dlyon  Dec 10 2004 - 8:42am  Local News   

By JESSE SMOLIN
Special to the Chronicle
MANSFIELD — The Regional School District 19 Board of Education expressed concern this week about a state report showing only 3 percent of E.O. Smith High School professionals are minorities.
“These kids need role models,” said board member Francis Archambault at Tuesday’s board meeting, referring to a report of the Strategic School Profile Review, published by the state Department of Education.
Superintendent Bruce Silva said this figure, three out of 99 staff members, has been the same since 1988.
Silva acknowledged the lack of minority professionals is a large problem and said some of it is due to the fact not as many minorities choose to come to eastern Connecticut as other parts of the state.

dlyon  Dec 10 2004 - 8:41am  Local News   

By GAIL ELLEN DALY
Chronicle Staff Writer
STORRS — In seeking a leader who it claims shares its vision of commitment, the University of Connecticut Honors Program invited U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., to speak on campus.
Thursday, Lieberman spent a half-hour interacting with students in the Student Union Theater. Following the open session, he met with a select group of 20 honor students, candidly answering questions.
The senator’s invitation to be the first speaker in a series of forums came from the newly formed “Leaders With Commitment” committee.
And, said committee member Chintan Bhatt, a sophomore honors student who introduced the senator, “he was our first choice — we were delighted he accepted the invitation so quickly.”

dlyon  Dec 10 2004 - 8:40am  Local News   

By TRACI DUTCHER
Chronicle Correspondent
SCOTLAND — Selectmen have formally applied to the Regional School District 11 school board to start the process of withdrawing from the district.
At its regular meeting Wednesday, the board of selectmen voted to start a process that was approved by voters at a Nov. 19 referendum.
Submitting the application means a committee must now be formed to explore all of Scotland’s educational options for middle and high school students.
Parish Hill Junior/Senior High School in Chaplin serves students in Chaplin, Hampton and Scotland.
The process can only take up to a year, with the committee recommending at the end of the year whether withdrawal is the right choice for Scotland.

dlyon  Dec 10 2004 - 8:38am  Local News   

By MATTHEW L. BROWN
Chronicle Staff Writer
WILLIMANTIC — A team of University of Connecticut landscape architecture students hopes its ideas for a busy, beautiful Willimantic riverfront are one day realized.
The eight students presented their concept for the riverfront to about 30 residents and students Thursday.
The series of parks, trails and river access points envisioned by students would tie into the Willimantic Whitewater Partnership’s plan to “reconnect” downtown Willimantic with the river.
The partnership hopes to turn the river itself into a whitewater park for canoeists and kayakers.

dlyon  Dec 10 2004 - 8:36am  Local News   

STORRS — With the town and the University of Connecticut determined to curb irresponsible drinking both on and off campus, a police strike Thursday night led to the arrest of 12 students at the Civic Pub.
In pub, on North Eagleville Road, also was cited by the state liquor commission for serving alcohol to minors.
“This is one of many steps we’re taking to curb underage drinking,” said Mansfield Resident State Trooper Sgt. Sean Cox. “Last week, we cautioned students and clearly stated that our investigations would continue.”
Other pubs visited Thursday, which included Ted’s, Huskies, Chuck’s Margarita and Schmedley’s, were found to be in compliance.

dlyon  Dec 9 2004 - 8:37am  Local News   

By TRACI DUTCHER
Chronicle Correspondent
HEBRON — The issue of the floors at RHAM High School is, like the linoleum tiles, far from settling down.
Later this month, voters in Hebron, Andover and Marlborough will go to the polls to decide on a $500,000 bailout of the school system to fix the poorly constructed floors.
Polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. Dec. 21 at town polling places.
The floor tiles in the cafeteria area of the newly constructed high school began buckling in the summer of 2003.
Originally, the problem was thought to be confined to that area and repairs were begun.

dlyon  Dec 9 2004 - 8:37am  Local News   

By GAIL ELLEN DALY
Chronicle Staff Writer
MANSFIELD — In Connecticut, with 33,000 homeless including 13,000 children, the answer is supportive housing, according to those attending a forum on homelessness Wednesday.
“We’re at crisis proportion now,” said state Rep. Walter Pawelkiewicz, D-Windham, “and in the last year, there has been a 38 percent increase in those turned away from shelters.
Pawelkiewicz and state Rep. Denise Merrill, D-Mansfield, were guests Wednesday at the First Church of Christ in Mansfield Center to discuss the issue and suggest solutions.
The forum, organized by the church’s Just Peace steering committee, drew more than 50 people anxious to hear more about the issue.

dlyon  Dec 9 2004 - 8:34am  Local News   

By GAIL ELLEN DALY
Chronicle Staff Writer
STORRS — Thirteen bikes leave little room inside a bus and that is exactly how many bikes employees at the University of Connecticut’s Student Health Services donated to the annual Stuff-a-Bus toy drive.
Organized by UConn’s transportation department, the toys and bikes collected during the three-day drive will go to the children of military families serving in Iraq.
“Everyone pulled together,” said Health Services Director Michael Kurland. “This brings out the best in people.”
Jane Morin, information coordinator at UConn health services, said the department had collected $250 during the year in their “dress-down Friday” fund for the toy drive.

dlyon  Dec 9 2004 - 8:33am  Local News   

By GAIL ELLEN DALY
Chronicle Staff Writer
STORRS — University of Connecticut officials have narrowed down the field for one of the university’s highest administrative positions.
UConn faculty, staff and students had an opportunity this week to meet the two finalists for the provost and executive vice president for academic affairs position.
After an eight-month search for former provost John Petersen’s replacement, UConn President Philip E. Austin recently announced their names and credentials.
A salary for the position has not been negotiated, but Petersen’s last salary was $207,270.

dlyon  Dec 9 2004 - 8:32am  Local News   

By MATTHEW L. BROWN
Chronicle Staff Writer
WILLIMANTIC — Walter Pawelkiewicz said he doesn’t plan to resign his post as Windham’s state representative amidst the controversy surrounding a potentially costly state Supreme Court decision.
Tuesday, he was called on to do so by some residents angry that the town may have to pay the former owners of Windham Mills as much as $4 million.
This morning, Pawelkiewicz, D-Windham, said he didn’t know if the town was taking a gamble in 1994 when it took the 40-acre, 20-some-building American Thread mill complex from the ATC Partnership by eminent domain for $1.