Madison News Roundup

Break out your wallets this weekend for Madison’s Sidewalk Sale, the Scranton Library Used Book Sale, and the Madison Art Society Art Festival and Sidewalk Sale.

FRIDAY:

• Madison Sidewalk Sale, all day, downtown Madison, CT: Hot deals, cool savings.
• Scranton Library’s Used Book Sale, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Academy School, Madison, CT: All kinds of books, CDs, DVDs and audiobooks for sale at very good prices. Featured: little treasures, trade paperbacks, fiction including literature, mysteries and science fiction, children’s books, large print, music CDs, nonfiction such as history, gardening, cookbooks, art, how-to, unique and collectible books, coffee table books. AND there will be a vast selection of paperbacks for beach reads — always good buys!
• Free Wine Tasting, noon-7:30 p.m., the Madison Wine Shop, 734 Boston Post Road: Wine tastings geared to educate over time, by providing an opportunity to sample and discuss a wide variety of wines, mostly outside of the mainstream, mostly affordable, and sometimes not. It’s free, informal, informative, face-to-face with Rick Lewis and your fellow participants, and its fun.
• Madison Farmers Market, 3-6 p.m. Madison Town Green – 26 Meetinghouse Rd. Madison: The Madison Farmers Market was established in 2007, and will commence May 7th-October 22nd every Friday from 3-6pm in the 2010 season. This beautiful and diverse market is centrally located in Madison, CT, on the Historic Madison Green. The farmers/vendors who make up this bustling market offer a wide array of CT Grown/produced items, which are beautifully presented.
• “Love Your Local” Farmers’ Market, 3-6 p.m., Deacon John Grave house, 581 Boston Post Road in Madison, CT: The Deacon John Grave House will present a new “Love Your Local” Farmer’s Market every Friday through September 10 from 3 to 6 p.m. Unlike the farmer’s market on the Town Green, the market will feature locally resident farmers, bakers, and chefs offering fruit, vegetables, meats, fish, cheeses, baked goods, soups and more.  Look for the “Love Your Local” Farmer’s Market on the front lawn of the Deacon John Grave house, 581 Boston Post Road in Madison, CT at the corner of Route 1 and Academy Street.
• Susan Richards – Memoir, 7 p.m., RJ Julia: A memoir that shows how the love of a horse helped a woman win her battle with alcohol. Susan Richards (Chosen by a Horse) dealt with her severe shyness and discomfort with drink – until she bought a very special, headstrong horse, who gave her the courage to confront her alcoholism. Join us as Richards presents her new memoir, Saddled. Tickets for this event are $5, which may be used toward the purchase of a book.
• The Bernadettes, 9:30 p.m., Donahue’s Madison Beach Grille, 1320 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT: Live Music.

SATURDAY:

• Madison Sidewalk Sale, all day, downtown Madison, CT: Hot deals, cool savings.
• Scranton Library’s Used Book Sale, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Academy School, Madison, CT: All kinds of books, CDs, DVDs and audiobooks for sale at very good prices. Featured: little treasures, trade paperbacks, fiction including literature, mysteries and science fiction, children’s books, large print, music CDs, nonfiction such as history, gardening, cookbooks, art, how-to, unique and collectible books, coffee table books. AND there will be a vast selection of paperbacks for beach reads — always good buys!
• Free Wine Tasting, noon-7:30 p.m., the Madison Wine Shop, 734 Boston Post Road: Wine tastings geared to educate over time, by providing an opportunity to sample and discuss a wide variety of wines, mostly outside of the mainstream, mostly affordable, and sometimes not. It’s free, informal, informative, face-to-face with Rick Lewis and your fellow participants, and its fun.
• Overeaters Anonymous Open Meeting, 9 a.m., Memorial Town Hall – Route 1  on the Green Madison Center: Overeaters Anonymous Open Meeting Saturdays at the  Memorial Hall, Route 1 on the Green, Madison 1-800-824-8650 www.oa.org
• Madison Art Society Art Festival and Sidewalk Sale to Benefit the Scranton Library, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., E C Scranton Memorial Library – 801 Boston Post Rd. Madison: Love Your Local Artists — The Madison Art Society is holding the Scranton Memorial Library- Festival of the Arts, Outdoor Art Exhibition, and it is a great opportunity for the public to view the paintings by 18 of our local artists and to support the Scranton Library with the sales from their paintings.
• Madison Historical Society Annual Summer Exhibition, 11 a.m.-4  p.m., Lee Academy, Madison, CT: Visitors to Madison’s iconic Lee Academy often  wonder about its history and its varied uses through nearly two centuries. The  MHS Annual Summer exhibition should satisfy the curiosity of all visitors with  its representation of a nineteenth-century school and classroom. Supported by a  grant from the Erwin C. Bauer Charitable Trust, the 2010 exhibition will present  the history of the Academy, including its place in a New England-wide  educational movement. Learn the stories of the people who served the Academy’s  goals and discover those who benefited from the vision of Captain Frederick Lee  and his fellow citizens.
• A Day in the Life of a DEP Conservation Enforcement Officer, 5:30 p.m., Hammonasset Beach State Park: The Friends of  Hammonasset hosts DEP Conservation  Enforcement Officer, John Chickos for this power point presentation. He will cover many aspects that make up his day as well as those concerns that are cited most by the two million visitors to Hammonasset yearly. Learn what a DEP Conservation Officer’s duties are and the wide range and scope of work they perform on a daily basis. Officer Chickos will explain those duties fully and enlist your help in keeping the park a safe and enjoyable place to visit.
• The Cartells, 9:30 p.m., Donahue’s Madison Beach Grille, 1320 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT: Live Music.

