookout especially during springtime, when female turtles lay eggs, and in the summer, after baby turtles are hatched. If a driver wishes to help a turtle get to the other side of a road, he or she should first make sure it is safe and then face the turtle in the direction it was traveling. “Never relocate a turtle to an area that is far from where you found it,” said Slater. Taking action was the final stage of the project. The troop unanimously chose one design from four proposed: the design depicts both an adult and a baby

spiritual and emotional wellbeing. The structure of each month’s meeting may change and develop organically, but Tyson and Lloyd see the potential for guided visualization exercises, goalsetting, providing a supportive environment for problem-solving, and helping to facilitate resource sharing.

Lloyd, who has been a Fractional CMO for several companies and shares her marketing expertise with founders through her company Made for More Marketing, brings a holistic, spiritual approach to her work. She hopes to create a space for founders to slow down, reflect, and recharge from the “hustle” that they so often are caught up in. “There is a softness to business if you are willing to tap into it,” Lloyd said. “Your innate creativity and your intuition are also really important.”

The group will meet the first Thursday of every month from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., a conscious choice to coincide with the lunar cycle of the new moon, which Lloyd describes as an “invitation to be a little calmer, a little quieter, more restful.”

Founders can attend one meeting, some, or all throughout the year – there is no cost to participate, though donations will be accepted to help support organizations supporting women and girls. The first beneficiary of the group will be the Global Girl Project. g

To learn more or register, visit georgetowncollective.org/events

By Rob Sample

turtle. The troop also obtained approval from the Redding Police and Highway Departments for installing the posts. Once that’s complete, the girls themselves will install the signs during daytime hours in early April.

The troop plans a ribbon-cutting after the signs are installed. The Scouts will then work to educate the public about turtles and their importance to the environment. The troop will also post flyers around town to alert drivers to be careful during spring, summer, and fall months, among other measures.

For further publicity, the troop hopes to highlight the issue at one of this year’s summer Concert on the Green performances – they may even dress in turtle costumes. “We also want to sell turtle-shaped dog biscuits,” said Eriksen. “Any money we make we will donate back to New Pond Farm and Wildlife in Crisis.”

The turtle project has an estimated cost of $500 – and it also coincides with the troop’s annual cookie sale. To meet that requirement, each of the 20 troop members will sell 30 boxes of cookies. They’ll be staffing four cookie-sales booths throughout town during this month and next. g

If you are interested in learning more or have suggestions of other locations in town to install a turtle crossing sign, e-mail Jennine Avino at jennine.avino@gmail.com

Photo by Lisa Baran

Seniors in Carrie the Musical. Left side of the ladder, top to bottom: Dewey Gray, Samangini Kalita, Nathanael Knorr, and Duncan C. Martin. Bottom center: Julia Vassallo. Right side of the ladder, top to bottom: Sadie Baran, Maya Cotter, Naila Carter, and Mi-Hyun Dechavanne.

Photo courtesy of Girl Scout Troop

The members of Girl Scout Troop 31492 with Town leaders after presenting on the Bronze award service project to help save three species of native turtles in Redding from road traffic.

Book Review Library Corner

The Quiet American

By Graham Greene Penguin Classics / 180 p.p. / $11.37

The Quiet American, by Graham Greene, is a novel that explores the clash of colonial interference with indigenous populations as intractable and temporary.

Greene was a master at using pedestrian events around which to draw analogies. Alden Pyle (a carefully chosen name) comes to visit British correspondent Thomas Fowler with his dog, Duke. We are then treated to Duke’s licking himself as Greene’s way to underscore how American intervention in Vietnam in 1952 was little more than canine understanding of self-indulgence. Greene will continue to develop a narrative of confused notions fraught with careless certainties. If Greene doesn’t entirely despise Americans, he deplores their credulity, what Robert Stone called in his forward, their “…lack of background — their overconfiding chatter and Hollywood sensibility” — in a word, their shallowness.

Toxic oversimplification and wrong assumptions are how British Fowler understands American operative Pyle: “I never met a man who had better motives for all trouble he caused.” This observation grew eventually to become governing policy as the American War in Vietnam, with its droll (and incorrect) assumptions about polit-

ical destiny, would eventually result in loss and chaotic evacuation. There is a subtext of romantic competition. Pyle declares his love for Fowler’s girlfriend, a Vietnamese beauty named Phuong. But perhaps Fowler’s cynical brand of occupation is also too facile. He smokes opium every day and gives up his affection for Phuong too readily, it seems. But every occupation is ultimately unstable. It is part of the fabric of the times. Fowler belittles Pyle even as he submits to what he sees as foolishness.

Oversimplification is a treacherous way to understand complex problems. Life’s uncertainty is a part of why global policies are so often ill-conceived. Each nation has its unique identity and lives with a certain catalogue of false assumptions. These assumptions ensure mistakes, some of which end in war and fatal consequences. We see today war in Ukraine and in the Mideast. Eventually, history will settle claims of truth and consequences, but a clear understanding of cause will never find denial or oppression as valid mitigating factors. Misstating a context for want of larger understanding is walking on thin ice. Worse, it implies no plan for when the ground gives way. Greene’s The Quiet American tells that story.

