Portland...  On the Move |
Issue 77 ~ News from your Town Hall ~ June 2000
There's  Always Something New at the Portland Library
Proceeds from the tournament go to the Portland Library Endowment Fund. The Endowment Fund was started in 1998. Its purpose is to insure the library’s continued ability to serve the community. The Portland Library has long served as an informational and recreational focal point of this community. A place to relax, to learn, to borrow movies and musical recordings, and attend special programs, it also provides a convenient location for committees and other local groups to meet. Computers linked to the Internet are also available for public use. The good people who work there are friendly, helpful and very creative. They deserve our support, especially now when library staff needs to keep pace with the ever-changing demands of technology. Tournament participation fee is $125. This includes 18 holes of golf, usage of a cart, continental breakfast, lunch, dinner, a contest, door prizes for everyone, special prizes for low gross, low net (callaway), longest drive, closest to the pin, and a free raffle. To receive a brochure, call 342-6770. If you are not a golfer but still want to get involved in this worthy cause, you can be a Gold Sponsor for $200, or a Silver Sponsor for $100. This entitles you to public acknowledgment of your generosity and an invitation to a post tournament dinner. Businesses interested in becoming a sponsor and/or donating prizes, please call 342-6770 to obtain more information.
http://www.portland.lib.ct.us
The library’s card catalog and the statewide library catalog are just a mouse click away. There are pages for children and for teens. The children’s page describes the services available including summer reading club, story times, and other special programs. It also has a list of links that will appeal to children. The teen page lists the titles of magazine subscriptions that the library owns and has a selection of links to help with homework questions and another section that should interest teens. Another special section has been set aside for the Friends of the Library. Details include how to become a Friend and the group’s activities. Patrons may now ask for information by e-mail, or even place a request for an Interlibrary Loan by filling out an electric form. The library has provided links to websites on the world wide web in varying subject areas and also has provided links to search engines to make surfing the web easier and more productive. Many of the databases that the library has subscribed to are available using this website. Novelist helps match fiction titles to users and Electric Library is a general information source. Please take a look and feel free to make comments in person at the library or try out the e-mail response by clicking on Contact us at the top of the page or on Using the Library-> How are we doing?
Stories, songs and fun are always a part of Bedtime Stories, according to Jacqueline McMahon, also known as Mrs. Applesauce to her young fans. This program is for children 3-5 years. Parents must accompany their children. There is no registration for the program. |
Children of all ages may join the summer reading club, Paws for Books. The purpose of the club is to encourage children to develop the habit of daily reading. Both readers and pre-readers sign up to read, or be read to, for at least 10 minutes a day for four weeks. The child receives small prizes throughout the four weeks, with a prize book given at the end. Registration begins Wednesday, June 21. Extra days are built into the program. Families participating in the reading club may attend the end of summer party. Plan now to spend the evening with Mary Jo Malchak, who will entertain with songs and stories. The party is Tuesday, August 15 at 7 PM, at Portland High School. Registration begins Tuesday, August 1st. The program is sponsored by the Friends of the Portland Library.
The classes have also learned about library manners and library skills, such as knowinng the difference between fiction and non-fiction books. On their December visit, they heard an exciting story called Ice Horse and talked about harvesting in "the old days." Some of the children even knew what an ice box was! In April, we took the children outside for a rocket demonstration by former teacher Dick Larke. The children were obviously thrilled, and very attentive. In May they enjoyed a visit by Officer Pete Paranzino with his wonderful police dog, Caleb. Officer Paranzino demonstrated some of Caleb’s special skills, and told the children how he trains the dog. The children loved watching Caleb "perform," and enjoyed hearing about his special abilities. As a final gesture, we gave library cards to those children who did not yet have them. Participation was already high; about four-fifths of the second-graders already had their own cards! Mrs. Cahill’s class ended the year with 100% participation! For more information, call us at 342-6770. |
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"Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died." Erma Bombeck "Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward." Vernon Law "The purpose of education is to replace an empty mind with an open one." Malcom Forbes  Special Hours! The 1st Selectman's Office, along with the Planning Department, Building Department, Environmental Health Department, Finance Office and Public Works will stay open on Tuesday evenings until 7 PM. They will close on Fridays at noon. Other offices at the Town Hall will remain open at their usual time. |
Safety First! 
