A Torch Runs Through It

Hamden police begin the second half of their run yesterday. Photo/Betsy Driebeek

By Betsy Driebeek

Hamden cops chased a pickup 8.5 miles Friday afternoon -- the length of Route 10 from Cheshire to New Haven -- on foot.

It was the 20th annual Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics 2006. The olympics are being held this weekend at Southern Connecticut State University.

According to the Special Olympics of Connecticut Web site, more than 85,000 law enforcement officers carry the "Flame of Hope" around 50 states and 35 nations to raise awareness and money for the yearly event.

At 3:41 p.m. yesterday, Hamden cops were waiting at the Cheshire town line to join the leg started in Newington at 9:22 a.m. Their run took them down Whitney Avenue, escorted by Hamden and state police officers and a pickup with supplies such as drinking water and torch accelerants.

A 10-minute break was taken in front of the Hamden Police Department and then the run continued down Dixwell Avenue to the New Haven City line, where the torch was passed to a waiting Special Olympics participant.

Hamden runner Officer Mark Sheppard said at the completion of his run, "Special Olympics is a great cause and we're happy to do it. The athletes are an inspiration."

Connecticut's 2006 Torch Run covered over 640 miles in more than 100 cities and towns. Over 3,500 law enforcement officers and Special Olympics athletes participated.

Law enforcement officers started the run on Wednesday, June 7, ending the day at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard. Day two saw runners converge on West Hartford.

Yesterday, five different routes were taken. They started in Chester, Greenwich, Newington, New Milford and Wilton. The final meeting place for all five legs was Long Wharf in New Haven, where the official ceremonial torch was lit by the five traveling torches.

The ceremonial torch was brought to Jess Dow Field at SCSU at 9 last night to kick off the Special Olympics.
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Hurry! BioBlitz Ends at 4 p.m. Today

Ranger Vin Lavorgna says to come on down for some scientific fun.

Story and photos by Sharon Bass

Brooksvale Park resembles a mini-science-themed Woodstock this weekend. Tents are pitched, 70-75 biologists, mycologists, herpetologists, botanists and other science types have converged on the northern Hamden wonderland, and Joe Grate's barbecue is smoking away.

It's the BioBlitz. A first-time-ever event of its kind around here.

Yesterday at 4 p.m., the plant and animal scientists embarked on a 24-hour-long counting of birds, bugs, plants, mammals, fish, flowers, butterflies and so on. At the same time, hourly hikes led by volunteers are planned for visitors.

"It's a biological inventory that will really help the park," said Jim Sirch, a Hamden resident and BioBlitz volunteer. "It really helps with knowing what's here so we can protect it."

Ranger Vin Lavorgna said he sure hopes the public will "come out and interact with the scientists."

Early yesterday evening, a small group gathered for a combined pond and crepuscular critter walk. Stopping at the pond first, a volunteer leader pointed out the singing of frogs. The surface of the water was dotted with American toad tadpoles, which look like little black goldfish. The hiking guide said it takes three years for the tadpoles to fully develop, and usually after another four they die. On the other side of the pond, herpetologists were filling turtle traps with shrimp and other fish.

Those black things are American toad tadpoles fresh out of the pond.

A committee of eight, including Lavorgna and Sirch, formed last year to develop the BioBlitz. "We're the eight super powers," the ranger said.

Check back here Monday to get the final tally on the number of living things found at Brooksvale Park.

The Date Was June 6, 1944

Story and photos by Betsy Driebeek

Hamden remembered D-Day last night through the words of those who invaded Normandy, France, 62 years ago, in order to attack and destroy German defenses commanded by Rommel.

The idea for the event, which saw a full house at Thornton Wilder Hall, came from Arthur Erickson, president of Beecher & Bennett Funeral Service. He had received a DVD entitled "Lest They Be Forgotten." According to the cover, the film is "A true life historical account of the Omaha Beach landing," produced and directed by Larry Cappetto.

Moved by those interviewed in the film, Erickson gave the DVD to his friend and chairman of the Hamden Veterans Commission, Abner Oakes. Erickson wanted to show the movie to the public and also have local people share their DD experiences -- from both abroad and at home.

Then local filmmaker Guy Ortoleva got involved. He made his own short film about Hamden's D-Day veterans, the home front and the local industries that supported the war. "I tried to present the local angle to the world event," he said.

The audience last night viewed both films as well as engaged in a panel discussion entitled "How D-Day Touched This Community," moderated by Ortoleva. There were about 40 veterans in the room and 10 others who had been in Hamden on DD.

