Schools Reel
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RepublicanAmerican
TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2011 FINAL 75¢
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HOME FINALE
A WIN TONIGHT AND MAYA MOORE WILL FINISH CAREER PERFECT AT HOME, PAGE 1C
Maia proclaims innocence
Former Connelly staffer facing 5 tax charges in federal court
BY JONATHAN SHUGARTS
REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
LET THE KIDS PRACTICE!
JOE PALLADINO SAYS IT’S TOO BAD THE RULES FOR HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS AREN’T AS FLEXIBLE AS MOTHER NATURE, PAGE 1C
WATERBURY — A former inspector for the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office pleaded innocent to federal tax evasion charges Monday, while the man who he says prepared his tax returns was arrested early Monday morning. According to a federal prosecutor, Thomas Thorndike, a tax preparer formerly of Wood-
bury, filled out the tax returns of thousands of taxpayers, but now faces federal charges because the government claims some of those returns were fraudulent. The loss in revenue to the government could be “several million” dollars, according to a prosecutor. On the same day that federal authorities unsealed a 16-count indictment against Thorndike in Bridgeport, John “Pudgie” Maia, a retired city detective
and former inspector for retired State’s Attorney John A. Connelly, pleaded not guilty to five federal tax crimes in a Hartford federal courthouse. Maia, 71, was indicted last month after authorities claimed he submitted tax deductions for a fictitious music business and claimed phony charitable contributions between 2005 and 2008. Authorities claim he See TAXES, Page 8A
JONATHAN SHUGARTS REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
Thomas Thorndike, right, leaves U.S. District Court in Bridgeport on Monday with his attorney, Andrew Bowman.
IT AIN’T OVER TILL IT’S OVER
Chase Avenue project begins
Several homes on the lower end of Chase Avenue in Waterbury were demolished, beginning the long-awaited process to widen the road. PAGE 1B
Machinery tax progress made
State legislative leaders say they’ve made progress in their efforts to help towns stay stable without funds for tax-exempt machinery and equipment. PAGE 1B
Nuclear crisis a long problem
Japanese officials say once a stricken nuclear plant has power, it will take just a day to get it under control, but that’s still weeks from happening. PAGE 4A
Price of homes at 9-year low
The low sales of previously occupied houses and a rise of foreclosures in February pushed the median sales price of homes to the lowest level since 2002. PAGE 8C
Man undergoes face transplant
Doctors in Boston completed the nation’s first full face transplant, a procedure paid for by the U.S. military in order to learn how to help severely wounded soldiers. PAGE 5A
STEVEN VALENTI REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
OPINION OF THE DAY: “If you want the benefits of the United States, then become a citizen. You work here, you make money here, you have a great life here, then take the time and make the effort to become citizens.” — April Randall, Waterbury
READ THE FULL LETTER ON PAGE 6A
OK, so winter is technically over but wintry conditions are lingering. Mark Wercnko, owner of Mark’s Gardens and Gifts in Watertown, brushes snow off pansies outside his shop Monday, the first full day of spring (it actually began at 6:21 p.m. Sunday here in the Eastern Time Zone). It doesn’t appear we’re through with snow either. Although it should be sunny today, the forecast shows more snow possible Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday.
WEB EXTRAS
TO DAY AT R E P -A M .CO M >> DEAL OF THE DAY Click Deal of the Day to get half off a
$50 certificate for any hair service at Torrington Beauty Academy. >> SAVING A PLANT Read the Gardening blog to learn how you can keep shrubs by transplanting them — now’s the time! >> WORTH REPEATING “ANOTHER traffic light in Waterbury might prevent accidents, that is, if anyone in Waterbury actually recognizes the thing and the purpose for which it is intended.” — posted by Dennis on the story, “Officials hope new traffic signal in Waterbury will reduce accidents.”
