Sen. Prague set to retire, has served since 1994

Sen. Edith Prague, D-Columbia has decided to heed the advice of her doctor after recovering from a stroke and has announced she will retire after serving 18 years in the Connecticut legislature.

Longtime State Senator Edith Prague, D-Columbia, has decided not to run for re­election and thus bring to an end an 18-year career in the state Senate.

Prague has represented the 19th Senate District since 1994. Her district serves Columbia, Franklin, Hebron, Lebanon, Ledyard, Lisbon, Marlborough, Montville, Norwich and Sprague. (Bozrah will be dropped from this district as a result of redistricting.)

After suffering a minor stroke Christmas morning, 86-year-old Prague returned to work in January 2012, but she is heeding the advice of her doctor, who is concerned about the level of stress campaigning entails.

“She gave me a fair warning,” said Sen. Prague.

Former state Rep. Joan Lewis, D-Coventry, spoke to the passion and dedication Prague has demonstrated in her job.

Lewis ended her fourth term as state representative after losing to current state Rep. Tim Ackert, R-Coventry in November 2010.

As state representative, Lewis served constituents in Coventry, Columbia and Vernon. She also worked with Sen. Prague during Lewis’ 17 years on the Coventry Town Council.

At that time, Sen. Prague was serving Coventry as state representative.

Lewis remembers Sen. Prague’s “energy and enthusiasm” about issues in the state legislature. Sen. Prague has been “an outspoken advocate for the people,” said Lewis.

During her time as a legislator, Prague has been an advocate for senior citizens and aimed to improve access to affordable health care for all citizens.

Prior to her time in the state Senate, Prague was a state representative for eight years and served as commissioner of the former state Department on Aging – during that time, she established a statewide health insurance program, originally called “HICAP” and now operating under the name “CHOICES.” The program provides counsel­ing services to seniors with ques­tions about insurance coverage.

Sen. Prague is currently serving as assistant president pro tempore of the state Senate and is chair of the aging and labor and public employees committees. She is also vice chair of the appropriations committee and a member of the public health committee.

Rep. Ackert has been working closely with Prague since beginning his first term in November 2010. Although they are from two different parties, he has a great deal of respect for Sen. Prague and the work she has done in the legislature.

“We may have disagreed on our philosophies, but never on our philosophies for our constituents,” said Ackert. For example, the pair has been a “voice” for Columbia regarding the minimum budget requirement law, which Town Administrator Jonathan Luiz testified against in February.

The law requires school districts to allocate at least the same amount of funding that was in the budget the previous year.

Columbia failed to meet the MBR requirement; the budget is $158,723 less than the prior year. And so, the town is required to come up with the remaining funds by June 31, the end of the fiscal year.

Thus far, no action has been taken on the measure, so the town faces a possible financial penalty, which would be double the amount of Education Cost Sharing Grant funding the town would typically receive.

Rep. Ackert said Sen. Prague’s retirement will give her an opportunity to take time for herself and spend more time with her family. “I care about her health — I truly do,” he said.

Sen. Prague said the highlight of her legislative career came Wednesday, when Bill 5312 passed in the Senate – it makes changes in the state employee health benefits statutes to correspond with employee concessions in the state employee collective bargaining agreement.

It has also passed in the state House of Representatives.

“That’s what serving in state government is all about, improving the lives of people in this state,” Sen. Prague said.

She said she is proud of her record in the state legislature and is “sad to leave” her position. She said if she didn’t have a stroke in December, she would have run for re-election.

“I’m grateful to the people of my district that they gave me this opportunity,” she said.

Those who have known and worked with Sen. Prague predict she will continue to be a presence in the legislature.

“I’m sure that Edith Prague will find a way to be engaged in the causes she believes in,” said state Rep. Gregory Haddad, D-Mansfield.

Haddad has known Prague for many years; he worked as her campaign manager before he was elected to the state legislature in November 2010.

“She is going to be missed by many people,” said Haddad.

State Senate President Pro Tempore Donald Williams Jr., D-Brooklyn also praised Sen. Prague’s dedication and he also foresees her continuing as an advocate. “Helping others is what keeps Edith going,” he said.