Panel members were Hamden residents Ray Larolo, who landed in Normandy on June 8, 1944; Jean Aiken, who was in town that day; and Audrey Cable Linke, author of "World War II Remembered - A Treasury of Heroes," a compilation of interviews.

Larolo, having arrived two days after D-Day, said that the impression of dead bodies floating in the water and lying on the beach is forever etched in his memory.

Aiken recalled exactly what she was doing that day in Hamden.

"It was a beautiful day, warm, and on my side lawn there were 44 card tables set up for a strawberry festival," she said. "We knew what was going on, but we tried to keep things as normal as possible. We were raising funds for the library, when it was around the corner on Whitney Avenue."

When Ortoleva asked Aiken how it felt to have so many town's men in the war, she said, "We were all a part of it. We think that everyone in our 1940 high school class served."

Cable Linke has been collecting war stories for over 50 years. She said it is important to get the stories out because all, including children, need to know the sacrifices made. "These men were magnificent. They are the people who kept us free," she said.

Key speaker of the evening, Assistant School Superintendent and retired Lt. Col. Hamlet Hernandez said, "Some may tell you that the saying 'Freedom is not free' is trite, but if you served in the military, looked in the eyes of danger or saw a friend in harm's way you know that freedom is not free."

Meriden resident Richard Egan, wearing his original uniform of June 6, 1944, closed the event by playing "Taps" on his bugle.

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Signing Good For Hearing Kids, Too

Xiaobo Wu of Hamden signs a song for her son Joye, 26 months.

Story and photos by Betsy Driebeek

According to Debbie Carson, parents and caregivers can communicate with babies even before they are able to talk -- with sign language.

Carson's parents are both deaf and she grew up using American Sign Language (ASL). She says it's her first language and the third most commonly used in the country. She is teaching ASL to her 19-month-old son and has been told he currently has the language development of a 2.5-year-old.

Wanting to pass the word along, Carson embarked on a trek to introduce others to infant and toddler sign language. Last night, she did that at Miller Library.

Debbie Carson explains the benefits of teaching sign to babies and toddlers.

She said a child is never too young or too old to learn sign language. "It helps to raise IQs and creates better bonding because the adult is understanding better what [the child's] needs are," said Carson.

Songs with hand gestures -- like "Wheels on the Bus" -- are particularly popular with children because the movements are memorable, and before they can sing, the gestures give the babies and toddlers a way to participate, she said.

Carson does not teach strict ASL. That is, the babies are not learning the alphabet and spelling. Rather she uses ASL to "augment the spoken language, to use one-word signs that are important to children," she said. Carson said she always teaches these three words first: eat, more and milk. "A lot of signs are iconic and easy to remember for the children."

For more information about signing to infants and toddlers visit www.riseandsign.com.

It's Just For a Year

Cops and friends say goodbye to former Deputy Police Chief Stephen Cahill

Story and photos by Sharon Bass

Everyone from his makers (mom and day Sally and Stephen Cahill), to his babysitter (Town Hall employee Patty Lujick), to the man who hired him (former Hamden Police Chief John Ambrogio) drove to Milford last night to bid adieu to Stephen Cahill. It was a double goodbye.

Last Thursday, he officially retired as deputy police chief after 22 years on the force. On June 13, he is leaving the state and eventually the country for a one-year tour in Afghanistan. He was originally going to Iraq, but changed his mind.

His wife, Gina Cahill, organized the retirement/send-off party at the Pyramid Shriners Club. While droves of cops and friends and family members drank and laughed at 60 bucks a head (open bar), Gina Cahill's eyes were red and moist most of the evening. She and Stephen became an item when they were 12. She doesn't want him to go.

But Stephen Cahill, 45, has an apparent thirst for challenge. He said he's leaving the police department before he wanted to. And needs a thrilling distraction.

Stephen Cahill's clan: (left to right) son Austin, son Kevin, dad George, mom Sally, wife Gina and son Stephen Jr. Daughter Nikki is the little one in white and Stephen is behind his mother and wife.

"I'm really proud but I can't get past feeling sad," said Gina Cahill, an animal control officer for Hamden. And she's bitter that her husband felt he had to leave the force prematurely.

"I think my husband would have been the best chief Hamden ever saw. He has the respect of the men," she said. "Over the years I've been on the sidelines watching how politics played out. And in the last couple of weeks, I've seen a lot of true colors come out."

