High winds could cause damage, outages in parts of Connecticut

Gov. Malloy will open the state's Emergency Operations Center Saturday morning, Feb. 25, to respond to any emergencies resulting from high winds, forecast to reach as much as 48 mph. Photo source: NOAA gov web site, shows effects of a "macroburst" in 2006

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced today that he will partially activate the state’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at 8 a.m. Saturday (Feb. 25) to respond to any emergencies that might arise as a result of high winds forecast for tonight and early Saturday.

Currently, a High Wind Warning has been issued for Windham, New London and Southern Middlesex Counties for overnight. The strongest winds expected after daybreak tomorrow.

A High Wind Warning is issued for forecasts of sustained wind speeds of at least 40 mph and gusts possibly in excess of 58 mph.

A less serious alert, a Wind Advisory, has been issued for the rest of the state.

The EOC will be staffed by the Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Division of the State Police, Department of Public Health, Department of Transportation, Military Department, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, State Fire Coordination, and the state’s utilities.

Posted Feb. 24, 2012

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Shamrockin Bowl!

Please join us on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2012 for some duckpin bowling. Have fun and raise funds for local children's summer camp scholarships! All proceeds will go to AHM Youth and Family Services and Hebron Parks and Recreation Scholarship Funds.

Please join us on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2012 for some duckpin bowling. Have fun and raise funds for local children’s summer camp scholarships!

There will be music, glow lights and all who attend will have a chance to win a Nook Color.

All proceeds will go to AHM Youth and Family Services and Hebron Parks and Recreation Scholarship Funds.

The event will be held at the Holiday Lanes in Manchester, CT at various time slots between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Tickets are $15 for individuals or $45 for a team of four and are being sold at AHM Youth Services, 25 Pendelton Drive in Hebron as well as the Hebron Parks & Recreation Office at Burnt Hill Park, and the Gilead Congregational Church during office hours.

Questions? Please call the Gilead Church at (860) 228-3077 or visit The Gilead Congregational Church Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/GCCBoardofMissions

Posted Feb. 23, 2012

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In Hebron – Lenten Fish Fry

Church of the Holy Family in Hebron, CT will offer fish dinners on all Fridays beginning Feb. 24 through March 30, 2012.

The Church of the Holy Family, 185 Church St., Hebron will offer a sit-down, Lenten fish fry for the community on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 22) from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. and on all Fridays beginning Feb. 24 through March 30 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and on Good Friday, April 6, from 4 to 7:30 p.m.

Cost is $12.50 for adults, $10 for seniors (age 65 and over) and $6 for kids (age 10 and under).

Take-out meals are also available.

The menu will include fresh fish (baked, fried or a combination), french fries, and homemade coleslaw. A children’s menu will feature macaroni & cheese and/or fries/cole slaw and fish. Also included, a weekly dessert special for the adults, cupcakes for the kids and a sugar-free dessert option.

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? Call (860) 228-0096.

The Church of the Holy Family serves the communities of Hebron, Andover, Marlborough, and Columbia, CT.  For more information on programs and services at the Church of the Holy Family, contact the parish at 860-228-0096 or online at www.holyfamilyhebron.org

Posted Feb. 22, 2012

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Join Hebron Lions on trip to Thailand

Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho in Bangkok, Thailand - by Brendan Gogarty, WikiCommons image

The time to make plans for your trip to Thailand, sponsored by the Hebron Lions, is now.

On this 14- day trip, you will visit Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai. This international trip is from Jan. 16 – 29, 2013 and is open to all.

The price is $2,489. Included:

• round-trip flights, Hartford to Bangkok and Intra-Thailand flight  from Chiang Mai to Bangkok;

• all transfers hotel to/from Thailand airports;

• 12 nights at deluxe class hotels (5-star) or superior first class hotels (4+star) and 13 meals;

• services of English-speaking tour manager;

• sightseeing per itinerary in modern air-conditioned motor coach and entrance fees per itinerary (special features: Reclining Buddha;  Sukhothai Historical Park;  Doi Suthep)

•  a dinner at a Chiang Mai private home

Thailand. Photo courtesy of Hebron Lions/Dr. William Levy

For the complete flyer contact Dr. William Levy (Hebron Lions) at w.levy793@comcast.net

For more information, call Dr. Levy at  860-647-1195.