“I’m going to miss Edith tremendously because she’s such a fighter for working men and women and their families, for senior citizens and for those who need a tireless champion,” said Sen. Williams. “There’s no one else like Edith. She has loved every minute of her time in public service.”

U. S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, also expressed admiration for Sen. Prague’s public service. “Edith has been a giant on the landscape of Connecticut for many years,” he said in a prepared statement. “We are a better state because of her commitment to investing in our people, which she realized is the true strength of the state she loves so much. Job well done.”

Sen. Prague earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Eastern Connecticut State University and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Connecticut.

She is widowed and has four children and nine grandchildren.

Posted May 11, 2012

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State invites you to design 2013 cover of boating guide

“Learning to Sail” on the Mystic River (shown cropped on the 2012 cover of the Connecticut Boater’s Guide), a pastel by Tina Campbell Lyman of Stonington, CT

If you are artistically inclined and have a love of boating, here is your chance to share your work with a large audience.

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is sponsoring a competition for artwork for the cover of the 2013 Connecticut Boater’s Guide. The guide is a pocket-sized booklet containing updated laws and regulations, safety tips, and environmental information of interest to the boating public.

Approximately 92,000 guides are distributed statewide through marinas, town halls, libraries, boating classes and boat shows, in addition to being posted on the internet. (To view the 2012 Connecticut Boater’s Guide, click here )

This year, the competition is being conducted in tandem with the Gallery at Firehouse Square’s OpSail Plein Air Event. Juried submissions for the Connecticut Boater’s Guide Cover will be entered into the Plein Air Competition.

Submitted images should showcase Connecticut waterways and/or boating and the scene depicted should have been created within the last three years.

For the submission form and more details, click here.

The deadline to submit digital copies of the images is Monday, May 14, 2012.

Questions? Contact Katie Fogg at Fogg@aol.com or 860-443-0344 during state office hours.

Posted May 10, 2012

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Connecticut gets $6 Million from settlement with drug company

Abbott Laboratories allegedly offered and paid illegal remuneration to health care professionals and long-term care pharmacy providers to encourage them to promote and/or prescribe Depakote

Connecticut Atty. General George Jepsen said Monday (May 7) the state will receive approximately $6 million from settlements with Abbott Laboratories in relation to charges the pharmaceutical company marketed the prescription drug Depakote for uses not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Depakote is approved by the FDA for treatment of seizure disorders, “mania” associated with bipolar disorder and to prevent migraine headaches.

According to complaints, Abbott also marketed the drug for behavioral disturbances in dementia patients, anxiety, conduct disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, alcohol and drug withdrawal, attention deficit disorder, autism and other psychiatric conditions – uses the FDA has not deemed to be effective.

According to the allegations in the complaint, Abbott Laboratories promoted Depakote for unapproved uses by:

• making false and misleading statements about the safety, efficacy, dosing and cost-effectiveness of Depakote for some of these uses;

• improperly marketing the product for use in nursing homes;

• and by offering and paying illegal remuneration to health care professionals and long-term care pharmacy providers to encourage them to promote and/or prescribe Depakote.

Abbott Laboratories’ marketing for non-FDA approved uses allegedly resulted in false claims to Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs.

Jepsen said these settlements “will serve as a deterrent to other companies who seek to benefit unfairly from government healthcare programs.”

“Most importantly, they will help to protect consumers who were prescribed an expensive drug with little evidence the drug could help their condition,” Jepsen said.

In the settlements, Abbott has agreed to pay the involved states and the federal government $800 million in civil damages and penalties.

Connecticut’s share of Medicaid claims is more than $3.9 million.

Connecticut will also receive $499,000 for state-funded benefit programs administered by the state Department of Social services.

Social Services Commissioner Roderick L. Bremby said, “Our claims data indicated a significant and inappropriate impact on Medicaid expenditures, a factor that will now be mitigated by this major settlement.”

The company has also agreed to a $700 million criminal fine and forfeiture for violating the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

Another $100 million settlement with 45 states and the District of Columbia, resolves civil consumer protection claims that the company engaged in unfair and deceptive practices by illegal off-label marketing of Depakote.

Connecticut’s share of the consumer protection settlement is more than $1.5 million, including $150,000 for the state Department of Consumer Protection’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.

