July 9, 2004 - School Notes

Phillip Williamson, the assistant principal at Hamilton Avenue School since 1999, will go to North Mianus School, and Carleen Wood, a special education coordinator in Greenwich since 2002, will go to Cos Cob School.

Full Service Greenwich Time

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Friday, July 16, 2004 - Boo boo Hits The Lottery For $100,000

After years of gambling, Donald Smith "Boo-boo" Smith has superstitions about lucky days, weeks, even months, and Friday, July 16, was not supposed to be lucky. But an employee at Greenwich Cigar and Stationery, where the Chickahominy resident buys his lottery tickets nearly every day, persuaded him to buy a one that Friday. Smith scratched it off and saw immediately that he had won $100,000.

At that point, Smith said his heart was pounding so fast that he had to rush over to the Bruce Park Grill, another favorite haunt, to settle down with a drink. A few minutes later, he called a friend who is a taxi driver, offered him $200 to chauffeur him around for the day and the pair took off for New Britain to claim Smith's winnings. They returned in the afternoon and spent the rest of the day celebrating at the Bruce Park Grill.

Paul "Gov" Rachl, a bartender at the Bruce Park Grill who has known Smith for more than 30 years, said patrons were dubious about Smith's good fortune at first.

The week ending 8/15/04

Real Estate - Open Space

"We acquired properties through Mr. van der Stricht's hard work in encouraging people to give land to be preserved as open space for perpetuity," Greenwich Land Trust co-founder Daniel Badger said in a recent interview with Greenwich Time.

Remembering Mr. Rockafeller Accomplishments

Mr. James Stillman Rockefeller attended Yale University, where he rowed for all four years of his college career. He became team captain in his senior year and led his team in beating Harvard University's crew, which was then considered the best in the nation. Yale's victory over Harvard at their annual regatta earned Mr. Rockefeller's crew the right to compete in the Olympics as the United States team.

Family Feud

Lucy Eisenberg and Jessica Matthews wanted to sell their portions of the property; Tuchman wanted to continue living on the property, which includes a house, stables, several small cottages and acres of open space. The sisters were unable to work out an agreement and, in October 2000, Eisenberg and Matthews sued Tuchman.

Aug 20, 2003

"We've seen that people are anxious about buying their school clothes," said Candy Nichols, owner of Candy Nichols and The Loft, which sell clothing for infants through middle-school-aged children. Nichols added that several popular items have already begun to sell out.

"Cashmere has come down in price and it's really comfortable," said Suzanne Zarrilli, the co-owner of WishList, where shelves feature Juicy Couture sweat suits, Miss Sixty jeans and retro Lacoste shirts - all big hits with teenage girls.

"I really like the new Juicy velour suits, the long sleeve Lacoste shirts and the new Juicy cashmere scarves," said Brooke Richman, 17, as she sifted through the shelves at WishList looking for a pair of black pants

By

Jessica Peet; Special Correspondent

Full Story Greenwich Time

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May 25, 2003 - Retro street signs win favor with residents

A maverick in the satellite communications field whose North Street mansion was modeled after the Petit Trianon at Versailles, [Rene Anselmo] initially suggested green signs instead of white, only to be convinced that the latter would be more attractive, [Mary Hull] recalled. Anselmo agreed to pay for more than 60 signs prior to his death in 1995. The signs are predominantly located north of Route 1 and in Chickahominy, although several have cropped up in Old Greenwich and Riverside over the years.

"The fact remains, a lot of people were very pissed off when Anselmo did this," [Bernie Yudain] said, explaining that he prefers the low- key, utilitarian look of the metal signs rather than the contrived image of elegance that the wooden ones exude. "I hated them because I thought they were too Mickey Mouse village, quaint sort of thing."

Greenwich Time

May 4, 2003 - YUDAIN COLUMN - It's Wetherell Not Witherall

Please "ell" not "all" at the end

The deceased may have worked as a printer at the huge Conde Nast plant on the Post Road where now stands the Hyatt Regency Greenwich hotel and a nicely gentrified office building. Or maybe he or she worked at Electrolux in Old Greenwich, a major maker of vacuum cleaners and other devices.

Others may have earned their daily bread at the sprawling Maher Bros. coal and stone establishment that once dominated Greenwich Harbor. Or in one of the many small machine shops and iron works, or in some of the historic mercantile shops in all parts of town, like Meyer Cohen's fancy grocery, where two young guys named John Gleason and Dave Robbins worked and went on to become Greenwich chiefs of police.

If I may say so, it behooves those who write and and babble about The Nathaniel Witherell nursing home at least take the trouble to learn how to spell and pronounce the name of the benefactor in whose honor the home is named. It's Witherell - not Witherall. The gaffe becomes more conspicuous when used in the context of a presumably erudite dissertation about the issues involving Witherell. Please - "ell" not "all" at the end.

Link

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February 17, 2003 - One less gardener will rake the leaves in local parks this fall. Will anyone notice?

Officials: Budget cuts won't hurt public

By Neil Vigdor
Staff Writer

One less gardener will rake the leaves in local parks this fall.

Will anyone notice?

Probably not, according to the scores of municipal officials who last week declared that strict belt-tightening guidelines established by the town's finance board would result in negligible reductions to the services their departments provide.

