Thursday, January 23, 2014
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
HAPPY 8th BIRTHDAY ANGELA KRYSTYNA ZANDRI
One of Angela’s “greatest hits” from 2013:
All the kids and I are walking down South Main Street one Saturday morning when we come upon a new home under construction with a portable bathroom in the front yard for the work crew.
Angela points to it and asks “Daddy, what is that?”
”That’s a Port-o-let” I respond.
Innocently, she responds “Oh, like on Star Trek”
“I’m sorry – what?”
“You know Daddy – they get in and they show up somewhere else”
I smile and I answer “That’s a transporter, pumpkin”. I also followed up with “Stay seven Angela – never grow up.”
Like all kids, she didn’t listen and turns eight today at 9:48AM EST. At that time eight years ago I was blessed with my little princess, three days early, at 7 pounds 10 ounces and measuring 18 inches in length.
I look forward to however many more years I get to have with her and all the amazement and wonder yet to come, just as I did that one Saturday morning.
Happy Birthday daughter – I love you.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Board of Education Budget Presentation 01/13/14
On Monday, January 13, 2014, there will be a presentation of the 14/15 central office budget proposal to the Board of Education. This meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Lyman Hall High School VoAg Community Room. Please feel free to attend. If you are unable to attend and would like to learn more about the budget, the complete PowerPoint presentation will be posted the next day on the district website.
On Saturday, January 25, 2014, the Board of Education will hold a budget workshop for discussion and development of a budget to be presented to the Mayor. This meeting is at 8 a.m. at the Lyman Hall High School VoAg Community Room. Again, please feel to attend.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Sal Menzo, Ed.D.
Superintendent – Wallingford Public Schools
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Parking Ban - Thursday, January 2, 2014
Parking Ban - Thursday, January 2, 2014
Due to inclement weather or a forecast of inclement weather, a parking ban will go into effect in the Town of Wallingford on:
Date: Thursday, January 2, 2014
Time: 5:00 p.m.
No vehicles shall be parked or allowed to remain on any public street while the parking ban is in effect. Vehicles found to be in violation of the ban will be tagged and towed at the owner's expense.
The parking ban will remain in effect until cancelled.
Please see the prior posted information regarding Temporary Parking Options During Winter Storms
Temporary Parking Options During Winter Storms
As published on the town website; there will likely be a parking ban with this storm – as soon as I can identify it’s been announced I will post and push it out.
The Department of Public Works reminds local residents that when a parking ban is in effect during winter storms, temporary parking is available in municipal lots. The parking options listed below are located in the downtown area.
Town Hall - 45 South Main Street
Municipal Credit Union - 88 South Main Street
Wallingford Public Library - 200 North Man Street
Caplan/Wooding Property - located behind the building that corners North Main Street and Center Street
Simpson Court Rear Lot - park in designated municipal area
Whittlesey Avenue & Orchard Street - park in designated municipal area
Meadow Street & William Street - park in designated municipal area
Railroad Station - park behind station on the west side of the tracks
Please remember that relocating your vehicle from the street assists with the removal of snow and proper treatment of the roadway surface. When a parking ban is in effect, motor vehicles may not be parked on any public street and are subject to removal.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Northern New England Intercity Rail Meeting
Save the Date! Northern New England Intercity Rail Meeting
On January 23rd the Northern New England Intercity Rail Initiative, a study to examine opportunities and impacts of more frequent and higher speed intercity passenger rail service on the Inland Route (connecting Boston-Springfield-New Haven) and the Boston-Springfield-Montreal Route (connecting Boston-Springfield-Montreal) will be held at the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, 60 Congress Street in Springfield, MA at 7:00 p.m.
This study is led by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and Vermont Agency of Transportation, in collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Transportation.
This meeting location is accessible to people with disabilities. To request any language (non-English) interpretation assistance, American Sign Language interpreters, assistive listening devices, handouts in alternative formats, or information on the meeting, please contact Jill Barrett by email jbarrett@fhiplan.com or by phone (860) 570-0740 by January 13, 2014.