NATO attacks Libyan targets for a 3rd night
But rebels not able to hit Gadhafi yet
BY RYAN LUCAS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
AT&T BUYING T-MOBILE USA FOR $39 BILLION
HERE’S WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU
>> NEW PHONES T-Mobile subscribers with 3G phones will need new ones because AT&T, at some point in the future, will alter T-Mobile’s cell towers for faster 4G service. >> MORE PHONES T-Mobile, much smaller than AT&T, doesn’t get as many exclusives on top-line phones, and it doesn’t have iPhones. This won’t be a big benefit to T-Mobile users who don’t have contracts — if they want the >> AT&T says it wants iPhone today, they can sign up more airwaves, but if with AT&T or Verizon Wireless. that’s the case, this But subscribers under condeal isn’t much of a tract would find it easier to solution. Page 8C upgrade to an iPhone. >> FEWER PRICING PLANS T-Mobile and AT&T have different offerings, some of which might disappear from the market. >> END OF UNLIMITED DATA PLANS AT&T stopped offering unlimited data plans to new subscribers in favor of plans with monthly data usage caps and overage fees. T-Mobile USA still offers “unlimited” data for smartphones and subscribers would likely be grandfathered in. >> BETTER NETWORK COVERAGE Combining networks will improve performance in some areas because there will be more towers. However, today’s AT&T phones can’t use T-Mobile’s 3G wireless data network, and vice versa, because they run on different frequencies. >> WIDER BROADBAND AT&T is pledging to build an ultrafast broadband network to cover rural areas. >> HIGHER PRICES? Who knows. AT&T points out that prices have fallen through a decade of mergers in the industry, but public-interest groups are raising concerns. — Associated Press
Schools reel from state’s unfunded mandates
Money not there for new targets
BY ALIA MALIK
REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
48 Low 28
High
Sunny and cool today; chance of rain or even snow Wednesday and Thursday. Page 8A
Annie’sMailbox 12D Business 8C Classified 6B Comics 10-11D Crossword 9D Editorials 6A
Horoscope 12D Jumble 9D Lottery 2A Movie times 13D Obituaries 4-5B People 13D
Public record 2A Sports 1C Stocks 7C Sudoku 9D Television 14-15D Women 1D
40 pages. © 2011 Republican-American Established 1881, Waterbury, Connecticut All rights reserved
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Read today’s editions online at www.rep-am.com
ZWITINA, Libya — Coalition forces bombarded Libya for a third straight night Monday, targeting the air defenses and forces of Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi, stopping his advances and handing some momentum back to the rebels, who were on the >> Europe verge of defeat split over just last week. operations But the rebelin Libya. lion’s more orPage 3A. ganized military units were still not ready to go on the offensive, and the opposition disarray underscored U.S. warnings that a long stalemate could emerge. The air campaign by U.S. and European military units has unquestionably rearranged the balance of power in Libya and rescued rebels from the immediate threat they faced only days ago of being crushed under a powerful advance by Gadhafi’s forces. See LIBYA, Page 8A
When Janice E. Saam, associate principal at Naugatuck High School, sat down to figure out what additional resources the school district would need to comply with new state mandates, >> See what she found the high school numbers daunt- grads in the state must ing. The district, accomplish. which is still re- Page 8A. covering from a budget crisis, would need 11 new high school teachers and a part-time capstone project coordinator, Saam reasoned. Elementary and middle schools might also need to make changes to prepare students for the more intensive high school graduation requirements, she
See SCHOOLS, Page 8A
What Will UBecome?
Graduate Information Session
Thursday, March 24, 6pm – 7:30pm UB Waterbury Center 84 Progress Lane, Waterbury, CT Call 1-800.EXCEL.UB www.ubgrad.org
TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2011 FINAL 75¢
WWW.REP-AM.COM
HOME FINALE
A WIN TONIGHT AND MAYA MOORE WILL FINISH CAREER PERFECT AT HOME, PAGE 1C
Maia proclaims innocence
Former Connelly staffer facing 5 tax charges in federal court
BY JONATHAN SHUGARTS
REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
LET THE KIDS PRACTICE!
JOE PALLADINO SAYS IT’S TOO BAD THE RULES FOR HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS AREN’T AS FLEXIBLE AS MOTHER NATURE, PAGE 1C
WATERBURY — A former inspector for the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office pleaded innocent to federal tax evasion charges Monday, while the man who he says prepared his tax returns was arrested early Monday morning. According to a federal prosecutor, Thomas Thorndike, a tax preparer formerly of Wood-
bury, filled out the tax returns of thousands of taxpayers, but now faces federal charges because the government claims some of those returns were fraudulent. The loss in revenue to the government could be “several million” dollars, according to a prosecutor. On the same day that federal authorities unsealed a 16-count indictment against Thorndike in Bridgeport, John “Pudgie” Maia, a retired city detective
and former inspector for retired State’s Attorney John A. Connelly, pleaded not guilty to five federal tax crimes in a Hartford federal courthouse. Maia, 71, was indicted last month after authorities claimed he submitted tax deductions for a fictitious music business and claimed phony charitable contributions between 2005 and 2008. Authorities claim he See TAXES, Page 8A
JONATHAN SHUGARTS REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
Thomas Thorndike, right, leaves U.S. District Court in Bridgeport on Monday with his attorney, Andrew Bowman.
IT AIN’T OVER TILL IT’S OVER
Chase Avenue project begins
Several homes on the lower end of Chase Avenue in Waterbury were demolished, beginning the long-awaited process to widen the road. PAGE 1B
Machinery tax progress made
State legislative leaders say they’ve made progress in their efforts to help towns stay stable without funds for tax-exempt machinery and equipment. PAGE 1B
Nuclear crisis a long problem
Japanese officials say once a stricken nuclear plant has power, it will take just a day to get it under control, but that’s still weeks from happening. PAGE 4A
Price of homes at 9-year low
The low sales of previously occupied houses and a rise of foreclosures in February pushed the median sales price of homes to the lowest level since 2002. PAGE 8C
Man undergoes face transplant
Doctors in Boston completed the nation’s first full face transplant, a procedure paid for by the U.S. military in order to learn how to help severely wounded soldiers. PAGE 5A
STEVEN VALENTI REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
OPINION OF THE DAY: “If you want the benefits of the United States, then become a citizen. You work here, you make money here, you have a great life here, then take the time and make the effort to become citizens.” — April Randall, Waterbury
READ THE FULL LETTER ON PAGE 6A
OK, so winter is technically over but wintry conditions are lingering. Mark Wercnko, owner of Mark’s Gardens and Gifts in Watertown, brushes snow off pansies outside his shop Monday, the first full day of spring (it actually began at 6:21 p.m. Sunday here in the Eastern Time Zone). It doesn’t appear we’re through with snow either. Although it should be sunny today, the forecast shows more snow possible Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday.