SUNDAY:

• Madison Sidewalk Sale, all day, downtown Madison, CT: Hot deals, cool savings.
• Scranton Library’s Used Book Sale, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Academy School, Madison, CT: All kinds of books, CDs, DVDs and audiobooks for sale at very good prices. Featured: little treasures, trade paperbacks, fiction including literature, mysteries and science fiction, children’s books, large print, music CDs, nonfiction such as history, gardening, cookbooks, art, how-to, unique and collectible books, coffee table books. AND there will be a vast selection of paperbacks for beach reads — always good buys!
• Madison Art Society Art Festival and Sidewalk Sale to Benefit the Scranton Library, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., E C Scranton Memorial Library – 801 Boston Post Rd. Madison: Love Your Local Artists — The Madison Art Society is holding the Scranton Memorial Library- Festival of the Arts, Outdoor Art Exhibition, and it is a great opportunity for the public to view the paintings by 18 of our local artists and to support the Scranton Library with the sales from their paintings.

The Madison, CT Board of Finance on Wednesday set the 2010-2011 tax rate at 19.3 mills – the same as the interim rate that had been in place.

The board met Wednesday to set the tax rate following Tuesday’s referendum, in which Madison voters approved the $19.9 million 2010-2011 town budget. The budget passed by 151 votes in the third referendum, after residents had twice rejected higher budget proposals.

Read more in the New Haven Register.

A 41-year-old Trumbull man was arrested Wednesday evening on burglary and related charges for breaking into a local office building.

Police responding to a report of a suspicious male outside of the building found that Dias Domingo of 4981 Madison Ave., Trumbull, had entered the building and had stolen items from the office, according to Madison police.

Domingo was charged with second-degree burglary, sixth-degree larceny, and breach of peace. He was released on bond and is scheduled to appear in court in New Haven on August 10.

Madison, CT voters passed the revised 2010-2011 town budget on Tuesday, after having voted down two prior budget proposals.

The $19,878,581 budget, a 1.36 percent increase over the 2009-2010 budget, was passed by 151 votes, 1,245 to 1,094.

Residents rejected a proposed budget of $20, 343, 679 on June 14, a budget that had been pared by $378,000 after it failed in the first referendum on May 18. Voters approved an education budget of $50,336, 184 at the second referendum after defeating the original proposal of $50,472,164.

The budget proposal approved Tuesday includes savings achieved by eliminating the director of senior services position, delaying the hiring of a new police officer, delaying the opening of the senior center, and cutting back other maintenance and capital improvement projects.

The 1.36 percent increase was driven largely by the costs of the new senior center and ambulance garage, and the recent purchase of the Griswold Airport property.

Madison, CT voters will go to the polls on Tuesday, July 27, to vote yes or no on the proposed 2010-2011 town budget, having twice voted down previous budget proposals.

Residents will be asked to approve a budget of $19,878,581, after voting down a proposed budget of $20, 343, 679 on June 14, a budget that had been pared by $378,000 after it failed in the first referendum on May 18. Voters approved an education budget of $50,336, 184 at the second referendum after defeating the original proposal of $50,472,164.

The budget proposal to be voted on Tuesday includes savings achieved by eliminating the director of senior services position, delaying the hiring of a new police officer, delaying the opening of the senior center, and cutting back other maintenance and capital improvement projects.

View a summary of the budget changes here.

