Letter to the Editor: Response to Mayor Drew's Stance on Gun Control

   This was originally published in January and it being republished in light of the vote taking place today at the state capital to limit 2nd Amendment rights.

  Below is a letter to the editors of the Insider in response to Mayor Dan Drew's statements in the Middletown Patch regarding his feelings on gun control in regards to the Sandy Hook shooting tragedy. Read Drew's statements here: http://middletown-ct.patch.com/articles/mayor-drew-it-s-time-for-ban-on-semiautomatic-weapons 
All letters to the editor are published as a courtesy to readers, and opinions expressed/ claims made may or may not be shared by Middletown Insider editors.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     This reply is written in response to Mayor Drew's position points in supporting a ban on semiautomatic weapons as a deterrent to future heinous crimes.I applaud his interest in joining other Mayor's,nationally,I believe the argument is best supported by using a multi-pronged approached,not just weapons restrictions.I am referring to the lack of institutions to care for the mentally disturbed,as well as a revision of senseless violent video and computer games coming from Hollywood,etc.This country has many gun restriction laws on the books, as evidenced by assault weapons legislation written by Vice President Biden that has gone unenforced as of 2004!

As to Newtown.......In my opinion what averted further bloodshed was the fact that armed law enforcement was closing in on Adam and that is when he took his own life,because they were armed!

The NRA can easily make the case for semiautomatic weapons as being mandatory for small business owners in high crime areas.

A Comprehensive Corrective Plan of action has to include:
1.better enforcement of existing gun laws,2.Mental Institutions have to be allowed to keep violent offenders,as well as those who "threaten society" longer than a three-week observation period!!,and 3.impose controls over violent video games,etc,and not only by adopting ratings.

Please do not fall into the trap of more gun control Laws that cannot be enforced.

Paul Dodge
Middletown

CT Public Hearings Regarding Second Amendment

Press Release: Connecticut:  Make Plans to Attend Upcoming Public Hearings to Protect Your Second Amendment Rights 

Since the Connecticut General Assembly convened its 2013 legislative session, anti-gun legislators have been aggressively pursuing arbitrary and unconstitutional legislation that would victimize law-abiding gun owners.  However, you have a chance to stand up for freedom and voice your opposition to these misguided anti-gun proposals. 

The “Task Force on Gun Violence Prevention and Children’s Safety” will be holding several important public hearings to discuss school safety, gun violence and mental health.  It is important that pro-Second Amendment supporters show up to these hearings to voice their opposition to any reactionary anti-gun legislation.  We need our elected officials to understand that restricting the rights of law-abiding gun owners is not the appropriate solution to reduce crime.

Please make plans to attend the following public hearings:

School Safety Working Group Public Hearing

Friday, January 25th, 2013

Legislative Office Building

9:30 a.m., Room 2C

“Gun Violence” Prevention Working Group Public Hearing

Monday, January 28th, 2013

Legislative Office Building

10:00 a.m., Room 2C

Mental Health Working Group Public Hearing

Tuesday, January 29th, 2013

Legislative Office Building

10:00 a.m., Room 2C

Full Bi-Partisan Task Force Public Hearing

Wednesday, January 30th, 2013

Newtown High School

6:00 p.m. 

It is crucial that gun owners, sportsmen and supporters of the Second Amendment attend these hearings and firmly voice their opposition to ineffective anti-gun legislation that turns the law-abiding into victims.  These public hearings will determine the direction the General Assembly will take with our gun rights. Therefore, it is important that you also contact your state legislators TODAY and tell them to oppose laws that do nothing to stop crime but only penalize the law-abiding.

Contact information for your state legislators can be found by clicking here. 

ECSU: Victoria Leigh Soto Memorial Scholarship Fund

Greetings Alumni and Friends!

By now I am sure that you are all aware that Eastern alum Victoria Soto '08 lost her life protecting her children in Sandy Hook Elementary School along with 25 other innocent victims.  

