Windham regional no-freeze shelter needs supplies, helpers

Volunteer Joe Blotz, left, and staff member Mike McNally prepare beds at the Windham No Freeze Hospitality Center on Main Street in Willimantic Wednesday. The shelter has already been running at capacity. Photo by Al Malpa

With cold, winter weather firmly setting in, Windham No Freeze Hospitality Center Inc. organizers say they are running low on supplies and are seeing a much higher demand for shelter this year.

“Well, our season has been overwhelming so far,” said Director Leigh Duffy. “We even had to open a couple of days early, thanks to that snowstorm in October.”

Windham Mayor Ernie Eldridge said he isn’t surprised about the rise in demand. “The economy isn’t good,” he said.

The nonprofit group, now in its eighth year, provides a space during the cold months where homeless people can get out of the cold, sleep in safety and take a shower.

Since its opening for this season in November, the center has been full, Duffy said.

Last year, 150 people sought shelter at the center, and Duffy predicts that number will be exceeded soon.

“We’ve already seen 105 different people this season,” Duffy said and added that supplies are low because of the center is already serving so many people.

This year, Duffy also has seen an increase in the number of people under 25 coming to the shelter, another sign of a tough economy. (The shelter only takes people 18 and older.)

“They all have similar stories,” Duffy said. “They either can’t afford rent or are in a precarious living situation.”

The usual core group is age 40 to 65, Duffy said.

Located at 1110 Main St. (next to Schiller’s), the center is in need of supplies such as paper towels, toilet paper, razors, shaving cream, decaffeinated coffee, cleaning supplies, warm hats, socks and gloves/mittens.

Those who would like to help can bring their donated items during office hours, from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, or you can call ahead to come by at a different time or meet at a different location.

Although the shelter currently has 65 workers, it still needs more volunteers, to give the regular workers a break and to fill in when someone is out sick, Duffy said.

The shelter is usually closed during the day, but last year Duffy tried to let people sleep in if they were sick in order to reduce the spread of illnesses – but this year she doesn’t have the funding to do that, she said.

“We have to have people on site when we do that,” said Duffy. “I was working 16-hour days then, but we can always use more volunteers.”

The shelter gets almost all of its money directly from donations from the community.

Duffy said she has never had to turn anyone away and never will. “If someone has to sleep on the floor they can,” she said. Duffy and her staff have even taken visitors into their homes for the night, she said.

With more than two months of winter still left, the shelter is going to need as much help as it can get, Duffy said.

Eldridge said he understands that it isn’t easy to get donations for the shelter. “It’s not as much that they don’t care as they don’t have it to give,” he said.

“The jobs just aren’t there today,” said Eldridge. “When I was a kid there were plenty of jobs… Those jobs aren’t there anymore, not in our section of the world.”

Later this month, the shelter will host Bruce John’s “Hollywood Nights,” it’s fifth annual fundraiser. Tickets to the Jan. 21 event, at the Willimantic Elks Club, are $20 and all proceeds benefit the Windham Region No Freeze Project.

“The event will help us to cover the rent for the year,” Duffy said.

For more information about volunteering or making a donation, call the center at (860) 450-1346 or send an e-mail to windham.nofreeze@gmail.com Donations can be mailed to The Windham No Freeze Project, P.O. Box 46, Willimantic 06226.

Posted Jan. 18, 2012 as edited by HTNP.com Editor Brenda Sullivan

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Want to know more about beekeeping? Learn from the experts

The Eastern CT Beekeeping Association classes, held at UConn, will be a lecture and interactive series, focusing on honeybees and beekeeping, with emphasis on management for pollination and honey production. Photo source: cals.vt.edu

The Eastern Connecticut Beekeeping Association will lead an introductory beekeeping course for anyone with an interest in bees/beekeeping beginning Jan. 26, 2012 at the University of Connecticut Storrs campus. People who already have colonies are also invited to attend.

Classes will be held in the W.B. Young Building on Thursdays from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., with registration held at 6 p.m. at the first class.