Posted Feb. 21, 2012, links added by HTNP.com Editor Brenda Sullivan

Related link: Nancy Chandler’s Map of Chiang Mai, 19th Ed. http://www.amazon.com/Nancy-Chandlers-Map-Chiang-19th/dp/616904621X/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b

Traveling with children? See this one, too http://www.amazon.com/Nancy-Chandlers-Thailand-Activity-Book/dp/9749177088/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329942325&sr=1-11

Have a news item, event or Letter to the Editor you’d like posted on this news site? Simply send your information to editor@htnp.com and include your town in the subject line of your email. Please also include a phone number where you can be reached if there are questions. To keep up-to-date on local news, “like” us (HTNP News) on Facebook and follow us ( @HTNP) on Twitter!

Save a life and win money for your heating bill

Patients need blood every day, including during the winter season when blood donations often decrease. Photo courtesy of American Red Cross

The need for blood is always with us, but the chance to save a life and win $200 to pay down your winter fuel bill comes to an end on March 1.

As a special thank you, all those who come in to donate blood at American Red Cross blood drives in Connecticut during the month of February will be eligible to win free heat for a month.

Weekly drawings will be held from Feb. 1 through Feb. 29, 2012. ($200 maximum, paid directly to your utility provider. Prize is not redeemable for cash and is non-transferable.)

Patients need blood every day, including during the winter season when blood donations often decrease.

Each donation of blood can help to meet the daily needs of patients in Connecticut hospitals.

Across the country, on average, 44,000 blood donations are needed each day to help trauma victims, surgical patients, burn victims, patients with blood disorders and many others.

Who can donate?

Potential blood donors must be at least 17 years old, meet weight and height requirements (110 pounds or more, depending on your height) and be in generally good health.

Please bring your Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID when you come to donate.

Did you know? Eligible donors can give whole blood every 56 days.

Please call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit http://www.redcrossblood.org to find a blood drive at a convenient location near you and to make an appointment.

Posted Feb. 20, 2012

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Water company cancels alert for Hebron customers

Connecticut Water has lifted the "boil water" advisory for a group of Hebron, CT customers, as of Feb. 14, 2012.

The Connecticut Water company today (Feb. 14) lifted a “boil-water advisory” for customers in the London Park water system in Hebron.

In a notice sent to customers, and posted on its Web site, the company states:

“Connecticut Water is pleased to inform you that water quality testing in the London Park water system in Hebron, which serves customers on Carolyn Drive, Jan Drive, Laura Drive and London Road, has confirmed that your water is safe to drink and use for all other purposes.

We collected water samples after water service had been restored yesterday (2/13/12) following the repair of a broken fitting at the well. The samples were tested in a state certified laboratory, and the lab has confirmed that the water is safe to drink.

There is no longer any need to take any precautions before you use your tap water.

Connecticut Water appreciates your patience while worked to restore service and then to test the water to confirm its quality.”

Customers with questions should call customer service at 1-800-286-5700.

Public meeting Thursday, Feb 16

Also, a reminder about Thursday’s “public availability” meeting with Connecticut Water…

In January 2012, he Connecticut Water Company issued a drinking water warning for the Amston Lake water system – which serves 181 customers in Hebron, Lebanon and Colchester – when unsafe levels of copper were found in the water.

When the advisory was lifted, the company said the water was safe but that the cause of the elevated levels of copper was not discovered. In a recent update, the company stated, “the investigation is continuing into the underlying cause of the drop in pH that led to the elevated levels of copper.”

Connecticut Water is hosting a “public availability session” for customers of the Amston Lake water system from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 16, at the Douglas Library in Hebron.

Customers will have the opportunity to ask questions directly of the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH), the local health department, Connecticut Water and Matco Services (the consultant that has been analyzing pipe samples).

