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Friday, March 19, 2010

A Close Shave For Cancer

Over 50 Wilton High students and faculty are shorn to help fight childhood cancer.

If you see a lot of menacing looking characters with buzz cuts around Wilton High School in the coming days, don't worry. Skinheads have not descended on the town. In fact, all those chrome domes are the end result of a wildly successful fundraiser put on at the high school on Thursday night to benefit the St. Baldrick's Foundation, which helps fight childhood cancer. The event was organized by WHS Junior Tim Becker, who has been working since the summer to organize town permits, secure the venue, organize sponsorships and gain support for the cause. "It feels great," Becker said of his haircut and the event's success. "I did it last year and it's bringing back good memories." Becker inherited his leadership role in the event from former …

The Power of Women Prophets

Dr. Julie Faith Parker, a professor at Yale University, lectures to more than 100 people at the library.

Navi existed long before James Cameron's blue people. Only these navi were prophets so powerful they compelled men to heed their every word, follow them into battle, and bore children. Navi is the Hebrew word for prophet. And though naviah is the feminine of that word Dr. Julie Faith Parker, a professor of theology at Yale University, sees no such distinction. "I call them all prophets," Parker said Thursday night during the second part of her three-part series on Prophets and Prophecies. The five women prophets of the Bible were fierce leaders. People accepted them regardless of their gender.  Although many think of prophets as people who predict doomsday scenarios or spew curses, the Bible reveals they fulfilled all kinds of roles in a …

Blumenthal Calls for Investigation of Utility Response

He urges all affected towns to hold public hearings on the response effort.

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has formally called for the Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) to establish an "urgent, separate and special investigative proceeding" to determine whether utility companies adequately responded to the massive storm-related power and phone outages that affected nearly 7,000 Westporters. Blumenthal has also requested information from Connecticut Light & Power, United Illuminating and AT&T about their efforts to restore power and phone service.  As of 3 p.m. Thursday, 596 CL&P Westport customers were without power. The utility projects 100 to 200 people will still be without power tonight and expects full restoration by Friday. In a formal letter to the DPUC, Blumenthal said:  "Lengthy delays in …

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Advocate: Wilton Woman Arrested For Hitting Man in Crosswalk

JoAnn Ceasrine faces charges of drunk driving and second-degree assault with a motor vehicle following the January incident.

The Stamford Advocate is reporting that JoAnn Ceasrine, 55, of Wilton turned herself over to police and was charged with drunk driving and second-degree assault with a motor vehicle after allegedly hitting and severely injuring a man in a crosswalk in January. According to police, the victim, Eric Peterson, was walking across a street in Stamford when Ceasrine failed to yield and struck the man, sending him to Norwalk Hospital with head trauma, a broken pelvis and both legs broken in several places. Read the full story: Wilton Woman Arrested for Striking Man in Crosswalk.

Hetherington: Question CL&P

State rep. John Hetherington asking for federal agencies to look into CL&P's conduct during the recent storm.

State Representative John Hetherington (R-125) has joined Governor Jodi Rell in asking the CT Department of Public Utility Control and the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security to examine the actions of CL&P in responding to the power outages resulting from the storm that struck southwest Connecticut over the weekend of March 13 and 14. He asked specifically that hearings be held locally to accommodate citizens in the towns that were most severely impacted. "We pay the highest electric utility rates in the U.S. and what our people experienced is just unacceptable at any price," Hetherington said. "We need real answers delivered in person." Acknowledging that even a vigorous investigation is small satisfaction to …

Teens Explore Limitless World in Poetry in Motion Contest

The library's fourth annual poetry competition will take place March 26 and 27.

Though popular culture depicts teenagers as interested in only their own worlds, Wilton Library's fourth annual Poetry in Motion performance event powerfully dispels that myth in the two-night event on Friday and Saturday, March 26 and 27, from 7:30 to 9 p.m.  "In A World Without Limits" is the theme for this year's poetry initiative in which kids in grades 7 through 12 created their own original poetry.  The students will read or perform their works based on "a world with no restrictions, where anything's possible – good or bad." Many of the pieces will be performed with music and dance, and highlighted by photography. According to Susan Lauricella, the head of Teen Services, "This is our fourth year of giving students this creative …

Pulling the Plug on Trackside?

In the second tight budget year in a row residents and town officials have been analyzing the teen center's long term financial viability.

The sad truth of lean budget years is that even beneficial town entities come under scrutiny. This year the Trackside Teen Center is enduring that unpleasant honor from residents and town officials alike. Founded in 2004, Trackside's mission was and is to serve as a hub for "age-appropriate" teen activity in the community. But its difficulties in fund-raising, coupled with an increasing percentage of its operating costs being supplied by municipal funding, is leaving some unsure of its long-term financial viability. "The thing that bothers me about their budget this year is that the percentage of funding coming from the town, as a percentage of their total, is up," said Board of Finance Lynne Vanderslice during a meeting between the Board …

Thank you Christian for this interesting article. As a mom of three Wilton teens, it seems Trackside is certainly picking up steam with 6,000 teen visits last year. That is fantastic usage! It means on average, on any given day, there are 16.4 fewer teens aimlessly roaming the streets of Wilton. I predict as the band nights, etc. heat up this spring, usage will only grow. So far this year, we …  more ›

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Don't Be Too Eager For the Census

The Wilton Police issue a warning to citizens about being too liberal with their personal information around census time.

Beginning in March the U.S. Census Bureau will send out a short questionnaire to every household in the U.S. and Puerto Rico in an effort to collect important demographic data.  As a citizen, you are required by law to respond to the 10 short questions.  From April to July, those that haven't completed their census will receive a visit at their home address from a census taker.    Identity criminals may take advantage of the census law and target unsuspecting victims in an attempt to steal sensitive information. The scams perpetrated may range from fraudulent emails designed to obtain sensitive information to attempts to impersonate census collectors.    Most citizens don't think twice about sharing personal information with a census …

Wilton Woman's Club to Hold Fashion Show

The April show will be sponsored by Saks Fifth Avenue.

Planning is underway for the Wilton Woman's Club's Third Annual FASHION FUNdraising Fashion Show.  Saks Fifth Avenue will provide the clothing and accessories for the show which will take place from 10 a.m. to 1:30 pm on April 30 at Saks Fifth Avenue in the Stamford Town Center.  In addition to the fashion show, attendees are eligible for a free makeover, 15 percent off merchandise purchased on that day, a box lunch, wine and dessert.  There will also be a silent auction. The funds raised will be distributed to the Americares Free Clinic of Norwalk and the Norwalk Emergency Shelter. Founded in 1966, the Wilton Woman's Club is dedicated to community improvement through volunteer service, and to strengthening women. Tickets to the event are…

Letter to the Editor: Modern Day Know Nothings

Wilton resident Kelly Franklin responds to an earlier article on the Tea Party Movement in Wilton.

A little over a week ago, Wilton Patch ran an article on the tea party movement.  While I take issue with some of the unsubstantiated claims in the article indicating that there is a growing interest in this movement in Wilton, and with the assertion that it is a grass-roots organization, my reason for writing today is Steve Symonds' comment on that article that asked town Democrats and Republicans to stop speaking in code, and be clear about their stance on this issue. Mr. Symonds is right to ask for that clarity, and as a registered Democrat in Wilton, I'd like to make my position clear. I think the tea party movement is both dangerous and misdirected. It is also not unique. After almost every period of economic upheaval or social change…

And Michael - CEOs of Google, Morgan Stanley, and Citibank are Democrats. None make sandals, last time I checked.  more ›

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