Connecticut militia members sue state

Photo courtesy of 1st Company Governor’s Foot Guard

By Zachary Janowski | Raising Hale

Members of one of Connecticut’s ceremonial militia units are suing the state for allegedly seizing $10,000 worth of private ammunition, terminating a lease and failing to pay members for training.

State officials claim the unit – the 1st Company Governor’s Foot Guard – has not kept its weapons and ammunition secure, and that it was within the state’s right to terminate the lease and not pay the members for training.

The militia unit’s board of trustees do not control the 1st Company; under a unique statutory arrangement dating back to 1885, the state created a special corporate entity so the trustees could own and maintain the unit’s armory.

Although the unit is ceremonial in function today, it still falls under the command of Brig. Gen. Thaddeus Martin, adjutant general of the Connecticut Military Department.

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Firefighters charged with sexual assault

Joseph Michael Carilli (left) and Joe Fragoso (right) have been charged with sexual assault. Both men are members of the South Coventry Fire Department. Photos provided by Coventry CT Police. Composite by HTNP.com

By Brenda Sullivan | HTNP News Editor

Coventry Police report that two firefighters were arrested today (Feb. 14) for sexual assault.

Police arrested Joseph Michael Carilli, 53, of 131 Wangumbaug Drive, Coventry, CT and Joe Fragoso, 35, of 490 Root Road, Coventry, CT

Carilli is charged with second-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor. His bail is set at $500,000 and he is scheduled to be arraigned today at Rockville Superior Court.

Fragoso is charged with second-degree sexual assault. His bail is set at $250,000; he was released after posting a surety bond. His court date is set for Feb. 27, 2013 at Rockville Superior Court.

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America’s funniest screwball comedy comes to Connecticut

The fast-talking editor of The Daily Record learns that his ex-wife and former star reporter is going to marry Bruce Baldwin, played by Actors’ Equity guest artist, Kevin Crouch (pictured here) in the upcoming performance of His Girl Friday at UConn. Publicity photo.

The Connecticut Repertory Theatre at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, presents John Guare’s adaptation of “His Girl Friday,” from Feb. 28 through March 10.

“His Girl Friday” is an all American rat-a-tat comedy adapted from the film to the stage by acclaimed playwright John Guare.

Guare’s stage adaptation of the classic movie – starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell – maintains the best of the traditional American screwball comedy form while adding sparkling theatricality and sharp political commentary for a brilliant and hysterically funny live theater event.

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CT Dept of Motor Vehicles closed Feb 11-12

The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will be closed Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 11 and 12 in observance of Lincoln’s Birthday, which is a legal State holiday.

The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will be closed Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 11 and 12 in observance of Lincoln’s Birthday, which is a legal State holiday.

The DMV will re-open for business at 7:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 13.

Also, on Friday, Feb. 15, DMV major customer service offices will close at 12:30 p.m. to observe President Washington’s Birthday; offices will reopen Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 7:45 a.m.

Some AAA offices will be open for processing license renewals on Monday and Tuesday, including Manchester, 1500 G Pleasant Valley Road.

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Willimantic Chocolate Fest now on Feb 16

The Chocolate Fest events include The Cupid Shuffle, The “Let Them Eat Cake” Chocolate Cake Baking Contest,
The Chocolate Chip Stroll of Willimantic’s Downtown.
Chocolate Lovers’ Soiree and Cabaret

Three feet of snow dumped on us by Storm Charlotte means Willimantic’s 9th Annual Chocolate Festival, originally scheduled for Saturday, Feb 9, 2013, has been postponed until Saturday, Feb. 16.

All originally scheduled events will take place then, including:

• The Cupid Shuffle

• The “Let Them Eat Cake” Chocolate Cake Baking Contest

• The Chocolate Chip Stroll of Willimantic’s Downtown

• Chocolate Lovers’ Soiree and Cabaret

All events will take place at their original times and everyone is welcome! Most events are free.