Madison, CT police on Thursday arrested Joshua Speece, 25, of Old Toll Road on charges stemming from a domestic violence incident that occurred July 16. Speece was taken into custody by Old Saybrook police on an outstanding warrant. He was charged with third-degree assault, second-degree strangulation, unlawful restraint, disorderly conduct, threatening, and criminal violation of a protective order. Speece was processed on those charges and released on a court set bond of $75,000. He was scheduled to appear in court Friday in New Haven.

Looks like a somewhat quieter weekend in store, but if you get too hot at the beach, there are still some fun activities available in air-conditioned libraries, bookstores, and art galleries.

FRIDAY:

• Free Wine Tasting, noon-7:30 p.m., the Madison Wine Shop, 734 Boston Post Road: Wine tastings geared to educate over time, by providing an opportunity to sample and discuss a wide variety of wines, mostly outside of the mainstream, mostly affordable, and sometimes not. It’s free, informal, informative, face-to-face with Rick Lewis and your fellow participants, and its fun.
• Madison Farmers Market, 3-6 p.m. Madison Town Green – 26 Meetinghouse Rd. Madison: The Madison Farmers Market was established in 2007, and will commence May 7th-October 22nd every Friday from 3-6pm in the 2010 season. This beautiful and diverse market is centrally located in Madison, CT, on the Historic Madison Green. The farmers/vendors who make up this bustling market offer a wide array of CT Grown/produced items, which are beautifully presented.
• “Love Your Local” Farmers’ Market, 3-6 p.m., Deacon John Grave house, 581 Boston Post Road in Madison, CT: The Deacon John Grave House will present a new “Love Your Local” Farmer’s Market every Friday through September 10 from 3 to 6 p.m. Unlike the farmer’s market on the Town Green, the market will feature locally resident farmers, bakers, and chefs offering fruit, vegetables, meats, fish, cheeses, baked goods, soups and more.  Look for the “Love Your Local” Farmer’s Market on the front lawn of the Deacon John Grave house, 581 Boston Post Road in Madison, CT at the corner of Route 1 and Academy Street.
• Friday Night at the Movies, 7 p.m., Scranton Memorial Library: Looking for a night out? Join us on a Friday night – after the Library is closed – for free movies and popcorn! Bring a friend!   This week’s movie is Dear John – Unsure of what to do with his life, John enlists in the Army.  While on leave he meets and falls in love with Savannah, an idealistic college student. After Sept. 11 John feels compelled to re-enlist and the couple’s relationship is sorely tested.  A story of duty, longing and heartbreak.  (PG-13).    This program is for students in Grades 6 -12 only
• Paul Greenberg – Sustainable Food, 7 p.m., RJ Julia: Bass, cod, salmon, and tuna – supplies of these fish in the wild are being rapidly depleted. Paul Greenberg urges us to reconsider our relationship with the ocean and the fish that swim in it, in Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food. Tickets for this event are $5, which may be used toward the purchase of a book.
• Fast Lane Band, 9:30 p.m., Donahue’s Madison Beach Grille, 1320 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT: Live Music.

SATURDAY:

• Overeaters Anonymous Open Meeting, 9 a.m., Memorial Town Hall – Route 1  on the Green Madison Center: Overeaters Anonymous Open Meeting Saturdays at the  Memorial Hall, Route 1 on the Green, Madison 1-800-824-8650 www.oa.org
• New York City and CT Scenes, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Susan Powell Fine Art, 679 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT: David Dunlop is a Connecticut treasure. This exciting new exhibit of 40 paintings opens Friday, June 18, 6 to 8 p.m. with a cocktail reception and meet the artist event at Susan Powell Fine Art. The exhibition continues through July 25, 2010. David Dunlop’s New York City and CT scenes, from landscape to seascape to urbanscape, show the artist’s impressive range. He moves easily from the meditative, slower movements of reflections on water to the vigorous, lyrical comings and goings of people at Grand Central Station with its respective atmospherics and light. His palette is variable and improvises on historical models with special attention to the enlivening effects of simultaneous and successive contrasts and evocations of luster, luminosity and sparkle.
• Madison Historical Society Annual Summer Exhibition, 11 a.m.-4  p.m., Lee Academy, Madison, CT: Visitors to Madison’s iconic Lee Academy often  wonder about its history and its varied uses through nearly two centuries. The  MHS Annual Summer exhibition should satisfy the curiosity of all visitors with  its representation of a nineteenth-century school and classroom. Supported by a  grant from the Erwin C. Bauer Charitable Trust, the 2010 exhibition will present  the history of the Academy, including its place in a New England-wide  educational movement. Learn the stories of the people who served the Academy’s  goals and discover those who benefited from the vision of Captain Frederick Lee  and his fellow citizens.
• Michael Cleary Band, 9:30 p.m., Donahue’s Madison Beach Grille, 1320 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT: Live Music.

