All pg 1 3-14-24
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All Decked Out
The Courthouse O'Putnam 5k was a fest of green --- and fun. Expanded photo array Wed. night on our FB page: Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. Linda Lemmon photo.
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Kids about to get started. More photos on page 8 and on our FB page Wed. night. Photo courtesy of Mayor Barney Seney.
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The 169 Club. Photo courtesy of Sandy Collins.
Howdy
The Hartford Marathon Foundation mascot, Miles, was everywhere. Here he checks in with folks from the Hale YMCA Youth and Family Center. Photo courtesy of the Hale Y.
O'Putnam race
an inspiration
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — The rain stayed away and runners of all ages came — making the Courthouse O’Putnam 5k race was a huge success. And pretty much everyone was dressed to the (Irish) nines!
The race’s Sheila Frost said this is the 14th year for the race. The race started in 2011 but two years were missed, 2020 and 2021. She said 1050 registered, 69 children, but all who register might not race. Racing were 885 adults and 69 kids.
The 169 club was also there, big time. It is a group of runners who run a race in each of the state’s 169 towns.
Frost said: “It’s my favorite day of the year! I love that so many families participate. The kids’ faces — it’s inspirational. Seeing the fast, serious runners is awesome! They are so impressive. It’s fun and I love the community involvement.” She also thanked the Putnam Police Department, the Putnam Parks and Recreation Department, volunteers, students the Young Marines and more. “It takes many people to pull it all together.”
Local winners in the top 50 included: Katie Stevens, Dayville, fourth, with a time of 18:09; Arthur Kisby, Brooklyn, 18:31; Sam Green, Woodstock, 19:06; Lucas Hecker, Canterbury, 19:13; Timothy Ahearn, Woodstock, 19:26; Evan Zach, Danielson, 19:39; Keegan Lyons, Putnam, 19:44; Matt Bellerive, Brooklyn, 19:59; Scott Deslongchamps, Woodstock, 20:03; Jeffrey Larrow, Pomfret Center, 20:06; J. Pierce, Woodstock, 20:14; Matt Lee, Putnam, 20:18; Benjamin Yarrow, 20:17; Jake Almquist, Woodstock, 20:22; Jordan Zach, Danielson, 20:57; Jacob Saad, Thompson, 21:22; Christian Smutnick, Pomfret center, 21:24; Christopher Whitfield, Putnam, 21:26.
Results: https://www.athlinks.com/.../1068824/Course/2426787/Results
key pg 1 3-14-24
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Key: Fine Tuning the Pinewood Derby Cars
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — Fine tuning is the key to winning a pinewood derby.
Twelve member of Cub Scout Pack 21 competed March 9 at the Albert Breault VFW Post 1523 in the annual pinewood derby.
Rob Challinor, Cub master, said the Cub Scouts come up with their designs and those are marked on a block of wood. Adults cut out the rough designs and the Cub Scouts then sand, paint and name their cars. That takes about three to four weeks.
On race day, the recently acquired metal track is set up. Each car races on each of the three lanes and the computer averages the speed.
The first round, said VFW Commander Hans Lowell, determines the winner of “the work that was done at home.”
The winner was Hunter Bourbeau with Mega Motorcycle. Second was Gloria Challinor with The Moon Mobile and third was Nick LaFrance with Sus.
Following that round the “tweaking” begins. The key, Challinor said, is weight placement. The rules are very exacting. Tiny weights are attached to the car and as the work progresses it means frequent trips to the scale — a car must weigh 5 ounces or less. The real fine tuning kicks in with creating a center of gravity that will make the car scream down the track.
Challinor said, “You’d think that putting the weight in the front would make sense but that is actually a drag. It slows the car down.” The car is balanced on a small vertical wood “lip” that sits on a horizontal board. The horizontal board has numbers on it and the car should balance on the ¾ inch mark.
In addition, he said, the competitors want to have just three wheels solidly down on the tract. That also reduces drag.
Once the fine tuning was done the competitors raced again. This time some of the cars that didn’t even make it down the track made it to the end. And some cars actually ran off the end of the track. Many cars set records. Nicholas LaFrance set a record 222.88 mph.
The winner of Most Improved was Jordan Mentor with The Car. He improved from 170 mph to 220.
The competitors and their cars included: Rosie Paquin, Heaven Sent; James Mentor, The Color Shapes; Jayda Mentor, Fast Cat; Justice Hamblin, Stars & Stripes; Hunter Bourbeau, Mega Motorcycle; Elijah Romanchuck, Gatorademobile; Zach Holden, Block; Nicholas LaFrance, Sus; Alix Holden LG33; Gloria Challinor, The Moon Mobile; Joyce Mentor, the Purple Army; and Jordan Mentor, The Car.
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Pinewood Derby
Another pinewood derby for Cub Scout Pack 21 is done. Expanded photo array Wed. night on our FB page: Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. Linda Lemmon photo.
