Costumes part of annual fun

By Amanda Wells
Special to The Clinton News

Melanie Thortis | The Clinton News

Five-year-old Ellie Scott and her sister, Emma Scott, 9, put on their best pirate face for the upcoming Halloween holiday. Ellie and Emma’s cousins will also dress as pirates this year for trick-or-treating fun.

HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS

# Plan bright, reflective costumes. Make sure shoes fit and costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flame.

# Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treat bags for greater visibility. Because a mask can limit or block eyesight, consider instead non-toxic and hypoallergenic makeup or a decorative hat.

# When shopping for costumes, wigs, and accessories, purchase only those with a label indicating they are flame resistant.

# Think twice before using simulated knives, guns, or swords. If you must, make sure they do not appear authentic and are soft and flexible to prevent injury.

# Children and their escorts should use flashlights with fresh batteries. Plan ahead to use only battery-powered lanterns or chemical light sticks in place of candles in decorations and costumes.

# Review with your children the principle of “stop, drop and roll” should their clothes catch on fire.

# Eliminate tripping hazards on your porch and walkway. Check for flowerpots, low tree limbs, support wires or garden hoses that are hazardous to young children rushing from house to house.

Despite the tough economy, parents are still purchasing Halloween costumes for their little goblins or making them by hand.

That’s the finding of Angie Hicks, founder of the consumer awareness Web site www.angieslist.com.

She finds many people spend between $25-$50 on Halloween costumes.

At Party City on East County Line Road in Jackson, the economy hasn’t spooked off customers.

“Sales are really good. They’re comparable to last year,” said co-owner Alice Harrigill.

“You hear more people saying that it’s going to be one night of having a little bit of fun. They’re looking forward to it.”

Party City’s big sellers for kids: Characters such as Cody and Rex from Star Wars: The Clone Wars; Hannah Montana; and Sharpay from High School Musical.

“The adults like the couples’ costumes, like Fred and Wilma, or the funny ones, like ‘The Freshman 15,’ ” Harrigill said.

She’s had to reorder the Star Wars characters already. “Darth Vader is still a huge hit, too, with the young boys,” she said.

Prices start at $9.99 and go up from there, with the average price at about $19.99, Harrigill aid.

Heather Head said she enjoys making costumes for her children – Jake, 5, and Elizabeth, 3 – and saving money in the process.

“I enjoy being creative, and my kids love the outcome,” said the Byram mom. “I don’t sew, but I have found that you can do a lot with a cardboard box.”

Head credits her husband Keith with contributing imagination and energy in making sure the boxes will withhold the wear and tear of harvest carnivals and trick or treating.

“Last year, Elizabeth was Sally from the Cars movie and Jake was Underdog from the Disney movie,” Head said. “I fashioned an empty Pull-Ups box into Sally, which required a lot of cutting, taping and stapling.

“For Underdog, I bought red sweatpants and sweatshirt, cut out a ‘U’ in white felt, found some blue fabric for a cape and purchased a dog mask.”

Sarah Broadus of Clinton coordinates costumes for her two daughters, Madyson, 2, and Aubrie Kate, 7 months, to match those of their cousins.

This Halloween, the Broadus girls will be pirates. Madyson is fascinated with Dora the Explorer’s Pirate Adventure, Broadus said.

“Halloween has always been a fun holiday around our house,” she said. “Instead of walking the neighborhood this year, we are going to do a hayride with a pirate ship theme.”

Adults in the family join in the fun by dressing up, she said. “Madyson’s first year, we all went as a litter of kittens,” Broadus said.

“I added fur to her costume that year, but as for sewing, I usually leave that up to my mother-in-law.”

Broadus appreciates the once-a-year whimsy that Halloween offers.

“How many days of the year can you walk around as a pirate, princess, bottle of mustard or a pumpkin and not feel out of place?” she said.

Staff writer Ruth Ingram contributed to this article.

Sierra Vista Herald | The Bisbee Daily Review

First-time SV Halloween event has cast of characters

By Derek Jordan
Herald/Review

Published on Saturday, November 01, 2008
SIERRA VISTA — The ghouls and ghosts were out in full force Friday night as hundreds celebrated Halloween at Veterans’ Memorial Park.

On the cool autumn evening, trick-or-treaters of all ages came to play games, watch a movie and, of course, get all the candy they could stuff into their plastic pumpkin buckets at the Halloween Fall Festival.

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Four-year-old Christopher Paige reacts as he participates in Friday’s ghoulish good times at Veterans’ Memorial Park. (Mark Levy-Herald/Review)

(Use arrows above to view more photos)
Though well-lit by floodlights, the spooky spirit of the holiday was in full effect thanks to set-ups such as haystacks topped with jack-o’-lanterns, a miniature haunted cemetery complete with fog machine, and countless costumed children.