Over the past week, we have struggled as a society to understand how such an unthinkable act could happen and have found solace in the heroic acts of the first responders and those that gave their lives to protect the students of Sandy Hook Elementary School. 

On Eastern's campus there is an inspiring sense of pride in Vicki's heroic actions that morning, and we know our alumni share that feeling as well.  We have received countless communications from our alumni, faculty, staff, and students expressing their pride.  More than 300 people on campus gathered at the clock tower on Monday afternoon for a vigil to remember Vicki and all of those who lost their lives last week.  President Nunez and Father Larry both spoke, and everyone joined in the singing of Amazing Grace.  It was a very moving moment for everyone. 

To honor Vicki, Eastern has created the Victoria Leigh Soto Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund to support students studying to be teachers who have unmet financial need.  We have been amazed at the response of Vicki's Eastern family and friends.  To date, the University webpage honoring Vicki has had nearly 6,000 visitors, and we have received nearly 250 individual gifts to the scholarship fund. 

The photo of the candles below was taken at Monday's vigil on campus.  Like those candles, the Eastern community stands united, and we all shine brightly to honor Vicki's memory.  

Our Victoria Leigh Soto Scholarship Fund site can be found here.  Please reach out to your own personal social media networks and ask your own friends and families to honor Vicki's memory through this scholarship.

You can also receive timely updates from the alumni office on our Alumni Association Facebook page.

Vicki Soto represents the very best of Eastern, and I'm proud to be part of the university family she loved so much.

Regards from Willimantic, 

Michael J. Stenko

Director of Alumni Affairs

Eastern Connecticut State University

83 Windham Street

Willimantic, CT 06226

Donate Directly to the Families of Victims: Sandy Hook

Submitted by K. McClellan

From "The Newtown Bee" 

Mailing Address Established For Families Of Victims

12/20/2012
Newtown Post Office has set up a special address for those who wish to send cards, notes or gifts to the families of the victims of the December 14, 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Cards and gifts should be mailed to:

For The Families Of Newtown,

PO Box 3700,

Newtown CT 06470.

Postmaster Cathy Zieff says that any mail received at that address will be forwarded to the Board of Education, along with any mail that has been sent addressed to Sandy Hook School.

“We spoke with the board this morning and they told us they have crews of people who are working on sorting all of that mail,” Ms Zeiff said Tuesday, December 18. “They will open outer envelopes only, to determine which family the contents should go to, and make sure each family receives the mail that is meant for them.

Westfield Fire Continues to Help Sandy Hook

 In the wake of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary, Westfield Firefighters collected over $8,000 in donations for victims families. They continue their efforts this week. Below are reader submitted photos taken at Westfield Fire.
Flags are at half staff all over Connecticut in honor of victims.
http://www.middletowninsider.com/2012/12/good-job-westfield-fire-department-over.html

Support Advice from SCSU: Dr. Peter F. Troiano

Dear Students,

     My office has received numerous telephone calls and e-mails asking questions and offering suggestions on how we, as a campus, might respond to the terrible tragedy in Newtown last Friday.  As we prepare to depart for the holidays and perhaps an extended period of rest and relaxation, I want to address three major areas of concern.  I am happy to continue these conversations during and after the semester break.

     First, many of you are looking for resources and support.  As always, any SCSU student who is feeling overwhelmed and would like to speak with a counselor should contact SCSU Counseling Services at (203) 392-5475.  If you are looking for resources to help you and your family manage the sorrow and distress you may be experiencing, the American Psychological Association has put together some excellent resources, available at: www.apa.org/index.aspx.  In addition, for information on how to talk to small children about this type of tragedy many are turning to the wisdom of the late Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers) at: www.fci.org/new-site/par-tragic-events.html.

     Second, many of you are interested in helping to organize a campus-wide response and have raised important social and political issues that a national event such as this one is bound to bring to the forefront.  The Dean of Students’ Office will be working with individuals and departments on campus to address these issues and to consider ways we, as a campus, might reach out to the families of the victims.  In the meantime, a memorial services is scheduled for tomorrow, December 19, at 3:00 p.m. outside the Adanti Student Center Ballroom.