Class dates are Jan. 26, and Feb. 2, 9, 16 – and Feb. 23 is reserved as a snow date, in the event a class is cancelled. (If UConn is closed due to weather, class will not be held.)

The class will be a lecture and interactive series, focusing on honeybees and beekeeping, with emphasis on management for pollination and honey production.

The classes will be conducted by experienced beekeepers Adam Fuller from Hampton CT, Alex Nishball from Mansfield CT and Tim Grilley from Salem CT.

There is a $75 registration fee. The fee includes the class book, “The Backyard Beekeeper,” the class and a one-year membership in the Eastern Connecticut Beekeepers Association.

To register, click on this link (form is in PDF format) http://webpages.charter.net/nectar/ECBA/Bee_School_Reg_2012.pdf, complete the registration form and return it ASAP with a $75 check to: ECBA, P.O. Box 487, Tolland, CT 06084.

If you register by mail, the deadline is Jan. 15, 2012. You may also register in person at the first class if space is still available.

Posted Jan. 3, 2012

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Police have hectic Christmas weekend

Highway safety experts say distracted driving, especially talking or sending text messages on cellular phones while driving, is one of the main causes of accidents.

While police in Willimantic and Coventry reported a relatively quiet holiday weekend, fires, drunk drivers and hazardous holiday happenings kept Connecticut State Police very busy and they expect this to continue as we greet the arrival of 2012 Saturday night.

State Police Lt. J. Paul Vance said Operation SANTA, the nationwide roadway safety effort that began before Christmas – and this year is focused on distracted driving, as well as other violations – will remain in effect through Sunday, Jan. 1.

Highway safety experts say distracted driving, especially talking or sending text messages on cellular phones while driving, is one of the main causes of accidents.

Over this holiday weekend, CT State Police cited 815 drivers for moving violations including talking/texting while driving.

“We had what we would call a hectic weekend,” said Lt. Vance. “We had a lot of accidents.”

State police respond not only to crimes and motor vehicle violations but also to fires – such as the horrific Christmas Day blaze in Stamford that claimed the lives of five people, including three children and their grandparents.

Fatal accident

A single-vehicle accident on Route 6 in Bolton at about 6:30 a.m. on Monday, in the area of Johnson Road, claimed the life of the driver.

Police say Thomas R. Farr, 54, of Berlin, was driving east on Route 6 when he lost control of his truck while negotiating a curve in the road.

Police say the 2004 Ford F350 truck crossed two lanes and struck an embankment, then rolled onto the driver’s side of the vehicle; Farr was partially ejected and trapped under the truck. Police say the airbag did not deploy.

The accident remains under investigation.

Statewide, there were two fatal accidents, 36 accidents with injuries, 502 speeding arrests, 43 arrests for not wearing seat belts and 36 arrests for driving under the influence… in addition to the aforementioned 815 hazardous moving violations.

These statistics cover the time between midnight Friday, Dec. 23, and midnight on Monday, Dec. 26.

New Year’s Day

Extra police patrols will remain on the state’s roadways through the New Year’s weekend.

And state police remind citizens that state troopers are only part of a “team effort” to keep the highways and roadways safe.

“We need the help of all our citizens to keep our highways safe and reduce the total number of motor vehicle accidents in the state,” Lt. Vance states. For example, if you witness someone driving erratically, potentially a driver under the influence, it is legal to call 911 and report it (take note of the license plate and the color and make of the vehicle.)

To view a list of police checkpoints planned for this weekend – organized by region (i.e Troop C, Troop K) and date, in PDF format, click here www.ct.gov/dps/site

Posted Dec. 27, 2011

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State Police set up checkpoints now through New Year’s Day

State Police have been on the roads since just before Christmas, setting up checkpoints in an annual safety initiative known as Project S.A.N.T.A. – an acronym for Stop Another Needless Tragic Accident. Photo: State Police Troop C in Tolland CT - photo copyright 2011 by Brenda Sullivan

State Police have been on the roads since just before Christmas, setting up checkpoints in an annual safety initiative known as Project S.A.N.T.A. – an acronym for Stop Another Needless Tragic Accident.