Consumer Protection Commissioner William M. Rubenstein said, “The funding that the settlement provides for Connecticut’s Prescription Monitoring Program will directly benefit patient health by assisting pharmacists and physicians to better monitor potentially dangerous drug interactions and prescription errors.”

Abbott also agreed to enter into a corporate integrity agreement with the federal government.

For a period of five years, Abbott must also limit:

• the creation and use of responses to requests by physicians for non-promotional information about off-label uses of Depakote;

• dissemination of reprints of clinical studies relating to off-label uses of Depakote;

• and use of grants and continuing medical education.

It must also disclose payments to physicians and register and disclose clinical trials.

The healthcare fraud settlement was based on four qui tam cases, filed under federal and state false claim statutes that were consolidated and are pending in U.S. District Court in Virginia.

Assistant Atty. General Thomas Saadi handled the consumer protection settlement for the Attorney General with Assistant Atty. General Phillip Rosario, head of the Consumer Protection department.

Consumers can make inquiries of the Attorney General’s office by calling 860-808-5318 during office hours or sending email to attorney.general@ct.gov You can also follow the office on Facebook at Attorney General George Jepsen and on Twitter @AGJepsen

Posted May 9, 2012, based on a press release

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Chris Murphy endorsed for U.S. Senate by Malloy, Wyman and Tong

Congressman Chris Murphy at a send off of National Guard troops. Murphy has been endorsed by Gov. Malloy, Lt. Gov. Wyman and former Democratic candidate William Tong to fill the open U.S. Senate seat for Connecticut. Photo source: Rep. Chris Murphy

Gov. Dannel Malloy, Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman and State Rep. William Tong today (May 1) joined together to endorse Congressman Chris Murphy’s candidacy for the open United States Senate seat in Connecticut.

Willliam Tong announced that he is ending his bid for the U.S. Senate.

“I want to congratulate William on a well run campaign,” said Gov. Malloy. “His positive message and personal story struck a chord with many people and I have no doubt that he’ll find success in whatever he sets his mind to next.”

“But now, it’s time for us as a party to get behind the best candidate in this race, and I have no doubt that that person is Chris Murphy,” Gov. Malloy said. “He’s smart, he gets things done and he’s not afraid to stand up to the status quo in Washington. That’s what we need in our next Senator, and I’m happy to put my support behind his candidacy. Now is the time for the Democratic Party to rally around Chris as we head into the nominating convention.”

Lt. Gov. Wyman said, “It is always good and sad when two very qualified people run for the same office… William Tong is a newer face to politics and a leader in his own right. Over the past few years I have become a friend and am proud of his abilities. William is a true leader and we will be seeing him in the future.”

Wyman added, “I am proud to add my name to the endorsement of Chris Murphy, who has a proven record in the State House, State Senate and as our 5th Congressional Representative to be our next U.S. Senator. Chris is a caring and hard working leader. Thank you William and Chris for putting the people of Connecticut first.”

State Rep. Tong said, “I am proud to endorse Chris Murphy for the United States Senate and join his team… I’ve learned a lot about Chris in this campaign. We are both sons of Connecticut who love our home state. And I have learned that he has the same fight, the same grit, the same commitment to working people like my parents. And I know he has the heart, the backbone and the integrity we need in the United States Senate. I am proud to call him my friend. I will be prouder still to call him my Senator.”

Rep. Murphy called these announcements, “an important unifying moment for our party and praised Tong’s campaign. “And I’m honored to earn his support today,” he said.

“Together, with the help of William, Gov. Malloy, Lt. Gov. Wyman and the thousands of grassroots activists who have enlisted to help our campaign, we’re building a coalition that can’t be beat,” Murphy said.

Posted May 1, 2012

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Out and about in the Quiet Corner this weekend

The forecast for this weekend is warm if not a bit windy, but a great couple of days to get out and enjoy some fresh air. Please also see a separate story about the Hebron Maple Festival, on Saturday and Sunday, March 10-11.

Saturday March 10

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS PANCAKE BREAKFAST

The Knights of Columbus, Council No. 11835, will host a Hebron Maple Festival pancake breakfast from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Church of the Holy Family parish hall (185 Church St.). Cost is $7 adults, $5 children (under 12). Info: T. J. McGuire (860) 228-1618.

