Food pantry gets boost from community members

Written by Susan Wolf
Friday, 20 November 2009 00:00

The town’s food pantry is in good shape for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, thanks to many generous donations, said Gail Schiron, the town’s human services director.

“We are really doing very well this year. It’s surprising, given the economy,” she said.

A collection of food at Redding Elementary School has gone a long way in helping to fill the pantry, Ms. Schiron said.

There have also been donations from churches, scouts and other organizations, as well as an anonymous contribution of 10 $50 food gift cards.

Board of Selectmen choose Karvelis to fill Region 9 post

Written by Rachel Kirkpatrick
Thursday, 19 November 2009 10:03

The Board of Selectmen has nominated Democrat Leon Karvelis to fill the vacancy left by Julia Pemberton on the Region 9 school board.

The Region 9 school board oversees Joel Barlow High School, which serves Redding and Easton. Ms. Pemberton is assuming a new post as selectman, in place of Tina Miller, who decided not to run for another term.

Two people expressed interest in serving on the Region 9 board, a unique situation for the board, said First Selectman Natalie Ketcham. The Democratic Town Committee recommended Mr. Karvelis, who was re-elected to another term on the Board of Assessment Appeals. Independent Mike D’Agostino, who ran for the Redding school board, requested that he also be considered.

Health officer: Flu activity remains high in Connecticut

Written by Doug Hartline, Health Officer
Thursday, 19 November 2009 10:41

Flu activity remains high in the United States, and Connecticut is among 48 states reporting continued widespread influenza. This is the second wave of H1N1 flu and the peak has not yet been reached. Even after flu activity peaks, it’s possible that other waves caused by H1N1 or regular seasonal flu could occur.

Low vaccine availability has created the need to create subgroups from the established priority list for H1N1 vaccine distribution. Recently the list of those now eligible for the vaccine has been expanded to include middle school students.

Payment for special town showing of Old Dogs movie is due

Thursday, 19 November 2009 10:34

The town has reservations for all of the tickets available for the Redding only showing of Old Dogs on Sunday, Dec. 6, at Loews Theatre in Danbury at 2 p.m. No tickets will be sold at the theater for this special showing.

Attorney general investigates improper sales tax on energy efficiency products

Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:22

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has announced an investigation into consumer complaints that Lowe’s improperly charged sales tax on certain energy efficiency products exempt from sales tax under state law.

In a letter to the chief executive officer of the home improvement chain, Mr. Blumenthal urged Lowe’s cooperation in his investigation, including an immediate audit of its tax charges on exempt items, as well as refunds for consumers improperly charged.

Under state law, a wide variety of residential weatherization products — programmable thermostats, compact fluorescent light bulbs, caulking, insulation, windows and doors that meet the federal Energy Star standard — are exempt from Connecticut sales and use tax.

Redding police kick off 'Click It or Ticket' campaign

Tuesday, 17 November 2009 16:35

The Redding Police Department has kicked off its “Click It or Ticket” campaign, part of a national effort to enforce seat belt laws. The campaign began on Nov. 16 and will end Nov. 27. Redding police are once again teaming up with the Newtown, Bethel, and Brookfield police departments for the campaign as part of a regional effort. Checkpoints will be set up.

Attorney general seeks Supreme Court ruling on FAA decision

Tuesday, 17 November 2009 11:17

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, in a formal petition filed today, asked the U.S. Supreme Court to rule whether the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia wrongly upheld new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight paths. The new flight paths will route more large planes over southwestern Connecticut.

Mr. Blumenthal, joined by local government officials and concerned citizens, said the new flight paths will unnecessarily increase noise and pollution and the FAA failed to follow its own rules and procedures by ignoring vital data and public input.

Astronomy program set at New Pond Farm this Saturday

Wednesday, 18 November 2009 13:54

New Pond Farm Observatory is hosting an astronomy program open to the public on Saturday, Nov. 21, starting at 7 p.m.

Participants will see the planet Jupiter, easy to view because of its large size and four bright moons. One of Galileo’s initial discoveries with his telescope were the moons. By observing from night to night, Galileo determined that these were not stars, but objects circling Jupiter. The summer constellations will be gradually setting in the west and the fall constellations will dominate the sky.

Reducing home energy bills has never been easier; In-home programs save money and improve efficiency

Written by Mitch Gross, CL&P
Tuesday, 17 November 2009 09:44

Local residents looking for an easy way to reduce their monthly energy bills should check out the in-home programs offered by Connecticut Light and Power (CL&P) and funded by the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund (CEEF). Although more than 25,000 residential owners and renters participated last year, tens of thousands more across the state are eligible — and at little or no cost to them.

The programs help homeowners and renters, small and large businesses, and state and local governments use energy more efficiently. Funded by a small charge on customer utility bills, CEEF has in-home programs administered by CL&P, United Illuminating (UI), and the natural gas utilities that provide owners and renters with a professional energy assessment of their household and trained technicians to make efficiency improvements.

Dog is found

Monday, 16 November 2009 12:11

Update: Abby, the lost dog, has been returned to her owners.

A Redding resident found a dog in the woods behind her house on Ledgewood Road on Monday, Nov. 16. She reports it is a terrier – "maybe a Welsh or a Wire Haired. Obviously a beloved family animal. Really sweet animal. The dog was in sad shape — she must have been out for days She was struggling in the swamp on the border of Devil’s Den. She had a blue harness and an electric fence collar but no dog tags.