As school ends and June fades into July, the weekends are slowing — but still not lacking — in activity.

• Comedy students will strut their stuff on stage Friday at the Playhouse.
• The Firemen’s Carnival will continue Friday and Saturday evenings at East Ridge.
• The Boys in the Band, and one of its stars, will be at the Playhouse Sunday.

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.

Road closed. Detour. Race today. Do Ridgefield drivers see these signs too often? Or unnecessarily?

The Memorial Day parade, road races and fund-raising walks, the commercial district’s street fairs — Ridgefield closes roads, often major roads, with some regularity.

Is it too much?

The selectmen are looking into the question, trying to gauge whether the frequency of road closures for planned events is something the town should have a policy on.

To start, First Selectmen Rudy Marconi plans to research how many times a year the town now closes roads for events. He recently came up with nine, just thinking aloud.

“We have the triathlon that now takes place on two days. The big one is the Memorial Day parade, which closes Main Street,” he said. “We have the ROAR dog walk. We have the Turkey Trot. Run Like A Mother. The Boy Scouts do one on Father’s Day, and several other 5-Ks — I know Southwest Cafe sponsors one for Sunrise Cottage. Wolfpit does the half marathon. The Sale-a-bration, we shut down Main Street — July 20 this year.”

Selectman Andy Bodner recently raised the question after the Ridgefield triathlon — as he had a year ago, prompting some discussion but no real action.

It is the frequency of road closings, and not any particular event, that he questions.

“My concern is simple,” he said in an email. “Everyone knows that traffic congestion on the weekends has become a real problem and that there are times that it becomes almost impossible to get through town. Road closures only exacerbate the challenge.

“In recent years, there seem to be an increasing number of events, mostly races, but also other events, that result in an inconvenience for those not participating in the event.

“My question is, does the town have a policy regarding road closures, and if so, what is it? And if not, shouldn’t there be one?”

There are procedures — applications are made through the police and, if a state road is to be closed, state review is involved. All this takes time, and it isn’t lightly done.

“Usually when people begin planning these type of events, it’s three or four months in advance,” Mr. Marconi said. “No one comes in on Tuesday saying ‘Saturday we want to close roads.’ ”

There’s lots of planning.

“Typically, these bigger events bring a planning group together that involves all the emergency services and all the necessary groups and agencies to make some decisions,” Fire Chief Heather Burford said.

Many events are annual, and some are growing. Run Like A Mother started as a small race, but drew 1,600 to 1,800 runners this year.

The triathlon — now called TriRidgefield — has gone on for seven years. Starting at 7 a.m. on a Sunday, it’s had relatively few problems.

“We’ve sort of got it down to a science now,” Chief Burford said.

But the last couple of years organizers added a children’s event on the Saturday before the Sunday adult race. Saturdays have more traffic. And the kids’ race starts later — at 8, not 7.

“The concern from the public and the concern from Mr. Marconi’s office was the number of participants and the issue of traffic backing up on Route 7,” Chief Burford said.

Changes being considered include starting the children’s race earlier in the morning, and having the children’s and adults’ events on consecutive Sundays, rather than on a Saturday and a Sunday.

“We got the key organizers together to have a discussion about what we could do in future years that would decrease some of the problems,” Chief Burford said

But town officials don’t seem to have a set policy on the issue raised by Mr. Bodner: the frequently of road-closing events.

When the selectmen discussed the issue June 5, they had varied views — often keyed to the TriRidgefield.

“It was a wonderfully successful triathlon,” said Selectwoman Di Masters, “425 participants.”

Selectwoman Maureen Kozalk said, “I thought it brought a lot of people into town.”

Mr. Marconi said he will “put together a list of how often we close local roads, state roads, for special events, and times of the year, so I’m going to be working with the Police Department on that, since they are the formal traffic authority of the town and any road closure has to be submitted to the police — and the State of Connecticut, when any state roads are submitted for closures.

“Historically there’s been more of an issue in and around the downtown area, than there is on the outskirts,” he said. “But the issue/question is: How often?”

At the grant presentation are (back) Ruth Van den Nieuwenhuizen (NCL Liaison, Ridgefield Guild of Artists), Joel Third (Keeler Tavern Museum), Dean Miller (Meals on Wheels), Mary Louise O’Connell (Ridgefield Guild of Artists), (middle) Bridget Ginty (NCL Liaison, Women’s Center of Greater Danbury), Melanie Romano (Women’s Center of Greater Danbury), Mary Ann Conners (Keeler Tavern Museum), Nancy Brandon (NCL Liaison, Ann’s Place), Su Murdock (Ann’s Place), Diana Arfine (NCL Liaison, ROAR), (front) Amy Melliger (ROAR), Samantha Flynn (Women’s Center of Greater Danbury), Teresa Waite (NCL Liaison, Keeler Tavern Museum), and Jane Mackenzie (NCL Liaison, Meals on Wheels).

With more than 6,000 volunteer hours under its belt last year, the National Charity League Nutmeg Chapter in Ridgefield has also made monetary contributions totaling $2,500 to 10 philanthropies.

Denise D’Ambrosio, vice president of Philanthropy, presented the awards.

A representative from each philanthropy had an opportunity to speak at the NCL’s monthly meeting on June 10 at Ridgefield High School.

Su Murdock, Ann’s Place in Danbury, spoke of NCL’s “endless generosity and dedication with energetic and caring volunteers” who have supported their many programs that help cancer patients.

Dean Miller, Meals-on Wheels in Ridgefield, said that, “they would not be able to provide more than 22 thousand meals to local families without the helping hands of NCL volunteers.”

Other philanthropies present included the Keeler Tavern Museum, the Women’s Center of Greater Danbury, and Ridgefield Operation for Animal Rescue (ROAR), while Operation Homefront, Necessities, RMAC, and Safe House were not able to attend.

NLC Nutmeg, a mother-daughter organization, is committed to serving its community through leadership development and cultural experiences.

For more information, please contact Tiffany Carlson, president of NCL Nutmeg, at carlsonfamily5@mac.com .

UPDATED Friday, 10 a.m. — The pedestrian struck by an SUV Thursday afternoon is still in Danbury Hospital this morning, Ridgefield Police report.

Police gave no other details on the accident, which remains under investigation.

UPDATED Thursday, 3:50 p.m. — A woman was struck by an SUV and injured this afternoon at the intersection of Route 35, Danbury Road, and Farmingville Road.

The woman, described as around 65, was in a crosswalk at the intersection, northbound between the Shell station and Fairfield County Bank.

She suffered possible head injuries and was taken to Danbury Hospital in a Ridgefield ambulance with two paramedics on board as a precaution, said Fire Chief Heather Burford.

The accident occurred around 2:30.

Police finished their investigation at the scene at about 3:20.

Dear EarthTalk: Now that hot weather is here, I want to upgrade my home’s A/C. Which are the most energy-saving models and should I go central air or window units? —Jackie Smith,  

According to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE), energy consumption for home air conditioning units accounts for more than eight percent of all the electricity produced in the U.S., at a cost to homeowners of $15 billion annually. Besides the cost, all this cooling leads to annual emissions of about 195 million tons of CO2 — or two tons per year for each American home with A/C.

Of course, foregoing A/C entirely is the most energy — and cost-efficient way to go, but some of us need a little cooling for comfort, especially in warmer climates. If A/C is a must, buying the most efficient model is the way to save money and pollute less. Fortunately, a new generation of much more efficient room and central A/C units means that upgrading will likely pay for itself in energy savings within just a few years.

The main factors to consider in choosing a new model are cooling capacity (measured in British Thermal Units, or BTUs) and Energy-Efficiency Ratio, or EER. To determine the correct BTU rating for a given space, multiply the square footage by 10 and then add 4,000. Meanwhile, a given unit’s EER is the ratio of cooling output divided by power consumption — the higher the EER, the more efficient the air conditioner.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, national appliance standards require room air conditioners to have an EER of 8.0 to 9.8 or more, depending on type and capacity. Units with an EER rating of 10 or above typically qualify for the federal government’s Energy Star label, which appears on especially energy-efficient appliances. Check out the Energy Star website for lists of qualifying A/C models.