WEB EXTRAS
TO DAY AT R E P -A M .CO M >> DEAL OF THE DAY Click Deal of the Day to get half off a
$50 certificate for any hair service at Torrington Beauty Academy. >> SAVING A PLANT Read the Gardening blog to learn how you can keep shrubs by transplanting them — now’s the time! >> WORTH REPEATING “ANOTHER traffic light in Waterbury might prevent accidents, that is, if anyone in Waterbury actually recognizes the thing and the purpose for which it is intended.” — posted by Dennis on the story, “Officials hope new traffic signal in Waterbury will reduce accidents.”
NATO attacks Libyan targets for a 3rd night
But rebels not able to hit Gadhafi yet
BY RYAN LUCAS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
AT&T BUYING T-MOBILE USA FOR $39 BILLION
HERE’S WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU
>> NEW PHONES T-Mobile subscribers with 3G phones will need new ones because AT&T, at some point in the future, will alter T-Mobile’s cell towers for faster 4G service. >> MORE PHONES T-Mobile, much smaller than AT&T, doesn’t get as many exclusives on top-line phones, and it doesn’t have iPhones. This won’t be a big benefit to T-Mobile users who don’t have contracts — if they want the >> AT&T says it wants iPhone today, they can sign up more airwaves, but if with AT&T or Verizon Wireless. that’s the case, this But subscribers under condeal isn’t much of a tract would find it easier to solution. Page 8C upgrade to an iPhone. >> FEWER PRICING PLANS T-Mobile and AT&T have different offerings, some of which might disappear from the market. >> END OF UNLIMITED DATA PLANS AT&T stopped offering unlimited data plans to new subscribers in favor of plans with monthly data usage caps and overage fees. T-Mobile USA still offers “unlimited” data for smartphones and subscribers would likely be grandfathered in. >> BETTER NETWORK COVERAGE Combining networks will improve performance in some areas because there will be more towers. However, today’s AT&T phones can’t use T-Mobile’s 3G wireless data network, and vice versa, because they run on different frequencies. >> WIDER BROADBAND AT&T is pledging to build an ultrafast broadband network to cover rural areas. >> HIGHER PRICES? Who knows. AT&T points out that prices have fallen through a decade of mergers in the industry, but public-interest groups are raising concerns. — Associated Press
Schools reel from state’s unfunded mandates
Money not there for new targets
BY ALIA MALIK
REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
48 Low 28
High
Sunny and cool today; chance of rain or even snow Wednesday and Thursday. Page 8A
Annie’sMailbox 12D Business 8C Classified 6B Comics 10-11D Crossword 9D Editorials 6A
Horoscope 12D Jumble 9D Lottery 2A Movie times 13D Obituaries 4-5B People 13D
Public record 2A Sports 1C Stocks 7C Sudoku 9D Television 14-15D Women 1D
40 pages. © 2011 Republican-American Established 1881, Waterbury, Connecticut All rights reserved
6
34373 12494
2
Read today’s editions online at www.rep-am.com
ZWITINA, Libya — Coalition forces bombarded Libya for a third straight night Monday, targeting the air defenses and forces of Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi, stopping his advances and handing some momentum back to the rebels, who were on the >> Europe verge of defeat split over just last week. operations But the rebelin Libya. lion’s more orPage 3A. ganized military units were still not ready to go on the offensive, and the opposition disarray underscored U.S. warnings that a long stalemate could emerge. The air campaign by U.S. and European military units has unquestionably rearranged the balance of power in Libya and rescued rebels from the immediate threat they faced only days ago of being crushed under a powerful advance by Gadhafi’s forces. See LIBYA, Page 8A
When Janice E. Saam, associate principal at Naugatuck High School, sat down to figure out what additional resources the school district would need to comply with new state mandates, >> See what she found the high school numbers daunt- grads in the state must ing. The district, accomplish. which is still re- Page 8A. covering from a budget crisis, would need 11 new high school teachers and a part-time capstone project coordinator, Saam reasoned. Elementary and middle schools might also need to make changes to prepare students for the more intensive high school graduation requirements, she
See SCHOOLS, Page 8A
What Will UBecome?
Graduate Information Session
Thursday, March 24, 6pm – 7:30pm UB Waterbury Center 84 Progress Lane, Waterbury, CT Call 1-800.EXCEL.UB www.ubgrad.org