American credulity threatens to undermine foundations of democracy it has for so long claimed as its core. In war and in peace, not knowing things matters. Greene’s biographer, Norman Sherry, quoted from one of Greene’s film reviews: “It might be funny if it wasn’t horrifying…the eternal adolescence of the American mind, to which morality means keeping Mother’s Day and looking after the kid sister’s purity.” g

Review by Tom Casey

Tom is the author of Human Error and Strangers' Gate

Nod to the pod

Reading Glasses: Episode 343: “How to Find

More Books You’ll Like”

By Amy Maloof

A one-episode recommendation from a podcast you might love.

Reading Glasses hosts Brea Grant and Mallory O’Meara –professional creatives and selfproclaimed “mega-readers” –help listeners become the readers they want to be. With humor and wisdom, they offer tips on how to fit reading into your busy life. Leaving out genre judgment or author snobbery, Grant and O’Meara just want to help you find the books that will get you reading (while enjoying it!). They also tackle a variety of reading dilemmas. Maybe you used to read every day as a kid, but over time you lost the habit. Or maybe you always read literary fiction, feeling the pressure to keep up with your book club homies, but you secretly want to skip The New York Times Book Review recs and get into steamy romance. They have clever and kind solutions at the ready. In this episode, they offer strategies for finding more books you like – especially if what

By Erin Shea Dummeyer

About 25% of all our checkouts occur at our self-checkout machines, versus at the desk with a staff member’s help. This seems to be the “new normal” for us, as we have hovered around this proportion for some time. When self-checkout machines first rose in popularity in retailers and grocery stores, there was a lot of concern over them replacing staff. What we have seen at Mark Twain Library, however, is the ability to handle an increase in circulation without the need to hire additional circulation staff. And when it comes to patron behavior, it appears people prefer a hybrid experience. When they

Music Note

want to chat with a staff member, they approach the desk, but when they’re in a hurry and only trying to borrow one or two items, they prefer the self-checkout.

Something that strikes me about this hybrid approach to patron interactions is that Mark Twain Library patrons seem to prefer a hybrid reading experience and hybrid program experience as well. While we have seen a sharp increase in digital items borrowed, our print book circulation really hasn’t stalled either. Turns out eBooks don’t seem to be replacing print books any time soon. Instead, they’re co-existing thanks to read-

ers that enjoy both formats. We’re seeing the same thing with our adult programs. Some programs are made up of primarily in-person attendees with only a few on Zoom, whereas some programs predominantly attract “Zoom-ers” with only a few people coming in person. Luckily, libraries are used to hosting a wide range of user experiences, and it’s always good to have accountability when it comes to being flexible. g

Erin Shea Dummeyer is Director, Mark Twain Library

Pat Wictor to play final Lyrics Coffeehouse of the season l

The 19th season of Park and Recreation’s Lyrics Coffeehouse wraps up this Friday, March 8 with a performance by singer/ songwriter Pat Wictor. A Brooklyn-based musician, Wictor will bring his “lean, poetic” songs

and expressive guitar playing to the Redding Community Center at 7:30 p.m., where attendees can bring their own refreshments and enjoy an evening of acoustic, local music. Wictor’s style is grounded in

By Jessie Wright

rural blues and gospel traditions, and seasons his performances with jazz, pop, improvisations, philosophy, and social commentary. He currently tours solo and in a variety of duos, and is a music educator of note, teaching workshops on guitar, songwriting, body percussion, and vocal and instrumental improvisation.

An American by birth, Wictor’s early years were spent in Venezuela, the Netherlands, Norway, England, and East Texas. His time abroad gave him an outsider’s perspective and set him on a journey to understanding America - and his own Americanness - through music.

Admission is $15, or $12 in advance for each show, with reduced prices for seniors and students. For more information, call (203) 938-2551. g

Good books for good readers l

Anne Berest is a French writer and actress, and her novel The Postcard is the poignant tale of a Jewish family devastated by the Holocaust – but it is also a vivid portrait of 20th century Parisian intellectual and artistic life. It does indeed open with the arrival of an anonymous postcard in January

2003 with a picture of the Opera Garnier in Paris on one side and the names of long–dead family members, who had been deported from France in 1942 and murdered at Auschwitz, on the other. Anne, the heroine of this extraordinarily moving novel, sets about to discover who sent it – and why –

By Margi Esten

so the book reads like a detective story.

Berest is also the author of the bestseller How To Be Parisian

Wherever You Are, published in 2014, and is the recipient of numerous literary awards. The Postcard was a finalist for the Goncourt Prize. g you like is seemingly limited and niche.