The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) says that the average EER of room A/C units rose 47% from 1972 to 1991. To wit, replacing an older room unit with an EER of five with a new model with an EER of 10) would result in a 50% energy cost savings associated with A/C.

As to whether room units or central A/C makes more sense, it depends. Room units, which only cost a few hundred dollars each, will suffice for renters or those who only need to keep one or two rooms cool at a time. Meanwhile, central A/C is more efficient overall at keeping a whole house cool, and will also do a better job at reducing household humidity than even several individual room units-and will save more money faster on electricity bills. But with a starting price of around $4,000 for the condenser and initial set-up (plus any duct work needed to distribute cool air around a home), central A/C isn’t for everyone.

ACEEE points out that there are ways to keep indoor space cooler without A/C: improving insulation, sealing air gaps, getting rid of old appliances and light bulbs that give off lots of heat, running fans, using cooler colors on exterior roofing and paint, and other strategies. Those in particularly arid climates might also consider installing a swamp cooler (which cools outside air by running it over cold water) as a cheaper alternative to A/C. By following these suggestions and upgrading conscientiously, we can all stay a little more comfortable in our warming world without exacerbating the problem too much.

Contacts: ACEEE, www.aceee.org; Energy Star, www.energystar.gov; AHAM, www.aham.org; Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency, www.dsireusa.org.

EarthTalk is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E-The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe. Free trial issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.

Many members of the Class of 2013 received awards and recognitions at the class banquet recently. Here they are:

James T. Ahle: Academic Recognition in Bible & Myth

Robert P. Alfredo: Academic Recognition in Moral Issues in Lit

Joseph P. Alvarez: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Kimberlee M. Arnett: American Classical League National Latin Exam-Cum Laude

Kevin A. Ash: Academic Recognition in AP Economics

Ryan W. Ashley: Community Scholarship

Brett R. Baker: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Kimberly E. Barrett: Academic Recognition in Adv Topics in Math

Brooke E. Barrow: Dimitri’s Athletic Scholarship, Girls Field Hockey Booster Club Athletic/Citizen Scholarship, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Andrew S. Barton: PTSA Scholarship Award, Ridgefield Old Timers Scholarship, Dimitri’s Athletic Scholarship, Academic Recognition in World Literature, Academic Recognition in Moral Issues in Lit

Audrey E. Bates: Ridgefield Police Benevolent Association Scholarship, Academic Recognition in College Algebra

Michael A. Bellino: Christopher D. Vill Memorial Scholarship

Amanda N. Berta: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Alexandra M. Bliziotis: Ridgefield Rotary Club Scholarship, Ridgefield Lions Club Scholarship, Academic Recognition in Statistics

Catherine E. Bradley: Mary Katherine Kelley Scholarship Award, Service Recognition to The Tiger’s Roar Newspaper

Sean M. Brady: American Classical League National Latin Exam-Maxima Cum Laude, National Merit Scholarship Finalist

Alexandra G. Brassinga: Academic Recognition in Physics

Christopher R. Brewi: Business & Finance Technology Department Award, Academic Recognition in Sports Marketing

Casey J. Briody: Mary Katherine Kelley Scholarship Award, Bryan C. McCarthy Spirit of the Game Award, Ridgefield Basketball Association Leadership Award, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Gemma L. Bronson-Howard: RHS Girls Volleyball Booster Club Scholarship, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Kayla M. Brooks: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Madeline N. Brooks: Reynolds & Rowella Strength in Numbers Scholarship, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, Academic Recognition in Calc & Stats H

Nicolas D. Brunsden: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Alexandra E. Burgess: The Evelyn Peeler Memorial Scholarship

Nicholas R. Burns: RHS Service to Student Union Scholarship, Academic Recognition in Film Criticism & Analysis

Stanley Cai: Leona Bedient Crouchley & Charles D. Crouchley, Jr., National Merit James E. Casey Scholarship, Presidential Scholars Semi-Finalist

Katharine E. Carideo: Academic Recognition in World Literature Honors, Academic Recognition in Journalism, Academic Recognition in Psycholgy I

Matthew W. Carpenter: Academic Recognition in Physics Honors

Caroline M. Carr: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, Academic Recognition in American Government and Politics, Academic Recognition in Philosophy

Trevor A. Carr: Academic Recognition in Advanced Acting Academic Recognition in Concert Choir

Griffin J. Carroll: The Ridgefield Press Journalism Award

Niamh A. Carruthers: Davis Education and Career Consultants, LLC Award for Spirit, Integrity and Leadership, Academic Recognition in American Government and Politics, Academic Recognition in English Literature AP

Emily H. Castle: American Classical League National Latin Exam-Summa Cum Laude

Anthony V. Cataldo: Ridgefield Basketball Association Leadership Award, RHS Student Government Scholarship

Kyle C. Cavalea: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Erin E. Ceconi: The Nicholas Barberi Memorial Art Scholarship Award, Ridgefield Guild of Artists Scholarship

Tyler G. Chittenden: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Abbie R. Cleveland: Academic Recognition in U.S. History, Academic Recognition in College Algebra, Academic Recognition in Environmental Science, Academic Recognition in Film Criticism & Analysis, Academic Recognition in Personal Finance

Stefano J. Cobelli: Armando “Matty” Pambianchi Memorial Scholarship

Dana E. Cohen: Rena Principi Memorial Scholarship, Girls Softball Booster Club Athletic Scholarship,  RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Eliana B. Cohen: PTSA Excellence in Social Studies Award, Service Recognition to Debate Team, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, Service Recognition to Interact Club, American Classical League, National Latin Exam – Magna Cum Laude, Academic Recognition in AP Psychology, Academic Recognition in AP Government and Politics, Academic Recognition in Statistics AP, Academic Recognition in English Literature AP, Academic Recognition in Microsoft Office I

Kent B. Coleman: Soccer Club of Ridgefield (SCOR) Scholarship, RHS Service to Student Union Scholarship, Service Recognition to Drama Production

Devon A. Colton: Robert Stanger/Regan Memorial Scholarship

Jason A. Colville: Academic Recognition in Moral Issues in Lit H, Academic Recognition in Psychology II

Paul S. Cooke: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Kathryn F. Corby: Chartwells School Dining Services Scholarship

Hannah E. Cordisco: The Creagh Family Scholarship, The Charlie Parker Award

Evan C. Costa: Service Recognition to Drama Production, Academic Recognition in American Government and Politics, Academic Recognition in Bib & Myth H

Delia B. Courtney: Richard G. Campbell Scholarship

Timothy B. Cozens: Tiger Touchdown Club Scholarship Award

Sarah R. Cushman: PTSA Excellence in Science Award

Christina P. D’Aiuto: Tango/Rheel Memorial Award

Hannah N. Dalessio: Academic Recognition in Psycholgy I

Michelle A. David: Academic Recognition in Creative Writing

Benjamin M. Davidovich: Academic Recognition in Calc & Stats H

Matthew S. Davidson: Steven M. Scott Excellence in Economics Award, Federal Reserve Bank Challenge Scholarship, Academic Recognition in AP Economics

Calvin F. Dearth: Ridgefield High School Boys Lacrosse Booster Club Scholarship

Ryan T. Debany: Ridgefield Basketball Association Leadership Award

Steven J. deBara: PTSA Alternate High School Award

Robert G. DePalma: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Matthew T. DePrima: Business & Finance Technology Department Award

Nicole E. Desrosier: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Nicole L. Devine: Academic Recognition in UCONN English Honors, Academic Recognition in Jazz Band

Joseph M. DeVivo: Tiger Soccer Achievement Scholarship, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Patrick T. Devlin: Business & Finance Technology Department Award, Federal Reserve Bank Challenge Scholarship, PTSA Excellence in Business Award, Academic Recognition in AP Economics, Academic Recognition in Marketing II

Breann E. Dick: Academic Recognition in College Algebra, The National Young Arts Foundation Award

Emily D. Dickson: Academic Recognition in American Government and Politics, Academic Recognition in Moral Issues in Lit H

