Dear Auntie Mac,

I find myself in a situation I’ve never faced on Christmas – spending the holiday all alone. My spouse passed away this year, a visit with most of my relatives would require air travel, and those who live in Connecticut have family members with compromised immune systems and we’ve agreed not to take risks. I’m grateful the rest of us are all still here, if not near, yet all I’ve ever known are large family gatherings and would so appreciate some suggestions on celebrating the holiday all by myself.

Alone for the Holidays

My Dear Neighbor:

First, Auntie Mac offers her sincerest condolences on the loss of your spouse. 2020 is not, as the Queen would say, a year that we can look back on with undiluted pleasure, and personal tragedy adds salt to an already devastating wound. But all is not hopeless, as a glance at your letter shows. You’ve indicated a desire to celebrate the holidays and not wallow alone in misery—a testament to your admirable spirit and pluck, and you are to be commended for that. Thus, remedies to your dilemma may be more plentiful than you think.

While Auntie Mac is usually one to eschew technological advances of nearly any kind (an exception being LED flashlights the size of paper clips; they are truly marvelous) she has more and more come to realize that our current forms of communication—telephone, internet, the now-ubiquitous Zoom chats—have been lifesavers during these oddest of times. Even Lars has become less grumpy now that he can attend his beloved “Anglers Away” weekly meeting online. Previously bereft to the point of trimming the privet into vicious, spear-like shapes, he now cackles happily in front of his computer with his fish-obsessed friends, extolling the virtues of something called a “Pflueger Patriarch.” (The other day he announced that due to his longtime and continued service here, we were now part of the same “pod,” a revelation simultaneously touching and ominous.) We’ve all been a bit slow at first to realize that, barring those among us who have sadly passed on, our friends and loved ones are right where they’ve always been, and frankly many of us have been in communication with them more in the past several months than we have been in twenty years. My advice, then, dear, is to spend as much time as you wish communicating with family up to and by all means including the holidays, and when you are not fielding calls, exchanging recipes, watching presents being opened, or listening to grandchildren tell you how very, very good they’ve been this year, try to be as kind to yourself as possible. Treat yourself to a small but decadent holiday feast. Go for short walks and enjoy the cool, crisp air. Chat from safe distances with neighbors and friends in town. Shouting across the street can be very refreshing. Check the town website for events in which you’d like to participate. And please do not be shy. Tell everyone that you welcome any and all communication from now until January 1. And above all, remember that you live in Hampton, and that means you are never alone.

Your Auntie Mac

This recipe makes a zillion little quarter-sized decorative cookies that fill out your Christmas Cookie plate with colorful and beautiful single bite cookies that show off all of your other cookies and are delicious morsels in their own right.

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sifted Powdered Sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 ¼ cups all purpose flour

1 cup pecan halves

2 cups candied fruits of at least 3 colors (red cherries, green pineapple, yellow citron)

Cream butter; slowly add the sifted powdered sugar. Blend in the egg and the vanilla. Slowly add 2 cups of the flour. Toss fruit in remaining ¼ cup flour and fold into the batter, then fold in pecan halves. Divide into 3 equal balls of dough. Roll in wax paper into 3, twelve inch logs. Chill for one hour until firm – then freeze for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice frozen dough into 1/8 inch thick cookies onto parchment or silpat on cookie sheets. Reduce heat to 325, and bake for 12 – 15 minutes. They do not spread, so load up the sheet for baking, and enjoy!

Happy Holidays!

Perry Mandanis

“I’m bored,” the little rooster sighed. “Same thing, day in and day out.” Doug was the only rooster in a flock of seven chickens. He had a good life. The chicken coop was large enough so that everyone had their own space to move around in, the food bucket was always full, the water always fresh. Most of the time the door to the coop was left open which allowed Doug and his flock to come and go as they pleased. It was safely situated in the middle of a big, fenced in yard. The flock enjoyed the freedom of pretty much doing whatever they wanted to do. Even so, Doug felt restless.

