Wednesdays, make lunch break a 'spirituality break'

A volunteer waters the plants at St. Paul's Episcopal Church on Valley Street in Willimantic, CT. Photo copyright 2010 by Brenda Sullivan

Editor’s note: All services at St. Paul’s are open to residents of surrounding towns.

On the last Wednesday in October of 2009, the members of St. Paul’s (on the corner of Valley and Walnut Streets in Willimantic) brought a new kind of service to the community.

This Wednesday noon gathering has been growing and changing along with the folks who have joined together every week.

Two things that have changed of late are our service time and weekly topic schedule.

The time change is a response to requests to make the service available to more of the community.

Join us at this new time – 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.- and feel free to come and go as you please during this service.

The new schedule begins September 1.

We will be beginning each weekly gathering with the Prayers of the People. That’s all of us plus a whole lot more!

Then the first Wednesday of every month will focus on “Recovery and Healing”; joy and reconciliation as we all travel the path together toward wholeness in God.

In the following weeks, we will explore other themes.

These include (in order): “A Time for Rest,” “Justice and Mercy,” “Spiritual Growth,” and “Searching for God’s Footprints in the Scientific World.”

You can find more details on our website, www.stpaulswillimantic.org.

This community – your community – meets to experience and proclaim in unity the transforming power and beauty of God’s love with one another.

Join in prayer, meditation, contemplation and song (and bring your ideas!) as we are led together by the Holy Spirit in new and exciting ways of expression.

See you there. Peace.

Posted Aug. 31, 2010

New Cardio Express opening at East Brook Mall

Cardio Express is opening at the East Brook Mall, which is located near the border of Mansfield and Willimantic on Route 195.

Area residents will soon be able to go for a run while running errands near the East Brook Mall on Route 195.

Cardio Express, a chain of fitness centers in central Connecticut, hopes to open its newest location in the mall in September, owner Peter Rusconi said.

He said the tentative first day for the 14,000- square­-foot fitness center is Sept. 16.

It will be nearly identical to the Cardio Express in Tolland, “but it’s a little bit bigger and prettier,” Rusconi said.

Getting the space ready

Mansfield Planning Director Gregory Padick said Cardio Express has all the necessary permits for the project, and regular inspections are ongoing while the company retrofits the space between J.C. Penney and the Mansfield Movieplex, including the 9,800­square- foot location previously occupied by The Hoot.

Cardio Express includes more than 80 cardio machines at each location, such as treadmills, stationary bicycles and eliptical trainers.

The club will also have free weights and will offer group­training classes, included in the club’s membership.

“Average”folks welcome

Rusconi said the club does not include a lot of heavier weight equipment, as the club’s focus is to create an atmosphere where “the average person” will feel comfortable.

This philosophy helped get Rusconi into this business. He said some relatives had a “bad experience” at another gym years ago and he decided to create a more relaxed fitness center. “It’s not a gym for guys who have been body building for years,” he said.

Rusconi also said the company is “very charity- minded.” For example, members will participate in a two­day bike event this weekend for the Connecticut chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Open at 5 a.m.

Most Cardio Express Centers are open 24 hours a day, Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 5 p. m. on the weekdays, but Rusconi said that may not be the case at the East Brook Mall location.

The Eastbrook Mall center might operate from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and have similar week­end hours as the other locations, he said.

This is the sixth location for Cardio Express. Others are in Vernon, Tolland, Manchester Wethersfield and Southington.

Posted Aug. 31, 2010

Get behind the scenes at Mansfield's 'Festival on the Green'

Volunteers at the 2009 Festival on the Green helped visitors sort their trash into recycling, composting, returnable bottles and garbage. Photo courtesy of Janine Callahan.

The Mansfield Downtown Partnership invites area residents to volunteer at the Seventh Annual Festival on the Green.

The Festival will be from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 12, behind the Storrs Center commercial plazas on Route 195 (across from the UConn campus and E.O. Smith High School).

If it rains, the event will be held inside E.O. Smith High School.

The 2010 Festival on the Green will include performances by the UConn Marching Band, Kidsville Kuckoo Revue, Villari’s Martial Arts of Storrs Center, Mansfield Academy of Dance, Scared Scriptless (a UConn student improv troupe), and Husky Bhangra.

The headlining act is David Foster with the Shaboo All Stars and special guests James Montgomery and Christine Ohlman.

With a wide variety of games, activities, art, and food, there is something for everyone at this community event.