Catherine L. DiElsi: Academic Recognition in American Government and Politics, American Classical League National Latin Exam-Magna Cum Laude, Academic Recognition in French AP, National French Exam, Level V, Academic Recognition in AP Psychology

Hannah E. Dighton: Cowin-Chapman Lacrosse Scholarship, Tiger Hollow Scholar Athlete and Community Leadership Award, The Mary Wooster Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, Academic Recognition in French V H, Connecticut Association of Boards of Education Award

Courtney R. Dillman: Roma Pizzeria Scholarship, Rena Principi Memorial Scholarship, Ridgefield Police Benevolent Association Scholarship

James W. Dong: National Merit Scholarship Finalist

Benjamin D. Dreskin: Academic Recognition in Psychology II

Richard P. Duffy: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, Academic Recognition in Mandarin V H

John R. Dumke: Academic Recognition in International Foods

Kathryn M. Eckhoff: Girls Softball Booster Club Athletic Scholarship, Tiger Soccer Achievement Scholarship, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, Academic Recognition in AP Biology

Olivia M. Eltz: RHS Girls Softball Booster Club Citizen Scholar, Academic Recognition in American Government and Politics, Academic Recognition in Psycholgy I

Richard A. Felten: Academic Recognition in Material Science II

Connor B. Findlay: Tiger Soccer Achievement Scholarship, Al Diniz Scholarship, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, Academic Recognition in Advanced Accounting, Appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, The Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants Outstanding High School Accounting

Kathryn C. Finegan: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Megan E. Fitzpatrick: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Kathryn A. Foss: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Thomas J. Fusco: Academic Recognition in Spanish V H

Catherine M. Gerard: Academic Recognition in Art History

Lauren A. Gerber: PTSA Scholarship Award, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Tanner W. Gibson: Tiger Touchdown Club Scholarship Award

Austin M. Gold: Urgent Care of CT Scholarship, Academic Recognition in Physics

Gregory P. Gorski: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, Academic Recognition in American Government and Politics

Ellie R. Gravitte: RHS Service to Student Union Scholarship, Tiger Soccer Achievement Scholarship, Jeff Schwartz Scholarship Fund, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, Fairfield County Assoc. of Secondary School Principals Scholar Leaders Award

Samuel T. Gravitte: Robert Scalzo Memorial Scholarship, Wadsworth Lewis Fund Scholarship, Ridgefield Rotary Club Scholarship, The Ed Brennan Memorial Ridgefield Youth Football Scholarship, RHS Service to Student Union Scholarship, Jeff Schwartz Scholarship Fund, Cowin-Chapman Lacrosse Scholarship, Service Recognition to Musical Production, Academic Recognition in Spanish AP, Western Connecticut Superintendents Association Award

Daniel A. Greenberg: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, Academic Recognition in Oceanography, Academic Recognition in American Government and Politics

Jason M. Greenberg: Federal Reserve Bank Challenge Scholarship

Sarah J. Guillaume: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Stephanie M. Gutman: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Kelsey A. Hauser: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Kimberly A. Heidinger: Ridgefield Woman’s Club Scholarship

Catherine R. Heller: Service Recognition to Aldrich Museum Docents

Jonathan S. Hicks: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Kathryn B. Hilliard: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Madeline M. Holzhauer: Ridgefield Youth Cheer Scholarship, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Bianca M. Holzthum: Robert Scalzo Memorial Scholarship

Adam B. Huet: Academic Recognition in Business Management, Academic Recognition in Economics, Academic Recognition in Psycholgy I

Harold E. Hyatt: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Steven J. Ignatowich: Wolfpit Running Club Scholarship, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Austin T. Inman: Academic Recognition in Intro to Computer Science

Jeanne F. Jacullo: RHS Student Government Scholarship, Service Recognition to Senior Class Council, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, Connecticut Association of Boards of Education Award

Juliane N. Jonas: Academic Recognition in Baking

Mattie T. Joyner: Michael Meltzer Memorial Music & Art Scholarship, PTSA Excellence in Music Award, Service Recognition to Musical Production, Academic Recognition in Acting II, Academic Recognition in Concert Choir

Vanessa S. Kalu: Ridgefield Woman’s Club Scholarship

Lucas C. Kaplan: Academic Recognition in Ceramic Design I

Matthew D. Kelemen: Service Recognition to Future Business Leaders of America, The 2012 Future Global Leader for Fairfield County Scholarship Winner, World Affairs Forum Future Global Leaders Award

McCall M. Keller: Ridgefield Guild of Artists Scholarship, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Courtney K. Kenyon: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Matthew R. Kirby: PTSA Excellence in English Award, Robert Stanger/Regan Memorial Scholarship, Service Recognition to Drama Production, Academic Recognition in World Literature Honors

Stephanie M. Kisciras: Girls Field Hockey Booster Club Athletic/Citizen Scholarship, RHS Service to Student Union Scholarship, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Tucker L. Klutey: Academic Recognition in English Literature AP, Academic Recognition in AP Government and Politics

Olivia I. Koterska: Wadsworth Lewis Fund Scholarship, Anne S. Richardson Award, Ridgefield Music and Arts Center Scholarship, Edward L. Ballard Memorial Scholarship, Academic Recognition in Personal Finance

Jennifer M. Kreps: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Alexander O. Kresic: PTSA Scholarship Award, Academic Recognition in Astronomy

Meredith J. Kresic: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Meredith K. Kriz: Reynolds & Rowella Strength in Numbers Scholarship

Anthony R. Kwalwasser: Academic Recognition in American Government and Politics

Robert P. Lawrence: PTSA Excellence in Math Award, Service Recognition to Computer Programming Club, Service Recognition to Do It Yourself (DIY) Club, Academic Recognition in English IV, American Classical League National Latin Exam-Cum Laude, National Merit Scholarship Finalist

Travis H. Leiter: Tiger Soccer Achievement Scholarship, Academic Recognition in AP Biology

Patrick D. Lerchi: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Anna M. Levine: Tutoring Club Scholarship

Daniel R. Liddi: Ralph B. Crouchley Boys and Girls Club Scholarship

Lauren A. Liederbach: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, American Classical League National Latin Exam-Cum Laude

Sara V. Lukaszewski: National Charity League Scholarship

Brooklyn K. MacKenzie: The Sandy Hoddinott Scholarship, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Nicolas G. Maglieri: Academic Recognition in German V H

Bryce W. Maher: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Anna T. Marcus: Girls Ice Hockey Scholarship, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Eliza G. Marcus: RHS Student Government Scholarship, The Ridgefield Detachment of the Marine Corps League, Colonel Richard E. Romine Leadership Award, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, Academic Recognition in American Government and Politics

Jason J. Marra: Ridgefield Teacher Recognition Award, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

William A. Marshall: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Richard R. Mathes: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Liana K. Mathias: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Lucy I. Mathis: Academic Recognition in Environmental Science Honors, Academic Recognition in Spanish III, Academic Recognition in US History Honors, Academic Recognition in Pre-Calculus H, Academic Recognition in Moral Issues in Lit H

Julia E. McCaffrey: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Reide E. McClain: Academic Recognition in AP Government and Politics

Elizabeth M. McCormick: Academic Recognition in AP Economics

Kevin J. McLam: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Daniel R. McMullan: Academic Recognition in Business Law

Christopher J. Mirra: Trailblazer Award, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Chandler W. Molyneux: Ridgefield High School Boys Lacrosse Booster Club Scholarship

Margarita S. Mora: Academic Recognition in Baking

Katherine M. Morehead: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

John C. Mullery: Trailblazer Award, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Timo E. Muro: Academic Recognition in Moral Issues in Lit

Caroline E. Murray: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, Academic Recognition in AP Government and Politics

Carolyn M. Murray: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Christopher M. Myers: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Caroline M. Nazworth: Ridgefield Garden Club Scholarship, Academic Recognition in Pre-Calculus, Academic Recognition in Physics Honors, Academic Recognition in UCONN English Honors

Shauna N. Norris: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, Academic Recognition in Moral Issues in Lit H

John P. O’Connell: Academic Recognition in Physics

Collin T. O’Meara: Rick Ligi Memorial Scholarship

Sarah M. Pagano: Academic Recognition in Physics

Christopher J. Pallant: Service Recognition to Chess Club, Academic Recognition in Science Fiction, Academic Recognition in Digital Electronic