Now, little Doug had mastered the art of hopping over the safety fence. “Naughty boy! Get back in there with your girls!” the lady in the yellow house would scold. Still, every morning after breakfast, Doug would fly right over the fence and stand proudly on the other side leaving Brownie, Porridge, Checkers, Lily, Cher and Phoebe pleading for his return to the safe side. “Come back!” Lily would call. “You’ll be eaten by the fox!” Cher wailed. Doug paid them no mind. He wondered around the yard, inspecting the perimeter, looking for new things to do. He’d visit the squirrels and wild birds at the hanging feeder. Doug was fascinated by stories of their adventures…‘out there’. “Tell me more!” he’d implore.

The squirrels told tales of out-running hungry hawks, foxes and coyotes.  “One almost got Henry but he darted to the very top of that tree over there, just in time!”

“Yeah, and my Mom and I ran all the way to the other side of the yard to get away from a giant hawk! We hid behind that big rock all night until it got annoyed and flew away!”

“Wow!” Doug exclaimed.  Blue Jays regaled chasing crows away from babies in nests, chipmunks bragged of their stockpiles of delicious nuts and berries they’d gathered, and all of them described the thrill of leaping from one branch to another as they played in towering treetops. Doug’s eyes glazed over in excitement. He imagined what fun he’d have even if he could do only one of those things. “Come on!” a tiny chipmunk beckoned. “Come play with us!”

“Hmmmm,” he thought out loud. Doug looked over at his flock and then to the safety of his coop. “Bah,” he exclaimed. “Booooring!” Without a second thought, he raced to catch up with the tiny chipmunk who was now on the heels of a gang of squirrels darting up a tall tree. “No Doug! Come back Doug! Dooouugggg!” all the hens screamed together.

Doug did not look back. He hopped up onto the first branch.  “So easy,” he thought to himself. “Higher!” the tiny chipmunk hollered. Doug jumped up onto the second branch. “Still easy,” he said. “C’mon slow poke. Higher!” the chipmunks and squirrels all yelled in unison. That third branch was at a dizzying height and Doug wasn’t sure he’d be able to make it up there. “Oh no. I don’t want to let my new friends down,” he worried. He stared at the branch, puzzling on how he’d get himself up there. Fortunately for Doug, the leader of the squirrel pack decided to run down the tree and across the lawn. They all followed, zig-zagging this way and that. “Phew,” Doug sighed out loud. He clung tightly to the second branch, relieved that he did not have to go any higher.

Just then, an old crow shimmied up next to Doug. “Say sonny,” she wheezed. “Could you hold this berry for me?” and before Doug could protest the old crow shoved the berry from her beak into his beak and flew off. “Thief!” an angry Blue Jay squawked and flew at lightning speed right toward Doug! Panic shot through his little body and without thinking, Doug hurled himself out of the tree and onto the ground. “Thank you. I’ll take that now,” the old crow announced. She snatched the berry from Doug’s beak and rudely flew off without even asking Doug whether or not he was alright. “Ouch,” Doug said to himself.

Nevertheless, Doug was undeterred. This was his day of fun, and nothing was going to stop him. He brushed himself off and strutted across the large back yard and over to the trickling brook to have a refreshing drink of water. “Word out here says this is the best water in the world.” He bent down to take a swallow. The water was cool and fresh. “Tastes the same as it does at home. Oh, well,” he shrugged. “What’s next?” The little rooster walked on, and then a little further. “I bet the grass tastes better here,” he thought as he pecked at the long blades. “Yum, yum, yum, yummy….. bleh!” he coughed. He did not enjoy the bits of dead leaves and pieces of twigs and other foreign tasting bits that mingled with the lush looking greens. “Yuck!” he choked, disappointed.