Those same department heads boasted they were able to limit their budget increases to the Board of Estimate and Taxation's desired threshold of 3 percent to 4 percent largely without consolidating or eliminating vacant positions as the finance board recommended.

But asked if the departments he oversees had received too much money in sunnier economic times given their response to current spending limits, First Selectman Richard Bergstresser rushed to the defense of his immediate subordinates.

The first-term Democrat claimed municipal department heads made substantial cuts to their budgets in areas that do not impact the public.

"Internally they will suffer, but they aren't going to do it at the expense of services to the citizens," Bergstresser said, citing the Police Department as an area where administrators are making cuts. He serves as police commissioner by virtue of his post as first selectman.

By reorganizing shifts and the deployment of officers, Bergstresser said, department officials will reduce overtime expenses and the additional costs associated with part-time employees.

While most municipal department heads appeared unwilling to lay off employees to achieve savings, they agreed to maintain the same spending levels on supplies as this year.

In the past, most departments raised spending in these areas to account for inflation. Facing a projected revenue shortfall of $1 million to $2 million in the town's $260 million-plus budget, department heads are now being urged to be more judicious in using supplies such as salt for icy roads and services such as the hiring of outside counsel to defend the town against lawsuits.

"Another example would be to say, 'Don't make as many copies,' " said James Lash, chairman of the finance board's Budget Committee. "You could have some (personal computers) that you might have replaced this year that you put off until next year."

In the town's Law Department, attorneys typically rely on an Internet-based legal research service that charges on a usage basis. Town Attorney John Wetmore speculated that his department will have less leeway to exceed its budget for that service given the current economic climate.

"We have to live within that budget," said Wetmore, whose $1.45 million overall budget request is 2.1 percent higher than last year's due mostly to salary increases.

However, Wetmore refuses to pare down salary allocations through a hiring freeze or consolidation of vacant positions in his department of 13 employees. Current staffing levels are just enough for his department to get by with its work, he said.

"The thought of reducing my staff didn't enter my mind, and hopefully it wouldn't enter the BET's mind," Wetmore said.

The BET has the power to reduce departments' budgets, and except in the case of the schools, dictate which areas will be cut.

To control spending on supplies and services, Wetmore said his department would hire outside counsel in few circumstances. He estimated that his department currently has no more than 10 cases pending with outside counsel.

The heads of the town's fleet, public works and parks departments echoed many of Wetmore's opinions regarding budgets, with many of them describing their operations as "bare bones" to begin with.

Parks Director Joseph Siciliano agreed to eliminate a vacant gardener's position from his 143-person operation to help cooperate with the finance board's guidelines. The position paid $39,219 per year plus $11,766 in benefits.

"I was making a sacrifice," said Siciliano, who plans to reassign his remaining employees to offset the elimination. "It is our goal not to have the public recognize these changes."

While municipal department heads were resolute about not allowing their downsizing to affect the public, elected officials were equally optimistic that services would be uninterrupted.

"I don't think the general public is going to get any less, and if they do, you'll hear them, believe me," said Sam Romeo, chairman of the Representative Town Meeting District 12 delegation.

The loudest public outcry over potential budget cuts came last week from parents of public school students and educators. They rebuked the finance board's budget committee after its chairman said he was contemplating an additional $500,000 reduction of the schools' $98.7 million budget request.

Several key members of the town's finance board sought to calm parents' fears that additional cuts would lead to layoffs and burgeoning class sizes.

"You're talking about positions being reduced as they come open because of retirement or normal movement," said Lash, who did not address how class size would be controlled.

Budget officials also were hopeful that a revenue shortfall, once projected to be $10 million, would be reduced to $1 million or $2 million and result in less cuts.

"Quite frankly, I'm very optimistic," BET Chairman Peter Tesei said.

Helping the town's overall fiscal situation is a $1 million surplus from the schools' current budget, which the town deposited into its $11 million to $12 million fund balance, finance board members said. The town also may not have to contribute as much to its pension fund as once thought, finance officials said, adding that department heads' budgets cuts are helping the overall outlook.

Tesei went on to suggest that municipal departments used the additional bounty from sunnier economic times to develop programs that streamlined their operations. He cited a townwide accounting system as an example.

But Tesei also conceded the possibility that municipal budgets had been too fat.

"You could very well arrive at that assumption based on those statements you are receiving," he said.

12/21/02 - Rethinking the town's FAR regulations

EDITORIALS

Rethinking the town's FAR regulations
December 18, 2002

The drumbeat of anti-FAR sentiment in town has been constant for several years. Even so, the Planning and Zoning Commission has been working to reinstate a modified form of the floor area ratio rules that were adopted in part to regulate the size of houses built in town. Now the Representative Town Meeting has weighed in with a resolution asking for another look at the situation.

Foes say the FAR regulations didn't work when they were in effect between 1998 and earlier this year. A court decision tossed them out because of problems in notifying the town about the rules when they were adopted.

While the commission's initial reaction was to simply vote anew on the FAR regulations -- with a few alterations to deal with conservation zones and other nuances -- townspeople opposing this house-sizing strategy have pointedly questioned whether other approaches wouldn't be more effective.