Eliza R. Paltauf: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

John C. Papa: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, Academic Recognition in AP Government and Politics

Cleopatra C. Papadopoulos: The Nicholas Barberi Memorial Art Scholarship Award, Service Recognition to The Caudatowan Yearbook

Angela M. Parr: Academic Recognition in Advanced Ceramic Project

John J. Pavain: RHS Service to Student Union Scholarship, Federal Reserve Bank Challenge Scholarship, Anne S. Richardson Award, Robert & Catherine Wilder Fund, Ridgefield Youth Football Scholarship, PTSA Excellence in Family & Consumer Science Award, Tiger Hollow Scholar Athlete and Community Leadership Award, Christopher M. Manno Memorial Scholarship for Academic & Athletic Excellence, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, Academic Recognition in Culinary Arts II, Nutmeg Statewide PTA, Janet E. Petkus Memorial Award, Fairfield County Assoc. of Secondary School Principals Scholar Leaders Award

Brady D. Penn-Kast: Richard DiSalvo Engineering Scholarship, Academic Recognition in Film Criticism & Analysis

Christopher T. Peterson: Academic Recognition in Advanced Culinary Arts

Margo I. Poundstone: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Olivia C. Prehodka: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, Academic Recognition in Psycholgy I

Jeffrey J. Racy: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Elaina N. Rampolla: Academic Recognition in Adv Topics in Math

Timothy J. Ranney: Billy Fuess Memorial Scholarship

Gargi P. Ratnaparkhi: Service Recognition to the National Honor Society, National Merit Scholarship Finalist

Dustin H. Rausa: Todd Rosencrans Scholarship, Academic Recognition in Physics

Lauren A. Ravert: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Amy C. Reunert: Al Diniz Scholarship, Academic Recognition in Law and Justice

Elizabeth A. Richards: Marguerite Regan Nursing Award, Ridgefield Thrift Shop Scholarship, Tango/Rheel Memorial Award

Marilyn J. Romero: Roma Pizzeria Scholarship, Ridgefield Woman’s Club Scholarship, Service Recognition to Vital Voices, A Better Chance Academic Achievement Award

Mary P. Ruehl: PTSA Excellence in Health, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Claudia M. Rychlik: Soccer Club of Ridgefield (SCOR) Scholarship

Philip A. Sammon: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Morgan J. Sandhu: Ridgefield Administrators Association Scholarship, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, The Mary Wooster Chapter, Good Citizen Award, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, Service Recognition to Mock Trial, Academic Recognition in English Literature AP, Western Connecticut Superintendents Association Award

Morgan J. Santini: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Christopher M. Scally: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Margaret L. Scalzo: PTSA Excellence in Physical Education, Michael Ciarcia Memorial Scholarship, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, Academic Recognition in Physics

Geoffrey T. Schneider: Erik F. Hoag Memorial Hockey Scholarship,

Will D. Schupmann: Caudatowa Garden Club Scholarship, Academic Recognition in Statistics AP, Academic Recognition in AP Government and Politics

Amanda J. Schwartz: Academic Recognition in Calc & Stats H

Adair J. Search: Academic Recognition in American Government and Politics

Karla G. Sedeno: Rosas Academic Recognition in College Algebra

Claire A. Sigworth: PTSA Excellence in Visual Art Award, Academic Recognition in Advanced Art Projects

Taylor E. Starr: The Company Honorary Scholarship, RHS Service to Student Union Scholarship

Kurt J. Steidl: Tyler Ugolyn Award, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Joi G. Stephens: Nursing Cookbook Scholarship

Lily C. Stumpf: Girls Field Hockey Booster Club Athletic/Citizen Scholarship

Thomas J. Szilagyi: Business & Finance Technology Department Award

Amanda M. Tagliaferri: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete, Academic Recognition in AP Psychology

Connor M. Tango: PTSA Scholarship Award, Wadsworth Lewis Fund Scholarship, PTSA Excellence in Technology Education Award

Madison L. Tannenbaum: Academic Recognition in Calculus AB AP, American Classical League National Latin Exam-Summa Cum Laude

Connor G. Tepfer: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Brian C. Tessler: Ridgefield Basketball Association Leadership Award, Academic Recognition in Political Issues in Literature Honors

Lane G. Tobin: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Sarah C. Toich: Service Recognition to Lodestar Magazine

Nicole W. Trevisani: RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

John M. Truskowski: Service Recognition to Ultimate Frisbee Club

Connor A. Walsh: Academic Recognition in Statistics

Molly E. Weeks: Roma Pizzeria Scholarship, Ridgefield Rotary Club Scholarship, Wolfpit Running Club Scholarship, Ridgefield Old Timers Scholarship, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Liam C. Weir: Academic Recognition in AP Environmental Science, Academic Recognition in UCONN English Honors

Rebecca M. Welch: Ridgefield Basketball Association Leadership Award, Academic Recognition in Statistics

James F. Whelan: Academic Recognition in American Government and Politics

Katherine E. Williams: Academic Recognition in Psychology II

Madeline M. Wroblewski: Patrick Samuel Smith Scholarship Fund, Elizabeth Biglow Ballard Memorial Scholarship, Service Recognition to Musical Production

Terry Z. Wu: Federal Reserve Bank Challenge Scholarship, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Michelle G. Ye: Frances Demrick Scholarship, Academic Recognition in Orchestra, Academic Recognition in Rhetoric and Composition Honors

Adam R. Zandri: Rick Ligi Memorial Scholarship, Academic Recognition in College Algebra

Anna P. Zukowski: Tiger Soccer Achievement Scholarship, RHS Athletic Advisory Council Scholar Athlete

Hard-hatted construction workers eyed the offerings when Jaques Arantes’ coffee and lunch truck stopped by last Thursday at The Prospector work site, right across the street from two village restaurants, Dimitri’s and Piccolo’s. Mr. Arantes, the only person without a hard hat, got a vendor’s permit from the selectmen Wednesday night. —Macklin Reid photo

Weighing free enterprise rights against the value of protecting established, tax-paying, charity-supporting local businesses, the selectmen struggled to find a balance last Wednesday. In the end they couldn’t justify denying a food vendor’s permit to a lunch truck that visits local construction sites — even if it siphons off some business from town restaurants.

“I can’t see, legally how we can deny it,” said Selectwoman Barbara Manners.

The selectmen granted a food vendor’s permit to Jaques Arantes, who told them his coffee and lunch truck makes the rounds at seven or eight work sites. He stops at the library and Prospector projects off Main Street,  at the new St. Andrew’s church off Ivy Hill Road and some residential projects. He also serves some yard maintenance crews.

First Selectman Rudy Marconi said he’d heard from two local business owners who’d rather not see vendor trucks.

Eating at a village restaurant, he’d been approached by the owner. “He said ‘I used to do a good business. The food truck showed up, they stopped coming in.’ ”

The first selectman also read from an email sent by Joe Ancona, who has  Ancona’s Market and The Tusk and Cup. “Our town does not benefit in any way by having mobile food trucks,” Mr. Ancona wrote.

A co-owner of Dimitri’s, Kosta Mavridas,  spoke up: “We are across the street. In this town we spend insurance, and taxes…I don’t think it’s fair.  It’s not something like a construction site where there’s no restaurant around.”

A food vendor’s permit of the sort granted to Mr. Arantes has a $200 fee.

With two commercial condominium spaces in Yankee Ridge, Dimitri’s pays more than $18,000 a year in taxes.

“I have to agree with the local merchants,” said Selectwoman Maureen Kozlark.

The businesses not only pay taxes but make donations, sponsor teams, participate in fund raisers, she said. “We really are asking these people to be so supportive of the community.”

Ms. Manners said there weren’t grounds for a denial. “In terms of discrimination of one vendor against another, I just don’t see how you could do that,” she said. “I’m talking on a legal basis.”

Selectman Andy Bodner said Mr. Arantes’ lunch wagon’s stopping at construction sites was nothing out of the ordinary. “This is a typical lunch truck that goes to construction sites … 98% of construction sites — the guys can’t leave the site, they can’t take the time.”

