TORRINGTON - A six-person jury of two men and four women continued to deliberate behind closed doors Friday on the case of Adam C. Benedict, a former high school coach facing misdemeanor sex assault charges.

Benedict, 32, was a coach at Litchfield High School when he was arrested on charges of fourth-degree sexual assault. Two students of his, who he knew in study hall and through the school, alleged to police in July 2007 that he groped both of them on separate ocassions in his room of his parents' house on Hart Drive in Litchfield.

The defendant was dismissed from teaching pending the ongoing case. His second trial, since a mistrial was declared in January, began last week with evidence presentations continuing until this past Wednesday.

Deliberations began Thursday and the jury asked to have testimony played back to it. As of 2 p.m. no verdict has been declared.

Check back at www.registercitizen.com for updates and the full story when it happens.

Rebecca Lobo participated as a contestant on Jeopardy! Million Dollar Celebrity Invitational which aired on April 15th. Lobo chose St. Mary's School in Simsbury as her charity which resulted in St. Mary's School receiving $25,000.

School Principal, Marie Gannatti, commented, "Rebecca played a fantastic game of Jeopardy that brought in an incredible donation to our school. We are excited, yet humbled." Gannatti adds, "She is such a great example to our students of a hard-working, successful individual that gives back to the community. We're so fortunate to have her, and we're so thankful to her generous Jeopardy winnings. We are also very grateful to the Jeopardy show."

Rebecca Lobo is an ESPN commentator, UConn women's basketball legend, former WNBA player, and a member of the the gold medal winning U.S. Women's Basketball Team at the Olympic Games in Atlanta. She is married to writer/author, Steve Rushin. They have three children and are very active in the St. Mary's School community.

To commemorate Earth Day on April 22, Connecticut Public Television is broadcasting several special programs during the week that address environmental issues and science.

NOVA: The Big Energy Gamble airing Tuesday, April 20 at 8 pm, examines California's ambitious plan to cut greenhouse gases. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is responsible for one of the most visionary environmental programs in the world, aimed at reversing climate change. The questions is: will it work? And what impact is it having on the rest of the country?

Earth Days: An American Experience airs Tuesday, April 20 at 9 pm, is a feature-length documentary about the origins of the modern environmental movement, is told through the eyes of nine Americans who were inspired to act on what they believed was the most important challenge facing mankind: preserving the earth.

P.O.V.: Food Inc. airs Wednesday, April 21 at 9:30 pm, is the critically acclaimed Academy Award nominated documentary film that examines the country's highly mechanized agribusiness industry and its controversial effects on the environment and the health of the American people.

Dirt! The Movie airs Wednesday, at 11 pm, presented by Independent Lens is a film that tells the story of Earth's most valuable and under-appreciated source of fertility - from its miraculous beginning to its tragic degradation. One teaspoon of dirt contains a billion organisms working in balance to sustain a series of complex, thriving communities that are invisibly a part of our daily lives. This insightful and timely film tells the story of the glorious and unappreciated material beneath our feet.

The U.S. department of Labor has announced the availability of approximately $20 million for two grants to provide employment services to young adult offenders and high school dropouts ages 18 to 24 in high-poverty, high-crime communities.

Secretary of Labor, Hilda L. Solis stresses that it is important to reach these young people with training and employment services they need to get get good jobs. She sees it as a critical part of helping them build successful careers and lives. Solis states that these programs funded today will help strengthen communities by improving the career prospects of individuals who have been involved with the justice system or who have dropped out of school.

The goals of these grants are to prepare individuals for employment and reduce recidivism among participants. These goals will be accomplished through job placement, subsidized jobs, on-the-job training, mentoring and community service projects.

The Labor Department expects to award two grants of $10 million each covering a six-month planning period and two full years of operation. Each grantee will be required to competitively select local sub-grantees to operate programs in a minimum of five high-poverty, high-crime communities in at least two different states.

The solicitation for grant applications is published in today's edition of the Federal Register. It provides background information and the closing date, describes eligibility and submission requirements, outlines the process that eligible entities must use to apply for funds and details how grantees will be selected. To view the solicitation online, visit http://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm.

The Northwest Connecticut Arts Council is calling artists and artisans in Bantam, Cornwall, Goshen and Warren to participate in its first Open Your Eyes studio tour weekend, being held June 26 and 27, 2010. Artists will open their creative spaces to the public to show their work and discuss their creative processes. Artists may participate for one or both days. Registrations for artists are being accepted through April 23, 2010.

A special initiatives grant from the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism was received by the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council in 2009 to support the planning, implementation and broad promotion of the event. The Open Your Eyes studio tour is a pilot program and is intended to be repeated in the future in another set of towns within Northwest Connecticut Arts Council's 24-town service area.

The event aims to shine a light on the many artists who live, work and contribute so much to our region. The Open Your Eyes tour recognizes that when the the public learns first hand from the artists about what is involved with the making of a work and the 'story' behind it, a deeper connection and involvement with the art work happens, believes Amy Wynn, Northwest Connecticut Arts Councils executive director.