I also enjoy hearing about the books they themselves are reading, which is unusual for me. Usually when I get a book recommendation, I feel a strange kind of performance anxiety: Will they be keeping track if I read it or not? What if I read it and I hate it? Should I lie? (The irony is not lost that I write a recommendation column!) So even though I’ve always been a reader, I bristle at too much book chat amongst friends. However, something about the way these two women share their current reads is enchanting and cozy and makes me hunt for a pencil to jot down titles. (Or, when I remember to be smart, just check the podcast’s notes – theirs are very thorough!) Just be warned, though. Since I began listening, I’ve got a longer than ever “To Be Read” list – ultimately, a lovely problem to have. g

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Redding's Big Outdoors: Dead End Trial / continued from page 1 trees also give full view to several neighbors’ backyards and homes –not necessarily a feature we look for in our outdoor adventures. I realize too that certain seasons of life may not be the most suited to success on this trail – perhaps next time I won’t attempt it at nine months pregnant, teetering on slippery rocks and skidding down muddy banks.

for the portions where storms had taken down some of the blaze trees, becomes a trickling stream for a stretch after all the winter rain. We’re reminded of “the floor is lava” games of our childhoods, leaping from couch to ottoman to strategically placed pillow, determined not to touch the ground. My husband, knowing our outing will appear in the Sentinel this week, suggests the headline: “Dead End Trail: Bring a can of blue paint and a machete”. I’m feeling slightly more metaphorical and counter with: “Dead End Trail: A meditation on seasonal change.”

This may not be the best season to explore this particular trail, we realize, between the moisture, the muck, and the thorns. The bare

We are determined to make it to the dead-end point, however, and press on. After crossing Windy Hill Road, we ascend a short hill to a grassy bank hugging reedy wetlands, a swath of powerlines before us. The open sky is a relief after the scrabbling we’ve been doing, and we stride on, knowing the turning point is close. About 40

Nuvance hospital system to merge with Northwell Health / continued from page 1

Health would also continue to provide care to anyone, regardless of their ability to pay.”

Two health systems in Connecticut combined five years ago to form Nuvance. Western Connecticut Health Network, which

other local organizations in the past.

owned Danbury, New Milford, and Norwalk hospitals, merged with Health Quest, which owned Vassar Brothers Medical Center, Putnam Hospital and Northern Duchess Hospital in New York, and Sharon Hospital in Connecticut. The

minutes after we began, we come upon the backside of Umpawaug Cemetery, historic gravestones rising from the wet earth and marking the end of the trail.

We turn around, each grabbing a broken branch as a makeshift trail pole, ready to navigate back through the mess. It isn’t until we are halfway back to our car that I chuckle and realize the poignant – and humorous – genius of whomever gave this trail its name. Offering yet another reminder of the turn of the seasons, the infinite cycle of birth-life-death, the Dead End Trail ends at the dead. g

intent to merge was announced in 2018, and the deal was approved in 2019. g

This story originally appeared in CT Mirror

Redding residents can learn more about The REF by visiting thereddingeducationfoundation.

The Redding Education Foundation relaunches / continued from page 1 org and interested donors can get in touch at hello@ thereddingeducationfoundation. org. The REF is currently accepting donations by check. Its

leaders expect the website to be able to accept donations by the end of March. REF is a 501 (c)(3), and all donations are tax deductible. g

Photo courtesy of Pat Wictor

Remembering Redding

Nothing lasts forever The life and times of 3 Side Cut Road l

One of the most difficult parts of the otherwise pleasant job of being an official town historian is being called upon to evaluate and offer recommendations on historic structures where the owner has requested a demolition permit. Age notwithstanding, some buildings are obviously more historically significant than others, and when it is one of those structures listed on the demolition application, it is often a challenge not to be influenced by nostalgia. But part of the job is to objectively look at the building, its present condition, its significance to the town’s history, and then recommend steps that might mitigate the loss of the building as it falls victim to the proverbial wrecking ball.

The fact of the matter is that

History

not all old buildings are good candidates for preservation. Not because they aren’t significantly important, but because they have already begun to self-destruct due to years of benign neglect. Unfortunately, there comes a time when it’s too late to save what could and should have been saved had action taken place earlier.

As one of the official CoHistorians of the Town of Redding, I was faced with assessing such a building in May 2022. The old West Redding Store and train depot goes back over 150 years and is a familiar icon to anyone who has called Redding their home for more than just a few years. But the application for demolition read “3 Side Cut Road,” so that was the address we needed to look at.

By Bruce Nelson

When the railroad between Norwalk and Danbury began operations in 1852, James L. Griffin was appointed as the first postmaster of West Redding. Griffin first operated a general store and post office, along with Redding’s first railroad station on the northwestern side of the tracks on Long Ridge Road. The structure at 3 Side Cut Road appears to have been built by Griffin sometime around 1864 on land owned by his family. Griffin also built and ran a hotel on the northern side of the tracks that sat on the same property as his original store and post office. Exactly when he moved the store and the post office into the building at 3 Side Cut is unknown, but it clearly shows on the 1867 Beers map as being used as the train depot.

The first confirmed use of the structure as a store and post office was when Weston Barnes was appointed postmaster there in 1880. The 1880 Census also shows Barnes as being the proprietor of a dry goods store at that location.

