This weekend – Farmers Markets, Theater, Food

Saturday July 23

CHURCH BREAKFAST
First Church of Christ, Routes 89 and 195, Mansfield Center will host a blueberry breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m. Breakfast includes hot blueberry French toast with blueberry sauce, sausage, bacon, home fries and blue­berry muffins. In addition, local blueberries, blueberry jams and sauces, muffins, and pies will be available for purchase. Info: (860) 423-9008. Tickets $10/children under 12, $5.

‘YOUNG PEOPLE’S DAY’ AT HEBRON FARMERS’ MARKET
Hebron Farmers Market is hosting a Young People’s Day. This is an opportunity for (five) young entrepreneurs to sell during regular market hours, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Children age 10-16 are welcome to set up a booth to sell their hand made products or home grown produce. A par­ent (or guardian) must be present with their children during the market. Apply as soon as possible on the comments/questions page at www.hebronfarmersmarket.com. Include the child’s name, age, product and phone number.

VFW TAG SALE
Canterbury VFW will hold a tag sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 21 North Canterbury Road, Canterbury.

LEBANON FARMERS MARKET
The Lebanon Farmers Market located on the town green, 579 Exeter Road, Lebanon, is held every Saturday through Oct. 15, from 9 a.m. to noon.

THE FANTASTIC WORLD OF FERNS
The Goodwin Forest Conservation Education Center will host session about ferns at its center located off Route 6 at 23 Potter Road, Hampton from 10 a.m. to noon. Pre-registration is requested but not required. For information or to register: (860) 455-9534 or juan.sanchezjr@ct.gov.

FAMILY BUILDING DAY
The Scotland Public Library will host a Family Building Day with KEVA Planks from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Come to the library and create amazing structures with small wooden KEVA building planks. This pro­gram is open to children 5 and up and a parent or caregiver. The library is located at 21 Brook Road in Scotland. Info: (860) 423-1492.

INSECT INVESTIGATIONS
The Goodwin Forest Conservation Education Center will host “Insect Investigations” from 1 to 3 p.m. This is a chance to swing a net and catch some insects. For children ages 6 and up. The center is located off Route 6 at 23 Potter Road, Hampton. Pre-registration is requested but not required. Information/register: (860) 455-9534 or juan.sanchezjr@ct.gov.

PUPPET SHOW – STORRS
Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry, University of Connecticut campus at 3:30 p.m. Thomas Getchell, excerpts from “The Proleptic Voice: A Visual Poem.” A marionette tour-de-force of vignettes reveal­ing themes of faith, hope and charity in the poetry of one of America’s greatest poets, Emily Dickinson, inspired by her metaphor of life as a circus. Admission is $3 for children, $5 for adults.

CHICKEN BARBECUE
The Gilead Congregational Church, Meeting House Road and Route 85, Hebron, will host its annual chicken barbecue from 5 to 7 p.m. Cost is $12 adults and $5 children. To order tickets or for more information, (860) 228-3328.

SACRED GROUNDS COFFEE HOUSE
Visitors are invited to come out for a night of fellowship, snacks and entertainment. Free. Coffee house event to feature “Sound Judgment” from 7 to 9 p.m. in an outdoor concert, South Windham Congregational Church Fellowship Hall, South Windham. Bring chair or blanket. Info: (860) 423-8375 or (860) 230-7147.

ELTON JOHN AND TIM RICE’S ‘AIDA’
The Windham Theatre Guild presents Elton John and Tim Rice’s “Aida” at the Burton Leavitt Theatre, 779 Main St., Willimantic, at 8 p.m. Adults are $19; students/seniors, $16; $11 children under 12. Can be purchased online at www.windhamtheatreguild.org or by calling (860) 423-2245. Tickets will also be available at the door.

Sunday July 24

SPECIAL SERVICE
First Congregational Church of Coventry will host a special service featuring Bruce John’s music at 9:30 a.m. at 1171 Main St., Coventry. Open to the public Info. (860) 742-8487.

ASHFORD FARMERS MARKET
The Ashford Farmers Market is held at Pompey Hollow Park off Route 44 across from Ashford Town Hall. The market will run every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. through October. Info: Loretta at bird­eye123@earthlink.net.

MUSICAL MUSTER AT THE NATHAN HALE HOMESTEAD
Connecticut Landmarks’ Nathan Hale Homestead hosts the 24th annual Musical Muster from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Nathan Hale Ancient Fifes & Drums Corps presents this free event, which includes perfor­mances by the Nathan Hale Ancient Fifes & Drums Corps, the Nutmeg Volunteer Junior Fife & Drum Corps, Westbrook Drum Corps, Colonial John Chester Fife & Drum Corps, Deep River Drum Corps, Sailing Masters of 1812, Windsor Fife & Drum Corps, Connecticut Valley Field Music, Marlborough Junior Ancient Fife & Drum Corps, Abel Joslyn Irregulars and the Marquis of Granby Junior Ancient Fife & Drum Corp. At noon, a parade will commence and the traditional music muster will take place from 1 to 5 p.m.