The genesis of the Planning and Zoning Commission's FAR strategy was a resolution approved by the RTM back in 1998 seeking an initiative to control the development of oversized houses within our town. Now the matter has come full circle, with the RTM's sense-of-the-meeting vote Dec. 10 that urges a new examination of how best to implement appropriate controls.

While some RTM members told staff writer Ryan Jockers the 2-1 vote doesn't rule out the use of floor area ratios as a tool for controlling construction, it is plain to us that community sentiment supports different tactics. Failure to get this message could pose problems for the Planning and Zoning Commission, which sometimes has seemed out of touch with town residents.

We've been critical in the past of the unwieldy way the RTM can sometimes conduct its business. But in this case, the 229-member town legislature showed its value as a democratic institution, conveying a message from the public to another branch of town government. The vote -- 119 to 54, with 13 abstentions -- to us reflects enough of a consensus for the Planning and Zoning Commission to re-think its plans.

In the past we've suggested that pinning all the town's efforts at controlling the size of new residences on the floor-area-ratio calculations approved by the commission didn't reflect the best use of available zoning tools. Now that the RTM has suggested a review of the problem, we hope the commission will look at other measures, such as setbacks and side-yard limits, that combined with floor-area regulations might better address the needs of our town.

We also agree with some of the FAR critics that whatever regulations are adopted in an effort to prevent the spread of so-called McMansions, the rules should not unduly penalize people by preventing them from building houses consistent in size to their neighborhood. Fairness in this matter is particularly important, because it involves people's homes and their families.

One way the commission might deal with this challenge -- and enlighten some tough critics -- could involve enlisting their help in looking into how other municipalities in Connecticut and elsewhere have addressed the same problem. Greenwich isn't the only place where huge houses have marred the landscape.

In the meantime, now that the RTM vote is on the record, it wouldn't hurt for the Planning and Zoning Commission to openly discuss where it stands and where it will be going as it tries to address the issue. Candor would be better than consistency in building support for the tough task the commission is facing.

12/17/02 Enforcement is key on teen drinking

EDITORIALS

Enforcement is key on teen drinking
December 17, 2002

The arrests of a mother and daughter who hosted a party at which police allege alcohol was served to Greenwich High School students signal a new interest by authorities in dealing with a problem that has been discussed for years: teen drinking. Those in Greenwich who have spoken out about the issue should support stricter enforcement, as well as the stalled community substance abuse program that seems to be gathering fresh momentum.


Our town sometimes needs to be shocked into action. The problems with underage drinking that occurred during the GHS homecoming celebration may have provided townspeople with the equivalent of a slap in the face. Six girls and one boy, all of them freshmen or sophomores, were suspended by school officials for drinking. Two of the girls, who allegedly attended the party in question, were taken to Greenwich Hospital, where one was treated and released and the other spent three days being treated.

The ages of those suspended are 14 and 15. If that is shocking to readers, consider that experts in town say children younger than 10 are among those who abuse alcohol in Greenwich.

Nonetheless, the situation apparently was so troubling that Greenwich police were able to bring charges against Mary P. Pool, 47, and her daughter, Mary B. Pool, 17, who held a party at their North Street home. They were charged with risk of injury to a minor. The Mrs. Pool's husband, Harry, who was out of town at the time of the party, has said he is sure no alcohol was served at the event and has hired an attorney. Both mother and daughter are to appear in court Friday in Stamford.

Regardless of the outcome, this case raises questions about where the teens got alcoholic beverages and who should be responsible for underage drinking. Police note that too often they lack evidence to charge adults who own the houses where drinking parties take place, even though state laws can make the owners subject to arrest. That's why we have suggested that state officials look into laws prohibiting possession of alcoholic beverages by youngsters, as well as more thorough enforcement of existing statutes.

Making it illegal for people under 21 to have alcohol could have a chilling effect on young people who are asked on college applications whether they have ever been arrested. Colleges around the country are also caught up in efforts to eliminate binge drinking, which has become a dangerous way of life on many campuses.

Of course, heavy drinking isn't only confined to colleges, as the GHS homecoming dance debacle indicates. That's why we're glad to see concerned parents and officials from social service agencies and the Police Department rekindling discussions about the problem. A Dec. 11 meeting to begin to form a townwide coalition could be the first step toward putting initiatives to counter teen drinking back on the community's radar screen.

Over the years, the problem has remained important for some individuals, including many teenagers. Young people who support events at the Arch Street teen center, those involved with the Safe Rides program and members of Students Against Drunk Driving have made clear their concerns. So have the parents who make it a point to know where their teenage children are going and when they will be home.

But too many parents not only turn a blind eye to underage drinking but encourage it. Serving alcohol at a teen party on the theory having them home can ensure their safety is fallacious reasoning, for when the young party-goers leave, any control lapses.

That is why we are glad police are taking harsh steps in the pending case. We would like to think other communities would do the same, for this is a widespread problem. But unless our town, other municipalities and the state begin to address underage drinking with stricter measures, we fear a bad situation will only get tragically worse.

Sunday, June 9, 2002 - Henry J. Fisher Sends A Letter To The Greenwich Time Editor

To the editor:

The proposal to build a labyrinth was a good idea before Sept. 11, and it got better after. It is supported by a diverse group of citizens and town employees, including members of all three emergency services, at least two garden clubs, the YWCA and the Junior League. To date, it has been opposed by essentially one group of citizens.

