Tony Phillips, Ridgefield’s new director of social services, comes from New Canaan’s six-person department to join Karen Gaudian, municipal agent for the elderly and social services administrator, in a two-person operation. —Macklin Reid photo

Personal problems, family dysfunction, the difficulties of struggling to pay bills: These are troubles that can be found anywhere.   In towns like Ridgefield or New Canaan, they may be hidden in plain sight amid the restored mansions and new suburban mega-homes of suburban affluence.

“We had lots of substance abuse, families who had a family member with mental illness, poverty, unemployment, lots of single parents,” Tony Phillips, who takes over as Ridgefield’s new director of social services, said of his previous work in New Canaan.

“I was the coordinator of youth and family services for eight years, and that entailed working with any New Canaan family with a child under the age of 21 living in the home, which accounted for a large population,” he said.

“We accounted for over 100 families we worked with on a fairly regular basis.”

Mr. Phillips replaces Carol Konner, who retired May 31 after 16 years with the town social services department and five as its director. He started June 10.

In Ridgefield, he’ll have to learn to do more with less.

New Canaan with a population of about 19,000, had a two person youth services team that was part of a larger six-person human services department.

In Ridgefield, with a population of about 25,000, the Social Services Department is a two-person operation. Mr. Phillips joins Karen Gaudian, who serves as municipal agent for the elderly and town social services administrator.

Ridgefield’s approach to social services has been somewhat less broad than New Canaan’s.

“It appears it’s been primarily focused more on dealing with the adult population,” Mr. Phillips said.

The Ridgefield Food Pantry, administered by the social service office, has about 20 people a week coming in to take advantage of free food staples given to it by various local donors and charities, Mr. Phillips said.

When the Connecticut Food Bank’s van made its monthly visit last Friday, 95 people came to get free food that includes fresh produce, he said. (The food bank van, sponsored in Ridgefield by a local donor, comes the second Friday of each month and parks off Halpin Lane from 11 to 12, giving away food.)

And, the Housing Authority administers 152 units of subsidized housing,  another rough gauge — though surely not a comprehensive one — of the population in need in Ridgefield.

New Canaan, too, has an area of multi-family housing near the town center that is the source of a good portion of the human services department’s cases.

“There is a large renter population and there’s a percentage of those people who need help with paperwork, don’t have the information or resources in order to make an informed decision, whether it be about employment, housing, medical coverage,” Mr. Phillips said.

“And I think that’s probably going to be a consideration in Ridgefield, as well,” he said.

“I think there’s probably more folks in town who could use some help or assistance than are currently utilizing our services.”

The new job will involve a broadening of his previous focus in New Canaan, which was on families with children.

“I’m excited to be here,” he said. “I’ve heard some great things about Ridgefield as a community, and very much looking forward to working with children, parents, seniors, everyone,” he said.

First Selectman Rudy Marconi introduced Mr. Phillips to the Board of Selectmen at its June 5 meeting.

“I think Tony is a great selection,” he said later. “And the Town of Ridgefield is lucky to be able to have an individual with as diverse a background, equaled by a thirst to learn, to become part of our town government. We welcome him aboard with open arms.”

Mr. Phillips said that “I think for right now I’m interested in meeting all of the stakeholders in the different areas of social services, interested to find out what’s important to them, and see how we can partner.”

He said he’d be “trying to promote efficiencies and effectiveness, trying to get everybody moving in the same direction, getting to know what the needs are and what the resources are, and helping both the people who have the needs and the people who provide services, and see that they’re connecting, and ultimately promoting success.”

Mr. Phillips’ wife, Bonnie, works part time in the design field, and is “a full-time mom,” he said.

They have two children: Charlotte, six, and Graham, four. They’re moving to Fairfield in July.

Mr. Phillips grew up in nearby Rowayton, went to both Catholic and public schools in Norwalk — St. Joseph’s Elementary and Middle School, and then Central Catholic High School his freshman year, transferring when that school closed to Norwalk’s Brien McMahon High School.

He graduated from the University of Connecticut, after studying therapeutic recreational services at the school of education.

“It was a major, gave me my first look at working with people with needs,” he said.

“My first internship was at a skilled nursing facility in Stamford, and my second internship was at Yale Psychiatric Hospital.

His first job out of college was as a special education assistant in the Greenwich public schools — a position that would be called a “special ed para” in Ridgefield schools.

Krysta Hamilton

Krysta A. Hamilton of Ridgefield, a longtime Ridgefielder who had been a horse trainer and business manager, died on Sunday, June 30, at Danbury Hospital. She was 42 years old and wife of Dennis Hamilton Jr.

Mrs. Hamilton was born in Mt. Kisco, N.Y., daughter of Fred Cuccia of Larchmont, N.Y., and the late Krystyn Zipparo. She grew up in Ridgefield where she attended local schools and graduated from Ridgefield High School in 1989.

Mrs. Hamilton was a professional horse trainer at Moonlight Farm Stables of Redding. “Krysta had a lifelong love of horses, which she shared with her daughters, sister and father,” her family said.

She had also worked as a medical claims specialist and had managed her husband’s irrigation business.

Mrs. Hamilton was a member of St. Mary’s Parish.

“She was an amazing mother and best friend who was always there supporting us, making everything feel so special. She was always there for us, and gave us so much strength,” said her daughters.

“Krysta had magnetic energy and was extremely passionate, and loved to be surrounded by family and friends,” her family said. “She was a deeply loving and thoughtful mother of three girls. Her home was always open, and she always made sure visitors were well fed and loved.

“She was incredible strong, and known for advocating for those in need, and was always willing to take on huge and challenging projects. She had an impressive ability to stay positive and always wear a smile.”

Besides her husband of 22 years and her father, she is survived by three daughters, Kimberly Hamilton, Jessica Hamilton and Nicole Hamilton; five brothers, Jay Zipparo, Greg Zipparo, Joe Zipparo, David Zipparo and Todd Cuccia; three sisters, Ali Zipparo, Hillary Collins and Brooke Manning; and several nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, July 5, at 10:15 a.m. in St. Mary Church, Ridgefield.