The Festival on the Green would not be possible without the assistance of area residents who generously give of their time and talents each year.

The Mansfield Downtown Partnership has many needs for volunteers throughout the day, from set-up (beginning at 9 a.m.) through clean-up (ending around 6:30 p.m).

Volunteers are especially needed to assist with traffic control as the community parade makes its way down Storrs Road/Route 195.

There are opportunities for all ages and abilities to support the community by volunteering at the Festival on the Green. You can contribute an hour or two or help us for the whole day.

The Mansfield Downtown Partnership also welcomes groups whose members would like to volunteer as a team.

If you’d like to participate, or have questions, you can contact the Mansfield Downtown Partnership office at 860.429.2740 or by email at mdp@mansfieldct.org.

Additional information is also available at www.mansfieldct.org/fog.html

Posted Aug. 31, 2010

Changes to credit card rules you need to know

Congressman Joe Courtney met with seniors in Lebanon to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Social Security on Aug. 14, 2010. He says seniors are often the hardest hit by credit card policies. Courtesy photo.

From Congressman Joe Courtney:

Earlier this week, provisions designed to protect credit card holders went into effect across the country as part of the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure or CARD Act.

I fought for the CARD Act because it addresses many of the deceptive and frustrating practices used by credit card companies – many of which I have heard about directly from constituents.

Some changes have already gone into effect as of earlier this year, but as of August 22, 2010 credit card companies must adhere to the following consumer-friendly rules, as well:

Reasonable penalty fees

Previously: A late payment fee may have been as high as $39, and you likely pay the same fee whether you are late with a $20 minimum payment or a $100 minimum payment.

Now: Your credit card company cannot charge you a fee higher than $25 unless: (1) One of your last six payments was [also] late, in which case the fee may be up to $35; or (2) Your credit card company can justify a higher fee by showing that it incurs costs as a result of late payments.

Also, your credit card company cannot charge a late payment fee greater than your minimum payment.

Therefore, if you have a minimum payment of $20, your late payment fee can’t be more than $20.

Similarly, if you exceed your credit limit by $5, you can’t be charged an over-the-limit fee of more than $5.

Re-evaluation of recent rate increases

Previously: Your credit card company could increase your card’s APR with no obligation to re-evaluate the rate increase.

Now: If your credit card company increases your APR, it must re-evaluate that rate increase every six months. If appropriate, it must reduce your rate within 45 days of completing the evaluation.

Additional fee protections

No inactivity fees. Your credit card company cannot charge you inactivity fees for not using your card.

One-fee limit

Your credit card company cannot charge you more than one fee for a single event or transaction that violates your agreement as a cardholder. For example, you cannot be charged more than one fee for a single late payment.

As I mentioned, these are the last of several rules implemented as part of the CARD Act. A list of the protections that went into effect earlier this year can be found at this link to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Web site:

http://www.federalreserve.gov/consumerinfo/wyntk_creditcardrules.htm

As always, I look forward to hearing from you about this or any other information.

Please feel free to contact me at http://courtney.house.gov/email to share your thoughts or concerns.

Editor’s note:

Some of the changes affecting bank practices when it comes to credit cards that went into effect in February 2010 are especially important. Among them:

• If your credit card company does raise your interest rate after the first year, the new rate will apply only to new charges you make. If you have a balance, your old interest rate will apply to that balance.

• If your payment due date is on a weekend or holiday (when the company does not process payments), you will have until the following business day to pay. (For example, if the due date is Sunday the 15th, your payment will be on time if it is received by Monday the 16th before 5 p.m.).

• If you opt-in to allowing transactions that take you over your credit limit, your credit card company can impose only one fee per billing cycle. You can revoke your opt-in at any time. [Talk to your bank representative about how to sign up to allow transactions over the limit; most banks are assuming you don't want this option if you do NOT contact them.]

Information about more changes is available at the link included in Congressman Courtney’s letter, above.

Posted Aug. 31, 2010

Mansfield Special Town Meeting Sept. 13 to approve projects totaling $263,000

Mansfield Community Center. One of the items voters will be asked to approve at the Sept. 13 meeting is purchasing and installing ventilation units for the community center's locker room, estimated at $20,000. Image from LaRosa Building Group Web site.

A Special Town meeting has been called to ask voters to approve funding equipment purchases and maintenance at $93,000, as well as facilities improvements totaling $40,000, and roadway-related projects totaling $130,000.

