Volume 11, Number 32
www.southingtoncitizen.com
Friday, August 5, 2016
Former Thalberg School student returns as teacher By Jesse Buchanan Record-Journal staff
When Andrea LaChapelle was out on medical leave from her second grade Thalberg School class, she turned to her former student Kaitlyn Rogalski. Rogalski, 23, was a student-teacher at the school and led the class as a substitute for seven weeks for her former instructor. Rogalski was hired as a Thalberg teacher this year and will be- New teacher Kaitlyn Rogalski, of Southington, center, sits gin leading her own 1st grade at her desk between former teachers Andrea LaChapelle, left, and Karen DeBishop at Thalberg School July 29. See LaChapelle, A2
Fire Capt. Alan Zygmunt high fives Fiona Infantino at the department’s headquarters July 29. | Bryan Lipiner, Record-Journal
Girl witnesses fire, thanks firefighters
| Dave Zajac, Record-Journal
By Bryan Lipiner Record-Journal staff
When a young girl witnessed a house fire at 24 High St., July 27, she wanted the town’s firefighters to know their efforts were appreciated. So on Friday afternoon, July 29, Fiona Infantino, 5, donated a bag full of ice cream bars to firefighters at the department’s headquarters on North Main Street. “I’m just very proud of her,” her mother, Erin Infantino, said. “You can’t ask for anything more than for a child to be loving and kind to other people.”
Jeff Carbone and Patty Boissonneault put together sausage and pepper sandwiches during the Italian-American Festival held during the last weekend in July. | Justin Weekes, Special to the Record-Journal
Festival featured all things Italian By Amanda Falcone Special to the Record-Journal
Every year, families and friends gather at the Southington Italian-American
Festival. Enjoying the Italian food and the entertainment is a tradition — one not even rain can stop. As the first raindrops fell
Saturday afternoon, Nina Tonnotti sat under a tent on Center Street with her caregiver, Nancy Krampitz, See Festival, A17
A member of the YMCA at 29 High St., Fiona and her classmates were evacuated Wednesday afternoon, July 27, due to the fire. Firefighters were on scene from about 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Fire crews from Cheshire, Plainville and Bristol also responded for mutual aid. Above average temperatures led to firefighters quickly rotating in and out of the building. “You need to have additional crews there so you can rotate out faster,” fire Capt. Alan Zygmunt said. Father Sal Infantino was impressed with his daughter’s intellect. “There was no coaxing or anything like that,” he said. “It surprised me that, a child at this age ... can have the See Girl, A9