2010 Vocus Press Releases
2/2/2010
Can city move beyond talk of mass transit?
Day, The
Last week The Day ran a story about Transit New London, the forum sponsored by New London Landmarks. ("New London development goals need to be clearly defined, planner suggests" Jan 30).
I would like to comment on the opening remarks of Mary Ellen Jukoski, president of Mitchell College. Dr. Jukoski spoke convincingly on the importance of good, efficient, affordable mass transit not only for Mitchell College students but also students at Connecticut College and the Coast Guard Academy. She noted that in her travels to academic institutions around the country she sees many students relying on train travel. Several times she expressed a willingness to work with others to bring better mass transit to New London.
Her remarks were a great way to start the forum. Now the question is, where do we go from here?
Published online on February 3, 2010.
2/16/2010
Mitchell College’s Cat-In-The-Hat Ball will take place Feb. 26
Bulletin, The
Mitchell College will present its Annual Read Across Southeastern Connecticut activities in conjunction with the National Education Associations’ (NEA’s) Read Across America celebration on Wednesday, March 3.
The College will host its Annual Cat-in-the-Hat Ball on 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26 in the college’s Clarke Center and Weller Centers. For more information on Read Across SECT or the Cat-in-the-Hat Ball, email or visit the '9th Annual Cat-in-the-Hat Ball' event page on Facebook or call (860) 701-5015.
Open to the general public, admission to the event is five dollars per family or one new children’s book per family, which will be read and donated to a local classroom on March 3. Over 300 books were collected at last year’s event.
Guests will enjoy pizza, green eggs, Ooblick, as well as many other tasty treats, all included in the price of admission. Students, staff and faculty will be on hand; many in hats and costumes. Guests will even get to meet the famous Cat-in-the-Hat, Things 1 and 2 and the Grinch themselves. The Ball is a casual affair and guests are encouraged to wear a hat. The famous stovepipe hats will be sold at the event, as well as children’s books supplied by Bank Square Books.
A silent auction will make its debut at the event this year. Autographed sports memorabilia, gift cards and gift certificates, as well as Dr. Seuss memorabilia will be auctioned. All proceeds will support the costs of the growing event.
Nationally, the NEA celebrates Dr. Seuss’ birthday on the day of his birth, March 2nd, however the College will be celebrating it a day later to accommodate the College’s course schedule.
Spearheaded by the College’s Education Department, the regional literacy events continue to grow and it is expected that over 50 Mitchell College students, athletes, staff, faculty and friends will read throughout New London, Waterford and Groton classrooms on March 3.
The purpose of Read Across America, a National Education Association initiative, is to focus attention on how important it is to motivate children to read, in addition to helping them master basic skills and to deliver the message about the joys of reading and the creative inspiration books provide.
When the NEA set out to create a one-day whirl of excitement around reading, the date March 2 practically leaped from the calendar. Why? Because it is the day that Theodor Geisel, otherwise known as Dr. Seuss, was born.
The Education Department at Mitchell College, under the direction of Diane Gozemba, department chair, Dr. Nancy Tolson, Children's Literature specialist, and Dr. Priscilla Embry, faculty supervisor of the Early Childhood Club, are working with the Mitchell College students to organize the February 26 Cat-in-the-Hat Ball and the March 3 Read Across SECT events.
Sponsoring this year's event are Bob’s Discount Furniture, Bank Square Books (Mystic), Citadel Broadcasting, Lesell Pharmacy (Bronx, NY) and Sodexo Dining Services.
Published on NorwichBulletin.com on Feb 15, 2010 (
3/7/2010
Open house shows learning center in action
Day, The
New London - Making bird feeders, planting seeds and making flowers out of tissue paper and pipe cleaners gave some 2- to 4- year-olds and their parents a taste of spring on a sunny Saturday at the Children's Learning Center's Open House at Mitchell College.
The event was both an effort to attract parents to enroll their children in the toddler and pre-school programs and to help Mitchell College students gain course credit.
"It's a community-building activity," said Ellen Cummings, the director. "It's for families who want to see the learning center in action."
Mitchell College students created and carried out the activities as part of their Family Involvement course.
Deshonda Willoughby, a junior, created an "ice exploration" activity in which small, rubber insects were frozen in cups of ice.
"The idea is to use different tools to get them out. It's a sensory exercise that builds fine motor skills and persistence in completing tasks," Willoughby said.
Other activities included a counting exercise created by senior Jazmin Powell in which kids got small squares of construction paper color-coded to match different fruits in a salad bowl of red apples, green apples and bananas. They had to be able to count how many pieces of each color they had, and take the corresponding fruit pieces.