At these checkpoints, police will check for everything from talking on your cell phone while driving, to failure to use your seat belt, to driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.

You might also be cited for faulty equipment, such as non-working brake lights, failure to illuminate your car’s license plate and of course serious offenses such as driving an unregistered vehicle or driving with an expired license.

For a list grouped by State Police barracks of where checkpoints will be on a particular date, click here .

Project S.A.N.T.A. is part of what’s known as a Combined Accident Reduction Effort (C.A.R.E.) and it involves all State Police Departments across the U.S.

Emergency Services & Public Protection Commissioner Reuben F. Bradford said, “Our State Troopers are trying to save lives and keep all of our roads and highways safe.”

No one looks forward to spending time in a jail cell, a hospital, especially during the holidays.

Here’s some good advice: If you are planning to drink alcohol at a holiday event, make plans in advance for a designated, non-drinking driver to bring you home.

And if you spot someone driving erratically – weaving in and out of lanes or otherwise endangering others – call 911 and report it. You may save a life.

In 2010, Project S.A.N.T.A. was canceled in Connecticut because of a snowstorm. In 2009  (from 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 24 to 12 a.m. on Dec. 27): 468 tickets were issued for speeding; 55 tickets were issued for failure to wear a seat belt; 36 people were arrested for drunk driving; 814 citations were issued for a variety of “hazardous moving violations.” And in 2010, there were 281 accidents – 35 with injuries and two fatalities.

Posted Dec. 26, 2011

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Courtney helps taxpayers recover more than $1 million

In the cases where Congressman Courtney’s office helped recovered taxpayer money, constituents have saved anywhere from $105 in a dispute with the IRS to $124,000 – payment secured for a Vietnam veteran for service-connected disability related to Agent Orange exposure.

U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney today (Dec. 22) announced that, since the beginning of 2011, his office has helped return $1,331,686 to eastern Connecticut citizens who were owed Social Security checks, veterans’ benefits, tax refunds and other payments from the federal government.

Since Courtney’s arrival in Congress in 2007, his casework staff has helped thousands of constituents cut through bureaucratic red tape.

“Almost every day for the past five years, my office has received a call from someone in eastern Connecticut asking for help solving a problem,” said Congressman Courtney (D – 2nd CT District).

“Every dollar we are talking about today has a story – a person who was fighting an uphill battle to get the help he or she deserved. I hope their success in recovering what was owed to them inspires others to contact my office right away,” he said.

In the cases where Courtney’s office helped recovered taxpayer money, constituents have saved anywhere from $105 in a dispute with the IRS to $124,000 – payment secured for a Vietnam veteran for service-connected disability related to Agent Orange exposure.

In total, the casework breakdown of savings is as follows:

Social Security: $950,698

Veterans’ benefits: $160,543

Housing: $143,400

Pensions: $34,725

FEMA: $23,870

IRS: $18,450

Congressman Courtney’s office can assist constituents with a range of issues including: Social Security, Medicare, veterans’ benefits, immigration/visas, passports, loan modifications, requests for flags and commendations, service academy nominations, and more.

He has two offices in eastern Connecticut: Norwich District Office, 101 Water Street, Suite 301, Norwich, CT 06360, 860.886.0139; Enfield District Office, 77 Hazard Ave, Unit J, Enfield, CT 06082, 860.741.6011

Posted Dec. 22, 2011

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DMV office hours change during Christmas holiday

Department of Motor Vehicles customer service centers will close for the Christmas holiday on Friday, Dec. 23, 2011 at 12:30 p.m. and reopen Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2011 at 7:45 a.m.

Major DMV service offices will be open on Thursday until 5:30 p.m.

AAA offices will be open to process driver’s license renewals during their normal business hours on Friday and Saturday.

All AAA offices will be closed on Monday, Dec. 26.