Please visit RomanticWillimantic.org, WillimanticDowntown.org or call event coordinator Lynn Duval 860-428-7573 for updated information.

Posted February 9, 2013

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Young writers invited to enter statewide competition

The high school teachers who enter the most submissions in poetry and in prose respectively will receive $250 to the retailer of their choosing. The deadline for submissions is March 15.

The Connecticut Young Writer’s Trust announces its 16th Annual Writing Competition, the state’s longest running literary contest dedicated to encouraging youth literacy and creative expression. The organization encourages high school teachers from around the state to submit their students’ prose and/or poetry to the annual writing competition through their online system. Students need to be enrolled or in the equivalent of 9th through 12th grades in a public, private, parochial, Catholic, remedial or home school and all nominations must be made by a teacher. The annual awards ceremony will be held in June, where a team of published writers, journalists, and professors will announce the winners from a pool of finalists. Finalists and two teachers will be rewarded for their hard work at the awards ceremony. … Continue Reading

Discover the art of puppetry at free UConn event Feb 9

This weekend, UConn Puppet Slams presents an exciting array of bold new works for puppet theater by vibrant puppet artists from New York City, Boston and the University of Connecticut – presented by The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry (BIMP) and The University of Connecticut Puppet Arts Program.

The popular UConn Puppet Slam series of exciting new works for puppetry will present its next installment from 8-10 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 9 in a free performance at the Studio Theater in the Drama and Music Building on UConn’s Main Campus.

This exciting array of short-form puppetry will feature professional puppeteers from the Northeast and new works by students from UConn’s famed Puppet Arts Program.

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Connecticut ed reform law disregards parents

Connecticut Parents’ Union President Gwen Samuel says that if lawmakers don’t shift the balance of power back to parents, they will once again become helpless bystanders in the effort to improve education in the Constitution State. Photo source: CT DCFs media resources.

By Ben Velderman | EAGnews.org

Last month, a group of parents in California’s Adelanto school district succeeded in using that state’s Parent Trigger law to convert a chronically low-performing public school into a charter school.

It was the first Parent Trigger victory in the nation’s history, but analysts expect the number of “trigger” cases and laws to expand quickly in the wake of the Adelanto victory.

Some education reform activists are already declaring 2013 to be “The Year of Parent Empowerment.”

But that’s not how the new year is shaping up for Connecticut parents, who are in jeopardy of losing what little power they currently have in the state’s public schools – thanks to the state’s 2012 education reform law which is beginning to take effect now.

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Rise in online news prompts debate over publishing legal notices

Hartford Courant publisher Richard Graziano testifies in opposition to two bills that would remove a requirement that towns post their legal notices in a daily newspaper. Photo by Hugh McQuaid – on CTNewsJunkie

By Hugh McQuaid | CT News Junkie

The Hartford Courant’s publisher testified before a skeptical (state legislature’s) Planning and Development Committee on Friday (Feb. 1) in opposition to two bills that would remove a requirement that towns post their legal notices in a daily newspaper.

Both bills would give towns the ability to publish advertisements of their legal notices on their website.

One also would give them the option of posting in a weekly newspaper.

The Courant’s publisher, Richard Graziano… argued against the change, saying that it was a matter of open access to government through an objective third party. He said that posting the notice only on a government site leaves it open to tampering, alteration, political bias, or publication after the legal deadline.

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NFPA offers this tip – give your space heater some space

In 2010 alone, home heating equipment was involved in an estimated 57,100 reported home structure fires and 490 civilian deaths. Poster source: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

With temperatures making a dramatic drop this week, here are some good safety tips from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

Especially as energy costs rise, families are turning to space heaters as a less expensive alternative (or as supplemental heat) for keeping their houses warm this season… so it is important to be aware of how to use them safely.

In 2010 alone, home heating equipment was involved in an estimated 57,100 reported home structure fires and 490 civilian deaths.

Stationary and portable space heaters accounted for 32 percent of these reported home-heating fires and 80 percent of the home-heating fire deaths.

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