Gary A. Cote
DAYVILLE — Gary A. Cote, 59, of Lindenwood Ave., died Jan. 18, 2021. He was the husband of Susan (Romatowski) Cote for 31 years. Born in 1961 in Plainfield, he was the son of the late Paul and Beatrice Cote. Gary worked at Whitcraft LLC, in Eastford.
Gary had 34 years of service with the Dayville Volunteer Fire Company and was a life member. He currently held the position of engineer on the tanker unit. Fire Chief Kevin Ide said of Gary, “He was the kindest, sweetest man I have ever met.” Gary was a member of The Arc Eastern Connecticut.
He was going through kidney dialysis and trying to get on a donor list when he passed from complications of COVID. He leaves his wife Susan and extended family in New Jersey. Due to COVID-19 there will be no services at this time. Interment will be at the convenience of the family. Donations: Dayville Volunteer Fire Company in Gary’s honor. Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Jeannette Barrette
DAYVILLE — Jeannette (Cloutier) Barrette, 85, of Ware Rd., died Jan. 22, 2021, at Westview Health Care. She was the wife of the late Norman Barrette. Born in 1935 in Putnam, she was the daughter of the late Alphege and Rose ((Bonosconi) Cloutier. Jeannette was a supervisor for American Optical as well as a teacher’s assistant for Building Blocks Day Care in N. Grosvenordale; she loved children, so that was the perfect job for her.
She was a member of the Daughters of Isabella and enjoyed gardening, knitting, crocheting and animals, especially her dogs.
She leaves her only son, Gary Barrette (Laurie) of Brooklyn; her brother, Richard Cloutier of Florida; her sister Mrs. Jean Dahl of Killingly her grandchildren, Craig Barrette, Corey Barrette, and Janessa Barrette; and her great-grandchildren, Alyssa, Thomas, Aiden, Amelia, Sullivan and Allister; nieces and nephews.
Visitation is from 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 27 in Gilman Funeral Home and Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Jan. 28 St. Mary Church of the Visitation Church, Putnam, with burial in St. Mary Cemetery. COVID-19 safety rules apply.
Donations: ASPCA, PO Box 96929 Washington, DC 20090-6929.
Rita O. Bernier
PUTNAM — Rita (Blanchette) Bernier, 100, died Jan. 21, 2021, due to COVID-19 at Matulaitis Nursing Home.
She was born May 15, 1920, in Central Falls, R.I., to the late Hector and Yvonne (Chaput) Blanchette.
Rita was married to the late Gerard Bernier (July 1, 1998) on Sept. 21, 1940.
She was a communicant of St. Mary’s of the Visitation Church in Putnam where she volunteered for many years, as well as in the cafeteria in St. Mary’s School.
Rita retired from American Optical in 1982 after 25 years.
Rita leaves a son, Michael (Elaine) of Putnam and their children Neil Bernier of Putnam, Amy Carlone (Tony) of Bristol, R.I., and Melody Thorstenson (Tim) of Danielson; a son Richard Bernier (Carol) of Tolland and their children Cheryl Antil (Michael) of Tolland, and Michelle Fogarty (Ed) of Madison; six great-grandchildren, Robert, Payton, Reid, Yvey, Joshua and Brandon; a sister, Priscilla Ethier of Millbury, Mass.
She is predeceased by brothers, Roland Blanchette, Rene Blanchette, and Raymond Blanchette.
A Mass of Christian Burial was Jan. 25 at St. Mary Church of the Visitation, Putnam, with burial in St. Mary Cemetery.
Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.
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Woodstock Middle/Elementary
Monday and Thursday: Chicken patties on rolls, corn, fruit. Tuesday and Friday: French toast sticks, hash browns, sausages, fruit juice. Wednesday: Grab and Go.
Putnam Elementary/Middle
Monday Blue and Tuesday White: “Wolf Meal” beef burgers with cheese, sherbet. Wednesday Blue and Thursday White: Fiesta taco bowls, fruit. Friday Blue: Pizza, salad, fruit.