Her husband will teach Afghani police how to investigate their government for corruption.

"I was upset," Sally Cahill said from inside the Shriners club kitchen. "But then I leave everything up to the hands of the lord. I feel peaceful and that's the only way I can handle this. Otherwise, I'd scream."

"I'm going there for the weather," Stephen told his mother. "It's 137 degrees there and 30 at night.

"I feel like I'm being pulled there. I just want to be part of making right what happened on 9/11," he said. He'll be paid $130,000 for the year.

But his son Austin Cahill, 20, had a different explanation for his father's unpopular-with-the-family choice.

"He thinks he's Sylvester Stallone, 'First Blood,' 'Rambo,'" he said. Austin is entering Southern Connecticut State University this fall, with long-range plans to become an attorney.

A Stroll Around the Room

Ambrogio was chewing the fat with East Haven Police Chief Lenny Gallo.

Ambrogio and Gallo.

"I hired him," Ambrogio said of Cahill. "I've known him since he was a kid. He was a tough street cop and he was able to make the transition to administration. He was honest. He was tough. And he was loyal -- and you could teach him anything else."

Public Works Director John Busca was having a drink with his friend Dominique Szarkowski, who recently came to Hamden from the country of Poland. "I wish him a happy and healthy tour of Afghanistan," said Busca.

Dominique Szarkowski with her friend Public Works head John Busca.

A few yards away, Lt. Bo Kicak was chatting with the man of the hour. Kicak is suing Police Chief Jack Kennelly, who is retiring at the end of the month, and former chief Bob Nolan for allegedly being passed over for promotions in retaliation for not going along with a cover-up after a drug bust.

"He'll be extremely missed," Kicak said of Cahill. "He's one of the rare individuals who has the combination of brain and brawn."

Lt. Kicak and retired Deputy Chief Cahill.

A live band called Timeless cranked out tunes from the '60s to the '80s. But only the children danced.

Hamden's last three chiefs: Ambrogio, Bob Nolan and Kennelly.

Councilman Jim Pascarella, former Mayor Carl Amento and Police Commissioner Marty Ruff.

Animal Control Officer Jean Murray with former Mayor Barbara DeNicola.

The lights dimmed and a handful of people made speeches. Unlike at other cop parties, the speakers were brief and polite. None of the typical bawdy humor. There were children in the audience.

Ambrogio praised Cahill for being a good cop.

"When Stephen played Little League he showed his leadership ability," said George Cahill Jr., Stephen's brother. "We're sure that what he does following the Hamden Police Department, he will do very well."

Sgt. Gabe Lupo wished Cahill good luck. Neither Kennelly nor Nolan spoke.

Austin Cahill took over the mike. His spontaneous speech to his dad ran the gamut of emotions, and included some witty bits.

He started off thanking his mother for being there while his father was gone a lot doing investigations. "My mom took care of us," he said. Teary Gina Cahill got a standing ovation.

Her son continued. "My father could have retired and played golf. But he's going to Afghanistan. He's having a midlife crisis. My brother told him to get a girlfriend. I told him to get a Harley." The crowd laughed.

"No girlfriend. No Harley. I've been proud of my father, except the illegal searches," said Austin. And then he announced the last speaker of the night: "My father, Stephen Cahill."

"I have this napkin because there are tears coming out of my eyes," he said, holding a white linen napkin near his right eye. "I appreciate everyone coming out. I am humbled."

His 9-year-old daughter Nikki sat on the floor before him taking pictures of him. "What are you doing there?" he asked. And the two smiled at each other.

Stephen Cahill and his daughter, Nikki.

A martini was served to the man of honor and he talked about the time he got arrested. It was 1980, Cahill said. He was on a picket line and was put in jail.

"Two years later, I didn't know what to do with my life. I already had eight kids and I needed a job," said the father of five. "Luckily, my father knew Jack Ambrogio and I got hired" as a Hamden cop. Shortly after coming on, he said, Internal Affairs investigated his arrest.

"So they worked me over for a while," said Cahill.

Switching gears, he said, "I picked my girlfriend when I was 12. I picked the best. I had the best mother and the best father."

The Next Day

Today a stretch limo was to pick up Stephen, Gina and Nikki Cahill to take them to Myrtle Beach, S.C.

"He said he's leaving his golf clubs home," said Gina. Stephen golfs three to four times a week, she said.

They plan to come home Saturday. The next Tuesday, Stephen will head down to Virginia to start this latest chapter of his life.