NURSERY SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE

The Lebanon Cooperative Nursery School will host an open house from 9 a.m. to noon. Come and view the school, meet the teachers, and speak with current parents/board members. Info: www.lebanoncoop.org or call (860) 642-7719.

LAUGHTER YOGA

The Saxton B. Little Free Library, Columbia, will host Laughter Yoga with Laura Li at 10 a.m. at Yeoman’s Hall, Route 87, Columbia. Bring a water bottle and wear comfortable clothes and shoes. No yoga mats required. However, registration is required at ckubala@columbiactlibrary.org or (860) 228-0350.

HEBRON MAPLE FEST POLISH DINNER

St. Peter’s Church will hold a Polish dinner in Phelp’s Hall, 30 Church St. (Route 85), Hebron from 2:30 to 6 p.m. Cost is $12 adults, $6, 12 and under (under 6 is free). Info: (860) 228-3244 or visit the church web site at www.StPetersHebron.com

Sunday March 11

THE “MAGIC SCHOOL BUS” COMES TO JORGENSEN

Jorgensen Center for Performing Arts, 2132 Hillside Road, Storrs-Mansfield (on the UConn campus), will host two matinees at 1 and 3 p.m. of the Magic School Bus. Adults $13, children $11. Information/tickets: call the box office at (860) 486-4226 or order online at jorgensen.uconn.edu

COMMUNITY FARM PRESERVATION PROGRAM

The Ashford Grange will host an informative program with Agriculture Commissioner Steven K. Reviczky, who will talk about the new Community Farm Preservation Program. The program will be held at Knowlton Hall, Route 44, Warrenville (Ashford), at 3 p.m. The Ashford Grange will precede the program with a potluck lunch at 12:30 and a short business meeting at 2 p. m. All are welcome.

LENTEN VESPERS

Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, 414 Valley St., Willimantic, will host the Connecticut Deanery for Lenten Vespers at 4 p.m. The public is invited.

VENDORS WANTED — FLEA MARKET

Cedar Hill Market Place, 828 Route 32, Franklin, invites vendors for a flea market to be held on March 24 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Info: (860) 642-1899.

And coming up this week…

Monday March 12

ORGANIC GARDENING WORKSHOP

The Columbia Conservation and Agriculture Commission will spon­sor an organic gardening workshop led by Bryan O’Hara at 3 p.m. in Yeoman’s Hall, 323 Route 87, Columbia. Come learn about natural ways to enhance your gardening experience. Free to the public. Info: (860) 228-0440 or e-mail lmcdonald@columbiact.org

WINDHAM THEATRE GUILD AUDITIONS

The Windham Theatre Guild will hold open auditions for the comedy “Blithe Spirit” by Noel Coward at Windham Middle School, Quarry Street, Willimantic, at 7 p. m. Info: Director Victor Funderburk at ( 860) 450-6419 or visit windhamtheatreguild.org

SECOND MONDAY SOCIAL ACTION FILM SERIES

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Storrs, 46 Spring Hill Road, Storrs-Mansfield, will present “Flow: For the Love of Water” at 7 p.m. Info: (860) 423-6727.

Tuesday March 13

STORYTIME

The Douglas Library, 2 Main St., Hebron, will host a story time for children aged 2 and 3 years old at 10 a.m. Info: call the library’s children’s department at (860) 228-9312, ext. 3.

TOWN-GOWN MEETING — ECSU

The community is invited to join Eastern Connecticut State University staff, Windham town officials, students and neighbors to discuss issues of interest and concern in the community from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Johnson Room 204, ECSU Eugene Smith Library. All are welcome. Info: visit http://www.easternct.edu/towngown

BOOK DISCUSSION

The Saxton B. Little Free Library, Columbia, hosts a book discussion of “A Secret Kept” by Tatiana de Rosnay at 7 p. m. Book highlights com­plex family relationships and how the power of a past secret threatens to change everything in the present. Books provided by the library, all welcome. Info: (860) 228-0350 or ckubala@columbiactlibrary.org

QUIET CORNER FIDDLERS

The Quiet Corner Fiddlers will perform at Fred’s Brick House Café, 1681 Main St., Willimantic, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. New fiddlers are always welcom to join in. Info: (860) 423-5403 or (860) 742-1547.