It was now late and the sun would soon be setting. He shuttered at the thought of encountering a coyote or a fox. The little rooster hung his head. “I guess I’ll just go home,” he said, defeated. He dragged his feet as he reluctantly headed back in the direction of the red chicken coop. As he got closer, he could hear cheering and whistling. It was the squirrels and chipmunks he’d been playing with. “Well, well. Look at you. You made it!” said the leader squirrel who had darted past Doug on his way down the tree earlier that day.

Doug also heard the familiar clucks and coos of Brownie, Checkers, Porridge, Lily, Cher and Phoebe. “I see Doug! He’s coming home! He’s not hurt! Yahoooo!” the flock squawked with relief.

Doug quietly walked past the squirrels and chipmunks. He stood next to the safety fence. The little rooster was motionless for a long while. He scaled the horizon of ‘out there’ while he went over the details of his day of fun. “My fun day wasn’t so fun,” he admitted to everyone watching. “Oh, Doug. Maybe you can try again tomorrow,” the oldest hen, Brownie, suggested.  “We’ll all worry about you but we want you to be happy and you deserve a day of fun.” Doug bowed his head. “I’m a big dumb-dumb,” he said. He flapped his wings and looked up at the fence ready to hop over to his girls.

“Wait!” It was the voice of the wheezy crow. She walked up to Doug and dropped the berry at his feet. “You earned this,” she said. “Such a brave young man. No farm animal has any business being out here in the wild.” The old crow let out a chirp of authority and flew off.  Doug was very still. He picked up the berry and hopped onto the safety of his grass, in his yard, with his ladies. He laid the berry down and carefully divided it into six small pieces. “For you,” he nodded to the six hens. Each one picked up her piece as if devouring it. But instead, they tenderly returned each piece to Doug. “We’re so happy to see you!” they all exclaimed.

As the six chickens and one little rooster all perched together that night, Doug was overwhelmed. “I’m so thankful to be home!” he cock-a-doodle-dooed at the top of his lungs. The girls and Doug all cozied together a little tighter. “There’s no place like home,” young Phoebe declared. “Home Sweet Chicken Coop,” Checkers and Porridge murmured simultaneously.  “Home Sweet Chicken Coop,” the lady in the yellow house (who’d been worrying all day about her beautiful, brave little man) breathed in relief, “Home Sweet Chicken Coop indeed!”

Cindy Bezanson (for Sam’s boys)

The Gazette commences every year honoring a resident who personifies the spirit of volunteerism. These citizens are usually recognized for their efforts with local events and organizations. This year was a little different in that community activities – all those occasions which require volunteers — were necessarily limited, or canceled. But that doesn’t mean there wasn’t plenty of neighborliness; in fact, in times of strife people step up to the plate in countless ways.

We select the “Citizen of the Year” from the nominations of residents, so please send your suggestions to: the Hampton Gazette; P.O. Box 101; Hampton, CT; 06247; or hamptongazette@yahoo.com, or contact any member of the editorial board. We look forward to hearing  of Hampton’s unsung heroes.

The Hampton Gazette

The Planning & Zoning Commission is developing an affordable Housing Plan per the requirements of Connecticut General Statues Section 8-30j. In planning for the future of housing opportunities in Town, the Commission needs the input of Hampton residents. Please help by taking a five minute survey which can be accessed through the Town website at hamptonct.org, or at www.surveymonky.com/r/HamptonHousing. If you have any questions, please contact John Guszkowski, Town Planner, at planner@hamptonct.org.

