Storm coming to Milford and West Haven


Milford author Elliott Storm will have book signings at ShopRite grocery stores in Milford and West Haven this weekend.
Storm, author of the novel "These Scars Are Sacred," will be at the Milford store located at 155 Cherry St. on Saturday March 27, and the West Haven ShopRite at 1131 Campbell Ave. on Sunday March 28.

Both events run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Storm wrote his novel to help the public and service family members to understand the causes and effects of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, and to help in the healing process for returning veterans.

The novel is currently a top seller and has been given five-stars on Amazon. It has become a "must read" for health care professionals and others who are charged with helping a new generations of soldiers and civilians, organizers said in a statement.

Storm and his group "The Vet Pack" has lectured across the country, speaking to many organizations, from veteran groups in California to the University of Michigan, West Point Academy and The Naval War College.

Milford Maryor James L. Richetelli Jr., shown in photo with Storm, has said "This book serves to remind people that regardless of how they feel about the war, they need to support the men and women who are there to defend our freedom."

"Elliott Storm is a credit to the Milford community," Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has said, according to the statement. "This is a book everyone should read."

"Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has become an epidemic," Storm said, "not only for our returning soldiers but civilians as well. The goal of our lectures and this novel is to provide an understanding of PTSD and through that aid in the healing process,"

For more information visit www.thesescarsaresacred.com

But it's not the kind of baby talk you are used to

By Marnelly Smith

STRATFORD - Want to teach your baby how to sign?
Well, if you do, there is a one night workshop that will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 12 at Sterling House Community Center, 2283 Main St.
Instructor Allison Bouffard said the program will show parents how teaching hearing babies to sign will help them with reading and speaking when they get older.
Bouffard is a Kinder Signs-certified baby sign language specialist, organizers said.
Participants will discover what baby sign language is all about and learn the benefits of signing as an early communication between parents and infants.
A $29 fee will be required.
Do you think it’s worth your money and your time? Well you won’t find out until you try the one night offer to make your children more experienced than others in the future.
Call 203-378-2606 to register.

BRIDGEPORT – A University of Connecticut professor who is an author and time-travel pioneer who has shown that time travel is theoretically possible will speak at Housatonic Community College April 1.
While in Dr. Ronald Mallet's case the time of the talk may be fluid, for those who have not yet learned the intricacies of the time/space continuum, it starts at 3 p.m. in the Events Center in Beacon Hall.
Mallett, author of the book "Time Traveler: A Scientist’s Mission to Make Time Travel a Reality," will discuss "his rise from poverty to a distinguished scientific and academic career," organizers said in a statement.
Mallett, one of the nation’s first African Americans to earn a Ph.D. in theoretical physics, will lay out the technical specifications for what he envisions as a working machine, the statement said.
Mallet, "an inspiration to other African Americans, became interested in time travel as a 10-year-old boy grieving the death of his father," the statement said. "Finding a comic-book version of H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine, he set out to find a way to travel back in time to be reunited with his father," it said.
Decades later, as a tenured professor in UConn’s physics department, he "built his childhood dream into a working model of time travel," the statement said.
The movie rights to his book, which tells the story of his quest to build a time machine, have been purchased by director Spike Lee, it said.
HCC is located at 900 Lafayette Blvd. in downtown Bridgeport, less than 150 yards off I-95's Exit 27 and Rte. 8's Exit 1, a block from the Arena at Harbor Yard.
Free parking is available in the HCC parking garage.

STRATFORD - The Stratford Library Teen Department, in collaboration with South End Community Center, recently awarded prizes for winners of the 4th Annual Black History Month Essay Contest.
The celebration "was a special event in conjunction with the nationwide observation of “Black History Month,” organizers said in a statement.
About 200 essays and pieces of artwork were submited to the contest. Contributors included children and teens from St. James, Wooster and Flood Middle schools and Wilcoxson and Stratford Academy elementary schools, organizers said.
The program featured guest speaker and Stratford High School student Esther Jean-Marie, who gave a power-point presentation about her summer in Mali with the SHS BuildOn project.
The Library's Youth Review Board also reviewed books about notable African-Americans at the event.
Among the Middle School winners were: 1st Place: Emma Sullivan, 2nd Place: Jerry Dinan (both Wooster); and 3rd Place: Cora Barber (St. James).
Honorable Mentions were awarded to Kalea Coles (Wooster), Kyle Souza (St. James) and Justin Cruz and Monica Gorton (Flood). In the K-6 category, Kaitlyn Page (Wilcoxson) took 1st place and honorable mentions went to Kevin Perillo and Zachary Dillon, both from Stratford Academy.
In the photo, l to r, are Cora Barer, Emma Sullivan, Kalea Coles, Jerry Dinan, Justin Cruz, Monica Gorton and Kyle Souza

The lovely lady of Orange is 100

ORANGE - Mary L. Tracy School is celebrating a century of excellence in education anda town-wide Centennial Gala will be held at 6 p.m. May 1 at Grassy Hill Country Club.

