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A Hike Through the Hundred-Mile Wilderness in Maine
Steve
Lazarus
Architect
with Lazarus & Sargeant (and member of the Humble Bees)
Jan.
24, 2012
 Beginning
at Springer Mountain in Georgia, the Appalachian Trail wends its
way for 2181 miles northward through 14 states, including
Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New
York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire,
before ending at Maine’s Mt. Katahdin. And the most challenging
part is the Hundred-Mile Wilderness, running from the base of
Mt. Katahdin south to Caratunk (population 100). Normally a
10-day trek during the summer, a hiker might be branded
certifiable if he attempted to traverse it in just five days
during early winter.
Addressing
a large crowd of 79 Y’s Men of Meriden on January 24, Steve
Lazarus, partner in the Wallingford architectural firm of
Lazarus & Sargeant, noted during his PowerPoint presentation
that his 21-year-old son had asked his dad to join him in hiking
the Trail; Lazarus consented and after several weeks of
preparation, the two launched their journey in Georgia. Interest
soon faded in the son but not in the father. Some six years
later, the 60-year-old Lazarus has now walked all but 200 miles
of the Trail, doing it in small segments of several days each.
Just
two months ago, he successfully completed a snowy 5-day November
hike of the Hundred-Mile Wilderness, at first beset by
authorities refusing to allow anyone to hike that difficult
trail alone at that time of year. Other challenges included
fording a dozen rushing streams with icy banks (on one occasion
suddenly finding himself in chest-level frigid water), coming
around a bend in the trail and being confronted by two grumpy
moose, and solitude for the entire trip (except for briefly
spotting a group of three other hikers). The shortened November
days required some hiking in the dark.
At 3600
feet, the highest part of this trail, the howling wind blew off
his eyeglasses, and the white blazes often led Lazarus over
challenging rock formations, sometimes slippery with new snow.
But this trail also carried him through stunning scenery, with
beautiful wildflowers, abandoned fire towers, cascading
waterfalls, rushing streams, and spectacular gorges and lakes.
Lazarus
also showed the audience his hiking equipment, including an
alcohol “cooking system” made from a Heineken beer can (weighing
less than one pound) and his sleeping gear (hammock, sleeping
bag, rain fly, bug net, and poncho (all weighing about six
pounds). And for daytime warmth, he would wrap his sleeping bag
around his head and chest under his jacket, a sight sure to
deter any would-be predator.

Wilderness
warning |

Mt.
Katahdin from Katahdin stream |

Ice on
beaver pond |

Pemadumcook
Lake |
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Connecticut's Economy: the Current Situation and Outlook
Peter
Gioia
V.P. and Economist for CBIA
Jan.
17, 2012
We’ve
been through three terrible years and the news media loves to
pump out the bad news. But Connecticut’s economy is showing a
surprising rebound and good news continues to flow in. With
these sentiments, Peter Gioia, Vice President and Economist for
CBIA (Connecticut Business & Industry Association) addressed 49
Y’s Men of Meriden on a snowy Jan. 17.
Some
elements that favor our state’s economy are the burgeoning
middle class around the world, a weak U.S. dollar, and the
outstanding quality of domestically manufactured products, all
of which stimulate the sale of Connecticut products abroad. Also
helping is a greater supply of “cheap” energy resulting from
rapidly expanding oil exploration in the U.S and the Gulf of
Mexico, development of tar sands in Canada, and increasing
natural gas production here.
Gioia
noted, “I’m hearing really good news from local manufacturers
who sell internationally,” a welcome turn-around from 3-4 years
ago. The U.S. is about to report record international sales for
2011, up a whopping 7½% from the previous year. Indeed,
Connecticut businesses are now experiencing shortages of skilled
workers, prompting the expansion of training programs here while
also encouraging the immigration of trained workers from abroad.
Productivity of Connecticut workers is “off the charts”,
exceeding the U.S. average by 50%.
The housing
industry remains sluggish, although some communities such as
Cheshire and West Hartford have seen virtually no erosion in
home prices during the past several years. However, the large
number of working adult children living with their parents
provides a sizable pool of pent-up demand for new homes,
providing for a potential rush of housing purchases when
mortgage availability improves.
Job growth
in the state is improving slowly, and unemployment claims are
dropping. Governor Dannel Malloy has been proactive in working
with business and the legislature, carefully listening to
recommendations while often weathering blistering criticism, and
successfully working with both Democrats and Republicans. Notes
Gioia, “I’m more positive about what I’m seeing in Connecticut
now than I have been during the past few years.” But we need to
entice many talented students from abroad to study here and then
stay to develop their own companies, thus providing more jobs to
Americans.
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The
Work of the Connecticut Junior Republic
Christine
Jaffer
(Program Supervisor of the CJR programs in Waterbury)
Danyell Jackson (Program Director of the
Middletown Program)
Jan.
10, 2012
Troubled
youth – perhaps you thought it’s a new phenomenon? Well, not so.
More than a century ago in 1904, the Connecticut Junior Republic
was founded in Litchfield, providing a residential center for
young men coming from homes of abuse or neglect. In this
facility, the residents organized their own police and
government, complete with a jail for miscreants.