We introduced Sean Postemski to our readers in the December 2019 issue of The Hampton Gazette when he finished his second racing season as a Quarter Midget with five wins and a total of thirteen career victories.  One year later, this 8-year-old, 3^rd grader has repeated his successes with dual championships in his class. Winning the Race of Champions in Jr. Honda and Jr. Animal, Sean won a total of 10 races this season. Sean only started racing in 2018 when his father, and mechanic, Dan Postemski, suggested it. Practice and determination lead to success.  Sean likes to practice his skills on the paved track, sometimes over 300 laps. His Jr. Animal and Jr. Honda vehicles can reach 40 miles an hour. Yes, he has crashed and flipped his cars, but — spoken like a true race car driver — he has learned “not to get scared.”  Like all veteran drivers, he knows his car. “I try to feel when it’s too loose or too tight. Too loose means the rear end of the car feels like it’s going to come from underneath you, and too tight means the front end doesn’t want to turn.” Sean has learned to recognize “when his car feels different.”

Like every competitor, “I hate losing,” he says. “It makes me work harder and practice more.” Once he’s in his car, strapped in, “I run the race in my mind and I try not to make any mistakes. I feel excited once I’m in my car and ready to race.” When asked about his strategy he responds, “I know I can’t mess up. I try to keep a clean line and make all my passes clean”. All is not fun. Work is involved in the upkeep of his vehicles as well. Sean helps his dad, Dan. “He tells me the jobs I have to do. I help change the oil. I wrap the tires so that oils don’t come out of the tires because you want the oils to stay in the tire to keep the tires soft, making it have more grip.”

In all, Sean has won 49 trophies. His favorite “is one of the big ones from my championship.” On the track he is known as “metal man”.  I have fans,” he relays. “My friends ask me for my autograph. I think that’s cool.”  Other fans of his are cup driver Ryan Preece, Modified Tour Driver Doug Colby, and Stafford record holding driver Keith Rocco. Modified driver Glen Reen has sponsored and mentored Sean this season by helping him on the race shop. He has been with him track side at his races. Sean’s team name is “Postemski Racing”, and his parents are his number one supporters. Sean has five more years in Quarter Midgets. Next season he will make his debut in dirt, traveling to Pocono to race on dirt all while racing full time at his home track, Little T’s Speedway in Thompson. After five years in Quarter Midgets he plans on racing SK Light Modifieds.  “I am looking forward to moving to modified engines on dirt tracks,” he says.

His car, he proudly states, is covered with win stickers, and when I ask him if that intimidates other drivers, Sean just smiles. He wants to continue improving on his techniques and his tradition of winning. And we look forward to hearing of, and reporting on, his future successes. Congratulations, Sean — you make our town proud!

Juan Arriola

The subject of recording images, saving and also sharing them, takes more than just turning on your camera and depressing the shutter. In this somewhat confusing article, I hope to make things a little clearer for the reader to have a better understanding about what goes on when it comes to recording images with a camera. Before we get too far ahead, maybe I should cover the proper steps in order to accomplish the results one might be hoping to attain.

The first thing to consider is — what do I expect to do with my photos? You may already have a collection of old photos stored in a box that you wish to share with others, or perhaps you may be an artist who wishes to print out copies of your work or post them on a website. Once you’ve decided what your goal is, then you can begin your journey through a digital world of what I call “too much information, too many options.”

The camera: most importantly, we need to set our camera to the highest resolution possible. That could be a Tiff file extension connected to the images or a high resolution Jpeg (jpg) file extension. If you use the Tiff file extension, you will get the most amount of metadata for each image. Metadata? Look it up online. Jpeg file extensions have less data and also less color range. You also need to consider what size in GB (gigabytes) your camera storage card can hold: 4 GB, 8, 16, 64, and so on. If you record images at the highest resolution, afterwards you can reduce the image/file size to suit your needs. If you record your image at too small a file size, you cannot enlarge it later on.