First, I am not a member of the committee shepherding this proposal through the town approval process, although they kindly informed me of it in the fall. In fact, this is the only proposed recognition of the events of Sept. 11 on which I have been consulted. As I saw the opposition mount, I decided to go public with my support.

Many residents were hit very hard by the events of Sept. 11, many more than those of us who lost a relative. However, the issue of stress in our town goes way beyond that tragedy. The quiet little town I thought I grew up in is no longer -- and may never have been. However, the feelings evoked by that concept need to be nurtured by something as simple as a labyrinth.

There are precious few places to go in Greenwich to find solace; most are invaded by crowds and noise. Greenwich Point, in particular its western end, is a special place to find a quiet spot. I believe it is an excellent choice for a labyrinth.

As for access, it is not the problem it is made out to be. If one were to say that every public facility required convenient access, they all would be built in the center of town. There are no legal barriers to access at Greenwich Point; the courts took care of that. As for physical access to the site, the road needs minor repairs at the bottom of the hill; once those are made, a car can carry a handicapped person up to gain full access to the site.

It is important to note that this does not involve structures above the present landscape. It simply involves laying flat stones into the ground to create grass paths. I find that appealing, as it will be a very minor intrusion on the landscape, certainly less than many other structures placed at the Point over the years.

It will not interfere with other activities at the site. Nor does it involve clearing a 250-foot area. Incorporated in the proposal is an offer by the committee to make modest renovations to compensate for years of neglect. These involve repairs to nearby paths and walls, cleaning up the wooded border of the site and planting indigenous plants along the edge. That will prevent people from entering the site by walking up the slope to it, as they do now. Paths created by those walkers are contributing to erosion.

Funds to install and maintain the labyrinth will come from private donations of money, materials and labor.

Alternate sites have been examined and rejected. The site at the Point is the most appropriate because of its proximity to the most accessible view of New York City. I hope some who say they like the idea but oppose the site at the Point will propose a labyrinth at the sites they favor.

The purpose of the labyrinth has been consistently presented. It is in memoriam, not a memorial. It is recognition of the event, not of the people lost. There may come a time when the town decides to erect a memorial. Those are usually erected many years after the events that justify them. The purpose of this proposal is to facilitate healing from our wounds, whatever the source. The associated plaque will read: Dedicated as a sacred, meditative place for healing, solace and contemplation, in remembrance of September 11, 2001.

I ask all who support this proposal to call your Representative Town Meeting delegates. They are listed on the Web site: http://www.greenwichct.org/

RTM

Henry J. Fisher

Greenwich

Sunday, June 9, 2002 - Claudia "Dolly" Powers Letter To The Editors Of The Greenwich Time

To the editor:

So many people volunteer for and support TAG and the Bruce Museum as very special assets to our community that I would like to assure the residents of Greenwich that our entire state legislative delegation in Hartford works together when it comes to securing state grants and gaining approval for projects that benefit our town.

Last Friday's approval by Gov. John G. and the State Bond Commission of grants totaling $40,000 for the Transportation Association of Greenwich and $175,000 for the Bruce Museum was just the latest example of your team in action.

myself, state Reps. Livvy Floren and Lile Gibbons and state Sen. William Nickerson -- wrote letters and intervened personally with Gov. Rowland and Marc Ryan, secretary of the state's Office of Policy and Management, to secure the grants that were approved last week. (I like to send the governor hand-written notes to catch his eye.)

When state grants and projects are approved, they usually are the culmination of weeks and even months of effort on our part. That was especially true this year. With revenues significantly lower than expected, Gov. Rowland, OPM and the bond commission are more cautious than ever when it comes to supporting grants that will add to the state's bonded indebtedness. Greenwich's legislative team had to demonstrate that the projects for which we were seeking grants met all the state's criteria for funding in competition with three other towns for a share of only $810,000 in Urban Act funding.

Working together, we helped make the town's case for two grants: one that will enable TAG to purchase a new van to provide transportation services to seniors, disabled people and special education students and the other to fund an architectural study to determine the Bruce Museum's long-term needs.

Greenwich's state legislators are successful in securing state grants that benefit our community because we work as a team. Not all Connecticut towns can say that, nor are all of them so fortunate.

Claudia "Dolly" Powers

State Representative

151st Assembly District

Greenwich

08/31/02 With one murder solved, focus shifts to another notorious case

By Lindsay Faber - Greenwich Time

Two days after a decades-old murder case closed with the sentencing of Michael Skakel, another unsolved murder has reached its 18th anniversary, invigorated by a newly condensed list of suspects and a team of investigators more encouraged than ever.

Matthew Margolies disappeared on Aug. 31, 1984, 18 years ago today. His body was found five days later on a wooded hillside near his Pilgrim Drive home. An avid angler who spent many of his days by the Byram River, Matthew was stabbed more than a dozen times. Police said he had dirt forced down his throat before being strangled with his own T-shirt. His body was placed near the knife they believe was used to stab him.

The Margolies case has sometimes been referred to as Greenwich's "other" unsolved murder, falling short of the notoriety garnered by the world-famous Skakel case.

But Margolies' family has been pushing quietly, speaking monthly with the state's cold case squad and making sure the loss of their loved one never falls on deaf ears.