More details about this meeting, as well as ongoing investigation of the copper problem is available on the company Web site at http://www.ctwater.com/en/News/Service%20Updates.aspx

Posted Feb. 14, 2012

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Some Connecticut Water customers in Hebron under drinking water advisory

The Connecticut Water notice states, “We are issuing this advisory as a precaution because of an equipment failure that allowed the pressure in the water system to drop below 20 pounds per square inch.” Map source: Connecticut Water Co.

Connecticut Water issued the following warning today (Feb. 13):

The company advises customers of the London Park water system in Hebron (on Carolyn Drive, Jan Drive, Laura Drive and London Road) to boil their tap water before using it for -

• drinking,

• cooking, food preparation,

• reconstituting baby formula

• or any use where the water would be consumed.

However, customers can continue to use the water for bathing, cleaning, sanitation (i.e. toilet) or other purposes where the water is not consumed.

The advisory affects 78 Connecticut Water customers.

Problems at Amston Lake

The Connecticut Water Company previously issued a drinking water warning in January 2012 for the Amston Lake water system – which serves 181 customers in Hebron, Lebanon and Colchester – when unsafe levels of copper were found in the water.

When the advisory was lifted, the company said the water was safe but that the cause of the elevated levels of copper was not discovered. In a recent update, the company stated, “the investigation is continuing into the underlying cause of the drop in pH that led to the elevated levels of copper.”

Connecticut Water also is hosting a “public availability session” this week, on Thursday, Feb. 16, for customers of the Amston Lake water system. It will be held at the Douglas Library in Hebron from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Customers will have opportunity to ask questions directly of the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH), the local health department, Connecticut Water and Matco Services (the consultant that has been analyzing pipe samples).

More details about this meeting, as well as ongoing investigation of the copper problem is available on the company Web site at http://www.ctwater.com/en/News/Service%20Updates.aspx

Equipment failure

As for the current concerns, the Connecticut Water notice states, “We are issuing this advisory as a precaution because of an equipment failure that allowed the pressure in the water system to drop below 20 pounds per square inch.”

“The equipment has been repaired but we need to restore operations and test the water. The advisory will remain in effect until we collect water samples from the distribution system and have them tested in a state certified laboratory to be sure that no bacteria got into the water as a result of the low pressure,” the notice states.

The company expects to receive the results by early Wednesday morning (Feb. 15).

The company will notify customers when the boil advisory is lifted, “but until then please continue to boil the water before consuming,” the notice states. “We thank you for your patience as we work to restore water service and apologize for the inconvenience.”

Questions? Call The Connecticut Water Company at 1-800-286-5700.

The company Web site is http://www.ctwater.com

Posted Feb. 13, 2012

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Some DMV offices to close temporarily during computer system upgrade

The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles is upgrading its computer systems to offer more online transactions.

Therefore, DMV offices will have temporary downtime – between Feb. 7 and March 21, 2012 – so staff can learn about developing features in the new system.

The multi-million dollar project, which is expected to produce new online services later this year and next, aims to make it easy for customers to conduct a number of online services with DMV.

It is also designed to streamline DMV’s electronic files so that customers can be served more quickly when doing business with the agency.

The temporary downtime – dates when an office will be closed only on a specific day – will affect offices statewide beginning next week according to the following schedule:

February 7 – Willimantic

February 8 – Willimantic and Putnam

February 14 – Norwich

February 15 – Norwich and Putnam

February 21 – 24 Old Saybrook

February 28 – March 2 – New Britain

March 6 and 7 – Bridgeport and the Milford Photo License Center

March 8 and 9 – Danbury

March 13 – Hamden Office

March 14 – Hamden and the Derby Photo License Center

March 15 and 16 – Norwalk

March 20 – 21 – Waterbury and the Winsted satellite office

With the exceptions of these temporary downtimes, other DMV and AAA offices will be open normal hours and serving customers. Remember, DMV offices are normally closed on Mondays and in observance of state and national holidays.