Wednesday March 14

INTERFAITH SEWING AND SERVICE GROUP

First Congregational Church, 199 Valley St., Willimantic, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Projects: CWS — schools bags and layettes, Haiti maternity dresses. Snow date: March 15. Info: (860) 228-9658.

HOSPICE HOSPITALITY LUNCHEON

Hospice of Eastern Connecticut will hold its hospitality luncheon at Pine Acres Restaurant, Route 6, Chaplin, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Social gathering of people who are successfully moving on with their lives after a loss. Open to the community. (860) 456-7288 ext. 293 for further information.

RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE

The Red Cross will host a blood drive at the Lebanon Fire Safety Complex, 23 Goshen Hill Road, Lebanon, from 1 to 5:45 p.m. Info: (800) 733-2767 or www.redcrossblood.org Sponsored by Lebanon Lions Club. (Also see separate story in Mansfield Today about March is Blood Donor month)

MARCH MADNESS MOVIE

Mansfield Senior Center, 303 Maple Road, Storrs-Mansfield, CT will host a March Madness movie, “Hoosiers” at 1 p.m.

Posted March 10, 2012

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Hebron Maple Festival is this weekend

The chainsaw carving demonstration by the Shack Out Back is one of the more popular events at the Hebron Maple Festival, held this year on March 10-11 2012. Photo source: Hebron Maple Festival

Editor’s note: The Douglas Library will not hold regular Saturday hours on March 10; the library will be closed since the rest of the town will be humming with activity at the annual Maple Fest and the library’s parking lot is used by festival goers. The library will reopen for normal business hours on Monday at 1 p.m. For more information, call the library at (860) 228-9312.

The sweet tastes, smells and sights of the Hebron Maple Festival will return again this weekend.

Now in its 22nd year, the festival truly encompasses the entire town, not just in participation but in layout and the popular event draws thousands of visitors from all over the state – and even out of state – as well.

Those in the know arrive early, especially if you want to buy maple syrup at the sugar houses.

The 2012 Hebron Maple Fest will be held Saturday and Sunday, March 10 and 11.

Hebron is home to several maple sugar houses, where activities and self-guided tours are planned, but many of Hebron’s businesses and non-profit organizations also take part in the two-day schedule of events.

Some events are held at stores, churches and town facilities, and others are set up at booths along Main Street.

A full listing of events, contests, giveaways, demonstrations, special breakfasts, a downloadable copy of the brochure in PDF format (including a map), and so much more, is available on the Maple Fest web site at www.hebronmaplefest.com

Participating sugarhouses include: Woody Acres, 80 Cone Road; Pierce’s Sugar House, 325 W. Main St.; and Wenzel’s Sugar House, 522 East St.  This year also features a new sugar house, Hill’s House on Route 85. All will be open for tours and demonstrations.

As well as tours, exhibits and activities, all things maple will be offered for the public.

These range from the Hebron Historical Society’s sale of maple milk at the Old Town Hall to the Hebron Volunteer Fire Department’s popular sugar on snow and the Hebron Interfaith Human Services’ maple cotton candy at Hebron Fire Company No. 1.

Of course, maple syrup will be offered, well, everywhere.

Ron Wenzel, owner of Wenzel’s Sugar House, said the mild winter hasn’t affected his operation.

“The snow that we had last year was just right,” he said, but, “the sap production for me is about the same as a normal year, 50 to 60 gallons of syrup.”

Making that amount of syrup means Wenzel collected at least 3,300 gallons of sap from the trees he’s tapped around his property.

All the sappy goodness will be available for personal analysis and comparison at the festival.

There also will be all the traditional festival fare – fried dough, hot dogs and hamburgers, kettlecorn and more.

Opening ceremonies on Saturday begin at 9:45 a.m. at Liberty Square Collectibles at 105 Main St.

A variety of events are planned for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

For example, he nonprofit organization Wingmasters will exhibit birds of prey both days at the AHM Youth Services building at 25 Pendleton Drive, to benefit the family programs.

And the Hebron Historical Society will host the annual, very popular Quilt Show at the Old Town Hall on both days. Donations are requested to view the quilt exhibit to benefit historical society programs.