Even with almost two decades behind them -- Matthew died at 13 and would have been 31 now -- Matthew's mother, Maryann Margolies, and his sister, Stacey, are encouraged by Skakel's conviction and by the news that their own case has moved a step further.

Deputy Chief State's Attorney Christopher Morano, who heads the cold case squad and served as a prosecutor on the Skakel case, said yesterday that his team has "substantially" narrowed the list of suspects in Matthew's case.

"We are focused on a much smaller number of individuals than we were even six months ago," Morano said. "And of the people we're interested in, we know exactly where they are."

Morano would not detail how many suspects are now being focused on.

"I cannot say more than that because somebody out there could easily be reading this," he said. "But I'm encouraged in that while we have not yet arrested anyone, we have not encountered any fatal roadblocks that would lead me to believe we will never solve this case."

He added that the team continues to test pieces of crime scene evidence for forensic information and meet with people suspected of knowing information about the brutal murder.

He also said the forensic science aspect of the renewed investigation holds promise because physical evidence from the homicide scene was well-preserved. Forensic scientists are employing the latest in DNA testing techniques, he added.

"We don't want to get tunnel vision and totally eliminate anyone yet until we feel we have enough for probable cause," Morano said. "That's based upon several factors, like forensic evidence, clear-cut alibis and actions that just don't fit the scenario of the crime."

The case lay dormant for years until Greenwich police announced in 1998 they would re-examine it. They also sought the help of the state, whose cold case team consists of Morano, the state's second-ranking prosecutor, a state homicide investigator, two Greenwich detectives and forensic scientists. The case has been prioritized on the state level as one of its top 40 cold cases, officials said.

For Matthew's mother and sister, today represents the celebration of a 13-year-old boy's life.

"To have known his love, I couldn't ask for more," Maryann Margolies said. "Of course you can't control the mind totally and there is the pain associated with what happened to him and the fact that no one had the right to take his life. And there's the void felt on a daily basis but particularly on holidays and his birthday and a time that would be a celebration day. He was just such a loving and caring person."

Margolies and her daughter believe they will one day sit in the same seats as Dorthy and John Moxley, the mother and brother of Martha Moxley, the 15-year-old found by a jury to have been murdered by Skakel in 1975.

"I remember vividly when Michael Skakel was convicted and I remember Dorthy Moxley saying it was Martha's day," Stacey Margolies said. "I really believe Matthew will have his day and that it will be soon."

Anyone with information about the case should call Greenwich detectives Timothy Duff or Gary Hoffkins at (203) 622-8054.

07/12/02 - Greenwich Time - Police union may kick out ex-sergeant

Police officers in the Silver Shield Association are discussing the possibility of ousting Kevin Fox, the former Greenwich sergeant who admitted to embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from the union, where he served as treasurer, the union president said.Union members also are frustrated over Fox's ability to still receive a $3,046 per month pension from the town.

Fox pleaded guilty this spring to stealing $64,500 from the Silver Shield Association from 1996 to 2000.A judge ordered him to pay $75 per week to the state probation department and to send his income tax reports along with his payments so state officials can determine if his fine should be increased.If the weekly fine is not increased, Fox will pay a total of $19,500, about one-third of what he admitted to stealing.

"We're vigorously investigating our options, and we intend to move swiftly," Silver Shield Association President and Greenwich Lt

....Fox is technically still an associate member of the police union

....Fox, 47, a Stamford resident who currently works for a limousine service, retired from the Police Department in October 2000, weeks after he was caught stealing.After Fox's wife was pulled over for a motor vehicle violation, officers discovered she was driving a car rented with a Silver Shield Association credit card.An investigation found that Fox also used union money to pay for other personal expenses.

Fox's attorney, John Meer-bergen, said he was not aware Fox was still a member of the union."I think he got a letter back after he retired saying he's no longer a member of the union," Meer-bergen said.

Pacewicz said Fox could have received a letter saying he was relieved of his duties as treasurer, but expulsion from the union would require a vote of all its members, which has not been taken.

Town officials said Fox was eligible to receive his pension because he completed 20 years of service with the Police Department."The money had already been put into a fund and committed to his retirement, and he was eligible for that money

....Police Chief Peter Robbins said Fox did not commit misconduct as a police officer, and an internal investigation into his practices as an officer was not warranted.

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7/1/02 The News-Times: Regional Ex-police officer ordered to...

The restitution, to be paid during probation also ordered for Kevin Fox on Friday, angered some union members who believed the officer should have been jailed.

Fox pleaded guilty to stealing $64,500 from the Silver Shield Association from 1996 to 2000.

He will be required to reimburse $19,500 and send his income tax reports to the probation department every six months to determine whether his weekly fine should be raised if his salary increases.

Fox, who works for a limousine service, retired from the Police Department in 2000.

The embezzlement was discovered after Fox's wife was pulled over for a motor vehicle violation and officers found she was driving a car rented with the Silver Shield Association credit card.

An investigation found that Fox, 47, also used union money to finance other personal expenses. John Meerbergen, Fox's lawyer, said his client regrets stealing the money and losing the trust of Greenwich police officers

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06/31/02 - June Obituaries

Obituaries

Elena Amelio, 88,
Elena "Helen" Amelio, 88, of Port Chester, N.Y., died Sunday, June 2, at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, N.Y.