Burial will follow in St. Mary Cemetery.

The family will receive friends in the Kane Funeral Home, 25 Catoonah St., on Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to a children’s educational fund that will be set up soon at Fairfield County Bank, P.O. Box 2050, Ridgefield, CT 06877-0950

JoAnne “Toby” Travaglini, of Golden’s Bridge, New York, died on June 28, 2013 at her retirement home in Little River, South Carolina.

Born August 31, 1951, daughter of the late Aldo “Squash” Travaglini, longtime owner of Main Street’s Ridgefield News Store, and the late Catherine (Flood) Travaglini, Toby is survived by her two brothers, Peter and Mark Travaglini, sister, Margaret Anne LeMoigne and their spouses.She is also survived by her three nieces, two nephews and two grand-nieces and two grand-nephews, all of whom remember that their Aunt Toby loved them “too, too much.” Toby also leaves behind her beloved dog, Hogan, to enjoy life in South Carolina with his canine cousins.

All who knew her remember Toby as a loving, free-spirited, thoughtful person. She fulfilled all her life roles – caregiver, teacher, friend and family member – with immense heart and dedication. She cherished good times spent with family and friends both locally and at the family cottage, “The Haven,” in North Truro on Cape Cod.  Toby’s beautiful smile and profoundly good soul will be deeply missed.

The family would like to thank Cousin Charlie Flood, and lifelong best friends, Marian Falzarano and Maureen Lundgren and their families for taking care of Toby throughout her difficult illness. Words alone will never fully express our gratitude.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Mary of the Assumption in Katonah, New York on August 10, 2013 at 10 am. The mass will be led by Toby’s spiritual confidant, Fr. Paul Waddell, in keeping with her wishes.

Interment will follow in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Somers, New York.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Toby’s name may be sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Elgie Beal, Jr., 82, of Ridgefield, husband of Antoinette (Carcusa) Beal, died on Monday evening, July 1, 2013 at his home.

Mr. Beal was born in Henderson County, Tennessee, July 20, 1930, son of the late Elgie and Margaret (Stokes) Beal.  He was raised and educated in Tennessee and was a U.S. Air Force veteran of the Korean era.

A resident of Stamford from 1953 until relocating to Ridgefield in 1969, Mr. Beal was retired from the Clairol Corporation of Stamford where he was employed in the Research and Development Division.

Mr. and Mrs. Beal were married in 1957.

He enjoyed fishing, country music and was a great lover of animals.

Mr. Beal was a member of St. Mary Parish, Ridgefield.

In addition to his wife, Antoinette of fifty-six years, Mr. Beal is survived by a son, Joseph C. Beal and his wife, Jane of Brookfield; a daughter, Kellie A. Brattesani and her husband, Frank J. of Brookfield; six grandchildren, Amanada C. Eide and her husband, Christopher, Christopher F. Brattesani, Jessica J. Beal, Samuel C. Beal, Madeline J. Beal and Emma R. Beal and several nieces and nephews.

Graveside funeral service and burial will take place on Friday, July 5, 2013 at 1:30 pm in St. Mary Cemetery, Ridgefield.

There will be no calling hours.

Kane Funeral Home, 25 Catoonah St., Ridgefield is in charge of arrangements.

Late spring and early summer are popular times for weddings. Whatever the season, a change in your marital status can affect your taxes. Here are several tips from the IRS for newlyweds.

• It’s important that the names and Social Security numbers that you put on your tax return match your Social Security Administration records. If you’ve changed your name, report the change to the SSA. To do that, file Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Card. You can get this form on their website at SSA.gov, by calling 800-772-1213 or by visiting your local SSA office.
• If your address has changed, file Form 8822, Change of Address to notify the IRS. You should also notify the U.S. Postal Service if your address has changed. You can ask to have your mail forwarded online at USPS.com or report the change at your local post office.
• If you work, report your name or address change to your employer. This will help to ensure that you receive your Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, after the end of the year.
• If you and your spouse both work, you should check the amount of federal income tax withheld from your pay. Your combined incomes may move you into a higher tax bracket. Use the IRS Withholding Calculator tool at IRS.gov to help you complete a new Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate. See Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax, for more information.
• If you didn’t qualify to itemize deductions before you were married, that may have changed. You and your spouse may save money by itemizing rather than taking the standard deduction on your tax return. You’ll need to use Form 1040 with Schedule A, Itemized Deductions. You can’t use Form 1040A or 1040EZ when you itemize.
• If you are married as of Dec. 31, that’s your marital status for the entire year for tax purposes. You and your spouse usually may choose to file your federal income tax return either jointly or separately in any given year. You may want to figure the tax both ways to determine which filing status results in the lowest tax. In most cases, it’s beneficial to file jointly.

For more information about these topics, visit IRS.gov. You can also get IRS forms and publications at IRS.gov or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).

Here are some of the stories and features in this week’s Ridgefield Press, out today (yes, Wednesday) in print and e-edition:

• Fireworks, both aerial and musical, will be offered this long holiday weekend.
• A Ridgefield teenager, who has already earned thousands of dollars writing computer applications, hopes his new social networking app will earn him a fortune.
• Portion sizes of meals at RHS are costing the town state aid.
• As if he’s not busy enough, First Selectman Rudy Marconi is seeking a seat on the Water Pollution Control Authority in town.
• Reporter Steve Coulter offers his thoughts on volunteering to help the Sandy victims at Breezy Point.
• The Elms plan for housing is coming to a hearing Tuesday.
• Cardinal Egan helped Msgr. Bronkiewicz celebrate 40 years in the priesthood.
• Dr. Levine offers evidence of the problems of “big pharma and greedy doctors.”
• Temple Shearith Israel has a new rabbi.
• The Secret Garden will be staged for kids next week.
• Did the local Indians have saunas?
• Congressman Abner Sibal got it all wrong when he spoke in Ridgefield 50 years ago.
• Why are we one of the top ‘booming suburbs’?
• There have been changes in the special education program to meet new standards.
• Martin Park now has a Zoom Floom.
• There were some amazing cakes at the Keeler Tavern birthday party.
• The Ridgefield Fitness Club has a new owner and a new name.
• Sixteen houses sold last week — perhaps the busiest week of the year so far.
• The Ridgefield Press is on Facebook — become one of more than 1,480 friends and get news updates. Facebook.com/RidgefieldPress.
• 7,301 people have signed up for Ridgefield Press news bulletins via Twitter. You can, too, by stopping by twitter.com/RidgefieldPress.