SUNDAY:

• New York City and CT Scenes, noon-3 p.m., Susan Powell Fine Art, 679 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT: David Dunlop is a Connecticut treasure. This exciting new exhibit of 40 paintings opens Friday, June 18, 6 to 8 p.m. with a cocktail reception and meet the artist event at Susan Powell Fine Art. The exhibition continues through July 25, 2010. David Dunlop’s New York City and CT scenes, from landscape to seascape to urbanscape, show the artist’s impressive range. He moves easily from the meditative, slower movements of reflections on water to the vigorous, lyrical comings and goings of people at Grand Central Station with its respective atmospherics and light. His palette is variable and improvises on historical models with special attention to the enlivening effects of simultaneous and successive contrasts and evocations of luster, luminosity and sparkle.

When school starts this fall, Madison, CT schools will have new video cameras monitoring entrances and exits  and parking areas.

The addition of the cameras is part of a collaboration between the school system and the Madison Police Department, according to an email from Madison Schools Superintendent David J. Klein.

Klein said the cameras will not be positioned in such a way as to monitor activity inside our school buildings. ” We are very excited about the implementation of this logical school safety enhancement and expect the cameras to be operational at each of our schools before the first day of the 2010-2011 School Year,” Klein wrote.

The campus security measure is part of a larger school/community safety project that has been in the works for the last 2 years. During that time, a School / Community Safety Team has been meeting monthly to discuss and analyze possible safety initiatives.  The team is composed of representatives from the Madison Police Department, Madison Dispatch, Madison and North Madison Fire Departments, the School Administration, the Director of Facilities, the Director of Health, and the Town Engineer.

“It is a very focused and knowledgeable team and we are appreciative of their expertise and sincere commitment to safety,” Klein wrote.  Safety initiatives that have already been completed or are being implementing this summer include:

• Upgrading existing signage and installing new school zone warning signage on the roadways in the vicinity of all Madison Public Schools.  This initiative provides better identification of the school locations and warns motorists of both vehicular and pedestrian traffic associated with the schools.
• Installing speed humps and associated warning signs at the Polson/DHHS Campus as a traffic calming measure intended to reduce vehicular speeds.
• Getting approval from the State Traffic Commission to establish a reduced speed zone on Green Hill Road in the vicinity of the Polson / Hand Campus.  The approval also provides the regulatory authority for Police Department enforcement of the reduced speed limit.
• Getting approval for a reduced speed zone on State Route 79 in the vicinity of the driveway for the Ryerson / Brown Campus.

FRIDAY:

• Free Wine Tasting, noon-7:30 p.m., the Madison Wine Shop, 734 Boston Post Road: Wine tastings geared to educate over time, by providing an opportunity to sample and discuss a wide variety of wines, mostly outside of the mainstream, mostly affordable, and sometimes not. It’s free, informal, informative, face-to-face with Rick Lewis and your fellow participants, and its fun.
• Madison Farmers Market, 3-6 p.m. Madison Town Green – 26 Meetinghouse Rd. Madison: The Madison Farmers Market was established in 2007, and will commence May 7th-October 22nd every Friday from 3-6pm in the 2010 season. This beautiful and diverse market is centrally located in Madison, CT, on the Historic Madison Green. The farmers/vendors who make up this bustling market offer a wide array of CT Grown/produced items, which are beautifully presented.
• “Love Your Local” Farmers’ Market, 3-6 p.m., Deacon John Grave house, 581 Boston Post Road in Madison, CT: The Deacon John Grave House will present a new “Love Your Local” Farmer’s Market every Friday through September 10 from 3 to 6 p.m. Unlike the farmer’s market on the Town Green, the market will feature locally resident farmers, bakers, and chefs offering fruit, vegetables, meats, fish, cheeses, baked goods, soups and more.  Look for the “Love Your Local” Farmer’s Market on the front lawn of the Deacon John Grave house, 581 Boston Post Road in Madison, CT at the corner of Route 1 and Academy Street.
• Author Tom Clavin, 7 p.m. RJ Julia: The definitive biography of one of baseball’s most misunderstood heroes. Don’t mess with Yankees fans; even Roger Maris couldn’t get a break. Despite having broken Babe Ruth’s home-run record and outbatting Mickey Mantle, he was vilified by the fans. Tom Clavin sets the record straight in Roger Maris: Baseball’s Reluctant Hero. Tickets for this event are $5, which may be used toward the purchase of a book.
• What Up Funk, 9:30 p.m. Donahue’s Madison Beach Grille, 1320 Boston Post Road, Madison: Live Music

