FAIRFIELD — “The Irish in Film,” a popular movie series sponsored by Fairfield University’s Irish Studies Committee, opens its third series on March 17with “Omagh” (2004), an award-winning drama based on a Northern Ireland IRA bombing, directed by Pete Travis. The series is an Arts & Minds Season offering.
A Fairfield University professor who teaches in the Irish Studies Minor introduces each of this series’ four diverse offerings, the university said in a statement. The films are shown in the Multimedia Room of the DiMenna-Nyselius Library at 7 p.m. Wednesdays. Fairfield University students and the public are welcome to the free event. Light refreshments will be served.
Kevin Cassidy, director of Irish studies, introduces “Omagh” (2004), a TV drama based on a bombing that took place in Northern Ireland by a group of Provisional IRA members opposed to the 1998 Good Friday Peace Accord.
Omagh, a small market town of Protestants and Catholics that had lived in peaceful co-existence during the Troubles, suffered the death of 29 of its citizens from a car bomb that exploded on a busy main street, the statement said. Among the dead is the 21-year-old son of Mike Gallagher, a garage mechanic played by Gerard McSorley.
The story focuses on the effort of the father and others who suffered the loss of a loved one to find out why the bombers were never found and brought to justice. The award-winning film was co-written by Paul Greengrass, director of “Bloody Sunday," which was featured in the 2008 spring series and Guy Hibbert. Cassidy teaches “Northern Ireland: Politics of War and Peace.”
Fairfield University is located off I-95, exit 22 at 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield.

STRATFORD - The “One Book, One Stratford," community-wide reading event begun last January at the Stratford Library continues through March with “A Conversation with Jennifer Baszile” at 6:30 p.m. March 2.
"The idea behind the “One Book” program is that everyone in town reads the same book at the same time, much like a town-wide book club," organizers said.
The library chose Baszile’s acclaimed memoir about growing up black in a white suburb in Los Angeles, "The Black Girl Next Door," as the town’s selection, organizers said in a statement.
At the special library event, Baszile, shown, will meet and discuss her memoir in an informal setting with an intergenerational audience including area teenagers as well as adult patrons, the statement said.
Baszile earned her bachelor's degree from Columbia and her doctorate in American history from Princeton, the statement said.
She was the first black female professor to join Yale University's history department and has been named one of the "Thirty Leaders of the Future" by Ebony magazine. She currently lives in Connecticut.
“A Conversation with Jennifer Baszile” will be held in the Stratford Library Lovell Room. Co-sponsored by Simon & Schuster, it is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will follow the program.
For more information call the library Public Relations & Programming Office at 203-385-4162 or visit www.stratfordlibrary.org.

Editor's note: the information contained here was provided wholly by the Stratford Library

Get your nomination in soon!

MILFORD — The Junior Woman’s Club of Milford, Inc., in conjunction with the Panel of Common Good, is seeking candidates for the 2010 Milford Living Treasures Award.
Prior “Treasures” include: Sara Turnbull, 1996; Abigail Gerhard, 1997; Sally Szoke, 1998; Eleanor Hutt, 1999; Margaret Casey, 2000; Alan Jepson, 2001; Judge Bernard F. Joy, 2002; Michael Petrucelli, 2003; Sebastian Boscarino, 2004; Walter Farley, 2005; Thomas Cody, Sr., 2006; Richard Platt, 2007; Claire Phelan, 2008 and Robert Blake, 2009.
The award will be given to a candidate whose community service has enriched Milford and made it a better community in which to live. The individual will also have to meet the following criteria:
Is a current resident of Milford and has lived here for a minimum of 10 years
Is 65 years of age or older, male or female
Is an extraordinary person whose community service has enriched our community


Print or type a detailed resume of contributions and accomplishments (volunteering, organizations, awards won, clubs involvement, offices held) that the nominee has done for the city of Milford, along with:
Your Name, Telephone Number and Email Address
Name of Nominee, Telephone and Email Address
Nominee’s Date of Birth
Address of Nominee
Why You Consider This Nominee A Living Treasure

The 2010 Living Treasure will be awarded in May or June with a ceremony at City Hall and his/her name will be added to the Living Treasure Walkway in back of City Hall. The Living Treasure will be awarded a book of his/her life, a personalized stepping stone and life history book will be added to the Milford Public Library. The mayor, family and friends will be invited to witness a program dedicated to the 2010 Milford Living Treasure recipient.

Mail applications, postmarked no later than February 28, 2010 to:
Jerilyn Shannon, Milford Living Treasure Program, Jr. Woman’s Club of Milford, 91 Todd Drive, Milford, Conn., 06461

For more information, call 203-913-1043 or e-mail mshanno3@optonline.net

Editor's note: The information in this post was provided by the Junior Woman’s Club of Milford, Inc.