For newsstands carrying The Press, click here.

Senator Toni Boucher (R-Wilton), a member of the Children’s report card leadership committee, said this week she is “deeply concerned” about the report card data unveiled at the committee’s first quarterly meeting.

The report card, labeled “State of the State’s Children,” discussed absenteeism from school, low birth weight babies, third graders reading at goal and substantiated abuse and neglect cases.

“This report card revealed we have some work to do if our children are to succeed,”  said Sen. Boucher, who state senatorial district includes Ridgefield. “Many of our state’s children are absent from school the greater part of the school year, low birth weight babies continue to cause concern, the education achievement and literacy gap remains wide, and, most disturbing, substantiated neglect and abuse cases have risen.”

The children’s report card leadership committee will review the   Kids Report Card and other results data to determine how current policies and programs are working overall. The group will also use information to provide input to the General Assembly’s Children’s Committee on how results can be improved.

The report card indicators including: the health, safety, stability and success of our children and youth are intended to improve their prospects for success.

“One of the most important indicators of success is literacy or the percentage of Connecticut third-graders who are reading at or above goal in reading. I believe that this is the vital area that the state must direct its resources,” said Sen. Boucher.

In May, the state education department held a conference for schools and community partners on how to use school-linked services to solve chronic absenteeism. Data on chronic absenteeism were collected and provided on a statewide and school district level.

This information will ultimately make it possible to pinpoint, address, and monitor problem areas as well as identify successes in ensuring good school attendance.

“Knowledge is power and data is the key to finding solutions,” Sen. Boucher. “These are the pieces of the puzzle that policy leaders need to better understand the barriers to success. With this knowledge we can make sure the structure is in place to succeed. If it is not, then we must take action to fix it and break the cycle of failure.”

The Connecticut Kids Report Card, mandated under Public Act 11-109, is the first and only legislative results-based accountability project aimed at making sure children and families are better off because of the services and programs state government funds, operates, or supports.

To see more on the report card visit  ctkidsreportcard.org

Jack Kaufman, who just graduated from Wooster School, was recently published on Forbes.com for an interview he conducted with Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey. Mr. Kaufman has also published ‘The Found A Business Book.’

Jack Kaufman has a resume of accomplishments most college graduates dream about.

A published book? Check.

A featured article on Forbes.com? Check.

A list of famous entrepreneur contacts that includes Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey and Snapchat co-founder Evan Spiegel? Check.

Mr. Kaufman, who is 17 and just graduated from Wooster School, says he first became passionate about business, technology and entrepreneurship after seeing The Social Network,  a film about the founding of Facebook, when he was a sophomore.

“That movie sparked my interest in how businesses come to be and motivated me to pursue the field of entrepreneurship,” he said. “Ever since, I’ve been reading all about businesses and various start-up companies.”

His interest drove him to write The Found a Business Book, a 256-page Digital Rights Management-free e-Book that gives readers advice for starting their own business as well as an in depth look at how some modern entrepreneurs started their business and what strategies they used.

For the book, he interviewed 33 of the world’s best entrepreneurs, including Mr. Dorsey and Mr. Spiegel as well as Treehouse co-founder and CEO Ryan Carson and Imgur founder Alan Schaaf.

The first edition of the book was published in April with 16 interviews. Mr. Kaufman spent approximately 200 to 300 hours on the first edition.

However, that was just the beginning. He would go on to clock another 200 hours on the book’s second edition, which he released on June 4th.

As part of a senior independent study that began at the end of April, he expanded the book with 17 additional interviews.

Mr. Kaufman, who graduated from Wooster School  June 14 and will attend Haverford College in the fall, said most of his interviews were done over the phone or on Skype, while some were done by   email exchangea. His first interview, with DuckDuckGo Founder Gabriel Weinberg, was done this way back in December 2012.

He had never conducted an interview before this project, but learned quickly to prepare good questions ahead of time and to let his subjects do the majority of the talking. “All the entrepreneurs I spoke to have amazing stories to share,” he said. “Even though they may not be well known — they’re all important.”

He said the process taught him to face rejection and to persevere through adversity.

“If I hadn’t taken the risks of reaching out, then I wouldn’t have finished the book at all — learning to take risks was the most important learning experience I had during this process,” he said. “A large majority of the entrepreneurs I reached out to didn’t respond or didn’t have time or just weren’t interested and facing that rejection was a real challenge, but it taught me the reward is worth the risk.”

The risk paid extraordinary dividends on June 4, when his interview with Mr. Dorsey — titled “Jack Dorsey’s Five Startup Tips  To A 17-Year-Old Entrepreneur” — earned him a guest post spot on Forbes.com.

Mr. Kaufman said that opportunity came about through his marketing of the book’s second edition, which was part of his independent study at school. Forbes.com was the only website to respond to his media request.

“It’s an incredible feeling and a tremendous honor to be published on such a prominent website,” Mr. Kaufman said. “I really appreciate how they responded to my request and I am just extremely thankful and grateful for the opportunity.”

Despite all the praise and congratulations he’s been receiving, Mr. Kaufman feels motivated to accomplish more.

“I don’t think the attention I’ve been getting has changed me. Sure, it’s an amazing feeling to have such a big accomplishment, but I don’t think having one success means that much,” he said. “This first project is motivation to keep pushing forward and to keep working really hard at my interests so I can accomplish all the goals I have set for myself.”

Mr. Kaufman said he would like to be a software entrepreneur but he is “open to all possibilities.”

In addition, he believes Wooster School has given him the confidence and the experience he needs to succeed in college and beyond.

“I am definitely going to miss my time at Wooster, I really loved it there” he said. “As a student, they gave me the initiative I needed to start my own projects and really follow through on the things I am interested in.”

