City Planner Out After Less Than A Year

City planner Mark Devoe has informed Planning Director Joe Samolis that he will be leaving his post in Middletown to take a job in Farmington as planner.  The Farmington planner position had been held by former Middletown planner Bill Warner.

Devoe is an accredited city planner, and the only planner with accreditation in Middletown's office of Planning, Conservation and Development.  Devoe began his tenure in Middletown at the very end of December 2018.  His announcement once again leaves the office understaffed, and without an employee with planning certification.

Devoe was involved in recent charettes held to create a new, required Plan of Development for Middletown.

The Common Council voted to reorganize the office last summer putting Samolis as the director and manager in the department, and creating separate positions for Town Planner and Community Development Specialist.  Linda McPherson, who has worked in the Finance Department and in the Board of Education as a finance specialist, was hired to fill the Community Development Specialist position.

'Morrow: Make Music Middletown Means Meandering Mudpuppies

From Dave Downs
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Hey Kids!, Lonesome Dave here.  How ya doing?  Hope you're doing well.

Did you know that this Friday, June 21st, 2019 is International Make Music Day?  That's the day (which always falls on the summer solstice, by the way) where musicians- off various shapes and sizes and levels of expertise- take to city streets all the world over, and play music anywheres and everywheres.  For Free!  On the street corners; in the libraries, the cafes, the restaurants, the music shops, the book stores, down the alleyways, up in the trees dangling from branches, down in the sewer systems..... 

And Middletown's no different.  So this Friday you're invited to come by and say hello to us- The Mudpuppies (consisting of me, Lonesome Dave- or LD- and Really Big Brian- or RBB) while we perform our unique style of Americana, first at the award-winning Russel Library (at Broad Street; 347-2528) from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.; and then later at the beautiful R.J. Julia Bookstore (at 413 Main Street, 685-3939) from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.

In addition to original and Public Domain material,  RBB and I (on well-amplified acoustic guitars and vocals) put our unique Mudpuppy spin on songs popularized by such American writers and performers as Eric Anderson, Steve Earl, Hank Cochran, Rogers & Hart, The Everly Brothers, Ricky Nelson and Andy Williams.  Perhaps we'll toss in a music trivia question or two, or a couple CD give-a-ways, as well.  (Don't forget to ask Really Big Brian about the unique tuning style he employs on his six-string.)  See ya then, Kids. 

Lonesome Dave

Florsheim Challenges Mayoral Candidates to Sign Clean Election Pledge

Provided by the Florsheim for Mayor campaign.

Free Lunchtime Concert this Friday

Friday, June 21
12 - 1:30 pm
deKoven House Community Center
27 Washington St., Middletown
(at the corner of deKoven Drive and Washington St.)

In celebration of Make Music Day, The Rockfall Foundation will be hosting a free lunchtime concert at the historic 18th-century deKoven House. The concert will be held on the lawn under the shade of a magnificent maple tree. Bring your lunch and enjoy performances by three musicians. Picnic table and chairs available, or bring your picnic blanket! In the event of inclement weather, the concert will move to the indoor meeting space.

https://www.rockfallfoundation.org/event/lunchtime-concert-at-dekoven-house/

Schedule:
12 – 12:30 Gracin Dorsey – Drawing from his folk and bluegrass roots in Oklahoma, his original music has been performed at festivals all across the USA.

12:30 – 1:00 Steve Dedman – Frontman and songwriter behind Plywood Cowboy, his authentic, heart-born Americana songs earned a spot on the 2018 Grammy ballot.

1 – 1:30 Robert Nasta – Musical Director of Artists for World Peace performing original compositions and improvisations on the koto, a Japanese stringed instrument.

The deKoven House, just yards from the banks of the Connecticut River, is owned and maintained by The Rockfall Foundation, a non-profit organization that has been promoting and supporting environmental education and conservation in the Lower Connecticut River Valley since 1935. It is home to The Rockfall Foundation and 8 other non-profit organizations.  The house also offers two meeting rooms for rent to the public, ideal for workshops and trainings, association gatherings, board retreats, and membership meetings. For more information visit https://www.rockfallfoundation.org/dekoven-house/. Tours available upon request after the concert.

