Wallingford News

Submitted by Brian Kelly on 2009-07-01.   Brian Kelly Shown following the taping of Wallingford Public Access television's "Preview" show are, from left, Debra Denhart, the host of the show, and Laura Green, president and CEO of Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters.

In these tough economic times, the Connecticut chapters of the Red Cross have to focus on what they do best: blood donation, disaster services and health and safety training.

A prestigious local private school asked the Wallingford officials on Tuesday to shut down part of a town road in an effort to enrich its science program.

WALLINGFORD - You want a road? We want something in return. That seemed to be the general consensus in the Robert Earley Auditorium of Town Hall Tuesday as the Town Council and the general public heard Choate Rosemary Hall's request that a 0.46-mile section of Old Durham Road be closed to traffic. The room was packed with more than 100 people who stayed long into the evening to hear Edward Shanahan, headmaster of the prestigious private school, present Choate's plea. "I feel like I'm a little bit on the defensive and there hasn't even been a coin toss," Shanahan said before he presented Choate's proposal to the council.

The Wallingford Board of Education planned to meet Monday night to discuss out school budget cuts would equate to cuts in the classroom.

The Gaylord Hospital Open-Adaptive Golf Tournament will be played Monday at the Farms Country Club in Wallingford.

WALLINGFORD — The Charter Revision Commission met Thursday to consider 18 suggested revisions to the town’s governing document recommended by the Town Council, approving all but the most controversial: an amendment, which would give the town the ability to “trade” its Board of Ethics with other municipalities. Only six of the nine commission members attended: Democrats Jeffrey Knickerbocker, Kate Wall, Debbie Gross and Ray Lilley, and Republicans Raymond Rys Sr. and Vincent Cervoni. The commission had a lengthy debate about the amendment concerning the ethics board, with members of the public chiming in.

Zach Gross of Westchester, NY, is in hot pursuit of Lenny Bermudez of Uncasville as they race around the 1,700 foot track at On Track Karting in Wallingford.

Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction performs at Jones Beach Theater on June 7, 2009 in Wantagh, New York.

By: Samaia Hernandez, Record-Journal staff 06/08/2009 WALLINGFORD - After months of discussion, the Board of Education has received a budget that makes up for the $2.5 million cut by the mayor, creates room for several added items and eliminates almost 20 positions. Some items were easy to cut, such as special education, with more than a million dollars on its way from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the federal stimulus package, to quickly replenish them. In other areas, a tough decision must be made. "There will be layoffs," School Superintendent Dale Wilson said. In a year when the Paraprofessionals Union of Wallingford, Local 75, fought to obtain health care, 16 to 18 of the 180 paraprofessionals will be losing their jobs. Additionally, three and a half teaching positions will be eliminated. The details are still being worked out, as some jobs will be vacated through retirement. But at least one teaching position will be eliminated through a layoff, Wilson said. The paraprofessional positions result in a $391,845 saving, the other positions $210,000. Wilson said class sizes will not be impacted.

06/05/2009 The Wallingford Charter Revision Commission has completed its work and has submitted it to the Town Council. Included in the list of revisions are many potentially useful language and procedural alterations - and one hand grenade. It will ultimately be the responsibility of the voters of Wallingford to "keep the pin in" and prevent this ill-conceived piece of the Charter Revision Commission's work from becoming law. I am speaking, of course, about the change in the number of votes required for the Town Council to overturn a veto of a town budget by the Mayor. Currently, seven votes are so required - one more than the maximum of six people that either political party can seat on the Council. In other words, overturning the mayor's veto requires bipartisan support, the practical upshot of which is that it would require extraordinary circumstances to create such cooperation.

By: Dave Moran, Record-Journal staff 06/02/2009 WALLINGFORD - After the public had the opportunity to comment on the proposed Town Charter revisions - and comment they did - in a public hearing Tuesday, the Town Council finally dug into the document in earnest in a special meeting conveyed immediately thereafter. One of the most controversial topics throughout the revision process, an amendment to reduce the number of council votes needed to overturn a mayoral veto from seven to six, came up late in the evening. After a long, at times spirited debate, the council voted 5-4 not to remove the amendment. The vote fell entirely along party lines, with Democrats Michael Brodinsky, Vincent Testa, Michael Spiteri, Vincenzo DiNatale and Nick Economopoulos voting against the amendment and Republicans Rosemary Rascati, Robert Parisi, Jerry Farrell Jr. and John LeTourneau voting in favor. Rascati proposed the amendment.