Home sales in Connecticut increased almost 3% in May — rising to the highest level of transactions for the month since 2010, according to The Warren Group, publisher of The Commercial Record.

A total of 2,356 single-family homes sold in May, up from 2,290 the same month a year ago.

This is the highest number of transactions recorded for the month since May 2010 when there were 2,516 sales.

This is also the first time since January that sales volume increased year-over-year. Year-to-date sales are down almost 2%.

A total of 8,329 homes have sold so far this year, down from 8,479 during the same period last year.

“Now that we’re well into the prime spring selling season, activity is increasing for sales volume as expected,” said Timothy M. Warren Jr., chief executive officer of The Warren Group. “We’re expecting home sales to continue to rise on a year-over-year basis this summer. Median prices have increased for eight straight months and show no signs of slowing.”

The median price for single-family homes sold in May increased more than 8% to $268,500 from $248,000 a year ago.

This is the highest median sale price recorded so far this year.

Year-to-date, the median sale price of a single-family home in Connecticut is $245,000, almost 8% higher than the $225,000 median price recorded during the same period in 2012.

“The rise in prices is a result of an improved economy, higher consumer confidence and tight inventory,” Warren added. “It’s concerning to see prices rise at this rapid rate. Pent-up demand for homes from buyers who postponed their purchase plans is driving up prices. Consumers are rushing to buy before prices and interest rates get too high.”

The median sale price of a condominium in Connecticut was $175,000 in May, a 4.8% increase from $167,000 in May 2012. The year-to-date median condo price rose more than 3% to $165,000 from $160,000 during the same period last year.

For the second straight month, condo sales also increased. Sales rose 1% to 605 from 599 in May 2012. A total of 2,253 condo sale transactions were recorded in the first five months of the year, a 0.4% jump from 2,244 the prior year.

It’s one of those wonderful “four-day weekends,” led off by Independence Day! Enjoy!

• Slaid Cleaves will be in concert Thursday at 5 in Ballard Park.
• Fireworks and picnicking are planned at the high school Thursday evening.  
• Music and dance for children will be offered at the Recreation Center Saturday.
• Americana A-Blazing will feature piano fireworks Sunday at First Congregational Church.

Details on all of these events will be found in this week’s Press. The basics on many are in the Datebook.

For information on regional events, see Arts & Leisure’s This Weekend listings.

Music and fireworks will highlight Independence Day celebrations in Ridgefield.

“We’re set to go. All we need is the cooperation of mother nature,” said First Selectman Rudy Marconi.

Two free concerts — Texas singer-songwriter Slaid Cleaves at 5 today in Ballard Park, and pianists Alan Tripp and Scott Griffin on Sunday at 4 in the First Congregational Church — will sandwich the main event: picnicking and fireworks at the fields around Ridgefield High School tonight (Thursday).

“We’re expecting a large draw, as we always do,” said Tom O’Grady, chairman of the Family Fourth Committee, which has been staging Independence Day fireworks shows for 17 years now.

The gates at Ridgefield High School’s fields will open at 6 for picnicking, and the fireworks will start after the fall of dark — about 9:30.

Parking for the fireworks is $15 a car at both the on-site lots around the high school and Scotts Ridge Middle School, and at the off-site parking area at Barlow Mountain and Scotland Elementary Schools, where shuttle buses will start taking people to the fireworks site at 6:30.

Saturday is a possible rain date for the fireworks.

The forecast is for perfect weather. However, if weather is questionable, announcements of a postponement will be posted after about 3:30 Thursday on The Press website, www.TheRidgefieldPress.com, and the town website, www.Ridgefieldct.org. News of a postponement will also be sent out on by The Press via Twitter.

If late developments in the weather necessitate a change in plans after people have gathered for the event — as happened last year — announcements will be made on the public address systems at the high school fields, and officials say communication will be better organized.

“There’s three-plus thousand people up there and it’s quite noisy,” Mr. Marconi said.  “But if you see lightning off in the distance, begin to listen for announcements.”

The high school building will be opened — if needed — to shelter people, like last year.

Police and fire police will be handling crowds.

“All of them will be told exactly what the plan will be,” Mr. Marconi said.

Today’s Slaid Cleaves concert is part of the CHIRP (Concert Happenings in Ridgefield Parks) series, but has been scheduled early.

“The concert is at 5, and not at 7, so that people can then get to the fireworks,” said CHIRP organizer Barbara Manners.

Mr. Cleaves’ “alternative country” or an “Americana” music is popular, she said.

“Slaid is the artist that I most frequently hear about, from people who’ve been to CHIRP concerts. When I don’t bring him for a year I get all these upset e-mails.”

In the event of bad weather Thursday afternoon, Slaid Cleaves’ concert will be relocated  to The Ridgefield Playhouse.

Sunday’s patriotic-themed piano concert by Alan Tripp and Scott Griffin, called Americana A-Blazing, is at 4 at the First Congregational Church, and part of its free Fountain Music Series.

The fireworks and picnicking at the high school fields have been an annual event since 1997, when the Family Fourth Committee revived a town tradition that had expired years before.

The $15 parking passes have been on sale some weeks, but people who didn’t get them can pay cash at the parking to entrances.

“Please bring exact change,” Mr. O’Grady said.

The event costs about $48,000, he said, and costs are covered by the parking passes and the two major sponsors, Fairfield County Bank and Pepsi.

People are welcome to bring blankets, chairs, and food, which will also be sold.

Vendors working the site will include: the Zwack Shack (hamburgers, hot dogs); Chez Lenard (hot dogs with all trimmings, drinks, chips, candy, cookies); Cones for College (ice cream, drinks); Circus Man, (ice cream, bottled water, Gatorade, soda); and New England Novelty (children’s novelties, hats, light-ups, stuffed animals).

Farifield County Bank and Pepsi will offer give-aways and samples.

Music will be provided on both the upper and lower fields by Sound Investment.

“They’ve been with us from the beginning. They send two DJs,” said Debbie Roche of the Family Fourth Committee.

The DJs try to get kids involved in games, limbo contests and the like while waiting for the fireworks, she said.