Parking is at the deKoven House is free, but has limited capacity. However, ample parking is available adjacent to the building in the Melilli Plaza Municipal Parking Lot.

For more information, call The Rockfall Foundation at 860-347-0340.

Nominations Sought for Environmental Champion Awards

https://www.rockfallfoundation.org/about-us/environmental-awards/

The Rockfall Foundation is currently seeking nominations for the 2019 Environmental Champion Awards. Nominations are being accepted from now until July 22. The awards recognize individuals, groups, organizations, and businesses for environmental efforts that contribute to the quality of life in the Lower Connecticut River Valley. Areas recognized include preservation , conservation, ecosystem restoration, and environmental and sustainability education. The Tom ODell Distinguished Service Award will be awarded for outstanding ongoing or long-term accomplishments. Certificates of Appreciation are awarded, as appropriate, to recognize significant programs or projects. Awardees will be recognized at The Rockfall Foundation’s Annual Meeting, Grants and Awards celebration on October 3rd.

The nominee’s contributions must impact the Lower Connecticut River Valley, which includes the following towns: Chester, Clinton, Cromwell, Deep River, Durham, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Haddam, Killingworth, Lyme, Middlefield, Middletown, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Portland, and Westbrook. Impacts to the Connecticut River corridor or Long Island Sound are also eligible as long as there is a benefit to at least one of the listed towns.

Nomination forms must be received by noon on July 22 at amanda@rockfallfoundation.org or at The Rockfall Foundation, deKoven House Community Center, 27 Washington St., Middletown, CT 06457. Nomination forms can be downloaded at www.rockfallfoundation.org or one can be requested by calling 860-347-0340.

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Founded in 1935 by Middletown philanthropist Clarence S. Wadsworth, The Rockfall Foundation is one of Connecticut’s oldest environmental organizations. The Foundation supports environmental education, conservation and planning initiatives in the Lower Connecticut River Valley through public programs and grants.  In addition, The Rockfall Foundation operates the historic deKoven House Community Center that offers meeting rooms and office space for non-profit organizations.

For additional information about the Environmental Champion Awards or The Rockfall Foundation, please visit www.rockfallfoundation.org or call 860-347-0340.

Invasive Plants Workshop Sunday!

Do you have ticks in your yard? Are vines strangling your trees?  Invasive species may be to blame!

Join the City of Middletown and Town of Durham for an interactive workshop on invasive plants.

Sunday, June 231-3 PMSnow School, 299 Wadsworth St.

At the workshop, led by DEEP wildlife biologist Pete Picone, you’ll learn which species are invasive, why they’re a problem, how to remove them safely and effectively, and what plants you can replace invasive species with native plants for a healthy yard.  For the second hour, we’ll have gloves and bags for optional invasive plant removal.  Please wear long pants and long sleeves.

Questions? Contact Michael Harris, City Energy Coordinator, at michael.harris@middletownct.gov or at 860-638-4854.

This event is co-sponsored by Coginchaug Area Transition, Connecticut River Coastal Conservation District, Everyone Outside, The Jonah Center for Earth and Art, Middletown Garden Club, and Wesleyan Sustainability Office.

Girl Scout Art Creation From Trash Pickup, Sunday!

From Heather Parker
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Girl Scout Troop 62106 of our city will be hosting a trash pickup and art contest event at Wadsworth State Park on Sunday, June 23 from 2-4 pm. For this project, we want to bring attention to ocean pollution. Using the trash we collect at the park, we will be making artwork and judging it across categories. We would like to invite the public to participate in our event, joining us to collect trash and make art together.

“THE DRESSER” TO BE PRESENTED AT ODDFELLOWS PLAYHOUSE

Vintage Players, in conjunction with Connecticut Heritage Productions, presents The Dresser by Ronald Harwood at Oddfellows Playhouse on June 21 and 22. The play, set in war-torn England of 1941, chronicles the relationship of a renowned, aging Shakespearean actor and his longtime personal dresser.