William Mandeville purchased the store from Barnes in 1881 and was appointed postmaster that same year (National Archives –Appointments of US postmasters 1832-1971). A Danbury News article from 1882 confirms that Mandeville was also the station master and was living in the apartment over the store on November 3, 1882, when the hotel owned by the Griffin family caught fire and was destroyed. In addition to being the proprietor of the store and postmaster, Mandeville had been elected Redding’s Tax Collector in 1891 and residents were encouraged to pay their taxes at his store.

The 1900 US Census shows Charles Bronson as the proprietor and postmaster of the store; he was also living there with his wife and two children. The report suggests that Bronson owned the property, but it is far more likely that he leased it from Mandeville who had moved to Danbury and was running another store on Balmforth Avenue by then.

John Jennings was the next proprietor of the store as well as the postmaster. The 1910 US Census showed John and his wife Mary as operators of the store and indicated they were renters.

A March 27, 1911, deed shows William and Sarah Mandeville transferring ownership of the property to Jennings. Charles Burr Todd’s 1906 The History of Redding Connecticut shows a photograph of the property with Jennings’s name across the awning in front of the store. Jennings was also one of the founders of Putnam Park in 1887. It was during his tenure as station master that Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) made two noteworthy trips through the depot – his first arrival in Redding in June of 1908, and his final departure inside his coffin in April of 1910.

In 1915, Emory P. Sanford purchased the business and the property from Jennings in a deed dated January 4. (Volume 31, Page 275 of the Redding Land Records). Sanford had been displaced by the Bridgeport Hydraulic Company in late 1914 after the company had taken his family’s land on Poverty Hollow Road where he had been operating a slaughterhouse. After moving to West Redding, Sanford wasted little time in establishing the district’s first volunteer fire department on the property across the road near where today’s post office is located.

Emory added a covered porch to the southern side of the structure. He also installed a gasoline pump and offered long-distance calling from Southern New England Telephone – both firsts for the western side of Redding.

In 1920, Emory sold the business and the property to J. Birdsey Sanford for approximately

$3,100. It was then run under the name of Sanford’s Store. Gertrude Sanford recalled carving cheese from wheels and selling butter from tubs. They sold coffee by the pound and ground it in a large grinder that sat in the store. In addition, they sold both green and oolong tea by the pound.

During the time the Sanfords owned the building, the front porches were enclosed, and allweather windows were added.

In 1946, Kenneth Bell purchased the store from the Sanfords when he was appointed as the new postmaster. After a new post office was built across the road, Bell sold the store and property to William Gordon. In 1952 when the railroad’s lease expired for the depot in the main building, the company built a rather spartan–looking building a few yards to the west on property they owned. That building served as a waiting area for rail passengers for many years.

In 1953, Fred Cole became a partner with property owner Bill Gordon. Fred became the proprietor of the West Redding Store and sometime after Bill Gordon’s 1969 death, Cole and his wife Ada became the sole owners of the property. By then, the vacated depot section of the original building had been converted into a liquor store and a bay window added to the western side of the building. In addition, the southern side of the building had been extended outwards to the west by about twenty feet, making the entire western façade even and providing enough extra space to accommodate an additional retail store. The front porch was extended all the way across the western façade, retaining the building’s original character.

In 1957, another business –The House of Wares opened in the southern end of the building and the offices of Fran Rumsey occupied the second floor over the grocery store that Fred Cole ran. After The House of Wares closed, that space was occupied by the Redding Paint and Hardware store.

The late 1950s saw the complex become the hub of commercial activity in West Redding. After the Country Emporium opened on the northern side of the railroad tracks, additional traffic supplied more customers to the area. With a liquor store, a full grocery store, gasoline pumps, and a hardware/ paint store on the first level, the complex provided many of the essentials for area residents.

On January 15, 1965, a massive fire destroyed most of the second floor of the main building, while smoke and water damage ruined a good deal of the main level that housed the West Redding Store. An architect was engaged to draw up plans that would restore the building to look almost identical to the original. The only major change was in the roof. The front façade of the building retained the westward facing gable, allowing the building to keep its traditional historically–correct appearance, but the rest of the structure received a flat roof covered with asphalt and stone.

The Coles operated the store until Fred’s death in 1977, and after that, his widow Ada and the couple’s son Doug continued to run the Bay Window Package Store for several more years. Space once occupied by the hardware store was leased out to Gail’s Station House Restaurant, a very successful breakfast and lunch eatery.

In 1990, Ada Cole sold the property to Fred Levy & Holman Inc. They leased the stores and the two apartments to various tenants but failed to make the monthly mortgage payments to Ada. After a two-year ordeal, Ada foreclosed and retook possession of the property. She then sold it again in 1999 to investor Lewis Finch, the father of Barry Finch, the last owner prior to the recent sale of

the property to its current owners.

Over the past twenty-plus years, Finch allowed the building to deteriorate, neglecting to address issues with the flat roof when it began to leak.

Inspection in 2022

The recent inspection of the building revealed that almost all the structural and mold issues were the direct result of a failed roof system that had gone unrepaired for many years. The only section of the building that was still viable was the front apartment which sat at least partially under the original gable roof. The rear apartment had major issues created by the leaking roof at the rear of the building and was uninhabitable.