President Obama challenged Americans to take action in their homes, communities, schools or businesses to improve the environment in honor of the upcoming 40th anniversary of Earth Day, April 22, 2010.

His speech given in the video message reminds us why Earth Day was established:

"Forty one years ago, in the city of Cleveland, people watched in horror as the Cuyahoga River, choked with debris and covered in oil, caught on fire. Images of the burning Cuyahoga shocked a nation, and it led one Wisconsin Senator the following year to organize the first Earth Day to call attention to the dangers of ignoring our environment. In the four decades since, we have made remarkable progress. Today, our air and water are cleaner, pollution has been greatly reduced, and Americans everywhere are living in a healthier environment. We've passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and founded the Environmental Protection Agency. And in Cleveland, the Cuyahoga River is cleaner than it's been in 100 years."

Obama asks that Americans take steps to help continue making change happen. He challenges us to do do one thing - one action - to improve our environment.

The White House has launched a website, www.whitehouse.gov/EarthDay to give us ideas, and to share our stories on how we're making a difference.

CL & P launched a campaign today to oppose Senate Bill 484, a bill that will create a hidden, unfair tax on CL&P customers.

The Connecticut legislature is proposing to securitize certain electric utility revenue streams to fund new revenue bonds to offset the state's budget deficit, creating more debt to pay for existing debt. This hidden tax will cost electric customers $180 million each year for the next 10 years. Only CL&P customers will pay the tax for the first three years. United Illuminating customers won't pay until 2014, and municipal electric customers would be completely exempt.

Jeff Butler, president and chief operating officer of CL&P, stated that the company appreciates the Governor's statement that she will veto this securitization plan to temporarily plug the state's budget hole. Butler believes that this "assault on customers is unacceptable." CL&P plans to fight vigorously on behalf of our customers and will communicate the dangers of this hidden tax to the public.

A website, www.notmybill.org has been launched to alert and educate customers about this threat.

Girl Scouts of Connecticut's Camp Carlson in Bristol will be open on Sunday, April 18 from 2 pm to 4 pm for girls and their families to get a sneak peek at the exciting camp programs planed for this summer. This is a great opportunity for girls and their families to tour the camp, enjoy snacks, and participate in fun activities.

Girl Scout Camp is designed to offer girls in grades 1 - 12 a safe, fun environment where they can discover their individual strengths, set and achieve goals, and create treasured memories that will last a lifetime. Linda Bresky, Outdoor Program Director for Girl Scouts of Connecticut, said that girls at the camp learn the importance of personal responsibility, the value of goal setting, the spirit of teamwork, and the thrill of accomplishment. "The experience can change the way a girl sees the world and her place in it."

This summer the camp will offer a variety of special interest programs such as Celebrate, where campers will celebrate silly holidays or plan their own camp party; or On a High Note, where girls learn folk songs from different parts of the world and the dance moves to go with them; or Lifeguard Training, where older girls can receive their lifeguard certification through two full weeks of training and one full week of using their skills.

Camp Carlson, located in Bristol, provides bus service from Berlin, Bristol, Burlington, Canton, Farmington, Harwinton, Kensington, Meriden, Middletown, New Britain, Plainville, Plantsville, Southington, Terryville, Thomaston, Torrington, Unionville, and Wallingford.

For more information about this event please call 800-922-2770 ext 3313 or email camp@gsofct.org

The Torrington Parks and Recreation department is currently accepting entries for a Marketing Contest. They are looking for assistance from the public with creating a slogan to go along with our new logo for the Parks and Recreation Department. This contest is open to all Torrington Residents.

The winning entry will be used on all Parks and Recreation promotional materials.

The winning artist talents will be seen by hundreds of people.

All entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges on creativity, originality, aesthetics and how it relates to the overall mission of the Parks and Recreation department.

The winner will be invited to receive their prize at a Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting. All entries should be submitted on or before May 1, 2010 to:
Torrington Parks and Recreation Department
Attn: Parks and Recreation Marketing Contest
153 South Main Street
Torrington, CT 06790

For more information or to register contact the Torrington Parks and Recreation Department at 860-489-2274 or log on to www.torringtonct.org and use link for parks and recreation.

The Torrington Parks and Recreation Department will host an Aquafina Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit and Run Local Competition for area youth.

This competition will begin at 10:00 am at Toro Field off Perkins Street on Sunday April 25. In the even of inclement weather, a rain date has been scheduled for May 2 at 10:00 am. This event is free and open to boys and girls ages 7 to 14.

Pitch, Hit & Run is the Official Skills Competition of Major League Baseball. This grassroots program is designed to provide youngsters with an opportunity to compete free of charge, in a competition that recognizes individual excellence in core baseball skills.

Competitors are divided into four age divisions and have the chance to advance through four levels of competition, including team championships at Major League ballparks and the national finals at the 2010 MLB All-Star Game.