Billy Johnstone and Peter Loffredo in rehearsal for “The Dresser”.   Photo: Adrian Nieves

Written in 1980, the play has an autobiographical bent. During the 1950s, Ronald Harwood functioned as private dresser to the noted Shakespearean actor/manager, Sir Donald Wolfit. Harwood was well aware that during the bombing of England in World War II, Wolfit was respected for refusing to abandon his touring of the provinces, even though German bombs were causing widespread destruction throughout the countryside.

Much of Harwood’s long and prolific career drew on his fascination with the stage, its performing artists, and artisans. In The Dresser, his play within a play examines the war without…and the war within. He sheds light on the narcissism, the humor, and the poignancy of “the show must go on” ethos.  

Directed by Carolyn Kirsch, assisted by Ellie Howard, the cast is led by Billy Johnstone (appearing courtesy of Actor’s Equity Association) as Norman and Peter Loffredo as Sir. They are supported by Warren Dutkiewicz, Teresa Langston, Natalia Katz, Carolyn Kirsch, Gerry Matthews, John Hall, and Nat Holmes.

Oddfellows Playhouse is located at 128 Washington Street, Middletown. Performances of The Dresser are on Friday, June 21 and Saturday, June 22 at 7 pm.

These performances benefit the children’s programs at Oddfellows Playhouse. For over 40 years Oddfellows Playhouse has provided young people in the greater Middletown area with innovative theater programs that build their self-confidence and help them gain skills that facilitate success in other parts of their lives.

Tickets are $25 and may be obtained by going to www.oddfellows.org and clicking on “Shows and Events.” Reservations are strongly recommended.

ARTFARM's "Terpsichore: the women's movement" this weekend

Rehearsal photos by Bill De Kine. 

ARTFARM's Terpsichore: The Women's Movement is an explosive new work that delves into what it is to be a woman, from the most dark and painful to the most ecstatic- with some stops in between. It will premiere at Oddfellows Playhouse in Middletown on June 14 & 15 at 8 pm.

Developed in the studio, in community and in interviews, this workshop production journeys through a psycho-emotional landscape of movement, text and sound. In the tradition of Ruby Dee’s “Podansical”, this intergenerational, non-linear exploration fosters provocative thought and an opportunity for both personal and community reflection. Terpsichore: The Women’s Movement is intended for mature audiences, for women, and for anyone who has ever known or loved a woman.

ARTFARM has been producing original work and classic theater in central Connecticut since 2001. The company is known for its physical style, visual richness, evocative use of sound and music, and its provocative explorations of pressing issues like race, sex, inequity, and the environment. ARTFARM cultivates high-quality theater with a commitment to simple living, environmental sustainability and social justice.

Tickets for Terpsichore: The Women’s Movement are $20, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. To reserve tickets, or for more information, call (860) 346-4390 or email info@art-farm.org. Tickets can also be purchased online at https://oddfellowsplayhouse.ticketleap.com . Performances are June 14 and 15 at 8 pm and will be held at Oddfellows Playhouse, which is located at 128 Washington Street in Middletown. The performance addresses mature and sometimes disturbing issues and is not appropriate for younger children.

Terpsichore: The Women’s Movement is supported in part by the Connecticut Office of the Arts/Department of Economic Development through the Regional Grants Initiative (which also receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts), the Middletown Commission on the Arts, the 111 Sunnyside Charitable Trust and Oddfellows Playhouse.

Carolyn Halsted in Concert at Russell Library This Saturday

Carolyn Halsted will be presenting original compositions
this Saturday, June 15th, 2pm at Russell Library's Hubbard Room. 

This Saturday, June 15, at 2:00pm, in The Hubbard room of Russell Library, a concert featuring Carolyn Halsted’s recent solo piano works will be presented by the composer/pianist.

Besides being a very dedicated piano teacher, Ms. Halstead enjoys playing for ballet classes at Wesleyan University, plays with members of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, CONCORA, and faculty and students at Central Connecticut State University and Wesleyan University. She has composed numerous piano, vocal, and choral works.