Putnam High
Monday Blue and Tuesday White: General Tso Chicken or spicy chicken sandwiches. Wednesday Blue and Thursday White: Spaghetti, meatballs or bacon cheeseburgers. Friday Blue: Stuffed-crust pizza or mozzarella sticks.
Pomfret Community
All meals served with fruit and veggies. Monday: Cheese quesadilla. Tuesday: Cheeseburgers. Wednesday: Grilled cheese. Thursday: French toast with sausage. Friday: Mozzarella sticks.
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Legal Notice
Town of Pomfret
Notice is hereby given that a certified copy of the audit of the Pomfret Fire District for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, prepared by Daniel R. Santos, CPA, LLC, 179B Hartford Pike, Dayville, Connecticut 06241, was filed in the Office of the Town Clerk of Pomfret on January 20, 2021.
In compliance with the requirements of section 7-394 of the Connecticut Statutes, said audit is on file for public inspection in said office at Five Haven Road, Pomfret Center, Connecticut.
Dated at Pomfret, Connecticut
This 20th day of January 2021
Cheryl A. Grist, Town Clerk of Pomfret
Jan. 28, 2021
Legal Notice
Town of Putnam
Notice is hereby given that the Town of Putnam, Connecticut Audited Financial Statements for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2020, is on file in the office of the Town Clerk, Town Hall, 126 Church Street, Putnam, CT.
Dated at Putnam, Connecticut
this 20th day of January, 2021.
Sara J. Seney,Town Clerk
Jan. 28, 2021
Legal Notice
TOWN OF PUTNAM
PUTNAM SPECIAL SERVICES
COLLECTOR OF REVENUE
(860) 963-6800 Extension 804
The second installment of taxes, due to the Town of Putnam and Special Service District on the Grand List of October 1, 2019, is due and payable on January 1, 2021, through February 1, 2021, for real estate taxes of landlords not approved for deferral and escrowed accounts, and April 1, 2021, for all other taxpayers (in accordance with Governor Lamont’s Executive Order 9R).
TO AVOID INTEREST CHARGES, MAIL MUST
BE POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN LAST DAY TO PAY WITHOUT PENALTY
(FEBRUARY 1, 2021, FOR ESCROW AND NON DEFERRED LANDLORDS OR APRIL 1, 2021, FOR ALL OTHER TAXPAYERS)
Payments made after the last day to pay without penalty will be subject to an interest charge of 3% (1.5% per month) or $2.00 minimum per Town and $2.00 per Special Service District (where applicable), whichever is higher, according to Connecticut State Statute, Sec. 12-146.
Online payments can be made at the Town of Putnam website - www.putnamct.us.
For your convenience, feel free to use our drop box option located outside the Putnam Town Hall on the left hand side of the driveway.
The Putnam Town Hall will be closed to the Public until Feb. 1, 2021
Town Hall Hours:
8:30 a.m. to 4:30p.m. Monday through Wednesday
8 a.m. through 6 p.m. Thursday
8 a.m. through 1 p.m. Friday
Tax Office Window closes 15 minutes prior to Town Hall daily closure
The Putnam Town Hall plans to Open for Business Feb. 1, but this is subject to change as we deal with current COVID-19 conditions.
Dec. 31, 2020
Jan. 7, 2021
Jan. 28, 2021
March 25, 2021
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Working
toward new
heights in a
pandemic
Woodstock Academy strength and conditioning coach Brenden Ostaszewski has been known as “Coach O” since he arrived on campus four years ago.
Soon he will go by the title “Dr. O.”.
Ostaszewski has been working toward his doctorate degree in health and human performance through Concordia University in Chicago.
He recently passed his comprehensive exam and will hopefully be a Ph.D. candidate in the fall of this year.
“I’m excited, but it’s a little stressful,” Ostaszewski said of the process of working toward a doctorate degree.
Ostaszewski still has a major hurdle to clear - his doctorate dissertation.