The Farmer’s Cow – a cooperative of six dairy farms from eastern Connecticut producing milk, cream, ice-cream, eggs and other products for local grocery stores – will share a booth at the Maple Fest with the Hebron Historical Society.

Adjacent to Old Town Hall will be a truck from Farmer’s Cow, which will serve ice cream samples and accept donations to benefit the town’s land acquisition fund, which is used to preserve open space.

One of the six farms in the cooperative is Maple Leaf Farm of Hebron, owned by the Ellis family.

This is the second year that representatives from the Farmer’s Cow have sponsored a booth at the Maple Festival.

“The society is pleased to support Farmer’s Cow in honor of Hebron’s long history of dairy farming,” said Hebron Historical Society President Donna McCalla.

She added, “We want to make sure that residents and visitors know that any volunteer donations will directly benefit the Hebron Open Space Land Acquisition Fund.”

Posted March 9, 2012 as edited and added to by HTNP.com Editor Brenda Sullivan

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In Hebron – Help celebrate at Burnt Hill Park

One of the fundraising drives was the Buy a Brick Campaign, during which members of the community could pay to have a personal message inscribed on a brick to be installed in the border. This campaign raised more than $3,500.

The Friends of Hebron Parks will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new brick border at the pavilion at the town’s Burnt Hill Park at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 10.

The event will be held at the park, located at 148 East St.

The Friends group raises funds for improvements to all Hebron parks that aren’t part of the town budget.

One of the fundraising drives was the Buy a Brick Campaign, during which members of the community could pay to have a personal message inscribed on a brick to be installed in the border. This campaign raised more than $3,500.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony is open to the public and refreshments will be served.

The Friends of Hebron Parks also seeks volunteers interested in assisting with other special events and fundraising campaigns.

For more information, visit www.friendsofhebronparks.org

Posted March 8, 2012

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In Hebron, Lenten fish dinners have new menu items

Church of the Holy Family in Hebron, CT will offer fish dinners on all Fridays through March 30 and on Good Friday, April 6 - with additional options and desserts.

Here is updated information about the Lenten Fish Fry community dinners offer by The Church of the Holy Family.

The upcoming dates (all Fridays) are March 9, 16, 23 and 30 (from 5 to 7:30 p.m.) as well as Good Friday, April 6 (from 4 to 7:30 p.m.)

Dinner is served in the church hall located at 185 Church St. in Hebron.

Here’s the menu: fresh fish (baked, fried or a combination), french fries and homemade cole slaw.

A children’s menu will feature macaroni and cheese and/ or fries/ cole slaw and fish.

Also included is a weekly dessert special for the adults, cupcakes for the kids and a sugar-free dessert option.

The following dates will also feature a special meal option (in addition to the regular baked/ fried fish dinners):

• March 9 – Fried whole belly clams

• March 23 -Fried Shrimp

• April 6 (Good Friday) – Fisherman’s Platter (-fried fish, scallops and shrimp)

The cost for all this good food is only $12.50 for adults, $10 for Seniors (age 65 and older) and $6 for children age10 and younger.

Take out meals are also available.

Also, Stations of the Cross will be held upstairs in the church every Friday during Lent at 7:30 p.m. for those who are interested.

Questions? Please contact the parish at 860-228-0096.

The Church of the Holy Family serves the communities of Hebron, Andover, Marlborough, and Columbia.

For more information on programs and services at the Church of the Holy Family, call the parish at 860-228-0096 or visit the Web site at www.holyfamilyhebron.org

Posted March 7, 2012

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Will Gov Malloy’s education ‘reforms’ hurt small towns?

Rep. Sawyer said towns like Andover are doing everything they can to help their schools. “The town is willing to put so much time and money into their schools,” said Sawyer. “Why would you then penalize them for their hard work?” Under the governor’s proposal, school districts that meet the criteria but fail to regionalize would lose 10 percent of their state aid the first year, with 10 percent increments each year up, to a maximum loss of 50 percent by the fifth year.

Andover officials are worried about the negative impact Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s education reform bill may have on the town.

The governor wants to regionalize school districts with populations under 1,000 students, and those where per-pupil expenditure exceeds the state per-pupil average, effective the 2015-16 fiscal year.