DMV photo licensing centers and satellite offices will have the following adjusted hours around the Christmas holiday:

• Derby – Railroad Station, 12 Main Street, Friday, Dec. 23 from 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.;

• Putnam, 165 Kennedy Drive, Friday, Dec. 23 from 7:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and closed on Saturday, Dec. 24;

• Middletown- Main Street Market, Friday, Dec. 23 from 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.;

• Winsted, 151 Torrington Road, Friday, Dec. 23 from 7:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and closed on Saturday, Dec. 24.

More information about DMV services is available online at ct.gov/dmv or through the DMV telephone center at 860-263-5700 in the Greater Hartford area and 800-842-8222 for the remainder of the state.

Through the web site and phone center, customers can find specific information 24 hours a day on non-driver identification, change of address and change of name as well as

• vehicle tax questions,

• records information,

• forms,

• emissions testing and inspections,

• operator’s licenses,

• titles and registrations

• and directions to DMV branch offices and photo license centers.

The site also has details on boating registrations, handicapped driver training, commercial vehicle safety, and instructions on how to file a complaint against a dealer or repairer.

Posted Dec. 22, 2011

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School bus has close encounter with deer, one student injured

E. O. Smith High School - File photo by Jared Ramsdell

State police are investigating a bus accident on Mirtl Road in Willington this morning (Dec. 16) that sent one male high school student to the hospital with minor injuries.

State police from Troop C in Tolland said the accident was reported at 7:06 a. m. and the bus was transporting 21 students to E.O. Smith High School in Storrs/Mansfield.

The Regional School District 19 high school serves Willington, Mansfield and Ashford.

The official cause of the accident was not disclosed by police this morning, but E. O. Smith Assistant Principal Sheila Riffle, who was on the scene, said it appeared the bus swerved off the road and into a ditch when the driver was trying to avoid a collision with a deer.

According to Riffle, state troopers from Troop C in Tolland as well as Mansfield and Willington firefighters responded to the scene.

Riffle said when school officials learned of the bus accident, their first priority was to make sure the students were OK.

One male student was sent to a hospital, likely Windham Community Memorial Hospital, with “minor injuries.”

The other students, she said, were evaluated at the scene and later by the school nurse. “The other students were fine,” said Riffle.

She noted the emergency responders were “very organized” when handling the accident. “Everyone handled the situation well,” Riffle said.

Posted Dec. 16, 2011

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State Rep. Hurlburt announces funding to keep Willington highway rest stops open

State Rep. Bryan Hurlburt, who represents Ashford, Tolland and Willington, announced that funding for infrastructure work at Willington’s two highway rest stops along I-84 has been approved by the State Bond Commission.

State Rep. Bryan Hurlburt, who represents Ashford, Tolland and Willington, announced that funding for infrastructure work at Willington’s two highway rest stops along I-84 has been approved by the State Bond Commission.

A total of $102,204 has been designated for the design of an upgraded septic system that serves the rest stops – part of necessary work to keep the stops open.

“This funding will not only go toward much needed work at the stops, but also reflects the state’s commitment to keep them open long-term,” Rep. Hurlburt said in a prepared statement.

“These rest stops serve thousands of motorists and it is important to maintain the facilities. In many ways, rest stops serve as a welcome mat for the state,” he said.

In June 2011, Rep. Hurlburt helped secure an agreement with Gov.  Dannel P. Malloy to keep the stops open after the Department of Transportation announced their closing, effective July 1, in order to cut an estimated $400,000 in maintenance costs.

State Rep. Bryan Hurlburt, 53rd House District

Rep. Hurlburt argued that public safety and community concerns outweighed the estimated savings.

“We are always telling drivers to pull over and take a break if they are tired, so it’s a total contradictory message,” he said.

Rep. Hurlburt also noted that charitable organizations, such as the Boys Scouts and Willington Historical Society, often offer “coffee breaks” at the rest areas as fundraisers.

Posted Dec. 16, 2011

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