He asked Mr. Marconi, who used to own a construction business, if he agreed.

Mr. Marconi confirmed that from the management perspective, it’s preferable to have a truck come by than to have the workers leave the site, go buy their coffee or food, maybe stop at the bank while they’re out, and then come back after half an hour and want their break.

“If I was wearing that hat and on that job, I’d want that truck there,” he said.

Mr. Arantes said he got a call from the manager of “the project at Prospect Street, Mr. George, he said ‘We need you here.’ ”

Mr. Marconi asked if Dimitri’s tried to compete with the vendor truck by offering to take orders by phone and deliver to the work sites across the street.

They don’t now, Mr. Mavridas said, but they could.

Ms. Manners suggested trying to reach “a gentlemen’s agreement” with Mr. Arantes: the town would grant him a permit, and he would limit himself to work sites that weren’t right next to restaurants, no longer visiting the Prospector and library projects, which sit side-by-side right across from Dimitri’s.

“I have two kids,” Mr. Arantes replied. “If I let you know how much I make in a day, you’d say ‘Leave this guy working.’ ”

“I’m not going to support it if it’s at construction sites that are downtown,” Ms. Kozlark said.

“I think we need to grant the permit,” Ms. Manners said. “Because we don’t have a basis for denying it.”

“I completely agree,” said Mr. Bodner.

“I’m really torn on this one,” Mr. Marconi said. “I understand Maureen’s position of wanting to support the local merchants. We preach that all the time.”

But he couldn’t bring himself to vote against Mr. Arantes’ right to try to make his livelihood selling food from the back of his truck.

“I guess I have to decide on the moral part of it, the ethical part of it, the legal part of it,” he said.

The vote was 3-to-1, with Ms. Kozlark in dissent.

Mr. Marconi said later that “If this was going to be permanent, I would have voted differently,” he said.

While the selectmen felt they couldn’t deny a vendor permit to Mr. Arantes on the grounds he was competing with local restaurants, Mr. Marconi said, Ridgefielders could and should make a conscious effort to spend their disposable income in town.

“It serves as an opportunity to let everyone in Ridgefield know that we need them to support their local restaurants, rather than going to Danbury for a quick bite, or some other community,” he said.

“We have a variety of restaurants that a offer very good food, and they need your help. Support them!”

Courtney Dillman, Kimberly Heidinger and Morgan Stonebridge.

Nine Ridgefield Girl Scouts have earned their Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting.

To earn the Gold Award, Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts in grades of nine through 12 spend at least 80 hours researching issues, assessing community needs and resources, building a team, and making a sustainable impact in the community.

A Gold Award recipient’s accomplishments reflect leadership and citizenship skills that set her apart as a community leader.

Alyssa Alt

Alyssa Alt addressed a concern of disrespectful behavior at the Boys & Girls Club of Ridgefield by creating a “Code of Conduct” with fellow club members. She engaged young adults and teenagers by enforcing this code, resulting in a better experience for club members. Two directors at the club posted the guidelines Alyssa developed in each room and they continue to enforce the code. Alyssa is planning a career in education.

Caroline Brian

Caroline Brian created a week-long photography program for children at the Carver Center in Norwalk. She raised funds and held a camera drive to ensure the children had the right equipment. The center now has 10 digital cameras, her lesson plan, and inspirational video for future use. The students’ photos were also posted permanently in a photo gallery at the center’s gym. She is considering a career in photography.

Emily Castle

Emily Castle ran a summer reading program, Scholastic Book Club, in conjunction with the Danbury public school system for students of the Sensational Summer Day Camp. She designed a curriculum to encourage kids to read and develop their literacy skills. Emily plans to run the program this summer and train a younger student to ensure the program’s continuity. In the future, Emily plans a career in educational policy.

Courtney Dillman ran a program on self-confidence, fitness and nutrition for girls in grades five through eight at a local Boys & Girls Club. The program included fitness classes, special guests such as a nutritionist, and the cooking of healthy foods. Courtney also took the girls on two field trips to a health foods store and a restaurant to practice healthy habits. A club employee will continue the classes next year.

Kimberly Heidinger taught first grade classes at Scotland Elementary School and the Ridgefield Rotary Club about the Native Americans who once lived in the Ridgefield area. She shared artifacts from that time period and talked about Native Americans’ culture and their place in Ridgefield’s history. She left first grade teachers with the presentation she created for future classes. Kimberly plans to study elementary education.

Emma Joyce

Emma Joyce organized blanket-making classes to make 86 incubator blankets for premature babies. She led discussions for different age groups about the difficulties that premature babies face and created a video tour of Danbury Hospital’s NICU. She created a coloring book for siblings of premature babies, which was distributed to Fairfield County hospitals. A high school student has volunteered to continue this project. In the future, Emma wants to study marketing.

Mary Ruehl

Mary Ruehl’s Gold Award project, “Just Drive,” was a campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving among Ridgefield High School students. The project consisted of a series of morning announcements to educate the student body, as well as a Facebook page that collected data on driving habits of students and provided a forum for discussion. Mary created a binder on the campaign for the high school’s student life office. She hopes to pursue a career in writing.

Simi Singh-Smith

Simi Singh-Smith held six workshops educating elementary school children on proper pet care in an effort to reduce the number of animals abandoned or placed at shelters. She developed a presentation on the topic and created brochures for the workshops. These brochures will continue to be produced and handed out to parents. She will attend Mount Holyoke College in the fall to pursue a career as a veterinarian.

Morgan Stonebridge’s Gold Award project, “EJ’s Butterfly,” was inspired by her friend, EJ Carfi, who passed away due to a rare skin disease, commonly called the “butterfly disease.” She created a mural of a butterfly with pictures of people smiling and hung it under a poem that EJ wrote. This mural will remain on display at the Ridgefield Boys & Girls Club. Morgan will attend Elon University and study communications and marketing.

The Gold Award is the highest achievement a girl can earn in Girl Scouting, meeting national standards set by Girl Scouts of the USA. Since 1916, girls have successfully answered the call to Go Gold, an act that indelibly marks them as accomplished members of their communities and the world. This year, 70 young women from around the state earned their Girl Scout Gold Award, an unprecedented number and the most recipients in Girl Scouts of Connecticut’s history.

For more information about the Gold Award or how to become a Gold Award volunteer or mentor, visit  www.gsofct.org/pages/GoldAward.php. For more information on Girl Scouting, call 800-922-2770 or www.gsofct.org.

Copperheads may live here. Their venom is not as potent as that of a rattler, though. —Greg Hume photo

Are there any poisonous snakes in Ridgefield?

There are no absolute “yes” or “no” answers about many kinds of wildlife that officially do not live here. That was proven a couple years ago when, despite many denials by state officials that there were mountain lions in Connecticut, one was killed on the Merritt Parkway (that poor animal had traveled here all the way from South Dakota and quite possibly had been in Ridgefield since there were several “sightings” here.)

That said, there are two poisonous snakes whose ranges include western Connecticut: the timber rattlesnake and the copperhead.

It is very unlikely that any rattlers live here, while it is possible that some copperheads do.

Rattlesnakes were definitely once here. In 1718, the town fathers sold land at “Ye Rattle Snake Swamp,” somewhere north of Route 35, South Salem Road, and west of Peaceable Street. Other places in town were called “ye West Rattle Hole,” “West Rattle Rocks,” and just “the Rattle Holes.”

The names disappeared from old deeds by the 1760s, suggesting that their namesakes were mostly driven out; settlers were not interested in making friends with this deadly snake (although it’s shy and not aggressive — it takes a good bit of disturbing to get it to even sound its rattles). The settlers also cut down most of the forests that the snakes like.

The last rattler report in Ridgefield may have been March 31, 1938, when Joseph Dlhy said his “big hound dog” died after being bitten by a rattlesnake in Ridgebury woods (Dlhy’s farm is now the Ridgefield Golf Course, where geese have been a bigger problem than snakes).