Customers should check the DMV website at http://ct.gov/dmv/ for hours and the most convenient locations.

The computer modernization project, which is underway, is divided into three phases that are expected to be completed during the next two years.

Some of the early work in phase 1 includes:

• An online service for customers to cancel their marker plates when lost or stolen.

• A registration verification system to check whether a vehicle is properly registered in the state.

• Design of an improved process for issuing new dealer and repairer licenses that could someday lead to filing information online for these businesses that are also customers of DMV.

• Customers to handle online issues surrounding compliance matters with state law.

• Customers to renew any vehicle’s registration online (Now doing only passenger cars whose owners do not owe property taxes or have other violations that prevent the registration of the vehicle).

• Customers to order vanity plates online (now customers can only check online whether a combination of letters or numbers are available, but they still need to mail-in the order).

• DMV to give customers 8-character vanity plates. (The state now does only 6 characters.) This opens up the possibility of more vanity plates than currently produced.

• Allow customers to do certain information research that might tell them whether they can obtain a license or registration, i.e. suspension records and driver history records that show violations that prevent someone from getting a license or registration.

Posted Feb. 3, 2012 as edited by HTNP.com Editor Brenda Sullivan

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CL&P says victims of October storm outages to get $140 credit

The CL&P credit system was established with help from New York-based Atty Kenneth Feinberg who administered compensation funds to victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the 2010 British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Approximately 192,000 Connecticut Light & Power customers who lost power for days in the wake of the freak snowstorm of Oct. 29 will receive a $140.22 credit in their February bills, the utility company announced Wednesday (Feb. 1).

In the face of intense criticism over its response to failure to restore power in some parts of the state for as much as 7 days and threats of more state regulation, CL&P parent company Northeast Utilities scrambled to improve public relations.

NU set aside $10 million for customers whose electricity had not been restored as of noon Nov. 5. When questions were raised about the appropriateness of the amount, the company upped it to $30 million.

Applications for the credit were accepted until 5 p.m. Jan. 31.

The utility company said 225,000 customers were eligible.

“Our goal was to reach every eligible customer and we made a concerted 10-week effort to meet that commitment,” Jim Muntz, CL&P’s chief operating officer, said in a Feb. 1, 2012 statement. “Many heard from us multiple times through letters and phone calls – it was our way of demonstrating that their opportunity to apply was a priority for us, too,” Muntz states.

The credit system was established with help from New York-based Atty Kenneth Feinberg who administered compensation funds to victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the 2010 British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

In Wednesday’s press release, Feinberg is quoted as praising the storm credit effort. “The claimants’ response is proof positive of the effectiveness of the company’s outreach,” Feinberg said.

He also states192,000 customers receiving the money represents more than 80 percent of those eligible. “In my experience, claim fund response rates are typically around 20 percent,” he states.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy issued his own statement in which he calls the credits “a good first step,” but also cites the continued need for longterm reforms that improve utility responses to severe storms, such as creating restoration benchmarks and establishing related fines.

“And later this year our Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection will conduct the largest statewide emergency preparedness drill in recent history, so that we know what to do when a real-time situation comes our way,” Malloy said.

Posted Feb. 2, 2012 – as edited by HTNP.com Editor Brenda Sullivan – reprinted through partnership with The Chronicle

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Hebron students on UConn Deans List

The University of Connecticut recently distributed the list of students who attained the Dean’s List for the fall 2011 semester.

To make the Dean’s List, students must take at least 12 credits, finish the semester with a grade point average (GPA) that is among the top 25 percent of students enrolled in their school or college, and have no grade below a “C.”

The following edited list includes students from the HTNP.com general readership area. Some categories were grouped together where students listed their residence as a village within a town, i.e. Moodus (East Haddam, CT) and Storrs (Mansfield, CT) and therefore may not be in alphabetical order.

While HTNP.com is happy to correct any errors, we are not responsible for any omissions or incorrect information, as this list was provided by the university.

Posted Jan. 31, 2012

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