Madison News Roundup

Author Bob Crelin will present a program on the phases of the moon, tides, and much more at 10 a.m. Wednesday, at the Scranton Memorial Library. The program is designed for children entering grades 3-6, and copies of Crelin’s latest book, Faces of the Moon, will be available for purchase.

Called a “completely unique book” and recommended by the National Science Teachers Association, Faces of the Moon is told, for the first time through rhyming verse and beautiful illustrations, and it is a playful, interactive lesson on the moon and her changing phases. Creative die-cut pages accurately animate the phasing moon as each page turns.

Released for the UNESCO International Year of Astronomy 2009 and the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing, Faces of the Moon will delight children, and spark their curiosity about our nearest celestial neighbor.

FRIDAY:

• Free Wine Tasting, noon-7:30 p.m., the Madison Wine Shop, 734 Boston Post Road: Wine tastings geared to educate over time, by providing an opportunity to sample and discuss a wide variety of wines, mostly outside of the mainstream, mostly affordable, and sometimes not. It’s free, informal, informative, face-to-face with Rick Lewis and your fellow participants, and its fun.
• Madison Farmers Market, 3-6 p.m. Madison Town Green – 26 Meetinghouse Rd. Madison: The Madison Farmers Market was established in 2007, and will commence May 7th-October 22nd every Friday from 3-6pm in the 2010 season. This beautiful and diverse market is centrally located in Madison, CT, on the Historic Madison Green. The farmers/vendors who make up this bustling market offer a wide array of CT Grown/produced items, which are beautifully presented.
• David Burke, 7 p.m., RJ Julia: Not only will David Burke be discussing Writers in Paris: Literary Lives in the City of Light, he will also be leading a fascinating presentation of “Bad Boys and Bad Girls of Literature,” exploring scandalous tales of Jim Morrison, The Marquis de Sade, Rimbaud and many more! Tickets for this event are $5, which may be used toward the purchase of a book.
• The Bernadettes, 9:30 p.m., Donahue’s Madison Beach Grille, 1320 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT: Live music.

SATURDAY:

• Overeaters Anonymous Open Meeting, 9 a.m., Memorial Town Hall – Route 1  on the Green Madison Center: Overeaters Anonymous Open Meeting Saturdays at the  Memorial Hall, Route 1 on the Green, Madison 1-800-824-8650 www.oa.org
• Madison Historical Society Annual Summer Exhibition, 11 a.m.-4  p.m., Lee Academy, Madison, CT: Visitors to Madison’s iconic Lee Academy often  wonder about its history and its varied uses through nearly two centuries. The  MHS Annual Summer exhibition should satisfy the curiosity of all visitors with  its representation of a nineteenth-century school and classroom. Supported by a  grant from the Erwin C. Bauer Charitable Trust, the 2010 exhibition will present  the history of the Academy, including its place in a New England-wide  educational movement. Learn the stories of the people who served the Academy’s  goals and discover those who benefited from the vision of Captain Frederick Lee  and his fellow citizens.
• The Michael Cleary Band, 9:30 p.m., Donahue’s Madison Beach Grille, 1320 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT: Live music.

SUNDAY:

• David Soman and Jacky Davis, 11 a.m., RJ Julia: RJ Julia kicks off summer fun with New York Times bestselling husband and wife duo  David Soman and Jacky Davis, taking a vacation with one of our favorite  imaginary heroines in Ladybug Girl At The Beach. Lulu (aka Ladybug Girl) is back  and she is so excited to take her first trip to the ocean! Once at the beach,  Lulu finds the ocean big and loud and a little scary, but what happens when the  ocean tries to steal her special sandcastle pail? Will being Ladybug girl give  Lulu the courage to brave the big ocean and rescue her pail? Come join us and  find out! Tickets are $5, which may be used towards the purchase of the book.

The Madison, CT Board of Finance has set July 27 as the date for a third referendum on the 2010-2011 town budget, which has been rejected twice by Madison voters.

On June 14, residents voted down the proposed $20, 343, 679 budget which had been pared by $378,000 after it failed in the first referendum. Voter approved the $50,336, 164 education budget, which was rejected in the first vote.

Town officials are exploring further cuts in the town budget and have scheduled a public hearing for July 14. In the meantime, the  board of finance  set an interim tax rate at 19.3 mills, a 3.52 percent increase over the 2009-10 rate. The new rate is based on the 2009-2010 town budget and the recently approved education budget. Read more in the Register.

Jaquell Jackson (from Facebook)

Police are preparing arrest warrants for a Madison, CT couple who hosted a party Friday after which a guest — a West Haven teen — died, according to the New Haven Register.

Madison Police Chief Jack Drumm is seeking arrest warrants for Richard and Susan Kos, of 18 Green Springs Drive, Drumm told the Register. The couple was home during the party where underage drinking allegedly took place, Drumm said. They will likely be charged with serving alcohol to minors and various other alcohol violations; other criminal charges could follow, the Register reports.

