Editorial

Editorial

Notes from the Chair

By Jay Presser, Chairman, The Suffield Observer | November 1, 2018

The staff of the Observer was generally happy with the October issue. We thought it had a variety of interesting articles and some beautiful pictures. It also contained a slightly revised Voters Guide, published a month earlier than traditionally had been the case to give voters more time to reflect and with a revised format, designed to give the candidates greater latitude to describe their virtues. Unfortunately, as some of you may have noticed, it arrived several days later than our goal of town wide delivery on the first of the month. For that we apologize.

Editorial

Suffield: A Town of Farms

By Marilyn Christian and Carol Griffin, Co-editors-of-the-Month | November 1, 2018

If we were to list the many values of our beautiful town of Suffield, we could probably fill the pages of this newspaper. Our wonderful citizens, great schools, lovely buildings and churches, parks, local businesses and emergency services are all special. But the one thing that separates us from many other towns is the amount of open space, forest and farmland which is the envy of other municipalities. How did this happen? It was the combination of excellent legislation and the forward thinking of individuals, farmers and town leaders who took advantage of the opportunities available.

Editorial

A Gift from the Creator

By Luis R. Lee, Co-Editor-of-the-Month | October 1, 2018

When the French Jesuit priests first saw the native people (in the area now Canada and upstate New York) playing a game using a stick with netting, they called it Lacrosse because it looked like the staff a Bishop carries in religious ceremonies.

Editorial

Whose Choice Is It, Anyway?

By Beth Chafetz, Co-Editor-in-Chief | September 1, 2018

It’s more than a little frustrating for supporters of a community center to see both the Town’s proposal for a new Town Hall, whose cost will most likely be well over the approved bond amount from the 2015 bonding vote, as well as a seemingly fast-track proposal to move the highway garage to a location on East Street where we would be leasing, not owning, the property, ignoring, again, the vote in 2015 approving the bonding for the renovation of Bridge Street School (BSS) as a community center.

Editorial

Aces High Owns the Sky

By Matthew LoVoi, Co-Editor-of-the Month | September 1, 2018

The Suffield-Windsor Locks joint robotics team, known as Aces High or Team 176, had one of their best seasons this past school year. This year’s robotics competition revolved around placing cubes (sometimes 7 feet high) on a scale type contraption. This would give the team points for every second the scale was leaning in their direction. At the end the robots had to climb up a bar about 6 feet high, which was quite a sight to see. Aces High competed in two local competitions in Waterbury as well as Hartford.

Editorial

The Coming of the Reaper

By Dave Hemond, Co-editor-of-the Month | July 1, 2018

Pedaling on Clay Creek Drive a week ago, along the field, I caught a flash of yellow in the corner of my eye and turned to see a bobolink perched on a stalk in full-throated glory. He’s jet black with white shoulders and back, and a brilliant yellow cap. He nests with his mate in the tall grass of the hay field. If they are quick about it, they will fledge their family before the farmer comes for the hay. And this bobolink is precious, strutting his stuff as only the beautiful can, blissfully unaware of politics in Washington, refugees in the Middle East, and the coming of the hay reaper.

Editorial

Learn Life’s Lesson While Young

By Johanne Presser, Co-Editor-of-the-Month | June 1, 2018

After coaching softball for over 25 years at recreational, Little League, travel, and high school varsity levels, I have a few tips for parents and coaches. First, let me say that 99% of the girls’ parents (and the girls!) were a delight to deal with and some remain good friends long after their daughters have given up the game. For the most part the parents were realistic about their daughter’s talent and sincerely cheered on her teammates. As somewhat of an athlete myself before the days of Title IX when girls’ sports were at the bottom of the heap both in funds provided and opportunity, I relished the chance to be on a team, and to strive with others to accomplish a common goal. It was disappointing to me that the softball team my senior year played a schedule of 7 games while the baseball team played 21.

Editorial

Facebook: More Than It Appears to Be

By Chris Rago, Co-Editor-of-the-Month | May 1, 2018

Mark Zuckerberg’s grilling in Congress about how Facebook treats personal information about data privacy and his responsibility to users caused me to also give this some thought. For some people, any amount of lack of privacy is bad on principle. I am closer to the other extreme: what does it matter if Facebook knows my preferences in books, movies, clothing, political leaning, food, group activities, friends, age, name, etc., etc. My major life dependencies, such as bank account, are secure. So what’s the big deal?

Editorial

Kindness and Respect

By Lisa Pepe, Co-Editor-of-the Month | May 1, 2018

The General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) and its  members, including the Suffield Woman’s Club, recite this ‘prayer for the day’ written by Mary Stewart in 1904 at each meeting. Also known as ‘the Collect for Club Women’ (but appropriate for everyone) it reminds us that we may disagree on some topics, but that doesn’t preclude us from being kind to each other. I believe if we ask each other why we disagree or how did we come to that conclusion or belief, we would gain a greater, deeper understanding of our fellow human beings. And wouldn’t that little step help seed a kinder world. A Prayer for the Day
Collect for Club Women
Keep us, O God, from pettiness;

Let us be large in thought, in word, in deed.