porch pg 8 12-7-23
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Porch fire cause
ruled ‘undetermined’
PUTNAM — Putnam Fire Marshal Scott Belleville ruled a small fire that damaged first-floor porch of a Van den Noort Street multi-family residence as undetermined.
Nov. 24 Putnam Emergency Dispatch received a 911 call from a postal worker who reported smoke coming from underneath the porch at 76 Van den Noort St.
Belleville said a timely response from the Putnam Fire Department kept the fire from spreading to the rest of the home with minimal damage to the porch.
While on scene firefighters had discovered a second previous fire in potted plant located in the front yard that had burned itself out.
He said: “a comprehensive investigation by members of the Putnam Fire Marshal’s Office found that both fires were localized to planters containing organic potting soil with the porch planter burning through the porch flooring. Most of the residents of the four-family apartment building admit to being cigarette smokers, making the possibility of ignition from an errant cigarette a possible factor. However, an exothermic reaction from the organic potting soil causing auto ignition could not be ruled out" so undetermined.
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putnam pg 8 12-7-23
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PSA’s Elite basketball team was without four of its top players for all or most of last Wednesday’s game. No worries though, as Octavius Wheeler was up to the challenge.
Wheeler scored 30 points, grab eight rebounds, and come away with three steals in a 103-94 win over Rocky Hill (R.I).
In the final minutes Wheeler converted a three-point play to cut the deficit to 80-76, then after a defensive stop, Gio Escalona scored while getting fouled to make it 80-78. He missed the subsequent free throw but Sebastian Fermin kept the ball alive and it eventually ended up in the hands of Wheeler, who knocked down a wide open 3 to give the Mustangs the lead at 81-80. Another stop followed by an Escalona putback made it a three-point game and PSA never looked back from there.
“I’m really impressed with how we responded,” said coach Andy Lemoine. Monday night, Wheeler had 12 points, eight rebounds, and three steals to help PSA to a 74-58 win at Hamden Hall.
Tony Williams had a game-high 18 points to go with six assists, Jalen Claude finished with 13 points and six rebounds, and Javelle Epps chipped in with nine points and seven boards. Carter Mungin added eight points and eight rebounds for PSA (4-2), which lost 74-63 Friday afternoon to the Newman School at the Zero Gravity Prep Classic.
PSA’s boys’ Varsity team won a pair of games last week as well. Eighth grader Amyas Hall-Chiari had 20 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists in a 69-63 win Wednesday over Fisher College.
Vlad Vetrov had 11 points and 13 boards, Martin Poliuchovic finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, Ilan da Silva-Alp added nine points, and Shane Sebastian-Smalls chipped in with eight points and four assists.
PSA followed up with a 56-50 win over Rectory on Thursday. Da Silva-Alp knocked down six 3-pointers and finished with 20 points, Hall-Chiari had 18, Sebastian-Smalls charted 13, and Poliuchovic chipped in five for the Mustangs (3-2), who got a team-high 10 points Saturday from Vlad Vetrov, but too many turnovers cost PSA in a loss at MacDuffie.
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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sexual pg 8 12-7-23
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Sexual assault charge
PUTNAM — Putnam Police Chief Christopher D. Ferace said a Lisbon man turned himself in at the Putnam Police station after being advised a warrant for his arrest was issued by the Windham County State’s Attorney Office.
Mark A. Sperduto, 29, of 7 Sylvandale Road, B. was charged with first-degree sexual assault, fourth-degree sexual assault, first-degree strangulation and first-degree kidnapping.
Ferace said the arrest stems from an investigation initiated in 2022.
All accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty
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Junior pg 1 12-14-23
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Junior
commits to
Auburn
equestrian
program
WOODSTOCK — Woodstock Academy Junior Emily Jurnovoy of Woodstock has verbally committed to a Div. I equestrian program. Born into a family where the love for riding was passed down from her grandmother and mother, Jurnovoy has had a deep-rooted connection with the equestrian lifestyle for as long as she can remember. At age 5 Jurnovoy mounted her first horse, and from then on, she began competing.
Under the guidance of Linda Langmeier at the Kelianda Barn in East Granby, Jurnovoy honed her skills, learning not just the art of riding but the discipline, resilience, and grace required to excel in the world of competitive equestrianism. Currently, she competes with her two horses—Calendaro for equitation and It Factor for show jumping.
In recent years, her training schedule has intensified, and now Jurnovoy’s winters are spent in Wellington, Fla. There, she trains and competes for 12 weeks at the Winter Equestrian Festival. During training, she stays on top of her academics at The Woodstock Academy by completing online assignments from her teachers and using a tutoring service.
As her junior year at the Academy approached, Jurnovoy had visited various Div. I universities, including Texas A&M, Auburn University, and University of Georgia. After weighing her options, Jurnovoy verbally committed to Auburn’s nationally ranked equestrian program in November of 2023, saying: “I really liked Auburn when I went to visit in September. It was the smaller size of the school that was a good fit for me, and I really liked the trainers.”
She plans to visit Alabama to sign the National Letter of Intent in November of 2024.
A scholarship covering half of her tuition made her commitment even more rewarding. With aspirations to explore the equestrian business world, Jurnovoy hopes to pursue an MBA that potentially combine her passion with her academic pursuits.
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