From Indiana Jones and Snow White, to Freddy Krueger and Dr. Frank-N-Furter, there was a multitude of tastes on display. As far as small children went, there were enough superheroes to have a comic book convention.

Iron Man and pirates seemed to be the biggest hits with the youngest crowd, while the teenagers stuck with slasher film icons like Jason Voorhees. And while there were a few court jesters hanging around, there seemed to be only one Joker on hand.

Those who weren’t in line to try their luck at knocking over a stack of milk bottles or play ring toss for candy could watch “Scooby Doo 2” being projected on a large screen or take a break from trick-or-treating and jump around in the inflatable jumping castle.

Accompanied by his parents and aunt, Nicolas Spain, 3, dressed up in his green dinosaur costume, had his mind-set one thing despite all of the attractions.

“I’m here getting candy at the park,” he said, working a Tootsie Roll over in his mouth.

“What part did you like best?” his father, Pete, asked him. “Was it the jumping castle?”

With barely a pause, Nicolas said, “No, it was eating candy.”

If visitors needed a break from trick-or-treating at the various vendors stands spread around the park, there were other things to see.

Those looking for a less secular celebration needed to only cross the pavement in front of the band shell, where the Salvation Army was co-hosting a Harvest Festival, which had games, coloring tables and a booth advertising that it could tell someone if they were going to heaven in only two questions.

The Cove Aquatic Center hosted a haunted house for a $3 entry fee. A few bucks more would pay for a few hours of night swimming as well. It proved a popular draw, with people lined up throughout the night waiting to get in, sometimes for up to 45 minutes or more.

Visitors seemed happy with the three-hour event. Kim Cossette, Nicolas’ aunt, said she liked watching the children have fun.

“I just enjoy seeing all the kids,” she said. “They did a really good job with this.”

Herald/Review reporter Derek Jordan can be reached at 515-4680 or by e-mail at derek.jordan@svherald.com.

Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin

With the planned trip to Ireland coming up a little more eleven and a half months from now I have been looking into some serious issues I am going to have to deal with.  Since we will be there indefinitely the notion of car insurance and travel insurance have come up since I have been informed by my carriers that I still have to maintain my policy here in the states and get extra freaking coverage.  That is unless I plan to start from scratch again on coverage once we come back.  I have had a period of time where I went without car insurance because I didn’t have a car, and let me tell you they charged me an arm and leg for the coverage when I got a new one.  They acted like I was some sort of drunk who tore through a shopping mall ala The Blue Brothers when I told them I didn’t have insurance.  They wanted to know why not.  I said I didn’t have a car and without a car I couldn’t buy auto insurance as per their own policy.  Then I felt like they wanted to rake me over the coals because I didn’t have a car.  They asked hundred of different questions all trying to get me to say something bad about my driving.  It didn’t seem to matter we lived four hundred feet from katy’s workplace or a thousand from the grocery store, just that we didn’t have a car and didn’t have insurance.  Anyways, I digress if you go overseas make sure you are covered wherever you go and that you talk to your insurance carrier at home.  If you happen to be off to Ireland like we are so she can visit family and possibly relocate us I did find one rather useful site you should take a look at for car insurance quotes.

On top of the traditional services they also provide a wide range of virtual office solutions.  Plans provides you with complete personalized telephone coverage and a prestigious business address. their mail only plan is one if I thought it would make a difference in my blogging income I would consider, the virtual address mail handling.

Mail Only Service provides you with a prestigious business address at Toronto’s # 1 Address :
1 Yonge Street,
Suite 1801,
Toronto

Even as a bloody Yank, as my mother in law calls me, knows that address. Granted it isn’t 10 Downing St in London, but it is certainly more believable.  Servicing more than thirty five countries world wide this seems like the company to go to if you need executive Offices.

Valley responds to financial crisis
Written by Susan Hunter
Thursday, October 16, 2008

SEYMOUR — All through the Valley, residents and government leaders are trying to catch their breath and take stock of last week’s dizzying Wall Street tumble and financial sector collapse.

The market rebounded Monday following weekend meetings of Group of Seven finance ministers, representing the world’s wealthiest nations, who vowed to take decisive action.

Hoping to calm nervous investors, President Bush addressed the nation Tuesday morning to say that part of the $700 billion financial bailout package would be used to inject capital into banks by buying their shares.

Wednesday saw the second largest Wall St. drop ever.

People are wary of a volatile market responding to the real estate bubble of shaky mortgages sold on the international market that has caused widespread financial losses and panic.

Many residents who spoke with the Valley Gazette see the situation as a global phenomenon that requires a unified solution.