The entire lower section of the building contained partially collapsed ceilings due to water leaks from above. Much of the blown-in insulation was scattered about on the floors and, given the 1965 renovation date, that insulation may have contained asbestos. Mold was prevalent throughout the lower section of the building and in some cases was so extensive that it was dangerous to even enter without wearing a respirator. Mold and asbestos abatement and remediation costs alone would have almost certainly made saving the structure untenable.

Given the extent of the water damage, the time that had elapsed, the obvious signs of exterior rot and sagging roofs in the flat sections, it could be assumed that there was significant structural weaking in the entire flat roof, and quite possibly, more hidden damage within certain sections of the interior walls.

I recommended that the building had earned Redding’s 180-day demolition delay due to its historic significance so that the Historical Review Committee could negotiate with the new owner in an effort to mitigate the likely loss of this structure. But given the neglect this building had suffered over the past twenty or more years, I was certainly doubtful that it would survive.

As sad as that may be, that is the reality that the good people of Redding must face. If there is one good thing that comes from having a demolition delay process, it is that it forces historians such as myself to take immediate steps to record and preserve the history of the structure involved. Contrary to popular belief, every historical building in town doesn’t come with an already prepared house history. But when time is of the essence, we can do the research, take the photographs, and create a record that will long outlive the building. g

Bruce Nelson is Co-Historian for the Town of Redding and Co-Founder of the Redding CT History Project

A special thanks goes out to Deborah Cole who provided information about her family’s tenure with the property, as well as the 1965 fire photos

1916: Emory P. Sanford introduced gasoline sales and long-distance calling at his general store. He also added the porches at the right side of the building.

1946: May 1946 when Kenneth Bell took over the business. The porches at the right had already been enclosed for all-weather use.

1957: The porch at the right had been extended outward and enclosed to create additional retail space. From left to right, the businesses were the Bay

Package Store, West Redding Store, and The House of Wares.

2022: A long neglected flat roof had deteriorated to the point of persistent leaks that caused extensive interior damage.

1965: A January 1965 fire destroyed most of the upper level and water and smoke caused heavy losses on the ground floor to the West Redding Store.

Photo by Susan Clark

Partial demolition at 3 Side Cut Road on February 28, 2024.

The Natural World

Meadow Ridge celebrates World Wildlife Day

Monthly free plant swap helps bring the outdoors in, year-round l

By Pamela Brown

Are you looking for some new plants to brighten your home? Or, do you have some extra plants to share with others? Then be sure to stop by the Plant Swap at the Rainy Day Paperback Exchange located at 81 Greenwood Avenue in downtown Bethel.

“It’s a come and go kind of thing,” said owner Honorah O’Neill of the year-round event that’s held every second Saturday of the month, from 11:00 a.m. –2:00 p.m. O’Neill established the swap along with Bethel CT Pride, a volunteer-driven organization that provides support and celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community. “People can bring in plants or they can take home plants. They don’t have to bring them in even amounts or take them home in even amounts,” she said. People can also bring seeds and pick some up.

At each swap, there’s a variety of plants to browse. “It’s quite a lot. Some come with a whole tray of plants after realizing they have too many, or they’re dividing plants. There are some really nice perennials that show up sometimes, like irises,” explained O’Neill, who also receives additional plants from the Berry School’s student perennial pollinator garden. In winter, she accepts only indoor plants and seeds; in spring and summer, past the last frost date, she accepts both indoor and outdoor plants. The swap is held on the sidewalk in spring and summer and indoors in winter.

A casual gardener, during winter O’Neill propagates plants and contributes to the swap, including native willow, milkweed, New England aster, and even vegetables.

“In winter, fifty-percent comes from my personal stash,” she said,

noting she always has a bunch of succulents, spider plants, coleus, and begonia. In summer, you’ll also find vegetables along with trees and shrubs. O’Neill’s only two rules are no invasive species and only items that fit in the car. “One time, someone dropped off a six-foot palm tree. They had it since the ‘90s, and it was too big for their ceiling. It went home with a happy teenager,” said O’Neill.

Along with Bethel CT Pride, O’Neill offers a free mail order program. “We started the seed swap during Covid. It’s a mix of seed packets from other people and things people saved,” she explained. “You just go on my website and select whatever seeds you want and receive them in the mail for free.” Orders are taken up until the last frost date each spring.

Owning Rainy Day Paperback Exchange since 2002, O’Neill appreciates the opportunity to mingle with the community. “Especially in summer, Bethel is a very walkable downtown, so a lot of people will walk by and go, ‘Oh, I didn’t know I needed a plant but now I do!’ I get to talk with people a little bit and some ask me about Bethel Pride,” said O’Neill. After browsing, people can also check out the wide selection of used and rare paperback books. g

This month’s plant swap will be held on Saturday, March 9 To learn more, visit rainydaypaperback.com

Local Easter egg hunts celebrate spring l

Calling all egg-hunters – get out your baskets and get ready for some outdoor fun! It’s the time of year to celebrate spring at several annual Easter egg hunts in the area. This tradition can be traced to 17th century Germany, and today it remains a symbol of life and rebirth, but also a fun time for kids to search for colorful eggs. Check out some of the local places hosting Easter egg hunts and plan on arriving early. All hunts start precisely on the time listed and many are BYOB (bring your own basket).