"Kids love to be hands-on. They like cutting things up and mixing things, and they love to be able to eat what they've made because it's their creation," Powell said.
Lisa Benever took her son Marshall, 2, who is enrolled in the center's Tuesday toddler program. She said she liked the spring-themed activities because they were age-appropriate. "It gives them something to do, and it's getting them familiar with a school environment," she said.
Debbie Dunkerley and her husband took their daughter, Jenna, 2, who is in the toddler program, and their son, Jordon, 4, who is in the pre-school program.
She said she likes the family environment that the learning center promoted through the activities. "The kids love to come because they get to see their friends. It's lots of fun. They always have a good time," Dunkerley said.
The most popular activity seemed to be the planting exercise created by teacher Mamie Rock. Children could choose from seeds for summer squash, cucumbers, peppers and carrots to plant in recycled yogurt containers.
"Part of our curriculum is always about recycling," Rock said. "Within a few weeks, they'll begin to see green. It teaches them about time and nature. It's something they can take home and have the whole family take care of."
Cummings said she hopes this event and others being planned will help increase September enrollment.
"This year's enrollment is down a little bit from last year," she said. She said some parents have lost their jobs and have had to remove their children from the program, while others have moved to take new jobs.
Originally published at The Day Online on March 7, 2010
3/7/2010
Hospitality and Tourism Students help out with upcoming CT Tourism Summit
Day, The
cronin
Organizers call event 'rallying cry for industry'
The region's multibillion-dollar tourism industry is revving up for another annual statewide summit on tourism this spring at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods.
David Quinn, a principal of the New London-based Quinn & Gellar marketing and design firm, says the May 6 event follows the success of last year's first Connecticut Conference on Tourism.
"The time is right for a rallying cry for the industry," he said. Quinn, whose firm is producing the second annual Connecticut Conference on Tourism, said the event's planned speakers and panelists will share their insights "to support an industry that is vital to our economy." He said the May event is designed to improve productivity and performance in the industry.
Despite a prolonged recession, tourism remains an integral part of southeastern Connecticut's overall economy, and this region's tourism attractions, including the Mystic Seaport and Mystic Aquarium, remain the state's leading tourism assets.
Tourism experts say the multibillion-dollar industry employs tens of thousands in jobs ranging from employment at restaurants and hotels to top executive positions at the region's two casino and entertainment complexes.
Connecticut's continuing budgetary problems also have led to steep cuts in state funding toward tourism.
This year's tourism summit is being held in conjunction with the Connecticut Commission on Tourism & Culture, the Eastern Regional Tourism District and the newly formed Greater Mystic Visitors Bureau.
The conference also includes the 13th annual Pineapple Awards presentations from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The awards are given to four individuals and businesses that have made major contributions to the region's tourism industry.
Nominations for the 2010 Pineapple Awards will be accepted through Friday, April 9. at the Mystic and Shoreline Visitors Information Center at OldeMistick Village. Nominations forms and information can be found at
Quinn said this year's tourism conference will include a host of speakers covering tourism marketing trends and Web strategies, travel and leisure visitation data as well as discussion panels with state and regional industry experts. A networking luncheon also is planned, followed by an awards ceremony celebrating statewide recipients of the AAA Five Diamond and Four Diamond awards, which recognize the top achievers in hospitality and dining.
This year's conference will include event registration and some logistical planning provided by the tourism and hospitality department at Mitchell College in New London. In addition, 25 students from Mitchell's tourism and hospitality studies program are providing assistance with the overall development of the May statewide tourism summit.
Originally publised at The Day online on March 7, 2010
3/28/2010
Michael's Dairy opens April 1
Day, The
Michael's Dairy in New London will open its doors for the season on Thursday, April 1.
The dairy bar will again host monthly sock hops for families as well as live musical performances in the Local Flavor Acoustic Series.
Michael's Dairy has been in operation at the same location for more than 60 years, and is managed and operated by students in the Mitchell College Department of Hospitality and Tourism.
To view its event schedule and menu, visit call (860) 443-2464 or become a fan on Facebook. Michael's Dairy is located at 629 Montauk Ave. in New London.
Originally published in The Day Online at on March 28, 2010.
3/31/2010
A Sure Sign of Spring
Day, The
Michael's Dairy opens for the season Thursday, April 1, and a new flavor awaits local ice cream fans. Debuting this year is Buried Treasure, "blue-hued" vanilla ice-cream with swirls of marshmallow and chocolate-covered caramel sea shells and turtles.
Beyond sweets, Michael's will offer monthly sock hops for families, live music, and tastings all summer long. For details and to view the events schedule and full menu, visit or call (860) 443-2464.
Michael's Dairy is at 629 Montauk Avenue in New London. It is managed and operated by students in the Mitchell College Department of Hospitality and Tourism.