Another consideration is to think about how many ppi (pixels per inch) you need to use. When it comes to pixel size, the larger the file, the more pixels that image has. When I used to make prints, or send out my photos to be published in magazines, the requirements generally were to send the largest file size possible. Example: image: 300 ppi x 8.5” x 11” which is suited for full page images. When I send photos for the Gazette to use, I like sending them at 140 ppi x 5” x 7”. That’s a good size because using this file size, the image can easily be reduced to what they need, or even enlarged slightly if desired. Clear? Too confusing? Yes, it’s a lot to digest. But if you follow these steps, life becomes much easier for everyone beyond you. So, if you expect to record many images, for vacation, an assignment, or whatever reason, use the storage card (s) that hold the most images. I use two or three 8 GB cards in my camera, one at time, of course. Perhaps I should purchase larger storage cards. It all depends on what you expect to do with your photos.

Less expensive cameras sometimes only offer the user the jpg file format, while more expensive or professional quality cameras offer the user more choices. Also, as far as I know, smart phones use only the jpg file extension. And that’s good enough for most applications.  Now you should have an idea what to do if you wish to submit your photos or other artwork to the Gazette, magazines or to post online. Confused yet? Okay, here’s another thing I want to share with everyone: in the past, and even in the present, I am sent a lot of images to get ready for publication in the Gazette that are far too small to work on. Example: someone may send an image as follows: 72 ppi x 1.5” x 2.5”. Yikes! What can I do with that? Nothing, indeed! Please make my job easier. If you’ve swallowed and digested all of this information, you are headed in the right direction.

Next, when it comes to having a photographic print you wish to share, it has to be scanned. Hopefully your scanner has a number of ranges or settings one can use, especially considering pixels per inch. Always scan your images at no less than 300 ppi. Please! Color slides are a different matter. They need to be scanned at around 2100 ppi or more in order to get the best quality. Yep, you’re confused. And I do understand. Really. Over the years, and I do mean years, I’ve written very similar articles covering this same information to be published in the Gazette. But does anyone follow those guidelines? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Oh well, so goes life.

Another thing to consider is this: please Do Not send articles with photos imbedded in them. Write your article and the Gazette will incorporate your photo into your article. Thank you! And please take the time to find the best image(s) for us to use. They are very much appreciated. I hope that all of this information helps you along your way to successful reproductions of your work.

Pete Vertefeuille

Donald Custer Williams passed away on February 1, 2020 at the age of 88. Born on November 27, 1931 in New York City, he was a long time resident of Hampton and a U. S. Army veteran. He graduated from Windham High School and attended UCONN’s School of Engineering, retiring from Raytheon Engineering at the age of 65. He loved animals and enjoyed spending time at flea markets and tinkering with electronics. Our condolences to his family. Donations in his name may be made to the Our Companions Animal Sanctuary in Ashford.

Lalluprasad Patel passed away on October 5, 2020 in the 82^nd year of his life. Born on February 4, 1938 in India, he was a long-time resident of Hampton where he lived with his family. Our condolences to them, our neighbors, Manisha Patel, Pankaj Patel, Poojan Patel, and Priya Patel. Contributions in Lalluprasad’s memory can be made to the charity of one’s choosing.

Zellie Bernard Block passed away on October 6, 2020 surrounded by family in the 85^th year of his life. Born on March 1, 1935 he retired as an EMT in Hartford at the age of 75. Described as “a larger than life person”, he lived life to the fullest and always on his own terms. Predeceased by his wife, Sharon Block, in 2016, he leaves his daughter, his son, his granddaughters and his great grandchildren, and his beloved animals. Our condolences to all.  Donations in his memory may be made to: The Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.

Roger Herriman passed away on October 28, 2020 at the age of 92. Born on November 25, 1927, he was a veteran of the Korean War. A talented musician, he studied piano at the Kansas City Conservatory of Music and was an accompanist in New York City where he established a talent agency representing classical musicians. His love of music and expertise in classical and operatic genres was profound. He and his life partner, Greg Graml, who predeceased him, resided in Hampton for many years. Roger was a great advocate for social justice and gave generously to causes that promoted equality for all. Our condolences to his loved ones.