     Finally, many of you have raised concerns regarding safety on campus.  I want to assure you that the safety and security of every individual on campus is our most important concern.  University Police are highly trained to respond to potential threats and emergencies and have established strong partnerships with the New Haven and Hamden Police Departments, as well as the State Police and FBI.  These agencies have trained our personnel to deal with a variety of situations, including incidents that may involve an active shooter.  SCSU has a comprehensive Emergency Management Plan which is managed by the University Incident Management Team, comprised of University Police, administrators, faculty and staff from all segments of the campus.  The plan may be accessed at: www.southernct.edu/emergencypreparedness and contains detailed instructions on what to do in a variety of emergency situations. In addition, SCSU has several methods of communication used in campus-wide emergency situations and drills, including the SCSU Alert system (text, e-mail and voice) and a siren/public address system.

     During a tragic time like this, I think of the values that bind our university together.  One of the most important is our compassion for one another.  Many of you are grieving, especially those of you who knew the victims.  This is a time to reach out to each other, talk to each other and try to help each other cope with the senselessness that too often is a part of our daily lives.  Our thoughts go out to the families, friends, neighbors and all the members of the Newtown community who are so deeply wounded by this unspeakable tragedy.  We pray for their comfort and well-being, as we honor and remember the victims.

Dr. Peter F. Troiano

Interim Vice President for Student and University Affairs

Southern Connecticut State University

501 Crescent Street

New Haven, CT 06515

(203) 392-5550

How to Talk to the Kids: Community Health Centers

Talking with children about the recent school shooting in Sandy Hook 12/14/12
Dr. Tim Kearney, Chief Behavioral Health Officer, Community Health Centers, Inc.

All of us as parents and those who work with children wish that we could protect them from the knowledge of the tragedies that occur in the world around them and from the impact that this knowledge has on them. Unfortunately we cannot; especially in this age of constant news feeds and social media. We must therefore help them to develop the skills to cope with what happened and structure their world to make their response as manageable as possible.

Like adults, children need accurate information about what happened. Give them the facts as they are know, and correct details as more information becomes available. Deliver this information in age appropriate ways. Young children just need the basics – “someone came into a school in Sandy Hook and shot some of the people there, adults and children were hurt and some died”. Be guided by their response as to how much information to give them beyond that. Older children are more likely to be curious and ask more questions, again, let their interest be your guide as to how much to go into it.

Common concerns children will raise include:
1. wanting to know where it happened. Younger children will assume it is right around the corner, and may think that a police car or ambulance going by their window is responding. Given them an accurate sense of the distance and if possible tie it into a reference that will make sense to them. “Do you remember the mall with the merry go round in Danbury? That is about an hour drive from here. It happened in a town near there.”

2. Wanting to know if it is over or not. Seeing the news over and over children may think it is still going on, or has happened in lots of places or lots of times. Reassure them with accurate information. “There is just one shooting today but the TV keeps talking about it and it seems like there are many different ones. There is only one and it is over now.” Turn off the TV and do not subject your children to more information that they need about this.

Middletown Memorial Walk for Sandy Hook Friday

Middletown Walks for Sandy Hook

A memorial walk  will take Friday December 21 at 9:15 am starting at the YMCA at the corner of  Union & Main Street in Middletown. Anyone wishing to participate is asked to wear green and white in honor of Sandy Hook Elementary School. Walkers will walk for 27 minutes as a symbolic gesture to honor the 27 victims of the tragedy. There is a facebook group which everyone is welcome to join and pass along, "WORLDWIDE WALK 27 On 12/21/2012- Middletown CT" created by resident Callie Grippo.

"At the end of the walk, we will release bubbles in honor of the fallen innocent children & teachers," said Grippo.

Good Job Westfield Fire Department: Over $8,000 Raised for Sandy Hook

WESTFIELD- On December 16, 2012 approximately $8,800 was raised by members of  Middletown and surrounding communities as a donation to the victims' families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy.  The event was set up by the Westfield Fire Department which adapted their customary "Fill the Helment" style way of raising funds for this very serious cause.