Easter Egg Dive at Riverbrook Regional YMCA

Saturday, March 9 from 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. 404 Danbury Road, Wilton wiltonymca.org or (203) 762-8384 Member: $10.00; Non-Member: $15.00. Parents are free.

If your kids are swimmers, they’ll enjoy jumping into the Riverbrook Regional YMCA’s 2nd Annual Easter Egg Dive. The aquatic egg hunt, in the YMCA’s 25-yard warm water pool, will feature 6,000 eggs, some filled with prizes. “I like to do things that are different, and the kids have such a blast. The event is for any age, even babies,” said Samantha Lusher, Director of Aquatics & Risk Management. All children will take home a basket filled with goodies, and they can stay for the entire time to have even more fun. “It’s a free play-type of environment. There’s plenty of room with areas to swim and kids will be cannonballing. It’s nice to watch kids smiling along with their parents,” Lusher added.

Hoppy Days Egg Hunt at Lounsbury House

Saturday, March 16 at 10:00 a.m. 316 Main Street, Ridgefield givebutter.com/LounsburyHouseEggHunt2024 or (203) 438-6962 Free. Pre-registration is encouraged and donations are welcome. Rain or shine.

The picturesque 1896 historic grounds of the Lounsbury House, a non-profit and National Historic Site, is the locale for an annual Easter egg hunt where kids can have fun and frolic about. “There are lots of goodies to be discovered within colorful eggs and traditional festive fun focused on time together with family and friends,” said Suzanne Brennan, Executive Director of Lounsbury House, who noted the event dates to 1957 when the House held an Easter Egg Hunt annually. “I fell in love with bringing it back! The focus is on the kids! Parents can watch their little ones explore, laugh, and take part in the outdoor hunt.” The Easter Bunny will also make an appearance to spread cheer and pose for photos. Brennan added, “The Easter Egg Hunt at Lounsbury is all about tradition, children, and their families, helping foster a sense of wonder and excitement while on our beautiful historic House grounds.”

Ridgefield Parks and Recreation

Free Annual Egg Scramble

Saturday, March 23 from 11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

Rain date: March 24 at 12:00 p.m.

Ballard Park, 485 Main Street, Ridgefield Free. No registration required.

By Pamela Brown

Co-sponsored by the Ridgefield Rotary Club, this annual event comprises an egg hunt in Ballard Park featuring 6,000 hidden candy-filled eggs for children to find in five minutes. There will also be a meet-and-greet with the Easter Bunny. “It’s exciting and gratifying. We enjoy doing this event every year as we see the smiles on both the kids’ and parents’ faces as they race to put eggs in their basket. We segment the park into age groups so that everyone has the chance to fill their basket,” said Bob Schwartz, President of the Ridgefield Rotary Club. “Parents have told us that they used to come to Ballard Park as a kid to get the eggs, and it’s a fun family event.”

Rising Starr Horse Rescue Bunny Hop

Saturday, March 23 from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. 93 Silver Spring Road, Wilton risingstarrhorserescue.org or (203) 257-8345.

Cost: $10.00 per child (18 months – 12 years); $15.00 at the door. Free for adults.

This unique Easter-oriented event offers kids the opportunity to have fun while also giving back as they spend the afternoon in a large barn jam-packed with activities. “It’s a different-type of experience. Kids get to experience horses hands-on. We have thirty horses in the barn, and they can interact with them,” said Kelly Stackpole, Founder and Executive Director of Rising Starr Horse Rescue. Instead of a hunt for eggs, there will be a hunt for lollipops in the haystacks. A variety of interactive Easter-oriented activities will include arts & craft stations; a photo booth with mini horses; games with prizes; face painting; coloring; and springtime snacks. Kids will enjoy the rabbits and chicks in costume and Pin-the-Tail-on-the-Bunny. All proceeds help to care for the rescue horses at Rising Starr Horse Rescue, a non-profit organization that saves, rehabilitates, retrains, and rehomes abandoned, neglected, or abused horses and educates the public about at-risk horses and the importance of protecting them.

Spring Egg Hunt at Lachat Town Farm Saturday, March 30 at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.

106 Godfrey Road West, Weston Lachattownfarm.org

Cost: $20.00 per child.

Rain or shine.

One of the farm’s most popular and anticipated springtime community events, the hunt is a day for children to welcome spring and search for colorful eggs amidst the Farm’s expansive meadows and hills. After the hunt, children can turn their eggs in for a prize. Along with music, there will be fun activities, such as face painting and crafts, and Springtime S’mores in the barn. Children can also visit Lachat’s real-life bunnies and chicks and take a photo with the Farm’s Spring Bunny. g

Editor’s Note: Several other local events, including New Pond Farm Education Center’s annual Old Fashioned Easter Egg Hunt, are already sold out but are creating waitlists.