Rattlesnakes are pretty easy to identify because an irked one rattles. Copperheads are trickier. Many people report they’ve seen a “copperhead,” but invariably, it has been a northern watersnake or something similar. However, a copperhead has a true copper-colored head that is pretty distinctive and rarely seen.

Incidentally, poisonous snakes almost always have triangular heads, a shape that accommodates their venom glands. The northern watersnake has apparently taken advantage of that fact and, like the viceroy butterfly that mimics the appearance of the awful-tasting monarch, imitates the rattler by being able to compress its head to look like a viper.

Ophidiaphobes — persons afraid of snakes — may be somewhat comforted in knowing the odds are extremely slim that they would run across a poisonous snake, and even slimmer they’d be bitten. State wildlife officials report between 1950 and 2004, only six people were bitten by rattlesnakes in Connecticut.

As for copperheads, their bite is less potent — one expert compared it to a “bad bee sting” — and is probably almost as rare.

All snakes, poisonous or otherwise, are important to our environment, especially in controlling rodents. So be kind to your local serpents.

The reopening of Barlow Mountain School, which had been the Family Y and then the Recreation Center, was one of the Bundle projects.—Tony Loomis photo (from radio-controlled aircraft)

Classroom parties and make-up exams marked the winding down of the 2012-13 school year, but Ridgefield is still waiting to close the books on the East Ridge Middle School renovation, the last of seven major projects undertaken as part of the $90-million “school bundle” approved by voters Dec. 5, 2000.

“I’ve got to tell you, I thought it was closed out years ago,” said East Ridge Principal Marty Fiedler.

From the perspective of a building principal, it was. The last window air conditioning units — “unit ventilators,” a source of problems that dragged on after most of the project was done — were installed in 2007 and approved as functioning satisfactorily, and quietly enough for students and teachers to hear each other.

What remains is bookkeeping — accounting, audits and approvals back and forth between Ridgefield and the state education bureaucracy that will allow the town to recover the last of the reimbursement it is due on the project.

“Everything’s been submitted,” First Selectman Rudy Marconi said.

What the town ultimate receives — which hasn’t been finally determined yet — could be substantial.

“It’ll be $390,000, almost $400,000,” Mr. Marconi estimated.

The East Ridge renovation was completed for about $11 million, so the total state share is substantial.

“We get 22% reimbursement on these projects, that’s $2.2 to $2.4 million,” Mr. Marconi said.

Much of the money came back to the town years ago. Paperwork was submitted to the state and reimbursement received as the town paid off various contractors over the course of the job.

But the final reimbursement’s amount will be known — and the last payment should be forthcoming — after an audit of the town’s submission.

“The town received $147,645 as a partial payment to close out this project,” School Business Manager Paul Hendrickson said recently. “Based on our submission it is estimated that the town will receive roughly $250,000 more when the project is finally closed.”

“We’ve made the final turn,” Mr. Marconi said. “We’re in the home stretch, between now and actually seeing the money, I would say.”

Mr. Fiedler described the difference made by the town’s school construction initiative of a decade ago. When Scotts Ridge Middle School opened, the new school took 40% of the sixth to eighth grade enrollment that had been crammed into East Ridge.

“Not only do we have enough room for everybody,” Mr. Fiedler said, “but in the renovation of this building they created fabulous science labs that didn’t exist, they took that annex that had 12 moldy classrooms and renovated it as the library media center, which is a fabulous teaching space with two computer labs and another open space with a full set of classroom computers.

“They took one of the oldest buildings and spruced it up and made a very welcoming teaching and learning facility.”

Overall, the school bundle amounted to $90 million. The projects in it and their approximate costs, according to Mr. Marconi, were:

• The $42-million expansion and renovation of Ridgefield High School;

• The $16-million reopening of Barlow Mountain as elementary school, after it had been made into a YMCA and then became a town recreation center.

• $11 million for the East Ridge Middle School renovation;

• The $8-million renovation and expansion of Ridgebury School;

• The $13-million construction of the new Recreation Center; and

• Adding computer labs and expanding libraries in other elementary schools.

Shortly before the bundle vote, the town approved the $34-million construction of Scotts Ridge Middle School.

The bundle together with Scotts Ridge bring the total in bonding from that era to nearly $125 million.

Finance Board Chairman Dave Ulmer said the school construction bonding — excluding the rec center — amounted to about $110 million.

“We should be more than halfway through the repayment of this $110 million in long-term debt,” he said.

Board of Finance member Marty Heiser has long had mixed feelings about the bundle, which addressed overcrowding throughout the school system but cost a lot of money.

“I’m happy to hear that at long last we may be getting the final monies owed us by the state,” he said. “From my perspective it’s long overdue, but I understand that the wheels of government move slowly.

“Many longtime residents of the town saw taxes go up significantly as a result of the construction and expense of the bundle,” Mr. Heiser said.

“It’s somewhat frustrating to see that the increase in student population was a bit of a bulge on the graph, and now we’re faced with lowering enrollment that could result in the closing of a school.

“That said, Ridgefield has always made a priority of a world-class, top-notch education program, and that is what the money went for in the bundle.”

The Baby Page

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to bring up slide show)

For information on submitting a birth announcement

for publication in The Ridgefield Press, click here.

Noreen L. Papa of Ridgefield died on Saturday, June 29, at her home. She was 47 years old and the wife of John M. Papa.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by the Kane Funeral Home, 25 Catoonah St.

CHIRP concerts in Ballard Park can draw as many as a thousand people. Here is CJ Chenier, who enjoys leaving the stage and walking among the audience. —Press photo

Parking’s tough on concert nights.

Construction projects at the north end of the Main Street commercial district have made for a parking squeeze on evenings when there’s a free concert in Ballard Park.

“Concerts started, and all of a sudden it hit me: We’re down 100 parking spaces,” Barbara Manners told the Board of Selectmen.

Selectwoman Manners was updating her fellow selectmen on a situation she’d run into as the primary organizer of free outdoor musical performances in Ballard Park that are known by the acronym CHIRP (Concert Happenings in Ridgefield’s Parks).

Tuesday evening concerts began on at the end of May, and will run all summer. Starting next week with concerts July 2 and 4, there’ll be two concerts most weeks, with music in the park on Thursdays, as well as Tuesdays.

There’s less parking due to construction projects at the Ridgefield Library and the Prospector Theater  at the corner of Prospect and Main streets, across from Ballard Park.

Parking at both buildings was used on concert nights, and is now completely closed off.

With concerts starting at 7 there are usually a good number parking spaces available at other public lots in the village commercial district — off Bailey Avenue, and Governor Street. But most of those require a longer walk than the library, right across from the park.

At the June 5 discussion Di Masters, who in addition to being on the Board of Selectmen is the director of the community center, said parking was usually available there — at the other end of the village.

“If you park at the community center you walk all the way through town and see all the businesses,” she said.

“Some of the businesses have said they’ll stay open,” Ms. Manners added.

She said more parking is also available at St. Mary’s off High Ridge.

Ms. Manners also said that the June 4 concert was the first one at which the golf cart donated by John Katz was used to take senior citizens and handicapped concert goers from the parking area by Ballard Green to the lawn area of the park where music is played.

“Thank you, John,” she said to Mr. Katz, who in addition to serving on the Planning and Zoning Commission is a regular in the audience of selectmen’s meetings.

“I had a young man standing there telling people ‘This parking lot is reserved for residents of Ballard Green, the handicapped, and the elderly’ so we don’t get the nimble parking there,”  Ms. Manners said.

Mr. Katz said he felt the free concerts in the park “make this a town in a way few other things do.”

Mr. Katz said the golf cart had storage room and should be able to carry six people with their chairs.

“And their coolers,” added Selectman Andy Bodner.

This week there are two concerts. Tuesday, July 2, at 7 is Matuto, which blends Bluegrass with Brazilian Farro music. And on Thursday, July 4, in an early show at 5 p.m. so concert goers have time to get to the high school for the fireworks, Texas singer-songwriter Slaid Cleaves will perform.

The accident occurred on a part of Lakeside Drive is a narrow, gravel road. This photo was taken by Lt. Rommie Duckworth of the Ridgefield Fire Department, from the department’s small aluminum boat.