 According to www.westfieldfire.net: 

"The principal architects of the event were Lt. Matt Holmes, Lt. Matt Caffrey, FF Jake Peterson, FF James Figueroa, FF Kevin Mosca, EMT Lucas Kennedy, EMT Ed Bonviso and Alysia Bonviso. Safety Officer Stephen Hughes provided a significant amount of logistical support. The event received the full support of Chief John Lockwood, Deputy Chief Joe Augeri and Assistant Chief Bill Balch.  Additionally, Commissioner Sid Harmon was on hand to provide the full support of the Westfield Fire District."

 The site also adds that there are a couple of funds set up for the Sandy Hook families, but the WFD wants to call on the Sandy Hook fire chief before a decision is made on what charity to donate to.

From the Desk of Elsa M. Nunez: ECSU Presient

Office of the President


December 17, 2012

Dear Family and Freinds:

On Friday, December 14, Eastern Connecticut alumna Victoria Leigh Soto, an Eastern 2008 Alum, lost her life protecting her first-grade students at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, from the assailant who shot and killed 20 children and seven adults that day. Victoria is being recognized literally across the world for her heroism that day. I want to thank all of the faculty, staff, students, and alumni who have offered their condolences and their thoughtful suggestions for keeping Victoria's memory alive. It is heart-warming to know that Eastern is coming together in the wake of this horrific loss. I will be in touch with Victoria's family soon to develop appropriate ways to honor her. In the meantime, I am immediately announcing the creation of the Victoria Leigh Soto Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund at Eastern to support students studying to be teachers who have unmet financial need. Donations may be directed as follows:

Victoria Leigh Soto Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund
ECSU Foundation, Inc.
Eastern Connecticut State University
83 Windham Street
Willimantic, CT 06226

ATTN: Kenneth J. DeLisa
Vice President for Institutional Advancement
I will be in contact with her family to plan an appropriate memorial service for her at Eastern. I will alert the University community as soon as those plans are finalized. In the meantime, thank you for your thoughts and prayers. The unspeakable act at Sandy Hook has permanently impacted the lives of the victim's families and the Newtown community. To them, and to the people who knew and loved Victoria, we extend our deepest sympathies, and will continue to seek ways to honor Victoria so that her spirit and memory will never be forgotten. God Bless.

Sincerely,

Elsa M. Núñez
President

From: Debbie Kleckowski- Re: Support on Monday

For those who need a place to pray, or to have someone to talk with, Pastor Clow of Grace Luthern Church on Randolph Rd will be available at 9am. The Church will be open for people to relect, pray or to talk with the Pastor.

Thank you to Grace Luthern for hosting a Vigil this evening. Those who attended were very appreciative.

God Bless,
Deb

Mayor: Safety Message via Honeywell Alert

This weekend, we held a joint meeting with the mayor’s office, Middletown Public Schools’ central office administration and Middletown Police Department command staff to review and improve our existing plans to secure our children’s welfare and safety.

We reviewed our existing emergency response protocols in light of the heartbreaking tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School and made additional plans to increase security at each of our schools. Some changes will be visible and some will not.

Students, parents, faculty and staff will witness an increased police presence in and around Middletown’s schools in the coming weeks. We have also formulated additional plans for increased police presence in and around Middletown’s schools on a permanent basis. Additionally, a number of other security measures are being implemented.

Our top priority is to provide our students, their families, our staff, and our community with a safe learning environment.

The tragedy suffered in Newtown puts into perspective the preciousness of our loved ones and that we must never take for granted their presence. We mourn for the children who were taken in the dawn of their lives, the families whose unimaginable grief can never be assuaged, and the community whose heart will bear enduring scars.

We can only hope and pray that they find comfort in the memories of those they have lost and in their spirit of unity. We invite you to join us for a vigil on the South Green Monday at 7 p.m., in memory of the people who lost their lives.

