PUTNAM — The 17th Annual Clipper Invitational Marching Band Competition will be held at 5 p.m. Sept. 17 at the  St. Marie Greenhalgh Sports Complex on Wicker Street. Rain or shine.

Admission: $10 for adults; $5 for seniors and students; children under 5 admitted free. Tickets available at the door.

Featuring performances by: Montville High School- Oakdale, Plainfield High School- Central Village, Robert E. Fitch High School- Groton, Joseph Case High School- Swansea, Mass.; East Lyme High School- East Lyme, Somerset Berkley Regional High School- Springfield, Mass., Auburn High School; Rockville High School- Vernon; Killingly High School – Killingly; Norwich Free Academy; Springfield Central High School- Springfield, Mass.; Shepherd Hill Regional High School- Dudley; and the Putnam High School Clipper Marching Band.

Concessions will be open and read to serve featuring: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, marching tacos, meatball subs, french-fries, cheese fries, popcorn, baked goods, sports drinks, soda, water, coffee, and hot chocolate. 

 

Open

This metal gate stands at the entrance of the cemetery on Rt. 169 in Pomfret. Linda Lemmon photo.

 

 

Eversource business and residential customers across Connecticut continue to report receiving unsolicited phone calls and home visits from individuals selling “discounted power” and claiming to be “representatives” or “partners” of Eversource. In light of this, the company is warning customers that these individuals are not affiliated with Eversource and are most likely either scammers or third-party suppliers choosing to use deceptive marketing tactics.

“If you’re receiving phone calls from someone saying they’re a ‘representative’ of Eversource and offering to sell you discounted power, this is not us. We are a regulated delivery company and don’t market electricity supply to our customers,” said Penni Conner, senior vice president and chief customer officer at Eversource. “Though electricity customers in Connecticut do have the option of choosing a competitive energy supplier, and most competitive suppliers do follow the rules, we urge customers to do their due diligence and check the validity of any company or offer being made.” 

Eversource rarely makes unsolicited phone calls and would never solicit door-to-door on behalf of a competitive supplier. All Eversource employees carry company-issued identification, and any electrical contractors working with the company carry documentation explaining the nature and location of their work. Customers can always call Eversource to verify this information.

Customers considering a switch to a third-party supplier are urged to evaluate factors such as the length and terms of a contract with a supplier, cancellation fees or other related information before providing any financial or account information.  The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority licenses competitive suppliers in the state and maintains a list of current offers available from suppliers.

Reminders:

·        Never provide a copy of your utility bill or account information to any unsolicited person on the phone, at the door, or online, particularly if you question their legitimacy.

·        Customers can verify they are speaking with an Eversource representative by asking for some basic information about their account like the name on the account, the account address, and the exact balance due.

·        If you don’t feel comfortable, close the door or hang up the phone.

Eversource urges anyone who believes they are the target of improper solicitation to please contact them directly at 1-800-286-2000.

 

1st Friday

heads to

Nashville

PUTNAM — On the eve of Labor Day weekend, downtown Putnam will be filled with the sights and sounds of the First Fridays festival. This fifth evening of the 2016 season continues the artistic road trip through the USA, this time moving to the southeastern state of Tennessee and the iconic city of Nashville. With live music, dancing, and a wide variety of art vendors and gallery openings, First Fridays will be the perfect way to kick-off the holiday weekend. From 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 2, the public is invited to celebrate the unique culture of this musical city. 

All are welcome to this free, award-winning outdoor art festival! For more information on the event, as well as information on the final evening of the festival on Oct. 7, visit: www.discoverputnam.com. 

September’s event will see a record number of art vendors on both Main Street and in Union Square in downtown Putnam. As the summer heat begins to cool, visitors will have the opportunity to stroll the streets of Putnam, enjoying al fresco dining, outdoor and indoor shopping, and live music. Headlining the September event is Tequila Bonfire, a country rock band out of Central Massachusetts. This quartet will be playing the latest country hits by the biggest country stars. Hearing the sounds of Tequila Bonfire will make listeners believe they are in Nashville. In the Union Square section of the festival, the Junkyard Heartstrings will play live music throughout the evening. Performing songs from the ’60s to the present in a variety of genres, the Junkyard Heartstrings will play the songs that everyone knows and loves, while also tastefully selecting deeper cuts from artists that appeal to the die-hard music fan.

Throughout the last several seasons of First Fridays events, the Community Arts committee has been known to create fun art projects inspired by each month’s theme. For September, the Community Arts committee invites all ages to “boot, scoot, and boogie on down” to learn how to line dance at their booth. Participants can show off their new skills on Main Street as Tequila Bonfire plays a variety of country tunes all evening long.

Another creative committee bringing dynamic artwork to the First Fridays festival is the Stealthy Street Art Crew. For the 2016 season, the Crew has been working on a season-long art project named the Kinetic Bike Sculpture. Head to 114 Main St. to see the latest addition to the project. In addition to the Kinetic Bike Sculpture, visitors are encouraged to be on the lookout for some over-sized cowboy hats throughout downtown Putnam during the September event.

With Nashville’s nickname “Music City” – it is fitting that the September scavenger-hunt contest will be all about music. In honor of the rich musical history of Nashville, the contest will include a search around the festival grounds for cleverly hidden 45 records. Visitors to the festival are encouraged to look for the records, hidden in plain sight around Main Street and Union Square. Those that find the records can return them to the Putnam Business Association table for a chance to win a package including tickets to the upcoming October 1st New England Acoustic Music Festival, and dinner at one of Putnam’s restaurants. The contest will start at 6:00 pm sharp and only one entry per family will be accepted.

 

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