Popular music is played beforehand. During the display, the DJ’s play a CD provided by the fireworks company, Pyrotechnics, with patriotic music chosen to go with the show in the sky.

Fire Chief Heather Burford  heads the decision-making on whether to postpone.

“The fire marshal, myself, Rudy Marconi and the fireworks shooter meet at 3 p.m. on Thursday and we’ll take a look at the weather,” Chief Burford said. “Once the show starts to get loaded at about 3:30, we own it — meaning they cannot take the shells out unless they’re lit and shot off.”

She said organizers have tried to learn from last year’s problems — when many people waited out a storm in their cars or took shelter in the high school, then saw the fireworks display,  but others went home and missed the show

“A lightning storm moved into the area,” she said. “We knew this cell was approaching our location, based on its movement and its trajectory towards our location, the decision was made to evacuate the fields and to postpone the fireworks.

“Although we tried to have a unified communication about the postponement of the fireworks, that was not made clear to all the residents or all the event-goers,” she said.

“So, this year, we’re going to harden that policy. We’re going to make these decisions, hopefully, a little sooner, and be very clear in our communications.”

“As always, safety is our primary focus,” First Selectman Marconi said. “But we’re hoping for good weather and none of that will be a necessary. And the fireworks promise to be a good show.”

Andy Pitre and Llaen Coston-Clark

Diane Pitre of Montreal, Quebec, formerly of Ridgefield, has announced the engagement of her son, Andy Pitre, to Llaen Coston-Clark, daughter of Rachel Coston-Clark of North Valley Stream, N.Y.

Mr. Pitre, a 2001 Ridgefield High School graduate, received a bachelor of arts in anthropology from the University of Connecticut in 2006. He is a product manager at HubSpot in Cambridge, Mass.

Before joining HubSpot, he and James O’Connor, also a 2001 graduate of Ridgefield High, ran a marketing communications company focused on the entertainment industry.

Ms. Coston-Clark received a bachelor of arts in psychology from the University of Connecticut in 2006 and a master’s of arts in health communication from Emerson College in 2010.

She works at Boston University School of Public Health. Previously, she worked at the Treatment Research Institute in Philadelphia.

The wedding will take place in September at MASS MoCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) in North Adams, Mass.

Happy Independence Day! It is a day to remember our Founders’ tribulations and ideals, and to rescue their legacy from modern misappropriation.

Between 1765 and 1774, British Parliament passed several laws applying exclusively to America, triggering colonial displeasure with British rule. Colonial citizens, having no representation in Parliament, believed these laws illegitimate. Successive acts of government without representation provoked protests — most notoriously, the Boston Tea Party. Parliament retaliated with the Intolerable Acts, punitively dissolving Massachusetts’ self-government and stripping its citizens’ civil rights. The First Continental Congress convened in 1774 to petition for redress, to no avail. The Second Continental Congress convened in 1775 to plan colonial defense. With war underway, the Second Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

The Declaration is truly revolutionary. It begins by outlining a governing philosophy, asserting as self-evident that all men are created equal, possessed of unalienable rights, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, that governments exist to secure those rights pursuant to the consent of the governed, and that citizens may remake government should it fail in these ends. The Declaration then specifies grievances against the British government, the first several of which accuse the Crown of refusing to approve laws necessary for the public good, obstructing governors and legislatures from passing essential laws, dissolving local elected bodies, denying representation in government, and of general disregard for the consent of the governed. Taxation appears specifically as a complaint against taxation without representation.

The Declaration illuminates the Founders’ ideals. We continue the struggle to advance those ideals. Women, Native Americans, people of color, the LGBT community, non-Christians and members of many other groups were long denied their “unalienable rights,” disenfranchised from the suffrage, representation and consent which were the Founders’ primary aims. The genius of American democracy is that conscientious citizens of successive generations have recognized their responsibility to realize and perfect the Founders’ ideals. Often this has been painful due to others’ misidentification of the Founders’ deficiencies as virtues to be emulated and extended.

The latter group now heavily congregates in the Republican Party, misappropriating the terms “Tea Party” and “Patriot.” They are anything but. The Founders decried unrepresentative or punitive government, government refusal to legislate in the public interest, and taxation without representation. Conversely, the Republican Party aggressively promulgates laws openly intended to disenfranchise large segments of voters, relentlessly seeking to retain and extend punitive laws targeting women, the LGBT community and immigrants, among others. They refuse to pass legislation in the public interest. Proposals affecting food aid to children and families, disaster relief, background checks for gun owners and job creation efforts are obstructed. “Damn the public good” is their trademark. One wonders not only if they have read the Declaration, but also if they believe in it. They are certainly inappropriately using the terms “Tea Party” and “Patriot.”

Today let’s recommit to the common good, keeping true to the Founders’ real ideals and intent.

The Democratic Town Committee supplies this column.

The Class of 2013 at Ridgefield Academy.

Members of the Ridgefield Academy community gathered recently under sunny skies in the school’s scenic Graduation Garden for the Academy’s 38th Commencement Ceremony.

The 34 graduates, dressed in white dresses and blue blazers, represent the largest graduating class in academy history. Nearly half of the students are Ridgefield Academy “Lifers,” having been enrolled at the school each year since their preschool or kindergarten years.

Graduates processed to the stage hand-in-hand with their “Foundation Buddies,” where they exchanged hugs, high-fives, and a final good-bye.

Every fall each kindergarten student is paired with an eighth grade “buddy.”

These “buddies” meet regularly throughout the school year to read together, help with homework, enjoy art activities, and simply provide friendship and support.

It has long been the tradition of the school to showcase the graduates at commencement by asking each to compose and deliver a short speech. Limited to a single page, the students had to search for what was truly essential and memorable about their time at the school.

“The common thread running through each individual testimony is that these students – no matter how long they have been with us — have been empowered by the school, engaged by their teachers and encouraged by their friends to become the proficient students here before you today,” said Head of School James P. Heus.

Also acknowledged during the ceremony was middle school teacher Jan Dunn for her 20 years of teaching service. Ms. Dunn was referenced in several graduate speeches.