Austin Gillig Cragg, 85,
Austin Gillig Cragg, 85, of Hilton Head Island, S.C., a former longtime town resident, died Saturday, June 1, at the Preston Health Care Center in Hilton Head Island.

Myrtle Clare Motyer Maclaren, 84,
Myrtle Clare Motyer Maclaren, 84, a Greenwich resident, died May 11. She died of natural causes, according to her family.

Marilyn Nisbet, 97,
Marilyn Nisbet, 97, a Greenwich resident, died May 21 at The Nathaniel Witherell nursing home on Parsonage Road.

John Paul Schmaling, 87,
John Paul Schmaling, 87, a lifelong Greenwich resident, died Sunday, June 2, at The Nathaniel Witherell nursing home.

Hubert M. Tibbetts, 77,
Hubert M. Tibbetts, 77, a Greenwich resident and former president of the Thomas J. Lipton Corp., died Sunday, June 2.

Thomas C. Thompson, 83,
Thomas C. Thompson, 83, a Norwalk resident, died Saturday, June 1, at Norwalk Hospital.

Eileen Amy McCarroll, 86,
Eileen Amy McCarroll, 86, of Delray Beach, Fla., a former longtime Greenwich resident, died Thursday, May 30, at Bethesda Hospital in Boynton Beach , Fla.

Friday, June 14, 2002 - Skakel verdict a product of striking contrasts

Joe Pisani

Skakel verdict a product of striking contrasts

Dorthy Moxley began her day with a simple prayer, the same one she's said countless times since her daughter was murdered in 1975: "Dear Lord, again today, like I've been doing for 27 years, I'm praying that I can find justice for Martha....

June 13, 2002 - Jerry Dumas - Will Y's handball court exist only in dreams?

Will Y's handball court exist only in dreams?

After we had talked for a few moments, he revealed the main purpose of his call. He had, just before he woke up, a vivid dream. In it, he and I were playing racquetball on the Greenwich YMCA handball and racquetball court. We have actually done that quite often whenever he has managed to come home for a visit. He said that after we had finished a point, I walked away a bit unsteadily, mumbled something, then collapsed to the floor.

In the dream, he was now faced with a dilemma: Should he begin to work on me or should he call 911? The problem was that there was absolutely nobody else around, and he didn't want to leave me. But his training told him that he must call 911 and get an ambulance and equipment on the way, so he ran out of the handball court and up the stairs to the gym, where there were two guys playing one-on-one at the far end.

He says that he called to them to run to a phone, but the chilling part was that he wasn't sure they understood, or if the did, were going to bother to do anything about it. He then turned and started running back down the stairs, and that is where his dream ended, as those dreams usually do. Something in our brains switches off, not wanting anything to do with endings.

He realized, however, that the phone call to me was a sort of catharsis, a way of exorcising the dream; once he told me about it and heard my voice, he felt the whole thing was then finally concluded. And just maybe he had to find out that it has not really happened after all.

His right foot is in a cast at the moment, so he and I are unlikely to be playing any sports when he comes up from Florida this July. And I told him that by the time he gets up here a second time, perhaps sometime next year, there probably wouldn't be any handball-racquetball court. I said the YMCA had received permission from the town to double its size, and the court stood in the way of the proposed Olympic-sized swimming pool, according to the architect, and would have to be torn down.

"How can they do that?" John said. (I love this boy.) "Isn't it a historic court? Isn't the Greenwich Y court where racquetball was invented?"

I told him that he certainly brought up an interesting point. The YMCA had got permission to build a much larger structure than allowed because of something called "historic overlay." That is, the board of directors gets the rules bent in return for a promise to keep the existing historic structure as it is.

The main building is truly lovely and should be preserved at all costs. (I was a member of the YMCA board of directors 20 years ago when the board was split almost 50-50 between those of us who wanted to preserve and beautify the present structure and those who wanted to sell the building and its property to a developer for the now-mind-numbing sum of $2 million.) But I am not aware that anything historic ever happened in the beautiful main building. The only truly historic part of the YMCA is its almost 70-year-old handball court, and although many are not aware of it, that is the only part of the building scheduled for demolition.

The court is, incidentally, in wonderful shape, except for its somewhat subdued lighting. I once had the U.S. handball champion, John Bike, and the Canadian national champion, Danny Bell, come to play at the Y with us, and they later pronounced it one of the best courts they had ever played on. (They don't make 'em like this anymore, and all that.)

A new court, which will still be the only court in town, is earmarked for inclusion as part of the new gym, but it's anybody's guess whether the court will be strong and sound or flimsy and dead, or when it will become a fact.

In the end, I told John that I'm still here, and the historic court is still here. I told him to keep his fingers crossed for both of us.

Jerry Dumas, who lives in Greenwich, writes and draws the comic strip Sam and Silo and contributes gags to Beetle Bailey. His articles have appeared in Smithsonian, The Atlantic Monthly and other periodicals.

June 6, 2002 - Jerry Dumas - How does this resonate with your funny bone?

How does this resonate with your funny bone?