“”I’m sure we’re in for a global recession and depression,” said Seymour resident Robert Miller, as he loaded his young son — and groceries — into his car at Stop & Shop. “We’re so interconnected.”

Miller said his family has made changes to accommodate to the economic situation. He’s switched his cell phone service to a pay-for-use plan, and his family takes day-long trips to the mall in one car, rather than using two cars to make several trips a day.

“We’re trying to drive a little less,” Miller said.

He said he is thankful he works for a school system, because it may offer him more job security than other fields.

“I’m in stunned shock,” said Bethany resident Christine Silverstrim.

She’s kept a close eye on her 401K plan, but hasn’t cashed it in, despite encouragement from others to do so.

Her son, Damian Silverstrim, a Cornell University student who was home for the weekend, said his classmates who are business majors have already felt the effects of the financial fallout.

All of their job prospects for next year have fallen through, he said. All had completed internships and interviews, and their prospective employers called them this past week and told them there would not be jobs for them after all.

Two had planned to work at Lehman Brothers and two at Merrill Lynch.

“I feel sorry for young couples just starting out and buying homes, and for people who were planning to retire soon,” said Anne Dembski of Bethany.

Her family and others around the world are “adjusting to a global economy,” she said. “I wouldn’t be surprised that if in two months, we’re back in a bull market.”

But meantime, Dembski said she would continue her life-long habit of only buying what she can afford.

Everyone is suffering the consequences of those who haven’t, she said.

“This is finally coming home to roost,” she said, and people’s attitudes need to change. “A 2,000-square-foot home can do just as well as a 7,000-square-foot home.”

On the bright side, Dembski said she’s paid a little less for the groceries she was loading into to the trunk of her car.

“I’ve seen food prices go down a little,” she said, and believes it’s due to decreasing oil and gas prices that make it cheaper to transport the food.

But Lyn Hurd of Shelton, who was doing errands in Klarides Plaza further down Route 67, said she has seen prices at Ocean State Job Lot increase during the past weeks.

Hurd said she had been planning to sell her house, but the slowdown has changed her plans.

“I don’t see this as possible,” she said.

“We’re waiting it out on the IRA,” said Ansonia resident Christa Manzolli, who was shopping with Karen Fisher of Oxford.

The women said they were trying to figure out how to buy necessities and be able to afford heating their homes this winter. They’ll continue their usual habit of buying goods on clearance and using coupons, rather than buying at retail price.

Local governments respond

Just down the road at Seymour Town Hall, First Selectman Robert Koskelowski was doing his own belt-tightening.

He has sent out letters to town department heads, asking them to reduce their spending from 2 to 2.5 percent. They’ll have to postpone asking for funding for equipment or projects.

“It’s just very scary,” Koskelowski said. “This isn’t going to be resolved in six months.”

He said he’s concerned about the effect of upcoming property revaluation on taxpayers and the town’s loss of income in other areas.

A total of 71 houses are in foreclosure in Seymour, he said, and the town is losing $1 million in tuition payments from Oxford students who are leaving Seymour High School to go to their own new high school.

Koskelowski predicts that the only increases in next year’s budget will be contractual, and he plans to evaluate the feasibility of reducing some town government positions from full to part-time.

“I don’t want to put anyone out of work,” he said.

On the bright side, houses are holding their value in Seymour, although “the housing market has stopped. Houses are selling at their assessed rate,” he said, and that’s not happening much around the state.

A $400,000 or $500,000 house in Seymour would cost $1 million in Fairfield County.

“The value for your dollar is better here,” Koskelowski said.

Property taxes only increased an average of $100 this year, he said, just about a third of increases in fuel costs.

Seymour residents get good services for the taxes they pay, he said.

Derby paints rosy picture

Derby mayor Tony Staffieri is upbeat about the effects of the economic slowdown on the city.

“There’s no fallout,” he said. “The City of Derby’s finances are in great shape. We kept a lean budget this year.”

There will be increases, however, in the areas of electric bills, insurance and contract obligations.

Derby will see tax benefits from the newly opened Center for Cancer Care and from the new Lowe’s home improvement store, Starbuck’s and from the Valley Diner that has put on an addition. The city is negotiating a project on the Hotchkiss property that will result in a continual care facility run by the United Methodist Church.

The village of seniors age 72 and older will be self-sustaining and generate $1 million in taxes a year.

“We’re in a healthy condition,” Staffieri said.

The financial crisis may put a hold on plans of prospective developers of the downtown revitalization project. Although about 14 developers have shown an interest in developing the property that has been entangled in litigation, they may “wait and see” before making a commitment, Staffieri said.

City officials conducted a walk-through of the redevelopment zone Sept. 19, and seven interested developers took part. Requests for qualifications are due in from interested parties on Nov. 12.