RA Lifers Sarah Cox, Scott Barnett and Liza Berisford presented the Class of 2013 gift to the school — two large, electronic athletic scoreboards that reside in the gymnasium and on the baseball field. Funds for the class gift were generously donated by parents of the class of 2013 and through a variety of school wide fundraisers.

Before the final recessional, students from each grade were asked to stand and officially “move up” to the next grade level.

The moving ceremony concluded with each graduate taking one last triumphant march down the aisle to ring the Patriot Bell, symbolizing his or her new status as alums of Ridgefield Academy.

Here are the graduates from Ridgefield: Liza Berisford, Sarah Cox, Daniela Puchall, Scott Barnet, Ellen Pucel, Lindy Burke, Ashlyn Marr, Ethan Hynes.

From Wilton: Luke Duffy, Emilia Furlo, Suzie Clasby, Byron Duncan, Cameron Imrie, Chris Birch.

From Weston: Lauren Lamb, Sydney Lamb, Nicholas Lange.

From New Canaan: Haley Conde.

From Bethel: Anthony Perkins.

From New Milford: Cordelia Schoen.

From Redding: Marlo Trainor.

From Carmel: Jesse Girolamo.

From South Salem: Grace Henrich, Eleanor Henrich, Rebecca Levenson, Sydney Autorino.

From North Salem: Katie Isler, Christina Thomson.

From Brewster: Michael Ambrosio,Sophie McLaughlin,Ariana Gravinese.

From Westport: Isabel Geelan, Yuri Kovshov, Corey Rispoli.

Citing long holiday weekends, a broad array of sold-out concerts and outdoor events, and the arrival of college students home for the summer, the Department of Consumer Protection Liquor Control Division is stepping up enforcement activities, looking for retailers that would sell alcoholic beverages to persons under the legal age of 21, Commissioner William M. Rubenstein said this week.

“There are too many motor vehicle accidents involving youth who have been drinking and too many young people being brought to emergency departments — often unconscious — due to alcohol over-consumption,” Mr. Rubenstein said.

“Binge drinking among young people continues to be a serious problem; kids are obviously buying it somewhere or someone is buying it for them. Parents and family members who provide alcohol to someone under age 21 not only break the law, but also contribute to a problem that frequently ends in death for someone’s son or daughter, just about every weekend.

“Our role is to make it difficult for teens to buy liquor in Connecticut, but parents, families and friends need to do all they can to discourage underage drinking — both at home and away from home.”

Commissioner Rubenstein said that the vast majority of liquor permit holders understand the law and don’t sell to minors. However, through the department’s undercover compliance checks, when a permit holder is found breaking the law, there are consequences.

“Last year, working with our law enforcement partners and volunteer youth provided by the Governor’s Prevention Partnership, we conducted 800 compliance checks throughout the state — restaurants, bars, package stores, and grocery stores,” Mr. Rubenstein said. “The result was 270 liquor permits being temporarily suspended for liquor law violations, most involving the sale of alcoholic liquor or beverages to minors.

“On top of suspensions, we assessed fines of approximately $1.35 million. Permittees who don’t want to lose days of operation and the revenue it generates should think carefully about making sure they and their employees are paying close attention to whom they are selling.”

State Liquor Control agents have already provided regulatory enforcement at two large-scale concert performances at the Comcast Theatre, and at the first two Alive at Five concerts in Stamford, Mr. Rubenstein said.

“We plan to be present at other entertainment venues throughout the summer, while stepping up our routine compliance checks as well,” he said. “We can all do more to prevent the needless tragedies related to underage drinking. I encourage parents to take important first steps this fourth of July holiday by visiting www.settherulesct.org and following up with a serious talk with their teens.”

Rabbi David Reiner and his wife, Ashley Susan Heller, a software consultant

Rabbi David Reiner will be the new spiritual leader of Temple Shearith Israel, the Reform Jewish synagogue at 46 Peaceable Street.

Rabbi Reiner will assume this month, following Rabbi Eric Eisenkramer, who is departing to lead a congregation in New Jersey.

“We are thrilled to have Rabbi Reiner come to our community and join our TSI family,” said Joan Isman, co-president of the temple. “He is a dynamic and inspiring leader, and his warmth, intelligence, insight and enthusiasm will ensure that our congregation continues to grow and prosper.”

After a comprehensive nationwide search process over nearly a year, Rabbi Reiner was chosen from more than 40 candidates.

“Rabbi Reiner brings a very strong combination of pulpit experience, Jewish scholarship, teaching, and community leadership to the rabbinate,” said Gale Berman, co-chair of the Rabbi Search Committee. “He embraces warm and sincere personal and professional relationships. In short, Rabbi Reiner exemplifies the core values of TSI.”

The search process included several rounds of interviews, both on-site and through Skype. There were candidate presentations to the temple board of directors, and weekends spent with various community leaders. The Rabbi Search Committee, comprised of 15 diverse members of the congregation, unanimously recommended Rabbi Reiner. This was followed by a unanimous vote from the board of trustees.

Rabbi David Levy Reiner had been the rabbi at Temple Beth-El in Geneva, N.Y., and the Hillel rabbi at the University of Rochester.

He graduated cum laude from the University of Rochester and was ordained at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, from which he also received a master’s in Hebrew letters.

He studied at Harvard Divinity School and is on the Human Rights Commission in Geneva and the board of the Commission on Christian Jewish Relations of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester in Rochester.

Rabbi Reiner is the son of the esteemed Rabbi Fred Reiner, rabbi emeritus of Temple Sinai in Washington, D.C., and the late Dr. Sherry Levy-Reiner, former director of development for the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.

Rabbi Reiner is well known in the Rochester region for his numerous religious and community activities.

He is married to Ashley Susan Heller, a software consultant for Ariba, an office management software provider.

“I am honored and humbled to serve as the rabbi of Temple Shearith Israel,” said Rabbi Reiner. “I look forward to working with and inspiring members of this vibrant community towards communal and individual growth through meaningful conversations, creative educational programs, and dynamic worship opportunities. Ashley and I are excited to become part of such a wonderful and welcoming community.”