Fall preschool program
offered in Milford
MILFORD — The school district is accepting applications for the integrated preschool program for the fall.
The program consists of two- or three-day a week classes. Children age 3 attend in the morning and children age 4 attend in the afternoon. The preschool curriculum is taught by certified special education teachers.
The program accepts children who may require special education services, as well as typically developing peers. Space is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Tuition is charged on a sliding fee schedule based on family income.
Transportation is available at established bus stops and granted on a first-come, first-served basis as vehicle capacity permits.
Call the pupil personnel office at 203-783-3453 for an application.

Auxiliary in Milford
invites volunteers
MILFORD — The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the uniformed civilian volunteer component of the Coast Guard under the Department of Homeland Security, is seeking volunteers.
The auxiliary conducts missions on the water, in the air and on land. Contributions can also be made in Web design, information technology and public affairs.
For more details, visit www.join.cgaux.org. For more information about the auxiliary, call 203-874-0200, 860-663-5505 or visit http://a0142403.uscgaux.info.

Passport apps no longer available at Probate Court
MILFORD — The Probate Court, 70 W. River St., is no longer accepting passport applications for processing.
Passport acceptance facilities include the post office, 300 Pepes Farm Road, call 203-876-6180; and the Milford Public Library, 57 New Haven Ave., call 203-783-3291
The post office processes passports during its normal business hours, 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. The library accepts applications on Tuesdays and Saturdays by appointment only.

BRIDGEPORT – Jerald Walker, author of "Street Shadows: a Memoir of Race, Rebellion and Redemption," will speak at 3 p.m. March 3 at Housatonic Community College, Events Center in Beacon Hall, 900 Lafayette Blvd.

In the book, Walker, professor of English at Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts, recounts his renunciation of the “thug life” he embraced at a teenager on Chicago’s South Side in favor of the middle class life his parents had always dreamed of for their children, HCC said in a press release.

"By turns humorous, angry and poignant, the memoir dramatically captures one man’s pursuit and embodiment of the American Dream: the effort to rise above obstacles such as racism and poverty through hard work and determination," the release said.

“To be a success, I’d had to draw heavily on a heroic tradition of survival that began in slavery, when people like Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass laid the blueprint for resilience, toughness and courage for their descendents to follow,” Walker wrote of his upwards journey from the streets, the statement said

“There have always been examples of blacks overcoming racism’s obstacles, yet there’s this tendency by some to focus more on the obstacles than the overcoming.”

Publisher Random House says of the book: “An eloquent account of how the shadows of the past need not determine the present, Street Shadows is the stirring story of two Americas – one of narrow vision and limited possibilities, the other expansive and inspirational – embodied in one man,” the statement said.

Walker’s talk is free and open to the public

HCC is 150 yards off I-95 (Exit 27) and Rte. 8 (Exit 1), a block from the Arena at Harbor Yard.

STRATFORD - Author Mark Albertson will be the headliner when the Stratford Library continues “Sunday Afternoon Talks,” its monthly series of talks at 2 p.m. March 7.

“Sunday Afternoon Talks” is free and open to the public.

Albertson, shown, has been a member of the United States Naval Institute for more than 20 years, the library said in a statement.

He has published articles on issues of history and current events in newspapers and magazines, and wrote two books on the "epic round-the-world cruise" of the "Great White Fleet: USS Connecticut: Constitution State Battleship" and "They'll Have to Follow You!, The Triumph of the Great White Fleet," the statement said.

In May 2005, Albertson was presented with a General Assembly citation for his efforts in commemorating the centennial of battleship Connecticut, the statement said.

His latest release is "On History: A Treatise."

Albertson has appeared on radio and television and also teaches World War II history at Norwalk Community College for the Lifetime Learners Institute, the statement said.

He is an editor at Army Aviation Magazine and has a history Web site called MARKWRITER.COM.

“Sunday Afternoon Talks” with Albertson will be held in the Stratford Library’s Lovell Room.

Upcoming speakers include David Mestre from the Discovery Museum and Karen Biebel, daughter of the late, former National GOP Deputy Chairman, Fred Biebel.

For moreinformation call the library’s Public Relations & Programming Office at 203-385-4162 or visit http://www.stratfordlibrary.org/.

Pancake Breakfast to Benefit Emergency Assistance Fund

ORANGE - Tickets are on sale for the Pancake Breakfast that will be held from 8 to 11:30 a.m. March 6 at the Orange Senior Center in the High Plains Community Center Senior Café.

Pancakes with bacon and coffee will be prepared by members of the Church of the Good Shepherd and all proceeds from the breakfast will support the Orange Community Services Department Emergency Assistance Fund, according to a statement.

There will be a 50/50 raffle. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3.50 for children and $15 for a family, the statement said.

A limited number of tickets will be sold at the door. Tickets may be purchased from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The Emergency Assistance Fund is available to residents of all ages who meet eligibility criteria for emergency food, fuel, medications and other items necessary for the safety and well-being of the individual. The fund is administered by the Community Services Department and application is made through Dennis Marsh, Elderly Outreach Worker and Municipal Agent, the statement said.
Bob Kleffmann, a member of the Senior Center Advisory Committee, is chairman of the breakfast planning committee.