Wallingford Christmas tree pickup
As published in the Record Journal Tuesday December 31, 2013
WALLINGFORD — The Public Works Department is scheduled to pick Christmas trees in all section of town on Wednesday, Jan. 8.
Tree must be curbside by Tuesday, Jan. 7. Trees must be clean of ornaments, bows and tinsel. No plastic bags or wreaths will be picked up. Residents who miss this one-time pickup may bring trees to the Wallingford compost area at no charge.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Consumer Alert: AG, DCP Offer Immediate Steps for Shoppers Concerned About Target Data Breach
AG Jepsen sends letter to Target requesting more
information on nationwide breach
For immediate
release
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013
HARTFORD – Attorney General George Jepsen and state
Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner William M. Rubenstein today
warned Connecticut consumers to take necessary precautions following news of a
major data breach at Target stores across the country.
“We
are only beginning to understand the implications of this massive, nationwide
data breach and the impact it will have on Connecticut consumers,” said Attorney
General Jepsen. “Today, I have sent a letter to Target requesting information on
this breach, and we will be working to ensure that consumers receive all the
protections to which they are entitled in the wake of this breach. In the
meantime, consumers should take immediate steps to ensure their personal
accounts are secure and report any suspicious or unauthorized activity
immediately.”
“If
you can check your debit card transactions and credit card transactions online,
go ahead and do so today,” said Commissioner Rubenstein. “If you can change your
pin numbers for your cards, do so now. With so much shopping and spending going
on this time of year, consumers should be extra vigilant. Keep all receipts,
check them, and scrutinize your credit statements and bank statements when they
arrive during December and January.”
Those who suspect there has been unauthorized activity on
their cards should report it to their credit card companies and call Target at
866-852-8680.
Customers who swiped a debit card or credit card at a Target
store between November 29th and December 15th should be vigilant, and watch for
bank and credit statements that come in for the time period between November
27th and December 15th.
If anything seems suspicious or you can’t identify it,
contact your financial institution immediately to report it. Indicate that you
may be a victim of the Target identity theft and you have identified suspicious
activity on your account. The financial institution will guide you through your
next steps to track the transaction, recover the funds if appropriate, and
protect your account. Report it to Target as well, either at the number above,
or at any new address that the company provides.
Attorney General Jepsen and Commissioner Rubenstein also
provided the following consumer tips:
·
Target data breach victims will want to make sure their
credit history is not damaged as a result of thieves using their credit cards.
They may need to place an initial fraud alert on their credit report. The
initial fraud alert lasts for 90 days. Call any one of the three credit bureaus
to place this alert.
o Equifax – Phone:
1-800-525-6285
o Experian – Phone:
1-888-397-3742
o Transunion – Phone:
1-800-680-7289
·
Victims may also want to check their credit reports.
Contact all three credit reporting companies above for a copy of their current
credit report. If a consumer’s identity was actually stolen, the companies must
provide a free report. If they are not sure if their identity was compromised,
they may go to the Web site www.annualcreditreport.com and get one free copy of their
report from each company if they haven’t already done so in the last 12 months.
They can also call toll-free to request reports at 1-877-322-8228
·
Victims should submit a complaint to the FTC online or by
telephone.
o
By phone: Call 1-877-438-4338 and talk to a counselor at
the FTC. The counselor will ask questions to gather information about your
complaint. Ask the counselor to email you a link so you can print your
complaint; print your Identity Theft Affidavit and keep it in a safe place.
o
Go to www.ftc.gov/complaint to
create your Identity Theft Affidavit. Print your Identity Theft Affidavit and
keep it in a safe place.
·
Victims should file a police report. Take your FTC Identity
Theft Affidavit with you to the police station. Get a copy of the police report
or the number of the police report.
·
Victims should set up a file folder to safely store:
1. Your ID Theft
Affidavit and police report
2. Emails or letters
that you send or get
3. A record of calls
that you make or get
·
After filing a report, keep records of the letters you send
or get and the conversations you have. You might need the records to prove that
you already fixed something.
o
Save copies of your papers, receipts, and account
statements.
o
Keep a list of the companies you called and when you called
them. Write the name of the person you spoke with, what you asked them to do,
and what they agreed to do.