The individual pitching, hitting and running champions, along with the All-Around Champion in each age group at the local competition, will be awarded and advance to the sectional level of competition.

Those wanting to participant in this event must pre-register at the Torrington Parks and Recreation Department prior to April 23rd. A valid birth certificate and parental signature are required.

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal announced today that claim letters have been sent to almost 10,000 F & S Oil customers and creditors who may be eligible for a share of about $1 million in restitution secured by his office.

The restitution is to compensate consumers for oil and services they paid for but never received after F & S abruptly ceased operations in 2008.

Claims administrator, The Garden City Group out of Seattle, Washington sent the letters, which include information on applying for restitution, last Friday. They should begin arriving in mailboxes this week.

For more information on the restitution program visit the website www.fsoilsettlement.com.

The Garden City Group will distribute checks as soon as possible to F & S customers literally left in the cold by the company's sudden closure. Blumenthal's office will work with Garden City Group to assure that consumers receive compensation fairly, quickly and efficiently.

Consumers will have until May 3, 2010 to return applications for restitution mailed to them. F & S customers who suffered a personal, household or family loss will be eligible for restitution. The amount each claimant receives will be determined by the claims administrator and the Attorney General's Office, depending in part on how many claims are received.

Governor M. Jodi Rell announced that the Connecticut Judicial Branch has been awarded $140,000 in federal stimulus funds to start a GPS domestic violence offender pilot project based out of Bridgeport, Danielson and Hartford.

The state will use the funds to introduce GPS monitoring of domestic violence offenders who are charged in adult criminal court with violating a restraining or protective order and who have been determined to present a high level of risk.

Under the program, the offender must wear an ankle bracelet at all times while the victim carries a similar device. The system will notify a victim and the police when a defendant has violated a set buffer zone of tampers with the device. This allows for the creation of mobile buffer and exclusion zones around the victim as well as stationary zones (home, work and schools).

Victims will be notified that a high risk offender is near. That early warning will enable them to put a pre-determined safety plan into immediate action as law enforcement responds to the scene.

The funds will be used to purchase the monitoring service plus some equipment for a minimum of 21 high-risk offenders. The offenders will be identified by the courts.

Eco-fair and Family Funfest

Join WGBY for a free Eco-Fair and Family Funfest on Sunday April 25th from 11-4, wrapping up their 40th Anniversary Earth Day festivities, "Celebrate 9 Days of Earth Day with WGBY." The events will take place in Pulaski Park and at the Center for the Arts in Northampton, MA.

Activities in the park will include an Earth Day Stage with performances all day long, courtesy of 93.0/The River, and a Giant Puppet Show. Green Northampton will present Green Teams from the Northampton public schools who will provide family friendly green activities.

The PBS character WordGirl will also be on hand to help out with our green vocabulary.

Activities at the Center for the Arts will include exhibitors on green living and child-rearing and several performances for the toddler-age children and their parents.

At 4:00pm, WGBY will present Dar Williams and Patty Larkin at the Academy of Music in Northampton, MA. Ticket prices and more information about this event can be found at www.wgby.org/earth.

The event is sponsored by PeoplesBank, National Grid, and Green Northampton and presented by WGBY, 93.9/The River, The Daily Hampshire Gazette, The Northampton BID, the City of Northampton, The Center for the Arts, and The Academy of Music.

All proceeds benefit WGBY, a community supported public broadcasting organization that connects the people of western New England to events, ideas and each other to fulfill their aspirations, enrich their lives and improve their communities. We do this through PBS programming as well as locally produced series and specials. With our digital television channels, video on demand, podcasting and streaming video, WGBY is one of the region's most accessible institutions, building a stronger community through learning and understanding.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the availability of resources to strengthen the capacity of the Nation's emergency feeding network to meet the needs of the increasing numbers of people who are turning to food pantries and soup kitchens to feed their families. Up to $6 million in grants is available for food banks, food pantries and soup kitchens to improve and expand the infrastructure.

Vilsack said that these grants will help to ensure that food banks, food pantries, and soup kitchens have the equipment and infrastructure necessary to provide healthy, safe food to America's families in need during challenging economic issues.

USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) plans to award up to $6 million to emergency feeding organizations, such as food banks, food pantries, and soup kitchens, participating in the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). At least $3 million is expected to be awarded for projects that improve the emergency feeding infrastructure in rural communities will receive priority consideration.

The organizations receiving the grants can use the funds to improve tracking, collection, storage, distribution and transport of time-sensitive and perishable foods; develop or maintain computerized systems for tracking foods; improving the provision of recovered foods to food banks; and repairing and expanding facilities, equipment or appliances to support hunger relief. Funds can also be used to identify new donors and emergency food providers or to provide outreach to persons in need of food assistance.

TEFAP, administered by FNS, provides USDA-purchased food and administrative funds to States for further distribution to organizations such as food banks, food pantries, and soup kitchens. These organizations provide food assistance to needy families across the country in the form of prepared meals or as a bag of groceries that families take home and prepare themselves.