Thirty-one of the state’s school districts could be affected including regional school districts in Scotland, Hampton, Chaplin, Franklin, Columbia and Willington.

Andover is also on that list — with a catch.

Andover’s per pupil spending, which was $12,282 in fiscal year 2011, isn’t in excess of the state per-pupil average.

But Andover Superintendent Andrew Maneggia is still concerned.

“I’m worried about a lot of the legislation at this time,” Maneggia said. He added that  he is most worried about the possible regionalization of Andover Elementary School.

Andover, which was regionalized with Hebron and Marlborough several years ago, currently isn’t and Maneggia says he knows it doesn’t work for the younger schoolchildren.

“We went through (regionalization),” said Maneggia. “As far as the regionalizing of grades 7 through 12, it makes sense, but at this level it doesn’t.”

State Rep. Pam Sawyer – whose district includes Hebron, Andover and Marlborough – said she “highly disagrees” with the proposed legislation.

“They used to have four different elementary schools (in three towns),” Sawyer said and recalled that the single superintendent responsible for the district couldn’t focus on every school. “Since they have broken off, every town’s scores have gone straight up. They are all doing very well now.”

Under the governor’s proposal, school districts that meet the criteria but fail to regionalize would lose 10 percent of their state aid the first year, with 10 percent increments each year up, to a maximum loss of 50 percent by the fifth year.

Currently, the state sends $78.8 million each year to the 49 towns with fewer than 1,000 students that don’t spend above the amount the state deems acceptable. (There are more towns than districts because some towns fall below Malloy’s criteria even though they already belong to regional districts.)

Andover received $3,057,025 in fiscal year 2011 and would lose more than $300,000 if it were to be penalized.

Sawyer said she knows Andover currently wouldn’t be affected by the legislation, but is still worried. “It doesn’t mean they won’t in the future,” she said “One of the concerns I have is that it penalizes school systems that are doing well.”

Sawyer said she sees Malloy’s plan as “counterproductive.”

“Why would you want to disrupt success?” asked Sawyer. “Why would you do that? Especially when the focus should be on the larger schools that have the greatest failure rate.”

Sawyer pointed out that the smaller districts only have personal property taxes to fund the schools. “These schools don’t have the support that help fund education like the bigger, more commercialized towns and cities do,” said Sawyer.

“I believe it is essential that we look for state support of education that is balanced and balances out the tax structure somewhat,” she said.

Sawyer said towns like Andover are doing everything they can to help their schools. “The town is willing to put so much time and money into their schools,” said Sawyer. “Why would you then penalize them for their hard work?”

Sawyer, who has been visiting teachers in all of her towns, said this session is going to be “very interesting.”

“Not only does every legislator have a school, every legislator went to school and many have children that are still in school,” said Sawyer. “How does this plan help the children?”

Maneggia said there still needs to be “a lot of discussion” about all of Malloy’s education reform proposals.

“(Malloy) is approaching it the wrong way,” said Maneggia. “It would be better off saying we have these benefits that you can gain rather than penalizing towns financially.”

Posted March 7, 2012 as edited by HTNP.com Editor Brenda Sullivan

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Police chase suspect accused of robbing Hebron bank

A West Hartford man was in custody Monday (Feb. 27) following an afternoon bank robbery at a Hebron bank.

Paul Albert, 32, of 85 Woodmere Road, West Hartford, CT was charged with robbery and a host of other criminal charges, according to state police.

Police said the robbery took place at the First Niagara Bank on Main Street in Hebron Monday afternoon.

At approximately 2:15 p.m., a male suspect entered the bank and threatened the bank teller with a knife. The suspect left the bank on foot and then go into a vehicle.

The suspect vehicle was spotted by state troopers, who then began pursuit.

Police say, Troopers deployed stop sticks and the suspect vehicle exited the roadway in Marlborough.

Police say, Troopers took the suspect into custody without incident.

Police say Troopers recovered the knife used in the robbery and the cash stolen during the heist in the suspect’s vehicle.

During the pursuit, police say, the suspect threw some of the cash out the window of his vehicle. Troopers continue to recover the cash.

Albert was held on bond and was scheduled to appear in Rockville Superior Court on Tuesday, Feb. 28.

Posted Feb. 28, 2012

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