Target confirmed today that as many as 40 million customers'
names, credit and debit card numbers, expiration dates, PIN numbers and security
codes on the back of the cards were compromised at its stores across the country
between November 27th and December 15th.
The company says credit card numbers used on its Web site
were not affected, and that it is working with law enforcement officials and
financial institutions.
Assistant Attorney General Michele Lucan, a member of the
Attorney General’s Privacy Task Force, and Assistant Attorney General Matthew
Fitzsimmons, head of the Task Force, are assisting the Attorney General with
this matter.
###
Media Contacts:
Office of the Attorney General:
Jaclyn M. Falkowski
860-808-5324 (office)
860-655-3903 (cell)
Department of Consumer Protection:
Claudette Carveth
860-713-6022 (office)
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Thank you for our freedom
I was going through a box of things in a storage space under the stairs in my home and I found (among other things) a photo copy of an op-ed piece that I wrote and submitted to the Record Journal. It was printed on September 4, 2000. I couldn’t know at the time that a year and a week later it would be Tuesday, September 11, 2001 and my perspective would shift once again.
Below is the text of what I wrote that day. Today as the snow falls I think of the holidays.
To every enlisted individual that cannot be home because they are serving and protecting as well as to those that made the ultimate sacrifice and will never come home again, from my family to yours, thank you for the gift of freedom that I can never repay.
Thank you for our freedom - Jason Zandri, Special to the Record-Journal
Wallingford resident Jason Zandri, 31, is a computer engineer at Tek Systems in Windsor.
I am sitting here trying to figure out what it is I missed from the movie "Saving Private Ryan." Don't get me wrong. I am an avid fan of movies, I have a personal collection of over 2,400. I thought the movie was well-written, well-acted, and looked very authentic. What I tried to get out of it was the realism of the film that everyone was always talking about. It captured the atrocities of the military landings and the war itself so well, that it caused some veterans to have flashbacks of their own experiences.
I just didn't get that type of "movement" from the film. It didn't cause me to enjoy it any less, but it did make me think about some things. As I sit here between two holidays, Memorial Day and Veteran's Day, honoring all of those who served our country, I felt guilty about not getting the "movement" out of the film that I had heard and read about from so many different people.
I felt that I should have been able to.
I then suddenly began to realize why I could not get the depth of emotion out of the movie that so many others did. I really do not have a strong enough connection to ANY war to have any solid emotion for it, one way or the other.
I have worked so many hours straight and been so busy that I didn't have enough time to stop and eat, and although I was "starving," I really, truly don't have a clue what it is to be hungry like someone that has no food. I have no proper point of reference for the tragedies of any war that had transpired.
I was born in 1969. Even though I was a child during the last chapters of the Vietnam War, my earliest recollections of it were from reading the veteran's stories about it in the newspapers that I delivered. To me, that was the last "significant" war we were really involved with as a country, heart and soul, for or against. Everything after that, our true involvement was limited. The losses and the sacrifices were the same, it's just that our involvement as a nation was not as strong.
I still was trying to figure out why I was not as sensitive to the images.
There had to be a little more to it than just "no proper point of reference." A new movie has come out that answered that question for me - "The Patriot." Most Americans would be forced to admit that they view the Fourth of July as a holiday of picnics and fireworks. Yes we all know it is in celebration of our independence, but its meaning today is far different than what it was. That is not because it is not important to anyone but more so the fact that all of us are so far removed from the horror, tragedy and loss of THAT war, that while we celebrate our freedom we FORGET what was involved to secure it.
I am almost certain that as we moved away from that period in time, the veterans of that important war felt the same way that today's veterans think; people today just don't seem to realize just exactly what we went through to secure the freedoms that we enjoy and take for granted.
I am not justifying the reasoning behind it, but coming to realize the error.