Those qualified to vote in the town of Mansfield are asked to attend the meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 13. It will be held in the council chambers at the Audrey P. Beck Building , 4 South Eagleville Road (off Route 195, next to E.O. Smith High School).

Voters will be asked to approve a resolution adopted Aug. 9, 2010 by the Town Council to fund specific equipment purchases and maintenance, and related costs.

These include:

• refurbishment and chassis changeover of two Ford F-350 trucks (estimated cost $30,000)

• upgrade of hydraulic rescue equipment (estimated cost $18,000)

• purchase of a pickup truck (estimated cost $45,000)

If approved, the funds will be used for purchases, maintenance, legal fees, financing costs and other expenses related to these projects.

Voters also will be asked to authorize the issue of bonds or notes in an amount not to exceed $93,000 and to allow temporary advances of available funds which the town expects will be reimbursed from the proceeds of the bonds or notes.

Facilities improvements

Voters also will be asked to approve another resolution adopted Aug. 9, 2010 by the Town Council to appropriate $40,000 for a number of town facilities improvements.

These include:

• purchasing and installing ventilation units for the locker room at the Mansfield Community Center (estimated cost $20,000)

• town park improvements including playground equipment, picnic areas, ball fields, trails and facility improvements as to be determined by the Town Manager (estimated cost $20,000)

The appropriation may be spent for design, construction and acquisition costs, materials, equipment, engineering and other consultant fees, legal fees, net temporary interest and other financing costs, and other expenses related to the project.

And voters will be asked to authorize bonds or notes not to exceed $40,000, and allow temporary advances from the town budget, which are expected to be reimbursed through the bonds.

Road work, bridge maintenance, sidewalks

A third item is a resolution adopted Aug. 9, 2010 by the Town Council for transportation-related improvements.

Voters will be asked to approve appropriating $130,000 for:

• road drainage capital maintenance (estimated cost $50,000)

• large bridges capital maintenance (estimated cost $20,000)

• transportation and walkway improvements such as bus stops, walkways and bikeways (estimated cost $60,000), all as to be determined by the Town Manager.

Voters will be asked to authorize the issue of bonds or notes in an amount not to exceed $130,000, and to approve temporary advances of available funds that are expected to be reimbursed from the proceeds of borrowings.

In each case, the Town Manager is authorized to reduce or modify the scope of these projects.

The full texts of these resolutions are on file in Town Clerk’s office and can be reviewed there by the public.

Posted Aug. 30, 2010

(Information for this story was compiled from the town’s email notification.)

They’re back – 2010 Census is conducting ‘quality assurance' operations

Long before the Census forms were mailed, approximately 140,000 Census Bureau employees checked 145 million addresses from March through July 2009, walking virtually every street in the United States along the way. Photo Credit: U.S. Census Bureau, Public Information Office

The 2010 Census has had one of the best return rates in years – about 72 percent of Americans returned their forms.

Recently, Census workers completed the process of visiting the homes of those residents who did not return forms.

Now begins the phase called “quality assurance,” where the accuracy of the data collected is checked .

This process began Aug. 14 and is scheduled to continue through Oct. 2, 2010.

Census workers are visiting a small percentage of households to ask a few brief questions that help measure how completely and accurately the 2010 Census counted the population. Some quality assurance work is being done via phone calls.

One of the important uses of this data concerns our legislative districts.

According to the Census 2010 Web site, the first data released are the official national and state population counts, which are used to apportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

As mandated by the U.S. Constitution, this data must be delivered to the President of the United States by the Census Bureau on or before December 31, 2010, the Web site states.

The Census 2010 Web site also  includes a video that explains a little more about the quality assurance operations:

http://2010.census.gov/mediacenter/2010-census-timeline/nrfu/quality.php

Posted Aug. 30, 2010

Buckman challenges candidates for 54th district to debate

Brien Buckman, candidate for State Representative for the 54th District. Courtesy photo

Editor’s note: To date, Mr. Buckman is the only candidate for the 54^th district state representative seat to submit information for publication in Mansfield Today. I am happy to publish materials from the other candidates; you may send your materials (and a headshot) to mansfieldeditor@htnp.com

Believing that elections need to be about the issues, candidate Brien Buckman is challenging other candidates for State Representative of the 54^th District to a series of public debates and forums.

“The future of our state and district is at a crossroads. We need to ensure that residents have had the opportunity to ask questions of the candidates, and to hear what each candidate can bring to the table. Until we start talking about the issues and possible solutions, we will not see any improvements in our community.”