Sincerely,

Mayor Daniel Drew
Superintendent Patricia Charles
Police Chief William McKenna

Governor Malloy's Speech: 12/15/2012

Yesterday an unspeakable tragedy occurred in the community of Newtown. 20 beautiful children and 7 wonderful adults lost their lives.

All of Connecticut’s people – indeed the people of the world –weep for the immeasurable losses suffered by the families and loved ones of these victims.

Though we could all try, when something as senseless as this occurs, there’s precious little anyone can say to the families of the victims that will lessen the horror and sense of loss they feel. We could say we feel their pain, but the truth is we can’t.

When tragedies like this occur, people often look for answers, an explanation of how this could have occurred. But the sad truth is, there are no answers. No good ones, anyway.

We have all seen tragedies like this play out in other states and countries. Each time, we wondered how something so horrific could occur, and we thanked God that it didn’t happen here in Connecticut. But now it has.

Westfield Fire to Collect Money For Sandy Hook Victims Today

Middletown-  It has been announced by the Westfield Fire Department officials, “That in lieu of the of the tragedy which occurred Friday at Sandy Hooks Elementary School, the department and their supporters will be collecting funds for the families that lost loved ones in the senseless massacre which occurred to our neighboring town in Connecticut. We will be collecting monies at our station the reminder of the day.” 

Sympathy Over Connecticut Shool Shooting Stretches Globe

Note: This article originally appeared in USA Today's December 16, 2012 Digital edition which can be located at www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/

Julia Gillard, Australian Prime Minster on Sandy Hook shooting:"(The attack was a) senseless and incomprehensible act of evil."

BANGKOK (AP) — Images of a tearful President Barack Obama speaking after a shooting rampage in Connecticut resonated around the world, with many outside the United States expressing hope Saturday that America's latest school massacre would prompt the country to strengthen gun control.
Shock and sympathy were the initial reactions to the rampage that left 28 people dead, including 20 children at an elementary school. Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard described the attack as a "senseless and incomprehensible act of evil."
"Like President Obama and his fellow Americans, our hearts too are broken," Gillard said in a statement, referring to the U.S. leader's emotional expression of condolence.
The gunman killed his mother at their home before opening fire Friday inside the school in Newtown, Connecticut, where he killed 26 people, including 20 children, police said. The killer, identified as 20-year-old Adam Lanza, then committed suicide.
Australia confronted a similar tragedy in 1996, when a man went on a shooting spree in the southern state of Tasmania, killing 35 people. The mass killing sparked outrage across the country and led the government to impose strict new gun laws, including a ban on semi-automatic rifles.
Gillard's sentiments echoed those of British Prime Minister David Cameron, who said he "was shocked and deeply saddened" to learn of the "horrific shooting."
"My thoughts are with the injured and those who have lost loved ones," he said. "It is heartbreaking to think of those who have had their children robbed from them at such a young age, when they had so much life ahead of them."

SCSU Patrick J. Dilger: Shooting Victims with Ties to Southern

From the Desk of Patrick J. Dilger, Director of Public Affairs SCSU:

The University is deeply saddened to report that several of the teachers and administrators killed during Friday's shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown had ties to Southern.

Principal Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung earned a master's degree in special education in 1997, and a sixth-year certificate in educational leadership from Southern in 1998. School psychologist Mary Sherlach and teacher Anna Marie Murphy took graduate-level classes during the late 80s and early 90s, and teacher Victoria Soto was currently taking classes toward a master's degree in special education.

Our community's thoughts and prayers are with these individuals and all who died or lost a loved one during this tragedy.

No Words. Tragedy in Newtown.

We at the Middletown Insider are deeply saddened to hear of the shooting that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Ct  that took 26 innocent lives.

There are just no words for such a tragedy of this magnitude.

Prayer Vigil held by Grace Lutheran Church: Grace Lutheran Church-Randolph Rd. Sunday December 16 at 5pm.

The congregation has graciously opened their doors and is welcoming parishioners and non parishioners to attend a special service Sunday evening.