dlyon  Jan 7 2005 - 8:38am  Opinion/Editorial   

The Windham board of selectmen is right to ask for a state audit of the Mills and the Windham Mills Development Corp.
There is no need to reiterate the long and sorry history of the WMDC undertaking. With the flow of an estimated $33 million through its hands to cleanup the mills grounds and rehabilitate the property, it is only appropriate that there be a complete fiscal accounting of those expenditures.
It is even more important that an audit be performed before the judge makes a final decision on the WMDC’s application for reorganization under federal bankruptcy laws.
If the audit shows a proper record of expenditures and explains where all the money went, it might bolster the WMDC’s petition.

dlyon  Jan 7 2005 - 8:37am  Opinion/Editorial   

By Terese Karmel
It sits there like a gaping mouth, this 25-inch flat screen television that has insinuated its way into my life.
To be sure, it was most generous of them and fit the classic definition of a gift as something you would never buy yourself. But after living with it for more than a month, I’m still not sure what to do with it.
The APEX television (now called television “receiver,” a word I had previously associated with football), was a most generous gift from my daughter and son-in-law whose previous visits from their home in St. Louis to Connecticut had apparently convinced them that the old 16-inch screen, separate CD player and VHS recorder — all easy for us to manipulate — needed some consolidation. And so after a call from the road that they would be delayed in traffic, they finally pulled up in front of our house with the television attached to the rear of their rental car with bungee cords, much like Santa’s pack is magically connected to the his sled.

dlyon  Jan 7 2005 - 8:34am  Local News   

By GAIL ELLEN DALY
Chronicle Staff Writer
HEBRON — There will be a fair in September.
It may take time and energy and a lot of help from friends, but the Hebron Lions insist the 35th Hebron Harvest Fair will take place as usual the second weekend in September.
“We had a club meeting the night it happened and Lions from Colchester and other clubs came or called with offers of support,” said Lion Norman Dorval of Hebron. “There have been so many offers of help.”
Lions President Bob Musson called it “uplifting and gratifying” to get so many offers from both Lions and other organizations.

dlyon  Jan 7 2005 - 8:32am  Local News   

STORRS — The man in charge of the University of Connecticut’s billion-dollar rebuilding project resigned effective Dec. 31.
Larry Schilling, who served as UConn executive director for architectural and engineering services, was placed on paid administrative leave in early November.
His resignation letter was dated Dec. 22.
The move by officials to place Schilling on leave came after a number of building and fire code violations were found at three of the university’s new housing complexes. The problems are currently being corrected and did not require students to move out of their apartments.

dlyon  Jan 7 2005 - 8:31am  Local News   

By TRACI DUTCHER
Chronicle Correspondent
CHAPLIN — The Chaplin board of education and the Chaplin Education Association have reached a settlement on a new contract for teachers.
The new, three-year contract for teachers at Chaplin Elementary School was signed in December.
The contract includes wage increases for the next three years, with a 2.5 percent increase for 2005-06 and an increase of 2.48 percent for both 2006-07 and 2007-08.
The new contract also takes into account higher costs for insurance.
“Insurance premium cost-sharing has increased along with co-pay amounts,” said Lisa Rose, chairman of the Chaplin board of education. “Insurance premium cost-sharing will increase one percent each year over the three-year contract.”

dlyon  Jan 7 2005 - 8:30am  Local News   

By GAIL ELLEN DALY
Chronicle Staff Writer
WINDHAM — With 60 students from three schools taking part in the mentoring program, the Windham Public Schools recently received the 2004 Nutmeg Big Brother/Big Sisters Community Award.
“The award recognizes the strong partnership between our northeast region office and this progressive school system,” said Big Brothers marketing director Brian Kelly.
Windham board of education chairman Ken Folan and Superintendent Paul Perzanoski accepted the award at the organization’s annual meeting Dec. 20.
Kelly said, just a few years ago, only 10 students at one school took part in the program.

dlyon  Jan 7 2005 - 8:29am  Local News   

By FRANCES MORALES
Chronicle Staff Writer
WILLIMANTIC — The Three Kings finally came to Willimantic Thursday to celebrate their day with hundreds of children and families at Windham High School.
It was a day that brought many to celebrate the “Latino Christmas,” which drew not only Latinos from the community, but even the state and local police, who helped to give candy to the children.
As it has always been, Willimantic’s Three Kings Day celebration was well attended and festive.
Despite the winter weather, more than 340 families from surrounding communities were registered for gifts and more than 700 children roamed the high school’s cafeteria.

dlyon  Jan 7 2005 - 8:26am  Local News   

By MATTHEW L. BROWN
Chronicle Staff Writer
WINDHAM — State Rep. Walter Pawelkiewicz, D-Windham, has given up his presidency of the Graduate Institute.
Pawelkiewicz, a Democrat serving his fourth term as Windham’s state representative, said he resigned from the new-age college in order to concentrate on his increased legislative responsibilities.
His last day as president of the Graduate Institute was Nov. 30.
“With the new legislative session, and my new responsibilities, I wanted to let the residents of the town know that their issues are my priority,” Pawelkiewicz said this morning. “It’s a good time to close this chapter in my life.”

dlyon  Jan 7 2005 - 8:24am  Local News   

By MATTHEW L. BROWN
Chronicle Staff Writer
WILLIMANTIC — The downtown advisory committee wants the current residents of the Hotel Hooker to be moved out to make way for private development.
Current residents of the Hotel Hooker, which has also been known recently as Windham House and the Seth Chauncey Hotel for Seth Chauncey Hooker, should be moved out, the committee recommended in its final report.
“Needed housing can be provided by relocating existing residents of the Windham House … into other housing in the community,” the committee concluded.
Other housing would have to be built or rehabilitated, but once that’s done, the committee concludes, residents of the Hotel Hooker could be moved out to make way for a private developer.

dlyon  Jan 6 2005 - 9:44am  Local Sports   

By MIKE SYPHER
Chronicle Sports Editor
HARTFORD — Shoulders slumped, eyes downcast, Craig Smith shuffled over to the sideline before settling into his seat.
The star 6-7, 250-pound junior forward on the Boston College men’s basketball squad had just been whistled for his fourth personal foul at the 5:44 mark of the second half in Wednesday night’s Big East Conference-opening match-up against the University of Connecticut at the Hartford Civic Center.
Down by a 46-43 margin with 14:16 remaining, Smith and his Eagles were cooked, weren’t they?
Think again…….
Who woulda thunk it, that Boston College would actually pick up its level of play and land a couple of hammer-head rights and lefts to the collective noggin known as Connecticut superiority in this suddenly expired New England rivalry?