“The dissertation takes months. I hope to be completed within the year but usually the papers for a dissertation run 100-300 pages. The process starts with a pre-proposal defense, and once that gets accepted, I can go a little further in detail with the dissertation process. Later down the line, I have to defend my dissertation,” he said.
Ostaszewski has chosen an issue of current concern; the impact and effects of COVID-19 on student-athletes.
To call it a very relevant topic may be an understatement. He deals with it on a daily basis at Woodstock Academy.
“The pandemic has affected student-athletes in a negative way. The majority of the kids are very sedentary right now because they are sitting at home e-learning. There is also a general lack of motivation too,” Ostaszewski said.
That sedentary period was recently extended at Woodstock Academy.
While portions of the state began practices for winter sports on Jan. 19, Woodstock Academy wasn’t so lucky.
Due to the high positivity rate in the area, eclipsing 20 percent of those who were tested for the virus in Woodstock, Woodstock Academy pushed back the beginning of winter sports to Feb. 1.
To keep student-athletes active during the lull between fall and winter sports, Ostaszewski has been busy.
“Fortunately, we have been able to have the kids come in and train in a small group setting within the strength and conditioning program. It’s not the same. The pandemic has had a negative influence on their physical activity levels and on their mental and psychological state as well,” Ostaszewski said.
For that reason and the length of inactivity, almost a year for some, Ostaszewski said winter coaches will have to be cognizant of their athletes’ fitness.
“We’re recommending that coaches monitor athletes’ performance levels and how they feel on the court. A lot of the kids could be under-trained especially with the day students elearning and the prep kids coming back. Who knows what they have done at home? A lot of different states have different restrictions so some kids may not have been able to train. Coaches have to be mindful of where (the athletes) are coming from,” Ostaszewski said.
Ostaszewski said the fall season was helpful and he is hoping that there will be competition this winter as well as in the spring.
The ECC recently announced a plan to start a 10-game boys’ and girls’ basketball schedule beginning Feb. 12.
Due to some first-week byes in the schedule, Woodstock Academy will not play any games until Feb. 16.
The league will play a regional schedule with Woodstock Academy in a group with Plainfield, Griswold, Killingly, Lyman Memorial, Windham, Putnam, Tourtellotte and Wheeler.
Woodstock Academy is also trying to get some boys’ and girls’ hockey games scheduled.
The team will play out of the RoseGarden Ice Arena in Norwich as the Pomfret School rink is closed for the season.
That nugget, a potential season, is very important to high school athletes.
“When we were training this past summer, kids were wondering what they were actually training for and if there was going to be a season. You can tell that the unknown takes a toll, not only on their performance in the weight room, but psychologically as well,” Ostaszewski said.
And the same could be said for the Woodstock Academy prep basketball players.
What has made it more difficult on the prep team is that, in addition to the lack of games, players have to quarantine when they return to campus.
“When quarantine is over, we have to start the training process all over again and get prepared for training again. Not knowing if there is an upcoming season, the kids can use this time to develop their bodies and get stronger and bigger, hopefully, to get them ready to play at the next level,” Ostaszewski said.
Ostaszewski feels like he has been caught in a “Groundhog Day” scenario when it comes to the prep and even some high school athletes.
“It’s like a general preparation period repeating itself over-and-over again. We get an athlete in the door and we start with very basic, fundamental stuff. We teach them fundamental movement patterns. When they return, if these kids with all these restrictions are more sedentary than before, we have to start the whole process over again,” Ostaszewski said.
In addition, at least at the high school level, games will be played with masks on.
“It’s definitely going to be a challenge. It may be a little uncomfortable while playing,” Ostaszewski said. “Breaks will be needed because kids will be performing high intensity activities for a repeat amount of time. It’s not like football which is stop-and-go. Kids are constantly moving on the court so I would recommend mask breaks.”
He pointed out that some companies are starting to produce sports performance masks which will allow athletes to breathe a little better during competition.
And the challenges will not exist only on the physical level.
Ostaszewski said he can imagine non-verbal communication on the court will also be a challenge as facial expressions normally shared between players and between players and coaches will be limited.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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