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trash pg 1 3-14-24
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Trash Program Deadline Now This Friday, March 15
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — The town of Putnam seriously shortened the deadline for opting out/opting for a smaller bin/opting back in if you have already opted out for its new trash disposal program.
The deadline is now Friday, March 15.
After March 15, Town Administrator Elaine Sistare said, the town will modify the form to “opt out only.”
If an eligible resident decides after March 15 that he would like a 65-gallon trash bin, “We may have some 65-gallon bins available,” she said. “but it will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.”
Sistare said the town was told the production of the town’s new bins takes six weeks.
The schedule for the changeover to the new trash program calls for bin delivery to those eligible residents to begin May 1, possibly the last week of April. In order to do that, the bin order needs to be made at least six weeks before that. It’s especially important to know how many 65-gallon bins will be needed because they are a custom size.
Sistare said the bins would be expected to be delivered the last week of April.
“In order to accurately order the number and size of bins, the town is requesting decisions be made by March 15,” she said.
Originally the selectmen were looking at a soft start of the new trash program on May 1 and Casella Waste would have the six weeks to order bins between May 1 and July 1; however, the May 1 start became firm, necessitating a March 15 deadline so Casella has time to order an accurate number and sizes of bins.
Starting May 1, perhaps the last week of April, eligible residents will receive their 95- or 65- gallon trash bin and their 95-gallon recycling bin and they will continue to use the soon-to-be-retired trash stickers on the trash bags in their new bins until July 1.
July 1 the new trash program is official and no more stickers.
Here are the choices/rules: — If you do nothing you have just signed up by default and you will be getting a 95-gallon trash bin and a 95-gallon recycle bin. (cost $395 per year); — You can opt out of the 95-gallon trash can for a 65-gallon trash bin and the 95-gallon recycle bin (cost: $350 per year); — You can opt out of the program and find your own private trash company. You need to opt out if you already have your own private trash hauler; — You must receive both trash and recycle bins.
Eligible residents received a green flyer with details and options. It includes a QR scan code that will take residents to the town’s website to opt in or out, or go with the smaller trash bin and to get more information.
The town’s website on the program is:
https://www.putnamct.us/departments/municipal-solid-waste-recycling
By email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
In addition, there are forms in the Putnam Tax Collector’s and in the Town Administrator/Mayor’s office.
How is Payment Handled?
The trash bill will be separate, in the same envelope as your tax bill. Like your taxes, half the payment is due in July and the other half in January.
Residential-only households — one-family, two-family and three-family — are eligible, Sistare said. The owner of a two-family home will receive four bins (two trash and two recycling) and be billed $395 times two); three-family times 3.
Four-family and larger, condos and businesses, even small ones, are not eligible for the program and must get their own trash service.
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because pg 2 3-14-24
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It can be quite challenging to move. And not just because there may be a lot of stuff to move from one place to another, but more so because you don’t typically feel settled until you have positioned your stuff into the places that you are familiar with.
For example, If I am used to my toothbrush being to the right of my faucet of the sink in my bathroom, whenever I move or go someplace new, placing my toothbrush to the right of the faucet of the bathroom sink helps to make me feel settled. Therefore, even when I am staying for only one night in a hotel, I don’t usually feel settled until I have unpacked my bag and placed my things in spots that I am familiar with. But what happens when its more than just our stuff we need to find familiarity with to feel settled? What happens when we need to find familiarity within ourselves to feel settled?
I am noticing that this is what happens with me, now, whenever I travel back and forth to Germany. In both homes, I have all the familiar stuff I need in all the familiar places I need it in. Yet, despite not having to unpack, it always takes me several days before I feel settled. After all, the trip to Germany is long and filled with time zone changes. For me, the jet lag a bit harder to manage when I travel to Germany. Somehow, the overnight flight and lack of a good night’s sleep, makes me feel foggy for a day or two. In addition, as much as it helps to have a comfortable bed ready for me to tuck into, there is no level of comfortableness and familiarity that will tell my brain that I should be sleeping at 3 a.m. when it thinks that it is still only 9 p.m. And since I can’t ‘will’ my internal clock to adjust within a day, I find myself engaging in familiar behaviors to compensate such as skipping breakfast or making sure I watch news before going to bed.
The same holds true for when I travel back to the USA. The jet lag is a bit easier to manage but, I am realizing that I never feel completely settled until I have seen … my grandchildren. They are the ultimate source of my comfort and familiarity and the ones I miss the most when I am gone. Video chatting is great, but it is not the same and nothing beats their tight squeezes with their little arms when I return. When I see them, that is when I know I am home and feel truly…settled.
Hugs. Kisses.
Kathy Naumann, possessor of NATURALLY curly hair and the understanding that you can’t control everything!
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