Food for Thought

Food For Thought

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“A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.”
– Douglas Adams

Letter to the Editor

The Solution Is Complicated

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My concern with the theme of the article [Beth Chafetz’s March Editorial No. No. Not Again] is that the crux of the argument centered on the tools that were used, rather than the root cause. If we continue down this argument road, we need to also speak about the use of automobiles/trucks, chemicals that can be used to create bombs and other items that can be used for violence. Instead, we need to shift the discussion to the mental makeup of those doing these unspeakable deeds so that we can stop the violence at the source.

Government/Town

Know Your Probate Court

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This article is intended to help residents of Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, East Granby and Suffield who live in the Tobacco Valley Probate Court district become more informed about our probate court system. Our Chief Clerk Laurie Roberts is one of the most experienced in the state; she is available to assist you. Laurie is supported by three other staff: Clerk Louis Taylor, and Assistant Clerks Pam Griffin and Erin Keena. Together they work to answer procedural questions from the public, process petitions, schedule hearings, coordinate with other referring courts, prepare notices and decrees, calendar required reports, organize each case file, input data into the central computer system, undertake initial reviews of financial reports and tax returns and keep the Judge updated on all files. It is a tremendous responsibility that is assigned to our staff.

Government/Town

FECS Kicks Off “Keep Me Safe”

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At a morning unveiling ceremony on February 20, the Foundation for Exceptional Children of Suffield (FECS) and the Suffield Police Department kicked off a valuable new community initiative. The newly refurbished meeting room at SPD was packed with enthusiastic supporters to celebrate Project Keep Me Safe. The project’s community awareness efforts, special training programs and carefully designed new identification cards will help police and other responders communicate with individuals who have special needs. The focus is on those with autism spectrum disorder, but others helped could include those with deafness, and perhaps Alzheimer’s. With the training and the ID cards, a potentially difficult encounter can become a comfortable and efficiently concluded situation.

Government/Town

More than Just Dog Wardens

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Suffield has two part-time animal control officers, who also provide services to East Granby. Mark Blackaby, a long-time Suffield resident, has been on the job for almost three years; he covers the 10 to 2 half-shift, and Ryan Selig, from Windsor, was hired last year; he works 2 to 6. Both have other jobs: Blackaby as a lawyer and Selig as a dog trainer. Both say they took the animal control job because they like the work. The animal control function is part of the Suffield Police Department, and the animal control officers, armed and equipped for the job, are trained and certified for their position.

Letter to the Editor

Capital Project Ignored

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I’ve been following the progress of utilizing the building and property of the former Bridge Street School. It’s accurate to say that there is no progress when there should be. I want to know why the First Selectman is evading to affect the result of a referendum. A proposal in 2012 to sell off the property was voted down 4 to 1. Next, town residents convened around developing this valuable town asset into a Community and Cultural Center for Suffield.

Editorial

Want To Better the World? Be a Volunteer!

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One of the most rewarding things anyone can do is volunteer for something. It can often be difficult to fit volunteering into our busy lives, but research has shown that it’s good for us. “Volunteering offers vital help to people in need, worthwhile causes, and the community, but the benefits can be even greater for you, the volunteer. Volunteering and helping others can help you reduce stress, combat depression, keep you mentally stimulated, and provide a sense of purpose. While it’s true that the more you volunteer, the more benefits you’ll experience, volunteering doesn’t have to involve a long-term commitment or take a huge amount of time out of your busy day.

Editorial

It’s About Time!

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I have lived in Suffield since late 1984. I worked in the Suffield Public Schools for 23 years as a school administrator and was Acting Superintendent of Schools in 2016. I have served on the Board of Selectmen for four years, and still have another one and half years left on my term. In 1984-85 when I arrived in Suffield, the annual town expenses not including debt or school budget were $3,970,902 according to the 1984-85 Annual Town Report. This year the Selectmen are recommending a budget approaching $16 million, subject to approval by the Finance Board and a vote at the Town Meeting.

Organizations

$1,000 Scholarships Still Available

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The Observer is looking for worthy high school students interested in a $1,000 college scholarship. The Sam Fuller and Robert Warren one-year scholarships are for full-time students residing in Suffield and attending a four-year college in the fall. They should be planning to study history, communications, journalism, creative writing, political science or research and should have community service experience. The applications can be obtained from the SHS or Suffield Academy guidance offices or online at http://thesuffieldobserver.com/scholarship-information/. The deadline for applications is April 15.

Government/Town

Update on Road Projects for 2018

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During 2016 and 2017 most of the $9 million of bond funding appropriated at the end of 2015 was utilized for 39 miles of road improvements as follows: 9.5 miles of pavement overlays; 26.4 miles milled and paved; and 3.1 miles reclaimed and paved with drainage improvements.

Schools/Sports

SHS Walkout Becomes Vigil

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Exactly one month after the Parkland shooting, a majority of the schools in the country walked out of their school at precisely 10 a.m. in the morning. Suffield High School joined along, 135 students signed up to walk out of class at 10 a.m. to walk to the auditorium. After the students piled in, high school senior Madison Kadamus leads the group into seventeen minutes of silence. Every minute, Kadamus would say one name of the seventeen victims of the shooting. The entire auditorium was enveloped in silence, the only noise coming from the occasional squeak of a chair and a cough here and there.

Schools/Sports

Visiting Teachers See American Special Ed at Spaulding

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Five schoolteachers from China came to Suffield to learn about good methods for educating special needs students. The Yale-China Association in New Haven, collaborating with the Center for Children with Special Needs (CCSN), in Glastonbury, is undertaking a project to build programs and services for children with autism in China. As described by Suffield School Superintendent Karen Berasi, CCSN had been asked “to provide the delegation with an opportunity to see high-quality programming that encompasses evidence-based, structured Applied Behavioral Analysis programming for students with autism and other complex needs in the public schools.” Aware that Suffield was known for its exemplary special ed program, leaders of the project escorted the visiting teachers to Spaulding School on March 9. Helped with skilled translation by Dr. Helen McCabe, of Yale-China, and Dr. Mark Palmieri, assistant director of CCSN, they spent the day in discussion with Dr. Dianna Kolodziey, Suffield supervisor of special ed and other Suffield school system personnel as well as in visiting several classrooms. Dr. Berasi had commented, “We want our guests to see in person what can be accomplished with high-quality teachers, motivated administrators, and good staff training and development.”

People/Business

Barletta Joins Windsor Federal Savings

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Windsor Federal Savings is pleased to announce that Nadine Barletta has been named as Vice President – Loan Administration & Operations. Nadine brings nearly twenty years of commercial lending and operations experience with her to Windsor Federal. Her most recent position, with United Bank, focused extensively on commercial and residential loan servicing in northern Connecticut.

People/Business

Handicapable…with Limits

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I really thought I had the hang of maneuvering the electric cart as I zipped around Highland Park just prior to Christmas one late afternoon on a Friday.