Free. Drop in, no registration required.  ponsored by the Friends of the Russell Library. 

Please note:  Because of the Pride Parade in Middletown that same afternoon, Main St. will be closed from 12:30 until the parade passes, after 2:00.  Please allow extra time to navigate through town and find parking.  If you are coming south on Rt.9 you may wish to get off at exit 14 (Harbor Area/DeKoven Dr.), go one block south on DeKoven to Union St., then west across Main around the south green, then north on Broad to library.  You will probably also be able to cross Main St. via Washington St.

If you come over the bridge from Portland, turn right on Spring St., then left/south on High, left/east on Washington, right/south on Broad to library.

S

Creating Young Environmentalists in Middletown

Toe-Tapping Tunes and Teen Open Mic This Weekend at The Buttonwood Tree

The Buttonwood Tree hosts events every night this week - from Tai chi to Teen Open Mic.

Cross Purpose

June 14 @ 8-10 pm | $15

Cross Purpose is a four-piece roots/rock band formed in 2005. They have brought their tunes to such exciting venues as the City Center Danbury Summer Concert Series, The Bushnell in Hartford, The Marlborough Arts Center in Marlborough, CT, The Bethel, The CT Summer Concert Series, Harvest Moon Orchard in North Salem, NY, Hayfields Market in North Salem, NY, The Howland Cultural Center in Beacon, NY, The Putnam County 4-H Fair in Carmel, NY, and many others. While Cross Purpose plays a lot of their own material, they also perform an eclectic array of covers. With about 175 years of experience among them, they are skilled at tailoring material to each venue they visit. For this particular evening, June 14th at The Buttonwood Tree, their drummer will use a djembe and a cajon instead of a full kit. Reservations are suggested.

Their first CD, Sum Of The Parts, with 12 original songs was released in 2007. Their second CD, Live At The Upper Room, came out in 2011, the CD, These Men You’ve Made, with another 12 original tunes became available in 2013, and they’ve just released their fourth, The Extent Of What We Know, which contains another 14 originals. Cross Purpose’s members consists of Bob Stanhope (13-time winner in the Billboard Magazine Songwriting Contest) / Vocals and rhythm guitar, Roy Ellingsen (MCA Records recording artist) / Vocals and lead guitar, Doug Bolin (An original member of The Annie Moses Band) / Vocals and bass, Greg Flower / Drums.

You’ll enjoy what you see and hear at www.crosspurposeband.com

TEEN OPEN MIC

June 15 @ 3 -5 pm

Teens, looking for a place to perform? A place to recite your latest poem?

How about your newest original scene? Or, a time-tested monologue? If so, The Buttonwood Tree Teen Open Mic is FOR YOU!

Details here

Facebook: @tbt.teen.open.mic

Restless Mountain Bluegrass

June 15 @ 8-10 pm | $15  Reservations Suggested

Restless Mountain Bluegrass Band always offers a fun mix of traditional standards and entertaining classics that bring fond memories and a smile. In the tradition of bluegrass, Restless Mountain is an all-acoustic band, serving up heartfelt vocals and spicy instrumentals.

Restless Mountain Bluegrass Band has been active in Connecticut for over a decade, featuring veteran musicians who love to play and entertain. We play numerous venues, from festivals to concert halls to bars and public and private events. 

Instruments and Personnel: Matt Fleury (vocals, banjo), Jerry Devokaitis (vocals, guitar), Dave Orlomoski (vocals, mandolin), Scott Camara (Dobro), Dave Aston (bass).

facebook.com/restlessmountainbluegrass/

The Buttonwood Tree is an all ages venue with a bookstore of used, very interesting books, an ART GALLERY and a comfortable meeting space also available for rent for parties etc. Ample, free parking is available next door, behind It's Only Natural market M-F from 6pm on and on weekends. Join as a MEMBER to support this vital community organization. If you have any questions we can be reached at (860) 347-4957. If you want to see what events we have lined up for the month check our website's event calendar here.