Overall, Derby officials say developers want to move to town.

“There’s a lot of interest,” Staffieri said. “They see Derby as a main catalyst and a big opportunity to invest in Derby.

“Derby is in a strategic location,” he said. It’s a transportation hub with a heavily used train and bus station, located at the intersection of Routes 8 and 34 and at the confluence of the Naugatuck and Housatonic Rivers.

“Businesses are seeing that,” he said.

Prospective business owners like the fact that Derby is a small city. “People continually ask, ‘Is there a spot here for me?’” said Sheila O’Malley, the city’s economic development director. “We still have people interested in the city. We have location.”

Despite her optimism, O’Malley said she’s sure the world-wide economic situation will affect the city indirectly.

Ansonia saves energy

Ansonia Mayor Jim Della Volpe is guardedly optimistic about the effect of the financial crisis on the city.

“We don’t foresee any major problems,” he said, but he met with department heads Friday to discuss saving energy by turning lights off during the day in city offices and conserving air conditioner and computer use.

The city has established an Energy Improvement District to serve as a vehicle for private companies to band together to reduce energy costs and make use of cleaner and more efficient on-site power technology.

The program to allow municipalities to set up energy improvement districts became law in June 2007, and Ansonia was one of the first cities in Connecticut to take advantage of it.

The city’s consultant, Pareto Energy LTC, is expected to deliver a concept plan in mid-November, Della Volpe said.

Savings could occur in municipal buildings, the public works department and the city’s wastewater plant.

“We look like we’re in okay shape,” Della Volpe said, and the city’s tax collection rate is the same as it was last year.

Town officials are heartened that developer Robert Scinto is starting his development at the Fountain Lake Commerce Park.

Surveying has been done at the site, Della Volpe said, and construction is expected to start within the next few weeks.

Post 21 of 100 of Brad’s Tiny World Scribefire Challenge.

As we can see small towns and big cities across america have people facing the same challenges in their daily life, is it too much to hope for that we can ever reach an understanding that we are all pretty much the same and need to work towards better communities as a whole?

Vacations were something I went on as a child and something I would really like to take my kids on, but alas it doesn’t seem to be that way at the moment. I think my favorite of all had to be the trips to Yosemite National Park.  Those trips as a kid put mountains and white water in my veins as a young adult.  We can leave off what that sort of adventure has done to my body as an adult though.  I still wouldn’t have missed it for the world.  Pain can be managed but sheer pleasure is something very few can appreciate.

I would love for my kids to see Yosemite, or the Grand Canyon, Estes Park, Mt Rushmore or any of those spots I have visited. At least I have my stories to tell them about these places. I hope they are inspired enough by those stories that should they have the means when they have kids to seek out new places and have wonderful vacations.

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Joe Strummer of the Clash

I hear London Calling running through my head now that I’m done watching Idol. I’m not really sure why, but I did get a reference to a sweet little site for London Hotels if you should be off to the city by the Thames look it up. If you are in need of  hotels in London city or any of the great places around there you can book yourself a room and start having a thumping good time. Maybe not as good of a time as The Clash might have had in a hotel room and certainly no where as good of a time as the Sex Pistols, but a thumping good time none the less. Maybe you might even find yourself cute blond a wanna be Orbitz girl with a dirty mouth. I bet in the day she would have been just the ticket for The Clash’s Joe Strummer and Nick Jones. Maybe, just maybe, if you know where they partied you cana rrange yourself a room in one of their former spots with a cute little bird of your own.

Grand Prismatic Hot Springs, Yellowstone N.P.

We are all of a sudden shifting our interests to Yellowstone and its massive caldera.  For those of you who don’t know Yellowstone National park is one giant volcano ready to blow.  Of course even with recent earthquakes the likelihood of this happening is next to nothing.  in fact the most legitimate scientists and vulcanologists list this super-volcano as only the 19th most dangerous volcano in America.  Sure if it goes we are screwed royally, but they don’t give it much of a chance of going.

If there is so little chance of it blowing why are we talking about it?  The answer is rather simple, sensationalism at its finest.  It is also safe to assume if we talk about The Yellowstone Volcano possibly devastating the earth, we don’t have to talk about unpopular things like overpopulation caused by lack of preventive birth control.  Nor do we have to talk about the starvation and spread of disease associated with over population.  If we don’t have to talk overpopulation, then we certainly don’t need to talk about how poorly we use our water resources either.

In the end we talk about the Yellowstone Volcano because we can’t do anything about it, saving us from actually dealing with real environmental problems we can do something about.  I call out to my fellow bloggers to make a post about the big bad Yellowstone Volcano to draw in curious readers but stick a few real issues with real solutions into the post that aren’t getting any attention.

Saving the world requires more than saving the cheerleader…