Beloved father, brother, husband, and friend, Peter M. Acton, Sr. died July 2, 2013.  A 14-year resident of Chatham, Massachusetts, Peter was 72 years old and died in the company of his much-loved wife of 47 years, Marie, and his children.  He brought comfort and humor to his family until the end.

Peter was born April 26, 1941 in White Plains, New York to Lillian and Edward M. Acton.  He went to Rye High School where he was the Class President and voted Most Likely to Succeed.  Peter attended The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts where he sang in the Glee Club and was Naval ROTC.  His experiences and friends at Holy Cross profoundly influenced his entire life.  After graduating at the top of his class from Holy Cross in 1963, Peter served as an officer in the United States Navy on the USS Boxer.

Peter attended Fordham University Law School, where he was on the Law Review.  Following law school, Peter began a 28-year career as an attorney for IBM, where he worked under a number of great attorneys including former U.S. Attorney General Nick Katzenbach.   While working for Nick, Peter played a role in making Martin Luther King’s birthday a national holiday.  In 1996, Peter retired from IBM, where he was the Associate General Counsel, and became the General Counsel and Secretary of TIG Holdings in New York City.

Upon retiring from TIG, Peter and Marie became residents of Chatham, where he was on the Board of the Holy Cross Club of Cape Cod, an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association, served on the Executive Chair of the Chatham Zoning Board of Appeals, volunteered for the Saint Vincent DePaul Society and the Chatham Republicans, enjoyed kayaking, traveling, nature, reading, and the company of his grandchildren:  Lucy, Lillian, Eddie, Henry, Vivian, Madeline, Sophie, and Mia.

He is survived by his wife Marie, his sister Joanne Kolb, his three children and their spouses Regina and Peter O’Sullivan, Anne and John Connelly, and Peter (Jr.) and Rebecca Acton, his aforementioned grandchildren, and his nieces Gretchen and John Cauble, Heidi and John Breslin, and nephew Karl Jr. and Millie Kolb.

Peter will live on in his family’s memories of his love of life’s idiosyncrasies, his famous stories, his devotion to his Roman Catholic faith, and his enduring example of seeking to do what is right.

The funeral will be at Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic Church, Chatham, on Friday, July 12th at 10:00 a.m. and a wake will be held at Nickerson Funeral Home, 77 Eldredge Parkway, Chatham on Thursday, July 11th from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.  In lieu of flowers, please send donations to  the Society of St. Vincent De Paul of Holy Redeemer Conference, P.O. Box 687, Chatham, Massachusetts 02633 first and then the Eldredge Public Library in Chatham at www.eldredgelibrary.org .

How does one explain an internist who wrote more than 900 prescriptions for the controversial and very expensive drug Lovaza, a drug approved to lower triglycerides, or a geriatric doctor who is the top prescriber of a very expensive heart medication known as Ranexa, or a cardiologist who neglects the less costly and generic statins, and presribes mostly Crestor, a very effective but also very costly drug, or just about any top prescriber of Tarka, an expensive blood pressure medication that combines two generic medications that can be purchased for pennies, into a brand drug that costs around $4.50 a  pill (something I discussed in a previous article “Drug Dealing For Big Pharma”)?

The answer is simple and unsurprising — greed. It’s all about putting more money in the pockets of doctors and the coffers of the big pharmaceutical companies, but it is finally being exposed. Probublica, “an independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest,” petitioned under the Freedom of Information Act and obtained records for Medicare’s popular prescription-drug plan Part D. ProPublica has now made public on their website the names of prescribers and the drugs they chose to prescribe to their patients.

Consider this: I am a busy cardiologist and I wrote about 1,500 Medicare scripts in 2010, but a cardiologist practicing in New York City’s Chinatown, wrote 21,000!

How is that possible? How can one person write 1,400% more prescriptions than me?

And not by coincidence, he was a top prescriber for one my least favorite drugs, Bystolic, a costly blood pressure medication that competes with generics that cost pennies per pill. Perhaps not by coincidence, he happened to give paid lectures for the company, Forest Labs, that sells Bystolic. Even more troubling is that he was a top prescriber of a drug known as Multaq, a very controversial and also costly drug, used to treat arrhythmias.

I suggest that anyone interested — lay or professional — check out the Prescriber Checkup on the Propublica site. Buried in the data you’ll find a physician, Rohan Wijetlaka, who was arrested last year for essentially selling prescriptions of narcotics, especially oxycodone. It’s easy to see that while his peers, on average, prescribed narcotics to about 4% of their Medicare patients, he prescribed, or as it turns out sold and prescribed, narcotics to 31% of his patients — and he’s a cardiologist. I guess those type of numbers were a big enough red flag to alert the DEA who pounced on him in July of 2012.

And yet there is another physician listed as a cardiologist, a Dr. (initials) V.P., who, according to this site, prescribed narcotics for 36% of her Medicare patients. If the data are correct, you have to wonder if she is being investigated, and if not, why?

For the past two days I have hurried home after work to review this data and found the same outcome — if a doctor wrote a lot of prescriptions for an expensive drug, he was usually a paid speaker for the drug company! Apparently, a simple and disgusting, quid pro quo.

Of course, I anxiously plugged in my name to see if I practiced the way I hoped I did. I found that all my frequently prescribed drugs were generic and that the average cost for each drug was $48. I compared that with other cardiologists I know and it was, thankfully, among the lowest compared to many doctors, including one that is always on a famous “Top Doctor“ list whose average prescription cost was $86; don’t be shocked when I tell you he prostitutes himself to Big Pharma.

I looked at physicians whom I knew to be bad docs, as well as bad human beings, and found some of them with an average cost for their prescriptions of almost three times the cost of mine. Again, they too were big prescribers of drugs that I would never consider prescribing because they are too expensive and offer no benefit when compared to generics that cost pennies.

While I have been telling people for years that Big Pharma manipulates greedy, cooperative physicians into prescribing their drugs, now anyone can go to ProPublica and see what drugs their physicians prescribe.