Originally published at The Day Online (
4/7/2010
Slow pace of adding train service in NL frustrates legislators
Day, The
Slow pace of adding train service in NL frustrates legislators
By Lee Howard
New London - It doesn't take long before discussion of expanded commuter rail service to the city begins to go off track.
Tuesday morning, state legislators told a gathering of commuter-rail advocates at The Exchange restaurant on Bank Street that the state Department of Transportation has promised to bring five more weekday Shore Line East trains into and out of the city by the end of next month.
But the DOT, contacted later in the day, had another story. Its spokesman, Judd Everhart, said the state had promised only four more trains and the schedule for implementation called only for the additional service to start sometime later this year.
"We are still negotiating with Amtrak on the new schedules and probably won't have anything official to announce for another week or two," Everhart said in an email response to questions.
Legislators during a breakfast meeting downtown told members of the Shore Line East Coalition, which has been pushing for more commuter rail service operating out of Union Station, said there has been no specific commitment to weekend service. After the meeting, legislators said the added weekday runs would include peak morning and evening hours.
But the local lawmakers said the DOT's planned new commuter trains - in addition to a previous run instituted in February - still fall far short of the 11 new weekday roundtrips that had been expected this year.
"We're as frustrated as all of you are," state Sen. Andrea Stillman, D-Waterford, told the crowd of about 75. "It's all about the executive branch now. We have the legislation in place."
State Sen. Andrew Maynard, D-Stonington, said scheduling of the trains has been challenging because of the need to make sure they don't interfere with marine commerce (trains are actually scheduled to cross bridges from opposite directions at the same time to avoid impeding river traffic).
The funding has been tricky as well, he said, because of the large subsidy required - $2.3 million, according to the latest Shore Line East numbers (based on a smaller number of trains than will run this year), with only about 10 percent of the total cost borne by commuters.
But Maynard agreed that the 22 train trips into and out of New London that DOT Commissioner Joseph Marie had promised by the beginning of the year - not to mention full weekend service - has not been delivered.
"We're getting half the promises they were committed to," he said. "We're not satisfied."
The DOT so far has added only one new train this year to the local commuter rail itinerary - and its departure at 5:53 a.m. hasn't been greeted with a large upsurge in ridership, according to legislators. The DOT said Shore Line East accounted for 466,000 "passenger trips" in 2008, the latest year for which figures were available, compared with 35 million riders on the Metro-North line that serves commuters between New Haven and New York.
DOT spokesman Everhart said the difference between Metro-North and Shore Line East is that the local rail lines are owned by Amtrak, while the tracks south of New Haven are owned by the state.
"It's difficult to add any service to that corridor," Everhart said.
Legislators suggested keeping the pressure on DOT Commissioner Marie, Gov. M. Jodi Rell and even Rell's chief of staff, Lisa Moody, to keep their commitments to expanded Shore Line East rail service.
"In fact, if you all want to march on the Capitol, I'll go with you," Stillman said.
Other legislators attending the meeting were state Rep. Betsy Ritter, D-Waterford; state Rep. Kevin Ryan, D-Montville; state Rep. Ed Jutila, D-East Lyme; state Sen. Andrew Maynard, D-Stonington; state Rep. Ernest Hewett, D-New London, and state Rep. Melissa Olson, D-Norwich.
Richard Caruso, co-owner of Caruso's Music and acting chairman of the coalition, hosted the meeting at which representatives of the tourism, real estate and educational community spoke about the need for regular commuter service into New London.
Caruso said better rail service would improve local real estate values, increase interest in tourism, attract more people and businesses to the region and lessen the transportation strain on Interstate 95, where traffic is already twice its projected capacity.
"If you can get people back and forth effectively at a low cost, it's a benefit," he said.
Rebecca DeVery, a sophomore at Mitchell College from Princeton Junction, N.J., said it costs her $160 every time she visits her family. "I'd like to be able to go home more often," she said, but the expensive Amtrak rates don't allow for this to happen.
Sean Corcoran, associate director of admissions at Mitchell, said he has lost several potential students who don't want to drive through various I-95 bottlenecks to get to the college.
But Stillman said without more regular commuters such as DeVery, any increase in Shore Line East service could be temporary. State Rep. Jutila said a "critical mass" is needed to ensure the commuter rail service's success, but he believes adding weekend runs is key to entice riders to try the train on weekdays as well.
"If we don't bump up the numbers on the train, I'm afraid we'll lose them again," Stillman said. "We have to prove that people will ride them."
Originally posted on The Day online ( on April 7, 2010
4/9/2010
New London: 'Gentle' paintings show off Bangladesh village
Bulletin, The