A Hampton icon has passed, leaving a strong feeling of loss but an even larger bank of memories. For many of us in Hampton it is fair to say, “Gordon, we hardly knew you”. His early life in New York City and on Long Island brought benefits to his last home in Hampton. Gordon Hansen unpacked a plethora of skills when he arrived, all with an ever-present sense of humor and humility. He was truly a citizen of the year from beginning to end.

Gordon was born in 1928 in Brooklyn, New York, and graduated from high school as valedictorian. His passion for theatre began in youth and carried throughout his lifetime. A successful businessman, Gordon ran an agency and traveled often to Germany, South America and Mexico. There was never a problem relating to a new culture and language. His acting talents helped him to fit into any place at any time. As the link between manufacturer’s here and buyers abroad, he excelled in expediting business across many borders and continued this effort even after leaving the city.

Gordon served in the US Army during the Korean War. His tour of duty brought him to the front lines on Christmas Eve and he never forgot scraping snow off his holiday dinner with a shovel. He was assigned guard duty and clearly remembers the intense cold, dark nights and not knowing where the borders or the enemy were. Many years later, Gordon gave a Memorial Day Address and his memories provide a glimpse of the hidden side of this very complex man. He was a patriot in the best of ways, looking for peace and hoping to help his comrades survive. At another Memorial Day event, he read the whole of the Gettysburg Address, calling it the “finest speech” ever made by an American. He urged those who were silent to speak in order to ensure that government by the people was the core of this country. In 2016, Gordon was Grand Marshall of the Memorial Day Parade.  He survived to model the faith of all the American values he prized.

Gordon and Angelika married in 1977 and moved to Hampton in 1982. They left behind a five acre horse farm on Long Island and settled into a grand old house on Main Street, suitable for living life to its fullest. When the couple was asked to write about “how” they arrived in Hampton, Angelika described the long search and the difficult decision to move to the country. Gordon defined “how” literally. The “why” or “how come” was supplanted by his picture of a loaded car carrying one sedated dog, one cat, and two caged birds. As he explained, the definition of a word is a matter of perspective.

The beat of the city was always present, but he found a way to be part of the rural town he moved to with his wife. Juan Arriola notes his years of interaction with him as follows: “Gordon had such a strong sense of civic duty. He was involved in all aspects of village life. Chairman, director, moderator, emcee, host, you name it – Gordon was “A Man for All Seasons.” And throughout, he shared that wonderful sense of humor – all the way to the end.”

The ability to direct, produce and act in theatre is the skill that truly enriched his life and that of many others. A brief synopsis is in order but the full record of his accomplishments exceeds the pages of this newsletter. In the ’60’s Gordon assisted in the reopening of the Brooklyn Central YMCA Theatre and launched a Mobile Touring Company, performing in the New York area. Members of the touring group had day jobs and added hours to their schedule to get on the bus and perform after the daily job was over. He won two Best Director Awards at Flagg Court Playhouse in Brooklyn and acted in many roles at Manhattan’s West 41^st Street Theatre. His performance in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe received an award from the association of Long Island Theatres.

His love of theater made it inevitable that he would someday live next door to Jim Ryan who also combined prosaic skills with a love of acting. The house on Main Street hosted many events and holidays teaming Gordon and Angelika as providers of food for body and mind, encouraging conversation suitable for the capitals of the world.

When interviewed after moving to Hampton, Gordon was asked about reentering the world of theatre.  He noted that it was a jump not unlike recovering from a drinking problem. In 1985, Gordon acted in I Ought to Be in Pictures by Neil Simon and received a “Good Job” card from the author.  Gordon presided as Director of Over the River and Through The Woods, the opening production of the Windham Theater Guild in 2003. He also directed productions for the Little Theatre of Manchester and received an award for Lend Me a Tenor.

