As a May 20 contract negotiations session between the Winsted Board of Education and members of the Gilbert School Corp. drew to a close, discussion centered on when the two group would meet again.
Meetings had been scheduled for every two weeks, but various members of both teams expressed a desire to meet more often, as their current contract is set to expire on June 30.
Various dates were suggested, with all attempting to find one which all could attend. Obstacles included Gilbert Superintendent David Cressy’s contention that he does not come to Gilbert every day, and would like to have the meetings scheduled on his work days.
Board of Education memeber Dr. Richard Dutton, however, requested just one specific June date to be off the table, due to what he called a "previous commitment."
"That was a commitment made more than 50 years ago," he said, referring to his wedding anniversary.

TORRINGTON - 143 Eighth graders and 25 adult chaperones boarded four Kelley Transit buses for a 4-day tour of Philadelphia and Washington D.C. on May 4.

The trip tied in with the eighth grade History curriculum and was run by teachers Jason Lafreniere and Michael Fritch. The trip was organized by Educational Tours out of Northbrook, IL.

In Philadelphia the students were treated to lunch at the "Bourse", a guided walking tour of Independence Hall and Park, pictures in front of the Liberty Bell, Congress Hall, Ben Franklin Court and the Betsy Ross House. The students were also treated to a run of Rocky Balboa's training grounds at the Philadelphia Art Museum.

The middle school students spent three days of the trip in DC. They got to visit Mount Vernon, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Ford's Theater, Pentagon Memorial, Capitol Hill tour, and visit with Congressman Chris Murphy, all the monuments and memorials, Arlington National Cemetery, Smithsonian Institution Museums and a Major League Baseball game.

This trip to DC and Philadelphia was a first for the eighth grade. The students and organizers hope it becomes an annual tradition.

CLICK HERE for a story from the New York Daily News - along with a photo slideshow - about the controversy that a racy lingerie shoot has caused in this year's Miss USA pageant, which includes Torrington's own Ashley Bickford, this year's Miss Connecticut.

Saturday Night Live this week poked fun of the fact that the would-be Times Square bomber is from Connecticut.
"What are you so angry about? You're a computer engineer living in Connecticut, our nicest state," Weekend Update host Seth Meyer said. "The only thing people in Connecticut have to be angry about is sun damage to wicker furniture."

LITCHFIELD – A former Salisbury woman charged with selling $200,000 of her friend’s high-end belongings has pleaded not guilty.

Dianna Brochendorff, 63, appeared in Litchfield Superior Court on Tuesday where she appeared before Judge James P. Ginocchio on one count of first-degree larceny. Brochendorff’s legal counsel, Attorney James Townsend, entered a not-guilty plea on behalf of his client.

She is due back in the Litchfield court on June 4.

Police said Brochendorff was storing thousands of dollars in antiques, furs and apparel at her Salisbury home in between 2000 and 2007, all of which belonged to her friend, Kent resident Massoumeh Homayouni.

Hamayouni and Brochendorff allegedly entered a verbal agreement, where Brochendorff would hold on to her belongings until Hamoyouni could fully move to the Litchfield County area, police said.

But Brochendorff allegedly took her friend’s items to Maine where she opened a consignment shop and sold off most of them, police said. This was done, despite Hamoyouni’s alleged pleas to get her belongings back, police said.

Brochendorff turned herself in to the state police in March, following a lengthy investigation last year.