When is it Safe for Kids to be Home Alone? The organization Prevent Child Abuse America recommends that children under 11 not be left at home by themselves. To prepare older children for being left home alone safely, it offers these tips: Show them how to deal with emergencies, such as the smoke detector sounding or the power going out. Post emergency names and numbers near the phone. Agree on how long you want them to play outside, whether to have friends over, and the use of such appliances as the microwave. Practice the appropriate way for them to answer the phone or the door. If strangers call or visit, for example, instruct your child to say that Mom or Dad is sleeping and can’t be disturbed. Establish a routine check-in system, whereby the child knows to call a parent or relative at a set time or to be alert to receive a call. A Summer If you’re taking St. John’s Wart – the popular herbal remedy for curbing depression and weight gain – stay out of the sunlight. The herb increases the skin’s sensitivity to sunlight, thereby increasing the risk of severe sunburn. Health experts warn that even the strongest sunblocking lotions do not offer complete protection. The yellow-flowered weed is an ingredient in many herbal weight loss products, including Herbal Phen-Fen, Diet-Phen, and Herbal Phen Fuel. |
Words of Wisdom
Warning about
If Work is a Circus – Don’t be an Elephant! Jim Donovan , author of This is Your Life, Not a Dress Rehearsal, wrote about his experience visiting backstage in Madison Square Garden during an appearance by the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus:"I was able to walk around looking at all the circus animals. As I was passing the elephants, I suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg. No chains, no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, ar any time, break away from their bonds, but for some reason did not I asked why "‘When they are very young and much smaller, we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it’s enough to hold them,’ he said. ‘As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never break free.’" Like the elephants, how many of us go through life hanging on to a belief that we cannot do something simply because we couldn’t do it before? 
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Attention all Seniors! from: Beth Morrissette Renters Tax Relief Program to Begin The State of Connecticut Renter’s Tax Relief Program (Rent Rebate) is now underway until September 15th. This program provides a partial refund of rent and utility bills. This program is open to eligible individuals who rent an apartment or room and meet the following guidelines.
Documents Needed: All sources of income for 1999. For example: Social Security Form 1099 and a TPQY for the totally disabled. All wages, commissions, pensions, interest, dividends, proceeds from sale of property, veteran’s pension, Rail Road Retirement, 1999 Income Tax Form (if filed), 1999 utility receipts (e.g. electric, gas, oil, propane, water) and 1999 rent receipts. For more information contact the Senior Center at 342-6760. Medicare Alert for HMO Beneficiaries Medicare beneficiaries enrolling or disenrolling from a Medicare managed care plan (Medicare+Choice organizations should be aware that enrollment and disenrollment deadlines are changing). The deadline to enroll or disenroll will be the 10th of the month to get into or out of a managed care plan for the 1st of the next month. Please be sure that you have received confirmation from your new HMO and retain this information in a safe place before you drop your existing plan to avoid gaps in coverage. Medicare counseling is available at the Senior Center on the first Thursday of each month by appointment only. To schedule an appointment please call 342-6760.- |
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River Quarries’ Charrette Brownstone Brainstorm! It’s finally happening! The long awaited charrette! We’ve walked the riverfront property, and examined vista points around the quarries. We’ve met at the library and at the senior center and discussed our ideas. We’ve listed possibilities. Now comes the fun part. A formal, public brainstorming (with a team of professionals) to help us decide the future of these wonderful resources. As you probably know, the brownstone quarries have finally received recognition as a National Historic Landmark. Now we have to formulate a plan on what to do with them, and the long stretch of beautiful riverfront nearby. The schedule of the charrette, held mostly at the library’s Mary Flood Room, is as follows: Wednesday, June 14 7-8 PM – Stories from the Quarries. Story-telling session by anyone who shows up. Thursday, June 15 8 AM – Welcome from the First Selectman Introductions Orientation to Portland 9 - 11:45 AM – Orientation by van, on foot and in canoes |
Noon – Lunch (Dutch Treat, and open to the public) 1:30 PM – A Stroll Down Main Street Get a feel for the dynamics of Main Street and its relationship with the quarries and riverfront. 2:30 PM – Individual Time to revisit sites, to visit with store owners, meet individually with local experts, etc 3:00-5:00 – PM Re-convene at the Library. What did we see? What additional information do we need? 6:30 PM – Open Meeting. Summarize existing conditions. Preview Friday’s activities Friday, June 16 Noon – BYO Picnic on the Promontory (on Brownstone Avenue). If we have poor weather, we will meet at the library. Informal conversations about emerging ideas. 1:30 - 5:00 PM – Synthesize and clarify ideas. 6:30 - ? -- Presentation preparation: Organize Saturday presentation Prepare graphics Set up room for the presentation Saturday, June 17 9:00 – 11:30 Presentation. If you care about the future of Portland and the development of Main Street, please attend. (P.S. bring your "cliff notes") |