COVENTRY FARMERS MARKET
The Coventry Farmers Market is held at the Nathan Hale Homestead at 2299 South St. The market will run every Sunday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. through October. Info: www.coventryfarmersmarket.com.

CHRISTIAN OUTREACH CHURCH FUNDRAISER
A church fundraiser will take place from 2 to 7 p.m., El Pilon Restaurant, 725 Main St., Willimantic. $10 plates include rice, beans and pork. Other items will be sold at additional prices. Kingdom Life Christian Outreach Church is sponsoring the Kingdom Connection Youth Center, a youth center geared towards empowering and building the youth of Willimantic. Call (860) 634-8320 for further information.

ELTON JOHN AND TIM RICE’S ‘AIDA’
The Windham Theatre Guild presents Elton John and Tim Rice’s “Aida” at the Burton Leavitt Theatre, 779 Main St., Willimantic, at 2 p.m. Adults are $19; students/seniors, $16; $11 children under 12. Can be purchased online at www.windhamtheatreguild.org or by calling (860) 423-2245. Tickets will also be available at the door.

Posted 7-22-2011

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CT State Police to host K-9 Olympics at UConn

A K-9 team emerges from the moat at the beginning of the obstacle course at the 2009 Connecticut Police K-9 Olympics. Photo © by Brenda Sullivan 2009.

The pub­lic is invited to attend the 20th annual Connecticut State Police K-9 Olympics on Saturday, July 23 on the University of Connecticut in Storrs.

Police dog teams will test their knowledge, ability, strength and stamina in the areas of obedience, obstacles, simulated apprehension and handler protection.

Police, fire, corrections, emer­gency services and local busi­nesses will have displays at this free event.

In addition, the Connecticut Child Identification Program (CHIP) will be on hand offering ID packets for children.

The packets include fingerprints, photograph, videotape and dental bite impressions, at no cost.

Food, beverages and T-shirts will be available for purchase with all proceeds benefiting the CHIPS program, the Shriners Hospitals for Children and the Hometown Foundation in support of the Special Olympics.

All proceeds from a raffle will also benefit these causes.

No pets are allowed at the event, which is scheduled at the UConn Depot Campus on Route 44 in Mansfield between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

For more information, visit the UConn Police Department web site at www.police.uconn.edu.

Posted 7-22-2011

Have a news item or event you’d like posted on this news site? Simply send your information to editor@htnp.com and include your town in the subject line of your email. Please also include a phone number where you can be reached if there are questions.

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Legislators tout new power rates

State legis­lators and local business officials convened in a warm Windham Mills conference room Thursday to discuss, appropriately, residen­tial and commercial energy usage. On a day when air condition­ers statewide were draining more power than usual from the power grid, state Senate President Pro Tempore Donald Williams Jr., D-Brooklyn, hosted a press confer­ence on the topic in a non-air-con­ditioned room. ” It’s so incredibly hot,” said Williams.

Visibly warm, Williams and state Rep. Susan Johnson, D-Wil­limantic, discussed a bill passed in the legislature that will reduce electric bills of Connecticut Light & Power residential and commer­cial customers by 5 percent.

As part of the recently passed biennial state budget, legislators eliminated an electric surcharge on CL&P bills for residential and commercial customers, resulting in the five percent reduction in costs.

The bill went into effect July 1.

Playing off the setting of the news conference, Windham Region Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Roger Adams said it gave him a ” warm feeling” to know leg­islators and Gov. Dannel Malloy are “serious” about finding ways to save money on energy costs.

Local legislators acknowledged many residents have been cranking their air conditioners and running fans in recent weeks and, thus, are paying high electric bills.

“We need to find ways to reduce energy now,” Williams said.

Joe Bak, president of Hawk Integrated Plastics, a business in the Windham Mills Business Center building, said he now spends $6,000 a month on energy, although his part of the building is not air conditioned.

Hawk Integrated Plastics pro­vides numerous services, includ­ing ultrasound and thermal weld­ing.

Bak said he felt his company would see significant savings through the bill. “It’s always about money,” he said.

Williams said the bill would benefit homeowners and business owners this year, next year and in the future.

Johnson noted the new bill would give residents the “ability to procure energy in a more cost­efficient manner.” The talk on energy comes as state officials have created the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

The department, formerly the state Department of Environmental Protection, will support numerous clean energy initiatives, includ­ing establishing a residential solar voltaic programs and exploring options for discounted electric and natural gas rates for seniors and families in need.

Another goal of DEEP is to re­duce energy use in state buildings by 10 percent by 2013 and another 10 percent by 2018.

“Going forward, we will have all the horsepower in one place,” Williams said.

Posted 7-22-2011

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