Allowing myself to put my mind in a place where I forget what was really involved. I also allowed myself a little bit of "slack" due to the fact that all the while I was growing up I never had to worry about the possibility of losing my freedom or going to war, but I quickly pulled that slack back. It is exactly because of the dedication and sacrifices of the men and women of the armed forces, and their families, that I could be granted the luxury of not having to worry.
To every veteran of any war I say this. On behalf of Generation X, and the Boomers too, thank you for our freedom. A freedom so well fortified that I believe in my heart and soul we will never lose it.
Rest well, knowing that our ignorance is mainly due to the fact that you have all done your duty fighting for our country so well that we will probably never again have to work that hard or bear that much personal cost to maintain our freedom.
Thank you for securing a peace, while fragile, so well-balanced that I will probably never have to live through any true hardship. Thank you for making America what it is today, more so than any politician ever did, "...land of the free and the home of the brave."
Copyright 2000, 2006 Record-Journal
Saturday, December 14, 2013
An opportunity to support a Wallingford student and promote our children's desire to read
Please consider going to https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=548976308530216&id=101660376595147 on Facebook and hitting LIKE on the page for “Tony Sitro” from a Tim Green post.
RJ was named the lead character in renowned Author Tim Green's book a few weeks ago. Tim continues to promote our children's desire to read and making them a PART of it. Another Wallingford student has been named a finalist this weekend.
In addition to hitting LIKE I would ask you to consider posting a link on your own Facebook wall and encourage our community to support our children.
Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Sylvia Leonardo-Bernard
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Board of Education Budget Presentation 01/13/14
On Monday, January 13, 2014, there will be a presentation of the 14/15 central office budget proposal to the Board of Education. This meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Lyman Hall High School VoAg Community Room. Please feel free to attend. If you are unable to attend and would like to learn more about the budget, the complete PowerPoint presentation will be posted the next day on the district website.
On Saturday, January 25, 2014, the Board of Education will hold a budget workshop for discussion and development of a budget to be presented to the Mayor. This meeting is at 8 a.m. at the Lyman Hall High School VoAg Community Room. Again, please feel to attend.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Sal Menzo, Ed.D.
Superintendent – Wallingford Public Schools
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
UPDATE from Master's Manna - we are officially out of debt for 2013
Good morning all
Without a doubt 2013 has been a year of HOPE and ENOUGH. With today's deposit of $9,900 we are officially out of debt with ALL of our financial responsibilities met. All future donations and funding will be held for relocation and/or to prepare and provide for 2014. This is the 7th year of having all of our obligations met with funds in the bank for the next year... for which we are grateful.
Without a doubt 2013 has been a year of HOPE and ENOUGH. With today's deposit of $9,900 we are officially out of debt with ALL of our financial responsibilities met. All future donations and funding will be held for relocation and/or to prepare and provide for 2014. This is the 7th year of having all of our obligations met with funds in the bank for the next year... for which we are grateful.
Your support and prayers have meant much during these days. Thank you
for having faith in the mission and in those providing services. Our goal is to
continue to provide services at this current level. Many are seeking new "digs"
for Master's Manna in hopes that this will be a final move.
Matt O'Hare: CBRE, Bob Weidenmann: Sunwood Developers, Private
citizens and volunteers are seeking for the "perfect spot".
Will keep you updated as we move forward!
God bless you,
Cheryl Trzcinski, C.E.O.
Master's Manna, Inc
http://www.mastersmanna.org/
cheryl@mastersmanna.org
203.678.3042
Master's Manna, Inc
http://www.mastersmanna.org/
cheryl@mastersmanna.org
203.678.3042
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Quinnipiac River Linear Trail Advisory Committee's Holiday Celebration
Linear Trail Holiday Celebration previously scheduled for Sunday Dec 15 has been postponed to Sunday, Dec. 29, 1-4 p.m. due to the snow storm. It will be a family friendly event, so please mark your calendars for Dec 29th.
Free event but donations are welcome.