A driver traveling east on Lakeside Drive lost control of a full-sized pickup truck early yesterday evening, and the truck ended up partially submerged in Rainbow Lake.

The accident prompted the Ridgefield Fire Department to take special measures to curb the possible spread of gasoline, oil and other fluids from the truck.

The lake is in a reservoir watershed and is also a source of recreation for the neighborhood.

The driver was not reported injured.

Fire Chief Heather Burford said the department’s boat was launched and oil-absorbing booms were placed around the vehicle to absorb any fluids that might escape from the vehicle.

Firefighters used a boat to put booms on the water around the truck to prevent spread of any polluting fluids.—Chief Heather Burford photo

“The Department of Energy and Environmental Proection DEP was notified and will be investigating,” Chief Burford said. “Tow trucks worked for about 90 minutes to carefully remove the vehicle. In the end no obvious fluids were detected; the booms were left in place as a precaution.”

The accident occurred on a part of Lakeside Drive is a narrow, gravel road.

Rainbow Lake and the other Ridgefield Lakes, as well as Bennett’s Pond, feed the Saugatuck Reservoir in Redding. The reservoir is one of the water sources for Aquarion, which serves many town in southwestern Connecticut, including Ridgefield.

Police are investigating.

Ridgebury School kindergarten teacher Ruth-Ann Flynn has retired after 47 years. Here she is with a few of the students from her last class. “They’re just such a joy,” she said. —Macklin Reid photo

“We’ve gone from blocks to writing and reading,” said Ruth-Ann Flynn.

Monday was Ms. Flynn’s last in the classroom after close to half a century teaching in the Ridgefield schools — kindergarten, mostly, and just about all of it at Ridgebury Elementary School.

“Forty-seven years — 1966,” she said.

She’s taught at Ridgebury 46 of her 47 years with the Ridgefield Schools, and the last 45 years in a row.

“This very room for 29 years,” she said. “I taught second grade for the first 18 years, and kindergarten for the next 29.”

She may not yet realize all that she’ll miss. But what tops that list is an easy question.

“Obviously, the kids. They’re just such a joy,” she said. “This age is such a remarkable age. They blossom. They just make so much growth during the year.”

Kindergarten has changed over the decades,  become more academically advanced. But it’s joys and travails are, as always, governed by the hearts of the kids.

“They’re still five-year-old kids,” Ms. Flynn said. “They may be more verbal. They’ve obviously experienced a lot more technology: TV, videos, everything. But they want and need the same things.”

There are increasing demands on the schools to teach more, at younger ages — the testing, the technology, more math, more science.

But it still starts with reading — in kindergarten.

In a corner of Ms. Flynn’s room are small easy chairs with red cushions, a throw-rug with the A-B-Cs on it. Along the wall under the window cubbie-holes are filled with books, stuffed animals.

Atop the shelf sit a few: How Rocket Learned to Read and Dylan’s Day Out, both with friendly looking dogs on their covers,  Welcome to Kindergarten and The Scholastic Children’s Dictionary.

Signs state the credo.

“Good readers: Look at pictures and words; Point to words as they read; Think about what they read; Look at the first letter of the word; Look for patterns in the text; Look at the first and last letter of the word.”

And “Reading partners: Sit back-to-back, shoulder-to-shoulder, knee-to-knee. Reading partners take turns, listen, share.”

Kindergarten is no longer just about learning to play nice. But that’s still a big part of it. There’s a lot of socializing amid the academics.

And there’s more time. Kindergarten went full-day in the 2010-11 school year.

“We used to have two and a half hours,” Ms. Flynn said. “So, we still have time for blocks and playhouse and the art center.

“But it is a long day for five-year-olds. Some of them are four-plus when they start. But, they cope with it amazingly well.”

With half-day, a morning group was followed by an afternoon group. Kids had less school, and a teacher had to get to know 40 young personalities each year, not 20.

Maintaining order, keeping everyone on task, is always a challenge with five year olds — never mind a room full of them. A teacher develops a practiced room scan.

“You have to be like a lighthouse all the time, keep eye contact with 19 people,” Ms. Flynn said.

And, there are those little moments of human judgment: When to be firm, when to be consoling, when to emotionally neutral.

Near the end of the last day of school Monday, Ms. Flynn had her kids were outside, blowing bubbles. As buses began to line up in the circular driveway to load pupils for the year’s final ride home, she told children to put down their wands and cups of soapy bubble potion and go back inside to get ready. One little girl had a little trouble letting go of her bubble water.

“You’re not going to be able to take it,” Ms. Flynn said. “It doesn’t have a top.”

When the girl didn’t put her playthings down, the teacher with 47 years of experience simply lifted the cup from her hand, set in the grass, and gently urged her toward the door — without another word.

What’s next?

“In the summer, just summer things. But in the fall — don’t know,” she said.

“See a lot more family and friends. I don’t have children of my own but I have nieces and nephews.”

Ruth-Ann Flynn and her husband, a lawyer, live in Wilton. She plays tennis. She didn’t talk of any grand plan to travel the world, or move to some golden years paradise.

“I just haven’t really reacted yet. I haven’t had time to think about it. I do want to come back, see the kids. See them grow,” she said.

“But, in just five years, these kids will be gone. I’ll have to go to the middle school, and high school.”

As the day ended Ridgebury Principal Jamie Palladino’s voice came on the public address system.

“I want to wish everyone a happy and safe summer,” he said. “Make sure you do your reading, and make sure you get your math packet … Work hard. Be kind.”

Even summer isn’t summer any more.

School, kindergarten have changed a lot. But  successful education isn’t just about teachers, and administrators. It’s a compact with families.

“I’ve always had wonderful parents — helpful, supportive,” Ms. Flynn said. “They want the best for their kids, and they know that’s what we want, too.”

If she’ll miss the kids, it was clear they’ll miss her. The final 10 minutes of the year’s last day — her last day — Ms. Flynn was giving kids hugs, saying goodbye.

A girl quietly presented her with a note carefully written in big print letters:

“I love you Ms. Flynn. Love, Elif.”

And it wasn’t just her kindergartners. Older kids, all the way up to fourth and fifth graders, kept stopping by in the kindergarten room at the very end of Ridgebury’s second floor hallway, to say good-bye, collect a hug from a teacher they’d had three or four years ago.

“Oh, Jillian! I’m going to miss you,” Ms. Flynn said to a fifth grader who stopped in.

Two other girls visited.

“I just wanted to say good-bye,” said one.

Another girl appeared.

“Charlotte!”

“Good-bye, Ms. Flynn.”

“I’m going to miss you, and be sure to come back and visit,” said the teacher.

A mom came in.

“Sara’s very sad you’re leaving,” she said.

Ms. Flynn even got a surprise visit — and flowers — from Timo Muro, a senior who’d graduated Friday from Ridgefield High School.

Another young face at the door.

“Anna!” Ms. Flynn said, giving a hug.

“And your mother — tell her good-bye, too,” she said, explaining “I taught her mother, as well as her.”

“And my aunt!” added Anna.

“It is a joy to have taught children of people I’ve taught,” Ms. Flynn said.

How many times has that happened?

“Fifteen, maybe,” she said.

Her first students are now well into middle age.

“When I first started, I taught second grade and they were seven-year-olds. And that was 47 years ago,” she said. “Seven and 47 — they’d be 54!

“It’s so surreal that this is all over,” she said. “You can’t believe that 47 years could go by like this.”

The National Weather Service In Upton Ny Has Issued A

• Tornado Warning For…
Fairfield County In Southern Connecticut…

• Until 1130 AM EDT…

• At 1104 AM EDT…National Weather Service Doppler Radar Indicated A
Severe Thunderstorm Capable Of Producing A Tornado Near New
Canaan…Moving Northeast At 25 Mph Just North Of The Merritt
Parkway.

• The Tornado Will Be Near…

Wilton By 1125 AM…
Georgetown By 1130 AM…

The Safest Place To Be During A Tornado Is In A Basement. Get Under A
Workbench Or Other Piece Of Sturdy Furniture. If No Basement Is
Available…Seek Shelter On The Lowest Floor Of The Building In An
Interior Hallway Or Room Such As A Closet. Use Blankets Or Pillows To
Cover Your Body And Always Stay Away From Windows.

