Madison News Roundup

Madison, Connecticut may be a wealthy town, but it still has its share of people in need. Madison resident Laurie Heflin and husband Jack launched the Neighbor to Neighbor Fund last month for people in need of food or help with their utility or other bills. If you are wondering if you can help out with the fund (which is under the umbrella of the Madison Foundation), Heflin says, “We are totally open and we would like everybody’s involvement.” Read Jen Matteis’s account in The Source.

A Pennsylvania man is in federal custody on charges that he crossed state lines to have sex with a 13-year-old Madison girl he “met” while playing an online game. Thay L. Eng, of Philadelphia, was arrested July 8 for having illegal sexual contact with the girl at an Old Saybrook motel during her school vacation week in April. Eng is charged with traveling across state lines with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a person under the age of 18. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years, but also could be sentenced to life in prison. Read Amanda Pinto’s account in the Register.

Madison’s Dr. Elizabeth Chittenden Lowry recently celebrated her 100th birthday. Read Randall Beach’s column about “Barefoot Betty” and a life well lived.

The Town Campus Gymnasium and Fitness Room will be reopening on Monday, July 27, 2009 at 7:30 a.m.

Summer hours are Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Closed on Sunday.

Recreation pass required and sold at the Madison Beach & Recreation Department.

Madison, CT, author Roberta Isleib is one of 16 writers who will make appearances at 12 regional libraries around the state over the next few months as part of the Connecticut Authors Tour. The tour winds up on September 24 in the Mohegan Sun Cabaret with an appearance by “Cooking Know-How” authors Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough. Isleib is a prolific novelist whose eight mysteries feature either advice columnist Rebecca Butterman (three novels) or golfer Cassie Burdette (five novels). Find out more about the tour and get a schedule for the Connecticut Authors Tour in TheDay.com. Or read more about Madison mystery novelist Roberta Isleib and her books.

A 32-year-old New York City woman died Friday night after becoming ill in the restroom of the McDonald’s restaurant on I-95 in Madison. Four men traveling with the woman were arrested after authorities discovered they are undocumented immigrants, Connecticut state police said. Sandra Monroy was taken to Yale-New Haven Shoreline Medical Center in Guilford where she was pronounced dead, according to ConnecticutPost.com.

The Madison Arts Barn is again hosting the Missoula Children’s Theater summer camps. In separate 1-week programs, directors will teach children an entire theater production, culminating in final performances of Rumpelstiltskin (July 27-August 1) and Beauty Lou and the Country Beast (August 3-8). Get the details in The Source.

Madison, CT-based PowerPhone, Inc., a leader in emergency communications training and technology, announced that is has launched a new website, 9-1-1.com, designed as a news and information sharing portal for public safety professionals. 9-1-1.com is dedicated to providing extensive coverage of the latest news and trends in the public safety communications industry. Editorial content is updated on a daily basis and tracks news stories of interest to the 9-1-1 community.

After an “odd” spring, the summer fishing season is starting off the same way, Captain Morgan reports in The Source. He theorizes that recent meager results for big stripers and blues could be the result of the 100+ dolphin that have been spotted in the sound. However, big catches of black sea bass have been reported.