It began in 1909, when Frank Clark Woodruff and Watson Stiles Woodruff generously donated land for the building of a school, celebration organizers said in a statement.


Then, in 1910, Orange Center School opened "as a place that would plant the seeds of understanding for future generations," the statement said.


Additions were made to the building in 1925 and 1949. On November 18, 1956, the school was re-named to honor Mary L. Tracy in appreciation for her years of devoted service to the children of Orange as a teacher and principal, the statement said.

In 1989, the school was re-dedicated as an Early Childhood Center to meet the new needs of a growing town and the educational needs of its children. It currently houses the district-wide kindergarten classes and pre-school programs.
“With the current trend of demolishing historic buildings to make way for new ones, it is wonderful that the town of Orange chose to renovate this beautiful building and continue its use for another century," Principal Ralph A. Nuzzo said.

A town-wide Centennial Committee was formed two years ago. Susan Csjeka, who has three generations of her family who have attended the school, is the chairwoman, the statement said.

“A major goal in planning was that the centennial events be town-wide celebrations to underscore the historical significance of this important moment in the town of Orange,” she said.
Planned events include educational experiences for current students, coordinated with the Orange Historical Society, a time capsule, a keepsake ornament, and a commemorative plaque for the school foyer.

“We hope that the centennial events will bring together many people who have had a connection with this school over the many years either as a student, parent, teacher, or in any other way,” Nuzzo said.

Nuzzo said that former MLT principal and superintendent of schools John Kowal and former first selectwoman and also schools superintendent Dorothy Berger, as well as current town and school staff members, parents, and alumni.
Nuzzo said, “We often hear that this school is a special place. The Centennial Gala will provide an enjoyable evening to share with others who feel the same way”.
For more information about the Centennial Gala, call 203-891-8028 or visit http://www.oess.org/

Editor's note: the information in this post was wholly provided by centennial organizers and is only lightly edited here.

And so much more at Sterling House Community Center

STRATFORD - A scrapbooking session will be held from 4 p.m. to midnight March 20 at Sterling House Community Center, 2283 Main St.
Participants should bring their scrapbooking supplies and projects. New members are welcome. Admission is $25 per session. To reserve a spot, call Donna Kelly at Sterling House, 203-378-2606, ext. 102, or email her at dkelly@sterlinghousecc.org.


Also, Red Cross instructional babysitting classes for youths ages 11 through 15 will be held from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. March 23, and March 25, also at Sterling House Community Center, organizers said in a statement.
The sessions, taught by certified American Red Cross staff, will provide students with basic information required to responsibly care for children, including feeding, diapering and emergency techniques necessary to ensure a safe environment, the statement said.
Fee for the class is $70, plus a current Sterling House membership. Advance registration is required. Call 203-378-2606.

One more: The third in a series of health and wellness seminars will take place at 6:30 p.m. March 18, also at Sterling House Community Center.
Conducted by Dr. Funda Gulmen of Nature Source Care, the topic of discussion will be “Natural Approaches to Seasonal Allergies.”
The final session is scheduled for April 29, on “Weight Loss: Beyond Diet and Exercise.”
A fee of $50 will be required for each seminar. To register, call 203-378-2606.

Town's Senior Leadership Team will start a Handyman Skills Bank for Orange residents

ORANGE - One of the teams from this year’s Senior Leadership Program of the Orange Community Services Department is organizing a “Handyman” – Skills Bank for Orange residents who can no longer do minor home repairs on their own, organizers said in a statement.
The team is seeking volunteers who have some skills with home repairs, but who are not necessarily trained trades people and who would be willing to donate their time when needed, the statement said.
The “Handyman” program will be coordinated through the town’s elderly outreach worker, Dennis Marsh, who will match the volunteers with residents needing assistance, the statement said.
Anyone willing to help out with this much needed project, should call Dennis at 203-891-4788.