If In Mobile Homes Or Vehicles…Evacuate Them And Get Inside A
Substantial Shelter. If No Shelter Is Available…Lie Flat In The
Nearest Ditch Or Other Low Spot And Cover Your Head With Your Hands.

UPDATED 1 p.m. — A woman was struck by lightning this morning about 11:20 as a heavy thunderstorm rolled across town.

The woman, described as a nanny, was preparing to remove a baby from a car at 20 High Pastures Court when the umbrella she was holding was hit by lightning, Fire Chief Heather Burford reported.

“She indicated she saw sparks and felt a pain on her right side,” Chief Burford said. “Her chief complaint was right shoulder pain.  She stated she never lost consciousness and was able to place the call to 911.”

The baby was unharmed. Another child, aged 3, had already been brought to the house.

The woman was taken to Danbury Hospital. Her injuries are believed to be non-life-threatening.

A friend stayed with the children until their mother arrived home.

The storm has knocked down some power lines and caused flooding that closed Ligi’s Way.

Nearly 500 CL&P customers were without power at noon, but but 1 o’clock, only 159 were offline.

The storm came with tornado warnings, but no winds of any consequence were observed in the center of town.

Rains were extremely heavy, and a car was abandoned in the flooding on Ligi’s Way, near the town transfer station, after it became caught in the water. It was towed away.

A wire down across Barry Avenue near Oak Knoll and Westmoreland was burning.

Emergency personnel closed the road and set  up detours.

CL&P was notified and arrived on the scene at about 12:10. The road was reopened by 1.

The storm triggered many alarms at houses around town.

Gerard (Jerry) Carino, 87, of Danbury, beloved husband of Rose (DeVito) Carino, died peacefully at Laurel Ridge Nursing Home in Ridgefield on Sunday, June 30.

He was born in Port Chester, N.Y. on Nov. 2, 1925, son of the late Gerardo and Isabel Carino.

He enjoyed playing golf, bowling and watching his favorite teams, Mets and Giants, on TV.

In addition to his wife Rose of almost 60 years, Jerry will be missed by his three children, Gerri Petruccelli and her husband Nino of Ridgefield, Marie Cholko and her husband Robert, also of Ridgefield, and Joseph Carino and his wife Lisa of Newtown; his seven grandchildren, Nino Petruccelli, Jr., Dana Isenberg, Michael, Christopher and Kathryn Cholko, Kristen and Matthew Carino as well as four great grandchildren, Nathan, Hailey, Luca and Noah.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 3 at St. Gregory the Great Church, 85 Great Plain Road, Danbury. Entombment will follow in the St. Peter Garden Mausoleum.

The family will receive friends between the hour of 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday at Brookfield Funeral Home, 786 Federal Road, Danbury.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in his memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or Development Department at Visiting Nurse and Hospice of Fairfield County, P.O. Box 489, Wilton, CT 06897.

To light a candle of hope and remembrance please visit our website at www.BrookfieldFuneralHome.com.

Six fire trucks and about 35 members of the Ridgefield Volunteer Fire Department raced to the renowned Fox Hill Inn on Bennett’s Farm Road to put out a fire raging in the kitchen at about 4:45 p.m. on a hot Sunday afternoon, the July 2, 1963 Press reported.

John Yervant, proprietor of the inn, said that his headwaiter called the alarm to Fireman Raymond Fish, who blew the horn. The problem, however, was that most of the volunteers were at the Italian Club clambake on Prospect Street and could not hear the call. Instead, Mr. Fish summoned them by telephone.

Fire Chief Mario Frulla said that grease in the ducts had kept the fire going even after the fire had been extinguished in the stoves. The Fox Hill Inn stood atop of a knoll off Bennett’s Farm Road where the state park now exists. Its driveway and remnants can still be seen by hikers.

One of the casualties of the fire was King Kong, the fire department’s 1938 Seagrave fire truck. King Kong died of internal illness just as it reached the fire at Fox Hill. The prognosis was engine problems.

Shortly after the fire the Board of Selectmen authorized an expenditure of $2,000 to overhaul King Kong’s engine. The selectmen and Chief Frulla agreed that repairing King Kong’s engine (a straight eight with 16 sparkplugs) would be less expensive than replacing it.

More than 3,000 people went to the Great Pond Beach over the weekend. The day before 2,500 attended. Francis D. Martin reported that that was the largest attendance of bathers in the beach’s history. Mr. Martin did, however, ask mothers to cooperate in getting their little ones to the toilets and not use the pond for micturition. He said that soon the Great Pond association would be building an artesian well so that flush toilets would replace the outhouses at the beach.

Architects for the new Christian Science Church on Main Street unveiled the proposed design for its new church.

Sgt. Jack Croce of Mary’s Lane in Ridgefield replaced Lieut. Walter Abel as the commander of the State Police Troop A on East Ridge (Troop A’s building is now the  Ridgefield Police Department).

Postmaster Richard E. Venus announced that U.S. Postal Service now had “zip codes” for all locations and that Ridgefield had been designated as 06877. “Everyone in town should use this ZIP Code on all his correspondence to speed mail deliveries and reduce the chance of misspent mail,” he said.

A Babe Ruth League all-star team was selected by the four managers to represent Ridgefield in the 1963 tournament. The Veterans of Foreign Wars selected Walter Valentine, John Stolle, Allan Wallace and Paul Lynch. Hoffman Fuel chose Rudy Marconi, Ken Borer, Neale Turner and Frank Hertzog. St. Mary’s chose Kevin Kerrigan, Billy Rittenhouse, Don Sachetti and Mike Bedini. The all-stars from Pamby Motors included Chip Bliss, Steve Martin, Lee DeForest, Bob Harmer and Tom Santini.

The Ridgefield Playhouse on Prospect Street featured “Hud” with Paul Newman and Patricia Neal followed later in the week by “55 Days at Peking” starring Charleston Heston, Ava Gardner and David Niven.

Tom Santini and Tony Forcelli of the Ridgefield Boys Club were spending four days at Bob Cousy’s basketball camp in Pittsfield, Mass.

Arthur Frank Miller, founder of Miller Electric Inc. graduated in the Ridgefield High School class of 1963. His family business still thrives in town and is operated by his son.

Football helmets, stage lighting and a cello — those were some of the gifts the Board of Education received and unanimously approved Monday night.

The helmets will be purchased with $15,300 that came from two separate donations — $7,000 from the Ridgefield High School’s Tiger Touchdown booster club and $8,300 from anonymous donors, while the cello will be given by Sonya Singh-Smith to the RHS Visual and Performing Arts Department to be used by the symphonic orchestra class.

The Branchville Elementary PTA donated $3,500 to upgrade the stage lighting at the school.

“The current lighting system dates back to the building of Branchville,” said Branchville Principal Jason McKinnon in a statement. “The control boxes cannot be repaired and recent upgrades to our sound system have improved performances, presentations and concerts.

“New lights and a way to control them will not only make our current system safe, it will contribute greatly to student performances.”

Farmingville Elementary’s PTA donated $3,200 for the purchase of school playground equipment.

The new equipment will include three Zig-Zag balance beams, a funnel ball game with a 3.5-foot galvanized post, and a spring bouncer, said Farmingville Principal Susan Gately in a written request to the board.

A $2,800 donation from the girls and boys swim and dive booster club will purchase new touch pads and equipment.

The RHS Ice Hockey Booster Club donated $3,000 to cover costs of renting ice time at the Brewster Ice Arena.

The cross country booster club also donated $4,000 for the purchase of a new timing system for the running program.

The board accepted all the gifts without much hesitation; however, the football helmets did receive questions about rating, durability, and concussion prevention.

“These helmets are rated 5-star — they’re the same ones used in the NFL,” said Athletic Director Carl Charles, when asked about the $15,000-expense.

He added that the football team had previously purchased some new helmets in 2005 and 2008, but enough for all the program’s players. The new helmets would have a life of 10 years.

With the $15,300 combined donation, the high school football team will be able to purchase all new helmets for its players.