Thanks--Mary Mushinsky
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Scanning in an old Wallingford Map
Some folks were in the Wallingford CT Community Forum and sharing an image of a 1905 map they found online and I thought I might take mine off my wall and get it scanned in to share with folks.
Each of the images below is linked to a larger shot – click on the image to get a better view.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Benjamin F. Klimczak – OBITUARY
WALLINGFORD - Benjamin F. Klimczak, 85, of Yalesville, died peacefully at his home Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013. He was the loving husband of 40 years of the late Theresa L. McKinnon Klimczak.
Ben was born in New Haven, Aug. 1, 1928, a son o f the late Benjamin and Frances Jaworska Klimczak. He was a graduate of Hillhouse High School, Yale University, S.C.S.U., and Fairfield University. One of his life’s greatest memories was while playing baseball for Yale he was given a game ball from Sid Rosner for his recording a save as a relief pitcher against U.NC. He was a teacher for the Wallingford Board of Education for 37 years before retiring in 1989 having taught at Washington Street School and Pond Hill School. He found teaching a very rewarding career. He volunteered countless hours during his life, many at the Wallingford and school libraries. He was a member of many organizations including, W.E.A., C.E.A., N.E.A., the Ferdocs, the Wallingford Historical Society and the Polish Falcons.
He is survived by his brothers-in- law and sisters- in-law, Patricia Emery, of Cheshire, Mary and Dick Stedman, of Massachusetts, and David and Mary McKinnon, of Maryland; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brothers, Frank, Walter, Edward, Stephen and Joseph Klimczak.
His family will receive relatives and friends in The Wallingford Funeral Home, 809 N. Main St. Ext., Sunday, Dec. 8, , from 3 until 6 p.m. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. directly at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 2819 Whitney Ave., Hamden. Interment will be in In Memoriam Cemetery in Wallingford. In lieu of flowers, gifts in his memory may be sent Perkins School for the Blind, Perkins Trust Office, 175 North Beacon St., Watertown, MA 02472.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Wallingford Christmas ornament for the 2013 Holiday Season
The Wallingford Historic Preservation Trust is pleased to announce that this year's Wallingford Christmas ornament features Holy Trinity School, a historic school building in downtown Wallingford.
Located on North Whittlesey Avenue, the school is celebrating is 100th anniversary in 2013. With over 200 students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade, the school is affiliated with Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church, also in Wallingford.
This year's ornament was designed by architect Steven Lazarus and depicts the school as decorated for Christmas. Each year, the students of the school decorate the large windows of the school with white paper images of Christ's birth, which Lazarus was able to work into the ornament design.
The ornaments sell for $9 each, with the proceeds benefiting Holy Trinity School and the Wallingford Preservation Trust. The trust has sold a different Christmas ornament each year since 1991. Many local landmarks have been featured over the years.
Ornaments can be purchased at:
Located on North Whittlesey Avenue, the school is celebrating is 100th anniversary in 2013. With over 200 students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade, the school is affiliated with Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church, also in Wallingford.
This year's ornament was designed by architect Steven Lazarus and depicts the school as decorated for Christmas. Each year, the students of the school decorate the large windows of the school with white paper images of Christ's birth, which Lazarus was able to work into the ornament design.
The ornaments sell for $9 each, with the proceeds benefiting Holy Trinity School and the Wallingford Preservation Trust. The trust has sold a different Christmas ornament each year since 1991. Many local landmarks have been featured over the years.
Ornaments can be purchased at:
- Holy Trinity School, 11 North Whittlesey Avenue, during school hours (830am-230pm);
- Holy Trinity Rectory, 68 North Colony Street, during office hours (9am-4pm);
- Wallingford Lamp and Shade, 124 Center Street
Monday, December 2, 2013
Informational Hearing - Covanta Projects of Wallingford, LP
Please note this is the Wallingford Trash burning plant located on 530 South Cherry Street Wallingford CT. Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the plant owners Covanta will be at Town Hall December 11 2013 at 6:30pm to make a presentation and answer questions.