Danyell Jackson and Christine Jaffer
Speaking to
57 Y’s Men of Meriden on Jan. 10, Christine Jaffer (Program
Supervisor of the CJR programs in Waterbury) and Danyell Jackson
(Program Director of the Middletown Program located in Meriden)
described this growing organization. Over the years, the state
became involved, placing youths in legal trouble (robbery,
assault) under the watch of “house parents” until they could
rejoin open society. The atmosphere of mutual aid was reflected
in “boys helping boys”, the original CJR motto,
During the
1990’s, state pressure (partially driven by financial
constraints) resulted in the progressive abandonment of
multi-year residential care in favor of in-home therapeutic
programs, with visits by counselors 2-3 times weekly. Expansion
of services resulted in a new facility in Waterbury and the
beginning of programs for girls (who now constitute about 25% of
clients). Today, CJR Family Support Centers are located in
Waterbury, Middletown and New Britain, along with long-term
residential group homes in Winchester and East Hartford.
Among the
approximately 500 youth (ages 12-18) that are currently
enrolled, most come through the court system, along with some
from parents requesting help as well as a few voluntary
admissions. Most funding comes from the judicial branch of state
government and the Department of Children and Families. CJR does
not accept youth with histories of sex offense or arson, or who
have homicidal or suicidal behavior.
Counseling
ranges from anger management to learning work skills. In-home
services are generally provided for 3-5 months, but it is not
unusual for counselors to run into significant parental apathy.
Outcome (success) measurements can be hard to determine;
however, improved school attendance in a formerly truant student
or attainment of a successful employment record are indicators.
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"More than one foot in front of the other"
The Meriden Linear Trails
Joseph Zajac
Linear Trails Committee
President
Jan. 3, 2012
It’s
a magnificent place to take a stroll if you haven’t already done
so. The Quinnipiac River Gorge Trail (QRGT), beginning at Red
Bridge on Oregon Road and curving along the river for 1.3 miles,
allows folks to walk, jog, bicycle and skate, but is off limits
to any motorized vehicles or unleashed dogs.
Speaking to
72 enthusiastic Y’s Men of Meriden fresh back from the holidays
on Jan. 3, Joseph Zajac, Chairman of Meriden’s 10-member Linear
Trails Committee, first noted the committee’s close relationship
with other organizations including the Quinnipiac River
Watershed Association, the Meriden Land Trust, and Meriden’s
Health and Parks Departments. He then presented a 15-minute DVD
about the QRGT, whose features include exercise, wildlife
viewing, kayaking, informational kiosks and a unique history
lesson.
At the head
of the trail, Red Bridge, spanning the river since the late
1880’s, was long a favorite swimming spot for Meriden’s youth,
but fell into disrepair until its restoration by the Meriden
Lions Club and is now listed on the National Historic Registry.
The QRGT was built on the original rail bed of the 1890
Cromwell, Meriden & Waterbury RR, in its time a popular means of
transportation to Hanover Pond for recreation, but not
commercially viable and ultimately abandoned by 1924.
The present
trail was completed in 2006, ten feet wide and paved for year
round use. In addition to wildlife such as eagles and deer and a
carpet of colorful wildflowers, hikers are likely to view the
remains of Oregon Dam (built to power a button factory), Boy
Scout Island, High Bridge, Carpenter’s Dam, and the steep
100-200 foot tall sides of the gorge itself. The trail has
remained remarkably free of vandalism and crime, and has become
a popular destination for young and old alike.
But the
work of the Linear Trails Committee is far from done. Next is
the Hanover Pond Trail, a $1.3 million project funded 80% by the
federal government and 20% by Meriden taxpayers, which will
start at Red Bridge, skirt Hanover Pond and end at the Platt
High School parking lot. Funding is in place and project
completion is expected by Fall 2012. And future plans include
multiple trails throughout the city, with eventual tie-ins to
trails from surrounding towns.
For details, visit
www.meridenlineartrail.org.
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