Photo courtesy of Rainy Day Paperback

In honor of World Wildlife Day on March 3, Meadow Ridge celebrated several of its feathered, scaly, and colorful residents. Clockwise, from top left: A wren visits a feeder on Meadow Ridge grounds (Photo by Christine Schiffer); Resident Dee Edgar, with her cockatoo, Duchess (Photo courtesy of Meadow Ridge); The atrium's resident turtle, Tubbie (Photo by Christine Schiffer); An orange salamander (Photo by Carol Morgan); A monarch butterfly enjoys the outdoors (Photo by Christine Schiffer).

Calendar of Events

This Week’s Featured Events

Lyrics Coffeehouse –Pat Wictor

Friday, March 8

7:30 p.m.

BYOB and enjoy an evening of live music by local musicians. Redding Community Center

37 Lonetown Road townofreddingct.org/parks-andrecreation/upcoming-events/ lyrics-coffee-house $

Arts

Saturday,

Thursday,

Sunday, March 10

The

Eight

Sunday, March 10

Readings

Nicole Caruso Garcia, Phillip K. Lu, and Susan Campbell Bartoletti.

Byrd’s Books 178 Greenwood Avenue Bethel byrdsbooks.com/event/springpoetry-series-march-10th-4pm R

Thursday, March 14 –

Saturday, March 16

Carrie the Musical presented by Joel Barlow High School 7:00 p.m. – Thursday and Friday 2:00 p.m. or 7:00 p.m. – Saturday

Joel Barlow High School 100 Black Rock Turnpike jbhs.booktix.net/seating.php $

Sunday, March 17

SYNCOPATION Group

Art Show Opening

3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

With Ralph Lalama's Grammy award-winning jazz quartet. Georgetown Arts & Cultural Center 5 Main Street gtownarts.com g

Let Us Give to Nature

Monday, March 11

11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Light lunch and talk by Clan

Mother Shoron Wuapakuay Piper, Tribal leader of the Golden Hill Paugusset Native American Tribe. Redding Community Center 37 Lonetown Road reddinggardenclub.org/monthlymeetings $

Tuesday, March 12

Storytime for Children Ages 1-5 with an Adult 10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

Nature story and related activities

New Pond Farm Education Center 101 Marchant Road newpondfarm.org $, R

Saturday, March 16

STEM at New Pond Farm –Egg Drop 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Grades K-4

New Pond Farm Education Center 101 Marchant Road newpondfarm.org $, R g

Crafts

Sundays, March 10 and 17

Knitting Series: Make a Fringe Scarf!

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Three-part series for middle, high school, and adults.

New Pond Farm Education Center 101 Marchant Road newpondfarm.org $, R

Thursday, March 14

Spring Wreath Making Workshop 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Proceeds to benefit Housatonic

Habitat for Humanity’s Aging in Place program

Danbury ReStore 51 Austin Street Danbury housatonichabitat.org/restoreevents $, R

Sunday, March 24

Easter Egg Trees 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

New Pond Farm Education Center 101 Marchant Road newpondfarm.org $, R

Sunday, March 24

Needlework Drop-In 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

New Pond Farm Education Center 101 Marchant Road newpondfarm.org g

Health I Wellness

Thursday, March 7

Sit to be Fit: A Chair Yoga Series with Viki 12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Virtual Mark Twain Library marktwainlibrary.org R

Thursday, March 7

Sound Bowl Healing & Meditation 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Mark Twain Library 439 Redding Road marktwainlibrary.org R

Saturday, March 9

Guided Mindfulness & Stress Reduction 8:15 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

A 45-minute guided mindfulness and stress reduction exercise. Pay what you can.

Georgetown Collective 28 Main Street, A georgetowncollective.org/events $, R

SYNCOPATION Group

Art Show Opening

Sunday, March 17

3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

With Ralph Lalama's Grammy award-winning jazz quartet Georgetown Arts & Cultural Center 5 Main Street gtownarts.com

Tuesday, March 12

Narcan Training 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Learn how to deliver Narcan, a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose. Mark Twain Library 439 Redding Road marktwainlibrary.org R g

Nature

Friday, March 8

Stargazing 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Part science, part folklore, enjoy a low-tech night of stargazing with adults and families with school–aged children. New Pond Farm Education Center 101 Marchant Road newpondfarm.org $, R

Saturday, March 9

Woodcock Walk 5:45 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. New Pond Farm Education Center 101 Marchant Road newpondfarm.org Free for members. $, R

Monday, March 11

Let Us Give to Nature 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Light lunch and talk by Clan

Mother Shoron Wuapakuay Piper, Tribal leader of the Golden Hill Paugusset Native American Tribe. Redding Community Center 37 Lonetown Road reddinggardenclub.org/monthlymeetings R

Saturday, March 16

Gardening Basics: Planting Cold Weather Crops 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Drop-In Program New Pond Farm Education Center 101 Marchant Road newpondfarm.org

Saturday, March 16

Astronomy: Viewing the Night Sky 8:00 p.m.