Nominations Now Being Accepted for Orange 2010 Living Treasure Awards

ORANGE - Nominations are now being accepted by the Orange Community Services Department for this year’s Living Treasure Awards.
Nomination forms are available in the Orange Community Services office, at Town Hall, and can be printed from the town’s Web site at www.orange-ct.gov.
Three people will be selected by a review committee made up of town representatives. The three people chosen will be honored at the Orange Senior Center’s Pasta Festa! Supper on May 21, 2010.
Nominees must be current residents of Orange and at least 65 years of age. They must have demonstrated positive actions to improve the quality of life for individual residents or enhanced the Orange community as a whole. The nominee must have made these contributions as a volunteer.
"Often we do not honor people for the contributions they have made until it is too late," said Orange Senior Services Coordinator Joanne Byrne, founder of the Living Treasure Awards. "It is so much better to recognize people for their contributions when they can enjoy it. Awardees serve as an example and inspiration for others"
Each Living Treasure selected receives a plaque engraved with his or her name and all names will be added to the plaque hanging in High Plains Community Center that contains names of previous recipients.
Those honored in the past as Living Treasures include Mary Jewell, Margaret Howland, Walter Bespuda, Bob Archambault, Hannah Clark Russell, Mary DeVito, Bob Drobish, Harry Jones, Lucy Scillia, Dr. Edmund Tucker, Dr. George Whitney, Dorothy Berger, Albert "Skip" Clark, and Bob DeFeo.
Nominations must be received by March 31, 2010.





Editor's note: the information in this news item was provided by the Orange Senior Center

ORANGE — The Ladies Philoptochos Society of the Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church is offering cooking classes for traditional Greek dishes that are part of the Mediterranean diet.
The classes are held 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays at 480 Racebrook Road. Classes for spring will be held March 2, 9, 16 and 23.
The series will include dishes such as: yogurt soup, fish soup, cheese pie, moussaka (eggplant layered with meat sauce and béchamel sauce), almond cake, chicken with spinach and feta.
Cost for the series is $140, and includes ingredients, tastings and copies of recipes. Single classes are $40.
To register, contact Olympia Hadjimichael at 203-397-5112 (days) or ohadjimichael@gmail.com; Jane Hadjimichael at 203-389-5251 (evenings) or jane.hadjimichael@gmail.com.

STRATFORD — Stratford Parents’ Place and the Stratford Library Association will run free workshops, Lee y Serás, from 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. through March 16 at the Stratford Library. Lee y Serás was created to help families and communities support the reading and literacy development of Latino children from birth to 8. Caregivers must be town residents and speak Spanish and English. Limited child care is available. To register, call Parents’ Place at 203-381-6992.

MILFORD — The Orange Avenue School Drama Club will present the musical "Finding Nemo" at 6 p.m. Feb. 27 and 1 p.m. Feb. 28 in the Wilkins Auditorium at Foran High School on Foran Road. Tickets are $5. For tickets, call Maureen Raccio at 203-877-3363.

MILFORD — The Woodruff Family YMCA, 631 Orange Ave., is offering an American Red Cross Lifeguard training, which includes first aid, CPR/AED for professional rescuers, and blood-borne pathogens trainings.
The course will be held 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 15-20. Students must be 15 years or older by Feb. 20. Cost is $325 and includes lifeguard manual and pocket mask. Participants must bring a bathing suit and towel.
For more information, contact Matt Laprino, aquatic director, at 203-878-6501, ext. 3117 or e-mail at mlaprino@cccymca.org.

MILFORD — On Feb. 12 the office of Sensitive Care, Drs. Mitchell Quintner, Kristin Helms, Karey Rainey, Alexander Quintner and their hygienists, will hold their annual day of giving "Doctors with a Heart Day."
Community members will get free dental services .
Patients treated in the office at 55 Old Gate Lane will not be billed for the services they receive. Patients will not be questioned about income and will not be required to explain or show proof of a financial hardship.
Single visit office procedures will be provided free of charge, some procedures include cleanings, exams, X-rays, extractions, denture repairs and restorative restorations.
All patients will be seen on a first-come first-served basis. Appointments will not be available. The office will be open from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

MILFORD — The Joseph A. Foran High School Drama club will present the musical "You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown" in Wilkins Auditorium at the school. Shows begin at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. (Feb 5 and 6)
"You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown" stars Sage Esposito as Charlie Brown, Delaney Cassidy as Snoopy, Sam Pepe as Sally, Dominic Persichilli as Schroeder, Camden Torello as Linus, and Angelique Garay as Lucy.
Tickets are $5 in advance from cast members and advisers and $7 at the door. Proceeds support the school drama program.