Informational Hearing - Covanta Projects of Wallingford, LP
| Description: | Hearing to provide information and receive public comment concerning the renewal of Covanta's Title V air permit. |
| Date: | 12/11/2013 |
| Time: | 6:30 pm |
| Location: | Wallingford Town Hall |
| | 45 South Main Street, Wallingford |
| | Hartford |
| Accessibility: | Contact Wallingford Town Hall at (203) 294-2145. |
| Directions: | |
| Contact: | Office of Adjudications at (860) 424-3037. |
| Details: | The hearing will be held in the Council Chambers at the Wallingford Town Hall. |
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please contact us at (860) 418-5910 or deep.accommodations@ct.gov if you: have a disability and need a communication aid or service; have limited proficiency in English and may need information in another language; or if you wish to file an ADA or Title VI discrimination complaint. Any person needing a hearing accommodation may call the State of Connecticut relay number - 711. Requests for accommodations must be made at least two weeks prior to any agency hearing, program or event.
79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106-5127 / Phone: 860-424-3000
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State of Connecticut Disclaimer and Privacy Policy. Additional DEEP Disclaimers. Copyright © 2002-2013 State of Connecticut.
Presentation by the Connecticut Narcotic Enforcement Officers Association
“WHAT EVERY PARENT NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT DRUGS IN
OUR TOWN”
Two nationally acclaimed speakers
will present a real picture of the sources, the attraction, the effects, the
challenges, the drugs, and the impact to our town.
******** FOR
PARENTS ONLY ********
Thursday December 12,
2013
@ 7PM
@ 7PM
Wallingford Senior Center 238 Washington Street
This is a 2 hour presentation
that will change your view of our world.
This program is brought to you
through a partnership between Wallingford Youth and Social Services and the
Coalition for a Better Wallingford.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Wallingford Electric and my bills since 2008
When I review my electric bill from Wallingford Electric one of the interesting things I always consider is what they presume is average use for a Wallingford resident. They have it listed as 700 kWH. I realize that I have electric heat and electric hot water so I don’t know what a more “nominal” use might be but I presume they would know that better than me. I can also “see” the possibility of that number by my use when the heat and AC is off AND when the kids are away in the summers (every year in the charts below except 2012; in 2008 they were gone in October and November).
At any rate – while my average use has been about twice that and a little more at 1,500 kWH a month over six years and my annual amount is 18,000 kWH I am always impressed by both the service I receive and the comparatively low cost as compared to other providers.
I will also say that personally blowing extra insulation into my attic (in 2010) and installing a pellet stove the same winter has paid dividends as my use dropped and shrank my monthly costs despite upward pressures for the cost of generation, operations and maintenance.
Your mileage may vary but this has been my experience. It will take me another 24 years to “recover” the costs of the insulation and the stove (with static pricing, as costs rise the amount recovers faster – basing on 3% inflation that window shrinks to 17 more years) but when I can turn the stove on, on a cold December morning, and leave all the rest of the electric heat in the house off on the upper floor and have the house be 76 degrees, I simply smile and take in the warmth.
Friday, November 29, 2013
Friday Flicks at the Wallingford Public Library
Friday Night Films - December 2013
Community Room, Lower Level - Admission: Free
| The Wolverine: December 6, 6 pm |
|
|
The first chapter in the X-Men saga unites Wolverine with several other legends of the X-Men universe in an epic revolution that pits the mutants against powerful forces determined to eliminate them.
| Planes: December 20, 6 pm |
|
|
Join Dusty, a crop duster with sky-high dreams and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to take on the world's fastest flyers in the greatest air race ever. Dusty has a huge heart but two big problems: He's not exactly built for speed, and he's afraid of heights. His courage is put to the ultimate test as this unlikely hero aims higher than he ever imagined. With a little help from his friends, Dusty finds the courage to be more than he was built for--and the inspiration to soar.
| For more information on Library programs, visit our website at www.wallingfordlibrary.org. |
Free family events at the Wallingford Public Library
Wednesday, December 18th 7-8pm by the Children's Room fireplace 
Monday, December 30th at 2pm in the Community Room 
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