Outdoor program – dress for the weather New Pond Farm Education Center 101 Marchant Road newpondfarm.org $, R

Sunday, March 24

Redding Grange’s 3rd Annual Seed Exchange and Giveaway 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Free seeds and some seedlings, supplies, and baked goods for sale. E-mail seeds@phineus.com for information on how to donate.

Redding Grange No. 15 399 Newtown Turnpike reddinggrange.org g

Religious Services

Bethlehem Lutheran Church Sundays at 10:00 a.m. (in person) or 10:15 a.m. (Zoom) 44 Portland Avenue bethlehemlutheranct.org

Calvary Independent Baptist Church

Adult and Child Sunday School at 10:00 a.m. / Sundays at 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Wednesday prayer meeting at 7:00 p.m.

Redding Grange’s 3rd Annual Seed Exchange and Giveaway

Sunday, March 24 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Free seeds and some seedlings, supplies, and baked goods for sale. E-mail seeds@phineus.com for information on how to donate.

Redding Grange No. 15 399 Newtown Turnpike reddinggrange.org

Christ Church, Episcopal Sundays at 9:00 a.m. 184 Cross Highway christchurchredding.org

First Church of Christ, Congregational Sundays at 10:00 a.m. 25 Cross Highway firstchurchredding.org

Long Ridge United Methodist Sundays at 11:00 a.m. 201 Long Ridge Road, Danbury longridgeumc.com

Sacred Heart / St. Patrick Parish

Sacred Heart Church: Saturday Vigil Mass: 4:00 p.m.

Saturday Eucharistic Adoration: 6:00 p.m.

Sunday Mass: 9:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. 12:00 noon LATIN

Weekday Mass: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:30 a.m.

Wednesday 6:00 p.m. LATIN 30 Church Street

St. Patrick Church: Fridays during Lent: 7:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross

Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:30 p.m.

Sunday Mass: 8:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m., 5:00 p.m.

Weekday Mass:

Monday – Friday at 8:30 a.m.

Mondays and Thursdays Eucharistic Adoration: 7:00 p.m.

169 Black Rock Turnpike sacredheart-stpat.org g

Special Programs

Thursday, March 7

Foundhers Circle – first meeting 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Join female-identifying founders to share ideas and make connections.

Georgetown Collective 28 Main Street, A georgetowncollective.org/events $, R

Friday, March 8

The New England Vampire Panic (Teens and Adults) 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Mark Twain Library 439 Redding Road marktwainlibrary.org R

Saturdays, March 9, 16, and 23

Redding Historical Society

Lonetown Farm and Museum

Public Open House with Guided Tour 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Members and children free; Non-members $10.

Lonetown Farm and Museum 43 Lonetown Road Call (203) 938-9095 with questions. $

Sunday, March 10

The Future of Innovation –John Kao 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Presented by the Wilton Historical Society and Wilton Library. 137 Old Ridgefield Road, Wilton wiltonhistorical.org/publicprograms/history-lecture-series R

Thursday, March 21

Welcome Spring Open House 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Learn more about Redding, its history, and what to do in town.

Co-sponsored by Redding Neighbors & Newcomers

Meetings

Thursday, March 7

Redding Safety Committee 4:00 p.m.

Virtual townofreddingct.org

Thursday, March 7

Board of Assessment Appeals 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Town Hall / Hearing Room 100 Hill Road townofreddingct.org

Thursday, March 7

Democratic Town Committee 7:30 p.m.

Town Hall / Hearing Room 100 Hill Road townofreddingct.org

Saturday, March 9

Board of Assessment Appeals 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Town Hall / Hearing Room 100 Hill Road townofreddingct.org

Monday, March 11

Freedom of Information Workshop 5:00 p.m.

Town Hall / Hearing Room 100 Hill Road townofreddingct.org

Tuesday, March 12

Georgetown Fire District Meeting 5:00 p.m.

61 Redding Road townofreddingct.org

Tuesday, March 12

Georgetown Fire District Annual Budget Meeting 7:00 p.m.

61 Redding Road townofreddingct.org

Thursday, March 12

Redding Fire District 1 7:00 p.m. 186 Black Rock Turnpike townofreddingct.org

Tuesday, March 12

Planning Commission 7:30 p.m.

Town Hall / Hearing Room 100 Hill Road townofreddingct.org

Wednesday, March 13

Commission on Aging 9:00 a.m.

Heritage Center 37 Lonetown Road townofreddingct.org

Wednesday, March 13

Zoning Commission 7:30 p.m.

Town Hall / Hearing Room 100 Hill Road townofreddingct.org

Thursday, March 14

Gilbert and Bennett Wire Mill Advisory Committee 6:00 p.m. Virtual townofreddingct.org

Thursday, March 14

Region 9 Board of Education Budget Workshop 7:00 p.m.

Joel Barlow High School / Library Learning Commons 100 Black Rock Turnpike er9.org

Thursday, March 14

Redding Fire District #2 Commissioners Meeting 7:00 p.m.

West Redding Firehouse 306 Umpawaug Road townofreddingct.org g

Nursery provided for all services 711 Redding Road cibcredding.org

Mark Twain Library 439 Redding Road marktwainlibrary.org g