Fred Curry noted in an interview years past that Westport had Paul Newman but Hampton had Gordon Hansen.  And so it was.  The Willimantic Chronicle wrote of Gordon’s ambition to make Hampton a town where the whole community would be a stage.  In addition to works from Chekhov to Capote, Gordon produced Christmas plays and instituted a young people’s play reading group.  Anne Curry remembers this part of her life with great pleasure. She also shared one of Gordon’s “tricks” to keep performances fresh!  Anne related the following memory: “Usually, after a grueling schedule of rehearsals and the final week before opening, performers were somewhat shaky.  During one scheduled curtain raising, Gordon called me aside five minutes before I went on stage. With a twinkle in his eye, Gordon asked me to change the inflection of my first speech, to forget what had been rehearsed and give it a new point of stress. I did it.” She still remembers looking out at Gordon and seeing him smile. The play was fresh and wonderful and so was Anne.

In a remarkable change of character, Gordon portrayed Scrooge in A Christmas Carol during one holiday season. An incredible performance of Chekov’s The Boor, presented on a stage constructed in Scott and Kaye Johnson’s barn, was better than anything seen on Broadway.  Magnificent acting, production, costumes, and audience were brought together that month.  Christmas plays were also performed at the Community Center featuring local Hamptonians in roles that seemed made for them alone.  Gordon gave his all, including sleepless nights, and in return, everyone else involved went without sleep to ensure perfection.

Gordon served as Chair of the town’s Republican Party for over a decade. Kathi Newcombe, who later served as GOP Chair, wrote “Gordon Hansen always had a passion for the theatre, for good food and drink, for the Republican Party, and for life in general. He brought a unique energy to the Republican Town Committee.  I greatly enjoyed working with him – his presence will be sorely missed and fondly remembered.”

His interest in education and young people extended from Hampton Elementary to Parish Hill. As Chairman of the Board of Education during eight difficult years, Gordon placed the children’s success above other considerations and he was willing to challenge the past in order to improve the future. “As a new member of the Board of Education,” Kathy Donahue said. “Gordon was a mentor and became a good friend. His advocacy for both the students and the taxpayers included many trips to Hartford for full funding of state mandates.”

“Direct and straight forward, Gordon was a master communicator and director. A man committed to neighborhood and world improvement through military and public service, he was a true mentor for all citizens to follow. Some of my favorite conversations were hosted in Gordon and Angelica’s home,” Allan Cahill recalled. “On a warm evening many summers ago, my wife Renee handed me the phone – ‘Gordon Hanson here. I’m with Morris Burr. We decided you need to run for Selectman’. How could anyone say no?”

Looking at a lifetime is an awesome assignment and especially so for Gordon Hansen. He was one of a kind, not easily captured in words although perhaps a play could be fashioned someday. He was many things to many people but always the Leading Man to his wife of many years. We all will have memories. Gordon wore a coat of many colors, all of them bright and true. We will remember him well.

Jean Romano

The polls will be open for the National Election on November 3 from 6AM to 8PM in the Meeting Room in the lower level of Town Hall. Handi-capped parking spaces will be designated in the lower level parking lot, where curb-side voting will also be available on Election Day for those unable to enter the polling place.

Absentee ballots are available from the Town Clerk during regular Town Hall hours up until the opening of the polls. The Ballot Deposit Box at the top of the ramp at Town Hall will also be available for submitting ballots up until 8PM on November 3. Voters may check to make sure their absentee ballots have been received by contacting the Town Clerk or the Registrars of Voters. Voters may not attempt to vote at the polls if their absentee ballots have already been submitted, however anyone who has submitted an absentee ballot and decides instead to vote in person must contact the Town Clerk by 5PM on October 30 in order for the absentee ballot to be withdrawn.

The Registrars will hold a limited registration session from 9AM to 5PM on November 2 in their Office at Town Hall for those whose rights as to age, citizenship, or residence matured after the October 27 deadline. Election Day Registration is available on November 3 in the Registrars’ Office only to applicants who are in line prior to the close of the polls.

Dayna Arriola & Mary Oliver