Before very long I'll be participating in a luncheon gathering of fellow observers of the good life and whatever good times one can manage to scare up. It's the sort of happy and expectant soiree that more or less demands that each member contribute two or more stories that have never been heard before and that will result in general laughter and good feelings all around.

This assembly will take place at a small distance, and I know for certain that those present do not see this newspaper. Therefore, I feel safe in trying out a story or three here in this space.

Sometimes I think a story is new, and it isn't. Sometimes I think a story is old, and it's new to everyone to whom I tell it. Here are some I am considering, stories I guess most people will not have heard. If any reader has a strong negative opinion, an "Oh-God, Please-Don't-Tell-That-One" reaction, there will be time to let me know before I make a mistake.

*

The 18th century philosopher Moses Mendelssohn was walking down a busy street in Berlin one day when he accidentally collided with a stout Prussian officer.

"Swine," shouted the officer.

With a courteous bow, the philosopher replied, "Mendel-ssohn."

*

A chemist invented a new deodorant. It's called "Vanish." When you rub it on, you disappear. Then everybody wonders where the smell is coming from.

*

A rich young Greenwich woman had an earache. The doctor examined her and found a piece of string dangling from her ear. The doctor began pulling it out, and the more he pulled, the more the string came out. He struggled and kept pulling, and finally, to his amazement, out fell a bouquet of roses.

"Good heavens," said the doctor. "Where did this come from?"

"How should I know?" said the young woman. "Why don't you look at the card?"

*

"She gave me a smile I could feel in my hip pocket." (Raymond Chandler, "Farewell, My Lovely")

*

In Brooklyn in 1932, an elderly woman was caught shoplifting. The butcher did not press charges.

He said, "Just pay for the chicken, and we'll forget what happened."

Tears of gratitude ran down her face, and she kissed the butcher and said, "I don't know why I did it, and I swear I'll never do it again. I'll be glad to pay for it, but not a your prices, you crook."

*

In Lucca, Italy, a cartoonist named Carlo Chendi said to me, "Do you remember Castelli and Silvestri, who come to your home in Connecticut last year? They return to Italy and they say to me, 'He is nice man. He just like us. He prefer to do today's work tomorrow.'"

*

A true story: Young couple in Manhattan. Like many other working couples, they routinely telephone out to have dinner delivered rather than cooking in their tiny kitchen. They didn't give this practice a second thought until they noticed that their 18-month-old was climbing into his high chair every time the doorbell rang.

*

Second true story: George S. Getnick is telephoning an insurance client at her home. The phone is answered by the woman's 5-year-old son, who reports that his mother is unavailable. Mr. Getnick asks the child if he would please write down the caller's name, and give it to his mother when she returns.

"OK," says the little boy.

"I will spell it for you," Mr. Getnick says. "The first letter is G, the second letter is ..."

"Wait," the young voice commands. A brief pause. Then: "How do you make a G?"

Jerry Dumas, who lives in Greenwich, writes and draws the comic strip Sam and Silo and contributes gags to Beetle Bailey. His articles have appeared in Smithsonian, The Atlantic Monthly and other periodicals.

06/02/02 - Bernie Yudian

• Descriptions of events have a familiar ring

Welcome to the initial program of "Smart Talk." We're pleased to have as our guest Dr. Manfred Q. Finster, noted cliché expert. Welcome, doctor.

A. Proud as punch to be here with you. Happy as a clam.

Q. Could you tell us how you got into this unusual specialty?

A. Yes indeedy. Growing up I was fascinated by stories appearing in the New Yorker magazine by a brilliant humorist named Frank Sullivan, who wrote these interviews with a Mr. Arbuthnot, cliché expert.

Q. So you were inspired to follow suit. Have you enjoyed it?

A. Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick (ha ha). I've made out like a bandit.

Q. I see. You look well.

A. Fit as a fiddle.

Q. Let's talk about the Skakel case. Any views?

A. The case was problematic from the start. The prosecution did a bang-up job.

Q. And the defense?

A. They had a tiger by the tail.

Q. What was the turning point?

A. That private investigation into the murder that put the spotlight on Michael. That let the genie out of the bottle.

Q. It's that serious?

A. Hey, once you squeeze the toothpaste out of the tube �

Q. Right, I get it. What about the defense trying to pin the rap on the teacher, Ken Singleton? Do you think he was involved?

A. You believe that and I've got a bridge I'd like to sell you.

Q. How do you think the

jury was persuaded?

A. The prosecution connected the dots.

Q. That seems to be the Cliché du Jour, doesn't it?

A. That it is.

Q. You think there's more to come in this Skakel case?

A. Looks like a done deal to me.

Q. Remarkable, the decision, since the testimony was all circumstantial.

A. Yes. No smoking gun.

Q. I understand the courtroom was stunned when the verdict came in. How was the tension?

A. You could cut it with a knife.

Q. What kind of a gasp was there?

Q. An audible gasp, of course.

Q. On another subject, what's your take on the president's spectacular government reorganization plan?

A. Just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

Q. You don't sound like a fan of our government people. Why?

A. Politicians feed at the public trough while talking out both sides of their mouth.

Q. A neat trick, that.

A. And they spend money like a drunken sailor.

Q. Have you ever been in

public service?

A. Been there; done that.

Q. You have had quite a career.

A. Yes, a well-rounded one. And I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Q. You sound off in public quite a lot?