Buckman is calling on local and University of Connecticut organizations to host public debates and forums in the community.

“Mansfield and Chaplin are expansive areas. It is imperative that we hold debates in as many diverse locations as possible, including on the University of Connecticut campus,” Buckman said in a press release.

Buckman said he is the only candidate who has pledged to spend less than $1,000 on campaign activities, and that he continues to encourage the other candidates to do the same.

“Residents do not want more campaign mailings or signs. The people of Mansfield and Chaplin want results. It is disappointing to see how much money is spent on political campaigns while our state, our towns, and our schools continue to cut services,” he states.

Buckman said he is “continuing to work with a team of dedicated volunteers to ensure a discussion of the many issues occurs.”

“My mission is not to run against other candidates in this election; it is to campaign for the people of Mansfield and Chaplin. The next State Representative needs to be someone who works with the community to find viable solutions to the problems we face instead of just working for political advancement. This is the only way our community can move forward and the only way we can improve our state,” he states.

For more information on Brien Buckman and his campaign for State Representative of Mansfield and Chaplin, visit www.BrienBuckman.com and follow the campaign at www.Facebook.com/BuckmanforCT

Posted Aug. 29 2010

Home school: It's busy for us, too

Ruth Alumbaugh (left) with a friend enjoying the end of the summer at the 2009 ICF Barlow Picnic. Photo courtesy of the Alumbaughs.

It’s time to get the house in order for yet another school year. Season-wise, the summer is almost gone.  But we still did a lot of academic work throughout what is supposed to be a typical vacation time for most people.

In this column, we attempt to explain the impossible; what it takes to get ready for another year. This topic should be most revealing!

The summer consists of finishing what wasn’t finished during the (public) school year.  The kids do math on a regular basis, but not as intently as they will now.  The summer also includes time to look at the feedback that was given last year and consider it for the year ahead.

I take the time to do a five-plus-page evaluation that includes both letter grades and narraratives about how the kids are doing in a certain area.

Here are some of the areas I comment on/grade, in case you are wondering:

Math, Science, English/Literature, Piano Lessons, Kung Fu, Horseback Riding, Self-Employment Practices, Living Skills, Home Economics, Attendance, Behavior/Attitude, Comprehension, Social Skills, Maturity, Spirituality, Comprehension, Following Directions, Acceptance of Correction, Quickness to Forgive,  Manners, Sense of Humor, Use of Time/Talent/Treasure, and Extra-Curricular Activities.

You may think that this is a lot of area to cover in a classroom and I would have to agree with you; it is.  But home schooling gives us the opportunity to focus on the things we believe of importance, hence, the almost-entire list of evaluated areas I just shared.

This past year, the kids didn’t finish their Science and History curriculums, so part of preparing for the new year was to complete coursework from last year!

My preparation also includes doing a ton of weeding. I hadn’t looked at files and folders in my basement for a couple of years, at least, so this summer I decided to go through all the academic work the kids have done in the past.

In a way, it’s a trip down memory lane for me.

It is such a joy to see

• how their handwriting has changed over the years,

• how their numbers have gone from backwards to the right direction,

• how both children’s academic work could fit in one thick folder in the past and how this past year’s work gave each child at least two bulging folders full of assignments and documentation,

• and how things changed from me providing all the assignment direction to the kids taking more responsibility in organizing their own things. Wow! Imagine that!?

In addition to weeding, we spend our time looking for just the right curriculum to use for each child. Since each child is different, we don’t always get to do the economical thing and just buy the same stuff for both.

In fact, I have a number of resources sitting here on my floor, awaiting the tag sale pile, that we didn’t even use or that were not as  appealing as we thought they would be when we got them either by purchase or inheriting materials from other people who were being generous towards us!

So, we are also getting the house in order by choosing what we feel are the important subjects to focus on this school year, just as we did last year.

Enjoying the International Students Barbecue at UConn's Alumni Center - Rosie and Jonathan are seated on the right. Photo courtesy of the Alumbaughs.

We are also gathering up dates for things that would be good field trips and educational outings to enhance our home school education.

The calendar fills up (a  little too quickly) for the time between now and the end of the school year. I am trying to monitor things so that we don’t end up feeling frazzled by December 31st!

We are also looking at last year’s schedule and determining if it needs to change; nothing lasts forever and that saying certainly applies here. We need more time for some things and less for others.  Or maybe we need to eliminate something.