The list does fall short in identifying some of the king-pins of this Pharma scam, though; in particular, the heads of departments at some of the biggest universities. While these elite may get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to help sell drugs, they often don’t see patients and prescribe drugs, so you won’t find them on the list.

In one instance I know of, the chief of medicine at a major New York medical center accompanied a drug rep bringing lunch to a busy cardiologist’s office. Why? So he might convince doctors there to prescribe the drug Bystolic. But you won’t find his name on the list because he lectures from his bully pulpit and rarely prescribes medications.

So what’s the take-away from all this? Just what I’ve been saying all along: Big Pharma, their “friends” in medicine, and their army of lobbyists, are corrupting the American healthcare system and it’s about time someone put a stop to it. Hello DEA, are you reading this?

Dr. Levine lives in Ridgefield and is the author of “What Your Doctor Won’t (or Can’t) Tell You : The Failures of American Medicine — and How to Avoid Becoming A Statistic.” Questions for this column may be e-mailed to him at VANLEV @ aol.com. 

The Swizzles staff includes, from left, Rosey Donahue, Andrew Moreau, Laura Jahn, Alexandra Duris, Ryan Poveromo, and Morgan Peterson. —Barbara Bangser photo

Swizzles, a self-serve frozen yogurt shop at 424 Main Street, has added a chopped salad bar, Greek yogurt bar and fresh soups to the menu in the renovated and redesigned shop.

Owner Adam Kessner offers eight salads, including Greek, Cobb, Caesar, Baja, and Citrus, as well as a Signature Swizzles salad and a “make your own” option.  Salads can be chopped, and are available for take-out or eat-in.  Ranging in price from $6.79 to $8.79, the salads are labeled gluten free, dairy free or vegan.

Toppings include grilled chicken, many vegetables, cheeses, and crunchy toppings.

Soups now include chicken vegetable with rice, tomato basil and chipotle sweet potato soup.  The new Greek yogurt bar features a variety of toppings, including fresh fruits, nuts and granola.

“We wanted to bring a healthy, convenient and economical lunch option to Main Street,” said Mr. Kessner. “We’ve enhanced the shop and the menu, but we’re keeping our commitment to providing healthy and fresh foods in a fun atmosphere.”

A Kid’s Meal features a small salad, soup and drink.   General Manager Barbara Bouton, said,  “Our soups and salads make it easy and fun for kids to get the veggies and fruit they need.”

Swizzles continues to offer its Community Action Program, donating 20% of proceeds to local organizations hosting events at the shop, which is open seven days a week and is available for catering and private parties.  For more information, call 203-431-2130.

Portion sizes of lunch at Ridgefield High School are costing the town money.

The schools will once again fail to meet the Connecticut Nutrition Standards for the 2013-2014 school year and, therefore, miss out on a potential $30,000 in aid.

Board of Education members unanimously voted to accept a “healthy food certification” statement Monday, June 24, that indicated the district won’t comply with state statutes.

“The basic issue is the portion size being offered,” said Janet Schmitz, the food service director.  “The state has certain calorie restrictions per meal, and the portion size at the high school does not meet the requirements” because they are too big.

“That’s why Ridgefield isn’t certified,” she said.

She added that the district did mirror the guidelines of the state, offering a wide variety of healthy food options for its students, but didn’t adhere to  calorie limitations.

Paul Hendrickson, the district’s business manager, said that the portion sizes the state’s legislation requires is not sufficient in feeding high school students, especially larger-sized athletes such as football players.

Mike Edgar, the district manager of Chartwells School Dining Services, the district’s lunch supplier, said every school in the district must meet the state guidelines in order for the district as a whole to receive certification.

Ridgefield High School is currently the only school in the district that doesn’t comply, said Ms. Schmitz.

The main problem is at the high school, where changes would have to be made to meet nutrition standards.

“Breakfasts would have to undergo a significant change,” Mr. Edgar said. “Right now, the breakfast menu consists largely of grab-and-go foods and egg sandwiches — those items would all have to go for the district to qualify.”

State statutes give the state Department of Education the power to develop and publish nutrition standards for food items offered for sale to students at schools.

These items are separate from reimbursable meals — one meat item, one grain-based side, one piece of fruit, vegetables and a half-pint of milk, that are sold as part of the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. Participating districts in the National School Lunch Program must certify annually with an application to the Department of Education.

Compliance is measured on whether all food items made available for sale to students will meet nutritional standards.

If a district is granted certification for the year, then it gets additional funding.

Mr. Hendrickson explained that the responsibility for getting the district certified fell on the Board of Education.

His memorandum said the same nutrition standards for food items offered for sale to students during school would apply to events taking place during non-school hours, such as PTO functions and some athletic events.

The restrictions “would severely limit the types of food and beverages that could be served during non-school hours and would result in higher food and beverage costs,” he added

Additionally, the district would have to have a policing system to ensure that only foods and beverages in compliance with the state standards were being served at all times, which would also result in additional costs.

The certification restrictions would apply to more than just the school cafeteria. The school store, vending machines and any fund-raising activities on school premises would be affected and would have to comply with the nutrition standards for the district to receive certification.

Ridgefield is not alone: Darien, Fairfield, Shelton, Stamford, Weston, Westport and Wilton have stated they will not meet the state standards next year, Mr. Hendrickson said.

Mr. Edgar also shared some of his company’s products and discussed the foods in general.

Board members sampled a wide range of items, including fruit salads, tofu burgers, vegetable baskets, turkey panini, and orange and cucumber infused waters at the June 24 meeting.

“Everything you’re currently eating is on the existing menus,” he said.

Mr. Edgar explained that Chartwell currently uses local produce in about 37% to 40% of its products. The company also has 25% of its meals made from “scratch cooking.”

“It’s more expensive than just serving a product that’s finished and just needs to be cooked,” he said. “We would like to be there, but we’re not all there yet — the staff isn’t properly served, the equipment is not there and there’s a low participation in a lot of the new food items we release to the students.”

Mr. Edgar said one of the bigger difficulties the company faces is growing participation over time. He added that Ridgefield students have been a pleasure to work with so far.

“This is a healthy partnership because your district has great students to introduce new foods to,” he added. “It’s a positive, growing program.”