Biz Buzz Submitted by Laurie Batignani on 2009-05-24.   John Turenne, President & Founder of Sustainable Food Systems in Wallingford, will be featured in a Basil Episode and Grilled Pizza Episode when host Scott Sommerfield welocmes him to this month's episodes of "New England Cuisine." Turenne is internationally recognized for his innovative ...

By: Dave Moran, Record-Journal staff 05/20/2009 WALLINGFORD - The Democrats' slate of candidates for the coming election is beginning to come into focus. When the Democratic Town Committee met Wednesday night, one incumbent member each on the Town Council and the Board of Education announced they will not be seeking re-election, three new potential council candidates emerged, three incumbent councilors confirmed their desire to run for new terms and Democratic Town Committee Chairman Vincent Avallone said he still has not received notice from any local Democrats who want to oppose Republican Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. in the upcoming election. Michael Spiteri, a two-term councilor and former member of the Board of Education, announced that he does not plan to run again this year. "Due to family obligations and minor health issues, I'm not going to seek a third term on the Town Council," Spiteri, who is paraplegic, told the committee Wednesday. "Over the last 10 years of public service, I was happy. They were exciting times for me and my family." ncumbent councilors Vincent Testa, Vincenzo DiNatale and Nick Economopoulos all announced they would seek re-election. Michael Brodinsky, the Democratic chairman of the council, said he had not decided whether he would run again, but that he planned to make his intentions known to the committee by its June meeting. Carol Hayden, a longtime member of the Board of Education who did not attend Wednesday's meeting, sent a letter to Avallone stating that she did not intend to run for re-election. Michael Votto, chairman of the Board of Education and a retired history teacher, said that he will run. "I love doing this," Votto said. "I loved teaching for 36 years. I love education. It's my life." Afterward, Avallone said that during the meeting someone told him about a possible Democratic challenger to Dickinson, who has held office since 1984. "Somebody told me that somebody's interested," Avallone said. "But I'll know how viable it is in the next few weeks." The municipal election will be held Nov. 3.

A Meriden man is hospitalized with what police describe as significant injuries from a hit-and-run crash in Wallingford.

Clubs & Organizations Submitted by Sean O'Leary on 2009-05-21.   Wallingford resident Marcy Katzen, diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1990, will honor her late sister, Beth Katzen-Goodrich, the Greater New Haven 2009 WAMS Luncheon on Friday, June 5 at the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale.

These days, the push is on to get more kids to eat healthy. But one school district has opted out of a state program that promotes healthy eating.

By: Dave Moran, Record-Journal staff 05/14/2009 WALLINGFORD - When John LeTourneau wasn't selected as a Town Council candidate by the Republican Town Committee Wednesday, he was more than surprised.

By: Dave Moran 05/14/2009 WALLINGFORD - When the Republican Town Committee met Wednesday evening to nominate its slate of candidates for the coming municipal election, it came as something of a shock to John LeTourneau - an incumbent Republican member of the Town Council - that he was the only one of seven candidates not selected for a council nomination. "It was a total shock to me," LeTourneau, the owner of Wallingford Lamp and Shade, said at his store on Center Street Thursday morning. "I had no idea this was going to happen." In addition to nominating the remaining three incumbent Republicans members of the council - Robert Parisi, Jerry Farrell Jr. and Rosemary Rascati - the committee also voted to nominate Vincent Cervoni, an alternate on the Zoning Board of Appeals who ran unsuccessfully for a council seat as a Republican in 2007; Thomas Laffin, a Republican member of the Board of Education; and local attorney Craig Fishbein. "Nobody has ever come to me from within the party to say you're doing a bad job or you're too outspoken or anything," LeTourneau said. "There was no indication from any party members on this." Municipal elections are Nov. 3. LeTourneau is serving his first term on the council.

WALLINGFORD - The Town Council met Tuesday to adopt Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr.'s budget proposal for 2009-10, but only after restoring $70,000 for the Visiting Nurse Association of Wallingford and shifting money within the budget to restore the Fourth of July fireworks.