When we first started home schooling, I used to block out times with specific parameters – like from 8 to 8:30 a.m., a child would read, and so forth.

Now, I have a master schedule that each child uses that is individually tailored.  I created it with a little help from a more-seasoned home schooler!

It is divided by periods but without specific times. It just needs to all get done by the end of the day! We add or take things away as necessary to accommodate the extracurricular activity calendar.

Since we also have an interest in international students, we get to fold into some special opportunities on campus at UConn.

The Alumbaughs attended a welcome barbecue for international students at UConn. Photo courtesy of the Alumbaughs.

We attended a welcome barbecue for new students recently (see photos) and will also be at the Crystal Pond with students by the time you are reading this column.

So, in conclusion, getting ready for another school year includes lots of things that most everyone goes through, especially if they are a teacher.

Obviously, we don’t have a dress code (we love snow days; we can do school work in our pajamas if we want to!) so we don’t have to go shopping when everyone else does.  We can just go when we want to!

We consider time, academic expectation and factor in the margins along the way.  There needs to be a buffer in between subject or activity to breathe and to relax a little.

Jonathan Alumbaugh designed this logo for the family's home school.

It’s another year. My house is getting more and more in order. We started our concerted school year calendar on Aug. 23. I know that’s early for most everyone, but if we want to take a day off here or there during the off season and be tourists, we can do that.  That’s one of the pluses of home schooling – flexibility.

Addendum: Jonthan, in pursuing his interests in Photoshop® and photography, as well as all things graphic, has created a home school logo for us. [See illustration]

You will notice that there is a motto in Latin.  Thanks to our neighbor who knows Latin, we included it in our home school logo. Translated it means, “Look it up for yourself!”  We hear that a lot at our home…. school!

Rosie’s Blog

Summer is over!  Horror of horrors!  Okay, as you could see, I was overreacting.  Anyways, the week of August 23, 2010 I went back to school. This article will talk about how we (my mom, my brother, and I) prepare for the school year.

First things first -  schoolbook searching. YUCK!  My least favorite thing to do.

Sometimes, we go to expo’s, which are basically really big gatherings of people doing the same thing as you. I guess you could say it’s the home-school version of the Home-Show at the Hartford Expo Center. At least that’s my interpretation  of it.

Sometimes, we look up things that we like on Amazon.com and see if we can get it for a better price.

Also, Jay (That’s Jonathan; I call him Jay because that was my grandpas’ name: Grandpa Jay) and I look over the evaluations our parents gave us at the end of the last school year to see what we need to improve on this year.

We have to weed through all of our stuff from last year, too. What a pain that sometimes is.  We do this so we can get rid of things no longer needed.

We spend our first week easing in to our new schedules, so that we aren’t on full throttle the first day of school. This way, we can get a feel for what the school year will really be like!

As we go into the grind – as an axe waiting to be sharpened by knowledge – this is what it takes to prepare for another school year.  Though we still need to do things to prepare, such as praying about what is to come. And we have come a long way.

Jonathan’s Blog

Getting ready for the school year is not exactly too much we have to deal with because we normally have school all through the year (because we’re homeschooled).  But in the summer we usually get less schoolwork, so we do get a bit of a break.

The reason that we have school in the summer is because otherwise, we would have to re-learn everything we forgot in the summer.

In fact, there are some studies that show that kids at public schools take up to three months to ascertain the knowledge they possessed last year.

So when we get back into school, we already know what we’re going to be learning about and have maybe even gotten ahead.

One way we do get ready for school (that is similar to public schoolers) is to go shopping.

At school, you always want to be fashionable, look your best, and have the coolest pencils.

Fortunately, the only other person in my school to contend with for looks is my sister, and I shouldn’t have any problem there. I definitely have way more cool pencils then her.

Sometimes you may want to study to get ready, and make sure your grades are better than anyone else’s. Once again I don’t have to worry too much about that. I had top grades in my whole school last year.

One thing that’s very important nowadays is having a computer that is powerful enough to run the latest word processing programs… and games.  ’nuff said.

Of course, being at the top of the school in looks, grades, and computers isn’t all there is to being ready.

You have to prepare mentally for the tough year ahead. What really counts isn’t being the best looking, or having the best computer, or even having the best grades (although that is a good thing to have).  What really counts is perseverance, a cheerful attitude, hard work, and being willing to try to do well even if you don’t get the best grades.

Posted Aug. 29, 2010