A. Of course. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Q. Have any trouble getting to the studio today?

A. I-95 was a parking lot.

Q. We've got a transportation problem in this area, haven't we?

A. It's a can of worms.

Q. Our officials can't seem to figure out how to improve it.

A. They run around like chickens with their heads cut off.

Q. You listen to weather-givers on radio and TV. Any comment?

A. I'll say so. I heard one goofy guy say where he was, the hail was as big as ping-pong balls!

Q. What's wrong with that?

A. That's a no-no. Any idiot knows hail stones are always as big as golf balls!

Q. What about floods?

A. That's easy. Rivers are always rampaging.

Q. Do you pay attention to the lighter things in society?

A. Oh yes, I'm no stick-in-the-mud nerd. I like to watch these older wealthy guys bustling around with young chicks.

Q. Those women are called ...?

A. Arm candy. And if they snare the rich geezer, they become trophy wives.

Q. I can see you're up on what's going on these days.

A. You can bet your bottom dollar on that. Keeping your eyes peeled -- that's the bottom line.

Q. Your business must be stressful.

A. It is, but at the end of the day, I sleep like a log.

Q. That's great.

A. Yes, at this point in time, clichés abound.

Q. And that's good for your science?

A. Bet your bippy. For me, it's a win-win situation.

Q. To get back to the trial, what did it bring?

A. Closure.

Q. That's a real faddish word and relatively new in the lingo, isn't it?

A. Search me.

Q. How did you feel when that verdict came in?

A. You could have knocked me over with a feather.

Q. And what's your prediction on the ultimate outcome of this matter?

A. That remains to be seen.

Q. Well, time's up. It sure went by a fast.

A. Like a bat out of hell.

Q. Thanks for coming doctor. I hope we can do this again some day and talk about some Greenwich clichés.

A. That would be peachy. Have a nice day.
Bernie Yudain, whose column appears Wednesdays and Sundays, is a public affairs consultant and a former managing editor of Greenwich Time.

May 30, 2002 - Jerry Dumas - Winning our fencing match with the deer

Winning our fencing match with the deer

I would like to submit a report on progress at our place since, as I mentioned recently in a column about something else, we have completed our installation of deer fencing. The deer are free to roam the front yard, but can't get into the back or most of the side yards anymore.

It is becoming clear that the fencing is a success. Now that vegetation has leafed out, we can see what a difference having no deer chomping non-stop through the night can make. Take a rose bed, for instance. I had no idea our roses could bloom in such profusion. In past years I could see, as I walked around in the morning, where deer had bitten off buds and new soft growth at the tips of canes, but I really had no idea of the extent of the damage. It is possible that the weather has been just right for roses this spring, but more likely it is the fact that those voraciously graceful four-legged eating machines are around the corner eating someone else's roses.

My sunflowers are also doing nicely. Last year the deer left them alone, and I figured that sunflowers don't make it with a deer's taste buds; they left them alone, that is, until the 10-inch diameter flowers approached their maximum beauty, at which point the deer chomped them off, stomping the asparagus below as they dined.

We used to see as many as seven or eight deer in the back yard, and when we got up in the morning it was always both interesting and disheartening to look at them. They are such lovely creatures that it's a shame, like certain girls you knew in college, they leave such destruction in their wake.

One winter we arose one morning to find that two inches of snow had fallen, and at least one deer had taken a walk across the pool cover, puncturing it with its hooves in four or five places. It surprised me, because I had thought that deer, being sensitive creatures, would have backed off with the first shaky step. But that's the mistake we make when we think about wild creatures: We think of them as being all alike. It may be, as with humans, there are smart deer and stupid deer. Until the pool cover incident, a costly mistake (to me, not to the deer), I hadn't considered that in each deer family there was always one dim-bulb, one who never learned, the one the rest of them knew would never amount to much.

One of the main problems with our place is that we have every single thing that deer love to eat. We have dozens of crab apple tress, and I've seen deer, after devouring all crab apples on the ground and on lower branches, stand on their hind legs for minutes at a time to get those once thought beyond their reach. We have oak trees; deer, I can attest, think acorns are the nectar of the gods. We have one peach tree, two pear trees and we used to have a plum tree, and when deer had done away with whatever fruit they could grab, they ate the twigs as a side dish.

I won't even go into what's been happening to the door frames and the stucco, except to say that it vexes me when my wife defends them, saying they're just restless.

But all that is a thing of the past. In the first weeks after the fencing went up, I would see hoof prints in the soil on the outside of the fence as they shifted uncertainly from hoof to hoof (I can read their little minds like a book), wondering what happened to a passage they had once trod so freely. Then the rains came and washed away their hoof prints, and in the weeks that followed no new prints were seen. And wonder of wonders, rose bushes and butterfly bushes and sedum that were on their side of the fence remained untouched. They had stopped coming to the front yard.

I came to realize they felt that if they couldn't stop, have a snack and go on through, they weren't interested in the area at all. Deer don't like to be backed into a corner or against a wall; they want the freedom to move in any direction.

As do we all.

Jerry Dumas, who lives in Greenwich, writes and draws the comic strip Sam and Silo and contributes gags to Beetle Bailey. His articles have appeared in Smithsonian, The Atlantic Monthly and other periodicals.