SATURDAY:

• Summer Breeze Century Ride for Autism, 7 a.m., Polson Middle School 302 Green Hill Rd, Madison: The Summer Breeze Century Ride for Autism will support the SARAH Foundation and the Jacob’s Team Foundation. It will be a well-supported ride on some of the nicest cycling roads in Connecticut. Routes of 100 miles, 62 miles (100k),50 miles, , & 22 miles will be available ALL the proceeds … (not just a portion) … from this event will go to charity. Please register now, and get out and ride to support the SARAH Foundation and Jacob’s Team, and the good work they do in our community.
• Overeaters Anonymous Open Meeting, 9 a.m., Memorial Town Hall – Route 1  on the Green Madison Center: Overeaters Anonymous Open Meeting Saturdays at the  Memorial Hall, Route 1 on the Green, Madison 1-800-824-8650 www.oa.org
• Madison Historical Society Annual Summer Exhibition, 11 a.m.-4  p.m., Lee Academy, Madison, CT: Visitors to Madison’s iconic Lee Academy often  wonder about its history and its varied uses through nearly two centuries. The  MHS Annual Summer exhibition should satisfy the curiosity of all visitors with  its representation of a nineteenth-century school and classroom. Supported by a  grant from the Erwin C. Bauer Charitable Trust, the 2010 exhibition will present  the history of the Academy, including its place in a New England-wide  educational movement. Learn the stories of the people who served the Academy’s  goals and discover those who benefited from the vision of Captain Frederick Lee  and his fellow citizens.
• Rock & Roll at RJ Julia, 4 p.m., RJ Julia: I bet you didn’t know the booksellers at RJ Julia do a mean twist! Come rock out with the Rockin’ Jivin’ Jammers as they play your favorite tunes. We’ll have hot dogs and soda; bring your own glow stick.
• Ironic Truth, 9:30 p.m., Donahue’s Madison Beach Grille, 1320 Boston Post Road, Madison: Live music.

SUNDAY:

• Happy 90th Birthday Hammonasset Beach State Park

The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) is advising the public that they may have been exposed to measles. Exposure may have occurred during travel on the Cross Sound Ferry from New London, Connecticut, to Orient Point, Suffolk County, New York on July 7, 2010.

DPH was notified of a case by the New York Suffolk County Health Department. Times of travel are the 1:00 PM ferry “John H” to Orient Point and its return trip to New London at 3:00 PM. Persons who visited or stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn, 2038 Old Country Road, Riverhead, New York, from 3:45 PM. Wednesday, July 7 through 2:00 PM Friday, July 9, 2010, may have been exposed as well.

Persons are considered to be immune to measles if they:

(1) have documentation of two doses of the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine or

(2) by a blood test that indicates immunity to measles or

(3) written documentation of measles disease diagnosed by a doctor.

Persons who were born before 1957 are also considered immune to measles. If you have had measles, have documented immunity to measles or have received a measles-containing vaccine – you are not at risk of getting sick.

Measles is highly contagious (spreads easily). When an infected person sneezes or coughs, droplets containing the virus spray into the air. Those droplets can land in other people’s noses or throats when they breathe or if they put their fingers in their mouth or nose after handling an infected surface. Symptoms usually appear in 10-12 days after exposure, although they may occur as early as 7 or as late as 21 days after exposure.

The early symptoms of measles are those of a bad cold. They include fever, sore throat, dry cough, a runny nose and red, watery eyes that may be sensitive to light. These symptoms are followed by a rash, which starts on the face and spreads to the entire body; the rash usually lasts five to six days. If you or anyone in your family develops these symptoms, please contact your health care provider or seek medical attention immediately. Measles is contagious and a person with measles should be kept separate from others to prevent further spread of the disease.

To prevent the spread of this highly communicable disease, the CT Department of Public Health asks individuals who may have been exposed and who have symptoms consistent with measles, to CALL their physicians, health care providers or emergency rooms BEFORE going for care AND / OR identify the individual as a potential measles patient immediately upon presentation so that others are not exposed in a waiting room.

The Department of Public Health Department also is asking all health providers to report IMMEDIATELY by phone, all cases of suspect measles to the State Department of Public Health at 860-509-7929. A blood test to confirm diagnosis should also be obtained. For additional information about measles, contact the State Immunization Program at 860-509-7929, the Department of Public Health website at: www.ct.gov/dph/immunizations or the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website at: www.cdc.gov.