Jaquell Jackson, 18, of West Haven, died early Saturday following the party. Jackson was among a group of young people who were drinking at that home, said Drumm, adding that he also applying for arrest warrants for those underage drinkers.

No ambulance was called when Jackson was in need of medical attention Saturday morning. Instead, he was transported by someone who attended the Friday night party to the Yale-New Haven Shoreline Medical Center in Guilford, sources said. The staff at that facility attempted to revive Jackson, but were unsuccessful.

An attorney for the Kos family, ean Singewald, told the Register he had no comment about any pending charges against his clients. “It is obviously a tragic and sad situation that occurred and everyone is hoping that the family and parents will get a rest from the publicity,” he said.

Madison police have termed Jackson’s death suspicious and the investigation is continuing.

Family and friends of Jackson gathered at the Savin Rock Conference Center in Wes Haven on Monday — which would have been Jackson’s 19th birthday — to remember Jackson and to release balloons in his honor.

• Madison Lion’s Club Flea Market, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Madison, CT: Huge Flea Market, sponsored by the Madison Lions Club. Admission is free. 38th year on the Historic Madison Green. Over 130 vendors. Many tag sales including the famous ABC Tag/Bike Sale. Proceeds benefit State and local charities, with a focus on Vision, Youth and Community Projects.
• Overeaters Anonymous Open Meeting, 9 a.m., Memorial Town Hall – Route 1 on the Green Madison Center: Overeaters Anonymous Open Meeting Saturdays at the Memorial Hall, Route 1 on the Green, Madison 1-800-824-8650 www.oa.org
• Alison Arngrim “aka Nellie Oleson”, 2 p.m., RJ Julia: RJ Julia is pleased to welcome Alison Arngrim, otherwise known as Little House on the Prairie’s resident brat Nellie Oleson, to present Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated – her account of life on the iconic and beloved TV show. Tickets for this event are $5, which may be used toward the purchase of a book.
• Jamie’s Junk Show, 9:30 p.m.-12 a.m., Donahue’s Madison Beach Grille, 1320 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT: Live music.

On Monday, June 14, Madison, CT voters will be asked again to approve the 2010-2011 town and education budgets, now pared down by $378,000 and $80,000, respectively,  after voters rejected both budgets in the May 18 referendum.

The town made the reductions by (among other things) eliminating the proposed director of planning and economic development position, increasing employee health insurance co-payments, reducing major road projects, and laying off some employees.

The $80,000 education budget cut was achived through “favorable contract negotiations,” according to Madison Schools Superintendent David J. Klein.

Voting on the budgets will take place between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m., with residents in the First District voting at the Surf Club (87 Surf Club Road), and residents in the Second District voting at the Brown Middle School (980 Durham Road).

The actual ballot questions will appear as follows:

“SHALL THE TOWN GOVERNMENT BUDGET OF THE TOWN OF MADISON FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 2010 AND ENDING JUNE 30, 2011 IN THE AMOUNT OF $20,343,679 BE APPROVED?”

and

“SHALL THE EDUCATION BUDGET OF THE TOWN OF MADISON FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 2010 AND ENDING JUNE 30, 2011 1IN THE AMOUNT OF $50,336,164 BE APPROVED?”

FRIDAY:

• New York Scenes, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Susan Powell Fine Art Gallery – 679 Boston Post Rd.: Vincent Giarrano. Runs through June 13.
• 12th Annual Shoreline SCBWI Conference, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m., Madison: Workshop: “Full Revelations of a Professional Storyteller (After 10 Years’ Experience)”
• Polson School Grade 8 Dance, 7-10 p.m., Polson Middle School Gymnasium.
• Diane Smith, 7 p.m., RJ Julia: Native Emmy Award–winning journalist Diane Smith brings us the beautifully illustrated four-season tribute of our home state, Seasons of Connecticut: A Year-Round Celebration of the Nutmeg State. Tickets for this event are $5, which may be used toward the purchase of a book.
• The Convertibles, 9:30 p.m., Donahue’s Madison Beach Grille, 1320 Boston Post Road, Madison: Live music.

SATURDAY:

• Birdwalk at Hammonasset State Park, 8 a.m., Hammonasset Beach State Park: See returning songbirds, shorebirds, waders, and birds of prey. Meet at Audubon Shop at 7:50 am. Binocular rentals available. Dress for weather. Beginners welcome. $4. Hammonassett State Park in Madison, is widely regarded as the premier birding area in Connecticut. Approximately 240 species of birds occur there annually, in its diverse habitats of marsh, open water, woodland, grassland and shoreline. No need to pre-register. Dress for the weather. Bring binoculars, rentals are available. Meet at the shop at 7:50a.m. 203-245-9056
• Overeaters Anonymous Open Meeting, 9 a.m., Memorial Town Hall – Route 1 on the Green Madison Center: Overeaters Anonymous Open Meeting Saturdays at the Memorial Hall, Route 1 on the Green, Madison 1-800-824-8650 www.oa.org
• JDRF Children’s Fair, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Madison, Green, Madison, CT: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Children’s Fair. This children’s fair has been held annually to raise funds to support JDRF. Contact: Robin Mattei, 203-464-9935
• Bob Shea, 10:30 a.m., RJ Julia: RJ Julia is excited to host a story-time and signing with local Madison author, Bob Shea for his new picture book, Oh, Daddy! A young hippo’s father doesn’t know how to get dressed, or get in the car, or even eat carrots. What would he do without someone to show him how to do everything right? Rising picture book talent Bob Shea has written a sweetly funny story about daddies and their kids-and how much they depend on each other – perfect for Father’s Day. Tickets for this event are free.
• Madison Historical Society Annual Summer Exhibition, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Lee Academy, Madison, CT: Visitors to Madison’s iconic Lee Academy often wonder about its history and its varied uses through nearly two centuries. The MHS Annual Summer exhibition should satisfy the curiosity of all visitors with its representation of a nineteenth-century school and classroom. Supported by a grant from the Erwin C. Bauer Charitable Trust, the 2010 exhibition will present the history of the Academy, including its place in a New England-wide educational movement. Learn the stories of the people who served the Academy’s goals and discover those who benefited from the vision of Captain Frederick Lee and his fellow citizens.
• New York Scenes, noon-6 p.m., Susan Powell Fine Art Gallery – 679 Boston Post Rd.: Vincent Giarrano. Runs through June 13.
• Gardens by the Sea, noon-4 p.m., Madison Garden Shop, Madison, CT: Garden Tour 2010. Guest lecturer the English Lady, Maureen Hasely-Jones
• Daniel Hand High School Sr. Prom, 7:30 p.m.-12 a.m., Aquaturf.
• The Shiny Lapel Trio, 9:30 p.m., Donahue’s Madison Beach Grille, 1320 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT: Live music.

SUNDAY:

• Sing With Shoreline Soul, 3-4 p.m., First Congregational Church Of Madison, Madison, CT: Concert culminating the workshop series.
• Karl Zimmermann, 4 p.m., RJ Julia: All aboard! This railroad author and accomplished photographer chronicles his journeys aboard the rarest of trains. Little Trains to Faraway Places (Railroads Past and Present) is a spirited tribute to the world’s most charismatic railways. A signed copy makes a great Father’s Day gift! Tickets for this event are $5, which may be used toward the purchase of a book.

The former husband of a Madison woman found murdered in the yard of her rented Middle Beach Road West home 3 months ago has been ordered by a judge to get a job and seek loans to pay off $1 million in debts.

The New Haven Register reports that a Family Court judge is requiring Jeffrey Hamburg, 61, to search for two jobs each day and apply for five loans per month until he pays off his debts, which reportedly include $490,000 in child support and educational and medical costs for his son and daughter. Hamburg told the court he owes $500,000 to his sister, and that she has refused to loan him any more money.

Barbara Hamburg was found slain on the lawn of her rented home off Middle Beach Road West on March 3. She had been scheduled to appear in court with her ex-husband that day to discuss Jeffrey Hamburg’s claim that he could not afford to pay child support and alimony.

Police have not publicly identified any suspects in the case but Jeffrey Hamburg’s attorney, Hugh Keefe, has said his client is a suspect in the investigation.

Ed Drew

His profile on TravelPod says that one thing he wants to do before he dies is “See more of the country by riding cross country on a Harley Davidson.”

Well, Madison’s Ed Drew is doing just that. Drew’s friend Edmond Brunt alerted InsideMadison that Drew and two buddies are in the middle of a 18-day cross-country trip, riding their Harleys from Guilford to San Francisco and back.

Drew is posting a travelogue about the adventure, recounting everything from the extensive planning that went into the trip to the details of each day’s ride and sites visited (as of Sunday the trio had reached the Grand Canyon). He has a light and somewhat tongue-in-cheek style that makes for easy — and interesting — reading. It’s worth a look.

Here is an excerpt from the first post on the blog:

“During the planning process, we’ve been jokingly referred to by some of our friends as the ‘wild hogs’ (not so); 3 wise men by others (definitely not so); and the 3 Musketeers by others (most definitely, not so).  Due to the comments, we began to think that we needed to find a fourth friend to join us in an effort to limit people’s creative thinking in this regard (I’m still waiting for the ‘3 stooges’ comment to be made!).”

We wish Drew and his friends a safe and happy trip.

Nite In Hand needs volunteers from ALL grade levels to help with this post-graduation celebration. You do not need to have a senior at Daniel Hand High School to participate.

For those of you who don’t know, Nite In Hand is a fun, safe, substance-free party for DHHS seniors held graduation night at the high school.  It is planned and funded entirely by parent, student, community, and local business contributions. Volunteers are needed for:

• Help set up and install decorations – Help transform the high school into a magical place! Tuesday, June 15 from 1:00 – 10:00 p.m.
• Work shifts during Nite in Hand – Find out what happens that night - Volunteer for a 2-hour shift between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. Wednesday, June 16
• Post-party clean up – beginning at 5:30 a.m. Thursday, June 17